Author: Yume Neiji

With the Lesser Water Dragons defeated, the dungeon fell into silence. Amid the sound of the waterfall, the ringing of a hammer echoed. Safi is repairing the waterwheel.

The rogue party that had caused the commotion had been knocked unconscious and tied up in the corner of the room. Nearly fifty adventurers were now staring, switching their gaze between Safi and us.

The large number was because another party, which had split off from us to explore after the battle, had finally arrived here. The preliminary map predictions had been correct after all. The hidden area circled the fourth layer. The two groups had apparently converged in this large central room, the midpoint of their separate routes.

The other group had also made progress. In addition to rescuing the captured adventurers, they had discovered stairs leading to the lower levels.

Clang, clang.

The hammer rang out, and each strike sent pale blue sparks scattering from the base of the waterwheel.

“Now, then.”

Felix-san cleared his throat.

While Safi continued the repairs, we had something we had to tell the adventurers—something about the dwarves.

“…Huh?”

The adventurers’ eyes widened.

“Dwarves… in the depths of Alvis?”

“Aren’t there supposed to be only monsters down there?”

“…So they’re an ancient race from the Great Sealing Era?”

Exclamations of surprise erupted all around.

Felix-san did the explaining, while I, Mia-san, and Nils-san stood slightly behind him.

Nils-san said nothing, but his brows furrowed slightly, as if he were troubled or unsure about what he was seeing.

“This is the first I’ve heard of it…”

“Are there any other secrets in the dungeon?”

“Now’s the time—just tell us!”

Depending on the situation, I might have to reveal the power of Wake-Up or even the truth about the gods.

But—

『…These people… they’ve believed in Odis all this time, haven’t they?』

Solana’s words made me lower my chin. The conversation fell silent, probably because both I and the gods shared the same feeling.

“Yeah…”

The myth that had ended in the gods’ victory was actually a story of defeat.

Ancient gods were awakening one after another.

If any of this were revealed, it would surely cause a bigger uproar than even discovering the hidden area. It was precisely because the gods had subdued the monsters—that was the myth—that the Kingdom of Asgard remained at peace.

Images of farmland and villages without walls from our sea journey flashed through my mind.

The reason people could tend their fields without fearing monsters, the reason they could live near the dungeon safely—it all rested on their trust in the chief god, Odis.

The dungeon’s blessing, the magic stones, were used for countless purposes: lighting, furnaces, and more. Myths were the very foundation of that security.

If the truth were to spread, doubts about the temples would arise. And since even the Raven Warrior Corps belonged to the temple’s organization, any mistrust and chaos would reach us as well. At worst, the cooperation of the adventurers here might vanish entirely.

Whether they would believe me was uncertain.

Even if the adventurers accepted it, the nobles and royalty might not. And if that were the case, the Warrior Corps that had declared “there are lies in the myths” would find itself in an extremely precarious position within the kingdom.

How wonderful it would be if I could tell them everything I knew and truly earn their trust.

But—this time, I wasn’t sure that honesty was the right choice.

Before entering the dungeon, I had revealed only the secrets of the hidden area and the ashes of the titan. That had been the absolute limit, the line Felix-san and Pauline-san had decided: “This is all for now!”

The gold coin in my pocket trembled, and the voices of the gods came one after another.

『See? This is getting messy. Let’s just go out and say it already.』

『Hold on, Thor… the Warrior Corps has its position to consider.』

『Uru is right, but politics… all the way here in the dungeon? I have to say… it’s a bit of a buzzkill.』

My cheeks grew hot. I wanted to speak up, to say something. After all, none of this distrust would have existed if Safi hadn’t been put in danger in the first place.

“Um…!”

“Wait, wait, you two.”

Two people stepped forward from the line of adventurers.

One was large, like a gray grizzly bear, carrying a stone hammer. The other wielded a greatsword.

They scanned the adventurers around them.

The hammer-wielder looked at me and smiled. He was the one who had come to our aid during the pre-entry briefing.

“Let me guess—you weren’t just keeping secrets for no reason. It’s that the truth was too big to explain, right?”

He was looking directly at me.

Should I just nod honestly…?

As I hesitated, he stroked his rough red beard.

“So? For now, why don’t you leave the questions to us?”

A voice of protest started to rise, but the greatsword-wielder silenced it with a hand. His sunburned brown hair and battle scars etched across his face marked him as a seasoned veteran.

“I agree. If we start asking questions, there’s no turning back. After a message broadcast to everyone, I understand how you feel—but at least the Warrior Corps never lied. Let’s try trusting them a little more.”

