In the Land of Leadale Vol. 6 Page 3
“Urgh!”
“Huh?!”
Opus sensed a ruthlessness equal to Cayna’s own destructive violence and stopped in his tracks. Cloffe and Clofia also froze, their faces twisted in a grimace; they had already witnessed the fairy blow previous floors to smithereens. Neither Opus nor the werecat siblings recalled ever acting hostile toward Kuu, so they had no idea why she was turning on them. Only Siren took the situation in stride as she stood serenely beneath the crimson projectiles.
“No fighting!”
The way Kuu flailed her arms in protest was adorable and hilarious, although this was instantly offset by the barrage of missiles floating above her.
“Luka said so.”
“…Luka did, huh?” Opus murmured as he looked up at Kuu with a knowing nod.
He had spotted Cayna’s adopted daughter during the River Festival (albeit from a distance) while he was working behind the scenes and had decided to investigate further. Kuu was mentally around the same age as Luka, so the girl’s childlike behavior was likely influencing the fairy.
“If you fight, you’ll both be in bubble!”
“Huh? Bubble?!” Clofia exclaimed.
“…I believe she means trouble,” said Siren.
It was unclear whether this was what Luka had actually said or if Kuu misheard her, but everyone tilted their heads at the fairy’s turn of phrase. Both sides, which had been primed to strike, paused in confusion. The flurry of red arrows seemed to imply that any fighting would result in more than a few burst bubbles.
“Hold it! We won’t fight anymore, so call off the fireworks!”
Opus was already sweating as he raised a hand and promised unconditional surrender. He looked quite unnerved. Kuu might be tiny and childlike, but Opus knew exactly who he was dealing with here.
Even if Opus and Siren took on the full brunt of the red arrows’ wrath, the damage would be negligible. Cloffe and Clofia, however, were a different story. Their levels were only in the double digits. If hit by the same attack, their injuries would be no joke. They might not escape with their lives. Best-case scenario, they’d wind up being lumps of flesh. Worst-case scenario, they’d be blown to smithereens. Opus didn’t hate the pair that much.
He merely wanted to mess around with them to prove just how weak they were. Instigate them a bit, then dish out a good whupping. That was all. Opus wasn’t sure how Cayna would react if he brought down his full might on her friends, which was why he stuck to light teasing. However, Kuu’s onslaught was a different story.
“Hmph.”
Kuu continued grumbling as her eyes turned from the resigned Opus to the werecats.
The flustered siblings momentarily cowered beneath her steely gaze. Behind the fairy, Opus was urging them to surrender. Cloffe and Clofia looked from the sea of airborne missiles, then at Kuu, and then finally at Opus. They turned to each other and nodded.
“I give.”
“I surrender.”
Both slowly raised their hands to Kuu as a gesture of goodwill.
But what happened next was scarier than anything else.
“Gotcha!”
Her hard-nosed attitude dissipated an instant later, and Kuu broke into a sunny smile. The crimson arrows, however, still came down in a sudden downpour. Opus, Cloffe, and Clofia had assumed the projectiles would disappear with Kuu’s foul mood; their blood ran cold as the deadly daggers pierced the floor with a thundering crash.
Simplistic psycho was certainly an accurate way to describe Kuu. Opus, Cloffe, and Clofia stared at her and the arrow-riddled floor with terror in their eyes.
“Heh. Well, she rampages like Cayna at least…,” Opus muttered as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
Before their civil conversation could commence, Siren stepped between the two parties and raised her hand.
“Might I have a moment?”
“What’s up, Siren?” Opus asked. “Going to start things off?”
“No, not quite.”
“Will you perhaps act as a mediator?” Cloffe inquired.
“No, you are both incorrect. Shall we head outside?”
Gesturing toward the ceiling, Siren pointed out the obvious.
Opus looked up while Cloffe and Clofia winced, their eyes darting back and forth. Both parties had spent the entire time bickering only to remember all too late that this was a dungeon. And they weren’t fighting for dominance or prey: The dungeon master had simply emerged from the depths below, while the siblings thought Cayna had been abducted and merely had been trying to rescue her.
