[theme music playing]
DELICIOUS IN DUNGEON
Finding a way back up was rough,
so of course, when we try to go back down,
we run into something like this.
[Chilchuck breathes deeply] I don't like it at all.
This blood hasn't dried yet.
Falin must have passed through recently to head to the lower floors.
I bet she was cramped in here.
[narrator] The sixth floor.
Underground waterways that utilize tunnels
dug by ancient dwarves.
They appear to stretch out endlessly,
laying themselves under the town like the roots of a tree.
Besides the water, many things likely flowed through here.
Humans and animals,
conspiracies, and rumors.
Money and blood.
[Marcille] It's so cold.
[Laios] Yeah, it's weird since I'm pretty sure
this floor is supposed to be humid.
[Laios exhales softly]
[Marcille] Maybe we ended up somewhere else?
I think I remember this route from before.
[Chilchuck] Yeah, this is definitely the floor
where the Red Dragon attacked us
and almost wiped out our party.
I mean, it is a dungeon where walls and roads move around.
The temperature changing isn't that strange.
[Laios] I prefer it being cold over it being hot.
But the snow and water washing away the bloodstains is a big problem.
[Chilchuck] Since we're here, do we wanna head back to the place
where we almost got wiped?
If the Dungeon Cleaners haven't gotten to it yet,
we might be able to salvage our stuff.
I wonder if Falin is doing okay.
I'd imagine this cold is pretty tough on Red Dragons.
Wait, is that why she had feathers?
So, Laios, since you got in Shuro's face
and blurted out we were gonna defeat the mad mage,
surely you must have some kind of plan, right?
Yeah, about that…
[Laios] Falin said she was looking for someone named Delgal.
I imagine the mad mage had given the Red Dragon that same order.
That's also the reason the Red Dragon came up to a different floor
and wandered around without resting.
[Senshi] Who's Delgal?
[Chilchuck] The name sounds familiar, but I'm drawing a blank.
[Marcille] It's the king.
[both] Hmm?
When the Golden Country fell 1,000 years ago,
he was their last ruler.
[Marcille] You can find engravings in various spots of this dungeon
that sing his praises.
[Chilchuck] Oh, that's right!
His name is on artifacts that have been dug up.
Hang on.
But didn't I hear that he…
Yeah.
[Laios] When this dungeon was initially discovered,
he briefly appeared on the surface, became dust, and vanished.
[Chilchuck] So, the mad mage has been working
the Red Dragon to the bone
and completely changing the dungeon's structure,
all to find a king who disappeared ages ago?
[Laios] Ever since the mad mage witnessed the previous king get killed
right in front of him,
he's worried that his son will meet the same fate.
That's why he must have assumed we were assassins
-and started attacking us. -[sneezes]
Really? Where'd you hear that from?
A dream?
Oh, uh… Well, you see…
[Laios] I first met the mad mage inside of the Living Paintings.
And that's where I learned about it.
[Laios] Remember… I told you that I tried to eat some food in there
and he was so pissed at me?
-[Marcille] What? -[groans]
[Chilchuck] Why didn't you mention that sooner?
I only put the pieces together just now!
Huh, I see.
So you are reliving the past.
[Chilchuck] To be absolutely sure,
you said that the mad mage was an elf, right?
Do elves really live up to 1,000 years?
[Marcille] There were records of it a long time ago,
but currently, our typical lifespan is about 500 at best.
[Chilchuck] At best, huh?
Well, I mean, you're able to mess with other people's lives,
so I'd imagine it simple enough for you to extend your own.
That's not true!
It's impossible to prolong your life with your own magic.
That'll be like someone trying to eat their own flesh to live longer.
Anyway, if he attacked us because he thought
that we were enemies of the king…
maybe we can clear things up with him?
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
[worried groan]
[wind gusting heavily]
-[Marcille quivering] -The wind's gotten way stronger.
Why is it so cold?
