Chapter 28: Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru Chapte

【42nd day】

It wasn’t as if we explored the dungeon every day.

The miracle created by our predecessor, the regeneration point, consumes the inner magic of living things to repair wounds. This inner magic usually fully recovers in about two days. Likewise, outer magic is needed to use magic. It takes about the same amount of time to recover.

But a problem had occurred here.

Inside the tent at the camp,

「I’m sorry, dear」

「There’s nothing for you to apologize for. If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn't have defeated the enemy this time. Take your time and rest」

Rana's outer magic wasn’t recovering. One day after returning from the dungeon, the container of the regeneration point remained clear, which meant that it was empty.

This was a race-specific condition.

The elven race has a strong aptitude for magic. Putting it simply, the amount of their outer magic is double that of other races. Rana’s outer magic was easily triple.

However, there is a drawback.

The recovery of their magic power is slower compared to other races.

And, as we found out this time, the recovery would be further slowed if it was completely exhausted.

We had scheduled two days of rest, but if Rana stayed in this condition, we would have no choice but to leave her behind on our next adventure. Rana's firepower was certainly impressive. It was deadly. However, the dungeon wasn’t so easy that everything could be overcome with that alone.

It was reckless to try to go down five levels and validate the portal in one go. First, we had to fill in the map, get a measure of the enemies, and plot the best route. This was the kind of work that we didn’t particularly need firepower to do.

Therefore,

「Please don’t feel depressed with such a hopeless expression」

「But……」

「If it’s just the preliminary investigation, we’ll be safe even if you don't come along」

「I don’t like that」

Oh, I suppose she doesn’t like being left behind.

「In the meantime, let's take it easy today. Here, let’s watch movies」

I had Rana lie down, then rolled up a blanket and put it against her back.

I took out a tablet from the corner of the tent.

「What do you want to watch?」

I opened the enormous video data. This was a personal belonging of one of the team members who had disappeared.

「I want to watch Chaplin」

「Okay」

As I searched for a video that we hadn't seen yet,

「I want to watch The Great Dictator」

「Understood」

She had requested it, so I played The Great Dictator for the sixth time. At Rana’s gentle urgings, I lay down next to her. Both of us supported the tablet with one hand each.

Somehow, we were looking the part. To outsiders, we might look like the real deal. We were “pretend” husband and wife though.

「Rana. You like this movie, don’t you?」

「It’s because the way he raises his voice and takes pauses when giving the speech serves as an useful reference for magic」

「Huh, really?」

「My teacher said that to explain magic in the simplest terms, it boiled down to performing. It’s a plea to the gods to perform a miracle by stringing together all kinds of flowery words. And when you do so, you have to keep in mind the tone of voice and facial expressions that the god you’re begging prefers. In the last adventure, I got a little too impassioned. My contract with my main god was nearly broken. I’ll be more careful from now on」

「Please be more careful」

「Okay」

Let's not show her the actual person.

The opening staff roll played. The trench war began. Subtitles and annotations provided by Makina played along with the movie. Because it had been explained five times already, Rana understood it for the most part.

Rather than the actual contents of the movie, I found it more enjoyable watching her get excited about the movie.

I stared a little bit too passionately at her.

She noticed my gaze.

Our eyes met.

Our hands touched.

We moved into a position where our breaths would naturally meet.

It was still before noon, but we're finally crossing the line,

「What are both of you doing~?」

We couldn't.

My sister had burst into the tent. Ea took off her sandals roughly and slipped between Rana and me.

「This Chapi-mustache again? I want to watch Mifune」

「No. Onee-chan wants to watch this」

「Booo」

The sisters leaned their shoulders together and were cheek to cheek. Ea unreservedly rested her bare legs on my lap.

Hmm.

This is also happiness.

Is it alright for me to be beside both of you? Will I die tomorrow or the day after? As I reflected on such anxiety and happiness,

「Heyー, is the foreigner hereー?」

The sounds of a horse’s hooves and a person’s voice.

