Dungeon + Harem + Master: Chapter 9 - "Adventurous Witch"

 Chapter 9 - Adventurous Witch

The forest was deeper than he had imagined. When Kurano asked Marika, he was told that this forest had no name. It wasn't particularly strange. It was dark, deep, and deserted, with a dense concentration of trees. What's more, ferocious monsters were rampant in the depths of the forest. From the perspective of the surrounding villagers, they had no other purpose than to collect wood for their daily lives in the relatively outer parts. From what he heard, the hunters and lumberjacks in the surrounding area didn't dare to enter this forest. There were plenty of other safe forests without doing that. In that sense, this deep forest was very difficult to walk in, with only a faint animal trail for large mammals. Unlike modern Japan, there was no pavement, and no red ropes to prevent people from getting lost.

Kurano relied on his intuition to find the path, which turned out to be surprisingly accurate. After walking for a while, he stopped for lunch in a hollow with a somewhat clear view. He had some hard black bread with cheese and grilled dried meat in between. Marika is surprisingly good at cooking, so he has no complaints. As Kurano licked off the remaining grease, she silently took out a handkerchief and wiped his palm. She can be cold at times, but she also has a motherly caring side. Maybe she's just a neat freak and doesn't like her own rude behavior.

"If we follow this map, it will take at least three more days."

"Also, considering that monsters may attack us from time to time, it's better to allow four or five days until we reach the entrance of the dungeon."

"This is bad. Food aside, water won't last."

If we keep walking and take into account the fighting that will come, we will need two liters of water a day. That means we will need twenty, by simple calculation. If there is a water source, we can replenish our supplies at any time, but after that we will have to enter a dungeon with an evil god. In that case, the rations we have on hand will not be enough for the two of us.

"Just go back."

"Go back? How?"

"Like this. Space distortion room."

Marika waved her wand, and the space immediately shimmered like a heat haze, and a rift appeared in the dimension. Kuranosuke stared at the distortion. There, Marika's hut, which she had left a few hours earlier, was painted in sepia tones.

"What is this? It's kind of creepy to stare at it for too long. Ugh..."

"It's attributeless space magic. If I've been somewhere before, I can instantly travel there by tracing my memories. Well, it's probably impossible for an ordinary magician."

"Awesome! You're actually a genius, aren't you?"

"I-I guess so. I guess I am."

Not sure if she was being praised, Marika brushed her hair back and looked to the side. In fact, this was a very useful technique. In fact, if you create warp points at every location, you can move through any terrain with a shortcut, no matter how difficult it is. Her ability was worthy of praise.

"But you know, if you have a technique like this, you don't really need my power."

"Magic isn't absolute. The more powerful the magic, the longer it takes to chant, and controlling two techniques at the same time is impossible for me at the moment, except for beginner or intermediate level. I can handle small fry by myself, but if it's an evil god, I'll need someone to shield me with physical attacks. You're surprisingly kind, you know."

"Yeah. I see. But that's not a problem. We can both do what we can."

"You don't seem to be that good with the sword, though."

"Ngh. You're right."

Marika released the magic of the space distortion room, rolled up the carpet that was on her lap, and pushed it onto Kurando. She raised her index finger and smiled seductively.

"So, you can always come back. I'll be counting on you to continue to be my porter, Swordsman."

"G-Okay."

After a short break, the adventure continued. That said, the basics were just following the map through the forest. As the two moved through the greenery, worrying about Marika floating behind them, a black monster about two meters tall stood in front of them.

Mothman.

This monster, a type of moth, was covered entirely in pitch black fur and had extremely blazing yellow eyes. Kurano unsheathed his sword, kicked the ground, and ran. He was so fast that Marika had no time to stop him.

"Krando, don't look into its eyes!"

"Eh, wait a second--"

Marika's warning was just a moment too late. As Kurano was glared at by the Mothman's eyes, he lost all strength in his body, went limp, and collapsed to his knees.

The Mothman let out a sharp, metallic cry, and, moving its thin legs in small movements, extended its proboscis to the neck of Kurano, who had fallen forward. They are similar to vampires in terms of their attributes, and they usually immobilize small animals with a hypnotic glare before sucking their blood.

