{Sword}

The uproar after we cleared the dungeon was, in all honesty, worse than back when I repelled the dragon. Well, lots of folks croaked at that time and those who managed to survive felt terribly languid. Some even doubted my repellin it.

Rather, some still do nowadays.

This time its gotta be owed to Indras impact, Im sure. She had used ropes to tie together several treasure chests that didnt fit in our bags, and carried em. Of course I told her, How bout puttin em into the Ryokus?

But she immediately chided, Theres no way Id let the Ryokus carry something so heavy, is there!?

Incomprehensible, that girl.

She dotes on em excessively. At this point I really doubt whether she understands the purpose of golems.

When Indra, carryin huge chests, stepped out of an extravagant teleport gate that had manifested in the most crowded place at the most conspicuous spot near the dungeon entrance, everyone must have thought that this had to be proof of her havin cleared the dungeon.

That girl, seriouslysometimes I think shes a natural-born bigshot.

Yeah, yeah, Im just a tiny shot anyway, I know! A petty bourgeois!

Everyone said they wanted to hear what happened. Though I think 80% were just jealous of her. Anyway, she took their words seriously, climbed atop Char on a plaza, and gave a speech.

Moreover, she riled up everyone listenin to her.

Look, if you tell folks, Sir Dungeon Core is eagerly awaitin you, nyone callin emselves adventurer would want to head straight into the dungeon.

To make matters worse, she got completely carried away, and despite bein jeered at as cute missy, she took it positively, shoutin back, Oohh! You sure have discerning eyes! If a pretty girl such as me stands here, she must seem like diva to you, right!? No helping it! Ill sing one song for you guys!

And then she started to sing and dance. I could only slap my forehead. Everyone was dumbstruck at first, but soon they started to enjoy emselves, cheerin and applaudin.

However, just as Indra was bout to get caught up in the moment even further, I grabbed her head and made her stop. Shes really a bigshot, and, at the same time, an utter idiot.

But, Ive been saved by that stupid bigshot. Its fun to be with her. No matter the situation, you gotta enjoy it, I was unable to follow such a simple principle, but now Im able to have fun without any reservation.

That girls a heinous sadist, but Ive started to believe that its fine for her to be like that.

On one occasion, she got into a fight with an adventurer.

My friends died in that dungeon. And yet, youre talking about it as if its a paradise, instigating others to head into the dungeon, arent you?

The surroundings looked at us while enjoyin the show. Indra, on the other hand, looked at the adventurer blankly, not understandin what he was on bout.

Hmm? I see. So, what about it?

The people around us and I became speechless.

That guy froze for a moment too, before roarin, How do you intend to take responsibility if people die in that dungeon because you induced them to go there!?

Indra looked dumbfounded once more.

Why would I take responsibility? What are you talking about, dude? The responsibility will lie with the retarded adventurers who recklessly charge into the dungeon after getting riled up by my words without even having a grasp of their own strength, she shot him down flatly.

That guy completely froze.

Even the deaths of your friends or whatever are their own fault and, of course, yours since you didnt save them despite them being your friends, no? Ive got nothing to do with that, do I? Im an unrelated stranger. Its everyones own decision what they do and how they take my words. Just like my words and actions are based on my own decisions. As if Id give a damn about someone like you. Your friends died because they were dumb and weak adventurers, and you having been unable to save them is your own fault for being a weakling.

Well, she had a point, sure. But, that was way too blunt and outspoken.

On top of that, youre also a cowardly, foolish adventurer who tries to pin your wrongdoings on a completely unrelated stranger in order to dodge your own responsibility.

After havin hurled all that at him, the adventurer became ghastly pale, crumbled to his knees, and started to cry.

If you were a cute girl, it might havestirred my heart to an extent, buteven if a dirty badger bawls around shamefully, its nothing but disgusting, you know?

This was the finishing blow. At this point, she had exceeded being an extreme sadist. He couldnt say nythin nymore.

Okay, could you give it a rest bout now? I mean, now even my heart got stirredout of pity.

Really? Your heart doesnt move the slightest when watching a pretty girl cry, but as soon as its a middle-aged dude, you sympathize with him because you feel a fellowshipou-ouch, oooouch!

I grabbed her head and gently stroked her skull.

Everythin went down in such a manner.

I might be a lost cause as I pick up too much maliciousness if Im not with Indra. I wonder whether I should get those high-grade earplugs and use em

As I walked while ponderin bout that, I heard someone callin out to me, Sword!

The ones callin me Sword and not Thunderclap Whitefang are only old acquaintances. This is probably the reason why I stopped at all. Usually I ignore such calls. After all, each time its someone pretendin to be an acquaintance, just to lure me to some suspicious place.

After havin been fed tons of drugs, my poison and paralysis resistances have gone through the roof.

I looked at the face of the one callin me while harborin such thoughts.

I feel like Ive seen her somewhere before

Long time no see. For the first time in twelve years, I think.

And then I remembered. I see, twelve years change people, duh. Its a span of time allowing boys and girls to grow into fine adults.

Yep, shes

Long time no see, Karen.

She was a member of my first party when I left the village after bein invited to become an adventurer together with em.