ã€ŠTrapped in a Parallel Dimension with a Different Body!ã€‹


 Reincarnation

    Chapter 1: Reincarnation

    It appears I''m dead. How did I die again? Well, no matter, let''s just get the reincarnation rigmarole over with. Now that I consider it though, maybe it would be good for me to fake surprise. ''Ehh!? I''m dead? How did that happen?'' This how I will react when Kami-sama informs me. Then I''ll be informed of my reincarnation into a fantasy world and I''ll go ''Woow! That''s incredible Kami-sama! So cool that you can do that! Thank you so much, I will do my best! Hmm, maybe I could get a blessing too, Kami-sama?'' It''s a stupid reaction but I''m sure Kami-sama gets plenty of those. Now that I think about it, informing everybody that they''re dead must be an awful job ''You''re sad you died? Never heard that one before.'' Couldn''t they just send a letter or something instead?

    Really it stands to reason that Kami-sama is more like a receptionist than a proper g¨Cah! This must be Kami-sama! Bmf. A cloud of white smoke blossoms into the white room I''ve been waiting in, originating a few feet in front of my white chair (what''s with the all this white?). The smoke expands through the room, but it doesn''t smell bad or anything. In fact, it smells pretty pleasant and on top of that is soothing to breathe in. Mmmm, this is nice.

    The pleasant smoke disperses quickly, but luckily something even better replaces it. In the center of the room sits a young girl on a white throne. She''s wearing a cute orange dress with frilly white thigh-highs. As a bonus, her black hair is pulled back in a big white bow. Ah, her dress is so short that I''m certain I could peek under if I leaned down a little. Not that I have experience with that sort of thing¨Cwhat am I, some kind of pervert?

    Let me answer that for you: no, I''m not.

    Although I''m not a fashion expert, I do have to wonder if it''s fair to even call this garment a dress. Maybe a dresslet? Skirts get distinguished by length (micro-, mini- and too long-) so when you think about it it''s discriminatory that dresses don''t. What if some poor girl wanted to buy a nice dress only to be inundated with monsters that go down to her ankles? I shiver at the thought. I''ll never allow that sort of thing to ever happen, for the sake of all the cute girls in the world. That''s right, I''m a dress activist! When I get reincarnated I''ll form the first dress regulatory body and inspect and classify every dress. Only dresses above the knee though. Those soft, shapely legs~.

    Whew, I''m feeling a little hot.

    "Ahem."

    "Ah!" I''m caught off-guard. " Y-yes K-Kami-chan?" Her face immediately flushes red and twists into an adorable glare. Oops. I couldn''t help but think that looking at her. A little young for Kami-sama, eh? Ooh, she has golden eyes too. Now that I look more closely, the orange dresslet has a tinge of yellow to it, so it matches her eyes quite well. Wait, what am I doing!? Even if she''s a receptionist or something, Kami-chan is still from the heavenly realm. This is a major mistake! No time for my well-meaning appreciation! "Kami-sama! Please forgive me!" I scramble into my best seiza.

    "I am god! How dare you mortal...fufufu, at least you are apologizing. Do not be deceived by my form, unless you seek proof of my power in the form of punishment." Her arm is posed like she''s about to demonstrate said power.

    "N-no Kami-sama! Please, I cannot apologize enough. Even being in the same room as Kami-sama, I feel like an ant." I try to become the ant and push myself into the ground with all my might. "And moreover, I sense that there has been a misunderstanding. Kami-sama might see that Kami-sama''s form reminded me for only an instant of my little sister. As I was sitting here waiting, I had started thinking about my little sister and¨Csniff¨CI¨Csniff¨CI''m so sorry Kami-sama! It has been a terrible mix up!"

    Kami-chan became considerably less angry when she heard this.

    "I imagine you must receive many newly-deads, so I am sorry for wasting your time with my pitiful worldly burdens. Please forgive me, Kami-sama!" Hook, line and sinker. I do have a little sister though. Wait, she''s still unsatisfied!? No, now that I look closely it''s a gentle frown. Somehow that frown is soothing. If only there was more of that good-smelling smoke to go with it. And a warm bed. Mmmm.

    "..."

    As Kami-chan is lost in thought, I have a revelation. From this angle I could definitely...yep, they''re white. Don''t worry, I only peeked. Ahh, being dead is quite nice! Now eyes back to the floor, eh heh. For a god, she''s quite unsuspecting.

    "Hiroshi Komoto, I understand that death is hard. Such outbursts are understandable if regrettable. Fortunately, you seem to understand your error. And please do not worry about your sister Minako. She will live a long and healthy life."

    "A-ah, Kami-sama." That knowledge was impressive.

    The girl smiled. "You may rise."

    "Th-thank you Kami-sama." It''s obvious that Kami-chan is wiser than she looks. As a god, it wouldn''t be surprising if she was thousands of years old. Let''s strive to think of her as a young woman, not a little girl.

    "I will also note that I do not in fact see many of the recently deceased. You have been brought here specially, Hiroshi Kimoto. I am here to give you the opportunity to live again, to be reincarnated."

    Before I can think better of it, I slip into autopilot. "Woow! That''s incredible Kami-sama! Thank you so much, I will do my best! Hmm, maybe I could get a blessing too, Kami-sama?"

    "Hmf, you''re really pushing your luck, aren''t you? I was going to let you choose a blessing, but maybe I should decide for you." Seiza time, no doubt about it. Hello floor-kun, good to see you again. "Ehh? You''re so quick to apologize. Geez, Kimoto." She looked at me with an amazed expression. She seems hesitant, but eventually says, "Fine, you seem like a good guy. What blessing do you desire?"Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    No, this is the part I should have had a plan for. "Hmmm. I don''t know. Could you give me some examples of blessings maybe?"

    "Ehhhh? Hmmmmm." She obviously had no interest in listing blessings, but she did for my sake. What a good Kami-chan. "Well, maybe a strength or luck blessing? Those two are pretty typical. Or something related to magic? Magic blessings aren''t very good unless you get one that lets you exploit some esoteric ability making everything trivial. Lately those seem to crop up pretty often...Ah, blessings for languages and knowledge are also useful.

    Magic sounded intriguing but why stop there? "What if my blessing was omnipotence, or something like that? Are there any limits?"

    "Hn?" She cocked her head, thinking. More importantly, she also crossed her legs. Ahhh bliss. I was so glad I returned to the seiza position. Why you ask? Because it''s comfortable. Nothing more. "No, I think that would be going a little far." This implies Kami-chan can decide if a wish is appropriate or not. Therefore, the limit is as far as I can convince her!

    "Of course. I''m sorry for asking something so presumptuous in the first place."

    "N-no, it''s quite alright. I didn''t explain after all. Unfortunately, the rules are a little complicated so I can''t tell you outright. Ah, it''s so nice to have a hero who is polite."

    Fufufu. I doubt the rules are that complex. More like, ''Kami-chan! Just use your judgement. Don''t let the protagonists know though, because they might try to manipulate you.'' ''Eek! R-really? They''d do something that mean?'' ''Fufufu, it''s a hard world out there. Don''t worry Kami-chan, I''ll protect you. Here, come over here. Yes, under the covers kami-chan.'' And then kami-chan and Me ("Me" being the name of Kami-chan''s boss, not actually me¨Cthat''s why it''s capitalized) would fall asleep, family-friendly style. Haha just kidding. Oof, we''re getting off track here. Please excuse me.

    "You flatter me beyond words, Kami-sama." The ultimate question looms over me. Everything is secondary to this, so it doesn''t matter even if, when my blessing is rejected. "Well, I think I''ve come up with a request, if you don''t mind~."

    "I''m glad to hear that. Please, tell me what it is."

    " Kami-sama, I am sorry but I cannot think of anything else. Would you be my imouto in this new world?"

    "E-ehhhh!??" She''s filled with shock. Beyond cute. I try to memorize this scene to have with me when I''m reincarnated alone.

    "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have Kami-sama. Only, you remind me so much of my sister and you''re so kind. I realize what a selfish request it is. If nothing else, please take this fool''s request as a token of my gratitude for the hospitality and understanding you''ve shown me. Forget it in all other manners."

    "N-no, I just didn''t realize how hard it must''ve been. My shock is only because I have not dealt with the recently deceased in a while. I-if it means that much to you." Seriously? No way. What kind of luck do I have?

    "D-does this mean that much to you, K-Kimoto Hi-Hiroshi?" She gestures at her body. Kami-chan is better than my wildest dreams! Well, better than my expectations. My dreams can get pretty wild heh heh.

    "Yes Kami-sama." I intone seriously, somberly.

    "Th-then if I give you my body?"

    "I''ll accept it with complete responsibility! Please, come with me Kami-sama!"

    "I-I see. Then please, this is y-yours."

    Hmm, it looks like she wants to literally give me her body. That can''t be what she''s saying, right? "Kami-sama forgive me, your humble servant is but a fool: I suspect we''re not using ''give me your body'' in the same way though. In your wisdom might you clarify what your almighty blessing is, precisely?" Like really.

    "U-unfortunately I cannot leave this place, so please, I want you to take this body in my stead. Y-you really seem to like it, after a-all."

    Was this girl seriously that stupid? I don''t want to become a loli! "Kami-sama, wait! I beg of you. I''d like to change my blessing!"

    "Change it? Heheh. I don''t think so." Whoa, what''s up with that severe tone. Ehhh, did I accidentally piss off Kami-chan? Dogeza ti-

    The world was filled with a blinding white light. Well, everything in that room had been white before, so the transition wasn''t really that bad. Anyways, I am kind of worried about our Kami-chan. Perhaps she''s the type to hide her anger until she explodes. Not healthy! Communication is key, y''know? According to my science class we are fundamentally social animals, so Kami-chan needs to open up to me a bit~. You know, I bet a headpat would''ve calmed her down. Next time I see her I''ll give a loving headpat~.

    Hey, what''s this? The blinding light faded and I opened my eyes. This time none of my surroundings were white. Grey cave, brown dirt and dull weeds.

    Yup, without a doubt there was no white.

    "Hello?" My voice echoed throughout the cave¨Cwait, my voice!? It was a cute high-pitched, girlish voice-ah. W-well, Kami-chan had been serious, h-huh? "Anybody there?" I meekly called out again. Kami-chan has shown herself to be a severe girl in the end. It''s ok, I still love Kami-chan. I''m so cute now, so how could I complain?

    I''ve been sitting in the cave for a while now, doing some critical thinking. Fwaahhh, thinking is hard. I just want to cuddle up in a warm bed~. It appears, unsurprisingly, that I''ve been reincarnated into a different world with Kami-chan''s body. It''s unclear if I inhabit a copy or if we intimately exchanged our originals. Either way, I will strive to take care of it. I''m wearing the same cute clothes she was, which I imagine will be attention grabbing and expensive in this world. I''ll keep them anyway. Since I''m a little girl in expensive clothes, I''ll have to be very careful and rely on my intelligence even more than before. This was to be expected, of course. Unfortunately, I can''t find anything like stats or a menu either. I was looking forward to using a menu in real life, so this is sort of annoying. I''m considering filing a complaint. After all, what kind of world doesn''t have a video game UI embedded into reality?

