Episode 34
Shhh!
I lightly threw the throwing knife I was spinning freely.
It was a simple motion that did not feel like throwing at all.
It was as if I flicked my wrist, and two blades flew by and pierced me.
Cucumber!
The throwing knives, which drew a gentle parabola, were stuck side by side on the poles of the tent.
But, isn’t a human figure suddenly appearing in a place where there was nothing?
It was a middle-aged man wearing dark-colored armor, but he did not let go of his arms even as the blade flew towards him.
Sureureung!
There was an immediate reaction from the escort knights to the sudden unfolding of secret magic.
As if they knew of his existence in advance, their lives were focused only on me.
But when Sophia raised her hand to stop it, she carefully pushed back the half-drawn sword.
Suddenly, her eyes were filled with interest.
“How did know?”
“It’s about detecting invisibility magic. It’s not that difficult. His name is Treasure Hunter.”
When I spread my hands out as if it were natural, Sophia finally let go of her expression full of disbelief.
As they were led by a small number of elites, there should be no shortage of weapons.
She naturally looked away and met the eyes of a middle-aged man hiding in the invisibility spell.
When the man nodded in agreement, Sophia continued with a satisfied expression.
“I thought he was young because he looked young, but he seems to have his own skills.”
“I’m quite young. Actually, I’m on the side of eating quite a bit.”
“You’ve got some credibility in your career now.”
“I would like to tell you that insight and experience are more important in dungeons.”
“Okay. Admit it. Interview pass. Go over there and sign the contract.”
“thank you.”
I smiled and got up from my seat.
The first step was easily passed.
When I went out to the back of the tent, I saw people who had passed the interview.
They were following the procedure while reading the explanation given by an old gentleman.
I also took a piece of paper and read the terms and conditions of the contract.
Sure enough, the phrase I wanted was written there.
‘Are you really there? The right to buy a newly built villa.’
If the information he got from the mercenaries was false, he would give up and just go.
However, it was a jackpot contract with a reward of at least 20,000 Gerudo.
It was an rudeness among rudeness to just pass by this kind of honey request.
I was reading the contract carefully when an old gentleman suddenly spoke to me.
“Sign under it. Please give me the mercenary plaque. I’ll put the ink on it.”
“Here it is.”
I handed over the mercenary identity card made in the Luberic Autonomous District.
“Your name is Ray, right?”
“……That’s right.”
It was a very awkward feeling, probably because it was a status I didn’t use often.
No, it shouldn’t be like this.
‘You have to be immersed. I am a Treasure Hunter! Mercenary Ray! Oh, because of this, it’s a bit sticky.’
That’s how I signed a dungeon exploration contract with Sophia, the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Pennant.
* * *
The recruitment of mercenaries continued for several more days.
It seemed that he was trying to challenge the dungeon by creating a high-quality expedition.
Well, it’s an ancient ruin that has already claimed the lives of hundreds of people, but it wouldn’t be possible to pack it up and go.
I got a room at an inn near the mercenary guild and gathered information about the dungeon.
I didn’t stop by the eastern branch or the safe house, just in case I wanted to raise suspicion.
After locking himself in the inn and training, he went out to the meeting place just in time for the convocation day.
The expedition team consisted of thirty people.
‘Is this the only number of people? No matter how few elites there are, aren’t they too few?’
The reasons for organizing the expedition with the minimum number of people were security, supply, and internal factors.
If you attack the dungeon by changing manpower, the success rate is definitely high.
However, it was very difficult to block the outflow of goods and to supply them to the depths.
In addition, there were several magical devices that prevented the infusion of a large number of people.
It was because even the wizard who built the dungeon knew that if people were thrown into it, it would be easily pierced.
“Are you embarrassed because there are only 30 people? But I can’t help it. There is a limit on the number of people in this dungeon.”
Sophia pointed to the blue light at the entrance and started explaining the dungeon.
Sure enough, as expected, it seemed that there was a very strong access-limiting magic in this place.
In addition, there was even a function to recover and change the trap pattern after the person who failed to attack was bounced out.
It meant that when an expedition was to be dispatched again, it would have to start from scratch.
‘I couldn’t even reveal the identity of the dungeon for over half a year.’
The exploration of the ruins this time was the result of the combination of Sofia’s adventure and Marquis Pennant’s desire.
Generally, there was never a case for a noble lady to engage in such a risky task.
However, since it had been a nuisance for so long, it seemed that the lord had also granted his daughter’s request.
Having studied abroad at the Mage’s Tower, you should know much better about the ancient ruins than the muscular knights.
“Okay then, let’s go in.”
“Yes.”
When Sofia gave the order to depart, the expedition team passed through the blue halo all at once.
The underground dungeon in the villa district was extremely dark.
“Brilliant magical light dispels the darkness! Wisp.”