"Sequence Magic, Flame Ball! Aero Javelin, the Wind King's Spear!"

In a panic, Marika fired off a succession of beginner-level magic spells.

The red-hot fireballs slammed into the Mothman's torso, burning his body.

Unable to help himself, the Mothman retreated, and the next shot, a wind-elementary spell, pierced him. The tip of the vacuum shot through both of Mothman's legs, destroying the rocks behind him and spat out small fragments of shrapnel. Mothman, hit by a rock from behind, leaned forward. Kurano was not about to let this opportunity pass him by. He gripped his long sword tightly and thrust it at the head of the falling Mothman. The long sword was sucked in and pierced the back of Mothman's head from its mouth, exposing its tip. Mothman's limbs convulsed violently, and he let out a death cry, coughing up a dark blue fluid as he stopped moving.

"What are you doing suddenly butting in like that? You won't live long if you keep this up!"

"That was a little bit dangerous, I guess."

"More than a little, right?"

"Then it was pretty dangerous. Like, was it okay?"

"...Nah, I'm not gonna worry about you anymore, I'm not gonna care about you anymore."

"That's sad in itself though."

Marika turned her face away and was silent.

(She's like a brat. If she didn't like it, she could have just cut her hands and acted on her own.)

As Kurano walked, Marika, in her levitating state, slowly followed him. When she turned around, she looked to the side in a very deliberate way, and made a pose that obviously said "I'm irritated."

"Hey, Marika."

Even when Kurano spoke to her, she ignored him like a sulky child. At first I thought he was joking, but after a while I realized she was showing her anger in her own way, and I was speechless.

What am I supposed to do, Taku?

From what I've known up until now, she's intelligent and intelligent, but when it comes to suppressing her emotions, she's too childish to believe she's the same age as me. Even if she was in a thousand-year slumber and only active at 19 years old, she's still too young. Her behavior and appearance are above average, and she's strong-willed in battle. She's beautiful, and her fairy-like features even give her the dignity of a princess. In short, she may have next to no interpersonal experience. If she's never left that hut, she may not have had many contacts with anyone other than her mother. If she was beautiful, I would have thought that life would be a cheat mode, but it seems this other world isn't so easy. Unable to think of any good solution, I continued moving and gradually came to a slope. I carefully walked down the wet soil and saw an open grassland.

Japanese tachibana and dandelions were blooming all at once. As he walked slowly, bathed in the flowers and the wet green breeze, he came across a huge tree towering in the middle of the grassland. Kurano went over to the side and rubbed the rough trunk. For some reason, he felt nostalgic and gentle.

Viva nature. Viva great tree.

"Wow, it's big. This is a pretty big one."

"Ent..."

Marika had been silent until then, but she released the levitation spell and landed on the ground, and murmured to the tree. The great tree had a huge, gnarled trunk, suggesting a long age. The thing they called an Ent shivered a little, sneezed loudly, and then opened its eyes wide.

"What's that voice? Oh, it's Marika. It's been ages."

"Greetings, Ent. Oh, come to think of it, you moved here. I didn't know."

"The tree spoke...! Wow, how does it make a sound? Where are its vocal cords?"

"Sorry, Ent. It's been a thousand years since we last met, and you've brought something strange with you."

"Hmm, Marika. Is that man your mate?"

"What... You idiot, don't say that! Why would I, a noble high elf, end up with a man like this?"

"Hey, hey. Shouldn't we stop dissing Rand there? I'm seriously about to cry."

"Hehe. That's right, don't lie to yourself, Marika. Your mother, Talika, was very choosy and stayed single for nearly three thousand years. It's about time she found a partner. If not, you'll end up living a lonely life alone, without a partner. Alone!!"

"Ah, you see, Ent. Don't emphasize the lonely part so much. It makes me sound like a lonely woman."

" Is it different? "

"No, I'm just choosing now. If I wanted to, I could have one or two companions."

"Stop being so stubborn. My thousand years of experience and memories tell me so. There is nothing I don't know in this world. I know everything. I see through everything."

