Reborn Into A Dark Social Game World With Completely Loyal Friends. - Chapter 2: Shall we start by setting a course of action?

Shall we start by setting a course of action?

“……?”

Suddenly, I woke up to the brightness of the morning sun.

Still not fully awake, I sat up and saw the shadow of a giant dragon.

For a moment, I flinched in surprise, but then I remembered that I had come to the game world… After spending the night sleeping, my tiredness had faded away, but a different kind of fatigue washed over me.

“Ha…”

“Have you awoken, master?”

“Yeah… Good morning, Tana-chan.”

When I looked up, those terrifyingly red eyes that stirred fear were still there.

Thanatos, the black dragon… I leaned against her, and there was no one else but me who could sleep next to such a terrifying creature in this world of Dark Resonance.

“I… slept too, but I’ve been thinking about something since last night.”

“What is it?”

“Why do you call me Tana-chan?”

To me, it was a question that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Well, I could call her Thanatos, but unlike other characters, she joined my camp after being summoned, so I could give her a name.

So, instead of the default name Thanatos, I gave her the nickname Tana-chan to add a bit of cuteness.

“It’s fine even if it’s Thanatos… Well, you see, isn’t she cute?”

“Cute…?”

“Well, my sense of taste might not be that great, but… Even though it’s just a nickname, if I’m going to change the name, I want it to be something special just for me.”

“…………”

“Is it okay if I call you Tana-chan? I like it, but… If you don’t like it, I can just call you Thanatos.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t mind. I was just curious.”

In that case, it’s Tana-chan!

As I repeated “Tana-chan” with a smile, Thanatos, who was being called that way, seemed annoyed but also seemed to purr like a cat… She seemed pleased.

Although her expression was that of a stern dragon, I somehow understood the difference.

“Oh… I’m hungry. I didn’t eat anything since last night.”

“Very well. Let’s have breakfast.”

Breakfast… Was there anything to eat? I looked around.

This Nevalis  Castle, as I mentioned before, was not only decayed but also an uninhabited wilderness where nothing lived.

There was no sign of any living creature, let alone a place where food was stored… However, after a while, a delicious-looking meat was cooked in front of me.

“Oh… Amazing.”

“I’m quite used to this. It’s easy for me.”

It was meat from a magical creature that could be used for food.

Since I had no fighting power, Thanatos prepared it for me… Thanatos, who was a dragon, could use magic.

Among them, her specialty was her ability to use shadows in any distant place. If there were no food monsters nearby, she could easily catch them using the shadows of their habitats.

“Ah, it’s amazing. That power of yours. Flying like you did yesterday is great, but being able to move from town to town in an instant was also very helpful. Truly a Shadow Taxi!”

“I don’t understand what a taxi is, but it’s Shadow Distance. Please stop using such tasteless naming.”

“Shadow Taxi is easier to say, and besides, everyone was calling it that.”

Conversely, Shadow Distance was a name that was only used in guides and official announcements… Well, I’d better not mention it.

“It’s about time. Be careful not to burn yourself.”

“Got it. Thanks, Tana-chan… Ow!?”

“Are you a child?”

Despite a little mishap, I filled my stomach with the meat Thanatos had prepared.

It wasn’t seasoned with salt and pepper or anything, but the meat of this magical creature had a solid flavor to it.

It tasted somewhat like pork, making me crave some plain rice.

“Phew, thanks for the meal.”

“It’s good to see you enjoying your food. However, we should address the issue of meals sooner rather than later.”

Food was essential for survival, so it was indeed a significant problem.

Not only did I not know anything about the dining situation in this world, but I was also almost entirely ignorant about the ingredients.

There were scenes in the game where I collected ingredients and cooked, but… to be honest, I didn’t remember any of it.

“If you’re okay with it, Tana-chan, this way is fine for now. But relying solely on meat for a long time seems bad for the body.”

“Hmm… Then maybe I’ll gather some vegetables next.”

Thanatos really did think about me a lot… Even though she looked like a dragon, her kindness was so gentle and comforting.

