Author: Yume Neiji

With the return of the Raven Warriors, our party has grown from five to seven.

Each dungeon has its own optimal number of people for a party, and in the Alvis Dungeon, there are seven. If there are more people than this, it will be easy to be distracted by monsters, and the attrition from continuous battles would outweigh the increase in strength.

Until now, there were a total of five people, including me, Mia-san, Felix-san, and two supporters. That was to speed up my leveling up. If we defeat a monster in a large group, less magic power will be absorbed by each person. That’s why defeating strong enemies with a small number of people was a shortcut to leveling up.

But now our purpose is different. Our goal is the bottom floor. Fourth level, fifth level and sixth level. We went down the floors in silence.

The Alvis Dungeon started to show palace-like halls from the fifth floor, but from the sixth floor onwards the ancient technology became more apparent. We encountered traps such as drop lattices and hidden doors. From time to time, an arrow launcher —a ballista—would stare down at us from a recessed wall, giving me a start.

Because of the blessing of the hunting god, I am in the lead, which means that I am the only one who is surprised. Luckily, they were all rusty and didn’t work anymore.

“It’s the palace’s defense mechanism. Some of them shoot arrows on their own, like golems.”

Safi told me from inside the backpack. Mia-san spoke in a low voice as she checked the hood.

“……Isn’t this something you usually put near the entrance? Attack from the top huh.”

“Or….…” Felix-san added,

“The attack may have come from below. If Safi is right, then there must have been another entrance at the base of the mine?”

In the middle of the conversation, I raised my hand. This was a signal for everyone to stop and stay still. Everyone held their breath.

Wearing a fireproof cloak and hood, I feel like we are bandits sneaking into an ancient palace.

“……It moved away. It was a golem.”

It was huge and had two legs, so there was no doubt about it. After making sure that we won’t run into them if we proceed forward, I started moving.

Next up is the seventh layer.

“There are a lot of Golem.”

I nodded my head to Mia-san.

“It may be that the enemy golem master released them into the dungeon.”

“Hoh~. What a troublesome enemy.”

That guess was quickly proven. Up to the eighth level, we are able to descend with minimal encounters, but on the ninth level, there were five golems camped in front of the stairs leading down to the boss level.

Felix-san smiled wryly.

“Well, well, look at this. This is blatantly stopping us.”

“It is declaring, don’t enter the boss room. It’s now clear that the golem master is in cahoots with the slave traders.”

We exchanged quick glances. 

Felix-san raised his hand to shoulder level and then pointed his finger at the golem. He must have given instructions to the group of warriors behind him. It was the same signal I’d seen in the southern dungeon of the royal capital – “kick them all away and advance.”

“Let’s go.”

Mia-san and I stepped in. Magic attacks covered us from behind. Instantly, the two golems were engulfed in flames and destroyed.

“The core is all on the left shoulder!”

I told Mia-san about the results of the detection. A powered-up chain axe shattered the golem’s left shoulder. I also go around behind the enemy camp and borrowed the power of the spirits.

“Wake up.”

A blade of wind sliced through the golem’s left shoulder. The soil covering the red orb was peeled off. Then I leaped full of momentum to crush the orb.

Only one golem was left in its army.

“Ooo-ooooh!”

I dodged the fist that is swinging down on me. Using the Protection of the God of Thunder, I slammed an electric shock into its left shoulder. 

Lightning shook the golem. The blessing of the God of Thunder seems to have gradually become more powerful.

『……Blessings come from bonds with the gods. Rion, you may be forming a stronger bond with Thor.』

I tilt my head as I wipe the sweat on my brows.

『That means you’re recognized. Because Thor is the god of warriors.』

When she said that, a new power emerges between me and Solana. That’s the ability “Sword of the Daughter of the Sun.” Maybe the blessings get stronger and my abilities increase as I spend time with the gods.

For example, by confronting the golems and the giant golem like now, I became closer to being a “warrior”.

“Vo…..oooh.”

The defeated golem falls on its back and returns to the rocks and dirt.

