The meeting with Alexia was over, and the only thing left to do was to prepare the building materials to be sent down to the fourth level.

　I was taking time off from my work at the weapon shop to visit the Springtime Wakaba-Tei to have lunch with Garnett.

　They seemed like they were just regular customers, and we finished our orders quite naturally and ate the food that arrived while chatting with each other.

　It's nothing special, just a normal, everyday scene.

　Considering the danger we will soon be throwing ourselves into, it's an important prelude to enjoying the peace of mind we're enjoying.

　This is what is called mental maintenance.
　One of the main purposes of resting is to rest not only our bodies but also our minds.

　While we were enjoying a leisurely meal with Garnett, Sylvia came over to our table and placed two cake sets on the table, which we should not have ordered.

'An?　We didn't order anything. You must have confused us with another table.
It's a gift from the inn.

　To a quizzical Garnett, Sylvia replies with a smile.

I've been told that you are planning to start the hard work soon. It is good for the town that the exploration of the dungeon is progressing, so I thought I should at least thank you for your help.
You're too quick to thank me. You don't even know if you'll succeed.

　With that said, Garnett firmly secured a piece of cake for himself, cut it into large pieces with his fork, and chewed on it.

　Although he may not be aware of it, Garnett always has a really good mood expression on his face when he eats something sweet.

However, if he was forever gazing at Garnett, the people around him would be suspicious of him and Garnett would blame him for it.

I'll make it happen. You have worked so hard to get to this point, and if we mess up at the last minute, that's not going to be good for everyone.

　So I'll remove my gaze at the appropriate place and turn my head towards Sylvia.

''By the way, how much is known about the state of the search in the town?''
'Well, um, ......, which is about as far as I know: ......

　Sylvia often made a thoughtful gesture, and then answered my question with a light sense of banter.

I'm sure many people have heard rumors about the discovery of a hierarchy as hot as a volcano. Maybe, but I think the rumors came from adventurers.
'They say you can't put words in people's mouths, so unlike leaking information about ...... requests, it's not a punishable offense.

　It goes without explaining that leaking the contents of a guild-brokered request is a serious offense, but information seen or heard in unsolicited searches is left to the discretion of each party, unless the guild gives special instructions.

　And in the case of this "Ark of Elements", the search is led by A-rank adventurers, and there is a gag order on important information, but there are no restrictions on other information.

　It's a good idea to get the word out, because if you don't, it could cause unnecessary anxiety for the inhabitants of Green Hollow.

There are rumors that the hot springs in Green Hollow may have been heated by groundwater in the same level. I thought that might explain why there's a large source of water when there's no volcano nearby: ......
I can't say for sure, but it's probably more likely than not.
Maybe there are hot springs on the newly discovered levels.
Isn't it boiling enough to make a hard-boiled egg?

　To Sylvia's joking comment, I lightly return the words to her while lightly teasing her.

　Even if there was liquid water on the fourth level, it must be bubbling hot water.

　Even if the adventurers decide to use it, it's going to have a hard time cooling it down - unless they want to use it while it's still boiling.

'Miranda-san's product seems to be in mass production, and again, Luke's going to dive into the dungeon and won't be back on the ground for a while, right?

　Sylvia smiled and said that as if it was a mere fact-check, but behind that expression, the color of unconcealed anxiety was hidden.

　I'm sure Sylvia feels distressed that she can't help us despite the fact that we're throwing ourselves into danger far away from home.

　At the end of the Demon King's War, the inhabitants of Green Hollow had also gathered at the first level and participated in the logistical support of the Golden Fang Knights and adventurers.

　However, this time, it was only the appearance of a specific adventuring party's exploration, and it wasn't like they were asking ordinary residents to come to the dungeon.

　The environment of the fourth level is too harsh to begin with, and it is a hierarchy that is unlikely to be able to bring in people who are not used to exploring dungeons.

The most important thing for ...... adventurers is to have a place to rest when they return home exhausted after a long day of exploring. Without that, neither Travis nor Theodore would be diving into a high-ranked dungeon.

　So I dared to say a few words in a light manner, trying to relieve Sylvia's kindness and anxiety.

'The only exception is someone like Dustin who doesn't care about his own survival, and for someone like me, having Sylvia and the others in town is something I'm more grateful for than anything else.
And besides, I'm going with the white wolf.　You have to make sure that you have the right strength. I won't be late, even if the leaders of the demon king's army pop up on the scene.

　Garnett agrees with me with a wry smile.

　It would have been more presentable if he didn't have cream on the edges of his mouth, but it makes him look strangely cute.

　When I casually poke my mouth and tell her about the cream, Garnett licks it off with a quick flick of her tongue and pokes her cheekbones with an innocent look on her face.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future.

'...... That's right!　Everyone does what they can, and that's the best!　I'll do my best too!

　Sylvia seemed to blow off her fears, and with a big smile on her face, she clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest.