◇XXXXX's POV◇
By the time I noticed, I was sitting on an unknown plain.
"Where…am I?"
No, that's not it.
There's something more important.
"Who…am I?"
I don't have memories of myself.
(I-I'm scared… What? Why…am I here? Where's my house? My family?
Everyone from school?)
I don't remember anything.
No…I have memories of my childhood.
I can faintly remember the face of my parents.
I have a little sister.
The faces of my friends in elementary school.
My friends since middle school—ow!
My head hurts as if it is splitting apart.
…Sumire-chan.
The voice of someone resonated in my head.
Sumire.
That's probably…my name.
I remembered my name.
That calmed me down a bit.
But I can't remember my family name.
My head is throbbing in pain.
I have no memory of the time right before I arrived here at all.
Where am I…?
"XXXX~!"
"XXXXXX~!"
At that moment, men who were talking in an unknown language were
coming over here.
I thought about asking for help for a moment there, but my body shook the
moment I saw the eyes of the men.
"XXXXX~!"
"XXXXXX, XXXX!"
The men were grinning and it didn't look like they were friendly at all.
Also, their attire is weird and their countenance isn't good.
The men were looking at my body as if licking it all over.
My high school uniform was in tatters, and my skin was exposed really
close to dangerous spots.
One of the men was saying something as he approached me.
My hairs stood on end at the fear and disgust…imagining what would be
happening to me here.
"S-Stay away! Don't touch me!" (Sumire)
"XXXXX~?"
There's no way they would stop at my voice, the man grabbed my arm.
"XXXXX~!"
The man behind him was talking as if fanning him on.
N-No!
The moment the man was about to push me down…
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" (Sumire)
I raised a scream from the top of my lungs, and in the next instant, my
surroundings were covered in flames…but I only noticed that a good while
after.
I had lost consciousness.
◇◇
"What's…this…?"
How long has it been since I lost consciousness?
The men just now are nowhere to be seen.
There's fire raging about in my surroundings.
I can't feel the heat for some reason.
Black soot was on my arm, so I shook it off and stood up.
That's when I noticed something outrageous.
"Kya!"
I instantly crouched right then and there.
(M-My clothes!) (Sumire)
The uniform I was wearing has completely burned off.
I am naked.
W-What should I do…?
Is there anything I can use to hide my body…?
Even when I looked around, the plains were simply stretching far and wide.
Moreover, the fire is spreading more and more.
"Eh?" (Sumire)
I saw something big move.
Is it the men from before?
No, it is bigger than that.
(B-Bear?!) (Sumire)
A giant bear that's around 2 meters in size.
It was charging straight at me.
I will be killed!
Is what I thought, but the fire blocked its path and couldn't get close, so it
ran off.
What was that just now…?
Or more like, this fire…is coming out from my body?
Just what in the world is going on…?
My feet were unsteady, but there was a big rock, so I leaned on it.
I sat down, curled up as if hiding my body…and cried.
Aside from the bear just now, there's also wolves, lions, and other big
beasts.
But none of them got close to me.
There were also other people who spoke an unknown language too, but…
they were blocked by the fire surrounding me and couldn't get close.
"XXXXX!"
"XXXXX?!"
They were shouting something to me, but I couldn't understand.
There was even a horrible person who shot an arrow at me.
Even at that time, the fire coming out from my body steadily got stronger…
and the plains around me eventually turned into a sea of fire.
It was a hellscape.
What's…this?
Did I die?
I don't get it I don't get it I don't get it I don't get it I don't get it I don't get
it I don't get it I don't get it I don't get it I don't get it I don't get it I don't
get it I don't get it I don't get it I don't get it I don't get it I don't get it I
don't get it I don't get it I don't get it.
If this is a nightmare, please let me wake up…
I continued crying.
◇◇
Around 1 hour later of crying.
Someone spoke to me.
"XXX…"
My body shook and I looked at the direction where the voice came from.
"XXXXXX?"
The one who was looking worried at me was a tall, slender, and kindlooking man.
