Ahahaha, its so embarrassing. After that, all I did was lie there afraid of the dark and of monsters. Paralysis poison doesnt inhibit sleep, but it was impossible for to drop off.
The whole ti, Deet was listening to Rias story with a blank look on her face.
The sound of a single pebble falling off the stone wall It frightened so much that I cried.
I dont know what kind of expression I had on.
Thats why I mistook Sir Thor for a goblin Even though, in reality, hes been so incredibly kind to here. When I realised that, I got scared of even going into the dungeon Even having a sword frightens
With hatred in her eyes, Deet said,
I knew from a rumour in the guild tavern that Klein had inherited your sword according to the Principles of the Adventurers Guild, but the more I get to know about what really happened, the more I hate that scum!
But even I couldnt give any thought to the safety of the two of them whod left after I collapsed. No, perhaps I even hoped for the opposite.
Ria looked down as she said that.
Ria, thats only natural. Are you really worried about a thing like that?
Im shocked. More than that, Ill give Klein a walloping and take your sword back for you!
W-wait, Deet. That sword belongs to Klein now. The Principles of the Adventurers Guild are recognised by the law of the Kingdom of Francis. It will be you who gets punished.
But we cant forgive them! Right, Thor?
Sir Thor, please stop Deet!
Deet had addressed , but I couldnt co up with an answer.
Th-Thor? Thor! Why are you shaking like that?
S-Sir Thor! Sir Thor, are you all right?
Ill never
What?
When I started to mutter, the two of them looked at one another. I couldnt stop myself.
Ill never forgive those cowards! Neverrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
The two of them looked dumbfounded.
O-our carefree Thor has snapped!
S-Sir Thor! Even if you dont forgive them, the Adventurers Guild and the laws of the Kingdom of Francis do.
I dont give a damn!
The Adventurers Guild might forgive them, and the laws of the Kingdom of Francis might forgive them, but I never will, and neither will my grandma in heaven! Neverrrrrrrrrrr!
Ria raised her voice.
Whaaaaaaaat? Your grandma? You? When you say youll never forgive them, what do you an?
Ill make em suffer!
Sir Thor, theres no need to make them suffer
Deet agreed with .
Im gonna teach them a lesson, too!
I nodded and called out in the direction of the bed,
You will too, right, Shizuku?
Shizuku, wobbling, popped up out of the bed.
Shizuku has been waiting eagerly for you to take action Master!
Whaaaaat?! Is that a white sli?! Why is there a white sli here?!
I laid my hand on top of Deets. Shizuku clambered onto our hands.
We will make those cowards sorry for making Ria cry, and well get back her sword!
Hurrah!
Just as the thought of never forgiving those guys was raising my spirits, I was suddenly tackled from the side and pinned down on the bed.
Ow ow ow! Who is that?
It kind of no, it really hurt. They were even stronger than Enami.
Sir Thor, Sir Thor!
When I got a good look at them, I realised it was Ria.
She pressed her face into my chest. My shirt was damp.
Deet and Shizuku looked at with resolute expressions and left the Western-style room.
When the two of them had left, Ria with her face still pressed against my chest asked ,
If it had been you, Sir Thor, what would you have done?
It was a little abrupt, but I understood Rias aning.
Even if wed both been attacked by monsters, I would have carried you on my back, Ria.
Ria lifted her face from my chest. She was smiling gently.
I knew that, of course. Ha ha ha.
She tidied her hair a little and put on an expression fit for a knight. Then she touched her lips to mine.
I wish a pretty girl like you would stay with our party permanently instead of just for the ti being, Deet.
Ahaha Ill think about it.
I gave them a fixed smile that even I knew was fake. I wanna hit him right now.
But, if I thumped him, Id ruin the strategy that Thor had worked out. Hang on. Gotta be patient.
In any case, I felt as if Klein contrary to what Ria had told us had his head turned by won pretty easily. A late bloor, perhaps?
Well, through her eyes, everyone looks like a good person. Or maybe shes just thick-headed and doesnt realise.
By the way, Deet, that artifact of yours is really useful.
Klein pointed to my chest. Where dyou think youre looking?!
This moonstone necklace?
Yeah.
It was an item that could light up a cave even if the wearer didnt have a torch or lantern. For soone like , who usually explored by myself, you could say it was an indispensable artifact.
I think it might be the most expensive out of all my artifacts.
I had to auction off the clothes that Id got from Thor. Id laid them out in the tavern.
Barney joined in the conversation.
How much was it? It must be pretty expensive.
New parties often big up each others equipnt and artifacts like this. It seems like harmless talk, but its not uncommon for there to be self-interest at play.
