Chapter 64: For Now, These Jewels......
With the help of Regal, Merle and Mira, I finally set out to map the 3rd Underground Floor.
This was a different world from the first two floors.
There were many monsters, and each one was exceptionally powerful.
[Whoa!? Three monsters suddenly sprang up!]
Near the stairs coming down from the 2nd Underground Floor, we suddenly got a baptism from Dungeon Lizards.
Komodo lizard-looking creatures rushed toward us at high speed.
Of course, I didn’t just stand there and watch.
I fired my 8-round pistol in rapid succession, but I couldn’t hit a single shot.
Is it really this difficult to hit a moving target!?
[Yuusuke-san, move back!]
Merle caught a rushing Dungeon Lizard with her shield.
While I was thinking this, Regal had already finished off the enemy on the left side with a Fireball and Mira took down the one on the right with an Ice Needle.
[D*mn it!]
Aiming for the lizard whose movements Merle had stopped, I finally hit it with two shots to the head.
It was scary trying to get close enough to avoid missing, but it seemed I had made it through the first battle.
[Yuusuke-san, you sure have a lot of guts when it comes down to it huh. I can’t believe this is your first time on the 3rd floor of the dungeon.]
Hearing Mira praise me, I couldn’t help feeling complicated.
I’m well aware that my body had stopped moving because of the sudden incident.
Even so, the Dungeon Lizards were powerful.
Its movements were completely different from those of the monsters on the 2nd Underground Floor.
I had thought monster cards would be more effective than a pistol, but I only had four of them on hand. Monster Card Chips have been very popular these days.
I now understand why the rookies can’t easily descend to the 3rd Underground Floor.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtI also found out one more thing.
It’s about the number of people on a team.
I used to think that the more team members you have, the less risk you take.
However, the reward for defeating a Dungeon Lizard was 2100 rims.
Even though we risked our lives in that battle, that’s not even 600 rims per person.
If we had a party of 10, the reward per head would be 210 rims.
And so, that’s why the party diving together into the dungeon got limited to about 6 people.
[I wish we could earn more money. Like, why don’t Slimes just drop gold coins?]
Merle’s grumbles were understandable.
Mira also complained with a small sigh.
[It would be great if we could at least find a treasure chest.]
[A treasure chest?]
[Yes, they do appear from time to time. Once every 3 months or so.]
It seems that treasure chests spawn below the 3rd Underground Floor of the labyrinth.
[If you find out, do you get rich enough to live out your life in leisure?]
[Nope.]
Merle waved her hand and laughed.
[The deeper you go, the bigger the treasure chest gets, and the larger the sum of money will be. However, the size of a treasure chest from the 3rd Underground Floor is about yay big.]
Merle showed the shape of the box with both hands.
It’s about the size that can be held in one hand.
[It’s that small?]
[Unnn. The contents are only 10 silver coins and a jewel. Still, 100,000 rims are very attractive.]
[Hmmm…… Wait a moment.]
I turned to the wall and used my Clairvoyance.
I set the search word to “treasure chest” and the search location to the 3rd Underground Floor.
[Yuusuke-san, you wanna use the toilet?]
I heard Mira’s voice behind me, but I couldn’t deny her now.
Perhaps because I’m not used to using it yet, my magic would be canceled if I speak in the middle of using it.
The search ended quickly, and from the instantly switched perspective, I was looking at a treasure chest on the ground.
Merle had told me that treasure chests on the 3rd Underground Floor were small, but this one was quite small.
It was about the size of a cardboard box containing mikan oranges.
The area was pitch black, and there was no sign of monsters.
Thanks to my Clairvoyance, I can see in the dark, but the place I arrived at seemed to be a closed space.
The walls on all four sides were bare, craggy rocks.
Does this place have any entryway?
I phase through the wall and explore my surroundings.
Thereupon, I see the passageway of the dungeon.
The area was dank and gloomy, and more than a hundred small, moss-covered Goblin statues were lined up in a row.
The entrance to this room was hidden behind one of the largest statues.
After checking the entrance, I entered the hidden room.
However, I have to get back soon or I will get sick again.
But first, let’s check the contents of the box.
Using my Clairvoyance, that would be a simple matter.
[Is something the matter, Yuusuke-san?]
Regal poked me on the shoulder.
[It’s nothing. I was just thinking about something.]
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmI tried to act nonchalant.
However, Merle was looking at me suspiciously.
[Don’t you seem rather short of breath?]
[T- That’s not true.]
It’s troubling that I turn out like this when I use Clairvoyance.
[You know, you seemed to be in a daze a lot lately. When you do, you end up breathing very hard……]
Merle was worried about me huh……
[Were you having perverted fantasies about me?]
[I don’t have the time for that in the dungeon!]
Her actually thinking that way is just unexpected.
[By the way, do you know the area where there are lots of Goblin statues scattered around?]
[You would be talking about the Pandemonium Statues. That place is pretty deep in the 3rd Underground Floor, so we’ve never been there.]
[There’s nothing to see there. Monsters rarely appear there.]
[I see. Well, we have to go there for the map.]
After I finish making the map of the 3rd Underground Floor, I will present that treasure chest to the three of them.
[Let’s wait patiently for that treasure chest. We may be able to get one in the near future.]
[What do you mean by that?]
I just handed a candy to Regal, who was curiously tilting his head.
[For now, please bear with these jewels.]
Product name: Jewel Candy
Description: Candy with the color and shape of a jewel. There are three types: Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald. Each has a premium flavor of Strawberry, Blue Hawaii, and Muscat respectively. Eating them will restore one’s energy and make one positive.
Price: 30 rims
Colorful candies twinkled in the lights of the dungeon.
<Translator’s Notes>
Jewel Candy