Exiled Prince Without Skills: Infinite Growth in a Mysterious Dungeon

Chapter 32 - The Day Before the Dungeon Attack (Noon)

“Now, which dungeon shall we go to?”

I was surprised to learn that the author of the grimoire was Le Cain. I knew from my conversation with Nos, whom I met in the “Trials of the Beginning”, that he was deeply involved in the foundation of the dungeon. But I didn’t expect him to be a magician capable of writing a grimoire. (Decided to call it grimoire instead of spellbook)

“I’ll leave it to you, nii-sama.”

But there’s no point in thinking about it now.

I have to choose a dungeon to dive into tomorrow. I don’t know when the palace troops will attack. Sareha and I need to increase our individual strength and fortify the defense of the territory with relics.

On the surface, this territory belonged to the kingdom, but I’ve already killed the eighth prince, Ace. It’s only a matter of time before they would notice and become hostile. That was why we must hurry.

“The new dungeons are the Ossa Crypt, the Tenebris Mine, and the Colossal Tower of Altum. Apparently, the difficulty level is the same in all of them.”

“If you go down the stairs there, you will be in a dungeon, right? Why is there a massive tower underground?”

Sareha tilted his head.

“I don’t know if it’s even possible to go to the same dungeon through the same staircase. Also, I don’t even know if the place I went to is connected to this land in the first place. The stone monument said that the dungeon is separated from the outside world.”

“It’s like a myth. Is it possible that the God who created us also created this dungeon?

“No. This dungeon belongs to the people of Aepha, the Ancient race. The monument said that this was the realm of the gods, but it’s probably just a myth.”

The Aepha people were not gods.

They were superior to any other civilization in existence, but even with their power, they could not avoid destruction. If they were gods, they would have had the power to ward off destruction.

<I’ll explain about the new dungeon.>

A voice echoed in my brain as I touched the stone monument. It seemed that Sareha can hear it as well.

<You are allowed to bring equipment and items to the Ossa Crypt, the Tenebris Mine, and the Colossal Tower of Altum.>

“Oh, yes!”

<The equipment and items you bring with you will not be initialized when you complete the dungeon. The strengthened state will also be carried over.>

“Well, I see.”

Of course. If you’ve just completed a dungeon, you won’t be able to bear to have your valuable equipment and items disappear. The scythe I was using now was a valuable relic. It wasn’t something that can be easily obtained.

<However, if you die during the challenge, all your equipment and items will be lost.>

“That’s ridiculous! That’s tyrannical!”

I hit the stone monument in frustration, and the surface shook like a wave.

<The items and monsters in the dungeon will be respawned when you try again after you die.>

“The monsters will also be resurrected? …… No, it’s good that the items will be resurrected, but……”

“Fufu, you are getting angry, depressed, and very busy. It’s so different from when you were in the palace.”

Sareha was smiling and looking at the monument with me beside it. What’s so funny about all of this?

“It can’t be helped. Let’s pick up the equipment and items there. I don’t want to see any more undead for a while, so let’s skip the Ossa Crypt and go to the Tenebris Mine. The Colossal Tower of Altum seems to have a lot of floors based on its name, and I don’t like it.”

“Yes, nii-sama. I’ll learn the magic by tomorrow.”

“For the time being, Sareha and I are mainly improving our status. Magic can come later.”

“No! I’ll do my best!”

It’s a good thing you’re motivated, but you can’t afford to be reckless.

I thought that maybe I should be safe and go to “Trials of the Beginning” to raise our status, but if I was going to risk death anyway, I would go to a new dungeon where the enemies were stronger. Sareha should just stab the enemies and got stronger from there. The stronger enemies you defeated, the stronger your body would become.

I left the stone monument room with Sareha. We were in a dimly lit room, so when we went outside, the sunlight was dazzling.

“I’m going to the alchemy workshop. You can use my room if you want to read the grimoire.”

“Um… No, I understand. I’ll borrow your room.”

Sareha looked a little regretful. But I had plans, so I couldn’t stay with him all day long.

A short walk from the dungeon entrance would bring you to the alchemy workshop.

There was smoke rising from the chimney, so I guessed that Sheila was working on the alchemy. I opened the door and went inside, and sure enough, there she was.

Light shone through the window of the alchemy workshop.

On the desk, alchemy tools and materials were lined up. Monster tusks, leather, organs, horns, tails, feathers, and other plants from the meadows.

Sheila examined them one by one, looking through the sun and holding them in her hands. Thor was resting his cheek on the desk, watching Sheila.

“Sheila, do you think you can make a healing potion like before?”

“It’s a little difficult. The previous potions were made from materials rewarded in dungeons. The quality is going to be a little lower if we make it from materials that can be found in this area.”

“Is that so? I want you to continue making healing potions, even if the quality drops.”

I’ve used up all the healing potions she made last time.

If possible, it would be nice to have a healing potion to take with us to the dungeon. The potions you could pick up in dungeons and the ones Sheila made were similar but more effective and instantaneous.

“Yes! That’s for sure!”

Sheila spun around and looked back at me.

“What about Sareha-san?”

I don’t know what to say. We’re not having trouble talking, and we’re not exactly on bad terms. He also agreed to dive into the dungeon.

“Well, it’s normal.”

“I feel sorry for you. You should get along like we are doing.”

Thor muttered as he played with the ogre’s horn. She smiled mischievously and pointed the horn at me as if to tease me.

“What’s it like to get along? I’ve never seen two brothers that get along.”

“Uuu…. onii-san”

“…… I’m sorry about that.”

I was regrettably pitied. Sheila, for some reason, was in tears. I wasn’t troubled or depressed. I really didn’t know, so it couldn’t be helped.

“…… Where is Sareha now?”

“In my room, reading a grimoire.”

“Hmm, alone?”

Thor looked a little angry.

“Yeah, why?”

“Hmm. Hey, I’m going to make dinner tonight. Why don’t we all eat together? That herb-roasted meat you were talking about.”

“Oh, I’m looking forward to it.”

Now that there were more people in the village, everyone ate together, a large group of nearly 100 people. And many of the meals were extravagant, such as roasting a whole sheep.

Even though I was a lord, I couldn’t just sit in my house and eat a luxurious meal by myself. I ate the same food as everyone else and slept outside, watching the stars.

Since there weren’t many houses yet, my room was rented out to the elderly and children for sleeping. The healthy young people slept outside. It was still spring, so it wasn’t that cold.

“Onee-chan, are you sure? Don’t burn it, okay?”

Sheila smiled and teased Thor. They joked happily, and after a while, they looked at each other and laughed.