Chapter 11
The next morning, Felicia and I left the inn and headed for the Adventurers' Guild.
After we'd been walking for a while, Felicia looked over at me.
"...You raised them again yesterday, didn't you?"
"You can tell?"
"Your gait feels different. I can tell now."
"You're getting used to it."
"It's not like I want to get used to it."
She gave me a slightly exasperated look.
We arrived at the guild and checked the request we'd found yesterday.
【Belgrant Western Dungeon】
【Request: Deliver ten small magic stones】
【Required Rank: E or higher】
"It's still available."
"Let's take this one."
We took the request form to the reception desk.
"The Western Dungeon. Is this your first time?"
"Yes."
"In that case, please don't go past the third floor this time. The monsters on the upper floors are relatively weak, but the deeper you go, the more dangerous it gets."
The receptionist checked the request form.
"You need ten small magic stones for this request. Stones from monsters on the first or second floor will be fine."
"Can you get magic stones from monsters outside, too?"
"Not every monster has one. Most monsters inside the dungeon have a magic stone inside their bodies."
"I see."
That explained why the monsters we'd defeated so far hadn't dropped any magic stones.
"The reward for this request is twelve thousand jenny. There's a guild checkpoint at the entrance, so please show them your Adventurer's Card before going in."
"Understood."
We finished the paperwork and left the reception desk.
Just as we were about to leave the guild, someone called out to us from the side.
"Going to the dungeon today?"
I turned around and saw Claude.
"Yes."
"Is it your first time?"
"That's right."
"Then you shouldn't go below the third floor."
"The receptionist told us the same thing."
"That just shows how careful you need to be there."
Claude said nothing more and returned to his companions in the Silver Wolf.
"I'm getting a little more nervous now."
Felicia said.
"I'm getting curious."
"I thought you'd say that."
◇
After walking west from Belgrant for about an hour, we came to a large cave at the foot of a rocky mountain.
A wooden checkpoint stood in front of the entrance, with several groups of adventurers coming and going.
A man carrying a large sack. A trio hauling monster horns. An adventurer with an arm wrapped in cloth, leaning on a companion for support.
"There are quite a few people here."
"It seems to be where Belgrant's adventurers gather."
We showed our Adventurer's Cards at the checkpoint.
"Two E-ranks. You're cleared."
The staff member handed us two small wooden tags.
"Return these when you leave."
"Understood."
We entered the cave.
After walking a short distance, the light from outside no longer reached us, but magic lamps had been placed at regular intervals along the walls.
"It's brighter than I expected."
"They said the guild manages the upper floors, so that must be why."
I drew my sword, and Felicia readied her staff.
As we were about to set off, I remembered something I needed to tell her.
"Felicia-san, I have a favor to ask."
"What is it?"
"When things are under control, could you let me land the final blow?"
"The final blow?"
"I don't get P unless I'm the one who defeats the monster."
"Oh, I see."
Felicia understood right away.
"So I hold it back, and you finish it off, Allen-san?"
"Yes. But if things get dangerous, don't hesitate to defeat it yourself."
"Understood. I'll take it down if I need to."
The two of us continued deeper into the cave.
◇
The first monsters to appear were two black creatures hanging from the ceiling.
"Kii!"
"They're Cave Bats!"
The two of them flew toward us in an erratic pattern.
"Magic Bullet!"
Felicia's shot hit one of them in the wing, and the Cave Bat fell to the ground.
I rushed over and brought my sword down.
【You acquired 5P】
The other one swooped down at me from above.
I shifted aside and dodged it.
"Magic Bullet!"
Felicia's attack immediately struck its wing.
"Now!"
I finished it off when it fell to the ground.
【You acquired 5P】
【Your points: 80P】
When I searched the Cave Bats' bodies, I found a small gray stone near each one's chest.
"These are them."
"Two. Eight more to go."
We put them in a bag and continued onward.
We encountered two more Cave Bats on the first floor.
