'Rah-kun!

I gently peeled off Ms. Prine, who was giving me a squeeze,

Let's get the hell downstairs. We're going to get killed if we stay here.
'Huh? I don't think the devil's coming, do you? There are no bugs or 'waves' coming."
'Devil ......? Oh, no, not that way, but ...... over there.

I indicated with my eyes the adventurers who were wishing me and Prine a 'rear explosion' as we hugged each other.
Prine seemed to have just noticed,

'Huh! Aww,ha,embarrassing......'

He hides his face.
I took her in my arms, bowed to the adventurers, and glided down the ice to the stairs below.



The eleventh level of the dungeon.

Is this always the case after a boss battle?
There was a save point in a small room just after the descent. Thank goodness.

We prayed together and saved.
I look at my pocket watch and see that it is already late in the evening.
I suggest this to Prine.

'We've conquered the tenth layer, let's go back.
Yes!

After mapping, we use teleportation on the spot and return to the save point on the second level.
From there we went up to the first level and left the dungeon.
We return to the guild and check our status.



Name: Rana Prata
Human: Lv184
Martial artist: Lv 15

H P: 184
M P: 0
Attack power: 184 + 30 (Tigger's basket)
Defense: 184 + 15 (wind martial arts wear)
Thief] Lockpicking Lv20, Detection Lv20, Tracking Lv20,Mapping Lv10,Covert Lv3,Treasure Hunt Lv3,
Warrior Swordsmanship Lv 27, spearmanship Lv 27, axe technique Lv27,Archery Lv27,Dual Sword Art Lv7.
Warfare techniques: Guard, Charge, Attack, Zeninage, Parry, Iai.
Clown] magic trick Lv20, evasion at a moment, dance Lv5
Martial Artist] Body Art Lv 15
Martial Arts Kung Chi Palm, Qigong Bullet, Dragon Clothing.
Skills: [Breathing] Inhale and exhale.



'Ra-kun, you're level 15 all at once!
'Ah, yes. The clown got up to 20 in a day. ....... Well, that's no use with that boss.
'That's great enough!
'So, where's Prine?'



Name: Prine Lamode
Human: Lv 38
Mage: Lv 13

H P: 38
M P: 142
Attack Power: 38 + 32 (Owl Wand)
Defense: 38 + 30 + 60 (angel's underwear [light with superfine feathers], cat god's cape coat)
Speed: 38
Techniques
Firelight: 2,Defensive shield "Shield" / 3,Water ice spikes "Ice Pickle" / 3,Sparkling ray "Pyro Ray" / 4,Total defensive shield "Whole Shield 4,Exploding Light "Explod" / 5,Slow and Heavy "Slowly" / 4,Return in Hierarchy "Pit Back" / 8,Grain Sparkling Ray "Photon Ray" / 6,Magic Stealing "Nova Steel / 0,Fireball / 6,Treasure Chest Appraisal / 3,Protective Space / Seyfield / 2,Icycle Lance / 0,Fireball / 6,Treasure Chest Appraisal / 3,Protective Space / 2,Icycle Lance / 2,Icycle Lance / 2,Icycle Lance / 2,Icycle Lance 3,Dragon's Strike Dragonic Power / 6,Exploding Light Explodio / 9,Magic Reflection Fantas Mirror / 8. [New] Snowstorm Whiteout / 9,Magic Reflection Fantas Mirror / 10,Magic Reflection Fantas Mirror / 11,Magic Reflection Fantas Mirror / 12. 9, [new] confusion camouflage "Confijammer" / 5, [new] flying feather "Photon Wing" / always 5
Trap Technique. New] Magic Release.
Skill: [Witch's Blessing] Easy to learn magic. Increases the effect of magic.



'You learn three more spells ......!
'Ehehe! Look at this, look at this!
'Wow, you've got this magic ......!
'Now I've learned all the magic I can learn as a Mage! The rest are advanced positions!
'Prine is awesome.



The accommodations from today are a little more luxurious than in the past.
We have the bounty from the show stage and the honorarium that Martina gave us.
Now Prine's moaning won't be heard all over the inn...... though there won't be such a situation. For now.

We have dinner in the inn's dining room and go back to our room.
Two people in one room. In other words, the same room. Because it's cheaper.
There are two beds, anyway. For the time being.

We sit on the couch together, organizing items, getting ready for tomorrow. We look at the map we mapped out for layer 11.

Prine tilts her head at the map I've drawn on paper.

'Is it a wide ......?
'It looks like it. It's like a hierarchy where the sea used to be.
'Let's work hard tomorrow, Ra-kun!
''Oh.''

Prine shook my hand.


That reminds me.
That we're alone in this room right now.
Yesterday.
When I came home for the first time in a week.





Dungeon attack, day 7.

I returned to my parents' inn with Prine on my day off.

