Live Dungeon!

”Hey, guys. Welcome back,” Tsutomu greeted the returning group in his usual mild tone, lounging on the living room sofa with a stack of notes in hand.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Amy strode over. She leaned against the sofa’s armrest and thrust her face close to his with the sternness of a mother scolding a child.

”Why’d YOU come home first, Tsutomu!? Everyone else came back together!”

”The atmosphere around the Pedestal made it pretty clear the Guild would be awash in emotion. And, well… I’m not great with that sort of thing.”

”…Okay. Understandable, I guess.”

The mood at the Guild had mirrored that of the market: a tide of euphoria and tears. Explorers everywhere celebrated Absolute Helix Team 2’s long-awaited victory after weeks of grueling attempts at the ninetieth layer. Even Korinna, who had once worn her inferiority complex like a second skin, had smiled through tears as Amira gave her an affirming pat on the back. That scene had struck a chord with many; it was a moment that left even hardened veterans wiping their eyes.

To witness Korinna break through her shell as a Healer, recognized not just by Amira but also the entire party, had reminded many of the value of trust in one’s team. That night, more than a few Explorers members were seen walking hand-in-hand with their Clanmates as they headed home.

”Don’t get me wrong, I AM glad you all cleared the ninetieth layer,” Tsutomu said. ”Especially you, Korinna… I think you finally found the breakthrough you needed to improve as a Healer. That’s a huge relief for me too. So, congratulations. Really.”

”Ah… t-thank you!” Korinna replied, her voice soft but proud.

”But, to be honest, I saw how hard you were all working. So to me, this was never in doubt; it was just the natural result. Now the REAL challenge starts, so let’s keep our heads on straight.”

”Heh. Don’t think for a second that I see the ninetieth layer as the goal.” Amira shot back, tying up her damp red hair behind her head. Brushing Korinna aside with a nudge, she fixed Tsutomu with a glare that gleamed with the fire of competition. ”Of course I’m aiming for the ninety-ninth layer next. So you better be ready.”

”I figured as much. I’ve already got some ideas to expedite your progress… But let’s save it for tomorrow morning. For now, maybe hit the bath? You’re kinda… sweaty.”

”……”

Amira glared at Tsutomu with flat disapproval before wordlessly turning on her heel and trudging off toward the first-floor bath. Amy and Korinna followed close behind. Garm and Xeno, after exchanging a glance, quietly headed upstairs.

Once Team 2 had completely dispersed, Leleia finally spoke, her voice no longer carried by emotion but shaded with restraint.

”My apologies for earlier.”

Tsutomu waved her off with a shake of his hand.

”Nah, it’s fine. I misread the room. If anything, I was the one being rude.”

”…If it had been any other day, I might’ve agreed with you, actually.”

”Amira was part of that team, after all. Of course you’d cheer for them. I just didn’t take that into account. My bad.”

When Tsutomu had seen Leleia crying at the Pedestal, it had stirred something unpleasant in him. Someone like her, someone he believed shared his way of seeing things, had been crying over something he never would. It had felt like a betrayal of some unspoken understanding, and in that flicker of resentment, he had said things he should not have.

[What a joke. Did I seriously think Leleia was anything like me? Of course not.]

Even if her personality had always leaned on the cold side, Leleia had still been raised in this world, and in a household of knights, no less. Warped though she may have been by her history with Amira, she still had far more sensible emotional wiring than he did. On the Asian server of Live Dungeon, where tens of thousands played, there had been no shortage of players with similarly coarse emotional filters. But in this world, where people wore their hearts far more openly than those on Earth, he was something of a solitary creature.

With that realization, Tsutomu made peace with Leleia quickly enough. Together they watched Daryl and the others head off for their baths, leaving behind a rare stillness in the otherwise bustling Clan House. From the kitchen drifted a cheerful clatter, more lively than usual. Tsutomu remained alone in the living room, waiting for the others to return.

[I should be able to make it in time…]

”Well now. Don’t you look lonesome, Tsutomu?”

A sultry voice teased from behind. Just as he registered the words, a pair of arms slithered around him like serpents. Tsutomu leaned forward, slipping free from the embrace and turned to see Camille, apron still tied at her waist, smirking like a mischievous cat.

”Done with cooking?”

”Mm-hmm. Took care of the first wave.”

”I see. Much appreciated.”

Camille swung her legs over the back of the sofa and dropped down beside Tsutomu, patting the seat invitingly. But Tsutomu chose to sit across from her instead. Camille gave him a brief, wounded glare before letting it go with a tired exhale and leaning back against the cushions.

To be fair, she had returned straight from watching Amira’s triumph at the Pedestal to throwing herself into cooking for the whole Clan House. Of course she was tired.

