Two days after I was told that the brave man had not returned, I was visited by three members of the Silverwing Knights.

　I was visiting the E-ranked dungeon 'Sundial Forest' with the three members of the Silverwing Knights.

　Strictly speaking, we had just gathered there in front of the dungeon, and now we were about to actually step into the dungeon.

　Sylvia wanted to accompany us, but due to the workload of the inn, she was left out of it.
　Instead--

Hey, white wolf. What's an outsider in here?

　Garnet took one look at Sakura who was with me and opened her mouth in displeasure.

　The other two knights are dressed lightly, almost like adventurers, but for some reason he is the only one in armor, even his helmet is tightly covered.

'I have received official permission from Felix-dono to accompany you. Please consider me as Luke-dono's bodyguard.
'And directions. I don't know the lay of the land here, you know.
Godd*mn, you shouldn't have done that.

　Despite Garnett's apparent dissatisfaction, Felix, the leader of the group, proceeded with the preliminary briefing in a matter-of-fact manner.

The purpose of today's search is to confirm the existence of the staircase that connects the 'Sundial Forest' to the 'Thousand Year Corridor of the Abyss' and to collect samples from the labyrinth's inner walls. The samples will be sent to the alchemist for analysis to determine if they are mithril or not.

　My innocence hinges on the results of this investigation.

　There's no guarantee that I'll succeed, but there's no way I'm going to get away with it.

So you won't get the results until a little later?
'Yes. We can't say anything until His Majesty's decision is made. You will also be asked to stop carrying Mithril products, and you will have to go to ...... that's right: ......

　Felix slurred his words, as if he was having trouble saying them.

"...... will be under our supervision for the time being," he says. Of course, you can continue with your normal life and business as usual. It's just that one of our own will see to it.
'That can't be helped. I don't mind.

　I immediately indicated my agreement.

　It's rather creepy to be left unsupervised, as the case is just that, a case.

''Thank you. I'm sure His Majesty will take the measures that are desirable for you. Then let us depart. Please show me the way.''

　I led Sakura, who was most familiar with the 'Sundial Forest' among us, down the slope covered in vegetation.

　That day when we defeated the dragon, I passed out immediately after healing Sakura, and I hadn't dived into the dungeon since.

　So I don't have the directions to the place where I fought the dragon.

　I followed the path that was born after being trampled by the adventurers, and eventually reached a relatively flat spot.

'Have you arrived already?'

　Garnett speaks to me in a violent tone.

'No, we're still on the first level. It's a safe zone where non-adventurers and other residents come to get wildflowers and medicinal plants.'
'Hmmm ......, how can you be bothered to use such an obscure herb from a dungeon?

　Garnett spat as he looked around at the town's residents and adventurers gathering herbs.

　His face was obscured by the helmet, but the emotions themselves were easy to understand because of the richness of his vocal expression.

　Right now he's probably frowning under his helmet and looking back in dismay.

''Don't knights use herbs?''
I'll use it. Guaranteed quality stuff from the herb garden. But hey, the ones in the dungeon are weirdly effective, right?　It's a very, very bad thing.

　He's still talking wildly as usual.
　When I talk to this guy, I almost forget that he's a knight.

　Be that as it may, Garnett's thoughts are typically prejudiced against dungeon grown medicinal herbs.

　Many people think like this when they are in a land with little benefit away from dungeons.

'It's called a bad substitute or something. Do you know how medicinal herbs heal wounds in the first place?''
What?　You can't die without knowing that. I'm not a doctor or a pharmacist.

　Garnett was clearly not interested, but I didn't care and decided to continue explaining.

'Fundamentally, it's the same as a 'skill'. Just as humans use their magical powers to release fire and gain monstrous powers, medicinal herbs use their magical powers to repair their own damage. Perhaps that's how the plant has survived.

　It is not only the prerogative of humans to consume magical power and exert special powers, like skills.

　Even animals and plants survive the competition for survival by exercising abilities that are adapted to their biology and habitat.

　Medicinal plants are one such example.

　Instead of being vulnerable to predation, they are said to have increased their regenerative powers and enhanced their ability to survive being eaten by animals.

The reason why medicinal herbs heal wounds is because the healing power of magic also acts on the human body. And since the soil and air in the dungeon is rich in magical power, the herbs grown in the dungeon will naturally increase the level of skill.

　When the crushed herb is applied to a wound, the ability activation on the part of the herb to heal its own damage will also act on the wound of the human body that is in close contact with it.

　However, the herb that has been completely worn out will not be restored, only the human body will be able to recover.

　This is the mechanism by which trauma is healed by applying the herb.

　The oral type of herbs have a different mechanism, but the 'skill' of the herb is also related to that as well.

　I'm sure the herbs themselves were not expected to be used in this way.

In other words, dungeon and herb garden herbs are all the same. In other words, dungeon herbs and herb garden herbs are the same.
"Keke ...... tutor or you?
'As an adventurer, I can't overlook the prejudice against dungeon-grown medicinal plants. Well, I'm on hiatus at the moment.

　Medicinal herb gathering is a valuable source of income for new adventurers.

　If prejudice spread and medicinal herbs stopped being sold, the fledgling's life would be in shambles and the industry of adventurers itself would cease to exist.

''I mean, you should have taken off that armor, shouldn't you?　You're not fit to walk in the woods. Or at least take off your helmet.
Who takes it off, you idiot?

　I don't know, but a simple suggestion was returned with a swear word.

　While we were having this conversation, we continued to move through the dungeon, and before too long we reached the fifth level.

　'Sundial Forest' was an E rank dungeon.
　Just as Sylvia was able to reach the bottom of the dungeon with just Sakura's escort, it's a level of difficulty that even I can easily traverse.

　However, emotionally, I just want to turn back now.

"Huh. Interesting terrain.

　In Garnett's line of sight - though his helmet prevents him from seeing his face - a large amount of ivy hangs down from the top of the cliff, like a curtain of greenery.

　Climbing that one would allow us to go up and down to the fourth level, but it wouldn't be particularly beneficial.

　It would be much faster and safer to travel by the regular route rather than using this route.

''Garnet. Let's hurry onward.
Hey, yeah.

　After walking through the fifth level for a while, we came to what looked like an open grassy field.

　As expected, I remember this place well too.
　It's that place where we engaged the dragon.

'Oh ...... that's ......!

　Felix let out a voice unusually laced with emotion.

　A pile of white objects piled high in the meadow.

　At first glance, it seems like there are countless piles of pumice stones or something, but it's not that mundane.

　That is the white bone corpse of a dragon.
　It was the unmoving evidence of the achievements of my sword and Sakura's skills.