Chapter 74: All-New Harem Party

Chapter 74: All-New Harem Party

With the blue Lux Elemental guiding me, I had been running around in the dungeon in hopes of reuniting with the party I’d gotten separated from. I’d been anxious, worried, vexed even that even while I was on their trail, they must be going through tough battles one after another, and I ran with the utmost urgency―― And then, I’d found them.

The girls were in a large cavernous pit, surrounded on all sides by giant bug-type monsters, which I managed to quickly disperse with shots of my Cross Calibur, a Skill I was actually getting rather adept at using. I was so glad... so glad that the Goddess had given me the power of a Hero.

So glad that I’d made it in time, that I managed to save everyone ―― But I soon learned that I was wrong.

“Ken, zaki, Asunaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

I’d taken the full brunt of the Berserker’s fist on my right palm. That strength, that weight, even now, after Sakura had completely healed the wound, I still felt the occasional pangs of phantom pain. The rage from that one blow, and the pain that opened my eyes, taught me just how much I was missing. About the truth, about what happened.

After that, Class Rep filled me in.

How those two, Momokawa Kotarou and Futaba Meiko, were under attack by an Armorbear and were in dire straights. How the girls had admirably saved them. How, even if the two students who never really stood out in class, even if they were barely acquaintances, they strived to work together, to help each other... with more news of deaths, we needed to do this together, help each and every one we can, and escape this dungeon together.

Be it me, Sakura, Class Rep, or anyone else, they’d think so too. Wasn’t that why they fought?

But that clearly wasn’t all there was to it. I was made to understand that hard truth.

I believed in Sakura, and I trusted Class Rep. I believed in Asuna’s strength of will, in Takanashi-san’s kindness, and in Natsukawa-san’s cheerfulness. I wanted to think that these bonds of trust would keep us strong.

“If I... if only I’d come back sooner...”

The constant battles, the harsh struggle for survival. I was loathe to admit that even those sweet, gentle and strong girls couldn’t remain the same within all that stress.

The friction between Sakura and Momokawa. The duel between Asuna and Futaba-san.

Maybe it was simply inevitable that they couldn’t trust Momokawa, what with him being the sole male among them. And Futaba-san considered him her savior. It wasn’t hard to imagine her being furious once that happened.

But there was also the fact that that one incident had caused Sakura and Asuna to completely mistrust him.

I wanted to think that it wasn’t any one person’s fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Yes, it wasn’t supposed to be anyone’s fault, but a crack had been already formed.

And it all happened under the stress for survival, when no one had the soundness of mind to attempt at healing that scar ――

“If I just...”

And as those emotions festered to a boiling point, another tragedy had occurred, this one I had no idea how to handle.

And yet, we were not allowed to stop moving forward.

Asuna had pushed Momokawa off the transfer circle. Futaba-san had flown into a rage. And Class Rep risked it all to calm her down.

Even with this fatal scar that led to the worst possible turn of events, we still needed to cooperate in order to get out of this dungeon. Thanks to Class Rep’s efforts, Futaba-san had been convinced to go together with us.

And so we advanced deeper into the dungeon.

We were currently in a familiar type zone, stone ruins, and no new strong monsters had appeared. Skeleton Troopers in the passages and packs of Red Dogs in the forest domes. All of which we could easily manage.

We knew how to fight these monsters, and were able to safely dispatch them. But it was so silent. Everyone only spoke when necessary but otherwise went about killing the monsters without much dialog.

Futaba-san was incredibly strong, and Asuna, who I was worried was suffering from psychological duress, had no issues in dealing with monsters. Sakura and Class Rep provided great magic support, while Natsukawa-san was adeptly dealing with any possible surprises. Even Takanashi-san who couldn’t fight was holding strong. As for me, I tried to fight harder than anyone, frustrated with how I didn’t want to lose anyone else, and practically venting it onto the monsters.

No, this wasn’t enough. Just feelings won’t be enough to save everyone. We’d now become, with the addition of Futaba-san, a party of 7. We were one party but we were far from being one.

It was easier now. But as we advanced in this state, as the zones got more difficult, as the Bosses got even deadlier, could we really overcome everything as we were? ―― The future didn’t look good, I was angry at my own powerlessness, and the rush to get stronger was boiling over.

