4.
[Entered the home of the poor wizard Sen.]
[Difficulty: Grade S (Rare)]
The white light that filled my vision gradually disappeared, revealing the appearance of my second rare dungeon in my life. I had expected it to be a damp and cave-like place, similar to the first one, but fitting its modest name “Home of the Poor Wizard Sen,” a rather rustic and homey atmosphere appeared.
“A small and cute house.”
Dain commented thoughtfully. Indeed, the house looked quite small even from the outside.
We crossed the wall and entered the yard. It wasn’t a very high wall, and I felt like I could have easily climbed over it, but Kelian quickly lifted me over.
“How’s your body?”
“I’m fine, Kelian, don’t worry.”
Kelian scrutinized my complexion as if concerned. He seemed unhappy that he couldn’t let me rest more, even though I had rested for a day.
It was me who convinced him it was okay to go to the dungeon. It felt a bit awkward to be glued to the bed like a seriously ill person after just forming a relationship once. After resting for almost a day, I felt much better, and it was embarrassing not to know what the other party was doing.
“Why are you two whispering?”
Even after crossing the wall and not going far, Dain gave another pointed look. Despite that, Kelian, who had been checking on my condition, reluctantly let me go, as if saying there was nothing else to be done. If I had allowed it, he would have held onto me the whole time. Dain tried to ignore it, but his cheeks subtly flushed.
“Was it already cleared?”
“Yeah. Someone else did it already.”
In response to Jenin’s question, Barkrud nodded. This rare dungeon was found out by Jenin and Dain from the information guild. The only village had several rare dungeons from grade A to S, and this one was said to be the least visited. That meant it was harder to clear.
– Oh… There’s none, it’s gone.
As soon as we entered the house, we heard a murmuring voice of a man. Since the house was very small and cramped, we could easily pinpoint the man’s location.
A petite man sitting on a wooden chair in front of a wooden table, holding his head, was probably the protagonist of this dungeon, the wizard Sen.
“What’s gone?”
Sen raised his head abruptly at Dain’s question. Surprised, he stepped back, and Kelian stood beside him. Sen’s dark circles under his eyes contrasted sharply with his pale skin. Perhaps that made him look even paler.
―I don’t have any money. To pursue the truth of magic, you need money… But those damn towers won’t even accept me.
It was quite a detailed setup. Although I had heard a brief description of humanoid demons from Jenin, seeing one in person was confusing. Moreover, it didn’t seem particularly hostile towards humans.
“Towers prioritize skills. If you couldn’t get in, it’s because you lack talent.”
Dain, who was from a tower, said cruelly. Sen, a demon, whom I thought would naturally get angry, instead seemed to be blaming himself even more at those words.
―Right. It’s all my fault… because I’m lacking…
Jenin, watching Sen dig his own grave, scratched the back of his head.
“Dain, wasn’t that a bit harsh? He’ll keep whining all day at this rate.”
“I’m just telling the truth.”
After waiting for a while, Sen’s self-blame showed no signs of stopping. Jenin approached him as if there was nothing else to be done.
“Hey, Sen. Can you stop whining and get started now?”
But even she, who had given Sen a hard time, wasn’t particularly empathetic. At the mention of whining, Sen’s head drooped even further.
“I’ll just kill him. He’s the boss anyway.”
“I don’t think killing him will clear it, but let’s give it a try.”
As Sayiris and Kelian were about to utter harsh words, there was suddenly a commotion outside the house. For a moment, I thought the rare dungeon was starting in earnest, but when the door opened and someone entered, I realized it wasn’t.
“Uh? Who’s there?”
“What? Who’s the jerk who came in before us?”
A party of seven, consisting of five men and two women. It seemed they had come to clear the rare dungeon, as expected.
They grumbled about the fact that someone had entered the house before them, but as they entered and saw our group, their grumbling quickly died down.
Although it seemed like they were fascinated by our appearance, the decisive factor that made them swallow their annoyance was Barkrud’s imposing figure. The cramped house was uncomfortable enough for Kelian, who was significantly taller than average, let alone Barkrud, who was close to being a giant. He was trying to squeeze himself in.
“Are you guys here to clear the dungeon too?”
The man who spoke up was a rather restless-looking fellow.
“So you’ve come to clear the dungeon, not just to visit, right?”
He seemed somewhat taken aback by Dain’s snappy response, but soon he put on a smiling face again.
“That’s right. We’ve also come to clear the dungeon. It was difficult to find information about this dungeon, and I heard that only a handful of people have managed to clear it.”
Despite the unsociable response from our group, the man kept chattering away.
“Oh, by the way, my name is Hans Rok. I’m the vice-guildmaster of the Valiant Hawk Guild.”
Upon mentioning the guild’s name, both Hans and his companions showed pride in their expressions. The problem was that the reaction from the warrior party was somewhat lacking, and as I was also visiting the village for the first time, I didn’t know how prestigious the guild was. Seeing our reaction, Hans seemed a little disappointed as he asked.
“And who might you be?”
“I’m Kelian Ail.”
As soon as they heard the name Kelian Ail, there was a gasp.
“He’s a warrior…!”
The disappointment that they weren’t recognized quickly disappeared into the distance. With a greatly excited expression, Hans asked various questions.
“You all seemed unusual, but to think it was the Warrior’s party! This is really lucky. I’ve heard a lot about the other members too. Dain Pariyon, known as the next Imperial Tower Lord, with his staff adorned with red gems, the beautiful silver-haired warrior, Sayiris Lynn, and this one here must be Jenin Elizabeth, and the giant-like figure, the wandering mercenary king Barkrud…”
Was he really going into that much detail…? It seemed that the warrior party was much more remarkable than I had imagined.
As Hans’s gaze stopped abruptly on me after scrutinizing each of us one by one, the rest of his party also murmured as they looked at me.
“We’ve never heard of another person in the Warrior’s party.”
“Maybe we just didn’t hear the news.”
As they openly talked about me, I felt awkward and decided to greet them.
“I’m Aine Crueger.”
I debated whether or not to say, “I’m not as remarkable as the others,” but ultimately decided not to.
However, even without me saying anything, their expressions changed from disappointment at not knowing their guild’s name to even more disappointment as they scanned me up and down.
“Well, okay then.”
Hans seemed very puzzled as to why I was in the Warrior’s party, but he seemed to think it was best to move on for now. Just as the awkwardness settled in, Hans and his party discovered the wizard, Sen.
―It’s gone, it’s gone…
Sen continued to lament and blame himself as usual.
“I had a feeling based on the name of the dungeon, but it seems to be a humanoid monster after all.”
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen humanoids. It really feels like an S-rank rare dungeon.”
Hans, who was talking with his group, soon spoke to Kelian and the others.
“Since we’re already inside, we can’t leave, so we’ll have to cooperate with each other to clear it.”
Even though he had been irritated about someone coming in first, once he realized they were a warrior party, his attitude changed completely. He seemed even eager to be associated with the warrior party.
“There’s no need for that. The dungeon will judge our contributions.”
