I'm currently on my way back to the surface.

I've decided to help out Julia and the other skeletons to fight against the abominations.

We'll obviously need some more muscle if we want to stand a chance against those stupidly high leveled piles of goop though.

Fortunately, I know just the two people to ask for help.

(That's odd...)
I've just made it back to the entrance of the cavern, but the cavern entrance guard seems to be missing.

...Oh well, that's one less person to knock out I suppose.
Since I don't have a helmet to cover up my face anymore, I've had to knock out dozens of knights on my way out.

I have to keep my real identity a secret so I can continue my cozy city lifestyle as Sir Crow after all.

I'm looking forward to returning to my usual routine as soon as this is all over-

*BOOOOOM!*
Just as I was about to take off to the sky, an enormous explosion erupted in the distance.

A giant mushroom cloud appeared in the direction I was just about to fly towards...

It looks like the capital just got nuked.

(...)
I think I might know who's responsible for that explosion...

The recognizable silhouette of Furby could be seen flying towards the cavern entrance I'm standing outside of.

Before long, Furby noticed me and began to descend towards me.

 

I look at Alcazar and point at the mushroom cloud that's still billowing in the distance.

"...Did you do that?" (Scarecrow)

"Of course. Who else could create such a brilliant explosion?!" (Alcazar)
This guy... isn't the royal capital the last remaining human civilization in this world? Don't nuke it so casually...

"A suicidal noble finally let his jealousy get the better of him as we expected..." (Furby)

So he seriously just executed plan F so casually already? I thought he was joking when he explained it to us.

Plan F means our shop got compromised and Alcazar had to take drastic measures to prevent our "assets" from being impounded.
"...So the shop is gone then? You blew it all up?" (Scarecrow)

"Fwu fu fu, not to worry, I've already completed my space-time magic experiments a while ago." (Alcazar)

"The shop and all our wealth is safely trapped in a pocket dimension of my own creation." (Alcazar)

Already?!

He's been experimenting with space-time magic ever since we got filthy rich, but I hadn't expected him to master it so quickly.

A pocket dimension...

Hue hue... I'm getting excited... another big reason just got added to my list of reasons why I need to fix my magic learning disability.

"You monsters! Halt!!" (???)
A bunch of knights could be seen in the distance, rushing over to us with their swords drawn.

Oh- looks like they got followed here.

"Let's head back down quickly, I need your help with something!" (Scarecrow)

◇◆◇

 

"And so... I need your help defeating the abominations." (Scarecrow)

I've just finished filling in my companions on all the things I've learned so far about the final depths.

"Level 500 hundred is quite a preposterous number..." (Alcazar)

Oh? Is even the great Alcazar losing his nerve?

"Fwu fu fu... finally a worthy opponent to test my magics against..." (Alcazar)

"What's the deal with all that talk about holes and the end of the world though?" (Furby)

"...I'm just ignoring that for now." (Scarecrow)

"It's just another nonsense belief from some sort of fringe cult that's obsessed with the end of the world." (Scarecrow)

"I guess we had plenty of those back on our world..." (Furby)

We're currently flying through the sky and quickly approaching our destination.

"Ah- there it is!" (Scarecrow)

I point at the encampment where Julia and all the other skeletons are staying.

We arrived fairly quickly thanks to my afterburner ability and Furby's incredible flying speed.

"That doesn't look like a skeleton down there?" (Furby)

Furby seemed to spot something in the distance using his superior eyesight typical for a bird.

"Ah..." (Scarecrow)

When we got close enough. I could immediately tell who it was...

In front of the encampment was a familiar abomination wearing a large flower-adorned hat.

"L- let's fly around to the other side..." (Scarecrow)

I quickly flew towards Furby and hid on his back next to Alcazar despite the pile of goop already having spotted me.

"..." (Alcazar)

"Is that one of those creatures you want us to defeat?" (Alcazar)

"Yeah.. b- but uuuh... ignore that one for now." (Scarecrow)

"?" (Alcazar & Furby)

...If we play our cards right, she could probably be a powerful ally.

"The harbinger is back! He's back!" (Skeleton architects)

Furby and Alcazar looked at me confused when the skeletons shouted my weird nickname.

A couple of disappointed-looking skeletons wandered over to us.

"Harbinger... I did not realize..." (Skeleton architect)

"You fraternized with the enemy..." (Skeleton architect)

A stern look appeared on his skull.

Do they not like Furby and Alcazar?

"...Your wife has arrived-" (Skeleton architect)

...

In the distance, a shadow could be seen rushing over at an ungodly speed when it spotted me standing inside the crowd of skeletons.

*CRASH*
The stern skeleton that was talking to me got violently slapped aside by an abomination that couldn't wait anymore.

"HUBBY!!!" (Abomination of desire)

The looks from Furby and Alcazar are burning holes into my back...

I spotted Julia inside the crowd of skeletons looking at me as well with the same nostalgic blank expressionless look she had when she was enslaved.

"TH- THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE-" (Scarecrow)

"I mwissed yuw huwby~" (Abomination of desire) (TL: I missed you hubby~)
The needlessly agile pile of goop clung to me in a dominant display of public affection.

...Someone, please save me.

I looked at Furby with a pleading face, not that I can move my facial muscles, so I'm just looking at him with my usual bright scarecrow smile.

Furby turned his head away from me and covered his beak with his wing for some reason.

He's shaking...

Don't laugh...

I look at Alcazar.

He's rubbing his hand across his glass beard with a contemplative look on his face.
It seems like he's trying to figure out where to start with questioning me.

"Help me-" (Scarecrow)

"No."  (Alcazar)
An immediate answer.

WHY?!