After leaving the conspiratorial eting, I headed straight to the dungeon.
Although I wasted so unnecessary ti, fortunately, the dungeon wasn't far from here.
It took about an hour by taxi.
"There are more people than I expected..."
"Well, of course. You must be new here, right?"
"Ah, yes. That's right."
Through the taxi window, I saw a group of people in armour.
Their intense mana and fighting spirit made it clear they were all hunters. They didn't look particularly strong, but their aura was unmistakably that of players.
As I stared at them intently, the taxi driver asked.
"You're here for the dungeon, right?"
"Of course, I ca to clear the dungeon."
"Hahaha, I've driven many custors like you. It's been about three years now."
The driver laughed heartily at my statent about clearing the dungeon.
It didn't seem like he was mocking ; rather, he found my words genuinely amusing.
Since there was still so ti before we reached the dungeon entrance, I decided to satisfy my curiosity and struck up a conversation.
"Have there been many custors like ?"
"Ah, of course! If you clear an unexplored dungeon, you'll attract a lot of attention."
"And that attention will turn into wealth and fa, right?"
"Hahaha, you're quite knowledgeable for a young man! You can't imagine how many hunters have rushed in like moths to a fla."
The taxi driver seed to have been here many tis.
And each ti, he must have seen players who were eager to clear Efnell's Garden. That explains his earlier laughter.
"But can you really clear that dungeon? No offense, but you look a bit too delicate for it."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, I've driven players from F-rank to A-rank, and they all failed. With your slim build, it seems like it would be tough."
His words were quite reasonable.
This is a dungeon that even A-rank players couldn't clear. It's only natural to think it's impossible for soone like .
If it were a normal dungeon, that is.
"Do you really need brute strength to clear a dungeon?"
"Huh?"
"Never mind. They say you should suffer while you're young, right?"
"Hahaha, I guess that's true. This old man has been too pragmatic."
"Then, I'll be on my way."
While chatting with the driver, we arrived at the dungeon entrance.
I handed him a card and paid.
As I opened the door to leave, the driver rolled down the window and waved.
"Good luck! Clear it so this old man can brag about it over drinks!"
Without waiting for a response, he closed the window and drove off.
He was quite a unique and talkative person, but I didn't mind him.
I wish my driver had been him instead of that rude guy.
Since it was a aningless thought, I walked toward the dungeon entrance.
The dungeon, Efnell's Garden, isn't owned by any guild or corporation, so anyone can enter as long as they apply.
That's why there were quite a few people gathered at the entrance.
They all had baskets strapped to their backs.
If it weren't for their auras, I might have mistaken them for herb gatherers.
Of course, not all of them had weak auras.
One person, in particular, had a strong aura. He was carrying a large basket, a small hatchet, and was wearing a neatly pressed school uniform.
'A school uniform...?'
A white shirt and black pants.
Over it, a red tie and a tailored jacket with a golden embroidered apple tree.
Anyone in this industry would recognize that uniform.
Because—
"—Why is a student from our school here?"
That uniform belongs to Seven Stars Academy.
Just to be sure, I activated my enhanced vision.
My pupils split vertically, and athyst light shimred.
[Demon Eyes].
My enhanced vision observed the material of the uniform.
The result: genuine. The uniform was definitely from Seven Stars Academy.
Seven Stars Academy's uniforms are enchanted with basic defensive and healing magic, making them difficult to counterfeit.
Moreover, the magic on the uniform seed fresh, so it wasn't borrowed or bought second-hand.
As I stared at the student's uniform, my gaze suddenly fell on the na tag.
Two characters are written in neat handwriting.
"Lee... Ji?"
Is the surna "Lee" and the na "Ji"?
Lee Ji. Quite a unique na.
Co to think of it, was there a na like that among the first-years?
I racked my brain but couldn't recall such a na. At the very least, it's certain that he's not an important supporting character.
At best, he's just an extra like .
"Ah, move! Get out of the way!"
Look at that, such an extra-like tone.
Lee Ji pushed through the line, using his uniform as a shield, and tried to cut in line to enter the dungeon.
He boasted about how he would clear the dungeon and how all the herbs inside would be his.
"...Hey, do you know who that rude kid is?"
"Can't you see? He's from Seven Stars Academy."
"Ah, the place where that incident happened."
"Seems like a troubled kid. Let's cut him so slack."
People's reactions to him were warm.
Perhaps because Seven Stars Academy students have been all over the dia lately, they let his bravado slide.
Well, even I thought he needed so warmth.
I closed my eyes for a mont and joined the line of people waiting to enter the dungeon.
If I pulled out my assistant instructor's license from my back pocket, I could cut in line like Lee Ji, but there was no need for that.
