Ogre, level 19, known to her friends as Sakura, Weapons: Naginata, belongs to the Inanaki Sacred Mountain…”
When I had said that much, I felt a little tug on my sleeve from behind.
Looking back, there is a black-haired girl behind me.
Judging from her somewhat childish face, I’d say she was about sixteen or seventeen.
Her smooth black hair reaches all the way to her back, and on the top of her head is a hair ornament that resembles a flower, the origin of her nickname.
Her smooth, pale complexion, slender body, disproportionately rugged armor, and naginata.
But most striking of all were the two red horns protruding from her forehead.
Now, the dark-haired girl looks up at me with moist eyes and says.
“That… I’m Oni, not an ogre… Technically…” (Sakura)
“Oh excuse me, guys, I think I made a mistake earlier, I stand corrected, she’s not an ogre, she’s an Oni…”
“I don’t care which one it is, it doesn’t matter.” (Alraune)
Alraune, sitting on the bed, said bluntly, and Sakura’s shoulders shook with fright.
She is desperate to hide on my tiny frame.
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――This is a room in a cheap hotel.
An hour ago, we should have immediately detained Sakura, the Oni, and ended the chase in the alleyway, but we (or rather, Alraune) had become too conspicuous.
There were witnesses and patrolmen who heard the commotion.
We had to take Sakura to the nearest cheap inn, and here we are.
But it seems that she was so scared of the pursuit by the staff of the Cave of Silence (or rather, Alraune) that she’s been trembling like a rabbit behind me for about an hour now.
The result was that after that hour, all I could get out of her was a simple self-introduction.
Kyuu-chan seems to have gotten bored early on and is hanging from the ceiling, swinging around, looking just as bored.
“In the end, why did Sakura-chan kidnap Narugoa-san?” (Sergeant)
“That is…” (Sakura)
She said in a muffled voice, then quickly clammed up.
“See, Al-san threatened her too much, so she’s too scared.” (Sergeant)
“Threaten? I think you’re being too nice to the kidnapper.” (Alraune
“Uuuh……” (Sakura)
“Well Alraune, I understand your feelings, but please hold back a little, since the conversation won’t go on.”
“Well, I was really worried because Narugoa was kidnapped…” (Alraune)
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Alraune has a very dissatisfied pout on her face.
I’m grateful for her concern, but we have to move on now.
I slowly turned around and looked her in the eye.
She also looked back at me with moist eyes.
“I’m sorry, you see, I…” (Sakura)
“No, don’t worry, Sakura… it’s fine, okay?”
“Okay…” (Sakura)
“I’m sure Sakura has her reasons, and I don’t blame you anymore for what happened… but they’re my precious friends.”
I’m going to try to keep my tone calm as if I were talking to a child.
“I’m sure you’ll understand why they are so upset if something like this happens to me all of a sudden, so I want you to tell me why so I can help them understand.”
“…” (Sakura)
Sakura kept her eyes downcast for a while as if she was thinking about something, and then after a moment, she closed her mouth tightly.
And when she leaped out of my shadow, she jumped out into a position looking all of us –then she bowed deeply.
“I’m sorry for what I did earlier! I know it’s not fair of me after what I did, but I actually wanted to ask you guys for a favor!” (Sakura)
And she looks straight at me and finally says her “request”.
“–My, no, our dungeon! I want you to capture Inanaki Sacred Mountain!” (Sakura)
“The Dungeon…” (Sergeant)
“You want us to capture it?” (Kyuu-chan)
“Why?” (Alraune)
Sergeant, Kyuu-chan, and Alraune in turn spoke over each other and tilted their heads at the same time.
I also tilted my head in confusion because I don’t understand her intentions.
“You want me to conquer… the dungeon? What do you mean by that?”
If it was a request for help due to a manpower shortage, I could understand.
But she’s asking me to “conquer” it.
It’s like bowing to our peers and asking them to “destroy” our own workplace.
“…A long time ago, our ancestors drifted to this land from the Far East island nation of Yapani, and negotiated with the Demon king of the time to create a dungeon called the Inanaki Sacred Mountain.” (Sakura)
She began to speak carefully, answering our questions.
“It’s the nature of an island nation… we don’t like conflict, so we don’t attack people unprovoked, and sometimes we help each other, and we were quickly accepted into this land, and we came here peacefully… until two years ago…” (Sakura)
“… What happened two years ago?”
“A female demon arrived.” (Sakura)
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Sakura’s expression turns grim.
