Chapter 142 – The Dwarf at the Bottom of the Dim Waters

Baldaria Underground Water Caves.

That is where Septekifa’s mother is said to be. In that case, I have no choice but to go after her. After all, a promise is a promise, and I gave mine to Septekifa.

I always keep my promises to women I’ve bedded. I usually keep my promises to men. That’s my motto.

So, priority number one: I’m tracking down Septekifa’s mother.

"Whaaaat?! Right now?! When we’re supposed to be beginning the formal unification of Niosebuk?!"

Tamagushi was the one panicking. She’s still dying to make me the ruler of this country, but I’ve told her a dozen times: I’m not interested.

That said, if the remaining royal candidates start spreading chaos beyond the borders, I won’t overlook it—I’ll execute them on the spot. So, I told Tamagushi to stay behind in the capital and focus on protecting the women from the Inner Palace and the detention facilities.

As for me, I have a new power to get me where I need to go.

"Flight!!"

That’s right. This guy can fly now. I’m crossing the great blue yonder in a single leap.

How? Well, I just recently received a blessing from Harp, the Wind Spirit. [Air Stigma].

The blessings you get from Spirits are way more powerful than I imagined. When you have the support of an incarnation of nature, most things are a breeze. Riding the wind and flying freely is child’s play.

Plus, if you sprint in a straight line through the sky with no obstacles, you reach your destination in no time. I could even make this a day trip, depending on how long things take at the site.

And so, I arrived at my destination. The Baldaria Underground Water Caves. It’s hundreds of kilometers north of the capital—a cavernous underground labyrinth tucked away in the depths of a mountain range. It’s not a "Dungeon" in the traditional sense, but a natural subterranean space.

What on earth is Septekifa’s mother doing in a place like this?

I reached the entrance without any trouble. Nearby, I found clear signs of a campsite. No one was around, but food scraps and scraps of tent fabric were scattered about.

"Clean up after yourselves, people...!"

The freshness of the tracks convinced me that a group had passed through here just a few days ago. Whether they went from the outside in or from the inside out, I couldn't tell.

Regardless, I decided to enter the cave. To track my target, I had to check if there was anyone currently in this underground space.

The interior was much larger than expected. And for the most part, it was filled with water.

"Groundwater...?"

It wasn't that water had flowed into the cave; it looked like an underground river had carved this cavern out over eons. Water flowed through the darkness. The interior was deathly silent.

The only thing I could hear was the obnoxious sound of my own footsteps. It seemed like not even monsters, let alone people, nested in this watery hole.

"But if it’s this quiet..."

Maybe the person I’m looking for isn't even here anymore? If there were anyone at all, I should be hearing some kind of "life sounds." Caves echo; sounds travel. I shouldn't be able to miss anything. If there’s this much silence...

"...Is nobody here?"

Is she not in the cave? Or did she already leave? That would be a problem; my lead would go cold. Just as I was beginning to feel at a loss...

Splash!

The sound of water?!

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-what was that?!"

The waterway flowing through the cave. Was that the sound of something jumping in? Or was it the sound of something climbing out?!

Given the situation, "climbing out" seemed more likely. I’d already confirmed that no one else seemed to be walking around the cave. However, I couldn't monitor what was happening underwater with just my ears.

In a natural space like this, it wouldn't be strange to find fish or aquatic insects in the water. Maybe even monsters. If something like that was stalking me from below the surface, I had no way to deal with it! I sharpened my senses, staying on high alert...

Footsteps? The sound of wet feet sticking to and pulling away from the stone floor. It was getting closer.

"Rare to see a person in a place like this." 

"GYAAAHHHH!!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin being spoken to so suddenly!

I squinted through the darkness, trying to make out the figure. It was a woman. She was soaking wet, water dripping from the tips of her hair. Her drenched state confirmed that the splash from earlier was her climbing out of the water.

"Wh-why did a person come out of the water?!" 

"You're supposed to be one of Niosebuk's elite, don't go jumping at shadows. Move aside."

As I stepped out of her way, the woman stomped past me and sat down by a wall. It was dark, so I hadn't noticed, but it looked like her gear was piled there. She pulled a towel from the bag and started vigorously drying her head.

"Um... what exactly are you doing here?" 

"Didn't your superior tell you anything? You're here to help me...!"

Help? The conversation wasn't adding up. Is she mistaking me for someone? And I have no idea who she is. In times like this, it’s best to get back to basics.

"...Can we start with introductions?" 

"Huh?"

That’s right. The foundation of human relationships is a proper greeting!!

"My name is Sao. I came here looking for someone named Dakifa...!"

Dakifa. That was definitely Septekifa’s mother’s name. I’d overheard it during my investigation back at the capital.

