Chapter 23

When I was on Earth, I used to be very weak in the mornings, but since I reincarnated here in "Altria," perhaps because I'm the son of a farmer, my body has adjusted to waking up when the sun rises.

By my estimation, it's probably around 5:30 AM.

The room is quite spacious, about 20 tatami mats in size. It's fitting for a duke's family.

It's still early, and I don't sense anyone watching me. I might as well practice my magic manipulation, which is part of my daily routine.

I float various attribute-based ball spells around my body. Currently, I can use eight types: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Ice, Lightning, Holy, and Void.

I thought the item box would be a spatial attribute, but it seems to be a void attribute spell.

So, I still can't use the spatial attribute. Ultimately, I want to be able to use spatial attributes and perform transfer magic or gravity magic.

I can use swordsmanship to a decent extent, but to be honest, I'm just average. I can use katana and staff techniques to a level where I wouldn't struggle, so in this world, I'll probably stick to magic and staff techniques for a while.

I don't know the detailed construction of a katana, so it would be difficult to make one myself.

Still, staff techniques are a versatile martial art, as the saying goes, "A staff can be a spear when thrust, a naginata when swept, a sword when held, and it never fails to serve its purpose." Of course, it's a bit obscure.

While floating the ball spells of each attribute around me, I practice the forms of staff techniques. At first, I do it slowly to confirm the movements. Eventually, I perform the forms with full body enhancement. Of course, the magic remains active throughout.

When I realize it's breakfast time, I feel the presence of what seems to be a maid nearby, so I quickly wipe the sweat and change my clothes.

No one was in the dining room yet, but considering I'm a commoner, that's normal.

Breakfast consisted of bread, salad, soup, and fried bacon. The bacon is something only Albus knows about in the duke's family.

The fact that it was served suggests that it's quite popular in the capital.

I wait for everyone to gather, and within five minutes, they all arrive, and we start eating breakfast.

I'm still quite nervous, but everyone in the duke's family is very kind, so I feel like I'll get used to it quickly.

...I think to myself, I have quite a bit of courage. If I make a mistake, I could be accused of disrespect. Just in case, I'll keep that in mind.

There's not much time left until the birthday party. I've decided on the sweets, but I haven't decided on the dishes yet.

By the way, how do they celebrate birthdays here? Is it a standing reception?

"Albus, what's the usual format for a noble's birthday party?"

"Hehe, I apologize for not explaining that. Basically, the food is divided into two sections: dishes and sweets. The maids serve the food to the tables. Chairs are also available along the walls, so some people eat there."

So, it's basically a standing reception.

"Are the dishes served in large platters? What about the sweets?"

"Yes, the maids serve portions from the platters."

"I see. What about drinks?"

"The drinks are already poured into glasses, and you can take what you like."

"I understand. Thank you."

From what Albus says, it doesn't seem too different from Earth.

The basics are the same, but I might add a few touches to make the party more comfortable.

I've decided on the party format, but I still need to decide on the dishes. I can make Japanese food, but it might be a bit too much.

...Alright, I'll go with a mix of Italian, Western, and Chinese dishes. I can make French cuisine, but it's too complicated and time-consuming, so I'll skip that. I'll keep Japanese food for myself.

This way, I can cater to different preferences, and since the duke's family will gather most of the ingredients, I might as well use this opportunity for some experiments.

So, here's the menu:

【Italian】

Pasta, Pizza, Prosciutto Salad, Gnocchi

【Western】

Hamburger, Gratin, Roast Beef, Omelet

【Chinese】

Dumplings, Shumai, Braised Pork (like Kakuni), Wonton Soup

I'll also ask the head chef to prepare a few local dishes to complete the menu.

I wanted to do some trial runs, but the ingredients I ordered won't arrive for two days, so I'm a bit idle for now.

So, I decided to make a cake with the ingredients I have. I chose to make an apple pie.

I had most of the necessary ingredients, so I started making it, and soon the kitchen was bustling with activity.

When I looked around, I saw a few beautiful maids drooling unattractively.

Their gazes were clearly on the apple pie. It seems the sweet and fragrant smell was too much for the women in this world.

"Um, I haven't tasted it yet, but would you like to try it...?"

