Early the next morning, the day after arriving in the village, Elena’s party struck out for the dungeon.
The group consisted of five people and one beast: Ara and Rei in the vanguard, Elena and Kyuste in the midguard, and Vel in the rearguard, with Seto acting as a mobile force.
The summer heat had given way to a cool, crisp morning, and the sky was as clear as one would expect of a fine autumn day.
As they walked through the village, they passed a steady stream of other adventurers—ranging from solo travelers to parties of five, and occasionally larger groups of nearly ten. The pattern was always the same: the onlookers would freeze at the sight of Seto, relax once they spotted the Tamed Monster's Necklace around his neck, gape at Elena’s peerless beauty, and finally shrink back under the sharp, warning glares of Kyuste and Ara.
A few mages who had likely missed the previous night's commotion at the guild also recoiled or froze the moment they laid eyes on Rei.
"Honestly, what is it with this rabble of commoners? How dare they look at Lady Elena that way? This is exactly why..."
Elena, catching Kyuste’s disgruntled muttering, offered a wry smile to soothe him.
"Kyuste, drawing attention is nothing new for us. I don’t mind, so you shouldn't let it bother you either. Also, refrain from such talk about commoners. Most people here fall into that category, and there is no benefit in causing offense. Besides, you’ve stood on the battlefield with me; you know better than anyone that lustful gazes have nothing to do with whether a man is a noble or a commoner."
"...Yes, my apologies."
Elena had been forced to live with the awareness of her own exceptional beauty for her entire life. She was thoroughly accustomed to the way men looked at her and remained largely unmoved. Of course, if anyone was foolish enough to actually act on those impulses, she would draw her whip-sword without hesitation. The number of men she had left injured—be they noble or common—was quite substantial.
Ara looked at Elena with a sympathetic expression. "Perhaps it would have been better to head to the dungeon by carriage after all."
"Hey now, Ara," Vel cut in. "A carriage is fine for travel, but we're heading for B7F, the lowest floor. We'll likely be staying down there for several days. What would we do with the carriage in the meantime? We can’t exactly leave it parked outside the dungeon entrance the whole time."
"Hmph. You’re the one lacking forethought, Vel. We could have just had the inn staff come and collect it, or better yet, hired one of them to act as a driver from the start."
"...I wonder which of us is really lacking forethought here." Vel snorted, laughing through his nose.
"Wait, what? Exactly what part of that was a bad idea?"
"Listen. The horses pulling that carriage are warhorses. And exceptionally high-spec ones at that."
"Precisely. They are magnificent creatures worthy of Lady Elena."
"You still don't get it? Warhorses of that caliber have massive pride. They won't lift a hoof for anyone they don't recognize as a master."
"...Eh?"
"Are you really a knight? This is basic common sense."
"W-Well, then we could have just borrowed ordinary horses instead!"
"And have the warhorses sulk because they were replaced?"
"Guh..."
Whether out of embarrassment at being out-argued or anger at being made to look foolish in front of the mistress she adored, Ara fell into a red-faced silence.
Fortunately for both Ara and Vel, the village was built specifically around the dungeon, so it didn't take long to reach the entrance.
"Aah, as I thought, quite the line," Vel noted.
A crowd of about thirty adventurers—roughly ten parties—was already waiting at the dungeon entrance.
"Lady Elena, what shall we do? We could use the card we received yesterday to move ahead," Kyuste suggested.
"...Indeed. The Altar of Inheritance is far. We cannot afford to waste time here. Before we proceed, everyone, check your gear. Weapons, armor, and your emergency potions—ensure everything is in order."
At Elena's command, the party conducted a final equipment check. Rei, unlike the others, simply confirmed he could retrieve the Death Scythe from his Misty Ring. Since he could pull potions from the ring at a moment's notice, he carried nothing else on his person.
"Guruuu."
Seto purred and rubbed his head against Rei. His own equipment—three high-tier magic items—was already in place: the Bracelet of Wind Manipulation and the Bracelet of Herculean Strength on his front legs, and the Dropstone of Benevolence hanging alongside his Tamed Monster's Necklace.
In truth, it was incredibly rare for a summoned beast or tamed monster to be outfitted with such gear. All three items were masterpieces crafted by Estha Nor, the legendary alchemist of the Zephyle Clan.
"Lady Elena, I am ready. We can depart whenever you wish," Kyuste reported.
"I am also ready."
"I'm good to go whenever."
As Kyuste, Ara, and Vel gave their confirmation, Rei nodded silently and Seto let out a soft trill. Elena performed a final check of her own magic items—her whip-sword, armor, mantle, and boots—and ensured her potions were accessible.
"It seems we are all prepared. Let us move."
Elena led the way, bypassing the long queue of adventurers and heading straight for the guild staff member stationed at the entrance.
"A moment, if you please," she said.
"What is it? If you're going into the dungeon, get to the rearmost position of the line," the staff member replied bluntly. He appeared to be a former adventurer in his late forties. Given that he was tasked with guarding the entrance where monsters might emerge, he clearly possessed significant combat experience.
His posture was devoid of openings, and his sword's scabbard was well-worn. What impressed Elena most, however, was that he didn't become entranced by her beauty; he merely acknowledged her presence with a slight shift in expression. Even seeing Seto only caused him to twitch an eyebrow, suggesting a man of considerable mettle.
"Take a look at this."
Elena handed him the card she had received from Worker the night before—a token representing authority second only to the guild representative himself.
"...Tch. Fine. I can't argue with that card. Go on in ahead."
