Chapter 63 - The Hut (2)

Day eight of being stranded.

Surprisingly, in all our aimless wandering through Witch's Forest, we had yet to encounter a group of explorers. Even accounting for the nature of the region, we should have run into someone at least once...

But on closer consideration, it wasn't all that strange.

For starters, Witch's Forest was vast. It also wasn't a primary hunting ground, so few people stayed here. Besides, we were merely wandering aimlessly, not heading toward the center.

Naturally, that reduced our chances of encountering anyone.

'More importantly, by now, anyone passing through would have done so long ago.'

Still, I had expected some explorers bound for the fourth floor to arrive as the third floor approached closing time. When moving up a floor, it was common to get a little taste of it first.

'Then are they planning to go up to the fourth floor now, too?'

Hmm, that seemed likely. Of course, that didn't mean we could trust them.

"A barbarian and a Therianthrope? Surely it isn't just the two of you?"

Just as I had assessed them at first sight, they had assessed us. I supposed it must be an unusual sight: a two-person team wandering not the first or second floor, but the third—and Witch's Forest, at that.

The man who appeared to lead the five-person team reached a conclusion.

"... Have you two become separated from your team?"

"Yes."

I readily admitted it. Bluffing was all well and good, but only when there was a chance it would work. Denying it while looking like a pair of beggars would only seem strange. Besides, what would we gain by insisting otherwise?

Of course, admitting it didn't mean I could let my guard down.

"Ahh! Bjorn! Does this mean we're saved, nyah?"

"Stay put."

I pushed the already excited Misha behind me and stood in her way. Then I subtly raised my shield.

"Don't be so wary. We're not bad people."

In response, a middle-aged human woman stepped forward with a warm smile, but...

"I have a son and daughter your age back in the city. I understand what you're worried about, but there's no need. You must be exhausted, so come over—"

"I decline."

She had a son and daughter? So what? That only made her look more dangerous. Having children to feed meant she had an even clearer incentive to make money, didn't it?

"B-Bjorn, why are you acting like this? They might help us, nyah..."

"Be quiet."

How should we act if we encountered explorers? I had spent a great deal of time considering that question. My conclusion had been to try asking for help first. If we offered some compensation and only asked them to take us out of the forest, it would be a reasonable deal for them, too.

However...

'To make a deal, I need to know at least what sort of people they are.'

Checking came first.

"I am Bjorn, son of Jandel."

"A wary fellow, aren't you? I'm Hans Stove. I serve as the team's Scout."

When I gave my name, their leader introduced himself in turn. The problem was...

"Your name is... Hans?"

"Haha, common name, isn't it?"

"It certainly is."

Why the hell were there so many Hanses in this world? One point off for the ominous name.

"I'm Anuman Veit. My husband and I run a general store in the city—"

I cut the woman off in the middle of her lengthy recital of personal information.

"I don't need to know all that."

There was no way to verify her story in the Labyrinth, and we didn't have much time. Whether we accepted their help or not, I had to decide quickly.

'Two warriors, two archers, and one Scout.'

I quickly looked them up and down, assessing not only their general strength but their faces, expressions, manner of speaking, and demeanor.

Of course, there was no need to examine each detail closely. Sometimes intuition could deliver the most accurate judgment of all—the product of experience and data accumulated deep in the subconscious.

"Misha."

At last, I made my decision. There was no guarantee it was the right one, but...

"Will you follow my decision?"

There was no need for a lengthy explanation. Despite everything my question left unsaid, Misha answered briefly.

"Of course, nyah."

Good. At least I had her agreement.

"That's enough introductions. We'll be leaving."

"Leaving? Don't you two need our help?"

We did, but for some reason, my instincts were screaming that they were dangerous.

"On second thought, I don't think we need it. Come on, Misha. Let's go."

"A-All right, nyah!"

"Hmm, if that's how you feel. I've no reason to stop you. On your way, then."

Okay, now that they had agreed to let us leave...

I slowly backed away, shielding my body while keeping my eyes fixed on them.

That was when it happened.

WHIZZ!

I heard a familiar sound cutting through the air. My body reacted before my brain could process it.

WHOOSH!

As I jerked my head sideways, an arrow grazed past my ear.

Fuck, how the hell had they done that? It had come from behind me. The bastards who fired it were clearly in front of me.

"Mrs. Veit, what are you doing?!"

One of their companions shouted at the woman, who was an archer. Had they not agreed on this beforehand?

The woman who claimed to have children our age no longer spoke softly.

"You idiots! Didn't you see his equipment? It's made of raitinium! Do you have any idea how much it'll sell for?"

"B-But they're fellow explorers..."

"Kid, if you can't do it, stay out of it. See that backpack? That's an Expanded Backpack. You couldn't afford it even if you worked your ass off for a year."

Was her story about running a general store with her husband true? She certainly had a good eye. Not that I was magnanimous enough to compliment her.

"I-I can't do this."

"Then whoever wants out can stay out."

"I'm in. It's not my first time, and I'm not well-off enough to walk past money lying around."

The people who had presumably been ordinary explorers quickly reached an agreement among themselves. I watched them intently. Misha anxiously clutched my clothes.

"B-Bjorn... shouldn't we run, nyah?"

"Wait."

They had a Scout. We wouldn't get far if we ran now.

'It should be here any moment...'

"I... will... kill..."

'There it is.'

I smiled bitterly.

This was the sole reason I had wanted to make a quick decision, for better or worse. As the Canibaros emerged from the darkness, the explorers preparing to attack us flinched.

"C-Canibaros?"

