"If the core really has a conscience, then it makes sense that we weren't attacked, still, why didn't other monsters spawn to help the guardian?" Billy wondered while they were climbing the stairs.
While he was thinking about such things, Billy and the others found quite the crowd waiting for them outside. He didn't hear anything regarding that they shouldn't clear the dungeon, so that was off. A good number of the people were the Adventurers that had been inside the dungeon… maybe they were made because the monsters stopped spawning.
"Hey, kid… You guys cleared the dungeon?" Gerald asked.
"I guess so?" Billy frowned while looking around. "Was that something bad?"
"No, but… it was too fast," Gerald said.
"The other group didn't clear it in ten hours? So, why the ruckus?" Billy asked.
"They found the last room in ten hours, but they only cleared it after making preparations for one week," Gerald said. "They also spent a few days trying to open the door… I don't remember telling you that."
"You are well informed, as expected of the guild master," Billy said.
"That is because my party was the one who did that…" Gerald said.
"Well, it doesn't matter, I am sure you can solo the whole thing now in half an hour," Billy said. "Anyway, we want to take those gems and the black steel back home. How do we do that again?"
The rest of the group seemed pretty proud that they didn't only clear the dungeon, but they also beat the previous record. While apparently people only considered how fast everyone cleared the dungeon for the first time, that was meaningless from Billy's perspective.
Regardless, Gerald took them to the guild and they sold the gems that they didn't want for twenty silver coins. After that, Gerald wrote a letter to the lord of the state informing of what Billy and the others wanted, he also wrote another letter to Pierre since they had done what they had come to do. He assumed that Jean wouldn't deny it, but he couldn't just act knowing that.
"By the way, is the dungeon going to operate like usual tomorrow?" Billy asked.
"Yes, why?" Gerald asked.
"I want to enter alone around the same hour, tomorrow," Billy said. "We have four more turns, inside, right?"
"Why do you want to go alone?" Kate frowned.
"I didn't fight much aside from the last part, so I want to see how far I can go on my own," Billy explained.
"Still, we came together… we should keep working together no matter what we do," Kate said.
It was annoying, but Kate had a point… besides, Billy was the leader of the party so he had to set an example to the others. If he starts doing whatever he wanted, things will get out of hand when the others start doing the same.
"Fine… Let's enter the dungeon again as a party," Billu said after a long sigh.
Billy will have to be patient, he was on a mission to show Kate how harsh the world was, after all. Hopefully, she understood that when the monster almost dashed toward her to smash her against the wall. That being said, Billy doubted that things would be that exciting again as they enter the dungeon again and again…
In any case, the group was pretty tired when they reached the inn. The battle against the guardian didn't last long, but they never fought against a monster that strong. So, even though it was mid-afternoon, they fell asleep and woke up the next day.
Billy wanted to use the gems as soon as possible, but in the end, that was unnecessary. When the group entered the dungeon, they had an even easier time without Billy's help. They already knew the ins and outs of the monsters, after all. On the fifth day, they reached the final part of the dungeon, and even despite the numerous encounters, Billy only had to watch them defeat the monsters…
"Fine… you can take my place," Kate said when she noticed Billy's cold gaze.
"That was why I wanted to come alone," Billy said and then sighed.
Regardless, on the morning of the sixth day, they received permission to take all the materials they wanted back home. Gerald's decision also was important for that to happen, he was like the governor of the town, after all. Still, he didn't oppose it. He certainly was lenient.
Red Gem of the Restauration
Recovery Lv 03
Durability: 05/05
Yellow Gem of the Endurance
HP + 30
Endurance + 30
Durability: 05/05
At the end of that week, Billy was staring at those gems and the one hundred and ten silver coins they obtained. They probably could get double the money if they sell the gems and the black steel, but that would be a waste.
"Speaking of which, who is going to forge the black steel?" Lily asked while they were packing their things.. "I don't know any blacksmiths."
"Dad should know who is the best blacksmith in our town, the chance to use this kind of material isn't easy to come by, so he probably won't ask us to pay anything," Kate said. "Forging that kind of equipment will be an itself for him."
Billy thought that he should take his part of the black steel to John, he promised him a few discounts in other wares in case he sells things for him, after all. Still, he didn't make any promises. Besides, it would be a waste of time to separate the steel and ask several blacksmiths to work with it.
"His name is John, while he is a bit grumpy, Dad says that his work is the best, he can forge pretty much anything from rings to armor," Kate added.
Never mind that… Billy forgot, but that town wasn't that big… no wonder his father introduced him to help that old man.. He was expecting good things from John's skill.