Our eyes met. I planted my feet firmly, standing my ground, and nodded in agreement.

“I’m sorry. But right now, please prioritize our objective—exploring the dungeon and rescuing people.”

The two of them seemed to show consideration for us. As adventurers and contractors on this quest, providing the necessary information was enough. They drew that line clearly.

The tension in the room eased. Just then, the waterwheel sparkled brilliantly. Raising her hand was the small blacksmith—Safi.

“Finish it… Blessing, Bless!”

The hammer came down on the magic stone at the base. A clear metallic chime echoed through the room.

“Whoa…!”

The adventurers murmured in awe.

Bathed in the stone’s light, the ancient mechanism seemed to awaken. Surely, it hadn’t worked in a thousand years. Creaking and groaning, it shook loose clumps of moss-covered soil as the waterwheel’s base shifted. Sliding along its rails, it pushed the wheel toward the waterfall.

An inverted cascade rose from the bottom to the top. The waterwheel began to turn, catching the reversed flow. The engraved patterns on the base glowed. The light spread outward along the floor in a perfect circle, like ripples on water.

A little behind us, along the back wall, the floor shimmered. Columns about waist-high circled the glowing area, marking its boundaries.

“The lift’s over there.”

Safi headed toward the glowing floor, peering down at the central platform.

“The magic stone on the control panel is huge. It’s probably a direct line to the lowest level… feels like it’s meant for hauling supplies, though.”

She puffed out her chest and called back to us with a cheerful laugh.

“So? Are you done with your little meeting?”

Her bright voice made us exchange glances.

“…Yeah, for now, at least.”

The adventurers let out wry smiles.

“Alright, we’ll leave it to you then.”

“Seems like they weren’t as bad as we thought, anyway.”

A few of the adventurers shot us knowing glances, and I found myself smiling a little.

But from now on, we had to stay alert.

We would part ways with them and take the lift down to the lowest level. There was a high chance that the ashes of the titan, which loosened the monsters’ seals, had been scattered there.

“Alright, everyone—let’s go.”

We moved toward the activated lift.

“…It’s safe to ride it, right?”

Mia-san bit her mouth nervously and poked the lift floor with the tip of her axe.

Safi pouted, inspecting the central platform.

“What’s that supposed to mean? You don’t trust me?”

“It’s not that… it’s just that dungeon lifts aren’t always safe at the bottom.”

Felix-san leaned on his staff, adjusting his small coronet.

“…That said, we don’t have much time. We’ll head straight to the lowest level. The others, take the stairs down and continue the rescue operation.”

Felix-san beckoned to the Warrior Corps.

I tried to clear my head for a moment.

Eight parties were participating in the rescue. Of those, three parties—about twenty people—were members of the Raven Warrior Corps. Some remained outside the dungeon or stayed behind to guard the city. That meant only a limited number of warrior corps could enter the hidden area.

Felix-san called over one of them and gave detailed instructions.

“If you find walls that respond to magic keys, create a passage to connect with areas outside the hidden section. Adventurers are continuing to clear the normal sections on the fifth floor below. If we can link the paths, the rescue will proceed faster. One labyrinth engineer will stay here; the rest will go with you.”

“Understood.”

Felix-san raised a finger toward the Warrior Corps, who nodded seriously.

“If you’re short on hands, feel free to call for reinforcements. If their levels match, those who went off on their own earlier may also join the rescue team.”

“…Understood.”

“If I do not return, I’ll leave the rest to Sugin.”

The Warrior Corps bowed deeply.

This was clearly a transfer of command.

The reality hit me—we were about to challenge the lowest level, recommended for level 30 adventurers.

I slapped my face with both of my hands, trying to push the anxiety out of my chest.

Two adventurers stepped forward from the group—the hammer wielder and the greatsword user from before.

“May the blessing of the chief god be with you.”

The greatsword-wielder prayed for me. Then, the larger hammer-wielder bent slightly at the waist toward me, showing his support.

“…To be honest, I didn’t believe in hidden areas or the ashes of the titan at first. But after seeing this… there’s no way to doubt it.”

The hammer-wielder stood tall, pointing to his face with his thumb.

“Let me properly introduce myself. I’m Loyd, of the Stone Hammer.”

“And I’m Melissa, wielder of the Azure Greatsword.”

“I’m Rion.”

I shook hands with the two of them.

Loyd-san stroked his chin thoughtfully, a look of deep admiration in his eyes.

“…So you’ve been fighting while carrying such secrets all this time, huh.”

Safi, who had been inspecting the platform, raised her head.

“Alright, check’s done. Shall we go?”

