kscans

Chapter 90 - The Banquet and Their Many Colors

When I came to, we were back in the church. I checked our members. All of Levante was present.

"Hmph!"

Cecily shoved the sword back at me.

"So you're alive."

"I seriously can't believe you!"

She seemed furious.

"My bad. I'll do it next time."

"Too late! We already know it's safe now!"

What a noisy girl. I pulled her into a hug.

"Gah! Don't think you can trick me with this!"

Cecily pushed me away. Aira moved to Cecily's side solicitously. The cheat. I hadn't forgotten that she'd run away just like I had. I looked around. Altair and the Knight Order hadn't returned yet. There was no one here but us.

"Looks like we're the only ones back..."

"I think they'll be back shortly,"

Myra answered.

"Still, I never thought there'd be an Area Guardian that could use a special skill."

Their mere existence was terrifying enough, but if there were monsters that could use special skills with devastating power and a wide range in a place with no escape, then dungeon crawling would be impossible.

"Me neither. Special skills are abilities said to be granted to humans by the gods. I've never heard of a monster using one."

"Weren't all the gods except for the five goddesses hostile to humans? It wouldn't be strange for them to grant skills to monsters."

"That may be so, but I've still never heard of it happening."

Myra shook her head.

"...Well, if this dungeon was activated by Mii using her special skill, then maybe it's an exception,"

I said, relaying what Doris had told me in the dungeon.

"The knight said to me, 'Impressive.' It made me wonder if the Area Guardian was a knight who had been buried down here."

"The monster said that?"

Myra's eyes widened when I nodded. Was it that surprising?

"Monsters don't speak."

"Goblins talk to each other, don't they? Even if we can't understand the meaning."

"W-well, yes, but there are two types of goblins: monster and creature. Besides, while that knight had a human form, it wasn't human."

Myra seemed to be struggling to explain. If monsters could communicate through conversation like us, the difficulty of clearing dungeons would skyrocket. I decided to just accept that monsters generally don't talk.

"Well, we won't get a conclusion on that. What do you think about Mii creating the dungeon with Crystal Control?"

Myra didn't know everything about how the world worked. I didn't want to blame her, so I changed the subject.

"She just wanted to create a diversion, right?"

Mizuki joined the conversation.

"To prevent reinforcements from reaching Nieren? If so, wouldn't she have had to activate it much earlier?"

"Not that. To escape."

"...I see. In that case, there might be more dungeons like this one waiting for us at our destinations. What a troublesome parting gift."

"If that's the case, I think Isark is heading to Furufto, just like us,"

Mizuki replied. Just then, Altair and the Knight Order appeared. And the black circle that had been the dungeon entrance vanished.

That night, a banquet was held in the castle's grand hall. We were among nobles. The knights who had explored the dungeon were there too, but the king didn't seem to be present. It was supposed to be a celebration of our efforts, but the preparations were too good. They must have been planning some kind of banquet already. As a reward, each member of the party, including those from the Mateo Trading Company, received one gold coin. The six of us who defeated the Area Guardian received an additional gold coin each. The Mateo Trading Company was also given an opportunity for business negotiations. Mercedes seemed more pleased with that than the gold coin. She and Claire were nowhere to be seen, likely deep in negotiations. Doris tried to give me her gold coin, and Fang tried to give his to Mizuki, but we let them keep their earnings. They would need a foothold after being freed from slavery. We had also given them their pay for guarding the caravan. Besides, Cecily and Aira had accepted their share as a matter of course. The meal was a standing buffet. The tables, draped in white cloth, were lined with silver tableware and dishes decorated with flowers. Waitstaff moved with refined grace, beautifully arranging fresh fruits and spiced meat dishes. I had been loaned and dressed in a gorgeous outfit made of what felt like silk or velvet. A cape that reached my waist fluttered with every step, and it was starting to bother me. Fang and Beers had been dressed in similar outfits. Both of them looked awkward. I knew the feeling. I was sure I had the same expression on my face.

"...This really doesn't suit us,"

the three of us muttered in unison. A strange sense of solidarity was born in that moment.

"I'm feeling restless. Want a drink?"

I took a glass of wine from a waiter carrying a tray. I took a sip.

"This is delicious. A rich, fruity sweetness followed by a refined acidity that spreads through the mouth."

"It's so smooth. I especially like the lingering aftertaste deep on the tongue."

I couldn't tell good wine from bad, but Fang and Beers were exchanging high-level commentary and nodding at each other. After a hard day's work, I just wanted a cold beer. I took a small plate of meat and tried it. It was chewy and delicious. The spices did a good job of masking the gamy taste.

"Venison,"

Fang said, eating the same meat as me. I remembered him saying he used to be a hunter before he became a slave. Speaking of which, no one here seemed to mind his presence as a wolfman. In that case, Famu should be fine here too.

After we had been gathered for a while, the entrance doors opened and the women entered, clad in gorgeous dresses. Famu spotted me immediately and was the first to run over. She was wearing a light blue dress. It had a plunging neckline, and she wore a necklace with a large jewel. She stopped in front of me and twirled. Her tail and the hem of her skirt swished softly. A citrus scent wafted from her. She was wearing perfume.

"S-so, how do I look?"

I could feel the determination in her gaze not to miss a single word. I noticed she was wearing makeup. It seemed to match the lighting in the room. Her skin had an extra sheen, and the deep red of her lipstick made her look more mature.

"C-cute... Yeah, I like it."

I tried to praise her, but no more words would come out. However, my feelings must have gotten through, because her cheeks flushed red and she didn't press for more. Her gaze shifted to the wine glass in my hand.

"Master, today is a special occasion. May I have just one sip?"

"...Make sure it's really just one sip today."

