An Adventurer Mom, Who Awakened [Housewife] Skill Through a Login Bonus, Is Making the Most of Her Adventurer Life With the Weekly Flyers She Gets! - Chapter 53

Kachua and her companions had fallen into a desperate crisis.

The Demon Swordsman was not an opponent that the now-exhausted Gamma Team could possibly defeat.

“Fuu—”

Ann readied her spear again and exhaled a long, thin breath.

Then she turned to look back at everyone on the team.

“Use the Transfer Magic Scroll and escape. I’ll hold this one off!”

Ann charged straight toward the Demon Swordsman.

“Ann!”

Ann said to run, but that was impossible.

Laura raised her voice. “I will consecrate. Rick, Og, bring out your weapons.”

What they needed to do in this moment was not to run away. It was to prepare for battle.

Laura strengthened Rick and Og’s weapons, while Kachua opened her purse and pulled out candy (monster flavor). She fixed her gaze, waiting for the right moment to toss it straight into the Demon Swordsman’s mouth.

Ann thrust her spear into the Demon Swordsman.

The Demon Swordsman took damage!

“…!”

But on the following strike, her attack was read, and Ann’s spear was knocked aside.

Ann lost her stance in that instant.

The Demon Swordsman raised its sword high and brought it down toward Ann.

At that moment. From behind Gamma Team, something huge suddenly appeared and slipped between Ann and the Demon Swordsman.

“Barehanded Sword Catch!”

The sword of the Demon Swordsman, sharp enough to cleave a person in two, was caught barehanded by that man.

“—Bern!”

“Ann, are you safe?”

It was Bernhardt.

The Demon Swordsman faltered at the sudden appearance of the man and stopped moving.

“Now’s the chance!”

Kachua hurled the candy straight at the Demon Swordsman’s mouth.

She missed ten times, but on the eleventh try, the candy landed perfectly in the Demon Swordsman’s mouth. The Demon Swordsman was slowed by the effect of the candy.

“Mm, its movements have dulled. Now’s the time.”

Bernhardt swiftly equipped a weapon imbued with holy attribute, which had special effectiveness against skeletons — the【Holy Knuckles】.

“Haaah!”

With a spirited shout, he drove a powerful strike into the Demon Swordsman’s stomach.

The blow landed perfectly, and the Demon Swordsman doubled over.

“Hun hun hun hun hun—!”

In that opening, Bernhardt unleashed a flurry of punches at a speed too fast for the eye to follow.

When the foe was weakened, he finished with a decisive uppercut!

Bernhardt defeated the Demon Swordsman!

＊＊＊

“We should be safe now.”

After defeating the Demon Swordsman, Gamma Team and Bernhardt used a Transfer Magic Scroll to return to the first floor.

It had been a close call.

Safely returned, Gamma Team let out a long breath of relief,『Haaah』.

To them, Bernhardt spoke coolly, “Are you all alright?”

Even after such an intense battle, Bernhardt looked completely unscathed.

“Ah—well, thank you for saving us, Bern.”

Ann, sounding reluctant, offered her thanks to Bernhardt.

Bernhardt smiled warmly. “I’m glad you’re safe, Ann.”

“Bernhardt-san, were you also exploring the dungeon?”

“What an incredible coincidence.”

“Thanks to you, we were saved.”

“……”

At Gamma Team’s words of gratitude, Bernhardt fell silent for a brief moment before saying with a smile, “Yes, I’m glad I made it in time.”

But soon Bernhardt’s expression grew serious. “Still, for two Skeleton Swordsmen in a row to undergo juniku… strange things do happen.”

Bernhardt pondered with a grave expression.

“Ah—that’s…”

Of course, it couldn’t be said aloud, but the truth was that it was the effect of Kachua’s skill 【Housewife】 through the flyers.

“I’ve thought this for some time, but your team is lacking in numbers. In sudden situations like earlier, you collapse too easily. You should increase your members a bit more.”

Bernhardt gave this advice.

It was true — from here on they would be facing increasingly powerful foes.

