## Chapter 738 – Paladin Kim Kat

“I agree. Even without evidence, the proactive stance of preparing for potential dangers is what defines ‘competence.'”

Saintess Kadia had been reviewing various agendas, filtering out anything that might pose a future threat. Even without current evidence or harm, she kept anything potentially dangerous on hold.

And she’d been tossing those things into my directives.

It’s not like the Holy Knights could handle it, nor was it something they’d been working on. It’s just, if I go and bring good news, great; if not, oh well.

After all, I’m just a card the Saintess uses casually.

“Indeed, you are a Saintess. Your foresight is what guides the organization toward a better future.”
“Heh, the Paladin certainly knows how to take a compliment.”
“It’s one of my strengths. Anyway, since it’s a dungeon, I’m quite interested. Could you explain it in a bit more detail?”

Honestly, the Necropolis I went to with Elysee, Copson, and Meriah back in the day had already been looted dry, and it was abandoned due to the terrain.

It really wasn’t anything special.
Didn’t get anything worthwhile.

But this unknown ancient dungeon? If the Saintess went to the trouble of documenting it and paying attention, there must be something there.

Something profitable.

“As I said, it’s an ancient dungeon discovered in the border region. We don’t know exactly which era it’s from, nor its size.”

As a former adventurer, I couldn’t help but be intrigued.

“As the Paladin knows, it’s common sense that when a dungeon is discovered, you explore it and extract whatever’s inside. If it was built before the Idol War, there will be many valuable things. In fact, the kingdom and local lords are already doing that.”

For the nobles, a dungeon discovered by chance is like a happy random box.

They poke at it first, and if it seems promising, they send a reconnaissance team. If it doesn’t seem profitable, they just leave it alone, but if it looks like a treasure trove? They immediately form an expedition with soldiers and plunder the dungeon.

Stories of nobles who hit the jackpot and adventurers who found treasures in abandoned dungeons are heard everywhere.

When I was a nobody, I heard those stories a lot in the corner of the Adventurer’s Guild. There are people who believe in instant riches everywhere in the world.

The countless low-level adventurers on the streets all have a plan to enter a dungeon someday, get lucky, get their hands on a fortune, and happily end their miserable lives.

Everyone imagines.

“But the problem is that it was discovered in the border region. And it’s not a small one, but a large underground dungeon. King Karga seems to have decided that it’s not good to show military movements carelessly in the border region.”
“Ah.”

So, they can’t dispatch a large-scale investigation team using soldiers because it’s a border region?

That makes sense.

This world isn’t some innocent Teletubby dreamland fairy tale village, and for whatever reason, if the armies of neighboring countries move on a large scale, the lords or military commanders in that area can’t help but react pathologically.

“So, instead of a kingdom-level investigation, a small investigation team hired by the kingdom, adventurers from various places, mercenaries, and nobles’ children have headed there, each with their own intentions.”
“Dungeons mean instant riches, after all. It’s only natural.”

That also makes sense.

They can’t move the military, but they can dispatch a small investigation team of experts. It seems the kingdom has decided to investigate that way.

And since it’s a suddenly discovered dungeon, all sorts of people are flocking to it from everywhere. Realistically, it’s impossible to control that, so they’ll probably just explore on their own.

But a question arises.

“But then, is there really a need for you to worry about this? Wouldn’t the guys who went to explore take care of everything, no matter what comes out?”
“That’s right.”

Is there really a need for the Church to get involved? No matter what the Saintess is worried about, if that many people have gathered, they’ll take care of it themselves.

“However, if, as I fear, there is an evil being sealed in that dungeon, wouldn’t that be the Church’s business?”

Ah.

Come to think of it, that’s right.

It’s not about efficiency or anything like that, but in that case, it’s just something the Church has to do. That’s what the Saintess is thinking.

Differences in values ​​are revealed once in a while in these trivial places.

“If an evil being is involved, it is our job to solve it, no matter what it is. Paladin. Our Church exists to fight evil beings and maintain the balance of the world.”
“Hehehe. That’s true. I think I was wrong.”

Well then, there’s no shortage of reasons to do this. I wanted to go to the dungeon in the first place, and I just asked because I needed to know exactly why I was doing it.

“So, is the Paladin going to do it?”
“Yes. I’ll give it a try. But this seems like there won’t be any clear conditions for achievement?”
“That’s true… In fact, I’m just suspicious.”

She naturally took out a cigarette and continued.

“Upon hearing the news that the dungeon had been discovered, I personally searched through the Church’s data. After reading through various things overnight, I found a phrase that some kind of evil being was sealed near that area hundreds of years ago, and I’ve been fueling my suspicions with related books.”

The Saintess also knows it’s inaccurate.

“Are you saying it’s just a suspicion?”
“Still, there have been many cases where an evil being was trapped at the bottom of such a dungeon, so it could be seen as a reasonable suspicion.”
“There were?”
“It’s also recorded. An ancient monster was sealed at the bottom of a dungeon discovered twenty years ago, and the Church’s Holy Knights led the subjugation.”
“Holy moly.”

In that case.

“Then I’ll go and mess around with all my might. But since this time there are no clues or data, you shouldn’t expect too much.”
“Well, I’m thinking similarly. Don’t feel pressured like you are now. I just had an ominous feeling.”

An ominous feeling, huh.

A woman like the Saintess probably has good intuition.