The goddess’ voice trembled.

『Rion, you…… You become unrecognizably stronger. You get stronger every time you carry something. 』

“Mm. But we can’t stop here.”

The boss layer has the power I seek to protect Lu. But that’s not all. An important secret to a dwarf girl lies dormant there too.

“Everyone, go forward.”

We descended the long staircase leading to the boss level.

The space we arrived at had a high ceiling. It is likely to be 15 meters high, and even if the bell tower is brought here, I don’t think the roof will hit the ceiling. It was circular enough to fit an entire city block inside. The cityscape where we lived in the royal capital will fit perfectly into this space.

Because it was a hollow void, I felt lonely and uneasy at the same time.

What kind of boss would require such a large space?

At that moment, God’s voice echoed in my head.

A titan vanguard has appeared.

What emerged from the darkness was a giant humanoid figure. Its red eyes glowed atop its thick body. Its messy black hair looked like the mane of a lion monster.

“A giant-type monster huh.”

I muttered out.

It’s so huge that I have to look up, but it’s a little smaller than the Incarnation of Rage we fought before. The head is about half the height of the ceiling.

But I can’t relax.

“If the ashes have an effect here as well, then……”

And as expected, God’s voice immediately became distorted.

% %|大∠ has appeared.

Shiver runs through my skin. It’s a primitive tension that defies logic. 

It’s just like the Eastern dungeon after all. They have used the ashes that could disrupt the dungeon’s seal.

A being that is more than a giant appears. The darkness of space converges around it, and its gigantic body is covered in darkness.

We braced ourselves.

The human form, painted black, stood motionless with its hands outstretched. However, a bright red flame lit up at its fingertips. It was as if its whole body was covered in oil. The fire spreads to its arms, shoulders, and torso, enveloping its large body in flames.

In the blink of an eye, the space was filled with light and heat waves.

The Flame Titan has appeared.

Fire and roar shook the space, and the boss of the dungeon —no, the sealed-off boss —rushed to us.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Safi began to speak, staring at the bonfire. The flickering flames stretch the shadows of me and Safi to the wall.

“Alfheim was a country of technology. As you can see—”

Looking around, Safi smiled wryly.

“—Well, to be honest, there’s no trace of it left. But this was our palace, carved into the mine, and it was also our town. I was born and raised in these mines.”

The staircase room at the end of the dungeon is dimly lit and a little chilly. The heat, and perhaps the magic of the lights, didn’t fully pass through to this place.

I squinted my eyes into the dim light.

There were patterns remaining on the walls, and there is a protrusion on the ceiling similar to a magic stone lamp. It was probably a remnant of the time when this was a palace.

“I think it’s already filled, but on this level there is the soldiers’ quarters and a room for their families. When the gods started the war, most of the dwarves fled from the surface and took refuge here.”

Safi stopped talking and stares at the flames.

“……How much do you know about black dwarves and white dwarves?”

I searched through the shelves of my memory.

“Of the races that were in Alfheim, the black ones are the blacksmiths, and the white ones had wings and was good at crafting, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m a black dwarf…… they hated us.”

Safi stammered. After sighing as if letting something heavy out, she forced a smile. It was a smile that looked like her cheeks were twisted in a forced way.

“But, you know, it’s no surprise that they hated us.”

“Why?”

What went over my head was something like “useless skills”. I wonder if even in the land of dwarves, there was superiority or inferiority based on their innate skills.

“The black dwarves are blacksmiths. We— well, we are ‘weapon craftsmen’ through and through.”

Safi held the hammer in her hand over the fire. The faint, red magic runes on it stands out.

“Weapons are meant for fighting, aren’t they?”

“Uh-, yes—”

“So, some of the black dwarves wanted war. They made deals with gods and humans, tricked them into fighting, or placed curses on the weapons themselves.”

I pulled the scabbard from my waist and pulled out the blue crystal short sword. The ancient relic in the sheath had the letters Jinrad engraved on the hilt. 

