[Lucky Overpowered] — I Became a Background Character Meant to Die in the Game’s Opening, But Now I’m Overpowered and Fighting to Save My All-Time Favorite Alchemist Heroine - Episode 9

“Alright! Let’s head to the dungeon!”

The next morning at breakfast, I declared this enthusiastically to Lise, who still looked half-asleep. I love the usual sharp, composed version of Lise, but I also like this softer, drowsy expression of hers. It makes me feel like she’s let her guard down around me, and that makes me oddly happy.

Lise’s face stiffened, and her large eyes widened as she stared at me.

“Seriously!? After how beat up you came back yesterday, you want to go again today!?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Sure, I got wrecked by the horned rabbits yesterday—but that was only in the first half. By the end, I was taking them down without a scratch. I’ve grown stronger.

“Today, I was thinking you could come with me to the dungeon too.”

Alchemy requires mana. But Lise is still only level one, and her max MP is really low. That makes her work inefficient. If she levels up and raises her MP, everything will go much more smoothly.

“But… wouldn’t it be better to gather herbs in the forest outside town instead of going to a dungeon?”

“I thought about that, sure…”

Even I know that getting herbs while grinding XP would kill two birds with one stone.

But this time, the goal is for Lise to level up. If that’s the aim, then a dungeon—where monsters appear in droves—is far more effective.

Also…

“I think it’s dangerous to go outside the city right now. That thing might show up again.”

“…!”

Yes, that thing—the Soul Eater. I can’t help but worry about it.

If this world followed the game exactly, the Soul Eater wouldn’t appear in the forest. So, by game logic, it’d be safe. But this world has one critical difference.

That difference… is me.

In the game, Gee would’ve had his soul devoured by the Soul Eater and eventually died in his sleep, never waking again.

But in this world, for some reason, my consciousness ended up inside Gee’s body.

From the Soul Eater’s perspective, that means someone it “killed” is now walking around alive. Right now, we don’t stand a chance against it. If it takes an interest in us, it’s over. We need to be overly cautious in everything we do.

“So, let’s go to the dungeon and level up. It’s safer that way.”

“Level up?”

Lise tilted her head in confusion, and I nodded in response.

Could it be that this world doesn’t even have a concept of levels? Well, I guess it’s not that strange—it’s not like people have game-like status screens.

“You know that defeating monsters makes you stronger, right? The more you defeat, the more mana you’ll gain—and that’ll help your alchemy progress faster.”

“That might be true, but still…”

“So let’s go! To the dungeon!”

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I, Lise, stared at Gee’s outstretched hand. Was it really okay for me to take it?

I lifted my gaze and looked at his face.

He looked brimming with confidence. Always so bold with his words, but I know Gee—he’s usually more timid than anyone else.

It’s strange. I know it’s Gee standing in front of me, but sometimes he feels like a completely different person.

Maybe coming so close to death changed him?

And then there’s his knowledge of alchemy—so bizarre. Ever since his near-death experience, he’s been astonishingly well-versed in the subject.

He claims he just “picked up a few things here and there,” but the amount he knows is far beyond that. I’m sure he knows more than even I do—and I’ve been studying this seriously.

He’s hiding something. My instincts tell me so.

And I want to find out what that something is.

But… I owe him. When that giant skeletal monster attacked me, it was Gee who threw himself in front of me to protect me.

So, as long as Gee stays silent about it, I’ll keep my curiosity to myself. I’ll wait until he’s ready to speak on his own terms.

Still, what should I do?

Gee wants to go to the dungeon, but he came back totally beaten up just yesterday. If it were the old, cowardly Gee, he would’ve been the first to say, “No way, I’m never going back there again.”

But instead, here he is, eager to return.

Should I try to stop him?

But… he says he wants to go.

“…Alright.”

After some hesitation, I reached out and took Gee’s hand. We need to earn money, and the dungeon is something we can’t avoid forever. I should be grateful that Gee’s willing to face it.

Besides, this time, I’ll be the one to protect him. I’ll bring extra potions and shield him from any terrifying dungeon monsters!

“Alright! It’s settled! Then once we’re done with breakfast, let’s head out. It’s your first time in the dungeon, right, Lise? I’ll show you the ropes. Well, I’ve only been to the first level myself, but don’t worry—the only monster there is the Horned Rabbit, and…”

He must’ve been thrilled that I agreed to go with him—he was smiling and chattering nonstop.

Just seeing that smile filled my chest with a warm, comforting feeling.

Gee, I’m really glad you’re still alive.