    Getting back on topic my, first priority is to get some basic information about this world that will let me find someone to protect me until I can accrue means: more information, wealth, magical power and a nice chest. What kind of chest, I wonder? Perhaps I can join an adventuring party or claim to be a noble runaway for preferential treatment. The specifics of what I do will have to be determined in the moment, but as long as I act cute and keep my soon-to-be-famous wits about me, I have no doubt I can become powerful in this world. From there, I''ll defeat the world-threatening token evil and rejoin Kami-chan to give her a headpat. A pretty great plan, no? Let''s go!

    "...Huh, huh." I''m out of breath after walking only a few minutes and my pace is pretty slow on top of that. Ah, why was this body so out of shape? I guess cute girls don''t exercise much. Rather, why would they? Hnnn, this cave was pretty big too.

    I decided to sit down to rest, making sure to put both my legs to the side. I also put my hands over my dresslet to be safe. Now that I was a girl I have to be aware of this sort of thing. I''ll also have to talk politely...ah, what a pain. Manners aside, I thought I''d feel more averse to my gender change. Instead, it''s kind of nice to feel fragile and I like how cute I am. Not a big deal, yep. Nonetheless, I do feel a bit ashamed about embracing my newfound femininity so unabashedly. It''s good for a girl to feel a bit of shame I think. Mom, Dad, I''m very sorry. My biggest grievance is really my chest size. Something was taken away and I got nothing in return! Hnn, it feels pretty strange down there. "Huh, huh..." Am I still panting? Geez!

    As I recover, I run my hands over my new body again, from my (flat) chest across my small waist and noticeable hips, all the way down to the schoolgirl shoes at the end my soft, tender legs. I felt tired. "Fuwahhh" I gently yawn. I remembered to put hand over my mouth as I did so.

    Well, a little nap couldn''t hurt, right?

 Labyrinth Adventurers

    Chapter 2: Labyrinth Adventurers

    The Royal Labyrinth, a dungeon beneath the capital city consisting of miles of uncharted, ever-changing tunnel. There were rumors the Labyrinth spread not just under the city, but the entire continent. Whoever made those rumors was incorrect, though it was still very big and dangerous.

    Clank clank clank.

    "Hey, how does this show up on the map?"

    "It doesn''t. Looks like the tunnels changed again."

    "Kyeeeeh, why does my job have to be so hard? All you guys do is hit things with swords."

    "You''re fat and lazy, Oroko. You even had me check the map, so don''t complain about your job."

    "I''m not fat! You know, your body-mass index doesn''t actually correspond to your health. You have to consider muscle versus fat mass and not all of us are weak enough to considered ''athletic'' automatically."

    "Hey, I could have you executed fatty."

    "S-sorry sir."

    "Just tell me why you''re such a weakling again."

    "Huh? Uhm thank you for your generous patronage?"

    "Last try."

    "...Right, because I''m fat."

    "Ah, Oroko, I''m just messing with you." The two fell silent. Oroko didn''t want to pursue how fat he might be¨Cthough he knew the doctor must be wrong¨Cand the other adventurer, prince Arge of Havleer, didn''t really care. Their third companion, a tall and blonde-haired boy, stayed quiet throughout.

    A while later, Oroko suddenly stopped. "Haah, already? Well it can''t be helped, let''s find a place to set up camp." He was consulting a convoluted pocket watch. "Time is twenty hours, by the way."

    "We should''ve stopped at eighteen."

    "Sorry."

    "This isn''t a joke; your sloppiness is going to get us killed." The prince paused and conceded, "those goblins did make today go quickly though." In truth, it hadn''t been sloppiness. Oroko had just felt like walking some more and thought that twenty hours were a reasonable hour to stop at. He didn''t say this and neither did he say that he thought the prince''s stringent schedule for setting up and departing camp was too much. The prince, in turn, suspected Oroko''s train of thought. He knew Oroko checked the watch every few minutes.

    Meanwhile, their third companion closed his eyes and tapped softly on the rock. He paused and then said, "my prince Arge and charter Oroko. There is a recess sufficient for shelter within 500 paces, 120 degrees. Oroko, can you confirm?"

    Oroko hastily pulls out an oversized papyrus poster, blue lines flickering across it. He frowns. "Yeah, the map shows several candidate recesses in the area. Even so, it looks like the shifting value in this area is particularly high, sorry. How is this recess declined?"

    Eyes still closed, the companion pauses again. "Inclined, maybe five degrees."

    "Hey, is this shifting within the parameters for the goblins we''ve seen today?"

    "Eyeballing this is too hard to tell. A moment." Oroko gestures, navy blue eyes flickering. "120 degrees five degrees 500 paces, seven point three average fifty four, x-bar type worm type, historic shift ref ummm mana ref." Oroko checks a gauge hanging off his belt and promptly tenses up, mumbling quickly, fingers twitching. "..." Arge pokes at his body for fun. When Oroko did calculations, he didn''t notice this kind of thing.

    "Alright. Hey...oi! Get off me!" Oroko slumps and sighs. "We don''t have much data on how these tunnels have changed so it''s hard to calculate the shift pattern. Particularly when I''m being harassed...honestly! Well if I had stopped us on time I''d say ''let''s do some probing.'' This particular shift might be quite strange. That being said, the upper bestiary and mana shift projections are quite reasonable. Bottom Troll is the worst we''ll find here."

    "Well, let''s proceed then." They start walking again.

    The third companion spoke up again. "My prince, I''d recommend we do some probing in the morning."

    "Ah? Is it really that odd? Well of course, if you''re the one saying so Zock. And look, even though I like to keep to the schedule, it really is better to be off-schedule than dead."

    "Of course, sir. We''re shallow enough though. And I''ll take second shift to apologize for my oversight."

    "Oroko, I would''ve made you take it anyway."

    "Y-yes sir."

    Recesses tended to be resistant to changes in the labyrinth layout, which made them safer to camping. There were stories of adventurers camping out at dead-ends only for them to become a passage filled with goblins in the middle of the night. Unless you were a thrill-seeker, it was ill-advised. Recesses were distinguished by their shallowness and large size, some bordering on being caverns. Still, even recesses could change into tunnels. One had to be on their toes in the Royal Labyrinth.

    They found the cavern recess without incident and went about setting up camp in the small space. Magic detection stones to sense potential intruders, a smokeless fire and comfortable beds. It was a relatively extravagant operation. Oroko pulled out a pot to make dinner in, Arge pulled out a journal to wait for dinner and Zock fiddled with the detection stones.

    "It appears the stones are detecting a singular presence within two hundred paces. Potentially hostile: should I inspect?"

    "Hmm?" Arge closed his journal. "I''ll do it. Feeling a bit restless." Parting the cloth strung up at the entrance, he exits back into the labyrinth. Zock pulls out a yo-yo to wait for dinner.

    The tunnels feel dark and cool and an omnipresent air of unease hangs around him, around the whole labyrinth. Arge Desali, prince of Havleer, moves silently through the burdening atmosphere with a cautious ease, quickly moving away from camp. With the detection stones, navigation was simple. He passes by torches and they cast shuddering shadows on the dull walls. These torches were a sporadic natural occurrence in The Royal Labyrinth, though their origin was a mystery. People debated that the torches arose from some arcane magic spell or were perhaps familiars that reported to a beast below.

    Now past the torches¨Cwhatever they were¨Cinto the lingering dark, the prince approaches the enemy. He feels the way blindly with his gloved hands, wary that casting light could alert the foe. He doesn''t mind. On the contrary, he preferred to move through the dark like this when he could. Edging closer, quiet shadows start to flood the walls again. Another torch. He rounds the corner. Shiing.

    His sword echoes, flying from the sheath. It rings a clarion call distorted into metallic rasping. His legs tense and core tighten, arms loose but focused. He''s prepared to kill.

    "Kyuuu, kyuuu..." He hears a quiet breathing sound and looks down.

    "Huh?" In front of him was a young girl laying on the side of the tunnel. She was curled up peacefully, sleeping softly. It looked like she was having a good dream. The presence the stones had detected wasn''t an enemy but a little girl! He couldn''t help but lower his sword. After building up all that tension! What was someone like this doing in a dungeon?

    No...it must be a trap. Cautiously, he raised his sword again and circled her, alternatively looking at her and the tunnel around him. Monsters this close to the surface shouldn''t be able to avoid magic detection, but neither should they be able to shapeshift. Who knew what kinds of comrades she had in the shadows. Could he even retreat now? The girl looked normal and oddly clean¨Cthere was none of the dirt or grime that accumulated when you spent any long time in the dungeon. He hesitantly hefted his sword, not realizing he had dropped his arms again. She didn''t appear to have anything on her. Was the poor thing abandoned? He carefully reached out with his sword, tapping her on the shoe.

    "Kyuuu, kyuuu..." No reaction. She continued sleeping peacefully. Her clothes were in a strange style and looked rather expensive. Not the sort of thing anyone around here would be abandoned in... That was a pretty short dress, huh? What strange circumstance had she found herself in?

    Taking a detection stone from his pouch, he pointed it at the girl. Blue light flickered on the cavern wall, subsiding after a few seconds. It appeared she really was normal. Nonetheless, there was the possibility this could be some kind of high-level undetectable trap, the likes of which would certainly kill him. Incredibly unlikely¨Cbut not unheard of. It would be safest to leave her here.

    "Kyuuu, kyuuu..." Arge couldn''t help but watch those delicate features submerged in sleep.

    ...he should at least bring back Zock, who was more knowledgeable about dungeons, before doing anything. While there were cases of adventurers finding survivors from prisons or uh, more inappropriate facilities inside dungeons, it seemed unlikely she came from either. So, what was she? There weren''t succubi in the Royal Labyrinth, either¨Cand hey, wouldn''t they take a more adult form!? The prince was at a loss. As would be reasonable, he''d head back to camp and consult Zock and Oroko.

    "Uguu~. Naa...kyuu, kyuuu..." As he was turning to leave she stirred slightly and then settled back to sleep. Her pink lip trembled a bit before she dove back into the unconscious realm.

    "Kyuu, kyuuu..." It felt like she was calling for his help. Could he leave a girl like this, even for a moment?

    ...He changed his mind quickly. To suggest he would even consider abandoning someone¨Cmuch less someone so apparently helpless¨Cto the dangerous Labyrinth was an affront to his honor! He would never consider abandoning somebody in a dungeon. Danger? That''s why he came to the labyrinth! A young girl shouldn''t have to shoulder the burden of misfortune. No, the burden of the pure and innocent was his burden: the burden of the crown prince! That''s why he was the crown prince, fufufu. He sheathed his sword and crouched down to look at her. Her lips were slightly parted, breathing softly. With each breath her chest went up and down. Oh, up close she looked pretty tired too... Trying not to wake her, he lifted the girl up and headed towards camp, this time using a magical stone to light the way. As Arge held her, his heart melted just a bit.

