Chapter 47: Rowene Dungeon(7)

On the way to the dungeon entrance.

Amidst the adventurers here and there, Avalli glanced at Hans.

‘He’s gloomy.

Of course.

Men usually want to see a cool figure in front of a younger woman.

There is no exception to this fact, whether they are adults or boys.

It would be different if their sexual identity was different.

‘Well, it’s something that can’t be hidden forever.’

You can hide it inside the village.

There aren’t any particular threats, and the ‘Nunun’ at the entrance will take care of any problems.

However, outside the village, and especially in this situation where you’re entering the dungeon, it’s a different story.

I don’t plan on playing hide-and-seek with people I don’t know at all, but I don’t plan on playing hide-and-seek with people I consider important.

If I miss the timing and the two of them get hurt, it’s a big deal.

Avalli still remembers when Hans was attacked by the demon.

The disappearing focus, the body cooling down, the dying voice, the fear and pain the boy felt at that moment.

‘I don’t want to see that again.’

That’s why I said it.

Even if I said it, no one would believe me, so I proved it with force.

Seeing Hans so depressed, I thought it was a bit of a rough method…, but I don’t regret that choice.

And luckily, there’s a veteran warrior here today who can give Hans advice.

“What happened, boy? You look so exhausted, unlike yesterday when you were so energetic.”

The muscular swordsman, Cedral, stood next to Hans and said.

He was a B-class adventurer who took charge of Hans’ adventurer test yesterday, and he looked to be in his late thirties.

Avalli insisted that it was okay for three of them to go, but Lucy said she still needed someone to guide them, so she brought him along.

“… Well, I have some work to do.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s bad. It’s good to be hot-blooded like yesterday, but anyway, the place we’re going to right now is a dungeon with monsters. It’s better to keep a calm attitude.”

“Do you often go to dungeons, Cedral?”

“Of course.

Although I’ve been called a trashy old man lately.

Being a piece of trash also means having a heyday.

Why, should I tell you a story about a dungeon I went to before?”

“Yes, please.”

Hans listened to Cedral with sparkling eyes.

Avalli, who had been watching him with her arms crossed, nodded.

“The boy recovers quickly, Master.”

“… Sometimes, Avalli speaks like an old Woman.”

“Eh. Is that true?”

Lucy nodded.

“Well, Avali’s strangeness has not stopped for a day or two. It’s especially so these days.”

“…… Is that so?”

“What should I say?

It feels like the reins have been loosened somewhere.

Did something happen without me knowing?”

“No, not really.”

There was.

It was when they went to the World Tree where the elves lived on the night of the full moon.

The ruler of that place, the white-haired elf Sylvain, called Avalli a transcendent being like herself, and the other elves served Avalli with devotion.

The elves’ attitude toward Avalli was as if they were worshipping a god rather than a fellow human.

Even though each elf seemed to be powerful enough to overwhelm the veteran adventurers here, none of them could look at Sylvain and Avalli straight in the eye.

That experience changed Avalli’s perception a little.

She realized how special she was in this world.

‘Arrogance… is not it.’

Avalli is actually strong.

It is not yet known whether she is the strongest in the world, but at least Avalli was confident that she could easily subdue Sylvain, a fellow transcendent.

The world is fundamentally a very easy mode, the characteristics chosen are close to cheating, and above all, the experience gained from traveling through the Eastern Great Forest alone.

If you think of Avalli as a character in the original game, she would already be close to max level.

Of course, her perception is still at a human level.

Even if she has changed through recent experiences, she is fundamentally an Avallí who has lived in the modern world for over 20 years.

Even if she suddenly gained incredible power, she has no intention of wielding it however she wants.

The fact that she lived as an ordinary girl in Asha Village is probably the result of maintaining that way of life.

However, how long can that ordinary way of thinking continue?

There will definitely come a day when a new system that matches that power will be necessary.

“It’s your first time going outside the village, so you might be a little excited.”

“Let’s go to East Police together later, Avallí. It’s a really big city there.”

“Well, then the village chief-“

-doesn’t need permission.

Even if he was asked to do so by a paladin, there’s no way for Arsene, a normal human, to stop Avallí.

“-Shall I go and visit secretly?”

“There’s no need to go secretly. I’ll get permission. Now I’m practically Avali’s guardian.”

