“Ahhhhh!”
He never wanted to experience this toilet-bowl perspective a second time.
Spinning head over heels, Li Xiuman couldn't help but complain in his heart.
And Number Zero! He hadn't retrieved his Number Zero yet!
There was definitely something wrong with that water spirit's brain. Without a word of warning, she had flushed them away like actual sewage.
Leaving him zero opportunity to retrieve Number Zero.
Wait, he sensed Number Zero's aura...
How did it get flushed out too...
And this aura... was it the blessing of the water spirit?
Oh no. His Number Zero had been cursed too!
Jealous of his intellect, placing an intelligence-lowering curse on him wasn't enough? She wasn't satisfied until she laid her hands on Number Zero as well?!
That was dirty play!
After enduring countless hardships, Number Zero had finally gained a tiny spark of intelligence, only to suffer such a calamity right away.
Number Zero, I'm coming to save you!
Don't worry. No matter how low your intelligence drops, Dad will always love you.
As Li Xiuman swam toward Number Zero, he prayed from the bottom of his heart that Number Zero hadn't fallen victim to the intelligence-lowering curse.
As he drew closer to Number Zero, Li Xiuman finally noticed the situation.
At this moment, Number Zero was surrounded by Brad and his group, who were showering it with concern.
“Miss Xiuman, are you all right?”
“Miss Xiuman, do you want to dry your head? I have a towel here.”
“Who wants a towel from you smelly men? Sister Xiuman, use mine.”
“...”
Maintaining an aloof demeanor, Number Zero nodded to Mia, took the towel from her hands, and began drying its hair.
What was going on? What in the world was happening here?
Looking at this, he seemed more like the one who had gotten lost!
And Number Zero, stop showing your face and deepening the misunderstanding!
The flexible steel wire I used for your hair is made of hydrophobic material! Why on earth do you need to wipe it?!
“I can't let this continue. I have to swap back with Number Zero.”
“Dammit, can those guys stop sneaking peeks at my Number Zero like perverts?!”
After drying its hair, Number Zero handed the towel back and put its hood back on.
This finally gave Li Xiuman a chance to quietly swap back.
“We finally found it... the Spirit Spring.”
“Captain, congratulations! Your sister can be saved now!”
“Next, there's no time to lose. Let's return to the Royal Capital as soon as possible, Captain.”
Brad touched the bottle containing the Spirit Spring water at his chest, a smile emerging at the corners of his lips.
“Yeah. Thank you, everyone, for all your help along the way.”
Brad bowed earnestly to the group.
“Why are you thanking us? If you really want to thank someone, thank Miss Xiuman.”
“Miss Xiuman, it's all thanks to you this time.”
“I, Brad, will keep your life-saving kindness in mind forever.”
Looking at the sincere Brad before him, Li Xiuman's non-existent corners of his mouth twitched.
If he dropped the "Miss" suffix, this kind of expression of gratitude would actually make him pretty happy.
Please stop waifu-ifying me in your minds! There's no future in gender-bending a skeleton!
(If even cockroaches can be anime-girled, what's a skeleton?!)
“We simply got what we each needed.”
Li Xiuman waved a hand, indicating he didn't care.
“If Miss Xiuman ever encounters any trouble in the future, feel free to come to the Royal Capital and find me.”
“No, no, no! Captain, don't hog all the spotlight!”
“Miss Xiuman, if you have any problems in the future, you can come to the Royal Capital to find me too!”
“Me as well!”
“If you ever encounter an evil curse, you must come to the Royal Capital and find me! I'm actually pretty good at Holy Light Purification, Sister Xiuman.”
Looking at the people before him, Li Xiuman was moved almost to tears.
They were all good people, good people!
Mainly, though, those ten thousand gold coins had pushed Li Xiuman's favorability toward them sky-high.
Li Xiuman—a special NPC of this magical world.
Unlike other NPCs whose favorability system had limits, as long as there were gold coins, the favorability of this special NPC could be raised indefinitely!
“When I go to the Royal Capital, I'll definitely look for you.”
“It's a deal.”
“It's a deal.”
“Well then, let's head out of the dungeon.”
“Yeah, let's leave the dungeon.”
“We'll have to trouble Miss Xiuman again.”
“...Wait, though saying this now kind of ruins the atmosphere...”
“...Captain, did you forget something?”
Mia said, looking at Brad, who looked ready to walk straight out of the dungeon.
“Forgot something...”
“Oh, look at my memory!”
Brad slapped his forehead and pulled out a Lantes Kingdom gold coin valued at 2,000.
“Miss Xiuman, this is the reward promised earlier.”
“As for the ten thousand gold coins, I might not be able to produce them right away, so I'll need a little time.”
Li Xiuman took the gold coin, his favorability toward Brad rising another notch.
What a generous guy!
“...Captain, that's not what I was talking about.”
“When we first entered, Cretin was still outside guarding the steel cable for us!”
“...”
The atmosphere grew slightly awkward.
“...How could I possibly forget?!”
“Isn't going to get him exactly what I was about to do?!”
“I'll definitely compensate him properly this time.”
Going back to pick up the forgotten team member made Li Xiuman question this party's cohesion.
What a bizarre team.
Passing through the whirlpool, they swam upward floor by floor.
Because others were present, even upon reaching Floor 30, Li Xiuman couldn't use the Dungeon Core's teleportation ability to teleport directly to Floor 1.
He had no choice but to head up floor by floor alongside Brad and the others.
As human warrior-class individuals, Brad and his group lacked both the spiritual stamina and species traits to march and fight continuously for long periods, requiring rest along the way.
It took them ten full days to traverse thirty floors and reach the dungeon entrance.
What greeted their eyes was White Crystal City, entirely blanketed in white snow.
Having spent over half a month inside the dungeon, coming outside to see White Crystal City covered in snow gave him a dreamlike feeling, as if an age had passed.
It felt strangely surreal.
“What beautiful snow.”
“Yeah.”
“Miss Xiuman, could you give me an address?!”
Brad suddenly shouted to Li Xiuman, his face flushing slightly red.
Behind his back, his teammates were nudging him and snickerering quietly.
“...”
At this moment, Li Xiuman kind of wanted to bring Number Zero back out to substitute for him again.
Dammit, dammit!
Number Zero, once I get back home, you're dead meat!
I'm going to teach you a severe lesson! How dare you set me up like this?!
“Miss Xiuman, don't misunderstand!”
“I don't mean anything weird! I just want to send you letters from time to time!”
“After all, I still owe you a sum of money.”
“Staying in touch makes things easier. That way, if you ever come to the Royal Capital, I'll know in advance!”
“And we can throw a welcoming feast for you together!”
Under Li Xiuman's scrutinizing stare, Brad finished his words, his heart pounding rapidly.
How terrifying! Miss Xiuman's aura!
It's practically like a monster's! Is she angry?!
Oh no! Was I being too frivolous after all?!
Li Xiuman pulled out The Skeleton's Magic Book, tore off a corner piece, wrote down an address, and tossed it to Brad.
Then, casting a brief gaze over the crowd, he departed.
Rate on N.U.
