Chapter 222

“Ah… this feels so good—I feel so alive again.”

Soaking in the communal bath, I let all the fatigue from the dungeon exploration melt away.

The steam-laden air felt a little stifling, but I still drew a deep breath.

With the faint scent of cypress filling my lungs, I exhaled in one go, and the indescribable comfort made me close my eyes, curl my body, and sink even deeper into the water. This kind of feeling is so indescribable that even if you were asked, you wouldn’t even know how to explain it.

“The Dungeon Core… I wonder what Sheele is trying to tell us?”

I haven’t yet examined it in detail with my [Divine Eye], but Sheele must have seen something with her [Observation Eye].

Perhaps she discovered something about this country’s dungeons that we need to know.

“Still… that administrator was really surprised, huh?”

The squirrel beastwoman, recognizable by her large tail, had fainted on the spot from sheer shock when we submitted the Dungeon Core along with our report of clearing the dungeon. It seemed it was a tasked deemed almost impossible.

According to Melt, some small beastfolk have that sort of temperament.

So… she really did have a “nervous heart,” I guess. Sorry about that.

Of course, they offered to purchase the Dungeon Core, but we politely declined this time.

However, the achievement of clearing the dungeon remained, and since we were the first to do so, Sheele could safely be promoted to Silver Class.

First-time clears really are treated differently from ordinary clears, it seems.

“Phew… I’ve warmed up enough. I guess it’s time to get out.”

It was still raining outside.

The dungeon exploration had taken more than a full day, and when we finally emerged, it was already past 9 a.m. the next day. We really spent time in there.

Perhaps because of the early hour, the bathhouse had no other customers besides me. So i enjoyed the privacy.

Though if it’s open this early, maybe some villagers usually come in the morning.

Then again, the rain might be keeping people away.

When I left the bath and returned to the reception area, Melt and Sheele were already relaxing in the lounge.

Their hair was already dry, so maybe they’d been waiting a while. I probably stayed in the bath longer than I thought.

“Welcome back, Shizuma. It’s still raining—would you like to rest at the inn for today?”

“Yeah, I think so. I want to hear Sheele’s report too, and we’re probably still a bit tired.”

“Yes. I want to lie on the bed—not sleep, just roll around a bit.”

That sounds good. While lying on the bed, we can have our report meeting.

We also need to decide on our future plans.

We bid farewell to the bathhouse owner and headed back to the inn.

The sound of rain hitting our umbrellas and the surrounding trees cooled our flushed bodies from the bath, and we couldn’t help but quicken our pace.

Back at the inn, the owner had been a little worried because we hadn’t returned all day yesterday. But when we reported that the dungeon exploration had gone smoothly, they looked very happy.

Since they were going to prepare lunch, we needed to finish the report meeting before that.

“So, what did Sheele find when analyzing the Dungeon Core?”

“Well, first of all, it’s this.”

“It’s huge! Bigger than any Dungeon Core I’ve seen before!”

Once we returned to the room, Melt immediately lay down on the bed, hugging a pillow and rolling around.

Watching her was cute enough, but then Sheele sat beside her and placed her hands on Melt’s body, moving in sync, almost as if she were playfully rolling her. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“As for my analysis… it seems that, as a Dungeon Core, this is actually rather weak. You see… it appears this country only has three dungeons, strictly speaking.”

“Wait? But even just the ones we’ve confirmed, the guild said there are twenty-six…”

“…Apparently, the three ‘gigantic dungeons’ in this country grew and eventually overflowed their power, which manifested as these dungeons. The Core revealed this. So it seems the story I heard at the guild was true.”

I took the core—a large, beautiful crimson orb about the size of a melon.

Yet, despite its size, it contained only weak power. I used my [Divine Eye] to read the information.

Excessive Subdivision Core

• A Dungeon Core formed by the power of a mighty Dungeon Master, which circulated through the land and materialized as a dungeon.
• Possesses immense power, but as a subdivided core, it does not hold full authority.
• Serves as proof of having cleared one of many dungeons and has accumulated power over many years.

I see… so the Empire’s dungeons are basically… natural large dungeons that have grown and branched out to create these subdivided cores.

I recall the dungeon I was sent to as Still—it was called a “Forbidden Dungeon,” a restricted area.

If the power of such enormous dungeons leaks into the surroundings to create new dungeons, it makes sense to restrict access to these areas.

The continent’s economy relies on dungeon exploration, so it’s natural to control the original dungeons and prevent people from clearing them.

“I understand now. So what information did Sheele see?”

“For me, it’s a ‘Core of a dungeon that branched from one of the three gigantic dungeons, Excessive.’”

“I see. I also know the name of one of the large dungeons on this continent—Exhaust. The names are similar, so they might be related.”

“That’s possible… anyway, we should try to see if this core can be used somewhere—maybe at a dungeon entrance or inside a dungeon. It might respond to having the core with us.”

“Right. Once the weather clears, we can look around the dungeon area.”

“The rain… huh? My tail’s puffing up again.”

“Fufu, all fluffy…”

“Ah! Don’t touch me, Sheele!”