The party heading to the deepest level would be only us.

Mia-san, Felix-san, Nils-san, Safi, and three Warrior Corps members assigned as transport support.

The rest would take separate routes—moving on their own.

“One more thing, if I may?”

I spoke up.

In the area the slave traders had used, the chances of finding it were low. We’d been careful on the surface, too.

But still, even a little…

“If you find a monster encased in ice, be careful.”

Loyd-san and Melissa-san narrowed their eyes.

“…I see. So the sealed things aren’t…”

“…all ‘good’ things.”

The adventurers seemed to sense the danger. After all, they likely knew about the giant monsters reported in the global message and those that had appeared in Alvis.

Loyd-san raised his hand.

“Thanks for the warning!”

He turned back to his party.

“Let’s go!”

Safi nodded, and the magic stone at the base of the platform glowed.

The softly shining floor began to descend slowly—heading down to the lowest level.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The straight water beam pierced the porter-supporter’s backpack. Inside was Safi.

“Waaah!”

From the torn backpack, a head with green hair popped out. Her limbs spread open, and with her tools scattered the dwarf blacksmith rolled onto the floor.

The adventurers’ were left dumbfounded.

“W-Waaah!”

Another water strike followed immediately. Safi scrambled around, her eyes and feet spinning as she ran.

She dashed toward the rogue adventurers, and both parties let out screams.

“Kyaaah!”

“Uooh!? What is this thing!”

“Giii!”

Screams from Safi, the adventurers, and the cries of monsters mixed together.

Nils-san and Mia-san froze, while Felix-san pressed his temples, looking pained.

From the gold coin came a reverberant laughter. It’s Loki for sure.

…I mean, there’s no time to daze around, right!?

“Help!”

I kicked off the ground and leapt toward Safi. Rolling forward, I scooped her up into my arms. Behind us, bursts of water struck the floor, each impact echoing like thunder.

“R-Rion…!”

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to put you in danger.”

Her dark eyes were glistening. Perhaps from fear, the skin around her eyes and her cheeks were flushed.

“God… the golden—”

Before she could finish, a golden light enveloped her body. Strangely, it felt warmer than usual.

“Thank you.”

『Y-Yeah…!』

I positioned myself to shield Safi from behind, facing the three dragon-kind before us.

The enemies were called “Lesser Water Dragons”. Dragons typically appear around the boss layers of dungeons. But in the Flocia Dungeon, the smaller ones start appearing from the mid-layers onward.

They were slightly larger than wolves. Their hind legs were powerful, claws gouging the floor as they advanced. Their forelegs were wings, which allowed them to swim through waterfalls and waterways as if flying through water. Their blue scales glistened like jewels when wet. Yet their yellow eyes were narrowed in a sinister glare. There was no mistaking it—they saw us as prey.

“Kaaah!”

One of them lifted its head and bellowed.

Let’s get this straight. Right now, there were eleven sahagin in the room—and three Lesser Water Dragons.

“Leave the small fry to us!”

The adventurers stepped forward, forming a wall in front of the sahagin. Two parties—equal in number to the sahagin, but far stronger in skill and power.

I activated Blessing of the God of Hunting to sense their positions.

“Watch your rear!”

I shouted the warning and focused on the dragons.

Mia-san and her group, along with another adventurer party, were coming to support us.

Our enemies had wings—and on top of that, they wielded dangerous water magic. Even if we surrounded them in numbers, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.

The lesser water dragons let spheres of water drift around them, ready to launch attacks at any moment. We adjusted our formation as well.

Whoever struck first would risk a punishing counterattack.

So we waited—waiting for the precise moment to strike with a single, decisive blow, while the dragons held their ground. Time stretched unbearably. Each second felt like dozens.

Then my eyes met one of the Lesser Water Dragons.

“….Fuu”

I exhaled sharply and shifted my stance. Lowering my hips, it looked as if I were about to charge, ready to slash. In exchange, my torso was left completely exposed.

But I remembered Nils-san showing me the “stance change as a lure.”

“Kaa!”

The enemy took the bait.

One of them unleashed a water strike—but I had anticipated it.

I knew it would hit my torso!

“Wake up!”

I deflected the blast with the blade of my short sword. The water spirit Undine, residing in my right-arm gauntlet, twisted the flow of water, helping to reinforce my defense.

The Golden Flame flared brighter, overpowering the force of the water.

“Ha!”

I sliced through the water blast. Stepping forward in a single motion, I cut one of them down as I passed.

“Not bad!”

One of the adventurers praised me, but two enemies still remained.

