Chapter 10

[Floor Minus 10]

Tick tock tick tock...

Four hours has passed since I entered the Farwitch Labyrinth.

My path is still lit by the flickering orange glow of the torches on the wall, but I know they won't last for long. There's a huge difficulty spike between the tenth and the eleventh floor. Floors minus one to ten may be ridiculously easy for an S+ dungeon — no traps or puzzles, an easy maze and laughable monsters — but in my opinion, that in itself is this dungeon's trap, to lull any unsuspecting adventurer into a false sense of security.

Novices who mistakes this place as some C rank dungeon will find their heads flying before they know it.

Truly an S+ dungeon. Even the traps are unconventional.

So I save energy while I'm at the easy floors. I'll be needing it a lot later.

Tick tock tick tock...

Hmm?

The sound of merry strumming reaches my ears. It's an upbeat adventure-y tune, one you'd hear in taverns while everyone's drowning in ale and tales of bravery. That's a new one in this dungeon. My curiosity is piqued, and since it's coming from the direction I'm heading, it shouldn't be a waste of time.

The closer I get, the louder the music grows, now mixed with the sounds of laughter and talking. Almost like a tavern in the middle of a dungeon.

Heh? Am I hallucinating?

Let's see, according to the map... after a right turn is supposed to be the last stop for the stairs leading down to the next floor.

"Welcome, welcome weary adventurer, to Rupert's dungeon shop."

In the last bend, I am welcomed by a sharp-looking bearded guy dressed like a merchant, strumming a now more peaceful melody that soothes my nerves. I'm guessing his name is Rupert. A mobile stall has been set up in the corner, selling a variety of weapons, armors and strange trinkets. What an ingenious way to do business.

Not only that, I think they sell hot food and drinks too. There are even some tables set up around the place as well, filled with adventurers talking with their partymates while eating their fill. This doesn't feel like a dungeon at all. Rupert shows me around his stocks, offering me rare items and tempting deals, but in the end, I just settle for some food. My lunch was kind of lacking, thanks to that wretched digerill.

"A meat barbeque and a mug of ale for the young lady, then."

Geh.

I almost tell them to drop the ale, but I quickly stop myself. That was close. If I speak, I'll be exposed as a guy. And I don't want any attention to my borrowed identity. Good thing I prepared for this kind of situation.

I grab the mini-chalkboard and chalk from my rucksack and draw a mug in a cancel sign on it.

"So the miss is a lightweight. Will water be enough?"

I nod. Looks like he got the message. But it's not like I can't handle my alcohol, it's just that being even slightly tipsy in this dangerous dungeon is suicide.

There are no empty tables left, but a friendly group waves at me to come join them. They all look like seasoned adventurers, and it's especially true for their leader. He's a bald muscular man in his forties with a rough face and a scar running down his cheeks, wearing heavy armor and a red battle ax on his back; I recognize this guy, but who wouldn't? His face was plastered all over the newspapers adventurers brought with them, retelling his tales of battling a dread dragon by himself to save a poor village who didn't have enough to pay the guild. But what was his name? Baldy. It was baldy, wasn't it?

I try to look for other seats, but it's the only available one left. I reluctantly join their merry group as they welcome me with a cheer.

While waiting for my meat barbeque, they introduce themselves with lots of boasting and grandstanding.

The petite chocolate brown elf girl named Liri, and she's a great archer who once served in the war. She escaped after being sick of seeing dead bodies too much and went to the adventurer business to satisfy her lust for battle without taking a life. Clever.

Damian's an earth spellcaster. He's the short guy wearing thick round glasses who looks more like a kid than an adventurer. But he supposedly graduated third in his class back at the Capital University of Alraz. And even I know that it's a place that attracts crazy powerful spellcasters from all around the world, so being among the top is a big deal.

And there's also Ron the lanky violet-haired dude, wearing a light armor that focuses on speed rather than defense. Born and raised in the circus, he was hand-picked by baldy himself to join his party after witnessing the heroics he displayed while saving a little girl from his own circus troupe. He now reads their maps, checks for traps and throws poisoned knives.

And the baldy's name is actually Gaul. Now I remember.

They're a colorful bunch, and they've stuck together for years. But I'm more interested with the silent burly guy carrying all their baggage, wearing cheap armor and a silver collar around his neck. His most defining feature is definitely the two curled horns on his head. I've never met anyone from the demon race before. They're a bit interesting, in the sense that they're the only race unable to use magic of any kind. It's been that way ever since the Demon Lord died a thousand years ago, and I haven't heard any of them regaining their once insane powers from his rather brief revival. Now they've been reduced to nothing but slaves. But I've been hearing about the demon country growing better lately. Who knows?

