I was Reincarnated as the Villainess's Older Brother, but it seems My Sister is Obsessed With Me. And for Some Reason, the Male Love Interests are also Doting On Me.(BL) - Chapter 14

With excitement and anticipation, I stood at the entrance of the dungeon. Since it was my first time, we decided to start from the lowest level, which was beginner-friendly.

As we advanced cautiously, a slime appeared almost immediately.

“So this is the legendary slime…”

Seeing it with my own eyes… What a moment! I was truly glad to be alive. Or maybe, considering my reincarnation, glad to be dead?

“Think you can handle it? Don’t let its appearance fool you—it’s quite fast.”

“I’ll give it a shot!”

Since slimes were basically water, I raised both hands and channeled my magic.

“Freeze!”

The slime dodged swiftly. I cast two, three more spells, but it avoided them all. Reality was proving to be much harder than the games.

“Oh, it split in two.”

With its size reduced, it became even faster. In that case—

“Ice Bullet!”

The frozen projectile hit the slime dead-on, piercing through it. I didn’t feel any particular sense of accomplishment, but had I just gained experience points?

“As expected of you, Clive! That was impressive for your first time!”

“Most people actually struggle with them. If they touch you, it feels like a burn, and your skin starts melting.”

“Ugh…”

Right, slimes digest whatever they absorb. That was close—I had to stay alert.

We continued forward and soon spotted a small creature sitting quietly—a rabbit with a single horn on its forehead.

“A Horned Rabbit? It’s so cute…”

“Clive?”

“That’s a monster. It’s weak, so we should finish it off quickly.”

Was Louis more ruthless than I had thought? Who in their right mind could kill such an adorable rabbit?

“Come here, little one. It’s okay.”

I slowly approached, speaking softly like one would to a child.

The Horned Rabbit, however, suddenly lowered its head, pointing its horn at me, and charged.

“Clive, watch out!”

The impact stung a little, but I managed to catch it. As I gently patted its head, it sniffed at me. Too cute.

“Master Clive, its meat is quite delicious. I can help you skin it.”

As Louis reached out to grab the rabbit, I quickly stepped away, holding it tightly.

“You monster! How dare you eat such an adorable creature!”

“Clive, you’re bleeding. It stabbed you with its horn.”

“This isn’t an attack. It’s an expression of love.”

“……”

Yes, though I was holding the rabbit, it was persistently poking me with its horn. But this was merely the tsun phase of a tsundere—the dere would come in time.

“I’m keeping it.”

“That’s not possible. Monsters can’t leave the dungeon.”

“Exactly. They can’t survive outside because there’s no mana.”

“So… it would die?”

Louis and Stefan convinced me to give up on taking it home. However…

“But I can take it with me while we’re exploring, right?”

“I suppose it wouldn’t be a hindrance. It’s weak enough that we can kill it instantly if necessary.”

“Then it’s decided. You have big, round eyes like Fiona, so I’ll name you Finn.”

And so, our party gained a new member.

◇◇◇◇

“You seem to be getting used to this, Master Clive.”

“Yeah! I think I can handle beginner-level monsters now.”

With Finn now part of our group, we ventured deeper into the forest. We encountered kobolds and goblins, taking them down one after another.

Still, when it came to fighting with a sword, I hesitated.

I had trained extensively in swordsmanship, but cutting down a living creature was a different experience altogether.

Even if they were monsters, I felt resistance. I would never forget the sensation of cutting through my first one.

That said, humans adapt quickly. By the fifth one, I was slashing without hesitation.

“Finn, are you praising me? Thanks, buddy.”

Finn nudged my leg with his horn, and I rewarded him with a head pat.

“Master Clive… I think that’s an attack.”

Louis muttered something, but I chose to ignore it.

“Shall we take a short break?”

Stefan suggested resting, but I pouted like a child.

“Eh? But I want to fight more!”

“I get it, but even weak monsters gradually wear you down. You’re using stamina and magic, and if you don’t rest, you’ll regret it later.”

“He’s right. Even Finn looks like he could use a break.”

Louis played dirty. How could I refuse when he brought Finn into it?

“Fine, fine.”

“I’ll go gather some edible fruits. You two wait here.”

Watching Louis jog off, I sat on a large rock and spoke to Stefan.

“Sparring at the mansion is one thing, but actual combat feels different. Even against beginner monsters…”

“It’s the survival instinct. When fighting humans in training, neither side truly aims to kill. But monsters? They attack with full intent to kill, forcing you to respond in kind.”

“Thanks for suggesting the dungeon trip, Stefan.”

“Clive, are you all right? You’re being unusually sincere—huh?”

“Stefan?”

The birds perched on the trees suddenly took flight, and an eerie stillness settled over the area.

“Clive, draw your sword. Something’s coming.”

Stefan took a battle stance, and I gently set Finn down by a tree.

“If things get dangerous, run, okay?”

I gave Finn one last pat before standing beside Stefan, ready for battle.

Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop—

“Why is that here, in the lowest level…?”

Stefan muttered, his face tense. A bead of cold sweat ran down my back.

I fixed my gaze in the direction of the sound. A horse galloped toward us—its rider clad in armor.

But… it had no head.

——A Dullahan?!