The Necromance of Love and Death: Defeated Early in the Game, I Reincarnated as a Tragic Villainous Noble and Rebel Against the Scenario with My Beloved Using My Modern and Game Knowledge - Chapter 37

After finishing lunch, we got back on Baltzarek and resumed our search for a dungeon.

But that day, once again, we found nothing and had to return to the estate.

Ten days passed like that. Just when we were about to give up on the idea of finding a dungeon altogether, we finally succeeded in discovering one nestled deep in the mountains.

“This is the dungeon? It kind of looks like the inside of a broken machine or something.”

“Yeah, it does.”

Vio said this as she gazed at the rusted metal entrance.

She wasn’t far off the mark. In truth, this dungeon was the ruins of a crashed airship from an ancient civilization.

“Hmmm…”

“What’s wrong, Baltzarek?”

“Hmm… Hmmm…”

Baltzarek had been groaning in a strangely pensive way for a while now. What’s going on? Maybe he has a stomachache? Did he get food poisoning from that Tyrant Boar he ate?

“Clovis, are you truly going in?”

“I am. That’s what we’ve been searching for, after all.”

“I understand that, but… In your position, you could easily send someone else, couldn’t you? Why don’t you?”

“Because I can’t explain the location precisely. We only made it here thanks to your ability to fly, Baltzarek. Normal adventurers wouldn’t be able to reach it.”

Besides, there’s no guarantee that an adventurer could find the hidden elixir inside. And even if they did, there’s no telling whether they’d sell it to me honestly.
The House of Balbastor may be wealthy thanks to our mines, but there are nobles even richer than us.

“Hmmm…”

Baltzarek still sounded troubled.

“What’s with you today?”

“…I’m worried. Clovis, you’re Alfred’s only heir. It would be a terrible waste to lose you in a place like this…”

“I’ll be fine. If it looks dangerous, I’ll turn back right away.”

Well, I already knew from my previous life’s knowledge that this dungeon wasn’t particularly difficult. It should be doable even for low-level adventurers like Vio and me.

But Baltzarek doesn’t know that. From his perspective, we must look like reckless children diving into an unknown dungeon. Of course he’s concerned.

“Hmm…”

Baltzarek looked up at the sky and groaned.

Then, as if making up his mind, he looked straight at me.

“…What’s about to happen must never be spoken of. Can you promise me that?”

“Huh? What are you planning to do?”

“Just swear it. Swear that you’ll never speak of what happens next.”

“O-Okay… Vio, is that okay with you?”

“Fine by me.”

“Do not ever forget that promise.”

“!?”

With those words, Baltzarek was suddenly engulfed in black smoke. The smoke twisted into a spiral, forming a black tornado in an instant.

“W-What the—!?”

“What is going on!?”

I had no idea what was happening. The only thing I could do was hold Charles tightly to keep her from being blown away.

The whirlwind raged for about ten seconds, then suddenly vanished—as if it had never been there in the first place. Above us was nothing but a clear blue sky.

“Hmm. That should do.”

“Eh?”

A voice I’d never heard before—a woman’s voice.

I turned to the center of where the tornado had been, where Baltzarek once stood.

And there… was a person.

Long jet-black hair that seemed to slice through the very fabric of shadow itself. Beneath it was a delicate, porcelain-like naked body—!?

“Don’t look!”

“AAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?”

A sharp, stabbing pain shot through my eyes. It was so intense, I couldn’t keep them open. I clutched my right eye and collapsed backward. I even hit my head pretty hard, but compared to the searing pain in my eye, that was nothing.

I didn’t know what was happening. All I knew was—it hurt. Bad.

“I’m sorry, Clovis. But you’re not allowed to see.”

“Huh? Wha—?”

Vio? Vio did this!?

“I don’t mind being seen.”

“No! Whoever you are, just put some clothes on, right now!”

“Hmm. Very well.”

What is even happening…?

“So… you’re Baltzarek?”

By the time the pain in my eye finally subsided and I could open it again, a black-haired girl stood before me.

She looked to be around fifteen, slightly older than me, and she wore a black dress that felt oddly out of place here.

Baltzarek had disappeared, and this girl appeared in his place. From the context, it could only mean—this girl was Baltzarek.

Still, I couldn’t be sure.

After all, Baltzarek had always been a man, at least from what I could tell. I’d spoken with him many times, and his voice had always carried a dignified, masculine tone.

It’s common in fairy tales for dragons to take human form. So I wasn’t shocked that Baltzarek had transformed into a human.

But… why a girl?

Is this… Baltzarek’s hobby…?