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

Chapter 55: Sanctuary Under Siege

The air remained thick with tension as the Xenos gradually revealed themselves, stepping from shadow into dim light.

There were many of them, of different shapes, sizes, and species.

Most regarded us with guarded caution. A few, however, wore hopeful expressions. I noticed that most of those were girls, and nearly all of them had their eyes fixed on Marie.

‘I see… They must be the ones she called earlier.’

When our gazes briefly met, I offered them a small, reassuring smile.

Movement drew my attention back to Lyd. The Lizardman slowly regained his breath and pushed himself upright, his legs still slightly unsteady.

Then, unexpectedly—

He burst into laughter.

“Hahaha! This is fun!” Lyd exclaimed, holding his sides. “I’ve never met adventurers like you, especially ones this strong!”

A beautiful Siren with golden feathers tipped in blue descended gracefully beside him, one of the few who hadn’t looked at us with suspicion earlier.

“I did tell you, didn’t I, Lyd?” she said calmly. “They don’t carry the scent of Xenos blood on them.”

Her eyes softened as they fell upon Marie, who still had tears clinging to her lashes.

“Besides,” she continued gently, “Marie is an excellent judge of character, even if she can’t fight.”

She offered Marie a small, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry for frightening you. But not everyone was ready to meet humans face-to-face.”

“It’s okay, Ray,” Marie sniffed, quickly wiping her cheeks before puffing herself up. “But no more fighting, okay? Reinhard and Rem are different from other humans.”

“Ray, you were right,” Lyd admitted, nodding toward the Siren before facing Marie again. His grin turned sheepish. “Sorry about that. I had to make sure your words were true.”

Finally, he turned properly to Rem and me.

“Sorry about earlier. We were testing you.”

“Testing us?” Rem asked, raising an eyebrow. She still hadn’t fully lowered her guard.

I gently continued patting her head, keeping her calm.

“It’s alright, Rem,” I reassured her before addressing Lyd. “I suspected as much.”

I met his orange gaze evenly. “But why the test? I have an idea, but I’d prefer to hear it from you, if you don’t mind.”

Lyd’s expression grew more serious.

“We needed to know,” he said. “The group that took in one of our kin, and now intends to take another… what kind of people are they?”

His tail shifted slightly behind him.

“When things get dangerous… will they abandon her?” he asked plainly. “That’s what we wanted to see.”

Then his grin returned.

“I’m glad to see you’re strong enough to protect them, and that you wouldn’t leave them behind.”

He dipped his head slightly.

“Once again… sorry for the trouble.”

Now that I understood the situation, I let out a small smile. Sheathing Est at my side, I stepped forward under the curious, and still somewhat wary, gazes of the gathered Xenos.

Stopping in the center, I extended my hand in a friendly gesture.

“What do you say we start over, Lyd-san, Miss Ray?” I said calmly, without a trace of judgment in my tone. “My name is Reinhard van Astrea. I would be more than happy if we could be friends. You’re Marie’s dear companions, after all.”

Silence lingered for a moment as they absorbed my words.

Then smiles slowly spread across both of their faces.

Lyd stepped forward first, clasping my hand firmly in his scaled grip.

“Hahaha! I like you!” he boomed. “Name’s Lyd, as you can see, I’m a Lizardman. Pleased to meet you, Reinhard van Astrea.”

We shook hands solidly before he stepped aside to allow Ray forward.

“It seems Marie was right about you,” Ray said gently as she took my hand without hesitation. Her feathers brushed against my skin, surprisingly soft. “You have an aura that draws others in.”

She inclined her head slightly. “My name is Ray. Thank you for looking after Marie.”

“You’re too kind, Miss Ray,” I replied with a small nod before glancing back at Marie. The moment our eyes met, she beamed.

“I could never imagine hurting her. When I first met Marie, she radiated nothing but curiosity and innocence, even if she looked like a monster at the time.”

Ray laughed softly. “Hihihi, yes. Marie is as innocent as they come… if a bit mischievous. Also, just Ray is more than enough.”

Her gaze turned thoughtful.

“And thank you, for not hesitating when you shook our hands. That alone has already won over most of us gathered here.”

I blinked, thinking why that was so important.

Only then did it truly dawn on me.

Unlike in the Re:Zero world, where demi-humans were now a common thing you saw walking on the streets. Here, however, Xenos were still regarded as nothing more than monsters. For a human adventurer to casually extend a hand, to treat them as equals, was not something they were used to.

“It didn’t really occur to me that you were monsters,” I admitted honestly. “I only wanted to build a friendly relationship, for Marie’s sake… and Wiene’s back home.”

That earned me another soft smile.

But before Ray could reply, I suddenly found myself surrounded.

The Xenos closed in from all sides, not aggressively, but eagerly, each one reaching out to shake my hand and introduce themselves.

It seemed that small gesture had shattered whatever barrier remained between us.

=====

After several minutes of handshakes and introductions, things finally settled down. I was no longer surrounded on all sides, and Rem and Marie returned to stand beside me. Est even shifted into her human form, earning another round of startled reactions from the Xenos, though they accepted her surprisingly quickly.

