After parting ways with Alec and the others, I headed straight for the dungeon exit.

Though I kept an eye on the group fighting below while passing through—everyone’s skill was obvious.

The three who had been with Alec were no exception, and it made sense considering that the Adventurers’ Guild had handpicked them.

They seemed to be handling the battles here with ease, experimenting with different weapons and formations.

Perhaps they were conducting tests similar to what the Knights’ Order did.

Such trials were only possible because they had the luxury of a well-controlled hunting ground.

…Am I the only one desperate for sacred coins?

Thinking about that, I passed through the corridor and emerged outside the dungeon, into the underground hall of the Adventurers’ Guild.

The staircase connecting to the main Adventurers’ Guild above hadn’t been constructed yet, and neither was there a direct link to the outside. While the air quality here wasn’t great, it still felt fresher compared to the high humidity inside the dungeon.

Maybe it’s because of the fans attached to the ceiling?

Eventually, this place would likely be packed with fiery adventurers—just before they entered the dungeon or immediately after returning. Perhaps the fans might help ease the tension a bit.

…Maybe adding some aromatics wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“Hah…”

As I let out a sigh, lost in such trivial thoughts, I surveyed the hall.

It was still under construction, but little by little, the interior was coming together.

Since the dungeon’s appearance, artisans had been unavailable for unknown reasons, so the First Unit was handling the work.

Well, aside from patrolling the territory and providing security, they also worked on infrastructure projects like roads and bridges. While finer furniture like chairs, tables, and shelves would eventually be prepared by artisans, the flooring and wall panels were their handiwork.

Now, they were assembling scaffolding to pave the ceiling.

I wish I could lend a hand with tasks like this, but regardless of divisions, physical labor wasn’t my forte.

With Alec’s investigations, the rest of them, and the knights, everyone seemed busy.

Teresa was also picking up the slack from Alec being tied up in the dungeon.

Zighart and the others were researching what appeared to be a boss entity, slowing down dungeon exploration.

Am I just impatient?

◇

That evening, while lamenting the sluggish pace of dungeon exploration, we gathered in the south wing’s common room.

Unusually, Seriana was also present tonight.

Given the attendees—Liesel, August, and even the branch chief of the Adventurers’ Guild—it was bound to be a dungeon-related discussion. I figured it could’ve been held at the main hall, but maybe it was here because we’re considered part of Seriana’s faction, and they wanted her to participate.

“Well then, let’s begin. Captain August.”

“Yes.”

Once everyone had assembled, Liesel gave the signal, and August began to speak.

The discussion was divided into several topics, starting with the current state of the dungeon entrance’s development.

Materials for constructing the area were being brought in from the Knights’ Order headquarters. Recently, resources from the under-construction residences of August and Alec were also added, which sped things up.

Not just the artisans but also Knights’ Order members unfamiliar with dungeon work had to follow various cumbersome procedures.

Neither they nor the townsfolk would have guessed that a dungeon already lay beneath their feet.

Next, progress on the exploration and investigation of the dungeon’s shallows was reported.

This section was handled by Alec.

The monsters encountered in the shallows consisted mainly of goblins, kobolds, and orcs—your typical demonic creatures. Though I hadn’t encountered them, reports also mentioned magical insects like bees and ants. While combat posed no issues, it was recommended to rest by moving closer to the walls.

Magical insects, huh…

“Were there centipedes?”

Determining the presence of centipedes was critical. Though I’d kept silent so far, this was a question I had to ask.

“Hm? …Oh, no one’s mentioned seeing any. Right?”

“No, I haven’t received any reports either… Sera, are centipedes your weak point?”

Alec responded to my question with uncertainty, then directed it to the branch chief, knowing about my aversion to centipedes.

“Well, I’m not fond of bugs in general, but centipedes are especially bad.”

“I see. They typically hide in cracks between rocks or walls, so as long as you don’t approach those, you shouldn’t encounter them. You should be fine, no?”

“Hmm… I suppose so. Sorry for interrupting, Alec. Please, continue.”

I bowed slightly, and Alec waved it off, resuming his report.

“As it stands, we haven’t encountered any significant issues. The monsters aren’t particularly strong, and if you can fight in the First Forest, you’ll manage here just fine. Also, we tested it a few times—if you blow the horn from the center of the shallows, the sound reaches all corners. In case of an emergency, regrouping should be feasible.”

“Hmm… So there’s no need to be overly cautious about orcs appearing in the shallows.”

“True. However, fire should be avoided. While there’s no dry wood, smoke could still accumulate. The dungeon, though spacious and forest-like, is essentially a large cave. Smoke might behave unpredictably, and while its effect on monsters is unclear, it would certainly be dangerous for us.”

Hearing this, I glanced at Zighart, who responded with a shrug and a laugh.

Zighart’s techniques, if I recalled, were powerful enough to reduce things to ash.

If that’s the case, then it should be fine.

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

Sera ・【Hideout】+1, 【Prayer】【Mira’s Blessing】・【Floating Orb】【Shadow Blade】【Crimson Bee’s Stinger】【Fairy’s Eye】【Dragon’s Lungs】【Amber Sword】【Danrem’s Thread】【Snake’s Tail】【Ankle Bracelet】・60 cards

Seriana ・【Range Identification】・【】・28 cards

Elena ・【】・【Green Fang】・1 card

Alec ・【Power Strike】・【Red Shield】【Fierce Horned Trumpet】・2 cards