How to Survive as a Dungeon Manager in Another World

Episode 6 – Because I Hate Being Alone

With quick steps, the girl approached and stopped abruptly.

Casting a furtive glance this way, she asked point-blank:

“Is it you?”

“…?”

I lost the power of speech for a moment.

Because I was taken aback by the girl’s utterly unexpected appearance.

Well, that’s understandable…

—Prick!

Ears standing stiffly upright in triangular points, a silver tail swaying gently at her waist, and large, sparkling eyes.

Could this be…

‘A Beastkin?’

A different race.

Among them, the Beastkin, known for their fierce temperament.

Beastkin are essentially a race skilled in combat.

No, more precisely, a race born to be mad for combat.

A race that enjoys fighting, venerates strength, and yields to no one.

Because they possess a nature that is the complete opposite of humans, who value harmony, they fundamentally live in clusters separate from humans.

That’s why I couldn’t understand the current situation.

Because it’s incredibly rare for a Beastkin, famed for moving in packs, to be wandering around alone like that.

Especially in Blackmoor, renowned as a demon realm.

“Hmm.”

I stood still, watching her.

No matter how I looked at her, wasn’t she a textbook fox Beastkin?

At least, as far as I knew, their territory wasn’t anywhere near here.

Cast out from the pack, perhaps?

But too young for such abandonment, limbs still hale and strong?

Or maybe… escaped slavery?

Who is she?

I racked my brain, but no face surfaced.

‘I don’t know her.’

No, I really don’t.

Just then, a coolly subdued voice cut through the air.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking if it was you.”

“If what was?”

Tap. Tap.

She flicked a broken sign, dangling precariously, with her fingertip.

“Did you put this sign up here?”

“Yes?”

“I helped too.”

Rudi declares it with pride.

Yes, well done.

I ruffled her hair lightly, and her face flushed a brilliant red.

“…Found it.”

Whatever she says.

The fox beastkin, having received her answer, quirked a smile.

And then, she spoke—

“Take responsibility.”

What?

“Responsibility? For what?”

“Because you stopped me from dying.”

“???”

From dying?

“Because of me?”

Could that even be…

“Suicide?”

“…”

The silence confirmed it.

Well, this was unexpected.

I’d seen plenty of Suin fight each other to the death, but never one trying to off themselves.

“So you’re saying, after coming all the way here to die, my little sign is what stopped you?”

“…”

Nod, nod.

With a face twisted with chagrin, she readily admitted it.

Ludiné, who had been watching, widened her eyes and whispered to me.

“That sign, it actually works?”

“Told you. Seeing that thing knocks the wind right out of your sails, even if you’re trying to die.”

“But what does she mean, ‘take responsibility’? Surely she’s not asking you to kill her?”

“Shh! What if she hears you…”

“Hey! I can hear everything, you know!”

Oh, dear.

True to her fox heritage, her ears were sharp as can be.

“Do you even know what frame of mind I was in when I came here?!”

“Nope.”

“Well, I’ll explain it to you right now!”

“Don’t care to know.”

“Eek…!”

The fox, looking frustrated, clenched her fists and puffed her cheeks.

Even her silvery tail, usually swaying gently, stood straight up as she raged.

Suddenly, I had the urge to pet the fluffy thing.

“In any case, take responsibility!”

“Why would I?”

“I told you, you interfered with me.”

She shoved the sign right into my face.

‘Can you swim well?’ the words jumped out.

I stroked my chin, considering.

Why the hell was she getting so worked up over that phrase?

Unable to contain my curiosity, I finally asked her,

“Don’t tell me…you can’t swim?”

“…!”

“Is that why you couldn’t jump?”

“…….”

Her face flushed crimson. A savage glint in her eyes.

Aha. I hadn’t truly expected it, but she really *was* intimidated by the sign.

A swell of satisfaction washed over me.

Indeed, the power of those signs was as potent as I’d imagined.

Worth all the time I’d spent meticulously, thoroughly planting them.

But regardless, I couldn’t agree with what she’d said.

“How is that *my* fault?”

Her expression shifted, a flicker of bewilderment.

“How could you even ask…! If you hadn’t planted those signs…!”

“Or maybe…you’re just overly fearful?”

“What?”

*Grind*.

The sound of her teeth grinding echoed clearly.

“…You dare.”

A voice laced with fury.

Her voice, her expression, she was blatantly projecting hostility.

Simultaneously, a subtle killing intent brushed against my skin.

The fine hairs on my skin began to bristle, standing on end.

‘Oh?’

In that instant, I realized my mistake.

For a beastfolk, wasn’t ‘coward’ the most humiliating insult of all?

Having deliberately pressed his berserk button, it was only natural that the competitive beastkin would fly into a rage.

It was then.

“Luke.”

Ludine tilted her head, a curious gesture.

“Foe?”

A short, but potent question.

