Chapter 41

Pound to the south, a five-day carriage ride away, lies Routehaberd. A ten-minute walk from there is the entrance to the dungeon "Ancient Divine People's Underground Street." The dungeon was discovered five years ago, and Routehaberd was a hastily built town for the dungeon. As such, it had no outer walls, only a simple fence. There was no soul card check for entry and exit. The town had three guilds: the "Adventurer's Guild," the "Alchemist's Guild (Outpost)," and the "Merchant's Guild." These three guilds pooled their money to hire mercenaries, who contributed to maintaining the town's security.

There were 20 wooden buildings lining the road. There were a few back alleys, but it was a town of that size. It could be called a village, but the buildings were fairly impressive, so everyone referred to Routehaberd as a "town."

"There are hardly any residences, are there?"

"Yes... Perhaps they don't intend to develop it."

"Once the treasure excavation and relic investigation in the dungeon are complete, they might dismantle the town itself. Or it might function as just a rest stop."

There is no Dungeon Master, and treasure chests don't automatically pop up, nor can monster materials be easily obtained. The dungeon, even if it is a dungeon, will remain broken if its walls are destroyed. Once a treasure is found, it won't reappear.

Hikaru and Ravia decided to take a room and rest early. The inn didn't perform any identity checks. Even if they did, there would be no way to know who was a wanted criminal. It was up to the innkeeper to judge the guests and decide whether to let them stay.

The next morning, they headed to the Alchemist's Guild outpost. The reason it was specifically called an "outpost" was that it had no guild functions. It couldn't accept requests; it only allowed the purchase of items sold by the Alchemist's Guild, which were sourced from nearby guilds. Potions, magic catalysts, and wands were among the items for sale. Hikaru bought two 1,200 Gilan potions, which seemed to have increased in price due to transportation costs.

"Anti-Curse Holy Water, Anti-Poison Antidote, Disease-Repelling Medicine..."

Unfamiliar items lined the shelves, mostly priced around 1,000 Gilan. A young male guild member approached. Perhaps he thought Hikaru had money because he paid 2,400 Gilan casually.

"The 'Ancient Divine People's Underground Street' is a nest of undead monsters. It's best to use special items. Anti-Curse Holy Water temporarily repels undead. Anti-Poison Antidote is necessary if you're injured by a Poison Gas, an undead monster that carries poison. I strongly recommend buying it. Disease-Repelling Medicine is used if you're infected by the cold emitted by ghosts, though some people can recover with determination."

The guild member didn't mention one thing: Poison Gas is an upper-level monster that only appears deep in the dungeon. Few adventurers have encountered it.

"What's this? Holy Oil... a lamp?"

"Yes... This is used when spending a night in the dungeon. When lit, it creates an invisible barrier that keeps undead monsters at bay, about a 10-step radius. It's used for long rests, like sleep."

"Got it. I'll take five."

"—What?"

"5,000 Gilan, right?"

"Um... Please be aware that monsters become active at night. One Holy Oil lasts about 8 hours, so you might have to fight active monsters."

"I understand."

"The longest exploration by a Rank C party was three nights. Two out of five members died upon return."

"I know. I've done my research. —I'll take five."

"Umm..."

The guild member's expression changed to one of pity, almost certain that Hikaru would die in the dungeon.

(Considering the amount of preserved food, five days is the limit. Even with a water spirit magic stone to create drinking water, food is a problem...)

Hikaru was calmly considering the planned duration of their stay.

Next, they headed to the Adventurer's Guild, which was bustling. The floor, about the same size as Pound's, was filled with many adventurers.

"Is there anyone who can use healing magic? I can take up to three people. Rank D party."

"Looking for someone to team up for one day! I'm Rank E, so no high expectations!"

"Looking to join a party collecting spirit stones. One swordsman and one archer. Rank E, but I have a 5-letter god on my guild card."

It seemed they were recruiting party members here for dungeon exploration. While treasure chests can only be obtained once, they might contain rare items. Collectors of "artifacts," "medicines," "weapons," "books," "insects," and "herbs" often post requests at the Routehaberd Adventurer's Guild. Even if they don't directly earn gold coins, they can make a fortune by completing requests.

"Good. There's one left."

Unlike Pound, the reference library here was well-used. Exploring the dungeon can be lucrative but also dangerous. The library contained booklets summarizing the experiences of adventurers who had challenged the dungeon. There were 10 copies, and adventurers read them thoroughly before entering.

Hikaru took the last copy and, with Ravia, used "Group Concealment" to move to a corner of the floor to read in concentration.

—On XXX year XX month XX, a Rank D adventurer XXXXX-XXXX was interviewed. He encountered a Living Head, narrowly escaped death, and returned successfully. The Living Head is indeed a "floating corpse's head" as previously known. It uses Bind Shout to terrify people. "Surrounded by five Living Heads, I was prepared to die. A fire spell from a companion hit a bottle, lighting up the area like daytime. I escaped from the Living Heads."

