Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Vol. 4 (21 page)

I strike up a conversation to get my mind off of her body fitting snugly up against mine.

I swear she is in such a good mood that if she were a cat, she’d be purring at the top of her lungs right now. She answers my question right away.

“Isn’t it boring to eat the same food all the time, Mr. Bell?”

“Ahh…”

“Fu-fu, that’s why. Monsters like a little variety, too.”

I keep becoming a little bit smarter every time I ask Lilly about something that doesn’t make sense. So I keep the questions coming.

First I ask her why adventurers completely ignored this really good hunting spot. She explains that this place is too far out of the main path. In fact, every single dungeon pantry is so far removed from the usual route that it will take hours to get to one of them. Even if you manage to find one—and are strong enough to survive fighting everything in here at once—it’s more efficient to collect the magic stones that are worth more from monsters farther down.

But the most important reason is that if you make even one mistake, the danger of being overwhelmed by sheer numbers is very real.

These are the reasons why most adventurers try to avoid turning these places into their battlefield.

…It could also be that they don’t want to ruin such a beautiful place.

At least that’s how I feel, looking out across this tranquil scenery from under our camouflaged cloth.

A wide cavern bathed in soft green light.

The clear crystals emerging from the tree are absolutely breathtaking. Light reflects off the pond beneath it like the moon off a still lake at night. The pond’s surface glistens in silence.

White flowers with blue stems are blooming in bunches all around the lake. Every so often a needle rabbit pokes its head out from between them. Purple moths fly through the flowers and land on the crystals above, resting their wings. Soft splashes fill the air as a small group of killer ants makes their way through the pond toward the quartz tree on the back wall.

The green light makes everything look calm, almost gentle.

It’s hard to believe that monsters that should be violent and horrifying can look this beautiful.

Of course, I fully realize that these beasts are the enemy of humanity.

They’re extremely dangerous and will attack if I try to confront them.

Even still, I don’t want to do anything to disturb this awe-inspiring scenery.

Looking across the cavern, taking in the light, the monsters, everything, I can’t help but feel this way.

“…! Mr. Bell.”

“!”

Lilly’s shoulder stiffens as she grabs and shakes my arm.

My mind comes back to my body as I sit up and follow Lilly’s eyes to the pond at the base of the tree. I spot them immediately.

Butterflies with blue wings fluttering gracefully among the flowers.

A group of four blue papillon, the target of our quest, has appeared in the pantry.

“It was worth coming all the way down here.”

“Y-yes.”

We get up in unison, preparing to leave at any moment.

The butterflies’ elegance and refinement match the cavern perfectly. Each one of their bodies is much more delicate than a purple moth’s, their two sets of wings flowing like water. The light blue trails they leave behind are pretty enough to make my heart skip a beat.

While the blue papillon pose no threat in combat, the scales that flake off their wings heal the injured monsters around them. The reason that Nahza wants blue papillon drop items is because they would make an excellent ingredient for healing potions. Of that I’m sure.

“We mustn’t make a scene in here. Let’s watch them and follow them out of the pantry.”

“Okay, got it.”

My mind back in questing mode, Lilly and I wait with bated breath for a chance to spring our trap.

A light breeze caresses my face.

Closing one eye to shield it from the gentle wind, Lilly and I emerge from the base of Babel Tower with big smiles on our faces.

“That went very well.”

“Yes, to get this many drop items at once is very lucky.”

Lilly looks up at me with a happy grin on her lips. Our plan worked without a hitch. Follow the group of blue papillon, take them down, collect the drop items, and return to the surface.

Just as Lilly said, all of the blue papillon left behind drop items. We couldn’t be happier that we finished this quest so quickly.

Five wings altogether…I have no doubt that Nahza will be more than happy with this haul.

“If Mr. Bell took these to the Guild, they’re worth at least nine thousand vals. The fact they’re in good shape might make them worth even more…Too bad we’re going to trade them~.”

It sounds like Lilly’s only excited because these drop items are from a rare monster. I force a smile at my unusually high-spirited partner as we make our way through Central Park and toward West Main.

That was just what I needed to cheer me up…

That amazing scenery put my mind at ease.

I wasn’t planning on taking a break, but I’m glad I did. Sure, I still ache all over, but it feels good. I’ve got a little pep back in my step.

“Good afternoon! Anyone here?”

“…Bell?”

We enter
Miach Familia
’s home, a shop in the backstreets.

Nahza watches us come through the door from her chair behind the counter, her drowsy eyes opening just enough for me to notice.

“Don’t tell me, you’ve already finished the quest…?”

“Yes. We’ve dropped by to finish up.”

I take a box roughly the size of a shield out from under my arm and open it to show her the contents.

A rare, energetic expression runs across her face the moment that Nahza sees the beautiful blue hue of the Blue Papillon Wings. A smile is on her face in the blink of an eye.