“… She was wounded, so wounded that it was a wonder she was still standing, and she breathlessly called herself ‘Senri’.” (Sakura)
“Senri…?”
The sound of those syllabled made my eyes widen.
……No, no way.
It’s not about that, it’s about her now.
“And she suddenly said, ‘Give up the Inanaki Sacred Mountain without resistance and make me the boss of this dungeon, or you’ll be tasting my strength’.” (Sakura)
“…What is with that crazy demand?” (Kyuuketsu)
“So what happened to Sakura-chan?” (Sergeant)
“Of course we couldn’t accept that, so we fought back to drive her away, even if we had to be a little rough with her.” (Sakura)
“That’s right, you can’t let some random guy like that…” (Alraune)
“–We lost to that woman who we know nothing of.” (Sakura)
We gasped at Sakura’s words.
Turning around, the air becomes tense.
“I’m sure you’re aware that the recommended level for the Inanaki Sacred Mountain is 15… right?” (Alraune)
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“Even alone I will try… I will try and conquer that dungeon by my own hands…” (Sakura)
“… So, that woman called Senri.” (Sergeant)
“Instead of my sister who was a middle boss at that time, now a middle boss…” (Sakura)
“Taking over is not a very nice thing to do.” (Kyuuketsu)
Even Kyuu-chan, who usually does things at her own pace, felt the seriousness of the situation and her expression grew serious.
“But anyway, demons who are strong become the current boss, you know? I know it’s harsh, but I think that’s the right way for a dungeon to be.” (Kyuuketsu)
Certainly, Kyuu-chan’s words are reasonable.
It’s a shame for the victims, but if you look at it from a broader perspective, you can see that this has dramatically increased the difficulty of conquering the Inanaki Sacred Mountain.
However, Sakura shook her head and said.
“I don’t think that’s the right way to run a dungeon…! That person’s way is too far from what is normal…!” (Sakura)
“But it’s overkill to force us to capture the dungeon, take the proper steps. You should file a legitimate complaint with the Demon King’s Castle (Main Office)… “
“…I tried too, many times over, but there is no reply.” (Sakura)
“Really……”
“It’s been a hundred years, but the Demon King’s Castle (Main Office) is still not fine, Narugoa.” (Alraune)
“In addition, as you pointed out, the difficulty of conquering the Inanaki Sacred Mountain has actually improved dramatically. Didn’t you see a party of two heroes in the… dining hall?” (Sakura)
“Oh, Dawn’s Ship, a mid-sized party with a Level Average of 30…”
“…As you know, it didn’t work, and with a track record like this, the Demon King’s Castle (Main Office) really won’t move…” (Sakura)
“That’s terrible…”
“–The current sacred mountain being empty is wrong! The only way to make them understand this is to have a Hero Party attack them once! So please!” (Sakura)
Sakura raises her quivering voice and bows her head deeply again.
“As I slipped out of the dungeon, I happened to catch a glimpse of your battle in the Harpy Village! You are the only ones who can conquer the Inanaki Sacred Mountain with me at this moment! I beg you! Please bring back the Inanaki Sacred Mountain of the past!” (Sakura)
――It was a sincere wish.
If it had been for the purpose of revenge against the workplace, we would have rejected her plea out of hand.
But we could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice.
She really cares about her workplace and her friends.
It was as if she was looking like me and my subordinates…
“Alraune.”
“What, Narugoa.” (Alraune)
She responds with a shocked tone from me calling out her name.
“Do you know about the dungeon Inanaki Sacred Mountain?”
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“…I’ve never heard of it before today.” (Alraune)
“ I’ve never heard of it either.” (Kyuuketsu)
“What about you, Sergeant?”
“… Yeah, well, I’m ashamed to say I don’t know him either.”
“Well yeah, I’m ashamed to say that I don’t even know either.”
Alraune shrugged at my words, Kyuu-chan smiled, and Sergeant stretched, saying, “It can’t be helped.”
The only one who didn’t understand the meaning of our conversation was Sakura, who had a puzzled look on her face, and I said to her.
“Well, there’s a dungeon that none of the executives of the Great Labyrinth of the Cave of Silence know the full extent of, and that’s an untenable situation.”
“Well, that’s…” (Sakura)
I carry my backpack and smile.
“—It’s a bit of a work trip, of course, but it’s part of the job, so you three will have to submit your reports later.”
“Eh?” (Kyuuketsu, Sergeant & Alraune)
The three of them said in unison.
