Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru

「On another note, go talk to Shuna」

「Ehhh」

「Don’t you “Ehhh” me」

Regure made a face like a child. It was not the kind of face one would expect from a woman with lives in her belly.

「What if Shuna never recovers?」

「No way, it's just a woman like me getting pregnant」

「Then go see him. Go see him and explain」

「Well, that's……」

「What?」

She had an awkward look on her face.

「You know, that guy Shuna, he passed out after catching only a glance of me, right?」

「Right」

I had knocked him out.

「So, you know, how about we play it off as a hallucination or something, and then I can reunite with him again after I've given birth?」

「I see……… That obviously won't cut it!」

「Ehhh」

And stop trying to get out of it with that childish reaction.

「So, Rana, how's Shuna been doing lately?」

「Well, in a nutshell………………」

Rana had been to Gladvain-sama's dormitory for training yesterday and earlier today.

「Terrible」

「Terrible?」

「Yeah, it’s really terrible」

「It’s terrible, huh?」

Shuna.

Somehow, I feel bad for you. Truly, I feel bad for you.

「Souya, I want to eat that」

「Later」

Dragging along Regure, who pestered me to buy her something to eat, I arrived at Gladvain-sama's dormitory.

Today as well, I was greeted by the sight of strong men and super strong women training.

Looking around, I found Shuna right away.

In the same spot where we had previously fought, he was crossing blades with his brethren, who were charging at him one by one.

As soon as he blocked the blade of one, he would block the blade of the next, and the next, and so on without a break.

Though Shuna was sweating profusely, there was no sign of fatigue on his face.

Even in a training exercise where a momentary lapse in judgment could result in serious injury, he was showing off swordsmanship that was calm, pure, and even refreshing.

「Hmm, immature. And stiff. You're stiff, Shuna. You should be more flexible, dancing like a feather and unleashing your blade like the surge of a tidal wave in a storm. That's weird, I never taught you such stiff swordsmanship. Who's the one who taught my Shuna such weird sword techniques?」

Regure's words made me break out in a cold sweat.

That was because the god who had taught him those sword techniques herself had walked up next to me.

「Hmmm, beastkin girl whom I saw not too long ago, do you have a problem with our Velsvain sword techniques?」

Gladvain-sama looked to be on the verge of losing her temper.

Well, that's only natural, I suppose.

「Velsvainnn~? Ahh, oh crap………………no way, it's His Majesty's………」

Regure face went white.

Could it be that His Majesty, or rather, the royal line of Ashtalia, is aware that they have Gladvain's blood running through them?

「Something about you has been bothering me, but………………could it be?!」

「Tsk」

Even Regure couldn't help but take a step back when Gladvain-sama glared at her.

「That baby in your belly, is it Souya's?」

「Ack」

I choked.

My throat hurts.

「Gladvain-sama, he says it's not, in a manner of speaking」

The helping hand that Rana provided was so very nuanced.

「What do you mean by "in a manner of speaking", Souya? I never thought of you as the kind of man who would flee from your responsibilities after getting a woman pregnant」

「Like I've said a million times, it's not mine!」

「You men are all like that! The mere mention of the words "responsibility" and "commitment", and you lot flee like rats. Furthermore, you men always complain about how women stop paying attention to you after they've had children」

Okaa-sama~, please believe meeeeee.

Also, did something happen between you and your husband when you had your daughters?

「Umm, the babies in my belly are the children of a warrior from a faraway land」

Overwhelmed by her pressure, Regure explained herself.

「They're not Souya's?」

「Probably not」

「Hey, say it with certainty」

I retorted Regure, who had tilted her head when answering.

I've really not done anything with you, okay? You can get pregnant all you want, but I have nothing to do with it, got it?

At any rate, I fervently assured Okaa-sama that there was not a drop, not even a molecule of genetic material between Regure and me.

She half-believed me.

Why?

The trust that I've built up so far, is this all it amounts to?

Behind me, Shuna's training came to an end. After wiping off his sweat and getting some water, he gave me a refreshing smile that radiated killing intent.

Yup, we've got another one here who has misunderstood.

「Shuna, calm down」

『Souya!』

For some reason, my name echoed loudly in the air.

The two youths who had shouted at the same time turned to stare at each other.

One a swordsman with long red hair, the other a knight with close-cropped blonde hair.

Come to think of it, they're probably about the same age.

「You still need something from Souya?!」

「Yeah, I do!」

When Shuna yelled at him, Arcane yelled back. Behind him stood a quiet Nanassy.

