Episode 34.11

After seeing Eliza off, Zoltan pulled out a chair and sat on it.

"Lecan. Sorry for the trouble."

"It was trouble for sure. But, forget that. Nark!"

Nark's hurried footsteps resounded. From over the kitchen, aka his living space.

『Want some fermented stuff?』

Lecan spoke in the language of his previous world.

『Yeah. I'll have one.』

Zoltan replied back in the same language.

Nark came over.

"Get us fermented liquor. Two cups. Also some snack to go with it."

Nark skillfully took a liquor bottle and metal cups, then he brought them along with beans and dried fish on plates.

"Sonny. Sorry but fetch me a wooden cup will you. I prefer that."

"Oh, then change mine too."

Nark replaced their cups and went inside the kitchen. He must be making something.

『Cheers.』

『Cheers.』

『I almost yelled out loud when you were on your way to this inn earlier.』

『Same went for me. I had never felt that sensation in my life before. However, it was clear to me that there was someone from my homeworld in this inn. Had no idea that sensation actually existed.』

『Guess that's how it feels when someone from our world is close by.』

『No, that's not it.』

『Hm? What do you mean?』

『I've come across other people from our world, yet that sensation never surfaced. Although those guys were not adventurers.』

『Would a non-adventurer jump into a <Black Hole>?』

『That's not it. Apparently a huge <Black Hole> suddenly showed up in a forest before their eyes and they fell, or more like they got swallowed in it.』

『Hee. Didn't know that could happen.』

『That earlier sensation is probably because we're both adventurers, depth-walking ones. That's what it feels.』

『I see.』

『I've met dungeon-diving people from another world different from ours as well, and they too did not have the kind of feels you have. So that thing earlier probably only occurs between dungeon adventurers from the same world.』

『You sure have met with lots of folks.』

『Been here long after all.』

『How many years?』

『Well now. Think it's a bit over 50. Can't say I remember.』

『What? How old are you again.』

『More than 80, should be almost 90.』

『You don't look the age at all.』

"Descenders get a slightly longer lifespan. Even more if you dive in dungeon depths."

"Oh, you're back to this world's speak huh."

"This one's easier for me now."

"Thanks fer' waiting. Looks like things are livenin' up here eh."

Nark brought a meat dish he made. Three kinds of meat roasted over fire with a spicy garnish.

"This man comes from my land, y'see."

"Hee! Same land as Zoltan eh. Ain't that a surprise. Wait, where's your homeland again, Zoltan?"

"It's in some faraway land."

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"Oh yeah, you couldn't speak or something when gramps stumbled upon you at first."

"Gramps?"

"I got in trouble at the first village I visited back when I arrived due to language barrier, y'see. Was spending my time in a forest when I saved some caravan from a horde of monsters, Nark's gramps who was escorting that caravan took me along on the ride back."

"Hou. Nark's gramps was an adventurer huh."

"He was. Yark's the name. Quite a gentle one that chap. Even took someone who couldn't speak his language at all along into a dungeon."

"Is that gentle."

"Gukuku. It sure is. He took interest in my skill, y'see. And dungeons are like hometown to me personally."

"I see."

"I owed Yark a lot. He taught me how to speak the language here and all kinds of common sense. Might be a bit biased common sense though. Gugu."

Air escapes the gaps between his teeth whenever Zoltan chuckles. Interesting to watch.

"Guy eventually got married, retired his adventuring business and started harvesting crops. While I kept going in dungeons."

The talk continued when Nell came back from shopping. After some pleasantries, she went and harvested fresh veggies from their field and cooked with them. Appetizing dishes get lined up. Then Nark and Nell left them alone out of consideration.

"Oh right!"

"What's wrong?"

"Got some good stuff on me."

Lecan took a liquor bottle from <Storage>.

"That's! A 30 year old Legatte! Ooh!"

It's the last bottle of liquor Lecan brought from his previous world. This is exactly the time to open it, thought Lecan.

"Have a drink."

"My bad. Aa. Smells nice."

After pouring a few shot above his tongue, Zoltan put the cup above his face and poured it down his throat.

"Gotta do this else it spills out ever since I got this look, y'see. Now I dump my drink straight down the throat. In the beginning, I gotta take a red potion after every hot tea. Gugu."

"Hahaha. Where did you get that look anyway?"

"On this dungeon's floor 121."

"What?"

"Gukuku. Seems you've got there too."

(They told Zoltan too huh.)

(What even is secret in Secret Appraisal. Sheesh.)

"I see. So you too has arrived there."

"Sure am. But I never told anyone how you need to defeat floor 120's <Guardian> alone."

"Why?"

"Because they're just gonna rush to their death, those who lack power attempting that. I waited. For someone fit to share the secret with. And once that fellow shows up, I plan to join up with them and head for the true final floor."

"I see."

He's right. Telling that secret to the General Dungeon Administrative means all adventurers will also know. Perhaps they will only disclose it to a few select adventurers at first, but this kind of secret always leaks out eventually. Once that comes out, there'd be no shortage of people attempting to get to floor 120 and challenge the guardian there alone even if it's beyond their capability.

"However, no fella like that ever came to be. Yark's son, Mark had the potential to reach floor 121, but he retired soon after his marriage and opened this inn. But man, this liquor is really good."