I finally reached it.
This is the uncharted legendary dungeon, Heaven's Ladder!
My late father told me not to go anywhere near it at all costs,
but I'm excited to see how far I'll reach with my current strength!
The monster just talked!
Huh? Wh-What is this feeling?
My whole body feels sensitive...
My thoughts are all over the place...
I-I wanna make myself feel good...
Huh?
I-I have to hurry and get this dealt with using the slimes...
Wait... That's not right!
I mean, deal with the slimes!
Nooo!
Whoa!?
Is my underwear melting?
No way... Am I gonna die here?
Nooo!
This can't be... No, no...
Am I getting raped by a slime right now?
Wh-Why...
This should make me feel gross, and yet...
I-It feels great!
Ah... Huh?
N-No...
No... I don't wanna...
A mere slime is making me...
Th-That was an awful experience.
What's up with that weird light and my weird feeling?
Huh?
I just happened to take a look at the dungeon,
but this is quite an interesting sight.
Who are you?
Good evening, Quem Quaeritis-san.
I'm Weiss. I work as an information broker in Sucesor.
And why do you know my name?
No need to be suspicious of me.
You got an entry permit for Heaven's Ladder
from the adventurer's guild, correct?
That's how I knew who you were.
I was able to witness the whole thing.
That light was probably some sort of a curse.
A curse, huh?
Hmm? Were you watching the whole time!?
Yes, I was.
You should've helped me, then!
You're asking for the impossible!
Even slimes are enough of a threat to normal humans!
I guess you are right, but still...
Uhh, that was embarrassing!
From what I've seen, the curse seems to force any nearby creatures
into a state of sexual arousal.
I'm not sure yet whether it works on people or not,
but it at least works on monsters.
D-Does that mean I have a curse
that makes nearby monsters feel horny?
I think that's how it works.
Whoaaa! This is awful!
I can't get married anymore!
I can only imagine your suffering.
Why not turn to my info broker services? I'll give you a first-time offer.
You can have curse-related info free of charge!
I'll do that! Please let me!
Y-You're too close...
The simplest way to lift a curse would be
to either force the caster to do it or kill them.
Hmm... I think that monster said he'll be waiting in there.
Hmm, please let me join you in that monster hunt then.
Ehh? Why would you do that?
Heaven's Ladder is a yet-to-be-explored dungeon in the last five hundred years or so.
As an info broker, the info and treasure in there are both worth finding.
I see, it means our interests align.
I assume that we have a deal, then?
Yeah! Perhaps meeting you here is a work of fate.
I'm someone who values her personal connections.
I'll be under your care from now on, Quem-san.
Take care of me as well, Weiss.
Ah...
Good morning, Quem-san.
Good morning, Weiss!
Did you sleep well last night?
Uh-huh, I had a good sleep!
I should be able to sleep no matter what happens.
Otherwise, I won't be able to work as an adventurer.
She went through all of that yesterday, though.
Should I praise her for being an adventurer,
or should I be bothered that she still is one instead?
Excuse me, but does this man seem familiar to you?
Umm, have you seen this man?
Hmm?
Umm, excuse me... Do you know this man?
Marian-san's husband went missing in Heaven's Ladder.
She's been looking for him for five years.
Yeah...
And their son is still young. It really is unfortunate.
Quem-san?
Sorry, just give me a moment.
Is something wrong?
Ah, Miss Adventurer...
Have you seen this man? He's my husband.
Hmm... I'm sorry, but I don't remember seeing him.
Is that so?
I might be able to help, though.
We're about to go to Heaven's Ladder.
I'll let you know if I even happen to see your husband there.
Thank you, please do!
You're having a hard time yourself.
Can you still afford to shoulder other people's problems?
But she looked very troubled. I just couldn't leave her be.
You're too kind for your own good.
We're going to Heaven's Ladder, anyway.
Just think of it as a bit of a side trip.
Uhh, that's totally beyond me.
Anyway, let's go to Heaven's Ladder.
This is commonly referred to as the Deep Green Jungle of Heaven's Ladder.
It's so humid that it bugs me.
There also seem to be lots of bug-type monsters here.
I didn't mean "bugs"...
Well, I hate bugs as well.
Quem-san, I'm giving you this.
What's this?
A remote voice relay magic device.
You use it to talk to me by voice through my main unit.
Since I'm a non-combatant, I'll stay far behind.
I'll be using this device to guide you.
The way you said it kinda rubs me up the wrong way.
Well, that's better than protecting you while snooping around.
Complaining won't get us anywhere. Let's hurry up.
True enough! Let's look for Marian-san's husband as well!
Suit yourself.
Whoooaaa...
I could tell it's dangerous with one look.
It's the area boss, a powerful monster that resides in every area.
Look at what's behind it.
Is that a warp magic circle leading to the next area?
Looks like it.
Well then, Quem-sensei. I'll leave this to you.
Uhh, jeez... I guess there's no other way.
Whoa!
What is this? I-I can't move!
Whoa!
Oh no, no! I'll get eaten!
Ehh!?
Eh, what? D-Don't tell me...
You're kidding me... Stop...
Noooo! S-Something went inside me!
I-Is this a monster's sex organ!?
Nooo, I'm getting knocked up by a monster!
Help me, Weiss!
Calm down, Quem-san.
W-Weiss!
Monsters can't reproduce with humans.
It is merely using your body for pleasure.
It feels gross either way!
This feeling...
The curse is activating again.
Getting raped by this monster should feel gross,
but why is this making me good?
Huh?
Nooo! Th-This is semen!
No, my belly...
Ahh! You'll ruin it!
It's supposed to be painful...
No, it actually is...
But it feels incredibly good at the same time...
What's happening?
My mind is a mess...
No way! Don't!
I'm gonna come!
I'm gonna come from being repeatedly creampied by a monster!
Whoa...
Hi-yaaaaah!
Whoa... Are you alright?
Thank goodness...
I won... I thought I was gonna die there...
Wh-Who's there!?
Quem-san?
It's a corpse. He must've been killed by that monster earlier.
Ah, no way... He's Marian-san's...
B-But her husband went missing five years ago.
The same goes for that diary's last entry.
And yet, his body is intact like he just passed away.
Perhaps we're currently at the moment
right after he died five years ago.
It's possible that space-time is distorted within Heaven's Ladder.
We could've saved him if we arrived here a bit earlier.
Climbing up the ladder towards heaven five years ago was his fate.
That's all there is to it.
Marian-san, here...
No way...
I already suspected this might be the case
but I just couldn't accept it that easily.
Do you bear any grudge against your husband?
I'd be lying if I said I'm not angry at him.
But I love that same man who left his family behind for research.
No matter how much grudge and resentment I bear,
they won't ever surpass how much I love him!
Do you have any plans from now on?
I'll be taking our son back to my hometown.
After all, I don't have to keep waiting for him here anymore.
It's irresponsible of him to just die and leave his family behind.
He should be taking good care of his loved ones more than his work.
I think I kinda get how her husband feels, though.
The thirst for knowledge is difficult to contain.
He might've been not good enough at balancing work and family matters.
And Marian-san still married him regardless.
His love is real.
Letting his family know that would be his saving grace if nothing else.
That's how I want to see it.
Such platitudes save nobody.
You, of all people, should know it best, Quem-san.
Chapter 1: A Man Long Gone Yonder
I've... found you...
I will... grant you... xxx...
Go to the innermost part... of this place...
I'll be waiting...
A SakuraCircle Project / Translated by: Tennouji