“Does it keep you up at night?”
“…Hmm?”
“Hehehe, I guess I should go for the Saintess who can’t sleep because it’s ominous.”
“…Well, this is just that kind of thing, so if there doesn’t seem to be anything special, return after doing it moderately.”
“I understand.”

With that, I took the directive and left the Church.

A dungeon, it’s not very familiar, but there’s nothing to worry about. As the Saintess said, I’ll mess around moderately and retreat if it doesn’t seem right.

Of course, I’m always looking for something profitable.

Since it’s said to be an unknown large-scale ancient dungeon recently discovered in the border region, it’s obvious that the smell of money is overflowing.

* * *

“Oh, did you say a large-scale ancient dungeon? I must prepare quickly.”

Upon hearing this news, Risha was overjoyed and clasped her hands together. As expected, she was interested and wanted to go if there was such a place.

“It’s not that common, though. Well, if it’s a dungeon, I’ll be able to use my strength for the first time in a while. When are we going? Tomorrow right away?”
“I’m going to prepare a bit and leave. It’s still a dungeon, so I need to find out about this and that.”
“Don’t take too long. Sis has explored dungeons a few times, too.”
“When you were a mercenary?”
“It’s small, but I get requests from time to time.”
“Oh. As expected, my experienced sis. You’re really good at so many things. Why are there so many?”
“Kyahehe, that’s all? Because I’m your sis.”

Karin seemed to have no problem.
As expected of someone from a mercenary background, she knows a lot.

She has fierce violence inherent in her, but she’s still an intelligent woman.

“Hehehe, a dungeon. Did you deliberately pick it because of what I said last time?”
“There’s that too, but when I heard about it, it seemed like it would be profitable. That’s actually the main purpose. Still, it’s good to go to a place you want to go to if possible.”
“You thought well, Kat. Mama also wanted to go to a dungeon.”

Claudie also liked it with a similar feeling to Risha. But it’s a bit different. Risha is interested in her research, but Claudie is purely curious.

“Come to think of it, Claudie. You said you explored underground tombs in the desert, too.”
“Yes. But that place had a similar style, so I was familiar with it, but this place? I’ve never seen it properly, so I don’t know if that knowledge will help.”
“If you’re talking about knowledge, I’m similar. And you might be helpful? Claudie is just helpful itself just by standing next to me with a knife.”
“Hehe, what are you talking about?”

She covered her mouth and laughed, gently tapping my shoulder with the inside of her wrist. Well, there’s nothing to worry about. It seems there are many exploration teams there.

“An ancient underground dungeon, it looks suspicious!”

Hilde came up bustling.

“But if there’s Hilde, the demon who catches demons, there’s nothing to worry about! Leave it all to me! Hilde is a professional when it comes to dungeons!”
“What are you, a demon hunter?”
“I’m a demon hunter who catches demons while being a demon. This is all the power of love for Kat?”
“Hehehe, ah. Thanks, Hilde. But you’re familiar with dungeons?”
“There are various things in Pandemonium. I’m familiar with similar structures.”
“Crazy hell.”

Anyway, I read the directive in detail with my women.

It seems that the current situation is being reported to the Church in its own way. But it doesn’t seem to be happening that quickly or in detail, as the Saintess has recorded the date she received the report for each piece of information.

It seems that the exploration work of the dungeon is slowing down.

As with dungeons that have been hidden for a long time, the interior has already become a nest for monsters and fugitives, and old golems are malfunctioning, so battles are constantly breaking out.

Above all, it’s very large and the structure is complex, so they can’t move forward well.

“Hmm, if there are frequent battles. Should I bring that? My gauntlet?”
“Sis, don’t you have any other weapons besides that?”
“I originally only used my bare hands or that… But that’s too inconvenient to carry.”
“It’s more than a heavy weapon. If you don’t have one, let’s buy a decent gauntlet.”
“I should. And I think I need to buy clothes for exploration.”

Clothes are also needed on the list of things to prepare. Since we’re going to a dungeon, we can’t wear flimsy clothes. Preparation is important.

“Then, Blackie. I think we can organize what we need today and go shopping tomorrow, should we do that?”
“That would be good. But well, it’s a familiar job. Winia. Do you have all that equipment at home?”
“I always have it. We just need daily necessities and clothes.”
“Yeah. Winia, you know those work clothes, not flimsy robes, right?”
“I’ll pick the best one I can.”

There’s nothing to worry about with Winia. She’s also been rolling around as an adventurer for a long time. If you only count field experience, she has more than me.

Still, since it’s a dungeon, let’s bring some potions and antidotes.

“We’re going underground, not to the mountains…”
“Are you sad, Ari?”
“Yes. I’m a little sad.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. There are many plants in the dungeon too.”
“Really?”
“Actually, I don’t know.”
“Really… What’s that.”
“Hehehe. Ah.”

In my experience, all kinds of plants grow in dungeons. And if it’s a hidden dungeon, the energy of nature will inevitably accumulate.

Then Ari will be able to do something too.

Anyway, I read down the directive while discussing the necessary items.

An unknown ancient dungeon located in the border region. There must be something there. Something profitable.

Let’s go and make a fortune.

I trust my women who are stronger than me. I told them not to try to support me alone and that they could rely on me more. As soon as I said that, taking them to the dungeon is a bit much by my standards, but if they want it, I can’t not do it.