    Oroko was aghast. " Y-you just picked it up? How could you walk into a potential trap like that!? It still might be a trap! S-seriously, throw it out!"

    "Shhhh. You''ll wake her. How can you call her it? She''s not a piece of trash. "

    "I¨C"

    "Shut up. As your prince, that''s an order." The prince Arge walked around a peeved Oroko and over to his bed. She was light, so carrying her back here to the bed was no trouble. On the way back, he had become quite resolute that they would all take care of her. He laid her on gently onto the bed.

    "Kyuu, kyuu..." Her breathing was softer, yet she still laid sound asleep. He smiled. Now that she was safely resting he laid the blankets over her small form. He noticed her black hair was a bit ruffled and couldn''t help but stroke it a little, straightening it out and arranging it around her brow. Zock watched with a faint smile, Oroko refused to look. Then the three men convened to discuss in whispers.

    "Y-you''re already so fond of her!?"

    "I told you to shut up, Oroko."

    "But even so, to give up your bed? It''s noble, my prince, but you are ultimately royalty¨Cshe is not deserving of such a magnificent honor, such a magnificent bed. Wherever will you sleep?"

    Prince Arge ignored him. "Look, I know it''s risky and I''m sorry. I just...have a feeling about her. I confirmed with the detection stones that she wasn''t a shapeshifted monster. And how could I as a prince¨Csince you pointed it out(!)¨Cjust leave a child in the labyrinth like that? "

    "No, it was irresponsible and you know your death would put us in deep trouble! Haven''t you heard of Jam''eble the shapeshifting goat? He would trick generous strangers into caring for him, only to kill them! Viciously! I spent years terrified of that goat as a kid, y''know? I know you two have heard the stories! Everybody did! But did you know Jam''eble tears open the stomach and feeds on you while you''re alive? That''s the bit you don''t here, huh? You can blame my brother for that knowledge...but whatever. I guess we''re all ok with this evil goat then? Detection stones are rudimentary at best. This is a terrible decision, y''know?" Sometimes it was best to let Oroko blow off a little steam.

    "Yeah, yeah. Look Oroko, I''ll take second shift from you as compensation. By the way, can I borrow your beds when you''re on duty?"

    "My life for a single shift? Don''t kid yourself. Well...it can''t be helped. Just keep a close eye on that monster."

    "Of course you may. While it would''ve been prudent to report back, it seems you''ve done the right thing." Zock nodded, also assenting.

    "So, is she a normal girl?" Arge asked in spite of himself.

    "As you know, monsters come in incredible variety, certaintly to the point it would be presumptuous for me to answer definitively. I will say, however, that as of now I find nothing to indicate her being a monster."

    "Zock, you''re speaking like a lawyer. "

    "Well, it''s most likely not a threat. Conversely, in the case it is a threat, vigilance will be our best safeguard. Therefore uncertainty."

    "Not a threat. See, that''s all ya had to say."

    "Hmm, I wonder if that was Zock''s point. "

    " You''re the one who brought it here! Why are you calling the goat dangerous now? Jeez, just when I was trying to get used to it...come to think of it, we''ll have to end the expedition early because of it, won''t we?"

    "Unfortunately so. We''ll head back first thing tomorrow."

    "Well, this is much more interesting than goblins."

    "Huh, I thought you would enjoy it Zock!"

    "Fufu it would be a shame if we couldn''t reschedule your aunt''s mission, wouldn''t it be?"

    "Ah, screw you guys."

    "Even if Jam''eble doesn''t kill him, there''s still a downside for Arge."

    "Ahhh. Let''s not think about that. You guys will help me with the goblin colony after this, won''t you?"

    "Oh hey, did you two want some soup? I spent so much time making it." They ignored Arge''s question.

    "Is that so? I have misremembered how long it took."

    "Yeah, well you''re a lazy bum Zock."

    "If you don''t stop insulting us Oroko, one of these days we''re going to kill you in your sleep."

    "No food~! This is all my food now!"

    "Ah Oroko, I''m sorry. You know I could kill you at any time as the prince, right?"This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    "That''s true, apology accepted."

    "That apology will suffice for both of us."

    "Heeeh, is that right?"

    "Yep."

    "Yep."

    "Matching responses! You two seem awfully close. Well if you insist, one lover''s special coming right up~! Just kidding! Oi! Oi! I was kidding. Seriously, take a joke, won''t you? See? Two delicious bowls of single''s soup, long in the making."

    "Mm, thanks for the food!"

    "Thank you."

    Oroko at last handed out the soup, along with chunks of bread. They sat around the smokeless fire, ladling and drinking warm soup. The flames flickered in their eyes and warmed and lit the camp.

    "Ah, this is what life is about."

    "Let us savor the moment, won''t you Oroko? Mmmm...gimme seconds."

    "Ehhh? Well you should be grateful, I''m in a generous mood."

    "Thank you very much~!" Slrrrrrp. "I could have this soup every day. That''s one good thing about you."

    "Only one?"

    "This soup is the only thing you''ve made on this trip after all. Ah, it''s incredible I can stand it all."

    "I''ve served plenty of food! The bread, the fruit! Other trips too, y''know?"

    "But this is the only food you made this time. Buying stuff doesn''t count. I want your food, Oroko..."

    "You two appear slightly stir-crazy."

    "Heh? We''ll do without that attitude Zock."

    "Mm, where''d you be if you weren''t a prince, Arge? You''d have to retool all your responses. High and mighty this, high and mighty that¨Call down the drain!"

    "Huuuh? I thought we were on the same side Oroko!"

    "You should know better than us alliances only last as long as they''re beneficial. Fufufu, the world of politics is dangerous."

    "Traitor! Executed! We''re at war, then!"

    "See, there you go again!"

    "Ah, well let''s remember to save some soup for the girl too. She might wake up"

    " Only one more bowl!"

    "Very considerate for a prince, you''ve surprised me Arge."

    "Ahh? Of course I''m considerate. I love all my people."

    Slrrrp. "We don''t even know if it''s from Havleer though? Are you some kind of messiah? No, I think you have a crush on it! You keep glancing back there."

    " She, not it! Geez. .... No, I''m just worried. It''s very strange for someone to turn up like this. At least she''s sleeping well."

    "Oh, I see. What a serious attitude. Definitely a crush then!"

    "Huh! No way, come here you!"

    "Can''t catch meee. Hey, you''re so concerned about feeding it, but what are we going to do if it won''t wake up?"

    "She! Think of her as a female monster at least...can''t believe I''m saying that. And what do you mean? We''ll just wake her up." Oroko nodded at the response, helping himself to yet another bowl of soup.

    "Hey! No more soup!"

    "What? This is my soup! Feed your own soup to the goat! Mouth to mouth!"

    "Hey, it would be bad if she woke up right now and heard that. Mind what you''re saying."

    "Mind what you''re sayi~ng. If the goat refuses to wake up I bet you''ll stay with it even if it''s asleep for years! You''ll die waiting. Hehe. Still, isn''t she a little young for you?"

    "What are you on about? I don''t like her. Well not like that...it''s not like I dislike her. Hey! You''re taking soup too, Zock!?"

    "The prince of the soup! He must rule over the soup as he sees fit!"

    Meanwhile the girl continued to sleep gently, oblivious to the ruckus around her. In time the three''s laughter quieted and conversation softened, and Arge''s legs ached so he stopped chasing Oroko. They settled down and found themselves watching the flames again, only this time they were out of soup. None of were truly worried about the girl, so they sat at ease. It was just fun to jab at each other.

    Oroko was taking the first watch shift and stayed by dimmed flames as the other two went to their beds. Well, Arge to Oroko''s bed, which was close enough. He watched the girl he had found from the bed, how her body rose and fell subtly as she slept. The movement soothed him and he unconsciously started matching the rythm of her breathing. They were in sync. As he dozed off, Arge wondered why he felt a kind of attraction towards her. Was she just really cute? Well, it wasn''t an unreasonable guess...

    *

    I opened my eyes slowly. That had been a surprisingly nice nap, to the point that it might be worth revisiting this cave just to nap! Like really, what cave had any business being so good to sleep in? You could even make a cave hotel (then it would have business). The ground was extraordinarily soft right now. It had felt hard when I fell sleep, but I guess my body adjusted to it as I slept. Heh, that was the power of Napping Cave alright, don''t underestimate it! Ah, I even feel like I have a warm blanket on. Perhaps some sort of pressure differential in the cave. Indeed, the subtle characteristics of Napping Cave create an unmatched experience. Even though I just said not to underestimate Napping Cave, I''m still blown away!

    Wow, as to be expected of Napping Cave.

    "Nyuuu~." I murmur. Yep, that was still my girlish voice alright. Wait, there''s no need to attach the -ish suffix! Yep, that was my girl voice alright...That just sounds wrong. How about a simple: yep, that was my voice alright~. Yes, it feels wonderful to think that. I''ve become truly grateful to Kami-chan for my blessing. Maybe she really was doing her best! I''m so sorry I doubted you Kami-chan! Here''s to you and here''s to cute girls!

    "Uguuu." I can''t drink up so I make a cute noise instead...I have a rising feeling being a girl is giving me some kind of complex, but let''s put complicated subjects like that aside for right now. I''m healthy, normal and peacefully enjoying the sublime Napping Cave.

    "Haaaa~." I can''t help but voice my satisfaction. I''ll repay Napping Cave with my cute sounds. I know even Napping Cave will appreciate it. Well, it''s the least I can do for you, Napping Cave~.

    "Hm? I think I just heard something. Hey, it might be awake."

    Ehhh!? Did I just here a deep, ugly voice? Have I been captured? No, it couldn''t be...Napping Cave is a trap!? I loved you Napping Ca-ave! What kind of awful person would do this!? Calm down, calm down.

    "Looks like she''s sleeping to me. Let her be. We''re a bit ahead of schedule anyways."

    "I know. Just sayin'' I heard something."

    "Why are you paying such close attention to her anyway? Geez, she''s not a goat."

    Stay quiet, stay still. It appears there are two of them. The first voice was rather impatient, but the second was laidback. Definitely like the second voice, yep. Unfortunately, they were both male. It appears I''ve been kidnapped already. Please spare me, I''m not very tasty~. Ah nope, that was a line from an anime. Now that I''m in the girl''s situation, I''m not going to say anything like that. Sorry for ruining your fantasy but please continue to tune in. More fanservice soon!

    Haah, I wonder what would happen if I did say that? ...Nope. I''m going to have to reprogram my otaku instincts if I don''t want to end up as somebody''s slave. But being somebody''s slave, would that be so bad? ...No, I definitely need to rewire myself! I''m doing the Demon King route for sure. Otherwise there''s no guarantee I''ll see Kami-chan again.