“Yahoo! Our master is the best!”

Avalli spread her arms wide and hugged Lucy tightly, making a fuss.

“What is it, all of a sudden?”

Lucy was taken aback by the sudden hug, but she smiled faintly, as if she didn’t hate it that much.

“Well, we’re almost there.”

While the two girls were chattering away, the group arrived at the entrance to the dungeon.

Just like the explanation they had heard at the adventurer’s guild yesterday, the space in the plain background was strangely shaking.

“Actually, this dungeon isn’t that dangerous up to the second floor. There are adventurers everywhere up until there. As long as you don’t die instantly, you can survive with the help of those around you. The rewards aren’t that great, though.”

Cedral explained, holding up a rugged mace and shield.

“It’s not a sword, is it?”

“Oh. Most of the monsters that appear here are undead. Even if you cut them down, they still move normally. So it’s easier to just hit them with a blunt weapon and break them.”

Hans looked at his sword with a puzzled look after hearing that.

“Don’t worry, Hans. That’s why I bought the holy water earlier, right?”

“You must have a lot of money, Miss Magician. It’s so expensive that a worthless adventurer like me wouldn’t dare to do it.”

“… If you need it, I can give you some?”

“Oh, you’re so generous. Then, ask me later on the third floor where the spirits appear. I won’t have any trouble getting there with this hammer. Then, I’ll go first!”

Cedral smiled cheerfully and entered the dungeon entrance.

As soon as he passed through the swaying space, Cedral’s figure completely disappeared.

“Master, you said you didn’t tell that old man everything, right?”

“If I said I was going below the fifth floor, no one would follow me. Cedral will only guide you to the entrance of the fourth floor. The reward will be half of the magic stones you get on the way, or the equivalent in money. … It’s a bit of a losing business.”

Lucy frowned as if she was displeased, but Avalli, who was ignorant of the current affairs of this world, didn’t care.

She could grab the devil and get money whenever she needed it.

“Let’s jump in!”

“… Why on earth?”

Avalli shrugged her shoulders at Hans’ question.

“I just thought it would be more suitable for a dungeon.”

“…… You.”

“We decided to do as Avalli said today, right, Hans.”

Hans, who was about to say something, took a deep breath after hearing Lucy’s words.

“Okay, we’ll go in on three. One, two, three!”

As they jumped and passed through the swaying space- the group arrived at a dark space.

Most of the space was a cave, but there were traces of uniquely styled stone structures here and there.

Perhaps because they were near the entrance, there were other adventurers standing here and there.

“Okay, let’s move without fighting until we reach the third floor. Anyway, these are all newly-made things, so there’s hardly any magic stones or loot to be had.”

As he said that, Cedral handed a blazing torch to Hans.

He lit another one and handed it to Lucy-

“Sparkle, shine, illuminate the darkness.”

-but instead of taking the torch, Lucy quietly recited an incantation and used her magic.

“Light? Magic is convenient, I guess. But wouldn’t it be better to hold a torch than to use up all your magic?”

“Even so, it’s only beginner magic.”

Cedral shrugged after hearing Lucy’s answer, and held up the torch with his bare hands while holding his shield.

It seemed that he didn’t feel the need to further train him since he was fine.

Of course, Lucy also knew that it was not wise to waste magic power in a dungeon.

In fact, when he explored the dungeon with Professor Clearfell and his party, he carried a torch instead of magic.

‘… But today, Avalli is by my side.’

Even Lucy didn’t know what was inside this dungeon.

They say that the dungeon’s underground end is swarming with horrible monsters that are hard to describe…

“Is there something on my face?”

“… No.”

Those monsters didn’t seem to be scarier than Avalli.

At least from Lucy’s perspective as a magician.

“Are you all ready? Then, let’s really go now.”

“Yes! Miss!”

Cedral frowned slightly as Avalli answered vigorously.

“… Is there no other title besides Miss?”

The party finally set off with grumbling sounds.

Just as Cedral had said that there were too many people, they could see adventurers fighting monsters here and there.

They encountered several rattling skeletons as they moved along the shortest path, but Cedral immediately smashed them with his hammer.

Not long after that-

“Let’s be careful from here on out.”

-the party reached the third floor of the Rowen Dungeon.