Two Hours Later—
"That was a bit… eventful."
"Yeah… a bit."
There we were, sitting on the ground, looking over a dozen or so spoils of war—not from a mimic, but from what had once been an actual treasure chest. Frieren, now transformed into a bundle of vertical curls, sat looking slightly proud of herself, while I sat nearby, rubbing my sore shoulder after straining my neck.
"Look at this, it's a spell called 'Magic to Close a Treasury Door at the Cost of One's Life.' An extremely old folk spell."
"What would you even use that for?"
Among the loot were two or three fairly rare yet utterly useless magic grimories, which had Frieren looking quite pleased.
Incidentally, this 'Magic to Close a Treasury Door at the Cost of One's Life' spell, as far as I could tell, only ensured that the door remained shut as long as the caster was alive. In other words, if it was guarding a treasury, one could simply blast through the walls instead of the door and waltz right in. Whoever made this spell was an idiot.
"By the way… why is your hair in vertical curls?"
"This just happens."
"No, it doesn't."
"Want to try it yourself?"
"That's stupid—"
Two minutes later—
"...It happened."
"See?"
My triple braids had somehow turned into triple vertical curls. Apparently, if you explode a mimic from the inside using magic, this is what happens. Could this be a subject worth researching?
That being said, it wasn't a big dungeon to begin with, and it only had one floor, so it's no exaggeration to say that we've defeated most of the mimics, except for a few sections that weren't mapped on the 100-year-old map. With this, we'll be able to go home before noon.
"Alright, let's head back. As expected, the deepest part was completely empty."
"Huh? Dungeons are meant to be thoroughly explored. Just thinking that we might have missed something is frustrating. We're going back to finish mapping."
"Really? Hmm… well, I guess that makes sense."
Missing just the arms or legs of a complete set of equipment lying around on the field is so common in the Dark Souls series that it's no laughing matter.
Since Frieren seemed to agree, we decided to map out the remaining areas. Fortunately, either the explorers from a hundred years ago were exceptionally skilled or they had simply gotten lost, but aside from two or three paths, everything else had already been mapped. It wouldn't take long.
"By the way, Aura?"
"What?"
While mapping the first path, Frieren suddenly called out to me.
"Aren't you going to use your unique spell on the mimics?"
"...…Oh."
"You forgot? Even though it's a demon's magic?"
Is this guy a genius...?
I had spent so much time researching and refining my Auserlese spell, but since I rarely used it even in combat, I had completely forgotten about it.
Right. I am Aura of the Guillotine, aren't I?
As I reflected on that, we reached the end of the first path, where a single treasure chest sat. At this point, all treasure chests looked like mimics to me.
"Spell of Obedience: Auserlese."
I promptly summoned the Scales of Subjugation and used the spell without even checking if it was a mimic.
......…?
Huh? No reaction.
Which meant—
"—!"
"Ah—"
Before I could react, the damn elf next to me took advantage of my hesitation. Moving with an uncharacteristic swiftness, she dashed up to the treasure chest and, without any hesitation, flipped it open—
...
『――――(CHOMP CHOMP)』
...
And just like that, Frieren was once again being eaten by a mimic.
"Liar… demon… traitor…"
"That's my line."
"Aura, your magic is broken."
As always, she refused to acknowledge her own mistakes and instead hurled rude accusations at me. But even I was starting to feel a little uneasy.
Still, unless I had lost my mind, my magic was absolute—no matter what happened to me. Which meant this wasn't my fault.
For now, I yanked Frieren out of the mimic's mouth, but instead of killing it right away, I repeatedly kicked it to keep it from camouflaging again, then tried using Auserlese one more time.
『――――』
"This time it worked."
"Could it be because of how mimics function?"
Uncertain, I decided to test Auserlese on more mimics while continuing the mapping.
――――――――
After subjugating over a dozen mimics, an unexpected truth—or rather, a shocking revelation—came to light.
These creatures, mimics, apparently exist in a state so close to being inorganic that until they open their mouths to capture prey, they don't even possess a soul.
Well, that makes sense… Considering how they suddenly appear, or how their reproduction methods remain unknown, predicting the ecology of monsters is nearly impossible (demons included).
Mimics, gargoyles, and other dungeon-dwelling creatures seem to have an unknown mechanism of emergence. Even if a dungeon is completely cleared out, they eventually repopulate, as if they simply spawn back into existence.
The exact reason for this remains a mystery, but I think I've figured out how they survive. Essentially, in terms of previous life analogies, mimics seem capable of entering a state of suspended animation surpassing even tardigrades—via magic.
"A form of 'camouflage magic,' huh? I never thought it could extend to their very souls."
In human magic, there are almost no spells capable of interfering with the soul itself. Even if one existed, no one would waste it on something as trivial as a mimic. And honestly, considering how little humans understand even simple creatures like mantis shrimp, it's no surprise they can't comprehend mimics either.
By the way, mimics seem to be similar to bivalve mollusks in terms of their external and internal structure, but no larva mimics have been discovered. If that's the case, is it possible that the monsters thought to be a completely different species are actually larva mimics?
Like barnacles, for example. People think they're a type of mollusk, but they're actually crustaceans. Their larvae—called nauplius—swim freely like shrimp before eventually settling down and hardening into their adult form.
…Still, why are there so many mimics in this remote, insignificant dungeon? That's the real mystery.
"Aura, look at this."
While I was lost in thought, Frieren, standing in the last mapped area, called me over. She had an annoyingly smug expression as she patted the ground around her.
Mapping was finally done, but apparently, there was still something more. The final floor was a circular space—once again filled with nothing but mimics.
