The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter

It was already getting dark, so I couldn’t play with Emma any longer.

We collected materials from the corpses of the Lanterns scattered around the cemetery.

Hand of Jack Lantern Rank C

Foot of Jack Lantern Rank C

The request was to deliver 10 hands of the Lantern monster.

As 9 of them were defeated with 18 hands obtained, the remaining ones could be sold.

I proceeded to storing them using 【Storage】 skill.

「That skill of yours, it is definitely very convenient for Noir-dono.」

「My rank of 【Storage】 is C, and, while it can also have ranks from C～S, there is still some space left to store things.」

「Then it’s fine. It should be enough, though it would be a problem if you happen to defeat somewhat large monster.」

「A large monster…?」

Indeed, I get Luna-san’s point.

If you defeat a dragon, there are many other parts, which can be used, apart from its fangs. Most likely, some huge creatures are likely to appear in the Hidden Dungeon as well. If I get some extra LP, I will consider raising the rank of this skill.

「Hmm, what’s the matter, Emma? Why are you staring at the Lantern’s head?」

「Noir-san, do you think it is edible?」

「What ?!」

「I’m just saying – it looks like we can eat the head of this Lantern monster, right?」

「Ah, if you say so…」

That’s it! That thing is a pumpkin no matter how you look at it.

The conditions for raising my LP are roughly as follows.

・Enjoying a meal to my heart’s content.

・Flirting with attractive people of opposite sex.

・Satisfying desires for money and goods.

・Fulfilling other desires (including the prosperity of one’s descendants)

But there is one easy way to obtain LPs.

That is, according to my mentor’s teachings, eating dishes made of weird stuff.

「I wonder if I can get my mother to cook something using it.」

As there were no poisonous-looking things inside the Lantern’s head, I put it into my 【Storage】 and went back on my way home with both people.

「――As expected from Noir-san!! You did even better than it was required.」

When I returned to the guild, Laura-san joined her hands with a joy, with a smile floating all over her face.

After selling all the Lantern limbs, we also received the remuneration for the quest completion. Even though the entire reward was split equally between 3 people, I’ve still received 100k reas. Thanks to that, I have finally got out of the poor noble swamp recently. Thus the quality of the life of the Stalgia family has improved.

As one could purchase LP with money, it is a good thing. Let’s work to earn (even) more!

「So, I would like to consult with you about the next quest, but…」

「Is there anything looking good?」

「I think there are holidays in two days, what about the Hero School?」

「It’s holiday there, probably.」

There are three days of God’s birthday celebration. It is the usual holidays around here, with 5 days off.

「How about we go on a little expedition to eradicate bandits?

It would earn us a splendidly high amount of points.」

「I would agree. I’m totally fine with it…」

As both Emma and Luna-san said that they had no objections, I continued the conversation.

「There is a request, which I would recommend, from the village head of Amon village, to defeat the bandits who regularly come to the village. However, there are two problems with that. First of all, it would take two days to arrive there with a horse cart. For a round trip it would take 4 days then.」

In other words, if we are going to make it within the 5 days off term, it is no good if we don’t defeat them in one day.

I have some thoughts about it.

「I think I’m going to try asking Toramaru about it.」

「It’s a good idea! As expected from Noir-san, your head is rather good.」

「No, not too much.」

「No joke, Noir-san ain’t a dunce.」

As I retorted to Emma’s remark, I made a serious face and proceeded to ask about the second problem.

「This request, according to our guild classification is D-rank, but I think it would not be wrong to suppose that it rather one of C-rank. That is because near the village, there is a strong demon, called Magic Eater. If, by any chance, you happen to encounter it, by all means, please, run away.」

This request was received and registered more than 10 days ago. However, as there is such a huge risk, no one has accepted it yet.

「Besides, there is still a reason that the reward is rather small…」

Probably, as the village is poor, they can’t afford it. Somehow, I feel sorry for them. After all, there are children in the village.

「We are taking it. As long as the rank-up points for the quest are high enough, it is worth it. And after all, we can’t just abandon it.」

「Noir-san is surely a good person. There are a lot of adventurers, who think only about their gain or loss. Those, who care about the circumstances of the client, are only a few.」

Laura-san stared at me with a gentle look.

「Even in Maria’s case, it was proven that Noir-dono is a man of virtue. At least, I will also provide Noir with my support as a companion」

As a companion, I will trust you. Its my greatest pleasure (to trust). Then, as Laura-san shook my hand, Laura-san’s and Emma’s hands chopped my head.

