Danmachi: A Despicable Stranger

Chapter 44: Is there something wrong with having a picnic with elves in the dungeon?

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However, despite being speechless, Ryuu eventually sat down next to Izzy.

After all, who would choose to sit on a dirty floor when there's a clean blanket available?

"Here, this is your share~"

No sooner had she settled down than Izzy handed a boxed lunch to Ryuu.

Ryuu paused, momentarily stunned by his action, but before she could react, the lunch box was already in her hands.

"Well… I'm not really hungry," she protested hesitantly.

"It's fine. You can just give me the leftovers later~"

"..."

So, she didn't have the option to refuse, did she?

(╯‵□′)╯

If he knew what she was thinking, Izzy would undoubtedly smile brightly and nod in agreement.

He had anticipated this scenario to some extent when preparing before heading out, so the food was specifically packed for two people.

After all, if he started eating when he got hungry, would Ryuu just sit there and watch? That would be far too awkward.

"It's okay," Izzy reassured her. "Just think of it as replenishing energy. We still have to find the pterosaur later, so it's better to eat well!"

Since pterosaurs can fly, Izzy had never entertained the idea of finding this monster easily.

After listening to Izzy's string of twisted logic, Ryuu eventually gave in, hesitantly picking up the food and eating in small, dainty bites.

"I've prepared orange juice and fruit wine as drinks. Which one would you like?" Izzy asked, holding up two glass bottles.

"...Orange juice," Ryuu replied after a brief glance at the bottles, her lips parting slightly as she spoke.

"Oh~ That's unexpected. I thought you'd go for fruit wine," Izzy remarked, looking mildly surprised as he handed her the orange juice.

"And why would you think that?"

"Isn't it strange for someone who works in a bar not to drink?" he asked, as though it were the most logical thing in the world.

"..."

Ryuu fell silent, unable to refute his reasoning.

Izzy, however, didn't linger on the subject. Shaking his head, he expertly opened the bottle of fruit wine and took a sip.

This type of wine, with its low alcohol content, wouldn't make anyone drunk. It was a popular choice among adventurers who liked a taste of alcohol during their expeditions. Surprisingly, its sales were remarkably high.

As for Izzy's effortless proficiency in opening the bottle, most of the credit belonged to Loki.

After being dragged out for drinks night after night by the mischievous god, even a novice like Izzy had been forced to learn.

The experience? Too painful to recount—it was all tears at this point.

As they chatted and enjoyed their food, the tension of dungeon exploration seemed to melt away entirely, replaced by a rare sense of ease.

Unlike Izzy, who ate with no regard for appearances, Ryuu maintained an elegant and refined demeanor. Her slender fingers expertly handled the wooden chopsticks as she neatly consumed the meal from her bento box.

Before long, Ryuu finished her lunch, setting down the box and chopsticks with a soft sigh of contentment.

Suddenly, she noticed Izzy blinking and staring at her.

"What's wrong, Mr. Izzy?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Um… no, nothing. Would you like some bread?"

"Thanks, but no thanks."

"Oh~"

A few minutes later, after finishing his meal, Izzy leaned back against his backpack and slouched lazily on the picnic blanket.

Ryuu glanced at him out of the corner of her eye but quickly turned away, clearly unable to bear the sight of his relaxed posture.

She was afraid that if she stared at him any longer, she would burst out laughing.

"Speaking of which, Mr. Izzy..."

"Uh-huh?"

"After defeating the 'Strengthen Species' on the fifteenth floor, could I trouble you for a moment of your time?"

"What do you mean?"

"Regarding the safe area on the eighteenth floor… Since I've made it this far into the dungeon, I thought I'd visit it at least once."

"Yeah, sure."

"If it bothers you, then that's fine—"

Ryuu hesitated, ready to backtrack on her request, but before she could finish, Izzy gave her a straightforward answer.

"The eighteenth floor, right? It's not too far. Let's stop by on the way~"

Still maintaining his lazy, slouched posture, Izzy met Ryuu's gaze, which now held a glimmer of surprise.

When she heard his casual agreement, Ryuu was caught off guard. She had been prepared to explain further or even drop the matter entirely, but his quick response left her momentarily speechless.

For Izzy, her request wasn't troublesome at all. He could already guess why she wanted to visit, and understanding her reasoning, he had no intention of refusing. Besides, the difference between the fifteenth and eighteenth floors was just three levels—a negligible distance. The eighteenth floor, being a safe zone, would also allow them to rest and recover further.

But Ryuu didn't know what Izzy was thinking. For now, she just stared at him, her surprise evident.

When their gazes met, the icy blue of Ryuu's eyes seemed to pierce through him, as if she were reading his thoughts.

"Mr. Izzy… you do know something about me, don't you?"

"What do you mean? That even though you look like an icy beauty, you always speak in a gentle way?"

"Mr. Izzy, pretending to misunderstand at a time like this only confirms my suspicion."

"..."

Oh my god, are all elves this sharp?

The corner of Izzy's mouth twitched involuntarily. He had only been recalling certain details briefly in his mind—was it really that obvious?

It was hard to describe the feeling stirring within him, but he managed to keep his composure and shook his head lightly.

"I'm not sure what Miss Ryuu is referring to. If you don't tell me, how would I know?"

Pointing out such things outright would only risk lowering her favorability. It would be akin to exposing someone's scars—needlessly cruel and tactless.

Regardless of what Ryuu thought, Izzy had no intention of admitting anything.

Ryuu stared at him with her clear, discerning eyes for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she averted her gaze and said softly, "Then let's just leave it at that..."

They lingered in the safe spot a while longer, the quiet only occasionally interrupted by faint echoes from the cave. But when the roars of monsters reverberated once more, the two rose from the ground almost simultaneously.

"Looks like our break is over," Ryuu said, her voice steady but her body already taking a guarded stance. Her hand instinctively rested on her weapon.

"Ah, it seems so."

Izzy quickly folded the picnic blanket, neatly tucking it into the outer compartment of his backpack. After briefly stretching his body, his spear was back in his hand.

But instead of preparing for an immediate fight, he turned his attention to the hole in the rock wall ahead of them.

At the deep, shadowy entrance leading further into the middle level, the uneven rock surface extended down a steep slope. The dim, flickering phosphorescence in the depths created an ominous glow.

The faintly earthy, rocky smell mingled with the turbid, humid air, triggering a subtle but persistent unease.

"Let's make our way to the fifteenth floor first," Izzy said casually, his expression calm despite the tension in the atmosphere.

"After that, we can come back and play with these dogs in a friendly way."

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