Herc asks us what we’re doing, but it’s obvious we’re eating.
“No, I can see that… This is a dungeon, you know?”
Chris and the others look confused, and Hikari looks like she’s asking so what, as she tilts her head and bites down on meat.
“A meal is important for a tired body.”
I give an inoffensive answer, but Herc and the people behind him all look baffled.
Oh? Do people not cook in this dungeon?
“Well, it is, indeed it is, but…”
Herc is looking at the food, and my eyes follow his.
There’s bread, meat on skewers, and two kinds of diced steaks. Vegetable soup and cut fruits. It’s not that different from normal.
“It’s normally not so luxurious.”
Says Herc, and the people behind him nod.
“Old man, food is the source of energy. If you don’t eat well, you don’t move well.”
Says Hikari, and an awkward smile peeks from my face.
“W-well, it’s always like this for us, so don’t mind it. More importantly, you’re mining too, right? I heard you can go straight to floors you’ve been to before, so why the first floor?”
“I’m guiding newbies today.”
They’re teaching newbies how to mine in turn.
Apparently they operate not by stealing techniques, but through careful and attentive guiding.
I would be surprised, if I hadn’t met Darc the dwarf in the Fuxto village of the Beast Kingdom. He was a pretty caring man too.
…To people of that village. And he treated people like this if they met his standards.
“…Monster spawns soften after the change, but be careful, because it’s not like there are none.”
Is the last thing Herc says before he leaves with his group.
Also, apparently it was the smell that brought them here.
And after we’re done eating, we go back to mining.
◇ ◇ ◇
The sound of a hammer hitting echoes rhythmically.
We’re working in turns, but I’m currently the only one swinging a hammer.
Hikari got drowsy because of this simple work, so she’s napping.
Mia was working until just now, but she’s taking a break because her arm hurts.
“I feel like fighting monsters would be easier.”
“Ah, I get that.”
Says Rurika in response to Mia, and Chris and Sera also respond.
That’s my BGM as I swing the hammer.
Ah, something feels different. I felt something stronger in my hand.
I use Appraisal on the hammer to check its durability, and see that one hit took a lot of it.
I use the Strengthening skill on the hammer, and it feels like I can keep using it. The durability isn’t going down.
The wall gets harder depending on the layer, so despite this seeming like simple work, there’s a lot to it.
Although I can use skills and make it relatively simple.
For now, one hammer is enough for me.
“Sora, isn’t it time to stop?”
Asks Chris as I intently swing the hammer.
Is it time already?
“So now what Sora? Should we stay here or go back to the surface?”
One of the peculiarities of this dungeon is that the deeper we mine, the better the chances of finding precious ore.
Sure enough, we found more precious ore on the second half of the day compared to earlier on.
That’s why many people stay in the dungeon to continue working the next day. If they leave, others might take that spot.
And there’s a group trying to do that right now.
I’ve been checking Map, and I can see reactions approaching, like they’re checking how we are.
Clans or large parties can take turns, but we can’t. It’s possible to recruit workers in the guild, or hire people to stay in their spots to guard them.
It’s also possible to buy spots that have been dug to a certain extent. But that comes with a warning that while it’s more likely to find precious ore the deeper you go, that doesn’t guarantee you will.
There’s a lot of speculation about that.
I cast Appraisal on the wall in front of me.
I still see ore we can mine, but…
“Can we stay the night and then make a decision based on how we’re doing tomorrow? Actually, I could work by myself tomorrow.”
Mining isn’t for everyone.
“How about we all discuss that tomorrow?”
Yes. Actually, Chris and Sera look like they have fun mining too, surprisingly.
We have dinner, and then rest while taking turns keeping watch.
Map shows me others do the same, but some keep watch the whole time without taking turns.
Ah, Herc’s group is one of the latter.
Are they doing that on purpose to let the newbies get used to it?
Thanks for the treat.