Clashing together were two opposing and conflicting elements â the strained atmosphere and the calm tone of the speaking.
In the middle of this meal where it didnât feel like any food could be easily swallowed, a conversation, or rather, an interrogation began.
The content was to confirm the facts presented in the Dive Report, as well as matters relating to the Lich, matters the Adventurerâs Guild Guildmaster, Joe, was interested in.
<But, I just canât believe it. Even a Lich can be dominated. It sounded like it was activated by piercing the magic core with the tip of the sword⌠Is that right, Rowe?>
<That is true. In fact, when I was being carried to the surface, it was the Lich that brought me to the 14th Floor shortcut.>
<Perhaps that girl can even control a Labyrinth Boss?>
<This is my personal opinion, but itâs probably impossible. Because the Labyrinth Boss doesnât have a magic core.>
That was correct.
After defeating the Labyrinth Boss, nothing remains. Only the path leading to the deepest part of the labyrinth â the passageway to the labyrinth core will open.
<Hmm, I seeâŚâŚ>
Joe then asked a few questions about Yuikaâs abilities.
What was the maximum number of monsters that could be controlled?
<I donât know the exact amount, but as far as I can tell, I think about 10. If thereâs more than that, they will become rampant.>
How long could they be used for?
<âŚâŚWell, who knows. After all, she was exploring the labyrinth while constantly changing monsters.>
Were there any other restrictions?
<Iâm a Sherpa, right? Skill analysis is the work of the Adventurerâs Guild. There was no time to think about unnecessary things while exploring the labyrinth. All I did was give directions and look after myself.>
Rowe answered smoothly.
<Well, thatâs true.>
In the bushes, Berry smirked.
As Yuikaâs lover â though she still hadnât recognised it â there was no way Rowe would openly disclose her information. While staying calm and not giving his opponents room for doubt, he was able to give a vague report.
After that, the topic shifted to Roweâs personal circumstances.
The questioner was Gima, the old woman from the Sherpa Guild.
<Rowe boy. I know youâre staying at your current job for your sister.>
<âŚ>
Rowe, who had been answering without hesitation, fell silent.
<With your skill, even without crossing such a dangerous bridge, youâd still be able to make enough to eat. The reason why you entrust your precious little sister to someone else and risk that much danger to dive in the labyrinth is because you have some goal, am I wrong?>
Roweâs âskillâ referred to his passive Gift of [Stamina Recovery]. And it was true that for physical jobs such as transporting luggage, he could without a doubt, work many times more than the average person.
Baramon nodded.
<Thatâs right, youâre still young. From what Iâve read from the Dive Report, if you are truly an excellent individual, it wouldnât be strange if you had one or two ambitions. And if you are a manâ>
He took a breath, to emphasise his own words.
<âthen you should never let a chance go.>
<âŚA chance, huh?>
<Thatâs right. You donât seem to realise it yet, but itâs a big deal for someone without money or status to be able to connect with someone wielding power like me. You could say that itâs a turning point in your life. Whether a relationship, a business, or a marriage, there are often things in the world that you canât grasp until you stand on that stage.>
<Social class, right?>
<If thatâs what people are calling it, thatâs exactly it.>
There was a metallic clank, and the sound of chewing.
<âŚâŚHm. This sauce is excellent.>
The meal progressed in silence for a while, and eventually Rowe answered.
<Unfortunately, I donât have the ambition to live up to all your expectations. I just want to live in a good place and have a good life.>
<From where you stand, I donât think thatâs as easy as you make it sound.>
<Yes. To achieve that, I need money.>
<This kid is good at business. Heâs saved up a good bit.>
To Gimaâs teasing, Rowe let out a sigh.
<For now, it looks like youâve achieved your goal, but when you think about the future, itâs not enough, isnât it?>
<Speaking of which, youâve been like this for a long timeâŚ>
Joe sounded like he had a wry smile.
<Do you know, Baramon? When he was an Adventurer, he was called the âLabyrinth Feederâ.>
<Oh. Isnât that a rather grand nickname?>
Until a few years ago, in the shallow layers of Tyros Labyrinth, a certain Floor Boss was wandering around.
