Chapter 109. In Search of the Hedgehog
Monsters below S-rank.
And even the Assistants had lost their memories of the Hedgehog Summoner.
Even when I showed them the picture of the hedgehog I had drawn in the Monster Guidebook, the result was the same.
“I don’t know who this is, meow. It’s the first time I’ve seen this person, meow···.”
Not only Merino and the monsters below S-rank but also the Assistants watching the broadcast from other worlds.
It seemed that only those with significantly higher soul levels hadn’t lost their memories.
【Bubble Bubble】─Sorry. I can’t remember anything even after looking at the picture.
【Mysticism】─🤔🤔🤔
【Mysticism】─It looks super scary. Why is that supposed to be a hedgehog?
“The one on the right is an Undead Spirit of the Abyss, and the small figure on the left is the Hedgehog Summoner.”
【Mysticism】─Ah!
【Mysticism】─It *is* a hedgehog! It looks cute!
【Pururu】─But seeing that you’ve drawn it in the Guidebook, it seems like you did tame it at some point.
【Yumi】─Exactly. There’s no way Geon would have imagined a monster he’s never seen. It really does seem like our memories were erased.
【Rizenova】─Our memories being erased is true, but it seems more accurate to say that the existence of that person, the Hedgehog Kong, was wiped from reality.
【Bubble Bubble】─But if their existence was erased, wouldn’t things like photos also disappear?
【Pururu】─It might be because it’s a drawing.
Even seeing the picture didn’t help them recall anything.
Well, there was no need to bother restoring their memories.
At least, monsters above SS-rank, including myself, still retained memories of the Hedgehog Summoner.
“It seems like it’s the work of a monster with some special power… Once we catch it, the memories will return, and we’ll be able to get the hedgehog back, too.”
［Piing! We must reclaim our Doodoomba Hedgehog! Some villain kidnapped him!］
【Pururu】─What’s a Doodoomba?
【Yumi】─Maybe it’s the name of an ice cream. Seems like the hedgehog liked an ice cream called Doodoomba.
Leaving the riled-up Princess behind, I turned my head to gaze in one direction.
Snake Head and Mummy Skeleton.
And the passageway where the Hedgehog Summoner had gone exploring.
Cave No. 5.
If you go a bit deeper, it opens into a vast underground world, the habitat of Poison Apples.
“Mummy Skeleton. How far did today’s exploration proceed?”
Today’s exploration team hadn’t gone with Iris.
They had only revisited the area where the previous exploration had already been completed.
This time, the exploration team’s goal was to gather food from the Poison Apples’ habitat.
［I remember… We only went as far as the marked location on the map… and brought back the Poison Apples.］
Luckily.
It seemed they hadn’t explored deeper on their own.
“Then the chances are high that the Hedgehog Summoner was attacked by the mysterious monster in the area we already know. Unless they went deeper on their own.”
The search area had narrowed down.
If things went well, we might find them soon.
“But, Mummy.”
［I respond.］
“Why didn’t you bring back the Poison Apples?”
［I wasn’t the one in charge of transport.］
Mummy Skeleton answered and then glanced at Snake Head standing next to him.
Snake Head shook his head frantically in confusion.
［Orooro? I wasn’t in charge of transport! Wasn’t it you, Mummy Skeleton?］
【Pururu】─Knew that snakehead jerk could talk. Look at him breaking his character and speaking fluently when he’s flustered.
【Mysticism】─😶 This is the first time I’ve heard him talk.
【Yumi】─I think I might’ve heard him speak once before.
【Rizenova】─Orooro! Chii!
Snake Head and Mummy Skeleton.
The two started bickering, asking each other why they weren’t the ones responsible for the transport.
I quickly mediated between them.
It seemed that the Hedgehog Summoner had been in charge of transporting the Poison Apples.
***
I formed a search team.
Kinogine Arachne.
The Blood Jellyfish Princess.
Black Magma Slime, and Puppet Niara Nepensis.
Including me, we were five in total.
We decided to search Cave No. 5 for the Hedgehog Summoner.
Though not part of the headcount, Iris also accompanied us.
The remaining SS-rank monsters stayed at the hideout to protect the other S-rank monsters.
After all, there was a chance that the monster capable of erasing someone’s existence could sneak into the hideout while we were away.
【Pururu】─Geon, are you going to search for that hedgehog yourself? Isn’t it dangerous?
【Mysticism】─😟 You always said you wouldn’t do anything dangerous.
“This time, for some reason, I feel uneasy about sending only the monsters. And it feels wrong to relax while a friend is missing.”