But don’t forget.

She was kind and devoted to me because it was me—if it weren’t for me, if she were dealing with someone else, one of my companions, Thanatos would easily bury them.

“Master, I’ve been thinking a bit… This place is practically deserted, with hardly any creatures approaching. While we don’t need to make this castle perfect, wouldn’t it be better if we could make it a livable environment?”

With that suggestion from Thanatos, I paused to think.

Indeed, as Thanatos said, no one approached this place… As was clear from the setting, this was a sanctuary where the protagonist, the player, could enter because Thanatos called them.

In the original story as well, this was the case, but from the perspective of someone like me who lacked the courage to face such absurd reality, the proposal was too tempting… But there was one problem.

“Tana-chan, unfortunately, I have absolutely no skills related to construction.”

“Me neither. Are we doomed?”

In short, if we could do that, it would be a breeze.

Given that meals were essential, that was indeed a significant problem.

“I’ve also noticed one more thing, Master… It seems that there is already a commander in this world. Not you, but the commander of this world.”

For me, that was a reassuring piece of information.

Because with a commander present, the story would progress, and no matter how difficult and sad the events were, they would ultimately be resolved… Of course, there were many chapters with unsatisfactory endings, but as long as there was a protagonist fulfilling their role, there shouldn’t be any problem.

“…But then, that commander would experience many encounters… Will someone like Mia become their companion?”

“I don’t know. Not everything will necessarily proceed exactly as you remember it. If you want to make contact with Mia and the others before that commander, I’ll consider various things as well.”

“Thanks, Tana-chan. Well, I mean… Sure, I’d like to see them up close, but I should probably hold back. Even though you’re here, I’ve already given up being the commander.”

“In that case, I’ll stay by your side.”

“Geez, Tana-chan, you’re truly the best dragon. Marry me.”

“M-Marriage!? Engage!?”

“Calm down, Tana-chan.”

Thanatos, visibly shaken, releases a fireball into the sky, her entire body trembling.

… It seems that those words were enough to make her happy, now that her trust level had reached 100.

***

It was a little while after Minato was playing around with Thanatos.

The commander, the protagonist of this world, had been invited to a certain city.

It was called the place of beginnings,, where everyone returns and various other things, but the commander was looking around with curiosity.

“Commander, how about calming down a bit?”

“Yeah, Commander-sama. You’re going to lead the troops from now on, so you need to stand tall and proud.”

“I understand, but…”

The commander seemed young and inexperienced in battle.

Although too unreliable to bear the weight of the world, there was also anticipation for future growth.

“But… why does Mia-sama want to meet with you?”

“I don’t know… Even though there’s a commander, it’s not often you get to meet her, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Mia… The commander was puzzled by the name.

“Is Mia famous?”

“Of course— Mia-sama is compassionate and holds the main power in this city. She has enough authority to move the First Division to the Fifth Division on her own, with the endorsement of the Pope.”

“To allies, she’s an angel; to enemies, she’s the Grim Reaper… Well, something like that.”

“I see…”

The commander analyzed, understanding how formidable the girl truly was.

Then, a large door opened, and finally, that girl revealed herself.

“Commander…~! I’ve been wanting to… meet you…?”

The girl who appeared was truly angelic in appearance.

Her long silver hair swayed, and her face, still retaining some youthfulness, was adorable… yet undeniably approaching the beauty of adulthood.

The girl, Mia, who shouted loudly, froze immediately upon seeing the commander and widened her eyes… and gradually, disappointment appeared in her eyes.

“Oh… I see… That’s how it is… Hmm.”

“Um… Mia-sama? This is the commander—”

“Yeah, I know. I just wanted to see what kind of person you are… Commander, I’m sincerely looking forward to your actions!”

With just those words, Mia left.

“What was that all about?”

“I don’t know…”

The three, including the commander, watched Mia’s back as she walked away for a while before leaving the scene.

“…That was disappointing… Where… where are you… my commander?”