"「「「「Yes, please!」」」」

I asked Alice to keep it a secret, but I'm not sure how long I can hide it...

I was scared! The maids, who were usually so kind, looked like hungry beasts.

If there's anyone who can resist such temptation, I'd like to hear from them. I'll take their place.

Anyway, it seems I can make apple pies without any issues.

After that, I made some cookies for myself and returned to my room, but from that day on, the maids started visiting my room every 15 minutes or so, asking if I needed anything.

...Was it a mistake to give five cookies to the morning maid as a thank you?

Aur gradually became anxious about making a lot of sweets for the birthday party.

When I woke up, it was another beautiful day. It was around 5:30 AM. I finished my daily routine and had breakfast, but I actually have no plans for today. I could make more sweets, but the maids are a bit scary, so I'll skip that today.

I could explore the capital, but I might get lost. And I don't want to be bothered...

So, I'll turn to Albus for help.

"Well, if you can use magic as diversely as you do, you could try going to the dungeon. Normally, I wouldn't recommend it, but you're a bit special. Hehehe."

Dungeon.

There are said to be 108 dungeons in "Altria." They are dangerous places where monsters roam and attack intruders. However, people keep challenging them because the monsters drop items when defeated. There are also rare treasure chests that contain rare magical items and weapons. That's why people gather at the dungeons.

There's a famous dungeon in the capital, "Dungeon No. 4." Dungeons numbered 1 to 10 are called "Numbers" and are known for their high difficulty and depth, making them super-large dungeons.

The deepest confirmed level is 73, and it's believed to exceed 100 levels.

Normally, you need to register with the Adventurer's Guild to enter, and you have to be at least 15 years old. I was at a loss, but when Albus talked to the guards at the dungeon entrance, they let me in for some reason.

"I, I can't just let a child go in..."

"Hehehe, I did them a big favor in the past."

...It's best not to anger Albus.

"Then, I'll stay here. You'll be fine, but be careful. I'll keep it a secret from Alice. Hehe. When you return to the duke's family, just tell the guards, and they'll take you back. Good luck."

With that, Albus left.

It was around 9:00 AM. I need to be back by 6:00 PM for dinner.

I activated the void magic "Alarm" to go off in 8 hours.

"Alright, let's go!"

Despite the cave-like appearance, it's surprisingly bright. This is definitely a fantasy world. Physical laws don't apply here.

Even on the first floor, I can't be careless.

Body Enhancement! Aura Perception! Aura Concealment! Spatial Awareness!

"Is this enough? My goal is to reach the 10th floor."

There's a mid-boss called a Gatekeeper every five floors, so if I can defeat two of them, that would be great.

Gatekeepers are said to drop good items, so I'm getting excited!

"Oh, the first monster is a slime. Just a common enemy."

Without even using magic, I swept it away with my magic-infused wooden staff, and it dropped a magic stone.

"This is the drop? It's not as impressive as I thought..."

But this is just the entrance of the first floor, so there's still a lot to come!

Using Aura Perception to avoid people, I continued deeper, but the monsters I encountered were all common enemies, and it wasn't very challenging.

With Spatial Awareness active, I didn't get lost. There were no traps, so I could proceed smoothly.

"Oh, this is the staircase to go down. Faster than I thought?"

I found the stairs to the second floor in about 30 minutes, so if things go well, reaching the 10th floor should be easy.

I reached the 5th floor without any major issues. It took exactly 3 hours, including breaks, so I was averaging 30 minutes per floor.

Aur thought it was normal, but he would later realize that this was an astonishingly fast time.

"Of course, there are no treasure chests on the upper floors. Oh, this is the room with the Gatekeeper."

I didn't want to be careless, so I had 20 Aqua Lances floating in the air before entering.

A giant goblin appeared, wearing a crown. It must be a King Goblin.

I fired all the Aqua Lances at once.

When the dust cleared, only the crown remained, and the King Goblin was gone.

"Whoa...?"

...Did I overkill it? I hope I can enjoy the next battles a bit more.

The drops I collected were the crown, a magic stone, and a treasure chest about 30 cm in size. Inside was a small bag containing many seeds.

...It seems this dungeon is popular among farmers.

I'll update this gradually.

I'd be happy if you could rate and bookmark it.