Felicia shot through their wings, and I finished them both off.
【You acquired 10P】
【Your points: 90P】
We had four magic stones now.
Before long, we found a staircase leading down and continued to the second floor.
◇
The corridors on the second floor were narrower than those on the first.
The rock walls were so close that a wide swing of my sword would have hit them.
"We should probably change how we move around in here."
"I'll be careful not to hit anything with my staff, too."
Just then, something shifted in the rocks ahead.
"In front!"
Two large rats leaped out.
One of them jumped at me.
I reflexively moved to the side, and my shoulder brushed against the rock wall.
"Tch..."
If I moved the same way I did outside, I'd leave too much space between us.
I thrust my sword at the Cave Rat as it charged toward me.
【You acquired 5P】
Felicia pointed her staff at the other one.
"Magic Bullet!"
The shot struck its foreleg, and the Cave Rat tumbled across the ground.
Without winding up for a big swing, I thrust my sword into it.
【You acquired 5P】
【Your points: 100P】
"It's completely different from outside."
"It's narrow in here."
"It doesn't seem like moving faster is always better, either."
I shortened my stride and focused on thrusts with my sword.
After that, we gradually got used to moving around in the tight passageways.
Four more Cave Rats appeared on the second floor.
"Right!"
At Felicia's warning, I thrust my sword at a Cave Rat that sprang out from behind a rock.
【You acquired 5P】
"There's one behind us, too!"
I took a step forward, then turned around.
"Magic Bullet!"
Felicia's attack struck it in the face, stopping the Cave Rat in its tracks.
I drove my sword into its neck.
【You acquired 5P】
Felicia stopped the remaining two in their tracks, and I finished them off.
【You acquired 10P】
【Your points: 120P】
I took the magic stones out of the bag and counted them.
"There are ten."
"That completes the request."
"Should we head back?"
A little farther ahead, there was a staircase leading deeper down.
"Why don't we take a look at the third floor?"
"I knew you'd say that."
"We'll turn back if it looks dangerous."
"In that case..."
The two of us descended the stairs.
◇
As soon as we entered the third floor, the difference from the first and second floors was obvious.
There were hardly any adventurers around.
The magic lamps were farther apart, leaving parts of the corridor shrouded in darkness.
As we proceeded cautiously, Felicia stopped.
"Allen-san."
"What is it?"
"Above us."
I looked up.
"...!"
A gigantic lizard the same color as the rocks was clinging to the ceiling.
The moment I noticed it, it dropped down.
I dodged to the side.
Thud!
Its huge claws slammed into the ground.
"It's a Stone Lizard!"
It was nearly two meters long.
Its back was covered in rocklike scales.
The Stone Lizard kicked off the ground.
I readied my sword.
Just as I thought it was coming straight at me, it leaped toward the wall beside us.
"What?!"
It dug its claws into the wall and ran along it.
"Magic Bullet!"
Felicia's attack hit its foreleg.
Its body tilted slightly.
"I'll fire another one!"
"Please do!"
"Magic Bullet!"
The second shot struck the same leg.
The Stone Lizard fell from the wall.
I swung my sword at its neck.
Clang!
"It's hard!"
I'd only managed to leave a shallow cut.
The Stone Lizard whipped its tail around.
I stepped back, and its thick tail slammed into the rock wall.
"Its back looks tough, too!"
"I'll aim for its belly!"
The Stone Lizard headed for the wall again.
"Magic Bullet!"
Felicia shot its leg.
A second shot.
The third struck the same spot, too.
"Gyaa!"
The Stone Lizard lost its balance and fell to the ground.
Its belly was exposed as it lay on its side.
"Now!"
I stepped in.
I thrust my sword into its belly.
"Gyaaa!"
The enormous body thrashed around.
I didn't pull out my sword. Instead, I shoved it in even deeper.
After a while, it stopped moving.
【You acquired 120P】
【Your points: 240P】
"One hundred and twenty P..."
"Is that a lot?"
