The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter

Approximately one day after our departure from the town.

We noticed the rock serving as a landmark, which we were told about earlier, so the Amon village should be somewhere nearby.

As Toramaru said he was thirsty, we decided to take a break near a stream in the vicinity.

『Noir, I would ask for the usual thing.』

「OK, leave it to me.」

I filled a water canteen with fresh water from the stream and sprinkled it on the flower on Toramaru’s head.

『Uma-o-O, uff.., that… is, feels so wonderful………!』

That thing always make him take such an appearance.

Although we were already used to it, Emma and Luna-san narrowed their eyes in surprise.

「Don’t bother too much, you two. It is a necessary thing to keep Toramaru in a good health.」

「W… well, we just can’t help it! Where is that girl-like voice coming from?」

「There must be two vocal organs, aren’t there?」

「……Toramaru-dono is non-standard in various meanings, isn’t he?」

『This tulip of mine reflects the state of my mind and my soul.』

Upon receiving the explanation from Toramaru, Emma immediately expressed her doubt.

「Is it also connected to your feelings?」

『Um, when I’m deeply sad and unhappy, the flower also doesn’t feel well. If it is cut off, my power considerably weakens. Though it would regrow later again.』

In other words, that flower is both Toramaru’s source of power and a weak point.

Leaving that aside, I’ve got hungry.

It looked like Emma was hungry as well, so, after a glance at the nearby river, I’ve made a proposal.

「Do you want to eat some baked fish?」

「I’m all right with it. Should we catch some right now?」

「Un, go for it.」

We went looking for fishes swimming in the river. As soon as I found them, I’ve picked one in the shallow place and brought it down by throwing a knife.

「Awesome. That was your【Throwing】 skill, right?」

「It’s pretty usable, that skill. You can throw things right after extracting them from 【Storage】.」

「I’m not going to lose either!」

*zugyun*, – Luna-san fired her magic gun, and several fishes came floating near the water surface.

This time the 【Energy Shot】 was quite small in size.

「Its size can be adjusted. I think I can make it as small as 3cm. As the proficiency of handling the magic gun goes up, one can perform more accurate adjustments.」

「Luna-san, that’s a great achievement on its own!」

With Emma clapping her hands in admiration, I joined her as well. At this point of time, the power of the hits aren’t even at their half.

Her sight is good, her aiming is accurate, and she can use healing shots. Though she would faint if she shoot it too much, – I wonder if it hurts her feelings sometimes.

「We have gathered enough fish, now we have to bake it.」

『With just Emma collecting it, isn’t it fun?』

「That too!」

『No doubt about it.』

「Well, then Toramaru and I are going to make some preparations. We are going to find something to bake it with.」

『I’m still a demon follower of Noir…』

「You don’t have to make it look so stiff.」

Emma took a ride on the top of Toramaru and went to look for some burnable wood, while we took a rest here.

One thing or another, but Emma seems to be getting along with Toramaru quite well.

From olden days, she was also good at handling stray dogs. She excelled in communication with anyone except people. I’m envious.

After their return, we ate delicious river fish together and headed to the village again.

With Toramaru’s speeding up, we quickly reached the village.

There was no doubt that the village here was that Amon village, as there was a sign with its name around the entrance.

Being an agricultural village, its area was quite extensive.

To guard against demonic beasts invasions, a fence was erected around it, followed by a moat inside.

Though there was no water in it.

Perhaps it could be a pitfall.

The demonic beasts and animals who managed to break through the fence, would fall into the moat as they run.

「Heh, they seem to be be employing various means to defend themselves, aren’t they〜」

「Um. There is no big city nearby. So they have no choice but to protect themselves by their own.」

Staying or living in the countryside seems to be quite difficult.

Compared with a developed city, they must be struggling way more just to live here.

As we entered the village, the man who saw us became speechless.

Probably he didn’t call for help just because he saw us riding on the top.

「He is my follower demon, we are not going to attack.」

『You may be relieved.』

「It talked?!」

『Are you only surprised by me talking? Then you would break your back just be seeing my food habits.』

I don’t think that would be too surprising.

Judging from his appearance, one would expect as much about the feeding traits.

That aside, I’m going to ask that man in his 30s about the request.

「We are adventurers, was the request issued by your village?」

「Huh? But I didn’t make a request?」

「Oh, well, are there bandits here by a chance?」

「I wonder…」

Huh? The conversation is not progressing anywhere?

According to what Laura-san told me, there should be a request from the village chief.

Upon hearing the story, the other village people falls abruptly became pale.

「Could it be that time, when the village chief was in the city 2 weeks ago?」

「I was there to get the medicine for my back pain, but I doubt I have made a request…」

It seems to be rather an independent action taken by someone from the village. Maybe I should try and figure out while it was necessary to do so.

