“Oh? Are those two heading into the dungeon?”

The newcomers who had arrived at the lobby earlier were now heading toward the dungeon entrance, accompanied by the man they had been sitting with.

I had been told not to activate 【Fairy’s Eye】 while working as a waitress here to avoid unnecessary trouble, so I couldn’t gauge their strength.

But since they’ve been granted permission to explore, I suppose there’s no need to worry about any accidents?

Well, even if something happens, Alec is stationed in the dungeon today, so it should be fine.

“Vice Captain! Another round over here!”

As I watched them leave for the dungeon, another table called for a refill.

When I looked over, I saw that they had spread out some documents and were engaged in a discussion.

Looks like they’ve accepted a request.

They seem to be going over things thoroughly to make sure nothing goes wrong.

If they were just loitering, I’d have kicked them out, but since they’re working seriously, they’re more than welcome.

“Got it! Just a moment.”

Before heading over, I needed to clear this table first.

The others seemed busy too, so I’d better hurry up!

◇

A few days into the third month of autumn.

The rainy season had ended, and with winter approaching, many of the adventurers who had been idling in the guild decided to go out hunting, easing the usual congestion.

Additionally, it’s been nearly a month since the dungeon was opened to the public, and those heading inside seemed to have settled into their own exploration rhythms, bringing a bit of calm.

That meant it was finally time for me to resume dungeon exploration!

Or so I thought—until not only Seriana but also the others stopped me.

What the hell.

And why am I playing the role of a server here?

Well, it’s essentially to make myself more recognizable.

This dungeon doesn’t have the best visibility.

Especially the shallows.

Many inexperienced adventurers hunt in the shallows, making it likely for someone unfamiliar with this dungeon to misfire.

Of course, with my improved defenses, I could probably withstand an attack. But even so, causing an incident would be a serious crime.

My status has changed a bit too, so I can’t just brush off injuries as “no big deal” anymore.

To avoid such accidents, they told me to spend some time here working as a waitress, interacting with the adventurers who frequent the dungeon so they would remember my face.

Well, at least there’s no alcohol served here, so I don’t have to deal with drunkards.

I really wanted to dive into the dungeon, and yes, this was a major buzzkill—but I couldn’t argue with the logic.

So, for now, I was quietly and diligently playing the role of a waitress.

◇

“Good work. Want something to drink? …Wait, is something wrong?”

A party of three had just returned from the dungeon, but as soon as they sat down, one of them slumped face-first onto the table.

She didn’t seem to be injured, but something was definitely off.

These three were a rare sight in Liones—a party composed entirely of young women—so I remembered them well.

They were above average in appearance and skilled enough in combat, making them stand out both positively and negatively.

Naturally, they were drawing attention from the surrounding tables again.

“Thanks. Just bring us something cold—three drinks, please.”

Though winter was approaching, the shallows of the dungeon remained hot and humid, making cold drinks a popular choice among returning adventurers.

“Got it. Just a moment.”

I quickly prepared their drinks and brought them over.

But the one who had collapsed remained motionless.

“Here you go. So? What happened?”

As the vice captain of the 2nd squad, I figured I should at least ask.

Their party had a standard setup—two swordswomen and one spear user.

They were stronger than the average person, but since they were all women, they compensated for physical disadvantages by focusing on evasive combat rather than taking hits.

Still, they had cleared the requirements to explore this dungeon and were considered competent adventurers.

Yet now, one of the swordswomen was completely out of it.

Apparently, she had been hit by a goblin’s attack in the shallows.

Fortunately, she managed to use her armor effectively, so the worst she suffered was a bruise or, at most, a hairline fracture.

But if it had been an orc or an ogre, she could have died—realizing that had sent her into a downward spiral.

…I could understand that.

Alec and the other heavy-hitters made it look easy, tanking attacks without much reaction, but for most people, that kind of hit would be fatal.

Thinking about it, even just grazing a barrier makes me want to turn back…

Her two companions seemed fine, but the one who took the hit was in bad shape.

I wasn’t planning on playing favorites, but an all-female combat group like theirs was rare in Liones.

They were needed for guarding noble and merchant women, so it was important that she recovered quickly.

Maybe I should cast 【Prayer】?

Just as I was considering it, I heard cheers coming from the dungeon entrance.

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Sera ・ 【Hideout】 +1 【Prayer】 【Mira’s Blessing】 【Wind’s Cloak】 ・ 【Floating Orb】 +1 【Shadow Sword】 【Scarlet Bee Needle】 【Fairy’s Eye】 【Dragon’s Lungs】 【Amber Sword】 【Danrem’s Thread】 【Serpent’s Tail】 【Ankle Bracelet】 【Amber Shield】 【Purple Wings】 ・ 15 cards

Seriana ・ 【Area Identification】 ・ 【】 ・ 28 cards

Elena ・ 【】 ・ 【Green Fang】 【Amber Sword】 ・ 4 cards

Alec ・ 【Strong Strike】 ・ 【Red Shield】 【Fierce Horned Trumpet】 ・ 8 cards