Elena was confused.
There was nothing she could do on her own.
Can she leave the man she once had her heart set on to die?
The only way to save him was to ask Daniel and the others to help, but even that was doubtful.
Not only did she need their help, but she didn't even know if Daniel and the others were capable of reaching the lower levels.
"So, what do we do now, Elena? For the record, I have no obligation to help that guy. He made a fool of Sophia, and I don't like him either."
"I thought you were going to say, 'Let's go help them so they don't abandon us with that garbage.' Considering what Master usually does."
Sophia looked surprised at Daniel beside her.
Sophia's expectations and reality were different.
"There's a difference between not abandoning them and trying to help them with everything. He didn't ask me to do it. Besides, he did it of his own free will. It's not like he had some unreasonable misfortune. It's just that I didn't think he could do it, but he might be able to. In that case, I'm just being nosy."
"Y-You're so cold. ... Somehow I thought you were a kinder person, Daniel. ..."
"I'm cold people. It's not about others, it's about me."
The face of Daniel that Sophia saw was the face of the other Daniel that came out every once in a while.
His eyes were narrowed and his mouth was tightly closed.
He was not the bright, goofy, good-natured boy, but the shadowy face of a man.
"But, Elena, it's up to you. If you want me to help you, I will. Then I won't abandon you."
"I-I'm not sure if it's safe for us to go to the lower levels, Master. ...? N-no, I will go if you order me to. But ..."
"Don't worry. I'll protect you. ――Since we're here, why don't I just use my backstabbing skills and go for it? I really wanted to get Sophia used to the atmosphere of the dungeon a little more, but..."
He says it as if it's so obvious that the air outside of Daniel freezes.
It was too abrupt to make sense.
However, Sophia had a premonition of what she was about to be told.
A question that she had been feeling for a long, long time. The answer.
The reason for Daniel's confidence.
"T-That's not so easy....Daniel might die, too!?"
"Aah, no, no. In fact, I'm well prepared with food and stuff, and to be more specific, I can conquer it by myself, really. But I wanted to have fun with everyone, so I wanted to have friends."
Like a magician revealing a trick, Daniel was revealing part of his true nature.
It was a different face from the Daniel Sophia knew.
"W-What do you mean?"
"Well, I'll explain as we walk through the lower levels, but I'm the one who conquered [Ganymede] a year ago. Derek is just making a fuss about it, taking credit for it. I didn't promote it at all."
The foundation of Elena was overturned.
If what Daniel said was true, then there was no point in being with Derek.
"――What? Daniel is the real [Thunder]?"
"Let me show you the proof. ――Open, [Treasure House of Dreams]."
A vaguely black hole opens up in the space as Daniel puts his hand to his side.
Putting his hand in there, Daniel pulled out one of Sophia's costumes.
An erotic costume that was slightly uncomfortable to wear in this situation. It was a custom-made sailor suit, a hobby of Daniel.
Sophia almost laughs at the fact that it is so Daniel-like, even if it is ... she dressed up.
"This is the magic of the [Book of Abominations] that I obtained in [Ganymede]. You can even go inside it. I've been using it by connecting it to my bag until now. So Sophia doesn't know either."
"I tried to think that Master was a good storing. ... But to be honest, I was not surprised to hear that you were a breaker. I had a feeling that you would be."
――I knew Sophia suspected me.
Daniel had known that Sophia had noticed, but had continued to ignore it.
He hadn't thought to tell her until the moment came.
"Eh, Eh!?"
Elena was dismayed and looked at both Daniel and Sophia again and again.
Sophia was concerned about the price he had paid for her. There were too many other things to worry about.
Elves were relatively cheap, even for slaves, but it was still too much money for an ordinary person to have.
And a eighteen-year-old boy with no background was holding it. It seemed too inexplicable.
So did Daniel's familiarity with the dungeon.
He didn't seem to be nervous at all.
When she sorted through all the information, it made the most sense to her to think that Daniel was a breaker.
The reason she didn't ask was because she thought that Daniel would not want to say anything about it.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Sophia. I was afraid that you might change your mind about me. I didn't want you to expect something from me. It's not always good to be special or stand out."
"I understand, because people who are different are ostracized. ――But please don't underestimate me. I will not change my view of my master, Daniel, no matter who you are. You're the one and only supreme master for me."
"Sophia: ..."
"Daniel: ..."
They leaned closer together, creating an atmosphere that suggested they were about to start kissing.
Elena intervened from the side and tore the air between them.
"E-Excuse me for a second! I didn't mean to disturb your good atmosphere!?"
"You're still here, pervert. We are going to go back to our room and make love even more, so it would be nice if you could read the air and go somewhere else. How about in the ground there? The soil is soft and easy to dig in."
Sophia threw the pickaxe she was holding towards Elena.
Unlike Daniel, Sophia really had no reason to go help Derek.
She was insulted. Her first impressions of him were the worst.
