Episode 1048

‘Right. Let’s start by asking why this is here.’

Once he’d sorted his thoughts, Lee Han asked,

“Why is this here?”

Huh?

Joulin tilted her head, not understanding Lee Han’s question.

“…It’s not common for a mansion to have a dungeon entrance.”

…Really?!

Joulin was genuinely surprised by her contractor’s words.

Looking at other dragons’ residences, it was normal for one or two dungeons to be connected.

“……”

Lee Han realized yet again how much he still didn’t know about the dragon race.

Didn’t know! I thought it was normal to have one…

“Amazing.”

‘Is it really that big a deal for master to be surprised?’

The young Basilisk thought, waving its tail.

There were demons, golems, and all sorts of strange things in their own master’s mansion, so why be shocked that a dragon’s mansion had a dungeon entrance?

All the other dragons tend diligently to their dungeons!

Joulin began her explanation happily.

Such dungeons—formed either naturally or artificially—were always an object of fear and excitement for the empire’s adventurers.

There was the fear of not knowing what threats might emerge from the strange environment so different from the outside.

And the thrill of not knowing what rewards you might get if you overcame those dangers and descended.

…But that was only the story for mortals. Dragons approached such matters more coldly, with calculation.

They managed dungeons like some people tended their gardens or courtyards.

Add mana to increase the air’s density, cast some spells for internal circulation, put in rare monster eggs, weapons…

It was much like setting up an aquarium before introducing fish—lay down plants, rocks, dirt, and after letting it mature for a while, you’d have a pretty good dungeon.

After that, underlings would be sent in to gather needed resources or reagents.

If rare monsters had been added, you might come out with offspring; with weapons, they’d be infused with dungeon mana and come out enhanced.

In short…

‘It’s basically a dragon’s vegetable patch!’

Just like some Einrogard students secretly managed a garden somewhere in their territory for self-sufficiency, dragons did something similar.

The scale was incomparably larger, but the basic principle was identical.

Joulin had tended this diligently in secret from Gonadaltes. Other dragons helped whenever they visited…

‘That’s even more ominous.’

Doing it behind the Skull Headmaster’s back, with other dragons’ help.

Both sounded very ominous. Lee Han carefully asked,

“Have you ever gone down yourself?”

I left it for when you and your friends came!

Joulin spoke like someone holding back a treat to share with friends.

Of course, that treat didn’t look very appetizing to Lee Han. He already felt full enough.

‘Well, I guess other dragons wouldn’t have made it dangerously hazardous.’

The fact that it was built without the headmaster knowing was still unsettling, but dragons were surely natural masters of dungeon gardening.

Joulin—being so curious—would’ve gone in herself eventually, so she wouldn’t have filled it with dangerous things.

Glancing to the side, Lee Han saw Eandurde’s eyes sparkling. He didn’t recall ever seeing her so excited.

“Dungeon…!”

“……”

Lee Han sensed the tide had already turned. Two out of four clearly wanted to go in.

‘But it’s all the more reason to stay alert.’

As the leader of the Scaled Adventurers here, Lee Han had to keep his wits so no one got hurt.

“What’s in the dungeon?”

Didn’t ask.

“Any warnings, or ‘don’t go in, it’s dangerous’—anything like that?”

Joulin shook her head vigorously.

‘Mm. Is it really okay…’

As he kept prodding, Lee Han gradually became more convinced.

If not one of the dragons warned or tried to stop it, chances were it wasn’t that dangerous.

Joulin said she’d just infused mana, not added anything weird…

“Then, Your Highness, just one more question.”

Yes! Ask away.

“Why is this my present?”

Uh… because you like danger?

Joulin tilted her head as she recited what she’d heard from the Skull Headmaster.

To be precise, it was more like “because you’re obsessed with getting yourself killed,” but that phrasing seemed a little rude so she’d forgotten it.

“I see.”

Lee Han didn’t need to ask to guess who the culprit was.

Next time he met the Emperor, a shadowy denunciation of revenge would be in order!

• * *

“Hope there’s a ghoul or frost giant.”

“…Don’t say such creepy things, Eandurde.”

Descending to the dungeon entrance (Joulin had gone first and cushioned them both on the landing), Lee Han jumped and scolded Eandurde.

Running into another-dimensional races like frost giants was hardly a good omen.

Especially since among the frost giants, there were weird rumors circling that he was “a magician recognized by the King.”

• But isn’t that true?

“Isn’t it about your bedtime? Go to sleep, you won’t grow if you stay up.”

-……

The young Basilisk felt terribly wronged.

He was just asking!

“Light.”

Lee Han cast his spell.

Being a dragon-tended dungeon, the corridors were so wide that Joulin could roll around side to side, but the lighting was dim.

It was likely for the benefit of the dungeon’s flora and fauna, but if Joulin tripped on a rock, that could be trouble. Lee Han greatly boosted the amount of light.

“?”

Eandurde looked up at the huge orb of light hovering in the air, perplexed.

No matter how you looked, the scale and power were wholly unlike the -Light- magic she and her friends used.

This wasn’t just a regular spell supercharged—it was at another level entirely.

“How did you do…?”