「If it is going to spread too much, there may be someone who would blurt it out to the bandits. Probably the village chief was thinking like that.」

「That must be it, after all, there are small children in the village.」

「Anyway, just to think that an adventurer with such a strong subordinate demon would come!」

It was quite unusual for the villagers to be happy at such a time. It was understandably reassuring to have Toramaru as a friend.

At the peak of their excitement, the villagers simultaneously rushed inside the village.

「Village chiefーー, village chiiiieeeef!!!!!!」

「It’s adventurer-sama, adventurer-sama has arrived!」

Eventually, the adults of the village rushed into a wooden building.

In less than 30 seconds, a grandpa (old man) went running out from inside. It was the first time in my life when I saw a grandpa dashing out with all of his strength while putting on his pants…

「Ohhh, are you that adventurer who received the request?!」

『I’m definitely a subordinate demon of that person, but still… Do I look like an adventurer?』

「Forgive me for my rudeness! I was so much excited, that I’ve bluntly jumped to such a conclusion.」

「Nice to meet you, I’m called Noir. And these people here are my close friends Emma and Luna-san, as well as Toramaru.」

「What a sight! Excuse me, I’m serving as a village chief and my name is Atama Yabai. 1 Despite my name being such, my brain is normal and I’m not senile… Oh, cr*p. Anyone? Does anyone have a string to tie up the trousers?」

The village chief was desperately trying to keep up his trousers, which were loosened by his careless movement earlier.

「Hurry up, I can’t keep my disgraceful appearance in underwear before the esteemed adventurers!」

「Village chief, use this!」

「I’m saved! You are going to be the future village chief!」

「I did it!」

What a…

I think they are strong and independent people.

But wait, isn’t that village in a troublesome situation (regardless of that)?

「Esteemed adventurers, could you save us somehow? This village has been exploited by the bandits for a long time. Until now we were able to endure it somehow, but… one day when they took my important granddaughter… my patience was over.」

For his cute granddaughter, he gathered his courage to take the risk and make a request. Without telling anyone until today.

Atama Yabai village chief, is it really all right?

「We are going to do out best. It would be helpful, if everyone in the village cooperated in this matter.」

「Everyone, did you hear the warm words of Noir-dono?! Your unreliable until now village chief is in trouble, really」

The villagers surrounded the crying village chief with gentle smiles on their faces.

They are quite reliable, aren’t they?

I really like this heartwarming scene.

「It’s adorable, isn’t itー」

「Yeah…」

Together with Emma we made smirking faces.

When the situation calmed down, we properly discussed the situation.

The villagers were prohibited from leaving the village.

It seems that every day the bandits come to observe the situation.

The village chief was able to come to the town because his acting about the pain in his back was not far from the truth.

It looked like he was about to let out bubbles from his mouth.

Then he went to his old acquaintance under pretense of getting the medicine.

At that time, he was threatened that, if he does something strange, his granddaughter would be killed.

Still, he didn’t get over it or gave up and made a request.

「Mu――」

*sha*, Luna-san drew her gun and pointed it to a wooden structure.

「What’s wrong?」

「There was a strange sign of presence in that direction.」

「Really, there is someone there.」

From behind of the building, there was an adult man peeking by showing his face from time to time.

「Please, wait, that man there is from this village. Hey, Good Man, what are you doing here?

When called by the village chief, the man made a grimace.

Gratefully in his usual way, the village chief, with a friendly grin, began the introduction of the man.

「This man is Good Man, who became a resident of this village half a year ago. Even though his name is as strange as mine, he would bravely drive away wild boars and bears. I have a particular sympathy towards his name. 」

「Nice to meet you, I’m Good Man…」

For the people of this village, it is unusual to have low tension.

Still, his personality seems to be fine.

The trust from the people of this village seems to be thick (a bit too).

「What is it, Good Man? Your complexion is somewhat bad.」

「I danced too much yesterday and got tired, HAHAHA」

「I will share our vegetables later, so cheer up, Good Man-sanー」

「…right」

Maybe it is normal for the villagers, but we are a bit wary of the people we just got to know.
There is nothing strange about it.
It is unreasonable to trust anyone right after meeting them.

「That man, to become popular just in six months after moving in.」

「Doesn’t his presence feel different from the other villagers?」

「I’ve just thought – is that person different from the village chief, who lives up to his name?」

「Un, I have the same feeling.」

「Noir-dono, that person seems to have some skills, what kind are they?
I want to know, why his power is so much different from the rest of the villagers.」

「That’s it, I’m going to check the details.」

Following the advice from Luna-san, I used 【Appraisal】 on Good Man.

Name: Goodman
Race: Human
Level: 34
Occupation: Bandit
Skills:
【Swordsmanship】 【Stone Bullet】

He wasn’t actually a good person?!