Chapter 279

279th Chapter: A Brief Leisure

Ur-r-r-r.

Cracks began forming in the soil scattered across the flower field. Sensing ominous premonitions, giant ants and bees hurriedly scurried away toward the exit.

Zzzzz.

Bzzzz.

It was said that it’s common for beasts to evacuate first whenever places like crumbling ships are involved. They must have sensed that this dungeon is collapsing.

That means we should get out of here quickly, too.

“Where is Vice Vein?”

I asked. Antiope and Hippolyte are here, but there’s no sight of Vice Vein, the interrogator who suggested we come here. To this, Hippolyte replies,

“That man left ahead of us. It seems he couldn’t endure the pollen swirling around.”

That’s right.

Indeed, with all kinds of flowers and plants around us, it’s an atmosphere that an ordinary person might find hard to endure.

Even I, who have adapted to various vegetation sites since childhood, felt the urge to scratch my eyes and sneeze repeatedly due to the sheer amount of pollen swirling around.

“Anyway, we should hurry and escape.”

Ultimately, we managed to quickly exit through the Entrance of Fall, a rift. The moment we stepped outside, the cave entrance sealed off completely, leaving no possibility of return.

“I-I’ve lost the garden I’ve carefully cultivated!”

Honey Water’s Nymph Doris clung to my side, exclaiming with apparent shock. The place she had called home for over a decade must’ve collapsed, leaving her mentally disoriented.

Bzzzz.

Above our heads, the swarm of giant honeybees that had been circling was soon scattered in various directions as they disappeared one by one.

They must have felt immensely relieved to escape their long confinement and return to freedom. Of course, that’s just my speculation. How would I know the emotions of bees?

Ultimately, Honey Water’s Nymph Doris, abandoned by both her dungeon and the bees she called her “friends,” slumped down lifelessly like a frail child.

“My friends have abandoned me….”

Thanks to the carriage, we were able to quickly return to Sodomora.

We had set out for the dungeon around lunchtime, and since we managed to complete our mission quickly, we were back in the city before evening fell.

“Well then, I shall make my report. I also need to get rid of this floral scent clinging to me. Butterflies keep clinging to me.”

With pollen-covered butterflies continuously attaching themselves to her, Hippolyte frowned awkwardly, waving her palm back and forth.

Just as I was about to say, “They probably think you’re a flower,” I decided against it when I realized it might spoil the mood.

To this, Antiope spoke up:

“They probably think you’re a flower, like that.”

“Quit your nonsense, Antiope. Anyway, that dungeon was quite horrifying. I never wish to return to such a place.”

Hippolyte clicked her tongue as if she had just escaped hell. Was it really that terrible?

Just judging by Vice Vein’s persistent coughing and sneezing during the carriage ride back, it seems that greenhouse-like environment was quite strenuous for the others.

“Sister, how about we go to the bathhouse together after all this time?”

“That sounds fine.”

Since Antiope and Hippolyte took care of the bothersome reporting tasks, I was free to attend to my own matters without needing to visit the guild.

“Well, see you later.”

As I bid farewell to everyone with a wave of my hand, Hippolyte, who must have remembered something, added:

“Hassan, come to the guild office as soon the sun rises tomorrow. They might discuss your promotion then.”

“A-ha.”

Now that I think about it, it was promised that if we successfully clear this dungeon, I would be promoted to the Silver Tier.

“Did I do enough this time to deserve the promotion?”

“Reasons are what matter most. Still, the record will now state that we ‘broke’ the dungeon, and packaging can always be done. Also…”

After flicking away a butterfly clinging to her forehead, Hippolyte continued:

“Didn’t you feel anything the moment you entered the dungeon? Surviving that concentrated pollen storm should’ve compulsorily triggered your aura usage, after all.”

All I felt was the usual irritation… was there something more to it?

While I was briefly lost in thought, Hippolyte spoke again.

“That’s because you didn’t notice it, Hassan. You’ve already been using your aura. It seems you’re primarily utilizing it for defense.”

“Is that true?”

“Indeed. You might consider it like having a protective energy around you without realizing it. In some ways, it’s a natural talent. Practice to control this energy freely.”

Protective energy around my body, huh?

Could it really be that I can now use steel?

It looks like those days of practicing with the iron bar as a punch bag against those bullies weren’t wasted.

Having delivered their parting words, the Amazon sisters, Antiope and Hippolyte, disappeared somewhere in the distance—probably back to the guild.

Watching them go along with Vice Vein, who then spoke:

“Well then, I will take responsibility for escorting this little girl.”