But Kelian’s response was cold and indifferent. Hans’s attempts to suggest working together to clear the dungeon seemed to hit an invisible wall. Unaware of the awkwardness of the frozen state of Hans and his group, the warrior party continued the conversation as if nothing had happened.
“We can’t just stand around like this forever, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to try killing them.”
“Dain, step back.”
When Sayiris flicked her staff, the air around Sen turned as black as coal. It engulfed Sen as if it were toxic fumes, causing him to choke and wheeze without being able to breathe.
Sayiris’s power is truly terrifying… Her staff, which had been praised countless times already, now looked even more mystical and divine.
“Oh.”
As Hans and his group watched in astonishment, Sen’s lifeless body slumped onto the table.
However, after a while, he revived with a white light.
―Oh, it’s gone…
He returned to his original state without any sense of accomplishment in killing him. Hans and his group, sensing something strange about the revived Sen, bombarded him with questions.
“Hey, where are the other monsters? You’re not the only one, are you?”
“What are you mumbling about, seriously. When does the dungeon start?”
“Are you the boss? Why are you acting like this?”
But due to Sen not providing a proper answer, there was no significant gain.
“Is killing people the purpose of this dungeon?”
Dain also seemed to be losing patience slowly. It was understandable, with Sen murmuring endless gloomy stories, the cramped house, the noisy other party, and the dungeon showing no signs of starting… Everything was confusing.
“Let’s search inside the house.”
Starting with Kelian’s suggestion, the warrior party searched every nook and cranny of the house, including the kitchen where Sen was sitting and the bedroom with the shabby bed. I followed them and, while searching, found some smelly clothes under the bed and covered my nose.
“I can’t move.”
Barkrud attempted to explain why he wasn’t searching inside the house with them, but in fact, everyone already knew, so there was no need for an explanation. If he moved more, the shabby house might collapse.
“You damn brat! Start right now! Bring the monsters!”
Even though they searched the house thoroughly and found no significant clues, when the party sighed in frustration, the other party, feeling frustrated as well, started hitting Sen randomly. Killing Sen with a sword, then Sen reviving and lamenting, and killing again, and lamenting again… Of course, there was no progress.
“If this goes on, we might be trapped forever…? This dungeon seems like the type where once you enter, you can’t leave until you clear it.”
Their words contained fundamental fear. Meeting the famous warrior party was enjoyable for a moment, but if they were trapped forever in the dungeon, it would be of no use. I also felt empathy for that fear and quietly asked Jen.
“Have you ever experienced a dungeon like this before?”
“I’ve been to all sorts of dungeons… but… this is the first time I’ve encountered one that doesn’t even start.”
I asked Kelian as well, but he said it was also his first time experiencing something like this. However, he seemed to be paying more attention to something else.
“Aine. How about sitting down?”
Is my body still bothering him? It was difficult right after forming a relationship, but now it shouldn’t be that bad…
Unable to refuse due to Kelian’s persuasive whisper, I sat opposite Sen’s chair, which was surprisingly comfortable. Given Sen’s behavior of just lamenting despite being killed several times before, it didn’t seem like she would suddenly attack. However, perhaps as a precautionary measure, Kelian stood next to me.
Although we whispered openly like this, I expected Dain to glance at us to some extent, but Hans and his party’s persistent stares were unexpected. They stared at us with an expression that seemed to ask, ‘Why are those two…?’
“None, none at all… How despairing…”
Sen, across the table, began pulling her hair again. At this rate, she might pull out all her hair.
The name of this dungeon, as confirmed upon entering, was “Poor Magician Sen’s House.” Sen was diligently lamenting her situation, as if the name truly reflected her circumstances.
I had a vague idea of what she might be feeling. While I wasn’t a magician like her, I had experienced financial difficulties myself.
―Do you really need that much money?
Since we were sitting at the same table doing nothing, I asked out of curiosity. However, Sen, who I thought would ignore me and continue crying, suddenly stared at me with a blank expression, which surprised me a little. Her tired eyes looked like those of someone who hadn’t slept for days.
“A lot… yeah, I need a lot. I really need a lot…”
―I see…
It seemed dungeons had their own way of life. Money was important whether inside or outside the dungeon.
―How can you earn money then?
“Well-known magicians seem to be hired by nobles… But no one hires me.”
“How about going directly to potential employers?”
―That… would be embarrassing.
Sen shyly turned her head away as if just thinking about it was embarrassing.
“Still, it’s worth a try. It might be embarrassing, but it’s better than sitting here doing nothing, right?”
―Is it…?
“Yes. Sen can do it.”
Unable to receive purification at the temple due to a shortage of money, I couldn’t lend him money, but I could offer a few words of encouragement. I didn’t even know if the currency outside the dungeon was valid inside.
―You’re kind…
The clown’s thin face swelled slightly with a vague expression. For a moment, I felt uneasy even hearing compliments about being encouraging and kind. Suddenly, I added to my words.
“But before you leave, could you start the dungeon? We can’t keep waiting.”
―If you want to leave this place… you must pass through several trials…
“What trials?”
―I can’t tell you in advance… but… can you pass those trials?
Sen’s words seemed to express some concern about me. Do I look that weak…? There was nothing to say to refute it.
“Maybe it’ll be… okay. The people who came with me are strong…”
―Ah… I see.
Sen glanced at Kelian and the rest of the party, as if understanding.
―We’ll give you trials. Only those who pass them will be able to leave this place.
Finally, something began. As Sen muttered something like a spell, the ground shook as if there was an earthquake, and my vision wavered. Kelian reached out to support my waist as I got up from my chair. Thanks to him, I could stand firm.
“Ah.”
When the shaking around us subsided, we found ourselves standing in an empty field. It was a barren field surrounded by towering gray walls, with nothing else in sight. Sen and his cramped house were nowhere to be found. If Sen’s magic had transported us here, he wasn’t lacking in skill…
“…”
Everyone’s silence made me curious, so I looked around, only to find our party and even Hans’s group staring at me intently. What’s going on…?
“They’re treating monsters just like humans.”
Before I could ask why, Dain interjected. It was then that I realized they had been watching me converse with Sen all along.
“Well, they’re humanoid monsters, so it’s natural to treat them like humans… In fact, they seem so human that I momentarily forgot Sen was a monster.”
“Thanks to you, the dungeon has started, what’s the problem? So nitpicky.”
“It’s not me being nitpicky, it’s you being dense!”
While Jenin and Dain argued again, the rest of the party seemed indifferent, as if it had nothing to do with them… Amidst the familiar scene unfolding like a daily occurrence, I chuckled, but then met eyes with Hans’s group.
“What, did something amazing happen…”
Their muttered words were loud enough for me to hear clearly. Jenin, who had stopped fighting abruptly, turned around.
“What did you just say…”
And then, a monster popped out of thin air, bouncing towards us.
*Kyuk, kyuk.*
Startled by the familiar sound, I turned to look, and sure enough, it was a very familiar monster, a Totorong. Thankfully, it wasn’t the rare cursed Totorong, just an ordinary green-eyed one. It seemed to be of intermediate size.
