Chapter 170. Guide
The main exploration team did not include the Necro Puppet Master.
Because of this, we couldn’t use mind control to shorten the taming time, and as expected, Madame Rabbit held hostility toward me, so her spots didn’t change color immediately.
For that reason.
I decided to give the exploration team a break until Madame Rabbit was tamed.
“Hey, everyone. While Madame Rabbit is being tamed, enjoy a soak as well.”
─[Affirmative.]
Iris was the first to dip her body into the tub, waving her tentacles.
─“Understood.”
─[It would have been nice if my son were here too…]
Azeras and Nyara took off their tops without hesitation.
Though their chests were exposed, it wasn’t much of an issue.
I was used to such scenes, and besides, I hardly ever wore a top myself.
For the record, I didn’t take off anything below.
【Pururu】─Ugh! My eyes!
【Mysticism】─Don’t take it off so casually! 😠
【Bubble Bubble】─Gross.
“It’s not like this is the first time. Why are you all making such a fuss?”
【Rizenova】─Such an overreaction.
【Yumi】─If you can’t avoid it, just enjoy it.
【Pururu】─Try to avoid it, please. Dammit.
【Hwang Mir】─Oh. Nyara’s figure is impressive as expected.
【Luna-chan】─But Mir-chan’s figure is even better! Curvy and full!
Azeras and Nyara soaked themselves in the tub.
Soon after, Hedgehog and Abyss Lord wiggled their way in, swaying their hips.
─[Doodoomba! Now that I’m bigger, I don’t have to worry about sinking into the water anymore!]
─[This is Doomba speaking.]
Even as they settled into the water, they kept swaying their hips.
【Luna-chan】─They just keep shaking their butts endlessly.
【Mysticism】─🤭
【Hwang Mir】─I think they were even shaking in their sleep. Complete dance addicts.
【Pururu】─I think I’ll take a break too. If I keep watching them dance, I might go insane.
【Yumi】─Pururu, you’re already insane.
As the exploration team took a rest.
“Gauntlet, have this. I made a snack with the Medical Angel’s jelly and my spit.”
“Thank you.”
I picked up the snack that Merino had made and ate it, while watching Madame Rabbit through Iris’s constant feed.
Madame Rabbit remained kneeling in her place.
When I checked her taming progress, it seemed that the discoloration was progressing faster than I’d expected.
“Surprisingly.”
【Bubble Bubble】─What is?
“Even though I’m forcibly taming Madame Rabbit right now, the speed of her spot discoloration isn’t that slow.”
【Luna-chan】─Huh?
【Bubble Bubble】─I guess her hostility toward you isn’t as strong as we thought.
【Hwang Mir】─Maybe, deep down, she wanted to be tamed. She might have been pretending otherwise.
【Mysticism】─😮 Could she be…masochistic?
【Yumi】─Hey! Where did you learn that word!?
【Mysticism】─Pururu taught me. 😊
【Yumi】─Sigh. You’ve picked up weird stuff from Pururu.
Well, it’s good if things go smoothly.
At this rate, it looked like she would be tamed in about an hour.
【Hwang Mir】─But today, Geon’s behavior is unexpected. I’ve never seen him so forceful.
【Mysticism】─🧐 Gaon-oppa has always been forceful, hasn’t he?
【Yumi】─Maybe you’ve forgotten, but Geon has often subdued and forcibly tamed others without asking.
【Rizenova】─Indeed. And he’s even given names without permission on several occasions.
【Bubble Bubble】─But wasn’t it different this time? He only assigned a name if he didn’t know the other’s name.
【Luna-chan】─I’m sure Gauntlet was annoyed by that rabbit copying his name. >.<
【Bubble Bubble】─Maybe.
I didn’t particularly think I’d been forceful.
When I tamed the Necro Puppet Master, Psycho Clown, I’d threatened to take something precious from him.
After that, I’d even melted his fingers in the name of revenge.
Besides.
If it became clear that we had the upper hand, I planned to continue taming opponents in this manner, even using mind control if necessary.
But only when the opponent didn’t seem friendly toward us.
There was no need for courtesy toward those who weren’t my monsters.
Any kindness could come after taming them.
Once tamed, any lingering resentment would disappear.
Her spots had turned completely green.
The taming was complete.
─[So this is what it feels like to be tamed by an Explorer…]
【Pururu】─Finally tamed, the lousy rabbit.
【Mysticism】─Acquired a cute, aloof rabbit! 😃
Madame Rabbit perked her ears.
Her long tail curled up, becoming short and round like a typical rabbit’s tail.
