140-Episode 12 I'm not at a loss at all




 I went down to the eleventh level looking for Mira, but then I remembered that there was no map after this level.
 As expected, this would take too much time.

''There was a [bandit]-like figure in the party just now.

 With that in mind, I hurried back to the place I had just left, and fortunately the girls were still there.

''How can I help you?''
You're not a thief by trade, are you?
'What? Oh, yes, I do.

It's a basic job with an excellent search ability.
 Although they lack combat skills, they can be said to be indispensable for exploring dungeons.

''Then that's just fine. Come with me.
What?

 It should be a lot more efficient than me searching for them alone.
 Even if I'm slowed down in battle, I can still fight while protecting at least one person.

 I take her in my arms and start running.

'Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

 Then he came down to the eleventh level again.

''I just remembered that there's no map from here. The 《Thief》 could map it, right?
But I can do it, but I can do it, but...
But?
No, no...

 I don't know why I'm getting teary-eyed, but for Mira's sake, I have to ask her to be patient.

 Still, since it's Mira, I thought she was diving solo, but surprisingly, she had a party together.
 In the end, I ended up getting sidetracked, but it was a wise decision.
 Maybe Mira has grown up without me knowing it.

You know, we haven't even told each other our names yet. My name is Arel. I'm Mira's brother.
I know ... (blah blah blah)
Hm? What did you say?
No, it's nothing. Well, I'm a holly-hiela, that's my name.
Heera. Nice to meet you. Let's go.

 After a brief introduction, he was about to run off again with Heera under his arm.

'So, if you could, could you hold her a little better! Or at least a piggyback ride!
'Hmm. Surely that's a good way to keep both hands free.

 I started again with her on my back.
 I asked as we ran.

'I don't know where Mira is, so I'm going to go lick her up, but do you have any idea how far away she is from your current location?'
Wow. I can get within a 50-meter radius.
Not bad.

With the search skill of the 《Thief》, it's also possible to detect situations in the vicinity that are invisible to the eye.
 It seems that an expert can instantly understand the map up to a hundred meter radius from your current location, or the presence or absence of demons, traps and treasure chests.

 With Healer's help, I ran around the 11th level.






 Finally, the mapping of the eleventh level was completed.
 Unfortunately, Mira wasn't at this level.

 I'd like to go to the twelfth level next, but

It's been two hours.
''Rather only two hours, but........ Normally we can't map this quickly........I mean, why do demons die on their own.......
Still, at this pace, it would take too long.
So, you see.

 Worst of all, apparently the deeper you go in this dungeon, the wider the floor gets.
 There was no telling how long it would take to find Mira with a lickety-split strategy.

 If it was a dungeon in the City of Swords, each level was equipped with a transfer magic circle.
 But this dungeon doesn't have them.
 In other words, once you've gone under, you have to return to the surface by yourself.

 If only they could find a safe place to hide....
 Still, there are food and mental problems.

 It's not easy to find food in the dungeon.
 And of course, water is hard to find.
 It seems that they had a minimum amount of food with them, but even if they had it, it would be a week at the most.

''Well okay, let's destroy the dungeon core.
Yes?

 Dungeon Core.
 As the name suggests, it is the core of the dungeon - the heart.

 The dungeon is maintained by the magical power supplied from this core, and it is also the power of this dungeon core that constantly generates new monsters and traps.

 If the core was destroyed, the dungeon would naturally become unsustainable, and the dungeon itself would collapse.

 And when it collapses, all foreign objects in the dungeon - adventurers and explorers, for example - would be automatically spat out of the dungeon.
 In other words, if you destroy the dungeon core, you will be able to return to earth no matter where Mira is.

'That sounds faster. Of course, there's a chance we'll be lucky enough to find Mira on the way.
No, no, no, this is supposed to be the largest dungeon in the world! It's not going to be that easy to deal with. You can't just start running... you bit your tongue... ouch... ...





 After that, I just tried to go downhill and downhill.
 Even so, the first level took an hour or so, but the pace of the attack gradually increased.
 This is despite the fact that the lower levels have more powerful demons and traps.

''Well I have a feeling it's this way.''

 When the fork in the road comes, my gut tells me to move on.

Oh, the stairs.

 It would prove to be the right thing to do.
 Such things were gradually becoming more and more common.

''........Isn't it strange that you've been acting so strange for a while now? You're not lost at all, are you?
I'm starting to figure out which route is the right one to take, somehow.
What?

 Or rather, this dungeon, this do-or-die approach to misleading the explorer, or rather, the tendency to mislead the explorer, was common at each level.
 It was as if there was a person who had designed it, and their personality was reflected in it.

 For example, if there was a route that caused psychological resistance, it was usually the right route.
 If there was a designer, he or she must have a twisted personality.

Also, I've been getting better at using my 'detection' skills.
Yes?
That's a cul-de-sac to the right of there, and that's where the demons are.
'What? How do you know that!
It's surprisingly easy if you can sense the magic, the flow of air, the reverberation of sound and all that sort of stuff.






Well that means you don't need me anymore, right?