"Wait, Pops! What’s the big idea? It’s my turn!" a solo adventurer at the front of the line shouted. But the man called Pops silenced him with a single, sharp glare.
"This card carries the authority of the representative. When it’s presented, we obey. We have to obey."
The guild staff member addressed the disgruntled adventurer before turning back to Elena.
"Though it’s a bit of a headache when people use these things so casually. I’d prefer you didn't go around disrupting the order of the line. Try to be a bit more considerate next time."
"You! How dare you speak to Lady Elena that way!" Kyuste growled, his hand flying to his magic spear. Before he could level it, however, Elena’s whip-sword scabbard pressed down on his hand.
"Stop, Kyuste. While we have the authority, we are the ones cutting in line. It is only natural for those behind us to harbor ill feelings."
"...Yes."
At Elena's word, Kyuste reluctantly stood down. Beside him, Ara also moved her hand away from the hilt of her sword.
Rei watched the exchange while calmly stroking Seto’s back.
"My apologies," Elena said to the official. "But our circumstances are urgent. If I must use my authority to move forward, I will not hesitate to do so. I assume we may pass?"
"Yeah. Normally I’d need guild cards from everyone, but with that special card, there’s no issue with you entering. However, I still need to log at least one card for the records. Does anyone have one?"
The party's collective gaze shifted to Rei. Even Kyuste’s eyes were on him—mostly, Rei suspected, because they were all in a hurry to get inside.
Rei reached into the Misty Ring, pulled out his guild card, and handed it over. Several onlookers who realized what Rei possessed cast sharp, envious looks at him, but he brushed them off. Seto, however, took a step toward the staring crowd and let out a warning rumble from his throat.
"Hoh. D-Rank at your age? You’re quite the rising star," the man said, casting an impressed look at the small-statured Rei. He quickly logged the details into his documents and returned the card in less than a minute. "Alright. You're clear to enter."
"Our thanks," Elena replied with a magnanimous nod. The movement caused her hair to sway, leaving a lasting impression of her vertical rolls on the captivated adventurers as the party descended into the dungeon.
The entrance consisted of an ordinary set of stairs leading deep underground.
"Are these stairs part of the dungeon as well?" Ara asked.
"No," Vel answered. "The guild built these after the dungeon was discovered. There’s the proof."
At the bottom of the stairs sat a rugged, reinforced door. It had been installed by the guild specifically to prevent monsters from wandering out.
"This door is the real starting point."
"Guruuu."
The path between the stairs and the door was narrow—too narrow for Seto to spread his wings—and the griffon let out a dissatisfied trill as he walked.
However, his mood shifted the moment they passed through the door. The passage beyond was incredibly wide, providing enough space for several people to move freely even if Seto fully extended his wings.
"This is remarkably spacious... and are the walls themselves glowing?" Kyuste wondered aloud, reaching out to touch the faintly phosphorescent surface.
"According to what I've heard, glowing walls are a common feature in most dungeons," Vel explained. "Though some floors are supposedly shrouded in total darkness, so don't let your guard down."
"If we could take pieces of these walls back to the surface, they’d probably be worth a fortune," Ara mused.
Vel gave a wry smile. "You think you're the first adventurer to think of that? Apparently, the glow dies the moment you scrape the stone off. It only works inside the dungeon. One theory is that the dungeon core created the light so the monsters living here wouldn't be inconvenienced."
"The core does things for the monsters? Is that even possible?"
"Your skepticism is fair, Kyuste, but think about it. The core teleports monsters from the surface to defend the place. They wouldn't be very effective guards if they were stumbling around in the pitch black, right?"
"...I see. Put that way, it makes sense."
While the others talked, Elena pulled a map from a pouch on her belt.
"Dungeon sightseeing is well and good, but our goal is the Altar of Inheritance on the lowest floor. Our maps only cover up to B3F, but we know the bottom is B7F. We need to move through the mapped areas as quickly as possible. Vanguard is Rei and Ara. Midguard is Kyuste and myself. Vel takes the rearguard. Seto, I want you at the rearmost position behind Vel, just in case. Let’s move."
Following her orders, the party began their descent. Being B1F, the monsters that appeared were mostly trivial threats—Giant Bats and Horned Rabbits.
"Honestly... they should really learn when they're outmatched! Hah!" Ara swung her longsword with incredible force, splitting a charging Horned Rabbit down the middle, horn and all, with a perfect vertical cleave.
Beside her, Rei swung the Death Scythe in a fluid arc, bisecting a Giant Bat that had attempted a surprise attack from the ceiling.
"Guruuu!"
Behind them, Seto was in high spirits. Horned Rabbit meat was a perfect snack for him. Since the materials and magic stones from such low-level creatures were worth very little, Elena and Vel—who usually handled the material stripping—simply let Seto have the remains.
"Here, Seto."
Rei cut away the rabbit's horn, gave it a quick field dressing, and tossed the carcass to the griffon. Seto caught it in mid-air and swallowed it almost whole, fur and all.
The Giant Bats were equally easy to handle. Once their useless wings were removed, the carcasses were just the right size for a quick bite. Rei was slightly disappointed, however, that eating the Horned Rabbits and Giant Bats—magic stones and all—didn't result in Seto gaining any new skills.
Rei tossed the discarded horns, organs, and wings into the corner of the passage. Within the dungeon, such waste was left for the slimes—the dungeon's cleaners. They would dissolve every scrap of organic matter, keeping the paths clear. It was an unspoken rule among adventurers to leave non-aggressive slimes alone for this very reason.
After thirty minutes of trekking through B1F, the party finally reached the stairs leading down to B2F.