Dark Fantasy: Super Coward Mode

I was left speechless by what the Gardener said—it was that shocking.

There’s no way she could know. After all, Nutricha had severed the connection when she tried to make a bet with me. So how could she possibly know?

“I can see everything humans do, no matter where they are!”

It felt like I got hit on the back of the head when Bell shouted that, looking like she was protesting.

It reminded me of what the Saint had said.

“The Watcher’s power reaches even to the other side of the Earth.”

Insane.

So, that means all the Outsiders were watching me through Bell?

Does that mean they saw me calling Nutricha’s name, punishing her, and promising to hang out later?

“Wait! That’s wrong!”

As I began to grasp my situation, a wave of dread washed over me.

I tried to come up with an excuse.

“That wasn’t ‘Oh yeah’?”

The Cook said with a somewhat eerie expression.

“That can’t be true! No, calm down!”

I raised my voice, thinking that something big could really happen if I stayed like this, but they didn’t even pretend to listen to me.

“Human, you’re gathering all these weirdos while abandoning me! Hiiiuu….”

“The mutt has a point. At this rate, wouldn’t it be quicker to just tie my husband up next to me rather than tear him apart?”

“Wait! Don’t decide that on your own! And who’s your husband?!”

“…Maybe I should sharpen my knife again.”

A chilling string of words.

This version clarifies the dialogue and improves the pacing. Let me know if you’d like further tweaks!

The scariest part was the tense atmosphere that suggested they might actually act on those terrifying threats!

Think quickly, Leydan Tanton!

You’re the expert at getting out of situations like this!

Are you really just going to be dragged away unjustly!?

While brainstorming, an idea popped into my mind.

But whether my future self could handle the backlash was uncertain.

But the decision was made quickly.

It was no time to be picky.

And I’ve managed things that seemed impossible until now, right?

I believe in you, future me…!

“I… I’m sorry, guys.”

“Does admitting your mistake mean you agree with my words?”

As expected, I knew that throwing out an apology would lead to some hair-raising response.

But I couldn’t back down now.

Now that I’ve stepped forward, I had to see it through!

“But we have to finish what we need to do quickly. If we don’t, I’ll really be in trouble….”

“Hah. You called that bitch by her ‘name’ and wasted time; are you that short on time to spend with us?”

“N-no, it’s not like that.”

I almost lost my composure at the Gardener’s precise jab, but I took a calming breath.

“Instead.”

I tried to smile with a stiff face.

“After this is over, I’ll grant you each one thing you wish for, as far as possible. What do you think?”

“…!”

I wonder what the Gardener thought upon hearing this, as she’s not the most straightforward person.

But I figured this would definitely work on the Dragon Slayer, Bell, right?

There’s a difference in feeling when they’re doing something of their own volition rather than forcing something on me.

“…Do we even know what requests we might make?”

“It’s true that I’ve hurt your feelings enough. As long as the requests aren’t excessive, it’s only right to grant them.”

And they’re naturally good-natured people.

I thought that placing this bet would cause them to make more gentle requests, unlike their earlier aggression.

Sure enough, the four Outsiders began to ponder, touching their chins with fingers.

Then they nodded their heads simultaneously.

“Can we… say them now?”

“What is it?”

As the Dragon Slayer seemed ready to speak, for some reason, the other three moved closer to her with excited expressions.

It was as if they all wanted the same thing.

Swallowing hard, I watched as the Dragon Slayer scratched her cheek with her finger.

“Can you call us by ‘name’ too?”

Hearing that made me sputter as violent coughs erupted from me.

I was so surprised!

“Human! You’ll die!”

“Are you okay?!”

…Yeah.

I was a bit flustered, but I didn’t not expect it.

Still, I didn’t think they’d come out with it like this.

Especially from the Dragon Slayer.

Having already grabbed her horns without knowing the dragon’s traits, she was already using any excuse to ask for a name too.

“Would you take a nickname like Bell did…?”

“That’s good too, but… what I really want is for you to call me by my real name, like you did for that crazy girl….”

I tried to change the subject, but the Dragon Slayer had nailed it down completely.

Ah, wait a minute.

Isn’t this like bringing in a marriage license and saying, ‘I don’t know what that is; just sign it.’?

Not to mention the eyes that looked teary with intention!

All signs were pointing towards this being a trap.

Calm down.

Even if you enter a tiger’s lair, if you keep your wits about you, you’ll survive.

…At this point, do I have no choice but to say the truth?

Putting on the most serious expression I could muster, I gazed at the Dragon Slayer, and she looked slightly disheartened.

Now’s my chance.

“…I’m sorry, I want to do that too.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“But I’m still at a low level, so I can’t hear or say Bell’s or the Dragon Slayer’s names.”

Did my words imply I didn’t want to call their names? It seemed Bell and the Dragon Slayer were transforming into poison-laden toads.

It showed just how much trouble I had piled upon myself.

“I’m serious! You all heard my chat with the Mystic.”

“…That’s true.”

But since I spoke a bit louder on this fact, they seemed to finally believe me.

“So please wait a little. When I get stronger, and if that time comes, I’ll see what I can do.”

