Otherworld Dagashi Shop Yahagi

Chapter 129: 6th Underground Floor

Just before noon, Michelle ran into the shop.

The shop was empty because all the adventurers were in the dungeon.

Normally, Michelle would have jumped into my arms without a second thought, but today, she looked different.

[Yuusuke, big trouble!]

[What’s the matter? Did something happen in the dungeon? Is someone hurt?]

[That’s not it. However, something strange happened with the dungeon elevator. It should only go to the 4th Underground Floor, but it stopped at the 6th Underground Floor. It’s great that I happened to catch sight of it, but what does that mean?]

Did the controls malfunction?

Or perhaps, did someone tamper with the settings?

However, to change the settings, one would have to press the buttons in a certain order.

Very few people know the correct code.

The only people who were briefed on the dungeon with Mani-san were me and Michelle, then Merle and Mira, and then Garm and Titti.

Did any of these people take the risk of going to the 6th Underground Floor?

It would be great if nothing happened but……

While we were worrying about this matter, Team Garm arrived.

[I’m hungry~~ Yahagi-san, I’ll have a large serving of yakisoba!]

Garm and the others took up position in front of the griddle, innocently brandishing spatulas.

Did they just return from the 6th Underground Floor?

I’ll try probing a bit.

[Ou, you’re here early today. Are you done exploring?]

[Not really. We were hunting on the 3rd Underground Floor just now, and we took down a Cockatrice, and it dropped meat!]

When monsters are defeated, they disappear, leaving behind money and magic crystals.

However, there’s also a rare chance that they would drop items.

[The dungeon elevator made it easier for us to come up to the surface, didn’t it? So, we decided to have lunch up here. We’re thinking of having yakisoba mixed with cockatrice meat.]

I quietly whispered to Michelle.

[It doesn’t look like Garm was the one who messed with the elevator settings.]

[Unnn. In the first place, I don’t think Garm-kun even remembers the passcode.]

That’s also true……

Garm has a bold personality and doesn’t pay much attention to details.

He’s crude, but honest to others, so if he wants to go to the 6th Underground Floor, he would have talked to me about it.

[By the way, Garm, have you seen Team Harukaze?]

[Hmm, Merle’s group? They’re on the 2nd Underground Floor.]

[2nd Underground Floor?]

That’s strange. They’re over there even though they normally operate in the 3rd Underground Floor below that?

[Marco was apparently taking the day off today. That’s why they’re working on a higher floor to be safe. Speaking of which, I didn’t see Titti in the first-aid room either, so I guess she and Marco are getting it on somewhere?]

[Fyuuu~~!]

The adventurers were acting like young kids when they heard something sex-related, but my thoughts didn’t lead me to the same conclusion as theirs.

I highly doubt it, but there’s no way the two of them had gone to the 6th Underground Floor, right?

[Yuusuke, if something happens, it would be too late……]

[I know. I’ll go in the back and check where Marco and Titti are. Take care of the shop.]

Getting a Stick Chocolate to use my Clairvoyance, I went into the tatami room in the back.

Titty POV

Geez, what in the world is this!?

I didn’t expect the monsters on the 6th Underground Floor to be this strong.

If it had been just me, I would have died a long time ago.

I was saved thanks to Marco supporting me……

[Titti, we can’t go any further. Let’s get out of here.]

[……………..]

I silently handed him a Moroccan Yogul as a sign of refusal.

My resolve on this matter is firm.

[Do you really want that golden statue?]

[That’s right…… If you don’t approve of my decision, you can leave now, Marco. It won’t be worth a single rim to Marco anyway.]

I don’t intend to share any portion of the treasure with others.

That’s why I came all this way without inviting anyone.

[I know that, Titti. You can do whatever you want, but I will accompany you until the end.]

Without waiting for my reply, Marco readied his Legendary Nail Bat and started walking in front.

I could only lower my head looking at his back.

Even at a time like this, I can’t be honest with myself.

I can’t even say “Thank you” in a situation where I’m standing next to death.

By the time we reached the room marked on the map, both Marco and I were exhausted.

I was able to heal our wounds with magic, but my mana was on the verge of depletion.

Fortunately, there were no monsters in the room, so I sealed the door and slumped to the floor.

