Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 90 - D-Class Labyrinth – Cherry Cherry Hill (2)
Chapter 90: D-Class Labyrinth – Cherry Cherry Hill (2)
Although none of them really knew how to have fun, the vacation was proceeding reasonably well.
“I’ll set up the tents.”
Lucius pulled camping equipment from the storage space within the rosary adorned with a small shield, and in no time at all, erected one white tent and one black tent.
“Here they go!”
Thunk!
The hidden dagger, Last Breath, thrown by Marlin, leisurely flew through the air and pierced four fruit birds one after another.
A swift and silent feat.
It was Brites Hidden Dagger Art, a martial Mystery specialized in covert surprise attacks.
“Ta-da! How was that?”
Marlin puffed out her chest proudly.
I applauded her generously.
“That was impressive.”
“Praise me more!”
“At this rate, you might even beat Lady Rosalia.”
“…”
Rosalia, who had also been watching with satisfaction, lightly grabbed my shoulder.
“…Mm, spare me. I think my bones are about to break.”
While I danced helplessly under the merciless assassin sister’s “massage,” Abel retrieved the birds struck by the daggers.
“I’ll prepare dinner. We only have fruit, but I’ll do my best to make a salad.”
“I’ll start a fire.”
Lucius stacked the firewood he had taken from his storage space before lighting it with a camping firestarter.
Whoosh.
Before long, an excellent campfire was burning.
“…Father Lucius.”
“Why do you have firewood stored in your dimensional space?”
At Abel’s question, Lucius smiled.
“For situations exactly like this.”
“That seems a little overprepared.”
“And yet… I just used it.”
“…True.”
Abel took out the cooking utensils that maid Charlotte had packed inside Marlin’s leather bag and began preparing the meal.
Today’s ingredients…
The fruit birds of Cherry Cherry Hill.
Slice.
Using Devouring Fang, a masterpiece-grade kitchen knife capable of revealing information about whatever it cut, Abel severed one bird’s neck.
His eyes widened.
“So only the outside was fruit. The inside is an ordinary animal. I wonder why.”
“So you’re curious about the reason! To explain it simply, I first have to mention the Fairies’ unique food culture…”
“…”
Abel silently listened while continuing to cook.
His hands swiftly separated the fruit from the meat.
His movements were clean and efficient.
It was the result of Abel’s own talent combined with the Chef-class Mystery, Ingredient Preparation.
“Playing in the water is fun!”
Meanwhile, Bartimir returned after dunking her head into the soda sea.
Marlin let out a small sigh.
“Big Bro Demon… Enjoying the feeling of suffocating on purpose isn’t what playing in the water means.”
“But it was fun. What can I do?”
“Marlin. Don’t be so narrow-minded. You should respect everyone’s individuality.”
“…Father Lucius! This is wrong, right?!”
Lucius answered with a gentle smile.
“Demons are a race that feeds upon negative concepts, Lady Marlin. The sensation of suffocation and the pain it causes are both converted into vitality. So it wasn’t dangerous.”
“…Okay.”
If I’d explained the same thing, she’d have accused me of lying.
Yet because it came from Father Lucius, she accepted it without resistance.
From now on, whenever I needed to tell her important things like brushing her teeth properly or not staying up late…
Perhaps I should borrow Lucius’s authority.
Tap tap tap tap.
The rhythmic chopping of Abel’s knife echoed across the campsite.
Watching her younger brother neatly slice the meat into bite-sized pieces, Marlin stared blankly.
“At this rate, you’ll start drooling.”
I gently closed her jaw.
Embarrassed, she poked my waist with her fingernails.
When I retaliated by poking her forehead, Marlin grabbed my finger and pretended to bite it before turning toward the others.
“The vacation is great and all… But there’s one problem.”
“What is it?”
“Everyone’s way too quiet.”
“…”
Sir Pendrick… I truly miss you.
Lady Astrimia as well.
Thinking longingly of the lively voices of the two lovers, time quietly passed.
Soon, a moon wearing a serene smile rose into the darkened pink sky.
“I happen to know a card game everyone can enjoy. What do you think, Sir Karr?”
“There’s such a thing?”
Even as I marveled once again at Lucius’s meticulous preparedness…
Rosalia suddenly leaned close to my ear.
“…They’re approaching.”
“The same people from earlier?”
The taciturn assassin held up four fingers.
Even without a guiding Paper Fairy…
Four outlaws had actually survived.
It seemed they had an explorer with exceptionally high Sense, like Marlin.
That was good news.
“…The outlaw expedition is coming?”
“Yes.”
“For now, hide inside the tent and use that Mystery as well.”
“…Understood.”
