It had been about an hour since they left the site of the Water Monkey ambush. As Ara’s sword cleared away a thicket that seemed to intentionally conceal what lay beyond, the group finally found what they had been searching for.
A clear, bubbling river. The water was transparent, and they could even see fish darting beneath the surface.
"…I’m a bit late to the party with this, but putting aside the forest, what’s the deal with a river in a dungeon?" Vel asked no one in particular as he used a medicine to lightly test the water quality. "If we followed it upstream, where do you think it would lead?"
"I think it’s a mistake to expect common sense from a dungeon in the first place," Ara replied, sword in hand as she stood guard over him. "I’ve already given up on thinking too deeply about it."
Vel gave a wry smile, as if to say she had a point. "Alright, inspection over. Lady Elena, the water quality is fine. It’s safe to drink."
"I see. Good work. Now then… as for where to make camp…"
Elena praised Vel before scanning their surroundings. Being near a watering hole meant they were undoubtedly in a place where monsters came to drink. If adventurers were to carelessly pitch a tent in such a spot, they might as well be inviting an attack. They needed somewhere close to the water but inconspicuous.
"Guruuu."
Set approached Elena, a low rumble vibrating in its throat as she surveyed the area.
"What is it, Set? If you’re hungry, talk to Rei. I don’t have anything for you."
"Guruu."
Set turned its head toward the forest near the river as if to say that wasn't the issue. Elena followed its gaze, but she couldn't tell what the creature was trying to show her.
"Rei, do you know what Set is saying?"
"It probably found a spot suitable for camping in that direction."
"…Set would tell us that?"
"It’s smarter than your average monster. It can’t speak because of its physical structure, but it understands our language perfectly."
"Hmm. Then let us investigate."
As she took her first step toward the trees, Kyuste followed in a panic.
"Lady Elena! No matter how strong you are, heading into the forest alone is reckless! Moreover, exploring a location based on the whims of a monster, regardless of its intelligence, is—"
"…Kyuste. While I appreciate your loyalty, I do not appreciate your lack of trust in those who are, for all intents and purposes, our party members."
"But still!"
"Sigh. Fine. I know your noble upbringing makes it hard for your views to change overnight. If you’re that worried, come with me. …Rei, you too. Vel, Ara, keep watch here."
"What? I have to stay on standby too!?" Ara muttered, looking somewhat pouted.
Elena ignored the protest and proceeded into the forest with Set in the lead, followed by Kyuste and Rei.
"Lady Elena has changed a bit since she joined up with Lord Rei, hasn't she?" Ara whispered.
Vel, standing nearby, gave her a look of surprise. "You think so? She seems the same as always to me."
"Is something wrong with your eyes? The Lady Elena of old would never have trusted someone else’s word so easily, would she?"
"But isn't that because Set is a tamed monster and not a person? Besides, finding a safe place to camp is vital."
"…I hope that’s really all it is," Ara murmured, her lonely gaze following Elena’s retreating back. Beside her, Vel shrugged, though he remained dutifully alert.
"Guruu."
A few minutes into the woods, Set stopped before a massive tree. Its trunk featured a hollow large enough to accommodate several people. The ground inside was covered in nothing but dry leaves; there were no signs of monsters, nor were there any discarded carcasses.
"…This feels almost too convenient," Elena said, eyeing the perfect shelter with suspicion. However, they had been in the dungeon for ten hours and fatigue was setting in. Ultimately, she decided to make camp there. Rei’s firm assurance that Set’s instincts were reliable provided the final push, though Kyuste remained as disgruntled as ever.
Once they brought Ara and Vel to the site, they immediately began preparations. Despite being deep underground, evening was approaching.
"…Seriously, what is the deal with this dungeon? I could accept a light source that looks like the sun, but I didn't think they’d go so far as to replicate sunset and night," Vel remarked, staring up at the sky as it turned a fiery orange.
"Like I said before, it’s pointless to overthink it," Ara replied.
"I know that logically. But there’s no need to go this far…"
Rei, who was gathering firewood to get through the night, spoke up. "If you’re interested in a guess, I might have an explanation."
"Really!? Please, tell us. I’d love to hear a theory from a mage's apprentice—it’s bound to be better than anything some hot-headed swordsman could come up with."
"Hey! Vel! Are you talking about me!?"
"Who knows? Though if the shoe fits…"
As Vel teased Ara, Elena interjected while clearing grass and dry wood from the hollow. "Vel, stop pestering her. Rei, I too am interested in your theory. Pray, tell us."
