Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. - Chapter 167

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 167: Why Attempt a Challenge If You Want Safety
I was falling from the sky.
“Waaahhh!”
“A sudden plunge!”
The entrance method to Sky Village.
When you gently bite the carrot at the entrance using only your lips, the ground beneath becomes distant and you’re transported to the sky floating below like this.
Falling alongside me, the two Demon-type Beings cried out.
“This is thrilling!”
“…Of all heights, we had to fall through the one I find most unbearable!”
One positive, one negative—each emotion a reflection of their nature.
Yet somehow, they were reactions that complemented one another.
“But how long are we going to keep falling?!”
“Kar, do something about this!”
The Demon King seized my waist fiercely from midair.
Despite his form being far smaller than usual, his grip remained as forceful as ever.
“Ha. With wings upon you, what cause have you to worry? In any case, patience for a moment.”
Even when a Dungeon doesn’t favor explorers, it rarely attempts to kill them the moment they enter—’almost’ never.
But of course, I’d managed to enter one of the precious few true exceptions; the Socialite had to scout from the very tutorial onwards….
—Wheesh!
A lovely cry followed, and a large-bodied eagle owl swooped down to catch us upon its back.
“Are you all right?”
A rider perched upon the creature’s neck, gripping the reins, spoke to us.
An elf with goggle-covered eyes and brown skin.
《Sturdy Eagle Owl Rider Sylpren (Fire Elf, 177 years old). An explorer belonging to the Interspecies Association’s Bright Sky Flight Squadron. A speed-obsessed madwoman who loves to fly recklessly atop her tamed Magical Beast bird.》
“Thank you for saving us.”
I smoothed down Bartimir’s windswept, disheveled hair as I greeted her.
At that, the Association member Sylpren chuckled and waved her hand dismissively.
“Not at all. In fact, even without my aid, the ‘soft wind’ that blows in this region would have guided you safely to the Village.”
“Then why did you rescue us?”
To Bartimir’s question, Sylpren raised her thumb.
“Well, I needed an excuse to do some fast flying!”
—Wheesh!
The avian Magical Beast, the Sturdy Eagle Owl, followed its master’s lead, lifting one wing lightly during the flight.
Lepikul’s face had gone pale, and he opened his mouth with a trembling voice.
“Reckless flight! I trust you yourself know such conduct to be unbecoming.”
A manner of speech reflecting the gentle, steady temperament characteristic of the Celestial race in any circumstance.
Yet the dignity of the Demon King remained woven plainly into his tone.
“However, surely you must feel great passion for the very act of ‘speeding.’ If that is so, then I am pleased as well! Provided you can enjoy it safely, without injury.”
“Then, might I increase the speed just a touch more than now?”
“…Kar, Captain!”
Lepikul, who had agreed to call me “Captain” in the presence of others, widened his eyes.
The embodiment of positivity wearing such a ‘negative’ expression—it was almost unthinkable.
I had discovered what might be called his sole weakness.
“Whoof! I can’t hold back any longer! We’ll do a few faster loops around the sky before heading down!”
Sylpren declared this like an announcement.
The Demon King sensed the zealous passion for speed welling up from positive emotion and found himself unable to refuse.
“…Your heart burns so intensely, I cannot bring myself to blow a cold wind upon it. Just two loops then. And… only slightly faster.”
“Hyah! Let’s go, Binbing!”
—Wheesh!
The Sturdy Eagle Owl, whose specialty was swift flight, beat its wings merrily as it soared.
As the rushing wind struck our faces, the speed-loving Association member spoke with delight.
“By the way, you did come looking for our Bright Sky Flight Squadron, didn’t you? Surely you didn’t come just for Sky Village’s reward?”
“Of course we came to meet all of you.”
“I knew it!”
Sky Village’s reward hardly warrants pursuit.
The Wind Stone—a rare special material in the Eastern Continent six hundred years ago, the era this Dungeon portrays.
