DELICIOUS IN DUNGEON
Now hurry up and drop your weapon.
Step back and get on your hands and knees.
You move even one bit and I'll kill her.
Hey, Laios, she was one of Shuro's followers, wasn't she?
Oh, yeah, then she was tailing us this whole time.
You.
Get this spell off me.
Huh?
The spell that's been cast on me!
Hurry up and get rid of it!
Oh, um, do you know what kind it is?
Can't you tell just by looking?
I thought you knew black magic?
You gotta at least mention exactly
where it was cast on you and what type it is.
It's actually not one type of spell but two.
My first one is here.
And the other…
Eh… Huh?
Huh?
…is my whole body.
Wait, does that mean she's a beast-man?
Uh-huh.
I saw one of these a long time ago.
She's what's called an artificially made beast-man.
I heard they're made using black magic to mix human and beast souls.
All right then.
I'll do whatever I can.
This text…
Looks like it's written in the Eastern language.
What's the spell type?
-Are you really a magic user? -Huh?
It's a curse that activates
if the caster doesn't touch it within a set time.
So was the one who cast this that Maizuru lady?
How long until it activates?
And what happens when the time is up?
Dunno.
So you might wanna remove it quickly.
I mean you don't wanna die with me, do you?
I'll let you go if you dispel it.
I'm not familiar with the letters.
But I think I can remove this.
-Hey, kid over there! -Oh…
Huh?
Bring me something to eat.
FIELD RATION PELLET
Out of curiosity, when was the last time you ate?
If you eat like that without chewing, it'll get stuck in your throat.
Shut up!
How about you let me fix you up a nice warm meal?
-Hey! Didn't I say don't move? -What the…
Whoa!
Don't underestimate--
All I'm gonna do is whip up something warm for your belly.
That's all.
If you try to make me eat monster parts, I'll kill you.
I understand.
Hmm.
If I'm remembering right,
we picked up some mushrooms near the Dryads.
Hm?
Hold on, are those little feet it sprouted?
Probably my imagination.
Place a pot inside the magic circle.
Toss some butter in to melt it,
fry a few garlic cloves,
and then add rice.
Add in mushrooms and seasoning.
Pour in water and let it simmer for a while.
Hmm.
It feels shameful to be making something this simple
compared to the dishes I had been making.
But I hate the thought of letting that young-in go hungry
so I'll do whatever I've gotta do.
At the very least…
I could put some cheese in.
It's ready!
RISOTTO WITH MUSHROOMS FROM A GRAVEYARD AND CHEESE FROM ORCS
I'll leave it here.
Who'd even eat something like…
-Huh? -Hm?
This kid…
She has no table manners.
None!
Give me more! Now!
Do you think etiquette in the East is different from how we learn it here?
Doubt it.
I've never once seen Shuro eat as sloppy as she does.
She was probably just raised poorly.
Guess this is new for you.
Huh?
Huh…
What did you do that for?
I hate mushrooms.
She's picky!
This has never happened before.
Senshi…
Your spoon.
Huh?
You're not holding it in your hand the right way.
Hey!
Get any closer to me and you're dead meat!
Take that spoon, hold it properly,
and pick up every piece of food you dropped on the floor.
Argh. What the hell?
Hold on, stay still!
You shouldn't move while I'm dispelling!
This is how you hold a spoon.
I… I can hold it how I want!
And this is the easiest way for me to do it!
I'm sure it is.
Being forced to hold something in a way you're not used to
must be vexing.
But still--
Senshi, behind you!
No effect?
Huh?
Paper?
Senshi, be careful!
That's called a sujihiki knife.
It's a type of carving knife used to finely slice meat.
The length of the blade is long and sharp.
While it may look intimidating,
it's actually delicate.
Now, what do you think would happen if you swung it
while gripping it like that?
Senshi!
As you can see,
the tool's ability isn't used to its fullest
which can put you at a disadvantage.
Senshi!