“What’s this tiny thing?”
*Kyaaah!*
As Dain struck it with his staff, the Totorong screamed and died. Soon after, another Totorong popped out of thin air, and the frequency and number of appearances increased with each kill.
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
“If this is the trial that the wizard Sen mentioned, it seems overly simple,” Hans commented casually to the warrior party, but there was no response.
*Kyaaah!*
[Acquired blood of Intermediate Totorong.]
[Item Grade: C Grade]
While the warrior party easily killed Totorongs with their weapons, it took me ten strikes with my club to kill one. It was indeed an intermediate Totorong. Since my level had increased compared to when I was back home, they weren’t strong enough to kill me.
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
Totorongs were dying all around. Since Sen mentioned passing ‘several’ trials, this must be the first one. Hans’ comment about it being simple seemed to be accurate, and if the remaining trials were similar, we might be able to escape the dungeon sooner than expected.
*Kyaaah!*
[Acquired blood of Intermediate Totorong.]
[Item Grade: C Grade]
*Kyaaah!*
[Acquired blood of Intermediate Totorong.]
[Item Grade: C Grade]
*Kyaaah!*
[Acquired blood of Intermediate Totorong.]
[Item Grade: C Grade]
[Level Up]
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
Even though it was an intermediate Totorong, I instinctively went for it, having killed many in my hometown hunting grounds. Whack, whack, whack, whack, whack…
After hitting it at a steady pace for a while, I had to stop abruptly because my club broke. In the past, I would have repaired it and kept using it, but now that my level had risen, it seemed like I needed to buy a new weapon. I couldn’t afford anything expensive though…
Checking my information, I noticed my level had shot up to 27. Considering it was at 24 the last time I checked, it seemed like I had gained at least 2 levels in this dungeon. I hadn’t noticed the alarm because of the noise from the Totorongs’ screams.
Level 27! I felt belated joy. Of course, if I had killed them alone, I wouldn’t have risen this much, and it seemed like even the kills by my party members contributed to the level up.
I wanted to inform my party about this fact, so I quickly turned my head, only to find them looking somewhat dazed.
“Why are you all like that?”
Did I get Totorong blood on my face or something? I don’t think so. Even Hans’s group, who had been glancing at me, stared at me intently, making me feel awkward. Amidst this, another Totorong rushed in, and I killed it with my broken club.
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
…
*Kyaaah!*
*Kyaaah!*
It took nearly thirty strikes with the broken weapon to finally kill it. After getting rid of the nuisance Totorong, I looked around at the others again, only to find a deeper silence than before.
“…”
Why are they staring at me like that…?
Calling out to Jenin, who seemed most likely to give an honest answer, I finally got a response.
“Well, you see… madness…”
“Huh? Madness?”
“From Aine…..”
Jenin, unable to continue, was replaced by Dain.
“Why are you killing monsters so fiercely?”
…Excuse me?
“It was scary.”
Even the usually calm Barkrud muttered such nonsense, so I slowly reflected on my actions, but no matter how much I thought about it, apart from killing monsters like everyone else, I hadn’t done anything special.
“I’m scary when I kill monsters?”
“It’s not just about killing, it’s your expression and everything, it’s creepy…”
“Was I making such a scary expression?”
“Not really, you were just very expressionless.”
The more I listened to Dain’s explanation, the more puzzled I became. So, should I kill monsters with a blank expression or smile while doing it?
It was an incomprehensible reaction, but I decided to give up understanding it as I continued to listen. However, curious if Sayiris and Kelian felt the same way, I asked them.
“Were you scared of me too?”
“Not particularly.”
“Not particularly.”
They both gave the same nonchalant response, then glanced at each other for a moment before going about their business without a trace of concern. One of Kelian’s tasks was getting rid of the approaching Totorongs, and since they disappeared futilely when touched by Kelian’s sword as they rushed in heaps, my surroundings were quite safe.
“But this… doesn’t seem to end.”
Despite the small commotion caused by the incomprehensible reason of me killing Totorongs too fiercely or madly, everyone continued to kill Totorongs for a long time according to Jenin’s muttering, but there was no end in sight.
However, unlike the warrior party, who seemed merely bored by the abundance of Totorongs filling the field, Hans’s group looked rather distressed.
“Ugh, why don’t these bastards just disappear already!”
“No matter how many we kill, they keep coming out! I’m exhausted now…”
“Get yourself together! If it’s tough, stick close to the warriors!”
Seemingly exhausted to the point of openly saying such things, they reluctantly approached Kelian while killing Totorongs all around. But being close to Kelian meant being close to me. If they were members of a famous guild, they wouldn’t be so exhausted even with intermediate monsters, which meant there were just too many Totorongs.
“I think this trial might not end just by killing them quietly.”
“Or it could be testing our patience.”
“I hope not.”
Jenin sighed, killing three Totorongs at once and covering one ear. The screams were quite loud.
“Everyone, don’t move. Let me try killing them all at once.”
As Sayiris raised her staff high, everyone’s attention turned to it. Our party seemed to go along with this seemingly staged action, while Hans’s group, who lacked resilience, couldn’t seem to regain their senses amidst the flashy appearance of the staff.
Black smoke enveloped the Totorongs in the field. It looked eerie just to see, but its effect was even more chilling as it wiped out the Totorongs like the spell Sen had used earlier. The field, which had been filled with Totorongs, was cleaned up in an instant.
But that was only temporary, as countless Totorongs appeared simultaneously, seemingly trying to fill the empty space.
“Killing them all at once doesn’t seem to be the answer…”
Jenin searched fervently for the solution to the trial, but it didn’t seem like there was any reward.
As I too wandered around trying to find clues to pass this trial, I noticed a rather unusual Totorong. Well, calling it unusual was an understatement—it looked quite ordinary and familiar, but being alone among intermediate Totorongs, it stood out. It was amazing to realize it only now.
“A beginner Totorong…”
Even though I was now awkwardly inserted into the warrior party, I was confident, given my age, that I had seen beginner Totorongs more often than my friend Malley.
“Um, how about trying to kill that beginner Totorong?”
My club was too battered to be of any use, so I thought someone else should kill it, but I heard a dismissive sound from Hans’s group. It sounded mocking, and when I looked in their direction, Hans made a awkward expression.
“Excuse me, Lady… What was your name again?”
“…It’s Aine Krueger.”
How could we have forgotten each other’s names after introducing ourselves not so long ago? Hans continued without showing any embarrassment.
“Oh, yes, Lady Krueger. First of all, let me clarify that my colleagues didn’t laugh with ill intent. It’s just that Lady Sayiris Lin had already tried killing all the Totorongs at once, didn’t she? Despite that, you still suggest killing more Totorongs, which doesn’t seem helpful.”
True, but the beginner Totorong was smaller, so maybe it escaped Sayiris’s severe magic. It was still lurking among the intermediate Totorongs, even now. While keeping an eye on it in case I missed it, I replied to Hans.
“Still, since it seems to be the only beginner Totorong here, wouldn’t it be worth trying to kill it once?”
