"Expedition? What are you talking about?"
I asked the fairy.
[Master is ordering for an exploration. That's why you're called this morning.]
She replied.
"Are you telling us ahead what the mission of our trial is going to be? You never did that before."
Shanny said to the warden, tasked to relay master's orders and the management of the forged land.
"We did exploration missions on the sixth and the seventh floor."
Jonah commented.
"Those missions took a while to be done. We should bring some supply with us."
Trudy pointed out.
"Shall I run to the storage and grab the dry rations miss Pauline had prepared?"
Darius asked.
Hearing we talked about the trial, the fairy shook her head.
[No, no! You're not going to a floor in the Main Dungeon! You will be heading into an Exploration Dungeon!]
She exclaimed.
Her words definitely silenced us.
"Exploration Dungeon?"
I repeated.
[Take this with you! It's your allowance for your travel.]
The fairy said handing me the pouch with golden coins, about more than twenty.
I recognized the pattern on the medallions. It was similar to the gold pieces used as currency in ancient Dunia, which was about more than three thousand years ago.
"Why would we need money in the dungeon?"
I asked again.
[Just enter the rift and you'll see for yourself.]
We knew it was no use trying to interrogate the fairy at that point.
The fairy had grown an affinity toward us in Party 1, those who won the trials.
But it was wise not to test the limit of her cordiality.
My comrades and I then stepped into the shining stone gate on the first floor square and found ourselves standing inside the familiar mirrored chamber.
Though this time, the place was actually not as familiar as it used to be.
All three mirrors in the chamber had glowed up.
[Climb the tower and save the world!]
[Main Dungeon]
[Floor conquered - 10 -]
-
-
-
[Weekday Dungeon]
[An ever-changing dungeon's feast!]
[Collect various materials!]
[Isralta Mine (8 hours)]
In the beginning, before we even climbed the first floor, only the mirror of the Main Dungeon was glowing. The furthest one on the left.
Through this mirror that we entered the tower's trials.
After we climbed the fifth floor, our first Quintal Trial, the mirror of the Weekday Dungeon began to glow up. The one on the center.
This particular mirror granted us access to three places where we could gather food and precious resources.
Since the Weekday Dungeon was made available to us by clearing the first Quintal Trial, I had suspected another new facility of some kind would be available once we cleared the second one.
This time, the completion of the tenth floor caused the mirror on the furthest right to start glowing, the last one.
[Exploration Dungeon]
[Obtain various rare items!]
[Available Area - Damai -]
Exploration Dungeon.
I supposed the place would offer something that would benefit the lobby the way the Weekday Dungeon did.
How exactly, we would see in a few moments.
But my mind was currently focused on a particular word written on the mirror.
Damai.
What did the mirror mean by 'Damai?' My home was destroyed when I got here.
Then again, Loro must had been destroyed as well by then, but I was walking through the city few days ago.
In that case, since master was sending us to the Exploration Dungeon, would I be really returning home?
Would I find an intact Damai or the destroyed land that I left?
Or something different? Either slightly or entirely.
Suddenly the familiar bluish-white light was enveloping me.
I was so immersed in my thoughts that I was surprised by the deployment.
The light engulfed our surroundings completely we found ourselves within the clear white dimension.
Soon the light dissipated and a view was forming in front of me.
Rolling grass plains with a grand dirt road stretching through the center.
Wagons, carts, people on horseback, and people on foot were steadily streaming down the path under the peaceful clear blue sky.
They were all heading toward the great circle of ivory walls which stood even higher than Loro's.
Watchtowers bannered with a black and white flags of a clouded sun dotted the glimmering gigantic stone fence.
The tops of intact buildings could be seen edging beyond the walls. Even further there could be found another layer of ivory fence, which still kept another row beyond it.
And to the furthest horizon, towering even the three layers of walls, rose a castle with black and white spires, sitting majestically under the golden sun.
Even from afar I could make out the castle's entire frame and recognized what the structure stood for.
It took everything that I had to stop tears from welling up my eyes upon this terribly familiar sight.
But I doubted I looked composed struggling to do that.
Thankfully the mission window appeared before us and seized my comrades' attention before they could notice my expression.
[Party 1 is beginning exploration!]
[Exploration Location – Damai]
[Time Remaining Until Return – 48:00:00]
[Tips/Heroes' stay can be extended with Dungeon Depth Research. Heroes then can be requested to collect certain items.]
My comrades stared at each other after they read through the hovering window.
"Just like the fairy said. Exploration."
Shanny stated.
"Two days until we could go back. No wonder she said it was an expedition."
Darius said.
Trudy threw her gaze to the ivory walls in the distance with a huge smile on her face.
"I would not mind spending two days in that beautiful city over there. Where exactly are we, though? I know the window said Damai. But where in the region?"
Jonah formed a frown, staring at me.
"Damai region. Serafina, isn't Damai your…"
He let his words trailed off when he saw my smile.
I placed myself between my comrades and the city.
With an elegant flourish of my hand, I presented them our area of exploration.
"The capital of Damai region, home to the Zeref family, and the place of my birth. Everyone, welcome to Seraphold!"