Several days have passed since I recovered Erin's staff.
We once again faced a new problem. It is a food problem.
Check inside the item bag. No matter how much you look in, the food does not increase.
I sigh unexpectedly.
Food has run out to the bottom through 20 levels of life in the last 10 days.
"Can I eat this ivy ...?"
Pick up the gray ivy covering the wall. It was a very touchy touch.
"... I can't eat it."
It is treated coldly.
It was a joke for me to soften the dark atmosphere, but it was counterproductive
Uda.
"Maybe it's possible ..."
"No ..."
"that's true"
Let go of the ivy you were holding.
Without sound, the remains of the plant fell to the ground.
"Is there anything else you can eat?"
"I don't ... except monsters ..."
-A monster? Well, it would be.
Rub Erin's words in my heart.
I thought so too.
Only monsters are likely to become food at this level.
There are five types of monsters found so far in this hierarchy.
The frog that I first met.
A quadruped wolf whose body is made of ore.
A demon with a three-pronged spear.
The first golem.
Countless roots? Tentacle? A plant that is swinging like.
It is a breakdown.
"A monster that can be eaten ..."
I think while muttering.
Most likely, wolves and golems whose bodies are made of minerals will not be eaten.
Can the devil go? The frogs and plants seem to be somehow good.
"I can eat frogs and demons."
I was surprised that Erin affirmed. Ask in a hurry.
"Can you eat them?
"Yeah ... I knew it with my skills ..."
"skill?"
I heard back without a break.
Certainly Erin's skill is-.
"[Cooking / Small] It has the effect of knowing whether you can eat what you see."
"There are quite a few uses for that skill ..."
Talking continues, ignoring the light-hearted mood that would normally be angry.
"Well, there are other ways to cook the ingredients that come to mind, so I think they can be eaten properly. Others are impossible ..."
"Is the flower monster useless?"
"I can't do it because it has poison."
So that's it. Can I eat only two kinds?
That's exactly what she says because she has the skill to identify ingredients.
Paradoxically speaking in her words, there is nothing else to eat in this class.
Maybe you have to decide.
It was easier to say than you thought.
"Erin fights monsters"
It may be because he had been thinking a bit before.
It is impossible for us to escape from this level without fighting monsters.
However, a girl who has been together for a few days does not necessarily have the same feelings in my heart.
"... What are you talking about?"
Erin opens her eyes as if she couldn't believe my words.
"... I'm not really saying that, right?"
"I'm really serious."
Looking at his eyes, he seemed to be prepared for me. Erin steps back one step.
"Or, think again! Don't think about such a stupid thing!"
"It's Erin who rethinks."
I keep Erin's gaze.
I have decided to push my opinion.
"It's only a matter of time before we run out of food and starve to death, so I think we should fight now when food isn't completely depleted, just because we're not in a hurting condition."
There was also a desire to have extra time.
In order to hunt monsters in this hierarchy, you have to fight in a condition where you can win.
I wanted to be able to wait until the winning conditions and things were available.
The worst running out of food before the decision is made is the worst.
"I can't help but have no food. I have no chance but challenge the battle! ] I just wanted to avoid the defeat.
However, this decision is synonymous with avoiding the battle with monsters and exploring this hierarchy until the ingredients are exhausted, discarding the best possibility that a metamorphic crystal will be found and returned unexpectedly.
I'll keep this point down to convince Erin.
"I don't want to die, so fight."
I'm well aware of the sly persuasion.
She has no free will.
Speaking of this, he surely shakes his head.
I was convinced of that.
In fact, Erin reacts as I expected.
"... I understand. So how are you going to fight?"
I'm worried about Erin's strange thinking, but I'm the one who took advantage of it.
You can't blame.
"Is the target monster like a frog. In the first place, there are only two types of food that can be used as food: a frog mock and a devil. Among them, I would like to aim for a frog that often acts alone."
Erin is silently listening to my explanation.
"That's how to beat a monster, but wouldn't it be possible to defeat it with a trap magic? If it could be done, it would be the quickest and safest ..."
He remembers that Erin was using the trap magic while training Trap Release and uttered his thoughts.
However, Erin just shook his head.
