The sea of trees inside the great tree was dyed red.
The scorching heat that could even be mistaken as hell fire was also burning the first boss of this floor──the pseudo Treant together to death.
The pseudo Treant was desperately regenerating the trees using its characteristic magic, but the chakrams that were circling on the sky were pouring down the tar that was a product of the abyss endlessly as though to mock its effort. The pseudo Treant’s effort was ending in vain.
Gradually the pseudo Treant started to let out a scream of death agony. Not only it, the other monsters that were gathering around it were also following along……
「This is the scene of hell.」
「This is a hellish scene.」
Shuu and Sumire got a faraway look, as though to divert their gaze from their past son who was causing a forest fire mercilessly.
Meanwhile, Shuuzou-san stroked his chin while groaning at the reason of why Hajime decided to commit arson.
「Uumu. We can simply call him immature and that’ll be the end of it but……」
Inside the past replay, Shizuku, Suzu, and Ryuutarou who were being protected inside a barrier were also making the same expression like Sumire and Shuu. Kouki was the only one gritting his teeth.
In the end he couldn’t finish off the pseudo Treant even after unleashing his strongest trump card as the hero, while the personHajime who he harbored complicated feeling toward was able to easily take care of it……
In front of that fact, the negative emotions like feeling of inferiority and jealousy that started to accumulate inside Kouki were clear as day to Shuuzou who considered him as a disciple since his childhood.
It seemed that was also the same for Koichi and Kirino. They naturally paid attention to Kouki’s state while voicing their doubt.
「He is shaken because he kept facing situations where his talent isn’t enough.」
「However……Hajime-kun. The hero’s existence boasted phenomenal ability even for this world right? That was exactly why he got summoned. I have deeply realized just how extremely difficult the trials of the great dungeons through this travel but……even so, were they really that impossible for him?」
「No, I think it was the trial this time that had particularly bad affinity for him.」
「Affinity?」
「Yes. Even monsters are classified into different types. Just as you can see, the pseudo Treant is a monster that is based on tree, so it’s weak against fire element attack.」
「……Nn. We didn’t really think too deeply about it at that time but, perhaps this thing, have resistance against light element.」
「Certainly, there are a lot of plant type monsters that have resistance against light element.」
Aiko nodded in understanding. Aiko’s trump card “Sea of Trees Manifestation” didn’t only create a sea of trees, it also granted pseudo soul to the trees there and transformed them into a type of Treant, so she understood that matter really well.
Hajime and Shia were fighters whose main method of attack was overwhelming physical attack. Yue and Tio’s magic all boasted great power. Kaori had also obtained disintegration magic so something like element’s affinity didn’t matter for her.
That was why the members of Hajime’s party didn’t really pay attention to that but, originally, common adventurers and soldiers were fighting while always keeping in mind whether their specialty was suited or unsuited for the occasion.
Shizuku folded her arms and smiled wryly.
「When it was decided that we have to fight Kouki, Ryuutarou even got his hand on the magic stone of Treant type monster in the lower level of the abyss. It was a monster even more powerful than this and it not only had resistance but even absorption of light element. He transformed into that and magnificently blocked an attack from the “Giant of God’s Might”.」
「So fighting against monster is the same like pokemo* battle nano!?」
「No no Myuu-chan. Making monster fighting against other monster is impossible as long as you don’t have metamorphosis magic okay?」
「Papa! Myuu also want monster orbMonst*r Ball like Suzu-oneechan nano! Myuu’s M*wtwo will spew fire yeah! Nano!」
「This world doesn’t have any M*wtwo. After all this world is more like Monste* Hunter.」
「That’s not it nano. Myuu will design the golem form of LuciferLuu-chan and others to look like Pokemo* nano!」
「Aa, I see……guess I’ll try thinking about their design a bit more……」
Hajime papa who was extremely weak against the pleading of his beloved daughter started to make a serious consideration. It would result in him making not only rugged golems for the Grim Reapers, but also various other models with the shape of animals or mythical beasts……
「All the monsters here have scary appearance, but it’ll be great if they look lovely like Pokemo*.」
Akiko-san stated her opinion lightheartedly. She still didn’t know. Due to a certain demon incident that occurred later with the abyss lord, a kangaroo Grim Reaper wearing gloves──Champion would end up staying with Hatakeyama family and they would become increasingly famous (?) with their neighbors 「Hatakeyama-san, your family, has become completely odd huh……」.