I didn’t really know.

Whether I could get that strong in a human body was uncertain.

And even if I reached the level to see names, would it be better to stay silent?

Getting locked up just for calling a name is nightmarish.

“Then…”

Just when I thought the discussion was wrapping up, the Gardener, with a red face, looked down at the ground and spoke.

“…You do know my name, right? How about you call it first?”

Hah, what!?

A variable I didn’t plan for abruptly barged in.

This reminded me of when we all ate together, and I wondered why the Gardener was acting like this lately.

I thought she’d stay quiet in such a situation, but here she was hitting me unexpectedly!

Is my plan about to go awry?

It was a situation with no place to run, but perhaps the world was still on my side.

“Y-you’re daring to take the lead over this lady!”

“What…?! Who’s cutting in! If anything, you!”

“Woof! I’m the one who’s licked that human first!”

“You just want to play, don’t you?!”

…Huh.

Was I stuck with no way out because of an unexpected counterpunch?

Luckily, the jealousy-filled brain of our Dragon Slayer kept things in check, so I could easily maneuver out.

Since I figured now or never was my chance to escape, I quickly took a step back to increase the distance.

“Anyway! I have things to do now. I’ll surely keep the promise I just made.”

“Wait…!”

Somehow, I felt a hint of disappointment in the Gardener’s voice, but for now, I had to focus on surviving.

#

(Hunter’s pov)

Turning back toward Leydan Tanton, I saw the four Outsiders watching him from the underbrush, their eyes gleaming as I wondered what he had been up to while playing the party flute.

Clack!

I hefted the weapon I had prepared just in case and rested it on my shoulder.

The emotion I felt in that moment—was it anger, mistrust, or confusion?

#

I returned to the place where the Saint and Agartha were.

After playing the party flute, my empty head started to feel full again.

Somehow, I had grown accustomed to a sense of danger, but what could I do?

“Sir Tanton.”

The Saint welcomed me first, and perhaps thinking I hadn’t found a method, she wore a rather displeased expression.

“It seems you found no clues.”

“No, I found a way.”

In that brief moment, I passed by Agartha, who was leaning against the wall sleeping, and approached the transparent barrier blocking the cave.

Since I had just played the party flute, I could invoke Bell’s power.

Flap!

I heard ragged breathing, and I could feel Bell clinging to my shoulder.

“Ugh! Human, after just negotiating, you’re so shameless!”

…Is it just my imagination, or are her words becoming more sophisticated?

I couldn’t help but let out an awkward chuckle, as there was no fault in what Bell said.

Phew.

Now it’s time to do what I really have to do.

With Bell boosting my physical abilities, I felt like I could see everyone around me without having to rely on my eyes.

If I utilized the power here, I felt like I could see into their heads, but that wasn’t why I called Bell.

Pure physicality.

At least among the Outsiders I had seen, I borrowed the overwhelming physical power of the Dragon Slayer.

In this log-like game, there might have been some weird devices placed as Easter eggs.

However, in such a roguelike game, you often had to use ‘bugs’ to get in.

Magic doesn’t work, and unlocking through mysticism won’t work either.

If it’s a bug…

Then it should be overwhelming stats that a human character can’t possess.

In other words, physical power akin to a bug.

This wicked creator must have designed Easter eggs to mess with players.

But now that I could borrow the power of an Outsider…

Boom!

“…Gah?!”

“…Hoh.”

That meant I could turn the tables on the creator instead.

You underestimated me too much, you vile creator.

Agartha screamed in shock, waking briefly from her slumber.

“Hong! Hong! Hong!”

After finishing my task, Bell let out a series of huffing sounds, pretending to be annoyed, as she began to fade away.

…She just seemed to want to create an excuse to have time to play with me.

I’ll surely spend time playing with her later.

Maybe I should make a round outside Rondan and sweep away some Candles.

“That’s amazing, Sir Tanton.”

“It’s nothing special. It seems that some ‘blood’-like entity existed in this barrier.”

“I don’t know what you mean, but I suppose that we’ve resolved it.”

I fabricated some plausible words to explain, and the Mystic humored me with a vague understanding in return.

When faced with incomprehensible phenomena, one must rationalize with incomprehensible words.

“…Have you resolved it?”

“Oh, Hunter, you’ve arrived.”

Seeing the Hunter approach, who seemed to have finished exploring, I had a sense that something was off with his demeanor.

I thought of observing closely but brushed it off as just my imagination.

The Hunter’s gaze usually carried a hint of vice.

The Hunter shook his head as he grasped the situation.

“It seems you’ve employed another unconventional method this time.”

“Haha, as long as it’s resolved, that’s what counts, right?”

While exchanging some words with the Hunter, the Saint had already finished preparing to enter the cave.

Agartha still loomed in and out of consciousness, and the Hunter approached her and swiftly smacked her on the back of the head with his palm.

“Ah! Why?!”

“If you’re going to doze off like that, you might as well go home!”

“Ugh, couldn’t you wake me more kindly?”

“I want to see you say the same thing if I dumped you in an Outsider field.”

…Well, one way or another, we gathered properly.

Now was the time to explore new spaces.

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