Even though I was in a good place, who's this a-hole.

After I left the two of them and exited the tent, I saw a man on a horse. He wore an eye patch over his left eye. Be it his shield, sword or armor, there was not a single thing that was new. He was a battle-hardened adventurer in the prime of life.

His name was Medimu, also called the father of adventurers. Also known as Otou-san.

「Are you free?」

「I'm extremely busy」

I wanted to spend the whole of today flirting with the sisters. I had survived one adventure, so I should have the right to do that much.

「Is that so? Come」

It seems like I didn’t.

「Do I have a choice?」

「Nope」

Then why did you ask me if I was free to begin with?

Perhaps they were worried, but the sisters poked their heads out of the tent.

「I’m borrowing this guy」

Otou-san ignored the objection of『Ehhh~』from the two of them, forced me onto the horse, then rode off.

I went from hanging out with beautiful elven sisters to sitting double with a middle-aged dude on a horse. The saddle wasn’t in a good condition so my butt hurt. In all sorts of ways, it hurt.

「I heard that you've reached the 10th floor」

「Well, yeah, we had a hard time though」

「Thanks to you guys defeating the king of bones, for the next two days, the other adventurers will also be able to go past that floor with ease. If you go to the bar right now, you’ll get treated a cup of liquor by the greenhorns」

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So there was a system like that. Indeed, Rana and Ea, who had reached the 10th floor previously, should have done so without having fought the bone soldiers and giant.

「So, Otou-san. What do you want from me?」

「The king has collapsed. I need your help」

It's just my personal opinion.

But the kingdom of Lemuria, which has the Odoriji spire, functions solely because of the reign of its king.

His story of going from an adventurer with just the clothes on his back to obtaining a kingdom in the end, is admired by many adventurers. Fascinated by his established reputation, adventurers gather in the Kingdom of Lemuria day after day.

And, it might be an insensitive subject, but if such a king died……

Here are the relevant expectations.

King Lemuria is a wise king, but as history has shown, wise men didn’t necessarily produce wise offspring. The eldest prince, who seemed capable, had been killed, and the younger prince, who is boundlessly stupid, is the current heir to the kingdom.

A riot would occur when that guy succeeded the throne. I've no doubt about it. Even if I only listened perfunctorily, I would hear unfavorable criticisms about the prince from all quarters of the city.

It’s been said that unfavorable criticisms of those in power are hard to get rid of, but the prince himself hasn’t noticed it at all because he's an idiot, coward, budding villain, sexual offender and someone without the grace of royalty. Was the evaluation of him by his elder sister.

As for me, if that guy succeeded the throne, I think that I would join the opposing side.

Likewise, it would be a problem for Heures forest, the sisters’ home.

The elves here held enmity towards the Kingdom of Lemuria due to the previous war. With regards to that war, things like which side was right or wrong was something a foreigner could not know nor talk about.

It seemed like there were many things going on with the elves too.

Currently, the Heures family, which had brought the clans together, is losing cohesion day by day. It's clear that blood will flow due to this. A civil war between elves would undoubtedly spill over into Lemuria.

The existence of King Lemuria is the one thing that's somehow maintaining the balance among the various uncertainties like that.

It would be troublesome if he died.

At the very least, for one year, it definitely would.

「But why me?」

When we arrived at the castle, I directed a fundamental question at Otou-san.

「Aren’t you the one who cured Princess Ea?」

「I have no idea what you're talking about」

「Well, I won't pry any deeper」

As expected from someone with the wisdom of age. He knew to keep an appropriate distance. Also, I was not the one who cured Ea. It was my partner who had come to this land with me.

「Souya-dono!」

Suddenly, a maid approached us. She was a beastkin with silver hair and pointed ears. Her bandages had been removed, and I was relieved to see that it hadn't left any scars.