"It's impossible. It's a different story if you can pour enormous magic power into trap magic, but if you knead that amount of magic, you will gather monsters around you."
Is it impossible? I thought it was a good way ...
"Trap magic is inefficient in the first place. Gimmicks that trigger when touched, and magical resources that use the same magical power to place them for a long time on a spot, must be used for attack magic that consumes the same amount of magical power. The power is weaker than that, so you have to pour about twice as much magic power to make a monster hit hard. "
"Then, how powerful is a trap magic that activates with enough magic to keep monsters from coming together?"
"I don't know the details ... I don't know how endurance the monsters in this layer are .... but I'm supposed to do some damage if the notes helped by Stealth."
what will you do? Do you go with trap magic?
Think of a frog. Those thick legs seemed to be good at jumping.
He came up with the idea of using trap magic at several locations to cut away frog mock, but that operation didn't seem to work.
Frogs that have received the first hit with trap magic will surely be able to retreat with their boasting jumping power.
If we can escape from the area where the traps are scattered, we have no choice.
Only the consequences of risking without access to food remain.
Rather, it would be better to make the trap magic you activate first a restraining type, and kill the monsters that shut off with Erin's attack magic directly.
That's more dangerous than the first plan, but it's also useless.
It's a safer alternative than just fighting with Erin's attack magic, and this is a compromise.
"Erin, with normal attack spells, can you stop the frog mock in one shot without gathering the monsters around?"
"Yeah ... maybe ... I think I can ..."
For now, the strategy is decided.
Originally I would like to fight more thoroughly, but I can not help but fall into such a pinch.
To some extent, it has to be done in a bumping production.
Nature and breath sneak. Breathing has become difficult.
In order to resolve the lack of oxygen, he consciously opened his lungs.
Soon the frog that is aiming at the trapped point arrives.
I and Erin were waiting for that moment at the corner of the frog-like road.
The waiting area is far away from the trap location.
About 50 meters away, I was hiding behind a T-junction.
This distance is Erin's specialty in long-range attacks.
You won't be hit unless your opponent's monster is also good at long range attacks.
Erin also said that at this distance the monster could be killed with a single shot.
"It's almost time."
The wall is in the way and you can't see frog mock from this place.
But I have a Search for Enemy.
He knew exactly where he was by comparing it to a map on his brain.
get nervous. My hands were drenched with sweat.
If you fail, you die.
And the probability of failure is not low.
It is literally a deadly battle.
This was the first battle in which death was so familiar.
Does it really work? Shouldn't it be quiet and stop the operation?
Rub your palms against your pants, wiping away any doubts that spring up, and look at Erin, who should be more nervous than me.
It is her who will carry out this operation.
That pressure will be no match for me.
Erin's pupil was completely open and her lips were clenched.
"Are you okay? ], But time did not allow it.
The frog mimics one step closer to the trap.
-And I was trapped.
A sharp clicking sound pierces the ear.
This is a signal that Erin's ice trap magic has caught a monster.
"Erin!"
The twin tails react to my call.
She was holding the last minute magical power to keep her away from monsters, and as she waited she jumped out of the corner.
I will go on after that.
"!"
A faint block of light is emitted from the tip of the staff.
The light source that goes straight goes to the frog mock at a speed that is hardly flattering.
The frog mock is frozen around her feet and cannot move.
It seems that the approaching light could not be avoided.
The light that rushes into the body surface of the emerald green.
Immediately afterwards, a frog-like body pierces as if countless blades of light overflow.
The blade pointed in all directions, and a dark blood spray splattered on the wall.
Relieved that the deal was over, Erin in front of her relaxed.
--Wrong. Still. The battle is not over yet.
The hostility of the dying monster in front of you trembles.
This guy hasn't given up on life yet.
"<< Withdraw, Withdraw, Withdraw, Withdraw, Withdraw, Withdraw!"
Shouted reflexively.
Hold Erin's body as it is and jump intently.
Farther, farther.
I don't know what's going on in front of me.
I can't imagine being behind.
The only thing I knew was that if I didn't escape, I would die.
It was an escape from pure instinct.
I noticed that a sharp sword was pointed just before my eyes and nose.
It was close to the last distance of 1 cm.