As soon as Marlin entered the tent…
Her presence completely vanished.
Brites Stealth Art.
A martial Mystery specialized in silent concealment and covert movement.
Combined with the Thief-class Mystery Conceal Presence, obtained from the Earth Elves Tomb…
Despite being only a Level 2 Thief, not the slightest trace of her presence remained.
Next, I gave Rosalia instructions befitting an assassin.
“Hide. And the moment you think, Now’s the time!… Launch a surprise attack. Oh, before you go… I have something for you.”
“…”
After promptly fulfilling my request, Rosalia used Shadow Tribe and melted into the shadows.
“Patron. What should I do?”
Abel asked, pausing his cooking.
It was proof that he still had room to improve.
Even if monsters were devouring all his companions…
A chef should never stop cooking.
“Keep cooking.”
“…Is that really okay?”
“Abel. Wouldn’t it be tragic if the food tasted bad because you neglected it?”
“…I suppose.”
Faithful to his patron’s words, Abel tilted his head but returned his full attention to cooking.
“…You’ve finally arrived.”
Soon, the four-member expedition appeared.
A demon with a mohawk. A hooded beastman. A gaunt orc. A withered demon.
I tried to identify them…
But Eyes That Perceive Truth failed to read them properly.
Apparently, they had a Thief–Schemer.
A Mystery that blocked detection and prevented enemies from learning one’s allies’ weaknesses.
“So you’re the half-elf Karr?”
The Mohawk demon glared at me.
I immediately shook my head.
“No. I’m the human Balthazar. I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.”
“…Shut up. You’ve caused us more trouble than you can imagine. We originally came to rob you. But I’ve changed my mind.”
The explorer coldly drew a stylish single-edged sword from its sheath and pointed it at me.
“I’m going to make this as painful as possible.”
Nothing came to mind as a response.
It was simply too clichéd… The standard outlaw threat.
“So… Which part should I cut off first?”
“Hm?”
At that moment…
The perfect old-fashioned reply occurred to me.
“If you’re that determined to fight… I suppose I have no choice.”
I released the Blind Crow from my eye socket.
Turned my right hand into black lightning.
Opened my left palm.
Then, observing the minimum courtesy, I declared,
“I shall carve away every inch of your bodies. Down to each individual finger.”
A battle against outlaws who desecrated the sacred act of exploration.
To me… This was a holy war.
“You seriously think four people can beat us?”
Bartimir, who had been drying both his soda-soaked hair and the bandage Comforter beside the campfire, walked over to my side.
“…Did you come here to die?”
He wasn’t trying to provoke them.
He was sincerely curious.
Anyone looking into those clear, innocent heterochromatic eyes would know that.
Unfortunately…
The Mohawk demon was apparently the petty sort who couldn’t tolerate offense regardless of intent.
His face twisted with irritation.
“…Let’s see how long you can keep acting so relaxed.”
Fwoooosh.
Black energy poured from his sword.
Malevolence.
An aura that accumulated upon objects only through acts vile enough to inspire hatred and resentment in intelligent beings.
To demons…
Whose bodies became healthier the more negative concepts they consumed…
It was no different from an energy drink and stimulant.
“Hup.”
Taking ten deep breaths, Marsent inhaled the malevolent aura from his sword.
His presence swelled dramatically.
The fruits of years spent living as an outlaw.
His physical abilities had become incomparably greater than moments before.
“…”
Abel, who had been stirring the pot, gasped in surprise.
I waved reassuringly.
Then…
The lower half of the Mohawk demon’s body transformed into that of a horse.
Not an ordinary animal… A monster.
[Drowned Kelpie (Level 6)]
[A monster that lived in water but drowned of its own will before being reborn as an undead. Notable for its tremendous vitality and even fouler temperament.]
Monster Warrior.
A class capable of forcibly subjugating monsters, absorbing their souls, and drawing upon their powers.
“Starting to feel nervous now?”
The Mohawk demon grinned before charging.
So fast that a mere Level 4 Cultist couldn’t possibly follow him with his eyes.
“I’ll start with you!”
The forelegs of his undead monster’s lower body came crashing down toward Bartimir, who stood at the very front…
Vwoooong!
A gray barrier materialized before him.
Protective Warmth.
A Tier 4 Mystery that Artein’s priests would continue relying upon as one of their greatest staples.
Holding a black-and-white bell, Lucius fixed the outlaws with blazing eyes.
“In the name of Lady Artein… I shall not allow you to run rampant.”
“…A Harmony Church priest.”
The Mohawk demon hastily retreated.
Whoosh!
A beam of pure white light struck the very spot he’d occupied moments earlier.
