6: Something’s not right.

David’s view

Finally reaching the Slime Dungeon, I can find some answers. Except, I’m not looking forward to it.

“Why are the slimes pink?”

“That’s strange. They’ve changed.”

Crap. I know exactly why they are pink. I did it. Or rather, Jessica did. This is the dungeon side of the city she visited. Except she went east, while David went west… this world is a fucking coin. One side is human side, the other side is demon side. Night here is day there.

“It’s possible to visit the demon realm from here, right?” 

“It is. Though we’d have to conquer the dungeon first.”

“Then let’s go! You have to take me there! I must learn more of their magic!”

Having seen how she fights, it isn’t much of a mystery why she’s so interested in demon magic. She uses her fists and fights in melee, using magic to augment her attacks and improve her defenses. It’s very similar to how most demons fight.

“Uh, sir priest? Are you coming too? I understand if this isn’t something you want to do.”

“Oh, he’s coming. Right, sir priest?”

Why is the rogue answering for him?

“Uh, uh yeah, of course. We-we’re a team right?”

… something’s not right. He’s way too nervous. Is he being coerced? I don’t want to bring him against his will. Eh, I’ll probably think of something by the time it matters.

So, we ventured deep into the dungeon, slaying slimes with little difficulty. By the way, have I mentioned how awkward it is to have three melee and only one back-line in the party? The Mage is punching enemies, the Rogue is swinging a mighty hammer, and I use a sword. Meanwhile the priest is hanging back and doing nothing. While no one needs healing, shouldn’t he have a weapon? I question the sanity of whomever put this team together. Oh right, it was the result of contests, and no real thought was put into it beyond trying to assemble the strongest individuals into a team. Bloody idiocy.

“You want to camp out here? This is right before the boss room. We can just clear out the boss, then sleep after. There’s plenty of time.”

“This is a better spot if we’re gonna switch over. Also, if you want to study in the Demi Academy, it’s best not to surprise them with our arrival.”

“Alright, alright. Your call, Hero.”

Seriously feels weird being called hero. I’m used to being called swordsman, or fighter, or warrior, not hero. Referring to people by their class or role is common here. An easy way to avoid closeness. No one likes to get close to someone who could die at any time, and hunting monsters and exploring dungeons is dangerous business. 

It’s honestly depressing to face the fact that the world I’d enjoyed playing in during dreams is actually so awful. The death rate is so high among adventurers, that people actively avoid getting to know one another. The people who become adventurers are the desperate and the crazy. I’m considered one of the latter.

Living in this world having lost none of the ability I had in my dreams feels like it should be a dream come true. Except the harsh reality of it all makes it impossible to feel good about it. Even now, I’m dealing with suspicions that the priest is being coerced by the rogue. This isn’t cool. This isn’t the kind of fantasy world I wanted to live in. It’s horrifying.

I don’t even know what to do about it all. I’m just a swordsman. I kill things with a sword. I hunt monsters and attain valuable items. I slaughter monsters in dungeons by the dozens. None of this is helpful for figuring out why so many in the world are suffering and desperate.

The church talks about the evil god of demons and monsters being the source of all evil. I know that’s bullshit though. The monsters aren’t why humans are desperate and starving. The fields bring in plenty of food. The towns aren’t in danger, because the guards protect them. The only reason people turn to adventuring for a living, is because it’s often the only available job, and only children get fed for free (and even then, not always).

I wish I really could solve these problems by just hunting down and killing something. That’s what I’m good at.