Especially for adventurers who have profited from their teammates equipnt.
Oh, not really. Kleins sword looks much more expensive. Ha ha ha.
There we go. The mont I said that, Barneys eyes narrowed.
He was wary of . Hes betrayed soone before, so hes thinking that other people might betray him, too.
Right at that mont, a giant rat appeared from around a bend in the passageway. Klein split it straight down the middle.
Do you see? This sword of mine is mithril. Mithril!
Klein was even more of an idiot than Barney.
Its not yours! What are you boasting for?!
No-one had ever heard of an adventurer in Rias condition managing to make it back, so he didnt doubt that the sword belonged to him. But seeing him boast about it, without even feeling guilty, made suddenly angry.
Quit it, Klein!
Whats your problem, Barney?
Barney put a stop to Kleins boasting about the sword.
But it was Barney I really couldnt stomach. I hated the way hed looked at just a mont ago, with hard, jealous eyes.
He was the one whod invited to join their party in the first place.
I saw on the Guild noticeboard that youre looking for a temporary party to earn so money?
Thats right. Ive incurred so expenses, you see. Whats your na?
Barney. This is unusual for you, Deet the rumour goes that you always adventure alone. Were going to hold a morial service. How does that sound? It should make us a bit of money, so why dont we split it between the three of us?
What level?
Fifth level. If youre with us, we should be fine.
Incidentally, holding a morial service is slang. It ans recycling your old teammates stuff.
In many cases, adventurers dont have much equipnt, so selling their stuff doesnt bring in a lot of money. But there was no excuse not to recycle a forr knights armour and shield. That was the explanation I got. Although Barney said the sa of the leather bag that he kept next to his chest, I knew that there was almost nothing in it.
morial services are far and away the most effective way of making money, much better than searching for artifacts which might be anywhere in the dungeon, or finishing missions from the Adventurers Guild.
But its a business that even ruffians shy away from.
Sotis people will willingly hold a morial service for a fallen adventurer they encounter along the way, soone they didnt know. But not for a forr comrade. For one thing, theyre aware of the dangers in the place where their comrade fell, and for another, its said to be unlucky.
Only an adventurer whod already got a taste for it would do it willingly.
Thats right. I knew that only soone whod obtained a weapon as expensive as a mithril sword from his comrade would enjoy doing this.
So people will join a temporary party with the intention of betraying the party in the end.
Thats why I dont want to form a party with anyone.
By the way, wheres Ria?
Up ahead. Just a little further, on the left.
If she knew wed tead up with a beauty like you, Deet, shed probably be jealous.
I really wanna hit him.
Youre just flattering , Klein.
No, Im serious! Please think about what I said about staying on with us.
I wonder whether even Ria, who thinks well of everyone, realised what youre really like when she got hit with the paralysis poison because you ssed up?
She must have known when you went off with her sword and the rations.
Looking at his handmade map, Barney said,
It was around here that Aria collapsed, wasnt it? Lets search the area.
Barney took a flower out of his breast pocket.
You steal from dead bodies, and yet youre going to do that? Thats the thing I hate most about you!
Klein, whod got over Ria and was trying to put the moves on , was irritating. But I hated Barney so much I didnt even want to dirty my hands by walloping him. I wanna crush you under the sole of my shoe.
The armour and shield I an, Arias body isnt here.
Your true feelings are showing I didnt want to hear any more, but we were close to where we needed to be for Thors strategy.
I just had to lead them there.
Look, over there. Theres a blonde woman lying on the ground.
Huh Is it Ria?
I knew that their faces would grow serious in an instant.
Of course. They will have been expecting a completely silent corpse.
But when I turned to look over at Ria, who was lying on her stomach, I thought her thighs sticking out of the bottom end of her dress armour were so luscious that even I, a woman, would have like to caress them er, rather, she looked fresh and youthful, and not at all like a dead body.
Wh-what?!
A murmur escaped from Kleins pale lips.
Huh? Is she alive? Well, go ahead and say it, then. Youve ford a party with , so you dont need her anymore, right? Shall I tell her?
S-stop. Please.
Hey, Klein. Isnt that what you said? Ria and I are on bad terms is that why you invited along for this job?
Looks like Ive hit the nail on the head. Klein and Barney, their faces dripping with sweat, were barely listening to .
Ha ha ha. Just kidding! Theres no way shed still be alive after weeks without weapons or rations. Its just a corpse.
B-b-b-but!
Well, we shouldnt stand around chatting. Lets take what we ca here to take. Co on.
Putting a hand on each of their backs, I pushed the two of them towards the collapsed lady knight.
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