Side Story 2: Undersea Dungeon 14

『We’re finally back on solid land!』

「Nn.」

「Woof!」

The dungeon went dormant after the defeat of the Dungeon Master, so we made our way out and headed to a nearby uninhabited island.

We could’ve gone straight back to Bulbora, but I wanted to give everyone some time to rest.

『Fran, how are you feeling?』

「It hurts a little, but I’m okay.」

I first unleashed my power as a divine sword during the final showdown in the Kingdom of Raydoss. At the time, Fran had used Divine Beast Form for an extended period of time, yet she was almost completely fine after the battle.

That was because the Evil God’s Innocence had taken on most of the recoil for her. Of course, she still suffered some amount of fatigue and injuries, but that’s extremely light compared to how fierce the battle had been.

This time, however, Fran was unable to escape the recoil. She seemed to be suffering from muscle soreness all over her body, as her movements looked stiff.

Probably because we didn’t activate Trail of Bonds, a skill that lets Fran borrow the strength of people she’s met.

This borrowed strength was not merely a source of power. It was a cluster of emotions, filled with warmth and kindness. Their love for Fran became a shield for protecting her.

Such a power could not possibly harm Fran. In fact, it had provided enough healing and protection to counter the recoil of Divine Beast Form.

The Evil God’s Innocence, Avenger, and Fenrir-san had all taken a share of the recoil, and Trail of Bonds healed us through the rest. That’s how Fran managed to go beyond her limits and remain completely fine afterward.

『You want me to cast some healing magic?』

「I’m fine. More importantly, I’m hungry.」

『Alright, then let’s take a break for lunch.』

「Nn! I want seafood curry!」

Fran stared at me with great eagerness. She worked just as hard for the seafood as she did for training, after all.

『Okay, I’ll whip it up real quick. Want a snack while you wait?』

「I’ll wait while eating curry.」

『Y-You’re going to eat curry while waiting for curry?』

「It’s fine. This one is beef curry.」

Apparently, beef curry and seafood curry were two entirely different dishes to Fran. Maybe she had been craving beef ever since she saw that minotaur.

「Urushi, Silent Sea. Here, you can have some too.」

「Woof!」

「Oh! Curry!」

Fran handed each of them a bowl piled high with curry, but it looked like a tiny serving for the two giant wolves. However, the two quickly shrank themselves to an appropriate size and dug in, splattering the curry sauce all over themselves.

The ability to freely control your size seems really cost-efficient when it comes to food. I’m almost jealous.

『Huh? You want to come out? W-Wait, I didn’t say yes! Don’t just come out on your own! And Jashin-chan, stop siding with him!』

「Fwahahaha! Priestess! Long time no see! It is I, your humble servant for all the hours of the day, Fleshbag, also known as Avenger!」

He’s only been here for a second and I’m already sick of him.

「Fleshbag. Been a while.」

「Ah, Priestess! I see your cat ears are still as splendid as ever! If had known you were going to conquer a dungeon, I would have implored you to use me as your meat shield!」

「That wouldn’t be training.」

「Kaah! As expected of my esteemed priestess! I have much to learn from your boundless drive to improve yourself! Truly admirable!」

Having Avenger with us would certainly make the dungeon a lot easier. We could throw him into the traps, use him as a shield, or even send him at unknown enemies to get a taste of their abilities. His endless regeneration made him perfect for risky roles.

But as Fran said, he’s simply too convenient. Letting him handle all the hard parts would defeat the purpose of our training. Also, his strongest weapon was poison, which wasn’t great for a cramped dungeon like that one.

That’s why we didn’t call on Avenger. It seems he understood our reasoning, but he decided to come out at the end anyway for no real reason.

「W-What is this thing!? It radiates so much evil energy!」

「Nn. He’s our companion, Avenger.」

「Companion, you say! Me, a companion to the Priestess! I love the sound of that! However, I would prefer that you treat me as a servant rather than a companion, or better yet, a simple meat shield!」

「…Is this guy okay in the head?」

Silent Sea-san seemed really put off by Avenger. I can brush off his antics because I’ve gotten used to him already, but honestly, that’s the normal reaction.

Silent Sea-san was strong enough to handle Avenger’s aura, but someone weaker might have gone into a panic because of the constant mental damage and evil energy intoxication. We really need to be careful about where we summon him.

「Fleshbag, here.」

「Oh! This is none other than curry, the food of the gods! Are you sure I may have this?」

「Nn.」

「Ohooo! Then I shall partake!」

Huh? Could Avenger always eat food?

「Delicious! Exquisite! Spicy yet elegant! This is without doubt the food of the gods!」

「Heheh.」

Avenger promptly dug into the curry, and it seems he even has a sense of taste.

Well, Avenger is a high-level ghoul, and ghouls are known for eating people. I guess it’s not that strange. That said, he shouldn’t have to eat if he has enough mana…

「Uhohoho! So tasty!」

『…Eat as much as you want.』

「I shall!」

After seeing Avenger’s hearty appetite, the wolf duo feared that he might eat their portions as well. They dug into the curry with renewed determination.

「Munch munch! Yes! The spicy flavors seep into my weary body! This is perfect for restoring fatigue! Simply superb! Munch munch!」

「Woof woof!」

「Hoh? You recommend these pickles? Munch munch… Oh, I see! Remarkable! The sweet and sour taste transforms the entire dish!」

「In that case, I shall try one as well… Hohoh! I could not agree more! This is magnificent!」

「Indeed it is!」

The familiar of a divine beast was now eating curry at the same table as a familiar of the Evil God. Well, if they don’t mind, I guess it’s fine.

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