Chapter 137 - It's All Because Of The Stocking
I don't like how I found the enemy just before I returned home. But I guess I just can't let this thing be after knowing that they're also planning to kill me.
They must have told… I forgot to ask their names. Well, these two cult members must have told this party that they are weaker than their actual strength. That's why the leader of this party let down his guard.
But one of his party member, the girl who wears pants, keep watch on the two. She must have a good instinct. And the fact that she's approaching me means that I'm a good person. That must be it!
"Rose. You said those two are dangerous, but why are you approaching this guy? Is he not dangerous?" The man who chatted with me asked the girl whose name is Rose.
"I do think that he's a pervert, but not a dangerous one. Well, you're also a pervert so I thought if you two can get along, I think he's fine."
Hmm… can't deny that.
So her name is Rose and his is Kite, huh? It should be easy to remember but I make no promise.
"By the way, what's your name?" Rose asked me.
"Roy. I apologize firsthand because I suck at remembering people's name so I might forget yours."
"That's fine. I'm Rose and he's Kite. The two who keep flirting is Joshua and Josephine."
"And I think that girl called Josephine will wear that stocking from now on." I said.
"Hah! After trying many times to seduce him, it was a fishnet stocking that make him noticed her? Just how dense is that guy seriously?" said Kite.
So the party consist of a dense leader, a girl who falls in love with the dense creature, a girl with good instinct, and a pervert. Then there are two cult members here planning to kill us all.
"Alright, you two keep watch on those two guys who's whispering to each other."
"What are you going to do?" Kite asked.
"The reason why I'm still here."
Then I walked to the two couple who keep flirting and ignoring us all.
"It's so nice to see you and your girlfriend getting along, but don't forget that I'm here to see what kind of effect that stocking has. So, can you test it?" I said to the couple.
"I'm not her boyfriend!" Joshua said.
"Deny all you want but that's not what everyone here thinks. And if you don't like her you need to be clear about it. I don't think you don't like her though. Anyway, pour your magic to that stocking."
After telling the girl to try pouring her magic to the stocking, she paused for a while. Then she tried pouring her magic to the stocking and test what kind of effect it has. Everyone now is looking at her curiously.
"How is it?" I asked Josephine.
"I feel… warm?"
"Only on your legs or your whole body?"
"It's… my whole body." She replied.
"Josephine, are you okay?" Joshua asked her condition.
"I'm fine."
A stocking that keep your body warm. I think that's all it is. Maybe it's some kind of protection magic.
"Anyone has aptitude for ice magic please make some ice."
Then Joshua walked forward and made a ball of ice.
I took the ice ball from him and gave it to Josephine. The ice then melt in an instant. I then touched the water and feel the temperature is normal. Not hot or cold at all.
For an ice to be melted in an instant, I thought the temperature of the water will be hot. Maybe it's not something that makes cold things hot, but make the temperature of anything it touched to normal.
"Let's try with fire."
"I can do that. Hngggh! I can't do that." Josephine volunteer to do it herself but somehow there's no fire come out.
"Then my guess should be correct. It's a magic tool that make anything it touched to be normal temperature. My guess is about the normal temperature of human's body. It's good if you're fighting in cold place or hot place, or if your enemy is either ice mage or fire mage. But if you're an ice mage or fire mage yourself, you won't be able to cast any magic."
Then I grabbed a piece of paper from my pocket and hold it out.
"Is there any other fire mage here? Burn this paper and I'll try touching the fire to her body."
Without saying anything, Rose shoot a fireball and the paper is on fire. She has a good aim.
Then I let Josephine touched it and she doesn't feel hot at all. Which mean that fishnet stocking is the best equipment to protect you against hot and cold. Now I really want that. I don't think I will wear it but I guess I can give it to Kayla or Sophie. But since I promised to let these guys have it, I won't take it from them. Unless they do it willingly.
Just as we finished our experiment, the two cult members attacked us out of nowhere. One guy aiming at Rose and Kite while the other is targeting the couple and me.
Because they know the effect of the fishnet stocking, he used a powerful earth magic, Earth Lance at us. But I managed to grab both Joshua and Josephine and dodged it.
As for Rose and Kite, both of them have been vigilant to the two so they dodged it well.
"Earth Lance? And this strong as well. You are an advanced level?" Joshua asked the attacker.
