Challengers*1
Well then.
Adventurers came.
Adventurers came!
At last, this dungeon has begun to function as a “dungeon that draws people in.” This is the first step. I’m nervous, but… I’m also excited. My heart’s racing.
The first adventurers to arrive—sure enough, they were all restless and eager, saying, “We heard the World Tree is here.”
Edele explained, “It seems the thugs we caught the other day said something like that, so we’re investigating too. Also, since we need to confirm people’s safety, please register at reception before entering,” and smiled sweetly. The adventurers, smiling themselves, readily completed the registration.
… Thank goodness they weren’t the sort to push back against Edele’s calm explanation. I was worried it would be more like, “Outta my way!” or “Hand over all the money in this village!”
The adventurers said, “There are rumors at the Guild, so we came ahead to investigate,” and, “We want to be the first ones in,” full of spirit. So it really is spreading as a rumor. Good.
… Then, when Edele offered, “We have antidotes and healing salves. We can also spare water and rations,” they refused, saying, “It’s just a little village dungeon, can’t be anything serious,” and went inside.
They went in, and then…
… even the next day, they didn’t come out.
Well. That at least proves the maze is working properly.
When I checked inside the dungeon, sure enough, they’d gotten hopelessly lost, and in the end, collapsed from hunger, thirst, and poison. Ah, just as I thought.
If it turned into rumors like, “The adventurers who went in never came back out…,” then people would stop coming. So I had no choice but to go rescue them myself. I won’t get lost in my own maze, and I can sense people’s locations.
… Or so I thought.
“No way, Asuma-sama, you’re going in alone!? That’s dangerous!”
“Eh? Well, it’s my house, even if it’s called a dungeon.”
“That’s true, but! Ah, wait, even if you find them, you can’t carry them back on your own, can you!?”
“… Right. That’s true.”
What to do… should I bring a cart? Roll them along—clunk clunk clunk… nah, too many steps and rough paths. Not realistic. Hmmm.
“I’ll go with you, Asuma-samaaa.”
“No, Mishisia-san, there’s a chance your name has already been reported as the World Tree’s guardian… let’s wait and see for now.”
Her offer was appreciated, but depending on how much those thugs told the Guild, it would look suspicious if Mishisia came along.
So… yeah.
“Lisas-san. Can you come with me?”
“Of course. If I’ll do, gladly.”
Best to go as two men.
“Over here, Lisas-san!”
“Ugh, there… can I even fit through…?”
And so, the two of us entered the cave, taking a shortcut toward the collapsed adventurers.
But…
“… Sorry, Asuma-sama. I’m stuck.”
“You got stuck!?”
Some of the narrow passages that I can get through aren’t passable for Lisas. So we had no choice but to detour.
“Well, you are a big guy, Lisas. Can’t be helped.”
“My apologies…”
He looked embarrassed, but really, not many adults could follow a child-sized body through tight spaces. Especially since Lisas was fairly well-built now.
Yeah, that’s the thing. Once he got his arm back, he stopped looking shabby. Now he looks downright sturdy. That worn-out impression is mostly gone—well, mostly.
“By the way, Lisas-san, what did you do before?”
“Me? Hmm… you mean before I started tagging along with those washed-up adventurers?”
“Yeah.”
I’d been curious. He’d once said, “My former superior had a treasured sword.” So he had a former profession, right?
“Well… it’s not something I need to hide, I suppose.”
Oh? He’s going to tell me? Nice, I thought he might avoid the question.
“I was in the Royal Knights. I fought in the wars.”
… Wait.
“Royal…?”
“Yes. Even like this, technically.”
The Royal Knights—that’s pretty elite, isn’t it? I don’t know much, but just the word “royal” makes it sound impressive.
But seeing his bitter little smile, yeah… it must be true. Wow. Did I just stumble onto a really incredible person? My own foresight scares me sometimes.
“Why’d you leave the Knights?”
That’s the real question, right? With such a career, why end up trailing thugs as a porter?
“Well, you can guess. Someone missing an arm can’t stay on as a knight.”
… Yeah. Should’ve realized that. He was missing an arm and an eye when I met him.
“It happened in battle. They wanted me to stay on, but… there were complications. Honestly, I couldn’t bear to continue as a one-armed knight.”
Yeah… makes sense.
Thinking about it, I’m really glad I could restore his arm and eye.
“After that, I drowned myself in booze, lost all my savings, joined the Guild just to scrape by… but a one-armed man doesn’t get decent jobs there either. You can imagine the rest.”
“So that’s how you ended up carrying bags for those thugs.”
“Pretty much.”
