Fun Dungeon Exploration! (1)

Creeeak.

I stepped down the stairs, making a sound as if I were walking down an old inn, with Leonardo beside me. I wanted to focus on the reality in front of me, but even that was not allowed.

The world of the story had been re-shot, and my memories had become so unreliable that I couldn't trust them.

The clues seemed to point to Orlie, but honestly, I couldn't be sure of their meaning. Was Orlie the mastermind behind the reshoot? Maybe I had said something in front of him that made him realize the discrepancies.

Now that I think about it, Leonardo had said that Orlie was a promiscuous man. He had been famous ten years ago, but after the calamity, he was thrown underground to maintain the hero's reputation he had gained.

But from what I had seen and experienced, Orlie didn't seem like that kind of person at all. Far from being reckless, he was the epitome of a serious knight. Had I heard the truth about his true nature from Leonardo too late, causing me to lose my pride?

It was as if the person had completely changed…

'Huh?'

Could it be that? I had heard that those things mimic humans. At first, they would move sluggishly, but over time, they began to take on more human-like forms and acted more refined. This information had come from Orlie's own mouth, but I had also seen similar statements in the underground manuscript, so it seemed plausible.

'What if Orlie is already dead, and some unidentified creature is impersonating him and walking around the surface?'

However, from what I knew of Leovald and the information I had gathered through the innkeeper's insight, it definitely seemed like Orlie himself.

Even Leonardo, who distinctly differentiates between "Leonardo Ertinez" and "Leovald," uses the innkeeper's insight as a reference. If Orlie was 'that thing,' this wouldn't fit the explanation.

Had I become too deeply lost in my thoughts? Before I realized it, my body tilted to the side. The place I stepped on, expecting it to be the next stair, happened to be empty air.

Dammit!

Cursing myself for the foolish mistake, I desperately reached out for the railing, but before I could, another hand stretched out from behind and caught me.

[Scenario weight 8.06%]

Tightening my waist, I felt Leonardo's arms grab my left hand, which was flailing in mid-air. It was awkward but somehow resembled a dance move—something like a tango or something similar.

He held on so tightly that for a moment, I felt the belt around my waist constrict. I took a sharp breath and slowly let it out.

Hah, I think this is going to leave a bruise on my waist.

It wasn't just a bad feeling—I was certain of it. Though it wouldn't be blue, there would definitely be a red mark.

"…Something really did happen, didn't it? It's not good to deal with it on your own."

Leonardo's voice, still without his mask, filled my ears completely. The sudden rush of fear from the fall made my heart pound wildly, and I couldn't focus on answering him.

Leonardo tilted his body backward, letting me rest against him. Through the disheveled fabric, I could feel his chest pressing against my back, the unfamiliar warmth transferring to me.

My heart, which had been beating wildly like a drum, gradually began to calm as it synced with his steady rhythm. For a moment, my thoughts, lost in that wild rush, started to return.

"Huh? What? I was just spacing out for a second."

Leonardo remained still, not budging an inch. It was strange that he wasn't letting go, standing there as if nothing was wrong. I raised my head, almost bumping into his forehead in the process.

I didn't realize he was looking down at me like that. It's a good thing I was on a lower step. If I weren't… well, never mind.

Our gazes crossed at such close range that I felt as if my dark pupils were reflected in his shining silver-like irises. It wasn't as if my cornea was trembling, but still, it was an odd sensation.

Since neither of us spoke, Leonardo's steady gaze remained calm as well. Yet somehow, it felt like the silver light in his eyes was swallowing up the image reflected there, like a mirror consuming everything it reflected.

There are people like that sometimes—those who naturally draw everything around them in, swallowing it whole. On stage, this force is called gravitational pull, and they are the main actors, the masters commanding the small world on stage.

They are like specimens frozen under the spotlight, seemingly destined to live forever within that brief frame, forever remembered and thus immortalized in the public's eye.

Is this what all protagonists are like?

"For whatever reason, it's better to be more aware of your surroundings."

"I made a mistake. Thanks. I managed to avoid embarrassment because of you."

"Perhaps…"

Leonardo, lowering his gaze, wore a slightly curious expression. Just as he was about to speak, I quickly moved out of range.

I decided to stop thinking about Orlie for now. Overthinking wouldn't bring me any answers, and if I kept dwelling on it and kept making mistakes, Leonardo—who had clearly sensed something odd—might start asking questions, and I wouldn't be able to provide any satisfactory answers.

I hurriedly changed the subject.

"You're strong! After feeding, putting to bed, and dressing the young master, it's like a complete success. But it looks like it's going to leave a mark."

"…Is it bad?"

"Well, it seems okay, I guess."

Leonardo, coming closer again, slid his hand down, lifting my cape and touching the shirt. The sensation of his gloved fingers brushing the collar was unfamiliar, so I just lifted my shirt directly. It was easier that way.

