I asked Crescent Moon to get Pick and Knopf.
　Luckily, Knopf was inside her windmill.
　As she didn’t have any special plans she said she would participate in the year-end dungeon exploration.

“Still, Carlo……I mean, Akatsuki-san’s improvement in magic is remarkable.”

“It’s thanks to Knopf who often taught me.”

“Still, this is too fast. I guess the spirit’s power is also relevant. Though I had to go through so many hardships”

Right, the practice I did here, considerably improved my magic!
　Looks like it’s because of my spirit, the salamander, Reus.
　Right now he just looks like a small lizard.

　While talking about such things we walked towards the agreed upon place where Crescent Moon and Pick were already waiting.

“Big bro Akatsuki! Thanks for inviting me”

　Pick waved at me in a grand fashion as I approached.

“Sorry for inviting you so suddenly”

“I’m fine whenever! It seems like big bros Bass and Drum already have plenty to do, hehehe”

As she said so Pick told an inside joke.
　Well, from someone else’s view this might sound normal.
　Doji who was late rode on a horse.
　He properly carried his huge axe on his back.
　Added to Doji’s weight everything is considerably heavy and the horse seems to have a hard time.

“I successfully completed my mission”

“Good work. Pick, Knopf, this is Doji. Try to get along.”

“I’m Akatsuki-sama’s right-hand man, Doji”

　After the self-introductions were over the five of use departed and first, rode to the Orléa hill.

“Hey, hey, big bro, is that tall man really big bro’s right-hand man?”

　On our trip I heard Pick talking to me in a low voice.

“Hmm, well, yeah. Right-hand man or whatever, he’s a reliable guy”

“Though I can hardly imagine that. He looks like a doggie”

　Pick gave Doji some doubtful looks for an instant.
　Though I can see where you’re coming from but he’s a good guy.

“Even with the way I look I’m useful. I’m good at pickpocketing and even picking locks”

　No, I don’t really need you to pickpocket.
　Well, though I won’t particularly stop her because I’m a villain.
　But as I thought this kind of feels like rivalry.

“I got it, I got it. I’m also counting on you”

“Really? Then is it fine for me to be your right hand as well?!”

　Then I would need two right arms.
　I’m not an Asura statue, you know?

“As Doji is already my right hand how about I make you my left hand?”

“Though the right hand sounds cooler but okay. Well, then I’m big bro’s left-hand little sister!”

　Left-hand little sister, I don’t know what I should think of that.
　But rejecting her doesn’t seem to lead anywhere as she is persistent so I agree to it for now.

“Well, let’s go with that”

“Hehe, I did it! I’ll go brag to big brothers Drum and Bass later”

　Pick was full of smiles.
　I’m sure my seniors will get noisy again saying it’s unfair.
　Haa, just thinking about it is a pain.

“The view is nice around here but when night falls it’ll be quite desolate”

　As we were climbing up the Orléa hill, Doji suddenly muttered that.

“Wha, what’s with that so suddenly?”

　Crescent Moon who heard Doji looked at him weirdly.

“No, I just thought that this place somewhat feels like a place where ghosts might appear”

　Doji was talking carelessly.

“Why are you saying things like that now?”

　Not only Crescent Moon but Pick was also frowning.
　Looks like they suffered a trauma from that time.
　Well, it can’t be helped as Doji doesn’t know about last time’s incident.

“Crescent Moon, didn’t you tell ghost stories before as well?”

　As I heard what she said Crescent Moon wore an expression showing she doesn’t want to remember it.

“Don’t remind me, that story is already troublesome enough”

“Eh, what’s the story about? If everybody already knows about it I want to hear it as well”

　Without being able to read the mood Doji came closer.
　Knopf who also wasn’t able to read the mood answered.

“In the past there was a huge battle around here and a large number of people seemed to have died here”

“As I thought. I’m sensitive to that kind of stuff. I’m naive, that’s why.”

　The word naive doesn’t have anything to do with that!
　I mean, I’m amazed that you even know that word.

“Well, let’s stop already. From this point on we will go into that place.”

　Crescent Moon sighed as she pointed toward the building which looked more like a ruin.
　It’s the priestess of darkness, Kitora’s church.

　Kon, Kon……Giii
　Even after I knocked on the door there was no answer so I pulled on the doorknob and it opened while making this sound.
　That dark room didn’t change at all since the last time we came here.
　Some floor boards were torn off and one could still see traces of a bonfire.

“It looks like it got somewhat damaged”

　Doji looked around the room but no one reacted to his comment.
　Well, that’s natural, because it was us who damaged it like that.

“No one’s here…… How about we check the back room?”

“Wa, wait a minute! Going in there isn’t a good idea!”

　Crescent Moon hastily stopped Doji who was about to enter the back rooms.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“Ehm, look, there are lots of things back there”

“I don’t get what you’re talking about”

　Pick had also trouble explaining this.
　Surely a lot of things were made with the “material” we gathered during our last exploration.
　Also I wonder how angry Kitora will get if we were to destroy those things again.
　But it’s kind of troublesome to explain the whole story to Doji from the beginning to end.
　Kitora will probably return soon as well, right?

“Anyway, Doji, we’ll wait here”

“Will someone come here?”

　Or rather, she lives here.

“Well, something like that”

“Then should we make a fire and eat here?”

　While looking at the place where we made a bonfire before, Doji said such things.
　We absolutely can’t do that!

“No, let’s make a fire outside. But first, we should wait here a little while longer.”

　Just when I finished that sentence the door opened making a loud sound.

“You, what on earth are you doing here again?! How many days have passed since that time?!”

　The beautiful girl wearing black gothloli clothes pointed her forefinger towards me with a force that seemed to give of a whack sound.
　Her figure with her left hand on her waist looks brilliant……or something, it’s not like you think.

“Ah, no, since then many things happened.”

“Do you know what position you’re in? You owe me. Did you forget that maybe?”

“Of course I haven’t forgotten but a lot happened.”

　Right, various things happened.
　I went to the Fawn Pavilion and enjoyed Felicia’s song and dance and then I went to the Moulin Rouge were I had my hand grasped by Rozea.
　Above all, there was the important mission of finishing Operation DDT with Elsa.
　I had to unwillingly put that on hold.
　So even if I forgot about it for a moment you shouldn’t blame me that much (cries).

“Aha, what would that be? Generally, what “things” do suspicious looking people like you have to do?”

　I don’t want to be called a suspicious person by someone who works as a Priest of Darkness!

“Wait a sec. That rude way of talking directed towards Akatsuki-sama, his right-hand man won’t allow it”

　Doji stood in front of Kitora who thrust her finger in my direction.
What a brave man you are.

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