Chapter 93

In the twelfth layer of Halbar, I changed the bandits I defeated to mountain bandits → pirates.

Roxane agreed to guide me to the group of carnivorous plants.

After taking down Glassby with six wind spells, I defeated Flighttrap with three fireballs.

It was a prolonged battle like never before.

"Indeed, it’s better to go to places where there’s only one Flighttrap or Sarracenia. I’ll guide you to such places."

"I think even one will be tough."

"With just one, we can manage somehow."

"Alternatively, we might consider going up to the sixteenth layer."

Not only Roxane but Seri also suggested something terrifying.

Is she really that eager?

"To the sixteenth layer?"

"The sixteenth layer of Kooltar has the Bitch Butterfly. Wind magic is its weakness. Hatbat can also be defeated with wind magic. The sixteenth layer might be easier to fight in than the fifteenth."

I see.

She seems to be thinking rationally.

As expected of Seri.

In the sixteenth layer of Kooltar, about half of the monsters are likely to be Bitch Butterflies.

The next most common are the Glassbies from the fifteenth layer.

Then come the Hatbats from the fourteenth layer.

In the sixteenth layer, the top three types of monsters all have wind magic as their weakness.

The possibility of encountering Flighttraps and Sarracenia decreases in the fifteenth layer.

If I can fight with just wind magic, it might be a bit easier.

"If it goes well, that’s good. If we can fight reasonably well in the fifteenth layer, let’s try the sixteenth."

"I think that’s a good idea."

Going there immediately would be dangerous, so I decided to observe for a while.

Indeed, the number of hits increased in the fifteenth layer.

A Hatbat got past the front line and attacked me.

One of us was surprisingly stable.

I took out Durandal and swapped hats with Seri.

Using healing items drained my MP quickly.

When I take out Durandal, I have to remove my skills, which reduces the experience points I gain.

Going to higher layers would increase the normal experience points, but the number of times I have to take out Durandal would also increase, reducing the experience points.

Ultimately, it’s unclear whether going to higher layers would be beneficial in total.

"Roxane, can you guide me to a place with a variety of monsters next?"

With my MP fully recovered, I asked Roxane.

"Sure. This way. I can smell four types of monsters."

The fifteenth layer has a maximum of four monsters, so there are four types.

I had forgotten.

From the sixteenth layer onwards, the maximum number of monsters is five.

The sixteenth layer will be challenging.

No, if I use area-of-effect spells, the number of monsters shouldn’t be a problem.

With Roxane, I can manage that.

Since I can defeat more monsters, the sixteenth layer might be more beneficial in terms of experience points.

I used Meteor Crash on a group of one Glassby, one Hatbat, one Flighttrap, and one Sarracenia.

Burning rocks spread throughout the cave.

All the monsters except the Glassby were defeated.

Only the Glassby didn’t fall.

It’s good that the Glassby, which is weak to wind magic, didn’t fall.

It’s natural that the Flighttrap and Sarracenia, which are weak to fire magic, were defeated.

However, I don’t quite understand why the Hatbat fell.

That day, I finished hunting without going to the sixteenth layer.

Rushing too quickly would be dangerous.

Going to the sixteenth layer in the morning tomorrow would be fine.

The explorer is now level 38.

One more level and I can obtain the skill to omit incantations.

When I got home, there was a message from the merchant Luke.

"He says he won the bid for the Kobold monster card. It’s 5,400 nals. And he wants me to come immediately."

Roxane read the note.

The Kobold monster card.

I wonder why he wants me to come immediately.

"Then I’ll go for a bit. Can the three of you prepare dinner?"

"Understood. Have a good trip."

"Be careful with the merchant."

I flew to the Merchant Guild.

When I asked for Luke at the reception, he came out immediately.

I was led to a small room for negotiations.

"I’m sorry to call you. First, here’s the Kobold monster card."

"Indeed."

Luke brought out the monster card.

After confirming it was genuine through appraisal, I paid 59 silver coins, including the handling fee for the next transaction.

Luke always delivers genuine items.

He seems to be reliable as a merchant.

"Actually, the Kobold monster card was also bid at 5,400 nals last time. The opponent, who was wary of my bidding, took it first. If I continue to bid at the same price, this kind of thing happens, which is troublesome."

"Is that so?"

Being a merchant is tough.

Indeed, if I knew the opponent would bid up to 5,400 nals, I wouldn’t have bid at 5,300 nals.

There’s a lot of strategy involved.

"So, this time it ended up being a bid at the maximum planned price."

I’m not sure about that.

Originally, the opponent found out my maximum planned price because I bid 5,400 nals.

"Well, I’ll stop bidding on the Kobold monster card this time."

"Yes. Also, I have a message from the knights of Duke Halts. They want you to come immediately."

So, the knights of Duke Halts wanted me to come immediately.

Did they sell a mirror or something?

"From the knights of Duke Halts. Understood."

"I have conveyed the message."

I received the Kobold monster card and left the Merchant Guild.

I thought about ordering an Ant monster card but decided against it.

Indeed, one hat isn’t enough right now.

