The LV.99 Middle Boss, Starts His Second Life with Subordinates!

　At a small eatery where we entered to escape the eyes of the merchants after the Tofu fiasco.

“Travelers, your food is ready.” (Granny)

　After several minutes of waiting at the table, an elderly woman with a hunched back brought me a steamy plate.

　The aroma was mouth-watering.

“Hey, this is…” (Alraune)

“Looks delicious!” (Kyuuketsu)

“Gnocchi with cored potatoes in a cheese sauce made from the milk of six-eyed goats, nothing too fancy.” (Granny)

“No, this is a big deal!”

　 I brushed aside the granny’s modesty and said in admiration.

　It’s not that big of a deal?—You’re kidding!

　The cored potatoes were formed into a reasonable size and covered with a sensational white sauce!

　A home-cooked meal that whets the appetite like this is not something that can be made overnight!

“Thank you for the meal!”

　We all said those words at the same time, stuck our forks into the potatoes, and devoured our food.

　Of course, naturally.

“Delicious!”

　It’s not exciting, it’s not new,

　However, it whets the appetite.

“Oh, this is delicious… If I don’t use fire, I can make it…” (Alraune)

“It’s delicious!” (Kyuuketsu)

“Um, this is… I was surprised, what a sublime sauce!”

“Oh my, you guys must be really hungry. Here, little boy, this is cored potato soup.” (Granny)

“This is the cored potato soup…… it’s even thicker and darker than I’ve heard! It’s so black! But it’s delicious! The spices work together!”

“There is some extra, so eat some more.” (Granny)

“Hmm? Ah, no… Madame? I’m sorry I still have soup…”

“There is still more soup on the house.” (Granny)

“Oh, that, Madame…”

　The granny with a gentle smile, however, did not listen to my words at all and added black soup to the bowl.

　I can only smile in the face of dishes that clearly exceed the capacity of my little stomach.

“Why does that Grandma keep feeding Narugoa?” (Alraune)

“Grandmas want to feed young kids for some reason.” (Kyuuketsu)

“Ah.” (Alraune)

　Al and Kyuu-chan were poking at the gnocchi as if it were something else.

　I’d like to ask them for help, but they seem to be unreliable.

“(Sorry sergeant.)”

“(Don’t worry, since it’s delicious)” (Sergeant)

　It’s Sergeant who can be relied on in times like this.

　I took advantage of the old woman’s distraction and poured the food into the backpack at my feet.

　Sergeant, who was hiding in the backpack, took the food into his transparent body and digested it very quickly.

　Thanks to him, I’ll be able to finish my meal without feeling bloated.

　Just as I was thinking that.

“… Recently, we haven’t had any luck at all.” (Jilheart)

“That’s right, Jill Heart…” (Elma)

　I heard a deep sigh from the table next to me.

　If you look at it, a man and woman are poking the gnocchi with a distracted expression.

　I wonder how long they’ve been doing that, the cheese sauce is getting cold and it’s starting to harden.

　They look… familiar.

　This is the party of two heroes who came to conquer the Bewildering Forest but were successfully repelled.

　Jilheart, a magic swordsman, and Elma, a healer.

　I also played a part in their repulsion, I was wondering if I should hide my face for a moment, but when I thought about it, we should have never seen face to face, so I stopped myself.

　As he plays with the potatoes with the tip of a fork, Jilheart says with melancholy,

“A little while ago, the recommended level of capture was 8… This time it was 15, I never thought I would have to escape from low-level dungeons twice in such a short period of time…” (Jilheart)

“That’s right, Jilheart…” (Elma)

　Hmm, I whispered a voice of admiration from inside me.

　Certainly, the average level of those two people should have exceeded 30, and there was a dungeon that went and repelled them.

　I wonder if they developed an innovative trap, if their monsters (employees) are working together so well, or if a talented mid-boss (manager) has been transferred.

　Anyway, it was great that they were able to overcome a party of heroes with an average level of 30.

　Perhaps there will be a revision of the recommended attack level soon.

　I’m not sure what to say, but I’d like to congratulate the dungeon as a former mid-level boss.

　However, I don’t remember any dungeons around here that have a recommended level of around 15…

“Did you challenge the Inanaki Sacred Mountain, you two?” (Granny)

　When I looked, Granny who had somehow moved behind them asked with a soft smile on her face.

　The Inanaki Sacred Mountain – I’ve never heard of this dungeon.

　It must have been built in the last hundred years.

