Chapter 124: Three-Headed S-Rank Monster

「This is the first time I’ve seen such precise control of a flying mini cannon-like weapon that’s so fast.」

「Tama, did you get another new skill?」

After Stella and Tama exterminated the goblins, Ciel heaved a sigh of relief. Aria then asked Tama about his new skill.

Tama tilted his head and let out a cry, 「Nya~n?」. He played dumb as he usually did.

「Gufufufu… did you see that, Aria? Our combination is awesome, right?」

Stella boasted while cleaning the blood on her Claiomh Solais. Aria’s cheeks bulged as she looked away. She said with a sulking expression, 「Humph!」.

（Ah, this pattern is…）

At this rate, another contest between Aria and Stella to win Tama could start anytime now.

Sensing the incoming melons’ battle, Tama left the two. With a pyon, he leaped to Faeri’s breasts.

「Tama-chan is so awe~some~!」

Naturally, Faeri didn’t refuse the chance to hug Tama, who voluntarily jumped into her br*asts. She patted his head with a blissful look on her face.

When Lily saw that, she hugged Tama’s back and caressed his fur while saying, 「Aa~h! so sly! Let me join too~!」

Seeing Faeri’s and Lily’s innocence, Aria and Stella also spoke.

「M-mu~… it can’t be helped.」

「Let’s save today’s match for later…」

Tama had successfully defused the bomb.

「Since we’ve exterminated our enemies, let’s take a break in this place.」

Cedric proposed for everyone to take a rest.

Even though he understood everyone wanted to arrive at Belphegor’s location as soon as possible, if they did so now, it would be like putting the horse before the carriage. They could get defeated because of their fatigue.

Aria and co. obediently accepted Cedric’s proposal.

◆

「Ehehehe! Tama-chan is so cu~te!」

May hugged Tama with an entranced look on her face.

Tama obediently allowed himself to be hugged by May while repeatedly speaking to himself that getting along with children was also one of the jobs of a knight.

「N-Next me. I want to hug him too…」

Ciel said to May with a fidgety look on her face.

It seemed that after her first experience of strolling with Tama in Pekura port, she had gotten addicted to the feeling of stowing Tama in between her twin mountains.

「Such a wonderful scenery…」

「The daughter of the archmage and the active hero are bowing down to a kitty’s cuteness, nyan.」

Aria and Vulcan conversed as they looked at Ciel and May.

May had come from the future, and Ciel was the cool beauty,

Considering their status as the archmage’s daughter and the active hero, Aria and co felt that the two girls were standing on a level way higher than him. However, when they saw the two admiring Tama’s adorableness, they finally saw the two of them like girls of their age.

They felt like they had been friends with those two for a long time.

Even though the time they had opened up to Tama was short, it managed to bring everyone closer to each other. Then, the party went to the next stage.

◆

「Just two more floors and we’ll arrive at the floor where Belphegor is sealed. But… this is tough!」

After they descended to the next floor, Ciel heaved a sigh.

「Is that… 〝Gyudra??」

Aria asked as she looked at the place where Ciel’s eyes stopped.

She― No, everyone’s gazes stopped at the same place.

The figure of a huge, three-headed serpent had appeared in their vision.

Its name was Gyudra.

It was one of the S-rank monster species that lived in this world.

「To think we’ve to go against such a monster before fighting the demon king… Does this monster’s appearance have something to do with Belphegor too?」

「It’s likely. After all, the energy a demon king releases increase the activity of the monsters in labyrinths.」

Ciel replied to Cedric’s inquiry.

It seemed that the phenomenon that had happened back in Labyrinth City during Vassago’s revival had happened in this labyrinth too.

Only troll-class monsters had appeared during the revival of one of the Four Demon Dukes, Vassago. But when it came to the demon king’s revival, the rank of the monster, Gyudra, instantly went up to the S-rank as if to show the difference in class between a demon duke and a demon king.

「Okay, leave this guy to me then. Ciel-san, May-chan, Aria and co, all of you go ahead first, I’ll take care of this guy.」

Cedric told Aria and co. to go ahead as he pulled out his sword from its scabbard. It seemed he planned to fight Gyudora by himself.

「Please don’t force yourself, nyan!… is what I wanted to say, but I guess you can at least do this much, nya…」

Vulcan spoke to Cedric with a smile.

If it were another person, she would’ve convinced them to fight together with others. However, Cedric had proved himself by solo-defeating the summoned beast who was brought forth by one of the Four Demon Dukes. Therefore, it was safe to leave him alone as he fought the monster.

「Uncle, I know that you’re strong, but don’t let your guard down, okay!」

May hugged Cedric with an anxious look on her face.

Cedric patted May’s head and spoke to her in a gentle voice.

「Don’t worry, May-chan. Well then, go ahead and leave this guy to me.」

『SHHHHHHHHHHHHHS!』

Gyudora finally noticed their presence. Its three heads let out a snake’s unique voice as it advanced toward the party even faster than before.

「EVERYONE, NOW!」

Cedric assumed a stance with his sword and pointed the sword’s tip toward the Gyudra.

「Godspeed, Cedric-sama!」

Aria left behind those words as she got away from Gyudra. Her destination was the next floor.