    Hold up a moment, this is playing out just like Kami-chan did. I get myself into an unknown situation, start thinking weird thoughts and get completely off track. Next thing I know, something serious happens!

    "...Hmph. Well, no harm in letting it feign sleep I guess."

    Huh? They''ve realized? The kind of people that would realize that, are they staring at me? Eek, please don''t look too intently. No, I suppose it''s only natural for men to be that way. It can''t be helped, can it? Nnn, I guess I''ll have to get rid of your stress for you. Om, nmm. It''s so big~. Ah, I love it. No, wait! Why am I having weird male fantasies as a little girl? Is it stranger that I see myself in the place of the girl now? This whole situation is messed up. Another way to put it would be that I''m messed up. Let''s erase all dirty thoughts. Fwoosh. Done. I''m sorry everyone, from here on I''ll strive to become the best ordinary girl I can.

    On the other hand, I did deliver on my fanservice promise. Maybe it was too early though? A ''back after these commercials,'' only for the show to immediately resume sort of scenario. Well that kind of thing is a pleasant surprise, not bad at all. More relevantly, are there any fans out there to appreciate my fanservice? These tangents don''t help I''m sure...geez, let''s just get back on topic.

    As I was saying, this is playing out like my scene with Kami-chan did. Weird situation with unknowns¨Ccheck. Weird thoughts distracting me...no longer! Completely off track¨Cnope! One for three, looks like this has become a safe situation. Why was I worrying to begin with? Wow, I''m realizing the power of logic. A little sure does goes a long way. "F-fuwahhhhh~." I yawned loudly, snuggling in the soft embrace of Napping Cave. Oops. That was an accident. Napping Cave was too good for me.

    There''s no way they didn''t hear that either, so there can be no going back now. I steel myself and transform into awake mode. Level start! I open eyes but my vision is hazy. That must be my first opponent! I sit up to keep my momentum going, blinking to clear my eyes. Oh? It feels like I have a blanket on me. Finally, rubbing my eyes, I defeat the haze and gain the vision powerup. All clear, proceed. The first thing I do is scout the level. In front of me I see some wood set up like for a fire, but it''s unlit? There are three men sitting around it eating from wooden plates. They must''ve been who I heard. But I thought there were only two? Unfair the third guy didn''t say anything. Shame on you, scenario planner. Or maybe a script or audio department issue? A glitch, even. Video games are so complicated, who knows. Like a good player I''ll be submitting a ticket for this issue. The company can sort out the cause, I just want to have a fun time playing. Behind those three is a rough cloth curtain that stops me from seeing anything beyond. To my right is the cave wall and to my left are two beds with sundries strewn about inbetween. Ooh, I think I want to try a bed.

    In conclusion, it looks like they''ve set up camp and been here for a while. Mission finish! I rub my eyes again.

    "Ah, she doesn''t seem too surprised. Still waking up, I imagine." The man closest to me is speaking, the one on the right. I recognize his voice as the second, laidback one. He runs a hand through his blonde bangs and smiles at me. It''s a nice smile. I don''t remember people smiling at me like this in my past life...

    "A-ah?" I try to say something to him but find myself lacking for words. He seems to have a more mature air than the two others. If I had to pick the important one, it would be him.

    "Hey, do you think she knows how to speak? Maybe she''s some kind of child raised by the labyrinth. A feral one." The one in the middle is talking. He''s running his hand against the curtain, a patronizing smile aimed at my neck. He''s sort of chubby and looks way too self-satisfied. I shoot him a glare.

    "N-no, a-I can talk." I manage to squeak something out. Successfully refuted. Honestly, I doubted myself there for a moment too. Was this awful person worming their way into my mind?

    "There''s no need to be worried little miss. We mean you no harm." The blonde one stands up. Oh, he''s pretty tall. It looks like he''s wearing some kind of adventuring gear covered with fancy engravings and inlaid with colorful metal. Hehe, looks like I''ve stumbled upon someone rich.

    "We found you sleeping in a tunnel all alone and brought you back here. Worried for your safety, you see." He frowns. "It is dangerous down here. But let''s talk about it later. My companions here are Oroko Kasmo, our charter and Zock, an equally skilled warrior and mage¨Cwith no last name." He glanced at them, as if to check for objections. "As for me, my name is Arge Desali and I am the prince of Havleer. On my honor and therefore that of the kingdom, please rest assured that you''ll be safe with us." Saying that, his eye glimmered.

    "Haaa..." What luck, to encounter a prince! Then the one I dislike is named Oroko and the quiet one is Zock. Thinking about it, Zock is an odd name. For a mage he sure has muscle...I definitely prefer the prince out of the three. It''s kind of unfair to have a good-looking royal though, isn''t it? Leave some of life''s lotteries for us commoners! "I-it''s nice to meet you all." I stand up and bow.

    "Shouldn''t girls curtsy?" The ugly sound of Oroko hurts my ears. It makes me want to shiver.

    "Ah, I-I''m sorry. I didn''t know." Should I curtsy? I don''t know how to curtsy, I''m Japanese!

    "Oroko! Please. I know we joke but do remember that I am the crown prince. Miss, please excuse him. There''s no need."

    Despite being reprimanded, Oroko snickers a bit. What an awful guy...I couldn''t curtsy decently in this anyway and I think he knows it. I really knew nothing about the local customs. Wait. Could he be a lolicon? "Eeep!" I jump back at his snickering and run under one of the beds I spotted earlier. This was scary but also kind of fun. You could do just about anything as a girl. I was liberated.

    "Y-" Oroko tries to open his dirty mouth but I hear Arge hushes him. I wriggle under the covers. All I can see blanket. Mmm, a bed in Napping Cave. I could stay here forever.

    "M-miss, I''m afraid you''re lying in Oroko''s bed." When Arge opened his mouth I was expecting something nice. But this? "Ah!" I leapt up and ran into the bed other bed."

    "Miss, please come out." I hear Arge kneel down beside me. "I promise you you''re safe. There''s nothing to worry about. Oroko won''t say anything mean to you...if he does, I''ll protect you, ok?" Reassured, I slowly peek out from the covers so that only down to part of my nose is showing. He''s smiling and I can''t help but blush. Not that anyone can see it. Seriously, what a nice guy. I think I''d be frowning and eye-rolling in his position. Would that make me Oroko then!?

    "You know, you could''ve stayed in my bed. Or was it not to your liking?" Huh? What''s Arge talking about. If the other bed was Oroko''s and this wasn''t Arge''s, where was his bed? "I-I didn''t see your bed though." Arge chuckled a bit. "Where do you think you were sleeping all this time?"

    "Um, on the ground?"

    I heard Zock laugh. It was a cold, strong laugh. Arge couldn''t help but look bemused and Oroko made some noises too but I tried to ignore his. Something about hospitality going to waste.

    "I''m sorry my bed was so poor. You can choose whichever bed you like for trip back."

    "Wha-? N-no, I-I..." I looked over. I saw two rumpled beds. H-huh? My Napping Cave had in fact been Arge''s bed!? A feeling of embarrassment overwhelmed me. Moreover, I accidentally left Arge''s bed for Oroko''s. Agh this was humiliating (not to mention heartbreaking. I tried to put the implications of Napping Cave out of mind).

    "I-I''m very sorry p-prince Arge." I reluctantly got up and bowed to Arge. There was nothing else to do. I felt I had somehow affronted him, so even if I couldn''t curtsy it was good that I bowed. "I-I didn''t mean..." Trailing off I couldn''t help but look into his brilliant emerald eyes. He smiled¨Che''s always smiling! ¨Cand got up too.

    "Hah, there''s no need to bow! We''re good sports around here."

    "Th-thank you prince Arge." Whoa, I only come up to his chest. What an odd experience. I suddenly feel like I want to rub against his chest¨Cwhat''s with this strange attraction? This is all too weird. In truth I haven''t been thinking like myself ever since I woke up. Is this what is to be a girl?

    "No need to call me prince, either: Arge is fine."

    "I-I see." Heh, I just got on a first name basis with a prince. He must be taking to me.

    "Now miss, would you mind telling us a bit about yourself? Rather, it''s quite unusual to find a young lady sleeping unarmed in a dungeon."

    "To tell the truth..." Ah crap, what to say? I can''t reveal my hand this early into the game. Especially not to that Oroko guy. Sorry Arge, I''ll have to play the memory loss card. "I can''t remember."

    "Of course, we don''t want to press any delicate matters. Is there anything you could tell us about yourself though? Perhaps a name?"

    "Hiro¨Cah...I don''t remember. I''m sorry Arge, I can''t remember anything." Oops, I almost slipped there. Arge''s response was so considerate though.

    "Not your name?"

    "N-no. Not even my parents or where I came from..."

    "I see. Don''t worry about it! I''m sure it''ll come back to you. Just take it easy until then, ok?"

    "Yes, thank you Arge...Oh, I do have one memory. I was walking in a cave¨Cthe one we''re in now I think¨Cand felt tired after a few minutes, so I laid down to take a nap...then I woke up here." A dumb memory like that probably wouldn''t make a difference. Anyone could make that up. Well it''s probably easier to believe than the truth.

    "Thank you. And on my part, after we set up camp I found you in a tunnel nearby. Truth be told, I was searching for a monster when I found you. You were all alone. Nothing on you either, I''m sorry to say."

    "A-ah." I''m glad he was the one who found me. Another certain person here would''ve killed me. I wonder why Arge looked a little embarrassed about the monster bit though. It was impressive he was killing monsters.

    "If you''ll excuse me miss, have you ever heard of the Royal Labyrinth?" I steeled myself when Oroko opened his mouth, but the noise was surprisingly benign.

    "No?"

    "Do you know what a dungeon is?"

    "Yes, a room like a cellar or prison." He probably meant it in a fantasy sense though. Was Royal Labyrinth a dungeon then? Hey, thanks for the easy questions.

    The three of them exchanged glances.

    Now it was Zock''s turn to speak. His voice was like cool wind on rock¨Cis that description too wannabe poetic? "Miss, would you allow us to accompany you? The cave we are in is a subterranean dungeon, so-called a dungeon because monsters live here. We came to this dungeon to fight a resident monster type¨Cthe goblin¨Cbut all of us here feel your safety is significantly more important. It is a dangerous three-day hike to the exit from our present location." He told it matter-of-factly.

    "I know that sounds pretty crazy, but this dungeon is what just Oroko asked you about. You somehow fell asleep in the Royal Labyrinth. It''s incredibly large and the paths are always changing, so it can be a dangerous place. I''m sorry if that sounds scary, we just don''t want you to get hurt, miss." Arge added, still smiling! "This is a rather severe situation for someone such as yourself."

    Severe for someone such as myself? I didn''t like to admit it, but it was true. I don''t think I could even lift a sword. And I really had no knowledge of this Royal Labyrinth.

    "A-ah, don''t look so worried! Here miss, why don''t I get you something to eat and you can think about it?"

    "Thank you v-very much!" I bowed again.