“You’re quite persistent. Lady Krueger, may I ask what your level is?”
“Why suddenly asking about my level…”
“The clothes and weapons you’re wearing don’t look like they’re even close to 20, is that right?”
“…I’m over 20.”
“Well, that’s surprising, but still, you can’t be over 30.”
“… ”
That’s right. I was currently at level 27. Hans, who interpreted a positive meaning from my words, nodded approvingly.
“I’m level 48, and my friends here are all over 40. Not to mention our party leader. It’s hard to believe Lady Krueger here hasn’t noticed what we have. And everything here seems to be intermediate Totorongs; I don’t see any beginner ones. I don’t know why a warrior like you is traveling with someone like her…”
While Hans was delivering his unfortunate speech, which was a blend of insults towards me and his own boasting, Kelian, who had been silent, suddenly swung his sword.
“At least don’t get in the way… Gah!”
Hans, who was close to where the sword was swinging, recoiled in fright and stumbled backward. But the target of the sword wasn’t Hans—it was the beginner Totorong I had mentioned earlier. The neatly halved beginner Totorong vanished without even making a sound.
“W-What’s happening now…!”
“Ah, yes.”
Kelian asked Hans casually, as if he hadn’t even seen him fall.
“Do you want anything else to be eliminated?”
It was probably supposed to be about the monsters, but for some reason, it sounded like he was talking about something else.
Did Hans also sense something strange? He seemed like he was about to say something more, but he clenched his teeth and got up from his seat. He just brushed off the hands of the teammates who approached him for support in a nervous manner.
“No, thanks…”
For now, the beginner Totorong seemed to be gone.
Seeing my response, Kelian sheathed his sword. However, he continued to stare down at Hans with an expression that was difficult to decipher. It seemed rather ominous. Instinctively, I grabbed his sleeve, but Kelian lowered his gaze to my hand holding his sleeve.
“Um, I think I’m a bit tired.”
It was a thrown-out line to get his attention. Of course, it was true that I was tired from killing monsters to the point of breaking my weapon, but it wasn’t so funny that I would exaggerate like this. Besides, it was even more surprising that he was paying so much attention to my physical condition… Yet, it was Kelian who had always been concerned about my well-being.
“I apologize.”
“Ah!”
Suddenly, my body floated, and I was startled. Kelian had embraced me, supporting my back and knees as if he had wanted to do this from the beginning, and he even seemed relieved for a moment.
“K-Kelian, you don’t have to hug me like this…”
I called out his name in surprise, but that wasn’t the most important thing right now. If we were alone, I wouldn’t have been so flustered. The problem was the other people watching us. Especially Dain, who was gaping at us with his mouth wide open.
“T-Those are real…!”
And it was Jenin who shut Dain’s mouth.
“Why, if they’re dating. They could if they liked each other.”
With an indifferent tone that seemed to suggest that it could really happen, even I momentarily thought that Jenin was mistaking Kelian and me for being in a relationship. Despite it not being true.
“Jenin. We, I mean, I’m not dating Kelian.”
Belatedly regaining my senses, I explained to him. They didn’t know that we had never had such a sexual relationship, but anyway, we had once slept together and kissed more than that, but I never made the mistake of thinking I had become something of Kelian’s, like a lover.
I looked up at Kelian with an innocent heart, wondering if he too might have misunderstood. But for some reason, when I met his slightly sullen gaze, I realized that the source of the vibration was not Kelian but the ground. No, why are you doing this…?
“Were you not dating?”
As Jenin, who seemed more perplexed by my answer, pushed aside, Dain began to go wild.
“She approached us for Kelian after all!”
As he went from suspicion to certainty, pointing fingers at me, while he was scolding me, I felt a slight vibration from Kelian’s body that had embraced me.
For a moment, amidst the confusion, when the vibration grew louder, everyone, including Dain, who was jumping like a monster, stopped what they were doing and focused on the shaking ground.
“What…?”
The moment one of Hans’ party members lost his balance and fell, the ground beneath him split apart and collapsed.
“Ben!”
In an instant, before anyone could even scream, the person disappeared into the black earth below. Hans and his team rushed to the spot where he had disappeared, but they looked disappointed when they saw no trace of their colleague in the blackened earth.
“Is it a land that swallows people?”
Because of what was happening in front of me, I put aside my concerns about Kelian and me and kicked the ground with my toes. In response, the ground vibrated even more intensely.
“All the Totorongs disappeared.”
Ah. Hearing Jenin’s words, I looked around and realized that all the intermediate Totorongs that had been popping out of nowhere had indeed disappeared.
“The first trial is over, and now the second trial begins.”
Dain, who answered like that, gave me a strong glare. It was an insult that I wouldn’t have tolerated if it weren’t for the situation.
“Then killing that beginner Totorong was the right answer. Thanks to you, Anna.”
As Jenin, who paid no attention to Dain’s fierce gaze, continued to praise me steadfastly, another commotion broke out.
“Anna!”
Another person disappeared into the ground, and Hans’ team couldn’t hide their agitation between the two pits.
“Darn it, what the hell!”
“Don’t fall! Falling means being swallowed by the ground!”
“Everyone hold hands! If you’re about to fall, hold on!”
Having lost two of their comrades, they immediately grabbed each other’s hands without hesitation, supporting each other’s bodies from the vibrations. They were able to stabilize themselves more calmly than before, thanks to this effect.
“This is trivial.”
However, they were the only ones struggling; Barkrud occasionally complained that if it was a trial, he didn’t like that only the ground shook without any monsters appearing.
The rest of the party seemed equally nonchalant. Sayiris, who didn’t move at all despite whatever magic was being used, Jenin, who playfully jumped in place a few times, and Dain, who calmly surveyed the surroundings. And even Kelian, who held onto me amidst all this shaking…
“Kelian, I think it’s best if I get down now.”
I was worried that I might make it harder for him to maintain his balance, but the handsome man with the cold face gave no sign of letting me go and instead squeezed my hand tighter.
“It’s still dangerous.”
Even with me in his arms, he seemed not only unburdened but even more stable than the others.
If Kelian wasn’t struggling, then being in his arms made me feel more relieved. Considering that Hans’ party members had a level of over 40 and I didn’t think I could hold out properly, and the vibration of the ground had intensified…
“Aaah!”
Amidst all this, another victim emerged. The man standing at the end of Hans’ party suddenly lurched forward. The party member holding his hand tried to lift him up, but ended up releasing his grip when he almost fell himself.
“No, don’t let go! Don’t!”
The man screamed as he disappeared into the ground. The echoes of his screams lingered in my ears like a haunting memory, and I bit my lower lip hard.
“Why did you let go! You traitor!”
“B-but, I almost died too!”
“You betrayed us, so you should die too!”
“P-please, I made a mistake!”
Even from afar, I could feel the confusion, fear, and distrust of Hans’ party vividly. While the party of heroes might easily surpass the standards of criminals, for ordinary people like Hans’ party, being helpless victims in such trials was excruciating.
“Heroes! Are you just going to watch! Sayiris Lynn! Please help!”