“For example, you could carve a magic rune that draws battles. In reality, it has the nauseating effect of “attracting enemies”. Then the wielder would fight a lot, and with that, it will show the power of the weapon. It would prove how superior the weapon is.”

“No way……!”

“Mm. For the sake of technology, they would do anything to get there. There were people like that.”

The short sword I had been using suddenly became terrifying. Adventurers entrust their lives to their weapons, so if they are betrayed by a blacksmith, their lives will be at stake.

“They’re not weapons for people. They are weapons for weapons’ sake. Some of them even make deals with monsters and titans or leave their forges to join the titans’ camps.”

Safi took a deep breath. The flickering flame is reflected in her dark eyes.

“……Of course, such black dwarves are in the minority. I don’t want to be lumped together with them. But it’s true that there have been scoundrels among us. That’s why we were disliked, and why you guys are wary of us.”

The words that had been between us were cut off. When silence comes, the sound of the dungeon, whether it is the roar of the wind or the roar of a monster, fills the surroundings.

Loki said it too. Even in God’s day, distrust and betrayal existed.

“But, you know—”

Safi smiles, showing her teeth this time. It’s a smile that is much more like the Safi before, as if she’s bragging about something.

“That’s why I wanted to be a good blacksmith, because the skills of the black dwarves are great, and the white dwarves who are suspicious of us are also engineers at heart. I thought that if I improved my skills, we would be able to understand each other.”

Study, practice, train. After saying this, the dwarf blacksmith shook her green hair and looked at me.

“In the end, I was chosen as one of the ten blacksmiths of Alfheim. That’s particularly the top ten most outstanding blacksmiths. It’s the highest honor!”

Her big eyes shined with pride.

“Fufu. It took decades though, because the black dwarves were disliked…”

Decades? …… Safi, how old are you?

While I ponder about that, Safi pursed her lips.

“……Hey, show some reaction will you. At that time, it had been about a hundred years since a black dwarf had been chosen.”

“H-hundred years?”

Not only is the dwarf’s sense of time great, but Safi might just be a pretty incredible girl…

Uhm, anyways, just praise her.

“T-that’s amazing. You’re amazing!”

“…………Nevermind.”

Safi shifted her eyes. She held her hands over the fire and resumed her story.

“I learned a lot about the white dwarves’ techniques during that time, including the blessing of pouring feelings into tools. I guess I became a bridge for the exchange of skills.”

Safi proudly shook her green hair.

“The Dwarf King also said, ‘Tools are power, so give the right tools to the right person. A person with the right heart.’”

Having said that, the little blacksmith looked down. The fire shook and Safi’s face darkened.

“Hey, Rion.”

“……What is it?”

“What do you think of the giant armor in that forge?”

This time, I stirred. The bonfire crackled.

“……I’m not sure either.”

“I see.”

Safi’s red ring sparkled.

“I was probably put to sleep before ‘something’ happened to Alfheim. And then I was sealed away. But… I don’t know what happened, or why it turned out this way.…”

I didn’t want to think about it, I just wanted to keep going.

“……I really don’t know, and I don’t remember. Hey, Rion, you are scared of me after all.”

“B-but—”

I interrupted Safi’s words.

I gripped my head hard. At this rate, Safi was likely to fall into a pitch-black valley, and I felt that now was the time to pull her out.

“Safi wants to find the Dwarf King and your friends, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’ll look for them together!”

I turned to Safi while still sitting. The words just slipped out of my mouth. Saying them out loud would surely sound simple.

Safi seemed taken aback.

“…..Really?”

“Yes.”

“………Is there nothing else? That I’m suspicious, or that I’m a black dwarf, or that I-”

“Uh, no….…”

That’s true, but strangely, I didn’t feel like thinking about any further reasons. It felt like something important, some words, was inside my heart. But when I took it out and exposed it to the air, it seemed to crumble as soon as possible.

Like a statue made of snow.

“I think if it’s Safi  it will be fine.”

Safi was dumbfounded.