Known as the Owl Bear, as the name suggested, it was a monster with a head of an owl and the body of a bear.
Its characteristics were a body covered with stiff feathers and a tough body. It also had sharp claws. Moreover, it had the troublesome species-specific Gift [Physical Recovery].
The problem was the floor where this monster appeared.
The 13th Floorââ
Because the shortcut connected to the 14th Floor, most intermediate Adventurers started their exploration from the 14th Floor.
In short, the ones with the highest possibility of encountering the Owl Bear were beginner Adventurers.
Its spawn point was unknown. Moreover, it was a monster that roamed the labyrinth.
With its high defence and Gift of [Physical Recovery], it was disadvantageous to fight it in drawn-out battles.
In fact, many beginner Adventurers became sacrifices to the Owl Bear, and the 13th Floor came to be called the Death Floor.
<Even for an Adventurerâs Guild, it finally became a situation we couldnât overlook. A subjugation request was issued, but⌠there were few people that accepted. The drop items of the Owl Bear were feathers that could more or less be only used for quills, and itâs magic core wasnât that big. Finding and defeating them also took time. All in all â unappetising prey.>
It meant that hard work put in would not be rewarded.
<The saviour who appeared at that time was Rowe.>
The reward for the Adventurerâs Guildâs subjugation request was, to put it bluntly, cheap. However, that was because the reward for success had to be split among the members in the party, so for those exploring the labyrinth individually, it was a little better.
<The Guild too, wasnât able to provide compensation that could satisfy intermediate Adventurers, and there was a possibility that beginner Adventurers would have the tables turned on them. Thatâs why I decided to sign an exclusive contract with him. Thanks to that, the death rate of beginner Adventurers was greatly reduced.>
The respawn period of the Floor Boss was about half a month.
Using the Dungeon Oasis on the 14th Floor as a base, Rowe explored the 13th Floor and repeatedly hunted the Owl Bear.
It took about 3 years to figure out its spawn point. After that, to change the flow of the magic particles, one part of a passageway was sealed, and the Owl Bears no longer appeared.
<Thatâs why you got the nickname âLabyrinth Feederâ, huh.>
Baramon groaned.
<Yeah, thatâs exactly how. Heartless Adventurers criticized Rowe. That he was obstructing the exploration of beginner Adventurers and monopolizing the goods on that Floor. But he didnât deny that. Do you know why, Baramon?>
<Well, not at all.>
<Itâs simple. Because we paid him money to shut his mouth.>
Joe laughed mischievously.
<Even as an Adventurerâs Guild, itâs not good for our reputation if other people find out that we relay requests to a specific Adventurer. Besides, we also didnât want beginner Adventurers to avoid the 13th Floor. Thatâs why I decided to give him just a little bit more to keep quiet. And he gladly accepted. In short â for money.>
Berii thought otherwise.
Rowe had been hunting in the 13th Floor to obtain the rare drop item from the rare Silver Plates, âHeavy Silverâ.
The reason was âjust becauseâ or in other words, âbecause it was interestingâ.
Actions that ordinary people couldnât understand were intuitively understood by fellow Adventurers.
<âŚâŚRowe. You are someone who wonât hesitate having to tarnish your own name for money. Am I wrong?>
Rowe neither confirmed nor denied the old manâs question.
After taking a deep breath, he said in a relaxed tone.
<It seems that I was invited to an outrageous meeting.>
<What do you mean?>
Rowe answered Baramonâs question without hesitation.
<You want me to do something, right? To protect this town.>
ââŚHuhu.â
Baramon laughed.
His low-pitched laughter grew louder and deeper, echoing through the room.
<Gima. Isnât this a young man who gets what people are trying to talk about? Heâs also fearless, I like him.>
<Because among all those easygoing people from my side, his personality alone is different.>
Suddenly, a soft bell could be heard ringing.
A waiter immediately came into the room and cleaned up the table.
When it was quiet again, Baramonu resumed the conversation.
<âWell then. From now on, itâs time to talk about work. Of course, I hope you donât speak of this to anyone else.>