Volume 4 - CH 11

「…….. Mhmm, that is fine. In the meantime none of us will interfere with the dungeon. Let’s honour the truce between our countries and agree on this, irksome as it is 」

The vice commander and I stood up and shook hands in agreement.

As I took charge, Char, who had a superior position as the princess, kept her composure and made no intention to say a word.

After leaving the Generate Kingdom’s tent, we went quietly to where our own soldiers were.

The soldiers had cut down the trees and cleared the ground with magic to set up the tents. I had told them beforehand to just leave an open space in the back for us.

The space they made for us was satisfactory and out of sight of the Generate Kingdom soldiers. I took out the guild house from Dimensional Storage and fixed it upon the prepared land.

「I have missed this house………. 」

「Yeah, it really……. Has been some time since then……… 」

Char and Al were being nostalgic as they looked at the house.

We could have used the tent to keep a low profile, but Ferris wouldn’t be able to come out if we did, plus we wouldn’t be able to take a bath.

Liese already knows about the house, so I didn’t have to explain it to her. She and Myra have spent the night in it before, and they entered it with us without being unfazed.

At the dining table it was the six of us: Char, Al, Natalie, Liese and Myra.

Liese was fidgety seeing as she was not used to the other girls’ company yet.

「Our raid now starts tomorrow. I’ll be leaving this house out here, so Liese and Myra you can use it if you want. Ferris will be coming with me though, so you’ll be taking care of the house on your own 」

「……. I’d like to come too, if that is alright…….. 」

Liese had not given up on wanting to accompany us……. In order to gain experience points, it’s wiser to have up to five people in the party. If I let Myra and her come with, it will be six and it will not benefit us in that regard.

Not to mention, there’s still that wide gap in our levels, which I have a suspicion will be a drag.

「But I thought we agreed…… You’ll take command of the fort here……… Do you suggest we leave this place without a noble in charge of it? 」

「I don’t see a problem with that 」

Al raised her hand and interjected.

「No problem? Are you sure? No one in charge? 」

「Yes, Lieselotte-jo is only an acting lord. Besides we can have the soldiers that usually guard her be in charge. She is not capable of commanding…….  To begin with……. 」

I know Al is to be Commander of the Kingsguard in the future, but that sounds like a bad idea. She is still young though.

I guess I have to bring the two along.

「Um, okay. Liese and Myra, you are welcome to join us. Just keep close to us at all times 」

「Yes! We have been in dungeons many times and we won’t get in your way. We just haven’t been to the lowest levels 」

Come to think of it, this is my first dungeon in this world. In that case, it means Liese and Myra are my seniors.

If it is the same as in the game, I won’t have a problem recalling the important details, but if it is different it won’t hurt to hear from Liese and Myra’s experience.

「Liese, can I ask you to tell me about the dungeon’s interior? 」

「Of course! Myra fill in if miss anything 」

「Yes, I understand 」

「First of all, the dungeon—– 」

Liese began her explanation with Myra making some additions here and there.

She said that the dungeon has a total of 15 levels. There are guardians on the fifth and tenth floors which have to be eliminated before diving to the subsequent levels.

Liese and her party had dived to the 12th floor, but they had to retreat because the monsters had become too powerful to handle on their own.

The dungeon has a nucleus from which the monsters are born. Even if the nucleus is destroyed at the lowest floor, a new nucleus will appear again in a week or so. The dungeon rank will be lowered from previous and the strength of the monsters that are born from it will be weak as well. If left to grow for a year, the nucleus will return to its original size and the dungeon and monsters will return to their original strength.

So regardless of the final guardian being defeated and the nucleus removed from the dungeon, the dungeon is unlikely to disappear for years to come.

That is why adventurers are important. It is with them that dungeons rarely flood.

The current flooding may have occurred because adventurers left the city due to the war, and the dungeon was neglected by both countries.

「—- something like that  」

I thanked Liese and Myra for their explanation when they were done.

If the dungeon here has the same structure as in the game …….

My suspicion is not yet confirmed but I might have a secret plan for tomorrow’s raid.

Each of us took our leave for our rooms for a good night’s rest, and welcomed the next day with fresh eyes.

In the living room, the group members, who had finished their meals and were fully equipped, gathered.

Turns out during the night Char tried to sneak into my room but because of Ferris she was unsuccessful.

Ferris had locked the door to prevent any intrusion. Of course, I was sound asleep and did not notice. In the morning, I almost burst out laughing when Ferris told me this, thankful that she was there.

