The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter

For the first time in a while, I went to the school, though it still was summer vacation.

The reason is that there is something I would like to ask professor Elna.

When I visited the staff room in the morning, the teacher, with her foot on the desk, was cracking her shoulders.

She has terrible muscle stiffness as usual. When she saw my face, her expression changed to a smile that was almost saying that she discovered her prey.

「Started to miss me?」

「There is something I wanted to ask.」

「Sure thing, sure thing! But in exchange…」

「I know, I know.」

After all, I even took shoulder ma.s.sage skills for her sake. As I start the ma.s.sage the teacher leaks out a voice「Uee, Heaven…」like an old man.

Even though she is beautiful, what a waste.

「And, what did you want to ask me? If it"s about my three sizes…」

「Your ideas are so old.」

「Shut up. Don"t say that. I"m in a relatively delicate age.」

There is a lot of people already married at twenty-four. Professor puts pressure on me. Will I take her if she won"t find anyone? She asks.

Of course, I gracefully ignore that and get to the actual subject.

「Professor, have you ever been to the city of Hornest?」

「Of course I"ve been. Rosette Kingdom, right?」

As expected, a former mercenary. Rosette Kingdom is a neighboring country and the closest foreign country to this city. I explain the circ.u.mstances and have her tell me what kind of country it is.

「A good country. They put efforts in education and various types of schools exist there. Magic, warrior, merchant, knight. Even something like a divination school.」

「Please tell me if there is something I should be careful about when traveling there.」

「If you put more effort.」

*Squeeze squeeze, dondondon. *

I put more strength into squeezing and then proceed to tapotement. Every time a firm fist drops on her, professor leaks out voices of joy.

With improved mood, the professor revealed me special traits of Hornest.

・ There are relatively many demons around
・ Attacked by a large number of demons every few to ten years.
・ There is a dungeon near the town
・A lot of frivolous guys

So there is a dungeon? Surely it isn"t the hidden dungeon but I would like to dive in there. Also, I was uneasy about attacks by a large number of monsters.

「Why demons are attacking?」

「No idea. They didn"t attack during my stay there. Men did attack me though.」

「Eh… To attack the professor… How rash.」

「I left all of them half dead. That city has a lot of s.e.x crimes. I heard it"s more than twice of what we have here. You should be careful as well.」

「I"m a man.」

「Men get a.s.saulted as well. It"s especially dangerous for guys with a face such as yours. Don"t awaken to any strange tastes.」

Looks like it"s not a joke and actually dangerous. Let"s be cautious.

After the ma.s.sage was over I received a hug as grat.i.tude.

「It"s envious that you can get stronger from something like this.」

「Please call me again if stiff shoulders will become unbearable again.」

「Oh well. Since it"s Noir I"m not worried but be careful.」

「Yes.」

I"ve got good information, so it was the right decision to come here. From the school, I traveled to the guild and went to see Laursan.

I ask her what happened to the bear paws.

「This is perfect timing. I was about to call for Noir-kun.」

Laursan brings an adventurer that looked about twenty years old. A wild guy who looks good with tan and beard. It seems he is called Inor-san.

「So you are Noir-kun. I"ve made a dish.」

「Thank you for listening to my absurd request.」

「It"s fine, since it"s a request from Laurchan it can"t be helped. Wait for a bit.」

Inor-san brings a platter with four bear paws on it. With removed hair, the skin is black and grotesque. And there is a special sauce on it.

Suggested to eat that I cannot really refuse. I resolve myself and eat it. Melting fat and the flavor elegantly spreading inside the mouth were magnificent.

It resembled a pork fat and was pretty delicious. The sauce probably provided a lot of support to it. I asked what he used in it.

「Sorry, I cannot answer that. It"s a trade secret.」

「… Is that so. But pulling out hair one by one was difficult, wasn"t it?」

「Well, I have a special skill, so it"s easy for me.」

It interested me so I sneaked a peek with appraisal eye.

Name: Kaatra Neydon
Age: 29
Race: Human
Level: 48
Occupation: Chef, Adventurer
Skills: Spearmans.h.i.+p B, Vitals Attack, Dismantle Organics

He probably has a side job at a restaurant. Or, instead, that might be his main job. I guess by the special skill he meant【Dismantle Organic】.

I"ll check it with Edit.

＜Raises the proficiency of dismantling any type of living being. Also improves blood draining. ＞

This is nice. It would be helpful with bringing back raw materials from monsters. I can acquire it for only 400 LP, so I"ll get it.

… Stop.

It"s might be a bit late, but wasn"t his name Inor-san? I whisper to Laursan, asking if it"s not a real name.

「That person, he is under a pseudonym, isn"t he?」

「As expected, Noir-kun would realize after all. He has a debt problem so he usually uses a fake name.」

「E-eeh…」

「He also changed his face. I was the one who introduced him to the person possessing a shaping skill.」

And that was why he gladly agreed to her request. He lives in a hard world. It seems that there is a lot of such people in the guild.

