Accompanied by Kuro’s children and Zabuton’s children, I made my way back to the room where Lu and the others were waiting. As expected, this room was also overflowing with books. Everyone had managed to find a small gap in the clutter to settle down and relax.
It looked like Lu had recovered, which was a relief. Reginleiv, however, was still a lost cause. Since she seemed to burst into fits of laughter at the slightest stimulation, I decided to leave her be for the time being.
Two unfamiliar maids were in the room; I assumed they were Corie and Harkin. Their maid uniforms were quite simple in design—perhaps they were still apprentices. When they offered me tea, I politely declined since I had already had some in the other room.
Since it was already night by the time we had finished at the teleportation gate, I decided it was time to head back. Progenitor-san’s absence made the decision even easier, as we couldn't rely on his teleportation magic to return instantly.
As for why Progenitor-san stayed behind, I simply didn't want to intrude on a long-awaited reunion between husband and wife. I left the finer details to him, such as how to handle the "discovery" of the short-distance teleportation gates. I had already informed him that we would be heading back first, so there were no issues there.
The only real problem was our transport. I hoped the Sea Race would be waiting for us at the beach, but if they weren't, we would have to enter the dungeon and let the current carry us down the river. The dungeon was essentially designed to be a one-way trip. I hated the idea of getting soaked, but I was prepared to do what was necessary.
Before we began our move, however, I called for everyone’s attention. I had to collect the papers containing the transcriptions of Progenitor-san’s embarrassing past quotes. Kuro’s children and Zabuton’s children had worked incredibly hard on their penmanship, and I made sure to praise them for it, but the notes had to be surrendered.
I wasn't going to burn them, of course. I intended to keep them under lock and key. Those quotes were a weakness not just for Progenitor-san, but for Lu as well. I briefly wondered if they would have any effect on Flora, but apparently, she was still "active" enough that it wouldn't bother her. Regardless, I had no intention of using them for anything untoward, so everyone could rest easy.
Next, I issued a strict order: no books were to be taken from the mansion. I checked to make sure no one was trying to sneak anything out, and once I was satisfied, I gave my final instruction. Nothing read within these walls was to be discussed with outsiders. Even "I didn't read it, I just looked at the pictures" was not a valid excuse.
A collective groan went up, but I stood firm. I had no intention of policing people’s private hobbies, but I couldn't have them causing trouble for others.
Galf tried to approach me, but I waved him off, reminding him that standing too close to me in front of the maids would only turn us into "material" for their stories. Progenitor-san had warned me about that.
Apparently, there were some books that didn't involve men at all. One caught my eye—it featured neither men nor women. It seemed to be some sort of fable where inanimate objects were personified. Even so, I had a lingering bad feeling about it, so I added it to the "do not discuss" list.
To my relief, we didn't have to get wet. A large group of the Sea Race was waiting for us at the beach. A male Sea Lizardman I didn't recognize bowed deeply to me. He explained that they had been staying on standby in shifts at the Mermaid Elder’s request. I felt bad for making them wait, but I was grateful for the effort.
I asked after the Mermaid Elder and was told he was currently eating at the beach house. Apparently, he had taken quite a shine to the grilled corn. I worried a bit about his teeth given his age, as corn husks tended to get stuck quite easily.
The Sea Lizardman pointed out a reasonably large ship they had borrowed from Shashato City. It promised to be a short but comfortable voyage.
As we prepared to board, I pulled the Sea Lizardman aside to ask what he thought of Zabuton’s children. He stuttered a bit before admitting he thought they were "quite cute." Since he hadn't fainted on the spot, I figured the "scary aura" the spiders were worried about might have just been in their heads. After all, Versa and her maids hadn't been frightened either.
Then he added that he had actually fainted the first time he encountered one at the other beach. My theory was short-lived.
We eventually reached the first beach where Urza and the others were waiting. They were still wide awake, likely obsessing over how to clear the dungeon. I appreciated their dedication, but I had to remind them that children needed their sleep. Daga had done a fine job guarding them, and I made sure to thank him and the wolves and spiders who had remained behind.
Gol and the adventurers were still exploring the forest, but they had sent word that they would be resting at Village Five since it was closer. I had no objections to that.
The next morning, with nothing to do until Progenitor-san returned, I decided to help the children with their dungeon attempt. Even though the Sea Race managed the place, I told the kids not to hold back. If they did, it would only hurt their pride. However, I drew the line at them using the teleportation gate at Gol’s Beach.
Instead, I found myself in charge of the "Final Trial" at the beach. This effectively meant I was the designated barbecue chef for the day. I tried to suggest that they might get bored of the same food every day, but the Sea Race stepped in with reinforcements. Since they had more time to prepare today, the selection of seafood had expanded significantly. They had brought out massive shrimp and abalone, which silenced any arguments.
We stayed for about three days, but Progenitor-san never showed up. Eventually, one of the maids arrived with a message. The discussions were going to take a while longer, so he wanted us to head back to the village without him.
The adventurers were still in Village Five, so we decided it was a good time to withdraw. We traveled back to the village by carriage, which was a welcome change from walking.
Once we reached Village Five, we met up with Gol and the adventurers. I invited the adventurers to stay at Yoko’s mansion to save on expenses, but they politely declined. Gol and his group planned to return to the village but would act as liaisons, traveling back to Village Five periodically to check in on the adventurers. I also made sure to stop by the Goroun Company branch to settle the supply orders for the shop by the sea.
With that, the expedition to the Coastal Dungeon officially ended. It felt a bit hollow without Progenitor-san there to mark the conclusion, but the experience had been enjoyable. Urza and the others were already talking about going back in the summer since they hadn't managed to clear it. I figured a summer barbecue by the sea sounded like a wonderful idea, though I realized the children would likely be at the Academy by then. I just hoped the teleportation route would be fully operational by then.
Progenitor-san finally returned at the end of winter—and he brought Versa with him. He claimed he wanted to show her the outside world since she was such a shut-in. I didn't mind her visiting, but when he dropped the bombshell that she would be staying in the village permanently, I had to be firm.
I welcomed her, of course, but I told Progenitor-san in no uncertain terms that he needed to keep her hobbies under strict control. I also noticed she was standing uncomfortably close to me. I definitely couldn't afford to let my guard down around her.
The river within the cavern was not a natural feature but an artificial one. The water that originally flowed toward Gol’s Beach had been diverted to run through the dungeon and out toward the First Beach, resulting in its unusual path.