“Oh. It’s a remade spell. No need to imitate—it’s not actually that useful.”

Before entering, Lee Han applied what he’d learned trying to cut the chain to other spells.

If he had to name it, this would be -Wardanaz’s Light-.

“……”

Eandurde stared at the senior who nonchalantly said he’d simply remade a spell.

There was equal parts astonishment and admiration in her eyes.

“Isn’t it odd?”

Lee Han asked Joulin trailing along behind. The gold dragon replied as if nothing was odd.

Lee Han was always like that?

“R-right.”

Eandurde felt regret that she was the only magician present.

If there were other mages around, at least there’d be someone to share her amazement!

“Wait.”

Thanks to the stronger light, they could see further ahead. Lee Han’s face grew serious as he looked forward.

“Something’s not right.”

“!”

Eandurde realized why her senior stopped and grew wary. There was a strange sense of wrongness coming from the passage ahead.

The front part of the passage was rough, natural cave, but it connected to a spotless, finely-cut granite corridor.

This alternating of passage types made for such a bizarre scene that Eandurde said excitedly:

“A monster might have smashed it up.”

Of course!

Joulin joined in excitedly.

If a monster had torn it up, it would explain the alternating sections.

‘Are there even monsters like that?’

Lee Han wondered inwardly.

By now, walking around Einrogard, you naturally became savvy about monsters.

Especially for someone like Lee Han, who seemed fated to get tangled with monsters; survival demanded knowledge.

But he couldn’t think of a monster that would neatly and precisely alternate a corridor like this.

“Everyone wait here. I’ll go check ahead.”

Casting a precognitive combat spell, and laying down a crystal top fortune, Lee Han moved forward.

He couldn’t detect immediate dangers, but he wasn’t about to take chances.

“!”

While exploring the corridor ahead, Lee Han’s eyes widened upon seeing writing carved in the wall.

A clue to this mysterious corridor’s identity?

This corridor was paved by Uman. Since his sister might come down someday, please stop scratching up the floors with that crazy talk—it won’t pollute the dungeon’s environment!

-Uman

Aunina’s section’s pavement was removed. A dungeon needs to be natural for the atmosphere! Sis, I bet you’d be more disappointed if it was paved.

-Aunina

“……”

Lee Han wavered a little, disappointed in himself for having taken it seriously.

‘What the…’

Reading the inscription, he realized there’d been a disagreement between two dragons over how to decorate the corridor.

Uman, whom Lee Han knew, was in the “pave it” camp; Aunina, whom he didn’t, was in the “unpaved” camp.

Look! Lee Han surely has figured it out!

Joulin could be heard whispering with excitement to the other scaled adventurers.

She seemed so hopeful about what manner of monster might have appeared.

“…I’ve solved the mystery.”

Lee Han quickly covered the writing with magic and announced,

“It’s called a Donanigan monster. Sometimes it shows up and rearranges corridors like this.”

Of course!

“First I’ve heard of it!”

“It’s very rare, that’s why. You don’t see it much. Anyway, let’s stay alert as we move forward.”

Lee Han averted his gaze as he lied.

He couldn’t bring himself to tell the truth to two companions so full of expectations about the dungeon’s dangers.

Look! Over there, Lee Han!

Joulin grabbed and shook Lee Han with her forepaw. Were he any normal person, he’d have fallen over, but by now Lee Han was so used to Joulin, he braced perfectly.

He held steady like his feet had sprouted roots.

“What’s that…?”

A side passage.

At its end, a small open area with a sword stuck in a stone.

While Joulin and Eandurde were already excited and expectant, Lee Han remained cool.

‘Wait… This is a dungeon made by dragons.’

In another dungeon, it might truly have been an ancient relic, but in a dragon-crafted dungeon, things were different.

Maybe they’d built this over an existing dungeon?

“Wait. Let me check something.”

Lee Han approached cautiously, checking if there was more of that writing around.

This Kinara sword was put here by Uman personally. It needs to soak up more dungeon mana so don’t touch it.

-Uman

“……”

Why? Why?

“There are traps here that are too dangerous for us to approach at our current level.”

!!!

Joulin’s eyes went wide.

She never imagined such dangerous traps would exist!

The dungeon… it’s far more perilous than expected…!

“Then, shall we head back?”

Lee Han looked delighted.

To be honest, by now he felt it as well.

This wasn’t really a dungeon at all, but…

‘It’s basically Joulin’s treasure storeroom!’

In essence, it was like a vegetable patch other dragons had prepared for Joulin’s future—just in case.

Even the treasure sword Lee Han had found was an example—best not to take something before it was ready. It needed time to finish maturing.

But Joulin shook her head.

She trusted Lee Han. She also trusted Eandurde.

“…!”

Eandurde quickly turned away. Her face was hidden, but anyone could tell she was moved.

-…What about me?

O-of course I trust Basil too!

Joulin hurriedly added, embarrassed. Thankfully, the young Basilisk grinned, having fallen for it.

“…Alright then. Let’s keep going.”

Lee Han! There’s a treasure chest over there!

“Oh dear. From the look of it, that must be an instant-death trap.”

?!

There’s such a thing?!