It was an arrangement from a thousand years ago. If it wasn't there, it would be fair to say it had disappeared long ago.
Gardner was right. There was no sign of anyone around.
No, there was an instructor, but it didn't matter.
Even if he jumped into the lake, they would think he was trying to catch fish, not that he was trying to obtain spirit medicine.
Aint jumped into the lake, tearing the breath scroll he had obtained in advance.
A bottom rough with stones and pebbles, faintly rising muddy dust, fish swimming in all directions.
To him, it was just a peaceful lake. It seemed so ordinary that he couldn't believe the spirit herb arranged by the first Emperor could be there.
'Is it really there?'
'Of course not.'
'What? Didn't you know the location?'
'...My goodness.'
No wonder, he had wondered why he was being told to buy such an expensive scroll despite his tight finances, but there was a reason.
Still, if he could obtain the spirit herb, this level of hardship wasn't even hardship. And fortunately, it didn't take that long.
After about an hour of searching, Aint discovered a small gap. From the outside, it couldn't possibly be seen as the entrance to an underwater cave.
'Do you think we can find it if we don't actively look for it?'
That's how secretly the entrance to the underwater cave was hidden.
'That's true.'
A gap between the bottom mixed with pebbles and gravel that could never be thought of as an entrance. But Aint, without doubt, pushed his body in.
There was no reason for Sir Gardner Alpenfassen to lie to him, and he had already experienced this type of dungeon once while obtaining Gardner.
Sure enough, the small gap, unlike its appearance, swallowed Aint in one go.
His body was now inside the underwater cave.
"It's a bit different from where I first met Sir Gardner."
After moving a bit further and climbing up, a proper cave revealed itself. Though the interior was very dark, when he strengthened his eyesight with aura, a straight passage was visible.
"No problem."
Aint walked briskly. Although it was dark, there was no particular threat as it stretched in a straight line.
After a while, Aint stopped.
"...Up ahead."
A massive presence was felt.
"Yes."
Aint's footsteps became more cautious. When he stood at the entrance of a large cavity, he discovered it.
"Amazing..."
It was the spirit herb.
On one side of the cavity wall, far away, a precariously blooming spirit herb was visible.
The dense mana it emitted, enough to fill the wide cavity, made it clear that it was top-grade, even without anyone telling him.
"Is that what you mentioned..."
Aint's gaze shifted slightly downward.
A long, thick body and blue jewel-like scales covering that body were visible. The creature was coiled up with its eyes closed.
Bones emitting a strong bloody smell, as if just eaten, and the evenly felt breathing, indicated that the creature had finished feeding and was sleeping.
"...A snake?"
"You mean a dragon?"
Gardner clicked his tongue.
The reason why the water dragon was coiled up and living here was clear without much thought.
It was obvious that the creature was also after the spirit herb.
"Then what should we do? Can I win if I fight it?"
"What if it eats the spirit herb in the meantime?"
At those direct words, Aint closed his mouth. Even he didn't think he could defeat the water dragon right now.
"I understand. Then for now..."
That's when it happened.
───!
A very faint noise was heard.
At the same time, the cavity began to vibrate.
"What is this?"
The small tremor soon grew and spread throughout the entire cavity. Stalactites that had been hanging from the ceiling couldn't withstand the shock and fell.
Some to the floor, and some onto the sleeping water dragon's massive body.
<...Listen carefully, Aint.>
"...Yes."
Aint swallowed hard.
The even breathing had suddenly stopped, and the eyelids that had been closed rose, revealing yellow pupils.
"I'll run!"
Aint turned his body.
At the same time, the water dragon, disturbed from its sleep, let out a long roar.
***
Crrrumble-
The ground shook, and some rocks fell.
"Oh no..."
As the aftermath spread in all directions, Gerhard swallowed. Due to accidentally touching a weak ground, part of the cave had collapsed.
Fortunately, he wasn't hurt, but the vibration was spreading beyond the wall.
'Was I detected?'
Gerhard held his breath.
At that moment, small noises were heard from beyond the wall.
A person's voice, and even a monster's cry. Small vibrations caused rock fragments to fall.
"That's fortunate."
It seemed they had already met and started fighting. If so, he didn't particularly need to worry about being detected. Aint wasn't strong enough to sense his presence while facing a water dragon.
"But a spirit creature is indeed a spirit creature. It already woke up after eating several pieces of meat heavily laced with sleeping drug?"
Gerhard focused again on mining the mithril. The collapsed debris made it a bit more cumbersome, but there was no major issue.
"Keep fighting for a long time."
He couldn't help but hum a tune, thinking of the dazzling mithril and the magic lamps he had torn off earlier.