Rei nodded, though he felt a persistent sense of incongruity seeing a high-born noble doing menial chores. When he had asked her about it earlier, she had simply told him, "A general must lead for their subordinates to follow."
True to her word, even Kyuste—who usually wouldn't touch such work out of noble pride—was begrudgingly helping out, unable to slack off while his superior was toiling. Seeing the leadership principle in action, Rei could only admire her.
"Well, it’s not that complicated. You know that the dungeon core teleports monsters here to protect itself, right?"
"Yes. I studied the nature of dungeons when I received this mission from my father," Elena replied.
"Then consider this: those monsters originally lived on the surface. They were raised with a day-and-night cycle. Even if the core applies some form of suggestion or brainwashing when it brings them here, it likely can't override the biological instincts ingrained in their bodies. The environment is unavoidable, but the lighting cycle is manageable. Replicating the sun keeps the monsters' physical condition from deteriorating. That’s my guess, anyway. I’m sure there are holes in the logic, though."
"…I see. If the monsters meant to guard the dungeon fall ill, they would be useless as a fighting force." Elena nodded, but then a thought occurred to her. "But if that’s the case, why not make the entire dungeon replicate the surface? B1F and B2F were standard corridors, and B3F was a mushroom forest. The Lizardmen we fought there usually live near water. As you said, there are holes in the theory."
"That’s true. Perhaps it’s a mistake to try and understand the core’s logic through a human lens. Or maybe the core has its own set of criteria… but I’ve talked too much. It’s getting dark; let’s finish the camp."
Elena agreed, and the party hurried to finalize their defenses before the light faded.
"An item box is a truly wonderful thing," Elena remarked as she ate a spoonful of hot, hearty stew taken from the Misty Ring. Even at a campsite, her movements were refined and elegant.
Rei admired her grace as he ate a piece of freshly baked bread.
"It’s true," Vel added casually, a grilled Poison Toad hind leg skewer in one hand and a cup of wine-flavored juice in the other. "In the army, the supply unit is always the slowest part of the march. If you have someone with an item box, your marching speed easily doubles or triples."
Rei had provided the sauce from his Misty Ring for the Poison Toad skewers, which they had harvested back on B1F. Nearby, Set was happily munching on a roasted Lizardman taken from their battle on B3F.
The Lizardman General and the Giant Spider remained stored in the Misty Ring as they were deemed too valuable to eat casually. Rei and Set were somewhat disappointed that the magic stones from the common Lizardmen hadn't granted any skills, but the meat was delicious enough that Set was purring as it ate.
As the meal concluded, Elena looked at the group. "Now that we are settled… what shall we do about the watch? In the military, we rotate units every few hours."
She looked at Rei, seeking the adventurer's perspective.
"I think the same principle applies, but with one major advantage: Set. We don't have to worry much with it around."
Rei stroked Set’s side as the creature chewed through a roasted Lizardman tail. He had already harvested the tip, the proof of subjugation part, earlier.
"Set’s five senses are far beyond a human's. Unless it’s the dungeon boss itself, Set could probably handle any monster that attacks us. I recommend we take turns standing watch alongside it, just in case."
"That would be a relief, but will Set have time to rest?"
"It’ll be fine. Its senses stay sharp even while it’s resting, and as a high-rank monster, a few days without sleep won't affect its performance. Set doesn't hate sleeping, of course, but it knows when it's time to work."
"I see. Then we shall rely on your companion. Any objections?" Elena asked, looking around. Vel and Ara were happy for the extra security. Kyuste looked like he wanted to argue, but having witnessed Set’s capabilities throughout their journey from Gilm, he held his tongue.
"It seems we are in agreement. Then, the rotation will be: Ara, myself, Kyuste, Vel, and finally Rei. Does that work?"
The casual mention of her own name in the rotation caused Ara and Kyuste to protest instantly.
"Lady Elena, there is no need for you to stand watch! Leave it to us!"
"I agree with Ara. A daughter of a duke should not be tasked with such a thing."
"I understand your concern, but we will likely be camping in this dungeon for several days. It would be shameful if I could not even perform a simple watch. Learn to distinguish between concern and coddling."
"But still…!"
Kyuste tried to argue, but one sharp look from Elena silenced him. Thus, the two subordinates were forced to accept the arrangement.
With the watch settled, the group welcomed their first night within the depths of the dungeon.