[Laios] I can't see ahead.
Hey, you guys!
Are you still following me?
[Chilchuck] Laios, where did you go?
[Senshi] I can't see anything!
[Laios] It'd be bad if we got separated!
Grab on to someone's hand!
[quivering]
[Senshi grunts, quivers]
[quivering]
[Laios] We can't go on like this.
[Laios] A tunnel!
Let's take shelter!
[Laios panting]
You guys okay?
Chil?
[Chilchuck] I'm here.
No issues.
Marcille?
[Marcille] Present.
I'm over here.
Senshi?
[Senshi] Yeah.
All good.
Oh, thank goodness.
[Senshi] Hmm?
-Hey, Marcille. -[Chilchuck] Wait a sec…
Could you give us some light, please?
[chiming]
[soft groan]
[Laios] This place…
It kinda looks like an old prison.
For a while there, I thought we…
[all] Huh?
[all] No way!
[all] Huh?
[all] This is…
-[Laios] We've multiplied! -[unsettling music playing]
Hey, the hell is all this?
Illusion magic?
Let's see.
Hmm…
My guess is… it's the work of a Shapeshifter.
Shape-what?
[Laios] Never heard of them?
Where I'm from, they're monsters that appear sometimes.
[Laios] On days when the fog is thick or there's a heavy snowstorm,
walk through the hills and you'll suddenly have extra companions.
That's when the Shapeshifter copies your appearance
and blends themselves with the rest of your group.
Wherever you're from… sounds scary.
[Marcille A] Is it some type of fairy?
[Chilchuck A] Are they prone to causing trouble?
If they go unnoticed,
they'll kill and eat the real one and take their place.
-What the hell? -Huh?
-We have to hurry and find the fake ones! -[panicked groan]
-Huh? -[scared breath]
[panicked exclaim]
I must eat.
Well, this isn't good.
Hey, those Laioses over there…
I think it's pretty safe to say they're fake.
[Senshi A] Sounds about right.
Yeah, they don't look like they know much about monsters.
Shapeshifters will read the minds of living creatures,
mimicking the appearance of those around them.
So the three other me's over there
reflect how the real Senshi, Marcille, and Chilchuck remember me.
That makes sense.
[Marcille A] If you look closely,
you can see each version looks somewhat different than the rest.
[Marcille B] Can we hurry and do something about this one then?
Huh?
[Marcille B] She's clearly a fake.
Sure is.
How dare you!
Gaze upon my visage and see that I am…
Ugh, so annoying.
Whose memory did she come from?
This Senshi and Chilchuck are clearly fakes as well.
[both] Hmm?
How so?
-[Chilchuck C and Chilchuck D] Huh? -[Chilchuck C] Just look at him!
My neck wrap isn't a scarf, but his is.
[Chilchuck A] And Senshi's helmet's missing holes.
[soft grunt]
Now that you mention it…
[Chilchuck A] I don't think there's any doubt
that they're from Laios' memory.
[Senshi A] He's not great with details.
-[gate thuds] -[fakes sobbing, grumbling]
Is it fine to leave them like that?
They don't really have the same intelligence a human does.
But if you do try to attack them, they're sure to fight back.
Let's avoid fighting unknown monsters under these circumstances.
We'll reveal the fakes peacefully and then deal with them all!
[gong strikes]
His enthusiasm is great, but…
Will he really be able to tell the difference
between the real one and the fakes?
[Senshi A] Not likely.
[Laios] The number of fakes remaining is six.
When they're side by side, you can see lots of differences.
But while we're figuring this out, our fuzzy memories are being influenced.
I need to hurry and settle this or else…
[Senshi A] When it comes to the Marcilles, they have different hairstyles.
I honestly don't remember what her hair looked like
-when I last saw her. -[Marcilles] You're kidding?
This hairstyle's unique, so you remember it, don't you?
Just look at it!