[Titt, here’s our last 10-rim gum.]

I had bought a large amount of dagashis, but we had already eaten most of it.

My arms were too heavy to even receive the dagashi.

[I’m sorry, but can you feed it to me, Marco?]

[Eh? Unnn…… I’m fine with it.]

Men really are stupid.

They get so happy just by us fawning upon them a bit……

But well, Marco’s shy smile does make me happy.

The sweet gum restores a little bit of my mana and makes me feel better.

[Come on, let’s set our eyes on the treasure.]

Managing to stand up with all the strength in my lower body, I looked around.

At a glance, it looked no different from the countless ordinary rooms in existence.

However, I had come here according to the map.

There was no mistaking this place.

[Titti, look! There’s a small crest carved here.]

The crest Marco found was as small as the tip of a finger, and had the design of a cogwheel.

Such a description was also drawn on the treasure map.

[There’s no doubt about it. It’s definitely here……]

Are there any other clues around?

I carefully looked again at the half-unreadable ancient script and picked out the words I could read.

[Golden golem statue…… Altar…… This word should be…… Rotation?]

Rotation…… Could it be talking about this cogwheel?

This could also be a trap though.

However, after going this far, I couldn’t hesitate now.

[Marco, stay back a bit.]

[I’m fine with that, but why?]

[It’s nothing. Just do as I say.]

I let Marco back up to the opposite wall and traced my finger over the cogwheel crest.

If someone’s gonna be a victim of a trap, me being caught in it by myself is already enough.

First, turn right……

Nope, no response.

In that case, let’s rotate left……

Go…… Gogogogogogo……

I did it!

The wall slides down to reveal a hidden back room. And in that room———–

[Whoa, is that real?]

On a low pedestal sat a golden golem statue measuring 60 cm in height.

It’s a rock golem with a rounded form, but its entire body is shining in a golden hue.

[Fu…… Fufu……]

I finally did it.

A dry chuckle escaped the corners of my mouth, from a mixture of exhaustion and a sense of accomplishment.

[T- That’s amazing…… Titti, how much is that worth?]

[Right…… I think it’s worth at least 300 million rims for the gold alone. Adding in the artistic and historical value, I think I’d be able to sell it a bit more.]

I carefully examined the pedestal and found no traps.

The question now was how to get this to the elevator.

I used both hands to try and lift it to check its weight, but it was considerably heavy.

[Fuuu, bringing this back’s gonna be rough.]

[Unnn, even though it’s so small, it’s as heavy as Titti.]

[Can’t you have some delicacy with your choice of words?]

I should be a bit lighter than this thing.

In any case, what should I do?

Both Marco and I are already at the limit of our strengths.

[Titti, I really think we should go back. Let’s call the others to help us out.]

[No! I’ll bring this back myself even if I have to drag it.]

[You’ll just wear down the gold if you do that. Besides, if it’s Michelle-san, I’m sure she will understand what’s going on.]

[Absolutely not. I don’t want to depend on Sister! Marco may have been helping me now, but I was originally going to do this on my own. I will deliver this golden statue to the national treasury as I planned. That’s why I came all the way here without any help!]

That’s why I’ve gone through all this trouble.

I can’t ask Michelle for help now.

[Titti, are you sure about this? If you acquire that, you could even live comfortably in a foreign country, you know?]

[Hmph, I spent billions of rims when I was the Queen Consort. What’s a few hundred million rim now? Besides, I want to pay back some of my debt. Not like this statue would fully compensate them…… Marco, are you not mad? All this trouble yet you’re not getting a single rim?]

[I’m fine with it as long as it makes Titti happy.]

Marco never lies to me. However, that’s exactly why my heart ached.

[I’m sorry, it’s because you got involved with someone like me……]

[My life now is filled with so much happiness though.]

[Marco……]

Unable to express my feelings with words any further, I let my emotions move me and jumped into Marco’s chest.

Yahagi POV

As the intense kissing scene began, I turned off my Clairvoyance.

Even so, that was surprising.

I had no idea that such a golden statue was lying under Luganda Dungeon.

What’s even more surprising was Titti’s words.

Fumu, I guess I’ll just save her without her noticing.

With this resolve in mind, I pulled open the storeroom’s door.