Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

I could tell at a glance—he was an adventurer.

The deliberately disheveled clothes had a badge on the shoulder... no, it was a symbol of a celestial faction (kin) shaped like an elephant's head.

This brown-skinned adventurer with stubble—how should I put it? He certainly had a presence that even I could feel.

Facing this adventurer... who will become my companion—no, my future senior—I can't help but feel a similar sense of nervousness.

"Why would you even think of coming to Orario? Surely not for some ridiculous reason like trying to make a living. Wealth, fame... or women?"

"Uh, this—...!? I, I came to the dungeon seeking an encounter..."

"—Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!! What the hell? This is the first time I've ever heard someone say something like that! You little brat, you're really something!"

When the adventurer, whom I also admire, spoke to me so casually, I wavered for a moment and inadvertently revealed my true feelings.

The human opened his eyes wide and burst into laughter, attracting the attention of those around him. I had dug my own grave by speaking without thinking, and my face turned bright red.

"Hassanar, it's duty time now." A guild employee reminded him. "Don't say that, your guild is just too serious." The adventurer continued to laugh and shrug.

It seems that the city gates are guarded by guild members and adventurers.

From my vantage point to the side, I saw two groups of professionals dressed in black uniforms and armed with weapons at the outpost next to the city gate, and that gave me a general idea of ​​the situation.

Soon the inspection process seemed to be completed, and the guild staff said "no problem" and put away the magical items.

"To register as an adventurer, you must first go to the guild headquarters, where you will be informed of the rules for adventurers."

“Thank you!”

"However, only those who have received 'God's grace' can log in... In other words, one must at least join God's 'family' to meet the requirements."

Perhaps because they've gotten used to explaining things like this, a guild staff member kindly told me about the process of becoming an adventurer.

[Family/Relatives]

An organization established by a god who transcends existence (Deus·Dea).

We, the mortals, can receive "favors" and become the gods' followers by forming contracts with them.

The so-called "familiar" refers to a family that shares both good and bad fortune.

Memories and vague knowledge about my grandfather came flooding back, and my heart began to race without me realizing it.

"Is there anything you'd like to know? I'll answer any question now!"

Perhaps because he genuinely liked what I had just said, the human adventurer smiled at me happily.

After hesitating for a moment, I looked up at the other person's face, which was at eye level with mine, and tried to ask:

"What is the most important thing for an adventurer?"

The sturdy, medium-height adventurer answered without hesitation:

"I met a good God."

He crossed his arms and nodded with a confident smile.

"Even the guild won't help you with this one thing. Finding a good master depends on the adventurer's skill... and then, it's all about 'luck'."

"luck……"

"Yes. This is the power that adventurers need most."

Finally, he said, "Keep it up, newbie." He reached out and patted my shoulder.

The other person's smile made me happy. "Yes!" I smiled back and stepped through the door.

I passed through the city gate with excitement, nervousness, and anticipation in my heart—and my view suddenly opened up.

"Whoa...!"

A beautiful street scene, unimaginable from outside the wall, unfolds before my eyes.

A bustling avenue stretches straight from the plaza in front of my building, with horse-drawn carriages coming and going on the smooth cobblestone streets, and various shops lining the streets. The prosperous streetscape of Oralie, centered around the majestic white tower in the distance, possesses a splendor and liveliness rarely seen in the countryside.

My cheeks flushed with excitement, and I took a few steps, revealing my obvious country bumpkin nature.

I couldn't stop myself from looking around and exclaiming in admiration.

Among the pedestrians on the road were many demi-humans—as well as adventurers clad in armor and carrying swords!

I was first mesmerized by the sword-wielding elf, then my eyes lit up as I looked at the dwarf warrior carrying a great axe. The dwarf (Palum) mage, with his pointed hat, staff, and youthful appearance, looked really cute.

Since my village, where I grew up, consisted only of humans and a few orcs, the sheer diversity of this population deeply moved me. The hustle and bustle of the crowd inexplicably lifted my spirits.

The word "exotic" came to mind.

This is the first time I have seen this labyrinthine city with my own eyes.

Everything I saw and heard was new and interesting; I never knew there could be such an exciting moment in the world.

"……?What's wrong?"

As I wandered aimlessly south along the bustling main street from the city gate I had passed through—the northern gate—I encountered a sea of ​​people.

I'll move closer to the human wall and ask:

"Excuse me! Why are so many people gathered here?"

"It's the Loki Familia! The Loki Familia!! They've returned from the 'Expedition'!"

[Loki Familia]... "Expedition"...?

Seeing my expression of not understanding, the young man (human) who had kindly answered me looked surprised.

"Are you new to Orario? I've never heard of the Loki Familia. How rural a place do you come from?"

The young man explained it to me, dumbfounded.

The Loki Familia is one of the top adventurer groups in Orario. They possess a number of family members who are among the best in the city... no, even on a global scale, and are known as "First-Class Adventurers," making them an extremely powerful group.

They seemed to be returning from exploring the depths of the dungeons—the magnificent underground labyrinth that stretched across the land beneath Orario.

The largest faction in the city (top familiar).

After hearing this, I was also eager to see what was behind the human wall.

The gathered crowd kept their distance from the adventurers walking along the bustling street, making way for them as if they were afraid to approach. I managed to squeeze my face through a gap in the crowd, bringing the adventurer group into view. I could only catch a few glimpses of a group of humans and demi-humans whose armor was covered in wounds.

