“We’ll Definitely Come Back to Save You!” — It’s Been Three Years Since I Was Left in the Most Difficult Dungeon, Isn’t It About Time for Help to Arrive...? - 56-57

Chapter 56: Hazy Cloud Magic

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“No matter how easy it is to use, you can’t walk properly if your vision is blocked… Besides, everything except the eyes was fully visible. Anyone who knows you even a little would recognize you in an instant.”

“It was actually creepier precisely because I couldn’t see her eyes clearly. Her movements would get sluggish too. I don’t think it’s remotely suitable for sneaking into a city.”

“…Yeah, I think so too. That spell… It only has the effect of ‘technically hiding your identity.’ It’s mostly used for pranks, really…”

“If you understand that, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t use that kind of magic in the first place…”

As we continued discussing the effects of the Anonymous Magic, Lazuli came back, having pulled a piece of dungeon wall material out of the corner and repeatedly rubbing the fist-sized bump on the back of her head because she couldn’t see well earlier.

“Sorry, Lazuli. But it’s okay… This time I’ll use a spell that can definitely hide your identity…”

“You sure about that…? I still don’t fully trust you on this…”

“It’s fine, Lazuli. Midi may usually just fling out absurdly overpowered spells, but that doesn’t mean she can’t do anything else. I’m sure she’ll show us a spell that’s perfect for our current needs.”

“…Haa, fine. Go ahead and show me then. Don’t hold back, okay? Even if you mess up and lose control of the magic, my body won’t get so much as a scratch!”

“Hmm… How insulting. There’s no way I’d mess up a chant… Watch this. This spell is called Hazy Cloud Magic!”

Midi confidently raised her staff toward Lazuli, who stood proudly as if daring her.

“Hazy Cloud Magic… What kind of spell is that?”

“It has ‘cloud’ in the name, so maybe it releases smoke or something to obscure vision?”

We waited with a bit of hopeful anticipation for Midi to activate the mysterious spell we still couldn’t quite imagine.

“…Here I go—Hazy Cloud: Mosaic!”

With a pop like something bursting, Lazuli’s body was engulfed in white smoke. When the smoke cleared, someone who could no longer be called Lazuli stood there.

“Whoa… You really can’t tell who it is… But…”

“Really? Then that’s awesome! Unlike before, I can actually see where I’m going. This might really work!”

Lazuli chattered excitedly, but her body had turned into a bunch of strange rectangles. Her proud, sturdy frame and satisfied smile were nowhere to be seen. In fact, even her presence felt vague—she was so unrecognizable it was like she didn’t belong in the world anymore.

To make things worse, her voice had become ridiculously high-pitched, like a bunch of alarmed monkeys screeching all at once, sending waves of discomfort through us.

“Rejected.”

“Ehh~…? But this spell is actually kind of popular in certain circles since at least your identity doesn’t get exposed…”

“What kind of circles…? Burglars?”

“…Yeah, basically. Is that not okay?”

“No, obviously it’s not okay… If even burglars rely on it, just using it is basically an announcement that you’re doing something shady. Well, from my perspective, I got to witness some delightful destruction of dignity, so I’m fine with it… Fufu.”

“Wait, why are you looking at me and giggling like that!? Hey!”

The jittery, blocky figure—clearly unaware of what she currently looked like—kept touching the area that was probably her cheeks, growing increasingly disturbed by the fact that nothing felt off. Realizing there was no way we could sneak into town like this, I let Midi cancel the spell after watching Lazuli squirm for a bit.

“—Hey, Athos!? What exactly did I look like just now!? Hel has been laughing so hard her stomach hurts!”

“Well… I mean, seeing you back to normal just makes the contrast even more hilarious…”

Hel doubled over laughing at the dazed Lazuli, her knees shaking from the effort.

“Don’t worry about it. It was nothing, really.”

“There is no way it was ‘nothing’! —Wait up, Hel! You better tell me why you’re laughing at me!”

“N-No way! Hey, help me, Master…!”

