Episode 5.12

"The name's Doug. Captain of Golbul Dungeon Guard. Go ahead and take a seat. Is that bag all you've got on you? You're not carrying much. Is that a <Box (Luuf)>?"

"Need you really ask."

"Guess not. Now then, let's get down to business, so you went inside this dungeon five days ago, correct."

"Either five or six days ago."

In fact, Lecan thought that it had been seven days. He got to lower floors faster than he expected.

"Yeah, so you see. There were adventurers who were intimidated by you on floor 1 and 2 or at the stairways. Numbering in quite a few."

"I don't remember doing anything of such."

"Yep yep, of course you don't. I'm sure you didn't intend to make it like that. Nothing for you to gain doing something like that after all. But we got complaints about people getting attacked you see. We can't turn a blind eye to those, so we've gotta ask your side of story."

"Even if I did attack other adventurers, what's the problem. Murders or thefts inside a dungeon aren't counted as crimes, are they."

"Exactly. You're exactly right. But that doesn't mean that you can do anything you want. You come from afar, don't you?"

"Yeah. From the north."

"I knew it. So then, have you registered as an adventurer?"

"I have."

"Let me see your Adventurer's Badge."

Lecan pulled the right side of his coat with his left hand, put his right hand in, took the badge from <Storage> and handed it over to Doug.

"Copper? Hou, you registered just recently huh."

After jotting down what needed, Doug gave the badge back to Lecan.

"I dunno how it is at your place, but there's a lot of young ones at this dungeon, ya see. These lots gain experience on upper floors and slowly get better. Some of 'em gave up on being adventurers though."

Lecan listens to him in silent.

"The lord here wishes to create a place where those young folks could be safely get strong enough up to a certain point. As that will ultimately benefits the town. You get it right."

"Yea."

"And well, those young ones might be a tad spoiled, but they're really giving their all. Desperately doing the best they could as to not lose to the rivals all around them. In such a situation, an obviously veteran adventurer stuck out like a sore thumb among them, of course they'd gonna get worried. Like, 'what's this guy gonna do to us'."

"I see."

"I heard you leaped over some young adventurers many times over. On the stairways."

"Right, now that you mention it."

"A completely in-black, huge ominous, excuse me, it's how it looks to them, a huge ominous monster with flapping wings just flew over them, those young folks were completely terrified you see."

"Yeah I guess they would."

"You got it! Ah, here comes the skewers. Go ahead and have 'em. It's on me."

Steaming hot skewers letting out a really appetizing smell were put in front of Lecan.

"These look good. You have my thanks."

Lecan put the skewers in his mouth without hesitation. Finally, a decent meal after a long time. His whole body was ecstatic.

"Eh don't worry about it. Oh also, we got complaints about you threatening them to open the path."

"I thought it's a good etiquette to call out when you want to go pass by other people."

"Indeed as you should. But, here we have a mutual non-interference rule amongst inexperienced adventurers you see. They're gonna get suspicious about anyone who goes out of their way and approaches them, thinking you're plotting something. Well, that's exactly what we taught them to though."

"You're quite caring for young adventurers going into this dungeon huh."

"We totally are! I'm glad you understand."

Lecan slightly took a liking to this dungeon guard captain.

"And uh, this is hard to say, we also got reports about a huge black monster scattering lightning everywhere on floor 3 as it excessively hunted Ground Grazers (Ajazal)."

"I killed dozens of magic beasts on Floor 3."

"I knew it. No well, I'm not saying that's a bad thing. Just that elderly mages also gotta make their living y'see. The third floor of this dungeon is an unusual hunting ground in that a mage can even go hunting solo, you see. So..."

"Got it. I will refrain from hunting magic beasts on floor 3 from here on."

"Real sorry about this! I'm just glad you're so understanding. And this one's hard to say as well. A certain group had one of their members suffered major injury because they were distracted by you when you passed by behind them during battle."

That's those adventurers' fault. However, Lecan pondered a way to save this captain's face.

"I wasn't aware of that. Are those adventurers still in this town?"

"Yeah, I also know their inn."

"Then if I could trouble you, please hand these over to them."

"Huh... Aren't these small red potions. And two of them."

"One is for the injury, and the other is my apology. I don't care how they're going to use these."

Doug stared at Lecan in surprise for a while.

"Man, yer' really a good guy. Alright! I will take care of these two potions. They'll get delivered to them tonight. Again, sorry about this. Now I can inform the young ones about you in good light. I'm sure they'll be relieved to hear it."

Lecan continued to chew on the skewers.

"Lecan. Are you staying long in this town?"

"No, I have work at town of Vouka."

"Is that so. That's too bad. This was your first dungeon exploration right?"

<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka.com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

"Yeah."

"How far did you get to? Ah but, you don't have to tell me if you're not willing to."

"Floor 26."

"26! Haha. That's good. You got to floor 26 in five days huh. Moreover, solo on your first time. That's real good one! Absolutely splendid."

"Doug."

"Oh, what is it, Lecan."

"I've heard the lord here expects items acquired in this dungeon to be sold in this town if possible."

"That's right. Of course, this depends on the person in question. But this town's got a variety of craftsmen and merchants coming from other towns to buy stuff. Everything sells quickly, and at better prices than in towns with little demands."

"Does this guard station deal in it too."

"Oh! As you can see. You may not get the best price, but you can be at ease knowing that no one will try to trick you here. Above all, you can have items get appraised for free if you're selling here. Young folks learn about dungeon items while selling theirs here."

"I'm selling these."

Lecan put aside the emptied plate and placed the <Box (Luuf)> Chaney lent him on the desk.

"Oh. You sure? Much obliged. Could you take them out on this desk."

"Got it."

Lecan stood up, took away the skewer plate as to not dirty the dungeon items with his left hand, and hung the bag upside down before opening it.

Magic gems, weapons, armor, canes, accessories spilled all over in rapid successions loudly.

"Captain! What's going on here?"

Seemingly alerted by the loud sounds. Soldiers rushed to check the situation.

And they were taken aback by the unfolding scene.

Captain Doug was also gawking at the pile of dungeon items burying his legs like he had gone senile, but then he suddenly picked up a big sword on the desk.

"This is! This shouldn't have spawned unless you got to floor 25! Did you really reach floor 26. In five days? Solo? That's impossible. To begin with, there's no way anyone can explore floor 26 alone"

"Doug."

Lecan passed him the emptied plate. Doug received the plate with a dumbfounded look.

"W-what?"

"I'm staying at this town tonight. I'll be back tomorrow morning, have the money ready by then. And I've got a request."

"Request?"

"I'd like to buy a catalog with names of monsters that spawn in this dungeon. Tell me the shop."

"If you want a list of monsters that spawn on each floor, we have it here. It's for soldiers' usage, so it's not for sale. Don't worry about money."

"Thanks. I've got another request."

"Shoot me anything."

"Tell me an inn with good food."

[Episode 5 Golbul Dungeon] Finished/ Next Time [Episode 6 Legend of the Witch]