「I'm first!」

「What the hell, asshole!」

Ohh, come to think of it, Shuna doesn't have any friends of his age and gender, does he?

「Hey, don't you know what kind of place this is?! It's where marital skills are honed!」

「So what?! You little shit!」

「We'll fight to decide who goes first!」

「I'll take that challenge!」

You guys get along so well.

「If you've got that much bluster, you're alright with using real weapons, right?!」

「Oh yeah! Of course!」

Both of you are being really loud.

「Listen up, Nanassy. Stay out of this. Even if it looks dangerous for me, do not interfere!」

「………………」

Nanassy replied Arcane with silence.

「Answer me~」 𝒇𝘳𝐞𝚎𝓌𝑒𝑏𝒏𝑜𝙫ℯl.c𝚘𝒎

「I refuse」

「Follow my orders」

「There are orders that I'll follow and those that I won't. "Do not interfere" is one of those that I won't」

「Hey, Souya!」

「What?」

Arcane turned to me

「Hold back Nanassy. Be sure to hold her back! Not that I’ll lose, but if it looks like I’m about to, she’ll jump in!」

「Alright, alright」

That said, how am I supposed to hold her back?

「Hey, get this pregnant lady something to sit on」

『Got it!』

At Okaa-sama's command, the kin brought over a bench right away.

Regure sat down, and I naturally ended up sitting down beside her. Next, Rana sat down beside me, and for some reason, Nanassy sat on my lap. She had taken to me.

「Hey, Souya」

「What now?」

Regure had a mischievous look on her face again.

「Somehow, it looks like I'm also one of your women, doesn't it?」

「You're not」

「Dear, I don't particularly mind if you have other women―――――」

「Rana, she alone is definitely out of the question」

I'm in a situation where I have flowers, Regure, Nanassy, and Rana, on both hands and on my lap.

Regure is being needlessly flirty with me. It's troubling.

Going with the flow, Rana has clung to my arm and pressed her breasts against me. What bliss.

Nanassy is unmoved.

「A warrior must maintain a heart of steel and be ready to fight in any situation! Shuna, concentrate!」

「Y, yes」

Shuna got flustered when Okaa-sama yelled at him.

「Pffft」

Arcane sniggered.

「That knight there! You're facing my kin! This is no time to be laughing!」

「Y, yes」

But he quickly deflated.

Okaa-sama raised her voice even louder.

「Starting now! My kin, Shuna, and………………come to think of it, who the heck are you?」

「I'm Arcane. An apprentice representative hero of Elysium」

「Ohh, aren't you a full-fledged knight then? Shuna, it's time for you to show off the results of your training! With the aim of tearing him to pieces, kill him!」

『UUOOOOOooooo!』

All of the kin, Shuna included, howled.

「Eh, hang on」

I felt a little bit bad for Arcane. He looked like a kitten that had wandered into enemy territory.

「Begin!」

Shuna attacked at the sound of Okaa-sama's voice. Arcane was intimidated, but he diverted the thrust of the longsword cleanly by making his shield "go with the flow".

If Shuna had put a little bit more weight into the blow, he would have lost his balance, leaving a fatal opening.

His intimidated expression and the shield technique he just used give off the impression that he's just a small fry, but isn't Arcane doing somewhat decent? That's not a technique that can be mastered in a day or two.

「Hmm, aren't you kinda weak?」

Arcane provoked Shuna with his natural way of speaking. Ever the hothead, Shuna fell for it magnificently.

He slashed at Arcane wildly.

「Ahhh, that’s bad」

Regure had her head in her hands.

「Hey there, god. Are you the one who trained Shuna in swordsmanship?」

「That’s right」

Okaa-sama answered without taking her eyes off Shuna.

「Isn't it completely no good? He's regressed. When I taught him, his movements were much more fluid and light」

「You're Shuna's teacher?」

「That’s right!」

Regure was indignant. So from Regure's perspective, Shuna has gotten weaker, huh?

Be that as it may, Rana's boobs are fabulous.

「You've drilled into him a wonderful foundation. You combined the ancient beastkin sword techniques with your own unique style of swordplay. However, perhaps it's because of your deftness, but you accommodated Shuna too much when he was young」

Wild swings rained down onto the shield.

Huh, that's weird?

I couldn’t help but think that. His momentum wasn't slowing. It kept increasing. The pattern on the longsword's blade turned red, and the sharpness and the weight of the slashes reached a climax.

Arcane was slowly being pushed back, shield and all.

