Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Vol. 5

by Fujino Omori

  “Um, these items on display…Aren’t they a bit…expensive?”

  “That’s one of Rivira’s features…”

  Bell’s eyes had been running over the price tags of weapons and items in the windows of the shops they passed, and he asked Aiz about it. The very same equipment was available on the surface with one or two fewer digits in the price.

  Asfi and Hermes explained as the group entered a new street.

  “Things like weapons, items, and food are sold at many times their original price here.”

  “It’s not easy to get these things in the Dungeon, so most adventurers break down and buy what they need no matter the cost.”

  Just as Hermes said, supplies were very difficult to obtain. The business owners of Rivira knew that and took advantage of the adventurers who failed to prepare enough stock.

  “Water is expensive in a desert…It’s the same thing.”

  No matter where anyone travels around the world, there will be places where they can get specific items much cheaper than others and vice versa.

  Spend a large sum of money on an item that could save your life, or save that money for later and risk death.

  The adventurers who passed through Rivira were all forced to make that choice.

  Everything right down to magic-stone lamps was extremely expensive.

  “Lilly can’t believe this! Twenty thousand vals for a backpack…absurd!

  “That much for a grindstone? You’ve got to be kidding…”

  Lilly flung her new oversize backpack over her shoulders, fuming with rage. Welf had considered buying a grindstone at one of the weapon supply shops in town and came down with a bad case of sticker shock.

  There was no one outside the shops trying to attract customers; instead they sat comfortably in a chair in the back of their establishments as they blurred the line between a profitable business and outright stealing.

  The town’s beauty could do nothing to hide the greed of its inhabitants.

  “This is why we’re camping in the woods rather than staying here overnight.”

  “The amount of money required for everyone in our expedition to stay at one of those hotels would be outrageous.”

  Tiona grinned as she interlaced her fingers behind her head when she saw the look on Welf’s and Lilly’s faces. Tione let out a long sigh in disgust. The two Level 1 adventurers were trying to replace everything they’d lost on their journey to the eighteenth floor. The Amazonian twins offered to help them find what they needed.

  “This is exactly why Lilly hates adventurers! They are so obsessed with money that they’ll jump at any opportunity to take advantage of someone else.”

  “There are many things I’d like to say to a certain money-obsessed prum that I know…Li’l E, you should open a shop down here!”

  “…”

  “Hey, don’t take it seriously.”

  All that they had learned was they would leave empty-handed if they tried to purchase something for the established retail price.

  “Th-that’s an Exchange…”

  “They really can get away with anything down here…”

  “…W-wow.”

  A sign decorated with drawings of a Minotaur and purple stones stood out from the other shops on the street. Its purpose was to encourage people to sell their magic stones and drop items.

  Mikoto, Ouka, and Chigusa stared in amazement at an adventurer who was trying to sell the fang of a giant monster to the Exchange. The man was dissatisfied by the amount the clerk offered for the drop item he’d hauled all the way up here. Despite all the angry yelling, the clerk just shrugged his shoulders and said, “You can take it somewhere else.” In the end, the adventurer agreed on a price, sold the fang, and stomped away with his fists clenched and face boiling with anger.

  It was a very simple system. The adventurers who ran this Exchange would buy drop items and magic stones for less than half their value and sell them to the Guild for full price when they returned to the surface. Of course, the adventurers who sold the items would get upset, but they realized that there was a limit to how much they could carry. It was better to sell off their extra items here than throw them away. This also gave them the opportunity to continue crawling the Dungeon for more magic stones and drop items to take to the surface.

  From the buyer’s perspective, it was an easy way to get valuable items and profit from them.

  “This is a scam…”

  “Captain Ouka, you are correct, but please be prudent.”

  The compensation was low, but no fights broke out over it.

  The owners were quite strong—strong enough to keep the other storeowners quiet—and ran the most profitable business in Rivira.

  One such owner noticed Mikoto, Ouka, and Chigusa. He glared at them while tapping a massive club against his shoulder. The three adventurers quickly took their leave.

  Buy low, sell high.

  It wasn’t just the motto of the adventurers in the town of Rivira, it was their way of life.

  “…But Hermes, no adventurers carry large amounts of money down here. How are they supposed to buy anything with prices this high?”

  Bell’s group, just like Lilly’s and Mikoto’s, had seen the high prices. It was Hestia who asked the question that was on everyone’s mind. She had found something…a small bottle of perfume. Her eyes were locked on it even as she spoke.

  Hermes gestured toward the man sitting at the back of the shop who took out a piece of paper and requested a signature.

  “Just like that, they put it in writing. The shop gets the adventurer’s signature and their Familia’s emblem to create an IOU. They come to collect the money later.”

  There were two payment options in Rivira: trade items for merchandise directly or by signing a payment contract.

  It would be cumbersome and even dangerous to carry large amounts of money into the Dungeon. To get around this, a Familia’s emblem was used as credit. Then someone representing the shop would return to the outside and show up at that Familia’s home, the emblem in hand.