Getting back to the main topic.
「Well, it’s pointless to comment about Kouki at this point. More importantly, Shizuku. You couldn’t even bisect that kind of thing in a single stroke, what’s the deal with that?」
「Then try doing it yourself Ojii-chan……no, as expected let’s not. It’s simply dangerous.」
Although she couldn’t deny it if she got called as green, Shizuku still felt offended and talked back. But, she recalled her grandfather’s temperament who would seriously give it a try if he was told something like that and returned to her senses. But it was already too late.
「Fumu……Hajime-kun, it seems that you halted the monsters and trial using your authority as dungeon conqueror but, can you make it so only that thing come out?」
「Well, I guess I can……」
「Don’t try that! You saw it right? It can create a tree monster unlimitedly, and it’s just my guess but those tree monsters might also be able to regenerate as long as their magic stone isn’t destroyed!」
「Our side also have people who can cast regeneration. We can come back to life even if we die so there isn’t any problem.」
「Don’t be strangely sportsmanlike in this kind of place!」
「Then……just one slash! Let me try it just once! I feel like that I might be able to do it! Think of this as the request from your grandpa who doesn’t have long to live-」
「Someone who doesn’t have long to live won’t be this eager to face monster! Look, you’re making Otou-san and Okaa-san becoming tempted too!」
The members of Yaegashi family were all operating as usual.
Certainly it was dangerous to face the pseudo Treant that could produce sea of trees unlimitedly. It was also strange to talk about something where resurrection was required even though they were currently sightseeing.
Although.
For Hajime who had actually faced Shuuzou at noon in a relatively serious fight, if he equipped him with a black katana and also created a chance where he could definitely land a single stroke of sword on the pseudo Treant’s main body……
(He might really pull it off, scaryyy)
Of course, if it was just as Shizuku predicted that it would keep regenerating as long as its magic stone wasn’t destroyed, the pseudo Treant wouldn’t be defeated with that. But, if it was just bisecting it into two then it might be possible for Shuuzou to pull it off, which was scary. Although it might be a bit impossible for Koichi and Kirino, but Shuuzou’s strength was several levels above them.
While Hajime was shivering a little, Aiko tilted her head slightly and asked 「Come to think of it……」.
「Could it be, the idea for my “Sea of Trees Manifestation” was inspired from this pseudo Treant’s ability?」
「That’s right… If it’s Aiko who has immense aptitude with magic to interfere with plant, I imagined that you might also be able to combine it with soul magic.」
I see, Aiko nodded but, Akiko’s eyes were twitching beside her.
「Eh, wait a second, Aiko. You can create that kind of monster?」
「Yes. I can, why?」
「……Say? You improved various things in our farm, like the soil didn’t you? I don’t want to imagine it but, you didn’t do anything like……making the tree able to move on its own or the like right?」
Aiko silently averted her gaze.
「Waiiiiit~~! What did you do to our farm! The fruits doesn’t have any strange ability or the like attached right!? Hah, don’t tell me they tasted better also because of monster’s influence……」
「There’s no problem with that! I didn’t use any of the fruit trees for that! You know, you said that sometimes some fruits got stolen right? That was why, for security……」
「A farm where the trees can attack will make our farm famous in the wrong direction!」
「That’s also fine! I already asked them to repel the thieves secretly so they won’t get found out, like using their roots from underground……」
「That’s horror in its own way! It’s scary getting attacked from some unseen place!」
「……I-I only have good intentions! Only good intentions!」
「You only have good intentions? Hajime-kun! Yue-san! Can you two return my daughter’s common sense!?」
「「W-we are really sorry……」」
Akiko-san’s intense stare caused Hajime and Yue to avoid her gaze very restlessly before the fact that they had perpetrated numerous acts that “were only based on good intentions”.
Aiko herself went 「Eh? My common sense……is too lacking?」 in amazement of herself who had changed too much without realizing. In her own way she might also needed rehabilitation to cure the after-effect (?) of another world trip.
「So, Hajime. We can go to the next place by entering inside the hollow of that pseudo Treant?」
Shuu asked with a somewhat loud voice, perhaps to change the atmosphere. He pointed at the past Hajime and co who entered into the hollow that appeared in the trunk of the pseudo Treant.
「No, we’ll skip that part and head directly to the garden at the summit.」
「What? This is all we’re going to see for the sightseeing in the great tree’s great dungeon?」
Certainly the schedule of their travel had gotten a bit pressed for time, but was there really any need to hurry that much? Shuu wondered with a dubious expression.
