In a dead-end room of the dungeon, I spread out a sheet and prodded at Efil’s specially made bento with my chopsticks. It was a lunchbox that was perhaps a bit too extravagant for a picnic, but it was, as expected, very very delicious. It was so good that I was convinced there was no better lunchbox in the world.
“……! ……!?”
“My, my.”
“…… (munch munch)”
Across from me, looking completely absorbed in eating with forks they’d borrowed, were the previous occupants of this now-forbidden dungeon. With every bite, the handsome man contorted his face, the slightly older lady repeatedly exclaimed “my,” and the small mage girl in a pointed hat silently shoveled food into her mouth. It was, in many ways, a lively dining scene.
“Hah! Wh-why am I presumptuously enjoying this meal…!? No matter how good-looking I am, there are times when one must adhere to reason! I am not in a position to receive such a feast!”
It was less lively and more noisy, perhaps.
“Don’t worry about that. I was the one who invited you.”
“B-but…!”
“More importantly, could you introduce yourselves soon? It might be rude to say, but I don’t really know much about you all.”
“Ah, my apologies. I am Shinjir, an A-Rank Adventurer. I’m one of the three great adventurers of this pub, the overly beautiful adventurer. Surely you’ve heard of me?”
“No, not at all.”
“Eh?”
“My name is Respect. Age has taken its toll and I can’t hide it, but I manage to survive as an adventurer by leveraging my years of experience.”
“……… (munch munch)”
“This is Ice-chan. As you can see, she’s a very cute mage.”
“Respect-san and Ice-chan, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Eh!? Wh-why am I using polite language with Lady Respect!?”
For some reason, Shinjir looked astonished. His facial expressions were incredibly loud.
“Well, it’s normal to use polite language with someone older than you. Respect-san is also using polite language with me.”
“Ah, ah, I see. That makes sense. By the way, I’m turning twenty this year. Kelvin-san, how old are you?”
“Twenty-three.”
“Alright, then it’s okay! This divine being has recovered!”
What was this sense of déjà vu? Ah, I got it. This aesthetic sense and boisterousness reminded me of someone I recently met – Principal Art of the Art Academy. Even though we’re of different races, it’s an uncanny resemblance, like we could be relatives.
“And thank you for this heavenly delicious bento! My party’s Lady Respect also makes bentos occasionally, but this one was by no means inferior! In short, it was delicious!”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“No, my cooking is nowhere near comparable. This bento was just that tremendous. I’d love to learn cooking from the person who made it sometime.”
“……… (munch munch)”
“I’ll introduce you sometime. Ice-chan seemed to like it too, so please come along. I’m taking a break from adventuring for personal reasons, so Efil will be happy too.”
“Wait, Efil-san? *That* Efil-san? For personal reasons… taking a break… Oh my, oh my!”
What is this, more déjà vu? Ah, I get it. This tendency to gossip and jump to conclusions probably comes from Mist, the Guild Master. I bet Respect and Mist are practically neighbors.
“……… (munch munch)”
“Hey, hey, is it delicious? This dessert here is my recommendation. Want to try some?”
“……… (nod nod)”
Rion seems to have quickly become good friends with Ice-chan. In short, it’s heartwarming. But I can’t afford to relax. I need to get to the main point soon.
“Shinjir, we’ve bonded over bentos, so may I ask a few questions?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll answer anything I can!”
“Alright, first question. This dungeon is currently off-limits, so why are you guys here? You don’t look like delinquents, so there must be a reason, right? Oh, by the way, we’re here on a special request from Boss Shin, so no questions directed at us.”
“…Eh? Off-limits? That’s completely new information to me…”
Shinjir looked bewildered. He didn’t seem to be lying, and genuinely didn’t know.
“We headed here right after bumping into Kelvin-san at the Guild Headquarters the other day, so perhaps we just missed the notice about it being off-limits.”
Respect-san added a helpful clarification. Yes, it was a sudden notice, so that’s entirely possible.
“I see, so that’s what happened… Kelvin-san, I apologize again. Even though I hadn’t heard about it, the Guild’s decisions are absolute for adventurers. This is entirely my fault as the leader. It’s a shame to let go of an unexplored dungeon, but Kelvin-san, who was personally selected by Boss Shin, has the rightful claim to explore this place. We should return quietly.”
“Wait, wait, don’t rush off. I still have something else I want to ask.”
I stood up from the sheet and stopped Shinjir and Respect-san, who were about to leave. Only Ice-chan remained seated, still engrossed in her bento.
“Hmm? That’s fine, but what else do you want to ask?”
“Can you tell me about the top adventurers active in this country? You probably know, but we haven’t been in Pab for long. We don’t have much knowledge about our colleagues.”
“Ah, I want to hear too! What kind of people are the top-level adventurers of Pab?”
“Woof… (I’m full…)”
“—! As expected of an S-Rank Adventurer, that’s a good attitude! Though my strength is limited, I shall tell you! First, there is myself, Shinjir, the handsome adventurer whose name rings across the continent—”
Shinjir’s eyes sparkled as he sat back down on the sheet. He’d apparently been eager to talk about himself, as his quick decision was extraordinary. His explanation was also extraordinarily long, so I’ll omit it here. In summary, Shinjir is a versatile whip user who can also use magic, Respect is a martial artist who can pick locks and detect traps, and Ice-chan is a traditional mage who controls ice. They all claim to be among the top A-Rank adventurers.
“As for other skilled individuals besides myself, there’s the party of Paul and Oddrad, who are also ranked among the top three adventurers. Paul, you already know him, right, Kelvin-san? I heard that he got into a fight with the ladies in his party and beat them to a pulp, to the point where their faces were unrecognizable.”
“No, no, no… I was provoked, but they didn’t lay a hand on me, and I didn’t beat them *that* badly. I just made them faint and threw them into a barrel.”
“Is that so? I heard stories about that barrel being buried or sunk to the bottom of the sea…”
Hey, what kind of image do I have among you guys? Well, I suppose S-Rank adventurers are treated like explosives in the Adventurer’s Guide, but still.
“W-well, you see. Kelvin-san, who easily defeated Paul’s party, which has a large number of members and excels in overall strength, is truly amazing. However, the A-Rank adventurer shining the brightest right now is undoubtedly us!”
“Paul with his overall strength, Shinjir the overly conscious one… I see. So, what about Oddrad’s party?”
“They’re a power-focused party that doesn’t use magic at all. I think I saw Kelvin-san next to him at the Guild Headquarters. Don’t you remember? He’s always unnecessarily loud, so he stands out for the wrong reasons.”
Ah, that time. He was mentioning Gordiana. So that’s why his party is full of strong guys, I suppose. But Gordiana isn’t just about power… She’s a superhuman who possesses martial skills honed to the same extent as her strength, an unyielding mental fortitude, and overwhelming knowledge and experience. If muscle is justice, then I wish them all the best in achieving that.
However, I see. Logically, the members Boss Shin selects should be from among these groups. Now, how should I train them?