“Kaaah!”

With a roar, the remaining two unleashed their water attacks.

Both aimed straight at me.

“Ha!”

Mia-san stepped in to cover me.

Smiling, she positioned herself between me and the lesser dragons, bracing her axe to intercept the strikes. The Crimson Axe, which I had acquired in Alvis, could absorb magical attacks into its blade and reflect them back.

“Not bad at all. Leaving the return strike to me—!”

When Mia-san swung her axe, magical energy surged like a whirlwind.

One of the lesser dragons leapt into the air to evade, while the other tried to shield itself with a wall of water—but the pressure of the magic pushed it back.

“Kaaah!”

The lesser dragon lost its balance.

An adventurer rushed in. It was Nils-san. His raised sword glowed with a pale blue light.

“Dragon Cleaver!”

He activated his Swordsman skill. The blade severed the dragon’s neck.

Now only one remained. The one that had leapt into the air. It conjured a sphere of water, aiming at the adventurers, but a greatsword-wielding warrior formed a wall, blocking the attack. One by one, they deflected the water blasts with ease.

This person was skilled, too.

The Lesser Water Dragon let out a frustrated cry and circled the ceiling.

Safi gasped.

“W-Water! It’s trying to escape into the water!”

Felix-san traced magical runes with his fingers.

“Ice Blade—Ibarak!”

The base of the waterfall, where the dragon was about to dive, froze solid. The Lesser Water Dragon, caught mid-leap, found its feet trapped in ice.

“Kaaahhh!”

Before the thrashing dragon could retaliate with magic, I called upon the power of the gods.

“Thor… Sigris…!”

Here I go.

The coin in my pocket burned with heat.

Skill,『Divine Protection of the God of Medicine』was activated. 【Sigris’ Spear】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅a ranged support. The magical effect is channeled into the spear, delivering it to the target.

Skill,『God of Thunder’s Divine Protection』was activated. 【Hammer of the God of Thunder】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Shoots a powerful lightning attack.

Pale blue magic swirled around my hand, shaping into a spear wreathed in lightning. Perhaps sensing the move, the adventurers swiftly stepped aside to either side.

“Thunder Spear!”

I threw it, and a flash of light cut through the air.

Lightning danced across the waterfall’s spray. The spear struck the dragon, sparks scattering before it faded into nothing. Silence returned to the dungeon, broken only by the echo of the waterfall.

I let out a long, relieved breath.

“…That was an incredible display of power.”

The watching adventurers were dumbfounded.

Their gaze eventually shifted to Safi, who had plopped down onto her backside.

“Wait… what is this?”

“A child…?”

Felix-san exchanged a glance with me.

Everything about the dungeon, from the loosening of its seals by the ashes of a titan to the hidden areas, it had all been communicated to the adventurers. Otherwise, the dangers of the quest couldn’t be properly understood.

There had been other dungeon in the royal capital and Alvis where monsters had suddenly grown stronger. Those adventurers who had heard the rumors seemed to understand immediately.

But Safi—her existence as a dwarf, and anything about the gods—had not been shared. If I went so far as to say, “There are lies in the myths”, it would throw everything into chaos. The strategy wouldn’t matter at all if that happened—it would be completely pointless.

Many held deep reverence for the god, Odis-sama. Not everyone would accept it as my mother once did. But still… at the very least, I had to properly explain about Safi.

“Let me explain, Felix-san.”

“But…”

Our eyes met in a silent standoff, and eventually Felix-san closed his eyes.

“It can’t be helped, then.”

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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“I see.”

Safi’s eyes sparkled from inside the backpack.

Our gazes met perfectly. She might have been talking to herself, but with the Blessing of the God of Hunting enhancing my hearing, I could hear her clearly.

“What is it?”

I asked softly, running alongside the transport-supporter.

Even jostled by the backpack, Safi whispered to me. Her dark eyes peeked through the gap in the backpack’s lid.

“Just as I thought… this is the ‘Watertight Zone.’”

I had never heard that term before.

“It’s a section designed to prevent flooding in emergencies. This area is already underwater, isn’t it? The walls on the other side must be under incredible water pressure. Without proper measures, if there’s an attack or an earthquake that causes flooding, the water will come rushing in all at once.”

I remembered the vast body of water outside the maze. The dungeon on this island—one could even call it a submerged dungeon.

A chill ran down my spine.

“Y-Yeah… that makes sense.”

“They intentionally design rooms that are easy to flood. In an emergency, the flooding starts there. And it ends there. The thick doors contain the water in a single room, and the channels quickly drain it away.”