“Is that alright? You look pretty exhausted.”

“Huettchii.”

Vice Vein, who had the Samaritan child Kiri on his back, had his face, eyes, nose, and mouth swollen to a considerable degree.

He certainly displayed signs of a severe allergic reaction. It’s quite a transformation for someone who initially looked rather handsome—it’s quite shocking to see the stark contrast.

Nearby, Honey Water’s Nymph Doris, who had been hiding behind me and peering cautiously at the city, boldly shouted:

“This is the price for intruding recklessly into the domain of Lady Ceres! To be caught off guard by pollen meant to repel men—what poor luck!”

“A-ha, so it was pollen meant to repel men. How very fitting for a nymph. Huttchii… why did I suffer more damage than the Amazon Sisters? Huhii, huuu…”

Vice Vein continued to cough and sneeze, so I stepped back from him. Given the lack of proper hygiene in this world, social distancing seems necessary.

Indeed, other men who passed by Vice Vein began coughing and sneezing after inadvertently inhaling the pollen sticking to his body.

“Well, I shall head to make my report. Samaritan, if you hadn’t been around, this situation might have become quite challenging.”

“Thank you for the hard work.”

With that, I parted ways with Vice Vein.

Generally, after dungeon runs, we usually celebrate our victories over drinks together, but today everyone was so preoccupied that no festivities occurred, which left me feeling a little wistful.

Now, the only one left with me is the strange Honey Water’s Nymph.

“The city, the city—it’s dangerous! Teseus warned that nymphs like me, who are small, might get captured by people, so we must be careful!”

Honey Water’s Nymph Doris crouched near my leg and trembled while gazing at the passing people.

She might have been locked away for a long time, but she appears to know how nymphs are treated in this society.

Paranoi walks around fearless now, alone and bold. This one, however, seems smarter in that sense than Paranoi.

Where I was heading was not the North Gate but the West Gate.

Luna’s hut, which I hadn’t visited in a while, was as ever full of a small, cozy garden and warm trappings.

Ting, ting.

Before stepping in casually, I rang the bell at the entrance, and someone came out to open the door.

“Who’s there? This is private property… If you wish to enter, you must pay a toll to Baron Teseus who owns the field…”

It was Paranoi, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Behind me, Honey Water’s Nymph Doris shouted loudly:

“Aah! There really are nymphs! Real nymphs!”

“See? I wasn’t lying. I told you, didn’t I, that I have a friend?”

It seemed Honey Water’s Nymph Doris had nowhere to go. With the dungeon gone—no, her home—she looked like a lost soul.

If I left her on the streets, there might be a giant honeybee chaos or something. So, I thought it best to look after her for a day.

She was also uneasy, concerned that I might sell her off somewhere.

Hence, to reassure her, I had hinted that a nymph resembling her would be where I was going—she didn’t believe me until she saw it with her own eyes, and now she’s genuinely surprised.

Paranoi, too, seemed equally astonished.

“Ah! Lord Hassan! Is that really a nymph…!”

Paranoi and Doris simultaneously approached each other in large strides and pressed their foreheads together.

Whoosh.

The two small nymphs, who looked almost exactly alike, pressing their foreheads together—what a strange yet oddly touching scene. As Echo explained before, it’s apparently a gesture of greeting among nymphs.

After lingering for a while, forehead-to-forehead, they both stepped back. The first to speak was Paranoi.

“I am Paranoi, the Nymph of Ditch Water!”

“I am Doris, the Nymph of Honey Water!”

“Honey Water nymph? Can you handle bees?”

With Paranoi’s feigned familiarity, it seemed that ‘Honey Water Nymph’ was actually a real title, not just a casual fabrication.

“It’s my first time meeting a real Honey Water nymph…!”

“Indeed! But, all my Barshkir bees have flown away…”

“Barshkir bees? They were extraordinary bees to train! It’s really sad they’ve flown away…”

“Besides Barshkir bees, I also had hornets. They had built such massive nests!”

They went on chatting about things, but there wasn’t much I understood. Nevertheless, there seemed to be some kind of shared language between nymphs.

Then, Honey Water’s Nymph Doris fumbled in her robes and pulled out a wooden vial that the bees had left near me earlier. She handed it to Paranoi.

“This is condensed honey! Eat it, and become a Honey Water nymph like me! Together, we can attract bees again!”

“Huuh? This…”

Paranoi’s face grew unusually serious when she took it.

“This is very precious.”

“So, what is it?”

