Chapter One: Wof, Age 13 (Part 1)

This world is far harsher than my previous one, where human life held more value.  

Even though I possess the memories of my past life as a reincarnated individual, that doesn’t make things much easier.  

Having the understanding of an adult in my thirteen-year-old body is convenient at times, but my knowledge doesn’t offer any groundbreaking changes to this world.  

I don’t even know how to make mayonnaise. Why doesn’t it spoil, anyway?  

“Alright, time to get moving. Let’s do this.”  

My bed is an old wooden frame filled with straw. It’s so hard that my back and joints ache occasionally. I really need to do something about it.  

And it’s probably time to replace the straw before bugs start showing up.  

It’d be great if I could make some insecticide, but I don’t have that kind of knowledge either.  

For now, I wash my face with water from the barrel and glance at my reflection in the cracked mirror.  

“…Still not used to this.”  

I chuckle bitterly. Blue hair and silver eyes. A young, boyish face.  

Well, I am thirteen, so of course I look young.  

I see this face every morning, yet it always feels like I’m looking at some distant boy rather than myself.  

Is this because I’m reincarnated?  

Even so, this face is mine.  

I dry my face with a cloth and eat my breakfast: bread beans.  

Bread beans are large beans with a chewy texture.  

When roasted, they’re soft and plain in flavor, but they do fill you up.  

I force them down with water, finishing my meal.  

Next comes my daily training. After that, I gear up with a knife and leave my home.  

Today’s weather is perfect. Not a single cloud in the clear blue sky, and the sunlight is dazzling.  

The white buildings of the town faintly glimmer under the light.  

The walls and buildings in this town are made of materials that repel monsters.  

That’s why the town has survived despite being surrounded by numerous dungeons.  

The town’s name is Hydrangea, which supposedly means “water container.”  

It’s fitting, as the town has abundant groundwater and never faces water shortages.  

In the west district of Hydrangea, next to the bell tower, there’s a large gaping hole that looks like the mouth of a giant monster.  

This is the dungeon entrance.  

I first greet the gatekeeper.  

“Good morning, Gauro-san.”  

“Hey. Heading in again today?”  

Gauro is a veteran gatekeeper with a scarred face that makes him look like a bandit.  

He used to be an explorer but became a gatekeeper after receiving his facial injury.  

“Yes, 300 Auro.”  

“Alright. I know I sound like a broken record, but don’t go past the second floor. If you see monsters, retreat immediately. Got it?”  

“Understood. I’ll be careful.”  

“Don’t be late. You should hear the evening bell. That’s your deadline.”  

“Got it.”  

Despite his scary appearance, Gauro is a kind man who always gives warnings and looks out for me.  

Hydrangea has several bell towers.  

While they might not be perfectly precise, the intervals between bells are roughly an hour.  

The first bell sounds once, the next twice, and so on, stopping in the evening.  

At midnight, the bell rings once again, marking the end of the day. 

The evening bell rings twelve times, signaling the curfew.

There are two ways to enter the dungeon: become an explorer or pay the entrance fee.

The entrance fee is 300 Auro, the standard currency on this continent.

By the way, the smallest currency unit is the low-grade copper coin, worth 1 Auro.

These coins contain a small amount of copper and are considered “miscellaneous coins,” with similar classifications for silver and gold coins.

Paying 300 Auro would require 300 low-grade copper coins.

However, there’s also a small copper coin worth 50 Auro each, reducing the number needed to six.

On the other hand, explorers can enter for free.

To register as an explorer, you must be an adult.

In this region, adulthood begins at 14 years old.

Since I’m only 13, I’ll be eligible to register as an explorer next year.

However, the registration fee is a steep 42,000 Auro.

While loans are available, Gauro says the interest rates are high and not worth it.

So, I’ll just have to keep earning money.

I pass through the dungeon’s entrance, resembling the gaping maw of a massive monster, with its rugged stone walls.

The surroundings abruptly shift to an artificial stone passage.

It’s clearly man-made.

However, dungeons are phenomena beyond human understanding, so their true nature remains a mystery.

Although I’m deeply curious about the enigma of dungeons, I don’t plan to devote my life to solving it.

Carefully, I advance along the stone path, using my relic, Crisis Perception, to stay alert.

I pass by the staircase leading to the second floor.

Continuing straight and turning right at the end of the path, the space suddenly opens up.

There, heaps of trash are piled high.

This is waste expelled by the dungeon.

This is my workplace—the dungeon’s garbage dump.

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