"A thousand years, huh... But if you think about it, aren't you single too?"

"I've been divorced five times. I have plenty of children elsewhere. It's been almost three hundred years since I separated from my last wife. Being single is poisonous to any living thing. It pollutes the blood, ruins the mind, and takes away the will to live. You lose your sense of purpose, become more jealous, and complain more. You remember that, right?"

"No. I don't have such a vain past. Absolutely not."

"Hmm. So you didn't come all the way here to see me, did you? It's been about a thousand years since you fell asleep. It's about time the seal on the evil god is broken."

"Yes, that's right. I stopped here because this man took a detour."

"Hmm."

Ent stared at the storekeeper with his dark eyes, causing the trees to rustle.

"I know I'm bringing this up again, but this guy isn't that bad. On the contrary, he has a purity rarely seen in the human species."

"Huh!?"

"Hey, his face is scary. His forehead is pulsating with blue veins like in a yankee manga."

"Ento, you don't know how evil this guy is. He'll suddenly try to kill someone, touch their breasts, attack them while they're sleeping, see them naked, and then touch their breasts without permission. He's such a pervert that he touches their breasts so much that you wonder if they're still children...!!"

"Oh, so you found out."

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"Huh!?"

"I told you, Marika. Your face is scary."

"That's only natural for a species. This guy has no other wicked intentions, and is pure. It means that he wants you. In the first place, if you didn't want to, you could have killed him as much as you wanted. In other words, if you don't do that, Marika, it means that you have already started to open your heart to this man. "

"Well, anyway, I've learned that Ent has turned into a perverted old man in the thousand years we haven't seen each other. So from now on, I'll just ignore him even if I pass by."

"Marika, don't be embarrassed."

"That's right, Marika. Open your legs, or rather your heart, to me."

"Kland. I can see your evil intentions."

"Yeeeees."

"I'm going home. Let's go quickly, Kland."

Marika turned her back angrily and walked away from Ent.

"Hey, Marika. Are you sure it's okay now? It's been a while since we last met, right?"

"I wish you were dried up."

Kurano let out a frightened voice in his mind. Suddenly, I realized I was talking as usual. I turned around and saw Ent close one eye with an awkward wink.

What a thoughtful old man, even though he was just a plant. I'll bring him something next time.

"Marika, and Kland... be careful."

"Yeah! I hope you live a long life, Ent!"

As Kurano trotted off, Marika had a pouting look on her face.

"Are you an old acquaintance?"

"Yes, I used to grow it in the garden of my house. It's amazing how quickly it has grown in a thousand years. Time flies."

"I mean..."

"You talk like an old man, but you're younger than me. I knew that when it got really big, it couldn't be grown in the garden any more, so your mother moved it somewhere in the forest. I never thought we'd meet again in a place like this. Phew, I'm really tired today. Let's go home."

"That's true. I have some handy magic."

Marika used the non-attribute magic of the space distortion room to create a distortion in the dimension, creating a way back to the hut. Marika took Kurando's hand and stepped into the dimensional crack that was floating in space. It was a small, soft hand. When she moved, intertwining her fingers, Marika glared at her angrily.

"Do you want to be thrown into the gap between dimensions?"

"Please don't do that, I'll cry."

Marika muttered, "What an idiot," and passed through the dimensions, returning in one go to the front of the hut. It was past dusk, and it was so dark that it was hard to tell the difference between their eyes and noses.

"Anyway, I think we've made pretty good progress today, haven't we?"

I called out, seeking her approval. Immediately, Marika collapsed into my chest.

(Hey, come on, you said something so nasty to me, and then you've already achieved the flag!?)

Kurano hurriedly caught her, and Marika was breathing heavily with her eyes closed. Her body was as hot as fire when he held her. Her white cheeks were flushed red. He gently placed his hand on her forehead, which was covered in damp sweat and a burning heat.

"Hey, are you okay? Stay strong!"

"Hm. Shut up, I'm just tired. Come on, let go..."

Marika tried to act tough and let go of Kurando's hand, but after walking a few steps, she staggered like a jellyfish without any energy left, and collapsed to the ground. He ran over to her and picked her up. She was already unconscious, and sweat was running down her pale neck.

