After roughly three hours, large numbers of adventurers came rushing out of the dungeon entrance in waves, gasping for breath, still clad in coarse armor.
"Ha… ha…"
Leading them was Bors, the one who held authority over the City of Rivira and a fairly powerful adventurer among the Upper Floors.
Yet at this moment, he looked utterly wretched.
Like a supporter, he carried a massive load on his back, and his outer clothes were completely soaked through with sweat.
"Finally out."
Only the heavens knew what his mood had been like half an hour earlier, when news from the surface reached the City of Rivira.
Most likely, disbelief.
But as more and more people came to relay the same information, Bors began to understand that this wasn't some April Fool's joke. Something truly major was about to happen inside the dungeon.
So Bors immediately organized everyone in the City of Rivira to act together, transferring as many valuable assets to the surface as possible. As for the City of Rivira itself, it could be ignored.
At critical moments, preserving one's life came first. Streets in a safe zone could always be rebuilt, but that would have to wait until the dungeon's upheaval was over.
Bors took several heavy breaths. When he saw the projection still hanging in the sky, he finally believed it completely.
He slumped down onto the ground, feeling oddly detached.
"Seriously, just what kind of big shot is this, to make the dungeon stir up such a huge commotion?"
"Of course it's someone unbelievably important."
Hearing the voice, Bors quickly turned his gaze. It was a Chienthrope girl.
'Muddle.'
The Hermes Familia's 'Muddle' was a well-known adventurer who often operated in the dungeon. Bors frequently saw her around the City of Rivira.
"You're not going to charge me for information everyone already knows, are you?"
Lulune pouted. Even at a time like this, this guy was still thinking like a merchant.
"No need to pay. I'm just giving you a reminder."
As she spoke, she pointed toward the figure in the projection above.
"This person is a real heavyweight. You could even say he's the 'Child of the World.'"
"Huh?"
Bors' eyes widened. Instinctively, he didn't quite believe what 'Muddle' was saying.
One look at his expression was enough to tell he hadn't bought it.
'Telling the truth and he still won't believe it. Typical merchant, always suspicious,' Lulune complained inwardly.
But she didn't feel like explaining any further.
"Anyway, just know that he's a major figure now. And since he's planning to challenge the entire dungeon, the dungeon itself might undergo some changes."
That much, Bors understood.
He didn't really believe in the whole 'Child of the World' thing, but he did believe that the dungeon would change because of this person.
"Well, that really is a big shot."
Lulune stared at him in disbelief.
"You actually believed it, you stingy bastard!"
"So you really do think I'm an idiot, then?"
Bors now fully understood how this 'Muddle' usually viewed him.
He lifted his head again and looked at the faceless figure in the projection. He didn't know who this person was, but anyone who could draw attention on this scale was undoubtedly a big shot.
And 'Muddle' claimed that this very person was the reason the dungeon was about to change. Bors hadn't believed it at first, but the information wasn't coming from just one person, or even one familia. Everyone was saying the same thing.
If it wasn't a case of everyone lying, then this absolutely wasn't false news.
"I don't know why the dungeon would change because of a single person, but at least this information isn't fake."
"If the dungeon weren't really about to change, the upper familias wouldn't have summoned all of us. Minor changes in the dungeon only make us more money. Only when it truly threatens our own interests do we need to pull back."
Having been an adventurer and a merchant for so long, Bors knew very well that the bigger the storm, the higher the price of the fish.
Sometimes, taking small risks could let a merchant make a fortune.
But that 'sometimes' didn't include situations where the threat had already reached the merchant himself.
That was why Bors made the decision to move everything to the surface the moment he confirmed that people from many familias had come down to pass along the message…
Even though such a transfer would cause real losses, the same principle applied. To a merchant, they themselves were the true capital. No amount of profit was worth more than one's own life. Otherwise, no matter how much money you made, you'd have the money but no life left to enjoy it.
"…You're actually pretty clear-headed in some areas."
Although there was plenty in Bors' words worth mocking, Lulune still had to admit that he knew how to read the situation.
"No wonder you're the boss of the City of Rivira. You're really sensitive about this kind of thing. Even if that sensitivity makes you seem petty and stingy."
"…That description was unnecessary!"
Bors couldn't be bothered to argue with this 'Muddle.' He raised his head again to look at the projection, then suddenly froze.
That's… me and Muddle?
Bors rubbed his still-functional eye and confirmed that their figures really had appeared in the projection. And the center of the image was still locked onto that big shot.
He glanced in the direction where the big shot should have been, but his eye caught no sign of anyone there. When he looked back at the projection, it became clear that the big shot was standing precisely in the spot his vision couldn't capture.
Holy shit. A real big shot.
Bors jolted upright and sprang to his feet. Instead of looking toward where the big shot was, he shouted to the brothers who had just climbed up.
"Everyone, grab your stuff. Today, we're going to the tavern to drink properly. It's on me."
The people who were still catching their breath all widened their eyes. Many of them couldn't quite believe their ears. Why was Bors suddenly treating everyone to drinks?
"Bors, you… are you serious?"
"Serious or not, stop asking. We're going now. Are you coming or not?"
Seeing that Bors wasn't joking at all, everyone immediately got up from the ground.
"Let's go!"
Free drinks. What more was there to say?
A rare occasion where Bors was buying. There was no reason to refuse. Of course they were going to drink their fill.