    "Stop apologizing! Anyone would do this. Please don''t just stand there, either. Would you like to come by the fire or pick a bed?" Definitely bed. The heck, the fire wasn''t even lit.

    "Th-then, I''ll pick your bed." I went back to the bed I had slept in... I¡¯m not sure what I had been thinking earlier. Was Napping Cave from a dream or something?

    "A-arge, did I really sleep in this bed?"

    Oroko laughed again, yuck.

    "Y-yes, I''m afraid so miss. Please feel free to choose something else..."

    "No! It''s just so comfortable this time." I was rolling in the blanket unable to see, but I bet Arge smiled at that.

    "Well whenever you''re ready, we can serve you breakfast in bed. To be honest it''s not much. I apologize on our chef''s behalf."

    "Haaa? Miss, I promise this is in an excellent, first-class adventurer breakfast. Can''t find anything better than it in a dungeon!"

    ...Isn''t that like comparing it to dirt? I wriggled out and took the plate anyway. "Thank you very much."

    "All you do is say thank you and bow, heh? What an odd goat."

    "G-g-goat!?"

    "Please pay no attention to him, miss."

    "Ah. Thank you for your guidance prince Arge." I dug in feeling unusually hungry. Reincarnation sure takes it out of you.

    The breakfast wasn''t much like a breakfast but that wasn''t bad either. Variety is the spice of life I suppose, even if this variety wasn''t very spicy. A chunk of bread, a carrot and some kind of sour sandwich. Hey, it feels like there''s some overlap in the food groups here! I want to criticize the meal but the taste is unexpectedly good.

    "Wow, you finished that quickly! Would you like seconds?"

    "I wouldn''t impose."

    "Impose? I''ve met someone who appreciates my cooking! This is my pleasure, bwahaha!"

    "You cooked all this?"

    "...Well...I mean...I made the sandwich and stuff..."

    "You did a great job!" Oroko handed me seconds after hearing that. What did he hand me seconds after hearing that? No, he handed me a second serving after hearing that. Eating this food made me feel like I was coming back to life again again, bad pun excepted. Not to praise Oroko though: nobody would call Oroko a good cook after eating this ¨Cwhere was the cooking!? Underhandedness and exaggeration seemed to be his defining traits.

    "What did you think?"

    "As good as the first! Now I feel all full too!" I started rubbing my belly before remembering who I was talking to.

    "Well then, we''re going to start packing up, but please take as much time as you need to consider our offer."

    I already had an answer in mind. "About that Arge. I don''t want to cause any of you trouble, especially since you already have plans...could I come along on your mission? I''ll stay out of the way and I''m small!" Those were the only two selling points I had. It was like applying for a manager position out of high school. I was seriously curious to see a goblin though and this way I might be able to cajole them into teaching me magic.

    "Miss I''m afraid that won''t do. We want to protect you, not endanger you."

    Ah, shot down. He had a serious expression. "O-oh."

    "So it''s settled then? We''ll bring you to the surface!" I started to object, but Arge''s smile gleamed. Haaa, what was this feeling?

    "Th-thank you all very much...I''ll try to be of help!"

 A Tiring Day

    Chapter 3: A Tiring Day

    "So, you three came down here to hunt goblins? C-can I ask about that?" We were walking down yet another identical tunnel in the Labyrinth. My legs hurt and I felt exhausted, but I was doing my best not to let it show.

    "Yeah. My aunt, the queen''s sister, had asked us to get rid of a goblin colony. There have been some goblin attacks on the surface recently, so she thought it would be good publicity." Arge said casually.

    "Isn''t that a really important job if the goblins hurt people?" Talking helped conceal my panting, too.

    "Right, but the colonies that were responsible for the actual attacks were dealt with by the royal guard."

    "We were just sent to get rid of some incipient goblin colony." Oroko added. "Nip the problem at the root, y''know? There''s been a bit of a goblin craze recently, and it seemed like a ripe opportunity for Arge to finally do something princely."

    "There''s a goblin craze? What sort of thing is a goblin craze?" I didn''t know there was a world where goblins would be popular. Our path was lit by a magic stone floating by Oroko, and through my weariness I strained to make out the ground.

    "Yes, a goblin craze! All over the news. Headlines like ''Are You Next? Three Goblin Attacks in as Many Weeks,'' ''Breaking! The Goblin Terror Strikes Again!'' and ''How Goblins Keep Their Marriages Together and Three Techniques You Can Use on Your Significant Other'' everywhere! It''s been a goblin-craze that reached all kinds of people. People can''t get enough of goblins."

    "O-oh." What was that last headline? Have I been reincarnated into goblin land? How awful.

    "Geez Oroko, you don''t have to make up nonsense like that."

    "Ahaha, miss didn''t mind, did you?"

    "W-well." It appeared I would have to find out the truth for myself.

    "Haha, I''m sorry then miss."

    "B-but it''s good Arge is doing something princely?" Let''s change the subject.

    Arge sighed. "Talk to my aunt about that. She sees me as a failure."

    "Y-you''re not a f-fa..." I try to protest loudly, but I was suddenly too tired to say anything. Between the goblin love and walking, I ached all over.

    "Miss, are you alright? You''re gasping for breath. Let''s stop for a moment."

    "Looks like you got work up over his aunt, eh?"

    I collapsed to the floor. I couldn''t take it anymore. "Hah, hah..."

    Arge sat down next to me, concerned. He was too easy, honestly.

    It was a while before he said anything. He sat there watching me gasp for breath. Even though you''re nice, stop staring please.

    "You really pushed yourself, huh?"

    "I''m sorry for being so weak and troublesome. I¨CI want to become strong!" Hey, am I turning into a shounen protagonist?

    "Even someone like yourself? You know, there''s no need for ladies to be strong."

    "Even so! Right now, I''m not a lady or anything at all. Just a weakling..." So much for my passionate character-motivation speech. I just want to rest.

    "So you really don''t know what you''re going to do after we get to the surface?"

    "No... that¡¯s why I have to become strong."

    "You sound more like a guy than a girl right now! But I like it, miss. I''m sure you''ll go far with that tenacity."

    "Y-you think?"

    "Huh? Are you doubting yourself now?"

    "I¨CI''m not?"

    Zock joined in. "Being strong is hard."

    "Of course it''s hard, otherwise that wouldn''t be strength!" Go go me!

    "I see miss." Zock exited the conversation as quickly as he entered it.

    "I''ve been thinking, even though I can''t remember my name, I don''t want you to call me miss anymore. It''s not right."

    "Interesting. What would you like us call you instead?"

    "P-please call me Nanashi." Nanashi means no name in Japanese.

    "Nanashi?"

    "I''m sorry, is that too weird?"

    "No, it''s a great name...Is it a first name or a last name?"

    "...I don''t know."

    "I see."

    "Oh! It''s a first name! Please use it as my first name since I''m calling you Arge."

    "Alright, Nanashi!"

    "Yay~!" It felt good to have a name, even if my name was no name. I''m not very creative, alright? Nonetheless, I saw it as the completion of my identity into a cute girl. I was no longer Hiroshi Kimoto the inappropriate, ugly otaku. I was the innocent and cute girl Nanashi.

    "Ah, it would be good to have a last name too, wouldn''t it?" Oroko just couldn''t keep his mouth shut. "How does Nanashi Desali sound?"

    For a split second Arge and I looked each other in the eyes and froze. I think I saw in his eyes what I felt in my heart: an excited, a magnetic pull between us. I wanted to move closer and closer¨C "Hah?" Arge exclaimed, and the connection broke.

    "Ehhh!?" I remembered to react too, scowling at Oroko and turning my back to him. "Very funny," I grumbled.

    "There''s nothing wrong with getting along though." Zock said.

    "Don''t team up with Oroko please, you''ll drive me insane."

    "Two versus two!" Oroko exclaimed.

    "I wouldn''t go that far, my prince."

    "Hah, thanks Zock. I don''t know what I''d do without you. Oroko is insufferable." Arge slouched and closed his eyes.

    "C-could it be you''re tired too, Arge?" I asked him.

    "Huh? It''s best to take advantage of breaks, right?"

    "Y-yes." I decided to close my eyes. If Arge was going to, I would too. It was easier to relax now that I wasn''t panting any longer, even if I still felt winded.

    "Eh? Miss slept for at least ten hours and is still tired?"

    "We don''t know what Nanashi went through, Oroko."

    "Ten hours!? I just laid down for a nap though!"

    "That''s just how things go sometimes, huh? Sleeping isn''t bad though~." Arge yawned.

    I couldn''t help but yawn too, it was infectious. Then Zock yawned as well. His yawn was like wind swirling up from a huge chasm.

    "My prince, perhaps we should consider an extended break."

    "You are the wisest man I know. Oroko, you take watch."

    "Ehhh, why do I have to guard! Shouldn''t we look for somewhere safer?"

    "You were the only one who didn''t yawn," Arge yawned again. "The guard exterminated a ton of stuff. Labyrinth is barren, we''ll be fine...Oh Nanashi, take this pillow, would you? The bed is a bit of a pain to take out though."

    "Thank you, but what about you Arge?"

    "I''ll be fine."

    "R-really? Thank you!" We looked each other in the eyes again before I quickly turned away, not wanting Arge to see me blushing.

    "Geez Arge, let me get you my pillow."

    "Heh, thanks Oroko."

    "Yeah, yeah. Sleep well you bums."

    *

    "Wake up! Wake up!" Oroko''s voice pierced my ears urgently, echoing through the drab tunnel.

    "An attack!?" I bolted up and clenched my fists, my entire body aching in response. Owww. I tried to ignore the pain.

    "Ahaha, good morning Nanashi. Don''t worry, I took care of all the monsters~!" Oroko looked particularly nasty. What a jarring departure from pleasant sleep.

    "Heeeh? I thought we were in danger?" I slumped down to the floor again, shot him a glare.

    Arge yawned, stirring slightly. "That''s just how he wakes us up. Pleasant, isn''t it?" Arge was more than half-asleep and yawned again. "... ...You ok?"

    "H-huh? Y-yeah!" I realize I''d been accidentally staring at Arge. "Th-thank you for the pillow. It was very comfortable."

    "Hey, I don''t care if you dislike the pillow. It''s not like I made it. just wish we had something more comfortable on hand."

    "I¨Cit was truly a mistake! Though when I woke up earlier, I remember thinking the ground was much softer than it had been. So truly, this is a nice pillow!" I handed the pillow back to him and bow my head.

    "If you say so. Comfort comes first though, so feel free to speak up if you have any issues. There''s no need to conceal or push yourself. Nothing would be troublesome."

    "I do want to be helpful though."

    "Heh, she''s doesn''t look it but Nanashi is pretty masculine. She wants to be strong and stuff. Just let me take care of everything for ya, ok?" I wanted to punch Oroko''s face.

    "Bleh!"

    "This is no good. Should we go back to sleep Nanashi?"

    "Yes please!" Arge handed me back the pillow and we tried to get back to sleep until a noisy racket came about.

