The mercenary group’s name was the Black Owl, and it was said that Recadi was the leader of the Black Owl mercenaries. It turned out that this person was quite famous in this area.
Since there were still two days until the waiting period was over, Yuric asked Recadi for permission to borrow an alchemy lab.
“Can you do alchemy?”
“I’ve learned a bit of everything.”
Of course, Captain Recadi did not press further. Asking about the past of mercenaries or wanderers was considered a serious breach of etiquette in this world.
Yuric, who had borrowed the lab, immediately went to the market to buy various materials, including herbs, spices, and pieces of wood. He then returned to the lab and started preparing the potion right away.
Yuric ground the herbs into very fine powder, smashed the pieces of wood with a stone to make them smaller, and began to add the ingredients one by one into the heated water.
Alchemy is a pinch of aesthetics. For years, Yuric had endured so much to achieve the perfect pinch!
He added the ingredients in order, held the stirring stick, and poured mana appropriately while stirring until it became slightly thick. After spending the entire night, he completed the potion.
It was a dark green color with a strong smell… as expected, it tasted terrible too. He tried his own potion several times and felt nauseous. No matter how many times he tasted it, he never got used to the taste.
Of course, he wanted to make it delicious, but given the ingredients he had, even if his skills were good, there was no way to overcome it. As the Great Witch Adrian said, “bitter medicine cures,” he could only accept it.
He discarded the sediment at the bottom and poured only the liquid into bottles. In this way, he made three potions.
While it might not be enough to revive someone on the brink of death, it was enough to heal most injuries. In fact, after drinking this potion, he recovered completely from a broken arm sustained during a battle with a monster within half a day.
“Still, since it’s a dungeon, I need to prepare as much as possible.”
Yuric wanted to make a few good potions to prepare for the long journey ahead, but such things were impossible due to the rarity of the ingredients. How could he obtain something like powdered dragon horn or fairy wing dust? Even the Great Witch Adrian only showed him these rare items once.
After tidying up, Yuric inserted a wool blanket into his sleeping bag and lay down, closing his eyes.
As he smelled the lingering medicinal scent, he soon fell asleep.
*
Late at night, Yuric woke up and found some time before the assembly. He read a new magic book he had just bought.
Repeating the cycle of reading and dozing off, he noticed the sky turning darker and the faint light slowly spreading. He washed his face with water he had prepared earlier and cleaned up his place.
“Dungeon exploration…!”
When demons still roamed this land, countless mages had created hideouts. The spells might have deteriorated over the years, but the dangers remained.
However, treasures and history hidden for a long time awaited inside. Anyone who didn’t feel curiosity and excitement couldn’t be called a mage.
Having finished his preparations, Yuric left the lab. It was very early morning, but there were already crowds moving around, preparing for the expedition. Walking among them, he felt like he had become part of society.
A little later, he arrived at the assembly point and saw familiar faces. Among them was the Black Owl mercenary group, led by Captain Recadi. When Yuric approached, Bald Viktor informed the captain that another recruit had arrived.
“So, are you ready to take risks?”
“As long as I don’t die, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Yuric shook hands with Bald Viktor and introduced his fellow mercenaries.
“This furball here is Engelgard. He’s the front-line fighter.”
Engelgard, who looked like a furry creature, nodded slightly when his name was mentioned. His position was to silently endure attacks from the front. Many scars on him were like medals.
“That big guy over there is Madorot. He’s also a front-line fighter.”
The man with a quiet and cautious appearance was impressive. His imposing figure was an extra bonus.
There was a large axe hanging on his back, indicating his strength.
“The two women there are archer Dymnos. And the short one is a trap specialist named Acho.”
The archer was a muscular female mercenary, while the short woman specialized in traps.
“And finally, that old man is Haral. He assists the front-line fighters from behind.”
The elderly man with gray hair was about a head shorter than Yuric and appeared frail. However, the muscles visible on his body proved he had lived a rough life on this ground. Being active at his age meant he was no ordinary person.
Of course, they all looked surprised when they saw the young-looking Yuric.
In the world of mercenaries, there are categories to be wary of: those who look young but receive respect, and those who are old but receive respect.
Captain Recadi of the Black Owl mercenary group was definitely not an easy target. Given the importance of the dungeon exploration mission, he would never bring along a useless youngling.
“Yuric, Mage.”
Mage!
This was the position that Captain Recadi had been so picky about for over ten days. He had imagined a seasoned middle-aged mage, but the result was completely different.
“How old are you?”
“Seventeen.”
Every piece of information shocked him.
“Let me see. What was I doing when I was seventeen?”
While Engelgard thought about his days as a young mercenary, Captain Recadi approached the group.
“Is everyone here? Come this way.”
The Black Owl mercenaries followed the captain to the carriage where the employers planning this expedition were seated.
The expedition team leader who discovered this dungeon, the noble lady Nari who invested heavily in the expedition, the knight guarding her, one mage and two workers hired by the noble family, making a total of six people.
When the captain tapped the spear, the door opened, revealing a refined face.
“Are these the ones who will go with us?”
“Yes, they are all experts in their respective fields.”
