―16― Setting Her Free
"I'm in trouble, I'm in trouble, I'm in...!"
Within the depths of the dungeon, I shouted as I ran.
Chasing after me was an A-ranked monster, the Headless Mule of the Neckless.
A creature resembling a headless flaming mule.
This level was infested with numerous Headless Mules, making me cautious as I moved to avoid them. But now, I had been spotted.
So, I sprinted with all my might, but I honestly felt like it was closing in.
"Ah!"
I muttered just as my body was slammed, and then I died.
◆
"Ha..."
I grasped the fact that time had rewound, yet a different scene unfolded before me.
At this very moment, I was trying to leave the room where the treasure chest was.
Previously, each time I died, I would return to just before being attacked by the first Grizzly Bugbear I encountered.
It seemed the reset point had been updated.
Well, thinking about having to fight the Grizzly Bugbear again every time I died was disheartening, so honestly, this update was a relief.
However, I still needed to conquer this new level to proceed.
New challenges surely awaited me.
◆
Approximately the 520th attempt.
Despite being killed multiple times by the Headless Mule, I had managed to gain some insights while thoroughly exploring this level.
Firstly, I hadn't found any staircases leading to upper or lower levels.
Instead, I found...
"Teleportation circles, huh?"
There were geometric patterns on the floor in front of me.
Most likely, stepping on them would teleport me to a different location.
"There's another teleportation circle here."
There wasn't just one teleportation circle.
"There are a total of three teleportation circles."
To move forward, I would need to step on one of these three circles, but I had no idea which one was correct. Well, there's no need to agonize.
If I chose the wrong circle, I would just die and respawn anyway.
So, without hesitation, I stepped on the teleportation circle in front of me.
The destination was a straight path.
So, I moved forward steadfastly.
Then, there was something completely out of place in this dungeon.
"A girl...?"
However, it wasn't as simple as that.
The girl was asleep, surrounded by a barrier preventing her from leaving. Moreover, chain-like objects were coiled around her body.
"She's beautiful..."
I couldn't help but murmur. With her refined features and fair skin, she was among the most stunning girls I'd ever seen.
The girl was dressed in clothes adorned with prominent white lace.
Unconsciously, I reached out my hand.
A sound like shattering glass echoed.
"Ah!"
I took a half-step back, surprised that the barrier shattered so easily.
As the barrier broke, she stirred and moved her body.
Then, she slowly opened her eyelids.
"Oh, so you're the one who woke me up."
It was a voice I felt I had heard before.
Ah, right.
The figure that had granted me the skill "Save & Reset" just before the Grizzly Bugbear attacked me had a similar voice.
"You're the one who gave me the skill?"
"Yes, that's right."
She affirmed.
"...Who are you?"
"Ageha Tsubaki. I'm the sealed former hero, I suppose. And what's your name?"
"A girl sealed as a former hero? What's that?" I thought, but I answered her question.
"Kiska."
"Kiska. That's a nice name."
She said, observing me closely.
"Hey, could you crouch down a bit?"
"Huh?"
Not understanding her intentions, I followed her request.
"Mmm."
I widened my eyes.
Before I knew it, she had pressed her lips against mine.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
I protested as I pulled away from her.
"I was just trying to show my gratitude. Was that not okay?"
She tilted her head.
More than whether it was okay or not, I couldn't fathom the meaning behind it.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing really... Oh, right. You want to get out of the dungeon, don't you?"
"That's true, but..."
"In that case, come with me. I'll help you get out."
Saying so, she started walking ahead.
Honestly, her presence was somewhat eerie, but if she could really help me get out, it was more than I could ask for.
So, I decided to trust her.
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