Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Dungeon
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With Elise safely recruited, we finally formed a four-person party. I absolutely never recruit for a five-person party. Because when five humans gather, one is bound to be trash.
"Come on, introduce yourselves. This is Sister Elise from the Radiant Cross Society."
We all introduced ourselves. Meria seemed extremely pleased to see a fairly strong-looking nun join us. Kobson looked a bit suspicious. In our neighborhood, the Radiant Cross Society has a bit of a reputation. That's probably it.
Anyway, looking at our roles, we've got tank, DPS, tank-DPS, and healer all in one party—a miraculous combination.
It might be nice to add a pure DPS or a mage as the finishing touch, but as I said, that would make one of us trash for sure. So let's not. Four of us is plenty.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Elise. Our god will guide us."
"I'm Meria. Nice to meet you, Sister."
"Name's Kobson. I've long heard of the Radiant Cross Society's... fame."
"Don't lower your voice like that, you weirdo."
Kobson cleared his throat and lowered his voice again. It doesn't make him look cool anyway, so I wish he'd stop. Actually, where did this trend of lowering your voice to look cool even come from?
"When did I ever lower my voice? Barbarian freak."
"You just did it again."
"Damn it."
It wasn't even lunchtime yet. Meria and I were already prepared, so skipping us, we just needed the rest of the party to gear up, outline the plan roughly, and head out early tomorrow morning. That's what I thought, and I was about to say it.
"Then, shall we head out right away?"
"Pardon?"
"The sooner we start, the better for anything. It'll take time to get there anyway, so leaving now and camping on the way seems best."
But Elise beat me to it. Her tone was calm, but I could tell she was itching to move right now.
"Hmm..."
Head out now, huh. It was a bit different from my plan, but Elise had a point. Dungeon exploration isn't something you wrap up in a day or two. Heading out now, camping upon arrival, and starting the delve early in the morning wouldn't be bad. I'd had a bit to drink, but... honestly, it's nothing I can't handle. No issue departing immediately.
"I'm all set, myself."
Elise said so. Meria and I were definitely ready. Kobson, though—not sure if he was or not.
"Hey, Kobson. Anything else you need to prep?"
"Haven't done it yet. But we can swing by a general store on the way; should be fine."
There's a shop or two on the way out of the city anyway, so no problem. We're only buying sundries, nothing special requiring a detour.
"Meria. You good? With the drinks, I mean?"
"No issue. That much is fine."
The group consensus was to depart immediately.
"Then let's get going."
And so, we set off toward the dungeon.
According to Meria, the Ossuary Palace Orkota Catacomb was a dungeon recently discovered near Isvant.
Of course, "near" doesn't mean a subway stop or two away. We'd need a carriage. Since we had to go through the gates to hire one anyway, we decided to walk there while picking up supplies.
"A lantern, huh... The dungeon'll be dark, so grabbing one isn't a bad idea."
Kobson picked one up and bought it. Torches and Elise's Light spells had clear limits in a pitch-black dungeon. It was for shared use, so I offered to chip in, but he waved me off.
"I'll carry it the whole time, so no need. We'll just split the oil costs. Barbarian freak."
"Hah. Look at this guy acting all cool. Fine, fine. Oil's on all of us. Sister Elise, Meria—hear that?"
The lantern was his, but the oil for lighting the dungeon would be communal.
"Understood."
"Got it."
Elise and Meria nodded, and I bought a few extra oil bottles with pooled funds. Shopping done, we headed back to the gates. Several carriages waited there. It'd take hours, so picking a comfy one would help conserve stamina.
"How about that one?"
Meria picked a carriage with a yellowish-white cloth roof. Price was decent from the driver, so we took it. It was past noon by the time we truly set off.
"To the Isvant Territory jungle area, please. Heading to the Ossuary Palace."
"Sure thing."
Elise pulled out a map and told the driver. The Ossuary was deep in the jungle, apparently. None of us—me, Meria, or Kobson—really knew the way, so we left it to her. Her map looked sketchy in places, but whatever.
"Lots of adventurers heading to the dungeon these days."
"You know the route, driver?"
"Yep. Been plenty of times—don't worry."
