Episode 28.3

"Oy!"

The big man called out to Nark.

"Bring me the whole bottle of this stuff."

Nark took another bottle of fermented Kizolt liquor. It's still unsealed.

"Three silver coins."

The big man silently handed over the money.

So they do have money.

After taking the coins, Nark moved to the kitchen, lit up a twig with <Ignition> magic and lightly warmed some dried Posu.

He put them in a plate and brought it it to the table.

"Ah. This must be dried Posu. Smells good."

"This one's on us."

"Oh that's so generous of you. This is really a nice inn."

"Yeah?"

"The building itself may be old but it's made of solid wood. The rooms are spacious, the bed is big, and the sheet is cleanly put together. There's a roof over the well, surrounded by thick plantations as a blind, so you can wash up even during bad weather. I think this is a very well done, very well managed inn."

"Yeah."

(Well dang.)

(Good observations for folks who just got here.)

(You're damn right.)

(This inn offers a comfortable space to those who get it.)

(Put a lot of work into it 'fter all.)

"And the field is well tended with some tasty-looking vegetable in it. We can't wait for the meals here."

Having your pride and joy field praised doesn't feel bad.

(These two, can it be.)

(They decided to stay here at <Rafin's Rock Terrace Inn> after they saw vegetable growing in our field.)

Now I gotta cook up some real unique stuff tonight, thought Nark.

"Nark-san. Do you have some time to spare?"

The lanky young man pulled out an empty chair.

No. He looked lanky at a glance due to his supple gestures, but looking closer, he's got unexpectedly firm core and muscles.

"Whaddya need."

Nark sat down while saying that.

"We passed by the dungeon earlier, but we didn't see the building for Adventurer Association, does this town not have one?"

"Nah, there's one. However, this town's Adventurer's Association don't deal on dungeon. All stores around the dungeon are managed by the town lord."

"Eeh. That's a surprise. So even stores that sell equipment and consumables are managed by the town lord themselves. I saw many solid buildings made of stone lined up there."

"Information desk, trades, dineries, general stores and even brothels are all managed by the town lord. Can't have a store opened up within a 2000 step radius 'round the dungeon, that's the rule."

"Ah, so that's how it works. I see. By the way, I've heard there's only one type of magic beast spawning in this dungeon, is that story true?"

"What? You really don't know that?"

"Yes."

That's a bit weird.

Dungeon Tsubolt is not a dungeon rookie adventurers want to dive in.

Without enough experience, sufficient ability and decent equipment, an adventurer won't last long even on a very shallow floor. But these two are obviously no rookie.

Yet can they really not know that Dungeon Tsubolt is one of the so-called <Unique Type Dungeons>.

"Dungeon Tsubolt is a Unique type Dungeon. Every floor's only got unique types of <White Spectre (Zaag)> spawning."

"What's a unique Dungeon?"

"The heck, you're asking that? Hold it. Ya folks ain't gonna tell me this is your first dungeon escapade, are ya?"

Among adventurers there are those who only do dungeon diving called <Dungeoneers>, and there are also those who only work above ground.

"No. We delved into a relatively deep floors in other places. I have only ever done one dungeon myself, but this Lecan-dono here has explored quite a lot of dungeons."

"Hmm? Still tho', ya can find out basic stuff like this if you go to information desk."

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"Information desk?"

"Haven't gone there eh. Gotta go to the information desk if ya wanna purchase maps. You can just ask for more details there."

The slender young man glanced at the big man. The big man sipped his cup.

"No. I think we won't be buying a map."

"Ah. Yer' gonna hire a <Rat (Cirlan)> eh."

"Rat?"

"I'm talkin' bout guides. The guides here got the town lord's licenses see. Most won't try to steal or deceive their employers."

"Ah, so that's what guides are called here. By the way, what are Unique Dungeons?"

"Not unique dungeons. Unique type Dungeons. It's a dungeon where only unique types of a specific magic beast spawn. Only unique types of White Specters spawn here in Dungeon Tsubolt. Those things're far stronger than yer' average White Specters."

"So it will be the same kind of magic beast that gets stronger as you go down?"

"Yeah. Ah they may be the same kind, but some differ as <Red Body> and <Black Body>."

"<Red Body> and <Black Body> is it."

"<Red Body>'s the common body, while <Black Body>'s got some really hard body like they're wearing armor."

"This dungeon is 120 floors long, is it not?"

"That's right."

"How many times does it get conquered per year?"

"Hm? Beats me. Not really sure, but think some peeps beat down the giant variant on the lowest floor once a year."

"Giant variant on the lowest floor? What about the Dungeon Boss, should be on the final floor."

The big man, Lecan, spoke out.

"Aa. This dungeon's special. There's no boss on the lowest floor. Naturally this dungeon never hibernates either. S'why some call it <Sleepless Dungeon>. <Dungeon of Swords> is more well known tho'."

"Hou."

"So that means, the town lord won't summon you even if you conquer the lowest floor then?"

"Oy oy, yer' already worryin' 'bout last floor when ya haven't even got in? But yeah. Not like the town lord's gonna reward you or something even if you beat the giant variant on the lowest floor. More like, ya only got yer' own words as proof of beating the giant variant on the lowest floor."

"Isn't there some sort of mark you get for defeating that giant variant?"

"Naw nothin' like that. But giant variants 'round the lowest floors sometimes drop swords with <Damage Restoration> Grace. Only drop around floor 100 though if one even drops that is."

"What'd you say."

The big man put the cup down and bent his body forward. Pierced by the look in his right eye, Nark forgot to breathe for a moment. Nark also realized something then.

(This guy never opened his left eye.)

(Musta lost it.)

(Why not just heal it up with a red potion?)

(No wait, hold up.)

(Could it be, red potions don't work?)

One adventurer came up in Nark's mind. A dungeoneer by the alias <Skeleton Ogre>, the meat on his right jaw has been gouged out, so the bone under it is visible. That man's wound couldn't be healed with red potions either. It's said such cases aren't that rare among adept adventurers who rest on the summit.

(Yer' tellin' me this guy's as good as <Skeleton Ogre Zoltan>?)

"Did you say a sword with <Damage Restoration> grace gets dropped?"

Nark came back to his sense with Lecan's second question.

"Y-yea. 'S a Grace that restores blade to its original state even after it gets chipped."

"Some stores should sell that kind of swords then?"

"Nah. Swords dropped on the lowest floor usually got additional Graces on top of its high innate performance. Adventurers who got a sword like that use it for themselves. Even if they did sell one, someone else would snatch it up right away. So you ain't gonna find one in a store."

"I see."

The big man grabbed his cup once again.

Nark felt like he could saw a suspicious glint in his eye.

"Ah yeah, another thing, ya don't hafta beat a giant variant twice to create a <Mark> in this dungeon."

"Hou. So you only have to beat them once to get a <Mark>."

"That's not what I mean, you get a <Mark> simply by getting down to a floor."

"Hou."