    "Hey! Don''t do that! Wake up you two! We need to get moving! Wake up! Wake up!" Oroko was shouting brutally. It was incredible that someone could possess no kindness at all.

    "Stoooop!" Arge and I cried.

    "It''s twelve thirty hours! We''ve covered nearly no ground! Get up!"

    "Arge, why did you take him along for your mission?"

    "He''s a good charter, but I''m honestly beginning to wonder that myself."

    "Oroko, how much is twelve thirty hours?" I asked him in spite of myself. I needed to check something.

    "Huh? You don''t know how to tell time? Well, there are twenty four hours in a day, sixty minutes in an hour¨C"

    "Nope, thank you. I remember how to tell time."

    "H-hey! What is this attitude I''m hearing?"

    "And 365 days in a year, right?" That was all the information I needed.

    "R-right. Hey, don''t push me around like that! Wake up! Get up!"

    "Everyone''s getting up, ok?" Arge rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. He started grumbling about Oroko but unfortunately, I couldn''t make out the words. Stretching and yawning and waking, I was given a few minutes of peace to consider what Oroko told me.

    I had wanted to know how time was told here, but it appears this world shared the same time system as earth. What were the odds of that? I suspected the author was either too lazy to come up with another time system or didn''t want to explain one on principle. That sort of attention to detail opened the floodgate for plot holes. Rather, doing so made those plot holes important to the narrative. Is it not reasonable to ask how I can understand the language in this world when I go out of my way to explain a completely foreign time system? Hopefully there are people who don''t like copious explanations on worldbuilding and mechanics because if not...wait! Please don''t go away! I promise I''ll give you some great explanations! Your degrees in linguistics, astronomy and the history of time systems are incoming!

    Ha, this kind of begging is actually way too pathetic. Go away, I don''t care.

    The history of timekeeping is quite interesting though. The more I read about it, the more I wish we didn''t have standardized clocks. Why did trains have to ruin everything? Come to think of it, now that I was in a different world I''d never be able to learn anything about earth ever again. An interesting thought. Well, I digress and now the audience is wondering why I can understand the language in this world.

    After properly waking up from our nap, we decided to split a quick midday meal. Despite being in a dungeon, we hadn''t encountered any monsters or traps so far. By my standards, this wasn''t much of a dungeon at all.

    "Traps are pretty rare in the Royal Labyrinth. Mostly it''s just the tunnels shifting and monsters. Though traps have been found at very deep levels of the labyrinth, nothing up here. We''re only about three hundred paces beneath the surface," Arge explained.

    "Isn''t that pretty deep?"

    "Not at all. People have been over sixteen hundred paces deep. Around there the air gets toxic, so it''s really the limit. And such a trip takes an experienced group months to do, so not many people are trying to push that envelope regardless."

    I tried to picture what it would be like being stuck in here for months. Cool, damp, dark. The same monotonous corridors. If it came to that, I think I really would go insane. I was lucky Arge, Zock and Oroko had picked me up. "I can''t imagine spending months down here. I''d go crazy."

    "Ha, yeah. I''m with you there. I don''t want to frighten you, but people really have gone insane down here. The small spaces and lack of sunlight can be rough. Generally, it takes weeks or months though, so don''t go crazy on me just yet, ok?

    "I won''t. Y-you too?"

    "Promise!" He laughed.

    "You two done eating? C''mon, let''s pack up and go!"

    "Mmm, I like our pace. It''s feels like we''re on vacation." Arge tried to lay back casually, but ended up bumping his head into the wall.

    "Gimme that." Oroko grabbed our plates, rinsed them and tossed them in his leather pack. The was as long as his torso, though not as fat. Zock and Oroko carried similar ones.

    "Ah, I''m really grateful you found me. I don''t know what I would''ve done without all of you." I was considering how long I would''ve gone trapped down here alone.

    "Huh? Of course we''d help! Hurry up, we gotta move!" Oroko was tapping his foot furiously.

    "It is our pleasure." Zock said, also still sitting.

    "We''re glad we found you, too." Arge gave me one of his smiles.

    "Alright, alright, let''s mooove!"

    We hit the tunnel again and I noticed we were moving more slowly this time. I insisted we shouldn''t slow down for my sake but Oroko said he preferred this pace, so how could I reply? Because of that, however, I was able to keep pace without exhausting myself immediately. On top of that Zock and Arge kept offering to carry me despite already having their packs. I was very grateful even if I wasn''t sure how that would work.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    After about an hour (according to Oroko, who kept the time), I was feeling exhausted again. Oroko called me up to him, at the front of our group. "How ya holding up?"

    "O-ok." My legs were burning and I wanted to collapse but I didn''t say that. Zock had let me trail a bit at the back, but now Oroko''s unforgiving pace exacerbated me even more.

    "Great. Do you know anything about maps?" I didn''t. "Here, take a look at this." Zack grabbed a giant sheet of paper hanging from a strap on his pack. He handed it to me.

    "This is a map? It feels strange." I unfurl it slowly, unveiling a patterned mess of black marks. Thousands, even tens of thousands black marks covered the entire page. Some of these marks stretched as far as half a foot, while others were mere millimeters.

    "Magic papyrus. Bit chalky, huh?"

    "Oh?" Had they not discovered paper? This civilization wasn''t very advanced.

    "Oh? Magic papyrus is the gold standard for magic maps, y''know? Also priced accordingly. Anyway, all those black lines indicate tunnels in the labyrinth. If you look closely you can see ''floors'' forming. It''s an angled view though, so the floors beneath can trip you up."

    I looked at the bottom of the map where there wouldn''t be any interference from lower floors. It still looked like a garbled mess.

    "Looking at the bottom? Smart. Well, it can still be difficult to decipher. Reading this map demands a good understanding of labyrinth structure and how different parts of it change. But mostly a whole lotta practice. The labyrinth is a living thing, y''know?"

    "You can read this? That''s kinda impressive Oroko."

    "Yep, no need to be shy about sayin'' it! That''s why I''m a charter! Arge can read it enough to get by, but it takes serious skill to do more advanced stuff."

    "What kinds of things are advanced stuff?"

    "Glad you asked. Like I said, the labyrinth is a living thing. The position and structure of labyrinth elements changes constantly, so the maps are outdated constantly. This creates the real job of a charter. Not reading the map, but predicting and extrapolating where the map has become wrong. We can predict where and how formations have moved and we also know what areas are more likely to be safer than others¨Cso we need to understand monster and magic patterns too."

    "Wow, and you can do all that from this map!" This was interesting, but I was also kind of irritated he was dumping all this information on me. If this world had the same time system as earth, why couldn''t it have GPS or something? There were floating magic stones that could detect life after all!

    "Map, math and magic. That''s the trinity of a charter, yep."

    "H-have you ever gotten lost Oroko?"

    "Huhh? What kind of question is that? You can rest assured that I won''t lead us in the wrong direction, Nashimi!"

    "Nanashi."

    "Heh. Well, to answer your question, charters always get lost. It''s basically part of the job. Tunnels often move while we''re in them, or whole areas become completely different. Magic signatures change and so on. And the maps are only issued quarterly..."

    Oroko trailed off, lost in thought. "It''s just a shame the market is so niche. Accuracy is expensive...where was I?"

    "You said your job is getting lost."

    "Right. Don''t phrase it like that! What distinguishes charters from everyone else is that they can get themselves found again. We observe the tunnels we pass and travel through and use how they''re arranged to guess how the labyrinth has changed. In order to create our predictions, we can also use magic to gather data accordingly. If we always knew the best route for the labyrinth, we could travel three times or more quickly!"

    "Charting sounds like a hard job."

    "Heh, it is! Even though we don''t fight, charters are valuable to any dungeon expedition!"

    "Hey, without us you''d be dead!" Arge butted in.

    "Without me you''d be lost!" Personally, I''d rather be lost than dead, but I wasn''t about to say that. Oroko was unexpectedly turning into a good source of information.

    "Are all dungeons like the Royal Labyrinth? I mean, do all dungeons change and have complicated structures?"

    "No, not all of them. I guess my skills are a bit specialized...Generalist charters focus on detecting traps and making maps of dungeons without any. This labyrinth is, with a few exceptions, pretty unique."

    "Oh, can you detect traps too?"

    "Haha. No, I''ve spent years in dungeon labyrinths where there isn''t really a need. Mostly this one." That surprised me. Oroko didn''t look that old. Could he be some kind of labyrinth otaku? I could definitely see it: surrounded in darkness, a crude and chubby social outcast walking through endless tunnels, eating potato chips and watching seasonal anime. Oops, forget that last part! I take no responsibility for the actions of the former Hiroshi Kimoto!

    "So, uhm, what if there was a trap in the labyrinth?"

    "Hehhh? Don''t worry about that kind of thing! I''ve got it covered, Mamashi."

    "Hey Okoro, it''s Nanashi." Oi, name gags weren''t funny. Cut it out.

    "Hey my name''s¨CI see what you''re doing, Nanami."

    "Nanashi!"

    "Heheh."

    "W-well, here''s your map back then." I gave it back to him and returned to the back of the group. I wasn''t going to thank Oroko for showing it to me if he was going to tease me!

    "So Hanashi, do you want to become a charter?" Oroko yelled back to me.

    "Not if charters are too dumb to remember names!"

    "Ohoho. That''s too bad then. I was going to take you as my apprentice."

    "No thank you!" Would Oroko seriously have trained me once we got back to the surface? Well truthfully, I didn''t want him to either way. We''ve only known each other half a day¨Cwhy would he offer something like that so quickly? It was probably just his idea of a joke.

    "Nanashi."

    "Nanashi! Wait, that was c¨Coh, sorry Zock. I thought you were Oroko. W-what''s up?"

    Zock looked back at me with a gentle smile. He always seemed to be at peace. "You know, you''re the strangest girl I''ve ever met."

    "I-I''m sorry. I''ll try to be more, uh, normal?" Oh crap, was I acting like a guy somehow? I thought I was pretty normal. Where did this come from?

    "No, it''s not something bad. Even if it was, there are more important things to strive for, don''t you think?"

    "I-I guess? What are you striving for Zock?"

    "Me? ...I don''t know." Ehh? What kind of answer was that, Zock? It doesn''t even sound mysterious. It''s like you really have no idea. "What about you?"

    "I want to become strong, remember?" I had said it offhandedly, but I honestly would like to. This was, after all, a new world rife with possibility.

    "That''s right. Nanashi, pardon me. This is abrupt and improbable, but have we possibly met before?"

    "Um, I''m sorry. I can''t really remember anything."

    "Of course. In truth I can''t see how we could have met before. Nonetheless..." It looked like he was grasping for something. "I have this incredible sensation." Zock looked at me, quite seriously. "It''s stronger than anything I''ve felt in years."

    "I-I see." For a second I thought he was talking about his private parts, but I''m pretty sure that was off-base.

    Arge looked back at us and seemed as surprised as I was. "What kind of sensation is it?"

