"As I thought, there don't seem to be many people heading into the dungeon today."
"Indeed. It is likely—no, undoubtedly—due to the attack on House Silwa."
Rei remarked on the unusually low number of adventurers as they walked toward the dungeon. Set walked alongside him, but Ielo, Elena’s familiar, was once again looking after their rooms at the inn. The small dragon simply couldn't handle the oppressive desert heat.
"Besides... we’re later than usual because we stopped by the Silwa estate. That's likely a factor as well," Elena added.
"Yeah, that’s true."
Rei nodded. Adventurers who wanted to maximize their profits naturally started at the crack of dawn, and as the morning progressed, the crowd heading toward the guild usually thinned out. In a city like Exil, that translated directly to fewer people entering the dungeon.
Lately, Rei had made it a habit to head out early, but back in Gilm, he had preferred to wait until the morning rush was over to avoid the crowds.
Chatting as they walked, they stopped at their usual skewer stall.
"Oh? You’re heading into the dungeon today as well? Even with the city in such an uproar?"
The moment Rei appeared, the stall owner wordlessly handed him a lizardman skewer without waiting for an order. Rei gave a short nod of thanks.
"Yeah. Elena and I came to Exil specifically for the dungeon. But since you mention it, is the number of divers really that low today?"
"It is. I haven't been counting, so I can't give you an exact figure, but there's definitely a lot less foot traffic toward the entrance. Everyone’s spooked by yesterday’s incident."
The owner muttered the words with a heavy sigh. Like everyone else, he was well aware of the previous night’s raid and knew that House Silwa was currently scouring the city for culprits or leads.
Wait...
Rei shook his head slightly as he looked ahead. He spotted several adventurers who appeared to be members of House Silwa nearby.
Finding the culprit is important, but isn't this a bit much? If they're this blatant about their search, they're just going to make the enemy more cautious.
Finishing their skewers, Rei, Elena, and Set paid the bill and left the stall behind.
"Whatever they're planning... it would be dangerous for us to get entangled in Exil's power struggle in more ways than one," Elena whispered, casting a weary glance at the restless crowds. "I only hope the commoners don't get caught in the crossfire."
"It'll probably be fine. At the very least, Bosk wouldn't do anything to cause unnecessary chaos in his own city. Even if he retaliates, he’ll probably try to settle it quickly."
"I hope so..." Elena replied, her anxiety clearly lingering.
Rei understood why she felt that way. As he’d said, Bosk would likely try to avoid total chaos, but that was only true for him. There was no telling how the other houses would react, and knowing Shaffner's temperament, the situation was a powder keg. It was impossible to predict exactly how ugly things might get.
"Anyway, what happens to Exil should be decided by the people of Exil, not us. We just need to stick to our original plan and dive into the dungeon."
"...You're right. Forgive me, Rei. I shouldn't have made you worry."
"Guruuu?"
Feeling better? Set purred, rubbing his face against her. Elena broke into a smile and reached out to stroke his head.
"Guruu."
Set let out a happy trill at the sensation. About half of the onlookers nearby watched the scene with wide-eyed shock, while the other half smiled. They hadn't been in Exil long, but Set’s friendly nature was starting to become common knowledge among those who lived along the routes Rei and Elena frequently traveled. After seeing the two of them interact with the griffon so many times, people had finally begun to grow accustomed to the sight.
They reached the gate leading to the plaza in front of the dungeon, showed their dungeon cards to the gatekeeper, and stepped inside. There were adventurers present in the plaza, but the crowd was indeed sparse.
"...Though I see that lot hasn't changed," Rei muttered, his brow furrowing as he looked toward the group from the Holy Light Religion gathered in one corner of the square.
"I wouldn't let it bother you," Elena said. "Their fees are high, but as long as people are willing to pay, we have no reason to interfere. It would be one thing if they were forcing their services on others, but these adventurers are hiring them of their own accord."
In the direction Elena was looking, two adventurers were negotiating with the Holy Light Religion group. Rei recognized them; they were regulars who often recruited for pickup parties in this square. With so few people available today, they had likely felt they had no choice but to hire a Holy Light Religion adventurer to fill their ranks.
"Well, to each their own. We don't exactly have a shortage of combat power. If we're lacking anything, it's a thief, but B12F is supposed to have very few traps. We should be fine."
The fact that she didn't say there were no traps suggested she had heard rumors that a few still existed, rare as they might be.
"Right. Besides, I prefer the dungeon being empty. Especially for..."
Rei glanced at Set. Understanding the implication, Elena gave a small nod and patted the shoulder of Rei’s dragon robe. Without further delay, they headed for the teleportation device.
"The same old rocky desert, I see."
After teleporting to B12F and stepping out of the small room with the magic circle, those were Rei's first words.
Perhaps due to the rain that had fallen until the previous night, Exil had been uncomfortably humid and hot, but the air on B12F was bone-dry. While the actual temperature was higher here than on the surface, the lack of humidity made it much more bearable—though that was largely thanks to magic items like the dragon robe and their cloaks, which regulated their body temperatures.
