Kays Translations

Chapter 2: Woff 13 Years Old②

This is not a trash dump in a dungeon, but a garbage heap.

Though it’s called garbage, it is indeed trash and junk.

Strictly speaking, no one threw these things away.

The garbage includes broken swords, broken spears, shattered axes, a staff cut in half, and torn rags.

Damaged leather armor, pierced iron armor, pouches with holes, and worn-out robes.

Deteriorated potions, dried-out herbs, amulets, and so on.

These are the equipment and tools worn by explorers who died in the dungeon. They have gathered in the deepest part of the first floor.

No one picked them up and brought them here. They have silently and independently gathered here.

And there are no corpses. Only the equipment and tools have accumulated as trash.

This is a relief. It would be the worst if there were rotten corpses mixed in.

What happened to the bodies? Some say they were eaten by monsters, and some say they were absorbed by the dungeon, but I think both are correct.

Sometimes bones appear, so the first explanation might be right.

Also, there’s no money.

But when you strip monsters you’ve defeated, you occasionally find some from their stomachs. It seems that some monsters mistake it for food.

Even though it’s unnecessary, they eat it—perhaps because of the pseudo-personality they have.

Dungeon monsters are different from regular monsters.

The dungeon creates living bodies, and it seems to give them some kind of pseudo-personality or emotions.

They attack and eat, but since they lack digestive organs, they don’t excrete.

So is this pseudo-personality like AI? Whether they’re alive or not is unclear.

There are also no small, glittering jewels.

There are only decorative items like rings, bracelets, and necklaces.

There were a few children already scavenging the garbage heap.

I sometimes see adults, but they’re mostly searching for relics. If I help them search, they give me a reward, large or small, so it’s actually lucky.

Since ancient times, dungeon garbage heaps have been the workplace for children, especially those aiming to become explorers.

Even though the 300 Oro entrance fee isn’t cheap, it’s worth coming. Sometimes, you even earn more than what you paid.

The garbage heap is a treasure trove.

But the number of children isn’t very high. Because it’s a place where life is in constant danger.

“I-it hurts!”

“Hey, be careful.”

“Why the hell is there a sword here?!”

It’s from a bit further up. I hear a few voices.

“I don’t know! That’s why I told you to be careful!”

“Broken copper sword, huh? Well, looks like there’s no poison.”

“Copper? Even broken, it can still be sold.”

“How’s the damage?”

“Just a scratch.”

“Still, wrap it up with a bandage.”

“Yeah…”

That’s a good example.

Most of the garbage consists of the weapons and armor of dead explorers.

Weapons, especially, are hidden somewhere in the heap, and you never know where.

It’s common for people to recklessly search through the junk and end up impaled by a sword or spear.

Also, because of the poor hygiene, many die from tetanus.

Four people died this month. One less than last month.

The rule is that the bodies are stripped and taken out of the garbage heap.

Outside the heap, the bodies are completely gone by the next morning.

The reason they are stripped is that it helps get rid of the bodies faster. It also serves the purpose of looting.

There’s no treasure in a corpse.

The boys who had injured themselves left the heap with a few broken copper swords in hand.

“…”

I carefully use the relic Crisis Detection.

My vision changes, and the “dangerous points” in the garbage heap are revealed.

These dangerous points are color-coded.

White is a safe point.

Red is a dangerous point.

Black is a point where death is certain.

Thanks to this, I’ve been able to explore the garbage heap without getting injured.

The heap has been accumulating trash for many years.

Directly beneath it is completely black.

I wonder if something that guarantees death is buried there, or if it’s just so full of trash that people might be crushed to death. Well, there’s no point in worrying about it.

I focus on the white safe points and climb the heap.

The job in the garbage heap is simple.

Look for things that can be sold. Treasure hunting. That’s it.

The copper swords the boys took earlier are the same. Copper can be sold. Scrap metal can also be sold.

According to dungeon law, whoever picks up trash in the heap has the right to it.

For example, if someone finds a golden sword, it belongs to the one who found it.

However, even if you have the right, there’s nothing to protect the owner.

Still, it’s a treasure, and there’s a possibility it might be something valuable.

That’s why we treasure hunt.

Well then, I guess it’s time for me to search for treasure.

I use the relic Fortune’s Wheel.

Then, the “Crisis Detection” shows colored points, and some of them start to glow.

Some points glow green and yellow.

Green is rare. Yellow is super rare.

And blue is extremely rare—Super Ultra Rare.

I look for green and yellow glowing points at the white safe points.

I scan the surroundings, and I found them.

There is one green light. Two, three, four.

There are one or two yellow lights.

There is no blue. Since it’s rare, that’s to be expected.

I’ll start with the nearest yellow light.

“If it’s something that can be sold, that’s good.”

The relic Fortune’s Wheel shows me the places where rare items can be found.

But it doesn’t tell me what exactly they are.

Even rare items sometimes can’t be sold or are hard to sell.

I cautiously search around the yellow glowing points at the white safe points.

I pick up a shabby shield and remove a broken gauntlet.

Finally, I pull out a warped armor plate…

The yellow light starts to grow dimmer.

It’s almost time.

The yellow light concentrates into one point… I find a small cloth bag.

Inside the bag are five rings.

This is a treasure.

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