After taking rooms at the inn and catching their breath, Rei and the others decided to head straight for the Guild Branch Office.
They could have waited until the next morning since it was already evening, but they still had the matter of the Mantis they had fought on the road. Considering the creature's strange nature, Elena judged that they didn't have the luxury of time.
Another deciding factor was the information Vel had gathered at the inn—the head of the Guild also served as the provisional representative for the village surrounding the dungeon.
"Hey, look at that..."
"Who’s that beauty? I don’t remember seeing her around here."
"She’s not just a fine woman. Look at her gear—she looks like she knows how to use it."
"The guys with her look pretty seasoned too."
"Check out that figure. I’d love to have her for just one night."
Elena possessed a striking beauty and a well-defined silhouette that made her impossible to ignore. Walking through the village, she drew every eye.
Since the village existed solely because of the dungeon, the majority of its inhabitants were adventurers. Even if they didn't know names, most recognized the faces of their peers. When a stunning woman like Elena appeared out of nowhere, the reaction was predictable.
Most of the male adventurers stopped in their tracks, mesmerized by her beauty, and began whispering to their companions.
However, those who muttered about wanting her for a night soon found themselves gasping for air. Ara and Kyuste were glaring at them with eyes sharp enough to kill.
Unlike her fuming subordinates, Elena continued down the road, seemingly unconcerned by the commotion. Having spent so much of her life on battlefields, she had learned to ignore such distractions.
Her confidence was rooted in her own strength. She had publicly declared that any suitor had to be stronger than her to even stand a chance. If anyone were foolish enough to actually attack her, she was more than capable of cutting them down—and she had done exactly that in the past.
Despite being a highly conspicuous group, Elena’s party continued through the village.
Had Set been with them, they would have stood out even more. Fortunately, the Gryphon was currently back at the stables, focused entirely on the food it was receiving from Linde. It had wanted to come along, but Rei had eventually persuaded it to stay.
"Let’s see... yeah, this is the place."
Vel, who had been leading the way, stopped and looked up at a building.
It was a large structure, though not quite as grand as the Guild in the City of Gilm. Since it had been built as a temporary facility for as long as the dungeon remained active, Rei and the others could see that its construction was somewhat hasty.
"Hmph. Then let us enter."
Ignoring Kyuste, who was scowling at the crude craftsmanship of the building, Elena pushed open the Guild doors.
As she stepped inside, she surveyed the interior.
"I see. So this is the layout."
The adventurers and Guild Staff inside froze at the sight of her, but Elena paid them no mind as she inspected the hall.
Standing beside her, Rei did the same.
Being a temporary branch near a dungeon, the place differed significantly from the Guild in Gilm. The most notable difference was the absence of an attached tavern. Because large numbers of adventurers often converged on the Guild at once to register parties or sell materials, the space had been dedicated entirely to Guild functions.
In Gilm, the Guild was always busy with a massive volume of postings on the Request Board, but since those requests had different start and end times, the crowds were manageable outside of the morning and evening rushes. Here, however, almost every adventurer was there for the sole purpose of diving into the dungeon, leading to severe congestion.
Just like in the wilderness, monsters inside the dungeon became more aggressive and active at night. Consequently, most adventurers followed the same schedule for their dives, which created these massive crowds.
Of course, some high-rank adventurers specifically sought out night-active monsters or simply wanted a greater challenge, but they were a small minority.
There were also those who took on the few available caravan escort missions, so the Guild wasn't entirely empty during off-hours, but the current rush was intense.
"The counter is... over there."
As the adventurers and staff finally regained their composure and began to move, Elena headed for the Guild counter.
"Excuse me."
"Ah, y-yes! Of course. How may I help you?"
"I have business with the supervisor of this branch. Please arrange a meeting."
"I... I see. May I ask the nature of your business? I can’t exactly grant an interview to just anyone without a reason."
The young clerk proved his worth as an employee of a frontier branch. Though initially stunned by Elena's presence, he quickly regained his professional poise.
Internalizing a small note of respect for his focus, Elena continued.
"Very well. I have two matters to discuss. First, it is regarding this."
She produced two envelopes. Both were sealed with wax—one bearing the crest of Duke Kerebel, and the other the crest of Margrave Larkus.
The clerk might not have recognized the Kerebel seal, but he certainly knew the mark of Margrave Larkus, the ruler of the territory. He let out a sharp gasp and looked between the letters and Elena’s face several times.
"I understand! I will inform the Branch Manager immediately. Please wait just a moment!"
"Umu. Very well."
Elena nodded, and the clerk hurried up the stairs behind the counter.
As they watched him go, Elena looked around the room with curiosity.
Most of her missions were assigned directly by her father, the Duke, so she rarely had a reason to enter a Guild hall. Furthermore, as a Duke's Daughter, Kyuste and Ara had always made an effort to keep her away from such rowdy environments.
In contrast, Vel had plenty of experience with Guilds, often selling magic stones and materials obtained during his travels to gather information.
"Hey, who are they? Does anyone recognize them?"
"No. Never seen 'em. You don't forget a group like that, so they must be new in town."
"Look at the way they carry themselves. They're not adventurers. They look like knights."
"Knights? What the hell are knights doing in a dangerous place like the Frontier?"
"Don't ask me. If you’re so curious, go ask them yourself."
While most adventurers were gossiping, the more talented mages in the room had sensed the massive magic power Rei possessed. They stood paralyzed, unable to look away.
"What—!?"
"Hey, what’s the matter with you?"
"..."
"What, your guy too? Our mage has been shaking like a leaf ever since those people walked in..."
Amidst the growing noise, the clerk returned and descended the stairs to greet Elena.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. The Representative will see you now. This way, please."
