The Abandoned Saint I Picked Up is a Side Character in an Otome Game and Turns Out to Be the World's Strongest Mage. I Plan to Rescue the Heroine Who Couldn't Achieve Her Happy Ending in a Dungeon. - Chapter 11

How did it come to this?

“Wow! Young men’s bodies really do have such an irresistible allure, don’t they?”

“Endo-san, I’ll wash your back.”

“Hey, Ariel! Wash my body too! Make me sparkle!”

For some inexplicable reason, I was currently in a bath with three beautiful women.

The bath wasn’t particularly spacious, so the four of us crammed together made the atmosphere unbearably stifling.

Seriously, how did things end up like this? Let’s rewind a little.

◆

I had messed up.

When I used the Anywhere Key to move to the hideout in the dungeon’s lowest level, I hadn’t expected Christiana to barge in after me.

“Ouch, ouch…!”

“Ooh♡ How bold of you♡”

“Huh? Whoa!?”

Apparently, in the chaos, I had ended up pinning Christiana down—and my hands were firmly grasping her… rather generous assets.

My fingers sank deeply into her soft, abundant chest, even larger than Ariel’s.

“S-so big…”

“…What are you doing, Endo-san?”

A chill ran down my spine.

I’ve danced on the edge of life and death countless times in this supporting role of mine, but never before had I felt such an overwhelming sense of danger.

Cold sweat poured down my face as I turned to see Ariel glaring at me, her cheeks puffed out in anger.

“Wait, Ariel. This is an accident,” I stammered.

“If it’s an accident, why haven’t you let go yet?”

“Ah, y-yeah, you’re right.”

Reluctantly, I released my grip on Christiana’s chest.

As she sat up and looked around, Christiana blinked in confusion.

“Huh? Where are we?”

“…What do we do now, Endo-san?” Ariel asked sharply.

I was at a loss for words.

Letting Christiana see the hideout was a serious problem.

Even though it was in the dungeon’s lowest level, someone as skilled as Christiana could probably traverse the dungeon freely by avoiding most monsters.

I had to make sure she didn’t realize we were in a dungeon and send her on her way.

That was the plan, at least… until something unexpected happened.

“Endo! I’ve come to see you again today from the middle layers of the dungeon! Entertain me!”

“Stupid fox!”

“What!?”

Out of nowhere, Kon barged in, loudly mentioning the dungeon.

“Wh-what did I do!? Ariel, Endo is bullying me!”

“…This one’s on you, Kon.”

“Even Ariel is bullying me!?”

“No, you just have the worst timing.”

Christiana, who had been quietly observing the exchange, suddenly blinked in surprise.

“A dungeon? Don’t tell me… is this the dungeon the first king of Andarencia created through a contract with a spirit?”

“…And if it is?”

So much for subtlety.

As much as I liked this hideout, now that she knew, I’d have to relocate.

In the past, I might’ve considered eliminating Christiana to protect the secret, but Ariel wouldn’t approve.

Christiana wasn’t an assassin or a direct threat; she was just a battle-hungry maniac.

At that moment, Christiana stepped forward, her expression curious.

“Which part of the dungeon is this?”

“…The lowest level,” I admitted.

“The lowest level? Can you prove it?”

“There’s a dead spirit buried in my vegetable field as fertilizer.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Oh, I didn’t tell you, Ariel? Spirits are basically lumps of magic, so when buried, they make crops grow really well.”

“Endo-san… that’s terrifying.”

“No, no, the spirit looked more like a plant, so it’s not much different from regular fertilizer!”

“…I see.”

“Don’t look at me like that! I swear, it’s true!”

This was bad. Ariel now thought I was some lunatic who buried corpses in fields.

While I was racking my brain for a way to clear up the misunderstanding, Christiana suddenly grabbed my hand, holding it tightly.

“Huh? Wh-what is it?”

“You’re more fascinating than I imagined, Endo-kun. By the way, how do you feel about me?”

“Huh? Uh, well, I think you’re incredibly beautiful.”

“And what about my body? Do you like women with large chests?”

“Uh… well… yeah, I love them.”

When I dumbly nodded at Christiana’s seemingly nonsensical question, she flashed a sly grin—like a predator eyeing a prime cut of marbled meat.

“So, how about letting me bear your child?”

“…What?”

“…!?”

My brain froze.

The last time I was this incapable of thinking was when Ariel barged into the bath.

“W-what are you even talking about?”

“I want to have children with a strong man. A man who defeated a spirit, one powerful enough to be called the foundation of this kingdom’s creation? You’re my ideal!”

“Wait, hold on! Don’t you have a husband and a son!?”

“Of course, I do.”

Christiana brushed off my protest as if it were nothing.

“My husband isn’t a bad person, but it was a political marriage. He’s far from my type.”

“Still, isn’t… isn’t that cheating? Isn’t infidelity wrong!?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. My husband’s also sleeping with some young women, so we’re even.”

Oh… right. That was part of her backstory in the game.

But this isn’t the time to be “understanding” her reasoning! I already have Ariel!

“Ariel! Say something to her, please!”

“Well, I’ve heard that nobles and wealthy merchants often take mistresses. I wouldn’t mind if Endo-san had a second woman.”

“…What!?”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“A-Ariel, are you serious? If you say that, I might actually cheat!”

“That’s fine. It’d just make things more exciting.”

“Huh?”

“And honestly, I’m confident I can make Endo-san feel far better than any older woman could.”

Ariel’s smug confidence made Christiana’s brow twitch slightly.

It seemed the word older had hit a nerve.

Meanwhile, Kon was munching away on some pre-made potato chips, completely unbothered by the escalating tension.

The fox I once hated had now become my sole source of comfort.

“Oh? Quite a bold little girl, aren’t you? I don’t dislike that,” Christiana said, her tone playful yet sharp.

“Just so we’re clear, Endo-san’s number one is me. Know your place,” Ariel retorted coolly.

“Fufufu, it’s been years since anyone dared to talk to me like that. Fine. Let’s see which of us can satisfy Endo-kun more. A proper competition, then.”

“Sure. My clothes got dirty while running from the soldiers, so let’s settle this in the bath.”

Huh? Wait, the bath?

“W-wait, Ariel. The bath—”

“Hm? If there’s a bath, then I’m joining too!”

And that’s how the four of us ended up crammed into the bath together.