Volume 29 - Prologue

Author Note: The timeline is around the eighth layer, when Alec is ranked A and is attacking the Labyrinth of No Return, maybe.(；´Д｀)

After wiping away the unpleasant drowsiness with a glass of water, I went down to the inn's dining room and sipped on some soup.

The soup at the 『Dragon's Dwelling Tree Residence』 tasted good, but there were few ingredients. I savored the faint sweetness of the onions and carrots, and nibbled on the boiled egg I had ordered. On Earth, there was a restaurant that offered all-you-can-eat, but I couldn't hope for the same service here. Well, I didn't want that much food in the morning.

「Good morning, Alec.」

With her red ponytail bouncing, Serina walked in. Her breath was a little uneven, as if she had been running just a moment ago. She was wearing a white armor that looked like a sailor suit, where did she find it? But it didn't seem to be an urgent matter, and she had her usual bright smile.

「Yeah」

「Can you listen to me while you eat?」

「I don't mind, but is there something wrong?」

「Yes. I just dropped by the Adventurer's Guild, and it seems that monsters have entered the nearby mine, and the miners are in trouble.」

「Hmm.」

「Hmm, Is that all?」

「That's all. If it's just one or two monsters, the ordinary people here should be able to handle them. If there are more than that, then it's up to the adventurers, and if they're still out of control, then it's up to the Knights of the Castle.」

「That's why it's not our turn.」

「If the conditions are right.」

I say plainly. Even though we're adventurers, we don't have to accept every quest. If you're an A-rank adventurer, you can get by with just taking the requests you like. Besides, the mine is a bit far away, and it doesn't smell like women.

If I had to take a job, I'd take, say, an entire class of naked JC's on the verge of losing their virginity to a pink slime, or a gal. JK and innocent JK with their freshly undressed pants begging you to buy them ......! Unless you've got some kind of perk that makes you beg for it.

「Whaaat? It's not right for us A-rank adventurer to leave the case unattended when the people of the city are in trouble.」

「Think calmly, Serina. I'm not telling you to leave the case alone.」

「What?」

「The reason why there is a rank system for adventurers is because there are differences in the abilities of adventurers from beginners to veterans.」

「Right.」

「If that's the case, young adventurers will be in trouble if A-rank adventurers take away the quests for beginners. The guild regularly holds quests for gathering herbs and killing goblins, but it's not a very lucrative job. Save those interesting spur-of-the-moment events for someone else.」

「Oh, that's what I was thinking. ...... I'm sorry, I thought for sure Alce didn't want to because it seemed like a pain in the ass.」

「Don't worry about it」

That's exactly why I just made up a reason now that I'm sure Serina would agree with.

「But I heard that the three little girls are still in the mine and haven't come out yet.」

「What? Say it quickly. Call the clan right away and get them ready.」

「Hey, ....... Well, that's fine. I'm worried about the girls. The sooner, the better.」

「Of course.」

Serina immediately called everyone together and prepared for the adventure. We rented a carriage and immediately headed for the mine where the monster was said to have appeared.

「But that's weird. The mine is located far from the city, right?」

Saki, who accompanied me, said as she folded her arms. She's dressed in her usual light Thief outfit.

「Yes, that's right.」

「Then why was there a girl in that mine?」

「Oh, she's the daughter of a miner who works there, and she was on her way to bring lunch with her friends. Maybe she was just feeling adventurous and taking a detour somewhere else. ......」

Serina shows a worried look on her face.

It's very likely that the child is distracted by something and takes a detour out of curiosity. But if the girl is on her way to bring her lunch alone, it's a sign that her mother trusts her, so it's hard to imagine that such a child would take a detour.

「Hmmm, I don't think so. It would be a quest for the guild. If they can't find her right away, it's probably a incident.」

Saki seemed to have made that decision as well, shaking her short-cut black hair a little and sighing lightly. We hurried to the site, praying for the girls' safety.