After all, clearing the dungeon wouldn't take much ti.
As I ditated with my eyes closed, my turn soon ca.
A blue rift shimred in the air.
When I reached out my hand, the system responded.
[Do you wish to enter the dungeon 'Efnell's Garden'?]
A blue window appeared before my eyes with [YES] and [NO].
Without a mont's hesitation, I pressed [YES], and my vision flickered.
***
Whoosh!
As my body floated, my mind montarily blurred.
When I opened my eyes, I was already inside the dungeon.
The strange sensation earlier must have been the process of entering the dungeon.
I imdiately surveyed my surroundings.
It was dark and damp all around.
Tap, tap!
When I knocked on the wall, the sound echoed throughout.
──Thud, thud, thud!
──Thud, thud!
"It's a cave."
Judging by the echoing sound, it seed like a fairly deep cave.
I ran my hand along the rocky wall to gauge my location. The air was humid, and the walls were damp.
'...Should I head outside first?'
I thought while looking deeper into the cave.
I roughly knew where this place was. If I went outside, I'd find myself in a dense forest or a wide field.
If that's the case, then this cave is a place I know.
Who would've thought I'd end up here?
"Lucky."
This cave is the most crucial location for clearing Efnell's Garden. If I wanted to, I could wake the creature deep inside and end the dungeon right now.
Should I grab the hidden piece and close the dungeon imdiately?
Or should I explore outside for useful materials?
As I pondered, I suddenly rembered sothing.
"Ah, right. If that academy student gets involved, it'll be a headache..."
What was his na again?
It was quite a unique na.
I don't have a habit of rembering people's nas, so I quickly forgot.
But when I recalled his small stature and the hatchet he carried, the na ca back to .
Lee Ji, yes, that was definitely the unique na.
'If I wake that creature here, Lee Ji will get caught up in it.'
Then, clearing the dungeon imdiately is out of the question.
At the very least, I need to ensure Lee Ji's safety first.
I can't afford to lose a student in such a place.
Having decided to head outside first, I conjured a fla in my palm.
Flicker!
The small fla left a trail like a laser as it scorched the ground. It was a marker made with my mana.
As I walked toward the cave entrance, I saw a bright light.
I closed my eyes tightly and looked outside to find a beautiful scene greeting .
The place was filled with all kinds of plants.
But don't imagine it as the Amazon or a dense rainforest.
This is a dungeon, a place where all sorts of unrealities converge.
The field was filled with all kinds of flowers, and the trees looked majestic, like sothing out of a ga. Beneath them, animals and insects were visible.
Snakes, toads, birds, and various other animals, not to ntion the bugs.
"Peaceful."
A gentle breeze greeted .
Above, warm sunlight shone down, and below, a beautiful and diverse ecosystem thrived. This dungeon didn't feel dangerous at all.
This is exactly how Efnell's Garden lures people to their deaths.
Step by step, I walked toward the field full of blooming flowers.
Just then, a flower swaying in the wind brushed against my foot.
──Whoosh!
In that instant, a blade of fire sliced through the flower that had touched my foot.
It was a flower I recognized from my mories. Like information about monsters, knowledge of the flora and fauna in this world is important, so I had studied various papers to acquire such knowledge.
It wasn't particularly dangerous.
Hmm, maybe I'm being too sensitive.
'But I can't help it. This dungeon could turn dangerous at any mont.'
People in this world, without knowledge of the original work, might not treat Efnell's dungeon as dangerous. But I know what this place is really like, so my reaction is inevitable.
As I walked through the field, I encountered the people I had seen earlier.
They were all engrossed in gathering plants.
So of the plants that grow here are special or sell for high prices, so players often co here to collect them.
Their goal isn't to clear the dungeon but to gather plants.
It's quite an amusing sight.
Players, who are supposed to explore and investigate dungeons, co here to gather plants and make money.
Well, considering that most players join guilds for money rather than a sense of sacrifice, it's perfectly natural.
I couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for them.
Leaving them behind, I continued walking through the field until I stopped in my tracks.
It was a secluded area. There, a single flower blood.
The brightly glowing flower seed to embody the expression "burning."
A flower that burns in the shape of a fla.
It truly took the form of fire.
The heat radiating from the flower ant there wasn't a single blade of grass around.
Only the fiercely burning fla existed.
"This is a rarer specin than I thought. How much could I sell it for if I took it?"
Among the plants I've read about in papers, this flower is considered rare. Its official scientific na is simply "Fla."
Quite an intuitive na, but despite its na, its value is significant.
Due to its nature as a fla, cultivating it is difficult, and propagation is nearly impossible.
