Though entering the island immediately was important and I had put everything else on the back burner, my task wasn’t just about entering the island and conquering the dungeon.
After all, the reason I was guided by the Fairy Queen was to collect the remnants left behind by the heroes.
I still had to visit the figurines left by Erginus, Grandpa, and the hero. I also needed to conquer Garad’s castle. The place I decided to go to with Benedict was Garad’s castle.
The hero's skeleton was someone I’d like to meet later for a long conversation, and Grandpa’s skeleton was someone I wanted to meet alone.
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Why? Because that way, I could tease Grandpa! Grandpa, who even through the monitor gave off a nagging vibe, I couldn’t wait to see how he would act in reality.
Ah, I’m so excited! Just imagining how Grandpa will twitch from just his voice makes me thrilled!
<...I’m not excited at all. Why don’t you just leave me behind and go?>
‘Grandpa’s my weapon. How can I not take it with me?’
<Well, that’s true...>
Thinking about facing his past, Grandpa naturally fell silent, as if he were getting depressed.
Hmm. If I were to meet myself from my past, the me who used to say strange things because I was in my "chuunibyou" phase, I’d probably have a fit. Grandpa must feel the same way.
“Lina, is there really a reason to be so cautious here?”
“It’s the current situation. You never know when that trash will pop up. We have to be prepared to leave a scar on that irritating face.”
“...If you harm the prince’s face, the consequences will be severe.”
“Anything that happens in a human kingdom is none of my business. I’m just Lucy’s guard dog, here to protect her!”
As soon as I mentioned that I was going out, Lina joined us without hesitation, standing on the carriage’s horse, glaring fiercely with wide-open eyes.
I couldn’t believe it was Lina, who either acted like a pervert or slept like a beast, being so dedicated and focused.
However, this time, her behavior was a bit clueless.
Look at the disappointment in Benedict’s eyes. He had come out thinking it would just be him and his daughter spending time alone, even letting go of the guards. But now, seeing a higher-ranked person interfering, he was in despair.
“Foolish Papa~”
This was completely pointless! There was no reward for dragging Benedict out here!
Crawling from the back of the carriage and sitting next to me, Benedict flinched, then awkwardly smiled.
“If you’re tired, you can sleep more.”
“Perverted Papa. I know your eyes are sly. What are you planning to do while I’m asleep?”
“That’s a misunderstanding! I’m not Lina!”
“That’s a sad slander. I don’t touch sleeping Lucy. If I did, I’d be hated for sure.”
<Instead, I do enjoy watching you sleep.>
Grandpa, can you please keep those horrific thoughts to yourself!?
I was planning to lock up the silly fox overnight, but when I saw Benedict pull out a large robe with his big hands, I blinked in surprise.
“Wear this until we arrive. Lucy, you stand out too much.”
“Then I should show off. It’s so fun watching the weaklings struggle.”
“Well...”
“What? Don’t you want to show off your cute daughter to others? You want to keep her all to yourself? Heh. Perverted Papa, you’re so greedy.”
“That... Could you not call me a pervert? It really hurts.”
Sorry, I can’t control that, so please ignore it.
“So, foolish Papa, how much longer until we get to the trashy villain’s castle?”
“If it’s Garad’s castle, we still have about two more hours to go.”
Garad’s castle was a kind of magical domain. Due to Garad’s precautions, it became even more like a dungeon, preventing anyone without qualifications from entering.
As a result, no one lived within a certain radius of Garad’s castle.
If someone tried to settle nearby, knights on horseback would come and politely knock them out and drive them away. If they tried to return, the village would already have burned down by then.
Because of these circumstances, in order to reach Garad’s castle, one must first teleport to a nearby fief and then physically make the journey.
Hiring a spatial magician would be the most efficient way, but in this case, conquering Garad’s castle was only a secondary task.
If I wanted to spend some leisurely time with Benedict, traveling by carriage was the better choice.
“Foolish Papa, I’m bored. Tell me a fun story.”
“...Uh, a fun story? Hmm. Well, how about the story of when I slayed a dragon?”