Kurando put Marika on his back and carried her to a bed in the hut and put her to bed. He called out to her several times, but there was no response. If she had a special chronic illness, it would be impossible to control her.

He left the hut and filled a bucket with water from the well in the back, then borrowed a towel from the closet in her room, dampened it, and placed it on her forehead. Kurando generally had no physical illnesses, as long as he had never caught a cold before. The usual course of action would be to call a doctor, but even if one went down to the village, it was doubtful that there would be anyone like that in such a remote, cold village.

Even if there was a doctor, there would be no one to help the person who was making the monsters attack the village. In the first place, if he told them that the witch was sick, they would mistakenly think that Kurano had betrayed them, or the villagers would see this as an opportunity and flock to the hut.

"I'm in trouble, I'm stuck on all sides..."

It's hard to be in a situation where you can't do anything. Kurano felt a pain in his chest as he watched Marika groaning in pain. In the first place, this man was overly emotional. He could endure his own pain, but when it came to other people's pain, he couldn't digest it well. He had only met her for a few days, but he was so emotionally involved that he couldn't let it go. Regardless of whether he liked her or not, he felt a strong desire to help Marika and take her place if he could.

"Do your best, do your best, Marika."

All Kurano could do was to cling to her like an idiot and hold her hand. After a while, Marika gently opened her feverish, glazed eyes.

"Ah, where am I...?"

As if she had momentarily lost track of where she was, she looked around with confused eyes.

Marika then focused her attention on Kurano beside her, her eyes watering as she twisted the corners of her mouth in self-deprecating fashion.

"Sorry for causing you trouble. So, what are you going to do?"

"Huh?"

"Right now, I'm powerless. If you cut off my head and return it to me as the villagers promised, I think you'll get a decent reward."

"Are you serious?"

"Well, isn't it? After all, you're just a wandering adventurer. It's the easiest way to do things efficiently, ignoring evil gods. Magic is very delicate. Before I could even chant a basic spell, you could strangle me to death with your bare hands."

"You'd never do that. You're paranoid!!"

Marika's words made his head spark red. He almost screamed reflexively, and she closed her eyes and bit her lip in fear. She was just like a child who was afraid of being scolded by an adult. Marika must have been very scared, as she began to tremble slightly as if she had malaria. Something bitter ran through Kurando's chest.

Why did he yell? She was just anxious.

Kurano reached out his hand gently, and Marika, who had her eyes half-open, shut them tightly as if she thought he was going to hit her. He stroked her cheek as gently as possible, as if handling a fragile object. She had a puzzled look on her face, and her eyes were red and blinking. He continued, trying to calm her down.

"It's okay."

"Eh..."

"It's okay."

As he continued stroking her cheek, gazing into her eyes, Marika eventually fell into a deep sleep, as if relieved. He left her breathing heavily as she slept, and continued circling the room like a bear.

After a while, Marika regained consciousness.

"Hey, are you okay? What should I do? What do you want me to do?"

"Sorry, I'm upset. I'm fine. It's probably just a cold..."

"Really?"

"Yeah. This always happens when I move around a lot or use magic. I often catch colds. Right, if I sleep, it will get better."

"I see. Is there anything I can do?"

"Yeah, well."

"What is it?"

"Well, if you can, that's fine. There's medicine on the top shelf of the closet. Please get it, and can I have some water?"

"Yeah, leave it to me! I'll take good care of you."

Kurano brought a paper-wrapped medicine from the indicated place, but Marika was so drowsy that she couldn't look up.

(That's weird. Is it really this bad that a simple cold can make her this bad?)

He woke Marika up while holding her in his arms, and gave her some powdered medicine. There was really nothing else he could do. He pulled a chair from the living room, placed it next to the bed, and held her hand. Watching Marika suffer was an ordeal in itself. An unimaginable amount of time passed, and dawn broke. He replaced the towel on her forehead and wiped her sweaty face several times, but her condition only worsened. By noon, Marika's breathing had become short, as if she had just run, and her white skin was translucent. No matter how you look at it, this was not a cold. And there was no other way to find the cause.

