As a member of the Guild—the organization responsible for managing the Dungeon—Eina Tulle had worked the service desk for many years and had seen more rookies than she could count.
Some of them swaggered in arrogantly, thinking they were hot stuff, demanding the most difficult quests right away. Others were timid, hiding behind their gods, too scared to even raise their heads.
The former usually died quickly, while the latter rarely amounted to much—just quietly toiling in obscurity.
A person's personality determined their fate. At least, that's what Eina believed.
In her eyes, Yoru was the calm and composed type. And people like that, even if nothing else, had a higher chance of staying alive in the Dungeon.
Survival came first. As long as you stayed alive, even the weakest adventurer would eventually grow stronger.
As for Hestia's talk of him being a "genius"—Eina didn't take it seriously. She'd seen her share of geniuses: some rose to fame, some flashed briefly then vanished, and others simply fell.
The number of geniuses who grew without setbacks was very small.
"Let's get your registration done. Just fill out a simple form."
Eina brought Yoru and Hestia to her desk, casually handing him the necessary documents and forms.
"The Guild provides a lot of support for adventurers. Of course, we take a portion of the rewards as compensation. You'll be converting magic stones from monsters into gold coins here, and the Guild will deduct its cut directly from those exchanges."
Yoru nodded and handed the signed contract back to her, indicating that he understood.
"Good. As an adventurer, you'll have a lot of freedom. There are few hard rules—except one that you must never forget:
Adventurers must never 'adventure'."
"Adventurers… must never adventure?"
Yoru murmured, tilting his head. The phrase sounded contradictory, but it held a deep meaning: always be cautious, always prepare thoroughly, and always put safety first.
"Staying alive is always the top priority. If you face an enemy you can't beat, it's not shameful to call for help—or run away. Before every battle, assess your chances, and remember your goddess."
"I'll be your advisor for the early part of your career. I'll teach you the fundamentals of adventuring and the Dungeon. If you ever have questions, just ask me."
As Eina explained all this, Hestia gave Yoru's shoulder a pat.
"I'm off to work now! Yoru, study hard, okay? And don't overdo it at the start. Since you're taking the mage route, it'll be especially tough in the beginning."
Waving her hand reluctantly, Hestia left the Guild, leaving Yoru and Eina alone.
"…So your goddess said you're taking the mage route?"
"Yeah… I guess so? My Magic stat seems to be high, or something like that."
Yoru replied vaguely. He wasn't sure what exactly made him different, but it was probably best not to mention that his Magic stat had shown up as a question mark.
"A mage, huh… Mages are definitely powerful, but their growth path is harsh. At the start, we won't be able to provide you with any decent magical equipment. We only have standard weapons here."
"For essentials like magic staves or tools, you'll have to earn them yourself. In the early stages, you'll have to rely on basic weapons and your own strength to fight monsters."
Eina sighed. This boy really was a promising rookie, but it was unfortunate that his potential was so heavily tied to magic. She could already imagine the rough road ahead. Hopefully, he'd be able to endure it.
Even though it was supposed to be a simple lecture, by the time Eina had finished, the sky had begun to darken. Yoru looked half-asleep, and Eina frowned slightly.
"This stuff might be tedious, but it's all important. Memorizing it will greatly increase your chances of surviving in the Dungeon."
"Don't worry—I've memorized everything."
Yoru perked up and nodded. Though Eina looked a little skeptical, she didn't argue.
Before he left, Eina handed him a small dagger and assigned his first mission:
Go to the first floor of the Dungeon and defeat a single goblin, then bring back its magic stone.
Since it was already late, and the Dungeon was more dangerous at night, she instructed him to begin the task the next day.
"…This feels strangely familiar somehow…"
Holding the small dagger as he walked back home, Yoru muttered under his breath. Eina's assignment made him feel like he was part of something oddly familiar, though he couldn't quite place it.
"Well, whatever. First floor, kill a goblin. Got it."
Eina had warned him to be careful. Even on the first floor, he wasn't to go too deep. Just slay one goblin and return.
Combat and exploration both required learning. There was no need to rush.
That was her advice. According to her, Yoru should ideally spend a month or two just on the first floor before thinking of descending deeper.
After all, having a high Magic stat didn't guarantee the ability to use magic. Some people, despite strong magical aptitude, still became warriors because they never awakened magic.
Of course, Eina had no idea that Yoru had already awakened a personal spell when he formed his contract with Hestia—though Yoru himself still had no idea what that magic even did.
Even at dusk, the streets of the Labyrinth City were packed with people. The crowded thoroughfares bustled with activity from all kinds of races.
Yoru, unaccustomed to such lively atmospheres, carefully made his way through the crowd.
Most of the races he couldn't even name. Among them were ordinary citizens and adventurers returning from the Dungeon in ornate gear.
After weaving through the busy streets, down a narrow alley, and around a few corners, the noise of the city finally faded behind him.
At the end of the road stood a small, humble home.
His home.
The home he shared with Hestia.