“……You have a gods with you, right? Is that really okay?”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe isn’t good enough you know? Even goblins and other monsters were originally banished black dwarves who fell into depravity…”

Safi’s eyes wandered in all directions, then she scratched her green hair with both hands. She turned away and exhaled.

“……Well, thank you.”

Perhaps because of the fire, Safi’s cheeks and ears seemed to blush a little.

“I feel better now. Truly.”

The gold coin vibrated, and I heard the voice of the Gods.

『Rion, you’re good at encouraging people.』

It was Solana.

(T-thanks……?)

I wonder what kind of decision my father made at times like this. I wonder if Father wouldn’t have to make a decision while hesitating like me.

『A-ahem. But, you know, it’s kind of…… itchy feeling. 』

The goddess was mumbling something, which was unusual for her. When she said that, my body also felt itchy, and I started to stir as I sat with Safi.

Our conversation went on for a while. Then I heard footsteps in the distance. Within the range of the『Protection of the Hunting God』 , the supporters who had gone to the surface have returned. Reinforcements seemed to have been brought in as there were more signs of people.

Felix-san returned, leaned on his staff, and pointed to the exit with his eyes.

“It’s time to leave.”

I nodded and stood up.

The boss of the dungeon is at the 10th level.

Alfheim’s king, the king of the dwarves must be there.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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A purple light flashed into Thor’s field of vision.

“Thor, can you hear me?”

The gold coin held by Rion contained several gods. Even while they were sealed, the gods still had consciousness, so by sensing each other’s consciousness, it was possible to exchange words without leaving the gold coin.

“……What?”

Thor manipulates his magic powers and responds to the question.

Light filled the surroundings. Floating in the space are two gods. Thor, the god of war, and Loki, the god of mischief.

Loki is dressed in a slender black outfit wrapped in a dark robe. He was a stark contrast to Thor, who was dressed in sackcloth and had disheveled red hair. Occasionally, lightning would flash in the distance behind him. On Loki’s side, it was dim, like the sky before dawn.

Each god has a unique magical power, and that individuality is reflected in the space. The fact that the nature of the gods is reflected in the natural scenery such as the sky is probably influenced by the fact that it was the god of nature, the sun goddess, who made the gold coin.

It was, so to speak, a space created by magic for conversation.

Loki tilts his head as he puts his fingers to his cheek.

“You’re aware, aren’t you?”

There is no usual smug smile on his lips. His eyes are narrowed with seriousness.

“Are you going to let Rion and the others go deeper like this? I think we should give them a little advice……”

Thor clenched his jaw, and Loki pointed his long finger at him.

“Unlike the gods, dwarves have bodies. That is fundamentally important.”

The God of Thunder snorted.

“Having a physical body is the same as most monsters.”

“That’s right. Just like humans can become undead, dwarves can become monsters. Goblins are monsters that dwarves have transformed into. In other words――dwarves can descend upon their enemies.”

The tone that gradually quickened indicated that Loki, who was good at annoying others, was now on the contrary, annoyed.

“Demigods…… It’s a convenient word, isn’t it? When they were allies of the gods, we call the dwarves demigods. But that also means they are demigod and half-monster.”

Loki’s red eyes flashed.

“Rion doesn’t realize it. Felix and the other adults are probably vaguely suspicious. They must be thinking, why would a giant-sized weapon be in a dwarves palace…..is that it?”

Thor remained silent. Thunder shook the space, and the occasional breeze disturbed Thor’s red hair.

“……We don’t need any superfluous information right now.”

Loki narrowed his eyes.

“Superfluous information? Is it superfluous information that the dwarves might have betrayed?”

“We have to look deeper into it, that’s for sure. So now is not the time to lead Rion astray. He’s a warrior, but… he’s the type who only shows his strength when there’s something to protect.”

That’s why he hides the possibility that the gods have noticed. Safi and the dwarves need to be “protected” for Rion’s sake.

Loki went silent for a while.

“It’s unfair and unjust. It brings shame to the name of the God of Thunder. But as a god of war, it makes sense.”

