[Scales of Greed]
If one has sufficient anti-magic power, this high-level active skill even grants 'magic immunity' status.
But there's more to it.
"Bellarios increases physical resistance proportionally to the amount of magic damage reduced."
This skill doesn't stop at blocking magic—it also raises physical resistance.
In other words, it possesses universal scales that grow tougher the more magic it takes…
Truly, a very greedy set of scales.
However, unfortunately, today it met the wrong opponent.
'Greed alone can't overwhelm an explorer.'
There's even a saying: the 'greed' in 'explorer' is the same as the 'greed' in 'greed' itself.
Ah, I just made that up.
And with that spirit…
"Beheeeel—raaaaaaa!!!"
I unleashed the greed dwelling inside and charged forward.
Essence, essence, essence, essence.
Essence, no matter what!
Looking in the mirror, it feels like a madman with clear eyes is staring back.
It had been a long time since my body was this fired up in front of a monster.
But how could I hold back?
My only weakness—magic damage—had caused me so many troubles before.
That one skill would solve all those problems.
Yeah, so…
'First, this guy.'
The goat-headed blacksmith blocking my way.
I brought my hammer down on Helsmith's head.
Kraaaang!
The hammer hit, causing his jaw to twist slightly, but as a sturdy grade 3 monster, he barely flinched.
No, he immediately counterattacked.
"Helsmith casts [Hammering]."
"Flames born of the earth awaken."
The ground cracked open as flames surged upward.
When our chief used this skill, it was a near-ultimate buff with a limited duration, but for this guy, it was basically always active.
Skills gained from essences usually have weaker performance.
"All fire skill damage greatly increased."
"Physical stats greatly increased proportional to fire sensitivity."
"Continuously burns the surroundings."
His body shimmered with bright red and blue flames, but the continuous damage was bearable.
After all, explorers rely on gear.
Oh, that's a real saying.
"Fire Orb activated."
"All fire-based persistent damage within 15m radius reduced by 50%."
The 'Fire Orb' activation greatly reduced damage taken.
This applied to the nearby melee fighters as well.
"Versil Gowland casts grade 8 enchantment [Cold-Blood]."
"Character's fire resistance greatly increased."
With the addition of the 'Cold-Blood' spell, continuous damage dropped to near negligible levels.
Therefore…
"Attack!"
Amelia summoned her aura, and Misha swung her cold-emanating longsword.
Also…
"Ainard Phnell casts [Trident]."
Ainard showed off his newly gained skill in actual combat for the first time.
Whoosh—!
A piercing sound like arrows shot as the spear thrust forward.
Two translucent spears appeared on either side.
Due to the effect of [Trident], these spears were meant to impale two enemies near the target.
However…
'It's a grade 3 essence after all; that'd be a bit disappointing.'
Though [Trident] is an area skill, it actually shines more in single-target attacks.
Like this.
"No enemies near the attack target."
"All attacks hit the target."
The three spears pierced Helsmith.
Of course, unlike [Repeated Slash], these spears did not overlap on the same spot, so no extra skill triggers occurred.
Still, that didn't mean it was weak.
Piercing damage increased by 1,200%.
Just this line alone allows damage output comparable to combinations of grade 4 or lower essences.
Plunk!
The three deeply embedded spears were pulled out.
From the holes left, red blood gushed out.
But only briefly.
"Helsmith casts [Patching]."
The wounded area heated red like molten lava, then a silver layer sealed it like a dental filling.
Helsmith quickly healed and roared, casting another main skill.
"Helsmith casts [Hellfire]."
[Hellfire].
A well-performing attack skill, popular enough in the past to have dedicated builds.
Boom! Bang! Kraaaang! Kraang!
Like a volcanic eruption.
The lava pouch on his back burst, splashing bright red liquid everywhere with explosions.
Then…
"Bellarios casts [Disaster]."
Bellarios joined the battlefield, marking the start of the full raid.
[Disaster] is a very unique skill.
Especially so because it applies a field effect.
"Field Effect – Typhoon activated."
This applies a random field effect within range.
Swaaaaaaah!
Strong winds blew, and a gray vortex swirled around.
Thanks to this, visibility was greatly reduced, but that was just a side effect.
"All skill activation rates reduced to 50%."
Skills used inside the typhoon have a 50% chance to be canceled midway.
'What a pain. Starting off with a typhoon.'
Still, it was a relief this wasn't the Dragon Mountains.
That place had its own field effects which were even more burdensome.
"Take out Helsmith first!"
When the order came down, ranged dealers began casting their prepared skills.
A long-cast joint spell was unleashed, and various abilities were shot at precise angles, avoiding the melee fighters.
And then.
"Bellarios casts [Dragon Orb]."
"All characters within radius have resource consumption increased 12-fold."
A yellow light emitting a holy aura burst forth in the harsh typhoon.
Yeah, I'd been wondering when it would be used.
'Skill activation triggers when resources consumed reach a certain amount, right?'
[Dragon Orb] was as unique as [Disaster].
It multiplies resource consumption by twelve, returning the consumed amount as MP—a ridiculously strong skill.
Of course, that's only on the surface; the skill has a fatal flaw.
"Helsmith casts [Patching]."
"Resource consumption increased 12-fold due to [Dragon Orb]."
"Skill failed due to field effect – Typhoon."
"[Dragon Orb] steals consumed resources."
Like [Disaster], [Dragon Orb] applies to both enemies and allies.
Because of its unique mechanics, there was even a build focused on this skill.
A solo carry character that fed on allies' resources via [Dragon Orb] while dealing insane damage.
Well, that was more of a fun experiment since it was a weaker version of Elwen.
Anyway.
"Don't stop!"
Ignoring the typhoon and resource consumption increase, all damage was poured onto Helsmith.
And the result.
"Field Effect – Earthquake applied."
"All movement-related effects sealed."
Bellarios used [Disaster] once more with recovered MP, but the goal was achieved.
"Helsmith defeated. EXP +7"
He died miserably, having lost MP to allies and being unable to cast skills.
Swaaaaaaah!
His body turned into a flurry of light and dispersed, but the reward was only one.
Thunk.
A grade 3 magic stone.
'I was expecting more for the first kill…'
The essence I hoped for did not drop.
A little disappointing, but I wasn't too fixated.
The main course was yet to come…
'Good thing.'
If beginner's luck had triggered now, it would have made me uneasy.
After all, gachas require sacrifices.
"Only that guy's left now!"
"You know the plan, mages! Use only support spells! No offensive magic!"
After Helsmith's defeat, all focus turned to Bellarios.
The mages shifted from dealers to supporters, while ranged fighters kept attacking the flying monster with skills.
And…
"He's coming!"
At the one moment Bellarios descended, melee fighters swung their weapons.
"Bellarios casts [Wave Swimming]."
"Bellarios casts [Death Breath]."
"Bellarios casts [Shatter]…"
The longer the fight dragged on, the more battered his scales became.
"Bellarios casts [Disaster]."
"Field Effect – Drought applied."
"All beneficial effects removed; all negative effects strengthened."
By the time he used his third [Disaster],
Fweeiiik—!
Elwen's arrow struck his brow from afar, ending the battle.
About ten minutes total?
While mentally calculating, my eyes stayed fixed on Bellarios' light cluster vanishing.
"Bellarios defeated. EXP +7"
His corpse disappeared, turning into magic stones that scattered on the ground.
Thunk.
No explorer showed any interest in a single magic stone.
"No.9999 Beginner's Luck triggered."
An essence appeared.
But the problem was…
'…It's yellow.'
It wasn't [Scales of Greed].
The active skill of the yellow essence was [Shatter].
A ranged attack by default, but its power greatly increases when used up close; an unavoidable instant skill.
"Ah… that's a shame. Yellow, so it's not what you wanted, right?"
"Phew… then what happens to that essence? I think many would want it…"
While everyone focused on the essence, Amelia approached, brushing blood off her dagger.
"Yandel, are you okay? You seemed pretty hurt."
"Ah, I'm fine. My gear's barely damaged."