I did notice, however, that a few of them had not approached at all. They remained in the shadows of the cavern, watching silently.

I paid it no mind.

You couldn’t expect a people who had lived in fear and persecution for so long to discard their caution overnight.

Eventually, the unspoken question hanging in the air was voiced by a Lamia named Laura, one of Marie’s close friends.

“Reinhard,” Laura began, her serpentine lower body coiling slightly as she leaned forward. “Marie said you were able to make her look human… and it seems that was true. But does that mean you can do it whenever you want?”

Her hopeful gaze locked onto mine.

At her question, the cave fell silent.

Every eye turned toward me.

Hope, raw and unguarded, filled the air.

“That’s right~!” Marie suddenly declared before I could answer. She stepped forward proudly. “Reinhard is super amazing! Not only can I turn into a human to visit the surface, I can change back whenever I want. Watch!”

Before I could stop her, she spun and leapt into my arms, transforming midair back into her mermaid form.

I caught her instinctively in a princess carry.

“Careful, Marie,” I muttered, adjusting my grip as she happily snuggled into my chest.

Her demonstration only heightened the reaction around us. Excited murmurs rippled through the Xenos. Some looked elated. Others seemed conflicted, perhaps uncomfortable at the thought of taking the form of those who hunted them.

Through it all, Rem and Est remained silent, their eyes subtly watching me. They were leaving this decision to me.

‘It was never going to remain secret anyway,’ I thought calmly. ‘Not once Marie told them.’

Still, there was something I needed to know before I offered them hope.

It would be simple to capture them into the system and grant them the Anthropize perk.

But doing so would invite consequences on a scale even I could not fully predict. The city seemed to have its eyes focused pretty closely on our Familia at the moment after all and dozens of new members suddenly joining us would look really suspicious.

“May I ask a question before we continue?” I said politely.

A few of them blinked at the unexpected request, but after a moment, nods followed.

“Of course, Reinchi,” Lyd said with a grin, apparently having decided on a nickname.

I blinked.

That’s… new.

Shaking the thought away, I focused.

“Thank you. Based on my understanding,” I began evenly, letting my gaze sweep across the cavern, “most of you wish to reach the surface. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” Ray answered as she stepped forward with a soft smile. “Having been born in the Dungeon, none of us has ever seen beyond these walls let alone the sun. Most of us carry wishes related to it.”

She paused, a faint blush dusting her cheeks before continuing.

“As for me…” Her smile turned almost shy. “I want to fly beneath the sunlight… and be held by someone I love~”

Lyd grinned and stepped forward next. “I want to see the real sun and live freely on the surface.”

“I want to see the ocean!” Fear added brightly. “I heard it’s really, really big~”

Laura coiled slightly as she spoke. “I’d like to take a nap in the sunlight.”

One by one, the others voiced their wishes.

Simple.

Heartfelt.

Achingly modest.

And yet… nearly impossible without someone like me.

‘Hmm… so most of them don’t actually care about becoming human,’ I realized. ‘They just want out of the Dungeon where thay have spent their whole lives.’

An idea began forming.

‘If that’s the case, then I don’t need to capture them all and buy Anthropize for everyone.’

Instead—

I could expand my Demiplane.

A few purchases of Sweet Home Expansion would give them enough space to not only build homes but roam freely. With Rainbow Bridge, I could create portals directly between here and there and since this is a special location, I bet there is a portal here. They’d be able to leave the Dungeon… without ever stepping foot into Orario and return whenever they wanted.

Basically, a win-win scenario where they could remain safe, be free and stay hidden if they wish.

The more I thought about it, the more solid the plan became.

“All right,” I said at last, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Thank you for sharing your wishes with me.”

I gently set Marie down. She pouted briefly before shifting back into her human form and standing on her own.

“Back to your question, Laura,” I continued, meeting her hopeful eyes. “Yes, I can grant anyone here a human form if they truly want one.”

Excited murmurs rose immediately.

“But,” I added, raising a hand slightly, “I imagine not everyone wants to become human. Am I right?”

That earned a mix of reactions, some enthusiastic nods, some hesitant expressions.

Before debate could begin, I continued as a smile grew on my lips.

“That’s why I have another plan.”

The cave went quiet.

“I can help all of you see the sunlight… without forcing you to take human form. And without risking discovery by the adventurers in Orario.”

As I spoke, I mentally purchased what I needed:

Exit Stage Left.

We Will Meet Again.

Rainbow Bridge.

And two purchases of Sweet Home Expansion, expanding my Demiplane to the size of a medium sized island.

That should be plenty of room for all the Xenos gathered here to roam around freely if they wished.

“You mean… you’ll really help us?” Ray asked, her eyes shimmering.

“You will!?” Fear echoed.

“Hihihi~ See? I told you Reinhard is the best!” Marie declared smugly, hands on her hips.

“You’re truly amazing, Reinchi!” Lyd laughed.

And just like that, I was surrounded again.