"Now then, first things first: magic stone absorption," Elena declared.
She had clearly anticipated this since their conversation earlier.
"Yeah. I’ve still got the spear frog magic stones we got yesterday."
As for the other materials from the spear frog, Rei had sold them to the guild after delivering the anomaly species corpse to the warehouse the day before. Since House Silwa had already put in a word, the guild had paid a significantly higher rate than usual.
They moved to the spot where they usually performed the absorption, and Rei pulled out a spear frog magic stone.
"Let's see if we can get a new skill... Set!"
"Guruu!"
Rei tossed the stone. Set caught it in his beak and swallowed it in one gulp.
[Set has acquired the skill Water Ball Lv.3]
The announcement message echoed in Rei’s mind.
"Guruuu!"
Set purred with delight, his joy at the new skill plain to see. Rei smiled and scratched the griffon's head, though he privately felt a bit puzzled.
Water Ball? Why that? The spear frog is a frog-type monster, but since it lives in the desert, it didn't use any water magic or attacks. Well, he’s learned skills that contradicted a monster's nature before, so I guess it isn't that strange.
"Rei, what did he learn?" Elena asked.
"Water Ball leveled up," Rei replied, setting his questions aside.
"I see. A level up is useful, certainly, but I was hoping to see a completely new skill."
At Elena's disappointed expression, Rei gave a wry smile and shrugged.
"If he'd learned a skill from the spear frog's attacks, his tongue might have become sharp and started snapping out like rubber to impale people. Do you really want to see that?"
Elena closed her eyes for a moment, imagining the scene, before shaking her head. "That would not suit Set at all."
"Guruu?" Set tilted his head with a confused trill.
"...Right. Anyway, since it leveled up, show us what it can do." Rei said, trying to push the image of a tongue-stabbing griffon out of his mind.
"Guruu! Guruuuuu!"
At Set's cry, two spheres of water manifested before him. Previously, they had been about thirty centimeters in diameter, but they had grown to forty centimeters. They also moved through the air with noticeably more speed and agility.
"Size and speed are up. Now for the power... Set!"
"Guruu!"
Set let out a sharp cry, and the two water balls spiraled around each other as they shot forward. They slammed into a nearby boulder, the impact forceful enough to shatter the rock's surface.
"The power and speed are definitely up. And he seems to have much more control over their movement."
"I expected little from a water ball, but this is impressive," Elena noted, surprised by the impact. "To think it could crush stone."
"Guruu?" Set tilted his head proudly, as if to ask, Impressive, right?
Elena continued to pet him while Rei pulled some dried meat from the Misty Ring as a reward. After a few minutes of pampering the griffon, Rei stood up and moved a short distance away, drawing the Death Scythe and another magic stone.
"Since Set got a boost, let's see if I can get something too... Hup!"
He tossed the stone into the air and swung the Death Scythe in a single, fluid arc. The blade seemed to cleave through the very fabric of space, instantly severing the stone, which vanished into a fine mist. Remembering what had happened with the anomaly species stone, Rei braced his body, ready for any sudden change.
But...
"...Nothing, huh."
He muttered the words with a mix of relief and disappointment, lowering his weapon.
"Guruu?" Set trotted over and rubbed his head against Rei's arm. Rei gave him a reassuring pat, telling him it was fine.
The chances of acquiring a skill through Beast Magic’s absorption were always a matter of luck, regardless of the trends. There was no point in moping every time it failed. He stowed the Death Scythe back into the Misty Ring.
"It's a shame about the skill, but no use dwelling on it. Now, let’s start exploring B12F—"
Rei's words were cut short by a loud, prolonged growl from his stomach. It was a blatant demand for fuel.
"Pfft... Hahaha! Rei, trying to tackle the dungeon while starving will only lead to trouble. Besides, it's nearly noon anyway. Why don't we eat first?"
"...Fine."
His stomach had chosen the worst possible moment to speak up. With a sheepish sigh, Rei pulled out the lunch basket the inn had prepared. It was mostly sandwiches, but the Golden Wind Inn had lived up to its reputation, packing a vast assortment of side dishes tailored to their large appetites.
Rei glanced around. They were in the shadow of some large rocks, well-hidden from wandering monsters. He decided they didn't need the magic tent. He used the Dagger of Flowing Water to produce enough water to wash their hands and quench their thirst, and then the two humans and one beast began their meal.
[Set] "Water Ball Lv.3" (New), "Fire Breath Lv.3", "Wind Arrow Lv.1", "King's Intimidation Lv.1", "Poison Claw Lv.4", "Size Change Lv.1", "Tornado Lv.1", "Ice Arrow Lv.1", "Optical Camouflage Lv.1"
Water Ball: Fires two water balls, each roughly 40cm in diameter. They can be moved through the air with a degree of freedom and possess enough power to shatter the surface of solid rock upon impact.