Watching the two happily play, I glanced out the window at the rain that showed no sign of stopping.

It wasn’t heavy, but it wasn’t light drizzle either—a rain that could last indefinitely.

If we could use the core to manipulate this vast, fertile forest into a more manageable size for the villagers… that would be ideal.

“Delicious… oh my, this is so delicious…! Probably the best thing I’ve eaten since coming to this continent…!”

“Indeed… it rivals the food at the Eldrak Hotel… and with more volume, I’d say this one wins!”

“Roasting a whole bird coated in nuts, stuffing the inside with a paste of processed innards mixed with nuts and herbs, and baking it… this level of perfection is definitely beyond what a village inn can normally produce.”

Lunch had been generously prepared to recover our strength after the dungeon.

A roasted whole bird, but the skill and taste were exceptional.

“I’m glad you think so. Eldrak Hotel… yes, that’s my former workplace. Looks like my skills haven’t deteriorated yet.”

“Absolutely delicious. But why come from a big city to a forest like this?”

“The forest grew this large. Ingredients don’t circulate in the village, so I wanted to show everyone that you can make top-notch meals with just forest ingredients. I’m originally from this village.”

“Such a lovely idea! I’m from a similar rural area, so people who teach you about tasty outside food are wonderful.”

If the overly expansive forest around the village could be managed a bit and trade with the outside increased… things might change.

The village is surrounded by forest, but not far from other towns.

If we could cut through the forest, trade and travel with inland towns could increase.

We really should test whether the core can manipulate the surrounding terrain soon.

Also… if we use the core, it will allow one more person to perform Order Summons.

I want to keep the core of “DreamHill Great Forest” on hand so that I can summon our companions anytime, but if we gain the ability to summon one more person, we could potentially add that individual as a traveling companion.

“Phew… that was delicious…! Master, it really was amazing. Both my body and soul feel completely satisfied.”

“Right! I’ve never eaten chicken this tasty before! Even better than Darge Pie…!”

“I was genuinely surprised by how delicious it was… the internal pâté is just too good. Makes me want some wine with it.”

“Oh? Looks like the young lady can handle it. In that case, we should try it with some fruit wine made in this village tonight. I’ll have it ready for dinner.”

“That would be wonderful.”

Feeling full, I glanced out the window and saw raindrops sparkling in the sunlight.

The rain had stopped. Maybe it’s a perfect time for a post-meal walk.

I suggested to Sheele and Melt that we take a short walk through the village, subtly hinting that it would also help us locate a terminal to use the Dungeon Core.

Alright… let’s start by heading to the dungeon entrance.

I felt a little guilty about using the core to manipulate the environment without permission.

…Should I notify someone in a village leader-type position?

No… we can’t let anyone know we know how to use the core. After all, maybe it only works because we have the “house key.”

“By the way… we only left a spare key with Seim. Will that be okay?”

“I don’t think Same would lose it.”

“That’s true. That key also provides access to the house’s secrets. They might just keep the main entrance key as a regular key and store the other key securely.”

That makes sense. Same is careful by nature.

Having finished our quite hearty meal of roast chicken, we set out into the village after the rain.

The forest, soaked by rain, now shimmered in the sunlight, and the leaves high above sparkled.

The warm, wet forest exuded an intensified green fragrance. I took slightly deeper breaths as we made our way toward the dungeon’s front plaza.

If we manage to stop the forest’s abnormal growth, will this already-grown forest be lost?

Will the trees wither and this scenery disappear?

Perhaps we should at least issue some kind of caution.

“For example, we could say something like, ‘Because the core was collected during the dungeon expedition, the forest’s abnormal growth might slow down temporarily.’ That way, nobody would suspect manipulation, and since this dungeon had never been cleared, any unusual outcome might be believed as a reasonable assumption.”

“That’s true… once the manipulation is successful, we can inform the guild branch chief and have them notify the villagers.”

“It’s a shame the forest will shrink, but if it’s affecting their lives, we have to do something.”

A conversation that almost feels like we’re searching for an excuse for our actions.

Perhaps it’s because, as we make our way through the forest, we can feel its beauty, its majesty, and the comfort of nature.

No matter the world, it’s a difficult balance—the coexistence of human life and nature.

The dungeon’s front plaza had originally been a camping area for explorers. There was even a pavilion like a cooking area, and some piped water had been installed.

Within this plaza, we searched for a terminal or similar object to use the Dungeon Core.

“Considering it hasn’t been cleared in so long, maybe it’s in a place not easily seen…? Then again, it probably doesn’t appear where people want it to…”

“Hey, maybe unlike normal dungeons… what was it? A child dungeon? Maybe it doesn’t appear here at all?”

“That’s possible… but let’s keep looking a bit more.”

A little anxious, we examined the huge tree hollow at the dungeon entrance and the surrounding area.

Behind the massive tree, we found another hollow—not large, but noticeable.

“…This is probably it.”

Inside the hollow, something was glowing.

When I reached inside, a familiar console appeared—one that could reference data for the surrounding area.