In the Shadows

And that’s what happened!

“So you were just watching that whole time?”

I don’t have a body, it’s not like I could’ve done anything to stop it. And I can’t use Posession on you unless I have your permission either, Master.

I thought I’d headed back to the inn and had some good sleep, but it looks like I was charmed by the Succubus and lost my memory.

After hearing Rokuko, Neru, and the others’ testimonies I quickly learned that I’d blundered and got charmed. Moreover, my own written note was conclusive evidence on it. I’d written a note saying: I got charmed and will be losing my memory. Seeing the memo I’d left with Rokuko, I got some of my memory back.

The part of my memory that came back wasn’t the part of me talking with Suira but the bit about preparing the stage.

Since I couldn’t remember the parts concerning Suira, I headed back to my room and had Neru supplement my memories… heading back to my room first saved me. It was a secret that I couldn’t tell Rokuko after all.

Rather, this is what you expected right?

“Well, something like it.”

The part about me being charmed was going as planned so far.

The strategy I thought up went like this:

Temporarily pretend to be charmed by the pink-haired girl.

Lure out her sister, expose that I wasn’t charmed, then be charmed.

Neru would then return me to myself if she could, else devote herself to gathering information if she couldn’t.

*Additionally, Meat would be hidden in the shadows, tailing them back to their base if possible.

As for getting charmed after revealing that I wasn’t charmed, that was to get my opponents to relax their guard.

And so, by carrying out this strategy, I got some insurance by sealing my memories and forgetting about the latter half of the strategy. My handwritten memo would act as the key.

The method I used to seal them was practically the same as what Suira used. I was commanded through a charm.

As a result of that, since I was charmed, I acted practically unconsciously.

Additionally, I was set so as to not spill anything big about the dungeon by being told that it was Something not to discuss.

Neru—possessing the Doll—had me charmed under Rokuko’s supervision… but that’s another piece I don’t really remember… I didn’t do anything weird, right? Rather, you guys didn’t do anything weird to me, right?

“Still though, I put various things in the inn’s warehouse to appear to be weaknesses… but they didn’t get brought up at all. Grah, that didn’t turn out well.”

I don’t think someone’s thought patterns when they’re charmed are that easy to figure out though? It all turns cryptic once the charm ends.

I wasn’t expecting to predict it perfectly though.

The only Weakness I’d prepared that made an appearance was that I’d killed people (bandits) and had the dungeon eat them. I’m just barely safe because of the way I said it. On the contrary, maybe its authenticity improved?

I headed back to the Master Room where Rokuko was waiting.

Rokuko looked up from some book she was reading when I entered.

Meat had returned as well. Looks like Rokuko collected her when she returned to the dungeon’s domain.

“Are you alright, Kehma?”

“Yeah. I’m pretty sure my memory’s filled in”

I removed the ring (Neru) and handed it to Rokuko. I’ve already finished my task so there’s no reason for me to have it.

“So then, how did it go on your end, Meat?”

“I found their base. I can clean them up whenever.”

“That so? Good job.”

Meat’s tail wagged back and forth when I started petting her.

… Seeing Meat like that, I suddenly had a thought: isn’t talking about cleaning them up worse for her education than building a brothel?

Rather, Meat, your way of dealing with things… it’s a bit brutal, you know? It’s good that you’re faithful to the dungeon, but you might end up as a smiling, bloodthirsty, knife-wielding killing machine if you keep it up.

You’re still going about assuming that the normal way is to clean them up… how’d you get like this?

“… Let’s go the peaceful route for now, okay?”

“Okay.”

It looks like they have some circumstances going on, so talking with them is important… let’s go with that.

Still though, charms are scary, they can even seal memories… I wonder if I could get a charm resistance skill from the gacha? It’s not in the catalog though.

“Peaceful, huh? Won’t you put the brothel under the dungeon’s control? I don’t mind though.”

“Rokuko… please help me think up an excuse for Haku-san.”

“What, couldn’t you just say you built it to shelter Succubi? They’re great for the dungeon right?”

“… Would that work?”

“Kehma, aren’t you too afraid of Haku Ane-sama? You even beat her.”

Alright, let’s try moving forward with building the brothel (Quivering Voice).

… Well, each of the Succubus are worth dozens of thousands of DP and there’s ten of them. If I can make them our comrades there’s no doubt that it’ll be a nice catch for us. It’s a bit of a problem that one of them’s a human, but I’ll figure that out after talking with them.

“Now then, Neru. Please tell me what the Succubi did to Kehma.”

Okay! I’ll tell you everyone other than what I was forbidden to say!

Oi, you just said there’s something you can’t say.

“… In other words, there’s something that needed to be forbidden? Looks like there’s some punishment in order for those Succubi…”

“Alright, how about we leave that behind? Oookay, the Succubi! They might get away if we aren’t quick!”

I rather obviously changed the topic.

“You will tell me later, right?”

“Well, if I still remember.”

… It’s troublesome in a number of ways, so I’d be better off forgetting~

*

Because of all that, Meat headed out for the Succubi’s base with the Succubus Ring on.

It’s a shack built here in the forest… is it a hut used by lumberjacks as a rest area or something?

I took control of the surrounding forest as the dungeon’s domain, the only area not included is the shack the Succubi are using.

As for me, I’m in the Master Room deploying Golems to the areas we gained control of.

I used the Messenger Golem, Euma, and had him stand in front of the shack and will be talking through him. I’ll be contacting them like this since it looks like I’ll be charmed again if I meet them personally.

In other words, I’m raiding them as the Dungeon Master… rather, as a Dungeon Boss.

Aah, aah. Let’s see, you guys are surrounded. Resistance is futile, so please come out.

“Who is… —! W-w-w-w-what the heck!? A Golem sea!?”

By the way, I’d deployed fifty Stone Golems, enough to encircle the small building.

Now then, let’s have a peaceful chat… surrounded by Golems.