Live Dungeon!

As Tsutomu had predicted, the assigned party members consisted of the eldest son and daughter of House Babenberg, along with Sova from Ealdred Crow. After completing their party contract at the Guild reception using their Status Cards, the five of them sat at a round table to discuss their strategy.

”Um, so… is it all right if I call you by name? Smith?” As the designated party leader, Tsutomu asked the eldest son of House Babenberg while checking the four Status Cards in front of him.

”Sure, I don’t see why not,” Smith responded curtly.

Seeing this, not only Daryl but even Sova looked considerably tense. Although the rise of Explorers had diminished the status of nobility compared to before, to those familiar with the ways of this world, nobles were still figures who existed on an entirely different level.

”And please feel free to call me Biancaea,” the eldest daughter said, placing a hand over the emblem of House Babenberg as she bowed, her dazzling golden hair shimmering as she moved.

”All right. Nice to meet you, Biancaea,” Tsutomu greeted her casually.

Then, he turned to Daryl, who was completely mesmerized by the sight. With a small [ wisp, Tsutomu snapped him back to reality.

”Now then,” he continued, ”First things first, let’s confirm what each of us can do. I’ll go first–”

Tsutomu introduced himself while showing his Status Card and also took the opportunity to explain Daryl’s role as the Tank. After hearing their introductions and organizing their thoughts, Smith and Biancaea smoothly presented their own information. The last one remaining, Sova, hesitated for a moment before speaking.

”I can use any weapon.”

”Any weapon, you say? Then which one are you most proficient with?”

”……”

When Tsutomu pressed further, Sova hesitated, his gaze dropping to the table. Since he was a Swordfighter, Tsutomu had expected him to name a sword, given that it was the weapon he could use Explorer skills with. Seeing him remain silent, Tsutomu tilted his head in confusion.

”Well, since we’re going to the fifty-eighth layer, with your level, it should be fine no matter what weapon you use. Let’s just head in for now and adjust on-site.”

Clapping his hands together, Tsutomu stood up and headed for the Teleportation Circles. The other four followed, stepping into the Magic Circle — though the two from House Babenberg seemed to be arguing about something.

”Get used to it already. You’re embarrassing yourself in public.”

”You’re so mean! You always hold my hand right away!”

Watching Biancaea desperately trying to grab Smith’s hand, Tsutomu found the sight somewhat heartwarming. Judging by her anxious demeanor, she probably still wasn’t accustomed to the sight of people disintegrating into particles upon teleportation. Tsutomu had been afraid of it at first as well, so he felt a certain kinship with her. ŗÀＮỘᛒЕ𝘴

”We’re heading out soon. Smith, just hold her hand already.”

”See! Even Tsutomu says so!”

”…Ugh, fine…”

Letting out a deeply reluctant sigh, Smith finally took his sister’s outstretched hand. Biancaea, now beaming, looked over at Tsutomu and gave him a grateful nod.

Looking at them like this, they didn’t seem like noble elites so much as a regular close-knit family. Seeing this, both Daryl and Sova seemed to relax a little as well.

”Teleport to the fifty-eighth layer!” Tsutomu commanded.

With that, the Magic Circle activated, and the five of them were transported to the Canyon-covered fifty-eighth layer.

”Well then, Daryl, I look forward to your guidance,” Biancaea said upon arrival.

”Huh!? No, no! I’m not qualified to guide anyone…”

”What are you saying? I’ve been studying your techniques through the Pedestals — please allow me to learn from you.”

Since Biancaea’s Job was Paladin, she was categorized as a Tank just like Daryl. And considering that she often watched Daryl through single-digit Monitors, it was clear she was being completely sincere.

”Teaching others is a good way to learn for yourself too, Daryl,” Tsutomu said. ”You should do it.”

”N-No, no, no, no…! There’s no way I could teach someone like Miss Biancaea!”

”You never know until you try. Oh, and I’ll be busy dealing with Smith, so I won’t have the time to help you.”

Daryl looked at Tsutomu with pleading eyes, but Tsutomu curtly dismissed him and turned instead to Smith, who had been watching him with an intense gaze. Smith had gone so far as to dismiss his previous party just to take part in this matchmaking arrangement, yet upon hearing Tsutomu’s words, he scowled and glared at him. Behind him, Sova, who had been struggling with something, also looked somewhat restless.

”What do you mean, ‘dealing with me’? If you had just accepted House Babenberg’s request in the first place, we could have advanced our layer progress much sooner and wouldn’t have had to go through all these tedious procedures.”

When it had been decided that Smith and Biancaea would become Explorers, a formal request had been sent to Absolute Helix from House Babenberg. The request was for their training as Explorers, but Tsutomu, the leader of Absolute Helix, had refused it.

”To be frank… there was no obligation for me to accept a request that offered no benefit to us.”