Yet, despite that action, Leonardo's hand soon slid over my stomach. A cold draft brushed against my skin, and his gloved fingers glided over my bare flesh. The sensation of his touch softly grazing my skin was sharp and clear.

Leonardo watched my bare skin closely and said,

"The mark's already starting to appear."

"Huh, really?"

It was true. A faint red mark, shaped like a handprint, was slowly rising on my right side. It was still blurry, but the impression of a firm grip was unmistakable.

"Sorry. In my haste, I must've grabbed too hard."

Leonardo gently rubbed the mark with his fingers. With his eyebrows lowered in a neat, almost pitiful expression as he apologized, he looked as if he truly regretted it. After doing something good, he was still apologizing—he was a good kid. It was just his strength and size that weren't gentle.

"Why apologize for something like this?"

It also felt a bit ticklish. I subtly pushed his hand away, adjusted my shirt, and covered up my bare skin again.

"Thanks to you, I avoided getting my nose broken, so it worked out."

I gave his chest a few light taps with the back of my hand, signaling that it was fine, and stepped down the stairs. After passing the landing and turning the corner, I spotted Vittorio sitting at the bar.

The inn, left unattended with only the two adults gone, would be left under Vittorio's watch. During our absence, he'd be gathering information from the street kids, too.

I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he weren't here, but at the same time, it bothered me leaving him alone so often at night. It felt like I was neglecting him. Even though it was temporary, I had brought him here, so I should be more mindful.

I walked over to the boy and gently pushed his hair behind his ear. When my hand brushed his cheek, Vittorio slightly closed his eyes and then carefully leaned into my hand. It seemed like he had grown quite accustomed to it by now.

"We're going out for a bit. If you get lonely, you can call a friend over. It's sad to be alone, isn't it?"

"I'm fine, though…"

Vittorio stubbornly insisted that he could handle things on his own. After all, while watching the inn, he said he'd be practicing his writing with the books I had left for him.

The "book" I had written was embarrassingly simple—more like something that said "Apples are red"—just basic sentences to trace and practice. Yet, Vittorio diligently stared at the thin sheet of paper.

I could see his hair sliding down as he was focused on the book. After a brief moment of hesitation, I found a string, grabbed it, and gently tugged at Vittorio's hair. I could feel the tense boy stiffen under my hand, clearly puzzled by what I was doing.

Is… this the right way to do it?

I tried to tie his hair like a small ponytail, but it turned out to be shorter than I expected. It was my first time tying someone else's hair, and I was worried the strands might slip through my fingers. I didn't want to hurt him, so I struggled to keep a firm grip.

Eventually, I managed to loosely tie it with the string. When I looked at the finished result, I could hear Leonardo make a vague, unsure sound.

"Hmmm."

…Do you think it looks bad, too? I thought I had done an okay job, even if it looked a bit messy. I'm good with cooking, but I never claimed to be skilled in hairstyling.

Just as my spirits began to sink, Leonardo quickly added,

"It… looks fine."

"Really?"

"Uh… yeah."

This guy was definitely mumbling.

Vittorio reached up and felt his hair at the back of his head, pressing his lips together. Despite his efforts to hide it, his ears were bright red from the embarrassment. From his expression, it was hard to tell if he was angry or just shy, but I hoped it wasn't anger.

"Your hair isn't bothering you as much now, right? When my hair was longer, I used to tie it like this."

"It's alright…"

I was relieved to see he didn't seem to mind too much. Leonardo, who had been silently watching, stretched out his hand and ran his fingers through my hair, making a soft, rustling sound as the strands slipped between his fingers. His voice, curious, followed.

"Did your hair use to be longer?"

"Yeah. It was long enough to tie it like this."

I motioned toward Vittorio's hairstyle as if to demonstrate. At that moment, I felt a sense of clarity in my mind, like the tangled thoughts I had been wrestling with had started to clear up.

We hadn't talked about anything particularly important, but somehow the conversation about Orlie and the scar on my arm had eased my troubled thoughts. A vague sense of fear and loneliness seemed to have lessened, even if just a little. Had I, without realizing it, grown attached to Vittorio and Leonardo?

'...'

So what good would that do?

Anyway, right now, I need to deal with the immediate problems that are right in front of me. No matter how much I wrap my aching head and groan, answers won't come right away.

"Don't wait up too long, we might be back late."

After waving at Vittorio, I quietly slipped out through the back door. Using the silent back roads, we soon arrived at the entrance to the underground sewer, looking just as it had the last time.

I pulled out my pocket watch to check the time. There was still some time left before the rendezvous. Smiling at Leonardo, who was starting to get used to our routine, I noticed him hesitating and asking with a slight frown.

"What is it?"

"Lopez likely gave a heads-up, but this is our first meeting with a group of tomb robbers. If we don't want to be looked down on, we need to make a proper entrance."

Leonardo, who had already heard me lecture him on the art of behind-the-scenes maneuvering during our previous encounter with Lopez, tilted his head in confusion.

"…Aren't you just doing this for fun?"

Sigh. 

Not at all.