Konbini Ossan Volume 3 Chapter 26 — The Retreat
Because of the emergency, we were forced to withdraw.
The problem, however, was the distance to the exit.
This expedition had been planned as a two-day, one-night exploration, so we had already advanced deep into the dungeon.
Even if we turned back now, there was no way to return before midnight.
If I were alone, it would be manageable. But I had children with me, and children grow sleepy at night.
If we ran into monsters while they were drowsy and sluggish, it would only put them in danger.
After weighing the risks, I judged that forcing a night march was unwise. Which meant, despite the unease, we would camp in the dungeon.
To avoid worrying the children, I explained simply that we’d head back to report something strange to the Adventurer’s Guild.
Thanks to that, they weren’t frightened, treating it like ordinary camping practice instead.
Or rather, more like a campout to them — they chatted happily.
“He~h, so this is Tiana-chan and Tio-kun’s first time in a dungeon too?”
“Yeah. The only adventuring I’ve done before was tagging along to help one of Mom’s acquaintances, and that wasn’t in a dungeon.”
“You both still seemed very used to it.”
“Not at all. Both Tio and I were at our limit.”
“But people always say we seem calm, or that we’ve got nerves of steel.”
“That’s just ‘cause you two are drop-dead gorgeous. When your faces are that good, anything you do looks cool.”
Arisa slipped casually into their conversation.
By then, camp preparations were finished, and she was cooking with a magic-powered heater and pot.
In a sealed space like a cave, you couldn’t safely light a large fire while staying put, so we used magic tools.
They were expensive items, part of the adventurer’s set Shuri gave me as a parting gift.
Most adventurers didn’t have such gear, so they survived on rations in caves — or else only attempted dungeons on day trips. Hot meals like this were rare.
Of course, as their instructor, I’d already explained all this to them.
Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the pot to boil.
The recipe was simple — dried vegetables, preserved meat, and solid seasonings thrown in together — but it was far tastier than eating rations as they were.
“Looks like the stew is ready. Let’s eat.”
At my call, everyone answered with a cheerful “Okay!” I ladled soup from the pot into small bowls and handed them out in turn.
No need for formal words before eating; once everyone had a bowl, they dug in.
“Ahh, that hits the spot!”
Joan-kun let out a blissful sigh.
“It feels like the fatigue is melting away.”
“Yes. This soup you made is delicious, Uncle.”
Tiana-chan and Tio-kun also smiled as they ate.
“After all that happened today, your soup tastes extra good, Uncle!”
Rosa smiled warmly as she savored her portion. Seeing the children’s joy made it all worth the effort.
By “all that happened,” Rosa didn’t just mean the Steel Giant Golem. Even after deciding to retreat, we ran into several more powerful golems.
The toughest was a swarm of Mithril Golems. Everyone had stiffened in alarm when a dozen of them appeared.
Of course, I drained them instantly with my «Iron Blood» skill.
Still, the constant fighting left everyone exhausted. That was why a hot meal seeped into their weary bodies and soothed them so well.
Thanks to those battles, everyone but me had leveled up. The children had all reached the forties, and Arisa had even climbed into the seventies.
At this point, their stats were stronger than most ordinary adventurers. With the minimum knowledge, they could become professionals right away.
That said, in terms of knowledge they were still novices, and camping always carried risks.
Especially with today’s abnormal circumstances, I would need to stay extra alert.
Times like this made me truly grateful for the «Insomnia» skill, which let me go without sleep.
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E/N:
Very sensible, Ossan! Of course, Tio and Tiana are the cutest! Stay tuned! (5/5 chapter)
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