Char, who was in the living room getting her equipment ready, was a little disgruntled, but I chose to not think much of it.

「Char, what’s wrong? You’ve been in a foul mood all morning……. 」

「No, it’s nothing. I was just a little nervous and couldn’t sleep 」

Char was being disingenuous as well.

「Time to pack up the house. Ferris, you can return now 」

Ferris gave me a nod before disappearing, in a suction motion, into the necklace around my neck.

After checking our gear, we exited the guild house and found the soldiers already lined up.

When I confirmed everyone was out of the house, I put the guild house away into Dimensional Storage. The soldiers were taken aback to see such a spectacle.

「Our raid starts now. As discussed, the job of handling the monsters that escape out of the dungeon is yours 」

The man who was in front, whom I assume to be the captain, nodded.

The entrance to the dungeon is a few minutes’ walk from the fort. On the other side of the dungeon entrance was the Generate Kingdom fort, and their soldiers were monitoring the entrance to the dungeon.

The Generate Kingdom looked ready to enter the dungeon as well. Larx and his men were slowly making their way toward us, all equipped and prepared to go.

I could sense some hostility from some of them which none came from Larx. Larx himself seemed unconcerned by anything.

「Are you also about to go in? I apologize, but in the prestige name of the Generate Kingdom, we will go ahead and conquer it first 」

The Generate Kingdom has assembled five people: two adventurers, two soldiers, and Larx.

This was in plain contrast to our side which had all women except me. Not to mention it had Natalie, the little girl.

The two soldiers looked at them with a lecherous glare and chuckled.

「They are so short-handed; this is all they have……. 」

「It must be considerable. A party of one man and five women. Look, one of them is just a kid 」

「They can’t be serious. The Lunette Empire must be getting desperate 」

The soldiers’ remarks pissed all of us off.

「Touya, can I burn them all? They are even ignorant to who I am 」

Natalie’s right palm glowed with some magic as she spoke. Considering her current level she can kill all of them in an instant, except for the Hero.

However, we can’t restart the war that was only stopped recently. That said we won’t allow ourselves to be underestimated by the Generate Kingdom either.

I took note of the soldiers and decided to appease Natalie.

「Natalie, don’t do it. Let the howling of the…… mongrels slide 」

I deliberately chose for them to hear me.

「….. You bastard!! 」

The soldier was about to clutch his sword when a hand reached out from his side to stop him.

「This is not the time; we are in the middle of a ceasefire with the Lunette Empire. The princess is here too. Are you trying to cause trouble? 」

It was one of the adventurers who stopped the soldier. He must be a man of some ability. The soldier nodded quietly through clenched teeth.

「We are here as a commission. We are not going to help you get your country into trouble 」

The other adventurer, who was aware of what was going on, spoke.

「Hmph…….. 」

The soldiers clicked their tongues and walked toward Larx. The adventurers were not hostile to us. As adventurers they are only competing to conquer the dungeon, and due to the guild rules they are forbidden to fight directly for it.

Doesn’t matter if the adventurers are from a different country, the adventurers’ organization is basically the same. If they are prosecuted, they will be stripped of their guild memberships. And since we have the princess here, we have an advantage of being in the right.

「Excuse me. We may be nobles but we are also adventurers. Let’s do our best to have decent contest, regardless of our host countries 」

I said as I smiled at the adventurers.

「Ah, yes, let’s do our best. Of course, we will conquer it before the Lunette Empire 」

I shook hands with the two adventurers before walking away.

I beckoned Char and the other girls to come closer, and they all approached.

「Alright, we’ll go into the dungeon after the Generate Kingdom. Let’s take a short break 」

「「「「「What!?」」」」」

They all exclaimed in surprise.

「I understand your unwillingness……. But there is a reason. I can’t tell you in detail, but we can certainly get ahead of their party 」

「Is that true? 」

Liese was in disbelief.

It is possible, especially if the Generate Kingdom’s guys make wrong turns in the dungeon.

This dungeon has been conquered to some extent except for the lower floor, and maps are available.

I had checked the map, and my suspicion was confirmed.

——– It is the exact dungeon as in the game.

Comparing it with what I remember, the map showed the same construction as the one I had seen on the computer screen.

That is why I know I can outwit the Generate Kingdom.

We will hide the route by going after them.

「…….. Please explain to us later…….. But I believe in you, Touya-sama 」

Everyone nodded at Char’s words and then took a rest in the tent.

The soldiers stationed to watch the entrance to the dungeon reported that Larx and his group had entered the dungeon.

It was an hour later that our time came for us to go in.