"…"
Though I was barely injured fighting Milael, the grade 2 Rift Guardian, the fight with Bellarios did leave some wounds.
[Shatter] is unblockable by design.
It compresses the space around the target, dealing damage.
Swaaaaaaah—
Still, the injuries were minor, and a bit of healing made recovery quick.
"I'm glad you're okay. So what about the essence?"
"Ah, that…"
Once my body normalized, I hurried to organize my thoughts.
'Why [Shatter], of all things?'
As a single skill, it wasn't bad.
Unblockable, instant, and unguardable.
Damage was decent, MP cost low, cooldown short.
But…
'It's hard to develop.'
With such strengths came a fatal flaw—hard to synergize with other skills.
No matter how you build, growth potential was low.
"I've decided."
It didn't take long to decide the essence's owner.
"Auyen Rockrove."
Our clan's only non-combat personnel—the navigator.
"…Huh?"
"You get it."
"…Huhhh?"
"What's with the surprise?"
"B-But… this isn't navigation-related essence…?"
Ah, that explained why no one objected when a grade 3 essence was discarded.
I smiled and patted his shoulder.
"No matter if you're a navigator, you're still part of the clan. You should have an essence to protect yourself."
I had intended to give him something suitable anyway.
And if the essence's performance was similar for anyone, even a non-combatant like Auyen could use it well.
'His passive [Ring of Circulation] also boosts his base stats.'
Maybe he found it hard to believe.
"Uh, uhuh…"
Auyen blinked like a stunned person.
After a while…
"Thank… you. Thank you… really… really thank you…"
For some reason, the navigator began to cry.
[Auyen Rockrove's soul absorbs [Bellarios's Essence].]
What's with him suddenly crying?
While I was taken aback, Amelia approached.
"Looks like all the hardships caught up with him. From what I heard, being a navigator meant a lot of neglect."
…Really? I didn't know.
"Giving you an essence to protect your body must've stirred a lot of feelings. Probably felt recognized for the first time."
Hmm, even so, it didn't quite hit home.
Just felt like he had a rough time.
At that point, I lost interest.
"Ahem…"
"Oh! Bjorn's embarrassed!"
No, it's not like that.
'Why's Amelia smiling so proudly?'
Not wanting misunderstandings, I quickly shouted to change the topic.
"Everyone, take your breaks!"
With the rest period given to all, I lay nearby to rest.
Soon, Elwen hurried over.
"Sir, please rest."
"Okay. But?"
"I have a question."
A question?
"Go ahead."
"Why didn't you let me join this fight? If I'd taken down one earlier, it would have been much easier."
"Oh, that?"
She was right.
If Elwen had used her ultimate, two grade 3 monsters would've been defeated quickly.
She would've wiped Helsmith with her darkness orb and one-shot Bellarios with [Focused Shot].
But…
"There's still plenty of time left."
"Huh?"
After using an ultimate, Elwen cannot participate in battle for a while.
And the current time was 5 PM.
In other words, if the high-tier Elwen was out already, the number of monsters we could kill would decrease.
'Okay, looks like everyone's rested enough…'
I stood and ordered everyone to assemble, then formed ranks and summoned monsters.
After repeating grinding until 11 PM, we ended the day and prepared to camp.
The next morning.
"Chew thoroughly! I barely put any veggies in!"
Starting the new day by eating breakfast immediately after waking.
Okay, the food was delicious today.
"Supplies remain for 60 days for all 38 of us."
No issues with supplies.
"We found some abnormal data in Phnell's body. It might be a clue about Hiphramagent's corporeal abilities."
The investigation team had no progress as usual.
Everything was fine in the morning.
Except one thing.
"Yandel, can I talk to you for a moment?"
While wandering to aid digestion, Amelia called me over.
She hesitated before speaking.
"There are several people who saw the same thing. It's hard to just dismiss it as an illusion."
"What did they see?"
"Just to be clear, I checked—there's nothing in the library."
"No, I mean, what did they see?"
Carefully looking around, Amelia whispered.
"Some say they saw ghosts at night."
…Ghosts?
-x-X-x-
Day 87 since entering the labyrinth.
While going through the morning routine, Amelia brought some unusual news.
"A ghost…."
Though Amelia had checked and found nothing, there were already more than one or two eyewitnesses, so it couldn't just be brushed off.
Except for Amelia, everyone in the guard squad claimed to have seen it at least once during their watch.
So I ❀ ❀ (Don't copy, read here) called them all for a brief interview.
"When I turned my head toward that side, a creepy feeling came over me, and there, something with white hair was staring right at me."
Starting with Mikhail Lectus from the royal investigation unit, I listened to all the testimonies of those who had seen the ghost — surprisingly, the forms they saw were all different.
"What I saw was a beast monster with fangs sticking out like this…"
"For me, it was different… a man wearing tattered clothes. His eyes were completely blackened, and he looked at me with resentful, bleeding tears."
"What I saw looked like a slime. It was stuck to the floor like it had melted into it, approaching me from the darkness. But when I blinked, it was gone. I thought I was just seeing things from exhaustion."
Completely different, inconsistent eyewitness accounts.
But one thing they all shared in common:
Whenever they looked away for a moment, it suddenly disappeared from in front of them…
"Did they all see it yesterday?"
"No, the times were all different. After Lectus mentioned it during his watch last night, I asked everyone, and except for me, they said they'd seen it at least once."
I see…
As I pondered, stroking my chin, I heard something grinding nearby.
Creak, creak, crreeeaaak—!
The source was Ainard's jaw.
Barbarians tend to clench their jaws when scared.
"A g-ghost… i-isn't that dangerous…!!"
Come to think of it, Ainard had been really afraid of these kinds of things since before.
Actually, most barbarians were like that.
They have a physiological aversion to spiritual monsters, and many even have genuine fear.
Later, out of curiosity, I asked Raven about this trait, and this was the answer:
The blood of the barbarian tribe.
In other words, it might be genetically encoded information about natural enemies immune to physical force.
Due to barbarians' instinct-driven nature, such traits commonly appear across many individuals.
Well, that's not the important part right now.
"You said there's a smell?"
"Huh? A smell? Maybe like meat…?"
At my muttering, Ainard sniffed around restlessly.
Does his craving for meat outweigh his fear of ghosts?
It was absurd, but I lost interest.
Because the smell I was sensing wasn't that.
"Meat's good, but…."
There are things in this world tastier than meat.
The smell I was sensing was exactly that kind of thing.
"A hidden piece."
For anyone who played Dungeon & Stone, the sight of one immediately turns your eyes wild with fascination.
And right after hearing about the ghost, that exact smell came.
Slurp.
The rich scent of a hidden piece full of milk and honey.
And very strong.
Hidden pieces.
In this world, they're called the legacy of Gavrilius.
Having found countless hidden pieces while playing Dungeon & Stone, I immediately got to work.
The first thing needed was information.
Lots of diverse information, enough to make statistics.
"Time… you say?"
"It was shortly after 1 a.m."
"Since it was the first watch, it must have been around 11 p.m."
Asking all the team members who saw the ghost revealed it only appeared between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.
Could this be coincidence?
"No way."
The ghost in the library appears between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m.
"There! There it is! It was looking right at me."
"I was on that bookshelf…"
"For me, it was on the stairs leading outside."
The location seems random.
Or rather, it might be better to say the entire library.
"Sir, do you think the ghost might be one of Gavrilius's arrangements?"
While researching diligently, Elwen looked at me with curious eyes.
And not only her.
"Yes, for now."
When I answered affirmatively, all the explorers listening brightened with excitement.
"Gavrilius's arrangement!"
"It's real!"
The Armin Expedition, specialized in finding hidden pieces, was obviously thrilled, and even members of the Hext clan showed strong desire.
Well, how could any explorer not want that?
"So… if we find the ghost, can we get treasure? I heard those who found arrangements became rich."
Even Ainard, who feared the ghost, let his true feelings slip out. But not everyone went crazy.
Only one person.
Only one approached me with concern.
