Chapter 180

Krais crossed his arms and continued speaking with a gleam in his eyes.

“Dolph, the one who created the treasure map, did so in the past.”

Wondering what kind of nonsense this was, Encrid looked at him. Krais had a confident smile on his face.

It was an irritating look, but there was nothing he could say, so he just stared at him.

“So, this method didn’t exist back then.”

As times changed and years passed, treasure hunters became more cunning.

Among the tasks of dismantling traps and entering dungeons to gain rewards, they began to skip the tedious process of disabling traps and focused solely on the result.

This concentrated approach was known as the ‘Guide to Clearing the Dungeons of Cristrown’.

“It’s called the ‘retreating technique’.”

It was a shortcut, but if it worked, it was a great method, as even Encrid had experienced firsthand.

If defeating the knoll leader was a hurdle, they wouldn’t wait for him or sacrifice the village unnecessarily, nor would they choose a disadvantageous battleground. They found a way to overcome it.

“This is it.”

Krais found a rock the size of an adult man and said,

“Please, Luagarne.”

At his words, Frog stepped forward without hesitation.

As she pushed the rock, it toppled over with a thud, revealing an old hole underneath.

Krais took a shovel out of his backpack and dug a few times before saying,

“This is the entrance, roughly.”

Then he walked briskly. As the candle burned down to about a finger’s length, Krais wandered around the area with a smile on his face again.

“It should be around here.”

Krais started digging the ground with the shovel. It was a tough job to do alone.

“Let me help.”

This time, Encrid took the shovel and started digging.

The plan was to bypass all the traps and dig directly into the area where the treasure was hidden.

It wasn’t exactly a novel idea, but back in the day, when Dolph created the dungeon, it might have been unthinkable.

It was a shortcut, but it was much more efficient than disarming the traps and risking their lives.

Encrid agreed and helped.

As Esther wandered around, her claws extended, Encrid shook his head.

“Take a rest.”

The panther, looking visibly tired, made a hissing sound.

“Kyaa.”

The panther seemed pleased with those words and found a spot to lie down. Curling up, it closed its eyes. It really did look tired.

He had carried her in his arms on the way here, except when he sparred. She seemed exhausted from the journey.

Anyway, Krais was right.

“If we find some treasure along the way, we can pick it up and leave. Although, it might not be there. Someone could have taken it without the map, but that’s unlikely.” ᚱ�

This was the third time he’d downplayed the situation.

As they dug, the soil crumbled and fell inward, revealing a man-made passage.

“See?”

Krais said. The result of alternating shoveling with Encrid.

A few gold coins rolled around inside the hole, reflecting light.

It was dark further inside, but there were probably more than just a few gold coins.

Just as Krais said, it was easy.

“Wow.”

Finn’s eyes sparkled. Krais had promised her some of the treasure, meaning Finn could take a few bags of Krona.

Luagarne and Esther weren’t interested, but Encrid thought it would be good to have some Krona because his sword was damaged.

Going down to pick up the treasure and returning was still an easy task.

It should have been. It was supposed to be an easy task.

The sun was setting, and the moon had risen by now. Krais glanced at the moon and then spoke.

“Let’s all go together. It wouldn’t be bad to stay for a day. We might have a lot to carry.”

There shouldn’t be any danger.

There were no beasts around, and they wouldn’t be staying inside for more than a day.

The sun was already setting, and since they needed to camp, it would be good to spend the night inside if it wasn’t dangerous.

Krais spoke with all this in mind.

Instead of dealing with annoying insects, it was better to stay inside and move out tomorrow. Everyone agreed.

“That’s a good idea.”

Encrid agreed, thinking there might be something else besides a few gold coins.

‘Is there anything valuable?’

He didn’t lack Krona, but his sword was too damaged from the recent battle.

Especially the one made of Valyrian steel and Noir Mountain wrought iron had chipped badly.

Besides needing to sharpen the blade, the core was also damaged.

‘This won’t do.’

For a mercenary, a weapon is life. A swordsman who doesn’t understand the value of their weapon is wrong from the start.

Encrid knew how to assess the condition of his weapon.

He had cut through hundreds of beasts and monsters. It would be strange if the sword was still intact.

Both swords had their cores damaged.

His armor was also torn in several places. The leather parts were ripped, and there were holes in the chainmail underneath.

Thinking this, he glanced to the side and saw Luagarne moving casually.

“Looks like we’ll be delayed in returning.”

When Encrid spoke, Luagarne puffed out her cheeks and replied with a huff.

“It’s fine. It’s actually fun.”

The atmosphere was cheerful. Encrid gave Esther some seasoned jerky, while Finn tied a rope to a sturdy tree.

The Ranger’s knotting technique shone through.

“It won’t come undone unless it’s cut, and it’s not too difficult to climb.”

It was a precautionary measure, typical of a Ranger. They let the rope dangle down the hole they’d prepared.

Encrid went down first, followed by Finn, then Krais. Esther jumped down, digging her claws into the wall to slow her descent. Finally, Luagarne wrapped her legs around the rope and descended gracefully.

