Chapter 29 - Dungeon Rematch and Racshell of Old
We were on the third floor of the dungeon. Our formation had Mizuki and Fam in the front, with me and Maira in the back. I had my bow equipped in preparation for any Big Eyes. Maira was armed with a mace.
"So you've been in a dungeon before, Maira."
When we entered, we'd been given the option to start on floors 1 through 30, or 39 through 41.
"Yes. I made it to the thirtieth floor when I was a priestess."
"Were you in a party?"
"I was in Aidan-san's party. Or rather, Aidan-san was the one who taught me about dungeon exploring."
"Is that so?"
Maira nodded.
"Aidan-san was the one who saved Aira and me after we lost our parents to a plague. Thanks to his help, we were able to get into the church's orphanage. He continued to support us even after that, so we never wanted for anything. And that's how we've become who we are today."
The dwarf Aidan had short legs. 'Daddy-Long-Legs' should be renamed 'Daddy-Short-Legs.' Now I knew who had truly nurtured the girls' breasts. It seemed there were many people he had saved, myself and Fam included. Leaving this city meant saying goodbye to him as well.
"A plague, you say. The pest?" It was the only medieval plague I could think of.
"Yes. The church in the farming village where I lived had no one who could perform healing magic."
I see. So there were functioning churches in this world.
"Master."
Fam called out. There were two Big Eyes on the ceiling. They launched fireballs before I could even nock an arrow. Given the distance, they were easy to dodge. As I nocked another arrow, wolves charged at us from the front and back.
"I'll take the wolf in front," Mizuki said, moving to engage it.
"Then I shall handle the one behind us!" Maira moved to intercept the other wolf, shielding me.
"Fam, let's take out the Big Eyes!"
"Yes!"
The moment I loosed my arrow, Fam threw a kunai. Her single strike pierced the Big Eye. Just as the Big Eyes were dealt with, Mizuki and Maira finished off their wolves.
"That was easy. Let's keep moving."
As I said that, I noticed Fam staring up at the ceiling.
"My kunai is stuck in the ceiling and will not come down…"
Arrows were consumables, but it was a waste to treat a kunai as disposable. I used earth magic to hit it with a stone pebble, and the kunai fell.
"Thank you, Master." Fam bowed her head.
"Fam…"
Somehow, I felt a slight distance had grown between us. I stroked her ears. As expected, the texture was divine.
"…Master?"
"Oh, it's nothing."
I pulled my hand away. I felt a flush of embarrassment as I realized Mizuki and Maira were staring at me.
Still, ranged enemies were a problem. My arrow count would drop first, and I'd use mana for control. There was also the chance of not being able to retrieve a kunai. It was unavoidable against a powerful foe like an area guardian, but being forced to expend resources on small fry was tough.
"Mash, why don't we check everyone's levels?" Maira suggested.
"Good idea. I'm an Adventurer, level 17."
"I am a Mibu-Rō, level 14," said Fam.
"I'm a Swordswoman, level 11, with a second job as an Adventurer, level 2," said Mizuki.
"And I am a Miko, level 34, with a second job as a Priestess, level 15. Mash and Fam, your levels are rising quickly due to Mash's Divine Blessing, I see. Mizuki, you've been fighting high-level enemies, so your leveling is fast, but the effect from the Divine Blessing is even faster. Hmm…"
Maira was by far the strongest. I probably shouldn't stare too obviously at her chest. She seemed to be deep in thought.
"By the way, Fam, have you decided on a special skill?" I asked.
"I am still undecided. There is one that sounds good, called a '46cm Triple-Barreled Cannon.'"
If she fired something like that, wouldn't the shockwave blow away her allies first? Still, I wondered if Fam was also a believer in the supremacy of big ships and big guns. Maybe she wasn't satisfied with my destroyer… no, my light cruiser.
"I am searching for a skill that will allow me to protect Master."
"I see. A skill that can protect me would likely be a skill that can protect you, too. I'm all for it."
Fam nodded happily.
"Well, there's no need to rush. You might find something that suits you better once you're a little stronger. You can decide after we get to Migul."
"You are right. I shall think on it carefully," Fam replied.
"It is said that only one in tens, or even hundreds of thousands possesses a Divine Blessing. Mash, are you able to bestow them?"
Maira asked, looking quite astonished.
"No, I made a deal with Racshell when we fought Reed and his party. She gave me a catalog of special skills for Fam at that time."
"Haven't you been favoring Fam a little too much? I understand she is number one, but Mizuki and I are your lovers, too."