Famu nodded curtly. I had a bad feeling about this, but I handed her the glass. She took it firmly and tilted it back. It was a small sip today. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is this a vintage? It has such a rich aroma and flavor."

So she was a gourmet critic too.

"What are you letting her drink?"

an exasperated voice said. Mizuki and Myra had approached us at some point. Both were also in dresses. Mizuki's was red, and her hair was up, held in place with a silver ornament. The line of her neck was beautiful. She also wore a necklace with a large jewel. She was wearing perfume too, but I couldn't identify the scent. It smelled nice.

"W-what is it?"

Mizuki said when she noticed me staring.

"You really look good in anything, Mizuki."

Her striking, well-proportioned features and great figure—was I the only one who thought she looked good no matter what she wore?

"This was a pain to put on, so you'd better compliment me properly."

"R-right... You're naturally beautiful, Mizuki, so you'd look good in anything, wouldn't you?"

Just like with Famu, the words wouldn't come out.

"...Honestly,"

Mizuki pouted and looked down. Next to her was another pouting girl.

"Look at me too!"

Myra was also dressed in a magnificent purple gown. It was modestly cut, with lace covering her skin, but it still managed to emphasize her chest, and I felt like I was being drawn in. The shawl draped over her shoulders swayed softly with every movement.

"Want some wine?"

I offered her a new glass I'd taken from a waiter.

"Compliment me first!"

"...You're beautiful."

"Hmph!"

"No, I think you're all beautiful. I just can't put it into words properly."

"All of us?"

Myra asked.

"...No, just you, Myra."

Hearing that, Famu and Mizuki glared at me.

"Just my big sister?"

"No, Famu and Mizuki are... incredibly beautiful too."

As I fumbled, someone pulled on my cape from behind. It was Doris. She was wearing a green dress.

"...I may not be as stunning as the others, but what do you think?"

"No, Doris, you're cute too."

"R-really? Thank you."

She replied shyly, her face turning red.

Cecily and Aira were drinking wine together. Having escaped from Famu and the others, I was now with them.

"...I can pretty much imagine what happened,"

Cecily said. She was wearing a white dress. Since she wasn't wearing her usual pointed hat, her blonde hair stood out. Aira, next to her, was dressed exactly like Myra. She usually had a rebellious attitude toward her sister, yet she chose to use the same clothes and weapons. Myra was holding a wine glass with both hands. Was she planning on drinking all the alcohol served tonight?

"That was an ordeal."

"That's because you don't compliment them properly, so they pester you even more,"

Cecily replied, her tone admonishing.

"I did compliment them."

"You probably just repeated 'beautiful' or 'cute' like an idiot, didn't you?"

"..."

She'd hit the nail on the head. I was speechless.

"Listen. You need to find a specific feature a girl cares about and compliment that along with everything else."

"...I see."

As I nodded, Cecily nudged me with her elbow. Apparently, she wanted a compliment too.

"Cecily, your face is very beautiful, and it suits you."

"...Mash, I have no idea what you're trying to say, but I get that you want to compliment me."

She sighed.

"I-I was just kidding. That white dress really complements the color of your hair."

Cecily's face turned red at my words.

"W-well, it's alright, I guess. Now, go compliment Aira."

"I-I'm fine. I'm sure he'll just say something stupid anyway."

Aira flinched at Cecily's sudden suggestion. I looked at Aira. Every part of her outfit was identical to Myra's. I had a feeling complimenting that wouldn't make her happy. She looked uncomfortable under my gaze and, as if to escape it, downed her wine in one gulp. My eyes were drawn to the hand holding the glass.

"You painted your nails a color that matches the wine. It looks good on your pretty fingers."

"I can't be genuinely happy about that since I overheard your conversation with Cecily."

Even as she said it, she looked embarrassed and downed her other glass of wine.

As I wandered around, I found Avea and Zofia. They were talking, but when they saw me, they raised their glasses. Avea was in her usual bikini armor, though she wasn't carrying her sword. Zofia, too, was in practical attire, though she'd left off her chainmail. She wore a short sword at her side. As I was about to speak, Cecily's earlier words flashed through my mind. Avea's bikini armor seemed shinier than usual.

"Avea, is that your party bikini? It suits you."

A smile spread across Avea's face at my words.

"Hmph, to notice this sublime bikini armor... as expected of you. Instead of wearing that ridiculous outfit, you should prepare a pair of party Boomerang Briefs."

There was no way in hell, but I nodded anyway to avoid a harsher training session the next morning. Zofia, listening beside us, had a strange expression on her face. She seemed to be a person with a normal sense of decency.

"You did well defeating him. Let me thank you again."

The three of us clinked our glasses together. My report to her had been that the enemies on the tenth floor were a Worm and a knight, but I had kept quiet about the special skill. She was probably aware of the gaps in my report, since it didn't explain why the elite knights had been defeated.

"You said you were an adventurer. Why did you join the Knight Order?"

"Hm? You want to join? I'd welcome you."

She laughed when I shook my head.

"I was a noble, but I had many siblings and no money. I became an adventurer to make a name for myself."

As she was talking, the hall doors opened. A child entered, followed by several attendants. Behind them was a woman who appeared to be the child's mother.

"That is our king,"

Zofia whispered in my ear. With his entrance, the orchestra, which had been waiting in the wings, began to play, adding a touch of splendor to the banquet.

"Can you dance, Mash?"

Zofia smiled mischievously.

"I'm a commoner. I have no idea how."

"Alright, then I shall teach you tonight."

"N-no thanks. It's embarrassing."

I backed away.

"If you keep refusing like that, you'll be embarrassed forever."

With that, she grabbed the hand of my trying-to-flee self. And so, the night at the castle deepened.