DELICIOUS IN DUNGEON
While you guys were turning to stone, bleeding from your nose,
and getting engrossed in hunting for food,
I managed to find some patterns in the shifts of the dungeon.
It's not like I wanted to be turned to stone.
Hear, hear!
The past three days have been very productive!
Yeah, whatever.
One path gets blocked and another one opens up.
It's basically this on repeat.
The number of doors, furniture, and types of buildings stay the same.
A house never transforms into a graveyard.
The walls move in a clockwise spiral at regular intervals.
The positions of the stone statues and the directions they face are fixed.
Based on all that and more...
I remember this street.
That's the house where we ate the Dragon.
Chilchuck, you're a genius!
Well, it's all in a day's work.
But this street...
Exactly.
It's where we lost Falin.
There was a pool of blood and traces of something being dragged.
It's Falin!
If those two catch sight of it, they'll get worked up for sure.
How am I going to make them stay calm?
Laios, look!
What is this?
Listen! I get that there's a lot to be concerned about,
but for now, let's focus on getting back to the surface and...
Huh?
The Dragon's carcass was here, right?
It's vanished, without a trace.
But this crack in the wall must've been made when the Red Dragon fell.
But even this crack is being repaired...
The magician's eye will be upon you.
Don't yell like that!
Just now, I saw...
I think it's mana sickness again.
Again?
Ever since I used healing magic, I sometimes see and hear things.
You hear things?
Are you sure it's mana sickness?
What did you hear?
"The magician's eye will be upon you."
"The magician's eye"?
Could it be...
The sound of wings!
It's that Little Dragon!
We need to hide!
Hide where exactly?
This place is too exposed.
We've got to run, Marcille!
No, I know where to hide.
Inside the wall!
Come on, you two! Hurry!
Is this...
Another one of her spells?
Marcille, what kind of magic was that?
Cleaners?
What?
Dungeon Cleaners.
They're creatures, I think,
that keep the dungeon clean and fix up any damages.
Exactly.
I figured this wall wasn't completely set yet.
Up until this point is the original wall,
and from here on are Cleaners.
Even the floor!
Check it out!
Even the wear and tear and tiny scratches are being recreated.
You can't tell the difference by sight.
Ugh!
There are tiny things crawling all over the floor!
Gross!
They're all Cleaners.
Any dungeon without them would fall apart in no time.
They're not monsters and aren't harmful.
They are harmful.
These suckers often nibble on my tent.
They break down anything they think is in the way.
They must've come to eat the remains of the Dragon and the explosion.
They show up when the dungeon is damaged,
and their secretion prevents fires from spreading and further collapses.
Then they start devouring any scattered rubble.
They're not picky eaters.
Finally, they excrete secretions to fill in the broken areas
and restore the dungeon to its former state.
It's similar to how creatures heal.
All things considered,
monsters act like the immune system, clearing out germs.
Who are you calling germs?
Is that also magic at work?
Pretty cool, huh?
Good grief.
What's next, a magical digestive system?
I wonder what the dungeon would eat in that case?
Thank goodness the bloodstains are gone.
Hey.
Let's get moving before the dungeon shifts again.
Right.
Stairs!
Finally, a way out.
Well then, how about we start preparing that?
Good idea. Let's do that.
That?
Oh, you mean that.
Huh? By that, you meant a meal?
I don't think there are any Tentacles on this level.
You should've said earlier!
You actually like that outfit, don't you?
I don't!
We've got so many ingredients, I'm not sure what to make.
Maybe I can try using that.
Cook up some grain.
Is it the stuff from the third floor?
I was saving it for when we ran out of food.
Chop up some Cockatrice meat,
Dryad fruit,
Mandrake fruit and leaves,
and depetrification herbs,
Season them and sauté.
Spread a layer of cooked grain inside hollowed-out bricks.
Add the toppings and heat them, brick and all.
And...
Huh? What's that?
A Cockatrice egg.
I brought one along,
but it's been a bit tricky to use.
Finally, pour on the egg sauce and
it's ready.
STONE-BAKED COCKATRICE CHICKEN AND EGG WITH SAUCE
Wow, what is this?
It looks delicious!
If I'd stayed petrified, would they have used me to make this dish?
The scorched grain is nice!
Try digging your spoon into the dish.
I used bricks made from Dungeon Cleaners.
So we can even eat the dish?
Thanks, Senshi!
What does it taste like?