Maira looked at Mizuki, seemingly calling for reinforcements.
"Huh? M-Me? I don't really… well… yeah, I'd like you to be a little nicer to me, too."
Mizuki looked down and fidgeted. It was kind of cute.
"Please forgive me on the special skills front. As for my attitude, alright. I'll try harder."
"Yes. Please do." Maira smiled. To be honest, I still wasn't sure how to interact with her. I needed the courage to touch her boobs. Alright, no time like the present. As I stealthily reached out my hand, my eyes met Mizuki's. She was clearly admonishing me. I retracted my hand.
"As an apology, of sorts, I'll share my storage with you, Maira."
I immediately created a partition for Maira.
"Thank you very much!"
I was glad she was pleased.
"Hmph. What about me?" Mizuki chimed in. She already had her own storage. This was tricky.
"I don't have anything to give you right now. I guess I'll have to give you a kiss."
"Huh? Right here, right now?" Mizuki's face turned beet red.
"Master…"
Fam was scary.
"Mash, then, let me use your katana while you're using your bow today. I want to try it out."
"I might want to switch back depending on the enemy… but, alright."
I handed the katana to Mizuki. Since I was in the rear, I figured I'd have time to switch between my bow and sword, but in that case, I'd just use my one-handed sword. It was important for Mizuki to test her potential, too.
"Now then, I have been thinking. The enemies on the third floor seem to be too low-level for us. Aira and Cecily will be joining us from tomorrow on as well. I believe we should be fine on the tenth floor or higher."
Would Aira and Cecily really join our party? I still couldn't picture it. I glanced at Fam. Would she be okay suddenly facing enemies of a much higher level? I'd prefer to ease her into it gradually.
"That is exactly my point," Maira pointed out. This was getting a little awkward.
"Ah, I have said too much. My apologies."
My expression must have given me away. Maira gave a small bow.
"For today, since we've come prepared, I want to defeat the third-floor area guardian. We have to get ready for our journey starting tomorrow, so let's talk about it again then."
We needed to prepare for the trip to Migul. Plus, we'd been fighting almost every day since we arrived in this world; we needed a rest day.
"Yes, I understand," Maira answered.
"Is that okay with you, Mizuki?"
"Yeah."
Mizuki nodded.
"Maira, have you seen Racshell before?"
I asked on a whim. The mural in the church was a dead ringer for Racshell, and the spectators at the duel had recognized her.
"No. I do not believe any living person has met Racshell-sama or any other god directly. But Racshell-sama is a special goddess."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. Do you recall when I spoke of how the various races were born?"
I nodded. Humanity had shamelessly mated with all sorts of animals, giving rise to races based on them. The gods saw this and made it so they could no longer produce offspring. I gave Mizuki a quick summary.
"How many races are there?" Mizuki asked.
"No one has seen the ends of the world. No one knows how many races there are. To change the subject, the gods grew angry with humanity for creating new races and sought to destroy them with divine punishment. The one who opposed this was Racshell-sama. It became a war between Racshell-sama, leading one hundred thousand humans, and the four goddesses who admired her—Lishar-sama, Luche-sama, Renren-sama, and Ronron-sama—against the God of the End and all the other gods. There are paintings and sculptures of that time that remain, though they have become scarce."
I could understand why the gods would be angry. And there was a god with a panda-like name in the mix. The naming sense was incredibly lazy, but I held my tongue since teasing her about it wouldn't help.
"Did all the gods participate in that war?"
"No. It is said that the Two Pillars of Creation, the Five Pillars of Genesis, and several other gods did not participate. However, all the gods aside from the five goddesses sided with those who would destroy humanity."
"I see. So there were about forty enemy gods."
Maira's eyes widened in surprise.
"Could it be that you already knew this story?"
"No, this is my first time hearing it." After all, it's Racshell, Lishar, Luche, Renren, and Ronron. The hint was a bit too obvious.
"So, humanity won?"
"No. Unfortunately, we lost. Racshell-sama wielded her divine spear, but she could not defeat the God of the End. It is said that the five goddesses who sided with humanity were imprisoned."
Was that space where Racshell summoned me a prison?
"However, through their sacrifice, the remaining humans were able to reach the God of the End. In the end, humanity could not defeat him either, but they were able to cast him down to the earth. The God of the End could no longer return to the celestial realm. The other gods ceased their attempts to destroy humanity, ensured no new races would be created, and returned to heaven. But the God of the End, cast down to the earth, is still somewhere on this land, plotting humanity's destruction. That war was the last time the gods were seen. There are many legends of them appearing, but none with as many witnesses as our duel."