The battles would only grow harsher.

Bernhardt’s words had indeed struck home.

The silence grew heavy and the one who broke it was none other than Kachua.

“Bernhardt-san, won’t you join Gamma Team?”

Kachua asked Bernhardt.

“Eh, Kachua-san?”

Everyone on the team was taken aback.

It was true that would be the ideal, but Bernhardt was Ann’s ex-boyfriend (?).

Ann herself was the one who disliked the idea of Bernhardt joining the team more than anyone else.

Bernhardt gave a wry smile. “Well, that is…”

“Bernhardt-san, it wasn’t by coincidence that you came to help us, was it?”

Kachua pointed this out sharply.

“Ugh…”

Bernhardt had been struck in a sore spot.

In such a vast dungeon, it was impossible that he would just happen to be there at Gamma Team’s moment of crisis.

Kachua continued. “Bernhardt-san, you’ve been watching over us — no, watching over Ann — ever since the twenty-third floor, at the『Rock of Trial of Strength』haven’t you?”

“Eh, since that long ago?”

“Is that true, Bernhardt-san?”

“Kachua, how did you notice? Bernhardt was wearing the『Cloak of Concealment』its concealment magic hides him completely, so even if he were right nearby no one should be able to tell…”

Ann had never realized she was being watched.

Her instincts had dulled due to her blank period but somehow, the absentminded, carefree Kachua had been the only one to notice.

“Ah, it was just coincidence. At the『Rock of Trial of Strength』,I was standing at the edge, wasn’t I? That’s why.”

And besides, Kachua, being timid, was sensitive to presence.

“That’s true. Was it you, Kachua-san? I stood next to you and pushed the rock.”

The『Rock of Trial of Strength』had been too heavy for Gamma Team’s strength alone.

Bernhardt, unable to watch any longer, had ended up lending them a hand.

“You’ve been watching Gamma Team since back then?”

Rick was put off.

After all, that had been several months ago.

Bernhardt nodded. “I happened to see Ann in the dungeon, and since then, whenever I had time, I couldn’t help but…”

“That’s why you knew we wanted the 《Acorn Chalice》  , right?”

“Ah, yes. I had to go to the upper floors once anyway, so I brought it back while I was there.”

“So basically, you’ve been watching us all along…”

Ann was more exasperated than angry.

“Ann, this man is going to keep watching you from now on too. Which do you prefer, being watched right in front of you or being watched from afar?”

Kachua asked.

Ann’s answer—

“Neither!”

That said, even Ann knew they were short on fighting strength.

“…Fine. I’ll let you join the team.” Ann said reluctantly.

“Ann, thank you!”

Bernhardt broke into a bright smile.

But Ann—

“Bef-ore that! Stop dodging and tell us your purpose already. Why did you come to this labyrinth city, Loa?”

Ann was determined to make Bernhardt finally confess his goal, which had remained unclear all this time.

Bernhardt scratched his head. “I never meant to dodge the question. I truly did come here thinking I might find you, Ann. But it’s also a fact that I was sent here under royal command.”

“Royal command?”

“Yes. I am searching for something. The clue to it is hidden somewhere in this Loa Dungeon. But to be honest, I’m at a dead end.”

Bernhardt looked a little troubled.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. The royal family had left behind a『guidance』 that was supposed to serve as a clue, but I never managed to obtain that crucial『guidance』.”

“Hmm.”

“So what exactly is it that you’re searching for?”

Ann grew irritated with Bernhardt, who was reluctant to touch on the heart of the matter.

“I’m sorry. It’s something of great importance, so I can’t say right now. Let’s move somewhere else to talk.”

They were still on the first floor of Loa Dungeon.

Fortunately there didn’t seem to be anyone around, but it wasn’t the right place for secret discussions.

“That’s true.”

“And it’s about time for someone to come for Kachua-san.”

“Another time, then?”

“Then, why don’t we continue the talk at my house?”

Kachua invited Gamma Team and Bernhardt to her home.