The Delvers' Guild, Hydrangea Branch.
I got called here all the time, but this was the first time I'd come on my own.
First, I went to check the requests on the wall.
The requests posted across it were divided up by rank.
Each request form had a number on it.
You memorized the number, then told it to the receptionist at the request counter.
The receptionist would then check whether the request was still available.
If it was, you could hear the details.
Whether you could take it — that was just a check to see if the request had already been claimed.
Requests were basically first-come, first-served. In other words, the right belonged to whoever picked it up first.
Also, request forms were only removed once they were completed.
Replacing them every time someone took a request would be a pain.
So this check was, you could say, mandatory.
That's why they recommended coming early in the morning if you had a goal like making money.
Now, the requests posted not on the wall but on the bulletin board were called standard requests.
Basically, requests anyone could take.
Guild requests were requests the Delvers' Guild gave to delvers.
They paid little and were tough, but the points for promotion were high.
Named requests were requests where the client directly named who they wanted.
Named requests had high guild brokerage fees, so the clients were almost always nobles.
Request types basically fell into four categories.
[Gathering]. [Subjugation]. [Exploration]. [Escort].
You could imagine what Gathering, Subjugation, and Escort requests were like.
But what exactly was Exploration?
It had been on the basic requests that every Rank 6 delver had to take on first.
After hearing the explanation, I thought it was necessary, sure, but pretty plain.
Still, I found myself interested.
So I decided to take on an Exploration request.
I scanned the request board for Rank 5.
Subjugation. Subjugation. Gathering. Escort. Gathering. Escort. Escort. Exploration. There it was.
"A water dungeon. Investigation of a healing spring. Request fee: 1,200 oro."
Cheap. Compared to the others... the cheapest. Definitely a guild request.
Exploration was a standard request type, but it also included guild requests.
According to Agaro, most Exploration requests were actually like that.
Even so, 1,200 oro was a huge sum compared to scavenging the Junkyard.
"—I'll go with this one."
I memorized the number and headed to the request acceptance counter.
When I got to the request acceptance counter, they handed me a numbered ticket.
I took it and sat down on a nearby bench.
Something about getting a numbered ticket and sitting on a bench like this to wait.
A strange sense of nostalgia wells up.
"…This feels weird."
"Na?"
"…It's noisy, but it also feels strangely quiet."
"Na?"
Come to think of it, lately it feels like there's always been someone around.
Not that long ago I was always alone… I wryly smiled at the weird feeling.
After a while, my number gets called.
"Ah, sorry to keep you… Request accepted. Please present your delver tag."
The receptionist was an elf.
Her black-blonde hair, like a pudding's, was folded up with a simple handmade wooden hair ornament.
Her blue eyes had dark circles under them. She wore about four piercings in her right ear, which stood out because of how long it was.
How to put it… a gyaru? Her name tag read "Corte."
I presented my tag. Corte-san checked the back of it visually.
"Okay. Confirmed. Now the request number, please."
"V-1566."
"Please wait just a moment."
Corte stepped away and returned shortly with a piece of parchment in hand.
"Um, here it is. 'Water dungeon. Investigation of the Healing Spring. Reward: 1,200 oro'—ah, this. Is this the right one?"
She finished reading the contents and spoke in a puzzled tone.
Well, yeah. That's about the reaction you'd get.
"Okay, I'd like to take it, please."
"Um, let me explain then. First, are you familiar with the Water Dungeon?"
"Yes, I know where it is."
Hydrangea.
A major dungeon city surrounded by a countless number of dungeons — rare even on the continent.
There were dungeons inside the city itself, and around Hydrangea in every direction were dungeons of fire, water, wind, and earth.
The fire dungeon was to the west. The water dungeon, to the south.
The wind dungeon was to the north. The earth dungeon was to the east.
And around those four dungeons were several smaller ones.
"Ah, the Water Dungeon is, as the name suggests, a dungeon with an abundant water source. Its monsters tend to be aquatic, and liquid-type creatures are more common here compared to other dungeons. Same as other dungeons, the deepest level is still unknown, but as you descend through the floors, dangerous liquids like poison swamps become more prevalent. Since you're Rank V, Wof, you'll have access up to floor thirty."
"Got it. What exactly is the Healing Spring?"
"Um, the Healing Spring refers to a total of three rest areas within the first six floors of the Water Dungeon. Despite the name, there are springs with perfectly drinkable water, and you can rest there, so they're called the Healing Springs."
