In one corner of the town of Boltana stood a luxurious, grand inn that could easily be mistaken for a noble's mansion.
Normally, only those of high status—nobles, great merchants, and the like—were permitted inside. Yet late at night, a single girl was repeatedly bowing her head toward a tall man.
"Allen-san! Thank you so much for today! I'll keep working hard to be useful from now on!"
Each time she bowed, the large, glossy white robe she wore swayed gently.
"No, no—your growth has been remarkable. I'm relieved my judgment was correct. I've never seen an adventurer reach level 15 in less than two days!"
"I-It's all thanks to you, Allen-san! I haven't done anything…!"
The priest girl called Leanne looked terribly apologetic, fidgeting anxiously.
Allen spoke to her gently in response.
"This result comes from your extraordinary talent and effort. We are comrades. I will not hold back in supporting you. Tomorrow, shall we venture deeper into the dungeon?"
Leanne's large eyes sparkled at his words.
"Yes! I'll do my best!"
"That's the spirit. It's late now, so rest well and prepare for tomorrow."
"Yes! Good night!"
Leanne bowed deeply once more and hurried out of the room.
After watching her leave, a short while passed before another woman entered.
"Ah, Eris. Is something the matter?"
Eris, one of Allen's party members, held the position of holy knight—a shield role.
Like Leanne, she possessed the rare level cap of 80 and was likewise an S-rank adventurer.
Her massive shield provided an ironclad defense that blocked virtually any monster attack, stabilizing the party's battles.
Right now, however, she had removed her armor and wore a simple white shirt with a long skirt—everyday clothes.
In this attire, she looked nothing like someone from a blood-soaked world; she was simply a beautiful woman with long red hair.
Eris sat on the sofa in the room, arms crossed, eyes closed.
"The king sent another message. He's asking how the search for the 'key' is progressing."
"Good grief. We're doing our best, yet His Majesty is quite impatient."
Allen sat in a high-backed chair adorned with fine inlay—worthy of a noble's residence—and muttered with a wry smile.
There was a reason Allen's S-rank party was staying in Boltana.
But it was not simply for monster subjugation, as the town's adventurers rumored.
It was a direct request from the king of Cretia, who ruled this land.
The task: to search for the "key" said to exist somewhere in the deepest layer of one of the dungeons scattered across Cretia.
What exactly this "key" was, or what it was used for, had not been explained to Allen and the others.
Yet there was a clear reason they had accepted such a vague commission.
The offered reward: a peerage and territory.
It was an extravagant prize no amount of adventuring and gold could ever buy.
(But it really is strange…)
Allen pondered once more.
If the king suddenly offered such a reward to adventurers, the other nobles of Cretia would never stay silent.
That meant the "key" held value great enough to silence them.
(It stands to reason that the "key" has some use that brings benefits far outweighing a mere peerage or territory.)
In that case, seizing it directly would yield far greater profit than accepting the king's reward.
That was what Allen believed.
"So how long do you plan to keep spoiling that girl?"
"There's no need to rush, Eris. Very few adventurers besides us can handle the lower-layer monsters. There's no point in forcing the pace."
Until now, Allen's party had lacked a dedicated healer.
They had managed without one.
But the dungeons around Boltana were different.
Compared to others, the number of monsters was abnormally high.
The closer to the lower layers, the more monsters appeared, blocking intruders as if guarding something.
The labyrinth's scale was unknown, and its nature defied expectations—far more challenging than anticipated.
They had entered the lower layers to explore, but prolonged battles drained their potions, forcing them to retreat midway.
To solve this, Allen sought a healer.
Yet no healer with sufficient ability could be found.
Then, by chance while visiting the Adventurers' Guild, he discovered Leanne: high level cap, three priest-class skills.
When Allen negotiated, she followed along eagerly.
From then on, the plan shifted: support her leveling while steadily exploring.
And truthfully, Allen felt no urgency.
Why?
Because almost every adventurer currently in Boltana could not even reach the mid-layers, let alone the lower ones.
"But if we wait days for her to grow stronger, the search for the 'key' will fall behind. Balzaak's group might find it first."
The king had apparently given the same order to multiple S-rank parties besides Allen's.
Balzaak's party had also been summoned by the king.
"One won't make a difference. In the end, as long as it ends up in our hands, that's all that matters."
According to what the king of Cretia had told them, three keys existed within the kingdom's territory.
Eris was right—Balzaak was an S-rank like them, another troublesome rival under royal command.
Yet Allen had no intention of losing to him.
Balzaak's party should lack a healer as well. They could not go as deep.
Moreover, their infamous reputation meant few would willingly join them in Boltana.
"Any new information?"
"Nothing yet. Balzaak's group headed west. The eastern 'Verdant Labyrinth' remains untouched. Yesterday, the guild was in a panic over a mid-layer monster appearing in the upper layers."
"If they're making a fuss over a mere mid-layer monster, they'll never reach the lower layers."
"For now, it seems no one has."
Just as Allen had predicted.
(In any case, in the end, everything will belong to me.)
With that thought, Allen gazed out the window at the night view of the town.