“Quite the long face you have there, Yuuto-kun.”

“Oh, Class Rep...”

We had gone past 2 more Fairy Squares, and were now taking a break inside the third.

This Fairy Square marked the end of the ruins area as the the other side led to earthen ground and an actual sky above. This Fairy Square seemed to have been constructed at the summit of a small mountain and I was sitting right outside, gazing blankly at the scarlet twilight sky and the deep jungle expanding out into the horizon.

“I’m sure you know why...” I continued, “I couldn’t do anything. I know we can’t keep going like this, but I just don’t know what to do.”

“I know, and it’s fine, this is one of those things where you can’t do anything even if you want to. We all just need time.”

“Still,” I tried to argue.

Even Asuna, whom I was worried sick over, had on a small smile as she chewed on the literal grub.

“... Seriously, how are they all fine?”

It didn’t make sense to me how all these girls were so naturally dining on worms of all things. And it wasn’t like they were all fine with being around live insects from the beginning. I know that Sakura, for instance, wasn’t fond of bugs at all, while Takanashi-san used to run screaming if a slightly big one ever came up to her.

I myself didn’t have a problem swatting away cockroaches and the like, and thanks to the deep mountain training with my grandfather, I could handle eating snakes and other non-conventional food. I don’t mean to brag, but I do have a few more survival skills than your average high school guy...

“Souma-kun~, why are you not eating~?”

“Wait, hold on, Natsukawa-san!?”

I’d left my plate untouched as I watched, with a tinge of horror, how the girls were eating so nonchalantly, which was when, Natsukawa-san, with her sneaky Thief skills, had sneaked up close to me. Her eyes were scary.

“I, I was about to right now, don’t worry about it.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes really. And why are you glaring at me like that?”

“I just want you to enjoy these Shrimpworms that I worked so hard to peel, that’s all~”

“Of course I will, I’ll have them now, in fact.”

Then I looked down. I could only see this thing is beetle larva.

Oh, no, I can’t let it get to me. I need to move my chopsticks now, or else.

“Souma-kun~”

“Yes, I’m eating them! I’m eating them, alright!”

So, just, please, give me a second to get ready for this...

“Hey guys~, it looks like Souma-kun doesn’t want to eat the nice Shrimpworms. Won’t you help me convince him~?”

“EH!?”

As though my hesitation had spurred her into action, Natsukawa-san seemed to see it as her duty to have me eat this one way or another. And she had no problem involving the rest of them too.

“That reminds me, this is going to be the first time Yuuto-kun eats the Shrimpworms, isn’t it?”

“That’s certainly true. Nii-san, please don’t worry, it may look like a worm, but the taste is oddly very shrimp-like I assure you.”

“Wait, Class Rep, Sakura, why are you two holding my arms?”

Exchanging a knowing look amongst each other, Sakura and Class Rep grabbed tightly on to my right and left arms respectively. Why are you doing this, let me go, I can eat by myself!

“Souma-kun, the Shrimpworm is so yummy, you just have to try it! With lots of mayonnaise!”

“You can’t keep eating only walnuts, this is for your own good. Eat.”

“I said I’ll eat! I promise, so you don’t need to force me alright!”

In addition, Takanashi-san and Asuna strongly recommended the Shrimpworms by each clutching on to my shoulders, further holding me in place.

“I think he should try it with just salt for the first time.”

“There you have it Souma-kun, say ahh!”

Futaba-san held up the plate with the fat grilled worm with a gentle smile, and Natsukawa-san grabbed it with a pair of chopsticks and brought it close to my face with an evil grin. The smell itself incited my appetite but the white jiggling meat so up close shoved my head back into thinking that this was indeed a worm that they were forcing on to me.

Nope, can’t do it. I don’t have the courage or bravery to take a bite out of this thing. And here I thought I was a Hero.

“P-please, I, I’m not ready for this!”

“Nihaha, neither was I, now open wide!”

“No, wait, no, I’m not―― aaaaahhh!?”

Kono [chapter 74] wa suponsā no [Nolan N.] no teikyō de ōkurishimasu.