I paused at her question, then grabbed her shoulders and shouted, “So there really is one? I knew it!”

“Kyak! Sh, Shin-nim, it’s still light out…N-Not that I hate it. In fact, you’re free to go ahead.”

“Nevermind that!”

“That!? Did you just blow off the fact that I said okay!?”

I dragged her back to the subject at hand. “Loretta, is there a Dungeon higher than the First Dungeon?”

Loretta grumbled and answered, “There is. Only administrative guild masters like myself or explorers that have gone there know about it.”

“What are the conditions?” I asked.

She gave me a look. “Before that, are you prepared? That dungeon certainly has higher rewards than all other dungeons, but the price you have to pay is equally high. Shin-nim might even regret going there. Just climbing the First Dungeon might be better. I’m certain. Do you still want to know more?”

I was silent. Then, I somewhat realized why she brought it up in the first place. Thus, I asked, “If I conquer the First Dungeon, will I be able to defeat the world’s enemy?”

“…”

I asked again, “What if I clear the higher dungeon?”

“If you can completely clear it…probably,” she replied reluctantly.

“Then isn’t the answer obvious?”

“…Right. Really, Shin-nim is…”

“I’m what?”

“No, nothing. Nothing at all.”

Loretta shook her head, but the corners of her mouth were curled...