「I myself want to watch Kaori’s effort for a bit more.」
「My daughter turned into angel there, Hajime-kun. Show me the scenes when the angel did angelic thing more. Though I’ll refrain from your scenes seeing that they’re mostly just explosion or arson.」
「N-now look here, Otou-san. Please stop calling me angel, angel repeatedly like that, and……even after this, I didn’t really play that much part so……let’s skip it?」
Kaori gently showed her stance of agreeing with skipping the remaining scenes, but not only the Shirasaki couple, Sumire and others, Myuu and Remia, and even Aiko were looking dissatisfied.
「Hajime, I can guess that the scenes after this will be horrible but, even us had already watched the scenes at the abyss you know? You guys can also keep our mind stable using magic……」
「No, Kaa-san. Certainly we don’t want to show the scenes to you all because they’re horrible but, the vector is different.」
「Vector?」
「U~mm, you know,, the next trial is about getting imprisoned in a dream of ideal world, so we won’t be able to show it with past replay anyway.」
Right? Hajime asked for confirmation to Yue and Kaori with his gaze. Both of them nodded with troubled faces.
「……Nn. After all past replay is for watching phenomenon that occurred in reality.」
「We will be able to watch our figures sleeping but, we won’t be able to show the dream that we were seeing at that time. It’s a bit impossible I guess to visualize the past thought of someone.」
「That’s how it is. With soul magic it’s possible to enter inside a dream or projecting a dream in reality, but that’s only when the target art right before us. There art no way to meddle with thought inside one’s mind in a past that doth not exist anymore.」
Tio also gave an additional explanation. Everyone was forced to accept in understanding hearing that.
「In other words, we’ll only be able to see Hajime and others sleeping at the next trial……」
「That’s right, Kaa-san. Then, the third trial……it’s something that can’ be shown even if we covered it with mosaic. Especially to Tou-san and others, absolutely not.」
「Hm? What do you mean by that?」
「It will be too sensitive.」
「Hmm?」
「Otou-samaFather-in-law, Okaa-samaMother-in-law. In other words, it’s that. Lewd traps.」
「Real erotic dungeon you saiddd!?」
「Did you say real erotic dungeonnn!?」
The Nagumo couple’s tension exploded up. The other families looked at them coldly. Anyway getting back on topic.
「Uu, that was embarrassing……」
「After all it was a sea of white slime that stimulated sexual excitement. It was dangerous even for me.」
「No, didn’t you endure it just fine Tio?」
「And yet she almost got defeated when Hajime-san treated her coldly desu……really, it was just like you Tio-san.」
「……Nn. And so, everyone was covered with milky white liquid that time. We don’t want anyone other than Hajime to see us like that, so we beg for everyone’s understanding. That’s how it is.」
Due to the detail that was like that, everyone showed understanding at Yue’s words that only gave ambiguous explanation. But, there was just one person who tilted her head in incomprehension.
「Myu? Yue-oneechan, why is everyone don’t want to be seen getting soaked with mister white slime nano? Will it fine if the color isn’t white nano?」
「!? T-that’s……Hajime!!」
「Don’t push this kind of topic to me!」
The pure and innocent question of a little girl was a direct hit at Yue-oneechan. Myuu’s curious gaze that was asking why, hey why’s that? toward her caused Yue to look around in panic wondering of how to explain it to her. Then when she was completely at her wits’ end, she unexpectedly sent a killer pass at Hajime.
This time Myuu’s sparkling eyes dealt a direct hit on papa. And so,
「Remiaa-!!」
「My my」
He pushed it off to Remia. Ramia placed one hand on her cheek and showed a warm smile at the panicked Hajime and Yue. She was composed. Or rather, she even looked relieved to be entrusted with the role of giving explanation.
Of course she was. In the past, during the several days when Hajime and co stayed with Myuu for several days after conquering the undersea ruin, Myuu asked a standard question that was at the top 3 most troubling questions for adult──how was a baby made──to Hajime but……
Hajime who was at a complete loss at that time explained like this.
──A baby is made by absorbing water, carbon, ammonia, quicklime, phosphorus, salt, saltpeter, sulfur, fluorine, iron, silicon, and other fifteen elements in small amount
That night, Myuu declared 「Papa taught Myuu the way to make baby nano!」 with full confidence during dinner. Naturally she shocked everyone with that.