I recalled each of the rooms we had opened so far.

Indeed, every single one had a heavy door.

“And if even that isn’t enough to stop the water, I think this passage will be sealed off by walls. The reason the walls and ceilings are flat is that this area was deliberately carved by humans or gods. It’s not a natural cave.”

Safi really is an expert on underground areas. Even though she looks like a little girl, the way she speaks has the air of a ‘teacher’.

“…Safi. Did you perhaps anticipate everything?”

There was also testimony from the captured slave traders, but the unclear parts of the dungeon’s map were filled in by Safi.

“Yes. That’s why I could read the structure of the fourth floor. If it’s a watertight zone, there should be a mechanism behind it, and the corridors can’t be made overly complicated.”

At that moment, a voice called out from ahead.

The adventurers who had gone on ahead had found the people being held captive.

“They’re here!”

“Found them too!”

Safi and I exchanged glances.

“Go!”

“Yeah!”

I could hear Safi muttering.

“At this rate, I think there’s an even bigger ‘mechanism’ somewhere. If I notice it, I’ll let you know.”

“Got it, thanks!”

We increased our speed and caught up with the adventurers ahead.

The thick door had been thrown open, and about ten men and women were standing outside. One of them, carrying a greatsword, lifted the corner of his mouth in a grin.

“Hey. Did you find two rooms?”

I was ready to use the goddess’s blessing to heal them if they were injured. But the people bowing to us only looked pale. There seemed to be no physical injuries. They weren’t even trembling—they were standing firmly on their own feet.

Felix-san stepped forward, hand on his chin, thinking.

I listened carefully in the direction we had come from.

“…What should we do? Should we send these people to the surface for now?”

Felix-san thought for a moment, then he shook his head.

“Let’s bring them along as we advance. The party that headed outside the hidden area earlier should be returning soon.”

To escort these people to the surface, we would need to send a new escort party. Right now, we’re exploring with about twenty people—roughly three parties.

Felix-san probably wanted to avoid reducing the number of parties. There are dangers—monsters, and possibly hidden slave traders or river bandits. But at the same time, we need to get as many rescued people out as quickly as possible. There are more floors, and as we go deeper, unknown areas increase.

Once again, I realized just how impressive Felix-san is. Behind his narrow eyes, he must be thinking about an incredible number of things.

『No matter the era, the front lines always struggle with logistics… (Sigh).』

Uru let out a heavy, gloomy sigh. Somehow, even the gold coin felt heavier.

“Then, let’s move on.”

Mia-san called from the front, beckoning us forward.

We continued deeper into the hidden area, escorting the rescued people.

Since the hidden area circled around the dungeon, it was long. Just after discovering another room where people had been captured, the escort party returned.

“Felix-dono”

They were out of breath, having clearly run a great distance. Something about their demeanor seemed off, sending a shiver through my chest.

“‘Sugin, what is it?’”

“We’ve received a report from the warrior corps exploring from the 8th floor onward. The dungeon monsters are stronger than expected.”

A sudden tension gripped the group. Some adventurers were hearing about the Titan’s Ashes for the first time today. Yet everyone had already witnessed its power firsthand.

Ash that loosens the seals—and monsters that have grown stronger. The combination of this information left nothing but a bad feeling.

“‘…Solana, what’s your take?’”

『I can feel it too. Deeper down, there’s a strong, unpleasant presence. It’s not just a few small pouches… if it’s been scattered, it must be a lot more.』

Mia-san crossed her arms, considering the situation.

“‘I don’t think the adventurers who went ahead could have reached such deep floors, nor carried that much ash.’”

“Yes. This must be the slave traders first real trap.”

Saying that, Felix-san quickly issued instructions.

“The escort party should take the rescued people to the surface. If the overall danger level of the dungeon is high, you may escort them directly to the surface yourselves.”

“Understood.”

After sending the rescued people away, we proceeded further into the hidden area. The sound of water, which had been present all along, grew louder. Our pace quickened. The gently curving corridor suddenly opened, and we stepped into a bright chamber.

“W-what is this…?”

It was no wonder the adventurers were stunned. I was also at a loss for words.

The first thing that caught my eye was a waterfall. In the vast, well-lit room, the right wall was entirely taken up by a waterfall, spraying mist. But something was strange. Normally, waterfalls fall downward—but this one flowed upward.

“A waterfall… flowing upwards…?”

I could only gasp at the sight.

“I knew it.”

From the backpack of the transport-supporter, Safi whispered.

“They’re using water pressure to create an upward flow. The force of water trying to enter the dungeon from the lake is concentrated in this chamber, generating a stream that rises. They probably borrowed the power of magic or spirits—but the principle is simple.”