Sensing the impending doom growing closer, Hans shouted desperately. Kelian and Sayiris looked at him as if to say, “Why me?” It was a gaze no different from when they looked at objects like beds or tables.
“If anything happens to me, the Brave Hawk Guild won’t stay silent! No matter who you are, you won’t escape my wrath… Argh! You’re not holding me properly!”
Hans, who had been threatening the hero party, scolded his comrade who had almost let him fall.
“He’s been making a lot of noise since earlier, that guy.”
Dain shot Hans a peculiarly hostile look. He seemed unsettling as he moved his staff as if to raise it and tapped the trembling ground. Even Jenin, who usually opposed Dain, nodded in agreement.
“I didn’t like it since he started picking on Aine.”
“…You didn’t like it?”
“Yeah. Aine, should we just let him go?”
Jenin asked with a loving look different from when he looked at Hans. What does he mean by letting him go…? Somehow, I felt like I understood the ominous meaning of that question and quickly shook my head.
“Uh… hmm.”
Jenin made a disappointed sound. While it was true that Hans was annoying, it was another problem if Jenin wanted to kill him because of me. And even without her stepping forward, Hans was already receiving the indiscriminate attacks from the ground.
“Aaah!”
As the vibrations became so strong that they couldn’t hold on anymore, their line finally collapsed. The hands that had been holding onto each other disappeared, and one by one, they were sucked into the ground.
Among them, those who seemed to have high levels and experience, even after falling and being swallowed by the ground, inserted their swords into the ground just before falling and crawled back up to the surface. Hans, who had cursed at us, was no exception.
“Take out your daggers, everyone! Even if you fall, just climb back up!”
The battle with the ground became more fierce as time passed. Now, even if they didn’t fall, the ground they stood on started collapsing on its own. The ground beneath them collapsed entirely, and there was nothing visible but darkness. If I had been alone, I would have fallen into the black ground before Hans’ party. Perhaps noticing my darkened expression, Kelian whispered softly.
“Is there something uncomfortable?”
“I-I’m just scared…”
As I replied, Kelian, who seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, muttered softly while looking somewhere.
“Then we should finish this quickly.”
It would be nice if we could finish quickly… but is there any way?
Kelian, who had been lightly shifting positions to avoid the collapsing ground while holding me, suddenly pushed off with great force and jumped. The speed was enough to make my hair flutter, causing me to cling tightly to his neck.
Soon after, we arrived at the edge of the battlefield, in front of the gray wall that surrounded this place in a circular fashion. The towering wall, whose height was difficult to estimate, made it feel as if we were inside a tower built solidly by us.
With a sword in one hand, Kelian struck the wall with the sword hilt. I thought he had just randomly stabbed, but after hearing the screams that came from there, I realized that was not the case.
―H-how…?
And what appeared, stabbed in the abdomen, was none other than Sen. Gradually, his figure became visible from the empty space as if he had made his body transparent with magic.
―How did he know I was here?
As Sen muttered helplessly, the trembling ground stopped at the same time. Even the collapsing ground that occurred whenever someone stepped on it stopped, and Hans’ party, who had been watching cautiously, sat down where they were. Even the ground they had been hesitant to sit on seemed like ruins.
“Only this place isn’t shaking.”
―C-can he distinguish that…?
“Is there more to do?”
Without further response from Kelian, Sen, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up.
―The last trial remains.
Sen quickly straightened his oddly bent waist from being hit by the sword hilt and stood up straight.
―There’s more to the trial?
Now, only three of his party members, including Hans, were left, and they spoke anxiously, but that didn’t mean the upcoming trial would be postponed.
“Aah!”
The ground collapsed again. Hans’ party, who seemed to be complacent, panicked and moved. The ground on Kelian’s side also began to collapse, so he pushed off again and jumped high.
Stepping on the ground and arriving where our party was, they too were moving to avoid the collapsing ground. In this way, swept away by the situation once again, all of us, including Hans’ party, were divided into two groups on either side.
Me, Kelian, Sayiris, and Jenin stood on one narrow strip of land, while Hans’ party, including Dain and Barkrud, stood on another narrow strip of land. Everything else was a black space where one misstep would cause us to fall instantly.
As we stood facing each other on our respective pieces of land, an awkward silence swept through us momentarily.
“What’s this? Why are we here?”
The first to express dissatisfaction was Dain. It seemed he had unintentionally moved to that side while avoiding the collapsing ground, and he didn’t like the situation where he and Barkrud were grouped together as if they were part of Hans’ party.
“Let’s go back.”
Barkrud jumped up as if nothing had happened, but as if blocked by an invisible wall, he bounced back from the air and returned to his original position.
“It’s blocked.”
“W-what?”
Dain swung his staff into the empty space between us and them, but he couldn’t retrieve it as it was blocked by something. There was indeed an invisible wall blocking us.
―Attack the opponents on the other side and make them fall. Anyone who falls will surely die.
Hans and his two companions, who had already witnessed several of their comrades falling, gritted their teeth and gathered in the center of our side of the ground. It seemed they wanted to stay as far away from the cliff as possible.
“She’s really dead… Damn it, Anna…”
As Hans couldn’t hide his frustration while recalling the fallen comrades, he gritted his teeth and scowled.
“Of course, she’s dead. Did you think you could just survive by falling from here?”
“But…”
“Stop the nonsense and get yourself together. If you don’t want to die either. Damn it, we shouldn’t have come here.”
Hans’ anger gradually seemed to be directed towards me. If he wasn’t glaring at Kelian, then those piercing eyes would be solely mine.
“It’s because you started the trial…”
Then the other comrades joined in, expressing their resentment.
“Yeah, our party members died because of that woman!”
“The reason we started this dungeon is all because of that woman, the wizard Sen!”
It was nonsense. If they didn’t intend to clear the dungeon, why did they come here in the first place? Since staying still wasn’t an option for leaving, the dungeon had to be started.
They might not have known that, even though their levels were higher than mine. But it seemed like they were looking for the most convenient scapegoat to express their sorrow, anger, and fear after losing their comrades.
Certainly, I was the most convenient target here. But even though I understood the situation in my head, it wasn’t easy to endure the anger of strangers who seemed to want to kill me.
When a loud noise came from the opposite side of the ground, Kelian, as if to reassure me, affectionately brushed my back with his embracing hand, as if to say not to worry. Then, a feeling of relief flooded over me as if it were a lie.
“We won’t just sit back and do nothing… Ah!”
As Kelian’s blue-glowing sword slashed horizontally, its trajectory turned into a slash, bouncing off to the opposite side. Although Hans screamed and hesitated in his place, fortunately, the slash disappeared, blocked by the invisible wall.
“Excuse me, Sir Knight. Haven’t you considered that if you throw it this way, not only those guys but also us will be in danger?”
Surprised, Dain, who was with Hans’ party, also jumped up as if he were on the opposite side.
“Sorry.”
Kelian apologized in a tone that didn’t seem apologetic at all. It was only natural that Dain, who heard the apology, was even more infuriated. Stepping in to mediate between them was Jenin.
