Episode 46.20

"Thank you again. So now about your rewards, all of you."

"Guide Morfes."

"What will it be, Arios-dono."

"I have received <Free Box>, while Julius <Free Box> and <Necklace of Intuador> from you, very much invaluable objects. They are more than enough as our rewards."

"So they are now. Of course, the necklace you have is yours now too, Arios-dono. Ah, right. All of you, listen well. Be sure to hide your <Necklace of Intuador> before you leave the dungeon."

"What?"

"The necklaces I gave you are made of rare and precious objects, they are the results of a great many failures at the end of processes with low chance of success, some of which only I know how. Other guides would definitely try to get their hands on them if they saw them. By any means necessary."

"Hou. They're that good huh."

"That applies to you too, Ui."

"Yes."

"Arios-dono, Julius-chan, Eda-chan and Ui, each of you will take one platinum coin as your reward."

"Eh. Obaba-sama. I went in this expedition as your companion, not a hired arm. There is no need for-"

"Where you are heading from here on, you can never have enough money."

"Eh."

"I do not believe I would receive a harsh punishment after we got out. I'm still a member of Morfes regardless of what happens, and treating the first conqueror of Dungeon Palcimo in 62 long year like a criminal would reflect bad on them. I likely would be paraded around as a hero even. But that will not be the case with you."

"Yes."

"Magic Knights will absolutely not forgive you for smearing their honor. They will make up some reasons to achieve that officially. You will be squeezed dry to the limit."

"...Yes."

"Therefore. You should ask for your exile on your own volition. Forfeit all the fortune your uncle left you. That should sway them to let you out."

"Obaba,sama."

"You will need money on hands once you are outside. Hence, take the platinum coin. Please."

"Obaba-sama. Thank you, thank you very much. But, where should I go from here if I leave."

"Would you like to go to our village?"

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"Eh."

"I can't comment on its location, but I can assure you it's quite a nice place to live."

"M-me? To the village of Iris Clan?"

"You will be able to hone your swordsmanship as well as magic there. My grandmother is a direct disciple of the honored Mazara Wedepasha-sama."

"What. Say that again?"

"Obaba-sama?"

"Listen now, Ui. The teacher of Era Morfes was none other than that Mazara Wedepasha-sama."

"Eh."

"To think a direct disciple of her is still alive today. I see. She was a Longliver. Dear me, goodness gracious. Ui. This must be a divine intervention."

"Obaba-sama."

"Oh dear. And now I can rest easy. I no longer have any regrets."

Lecan thought Jiza would start demanding to let herself be invited to Iris Clan Village as well once she heard the name Mazara Wedepasha. Yet that never happened.

Jiza has lost her vigor, worn out. However, that definitely comes from a sense of fulfillment for having achieved her lifelong dream no doubt.

"Will you be willing to come with me?"

"Y-yes."

"Oh, that's good to hear. We will probably leave this town ahead of you. There is this inn called <Rabbit's Shriek Inn> at town of Rotor. Let us meet up there."

"Yes. Arios-dono."

"Yep, yep. I'm relieved now. Ah, I have a request to you all. Won't you tell people that it was a <Chaotic Magic Wolf> that spawned on Floor 151. Let's make floor 150's boss a Pure Black Magic Wolf instead."

"Hm? Why's that?"

"There's too many mysteries around it. I will let the truth be known to the town lord and some of the directors, but who knows if they would believe me. Denying a well known fact of <Chaotic Magic Wolf> being floor 151's boss would only cause unnecessary uproars. And besides, Lecan-chan. They'd confiscate that pelt if they found out it was an Argent Flame Wolf."

"Alright. Last floor's magic beast was a <Chaotic Magic Wolf>. Make no mistake."

"Still though, Lecan. It's so weird how it turned into a pelt after getting beaten."

"Must have run out of good stuff to put inside a treasure chest."

"I see. So that's why."

"Haha. Ah, yeah. Guide Morfes."

"What is it, Arios-dono."

"I have a theory on the prerequisites to warp to floor 150."

"You what."

"It's nothing but a hypothesis of mine, will you still listen?"

"By all means, please."

"I believe one cannot warp to floor 150 unless one has stayed for several days inside the dungeon."

"What... did you say."

"The low probability of warping only to floor 150 doesn't sit right to me. But if it's about satisfying certain conditions, then I can believe it."

"Ah. That makes sense. I mean, adventurers from outside would naturally be inclined to stay for a few days inside the dungeon."

"And as we stayed for seven days, I suppose getting warped to floor 150 was the only natural outcome."

"Hmm. That's the part I'm not sure of. I feel that being guaranteed the warp to floor 150 just because you've stayed for a few days is not right either. There may be other conditions to fulfill as well."

"That line of thinking never hit me. I'm an abject failure of a researcher. How could I miss out such a possibility. Indeed. You must be correct, Arios-dono. It took Era Morfes many days as well when she conquered the dungeon. Due to one of their party members not having reached floor 100 yet, so that was the key all along. Arios-dono. That was some good information. I shall get to work to check the veracity of that at once."

"Why didn't Era Morfes think of staying in the dungeon for several days in later expeditions?"

"Lecan-chan. Even Era never imagined that they would get to floor 150 at the time. They were going to head outside once they arrived on floor 100, but then she saw the number 150 when she recited <Floor>. After which some of the members started suggesting the party head outside and add people from their factions first. But since Era was unwilling to shuffle their party composition, she decided to challenge the last floor right away. They managed to conquer it, but lost four people in the process. Era who was awfully weighed by that sternly warned people to always be in their best state before they take on floor 100."

"I see."

"Arios-dono. But then, what would be the conditions that made Argent Flame Wolf the dungeon boss."

"Obaba."

"What is it, Lecan-chan."

"Unique magic beasts can sometimes spawn inside dungeons. Especially with dungeon bosses, they get to be a unique one in one to tens, hundreds chance. You might find yourself in a world of hurt if you're fixated on it being conditional."

"Oh, I see. This coming from a veteran of dungeoneering. I'll not think of it further then. Still however, who could have imagined <Argent Flame Wolf> would show itself up there. So that was what the legend referred to."

"Legend?"

"That it is, Lecan-chan. This dungeon gets to be called <Dungeon of Wolves> not because wolves being the type of magic beasts that spawn here."

"Hou?"

"It is said that the guardian deity of this dungeon as well as Town of Palcimo is the Argent Flame Wolf."

"Hou. So you're saying we went and beat up this guardian deity big stuff huh."

"Uwaah. Best we keep it to ourselves then."

"That is the idea, Eda-chan."