”…I’ve thought this for a while, but you really are… irreverent. A year ago, you would have been thrown into prison for lèse-majesté without a second thought.”

”But now, we’re Explorers standing on equal ground. Besides, both my level and my layer progress are superior to yours, so that’s not something you could do anymore, is it?”

”Y-You…!”

Smith’s face, usually pale, turned red with anger as he clenched his fists, looking ready to swing at any moment. However, he owed Tsutomu a great deal — Tsutomu had protected the people during the Stampede while he had been unconscious, and he had even donated funds to support House Babenberg, which had been struggling financially in the aftermath.

That said, it still infuriated him that Tsutomu had outright refused their request, rarely showed his face, and spent all his time exploring God’s Dungeon. On top of that, House Babenberg was currently protecting Absolute Helix from the nobles of the Royal Capital who had come to Dungeon City, and Smith himself had been working to support them through social circles. And yet, this was the attitude he was met with.

”…To be even MORE frank, Absolute Helix doesn’t have the capacity to take on your request. In fact, it was physically impossible for us to accommodate you, so all we could do was provide materials useful for layer progression. Did those help?”

”…Well, they were certainly useful, yes.”

”We also selected equipment for you and supplied you with Potion from the Forest Apothecary, didn’t we?”

”…I am grateful for those, too.”

Though Tsutomu had rejected House Babenberg’s request, he had sent them handwritten strategy guides for each layer instead. These unique notes had even impressed the Explorers they had hired, allowing them to progress smoothly. In addition, he had donated rare and difficult-to-obtain equipment and supplies.

Being reminded of this, Smith’s simmering anger cooled slightly. The red drained from his face as he gradually calmed down.

”I also assumed that with House Babenberg’s Shield magic, God’s Dungeon would be a breeze for you. I didn’t think you needed any assistance.”

”That’s only natural. If we could use House Babenberg’s Shield magic, we’d have been standing alongside you all by now. Since then, I’ve undergone even more rigorous magical training. The next time that Devourer Dragon threatens Dungeon City, I will ensure not a single life is lost. That’s why those monsters appearing on the Pedestal are no threat to me.”

The moment Shield magic was mentioned, Smith’s expression shifted to one of pride. He crossed his arms and began speaking fluently and confidently. Seeing her brother in such a good mood, Biancaea giggled softly.

”Well, that’s assuming you can actually use it in God’s Dungeon,” Tsutomu quipped bluntly.

”…Right. We can’t. Which is exactly why we’re struggling.”

Smith let out an exaggerated sigh, his face visibly falling. If they had been able to use Shield magic inside God’s Dungeon as they did outside, Tsutomu would have undoubtedly recruited the Babenberg siblings into Absolute Helix. A force field that could block the strongest attacks of the overpowered Devourer Dragon would be invaluable for tackling the Secret Dungeon.

However, in practice, using Shield magic inside God’s Dungeon was extremely difficult. The root cause lay in the fundamental difference between the Dungeon’s environment and the outside world.

The air in God’s Dungeon was suffused with far more abundant magical energy than anywhere else. While this made it an excellent place for handling Potion and other magical concoctions, casting True Magic here was a different matter entirely.

For nobles to used True Magic, they first had to process a Magic Stone to match their own energy signature, gradually attuning themselves to the stored power before accumulating it within. When they cast spells, they released the stored power from the Magic Stone as if it were their own.

However, inside God’s Dungeon, the ambient magical energy was vastly different from what nobles were accustomed to. These foreign energies interfered with their spells, meaning they needed additional power to overcome it.

It was like trying to start a fire underwater — it took an immense amount of skill and effort just to ignite, let alone sustain. As a result, the Babenberg siblings were unable to properly use Shield magic in God’s Dungeon. They could manage it for a brief moment, but the mental energy consumption was astronomical, and keeping it active was impossible. All in all, Shield magic was fundamentally incompatible with the Dungeon’s environment.

”House Babenberg tried to cover that fact up at first, so it took me a while to realize it. Do you understand now that we didn’t refuse your request out of malice? EXPLORER Smith?”

”…Yeah. I get it. But just so we’re clear, I wasn’t frustrated with Absolute Helix. I was frustrated with you personally. And now…” Smith narrowed his golden eyes, glaring at Tsutomu as if looking at a venomous insect. ”I see the reason why ever more clearly.”

”Sure, whatever floats your boat. I also find it irritating when someone speaks down to me with such an entitled attitude. Whatever happened to that sincere demeanor you had after the Stampede?”

”……”

”Well, since your Shield magic did save my life at one point, I’ll teach you whatever you want today. I have the time, after all.”

As he spoke, Tsutomu watched Biancaea as she continued asking Daryl various questions. Smith, on the other hand, simply looked at Tsutomu with an indiscernible expression, unable to find a response.