A moment later, Pico peeked in from the hall and offered Tsutomu a polite nod. Behind her trailed a small group led by Riki and Misa, orphans whom Garm and Daryl had been looking after, carrying trays of food to the table.

When Tsutomu returned alone to the Clan House, they had already been waiting outside, having just finished their shopping. When they offered to help with dinner, he checked with Ollie first before giving his approval. As for Riki’s group, they had apparently only come to offer their congratulations, but since they were already here, Tsutomu saw no reason to let them go empty-handed. He ordered them to help with dinner prep, thinking Garm would perhaps appreciate the gesture.

”Thank you so much for having us today,” Pico said with a polite bow.

”Oh, it’s no trouble. Miss Ollie told me it was her idea, and she already had my approval,” Tsutomu replied.

”Um… so, how did Xeno do at the ninetieth layer?”

”Hmm… I thought he did quite well overall. What did you think?”

”I agree. He performed wonderfully. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped draw out his full potential. Especially during that part with the purple Mystic Eyes…”

”Ah, maybe save the details for Korinna or one of the other party members? They’ll probably be happy to talk about it, and I think you’d both get more out of the conversation.”

Sensing the unmistakable onset of a long-winded recap, Tsutomu gently redirected her and made a tactical retreat toward Riki and the others, who were busy carrying dishes to the round table. With over a dozen people attending, many of them hearty eaters, the meal they were assembling looked more like a lavish buffet than the usual dinner.

”Sorry to rope you into all this,” Tsutomu said.

”…Ah, no, it’s fine,” Misa replied, her answer delayed as if caught off guard.

She did not look especially convinced that Tsutomu felt guilty about it. In truth, Tsutomu had not interacted with her much. It had probably been about a month since they last spoke directly. Still, Tsutomu had heard a few things.

”You know, I heard about you guys from time to time, about how the orphans who used to scrape by collecting Magic Stones are now banding together, getting decent equipment, and pulling their weight as Explorers. Sounds like you’ve all been working hard.”

”Y-yes.”

”It’s good to see new Explorers coming up. And from what I’ve looked into, you’re not doing anything shady. No run-ins with the Security Team, at least. So if you’re using Absolute Helix’s reputation to your advantage, I won’t complain. Just… don’t make me regret giving you that leeway, all right?”

Misa flinched slightly under his steady gaze. The girl still had the eyes of a lamb, wide, uncertain, and painfully sincere. Though she and her little group had crossed paths with Absolute Helix often since that incident at the Guild, they’d started earning respect not just from other orphans but even from merchants. Rumors had it that various cliques were already forming among the orphans, and Misa’s crew was being watched closely, even by information brokers.

That kind of influence could be abused all too easily. That was why Tsutomu took this chance to drive the warning home.

Just then, Daryl and the others returned from their baths, entering the living room with fresh clothes. The moment they saw the spread of food on the table, their eyes lit up.

”Whoa! This looks amazing!”

”Some of the dishes still need a few finishing touches, but feel free to start with what’s ready,” said Ollie.

”Help yourselves,” added Pico, setting down another tray.

”We made plenty,” Camille said, arms crossed with a smirk on her face. ”So eat until you drop.”

”Will do!”

Ollie, Pico, and Camille had clearly gone above and beyond. Even the young apprentice, Maribel, peeked her head out from the kitchen, her cheeks flushed with pride.

”…Pico! You went through all this trouble for us?” Xeno blinked in surprise.

”Ancient Dragon!?” Amira gasped.

”Guild Master!? You came all the way here!?” Amy asked.

”Miss Camille, thank you for everything,” Garm added with a grateful nod.

”Whoa! There’s so much food!” Korinna exclaimed, spellbound by the feast on the round table.

There was a full roast of a massive fish, something one would normally only see at the Seafood Dining Hall. There were fluffy sweet buns modeled after popular street stalls, bubbling trays of cheesy gratin, Pico’s lovingly prepared home-cooked fare, and towering piles of meat and side dishes. The spread was clearly crafted with Team 2’s preferences in mind.

Moreover, the guest list was much larger than usual. Tsutomu planned to seat Team 2’s members at the center, but he also wanted Camille, Pico, and a few others nearby for conversation. So, naturally, he took a seat at the far end of the table and helped line up glasses and plates as everyone found their places.

As the room filled with anticipation, and people glanced around, unsure how to begin, Tsutomu raised his voice slightly and called out.

”All right then, Korinna. As the party’s leader, mind saying a few words?”

”H-huh!? U-um…”

”Hurry up,” Amira grumbled, arms crossed. ”I’m starving.”

”U-uh… Good work, everyone!”

”Cheers!”

Even with the Guild Master in attendance, Korinna managed, only barely, to take the lead. Though it was mostly spurred on by Amira’s impatience. The group followed suit, raising mugs of ale and cups of juice in celebration. And so, the victory feast began, filled with laughter among comrades.