In addition, Myuu even splendidly recited the ingredients from memory despite not knowing the meaning of those names, so everyone naturally also looked at Hajime like they were looking at a mad scientist. Especially Kaori because she knew the original source of that knowledge.
Hajime averted his gaze with all his might. Remia wouldn’t let him sleep that night. She told him 「Let’s go outside」 with a terrifying smile and scolded him heavily.
「Myuu, come with mama for a bit.」
「Mama?」
Remia pulled Myuu’s hand and she followed her with small footsteps to a slight distance away. Remia crouched and quietly whispered into her ear. Myuu nodded fumu, fumu as she listened before her expression turned surprised 「Eh!?」. Next she started to tremble heavily.
With that Remia pulled her hand and returned to the group.
「……Myuu, absolutely won’t get near mister white slime nano.」
She declared like that fearfully as well as extremely seriously.
「Remia, how did you explain it to her?」
「Ufufu」
「Why’re you laughing.」
It was curious……not only Hajime, everyone else was also looking at Remia with curiosity but, Remia only smiled softly without saying anything.
「Cough. Putting that aside Hajime-kun. Umm……there was no problem wasn’t it? If the angelic Kaori was in that state than even you……no, wait a second. In the first place Kouki-kun and Ryuutarou-kun were also present there!」
「It was alright. They had lost their senses right from the start so they were restrained at that time. They also lost consciousness at the middle.」
「And you?」
「My whole body was clad in lightning so it didn’t even affect me in the first place. By the way, Kaori and others all endured the trial with their own strength, so I simply be on guard against the surrounding. Of course, I also didn’t try anything with them.」
「I, I see……」
He didn’t mention about the girls clinging on him. Because Kaori sent him a glance for an instant to stop him.
Tomoichi didn’t even know that his daughter thought of him as 「Otou-san’s reaction is sometimes troublesome after all……」 and felt relieved while nodding in understanding 「If that’s the case then certainly we better not watch that scene」. Kaoruko also patted her chest in relieve while asking.
「Abd, what happened with that slime in the end?」
「It became like a sea of slime because it kept pouring out in absurd amount…………I turned it into a sea of fire then.」
「So it’s like that again in the end! Just how much you love setting things on fire huh!!」
「That’ s a misunderstanding, Tomoichi-san. By the way, at the last trial Yue burned the whole area with azure flame.」
「Nnn!? Hajime, why did you mention that here!?」
「「Like husband like wife!!」」
Shirasaki couple retorted with a beautiful synchronization. Shuuzou glanced at them and attempted to put back the talk on the right track.
「And, the final trial after that was the aforementioned “emotion reversal” that also had an enemy that was too terrifying to even be mentioned?」
「Yes, that’s right.」
「Uumu. Hajime-kun, will our mind really be unable to hold out even with the care using soul magic? I’m very interested with this trial where your feelings are reversed……」
「Forgive us Shuuzou-dono. I doth not think I wouldst be able to use soul magic properly if I enter into that space once more.」
「……Nn. Same here. We managed to use the momentum to overcome the trial because we didn’t know anything beforehand. But……」
「The horror is even greater instead when you know what will be in there beforehand.」
「I don’t wanna see any black sesame」
Aiko was the only one who still didn’t know anything, so Akiko asked her 「You don’t know anything so at least you will still be able to cast soul magic for us won’t you?」 with her gaze, but Aiko shook her head 「If even Tio-san and others will find it difficult to cast magic there, I’m not confident that I’ll be able to」.
「We’re getting even more curious now seeing all of you insisting like that.」
「No. That place is a forbidden place that must never be opened no matter what!」
「I-I get it, I get it already. Calm down.」
「If even Yue-chan and others are that reluctant then we won’t insist any further. But, there won’t be any problem to see the past replay before that area as long as we avoid the last trial right? We won’t get another chance like this, so we want to take a look inside this great tree a bit more.」
「……Nn~, there wasn’t anything particularly interesting along the way but, if everyone is fine with that then it’s alright.」
Certainly, they might not get another chance to sightsee inside this great tree great dungeon. Perhaps it would be too lacking to just look around at one floor.
There wouldn’t be any problem as long as they didn’t enter the area of the last trial……and so, they would put off going to the garden at the summit for strolling more inside here. The group used the conqueror authority to create a hole and entered inside the pseudo Treant.
.
.
.
They didn’t even consider that this might be a mistake.
.
.
.
