Chapter 78

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Regarding the beautiful genetic traits that went missing between me and my grandmother, aside from that, it seems that there is indeed a blood connection between my grandmother, my mother, and me.

After all, our hair and eye colors are exactly the same, so there's no denying it.

For now, I'll have the dust on the portrait cleaned with magic to prevent any damage, and then, with the help of Mr. Romanov and Viktor, we'll hang it up.

I wonder if the sunroom, now cleaned, has returned to the state my grandmother preferred when she was alive.

Well, it's definitely more comfortable now, so I'll bring Tara in from the room and let her out of the insect cage. She jumps out like a spring, looks around cautiously, and then starts building a nest near the skylight.

Tara is about the size of a child's face, but she doesn't build a huge nest. After finishing a small, hexagonal web, she uses the threads to explore the sunroom, being careful not to let them touch the portrait, which shows how smart she is.

"So, what does Tara eat?"

"Ah... apparently, she eats hornets and giant toxic moths. Once she eats, she can go without food for about a year, but I don't think that's practical."

I eat three meals a day, so I don't think it's right to go a year without eating just because it's not necessary. It might be a bit painful, but I'll consider it a necessary expense to have the Adventurer's Guild procure Tara's food.

When I mentioned this, Mr. Romanov, Viktor, and Lara formed a circle and started murmuring.

They were probably talking about me, saying things like "It's about time..." and "But he's not good at exercise..." Eventually, they all looked up.

"So, this will be an extracurricular lesson. Let's go and procure Tara's food."

"Huh...?"

"Fortunately, both the hornets and the giant toxic moths are in the Kikunoi dungeon. It's also about time for Fengdie to observe the dungeon and combat."

As I stood there, puzzled, not nodding to Mr. Romanov's words, Rottenmeier interjected.

"Please wait, sir. Young master is... not suited for combat."

"Even if he's not suited for combat, the monsters won't consider that. Moreover, since Kikunoi has a dungeon within its territory, there's a concern about a monster infestation. If that happens, Fengdie might have to lead the extermination. It's not a peaceful environment where he can avoid it just because he's not good at it."

Mr. Romanov's profile was not as gentle as usual but rather a bit stern. Sensing that Rottenmeier had caught her breath, Viktor and Lara stepped in.

"Come on, come on, it's a shock, I know. But it's something you'll have to do eventually. Fortunately, you're quite good at bestowal magic, so if you prepare your armor properly, you won't get hurt."

"Right. Not just Alyosha, but Vitya and I will go with you. The Kikunoi dungeon is beginner-friendly, so you can go with the mindset of a picnic."

Lara patted my shoulder lightly to reassure me, and Rottenmeier's furrowed brows relaxed a bit.

Then, Regulus raised his hand.

"Regulus! Regulus is going too!"

"Regulus, your brother isn't going to play. Regulus should stay with Utsunomiya, okay?"

"No! Regulus is going too!"

Regulus, who usually doesn't throw tantrums, was stomping his feet and insisting.

Before coming to Kikunoi, Regulus was known for being well-behaved and not making unreasonable demands. If he was told "No," he would look a bit disappointed but wouldn't persist.

Thinking about what to do, I held Regulus's hand.

"Listen, this isn't a play date. It might not be fun and could be scary..."

"No way! Regulus is going too!"

"Um, I'd prefer if you stayed at home..."

"No! Regulus wants to go!"

His teary, restless behavior was really rare. It was the first time I had seen him like this, so I turned to Mr. Romanov for help, and he tilted his head.

"It's fine. I said it would be like a picnic, so why don't we invite Kana and Gensan too?"

"Huh!?"

"However, we should prepare thoroughly. We'll also go to the Adventurer's Guild and take a beginner's guide course to learn about the adventurer's job."

Is that okay!?

We're going into a dungeon!?

That's dangerous!

As I was surprised, Lara and Viktor nodded.

"Well, it's not a dungeon we can't clear with us around."

"Right. We could even show you the deepest level if you want."

I was taken aback by their nonchalant words.

That's right. The teachers are state-recognized heroes and incredibly strong.

I had forgotten because I was more familiar with them doing odd jobs, chasing chickens, having snowball fights, playing in the mud, and teaching me Oklahoma Mixer and Janka dances.

It seemed that Rottenmeier, Utsunomiya, and Elise had also forgotten, as they nodded with a smile, saying, "Oh, that's right, the teachers are so strong."

Elise's ability to hide her presence was even better than Utsunomiya's.

Feeling uncomfortable with the "Oh, that's right" looks, Mr. Romanov cleared his throat.

"Yes, well, that's why we're organizing a Kikunoi dungeon tour as an extracurricular lesson. Let's bring some lunch."

"Of course, it's fine to bring something we can prepare and eat on-site."

"The participants will be me, Vitya, Alyosha, Maman, Chicky, Kana, and Gensan, right?"

"I, Utsunomiya, will also participate as Regulus's guardian!"

In response to Lara's words, Utsunomiya raised his hand. I nodded, and Rottenmeier confirmed the number of participants.

When we checked with Gensan, who had come to work, and Kana, who had come to study and play, they both agreed to participate without hesitation.

"Alright, then, Fengdie. Let's make armor for you, Regulus, and Kana as part of your bestowal magic studies."

"Yes!"

The dungeon trip is in two weeks. I wonder how much we can prepare by then.

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