Chapter 76

Chapter 76 – Dungeon of Ripples・Reopening

As we had quite a lot of rest, we arrived at the beach near a certain dungeon, thinking to reopen the capture of the “Dungeon of Ripples” we have encountered on the way .

In spite of being early in the morning, many of adventurers have already gathered at the nearby beach .

These adventurers are interested in the newly discovered dungeon and probably came to capture it .

This dungeon was untouched until now . Because the probability of discovering the treasure chests and hidden rooms in such dungeon is high, it’s target of getting rich quick .

Many people are looking at the entrance and investigating the 50 meters long waterway .

「Excuse me . Could you please let us pa.s.s?」

「Oh, sorry――Ah!」

I called out to an adventurer dressed in black garments who was looking at the entrance in order to enter the waterway .

Then, he raised his voice in surprise after turning around while apologizing .

He seems familiar .

「Err, if I’m not mistaken…… Tak.u.mi!」

「Yeah, that’s right . It’s been a while . Umm……」

「This reminds me that I haven’t introduced myself . I’m『Black Twin Sword』leader, Gray」

「h.e.l.lo, I’m Tak.u.mi . These children are Allen and Elena」

Right, it was a person from the adventurer party『Black Twin Sword』who went together with us to the Gaya Forest .

By the way, he’s a handsome blonde guy .

He’s currently not wearing much equipment in order to swim in the sea, but if I remember correctly, Gray-san should be using a j.a.panese-like sword . I wonder if its stored in his magic bag?

Well~ he will be swimming from now on so sword and armor would only hold him back . Because I don’t really have anything attached to me, I didn’t notice that before .

「It’s been a while . Thank you for the help in Shirin」

「Don’t worry about it, are your injuries alright now?」

「I immediately got treated by the Knights Order after returning to the town . It fortunately wasn’t anything serious . I was able to return to my normal life immediately」

They have been a.s.saulted and injured by the b.l.o.o.d.y Wolves during the expedition, but it seems they are alright now .

And they apparently quickly recovered and took on an escort request, left Shirin and arrived at Bailey . They arrived at Bailey just a few days ago .

As I thought, it would take at least that long with normal means of transport~

We have left Shirin after them and arrived at Bailey earlier . I can feel Joule’s and Feat’s worth~

「If I remember correctly, you should have five members, right? What happened to the others?」

I can see only two people including Gray-san . If their members didn’t change since the expedition, they are short of three people .

「The three are currently going in」

「Ah, is that so?」

「Since you are here, Tak.u.mi is going to the dungeon too?」

「Yeah, that’s right」

「You are babysitting as always, huh~ Well, it’s an Intermediate level dungeon, so it’s safer than Gaya Forest, right~」

Because Gray-san knows of me taking children to the Gaya Forest, he casually accepted that I’m taking the children with me .

「We have returned~…… huh, ehhhh!?」

A brown-haired youth about the same age as me came out from the sea and pointed towards us while shouting .

He’s one of the『Black Twin Sword』members too if I recall correctly .

「Randy, that was rude of you」

「Ah, yes . I’m sorry . But, why are you here!?」

「We are also capturing the dungeon」

「Seriously!? With the children again!?」

Randy-kun…… calling him like that feels more fitting~

Soon after staring at the children, the youth called Randy suddenly extended his hands towards Allen’s and Elena’s heads .

However, the two escaped and hid from Randy’s hands behind me .

「Ah, they ran away!」

「Randy…… what are you doing all of sudden……」

「No, I just unconsciously? Don’t you feel like patting and poking the twins?」

「It’s not like I don’t understand, but…… however, it’s not like children would easily let their guards down before a stranger, right?」

It appears he wanted to pat Allen’s and Elena’s heads . Thus making Allen and Elena run away .

「No, but I’m not a stern-looking man like Bax-san~ so I thought I might be okay~」

Bax-san is one of『Black Twin Swords』members who stayed behind with Gray-san, he has dark brown hair and he looks like a tough man no matter how you look at him . And well…… his face looks a bit aggressive . I don’t know whether he’s taciturn, but he didn’t say a single word until now .

Also…… there should be a man with a large shield if I’m not mistaken .

「…… They will catch stupidity from you, so don’t touch them」

「Bax-san, that was cruel~」

Ah, Bax-san spoke up for the first time .

Hahaha~ This party seems somewhat fun .

「Sorry about that」

「No, no」

Gray-san looked sincerely apologetic .

「We are having a lot of fun, but won’t you go to the dungeon now? The two who went along will be worried if you delay for too long」

It’s not like we can’t catch up later, but have been floating at the sea’s surface forever now .

