8

I haven't been in the Demon King's Army for very long.

In the first place, there are long-lived species that have lived for hundreds or thousands of years, which are incomparable to decades of human lifespan in the Demon King's army.

Compared to them, my strength is nothing special except for hypnosis.

So even if my whole life goes by, it won't happen to me to fuck that motherfucker.

No matter how much that bitch is a legendary madman who doesn't even know what he's in charge of, it's still a being with enough force to be promoted as an executive in an organization under the Demon King's Army.

"Rather than many things…"

But how can life in this world be decided only by fighting?

Whether it's the demon army or mankind, in the end, how to live while considering each other's interests.

The reason I was able to survive in such a world, with limited hypnotic abilities, was because I had honed my skills other than military force.

"There was a little accident."

"Accident?"

"Yes, it was an accident."

To observe the surroundings. How to read people's emotions. How to quickly combine clues to draw conclusions…

And how to use all of that to fool your opponent.

"Accident, what kind of accident happened?"

"That seems difficult to say. If you say it, Celica-san will be in trouble too."

Of course, you should avoid the other person distrusting you, but telling a bigger lie to hide a small lie risks coming as an ambush later.

As long as the opponent is the opponent, it shouldn't stop at just avoiding a moment.

So, if you consider the future, you should know how to cleverly mix the truth in between, rather than wrapping everything in lies.

"… Are you saying Celica is in trouble?"

"Yes, it must have happened because of each other's mistake…"

Verdia's eyebrows gradually frowned.

But it was closer to anxiety than doubt.

At first, they thought that I was causing harm, but it seemed like they realized that Celica cared about me.

Because I know more about her than I do, I felt the strong persuasion of her words now.

Certainly, if it were Celica, she wouldn't be strange even if she said that…

"Still, I apologized because I thought it was my fault, but Celica rejected my apology and said this. "It's nobody's fault, so we just have to do well in the future."

Yes, so you don't have to wrap it in lies.

Just by telling the truth without lying, the person who knows the subject well will know the truth.

"That's how I felt when I was forgiven for the wrong I had done."

There is one thing that needs to be wrapped in lies.

There is only one of my inner feelings that the other person did not understand.

"Ah, I want to party with this person for as long as possible… Called."

"…"

"… Ahaha, isn't it hard to understand that you're just trying to pass it off with these words?"

Still, just in case you don't know, take a step back and don't forget to keep an eye on your eyes.

Depending on the other person's inclination, this kind of attitude could be poisonous.

For example, if you rarely consider the disposition of the person you have a relationship with, you tend to force the situation by making judgments based only on your own self-righteousness.

But maybe it will be fine.

Verdia, whom I've seen so far, longed for Celica, but her longing for Celica can also be said to be proof that she cares about Celica to the same extent."… No, if you think about it, there is nothing very incomprehensible."

Verdia.

A priestess who came to stand by her on a mission to support her hero.

Her heart must have been as noble as her priest and upright as a warrior, so she must have looked carefully at the one she had been assisting.

So, the truth about her I told her must have formed a considerable bond with her. Yeah, like if she's this person, she can watch for the time being.

"Since Celica is a thoughtful and innocent child. As she has been only in her hometown all along, meeting her new must be thrilling. She made me feel sorry for showing her hostility."

Alright, this should be enough for now.

It would be enough to avoid suspicion now, and to have room to build trust later.

All I need now is an opportunity to put a decisive wedge in my feelings toward me.

-Click!

At that moment, she heard a familiar sound from where Celica was, who was moving ahead.

Ah, I went there without thinking and stepped on a trap.

"Uh, huh?"

Celica, who doesn't seem to understand the situation yet. But Verdia, as if she had noticed her earlier, was holding her own face.

If you stepped on her trap, you should get out of there right away. Why are you stupidly looking at her feet?

-Kugung!

Ok, it should work soon

However, this situation was seen as an opportunity for me.

I don't know if this is an ordinary dungeon, but if it's an artificial dungeon made for training, no matter what happens, I won't die.

So, you can boldly throw away your body to buy trust.

"It's dangerous!!"

Right after I jumped in after making that decision, the trigger of the trap was activated.

"Kyaaaaa!!"

After that, she hugged her and my body began to fall down the open floor.

***

"Uh, uh… Oh, it hurts."

