Volume 4 Chapter 4 Heroes with a Two-Tiered Strategy in the Dungeon
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
While exploring the town, we ran into the brave girls’ party.
Even though we deliberately went out on the day they should have been inside the dungeon to avoid meeting them, here we are.
We somehow managed to bluff our way so they wouldn’t find out about the Love Hotel, and we split up.
But in the end, more trouble got added.
”I’m sorry, Mr. Taro, it’s because my info was wrong…”
Tifi looks sorry.
”Nah, it’s fine. They looked like fickle troublemakers anyway.”
I answer to comfort her.
The change of plans──probably they got lazy or decided to bail last minute, that little excuse.
The hassle Gaedaf and the others go through, it’s kinda sad.
But I’m not really off the hook either.
I told them I’d introduce a store for amenities.
That was just a quick lie to get the brave ones to buy it, but if you think about it, it’s super risky.
I was reckless.
Of course, that kind of store doesn’t even exist.
I regret maybe not coming up with a better excuse, but dwelling on it won’t fix anything.
What to do from here?
One idea is to avoid any contact with them at all costs.
If we stay inside the Love Hotel or dungeon, we won’t bump into them easily.
The dungeon’s huge, and no one can get into the Love Hotel anyway.
But there’s a big problem too.
Tifi’s there.
She works as a receptionist at the adventurers’ guild.
Anyone who visits the guild probably knows her, and her name’s pretty well known in Dungeon City too.
With a quick search, you can tell she and I are close.
So what happens then?
The brave girls will swarm the guild, questioning Tifi about me and the shop.
If it’s just an interrogation, maybe it’s okay.
But it could also cause trouble for work.
Worst case, they might even harm Tifi.
…Yeah, that plan’s a no-go.
Another idea: I say I introduced the shop but got turned down.
Looks kinda plausible, right?
Seems kinda realistic.
I can add special rules like “only accept introductions” and “must meet certain conditions” to make the lies sound believable.
But this plan has risks.
First, if they really start looking for that shop, it’ll quickly be clear that a fake store doesn’t exist.
And once that truth comes out, it’ll be obvious I was lying, and they’ll definitely be angry at me.
Any excuse that tries to get their attention will only leave a smoldering fire in the long run.
This plan is off the table too.
No choice then.
I’ll have to use Mrs. Otis.
Mrs. Otis is a merchant based in the royal capital.
I bought Lifia, who had been a slave, from her before.
I handed over amenities like shampoo and conditioner from the Love Hotel as payment back then.
Since then, I’ve been selling those amenities to Mrs. Otis.
After moving to Dungeon City, I’ve been shipping the amenities to her for sale.
It looks like we can solve this problem through Mrs. Otis.
The brave girls can buy from her.
Specifically, I can either send them to the royal capital to buy directly or have them order items from there.
I can have the stuff sent to the royal capital and order it from here.
It’ll be double work, but that’s not really an issue.
I won’t have to do the work myself.
They’ll just use their time and money for the transport.
Of course, I need to explain some of the situation to Mrs. Otis first and make arrangements.
But once that’s done, I just let her handle the rest.
Originally, I avoid using containers with Japanese writing for the amenities I send to Mrs. Otis.
It shouldn’t be a problem if the heroes see them.
Alright, let’s go with this plan.
I started by writing a letter for the products I’m sending to Mrs. Otis.
I let her know I’d like her to handle the sales to the heroes.
Then I’ll send a letter prompting the heroes to either buy directly in the royal capital or order through Mrs. Otis.
I’ll leave the decisions about selling to the heroes, pricing, and quantity up to her judgment.
That should be enough.
The rest is on them.
This has solved my immediate problem.
This plan might fall apart eventually, but I’ll deal with that when it comes.
For now, I’m sick of being toyed with by them.
After that, we decided to dive into the dungeon.
This time, we’re not using the warp function from the Love Hotel.
We’ll go through the entrance on the 1st Floor, just like any other adventurers, using the regular route.
This way, the people in Dungeon City know “I’m currently diving into the dungeon.”
If the heroes consider contacting me again, they’ll probably give up when they hear I’m inside the dungeon.
Walking from the 1st Floor to the 3rd Floor is a bit of a hassle, but with our current abilities, it won’t be much trouble.
My own skills and Kéa’s have dramatically improved, not to mention Lifia’s physical abilities.
Let’s make some quick progress and rest at the Love Hotel for today.
That’s what I thought.
* * *
But even though I was thinking that…
”Hey, isn’t that the old guy from the Love Hotel? What’s he doing here?”
A lighthearted voice rang out and triggered my headache.
This is the Protector’s Hall, deep in the 2nd Floor of the dungeon, where adventurers set up camp.
It’s an open area in the misty forest of giant trees.
Adventurers use this place as a base to grind in the latter half of the 2nd Floor or the early part of the 3rd Floor.
And here, not just regular adventurers, but also some hero boys, were hanging out.
What the hell are they doing here?
Didn’t they say they were stopping their leveling today?
Was it just the girls who took a break?
And where’s the Star of the Dawn, who was supposed to guide them?
Did those guys really push their way in here by themselves?
That seems pretty reckless, doesn’t it?
Can the heroes actually pull that off?
Seriously, this is just baffling.
The moment I arrived at the Protector’s Hall, they spotted me instantly.
As expected, we’re too eye-catching.
With Kéa in her bikini armor, and Lifia in her mini-skirt maid outfit, walking alongside 2 flashy girls, it’s hard not to attract attention.
Maybe I should’ve made them dress a bit more modestly?
But then again, it takes away from my little fun…
”Old man, I thought I didn’t see you in the capital, and here you are.”
”How’d a loser like you even make it this far?”
Ignoring my troubles, they throw around looks and words that put me down.
The gazes of the other adventurers gather too.
”That gear of yours is pretty fancy. How’d you get your hands on it?”
Another kid eyes my armor, ogling it as he speaks.
My armor is a high-end piece, obvious even to an amateur, both in looks and performance.
I bought it at a Love Hotel, but of course, I’d never let that slip, even if my lips split open.
”Anyway, what’s the deal with those 2?”
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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