Now, Laios!
Cat girl, you're not hurt anywhere, are you?
I probably startled you and I'm sorry about that,
but there are reasons why there's good and bad ways
to hold even the simplest of tools.
And I'd like you to keep that in mind.
Also, keep in mind you can't move while having something dispelled.
If it were something worse, who knows what could've happened?
Hm.
Looks like your food already got cold.
Let me warm it up for you real quick.
All right.
So why were you even following us?
This curse on my body,
I've been looking for a way to remove it for a really long time.
I eventually figured out that the curse is tied to black magic.
But wasn't able to find a magic user who specialized in it.
Not until we ran into that long-ear anyway.
Black-- Uh, ancient magic has several types.
The one that I'm researching deals with drawing energy from a different--
No excuses!
I know you're capable of it!
I've seen living proof of your work after all!
You've combined a person and a monster with your black magic!
And you guys are going deeper into the dungeon
so you can remove the curse on that woman, aren't you?
In other words, that must mean you know of a way to get rid of it!
So then, you should be able to break my curse too, right?
Remove this beast's soul
that possessed me so I can finally be free!
I'm sorry.
But that's just not something I can do for you.
Huh?
There are lots of things we still don't know about souls.
But they're often compared to an egg.
Usually, a soul is inside the body, or shell,
but once the body breaks, the insides spill out
and can't be put back together again.
A spell has been cast over this dungeon
that creates a thick membrane on the inside of the shell,
so even if the soul gets damaged, it won't leave.
In your and Falin's cases, at the moment,
there are two souls inside a single shell.
Once two souls are mixed together,
it's impossible to go back to how they were before.
I already knew all that, but to put it so bluntly is harsh.
Wait. What?
Then why are you guys still continuing on such a dangerous journey?
Well…
For starters, I can't leave my sister in the state she's currently in.
She might kill the next adventurer she runs into.
Or they might kill her.
We have to do something before then.
Also, if we go back to the surface now,
we'd get arrested for using black magic.
Shuro probably will have reported this to the Island Lord.
So you're saying…
I'm stuck like this forever?
Hey, listen to me.
This might be weird of me to say,
but I'm really glad I ended up meeting you.
I have no idea what monster you're mixed with,
but your speech and actions are perfectly human.
Plus, you have no urge to murder anything.
Looking at it a different way, if we manage to free Falin,
she could regain her original personality.
Just having learned that makes me feel, um…
I'm really happy right now.
-Here. -Huh?
This might be different from what you expected it to be,
but maybe try seeing it in a positive light.
Think of it as a new opportunity.
The lord of the dungeon is far superior to me
when it comes to the handling of ancient magic.
If we try asking him,
it's possible he'll teach us a thing or two
about separating souls.
Hang on.
Are you guys inviting me into your party?
I mean it'll be hard to return to the surface alone.
I think I heard before that your name's Asebi?
That was just an alias.
Then what's your--
Izutsumi.
My real name's Izutsumi.
And don't forget it.
Laios, how long are you going to keep up this lifestyle?
Father.
You need to start living a proper life.
I didn't allow you to leave home just for you to become a dragon slayer.
Come back to the village!
But Falin is still…
You can forget about that girl.
Huh?
Do you think someone like you
could actually make it in the outside world?
You couldn't fit in that school or the army
and ran away.
You don't even have the skills to explore a dungeon either.
Your party members are gonna trick and rob you
just like the ones from your gold-stripping days.
'Cause you're horrible at judging people's character.
That was certainly true with me.
You would consider me to be a good friend,
but I'd always been uncomfortable being around you.
You're so annoying!
We've settled this already.
Wait, come to think of it.
Why are my parents even here?
I haven't seen them in over ten years.
More importantly, where am I?
And what was I doing?
Let's see here…
I was getting kinda worried about Marcille.
She'd been looking really tired.
Marcille, we'll take watch tonight.
So you go get some rest.
