Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: First, Shall We Register as Adventurers?
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"First, shall we register as adventurers?"
I scratched the back of the dejected horse and gently tugged the reins, and it staggered along obediently.
Luna's horse, Bess, was wobbling even more, but it straightened up quickly once Luna patted it.
The Labyrinth City seemed to handle everything related to dungeons, adventurers, and mercenaries in the Central Tower, given the flood of new adventurers and people heading into the dungeons.
The city was fairly large, with a huge transient and resident population, so signposts were well-placed here and there.
The outskirts looked like regular residential areas, while the middle ground between the center and outskirts had typical shops and stores.
I read through the signs once and decided to secure lodging first before moving on.
"Come to the Bluebird Inn for delicious meals!"
"Beds are clean. Spotless hygiene."
"Beastkin of all sizes welcome!"
Places touting one or two features were probably standard inns.
Anything below that wouldn't waste money on advertising like that, and the good ones didn't need to advertise at all...
I pulled a silver coin from the pouch at my waist and handed it to what looked like a lizardman kid before speaking.
"Got any high-end inns to recommend?"
Bright yellow eyes with horizontal pupils. A transparent nictitating membrane flicked across them and vanished.
"Then I'd recommend Pheiseren, straight ahead in that direction! They have proper stables."
The kid was sharp, hitting all the right selling points.
I gave him another silver coin in thanks and nodded toward the spot he indicated.
"How about we stable the horses first, grab some food, and then register? Or straight to registration?"
"Better to eat first and then move."
"Take it easy... look around... then rest up... I think."
I nodded at Cain and Luna's responses.
We'd only just arrived, so we needed info to figure out how to play our hand.
'Not that anything major will come up.'
If something did, we'd find a use for it.
The Pheiseren Inn was a fairly large five-story building, decorated with blue and white accents—a high-end establishment.
"How about a regular tavern instead? We can pick up rumors and info while we eat."
This place had a refined atmosphere where people conversed in hushed tones rather than boisterously chatting away.
I wanted to eat lunch somewhere mercenaries and adventurers frequented, so I could eavesdrop.
"I'm... fine with anything..."
"Doesn't matter."
They'd go along if I suggested it. Not that there was any reason to object, but seeing them so agreeable made me decide.
'They trust me too much.'
If I asked whether that showed in something as trivial as picking a lodging and restaurant, I'd have to say yes.
Both Luna and Cain subtly assumed my judgment was inherently correct.
Put nicely, it was overflowing trust.
'But the protagonist and heroine can't lag behind an extra in agency.'
Even if I knew the general flow, I was human—I'd mess up eventually.
If they kept treating me like some external brain always making the right calls for them, that'd be a problem.
'No matter what, I need to toughen them up... er, raise them properly.'
I sorted through my thoughts as we headed back to the central plaza.
There were plenty of folks advertising there.
In the end, we went to a spot recommended by a kid hawking good food in the plaza, and sure enough, it was a weathered building that screamed medieval tavern to me.
The door hadn't even opened yet, but the raucous noise spilling out...
'This is it.'
Cain held the door, Luna went in first, and I followed.
It was crowded even for midday, with everyone nursing drinks.
I grabbed a central table with a decent crowd and was about to pick from the menu when three mugs thudded down in front of me: thump, thump.
"New party, huh? First time?"
"Uh, yeah..."
"Get the A set meal today—it's delicious."
I chuckled as the burly man bellowed an order for three A sets on his own, then eyed the mug before me.
'Beer.'
House rule: beer right away, apparently.
I took a swig of the lukewarm brew and locked eyes with Luna, who looked equally baffled as she gripped her mug.
"Drink up. Seems like a beer to start is standard here."
"Yeah... looks like it."
Another party sat at the table next to us, and four mugs slammed down: thump-thump-thump-thump. Luna nodded as she watched.
"Anyway, let's do some eavesdropping."
I grinned at the one rabbitkin and one mana user.
The A set was simple: two chunks of well-baked bread, potato soup, half a braised chicken, and a vegetable salad.
The salad was basic cabbage and tomatoes rather than varied greens, and the soup was a bit thin, but the seasoning was decent.
The braised chicken, stewed with carrots and corn, was surprisingly tasty—sweet and salty.
"We made it to the 12th floor this time, but blew a bunch of precious potions."
"Heard about that southern sea spot? There's an island the storm won't quit on..."
"But what's the point of a new dungeon if we can't even enter?"
"Still under lockdown?"
Murmurs buzzed around.
Scattered amid the chatter were a few useful tidbits.
This was just what I'd caught; pooling what Luna and Cain heard would give us more.
"Hey, newbie adventurer party. Need a hand?"
I was perking my ears while stuffing a piece of bread in my mouth when someone slid into the seat beside me and addressed Cain.
A whiff of rose-like scent wafted over. I glanced sidelong to see a woman with dark red hair and pointed ears smiling at Cain.
"Clothes still crisp, weapons look brand new. Inexperienced vibe, and that tense-faced girl over there. First time in Labyrinth City?"