Thus, the only way to obtain it is through natural growth, but its heat makes the surrounding area dry up, leaving only the flower behind, making it easy to spot.
Who would've thought I'd find it here?
I don't really need it, but should I take it?
Just as I thought that.
"Move, move! That's mine!"
At that mont, soone desperately hugged the fla.
They blocked anyone from collecting it with their body.
Though small, their body didn't catch fire.
That kid's behaviour might be unique, but they're still a student of Seven Stars Academy.
"Hey, you! I claid this flower first. No one else can have it!"
"Well, if you'd been standing next to it the whole ti, maybe. But suddenly shouting that it's yours and claiming ownership is a bit much."
"W-Well, I have no choice! To touch this flower, you have to pluck it."
In Lee Ji's grasp were several white flowers.
Naless wildflowers. Yet, their efficacy was remarkable.
Even I, who had studied nurous papers, found them unfamiliar.
Lee Ji casually crushed those plants in his hand.
Juice seeped from his grip, reducing the fla's intensity.
"Do you know a lot about plants?"
Given his expertise in botany, I wondered if he was a mage specializing in plants.
But the mana I felt from him was insufficient to be considered a mage. At best, it was below the average for his grade.
Then again, how did he acquire such knowledge?
Just then, Lee Ji spoke.
"If I tell you, will you give up on this?"
"Isn't that a bit too thuggish? A fla of that size would easily fetch at least 10 million won."
"Then I won't tell. I'm not interested in doing sothing that doesn't pay."
"Fine, I'm not interested in money anyway. Do as you please."
The wealth of the Cheonho Baek family is imnse.
Even if I don't know how much of it I can use, selling the fla wouldn't even make a dent in it.
As I gave up on the fla, Lee Ji's face lit up.
Whether he was naive or took my words at face value, Lee Ji collected the fla and put it in his pocket. In the process, I noticed the other plants he had gathered.
Among the various plants in his pocket, one with a particularly striking blue colour caught my eye.
Curious, I took a closer look and realized it was a Moondew Flower.
I've often given this flower as a gift to my master or teachers, so I recognized it imdiately.
Who would've thought this flower existed in the novel world too?
That must be quite expensive.
Regardless of my thoughts, Lee Ji put the fla in his pocket.
And stored it away.
"...?"
"Why do you keep staring? Is it because I didn't tell you?"
"I'm not particularly interested in your knowledge..."
"Then what? Are you asking for attention or sothing?"
I didn't have much interest in him.
My curiosity about his extensive knowledge of plants was fleeting.
But why is Lee Ji, who knows things even I don't, acting like this?
"Carrying the fla around for too long isn't a good idea."
"What, are you saying I might get burned? I know that. I've taken precautions."
"No, you'll get poisoned by the fla soon enough."
At my words, Lee Ji, who hadn't been paying much attention, suddenly turned his head.
His face showed not shock but disbelief.
What, did he really not know?
"Not burns, but poisoning? What do you see this as?"
"It's a fla."
"Right, a fla. A flower of pure fire that burns endlessly."
"At the sa ti, it's practically a crystallization of fire poison."
"...What?"
Lee Ji's face turned red and then pale.
Excited by this new information, Lee Ji leaned forward and passionately argued.
"That can't be. Poison? This is a paradise of dicinal herbs! It's Efnell's Garden!"
"Since when was paradise such a shady place?"
"What? What's shady about this place?"
"If you don't know, take a closer look around."
The surroundings were filled with greenery.
Grass, flowers, trees, and so on. The place was lush, with animal-type monsters frolicking about.
At first glance, it seed peaceful, but upon closer inspection, sothing was off. Dewdrops flowing along the leaves.
The mont they fell onto a flower.
Sizzle!
A burning sound, and a hole appeared in the petal.
Proof that the dew was poisonous.
"W-Why is there a hole...?"
"There's no such thing as a paradise-like dungeon. This place is a hell disguised as a garden."
"H-How do you know this...?"
What a pointless question.
I only know this vaguely because Eve kept talking about the novel, and since it's an unexplored dungeon, the major guilds are aware of it.
They just keep the information to themselves, hoping to be the first to clear it and gain fa.
"Anyway, never mind that."
Rustle, rustle!
I rummaged through my pocket.
The cards in my wallet.
Among them, I pulled out the card used as an ID within the academy.
I hadn't planned to take it out, but his tone was too grating.
"Show so respect to an assistant instructor, you rude brat."
I shoved the assistant instructor's ID close to Lee Ji's face.
Instantly, Lee Ji's expression turned to one of horror.
Because it's almost ti for performance evaluations.
While the professors handle the questions, the grading of essay questions is up to the assistant instructors.
You're done for now.
***
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