After taking a nap for about an hour.
“Hey, everyone, gather around.”
I summoned all the monsters.
Since the Dog Spider evolved into Kinogine Aracne, I thought it was time to reorganize the exploration team.
Once I confirmed that all the monsters were gathered, I announced the first group.
“Group 1 will go unchanged. Psycho Clown and Medical Mushroom will be a team, exploring Passage No. 8 as before.”
[Kirik: Got it.]
[Beep!]
Pururu: Work hard, slaves!
Yumi: They’re not slaves; they’re friends.
Psycho Clown took the map, while Medical Mushroom grabbed a severed arm.
Iris No. 2 intuitively stuck close to Group 1.
Next, I shifted my gaze to the right and continued speaking.
“Group 2 is Hedgehog Summoner.”
[Doo Doom Bar! Another Group 2!]
“And Jellyfish, who was in Group 3, will join Group 2.”
[Peep!]
“You guys will explore Passage No. 7.”
Passage No. 7 was elevated from a certain point, but that wouldn’t be a problem for exploration since Jellyfish had Levitation Magic.
[I’ll take care of the map! Doom Bar-ba-bap.]
[Peep, peep.]
Hedgehog grabbed the map, and Jellyfish picked up a severed arm. Then Iris No. 3 joined them.
Next was Group 3.
“Group 3 is Black Magma Slime. Take Iris No. 4 and explore Passage No. 6.”
[Huh?!]
Black Magma Slime, who used to be in the Headquarters Team, was drafted into the exploration team this time.
Pururu: Haha, look at Black Magma Slime’s shocked face.
Pururu: But did Black Magma Slime get fired from the guard?
Yumi: Looks like they got kicked out of the Headquarters Team. How sad.
Pururu: Good for you, getting to enjoy the company of Gun.
[Mysticism: 🤭]
Rize Nova: So now Kinogine will handle the guarding?
“No. Since the seal is lifted, I’m not planning to have any guards for the time being.”
I judged that it would be fine without a guard for a while.
Based on previous experiences, this hideout was relatively safe.
When looking for a vending machine, I was planning to only move through areas that had already been explored.
Moreover, with one seal lifted now, I could handle monsters on my own.
Assuming the danger level of monsters is B-rank.
Of course, if the number of tamed monsters increased significantly, I would select a guard monster to keep by my side then. It wouldn’t hurt to be overly cautious.
Right now, I simply felt we lacked exploration personnel, so I wasn’t assigning any guards.
[Hmm…]
Did Black Magma Slime think it was demoted from Headquarters Team to Exploration Team?
It clung to my leg, looking at me with pitiful eyes.
“You need to work properly now. You’ve rested enough. There were times when you just lay around sleeping while the others were exploring.”
[Hmm…!]
Pururu: Get lost, you loser!
Yumi: Pururu, that’s a bit harsh.
[Mysticism: Junk.]
Black Magma Slime looked around, grabbed the map of Passage No. 6 from near a box, and handed it to me while blinking rapidly at me.
“Does it mean you can’t do map-making?”
[Umm!]
Yumi: Wow. You figured it out in an instant. Impressive!
Pururu: That slime girl is definitely pretending to be dumb on purpose.
[Mysticism: Right! She’s trying to stick close to Gun!]
“Don’t worry. Just go straight along Passage No. 6 like you used to. Kinogine will handle the map-making.”
[Hmm…!]
Black Magma Slime made a sulky face, but then accepted reality and grabbed a severed arm.
Afterward, Iris No. 4 clung to the slime.
[Explorer, does that mean I’m staying in Group 3 too?]
The Centauress walked over confidently and asked.
I shook my head lightly in response.
“No. You’re staying here.”
[What? I’m staying? Does that mean I’m not in the exploration team, but part of the Headquarters Team?!]
“Not Headquarters Team, but Reserve Team.”
[To think I could suddenly become part of the Headquarters Team…!]
“Reserve Team, I said.”
The Centauress was now a part of the Reserve Team, not Group 3.
When the exploration team found a vending machine, her role would be to carry me there.
Of course, she wouldn’t just be waiting around.
