The Hero Party’s Moms Are Obsessed With Me

Chapter 42

A gaping mouth with protruding fangs.

Long beards and sharp claws.

5-star mouse demon Ida’nil, following the direct orders of his superior, had been contaminating the World Tree. He ventured out for reconnaissance upon sensing an unusual presence and witnessed a shocking sight.

“Who are these people? And where is that place?”

Four humans he had never seen before suddenly opened a large tree trunk and went inside.

In this incomprehensible scene, Ida’nil hesitated for a moment as a raven-haired woman remained outside until the last moment.

“No way, did she notice my presence… that can’t be.”

The cloak draped over Ida’nil’s shoulders was a cloak of concealment personally granted by the Demon Lord himself.

It was a magical item that even the Elven Chief Elgeta and her contracted high-level sylph couldn’t detect.

However, without realizing it himself, he tucked his long beard around his mouth, hiding it within the cloak, and lowered his body.

As Ida’nil was engrossed in concealing himself, a child came out and held the woman’s hand.

At that moment.

“Gwaaah?!!”

1 second.

No. A short time that doesn’t even last for 1 second.

The world died.

Starting with her, the surrounding world died.

‘Even when I directly confronted the Demon King… It didn’t turn out like this…’

If only that sensation lasted a little longer.

If only that terror continued.

The 5-star demon Idaniel would have done nothing and died.

When Idaniel was engulfed by fear, the black-haired woman who caused that incident smiled as if nothing had happened.

“Thank you. Diarm. Shall we go then?”

They entered the tree.

As soon as all humans went in, the closed tree column.

The column closed, and after a while, Idaniel cautiously approached the tree.

With trembling hands, he tidied up the fur by his mouth, and then tried to grab the column.

‘Something’s off…’

There was no sensation at all.

There should be a door because it opened and closed.

No matter how much he knocked or scratched the wood with his nails, there was no response.

The only interesting thing was that the cuts on his nails quickly healed.

If the tree were split in half, it would certainly reveal the truth, but this is the elf’s forest.

If the demon him used too much magic, there was a risk of being discovered.

‘I’m not sure if using it now is the right choice… but it’s more dangerous to leave it unknown.’

Idaniel, who made up his mind, took out a key-shaped magical tool from his waist.

The moment he pierced the magical tool into the tree column.

Crackle!

“Eughhhh!!”

He fell to the ground and turned into black powder, blown away by the incoming wind.

***

As usual, Elly was leading the way and going down the stairs when Rageta petted my head.

“Diarm. It would be better for me, Rageta, to take the lead here.”

“?”

“No matter how many magical tools Ellie has, they’re still just tools. Can’t defeat a wizard.”

Although it seemed like a touching scene where Ellie was worried and trying to prevent imminent danger.

“After wiping your drool, please speak~”

In my eyes, she looked more excited than anyone else at the thought of finding an unknown dungeon and wanting to explore toys faster.

Prioritizing personal desires!

You’re abandoning the team?!

I had the same thought.

She, who was always lethargic unless it was something related to me, couldn’t refuse her demands when she showed such lively behavior.

Nodding, she playfully kissed my cheek.

Then she hummed a little song and stood next to Ellie.

“Ellie? I’ll take the lead.”

“Hmm? Why all of a sudden.”

If it was the lethargic Lagata, she would have continued the explanation with an expression of annoyance after hearing Ellie’s words.

But she, who was full of excitement, interrupted Ellie’s words abruptly.

“So, I’m offering my hand to Diarm in exchange! Go back!”

When she shouted, Ellie came to my side with a furrowed brow.

“Do you know why that guy is acting like that, lord?”

With a puzzled expression, I held her hand while saying “What’s wrong?” as she shrugged her shoulders.

That’s how the magician Lagata was at the front.

And the knight Ellie stood at the back, forming a bizarre formation as we descended the stairs.

Narrow corridors and endless stairs.

Did we descend the stairs for about 30 minutes?

According to my scientific knowledge, if you go underground, the air should become scarce or hotter, but there was none of that.

“Is it not to that extent yet?”

Anyway, as we continued downstairs, it became cooler and fresher.

Feeling a strange sensation where common sense and the environment didn’t match.

“I think we’ve arrived.”

Lagata stopped and turned to look at me.

“Ellie, how much did you introduce the dungeon to Diarm?”

“I have only given you the basics. I was planning to explain the rest when we arrived at the scene.”

“Well then, let me explain briefly.”

She switched back to teacher mode, crossing her arms and emphasizing her ample chest.

“A dungeon is the home of a magical being.

It can be created by someone or it can simply be a large cave where monsters live and eventually turn into a dungeon.”

It is artificially created by wizards or high-ranking demons for use as a laboratory or to hide something.

