Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 254: Before the Dungeon
Early the next morning, Tauro went to the village’s main gate.
There he found the garrison captain he had met upon first arriving, along with five dragonfolk warriors dressed in their preferred equipment.
“Tauro-dono, these five were off duty today, so they’ll serve as your guards. The first floor is mostly harmless, so you should be fine, but please remain cautious. And you five—make absolutely certain Tauro-dono is protected!”
The garrison captain greeted Tauro, then sternly instructed the warriors.
All five immediately straightened and saluted.
The captain must be terrifying when he’s on duty.
They had already been standing in a neat formation, but his words filled them with renewed tension.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
Tauro bowed politely to the warriors.
This atmosphere is making me nervous too…
“I’ll return to my duties, then.”
With that, the captain departed.
Tauro and the five warriors watched him leave.
“Please lead the way to the dungeon.”
They then set out together.
“Is the captain always that frightening?”
Tauro asked, hoping to ease the silence among the warriors.
“He’s extremely strict whenever we’re on duty!”
One of them answered nervously.
“You don’t need to be so formal with me. I’m nervous too, so please act normally.”
At that, the warriors exchanged glances and released a collective sigh of relief.
“Thank you. The captain made us assemble before dawn and told us, ‘If anything happens to Tauro-dono, the dragonfolk will lose both their pride and their long-cherished dream of conquering the dungeon.’ He’s right. Even though we happened to be off duty, we resolved to protect you with our lives.”
A broad-shouldered warrior with brown hair and the golden eyes characteristic of dragonfolk spoke for the group.
He appeared to be their leader.
“You don’t need to risk your lives, but I appreciate the support. I won’t do anything reckless, so let’s take it easy.”
Tauro smiled wryly, impressed by their earnestness.
Even without using [Appraisal], he could sense that they were highly capable warriors.
By adventurer standards, each of them was likely comparable to someone in the B-rank band.
Having five such warriors as escorts was immensely reassuring—almost excessively luxurious.
As the group walked through the forest, Tauro suddenly noticed snow ahead.
The road itself was clear, but patches of snow covered the ground on either side.
“It may be out of season elsewhere, but snow still remains around here. We’re also outside the village barrier now, so it’s somewhat cold.”
As the leader said, snow clung to the surrounding trees as well.
Tauro had assumed snow only covered the distant mountains visible from Dragonfolk Village. In reality, the village itself stood at a high altitude, and its barriers had prevented him from noticing the cold.
The dragonfolk warriors around him were so large that he felt hemmed in, but perhaps the thin mountain air was also contributing to the sensation.
As Tauro reached into [Magic Storage] for warmer clothing, the leader spoke.
“It’s cold here, but a little farther ahead we’ll enter the barriers surrounding the dungeon, and the temperature will return to normal.”
He gestured toward the path ahead.
Sure enough, as they continued, the snow vanished abruptly as though an invisible line had been drawn across the forest.
The moment Tauro crossed that boundary, the chill disappeared.
It felt like stepping into a climate-controlled room.
“You’re right. I didn’t realize barriers like this existed.”
“There are many kinds of barriers. Are they different in the village where you live, Tauro-dono?”
Many things that were common knowledge to dragonfolk were completely unfamiliar to humans, and this appeared to be another example.
“Yes. The village where I usually work has no protective barrier at all. I was once targeted by a curse there because the settlement was so exposed. The Royal Capital may have stronger defenses, but I doubt even it’s protected on the same level as dragonfolk territory.”
“Is that so? We’ve lived in this environment all our lives, so it’s difficult to imagine. Barriers are so convenient that everyone should simply use them.”
The leader seemed genuinely surprised by the cultural difference.
Very few people can erect such advanced barriers over an entire settlement, you know…
Tauro retorted inwardly, but saying it aloud would only make the situation awkward.
After they walked a little farther, the forest opened up and a castle gate suddenly appeared before them.
“What!?”
Tauro stopped and stared, wondering whether his eyes were deceiving him.
But the gate was unquestionably real.
“Ha ha ha! An illusion barrier prevents anyone from seeing the gate and walls until they come close. The village is protected by the same kind of barrier.”
The leader laughed, apparently amused by Tauro’s reaction, and explained the mechanism.
Tauro was astonished by how many features of the dragonfolk’s defenses he had completely failed to notice.