Chapter 29

Super Sensory (2)

The day broke, and we left the city of Bilpek.

We headed for the nameless forest at the northwestern border of the 5th and 4th Principalities.

"Is it a dungeon again this time?"

I leaned back in the carriage, lost in thought, gazing out the window at the passing scenery.

This time, the place where the mystery was hidden was probably a dungeon, as Teir had said.

The difference between ruins and dungeons was whether there were any dangerous elements.

If it only contained hidden treasures, it was a ruin; if it had guardians or traps, it was a dungeon, like the last time we searched for the tent.

This time, the dungeon we had to find was a place I had no information about, so the danger was unknown.

'Teir eventually broke through the dungeon and found the mystery, so it doesn't seem to be a very dangerous dungeon... but...'

The last time I saw Teir, he was only in his 20s, so the dungeon's level was likely around that.

Of course, this was just a guess, and there was no certainty without experiencing it firsthand.

'But I'm already worrying about the broth before I even find it.'

Putting aside the danger, the first problem was deciphering the code to find the dungeon.

Time passed, and we arrived at the city of Orun, located in the northwestern border of the 5th Principality.

Since we arrived quite early in the day, we checked into a lodging and immediately headed to the Adventurer's Guild to hire a guide.

If the forest was described as having the largest tree, it must be so noticeable that many people would know about it.

As I entered the guild building, the hall was bustling with adventurers.

I glanced around and then spoke in a slightly louder voice.

"I will hire the most skilled guide who meets the conditions for 10 gold."

Thud.

The noise stopped as if by magic, and all eyes turned to me.

Since everyone seemed unsure if they had heard correctly, I repeated myself.

"I will hire a guide for 10 gold. Is there anyone who knows the largest tree in the northwestern forest?"

It seems that every time I hire a guide, I end up haggling over money.

Well, I have more than enough money, and it's the most effective method, so what's the problem?

The adventurers looked at each other, and then one by one, voices began to murmur.

"Are you talking about the Mangrodi tree?"

"It sounds right. What else could be the largest tree in the northwestern forest?"

From their reactions, it seemed to be a well-known tree.

Good. At least I won't have trouble finding the tree.

"...Please hire me! I know the location of the Mangrodi tree very well!"

Soon, an adventurer raised his hand and shouted.

Others began to chime in one by one.

"What a mess, how many adventurers in this city don't know about it?"

"I'm much more skilled than that guy! I can guide you to your destination as quickly and safely as possible!"

The atmosphere quickly turned into a bidding war, and the guild staff looked flustered.

I felt a bit guilty towards them. Did I cause too much chaos?

Then, a loud voice echoed from above.

"Everyone, shut up! He said he would hire the most skilled adventurer!"

The raucous adventurers fell silent at the gruff, beast-like voice.

I looked up.

At the same time, someone leaped over the railing and landed below.

【Lv. 41】

A female Suin with multiple short swords at her waist, her exposed skin marked with numerous scars.

"My lord, I am the most skilled here, so please hire me."

She approached me confidently and smiled.

Since there are very few adventurers over level 40, she must be a top-tier adventurer.

"Hey, Reillo... There are plenty of named quests, isn't it too much to take on this one too?"

An adventurer voiced his complaint.

However, when she turned her gaze and glared, he immediately cowered.

"What, you fools. If you have complaints, be better than me. Do you really think you can guide someone and get 10 gold with your skills? Have you lost your conscience?"

No one dared to voice further complaints. They either frowned or sighed and turned away.

Her words were harsh, but not wrong. The reward is proportional to the skill.

She turned her gaze back to me and smiled professionally, introducing herself.

"I am Reillo, a top-tier adventurer. There is no one more skilled than me in this city of Orun, so you won't regret hiring me."

I nodded and took out the money.

"Half in advance should be enough, right?"

Reillo took the five gold coins and smiled.

"You're bold. When do you want to start?"

"Preferably right now."

"Alright, let's go."

Thus, I quickly hired a very skilled guide.

***

The forest was quite far from the city, so we traveled by carriage.

Since only Reillo was riding with us, there were no issues.

"Wow, it looks ordinary, but this is quite a high-end carriage? I've never ridden in a carriage that's this smooth."

Reillo, sitting opposite me, wiggled her bottom and said.

Achel sat silently beside her as usual.

Though Achel always seemed expressionless, I could tell from her subtle differences that she was not in a good mood, probably annoyed by Reillo's noise.

