After my mock battle with Retsu on my first day in the Kawakoshi Maze Hotel, I go to my room, have dinner, and then go to bed.
The next day, as I go around looking at the hotel, I exchange greetings with seekers. Lucky is pretty popular.
After meeting Yuri and Retsu, I realized I really should have business cards made.
Business cards. A vital part of conducting business. I thought a rookie like me wouldn’t need them so soon, but meeting those two made me realize I was wrong, so I ordered them online.
I did it last night, and it’s great how they can deliver them the next morning. I particularly like the red panda background, made to look like Lucky. And it will really grab the other person’s heart when I offer them the business card with Lucky on my back. I wasn’t a salaryman for all those years for nothing…
On my third day in this hotel, I decide to go to the Yoshikawa Gate again.
I made good money mining ether crystals last time, but today, I’m exploring the other pipe. I’m really acting like a seeker now. I’m more excited than a man my age should be, so to the dungeon!
―――――――――――
So here I am in the dungeon.
We’re headed to the ruins, but there is something to report. Lucky turned big again, and I’m now riding it. Thankfully, I don’t get sick, maybe because we are connected. What a wonderful partner Lucky is.
The path that took me an hour to traverse before takes me ten minutes this time, and I reach the open area with the pipes.
“Lucky, can you turn small again?”
“Kyuru.”
I thought about undoing the summoning and summoning Lucky again after I climbed… But there’s no need, since Lucky can turn small. I barely feel its weight when it holds onto me in this form. Is that because it’s my summon beast?
I’m heading to the pipe opposite of the one where I saw the mana tarants and met Lucky. If that one is connected to the outside, this one shouldn’t be.
These ruins are called an ether mill, since it’s said they were used to produce ether, the new form of energy of this age. It served the same purpose as an oil rig.
But there is a good chance this pipe leads to an undiscovered location. I’m more excited than a man my age should be.
I’m full of motivation, as I use my Storage Gates as footing to safely reach the pipe.
Lucky and my searcher drone don’t pick up on anything on the other side. I’m looking around too, but I don’t see a single spider.
I guess I won’t be seeing mana tarants this time. Well, magic energy crystals don’t grow in these ruins, so they have no reason to stick around. I will still be careful, but surely they went back where they came from.
I turn on the light on my seeker device, lighting up the dark hole, and have the Storage Gates ready to act if anything happens, as I slowly walk forward.
To the unknown. The adventure begins.
———————————
A fig leaf on a blocked door.
What remains in the sprawling darkness is hope in the name of remnants of treachery.
A sleeping life awaits the arrival of the man.
Yes, his footsteps will soon arrive.
Perhaps this is a new monster and a taming candidate? 🤨