The next afternoon, we go to the dungeon to beat the boss, but for once, there are a lot of people waiting.
There are people we saved yesterday among them, and ones we met just before we beat the ogres blocking the path.
Incidentally, surviving members of parties who suffered fatalities aren’t here. Facing a boss room with fewer members isn’t a good idea.
I don’t know if they’re going to give up on being adventurers or form new parties, but they could also move to another town.
What would I do if someone in my party died? It’s not a pleasant thing to think about, but it crosses my mind because I saw a scene of death yesterday.
No, what I have to do is make it so that doesn’t happen. Walk and learn skills.
The problem with skills is that there’s so much to choose from, that I don’t know what to pick.
I’m sure people would call this a luxurious problem to have if I spoke about it with someone.
Ahh, let’s not think about pointless things. We have a boss to beat.
“There are a lot waiting. I’ll make a reservation.”
Argo takes care of that while I’m deep in thought.
There are five names on the screen. One currently fighting, and six parties waiting.
The seventh floor was pretty empty, but the eighth not so much.
I wonder how long it takes to beat this boss room. Should someone stay here while the others go rest in the inn?
“Hum…”
Suddenly, someone speaks to me.
“If you want… You can go first.”
Someone’s offering their place in line. Not just one, multiple parties.
“Is this really all right?”
“It’s fine. They’re thanking us for yesterday. And… I’m sure they’re curious about how long it’s going to take us.”
Says Argo, as Chris feels reluctant.
That reason doesn’t sound right, but it’s actually spot on.
Argo isn’t trying to keep his voice down, and several adventurers smile awkwardly or look troubled when they hear him.
Still, it’s good that we don’t have to wait.
Ah, the first name is gone. They’re done with the boss room.
The second party then walks in. That’s a party that wasn’t in the dungeon yesterday.
We’re going in next. I wonder how long this party will take?
We talk as we wait, and then other adventurers talk to us. They mostly talk to Argo and his party, and they feel like normal adventurers you’d find in any other country.
Maybe it’s because they feel indebted to us for saving them, or maybe this is just their real personality, but it shows me that not everyone in the empire is arrogant and oppressive.
Well, I guess I knew that already. Argo and his party are from the empire, and they’re nice people.
Still, what I heard from Chris, Rurika, and Sera, and my impression of the first adventurers from the empire I met are vivid in my mind.
The four adventurer party from the empire we found on the way to the Magic State of Efa was a hopeless group of people.
What’s our plan for this boss room?
…It’s not really much of a plan. Once the monsters spawn, Chris and I will preemptively attack with area of effect magic. If there are survivors, we take them down. That’s all.
It’s very simple.
Unlike on the seventh floor, the ogre lord doesn’t get stronger the more underlings go down, so we don’t have to think about much.
I guess that’s why a lot of people use this boss room even though it’s on one of the lower floors.
“Eh? They get progressively stronger?”
“That’s what we felt, so it might be wrong, but it felt like the minions that periodically spawn got stronger every time they spawned. Or maybe it just felt this way because we got tired as the battle dragged on.”
I can hear them talk as I think.
“Oh, it’s over.”
I raise my head when I hear Argo, and one more party is gone from the list, making Argo’s name the next one.
“Ready?”
I nod and get up.
We waited for about two hours. It’s not like we’re in a rush, but the ogre lord must have a lot of stamina if it takes that long for people who made it this far to beat it.
“Argo, about what you were talking about before. I want to check something, so can we fire magic after that?”
“Something on your mind? I guess it’s fine.”
Guilford and the others don’t mind either, so I’m going to use Appraisal before firing magic to check the levels.
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Thanks for the treat.