Kays Translations

Chapter 76: Crown of the Wonderland ⑤

Great Temple. Southeast.

As we arrived near the campsite, we found the corpse of a Mimic Puppet Box.

For some reason, Rell was keeping watch on top of it.

Looking down at us, he spoke.

“It’s like my twelfth sister’s relic.”

What kind of relic is that?

“Rell, what is this?”
“A new campsite.”
“Huh?”

I was about to ask if Rell and the others had defeated this Mimic Puppet Box, but his response was unexpected.

“Ah, Rell-san!”
“Bid, huh? It’s been a while. You’re short by four people.”
“One is back home, and the other three… we had to leave them behind.”
“I see. On the other side, huh? Hard to say if that was the right call—like my fifth sister, I can never tell.”
“Unlucky? Always picks the wrong option?”
“Still got a lot of sisters, huh.”

Bid gave a wry smile.

Rell chuckled briefly before turning to Pakira and the others.

“…Torquetum, huh?”
“Rell. Thunderfang, right?”
“That’s me.”
“Wof has been in your care, it seems.”

Wait, me? Well, I have indeed been in their care a lot…

“So it seems. But just like the rumors said, it’s all women… even now, there are quite a few.”
“Naturally. We’re an all-female party, after all.”
“Speaking of women… Wof. Where’s Mineha?”
“Ah!”

Panicked, I hurriedly opened my pouch.

Carefully and gently, I took out Mineha, who was wrapped in a handkerchief.

Her upper body moved slightly up and down—she was warm and still breathing.

“A Fairial?”
“Is she asleep?”
“Hmm… small creature…”
“How adorable.”

Rell climbed down from the Puppet Box and examined Mineha.

“The Great Temple?”
“Yes. She suddenly collapsed.”

Axe had warned us.

That strange pressure emanating from the center of the Great Temple.

I hadn’t felt anything, but Mineha had succumbed to it.

Rel observed her closely.

“She seems to be breathing.”
“Yes.”

She was likely just weakened, so she’d be fine.

And if the worst happened, we had elixirs.

Then, from inside the corpse of the Puppet Box, Axe suddenly appeared.

“Rell, we should search for those two like Alexander—whoa!?”

Axe was startled.

Well, with this many people gathered, it was no surprise.

But wait… he came out of the Puppet Box?

And… search like Alexander?

“What the heck is this? There’s so many of them.”

Hoss emerged from the Puppet Box as well.

What was going on?

I explained the situation to Axe, and he seemed to understand.

“Ah… I see. So you’re part of the dungeon anomaly subjugation team. Talking out here is a bit much. We just set up a new campsite—let’s talk inside.”

Rell welcomed us.

Wait… did he just say “inside”?

Everyone fell silent.

Who in the world had come up with this idea?

I was now inside the Puppet Box.

This was our new campsite.

“I can’t believe we’re inside a defeated monster.”
“The teeth at the entrance are terrifying.”
“Ah, but they make for a good defense.”
“That’s true, but still…”

Bid seemed uncomfortable with the entrance’s teeth.

I understood the feeling.

A giant human-like set of teeth serving as an entryway… yeah, I wasn’t a fan either.

Lupinus sighed.

“I thought it would be more gruesome.”
“…To think… it would be empty…”
“It’s just a big hollow box.”

Yes. This was inside the Mimic Puppet Box.

A massive mimic that turned whatever it ate into puppets—an abomination of a dungeon monster.

One that had caused a horrific tragedy in a junkyard.

And yet, its insides were just… an empty box.

The material was unknown—slightly soft yet firm.

Inside, torches were set up, along with three tents and a campfire.

The smoke from the fire rose up, but… it wasn’t visible outside.

“Um, Axe? Where’s Alexander?”

Not seeing him, I asked.

Axe sighed.

“…When the earthquake hit and everything got chaotic, a swarm of puppets and mimics suddenly attacked. We managed to fight them off, but Alexander was too worried about you all. He headed for the Great Temple.”
“I see.”
“And right after, the Mimic Puppet Box attacked us.”
“We somehow took it down.”
“Just the three of you!?”
“It was rough, but… our campsite got wrecked in the process.”
“So we figured—why not reuse it?”
“I… I see.”

But seriously, who thought using the Puppet Box as a campsite was a good idea?

“Is this really safe? It’s a closed space with an open flame—it seems dangerous.”
“W-well, for some reason, the smoke gets absorbed upwards, so it should be fine!”
“That for some reason part makes it even scarier.”
“…Agreed…”
“N-no worries! We checked every corner of this box thoroughly!”
“And I found the heart I shot lying in the back.”
“The heart…?”
“Also, a half-formed puppet was stuck in there.”
“Now I feel even worse!”
“Relax. We burned it. Don’t talk like my fifth sister.”
“That sister seems to be the source of all anxiety.”

What did his fifth sister do?

