The light inside the Cocoon appeared to have weakened slightly, but it seemed to be maintained without any problems.
“Hm… Blue?”
“Are you referring to the Joker who sided with us, Blue?”
“Yeah, its eyes were glowing blue. It’s stopped moving… right?”
The glow in its eyes had vanished, and there were no signs of movement—was it alright to just leave it like this?
(…If it’s in this inactive state, could I Compress it? Not that I have any particular use for it after taking it back… but maybe studying it could reveal something?)
Next to Futaba-san, who was still asleep, the presumed Dungeon’s Avatar showed no signs of waking up. I removed my jacket and draped it over her, but explaining her presence when we return will be quite a hassle.
“Master, what have you decided?”
“…This doll you’ve been using as your external body—would it be okay if we take it with us?”
When I asked, it wasn’t the human-looking figure that reacted, but the cocoon. The light grew slightly brighter and then dimmed again. It wasn’t Morse code or anything like that, so I couldn’t understand the meaning, but it didn’t seem like a refusal either.
“Why are you suddenly using formal language, Master? Is it because the Dungeon-san is such a charming lady that you’re holding back?”
“It’s our first meeting, so I thought I should be polite… Cipher, you sure hit some sharp points.”
“…Now that I look closely after saying it myself, she really is beautiful. Though she’s not an elf, her ears aren’t pointed.”
Cipher’s camera lens whirred with curiosity—filming her with just a jacket draped over her would be problematic, so I’ll have to make sure to delete the footage later.
Returning to the matter at hand, I raised my hand over Blue and attempted Compression. It worked without issue, and a chip materialized in my hand.
Chip Content: [Unidentified] Masked Doll
Chip Content: [Unidentified] Broken Scythe
“…There’s been too much happening that we can’t reveal to the outside world. Cipher, about this footage…”
“Yes, Master. I will only compile the parts you’ve authorized.”
“Thanks, that would help. Well then, let’s get going… up you go.”
“Hngh…”
Carrying both of them at the same time meant hoisting one over each shoulder. Though the two unconscious figures stirred slightly, it was a relief that they weren’t completely unresponsive.
“…Is it alright to bring them along?”
I directed the question towards the cocoon. The response was the same as before. I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t communicating, but there was nothing more I could ask now.
Retracing our steps, I used the Flight orb. After a while, we made it back to the tenth floor.
“Fujiwara-kun… and Futaba-san, and Cipher too…”
“Futaba… thank goodness… Tsukasa-kun, I’ll repay this kindness with everything I have… ah…”
Nanami-san and Senior Haruka greeted us. However, they soon noticed the unfamiliar figure I was carrying and gave me puzzled looks.
“This person was someone we encountered deep in the dungeon. I’ll explain more later… Cipher’s battery is low, please connect to the main unit.”
Nanami-san took Cipher’s unit and connected it to the main device. The four who had collapsed were regaining consciousness, but none of them were in a condition to talk just yet—except for a person named Iwakiri.
“…Why did you save us? Given that we’d entered a dungeon with entry restrictions, you had no obligation to…”
“Let’s save the complicated explanations for later. Since the Scroll of Exit doesn’t work on this floor, we’ll need to find another way to escape. Can you move?”
“…My clothes…”
Iwakiri, who had been on guard against me like a hedgehog, gradually flushed and spoke in a faint voice.
“…So Ryuudou Hinata was possessed by a monster called a Blood Lurker?”
“I don’t know if that’s its name, but it was a grotesque mass of flesh with tentacle-like appendages. As soon as I stepped onto a magic circle over there, it appeared. It felt like I’d fallen into a pit of despair.”
Iwakiri spoke with self-deprecation, but as she recalled the terror, she averted her gaze and hugged herself.
“…It’s over for us. Once this comes to light, we’ll be punished… expelled from the academy…”
“There should have been teachers at the dungeon’s entrance. I still have questions—why were you able to get in despite that? And what kind of family is the Hinata family? I have a lot to ask.”
The other three looked at me anxiously, as if their lives were now in my hands. But I had no intention of taking advantage of them.
“If I remain ignorant about the Hinata family, we’ll end up one step behind again. Kaito, is there anyone else from the Hinata family at the academy besides Ryuudou? And what about the other Noble Houses? You can tell me whatever you know, whenever you feel comfortable.”
“…Even if I had the chance, Fujiwara-kun, I might have attacked you. I’m the kind of person who could do such a thing without hesitation. You shouldn’t trust me…”
“There may be risks, but if I’m attacked, I’ll simply fight back.”
“…!”
Iwakiri gasped. She was likely quite skilled, but as long as we were both students, I had no intention of losing easily.
Though I’m not a combat specialist, I’ve proven in past expeditions that with the right preparation, I can fight adequately.
“…It seems I’ve lost. Defeated without even fighting.”
“Iwakiri-san, for you to admit that… Ryuudou must’ve really shaken you.”
“I underestimated him because I thought he was weaker than me. I’ll return to my roots and train again… Fujiwara-kun, I want to be like you. Someone who can always win, no matter the adversity…”
“Iwakiri-san… in love…?”
“The infamous Iwakiri, with such a soft expression…”
“Hey, you two. I can hear you. Sigh… I’ve never felt like this before. To think it would be so exhilarating to acknowledge someone as my superior…”
It seemed Iwakiri-san might become an ally, but her gaze was so intense that it made me uneasy.
“…Ngh… Sis…?”
“Futaba, good morning… are you alright?”
“…I… just now, I felt like I was… someone else… kyaah…!”
“Your clothes are gone… sorry, I can lend you a bra at least…”
“No, no, I couldn’t possibly take something so important to you, Nanami-san… I’ll borrow Sis’s jacket instead.”
“If we encounter monsters on the way back… half of our group being almost naked will make for an interesting battle.”
“Beep beep. Master, what is your exploration plan?”
“Well…”
If the girl who seemed to be the Dungeon’s Avatar woke up, she might be able to tell us where the teleportation circle was located—or so I thought.
“Fujiwara-san, I think I might know. I might be able to find the teleportation circle to escape.”
Having once merged with the dungeon’s consciousness, Futaba-san retained the memory of the escape route and guided us to the teleportation circle.
No monsters attacked us along the way—perhaps because we had the dungeon’s avatar with us.
About an hour later, we reached the magic circle and successfully escaped from the dungeon.
