Chapter 45: Reunion│Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com

—I think I’ve reached my limit.

Lysette ponders this as she observes the dragon from behind the barrier, a small space where she is completely cut off from the dragon’s presence.

She has been fighting the Dragon with a hit-and-run strategy, but she is reaching the end of her limit.

Almost all of the food she brought with her has been consumed, and she has depleted her supply of ether potions.

The dragon, on the other hand, is still alive.

Although her magic has destroyed the head that breathes fire breath, the head that breathes ice breath is still alive and well.

Furthermore, it has entered a self-healing mode and heals itself whether or not it is attacked. As a result, she was completely out of options.

Lysette’s firepower was insufficient to bring it down.

—I’m curious about what Dragon-san is eating…

While drinking water, she looks at the sleeping dragon.

After all, she’s never even seen the dragon eat.

—He either eats less or does not require food in the first place. If that’s the case, where does that boundless energy come from?

Is it from the dungeon or that magical stone in the monster’s body? The amber stone that the area bosses always carried with them.

She lowered her gaze to the soil on the floor.

Her sown seeds are producing lovely twin leaves. They are the seeds of Mandragora, the magical plant Kanatoko gave her.

She stands up and gently waters the twin leaves.

“I’m leaving now, Dragon-san. I’ll be back soon, so please take care of them.”

She heads for the door, hoping to find a colony of mandragoras the next time she returns.

She placed her hand on the door and let the magic in.

“Nn~… It’s difficult…”

It won’t open no matter how much magic she pours into it.

—Perhaps it isn’t possible to open it from the inside.

She begins to feel hopeless, and as she walks away, the door begins to open from the outside.

—Is there someone outside?!”

“—Lysette!”

Her heart beats faster as she hears her name called.

Outside the door, a hand reaches out, grabs Lysette’s arm, and pulls her through an open gap.

“Wha!…eh? Leon?”

She discovered Leonhardt staring her down.

His emerald eyes pierce Lysette, as if to ensure her safety.

“Thank God…”

Leonhardt’s nerves calm down when he sees she is unharmed. He sounded as if he was about to cry.

And Leonhardt wasn’t the only one standing outside.

“Leon, Dee, huh? You’re… the church knight?! Hilde-san and Gunter-san?! What brings you all here?!”

“We’re here to help!”

Dee’s scream reverberates throughout the cave.

“Help…”

Douglas, the church knight, Gunter, the warrior, and Hilde, the healer, who had been Leonhardt’s companions, all smiled at Lysette.

Lysette’s tension suddenly breaks and tears stream down her cheeks.

“Sniffle, thank you very much, everyone!”

Her head bowed deeply, and her feet shook unsteadily. Leonhardt immediately backed her up.

“I’m sorry, I’m really hungry…”

“Of course, let’s have dinner.”

Leonhardt started cooking the ingredients he had on hand one by one in a two-handed pot.

There was meat, what appeared to be Mimic’s crab-like feet, anti-poison grass, and seaweed.

“Well, it’s a hotpot, isn’t it?

“It’s mostly been a hotpot so far—he only knows how to bake or boil, yet he still wants to cook.”

Dee says this helplessly.

“You never mentioned my cooking before…”

“What’s the point of saying anything?! Please, Lysette, teach Leon how to cook.”

“Yes! I’d be delighted to.”

While the pot cooks, they talk and eat grapes.

They ate these white grapes grown in Trent water on the fifth level.

Dee observes Lysette as she consumes the grapes.

“What have you been up to all this time?”

“Ah, yes. I kept fighting Dragon-san while staying in the Barrier.”

“Huh? Did you go up against the dragon by yourself?”

Hilde inquired, and Lysette nodded.

“Yes. I was fighting it while eating and sleeping. I even grew plants in the barrier field in the room’s corner.”

“That sounds like Lysette would do…”

Leonhardt was impressed.

Lysette continued, her face flushed.

“I was pleased with how well I was fighting, but Dragon-san went into self-healing mode, and we were at a standstill… I was running out of food, so I thought about going back to the upper layers to get more.”

“…You’re not tense, are you? That’s just like you.”

Douglas, Gunter, and Hilde all looked at Lysette with respect, as Dee said, with admiration.

Lysette turned away, embarrassed, and looked at the hotpot.

“Oh, isn’t it about time?”

The pot was fully cooked and looked delectable.

Everyone eats together after dividing the food amongst themselves.

“Itadakimasu! It’s… It’s very tasty.”

The flavors of the various ingredients are combined to create a complex flavor. She hasn’t had such a lavish dinner in a long time. She could have eaten whatever she wanted.

Lysette then remembered. The meals she had eaten by herself were bland. A big pot of hotpot with many people is unbelievably tasty, warm, and filling.

“Let’s go back to the surface when we’re done eating. Hilde, can you prepare the return spell?”

“Wait a second! I’m almost done with Dragon-san!”

Lysette stood up and insisted emphatically.

—It would be a pity to leave.

“I don’t have enough firepower to win this fight on my own, but I’m confident we can win if we all work together!”

Lysette had to retreat due to a lack of firepower, but she was nearly there. Her magical power has been restored by the food. She wants to try it as many times as she can. Of course, only with everyone’s permission.

“…It is true that returning to the surface will not solve the primary issue.”

“That’s right, but not only that… it’s the adventurer’s desire for conquest.”

To defeat the dragon

To venture deep into the dungeon where no one knows about and reap the benefits of it.

Lysette turns to face Leonhardt.

Leonhardt is the party’s leader. He will make the final decision.

Above all, her encounter with Leonhardt prompted her to confront Dragon.

But even if he refuses, Lysette has no intention of returning to the surface.

She would try once more to gather enough strength to face the dragon.

“…I’d like to take on the Dragon.”

His emerald eyes shone with determination.

“However, the goal of this party was to save Lysette. We can’t afford to push ourselves any further now that we’ve done that.”

Leonhardt examines each member separately.

“So, from now on, each of you must make your own decision.”

“…If you want to challenge the mystery of the dungeon, I will be with you.”

This was stated by Douglas, the church knight.

“The mystery of the dungeon has not been solved, even in the Church of the Goddess. It is one of the knight’s sacred duties to get to the bottom of it.”

“I agree. We’ve already progressed this far.

“I concur with Gunter. I’ll make sure that you all recover.”

Gunter and Hilde were in agreement.

“Me too. Just don’t expect me to fight directly.”

Dee was not as forthright as usual.

None of his comrades disagreed with him.

He returned his gaze to Leonhardt and nodded vigorously.

“OK, fine. Let’s go! This time, I’ll protect you!”

“Yes! Let’s win and eat Dragon Steak together!”

“Ooh!”

“O-Ooh…

“Yes!”

“Ooh!”

They raise their arms high in the air with a shout.

“It’s all over the place.”

“No. We’re all on the same page!”

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