"I see…"
"So for the investigation, we'd like you to examine the Healing Springs using an investigation kit I'll give you. The Healing Springs are on floors one, three, and six. You'll also have a map up to there, so don't worry."
"A map… I've heard the Water Dungeon is pretty big."
"That's right. So please use the map to make sure you don't get lost."
"Understood."
"Um, is there anything else you'd like to ask?"
"Since it's water-based, would fire be effective?"
"Ah, let me see. Having a fire element will definitely give you an advantage, that's true. But it's not like you can clear the dungeon with that alone. It just makes things easier. If you don't have an elemental ability though, I'd recommend bringing along cheap Legacy items like fire stones or impact stones."
"Impact stones?"
Right — those are the disposable Legacy items that produce a shockwave when you throw them, same effect as an elemental impact stone.
"Impact stones are very handy. On the shallower floors, they're effective against most monsters."
"Thank you. I'll go buy a few right away."
"Just one word of caution. Do you have a lightning element, Wof?"
"No. I don't have any elemental Relics."
"Hmm, then… just keep this in mind. Lightning is dangerous. Water conducts electricity, so if you're not careful, you could die."
"Understood."
"So, any other questions?"
"Does this quest have a time limit?"
"Ah, yes. One week. And, well — just so you know, the investigation kit and the map: if you sell them, it'll be found out right away."
"People actually buy those things…"
"Ah, every now and then. Every now and then."
So they do exist. Korte gave a wry smile.
"…Got it. I don't think I have anything else to ask."
"Then I'll hand over the investigation kit and the map."
Korte produced a small wooden box and a scroll.
And then she opened the wooden box.
"Ah, let me explain how to use the investigation kit."
"I'd appreciate that."
I listened carefully to Korte's explanation.
When she was done, I thanked her and set off toward the water dungeon.
A little over two hours on foot from Hydrangea, by my estimation.
By shared carriage, it'd be about forty minutes or so. The sunken ruins of a town began to appear along the periphery.
Beyond the ruins, there was a large lake.
Its surface was unnaturally perfectly circular, still as a mirror of water.
Like a giant vessel for water — Hydrangea itself.
"So this is the place."
"Nya!"
The lake's name was Hydrangea.
Sounds confusing, I know, but this lake is what inspired the name of the town we live in.
Not that anyone actually calls it that.
The water dungeon — that's what this lake is called.
As I drew closer to the lake, I could make out the remains of an old fortress.
It was surrounded on all sides by walls, and within those walls sat a handful of taverns, inns, and general stores.
Oh, and one chapel. I surveyed the area as I walked into the fortress grounds.
"Quite a few people here, huh."
Most of them were probably delvers. There were street vendors too.
My eye happened to land on a container by the eaves of a general store, stuffed haphazardly with swords.
"…………"
No. I'll save that for another time. My destination is further in.
Beyond the fortress ruins, there was a pier, and at the end of it lay the entrance to the water dungeon.
"That must be it..."
A large hole gaped open in the lake surface where the pier ended.
It was surrounded on all sides, yet for some reason the water didn't flow in—a strange, impossible hole.
"Na?"
"Yeah, that's right. I'm about to climb down into that hole. There are guards, so keep quiet, will you?"
"Na!"
"..."
As I approached the entrance, I found four guards standing there.
They watched me with wary, suspicious eyes. I showed them my delver tag, and they nodded.
That meant I was cleared to enter. I passed through the entrance.
The water dungeon. Its entrance was similar to the one in the city.
A high, rocky ceiling. A long, wide staircase descended downward below.
The one difference was that small streams ran along both sides. And I could feel the dampness in the air.
I reached the first floor.
"W-whoa..."
The water dungeon, first floor.
It was a limestone cave. There were small holes and little chambers everywhere.
Water flowed from every direction, and from deeper in came the sound of a rushing waterfall.
A little further on there was a stream, and a little further still a small pond. Water wouldn't be an issue.
The monsters I encountered were water slimes and some strange thing with an eyeball floating inside a lump of water.
There were also bats… not monsters, though. Since it was still the first floor, no tough monsters would show up.
I checked the map and headed for the first healing spring.
Before long, I found what looked like the right place.
It was beyond a rickety bridge. Tilted stone statues were scattered about, and right in the middle sat the spring.
A stone-built spring, huh. Yeah, this would be a decent spot to rest.
Oh, someone's here. Just one person, sitting on the edge of the spring, resting.
Wait, a girl? Huh. Could it be… maybe?
"Ms. Bidd?"
When I called her name, she turned around.