NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5 - The So-Called Isekai Clichés
The So-Called Isekai Clichés
“Alright, Meg. Let’s go.”
“Okii!”
I said ‘okii’…! I guess when I get too enthusiastic, I can’t speak properly, I’m learning, I’m learning… So please stop looking at me with those warm eyes.
I was all for walking on my own two feet, but he said it would be much slower that way, and it would be more tiring for him to adjust his pace to mine, so I’m accepting being carried by Gil-san. Huh? How I’m addressing him? I’ll let you abbreviate it since it’s a mouthful, even if it was just in my head.
I was still reeling from the overload of shocking information, but… Meg, huh. It’s a good name. He did say it was written on my earring, so I guess that’s this body’s name after all.
Should I consider it an incredible coincidence, or perhaps fate? I wanted to check the earring myself, but I couldn’t get this ear cuff off no matter what I did. According to Gil-san, it’s been enchanted to be unremovable, along with some magic to protect me. He said he’s sure I’ll be able to take it off myself eventually, but he’s not an expert, so he doesn’t know the details of the magic imbued within it.
He assured me that it’s definitely not a bad thing, rather, it’s a good thing, and I believe him, but… I wonder when the magic that’s supposed to protect me will activate. Maybe my condition right after waking up wasn’t considered dangerous enough? It’s a mystery.
Gil-san walks fast. If this body were to try to keep up, it would probably have to sprint with all its might. We reached our destination in no time. I guess it took about 30 minutes? If I had been walking, it would have taken more than twice as long…
“…A door?”
Yes, there was a door in front of us. A door, in a rocky mountain? I tilted my head in confusion at the bizarre sight.
Without answering my question, Gil-san opened the door without hesitation. And beyond that door…
“Eek…!”
Wh-Wh-Wh-What is that—?! In a vast room surrounded by rocky mountains! There’s something strange in here!
The best way to describe this creature would be… a lion! Only huge! I’d say it’s about four or five meters long… Maybe it just looks big because I’m small, but even so, it’s way too big.
And the lions I know have one head, they don’t breathe fire. They have one tail, and no snake-like face. Can I just be in denial for a moment…
“It’s alright, it’ll be over soon. Wait here.”
Gil-san patted my head gently and put me down, then used some kind of magic to create a membrane-like barrier around me. I-Is this a barrier or something? Th-That’s not the point!
“Gil-shaaan!? It’s dangerous!”
I involuntarily reached out, but my hand couldn’t reach Gil-san, blocked by the invisible membrane. Seeing me panic, Gil-san gave a slightly wry, yet oddly attractive smile before turning to face the lion and dashing towards it.
The lion opened its huge mouth to breathe fire! It’s going to get Gil-san! Or so I thought.
“…Huh?”
One moment Gil-san was there, the next he vanished. Then suddenly, the lion’s head and body were saying goodbye. Perhaps because it was just about to breathe fire, even though it was severed, the now-headless lion continued to breathe fire towards a corner of the room. The flames gradually lost their intensity, and finally, the head stopped moving. Then, by some principle I couldn’t begin to fathom, the lion, which had been so large, disappeared without a trace, not even a drop of blood remaining.
…I’m pretty sure Gil-san defeated the lion. Sorry, my commentary is only good for “Gil-san dashes, lion tries to breathe fire, lion gets wrecked,” or something! But one thing’s for sure. Gil-san’s strong!
“Now that I’ve defeated the boss of this floor, we can go straight outside. This dungeon continues on, but I doubt you want to keep going, do you?”
Again, I feel like you’re asking something ridiculous? Um, dungeon? There’s another classic isekai term. Eh? This was a dungeon? It wasn’t just a rocky mountain… But dungeons are supposed to have monsters and stuff, right? He did say he defeated the boss, so it makes sense there wouldn’t be any.
Now I’m getting scared. I was in a really dangerous place… Even with my original body, let alone this one, I’m pretty sure the weakest monster could take me down. Naturally, I had no intention of aiming to conquer the dungeon, so I shook my head vigorously.
“Alright, we’ll head back… but first, let me cast a little concealment magic on you.”
“Concea-… what?”
“Right. It’ll be troublesome if we leave the dungeon with me carrying you like this.”
A lone man dressed in black enters a dungeon, and when he exits, he’s carrying a little girl. …Yep, it’s the kind of situation that would attract unwanted suspicion. I wouldn’t want my lifesaver to be treated as some kind of pervert either. I nodded once in agreement.
After seeing my nod, Gil-san moved his hand in a circle as if drawing something in the air. I felt something like a warm breeze. Apparently, this concealment magic or whatever was successfully cast.
“Before we go, let me cover my face. I usually keep my face hidden, so it might be scary, but bear with me.”
Oh right, because of my crying fit, you ended up showing me your face, the one you don’t want anyone to see… I’m sorry. But I can’t help but think it’s a shame to hide such a handsome face. Still, I should at least apologize properly.
“I’m shawry, Gil-shan…”
“…If everyone was like you, I wouldn’t have to go through the trouble of hiding my face…”
After hearing my apology, Gil-san said those meaningful words, staring off into the distance. …Yeah, well, I’m sure you have your reasons. I won’t pry. Maybe I’ll understand someday.
“If I touch this crystal, we’ll be outside in an instant. Don’t make a sound. If you do, the concealment will disappear, okay?”
“Undershtoood!”
Ugh, I always mess up the important parts! As I was lamenting with a “Guh,” I was patted on the head with a small chuckle.
…Being a child has its perks. My only weapon is my cuteness as a child, so maybe it’s okay to be a little spoiled? Even if it means my pride will be ground to dust!
“Let’s go.”
After saying that, Gil-san pulled his mask up to just below his eyes with his right hand, adjusted his hood to cover more of his face, and touched the crystal. A blinding light poured out, and I closed my eyes, clinging tightly to Gil-san’s clothes.