“Calm down, Dain. The sword didn’t even reach there. But how are we supposed to attack and make them fall?”
Attacking the opponents on the opposite side became impossible due to the invisible wall blocking the attack. Sen, who seemed like he would explain further, remained silent.
As the vibrations of the ground, which seemed to have stopped, began again, everyone on both sides of the narrower ground focused on the unfolding events without moving.
“No way, again…”
“The vibrations didn’t end? Is the ground collapsing again?”
“Where else is there ground to collapse here?”
Although agreeing with the sentiment, the trial, being indifferent, didn’t heed the words of the challengers who had ventured into the rare dungeon of their own accord. With the intensifying vibrations, the bodies of Hans and his companions swayed back and forth. Dain, nervously brushing aside their bodies leaning on him, was visible.
Hans, biting his lower lip, suddenly brightened his eyes and said something to his companion. The companion nodded and aimed their staff towards us.
Was it futile to attack? I looked at them in confusion, but surprisingly, without any obstruction, flames erupted from them and crossed over to our side. Seyris created a shield with wind magic to block Jenin from the fireballs.
“What’s this? It worked?”
Beside Hans’ party, Dain left a leisurely comment. As the vibrations of the ground stopped and everyone sighed in relief, Jenin, as if in response, threw a dagger from her inventory towards the opposite side.
The dagger, which was flying directly towards Hans’ direction, was blocked by the invisible wall again, unlike the fireballs thrown earlier, and fell into the dark abyss without being visible.
“Oh no, my dagger.”
Jenin, disappointed, looked down below, as she had thrown away something quite precious.
“Blocked again.”
Barkrud, scratching his head, took out a doll from his inventory and threw it towards our side, but once again, it was blocked in mid-air and fell below.
“Are only fire-based magic skills possible?”
When Hans’ party threw the fireballs and they passed through, it was a valid point. Jenin, muttering as such, naturally glanced at Seyris, but her reaction was indifferent.
“Tell Dain to try.”
“…But won’t that hit us?”
“I’ll block it.”
Capable, but bothersome, it seemed. Seyris seemed to prefer wind magic over fire.
As they spoke, the ground shook again. Another fireball flew from Hans’ party. Seeing the mage, who seemed to have exerted considerable effort, panting and about to collapse, Hans supported and blocked him.
“Another one came through.”
Seeing the fireball smoothly pass through the invisible wall between the ground, everyone here remained calm. Jenin, who stepped forward, gestured to Seyris, as if indicating she would take care of it this time. Then, in a moment, after swinging her sharp sword several times, the menacing fireball dissipated harmlessly.
“Wow, Jenin, that was cool.”
“Really?”
As I involuntarily praised Jenin while looking at her back, she suddenly turned around, not hiding her embarrassment, and smiled.
“…”
“…”
And it was from that moment that the behavior of Kelian embracing me and Seyris standing next to me became strange. Though they didn’t resemble each other in appearance, their cold and indifferent atmosphere was eerily similar. Suddenly, they became aggressive and tried to attack Hans’ party.
“It seems like attacks during ground tremors work better than magic attributes.”
“Then let me do the next attack.”
“I want to do it.”
“No, I’ll go first…”
Jenin and I, who didn’t understand their change, just blinked our eyes blankly, while on the opposite side, Dain looked at us as if we were pathetic.
Then, the ground, which had stopped shaking, began to tremble again. The terrified Hans’ party seemed to hide behind Dain and Barkrud. It seemed to annoy Dain, but the sound of the ground shaking prevented him from listening closely.
Eventually, Seyris and Kelian, who had insisted on attacking separately, compromised and each launched attacks simultaneously: Seyris with wind magic and Kelian with his sword. It was an attack with a momentum that seemed deadly even if it only grazed.
If they had been blocked by the invisible wall again, the hypothesis that only fire-based magic skills could pass through would have gained strength. But this time, they went straight across to the other side without being blocked. It was true that attacks during ground tremors were effective.
“Is it a bit too much for you two to attack together?”
While grumbling, Dain managed to block the attacks with a serious expression. Kelian’s sword, bounced back by the defense barrier he created with his staff, returned to our side. Despite being a reflection of the drawn sword, the greenish sword emitted such a tremendous force that Dain, who managed to block it, felt remarkably impressive.
As the returned attack was slashed away by Kelian, they managed to defend well. However, it seemed that Hans’ party was not as fortunate, as desperate calls for their comrade echoed.
“Ridore!”
During the momentary pause in the ground’s vibration, Hans and the remaining member searched below the ground for their comrade. However, all they found was pitch-black darkness, and their fallen comrade did not emerge.
“Isn’t it too much not to protect Ridore, knowing how to use defensive magic? Isn’t that excessive?”
This time, it wasn’t Hans, but another member of his party who erupted in anger. It seemed that, among the two attacks that had been fired earlier, Kelian’s sword had bounced back, while Seyris’s wind attack had hit Ridore.
“Seriously, how shameless. Why should I have to protect them? And moreover, you two owe me for blocking the sword!”
“We could have protected all three of us, so why did Ridore have to die because of you?”
“He fell because he was weak, why blame me?”
“Ugh, Hans! Say something!”
Despite his companion’s plea for help, Hans withdrew from his companion without joining in the condemnation.
“Well, um… it’s not wrong. We survived, after all.”
His words seemed to shock his companion considerably, but Dain, standing amidst their division, just turned his head with a smirk, showing no concern.
“But isn’t this ultimately us fighting against each other?”
Jenin said with an air of nonchalance, as if it didn’t matter much.
“Let’s spar.”
As Barkrud stepped forward with a glint in his eyes, Dain corrected him without hesitation.
“This isn’t sparring, it’s a real fight. Sen said that earlier, didn’t he? To knock down the opponents on the other side and kill them.”
Sen did say that…? But that was indeed his words.
“Even though one person has already fallen, there’s no sign of it ending. It might not end until one side falls completely.”
“Yeah. In that sense, you guys should fall.”
“Dain, are you saying we can fall and die?”
“Who’s going to die? Even if Jenin or Kelian falls, they’ll come back up on their own. Seyris can use magic too.”
Then Seyris, who had been silent, spoke calmly.
“Don’t give me annoying tasks, Dain.”
“…Then can I be annoying too?”
Whether she meant that or not, she didn’t respond and simply closed her mouth. In the end, it was Dain who gave up.
“Barkrud, maybe we should fall.”
“It’ll be fun.”
“I’m not having any fun…”
They were saying that it didn’t matter who fell, but they were speaking as if it would be a little inconvenient for the one who fell. However, Sen had said that if they fell, they would definitely die. Not wanting to disrupt the meeting, I quietly asked Kelian.
“Isn’t it dangerous if they fall? Are Dain and Barkrud really okay?”
Since Kelian was holding me anyway, it wasn’t difficult to ask quietly, but for some reason, Dain, who was far away, suddenly glared at us with narrowed eyes.
“Why are you two whispering over there?”
