There were several advantages of item box type skill or magic item.
Being able to transport things that originally were bulky and not needing to worry about any damage to them.
Being able to stop the object's deterioration or weathering at the point of time it was stored.
How the stored objects wouldn't interfere with each other, etc, etc.
Those advantages were treasured for storing things that had to be fresh or storing poisonous monster material, but there was a more important advantage for exploration in a large dungeon.
It was being able to have your fill eating cooking that could only be eaten in restaurant even when you were inside a dungeon.
But, because normally an item box had very severe capacity restriction, the amount of dishes or the like that could be put inside wouldn't amount to much. At best you would only have stock for one or two portions. After they were eaten, you would have to satisfy yourself with solid preserved foods that prioritized ease of transport and nutrition rather than taste.
But my lovemaking room was different.
It already had outrageous capacity from the start without me even needing to level it up. Because of that I could store a lot of materials inside it while also stocking up a lot of dishes that I ordered from restaurant.
The foods I stocked didn't only have quantity but also variety.
Herb grilled Great Bear, bacon pizza, cake, black tea, etc. There were all kind foods from stamina-boosting dishes until luxurious dishes to allow our exhausted body and mind recovering from the dungeon exploration.
And then when all those foods were served in front of Battle Princess Sofia-san――,
「...............…tsu! ...tsu! Delicious...!」
*Swish swish swish swish!*
Her tail was swishing left and right vigorously while she was devouring the foods with total concentration.
We were currently in a spacious area that would definitely be there before and after the gatekeeper room.
Because the area was filled with the smell and presence of gatekeeper monster, other normal monster wouldn't approach and adventurers who were doing dungeon exploration commonly called this kind of place as safe area.
There was also flowing water here, perhaps because of the influence of the inclination in mana, so this space was perfectly suitable for resting.
And now sitting at the corner of such safe area, Alicia and I, along with Sofia-san were surrounding the foods harmoniously.
「We also have dessert. Do you want to eat it?」
「...Is that okay?」
「We have a lot. So please, don't hold back.」
「...Amazing...something like this inside dungeon...unbelievable...」
Even though she had the strength to rush through the dungeon unscathed, she must only be able to provide food for just herself. At first Sofia-san sniffed all the foods thoroughly in her wariness against poison, but it was only at first. The werewolf's extremely great nose instantly made her submitted before the smell of freshly made food.
When I took out dessert after the stew, Sofia-san's eyes sparkled and devoured the plate greedily. In contrast to her mystical appearance and atmosphere, her table manner was really bad but...it made our side really happy too seeing her enjoying the food so joyfully like that. The critical atmosphere just now had completely dispersed. Like this Sofia-san ate up five portions of food while Alicia and I had only finished one portion each. Then she drank the tea while sighing in satisfaction.
「...I'm full.」
「Is that so? Then good.」
Seeing her so full like that felt heartwarming for some reason. I unconsciously smiled while tossing the tableware into the lovemaking room. Then Sofia-san took small sips of her tea while,
「...Why」
「Eh?」
「...Why, are you sharing food in the middle of dungeon like this? ...I know it's strange to say that after eating my fill though.」
「No, that's, it's natural to at least share food after hearing a stomach growling that hungrily. We have a lot of stocks anyway. The inside of dungeon is dangerous, so adventurer should help each other even if they're from different group.」
I answered honestly the question from Sofia-san who was asking while blushing slightly.
Well, to be honest it was also for an excuse to somehow avoid fighting...but even if there wasn't that I would still definitely share our food. That wasn't a lie.
「...」
Sofia-san looked dazed for some reason when she heard my answer. She looked up at me in such state,
「...For you to share food this delicious because of such reason...are you god...?」
「Ahaha, that's exaggerating.」
I scratched my head while smiling wryly.
At the same time it felt like the distance with Sofia-san had shrunk considerably compared to when we first met, so I spoke the question that had been bothering me all this time.
「Sofia-san yourself, what were you doing in this kind of place? I thought it's rare for a brigade leader to dive into the dungeon alone.」
Normally no matter how powerful someone is, they would normally form a party in preparations for the irregular.
And yet Sofia-san was alone and even initiated a fight the moment she met someone else. Just what kind of circumstance she had?
「...hah」
Sofia-san's ears and tail stood erect when she heard my question even while her face stayed expressionless.
「...That's right...I've no time to relax like this...」
She said that and stood up in a flash.
「...Sorry. I've something I need to do no matter what. ...I'll take my leave.」
「Eh!? Wait, Sofia-san!? So suddenly...or rather are you really going to be alright on your own!? This might be a needless worry for someone who had came this far unscathed but, the monster's level will get even higher ahead of here won't it!?」
I hurriedly called out to Sofia-san who was going to head deeper into the dungeon by herself.
