Seeker 204

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Chapter 204. Decision

Leaving Dwarf warriors' barracks, Kazane-san, Yuzuki, and I strolled through the town's alleys. 

The time was between evening and night, as the town transformed from the setting sun's color to the deep blue of the night. 

The lamplights in the houses began to glow, adding a charming atmosphere.

Smoke rose from the peculiar chimneys of each cave dwelling, a sign that dinner preparations were underway.

This was the everyday life of a bustling Dwarf community.

Suddenly, a young dwarf girl rushed toward the resting dwarf warriors, among whom I had seen the little girl before. 

The Dwarf warriors joyfully lifted her. 

The young Dwarf girl asked her father, one of the warriors, a question.

"Hey, daddy, since Bargamund-sama is back, are we safe even if the monsters come?"

"Yes, we're safe now. I'm sure of it."

"That's great! So, daddy won't be in danger, right?"

"That's right. But daddy is a warrior, so he has to fight the monsters to protect everyone in the village. Do you understand?"

"Yeah! When I grow up, I'll become a warrior too and protect daddy and everyone!"

"Haha, you'll protect me too? I'm in good hands."

"Hehe."

The Dwarf warrior gently ruffled the girl's head, and the young dwarf girl giggled with a big smile.

As I watched this heartwarming scene, I whispered to my two companions, Kazane-san and Yuzuki.

"Kazane-san, Yuzuki, honestly, you two mean more to me than anything else."

The words that came out of my mouth were in stark contrast to what I had felt from the scene I saw, and they felt like a guilty confession.

A special mission worth 100,000 experience points. 

If we were to undertake it, we needed to be prepared for significant risks.

However, there might be things we would lose by not attempting it.

Kazane-san seemed to understand the nuance without any misunderstanding. 

"I see. That means you value things like the lives of the people in this town more than anything else, right?"

"Yes." 

I nodded.

Kazane said, "I'm glad. I'm happy.", and didn't press further.

On the other hand, Yuzuki probed a bit deeper. 

"That's great, but... senpai."

Walking beside me, Yuzuki looked at me with an anxious expression. 

It was as if she wanted to convey something to me with her eyes.

I took off Yuzuki's hat and ruffled her hair. Yuzuki made a "kyu" sound and allowed me to do so.

"Yeah, I'm a 'but' too. I want to cherish everything. I'm a bit selfish in that regard. The most important thing is the two of you, but there's also the 'but.'."

"Oh, I see."

Yuzuki's voice had a tone of relief.

I returned Yuzuki's hat, and she firmly put it back on before looking up at me again.

"It's totally fine. I support taking on this request. I value our lives too, and we care about you, senpai, but if I keep saying that, I won't be able to do anything, right?"

"Yeah, I agree. If I'm with Daichi-kun, I'm ready to go anywhere. Besides, we're already on this adventure. It's a bit late to worry about danger now."

Yuzuki and Kazane-san's responses were not just reassuring but also aligned with my own thoughts.

"Indeed. If we truly wanted to avoid danger at all costs, we should have waited for 100 days without getting involved."

We were already taking risks, and it seemed like our opinions aligned regarding this matter.

"But what kind of monster will appear in this 100,000-point special mission? We encountered a dragon at 30,000 points, right?"

"Actually, what is this special mission in the first place? It feels like we're getting led into something, don't you think?"

"Oh, I was thinking the same thing."

"It's quite similar to that. We followed the bait on the ground and ended up trapped."

"So, will we get trapped and eaten in the end?"

"I'm not sure. I can't find any evidence to support or deny it."

Despite our discussions, we ultimately lacked information and couldn't reach any conclusions. 

We put the issue aside since we couldn't do much with our suspicions.

"So, should we accept the request for now?"

"Yes. Like I said before, I'm in favor of it."

"Agreed, same here."

"Alright, it's settled. Regardless of the outcome, no hard feelings."

"Oh no, I'd like Daichi-kun to say something like, 'No matter what happens, I'll protect the two of you' with a determined look."

"Yeah, senpai's not very assertive in those moments."

"Ugh... Am I going to be teased after all?"

"Hahaha!"

The two laughed happily and then clung to my left and right arms, showing their affection. 

Despite their words, it was a sign that they truly cared.

I'm a bit easy to handle, so I couldn't help but feel happy when they did this.

And with that, our significant decision came to a close. 

In the end, our approach was determined by the mood and our feelings at the time.

With our decision made, we returned to the meeting place. 

We informed Bargamund-san of our acceptance of the request, and he expressed his gratitude. 

After finalizing the details, the meeting was adjourned. 

The dungeon search would begin the following morning once it was daylight.