【Mysticism】─😮 It’s a real bunny tail!
Though her face remained expressionless.
Judging by her body language, it didn’t seem like she was in a bad mood.
However, despite being tamed, she seemed unhappy with her new name.
─[Come to think of it, from now on, I’ll be called Madame Rabbit… Do I really have to use that name?]
“Why, don’t you like it?”
─[To be honest, I hate it immensely. If someone other than Gauntlet had told me to use that name, I would have wanted to kill them.]
“….”
【Pururu】─Haha, looks like Geon took a hit.
【Yumi】─Yeah, Madame Rabbit isn’t exactly the best name.
The name “Madame Rabbit” was already written in the Monster Guidebook.
Though it was possible to change it, reopening the book felt like a hassle.
“It probably just feels strange since you’re not used to it. If you keep using it, it’ll grow on you. Plus, I think Madame Rabbit suits you more than Lady Luna.”
─[…If Gauntlet says so, I suppose I have no choice. I’ll accept the name Madame Rabbit.]
Thankfully.
With a bit of coaxing, Madame Rabbit accepted her new name without further complaint.
【Bubble Bubble】─Now that she’s tamed, she seems much more docile.
【Hwang Mir】─Isn’t this practically hypnosis or brainwashing?
【Mysticism】─😠 Taming is different from such low-level stuff!
【Yumi】─Exactly. Taming is a wholesome skill that turns the other into a close friend.
【Luna-chan】─A tamed ally will never betray you. The Ancient Labyrinth guarantees it. It’s nothing like unbreakable hypnosis, brainwashing, or charm magic. Probably.
After Madame Rabbit accepted her new name.
I got straight to the point and asked her again to guide us to the Landlord.
At this request, Madame Rabbit let out a small sigh.
─[Sigh…]
“Is it not possible?”
Was she still unwilling to grant this request?
Just as I wondered, Madame Rabbit lowered her head and started mumbling.
─[Haa… Normally, even if it cost me my life or even if I was brainwashed or dominated by an Explorer, I would never reveal the Landlord’s location… But since he’s as reliable as the Landlord himself, I can’t refuse the request… It’s my fault for being overconfident and getting subdued… I have no choice… Sigh…]
【Pururu】─What’s she mumbling about?
【Mysticism】─🤔
【Bubble Bubble】─Does the Landlord only reveal himself to the Assisted One?
Madame Rabbit raised her head again.
She had an expression as if she’d made a decision.
─[…I can guide you there. Since it’s you, Gauntlet.]
【Hwang Mir】─Today is the first time she’s seen you.
【Mysticism】─🤭
Luckily, unlike before, she didn’t refuse.
─[But I need you to make a promise.]
“Huh? What kind of promise?”
─[Promise that you won’t harm the Landlord in any way.]
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. We’re going to find the Landlord to tame him, not hurt him.”
─[Hmm… Taming isn’t something I can interfere with, but… You must not use forceful methods like you did with me.]
“I’ll try.”
─[Please, put in a lot of effort. The Landlord is very timid and fragile.]
Madame Rabbit kept pleading with me not to use forceful methods.
It seemed.
That this Landlord was a monster with a weak core, just like Hedgehog.
─[Then, I will guide you right away.]
Madame Rabbit snapped her fingers.
A dazzling elevator descended from the sky.
─[This elevator will take you to where the Landlord is. Please, step inside.]
Madame Rabbit boarded the elevator first.
Iris followed behind her, and the rest of the exploration team boarded one by one.
Snake Head and Mummy Skeleton naturally tried to get on as well.
─[Ah. Not those two.]
Madame Rabbit held up her palm and firmly blocked them from boarding.
─[Orooro?!]
─[We are also Gauntlet’s friends…]
─[Still, no. Scary-looking guests like you cannot come along. The Landlord would be frightened. Please understand.]
With that, the elevator doors closed coldly.
─[Orooro… Mummy Skeleton’s ugly face cost me.]
─[I’m neither scary-looking nor ugly… This is all your fault, Snake Head…]
The elevator shot upward, leaving Snake Head and Mummy Skeleton behind.
The elevator doors opened.
A massive room appeared before us.
Filled with cushions and stuffed animals of all sizes.
A place brimming with toys of various shapes, feeling like a child’s nursery.
─[This is where the Landlord stays.]
Madame Rabbit stepped out of the elevator and spoke.
Leading us forward, she stopped at a certain point and pointed in one direction.
─[There he is. That’s the Landlord of this hotel.]
In the direction she pointed.
A green baby dinosaur was sitting with its bottom on the ground, glancing at us with sidelong glances.