The descriptions were written as heard, without much context.

"Somewhat helpful."

"Living Heads are weak to light?"

"Maybe, but it's not clear if they are weak. They might rely on their vision."

The person who was "prepared to die" managed to "escape" easily. This suggests they found a way to create an opening.

Reading the materials carefully was crucial. Ravia was also smart, so they could discuss and confirm their insights.

After about an hour of reading, a troublemaker appeared.

"Hey, where's the material? You finished reading, right? Give it here."

"Ah!"

A burly adventurer in his early 30s was taking the material from a teenage boy.

"I'm still reading! Give it back!"

"What? You're the one who always tries to form parties here but no one ever teams up with you. You're a Rank E solo, so don't come here."

"Rank and solo status have nothing to do with the material!"

The boy with a hawk-colored hair tried to get the material back, but the man, about 185 cm tall, held it high out of reach. The surrounding adventurers laughed, knowing the boy often tried to form parties but was always ignored.

"Who would team up with a Rank E civilian?"

"You should just go home."

No one sympathized with the boy. The guild staff, either used to such troubles or busy, continued interacting with adventurers at the counter.

"We're going to explore the dungeon from tomorrow, so we'll read it. Got it? We'll return it when we're done."

"Doesn't matter! I'm going to explore the dungeon too! I have the right to read it!"

"Right? You wish. Adventurers are all about strength—hey!"

The man kicked the boy, a simple front kick, sending him flying into a pillar.

"Alright, let's have a strategy meeting—"

The man quickly lost interest and returned to his group. The boy remained hunched, tears falling, either in pain or frustration.

"—Sigh—"

"Going to help him?"

"I'm not interested in other people's troubles, but I've finished reading the material."

Hikaru and Ravia read quickly. Hikaru was a bookworm in Japan, and Ravia had a history of reading extensively. They had finished and memorized the content.

"Are you alive?"

"Ugh... You are?"

Hikaru approached the boy, who tried to hide his tears by wiping his eyes with his sleeve. He was well-dressed, with expensive fabric, and had a certain "sweetness" in his face, unlike the typical harshness of adventurers.

【Soul Board】Hawks=Fi=Linden

Age 16, Rank 4

15

【Strength】

【Weapon Proficiency】

【Sword】1

【Shield】1

【Armor】1

Hikaru almost stumbled at the sight of the Soul Board. Weak. Very weak. It was surprising he even became a Rank E. If what other adventurers said was true, his "occupation" was the civilian-friendly "Wide Area Citizen Town Village Relief God: Civilian."

"Do you want to read this?"

"…The material? Is it okay?"

"Yes. I've finished reading it."

Hikaru handed the booklet over, and Hawks looked at it before returning his gaze to Hikaru.

"I'm sorry, but I don't intend to include you in my party."

"…What?"

What, party?

"From what I can see, you're a newly minted Rank E, right? I understand you're eager for party members, but the dungeon isn't a game. You should grow and find trustworthy companions before challenging the dungeon."

"Ah, no..."

"Understood? Go back and gain experience in a proper town."

Hawks said this and walked away to a nearby table.

"Eh...?"

"Hikaru, you got rejected."

"I never said 'let me join your party'..."

The surrounding adventurers, having heard the conversation, burst into laughter. Hikaru's cheeks twitched.

They had a light lunch at a restaurant. The place specialized in noodles, but they were made from rice flour, not the wheat or buckwheat Hikaru was used to in Japan. The smooth texture was delightful, and the broth, made from meat bones, was rich and satisfying.

"Ravia, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, no problems."

Ravia, who always looked beautiful while eating, used a fork to slurp the noodles.

"Shall we go?"

"Let's go."

They left the restaurant and headed out of town. Their destination was the dungeon. They had already purchased the necessary preserved food and a spirit magic stone to create drinking water. A five-night stay was feasible, though it wouldn't be comfortable.

The land outside the town was barren, with exposed ground and half-dead shrubs scattered about. The path was narrow but well-trodden, a testament to the many who had passed through, and perhaps never returned.

"Ravia, I want you to be honest about how you feel."

"…Actually, I'm a bit scared."

"Scared?"

"Yes... I've always been fascinated by adventure, but now that I'm heading there... my legs are trembling a little. It's strange, isn't it?"

Hikaru didn't think it was strange. Logically, they were heading to an uncharted, dangerous place where many had died, and the deepest parts were unknown.

Hikaru and Ravia weren't after money or necessary materials. They were going to the dungeon for the sake of "adventure."

"I'm not doubting you, Hikaru. Please don't misunderstand."

Hikaru's serious expression must have worried her, as she quickly added this.

"Let's run."

"…What?"

"If our presence is detected by monsters, we'll run. Even if it seems safe at first, we might encounter enemies we can't handle later. If that happens,