Akuyaku Reijou ni Nanka Narimasen - Chapter 440 (Patreon)

Dungeon capture, burning love edition.
The original plan was to clear 10 floors in a day. However, it's still midday. After discussing with the members while having lunch, we decided that we haven't used up much energy, so we'll advance a bit more.

Basement 11th floor.

The scenery changed drastically. The stone floor turned into sand. Walls disappeared, and the sun beat down with scorching heat.

For now, I closed the door.

Opened it. It's hot.

Closed it.

"Rinka."

"Yes."

"What's that?"

"The stages change every 10 floors. Floors 11 to 20 are a desert."

"Could've said that sooner!"

"Sorry!"

Anyway, it's hot, so we had a strategy meeting near the door.

"The heat is a problem."

"Yeah, just being there was damaging in the game."

For now, I decided to turn the Valkyrie into some kind of sandmobile to advance. That way, we can fill the interior with cool air using magic.

At this point, whether it's self-assertion or not, Rinka's Tsu-san turned into a pumpkin carriage.

"Tsu-san!?"

"...... Well, forget it. So, about the horses..."

"Oh, I'll do it~"

Rosie-kun turned into a mechanical-looking horse and was attached to the pumpkin carriage. It feels weird, but there's no help for it.

"Rosariiin!"

Not to be outdone, the Valkyrie turned into a horse.

"We have enough horses."

"I want to be of use..."

The Valkyrie struck a horse-form orz pose. Quite skillful.

"Hmm, then can you clear the obstacles for us?"

"Understoood!"

The Valkyrie turned into a menacing horse. It was a horse with a post-apocalyptic feel, covered in spikes.

"Oh..."

"Wow..."

"Cool."

"Yeah, it is."

The guys were sparkling with excitement. People never grow out of liking cool things, I guess.

"Oneechan... It's hot..."

Since Mary seemed to be at her limit, I put her in the carriage first and cooled the air inside.

"Miyuu~"

As we tried to get on, the old man threw a tantrum.

"I want to be the coachman or ride a horse!"

Despite trying to convince him, the old man didn't listen, and in the end, he sat at the coachman's platform.

"Geraldin-san, if you're going to be the coachman, apply this cream all over your body. You'll regret it if you apply it haphazardly."

"? Mhm."

"Jash, help him with the back and neck."

"Okay."

As we were applying the cream, I felt surrounded by something. A desert specialty, the running cacti. There were a lot of them. It seems we were surrounded.

"... Kuh."

I collapsed into the sand.

"Rosarin!?"

"I can't do it... I can't attack the precious cacti!"

"No, Rosarin-chan, these cacti are different from your cacti, right!?"

"I can't do it! Cacti are so cute!"

My companions were puzzled by my collapse. Maybe because I had spent a long time with the cacti, I couldn't bring myself to attack or witness attacks on them. Perhaps my feelings reached them, as the cacti bloomed.

And then, a rainbow-shining cactus... the Legendary King Cactus, Sabo-san, appeared.

"All who seek to aid Rosarin, break the curse!"

It's definitely our cacti!

"Sabo!"

"Sabo!"

"Sabo!"

"Sabo!"

"Sabo!"

Times 100 or more? Even more?

And with a glass-like shattering sound, the desert's running cacti evolved into Machonest Cacti in unison.

No, why.

In the first place, if it's a curse, Arisa and I can handle it...

No, no, these cacti, are they the cacti from our house, after all!

Why did they evolve, though!?

Aaaah, I can't keep up with the retorts!!

"Rosarin."

"Ah, yes."

"We, who had fallen to the Dungeon Masters, have been released. From now on, Rosarin will lead us!!"

"Oh, thank you very much."

According to Sabo-san's explanation, the cacti were summoned and forcibly enslaved by the Dungeon Master. Since I said I couldn't fight them, to not make me sad, the cacti apparently broke the curse on their own. The evolution was just a coincidence... I'm loved (escaping reality).

The pumpkin carriage pulled by a mechanical horse. And on the left and right, the Machonest Cacti. With their bodies, they kept other monsters at bay.

"Wahahahahahahaha!!"

And the old man, laughing heartily on the coachman's platform, raced the carriage.

I believe Rosie-kun will slow down at the right place. I believe it! Don't lose to the old man, okay!?

"Okaa~san... It's probably okay, so you don't have to use wind magic to talk to me."

Rosie-kun is a well-behaved child. Sorry for unnecessary worries.

"No turn to show up..."

The Valkyrie sighed. Well, it's not like I'm always looking for help. Don't worry about it.

"That's unbelievable."

By the way, originally, this stage was supposed to have Wall Cacti. Thanks to the cacti completely abandoning their duty, we easily reached the next floor.

Basement 12th floor.

However, at this point, an event occurred that might go down in Rosarin’s top three historical moments.

Next: https://www.patreon.com/posts/93494531