The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

Chapter 89: Subjugation team and Reunion

The next day, when I went to pick up Rifreya, her eyes were red, and she laughed with an ‘ehehe’ as if to play it off.

We did a short exchange, and walked to the guild.

There were already tens of experts in the guild for the sake of the exploration, and the population was dense.

It seems templars are not here. I can’t see people that would fit the bill.

I am merely a porter, so I will at the very least stick to Rifreya in the middle, but it is apparently rare for a Demon Lord subjugation to finish in one day.

That’s because the dungeon is deep and vast.

Even if searched by spreading out, there are many times when it can’t be found, and because there’s no knowing where the Demon Lord is in, they begin what’s akin to a mountain hunt from 2 floors up to where the last floor that it was found in, and sweep from there.

Because of that, the number of participants on the first day is always low, and the templars participate on the second or third day.

Meaning that today will be a day where they will be fighting monsters normally in the 3rd Floor. At the very least, I should have the camera -that must be somewhere- show the other explorers, and create the ambience of a demon lord subjugation team to the viewers.

“Rifreya, what happens in the actual battle? Someone takes command?” (Hikaru)

“Command…? No, we simply fight in order beginning with the party that found it.” (Rifreya)

“Such a haphazard method? The enemy is a Demon Lord, so it is strong, right?” (Hikaru)

“Of course, we will be cooperating with each other, you know. But it is not like there’s anyone here acquainted enough with the abilities of everyone to the point that they can take command so, in the end, we fight with our usual party formations, and when it gets dangerous, we switch to the next party… That’s how it works.” (Rifreya)

“In that case, there’s a chance for our turn…huh.” (Hikaru)

Grapefull isn’t participating today.

The high ranked explorers have a number of scout lynxes, so they are apparently going to be doing the job of scouts.

Well, diving with these numbers, there’s probably no need for scouts.

“Ah! Looks like we are departing.” (Rifreya)

“Yeah.” (Hikaru)

I walked over to the dungeon while sticking with Rifreya, but we were divided at the entrance by porters and explorers. Well, it must mean that porters should stick to the back.

By the way, gold rank accomplished adventurers will apparently be in charge of the rear.

Most porters have rucksacks, but there’s also ones that have proper gear on them. They probably plan on participating in battle like me.

The first battle formation of the explorer team is around 40 in total.

There aren’t many porters. Well, it is originally one porter per 6 people party, so this is the obvious result.

We walked for a bit, and something slapped my shoulder from the back.

When I turned around, there was the handsome man that I met in the baths before.

“Heya there! It has been a while. You haven’t come to the bathhouse since then, so I thought you died. You got me worried there.”

“H-Hello. Alex, right?” (Hikaru)

“Yeah, so you remember me?” (Alex)

Alex, who is a Chosen just like me, is holding a spear and shield; heavy equipment style.

That he is here must mean that he is participating as a porter?

“Are you also a bronze rank?” (Hikaru)

“No, I just finally became an ebony rank. I had them let me join as a porter today. That goes the same for you, right, Hikaru?” (Alex)

Saying this, he shows me his ID.

Looks like his comrades are also silver rank.

“At any rate, a Demon Lord! Doesn’t that get your blood boiling?! There’s apparently no Chosen who has defeated a Demon Lord yet, so there might be bonus points if we defeat one.” (Alex)

“Points, huh.” (Hikaru)

Alex is a mysterious man.

He is an otherworlder, and he might have heard about me, and yet, there’s no hidden side to his attitude and is openhearted.

“Aah, now that I think about it, there were messages telling me they wanted me to tell you something if I met you, Hikaru. What was it? If I remember correctly, there were a number of them…” (Alex)

My body jolted as if reacting to the word ‘messages’.

It is as if a cold knife had been pushed onto me. Something indescribable was surging up from the very depths of my entrails.

A message for me.

Something like that would be a bad notice, and if not, they are using Alex in order to relay the flaming messages since I don’t open them myself, or they are using Alex to try and kill me.

…Whichever the case, it must not be anything decent.

I don’t think Alex is trying to kill me (of course, there’s the chance he could stab me from behind. When you die in the dungeon, you simply turn into a stone, so you can just say I was killed by a monster). Maybe they are messages of support…? No way.

The reason why I can somehow manage to get viewers is clearly because ‘I am Nanami’s killer, and am enjoying my isekai life away from the hands of the law’.

I don’t know why the true culprit hasn’t been caught. It would be a lie to say I am not pissed by the incompetent police force, but thinking about the fact that I was transferred, everyone would think that I am the culprit. If I had seen the news, I probably would have come to that same conclusion.

Of course, there’s the possibility that the true culprit has already been caught, and the current viewers are purely cheering for me.

I have thought about that possibility countless times at night while sprawled on my bed. But there’s no way that’s possible.

First of all, there’s way too little reason for there to be these many viewers. I am currently…the top amongst all Chosen in the Real Time Rankings. 700 million people watching me real time. It is an overwhelming number.

Even though I haven’t done anything of worth.

I am only diving into the dungeon. Even Alex, who is in front of me, is doing that same thing. If I am at the top, he should at least be 2nd. And yet, he is most likely a lot lower. Even though he is far more handsome and looks like he has a lot more friends than me.

In that case, I can only think of the possibility that the viewers are watching me because I have ‘a special story’ and they are expecting something. I haven’t said a single word to the viewers that I want to bring back Nanami.

Whichever the case, I don’t want to hear the messages.

The Viewer Count Race is going to end soon.

At the very least, I don’t want to stir my heart until that time.

“W-Wait, please. No need. I don’t want to hear about the messages.” (Hikaru)

“Oh, is that so? They sounded pretty earnest about wanting me to tell you though.” (Alex)

“I don’t want to remember about that side, you see… Please.” (Hikaru)

“But…” (Alex)

“Please… I really don’t want to hear it… Please…Please don’t tell me anything.” (Hikaru)

A plea.

From here on, I will be going to subjugate a Demon Lord and get 1st place. I don’t want cold water poured onto that resolve. If I hear about them, it will be the end. I am sure I won’t be able to move properly when that happens.

“Is that really okay…? It is from your family, so they told me to definitely tell you.” (Alex)

“Stop… Please stop…” (Hikaru)

I covered my ears once I heard the word family.

Even if it is my parents, even if it is my little sisters, I don’t want to touch that.

I don’t think I am at fault here.

But the reality is that their house was burned, and they couldn’t even stay in Japan anymore.

Even if their messages were kind words of comfort.

Even if their messages are riddled with justified abusive remarks towards me.

My heart would be torn apart whichever way it is.

I cling to the collar of Alex, and plead over and over.

I couldn’t keep my calm at all.

“Got it. I am at fault here too -talking about the other world.” (Alex)

Alex raised both hands and showed a pose of surrender.

“…Well, I do somewhat get that feeling of yours. When I think about that side, even now, I still feel lonely.” (Alex)

Alex must have been hit with nostalgia, his eyes grew distant.

My case is different, but there’s no need to explain that.

“Anyways, if you don’t want to hear about it, I will keep those messages in my chest.” (Alex)

“T-Thanks…” (Hikaru)

Alex closed the Status Board he was about to operate, and I was relieved from the bottom of my heart.

He really might be a good guy.