The immortal hero who thinks of the heroines as his daughters vs. heroines who want to make the hero understand them - Chap 3

“An adventure, huh?”

Ignoring Linda as she playfully spins around him chanting, “Let’s go, let’s go,” Rex lost himself in thought. If he thought about it logically, he should refuse. Going to a place known to have monsters isn’t sane, and more importantly, it’s dangerous for her. He might manage alone, but Linda has people who care for her.

However, since the village chief gave permission to go to the “hole,” perhaps he doesn’t need to worry too much. Would he give permission to his beloved daughter to go to a dangerous place? Probably not. This means that he doesn’t see the “hole” as particularly dangerous. If that’s the case, there’s little reason for Rex to refuse Linda’s strong insistence, especially since he himself was curious.

“A ‘hole’ where monsters are born…”

In his mountain, monsters reproduce naturally. Monsters are “creatures with magical power,” and there must be some original creature from which they evolved—even if their possession of the peculiar property called magical power leads them to undergo unbelievable evolution, acquiring bodies like liquid or even metal.

Therefore, monsters don’t just sprout from the ground like mushrooms. Yet, this “hole” is said to give birth to monsters. Truth be told, it piqued his interest quite a bit.

“Don’t worry, if you’re concerned, I’ll bring weapons!”

“Weapons?”

“Yes, it’s a magnificent tool that can till even the hardest ground!”

“Isn’t that called a farming implement?”

“I’ll use it to till a monster’s head!”

“The only thing that will grow from that is a flower of blood.”

With a sigh at her overly confident demeanor, Rex acquiesced.

“Fine… Let’s go. But if it truly gets dangerous, we’ll turn back.”

“Of course. Even I don’t want to die, after all.”

Laughing, Linda grabbed Rex’s hand and led him to the hole. Its vertical width was big enough for one and a half grown men, and it was wide enough for three people to easily lie down side by side. Although it was expected to become darker as they ventured further inside due to the lack of sunlight, strangely enough, they could see clearly.

“… What a mysterious sight.”

“I knew you’d think so! That’s why I wanted to show you.”

The surrounding walls were made of earth. Near the entrance, there were signs that humans had worked on it, but just a few steps in, those signs disappeared. Since there wasn’t any technology to dig such horizontal tunnels, it could only be a natural cave. However, an unexplainable phenomenon was happening: a mysterious light, not emitted, but rather giving the same visibility as outside the hole. The uneven, rugged earth on the floor and walls continued on without casting a single shadow, adding to the sense of strangeness.

“What’s that?”

Walking for a while, they found something wriggling and clinging to the wall like a viscous substance.

“That’s a monster.”

“A monster… that thing?”

Upon closer inspection, the semi-transparent body had red stone-like objects floating in various places.

“It doesn’t have a specific name, but if you crush those stones, it dies.”

“But there seems to be a fair number of them.”

“Just look at the size. If we step on it, it’s over.”

With a promise to show him, she approached the sticky mass. As the creature recognized the approaching humans, it trembled and lunged out.

“Ehh!”

But its speed was far too slow, and Linda’s foot pierced through it with ease.

She mercilessly crushed the viscous creature underfoot, and with a sound like bursting bubbles, it vanished.

“This is… a monster?”

Rex’s voice was filled with doubt. The monsters he had seen on Spirit Mountain or the wolf he had encountered would not certainly die so easily from such a thing. Rather, they might even feel provoked and demonstrate even greater power. Yet, that viscous thing died all too easily. It was something utterly unimaginable by the standards he knew.

“That’s why I said it’s safe, didn’t I? Since I’ve only ever seen monsters like the ones here, I can’t believe in the existence of the ‘strong monsters’ that Grandpa talks about.”

Linda crossed her arms and snorted. Her manner seemed to say how bored she was, and a sliver of unease crossed Rex’s heart.

“Complacency is dangerous.”

“I love this village, but it’s a little lacking in excitement. That’s why I go on adventures. They’re called adventures because you take risks, right?”

Hearing those words, Rex sighed.

“The village head would be sad.”

“That would be a problem. I love my Grandpa.”

“Then you shouldn’t be doing dangerous things—”

“But boredom will kill me.”

With a sulky expression, the girl approached and pushed the young man’s chest. Taken aback by her unexpected action, Rex found himself staring at her face.

“Traveler, will you keep me alive?”

“…Am I perhaps unlucky with women?”

“How rude! I’m called the most beautiful girl in the village, you know.”

Linda’s mischievous laughter completely changed Rex’s previous image of her.

“I want excitement. If you say the ‘hole’ is dangerous, I wonder if Rex will be my excitement.”

“That would… probably get me killed by the village head.”

“That would be entertaining too.”

“As long as I’m not the one being sacrificed.”

He really didn’t want to see the usually gentle village head lose his temper. Besides, if he laid a hand on the girl in front of him, some spirit somewhere might become enraged.

“As I said earlier, if it really becomes dangerous, we’re going back.”

“Yes, of course. I don’t want to die either.”

Resignation filled his heart, while her face was beaming with joy. Although the two were in stark contrast, they continued to advance into the hole, never straying far from each other.

“It was so much fun!”

By the time they emerged from the “hole,” the setting sun was illuminating the village. Rex’s face looked completely drained, the fatigue surely building up in his body. In contrast, Linda’s lips were blooming like a large flower, allowing one to infer that she must have had a truly enjoyable time.

“…I’m glad you had fun, princess.” 

His tone dripping with sarcasm.

Hearing this, she furrowed her brows slightly and looked back at the “hole.”

“But it was boring that it was just one straight path… If it had split into multiple paths, like a maze, it would have been more fun.”

“That’s good, isn’t it? A one-way labyrinth.”

“Labyrinth? I like that! It sounds cool. Much better than ‘hole.'”

“From now on, its name is ‘labyrinth’!” Linda declared, raising her hand and smiling. Seeing her, he held his head, wondering, “How does she still have so much energy?”

“Ah, Rex, I’m glad you came to this village. It’s only been one day, but it’s been the most fun time I’ve had recently!”

“…If you say so, then I’m glad.”

His face was genuine, completely different from earlier. Seeing him lit by the setting sun, Linda’s cheeks turned even redder than the glow of the sunset.

“…Yes, indeed! I’m really glad!”

“…?”

“It’s nothing! Let’s go home quickly! Grandfather probably has something delicious prepared for us!”

“Hey, hey, I’m tired, so let’s go a bit slower…”

“I’m not listening!”

Ahahahahahahahaha!

A girl running around and laughing, and a young man being dragged by the arm by her. They appeared incredibly fresh in the small village with few inhabitants, and they attracted warm gazes from the villagers returning from farm work. Finally, spring had come for young Linda…

However, what could explain the eyes of the unknown young man, who looked at her as if he were looking at a daughter? The girl was something like a daughter to them. They might be looking at her with favoritism, but Linda should have quite refined features.

No voice answered the villagers’ questions, of course. The small village, filled with joyful voices, was enveloped in happiness.

By the way.

“Traveler, you understand what will happen if you lay a hand on Linda, right?”

When they returned to the village chief’s house, there was a demon there.

For a while, it seemed Rex was haunted.