The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter - Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Weasalopes”

After defeating the ogre hag I return to the signpost .

　If only that thing didn’t show up I would have safely passed through the passage… Or so I naively thought .

「It’s closed again . 」

　The wall that already opened once a short while ago now was closed without leaving even the slightest gap, again turning it into a dead end .

　The signboard was still there, so I guess I will have to press the correct button .

『Look above . Choose the correct answer and the path shall open to you . However, choose the wrong one and distress shall befall you . Let us shred the light upon it . 【Pear, Lime, Cod】 . 』

　Fruits and fish have nothing in common . They had similarity in their green color but that was already confirmed to be wrong .

　In that case, where should I look?

　Then I turn my attention to the words themselves . In such puzzles, capital letters can be the key .

　(P)ear, (L)ime, (C)od .

　PLM… Yup, it makes no sense .

「…Wait, this is . 」

　If first letters were no good then what about the opposite, and when I tried, it turned out there really was the name of the color .

　Pea(R), lim(E), co(D) .

　In other words, making one associate them by their colors was a trick . Words themselves were the hint .

　Of course, this also might be wrong, so I was full of nervousness when I pressed the red button with【Stone Bullet】 .

　With a rattling sound, the wall parted to the left and to the right once again… Hooray, nothing appeared this time!

　I cautiously passed through the wall, it seems there are no traps .

　Advancing through the singular path while being on guard for monsters I arrive at the part where passageway splits in three .

　But what caught my attention much more was the fact that there were three young people arguing near it . Listening carefully, it seems that they were arguing over which way they should take .

　How should I put it, that was way too unnatural .

　When in doubt use appraisal . I quietly approached them and tried to read their information .

　…I see… Nothing .

　It was like with Toramaru as well so there might be people whom I cannot appraise .

　First time in a long while I ask Great Sage a question . Why there are people I cannot read with【Appraisal Eye】 .

【Those possessing Skill・Concealment are capable of nullifying effects of Skill・Appraisal Eye or appraisal type magical tools . 】

　I suspected as much . Should I acquire it as well in the future?

　Anyway, I will try to strike a conversation from the distance at which I will be able to cope with the situation even if the other party moved to attack .

「Hey . 」

「Oh, a labyrinth explorer!」

「You, over there, please listen to our story . 」

「Hey you, hear me out . 」

「Please wait, do not come any closer to me . 」

　When I strongly warned them, they showed perplexed expressions but stopped approaching anyway .

　Looks like conversation is possible . But it’s still too early to relax . I can’t rule out the possibility that they just want to throw me off guard and then stab .

「What are you doing here?」

「We are a party of adventurers . However, we are hesitating which route among these three we should take . 」

　As a handsome man gave me the answer I continued with my questions .

「This is the hidden dungeon, isn’t it? The password for the entrance, you do know it, right?」

　For a moment they suddenly stopped all movements . However, the person with a thick beard and the woman started laughing right away .

「Such a thing, we forgot it already ahahahahaha . 」

「That’s right, we have a poor memory . 」

「Is that so…」

「More importantly, lad, we decided to go separate ways from here . 」

「Yes?」

「The way to take . We can’t come to an agreement . 」

　Looks like each of them will take the path they believe in . No matter how you think about that, it’s strange, even though they came as a party they go out of their way and split .

　Forgetting the password was also a lie, they never knew it in the first place . Then, it’s safe to think that they are monsters inhabiting this floor… Or something similar to that .

　As if reading my mind the bearded man says .

「We aren’t monster . Don’t worry about that . …Well, at any rate, I want to go together with you . I’m Hack, regarding leading a safe, risk-free life I’m first-rate . However, because of that, a considerable fortitude might be needed to reach the goal . 」

「I am Ack, a man in love with danger . You will face hardships that might even kill you if you are unlucky, but you will be heading towards the goal through the shortest path . 」

「I’m Uck, a woman crazy for riches . First of all, I don’t have any interest in the goal . The main thing is treasures . 」

　Hack, Ack, Uck, their names are waay toooo lazy . But let’s not scream that aloud .