【Yumi】─You’re taking the risk to save a friend! That’s admirable!
【Pururu】─So Geon does actually care about the monsters he tamed.
【Mysticism】─Even though you pretend not to, you have a big heart. 😃
“Honestly, it doesn’t seem that dangerous. It looks like the mysterious monster’s ability doesn’t work on me.”
It had been a while since I’d last gone on an exploration myself.
And it was frustrating to just sit around and wait for the monsters to find the hedgehog.
I added those words.
【Yumi】─True, it would be really frustrating to sit and wait while someone important to you is missing.
【Bubble Bubble】─If someone had no ability, waiting would be the smart move, but since Gauntlet has plenty of power, it makes sense.
【Rizenova】─He possesses the strength to handle even SS-rank monsters, so there’s no need to worry too much.
【Pururu】─Still, be careful.
【Mysticism】─Stay safe! 😟
And so, I led the search party of monsters to the entrance of Passage No. 5.
At that moment.
［Gauntlet, I’ve arrived. Bboing bboing.］
“Welcome, meow.”
Omega appeared from beyond the warp device.
Ah, right. We were supposed to go to the desert shelter together today, weren’t we?
After installing the warp device there, we had planned to look around, come up with ideas, and develop the place into a village.
It was disappointing, but we decided to postpone that plan.
Finding the hedgehog took priority over everything else right now.
There was nothing more important.
After explaining the current situation to Omega, I said.
“Why don’t you join us, Omega?”
［Bboing bboing.］
Omega joined us, and we entered Passage No. 5 together.
***
─［I’ll be on standby to update the Monster Guidebook in case we encounter any new monsters.］
Through Iris, I heard the voice of Centaurides.
Other monsters also continued to communicate with our search party through Iris.
【Pururu】─Roles have reversed. Lol.
Among them.
The loudest one was Merino Ula.
─“Gauntlet, be careful! There’s something above you! Ah, no, never mind! I was mistaken!”
─“Meeeh! There’s an apple over there! Eat it!”
─“Meeeh?! The apple is really ugly! Don’t eat it!”
“Merino, could you tone it down a bit?”
─“Meeeh!”
After calming down Merino, we quickened our pace and continued our search through the Poison Apples’ habitat in the vast underground world.
Then, I spotted a peculiar tree.
Unlike the other apple trees, this one had no Poison Apples growing on it.
Why aren’t there any Poison Apples on that tree?
As I squinted my eyes in curiosity, I noticed something beneath the tree — a large number of teddy bears.
Of course, they weren’t ordinary teddy bears.
【Pururu】─Why are there teddy bears lying there?
“···They’re monsters too. All of them are rated as B-rank threats, so their actual danger level would be S-rank.”
─［It’s a new type of monster. I’ll update the Guidebook right away, Explorer.］
【Pururu】─Whoa, those teddy bears are S-rank?
【Mysticism】─😮
【Yumi】─They look like ordinary teddy bears. How fascinating.
【Rizenova】─They don’t seem like S-rank monsters to me either. But I suppose Gauntlet’s judgment wouldn’t be wrong.
【Bubble Bubble】─You can’t judge their strength by looks alone.
I kept my distance as I silently stared at the teddy bears.
Specifically, I was focusing on two teddy bears among the many.
One large and one small.
The large teddy bear was holding the smaller one in an embrace.
After some time had passed.
─［Explorer, I’ve completed the Guidebook entry. Please check Iris’ screen.］
Centaurides displayed a drawing on Iris’ screen.
“Quick work. Good job. But why did you draw those two specific teddy bears out of all of them?”
─［I’m not sure. For some reason, I just found those two particularly appealing. I don’t know why either.］
“…Is that so?”
I looked away from Iris and slowly walked toward where the teddy bears lay.
The large and small teddy bear.
I felt something from them.
It was as if an invisible thread of fate was connecting us.
As I approached, all the teddy bears lying under the tree suddenly snapped their heads toward me.
【Pururu】─What the heck, that scared me. Is this a horror movie or what?
【Yumi】─My heart nearly stopped…
【Mysticism】─😡
All the teddy bears were now staring directly at me.
It seemed like they would attack if I moved any closer.
I stopped walking and made eye contact with the two teddy bears I had been observing.
Then, in a quiet voice, I spoke.
“Doomba.”
［······.］
［······.］
“Doodoomba.”
［···Doodoomba Bear.］
［···Doodoomba Bear.］
The two teddy bears reacted to the word “Doodoomba.”
