Ninth Omake
Hakuâs Past
A long time before Kehma arrived in the world, in an age where dungeon cores only went up to No. 99.
The large countries of the present didnât exist, it was an age filled with small countries warring amongst themselves.
There was no adventurer guild either, this was an age where dungeons were simply dungeons.
âKuh⊠Iâll kill youâŠ!â
âPlease, wait. Who are you? Why are you here?â
A time where Hakuâs dungeon, [White Labyrinth] was barely even five floors.
Routing humanoid monsters such as goblins and minotaurs, a locally well-known [Hero]âthis ageâs [Hero] did not mean someone from another world, it simply pointed out that a person was brave and mightyâwith blond hair swept through [White Labyrinth], all the way to the dungeon core.
Even the red minotaur that she had summoned as a last resort couldnât stand against this man.
And now, despite Haku being forced to attack him directly, he was able to easily evade her.
âThis is a dungeon, why are you in a place like this? Ah, maybe you were captured by the dungeon? Wait here, Iâll save you soon!â
âCaught by the dungeon? ⊠Me? Hah.â
Haku laughed in scorn.
âI am this dungeonâs⊠well, to say it in a way that is simple to understand, something like this dungeonâs spirit.â
âSpirit⊠I see. In other words, when I [Liberate] this dungeon, it will set you free?â
âBy [Liberate], you mean destroy the dungeon core? Fool, I am the dungeon core. I would die if it is broken.â
âSo, itâs like that? I was told that [Liberating] dungeons would benefit the world, but⊠well, those guys sounded pretty suspicious.â
The people he was referring to were the recent people preaching the religion of the [Light Godâs Decree].
It wasnât known who began the religion, but there was only a single god they worshiped: the god of light. It spoke of how dungeons and beastkin were vile products of the evil god.
âSo youâre the dungeon itself, like its life?â
âThatâs correct. Now, are you here to kill me or not?! Hurry up and do it! To you, Iâm no different from goblins or minotaurs!â
ââNah, I changed my mind.â
The man put his sword away. As expected, he could only see the woman before him as a human.
Even if she were in fact a monster, after talking with her, a [Person] was something that could come to a mutual understanding. Thatâs what the man believed.
âIâm Lyon, Lyon Raverio. I have a family name, but Iâm just a humble adventurer. Whatâs your name?
â⊠Dungeon Core No. 89. Are you satisfied by that, I wonder?â
âNo. 89, eh, thatâs an annoying name, rather, isnât it just a numberâŠ? So youâre Haku, mind if I call you that? Itâs because of your beautiful white hair.â
âI like it. So, you changed your mind, but I still wonder what you plan to do to me?âAh, right, I am in the form of a human, and a woman at that. Judging from appearances, you are a man. In other words⊠that?â
âWoah woah, hold up, Iâm not going to do anything. I wouldnât do something as barbaric like that!â
âIn other words⊠you would if it was consensual?â
âI-if it was consensualââ
âThen, you would threaten to gain my consent merely for the sake of itâŠâ
âNo! I said I wouldnât do something like that! Couldnât you please settle down for a momentâŠâ
The man, Lyon, unable to say what he wanted to say, looked up at the ceiling while searching for the right works.
As for Haku, she had just realized that she was flustered. Letting out a breath, she calmed down.
âFuu, it couldnât be helped, then. I seem to have been somewhat confused. So, what do you feel like doing? I would appreciate you saying it as easy to understand as possible.â
âRight, letâs put it simply. Haku. From the moment I set eyes on you, I came to like you. I want to use my life to protect you⊠So, umm, I mean if itâs alright. You might even come to like me bit by bit? If you could come to like me, Iâd be happy.â
âEh? ⊠You⊠like me?â
âYeah, love at first sight.â
Hearing those unexpected words, Haku blushed. She then looked away and folded her arms to conceal her embarrassment.
âH-hmph, y-yeah, Iâll make good use of you. Youâll do anything?â
âYeah. Iâd do anything to protect you.â
âI-is that a confession of love?â
âYep, isnât that what I just said though? Did you hear something else?â
Haku spoke without thinking out of nervousness.
Lyon stepped up to Haku. He mimicked a knightâs etiquette and took her hand, kissing it.
Haku, strangely enough, didnât feel it as unpleasant.
ââAh, if possible, Iâd like it if you could try and find a peaceful way and avoid killing good people somehow, is that much alright?â
âMay I slaughter them if they are malicious people?â
âIsnât that fine? Well, I believe itâll be alright to kill anyone Haku tells me to kill anyways. I just donât think that I want to everything to the last.â
â⊠Well, if I can get someone as strong as you to cooperate me, that is reassuring. Iâll accept your condition. However, for you to be stronger than a red minotaurâŠâ
âThatâs because of my training. Itâs a walk in the park if I can hit it with my sword.â
âIt took a considerable amount for me to prepare that, though.â
âEhh, umm⊠sorry?â
Not knowing that it was something that the dungeon had to prepare, Lyon apologized. He didnât know it, but there was no helping it as the proper use of monsters were for them to battle against intruders.
âThen how about you work as the dungeon boss for a while? I am lacking monsters because of you, so I currently have a shortage of defensive strength.â
âMe as a dungeon boss huh⊠maybe I should pretend to be a zombie or something? ⊠Ah, maybe itâd be better to capture a monster from outside? Wouldnât it be better to toss a strong monster into here? Small fry as well if you want.â
âFrom outside? You canât doâ⊠no, that might actually work. Letâs try it.â
The two people staring at each other werenât aware of it at the time, but a floating message saying [Lyon Raverio, acknowledged as the dungeon master] appeared on a semi-transparent window.
This was the beginning of the great [Raverio Empire], the chance meeting when Haku became Haku.
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