Ian answered flatly.

"If you say so."

Then he glanced around and suddenly added,

"Do you think I can't show Louise at least that much consideration? Judging by the way the former chief acted, these villagers don't seem to have functioning ears, but they survived in the Dark Forest as hunters. They'll probably pull their weight in the dungeon."

"Yes. Our village's hunting techniques are the best on the continent. Leave it to us."

"Uh-huh. Sure."

As expected.

Louise nodded.

He was deeply moved.

His lord understood his heart.

The villagers, who had tensed up every time Ian opened his mouth, were now looking at Louise as though he were a lifeline.

Louise met the gazes of those who had once despised and ignored him.

...

Until now, Louise had never possessed a goal in life.

Survive.

Endure whatever came his way.

That alone had been his rule for living.

How was that any different from the life of a beast?

Even after meeting his lord and seeing his world expand, his attitude toward life had remained unchanged.

Do his part.

Serve his lord.

Live one day at a time.

That was how Louise lived, and it had been enough.

Perhaps that was why he had always felt as though his feet never truly touched the ground.

As though he were drifting through empty air.

But now, Louise finally had a goal.

"Pack your things. We leave immediately."

"C-couldn't we have a little more time..."

"The elderly and children will have trouble walking. It's already getting late. If we leave tomorrow—"

"Then you'll die."

"...?!"

The villagers instinctively looked toward Ian.

Fearing they might be entertaining disrespectful thoughts, Louise hurriedly explained.

"You'll die to the mamool. A monster wave is coming. And it will be on a completely different level from the creatures that attacked today."

"Where did you get information like that?"

The captain of the guard asked.

He was one of the few people in the village who had ever shown Louise any sympathy. In secret, he had occasionally taught him hunting techniques.

"From the elves."

"Elves?!"

"Ian is a lord who embraces all races. Elves live in the dungeon, along with the elementals contracted to them, dwarves, fairies, and werewolves. All of them work themselves to the bone for Ian."

The person actually working himself to the bone, Nameita, nodded solemnly.

"Hmm."

For some reason, his face was bright red.

His breathing was still uneven, as though he had been wildly excited moments ago.

One of the soldiers was covering his mouth.

...?

What was that about?

Louise didn't think much of it.

Dungeon people being strange was hardly a new phenomenon.

"They're all allies of the dungeon. Ian's kingdom is the safest place on the continent when it comes to mamool. If you still want to stay here, there's nothing I can do."

"N-no, that's not what we meant!"

"That's right! You should've mentioned the monster wave first!"

"...Ian's kingdom...?"

Oops.

Louise immediately realized he had misspoken.

Fortunately, Ian wasn't looking in his direction.

He was busy praising Keith.

"Of course you're my closest, closest subordinate, Keith. You're so dependable. You never say anything ridiculous."

"Do you perhaps think I normally speak nonsense?"

"...No? Who would ever call your sacred words nonsense?"

"......"

Seeing Ian torment Sir Keith as usual reassured Louise.

"Even if the dungeon is safe..." the captain of the guard said carefully. "Haven't we already fallen out of Ian's favor?"

The question he really wanted to ask was obvious.

Won't he use us as cannon fodder?

Louise answered firmly.

"Ian isn't that kind of person."

Even Sema, who had offended Ian more than a hundred times, was still living comfortably.

Why would these people be any different?

Ian didn't judge people based on personal grudges.

"Louise... you've changed."

The captain of the guard stared at him.

"Yes. I found someone worth serving."

"I see."

The man hesitated.

Then, before stepping away, he spoke in a low voice.

"I'm sorry."

Louise didn't answer.

The reason was the grumbling voices nearby.

"Seriously, why does he keep talking down to the captain?"

"The nerve of him. Our captain is the village chief now."

"Which rank is higher, captain or village chief?"

"How should I know? They're both important people, aren't they? Yet he keeps calling him by name."

"You used to do that too."

"Was I the only one?!"

Ah. So that's what it was.

No wonder Ian had acted so unusually.

He had wanted to show the villagers that Louise deserved respect.

Now that the truth about his parents had come to light, the people of the dungeon knew Louise's past.

Which meant they could guess how he had been treated here.

"Just act naturally. This is awkward enough already."

"W-what are you saying, Captain?"

"He's right. We're being completely natural."

"I feel like I'm lying comfortably in bed."

"Ha..."

A laugh escaped Louise before he could stop it.

"He laughed."

"The captain looks kind of young when he smiles."

"Hey! What do you mean, young?"

"You look youthful, Captain."

"If he looked any younger, he'd be a newborn."

The archery unit personally selected by Ian consisted entirely of large, sturdy men.

Even when they were merely bickering among themselves, they looked intimidating.

"S-sorry, Chief."

The captain of the guard apologized once more.

"You may go."

That was all Louise said.

The captain and the villagers rushed out of the village hall as though they had been waiting for permission.

"W-what about me? What's going to happen to me? ...Sir?"

The former village chief asked.

He was still clutching Louise's collar.

His granddaughter Eliza hid behind him, watching nervously.

Since they were both sitting on the floor, Louise found himself looking down at them.

Were these two always this small?

He had seen this arrangement before.

The positions had simply been reversed.

Back then, the chief had looked like a giant.

"What were you planning to do after luring an innocent girl into your room? You filthy little worm. Know your place!"

"I didn't call her."

"Shut up!"

Slap!

"...I'm sorry."

Slap!

"...I was wrong..."

"Pack your things."

Color returned to the chief's face.

Grabbing Eliza, he practically crawled away in his haste.

Louise watched them until they disappeared.

He had been a hunter who killed a tiger at seven.

For years now, he had known he could overpower the village chief if he wanted to.

Yet he had never resisted.

Not simply because he feared being cast out.

He carried an original sin.

The sin of his parents.

The sin that had killed the families, siblings, and friends of the villagers.

Even now, after learning that a demon worshipper had been responsible, the guilt had never vanished.

In the end, it had still been his father who acted.

Even if he had been manipulated.

Even if he had not wanted to.

Louise's father had offered the villagers' lives to demons.

And so Louise had to save the villagers from demons.

Protect them.

And avenge his parents.

These villagers were genuinely excellent hunters.

Once they reached the dungeon, they would become valuable fighting strength.

The demon worshippers.

The demon race they worshipped.

The King of Demons himself.

Louise would destroy them.

He would cut evil off at its source.

By following Ian.

For the first time in his life, a clear goal stood before him.

A goal he had chosen with his own will.

And the change was immediately reflected in Ian's notifications.

Ding!

[Louise has sworn vengeance.]

[Louise's Main Quest "Wandering Soul" has been completed.]

[Louise's Main Quest "The River That Cannot Be Crossed Again" has begun.]

Ding!

[Louise has learned the skill .]

Ding!

[Skill] Focus

You remain unshaken under any circumstances.

Acquired: Mental Resistance

Acquired: Magic Resistance

Critical hit chance for all skills increased by 50%.

That's insane.

A rush of pleasure coursed through Ian's body.

Originally, this skill should have appeared the moment Louise learned the truth about his parents.

Why it was appearing now, Ian had no idea.

Did it matter?

Ian suddenly felt like kissing Louise.

Well done.

As expected of my second paid character.

Then his first paid character made a request.

"Ian. Please direct some of that affectionate gaze toward me as well."

"Have you lost your mind?"