「Behold, he may not have been blessed with a large physique, but he's growing every day. His physical strength is now far beyond that of an ordinary swordsman’s」

His shield not enough, Arcane drew his sword as well to meet Shuna's blade.

Sword and shield.

Even with those two, the longsword couldn't be stopped.

「Nanassy, hey, stay where you are」

「Arcane is in danger」

I put one arm around the restless Nanassy to stop her.

「Look, that's not good, you know?」

「What do you mean by "not good"?」

It seems that she really doesn't get it.

「If a man wants to do something, let him do it. Failure is part and parcel of growth」

「I'll be troubled if he gets hurt or dies」

「Is he such a weakling?」

He seems to be the rather tough type. Also, I can smell the stench of a man who has lived a dirty life. He's the type to live a long life.

「That's not true. Arcane is a great guy」

「Then believe in him. A man who has a woman that believes in him becomes twice as strong」

「Is that so………I see. ………………I see, so that's how it is」

She nodded wistfully.

Quite surprisingly, I had gotten through to her.

Reduced to a single shield, Arcane was left completely on the defensive.

Shuna was on the verge of winning.

He should be, but for some reason, he couldn't grab victory.

A bad feeling welled up within me.

Arcane curled his body into a small ball and hid himself behind his shield. The longsword slowly carved the metal armor of the shield to shreds.

This is……could it be……

「Shu――――」

Without thinking, I started to raise my voice, but Okaa-sama stopped me.

Shuna bent his upper body and, from a compact stance, he delivered a thrust.

Arcane met it head-on with his shield.

The tip of the longsword pierced through the shield and the blade went in about halfway.

This was exactly what Arcane had been aiming for.

He had opened up the gap between his body and the shield beforehand.

The shield was flung aside. Impaled deep into the shield, Shuna's longsword was also sent flying through the air.

Before it even hit the ground, Arcane drove his fist into Shuna’s midsection.

It hit him right in the solar plexus.

It was a blow that turned the tide.

Arcane followed up with more punches in rapid succession. I could hear the short bursts of exhalation that came with each blow. Blood sprayed from Shuna's mouth and nose.

This guy Arcane, he's far better at hand-to-hand combat than fighting with a sword. And he's constantly aiming for vital spots in a vicious manner.

I'll have to stop this as soon as possible―――――――

「Souya, if you interfere with a duel a second time, I won't let you go scot-free」

「But………」

Shuna is now getting beat up one-sidedly.

The fight is already settled.

「Have faith. In your party members, in my training, and in the hard work Shuna has put in」

「I………understand」

That's easier said than done.

It's hard for me to force myself to accept it.

I looked at Regure, and for some reason, she looked impressed.

Shuna was knocked to the ground. Arcane took the mount position then rained fists down without mercy.

After struggling for a while, Shuna’s resistance ceased.

It looked like Arcane had also confirmed it.

Without a doubt.

Shuna had been knocked out.

「Now, how did things get so complicated? Oh well」

Shaking the blood from his fists, Arcane……

「It's a shame」

……left an opening.

Shuna had definitely lost consciousness.

However, the hours upon hours of training Gladvain-sama had made him go through had built up in him the ability to wake instantly from such an unconscious state.

Shuna grabbed Arcane's fist with both hands and wrapped both legs around his arm.

Both their bodies spun around.

Arcane's back hit the ground. At his side, Shuna had taken his arm.

It was a cross armbar.

He had locked it in perfectly.

His arm hyperextended, Arcane tried to flip his body over, but Shuna's legs prevented him from doing so.

「Urrghhh!」

Arcane is trying to bear the pain, but since he has no way of escaping, there's no point in enduring it.

Since this is not a deathmatch, all that's left is to………

「I, I’ve lost!」

Arcane admitted defeat.

I like that kind of quick judgment. If he had refused to give in for no good reason and got himself injured, it would have affected his adventuring. Those who can't act rationally and intelligently to a certain extent won't be able to hold their own as adventurers, much less serve as a leader.

「The duel is over!」

At Okaa-sama's words, the two of them dropped their battle stance.

Nanassy leaped to Arcane's side.

Shuna wiped the blood from his mouth and turned to look at me.

「Souya! You're next!」

「There's no way I'm gonna do it!」

For crying out loud, cut it out, both you teacher and disciple.

Oh, Arcane’s appearance was a bit unexpected, wasn’t it? What’s he doing there? To repay Souya? But it did result in an interesting duel, didn’t it? Shuna’s gotten stronger too, huh? Well, will he and Souya end up fighting again? Or will we get to see the long-overdue conversation between Shuna and Regure? Stay tuned!