I see. That clinches it—I really did pick up an amazing person.
For me, no doubt it was good fortune. For Lisas, too, well, probably better than working for thugs. At least I can promise him a better life than that.
“… To think I’d hold a sword properly again.”
Lisas smiled with deep feeling, opening and closing his restored hand.
“Yeah. I’m counting on you.”
“Of course. Even if it costs me my life.”
“No, don’t go that far…!”
Seriously, he always tries to throw his life away! That’s no good. Life is important!
And so, Lisas and I reached the adventurers.
There they were, unable to move from hunger, thirst, and poison.
“A… a person…?”
“Help… please help us…”
“Can you spare us some water…?”
They were exhausted, collapsed on the ground. Well, yeah.
“Here, water. It’s got a little antidote mixed in.”
“Food after the water. We’ll leave it here.”
“Thank you… thank you…”
We gave them water, antidote, and food. They nearly cried with relief, drank the antidote water, nibbled at the food, and slowly regained their strength.
Phew, good. If someone had died right off the bat, that’d have been way too much.
“Ahh, I’m alive again… truly, thank you.”
They revived, somehow. Thank goodness.
“This dungeon’s maze is complex. So much you can’t even map it. Next time, prepare better. As long as you’re ready, it’s not that dangerous.”
“Seems so… I mean, there aren’t any monsters at all…”
“I saw one slime… tried to catch it and eat it, but it got away…”
What!? They tried to eat a slime!? No way! The slimes are part of our farm—our pets!
That was close! Later I’ll ask Edele to add to the reception notes: “Slimes are shared property of the village. Do not harm them.”
“Well, luckily, we know the way back. We’ll guide you out.”
I was still shaken about the slime, but for now, we had to get these adventurers out.
“Ahh, thank you. Really, thank you, knight… and, uh, is that your child?”
“N-no, this is…”
“I’m his squire! Nice to meet you!”
They nearly misunderstood our relationship, but I corrected it.
… Though maybe letting them think we were father and son would’ve been simpler. But Lisas looked so troubled…
Wait, he’s single, right? I just assumed so when I recruited him, but… he doesn’t have a wife and kids back home, does he? That’d be bad… Well, he’d have mentioned it if he did. Yeah, it’s fine.
“Well then, you guys, be careful next time! We’re planning to make a living from this dungeon, but we can’t save you every time!”
“Y-yeah. Thank you so much this time…”
And so, we safely escorted the adventurers out. Good. Next time, come prepared.
At the cave entrance, Edele called, “Welcome back! Please register here before leaving,” and they went to her for paperwork. They also started buying antidotes, bandages, healing salves, rations… Probably planning to dive again tomorrow. Good, good. Do better next time.
And so, the dungeon boom in Panis Village began safely.
“… I wonder if anyone will reach the second floor.”
“… It’d be a problem if no one did. But at this rate, who knows…”
With the first adventurers struggling this much, I’m worried whether the rumors of the “False World Tree” will really spread.
Hmm… well, I’ll just have to be patient. It’s only just begun.
And the next day.
I woke up and immediately went to check on the World Tree.
… I’m not like Mishisia, who can truly sense the World Tree, but I can somewhat understand the state of anything growing inside the dungeon.
“Still healthy today.”
The World Tree was as lively as ever. Probably thriving thanks to the magic pouring down from the ceiling.
Well, that’s the most important thing. Time to feed the slimes their fertilizer. I stepped outside.
Since the cave entrance had been turned into “Dungeon Reception,” we’d arranged for the slimes to gather somewhere else.
They now came bouncing to the border between the fields and the forest beside the cave.
“Ah! Good morning, Asuma-sama!”
“Good morning, Mishisia. The World Tree’s healthy today.”
“Thank you. I’ll go check on it later too!”
Mishisia greeted me while harvesting the tomatoes growing from a slime’s head. She also patted the slime’s squishy body as she did, making it hop happily.
“And here—today’s offering!”
“Thanks… Still calling it an offering, huh…”
She handed me today’s “offering,” and I accepted it gratefully. Fresh-picked tomatoes are the best.
As I bit into a tomato and sprinkled fertilizer for the slimes, Mishisia, eating a tomato beside me, suddenly spoke.
“Oh, by the way, Asuma-sama. Edele was saying, ‘The inn’s full—what a happy problem!’ Looks like more guests are coming.”
“Oh.”
If the inn’s full, that means there are adventurers who want to challenge the dungeon this morning.
The group we rescued yesterday will probably come again too.
… Maybe today, someone will actually make progress in the dungeon. I’m getting excited.
What do you think about this chapter?
