Chapter 47: Rowene Dungeon(7)

On their way to the dungeon entrance, Avalli glanced at Hans repeatedly.

‘He looks depressed.’

It was understandable. Any man, regardless of age, wanted to appear strong and capable in front of a younger girl.

‘Well, I can’t hide it forever.’

She could maintain the charade within the village. There were no real threats there, and Snowy took care of any minor issues.

But outside the village, especially entering a dungeon, was a different matter. She wasn’t going to hide her true strength from people she cared about. If she misjudged the timing and they got hurt…

She still remembered Hans’s near-death experience with the demonic beast. His fading focus, the chilling coldness of his body, his weakening voice, the fear and pain…

‘I don’t want to see that again.’

That’s why she had revealed her power. And since they hadn’t believed her, she had demonstrated it. Seeing Hans so dejected now, she felt a twinge of guilt for her somewhat forceful approach… but she didn’t regret it.

And fortunately, they had a veteran warrior with them today to guide Hans.

“What’s wrong, lad? You seem to have lost your spark since yesterday.”

Sedral, a muscular swordsman, walked alongside Hans. He was the B-rank adventurer who had overseen Hans’s test, a man in his late thirties. Avalli had insisted they could manage on their own, but Lucy had hired Sedral as a guide.

“…Just… thinking about some things.”
“Well, it’s not a bad thing. While yesterday’s enthusiasm was admirable, we’re entering a dungeon filled with monsters. A bit of caution is always advisable.”
“Have you been to many dungeons, Mister Sedral?”
“Plenty. They call me a washed-up old timer these days, but that means I had my prime. Want to hear some stories about my dungeon delving days?”
“Yes, please!”

Hans’s eyes lit up as he listened intently to Sedral. Avalli, arms crossed, observed them with a warm smile.

“Boys recover quickly, don’t they, Teacher?”
“…Sometimes you sound like an old man, Avalli.”
“Huh, really?”

Lucy nodded.

“Well, Avalli being strange isn’t exactly news. But you’ve been especially… different lately.”
“…Have I?”
“It’s like… you’ve been unleashed somehow. Did something happen that I don’t know about?”
“Not really.”

Something had happened.

She had visited the World Tree, home of the elves, on the night of the full moon. Sylvain, the white-haired elven ruler, had called her a “Transcendent Being,” and the other elves had treated her with reverence.

They hadn’t treated her like a human, but like a deity. Each elf seemed powerful enough to defeat a veteran adventurer, yet none of them dared to meet Sylvain’s or Avalli’s gaze directly.

The experience had changed Avalli’s perception. She had finally grasped just how special she was in this world.

‘Arrogant… no, that’s not it.’

She was powerful. She might not be the strongest in the world, but she was confident she could defeat Sylvain, another Transcendent Being.

The inherent “very easy mode” nature of this world, the cheat-like traits she had chosen, and the massive amount of experience points she’d gained from traversing the Great Forest alone… if she thought of herself as a game character, she would be near max level.

Of course, her mindset was still human. Despite her recent experiences, she had lived on Earth for over 20 years. She wasn’t going to abuse her power. Her desire to live a normal life in Asha Village was a remnant of that mindset.

But how long could she maintain such an ordinary outlook? Eventually, she would need to adapt to her true nature.

“Maybe he’s just excited to be outside the village for the first time.”
“We should visit East Polis together sometime, Avalli. It’s a huge city.”
“Hmm, should we ask the Chief—”

—for permission? No, even with the Paladin’s request, there was no way an ordinary human like Arsene could stop her.

”—or just sneak out?”
“There’s no need to sneak. I’ll ask for permission. I’m practically your guardian now.”
“Yay! You’re the best, Teacher!”

Avalli threw her arms around Lucy in a hug.

“What’s this, suddenly?” Lucy asked, flustered but not displeased.

“We’re almost there.”

As the two girls chatted, they arrived at the dungeon entrance. Just as described at the Adventurers’ Guild, it looked like an ordinary patch of ground, except for the shimmering distortion in the air.

“The first two floors aren’t that dangerous. Plenty of adventurers there to help you out if you get in trouble. As long as you don’t die instantly, you’ll survive. The rewards aren’t great, though.”

Sedral explained, hefting his spiked mace and shield.

“That’s not a sword.”
“Nah, most of the monsters here are undead. Swords aren’t very effective. Bludgeoning them is easier.”

Hans looked at his sword with a worried expression.

“Don’t worry, Hans. That’s why we bought holy water.”
“Someone’s rich. A washed-up old timer like me can’t afford luxuries like that.”
“…I can give you some if you need it.”
“Generous offer. I’ll take you up on that later, on the third floor where the wraiths appear. I’m good with this mace until then. See ya!”

Sedral grinned and stepped into the shimmering distortion, vanishing instantly.

“Teacher, you didn’t tell him everything, did you?”
“If I told him we were going below the fifth floor, he wouldn’t have come. He’s only guiding us to the entrance of the fourth floor. His fee is half of the magic stones we find, or their equivalent in gold. …Not the best deal.”

Lucy frowned, but Avalli, clueless about this world’s economy, wasn’t concerned. She could always get more money by hunting demonic beasts.

“Let’s jump in!”
“…Why?”

Avalli shrugged at Hans’s question.

“It just feels… right. For a dungeon.”
“…Seriously,” Hans sighed as Lucy said, “Just do what Avalli says, Hans.”

“Ready? One, two, three!”

They jumped into the shimmering distortion—

—and landed in a dark, cavernous space. It was mostly a natural cave, but there were also remnants of stone structures, built in a unique style. Being near the entrance, there were other adventurers around.

“Alright, let’s avoid combat until we reach the third floor. The monsters here are weak; not worth the effort for the meager magic stones and loot they drop.”

Sedral explained, handing Hans a lit torch. He lit another one for Lucy—

“Shine bright, O light, banish the darkness!”

—but Lucy cast a Light spell instead.

“Light? Magic is convenient. But wouldn’t it be better to save your mana and use a torch?”
“It’s just a basic spell.”

Sedral shrugged at Lucy’s reply and held the torch in his shield hand, seemingly unconcerned.

Lucy knew it was unwise to waste mana in a dungeon. She had used torches during her previous dungeon exploration with Professor Pel.

‘…But Avalli’s with us today.’

She didn’t know what lurked within this dungeon. They said the deeper levels were filled with terrifying monsters, but…

“Is there something on my face?”
“…No.”

…she doubted they were more dangerous than Avalli. At least, not to her.

“Everyone ready? Then let’s move.”
“Yes, mister!”

Avalli replied energetically, and Sedral frowned slightly.

“…Anything besides ‘mister’?”

He grumbled, and they set off. As Sedral had said, there were plenty of adventurers around, some engaged in combat. They encountered a few rattling skeletons on their way to the next level, which Sedral easily dispatched with his mace.

Soon—

“Let’s be careful from here on out.”

—they reached the third floor of the Rowena Dungeon.