It's Not Like I Want to Play the Role of a Misunderstood, Good-for-Nothing Prince in a Villainess Story! - Chapter 70 – Obstacles to Dungeon Exploration

When you think of dungeons, you imagine dim caves where sunlight doesn’t reach and torches are essential… but it was quite bright inside here.

Something like glowing moss grew on the walls and ceiling, illuminating the interior.

However, it glowed rhythmically with varying intensity as if breathing, which was a bit creepy.

It felt as if the dungeon was alive.

Well, according to the setting it is alive… but that’s fine in a game, whereas when you’re actually exploring it, it feels unpleasant—like you’re food voluntarily entering the mouth of a living creature.

“Was it okay to leave Beldiha-san?”

“Ah, it’s fine. They’ll handle the cleanup.”

After that, Beldiha drank alcohol in a good mood and then passed out.

When we carried Beldiha outside, as expected the knights were waiting, so we left him with them.

He’s probably sleeping soundly at the inn.

I’ll just tell him the investigation results when we get back.

At first, the dungeon entrance was narrow so there were other students from the same school scattered around, but as we descended floors and the structure became wider, people gradually disappeared from the surroundings.

Incidentally, the dungeon started with mainly small monsters that were properly weak.

While they were quick, they didn’t form groups or have learning ability, so most just charged straight at us.

For us who could use swords and magic to some extent, we descended the stairs to the lower floors without particularly struggling.

“This is pretty easy.”

The one talking big while walking in front was Driema.

While she could use magic, her activation after chanting was slow and she definitely wasn’t being helpful.

Rather, Zaik and Riti were working quite hard.

Zaik was skilled with swordsmanship, Riti with magic.

While both their abilities were just so-so, it was admirable that they properly finished off monsters.

Of course, Misty and Larba’s abilities went without saying.

“It’s almost the 10th floor. Medium and large monsters will start appearing, so don’t let your guard down.”

When I said words to tighten our focus, Driema looked at me with a mocking face. “Hmph…”

“Are you scared, Zeke?”

What an annoying face.

If she weren’t Larba’s betrothed, I’d be considering unleashing the ultimate technique from the other world—the ‘Gender Equality Punch.’

“Driema, don’t tease Zeke. The rooms are actually wide, but the corridors are narrow with elevation changes and lots of blind spots.”

“Yes, yes. But this party is pretty strong, so isn’t it okay to relax a bit? Misty-san can handle magic quite well, so I don’t think there’s anything to be scared of.”

“That’s right, Lady Misty is amazing! In that battle earlier…”

The moment Misty was praised, Riti praised Misty with sparkling eyes.

I’d vaguely noticed, but Riti seemed to be a fervent admirer of Misty—normally quiet, but once “Lady Misty is amazing” started, she’d talk for about five minutes.

The sight of an embarrassed Misty stopping her while blushing was like a ritual, and precious.

“Misty is amazing, yeah. Really amazing with magic.”

“Misty-san really is amazing.”

When I followed Riti in praising her, Larba agreed too.

“Please stop, Zeke-sama and even Larba-sama!”

Embarrassed Misty is so cute.

“Oh my, Larba-sama praises other women in front of his betrothed.”

“That’s not it, amazing is amazing, but my heart always belongs to Driema.”

Larba and Driema in front of me look like they’re making excuses at a cheating scene—not precious at all.

Yeah, she’s my cousin and Driema is just Driema after all.

Misty is number one.

When I turned my face to send a glance at Misty, what entered my field of vision was Zaik standing up close.

“Zaik, you’re close.”

“It’s okay, I think Zeke-sama is number one.”

“Got it. Yeah, I got it, so back up a bit. You’re close.”

Seriously, in the near future I feel like I’ll have my lips stolen by Zaik in an unfortunate accident.

After that, we continued defeating enemies smoothly.

Just as we were talking about bringing back some ore or something—

“…!?”

Right after, a large magic circle appeared on the ground.

Along with a clamorous sound, smoke like a smokescreen blocked our vision.

And when the smoke cleared, there were multiple men and a captured Driema.

“Don’t move!”

While hearing the shouting voice, I glanced around.

The numbers were over ten—many.

Furthermore, with a hostage taken, we couldn’t do anything too drastic.

They all looked young—students?

“Let go of Driema! Agos!”

Larba shouted at the lizard-faced man holding Driema.

An acquaintance?

“Larba, who’s that?”

“Third-year Agos Baitos. He’s from the Baitos count family and a really unpleasant guy. Even after Driema rejected him last year, he kept persistently following her around.”

