The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

"Black Beetle from the right! Ruruk, take care of it!"

"Got it!"

"And three Saber Tigers from the front! Mererosu-san, please!"

"Leave it to me."

"Edge Falcon from above! Kemuna, please handle it!"

"Alright, let's go Hotaru."

"Yes."

As we progressed through the demon realm, we encountered more monsters.

Their appearance and characteristics haven't changed from before, but the density and number have increased. And it feels like the monsters' levels are higher too. The fierce competition for survival must be due to the abundance of magical elements.

However, thanks to Leelin's high detection ability, we receive instructions before encountering them, so we can intercept with ease. It's not time to panic yet.

"N-no way... There's a huge one in front! Probably an A-rank monster!"

Leelin said this while hiding behind Besmond.

Appearing while mowing down trees was Jotunn, the ice giant. Its overwhelming presence, freezing everything it touches, truly exudes the dignity of an A-rank monster.

"Everyone, fall back and disper--"

"'Buster Storm'."

An A-rank monster?

For Elen, it's just good experience points.

The ice giant, engulfed in a terrifying tornado of flame and lightning, screamed. I feel sorry for it being hit by high-level magic right off the bat, but appearing in front of Elen was the end of its luck.

The Jotunn fell in an instant, its health depleted. Rest in peace.

Ignoring everyone's dumbfounded expressions, Elen said with satisfaction:

"Mm. Refreshing."

With a party of 10, she has fewer chances to fight than usual. The battle-loving little girl must have been stressed.

"...Of course it had no chance of winning."

Lakirala muttered with eyes that had given up on various things.

Perhaps that A-rank monster was the turning point, as no additional monsters came. We should be safe for a while.

Leelin was also catching her breath.

"Phew. Everyone's amazing. I'm just finding the monsters."

"That's the most important part, Leelin-san."

"R-really? But Ruruk, you're amazing too. One hit for everything, right?"

"It's because the weapon performance is good."

"Because it's mithril... Hey, can I see it again?"

Leelin approached with sparkling eyes. How many times have we had this exchange?

Well, it doesn't cost me anything, and I feel like we get closer each time I show it, so I don't mind. We're even using friendly nicknames now.

"As always, Elenora-chan is incredible. Like a legendary demon lord."

"...You said it. A demon lord makes sense."

Mererosu and Lakirala smiled wryly as they looked at the blackened, fallen giant.

"Hey, you lot, don't slack off. Start collecting."

"That's right. Ruruk, stop showing off your weapon. The next monster might come."

"Yes, yes."

Admonished by the serious Kemuna and Saaya, the rest of us reluctantly busied ourselves with collection work.

The materials from defeated monsters belong to those who defeated them, so we each disassembled and collected only the necessary parts.

All of us have item boxes, so we can collect all materials, but Mererosu and the [White Tiger] members have limited bag space, so they can't take everything. They carefully select what to take back and burn the rest. Proper disposal is essential to prevent other monsters from eating the remains.

"Hey, sis. We've come quite a way, but do you know where we are now?"

"About here."

Mererosu pointed at the map. We're quite close to the dungeon.

That's to be expected, as we've already entered our fourth day of traversing the demon realm.

We calculated it would take five days to reach the dungeon, so we're marching according to schedule so far.

We've gotten used to camping, and our coordination as a joint party has improved. It's going well.

Mererosu was checking the map with a compass in hand while confirming the sun's position.

"It's almost sunset, but... can everyone keep going a bit more? There seems to be a nice small hill ahead. The view should be good, and I think it would be perfect for camping."

"Does that mean fewer night watches?"

"Yes. If there's a rock shelf, we won't need to worry about our backs, so one person should be enough."

"Then I agree."

"I agree too~"

"Mm, agree."

"...Agree."

All the women agreed.

Staying up late is the enemy of beauty, after all. Mererosu smiled wryly.

"Alright, let's go there then."

And so the group resumed walking.

Mererosu's prediction was spot on, and there was a wide rock shelf protruding from the upper part of a low mountain. It seems wild goats have made their home there, and we can see them leisurely spending their time here and there.

"Nice. The presence of goats means this area has fewer monsters. The campsite is far from water and there's little vegetation, so there probably won't be any fruits or mushrooms growing... normally, that is."