Once they were all down, the moon had risen.

‘Is it around midnight?’

Encrid thought to himself.

“It’ll be perfect if we camp down here and head up tomorrow.”

Krais said from behind.

Encrid nodded. There could still be some danger, so he lit a torch and examined the surroundings.

There was a long passage leading to the entrance Krais had found, but it was so narrow they would have to stoop to get through.

‘If we go through there, our backs will give out.’

Not that it would happen, but it was that narrow. Fighting in such a place would be difficult.

‘A bad place to use a sword.’

Encrid concluded.

There didn’t seem to be any other dangers. Everyone had the same thought.

There wasn’t much dust, and no traps that triggered when stepped on.

Esther yawned lazily with a low growl. Seeing how tired she still seemed, Encrid held her in his arms and handed the torch to Krais.

Luagarne murmured to herself while looking around.

“These are old traces.”

What might she be like as a scholar?

Encrid also drifted into idle thoughts.

‘She knows ancient languages and is a talent appraiser for the Kingdom.’

Frog was versatile, and her value couldn’t be low.

Finn, who was checking the passage, found no danger.

Though not on the level of a treasure hunter, Ranger Finn could spot traps.

‘Everything seems intact.’

If there were traps she couldn’t detect, they would either be magical or quite sophisticated.

Not the basic kind that triggers arrows, but the kind that activates with the slightest touch.

Such traps would be hard to notice unless one was a professional treasure hunter.

‘It’s a bit much for a wealthy individual to create such traps.’

Traps of that sort would typically be found in ancient tombs, often involving magic.

Finn noticed Krais walking alongside her, picking up a few gold coins from the floor and scanning the surroundings with the torchlight.

Up until then, nothing unusual had happened.

No danger, no particular events.

The passage was short, leading to a round chamber. There, at the end of the dungeon, stood an altar with an old, worn chest.

On the altar was a sword, covered in dust.

It looked either antique or simply ancient.

“We’ve made it.”

Krais remarked.

Krais couldn’t contain his excitement. They had dug in the right place and found the correct path.

At this point, could he be considered a treasure hunter?

Reading ‘Guide to Clearing the Dungeons of Cristrown’ had been a wise choice.

Since learning to read as a child, Krais had often sought out and read various books.

He believed that knowledge would be the key to escaping the poverty of his childhood.

And he was right.

Now, they had found treasure.

“Do you really need that much Krona to open a salon?”

Encrid asked, his question seeming frivolous.

“Yes, absolutely.”

Krais replied without hesitation.

Really? Encrid’s eyes seemed to ask. Krais, seizing the moment, shared his long-held dream.

“I’m going to establish the most luxurious and splendid establishment in the capital, a place everyone would want to enter. There will be membership cards, too. And that’s not the end. I’ll open branches across the continent.”

The eyes of someone pursuing a dream always burn with passion.

Encrid, who had no right to mock another’s dreams, and appreciating the gleam in Krais’s eyes, simply encouraged him.

“Sure. Go for it.”

Apart from the old sword stuck in the middle of the altar, there were only two chests, which didn’t seem particularly special.

Seeing gold coins scattered in the passage suggested there might be something more here.

With anticipation, Krais approached the chests, cautious of potential traps, like those that might release poison arrows.

Behind Krais, Luagarne offered Encrid advice worth more than gold coins.

“Basic skills alone won’t be enough. You need to learn proper swordsmanship and internalize it, then you can advance further.”

“Like what?”

“You learned Northern-style swordsmanship from that guy, right?”

Frog’s keen eye had caught this.

After seeing Ragna and Encrid, she deduced the origin.

Encrid nodded in agreement, and Frog continued.

“It would be good if you could properly learn Northern-style swordsmanship from that blonde with red eyes.”

“And you can’t teach me?”

“I am bound by a covenant. This was an exceptional leave. I have to return.”

Luagarne said, genuinely conveying her regret.

A covenant, Frog is easily swayed by desires and wants. Because of this, they made a vow of the heart.

They often avoided using the word ‘heart’, replacing it with the two characters for ‘covenant’.

Thus, a Frog’s covenant was not something light.

It was a rule that had to be adhered to above all personal desires and wants.

Frogs who lived without abiding by this were very rare, almost nonexistent.

This was why the saying ‘The Innocent Frog’s Swordplay’ existed.

It referred to a Frog, ignorant and deceived by humans or other races, selling their covenant and committing unwanted massacres with their sword.

‘That’s quite something.’

Encrid realized once again that Luagarne’s mention of a vow was not something to be taken lightly.

Was it really necessary?

Making a vow of the heart to fall for him?

Why? What was the point?

Encrid couldn’t tell her to revoke it either.

No fool was unaware of the weight of a Frog’s vow.

He also knew well that Frogs enjoyed lopping off the heads of those who insulted their vows.

Fighting without losing and insulting an opponent were different matters, so Encrid kept his mouth shut.

At that moment,

“Kyaa!”

Esther, who had been curled up in exhaustion, suddenly let out a fierce cry.

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