The adventurers ask me to tell a bit about myself, but I ignore them and eat my meat barbeque. I don't have time for fancy chit-chat like them. But it seems like they don't have any plans to give up.

"Hey, er..."

"Rosea. She's Rosea Mar, an A Ranker from the port town of Lor. Isn't that right, miss?"

I give him a vague smile in return. Glasses kid adjusts his glasses as he says stuff about me I didn't even know. This is bad. Those glasses must be some sort of modified stat checker like Frey's. Good thing I don't have to answer anything, since I can't speak.

"Hihihi, you're cute, miss Rosea! Or can I call you Rose? Please lemme call you Rose!"

Dark elf girl roughly shakes my shoulder. Dammit, if you shake me too much my wig will fall off! I gulp down the rest of my food without bothering to chew it and push it down with a single swig of water.

Baldy's shout stops me before I could escape.

"Wait, Miss Rosea. Going alone in the lower levels is not a good idea, even if you an A ranker. I can't sense any good armor under your robe, and that sword on your hips means that you're planning to fight monsters head-on, right?. You'll die."

I'm jut wearing this spellcaster's robe borrowed from Jina since it covers my whole body. Also, I don't wear armor since it'll probably be dead weight when I can just avoid the monsters' attacks.

Dark elf girl comes to my rescue and slams baldy's head. Oh, I've gained some respect for her. Good job.

"Oy, don't bully Rose! She knows what she's doing. You don't get A rank by fumbling around, you know?"

But I did. Sorry.

"Gaul's right. She's all alone, and she's got practically zero defense. The way she's going at it, she's gonna die before she even reaches a boss floor."

Purplehead joins Gaul's team and berates me for my lack of preparation. He does have a point... Now Liri slams his head next.

"Like. I. Said! Rose is probably so powerful that she doesn't need any armor! You're just stupid, knife freak!"

"My name's Ron, get it right already. And how does an A ranker become more powerful than this S+ dungeon, huh? Think with your head for a bit."

"Miss Rosea is a magic swordsman, guessing from her attire. You were probably planning on attacking the enemy from a distance with magic, right? That won't work on some of the monsters here, especially the bosses, since many of them are impervious to magic."

Gaul gives me his expert advice, but I shrug. I don't really know, I survived storming this place years ago. I'll survive again, I think.

The three of them continue to argue with each other, especially Liri who doesn't want to back down on her support of me. Gaul stops me every time I silently try to escape. I'm wasting a lot of time here. I draw a sad face in tears with a clock crossed out, but they all seem to ignore it.

Finally, what ends this is glasses kid slamming his mug of ale to the table, after finishing it all in one gulp.

"If you're all so worried, why don't we just go with her? That way, everybody wins."

"""Ah."""

Oh no. Please no. They all throw him a thumbs up, and wrap their arms around my shoulders like some long-time buddy to stop me from running away. I show them a drawing of their hands getting cut, but they ignore it as usual.

"Then, what're we waiting for? You're in a hurry, right Rose? Let's get this show on the road, ye!"

"Doing good stuff to girls once n a while can't hurt. Just don't fall for me, fair lady, for this wild guy's already married to the spirit of adventure."

"It's for the best. We can't just let a poor unprepared girl fight alone in that darkness now, can we? Our party has retrieved a new objective: accompany Miss Rosea to wherever she goes!"

""Yeah!""

They pack their things and ready their weapons, never once letting me go. The hell? Why are they doing this for someone they just met? Are they stupid? There's exactly zero reward in doing this, and they're all risking their lives here. Well okay, I am as well. I mean, if any of them learns about my true identity, Jina and I are going to be double executed! I don't want that!

Before we descend the stairs, everyone except me and the demon slave pauses to recite a short prayer. Not this again.

"Blessed be Thy warmth that purifies the harvest.

Blessed be Thy light that shows us the path.

And blessed be Thy justice upon my works and my heart.

Thy will be done."

The famous sun's prayer. It's as if a newfound strength blazed from their now open eyes. Given that magic comes from the sun goddess herself, it makes sense that they worship her like this. Everyone in Alraz almost do. Our village doesn't though, since we don't depend on magic a lot. And the prayer only reminds me of the words Erika etched at the pocket watch's cover, which was her version of the prayer with the final words being: My will be done.

And that's the problem. My will isn't being done here. Why are they following me??

Liri hugs my waist from behind, squeezing her almost non-existent breasts on me.

"I'm your jailer for the rest of the way, hihihi! Nice working with you, Rose!"

Will I even be able to escape?

Tick tock tick tock...

Monster Encyclopedia

No.104

Dread Dragon [Lizard-Type Monster]

A 50-foot tall land dragon with scales as black as night. They breath out fire from their nostrils and eat through the mountains that block their path. They normally shy away from human eyes, so don't expect to meet one any soon.