“That’s so clichéd. You’re like an old man stuck in the past, Papa. It makes me sad.”
“Well, then, how about the time I met a mummy?”
“I’ve already heard that so many times in the winter. Do you want to describe how gross and perverted Papa sounded?”
“Gross. Perverted.”
Did he not realize he was making that face? Benedict’s head naturally dropped down.
Normally, I would have felt guilty about that, but this time was different.
After all, Benedict talking about his late wife made him sound like an awkward, pathetic old man. He’d probably rank in the top 3 on a list of people I’d never want to have a conversation with at a drinking party.
“I can’t help it. I guess it’s my fault for expecting anything from a boring old man like foolish Papa.”
“Please, just one more chance! I’ll definitely find a story that will make Lucy happy!”
“Shut up. Pay attention to the atmosphere. Foolish Papa. I’ll talk instead of you, you useless old man.”
Silencing Benedict easily, I propped my chin on my hand and began to recall past events.
Like the time I almost died fighting a Minotaur.
Or when I nearly faced disaster meeting the alchemist during the entrance exam.
The time I almost got killed by a Dark God’s apostle.
The time I almost lost my life when I went to meet Karia.
The time I nearly had my head cut off facing Garad’s figurine.
And my experiences in the Burrow fief.
I recalled each of these incidents and laughed as I imagined how Benedict would react.
Each time, Benedict would react in shock and try to say something, but I’d stop him with a shout as I kept talking.
While listing out these many close calls, I realized something.
The fact that I’m even alive is a miracle!
All that talk about “stagnant water” and “nonsense,” I should have died from one of those moments!
Pathetic god! Isn’t this a bit strange!?
Normally, someone in the position of an apostle of a god should be treated with more reverence! They shouldn’t be seeking death!
What’s even more frustrating is how the rewards for all the work I’ve done have been pathetic!
Ah, well, my specs have definitely improved!
But if the enemies’ specs rise too, what does that mean? Huh!?
“...Can I ask why you’re telling me all this, all of a sudden?”
As I was getting worked up and complaining to the pathetic god, Benedict broke the long silence and spoke up.
“From the perspective of foolish Papa’s pathetic eyes, I may seem small, but there are plenty of idiots in this world even more pathetic than me.”
“That’s true. Our Lucy worked really hard and became strong.”
“Don’t worry about unnecessary things. Why does someone who looks like a troll have such a girlish heart? Do you want to play with dolls later?”
I understood what Benedict was worried about. Grandpa had also given advice, but I had already sensed it for a while.
“You may not know, but pathetic god is a disgusting perverted bastard who has no reason to be respected. He’s the one who dressed me in shameful clothes and is a freak who enjoys it. No way is someone like that going to abandon me. No one is cuter than me in this world.”
I know I’ll face more challenges ahead. At least until I see the end of the story in this game, I can’t live without worrying.
But I won’t die easily. I’ll fight to survive, even if it means risking my life for the pride of Soul Academy’s stagnant water.
And if I’m struggling to survive, I believe the pathetic god will also do his best to help me.
Aside from his creepy preferences and his incompetence in wielding the name of a great god, he’s not a bad guy.
Because, after all, Fabie said it too, right? His desire to make the world a better place is genuine.
“So just stay home and wait. Foolish Papa, you’re not a beast that can’t even do what a dog can, right?”
So, I won’t die. No matter what happens, I’ll survive and see the end of this world.
What happens after that, I don’t know.
But whatever it is, it’s extra content.
At least DLC, and at most a sequel.
Do you think I’ll miss that!?
“...I see.”
Benedict, holding onto the reins, bowed his head, his shoulders trembling.
There were many things he wanted to say, but I kept silent and turned my gaze forward.
I may be adapting to the Mesugaki skill, but I can still read the atmosphere.
The clear blue sky and the horse moving on its own drew my attention. In the distance, I saw a dark, old castle, seemingly on the verge of collapsing.
It was the trial I had been seeking.
The place where I could show Benedict that he didn’t need to worry about me.