Is It Wrong to Explore the Dungeon Even Though I’m Overpowered? (Danmachi SI- WC) (Patreon)

Chapter 40: The Risk of Bonds, The Weight of Growth

“…You want to come with us to the dungeon?” I asked curiously once I shook off my surprise at Ryuu’s question.

Ryuu nodded, looking more relaxed now that she had voiced it. “Correct. There’s something I want to do on the 18th floor, so I would appreciate it greatly if you let me accompany you.”

“Sure,” I said simply.

As if she hadn’t heard me, Ryuu pressed on. “I will, of course, pull my own weight, so you don’t have to worry about—” She stopped mid-sentence, blinking at me in confusion when she caught my smile. “Did you…?”

“Yes,” I repeated with a nod. “I’d be glad to have you along. In fact, this is perfect, I’d love to get the opinion of a veteran Adventurer on anything we could improve upon. With your approval, of course.”

A small smile tugged at her lips as she nodded. “I have no problem giving you tips. Syr will be happy knowing you’re more prepared for the dungeon’s dangers reducing the risk of you coming to harm.” She turned her gaze toward Syr, who stiffened in surprise.

“R-Ryuu! W-What are you saying~?” Syr sputtered, a red blush blooming across her cheeks as she waved her hands.

Ryuu let out an uncharacteristic chuckle before shaking her head. “Thank you, Reinhard-san. I really appreciate this.” She started to bow her head—

On instinct, I raised a hand and gently set it on her shoulder, stopping her. “Please don’t bow, Ryuu. Friends don’t bow when asking for help, right?” I said with a soft smile.

The next thing I knew, Syr had gone completely still, her wide eyes fixed on us. Realization hit me a moment later, my hand was still on Ryuu, an elf. I quickly pulled it back, bowing my head instead.

“I-I’m so sorry! I acted without thinking. Please forgive me.”

Ryuu shook her head quickly, her cheeks tinged pink. “P-Please raise your head, Reinhard-san. Didn’t you just say friends shouldn’t bow? Besides, it was an honest mistake, please don’t mind it.” Her rushed words made her look even more flustered.

That was apparently all Syr could take. She slipped to my side and latched onto my arm, pouting up at me.

“Mou~ Hey, Reinhard-kun? Don’t you think you and Ryuu are acting a little too friendly? Is there something I should know?” Her voice was sweet, but her narrowed eyes told another story.

Ryuu’s blush deepened as she quickly hid her face behind her tray. “P-Please stop saying such embarrassing things, Syr! Nothing has happened between me and Reinhard-san!” she protested, looking absolutely mortified.

I wisely stayed quiet, knowing anything I said would only dig me—and Ryuu—deeper. Syr’s pout only grew.

“Hoh~? And what exactly do you think I’m thinking, Ryuu?” Syr pressed with a sugary smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“N-Nothing! Nothing at all!” Ryuu squeaked, then stood abruptly. “If you’ll excuse me—I’ll see you tomorrow, Reinhard-san. Thank you again!” And with that, she practically fled back into the pub, leaving me alone with Syr.

As soon as Ryuu was out of earshot, Syr and I looked at each other in silence for a beat before simultaneously breaking out into chuckles, mine quiet, hers a musical giggle.

“Hmhmhm, normally I’d tell you not to tease your friend so much,” I said once I calmed down, smiling warmly at her. “But I can’t say anything when I enjoyed watching the usually impassive Ryuu get so flustered.”

“Oh my, Reinhard-kun~” Syr leaned in with a mischievous smile she half-covered with her hand, her eyes glinting with joy… and envy. “Who knew the perfect gentleman I thought you were was just a cover for your hidden side, that of a deviant who enjoys teasing beautiful maidens~”

Her words only made my smile grow genuine. “Everyone hides parts of themselves when they first meet someone.”

That seemed to take her off guard; her smile faltered, her eyes widening slightly as her hold tightened slightly

“But that’s what makes friendship so beautiful in my opinion,” I continued, gaze lifting in thought thinking about all the wonderful people I had met so far and how much I had learned from them. “The more you get to know someone, the more trust builds, the more you see those hidden sides… and before you know it, you’ve formed bonds that will endure a lifetime.”

Syr’s playful look softened into contemplation. “…That was surprisingly a deep response coming from you, Reinhard-kun.” Then she dropped her gaze, bangs shadowing her face. “…But what happens if you find out something you don’t like about a person? What then?”

Her tone carried a certain weight, far more than her casual words suggested. She was almost certainly talking about herself and about who she really was.