Suddenly, he remembered Ent, whom he had met the day before yesterday. He was the only one he could think of who could sympathize with her, who had been determined to be a witch and had no family, and who he could rely on. It would take at least several days to search for her anywhere other than the village at the foot of the mountain that had a grudge against the witch. When he and Marika went through the forest, it took nearly four hours, probably because he was checking the surroundings as he moved, but if he limited himself to just his sword and ran, the round trip would take less than three hours.

"I'll be back soon. Wait for me, Marika."

He let go of her hand. She was in a daze, but in an instant, her fingers tightly gripped his.

Kurano steeled his heart, released her fingers, and left the hut without looking back. He knew from the light coming in through the window that it was a clear day for the first time in a long time. Just in case, he carried a map with him, but he had memorized every path he had walked. He took a few deep breaths and ran off at full speed. He had been there once before, so he knew the general route as easily as he could. He pushed through the bushes and ran along the animal trail. As he left her side, his only worry was that Marika's condition would worsen. He ran while praying that he wouldn't encounter any monsters. The other day, he had encountered at least two types of army locusts and a mothman. This time, even if he encountered another enemy, he would have to run away and let it go. He tried not to draw his sword as much as possible. He didn't have time for that. Marika was waiting for me.

After an hour of sprinting, my breath was already heavy and my heart was beating unbearably. It was completely different from the asphalt roads, and it required several times the effort and concentration. My whole body was hot, and sweat dripped from my forehead, running down my chin and onto my chest. The difficult path continued endlessly. Sticking out my tongue like a starving dog, I ran up and down the seemingly endless slope. This was a shortcut. Small branches stretched out, occasionally poking my cheeks or eyes. I endured the pain and ran. When I put my hands to my nape and ears, the sweat turned to salt and made a crunching sound. The sunlight was particularly harsh today.

Somehow, I arrived at a familiar field, and when I saw the giant tree towering in the center, I felt a deep sense of relief. Ent had already noticed the presence of the brewer, and he welcomed him kindly with his dark, warm eyes. I briefly told Ent about the events up until yesterday and Marika's condition, and Ent immediately made a decision.

"It's probably the poison of the army locust. When bitten by that insect, animals get a high fever, and for weak individuals, it can be fatal."

"But I was bitten, but I'm fine."

"Marika is a high elf. And she's a little different from the average person. In particular, she has high magical resistance, but her physical abilities are extremely weak. Even a small cut can become a big deal."

Luckily, Ent knew how to make an antidote. He had the small birds in the forest gather the necessary ingredients, and then skillfully used the trunks like arms to rub them together and compound the medicine.

"However, Marika is also a fully grown high elf. She probably won't die from insect poison, but there's a chance. Please deliver it quickly. As you can see, I can't leave this place."

"Sorry, I owe you a favor!"

"Haha. I should be the one to thank her. She was kind to me when I was a sapling. Kland, please take care of her. Marika is actually the loneliest of all."

There were many downhill sections on the way back, so it seemed like we would be able to return sooner than planned. We didn't encounter any monsters, which was our biggest concern. The sky was spring-like, and a clear blue was shining. Soft, fluffy clouds were floating here and there. The temperature was rising rapidly, to the point where I didn't want to put on my jacket. With the continuous downhill sections, my knees were gradually getting tired and I couldn't stand up any longer. I gritted my teeth and scolded myself. It looked like they would be able to return to the hut faster than expected. As they ran down the mountain pass and relaxed, they suddenly felt a tremendous murderous intent behind them. Kurano almost swam through the air and dove down the slope. A shuddering whoosh hit his earlobe as an arrowhead pierced a tree trunk somewhere.

Kurano looked back. He saw four figures dressed in black. There was no doubt about it. They were the assassins who had suddenly attacked them a few days ago, their wielders unknown. Without a word, he saw the four men draw their swords. That was as far as Marika's hut. He couldn't get her involved while she was suffering from the poison. He had to kill the four men in front of him right there and then, without letting any of them escape. Kurano threw his sheath aside, readied his sword, and ran furiously up the slope.

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