The Retired [Armed Merchant]’s Laid-back Journey Across the Continent 41

Chapter 41: The Rip-off Artist Delves into the Dragon’s Lair.

“I see, so this is a job for me.”

The Goral Mountain Labyrinth, a dragon’s lair.

To humanity, it would be an undiscovered dungeon, but it might be better if it remains undiscovered.

The moment Genobar’s magic teleported me to the entrance, I realized that.

The atmosphere is different.

Different from any dungeon I’ve ever entered.

Even before entering, my body unconsciously sensed danger, and I’ve become a little oversensitive.

“My legs are trembling.”

“Well, you can tell, can’t you?”

“How could I not? Drakes and other things are wandering around the mountain, and the presence from inside is even more dangerous. Even if we found it, it’s not a place for adventurers to delve into.”

I gave a small nod to the wryly smiling ‘Transporter’.

“I think this is a job worthy of buying me.”

“Well, Hakusha guarantees a fair price for it. I’m counting on you.”

“Yeah. I’m off.”

On the side of the huge mountain, I walked towards a hole that was gaping open in a place that looked like a sheer cliff.

The dragon that used this place as its lair is probably gone, but lower-class dragons that are its kin often gather in the lairs of colored-scale dragons.

There’s a decent chance of encountering wyverns, drakes, and worms.

All of them are monsters that should not be engaged.

I flicked my fingers lightly and cast Sneak Foot, Blur Disguise, and Deodorize in order.

These concealment spells are used by many armed merchants who are skilled in magic, and they are the basics of the basics, but they only affect oneself.

Therefore, the magic scrolls with these spells written on them sold like hotcakes in the dungeon.

Of course, I ripped them off.

“This is no time for idle thoughts.”

After proceeding through the limestone cave-like interior for a while, I encountered the first monster and muttered to myself.

In terms of the Alanis Great Labyrinth index, a monster that is only seen in the middle levels and beyond was there.

The creature, which walked with a slapping sound, was extremely creepy and hard to describe.

If I had to say, it was like a large, pure white slug that walked on four thick legs.

It had no head, but instead a large vertical crack where its neck should be… from which a bright red oral cavity peeked out.

It’s a dangerous magical beast called a ‘Licking Lips’.

It’s often encountered in cave-like locations, and even though it’s as big as a bear, it can hang from the ceiling or run on the walls.

I’ve encountered it several times in my active days… it’s as creepy as ever.

I hid myself and waited for it to pass.

This monster has no eyes, but it seems to have rather sharp sensory organs, and if I move, there’s a high probability that it will notice me.

“…”

The ‘Licking Lips’ licked its long, thin red tongue, surveying the area.

It hasn’t noticed me, but it might have sensed something.

—Should I kill it?

The moment I made that decision, the ‘Licking Lips’ walked away in the opposite direction of my path, making a slapping sound.

Relieved that I had avoided trouble, I started walking through the dungeon again.

It’s a dungeon with no map, but the structure is simple.

There’s a mortar-shaped crater in the center of the mountain, with several holes in its walls.

They are caves… and anyway, all I have to do is walk downwards.

I heard that the dragon fossils are in the lowest area.

It would have been nice if the white-scaled dragon Hakusha had explained in more detail, but he probably doesn’t want his parent dragon’s lair to be disturbed.

Originally, he probably wouldn’t have even let a stranger like me in.

The reason he asked me is because there’s something that can only be obtained here.

The ‘Dragon Scale Mushroom’ and the ‘Red Gentian’ are both rare items that are hard to come by anywhere else, and they are ingredients for powerful potions.

I don’t know why Hakusha wants them, but the direct client is the ‘Transporter’.

I’m curious about the reason, but for now, I have to complete the request.

“Well, then. Hmm, this is dangerous.”

When I came out of the cave and saw the crater, I sighed at the fact that one of my plans had become impossible.

I thought about going directly down the crater, but there were fire-eating birds flying around, and some kind of large, unknown monster was stuck to the walls.

It seems it’s better to avoid a sloppy shortcut.

It seems I have no choice but to enter a nearby cave and aim for the lower levels little by little.

As expected of a dungeon.

I have to take my hat off to how well-made it is in these aspects.

I walked through the intricate caves, grumbling silently in my heart.

Perhaps the lower-ranking dragonians or lizardmen lived here.

The dungeon created in this Goral Mountain is rather straightforward.

It’s more like a huge palace than a dungeon.

Aside from the monsters that live here, there’s none of the irrationality of the dungeons I know. In fact, you can see glimpses of the straightforwardness and convenience of a home here and there.

I think the dragon that used this place as its lair was rather considerate of its subordinates.

After all, it even went to the trouble of building a descending staircase.

“Well, I’ve come down quite a way. I should be able to find it soon, but…?”

I didn’t see anything like it in the crater.

That means it must be somewhere in this cave.

I looked around, lightly searching with the magic I had lit at my fingertips.

“…!”

After walking for a while, avoiding monsters, I finally seemed to have found what I was looking for.

In a place illuminated by the sun shining through a small gap, a cluster of red flowers was growing.

From the shape of the petals, there’s no doubt, it’s the ‘Red Gentian’.

“It took a little while, but that’s one for now.”

Letting my guard down like that was careless.

With a small vibration, something slithered out from the muddy ground.

And then another, and another.

“Carnictis?! Ah, damn it…! Of course, they’d be here!”

I drew my short sword and took a step back.

Dragon parasites that have grown large in the mud warmed by geothermal heat.

At this size, there’s no point in being a parasite, so they just attack animals.

Of course, that includes me.

“Before I pick the flowers, it’s time for a little cleaning.”

With a wry smile, I lit a magical light at my fingertips.