< You have slain a Minotyrant, exp+xxxx >
< Lv up x15 >
< Maximum Lv increased to 97 >
< Hp and stamina is fully recovered >
< You received 970 Currencies >
"Haah… it's finally over. God, I'm tired!" I breathed out a long sigh of relief before sitting down. My stamina was fully restored, yet somehow, I still felt exhausted. "If a monster on the 2nd floor was already this strong, I don't think I'll be venturing down to the 3rd floor anytime soon. What do you think, Verdra?"
"Gwii?" she screeched.
"What does that even mean? Haha." I chuckled weakly. "I really hope we can communicate better someday…"
If it was only 'yes' or 'no,' I could at least guess what she meant. But anything beyond that…
"Gwii! Gwii!"
"I think I'll head back to the 1st floor and get some rest," I said as I stood up. "I don't know this dungeon's respawn time, and I don't want to get attacked while sleeping."
I need to Lv up more before attempting the 3rd floor, or I'll just end up burning through my Currencies. I really don't want that.
"Let's go back. You're coming with me, right, Verdra?"
"Gwii." She nodded and hopped down from my head.
"Why'd you get down?"
"Gwii…" Her body was briefly enveloped in black fog before she transformed into her dragon form.
"Grrh." She gestured with her head.
"You want to give me a ride?" I asked.
"Grrh." She nodded twice, then lowered her body to the ground.
I walked closer and climbed onto the base of her neck. "Hyup!" I settled on the back of her neck, my legs dangling to the sides.
Once I was seated properly, she straightened up and broke into a sprint.
"Woah! This is fast—and kinda fun too! Hahaha!" I laughed excitedly as the wind rushed past me.
Not even 10 minutes later, we arrived back at the entrance of the 2nd floor.
"This is definitely faster than walking! Hahaha! That was amazing." I grinned. "Thanks for the thrill ride, Verdra."
"Grhh." She grumbled softly. Even in her dragon form, I could see a hint of gentleness in her expression.
"Gwii." She reverted back to her chibi dragon form and hopped onto my head again.
"Ahaha… guess it's my turn now."
I climbed the stairs for about 30 minutes. Compared to earlier this morning, my stamina had improved significantly thanks to all the Lv ups. Before long, I was back on the 1st floor—the place where I'd spent several days already. This 10-meter-wide circular room felt oddly like home now.
"I'm back!" I declared.
"Gwii?"
"Don't worry about it. First things first—I'm hungry. Let's eat something." I sat down and scrolled through the shop menu, about to buy my usual energy bars, when I suddenly realized something. "Oh! Right. I've got a fire mage with me now. I can finally boil some water! Verdra, can you help me out?"
"Gwii?" She nodded, looking a bit confused.
I bought three 1-liter bottles of water and an aluminum cooking pot—which, for some reason, was cheaper than a single bottle of water. This shop's pricing was really off.
"Gwii?" Verdra looked even more confused now. I wasn't sure if it was because I just literally made items appeared out of thin air, or because she didn't know what I was planning to do with them.
I filled the pot with water and placed it on the ground. "Could you boil this for me?"
"Gwii." She nodded, hopped off my head, and sat beside the pot.
She conjured a small Firewall around it. In less than a minute, the water was already boiling.
"That's enough," I told her.
I used the hot water to prepare two cups of instant ramen.
"Gwii?" Verdra tilted her head again, utterly baffled.
A few minutes later—
"Alright, it's ready!"
"Gwii?"
"Here, this one's yours." I handed her a cup of ramen. "Wait… dragons can't use chopsticks. Do dragons even eat ramen in the first place?"
"Gwii?" She tilted her head.
"Let's just try it. You can drink it like this." I demonstrated by sipping the soup. "Agh—hot! As expected from a Lv10 fire magic user. Totally worth it, though." I burned my tongue a little.
She copied me, holding the cup with both hands and taking a sip.
The moment the soup hit her taste buds, her eyes lit up. "Gwii!"
"Incredible, right?" I smirked.
"Gwii! Gwii!" She nodded enthusiastically.
We spent dinner in Blissful silence. It had been a long time since I'd eaten a hot instant ramen, and it tasted just as good as I remembered—maybe even better.
Verdra finished hers faster than I did, her stomach looking slightly bloated afterward. She promptly fell asleep in upside down position.
She sulks when I call her "bro" because she's a girl, yet here she was, sleeping in the most unladylike position imaginable. What a cute little creature.
After dinner, I finally cleaned myself using the remaining warm water in the pot. I wiped myself down with the cheapest fabric I could find in the shop—a pair of socks.
As long as it was cheap, I'm not complaining.
I also washed my school uniform and underwear, then dried them by propping them up with plastic bottles, hence—
—I was completely naked now.
Despite how it looked, this place was surprisingly warm. I didn't need to worry about getting cold even in my birth day suit.
I'd been wearing my school uniform this whole time because those elves had tricked me, claiming they'd send me back to Earth with that cursed ritual. I didn't want to return to my home world wearing what looked like cosplay—regular clothes in this world basically are cosplay—so I stuck with what I was summoned in.
This place really needs cleaning… I thought as I surveyed the room.
I piled all my trash into a corner—plastic bottles, energy bar wrappers, everything. As for nature calls… I'd dug a hole at the edge of the room. I didn't have any other choice.
Earlier I'd called this place "home," but I take that back. If possible, I never want to return to this filthy hole again. Sure, I'm the one who made it filthy—but what choice did I have? This is all because of those damned elves. I swear, I'll make them suffer far more than I ever did.