Look at the stationary sword point and be natural.
This is not a sword. Tongue.
I understand that the sharp tongue extended by the frog was trying to penetrate my face.
I guess how far away ...
The dry laughter leaks because the speculation that it would be safe to stay this far was completely off.
I hadn't even anticipated that I would have concealed this kind of long-range attack.
If it's too late to jump back even a moment. If at least one Withdraw is not activated often.
By this time, I was stabbed.
The thoughts are blurred by fear.
I heard the sound of the ice breaking in the distance and returned to me.
This is a signal that the frog mimics the trap, smashing the ice shackles.
"Erin, spell quickly!"
Forcibly open the narrow airway and squeeze out the voice.
With my voice, Erin regains the consciousness that was flying.
"Ah……"
Erin fills the wand with impatience.
The spell was ready to fire and the trap was broken.
A frog that jumps out like a bullet with sound.
Erin struck as she struck her eyes.
Immediately after the intense noise, the frog mocked into lightning and burst off.
Pieces of roasted meat .
"――That was dangerous ..."
Look at the bodies scattered on the ground and reaffirm that frogs can not breathe back.
Her hips came out of relief.
Looking sideways, Erin also leans down on the ground and is depressed.
"Let's get away to the place where you can eat soon"
Looking at the scattered corpses, appetite is decreasing rather than rising.
In the first place, there is hardly any part that can be eaten because of the brilliant killing.
However, it is a prey that has been hunted for death.
There is no reason to abandon Misumi.
Collect edible parts before other monsters hear the commotion.
Fortunately, there is no sign that is approaching now.
Remove the spare knife from the item bag and hand it to Erin.
Peeling was the role of Erin in grasping the parts that can be eaten by skill.
In the meantime, I keep track of nearby monsters with Search Enemies.
When Erin finishes collecting the meat, she covers it with ice magic to keep it fresh and gives it to me.
Receive it honestly and put it in the item bag.
"With this amount, it may have to be defeated ..."
It was a leaked word without any consideration.
I wasn't particularly conscious of it, and I was going to say something like that.
But it didn't take long to realize that the word was a slap.
"I'm sick of it……"
He realizes that the sad cry came from the girl in front of him and raises his face.
--she is. Erin. I was crying.
She spills tatters and tears.
The sight was noble and unlike a girl who thought she was beautiful, I think I was shocked.
The outstretched hand stopped in the air, leaving nowhere to go.
"I don't want to fight anymore ... I don't want to fight ... I'll stop everything ..."
I couldn't see Erin spitting out my heart.
I immediately inherit the words.
"Let's quit everything ... can't we come back alive?"
I tried to calm down calmly.
I thought that Erin's cry was an extension of being thrown into this hierarchy.
No, maybe he just wanted to believe it.
"I know ... I'm not telling you ... I'll give up ... I'll throw away any wishes that won't come true and go home!"
But the reality was different. I was wrong.
It was already the limit.
For Erin. Life in these 20 levels.
"It's useless, it's such a foot! It's not just painful! Even if you defeat monsters with the feeling that you'll die many times, we'll end up dying! We won't be able to return home!"
Once we cut the weir, the wave of emotions never stops.
"It's painful. It's painful. I want to make it easier. Do you think so too?-So let's give up together."
"Erin ..."
――I don't think so.
In front of her sorrowful crying face, she didn't feel like cruel words.
"Hey, please ... I'm a lifetime request ... I'll do whatever I can ...... Give up together ..."
Instead, I squeezed out the theories that are not so similar to this one.
"Erin, calm down, stay calm"
Of course, I couldn't reach her with the mended words, and my hand trying to squeeze my shoulders was blown away.
"What's so cool! You can't be cool in this situation! You're much stranger when you're thinking calmly!"
Erin still struggles with aggressive pursuits at my neck.
"I've always thought I'm a stranger of notes. I've always been. And now I'm convinced. My thoughts weren't wrong.
"I am abnormal ...?"
I didn't understand what I mean.
Repeat the words to ask questions.
"Yeah, it's anomalous. Death is coming. Even though I'm going crazy just for a few days in this place. I'm just normal. I don't understand it. I don't think it's the same human heart. "
I was not calm.
