The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter

The weather that makes you want to stretch out and look at the clear sky. Wind, gently blowing through the countryside, slightly moving my hair.

Today, I was visiting a village not so far from my hometown due to the commission from the guild. Emma was on a trip so I was together with Luna-san.

And now, in front of us are fields and fences surrounding them. Although the wooden fences were completely wrecked. The one who did that was a monster feared by the villagers, Restive Bull, as they called it.

It’s like the strengthened version of a two-horned bull, in short, it had a powerful charge. It devastated fields, destroyed fences, in the worst case it would ram a house wall.

The damage to the village was huge, and so we were dispatched.

Carrying a red cloth I walk into the fields. I take a distance from the restive bull.

Instead of fighting it normally, I will defeat him using his own nature.

「Hey hey, come here.」

When I flutter the cloth, bull starts digging the ground with his front hoof. Good, he is getting agitated. Outside of the fence, Luna-san is awaiting her chance for a takedown.

My duty is to tire him out to slow him down.

「Come, you dumb cow!」

When I provoke him by yelling, he comes at me with a fierce charge. Uh, that’s quite impressive. I distance the cloth from my body and lure the bull to go that way.

Just a moment before the restive bull is about to hit the cloth I raise it up and prevent from touching it.

*Don, Don, Don!*

Almost like telling how angry he is, restive bull stomps the ground. I flutter the cloth once again and provoke another charge.

This is plain scary. One wrong step and something outrageous will happen to my bones. While being struck with terror I kept repeating this until Luna-san finished the sluggish opponent.

The energy bullet released with a brisk sound hit him directly in the eye and from there traveled to the brain, the end. As was expected.

Luna-san rushed over to me and happily does a high-5.

「Nice combination!」

「We are pretty much in sync already!」

「Yea, I and Noir-dono might become the strongest duo in Odin.」

There is also Emma though, so I think it should be a trio.

We hand over the corpse of restive bull to the villagers. All according to the contents of the request. Placing the corpse in the middle of the village they surround it. While looking at that from afar I ask Luna-san.

「Are they going to eat it?」

「No, probably they are… Going to kick it.」

「Kick?!」

In fact, instead of kicking they started to punch it, so I was twice surprised.

But now I understand why they made such a request. They wanted to vent their anger on it. After being annoyed by a monster all this time, they want to pay it back.

「Those without power will have nothing but oppression. What a sad world. That’s why even if for a little bit but I want to soothe people’s hearts. Now, let’s go over there, to the injured people.」

「Yes.」

Today, she didn’t come as a saintess, but she heals villagers wounded by rampaging bull with【Heal Shot】anyway.

「Me too please, my back hurts.」

「Me as well, I cut my hand cooking.」

「No, please wait a moment.」

Even unrelated people started to gather, so I tried to stop them, but Luna-san puffs her chest insisting that it’s fine.

「Noir-dono, please witness me. Please see me shining. Though for only a bit, witness me making the world better.」

「But Luna-san, today, you already…」

「No problem. Heal Shot… Augh.」

She collapses the moment she shoots.

「There is a ton of problems after all!」

While screaming I rush to treat Luna-san that was foaming at the mouth.

After taking a short rest indoors we are back on our way.

During that time, probably worried about what has happened, Luna-san was dispirited.

「Please cheer up, you were pretty cool.」

「That consideration only hurts me instead… Or rather, Noir-dono, what kind of face do I have when I am unconscious?」

I felt it hard to say that she had her eyes rolled up and foaming out of her mouth but since she herself asked for an honest answer I told her as it is.

「Haah, so until now I was showing such appearance to Noir-dono…」

After staying absentminded for a while, Luna-san suddenly started to plead.

「Can you get rid of my【Prone to Fainting】in the near future?!」

「Sure, I don’t mind. But Luna-san, are you sure?」

When previously suggested it, she said something smooth like she wants to leave shackles on herself.

While repeatedly pressing her index fingers together Luna-san says embarrassed.

「But, it’s umm, embarrassing isn’t it. Being seen with such a face. I’m a girl as well, you know.」

「In battle, it also will be important. Please leave it to me.」

「Even so, I won’t make you waste LP. I will earn the necessary amount. With my own body!」

There are things you say with momentum. Her statement sounded somewhat lewd, so both of us stayed silent for a while.

「N-no, that’s not what I meant. I didn’t mean the actual thing, I would prefer something on a milder side… But if Noir-dono firmly insists then at least…」

「I-it’s fine. I always get some with hugs and so on.」

「Yea, I will also think of something. Like, a cutie sandwich from other time… …Yes, let’s make a promise.」

In cutely way, Luna-san raises her pinky finger. I interlock it with my pinky finger and we make a promise.

I was both afraid and excited thinking about what kind of play Luna-san might come up with.

◇ ◆ ◇

Rare Shop・Stalgia finally opens today.