But Sofia-san said with a still doll-like expression.
「...No problem. I also have item for going back. I have become strong, so I'll be fine even by myself.」
She said that and her wolf tail swished energetically while,
「...But I won't forget your kindness with the foods you shared. I'll definitely pay you back before long.」
We who were tidying up the tableware had no time to stop her before she ran into the depth of the dungeon. Her speed was tremendous.
「J-just what's with her...」
It felt like she was a really mysterious...or rather an incomprehensible person.
But I wondered why.
She was strange, and she said about killing us when she just met us...but somehow she didn't look like a bad person.
Speaking of Battle Princess Brigade, the merchant Rouge-san once warned us to be careful because it was a brigade that rivaled the Empress Brigade but...for Sofia-san being its leader felt really out of place.
While I was feeling puzzled about the girl who I met in the dungeon,
「Fuu♥ Fuu♥」
「Eh, wait, Alicia!?」
Alicia who had been keeping quiet until now suddenly became horny.
She rubbed her cheek on me like a friendly dog. Her breathing was rough as though she was at the end of her rope. Just when I thought what in the world was going on with her,
「...I beat a lot of monsters, ate a lot of stamina stew, and on top of that when I saw Erio getting along with a sexy beauty...it made me really turned on...」
「Wait, Alicia! Even though this is a safe area where no monster is coming, we're still inside dungeon! This is dungeon!」
「...I've also leveled up, I'm having a lot of stamina left over...we also ate dinner early today...we've a long night ahead...♥」
「Waah!? Wait, Alicia calm dow――this is hopeless! Local Wife activate!」
Like that I hurriedly activated Local Wife and returned back to inn.
Even after that I was still a bit concerned with Sofia-san but...Alicia who was energized from stamina stew and also improving in stamina due to level up squeezed me completely dry. I couldn't think anything difficult at all.
＊
「............Strange people. Eriol-san and...the girl, Allie-san was it?」
Deep inside the dungeon.
There was a shadow weaving between the monsters in the blink of eye or instantly stabbing their vital spot while advancing forward. It was the monster who won the spot as the leader of Battle Princess Brigade despite being only 18 years old, Sofia Barnard.
Sofia was swishing her wolf ears and tail in a good mood as she rushed inside the dungeon while whispering with a voice that was filled with just a little warmth.
「They're adventurers, and yet really kind. Can I get along, if it's with those two...」
Like that Sofia got engrossed in her thought while sporting a smile so small that she herself didn't realize it.
A while after that, Sofia muttered with a tiny voice.
「......Okay, right. Let's do that. When I destroy this city, I'll save only those two.」
Those two eyes were filled with light that didn't seem like belonging to this world. They were shining fierily inside the gloomy dungeon――....
＊
Meanwhile.
「Nee-san! I know you're here Nee-san!」
The headquarters of Empress Brigade.
There was a good looking woman raising her voice loudly in front of the private room of the leader, Stacy Poisondoll.
She was the woman who was generally accepted as the de facto number 2 of Empress Brigade, Liza Saspain.
She was a beastman with wild atmosphere that had leopard ears and tail on her body. Her personality that was like an unsheathed blade was feared even by the brigade members.
However――right now that woman's well-ordered face was greatly warped with bewilderment.
The reason was,
「What's the deal with you Nee-san! Listening to brats like that and giving them your full backing, or forbidding illegal income source! Just what in the world happened!?」
Yes. The brigade's leader, Empress Stacy who could make even crying baby shut up was acting strange.
She was doing as told by two adventurers who were still rookies, and she also wouldn't disclose the reason of why she was doing so.
She had been listening to the orders obediently for a while because the brigade leader's order was absolute, but there was limit to everything. Therefore Liza came here to ask questions as Stacy's adjutant but,
「...There's nothing really. Enough with the questions, all of you should just listen to what I said.」
That was the only thing that Stacy said.
And to top it off 「If you keep being annoying then I don't mind using force to shut you up」 Stacy said with a low tone, making Liza speechless.
Like that Liza was chased away from the room while growling deeply in her throat.
「It's those two's fault...」
What came to mind was those two children who brazenly came to the Empress Brigade's headquarters.
「Nee-san got completely strange since those two came...I don't know what kind of trick they have but, for now I'll murder them and return Nee-san back to normal...!」
The leopard beastman Liza Saspain's beautiful face warped with killing intent as her sharp eyes blazed fierily.