Ogre, level 19, known to her friends as Sakura, Weapons: Naginata, belongs to the Inanaki Sacred Mountain…”
When I had said that much, I felt a little tug on my sleeve from behind.
Looking back, there is a black-haired girl behind me.
Judging from her somewhat childish face, I’d say she was about sixteen or seventeen.
Her smooth black hair reaches all the way to her back, and on the top of her head is a hair ornament that resembles a flower, the origin of her nickname.
Her smooth, pale complexion, slender body, disproportionately rugged armor, and naginata.
But most striking of all were the two red horns protruding from her forehead.
Now, the dark-haired girl looks up at me with moist eyes and says.
“That… I’m Oni, not an ogre… Technically…” (Sakura)
“Oh excuse me, guys, I think I made a mistake earlier, I stand corrected, she’s not an ogre, she’s an Oni…”
“I don’t care which one it is, it doesn’t matter.” (Alraune)
Alraune, sitting on the bed, said bluntly, and Sakura’s shoulders shook with fright.
She is desperate to hide on my tiny frame.
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――This is a room in a cheap hotel.
An hour ago, we should have immediately detained Sakura, the Oni, and ended the chase in the alleyway, but we (or rather, Alraune) had become too conspicuous.
There were witnesses and patrolmen who heard the commotion.
We had to take Sakura to the nearest cheap inn, and here we are.
But it seems that she was so scared of the pursuit by the staff of the Cave of Silence (or rather, Alraune) that she’s been trembling like a rabbit behind me for about an hour now.
The result was that after that hour, all I could get out of her was a simple self-introduction.
Kyuu-chan seems to have gotten bored early on and is hanging from the ceiling, swinging around, looking just as bored.
“In the end, why did Sakura-chan kidnap Narugoa-san?” (Sergeant)
“That is…” (Sakura)
She said in a muffled voice, then quickly clammed up.
“See, Al-san threatened her too much, so she’s too scared.” (Sergeant)
“Threaten? I think you’re being too nice to the kidnapper.” (Alraune
“Uuuh……” (Sakura)
“Well Alraune, I understand your feelings, but please hold back a little, since the conversation won’t go on.”
“Well, I was really worried because Narugoa was kidnapped…” (Alraune)
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Alraune has a very dissatisfied pout on her face.
I’m grateful for her concern, but we have to move on now.
I slowly turned around and looked her in the eye.
She also looked back at me with moist eyes.
“I’m sorry, you see, I…” (Sakura)
“No, don’t worry, Sakura… it’s fine, okay?”
“Okay…” (Sakura)
“I’m sure Sakura has her reasons, and I don’t blame you anymore for what happened… but they’re my precious friends.”
I’m going to try to keep my tone calm as if I were talking to a child.
“I’m sure you’ll understand why they are so upset if something like this happens to me all of a sudden, so I want you to tell me why so I can help them understand.”
“…” (Sakura)
Sakura kept her eyes downcast for a while as if she was thinking about something, and then after a moment, she closed her mouth tightly.
And when she leaped out of my shadow, she jumped out into a position looking all of us –then she bowed deeply.
“I’m sorry for what I did earlier! I know it’s not fair of me after what I did, but I actually wanted to ask you guys for a favor!” (Sakura)
And she looks straight at me and finally says her “request”.
“–My, no, our dungeon! I want you to capture Inanaki Sacred Mountain!” (Sakura)
“The Dungeon…” (Sergeant)
“You want us to capture it?” (Kyuu-chan)
“Why?” (Alraune)
Sergeant, Kyuu-chan, and Alraune in turn spoke over each other and tilted their heads at the same time.
I also tilted my head in confusion because I don’t understand her intentions.
“You want me to conquer… the dungeon? What do you mean by that?”
If it was a request for help due to a manpower shortage, I could understand.
But she’s asking me to “conquer” it.
It’s like bowing to our peers and asking them to “destroy” our own workplace.
“…A long time ago, our ancestors drifted to this land from the Far East island nation of Yapani, and negotiated with the Demon king of the time to create a dungeon called the Inanaki Sacred Mountain.” (Sakura)
She began to speak carefully, answering our questions.
“It’s the nature of an island nation… we don’t like conflict, so we don’t attack people unprovoked, and sometimes we help each other, and we were quickly accepted into this land, and we came here peacefully… until two years ago…” (Sakura)
“… What happened two years ago?”
“A female demon arrived.” (Sakura)
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Sakura’s expression turns grim.