"There's something here. Structurally, it doesn't add up."
"Here?"
I expected a hidden door, but instead, Frieren pointed down. Apparently, there was some sort of hidden space beneath us, and she had been searching for a mechanism to access it.
"Oh, this must be it. It seems to react to the mana of the person who touches it--"
Before I could decide what to do, I suddenly felt weightless. Reflexively, I used flight magic to hover in place. I looked around to see what had happened, and it seemed like the entire floor had completely vanished.
And below, an abyss stretched infinitely into darkness.
Falling helplessly into that void was Frieren.
......…
...…
...…
...
…
...Huh?
Oh, right.
Frieren can't fly.
Without hesitation, I dove after her. My flight speed was faster than her fall, rapidly closing the distance between us.
Then, I lock eyes with Frieren, whose eyes are blinking repeatedly and unfocused, and with that, I pick her up in one arm and fly over to the wall.
Using body enhancement magic, I press my other hand against the side of the wall, dragging it along the vertical surface to slow my momentum, scraping off pieces of stone as I slide down. After descending for about ten meters, I finally come to a stop, then release my grip and drop the final meter to land on the ground.
"Oh… Aura… You saved me?"
"You should really learn to give proper commands in situations like this. Next time, you might not be so lucky."
It seems that, unlike me—who has the night vision typical of demons—Frieren can barely see anything in the dark. I suppose, in that regard, she's no different from a human.
Looking up, I see that the hole in the ceiling, which had been open earlier, is now completely sealed. From here, I couldn't see it before, but multiple layers of barriers seem to be reinforcing it.
I estimate we fell at least a hundred meters. It might be faster to search for an exit mechanism rather than trying to go back up.
"Looks like this was a nasty trap," Frieren remarks. "It was well-hidden and designed to activate in response to high amounts of mana."
As she speaks, she conjures a small light with magic, illuminating our surroundings. I let her down from my arms.
The dim glow reveals ancient-looking stone structures, even older than those above, lined with bizarrely carved statues. This place must have remained undiscovered because of the ridiculously obscure entrance.
"This is incredible… I had only ever read about this in legends. It looks like—"
"What is it?"
To me, it's just an old, ugly ruin, but Frieren seems utterly fascinated. Her eyes are wide with astonishment, and that, more than anything, strikes me as unusual.
As I watch her, my magic detection suddenly flares. Without hesitation, I cast Spiralig: Spiral Scythe. The moment the weapon forms, I slash at the incoming threat.
What I cut down is something resembling a crude arrow or a sharpened stake, though its texture is strangely similar to chitin. Looking toward the source—
『――――――!!』
A grotesque treasure chest gapes open, baring jagged, uneven fangs in a menacing snarl. Its bottom half is lined with numerous spindly legs—like those of a crab—stretching several meters long. Two massive pincers extend from within its maw.
It's a mimic. But not just any mimic—it looks like a crab-like mimic.
So those weren't arrows or stakes—it had actually fired its teeth at us.
The chest itself is around two meters wide, but its limbs span seven to eight meters, resembling an enormous giant spider crab. From within the treasure chest's dark interior, a long, writhing tongue emerges, flexing like a tentacle.
"…Seriously?"
No way… A crab? It's literally just a crab…
Does this mean mimics were always some kind of crustacean? Like they're related to barnacles or something?
"This must be a 'mythological-era dungeon.' Incredible… I've never seen a high-ranking mimic before."
"Wait—does that mean those things used to roam around freely back in mythological era…?"
Ah, I see now. Apparently, back then, mimics actively hunted adventurers. Over time, their evolution led them to become far more passive, conserving energy to the extreme.
『――――――――!!!』
Before I can dwell on it further, the high-ranking mimic lunges forward, firing its teeth like a machine gun while scuttling toward us with frightening speed—moving almost like a spider.
Is this thing a hairy crab? I mean… it can move forward, after all.
"What do you think, Frieren?"
"It's a monster. I don't think it'll make a good hot pot ingredient."
"…Wait, that's what you were thinking about?"
...…Oh, right. My husband did mention wanting something interesting for the village's development.
Well, it is rare. Might as well take it with us.
Could make a decent mascot.
I pull out The Scales of Subjugation.
――"Spell of Obedience: Auserlese."
And so, our first dungeon exploration together begins—with absolute chaos.
――――――――
AN:
High-Ranking Mimic
A mimic from the mythological era. Rather than an evolved species, it is an ancient variant—a crab-like creature with a treasure chest for a body.
Highly aggressive, it attacks anything that moves within its mana detection range, except its own kind. Its chitinous exoskeleton is as hard as an alloy, and it excels in both body-enhancement and hardening magic, making its defensive capabilities rival those of a dragon—or even surpass them.
Its pincers, enhanced by hardening and body-strengthening magic, can shear through steel effortlessly, while its projectile fangs gouge through stone as if it were pudding. Additionally, like many crustacean-type monsters, it possesses an extraordinarily fast regeneration ability and can even use healing magic. With its ability to attack from both long and close range, it has no significant weaknesses.
Despite this, its overall mana reserves are not particularly high, which leads many to underestimate its true strength. In mythological times, it was ranked among the most feared dungeon monsters.
To survive underground, it uses powerful camouflage magic to blend into its surroundings, becoming indistinguishable from ancient statues. It can sustain itself almost indefinitely by passively absorbing ambient mana. However, this same magic is so efficient that, over countless years, mimics have gradually lost their aggression—leading to their modern form.
Mimic hatchlings are microscopic and float invisibly in the air. When they find a suitable environment rich in mana—such as dungeons or caves—they settle and rapidly grow, eventually becoming the mimics we know today.