The clock on my menu read 07:46 PM. Still too early to sleep—and I definitely didn't want to sleep naked.
I could buy a new set of my school uniform— underwear included—at a discounted price if I bought the full set… but it was still expensive. There was even a full set of girls' school uniforms for sale, for some reason. Not that I'd ever consider buying it. I swear!
Besides, I'm low on Currencies right now.
—————————————————
Currencies: 38200
—————————
38k… I can't even afford another Elixir of Life. I need to be careful.
My Lv had increased dramatically in just one day of farming. I'm much stronger now—yet nowhere near as strong as I was back when I was a hero. Not even close.
I need to keep Lv-ing up if I want my revenge on those damned elves. No matter how much of a scumbag they are, elven knights are powerful—especially the four generals.
My former party members.
Can I take all four of them alone…?
No. That's not the question.
This isn't about can or can't. I will do it! I'll crush them for what they've done.
I sat there in silence, forcing myself to suppress my anger and thirst for revenge. No matter how many days passed, my hatred for that bitch princess and her band of petty knights just won't subside.
How did I end up becoming someone this hateful…?
How…?
…How could I not?
I trusted them with everything. I did everything they asked. We laughed and cried together as comrades. And for what?
For them to toy with me?
To stab me in the back?
To discard me like dregs once I was no longer useful?
I hate them. I despise them.
I will never forgive them.
No matter what pleas they utter—
I will not.
"I will never…" a mutter left my mouth subconsciously.
"Gwii…"
While I was drowning in my dark emotions, Verdra woke from her short nap and groggily opened her eyes.
"I'm sorry… did I wake you up?" I asked.
She shook her head side to side, then let out a cute yawn. But once her eyes fully focused on me, she suddenly screeched—
"Gwiiii!"
She immediately turned around, presenting her back to me.
"W–what's wrong?" I asked again.
"Gwii…" She glanced back at me for just a split second before hastily turning away again.
What's wrong with her…?
I tried to step closer, but she shuffled away at the same time, never once facing me.
That gesture…
It really hit harder than I've expected.
W–why…?
Is Verdra going to leave me too?
"Why…?" I asked—not to Verdra, but to myself. "Why does everyone turn their back on me…?"
I stopped in my tracks. Warm tears slid down my cheeks.
Why am I crying?
Am I really this mentally unstable?
Verdra stopped. Slowly, she turned around and looked at my face.
"Gwii! Gwii!"
She shook her head frantically, waving her tiny hands in denial. Then her eyes darted left and right, like she was panicking—until suddenly, as if she'd come up with an explanation, she turned her face away, squeezed her eyes shut, pointed at me… and repeatedly covered and uncovered her front with her wings.
"…Huh?" I looked down at myself. "So you're saying you're just flustered because I'm naked?"
She nodded vigorously.
"Ahahaha…" Wiping my tears, a weak, breathy laugh escaped my lips as I sat down to calm my mixed emotions. "I thought… I thought you were going to leave me too… hahaha… I'm so glad…"
"Gwii! Gwii!" Verdra waved her wings again, still refusing to open her eyes.
"You want me to get dressed?"
She nodded twice.
"But my clothes aren't dry yet."
"Gwii! Gwii!"
She suddenly conjured several small fireballs and launched them at me.
"Wha—!" I dodged. "Hey, wait! What are you doing?!"
"Gwii! Gwii!"
"Alright! I get it! I'll get dressed!" I shouted.
"Gwi."
She turned away, pouting.
…Why does she get this flustered just from seeing my bare skin? She's a dragon. Even if she's a girl, I'm human—aren't our races way too different for this kind of reaction?
"All done," I said after pulling on my still slightly damp school uniform.
Verdra slowly turned around, sulking.
"I'm sorry, okay?" I scratched my cheek. "I washed my clothes because I have a partner now. I can't just walk around smelly in front of you, right?"
"Gwii…" She lowered her head apologetically.
"But still… why'd you get so worked up over seeing me naked?" I tilted my head. "I mean, even if you're a girl, you're a dragon. I'm human. That's a pretty big racial gap when it comes to… you know."
Her cheeks flushed red—although she's red—that's just how I see it.
"Gwiiiii!"
She glared at me and summoned a ring of fireballs around her, far larger than before.
"O–okay! I'm sorry! I'll stop talking!" I waved my hands defensively.
She dispelled the fireballs and let out a small sigh. After calming down, she sat on her hind legs, staring at the floor with a troubled frown.
She looked… conflicted.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
"…"
"…"
Unable to endure the silence any longer, I spoke up, "B–by the way, Verdra… why doesn't your name show up on your status page? Even after I named you."
I shook my head. "Actually, forget it. There's no way you could answer that in a way I'd understand. And you probably didn't even understand the question anyway."
Instead of her usual "Gwii," she stayed silent.
She flapped her wings and floated up until she was level with my chest, then slowly extended her right hand toward me.
"…You want to shake hands?" I asked, confused.
She nodded.
I reached out with my index finger. She wrapped her tiny claw around it—her tiny hand just far too small for my palm to hold properly.
As soon as our hands touched, she closed her eyes.
Several magic circles suddenly formed in the air between us, centered around our joined hands.
"W–what is this!?" I shuddered, a chill running down my spine.
Then—
A gentle, feminine voice echoed directly inside my head.
"He who stands as my chosen master… grant me a name, and by it, bind my soul in eternal covenant."
"…Wha—!"