It was the Marquis’s magic that lit up the pitch-black darkness.
It was like watching a fairy as little green balls of light flew around.
However, it was difficult to secure the field of vision with one wisp magic.
Two of Sophia’s escort knights drew short sticks from their bosoms.
Tsutsutsutsu!
Looking at the white light pouring out, it was a light artifact at a glance.
‘It’s typical.’
The underground dungeon was in the form of a straight square corridor that continued endlessly.
Of course, I hadn’t explored the ancient ruins, but there was information I had gleaned from the Assassins.
A repetitive space without any feature makes it easy to get lost or fall into a trap.
“Here it is.”
The escort driver unfolded a large piece of paper and showed it to Sophia.
It was a map of the early part of the dungeon that many expeditions had obtained while heading to the bare ground.
It is said that the ancient ruins have a function to change the trap pattern, but there were some standardized rules.
It was determined in advance that there was a high probability that a certain type of trap would appear in each section.
This was also a fact that the Marquis Lady found out while exploring the dungeon.
‘Oh, it’s pretty crazy?’
However, that was simply a reference material, and you had to face it to know what traps might be unfolding.
While she pondered over the map, the expedition had no choice but to stand still.
But I was different from the stupid mercenaries who just waited for orders.
It was because I was going to ask for the best place to be sold after I performed well.
It was when I moved to the dungeon hallway to explore the trap.
Dreuk! Shish shush shush!
As soon as I took my first step, I heard a heavy sound, and something flew from the left and right.
They were sharpened long needles.
Bubbeobuck!
The power was so strong that the long needles embedded in the walls penetrated so deeply that not even a trace was left.
It’s a shame because I pulled myself out reflexively.
“Ahahahaha…”
When I looked back puzzledly, the members of the expedition team were paying attention to me with absurd expressions.
The incident happened while I was calculating which trap was most likely to come out by matching the shape of the corridor with the map.
But who am I?
Wasn’t it an existence with an iron plate or a mithril plate on its face?
I shamelessly spread my hands out and shrugged my shoulders.
As if this much is nothing.
“The first trap is easy.”
Then, calmly, he moved forward.
chuck! Dreuk.
Obviously, this time I stepped on a different place, but I heard the creepy sound just now.
The terrifying noise of engine oscillations being triggered.
Shish shush shush!
‘No, I should have done it once! Isn’t twice too much?’
I tumbled across the floor and stepped back a few meters.
It didn’t hit the long needle, but it couldn’t be helped that it was embarrassing.
“Two times in a row… It’s the most typical pattern.”
Surprisingly, Sophia’s reaction was not bad.
Because it was a little dark, I couldn’t see my slightly embarrassed expression, and the result was good in its own way.
“Good job. It was a trap that I had to step on on purpose and solve it anyway. But, did you see through it because you’re a Treasure Hunter?”
Unintentionally, things were going pretty naturally.
Since I decided to go without conscience, I nodded without even changing my complexion.
“……of course.”
“Hmm. Still, moving without an order is unpleasant.”
“Yep! I’ll be careful next time.”
“great.”
Fluttering the hem of her light green robe, she sent the wisp forward.
There was no special movement other than the first trap triggering.
Sophia nodded at me and the mercenaries in thick armor.
“Go ahead.”
It seemed that their role was a meat shield.
His name is Treasure Hunter, but I don’t think I think so either, right?
* * *
Breaking through the traps and going through the dungeon was not a big problem.
It’s not perfect, but it was because I had learned enough of the early trap patterns.
As a result, I was not given a chance to show off my keen eye and skills except for the first time.
In fact, it didn’t seem like I was expecting much.
Sophia and the escort knights thought of me as just a mercenary with dungeon exploration experience.
‘There will be times when I’ll be active someday.’
I glanced at the mercenaries carrying out their respective missions with a tense face.
Because they were the ones who would compete with me for the pre-sale rights.
Killing them all at the right moment and clearing the dungeon didn’t seem too bad.
If I’m the only survivor, I’ll be able to easily get the villa in the best location.
‘By the way, are Sofia’s escort knights going to get the right to rent the villa?’
I was walking with all my thoughts, when the mercenaries in front of me suddenly stopped.
“Captain, there’s something ahead.”
“what?”
When illuminated by the light artifact, a dead-end space appeared in front.
Two shining doors on either side of the road.
Sophia twisted her brow at the sight of her being forced to make a choice.
“I didn’t expect this…”
“It’s a structure that doesn’t even appear on the map.”
After thinking for a while, she came to a conclusion.
“Push it all the way to one side. Let’s go from the left first.”
“Yes.”
It was impossible to divide a group of only thirty people.
However, the young lady of the Marquis had no choice but to stop.
It was because I suddenly raised my hand and asked a question.
“And what if it gets cut off?”