"Yandel, it's dangerous to think only positively."
Amelia Rainwells.
My companion, bound by a bond transcending time.
"Dangerous?"
"Exactly. You seem to be thinking too optimistically, unlike yourself."
Ah, I get the gist.
Honestly, I thought the same as soon as I heard about the ghost.
Maybe the ghost is a surveillance sent by someone, and we happened to discover it.
"For example, maybe the chief."
Like the incident with the Silver Lion clan leader's emergency escape on a revisit to the library.
It's not good to view the ghost's existence only as a boon.
Even if it's not the chief, it might not be a 'boon' at all.
"Emily, I understand what you mean. I'm keeping it in mind, so don't worry too much."
"…Alright then. Understood."
"Thanks for telling me."
My instinct still said the ghost was connected to the hidden pieces, but I decided to be more cautious as Amelia advised.
Assuming the worst is helpful in any situation.
"We'll see what happens at night."
After concluding, I returned to my main work, summoning monsters and spending the day.
Resting just enough, I spent the day fighting monsters, but unfortunately, today's haul was poor.
"A useless grade 4 essence…"
Normally, this alone would be a jackpot to bottle, but now I can't be satisfied with that.
Tch.
The most disappointing thing was that Bellarios was found again by luck, and I caught two more, but no essence came out.
Still, if this trend continues, I think I'll get some before leaving B1 floor. The frequency in the books definitely increased with the higher shelves.
"Anyway, what should I do with the one essence slot left?"
I currently have two essence slots.
One is fixed for Bellarios essence, and the Hiphramagent's essence will go into the orc hero slot later, so it doesn't count.
I'm worried about the last slot.
It's not specifically reserved.
I just thought it best to keep it for preparation against a conflict with the chief since the graduation essences can't be obtained in the current state.
Unless an 8th-floor Rift Guardian like Milayel appears again, whatever I consume will have to be wiped in a few months.
"…I'll decide gradually as I see what appears. There's no urgent reason right now."
Unless I hadn't gotten Aegis's barrier.
Now that I have the graduation shield, even the chief has no reason to be impatient.
With that thought, I ended my musing.
Tick, tick—
The library was ready for camping as the day ended.
[23:00]
Night had already come.
11 p.m.
According to our expedition schedule, everyone except the watchmen was fast asleep, resting for tomorrow's work.
But surprisingly, many people were still awake.
"An arrangement of the great sage…"
"Could that be true?"
"Even if not, it's curious. Maybe it'll give clues to escape this place."
Like children unable to sleep the night before a picnic, the explorers lay chatting with comrades.
Hey, just go to sleep already.
"Enough chatter! Close your eyes! If too many are awake, it might not show up!"
As I patrolled, catching those resisting sleep, the library soon fell silent. Though the quiet was far from peaceful.
Rrrrrrrrrrrr—!
Snoring of dozens of explorers, big and small.
"Looks like everyone's asleep."
"So, what do you want to do now?"
"What else but roam around and look."
After confirming everyone was asleep, I led Amelia and Versil on patrol.
And then…
"So… we have to stay like this until 3 a.m.?"
After about an hour of patrolling without any discoveries, Versil spoke up.
He didn't seem unhappy about the patrol…
"Yandel, how are you these days?"
Looks like he was bored being quiet.
Well, I felt the same and naturally took that as an invitation for small talk.
"How do you mean 'how am I'?"
"Just overall. Everyone's curious."
"About what?"
When I asked back, Versil glanced at Amelia patrolling alone far away and whispered.
"So who is she?"
"Could you please use a subject for once?"
"Oh, come on… you know what I mean."
Well, yeah.
I'm not oblivious.
I smirked and answered.
"No one."
"Really? I thought you were dating Ms. Rainz at least."
"Not at all. We're just comrades."
"Hmm… I see?"
Versil seemed unbelieving but quickly changed the subject.
"How about Ms. Kalstein? You've been spending more time together lately."
"Spending more time…"
Just that the awkwardness between us had lessened a bit.
So recently, we've talked more often. Mostly trivial stuff about food being tasty or telling her to eat more veggies.
"I guess everyone cares. After all, you're the baron's only ex-lover."
Ugh, being stuck in the labyrinth so long, everyone's attention has narrowed to this kind of stuff.
Small talk during patrols is fine, but this topic is stressful, so I ended it here.
"Enough, be quiet. Everyone's asleep."
They're valuable people who need rest to work hard tomorrow.
"…"
Why is he not answering?
Is he sulking?
Just as I turned back to check, Versil stopped and murmured softly like a ventriloquist.
"Over there, over there."
His head faced me but his eyes shifted sideways to indicate a direction. I followed his gaze and confirmed.
"Right? That's the ghost people were talking about."
"Well, I don't know for sure, but it's worth checking."
"…It's scary. I didn't expect it to look so horrible."
Hearing that, I involuntarily tilted my head.
"Horrible appearance…?"
Versil and I must be seeing totally different things.
"How curious."
All I saw was a rat.
A mysterious creature living in the library.
It appears between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m., and each person sees a different form.
Mysterious in many ways, but surprisingly easy to capture.
「Character cast [Eye of the Storm].」
「By the power of Transcendence, the inherent ability of the skill activates.」
One grab and it was in my hand.
[Beep? Beep, beep—!!!]
It was so small I didn't even need to use [Giant Form]; it curled up perfectly in one hand.
But then.
[Beep, beee! Beeeep!!]
The rat struggled, its body turning semi-transparent.
Startled, I almost crushed it.
「Versil Gowland cast 8th-grade curse magic [Materialization].」
Versil responded just in time, and the rat's body returned to normal.
"What was that noise…?"
Amelia, hearing the commotion, rushed over and frowned at me.
"Yandel, what's that in your hand?"
"Well, what do you see it as?"
"…Something very soft and disgusting."
"Is that so? Versil, what about you?"
"A man covered in filth… suspiciously resembling someone I know."
"Someone you know…?"
"No, Yandel doesn't know him."
Hmm, I see…
[Beep, beee! Beeeep—! Beeee!!!]
I licked my lips and looked down at what I was holding.
No matter how I looked, it was an ordinary rat.
Like a hamster standing on two legs?
The only difference was that unlike Earth hamsters, its size was huge — big enough to play measuring height with dwarves and acorns.
[Beep! Beep—! Beeeek!!!]
It struggled desperately and even looked kind of cute.
But that's one thing; this is another.
"Let's wake up all the members first… no need to scream."
All the members, having heard the commotion, were already awake and staring this way.
"…Is that the ghost?"
"It really is a horrible form."
"If you saw it alone at night, you'd be terrified…"
No matter their reactions, I headed to the library's center holding the rat.
Then…
Thud.
I placed the rat on the summoning altar.
"…No use, huh?"
Unfortunately, the altar gave no reaction.
So…
[Beep, beee! Beeeep—! Beeee!!!]
I was left with two choices.
Just kill it.
Kill it while casting distortion magic.
Which should I test?
With only one specimen, I had to decide carefully.
[Beep! Beep! Beeeep!!!]
As I pondered, having bound the creature on the altar like a test subject,
"Y-you insolent thing! Let me go! I said, let me go!"
Suddenly, the rat started talking like a person.
-x-X-x-
A giant hamster speaking human language.
Even in this fantasy world where magic and different races exist, such a thing is remarkable.
After all, monsters don't communicate in words.
Some rare ones speak, but mostly just repeat preset phrases.
And in that sense…
"Let me go! I said, let me go! You crazy rebels!"
…What the hell is this thing?
I furrowed my brow without realizing it.
That's because the language it was speaking was 'Ancient Tongue.'
Coincidentally, I had recently met a monster that used Ancient Tongue.
But was it really just coincidence?
My suspicion deepened.
"Yandel, what's wrong?"
"Is there a problem?"
What? Their reactions?
Feeling the awkwardness, I immediately voiced my doubt.
"Don't tell me you can't understand a word it's saying?"
"…Huh? Words?"
"We didn't hear any words. Just unpleasant screeches."