Neither party had attempted to communicate from the get-go, so their open hostility created a series of misunderstandings. Opus’s condescension and instigation didn’t help matters, but a clash could have been avoided if everyone had introduced themselves properly. Cloffe couldn’t imagine a worse first impression. A battle to the death likely would have broken out if they hadn’t been so forcefully interrupted. Even with their numerical advantage, Cloffe and Clofia didn’t stand a chance against Cayna’s partner in crime.
“I assume you’ve all had enough of this dark, stinking cellar, yes?”
“Hold it right there, Siren. Did you just insult me?”
“I’m pleased to see you have a modicum of self-awareness.”
“Grah… You truly know how to make a master feel like a sidekick…”
Even if Opus was the type of person to act out these pathetic comedy routines with his maid, Cloffe wanted to believe he had assumed wrong.
“How do we get out of here, Brother?”
“Good question…”
When Clofia considered how they’d get back to the surface, she grimaced at the thought of retracing their steps. After all, it was a trap that had sent her tumbling down to this floor in the first place.
Cloffe, on the other hand, had arrived at the underground lake only after forcing his way past each layer. Even if they wanted to go back, he had no idea where the established route was.
“What’s with you two? Don’t tell me you don’t have Return Magic.”
“R-Return Magic?”
Opus’s question rattled Cloffe. Neither werecat knew the aforementioned spell, of course. The spec difference between a two-hundred-year-old player and any modern-day citizen was just that immense. Furthermore, the magic used by the masses and the magic used by players were two entirely separate entities. The former obviously wouldn’t have a spell that allowed them to escape from a dungeon’s depths in the blink of an eye.
“What a pain… Both of you, stay close to me. We’re leaving.”
“…What?”
“Come along now. Please stay near Master Opus. If you’re frightened, might I offer to hold your hand?”
“Huh? Wait a sec. What’re you doing?”
The delicate maid forcefully drew the bewildered Clofia in close, but Cloffe was quietly obedient. If Opus was truly in the same league as Cayna, he had faith the demon could pull this off. He maintained a distance that was not too close yet not too far, and Opus nodded.
Siren took a half step back to stand beside her master, then dragged Clofia behind Opus. The werecat reluctantly complied.
Kuu, who had fallen silent since her last frenzy, frolicked and twirled around in Cayna’s hair even though the girl was still slumped over Opus’s shoulder. Fairies were truly an easygoing bunch.
Magic Skill: Load: Return
Starting at Opus’s feet, a 3D dodecahedron magic circle soon enveloped everyone. Each of the twelve faces was a different magic circle whose fine details were like exquisite works of art. However, this was all merely an effect; the only true technique was beneath the caster’s feet.
An incredulous Cloffe and Clofia stared wide-eyed as the spell worked its magic. The group vanished from the massive, stalactite cavern and reappeared somewhere else entirely.
It was an empty, average-sized room with a wooden floor. There were no chairs or any other furniture; along one wall stood a door and a window with sunlight pouring through.
One moment they were in the cave; the next they were hovering over the floor of their destination.
Everyone stumbled forward a few steps.
When Cloffe nervously approached the window and peeked outside, he was greeted by a sweeping view of the entrance to the dungeon village. However, he knew the area well and had no recollection of this house. He was certain it wasn’t here when he and Clofia first arrived.
As he tried to piece the puzzle together, the owner of the house explained, “This place is hidden. No one knows about it.”
Cloffe twirled around in surprise and was doubly amazed when a bed, chair, and table materialized out of thin air.
“Where did all this…?”
“Brother, they just pulled everything out of nowhere.”
Siren had produced these furnishings, and from her haughty expression, this must have all been part of a maid’s repertoire.
Opus carefully laid Cayna on the bed as if she were made of glass. Cloffe saw how tender the demon’s face looked in that moment, and he felt a small wave of relief.
“Watch over her for a bit.”
“Ranger that!”