“The investment we put in this time is significant. I believe you will do well, Captain.”
“Don’t worry. We will complete the mission safely.”
Surprisingly, the noble lady Nari, who appeared to be in her forties, was going to join the expedition to the dungeon. Bald Viktor couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the pale middle-aged woman heading towards the dungeon.
As soon as he got off the carriage, he complained to the captain.
“Unbelievable. She wants to come to the dungeon? Does she think this is a vacation spot? She’ll die here!”
“It’s our job to prevent her from dying. Lady Nari has invested a considerable amount of money in finding the dungeon.”
“What a headache!”
“But since she has provided generous compensation and is accompanied by a guard, there’s no need to worry too much.”
After all, the mercenaries had no choice but to follow the orders of the employer who paid them.
“Now, everyone, get in. We need to hurry to arrive today!”
Captain Recadi loaded the mercenaries onto the carriage. He confirmed that all carriages were ready and signaled the coachman to start.
One carriage for the employer, one for the mercenaries, and one for the luggage, making a total of three carriages leaving Rheinburg.
The expedition team departed early in the morning and arrived at the forest entrance late in the evening.
This floodplain, where countless mages had built numerous dungeons to escape the demons, was now a dangerous place chosen as a refuge.
“I never wanted to come back here again… Damn it, money is a curse.”
Those familiar with the floodplain in Rheinburg grumbled about the eerie place.
Seeing the floodplain, Yuric felt inspired and couldn’t help but draw. His image of drawing furiously under the moonlight was almost frightening.
“Captain didn’t choose him for nothing. He’s giving up on a good opportunity to draw something scary.”
“At least it’s reassuring. If the front-line fighters are getting cut up, and the mage starts crying about being scared from the back, it wouldn’t work.”
The mercenaries lying down joked about such a scenario. Bald Viktor swung his fist in the air, saying he wanted to punch the guy’s face if he thought about it.
“Why did you let that guy go?”
“We beat him up pretty badly! Thinking about it makes me want to hit him again!”
Laughter quickly faded as the post-meal drowsiness set in. Everyone yawned and burrowed deep into their sleeping bags. Yuric, having finished his drawing, also went into his sleeping bag. The sound of crickets grew louder.
…When he opened his eyes again, it was already dawn.
The expedition team ate breakfast, quickly packed up their camp, and moved toward the floodplain in two lines, with carriages parked. The grass soaked with dew made rustling sounds as they walked.
Having lived in the forest for a long time, Yuric loved the tranquility of the early morning forest. Gradually, he also came to love the silent approach of dawn.
They continued deeper into the dim forest. The noble lady surprisingly kept up well. Perhaps it was due to her horseback riding endurance.
The expedition leader took charge in the floodplain. Having explored this place for a long time, he knew the floodplain well.
Ironically, discovering a dungeon often depended on luck. Sometimes, a dungeon could be found on a familiar path. By chance, triggering the mechanism to open the entrance.
In fact, this time was similar. They selected a seemingly uninteresting area, waited for the right moment, and found the dungeon by poking around with a metal rod.
The expedition team repeated walking and resting as they delved deeper into the floodplain. Lady Nari showed clear signs of exhaustion. The captain diluted a potion with water and gave it to her. She struggled to swallow the bitter taste, holding it in her mouth for a long time before finally gulping it down.
“This will help with your stamina, madam.”
Even during breaks, the mercenaries did not neglect their surroundings. Although most monsters had been eliminated, there were still some lurking.
Yuric often dug up a few roots during rest periods, except for common ones. He wrapped them in paper and carefully stored them in a bag. Once dried and ground, they would be useful someday.
“Do you want to try chewing one?”
“Ew, no.”
“Even though it’s bitter, it’s good for you.”
“It feels like my grandpa is talking.”
The grave robber Acho refused Yuric’s offer of the root. Yuric took the root, chewed it, and found it quite palatable despite its bitterness. Perhaps his taste buds were somewhat dulled from constantly drinking potent potions.
After moving for almost a full day, the expedition team finally reached their destination.
Despite the floodplain looking the same everywhere, pulling a small rock forcefully revealed the entrance. Those new to dungeons gathered around, marveling at the sight.
“This is amazing.”
Yuric sensed a faint flow of mana beyond the passage. It seemed there was indeed something there.
However, it was too late to enter now. The sun was setting, and the forest was growing dark.
The expedition team set up camp near the entrance. Superstitious mercenaries started spouting nonsense again.
“There are ghosts appearing here!”
“Stop scaring us, brat.”
“I swear I saw them!”
Terrified mercenaries threatened to use the makeshift toilet rather than go near the entrance.
Yuric recalled the past. Afraid of ghosts, he used to hold his brother’s hand and go to the outhouse every night.
His brother would always wake up and accompany him whenever Yuric called, laughing.
“I’ll go with you until you can go alone.”
Now, it was Yuric’s turn to hold someone’s hand.
“If you’re scared, I’ll go with you.”
Of course, the mercenaries probably thought it was a joke.
“Eh, do you want to hear this from the youngest? Cut it out!”
Fortunately, there were no ghosts.
