...... Where am I?

　Jose was standing in an area surrounded by chillingly dead spirits.

　Next to him, a healer collapsed as if her soul had been drained. I don't know if he was attacked or if he just didn't have any resistance, but I do know that there is an enemy here.

Hello. You're human after all.

............, I know you from somewhere.

"Aw.

　In the event that you have any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, please do not hesitate to contact us.
　If Jose remembers it, it can't be just any human.

　There was only one person that popped into his head that looked like him, but he dismissed it as someone from the past and not here.

"Never mind. I'd rather ask you about this dungeon, but that's not going to happen, is it?

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but I won't suffer like those two, so please forgive me.

　These words signaled the beginning of the battle.
　Jose took out his dagger and took a stance.
　By lowering his hips and relaxing his shoulders, he is able to maximize his speed.

　Knowing all about the vital points of the human body, José has buried many people in this way.
　He'll do the same this time.

"Oh, Richt. Where have you been?

Sorry, Dorothy. I was talking to Aria.

Richt?　Why are you here?

　Just as José was about to attack.
　What he saw was a face he would never forget.
　Licht, who was supposed to be executed and dead, was somehow running towards him.

　At first, I suspected I was looking at the wrong person, but as I got closer and closer, that thought disappeared.
　I wonder if there is another person who looks so much like him.
　It is completely Richt himself.

"Jose!　What are you doing here ......?

I asked you a question first. ...... I thought you were executed. ......?

Yes, I was. I was, but I came back to life.

　More importantly," Richt interrupted.

If you're here, that means Allen is here too, right?　Where's Allen now? I want to talk to him.

That's what I want to hear!　Wasn't it your plan to tear us apart?


"............, right. I'm sorry.

　Licht exhaled gently, taking a deep breath to calm his mind.
　What Jose is saying is so right on the money that Richt can't find anything to say in response.

　He was too shocked to collect his thoughts.

"Jose. You were not there when I was sentenced to execution, were you?　Did you know ...... that I was going to be executed?

You can believe it or not, but I didn't know. The only time I knew you were executed was when Allen paid me to do it.

What did you think then?

That I was losing my edge.

I knew you would.

　Richt almost laughed.

　It's no exaggeration to say that Richt knows José's way of thinking best.
　He was twice as serious as Allen and Shizuku about the adventuring profession, and his interest in his fellow adventurers was diminishing every day.

　Licht, too, was not a diligent adventurer.
　He must have grown tired of being in a party with three such people.

　He was not happy, but he was not shocked either.
　The fact that José hadn't embellished his answer made Richt feel a little better about it.

Now answer my question. Why are you still alive and why are you here?

I've already told you. I came back to life with my own skills. I'm the one who resurrected this Demon Lord army.

The Demon Lord's Army? ......?　Do you even know what you've done?

　Jose looks at Richt in disbelief.
　It's the most treasonous thing a human being can do to revive the Demon Lord's army.
　It's hard to understand how a human being could do such a thing.

What you've done is a crime that will go down in the history of the human world!

I don't care.

When the king finds out about this, he'll do whatever it takes to destroy you.

That's what I want.

　The expression on Richt's face never changed.
　Even if it was a treasonous act that would go down in history, it didn't matter to him now.
　He would never be able to return to the human world again.

"I see. I understand.



　Jose said, and took out an item from his pocket.
　It was a transfer item for escaping from a dungeon.

　With this item, it is possible to travel to the outside of a dungeon in an instant.
　In order to tell the human world that Richt has joined the Demon King's side, José must return alive.

　In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a number of things you can do.


＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊


I'm not sure what to make of this.

　The transfer itself was successful, but the destination was clearly inside the dungeon.
　He had intended to transfer to the entrance, but was apparently interrupted by an obstructing ward.
　From now on, he would have to walk carefully to the exit.

...... There are no spirits of death in this area. What's going on?

　After some time in this area, José noticed a change.
　There were no dead spirits in the area.
　Normally, this would be a good thing, but in this dungeon, it's a terrible thing.

　José becomes more cautious.

"Oh, you're human. Hello.

"Hello.

　Unluckily, he met an enemy in the dungeon.

　In this situation, you have no choice but to fight.
　I'm sure the enemies here aren't so naive that they'll let you off easy.

　Even a girl with no weapons and no hostile intentions would be treated like a big man with a bloody head in front of Jose.
　He would kill her with skill and certainty--that's all.

No hard feelings.

　Jose moves behind the girl with his superior speed.
　Normally, the girl would have moved to resist, but she gave herself to him, as if she wanted to die.

　And then, just like that, he traced the dagger down her armpit, neck, and heart in that order.
　There was no way that the girl could withstand that attack, which precisely gouged out the vital points.

　She bled profusely.

　The girl - and José - was dead.