Daria Wittember di Tersia.

As an adventurer in her fifth year, she was currently wandering around the first floor’s Crystal Cave.

With her younger sister in tow.

“Erwen, you used a spirit again.”

“Ah, big sis, it’s too hard with just my dagger..”

“I told you. Even if you don’t have a bow or you can’t use a spirit, you have to be able to protect yourself.”

“No, I understand that..”

“Stop doing it, if you keep walking around and practicing like this, you’ll get better.”

Tersia had taken Erwen to wander around the first floor to give her harsh training.

It was all for the sake of her younger sister.

And yet her sister didn’t even seem to understand that.

But as time went on, she was obviously flagging more and more.

“Ah, uncle said that it’s better to specialize in what you’re good at..”

“.. What?”

“Believe in your team and do your best in what you can do. Th-, that’s the basics of being an adventurer.. um.”

Tersia, who’d been listening with a blank expression, was speechless.

This was far too simplistic.

Wouldn’t it have been nice if that was how this world worked?

“Erwen, teammates are just teammates. Don’t put too much value in them.”

Tersia herself had gone through many teams.

From the exploration team on the sixth floor she’d belonged to for a while, to a hunting team which had aimed only for certain profitable monsters, as well as a speed-running team which had aimed for the achievement of being the first to open a portal.

She’d experienced a lot of things while traveling with numerous people. Among them, there were several that she never wanted to share with Erwen.

Teammates fundamentally couldn’t be trusted.

Unless they were your blood kin, of the same family.

“I see..”

Seeing Tersia’s hard expression, Erwen chose to shut up.

Time passed like that, and soon it was the fourth day.

Crossing the first floor clockwise, Erwen had grown enough to defeat all the monsters with just her dagger.

In the process, her level had also naturally gone up.

“Sister, what about now? My level rose, can’t I just go to the second floor now? Uncle must’ve already made a lot of money on the second floor by now.. “

Tersia laughed as if she was hearing something cute.

What was the big deal about hunting a few more monsters on the second floor?

“Erwen, the rift will open soon.”

Rift.

A place where even mid-level adventurers with several years’ worth of experience would never be able to enter without a lot of luck.

Erwen tilted her head.

“How do you know that, sis?”

“Because the last time a rift opened on the first floor was eight months ago.”

Tersia was kind enough to explain in detail to her younger sister.

Since today was the fourth day, statistically speaking, the rift had no choice but to open in the next three days.

“I see.. Uncle never talked about that.”

Naturally.

Erwen sang ‘uncle, uncle’ every time, but he was still just a rookie in the end.

From the point of view of a veteran, going up to the next floor so recklessly and acclimating to killing monsters via trial and error, was the very peak of inefficiency.

“Erwen, don’t be impatient and trust your big sister. Give it just a year, and you’ll have outstripped that barbarian by a huge margin.”

Sometimes the slow way is the fastest way.

“Yes.. Then I’ll be able to help him!”

“Ah, is that so.”

Tersia nodded her head a bit strangely.

It was unknown whether the barbarian would still be alive or not, and even if he were, it’d be fine to dissuade her at that time.

At least, she wished her sister could preserve this innocence.

While she was thinking that –

Rrrrrrrrumbllllllle!

As if there was an earthquake, the labyrinth began to shake.

A phenomenon that occurred whenever a rift opened.

“Erwen!”

Tersia grabbed Erwen’s hand and ran down the passage at full speed. And soon she found a portal, rippling unsteadily.

A rift.

There had to have been thousands of such portals all over the first floor by now.

Now, it was a battle where every single second counted.

Whoosh!

Tersia and Erwen were about to crash through the portal.

But at that moment –

Boom–

The portal winked out.

Thump.

Tersia, who could only sail through the air and land on the bare ground, clicked her tongue as if it was a pity.

“.. We were one step late.”

They didn’t go in at the same time, but if she’d quickly pushed in just her younger sister, Erwen might have been able to enter.

However..

“.. There’ll be other chances.”