Hajime and co were enveloped in the light of teleportation and came out to the space where wooden coffins were lined up in a circle. The number of the coffin would be increased or decreased corresponding to the number of the challengers. Unlike before, right now there were only six coffins.
「If you travel here during your challenge, you will get teleported inside these coffins forcefully and put into sleep. And inside you’ll be imprisoned into a dream of your ideal world.」
「……The inside of this coffin will be like amber during the dream. It’s a type of seal. It will be gone on its own when the person inside wake up with their own strength, but without that you won’t be able to get out unless someone else break you out.」
「Can’t get out……what will happen to that person in that case?」
Akiko asked fearfully, but even Hajime and others didn’t know the answer. But, Shia’s hypothesis felt like the closest to the right answer.
「In the sea of trees, the dead is to be buried under a tree’s root to return to nature. It’s unthinkable that those who can’t clear the trial of a great dungeon will be automatically send out, so considering that Lyutillis-san was an elf, perhaps……」
「They will be turned into nourishment for the forest?」
Shia nodded with a wry smile at Aiko’s words. Speaking frankly, it was horrifying. After hearing that naturally everyone became curious about the “ideal world’s content”. The difficulty of escape was depending on that.
「Hajime, what kind of ideal world you dreamed of?」
「A daily life with Yue in school uniform. The summon and falling into abyss also never happened.」
「Aa~」
Precisely because they knew about the hell that Hajime experienced due to getting summoned that both Shuu and Sumire were nodding in understanding.
「The way Yue look when she woke up in the morning, how we go to school together with her wearing a uniform, how Yue helped me drying my hair after getting out of bath, it was really the best. Thanks for the meal.」
「……Fufu. That dream has come true now. Happy?」
「It can only be described as the peak of happiness.」
「……Geez, stupid Hajime! I’m also happy~?」
「「They’re in their own world right awayyy!!」」
Kaori & Shia smashed the pink barrier that gently formed around the two while appealing 「I was also there wasn’t I! I was definitely there too! Definitely!」「Me too desu! It was apparently a horrible dream where rabbit ears didn’t exist though!」 to insist that they weren’t excluded from Hajime’s ideal world by any means.
Myuu too uneasily pulled at his sleeve asking 「Papa, what about Myuu? Was Myuu there?」.
「Of course you were. I went to pick you at the kindergarten with Yue. I was just a student, so there was also a setting where my relationship with Remia was suspected though.」
「That’s……quite realistic. In reality Remia-chan was also under various suspicion.」
「I-indeed……based on Myuu’s age, some people wondered if Hajime-san during his elementary school or when he was a fresh middle schooler……got raped by me or something……uu」
The misunderstanding was still continuing even now……maybe, but Remia turned bright red and covered her face with both hands when she recalled that time. Her heart still felt the ache from getting seen with subtle distrust by the caretakers in the kindergarten who thought of her as shotacon.
「But, you were able to get out of it easily weren’t you? That’s amazing.」
「Because that world got some parts that were really forced. Well, the dream Yue just couldn’t win against the real Yue.」
Hajime drew away with some embarrassment when his mother patted his head like a kid. He also received reproachful stare from Kaori and others the way he boasted about Yue again the moment a chance presented itself.
「Yue-chan too, did you also see a dream of living the ideal life with Hajime as expected?」
「……Nn. I was blessed with treasures that were eleven children. I also handed the country and the throne to Hajime. Everything was as Hajime wished it.」
「「Heavy-」」
Sumire and Shuu’s voices overlapped, but it would be clear to see that the other people also thought the same from their expression.
「……Please don’t worry, Okaa-sama, Otou-sama. I will definitely give birth to more that eleven children in the real world too!」
「Won’t that be a bit too many!?」
「Hajime will die!」
Perhaps, surely, because she was shown of obtaining treasures that were children in the dream, she became awakened to wanting children too in the real world. The females all looked at Yue while cringing somewhat. The males looked at Hajime as though they were sending off a soldier to his death. Hajime’s eyes were looking at empty space……
「W-what about you Kaori? Don’t tell me you saw the same dream……y-you can’t! No matter how you put it, the burden to your body will be too heavy!」
「Otou-san!? What’re you saying! Don’t group me together with an Erorist like Yue!」
「……Ha? Did you say that I’m an incarnation of eroticness? You, the very definition of a nutjob!?」
「Horrible! My dream was far more wholesome than something like Yue’s dream! It was only a dream of daily life like in adolescent drama!」
「And, in it you also assaulted Hajime-san routinely every day didn’t you?」
「……」
Kaori silently averted her gaze when Shia pointed that out. Her face was bright red. Tomoichi desperately pleaded 「Kaoruko! She need reeducation! Our angel is charging straight to a bad direction!」. But, Kaoruko-san blushed while muttering something like 「Oh my. She might create fait accompli before marriage if she actually practiced that………………just like us」.
