Chapter 88

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was not my beloved person’s ordinary pointed black eyes, but a large pair of bright emerald eyes instead .

「Ahh! You’ve woken up . 」

So slow, I got tired of waiting, I jumped up when I saw him innocently laughing while looking like a child .

I was flustered and wanted to get away from him, but I could not move my body .

「Ah–you can’t do that–! I have sealed your movements . Even if I didn’t do that, you used『Resurrection』, so your body is weak– . 」

Though he said that, I could still move my head, so I looked around .

It wasn’t that I was restrained by chains and other such items, I just couldn’t move .

It seems that he had used some kind of magic to restrain me .

And, I remembered my cheeks coming into contact with the sand .

The location was different, but the atmosphere and the ambience was the same .

「…a dungeon . 」

「Right, right! As expected of Princess Amelia . 」

I glared at the demon youth who was nodding in satisfaction .

I feel like he had given his name before I was killed, but I did not remember it nor did I have any desire to know it .

My gaze that was filled with killing intent was warded off as if it were a gentle breeze, and the youth cheerfully laughed .

「Don’t do that– . Don’t look at me like that . You’ll ruin that beautiful face of yours?」

I gritted my teeth when I saw that the youth was so easygoing .

I tried to move my body, but it wouldn’t budge .

I could feel the ground .

As I had been lying down on the rugged ground, my back hurt .

And yet, I couldn’t move .

The youth who a short distance away from me was walking towards me, his footsteps resounding as he came .

「I told you, didn’t I? Don’t move . Demon king-sama told me to bring you to him without injuring you, so I used my trump card– . 」

His pace made one question if he was really walking . The youth crouched down next to me and his face was suddenly right in front of me .

「I had always wondered, what would happen if I used the technique that demons used to control monsters on the elves, humans, and beastmen– . Thanks to you, I know the answer . 」

He was within arm’s reach, but I could not kill him .

No, I may not be able to kill him, but I could at least run away . However, even that, I could not do .

I have become a hindrance to Akira .

「As expected, it was completely ineffective, and I couldn’t even control you, but it could render the elves whose magic was second to the demons completely immobile . This was a good harvest . 」

Smiling, the youth walked away .

Rather than that, I was worried about what Akira would think of me .

If Akira abandoned me, I would definitely not be able to continue living .

…no, right now, it would be best to extract as much information from him as possible rather than wallow in these kinds of negative thoughts .

「…why are we in a dungeon . 」

My first question made the youth’s eyes shine .

It seems that he wanted to talk to someone .

He was a demon, so I thought that he was a lot older than me, but he was childish, just like his appearance .

「You see, perhaps he could be said to be my superior? The second ranked demon can use magic circles . So, we used that magic circle, and came to this dungeon, but to return, we still need to use that magic circle, so we need to go down– . 」

Surprisingly, he easily revealed the information, and it was quite jaw-dropping .

Of course, my mouth was not actually open, but it was inevitable that my eyes had widened in surprise for a moment .

The second strongest demon used magic circles .

Moreover, the magic circles could even connect the demon territory and the beastmen territory .

It wasn’t as powerful as the magic circle that was in the lowest floor of the Continent dungeon, but it was quite troublesome .

I didn’t think that they could use a long-distance one during a war, but if he could use long-distance teleportation magic circles, he could use short-distances ones as well, so appearing from a blind spot behind you…or something similar would be possible .

Even if you drew just the circle in advance, without needing to chant, one could activate it just by pouring in magic .

It had its merits, however, it also consumed more several times more magic than normal magic activation .

In other words, humans who had a small amount of magic power could not use it .

It was also impossible for the beastmen .

If it were the elves, we might just barely be able to use it, but it would be impossible for the ones that exhausted magic power like the teleportation type magic circles .

In the first place, I heard that magic circles were something that the demons had developed, and it may be used exclusively by the demons .

Due to the demerit of magic exhaustion, it was not researched much, so no one knew anything about magic circles .

If I remember correctly, years ago, a human researcher had developed a magic circle that curbed magic exhaustion, but before he could publicize it, he was abducted by the demons .

We still don’t know what happened to them, but he probably died .

「Yeah—, it’s annoying, isn’t it— . I think that too . I came here while riding the monster-chan from the lowest floor, but demon king-sama said that at the very least, using monsters was prohibited, so we have to go back on foot . Maa, right now, we’re taking a break though . 」

It seems that he had interpreted me widening my eyes in surprise incorrectly .

How convenient .

「How many floors do we still have to go down . 」

「Nn—…I don’t really remember, but probably around twenty . Ah, I had used magic to carry you, so you don’t need to worry— . 」

If that was true, then right now, we were around the eightieth floor .

If he was together with Yoru, then he might make it in time .

…if he came to rescue me .

If I were to die, I wanted to die together with Akira .

That’s why, I had no plans on dying, but in this situation, my chances of survival seem slim .

For the time being, the best course of action would be to continue gathering information while keeping this demon youth appeased .

「…」

How pathetic .

What was, a miko, I wonder .

That kind of thing, even though I didn’t want it .

I have never understood the meaning of this occupation .

As well as the characteristics, and the reason I was selected .

Assassins assassinate, wind magicians use wind magic…like that, the characteristics of other occupations were as their names suggest . Even though that’s the case, I did not understand what a miko should do .

There were hardly any records of the mikos of the past, so I also did not understand what the occupation entailed .

I, up until now, had only been living in the position of the first princess .

After, Kirika found out that she was the only one among the elves who had the aptitude for the sword, she became engrossed in her sword practice .

I saw her, and I was envious .

What about me .

No matter what she did, she could do it well .

There was nothing that I was passionate about .

After all, before one became engrossed in something, one had to be able to do it .

As someone who couldn’t do anything, I understood that this was a needless worry .

However, even so, I yearned for it .

I envied Akira .