Who Designed This Dungeon Chapter 227 227

"Wah—who are you!?"

Startled, lga jumped back. Only then did she get a clear look at the speaker.

It was a person… probably. They wore an iron helt that completely covered their face, making it impossible to see their expression.

But there was no fur, no spikes or scales, and both the sll and voice were normal—so it was most likely a human.

Wait… if soone was here, why didn't I notice?

lga imdiately beca alert. She carefully sized up the stranger and soon realized why she hadn't noticed him before.

Because he showed absolutely no emotional fluctuation.

Normally, when people see strangers, there's always so kind of reaction—hostility, fear, disgust, anything.

But this person—the iron-helted man—had been completely focused on the pot in front of him, as if the entire world consisted only of that pot and the bright red shrimp boiling inside it. As long as he paid no attention to the outside world, then the outside world simply didn't exist.

That kind of single-minded focus was sothing only a rare few could achieve.

lga's imagination started running wild, though thankfully, the man didn't feel particularly strong—otherwise she might've gone full "Demiurge mode."

"Who are you—ah, I an… may I ask who you are?" she asked, carefully choosing her words to remain polite.

After all, this shrimp-cooking "ruffian" didn't look like an ordinary adventurer. What kind of normal person would choose to boil shrimp in a place like this?

"What's your problem? If you're not buying shrimp, then get lost. I'm not interested in talking to strangers."

The mont he spoke, his tone was openly irritated, and he waved her away dismissively.

Wow, this guy's even more temperantal than a nopausal Wienma.

Raising an eyebrow, lga smiled. "Can't I chat even if I'm not buying? The lake's full of fog—I'm a little scared. I finally found soone to talk to."

"If you're not buying, then get lost. I'll kill you," the ruffian replied bluntly.

No matter what lga said after that, he repeated the sa line, making her face turn as red as the shrimp in the pot.

[Why are you getting worked up over a phantom?] Liznai's voice echoed in her mind through telepathy.

lga stiffened, pretending to dust nonexistent dirt off her clothes.

[Of course I know he's a phantom. If I keep talking, maybe he'll say sothing different. It's called gathering intel—can't you tell?]

[Heh.]

[Try buying a shrimp.] Wienma's voice joined in.

Buy shrimp again…

lga pouted. The grilled giant lobster they had earlier hadn't tasted good—firm texture, sure, but with a strong muddy flavor. And it was hard not to think about its terrifying appearance while eating it.

But the shrimp in the ruffian's pot looked much better. They were smaller—so about half a person's length, others only palm-sized—far less intimidating and much easier to eat.

Catching small shrimp should be easier than giant lobsters, right?

Not really.

lga clearly rembered that small shrimp moved in groups alongside giant lobsters. Trying to catch them would inevitably an dealing with their "parents."

Looking at it that way, anyone who could catch shrimp and sell them in the dangerous lake was definitely a ruthless individual.

"I'll buy one shrimp," she said.

Honestly, calling it "shrimp" felt a bit strange—why not just call it lobster? But since the ruffian used that term, she followed his lead.

"Oh, changed your mind, huh? I'll give you shrimp—but you'll have to give sothing in return."

At first, lga thought he wanted so specific item, but it turned out he only wanted souls.

A palm-sized shrimp cost 200 souls, while the half-body-sized ones cost over a thousand. Not cheap at all.

But considering how difficult it was to obtain shrimp in the lake, the price seed reasonable.

"Here's your shrimp."

After lga paid, the ruffian casually reached into the boiling pot with an iron grip, pulled out a shrimp, skillfully removed the tail, and handed it to her.

Looking at the white-and-red at, she hesitated for a mont before taking it.

Even if it tastes bad, I'll accept it.

Thinking that, she took a bite.

"…Huh?"

Her surprised voice drew everyone's attention. Was it poisoned?

"This… this…"

Covering her mouth, lga stared at the shrimp she had bitten. "It's delicious!"

"It's just boiled shrimp, but the flavor bursts in your mouth—rich, savory, tender, and juicy, yet still springy. The salt is perfectly balanced. I could eat this forever!"

Don't suddenly turn this into a food review stream!

Her description made the surrounding elves swallow instinctively, their gazes shifting toward the ruffian. In the next second, they all rushed forward at once.

But lga was faster. "Another one!"