"Me too!"
Tsk, what kind of phenomenon is this?
Looking down at the increasingly suspicious hamster, it suddenly stopped struggling and looked up at me.
"You…! You can understand my words?"
Can it really hear its own voice?
I found no reason to answer.
So I pressed the hamster harder, making it unable to resist, and tried to speak in Ancient Tongue.
"You."
"Ugh…! Let me go…! You barbarian… do you even know who I am…!"
It spoke boldly, but I had no idea who it was.
So…
"What's your relation to the chief?"
I asked directly, deciding the first thing to check was whether it was the chief's spy.
"…?"
But it looked completely clueless, so I mentioned the chief's other name.
"Cornelius Brüngrid. Don't you know that name? A monster like you who also uses Ancient Tongue?"
If it said no here too, I planned to call in an expert for interrogation.
"You insolent thing! I'm not a monster…!"
"Enough. Just answer the questions."
I tightened my grip briefly then released, and it spoke hurriedly.
"I-I don't know! Don't press me! I feel like throwing up…!"
"I see. That's unfortunate. Then I'll have to find out myself."
"Find out yourself…?"
You'll know soon enough.
I called Amelia over, who pulled out a dagger to check its blade.
Seeing that, maybe she pictured her own future.
"W-wait!"
"Did you remember something?"
"Ancient Tongue…! If it's a 'monster' using Ancient Tongue, there's one I can think of! The one who rides a dragon!"
…Rides a dragon?
The chief's human-era nickname was 'Dragon Knight,' after all.
"Emily, hold on a moment."
I led Amelia back and continued the opened conversation.
"You. Tell me more about that one who rides a dragon."
"I-I don't know much…! But I once came here before. That monster with blue skin and huge eyes! Lots of subordinates, and it used Ancient Tongue too!"
Sounds like it's talking about the chief.
Blue skin, huge bulging eyes, a species using Ancient Tongue — there can't be others like that around.
'The chief was lying to me again.'
He told me they couldn't go outside and didn't know what was out there.
Turns out it was all blatant lies.
"When did they come here?"
"Long ago — so long ago it's meaningless to count."
"I'll decide if it's meaningless or not. Give me a number."
"I don't know exactly! But the skies have opened tens of thousands more times since those monsters last came!"
The sky has opened.
That phrase seems to mean 'rainy season.'
If so, it makes sense counting is meaningless.
'If the rainy season happened 10,000 times… about 833 years by outside time.'
And it opened tens of thousands more times?
Meaning ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) the chief came here thousands of years ago.
So I stopped calculating.
"What do you mean by riding a dragon?"
"Literally! Whenever they came here, they brought a big dragon with a bunch of followers on it!"
"So, they came multiple times?"
"They used to come often. Then they stopped coming."
"What did the chief do here back then?"
"Same as you! Messed up all the books I had worked hard to organize! Really—!"
"Wait, you organized the books?"
"…Yeah?"
What is this thing?
What it said so far didn't sound like lies.
Honestly, I was more curious about what it really was than suspecting it as the chief's spy.
"Why did you organize the books?"
The key to understanding someone is their motivation.
I asked that, but the answer was vague.
"Th-that's… because I have to…!"
"What…?"
"Organizing books… that's what I have to do. I've done it since I was born here!"
"So, organizing books is the reason you exist?"
"N-not that grand… but it's something I have to do."
It didn't seem like it was hiding anything.
I asked repeatedly, but the answer never changed.
"Idiot! You think you need a reason for everything? It's just like that! Just like that! I have to organize books!"
So why do you have to organize?
When I asked again, the hamster seemed confused like it had never thought about it before, then exploded in anger.
'Looks like it doesn't even understand its own behavior.'
No use pressing further.
Time for the next step.
"So, is there anything else here?"
"…?"
"You know, like special books, treasures, strange monsters, hidden spaces… Or something you're hiding from outsiders."
"…"
"Nothing?"
The hamster screamed loudly in disgust at my subtle question.
"N-no, no, no!!!"
Strong denials can sometimes mean strong affirmations.
"I thought so…"
"…!!!"
"You have something, don't you?"
I started salivating unconsciously.
The conversation in similar form repeated.
"I said, there's nothing!"
Like a parrot, the hamster kept repeating 'nothing.'
Then…
"Ah, you just said you'll show it."
Like a barbarian, I ignored it completely.
"How many times do I have to say it before you understand? There's nothing here!"
"Who said I'm taking it? I'm only going to look. Stop annoying me."
"…"
Argh, why can't it believe human words?
I concluded it's not someone to reason with nicely.
So…
"Hey."
I lowered my voice and spoke.
The hamster flinched and looked at me cautiously.
"…?"
"Am I your friend? Can't you read the situation?"
"…No, no, I said there's nothing… I really…"
"Ah, then tell me something else."
"Something else…?"
"Yeah, like how to get out of here. Do you know?"
"…No."
"The chief's weaknesses or secrets?"
"…"
"Then what do you want me to do? I need a reason too before I let you go or whatever. Or should I check if you have essence?"
"…"
Haha, no answer, lips sealed.
Is it that precious?
Seeing threats didn't work, I changed tactics.
"Hey, then tell me about yourself."
"…?"
"What are you? Why are you here? And where did you learn to speak human language?"
"Ah, that…"
Maybe this topic was easier.
It answered quite kindly.
Though it didn't have any meaningful information.
"So to sum up, you were born here and can speak human language?"
"Y-yeah… The chief! The chief was the first strange life form I saw."
"Does the chief know about you?"
"Probably not. I tried talking to him since he came close after hearing me speak… But that dumb guy didn't understand a word."
"Like the others who didn't understand you?"
"By the way, who are you? How can you talk to me and not be scared?"
Why did it suddenly become arrogant?
"Why are you asking me? Explain that."
"…"
"Enough. Tell me, people are scared of you? Do you have some kind of ability?"
"…I don't know. They all were. The chief drew weapons and swung when he saw me. You all were no different. So they tried to scare me off…"
"But you got caught like this."
"…"
"Why am I fine? You look like a normal rat to me."
"A rat? I'm not that!!"
"Then what are you? Do you have a species name?"
"N-no, not really…"
"Then your name? Do you have one?"
"…I don't need a name."
"That's why some never socialize… Names exist for convenience. So let me give you one."
"…You'll give me one?"
"Yeah."
Living alone in the library for thousands of years without a name seemed a little sad, so I thought hard and named it.
"Hamsik."
"…?"
"Hamsik, that's your name from now on."
"…"
"What? Is there a problem with the name?"
"N-no… no problem…"
"I am Bjorn, Yandel's son. Yandel's my family name, Bjorn my given name. Just call me Bjorn."
"B-bjorn… got it."
Okay, now that introductions were done, time to resume the interrupted conversation.
"So… are we friends now?"
Hamsik suddenly asked that.
Its voice was cautious and somewhat uneasy.
I tilted my head, and it looked away, mumbling.
"But… I heard friends are those who call each other by name…"
"Where did you learn that?"
"Don't know. I've known since birth. Like the language system I have."
"Really?"
I thought it was a weird creature with lots of questions, but also thought,
'I think I know how to handle it.'
I released it and helped it stand.
Facing it, I stretched out my arm.
"Hamsik, I'm counting on you from now on."
"…?"
"Why, you said when you introduce yourself you become friends, right? Friends shake hands. You don't know that?"
"N-no! Of course I know!"
Hamsik shyly reached out its fluffy paw.
"I-I'm also… pleased to meet you…?"
How badly does it want friends?
I don't know, but now the friendship was sealed.
So…
"Now tell me. Where is that treasure you were hiding?"
"…!"
Time to pay the friend fee.
Hamsik looked at me with betrayed eyes and backed away.
Come on, don't be hurt among friends.
"Hamsik, friends don't keep secrets."
"B-but…"
"Don't you consider me a friend?"
"Piii…"
Hamsik squeaked awkwardly at my question.
I didn't push further and waited quietly.
After a while.