It is completely different from the perverted men and the hostile people of
before.
It seemed as if he was worried about me.
I squeezed out all the courage I could muster and spoke.
"U-Uhm…please help me." (Sumire)
"X~, XXXX? XXXXXX…"
The man scratched his head as if troubled.
My words really aren't getting through…
And then, he gave me the clothes that he had in his hand.
R-Right!
I am not wearing anything!
I hurriedly grabbed it and clung onto it.
It is like a raincoat made of cloth.
Is it called a robe?
The man smiled and extended his hand at me.
I was about to grab that hand of his…but I hurriedly pulled my hand back.
My hand…is burning.
I myself don't feel the heat.
Even so, I doubt that's the case for others.
The bear that attacked me did run away from the fire after all.
The hostile people also couldn't get close to me thanks to the fire.
Now that I think about it, why is this man okay inside the fire?
He doesn't seem to be wearing anything fireproof.
The man looked troubled with his hand still stretched out.
(…It is impossible. If he touches me, I am sure he will be injured…no,
something even worse might happen.) (Sumire)
—Die.
The men that tried to assault me had disappeared.
At first, I thought they might have run away…
The fire had me distracted there, but I felt like there was something charred
closeby…
I-I…killed them?
Even though it is not cold, I can't stop trembling.
At that moment…
—My hand was grabbed.
Eh?
I unconsciously look up.
The tall young man still looked troubled, but showed a smile.
I-Is it not hot?
"XXXXX?" (Are you okay?)
I don't understand what he said, but I am sure that's what he said.
That gentle smile felt like a God giving me a helping hand in this hellish
situation.
I lost consciousness at that moment.
◇Eugene's POV◇
"Eh? She fainted…" (Eugene)
The girl clad in fire lost consciousness as if falling asleep.
I can tell from her breathing that she is not dead.
The fire coming out from the girl's body slowly weakened and
disappeared.
Maybe because the source of the fire is gone now, the fire on the 5th floor is
slowly weakening.
(At any rate…just what is this girl…?) (Eugene)
I doubt she is human.
There's no human that generates fire from their body.
At first, I thought she might be a monster or a demon, but I couldn't feel
any evil intent at all.
I can't tell what she is at all right now.
Only choice right now would be to bring her back.
I carry the girl on my back and return to the entrance of the dungeon.
I used the Dungeon Elevator and returned to the 1st floor.
When I arrived at the entrance of the dungeon, the Dungeon Staff old man
ran to me.
"Eugene, what happened to her?! A stray?!"
Explorers who couldn't return from the dungeon on their own and are taken
into custody are called Strays.
Well, you normally would think that.
"Hmm, it is hard to explain…" (Eugene)
I told him what happened on the 5th floor.
"Are you telling me she is the Dungeon Destroyer?"
"She is at least related." (Eugene)
"Got it. Then, we will look after her—"
"Is the D Rank explorer Eugene here?!"
My name was suddenly called out loudly.
That's a..high ranked dungeon staff?
"I am Eugene." (Eugene)
I raised my hand.
"His Majesty is calling for you! Make sure to go to the courtroom together
with that Dungeon Destroyer!"
After being told this, I was surrounded by soldiers.
"What's going on all of a sudden?! Eugene came back from a dungeon
exploration just now, you know?!"
The old man raised his voice and tried taking my side, but…
"Shall I take that as treason?"
"No way, I wouldn't go against His Majesty! That's not what I meant—"
"Old man, thanks. I'll be going." (Eugene)
"Eugene…"
I thank the old man that was directing a worried look at me and held up the
girl whose name I don't know.
I thought they would tell me to give her to them, but that didn't happen.
Being escorted by high ranked dungeon staff members, I headed to the only
courtroom in the dungeon city.
Whether you are a criminal or not is all decided on the whim of the King.
The King of this city-state is by no means a tyrant.
But he likes to stick his head in the business of the citizens.
He is a mass of curiosity.
(Hope it doesn't turn into trouble…) (Eugene)
I slowly walked on while not feeling too good about this.