Huh, like a stalker?

Even though Driema is royalty, isn’t she being taken advantage of the fact that status differences don’t exist within the academy?

“I talked to him once and he quieted down, so I thought he gave up, but he was planning this.”

“Give up? Ha, I was just waiting for an opportunity. And where was that a talk? I still remember the pain on my cheek from being punched.”

“Larba…”

That wouldn’t be called talking.

“Larba-sama!”

“Whoa, don’t struggle. But looking up close, Driema-chan really is cute.”

“Let go! Larba-sama!?”

Driema was struggling, but stopped abruptly when she noticed the knife pointed at her neck.

“That’s right, if you stay quiet I won’t do anything. But if you keep struggling, I can’t say what’ll happen.”

“Agos! Stop it.”

Agos looked at Larba condescendingly while raising his chin with a smirk.

“It’s ‘please stop,’ right? Come on, lower your sword to the ground.”

“…………”

“That goes for you too. Is it okay if something happens to this girl? Behave and I’ll release her.”

If only Agos would come forward, but he stood firmly in the rear with people placed in front of him.

I can’t make a move like this.

My eyes met Larba’s.

I shrugged and placed my sword on the ground.

“Good, good. Hey.”

“Yes.”

When Agos signaled with his chin, one person approached Larba and kicked him flying.

Larba was blown backward.

When they continued toward me, Larba shouted.

“Wait, Agos! The only one you have a grudge against is me, right? He’s not involved.”

“Yeah, not involved. But apparently there’s someone who doesn’t like that prince… I thought it was questionable to torment royalty too, but he’s the Suspended Prince, right? His reputation is bad, so it’s probably fine.”

Right after, I was punched in the cheek.

“Zeke!”

“I’m fine.”

I was kicked in the stomach next, but it wasn’t unbearable pain.

If it was just a matter of me and Larba enduring.

That’s what I was thinking when a scene jumped into my field of vision—my precious betrothed being shoved.

“Hey, what happened?”

“Agos-san, sorry. I tried to take this small one hostage and she interfered, so I accidentally… actually, wouldn’t it be better to take this pretty one hostage? For playing with later too, wouldn’t that be better?”

“Tch, I was told not to touch the first-years, but it’s too late now. Then you can take her to the back. Don’t kill her.”

“Of course. Hey, you guys help.”

“Stay quiet. You don’t want to know what’ll happen to your friend.”

I heard vulgar laughter.

…So being quiet was a lie after all.

“Zeke.”

Larba made a pained expression.

It was a face prepared for Driema to get hurt at worst.

Still, they used a large-scale magic circle to do this?

Over ten upperclassmen bigger than us gathered to take non-combatants hostage.

I’m seriously getting pissed off.

When I was trying to be peaceful.

I was looking forward to adventure training, and hoping I could close the distance with Misty a bit more—this is too shitty.

“I might get suspended again right after my suspension ended, but it can’t be helped.”

“Hmm, did you say something?”

While muttering in a small voice, I ripped off a metal fitting that was attached to my clothes as decoration.

“What, you gonna resist?”

“Mm, that’s right.”

The image of Misty being shoved and falling to the ground repeated in my head like a video, and each time my head felt like it was boiling.

The fact that something precious to me was hurt steadily raised the heat of quiet anger.

I closed my eyes.

I took one deep breath, and slowly opened my eyes, thinking I still couldn’t forgive them.

“You made the first move. You’ll regret making me angry.”

“Haha, what are you planning to do with that?”

“I’ll do this with it.”

I stabbed the pointed part into my right arm with all my strength.

Then repeatedly, over and over, I stabbed it into my arm, gouging and drawing blood.

Blood dripped from my arm, creating a red puddle on the ground.

Agos looked at me as if seeing something incomprehensible.

“Have you gone mad?”

While saying that, Agos’s movement stopped completely and he suddenly made a suspicious face, restlessly looking around at his arms and legs.

“Huh? What?”

“Agos-san, what’s wrong?”

“…No, somehow my arms… my legs won’t move… what is this?”

“Hey! Agos-san, what’s that!? Below! Below!”

From within the pool of blood, faintly dark, thin haze extended to both Agos’s hands and feet.

It crawled along the ground at ground level, then suddenly rose up when it reached directly under Agos.

“Eek! What is this!?”

The moment fear appeared in Agos’s eyes—

“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”

Right after a dull sound like something breaking, Agos’s shrill scream echoed.