Live Dungeon!

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On the day the Explorers were invited to the castle, each member of the Absolute Helix was to gather there independently. Amy, Garm, and Amira assisted with the Capital’s security, while Xeno and Leleia visited their families, and Hannah and Korinna enjoyed some sightseeing.

Tsutomu and Daryl donned the suits they had recently received from the tailor, while Diniel reluctantly wore a dress. Behind them, Ollie, dressed modestly, kept a watchful eye on Diniel to ensure she didn’t slip out of her dress.

“Hey! Everyone! Over here!” A high-pitched voice called out from a distance without concern for unwanted attention.

Tsutomu turned to see Amy waving enthusiastically.

“Ta-da! Well? How do I look?”

“Looks fine to me.”

Amy, who had made a special trip to Tsutomu’s room to show off her outfit before the gathering, wore a yellow dress. Her hair appeared slightly shorter than usual, making her cat ears look significantly larger — likely an effort to draw attention after having them touched recently.

“Amy, you’re in charge of guarding Tsutomu. I’m off to do some sightseeing.”

“Roger that!”

Diniel, clad in an Elf-style green dress, darted towards the castle, lifting her skirt as she ran. She resembled Cinderella rushing to get home before the clock struck twelve — but she was merely trying to escape Ollie.

Other small issues arose: Xeno looked so good in his suit that he was mistaken for a noble and given directions to the wrong location by the staff. Amira, despite wearing a red dress, captivated onlookers with her tomboyish mannerisms. Tsutomu continued to meet up with the rest of his Clan.

“Man, this is so suffocating,” Amira groaned, annoyed by the tight corset and the stares.

“Just bear with it for today. I’m not thrilled about it either,” Tsutomu responded, yawning as he addressed her complaint.

After completing the reception at the castle, they entered the banquet hall, where food was laid out in a buffet style.

“Korinna! Let’s go!”

“Coming!”

Hannah and Korinna, unconcerned about their dresses, quickly headed for the food. Tsutomu watched them go, then looked up at the grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It seemed to be a notable feature of the castle, as many people gazed at it with admiration. He then scanned the room.

Other Clans’ members were already present, with Alma, who usually only wore Explorer gear, putting effort into her dress, and Leon, who preferred casual attire, dressed formally. Suddenly, a hiss like that of an angry cat came from behind.

“Shaaa~~!”

“A-Amy? What’s going on?”

“Hellooo, Euni-nie! Come, let’s go have a little chat over there…”

Amy picked up the petite Eunice under her arm and carried her off to a corner of the hall. As they passed, Tsutomu briefly made eye contact with Eunice, who seemed to plead for help, but he decided it was too much trouble to intervene.

[Huh…?]

Watching the scene, a woman with pink hair in a blue dress — Stephanie — stared at Eunice with an unnervingly intense gaze. Her eyes were narrowed, her pupils fixed in a sharp, piercing glare.

[That’s terrifying. Just how much does she hate her?]

Even Tsutomu, who had experienced many dark and disturbing events, had never seen such a chilling expression outside of a horror movie.

When Stephanie noticed Tsutomu’s gaze, her intense expression immediately softened. Her eyes sparkled, and she blushed deeply, bowing repeatedly.

Stephanie’s transformation was striking. How could she switch from such a fierce look to this cheerful demeanor so quickly? Tsutomu returned her bow with a slight nod, still bewildered.

[It’s like… she’s become so damn scary these days, hasn’t she?]

When Stephanie had been under his tutorship, she was a model student, eager to learn and always well-behaved. But now, the way she looked at him was unmistakably different. Compared to Amy’s overt advances, Stephanie’s gaze burned with an intensity that made Amy seem mild.

Yet, Tsutomu couldn’t recall any specific incident that might have sparked this change. While his relationship with Amy had been shaped by various events, nothing of the sort had occurred with Stephanie.

Why, then, did Stephanie seem so intensely fixated on him? Tsutomu, oblivious to the nuances of social interactions, couldn’t comprehend it.

He watched as Stephanie, still blushing, retreated to the back of the hall. With nothing better to do, Tsutomu turned his attention to the buffet. Daryl, uncomfortable in his suit and the formal setting, was engrossed in the food, as was Korinna, who sampled various dishes with delight.

“Would you care for some wine?” a server offered, holding out a small glass.

“Ah, thank you,” Tsutomu replied.

As the guests mingled, nobles who had avoided the front lines under the pretext of defending the Royal Capital were now eager to socialize with the Explorers, enjoying the food and fine wine.

“So, you’re the famous Melchor’s apprentice. I’ve heard of your remarkable exploits.”

“Oh, it’s nothing really,” Hannah replied, her cheeks flushed from the strong wine, her mood lifted.

Hannah seemed easily influenced by the wine, but Korinna, who could drink without changing her expression, was there to keep an eye on her, as leaving Hannah alone might be risky.

Daryl, who might be easily swayed by words, was accompanied by Xeno and Garm, while Amy was with the straightforward Amira. Nobles’ daughters swarmed around the three men, and Tsutomu suspected that without his companions, Daryl might have been overwhelmed.

As the leader of the Absolute Helix Clan, Tsutomu also attracted the attention of many nobles. However, he remembered the faces of those who had skimped on supplies for the Explorers. When the head of House Babenberg arrived, the other nobles stopped approaching him.

“They’re quite shameless, sir,” Tsutomu remarked.

