Mushroom Gone, Garden Empty

"Th-this..." The young Puji Mushroom's cap trembled as she looked around for signs of outsiders. "What do we do? What if they really are assassins..."

"Then you're dead."

"Huh? There's no hope of winning?"

Seeing that Inanna still held out hope, Linden mercilessly analyzed the situation for her.

"Think about it. We're trapped on this floor and can't get out, while they came down easily from above. The gap in strength is obvious, isn't it?"

"Then what should I do?"

"How about being ready to Self-Destruct with a Magic Crystal at any time?"

"Die together with them?"

"At least you'll die with some dignity."

"That... makes sense..."

When the Silver Thorn Squad reached the center of the Mushroom Garden, they found a Pink Puji with a massive Magic Crystal perched atop her head, magic power surging around her as she stood ready to Self-Destruct at any moment.

Linden had even thoughtfully arranged two Pujis on either side of her, making her look considerably more imposing.

The explosion from such a huge Magic Crystal would be nothing like the one at the entrance.

Night Owl immediately wanted to use his speed advantage to eliminate the threat at once.

[Shadow Bind]

As expected of a teammate, Ivan's first move was a spell that countered Night Owl.

"Calm down, you brute."

Only after Ivan's reminder did Night Owl notice that their captain, Nova, was staring excitedly at the Pink Puji before them.

Feeling the direction indicated by the Tracking Crystal in his hand, there was no doubt that this Puji was their rescue target—Inanna Saint Clair, the Duke's Daughter.

Nova promptly dropped to one knee and gave Inanna a proper noble's salute.

"Lady Inanna, we are Adventurers entrusted by your father, Duke Amara, to rescue you. My apologies for frightening you."

As he spoke, he gave Night Owl, who was standing stupidly beside them with a dagger in hand, a meaningful look.

He was now immensely grateful that he had stopped Night Owl from carrying out her plan to clear the place before entering.

He did not even dare imagine what would happen if the Duke discovered that the Adventurers sent to rescue his daughter had ended up bearing his Mark of Vengeance...

Gulp—

It would not just be the Duke himself hunting them down. To distance itself from such a mess, the Adventurer Guild would surely issue a massive bounty for them as well.

Then, vast as the world was, there would be nowhere left for them to hide.

At that thought, Nova could not help shivering. The way he looked at Night Owl grew even more hostile—she had indeed become more and more reckless lately. It was time to hold a proper self-reflection meeting when they got back.

"How was I supposed to know..." Night Owl muttered as she put away her weapon and knelt down, copying her captain's posture.

Though he could not understand their conversation, seeing the group kneel before Inanna allowed Linden to confirm their purpose.

Inanna was even more excited. With the Magic Crystal still balanced at its critical threshold atop her head, she jumped up.

Linden hurriedly told her to calm down. If she blew herself up now, the joke would be far too big.

"That old man... Father really did send someone to save me!"

Inanna did not know that tracking magic had been placed on her. After hearing what those two Betrayers had said, she had always believed that the Duke would be too occupied to save her.

Just moments ago, she had suspected that these people had come to finish her off. Now, she was almost moved to tears—except Pujis had no tears.

"Boss, did you hear that? We can get out!"

"After we leave, you can plant Mushrooms all over my family's private forest."

"That old man will definitely agree too."

"We can also... we can..."

"Boss, why aren't you saying anything?"

"Linden?"

A Puji carrying an A-Rank Magic Crystal slightly smaller than the one atop Inanna's head came up to her.

"Newcomer, you've done pretty well these past few days. This is your bonus."

"Don't mention me to these people. Good luck from here on out."

Linden had finally responded, but what he said left her unable to understand.

"Don't you want to leave too? Why?"

"..."

"Lady Inanna, can we communicate like this?"

The voice sounded in Inanna's mind as directly as usual, but it was not Linden speaking.

Looking at the old Halfling before her, Inanna realized that he had used a telepathy spell.

"Yes..."

"It is wonderful to see that you are safe and unharmed. I know that your transformation spell has been permanently fixed. Don't worry—once we leave the Dungeon, we will prepare a reversal ritual for you. Please endure a little longer."

"Okay."

Ivan felt that the person before him was a shy, somewhat introverted young woman, quite unlike the information they had gathered before.

But the Tracking Crystal could not be wrong. This had to be the Duke's Daughter.

Thinking about how a young girl had suddenly suffered betrayal and faced mortal danger, it was perfectly normal for her personality to change somewhat.

"Lady Inanna, could you tell us what exactly happened to you?"

"I... I don't want to talk about it..."

Inanna recalled Linden's words. After thinking for a moment, she chose not to make up a story, but simply remained silent.

Sure enough, after a brief pause, Ivan took the initiative to reassure her. "Ah, it's fine, it's fine. This wasn't an interrogation to begin with."

Ivan naturally understood that this Mushroom Garden might hold some secrets.

Otherwise, there was no way the Duke's Daughter could have survived here, and from the looks of it, she had even gotten along quite well with the Pujis here.

At any other time, he would certainly have investigated to satisfy his curiosity.

But this was a mission whose reward concerned an entire city.

Even if this Pink Puji that the Duke's Daughter had turned into wanted to stand on Night Owl's head and spray Spores everywhere, he would still have to help hold Night Owl down and keep her from moving.

Much less concern himself with a few little secrets here.

"We'll be heading back soon. Is there anything you need to take with you?"

At Inanna's signal, Ivan took out a box and stored away the later Magic Crystal.

As for the one on Inanna's head, she still insisted on keeping it tied there.

Ivan merely replaced the Mycelium Tentacle originally used to secure the Magic Crystal with a sturdy ribbon.

After briefly communicating with his teammates, Ivan picked up Inanna and headed back the way they had come.

As they moved farther and farther from the Mushroom Garden, her connection to the Mycelium Network grew weaker and weaker.

Deprived of the vision provided by the Mycelium Network, Inanna suddenly felt as though she had returned to the moment she had first been transformed into a Puji.

Loneliness, Fear—

Watching the Adventurer squad disappear into the passage, Linden's main body piloted the Strongest Puji out from its hiding place.

Of course, he could not leave together with Inanna.

After spending so many days with her, he knew that everything Inanna had said came from her heart.

But Linden could not trust Adventurers, much less a great noble like Inanna's father.

He did not know whether there was something about him worth coveting.

Even if he were taken outside, he would probably only be treated as the Duke's Daughter's pet.

And if the Duke discovered that killing his daughter's pet could bring him enormous benefits, what would he do?

It was only a hypothetical, but Linden would never gamble his hopes on someone else.

Besides, not leaving with Inanna did not mean he would not follow them from afar, using these Adventurers to carve out a safe path for himself.

He placed the Sun Stone Fragments he had collected and an S-Rank Magic Crystal beneath Super Puji's shell.

He gathered all forty of his remaining Combat Pujis.

Linden took one final look at the Mushroom Garden he had created with his own hands, the place that had helped him through his hardest days—it had fulfilled its mission.

Following Inanna's faint Mycelium Network signal, Linden stepped into the passage as well.