"Oh, buying again? You've got good taste." Though his face was hidden, his smile could practically be heard. "This one's on the house. Anyone who likes shrimp can't be a bad person."

The shrimp was delicious—and the word "free" made it taste twice as good. lga happily ate while giving space to her companions.

Soon, a small mountain of shrimp shells piled up. The elves sat in rows, eating shrimp in synchronized rhythm—it was oddly adorable.

While everyone enjoyed the food, Wienma was the first to notice sothing strange.

"[Mid-Level Appraisal]."

She cast a spell to examine her own status. It revealed whether she had any positive or negative effects, and at mid-level, it could even roughly gauge their strength.

After reading the result, her expression mirrored lga's earlier surprise.

"What's wrong, boss?" Liznai asked, wiping her mouth. (Though due to her curse, what people heard sounded slightly different from what she actually ant.)

"The spell shows a mysterious power protecting —it reduces damage from non-magical attacks," Wienma analyzed. "It only lasts a few minutes, but the reduction is significant."

What? Cooked shrimp has this effect?

Then why didn't the giant lobster they ate earlier have it? Could it be that only this ruffian's shrimp had such properties?

If Stella were here, she'd definitely say: I knew everything from the Sein Dungeon has a use.

Now that the shrimp had special effects, its value skyrocketed. Even 200 souls suddenly seed cheap.

lga and the others all turned toward the pot at the sa ti.

A second of silence—

Then chaos.

"Boss, I'll buy everything!" "Get lost, I'm buying too!" "We share the sa ancestors!" "So what? They're all buried anyway!"

Unlike rchants with endless stock, the ruffian only sold what was in the pot. Once it was gone, it was gone.

Delicious taste, useful buffs, and—most importantly—limited supply were more than enough to spark a frenzy.

After everything sold out, the ruffian repeated his line:

"Anyone who likes shrimp can't be a bad person. I get along with you all."

But the elves were too busy arguing over distribution to care.

In the end, Wienma lashed out with vines to restore order.

Then, as if so condition had been t, the ruffian spoke new lines:

"You're people who stumbled in here by accident too, right? Following the guidance of grace? Unfortunately, I can't see it at all."

"A nobody like coming here with delusions… it's laughable. I've even given up my na—just call Ruffian."

"I'll stay here selling shrimp. Co back if you want more—maybe I'll have new products in the future."

Wienma felt there were hidden clues in his words, but she couldn't fully grasp them. What did "grace" an? What was his "delusion"?

They tried asking, but he refused to elaborate, only repeating: "Co back if you want shrimp."

Ah, the classic fragnted storytelling again.

Wienma wasn't the type to piece together theories like Leon—she simply kept her doubts to herself.

Wait… before setting out, Stella had ntioned things they might encounter in the lake area—but she never brought up this ruffian.

Did they just discover sothing new by accident?

"If only we had a map," lga muttered, stuffing shrimp into her pockets while morizing the surroundings.

So advanced magic could replicate the shrimp's effects—but shrimp was cheap, instant, and far more convenient. Not everyone could use magic, after all.

Refreshed by the al, the elves felt energized and prepared to continue west.

Just then, seeing them head in that direction, the ruffian spoke again:

"You're heading west? Then do a favor. I'll treat you to crab when you return."

"Sure! What do you need? We'll definitely help," lga replied cheerfully.

"Take this."

The ruffian pulled out… a hamr?

Not a weapon, but a blacksmith's hamr.

"A blacksmith from the Academy Gate Town left it with —na was sothing like Andre. He thought he lost it sowhere further west and went looking for it."

"If you find him, return this hamr. Once he gets it back, he'll probably head ho—and maybe even forge weapons for you."

"If you really do find him, co back to . I'll cook you a shrimp feast. After all, both you and the blacksmith are good people who like shrimp."

Surprisingly, the initially rude ruffian now showed a friendlier side. Even the intimidating iron helt seed less threatening.

"Got it. We won't fail."

lga took the hamr and spun her cloak dramatically. "Alright, everyone—let's go save the clumsy blacksmith!"

"Who are you calling 'everyone'? I'm older than you—watch your mouth!" soone protested.

"Can't you just let have this cool mont?"

"No!"

And so, they set off once more, full of energy and chatter—far livelier than any typical adventurer party.

They were practically a group of sunshine incarnate.