No sooner had Ludine finished her query…

*Gooo*—

The air thickened, heavy enough to steal breath, and for a fleeting moment, my shoulders felt weighted down, my legs faltering.

‘What is this…’

I wasn’t alone.

The fox beastkin before me also had her features contorted in response to the immense pressure.

‘What killing intent…’

An unfathomable, dense killing intent was encompassing the entire area, and I could feel my heart pounding violently in response.

*Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!*

The flustered fox beastkin’s gaze slowly turned towards a single point.

Her pupils trembled wildly as she saw Ludine’s lips stretching into a near-tear.

The fox beastkin, not willing to be outdone, began to gather her own strength.

However, it was futile, crushed beneath Ludine’s killing aura.

‘Of all the times…’

The situation had become complicated.

Each perceiving the other as an enemy, and neither showing any sign of backing down.

Ludine aside, it was that fox wench who was the problem.

Just look at her, gritting her teeth and enduring, a true beastkin through and through.

A deranged race that considered fighting to the death a point of honor.

*Kkiiiiiiik—!*

The colliding energies seared in the air.

Simultaneously, a grating sound, tearing through space, pierced my eardrums.

*Gulp.*

Truly, a moment balanced on a knife’s edge.

It was then.

-Thump.

“Hngh…!”

A fox girl, shivering uncontrollably.

She was hiccuping! Even had the hiccups as she sat slumped on the floor, trembling.

‘What’s wrong, why is she like that?’

Triangle ears, drooped and half-folded in dejection.

A silver tail, limp and stuck to the floor.

This brat.

Could it be?

“Hey.”

Twitch!

“You alright?”

“…”

Red-rimmed eyes.

Ear tips, flushed crimson.

It was certain.

This one, she’s completely spooked.

“???”

A sense of absurdity washed over me.

Wasn’t this one a beastkin?

How could a race obsessed with battle be so overwhelmed by presence that they tear up?

I don’t think I ever saw a beastkin like that in the original…

‘Huh? Wait a minute.’

It’s true that I don’t remember every single detail of the original, but I certainly remember the major plot points and key characters.

And among them, there was a beastkin.

Her name was definitely…

‘Adina.’

Adina.

The fox beastkin, who would one day occupy a throne as one of the Beast Kings, a pinnacle amongst their kind.

‘Could that coward possibly…?’

Impossible, surely?

Yet, most of Adina’s character traits in the original work matched her near perfectly.

‘Fluffy, triangular ears, a silver tail, amethyst eyes…’

And that wasn’t all.

If she truly was the Adina destined to become a Beast King, then the reason she lived isolated from her clan, hidden away in Blackmoor, could be surmised.

Adina, who had concealed herself in Blackmoor for ages immemorial, would one day join the protagonist’s party, and when she decided to reveal the reason behind her seclusion, she said—

‘I was abandoned.’

Abandoned by her own people.

The reason for her abandonment.

That was…

‘Cowardice.’

Yes.

Cowardice.

She abhorred conflict, was easily frightened, and her timid nature had led to severe ostracization from her brethren.

Ultimately abandoned by her clan, she had no choice but to exile herself to Blackmoor.

‘The only beastkin who loathed her own kind.’

I had brushed over that detail lightly when reading the original work.

But I hadn’t realized.

I never knew the reason she hid in Blackmoor was a suicidal act.

“Hey.”

“…!!!”

A prickle.

Her silver tail shot straight up, betraying her tension.

Shrunk back like a terrified wildcat, she swallowed hard and blurted out.

“I-I’ll forgive you!”

“Huh?”

“It didn’t happen, hic! I’ll pretend it didn’t happen… hic!”

“Is that so?”

“Y-yes! I’m perfectly fine! Could you just… deal with that monster… hiccup!”

A real scaredy-cat.

I barely managed to swallow the admiration that had risen to the tip of my tongue.

“So, we can be going then?”

Nod, nod!

Adina nodded desperately.

Her silver tail swayed along, matching the frantic pace.

“Ludine!”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s go.”

“Okay!”

At my signal, Ludine, who had been radiating killing intent, scurried after me.

Adina, who had been staring blankly, finally let out a sigh of relief.

“We’re heading out first.”

“…”

I turned my back without a second thought.

To heck with the Beast King or whatever, every moment was precious.

I needed to finish the exploration and get back to enjoy a leisurely rest as quickly as possible.

I really did.

“…”

Thump, thump.

“…”

Thump, thump.

‘What’s this?’

The footsteps sounded slow and deliberate.

And they were even getting closer.

Could it be?

“!!!”

Whoosh!

“Eek!”

No surprise there, then.

I caught Adina’s eye as she trailed behind, keeping her distance like a common thief.

“What are you doing?”

“…”

She moved her lips a few times, as if searching for the words.

Finally, a voice, as though wrenched from deep within her, escaped.

“…S-scared…”

What?

“H-hate being alone…”

“…”