I planned to keep assigning her to document the map of Cave No. 6.
“You’ll be waiting here, checking the screen for Group 3 through Iris and documenting the Cave No. 6 map. And if the exploration team finds a vending machine, you’ll quickly take us there.”
[Aha. Got it! So I just need to stay here and create the map! But to be suddenly appointed to the Headquarters Team… could it be that you want to… uh… do it with me?]
“I told you it’s a Reserve Team, how many times?!”
[Oh! A Reserve Team! I must have been too excited to hear it clearly! So it means you appointed me to the Reserve Team because you want to do it with me, right?]
“…Did you really hear it correctly?”
[Hehe. If that’s what you want, I’m always ready, so feel free to pounce whenever you want.]
“…”
[Mysticism: 😡]
Pururu: That crazy girl. Maybe I should sew that up.
Yumi: Ugh. Is that all that’s on her mind?
The Centauress was giggling away, caught up in her delusions, wearing a rather perverted expression.
I ignored her and turned my gaze away.
Then I called for Kino and Azelas.
“Kino. Azelas.”
[Yes, my lovely and respected father.]
“Uh… right.”
“You two are Group 4. And you’ll explore Cave No. 4.”
[Yes. I want to stay with you, father, but… there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t go against your wishes.]
“Got it… right…? ”
Rize Nova: Kino is growing up quickly. She doesn’t even throw tantrums despite being so young.
[Mysticism: So mature!]
Pururu: Is it really okay to put two SS ranks together?
Pururu raised a question about my decision.
“I placed them together on purpose. At the end of Cave No. 4, there’s a massive door, and there seem to be dangerous monsters lurking beyond that.”
Pururu: Ah, so you’re sending two SS ranks for safety reasons.
[Mysticism: Safety is great!]
Yumi: Are we skipping the exploration of Cave No. 5?
“I’m curious about what’s beyond the door in Cave No. 4, so I’m going to skip Cave No. 5 this time.”
While talking with my assistants, Azelas took the map, and Kino grabbed a severed arm and stored it between her breasts. Looks like that’s where she keeps her precious items.
Now I finally called out the last Headquarters Team.
“The Headquarters Team is Melody Fox and Iris No. 1.”
[Kyuu!]
[Confirmation!]
Yumi: Gun, why is Melody Fox in the Headquarters Team?
“She’s cute.”
[?]
Pururu: ?
[Mysticism: 🧐]
Rize Nova: Question mark.
“I’m just kidding… she doesn’t seem to have particularly great combat abilities, but having her around might help the seal get lifted.”
As I said that, Melody Fox slowly approached and stuck to me.
And still with her eyes closed.
[Kyuu~]
She wore a smug smile, filled with superiority.
It was a rather irritating expression, but her cute appearance made it forgivable.
Pururu: That cunning fox.
Rize Nova: She’s not a cunning fox; she is a fox.
[Mysticism: She’s lewd. She might not even be an animal.]
Rize Nova: That’s right; she’s not an animal. She’s a monster.
All the monsters glared at Melody Fox with envious eyes, then drooped their heads, shuffling towards their assigned passages.
Seeing that made me feel a bit sorry for them.
Once I have more monsters, I should integrate all the existing ones into the Headquarters Team.
It wouldn’t be bad to give the initial members such benefits.
*
Cave No. 7.
During the exploration, Group 2, Jellyfish and Hedgehog Summoner, encountered a new monster.
— [Stop! Suspicious being detected!]
— [Peep!]
— [Jellyfish! Let’s dance together to summon a spirit!]
— [Peep!]
Jellyfish was dancing with its whole body, and Hedgehog Summoner was shaking its butt more flamboyantly than before, summoning undead spirits.
A monster resembling a human slowly approached them, licking its tongue.
— [Orooro!]
[Yumi: That monster’s cry is unique.]
Pururu: Orooro, lol. 😂
[Mysticism: 🤭]
Pururu: I thought it was Orakan. Is that Orokan? 😂
Rize Nova: Don’t you dare insult our Orakan.
Pururu: LOL.
— [Orooro! Chee!]
The monster was a fusion of a snake and a human.
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