　After making those forced self-introductions, each of them moved to a different entrance and was beckoning me .

「Hey you, come here . Let’s go the safe way with me . 」

「Heey, how about taking the exciting path with me?」「Come on, let’s search for treasures with me . 」

　Aah, this is probably the same as those buttons . Aren’t they themselves the buttons?

　But this time there is no signpost with a hint .

　Then it might be hidden in their words .

　Hack is safety oriented but perseverance is necessary to reach the goal .

　Ack walks a dangerous road but distance is the shortest .

　Uck values treasure above everything and are not even interested in the goal .

　I guess it’s okay to think that the goal here is the stairs leading to the 9th floor .

「Who is the right one?」

「It’s me! Me!」「It’s obviously I!」「I’m the best partner!」

　Yes, yes, I’m was an idiot to ask . Since it came to this, all that is left is to choose by intuition .

　I want to have maximum priority on survival, so that excludes Ack . Steady Hack or treasure’s Uck .

　If I follow Uck I might find a treasure, but not looking for the stairs might be a problem .

　After badly hesitating I finally decided to follow Hack .

　I liked his preference for safety .

「Please treat me well, Hack-san . 」

「Wahaha, thanks for choosing me . 」

「I’d like to confirm just in case, but we are looking for stairs, right?」

「Yup, let’s go, partner . 」

「I shall go along with you . 」

　While pretending that I trust him, I walk one step behind him . Because version that he might be a dangerous monster is still hard to discard .

　We carefully advance through the passage . Structure stays the same and no monsters appear .

　That was very welcome, but as expected, after walking for one hour I was tired .

　It was more of mental fatigue than physical . No matter how much time passes the view still stays the same with absolutely no change at all .

「Hack-san, don’t you think it takes too long after all?」

「That’s not true . 」

「Yes it is . Two hours passed already but it looks like it’s still going to take a while . 」

「You start squeaking after only two hours? You have no patience . 」

　Looking at him going wahaha laughing I quietly think to myself . …Did I pick the wrong person to follow?

　However, it’s definitely a safe path so I shall persist and follow .

　…Three more hours have passed .

「Hack-san! It’s way too long! There is no telling when will we find the stairs like this!」

「Look, can you stop whining? This is the safe route . What is a mere five or six hours? You should be ready for five or six days . 」

「Eeeeeeh…」

　Simply advancing through the unchanging route that doesn’t stir any emotions is a terrible agony . On top of it, Hack-san cannot serve as a talk partner .

　Even if I try to speak to him he only replies with yea or so .

「If you really don’t like it I won’t stop you . You can choose a different route . But it won’t be easy to go back the way we came . Since we have been walking for several hours . 」

　I stare at Hack-san who had a mean smile on his face .

　If I follow this person, eventually I will get to the stairs . But it might take five or maybe even fifty days .

　Even if there is no risk, there are limits .

「Come on, just give up and follow me . 」

「I don’t think I can go with a person that mocks other people . 」

「Are you going baaaack then? Such a looong way? This guuy is an iiiidiot . 」

　Giving a sidelong glance to Hack-san who was sticking out his jaw, I use a skill . Time has already passed since the last use so I create a hole in the floor with【Dungeon Portal】 .

「…What’s that?」

　To Hack-san, who was staring blankly I reply sticking forth my jaw .

「You mean thiiis?　 Thiis is a magic skiiiiill that allows me to return iiiiiiinstantly~, gooodbyyye~ . 」

　After also making a smug face I jump into the hole .

　The view completely changed, and I breathe in the fresh air of the forest .

　I didn’t come to the 1st floor but to the 7th floor .

　One of the reasons was that it was closer to the 8th floor from here .

　And another one was that I wanted to get healed by Dori-chan .