We reach the big tree in the center of the first floor of the Heart Dungeon.
I look up, and see this tree is even bigger than the other ones that had treasure chests, and the branches are all at different heights. Is this… Going to be really hard to climb?
“Master, what do you see on your map?”
“…No reaction. But my Intuition tells me something is strange.”
“Maybe there’s some sort of condition for it to appear. Maybe the target is too far away this time.”
“Maybe… Aira, I want to climb too.”
“Yes. I figured something like this might happen, so I brought a grappling hook.”
“This maid is ready for everything…”
“Aira’s expectations are always on point!”
I step away from Ayane, and Aira uses centrifugal force to throw the hook ten meters above us, landing on a branch.
“I will go first.”
Aira steps on the trunk, and runs up the tree. She’s practically not even using the rope…
When she reaches the branch, she unhooks the hook, and attaches another rope into it. Then she throws the hook again.
I see, so I’m supposed to climb using this new rope.
I feel like this will be easy enough that I can carry Ayane.
“Ayane, hang on.”
“Yes!”
I go up with Ayane, and at the end of the rope, I see another one placed by Aira. This repeats until we reach the top. I think we’ve climbed about eighty meters.
At this point, I don’t feel like looking down.
Even with four digit stats, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be okay if I fell from here. I feel like my Intuition is telling me it is, but I’m too scared to try.
“Good job, master.”
“Well done darling!”
I take a deep breath as they congratulate me.
“Yes, thanks… I don’t see any…”
I look around the… Room we’ve reached.
With other trees, there would be an open space with a treasure chest, but this room is strangely empty. The floor and walls are made up of the tree trunk, and the ceiling is covered with leaves. There aren’t any windows, but since the ceiling is just leaves, there’s plenty of light.
This certainly has an atmosphere, but it’s completely empty.
“All I know is that it’s really odd.”
“It’s so conspicuous, that it would make sense for something to be here, but…”
“There’s nothing…? But I guess it’s a perfect secret base!”
“Yes. If the location was better…”
It’s nice, but I can’t go up a long rope every time I come here.
“But it really is odd. Ayane, it’s dangerous, so don’t get too close to the entrance.”
“Yes!”
I go around the room, and notice something on the wall that looks like a button. It’s hard to find because it’s the same color as the tree, but it’s definitely there.
I tell the other two to stick close just in case, and press it.
There’s a rumbling sound, and a staircase appears in the middle of the room, leading down.
“A secret staircase!”
“This is an intricate mechanism we got here. I wonder if other dungeons have stuff like this.”
“You can see this sort of thing in gimmick dungeons, but in such a peaceful dungeon…”
Aira and I use Fire Magic to provide light, and take up formation with me in front, Ayane in the middle, and Aira in the back.
We go down the spiral staircase that feels like it was built inside the hollow tree… But how far down does it go?
It might take us further down than we went up. But just as I’m thinking that, we reach the end.
“A door…?”
“Darling, this mark!”
“Yes.”
There’s the relief of a Golden Worm on the door, but nothing that looks like a doorknob.
I’m thinking it won’t open without a trophy
“True Appraisal.”
Name: 810-1
Description: ??? placed on the first floor of the 810 dungeon. Offer the appropriate false image
“It’s the same.”
But this is a door, not a treasure chest. Is that why I didn’t see the green icon?
“Master, are trophies something you can see?”
“No, they’re just in the stats. It should react if I get close to…”
I slowly reach towards the relief, and the moment I touch the door, it glows.
Once that settles, I see not a door, but a small box. It’s not locked and it’s easily opened, but then what’s inside it jumps at me.
“Uwah!?”
I quickly cover my face, but I don’t feel any impact or pain. I slowly open my eyes, and see the empty box slowly disappearing.
“What was that?”
“Are you okay, darling?”
“Yes…”
“It was like something went inside you, darling…”
“But I don’t feel anything… Then let me check the trophies.”
＊＊＊＊＊
Trophies: Hobgoblin
Administrator keys: 810 (1)
＊＊＊＊＊
“Keys…?”
The trophy is gone from my stats, and was replaced by a key.
But key to what?
I try focusing on it, but it doesn’t look like I can use it.
If I got it for a trophy, it has to go somewhere, but…
I don’t really get it, but knowing it exists makes me want to collect them all.
Join my patreon to support me and read ahead.
Thanks for the treat.