He felt impatient for life on the 20th level and was frustrated.
They are just killing emotions to survive.
He opened his mouth to make an excuse, but he stopped.
That's because Erin kept saying.
"I've never been able to understand notes since long ago. I'm not sure why I'm so reassured.
I just thought it was right.
She accused me of killing my emotions for a purpose.
Drops dripping from Erin's have blurred the hem of a dirty robe in the dungeon life of the last few days.
"I first scared you after you were caught on kidnap and I preached."
It happened about eight months ago, but I remember that time.
It's a story when you are accused of your lazy feelings.
It was a bitter memory for me.
"At that time, I thought the notes would go out of the party. No, I thought I should just quit. I used to say it was hard, but I didn't quit the notes. On the contrary, I hated me `` I started practicing the arts intently, alone.
Certainly at that time I prioritized learning the arts, as I could be hated by Erin.
Instead of worrying about what others would see, they would activate the arts at the same time and challenge them to practice, showing off their unsatisfactory training results.
"I don't understand why I can do that. Are you afraid of being hated by others? Are you afraid of loneliness?"
The swelling eyes are pointed here.
It's like a confession, a plea.
Every time she squeezed out a word, she seemed to take away something important in her chest.
"When we went to the beach together, so now, so. The notebook separates our feelings for the purpose. It's strange. I can't do that. Don't you want to stop? How can you be like that? ”
No. Erin.
I'm much weaker than you think.
It's not as far away as you can imagine, 100% exclusion of emotions.
Just one. What was different from you-.
"I once made an irreparable failure. Erin knows too, I betray the expectation of a loved one because of my lack of effort and weakness in my heart. I only had one, because I ruined what I wanted to take care of. "
I remember the parting with my childhood friend, Meiya.
That event changed me. It's the origin that created me now.
Meya made me aware. You're a helpless person.
He is an unpleasant person who gets his unwanted skills, gets frustrated, and blames laziness on his condition.
If she couldn't blame her for her uselessness, I would have lived the worst of her life, only making excuses, not accomplishing anything, and only hurting someone.
I must have not changed.
Now, if you think about it, she's always got a lot of things. I was getting too much.
For that, I can't give her anything.
It was irresistible and sad.
I don't want to taste this regret anymore.
I want to give back to those who have given me countless things just like Meyer.
I thought so and came here.
"Isn't it spicy? Isn't it painful? It's determined to be painful! It's determined to be painful! Such thoughts already ... "
"Yeah ... you've been frustrated, so you can move forward in this situation ..."
"That's it"
Respond with confidence.
I thought that because of my genuine genuineness, there was something that could be passed on to her who was struck by despair in front of me.
I thought I would understand my feelings.
But it was a sweet delusion.
"-I'm convinced. After all, you're anomalous. Ordinary humans don't turn to the front just to be frustrated! I can't keep running forward!"
At the mouth of Erin, as if mocking me, I felt betrayed.
I hit it so hard, I blew everything out, but I didn't understand.
The emotions get excited and the tone becomes rough.
"What does Erin want to say? What Erin says is a normal person! What is normal and what is abnormal! At least I'm working hard because I'm frustrated What's unusual about it! Erin in a fortunate situation can understand the feelings of a really frustrated person― ”
"Do you want to say if you don't?"
The word was the coldest voice of her words I heard.
I can't believe that the sharp sound that comes into my ears is what she just released.
I must have made a mistake somewhere.
I uttered that it was irreparable.
I had that feeling.
"Yes, there's a lot of setbacks, maybe even more painful than a notebook. You think you're the most unfortunate person in the world, right?"
He was pointed at exactly the star and could not refute Erin's point.
You may be able to reiterate that you're not the only one who thinks you're the unfortunate person in the world.
But it was also true that if there were only about 100 people around the world, the 96th and 97th most unhappy person among them would be themselves.
"I understand your idea. I'm the same type, but I want you to know one thing. Even if you don't have the skills that are deemed like you, you have good skills. But there are people who are frustrated. ''
"And--" she inherited.
"I'm a person who doesn't turn away from frustration. Not all people are the same as you. You're not here. You can work hard while having good magic skills. I am a helpless human who keeps fleeing life to the easier ones. ''