「Although you’re between adventures at the moment, I’m truly sorry that you had to be summoned on such short notice even though you’re busy」

「No, this guy looked like he was free」

Otou-san’s easy-going opinion.

「I was busy!」

Time spent relaxing with beautiful woman can’t be called free time!

「I'm very sorry. The healers have all given up. Oh, what should I do?」

With her ears flopped down, Lanseal, King Lemuria’s illegitimate child, looked remorseful. In the many nations of this world, there was discrimination against the beastkin. It was due in part to the King of Beasts, who had led the beastkin in ancient times.

She was of royal blood but had no right to the throne. On the contrary, she was treated just like a maid. Nevertheless, she was worrying about her father dutifully.

I don't hate that about her.

「It’s questionable whether I can be of any help, but I’ll do whatever I can. Don't expect too much though」

「Okay!」

Her tail was wagging furiously under her skirt. Her expectations were making me anxious. I should be able to treat trauma and simple infectious diseases, but even Makina would have to give up if it was something like endemic diseases, cancer, or organ damage.

In any case, I couldn’t say for sure without examining him.

Lanseal led us to the king's bedroom. Otou-san remained in the hallway.

「Excuse me, Your Majesty. Souya-dono is here to see you」

「Ohh, Souya. Sorry about summoning you when you have preparations to make for your adventure」

「No, I was free so it’s not a problem」

Complaining to the king would probably be going too far.

The king was lying in bed. He was bald and had an imposing stature. But his complexion was clearly bad. The room was filled with the smell of medicine which assailed my nose.

「I’ll do my best to help in spite of my poor abilities」

「Yes, I’m counting on you, is what I would like to say, but I’m already old. Rather than a disease, I’m probably at the end of my lifespan. Don't take it to heart if there’s nothing you can do」

I bowed slightly, then put on my glasses device. I had Makina start the medical examination app.

「Excuse me, Your Majesty. Can you tell me the symptoms?」

「Hmm. Was it last year, after the war with the elves? I felt light numbness and pain in my limbs. I thought that it was due to fatigue. It became quite chronic, and I’m now in a state where it’s hard to get out of bed」

「Is the pain only in your limbs?」

「No, my whole body hurts」

「Appetite?」

「None」

「Sorry, do you suffer from either constipation or diarrhea?」

「Yes」

「I’m going to examine you by feeling you with my hands. Excuse me」

I felt the king's feet. There was swelling.

「Please tell me if you feel any pain」

I took out a pen and stabbed his big toe forcefully.

「How was that?」

「It wasn’t particularly painful」

Coincidentally, I happen to know of these symptoms. It's a disease that's quite famous among the Japanese.

「Can you get up and sit on the bed? Lanseal, give me a hand」

Both of us moved the king's body to the edge of the bed and left both of his legs dangling off the bed. I tapped his knee a few times. For a healthy person, the leg would kick reflexively. But his didn’t budge.

I think that there’s no doubt about it.

「It’s beriberi」

『Results of the medical examination show a 98% similarity to the symptoms of beriberi』

I received Makina’s endorsement.

「Your Majesty, I’m sorry......」

Lanseal had an expression of despair.

「......can I use the kitchen? I can cure it」

Lanseal had an expression of joy.

The Great Dictator is a 1940 American political satire comedy-drama film that was written, directed, produced, scored by, and starring British comedian Charlie Chaplin, and was his first true sound film. Chaplin plays both leading roles: a ruthless fascist dictator and a persecuted Jewish barber.

Beriberi is a disease caused by vitamin B-1 deficiency, also known as thiamine deficiency. It is a disease that occurs more commonly in countries where white rice is a staple food as white rice has 1/10th of the thiamine of brown rice. And Japan, where shiny white rice was so valued that it was a status symbol to eat it in the past, is one nation where beriberi has caused a significant amount of deaths from the past till as late as the 1900s. During the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, beriberi killed 27,000 Japanese soldiers, compared to 47,000 men killed by actual war wounds.

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