Chapter 14
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 14: Business Trip Request
Having returned to the laundry, I checked the sealed protective suits one by one.
"Mm."
Liquefied Mana Tar.
Carmilla said this is a contaminant coming from the recently discovered Red Swamp Dungeon.
The Red Swamp Dungeon. I don't know much about that dungeon. Because it's not a dungeon I've personally been to.
So I was trying to check the state of the contaminant first.
"Ugh! The smell is too terrible."
Thick black tar emitting an ominous energy. An unpleasant stench emanated from the contaminant stained on the clothes.
As soon as I tore off a part of the contaminant with tweezers.
The tar, possessing a thick viscosity, stretched out unable to overcome the force of gravity.
"It droops heavily since you separated it."
Elena's brow furrowed. A reaction as if she saw something she shouldn't have seen.
I checked with my Appraisal skill to grasp the identity and components of the tar.
[S-Rank - Appraises the contaminant with the Cleaner skill.] [Analyzing]
There was no reaction even after waiting for quite a long time.
[Listing information.] [Liquefied Mana Tar] [Contamination Rank: A- (Special Contamination)] [Main Components: Highly Concentrated Reactive Mana 40%, Unidentified Mucus 60%] [Contamination Characteristics]
[User's understanding is lacking.] [Laundry method undetermined]
"It's a headache-inducing guy..."
A sticky contaminant that nullifies magic. The worst of the worst that even gnaws away at the equipment's mana fluidity.
I felt like I knew why Wiz Clean gave up. To think it's mana dregs that magic doesn't work on; there wouldn't have been a way to resolve it with their method of washing with magic.
"Elena." "Yes?" "Will you try using your holy power on this?" "My holy power? Ugh, I don't want to..." "It's not like money goes out if you use it." "It just feels bad. To think I have to waste my holy power on such a dirty contaminant. This is a loss for our laundry, no, a national loss." "Don't you want to receive a bonus?"
At those words, she couldn't win and brought her hands together.
"Ugh, bonus... If it wasn't for the bonus, I wouldn't have done it." "I'm counting on you."
A holy energy spread from Elena's body. A power that warmed the heart just by looking at it permeated the tar, but.
"...There's no reaction whatsoever."
There was no reaction.
"I think you said the mages' laundry magic didn't work either." "Right." "You have a face that already knew?" "I wondered if perhaps holy power might work, but..."
Seeing mana nullification, I expected holy power wouldn't work either. Still, I thought some kind of reaction would happen.
To think there's no reaction at all.
"I should experiment with a few more things."
I brought out items from the storage. From bleach to chemicals that remove oil stains, plus various consumable items I crafted separately.
I even brought a scrubber capable of physically removing most dungeon contaminants.
As I brought out all the equipment I had, Elena looked at me with a surprised face.
"You're going to use all this?" "Yeah. Since it's a contaminant I've never used before, I have to experiment with as much as possible."
I'll be working all day.
"Is there nothing for me to do?" "Just wipe my sweat. And bring me the materials I ask you to bring." "Understood."
Elena stood next to me holding a handkerchief.
"I'll even apply holy water and wipe you. For your information, this is really expensive? You have to include this in the equipment expenses later, okay?"
Then she sprinkled the bottle containing holy water onto the towel.
"...Isn't that water you got from our store's water purifier?" "..."
Elena stared at me fixedly.
"When did you see?" "Earlier." "Tch." "Don't click your tongue. Where are you trying to trick your boss." "It's water that even contains my prayers in its own way, so technically it is holy water, you know? The prayer content rate is a liiiiittle bit low, though." "..."
A scary miser.
"Anyway, just please assist." "I'll work hard!"
I tapped and prodded the tar using the equipment to purify it.
Tearing it off with tongs, of course. I tried rubbing it with bleach, and I tried using chemicals and spring flower cleanser. But no matter how much I wiped with the materials in the store.
"...There's no reaction."
The mana tar did not peel off easily.
Mana nullification, this was quite bothersome. Most cleaning materials are magic-based items, so they were mostly neutralized.
"I did think it wouldn't be easy."
The only fortunate thing is that my understanding of this tar went up even a little bit?
"Although it's not like it went up enough to be able to wash this..."
[Material Understanding] [Liquefied Mana Tar - 8.7%]
I suffered this much and it's merely 8.7%. Even though I washed using various materials, and blew away three of the protective suits I brought to wash, the understanding didn't even go up 10%.
This understanding has to go up to figure out the laundry method.
'It has to go up to at least 50% for even a makeshift laundry method to come out.'
At this rate, it's a repeat mark.
It won't take a day or two, but months.
Because a laundry method run once doesn't help increase understanding.
"Do I have no choice but to go personally?"
Entering the dungeon and personally experiencing the Liquefied Mana Tar. It seemed there was no other way but that.
"You're saying you'll go to the dungeon?" "I have to. Otherwise there's no way."
At my words, Elena let out a sigh.
"Then I'll have to watch the store alone." "What are you talking about? You have to come too." "Yes?" "Is it okay not to have a healer in the party? I have almost no combat power either." "..."