Eventually, he waves his hand and leaves the conversation.

“……I don’t think we should underestimate humans or Rion too much. It’s a bad habit of all of us gods.”

◆◆◆

I think I heard someone call my name, so I looked up. There is a bonfire in front of me. The cup of tea placed next to me has long stopped to steam. While resting my body, I must have taken a nap before I knew it.

The dungeon is quiet.

Sensing the abnormality down here, many adventurers must have turned back to the ground. The roar of the incarnation of rage must have reverberated through all levels after all.

And as for our group, it would be reckless for us to continue to fight all the way down to the 10th level. Right now, we are back at the stairwell that connects the third and fourth floors to rest. In terms of location, it was like the edge of a dungeon, chilly and dim. This is probably due to the cold air on the mountainside.

“Haa……”

My sighing like this must be a sign of fatigue. When I fight a strong enemy, even if I can heal my wounds with magic, it still deeply scars my heart.

“Awake?”

It was Mia-san. She is now standing next to me. In her hand is a cup of steaming tea. Felix-san must have warmed it up over the bonfire.

“Y-yeah. I think it’s okay now…… Sorry, I’ll now go check for enemies.”

I patted my butt to dust off and as I stood up, I turned my attention to the party members gathered around the bonfire. The only people here right now are Felix-san, Mia-san, and Safi, the dwarf. The two supporters carrying our luggage are back on the ground, I guess. They should be tasked to find out what is going on above ground and to get support for the bosses.

“You still need to get a good rest.”

Mia-san reprimanded me when I said I’ll search for enemies. Felix-san squinted his narrow eyes even more as he sips his tea.

“There’s a good reason why Felix said it’s only the third day that we’ll take on the bosses.  You see, adventurers adapt to the dungeon as they level up. And when you sleep, your mind organizes the experience. The next day you will be more familiar with the environment and the monsters.”

Come to think of it, my dad said that too.

“Sleeping” is one of the adventurers’ talents.

“I’m now level 22….…”

“It would have been great to get a good night’s sleep and try to do it early tomorrow morning. But, well, I guess it can’t be helped this time.”

Mia-san shrugged her shoulders and pushed me to sit down.

“For now, leave it to us. As you’re the one with the lowest level, it’s your job to rest and adjust your body to your new level and to the dungeon.”

With a final pat on my back, Mia-san left the bonfire. Felix-san also slowly stood up.

I wonder if the reason I find myself thinking, “I’m so reliable,” in a somewhat unrealistic way, is because I’m emotionally tired.

But I don’t feel as drowsy as before. In terms of resting the body, a nap may have been sufficient. My head has become much clearer, and my eyelids have become lighter.

As I looked around, I noticed another person away from the fire.

“……Safi, don’t you want to rest?”

Shaking her green hair, Safi turns her head towards me. It seems that she is investigating by tapping the wall of the stairwell room with her hammer.

“I’m fine. I’m more worried about my friends……”

Safi turns to face the wall. Her face seemed to be covered in dark shadows, perhaps because she was facing the other side of the fire. Her eyes, which tend to be black, sparkled like animals do.

――At times like this, I think that she is indeed a “dwarf”, not a human.

“Hey, Safi.”

I called out.

“What was Alfheim like in the old days?”

“Do you want to know……?  I’ve told you guys a little about the palace and the terrain…”

“Yes…… I wonder what kind of place it was for Safi.”

Until now, I haven’t had the time to ask, and I’ve only been able to ask about the black and white dwarfs, and what Safi was feeling. But seeing the Dwarves’ forge has changed my mind. Even if we go forward, there may be no salvation.

That’s why I want to know more about Safi.

I think it’s important to know in advance what kind of people I’m trying to help or can’t help. Sometimes it’s like Gideon in the Royal Capital. I think that “saving someone” means thinking about “what the one being saved will do”.

“……Me? It’s not a very interesting story.”

As she says that, Safi approaches the bonfire.

She sat down next to me and began to speak to the swaying fire.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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