I remembered the spirit stones at the start of the hidden area, each housing a water spirit, an Undine. And I thought of the abundant rivers and lakes I had seen on the journey to Flocia.

“The god of fertility—”

『Is also the god of water.』

It was Sigris, the Valkyrie, who spoke. Her presence made the gold coin vibrate.

『This water flows to nurture life and heal people. Goddess Freyja is a god of fertility, using the power of water to enrich many lands.』

The power of fertility sealed within the dungeon.

Goosebumps rose on the back of my neck.

Even in the Eastern Dungeon where Thor had been, I had trembled at the power of the gods sealed within. In Uru’s dungeon, which contained ancient nature.  In Loki’s dungeon, infused with magic. In Sigris’s dungeon, which had become a hall of death—I had felt that power.

Awe, that word even came to mind. But this upside-down waterfall, flowing from below to above, was different from any of the other gods.

“This dungeon may even have the function of drawing water up from the depths of the lake and circulating it. Just as abundant water nourishes the lands from the lake…”

Indeed, the first floor of the dungeon was a network of waterways.

I tried to imagine it.

The abundant water from the lakebed was being drawn up, reaching the surface, and nourishing the land as it flowed.

Which meant—

“Something designed for people…?”

The great waterfall was majestic, and perhaps due to the magic woven into it, it shimmered slightly. A god who had used such power to enrich human fields must have been… a kind one, surely.

“This is…”

Nils-san squinted against the spray, as if dazzled. Nearly twenty adventurers must have been captivated, their eyes drawn to the mechanism left behind by a god long ago.

“Rion.”

I was startled by Safi’s voice. A hand suddenly popped out from her backpack and poked my shoulder.

“Look, can you see it? In the far right corner.”

She pointed to a ring about five meters across.

On its decorated pedestal were numerous gears. It was a little away from the waterfall, but perhaps from constantly being sprayed with water, it was completely covered in moss. A magic stone about the size of a human head glimmered, half buried in green.

“It’s a waterwheel. See the rails underneath? That’s how they moved it closer to the waterfall to make it spin.”

“So… it’s a power source…?”

Safi’s eyes looked downward through the gap in her backpack.

I think she nodded to my words.

“Yes. If it’s working right, there should be a lift attached.”

At that moment, a scream echoed from the back of the room.

The large chamber led to a passage. The corridor that circled the dungeon likely extended further. This room might be roughly the midpoint of the outer perimeter path.

Using the blessing of the God of Hunting to detect magic, I sensed several human presences and red glows moving toward us.

“There are five humans and eleven monsters. Most likely… Sahagin!”

“Not again!”

“Looks like I won’t be eating fish for a while.”

“I have a feeling you’ll still try to eat some though.”

Mia-san shot back at Felix-san’s remark.

Nils-san drew his sword.

“Damn! These are probably the last of the rogue party!”

The ones who had fled into the room were indeed adventurers. They had pushed forward beyond this chamber.

On our side, there were nearly twenty people. In front of me, an adventurer wielding a greatsword shouted,

“Hey, you! Ain’t you Barry, that wandering bum?!”

“Handle the Sahagin or what the hell are you doing?!”

The one at the forefront was likely someone with the <Thief> skill. Small and quick, he threw a dagger behind him before sprinting straight ahead. When he looked up, I noticed his nose was bright red.

“Help us! It’s not just the Sahagin!”

I noticed red glows in the distance. They were moving steadily toward us at a level lower than the floor.

They were swimming through the water channel!

“T-they’re coming from the waterfall too!”

Overhead, shadows appeared from the spray of the waterfall. I moved to intercept them.

“Wake up!”

The Sylph whipped up a gust of wind. Yet, the monsters withstood it. It seemed the wind had been countered by something—perhaps a wall of water.

Three figures landed on the ground.

Their blue scales were wet with water, giving them an almost ethereal beauty. They were slightly larger than wolves. Their forelegs had turned into wings. Their eyes, when they looked at us, were unnervingly calm.

“Dragonkin!?”

“Small water dragons! Be careful—they’re intelligent and can use magic.”

The three small dragons floated spheres of water around their bodies.

They were aiming for the densely packed group of people!

“Spread out!”

Felix-san’s command rang out.

From the floating water spheres, beams of water shot out like rays. The force was enough to pierce the ground, and in some places, a single strike could leave someone on the brink of death.

The elite adventurers dodged swiftly. But the porter-supporters carrying their loads weren’t so lucky—the water pierced the edge of a large backpack.