"Yes. Now we can't have anyone has that powerful equipment other than us so please die for the sake of our god!"
But before he casted any magic, I moved. I grabbed his head and smash it to the wall. He died in one hit.
"No!" the other attacker shouted.
"Yes! By the way, before I checked the inside of his mouth, I want to ask if you have explosive device in your mouth or not." I already know the answer, but I think it's a good idea to let other knows of their existence as well.
"How did you know?"
"On my journey, it's not the first time someone has explosive in their mouth. I know that because one person I decapitate spit it out after his head is rolling. Who are you and why are you guys attacking hunters? I don't think anyone with tools for killing themselves is good people."
Of course I lied. Normally, even if I decapitate someone's head, it's impossible for something stuck so hard on the back of their teeth to fall of easily. But I guess he's too panicked to notice it. And it's not like anyone here have ever seen a decapitated head before. I also said I killed several of them so he might think that he's too weak to fight against me.
"Hmm… I guess it's time for me to die. Everything is for the sake of our true god!" He said as he tried to pour magic into the explosive device.
"Wait! Before you kill yourself, tell me what should I call those explosive device in your mouth is!" I keep calling it explosive device but I don't know what they called it.
"You mean the HGB?" The man paused and replied my question.
"HGB? Seriously?"
"It's from 'Head Goes Boom'. Now if you'd excuse me, I'm going to die here."
After he excuse himself, he explode his own head in front of all of us. The brain of that guy splattered everywhere but I used the corpse of the guy I killed to protect me.
Then I insert my finger to the corpse mouth and picked the HGB.
"So you're called Head Goes Boom. What a stupid name."
I activated the HGB and throw it away quickly. It explode soon after.
"What kind of cult are those people in? They're not afraid to kill themselves." Joshua asked.
"You're asking that now? Not when you naively decided to have them join your group? You almost cost your party and your new girlfriend their lives!"
I can't tell a naïve person about the cult. He might alert everyone from the cult. So I guess I just teach him to be wary of other people.
"That's… sorry."
"Sorry? I liked you because you're kind and strong! But now! I don't think I can stay with someone who might end up having me dead because of his naivety! I'll leave this party as of today! And here's your fishnet stocking you like so much!"
Josephine throw the fishnet stocking from who know when she take it off and throw it to Joshua. Then she leave right away.
"Roy, thank you for your help. Joshua, I will leave together with Josephine. So this is our goodbye." Rose chased after Josephine after saying goodbye to us.
"I'll stay with you. I'm your childhood friend after all. If I'm not around, you would have died many times. But this time, you need to discuss with me before you make any decision, okay?"
"Kite… thank you for staying with me. It's all because of this fishnet stocking! Here! You can have this!"
Joshua throw the stocking at me and I grabbed it. It's still warm.
"By the way, it's not the stocking's fault. It's whoever decided to have those two followed you. Which means you. Next time, if you haven't died because of your naivety yet, think carefully before letting strangers join you. I'll be taking this stocking then."
The three of us then leave the dungeon together. We're going to the same exit after all.
How could someone let go a powerful equipment so easily? Is he stupid?
Then at the exit, the two girls are still there.
"What are you two doing here?" I asked.
"We don't know the way home."
That's hilarious. Leaving first and then waiting for the other to ask the way? That's the first time I've seen someone doing it.
"Josephine…" Joshua tried to talk to Josephine.
"Don't talk to me!"
I guess she's still angry. Well, I don't care what they're going to do.
"Where are you going?" I asked them.
"I think Joshua and I will return to our base. What about you?" Kite replied then asked Rose.
"The both of us born in Cassau so we thought of going there. But we don't know the way." Rose replied.
"I'm going to Cassau as well. It's straight that way, but if you want to go through the main road, it's over there." I pointed the location of Cassau and the main road is to Rose.
"You're not gonna tell us to follow you? We're going the same way." Rose asked.
"I'm going straight to Cassau and probably encounter some monsters on the way. Your friend need to calm herself first before going into danger so I suggest you go through the main road which is safer." I explained.
"Alright, thanks. Since we're going to the same city, we might meet again so see you later!"
Rose left to the main road together with Josephine. Then Kite and Joshua also left leaving me alone again.
That's fine. I don't feel so lonely anymore especially after watching some drama.
Now it's time to go home.