“Oh, we needed a lot of money… but we failed.” (Jilheart)

“I’m sorry to hear that. You should eat this to cheer yourself up.” (Granny)

“This is… Cored potato soup? We didn’t order…” (Jilheart)

“That’s okay, it’s a consolation prize.” (Granny)

“Haha… a consolation prize…” (Jilheart)

“Thank you…” (Elma)

　Jill Heart and Elma smiled bitterly.

“Well, don’t get too carried away, that place hasn’t been conquered in a very long time.” (Granny)

“How many years?” (Jilheart)

“Well, it’s been around since I can remember, but I’ve never seen it happen.” (Granny)

“Sixty years for a dungeon. That’s a long time to live.” (Jilheart)

“That’s because they’re all good-natured.” (Granny)

“Good-natured?” (Jilheart & Elma)

　Jilheart and Elma repeated her words at about the same time.

　The old woman said in a gentle tone as if she were talking about her own child.

“It’s kind of hard to hate them because sometimes they come down to the village and misbehave, but it’s just like an idle prank.” (Granny)

“A prank… mischief? Monsters? Attacking people?” (Jilheart)

“They startle people on the street, that’s about it.” (Granny)

“What, do they take your food?” (Jilheart)

“I used to cook for them because they’d give me vegetables I’d never seen before, but they don’t come down here much anymore.” (Granny)

　Granny’s tales left Jilheart and Elma speechless, their mouths hanging open.

　Alraune, Kyuu-chan, and Sergeant seem to be listening as well, and just like me were surprised to hear that.

“(… Hey Narugoa, what does this mean? Is there such a thing as a dungeon that doesn’t attack people or take their food?)” (Alraune)

“(Um, um, I’ve never heard of this either, but does it mean that… it has its own non-aggression pact with the surrounding towns?)”

“(I’ve never heard of an agreement to share food.)” (Sergeant)

“(I’m amazed… that such a mysterious dungeon exists.)” (Kyuuketsu)

　Kyuu-chan, who had a lot of gnocchi in her mouth, closed the conversation with a really serious tone.

“I was surprised that such a dungeon exists…” (Jilheart)

“Your mouth is hanging open…” (Elma)

“That’s how all travelers react.” (Granny)

　The old woman chuckled.

　However, Jilheart whispered differently.

“…I didn’t see it as a place with a peaceful atmosphere.” (Jilheart)

　He muttered, but apparently Granny couldn’t hear it.

　――It’s at that time.

“Hey?”

　A young boy came out from the back of the store and rushed towards me.

　He was probably the same age as me, or maybe a little younger.

　The boy hobbled over to us and placed a plate on our table.

　On the plate was a white, square, mysterious object.

　I guessed it was food, given that it was on the plate…

“It’s unusual, Cain, to see you in front of a customer, did you want to be friends with the little boy?” (Granny)

“Is he your grandson?” (Alraune)

　Alraune asked, but Granny shook her head

“I took him in about two years ago, he was lost and probably had no one to look after him.” (Granny)

“What do you mean, ‘probably’?”

“He doesn’t speak, Cain is the name I gave him myself.” (Granny)

“I see…”

　It’s true that the boy has unfamiliar features compared to the people in this area.

“Sometimes, when I get a customer we like, we serve them food like this, and of course we don’t take any money, so please help yourself to it.” (Granny)

“Well, that boy there… By the way, what kind of food is this?”

“That’s to…” (Granny)

“–excuse me” (New Customer)

　Granny’s words were interrupted by a very dignified woman’s voice that echoed throughout the restaurant.

　We all turned around at once.

　Then, see an unfamiliar-looking woman wearing an unusually large wooden hat that hides her eyes.

“Welcome, sit wherever you like.” (Granny)

“…” (New Customer)

　The woman ignores Granny’s words and strolls into the store.

　Then, without hesitation, she walked over to me and looked down at me—

“Huh?”

　Wut?

　She put her arms around my sides, lifted me easily, and then held me in her arms.

“–Sorry!” (New Customer)

　Leaving with just that, she leaped out of the store.

　Of course, she’s still holding me.

“…” (Everyone)

　As I was leaving, I saw everyone staring at me with blank expressions on their faces.

　The woman with me in her arms left the store and slipped into the first alley.

“”Narugoa was kidnapped!?”” (Alraune & Kyuuketsu)

　The shouts that came from the cozy diner echoed through the main street of the town of Canal.