Being popular meant good transport. We pooled fares, boarded, huddled together, briefly discussed strategy, and got advice from Elise, who seemed to know the most about the dungeon.
"So... there are undead?"
"Yes."
I was shocked, but Elise was nonchalant.
Undead, huh... For real? Even in another world, the dead coming back to life and walking around didn't sound credible. Could be some misconception, superstition, or illusion.
Or maybe monsters ugly enough to be called undead.
I'd never seen an undead with my own eyes.
"They were all once pitiful human souls. My mission is to investigate the dungeon's truth while also saving those wandering spirits still bound to this world."
"Hmm... Kobson, you ever seen undead?"
"My hometown's a bit remote, so zombies popped up now and then. We'd team up with the militia for periodic sweeps."
"What? The hell?"
First I'd heard of that crap. Zombies crawling out in some backwater hometown? Kobson said it like it was nothing, face unchanging. I felt a cultural shock. Are zombies just a natural thing here?
"Those zombies—you mean the ones where the buried come back to life?"
"What else would zombies be in a barbarian's hometown? Historically, the wicked magic from the Idol Wars revived corpses wandering the world—not so strange. They roam at night, drawn to village lights."
"What the...?"
I couldn't follow.
My common sense shattered, we arrived at the jungle in late afternoon. Well, magic exists. Monsters exist. Undead wouldn't be that weird. Don't overthink it.
This world has undead too. And gods, so yeah, the dead rising makes sense.
"We walk from here."
Stepping off, a vast jungle greeted us. The Ossuary was an ancient structure found deep inside. Ancient and abandoned for ages, it'd be choked with all sorts of stuff—hence, dungeon.
We pushed through.
"Ugh...! Bugs are so gross!"
I hate bugs.
Liked 'em as a kid, but people grow to hate them.
First time in a jungle like this, the sticky crawlers were impossible to get used to. Up front with Kobson, hacking vines with my sword—larvae rained on my shoulders. Groans escaped me.
"Eww!"
I shuddered, and Kobson said,
"You're the gross one, barbarian freak."
"Hey, take this larva."
"Ack! Damn it! Don't throw it! You crazy barbarian freak!"
"Heh, scaredy-cat."
"Grr!"
Heavy traffic had worn a path, but jungle regrowth blocked it. Monsters possible, so Meria guarded the rear.
"Whew, slow going. Maces are such a hassle."
Elise, impatient, started bashing trees with her mace. Fitting a human faith—ruthless against nature. But felling trees with a mace isn't for mortals.
Thwack!
Hacking vines looked grueling.
She wrestled them, sighed in frustration.
"Step aside. Gotta burn 'em all. Light Bolt..."
"Save the spells."
I stopped her aiming her morningstar seriously. As sunset faded to dusk, we reached the entrance.
"Haa, finally. Whoa, check the sweat. I don't stink, do I?"
Meria shed her coat. Eyes drawn, but disappointingly, proper clothes underneath.
"Not at all."
Stamina drained anyway. Brutal. Return trip same?
Other adventurers' camps dotted the entrance—tents, campfire traces.
They set up base camps like this for multi-day delves.
We lacked gear, but improvise: leaves for ground, branches and fronds for walls and roof. Adventurers master bivouacs and roughing it.
Or dive in, set watches, sleep inside—warmer, being indoors. I picked a spot away from others' tents.
"Camp here."
Surveyed. Faded brick entrance. Patterns around it—letters? Drawings? Too worn to tell. Maybe both.
Choked in vines and foliage, the entrance gaped like a pit to the abyss. Pitch black, leading underground. Ancient ossuary... Tomorrow, we'd enter.
No info on the underground scale, per Meria. Even burying a kingdom's building whole wouldn't match its size, supposedly.
"Bit late, but scouting inside early might be good."
Elise strode toward it. I grabbed her shoulder.
Rest today...
"We're going in tomorrow anyway. Better camp now—sunset means tougher setup. Up at dawn, straight to exploring."
"I see. Then that's the plan."
We prepped camp. Survival pros all—done in a flash. Sun fully set. Fire lit, rations warmed and eaten.