“Barshkir Honeywater. Drinking this would let a ditch water nymph like me evolve into a Honey Water nymph and even gain the ability to control bees!”

“Evolve? So you nymphs evolve too?”

When I was just about to contemplate this casually, Paranoi explained further:

“Ditch water nymphs possess boundless potential. Through various mediums, they can evolve into different kinds of nymphs.”

“So, if you drink this honey water, you’ll become a Honey Water nymph?”

“That’s right!”

“Ah, I understand.”

Ah, so this is an evolution stone! The ditch water nymph is like an Eevee. Eevee also evolves in different directions using various stones, so I get the gist.

Nymph evolution, huh?

Curiosity suddenly struck me.

“Then, drink it and let me see how your evolution happens into Honey Water Nymph or whatever.”

“Such decisions shouldn’t be made so easily! Choosing your path is something to think through very seriously.”

“Why are you getting angry?”

Were you upset because I tried to force you to evolve? Forced evolution will only backfire—like turning into SkullGreymon. That’s when I began to understand.

Soon, Paranoi handed back the honey water to Doris.

“One day, I will drink the fire-river water and become an Infernal Imp. Therefore, I cannot become a Honey Water nymph.”

“That’s a pity… but an Infernal Imp! That’s a story passed down only in legends!”

The two nymphs continued their chatter filled with things I couldn’t comprehend.

Honey Water’s Nymph Doris laughed with joy, completely forgetting her earlier fear of the city and this strange new world. Finding someone from her own kind must have been immensely relieving.

“Hey, Paranoi. Take care and get along well with your friend.”

“Ah, Lord Hassan. Don’t you want to see Lady Luna? She’s currently bathing, but if you wait a bit, she’ll be available…”

At the mention of Luna’s name, I glanced down at myself. From getting attacked by bees earlier, my clothes were torn, my hair was in disarray, and flowers and pollen were all over me.

I can’t greet her like this.

“I’ll come again later.”

“Black-haired one! I will certainly recover what you stole!”

“Ugh, I didn’t steal it. Anyway, Paranoi, do try to make her a little more sociable.”

With that, I left the chattering nymphs behind and headed back onto the streets. As I walked alone, a slight fatigue began to creep over me.

I should just rest at the inn and plan to visit the guild tomorrow…

And how did that Samaritan kid manage the errand I gave him and find his way into the dungeon? Did he somehow sneak around and look at my map while I was sleeping? Why would he do something so reckless?

Thinking like this during my approach to the quiet inn near the North Gate, the indifferent-looking middle-aged innkeeper working there stopped me as I was about to ascend to my room.

“There’s someone looking for you. They should be waiting for you upstairs.”

“Guest? Do you know who it is?”

“Seems like a rather distinguished lady.”

A distinguished female guest? Who could it be?

Among the highborn women I know, there’s only the baron’s daughter or the count’s daughter, Enya, from the other day, who I helped with a foot massage. Could one of them have come to visit?

Why?

While I was feeling curious about it, the innkeeper added another detail.

“She seems rather aged. Anyway, she’s been waiting for quite a while now, so go up and check.”

An older woman? Could that be an old lady?

I wasn’t very familiar with older men, let alone elderly women, so I opened my room door mildly puzzled.

In my dimly lit room lit by oil lamps in the dingy inn, I found a silhouette draped in a dark robe.

“Who are you? You said you wanted to meet me?”

In response to my question, the guest, rising swiftly from the chair, is considerably tall—about the same height as me.

“Who is it? Who asked to meet me?”

“Look how unrefined you are. But, you look like him. In a way.”

“Excuse me?”

“The bees whispered to me. Child, now I know you. You will know me, too.”

Bees whispered? Did you have a conversation with the bees? Of course, there’s no one in the world who can do that. Some strange religious enthusiast looking to recruit?

I had said not to let in wandering merchants, but looks like the innkeeper mishandled this. How do I politely tell someone to leave?

Whoosh.

While I was contemplating this, the visitor finally removed the hood covering her head.

Revealed beneath it was a cascade of silver hair styled in a vintage manner with elaborate accessories, a face marked gracefully by age, and deep, amber eyes.

She looked like a queen who had grown old. Maybe, she really is one. Though regal, there’s an undeniable chill about her demeanor, and a feeling of uneasiness swept through me.

Perhaps she’s just entered old age? Her appearance has a mysterious aspect—old in some ways, youthful in others.

Of course, the face is unfamiliar to me.

“Who are you?”

[Postscript] Indeed… Nymphs are actually Eevees…

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