"I appreciate your assistance."
Elena nodded and followed the clerk up the stairs.
Kyuste, Vel, Ara, and Rei followed closely behind.
The crowd on the 1F was left to speculate about the group's identity, and the mages only began to recover once Rei was out of sight.
This incident would serve as the catalyst for Rei's reputation to spread. The mages would tell their party members, who would tell their friends, and word of the newcomer's power would soon permeate the village.
"Representative, I have brought Lady Elena's Entourage."
The clerk, now fully aware of who Elena was, guided them to the room and knocked politely.
The voice that answered from within was unexpectedly youthful.
"Yes, please come in."
The clerk opened the door, and Elena’s party stepped inside.
"Welcome. I am Worker, the Representative of this Guild branch."
A man rose from behind a desk and bowed. He appeared to be in his late twenties, or perhaps his early thirties at the absolute oldest. He had a gentle, soft-featured face and exuded a friendly, approachable aura.
He was far from the hardened figure they had expected. Vel and Ara looked surprised, while Kyuste merely observed the man with a cool, appraising gaze, seemingly indifferent to the commoner's appearance.
Rei also felt a flicker of surprise.
This was a Guild right on the edge of a dungeon. It was filled with rowdy, dangerous adventurers. He had expected a leader more like Daskar, Margrave Larkus, someone who could rule through sheer presence.
(So this is the Guild Representative. Well, you can't manage a bunch of adventurers with kindness alone. He probably has a few hidden sides to him...)
As Rei pondered this, Elena took a seat on the guest sofa without letting her expression slip.
The rest of the group stood behind her as guards.
"The letters likely explained most of it, but allow me to introduce myself. I am Elena Kerebel. I have been dispatched by my father, Duke Kerebel, to investigate the Altar of Inheritance discovered in this dungeon. I look forward to your cooperation."
"Yes, likewise. However... the Altar of Inheritance mentioned in the Duke's letter is on B7F, the lowest floor, right near the boss room. No matter how skilled the 'Princess General' is rumored to be, reaching it will be no small feat."
"I am well aware of the danger. Fortunately, I have subordinates with Thief Skills like Vel, and the rest of my party is more than capable. We have no intention of being careless; we will proceed with the utmost caution."
Elena spoke while glancing back at Vel, Kyuste, Ara, and Rei.
"I see. The letters asked that I extend every possible courtesy to you. Do you have any specific requests?"
"None for now. We prepared our supplies in Gilm, and our combat strength is sufficient. As long as we can enter the dungeon without delay, there should be no problems."
"Without delay... I see."
Worker nodded as he considered her request. He reached into his desk and pulled out a special Guild Card.
"Please take this. This card grants the holder authority second only to my own as the Representative. It will be particularly useful for entering the dungeon."
"Entering the dungeon?"
"Yes. Most adventurers try to enter at the same time, which often leads to long wait times. With this card, you will be permitted to bypass the queue and enter immediately."
"That is most helpful. I accept it with gratitude. Shall I return it when we depart?"
"Yes, please. That would be appreciated. Also, what about a map?"
"I have a map up to B3F from Margrave Larkus. Do you have anything more detailed?"
"I'm afraid not. The maps up to B3F are the most current. Some parties have gone deeper, but providing that information to the Guild is strictly voluntary."
Once the discussion about the dungeon reached a natural pause, Worker spoke again after a brief silence.
"You mentioned having two matters to discuss. If the first was the dungeon, what is the second?"
"Umu. To be honest, we were attacked by a strange monster on the way here from Gilm."
"Strange? Was it a new species?"
"I am not sure. It is difficult to define something as a monster when it dissolves into nothing without even leaving a magic stone. Furthermore, its strength was at least B-Rank Monster level."
"...Is that the truth?"
Worker asked, his tone shifting from curiosity to professional skepticism. Ara stepped forward immediately.
"Are you suggesting that Lady Elena would lie!?"
"No, no. But as a Guild Representative, I cannot simply take reports of such monsters at face value without corroboration. Still... the timing is rather telling. It does explain a few things."
"Oh? You have an idea? Please, tell us."
Worker nodded at Elena's prompt and continued.
"The truth is, several caravans departing from this village have gone missing over the past few weeks. We’ve had similar reports regarding merchants traveling here from Gilm."
"And the guards?"
"They were guarded, of course. One moment."
He picked up a stack of documents from the corner of his desk and began flipping through the pages.
"The highest-ranked were C-Rank parties, while the lowest was an F-Rank party. If the attacker was truly a B-Rank Monster level threat, they would have stood no chance. Are you certain of its strength?"
"Yes. Rei can testify to that."
"...Rei?"
"If you work for the Guild, you’ve heard of the Orc Settlement, haven't you? He is the one who slew the Orc King, that B-Rank Monster leading the horde. Rei."
At Elena's signal, Rei stepped forward.
"I'm Rei. The monster we encountered on the road definitely possessed power on the level of an Orc King-class. It was a Giant Mantis with four scythes and beetle-like armor. It could blend into the surroundings to become invisible and used wind-based magic. After I killed it, it dissolved, leaving behind a pungent smell. The liquid it turned into was acidic enough to melt the grass around it."
"I see... I will report this to the Guild in Gilm immediately. I truly hope this Mantis-type was just a unique Rare Species, but..."
"According to Rei, there is a possibility that the creature was an artificial being created through Alchemy."
"Alchemy? I see. Thank you. I will include that in the report as well."
With the report on the Mantis finished, the party decided to head back to the inn to recover from their journey.
All to prepare themselves for the dungeon challenge that would begin the next day.