At first, it tastes like dirt.
But as you savor it,
it's like this magical blend of green caterpillar, iron, and lemon.
You're just comparing it to other things.
There's no other way to describe it.
Are you sure it's safe to eat magical creatures?
It might make you hear things and bleed from your nose again.
I wonder what's with those hallucinations.
When we get back to town, you should really see a doctor
for your head.
A doctor?
Do you think it's some kind of illness?
Is this another hallucination?
Are you guys seeing this?
I-I see it.
I mean, we're...
under attack!
Huh? What on earth?
It's just frog skin.
Looks like these horns are just decorations on a helmet.
A child?
Some monsters disguise themselves as humans.
Let's try killing one to see if they'll reveal their true colors...
Don't, Maizuru.
I know them.
-Shuro! -Shuro!
Shuro, long time no see!
What a pleasant surprise to run into you here!
Did you lose weight?
Thanks, Shuro!
Glad to see you're doing well.
Goodness! How forward of him!
Oh, let me introduce you.
This is Senshi.
Senshi, meet Shuro, our former party member.
Shuro? Who's that?
They probably mean Young Master Toshiro.
Toshuro?
Let's continue our conversation sitting down.
We were just having a meal.
Would you all like to...
Huh? You've got quite a big group!
Hey, Kabru.
Is that...
Nice to meet you.
You're Laios, aren't you?
Yeah.
Nice to meet you.
How long has it been?
Hey, Kabru.
It's them, right?
The ones who stole our stuff.
What will you do?
Nothing.
Huh?
What did we come all the way here for?
I wanted to meet them.
Huh?
I doubt asking them about the treasure will help.
He didn't look guilty even when he saw us.
Either he doesn't remember, or we're mistaken.
Or maybe the treasure itself was a trap.
Or maybe all of them.
Are you saying we made this trip for nothing?
Don't be hasty.
Give me a bit more time.
Don't you want to find out how they managed to get here
and what they plan to do in the future?
So, you've been on this level for a while now?
Yeah.
We kept going around in circles,
and when we got out, we were back at the entrance.
We got lost a lot too.
But Chilchuck found patterns in the shifts,
and that's how we finally made it here.
I see.
Anyway, Shuro, you...
You lech!
Are they the connections you mentioned?
Lucky you!
They're just retainers.
They're quite skilled, though.
I'm sorry for leaving the party.
But when I realized Falin was missing up on the surface,
I thought this was the best way to get back into the dungeon and find her.
Forgive me.
It's fine. There was no other way.
But I'm surprised you went back into the dungeon right after that.
Wasn't it a little rash?
What would you have done if someone got hurt again?
Just so you know,
the four of us even defeated the Red Dragon!
What?!
The Red Dragon?
A-And what about her?
Shuro!
Young Master!
I beg you, please eat and get some sleep!
At this rate, your body will break down!
You're pushing yourself that hard?
Look at how gaunt he is. You should've noticed.
You should get food and sleep, you know.
I don't have time for that.
Shuro, eating isn't something you do when you have time.
It's only after having sleep and food
that creatures can finally do what they want.
Have something to eat.
While you do, I'll fill you in on what happened.
Fine.
Can you prepare something, Maizuru?
A meal! Prepare a meal!
Tade, go fetch some water!
On it!
Hien, Benichidori, get ready to cook rice.
Asebi, you...
guard the Young Master.
I don't want anything strange mixed into the food.
Well then, I'll get the fire going.
You are considerate.
I'll leave it to you, dwarf.
A meal, a meal!
This group is too big.
It's not safe for so many people to gather in one place.
Let's split up into three.
In that case,
Rin, dwarf,
frog woman!
What?!
Everyone who can use magic, put up a barrier.
Make sure no monsters disturb the Young Master while he eats.
Let's work together, young lady.
R-Right.
Okay then,
Shuro, let's step away too.
I'll give you a quick rundown.
I'll help support him.
Thanks.
There's so much to do!
In this case, who's more dangerous if left alone?
Monsters! Delicious! Awesome!
Monsters! Cook! Eat!
Eat this!
Die.
Senshi, I'm coming with you!
Hey, aren't you overdoing it?
The smoke...
After this meal, I must make him take a bath.
Here?
Okay, Shuro, sit here.
Never mind that, just tell me what happened.
After you and Namari left, we...
Just give me the gist.
We defeated the Red Dragon, retrieved Falin, and revived her.