"That's where we come in, right?"

"Ruruk-kun is in charge of tonight's meal, right? I'm looking forward to it."

"Leave it to me."

I flex my muscles to show off.

We climb the mountain without much difficulty and arrive at the rock shelf. The nearby goats watch us from a distance, but we have no intention of bothering them. We've obtained plenty of monster meat, and besides, the goats can serve as an alarm system.

Of course, we'll be on guard with quasi-spirits during camping, but it's just in case.

We make a campfire for light and heat, and set up simple tents with cloth and wooden frames. The tents are private spaces for the women, so they don't concern us. Us men will basically sleep rough under the open sky.

As I'm preparing ingredients for cooking by the campfire, Kemuna approaches.

"I heard you're good at cooking, Ruruk?"

"Just at seasoning. My cooking skills are average."

"Hmm. Well, you're probably better than us."

"Don't you guys cook, Kemuna-san?"

"In the dungeon, Lakirala does everything. She's good at housework."

That's unexpected.

But come to think of it, Lakirala was in charge of cooking on the first day when we drew lots. When we brought out the ingredients bought from the market, she naturally made white stew. I think the taste was homely and delicious.

It was the first day, so I was too distracted by other things to pay attention to the cooking.

"A domestic woman is nice, isn't she~"

"Are you planning to make a move on Lakirala? I don't mind if it's you, but isn't she a bit too old? She might look young, but she's lived twice as long as you."

"I'm not picky about age. But Lakirala-san is a bit outside my preferences."

"Oh? Then who's your type? The Dragon Princess? Or is it Elenora-san or Saaya-san?"

"It's Mererosu-san."

"...I won't say anything bad. But you should give up on elves."

He said with a stern face.

"Why is that?"

"First, the lifespan difference is too great. We'll die of old age while elves are still young. This is more for the elves' sake than ours. Elf women value chastity. It's not good to bind a 200-year-old elf for the sake of a dead husband."

I see, I hadn't thought of that.

I hate to say it, but Kemuna is much more mature than he looks. He just looks like a blonde delinquent.

"Also, it's a difference in values. For elves, 10 years is just a moment, so their perception of time is too different. It might be fine for a casual relationship, but if you live together, it becomes a fatal gap. At least half the lifespan... even a sheep-person's lifespan would be barely manageable in terms of perception difference."

"Indeed, Elen is quite lax about time too."

Though that might just be because she's a sleepyhead.

"Anything else?"

"This might be too early for a kid like you, but there's also physical compatibility. Elf women are tall, right? That means they prefer longer ones. We humans are short, and that includes down there."

"Indeed, I'm small too."

As I was cutting sausages at that moment, I felt a twinge in my lower abdomen.

"But still, if you have passionate feelings, I wouldn't recommend giving up. After all, spending time with the person you want to be with is the greatest happiness."

"...Kemuna-san, you sound quite enlightened. Are you married?"

"Didn't I tell you? My wife's dead, but I have a child. Though my family took the kid."

"I-I see. My condolences..."

"Don't worry about it. I'm a noble too, so I was forced into a political marriage and made to have a child, but my wife eloped with some commoner right after giving birth, then fell from grace, engaged in banditry, and ended up getting killed. Just a common story."

Y-you've had quite a turbulent life.

But a political marriage, huh. So that's normal for ordinary nobles. I tend to forget that because Saaya and I are special cases.

"But you do have a child, right?"

"I do, but I've never met them. They're being raised as my brother's child. I just send money, that's all."

"Have you ever wanted to meet them?"

"Hah. They're already 10 years old, how am I supposed to face them now? A brat like you doesn't need to worry about such things."

He ruffles my head roughly.

I'm surprised both by the fact that Kemuna is a father and that his child isn't much younger than me.

He looks nonchalant, but I wonder if he feels lonely.

...Alright, in times like these, it's good to be gentle, according to galge games.

"You can think of me as your son if you want?"

"Are you an idiot? I don't need such a cheeky son."

He laughed through his nose.

As we were talking like this, the preparation was finished, and all that's left is to cook it.

