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Chapter 312 – Invisible Request
I started exploring the dungeon from the 34th underground floor. I picked up a few creatures along the way and reached the 40th floor without much trouble.
The atmosphere grew tenser the deeper I went, just as it had around the 30th floor. However, since the boss had already been defeated, I reached the deepest part of the dungeon without incident.
Beyond the large room that was clearly the boss’s chamber was a stark contrast: a compact room of about 16 square meters.
Given the room’s size, I knew immediately that a hidden boss couldn’t appear here.
However, something both familiar and thought-provoking was glowing on the floor.
“No matter how you look at it, this is definitely a teleportation magic circle…”
At the back of the room, there was a circular area about two meters in diameter, densely covered with geometric patterns layered on top of each other.
It closely resembled the image of a magic circle I had in my head. To top it off, a deep blue-purple light radiated from every inch of the patterns.
Considering any other possibility was difficult.
Still, I’m scared, so I won’t step on it.
I could leave using my own skills, so there was no need to risk stepping on an uncertain floor.
Still, I wanted to know the answer. I used my own teleportation to return to the lobby at the dungeon entrance and asked the guide standing beside the stairs.
“Excuse me, I have a question.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Do you know what the magic circle at the deepest part of the 40th floor is for?”
“You mean the ‘teleportation circle’? In beginner dungeons, it’s only placed at the deepest part. Stepping on it will transport you to the dungeon entrance at the bottom of these stairs.”
“Hmm… So it’s incredibly rare, right?”
“They say it’s an irreproducible divine creation, so yeah. Apparently, no one knows how it works.”
“Speaking of beginner dungeons, do other dungeons have different teleportation circles?”
“Seems so. I’ve only heard about them, but since those dungeons are much deeper than this one, I’ve heard that there are non-one-way teleportation circles midway through, too.”
“I see. Well, now that sounds pretty legit.”
“Huh?”
“Ah, sorry, I was just talking to myself. Oh! Hey, Onee-san, do you know anything about the boss monsters on each floor?”
“Uh, well… I know the tenth floor has a giant monkey monster and the twentieth floor has a golden frog. The 30th floor has a ferocious boar, and the dungeon boss on the 40th floor seems to be a huge ox monster.”
“…I see, I see. Well, thank you very much for your help.”
This is excellent information.
The 20th floor has a shining frog—that must be the rare Golden Frog monster found at Lake Voice.
This means that the monkey and the boar are both likely rare species inhabiting the field somewhere.
The 40th-floor boss seems suspicious, too. I’d like to see it at least once.
I don’t want to interrupt anyone mid-battle, but if I’m nearby, I might teleport to each boss room.
I have now completed exploration of the beginner dungeon, the Treasure-Saving Labyrinth.
It was an extremely rewarding place with much to gain.
I always thought dungeons were purely fictional, but who knew they’d have teleportation magic circles?
I don’t recall it being this complex. However, I’ve seen magic circles before in the “Storage Room.”
It’s suspected that that one was created by a reincarnated individual.
This means it’s possible that the teleportation circle could also be man-made.
Since spatial magic exists, I’m not sure if it would be classified as a magic tool. However, it’s probably not as unrealistic as claiming it’s an irreproducible divine creation.
If anything, the disk at the center of Palmera is a far more unrealistic foreign object.
Hmm… I wonder if skills related to magic circles are unlocked under certain conditions.
If such skills exist, for better or worse, they could be used in various ways. If it could be created, it would greatly expand the scope of action for the people of this world.
Feeling a slight interest in such a magic circle, I returned to base that day because I was carrying a living creature.
After entrusting it to Alicia, I knew it wasn’t time to rest. I immediately headed for the Sanur Mercenary Guild.
(Hmm, no luck after all…)
Gazing up at the request board with desperate hope, I groaned.
Life never went that smoothly, and the posted requests were brutally realistic—nothing but petty bandit exterminations. I couldn’t help but sigh.
The problem I’m facing now is serious.
The dungeon was fresh, educational, and fun—no doubt about that. Sadly, though, it had been about two weeks since I entered Ortran.
I’d only bought a few skill points with money, and I was starting to feel anxious because I hadn’t gotten any stronger.
We didn’t all start at the same time with a “Ready, set, go!” and I’m not competing with anyone over growth speed.
Still, this is the first time since being forcibly transferred to this world that my growth has stalled.
With mapping progressing slowly, the only decent hunting spot in Ortran was a single C-rank area near the center.
