Chapter 8: A Bountiful Harvest

As a Guild advisor, Eina had never stepped foot into the Dungeon, but her theoretical knowledge was extensive. She was well aware of the Minotaurs that inhabited the middle floors. Should one escape to the upper floors, it would spell certain doom for a Level 1 adventurer—a one-sided slaughter with no chance of resistance.

She did not doubt Liang Yue’s account. When they had discussed monster types and traits yesterday, they had only covered up to the tenth floor; the subsequent levels, the middle floors, were uncharted territory for him.

"A Minotaur."

Knowing it was that powerful monster that had escaped to the upper floors, Eina felt a wave of relief wash over her as she looked at Liang Yue sitting safely before her.

"When you encounter a monster of that caliber, you must do everything in your power to escape," she urged earnestly. Out of concern for his safety, she felt this brief respite was hardly necessary. Forsaking the monster guidebook, she explained from experience, "To a rookie adventurer, a Minotaur is a moving catastrophe!"

"I certainly got that impression."

Sensing Eina’s genuine concern through her serious tone, and being a man who felt no need to be contrarian, Liang Yue reflected on the battle. "It was indeed much larger than a Dungeon Lizard, capable of shattering the ground with a casual strike, and its hide was incredibly thick."

"Yet, its strength and thick defense came with obvious weaknesses. Its attack patterns were relatively clumsy; once you're quick enough to dodge, you can find an opening. As long as you can pierce that defense, there is a chance to win."

"You learned all that?" Eina’s face filled with astonishment as she listened to his meticulous analysis. She had not imagined he was the one who had defeated the Minotaur, especially since he had only registered as an adventurer yesterday.

Returning safely from a Dungeon expedition proved he had potential, but she hadn't expected that he could glean so many combat techniques just from observing the encounter. Perhaps this was raw talent? It seemed Hestia had truly found a promising recruit. Eina nodded gently, though she still added a warning: "It’s impressive that you’ve learned so much, Liang Yue, but I still hope you won't take unnecessary risks."

"Of course."

Liang Yue had somehow taken control of the rhythm of the conversation, leaving Eina unsure of how to proceed until she asked, "Do you have any other questions?"

"I do." Liang Yue opened his coin pouch and poured the contents onto the desk. As for their exact value, he wasn't entirely certain.

"No problem," Eina replied immediately, but as her eyes fell upon the Magic Stones scattered across the desk, her expression gradually stiffened.

Based on their size, she could roughly distinguish which floor the monsters had come from. The stones the size of a pinky joint were likely dropped by Goblins or Kobolds, while the slightly larger ones were from Dungeon Lizards. The key, however, was the Magic Stone the size of an infant’s fist...

Combining this with Liang Yue’s earlier analysis of the Minotaur’s weaknesses, a sense of absurdity washed over Eina. He was a rookie adventurer... one who had just registered yesterday! He had ventured into the Dungeon for the first time today and managed to take down a Minotaur from the middle floors? A true genius!

In her experience, the number of people capable of such a feat could be counted on one hand. In recent years, only one person from the Loki Familia came to mind: the Sword Princess, Ais Wallenstein, who had reached Level 5 at the age of thirteen despite her fragile human physique.

That the adventurer she had registered yesterday possessed the same aptitude as the "Sword Princess" made it difficult for Eina to compose herself. Looking up once more, she couldn't help but verify: "So... that Minotaur that escaped to the upper floors, was it really you who defeated it?"

"Speaking from an objective standpoint," Liang Yue replied with a relaxed tone, "yes."

***

Leaving the Guild again, the city of Orario at dusk was exceptionally bustling, with street vendors pushing carts filled with a dazzling array of goods. In truth, it was like this every day. As for any real change, it was that Liang Yue now had some assets in his wallet. As long as he didn't aim for anything overly expensive, he at least had the confidence to bargain.

Total income for the day: 21,300 Valis. If he hadn't encountered the Minotaur, his earnings would have been slashed by three-quarters. With the money in his pocket, he could now afford to improve Hestia's meals and sustain them for four or five days. Furthermore, Liang Yue’s adventuring was far from over; by raising the level of his "Soul of the Swordsman" template and pushing toward the middle floors, his rewards would only increase. Once he saved enough, his priority would be to pay off Hestia’s debt to Hephaestus ahead of schedule.

"Dinner at the 'Hostess of Fertility,' then."

Having decided on the venue, Liang Yue first headed to the North Street where Hestia worked, but failed to find her at the potato snack stall. Ruling that out, he headed toward the Northwest Street, also known as "Adventurer Street," where the Hephaestus Familia branch was located.

Compared to the purely commercial North Street, Adventurer Street was much more lively at dusk. The white-walled healing clinic of the Miach Familia, the various gear shops, and the Hephaestus weapon shop were all gathered here. After a day of exploring the Dungeon, adventurers inevitably needed to restock or repair their gear.

As the most famous weapon shop in the labyrinth city of Orario, the Hephaestus branch occupied the most prominent position on the street. Through the glass display window hung various styles of weapons. Everything on display was a masterpiece, the only drawback being the exorbitant price—though that was perhaps a drawback for Liang Yue.

Gazing at the brightly lit shop, he scanned the interior and quickly locked eyes on Hestia, who was wiping down the counter while wearing her shop uniform.

"She really is working here."

Liang Yue’s feelings were somewhat complicated regarding the prideful Hestia, and more importantly, he found it difficult to refuse her efforts. He pulled open the glass door and stepped inside.

Before Hestia could stop her work, she asked out of reflex, "Welcome to the Hephaestus Weapon Shop. How may I help you?"

Liang Yue scanned the weapons in the shop one last time, then pinched his throat to alter his voice slightly. "To eat."

"This is a weapon shop," Hestia replied, offering a polite suggestion to a customer. "If you're looking for food, I recommend the Hostess of Fertility on West Street."

After wiping the display counter clean, she realized something was amiss. She spun around abruptly to find Liang Yue standing at the doorway, beaming at her.

"Liang Yue-kun!!"

"You've finished your Dungeon exploration for the day..."

Slipping in her sandals and ignoring the presence of another female employee, Hestia ran and threw herself at Liang Yue. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, the tension she had been holding onto all day instantly vanished.

Feeling the warmth of the girl’s embrace, Liang Yue decided to fulfill his unspoken promise. His voice was gentle as he asked, "Hestia-sama, can we go eat now? Consider it a victory banquet for a successful Dungeon exploration."