「Noir, how could you raise your favorability so nonchalantly? While you are having a consultation with your friends.」

「Luna-san, and you just went along with it…」

「I mean, those aren’t chops without full force」

2x: 「Sh*t up!」

Overwhelmed by the pressure of two people, Luna-san becomes silent. Somehow, compared to the client from the village, their thoughts are more dirty.

Eventually, we’ve accepted the request.

As we still had 2 weeks to complete the request, it was fine to look into details 2 days later.

For today, we parted our ways, and I went back home.

As I opened the entrance door, Toramaru run up to me through a narrow corridor with da-da-da steps.

『I grew tired of waiting for you, Noir!』

「Sorry, I was troubled with a request.」

『Understood. Then it can’t be helped. Come on, get a ride on my back. If it is Noir, it is ok.』

「I would say… it is a Toramaru joke!」

『I was taught by Noir’s papa.』

I looked to the side to the living room and – right !

There I saw my father with a smug face making a “peace” gesture.

Let’s pretend I didn’t see it.

「My father’s sense of humor is not something praiseworthy, to put it mildly.」

『Oh… is that so ?』

After exchanging homecoming phrases with both of my parents, I passed Lanterns’ pumpkins to my mother. Then I asked whether she could make a dish out of them.

「Let’s see… I can make boiled pieces (stew?) or a simple soup.

If I put more time in cooking, I can make something special.」

「I beg you, please, don’t cook it in any special way!」

Although my mother is good at cooking, she can make weird things when she takes her time. She has that somehow precious specification that she would do it just right if she does NOT give it all her strength.

「Then, please, go and call Alice at the second floor.」

「OK」

I knocked at the door of my younger sister’s room at the second floor.

…no answer.

Maybe she is sleeping?

「I’m opening the door.」

I decided to open the door, but Alice wasn’t in the room.

My mother told me that my sister was on the second floor, maybe she was in my room?

Yep, she was there…

After quietly opening the door, from the gap I saw Alice burying her face in my bed and doing something.

「*sniff-f*, *sniff-f*… Onii-sama…」

「WTF are you doing?」

「Ha-u-a !?」

Letting out a strange voice, which is totally different from her normal one, Alice instantly raised her face. As our eyes met, she began shaking with a rattling sound.

Even regardless of being startled…

「I came to call you for a meal, but…」

「Ah… you c-came back home…」

「Yeah, just recently. And, so, what are you doing?」

「That is… that… Ah, right, I’m arranging the bed sheets.」

「But they are not in some terribly disordered state?」

I sent my gaze to the bed sheets, which by no means were arranged. As Alice’s face went blue, and she started making “a-ua-ua-ua” sounds, I halted further questioning.

There might probably be some reason for it. Honestly, Alice was doing something strange. Like sitting in the corner of my room, from the middle of the night to morning, while grasping her knees.

「Good, just go to bed already」

「Eh? That…, Onii-, sama -?」

Alice went nervous while getting into bed next to me.

「Ano, ano, what the heck is that…」

「Good, keep quiet. As we are brother and sister, there is nothing to wonder about.」

「Yeah, it must be that way. Yes, that’s right!」

For a while, I go to bed with Alice. It was something like in the past, long ago. I checked my current LPs, and clenched my fists.

Yeah, I did it, I’ve got them!

――Gacha

While I was overjoyed from it, the door has suddenly opened for some reason.

「You are late, 2 people are already out of their patience… Excuse me…」

Upon witnessing the scene of misunderstanding with me and Alice lying on the bed, he turned right and went out of the room.

And then, from behind of the door, a sorrowful crying voice was heard.

「Motheer, NOOOOOO, how come it came to this ーーー ?!」

Well, my father’s jumping to wrong conclusions is a usual story. Rather, I would say that it is a common everyday occurrence in Stalgia family.

As I went down to the first floor, we had evening meal after properly cleaning the misunderstanding.

The dishes born from the Lanterns’ pumpkins, were surprisingly delicious.

As my mother’s hands are good in cooking, the pumpkin from Lantern was softer and sweeter than the usual one. The soup was also outstanding.

This guy, was it hit by a stone projectile?

While I was thinking, the dish became flat (empty).

The food was delicious, and I’ve managed to get 500 LPs, so I was happy.

I had some feeling about it before, but now I think that there may be quite a few people who try to eat monsters.

The weird food was not only good, but also quite delicious, I’ve got LPs, so from now on I was eager to try various other things.

Whatever happened, today, I have to admit, was one good day!

And so it comes to this.

Tomorrow after school, I’m going to visit my mentor in the Hidden Dungeon.