The blizzard made me cold, so I took my hair down.
First of all, my hair quality is way better.
Hair is a magic-user's life, you know?
They're all saying things the real one would say.
Well, they are acting the way we see Marcille in our heads.
[all sigh]
Oh! Here's an idea!
How about we decide based on information that only I would know?
I hope you don't mean stuff like guessing your mom's maiden name.
-[Marcille A] Not that. -[rustling]
[Marcille A] Look at my spellbook!
-[worried gasp] -You see?
[boys exclaim]
Yeah, one of those books is obviously fake.
Hard to tell with the other two, they both look legitimate.
[Marcille B] What? No way!
The spells in her book are all messed up!
Hey, that's my line!
[both grunt angrily]
Our personal belongings might help reveal more fakes.
-Senshi, mind showing your stuff? -Mm.
Lock 'em up with the others!
-[gate thuds] -[sad groaning]
[Laios] We've narrowed it down to two each, but…
we're at a standstill.
The number of fakes remaining… three.
Okay. Let's make food.
[all] Wait, at a time like this?
I can't tell you apart based on looks.
So now, I've got to check for usual behavior.
I'll have all of you cook and observe how you do things.
That will tell me which are fake and which are real.
[Marcille A] He didn't know he encountered the mad mage
or notice Shuro's feelings…
[Chilchuck A] He didn't pick up on the fact
that he'd already met that Kabru guy either.
[Senshi A] And we're gonna rely on his observational skills?
[silence]
[Laios' party] This is bad.
[Laios] Who are my party members and who are the imposters?
It's my chance to regain the trust that I lost.
I really don't want to disappoint them again.
I have to pick up on the subtle differences no matter what!
[Senshi A] We're dealing with Laios.
There's a possibility he might find the fakes more interesting
because they're monsters.
[Marcille A and Chilchuck A] That's true.
[Laios' party] We have to do something about this ourselves!
I'll be watching from here.
So do your best, everyone.
Jeez, thanks.
What should we make?
[Senshi A] There's what I found on the fifth floor
and the ingredients Maizuru was kind enough to give to us.
With such good provisions on our hands, I've got an idea of what to make.
Before you all start…
pair up with your other self and work as a team to prepare a dish.
[all] Huh?
By having you perform the same assignment, I can watch for different behaviors.
[Laios] Senshi can teach you the recipe.
Now, that's settled,
is everyone ready?
-[gong strikes] -Let the cooking begin!
[Laios] First, the Chilchuck team.
Cut the meat.
And then mix the eggs and seasonings.
Chilchuck A sat in the hallway,
Chilchuck B sat on top of a wooden box and started prepping.
What are you even writing?
You're distracting!
[Chilchuck B grunting]
-[grunting continues] -Hmm?
It won't budge. Can you get it, Laios?
Huh?
Hey! You see that?
B slipped up! He's the fake one!
[Marcille A] Huh? What are you talking about?
[Chilchuck A] Oh, come on! You guys know me!
I've got lots of conviction and pride and all that.
[Senshi A] It's important that people help each other, Chilchuck.
[Marcille A] A is a little cynical, don't you think?
[Senshi A] If you look closely, he's got some mean-looking eyes.
Hey.
-Our Chilchuck is definitely much cuter. -[Chilchuck B grunting]
Leave me alone!
Hey, Laios, you know I'm the real one, right?
[Laios] Chilchuck A…
He does have a pretty suspicious-looking face.
-He might be the fake. -[nervous groan]
We'll see.
Please continue cooking.
Dumbass.
Insulted me in the common language.
[Laios] Next, the Marcille team.
I'm sorry, but what is this egg that we're using?
[Senshi A] It's a Harpy egg.
[angry groan]
I've said this plenty of times since the start
that humanoid monsters are off-limits!
Yes, I've started to compromise, but it's still not okay!
[Laios] Marcille B is behaving normally, but maybe to a fault.
