Live Dungeon!

[So I ended up not going home… but this is fine, right? I can still go back later, can’t I? No way it was a one-shot deal. I mean, there was no way I could’ve physically entered that gate in time. If it turns out I’m stuck in this world forever, that’s gonna be rough. As shitty as God has been so far, there’s no way He’d pull something that cruel… right?]

Though Tsutomu had safely returned to the Guild, his steps were light only in appearance; internally, unease gnawed at him. He followed behind Garm, who walked ahead with his usual vigilance, shielding them from the stares of onlookers.

“Congratulations on your victory! By the way, about that Black Gate–”

“That gate didn’t open, did it!?”

“Amazing! You guys really did it!”

“Is there more beyond the hundredth layer!?”

“Hey, hey! Move it, will you!?” Hannah shouted, struggling against the crowd. “Let us through!”

From those who had been watching the Monitors, the news of Absolute Helix’s victory on the hundredth layer, as well as the hint of the Dungeon continuing beyond, had unleashed a storm of excitement. Explorers and journalists swarmed them, clamoring for answers. The Guild venue was in utter chaos.

While the Guild staff scrambled to restrain the crowd, Tsutomu and his party slipped away and made a hasty retreat to the Clan House before the commotion could escalate any further.

“…Wait, where’s Hannah and Daryl?” Tsutomu asked. “Don’t tell me we left them at the Guild…”

“Mehhh, not my problem,” Amira said with a little chuckle.

“It would’ve just made things worse if they came out with us,” Garm rationalized. “They’ll find their way back eventually.”

“Sorry, I’m gonna go rest for a bit,” Amy said abruptly and excused herself.

She hurried up the stairs to her room, while the rest of the group, still riding the high of their success and the discovery that the Dungeon extended beyond the hundredth layer, paid her no mind and were already requesting a celebratory feast from Ollie and Maribel.

[…Wait, is she…?]

Amy had trained with Tsutomu long enough to master concealing signs of mental exhaustion, but her tail betrayed her with how it always drooped like a wilting leaf. If she had used enough mental energy after returning to the Guild to become visibly drained, there had to be a reason.

A creeping dread took hold of Tsutomu. Without another word, he followed her upstairs and knocked on her door.

“You seemed a little out of it. Are you feeling okay?”

“Ah… I-I’m fine, really.”

“You’ve been using too much mental energy, haven’t you? I’ve got a Blue Potion here, if you need it.”

“Mm-hmm…”

When he opened the door, Tsutomu found her sitting stiffly on her bed, clearly acting off. He stepped inside and closed the door quietly behind him. His gaze drifted to the piece of reward gear resting on her bed.

“You’ve already appraised the stuff?”

“Huh? Oh, uh… yeah. I did.”

“…”

Tsutomu could not bring himself to say more. Maybe she had uncovered something in the gear’s description. Something she should not have seen. The strained conversation from earlier. The way she’d smiled too easily and spoken too cheerfully had already set his nerves on edge. And now, the pieces were falling into place.

But perhaps she had not learned everything yet. Back when she had used her Appraisal skill to check the Black Staff, some of its properties had remained hidden. If Tsutomu spoke carelessly now, he might give something away she had not noticed.

“…Uh, so, the Potion?”

“…Oh, right. Here.”

Tsutomu unclipped a spare Blue Potion from his belt and handed the vial to her. Amy accepted it hesitantly, then began sipping it little by little.

There was an unfamiliar sense of tension between them, even though they had known each other longer than anyone else in the party. Tsutomu could not bring himself to breach the subject; he felt that one wrong word would be like triggering a chain explosion of landmines.

When Amy finally finished the Potion, she handed back the empty vial with all the timidity of a cat in a stranger’s house.

“I’m all better now.”

“…Looks that way.”

“Wait… what’s this? Tsutomu, you’re in my room of your own accord? Is this… is this that thing people talk about? Like an ‘OK’ sign!? You can’t! Everyone’s still downstairs!”

“…”

“Boy, oh boy, I know I’m irresistible, but come on! At least give a girl some mood lighting or something! You’ve got to respect the atmosphere!”

Amy must have known full well that the mood was anything but lighthearted. But she cracked the joke anyway, likely hoping to defuse the tension.