「O, ou . That’s right」

「Let’S go Bax, Randy . Give me the Mermaid’s Breath」

「Roger」

「Mermaid’s Breath?」

「N? Does Tak.u.mi not know about Mermaid’s Breath?」

「Yeah, is it a magic tool?」

「This is it」

Because Randy let me take a look at the magic tool, I immediately used【Appraisal】on it .

＝＝＝＝＝

【Mermaid’s Breath】

A tool with built-in wind magic stone that generates air for a certain period of time .

The length of the usable time depends on the magic stone used .

＝＝＝＝＝

「I don’t know the detailed structure, but it apparently creates air by using a wind magic stone」

Yeah, this is the magic tool Cedric-san was talking about .

This magic tool is apparently used by holding it in the mouth . Is it sort of an oxygen tank?

「The tools with lowest grade wind stones can be used only for several minutes and there’s a problem of durability, but they are relatively easy to get . This is also thanks to the Feudal Lord who prepared it for the ma.s.s production immediately after the dungeon was discovered」

Oh! As expected of Cedric-san! Isn’t he doing a good job~

「Although I say that, it’s not like everyone can get their hands on the magic tools, so the people will be divided by this waterway!」

Well, although it’s ma.s.s produced, it would cost something since it’s a magic tool .

Gray-san and others probably have only three magic tools . First, three people went ahead, one returned with the magic tools and the members who remained will use them again .

「If you didn’t know about this, how are you intend to go down, Tak.u.mi? You naturally know that it’s necessary to go through a long waterway to reach the dungeon, right?」

「Of course . We have a different magic tool」

「No way!! Do you perhaps have Mermaid Bracelets, Tak.u.mi?」

「Yeah, well」

Speaking of tools that a.s.sists breathing underwater, it’s the Mermaid Bracelet . That’s why Gray-san and others immediately named the magic tools we have .

They would see that we didn’t get wet and the Mermaid Bracelets would get exposed anyhow, so I gave them a positive answer .

There’s a way of hiding magic tools in possession and there are other ways to swim as explained in the guild, but there’s no need to try deceiving them that much .

「That’s amazing . There’s certainly no need for this if you have the mermaid bracelets!」

「That’s right . Then, please go ahead」

「Ou, sorry about that . We will go ahead」

「Yes . ――Then, shall we go too?」

「「Un」」

We let Gray-san and others go first, we later follow after them and swam through the waterway .

When we finish swimming through the waterway, I elevate Allen and Elena out of the water first, then I crawl out just like the last time .

「Uo~ incredible~! You are completely dry!」

Randy who arrived earlier said in admiration when we got out of the water . It appears he noticed that we didn’t get wet a single bit .

「Uo~!」

Randy who was soaking wet suddenly started chasing Allen and Elena .

「「Ukya~」」

Allen and Elena raised their voices while escaping from Randy .

Because their tone wasn’t that of being afraid or disliking it, but rather an amused one, I decided to watch over them first .

「Wait, wait――Ouch!」

But, it didn’t continue for long .

「Bax-sa~n, what are you doing~」

「…… Quit it」

When he crossed in front of Bax-san, Bax-san dropped his fist on Randy’s head .

「Welcome back~」

「「I’m back~」」

Allen and Elena used the chance and rushed straight into my embrace .

「Tak.u.mi, I’m truly sorry for our idiot!」

Gray-san sincerely apologized for Randy-kun’s actions once again .

Even though you don’t have to mind it that much?

「No, no . They seemed to be having fun, so it’s fine . Right?」

「「Un! It was fun~」」

「As you can see――It’s just……」

「N?」

「It will be serious if you make a mistake, so you have to be careful…… I mean, if you overdo it, you know, they will counterattack……」

If you carry the joke too far, it’s possible that you will end up like the adnveturer who picked up a fight with us in Shirin……

Randy’s face turned ghastly pale at my remark .

「…… They will kick me flying like the b.l.o.o.d.y Wolf……?」

「Randy…… aren’t you glad you survived……」

「…… I sure am」

It seems he recalled the time in Gaya Forest when Allen and Elena kicked a b.l.o.o.d.y Wolf flying .

No, no, they certainly wouldn’t counterattack with that much power…… probably .

Un, they would surely hold back .

…… Now that I think of it, wasn’t that adventurer who picked a fight with us in Shirin in danger? They would have landed a full power ax kick on his head because I didn’t stop them after all……

No, it’s not like they disliked it this time, so everything was alright, wasn’t it…… probably .