"Xyros."
"Then I'll call you that."
After the brief introduction, the half-elf girl stood up from behind the Guild counter and led Xyros toward the lounge area at the side of the main hall.
Before starting the formal discussion, Eina fetched two cups of hot black tea from the counter.
She placed one in front of Xyros, her smile relaxed. "Sorry, we only have black tea here at the Guild. If you don't like it plain, you can add some sugar."
"Thank you."
"This… doesn't cost extra, right?"
Thinking of the consultation fee he'd soon have to pay, Xyros asked the young woman sitting across from him, who was taking an elegant sip of her tea, with utmost seriousness.
He needed to avoid the embarrassment of not having enough money and needing Hestia to bail him out later.
Eina's smile grew even brighter upon hearing this. "Don't worry, it's a staff perk here at the Guild."
"And you are most likely going to be an adventurer under my care, so I do have a bit of authority in this regard."
The corners of her eyes crinkled into a pleasant curve. Her clear, water-like eyes sparkled with a hint of playful cunning. "So, let's get back to your questions."
"Mr. Xyros."
"The Dungeon is far more dangerous than you imagine. I hope you'll take what follows very seriously."
"Of course."
Xyros nodded earnestly, then added, "A truly qualified adventurer isn't measured by how strong they are, but by their ability to return safely from the Dungeon."
In an Orario where adventurers were constantly chasing after greater power, this was the first time Eina had heard such a refreshingly different perspective. She adjusted her sitting posture slightly, placed her teacup back on the table, and looked at him with curiosity.
"So that's why you're being so cautious?"
"Maybe I'm just scared of dying."
Xyros shrugged with a smile. Even though Hestia was easy to get along with, it was impossible not to feel a bit reserved when actually talking to her.
After all, she was a deity.
An ordinary human couldn't lie in front of a god. What if she started digging into his origins?
If his identity as a transmigrator were exposed… Hestia might be okay, but what if the bored, thrill-seeking gods of Orario found out about the existence of other worlds?
He couldn't even imagine how crazy those gods, bored out of their minds, would become.
"You… are quite honest."
Eina couldn't help but let out a light, amused laugh. But she also saw in Xyros a contradiction different from other adventurers.
He was worried about the dangers of the Dungeon, yet he still wanted to become an adventurer.
After the brief rapport was established, she got straight to the point.
The safe zone of the Dungeon was called the "Starting Path." A wide spiral staircase led down into the subterranean caverns, spacious enough to accommodate thousands.
Immediately following that was the area known as the Upper Floors, spanning from the 1st to the 12th floor.
The monster distribution in the shallower floors was fairly standard: mostly Goblins, Kobolds, Dungeon Lizards, and the like. The overall danger level was relatively low.
Even an ordinary adult male with a weapon could handle them.
It wasn't until the 5th floor that there was a chance of encountering an elite monster called the "War Shadow." With its high mobility and killing power, it was known as a "newbie killer."
As one ventured deeper, the danger increased exponentially.
For example, the insect monster Killer Ant, with its hard shell, would call for reinforcements when in danger, potentially even triggering a "Monster Parade."
There were also monsters like Blue Moths, Purple Moths, Imps, and many others.
Compared to the somewhat sparse descriptions in the original work, Eina's explanations were far more detailed, allowing Xyros to absorb the information quickly.
For a new adventurer, knowing this much was more than sufficient.
After all, burdened with the anomalies caused by the "Dungeon's Hatred," rushing to the deeper floors would be nothing short of gambling with his life.
Finally, he looked at Eina across from him and asked once more, "If I encounter a sudden, unexpected situation in the Dungeon, what should I do?"
"It's simple."
The girl paused, her expression turning utterly serious. "Run."
"Get away from the monsters' pursuit, leave the area where the anomaly occurred. That kind of situation is absolutely not something a new adventurer can handle."
But then, Eina's expression softened into a smile.
"However, you can relax. At least in the past two years, I haven't heard of any such sudden incidents occurring."
"…"
'They're probably going to start happening a lot more often from now on.'
Xyros kept his expression neutral while adding this thought internally. The full extent of the variables the "Dungeon's Hatred" would introduce to his explorations was still unknown.
It seemed the only way to get a clearer answer was to actually go down there.
He gave a firm nod. "Thank you for the explanation, Miss Eina. At least now, I have a basic understanding of the monsters on the upper floors."
"Not at all."
"It's part of my job."
She hadn't expected Xyros to be so formal. Eina quickly waved her hand, her impression of Xyros, polite in speech and manner, with a touch of dark humor growing more favorable.
She offered a kind reminder, "The Dungeon really is dangerous. Please don't push yourself too hard."
"I'll be careful."
After finishing the tea in his cup, Xyros didn't plan to linger at the Guild any longer. Mainly, he'd asked everything he needed to.
Regarding intelligence on "Dungeon anomalies," as a regular staff member, Eina's information was naturally limited.
However, based on the original Danmachi story, the Floor Boss Bell encountered on the 17th floor, the Black Goliath, was itself a product of such an anomaly.
'Surely I won't be running into monsters of that caliber every time, right?'
Leaving the Adventurer's Guild headquarters, Xyros retraced his steps along the street back to the "Hephaestus Arms Branch Shop." He didn't even have to wait; he spotted a familiar, distinctive figure right away.
The girl's frame was currently struggling with a bundled-up set of equipment.
Noticing Xyros's arrival, Hestia immediately waved. An air of dependable composure was plastered on her youthful face, a maturity that was clearly feigned.
"Xyros!"
"I've found a temporary Familia home! Including daily necessities and everything."
As if remembering something, she added, trying to solidify the image of a mature goddess: "How did it go at the Guild? Did you talk with the staff?"
"I've got a handle on the floor monsters."
"As for the specifics… the changes the 'Dungeon's Hatred' might cause, I'll need to actually go there to get a rough idea."
Xyros didn't hide it.
Worst case, he could just grind on the 1st floor. Surely, even under the relentless pressure of the damned Dungeon, he wouldn't run into something like a "Goblin Chieftain" from some anime?
Thinking of Hestia's concern for him, he added, "If I encounter an inescapable danger, running is a perfectly valid tactical retreat."
"That's the right attitude."
The goddess nodded, giving it her stamp of approval.
She looked up at Xyros, who was half a head taller than her, her confident tone tinged with excitement. "But don't worry. Before you set off on your Dungeon exploration…"
"I've already found you a mentor."