Huh? How come?
You don't have to do that.
Don't worry about it. It's fine.
But what are you-- Argh!
What's going on?
I'm not even tired enough to sleep yet.
All right, I'm getting up now.
I'm not…
Before long, her peaceful sleeping breaths
turned into unsettling groans.
Marcille, what's wrong? Are you okay?
This looks pretty serious.
Is it a monster?
Yeah, a Nightmare to be exact.
It possesses sleeping people,
gives them bad dreams, and eats their emotions.
At this rate, Marcille will keep getting weaker and eventually die.
Rise and shine, Marcille!
Don't force her awake, or it'll damage her psyche.
When Shuro got possessed that one time,
Falin went inside his dream and saved him.
So let's try out that method.
Hang on, you're gonna go into her dream?
Someone has to make her realize that she can wake up from it.
You simply use the one who's dreaming as a pillow and…
I remember now.
I was trying to save Marcille.
But this…
is my dream!
Looks like the Nightmare got a little taste of me.
Well, that figures.
Man, they really know what people hate, don't they?
Although, since I've realized this is a dream.
My strongest servant, I summon thee!
Okay, now, how do I go into Marcille's dream?
She's right under my head at the moment, so…
That should mean I can dig down to get to her.
This is why dreams are the best.
Though it only works in your own.
That was a close call.
I almost woke up from the feeling of falling.
Oh, wow.
This is Marcille's dream, huh?
It's pretty amazing.
-Is someone there? -Oh.
What are you doing here?
This place is dangerous. You need to leave.
Are you Marcille?
Who… Who are you?
It's me, Laios!
The two of us are currently inside your dream.
You should wake up so we can get out of this, uh…
What's that?
Oh, no, it's coming!
I have to run!
What's coming?
Hurry up, this way!
It swallowed them.
Papa and Pipi are caught now.
Papa and Pipi?
A dream about being chased.
It's a common dream, but still stressful.
What was it Falin said?
Nightmares really love to feed on emotional wounds.
They evoke stressful memories or trauma
and display them as bad dreams.
Then they feed off the dreamer.
In order to prevent that, you need to protect those wounds.
Huh.
However…
It's risky, so don't try it, okay?
All right! I got it!
I'm gonna defeat that thing for you!
You can't do that, it's dangerous!
No need to worry about me.
I'm a lot stronger than I'd--
Huh?
What the hell is that thing?
How am I supposed to know?
So that's Marcille's fear?
It seems a little over the top,
but even so, I don't think that I'll be able to defeat it.
If she knew that this was a dream, that thing wouldn't be a threat.
I think we're safe now. Oh.
There's no such thing as safe here.
No one can beat that monster.
Huh?
It'll be okay.
We're gonna figure out how to defeat it.
Oh.
What is this thing that Marcille fears?
It's definitely a monster.
It has slow crawly-like movements,
several tentacles, and a hearty appetite.
Not to mention, it's gross.
Maybe it's a bug?
Hmm, there aren't many bugs that large though.
What kind could it be?
What kind?
I know!
It's a Wurm!
Wurms are a part of the Dragon family!
Their atrophied eyes and legs make them caterpillar-like.
If they're hungry, then they'll eat just about anything!
And they're weak to fire and light!
That's such a cool thing!
Good job, me!
Huh?
I didn't even hear it…
Watch out!
We gotta run!
That thing didn't touch you just now, did it?
It was only a scratch.
Show me!
What is this?
Crap.
She's even more scared!
The Nightmare is starting to get stronger.
What vicious poison.
What happens if I die in someone else's dream?
No, I'll fall right into its trap if I get anxious.
I've gotta cheer her up.
It'll be okay!
You've got magic on your side!
Defeating something like that would be no problem!
Magic?
This place became even more unstable.
Did I say something bad?
-I already… -Hm?
I already tried using some of my magic to defeat the monster.
And that's how she ended up looking like this.
She?