Now that she knew that he was trying to snatch Daniel's achievements, her second impression was even worse.
It would obviously be more meaningful to go back to their room and make out with Daniel than to go help such a person.
"R-rather than that!, If you're telling the truth, please come with me! We might still be able to bring him back now!"
"――Rather than this? I don't want to hear that word. To us, that man is like a termite nesting in a tree. The world would be a much better place if he were gone. Right, Master?"
"I wouldn't go that far. ... ――Hey, Elena, do you like that guy?"
"I-is that relevant to wanting to save him. ...?
"It's motivation. It's not that I wouldn't help him if you liked him. That's one thing, that's another."
Not that it was in his nature to want other people's things, but it was a factor that excited him a little.
The fact that Elena was more perverted than he thought was another factor that bothered him.
He felt like he wanted to make her fall in love with him.
In addition to that, he also thought that Elena should not be with Derek, thinking calmly.
If she followed a man who was recklessly going forward without thinking ahead, she was sure to lose her life sooner or later.
The fact that they met in a local world without the internet is definitely a sign of fate.
――Then maybe she should stay with me.
Daniel knows that it's not right to judge people's choices by his own yardstick. Still, he feels the need to stop the girl who seems to be going down a bad path.
"I've been in a relationship with him for a while and I thought I liked him a little bit, but now I'm not so sure ... anymore, But I do have some feelings for him, and if I think he might die ...."
"I understand. But I'm going to help Elena. He's on the sideline.――Is that okay with you?"
Sophia looked down and grinned a little.
――He's a real bitch. ... But it seems to work for this woman.
When Elena nodded with a big smile, Sophia felt a little depressed that she would have to teach her the pecking order from now on. Daniel is first, and next to him is her place
The three of us were whispering by the one and only staircase to the lower level.
There was no one else around, and we had no reason to sneak around at all, but we read the mood.
In a dungeon, there is always one place to go down to the lower levels.
Every time you go down, the number of demons and their threat level increases.
Daniel proceeded slowly forward, hitting the ground with his sword.
"Okay, I'm gonna sneak in. ――Anyway, aren't the guards here too unmotivated? There's no one here. ... This is just a normal way to go."
"The demons of the lower classes might come up ..."
"They are all wage thieves. ... Human are still foolish."
"Well, let's just go through this like it's convenient for us. ――You might seriously die from here on, so stay close to me."
The dark stairs seemed to be trying to suck Daniel and the others into the depths of the earth.
"Are you worried?"
"A little… but if Master says it's okay, then it must be okay. I know you well enough to know you're not someone who does reckless things."
Sophia knew Daniel as the type to check every stone on a bridge before crossing. He might look straightforward, but deep down he was meticulous.
"Oh, um, if Daniel is a conqueror, are you very rich?"
At Elena's words, both Daniel and Sophia froze, wide-eyed.
Daniel was slightly taken aback at her boldness. Even Sophia, who had been with him all this time, hadn't asked him that.
"No. I've donated quite a bit of money. There are many places that don't benefit from the dungeon economy. The village where I grew up is one of them. I sent it there. There's nothing I can really do with it. Are you disappointed?"
"N-no."
Still, Elena's face carried a faint look of disappointment.
—This girl really doesn't hold back. I'll end up wanting to mess with her, you know?
"I like that about you, Master," Sophia said with a gentle smile. "In the first place, there's no need to indulge in luxury. Just receiving the blessings of the forest and spending time peacefully with the one you love is more than enough in life."
"Be poor and pure, huh? …But I still buy clothes. I like dressing Sophia. It's a hobby now."
Daniel had donated most of his money, leaving himself with very little. Instead of simply giving coins, he often bought food or clothes and sent them directly to those who needed them. Otherwise, middlemen would take their cut. He figured that if that happened even on Earth, it would be worse here.
Whenever he bought something, he avoided big merchants. Instead, he went straight to struggling villages, paying more than market price. Many farming families were poor. Daniel, born into poverty himself, knew the hardship.
He thought it was hypocritical at first, but over time he realized it was a better use of his wealth. Donations were something he once mocked, but now he couldn't dismiss them.
The gap between rich and poor in this world was far too wide.
They walked by torchlight, until halfway down Sophia lit the way with her magic. Daniel could also use magic, but he preferred to save his energy and rely on tools.
"You really have no greed, do you? I thought dungeon adventurers would be more obsessed with money. Everyone else is always screaming about it."
"I'm greedy with Sophia, though. That's what I want."
"I-is this… mating?" Elena's voice trembled.
—Too straightforward… She really is a pervert after all.
Her face flushed crimson as her eyes flickered downward toward Daniel's crotch.
—What can I say? She's so honest with her instincts. Maybe even more erotic than Sophia.
"Elena, you're lewd. You act so innocent, but you're a dirty girl."
"T-t-that's not true! I'm not interested in those hard things at all!"
