Dungeon Miner Slave

The hotel at the entrance to Riverside’s red-light district, where Corporal Rheingold had led Flinx, was not only enormous but extravagantly decorated, bordering on gaudy. Considering its clientele—most of whom appeared to be patrons of the women working deeper within the district—the lavish décor was understandable.

At the very least, the hotel’s service was impeccable.

The moment Flinx entered with Rheingold, who introduced him as a Diamond-rank wizard adventurer, the staff immediately offered him the finest accommodations available.

Although Flinx explained that he intended to stay for only a single night, they still assigned him their best suite. A hostess personally escorted him there while enthusiastically explaining the hotel’s various services, including meals delivered directly to his room and luxurious spa treatments provided by what she proudly described as the hotel’s most beautiful attendants.

Rheingold departed shortly afterward.

When Flinx attempted to reward him with a tip, the corporal politely declined.

”It’s my duty to ensure that distinguished visitors such as yourself find Riverside welcoming,” Rheingold said with a smile.

After settling into his suite, Flinx noticed there was still plenty of daylight remaining.

Rather than stay inside, he decided to continue exploring the town.

This time, however, he wanted to blend in.

He removed his Adventurers Guild badge from around his neck and stored it inside his fourth tab space. Without the Diamond-rank medallion on display, he became just another traveler in the eyes of the townspeople.

Flinx chuckled to himself.

He felt like some famous celebrity disguising himself to escape unwanted attention.

He resumed his leisurely stroll, taking in everything around him.

Before long, he lost interest in browsing ordinary shops. His System Shopping Site already sold nearly everything he could ever need. He ignored stores specializing in magical items as well since dozens of valuable treasures from previous dungeon expeditions still rested inside his fourth tab space.

Instead, he spent most of his time simply observing people.

At one point, he entered the town’s enormous church and quietly watched the worshippers praying before a massive statue.

Almost immediately, he sensed an unfamiliar energy lingering throughout the building.

Without hesitation, he turned around and left.

He wanted nothing to do with the local deities.

That was a complication he had no interest in inviting into his life.

Later, Flinx encountered several people collecting donations for a local orphanage.

Curious, he decided to inspect it personally before making any contribution.

The volunteers welcomed his interest enthusiastically.

One of them, an elderly woman named Abernathy, offered to escort him there herself while her two younger companions remained behind to continue gathering donations.

Flinx couldn’t help feeling optimistic.

Abernathy had openly welcomed his request to inspect the orphanage, and when he mentioned that he intended to donate a substantial amount of gold if everything met his expectations, she had shown no hesitation whatsoever.

She led him through several streets before turning into a narrow alley.

Once they reached a darker section of the passage, Abernathy suddenly stopped and turned toward him.

She let out a sharp whistle.

Moments later, several rough-looking men emerged from different corners of the alley.

The elderly woman smiled at him.

It was no longer the warm smile she had worn before.

This one was filled with malice.

Flinx sighed.

For a brief moment, he had hoped he had found an orphanage that genuinely cared for its children.

His thoughts drifted back to David, Arcios, Keero, and Violet.

They had once told him about the orphanage where they had grown up.

Although they had never been physically abused, they had constantly suffered from hunger.

The only redeeming quality was that the caretakers clearly hadn’t been stealing the donations for themselves.

According to David, the caretakers had been just as thin and underfed as the children.

Occasionally, generous benefactors donated money or supplies to the orphanage, but those gifts never lasted very long.

Flinx had once offered to support the orphanage financially.

David and the others had firmly stopped him.

They told him not to involve himself.

It was a filthy situation they didn’t want him dragged into.

Back then, Flinx had accepted their advice.

His only priority had been growing stronger as quickly as possible so he could rescue his fellow Earthlings from the Torbal Slavers.

After accomplishing that, he had devoted himself to becoming powerful enough to return everyone safely to Earth.

After that came yet another goal.

Revenge.

Everything else—including his desire to help orphanages—had been pushed aside.

Even now, he still didn’t fully understand David and the others’ attitude toward the orphanage.

Although the orphanage had forced them to leave after they turned ten, following its established rules, Flinx couldn’t help wondering why they had been so adamant that he leave it alone.

Whenever he raised the subject, they always gave him the same answer.

Don’t get involved.

Now he had stumbled upon criminals exploiting the name of an orphanage to swindle unsuspecting people.

Judging by the look in their eyes, they were probably willing to kill for money as well.

Without another word, Flinx cast the sixth-level enchantment spell Mass Suggestion.

The spell instantly ensnared Abernathy and every one of her accomplices.

”Follow me,” he commanded.

The entire group obediently complied.

Once they returned to the main streets, Flinx approached a passing patrol.

He introduced himself as a visiting Diamond-rank wizard adventurer before explaining that he had enchanted the people following him because they had attempted to ambush and rob him.

The guards immediately escorted everyone to the town’s guard station.

There, Flinx requested to speak with Rheingold.

Since he already knew the corporal, one of the guards quickly sent for him.

When Rheingold arrived, Flinx explained everything from the beginning.

He described how he had intended to donate to the orphanage, how Abernathy had offered to escort him there, and how she had instead lured him into an alley where her accomplices had been waiting.

He finished by explaining that he had subdued them using Mass Suggestion.

After hearing the full story, Rheingold immediately ordered his men to bind the prisoners’ hands and feet.

Only after they had been secured did Flinx dispel the spell.

”We’ll investigate the orphanage thoroughly,” Rheingold promised.

Flinx thanked him.

He had no desire to remain any longer listening to Abernathy’s furious screaming or the angry protests of her companions.

Confident that Riverside’s guards were more than capable of handling such a straightforward case, he quietly left the station.

He decided not to involve himself with the orphanage any further.

Instead, he resumed exploring the town until he eventually reached the gate leading toward the river.

He had assumed that, because it faced the river, that section of the wall would remain open.

Before leaving, he stopped at a street food stall and struck up a conversation with a vendor grilling fish.

When Flinx asked why the town had built walls along the riverbank, the man explained that monsters occasionally emerged from the river and attempted to attack Riverside.

Without the walls, such attacks would be far more dangerous.

Flinx shook his head.

Everywhere he went in this world seemed to be threatened by monsters.

Since he was confident in his own strength, he had no concerns about anything that might emerge from the river.

He passed through the gate and walked toward the water.

The river was broad and magnificent.

Its crystal-clear waters allowed him to see surprisingly deep beneath the surface.

He didn’t spot a single monster.

If it hadn’t been the middle of autumn, Flinx might even have been tempted to go for a swim.