After her body, frozen to her surprise, fell to the floor, Celica, who had barely regained her senses, grabbed her head and tried to raise her body from her seat.

Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be a broken spot anywhere, so let's start by figuring out the situation, thinking.

-Mulkyung.

But at that moment, a strange sensation of touching the hand that touched the floor. Something soft enough to contrast with the polished stone, the main terrain of the dungeon, began to grasp in her hand.

"What, what is this… Hee!"

Immediately after lowering her eyes in doubt, Celica frightened and stiffened her body.

Beneath me lay a blond, tanned man on the floor, my hand between his legs.

So, the squishy texture that exists beneath it…

"Ugh, ugh!"

"Hey! Sorry!"

Celica screamed and hurriedly stepped back from her seat.

After that, Dave, who managed to stand up in front of her, started looking back at Celica, clutching his head, which was swayed by her shock.

"Miss Celica. Are you all right?"

"Yes, yes?"

"I'm afraid you may have stepped on a trap and fell, seriously hurt…"

"Ah yes. There are no injuries."

Celica suddenly answered.

Still, Dave, who was looking around her body just in case, wiped her chest with a relieved face.

"I'm really glad you're okay."

"Yes, yes. Mr. Dave…"

A face that is afraid to face a bright smile. Afterwards, Celica's gaze turned to her hand, but Dave didn't seem to notice her thoughts and only focused on examining her surroundings.

Did he not notice that my hand touched his vital part?

No, this is also an accident, so it can't be helped. If you don't know, it will be good for each other to go over as you don't know.

"Are you two okay?"

At that time, Celica and Dave lifted their heads at the same time at the voice they heard from above.

A hole in a fairly high spot. There, Verdia was trying to examine the situation inside with her face sticking out.

"Ah yes. It's okay, Mr. Verdia!"

"It's fortunate, the gravity device worked, so it doesn't seem to be seriously injured."

Gravity device. In other words, it controls the gravity of the area.

Come to think of it, I felt a sense of floating right before the fall, but apparently Dave wasn't here either.

'But still, Mr. Dave must have been here for the first time.'

He threw himself to save himself, not knowing that there was a gravity device.

– Pounding, pounding.

The moment when the trembling of the heart, which had been beating in surprise, lasted a little longer.

"Serica, if it had been a real battle, there would have been a weapon stuck under it."

Celica, startled by the voice that came from above her again, hurriedly shouted above her, calming her startled heart.

"I-I know that much!"

"If I had known, I should have paid more attention. Like the previous fight, the problem is that you are too lacking in prudence. Surely you're not trying to do it roughly as practice, right?"

"Ooh, uh…"

Celica, unable to find words to refute, made a crying sound.

Normally, I would have just listened and brushed it off, but now the problem was that there were people who were listening to such admonitions.

"I feel sorry for Dave. I got caught up in the delay in talking for no reason."

A person who apologized with all his might for mistakes made by each other, and even threw himself in for himself.

"Oh, no, it's okay. Celica-san isn't used to things like this. I should have noticed her sooner, since she also serves as a scout…"

"Today's training was prepared for Celica, so you don't have to worry too much… If you regard it as your mistake, then I would like you to help Celica escape from there."

"Escape, you mean?"

"Because this is a practice dungeon. We've prepared a way to escape from the fall-type trap. If it's on the other side, traps will form the majority rather than monsters, so it'll be suitable for testing your ability as a scout."

"Ah yes. Then I'll find a way and take Celica-san to the place where Verdia-san is!"

"Okay, then I will wait at the exit until the two of you return. Good luck."

After exchanging rough plans, Verdia disappears.

Dave, who looked away from him, pointed to the passage through the place where he crashed and spoke to Celica.

"Then let's start right away. From now on, I will lead the way, so Celica-san, please follow her closely. Did you know?"

"Ah yes!"

Serica follows Dave, who immediately responds and moves forward. As her eyes fixed on Dave's back, a realization flashed into her mind.

'Wait, then since Mr. Verdia isn't here from now on, do I have to go alone with Mr. Dave?'

She was safe thanks to her gravity device, but she fell from her height. It will take quite a while for her to get to the top.

'Well, something started to make me nervous.'

The moment she was conscious of it, her heart pounded even more, and she felt her body heat up.

Especially around her lower abdomen.