Published: July 5, 2025
There is a town near the West Dungeon.
The West Dungeon has a transfer function that allows adventurers to jump directly to the cleared floors.
In extreme cases, one can return to the town every day, refresh, and then head back to the dungeon... It’s a rare dungeon that allows such a thing.
Because of that, the town is quite large.
Currently, however, there are even more adventurers than usual gathered there... Well, it's already common for adventurers from the Western Nations to gather here, but now it's even more crowded.
This is because...
"Hey, isn’t that Nils?"
"Is ‘Room 10’ resuming dungeon exploration too?"
The voices calling out belong to adventurers affiliated with the Naitorei Kingdom.
Yes, the guardian adventurers of the kingdom delegation have come to this town, having grown restless during their stay in the Holy Capital.
After a year in the Holy Capital... it’s understandable.
Moreover, it’s rumored that Hugh McGrath, the leader of the delegation, said something like, “Go explore the dungeon!”
As the grand master of the adventurers' guild, Hugh knows that adventurers who are left with nothing to do often get into trouble.
That’s why there aren’t many adventurers at the Royal Lodge in the Holy Capital...
"I thought there would be no adventurers at the lodge, but it seems you were just playing around here."
Ryo whispered to Eto in secret.
"Even though we came as guardians for the delegation, the officials we’re guarding only travel back and forth between the lodge and the Holy See."
"…That does seem to eliminate the need for a guardian, indeed."
Eto explained with a wry smile, and Ryo nodded in agreement.
That said, a dungeon is still a dungeon.
Failing an exploration could cost one their life.
Danger lurks nearby.
"To voluntarily enter such a dangerous place..."
"That’s what being an adventurer is all about."
Ryo made a lamenting expression while Eto laughed.
Being an adventurer seems to be a fateful occupation.
As a group walked toward the entrance of the West Dungeon, they were approached by other guardian adventurers from the same kingdom delegation.
"Hey, Nils, long time no see."
"Hey, it's ‘Heavenly Mountain’."
The C-ranked party ‘Heavenly Mountain’ was affiliated with the royal capital and walked just ahead of the last party, which included Ryo and the members of ‘Room 10’ and ‘Room 11’.
Since the last position was occupied by Ryo’s group, they naturally had more opportunities to talk.
‘Room 10’ is a B-ranked party, but since all three members are young, many of the C-ranked adventurers are older.
Because of that, they speak casually.
The leader of ‘Heavenly Mountain’, a spear warrior named Layout, initiated the conversation.
"Nils and the others probably don't know since it’s been a while, right?"
"About what?"
"The ‘moving coffin’."
"Huh?"
Nils raised his voice in confusion.
"It seems like they started appearing about two or three months ago, but coffins are moving."
"Sorry, Layout, but I don’t get what you mean at all."
Nils honestly admitted while frowning.
But it’s understandable.
He knows what a coffin is.
It’s a box for placing a corpse.
Burial or cremation... the methods of dealing with corpses vary by region, but something like a coffin is common most places.
...And it’s moving?
"Is it a monster or something?"
"I can’t even tell you that. But it’s probably not. We’ve seen them too, and they don’t attack people or cause any harm. In fact, it seems that voices can be heard coming from the coffin."
"Does it speak human language? Then the one inside isn’t an ordinary person, right?"
"No, you can tell just by looking from the side... that coffin is floating."
"Whoa, whoa..."
Nils grimaced at Layout's words.
The act of ‘floating’ is not easy, even in a world with magic.
It is said that a mage who has mastered wind attribute magic can float.
But even that is only ‘said’.
Most people have likely never seen such a sight.
Because in the Naitorei Kingdom, only someone at the level of Ilalion would be able to do so.