Sensing all of this, I stopped and pondered on her question more carefully wanting to give her my honest opinion. I stayed quiet long enough for her to tense beside me before I answered with a small smile. “I’d still accept them.”

Her head snapped up, eyes wide as they silently searched mine for a lie. When she found none, she blinked and tilted her head. “…Just like that?”

“Yes,” I said simply, still smiling. “If a single flaw can break a friendship, then it wasn’t real in the first place.”

She still looked conflicted, so I elaborated. “I truly believe that no one is perfect. Not mortals, not gods, not anyone. Everyone makes mistakes, does things they regret. If you can’t accept that, then you’re lying to yourself and don’t deserve their friendship… or anything beyond it.”

Syr’s eyes shimmered faintly at that, though I felt my face heat as I scratched my cheek at what I was about to say next. “That said, I wouldn’t want them to keep making those mistakes. I’d do everything I could to help them if necessary.”

“There was something someone said once that stuck to me to this day. If you already like someone as they are and managed to form a deep bond with them, then wouldn’t you be lucky if you got to learn more about them? After all, if you already have such a bond with that person, that means that you like what you know about them right? So, if you found something new about them and grew to like that too…wouldn’t that be great?”

By the end, my ears were burning, but Syr just stared blankly for a long moment before her entire face turned crimson. She then suddenly buried herself against my chest, clutching my coat.

“B-Baka! Reinhard-kun, are you secretly a sadist!? Do you enjoy tormenting maidens this much!?” she squeaked, muffled against me, her fists tapping weakly at my chest.

“I-I don’t!” I stammered, feeling a bit nervous at the current expression she was giving me right now. “I was just being honest!”

“That makes it worse! Stop doing that already!” she protested, looking up at me with watery eyes and a pout. “Idiot! Mou~ Y-You better take responsibility, Reinhard-kun!”

Not wanting to upset her, words left my mouth before I even realized it. “O-Okay! I will!”

Bad idea.

Syr squealed, smacked me a little harder this time, then bolted for the dining hall with a high-pitched cry. “Reinhard-kun, you dummy!!”

I stood there stunned, the weight of what I’d just agreed to finally sinking in. With a tired sigh, I left the room, enduring the smirks, teasing looks, and knowing whispers of the Hostess staff as I walked past.

Rejoining the others outside, I managed to brush off their curious questions, though the twins and Est were giving me looks that said they weren’t buying it.

‘I really hope that decision doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass…’

=====

Following Day

The light of a new day greeted us as we made our way toward the dungeon. Normally, one of the Oni twins would stay behind to watch over Hestia and Artemis, but today both Rem and Ram had come along. It was an important day, we needed to formally register our level-ups at the Guild before heading deeper into the dungeon. After that Rem would head back home and resume her duties.

As we passed the Hostess of Fertility, a familiar figure was already waiting outside. Or rather, waiting for me. Syr’s eyes lit up the moment they landed on me, her smile blooming as she walked forward with a neat bento box in her hands.

“Reinhard-kun~ Good morning~” she sang, her expression brighter, more genuine, than when I’d first seen her after her week-long absence.

Of course, she completely ignored the girls around me. They, in turn, did not return the favor.

“We’re here too, dumb maid,” Ram huffed, arms crossed under her chest.

“It’s not her fault, nee-sama,” Rem said sweetly, though her smile was sharpened with contempt as her eyes lingered on Syr. “It’s only natural for an incompetent maid such as her to not know proper decorum.”

Naaza didn’t speak, but she drifted behind Rem, subtly reinforcing the wall forming on one side of me. On the other, Lili mirrored the motion with Ram, closing ranks in a protective half-circle.

Syr finally deigned to acknowledge them, feigning surprise with a little gasp. “Oh my~ Sorry everyone, I didn’t see you there Good morning.” Her smile was all teeth.

“Good morning, Syr,” I cut in quickly before the twins could escalate things, taking the bento with a polite nod. Her mood softened immediately, her lips curling into a pleased smile. For some reason, she kept flicking her gaze away whenever our eyes met, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.

“Is Ryuu still getting ready?” I asked, steering the conversation forward when the silence stretched looking around for the beautiful elf.

“Oh!” Syr blinked as if remembering something vital, then tapped her head lightly with her fist and stuck out her tongue in a playful gesture. “I almost forgot, teehee~”

I held back a sigh. How do you forget something like that?

Ram, of course, had no filter. “Heh~ As expected of a shitty maid.”

Syr’s eyebrow twitched, but she ignored the jab and focused on me. “Ryuu said she’d be waiting for you on the first floor.”