But on our way back, we were attacked by the lunatic magician,
and we lost her.
There was nothing more we could do on our own,
so we decided to head back to the surface and ask for backup.
But we got lost and...
But I'm glad we crossed paths with you, Shuro!
Will you help us out?
Um, can I ask something?
The lunatic magician is the one who created this dungeon, right?
There are rumors and whispers about him,
but no one who's seen him has ever returned.
How can you be sure it was him?
Huh?
Well, he sounded and acted like it.
And how did you manage to escape?
It was thanks to Marcille...
The mage in our party protected us.
How exactly?
Um...
Magic isn't my area of expertise, so I'm not sure.
I see.
I have a question too.
Why were you munching on a brick?
Huh?
Oh, it's not what it seems.
That wasn't a brick.
It was part of a wall made from Dungeon Cleaners.
We left all our food and money behind, right?
So to get down into the dungeon faster, we fed on monsters along the way.
That...
is just hilarious!
Huh?
What was the tastiest thing you've eaten so far?
You want to know?
That's a tough one.
Kelpie, Living Armor...
No, it's got to be the Red Dragon!
You ate the Red Dragon that ate your sister?
Yeah.
Living Armor, though. Are there any edible parts?
That's a good question!
Actually, it's a colony of mollusks wearing a shell and...
Here, check out this sword.
The Cleaners are trying to eat Kensuke!
You just can't be too careful!
By the way, if you're interested in monster cuisine,
I'd be happy to treat you anytime.
Wow, I'd love that!
Crap. This guy will actually take me up on it.
So after she...
After Falin was revived, was she safe the last time you saw her?
Yeah.
Any idea where she might be?
There are plenty of places to hide on this level,
but most of them are the orcs' base camps.
Oh, you don't have to worry about them.
What?
What did they taste like?
No!
It's a long story, but we're cooperating with them now.
Cooperating with them?
Has he forgotten that killing them is our duty as adventurers?
Anyway, about Falin's whereabouts,
she might be somewhere lower than this level.
She could have been taken there.
Taken? Why?
Um...
Is it safe to tell Shuro?
Would you mind if I talked to him alone?
Sure, I'll step out.
So?
Field ration pellets aren't bad, but having them every day?
Sometimes, you need something warm in your belly.
I agree.
A meal should be more than about filling the stomach.
I see you have sense, dwarf.
The Young Master was often sick as a child.
He also had a small appetite, which worried everyone.
But he always had a hearty appetite for whatever I made him.
Even during missions, I was often sent to the kitchen.
He was such a well-behaved child, it made me concerned.
This is the first time he's ever made a selfish request.
Please, Maizuru.
There's someone I want to save.
Lend me your aid.
I never imagined he'd become
infatuated with a Northern girl on his training journey.
How do I convince him to move on?
You want him to move on?
I've been tasked by the lord to care for the Young Master.
I can't let my emotions dictate my actions.
Then why are you doing what you're doing?
If you have preserved foods, you don't have to bother with cooking.
I know why he had an appetite for your cooking only.
I know what you put into them.
Huh?
It was love.
What is that supposed to mean?
Were you trying to be clever?
But yes, I suppose it's a little too late now.
Depending on how things turn out,
perhaps I can speak on his behalf.
TSUGUYOSHI NAKAMOTO
TOSHITSUGU NAKAMOTO
NOW, TOSHIRO NAKAMOTO
FALIRO NAKAMOTO
It's using different art materials!
I don't think that's likely just yet.
Good. This will do.
It's ready.
AN EASTERN MEAL
Now then, let us serve it while it's hot!
What are you two doing here?
They wanted to talk privately.
Young Master, I'm coming in.
Young Master!
What happened?
Did this man try something?
Well? What happened?!
Sorry. We don't know.
Black magic.
This man used black magic to revive a woman using monster flesh.
Black...?
How could you?
Do you even realize what you've done?
Anyone involved with black magic,
no matter their motives or degree of magic, is a serious criminal!
They're locked up in the dark until they die,
and even their corpses never return.
If the elves of the west find out, who knows what will happen to her?
That is, if word gets out from this dungeon.
And I know you will never tell anyone about this.
Right?
It was the only way.
Please understand, Shuro.
Black magic?
This is way worse than I thought.
What's going to happen now?
Lord Delgal...
I must find him.
Subtitle translation by: Ai Matsuoka