The Dungeon Town of Medaolinum

"I shall explain on the way," Malton said.

I had hurriedly packed my bags and made my way outside the city walls, where Malton immediately gestured with his chin toward the carriage behind him.

I climbed aboard without a word and set my backpack down. He tossed a light jest my way.

"It has been some time. A week, perhaps? Word of your exploits has already reached the guild. It cannot have been easy for a skeleton to blend so seamlessly into human society. Truly impressive."

"Glad to see you're looking well too. How is the curse?"

"A few lingering aftereffects remain, but I am perfectly fine. It should gradually improve with time. Once again, you have my gratitude."

"No need to thank me. I plan on squeezing you dry for every drop you're worth."

Malton let out a hearty laugh at my half-serious joke, then his expression shifted to one of grave solemnity.

"To get straight to the point... a dungeon has been discovered in a nearby village. The issue is that its scale is utterly absurd. They say it is vast enough to swallow an entire small kingdom whole... Have you heard of it?"

"Of course. I've heard it so much my ears are practically bleeding. By now, even the mistress of a lord two kingdoms over has probably heard about it."

It had been a week since I finished the Resonance Stone quest, and everywhere I went, people were talking about nothing else.

Dungeon.

So it has finally opened...

A dungeon was like a crimson fruit blooming in the middle of a desert.

Once adventurers greedily threw their lives into its gaping maw, merchants smelling blood and gold would swarm like hyenas.

Soon, the immense wealth born from the nourishment of their spilled blood and desires would fatten even the neighboring city of Verastin.

But...

That is only true for the very beginning.

Eventually, a time would come when the adventurers and knights could no longer handle the sheer volume of monsters.

At that critical tipping point, the overflowing monsters would spill onto the surface, bringing about the Great Flood that would lay waste to the surrounding lands.

This would be the first domino to fall, leading Velheim to the brink of ruin.

Unaware of this grim reality, Malton nodded leisurely.

"Since you are already aware, this makes things simpler. The adventurers of Verastin have already flocked to the site. And as adventurers ourselves, we can hardly afford to miss out on such an event, can we?"

"Of course not."

Fortunately, knowing the future of this world, I also knew exactly when to pull out.

If ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I made a swift exit before the Great Flood occurred, I could reap all the sweet rewards and make a clean getaway.

A dungeon teeming with all kinds of monsters was a shortcut to rapid leveling, as well as a land of opportunity to strike it rich.

However, Malton, who had been studying my face, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠asked with a hint of concern.

"Hmm... You have dark circles under your eyes. Did you lose sleep?"

"Yeah, I haven't been able to rest at all lately. Spent the nights hunting..."

"Nights? You mean you hunted after dark? Outside the city walls?"

"Yeah, I think I spent about four days out there..."

"...May I ask what level you are now?"

"My level? I just hit twenty-three. It was a close shave, but I managed somehow."

"Twenty-three... Were you not in the single digits when we first met?"

"I was."

Thanks to my sleepless hunting sprees, my level had shot up, but I couldn't celebrate wholeheartedly.

Because at some point, a new quest had popped up.

...Something is fishy.

I was planning to go anyway, so I was grateful for the free stats, but I couldn't shake a lingering sense of unease.

Wasn't this practically pushing me into a fiery pit of catastrophe, using sweet rewards as bait?

It was ridiculous to harbor such doubts against a status window that was nothing more than a few lines of text, but still...

I let out a heavy sigh and rested my head on the straw pillow.

"Wake me if anything happens. I'm going to sleep."

"Very well. We shall be busy for quite some time once we arrive, so rest well. I shall close my eyes as well."

Malton and I rode the rattling carriage as we headed toward the dungeon town.

After traveling for two full days by carriage, we arrived at the village near the dungeon. The clamor outside woke me up naturally.

Still half-asleep, I peeked through the wooden window and saw a crowd so dense there was barely room to step.

"Seriously, how has this many people gathered already? It hasn't even been that long since the dungeon was announced..."

Warriors clad in full plate armor bustled about, mages in pointed hats muttered suspicious incantations, and peddlers bawled at the top of their lungs...

Amidst the chaotic, swirling crowd, weasel beastmen messengers darted nimbly back and forth, while adventurers pitched tents and camped out anywhere they could find space on the grassy plains.

"...It's a complete madhouse."

"We still have a long way to go. Let us hasten."

After bribing the gatekeeper and passing through the wooden palisade into the village, I followed closely behind Malton and spoke up.

"So... I followed you here, but why did we bother coming inside the village? The dungeon is outside."

"There is someone I must meet before we enter. ...Surely you understand that a party consisting of just the two of us is far from ideal?"

"Well, yeah."

Since both Malton and I were frontliners wielding melee weapons, there was a limit to the situations we could handle.

