Published: January 22, 2026
The dungeon we arrived at was a cave designed like a typical maze.
When you think of a cave, you imagine a dim atmosphere, but this dungeon was surprisingly bright, perhaps because of the many glowing ores inside.
It was a relief to have clear visibility without relying on magic or magical tools.
Some dungeons require magic or magical tools just to secure visibility.
As I wandered inside, I checked to see if there were any discrepancies compared to the investigation report I received earlier from Mr. Abel.
According to the report, the overall size of the floor was nothing remarkable.
In fact, it would be considered quite small.
Although the preliminary survey had gone down to the seventh layer, the spatial size didn’t seem to change much even that deep.
The demonic beasts appearing along the way included common ones like goblins and orcs, as well as rare beasts like the three-headed dog (cerberus) and poisonous snakes (poison snakes).
As I strolled along at my own pace, I unexpectedly ran into a group of goblins.
It’s rare for demonic beasts to act in groups from the very first layer of a dungeon, but the report said that there were no solitary demonic beasts in this dungeon.
“Just in time,” I muttered and then summoned Schwarzhase.
I activated my qi and circulated it throughout my body.
The goblins noticed me and charged,
“—!”
but they couldn’t react to my movements enhanced by qi, and they were turned into magic stones in an instant.
“Phew… I'd say this is on par with triple stacking. For now, I’ve cleared the minimum required level.”
Thanks to the qi training I did even during the carriage ride, I was able to maintain my qi activation even in battle.
I was still allocating most of my consciousness to qi, so I hadn’t reached the level I aimed for yet, but I could say I had achieved my first goal.
“...Again.”
Activating qi to boost physical abilities also sharpens the senses.
That part wasn’t a problem.
However, when activating qi, sometimes it felt like someone was watching me (.........).
That feeling was present now, too.
It might just be because I wasn’t used to the heightened senses, but there was an unpleasant unease I couldn’t shake off.
“…No use worrying about it. For now, the top priority is to master handling qi more skillfully.”
After several more fights, we returned to the Edington Count’s mansion.
â—‡
When we returned, Mr. Abel was waiting.
As soon as he saw me, he said, “There’s a place I want to take you,” and led me to a certain room.
“This is...”
What filled my view was a vast collection of books.
The room we were brought to was like a study.
“This is my research room,” he said.
“A research room? Not just a study?”
“It’s certainly a study too, but I call it a research room. My hobby is historical research. The books here are reference materials.”
“So many books related to history...”
Though the collection was naturally inferior compared to the library of the Silver Rabbits of the Night Sky, that was just an unfair comparison.
Gathering this amount individually must have taken considerable effort.
“Haha, that gleam in your eyes—guess you’re the same kind as me.”
Apparently, my expression was overwhelmed by the volume of books.
Mr. Abel smiled happily at my expression.
“Orun-kun, I don’t mind if you read the books in this room. But in exchange, I’d like you to grant me one request.”
“…A request?”
I wanted to nod right away.
But he was a noble.
There was a possibility the request could be unreasonable.
I couldn’t agree so easily.
“No need to be so wary. This is personal. The request is to borrow your knowledge.”
“Please, go on.”
“Yes, as I said, I’m doing historical research. Lately, I’ve been particularly focused on dungeons. I want to hear your opinion on my ideas. Opportunities to speak with a top-level explorer don’t come often.”
It was truly a personal matter.
If I just listened and gave my opinion, there should be no problem.
“…I don’t know if I can meet your expectations, but if it’s alright with you, I’ll cooperate.”