But nowadays alchemists can mass-produce it easily, and the value has plummeted so far that you can buy ten of them for a single silver coin.
“Let’s talk in more detail once we reach the Village!”
—Wheeeesh!
The Sturdy Eagle Owl, racing at high speed, completed just two loops of the broad sky as Lepikul had requested, then headed toward the Dungeon’s hub.
A fairly sizable village formed by gathering island-like lands hovering in the sky, made possible through the use of Wind Stones—one of the rewards for clearing the Dungeon.
This was the legendary Sky Village.
“Fresh breeze, Sylpren!”
“Fresh breeze!”
After exchanging greetings warmly with the village residents, Sylpren soon landed the Sturdy Eagle Owl on a patch of earth tucked away in the village corner.
It was a modest plot—just a wooden cottage and a small vegetable garden.
“We’ve arrived!”
“Phew….”
The false Celestial-type Being descended to the ground weakly, cold sweat streaming down his face.
He knelt for a moment, so I patted his back to steady him.
“Are you all right?”
“…My stomach has certainly taken a hit, but I daresay my mind has been treated to quite the uncommon experience in equal measure.”
His expression, which had grown grave moments before, was already brightening gradually.
“One cannot live doing only what suits one’s taste. Even Talenros, who oversees the fortunes of all the world, emphasizes this truth. Having now endured something so harmful to me, surely good fortune shall roll toward me next time!”
Lepikul straightened and thrust his fist upward with force.
“When I think of the joy to come, even this discomfort begins to feel delightful!”
The most grandiose endorsement of motion sickness ever uttered.
One who transforms suffering into joy like this can achieve progress, and perhaps that is why even a mutation—despised by Demon-type Beings—could become a Demon King.
“…But that aside, help me up, would you?”
“Bartimir, I’m asking for your assistance.”
“Of course!”
I steadied the tottering Lepikul and followed Sylpren into the wooden cottage.
The interior held a reasonably well-appointed office.
A space the Bright Sky Flight Squadron occasionally used when drafting activity reports for the Coexistence Group.
“So what brings you here? Are you applying to join the Bright Sky Flight Squadron?”
Sylpren asked as she removed her goggles and set out some light refreshments.
Crack.
I answered while shelling blue peanuts.
“We’re currently doing a Coexistence Tour.”
A Coexistence Tour.
It was an activity where outsiders to the association could experience the work of various Coexistence Groups within the Interspecies Association.
With each experience, one could receive a stamp, and collecting ten or more stamps earned you generous prizes based on the total.
“A Coexistence Tour! So you’re not association members?”
“Technically speaking, that’s correct.”
I pulled my lips upward as I continued.
“But surely all of us non-human races are provisional members of the Interspecies Association, are we not?”
“Absolutely! Of course!”
“Our goal is to collect ten stamps on this Coexistence Tour and exchange them for the prize: an Association Membership Ticket.”
“Then I have no choice but to help you actively!”
Sylpren’s eyes blazed with the fervent light of a Fire Elf.
One of the association’s core ideals—”love for all except humans”—was clearly in full effect.
“Shall we start the experience right away?”
“Let’s give it a try.”
“Just wait a moment!”
The suddenly heated Elf dashed out the door.
Bartimir, quietly munching on blue peanuts, tapped my arm.
“Did you use the Coexistence Tour as an excuse on purpose so that speedster doesn’t catch on?”
“It’s not entirely an excuse. I genuinely wanted to experience it once.”
The Association Membership Ticket is decent enough, but the prize available when collecting fifty or more stamps is quite extraordinary.
Naturally, the experiences themselves were excellent stimuli too.
How was one supposed to endure the Extreme Flame Marathon, disrupting witches’ gatherings, infiltrating the Worm Pits, bare-knuckle fighting tournaments, and more?
“However, we also needed a natural approach that wouldn’t make Brightfeather feel any hesitation toward us.”
“Seems like they’re a bit shy about new people?”
“Something like that, roughly speaking.”