She pointed at herself with her hand.
"A-are you really telling me to go too?" "And even if you open it without the laundry boss, there's nothing you can do alone." "I can at least handle reservations alone..."
This kid, she was full of greed wanting to just slack off and play. No, maybe she just doesn't want to go to a dirty place.
"I'll give you out-of-office pay." "...You have to give me special pay too. Entering a dungeon wasn't in the contract, you know. And an incredibly dirty one at that..." "..."
Vicious bitch. Do you only feel refreshed if you rob the boss's pockets entirely like that?
"Understood. I'll give it to you, so follow me. It won't work without you." "Fufu, understood. Even though I was excommunicated, I can still use holy power, you know."
I'm sure you can.
At the talk of money, the look in Elena's eyes changed.
As expected, to move a person, there's nothing like money.
I called Carmilla straight away.
As expected of the Chairwoman. I'm telling you she's generous.
"I will see you tomorrow."
Carmilla's excited voice was heard over the receiver.
I'm getting curious. What that request content will be.
"...Ugh, it's my first time in a dungeon..."
Elena complained while rubbing her arms. She said she'd follow along for the extra pay, but actually coming into a dungeon seemed to make her worried.
"Don't worry. Ignis Industry attached an investigation squad for us too. Leave the combat to those people."
Even though I comforted her, she didn't seem very relaxed.
"You probably have no worries, Boss. Since you wrapped yourself in expensive equipment." "Expensive? It's all self-produced, you know?" "Aren't they at least A-Rank equipment?"
She pointed at the clothes and equipment I was wearing and asked.
This kid is saying disappointing things.
"That's true, but it's equipment I personally mended and recycled, so it's not that expensive."
The clothes I'm wearing are an ordinary porter's work uniform. Of course, it flows with a little radiance and the leather grain is alive so it looks like high-grade fabric, but actually it wasn't even an item with special magic cast on artificial leather.
What was generated while mending.
[Protection Enhancement: Significantly reduces damage.] [Lightweight: Incredibly light compared to the performance it possesses.]
Is all.
The bag, shoes, hat, and goggles I was wearing were also items that had skills added through mending.
They were equipment I used since my porter days in the past.
Back then, they were naturally E-Rank and F-Rank equipment. C-Rank equipment at best. The new A-Rank equipment I was issued when I joined Hunters Inc. was returned when I left the company.
With a porter's salary, C-Rank equipment was the limit.
And.
"I washed your saintess uniform for you too, didn't I."
The dingy saintess uniform sparkled fluffily. Thanks to being freshly washed, it was a saintess uniform where even the buff effects sparkled brightly.
"Th-that's employee welfare! Things like this." "...You're an employee when you need to be." "Of course. Am I not the Boss's faithful employee?" "Not a parasite sucking away money?" "It makes me sad when you say that. Do you know how much effort I..." "Then there's no extra pay today." "I am a parasite. Brother."
I'm telling you she's surprisingly easy to handle.
"Have you arrived?"
Arriving at the site, the investigation squad members already wearing protective suits were waiting for us.
"I am called Kim Jinsoo." "I'm Elena." "I am the investigation team leader in charge of escorting, Kang Jaewon. Everyone, please take this."
They handed us the exact same protective suits they were wearing.
"You must wear this to endure inside. It is a protective suit that will block the stench and contaminants. The possible investigation time is 6 hours; if it exceeds this, you may collapse from poisoning, so please strictly observe the time."
I looked at the protective suit.
It was a standard protective suit. An item grafted with Ignis Industry's technological prowess.
I refused it.
"It's okay. I don't need it." "Yes?" "Because I already brought my own."
I handed Elena goggles and a mask.
[Purification Mask] [Clean Goggles]
Items made by mending existing equipment to the maximum.
"Huh? Boss?" "Take it. This will protect you from the miasma. It's equipment provided as employee welfare, so return it when we're done. Don't even think about selling it on Karrot (a secondhand market app)." "Ahem."
When I heard the information about the dungeon, I crafted dedicated equipment during the day yesterday. Accurately speaking, I mended existing equipment, though.
It was equipment imbued with magic that not only prevents miasma but detoxifies the air full of demonic energy.
"Even so..."
At my words, the investigation squad members quietly looked at us.
Standing blankly and exchanging glances among themselves did seem somewhat suspicious.
"Refusing to listen right from the start, aren't you looking down on us?" "Even so, is it okay to bring civilians into a dungeon?" "It hasn't been open for long, so the investigation squad members haven't even investigated the patterns yet..." "If an accident happens at this rate, it's our responsibility."
Voices seemingly dissatisfied that civilians were joining the dungeon.
"No matter if they are the Chairwoman's guests, to think we even have to escort those people. We are still the elite hunters of this team..."
Almost all the members except the team leader, Kang Jaewon, seemed dissatisfied that Elena and I were joining this exploration.
It can't be helped. The un-scheduled raid suddenly happened because of us. And ordinary Awakened whose combat power hasn't been verified are entering together into an unknown dungeon that hasn't been fully uncovered yet.