“…I apologize if they have upset you,” the Babenberg head replied, looking pale.

“No, thank you for speaking with me… Oh, could you wait here for a moment? I’ll be right back.”

Tsutomu bowed slightly to the head of House Babenberg and began searching the hall for Ollie. He soon found Ollie tending to a thoroughly inebriated Hannah. Tsutomu approached and spoke to Ollie in a low voice,

“Excuse me, Miss Ollie.”

“Ah, Mister Tsutomu. Is something the matter?”

“I thought this might be a chance to introduce you to Master Babenberg, you see…”

“……”

Ollie’s expression hardened at Tsutomu’s words. Yet, Ollie knew Tsutomu had a fair idea of why she had joined Absolute Helix. While stroking Hannah, who was playfully nudging her like a puppy, Ollie fell silent for a moment, deep in thought.

“…Then, could I have a word with him?” Ollie finally asked, her face showing a resolute expression.

“Yes, of course.”

With a sense of determination, Ollie followed Tsutomu as he led her to the head of House Babenberg. Not wanting to leave the tipsy Hannah alone, Tsutomu took her hand and brought her along as well.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, sir.”

“It’s no problem at all. I see you’ve brought Ollie along, as well.”

“Yes, sir. She’s currently managing the Absolute Helix Clan House, but she wanted to speak with you. Could you spare a moment?”

“I don’t mind. Ollie, raise your head,” the head of House Babenberg said kindly to Ollie, who had been bowing.

As Tsutomu was about to lead Hannah away, Ollie grabbed his hand.

“Mister Tsutomu, please stay and listen.”

“Hmm? No, don’t mind me — you can tell me about it later.”

“Please, stay.”

With no choice but to comply, Tsutomu remained, gently calming Hannah, who was still acting playfully. Ollie, looking tense, began speaking to the head of House Babenberg.

“It has been a long time, sir.”

“Indeed.”

“…I am now working for Absolute Helix.”

“So I have heard.”

“…To be perfectly honest, the reason I joined Absolute Helix was that I wanted to work for you again. I felt it was unfair to be dismissed from your household without any explanation from Master Smith. I was willing to do anything to regain my position. That’s why I tried to take advantage of Mister Tsutomu, knowing of your connection with him.”

Ollie confessed this with her head bowed, then turned to Tsutomu.

“I admit, I looked down on Explorers at the time. I thought manipulating Absolute Helix from the shadows through Mister Tsutomu would be easy. But he had the education and refinement of a noble, and he saw through my intentions yet still allowed me to stay with the Clan. That realization changed my view of Explorers. And I came to see that everyone in Absolute Helix was remarkable. I began to feel at home there.”

Ollie then turned back to the head of House Babenberg, her expression resolute.

“My place now is with Absolute Helix. I no longer wish to serve House Babenberg. But may I ask you one last question?”

“…What is it?”

“Was it because I lacked ability? With the deaths during the Stampede, House Babenberg’s trust had plummeted, and hard times were ahead. Was I insufficient to support the household from within?”

“……”

Ollie’s pleading words made the head of House Babenberg hesitate. Glancing at Tsutomu, who had discerned Ollie’s true intentions within Absolute Helix, Master Babenberg gently stroked the ring on his finger before speaking.

“Your predecessor served House Babenberg well. I was satisfied with her work and equally pleased with yours, Ollie.”

“…Then why…”

“But it was evident that House Babenberg was on the decline. Even so, you would have continued to work yourself to the bone. Smith, my son, however… did not agree. He admired your work and looked forward to your tea, but he believed it was unjust to waste your talents here.”

“That’s… I never wanted that. I wanted to serve House Babenberg, regardless of the situation…”

“Well, what’s important is that it was not a matter of your ability. I’m sorry the decision made you doubt yourself.”

The head of House Babenberg bowed his head, and Ollie stared at him in stunned silence.

When he finally raised his head, he looked at Ollie with a firm gaze.

“To let you serve a declining House Babenberg would be an insult to your predecessor.”

“But… I…”

Both of them fell silent, understanding dawning between them. The head of House Babenberg, having been indebted to Ollie’s predecessor, did not want to burden her successor. Ollie, now aware of the real reason behind her dismissal, seemed to be in shock.

“Oh…! What a touching story… I think I’m gonna cry…! But, sir, that was cruel! You totally did a disservice to Miss Ollie!” Hannah, who had been watching them, cried out, oblivious to the depth of the conversation.

Tsutomu sighed, glancing at the clueless Hannah, who was now making odd noises.

“Uh, let’s keep quiet, okay?”

“What’s the big deal!? Miss Ollie is part of our clan! I’m not about to give her away!”

“Shut up, you fool.”

“Mm! Mmph!”

As Tsutomu hastily covered Hannah’s mouth, Ollie chuckled softly at the sight.

“Yes, Miss Hannah, I want to stay with Absolute Helix. Mister Tsutomu, is that alright with you?”

“Of course, Miss Ollie. We’d be happy to have you stay with us.”

Ollie bowed her head in relief at Tsutomu’s words. Turning to the head of House Babenberg, Tsutomu spoke again,

“Why don’t you invite Master Smith over for tea sometime, sir?”

“…Perhaps I will. I’d like that very much.”

“That would make Miss Ollie happy too.”

The head of House Babenberg nodded with a small, pleased smile. Just as their conversation came to a close, an announcement rang out, signaling the imminent arrival of the King at the venue.

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