Inside of it was Safi.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Skill,『Sun’s Divine Protection』was activated. 【Golden Flame】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Improves physical ability. Further effects for a limited time.

The goddess’ power wraps around my body. I blocked the sahagin’s three-pronged trident with my short sword.

Sparks flew. Behind me, the woman who was being attacked lets out a sharp gasp.

“Uuh”

Relying on brute force, I knock the weapon upward. The sahagin’s torso is left wide open, and my sword slices across it. A clean line is carved into its scale-covered chest, then a dark blue blood gushes out from it in a burst.

“Gi…gi…”

With a dying groan, the sahagin crumbles into ash.

“Are you alright!?”

When I turn around, the woman’s face is deathly pale. She’s looking at me, yet her eyes aren’t really focusing on anything. It somehow reminds me of how my mother looked when she was completely worn down.

『This is awful…..』

Solana’s voice trembles as if she’s biting her lip. I feel exactly the same.

“They kept you locked up in a place like this….?”

The dim room held five other captives. All of them had their hands tied behind their backs and were huddled against the walls. This was the outermost ring of the Flocia Dungeon. A hidden area that circled the dungeon like a belt.

I’d never imagined slave traders would turn such a place into their base.

But now…. it was all painfully clear.

“It’s done on my side.”

Nils raised his sword, signaling the end of the fight outside the room. Battles had been breaking out even beyond this chamber. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. The monsters hadn’t spawned inside the captives’ chamber. Most likely, monsters that appeared in the corridor forced their way in.

That small delay… that tiny margin of time…

It was the reason rescue arrived before the captives were killed. 

The room itself wasn’t more than ten meters across, but the ceiling stretched unnaturally high. Somewhere, it must have connected to the waterway. Thin streams of water trickled down the walls and drained into grooves in the floor. Wooden plates lay scattered on the ground, the kind used to serve meals.

Every one of them was empty.

The prisoners—each with a gaunt, hollow-cheeked face— turned their eyes to me and asked,

“Wh–who are you…?”

The one who spoke was the woman I had just rescued.

“Where….where are we?”

Her next question twisted painfully in my chest. Of course they couldn’t possibly know they had been dragged inside a dungeon. The lake had hidden entrances scattered everywhere. River bandits could raid a village, abduct people, and secretly ferry them here without anyone realizing.

My thoughts grew darker and darker, and I forced myself to pull them back.

“We—we came to save you. You’re safe now.”

I smiled to be reassuring, but it probably looked a little strained. Even so, the captives finally widened their eyes. Men and women, boys and girls alike—all of them stared at us with tears beginning to swell.

“I promise we’ll get you home.”

Warriors and adventurers began gathering at the entrance of the chamber. More than twenty rescuers had arrived, and the people who’d been held captive bowed their heads again and again in gratitude.

Felix-san stepped forward.

“Alright, let’s do as planned. We’ll form an escort party for them.”

Those selected were five adventurers, joined by one member of the Raven Warrior corps—six in total. We handed them one of the magic keys and had them head toward the exit of the hidden area.

Once they reached the regular section of the dungeon, they would pass the rescued captives over to the party currently sweeping the monsters there, then return to us.

We were on the fourth layer now. If the escort team tried to go all the way to the surface and back, it would take far too long. The ones who had entered this hidden area were among the best adventurers Flocia had to offer. Many were adventurers the Raven Warrior corps had hired before. We wanted them to stay here and support the rescue efforts in the hidden area as much as possible.

“Felix-san, should we call for reinforcements from the parties outside?”

Felix-san thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“For now, it isn’t necessary. We’ll keep moving forward and look for any other victims. We still don’t know how long the hidden door will remain open. And with only a limited number of magic keys, bringing in too many people would just hinder our movements.”

The warrior corps operated with strict discipline. But among the adventurers, things could be more complicated. In fact, there were adventurers who had traded with slave traders and even brought in titan ashes, the very substance that lures monsters.

“Ugh..”

They still crouched at our feet, groaning. They’d probably been coaxed by the slave traders into sneaking into the hidden area. Judging by the situation, they must have scattered the ash nearby.

I gave them recovery potions, so they should regain their strength before long.

Before too much time passed, the five men and women finally came to.

“Uhm—”

“Hey!”

I started to speak, but Mia-san cut me off.

She narrowed her eyes dangerously and prodded one of them with the tip of her axe.

“You lot. You’re the ones who took a magic key and that weird ash, right?”

The adventurers froze, their faces tightening as they began to tremble.

“N-No way…”

“We didn’t really believe there’d be actual people down here…”

Mia-san clicked her tongue sharply.