    Zock gave me another glance. Incredibly off-base. I almost tripped over myself. Seriously serious. "I''m still trying to understand it."

    "Keep us updated." Arge shrugged.

    "Ms. Nanashi, I apologize. I wanted to ask you something, but I''m unsure of what to ask."

    "Ah, it''s no problem. Please feel free to ask anything." I could always answer ''I can''t remember'' after all. It was strange to see Zock uncertain though. He seemed the strong and quiet type.

    "Let me give you a piece of advice, then. If you desperately want something and work towards it, you''ll never be able to reach it, but if you forget about it and strive to live, it''ll fall into your hands."

    "O-ok?" I didn''t get what Zock was going on about, but he sounded like it meant a lot to him. With weird dialogue like that, he could be a monk in a movie or something. "Wait, are you trying to say that if I want to become a charter, I shouldn''t become Okoro''s apprentice?"

    "Ah, it could be something like that. But don''t mind me, Ms. Nanashi. I try to stay mostly quiet for a reason." That sort of line should be performed bitterly, but Zock did it so matter-of-factly he somehow made it feel genuine.

    "No, don''t say that! It''s interesting! And please, Nanashi is fine."

    "Thank you very much for humoring me, Nanashi." Zock was seriously abrupt.

    "Y-yeah and please feel free to talk to me." Zock was odder than I expected but he was nice to me and seemed honest, so I didn''t mind. Even when he was serious he exuded a feeling of kindness. In other words, he was the polar opposite of Oroko. I actually think I had mental whiplash from talking to one after the other. And it was Oroko''s fault, of course.

    "Hey, Nanashi, want to talk?" Arge called back to me. I was pretty popular around here.

    "Huh? S-sure." I passed up Zock and caught up to Arge. The tunnels could fit two adults abreast, but it was uncomfortable. I had seen Arge and Oroko squeeze in earlier (some map discussion) and they had kept bumping into each other. Luckily, I was pretty small and I fit next to Arge comfortably...not that I would minded a few bumps. Aaahh, my legs really hurt, but I wasn''t about to pass up a chance to chat with Arge.

    "I''m flattered everyone wants to talk to me!" I brushed into Arge accidentally. I searched for a reaction but didn''t see one.

    "Yeah, I guess so. We''ve spent tons of time in the labyrinth together so it''s exciting to have someone new around. Let us know if it''s too much."

    "Not at all. You do this kind of thing regularly?"

    "Adventuring? Ha, thankfully not. I try to stay out of dungeons as much as possible nowadays. Oroko still comes down here pretty frequently though."

    "Huh, Oroko likes this place?"

    "Yeah, he''s kind of weird. Don''t you think it suits him though?"

    "D-definitely. " Oroko really was a dungeon otaku.

    "Heh. I remember the first time we came down here we were all super excited. I didn''t stop shaking until we left the dungeon. But after those first few trips...each time I visit this labyrinth I see fewer monsters and treasures, more logistics and tedium. To put it another way, the glimmer never left Oroko''s eye."

    "O-oh. I''m sorry. I didn''t think of it that way."

    "Huh? Don''t apologize. Oroko''s still weird. Oroko, you suck!"

    "Hey, screw you!"

    "Haa, you three must be really close to spend so much time together." Let''s stop focusing on Oroko. He''s had his time in the limelight.

    "I guess you could say that. We know each other pretty well down here. Outside of the labyrinth though, we don''t have a lot of time together. Being down here isn''t all bad!"

    They enjoyed being in each other''s company, even just walking in a tunnel silently? I''m a bit taken aback: how do you even begin to form a relationship like that? I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t just a little jealous. "Haaa. It''s nice to learn things about you, Arge."

    "Heheh. Man, I wish I could learn more about you too, Nanashi!" Even if I set myself up for it, hearing him say that didn''t sound bad to my ears.

    "I-I wish I could tell you." Ah, I was starting to feel bad that I was hiding everything. If I had some time alone with Arge, I think I''d have to tell him. At least part of the truth.

    "I think you really are an interesting girl..."

    "Heh? You think that too? H-how so?" Zock and Arge, huh?

    "Well..." Arge considered the question. "Most ladies are soft-spoken, indirect and...agh, I don¡¯t know, more feminine?"

    "Ehhhhh? Are you saying I should try to act that way Arge?"

    "No! Not at all. It''s fun, just different. You''re more like a guy, in a good way."

    "Like a guy...in a good way." In the end, Hiroshi Kimoto is revealed to have been a good guy!? I felt just a little proud, even if I wasn''t Hiroshi any longer. Ehh, please don''t change me back Kami-chan. I was too ugly...

    "No, I mean, more fun! See, look at your last couple of responses. You pushed back and argued with me, pointed out what I had said. Ordinary ladies would''ve just laughed, smiled and maybe teased me about it."

    "They''d take it that well!?" Girls had some serious stamina.

    "A few might''ve gotten angry...but in a ladylike way? I''m sorry Nanashi. I''m not trying to say something bad here. You''re engaging with what I''m saying, not some ulterior sensibilities. It''s good, alright?"

    I put my hand to my mouth and giggled. "Like this?"

    "...That was awful."

    "Hehh? T-teach me how please!"

    "Do you take me for a lady too? Nah, I like you the way you are. Hey, didn''t Zock mention something about that? Like don''t strive to be normal, there''s more important things."

    "Oh, is that what he was saying?"

    "You''re the one he was talking to! But yeah. Try to remember what Zock says, he''s really smart. Ha, you can even forget what I''m saying to remember Zock''s advice."

    "Never! Instead I''ll forget Oroko completely." Oh right, Zock had said something about there being more important things to strive for. Wasn''t that more of a passing comment, though?

    "Heyyyy!" Oroko shook his fist out to the side.

    "Bleh! I''m still not becoming your apprentice!"

    "You''re still caught up on that? I don''t even want you anymore. Scram!"

    Ignoring Oroko, I decided to press on. "S-so Arge, ordinarily at the palace you''re surrounded by noble ladies?"

    He gave me an inscrutable look and looked away, letting out a sigh. "Did I make it sound like that? I mean, they''re around, but with some luck I manage to avoid them. I try to keep to myself out of drama at the palace. I don''t want to be pulled into politics with any of them, if I can help it."

    "Eh, isn''t being a prince all about politics?"

    "Well...you''re right Nanashi. In truth, I''m not a very good prince."

    "Huh? That''s not true! Take that back!" I hit him lightly, though I suspected I could only hit lightly with this body. Not that Hiroshi had had much muscle either.

    "Ah, that''s nice of you."

    "Arge, you shouldn''t be telling me these kinds of thing."

    "Hm? Probably not, but I feel like I can trust you. Like I said, you''re not like most ladies¨Ca compliment, right?"

    "He could always have your head lopped off, too!" It was a valid point but not appreciated, Oroko. Now let''s move on.

    "I-I guess. Isn''t there someone back home you like though?"

    "Hmmm. Not really!" What kind of prince was he? "...I''m still looking for someone."

    "Ahh...c-could I ask what kind of person you''re looking for?"

    "Hm. No, I don''t think so. Sorry."

    "O-oh. Sorry for intruding. I''m realizing how many personal questions I''ve been asking."

    "Hey, don''t be deterred! Why draw a line if nobody sees it?"

    "Eh? That''s not very royal-like, is it? What if I''m a spy!"

    "Then you''re doing a great job. Now let me tell you about our troop formations¨Cjust kidding!"

    In this fashion we talked, briefly dipping into intimacy before backing out, over and over again. Arge told me about his two younger sisters and his parents¨Cthe king and queen. He tried to explain his messy extended family too, but I had trouble keeping track of who was who. So Arge described the palace itself, a topic I was much more receptive to: gorgeous grounds bursting with verdant gardens, intricate fountains, ornate architecture, luxurious rooms, a dazzling ballroom and the draw-dropping great hall that hosted mouth-watering feasts. The more he described the Havleer palace, the more I became entranced. Before my very eyes, it was as if my fantasy novels were coming to life. Places larger than life. And in these architectural marvels, beautiful ladies, handsome gentlemen and honorable knights. Coming from my cramped Tokyo apartment, I could scarcely believe what I was hearing.

    As Arge was telling me about a temple near the palace, Oroko suddenly lead us into a small cave. I snapped out of my reverie. "Eh? What''re we doing here?"

    He looked at me and smiled. Ew."We''re stopping for the day. It''s nineteen hours, Nanashi." That''s right. I had learned this world''s time system was in fact different: military time was in wide use. Incredibly foreign, huh? A bit of seasoning, however, can really change the dish¨Cor so I''ve been told.

    "Huh?"

    But wait a second. Nineteen hundred hours? There was no way we had been walking six hours! "Not funny! Bleh!"

    Oroko showed me his large, convoluted and magical pocket watch. I couldn''t make heads or tails of it, but felt seeing it was sufficient proof nonetheless. Let''s not learn how this watch works, ok? "Ah? I was feeling tired after only one hour though. Were you lying about that?"

    "No, you managed five after that. Not bad. I know it can be hard to keep track of time down here, but you really did it." Oroko said. My legs hurt quite a bit, but after six hours it should''ve been so much more.

    "Good job, Nanashi!" Arge added. "It''s a lot easier to pass time when you''re talking with someone, huh?"

    "I-I guess so!" I still wasn''t sure I had actually done it. "W-wait, then were you all just talking to keep me walking?"

    "Do we have to be gagged down here? Talking keeps us going, you know?" Arge smiled.

    "Y-yeah"...wow, thanks guys. "Ah, c-can I help out?" The three of them had started unpacking. Arge started reassuring me, but Oroko cut in and told me to take out the beds. "Don''t make them, just take ''em out. You shouldn''t be able to mess that up even without your memory."

    I half-scowled at him, simultaneously glad for any small contribution. I tackled Zock''s bed first, aching as I kneeled to unlatch it from the bottom of his pack. Successful, I stumbled back to my feet and went near the back of the cave, which was only seven or eight feet back, untied the rope binding it and unrolled the bed, revealing a straw mat woven to soft fabric on one side. Huh, it was some kind of hybrid, like a tatami mat built into a futon. Talk about crazy worldbuilding.

    Next was Oroko''s, I handled it with disdain, but the pain in my body was overriding even that. I hadn''t realized how tired I was until we had stopped. Finally, pushing the bed back in the cave, I went to get Arge''s. I took special care with it. Finished and unreasonably tired, I laid down to watch the flurry of activity around me. Arge, Oroko and Zock were putting some magical barrier up at the cave entrance and then a curtain to obscure the tunnel, erecting a campfire and sifting through arcane objects which were quickly strewn all over the place. Zock left for a few minutes with some magic stone, and Oroko was doing something with the map he had shown me earlier.

    Even putting the reincarnation schtick aside, the scene was quite novel to me. I had never gone camping and the only thing I knew about survival was where my local convenience store was. Yet here, it was as if they were masters. Their easy, melodic movements were cast as soft shadows by the glow of the floating stone, and I found my attention turned towards these silhouettes, a pantomime on the cavern walls. I couldn''t help but think how very different this was from the awkward shuffling of students I was accustomed to.