Hands clasped mine. Arms wrapped around me. Scaled backs thumped against my shoulders. Feathers brushed my arms. Various arms or claws slapped by back in a friendly manner.

Gratitude poured from every direction.

I could only let out a small, slightly overwhelmed smile as I endured the onslaught of appreciation.

When things finally calmed down, I raised a hand, signaling that I had something important to say. The chatter died almost immediately.

“I have one condition,” I said, my expression turning serious to make sure they understood the weight of my words.

“Name it,” Lyd replied at once, his tone just as firm as the others straightened.

“I knew it,” a gravelly voice cut in.

My gaze shifted toward the speaker.

A gray Gargoyle, one of the few Xenos who had remained silent until now, stepped forward with a visible frown etched into his stone features.

“This is where he reveals his true intentions.”

“Gros!” Laura snapped, clearly upset. “You don’t even know what Reinhard wants to say! At least listen first!”

“Hmph. You’re all naïve fools,” Gros grunted, turning his head away as if finished with the matter.

“Sorry about him,” Ray said gently. “Gros hasn’t had many good experiences with adventurers.”

“That’s perfectly understandable,” I replied with a small shake of my head, offering the Gargoyle a friendly smile. “Given what you’ve endured, I would be more suspicious if you weren’t cautious.”

I met Gros’ gaze calmly.

“Still… I hope that one day we can be friends.”

“We’ll see about that, human,” Gros muttered, though his tone lacked earlier bite.

Turning back to the others, I continued.

“As I was saying, my only condition is this: please do not reveal my abilities to anyone who is not a Xenos.”

The cave grew quiet again.

“If certain groups on the surface learn what I’m capable of, it will bring unnecessary danger to the people I care about,” I explained evenly as I briefly looked at Est, Rem and Marie beside me. “So unless your life is directly at stake… I ask that you please keep this between us.”

Then I bowed my head.

The reaction was immediate.

“R-Reinhard, please don’t bow!” Lyd said, flustered. “That’s more than reasonable! We would never betray someone helping us like this.”

Murmurs of agreement filled the chamber.

Standing upright again, I saw that everyone shared his sentiment.

“Thank you,” I said sincerely.

I gave them another quick bow, which only caused them to panic comically again.

“Hihihi~ I knew you’d help them, Reinhard!” Marie cheered suddenly.

Before I could react, she leapt onto my back, wrapping her arms around my neck and planting a kiss on my cheek.

“I love you~!”

“H-Hey! Get off Reinhard-kun, you airhead!” Rem immediately protested, trying to pry her off me while looking deeply offended on my behalf.

“Reinhard is the best,” Est declared calmly, nodding as she continued munching on her snack, entirely unfazed by the chaos.

I could only sigh as I found myself once again at the center of commotion.

With that settled, I explained to everyone that they would need to wait one day for my plan to fully take effect. I promised to return tomorrow to fully explain how the process would work.

That would give the perks time to activate due to Delayed Response… and more importantly, give me time to inform everyone back home.

‘Hopefully Hestia and Artemis don’t give me a stern lecture for making another major decision without telling them first,’ I thought with a faintly nervous smile.

Time passed as we continued talking, learning more about the Xenos and how they had come to exist.

They explained how the Dungeon had formed safe zones for them, areas where monsters did not spawn. Over time, they had turned those spaces into homes. Hidden sanctuaries in a place meant to devour life.

Recently, however, they had grown more cautious.

Some adventurers had somehow discovered them and instead of just killing them like regular monsters, they began hunting them and capturing them.

Before the conversation could continue, hurried footsteps echoed from one of the side tunnels.

An Arachne burst into the clearing.

She had the upper body of a pale, white-haired woman, beautiful despite the tension etched across her features. Behind her stretched the massive body of a spider. Several injured Xenos staggered in behind her.

“Ranye! What happened!?” Lyd demanded, rushing forward. Even Gros moved without hesitation.

“I’m fine,” Ranye panted, clearly exhausted. “But some disgusting humans ambushed the group I was leading. They captured several of us.”

A heavy silence fell.

Then her gaze landed on me and the girls beside me.

“W-What are humans doing here!?” she demanded, fury flaring in her eyes.

The mood shifted instantly.

The Xenos around us bristled. Some looked ready to charge out immediately. Others began hurriedly explaining our presence to Ranye.

A frown formed on my face.

The timing was too precise.

I stepped forward.

“Let us help.”

All eyes turned toward me.

Rem immediately moved to my side, her flail appearing in her hand as her expression hardened.

“If Reinhard-kun has decided to help you,” she said firmly, “then as his maid, it’s my duty to stand with him.”

“Reinhard and I are the strongest,” Est declared simply before transforming back into her sword form mid-sentence. I caught her by instinct.

“I-I’ll help too,” Marie added, her voice trembling slightly, but she didn’t step back.

‘Could this be the same shady adventurers we passed earlier?’

The pieces were starting to align.

And if I was right…

Then this wasn’t random.

This was organized, most likely the work of a Familia.