60. Dividing the Loot!

"...I wonder what happened to the dungeon?" Halfa murmured, peering into the depths of the dark pit.

When she lowered her lantern, we saw that the massive hole had been filled in halfway down. Not a single trace of the Ruins Dungeon remained, as if it had never existed in the first place.

"There’s nothing left," I noted.

"It feels like it was all just a dream..." Halfa whispered.

It certainly wasn't a dream, but seeing it look like nothing more than an ordinary hole, I could understand why she felt that way. I'd initially thought it was the type of dungeon that had swallowed up existing ruins, but with no evidence left behind, perhaps I was wrong. Or maybe this was simply what happened when any dungeon collapsed?

"Regardless, I’m just glad we made it out in one piece. But still, why did the damn thing suddenly cave in?" Zephyr grumbled, plopping down on the ground.

I wasn't an expert—I’d only read through the records kept by the Cygnil Adventurer's Guild—but I recalled a specific theory mentioned in their archives.

"The leading theory is that every dungeon has a core, and when that core is destroyed, the dungeon collapses," I explained. "However, the appearance and location of the core vary from dungeon to dungeon. Since there have only been a few recorded collapses, no one knows the specifics for sure."

"Is that right? So, what was the core this time? Did we break something?"

When he put it that way, I had to think. If there was a likely candidate, it had to be that creature.

"Maybe... it was the Raremerat?"

"Are you serious?! That's the ultimate trap!"

I didn't know for certain, but considering the timing, it was the only thing that made sense. So, a monster could serve as a dungeon's core? Dungeons truly were a mystery.

"Well, it was the right call to explore before reporting it," Zephyr said, letting out a boisterous laugh. "Lowell, you should thank me and Halfa for suggesting we go in."

"It’s easy to say in hindsight... but you might be right," Lowell admitted with a reluctant nod, his expression a bit sour.

If we had reported the find to the Adventurer's Guild before exploring, another party might have hunted the Raremerat first. If the dungeon was destined to collapse the moment it died, Lowell would have lost his chance to obtain the tail.

Even if he had managed to hunt it himself later without interference, the dungeon’s profitability would have been public knowledge by then. If he had triggered a collapse with a crowd of adventurers inside, he would have faced a storm of criticism.

In other words, for Lowell, the best time to hunt the Raremerat was right then—before word of the dungeon’s value could spread.

"You're being strangely honest. It’s throwing me off..." Zephyr grimaced, likely because Lowell had actually agreed to a comment he’d meant as a joke. However, his face quickly brightened. "Ah, whatever. Anyway! Let's get to the important part: splitting the spoils!"

Since we had explored as a joint party of two separate groups, we had to be strict with the distribution to avoid trouble later. Both Zephyr and Lowell seemed like good men, but that didn't mean we should handle things haphazardly.

"I'm fine as long as I get the Raremerat Tail," Lowell declared immediately.

That was far too small a share, though. Between the treasure chests and the weapons the goblins had been carrying, we had a mountain of loot. Besides, while the Raremerat Tail was a rare material, its niche use meant there wasn't much demand for it. With almost no supply or demand, it didn't even have a set market price.

"Calculating everything is a hassle, so why don't we just take turns picking one thing we want?" Halfa suggested.

We ended up going with her idea. The monetary values might not be perfectly equal, but it was the simplest and most agreeable method.

From the pool of items, I claimed the Dagger of Piercing and the Boots of Silence.

The Dagger of Piercing was a magic weapon with a remarkably straightforward effect: it was enchanted with a formula that boosted penetration. It wasn't flashy, but it was exactly what I needed. I’d been worried about my lack of killing power with ordinary knives lately, and this dagger would help close that gap.

The Boots of Silence were magic boots that muffled the wearer's footsteps. They were perfect for someone like me who relied on surprise attacks and ambushes to deal damage. I was also pleased to find they offered high defensive value.

As expected of dungeon-made equipment, the sizes adjusted automatically to fit the wearer. Not every item found in a dungeon did this, but most did, and it was an incredibly convenient feature.

Halfa selected the Bow of Force and a set of shock-absorbent Cloth Armor. The bow's main draw was its ability to fire magical arrows by consuming the wielder's mana. As long as her mana held out, she could fire without worrying about ammunition. Furthermore, because the arrows were made of pure mana, they were effective even against physically armored foes.

The other members all managed to get something they wanted as well, leaving the remaining items for Shiroru. She wasn't going to use them, of course—we’d liquidate them to fund her snack budget. Not that it changed much, since I was the one who ended up making the snacks anyway.

The equipment was settled, but we still had one mystery item left: the strange coins dropped by the Raremerat.

"Do you know anything about these, Lowell?" I asked.

"I've heard they can drop random types of metal, but..."

So the drop was randomized. I decided to check them with my Appraisal Loupe.

The appraisal results were as literal as could be: the item was a Raremerat Coin. It had no special effects and couldn't be used as currency anywhere. If I had to categorize it, it was a collector's item or a work of art.

However, that didn't mean it was worthless. In fact, it was an item of staggering value.

This coin... was made of pure Mithril!

Mithril is a legendary magic metal with incredibly high mana conductivity. Because of that property, it’s used in high-end magic weapons and top-tier magic tools. Since it generally only comes from dungeons, the amount in circulation is miniscule. Its rarity and utility made it worth a fortune.

We decided to split the coins six ways, counting Shiroru as a member. With the coins divided, no one person had enough to forge a full weapon yet.

The three of us had three shares combined, but for the time being, I’d just keep them tucked away in my Storage Ring. Processing Mithril requires advanced smithing techniques, and I didn't even have a lead on a craftsman who could handle it.