If only the exterior were mechanical, I could at least force myself to accept it.
After all, I came from a world where Magic did not exist, so things without Magic were actually more familiar to me.
But every last thing inside that body was mechanical, and it still moved around perfectly well like a human being.
And that was not Magic?
“He is a wicked man who committed the absurd act of creating something capable of doing what Magic does without using Magic.”
The woman ground her teeth as she glared at the boss.
I could not understand at all what made that so wicked, but this was the first time I had seen her show such genuine hatred toward anyone, which only made the situation more baffling.
She had not even reacted this way to the creature that copied her own brother.
The boss scowled deeply, stared back at the woman for a moment, then dropped down and sat where he stood.
[But that is not what matters right now.]
I reflexively looked at the wall behind him.
But all I saw was an ordinary red brick wall, no different from the walls in every other direction.
[What matters is that if you simply wait here, I will open the way to the King.]
“You're lying……!”
“So if I wait, you will open it?”
Then this was no different from the gimmick on floor 50.
[Correct.]
“You believe him?”
“There is nothing to lose by doing it.”
Even if he was lying because he was preparing some massive attack, that would not necessarily be a bad thing.
I would get to rest in the meantime.
If anything, that would be preferable.
“He is obviously telling you to wait so he can attack when you lower your guard!”
[There is no falsehood in words spoken upon the King's name.]
“You already abandoned one king and now serve another. Swearing upon the King's name does not make you trustworthy!”
[Whether speaking to friend or foe, falsely invoking the King's command would tarnish the King's honor. Do you truly believe I would do such a thing?]
“A man of low birth like you could never understand the honor befitting a king. You are obviously lying!”
[As I recall, those of noble birth seemed to understand honor even less.]
“……Why are you both telling me this?”
They were talking to each other.
So why were they both looking at me?
“I do not care about honor or any of that. Just keep your promise that if I rest here, you will send me down to floor 100.”
“How can you say that……?!”
The woman recoiled in horror, but the boss merely nodded with satisfaction.
[Of course. Is that not why I have already sat down?]
That was true.
If he intended to fight, there was no reason for him to put himself in a posture that made it difficult to move immediately.
Accepting that explanation, I sat down across from him.
Lying down would have been the most comfortable, but I did not trust him that much.
Even that was apparently too much for the woman, because she grabbed my shoulders and shook me.
“How can you trust the words of someone who has become a monster……?!”
[Since you accepted the King's offer, I should also give you the gift the King prepared for you.]
SNAP.
The boss snapped his fingers, and a campfire appeared where the woman had been standing.
“Aah!”
When something hot suddenly appeared beneath her feet, the woman shrieked and stumbled backward.
[A shame you did not catch fire.]
The woman glared at him.
Not that there was any reason to fear someone who possessed no combat ability whatsoever and was only good at running her mouth.
“A [Campfire]……?”
What concerned me more was the fact that the boss had created a campfire with his own hand.
[The King said that having one would allow you to rest more comfortably.]
Not merely more comfortably.
It could completely erase my already maxed-out Fatigue.
“…….”
Something was strange.
How did this ‘King’ know about the [Campfire]?
And how could he grant one of his subordinates the ability to create one?
If this was a game, I could not understand the being called the ‘King.’
If this was reality, I could not understand the System Window visible only to me.
“At this point, just tell me a Gate appeared and I Awakened…….”
If this was a dream, it was one hell of a nonsensical nightmare.
Worse, I still had not woken up, and I was exhausted beyond belief.
“A Gate?”
“Just nonsense. Ignore it.”
“What?”
“But why is this King going this far?”
At my question, the boss folded his arms and grinned as though he had been waiting for me to ask.
[Ha! I knew you would ask that. I was curious myself.]
“The others practically worship the ground the King walks on.”
[That is probably because they and I are fundamentally different from birth.]
“Are you talking about the ‘traitors’ the others mentioned?”
[That…….]
“He is the traitor!”
“Keep quiet.”
She kept interrupting him.
How was I supposed to have a conversation like this?
“H-How can you…… How can you say that to me?!”
“What did I do?”
The woman looked as though I had personally betrayed her, her eyes filling with hurt.
The boss snorted at her reaction and shrugged.
[To answer your question first…….]
“Do not listen to him! He is clearly trying to deceive you……!”
……Stopping the woman from talking was too much trouble, so I decided to ignore her.
[The King said that since he himself is in perfect condition, it would only be fair for his opponent to face him in perfect condition as well.]
“…….”
Did he not consider me an intruder?
An enemy who needed to be driven out?
Then why deliberately restore me to my best condition before meeting me?
[He said that someone who is not particularly exceptional in terms of ability managed to reach this place through effort and luck alone. If you are to face him and take what you desire, then surely this much consideration should be granted to you.]
“Ha. Consideration…….”
He was blatantly looking down on me.
But I could hardly react like some novel protagonist and shout, ‘How dare you look down on me!’
It was far better for him to underestimate me than to take me seriously and remain on guard.
“But are you allowed to tell me all of this?”
“That man has always…….”
[Consider yourself fortunate that you asked the right person. Had you asked one of the others, they would have shouted, ‘You dare question the King's actions?! As expected of one without faith!’]
“Is the King some kind of god? What is all this talk about faith?”
[Well……. They do seem to think of him almost that way.]
“The King of monsters as a god……. What blasphemy…….”
“And you do not?”
The boss nodded with a smile.