  The opposite was true with the Exchange in Rivira. The shop had a representative on the surface where an adventurer could take a receipt issued by the shop to receive their money.

  For that reason, suspicious persons who refused to identify themselves could never do business in this town.

  “You haven’t made an emblem yet, have you, Hestia? It’d be a good idea to do that; it would help Bell out a lot, too. An emblem works like identity verification; there are places in Orario where they come in handy.”

  “Ohhh, an emblem…I see…”

  Hestia folded her arms and looked up toward the ceiling.

  While her lack of followers was a problem, the thought of Bell having his own emblem made Hestia excited. She stole a glance at the Familia emblem sewn into Asfi’s battle cloth, winged traveler’s hat, and sandals, and had fun envisioning the emblem she could create for him.

  She was lost in thought when suddenly—thump.

  “You got a problem?”

  “Ah…Sorry!”

  Bell was quick to step in front of Hestia and apologize. He bowed a few times before looking up at the adventurer’s face and saw a scar that he remembered from somewhere…“Huh?” He remembered where at the same time that the scarred adventurer did.

  “You…No way…!”

  “That’s him! Mord, that’s the brat from the bar!”

  All three were human men. The one with the scar was named Mord, and his two companions were behind him.

  The three of them had been present at The Benevolent Mistress during Bell’s leveling-up party. They’d incurred the wrath of Lyu and the other staff members before being chased out.

  Bell watched in horror as Mord took on a much more frightening visage.

  “The hell’re you doin’ here…!”

  Mord’s anger from the bar incident must’ve been directed at Bell because he started to reach for the boy.

  However, he cau
ght the glint of golden hair out of the corner of his eye. The Kenki was watching.

  His eyes flinched even while his teeth were bared in Bell’s direction. He felt Aiz’s empty golden gaze wash over him. “Tsk!” The man clicked his tongue as he backed away, his allies in tow.

  “Hey, hey, Bell. You’re not going out and picking fights with adventurers like that, are you?”

  “No, it’s not like that…”

  “So, what happened between you and them? Strangers don’t get that mad at each other on sight.”

  Trapped between Hestia’s and Hermes’s questions, Bell forced a shaky smile and explained what happened.

  “Ohh?” said Hermes, his ears perking up in the middle of Bell’s story.

  “So, those children consider Bell an enemy…”

  He took a look at the three of them, getting smaller as they walked down the other side of the path.

  The view of the eighteenth floor from the town’s central square is absolutely breathtaking. There’s a cliff right on the other side of this railing and the lake is far below. I doubt anyone could survive falling off. Even the craziest of daredevils wouldn’t even think of trying this one.

  We all met up again after exploring the town in groups, but I came over here to check out the scenery by myself.

  Lord Hermes offered to buy everyone a “Dungeon Sandwich” at a nearby café. The goddess and the others are eating there now. Sandwiches with liberal amounts of fruit between two slices of bread…including the honey cloud. I had to escape.

  Also…The Dungeon heals itself after taking physical damage, so it’s impossible to break ground and build something sturdy or blast away rock to hollow out an area for a shop. They have to use the terrain as is. Although, I’ve heard that some rather enthusiastic adventurers brought building materials down from the surface and used them in combination with the natural features of the eighteenth floor to make a stove. I don’t know if they’re passionate or just crazy…but the fact remains that the town of Rivira has fresh-baked bread and other food readily available. It’s selling quite well, actually.

  “The deepest town in the world, huh?”

  A town run entirely by adventurers.

  It’s literally the frontier base for Dungeon exploration.

  Many adventurers use this area as a place to organize their final plans for journeying into the lower levels. Of course, this is just for upper-class and top-tier adventurers who are up to that challenge.

  That’s where she is—at an extremely high level, one that I can only look up at and admire.

  I take another look at the vast open space that is the eighteenth floor, while standing behind a railing made of rusty old swords and broken spears.

  “Ah…”

  I hear footsteps and immediately turn around, only to see her…Aiz is walking toward me by herself.

  My body freezes as she comes to a stop in front of me. But her eyes, they’re looking past me and off into the distance.

  “What were you looking at…?”

  “Eh, um…Well, I-I was looking for the entrance to the nineteenth floor.”

  I panic when she asked the question out of the blue and that’s the best I could do.

  She walks up next to me and points somewhere on the eighteenth floor. She must’ve believed me. I force my body to turn around and take a look.

  “The Central Tree…”

  “The big one in the middle…The one right there?”

  “Yes. The entrance to the nineteenth floor is between its roots…”

  Her fingers, wrist, and elbow all extend straight toward the base of the behemoth tree.

  As if to reinforce what she was saying, black shadows emerge from the roots almost on cue. The monsters take a quick look around before splitting up, a few heading north and the rest going east.

  “…Um, Aiz, why did you come out here?”

  “Because you weren’t with everyone else…So, um.”

  …She was worried about me.

  Those words send my beating heart into a tailspin.

  Even just thinking about them makes me blush. She’s right there, looking at me with those golden eyes. We’re standing close enough that I could reach out and touch her, easily. I can feel the blood coursing through my veins. It’s hot.