“Wait… you’re telling me this fire is…!”

I was stunned.

They were using puppets as firewood?

Well, they did look like wood… but they used to be… yeah.

Well, whatever. It’s fine now. I won’t think about it.

Bid walked over to Hoss, who was stirring a pot.

“What’s cooking?”
“Z-z-zaz-meat stew. Kinda got tired of just soup…”
“…Smells good… drool…”
“H-here, h-have some…”

Hoss handed Liv a bowl and started serving.

Bid also took a taste.

Something about Hoss seemed off. Was he nervous?

After eating and drinking, we introduced ourselves.

And finally, it was officially decided that Pakira’s group would camp here as well.

More tents were set up, bringing the total to six.

Everyone disarmed and relaxed.

We were all exhausted.

We decided to have a proper discussion after a break.

Away from the fire, near the tents, Bid and Liv were talking.

“I’m jealous. Liv, your Relic 【Storage】 and your Legacy 【High-Performance Tent】 are amazing!”

“…Embarrassing…”

Embarrassed… Hmm.

No, that “Storage”—it’s not a Relic. It’s a product of technology.
And the high-performance tent isn’t a Legacy either. It’s also a product of technology.

Beyond the five tents, there was a trapezoidal, uniquely gray tent.

No, it was a house. The material wasn’t fabric.

Its appearance was completely out of place, turning the scene from an isekai fantasy into an alien survival setting.

Since it belonged to the women, I hadn’t gone inside.
But apparently, it had a bed, a shower, and even a flush toilet.

That was ridiculously impressive.

Just a moment ago, Bid had teased me, saying,
“Wof-kun, wanna bathe together~?”

Please spare me.

I placed Mineha inside the third tent.

This one was used for storage.

If I put her in the Torquetum tent, she’d definitely panic when she woke up.
The other tents were either sleeping quarters or too crowded with people.

So, storage it was. I laid her on a barrel where she’d be easy to find.

After that, I’d quickly put her back in my pouch.
I felt kind of bad about it.

If her condition worsened, I’d use an elixir.

“…Even so.”

Now that I was alone, I let out a deep sigh.

I clenched my fists tightly and grit my teeth.

Frustration. Overwhelming frustration.
I wanted to punch the wooden crate next to me.

I wouldn’t, but that’s how frustrated I was. At the same time, I felt pathetic—so much so that I couldn’t forgive myself.

Not even in my past life had I ever felt this powerless and ashamed.

“Cool down time…”

Until now, whenever I used [Generous], I always won.

So, I’d never had to use it consecutively.

I never noticed.
Never even thought to consider it.

I’d always treated it with caution, handling it delicately.

But that was just an excuse.

Excuses mean nothing if you’re dead.

“…Hahh…”

My fourth Relic has a cooldown time.

Even [Silent] had one.

So why didn’t I think [Generous] would, too?

I tried using [Generous] again, on impulse.

But nothing happened.

No change in my hair or eyes.
No surge of power. No overwhelming aura of dominance.

It had been over an hour since last time, but the cooldown was still in effect.

“……”

“Hey, kid.”

“Uwah—y-yes!?”

Lupinas had somehow appeared behind me.

“What are you doing?”

“Uh, I was just… surprised.”

Since we were in a safe zone, she was dressed casually, wearing a soft vanilla-colored dress.

It was completely different from her usual armored appearance—gentler, more relaxed.
That contrast threw me off a little.

“I see. Anyway, about that Fairial—Leaving her in armor like that must be uncomfortable.”

“Huh? But, I mean… I can’t exactly undress her…”

No way. Mineha, even in her tiny form, had a surprisingly mature figure for her age.

“No need to worry. You’re just a kid.”

“That doesn’t matter. We’re still boy and girl. Age has nothing to do with it.”

“Oh? You have a point. Then, I’ll handle it.”

“P-please do.”

“Step outside.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I quickly stepped out.

And immediately locked eyes with Pakira.

“What is it, Wof? Something wrong?”

“Ah, well… There was something I couldn’t do myself.”

“Hmm? Oh, right. Here, take this.”

She handed me a small vial.

It was empty.

“You used it?”

“Not me, but yes. It was a great help. I’m grateful.”

“…I’m glad.”

“To think we’d meet again like this.”

“I know, right?”

I really hadn’t expected to see her again.

Pakira smiled warmly.

“You know, Wof… I’m honestly happy I got to see you again.”

“I feel the same—”

“What are you two doing?”

Lupinas suddenly emerged from the tent.

Oh, right. This was the tent entrance.

“We were just talking a little. And you?”

“I finished undressing the Fairial child.
Sleeping in armor would be dreadful, after all.”

“True enough.”

“Now then, both of you—let’s go. It’s time for the meeting.”

“Mm.”

“We need to discuss what comes next.”

“R-right.”

What comes next…

What’s really going to happen from here?

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