I say, "I'm home," and enter through the main entrance.
Immediately, my mother and father saw me and came running to me.

Oh! Welcome back, Rana. You're safe!
'Rana! Welcome home. I was so worried about you. You never contact me. ....... Hey, you're looking a little tougher. Prine, welcome. Thank you for staying with Rana.

'Hey, Mom, how's Mary doing?
'...... as usual.'
'I see. ......'
'But, you know, it's a little weird.'
''Weird?''
'I've been seeing the doctor, but she seems to have ...... stopped time. ......
'...... time?'

I left my luggage upstairs in my room and went to Mary's room next door. Prine said she was going back to the house and left.

Her sister, asleep in bed, looked the same as usual, but there was something strange about her.

Mary.

I called out to him and sat down in the chair beside his bed. It was the chair Mary always used.

'I'm back, Mary.

She doesn't answer.
She doesn't open her eyes.

I look at Mary blankly.

She seems to be asleep, but her chest seems to rise and fall. She should be breathing, but it is very shallow.
I take her hand and hold it. It is very warm.
His pulse is beating, so of course he is alive. .......

According to my mother, the doctor has given him water to drink and a liquid diet. He seems to swallow it if it is poured into his mouth.
But the strange thing is--he does not defecate at all. On the contrary, his hair and nails have not grown, and his skin color has not changed.
Indeed, it is as if time has stood still.

Clearly, this is not normal.
This is no mere unconsciousness.
This is the witch's curse.

'Mary ......!

I put my sister's hand on my forehead and moaned.
She's always been so cheerful.
We used to fight with those kids together.
You, Prine and I, we were always together. ......!

'Why you, ......!

A witch appeared out of the blue and put my sister to sleep.
Why did it have to be Mary?
Why couldn't it have been someone else?
Why not me? Why not you? ......!

...... had recognized those footsteps. I was still a Thief.

'Ra ......! Mary, ......!

They must have come back from the villa. Prine, sitting next to me, squeezed my hand as I sobbed pitifully.

We're going to save you, we're going to save you, we're going to save you, we're going to save you, we're going to save you, we're going to save you, ......!

Prine says this to me while crying.
I nodded.

I'll definitely help you. No matter what. ......I'll do whatever I have to do. ......!

I wipe the tears from my eyes.

'...... wait for me, Mary.

I put my hand on her cheek and whisper.
I thought I heard my sister laugh.



When I left the room, my mother looked at me worriedly.
She looked surprised, as if she were seeing a ghost.

'Rana, Rana, are you all right ......?
'? I'm fine.
'So,so......? I hope so. ....... Wow, dungeons are ...... amazing.'
'What?'
'It's only been a week and I feel like a different person. ....... I can't believe you're so calm when you look at Mary. ......'
'I am what I am.
'Is that what boys are like ......? Oh, well. Prine, you're staying over today, right? Can I stay in Lana's room?''
'Yes! Thank you! Sorry to bother you!

While Mom and Prine talked, I went downstairs,

''Dad.''

I called out to my father standing in the kitchen.

'What happened to the Witch of the North? Did you find out where he is?

He stopped moving the knife and answered.

'No. ....... He has no idea. If by 'witch' you mean 'female mage', there are plenty of them. On top of that, there was someone called the Witch, or the Witch of the North, ......'.


'Did you check it out?'
'Yeah. The guild and the royal guard found out that she was an old woman living in a far northern country. She is in no fit state to come here to Sukuk.
'It was a different person ......'
'A medicine man. He can't use magic to control other people.
'I see. ......'

Still no sign of the witch who put the curse on Mary.
I clench my fists so hard it hurts.

'If I find her, I'll ...... get you for free ......!

My father laughs at me.

You haven't changed.
'...... what'?
'You lose your temper easily. I wonder who he looks like.

I don't know," I said, and left the kitchen.



Day 8. Night.

Prine squeezes my hand.

We sit down on the sofa together and I tell her.

Thanks for coming with me yesterday, Prine.
'Mmm. I had fun too!
'Hey, Prine...... that, you know...'
'What's that?'
'Have I ...... changed anything?'
'Rah-kun?'

Prine stares at me intently.

'I don't think I've changed. You're still Ra-kun, Ra-kun!
'I see. ......'
'Yeah!

Prine smiling at me.
Seeing her smile, it doesn't matter anymore.
It's strange, really.



The next day.

The ninth day of dungeon crawling.

The 11th level.

I look at the scene spread out in front of me and exclaim in amazement.

'This ...... is amazing ...... again!

In front of a large ruined castle, a dozen adventurers were jumping on a huge crab-shaped monster.

We had heard rumors.

After the 10th level, a boss suddenly appeared in the field, and unlike the usual boss battles, there was a boss battle in which multiple parties could participate.


That's right - a raid boss battle.