    Lulled by the shadows and the people who casted them, I felt some deep weariness from within. It coursed through my body and was overwhelming my very being.

    Suddenly the cave burst with a flash of light, roar of flame. I wanted to react, but felt too tired to move. Oh, it was just the campfire. The light was different from the magic stones, but I couldn''t say how. I couldn''t say anything at all...

    "Hey Nanashi." Arge. I looked up to find his kind, strong face. Blonde hair on his brow. In spite of myself, I couldn''t help but notice his hair was a bit greasy.

    "Aaarge..." I managed. He smiled at me. All of Arge''s smiles seemed genuine. Like the shuffling students, I couldn''t help but think how different that was from what I was accustomed to.

    Suddenly, Arge reached his arm out. He seemed uncertain about what he was doing. But I was unable to hold on any longer¨Ceven if it was for Arge¨Cand closed my eyes, the world fading. As it did, I felt my head being rubbed. The sensation was unfamiliar but lovely.

 Interluding the Days

    Chapter 4: Interluding the Days

    I need to pee. This is the thought and sensation I woke up with. It was a familiar feeling, only a little bit higher up. Pulling back my covers, I found that the campfire was burning dimly like a night light...though some might purport that it actually was a kind of night light. My brain is kind of fuzzy right now, ok? Zock was sitting by the night-fireside, engrossed in a thin volume that was doing its best to catch scraps of the firelight. Turning a page, he had a faint smile on his face. Beside me were Arge and Oroko, both sound asleep. Oroko was mostly blocking my view of Arge, even when I poked my head up, so I had to remind myself that I had been responsible for arranging the beds.

    And for the record, Oroko is indeed ugly when he''s sleeping.

    Ah, my bladder was seriously urging me on. I think you feel better when you move slowly after waking up, but some things must come before others. Taking care to get up quietly, I put on my black shoes (wouldn''t want to dirty my socks) and moved lightly through the camp. I told Zock what I was doing and he waved me off with a soft smile, unworrying. This dungeon couldn''t be more dangerous.

    Slipping out of the cave, I achily hurried through the pitch-black tunnel.

    Peeing was still a little awkward in this body¨CI had less, uh, articulation as a girl and it didn''t help that there were no toilets in the dungeon. But I was getting accustomed to it nonetheless. It wasn''t that different. While the dirt in previous parts of the labyrinths had absorbed fluids pretty well, the floor here was stone, so I had to sort of squat down and..,this is getting too weird. The point is, I was squatting in a pitch-black tunnel peeing and feeling pretty embarrassed and sore. Ahh, now I feel better.

    On the way to the bathroom I had rushed through the tunnel, reigniting the pains of the day before, but now that the situation wasn''t urgent I took the return very slowly. In fact, my movement was to the point that I was feeling a bit like a grandmother. Still, I was happy to have a stunted physical ability if it came with Kami-chan''s body! I imagine she just sits in her throne all day and orders servants around, so of course she wouldn''t develop muscle. And if she really needed to move, she could probably just use her godly powers. Ah, Kami-chan has a wonderful lifestyle. Now that I have her body, I''ll have to order around servants too.

    Making my way back half-asleep, this got me thinking: if Kami-chan is incredibly powerful and I''ve been reincarnated with her body...the specifics of the reincarnation are a little blurry, but wouldn''t it be likely for me to have her godly powers? Yawning, I tried this conclusion out on myself, just to get a feel for it. "I''m a¨C." Woops, nice catch. Just think it quietly¨Cwhat would happen if Zock or Arge heard me? Hmm, just how does one go about calling oneself a goddess politely?

    I''m a goddess!

    Ahhh, yes. That''s what I am. A goddess. Fufufu, that feels good. B-but wait! Wouldn''t that make me Kami Imouto-chan (or Kamimouto-chan)!? That''s not the kind of relationship I want with Kami-chan! Hold up, I don''t want to be a goddess anymore! Cancel order, cancel order! My imminent ascendance to godhood was posing some serious existential questions: If I was a girl, could I have a healthy relationship with Kami-chan? Even if we have identical bodies? Would I consider turning back into Hiroshi Kimoto then? What was my final opinion on incest?

    Stop, stop stop. "Stop." I yawned. I think saying that one out loud was ok. I wasn''t sure why I was accidentally saying these things though. Maybe cute girls just like to vocalize. An interesting side effect of reincarnation. Oh, what if I talked in my sleep too? That could be seriously bad. I hadn''t had any dreams since being reincarnated though (Napping Cave was prophetic vision), so maybe it''s ok? Dreaming is connected to talking in your sleep, right? Cut me some slack! I''m not a psychoanalytical dream brain surgeon psychologist. I''m just a cute goddess~.

    Putting the Kami-chan conundrum out of mind, I made a mental note to prioritize looking into the religion and magic of this world. Those two subjects seemed the most likely to help me activate any latent goddess powers. Hehe, I wasn''t going to be a boring healer or mage in this world¨Cnot even a mere Hero. No, I was part of the super-exclusive ultra-powerful goddess class! Fufufu, the world was going to worship me! I sure hope I don''t talk in my sleep about this.

    Still hobbling along, I fantasized about what my goddess powers might be (everything) and further pondered my relationship with Kami-chan (it was a difficult subject to stay away from, alright?) (married, by the way). As I did, my hand traced the tunnel wall to help me keep my direction in the dark. Oddly enough, I noticed that the texture of the wall kept changing. It was like each stone had struck out on its own and refused to be similar to the others. The wall felt pleasant though and the temperatures was nice and cool, so even if it was a strange sensation, I couldn''t say I minded. It was a sampling plate of rock surfaces.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Had it really been this far to the cave? I felt like I''d been walking for quite some time. I had moved pretty quickly earlier, so it''s possible I''m just underestimating the distance I covered. The complete darkness doesn''t exactly help me estimate, either. Maybe I actually am pretty strong then...

    You know, in spite of being a dungeon, the labyrinth seemed quite benign. I hadn''t seen any goblins or path-changing, and I think Oroko makes a lot of things up. Perhaps the labyrinth was simply misunderstood. Contrary to what I''ve been told, the labyrinth is probably a very good place¨Cthe very tunnel I walk the site of an award-winning tragedy of misunderstanding. Ah, if only one were to strip back the harsh judgement of society they would find the Royal Labyrinth a loving place. Within its misunderstood depths, they might even find Napping Cave! That''s right, I haven''t given up on you Napping Cave. I''m your number one supporter! Napping Cave can never die because Napping Cave isn''t just a place, Napping Cave is in my heart! Oh, but it is a place too? Whatever the case, I''m cheering for you! There''s no doubt in my mind that you''ll win nationals because I know how hard you''ve worked! Ganbatte!

    That was a lot of twists, but once I started thinking about Napping Cave I couldn''t stop. Haaah, on the subject of Napping Cave wouldn''t it be nice if Arge and I could live together in it?

    Eh, why did I just think about that? I mean, who would want to live in something dumb like a cave, r-right?

    "Ah!" I squealed, suddenly tripping over myself. "Unf..." In an instant I went from pleasantly sleepy and lost in thought to painfully awake. This stone ground didn''t do any favors to my achy body. Eek, it hurt all over...maybe I could just fall asleep here?

    With all the resolve I could muster I winced myself into a sitting position, when abruptly I heard my name. "Nanashi!"

    "Haah?" I looked around, confused. The sound echoed in silence. Then, the faint crunch of footsteps.

    "Are you alright? Here." A light abruptly appears, withering the darkness away into rough stone walls and between them, a man standing over me. His features were defined but relaxed and his body muscular. He extends his hand to me.

    I take it tentatively. "Th-thank you Zock." He had come out of nowhere.

    He pulls me up with a yank. I don''t think he meant to, but still. Ouch! Aching more than ever, I cautiously try to brush myself off, not wanting to exacerbate the pain.

    "Aww..." My clothes had stains all over.

    "Are you alright? What happened?"

    "I j-just tripped. I''m fine."

    "I''d suggest that we get back to camp so you can rest and get cleaned up. Can you walk?" Zock looked at me seriously.

    "S-sure."

    "It''s no trouble to carry you if you''re hurt."

    "I think I can walk." Geez, lay off me.

    "Alright. We''re very close." Gesturing, Zock leads me in the direction I had just come from. It seems I had missed the entrance. Tenderly, I move after him. "How are you feeling?"

    "Like I just fell."

    "I see."

    True to Zock''s word, the cave entrance was very close. I felt a bit frustrated that I had missed it.

    "...I guess I got a bit lost. Thanks for helping me."

    "My pleasure." He parted the curtain at the entrance for me and I limped inside.

    We settled by the fire and he handed me a wet cloth. "Thanks." I scrubbed at the stains with mixed results and in weariness, soon handed it back to him.

    I sat listless and yet awake, next to Zock by the fire. Earlier, the shadowy silhouettes had lulled me to sleep, but now the fire itself drew me in¨Ccrackling like some deep fiery essence. It flickered like tendrils of reality, a thousand fantasies and reincarnations rolling to and fro. The narratives coalesce and journeys depart, and so I stood listless on a mountain of ancient heroes and fears.

    What the hell was I doing here? What was I going to do with my life?

    "What am I going to do?" I ask myself. Then Zock clears his throat.

    So close to the flames do I draw before my scrap of understanding dims, I glaze into hypnosis. I''m chilled by the abrupt change of tone within myself.

    The ruminant giant turns toward me with his gentle eyes. "Nanashi, let me tell you something about myself."

    "S-sure."

    He sits frozen for a moment. Then.

    "Truth be told, I¨C." Zock begins. Never mind, he ends.

    "I apologize Nanashi, it''s simply not a proper time to talk of such things." The stone giant then turns away.

    "The fire changes how both of us feel, huh?" I smile.

    "Do you think you have a family out there, in this world?"

    "...Now I''m really curious what you were going to say. But no. By blood, no, I don''t think I have a family out there."

    "..."

    Then Zock speaks. "It is not rational to say this, but perhaps we need think by intuition some of the time: prince Desali has taken to you and most likely, I think, you to him. You''ve known each other too little to know, but if you are as kind as him, he might help you make something of yourself. Sandcastles do not last the ages, however, so solely take these words for their worth."

    "..." I was speechless and didn''t know what to take his words for at all. Instead, I reply. "Zock, I think that''s the most I''ve ever heard you talk."

    He smiled mildly. "I think so too. The fire is as you say."

    "I''m not joking about becoming stronger though. I really want to be a reliable person." I reaffirm intently. The flames were frigid to my mind now.

    Zock gave a faraway, mournful look. I looked too, but all I could see was the cavern wall.

    "Goodnight," my tongue falters, and I quietly make way to my bed. I feel as though I''ve been on a high since reincarnation and now, for the first time, it''s simmered down. I lie for a long time before slipping into rest.