Kaori’s gaze snapped toward Tomoichi. That might be the first time she heard that. Tomoichi’s gaze snapped away from her gaze. 「It wasn’t like that……when I realized it I had lost consciousness……」 Such words could be heard said with a fading voice. Perhaps he already found Kaoruko-san sleeping beside him when morning came without being able to recall how they ended up like that.
There was something……everyone thought, but looking at Kaori’s actions and Kaoruko’s behavior until now, they could somehow imagine it.
「By the way, Yue and others were also in my dream. Though Hajime-kun’s most beloved was me. It really made me felt refreshed when seeing Yue glaring in frustration while biting her handkerchief!」
「……Drop dead, Bakaori.」
「Ah, but don’t worry Shizuku-chan, you were also as loved as me in there! The euphoria of being sandwiched between Hajime-kun and Shizuku-chan was……yeah, that was really dangerous.」
「There isn’t anything there that can make me feel relieved. It’s Kaori’s mind that’s the most dangerous……」
Kaoruko’s darkness almost showed a glimpse from her, so Kaori gave additional explanation to cover it up, but even that additional explanation was drenched in darkness, so it was really pointless.
「What about Shia-oneechan and Tio-oneechan? As expected, did everyone also show up nano? Was it fun?」
Myuu asked with great curiosity. However, Shia and Tio automatically looked at each other and smiled wryly. Myuu looked puzzled and tilted her head, she thought they would definitely talk about their dream happily like Yue and Kaori.
Then, Hajime patted Myuu’s head while giving her a think kind smile.
「Surely it was a kind dream rather than a fun one.」
「Kind, dream?」
Myuu’s gaze turned toward Shia and Tio once more. The adults looked like they had already guessed it. Of the content of the dream they saw. And its weight.
「Certainly. It was a kind dream. I even wanted to just let myself be swayed in it forever.」
「Those we lost wouldst never return. But even knowing that, a time spend with those who we shouldst never be able to see or speak again forever art……simply too sweet. It was truly, a terrifying trial.」
Hajime and Kaori’s dreams were simply beyond their reach but not for forever. Their birthplace and family were definitely still existing and they were journeying so that their hand would be able to grasp it.
For Yue, she still thought that her birth country betrayed her at that time, so no traitor came out in her dream with her staying as a queen accompanied by Hajime and others. There wasn’t anything else that she felt than that.
But, Shia and Tio were different.
The two of them got banished from their homeland in the past and along the way they lost many of their family. For all those tragedies to be erased, then being able to be reunited with them in the dream, and if the bonds that they had nurtured in the real world──Hajime and others were also present there, then that dream would certainly be a sweet one.
It was undoubtedly a kind world that was completely befitting to be called a deadly poison.
「Ah……s-sorry nano……」
Myuu too was a smart child regardless of her age. Seeing their expression and voice that seemed somewhat fleeting must have made her realized. Her face turned really pale when she recalled how she asked them if their dream was fun and she apologized with a trembling voice.
Shia and Tio shook their head and crouched in front of Myuu. They replaced Hajime in patting her head while looking at her gently.
「No, Myuu-chan didn’t do anything wrong. It was, definitely fun desu.」
「Umu. Seeing that scene of having fun with everyone across the ages was like a miracle. Myuu was really cute wearing a matching kimono with mine. Thou looked far more like a princess than I.」
「In my case Erisen was located at the eastern sea. I played everyday with Myuu-chan there.」
「Myu……」
Shia and Tio chuckled in delight. Myuu herself also smiled again though awkwardly.
「But, despite how kind that world was, it was a sacrilege to my reality that I had lived in with all my might. Regardless of how many painful things there were, the time that I spent with Myuu-chan in reality was many times more lovely than in that dream.」
「The reason we were able to return to reality was also thanks to Myuu-chan’s presence. That’s why, thou shouldst not look that reserved. After all the time we spend together with Myuu art the happiest whether it’s in the dream or in reality, okay?」
「……Yes nano!」
Myuu raised both her arms high and replied back energetically. Her face wasn’t clouded at all anymore.
