Chapter 323: El’s Growth
“I’ve never seen anything like this before…”
This was the first thing I said when I presented the metallic robot we encountered in the ruins to the Guild Master. Although we didn’t have much experience delving into dungeons, I couldn’t help but wonder if there were any robot-type monsters out there.
The Guild Master observed it from various angles, clearly intrigued, but made no move to touch it. The machine looked like a finely crafted piece of technology, with intricate parts that seemed fragile enough to break at a mere touch.
“This is the most detailed Golem I’ve ever seen. And to think it’s a monster of S Rank strength… Truly, it lives up to the reputation of dungeon-born creatures.”
I see. It seems the term “robot” doesn’t exist in this world.
“A Golem, you say?”
“That’s right. It’s a type of magical creature made from various materials. They’re rare, so encounters are uncommon, but I’ve heard there are dungeons primarily inhabited by Golems.”
Curious, I asked more about Golems, and it turned out they weren’t too different from what I had imagined. Sand Golems made of sand and Rock Golems made of stone were the standard, but there were also Wood Golems and Iron Golems, among others.
“I appreciate the information about the dungeon, but no one would dare venture into a dungeon deep within the Forest of Enchantment… or rather, they can’t, so I feel a bit relieved.”
I had provided information about the discovered dungeon, the traps near the entrance, and the monsters that attacked us, but the Guild Master responded with that. If no one is going in, then I suppose I won’t have to worry about the surroundings.
Moreover—
“Besides, with Alert Level 1 in effect, there’s no one else foolish enough to delve into a distant dungeon.”
With that, I received a sharp glare from the Guild Master. I was baffled.
“By the way, it doesn’t seem like the Stampede of monsters in the Forest of Enchantment is caused by that dungeon, does it?”
When asked this, I crossed my arms and pondered. There were no monsters in the open areas around the dungeon, but I figured that was because there was nowhere for them to hide.
“At first glance, it didn’t seem that way. There were still monsters in the surrounding forest.”
“True. The only monster we saw in the dungeon was that one, and I haven’t spotted any similar creatures in the forest either.”
That said, I added that it wasn’t easy to draw conclusions from just a brief exploration of the dungeon.
“Of course, that’s true. While I’m curious about the dungeon, I’m also concerned about the situation with the monsters in the Forest of Enchantment.”
The Guild Master began to mutter to himself while crossing his arms. He likely wanted both situations investigated, but it felt impossible. I had initially planned to observe the forest’s monsters while exploring the ruins, but the difficulty of this dungeon was unexpected. Although, since we could Teleport directly to the dungeon, it wasn’t entirely out of reach.
“In any case, we need to report the discovery of the dungeon to the kingdom, so I’ll send a swift horse.”
“Oh, okay.”
“…For now, prioritize the situation in the Forest of Enchantment.”
With a furrowed brow, the Guild Master made his decision known, instructing me to continue with the current request.
“Understood.”
As I prepared to leave the office, I overheard the Guild Master muttering, “It’s just so busy with the Stampede,” so I offered a silent cheer for him in my heart.
I walked the path from the Guild to my home.
“The town doesn’t seem to have changed much.”
Rio murmured as she glanced around. It was just before evening, and the most common sight on the Main Street was armed Adventurers. However, this was something we had grown accustomed to over the past few days, and nothing seemed particularly out of the ordinary.
“Now that you mention it… Is Alert Level 1 really that serious?”
I voiced my thoughts while recalling what the Guild Master had said. At Level 2, there were reports of a horde of monsters approaching. Level 3 meant that entry and exit for civilians were prohibited due to imminent contact, and Level 4 indicated a war with monsters.
“If that’s the case, it doesn’t seem like there’s immediate danger.”
Ivan chimed in cheerfully, but I wondered if it was really enough to avoid fleeing the town. After all, this was the Forest of Enchantment, and perhaps the residents were somewhat trained.
“Usually, once you leave the town, you have nowhere to go.”
Ivan’s words prompted a glance between Rio and me. Outside the town lay a world where monsters roamed freely. Traveling was something ordinary people didn’t do, and moving from town to town was, in a sense, a matter of life and death.
I found it all rather harsh, but eventually reached home, bypassing a group loitering near my front door before stepping inside.
“I’m home!”
I opened the door and entered, but there was no response.
“Huh? Is El out shopping or something?”
El had always been quite diligent about responding, so Rio tilted her head in confusion. Thinking she might be out, I entered the Living Room, only to find El engrossed at the table, working on a language drill.
“Oh… Welcome back!”
After a moment of staring, El finally noticed me and looked up, responding in her broken Japanese.
“Uh… I-I’m back?”
I struggled to respond for a moment, but I couldn’t just leave it at that, so my words came out as a question.
El, you’ve really improved!