Kuu deftly leaned back in midair and gladly accepted Opus’s request.
She’d jumbled her words again, but no one bothered to say anything. Opus gave a small sigh as a part of him wondered why Cayna hadn’t given Kuu a proper education. Giving up was probably the wisest option at this point.
Cayna was unresponsive despite their loud conversation. Her eyes were closed, but the steady rise and fall of her chest indicated she was alive.
“What in the world happened to Lady Cayna?” asked Cloffe.
“Huh? ‘Lady’?”
Opus stared incredulously at Cloffe, then took out
a blanket from his Item Box and placed it over Cayna.
“What’s your connection with her?” he asked.
“We’re pretty much strangers, but Lady Cayna is the aunt of Otaloquess’s queen,” Clofia answered.
“What? ‘Aunt’?”
Cloffe’s plan to slowly glean information out of Opus and observe the demon’s reactions was foiled by his sister’s foolish naïveté. He quietly lamented Clofia’s careless blunder and resolved to lecture her later.
“As usual, she makes the strangest acquaintances… I suppose that’s just her thing,” Opus replied tiredly. Based on his tone, he knew exactly what was going on.
Siren brought over a teapot and offered the siblings a seat since they’d been standing for so long.
“Here you are. Why don’t you two relax and enjoy a spot of tea?”
“Ah, thank you.”
“…Sure.”
Cloffe and Clofia ceded to Siren’s soothing nature and sat down. Both reached for a proffered teacup, had a sip, and took a breather.
“So about Cayna’s condition,” Opus began. “She got what was coming to her. When you use up all your magic like that, there’s a price to pay.”
“‘A price to pay’…? Is her life in danger?” Clofia asked.
“Not at all. She’ll just be fatigued for a day. The most we can do is let her sleep.”
Opus’s brusque explanation eased Cloffe’s and Clofia’s visible worry. Cayna’s Ancient God’s Blade could slice through anything, but it consumed a steady flow of MP, and she’d already used up a significant amount when she went up against Drekdovai in the Battle Arena—hence why she fainted before getting the chance to chop up Opus. The Mega Stat Boost she cast while fighting the dragoid temporarily heightened her stats, but once the effects wore off, those stats were reduced to less than half for the following twenty-four hours.
Cayna was also suffering from a status ailment that compounded her exhaustion and weakened state.
“This happens to us fairly often. Worrying won’t help.”
Opus taking the time to explain things to regular people, on the other hand, did not happen all that often. Characters often became weakened back in the Game Era, but that had been nothing more than a numerical value. He wasn’t actually sure how badly Cayna was affected mentally and physically now that she was experiencing this state as a person and not an avatar.
Opus wasn’t sympathetic by nature, but he could read the room—mainly thanks to Siren, who was standing right beside him.
She didn’t consider Opus her master. If he said something unduly harsh or upsetting to others, she would dish out corporal punishment in the name of educational guidance. He hadn’t designed her that way, but perhaps this was his comeuppance for pulling some rather questionable strings to boost her stats.
Opus heaved a sigh, and Cloffe put a hand to his chest in relief. The queen of Otaloquess became even pushier whenever he reported various occurrences throughout the continent and Cayna happened to be involved. He had to take utmost caution in both his written and oral missives. The prime minister wanted Cayna to have a private audience with the queen if possible, but bringing her to the castle was easier said than done.
After all, Cayna avoided authority figures whenever she could help it. You didn’t need to be well acquainted with her to know that almost everyone in her network was a Felskeilo elite. She even had ties to a wealthy merchant whose influence spanned the continent. Cloffe, meanwhile, struggled to understand exactly why she disliked the elite so much.
And then another obstacle had appeared in the form of this Opus fellow. Cloffe could easily tell this demon was going to keep him at arm’s length from Cayna. Now his duties weighed on him even more.
“Ooh!”
Kuu, who had been doing figure eights while Cayna slept, let out a jubilant cry. All eyes in the room turned to her and saw Cayna panting heavily as she tried to sit up.