"Ah, I'm being too noisy. I'm sorry."

She seemed to notice and soon calmed down, looking out the window.

After a while, she asked me.

"By the way, can you tell me why you're looking for the Mangrodi tree?"

She's asking now?

Normally, one would confirm the identity of the client and the purpose of the quest before accepting it.

Or, knowing the risks, one wouldn't accept just any quest.

This adventurer, Reillo, must be very confident in her skills. Her level certainly supported that.

I was about to make something up but changed my mind.

Thinking about it, there was no real reason to hide it this time.

It might even help in finding the dungeon. Besides, with Achel around, there's no need to worry.

"Have you ever explored a dungeon?"

At my sudden question, Reillo answered.

"A few times. Why do you ask?"

"We're heading to the Mangrodi tree to find a dungeon."

"Ah... I see, that makes sense."

She nodded.

"To be honest, I had a hunch. Most lords who request guides to unusual places are looking for ruins."

Her tone suggested she had handled many such quests.

I asked again.

"Is there something called a 'lifeless branch' related to the Mangrodi tree?"

"Lifeless branch? I've never heard of it, but..."

Reillo tilted her head, then became interested.

"But it sounds like it's the key to finding the dungeon. Dungeons with codes are quite exciting to find."

She muttered the phrase "lifeless branch" and fell into thought, then shook her head.

"Anyway, finding a dungeon makes the job much more interesting. Can I join you and help after guiding you to the tree? Of course, I don't expect additional payment."

"It's fine, but I don't plan to explore the dungeon with you once we find it."

Reillo chuckled.

"Give me a bonus based on how much I help. Honestly, I don't expect much. Finding ruins is mostly a waste of time, with a 99% chance of failure."

That's true.

Maybe because I've been successful in finding mysteries, I've started to think it's easier than it is.

Dungeons aren't that easy to find, after all.

***

After arriving at the forest, we got out of the carriage and started moving.

Baros stayed to guard the carriage, so Achel and I entered the forest with Reillo leading the way.

"Come to think of it, isn't it funny?"

"..."

"Dungeons are said to be where ancient mages left their legacies. But why not just pass them on to their disciples? Why create dungeons to kill all the moths that come looking?"

Well, maybe they were created by mages who had no disciples to carry on their legacy.

Or by eccentric mages who did it out of boredom.

It's just a game setting, so I've never thought about it deeply.

The background can be added as needed, and it would be strange for an RPG to have no dungeons.

As we ventured deeper into the forest, monsters began to appear.

A giant rat, larger than a human, blocked our path. It was a Giant Rat, I think.

I didn't know what kinds of monsters appeared in this forest.

Even I couldn't know everything about a nameless, ordinary forest.

"Ugh, I was already feeling stuffy."

Reillo cracked her neck and approached the Giant Rat.

Squeak!

The rat made an annoying sound and lunged at her.

Reillo, without drawing her sword, punched it. And with a bang.

The Giant Rat was flung back, its head shattered, and it died.

Reillo shook her fist, looking a bit refreshed.

"Let's keep going."

After that, we hardly encountered any other monsters. If we did, they were just low-level mobs like the Giant Rat.

'This forest doesn't seem to have many monsters.'

As the sun set, we reached our destination.

The forest wasn't that large, so it didn't take long.

"Here it is, the Mangrodi tree."

I looked up at the massive tree in front of me, slightly amazed.

I knew it would be large, but it was much bigger than I imagined.

It must be dozens of meters tall, and its circumference was so wide that ten people holding hands could barely encircle it.

I touched the tree's surface for a moment, then turned my gaze to the setting sun.

'The sun is setting, but...'

The largest tree, the complete darkness of twilight, the lifeless branch.

These were the three keywords for finding this dungeon.

I had found the largest tree, it was almost night, and the only thing left was the 'lifeless branch'...

'What exactly is a lifeless branch?'

I looked up at the branches of the Mangrodi tree, which extended in a chaotic manner.

As I did, Achel and Reillo also began to examine the branches.

Suddenly, Achel spoke.

"Look over there."

She pointed to a spot, staring intently.

I turned my gaze but saw nothing. I furrowed my brow.

What is she pointing at...

"..."

I widened my eyes.

A branch mixed in with the lush branches.

But upon closer inspection, it was different. Because it was the only branch without a single leaf.

...Could this be the 'lifeless branch'?