…But then, seeing that Tsutomu did not react, her bravado finally collapsed. Her face crumpled into an expression of guilt, sorrow, and resignation all at once.

From beneath the reward gear on the bed, she pulled out a sheet of paper, one that resembled a Status Card in shape and thickness.

“…I’m sorry. I… I also appraised this.”

“…Huh.”

Amy held it out to him.

Written at the top were the words: Application for Return from Another World.

For a moment, Tsutomu stood frozen, murmuring under his breath as if the floor beneath him had dropped away. The truth of who he was and where he had come from, the secret he had kept hidden for nearly two years… was all laid bare on that page.

▽▽

“…All right, I think I got it now.”

Seated on the edge of Amy’s bed, Tsutomu let out a long breath as he looked over the sheet of paper she had handed him. The moment he finished reading, the recent phenomenon at the returning Black Gate following their victory on the hundredth layer began to make sense.

His return to the real world had never depended on the reward gear; that had been nothing more than a red herring.

The true condition was much more simple, almost insultingly so. Someone who cleared the hundredth layer had to grant permission using the paper card. That alone would activate the return.

And somehow, no, clearly by malicious design, that very document had been handed to Amy along with the reward gear. As soon as she had appraised it and seen Tsutomu approach the returning Black Gate, she had revoked the permission, likely in a panic.

[Dammit, God HAD to know this would happen! That’s why He gave it to Amy!]

Had the paper card ended up with anyone else, Tsutomu would likely have returned home by now. There was no way it had been random. It was nothing more than God’s harassment.

[And then there’s the ridiculous clause that increases the number of required approvals with each rejection. If it had only been Amy, I might’ve talked her around. Garm, maybe… Actually, Dary would probably be easier to win over…]

Thanks to Amy’s single denial, Tsutomu would now need two people to approve his return. Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair, silently cursing God for building this world’s escape mechanism like a pyramid scheme.

His rare display of agitation did not go unnoticed. Amy, fidgeting beside him, finally broke the silence.

“…Tsutomu. Are you really planning to go back?”

“…Sorry, but yeah. I am.”

“Why… why would you want to?”

“You’ve already read it, haven’t you? Everything on that card is true. To me, God’s Dungeon and this whole world basically is just a game.”

The paper card contained his life history from his time in Japan; there was no point lying anymore. Still, Amy did not back down.

“A game? I don’t really get what that means, but–”

“Think of it like this: for me, this world is like a dream. And no one stays in a dream forever. If I have a real life waiting for me back home, then I have to go back to it.”

“A dream? But this is real, too! Right!?”

She leaned in close, gripping his hand tightly. Tsutomu let out a sigh, as though reminded of something he had forgotten.

“…You’re right, that was a poor choice of words. This world IS real. I don’t wake up when I pinch my cheek. But still… it feels unreal to me. It’s all too convenient. I can’t wrap my head around the idea of making a living by killing monsters in a Dungeon. No matter how much Gold I earn, it feels like game currency. I’m sorry.”

“…Then how about this…”

“–!”

Without warning, Amy shoved him down onto the bed. Alarm flared in Tsutomu’s chest, and he opened his mouth to scream but the sight of her blushing furiously made him pause. This was not the kind of crisis he had first imagined.

“Th-there are things in this world that are better than reality, you know…?”

“…You’re not very good at this. Maybe don’t force it.”

“Wha– you still think this isn’t real!? I-I can do this if I try!”

“Yeah, you’re getting a little too into it. And seriously, stop trying to tear my clothes off. If it comes to that, I’ll take them off myself.”

“Ugh…”

“Pfft… heh, sorry. Couldn’t help it.”

Her confidence visibly deflated, and the moment her hands pushed harder, Tsutomu burst into laughter. She pouted in embarrassment, but didn’t let go.

“…H-huh!?”

When he slowly reached for his belt, her face turned beet red, and the strength drained from her arms. Taking the chance, Tsutomu gently slipped out from under her, stood, and began straightening his rumpled clothes.

“…I need time to think. I haven’t sorted out how I feel yet. But I promise I’ll explain everything properly later. Just… please don’t tell anyone about this. Okay?”

“Uuugh…!”

Amy buried her face in a pillow and let out a muffled groan, as though she wished the embarrassment would kill her right then and there.

Leaving her like that, Tsutomu stepped quietly out of the room, clutching the paper card tightly in his hand.