She was clutching her forehead, her discomfort plain as day, when Siren rushed over and began tending to her. She managed to lift herself up with the maid’s help, then glanced around the room blearily. Her glassy gaze fell on the apathetic Opus.
“…Opus?”
“Yo.”
“…Didn’t I kill you…?” A scary thing for her to say in her zombie-like state.
“Obviously not! You passed out beforehand,” he retorted, annoyed.
“Lady Cayna, please drink some water.”
Siren brought a pitcher to her lips. Cayna’s frail appearance as she took small sips made her look like the young girl she actually was. Opus was the only one present who knew her true age. Cloffe and Clofia jumped out of their seats to kneel by her bedside.
“…What’s wrong?” Cayna asked.
“I am so terribly sorry for all that has happened…”
Cayna tilted her head questioningly as Cloffe offered his heartfelt apology. He had essentially invited himself along on this journey, which ended up placing an enormous burden on Cayna. Of course, he only realized this once they were deep inside the dungeon, but he’d had his own reasons for refusing to turn back. Ashamed, Cloffe reflected on his stubbornness and how he had imposed on Cayna’s kindness.
Clofia, meanwhile, had only apologized for how disrespectful she’d been to Cayna before discovering that Cayna was the queen’s aunt.
“…You already said…sorry… It’s really not…a big deal…”
In Cayna’s weakened state, everything took a lot out of her; even speaking aloud was difficult.
Seeing Cayna make a frustrated attempt to string together a sentence, Opus attempted to steer the conversation elsewhere. Cayna stopped him with a hand and smiled at Cloffe and Clofia.
“If it wasn’t for you two…I would’ve been left mumbling to myself. So I guess you could say…I’m grateful.”
“We were only good for conversation…?” Cloffe asked.
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t look so down,” Cayna told them. “Yeah. You guys…made it fun.”
If she went into the dungeon on her own, Cayna would have had to deal with Kuu’s tantrums all by herself. Having other people around kept the fairy quiet, so she failed to see the siblings’ company as a bad thing. She did feel a little sorry for badmouthing Kuu, though.
Kuu and Kee were pretty much her only conversation partners. Kee, on the one hand, usually kept silent unless spoken to, while Kuu was a lost cause in terms of meaningful conversation. Cayna would’ve had to press onward through the dungeon with nothing but her own grumbling to keep her company. Cloffe and Clofia were a blessing in disguise; Cayna couldn’t thank them enough. They awkwardly accepted her gratitude.
“Well then, Lady Cayna. May I submit a report about both this incident and Sir Opus?”
“You mean to Sahalashade, right?”
Cloffe nodded, and Cayna shot Opus a spiteful glare while she pondered how to respond. He brushed this off with a wave of his hand as if it were dust in the wind.
“Mention me if you want. I don’t care either way.”
“…Are you sure?” Cayna asked.
“We’re talking about the queen of Otaloquess, right? You think a foster kid would stand a chance against me? Have a little more faith.”
He was apparently aware the queen was someone’s Foster Child, though how he acquired such information remained a mystery. Cayna doubted he’d give a straight answer even if she asked.
“…If I thought I could trust you…I would’ve started a long time ago,” she told him. “Well, there you have it, Cloffe. Go ahead and make your report.”
“Yes, understood.”
Opus had quashed Cloffe’s expectations. He’d assumed someone so powerful would do anything to avoid the attention of influential leaders.
The werecat also couldn’t help but wonder if it was really a wise idea to inform the queen about this man. At any rate, Cloffe knew he and his sister couldn’t stay in this house forever, so he cast his doubts aside.
“Hmm, I suppose I did give you two a pretty hard time. Consider this my apology.”
As Cloffe and Clofia opened the door and stepped outside, Opus’s voice stopped them in their tracks. He tossed them a palm-sized bag. Judging by the weight, it must have held several coins. Cloffe gave a brief nod of thanks before departing the hideout with Clofia. Cayna sleepily saw the pair off; Opus’s expression remained inscrutable.