"Oh. Then you've achieved your primary goal. I'm Dakifa." 

"I knew it!"

Yes! Septekifa’s mother: FOUND!! After invading the capital, mincing the Third Prince, and having sex with every woman in the Inner Palace, I finally took the right turn on this long detour!!

"Hmm? Primary goal?" 

"Well, obviously. You didn't come all this way just to meet me and call it a day, did you? The real work starts now." 

"L-Lady Dakifa, what are you doing here?" 

"So your superior really didn't tell you anything? Well, I guess if they had, you wouldn't have come. For Niosebuk soldiers who live only for slaughter, a mission like this is probably boring as hell."

It seems she thinks I’m a soldier sent from Niosebuk to help her with whatever she’s doing. I have absolutely no clue what that is, though.

"The guys who came before you just complained and went home. Said it wasn't work for 'proud Niosebuk soldiers.' But remember this."

Dakifa... Septekifa’s mother... stepped toward me and grabbed me by the collar. Being a Dwarf, she wasn't taller than me, but the gaze she leveled at me was sharp enough to pierce bone.

"What I'm trying to do here is the Third Prince’s pet project. I have his permission, and he’s been breathing down my neck to make sure it succeeds. If you lot take it upon yourselves to refuse the mission, you're defying Gangastra—the man who will eventually be King. Keep that in mind."

The Third Prince’s pet project? What the hell was Gangastra making this woman do?

"The guys sent before you have probably been executed by now. Didn't you see them?" 

"Come to think of it, I might have seen the Prince personally executing some guys... or maybe not...!?"

"Then those were your predecessors. Gangastra is so invested in the results here that he’s handling the executions personally. If you don't want to end up like them, you'd better work your ass off to help me."

Her tone was thick with intimidation. She clearly had total confidence because she had the backing of a man of absolute power—the Third Prince. She wasn't about to let a mere foot soldier talk back to her.

In that case, I should probably assert myself a bit. We can't have a proper conversation without sharing accurate information.

"Gangastra is gone." 

"............Huh?" 

"I killed him." 

"HAAH?!"

I could see she was still misunderstanding me. She likely thought I was a Niosebuk soldier sent from the capital. This place is so remote and desolate that no one would come here without a reason. So, she assumed I was the "reason"—the soldier sent to assist her. I had to clear that up.

"I'm not from this country. I'm a foreigner. I came from a certain nation that finds Niosebuk to be an eyesore and wants it to disappear... let's just leave it at that."

"That's the same as telling me nothing. The number of countries that want Niosebuk to disappear is uncountable."

True enough.

"So you're saying you infiltrated in secret and took Gangastra's head? To destroy Niosebuk?" 

"I appreciate your quick understanding." 

"Hah! Who would believe that?! In the middle of nowhere like this, we have no way of knowing what's happening in the capital! I have no way to verify your story!"

Well, she had a point. It’s hard to move a conversation forward based on information that can't be verified.

"...But, maybe it's true that you're an outsider. You don't have that 'Niosebuk man' vibe at all." 

"What specifically does that mean?" 

"A simpleton who only finds value in being 'strong.' Someone who thinks it's okay to look down on anyone weaker than them. That’s why people with actual skills, like me, are such an eyesore to them...!!"

I wasn't imagining the genuine bitterness in her voice. I felt like I’d caught a glimpse of what her life in that country had been like.

"Well, I get that you're not the 'help' I was expecting. So? What the hell did you come for? In the bottom of a hole with nothing in it?"

It’s not "nothing." You’re here. I flew to this backwater wasteland specifically because you, Septekifa’s mother, were here. I promised Septekifa I would bring her mother back. Her grandfather, the Dwarven King, must be waiting anxiously for her safe return.

I should explain the situation and urge her to return to the Dwarven Kingdom immediately. But before that, there was something I absolutely had to ask.

"...Um, may I ask a question?" 

"What is it?" 

"Why are you buck-naked?" 

"Hmm? Oh, this? Well, I was diving in the water until a second ago. Of course I’m not wearing clothes."

Yes... I’d avoided mentioning it until now, but Dakifa’s current state... she was completely, stark naked. Since she’s Septekifa’s mother, she must be of a certain age. And yet, her dark, bronzed skin—firm as polished steel—was shimmering under the countless droplets of water.

"Dwarves have short limbs, so we’re not great swimmers to begin with. If I wore clothes that soak up water and get heavy, I might sink and never come back up. Being naked is the most logical way to enter the water."

As she spoke, the female Dwarf shamelessly flaunted her nipples and crotch right in front of a male.

...I see. It looks like there’s something I need to do before we talk.

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