Wait a minute, is that doll Falin?
I get it now.
Marcille feels guilty about what her magic turned Falin into.
Then defeating the monster must mean…
The thing Marcille fears is death!
It's here again!
You can't just run away all the time.
You need to stand your ground and fight.
Huh?
Don't worry.
There's nothing to be afraid of, Marcille!
If you die in this dungeon, you can get revived.
Like Falin, she's alive because you used revival magic on her.
Besides, you're used to seeing corpses, right?
Oh, no, it's sucking me in!
-No! -Wait.
Why is it only trying to pull me in?
Grab my hand!
It's not poison.
I'm aging at an incredibly fast rate.
Hey, hold on a second, Marcille.
I can't breathe.
Something's weird here.
Is there a living creature that can do this?
Maybe it's not a living thing at all?
Does this mean you're gonna end up leaving me too?
No, I'll be able to run again after I rest.
Liar!
Everybody gives up on running with me, then that thing swallows them!
Papa, Pipi, Falin, and everyone else too!
That's why I worked so hard to study lots of magic.
But if learning and using that magic made Falin go away,
then what was it all for?
If I could maybe ask, did your father die at a young age?
We were at Papa's funeral, then Mama said
that when I run, I go a lot faster than everyone else.
So that means,
I'm gonna have to say goodbye to a whole bunch of people.
You keep mentioning Pipi, who is that?
My bird.
I see.
So it's not that Marcille is afraid of death.
She's actually worried her loved ones will die before she does.
You need to calm down, Marcille.
The more scared you become, the stronger it gets.
What am I supposed to do?
I can't fight it. I can't do anything!
No, you can!
Because you're Marcille, and you're amazing!
I mean, these books say it all!
I didn't see anything like this while in my dream!
You've been working hard for a long time, right?
Don't get discouraged.
Have confidence in yourself!
Marcille, stay strong!
No, that's enough!
Let's just run!
Please, stand up!
How can I be strong when my magic's incomplete?
If only I had that book he was carrying with him,
I'd finally be able to complete my magic…
Then go ahead and wish for that!
If you wish hard enough for it, you can do anything!
So don't be afraid!
You'll do it better the next time you try!
Don't give up, Marcille!
Don't go! You can't!
Please, no!
No!
Yeah, that's the spirit!
Go!
Wait a minute, is that even how you're supposed to use that?
Oh, you're finally awake.
You were both groaning in your sleep.
Are you okay?
I really don't remember what happened.
I think I dreamt about being tired or something.
She's going back to sleep!
No, please. You have to stay awake!
My dream?
I can't remember it.
But from what I can tell, it was probably a fun one.
Looks like my plan actually worked.
Did something happen?
Pass your pillow to me.
Hm?
Huh?
What's that?
This thing is a Nightmare.
It sneaks inside of people's pillows
and gives them bad dreams.
But there sure are a lot of them.
They must have been hiding in your pillow for a while.
Seriously!
Senshi, do you think we can eat these?
I've been curious about what they taste like.
Yeah, of course, we can.
First, make it spit out any dirt.
By soaking them in some hot water like this.
Huh?
Another name that the Nightmare goes by is Shen,
it's part of the Dragon family.
It kind of looks like Dragons, don't you think?
You're joking, right?
After melting some butter, place the Nightmares in the pan,
and pour a bit of wine over top, then cover.
To finish the dish, add a touch of soy sauce,
and it's ready. Oh?
What's this?
That's me when I was little!
The dream that the Nightmares ate turned into a mirage.
I think I'm starting to remember things.
Yeah, that's right.
I was running away from something,
and suddenly, a fluffy dog appeared.
The dog and I went on an adventure to search for treasure together.
It was a really fun dream!
That's a pretty dirty-looking dog.
He doesn't look all that smart.
What's wrong, Laios?
The way I remember it, it was a silver wolf and not a dog.
Oh, well…
If I was able to help make her dream fun, then I'm glad.