“… ”
Ignoring Dain lightly, Kelian also tilted his head and replied in a whispering tone.
“You don’t need to worry. But…”
The turquoise eyes, impossible to read, blinked slowly.
“It wouldn’t be so bad if we fell.”
And as if I had taken a cue from him, I blinked my eyelids slowly too. It wouldn’t be so bad if we fell… Does that mean we’re going to fall now? Kelian spoke to Jenin and Seyris, seeming to convey exactly what I had understood.
“I think it would be better if we fell and came back up before them.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Just because I feel like it.”
“…Huh? Why?”
Jenin, still unable to understand even after hearing the answer, laughed and asked again, but there was no further explanation.
However, what was unexpected was that Seyris, who seemed like she might coldly oppose just like she did to Dain, glanced at me as if she was thinking about something before agreeing with Kelian’s opinion.
…Why did she glance at me? Although both Kelian and Seyris did something incomprehensible, what I couldn’t understand the most was whether it was Jenin or her who made a sound of discomfort for a moment.
“Okay. I don’t know why you guys suddenly feel this way, but… yeah, let’s fall! Let’s show Aine another cool move, huh.”
Jenin, with his characteristic bright smile, said to me.
“You need to watch over us, Aine!”
“Yes, Jenin. I’ll be watching.”
Of course, if I had the presence of mind to do so… Even though everyone was confident they would come back up, the fact that they were falling into the ground that Sen had said was definitely deadly made it impossible not to be scared, even though I trusted them, even though Kelian was holding me…
“… ”
“… ”
However, Kelian and Seyris, who seemed like they wouldn’t care about our conversation, looked at Jenin and me alternately with eyes that were impossible to decipher.
“Could you watch over me too?”
“I’ll watch over you too.”
And at the same time, I made a similar remark. Jenin chuckled as if finding our reactions amusing, but being singled out, I could only awkwardly respond.
“Yes, yes… I’ll watch over everyone.”
I repeated once more, but if only I had the presence of mind to do so… I mean. Despite feeling secure being held by Kelian, the fear of falling into the abyss was still daunting, so I tightly shut my eyes.
“Are you scared?”
Something soft touched my eyelids, and I felt the sensation of falling. With a puzzled mind, I opened my eyes to see Kelian asking me seriously, seemingly unaware of my fear.
“Uh, yes. A little… But I trust you all, so it’s okay.”
But Kelian, did he just kiss my eyelids? I wanted to ask him that, but everyone started moving towards the cliff edge to fall into the abyss, so I swallowed the inappropriate question.
“Then let’s fall…”
As Jenin, holding his sword, looked down into the dark void and was about to signal for the fall, the wizard Sen intervened.
―You have passed all the trials.
With a nod of his head, we suddenly found ourselves back in Sen’s shabby house in the blink of an eye. Hans and one other companion almost stumbled, but Seyris deftly avoided them and ended up sitting on the floor.
[Dungeon cleared.]
[Rewards granted.]
[Level up.]
“… ”
While the first two trials were understandable, I felt a bit baffled by how we passed the final trial without doing anything special. However, momentarily, I felt a strange mix of emotions knowing we had cleared an S-rank rare dungeon, following the A-rank one. Of course, my contribution this time was probably minimal as well.
Regardless, my level had reached 28, and in my inventory appeared two keys received as rewards: ‘Keys to the Trap of the Tailwood Snake (Bound)’. This meant I had collected 2 out of the 3 keys required for entry into the SSS-grade rare dungeon.
I wanted to talk to my companions, so I hesitated to speak and looked at Kelian, but to my surprise, he seemed somewhat displeased. Seeing him express emotions was rare, so I found myself speechless as well.
“How did we pass the trials?”
Seems like Seyris felt the same way, as she raised her eyebrows and confronted the wizard Sen. Sen, who was seated contemplating like when we first met, answered slowly.
―Until the time comes… Those who endure pass…
“So, did we pass by enduring a certain amount of time without falling underground? Then we didn’t need to make our opponents fall in the first place.”
Seyris rarely spoke so much, except when talking about her favorite food. She looked down on Sen with disdain as she spat out her last words.
“It was a pathetic trial.”
―…
Sen looked extremely disheartened, glancing at Seyris, but that didn’t change the fact that we had already passed the trial.
“I agree.”
Even Kelian, who seemed like he would never interfere, agreed with Seyris’ words, causing Sen to feel even more disheartened.
Why were these two tormenting poor Sen… Were they high-level adventurers venting their dissatisfaction because the trial was too easy? But even high-level adventurers like Dain and Jenin seemed unable to understand them.
“Though it was trivial… we did clear the dungeon. Why complain so much?”
“Yeah. Let’s stop and leave now.”
As the party finally decided to leave the dungeon, Hans and his companion had already disappeared. Considering they even forgot about stumbling when we were moved to Sen’s house earlier, it seemed like they left the dungeon as soon as the clear window popped up.
After losing many comrades in this dungeon, it was understandable that they wanted to get out as soon as possible.
“Kelian, you can let me down now.”
“You must still be tired.”
“I’m really fine now.”
It wasn’t that exhausting to begin with. Although Kelian remained concerned, he softened and gently let me down to the ground.
“You’ve been calling for Kelian ever since earlier…”
Dain’s eyes narrowed even further.
“When did you start calling Kelian by his name?”
Oops. I forgot to call him ‘Sir’ while being preoccupied with other things. But now, I couldn’t call him ‘Sir’ anymore, so I had no choice but to give a awkward answer.
“Well… I guess…”
“Well… guess?”
Seeing him mock my words, I thought he was about to explode with anger as usual, but surprisingly, he responded calmly.
“Fine then.”
What’s going on? Even though it hadn’t been that long, based on what I’ve seen so far, Dain wouldn’t calm down so quickly. Ignoring my puzzled gaze, he impatiently spoke as he walked out of the house first.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming out?”
Following Dain, we rushed out and left the dungeon through the magic circle placed in front of the house.
“Teleportation magic won’t be available until tomorrow morning, so we have to stay here until then.”
Back at the inn, our party had dinner and discussed our plans for the future. The only town had a teleportation mage, and for a hefty sum of money, you could teleport to other areas. Since the knight party was planning to go to the capital city of Lilca, they had already arranged for teleportation magic.
“I heard there’s an SS-grade rare dungeon in the capital city.”
“Yes, Aine. It’s a bit noisy, but… It’s less troublesome than finding another SS-grade rare dungeon.”
The higher the grade of the rare dungeon, the rarer it is and the harder it is to find. Knowing the location of the dungeon of the required grade was fortunate. As I nodded in understanding, Barkrud surprisingly opened his mouth as Jenin finished speaking.
“It wasn’t a first clear.”
“Right… Didn’t some nobles clear it first a long time ago?”
“Five hundred years ago.”
“No one has cleared it since then?”
“Probably.”
“That sounds interesting.”
If no one had cleared the dungeon since the first clear five hundred years ago, it likely meant that it was quite dangerous. Today’s S-grade rare dungeon had been challenging enough, but I had a strong feeling that the SS-grade rare dungeon would be significantly different.