There were dwarven warriors and elven mages. No, could they be royalty (high elves)? They carried large bundles of belongings, and weapons, staves, and great shields I had never seen before gleamed in the sunlight. They looked just like… yes, like heroes returning victorious from the battlefield.

They and she possess the demeanor of seasoned adventurers.

Upon arriving in Orario, I was immediately confronted with a scene straight out of a heroic tale.

I was once again dumbfounded, along with the noisy crowd of onlookers.

"Hey, look!"

"Blonde hair and golden eyes...!"

"It's Fiora!!"

Then, not only the onlookers but also other adventurers immediately raised their voices.

(Fiora...?)

I felt as if I had been excluded from the excited crowd, and for only a moment did I catch a glimpse of that figure.

Long golden hair, silver armor. A precious sword sheathed.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. I didn't get a good look at the person's face. The adventurer who walked right in front of me... a girl about my height, her shiny, sand-gold hair swaying as she gradually disappeared into the distance.

Is that graceful and delicate girl also what people call a Level 1 adventurer?

As the convoy carrying the large iron crates rounded the corner of the bustling street and disappeared into the side streets, I continued to follow with my eyes the still-shining blonde hair among the seasoned adventurers.

"【Sword Princess】...is it the sword of a precious sword, or the princess of a beautiful woman?"

As the crowd dispersed, I murmured something to myself and walked away from the scene.

I can't just stare blankly at the urban wonders with wide eyes forever.

Once you arrive in the city, the first thing you should do is find a hotel; this is a basic requirement when traveling. Well, actually, it was the people in the village who taught me that.

I wandered around on my own, mustered the courage to ask passersby for directions, and searched everywhere for cheap hostels. The money my grandfather left behind after his death—this was all I had now, and I couldn't afford to squander it. Along the way, I paused briefly at the entrance to an underground city—a massive, intimidating square in the heart of the city, with its towering white walls and towering towers—before visiting the eastern part of the city, which I'd heard was densely packed with hotels.

"Excuse me—..."

Luxurious red-brick hotels lined the bustling main street, but I opted for one of the wooden inns lining the slightly desolate street. It might sound a bit rude, but the reason I chose this solitary two-story inn with its "INN" sign, perched in the shade, was because it looked cheaper.

I pushed open the creaking door, and the middle-aged (human) shopkeeper, who was listlessly reading a newspaper at the counter, turned his eyes to me.

"Are you here to stay?"

"Ah, yes. I'd like to borrow the room for a few days..."

"Eight hundred fali per night, no meals provided."

—Eight hundred Dharmas!?

Wow, that's expensive! It's completely different from what I expected!!

Based on what the villagers who went out to buy supplies said, I thought it would cost at most two or three hundred Faris. Is this the going rate in the metropolis... no, the labyrinth city (Orario)? ...After all, it's the "center of the world".

How to do?

This will cost a lot of money all at once, but other hostels are probably about the same...

"Two thousand falis for three days. If you're not happy, don't stay—"

"Ah, then please lend it to me for three days!"

"--Huh?"

When the shop owner said he would give me a discount if I paid for three days at once, I immediately seized the opportunity to take advantage of his kindness.

The shop owner, who had initially been indifferent, looked up from his newspaper and stared intently at me. "Thank you, boss!" Upon hearing my thanks, he seemed a little flustered, swaying slightly before returning his gaze to the newspaper.

I took the key from the counter and rushed up to the room on the second floor.

A hostel with a key! This is the metropolis! Unlike my grandfather's house, which never had a key!

Although the room only had a bed, it was more than enough. Not only was the accommodation discounted, but I also got a three-day supply of accommodation, which immediately lifted my spirits.

Without even taking a break, I planned to go out again, leaving all my belongings except money in the room, and rushed down the stairs.

"Sorry, I'll be right back!"

I called out to the front desk and then left the hotel.

The shopkeeper, who was indifferent to people, didn't answer me, but I didn't care and kept running faster forward on the paved street.

I already know that to officially become the adventurer I dream of, I must go through the formalities at the guild headquarters, and to do that I must first join a [Family]... but before that, I want to do something first.

I had already decided that once I arrived in Orario, there was one place I absolutely had to visit.

Asking a passerby for directions, I learned that the place wasn't far from where I was, in the southeast of the city. The person also warned me, "There's a slum called Maze Street (Daedalus) there, be careful—" I arrived at my destination without getting lost.

A densely packed cemetery with countless graves.

"..."

This place is called the "First Cemetery" or the "Adventurers' Cemetery," and it is the public cemetery of Orario.

Those who perished in the dungeon are buried here; it is the final resting place for adventurers.

I walked down the long staircase from the back alley to this vast, empty space. As I looked at the countless tombstones made of white stone, I swallowed hard and headed deeper into the cemetery.

Soon, a huge, dark monument came into view.

Its design differs from other tombstones... it is the tomb of "ancient" heroes.

"This is..."

I stared wide-eyed at the pitch-black monument, which was at least five meters high.

When I was young, Dungeon Oratoria was my favorite book.

That is the history woven in this land of Orario, the trajectory of heroes.

Those great heroes risked their own lives to stop monsters from the underworld from invading the surface and save countless lives—and now I stand before their graves, which I admire so much that my heart trembles.

"...!"

The names of the heroes I learned about in the story are engraved on the black tombstones. After browsing through all the names, I felt a surge of excitement, and for some reason, I almost shed tears.

There were many flowers in front of the monument, a sign that the heroes are still respected and proud of them. I stood at attention and closed my eyes, feeling frustrated that I hadn't brought any offerings.