I need to gather more equipment against poison.

However, it takes time from ordering to actually receiving the Ant monster card.

By the time it arrives, we might be fighting in a different layer.

There might not be any monsters using poison there.

It might be good to prepare, but I’ll wait for now.

I went home and boiled the bath.

I wanted to relax after everything that happened today.

I finished early, so I could also go to Luke’s place.

After dinner, I had Seri forge.

With the Kobold monster card, I fused it with the Rabbit monster card.

I added the skill to interrupt incantations to Seri’s steel spear.

It should be useful.

After finishing all the work for the day, I took a bath.

Milia was floating in the water, looking relaxed.

She was lying on her back, with her face peeking out of the water.

She looked comfortable.

Roxane and Seri were on either side of me.

It felt good.

For me.

"Today was eventful, but the bath feels great."

"Yes, it’s the best."

The best part is Roxane’s tail.

I put my arms under Roxane’s body in the water.

I enjoyed the feel of her tail.

When I gently pulled her closer, her ample curves bounced against my chest.

"Does Milia feel good too?"

"Yes."

Milia only gave a short answer.

She’s a free spirit.

She drifted to the empty side of the bathtub.

It was a perfect fit for the word "drift."

The bathtub wasn’t that big.

Milia’s tail touched my leg.

Two islands were floating.

"Milia, can you make the fish dish with the pot we bought the other day?"

When Roxane translated, Milia came flying over.

She climbed on top of me and leaned in.

Her face was close.

"I can."

"In this case, you can. You can."

"I can."

My important part touched Milia’s smooth stomach.

Milia didn’t seem to care.

She was looking at my face intently.

"Then, how about for dinner the day after tomorrow?"

"I can."

She got the answer from me and left again.

What a materialistic one.

I knew Milia would be happy if I promised to make the fish dish.

Two days later would be just right.

Tomorrow would be too soon.

Four or five days later would be too long.

The day after tomorrow, she should be motivated to help.

However, the kiss that day was back to being casual.

The passion from when we exchanged the poison removal pill was a one-time thing.

It’s fine to enjoy passionate kisses with Roxane.

The next morning was the same.

I might not be able to expect passionate kisses from Milia.

After kissing the three of them, I entered the twelfth layer of Halbar.

It’s better to fight the Glassby boss from the twelfth layer.

I teleported to the small room where the bandits were.

It might be a bit risky if someone sees me using Dungeon Walk in Halbar’s labyrinth.

If necessary, I can make Seri an explorer.

I explored with the small room as the center.

When I went right from the small room, I immediately reached the boss room.

As expected, it was as I thought.

The bandits had set up a trap near the boss room.

If a strong party came, they would kindly lead them to the boss room.

Since it was early in the morning, no one was in the waiting room.

"The Glassby boss is a Killerbee. Be careful of poison. It also has a skill that can reliably poison you."

As expected, it uses poison.

With the incantation interruption skill on Seri’s weapon, we’re well-prepared for skills.

I killed the Glassby first and joined the circle to fight the boss.

Roxane, standing in front, wouldn’t take the hits alone.

The boss was easily defeated.

I’ve already defeated the bosses of the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth layers of Kooltar.

The boss of the twelfth layer should be easy.

I moved to the fifteenth layer of Kooltar without fighting in the thirteenth layer of Halbar.

It’s helpful to face the fifteenth layer boss with confidence from a previous victory.

I followed the map to the boss room.

"Then, Milia, I’ll leave it to you."

I sent Milia out.

Milia checked the waiting room and signaled.

It was early in the morning, so no one was there.

I didn’t let my guard down just because I had won before.

I defeated the Killerbee cautiously and as quickly as possible.

"The monsters in the sixteenth layer of Kooltar are Bitch Butterflies. They are weak to wind magic and resistant to fire magic. When they get close, they might use a skill to paralyze you."

"Paralysis skill. It’s good that Seri’s weapon is ready."

"Yes, I’ll do my best."

The Bitch Butterfly is more like a large moth than a butterfly.

Its fluttering isn’t graceful or delicate.

Well, it’s a monster.

Its movements are somewhat slow.

The Breeze Ball hits accurately.

I defeated it with seven wind spells.

"Roxane, can you guide me to places where Bitch Butterflies, Glassbies, and Hatbats, which are weak to wind magic, are present?"

"I think I can."

It seems Seri’s plan might work.

I’ll try fighting in the sixteenth layer of Kooltar.

It was a tough battle, but we managed to fight.

In the morning, we hunted in the sixteenth layer.

After finishing hunting, I went home.

I asked the three of them to prepare breakfast and went to Bode alone.

I appeared in the lobby.

"Is the Duke or the Captain here?"

"Yes, I think the Duke is in his office."

I asked a knight for the location and entered.

I know the house well.

It was early, so he hadn’t gone out yet.

I walked down the corridor to the office.

"Come in."

I knocked on the office door and received a response.

It was Goslair’s voice.

"It’s Michio. I heard you called."

"Ah, Michio. I’m sorry to call you. Thank you for coming."

I entered, and the Duke, sitting