I seasoned and grilled the cut vegetables and sausages, then added the boiled pasta-like noodles. I added mashed tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper, stir-fried on high heat, and added a bit of traditional Mataisa sauce. Finally, I added powdered dried orc liver as a secret ingredient and heated it through, quickly completing an otherworldly style Napolitan.

"...What's this? It doesn't look spicy."

"It's tomato-based. Everyone, dinner is ready!"

When I called out, everyone except Kemuna gathered around.

Pasta-like dishes are common in Mataisa and Stoania, but not so much in Bargia. Bargia has a stew culture, so bread is the main staple. They probably haven't seen Napolitan before.

"Wow, Napolitan! As expected of Ruruk!"

Only Saaya exclaimed excitedly.

For large group camping, quick dishes are the norm, so recipes that can be made quickly in large quantities are valuable. If it wasn't a joint party, this wouldn't have been a candidate, so it's nice to have this occasionally.

"It has a mild tomato flavor but still packs a punch. It's delicious."

"Mm, delicious."

"My lord, genius."

"It's yummy~!"

The members used to my cooking seemed satisfied.

"...It's a complex flavor. What's the secret ingredient?"

While the [White Tiger] members were eating silently but voraciously, only Lakirala seemed interested in the recipe.

Of course, I'm not a professional chef, so there's no need to hide the secret ingredient.

"It's powdered orc liver."

"...Isn't that an aphrodisiac?"

"Yes. But in the Mataisa Kingdom, it's often used in cooking too. It's basically eaten with meat dishes."

"Isn't it valuable?"

"Well, you can't get much of it. Would you like a bottle?"

"...Is that okay?"

"We recently defeated about 100 orcs, so we have more than we know what to do with."

"A-a hundred..."

There's no other use for orc liver except drying and powdering it.

I could make a decent profit if I sold it, but it's a valuable cooking ingredient, so I don't intend to give it away easily. Except for occasions like this, of course.

I took a bottle from my item box and handed it to Lakirala.

"Here you go."

"Thanks. With this, big brother might..."

I feel like she muttered something ominous, but I'll pretend I didn't hear it.

"By the way, Lakirala-san, I felt like the white stew from the other day had a bit of a kick to it. Did you add something? It looked like ordinary white stew."

"...White pepper. You noticed."

"I see, it was a spice. Where can I buy it?"

"At Luney Trading Company near the guild. It's expensive though."

So Luney Trading Company, which sells everything, lives up to its reputation.

But spices are indeed expensive, so it might be wasteful to use them for camping. Though I'm one to talk, having used orc liver.

"...It was our first day in the demon realm. White pepper seems to boost immunity, and everyone was tired, so I used it."

"I see. Thank you for your consideration."

"...It wasn't for you. It was for everyone."

When I thanked her, she made an unpleasant face.

She was really being thoughtful.

It's hard to tell because she doesn't show it, but she might be quite kind to those close to her, having supported her companions in the dungeon all this time.

I had slightly misunderstood because her words and actions don't show it, always cursing or being self-deprecating.

"Lakirala-san."

"...What?"

"As a token of friendship, here's this."

I took out another small bottle from my item box and secretly handed it to her.

It contained a highly viscous liquid.

"...What's this?"

"Pure honey from the Apple Laune... and it's unheated."

"!"

Lakirala's eyes widened.

That's right! This is the rare whatchamacallit that rarely circulates in the world! Don't misuse it!

"...Ruruk."

"...Lakirala-san."

We shook hands firmly.

What happened after? I don't know~

And so, the party's cooking specialists deepened their friendship.

After finishing the meal, we spent an elegant time drinking tea while watching the sunset from the rock shelf.

The red sun being swallowed by the horizon is the same whether on Earth or in another world. A magnificent view can cleanse one's heart anywhere.

As I was trying to look cool while basking in the twilight, someone poked my shoulder.

It was Seori.

"My lord. Forgive my rudeness for intruding on this blissful moment suspended in time."

"I'm free, so it's fine. What is it?"

"My power is still sealed in this land of demons. But the seal on my evil god is stirring... Ugh, be still, right arm...!"

"Could it be that you're feeling a bit left out because you haven't had a chance to fight?"

"...Y-you could say that."