The fluffy dog tail beneath her long skirt is happily swishing back and forth.

“Thank you, Bell…You’re good; never knew how good.”

“I-it’s nothing…”

“I always believed you could do it if you tried, Bell…”

I shyly scratch the back of my neck, my cheeks on fire, as Nahza gives me compliment after compliment.

She steps up to me and pats my head, almost like a reflex.

“Sorry to interrupt your moment, but shall we trade the goods for the reward?”

Lilly hadn’t said a word since we came into the shop, but she steps in to speed up the process.

Nahza freezes and looks down at her before forming a very innocent smile on her lips.

The two of them have never met before. Nahza must have figured out that Lilly is a member of my battle party because she nods and says, “…Of course,” before making her way behind the back counter.

“Mr. Bell, now is not the time to get sloppy.”

“I-I don’t think I was being sloppy…”

“Remember this well, Mr. Bell. The quest isn’t over until you have the reward in your hands.”

“…Huh?”

I’ve never heard her say something so profound. She didn’t even look at me when she was talking, just kept smiling in Nahza’s direction.

I tilt my head and look at her for a moment before I hear Nahza return with a wooden case in her hands.

“Here’s your reward: two dozen potions.”

“T-two dozen?!”

I normally buy the cheapest potions that
Miach Familia
has to offer, 500 vals apiece. So twenty-four of those…12,000 vals!

I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for her for adding on extra potions as hazard pay.

Liquid happiness runs through my veins as I look at my first-ever reward from the quest. I’m about to hand the box containing the Blue Papillon Wings over to her, when suddenly—
Shoup!

A small hand comes out of nowhere and grabs hold of my wrist.

“L-Lilly…?”

“Please wait a moment, Mr. Bell.”

Keeping her gaze locked squarely on Nahza, Lilly swiftly reaches out toward the box of potions.

She withdraws one of the vials full of blue liquid in the blink of an eye.

“Hope you don’t mind. Lilly will pay you back later.”

“Eh, what are you…?”

Without waiting for permission, Lilly flips open the top of the vial and brings it up to her nose.

A few quick whiffs, and she stares at the color of the liquid. A surprisingly flustered Nahza looks on as Lilly pours a drop of the liquid onto her hand and takes a lick.—The next moment.

“—Fu-fu, is this potion worth five hundred vals? What a lovely business you’re running, enough to make Lilly jealous.”

Lilly sounds absolutely terrifying while wearing the face of an innocent child.

““
””

“This potion, it’s been watered down quite a bit, hasn’t it? It’s less than half as potent as it should be. There’re extra ingredients mixed in to give it the right color and sweetness. Yes, this is a common scam.”

Shock rips through my body. Is it true?

Nahza and I stand in silence as Lilly drives her point home with that same innocent smile plastered on her face.

“These potions might be worth two hundred vals. It seems you’ve been drastically overcharged, Mr. Bell.—Of course, this reward is nooooooowhere close to the value of the drop items.”

I can practically see the blood draining from Nahza’s face.

Even with her eyes half closed, sweat is pouring down her cheeks. The tail that was happily swaying back and forth before is now bent at a very awkward angle.

I don’t know what to think anymore.

“So, how do you propose we fix this?”

Lilly narrows her eyes and smiles like a little devil as she takes one step toward Nahza.

“My apologies!!”

Lord Miach forcefully throws his head down in a bow.

The red evening sun shines through the open windows, casting everything in a crimson hue.

Standing next to Lord Miach, with his hand firmly clasped behind her head and forcing her down, is Nahza.

“One of my own has caused you a great deal of trouble, and for that I am deeply sorry, Bell! I will return every val that was taken from you this instant.”

“Eh, um, please, Lord Miach, it’s not a big deal. Raise your head…”

He straightens up little by little. I can see his downtrodden face but he won’t look at me. “My apologies,” he says one more time.

Lord Miach’s build is very tall and lithe. Wearing his aquamarine hair longer than most men, he carries himself like an aristocrat. The fact that his gray robe is in rough shape doesn’t hurt at all; in fact, it adds to his charm.

Nahza’s god looks every bit the part of someone from Deusdia, except that right now Lord Miach’s expression is very dispirited.

“This has caused you problems, too, Hestia. Taking what little money the both of you have available…”

“What’s done is done. Be extra careful that something like this doesn’t happen again and teach her right. You’ve helped me out of a few jams, Miach, so we can let this slide.”

“Yes, it will be done…”

After Lilly had finished grilling Nahza, all of us, including my
goddess, Hestia, had gathered at
Miach Familia
’s home for an apology session of sorts.

Lord Miach had been unaware of Nahza’s shady activities until now, and he has been doing all of the apologizing.

His hand is still firmly placed on the back of Nahza’s head, not allowing her to stand up.

“I must say, Miss Supporter, great job catching this in time. I’m relieved to see that you’re taking such good care of Bell. Thanks.”