They must have a lot of worries. And they must be annoyed too.
Even so, they probably wouldn't do something stupid like messing with the Chairwoman's guests, me or Elena.
"To think the people entering the dungeon with us are a laundry boss." "Is this right."
Even so, no one openly expressed dissatisfaction to us. They just chattered among themselves.
The problem is that I can hear those voices, though.
Well, subordinates talking behind backs among themselves is something that happens often.
"Then I look forward to working with you."
I ignored them and finished putting on my mask. It was a mask I had used in S-Rank dungeons in the past too.
It should sufficiently block about A-Rank miasma.
"Understood. Then we will escort you inside. You two do not need to step up to combat, just follow behind us."
Guided by Team Leader Kang Jaewon, we moved our steps into the gate of the Red Swamp Dungeon.
As soon as we passed through the portal, the first thing seen was a red fog obscuring our vision.
"This is hell..."
Elena closed her mouth and brought her two hands together. I also operated the mask's filter to the maximum.
"Because the level of toxic gases, including sulfuric acid, is high here, the mask filter replacement cycle is three times faster than a normal dungeon."
Team Leader Kang said as if familiar with it. The scenery inside the dungeon was bizarre just like its name. The sky was murkily ashen, and a giant swamp stretching endlessly could be seen below our feet.
It wasn't a swamp made of water or mud.
Bubble, bubble.
A red liquid boiling thickly. Giant puddles emitting a dreamy red light were scattered everywhere.
If you ask if heat was felt, that wasn't it.
Fire wasn't burning like lava either, but I felt a terrible ominousness looking at that red swamp.
"Is all of this..." "Yes, that's right. This is all the original form of the tar. It is tinged with red because it hasn't received external interference yet."
Looking where Team Leader Kang pointed with his finger, a bizarre sight was unfolding. A field mouse-shaped monster prowling around the red swamp misstepped at the edge of the swamp.
Squeak! Squeeeeak!
The monster struggled, but at that moment, a part of the red swamp detected the wave of a lifeform and instantly discolored into a black light.
And like a living tentacle, it wrapped around the monster's ankle and hardened stiffly. The monster, fixated just like that, slowly sank into the swamp.
"Ahh, Mother Goddess."
Elena muttered, tightly gripping the holy relic hung around her neck.
I narrowed my eyes.
'If it detects the mana of a lifeform, it oxidizes and sticks.'
It perfectly matched the properties of the tar I experimented on at the laundry yesterday.
That swamp itself is a single giant organism, and a lump of contaminants with monstrous viscosity. Since the exploration squad had to pass through there, it was probably a matter of time before their entire bodies were plastered with tar.
"This swamp is a problem too, but actually the real problem is the monsters appearing from this swamp." "Monsters?" "Yes. As we move to gather items, monsters swarm in groups from around the swamp." "Can't you just go riding around the swamp?"
At my words, the sound of clicking tongues was heard from the surroundings.
"This is why non-experts are."
A sound anyone could tell was mocking. At the members' ridicule, Kang Jaewon let out a sigh.
He calmly shook his head.
"If we walk on land, monsters swarm due to the vibration transmitted to the ground. We judged it is more beneficial to avoid combat by passing through the swamp rather than fighting them."
Rather than drawing the aggro of monsters, they chose to evade using the swamp. I felt like I knew why all the protective suits were smeared with tar.
I looked at the swamp tinged with red light.
[Analyzing material] [A certain amount of time is required.]
Since the swamp is widespread.
I can just keep checking as we move.
"Then we will move to the gathering point."
Team Leader Kang stood at the forefront and raised his shield.
"We will forge the path up to the gathering point. Please be careful that your bare skin absolutely does not touch the swamp, you two." "Understood. We will just watch from behind."
I nodded and looked around. We came to observe the tar right now, but they were an investigation team who came to harvest byproducts from the dungeon, their job.
So I should follow the team leader's words here.
And I didn't intend to just take tar either.
'If it's such an extreme environment, a natural enemy capable of breaking down this tar absolutely exists somewhere in this swamp's ecosystem.'
Antidotes naturally grow near where there is poison. A natural solvent capable of neutralizing this red swamp. That was the 'true laundry material' I had to find today.
"Elena." "Yes, Boss." "Keep observing the surroundings with your holy power." "Yes? What does that..." "Your role today isn't the contaminant, it's finding a being wandering around perfectly fine inside that tar swamp." "Inside that mud pit?" "If you find it, a bonus, 3 times your salary." "R-really? Both my eyes have 2.0 vision, you know? I'll unconditionally find it!"
It was when we were slowly moving our steps toward the heart of the red swamp.
Elena's bosom wriggled, and a small pink fluff ball popped out with a poof.
"Huh?"
It was the Spirit of Spring that had nested in our store, the one that gifted me the high-tier spirit's blessing.
Elena also seemed not to know it was in her bosom, looking at the fluff ball with a surprised face.
The pink Spirit of Spring revealing its presence by fluttering its small wings.
Why are you coming out from here?