Back to the recipe…
Boil the diced Dryads.
What do you think, Marcille A?
I don't like it, but…
I've already eaten fish-man eggs and Dryads,
so why bother complaining now?
If it meant that I could save Falin, then I'd do anything.
[all exclaim]
Hey! I…
I would also do anything to save Falin, you know!
B's determination is weak in comparison.
Do I have to eat these Harpy eggs to make you believe me?
[Laios] When the eggs are soft enough to pierce with a chopstick,
drain the water,
mix with the seasonings and mash.
Wait, this is actually tough.
They both said things the real one would say.
Back to the Senshi team.
So, where did you get those Harpy eggs from anyway?
[Senshi B] I came across a nest inside of a collapsed house,
so I gathered everything that was there.
[Laios] Cut to one-centimeter thick.
As they say, eggs are the perfect…
Source of nutrients.
[both chuckle]
[Laios] Fry with rice on low heat and then season.
I'm pretty sure rice is Shuro's favorite food.
[Senshi A] It's packed with plenty of essential nutrients
adventurers need to explore.
We're real lucky to find as much as we did.
[Laios] I'm only interested in eating monsters we find,
but Senshi's different.
He's focused on deeper things.
Like taking flavor and nutrition into account.
All the food looks so good.
-Guess I can't decide based on skill. -[exclaims]
[Marcille B] Hmm…
You know, no one's really said anything about it,
so I thought I'd check.
[Marcille B] But doesn't Senshi B
looked a little more attractive than he should?
[dramatic gasps]
Seems fine to me.
Yeah, Senshi's always looked handsome.
[Marcille B and Senshi A] Huh?
What even is this? Prejudice against dwarves?
Yeah, come on. Senshi doesn't look that dopey.
-[panicked groaning] -[Laios] Senshi is handsome.
Noted.
[Senshi B] Laios, the food's almost ready.
Have you made your final decision yet?
[Laios] Honestly…
-[warbling] -…I have no idea.
They all look like they could be real… or fake.
Besides, I think it's kind of unfair to have me
try to distinguish a memory in my head against the actual thing.
It would've been fun to look for a monster disguised as a human,
but trying to see through an illusion is…
Look for a monster, huh?
-[Senshi A] It's ready! -Hmm?
MEMORIES OF THE FIFTH FLOOR PILAF
SWEET DRYAD
THE WHOLE FIFTH FLOOR PICCATA
All right, listen up while you eat.
Those of you I think are real are…
Chilchuck A!
[Laios] The one with the dour expression!
[Laios] Marcille B!
The one who won't eat Harpy eggs even if it's for Falin.
Senshi A!
The dopey one!
That said,
will the imposters promptly lock themselves in the cell?
[Marcilles and Chilchucks] Now hold on a second!
What kind of proof do you have that he's the real one?
That one's obviously the imposter!
What makes you think she's real?
Hmm…
Just a feeling.
I'll try to explain all of that later.
Let's deal with the fake ones first.
It's…
Just a feeling?
"Deal with"?
I knew it, this guy's a joke.
[Senshi B] It seems like…
[Senshi A] We're just gonna have to protect ourselves.
-[muffled groan] -[Chilchuck A grunts]
[Laios' party grunting]
[Laios] This was inevitable no matter who I picked.
Shapeshifter is a term for monsters that mimic others.
There are kinds that can mimic voices or possess
or physically change their appearance.
Which is this Shapeshifter capable of?
There's no way that monsters are able to cook food.
It must be creating an illusion like Marcille said.
Since it targets people, it's either a carnivore or an omnivore.
It's too much of a coward and lacks the strength to attack directly.
Visibility is low and it's cold here.
So it can withstand the cold and relies on smell and hearing.
Hmm…
Downwind is that direction.
The enemy is waiting for us to wear ourselves out.
I doubt I'll hit it by recklessly swinging my sword around.
So what should I do?