"It's more than most of the monsters I've defeated so far."
When we searched the Stone Lizard's body, we found a larger magic stone than any we'd seen before.
"We should be able to sell this, too."
"Should we take some of its scales back with us?"
"Let's do that."
We peeled off several of its hard scales and put them in the bag.
Looking deeper into the passage, I saw that it continued farther on.
"Should we go a little farther?"
Felicia asked.
I hesitated for a moment, then shook my head.
"Let's head back for today. We've completed the request, and there's no need to push ourselves in a place we've never been before."
"Understood."
We retraced our steps.
We climbed from the third floor to the second, then passed through the first.
When we stepped outside the cave, the light of late afternoon was dazzling.
"I didn't realize it was so bright outside."
"You forget how bright it is when you're inside."
We returned the wooden tags at the checkpoint and headed back to Belgrant.
◇
When we arrived at the Adventurers' Guild, we lined up the small magic stones at the reception desk.
"These are the magic stones for the request."
The receptionist checked them one by one.
"There are ten. The request is complete. Here's your reward of twelve thousand jenny."
I received a pouch full of coins.
"We'll split it in half, right?"
I asked Felicia.
"Of course."
We divided it into six thousand jenny each.
After that, we brought the magic stone and scales from the Stone Lizard to the reception desk.
"Could you buy these from us, too?"
"I'll take a look."
The receptionist picked up the large magic stone.
"This is from a Stone Lizard. You went to the third floor?"
"Just a little."
"This was your first time in a dungeon, right?"
"Yes."
She looked back and forth between Felicia and me, then took the magic stone and scales to the back.
She returned a little while later.
"We'll pay nine thousand jenny for the magic stone and scales together."
"Please do."
We split that in half, too.
Today alone, we each earned ten thousand five hundred jenny.
We'd also been earning rewards for every hunting or escort request we completed.
Even after paying for our lodging and meals, we had quite a bit left over.
Right after I'd been kicked out of the house, I'd worried about what I'd do once I ran out of money.
Now, it seemed like I wouldn't have to worry about paying for a place to stay each night.
"We've managed to save up quite a bit."
Felicia said, looking at her purse.
"Yes. It seems like we'd be fine even if we made a somewhat expensive purchase."
"Like equipment?"
"Equipment..."
I looked at the sword at my waist.
It was an old sword I'd bought myself before leaving House Valdis.
Yesterday, it had bounced off the Iron Boar's hide, and today, I'd struck it against the Stone Lizard's scales.
"Maybe it's time I looked into getting a new one."
"There are lots of weapon shops in Belgrant."
"Should we go take a look tomorrow?"
"Sounds good."
Just then, a display appeared in my field of vision.
【Request completion confirmed】
【You acquired 100P】
【Total P Acquired: 2,200P】
【Your points: 340P】
My jenny had increased.
My P had increased, too.
Ever since becoming an adventurer, the number of things I could do had been growing little by little.
As we left the reception desk, the request board caught my eye.
【Fourth Floor】
【Fifth Floor】
There were requests for even deeper floors.
"There are still more floors below."
"It seems to go pretty deep."
Felicia looked at me.
"You want to go again, don't you?"
"I haven't said anything yet."
"I can tell."
◇
That night, I opened Membership in my room at the inn.
【Your points: 340P】
【Base Abilities】
【Strength: 292】
【Endurance: 313】
【Agility: 333】
【Magic: 18】
I enhanced Strength twice, Endurance once, and Agility twice.
【You purchased Strength Enhancement (Medium) twice】
【Strength: 292 → 352】
【You purchased Endurance Enhancement (Medium)】
【Endurance: 313 → 343】
【You purchased Agility Enhancement (Medium) twice】
【Agility: 333 → 393】
【You used 250P】
【Your points: 90P】
I closed the display.
Tomorrow, I'd take a look at the weapon shops.
After that, it wouldn't be a bad idea to go back to the dungeon.
Total P Acquired = 2,200P