「Everyone have darkness they cannot reveal to others. Thanks to that, I developed an eye for people.」

Laursan, who talks about this with a smile, is resilient.

That aside, I"ve got 900 LP from the paw of a black bear.

After deducting the amount for Dismantle Organic it"s still an increase of 500 LP.

I felt bad for enjoying it alone, so I share with Laursan and other adventurers.

「Thank you Noir. I"m grateful.」

「You are welcome.」

Regularly treating others like this isn"t bad. No matter how strong one gets, people cannot live alone.

The information that comes through people is also very important.

Leaving a share for Emma, I part with Laursan.

「Laursan, I consider departing a day after tomorrow, is that fine with you?」

「I"m ready to leave at any time. I"m looking forward to it.」

Good. I already spoke to Laylsan and Lunsan yesterday, so that leaves only Emma.

When I went to her house, her mother came out. She says that Emma is currently practicing with a coach in the garden.

「She wants to get at least a little bit closer to your level, so she is working hard lately. Please come in.」

「Excuse me.」

From the window of the living room, you can see the image of Emma training in the backyard.

An armed fight was unfolding with her female tutor.

Emma was sweating, doing her best. The opponent was above level 100 but Emma desperately stuck to her… I shouldn"t distract them.

「The dish, please give it to Emma. Also, please tell her that the trip is on the day after tomorrow.」

「Please take care of Emma.」

「No, I"m the one always getting saved by her.」

After handing over the bear paw I leave the house right away. I thought that she got stronger lately, so it turns out she was training. If in the future Emma were to want some skill I will grant it to her without hesitation.

The day of departure has come.

Greeted by the chirping of sparrows I wake up.

Surprised to find Alice in my bed, my heartbeat gets a lot faster.

「Since when you were here?」

「The night, I somehow couldn"t fall asleep and came here. In your sleeptalk, you told me to sleep together with you, so I did.」

She is lying about sleep talking. But the lack of energy in her voice bothers me.

「I won"t be able to see brother for a while. Why won"t you take Alice along?」

「Don"t you have school? Besides, it didn"t seem like you wanted to go.」

「… That"s because… Meeting with Gillan-oniisama is a waste of time… Or rather a waste of life…」

Brother, what have you done to become this hated? When we meet I"ll ask him for a reference.

After acc.u.mulating LP from morning hug with Alice, I say.

「You have dark circles under your eyes. You didn"t sleep?」

「While I was counting the number of your pores it became morning…」

You make it sound like I"m a person with an insane amount of pores. Well, I"m a human, so there is a lot I guess. When I came to the living room, mother and father were checking my luggage. Looks like I didn"t forget anything.

『You woke up late. Isn"t it the time already?』

「Ah, it"s already this late?!」

As I check the time, pointed out by Toramaru, I find out that it"s only ten minutes before the meeting.

「Alice, why didn"t you wake me up?」

「I am sorry.」

Probably, that was because she didn"t want me to go to Gillan-niisan.

I receive my baggage from father.

「Noir, the carriage would be at the gate. Be careful out there.」

「Thank you for arranging the carriage.」

「If Gillan were to stir some troubles again, tell him that this time we will really stop sending him money.」

「Understood. Father, please don"t stir troubles as well.」

「Like I"d do that! UHAHAHAHAHA!」

This composure of his is what makes father suspicious. Anyway, I move to the entrance with bread in my mouth. Alice runs after me and grabbing my hand says with upturned eyes.

「Please be careful. I will protect this house where you must return.」

「Yes, that puts me at ease.」

「And if you intend to run with bread in your mouth, be careful around the corners. There is a possibility that being distracted by eating and running you might crash into a beautiful girl.」

Does that really happen?

Alice continues uneasily.

「I feel like a strange love might start from that… So please be very careful.」

「Hahaha, yes, yes.」

No way that"s gonna happen.

Laughing, I leave the house of Stalgia family.

I run for a while since I don"t have time.

Running while eating bread at the same time is pretty hard. … Ah, a corner, I guess I"ll slow down just in case.

「Oh noooo! I"m gonna be late!」

Whoa?! A girl that just as I had a piece of bread in her mouth runs right in front of me. At that moment, she stumbles upon nothing and falls down.

「Gya… ?! Oouch…」

She was on all fours, sticking out her b.u.t.t. On top of that, she was in miniskirt, so the angle is…

A sudden delight, so to say.

「Aah, this is the worst, I have to hurry. Five seconds rule activate.」

The girl immediately stood up, picked the bread off the ground and after putting it back in her mouth, energetically ran away. Five seconds rule? Something like if the food falls and you pick it up within five seconds then it"s okay?

Anyway, Alice"s warning became a reality. Let"s slow down around the corners when eating bread.

Now, when I reached the gate, Emma, Laursan, Lunsan, Laylsan, all four had already arrived.

「Sorry, I"m late.」

「Good morning Noir. Looks like the coachman arranged by the uncle is already here.」

「Let"s go.」

I do my greetings with the coachman in whose care we will be for this round trip. Then, five of us got inside.

Let"s depart for Hornest!