“Don’t worry too much. We’ll watch over you.”
Jenin’s expression suddenly turned serious as she affectionately reassured me. While I smiled in response as a habit, I couldn’t help but have other thoughts. Shouldn’t I level up more?
Currently, my level was 28. It was a significant number and quite unbelievable for me, but it was still too low to keep up with the knight party continuously. Even though I didn’t know how long I could stay with them, they would eventually venture into higher difficulty rare dungeons. If I wanted to at least not be a hindrance to them, I should surpass level 30, even if I couldn’t help much when the time came.
After finishing the conversation, the party members dispersed to their respective rooms or headed to the bathroom one by one. Thankfully, the sun hadn’t set yet… Glancing briefly out the window, I quietly rose from my seat.
“Aren’t you going to wash up, Aine?”
“Oh, I’m going out for a bit.”
“Going out? Now? Where to?”
Except for Dain and Sayiris, who had already gone upstairs at my sudden announcement, Jenin, Barkrud, and Kelian all looked at me at once.
“To the hunting grounds.”
“Why suddenly?”
“I’ve never been there after leveling up. I’m thinking of going for a bit.”
“Then I’ll go with you.”
“Oh, no. I want to go alone.”
Rejected, Jenin still made a whining sound, as if she didn’t want to be left alone. It was a pitiful and cute sight, but I had no intention of taking the party with me.
After just clearing a rare dungeon and not being able to rest properly, it would be exhausting to go to the hunting grounds again for my level up, which wasn’t very important to them. I knew they wanted to accompany me, but I also wanted to decline for their sake.
“Can’t I come too?”
Even Barkrud, who I thought wouldn’t say anything, spoke up. However, if Jenin couldn’t come, it was obvious Barkrud couldn’t either.
“No, I’m sorry.”
“Is that so?”
Was he disappointed? It seemed Barkrud wanted to come along with me. Even though the hunting grounds we were going to weren’t suitable for his level, he would have found it boring. However, apart from feeling sorry, it was better for them to rest at the inn instead of going to the hunting grounds because of me. And Kelian too…
“…”
Approaching me, he quietly took one of my hands. For a moment, I was startled by our hands touching, and when I looked at his face, I couldn’t help but falter. His beautiful eyes seemed to delve into something, as if they could captivate me in an instant if I stared at them for too long. However…
“I’ll go alone. Kelian.”
Whether he did it knowingly or unknowingly, Kelian’s eyes, which were about to use his charming looks, were tinted with disappointment. I almost said I’d do anything he wanted. Carefully, I pushed his hand away and gently caressed his cheek with both hands.
“I’ll be back after a quick kill.”
Monsters. It sounded strangely cruel for a greeting, and maybe it wasn’t about killing but about the possibility of me dying. Still, I whispered calmly to soothe his worries. He sighed softly and lowered his head, kissing my cheek gently as he handed me a black feather.
“Take this with you.”
“This is…”
The handkerchief with flower patterns being presented to me was the one I had given him as an exchange for receiving a rare item in the past. Even in retrospect, it was quite an inappropriate item exchange. Seeing him returning it like this, perhaps he didn’t like it either. However, this misunderstanding was quickly resolved by his next words.
“I had magic enchanted on it by the Artifact Workshop. It might come in handy in an emergency.”
“Artifact…?”
He had this worn-out handkerchief enchanted at the Artifact Workshop to turn it into an artifact…? Buying artifacts on the market already cost a fortune, and having something enchanted directly must have cost an unimaginable amount of money.
“That’s…”
“I’m just lending it to you. It’s precious to me too, so please come back safely with it.”
Precious… at his words, my cheeks flushed again. He didn’t even give me time to compose myself; he kissed my hand as he held the handkerchief.
“T-Thank you.”
As I awkwardly stepped out of the inn, I could hear Jin murmuring behind me.
“…It’s not like you’re dating?”
* * *
Joining the party of adventurers and exploring rare dungeons was a fascinating experience, but leaving the beginner hunting grounds in my relatively humble world felt like a significant step forward.
Level 28. Though not quite high-level, it was enough to move beyond the monotonous beginner hunting grounds.
In the intermediate hunting ground, I encountered many Jackshus, wolf-like creatures with humanoid torsos. They roamed in packs, their yellow eyes flashing, showing no sign of separating from their groups. However, occasionally, there were Jackshus who ventured alone. I approached those ones to engage in combat.
Using a club I hastily bought from the weapon shop before entering the hunting grounds, I fought hard against the Jackshus. My old club had broken inside the rare dungeon earlier, so I had no choice.
“Ugh, they’re too fast…!”
Unlike the sluggish movements of beginner monsters, the more agile intermediate monsters like Jackshus dodged my attacks and slashed at me with their claws. Though the village might change, the monsters in the hunting grounds generally remained similar depending on the grade. Perhaps the intermediate hunting grounds of my hometown, Bom’s Village, felt similar.
[Acquired Intermediate Jackshu Claw.]
[Item Grade: Grade D]
“Hah, hah…”
Finally, I managed to kill two Jackshus. I didn’t expect to level up to 30 immediately here, but I hoped to at least gain a level or so. However, progress was slower than I thought.
As I absentmindedly read the message in front of me, I suddenly noticed a blue exclamation mark in the lower left corner. When did that pop up? Did it appear because I killed the Jackshus? As I muttered to myself, the contents of the notification unfolded.
[You have reached level 20.]
[Skill Selection]
– Club Combo (5)
– Club Shield
– Club Jump
“…”
Before my heart could fully flutter at the message of skill selection, the excitement faded slightly at the names of skills that all began with ‘club.’ Of course, it was true that my weapon was a club… but to have the first skill be entirely about clubs was disappointing.
“Well, it’s still a skill.”
It was true that once you surpassed level 20, you could use skills. In fact, I had long surpassed level 20; my current level was 28. Still, I was happy to discover the notification, even if belatedly.
“What should I choose?”
With renewed excitement, I focused on selecting a skill. Suddenly, I instinctively turned my body to the side, feeling a presence behind me.
Thud! A splendid golden sword, not as ornate as Seyris’s staff but gleaming with a golden light, crashed into the ground, missing its target. It was the same spot where I had been standing just a moment ago, showing my back.
“You…”
The person who swung the sword at me was Hans, who had been trapped in the rare dungeon with me until recently. He was the man who often picked fights with me.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
He straightened his bent waist with a smirk.
“Why, scared because there’s no knight to protect your back?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You caused my guildmates to die. They blamed me for it in the guild.”
While it was unfortunate that he lost his comrades, I couldn’t just let his words slide.
“Why do you blame me for that?”
“Because of you, the wizard Sen started the trial. It’s obviously your fault!”
If he hadn’t started the trial, we would have been trapped there forever. Why did he even enter the rare dungeon if that was the case? Even inside the dungeon, he made such accusations, and now…
“You know yourself that’s nonsense. You’re just venting your anger.”
It was quite pathetic that he chose to blame the weakest member of the adventurer party.
“Shut up!”