It wasn’t anything sophisticated.
Lucius had simply unleashed raw divine power as a direct attack.
“It’s fine. Even if he’s a Harmony Church priest… He’s not someone experienced in combat exploration.”
The withered demon put on a monocle and smiled.
An artifact capable of displaying an enemy’s basic information.
Inferior to Eyes That Perceive Truth, but usable by anyone.
“Just keep attacking until the barrier breaks!”
“Understood.”
Following the schemer demon’s command, the red-skinned orc outlaw produced a massive bow and nocked an arrow.
Fwoosh!
Mid-flight, the arrow split into five.
All five slammed into the barrier.
Crack.
Fractures spread across Protective Warmth.
At minimum…
A Level 5 Hunter–Ranger.
Lucius, being only Level 4, couldn’t continue blocking their attacks forever.
“…”
The hooded beastman silently reached into the storage gem hanging from his necklace and pulled out a pet transport cage.
Unlike Monster Warriors…
Hunter–Beast Tamers fought alongside monsters they had tamed peacefully.
This was one of their partner storage tools.
Click.
The cage door swung open. A massive beast leapt out.
Awooooo!
A giant white wolf, its jaws overflowing with freezing cold, raised its head and let out a long howl.
[Snowfield Wolf Flonos (Level 5)]
[A ferocious named monster that once terrorized the great snowfields of the Northern Continent. Explorers of the same level become little more than chew toys before it, so beware.]
A rare Named Monster encountered only through a Hidden Piece in a specific labyrinth.
That beastman tamer wasn’t an ordinary outlaw.
He was almost certainly their true expedition leader.
“Father Lucius. Sir Bartimir.”
“I’m listening.”
“Mm.”
“We outnumber them… But if we fight head-on, our chances are slim. Every one of them is at least Level 5.”
During battles against outlaws encountered while exploring…
One must never cling to pride.
If the overall combat power was inferior…
Then acknowledge it cleanly.
Choose the second-worst option instead of total annihilation.
For us… The second-worst option was obvious.
“Layer the barriers as thickly as possible and hide behind them. I alone will step forward.”
If it meant protecting my companions…
This pitiful, withered body was something I could throw away without hesitation.
I was a living shield.
A half-elf weapon who existed to absorb every attack for the comrades behind me.
Perhaps…
Wasn’t that why both Arteins had bestowed the shield emblem upon me?
So that I might protect my expedition with this very body?
Saaaaa…
The modern Artein urgently sent Her will toward me.
But this wasn’t the time to communicate with a deity.
“…Sir Karr, what exactly are you planning?”
“As the expedition leader… I’ll choose the path that allows all of you to survive. It’ll be difficult for me. But it’ll be worth it.”
“…”
Vwoooong!
Priests serving the deity of crystal-clear wisdom always grasped situations quickly.
Though unwilling…
Lucius immediately accepted that fighting head-on meant defeat.
He stacked Protective Warmth five layers thick around the two tents.
Naturally… I alone remained outside.
“So you’re planning to sacrifice yourself? I’m about to cry.”
The Mohawk demon sneered as he clopped closer.
I calmly walked forward until I stood before the outlaw expedition.
There was no chance they’d fight the way I wanted.
They wouldn’t focus solely on me.
They’d target my companions as well.
“Esteemed outlaws.”
At times like these…
There was only one trump card capable of drawing every ounce of aggro toward me.
I gripped the ritual dagger artifact Full Moon Slayer.
Then summoned a temporary altar.
RUMBLE!
A stone altar shaped as a full moon burst upward from beneath the candy beach.
Stepping atop it, I continued,
“I shall now perform a ritual of self-sacrifice… Offering my entire body.”
“What the hell?!”
The schemer demon, who had been laughing moments ago, gaped in shock.
“Are you prepared… To suffer for eternity in the hell governed by the Great Deity?”
“…Kill him immediately!”
At the schemer demon’s shout… The Mohawk Monster Warrior charged.
Meanwhile…
I pulled out what Rosalia had given me earlier.
“Kuu!”
A pseudo-slime with a purple body.
A paralysis venom lifeform created through Venomous Follower.
Maengmaeng .
“Kuuu!”
The little creature bounced onto me…
Releasing part of its deadly poison into my body.
[Due to Sin: Gluttony, your body has taken on the properties of the deadly poison you just consumed! Please, stop doing things like this already!]
Excruciating pain exploded throughout my body.
My fingers twitched uncontrollably. My waist stiffened. My legs trembled.
This. This was it.
The moment I welcomed most during exploration.
“Ahahahaha!”
After all…
I liked this far more than vacations.
I truly was… An irreparably broken half of a person.
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