"Everyone, I'm going to cast a spell, so please step back a little!"

"Got it!"

"Fūsuke, keep it up for just a bit longer!"

"Hoo!"

Leaving the defense to Fūsuke, I prepare to cast magic on the cockroach horde. If they are anything like the cockroaches from my original world, they should be weak to cold.

"Icicle Prison!"

As the spell activates, the cockroaches freeze from the ground up. This is an advanced ice magic spell that freezes all enemies within its range.

It doesn’t have particularly high lethality, but it’s capable of freezing an entire floor like this.

"A-Amazing! What kind of magic is this?!"

"He froze all the monsters! Wasn’t he just some rich guy?!"

"Fūsuke, you really helped out. Thanks!"

"Hoo!"

Just as I expected, the cockroaches are encased in ice and no longer moving. I had heard that cockroaches are weak to the cold and are rarely seen in Hokkaido. Plus, there were even those freezing-type sprays from a certain insecticide company.

"They might still be alive, so be careful."

"As always, your magic is extraordinary, Master Masayoshi."

"Brother Masayoshi stole the spotlight again."

"…Sorry, I just really couldn’t stand this boss’s form, so I took care of it quickly."

"I never expected Masayoshi to have a weakness. That was the first time I’ve heard you scream like that."

"Ugh… Please forget about that."

The shock of seeing those huge, countless cockroaches was overwhelming. It wouldn’t be surprising if they showed up in my nightmares.

"…Hey, you. Can you use high-level healing magic?"

"Ah, yes. I don’t know if it’s considered high-level, but I believe I can heal most injuries."

One of the members of Swift Thunder, a small man wielding dual swords, speaks to me.

"I owe you one. Even though I talked crap earlier, you still helped us. I appreciate it."

"You saved our lives. I’m sorry, and I’m grateful."

The large man, their leader, bows his head. The tall archer, whose wounds I had healed, also bows.

Despite their rough attitude, they do know how to express gratitude. Or maybe their adrenaline had just worn off after rushing through the dungeon without rest. Either way, I didn’t want them picking another fight with me.

"I’m just glad you’re all safe. I may not have the right to say this, but please value your lives more. No matter the reason, don’t recklessly put your comrades’ lives at risk."

I've once thrown away my own life, so I know this is a massive case of hypocrisy. But there are people who die in unavoidable accidents, like that traffic accident the other day. Dying just because you took reckless risks in such a dangerous world is beyond foolish.

"…I have nothing to say. No matter how badly we needed money, we were too reckless. I’m a failure of a leader."

"It’s not the leader’s fault! I’m the one who needs the money for my family!"

"That responsibility falls on me too. Shut up already."

"Hey, Masayoshi, right? I have a request!"

The small man steps forward.

"A request?"

"Please, I beg you! Save my little brother!!"

"!! If it’s that healing magic, then maybe…!"

"Yeah! If that magic could instantly heal my severe injuries, then…!"

Brother… Healing magic? Does his little brother have a severe injury?

"…I’ve been listening in silence, but you guys sure have some nerve. You do remember what you said about Masayoshi when you entered this dungeon, right?

And even though Masayoshi denied it, I’m sure you were mocking him back in the dungeon’s safe zone too. But the moment you found out he can use high-level healing magic, you suddenly have a request? You think he’s some tool for your convenience?"

"…I truly apologize. We’ve all been on edge, frustrated by our own powerlessness."

"And that justifies insulting Master Masayoshi?"

Lilith and Rurune press their leader. I appreciate them getting angry on my behalf, but it’s a little scary.

"I’ll apologize for everything! If you need money, I’ll pay, even if not right away! Please, just save my little brother!"

"We’ll do anything we can! Please, I beg you!"

The small man puts his head to the ground in a full dogeza. The rest of the party follows suit. So there is dogeza in this world too, huh? Watching four grown men prostrate before a high schooler like me is a bizarre sight.

…Even though my mental fortitude has strengthened, it’s not like I didn’t feel anything after being insulted by these guys so much.

That said, seeing them grovel doesn’t make me feel any better. If anything, I feel like the one bullying them. Tsuyahara and his group had laughed at me when I was forced to kneel before them, but seriously, what’s so funny about this?

"…Lift your heads. I accept your apology for the insults. I don’t know if I can heal him, but tell me the details first."

"Really?!"

"…I knew it would come to this."

"That’s just how Big Brother is, nya."

"We’re in no position to say anything, considering we also acted recklessly and had to be saved by Master Masayoshi."

"Hoo!"

If I were the kind of person who could just abandon these people, I wouldn’t have rushed into the boss room in the first place. Lilith and the others had already seen right through me.