I was popping peanuts into Bartimir’s mouth one by one when Sylpren returned from outside.
She held two wing-shaped devices in both arms.
《Masterwork – Bright Sky Flight Squadron Wings》
《When equipped, it allows you to soar through the sky.》
“Let’s each put one of these on!”
Sylpren thrust the wing devices toward us.
Shoulders bobbing, breath quickening.
The joy of a seasoned instructor discovering a novice who had everything yet to learn radiated through her entire frame.
I stepped out of the office and fastened the wing apparatus to my back as instructed.
Lepikul had celestial wings of his own, so only Bartimir and I needed to wear the devices.
“Our Bright Sky Flight Squadron’s experience is, of course, all about ‘flying’!”
The swift elf perched atop the Sturdy Eagle Owl that had been resting outside pointed toward the distant sky.
“First we’ll do some basic flight practice, and then we’ll hunt down the herds of magical beasts that occasionally swarm into the village!”
“Wow, hunting too?”
“…So we are to hunt as well.”
I could feel the two Demon-type Beings’ moods racing off in entirely opposite directions.
I leaned in close to Lepikul’s ear and whispered.
“If it’s uncomfortable for you, you’re welcome to stay here.”
“No! The more my body suffers now, the greater the fortune that will roll in later. I’m coming!”
Doubt stirred in me—that level of positivity might actually stem from a mental condition rather than genuine optimism.
“Shall we depart then?”
Sylpren’s face lit up with barely contained eagerness to take flight.
“I’ll teach you how to use the wings! First, picture yourself flying through the sky, and then transmit your will with plenty of composure!”
The fire elf fluttered her hands to mime flying and pointed to her own back with her thumb.
“Even if you fail at flying and plummet to the ground, the emergency safety device built into the wings will activate, so you needn’t worry!”
“Hmm, I actually find that rather unfortunate.”
“Pardon?”
“Wouldn’t the fruit of a ‘successful flight’ shine all the brighter if there were genuine risk of crashing to earth?”
Safe challenge.
It was as meaningless as ‘an exploration undertaken without accepting the possibility of death.’
If there were no perilous elements that could truly threaten one’s life, there would be no reason to attempt something ordinarily left undone.
“Right, exactly.”
“As expected of Commander Kar.”
Bartimir and Lepikul both nodded in agreement at my side.
For the first time, they were of one mind.
“Wow, you Half-Elves really do understand something about this!!”
And Sylpren, sharing the same opinion, launched into a rapid stream of words.
“Exactly! If you want safety, there’s no point in flying! The real thrill is knowing you might suddenly meet the earth while soaring through the sky—isn’t that the very essence of flight?”
“Then could you perhaps remove the safety device?”
“Of course I can!”
Her face now visibly brighter, the fire elf stripped away the cowardly safety apparatus from the wing device.
She took Bartimir’s off as well.
I found myself wishing I could commission a mage with time on their hands to research the principle of ‘how madness begets madness.’
“Practice thoroughly!”
I moved the wings according to the instructions she’d given.
Awkward at first, but thanks to my prosthetic limb and the skill of conveying will to additional body parts, I grew comfortable with it quickly.
“Like this?”
Bartimir, though slower than I, mastered the art of taking flight without difficulty.
“Are you ready?”
Sylpren, who had been bouncing on her haunches while waiting, suddenly asked.
“Ready enough.”
“By the way, you can keep those wings! They’re normally for rental, but since you’re people who know something, I’ll just give them to you!”
I’d acquired a tool that would prove useful in future expeditions.
It was so expensive that even Odillon would need time to deliberate before buying it—so even if the recruitment failed, this was a profitable trade.
“Let’s go!”
Whoosh!
The Sturdy Eagle Owl beat its wings with force and soared upward.
We followed, launching ourselves into the air.
Precarious, yes—and all the more thrilling for it.
“Bartimir, if we fall like this, it’s instant death for sure. I might barely survive, if I’m lucky.”
“Don’t envy me! I’m not going to fail anyway!”
