Volume 2 - CH 9

Volume 2

Chapter 9-Chainsman roosts and flashbacks

(TL:By Rafael)

Following behind Nene, we carefully made our way through the underground canal.

After a few minutes of nervous walking, wondering if we had overheard anything in the sound of the flowing water, ...... we arrived at a small room that seemed to be the roost of the chain man.

It was a wooden door that blended in with the landscape of the underground canal.

When I stepped inside, the space was larger than I expected, with a desk and chair in the corner, a simple bed, and a few miscellaneous tools.

It looked more like a waterway manager's resting room and storage room than a demon's roost.

"This ......"(Rain)

Rain, who had been lighting the room with a light, gave a small tug on my sleeve.

In the corner of the illuminated room, there was a small pile of human bones of various sizes.

"Is it possible that the demon ate them?"(Rain)

"I don't know. In the first place, who do these human bones belong to ......?"(Yuki)

It is not surprising to find human bones in a labyrinth with the characteristics of a tomb, but it is strange to find human bones in a corner of an underground canal.

Whether they were preyed upon or simply killed,......, it means that there were humans here or in the vicinity.

"Did someone step into the dungeon before we came to investigate?"(Rain)

"Maybe."(Yuki)

That's the most likely possibility.

The adventurer's guild couldn't seal the place off immediately after receiving a report.

The most likely scenario is that a bloodthirsty or greedy adventurer who heard the rumor stepped inside and was killed by the chain man.

But why do I feel that this is somewhat wishful thinking?

I can't shake my uneasiness.

" Yuki-san, I found something strange."(Nene)

Nene, who was searching elsewhere, showed me a drawer that had been pulled out.

It was a desk drawer, and among the miscellaneous writing materials was a book.

"Rain, please."(Yuki)

"Yeah, it looks okay."(Rain)

Rain, who had activated her magic-sensing 《Sense Magic》 and spell-sensing 《Sense Curse》, nodded at me.

You can be cursed if you carelessly touch the things you get in these places.

In my case, though, the curse is much stronger.

(TL: In case you forgot Yuki was cursed by Lady Persephone)

"It's not a book by the looks of the binding: ....... It's more like a diary or a notepad."(Yuki)

I picked it up and flipped through it.

Unfortunately, the contents of the book were written in an unknown script, so I had no idea what it said.

There was a regularity to it, so I assumed it was some kind of language.

Just to be sure, I move one of the open pages closer to Gopuro-kun and show it to him.

The academics at the academy might be able to figure something out.

"That's about it, I guess. I couldn't find anything else of interest."(Nene)

"No clue about that thing after all. I hope this diary will be a clue."(Yuki)

This is the only thing that moves in this underground canal where there is no sign of animals, let alone demons.

I thought it would be very dangerous if there were more than one of them, but ever since we defeated that one, there hasn't been a shadow of another one of them.

I'm not sure if he was  just one of his kind left or if there are extremely few of them. ......

In the first place, I'm beginning to wonder if this underground canal is even a labyrinth.

(TL:it's connected to second in everything  novel......it was a joke.)

"What are you going to do, Yuki?Do you want to take the stairs?"(Marina)

"Hmmm..."(Yuki)

I thought about Marina's question for a moment.

In the beginning, the plan was to check the first floor carefully.

It's not that big of an area, and the only demon is the chain man, so we might as well change our plans and check out the stairs and beyond.

In fact, I'd rather clear my mind of this bewildering feeling.

I don't understand the point of having a downward staircase that leads to an underground canal, and now having an upward staircase.

"All right, let's head for the stairs and have a meeting there once we've settled down."(Yuki)

"Right!"(Marina)

Marina nodded, seemingly unable to contain her interest.

(I'm sure this is a pattern that will push me to go see the next floor. ......)

Silk, who noticed me smiling, let out a chuckle as well.

I'm sure that Silk, who works very hard as a sub-leader, can relate to some of my thoughts.

No, Silk has known Marina for a long time before that.

I'm sure that she knows more about what's going to happen here than I do.

"I'll show you around then. It's not that far from here."(Nene)

"Yeah. Thanks, Nene."(Yuki)

Once again, Nene led the way through the underground canal.

The scenery is the same and it's strangely complicated, so if we get lost, we'll probably get lost for good.

"We've arrived......."(Nene)

As I was thinking stupidly, we soon arrived at the stairs.

It was indeed an upward staircase.

Moreover, the stairs seemed to be lightened up.

...... I wonder if it's connected to the outside after all?

"It's bright, right?"(Nene)

"I'm sure it is. When you go up, is it still outside?"(Yuki)

Nodding my head, I walked up the stairs.

The shape of the stairway area is not so different from other dungeons, it seems to be a "U" shape that turns around at the landing.

As I ascended the stairs, the light coming from the stairs became clearer.

It was the light of a red sun.

Sunlight at twilight, casting long shadows on a fading world.

"......"(Yuki)

The moment I saw it, I had a flashback of my childhood friend Simon suffering from my magic, and my body tensed up.

"Yuki, are you okay?"(Rain)

"Are you okay?"(Nene)

Rain and Nene look back at me.

They knew that I had been traumatized by the location, so they were worried about me.

"Oh, no problem. Let's just do a wear and tear check and take a break. "Delivery, Cut.""(Yuki)

Feeling the cold sweat on my back, I let out a big breath.

What the hell is wrong with me? ......!

I'm in the middle of a dungeon, and I'm the leader, I can't be shaken by something like this.

"Yuki, this way. Here, have a seat."(Rain)

Rain pulls my faltering hand and urges me to the wall.

I sat down, and Rain's cloak was softly placed over my head.

The light of twilight was blocked and my heart palpitations began to calm down.

"Just sit there until you calm down, okay?　　Don't hide your pain, okay?"(Rain)

"Thanks, It's my bad. I need to rest."(Yuki)

Rain's gentle scent drove Simon's shadow from my mind.

...... I'll ask if I can borrow this next time I need to sleep.

TL Note- The adventure continues but leaving that aside I also want to sleep like that. (T__T)