“… She was wounded, so wounded that it was a wonder she was still standing, and she breathlessly called herself ‘Senri’.” (Sakura)
“Senri…?”
The sound of those syllabled made my eyes widen.
……No, no way.
It’s not about that, it’s about her now.
“And she suddenly said, ‘Give up the Inanaki Sacred Mountain without resistance and make me the boss of this dungeon, or you’ll be tasting my strength’.” (Sakura)
“…What is with that crazy demand?” (Kyuuketsu)
“So what happened to Sakura-chan?” (Sergeant)
“Of course we couldn’t accept that, so we fought back to drive her away, even if we had to be a little rough with her.” (Sakura)
“That’s right, you can’t let some random guy like that…” (Alraune)
“–We lost to that woman who we know nothing of.” (Sakura)
We gasped at Sakura’s words.
Turning around, the air becomes tense.
“I’m sure you’re aware that the recommended level for the Inanaki Sacred Mountain is 15… right?” (Alraune)
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“Even alone I will try… I will try and conquer that dungeon by my own hands…” (Sakura)
“… So, that woman called Senri.” (Sergeant)
“Instead of my sister who was a middle boss at that time, now a middle boss…” (Sakura)
“Taking over is not a very nice thing to do.” (Kyuuketsu)
Even Kyuu-chan, who usually does things at her own pace, felt the seriousness of the situation and her expression grew serious.
“But anyway, demons who are strong become the current boss, you know? I know it’s harsh, but I think that’s the right way for a dungeon to be.” (Kyuuketsu)
Certainly, Kyuu-chan’s words are reasonable.
It’s a shame for the victims, but if you look at it from a broader perspective, you can see that this has dramatically increased the difficulty of conquering the Inanaki Sacred Mountain.
However, Sakura shook her head and said.
“I don’t think that’s the right way to run a dungeon…! That person’s way is too far from what is normal…!” (Sakura)
“But it’s overkill to force us to capture the dungeon, take the proper steps. You should file a legitimate complaint with the Demon King’s Castle (Main Office)… “
“…I tried too, many times over, but there is no reply.” (Sakura)
“Really……”
“It’s been a hundred years, but the Demon King’s Castle (Main Office) is still not fine, Narugoa.” (Alraune)
“In addition, as you pointed out, the difficulty of conquering the Inanaki Sacred Mountain has actually improved dramatically. Didn’t you see a party of two heroes in the… dining hall?” (Sakura)
“Oh, Dawn’s Ship, a mid-sized party with a Level Average of 30…”
“…As you know, it didn’t work, and with a track record like this, the Demon King’s Castle (Main Office) really won’t move…” (Sakura)
“That’s terrible…”
“–The current sacred mountain being empty is wrong! The only way to make them understand this is to have a Hero Party attack them once! So please!” (Sakura)
Sakura raises her quivering voice and bows her head deeply again.
“As I slipped out of the dungeon, I happened to catch a glimpse of your battle in the Harpy Village! You are the only ones who can conquer the Inanaki Sacred Mountain with me at this moment! I beg you! Please bring back the Inanaki Sacred Mountain of the past!” (Sakura)
――It was a sincere wish.
If it had been for the purpose of revenge against the workplace, we would have rejected her plea out of hand.
But we could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice.
She really cares about her workplace and her friends.
It was as if she was looking like me and my subordinates…
“Alraune.”
“What, Narugoa.” (Alraune)
She responds with a shocked tone from me calling out her name.
“Do you know about the dungeon Inanaki Sacred Mountain?”
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“…I’ve never heard of it before today.” (Alraune)
“ I’ve never heard of it either.” (Kyuuketsu)
“What about you, Sergeant?”
“… Yeah, well, I’m ashamed to say I don’t know him either.”
“Well yeah, I’m ashamed to say that I don’t even know either.”
Alraune shrugged at my words, Kyuu-chan smiled, and Sergeant stretched, saying, “It can’t be helped.”
The only one who didn’t understand the meaning of our conversation was Sakura, who had a puzzled look on her face, and I said to her.
“Well, there’s a dungeon that none of the executives of the Great Labyrinth of the Cave of Silence know the full extent of, and that’s an untenable situation.”
“Well, that’s…” (Sakura)
I carry my backpack and smile.
“—It’s a bit of a work trip, of course, but it’s part of the job, so you three will have to submit your reports later.”
“Eh?” (Kyuuketsu, Sergeant & Alraune)
The three of them said in unison.
