As I scanned the cityscape, our guide glanced back over his shoulder.
“Welcome to Aingurna. This is as far as I go.”
“Thank you very much for your help.”
“Don’t mention it. It’s all part of the job. Inns and the main guild buildings are all located along this street, so you’d do well to start your walk here. Well then, farewell.”
With that, the man vanished back into the mist. After watching him go, I took a fresh look at the streets of Aingurna.
A vast array of races thronged the thoroughfare. While the Kingdom of Lievril had its share of diversity, Commoners had always made up the vast majority of the population there.
Aingurna, however—or rather, the nation of Sazantgurna—was truly a multi-ethnic state. It served as living proof for the theory that the country had been founded by refugees; a melting pot formed by people who had fled from various lands and huddled together for survival.
The most striking difference from Lievril was the sheer number of Beastfolk. Their most defining feature was, of course, their ears. Unlike Commoners, they had no ears on the sides of their heads; instead, they sported what people called "beast ears" atop their crowns. Some were pointed while others were rounded, but they all seemed to fall under the umbrella of Beastfolk.
While the people gave off a different impression than those back home, the city itself was a different story. I wasn't an expert, but it was strange how the architecture looked almost identical to what I was used to. Perhaps the architects among those original refugees shared a common lineage with the builders of Lievril? Or maybe they simply imported their materials from the kingdom.
“Is this place really inside a dungeon?” Spira whispered, looking up at the sky with a dazed expression.
It was a valid question. This dungeon actually had a sky. While the ones we had explored thus far were Labyrinth Types—structured as mazes of corridors and rooms—this was a Terrain-generation Type. Within its boundaries lay forests and mountains. It felt less like a dungeon and more like a different world entirely.
“Haha, it is hard to believe, isn't it? Apparently, this place even has a night cycle.”
“It does?!” Halfa and Spira cried out in unison, their eyes going wide.
“So I’ve heard. Right, Lowell?”
“Yeah. I’ve been told it’s synchronized with the time on the surface.”
Halfa and Spira seemed to lose the power of speech, simply letting out long, amazed sighs as they took in the view.
“It’s surrounded by city walls, at least,” Lowell noted. “But do monsters never spawn inside them?”
“Hmm, I wonder.”
As Lowell pointed out, the area was encircled by walls as far as the eye could see. I assumed they were for defense, but it seemed almost too convenient if monsters only popped up outside the perimeter.
As a side note, the city of Aingurna wasn't generated by the dungeon itself; it was man-made. In a Labyrinth Type, any damage to the floors or walls—or any attempt to build new ones—would be undone by the dungeon’s self-restoration. In a Terrain-generation Type, however, that restoration was much weaker. While large-scale terrain destruction would eventually be repaired, the restorative effect didn't seem to care about things like digging small holes or erecting stone walls.
“If a monster popped up inside an inn, it would be a disaster,” Halfa said, looking worried.
She had a point. If a monster spawned right next to you while you were sleeping, you’d be defenseless. Even if it was something weak like a Goblin, your chances of survival would be slim.
“Maybe they don't spawn in private rooms, just like in the small chambers of a labyrinth?”
Based on what we knew of Labyrinth Types, monsters generally didn't spawn in confined spaces when people were present. Following that logic, a closed bedroom might be safe. Still, it was a chilling thought. I’d have to confirm the details with the innkeeper later.
“But the area inside the city walls is too large to count as a 'room,' isn't it? Does that mean monsters might just appear in the middle of the street?”
Just as Spira voiced her doubts—
“Mu? I sense a monster!”
At Shiroru’s warning, we immediately dropped into defensive stances and scanned our surroundings.
Nearby, someone shouted, “It’s a Slime!”
However, the atmosphere was strange. There was no tension in the voice. Looking around, the local residents didn't seem panicked at all.
While we were still trying to make sense of things, a group of children came running toward the commotion. A monster that looked like a Slime was indeed wobbling there, but the adults made no move to stop the kids. In fact, they watched over them with fond, indulgent smiles.
...Is this just a normal part of life here?
My suspicion was quickly confirmed. The children began thumping the Slime with practiced ease. They showed neither hesitation nor fear, laughing and shouting as if they were playing a game. Before long, the Slime vanished without ever launching a counterattack.
“No treasure chest, huh?”
“No Magic Stone either! Dammit!”
The children walked away, looking disappointed. It seemed the monster hadn't dropped anything. Despite the lack of loot this time, it appeared that hunting these strays for pocket money was a common pastime for the children of Aingurna.
“They’re certainly... hardy, aren't they?”
“To think children that small can take them down,” Spira added, sounding shell-shocked.
They certainly seemed tough. Those kids were clearly younger than us—likely not even ten years old. To think they were already monster hunting... I suppose you had to be that resilient to live in a dungeon city.
The Slime they had defeated was a species known for its high environmental adaptability. Depending on where they lived, they could develop dangerous special abilities, making them something you shouldn't trifle with. In most cases, however, they were just small-fry monsters with no real power. A truly basic Slime was said to be even weaker than a Horn Rabbit. The ones appearing here were likely of that harmless variety.
“By the way, those kids mentioned something about treasure chests?” Halfa asked.
“Oh, right. In Terrain-generation Types, treasure chests don't usually spawn on their own. Instead, they appear randomly as drop items when you defeat a monster.”
I was able to answer Halfa’s question immediately. Information regarding loot was vital, so I’d made sure to do my research before we left the capital.
“Though I heard the drop rate on the upper floors is pretty abysmal.”
“Is that so? But if Tort opens one, I bet an amazing treasure will come out!” Shiroru suggested, wagging her tail.
Well, she might be right, but still...
“Haha. I can’t exactly go around stealing loot from children.”
Lowell gave a wry smile at my comment.
“I’d say you’re still a child yourself, Tort... but you have a point. It’ll be more efficient for us to do our exploring on the deeper floors anyway.”
That was true enough.
“Well then, let’s head to the Adventurer’s Guild first. I’m also hoping to find a market for dungeon-produced items. Now that we’ve crossed the border, there might even be a Pandora Gift for sale!”