Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 99
“Wh… What is… this thing…?”
What awaited me beyond the door was a cultivation tank.
Inside the cylindrical water tank floated a pale-skinned humanoid with a featureless, blank appearance.
A human… or so I thought. But it looked inorganic somehow—no hair, no genitals, no bodily curves.
As disgusting as it sounds, I briefly thought: “It’s like a bloated, white fetus that grew into an adult as-is.”
No, wait… Is this even a dungeon anymore? This clearly looks like some kind of man-made facility.
“What the hell is this place…? What’s going on here…?”
I immediately activated [Observant Eye] to examine the eerie entity in front of me.
Humanoid
‘Vessel’
‘No corresponding soul to inhabit’
‘Weak to you, weak to you, weak to Saijoji Shizuma’
‘Weak to you from the outside, weak to all of you’
‘Weak against the students in the advanced class of the second year high school’
“!? What the hell is this!?”
Terror gripped me as the information was displayed.
My name—my full real name—was listed.
Even my high school, my class—everything was written there.
It was terrifying… uncanny… What the hell was this thing?
“Humanoid”…? Missing something…?
What is this… What the hell is this!?
“Kill it… Something this incomprehensible… needs to die!”
I decided to eliminate the eerie presence using the same method I had used back on the 45th floor.
Inside the tank, the entity showed no signs of awakening.
It felt like a being hiding some great mystery, perhaps even tied to the core of this world.
But I couldn’t tolerate its existence.
Something deep inside me screamed that I needed to erase it.
“Gale… Break!”
A massive sword aura shattered the tank.
The humanoid entity inside was obliterated in an instant.
The cultivation fluid scattered, mixing with the entity’s fluids, forming sparkling particles in the water as the corpse disintegrated.
…So that thing was the current final boss of this artificial dungeon…?
“Ah… that is…”
Beyond the destroyed tank, where the body had vanished, ‘it’ had fallen.
A red object that appeared to be the artificial dungeon core, the true objective of this man-made dungeon.
It lay there on the floor.
“So this appearing means… that thing was the boss of the artificial dungeon?”
It resembled the “Red Sparkles” that Melt once made through alchemy.
A transparent red sphere, adorned with numerous small crystals.
Looking at it, I couldn’t help but think, “This reminds me of a certain kind of candy.”
Not that I’d ever want to put it in my mouth—it was way too big anyway.
…Also, for something described as a “fragment,” it was quite large.
I checked it with [Observant Eye] again—
Lindblum Dungeon Core
‘Result of magic from the leylines accumulating excessively and exceeding core synthesis limits’
‘Deformed due to growing within an existence that should never have been born in this world’
‘Recommended for stabilization of the dungeon rather than reintegration into the earth’
Hmm… Even with the strange shape and size, it could still function as a core.
But what does “stabilizing the dungeon” actually mean? Am I supposed to take control of this artificial dungeon?
“Either way… this is likely the source of the dungeon abnormalities. I’m not sure if I should turn this over to the guild yet.”
Honestly, there were too many unsettling incidents during this exploration to dwell on them all right now.
For now, I decided to stop thinking too deeply—about this world, or this dungeon.
…Because I still don’t have the capacity to understand it all.
I stepped onto the return crest that appeared in the corner of the room and escaped the dungeon.
“We were waiting for your return, Shizuma.”
Upon my return, I was greeted by a woman who appeared to be the head of this explorer’s guild.
We had only spoken briefly once in a meeting room, but clearly, the guild had been monitoring my actions to some extent.
Now that I think about it, they did say they could track what was defeated within the dungeon from HQ.
“I’m back. Uh… you’re the guild head, right?”
“I suppose I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Fahren Flugel, head of the Lindblum Explorer’s Guild. I’d like to hear about what happened—could you join me in the meeting room?”
“Understood.”
I’d probably be asked to report on the dungeon and sell the core fragment.
…But in this case, selling it recklessly might be dangerous.
“First, congratulations on conquering the dungeon, Shizuma-san.”
“Thank you.”
“I know you’re connected to the Queen, but even with that in mind, your accomplishments are extraordinary. A few days, solo… and in the midst of this crisis, no less.”
We spoke one-on-one in the conference room.
With no one else present, I could reveal a bit more information.
“Flugel-san, regarding the dungeon’s abnormal condition—it may begin to improve starting today. It’s too early to say for sure, but it’s worth watching the situation unfold.”
“What makes you think that?”
“This.”
I showed her the core I had obtained.
It was abnormally large and distorted—far more than just a fragment.
“T-That’s the dungeon core?”
“Yes. I thought it looked deformed and overgrown. The being I encountered on the final floor wasn’t a normal monster either—it was more of a twisted hybrid between human and abomination.”
“We were able to observe your actions only up to a certain point. But from the 45th floor onward, we lost all access. We suspected the dungeon had become a completely foreign space.”
“That’s likely correct. Flugel-san, I don’t think it’s appropriate to hand this core over just yet. I’m not saying this out of greed or any ulterior motive.”
“…Understandable. Yes, this clearly isn’t something that should leave the country in the first place.”
“Right. I’m thinking it should be examined at the national research institute or entrusted to someone qualified.”
“Hmm. Very well, you keep the core. We won’t question someone trusted by the Queen.”
“Is that okay? I mean, it’s probably risky to trust someone just based on a travel permit.”
