Chapter 322: The Teleport Device is Scary!

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After some time, a demonkin faced our way and reported while looking awkward, 『The portal is malfunctioning』

It sounded like quite a big deal. Sword and I became pale.

What’s with that!? That’s really scary!

…As I thought, I think we should give up on the idea of having them send us to the entrance area of the dungeon with a teleportation device.

“It’s rare. It’s truly rare, but it does occur. And we also know the reason for it. Therefore, we make sure to not use the portals while the conditions for it malfunctioning persist. Those who used it nonetheless due to some circumstances ended up being sent to some random place.”

The demonkin hurriedly explained after seeing our change in mood. According to him, the malfunctioning often occurred during rainy days, and the probability for it to happen would rise exponentially during stormy days.

What’s up with that? Totally sounds like a blackout.

＊

The ones who went missing due to the malfunctioning were only demonkin with rather complicated circumstances, so they didn’t look any further into their disappearance, or so he said.

Hmm…

I groaned while folding my arms.

“…Well, if it’s like that, Smith’s life has been less objectionable. I mean, it sounds very likely that most of them died instantly after being teleported to some weird place. Also, I don’t feel like using the portal anymore.”

I have no need for that sort of thrill!

“I’ll abstain as well. We can simply go through the jungle. We’ll make sure to kill as little as possible, so please let us off with that.”

Sword agreed with me on this.

＊

We had also considered flying in Char, but driving across the ground is safer, and thus we decided to do just that. The instant we decided so, the demonkin entreated us in turns to not destroy the jungle and its golems.

Do they consider us humans as gods of destruction or something?

“Holy cow, we’re going to make sure to not start any fights or get dragged into any fights, so don’t worry so much. Please wait for us in front of the gate.”

Telling them that, I did some warming up exercises with Sword outside.

“Monster won’t come close since they’re going to know my strength. As for golems, I doubt they’ll be scared of me, no matter how many magic elements I gather to scare them off,” I lamented.

“How about you try it once? Maybe even golems know fear?”

Since I was told so by Sword, I became slightly serious for a change. Once I did, the demonkin and Sword all moved back at once.

“Whoa! I thought you might be a demonic god!”

“You’re being rude to demonic gods. I’m nowhere near their level.”

With this much power, I won’t be able to match the demon king. Even a serious Sword will likely go beyond this.

Once I glared at him, Sword laughed, “Alright, let’s go.”

He started to dash.

＊

――Okay, we’ve arrived. It took us less than ten minutes. Sorry for the lack of fun.

I mean…I mean, we’ve been told to not do anything! So we had no choice but to plunge through the place without making any side-stops, right!?

Even though it sounded like a jungle would be lots of fun, we weren’t allowed to do anything in there, so we were stuck just running through it for the most part.

“……It looked quite interesting. Did you also see those big flowers who looked like they’d prey upon humans and demonkin?”

“……For a short moment. Did you spot the incredibly big monsters with their long fangs?”

I talked with Sword about what we’ve seen there while feeling somewhat disappointed.

＊

Alright, I’m going to vent my frustration on the demon king’s castle!

I looked up to the towering castle. You couldn’t see its roof, and moreover, it was completely overflowing with the right mood and design. Its feel of an old castle was much more pronounced than the old castles in the other world’s country famous for its waffles. On top of that, it was huge, too.

It was shrouded by dark clouds, totally giving off a demon king’s castle vibe! Yahooo!

Sword also looked up, appearing to be just as thrilled.

“How about you take a picture and send it?” I offered.

Sword agreed, immediately took the picture, and sent it out.

……To me.

“…Now listen, what’s the point in sending it to me? I’m here with you, am I not?” I retorted.

He responded, “I also sent it to Amato and the others.”

That’s not the issue here!

＊

The entrance into the castle didn’t have the air of an old castle, but clearly reminded you of a dungeon entrance. A stone-made corridor extended all the way into the darkness without any doors.

Given that Lynn was among the demonkin who had come to see us off, I asked him, “Have you ever entered this castle?”

Lynn nodded as if it was only natural.

“This place also serves as a training ground. Even if you kill someone or get killed yourself, you can be revived, so it’s perfect for real combat training.”

……

Come to think of it, the demon king had mentioned that at the end, but that’s a terribly scary magic art, isn’t it? One way or another I can somehow understand that the monsters in the dungeon get revived as they’re merely using temporary bodies made out of magic elements, but why can people, who live here and now, be revived inside the dungeon!?

“Heeeh, creation magic, eh?”

Sword said in admiration, but I think it’s something else. No, it’s definitely something else.

“I don’t want to be resurrected. What’s with that magic!? It’s frightening! Won’t that serve as perfect proof for people not actually being people!?”

This is no game!

Playing around in a game environment is all fine and so on, but living here and now, I want to live and die normally!

Sword and Lynn were surprised, but I was more surprised by their way of being astonished. Pressing one hand against my waist, I held out the other with a finger raised, and preached, “Wondering why we’re alive is an enigma, but my body is made out of organic matter, and everything necessary to continue the body’s operation is carried out by the body itself. Having some mysterious magic used on me, resulting in my body stopping to be a physical object is scary and impossible for me. In such a case, clearing the dungeon by building a life-sized golem and controlling it remotely would be more understandable.”

“Yeah, okay. I got it. Let’s go?”

Sword calmed me and then pushed my back.

“Should I guide you some of the way?”

Lynn offered kindly, but it’d dampen all my excitement, if he did something similar to a sightseeing tour, so I refused, telling him that it’d be alright since I have a skill to create a map anyway.

And then, while waving a hand, I entered the castle.

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