That girl we met on the surface in the Town of Gosse called herself Meruru. And it seemed chasing after us had been hard on her-her cute clothes were even dirtier, and her chestnut hair was dull and dusty. Under our suspicious gazes, Meruru's face went pale.
"I-I... I was hiding outside, but... then my head just went all woozy... and, um, before I knew it, I was chasing after you big sisters..."
Was it panic disorder, perhaps? Lily had set up a ward barrier at the girl's hiding spot, but with both her parents and the townspeople taken, the fear of being alone had finally become unbearable for her. That said, you could also frame it as her just being able to think that way, I suppose.
Lily seemed worried about injuries and began examining Meruru. The girl appeared to have no injuries worth noting, so I quietly asked.
(Any hypnosis or mental contamination?)
(None. Her body is also... human, it seems.)
So she really had been checking. As expected-a girl who manages both goodness and rationality at the same time.
But if that's the case, hmm............The monsters we've defeated serve as markers, and so far there are no complicated forks in the path. Thanks to Filio, we haven't missed any stragglers. Many monsters sense a stronger adventurer and flee, so could they even follow us?
I suppose I'll hold off on being wary of Meruru... just in case. And when I let go of the hilt of my sword, I felt the tension in the air loosen.
"D-dad... Mom... d'you think they're up ahead...?"
Meruru gazed down the path continuing deeper with a lonely look.
Filio immediately smiled gently.
"I'm sure they're perfectly safe."
"C-can I... come with you too? Is that... no good...?"
"That would be a problem. Your parents will surely worry about you, Miss Meruru."
Filio kept her princely smile intact, but she seemed quite troubled.
Then Meruru fumbled at her chest and pulled out a pendant.
"U-um... this... I remembered it..."
"This is... something made from a processed found-flower, isn't it."
The pendant's ornament was an amber stone. Petals were embedded inside. Found-flower-its formal name was Forin grass, I think.
A single stem blooms flowers of paired colors, and they have the property of sensing each other. It's a charm parents give to their children so they're easier to find when they get lost. However, you have to have a faint amount of magic power permeating the petals on a regular basis, and only the person who did the permeating can sense it. ...Was this also how she managed to chase after us?
"It's Dad's found-flower... I can... sort of feel it..."
"I see............Miss Meruru wants to save her parents too, don't you."
Filio seemed to have something on her mind; she pressed her lips together as if she'd made a decision. There's no way she's going alone now. Should we press on, or turn back?
Convincing Meruru looks like it'll be a struggle too. Have Lily put Meruru to sleep... but if she wakes up and learns her family couldn't be saved, it could leave a deep wound on her heart. I suppose I can't make Lily bear the role of the bad guy all by herself either.
...Can't be helped. I'll put my body on the line. There are paths that only open if you dive in, and compared to when I was a Hero, being able to use underhanded tricks makes this a bit better.
Perhaps sensing I'd finished thinking, Lily asked.
"How shall we proceed?"
"Let's all move forward while staying hidden, shall we."
Everyone stares at me. Filio looks especially happy.
"Truly?!"
"Filio takes the lead, and you and I will handle the monsters together. Lily conserves faith power and prioritizes protecting Meruru. If it comes down to it, we'll push through with holy arts. ...It'll take time, but the odds of linking up with the rear group should go up too. Probably."
"Mr. Haruya, you're quite used to giving orders too!"
I said it in a languid tone, but Filio is beaming. Well, of course-I was teamed up with you all in my past life.
"Ah... thank you, big brother."
Meruru looks up at me happily. The look in her eyes reminds me of how people gazed at the Hero, and I thought I'd do a silly hip-wiggling bit to play the fool.
"Leave it to me-! I'm on the girls' side, after all!"
"Eep...?!"
Guh!? She's genuinely recoiling! C-c-compliance...!
D-don't give up... Ever since I decided to build a harem, I threw that away, didn't I?! But, however, ughhhhhhh...!
"W-we will absolutely save your parents. It's fine. After all, we're... the world-famous strongest adventuring party."
I kneel to meet her eyes and put on a Hero-like smile.
I also made sure to emphasize the word "strongest," which kids love. Maybe that worked, because Meruru smiled in relief.
But the one who can no longer relax is me.
Lily's eyes are glittering ominously, as if saying "so you can do it when you try," And Filio has eyes like "I need to raise my evaluation of him."
Ughhhhh! I won't lose to my fate!
The clearing of the underground mining site turned into a game of hide-and-seek.
The march became a quiet one, and we had Filio concentrate on detection. When monsters appeared, we killed our presence, struck first, and finished them in one blow. A fairly safe march.
Each time the passage forked, we advanced in the direction Meruru sensed. Then Filio said, sounding surprised.
"...Amazing, Mr. Haruya. You can kill your presence on par with a specialist."
"I'd lose to a real professional, though."
"Still amazing. Who taught you?"
Lily asked from behind, "Was that also the old lady from your village?" so I played dumb and said, "This one was the old man," ...At this rate, my hometown is going to be full of masters.
Incidentally, I learned scouting techniques from Filio. She's making a face like she's so amazing, but the grown-up Filio is even more amazing. She once crushed a demonic stronghold single-handedly without making a single sound.
And so we pressed deeper and deeper, until Filio furrowed her brow in pain.
The miasma seemed to be dulling her senses, and detection must have drained her stamina and spirit more than expected, so we entered a small room.
It seemed to be a small room generated during Random Dungeon creation; there was nothing inside, but it was enough to rest. We had Lily expand the ward barrier, and since the timing was good, we all decided to rest.
We rested in the room like that for a while. Then Filio rose to her feet.
"My stamina's quite recovered. ...I'll keep watch outside."