Shuu, Sumire, and others were also able to keenly feel how truly terrifying this trial was from listening to Shia and Tio’s story. Their stiff expression managed to soften into a smile from their conversation with Myuu.
As though to soften the atmosphere even more, Kaori looked toward Yue as though she was looking at a disappointing creature.
「Even though Yue had also gone through similarly horrible experience, why did her dream was one that full of things that invited tsukkomi instead I wonder?」
「……Oi, Kaori. Stop looking at me like that! It couldn’t be helped because at that time I still didn’t know anything about the truth with Oji-samauncle!!」
「By the way, was I there in your dream Yue?」
「……Everyone was there! Kaori was the useless maid! My finger would trail on places like the window sill before bullying you 『Hey, you useless maid over there! It’s still really dusty! Do your job properly!』 every day!」
「You’re the worst! In the future Yue’ll definitely become like a detestable mother-in-law in afternoon drama! Right! Remia-san!」
「M-my my, I wonder…………she might have the disposition for that.」
「Remia!?」
Don’t look at me! Remia thought with a troubled face, but at the end the afternoon drama otaku Remia-san looked at Yue with the gaze like a bigwig of entertainment business judging someone in casting audition.
Perhaps the lovers of the eleven children might have great difficulty waiting for them in the future when they were brought to meet the parents.
The atmosphere had completely returned into holiday mode thanks to that conversation.
As thing progressed like that, everyone started becoming curious with the maiden who had mostly stayed silent since entering this space and evacuated to outside the circle of family and erased her presence without anyone noticing.
Mommy Kirino sharply noticed.
「Shizuku? What kind of dream you saw here?」
「! ……Nothing much, it was just a normal dream. Yes, it was the school life with everyone. A wholesome and peaceful dream.」
Shizuku averted her gaze and told everyone with a subdued tone. Hajime went 「Haa?」 and scrutinized her.
「You, after clearing the trial of ice and snow cavern I think you said──」
「Hajime?」
A terribly low voice resounded as it was said with a bright smile. The pressure from the voice was so heavy that even Hajime automatically fell silent. But, Kirino-okaasan didn’t get pressured at all by her daughter. She took Hajime’s place and casually opened her mouth.
「I see. I can guess easily enough anyway. It must be something like you becoming a princess and having Hajime-kun protecting you, am I right?」
「!!? H-hoowww!?」
「I’m your mother.」
It was unexpectedly right on the money. Although, everyone other than Akiko knew that Shizuku was a girly maiden in the inside, so they looked understanding instead. It was only Akiko who looked surprised.
「H~mm, it’s too bad that we can’t watch it. Surely you were wearing a frilly dress and lovely tiara just like Lily-chan there.」
「-! -!?」
「Hajime-kun was surely a prince or a knight. Or perhaps both? It feels like you’ll love the setting of a prince who came from other country while hiding his identity due to some kind of circumstance. Perhaps he even kneeled in front of you to kiss the back of your hand while you yourself were fidgeting shyly?」
「!!!!!?」
「You also like the scene of getting saved from a pinch, so there might be a scene like assassination attempt……」
「Wait, Okaa-san! How──」
「Let’s see, another situation that I can think of in your case……perhaps after that the princess became unable to continue staying in the country, and you eloped together with Hajime-kun hand in hand, something like that?」
「Nnnnnn!!!」
「Next after that perhaps, throughout the course of events, Kaori-chan and others also became your friends, but they weren’t love rival or the like, everyone also treated you as a princess and spoiled you rotten.」
「S-something-, like thaaatt!!」
「And in the dream you can’t hold a sword or any weapon. You would get taken hostage right away, or kidnapped, you definitely played every “weak princess cliché” available. Then, every time you got saved you would hug Hajime and said something like 『My brave knight! Shizuku was really scared-』 or──」
「STOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!」
It seemed everything was bull’s eye. Shizuku became bright red & tearily flustered from how embarrassed she felt. Usually she would cover herself in ponytail guard but this time she surprisingly charged forward. Although she at least held back from unsheathing her sword, she held up her black katana that was still sheathed and attacked Kirino-okaasan to seal her mouth.
And then, she easily got her arm grasped and rotated a full circle midair. After that she got restrained with a hug from behind.
「How, how do you know all thattt~」
「I’m your mother.」
Her inability to notice how Shizuku was forcing herself when she was little had actually become a light trauma for Kirino.
