I come to Teles Village with a party. They're a C rank adventurer, who made the report about the dungeon's abnormality. Their name is Alan, Cindy, and Jack. On the way to the village, I ask them a few questions.
"Since when the abnormality started?"
"We don't know, but that day the monster changed."
"Changed?"
I've known the detail in the report from Adventure Guild, but I need to make sure I don't miss any details.
"Yeah, suddenly there are a lot of subspecies of slimes on the first floor. And the monster on the 2nd floor, Bat monsters disappeared and replaced by Hell Hound which emerges from the hole in the ground. Before the hole opened, there is a vibration inside the dungeon. When I asked for another adventure, they don't feel the vibration on the outside."
"I see."
The sudden change of the monster and too many subspecies monsters is rare to happen in the dungeon.
Usually, the monster never changed each floor.
But from my experience,there're a few cases where the monster run from the floor and go to another floor.
But we never arrived in the correct answer. This was because we never learn anything about the dungeon.
We only know to exploit the dungeon to become a source of money. We never do research to find the dungeon's truth. If the dungeon is dangerous, we will destroy it and block the entrance to avoid the monster to come out and prevent the adventurer from dive to the dungeon."
"Do you have know about the cause of anomaly?"
"I don't think so. We enter the dungeon, as usual, we never spotted something strange. It just like our normal day."
"I see. So you three enter the dungeon but unfortunately the anomaly occurs correct?"
"No, we enter with an extra person."
"Where is he?"
I need to find the detail of the event very carefully.
"He may still stay in the village."
"Why he not following you to the Capital?"
"He still a child, so he said he only loses his way in big Capital."
"Child?"
I got a bad feeling about this.
"Yeah, he was our slave. He is a very talented Support Role. He was perfect for our party to clear the dungeon. He was very good at using his sword and protect us when we were in danger. He heals our wounds too."
My premonition hits the marks.
But slave?
What happens?
I ask them about that child.
"Is he around 9 years old?
"Yeah, I think so."
"Is his left eye injured and wrapped by bandages?"
"Yes, you know him?"
One more thing to confirm.
"What is his hair color?"
"He has black hair."
It's him!!!!!!
He has the "Demon Lord" trait and enters the dungeon.
And when that happens, there was abnormality occurs.
Fufufu.
I will reveal your true face.
Prepare yourself.
"Woah, we left this village for a week huh?"
"Yeah, I want to conquer that dungeon immediately."
"Let's pick him up."
"Okay."
It seems they want to pick the child.
I wonder what kind of face will he show if he meets me?
I followed them to the ordinary store. We enter the store and greeted by old man storekeeper.
"Uncle Bernard, where is Vin?"
Ahhhh, I already confirm it.
No doubt.
"He already left this village the day after you left this village. He says he needs to continue his journey. He apologizes because he can't help you guys anymore."
"Whaaaaattt?!"
"Uhh so regretful. He is very suited to help us."
"Wait a minute, why a slave can go freely without his master?"
"Ah!!!"
They lost their composure and their eyes avoid my eye contact.
"You lied about slave thing isn't? Are you insane bringing a brat to the dungeon?!!!!"
"But he capable to do that."
"Even If he capable to fight, you need to consider it if you're adult!!?"
"We apologize. We know we are guilty, but he doesn't refuse our request."
"That what makes your failure as an adult!! You need to scold him and hold your desire!!!!"
"I'm sorry. Don't blame him."
Good grief. Even I hate that boy, but I won't let a child like him enter the dungeon carelessly.
This is very complicated.
I hate that boy very much, but I can't hate him because he is still immature.
Let's cast aside this feeling and focus on the problem here
"You need to reflect on your actions. Don't do that again in the future. Let's go to the dungeon directly."
"Okay."
They guide me while lamenting their fault.
At least they know they're wrong.
We go to dungeon Gate and finally reach the dungeon entrance. This dungeon looks like a regular cave.
"From there, I will enter alone. You wait here and warn the adventurers to stay away from the dungeon."
"Okay."
I enter the dungeon and reach the first floor.
I don't see the monster around here. I walked toward the door at the end of the path.
And that time ten slimes come out from the ground.
It has a blue color and size like normal slime. I let it attack me to confirm his species. But he only uses his body to attack me.No Acid, no Fire like the report said.
This is a normal dungeon.
Usually, the dungeon adjusts the monster with the adventurer's strength. If the adventurer is strong, the monster will become more than usual. I don't know why this happens though.
The adventurer guild recently started to study about the dungeon. And found that conclusion.
I go to the second floor effortlessly. And to open the door to the next floor is by activating the crystal.
But when I go to find crystal, I found a skeleton here and an adventurer's tag.
What an unfortunate adventurer.
I take the skeleton and put it in my storage pouch. I will tell Adventure Guild about this and find his identity.
I continue to activate the crystals and the Bat-like monster comes from the ceiling. I can't see it clearly, but I notice there is a lot of hole in the ceiling. I can't see it clearly because the ceiling is dark. The light on this floor only on the wall after all. Maybe they're hiding there.
This is normal too, no Hell Hound appeared.
I continue my investigation with low spirits. The monster here is very weak.
In 3rd floor, goblins come from the huts on the side of the path
On the 4th floor, kobold roaming in the dungeon floor.
On the 5th floor, the Goblin King already waiting for me. I finish him off easily.
But where the anomaly?!!
Maybe this is because of that boy.
But he already left this village before I arrived.
Was he already knows, he was the reason for the dungeon abnormality and left immediately?
What is his reason to go to dungeon in the first place?
Was he afraid about his misdeed exposed and left this village?
But Alan's party praises him and respect him.
The storekeeper also seems in good relation with that boy.
Was he actually innocent and left this village because he will make trouble in this village?
Arghhh, my head hurts.
I failed once again and left in disarray now.
I need to find him and ask him directly.
And the investigation is over.
'Dungeon abnormality already stopped and safe to the adventurer. The reason is unknown.'
I showed them the monster's corpse to prove it.
With this my investigations mission is complete.
I left the village alone and headed to Althea to make a report to Adventurer Guild.
I wonder should I tell Her Highness about this fact?
But I still don't know the boy's secret and true face.
I hate his "trait" but I don't hate him as a person.
Demon Lord was an evil existence who bring a lot of disaster to human. I couldn't help to think the boy was him.
That legend is widely known to the human side. So everyone who knows it will resent him if they found his trait isn't?
But If he doesn't have that trait, I willing to help him.
I feel pity for a child like him wandering alone in this vast world.
I will investigate him once again until I found out his secret and I would never give up.