Reunion
I see, so that’s the hermaphrodite girl (?) Setsuna’s goal?
[In other words, you were mixed with things through [Super Alchemy] as well?]
“Something like that… Grandma’s the only person that can restore me.”
[That so? I don’t really know the details, but do your best yeah?]
“Un, thanks. I’ll bring you something next time.”
[If you do, please bring me some information about the G.o.dly Beddings.]
“G.o.dly Beddings… un, alright.”
With that, our talks came to a close.
Setsuna returned to the small room and pressed down on the interrupt b.u.t.ton to leave.
*
Then the next day came. Setsuna and Nayuta dove into the dungeon.
Although they appeared to have s.h.i.+fts as waitresses today, it looks like Meat took their place. I know their circ.u.mstances and readily gave my permission but—well, alright. Let’s just enjoy Leona’s reaction.
“… I feel like I should go lay down in my bed in antic.i.p.ation for what’s coming. Rather, I want to lay down.”
“Don’t take my lines… well, I get what you mean.”
“I’ll quickly lay down if Leona does something!”
It was too troublesome to bring her to her bed, so she decided to head back if she felt anything unusual.
While we were talking about stuff like that, Setsuna and Nayuta had easily arrived in the Meadow Area that had the Succubi in it. It could be called obvious since I’d had Golems guide them there… but still, they didn’t think that I’d deceived them at all? I wasn’t deceiving them though.
So now, let’s see what happens.
*
They were told about it beforehand, but there really weren’t any dungeon traps or monsters getting in their way.
Rather, a Golem even guided them so that they’d easily pa.s.s right through the labyrinth and not encounter any other adventurers.
They made their way down the Staircase Area—something that they’d heard was chock-full of traps—without anything really happening and went through the Warehouse Area—a place that they’d heard only the Hero had been able to investigate—like it was a stroll in the park with the Golem’s guidance.
Once they’d been guided to the staircase that was the boundary to the area, the Golem guide left waving.
“We really were welcomed in huh. Are we sure this isn’t a trap?”
“I feel that we can trust Euma-san.”
“I haven’t met him myself, but… un, he doesn’t seem ordinary. If Onee-chan says he’s trustworthy, I’ll trust him too. So she’s right after this?”
“Seems like it… Shall we go in with some caution and see how it goes?”
When they went down the stairs, they saw a meadow. There was even a sky even though it’s inside a dungeon.
There were occasionally rooms and floors within dungeons that had environmental changes like this. This wasn’t their first time seeing something like this, so neither of them were too surprised and were able to calm down and continue looking around.
They were told that there was a rectangular building there with a woman named Leona living in it.
… She hadn’t heard the details, but Euma had told her that he couldn’t guarantee her safety in the floor that Leona lived in. In other words, she was someone not under the dungeon’s control—perhaps Leona was a traveler like them, or maybe a pet? That was what they originally a.s.sumed.
“… Still though, this really is a community.”
“I’d heard talks about there being a village in the dungeon… but it’s like this?”
There was a building surrounded by a fence made out of waist-high wooden planks. There was even a small gate with a brand-new wooden sign that said: [Our Pa.s.sionate Welcome! Succubus Village].
“Succubus Village… Succubus, huh… Looks like Grandma’s here.”
“Succubi are troublesome as enemies. They said welcome so how about we ask them?”
“Let’s try it. Umm… h.e.l.lo~, is anyone there~?”
When Setsuna said that at the gate, several of the small houses’ doors opened.
A person walked out. She had a rather seductive appearance and wore what would better be described as strings than as clothes.
“h.e.l.lo~, are you adventurers? Oh, girls?”
“Succubi? This really is a Succubus Village then…”
“Yeah… Umm, what should we do? We didn’t expect that our first guests would be girls.”
“Ah, right. Is someone named Leona here? We came to see them.”
When Setsuna said that, the Succubus put herself on guard.
“… Leona-sama’s pursuers!? Girls, get out here, quick!”