"Hey, hey, you should still be resting."
"Resting too much dulls the senses. It's fine-I'll be close by. If it gets dangerous, I'll call for help."
With that, Filio briskly-yet cheerfully-left the small room. She still looks like she's in pain. Is she pushing herself? ...Well, I suppose this can't be helped either.
"I'm gonna go for a bit-nature calls."
"Understood. Do please lend Filio your support."
Lily said this while stroking Meruru's head as the girl rested on her lap. I thought about making an excuse, but making one would just make it more obvious.
I only said, "...Call me if you sense anything off," and left the small room half-desperately, wiggling my hips like a slovenly adventurer.
Once out of the small room, I felt the air had changed. Had the miasma increased?
But there's no pain-it's not a harmful miasma like Demon King Chronova's. Filio said it was only a trace amount, so I shouldn't be too oversensitive.
...However, I'm getting aroused.
During dungeon clearing there's combat with monsters, and the survival instinct gets stimulated, which makes it very easy to get aroused. That said, careless self-pleasure invites danger. I do occasionally hear of parties collapsing because they got attacked by monsters mid-coitus.
Normally, you endure it. But I'm a former Hero! Instant release is no trouble at all!
Since I had my comrades and the goddess watching me, I had no choice but to learn the technique of releasing in an instant. I used to worry it might cause some kind of problem, but I'm still safely able to do it.
...Before meeting up with Filio, let me do a quick release. No problem with the material. See.
"Lord Haruya......♥"
In an instant, I could replay Lily's m〇aning voice in my head. Heh... Careless of you, Lily. You tried to honey-trap me but easily provided material... You should know your own charm better.
With Lily's m〇aning voice, I won't be in trouble for a while. It reminds me of the journey in my past life where I struggled for material. I'm truly glad I could quit being a Hero.
I walked a little and headed to another small room. It was a smaller room than the resting spot so I'd ignored it earlier, but it's perfect for some solo self-pleasure.
I checked my surroundings and quietly opened the door. There was a prior occupant. It was Filio.
Filio is half-crouched, leaning against the wall. She really was still in pain-beads of sweat roll down her cheeks as she breathes raggedly.
"Hah... hah...♥"
Filio holds the hilt of her short sword against her crotch. Perhaps her body is hot, because a steamy air reaches me even from a distance, and her almost-bursting huge breasts look bewitchingly glossy. Her childlike, innocent and lovely features are now steeped in lust. And she wiggles the short sword in small motions, her soft-looking huge breasts swaying along with it, and lets out vulgar sounds as if at her limit.
"Oh hohh!♥ How lovely, how lovely!♥ The tip is simply divine!♥ It rings right through to the core of my bellyyy!♥ That firm thing, grinding away-how utterly delightful!♥"
............................
............Oh hoh!?⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉⁉
Trivia:
1. The found-flower pendant only works for the person who regularly infused magic into it, which confirms the father deliberately prepared it for Meruru long before the kidnapping.
2. Haruya's instant-release technique and presence suppression both trace back to his past life, quietly hinting that his "village old man" cover story is a fabrication.
3. Filio's boast about crushing a demonic stronghold alone foreshadows the true extent of her future strength, contrasting with her current overexertion.
Notes:
• Meruru - A young girl found on the surface in the town of Gosse. Chestnut-haired and dressed in a cute outfit now dirtied from chasing after the group. Carries a pendant made from a processed found-flower, which lets her sense her father's location. Desperate to rescue her kidnapped parents.
• Lily - A servant-type companion to Haruya who addresses him with formal deference. She is also described as an innkeeper at an adventurer's lodge and a devout follower of the Great Goddess faith, serving as a priestess of the Goddess Flora. Polite, composed, and professional, she is attentive to Haruya's needs and practical about travel funds, never complaining about unpaid quests. She observes Haruya's duel and recognizes when he is holding back, using a promised reward to snap him out of his deliberate losing act. Skilled in sleep magic, she has a sweet, deferential demeanor and a teasing streak. Though strict and proper on the surface, she deliberately seduces Haruya through the wall at night.
• Filio - Given name of Filio Valceid. A noble-born scout-class adventurer who disguises herself as a man. She has radiant golden hair, clear sea-blue eyes, and a boyish, handsome appearance with distinctly feminine loveliness. Despite her light blouse-and-trousers outfit, her large chest is conspicuous. Cheerful, persistent, and idealistic, she believes those with power have a duty to help others and make everyone smile. Skilled in scouting, detection, trap avoidance, and lockpicking, she owns a falcon named Persha. She prioritizes civilians' lives, rewards others generously, and refuses to let talent go to waste. A trusted companion from Haruya's past life, she often pushes his party to accept unpaid quests as a duty to do good.
• Haruya - Solo adventurer in the trading city of Gran Neal, formerly the Holy Hero who defeated the Demon King Chronova. Maintains a bronze-rank adventurer status deliberately to avoid responsibility and attention. Slim-built young man in plain breast armor with a longsword and a large hip pouch of adventuring tools. Harbors a singular life goal of losing his virginity at a high-class brothel and building a harem, a dream he loudly declared at guild registration, earning him infamy among female adventurers while being well-liked by male adventurers for his candid lewd talk. Secretly a returnee from death who deliberately destroyed his hero-route reputation.
• Demon King Chronova - A powerful demon lord who fell from grace while serving Goddess Flora. Attempted to plunge the world into darkness. Bound his soul to the Dark Temple to drag the hero down with him in death. Speaks with archaic, grandiose diction. Ruler of the Dark Temple who wears high priest-like garments. Possesses defensive and offensive magic including Chronowall and Chronosfang. Dignified yet easily flustered, particularly by the intruder's nudity. Values formality and tradition.