[Perhaps because I have not known the King for nearly as long as the others have. Nor am I a life that originated from him.]
A life that originated from him?
Did that mean the King was a being that created monsters?
[Still, he is quite trustworthy. Worthy of serving, too.]
His gaze briefly shifted toward the woman before returning to me.
[Unlike certain people who squeeze dry those they ought to protect.]
“Sure. Sure.”
People who made stupid decisions rarely stopped at making only one.
These people really had lived as though they were determined to destroy themselves.
“What do you mean by that?! You actually believe him? You truly believe the words of an enemy? You were fighting for your life against him just moments ago!”
“It was not your life I was fighting with.”
“But my life was also…….”
“Did you step forward and fight?”
“N-No, but my life was still at stake!”
Ignoring whatever the woman continued spouting, I settled beside the [Campfire] and lay down.
“I am going to sleep.”
“You're going to sleep? Now? You're actually going to sleep in this situation?”
“Yes.”
“What if he attacks you while you are sleeping……?!”
[Upon the King's name, I swear that I shall do no such thing.]
“I am on my way to kill your King.”
The boss chuckled as though he found something amusing.
[My words take that into account.]
“…….”
Was he actually insane?
Why would he let someone who openly intended to kill his King leave alive?
[There is only one reason I shall spill no blood here. Because the King wishes it so.]
“I thought you did not consider him a god.”
[He is worthy of serving. And from what little time I have known him, there has never been a time when his words or actions lacked deeper meaning. I merely believe he has something in mind this time as well.]
The genuine pride on his face made the woman's expression twist.
Noticing her reaction, the boss sneered and crooked a finger toward her.
[Well, the King said that your goal could still be accomplished even without that woman, so I could kill her…….]
At those words, the woman immediately went pale and looked at me.
As though asking me to save her.
‘Did her conscience run away?’
Ah.
She never had one to begin with.
[But the King ordered me not to.]
Clicking his tongue regretfully, the boss looked back at me where I lay on the floor.
[Are you truly going to sleep directly on the ground? It looks uncomfortable.]
“I am constantly moving. I do not have the spare capacity to carry an entire bedroll around with me.”
More importantly, items like sleeping bags or blankets did not drop in the first place.
And even if they did, they were not necessities, so I would not waste Inventory space carrying them.
[Hmm……. Would you like something to cover yourself with?]
“If you have something, sure.”
Perhaps because I had not slept comfortably even once since falling into this place, his offer sounded incredibly welcome.
[It feels rather absurd for me to ask this, but I must.]
The boss produced a piece of cloth from thin air and held it up almost like a hostage.
As though he would only hand it over if I answered his question.
“What?”
[I may have sworn upon the King's name, but you do not know the King. Would it not be natural for you to distrust me? The King could have told me to say all of this merely to make you lower your guard, then ordered me to kill you afterward.]
The woman immediately shouted as though she had been waiting for him to say exactly that.
“See?! He obviously intended to kill you while you were asleep!”
“Usually, someone who tells you to suspect them is trustworthy. That is a cliché.”
[What?]
“What?”
The boss laughed as though he found my response amusing, while the woman stared at me as though she could not understand what I had said.
[I do not know what this ‘cliché’ means, but I understand that my words have made you trust me more.]
“I could keep doubting you forever if I wanted.”
Being suspicious was exhausting in itself.
Even if I trusted him, got stabbed in the back, and died, I would simply come back to life.
Then during the next Run, I could kill him immediately without asking any questions.
“This is getting annoying, so if you are going to kill me, do it while I am sleeping deeply.”
[Do you wish to die?]
“No. If you are going to stab me in the back, at least do it without making it hurt.”
[Why would I stab you in the back?]
Did that expression not exist here?
“……If you are going to kill me, kill me painlessly. I absolutely hate pain.”
Surely I was allowed to die without pain at least once.
Every death until now had happened during combat.
I had been stabbed, cut apart, crushed, and everything else.
Whatever the cause, all my memories of death were memories of pain.
Just once……
[I shall consider it.]
The way he nodded with an amused, mocking smile was irritating, but…….
<There is a [Campfire] in this room.>
<Would you like to use the [Campfire] to [Sleep]?>
<WARNING!>
<There is still a monster remaining in this room!>
<Are you sure you wish to [Sleep]?>
<WARNING!>
<There is still a Named Monster remaining in this room!>
<Are you sure you wish to [Sleep]?>
<WARNING!>
<This room is a Boss Room.>
<You may die from an attack while [Sleeping].>
<Are you sure you wish to [Sleep]?>
<Yes/No>
.
.
.
[Cloth of the Leader of the Abandoned Machines]
: A cloth gifted by the Leader of the Abandoned Machines. Made solely for [Sleep].
When used for [Sleep], [Sleep] effectiveness increases by 50%.
When used for [Crafting], there is a 100% chance that the resulting item will possess a [Sleep] effect.
.
.
.
<Would you like to use the [Cloth of the Leader of the Abandoned Machines]?>
<Yes/No>
<Health : 100%>
<Mana : 100%>
<Fatigue : 0%> <Status Effects : None>
“Wow…….”
My mouth fell open at the Status Window.
Other than when I woke in the Starting Room, I had never once seen those values displayed like this.
I had not expected him to genuinely let me rest properly.
[Now, as promised, I shall send you onward.]
SNAP.
With a sharp sound, the wall behind the boss split apart in the shape of a door.