With the Hobgoblin defeated, the door to the inner chamber swung open.
As I stepped inside, I found a single treasure chest resting there.
"Treasure, huh? Then again, this was only a small dungeon, so I doubt it’ll contain any impressive items."
"Perhaps. However, Master Lloyd’s objective was a high-quality Monster Nucleus. And that is right here."
As she spoke, Sylpha fixed the treasure chest with a sharp, piercing glare.
Suddenly, the chest’s behavior shifted.
As if it possessed a mind of its own, it began to show signs of wanting to flee.
"Hmph!"
With a sharp exhale, Sylpha’s skirt fluttered as she unleashed a concealed dagger.
The treasure chest leaped with incredible speed to dodge the blade.
It dodged again. And again. And again.
"What?! That treasure chest is hopping around?!" Tao cried out in shock.
"Please, defeat it."
"R-Right, I’m on it—hiyaah!"
Tao unleashed a spinning roundhouse kick at the high-speed chest.
It was a direct hit that slammed the object into the wall, but it didn't seem to take any damage at all. It simply hopped back up and resumed its energetic bouncing.
"What is this thing?!"
"The treasure chests found in the deepest parts of a dungeon are actually Monster Nuclei. They are of exceptionally high quality, but they are also incredibly hard and fast. They cannot be defeated easily."
It was true that for those in the know, a low-level dungeon was a simple way to obtain a high-quality Monster Nucleus. Even A-rank adventurers like Sylpha and Tao seemed to be struggling, though; it looked like a rather tedious opponent.
Still, I needed that Nucleus. I couldn't let it escape.
I deployed a Magic Barrier across the path of the treasure chest as it tried to bolt through the entrance behind me.
A split second later, a dull thud echoed as the chest collided with the invisible wall. It plopped straight down onto the ground.
Without missing the opening, Sylpha’s thrown dagger pierced it, and the treasure chest finally went still.
"Master Lloyd, did you just do something?"
"No? It just ran into the wall on its own."
"...I see. I suppose that makes sense. Treasure chests have very high magic resistance. No matter how gifted you are, Master Lloyd, it would be difficult for you to damage one."
Is that so? When I’d tried it before, I took one out in a single strike with Wind System Magic.
I was right not to defeat it normally. That was a close call; I almost made her suspicious.
"Oh, it stopped moving!" Tao noted.
"In that case, I’ll be taking this. Is that alright?"
"Go right ahead... but in exchange, Sylpha, you’d better come through on that thing we talked about. Tee-hee."
"Yes, yes," Sylpha replied coldly to Tao’s smirking whisper.
Upon exiting the dungeon, I sensed a human presence coming from a large tree nearby. Tao must have sensed it too, as she raised her voice.
"Who’s there?!"
A man stepped out from the shadows, clicking his tongue in irritation.
Hmm, I felt like I’d seen this person somewhere before.
"You are... Galapagos, was it? What are you doing in a place like this?" Sylpha asked.
"It’s Galahad! ...I just came to see if that brat was cheating."
I wondered what he meant by cheating. As I tilted my head in confusion, Tao stepped in to explain.
"I remember him now. That’s Galahad the Rookie Crusher. He’s a nasty piece of work who picks fights with every promising newcomer he sees to try and break them."
"How much free time he must have... He should be refining his own techniques instead of wasting it on such things..."
"If he were capable of that kind of effort, he wouldn't be doing this. He’s already given up on getting stronger. That’s why the only thing he can do is drag others down."
"That is... truly pathetic..."
Tao and Sylpha both cast looks of genuine pity toward the man.
"S-Shut up! Shut up, shut up!"
The man flew into a rage, his face turning beet-red as he screamed.
"If a weak little brat gets his rank up by having strong ladies fight for him and then snatching the credit, it ruins the reputation of all adventurers! That's why I came to see if there was any foul play! ...But look at how clean you are despite just finishing a dungeon. Just as I thought, you didn't fight at all! I'm going to report you to the Guild—"
"Woof!"
Before the man could finish his sentence, Shiro lunged forward and bit down on his leg.
"Agyaaaaah?! I-It hurts! It hurts!"
Ah, I’d forgotten to cancel the command to attack any enemies on sight. It was dangerous for it to bite someone so suddenly. I’d have to fix that later.
The man tried desperately to shake the creature off, but Shiro wouldn't let go.
"Hey, Shiro. Let him go."
"Grrrrrr..."
Shiro let out a low growl before releasing the man. As he cowered in terror, Tao and Sylpha walked up to him.
"Just so you know, we barely lifted a finger during this dungeon crawl. Lloyd and Shiro defeated every single enemy."
"Furthermore, I suggest you consider this: this Shiro who currently has you trembling is merely Master Lloyd’s Familiar. I’m sure even you can grasp that a Familiar’s power is naturally far below that of its master, Lloyd. If you understand, then disappear before you disgrace yourself any further."
"H-Hieee!"
After the two of them finished their warning, the man fled as fast as his legs could carry him.
"By the way, Tao, can I ask you to handle the quest report? I have to get back in a hurry."
I’d only come here to get the Monster Nucleus, after all. I didn't really care about the formalities; I wanted to get back to the castle and resume my Magic Sword crafting.
"I don't mind, but... what should I do about the reward?"
"You can have it, Tao. You were a big help today."
"Hmph, I suppose as a prince, Lloyd isn't exactly hurting for money. Got it. You can rest easy; I’ll make sure to give the Guild a full, detailed report of your exploits."
Tao gave me a firm thumbs-up.
"...Please make sure it’s accurate."
"Of course! Leave it to me!"
...I was a little worried she was going to exaggerate things, but then again, it wasn't like I’d be acting as an adventurer very often. It probably wasn't worth worrying about.
I said my goodbyes to Tao and began the journey back to the castle.