She smiled at Cain, eyes crinkling...
But the guy, whether because she was a female mercenary elf or whatever, ignored her instead of shooing her off. He sipped his beer nonchalantly and flicked his eyes toward me.
"Hm. We'll handle it ourselves first. We'll ask for help after that."
She turned to me at Cain's glance and my words. Her orange eyes burned with intense color.
Cat-like features, a scar on her cheek, but still a fresh-faced look.
"Oh? You're the leader? Ha, my bad. Name's Ruby. Long-term guest here, so hit me up anytime you need help."
She slapped my back heartily with a big laugh and stood.
Back at her table, her party ribbed her: said it'd take a minute to lure a guy, but she struck out with kids.
'Three guys, one girl party...'
They looked seasoned. Besides Ruby, there was a lean, sharp-faced man, a muscular brute, and a hooded guy whose face was hidden.
'For now... we'll manage alone.'
The Labyrinth Dungeon was a maze in name, but the upper floors saw plenty of traffic, so no backstabs to worry about.
If we needed them later, teaming up briefly wouldn't hurt.
"Done eating? Let's head out."
Luna and Cain, who'd been eyeing the next table tensely, nodded eagerly.
Stomachs full enough, we headed to the Central Tower for adventurer registration. I asked what they'd picked up.
"Apparently... lots of adventurers go to the southern seas for coral and pearls. Rumor has it... one small island's... surrounded by storms."
"To add, other spots nearby are clear, but that one's raging with storms. They suspect a giant monster."
Hm. Rings a bell, but irrelevant—we couldn't go there anyway.
"And... besides the Labyrinth... a new dungeon was found, but the city's banned entry."
"Yeah, I heard. Any guesses why?"
"They're saying... it's for investigation... or maybe top adventurers want to monopolize the good loot..."
Who knew what was speculation versus fact.
I shrugged with a grin and arrived at the towering Central Tower during our chat.
With so many transient adventurers, the first-floor guild handed out wooden tags for a few coppers—no fuss.
They were basic wood for ID, but the stamped seal was magically treated against forgery.
Whether to trust it, who knows.
"Too easy."
"Half the ones who get them quit within a year, probably."
I nodded at Cain.
Everyone comes dreaming of glory after hearing the hype... but that's life.
"Want to digest with a run on the first couple floors before heading back?"
I tucked the wooden tag into my waist pouch and suggested it.
This was stale content for veterans—99 floors needed grinding—but upper floors were great for item farming anyway.
Rewards were solid: potions guaranteed every five floors, plus coins and materials per clear.
'Not sure how it works in reality.'
"Sounds good."
"Keep your shield up."
What, you don't trust me?
Fair—I didn't trust this body's reflexes either—so I just nodded.
* * *
"Slimes."
"Slimes, huh."
"Cute..."
Labyrinth Dungeon through and through.
Unlike borderlands with constant surprises, the reliable monster scaling was a clear strength.
Low floors: weak mobs. Deeper: stronger.
I eyed the core inside the watery blob monster, wriggling with crackling sparks.
Whoosh—
Cain flung a dart from a safe distance, piercing the core once it got close enough to leap. It burst like water: splat-splat.
"Too easy."
Way too easy.
Tricky with only melee?
Cain's darts homed in like magnets on the cores, leaving Luna and me time for idle chit-chat.
"Carrot?"
"Yeah... love carrots..."
Crunch—
We munched raw carrots while Cain, ahead, glanced back.
"Won't work. Cain, darts confiscated."
Everything popped on hit—what experience was this? Levels wouldn't budge on 1 EXP pops.
Cain sharpened with hardship, grinding, and mental pressure.
Protagonists gonna protagonist.
He'd grow fine anyway, but stress was good fertilizer.
I yelled for dart confiscation, and Cain drew his sword, advancing.
"Uh... confiscate the sword too?"
He dodged the leaping slime with a body twist, then thrust like fencing, one-shotting the core.
Dodge, stab—slime dissolved into goo.
"But... having him burst slimes barehanded feels off, right?"
We could go deeper like this.
Thinking that, we descended another floor. A grumbling party passed from the opposite direction.
"Monsters seem thinner lately, no? Labyrinth respawns, right?"
"Too many tourists. Respawns take time, but everyone's poking 'em once they pop. Low floors are drying up."
"Ptui! Damn annoying."
"Ugh, gross, idiot!"
I waited till they were gone before speaking.
"Hear that? Let's go deeper."
"What's respawning mean?"
We walked toward the next stairs. Luna spoke up.
"I... overheard... No one knows why, but... floors have different difficulties... monsters respawn somewhere after death... some say a dragon made it... with intent..."
Intent... In-game, farming. In the story, Cain was in assassin training then, so hard to say. But yeah, peculiar.
Unless deliberately designed, lots unexplained.
'But right now, it's Cain's EXP farm.'
I spotted stairs and shoved Cain's back.
"Hurry down."