endless path, infinite cosmos

chapter 19

Vahn awoke early the next morning and gave a cursory glance at the system log. He noted there weren't many changes in Milan's affection, but Chloe's had increased overnight. Seeing the strange description 'Desire to Pet' Vahn quickly closed the log.

He spent a few minutes washing his face and using water from the 'Decanter of Replenishment'. Afterward, he performed some routine maintenance on his equipment before heading downstairs.

Preparing to leave the Inn, he noticed someone new at the counter. She was a human girl, around 17-18 years old with black hair neatly arranged into a long braid flowing over her shoulder. Her purple eyes seemed to droop a bit towards the end giving her a gentle expression. Noticing his presence she displayed a gentle smile and waved.

Vahn returned a smile of his own with a curt nod as he exited the Inn. Today was an important day and he wanted to get an early start. If she was a permanent worker at the Inn, he would have plenty of time to interact with her in the future.

He turned to walk towards the massive tower in the center of the City. Today he was planning to enter the dungeon for the first time. As he made his way along the road he couldn't help but increase his pace a bit.

Along the way, several people gave him curious glances but he would worry about that later. He had almost used some of his stockpiled OP to purchase new clothing but wanted to see how far he could get into the dungeon relying on his current equipment. If things were more difficult than he expected he would upgrade his gear before making a second attempt.

Due to his increased pace, he managed to reach the tower in under twenty minutes. Before entering he looked up to take in the view of the tower from its base. He remembered from the manga that the tower had been built by the Gods to seal the dungeon below. It should be 50 floors tall and from where he stood it almost seemed to pierce into the heavens. The top could be seen, but it was almost a blur that disappeared into the atmosphere above. He couldn't imagine how long it would take to go to the top...

Vahn entered the first floor of Babel and was surprised to see the number of adventurers present. He wasn't the only person that decided to enter the dungeon first thing in the morning. He observed the hustle and bustle before making his way towards a desk near the stairwell leading downwards into the earth.

Entering one of the open windows, Vahn met his first elf in this world. At around 178cm with golden hair and green eyes stood an elven male. He had very smooth facial features giving a bit of ambiguity to his gender, but his style and the way he carried himself answered any questions observers might have. His hair was short and combed back giving him a very princely look, and the expression in his eyes was intelligent and intimidating.

Noticing the approach of the human child before him, Nicholas Grimm waved him over. He had a good memory for faces and was often posted outside the dungeon, so he assumed this human child was likely a new adventurer or freelancer. Though it didn't concern him much, he knew it damaged the Guild's bottom line when adventurers died within the dungeon.

"Good morning. I assume you would like information about the dungeon before entering?"

Vahn nodded while observing the peculiar green aura emitted by the elf receptionist.

"Very well, you can exchange 100 Valis for a map of the first four floors of the dungeon. Though the layout changes on the deeper floors, the upper levels remain relatively consistent and we update the maps weekly. For first-timers, it's one of our most recommended items. We also have several volumes that cover the ecology and weakness of various monsters."

Vahn listened as the elf tried to offer him various items for purchase. After selecting books about kobolds and dungeon lizards the man started to explain various other hazards that might appear in the dungeon. Vahn was surprised with how much detail the man put into his explanation, and had Sis keep a log so he could review it later. Lastly, the man had Vahn fill out his information like address and expected time of stay within the dungeon. He was told that if he failed to leave within the written time, they would wait 72 hours before informing the people listed on the contacts of his disappearance. After everything was said and done, Vahn finally entered the dungeon.