Volume 7 - CH 9

The fifth layer, the ice labyrinth.

We were suddenly caught in a teleportation trap, and our group was in a critical situation.

We've just started mapping, and we don't know the way very well.

However, the only enemy on this level is the Ice Golem. It won't react to us unless we get close to it, so we should be able to handle it if we don't rush.

"Oh, it's Alec!"

"Oh, Lily. Is Nene with you?"

There were two of them behind the transparent wall.

I'm a little relieved that the most dangerous member is safe.

"Hurry up and come to this side!"

"You too. But if you see an ice golem, don't approach it and stay away from it."

"Okay."

I went around the passageway, but there was no way to meet up with Lily and the others. I was getting impatient because I could see them right there.

I tried hitting the ice with my sword, but it only hurt my hand. It's too thick, there's no way to break the wall.

"It's no use, go the other way. I'll meet up with you later."

"Okay."

As I moved along, applying judo techniques to the ice golem, the map filled up to a certain extent.

However, I still haven't reached the place where Serina and Lily were.

"Isn't it strange?"

I've been walking around trying to get around to the other side first, but it just keeps getting further away.

I had a bad feeling about this, but it soon turned out to be true.

"Damn it, it's closed!"

Auto-mapping showed me that the area I was in was a closed space. There's no way to get out.

If this were a browser game, I'd report it to the management as a bug and have an apology item festival.

"What should I do ......"

I'm stuck.

No, wait, there's got to be a way. There has to be.

"Oh, Alec. We're all on the same side. You're the only one left."

Serina said comfortably.

It seems that they were able to meet up with sooner than expected. I guess they weren't all blown too far away.

Except for me, though.

"There was a problem. There's no way to get from here to there. This is a closed area. My [Instantaneous Movement] didn't work either."

"Eehh!?"

"Oh, really, brother, you're trapped?"

"Uwahh, I want to say wow, hahaha, but it's not so funny ......"

Even Letty looks serious, so stop it, don't make that face.

"Don't you need a help?"

"Yeah, I've heard that there's an area here that you can't get to no matter how you try, but I've never heard of anyone going into that side."

Luka said.

"I'll try to melt it with a little magic. Leave it to me."

"Oh, Letty, you're unusually dependable."

"Unusual is too much."

Letty used a fire spell with no chanting.

"How's that?"

"That's weird. It's not melting at all."

"What? That's strange. Maybe it's because this area has ice properties, and my flame seems to be weakened."

"Just keep going."

"Yeah."

"Oh, me too."

The master-disciple duo of Letty and Nene repeatedly cast flame magic on the wall.

"It's no good..."

Nene's MP is running out and she's exhausted.

"Nene, you don't have to do this. Get some rest."

"Yes ......"

"Letty, you're all I've got. I'll leave it to you."

"O-ou, leave it to me."

I headed for the center of the map, which hadn't been filled in yet, hoping that maybe there were stairs around.

If there were stairs, it would be a funny story. But without that, ......

"I want some pork miso soup."

Those were the words that came out of my mouth.

You know, in the Western movies, the condemned prisoners on their last day order their favorite dishes and eat them.

Are you listening? Glasses goddess.　

Whoa, it's too early to get weak, isn't it?

But the map is all filled up. This side was still a closed area.

In front of me was one of the golden treasure chests I had just dropped.

Once there, I returned to Letty's place.

"How it is?"

"I'm sorry, I'm trying to think of a good spell right now, so please wait a little longer."

"In other word, your fire spell can't melt this wall, right?"

"...Yeah, for now."

"Okay, well, I'll just open the treasure chest one more time. Then maybe I can teleport back there."

"Oh, I see."

"No, wait, Alec, there's a lot of traps in this treasure chest here."

"But, Luka, if I don't pull it off, there's nothing else I can do."

"Ah, ......"

"Don't worry. I'll use my skills when the time comes. I just need to get this open first."

Yes, I still have some skills left.

But at this point, I can't think of any skill candidates that I could use.

In a situation like this, I should be able to automatically come up with a skill that suits the situation.

"Fuu~."