Just like Shuuzou and others, she herself also got too ecstatic by the abundant talent her daughter showed and it clouded her eyes. Even so that wasn’t any excuse at all. Since then she made the effort to focus at Shizuku’s feeling even more.
And so, she was able to guess what her daughter might dream about as easily as turning her hand. However, although she was able to guess what was going on in her daughter’s mind, it was a different story whether she would act considerately or not with her daughter’s mental state.
Kirino-okaasan tended to express Shizuku’s feeling in her place because Shizuku would always hold herself back or denied her own cute part.
「I seeee. Shizuku-chan, you saw that kind of dream. Geez! That’s too cute!」
「……Nn, Shizuku’s girl power is at the level that make even us tremble in fear.」
「Shizuku-san who is wearing Lily-san’s outfit huh……it’s acceptable desu!」
「Fumu, we art already here. Let’s ask Lily to bring some frilly dresses and tiara when she is finished with her job and rejoin us.」
「Papa! We’re going to treat Shizuku-oneechan as a princess with everyone nano!」
「Yosh, leave it to me. I’ll contact Lily.」
「Don’t! Just kill me instead! Kill meeeeeeee!!」
Shizuku kicked and screamed like a child throwing tantrum. The gazes from Hajime and others were really warm.
That must be stirring her embarrassment even more. She even used sublimation magic “Forbidden Break” to forcefully slip out from Kirino-okaasan’s skillful restrain and moved to the corner of the room. She sat while hugging her knees and shut herself in a cocoon of her ponytail guard.
It was then.
*Plop* Something fell on the shoulder of the sitting Shizuku.
Kaori and Yue who were approaching her to give comfort stopped moving.
What was that? It was a small and black object. Was it wood chip or something? But for some reason the feeling of wanting to avoid it that they felt was too strong. Their legs wouldn’t move forward no matter how hard they ordered them to.
「S-Shizuku-chan? On your shoulder? It’s……」
「Just leave me alone! I’m! I’m just someone painful to look anyway! 」
「……Nnh, Shizuku. That’s not it.」
「I-isn’t it skittering around somehow? That thing」
「Ha, hahahah. How couldst that be true, Shia. That, that thing, only exist at the space of the last trial!」
Kaori, Yue, Shia, and then Tio looked back toward Hajime with a stiff movement like an old puppet that hadn’t gotten their joint oiled for so long.
Aiko and others, and also Shuu, Sumire, and the rest of the parents were also freezing while keeping their stares fixed on the thing on Shizuku-chan’s shoulder.
Even Hajime was frozen as though his brain had come to a halt in its refusal to recognize the existence that shouldn’t be here.
The room fell deathly silent after Tio spoke. Shizuku might felt puzzled by the strange atmosphere and undid her ponytail guard slowly.
And then, she looked back across her shoulder and noticed the two thin antennas twitching busily *piko piko* on her shoulder.
「Nnu? What’s, this──」
She lowered her gaze a little. Then she finally recognized “that” tiny gleaming black thing on her shoulder.
「──」
She was petrified. She stopped breathing with her eyes opening so wide her eyeballs might just fell off. Her blood instantly left her complexion.
“That” seemed to notice her gaze and turned direction. Not only that, it also bowed its head a little as though to say 『Whoops, my bad. I landed on the wrong spot』.
And it didn’t stop there. Right after that it did something incomprehensible by standing upright on its two abnormally developed rear legs.
While everyone still couldn’t break free from freezing due to the unexpected situation, “that”,
『The godslaying group! Good of you all to come visiting! Allow me to welcome everyone here!!』
Spread out its remaining legs and feelers widely as though to say that──
The next moment, the walls in every direction exploded. It looked like that because “those” ──the “Black G” that should only be present at the area of the last trial flooded out from every gap available with tremendous force. (Note: As reminder, cockroach in Japanese is gokiburi, the black demon, the endless horror, the “G”.)
Shizuku, Aiko, Remia, and then Akiko might be fortunate in a sense.
「「「「──」」」」
After all they were instantly unconscious.
The four self-travelled to the dream of ideal world where no nightmare existed. As for everyone except the four of them, a second later.
「「「「「「「「「「「IYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!?」」」」」」」」」」」
Hajime and co let out a scream of death agony together.
.
.
***
No.
「Myu?」
Myuu alone was looking puzzled why everyone was acting that panicked.