For the sake of that for the past few days, I was pressed with preparations. And not only me, it was the same for the whole family. We asked Luna-san and Laura-san to purchase curios from acquaintances. For Emma, I gave her some money and asked her to buy something unusual during her trip.

Due to everyday efforts, our array of items was fairly good.

Gathered inside the remodeled store we were somewhat nervous. The worst one was my father.

「Oh shoot, Noir, Noir, Noir, what do we do?! There are customers lining-up outside?!」

「That’s because we advertised like our life depended on it. And it also might be thanks to Toramaru.」

At the entrance was Toramaru, who with a sign hanging on his neck was attracting customers. There is no way a big black lion with a flower sprouting from his head will not stand out.

「Father, please calm down. Though it cannot be called a perfect assortment of goods, we did everything we could do up to this point.」

「T-That’s right. We did our best. I even quit my job. If this will not go well, I’m unemployed.」

Mother lightly slaps panicking dad on the back, encouraging him. As expected from wife, looks like he received some enthusiasm.

「Alright, everyone, let’s form a circle!」

「Let’s do it.」

Placing hands on each other’s shoulders we form a circle with everyone who cooperated in this.

「Let’s do it, let’s turn it into the best store in the neighborhood!」

「……」

There is no OOouh, or rather no one says anything at all. With a bit awkward face Alice states the reason.

「Father, aren’t your aspirations a bit too low? What with this neighborhood talk?」

「N-no? I was being realistic…」

「Brother, please.」

「I? All right. Here I go. …Let’s make this the best shop in this town!」

「……」

「Huh?」

Looks like it wasn’t enough. Alice sends a sharp look to mother.

「Please.」

「…We shall produce the best sales among all existing stores of this world! And that with results at least double of those in the second place!」

「「「「「OOOOOOOH!」」」」

The female side had overwhelming vigor. I and father were completely left behind in the dust.

「「Eeeh.」」

Doubling sales of the second place are too high of a goal… However, it’s true if we don’t have at least this much motivation we will be swallowed up. After wrapping up with motivating ourselves we open the store.

「Rare Shop・Stalgia is now open.」

When I shout that, people start flooding into the store like a torrent.

『If you make a purchase inside I will play with you more!』

Looks like Toramaru, popular with both children and adults, makes for nice advertisement. Thank you, Toramaru.

It’s nice seeing people coming into the store in a short amount of time. I feel like it might be a bit too small though.

About the customers, there were those belonging to the general public, but also were those looking like magicians or people with trained eyes.

Perhaps, some are here due to their work as raw material vendors. Of course, we also have things to sell for people with more refined taste as well. For example, we even have golden slime jelly sampling.

「The amount is limited but please try it. It’s delicious.」

「…Sweet and delicious?!」

Natural reaction. Most of the people trying it for the first time become captivated with its luscious taste. Among them are some perceptive people as well.

「Could it be a golden slime? What is your acquisition route?」

「This is a secret.」

They are on the 1st floor of the hidden dungeon like I’d ever say that.

Period of success continues for rare shop for a while. But we had to close the store much earlier than was expected.

Although we lined up a lot of goods for the opening day we were completely sold out. Since we will have to operate tomorrow and thereafter we had to stop at this for today. In the store that now was completely devoid of customers, our whole family was grinning broadly.

Father rejoices while posing.

「Everyone, we did it! Thank you for your work today. From tomorrow on, I and mother will operate it with full responsibility.」

「I’m sure everything will go just fine, father. I as well will try to collect as much stuff as possible.」

「Yea, I count on you, my son.」

There are plans to also start purchasing things from tomorrow. Father is considerably keen so there is a little chance he will buy something dubious. Though he might be deceived when he is in high spirits.

「Then, Noir, let’s start preparations.」

「Yeah.」

Agreeing with Emma, we left the shop before everyone else. Tomorrow a trip to a boarding house at the hot spring awaits us. Without delay, we arrange all the necessary things from town.

I leave after sleeping soundly for the whole night. After meeting with Emma, we proceed to the gates leading out of town.

We were planning to meet with everyone from the S class there. Even though it was ten minutes before the scheduled time, professor Elna, as well as all students, has already gathered. I guess that’s how much everyone was looking forward to it.

「Today you two are as intimate as ever. You guys are the last to show up.」

「Good morning professor Elna. Everyone is so early.」

「Yes, everyone has a good look on their faces… Is something I can’t really say. Especially for the boys.」

Looking at the boys’ faces professor Elna seemed to be a bit disgusted. I also felt the same. Their eyes were extremely dangerous.

With dreadful smiles upon their faces, they were focusing only on the girls’ breasts and butts, while making creepy laughs.

「Wow, I’m looking forward to it! I love hot springs!」

There also were a lot of boys who set their aims at Emma who was having fun with friends. In a way, it could not be helped since every time she made a small jump her voluptuous bust was jiggling.

Probably, those aiming for Emma were the most numerous.

In order to protect my childhood friend, I have no choice but to turn myself into a soldier.