Dungeon and Something Something

"Here, you really made headlines and went viral."

"Hmm, what is it?"

Kuroi showed me her phone, and I saw a video of someone talking in the street about a monster showing up. Then it showed me on top of the demon ape.

"Hah~ people really use their phones too much, even in danger."

Rubbing my temples, I shook my head and then sighed more as I looked at my desk with papers scattered all over it, and looked up, leaning back against my chair's headrest.

"Ugh~ why am I doing this, hic."

Covering my face with both palms, I had already forgotten how many times I had said that, but it seemed like these papers would not easily disappear.

"Also, they think she is yours."

"What?!"

Looking back at Kuroi strangely, she still looked the same. I thought she would also think I had a husband or a lover.

"Of course, I do not believe you have a partner."

"That… that is true, but somehow it sounds painful hearing you say that."

Knock, knock.

Kuroi walked away to open the door, and a tall man with what Kuroi called a 'dandy' look entered, which I did not really understand.

"Oh, it's you."

"Hello, Miss. I'm here to take you for the mission."

I felt like I didn't want to move right now, as I had forgotten about this subjugation mission the government asked me to do after I escaped yesterday. Thinking back on it, I had already helped them to be independent.

"But why is it always me?"

His eyebrow raised as I buried myself deeper into my seat, because whatever he was talking about, I bet it would be long.

"Hmm? Of course, it's because you are our lady of luck, and people will not do the mission without you, our Lady Knight of the People."

"Don't you see? Guys like us are really honored to fight alongside you, who, with a face and eyes as cold as ice, charges and slices the monsters."

"Your presence is like a valkyrie from old tales."

I already closed my ears and felt heat in my face just from that because…

"What is he even talking about, comparing me with something like that? Is this person he is talking about even real?"

"Oh yeah, he's talking about me."

Capsaicin maybe understood from my expression but just shrugged it off. That really annoyed me because he resembled Kuroi a little with how they both teased and annoyed me.

"I will do it, so stop talking like that, okay? When do we go?"

"Right now. I will escort you to the base camp, and the mission starts the day after tomorrow."

"Okay then, Kuroi, I'll leave now."

Thinking this was a good opportunity to leave the office and the paperwork, I gladly did it; after all, this could help me release some stress.

Entering the boxy car that Capsaicin always rode in to pick me up, I really did not like this because of how much it hurt my bottom.

"Makes me wonder how he and the others got used to this."

As the scenery changed from buildings to forests and hills, silence lingered around us, and because I'd rather not be the one to start a conversation…

"So, what seems to be the problem?" "Damn me!"

"Hmm, oh, about the mission. We kind of feel some strange behavior from the dungeon, like there are no other monsters on the surface level."

"Hmm, what is that?"

"So even you do not know this, huh? Well, we can know more when we arrive there."

When he said that, I thought the journey was over, but it turned out to be a little further. By the time we arrived, it was already late afternoon, and the sun had almost disappeared.

"Umm, so where am I supposed to rest?"

"Oh, there's that one. It's exclusive to you, and no one will approach it."

Looking in the direction Capsaicin pointed, I could see a big tent with six sides. As we parted ways, I entered the tent, which had a lamp and a mattress or something similar.

"It still looks better than in my era."

Thinking about travel tents, this felt luxurious to me, but having already tasted a fluffy bed, I thought this one was rather hard.

"Let's hope my body will not ache after this."

.

..

…

"Ugh, my back."

Groaning and massaging my back, I tried to stretch my body, thinking it would help, as I saw the light pierce through my tent, indicating morning had arrived.

Because my body never sweats, I didn't think I smelled that bad, so I didn't bother to take a bath as I saw other people outside the tent bringing their toiletries.

After getting ready, I heard the sound of a trumpet and walked to the big main tent with some flags there. Already wearing my armor as I entered the tent, people looked my way as I tried not to look back at them, just looking straight and sitting in any empty place.

"Woah, it's Miss Asteria."

"She really came, oh my gosh."

"I hope she looks my way."

From all around me, I could hear them talking about me as I wondered about it.

"Can you all be quiet and stop scream like little girl, you bald man?"

"This place has already become a cult and is infected."

Military boots approached me, making me look up to see Capsaicin smiling at me and sitting beside me.

"Haha, don't badmouth them, you know."

"Can he read minds?"

While thinking that, people started to become silent as an elderly man with grey and white hair entered with a prominent mustache.

"Oh, it's him again, Commander Mustache."

I never knew these guys' names, as they never told me their real names. The old man sat and showed something on a piece of cloth that they called a projector.

"Ahem. I see you are all already seated. Now we will commence the objective of the mission, which, as you all already know, is conducting an investigation about a strange phenomenon in this dungeon."

"Oh, also there will be a documentary crew to watch so we can see the footage."

The old man pointed to the left side, where I and the others looked and saw a cameraman and another person who looked out of place.

"That is parliament member, Mr. Ienaga."

"He wants to see this and maybe monitor you."

Beside me, Capsaicin started whispering about that out-of-place man because he wore a suit with a necktie and was smiling towards me.

"Is he also my fan, like Kuroi always says?"

After the briefing, all of them, including me, stood up to start the mission. Walking toward the gate, this gate looked more like a tunnel of rock going underground, different from my first gate, which was shaped like a carved gate.

"Now we will commence the mission."

With that, everyone got ready, and I readied my sword.