"Why are there two of them at once...?"

Because we'd been stranded for eight days. They might have only just entered, but we had already reached stage 10 of [Witch's Eye].

"Misha, now."

I scooped Misha up with one arm. Holding my shield in the other, I charged forward, not back.

「Canibaro has cast [Pursuing Arrow].」

「Canibaro has cast [Pursuing Arrow].」

To my right, I saw a Canibaro nocking an arrow. I only drove myself harder, dashing forward.

WHIZZ!

Then my barbarian eyes registered two arrows being fired simultaneously. But there was no need to worry about my exposed back. Now I had things to block them for me.

"A-Aah! Stop him!"

"Wh-What are these two doing?!"

The moment I forced my way into their group with a barbarian's brute strength, a scream rang out beside me. It belonged to the kid who had said he couldn't do it.

"Aagh!"

Oh, so that hit you. The good ones always did die young.

KABOOM!

"Aagh! Fuck, my foot!!"

An explosion followed from the direction of the Canibaros. A quick glance suggested that Hans D, startled by my charge, had backed away and accidentally stepped on a Mana Mine.

"Mr. Stove!!"

Okay. That seemed to have shifted all the aggro onto them.

"Misha, run on your own now."

"A-All right, nyah."

I set Misha down and sprinted onward without looking back.

"What are you all doing?! Forget those two! Deal with the monsters fir—!"

That should keep them from following us for a while.

* * *

[Dungeon and Stone] is a roguelike game. Once you die, that's it. Your character disappears.

Of course, ultimately, it's still only a game. You can simply raise another character and acquire new equipment... In fact, using information learned in previous runs to reach higher floors is the game's main attraction.

In [Dungeon and Stone], death is an everyday occurrence.

But what if that game's world were real? You can't create another character. Whatever you've seen, heard, and learned in this life becomes meaningless the moment you die.

And in that sense...

"But Bjorn, how on earth did you know? That those people would do that, nyah..."

"Instinct."

I'd been lucky this time. Following the snap judgment of my subconscious had been the right answer. Misha, however, was stunned to learn the truth.

"... Instinct, nyah?"

So that was why she'd agreed to follow me earlier without asking any questions. She must have assumed I had some concrete evidence.

"Their leader's name was Hans, wasn't it?"

"So, nyah?"

"I dislike that name."

"..."

"Anyway, we escaped safely thanks to that. Isn't that what matters?"

"Well, that's true, nyah..."

Trailing off with a vaguely uneasy expression, Misha changed the subject.

"Still, I never dreamed that nice-looking woman would change like that, nyah..."

Misha shuddered faintly, perhaps recalling the woman glaring viciously at us and bellowing. Her sudden change in attitude seemed to have shaken Misha quite badly.

I wasn't sure it would comfort her, but I spoke briefly.

"Perhaps she really could have been a nice person."

"Huh? What do you mea—"

"If we hadn't looked weak."

And if we hadn't been carrying expensive things. If we'd met in the city rather than the Labyrinth, we might have remembered her as a kind woman.

But she had nocked an arrow and drawn her bow faster than anyone else.

"She wasn't kind because we looked weak? I just don't understand, nyah..."

"Misha, why did you enter the Labyrinth?"

"Because I need to earn money, nyah..."

"It's the same for them."

Money was a means of protecting yourself. All the more so in this world, where failure to pay taxes meant execution. Surely that woman had more to protect than just her own life.

"... I feel like I'm learning a lot on this expedition, nyah."

"Then move faster. They might track us down."

We picked up our pace.

How much time passed? Contrary to my fears, they still hadn't appeared after more than an hour.

'Even if they were caught by the opening attacks, two Canibaros couldn't have taken them all out... Did something else go wrong?'

Hmm, that seemed a reasonable assumption. Perhaps Hans—their Scout—had been badly injured by the Mana Mine, hampering their pursuit.

Whatever the reason, we'd safely overcome one crisis.

'Please, let that be the last of it.'

Even as I wished for that, I steeled myself. I couldn't let my guard down until the very, very end. As always, the most fucked-up things happened when you grew complacent.

* * *

Day thirteen of being stranded. Seven in the evening.

In other words, exactly fifty-three hours remained until the Labyrinth closed.

"Bjorn, I found it, nyah!"

We found a tree leading to a hut. The light spilling from it had faded slightly, suggesting that the entrance had formed quite some time ago...

But this was still a godsend.

'Yes.'

Somehow, we'd avoided the worst-case scenario. Even four hours of rest would let us endure the remaining two days through sheer willpower. In short, our chances of returning safely had just risen dramatically.

「The character enters Witch's Hut.」

Every second of rest was precious, so I immediately placed my hand on the tree and entered the hut. The scene beyond was the same as before. The rich scent of grass and flowers. The quiet chirping of insects. The sound of wind rustling through leaves.

'God fucking damn it...'

Unfortunately, something out of place intruded upon the peaceful scene.

「Current Occupants: 5」

「The entrance is closing.」

Other guests. People who had found this hut before us.

"Bjorn."

"Shh."

I covered Misha's mouth and quickly surveyed our surroundings, moving only my eyes.

'One in the bed, one in the chair, one on the grass.'

There were parts of the interior I couldn't see through the window from this angle... But it was safe to assume there were three in total. The hut admitted no more than five people.

'This is a headache.'

I slowly approached the man sleeping on the grass.

At that moment, the man rolled over to face us, as though talking in his sleep. I froze in surprise.

'I never expected to meet you again here, like this...'

To my astonishment, it was a familiar face.