"Okay… I'll show you… but don't touch anything inside! Got it?"
"Of course."
Maybe relieved, Hamsik proudly raised its index finger like a pop singer showing off.
And then.
Ssss—
Books slid out one by one from the shelves, half hanging off.
'So it's a system where pulling certain books reveals a secret space?'
Watching in a daze, the movement stopped.
And then.
Drdrdrdrdrdrdr—!
The sealed stone door opened, revealing a hidden space.
-x-X-x-
The stone door swung wide open.
However, it was clearly different from when the door usually opened after summoning monsters. Back then, the beyond the stone door was shrouded in darkness, and even when approaching, something invisible seemed to block entry.
But now…
Whoooosh—!
A dazzlingly bright white light poured out from the gap of the opened door.
Because of it, seeing inside was just as impossible.
"Alright, follow me!"
Seeing Hamsik leading the way, it seemed possible to enter.
"Somehow… this is making me nervous."
"Can we really trust that terrifying monster…?"
"Don't worry unnecessarily. We have the baron, don't we?"
Though uneasy, the members followed behind me and Hamsik with expectant eyes.
Then…
"Well, I'll go in first. See you inside!"
Hamsik stepped into the light first, and after briefly gathering my courage, I quickly followed.
Whoooosh—!
Like stepping into a portal, the light enveloped me completely.
「Character has entered Record Storage Room No. 1.」
When I opened my eyes, I was in an unfamiliar space.
A circular room.
Bookshelves lined the walls, packed tightly with books in colorful hues.
And…
"Be careful! The ceiling might break!"
The space was very narrow.
Even without being in [Giant Form], I had to bend over and twist my neck awkwardly.
It felt like entering a mini library.
But looking around, only one other person shared this uncomfortable posture.
"Ugh! What's this place? Feels so cramped I could die! And filled with books!"
Ainard complained just like me.
It made me wonder again why society was so unkind to barbarians. If ceilings were just 30 cm higher on average, this world would be much nicer.
While grumbling inwardly, I searched the surroundings carefully.
"This is where I usually stay… You're my first guest, how do you like it?"
"A wonderful place."
"R-really…?"
"Probably."
I answered vaguely and glanced around, but only one thing was clearly visible.
'Just books.'
Books on shelves. Books piled like towers on the floor.
Wherever you looked, there were only books.
But it was too early to be disappointed.
"Hamsik."
"…Y-yes?"
Ignoring Hamsik's anxious look, I approached a spot and pulled out a book hidden among the piles.
"What's this? Looks like someone hurriedly hid it before I came."
"C-come on, can't you tell? It's just an ordinary book!"
Oh, friends always like this.
The gold leaf on the cover made it clear it wasn't ordinary at all.
"Oh, an ordinary book, lucky me. I'll take this as a housewarming gift."
"A housewarming gift? Do you take me for a fool? Housewarming gifts are given by guests!"
Tch, it knows that?
It was a bit annoying, but no big deal.
"Well, Hamsik, that's old-fashioned."
I wasn't the one saying it, so what could it do?
"…Huh?"
"Nowadays it's common for guests to receive gifts… Maybe you've been here so long you forgot even that."
"…Ah! Right! I was mistaken for a moment!"
"Uh…"
"Really! Don't misunderstand! It was just a momentary mistake!"
No, actually, I was the one taken aback that it worked so well…
"Ahem! I said it's true!"
Watching Hamsik's obvious reaction was strangely amusing.
"Alright, I believe you. Because we're friends."
"Yes! Friends! Friends are supposed to trust each other most!"
…Why does it suddenly look so cute?
It's just a monster I need to exploit.
Trying to detach emotionally, I continued.
"So, will you give it to me? The book?"
"N-no! I-I'd rather give you something else!"
"Why? You said it was ordinary?"
"…"
Stuck on what it said earlier, Hamsik chose silence.
Avoidant? It gets quiet when troubled.
Wondering how to legally get this golden book.
"Baron! There's Ancient Tongue written here. Could you come and help interpret it?"
One of the three mages from the Armin Expedition approached.
It seemed to be one of the books on the shelf…
"You insolent ones! How dare you touch others' belongings without permission!"
Only then did Hamsik notice and burst into anger.
Honestly, it was justified.
Even I thought it was a bit much.
"Check everything carefully!"
"Oh! Sorry! I accidentally tore a book while pulling it out."
"Forget that trivial thing. Let's try pushing the bookshelf! Something might be hidden behind it!"
The members enthusiastically rummaged through the room, eyes wild.
Once again, I realized explorers were embodiments of destruction and greed.
"These beasts…!!!"
Hamsik raged again, but no one cared.
"That monster seems angry."
"An awful roar indeed…"
"Is that okay?"
"Ah, it'll be fine! Didn't you see? The baron intimidated it and it opened the door right away!"
"Haha! No one will believe it when you tell it outside. That a monster obeyed the baron's authority? That kind of story only belongs in fairy tales!"
"Surely the baron is no ordinary person…"
Ah, from their point of view, that made sense.
In reality, I just took advantage of an innocent hamster clueless about the world.
'Better not to know.'
Why do Jumong and Park Hyeokgeose hatch from eggs, and why do similar myths exist among ancient rulers worldwide?
Because it helps them rule.
"Hamsik, calm down."
"What? You want me to watch that mess—!"
"Isn't organizing books your job? Or do you hate it?"
"Uh… not really…"
"Good. We're helping you do what you love, so why be angry?"
"Uh, I guess… maybe so…"
Okay, enough persuasion.
"Can I open it?"
"Huh? Ah… yes… if it's just opening…"
With Hamsik somewhat resigned, I quickly opened the golden book wide.
Honestly, I was very curious.
It seemed part of the summoning book.
'What kind of monster will be inside?'
A rare species like a mimic?
Or a Rift Guardian like Milayel?
Maybe it gives special rewards after defeating monsters—.
'Hm?'
I froze as I read the first page.
"Once upon a time, in a faraway village, a brother and sister lived happily together."
…What's this?
Written in crooked Ancient Tongue like a child's diary. Unexpected, but I read it slowly.
It didn't take long to finish.
Though thick, the story was only on the first page.
"Baron, can you tell us what it means?"
Even without the three mages, everyone looked curious, so I summarized it briefly.
"Long ago, a brother and sister lived happily in a village. But when the brother left to become a mage, the sister was very sad."
"And then?"
"That's it."
"…What?"
Seriously, that's all it said. No way to elaborate.
I didn't even hesitate to tell them.
There was nothing to judge as hidden or not; it was just too short.
I flipped through the rest; no more story.
But oddly enough…
'It can't be a meaningless story.'
It makes the importance of this story even greater.
The mysterious and unknown first underground floor.
And the strange monster Hamsik treasured this book in its secret place.
Surely this story is not meaningless.
So…
"Do you know who the siblings are?"
Time to use collective intelligence.
"Hmm… siblings? I think of the Kyraze siblings."
They were famous explorers only a few hundred years ago, so pass.
"Maybe it's mythology? When I studied theology, I saw theologians claim that Reatles and Heindel were born from the same parents."
But it doesn't seem like a god's story either.
"Well, the Immortal King comes to mind. Before ascending the throne, he had several siblings."
Sure, a big family would have younger sisters, but…
Calling it a village might be misleading.
Though Rafdonia is at the continent's edge, it's said they made a fortune in trade.
"Emily, what do you think? Does anything come to mind?"
"…I'm more concerned about the brother leaving to learn magic than the siblings."
"Oh, that."
"Could this be about the last great sage, Gavrilius?"
Hmm, that fits well.
The problem is that even if the guess is right, there's nothing more to find out.
Hmm… maybe not entirely empty?
"Hamsik, do you know who this story is about?"
"…No."
I asked just in case, but Hamsik didn't know either.
"So you kept this precious book without knowing who it was about?"
Said with a tone that warned it to be prepared to lie, Hamsik shook its hands sincerely.
"It's true! I just felt I had to… so I kept it safe."
"Hmm, alright. Then can I take it?"