—She says that, while looking right at me down there. Do women really care that much about hardness?
Sophia often said she liked it hard too… thank goodness, he was.
"Didn't you once rant 'I want to mate with you too'? It was miserable, and so hapless. But after that, Master made love to me over and over. He told me he loved me, and I felt the most exquisite sensations until my mind melted."
Daniel blinked in surprise at Sophia's sharp words.
—She's more possessive than I thought.
"S-Sophia? Do you hate humans that much?"
"That's not it… I would love to have someone do that to me while telling me they love me…" Elena muttered softly, almost envious.
"You like cock too much, Elena. If you say that again, I might just force it into you, you know?"
It sounded like a declaration of rape, but Elena didn't look disgusted.
Daniel realized Sophia's earlier words were right—Elena was indeed a pervert.
"Cock? What's a cock?"
"It's a man's organ. Cock, dick, whatever you call it. A woman's is called a pussy. Don't tell me you don't know that? You're lustful but clueless. Or maybe clueless because you're lustful."
"I-I know about pussy! I just learned about it yesterday… You can't blame me for not knowing everything!"
—Sorry, both of you… Maybe my hobby isn't common knowledge.
"I'll show you both what's inside the Treasure House of Dreams. If there's anything you want, you can take it. Some things aren't mine, so I'll remove those. But I'd like you to help me figure out what's in there."
"It's your magic, but some of it isn't yours?"
"Yeah. I think others used it before me. So some items are like hand-me-downs."
Elena tilted her head. "I don't get it…"
Daniel believed the Treasure House of Dreams worked like a magical cloud storage that anyone with the access key could use. At the moment, he was the only one accessing it.
Inside were mostly weapons and armor, along with strange medicines that he left untouched.
He felt a twinge of guilt—wasn't this just stealing from someone else? But by now, after taking dungeon treasure, he wondered if it mattered anymore.
"The dungeon itself is a mystery," Sophia said seriously. "It's obviously an artificial creation. They've existed since ancient times—truly ancient. The fact that treasure is placed at the lowest level feels like bait, meant to lure people in."
"I think you're right. Sorry to say this, but the party that entered before me vanished. No bodies. I don't think they were killed by demons—I think the dungeon itself devoured them."
"What? That's scary… Then Derek and the others…?"
"If they're dead, they were eaten. Maybe the treasure itself comes from corpses. Honestly, that makes more sense than calling it spoils of conquest."
"That's still better than leaving them alive," Sophia muttered coldly. "At least this way, they serve some purpose."
"You don't have to go that far," Elena said quickly. "Derek has some good points too."
"Oh yeah? Like what?"
"…His face, maybe?"
Daniel sighed. Was this what young girls called love? He still couldn't understand their way of thinking.
"I mean, you can find a face like his anywhere." Sophia dismissed him completely. She hadn't even bothered to remember Derek's face.
"Well, he looked cool at first… but maybe that was just my imagination. His flaws outweigh everything else."
"I like your face best, Master," Sophia said proudly. "It's a little young-looking, but especially when you're with me… I love your expressions in those moments."
Daniel groaned. "Alright, that's enough. Let's go inside the Treasure House."
He opened the black void of the treasure space. Elena hesitated at first, but Sophia walked in without fear.
Inside was a vast, calm space like a grand library. Neatly arranged weapons, armor, medicines, and especially clothes filled the place. In the center was a mountain of outfits for Sophia, most untouched.
Daniel had spent time organizing it himself. His meticulous Earth-born nature refused to let it stay messy.
Elena wandered like a child in a toy store, while Sophia eyed the space like a wife inspecting wasteful spending.
"It doesn't work quite how you think," Daniel explained. "You can only stay in here for half a day. After a day outside, the limit resets. For some reason, there's a bathroom and a toilet, though I don't know where the water comes from—or where it goes."
"Kicked out after half a day? That's annoying. But also… it could be useful. For example, if we suddenly wanted to get naughty in the dungeon." Sophia's smile turned mischievous.
"That's what I thought too. It's like a private love hotel. No one can see us. But the problem is, I can get thrown out suddenly without warning. Imagine waking up in the middle of a busy street."
As he used it, Daniel realized the magic was both amazing and terrifying. Food didn't spoil, but time didn't move forward in here. Only his own body aged.
At first, he thought it was like a dream come true. Then he realized it was eerie.
"What if you get stuck inside?" Elena whispered. "Separated from the world's flow of time… forgotten by everyone."
The thought chilled Daniel. He knew that feeling too well—he had been thrown out of life once before, through reincarnation.
"But if it's just us, it won't be so bad," Sophia said. "Even if we rot away in here, I'd rather die together than survive alone."
Daniel's heart softened. "…Alright. Then I'll take your word for it. I never thought I'd be this happy. I might actually cry."
He let out a small laugh. —It's no use being scared anymore. If he died, at least this time he wouldn't be alone.