“Bartimir, I admire your spirit! A challenger who fears failure can never reach the heights!”
Warmth and harmony.
The Moon Expedition Party’s first unit group, our aerial gathering, drifted leisurely through the sky and exchanged unhurried conversation.
I sighed inwardly—Odillon’s insistence on not sending just Bartimir and me alone had been sound, but the only reinforcement available was an obscure demon king, which meant there was no controlling the situation.
“You seem quite accustomed to it now!”
By then, Sylpren had circled the sky once over and pointed toward the eastern horizon, where the sun was beginning to drift.
“We’ll head that way now! Some of our members should be hunting flying Magical Beasts about this time!”
I flew skyward at Sylpren’s lead, whooshing through the air.
How far had we traveled?
— Kweee!
— Kyiii!
In the distance, a flock of white-bodied birds filled the sky, thick as clouds.
《Cloud Bird (Level 1)》
《An avian-type Magical Beast with a fluffy, cloud-like body. Individual specimens are relatively weak, but they possess a troublesome ability to fuse their bodies together to form stronger entities.》
“They’re a swarm that visits the Sky Village regularly and consistently!”
Sylpren drew out an elegantly-shaped Curved Blade from subspace.
“Just eliminate any that stand out! Please don’t get too close!”
— Whoosh!
The elf swung her hand, pulled back on the reins, and shot forward at speed.
I watched the cheerful elf and the Magical Beasts recede behind us, then opened my mouth.
“Let’s hunt while we move, and approach naturally.”
I accelerated toward the flock of Cloud Birds, scattering Black Lightning in all directions.
Crackle-pop!
“Sky—guuhhhh!”
“An aerial engagement!”
Bartimir attacked with his fists, while Lepikul wielded the Rain Trident to hunt the Cloud Birds.
— Kyeee!
True to their Level 1 nature, the Cloud Bird flock was pathetically fragile, but there were far too many of them.
At this rate, even a full day of hunting wouldn’t bring us face-to-face with our recruitment target, so I had no choice but to resort to extreme measures.
— Kyaack!
“Good grief!”
I deliberately ignored the approach of the Cloud Birds, and a beak attack landed on one of my wings.
Crunch!
Part of my left wing shattered.
The weight became unbalanced, and I lost equilibrium in midair, flailing wildly.
— Kyiii!
— Kee!
The swarm of Magical Beasts, sensing easy prey in my struggle, descended upon me.
“Planning to practice falling, are we?”
“Enjoy yourself moderately, Captain Kar.”
Perhaps it was due to my usual dissolute conduct.
My companions watched me slowly descend toward the ground without alarm or rushing to my aid.
Truth be told, the recruitment operation was merely a pretext—I genuinely craved the thrill of a genuine, life-threatening plunge—so I couldn’t entirely fault my two Demon-type Being companions for their apathy toward danger.
“Bartimir, you’re really falling—!”
“…Mom!”
When I waved my hand and called out, Bartimir finally started in alarm and came flying.
But the flock of Cloud Birds had already closed in.
— Kyeee!
“If you’re going to eat me, please start by tearing out my heart.”
Several Cloud Birds bit at my body with their beaks.
Whoooosh!
An arrow came flying.
Loosed in a graceful arc, it pierced through the Cloud Birds surrounding me with perfect precision.
The technique was nothing short of acrobatic artistry.
I immediately turned my gaze toward the direction the arrow had come from.
‘…As expected.’
In the very midst of the chaotic fluttering of the Cloud Bird swarm.
A parrot-type being, small of frame, held a bow nearly as large as itself, drawing back the bowstring.
“Are you alright!?”
Meeting for the first time, and yet so welcome.
《Interspecies Association Member Brightfeather (parrot-type being, 28 years old). Living a leisurely life alongside members of the Bright Sky Flight Squadron without great ambition. This appears to be the talented individual you sought.》
Brightfeather.
My first meeting with the explorer among my Hunter-class companions who ranked highest in points.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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