"Absolutely not! This is a book that must be passed on someday!"
"Passed on? To whom?"
"To someone qualified."
"What qualifications?"
"I don't know… but you'll know when you see. Or rather, I have a feeling you will."
The more I talked with Hamsik, the greater my curiosity.
Who is it?
Who made it, and why did it have to spend so long alone in a place no one visits?
"Anyway! You don't have the qualifications, so don't even dream! Until then, it stays with me!"
"Hamsik, friends don't have yours and mine—"
"Piii! No means no!"
Tsk, no use again.
I put aside my interest in the golden book for now.
Not giving up entirely, but the one-line story lowered its priority.
"Versil! Anything new?"
"Of course! Come here! I have so much to show you!"
The secret room contained more than just the golden book.
The investigation of this secret space was simple.
Pull out books.
Push aside empty shelves.
Chop or magically destroy the revealed wall.
Maybe barbaric, but this was the explorers' typical method of dealing with the unknown.
Because something always comes out of it.
I myself had a habit of destroying everything I saw in games, which helped me find many hidden pieces.
"You barbaric fiends…!!"
From the owner's perspective, it was frustrating.
Anyway, thanks to this exploration style, one thing was clear.
"There seems to be nothing hidden."
Nothing concealed in walls, floor, or ceiling.
"I told you! There's nothing!"
At that time, I didn't know better.
"I'd believe you if you didn't usually lie."
"When did I lie?"
"You said there was nothing in this room too."
"…"
Anyway, lack of hidden things didn't mean no findings.
"Baron! Look at this book! I'm pretty sure it's a map of B1 floor!"
"This looks like a summoning book; it has more than ten mimics drawn inside."
"This pen left on the desk is emitting magical fluctuations that are incomprehensible here. We need to investigate more…"
"This picture frame seems ordinary but was physically damaged, and it hasn't restored since…"
Listening to the incoming investigation results, I nodded with satisfaction.
Yeah, this is exploration.
-x-X-x-
To sum up what was obtained in this secret room:
"A mysterious golden book with the story of a brother and sister written inside."
Well, I still couldn't tell its immediate use.
But the rest of the loot(?) was a different story.
"Seven summoning books."
Not just any summoning books, but each one was a book that couldn't be found on any outside bookshelf.
Like one containing more than ten rare mimics.
Strangely, the monster illustrations weren't black and white but painted over in colors like blue and red.
Or parts of the monster images were marked with '???'.
Seven books with such peculiarities.
"A suspicious fountain pen."
On top of that, there was the fountain pen that had been on Hamshik's desk.
"Hamshik, how do you use this fountain pen?"
[W-well…]
After hesitating for a long time, Hamshik finally started honestly, saying, "Well, since you're a friend…"
[If you use this pen to paint over the drawings in the book… you can obtain the essence of that color.]
"What?!"
[Do-don't shout! You startled me!]
No, then say it cautiously so I'm not surprised.
A fountain pen that guarantees you get the essence of the desired color…?
Is it even right for such an item to exist in this world?
It felt like an absurdly broken item, but unfortunately, the fountain pen had limits.
Grade 3 or below only.
And it could only be used twice.
"Well, there's no way it would be unlimited use."
Disappointment came over me, but since the opponent was [Dungeon and Stone], it felt a bit less bad.
It was just that I expected the item to be a bit foolish…
For this game, this kind of item was already insanely strong.
"Is this an unexplored region…?"
I could understand why explorers were so obsessed with the newly opened underground first floor.
The 5th floor, 6th floor, 7th floor too.
There must have been such broken hidden pieces when they were first opened.
"By the way, Hamshik, how did you know about the fountain pen? Did you try using it a few times before I arrived?"
[No way!]
"Hmm, but your explanation was surprisingly detailed."
[I just knew! Since I was born!]
Hamshik said he never used it but knew what the fountain pen was for from the start.
[Why would you say that!]
As I naturally tucked the pen in my pocket, Hamshik had another fit.
[Th-that fountain pen is something that must be handed to a qualified person…!]
Oh, really?
"But you said it can be used twice, right?"
[Yes, but…]
"Well, you can use it once, then give it to the qualified person later."
[W-what nonsense—!]
"Or is there some rule that it must be given in a perfect condition?"
[U-uh… not exactly…]
"Then there's no problem!"
Okay, so the fountain pen issue ends here.
I'll go out, use it once, then after thinking more about where to use the remaining use, persuade the qualified person.
So, with that in mind, I turned my attention to the last loot.
"A map…"
It looked like a condensed map of the entire underground first floor.
Centered on the starting point, Rock Island, several islands were drawn…
Though the fountain pen was a great item, this map was also a huge gain.
Because the time needed to explore and light up the map was reduced.
"There are still two islands we haven't visited."
After consulting navigator Auyen, one was about a week's distance from the library island.
The other was about a month away.
"A month… it's a much larger floor than expected."
"Yes. But there's one concern… The location of this island is in the direction where that rainbow was seen."
"So that means this island could be the one beyond the rainbow?"
"Well… I can't say for sure yet, but I think it's not just a coincidence."
I thought so too.
For that reason, let's call this island the Rainbow Island from now on…
"Hamshik, do you know what's beyond this map?"
[I don't know…!]
Hamshik answered sulkily while looking around the mess of the room.
He seemed a little upset but didn't seem to be lying.
'So he really doesn't ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) know…'
It's better to assume this map doesn't show everything.
My curiosity only grew.
What happens if we go beyond this map? Or is it even possible to leave?
Back when people believed the world was flat, I guess that's why they were so curious about the edge of the world.
'Anyway, I'll find out when I go myself someday…'
"Yandel, look at this part here."
Versil pointed to a spot on the unfolded map.
It was the part with Giant Island, specifically the cave where we stayed on the island.
"Do you see the symbol marked here?"
"This looks like the portal stele."
"Exactly, right?"
The stele symbol drawn on the cave part.
But below that symbol was a very intuitive mark.
"An arrow pointing downward…"
What could that mean?
'Underground second floor.'
Everyone looking at the map seemed to think the same thing, but no one spoke it aloud.
Then, when silence stretched out…
"…Shall we look here too?"
Versil moved her finger to point to a new location on the map.
Auyen was the first to identify it.
"This is… the Chief's Island…"
"That's right. There are only two stele marks on this entire map, and one of them is here."
The moment Versil confirmed the spot she pointed at, a suffocating feeling hit me.
I didn't know whether to take it as good news or bad news.
"At least we found the exit."
The arrow below the stele symbol clearly pointed upward.
We found the exit.
No, to be exact, we discovered a place presumed to be the exit.
Just that was excellent news for us, who had been wandering the vast sea without any clues.
But…
'Of all places, it's the Chief's Island…'
This fact took my breath away.
Because to return to the city, whether I liked it or not, I'd have to face the Chief someday.
"So, can we go back to the city now?"
"It's doneee! Waaaaaah!!"
Some members cheered with joy just from finding the exit, but unfortunately, there were still several problems left to escape this place.
"But… is escaping really possible? The stele on Giant Island didn't work either…"
"That's true. Like when we arrived, there must be some condition we need to meet."
As some intellectuals said, finding the exit isn't the end. We must first find a way to activate the portal stele.
Getting past the Chief will be the next problem.
But…
"Rainbow! The island in the direction of that rainbow! There must be a key there!"
There were a few things worth trying. We hadn't just come here to twiddle our thumbs.
'The most likely candidate is Rainbow Island, but even if it's not, if we conquer all the islands, we'll naturally find out.'
In that sense, I asked Hamshik one more thing.
"Hamshik, what monsters appear on the top shelf?"
How much do we need to level up to clear this library island?
Hamshik's answer was simple.
He gave examples of the explorers' standards without clearly saying the exact grades…
[Tol-Lafupa, Kashan, Leviathan, Prahel, Ridger…]
Sigh, so in the end, we have to catch even a grade 1.
Still, it's a relief that it's only one, not many.
"What happens if we catch them?"
Hamshik spoke to me in a suddenly serious tone.