“I see,” I nodded, the reasoning sound, especially with Ryuu’s current situation and the bounty on her head forcing her to hide her true identity. “Then we shouldn’t keep her waiting. Thanks for the bento as always, Syr. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

Her smile faltered briefly, disappointment flickering across her face, but she pushed it away. Before I could react, she closed the distance and hugged me, drawing more than a few scowls.

“Take care, Reinhard-kun~ Good luck! I’ll see you later~” Syr chirped before reluctantly letting go and slipping back inside the Hostess, leaving Ram fuming and Rem glaring daggers.

“Huff, that maid is getting bolder lately,” Ram muttered, crossing her arms again.

“She really does know how to get under your nerves,” Naaza sighed, her tail twitching irritably.

“Come on,” I said, gently pushing the conversation forward as we continued toward the Guild. “We don’t want to keep Ryuu waiting, right?”

Still, in the back of my mind, I knew this conversation wasn’t over yet.

That being said though, I was looking forward to another seeing Rose again. It had been a while since I last spoke with her, since my last level-up, if memory served. It would be nice to catch up with her and see how she was doing.

=====

The Guild was buzzing with activity when we arrived, but the moment Rose caught sight of us, her usual stern expression cracked. A small smile tugged at her lips, her eyes lingering on me before flicking over Rem, Ram, Naaza, and Lili. She blinked once, as if connecting the dots, then waved us toward a private room.

Inside, we crowded together as she leaned back against the desk, arms crossed.

“It’s good to see you again, Rose. I’m glad you’re doing okay,” I said gently with a smile truly glad to see her again having missed her.

Color rose faintly to her cheeks, and she looked away, nervously toying with her long hair. “It’s… good to see you—ah— all of you again too. Even if it hasn’t been that long.”

Rose had come a long way from the stiff, aloof advisor I first met. With each level-up she witnessed, her edges softened. The worry hadn’t gone, but she no longer looked at me like someone doomed to die young. In fact every time I had a session with her, she went above and beyond to make sure I was absolutely ready for anything that the dungeon might throw at me which I appreciated immensely.

Her eyes sharpened again as she noticed how tightly the girls hovered around me, as if daring her to step too close. With a soft cough, she pushed her embarrassment down and spoke in a brisk tone.

“With all of you here, there’s only one reason I can think of. Level-ups, I presume?”

“Right in one. As expected from my favorite Guild Advisor~” I teased.

Her professional mask shattered in an instant. Ears flicking flat, she flushed scarlet and turned away. “…Idiot. I’m the only Guild Advisor you know.”

“That doesn’t change my opinion.” I grinned, doubling down on my words.

Her tail thumped once against the desk, and she muttered something too low to catch.

“Can we please move along?” Lili cut in sharply, glaring up at us. “Or has Reinhard-sama forgotten we’re keeping someone waiting?”

“That’s right,” Naaza added, folding her arms.

The quiet menace rolling off the twins didn’t need words.

Rose cleared her throat, trying to salvage her composure. “Ahem. Yes. Let’s begin.”

One by one, Falna sheets were updated. Each confirmation widened Rose’s eyes a fraction more until she finally reached me but didn’t bother to do anything assuming we were done. She started to close her ledger, then froze when I raised a hand sheepishly.

“Hehe… there’s one more you haven’t confirmed.”

She stiffened, tail going rigid. “…Level… four?” she whispered, then rounded on me with a look caught between awe and exasperation. “You leveled up again already? Reinhard, do you even realize how insane this is!?”

“I had good support,” I said calmly, glancing at Rose and the girls beside me.

Her disbelief deepened as she realized all of us had grown. “This much progress in just weeks… If I weren’t seeing it with my own eyes, I’d call it forgery. Forget the impossibility and ridiculousness that is Reinhard by himself.”

Finally, her golden eyes locked onto me with naked worry. “…Reinhard, you’re leveling up too fast, please slow down a little, if not for your sake, then for ours. Haven’t you ever heard that those who shine the brightest burn out the fastest?”

Her words and the way her ears flattened hit harder than I expected. Wincing, I looked away for a breath before smiling back at her and at the worried faces crowding around me.

“I’m lucky,” I said softly, pressing a hand over my heart. “Lucky to have friends who care this much. Thank you, Rose. Thank you, everyone. I get what you’re saying, and I promise, I’ll be careful.”

Rose exhaled, some of the tension draining out of her shoulders, though the worry never fully left her eyes. The girls tightened their circle around me, as if their presence alone could shield me from harm.

Moments later, Rose finished registering my Falna. After a round of goodbyes, we left for the dungeon.

‘I should do something nice for Rose. She’s always supported me even if she was reluctant at first.’