第７５掘：わんわんおなめんな！！ (Part3)
Following that, Tanaka-san, who led the heroes, appeared.
"My apologies. I thought it was dangerous, so I took the liberty of helping out. Of course, this was my own doing, so please feel free to take the monster materials for yourselves."
"Wait, what!? How could you possibly land such precise shots in a forest with so many obstacles!?"
"…As always, that is truly incredible."
Sniping? But Tanaka-san wasn't carrying a bow. Was he a mage?
"Ah, no. You saved us. Thank you. I’m Ovik. I’m an adventurer."
"…I am Tanaka."
"I’m Hikari."
"I am Nadeshiko."
"I’m Akira. And this is…"
After we finished our introductions, we returned to Litea and parted ways. I found out later that they were the Heroes, and honestly, their skill was worthy of the name.
"Ah, Tanaka-dono and his group cannot participate in this matter. This is a confidential affair between the Kingdom of Roschur and the Kingdom of Litea. Given their standing as dignitaries of the Rumel Kingdom, and since the dungeon hasn't actually gone on a rampage, involving Rumel unnecessarily could lead to diplomatic issues."
"Ah, I see. That kind of relationship."
In that case, they couldn't possibly accept this quest.
"Well, although it is unconfirmed, there is talk that the 'Heroes of Defense' are visiting Litea. If that is true, having them take the quest would be like having two teams' worth of capability."
"Is that true!?"
"Ho ho ho, the Heroes of Defense are popular as ever, aren't they? Well, wait, it’s still being confirmed. For now, that’s all for the discussion. I would appreciate it if you could prepare."
"Ah, yes. Understood. Excuse me."
That was how we accepted the assessment quest and came to this dungeon, but…
"You’ve got to be kidding… Is this really inside a dungeon?"
"There’s a sky…"
"Trees, and even a river…"
"There’s even a field… wait, is that an Orc!? Are they doing farm work!?"
What appeared before our eyes was the shocking truth that a dungeon existed beneath the Litea Cathedral, and the absurd fact that a teleportation circle connected Roschur and Litea. And that was just the beginning.
When we arrived at the dungeon governed directly by Seraria-sama, our common sense couldn't keep up. Buildings, shops, something called "Super Ratz," and a variety of rare goods. As I stood there, stunned, the dungeon briefing took place, and then *they* arrived.
"They have agreed to participate in this assessment quest. I’m sure you all know them. The Rank 8 Heroes of Defense!!"
" " "Ohhh!!" " "
The Adventurer Guild erupted into noise, and I finally snapped back to reality. So that’s the Heroes of Defense. The one with the spear is likely the Flash Spear, Raiya. The one with the staff is the Sage, Curse. And… the one with the sword, talking to that strange man, is the leader, Mauve!
"…Hey. It’s impossible… for us… are you… having fun!!"
"…No… isn't it? …So… I have high expectations for you all!!"
"You're definitely going in the wrong direction!"
"I won't deny it!"
"You should deny it!"
"Ahem, excuse me, Mauve-dono. Could you please give us a greeting?"
"There, go on."
"Damn it!! I’m definitely making you buy me good booze later!!"
It must be an act. Everyone was smiling as they watched Mauve-san’s performance. I see, so this is the work of a hero. *Note: It is not. It is not an act; he means it from the bottom of his heart.*
"…*Ahem*. Well, I’m Mauve, the one they call a Hero of Defense. But that doesn't matter. You all fought desperately to get this far, didn't you? Believe in the self you’ve built up until now. I don’t think there’s any difference between you and me."
Everyone listened in silence to his words. As expected, they are different. They are magnificent people who do not let their own power go to their heads.
"And I hear that everyone here today is the cream of the crop among adventurers. I don’t think I need to say it, but let me say it anyway. This is an assessment, but one mistake means death!! Never let your guard down!! This dungeon was created by someone with a twisted personality… and—ow!?"
As he was saying that, a woman who appeared to be a noble emerged from the back.
"I am the lord of this place, you know? Whose personality is twisted, exactly? Well, I offer my condolences for the dungeon you are about to enter. But please, do not say things that give this dungeon a negative image."
The lord? Does that mean this is Seraria-sama!? Everyone seemed to realize it too and started to kneel, but…
"Raise your heads. It was I who requested your presence. I am the one who should be bowing to you for your cooperation. Thank you for assisting me this time."
With those words, Seraria-sama bowed her head. After a brief explanation, we headed to the designated dungeon with the other team.
"Well, how do you guys intend to move?"
"Obviously, we’re going to clear it! Even Seraria-sama bowed her head like that. If we do our best here, we’ll gain favor, honor, and a mountain of money!!"
The team that came with me was Rank 6, but they were restless. They seemed excited to have been bowed to by royalty.
"Sorry, but we’re going ahead!! If we’re lucky, maybe Seraria-sama will propose to us!!"
With that, the team laughed and entered the dungeon first.
"Will they be alright?"
We all shared the same thought as Lari.
"…Well, I doubt they’ll be taken out on the first floor…"
I managed to squeeze out those words and entered the dungeon shortly after them. As Mauve-san had said, the dungeon was not normal.
"…It’s a wide grassland."
"I see a forest and a path in the distance."
"For now, I don’t see any monsters around."
We instantly formed a circle and scanned our surroundings. It was a natural action for exploring an unfamiliar place.
"…Where do you think the stairs down are?"
"Well… in the back, right?"
"…What do you mean by 'the back'…"
That’s right; this first floor wasn't a maze. It was just a vast expanse of grassland and forest as far as the eye could see. We didn't know where "the back" was.
"For now, there’s nothing that looks like stairs in the grassland, so I think they’re deep in the forest. I’m thinking of taking the path we can see first. What do you think?"
"Yeah, I think that’s a good idea."
"Agreed. Even if we get surrounded, it’ll be easier to retreat since there’s a path."
"I have no objections."
As we were walking along the path, a few Kobolds appeared, but since they were beginner-level monsters, we defeated them without any struggle.
"Kobolds on the first floor, huh? Yeah, I think that’s reasonable."
"Right. It’s a perfect place for rookies."
"Exactly. There are some special conditions, but if you listen to the intel beforehand, you won't easily run into those situations."