“……”

Even as Hel called out to me for help, I couldn’t respond.

Hel… I’m sorry, but I’m using all my strength just to hold back my own laughter… Run while you still can—for both of us…!

And so, while suppressing the laughter welling up in my throat, I silently watched as Lazuli chased the truth and Hel desperately tried to bury it in the darkness.

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Chapter 57: A Different Perspective Than Usual

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Some time had passed since the desperate escape.

“Ahem! So yeah… Like I said earlier, the Hazy Cloud Magic is rejected. Sure, it hides your identity, but it’s way too unnatural and stands out even more.”

“Mmm… Too bad… I finally thought I had a use for it…”

“Is there any other magic that could help us hide our identities and sneak into the city? Preferably something that doesn’t draw attention.”

At Hel’s question, Midi pressed the tip of her staff to her forehead and let out a thoughtful hum.

“Hmm… I think I’ve run out of options… The only thing left might be… Ah…!”

Midi suddenly looked like she had an idea and tapped her palm with her fist.

“You thought of something good?”

“Yeah… I have the perfect spell… Athos, come here…”

Following her beckoning, I approached Midi. Then, without even getting a chance to ask for details, the now-familiar poof sound rang out, and I was enveloped in white smoke.

“Whoa!?”

Before I could react, the spell she cast embedded a strange sensation throughout my body. It felt like my strength was fading, yet also as though my body brimmed with energy. It was a nostalgic, yet oddly mysterious sensation that quickly overtook me.

“…Hey. Now that I think about it, shouldn’t we have just used this spell on Athos from the start? What was the point of me getting hit by magic?”

While I was under the effects of Midi’s spell, Lazuli muttered bitterly, having realized a truth better left unacknowledged.

“Well, of course. You were the taste tester. With that unnecessarily durable body of yours, you can handle most things, right?”

“Unnecessarily!? Look, I’ll admit I’m sturdy, but I’m talking about emotional damage here. There’s a better way to treat people, you know?”

“And yet, you’ve been hogging other monsters’ feeding grounds, stealing their bedding, rampaging around day and night claiming it’s for stress relief… You’ve acted as you pleased. Don’t be surprised when a ‘Victims Association’ comes to slit your throat in your sleep.”

“Wait, what!? That’s a thing!? I’ve never heard of it!”

“Indeed. I just made it up right now.”

“You little—! I’ll knock you out! …And besides, you were hiding in the back all the time until just recently. Everyone’s scared of you and keeping their distance. Maybe this is your chance to go around and reintroduce yourself so they actually remember your name?”

“…Hah?”

“…What?”

A tense atmosphere once again drifted through the smoke.

“Hey you two! If you’re going to fight, keep it to just words—wait, what!?”

Even I was startled. My voice was higher-pitched than usual. I was talking the same way I always did, but the cheerful, shrill tone didn’t even feel like it was coming from my own mouth.

Could this be the effect from that spell just now…? What the hell kind of magic did Midi use—? As I stared at the slowly clearing smoke, I raised my hand and began to notice changes beyond just my voice. Soft, squishy skin. Clothes that no longer fit. Equipment that suddenly felt heavier than usual. A growing unease spread through me as I realized my body felt completely unfamiliar to me.

“…So? Athos, surprised?”

The smoke cleared, and Midi approached with a smile. Normally, I would’ve had to tilt my head down to meet her gaze, but now, we were eye-level—no, if I really wanted to match her line of sight, I actually had to look up.

“…So this is what you were like when you were little, Athos… What a sight to behold…”

As Midi gently placed her hand on my head, she ran her fingers through my hair and followed the shape of my skull in smooth strokes. The unfamiliar sensation of being patted on the head by Midi while standing upright made a flush of embarrassment rise in me—but more than that, her earlier words suddenly echoed in my mind.

“‘When you were little’… Wait, don’t tell me—!”

As realization hit, Midi pulled out a small hand mirror and offered it to me. I took it and looked at my reflection—and staring back at me was a perfectly childlike, round-faced version of myself.

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