  “…Did you want to be alone?”

  “I-i-it’s not like that! I’m really happy that you’re here—No, wait—what I mean is, um—”

  The look of concern on her face makes me so nervous that I can’t speak straight, to the point that the truth comes out. It’s too late to try to fool her with a loud voice.

  I quickly try to hide my face behind my right shoulder and cautiously peek out.

  Once I finally do get a look at her…her eyes are wide open and she’s smiling. If I’m not mistaken, Aiz is blushing.

  “Bell, you’re always so nervous…”

  Her words are warm and filled with caring, like the way that she would speak to someone close to her.

  She said my name. I can’t talk. My chest might explode.

  My spirit is shaking to its very core.

  I’ve never…felt like this before.

  “…”

  This is not good. My resolve is wavering.

  If she keeps standing this close to me…

  Even though I’ve never accomplished anything, even though I’m way out of my league, if my knees get any weaker in the warmth of her presence…

  I might just give up pursuing her.

  I quickly look down, hiding my eyes behind my bangs and blushing like no other.

  My spirit is singing throughout my whole body. I squeeze my eyebrows together in a desperate attempt to keep myself steady.

  All the butterflies in my stomach are making their way up my back. I can feel their heat as they move.

  Then without warning:

  The goddess suddenly jumps into my line of sight, as if she were trying to tear us apart.

  “—Wow, what a view!!”

  “Wha—?!”

  Flip! I take my eyes off the ground and, sure enough, the goddess has wedged herself between us.

  Aiz looks just as surprised as I am. The goddess is forcing a smile, her eyes half lidded.

  “No fair, Bell. Going to such a beautiful spot and not inviting me! We are more than just companions, you know!”

  A ping of fear courses through my skin as I repeatedly apologize to the goddess’s smiling face. The way she emphasizes the word “companions” is absolutely terrifying.

  “So as you can see, Miss Wallensomething, get lost! Don’t get in the way of our family time! This is reserved for just Bell and me!!”

  “U-um…”

  Shove, shove. The goddess keeps nudging Aiz’s breastplate with her hand and Aiz has no idea what to do. I move in to try and stop her.

  I manage to fit myself in front of the goddess—she’s almost growling—even as she keeps looking at Aiz menacingly. Sweat won’t stop pouring down my face.

  “…? Goddess, are you wearing something new?”

  “Oh, Bell! You noticed!”

  She spins toward me, her expression completely different. She thrusts a small, open pouch out at me. There’s a clear vial inside.

  “Isn’t that…perfume? Is this the one that you saw earlier…?”

  “That it is—a girl has needs, after all! Don’t tell me you want some stinky, sword-swinging girl at your side, Bell?!”

  She really does smell good, but I sensed something evil in her words. Aiz blinks a few times, brings her arm up to her nose, and—sniff, sniff. She smells like pure water, though…Why is the goddess being so aggressive today?

  She tells me she borrowed Lord Hermes’s emblem to buy the perfume. She’s spent more than a day in the Dungeon, so I can’t blame her for being a little bit self-conscious about her aroma.

  “Wha…Aiz, you defeated a floor boss by yourself, right?”

  I have to clear the air, change the subject at any cost.

  Also, I�
��need to hear this for myself.

  The goddess’s head spins around to look up at her. Aiz just tilts her head to the side and nods with a quiet “Yes.

  “But it was only because I had Reveria’s help…”

  “Even still…”

  “…Yes, I slew it.”

  —All I was able to do was run from the Goliath.

  —She stood up to one of them, alone, and won.

  She’s still far away, far above me. In fact, the obvious distance between us is so great I wouldn’t be surprised if the girl standing here is an illusion. I got a little bit of notoriety, so what.

  I reconnect with my true, cowardly self, as well as with what I’m aiming for, what I want to be.

  “Nothing to worry about, Bell! With the two of us working hard together for long enough, you can do it!”

  The goddess suddenly raises her voice.

  I admit I’m a little bit flustered, but that makes me happy to hear.

  I can work harder, become stronger, and reach my goal.

  However, for the goddess’s sake, for my family, I won’t overdo it. I won’t leave her behind.

  The promise I made a long time ago echoes in the back of my mind. I look at both of their faces, Aiz’s and the goddess’s…All I can do now is focus all of my energy on getting stronger.

  It seems so clear again.

  “Wallensomething, no wandering off again without my permission!”

  “I am sorry…?”

  Aiz and the goddess seem to be having some kind of argument.

  I lower my eyebrows and force a smile. But before long, all my worries leave me and I smile for real.

  “Afternoon” began on the eighteenth floor the moment Bell and the others returned to Loki Familia’s forest camp.

  The light that came from the white and blue crystals covering the ceiling had noticeably intensified in the span of a few minutes. Monsters roaming the northern area of the floor howled as if celebrating the Dungeon’s gift.

  “Hey, let’s all go take a bath!”

  Tiona excitedly called out to everyone just before reaching the center of camp. All of the trees around them were bathed in the early afternoon warmth of the crystals above.