[I don't know.]
"Don't you know if you gain the 'qualification' you mentioned?"
[Again, I don't know. I have no memory of that.]
Yeah, so no freebies here; we have to find out ourselves.
"Hamshik, how do we get out? Should we go through that portal-looking place?"
After finishing the investigation, we thought there was nothing more to gain here.
Hamshik tilted his head.
[Huh? Once you come in, you can't get out.]
"…What? Why are you telling me that now—."
[Beep! Just kidding! You can get out that way!]
Ah, I really got startled.
I gave a dumb smile, and Hamshik laughed happily at me.
[Beep-beep! Isn't it common sense for friends to joke around!]
Seeing how happy he was, I couldn't even get mad.
I chuckled and led the team outside.
The stone gate was still wide open and glowing, but as soon as Hamshik came out last, the light disappeared and the door closed.
"But Hamshik, do you have to open the door like that every time you go in?"
[Why?]
"I thought that's where you live. Wouldn't it be inconvenient to open it every time?"
[I don't know? It wasn't inconvenient at all normally! I just couldn't get in because you guys kept coming while I was organizing books!]
Ah, so that's why he couldn't even get home and was wandering around before we caught him.
He must have been going out only at night because we were asleep then.
"After a nap, I'll hunt again. What will you do in the meantime?"
[Watch!]
"Organizing books?"
[When no one's around… when you guys leave and no one is around.]
"Why? Oh, I'm not telling you to do it now, just curious. Since you've been seen by us anyway, you could do it anytime, right?"
[…I'll do it when no one's around. So don't force me.]
Well, I have nothing to say then.
After finishing the secret room exploration, we returned to the library and resumed the paused camping.
And as soon as morning came, we started hunting immediately.
「Mimic defeated.」
「Mimic defeated.」
「Mimic defeated.」
「Mimic defeated.」
「Mimi—」
First, I summoned mimics using the mimic summoning book obtained in the secret room. Unfortunately, even though I killed more than ten, no essences dropped.
Essences need to drop to loot items from the [Treasure Vault].
'Not as disappointing as I thought.'
Maybe because I knew the best mimic drop would be about thirty million stones.
I didn't really feel too bad.
It wasn't the only summoning book I got this time.
So I opened all the other summoning books too.
"…Drake?"
From the book marked with '???', a grade 4 flying monster, Drake, was summoned.
What? I was secretly nervous about what would come out.
Was it really 100% random?
I don't know, but all it dropped was a single magic stone.
"So now, only the painted books remain."
Five summoning books with colored monsters inside.
After opening them all, there was a common feature.
The book with the monster painted red dropped that monster's red essence, and the one painted blue dropped blue essence.
'The problem was that except for one grade 3 essence, they were all grade 5 or below.'
Essences below grade 5 were discarded without a second thought, and the grade 3 essence was handed over to the Armin expedition team who wanted it.
And…
'All opened already.'
Thus, all the summoning books brought from the secret room were completely used up without much gain.
Well, the main dish—the fountain pen—remained…
'It's right to wait and consider carefully until the end before using it.'
I want to use it now to extract the essence of Bellarios, but I made the most rational decision.
Since I'm not just hunting for one day.
There was a chance to get essence naturally, so using it already felt like a waste.
Therefore…
「Stonewinter defeated.」
「Mecarote defeated. EXP +7」
「Frost Guardian defeated.」
「Vol-Herchan defeated.」
「Machine Giant defeated…」
「…」
Morning hunt.
Lunch hunt.
Evening hunt until bedtime.
How many days did I continue like this?
The 99th day since entering the labyrinth.
'Tomorrow the labyrinth will open again in the city.'
The time when newbies would start flowing in was approaching.
"Deputy Commander, did you hear the news?"
"Ah, that…"
Arua Raven, deputy commander of the Royal Third Mage Battalion, smiled bitterly.
Underground first floor, Records Archive.
No matter where you go in the city, that's the only topic lately.
Because a shocking rumor had recently started circulating.
Bjorn Yandel was still alive and well there.
And he had two single numbers in his hands.
That rumor, originating from evil spirits and not confirmed as true or false.
"Deputy Commander… do you think that rumor is true?"
"Whether the rumor is true or not doesn't matter. We just need to do our job well. I'll get up first."
Raven dismissed the subordinate's question, finished her meal, and returned to her office.
Whether the rumor was true or not.
It was meaningless to worry about that.
She probably wished the same thing either way.
She hoped the rumor was true.
Then she wouldn't have to worry anxiously every day.
"Sigh… If it's true, it's really annoying."
Underground first floor.
An unexplored region with nothing revealed.
What kind of mystery and unknown things exist there? And what great expedition is Bjorn Yandel conducting with his companions?
"Phew…"
She sighed deeply and lowered her head.
The uniform she had become so familiar with.
And the mage battalion badge pinned to her chest.
Today, this outfit felt unusually stifling and annoying.
"Well, whatever. I'll just do my job…"
Repeating the words she just told her subordinate, she started work again.
And that evening.
"Deputy Commander! There's a direct royal dispatch from the palace!"
She received the royal dispatch.
Though filled with elaborate wording and difficult language, she could summarize it in three lines:
The palace intends to explore the underground first floor.
Therefore, experienced personnel are needed.
You are the perfect fit.
After reading the entire document, Raven jumped up from her chair like a fish out of water.
And hurriedly began packing.
-x-X-x-
Day 103 since entering the labyrinth.
At last, the number of days inside had surpassed three digits.
It was about time to take a break from grinding in the library.
From now on, we had to head to Rock Island to welcome the newbies.
'I hope some decent ones come in so we can aim for the higher-tier books.'
Even now, when opening summoning books, four or five grade 3 monsters would appear, and occasionally a grade 2 would be mixed in.
Well, if the combination was good, we might manage to kill one or two…
But smoothly grinding like a factory was now impossible.
I played the tank role in prolonged battles and needed long rests afterward to recover consumed resources.
'Last time, we almost had casualties…'
Anyway, increasing manpower was not an option but a necessity…
As we packed up the camp and prepared to leave, I felt eyes watching me from a distance.
Turning my head toward that direction, I saw Hamshik staring intently at me from afar.
[You're leaving…?]
As I approached, Hamshik spoke while looking sternly at my feet.
The first meeting was awkward, but eventually we became friends, and he kept me company during all the hunting in the library, so it seemed we'd grown attached.
"Ah, don't worry. I'll be back soon. Besides, I'm not leaving the golden book behind, am I?"
[But you're taking my fountain pen…!]
"Come on, friends overlook small things like that, understand?"
[…]
"No, I'm telling you, I'll be back soon."
[Who's waiting? Don't come back ever! It's much better without people like you! Quiet!]
Haha, there he goes again.
I ignored Hamshik's harsh words as a true barbarian would—just letting them pass in one ear and out the other.
"Baron, the whole squad is ready!"
"Good. Got it."
Though we finished preparations to leave the library, for some reason I couldn't easily take the first step.
[…]
"Hey, Hamshik."
[…]
"Make sure to organize the books while I'm gone. Even if you're not hungry, eat the jerky I gave you on time. And if any weird guys show up, never show your face. Hide behind the bookshelf and wait until I come back—"
[I'm not a kid! Stop the nonsense and leave if you're going to!]
Still, even saying that—
Sigh… why do I feel so worried?
Maybe the attachment grew more on my side.
"Well… I'm going, Hamshik…"
[Yeah…]
"I'll be back soon."
[…Yeah.]
Forcing my reluctant feet to move, I turned my back and passed between the squad who had been watching from afar.
Smoothly, the squad opened the way for me to lead.
Ascending the stairs first, the others followed behind in formation as we began moving.
Once outside the island, we boarded the summoned ship and arrived at Rock Island within a few hours.
"No signs that anyone's been here before us."
I had come early just in case, but indeed, no explorer had descended to the underground first floor before us.
Well, it was only the third day since the labyrinth opened.
Physically impossible to finish farming on the third floor and return down to the first floor in that time.