Perhaps they didn’t take the information about someone being held captive seriously and instead prioritized the exploration.

Mia-san raked her fingers through her red hair and glared at them.

“Hand over what they gave you.”

The adventurers reluctantly took out the magic key (a slightly soot-stained piece of metal one)  to the hidden area and a pouch filled with red-black ash. Several of the other pouches were empty. They had clearly already scattered their contents.

“T-they told us that if we spread this ash, the dungeon’s seal would loosen even more, so we…. we just…”

A bitter taste rose in my mouth.

That was the same logic Gideon had used back in the royal capital.

“Did it never cross your minds that you’d be putting civilians in danger if anyone was actually being held captive?”

“Uh… t-that… we didn’t think there are captives.”

“Even if you got magic stones or relics out of it, that wouldn’t mean anything compared to someone’s life.”

The adventurers jerked their heads up, as if stunned awake.

“Was there anyone else who entered the hidden area?”

“There was one more group ahead of us. We dunno about the rest….”

At least one more group, then. 

Felix-san tapped his staff against the floor. His gaze were stern. The adventurers shrank back under his gaze.

“The hidden area, the ash that weakens its seals—all of this have been explained to you above ground. And since you still chose this path, then you must bear the responsibility.”

After the speech at the guild, we’d gone over the details: the procedures, the boats, everything. The existence of the hidden area, the danger of the ash that raised the dungeon’s difficulty and summoned monsters—those warnings should have reached many of the adventurers.

The mining town of Alvis would never create titan ashes again.

But this dungeon still held leftover ashes, and if they were used, the deeper layers especially would become far more dangerous. That was why our party wanted to descend the floors ahead of everyone else. Only the deep layers—the truly lethal zones—were something we could not entrust to the volunteers.

But even with that, at least 20 people still managed to sneak up on us.

『It seems our enemy this time is well-versed in human nature.』

I nodded at Sigris’ words.

Felix-san sighed and gestured in the direction we had come from.

“Take their weapons and bring them back to the surface.”

“Understood. Stay safe.”

The warriors nodded and took the adventurer and the captured person with them.

Mia-san exhaled.

“…I knew it would be busy, but it is very hectic.”

As we gazed ahead, the corridor curved gently. It was a wide road, wide enough for a carriage to pass through. The walls and ceiling were made of smooth stone, a stark difference from the cave-like floors we’d reached so far.

The sound of water echoed faintly in the silence.

Felix-san cleared his throat.

“Even at this stage, there is some good news. The enemy could have laid far more elaborate traps, but they haven’t. For now, it seems the captives are safe.”

A chill ran down my spine.

I didn’t want to speak it aloud, yet the words slipped out.

“There is a possibility that they could have been killed.…”

Felix-san closed his eyes and pressed a finger to the small coronet on his head.

“They may have chosen to weaken us, the ones who decided to help, deliberately. Not to stop the rescue, but to allow it, draining our strength in the process….”

Nils-san struck the wall. The impact from a first-rate adventurer made the stone tremble.

“Let’s hurry.”

A sharp, gleaming look in his eyes.

Nils-san took a necklace from his pocket. He was gripping it tightly—no doubt it was something his kidnapped sister had left behind.

She could very well be somewhere in this dungeon.

“Yes!”

I took the lead, running down the long corridor once more. It curved gently, and my earlier guess that this passage circled the dungeon seemed correct. Occasionally, I noticed small waterfalls. The sound of water trickling from inside the walls reached our ears.

Along the way, doors were spaced out every few dozen meters, sometimes clustered together. Every time we saw one, we checked inside. Curiously, each door consistently led to the right—toward the outside of the dungeon.

The thick doors were heavy. Even without locks, anyone who wasn’t an adventurer would have struggled to open them.

“Nothing here. No one’s in this room.”

“How about over there?”

“Same here!”

Each of us broke the locks and pushed inside. Almost all the rooms were storage rooms for weapons or provisions. Occasionally, a door was left wide open—likely by adventurers who had gone ahead on their own, or by river bandits.

I handed the lead to another adventurer. Using magic to detect life was draining, so we needed to take breaks. The effect of the Golden Flame had already worn off.

Then, a cool voice came from my right.

“I see…”

Running beside me was the transport-support member of the warrior corps. The lid of her backpack was slightly open, and a round, curious eyes peeked out.

“Fufu~n? Just as I thought, there is a mechanism to be triggered somewhere.”

The dwarf blacksmith, Safi, muttered. Apparently having figured out the structure of the hidden area.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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