Kensuke's gotten pretty quiet.
He might die from the cold.
Guess I'll have to take a page from the enemy.
Time to turn the tables and make the hunter… feel like the hunted.
It's been a while, but I'll do that.
[Laios' party grunting]
[determined grunt]
[tense music playing]
[inhales deeply]
[music stops]
[barks]
[all gasp]
-[Laios barking] -[dramatic music playing]
[Senshi A] A dog?
Whoa!
[Senshi A] Wait, a hunting dog?
[Laios] For as long as I can remember, dogs have always been by my side,
and I've learned a lot from them.
How to hunt,
how to engage with a threat stronger than you are.
-And now, let me teach you! -[dogs barking]
-[growls] -[dogs howling]
He's good!
[Senshi A] Laios really is…
A dog!
[Laios] You may think you're the hunter,
but you're actually the one being hunted!
[gasps]
Everyone, look! The illusions!
-[Senshi] Huh? -[exclaims]
[Chilchuck] Huh?
[epic music playing]
[Laios] So, you've finally shown yourself.
Since you're a beast, you should know full well.
In this fight…
the one who flinches first is the one who loses!
[growls]
[both shout] Laios! No!
[music swells]
[music stops]
[loud blast]
[Laios groans]
[frizzling]
[blows air]
[Chilchuck] You all right, Laios?
All right in the head, that is?
Uh-huh.
[Chilchuck] There's a lot of things I wanna say,
but how come you didn't draw your weapon?
[Laios] Honestly, I got too into character.
-[Senshi exclaims] -[Chilchuck] Hmm?
[Senshi] Look what happened to all the food we made.
Makes sense since we cooked it with an illusion.
[Chilchuck] Let's remake it.
[Chilchuck] Man,
hard to believe that Laios' intuition was actually on the nose.
[Marcille] So, how did you tell us apart?
Hmm…
By the lack of monster awareness?
[all] Hmm?
[Laios] Well, first, Chilchuck sat on a wooden box.
Boxes are the perfect hiding spot for Mimics and Tentacles.
For you to not even worry about that kinda stuck out to me.
[Senshi B] I came across a nest inside of a collapsed house,
so I gathered everything that was there.
[Laios] For someone who respects the balance of an ecosystem,
that seemed a bit careless.
Do I have to eat these Harpy eggs to make you believe me?
[Laios] Lastly, when Marcille dumped the boiling water.
After how you were attacked by that Undine,
doing something like that seemed reckless.
That's why it caught my attention.
[soft grunt] Huh?
[shocked gasp]
In this case, it was that absentmindedness that made me think you were the real one.
Huh.
[Senshi] That was some good work.
I'm real proud of you, Laios.
I think his perspective is still a bit off.
Well… still,
it's not easy to see through an illusion spell.
It did keep the Shapeshifter fed after all.
I thought you noticed then…
I've already eaten fish-man eggs and Dryads.
[Marcille] When she mentioned the fish-man eggs in particular…
It should have been obvious.
I mean, we've never eaten those kinds of eggs before.
Right, guys?
[Marcille giggles]
-[exclaims] -[Chilchuck grunts]
[Marcille] Could it have been that barley dish?
[Senshi] The dessert's ready now too.
-[Laios and Chilchuck] All right! -[Marcille] Yippee!
It's been a while since we've had sweets.
[Senshi] Should I make some tea?
Pretty sure there were tea leaves in the bag of provisions we got.
Hmm?
Did you put it somewhere else?
[Senshi] No, I definitely put it right here.
Hmm?
[Chilchuck] The rice…
[Marcille] Huh?
[uneasy music playing]
[gasps]
[Chilchuck] Empty.
-[Marcille screams] -[gasps]
[scared gasp]
[Laios] Marcille!
[Asebi] Drop your weapon and freeze.
Do that and we can talk peacefully.
[tense sting]
[closing theme music playing]