The Boy Who Fell to the Lowest Level of the Dungeon, Becoming the Strongest and Returns to the Surface After 10 Years~He Just Wants to Live a Quiet Life, but His Childhood Friends Who Have Risen to Prominence Won’t Leave Him Alone~ - Chapter 5: The Woman in the Mask

<Elta’s Perspective>

“Will you wait here?”

I was taken by the Royal Capital Knights Order and led to a larger room.

“The Vice Captain will come directly. Until then, feel free to do as you please.”

“Y-yes…”

I have no choice but to follow the knight’s orders.

However, as soon as I sat down on the chair, I felt a sense of discomfort.

“That’s incredibly luxurious…”

The surroundings are decorated in red and gold, and the chairs are plush.

The room I was shown to was like one meant to host guests.

There is no atmosphere at all for an interrogation.

“Maybe, they really won’t do anything bad after all.”

I was anxious, but thinking that way makes me feel a bit calmer.

But this time, the overly luxurious room makes me uneasy in a different way.

As I was fidgeting like that, the door to the room opened.

“…Are you Elta?”

“Y-yes!”

In a cold, detached voice, I couldn’t help but stand up.

The person who came in was wearing a mask.

From the way she speaks, she was probably the “Vice Captain.”

“Hmm.”

“…Ugh.”

The masked person slowly approaches, starting to circle around me while peering intently at various parts of my body.

Besides, this person is probably a woman.

Although the voice is low, it has a feminine quality, and long blonde hair is coming out from under the mask.

When she got closer, there was a faint scent of perfume.

Somehow, she seems to be around the same age.

While waiting nervously, she stood in front of me after making three laps.

“Who the hell are you?!”

“W-What do you mean by that…”

“Don’t mess with me!”

“Yikes!”

And then, she made a show of drawing her sword with a sharp motion.

I don’t really understand, but it seems like she’s angry.

It can also be interpreted as being quite realistic.

“Doing something like this… if it’s a lie, it won’t be taken as a joke!”

“Excuse me, I really have no idea what you’re talking about…”

“Hmph, then shall I change my approach?”

After saying that, she straightened her index finger.

“Well, question one.”

“Huh?”

And then, the quiz suddenly started.

“When you were little, where were you left?”

“Huh, the Stella Orphanage?”

“…Hmm, correct. Then, two.”

Ah, it feels like it’s going to continue.

“When you were young, who was the person you spent the most time with there?”

It sounded like “the best” was overly emphasized, but I answered somewhat casually.

“Um, maybe my younger sister Tina?”

“Tch, so that person was here.”

“…?”

Moreover, it seems Tina knows too.

“Alright, this is the last one!”

“Y-yes.”

“…Haa, haa.”

Despite her determination that this was the last time, she took a deep breath and asked somewhat anxiously.

“Th-that girl with blonde hair who often played with you at the orphanage… d-do you remember her?”

“Blonde hair?”

“…”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see her looking nervous for some reason, so I think about it for a moment.

Then, there was naturally only one person who came to mind.

“About Celia?”

“…!”

At the same moment I answered, her mask fell off.

A single tear was streaming down the face that emerged from within.

“Really, it’s El-kun…”

“Eh, could you be Celia?”

Moreover, isn’t the true identity that of Celia herself?

“El-kun!”

“Whoa!”

And then, just like that, she leaped towards me with an incredibly graceful movement.

No doubt about it.

This feeling is Celia, my childhood friend who grew up in the same orphanage.

“El-kun, El-kun!”

Her silky blonde hair has grown quite a bit since the old days.

She’s become incredibly beautiful, but she still retains some of her former self.

Moreover, this tackle, no less than Tina’s, was as usual.

I feel a bit of tightness around my chest, though.

“I’m sorry! I thought it was someone’s prank and ended up trying it!”

“Ahaha, you don’t have to worry about it.”

“I’m really happy that you remembered!”

“Of course.”

There’s no way I could forget Celia, who was the same age and a close friend.

And while I held her back, I couldn’t help but have questions of my own.

“Celia, are you in the Royal Capital Knights Order? And you’re even the Vice Captain?”

“That’s right! I worked hard for this!”

A bright voice, completely different from just a moment ago.

If I listen to it like this, it matches the memory of Celia.

In the midst of all that──

“Ahem.”

“”….!””

From the open door, perhaps they could see us, as the group member deliberately cleared their throat.

Reacting to that, Celia quickly moves away from me.

I feel like it’s too late already.

And then, the member said with a smirk.

“The Vice Captain also gets treated like that, huh?”

“…Ugh! S-Silence!”

“I’m sorry~”

And just like that, they closed the door with a sense of duty.

“Ugh, what a blunder…!”

“…D-Don’t mind.”

I casually said that to Celia, who slammed her hand on the desk.

But, watching the current conversation, some things are starting to bother me.

“How should I put it? Are you trying to make it sound scary?”

“…Ah, the Royal Capital Knights Order is a tough place. I decided to act this way from the beginning to secure a position as soon as possible.”

As if it had seeped into her, Celia has reverted to a Vice Captain-like tone.

I wonder if that old-fashioned way of speaking earlier was because of excitement.

“Wow, Celia has changed too.”

“…I-Is that really the case?”

“Yeah! But why the Royal Capital Knights Order? And you wanted to get a position quickly?”

“…!”

When I casually asked, Celia turned red and looked away.

Then, while tucking her hair behind her ear, she spoke.

“Well, the knight order went to that dungeon to help you… mumble mumble.”

“Huh?”

“Huh! No, no, that’s not it!”

But I couldn’t quite catch what she said with her lips pursed.

“Anyway, I’m just glad you came back.”

“Thank you. I’m happy to see you too, Celia!”

“~~~!”

Celia has a happy expression on her face, and my heart feels warm too.

When I get to see everyone like this, I really feel that coming back was the right decision.

Then, Celia spoke as if giving a piece of advice.

“However, I think I’ll refrain from calling you ‘El-kun’ in front of the other members as much as possible.”

“Uh, yeah.”

“I’m truly sorry, but please forgive me.”

“Um, I mean, it’s fine, but…?”

And for some reason, it ended up being me who gave permission.

I wonder if she wants me to call her that.

Huh, did we make some kind of promise like that in the past?

“Then, how about we go somewhere after today’s training? I know a great place in the royal capital.”

“Ah, I’m sorry, I have plans with Tina today.”

“Tina! That person…”

“Eh.”

When Tina’s name is mentioned, Celia inexplicably makes a sulky face.

That’s strange, they were supposed to be close friends.

But Celia might be busy too.

I can’t imagine Tina turning down Celia, so I decided to take this rare opportunity to invite her.

“If three people are fine, shall we go to that delicious restaurant?”

“…Tch, I guess there’s no helping it.”

“Yeah, got it.”

It seems a bit worrisome, but Celia is also coming after school.

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Afterword

Celia-chan is his first childhood friend.

Emotional ups and downs are intense, and possessiveness is a bit strong?

She usually acts cool, but when she’s excited in front of Elta-kun, it seems she reverts to her old way of speaking!