The Fallen Prince’s Pleasure Dungeon: I Won’t Let the Female Adventurers Leave ~ I Was Reincarnated as the Villain in an Eroge, and Even Though I Just Want to Live a Quiet Slow Life, Beautiful Girls Keep Gathering Around Me!?~ - 36

Chapter 36: Good Grief, Commoners Are Truly Insufferable

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“Huff, puff… What has happened to me?”

I had fled quite a long distance. I finally came to a halt in a forest I didn’t recognize. I was out of breath, but I felt almost no fatigue. I realized that not only had I become a fast runner, but my overall physical stamina had been significantly boosted.

It was strange, but thanks to that, I was able to escape Prince Uber and the others. I felt relieved, but with such tyrannical knights around, I was worried about the village. I was at a loss as to what to do next when…

“What are you doing?”

“Hie!?”

My shoulders jumped at the voice coming from behind. Even though there hadn’t been a single sound, someone was standing right behind me. It was a mature woman with beautiful olive-colored hair.

“Who are you… wait, ah!? That bottle!?”

“?”

What the woman held in her hand was the small vial containing that energy drink.

“Do you know of this?”

“Are you a ‘regular’ there too!?”

“A regular…?”

“It feels great, doesn’t it!”

I felt like I had found a kindred spirit, and my excitement spiked.

“F-Feels great… well, I suppose so…”

She seemed like a world-weary older sister type, but seeing her hesitate and blush was actually a bit cute.

(I suppose that place is important to her as well.)

“That’s right. I have to protect that place at all costs…”

“What do you mean?”

The woman’s eyes grew sharp again. Was it okay to tell her? What if she was a pawn for those knights?

(No. No one who likes the energy drink could be a bad person. Even that “Signboard-san” said so!)

Every time I delved into the dungeon, I had my feet made to feel wonderful and was given the energy drink to move me along. Since our conversations through the signboard always revolved around the greatness of the energy drink, my thoughts had gradually become colored by it.

Besides, thanks to that, I had even managed to protect my chastity earlier. The woman in front of me gave off an air of reliability, so…

“Actually…”

I took the plunge and told her about Prince Uber and his men.

“…So they’ve already made it this far.”

“?”

“No, just talking to myself. Thank you for the information. I appreciate it.”

Just as I was about to ask the woman about the serious look on her face,

“What’s up, Big Sis?”

A young girl who seemed to be her companion popped out.

“Kia. Could you escort this young lady back to her village? I’m going to lure the princeling and his lot toward that place.”

“I’ll do it!”

“It’s dangerous. Besides, we’re wanted criminals as it is.”

“But, you know, I think they’ll let their guard down more with me than with you, Big Sis.”

“…I suppose you’re right. Be careful.”

The village girl didn’t quite understand, but it seemed like they had reached an agreement.

“Leave it to me! That guy is always taking care of us, so this is the least I can do!”

“Heh. True enough. I suppose you’d want to protect the man you’ve got feelings for.”

“Th-That’s not it!? You’ve got it all wrong!?”

Blushing a deep crimson, the girl dashed off.

“Alright, let’s go. I’ll get you back to your village.”

“Thank you so much… oh, shall we talk about that place? It’s the best. Lately, I’ve even been getting all cozy and melty with his mouth…”

“W-With his mouth!?”

One way or another, the conversation with the woman grew lively on the way back to the village.

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“Damn it, hurry up and find him!”

Uber barked irritably.

“That woman earlier was blabbering about a place like it! He must be hiding somewhere not too far from here!”

“Please calm yourself, Prince Uber.”

Egmont spoke in a voice that suppressed his emotions.

“There is no confirmation. It was merely a reaction she had. Furthermore, that village girl’s legs… She was a woman whose speed and stamina exceeded that of a horse. Her range of movement is far wider than we imagined.”

“Enough with the nonsense!! I won’t be satisfied until I have Alto’s head!”

“…………”

As Egmont let out a sigh, a voice called out from ahead.

“Egmont-sama, over here! There’s a suspicious girl!”

Upon hearing the report, Uber and the others headed toward his subordinate. It wasn’t the village girl who had escaped. It was a younger girl, about twelve or thirteen years old. Three mounted knights had her surrounded.

“Wh-What do you want, you guys!?”

Her brave intimidation, like that of a cornered stray cat, had no hope of working against battle-hardened knights. But as one of the subordinates dismounted to seize her…

“Don’t come near me!”

With eye-popping agility, she scrambled up the trunk of the tree right behind her and took refuge in the branches. She truly was like a stray cat.

“She does not appear to be a villager…”

Egmont said, appraising the girl’s appearance and movements.

“I heard that the group of thieves causing a stir in the kingdom has recently made this area their base.”

“Ah. You mean that group of trash calling themselves ‘chivalrous thieves’?”

“We’re not trash!”

It seemed he was correct.

“If you’re not trash, then you’re just beyond-saving gutter rats.”

“You nobles don’t have any intention of saving us anyway! That’s why we―”

Before she could bark out anything else, Uber drew his treasured sword and swung it horizontally.

Slash!!

“Whoa!?”

Uber was a magic swordsman. A magical slash bisected the trunk of the tree the girl had climbed. Despite the sudden fall, the nimble stray-cat girl landed safely. Uber pointed the tip of his sword at the girl.

“Shut up, you petty thief!”

He could have hurt her here to “vent” what he couldn’t do earlier, but his crotch was still throbbing with pain.

“Prince. Allow me.”

Egmont stepped forward.

“Listen, girl. Tell us what you know―”

He asked about the “suspicious place” they had heard of earlier, but….

“L-Like I’d know! And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you! Guh―!”

“Wait.”

She turned her back to run. However, Egmont was shrewd. At the same time he called for her to stop, he pulled out a small leather pouch. The jingle of coins rang out.

“―!?”

The girl’s movements stopped, and she turned only her head. She was certainly sharp-eared as well.

“I’ll buy the information.”

“…………”

“Here, a down payment.”

He took a single silver coin from the leather pouch and flicked it with his finger.

“!! …If I tell you, will you give me the rest?”

“I’ll bestow it upon you.”

“….”

She still had a wary look on her face, but her eyes were glued to the leather pouch. No matter how much she howled about being a “chivalrous thief,” in the end, she was just a petty thief.

“…Fine. It’s probably that place. Follow me.”

She had no pride and was capable of nothing but following the greed right in front of her.

(Good grief, commoners are truly insufferable…)

Uber mocked her with a snort, completely unaware that the girl, who had turned her back, was secretly smirking to herself.

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