With a deep sigh, I opened the treasure chest.

"Seriously ......"

It wasn't teleportation.

But I was not surprised, because I had expected that to some extent. I was thinking that I would be able to kill all the ice golems that came up here.

More than that ――I couldn't believe my eyes.

There was a small earthenware pot filled with pork miso soup. I'm not sure what to do.

...... Hey, hey, hey, stop that kind of thing.

But first, let's eat.

Chopsticks are also included, which is a nice touch.

"It's delicious. ......"

It warms you from the core. The crunchiness of the burdock, the softness of the daikon, and the sweetness of the carrots. The elegant flavor of the pork goes well with this. The flavor of the miso wraps it up.

I finished it in a flash.

It's not enough. I want a refill.

"Oh?"

A refill really came out. I wondered if I wasn't dreaming, but the pork miso soup was there.

I'll eat it.

"Mmm?"

A refill was prepared while I was eating.

No, I don't need any more.

There were more refills.

Well, leave it alone. Letty may have already melted it. Let's go back.

"Letty, how about it?"

"I got an idea! An eye for an eye! A tooth for a tooth! I mean, ice for ice!"

"Hou."

Letty summoned an ice-golem without chanting and made it punch the wall.

Crack! The wall cracked with a good sound.

"You really are a genius, aren't you?"

The ice golem was shattered in one hit, but I'm sure she can break this wall if she does it a few times.

"Of course, Fuu~, you can praise me more, you know?"

I suddenly became anxious, and look behind me.

I shouldn't have looked.

There was a whole aisle full of clay pots.

"Hey, Glasses, I don't need them anymore!"

"Hmm? What are you talking about, Alec?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

I'm not even sure if it's her, but that incompetent goddess could do it. She's the kind of person who would mistake me for someone else and send me to another world.

"Oh! There's a hole!"

"Alec, hurry up! I'm sure this wall will regenerate soon."

"Oooh!"

I go through the hole in the wall.

"Come on, brother, this way."

With Jouga and Luka pulling me along, I finally got out.

"Phew, I was saved."

"Master!"

"I'm glad..."

"Letty, thank you for your help. You have my thanks."

"Geez, stop it, I'm really not good at this kind of thing. I'm not good under pressure, *sob*~!"

Letty is really crying. My bad.

"By the way, something smells good."

Lily looks into the hole.

"Letty, you have one more job to do. Close this hole. Now."

I have a really bad feeling about this.

"What? Sorry, I'm out of magic right now. I need to rest."

"It can't be helped. Hurry up."

"Oh, there's some food here!"

"It's pork miso soup. Did Alec serve it?"

"No, I didn't."

"Bon appétit!"

"Wait, you idiot!"

I've already eaten it, but it's clearly an unusual pork soup.

In such a case, it's best to appraise it.

【Name】　　 Pork Miso Soup

【Type】　　 Food

【Food】　　 Vegetables and Pork

【Description】

One of the staples of winter.

Warms the body.

No poison. No problems.

It seem there are no problem with pork soup, but what about the bowl?

【Name】　　 Earthenware Pot

【Type】　　 Tableware

【Material】　　 Pottery

【Description】

Resistant to electric shock.

Part of the infinite desire device.

...... What the heck is an "Infinite Desire Device"?

Is this what's in that treasure chest?

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know either, but you can eat what's inside."

"So let's eat it. Lily's already eaten."

"""I agree!"""

We all eat together.

"I'm so full!"

"Me too!"

"Wow, there's more coming! Whenever we come here, we can have all the pork soup we want! It's all you can eat."

Jouga said with a big smile on his face, but I don't think it's that simple.

"Everyone, don't tell anyone about what happened here. Leader's orders."

"What? Why don't you let the others have some?"

"Well, I can tell you the information about the pork soup, but don't tell anyone I did something, understand?"

"Oh, you're a good man."

"As expected, Master."

"That's cool. I got it! Thanks to brother, it's a secret."

You guys are taking this in the right direction, but infinite is pretty bad.

"Okay, we're done exploring for today. Let's get to the surface."

I want to pretend this never happened.

I've decided to forget all about it.