The Adventurers' Guild (Ramiel Region Headquarters)
The hall was spacious and brightly lit—far more impressive than the small-town branch Shane had seen before.
The layout, however, wasn't much different. The potion section and equipnt section were filled with dazzling goods, more refined in design and greater in variety. Of course, they were also much more expensive.
Wait… why is there even an advertisent here?
Behind the service counter, hanging on the wall, was sothing like a banner:
[A highly skilled mage is recruiting teammates with a hefty reward to conquer the "Inverted Land" dungeon. Those interested, please contact…]
With wording that flashy, there was no need to guess—it had to be that hot-headed blond noble brat.
Still not giving up, huh? Tsk. Youth really is full of fire.
Shane walked up to the counter.
Just in ti, an adventurer party was selling their loot.
Their team had completed a patrol mission in a dungeon outside the city. They had also gathered so ores and herbs along the way. Each of them carried a bulging sack, their harvest quite abundant.
Shane watched the loot with envy, practically drooling.
"Three units of iron ore and two units of hemostatic herbs—total: 85 copper coins."
…Alright, maybe not that envious.
Shane sighed. Even picking up scraps had its hierarchy. This kind—grabbing anything off the ground and hauling everything back—was the lowest tier.
He was different. He always believed in "recycling and reuse." Selling enchanted items was the real path forward.
[Dungeons Patrol Mission] was a routine task regularly issued by the Adventurers' Guild.
Its purpose was to commission adventurer teams to inspect nearby cleared Dungeons, preventing monsters from respawning or dangerous beasts from settling in. At the sa ti, they checked if anyone had gotten lost or trapped inside.
The rewards weren't great, but the missions were consistent.
They would be issued again after a certain period.
In the past, Shane would always find teams that accepted this mission and tag along under the excuse of "just wanting to see the world," taking the chance to scavenge inside the Dungeon.
But now that he had Frieren, he didn't need to hitch a ride anymore. He could just take a mission himself.
He spent 1 copper coin to buy an adventurer-exclusive map of Gostan City.
Then he began selecting a target.
The map was extrely detailed. It marked the locations of Dungeons, special ores, rare magical materials, and more. It also thoughtfully indicated danger levels and highlighted the activity ranges of certain monsters.
There were three Dungeons near Gostan City marked as "Low Danger": [Wailing Cave], [Misty Swamp], and [Ancient Dragon Temple]. All three had already been successfully cleared.
Unfortunately, none of these Dungeons —or their surrounding areas—had ever yielded rare magical materials or special ores.
Places like these were basically just for scavenging—collecting common ores and herbs like that earlier party, earning a bit of hard cash.
But for Shane, right now, that was perfect.
The more "junk" inside the Dungeon, the greater his gains.
Besides that, one na caught his attention: [the Inverted Land].
A bright red skull icon marked its danger level.
High danger!
Not yet cleared!
There was also a special note: since the advance investigation team failed to return safely, the available information on this dungeon was zero.
What a terrifying note.
Even the city hall's advance team had vanished without a trace. That ant everything inside the Dungeon was completely unknown.
"So this is the 'chance to beco famous' that blond guy was talking about?"
Thinking of the warning from the beautiful receptionist at city hall, Shane shook his head.
Whether for fa or money, a place this dangerous—already listed as a forbidden zone and sealed off—was best left alone.
After all, nothing was more important than staying alive.
Only by living could one have everything.
"Hello, I'd like to accept the patrol mission for [Ancient Dragon Temple]."
"The reward for the patrol mission is 1 silver coin, with a ti limit of 3 days. Would you like to purchase a Dungeon map?"
"I'll take one."
…
By the ti Shane returned to the inn, it was already noon.
Frieren had just started eating breakfast.
Watching her drowsily sip her porridge, Shane suddenly thought of sothing.
Elves had small builds… could that be why they ate so little every day?
Sleep until noon—two als a day. Sleep until the afternoon—maybe just one.
Hmm…
Thinking about it that way, always running at low power… no wonder their standby ti was so long. That's how they lived so long.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Nothing."
"Really…?"
"Oh, right—there is sothing. Here, take a look. We're heading out for a commission tomorrow."
Shane handed over the [Dungeon Patrol Mission] task list.
Work?
Frieren unfolded the list—
1 - Inspect vegetation recovery around the Dungeon
2 - Explore whether there are mineral resources inside and record their locations
3 - Check for any beasts residing in the Dungeon
4 - Check for the presence of low-level monsters
…
The list went on and on—mostly inspections and records.
"So much work… we'll have to run around forever." There was a hint of reluctance in her voice.
"I heard that the [Ancient Dragon Temple] was a place where ancient dwarves worshipped a golden dragon. According to legend, golden dragons love collecting treasures—especially magical tools," Shane coaxed.
The words "magical tools" instantly sparked her interest.
She imdiately changed her tone. "Since it's work, we should take it seriously."
Shane nodded.
Good.
When it ca to handling elves, if he said he was second, no one would dare claim first.
The two spent the afternoon preparing for the mission.
Though the trip would only last three days, they would be staying overnight outside, so they still needed proper supplies.
Of course—
"We really don't need this, do we?!"
Shane followed behind Frieren, arms full of items, panting heavily.
Right now, she had stopped in a pottery shop, staring at a round ceramic jar used for storing alcohol, hesitating.
The jar was beautifully crafted, painted with soft colors and gilded patterns. It was indeed a fine household item.
But obviously, it wasn't suitable for bringing into a Dungeon.
"When visiting a dragon's ho, you need to bring a gift. That's common sense," Frieren said confidently.
"Visiting? A gift? Do you hear yourself…?" Shane frowned.
"Or would you prefer to give them gold coins?"
"…"
"So, a jar is better."
He didn't understand—but whatever. It was just a jar.
Shane resigned himself and took out his money pouch.
————
The next morning.
It took Shane a trendous amount of effort to drag Frieren out of the inn.
The white-haired elf walked with her eyes closed, leaning on her staff, swaying as she moved—barely managing one step at a ti under the morning light.
One in front, one behind, the two headed east from Gostan City, toward the [Ancient Dragon Temple] nestled among the mountains.
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