【”It’s coming.”】
【”Ooh!?”】
【”Hey, bastards, take that damn thing and get out of the ruins!”】
【”Hey, let’s escape, too!”】
【”This thing is a watchdog. It will chase after us to take back the treasure that’s been snatched away from it.”】
【”How is this thing a dog? Dogs are supposed to be cute, man! Anyway, I’m telling you, we’ll be just fine if we run away!”】
【”Yeah, you’re right, we would probably be able to escape. The two of us, that is.”】
【”… Oh, I see. In other words, if we kill this thing, it will solve everything.”】
【”What? We? You’re going to stay, too?”】
【”I am not a coward who would escape and leave you here by yourself!”】
【”Just know that I won’t help you next time.”】
【”I would have been able to ward it off better at that time if you had just spoken louder! What was with that barely tense “It’s coming”? Was that your impression of some small bird’s chirping?!”】
【”Don’t blame me, you’re the one who’s always being noisy, going “cui cui cui” like a damn magpie. Plus it looked like you wouldn’t manage to ward off anything if I didn’t intervene. So it doesn’t seem like there was any flaw in my logic to me.”】
【”Shut up, idiot!”】
【”Damn it! There is no end to them!”】
【”Are you gonna complain after declaring oh-so-dramatically that you’d stay?”】
【”Dramatically?! When the hell did I do that?! Check your ears, they’re not working!”】
【”No way around it. I’ll settle this fight right quick with my special move!”】
【”I’ll leave it to you to cover me!”】
【”You’ve got some guts to boss me around.”】
【『Gozan Aranami』!!】(Great slash of the raging waves)
◇
【”Haah, just how long is it gonna take to reach the exit…?”】
【”If you’ve got the leisure for pointless chatter, then walk faster.”】
【”Say.”】
【”What?”】
【”Why did you leave the monster from earlier to me? I think it would have been easier to win if you fought it.”】
【”Oh, that? Heh.”】
The robed man condescendingly scoffed at Hugo’s question.
【”It was a warning for you, bastard. If you learned anything through this experience, then you just might stop exploring the ruins recklessly.”】
【”Right, I’ll keep that engraved in my mind.”】
【”Good.”】
【”May I ask one more thing?”】
【”….What?”】
【”You’re no adventurer, are you? So why did you come to the ruins?”】
【”…What makes you think I’m not an adventurer?”】
【”You know way too little about exploring ruins. And you didn’t really show interest in any treasure or item, excluding the sword that you took in the end. Rather, was that sword your actual goal?”】
【”Do you know about what people refer to as the “treasured objects”?”】
【”Well, I’ve heard the legends but… wait, don’t tell me that…”】
【”The sword from earlier is one of them.”】
【”No way! The treasured objects are just a fantasy, aren’t they?”】
【”If that’s what you want to believe, suit yourself.”】
【”Right now, there are people who are digging up treasured objects from all over the continent. As for the treasured objects that are already owned by others, those people would just steal them.”】
【”It’s fine if they discover them in ruins, but if they actually steal them, that’s another story.”】
【”The theft and whatnot don’t matter at all. The problem is, what are those people trying to do by collecting the treasured objects?”】
【”Aren’t they selling them to collectors in exchange for gold?”】
【”…It would be nice if that was all there is to it.”】
【”You’re speaking in riddles right now. So, in the end, the reason you’re looking for the treasured objects is so that those people won’t get their hands on them?”】
【”Something like that. By the way, I heard that they are actually a trio of black-robed people who do not speak a single word.”】
【”Oh, I see…. Wait, that’s you guys!”】
【”This operation was a success. With this, word of a “black robed trio” will spread, even though we’re not actually them.”】
【”…That’s your aim? Seriously, you scared me there.”】
【”Say, why does a moron like you bother exploring ruins?”】
【”I’m hoping to find a treasure and strike it rich.”】
【”So you’re motivated by greed, huh.”】
【”Of course I am. I’m an adventurer after all.”】
【”But then, why are you idling away here?”】
【”What do you mean?”】
【”The Cadiz ruins. That’s where you’d find what you’re looking for, moron.”】
【”Say, why are you…”】
【”Hey, you two! Hurry and get out!”】
【”Has anyone come out injured or dead?”】
【”There are some wounded people, but none of them was seriously injured. Looking at the name on the list, you were the last ones left inside.”】
When exploring ruins, it was mandatory to put one’s name in a certain search list beforehand. That way, the list could be checked out when there was an emergency like the current one and when someone did not return.
While he did think that this situation was nothing to be pleased about, Hugo still felt relieved by that person’s answer.
【”Even so, it took you long enough to come out. What the hell were you doing?”】
【”I’m ashamed…”】
【”Say, will you hear me out for a second?”】
【”What? If you’ve got energy to spare, use it to freaking help out here.”】
【”Well, speaking of that, I owe you an apology.”】
◇
【”….Oho, Harold has already snatched away the treasured object from the ruins?”】
【”You… Are you the greatest obstacle on my path, Harold Stokes? You, who has the same destructive eyes as me.”】
【”Thank you for giving up your own life to prove my love, Harold. No matter what, you alone, I will absolutely kill.”】
As Justus said so, there was no anger on his face; it was filled only with deep affection.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and I wish you an excellent day ?
