Morning had arrived, sunlight entering Elara's inn, penetrating the window and illuminating the dining room downstairs. Saphire was already sitting at the table, enjoying a simple yet delicious breakfast prepared by Elara—warm bread with fruit jam, thick soup, and warm herbal tea.
"Elara," Saphire began as she sipped her tea, "please tell Aria later. If I'm not here, take her to some physical training. It doesn't have to be anything heavy, just keep up her habits."
Elara, who was wiping the table, smiled and nodded. "Of course, Saphire. I'll make sure she stays motivated. Aria is a quick learner."
Saphire nodded slightly, feeling a little relieved. After finishing her meal, she put on her gear and walked out of the inn, preparing to head to the guild to look for a new mission.
However, just a few steps from the inn door, a voice called out to her. "Miss Saphire!!"
Saphire turned her head, seeing a girl with dusk-colored hair and emerald-green eyes running towards her. It was Isolde, the girl she had saved yesterday from the bandit attack.
Saphire frowned slightly, surprised by the unfamiliar "Ma'am" call. But she decided to ignore it. "Isolde? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the magic academy right now? Morning lessons are usually held at this time, right?"
Isolde stopped in front of Saphire, her breath a little short from running. "Ah, no, I haven't started school at the magic academy yet. Classes don't start until next week. So, I want to take advantage of this time."
"Take advantage of the time for what?" Saphire asked, looking at her suspiciously.
"To find a teacher," Isolde answered in a firm voice. "I need someone who can teach me self-defense. And I want Ma'am Saphire to be my teacher."
Saphire tilted her head, confused. "Why me? Shouldn't you focus on magic? Besides, there are plenty of other martial arts instructors in this city."
Isolde lowered her head slightly, holding the hem of her dress tightly. "I do need to master magic. But… I realize that I am weak, especially in terms of self-defense. When I saw you fight yesterday, I felt both admiration and envy. If I had even a little bit of ability like you, I wouldn't have just stood there when our carriage was attacked."
Saphire was silent for a moment, trying to process the request. "Then, what are your plans? Self-defense is not something easy, especially if you also have to learn magic."
"I know," Isolde looked at Saphire with determination. "But I am ready to work hard. I will manage my time well. And… as for pay, I can make sure you get a decent salary."
Saphire crossed her arms, smiling slightly. "Hmph, salary, huh? How much are you offering?"
Isolde mentioned the amount that made Saphire's eyebrows raise slightly. It was quite a large amount, even more than the average income of an A-rank adventurer for a low-risk mission.
"Very well," Saphire finally said. "I will teach you, but on one condition: you must be completely serious. I will not waste my time if you are only half-hearted."
Isolde nodded quickly. "Sure! I promise I'll be serious."
"Then, we'll start tomorrow morning. Come to Elara's Inn. I'll be waiting for you there," Saphire said before continuing her steps towards the guild.
Isolde smiled broadly, looking relieved. "Thank you, Miss Saphire! I won't disappoint you."
Saphire just waved without looking back.
After her conversation with Isolde, Saphire hurried towards the guild, passing through the crowded markets, children playing together, and parents chatting. Not long after that, Saphire arrived in front of the guild.
Saphire walked into the guild with slow steps. On the mission board, various task sheets were displayed, ranging from escort requests to hunting certain monsters. However, none of them caught her interest. All the missions felt too easy or not challenging for an A-rank adventurer like her, then she just remembered that there was a dungeon, but she didn't know much about the details about it.
Feeling out of choice, Saphire approached the reception desk. A young woman in a guild uniform greeted her with a polite smile. "Good morning, Miss Saphire. How may I help you?"
Saphire placed her hand on the reception desk. "I looked at the quests on the board, but there wasn't anything interesting. So, I would like to ask—is it okay for an A-rank adventurer like me to explore the dungeon alone?"
The receptionist seemed a little surprised to hear the question. She stared at Saphire for a moment, then answered in a cautious tone, "Yes, Miss Saphire. But only for A-rank adventurers and above. That's because the dungeon has a much higher level of danger compared to the regular areas. Even the monsters on the first floor of the dungeon are usually twice as strong as the monsters outside. So, we can't let you go alone adventurers of lower ranks face that much risk."
Saphire nodded slowly, trying to understand the policy. "Then, are there any other rules regarding dungeons? For example, about items found inside?"
The receptionist smiled. "Of course. One of the great advantages of exploring dungeons is that all items found by adventurers inside become their property. They are free to take them out, use them, or sell them to the guild for a decent price. Some adventurers have even made great fortunes just from exploring dungeons."
Saphire's eyes lit up at that explanation. "Interesting. So, there are no other restrictions besides adventurer rank?"
"Correct," the receptionist replied. "But we always advise adventurers not to explore alone, even if they meet the requirements. Dungeons are unpredictable places, and working together as a team will increase their chances of survival."
Saphire glanced at the quest board once more, then turned back to the receptionist. "Then, I need some information about the dungeons around here. Do you have any recommendations?"
The receptionist took out a map and pointed out the location of the nearest dungeon. "This dungeon is located about half a day's journey north. It's not too big, but it's still dangerous. We advise Miss Saphire to be careful if she decides to go there."
Saphire nodded and filed the information away in her mind. "Alright, thank you for the information. If I decide to go, I'll make sure to return safely."
The receptionist smiled. "May good luck be with you, Miss Saphire. If you need anything, feel free to come back here."
Saphire left the guild with her mind already planning her next move.
Saphire exited the guild, her hand clutching the map the receptionist had given her. The morning sun shone brightly, the fresh air filling her lungs, giving her renewed vigor. She looked north, where the dungeon was located, and said softly to herself, "Why do the main characters in movies or novels always choose the next day to leave? Why don't they leave right away? I don't understand what they were thinking."
Without hesitation, Saphire decided to head straight for the dungeon. She returned to the inn briefly to grab supplies and make sure Aria was in safe hands with Elara. After confirming everything, she tied the sheath of her katana around her waist and began her journey.
***
The journey to the dungeon passed through a dense forest. Trees towered on either side, creating a natural canopy that filtered the sunlight. Saphire walked at a steady pace, her eyes always alert. She knew that this terrain could be a hiding place for wild creatures.
Along the way, she heard the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves. Once, she saw a deer leaping in the distance, disappearing into the bushes. But, there were no signs of danger so far.
As the time began to approach noon, Saphire stopped for a moment by a small river. She took a sip of water from her bottle, then washed her face with the cold river water. "At least, this journey isn't too bad," she muttered as she looked at the calm flow of the water.
After resting for a while, she continued on her journey. The closer she got to the dungeon, the rockier and rougher the terrain became. Wild plants began to grow thicker, and several times she had to cut small branches with her katana to get through.
Half a day of travel finally brought Saphire to the entrance of the dungeon. A large cave mouth opened before her, dark and mysterious. A cold wind came out of it, as if welcoming anyone brave enough to enter.
Saphire stood in front of the cave door, staring into the darkness with a faint smile. "Alright, dungeon. Show me what you've got."
With confident steps, she stepped inside, letting the darkness swallow her. Her right hand gripped the hilt of her katana, ready for whatever was to come.