It couldn’t be helped.

What if her younger sister went into the rift alone and died without Tersia there to protect her?

“Erwen, let’s go up to the second floor.”

Again, sometimes the slow road was the fastest.

Equivalent exchange (等價交換).

I really liked this phrase.

But sadly, the was not the law that governed this world.

Just look at how I met that psychopathic bitch.

I managed to somehow barely survive, but didn’t gain anything in return.

‘No, rather, I had to run away from the Deadlands and wasted more time.’

But it was different this time.

This time I myself made this choice.

So, there would definitely be a commensurate price to pay.

Well, maybe.

Thud.

The other two who got auto-matched as our team members looked like a pair of human man and woman, making me raise my guard.

The man who landed with a heavy sound had no special characteristics..

The woman was different.

Step.

As if defying the effect of gravity, the woman slowly fell to a gentle landing.

Even the talkative dwarf could only gape at this sight, unable to hide his surprise.

I was the same, too.

“To think I’ll see a wizard here.”

Wizard.

The strongest job in [Dungeon and Stone], in name and in reality, one who’d be treated respectfully wherever they went just because of their status.

“Bjorn, are wizards so great? The librarian was also a wizard!”

At Ainar’s question, the female wizard frowned as if in displeasure.

I spoke up quickly before things got any worse.

“The librarian is a level nine wizard.”

“Is she different?”

She was.

By a lot.

Unlike those upper-class workers in guilds, public institutions, or workshops, this woman here could be said to be a true wizard.

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The fact that she was able to enter the labyrinth was proof of that.

Wizards were an important strategic resource for Rafdonia, so if one couldn’t prove their skills, they wouldn’t be able to enter the labyrinth.

“I see!”

“Yes, that’s correct. You have a lot of knowledge for a barbarian.”

As I gave a clear explanation, the female wizard joined our conversation with a calm voice.

Seeing that satisfied smile on her lips, I could guess her personality.

“Greetings. I am Arua Raven, a level six wizard. This is the professional porter I’ve hired. His name.. what was it again?”

“I am called Tarzine, Mistress Raven.”

So these two people were in one group.

Anyway, it wasn’t too bad.

She didn’t give off the feeling that she was looking down on other people, which was already the limit of open-mindedness one could expect from a wizard.

The game had been filled with wizards who were mostly shitheads.

“May I ask you to introduce yourselves, too?”

“Hikurod Murad. Although it’s a short journey, I hope we get along, Miss Raven.”

“How experienced are you, Mr. Murad?”

“It’s my third year.”

A third-year adventurer..

Each of his pieces of equipment looked pretty good.

“I am Bjorn, son of Yandel.”

After briefly mentioning my name, I asked straight-forwardly.

“No matter how one looks at it, there don’t seem to be any reason for any of you to be active on the first floor. How did you reach the rift?”

Adventurers active on the first floor were mostly poor wretches without proper equipment.

So, I’d expected having to suffer quite a lot to clear the rift.

But getting matched with a third-year dwarf?and?a level six wizard?

At this point, I couldn’t just rejoice at my good fortune, since this much of a coincidence had to be questioned.

“I can’t explain the details, but I’d heard that the rift would open this cycle.”

“So did I.”

Preserving the information advantage, huh?[1]

As if they’d made the same promises, Raven and the dwarf both kept silent about the method.

Of course, it didn’t mean much.

Because I now had a guess as to how it’d been inferred.

“I am Ainar, Penelin’s second daughter.”

As soon as everyone’s introductions were finished, Raven took the lead in the conversation.

“The loot will be divided according to the number of people, minus Mr. Tarzine here. Can you all follow my instructions in return?”

“No objection. It’s common sense to follow the wizard’s instructions in the labyrinth.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

When the dwarf expressed his consent first, Raven’s gaze turned to the two of us.

I couldn’t worry for too long.

As long as there was a wizard in the team, there was nothing good about drawing attention.