"Is the God of the End the Demon Lord?"
Mizuki asked a terrifying question. But I had been thinking the same thing. The 'Demon Lord' Racshell mentioned was likely the God of the End, or a transmigrator he had summoned. If a transmigrator was the Demon Lord, that's fine, but if we have to fight the God of the End, Racshell's power won't work. We'd need to find another way to fight. No, if the story is true, I would use Goddess Summoning to send Mizuki to confront the God of the End. Then, Mizuki would defeat him. Her skill to avoid fatal blows should be more effective the stronger the enemy is. In that light, Mizuki might have a chance of winning even now. Thinking about it this way, I could understand why Racshell wanted to pair me and Mizuki together. I must not let Fam anywhere near that fight. If she died a martyr's death, my reason for fighting would vanish. I wouldn't be able to go on living. No, I'd probably already be dead by then. There was a way to keep her from fighting and from dying for me. Fam is my girlfriend, after all. No, I should think of another way. I absolutely do not want to die. Not until the day I find a beauty who surpasses even Mizuki.
"You mean the Demon Lord that was defeated one hundred years ago? Hmm, I do not believe Mehmed was the God of the End. From what I have heard, he was too weak to be a god. The difference in name is also significant."
An empire with a feudal system. A demon kingdom to the east. A holy war. Hearing that name, I couldn't help but associate it with Mehmed II from my world's history. Could it be that some transmigrator jokingly took that name and ended up being defeated as the Demon Lord?
"The Demon Lord's name was Mehmed? What's the name of the God of the End?"
"The Two Pillars of Creation are the highest gods, followed by the Five Pillars of Genesis and the God of the End. I cannot tell you his name. Divine punishment will befall any insolent one who speaks it. It is a secret of secrets that only a select few within the church can handle. I was told the name by the high priest when I pledged to serve you, Mash."
It seemed plausible that a parent could die from divine punishment while thinking of a name for their child. Or was it a name one wouldn't normally think of? Maybe it was an incredibly long name, or a strong password-like name with a mix of numbers and symbols.
"However, perhaps I should tell you all. Just please, never utter it as the name of the God of the End."
I see, so as long as you don't connect the name to the god, it's fine. It's probably something like 'The Closer' from Norse mythology anyway. Still, there's something about being told not to say something that makes you want to say it.
"You're being awfully dramatic. Is it a name we would know?"
"The name of the God of the End is the same as yours."
"'The Same as Yours'? What a stupid name."
"That is not it! What would you do if I, in retorting to your joke, Mash, were to say the real name? Please do not try to lead me to such an embarrassing death!"
Maira delivered a flawless comeback.
"She's right. You're the stupid one, Mash. Still, this makes me want to dig a hole and shout it out."
It seems Mizuki wanted to get in on the joke, too. Still, a name I had chosen so casually turned out to be so significant. And then a thought struck me.
"Fam, did you know the name of the God of the End?"
"No, I did not know it was 'The Same as Yours.'"
Fam was also trying desperately to spread the laughter.
"Fam… you don't have to force yourself to play along."
"It is difficult to explain, but when I fell ill, I somehow came to understand. But I had forgotten for a long time, and then it came back to me the morning after I met you, Master, as I was watching you sleep. I had heard he was the god who would bring an end to this world, and I was sure he must be a terrifying god, but you were completely different. I love you. Even if the entire world follows Racshell-sama, I will follow you, Master."
"Fam… this is hard to say, but Mash is really just some old guy. I came to this world with him, so there's no mistake," Mizuki said.
"I am not the God of the End. I think calling me 'some old guy' is rude, but I am a normal human. So, praying to me won't do anything."
Fam looked troubled. It was clear she wasn't convinced. It was as if she wanted to say something, as if she were about to cry. But she neither nodded in agreement nor denied it. Fam glanced at Maira.
"I do not think a person who can summon a god is normal. For now, I believe Mash is a normal person. But that name holds a special power. I believe there will be a change eventually."
It was an ominous prediction, but Maira's eyes were shining brightly, filled with anticipation.
"Fam, if you have something on your mind, I want you to say it."
"No… Perhaps my feelings for you, Master, are so strong that they have distorted my perception. But I cannot bring myself to pray to any other god now."
"What's been distorted?"
"The world. Ever since I met you, Master. But… it feels as though I knew you from before."
"'From before,' as in, since you got sick?"
"Perhaps. But it also feels like it was even longer ago."
This was getting confusing. But I felt I should commit it to memory. Besides, if it was such a significant name, why hadn't Racshell stopped me? I felt like I was being toyed with.