Seori looked away, embarrassed.

In the party, she's in the middle of the middle guard, and the [White Tiger] members seem to have no intention of putting the dragon princess in danger, trying to protect her almost overprotectively.

Even though we're at the end of the fourth day of the quest, Seori hasn't attacked or defended even once.

I didn't know how Seori fought either. I had seen her kicking small monsters (F-rank) in the dungeon while playing with Saaya, but that doesn't count.

"Hmm. What attack methods do you have in human form to begin with? Can you use light magic?"

"M-magic is... Hah, I am a servant of darkness. I have no need for the power of light!"

"So you can't use it. Then... is this 'Dragon Slayer Bullet' skill all you have? Can you use this?"

"My lord! This is the supreme and transcendent writhing that unleashes the torrent of my vast power!"

Seori declared confidently.

Well, if this is the only attack skill she has, it might be good to try it once.

I'm not expecting much though.

"Then, try shooting at that area over there."

I point to a random distant location. There's a nice rocky mountain visible where the forest opens up. Let's see how much damage it can do... or rather, if it can even reach that distance.

Seori struck a dramatic pose and shifted her eyepatch.

She pointed her hand towards the distant rocky mountain and shouted.

"Hah... My lord, behold my power. This is a fraction of the sealed evil god, a dark art that leads even dragons standing at all peaks to destruction! Take this, 'Dragon Slayer Bullet'!"

You don't need a speech for a skill, you know?

And what's with a dragon-killing skill for a dragon-- I was about to jokingly caution her when it happened.

I saw a torrent of light converging in Seori's hand.

Yes... just like the precursor to a dragon species' breath attack.

Come to think of it, the Dragon King, a true ancestor dragon, once slaughtered tens of thousands of golems with a single breath attack.

Could it be that true ancestor breaths are special?

I had such belated doubts, but it was all too late.

The light compressed in Seori's hand was released at a speed like that of a laser weapon.

Even with my dynamic visual acuity and "Eye of Illusion," I couldn't follow its trajectory--

BOOM!

It was like a scene from an anime.

The laser beam that pierced the rock at a ridiculous speed plunged into the forest behind it, causing a massive explosion.

What's surprising is its power and range.

...To put it bluntly, a section of the forest vanished.

A cloud of dust rose, and the shock wave reached us. Seori, who had blown away all the monsters and animals living there together, gained 2 levels as she was originally low-level, and struck a smug pose.

"Hah, no one can stop my power!"

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Nyaaa!"

I unhesitatingly used Iron Claw on Seori's face.

I just wanted to check if she could use the skill. Why did she blow away an entire forest? Even if it's the demon realm, it's still someone else's territory, right? This is just straight-up terrorism, you know?? We could be put on a wanted list and have no right to complain???

"O-ouch, master~"

"Shut up. Listen, if it's this powerful, you should obviously hold back. Are you trying to cause trouble for us? Is that it?"

"N-no! I was surprised too!"

She looked genuinely hurt, so I let go of her.

Seori clung to my arm with teary eyes and started to whimper.

"It wasn't this amazing before... it could only destroy that rock at most."

"No, no. But that's not even the issue... Ah!"

I remembered.

That's right, Seori's subjugation skill had that side effect of upgrading the familiar's abilities through the master's power.

So could that power be because I'm the master??

"Master~, forgive me~"

"Seori, look up. Listen carefully."

"...Yes."

"That area was originally a wasteland. Got it?"

The ultimate 'Nothing Happened' God Fist!

It worked perfectly!

Alright, now Seori and I are free of guilt.

"All's well that ends we-- Ouch!?"

"What are you doing, you idiot!"

Saaya hit me on the back of the head.

When I turned around, everyone except Seori and me was looking at us with intense gazes.

Hey, hey, don't blame Seori. It wasn't something she did intentionally, so cut her some slack... Huh? No. They're not looking at Seori, but at me!?

It's not me!

Seori did it! I'm innocent!

"Ruruk-kun. Can we have a word?"

Mererosu said with a low voice and a smile.

What came out of my throat was a strained voice.

"...Yes."

I naturally ended up sitting formally.

After this, I received a stern lecture from everyone.

My legs went numb.