Dungeon of Precious Gems
"I really appreciate you letting us know. Thanks to that, we avoided breaking any rules."
"If you can avoid breaking the rules, that's better. For the first offense, you'll be let off with a small fine, so don't worry too much."
I see, for the first offense, you can just pay a fine and be released.
"So, what are the penalties for the second offense and beyond?""In addition to fines, there's forced labor. If you are a repeating offender, the labor becomes more strenuous. Ultimately, it could lead to imprisonment."
"Oh, I see. By the way, is the use of daily-life magic also prohibited?"
"No, that's fine."
So, using magic like cleaning or light is allowed.
"Well then, I should be going now."
"Yes, thank you very much. If we happen to meet at the Adventurers’ Guild, let's go grab a meal together. I'll treat you as thanks."
"Haha, don't worry about that. But if there's a chance, I'd welcome going for a meal together."He was a friendly adventurer who responded very politely, and I wanted to become friends, so I didn't hesitate to invite him for a meal. To my surprise, he seemed to have the same thought, and he responded positively.
"Alright, I'm Dil. I operate solo, so if you see me around, feel free to say hi."
"I'm Takumi. I'll definitely say hi if I see you."
"I'm Allen!"
"I'm Elena!"
"I am Kaiser."
After introducing ourselves, just as we were about to part ways, a restless atmosphere came from the front.
“”N?””
“”Nniyu?””
“Something seems to be wrong.”
It seemed like something was happening. For now, we stayed in place and observed the surroundings. Soon, a noble couple with a knight rushed back in our direction in a hurry.
"Halt! Are you adventurers!?"
"Well, technically yes, but... what's going on?"
Dil glanced at us before stepping forward to answer.
… Perhaps there were rules in this dungeon, so I decided to quietly let Dil handle the situation.
"Our child! Our child is missing! Please help us find him!"
It appeared that the child of the noble couple had gone missing, and they returned seeking assistance.
"First, please go outside the dungeon and report to the reception and security."
"Our child is missing!"
"So please report it immediately."
The nobleman, angered by our refusal to immediately search, glared and shouted at us.
"What if something happens to my child!?"
"We cannot take any action until we receive a request from the reception. Please report it right away."
"You useless!"
With a clear expression of frustration, the nobleman continued to berate us before storming towards the exit of the dungeon.
"Are we not allowed to search on our own?"
"Even though the country manages it, this is a dungeon after all. While you guys might not have been informed, there's a general rule that whatever happens inside is your own responsibility."
"This floor is said to be safe, but... well, it's still a dungeon. Encounters with monsters could still happen here, right?"
Although encounters with monsters were said to be rare, the term "rare" didn't mean "never."
"Exactly. There are monsters like slimes. And the size of the dungeon is also a factor. A few cases of missing persons occur every year."
"Yeah, this dungeon seems quite spacious."
"It's reasonably large. When someone goes missing, if there happens to be an adventurer nearby, they assist in the search. Well, that in itself is an act of goodwill."
"Well, that makes sense."
"But there are nobles once in a while who force adventurers to search for their own children for free.”
"Uwah~"
Arrogant nobles can be found anywhere. It's quite pitiful for the adventurers who are forced into such situations.
"That happened a few times and became a problem. So, the Adventurers’ Guild has advised us to refrain from personally assisting in such cases. Of course, if the person requesting help is a friend or acquaintance, it's a different story."
"I see, got it. —Allen, Elena, Kaiser, did you understand?"
“”Yes~””
"Umu."
If Dil hadn't been with us this time, we might have gone to help search for the child. While offering assistance without charge itself isn't an issue, we want to avoid causing trouble for all adventurers in this country.
"Oh, by the way, if you guys happen to find a lost child during your exploration, it's okay to bring them to the entrance."
"......"
Is this perhaps a suggestion to go find the child and pretend you found them by accident?
No, Dil doesn't seem to have that kind of personality. He probably mentioned it as a hypothetical scenario.
“”Should search?””
"Let’s wait a moment. They're probably working on a plan outside, so if they ask us to stay here and help, then we can decide to help with the search."
“”N~... okay.””
If it were a life-threatening situation, we would go searching immediately. However, it seemed less urgent now, so we decided to adhere to the rules of the Adventurers’ Guild.
"Oh, they're here."
The sound of several people running from outside reached us, and soon, a few guards and adventurers rushed in.
"Oh, it's you, Dil! So, you are the heartless adventurer the noble was complaining about."
"That's right. So, what's the situation?"
"The ones here will start the search. If it takes too long, additional personnel will be dispatched. We're also instructed to request assistance from the adventurers here."
"Understood. I don't mind, but..."
After Dil agreed to join the search, he glanced briefly in our direction.
"N? Huh? You guys are?”
The adventurers who came for the search noticed our presence.
"Just met these adventurers a little while ago. It seems like their first time here, but do the conditions apply to them? N? By the way, I didn't confirm earlier, but Takumi, you guys are adventurers, right?"
"Hahaha~ yes, we're adventurers."
Although it was evident from our appearance, Dil probably wanted to make sure, since we hadn't explicitly stated it.
"By the way, what do you mean by 'conditions'?"
"Once you receive a formal request, you're generally expected to accept it unless there are compelling reasons not to."
"I see, it's close to a mandatory request. Oh, but only I and the kids are adventurers. Kaiser is not. However, he doesn't mind joining the search."
"Umu."
"Well, it's your first time in the dungeon, right? If you guys aren’t able to return because of that, that could be a problem."
He seems concerned about the possibility of us getting lost and facing a secondary emergency.
"Oh, we won't get lost for sure. So, shall we start the search? We shouldn't waste any more time here."
"Well, but..."
"Oh, I forgot to mention my rank. I'm A-rank, so there's no need to worry."
"A-rank!? Seriously!"
We refrained from initiating the search due to his advice against well-intentioned searches. However, considering the situation and feeling sorry for the lost child, I decided to reveal my A-rank status to expedite the search.
"People just don’t go around saying they are A-rankers. Let's trust him and start the search."
"Yeah, that's right. So, first, let's head to the point where the child went missing."
It seems they were going to move together to the spot where the parents and child got separated.
"We are looking for a five-year-old boy. The Knights left at the location have mentioned it."
While moving, we gathered information about the lost child. The noble family had three Knights accompanying them, and two were left at the location while one returned with the parents. So, there are currently two Knights searching nearby.
“”Will find him quickly~””
"That's right. Let's find him soon."
“”Yeah! Will do our best!””
Allen and Elena showed more enthusiasm than anyone else for the search, so for some reason, I feel like we'll find the child soon.
