When I was about to ask about an S-class dungeon at a temple in Janpani, the Priest asked me if Merle was a Golem User.
A Golem User was a general term for a dwarf who had the Talent that allowed them to use a Golem.
When she said yes, the receptionist at the temple brought out a jet-black board called the "Magic Board".
(It looks like it's got some kind of dent in it. Are we supposed to fit something in here?)
The Magic Board was flat on one side, but quite craggy on the other.
Merle happily threaded a string connected to the jet-black plate called Magic Board around her neck and hung it.
Apparently, it was the standard way to carry around a Magic Board.
I looked at the dwarves lined up in the crowded reception area.
I saw a few other dwarves here and there with jet-black plates hanging around their necks.
(They look like an elementary school student who goes to radio gymnastics early in the morning during summer vacation.)
When I looked at Merle again, she was holding the Magic Board with a happy expression on her face, which made me think frankly.
"So we need to get the Golem parts from the dungeon and fit them into the recesses of this Magic Board?"
"That's right. Golem parts can be obtained from the second floor of the Tower of Trials, or rarely from the bottom floor boss of the A-class dungeon around the Tower of Trials."
The receptionist told me where we could get the Golem parts.
"My friend, Merle, has the Talent of being a Magic Rock General. I've heard that Golems have ranks, does that mean that Golem parts are also by rank?"
I continued with my questions.
I was planning to spend that whole day asking questions and enter the dungeon the next day.
I had already thought about the questions I would ask beforehand.
I had heard that Golems had ranks and the higher the rank, the stronger they are.
And the higher the Talent, the Golem user had, the stronger Golems they can use.
To move a Bronze Golem, you need the Talent of a Magic Rock Soldier.
To move an Iron Golem, you need the Talent of a Magic Rank Officer.
To move a Mithril-class Golem, you need the Talent of a Magic Rock General.
If you are a Magic Rock Soldier, you can only use Bronze Golems, but if you have the Talent of a Magic Rock General, you can use Bronze to Mithril rank Golems.
"Oh, my God! Is it true!!!"
With that one word, the temple receptionist was astonished, his eyes wide open with his hands on the counter.
Perhaps it was too much of a shock for him to say anything else, but he stared at Merle from top to bottom.
(I see, so this is the value of the Talent of a Magic Rock General that only 1 in 10 million people are born with. I heard that some Golems can even defeat Dragons by themselves.)
I learned once again how valuable a Magic Rock General was in the Bakius Empire.
There were quite a few dwarves lined up behind us, but I could hear them saying things like, "He's talking about a Magic Rock General!" and "Seriously?".
"Yes! That's right!"
Merle cheerfully replied.
"You are right. This Magic Board needs to be fitted with stone slabs of the same rank."
Then, after taking a breath, the receptionist answered my questions.
"You mean a Bronze Magic Board and Mithril slab can't be used together?"
"Yes, please note that if you fit even one part of a different rank, the Magic Board will no longer function."
He described it as a stone slab, but it seemed to be no different than the Golem part.
I looked more closely at the Magic Board.
There were about ten dents, and I had just learned that the stone slabs to be fitted into them must be of the same rank.
(It looks like we will get a lot of repeats.)
"What happens if we find the same stone slab?"
"Some people keep them as insurance against damage if they come across more than one stone slab of the same rank Golem on a single Magic Board. However, many adventurers decide they don't need them, so we buy them here at the temple."
The price varied depending on the part, but apparently they would buy it for 100 Gold coins or more.
I was told that there were many adventurers who were not Golem Users, so they came to sell quite a lot.
He also told me that the temple only bought parts related to Golems.
Other than that, magic stones obtained by defeating magical beasts, weapons and armor obtained from treasure chests, etc., were to be bought and sold at the Adventurer's Guild located right in front of the temple.
They told me that they basically didn't give out any information about the dungeon, such as what kind of dungeon it was, how many floors there were, etc.
Unlike the Adventurer's Guild in Academy City, they basically didn't tell us how long it would take to conquer or the rank of the magical beasts that would appear in the S-class dungeon.
The only thing he advises is that it's a dungeon with a high mortality rate and that you should proceed at your own risk and judgment.
All of the qualified challengers had conquered at least 5 A-class dungeons.
They were implying that we had to do our own research.
"Thank you for everything, do you mind if I ask one more thing?"
"Of course. What can I do for you?"
"Can I get this Magic Board from the dungeon?"
"No, this Magic Board was given to the temple by Lord Digragni. You will not find it on any floor of the dungeon."
(We can only get it here?)
"I understand. Then, you said earlier that you would 'lend' Merle the Magic Board, but can I 'purchase' it?"
The receptionist noticed that Merle was a dwarf and offered to 'lend' him the Magic Board before I could ask questions to help us navigate the dungeon.
Merle and I planned to continue our adventures together.
In my opinion, Merle, the Golem User, was only as good as her Golem.
The biggest problem with what I just heard was that Merle was not the owner of the Magic Board that Merle needed.
We needed to solve that problem.
"Well, I'm sorry. The Magic Board is the property of the Bakius Empire. It is basically on loan."
The receptionist politely declined.
"Basically? So you're saying there are exceptions?"
"Yes, we will only give the Magic Board to the Golem User if he/she gives us 10,000 Gold coins."
(I see, I see. So this is how the Bakius Empire has collected the 10,000 Golems that are said to exist.)
I came to an understanding after reaching that point in our conversation.
The Bakius Empire was in charge of the administration of the temple.
And if there were any dwarves who seemed to be Golem Users, they would actively lend them the Magic Board and have them collect the Golem parts.
If the same part of the Golem is collected, the Golem-using dwarves will probably come to the temple to sell it.
I didn't even know how many Magic Boards they had in stock, but if the war became imminent, they could take them away from the dwarven adventurers, as they were just loaned out and not sold.
And if you really want the Magic Board, buy it with 10,000 Gold coins, I guess.
"Here is 10,000 Gold coins. Please check."
"What?"
I flipped my Grimoire over the counter and opened the<Inventory> page, though the Priest in charge of reception couldn't see it.
I then dropped 100 pouches on the counter, each with 100 Gold coins in them that I had made prior for convenient transactions.
"This sould be 10,000 Gold coins. Please check."
I gestured to indicate to the receptionist that he could check.
""...""
My friends were watching Allen intently.
Cecile seemed to have somehow known that this would happen.
She sighed.
After the receptionist withdrew to the other room and asked us to wait a moment, he called some people over and started counting the Gold coins.
It took about an hour to complete the process of purchasing the Magic Board with Gold coins and registering the fact that the Magic Board belonged to Merle on Merle's adventurer's card.
"Thank you."
"No, well, it's a natural response. Well, it's getting dark, so I guess we'll stop by the Adventurer's Guild tomorrow."
"Right. Let's find a hotel to stay for today."
Since it was getting dark after I finished my questionnaire session and the buying procedures, I said that we were done for the day, and Cecile said that was fine.
Thus, the next day, we stopped by the Adventurer's Guild, and on our way there, I rented a house for rent near the dungeon at the Real Estate Guild.
The food and bed were good in a hotel, but there were many things like [Blessing of Heaven]that required some privacy.
In a room with no furniture yet, I had a nice dinner with my friends.
(Now that we've done most of what we need to do besides go to the dungeon...)
In the midst of all that, I spoke up.
"I want you to listen to me. I want to talk to you about our future plans."
Allen believed that each of his friends had their own problems and challenges, not just the dungeon to conquer.
So he told them their goals.
