Me, the Weakest Member of the Hero’s Party? I’m the Villain Though? - Chapter 54
Maybe because of Kyle’s question, I ended up wide awake.
Since it had come to this, I decided I might as well wait for Kyle to fall asleep and make a trip to the dungeon myself.
So, I lay there for a long while in the darkness, eyes open, sorting through my complicated thoughts.
Finally, when Kyle’s breathing settled into a steady rhythm, I slowly got up.
Turning my head, I stared quietly at Kyle’s face. His golden hair was messily scattered over his smooth forehead.
When his eyes were open, his clear sky-blue eyes made him look gentle, but now, with them closed, his features seemed sharper.
“…Kyle.”
Just in case, I called his name softly, but he didn’t stir. To make sure, I slowly waved my palm over his face.
He was definitely fast asleep, completely unaware of the world. Careful not to wake him, I crept out into the hallway with silent steps.
“It’s quiet.”
The corridor was plunged in pitch-black darkness. I regretted not bringing a lantern, but it was too late for that. I made my way toward the window, where the moonlight shone through as much as possible.
The lord’s castle wasn’t especially large, but the layout was so strange that I got lost for a moment.
Eventually, I managed to find the door and step outside, then called into the air for Larry.
“Larry! Are you here?”
—Yes, I’m right here!
As if he’d been waiting, Larry flapped over and perched naturally on my shoulder.
—Do you have something you’d like me to do?
“Do you remember where the dungeon entrance was, the one I asked you to check earlier?”
—Of course. Are you going now? It’s quite a distance. Shall I give you a ride?
Larry tilted his head as he asked. Thinking I must have misheard, I asked again.
“Give me a ride?”
—Yes! I used to give you rides when you were in human form, didn’t I?
This tiny bird? He was barely the size of my palm. I looked at Larry with a puzzled face but nodded anyway.
“How are you going to give me a ride?”
—Just a moment, Master!
Larry fluttered down and landed lightly on the ground. He stared intently at something for a moment, then suddenly started growing larger and larger.
Before I knew it, Larry had become much bigger than my own body, lowering himself and showing me his back.
—You can climb on now!
I hesitated a little before climbing onto his back. As I was trying to figure out how to get settled, Larry suddenly started flapping his wings.
“Uh.”
—Hold on tight!
Panicked, I hurriedly wrapped my arms around Larry’s neck. With a strong beat of his wings, Larry took off into the sky.
Flying above the manor shrouded in darkness, far from being exhilarating, only made me feel like I was going to be sick.
The wind whipped at my face, so I squeezed my eyes shut and buried my face in the feathers at the back of Larry’s neck.
—We’ve arrived. I’ll descend now!
“A little slower…!”
Thankfully, before I could spill my guts in midair, Larry landed on the ground. I jumped off his back, staggering.
—Right here.
Larry shrank back down and flew up to perch on my shoulder again. I took a deep breath to regain my composure.
I’d made it to the front of the door, but I had no idea what to do next.
“How am I supposed to open this door?”
—I don’t know either, Master.
The massive stone door before me was tightly shut, as if to show it would let no one pass.
—But, maybe it’s just unlocked? Or someone might open it if you knock.
“Oh, right.”
It was a mistake to assume the door would be locked without even trying anything. Swallowing nervously, I walked up to the door.
When I placed my palm on the cold stone, a rough texture and a sharp chill ran through me.
“I’m opening it.”
Though no one was around to hear, I said it aloud as if warning, then pushed against the door with force.
Just as Larry predicted, the solid stone door wasn’t locked and opened smoothly. A gentle light spilled out from within.
The room inside was filled with thick green smoke. Green smoke. I’d never seen anything like it before, but it immediately struck me as probably poisonous.
“Doesn’t this seem poisonous?”
—Yes, I think so.
Larry answered lightly. Just in case, I reached out to touch the green smoke.
The moment my fingertips touched the smoke, it slid up my skin as if wrapping around my body.
“Ugh…”
Wherever the smoke touched, there was a strangely stinging sensation. I quickly withdrew my hand with a sigh.
“How am I supposed to get through this smoke?”
As I let out a sigh-like complaint, Larry rested his wing on my cheek.
—Master, why don’t you use ‘that’?
“‘That’?”
