CH 26

Chapter 26 - A Call From the Dungeon

I opened the door of Sirius’ house with great force.

There was no time to lose as the muddy stream closed in behind me.

“Everyone! Let’s get to higher ground!”

The frustration of being beaten by Ace was more than enough for me right now. 

The threat of nature did not care about our feelings.

“Onii-san! Grandmas and Grandpas are……!!!”

Behind Sheila, there were three elderly Beastmen. All of them seemed to be weak in their legs and would not be able to escape the muddy stream.

I could carry them on my back and flee to higher ground. But, if I wasn’t careful, I would fall together with them.

“I can carry one of you on my back, one on each arm, and go to……?”

Thor and Sheila’s body size would not allow them to carry a person on their back, so inevitably, I would have to carry them all. I imagined holding the elderly as if they were luggage, but it would be very difficult to run.

“Thor and Sheila, go with Gabriel to the high ground! I’ll take care of the rest!”

“But ……”

“Please! We don’t have much time right now!”

Sheila hesitated, but Thor led her away from the room. I heard the two small footsteps and the slightly larger footsteps of an animal. I felt a little relieved when they moved away from me.

The earth rumbled from afar. My feet trembled and the house creaked.

“…… Your name is Henry? We have lived long enough…… you need to get out of here.”

An elderly man spoke up.

I once met a man named Noss in a dungeon. The resignation in his eyes was different from the resignation of these old men.

“Yes. We were happy to meet and know Thor and Sheila at the end. That’s enough for us.”

The woman with the wrinkles on her face continued.

“Yes, you brat! We may be old, but we’re still the proud descendants of wolves even in our old age. And we have not fallen so far as to beg for help from strangers!”

The last person was full of energy. His legs may have weakened, but his heart seemed not to be. He must have been a brave warrior in his youth.

I wish I hadn’t seen him or rather, them.

I saw their faces and heard their voices. If I abandoned them, these people would haunt me in my dreams every night. The sight of the three old men spitting out curse words one after the other came to my mind.

“Ah, what a troublesome situation! Just come here, please!”

I carried one of them on my back and grabbed two of them forcibly in both arms. It was an uncomfortable position, and my body would certainly be sore later, but I would be able to heal it with healing potions.

“Hey! Let me go, you brat!”

I ignored the old man screaming in my right arm and kicked down the door.

I looked at the high ground.

Fayne and Sirius were running up the hill. On each of their backs was a child Beastman. The other Beastmen were similar. Children first, then their respective families, and the elderly people last.

“Sirius the crybaby has become a splendid man. He knows what he has to do.”

“Yes, he does. I’m glad.”

“He’s still naive! I should’ve taken that brat with me!”

The elderly were talking as they please.

The sound of the earth rumbling got closer and closer.

“The three of you! I’m sorry, but we don’t have time for this!”

“That’s why I told you to leave us! You fool!”

“So, I need you guys to become birds.”

“What!?”

I could see Fayne at the top of the hill. He carried a child on his back and was staring at us. I was sure he was planning to come over here.

“FAAYYYNNEEE! LISTEN TO ME!!”

I shouted as loud as I could. Fayne seemed to have noticed and was waving at me.

“Now! I’m going to throw these elderly people! You need to catch them!”

As Sirius was holding his head in his hands, Fayne waved his arms around him to show his approval.

“Come on, let’s become a bird. Which one of you would like to go first?”

“A, a, aahh.”

“Oh god.”

“No way!! I’m gonna die!!”

The old men in both of my arms flailed like crazy. But don’t think you could escape my arm strength. I’ve trained them hard.

I would carry the elderly lady on my back, so she would be fine.

“Ara Henry-chan. Thank you.”

The elderly woman on my back thanked me with a gentle face.

“This is discrimination! Why do men have to get thrown and women get to be carried!?”

“You’re more energetic than me….. Good!”

“Nothing good will come of this! You’re out of your mind!”

I didn’t understand. I was risking my life to save people’s lives.

“Keep your mind calm, like calm water. And time will take care of the rest.”

“Oh no! Hiyaaaaaah!”

He was like a baby. Looking at him like this, he looked like an out-of-shape elderly man. I guessed it was still a little early for him. 

The muddy stream wouldn’t wait for us, so I quickly dropped the three of them and grabbed the energetic one with both hands.

I threw him with all my might. The elderly man drew a beautiful parabola with a scream and flew toward Fayne. After flying for about ten seconds, Fayne brilliantly caught him, and let out a beastly yell.

“You’re next! Come on, we’re running out of time!”

“No, I’m going to die in the village where I was born…….”

Before I could hear his reply, I grabbed him by the chest and threw him as well. I thought I heard Sirius scream, but I ignored it. Then, Fayne took him beautifully. He raised the old man high with a shout of joy.

“You’re a very talented man, Henry. By the way, the water’s getting closer.”

The elderly lady said as I carried her on my back.

The muddy stream was almost upon us, and Sirius’ house behind us was swallowed by it. It collapsed with an awful sound, and what used to be his house washed away with the water.

I could run as fast as I could if I only carried the light lady on my back.

I ran toward the high ground, listening to the sound that swallowed everything.

“Ara…… is so fast.”

“Don’t talk or you’ll bite your tongue!”

I was running faster than the muddy stream. I could make it in time.

◇◇◇

“You’re stupid …… Several times more …… I thought …… you’d be….”

Sirius scolded me. The village below us had completely collapsed. I wasn’t sure it was possible to go back to normal even if the water receded.

“Are you listening to me, Henry!? I’m thankful to you, but there are other ways to do this!”

“It’s okay, chief. We’re all alive.”

“You too, Fayne! You’ve been having fun this whole time!”

“Because those old men are always nagging and scolding me. It’s a pleasure to hear them scream!”

Sirius scratched his silver hair. If he worried that much, his hair was going to thin out on his head. The two old men from earlier had collapsed, blowing bubbles, but it seemed that there was nothing wrong physically.

“Haaa…… that’s enough. More importantly, I want to talk about Ace.”

“Ace got away on a gryphon, didn’t he? Did he run back to the palace……?”

“No, I don’t think so. The direction he flew in, it was towards the dungeon you mentioned before.”

A dungeon that Ace was taking over. It was originally a monster den created by underground water. He had filled it with undead and made it his domain.

“Maybe he intends to come back and lead the undead from the dungeon.”

“Yeah…… that’s what I was thinking too.”

“Then let’s attack him. And we should be done with this.”

Ace was obsessed with me. He would come back.

And there was no place to escape in the dungeon. I would hunt him down and make him responsible for everything.

“…… I’ll go with you. There are many narrow paths in the dungeon, so only Henry and I will be the only ones to attack it. The remaining warriors will wait at the entrance of the dungeon, keeping an eye out for monsters and undead.”

“All right. Who’s going to take charge of the villagers?”

“I’m very reluctant, but Fayne. He may be dumb, but he’s good enough.”

“I’m embarrassed to hear you praise me so much.”

Fayne wriggled his body with happiness. I wondered if he had a constitution that prevented him from hearing unfavorable words.

Perhaps because I was relieved, my body relaxed.

As I sat there and looked around, I saw Thor and her friends. They were probably looking for someone who was injured.

Let’s rest a little.

It had been a while since I’d gone to a dungeon.