We would be utterly helpless against ranged attacks, and if a flying monster appeared, we'd be left twiddling our thumbs and staring blankly.

I had also been secretly wishing for a party member skilled in ranged combat...

"As it happens, I have already recruited a suitable candidate."

"Oh? I'm looking forward to it."

As a veteran, Malton had excellent connections.

Navigating the village without a moment's hesitation, Malton stopped in front of a worn-down tavern.

Pushing past the swinging doors, the roar of hearty laughter, overflowing beer foam, and the rich aroma of roasting meat wafted from the packed tables.

Stepping across the creaking wooden floorboards and past the flickering shadows cast by the hearth ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fire, Malton stopped in front of a certain adventurer.

"It has been a while, Radie."

"...It has been a while, Malton-nim."

When the figure sitting alone at the bar replied, I couldn't help but be taken aback.

The voice drifting from beneath the hood sounded so young it seemed as though it hadn't even cracked yet.

Although I couldn't make out their features clearly due to the crimson robe enveloping their entire body, their frame also seemed far too small to belong to an adult.

A boy... perhaps?

Of course, in this world, one could not judge age by appearance alone.

Some mages lived for hundreds of years, and the elf standing right next to me belonged to an incredibly long-lived race.

Even so, the worn-out robe and boots, and the backpack covered in obvious stitch marks, practically screamed that this was a novice.

They really look like a kid... Is their level in the early thirties at best?

Had Malton made a mistake and approached the wrong person? Or was this just an acquaintance who happened to be sitting here?

But shattering my doubts, the boy naturally exchanged greetings with Malton before turning to look at me.

"...So, who on earth is this man?"

Beneath the hood, past a youthful and delicate face, the boy's deep sapphire-blue eyes gleamed sharply.

Beneath that gaze lay a silent question: Is he trustworthy?

Malton chuckled, glancing at me.

"I, too, have not known him for long. However, I can guarantee he is a good man. He actually lifted my curse."

"Then his character seems fine... but what about his skills?"

"His skills... Well, he occasionally stirs up trouble, but he is quite capable. He will only improve from here."

"Hmm... Is that so? If Malton-nim speaks so highly of him, I suppose I can look forward to it. What is your rank? E, like me, or perhaps D?"

"Well, about that..."

At Malton's subtle nod, I silently pulled out my adventurer's token from my breast pocket and showed it.

The boy flinched the moment he saw the wooden token representing F-rank, the mark of a complete novice. But that was nothing compared to the shock that followed.

"W-What is this...! You only have a single completed quest stamp! And zero boss hunting experience...!"

The boy stared at me, his jaw dropping.

The boy pulled Malton aside and began whispering frantically.

"Are you sure you weren't tricked? I never imagined Malton-nim would make such a blunder..."

"Hmm... That is not the case. His skills are beyond doubt. I witnessed them firsthand."

"Then is it a fake registration? Did he forge his level from the temple inquiry... or is he a criminal laundering his identity?"

"Do not worry. He is not that kind of person."

Malton laughed heartily, clearing the tense air.

"At any rate, I vouch for his identity and capability. For now, the three of us will tackle the dungeon together. What do you both think?"

"..."

The boy stared at me with clear reluctance.

I wasn't particularly thrilled with the arrangement either.

Dungeons were harsh places.

Monsters would ambush without warning, and if supplies ran out, you had to fend for yourself.

Often, you had to stay awake through grueling battles that dragged on day and night, and you might even have to fight for your life against adventurers who turned into bandits.

I had serious doubts about trusting my back to a boy who looked so fragile.

On top of that, I was pressed for time due to the main quest requiring me to reach level 30 within the time limit.

The only problem was...

Given my current standing, it's hard for me to actively object...

No matter how high my rank used to be, right now, I was nothing but a mere novice.

I had only one completed quest on my record, and I had been an adventurer for barely a week.

With my current stats and track record, it would be impossible to find a decent party on my own.

In other words, I had no choice from the very beginning.

I secretly hoped he would reject the proposal first, but the boy massaged his temples as if nursing a headache, then let out a sigh.

"...Fine. I do owe you a debt of gratitude, Malton-nim. But this is strictly a temporary party! We are going into the dungeon together exactly once, and if I don't like how it goes, I'm leaving immediately!"

"That is more than fair. Then, to celebrate our successful party formation... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠how about a drink, Radie?"

"No. I'm busy. I was looking forward to Malton-nim bringing a reliable warrior... but since I've ended up in a party with a novice, I have a lot more to prepare, from herbs and bandages to emergency magic scrolls and recovery potions."

The boy glanced at me, throwing a blatant insult my way.

"It is a free drink on my coin. Are you truly going to refuse?"

"...In that case, I will drink."

The kid immediately changed his tune and sat back down.