"In the end, it's your fault, Mash, for not properly introducing yourself to Racshell!" Mizuki declared.
"Maira, do you know what kind of god the guardian deity in Fam's village was?"
Was this also related to some high-ranking god?
"No. I do not believe it is a god that appears in the myths. Perhaps it is a person, a monster, or a natural phenomenon that has been deified and passed down through legend. I might know if I were to go there."
"I promised Fam. We'll be going. I'll be counting on you then."
"Understood. I will do my best to be of service."
Maira offered a bright smile.
"Anyway, since you can meet with Racshell, why didn't you just ask her these things directly?" Mizuki asked a very reasonable question.
"I try to summon her with that in mind, but for some reason, it never turns out that way."
"It's because you're always thinking about perverted things, isn't it?"
She saw right through me, so I couldn't argue.
"Regarding the last summoning, Racshell-sama was generating a large-scale field with a charm effect. It probably deploys automatically and constantly. Those affected seem to have their minds slightly altered so they are not aware of anything even after the effect wears off. It was very powerful. A normal person could not resist it."
Maira answered in my stead. I see, so on top of the mana sickness, I was charmed, too. Well, that can't be helped then.
"I see, so that's why I get horny. That's a relief."
"No, I do not understand what is a relief, but I believe you are the only one who would feel that way towards a goddess, Mash."
"That's not true. Fam, too…" Fam covered my mouth.
"…What are you two doing?"
Mizuki sent a cold glare our way.
"Mash, if you take me with you, we can have a proper conversation."
Maira said, looking a little smug. Right, Maira is not meeting Racshell.
"Mash, you have faith in Racshell-sama, do you not? That is why you were called to this world, is it not?"
"Huh?"
Maira's question left me at a loss for words. Come to think of it, Racshell was the first god I had ever seen. But to me, she was just a sexy older sister. Too vivid. There was no trace of the legend Maira spoke of. Perhaps faith requires a certain amount of distance.
"No, I don't have faith in her. I have faith in M… Mizuki's boobs."
I wanted to say Maira's boobs, but I just couldn't get the words out. But if it's boobs, Mizuki's are fine too.
"Wha—?" Mizuki covered her chest and glared at me accusingly.
"What did you have faith in in your previous world?" Maira asked, looking surprised.
"I didn't even know a god named Racshell existed. In my original world, I think most people believe the existence of gods is dubious, nothing more than a product of the human imagination. I wasn't much of a believer myself. If I had to say, I believed in the Yaoyorozu no Kami—the eight million gods."
"Shinto? Not Buddhism?" Mizuki asked.
"I'm not familiar enough to say if it's Shinto. But if what I vaguely believe is Shinto, then I guess so. For example, wouldn't you feel gross if I took the chopsticks I use every day, washed them, and then gave them to you saying, 'They're yours from now on'?"
"If they're yours, I don't really mind. But someone else's… maybe I would."
So mine are okay? I'd gladly lick Mizuki's clean.
"There are other things, too, like not wanting to speak ill of the dead, or how cleaning and tidying up feels more than just 'clean'—it feels like being purified. That's a philosophy of vengeful spirits and defilement that's unique to the region we lived in. It's so ingrained in our daily lives that I don't even notice it on a conscious level."
"…Now that you mention it, I guess it does feel like that," Mizuki answered.
"My grandparents' funerals were Buddhist. But my family, while claiming not to believe in God, celebrated Obon, New Year's, and Christmas. Well, I guess Obon isn't really a 'celebration.' If you do all that, it means you believe in something."
"Hmm. Isn't it just that because you don't believe, anything goes…?"
"I think it's because a faith that has melted into daily life has incorporated other religions. In other words, within the eight million gods, there's a group of Buddhas and even a god who claims to be the one and only God."
"Um, wouldn't that mean you'd have conflicting teachings and embrace contradictions?"
Mizuki didn't seem to think highly of my idea. That was fine; everyone's different.
"There are gods who repeatedly trap and kill their youngest brother, you know. And they deceived a rabbit. A group like that wouldn't have a problem with some upstart saying whatever he wants. You probably prayed at a shrine for success on your exams, but you're also thinking of having a fairytale wedding in a chapel, aren't you, Mizuki?"
"Ugh… How did you know?! I-Is that wrong?"
"Not at all. I'm sure you'd look beautiful," I said.
"Y-You think so?" Mizuki blushed.
For a while now, Maira and Fam had been left out of the conversation. It looked like explaining all this would take time.