“It’s simple: we don’t want to antagonize someone who defeated over 100 monsters in a short time, the same type that drove veteran explorer clans into retreat—and solo cleared a dungeon in an abnormal state. You likely possess the potential to rival the Thirteen Knights.”
“…That’s very flattering.”
“I’ve heard what I needed. The core’s fate is in your hands. Shizuma-san, thank you for clearing the Lindblum Nest. We don’t yet know how the situation will unfold, but I, too, believe the crisis is likely to subside.”
“Let’s hope so. Thank you for listening, Flugel-san.”
“Not at all. If we meet outside the guild someday, I’m sure we’ll have a different kind of conversation.”
Hmm? What did that mean?
Curious about the true meaning behind Flugel-san’s parting words, I used my [Insight Eye] to observe her as she exited the room ahead of me.
Fahren Flugel
- A former explorer who now serves as the head of the Explorer’s Guild at a young age
- After being expelled from her former clan, she was recruited by the Guild due to her administrative skills
- Rose to the top of the Guild in just two years, dismantled her problematic former clan, and stripped them of their qualifications
- Successfully enacted her revenge, and now strictly manages explorers as the Guild head
- Favorite type: someone more than 10 years younger than herself
…Why is that last line even there? Is this world seriously being managed by someone? Is there some mischievous being watching us from above!?
Wait, what? Am I being targeted!?
When I stepped out of the conference room, I noticed a commotion going on in the first-floor hall.
Sensing a tense atmosphere, I descended the stairs to join the crowd.
“Did something happen?”
“Hmm? Bad timing. Just a moment ago, an official notice came down: a temporary ban on new dungeon expeditions. You know that recent fatal accident? Turns out the victim was a noble’s kid. Looks like even the higher-ups couldn’t ignore that one.”
“Ah, that incident…”
So it was the Crimson Bear incident from the other day.
Of course people who make their living off this dungeon would be upset by a shutdown like this.
Just as I was nodding to myself in understanding, the gathered crowd suddenly fell completely silent.
“Noisy. If all you do is wander around the lower floors, it’s no different from earning pocket change outside.”
The person who spoke calmly was none other than Rivana, wearing her usual hooded attire.
It seemed no one among the gathered crowd had the nerve to talk back to her—they all fell silent instantly.
“Unusual phenomena are occurring in the dungeon. And now that people have died, temporarily closing it for investigation is the natural course of action. It’s a good opportunity. Why not try exploring another dungeon?”
Following her, Gark—the vice-captain of Rivana’s squad—chimed in with a supporting comment.
Rather than preventing conflict, though, it seemed more like he was stepping in to guide the conversation.
…No, that’s not it. This is still just a tutorial dungeon.
Those who hang around in the lower levels earning petty cash—this was her way of giving them a tough love push forward.
And Gark? He was giving them an extra nudge, suggesting they take this chance to go somewhere else.
But it seemed the dissatisfied explorers gathered here had no real resolve to speak up.
One by one, they all slinked away.
“Oh, isn’t that you, Shizuma? Did you do something to upset our captain?”
“Huh?”
At that moment, Gark noticed me and came over with a slightly nervous look to whisper something.
Huh? What is this about?
“Um… What do you mean?”
“…The captain seems to be in a bad mood. When I asked her why, she only said one word: ‘Shizuma.’”
“Ehh… What did I do this time…”
Cautiously, I glanced over at Rivana to gauge her mood—only for her to quickly avert her face the moment our eyes met.
What was that cute reaction!?
“Um… Did I do something to upset you?”
“…”
No response. Not good. The truth is, I really don’t want to be disliked by someone who’s likely an influential figure in this town…
“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time—so could you at least tell me why you’re upset?”
I tried asking again, knowing it might be a long shot.
And then—
“…You were gone when I came back after buying sausage.”
“Huh?”
“I was going to treat you to one.”
“Ah! I’m so sorry! That’s what happened!?”
Wait, seriously…!? I just stepped out casually to grab something and assumed she’d gone to eat without me!
“It’s fine. Forget it.”
“Ah—I’m really sorry… My mind was completely occupied with the dungeon… Truly, I’m sorry.”
“Hmm. Wait… Shizuma, don’t tell me—you went into the dungeon before it got shut down?”
“Uh, yeah. I can’t go into details, but… I did manage to clear it, at least.”
“Hm! Tell me more!”
At that, Rivana, who had been turning her face away from me, suddenly perked up.
…Should I try to smooth things over now?
“Uh… Well, maybe we can talk somewhere more private. Want to come to my place?”
“Hmm… If I had to guess, you’ve probably already struck some sort of secret deal with the Guild Master, haven’t you? Is that okay?”
“As long as I only share the basics. You’re also tasked with maintaining dungeon security, right? So I think it’s fine to give you a bit of early info.”
“Heh, you’re quite shrewd for someone so young. In that case… may I come and hear the story?”
“Sure. Rivana, you come too. As an apology for earlier, I’ll prepare some snacks.”
“Understood. I’ll come.”
…For Shizuma, there’s no harm in building ties with powerful factions.
And honestly… I do feel bad. Rivana may be incredibly strong, but before that, she’s just… so tiny and earnest…!
She wanted to eat those Malmetano sausages together with me…! I really am sorry…!