“There’s a famous dungeon nearby, so this village is full of family members of deceased adventurers, plus former adventurers who’ve had their souls crushed by the dungeon. There’s no drive or ambition in this place. If they don’t even have the energy to walk around town, they don’t have it in them to try becoming adventurers again. It’s a depressing place.”
Shannon understood. That explained the gloomy atmosphere that enveloped the whole village. “Then what’re you doing here, Mr. Rowe?”
“Interested in what this old man has planned?”
“Of course I am. My eyes are a lot livelier than those villagers’, aren’t they?”
“Ha! You’re an interesting one. Well, that’s to be expected of a mage.”
“I don’t think being a mage has a lot to do with it.”
Rowe hesitated for a moment, then let out a short sigh. “Have you heard of the dungeon called King Sadra’s Tomb?”
“Sadra? I’m sure that was the name of the king who governed this region back in ancient Lydonian times.”
“You’re smart. Yes, Lydonia was a civilization that flourished close to ten thousand years ago. Sadra was a king during that time. His tomb is the dungeon here.”
“Oh, a dungeon? So that’s what the adventurers of this village were after,” Shannon said. Rowe nodded. “I don’t really have any connection to dungeons.”
Dungeons were products of the ancient past—from well before even Shannon’s lifetime. They appeared unexpectedly in the world due a variety of circumstances, such as natural disasters and excavations.
“The Adventurers’ Guild labeled King Sadra’s Tomb as a dangerous S-rank dungeon,” Rowe explained. “One of only eight in the world. It has a one hundred percent death rate. A dungeon of the ultimate difficulty, from which no one has come back alive. In reality, no one knows if it is Sadra’s grave.”
“Whoa, that’s pretty intense. Did you come here to challenge that scary dungeon?”
“Well, you could say that...but you could also not say that.” Rowe’s expression was strange as he took another gulp of ale. He looked like he was trying to suppress his fear and anxiety.
“From the way you’re drinking, I’m guessing you didn’t come all the way here to the tomb because you wanted to.”
“Ha, you can tell? Well, I think I wanted you to understand. It’s a bit embarrassing.” He laughed self-deprecatingly. “Doesn’t matter what I want; I have to get to the end of the dungeon no matter what. That much has been decided by fate.”
Shannon saw fear in his eyes but also determination. This old guy was serious. His expression looked like that of a man on his way to his execution. It was almost the same as the villagers’.
“Why’re you so scared that you had to get drunk?” Shannon asked. “There’s no need to rush to your death when you’ve got one foot in the grave already.”
Rowe laughed. “You’re a pesky one, but you’re interesting, really. Ironically, you saying that cheered me up. Yeah, I’m getting up there in years, which is why I’ve got to go.” He looked at his palm. It was etched with wrinkles but also large and strong. “My son is in that dungeon.”
“Your son?”
“Yeah. I’m sure he’s waiting in there for me. Has been for the last two years.”
Shannon didn’t reply for a moment. Rowe had said that King Sadra’s Tomb had a one hundred percent death rate. His son hadn’t simply been waiting there patiently for his father to arrive. She knew what Rowe must have meant and said it: “You’re going to collect his belongings.”
“He’s my only son,” Rowe said at length, “and my wife died long ago. I’m all by myself. If nothing else, I want his personal effects.”
“But isn’t it pointless to go into such a dangerous dungeon?” Shannon asked. “I’m sorry to say it, but at your age, you’re not as strong as you were in your prime. You’ll end up losing everything and joining your son in his grave.”
Rowe laughed. “You’re right. You’re a kind girl. I know that my son and wife would be angry that I came here. But even so, I’m a humble adventurer and a former soldier. At some point, even knowing that I’ll die, I’ve got to get out there.”
He tipped his glass, looking a little lonely. He seemed aware that, as he was now, he didn’t have the strength to return from the dungeon alive. Perhaps, knowing his end was near, he’d come to the tavern to drink in hopes of cheering himself up. And just as he’d been drowning his fear while immersed in old memories, a mage who looked just like a girl he once knew had sat down next to him. It was an incredible coincidence.
“So it’s a dungeon no one can leave alive. Do you know what it’s like?” Shannon asked.
“From what I’ve heard, there are heaps of instant-death traps and wandering skeleton monsters. Rumor has it that they keep reviving unless you defeat them with a holy weapon, so they can surround you in an instant.”
“Certainly sounds like a tomb.”
“Yeah. It sounds like the type of dungeon where you just keep going down and down. There are probably ways to die down there that you could never experience aboveground.”
“Never experience...aboveground?!” A smile burst over Shannon’s face, radiant with enthusiasm. His words had struck a chord, making her heart beat faster. She was the only one fit to go down there.
“Oh, you’ve finally changed your expression. So even the great traveling mage can get a little scared sometimes, huh?”
“I want to go to the dungeon too!” Shannon exclaimed.
“Oh, that’s fine by me! If one of us dies, then the other one might be able to continue on. One of us can trail behind and watch our backs. Two birds with one stone. You know, just saying the name of the dungeon makes an adventurer turn white as a sheet. How lucky am I to find a comrade in a place like this?” Rowe laughed heartily and took another drink. He’d had a lot, but his speech wasn’t slurred; he seemed like a heavy drinker.
“Then it’s decided—we’ll go tomorrow!”
“Tomorrow sounds good. Tomorrow! Nothing like a kick in the rear to get me going! This should be fun!” He laughed again.
“Great! Let’s meet up here tomorrow morning and get ready!” Shannon quickly paid, stood, and grabbed her bag. Once she was back at the inn, she would get things ready for the dungeon exploration. A place no one had returned from alive... What an opportunity! She relished the thought that she might actually die this time. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Rowe!”
“Sounds good. I’ll be waiting.”
Shannon went to prepare for the following day, then quickly fell asleep.