Because it’d been the wizards who’d persuaded the royal family to recognize the existence of the ‘evil spirits’ first, and announce them as marked for annihilation.

Fuck..

Clearing the rift was no longer the issue.

“I agree.”

Let’s just go half and half.

Earlier, she’d broad-mindedly admired me for being knowledgeable for a barbarian, but who knew when that gaze might turn suspicious?

“I refuse.”

Eh?

People’s eyes converged on Ainar who’d been the source of that stubborn voice.

“I don’t know what’s so great about wizards. I wish Bjorn would lead us.”

No, I already agreed, why are you doing this?

I wanted to shut her mouth right now, but if I did that, it’d look even more suspicious.

Soon the wizard asked cautiously.

“If it’s Bjorn.. You’re talking about this barbarian, right?”

“Yes. Bjorn is no ordinary barbarian!”

“Not an ordinary barbarian?”

“Bjorn is the wisest warrior ever. He reads books at the library for six hours a day every day.”

“Hmm, you are definitely an unusual person.”

“He’s not unusual, he’s great! I’ve never seen a barbarian as smart as Bjorn!”

Fuck..

Please stop..

Everyone looked at me strangely at Ainar’s praise, but it was just that.

They seemed to only chalk it up to us being barbarians.

At least till now.

“Still, it’s a majority vote, so there’s nothing you can do about it. Ha ha ha!”

“What’s a majority vote, why can’t anything be done about it!”

“Um..”

Sensing the atmosphere again turning confrontational, I calmed Ainar down.

But who knew why she was so upset, that Ainar grimaced in dissatisfaction?

“But! Bjorn, aren’t you a better choice than that wizard!”

Could it be that those words, ‘for a barbarian’, had offended her to the core?

I wasn’t sure, but thankfully I’d made her swear an ‘oath’ in advance.

Otherwise, the secret about the dimensional instability as well as the fact that I’d been the one to open the rift, might’ve gotten exposed here.

“It’s a blessing to have your wife’s respect. I envy you, Barbarian! Ha ha ha!”

“Oh, what wife! We aren’t like that!”

“Ha ha ha! There is no need to be ashamed!”

“Eek! I, I’m not ashamed!!”

Anyway, thanks to the talkative dwarf, Ainar’s aggro was drawn elsewhere.

I too was relieved, and looked at Raven’s expression.

Contrary to what I’d been worried about, she wasn’t particularly interested in me.

“Hmm, it’s a barrier that won’t let you go outside. Interesting. If the dimension has been severed, how are we seeing the other side with our own eyes?”

Should I call it a wizard’s passion for learning?

Seeing her muttering by herself and scribbling in her notebook, she seemed to be curious about the principle of this barrier that was preventing us from leaving the map..

I hoped that interest wouldn’t focus towards me until the moment we parted.

“Why don’t we all stop here and start slowly? I have a lot of research to do, and a lot of samples to get.”

“Are you leaving? We still only know each other’s names.. “

At Raven’s words, the dwarf tilted his head.

I too had a similar feeling.

Every team needs to know what each other’s abilities are and what they can do.

No matter how impatient a team might be, sharing the core essence is the fundamentals of team play.

However, Raven waved that off as an unnecessary act.

“Is there any reason for that? All of the monsters from the Blood Citadel are level seven or lower.”

A voice full of absolute confidence.

The dwarf also showed a slightly uncomfortable expression, but didn’t get the chance to say anything out loud.

Because she continued talking.

“Oh, I forgot to mention. I’ll keep the loot from the guardians. There’re some studies I need to do.”

What kind of an ignorant bitch was this?

Haah, in the end, she was a wizard alright.

‘Shit.’

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Just as expected.

Things were about to take a turn for the dogshit worst.

Editor’s Notes:

[1] ??? ??? (lit. kicking the ladder). Somebody (the rich, the state apparatus, anybody advantaged in some way) climb up a ladder and then kick it down so nobody can follow them up. No literal translation came to mind, however. See?Namu Wiki.

Apologies for no chapter last week, this will be made up for.