"What are you thinking?"
"Just worried if Hamshik's doing well."
"I wonder exactly how you look to him… I can't seem to approach him well given how I appear…"
"How do you look?"
"…Like a wizard. Holding a skull staff, looking even more evil than a lich, making horrible noises."
Ah, that's right.
Back then, I just listened and let it pass, but now with more samples collected, I think about it differently.
'An evil wizard holding a skull staff…'
Isn't that an imaginary image made by combining a corpse collector and a ruin scholar?
Of course, I didn't say that aloud.
"Baron, may I take the team to the beach?"
"The beach?"
"Well… there's always stuff floating in the sea, right? I thought maybe we could collect some during the downtime…"
"Do as you please. There's nothing else to do but wait for a while anyway."
Some explorers tired of waiting took the lead, and one by one others joined to pick up scrap by the beach.
It seemed the armor of grade 3 material we found during sailing had a big influence. Since then, talk had been spreading among us.
If luck follows, we might hit the jackpot.
Maybe even pick up equipment used by ancient heroes.
'Well, if luck is really good, that kind of jackpot might happen…'
Honestly, I was skeptical.
We'd been everywhere but the most valuable thing found was the grade 3 armor picked up recently.
'When the underground first floor fully opens later, there might be people who specialize in picking up scrap.'
Hmm, I thought that was inefficient, but that kind of group would probably appear.
Rock Island itself had no monsters.
If we can just avoid the rainy season on time, grinding here could be a source of income.
'Time really doesn't pass…'
After chatting idly at the start point all day, boredom finally got the better of me and I went to the beach to pick up scrap with the team.
And how much time passed?
A day, two days, three days…
By the end of day 107, only a few hours remained before the first floor closed again.
'…They can't not come by now. Did the royal bastards do something? Blocking entry?'
Unease slowly began to rise.
After all the bait thrown, we were expecting skilled newbies this time.
'If they haven't come yet… something must be wrong up there.'
Tsk, does that mean we have to continue the conquest alone without newbies this time?
While thinking that, I kept staring at the useless clock.
Whoooosh-!
"Portal! The portal has opened!"
Dozens of portals opened, and newbies stepped in.
How to handle the newly arrived newbies.
I wasn't particularly worried.
First, I planned to show them around the underground first floor, letting them realize it was no easy place.
Then, once they were fully aware, just sign them to slave contracts and that would be it.
But…
'Huh, no wonder no one came until the last day.'
When I saw the newbies who came this round, I had to admit it immediately.
They were opponents for whom that method would never work.
"Reform formation!"
"Reform!"
The moment they landed on the underground first floor, the group solemnly and neatly formed a formation.
I sighed.
'Worst case scenario.'
Too many priests for a typical clan.
A mage battalion uniformed all in the same clothes.
And a group of knights in polished plate armor.
Though the classes could be divided into three major groups, they shared one thing in common.
"Nia Lapdonia…!"
They bore the royal crest on their chests.
Once formation was complete, a man who appeared to be their commander approached me and saluted briskly.
"It is my sincere honor to meet you, Baron Yandel! I never expected to meet you so soon. I'm truly relieved you're still alive!"
"Who are you…?"
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Jillen Evost of the First Royal Knights."
"Your relation to Baron Evost?"
"He's my older brother."
Sigh, at least the commander wasn't very high-ranking.
Not the baron himself, but his younger brother.
If things went well, I might be able to crush him with my baron's rank…
"Oh, and I'm temporarily serving as deputy commander of this expedition."
That hope shattered with that one sentence.
"Deputy commander…?"
"Yes. Could you please step aside? The second expedition will enter soon."
Stunned, I stepped back.
Whoooosh-!
Once again dozens of portals opened in the sky, and dozens more explorers entered the underground first floor.
Twice, at intervals.
'Sixty people entered three times…'
One hundred eighty people.
A force worthy of the name 'expedition army' rather than just 'expedition team.'
However, the real problem was different.
"Nia Lapdonia! Reporting that all 180 explorers sent by royal order have safely entered the destination, Commander!"
The commander heard the report immediately upon entry.
"No threats detected nearby. The primary target of this mission, Baron Bjorn Yandel, has been found. Of the total 38, seven are from Clan Anabada, and the rest are presumed to be members of the Hext Clan and Armin expedition who entered during the first and second waves!"
"I see."
The commander with ghostly pale skin and silver hair walked toward me.
A very familiar face.
Though about twenty years older than when I last saw him full of youth.
"I remember seeing you from afar at the baron's investiture but never greeting you properly."
Head of the First Royal Knights.
The royal executioner known as the Knight of Light…
"Nice to meet you, Baron Yandel. I am Jerome Saintred."
The same guy I had various incidents with twenty years ago, when he operated in Noirark wearing an iron mask.
"Y-yeah… nice to meet you! Glad to see you! Hey, Baron Yandel's son, Bjorn!"
…He probably didn't recognize me?
As the saying goes, a thief fears a bleeding nose.
Thump thump thump thump—
Though I thought I was unrecognizable, my heart started pounding wildly.
"Baron Yandel's son? That's an unusual introduction."
Okay, it seemed he hadn't suspected anything yet…
Ha, I stumbled over my words in surprise earlier.
"That kind of remark is something I hear often."
I answered calmly in a barbarian fashion and diligently summarized the situation.
Jerome Saintred.
More than twenty years ago, he came down to Noirark hunting for fragments of the record stone and fought me.
Apart from the anxiety about whether he recognized me, the situation was nearly the worst.
Because he held the title of baron.
In short, it meant the title blocked any attempt to crush me…
'I never imagined they'd send such a heavyweight to a place with no known escape method.'
This was behavior unbecoming of the royal family.
So naturally, I expected him to stand aside and watch the situation unfold, but…
"Haha, anyway, it's so good to meet someone from home in a place like this! Is everything fine in the city?"
"The city? It's naturally well protected under the royal family's patronage…"
"Glad to hear it! Well then, we'll be off. Good luck with the exploration! Take care! What's everyone doing? Aren't you preparing to leave?"
After naturally saying goodbye and turning his back, he suddenly appeared in front of me as if by teleportation, blocking my path.
That time I saw him use the grade 3 teleportation skill [Gate of Light].
"Baron, where are you heading?"
"Ah… I'm hungry…"
"You were inconsiderate. Your food might have run out, but don't worry now. We have enough supplies."
So, they weren't going to let me run away?
I dropped the playful tone and lowered my voice.
"Baron Saintred, step aside."
A cold attitude clearly distinguishing business from personal matters.
But he calmly continued speaking despite my mood.
"That's impossible. You are the first explorer to enter the unknown floor, and one of our expedition goals is to rescue you."
"Sounds like someone asked for a rescue."
"You are a precious ❀ ❀ (Don't copy, read here) treasure of our kingdom. Losing you would be a huge loss."
"So? What do you plan to do now?"
I asked bluntly.
"Are you planning to forcibly conscript me, a clan leader, into the expedition? By what authority?"
I said mockingly, but he showed no offense and just smiled.
"To be clear, I have no right to forcibly enlist you. Though there is a law to conscript explorers in disasters, it doesn't apply to nobles like you. However…"
He seemed to expect my resistance and pulled a scroll from his coat.
I knew immediately what it was.
"This is a royal decree."
In other words, disobeying whatever is written on this paper would be considered treason…
"Baron Bjorn Yandel of Lapdonia, hear this."
He unfurled the scroll and solemnly read the contents.
"Chaos reigns with evil rebels roaming free. Though we trust the royal light to protect this beautiful city and its people forever, those who blindly believe false rumors and vanish in greed cause great harm to the city."
The introduction was long, befitting a royal document.
"To summarize, as ruler I cannot stand by, so I have formed this expedition army and sent it forth…"
In short, the core message was:
"Baron Bjorn Yandel is to join the first expedition army, thoroughly explore the unexplored regions under the command of Commander Jerome Saintred, and find a way to return to the city."
Damn, they really messed me up this time.
-x-X-x-