The atmosphere in the Adventurers' Guild lobby remained gripped by tension, even though the remains of the monsters had long since vanished into dust. Keyzier, standing calmly before the reception desk, continued his report as if nothing extraordinary had happened. To him, facts were facts, and he simply wanted to conclude his report as quickly as possible.
"Aside from those monsters," Keyzier's voice broke the silence, "we also discovered that this dungeon provides immediate rewards once the floor guardian is defeated. We conducted two trials to confirm the drop pattern."
Keyzier reached into his inventory. A faint magical glow appeared for a moment before he placed two items onto the sturdy wooden table: a wooden magic staff embedded with a ruby-red crystal that radiated warmth, and a suit of gleaming silver light armor that appeared both elegant and durable.
"This magic staff," Keyzier pointed out, "only responds to fire-element magic users based on our tests. Without a fire affinity, this staff is nothing more than an expensive piece of wood. As for this silver armor..." He glanced at Donovan, who was leaning against a nearby pillar. "We've decided to keep it. This armor is perfect for high mobility, so Novan will be the one wearing it."
Bella, finally regaining her composure, stared at the staff with professional, sparkling eyes. "And what about the fire-element staff? Do you intend to keep that as well?"
Keyzier gave a casual shrug. "I'm not sure. None of our team members focus entirely on pure fire magic. Is the guild interested in buying it? Or perhaps there's a collector or another adventurer here brave enough to offer a high price?"
Bella immediately began scribbling on her official parchment. "We will have our artifact experts conduct an evaluation first. Once the price is determined, we will report back to you. Items from wild dungeons like this usually hold fantastic value."
Keyzier nodded and moved on to the most crucial detail. He recounted the two mysterious doors that appeared after the Black Werewolf fell. He explained how the first door served as a shortcut out of the cave, while the second led to an impossible dimension: a vast expanse of grassland with its own sky, hidden deep underground.
"We didn't have the chance to investigate what kind of monsters inhabit those grasslands." Keyzier added honestly. "We didn't bring enough supplies, and we preferred to report these findings first before venturing any further."
Hearing the report of a "world inside a cave", the surrounding adventurers could only listen from a distance, swallowing hard. The physical evidence of magical items and the testimony regarding space-time manipulation were more than enough to prove that the cave in Treeze Forest was a High-Level Dungeon.
"We will report these findings to the Guild Master and the Sovereign of the Amsavedra Region immediately." Bella said solemnly. "The discovery of an active dungeon this close to a settlement is an emergency priority. And don't worry, as the first discoverers, Party Noiver is entitled to a significant reward and royalties for opening this exploration route."
In a short time, the guild issued an official decree: Treeze Forest was declared a Red Zone.
No adventurer below Rank B was permitted to approach the cave entrance without special authorization.
News of the dungeon discovery by Party Noiver spread like wildfire across Verna City. In taverns, markets, and even in the ears of the nobility, the names of Keyzier and his companions became the primary topic of conversation.
However, beneath the admiration, a sense of dread lingered. Reports of a Black Werewolf capable of using two elements simultaneously made many adventurers reconsider trying their luck there. They realized that while the rewards were tempting, their lives might not be enough to pay the price.
Party Noiver's popularity was also fueled by something else. Beyond their strength, the presence of Evaliza, the Elven archer with beauty rivaling a forest goddess, became a magnet for attention. Many people purposely waited in front of the Adventurers' Guild just to catch a glimpse of her beautiful face.
Eventually, the echoes of the news crossed city borders, climbing the high towers of the regional government until it reached the ears of the Duke who ruled Amsavedra. The Duke, a man known to be hungry for information regarding new powers, was deeply intrigued. Having already wished to meet Party Noiver, he immediately ordered his adjutant to arrange a meeting with them as soon as possible.
While the city was in an uproar because of them, Party Noiver chose to "disappear" from the public eye for a while. They decided not to take any missions for a few days, focusing instead on training their respective abilities at their inn.
Their main focus was Evaliza, specifically improving her healing magic.
"Focus on your mana flow, Liza. Don't just think about the physical wound. Imagine the body's cells knitting themselves back together." Keyzier instructed in a voice that was soft yet firm.
In the quiet common room, Evaliza sat on her knees, attempting to cast a mid-tier healing spell on Keyzier's hand, which he had intentionally wounded. Keyzier sat right beside her, observing every flicker of green light emanating from her palms. With immense patience, Keyzier guided her, correcting the smallest details in her mantra articulation.
Slowly but surely, the wound on Keyzier's hand closed perfectly. The green glow faded, leaving behind clean skin without a single scar. Evaliza exhaled in relief, her face radiating joy because she had finally mastered the mid-tier level.
"I... I did it, Key!" Evaliza exclaimed excitedly. She hurried to stand up to celebrate her success.
However, in her excitement, she failed to notice what was in front of her. She lost her balance after tripping over the leg of a wooden table. "Kyaa!"
By reflex, Keyzier moved lightning-fast. Before Evaliza's body could hit the floor, his strong arms were wrapped around her waist, pulling her into a warm embrace to support her weight.
Time seemed to slow down.
Evaliza was stunned, her face only inches away from Keyzier's chest. She could feel his calm, steady heartbeat. Slowly, she looked up, and their eyes met.
In Evaliza's eyes, Keyzier's face, looking down at her with an expression of worry, appeared absolutely perfect. The afternoon sunlight streaming through the window cast a golden silhouette over his hair and jawline.
He... besides being kind and strong, he's actually very handsome. Evaliza thought. Her heart began to race, far faster than it ever did while fighting monsters. I feel so safe and comfortable being this close to him.
Evaliza froze as a foreign yet warm feeling began to well up in her chest. Wait... am I falling for him? No! This can't be possible! He's a human, and I'm an Elf... But my feelings can't lie. I'm certain, I've truly fallen for him!
Evaliza's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. It felt as if the world had stopped between the two of them. She slowly closed her eyes, soaking in this rare, romantic moment.
But a flat voice shattered everything.
"Liza..." Keyzier's voice reached her ears, but his tone was anything but romantic. "How long are you planning to lean on my chest like this? Are you a little kid? You do realize you're heavy, right? My arms are starting to ache."
Whack!
A hard punch landed squarely in Keyzier's stomach, causing the man to hunch over, coughing as he lost his breath.
"Ouch! What was that for?!" Keyzier protested while clutching his pained stomach.
Evaliza stood tall, her face fuming with both anger and embarrassment. "You dense idiot! Your sensitivity is below rock bottom! You completely ruined the mood! You've put me in a terrible mood! Keyzier, you moron, just go die already!"
Stomping her feet against the floor, Evaliza ran out of the room and slammed her bedroom door shut.
Keyzier remained there, rubbing his stomach with a look of utter confusion. "What did I do wrong? I was just telling the truth, wasn't I? Women... they're so hard to understand."
In another corner of the room, Novalia and Donovan, who had been watching the whole ordeal, could only facepalm in unison. They sighed in resignation at just how "blind" their leader was to a woman's feelings.
Meanwhile, behind her closed door, Evaliza leaned her back against the wood, clutching her thumping chest. Her face was still as red as a tomato. She never expected that amidst the dangers of dungeons and the harsh world of adventuring, she would fall for the charm of such an incredibly dense human man.