Or, due to the accumulation of magical power in a large cave and the residents unknowingly paying rent, it becomes a dungeon.

Because of this, it is not like a game where you can repeatedly clear it. If you release the magic inside the dungeon, it disappears.

In other words, the first person to discover it becomes the owner.

So there are no more undiscovered dungeons anymore, right?!

That could be possible, but there could also be dungeons hidden to the extent that even someone like us, Lageta, cannot find them, or dungeons could still be forming right now.

That’s as much as I know.

I was listening carefully, trying to catch any important points or special advice from Lageta.

“That’s the end.”

“…?”

Professor… haven’t we made any progress at all?

As I blinked in confusion, Lageta smiled and spoke.

“You never know what might happen, so you have to be careful on your own, right?”

Wow, it’s an open book exam~

The scope covers the overall survival…

“Hey! Lageta! How can you explain it so casually?”

“Well then, what were you going to say?”

“I was going to intentionally lure the lord into a trap and then explain the dangers of the trap and how to deactivate it one by one.”

Elli… you’re the worst…

“Then won’t that be too dangerous for the child?”

As expected of an angelic foster mother!

“Enduring hardship is part of growing up. Besides, the lord’s health regeneration has been enhanced tenfold since taking the potion, so it’s the most effective and fastest way to grow.”

“Is that so…?”

“Yes.”

Don’t succumb to the devil’s whispers! Foster mother!!

The only thing I gained from Lageta-sensei’s Dungeon Classroom, which ended abruptly, was the advice, “Always focus in dungeons.”

Well… it wasn’t wrong, I guess?

With a sigh, Lageta took out his sword and shield, flicking his fingers to attach lights one by one around us.

“I’ll take full responsibility, but if anything leaks, Wind, you block it.”

“Of course.”

The combination of the legendary sorcerer, Lageta, and the wind elemental, Wind.

From Noble mtl dot com

I slowly lowered the weapon that seemed stronger than a hero party.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you, Diem~”

And also, Sprif, the high-ranking elemental, my exclusive bodyguard.

‘In this dungeon, can I also survive on my own?’

Until now, I have always been the one in charge of our adventures.

I also did all the collecting after Ellie showed me how.

And I also did all the summarizing.

When facing monsters, I was always alone.

I even did all the treasure chest smashing.

There’s a reward after all the suffering!

“Hey, Seokshe! Let’s have a drink!”

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the happiness in my heart.

…

The buzzing surroundings suddenly became quiet.

“…?”

I opened my eyes in the silence and looked around.

But there was no one…

“Sprint!”

Even though no one else would know, I wondered if she, who could hear my voice, would react!

Sigh…

The mysterious Dungeon that Lageta doesn’t even know has completely isolated us.

If this were outside, I would have waited for Lageta to come find me.

Instead of wandering around installing things for no reason, I would have waited in this place.

“She doesn’t know this place either.”

There’s only one way to proceed now.

By the way, my luck is really terrible.

Munchkin hasn’t been this excited in a long time~.

I activated the Simplify Auto-Hunt mode, but everything seems useless…

“Is this my fate in this life… to be trapped?”

I sighed and picked up my sword and shield again, walking through the vast, empty space.

I thought that in a dungeon, there would be monsters and traps, but it’s surprisingly quiet.

It’s been about 10 minutes of walking, and nothing has happened.

Before that…

“Am I really walking?”

This underground space is too vast to be believable.

The ceiling is high, and the path stretches so far that I can’t see the end.

My legs are moving, but the surroundings remain unchanged, giving me the feeling of running in place.

I tried poking the ground with my sword and touching it with my hand, but nothing changed.

“This is getting difficult.”

Am I going to grow old and die here?

Oh, maybe I’ll starve to death before that?

Negative thoughts start to creep in as the situation remains unchanged.

Swish!

Something flew towards me.

Clang! Thud!

I barely reacted in time to block it with my shield, but I couldn’t avoid being pushed back by the powerful impact.

“Ugh! What is that?”

I managed to block the attack, but my hand felt weak.

Furthermore, the protective magic barrier on my shield, which she said could easily block attacks up to Grade 6 and even withstand Grade 7, was shattered.

That defense barrier disappeared in an instant.

As if there’s no time to be surprised, something long comes flying at me again.

With my familiar left hand, I tried to block, but my hand didn’t move as I wanted.

“Damn it!”

I threw the sword aside and raised my shield with my right hand.

Crack!

The shield, enchanted with various magic besides Lageta’s, folded in half and turned into scraps of iron.

And me, who had blocked that attack?

I soared through the sky like a home run ball.

Thunk! Thud! Clang!

I rolled across the ground.

“I’m… going to die…”