I intended to check out the others, too, but realistically, this spot was probably the only place likely to spawn new monsters.
Honestly, C-rank areas don’t offer much hope for good loot.
“Excuse me. I’m heading west soon. Are there any quests around here I might be able to pick up?”
“Um… Yeah, all the quests are along the road cutting through the mountains to the southwest. This area is mostly open wilderness with good visibility, except for the southern part. If there are any bandits, they’d only be around the Orial Mountain Pass.”
“I see. By the way, are there any bigger ‘fishes’ around here?”
Just in case there was a lucrative hidden request—a shot in the dark, really.
But the other lady standing beside her delivered a perfectly reasonable retort in a cold tone.
“Even if there were, we wouldn’t share classified information with mercenaries who lack proven track records and credibility.”
“Well, that makes sense…”
It would be pointless to say, “I’m going to be a ranked mercenary in the Kingdom of Freyville!” here.
Besides, the truth of it is questionable. Since the guild operates on a national level anyway, they would just tell me to properly establish myself in Ortran first.
Oh well. I guess I’ll just keep mapping during the day and grinding skills at Palmera at night.
Just as I thought that, I started to leave the guild.
“If you’re looking for big fish, they’re listed under ‘High-Paying Requests.'”
The first lady said this, and my feet stopped dead in their tracks.
Ever since acquiring Spatial Magic, reward amounts had seemed insignificant, and I stopped glancing at the “High-Paying Requests” board.
But if it connects to a big fish, my interest suddenly spikes.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“According to the information we’ve received, a caravan traveling from the west disappeared without a trace four times in a row.”
“Come to think of it, there was one. There was one where a request was posted to investigate the cause for some reason.”
“So you’re saying it might be bandits?”
“Looks like it. Caravans with multiple wagons have large escort forces. Even if they were attacked, transporting such massive loot to town would be incredibly difficult. Usually, they wouldn’t be targeted unless the attackers were strong and numerous. The larger the caravan, the higher the chance of retaliation.”
“Then could it be monsters?”
“Merchant caravans never stray from the main roads. Even if monsters appeared along the way, they’d be goblins or something minor. Besides, there’s no evidence of wrecked carriages or traces of a battle to confirm an attack.”
Hearing this, I recalled traveling by carriage toward Malta with our former dedicated coachmen, Horio-san and Amanda-san.
It makes sense that they would take roads with few monsters and that, even if monsters appeared outside hunting grounds, they would be goblins at most. That’s true, but it still leaves the reason unclear.
“If it’s from the west, does that mean there are no incidents when heading from Sanur?”
“Correct. Additionally, it’s been mentioned that all the missing carriages belong to the same merchant guild.”
“So, hired hands conspired to abscond with the cargo and the entire carriage? Is that the conclusion you’ve come to?”
“Logically, that’s the most likely explanation. After all, the merchant who hired them placed a 15-million-Beeke request to ‘investigate the cause.’”
No, this isn’t exactly a “big fish” case.
Whether they’re being resented or betrayed, it just seems like an internal family dispute.
Maybe the polite Onee-san mistook a ‘big fish’ for a high-paying job.
I came to that conclusion and was about to decline.
“And then, how many mercenaries joined the escort job after seeing this request? At least six mercenaries who joined from our side have gone missing and are now unaccounted for.”
Hearing this made things even more confusing.
If they’re unaccounted for, that means the two people at the counter haven’t seen them.
Even if they were paid to keep quiet, why would they abandon work in Ortran, the largest town here?
If they were based in another town, news would likely reach the mercenary guilds, which have fast information networks. In other words, if they’re alive, they’ve abandoned the mercenary trade in this country where they built their reputation.
Unless it was an enormous sum, they wouldn’t normally make that choice.
“By the way, what were they transporting?”
“Agricultural products. Sanur relies on crops grown in the fertile lands to the west.”
“So, the cargo wasn’t that valuable, right?”
“That’s correct. At least, the mercenaries who escorted it couldn’t have made enough money to abandon this place. I don’t know what the cargo was, but it could be the ‘big fish’ you’re looking for, couldn’t it?”
The lady here, who seemed to be enjoying my reaction, shifted her gaze from the leather armor to me. She appeared to have understood my intent.
True, the answer wasn’t clear, but I see.
This request seems a bit different from the usual stuff; it’s more my kind of job.
Since I’m heading west anyway, it can’t hurt to investigate.
One last thing.
“By the way, when you say ‘from the west,’ which town are we talking about specifically?”
When I asked, both ladies answered in unison, “Domia.”
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