“Eh, pursuers!? Where!? Hey, bring the spears!”
“We won’t let you take Leona-sama!”
Various Succubi popped up and approached.
“W-wait! I, umm, please let us talk!”
“To Leona-sama?”
“Yeah! … Well, that’s if she’s the [Leona] that I’m thinking of—”
At that moment, a woman wearing an ordinary outfit came out of the room that was the farthest away from them.
Her face was exactly the one that Setsuna and Nayuta remembered, the red-eyed, black-haired Leona.
“Ah! You’re here!”
“Grandma! Is it really you!?”
“Oh, if it isn’t Setsuna? Nayuta too? Doing well~?”
Setsuna and Nayuta a.s.sumed their battle stances on reflex. Although this caused the Succubi to once again be wary of them, Leona simply waved her hand. She was the only person left looking carefree, looking like she was just meeting her relatives after a few months.
“Umm, Leona-sama. Should we not attack them, then?”
“Yeah, Suira, don’t make this get violent. These are my cute granddaughters after all.”
“… Huh? Leona-sama, weren’t you seventeen? How do you have such grown children?”
“Yeah, I have grandchildren at seventeen years old.”
Setsuna and Nayuta both looked at Leona with reproachful eyes. Leona simply smiled back at them.
She appeared to not accept their visual complaints.
“Grandma? Would I lose if I tsukkomi’d here?”
“Isn’t it alright as-is, Nayuta? So, why’d you come to meet me? But don’t use ‘Grandma’, call me something with some more love in it okay? Why not trying saying it? Repeat after me~, Leonan♪” [1]
“… Setting that aside, I want my body restored.”
“Oh?
Hearing Setsuna’s request, Leona tilted her head.
“But aren’t you cuter this way? Besides, it was a Power Up~? You’re supreme in power and cuteness now~, fufufu.”
“You…!”
“Oh my, don’t get angry, now. Don’t ruin your cute little face—wait, it’s not so bad, is it? You’re even cute when you’re angry, Setsuna. Let Grandma give you some allowance.”
Regarding Setsuna, who had tried to hit her, Leona simply dropped a silver coin down into her cleavage from behind.
Although she definitely hadn’t taken her eyes off of her, she vanished instantly and had appeared behind her.
“Hyah! W-when did you—!?”
“It’s alright, Setsuna, you’d be able to surpa.s.s even me if you keep on training you know? After around three hundred years.”
“Three hundred years… my lifespan would run out first.”
“Oh? Setsuna, don’t you know that you don’t have a lifespan anymore since I made you immortal? Congratulations Setsuna, you’ll be able to train forever!”
Setsuna had launched a backhand strike towards Leona as she’d turned around. But her fist was easily deflected. Completely getting out of range of Setsuna, this time Leona gently patted Nayuta’s cheek from right in front of her.
“Do you also want to be made immortal if I get the materials, Nayuta?”
“… I’ll decline! Who would want the ridiculous downsides forced on them!?”
“Eternal youth is a woman’s dream though? It’s easily enough to take on some pain and hards.h.i.+p for. Besides, isn’t not like the side effects are even really that bad now are they? … By the way, Nayuta. You’re travelling alone with Setsuna? Are you two sharing a room?”
“We’re sisters, so obviously! W-we haven’t done anything strange!”
She was swinging her knife around and blus.h.i.+ng, but Nayuta was meant to be a rear guard in the first place, she was much less suited to combat than Setsuna. Even Setsuna’s quick fist hadn’t been able to land, so it wasn’t like Nayuta’s attack would ever land.
“Isn’t it alright!? Restore Onee-chan!”
“Mmm, sorry, but no can do…”
Leona spoke with an innocent smile.
“I mean, that doesn’t sound fun at all.”
Although Setsuna took a short run to punch her, her fist was blocked nonchalantly.
Even after receiving Setsuna’s full-powered punch, Leona’s palm didn’t so much as quiver.
Footnotes:
‘Repeat after me’ is spoken in English.