However, the combat power of these two surpasses that of the monsters I faced earlier.
Being attacked by them would be game over, just the same.
In fact, the situation might have even worsened.
Yet, somehow, I understood.
This is where my battle really begins.
"…Why are you…?"
"…Crow-san?"
Cineraria and Jasmine are frozen in shock, their eyes wide at finding me in the deepest part of the dungeon they infiltrated.
They probably don't fully grasp the situation.
So, what's their move?
I know their objective.
Though we've only met a few times before, these two, along with Amaranth, have been regularly clearing dungeons that appear and using Cineraria's Underworld Sword to subjugate the monsters within.
In the process, they also enhance their proficiency as saintly sword wielders through repeated combat with the monsters.
To my eyes, Iris, Saffron, and Heath appear as geniuses.
And even when compared to Instructor Cattleya and Platanus, who have rich combat experience, the two in front of me seem even stronger.
It's not so much a difference in talent as it is in the sheer number of battles they've fought against monsters.
In other words, if they attack, it's instant death.
However, unlike monsters, they can be reasoned with.
With Holly's possesshion enhancing my physical abilities, even if it's just once, I might be able to outmaneuver them.
So, together with Holly, I watch and wait for their next move, on guard for whatever action the witch and the nun before us might take.
"Why are you here? How did you make it this far?"
Cineraria approaches, carrying her scythe-shaped Underworld Sword on her shoulder.
"Answer truthfully. You might be somewhat trained, but you couldn't have dealt with the dungeon's monsters on your own. Where are the people who protected you up to here?"
"…I'm alone. There's no one else."
The moment I answer, Cineraria points the tip of her Underworld Sword at me.
"…!"
The Underworld Sword isn't just a scythe; it has a spear tip as well.
She pressed that tip against my neck.
"Don't lie! It's impossible for you to have come to this place all by yourself!"
With the Underworld Sword at my neck, I had no choice but to remain silent.Cineraria, who always leaves a dangerously impresshionable image, looks even more perilous than usual this time. In fact, she seems inexplicably irritable.
"Stop taking it out on others, Cineraria. Doing so won't improve our situation."
"Tch! Just when we finally made it to the deepest part... And then we find this trash here, which doesn't help us at all."
"Now's not the time to waste our effort on killing this 'trash', is it? Put away your Underworld Sword."
Despite the harsh way they're talking about me, listening to their conversation helped me understand why Cineraria was in a bad mood.
Probably, they entered the dungeon alright but were frustrated by their inability to reach its deepest part quickly.
And when they finally did, instead of finding the dungeon's boss, they found me, leaving them without a means to dissolve the dungeon, and utterly dismayed.
Cineraria, having sheathed her Underworld Sword, ignores me and starts discussing with Jasmine.
"So, what should we do now? Continue searching for the dungeon's boss?"
"I think we should retreat. Both of us are nearly depleted of magical power. Facing the dungeon's boss in this state, victory seems unlikely."
"But even if we decide to retreat, how do we go back? We've run out of food and water, haven't we? It took us three days to get here, right?"
"It's either starve on our way back or bet on the boss being nearby."
"Even if we choose to return, do you remember the way we came?"
"I do not."
"Then, trying to go back might just lead us to get lost and die miserably."
"However, there's no guarantee the dungeon's boss is nearby, and for all we know, the deepest part could be even longer and more complex than the path we've already taken."
"Tch! There's no way we can conquer this dungeon!"
I listened to their conversation in silence, but I couldn't help but smirk as they detailed their predicament without me even asking. It seemed almost as if they were explaining their situation to me.
This might just be a stroke of luck, for both me and them.
After all, if Holly guides us, we can take the shortest route to the exit.
And if I can enlist their protection along the way, all three of us might be able to escape the dungeon."…Holly. How long would it take to get to the exit from here?"
"…If we take the shortest route, it should take about a day by walking."
Let's try to negotiate.
It wouldn't be a bad deal for them either, to be able to escape in a day.
"Excuse me, could I have a moment…"
"Shut up! You stay quiet!"
That was Cineraria's first response to my attempt to speak.
Perhaps due to malnutrition and lack of sleep, her complexion and mood seemed worse than ever.
"I can guide you to the exit. Shall I?"
"…Now that you mention it, you did have a way to navigate the dungeon using the shortest route…"
Good, good.
Finally, they're taking the bait.
Now we can negotiate.
But then, Cineraria once again presses the tip of her Underworld Sword against my neck.
"Tell me how you plan to navigate the dungeon using the shortest route… Or I'll kill you."
"What!? No!"
That didn't go well.
It just made the situation worse.
"Hurry up! Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
"…"
This is bad.
She's the most dangerous woman I've ever dealt with.
I never expected her to be this hysterical.
"Enough, Cineraria!"
As I was getting increasingly nervous, Jasmine grabbed Cineraria's shoulder and shouted at her.
"You can't expect him to tell you anything with that kind of request! What if he gives us false information?"
"I just find this guy irritating…! A useless nobody trying to use others to his advantage! Look at him! Despite being such a weakling, he's got women at his beck and call. It makes me want to kill him!"
"Don't drag me into your personal feelings, please? We should at least let him guide us to the exit. Be mature, Cineraria."
"Damn…! I'll tolerate him until we reach the exit…"
Wait a minute.
They seem to have come to a conclushion, but does this mean they plan to kill me after I guide them?
"…Crow-san…"
Jasmine speaks to me, holding my right hand with both of hers.
"Please guide us. Of course, we guarantee your safety during the journey and after we escape. Even if Cineraria tries to kill you, I will protect you."
"…Yeah."
I don't trust this at all.I feel like once we've escaped, I'll be deemed expendable and potentially left for dead.
Well, if it comes to that, I'll just have Holly possess me and run away with all my might.
Fortunately, Cineraria hasn't summoned any undead creatures in the dungeon, nor does she have any zombies with her.
Cineraria's Underworld Sword can manipulate the dead, and Jasmine's Healing Sword can heal wounds, but these two divine swords, unlike the Flame Burst Sword or the Icebound Sword, cannot perform long-distance attacks.
If I run away quickly, I should be able to escape. Probably.
So, I ended up moving through the dungeon with Cineraria and Jasmine, guided by Holly.
It's always something I think about, but I never imagined things would turn out like this.
Facing a myriad of unexpected situations, but escorting two women who are technically my enemies through this labyrinth to escape is something else.
It's odd enough aiming for the exit from the deepest part, but moving with enemies as escorts is beyond anything I could have predicted.
"Crow... Are you sure about relying on those women?"
"...It's better than moving alone..."
I whispered back to Holly, but it seems Cineraria and Jasmine, who were walking nearby, caught it.
"What are you muttering about?"
I was approached from behind by an extremely irritated Cineraria.
"Nothing, just talking to myself..."
"Stop being annoying and just guide us."
"Yes. I'll be careful."
While her attitude was utterly unreasonable, there was nothing to be gained from resisting, so I blindly complied.