Dungeon Breaker

Chapter 12

—–CROW—–

[Heavenly Demon Divine Art has become Lv2.]

[Patience has become Lv3.]

“Hero, you look exhausted. Did you not sleep well?”

Cheon-ho responded to the question, posed the moment he opened his eyes, with a melancholic smile.

*You slept just fine.*

It had been about an hour since sunrise.

[Heavenly Demon Divine Art Lv2]

Thanks to cultivating his internal energy all night, the level of his Heavenly Demon Divine Art had increased.

Since the skills in the Labyrinth World operated on a proficiency-based system, the fastest and most effective way to level up was to use the skill repeatedly.

‘Patience increased by two levels.’

It had to.  There was no other way.

“By the way, Luciel.”

“Yes, Hero?”

“Something interesting appeared.”

Cheon-ho pointed to the window of light above his head.

[The Labyrinth World remembers your cooking.]

[The God of Cooking is impressed by your achievement.]

[The God of Cooking blesses you.]

[Acquired Umami Enhancement Lv1.]

Luciel blinked.

Then, her expression turned blank.

“Ehhh?”

Why that?

Why was *that* appearing?

“Luciel?”

“Ah, no.  It’s just… well…”

There wasn’t much room for interpretation.  It was literally what it said.

The Labyrinth World remembered Cheon-ho’s cooking.  Just like it remembered achievements and stories.

The imitation chicken stew made from Cockatrice Skeleton bone broth.

‘It’s… certainly impressive, and strange!’

But was it remarkable enough for the Labyrinth World to remember it?

‘…Maybe?’

Thinking about it, it made sense.  No one who’d entered the Labyrinth before had probably tried to make chicken stew-flavored broth from Cockatrice Skeleton bones.

And honestly, it had tasted really good.

“Hmm, it seems the God of Cooking liked your cooking, Cheon-ho.”

And the God of Cooking.

Cheon-ho narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Luciel, with the God of Healing last time and now this, I have a question.”

“Yes, Hero?”

“Can the gods watch us anytime, anywhere?”

If so, it would be problematic.  It would mean the Plague God could watch him too.

But fortunately, Luciel shook her head.  “No, that’s impossible.  It’s only possible when something special happens, like a quest or this incident, and the Labyrinth World’s system focuses on you, Hero.”

“The Plague God too?”

“If it’s something related to the Plague God, then yes, it’s possible. But for something like cooking, neither the Plague God nor the God of Healing can observe us.”

“Hmm.”

He understood roughly.  The gods of the Labyrinth World weren’t omnipotent; they were more like superhumans with special powers.

“Anyway, that’s good.”

A blessing from the God of Cooking.

‘Umami Enhancement? Isn’t that just MSG?’

He was short on seasonings.  Umami Enhancement was truly a godsend.

“Y-Yes.  It seems the God of Cooking really liked your cooking, Cheon-ho.”

Luciel didn’t know much about the God of Cooking either.  Unlike the God of Healing, he wasn’t an actively involved god.

‘Does he have a taste for the unusual?’

Just as Luciel was thinking that…

“Luciel, is eating monsters uncommon in the Labyrinth World?”

The reason why the God of Cooking liked his cooking.

‘It couldn’t just be because it was delicious.’

Honestly, due to the lack of ingredients, he hadn’t been able to fully showcase his skills.

Then the reason must be its rarity.

Unusual cooking.

Cooking rarely seen in the Great Labyrinth.

Luciel blinked again at Cheon-ho’s question.

*Would it be common?*

Let alone rat meat, making broth from Cockatrice Skeleton bones?

She stopped herself.  She swallowed her words and the lump in her throat.  Frowning slightly, she said, “It’s very rare.  In fact, I’ve never heard of it.”

“Hmm.”

Why was that?  Why didn’t people eat monsters?

As Cheon-ho pondered seriously, Luciel wore a complicated expression, but only for a moment.  She suddenly realized why there was such a difference in their thinking.

“Because there’s normal food.”

“Huh?”

“Normal food.”

Cheon-ho paused, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Luciel, looking at him, thought, *He doesn’t think rat meat and Cockatrice Skeleton bone broth are normal food, does he? Please tell me he doesn’t.*

Of course, she’d eaten it all and enjoyed it.  Well, it *was* delicious.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Luciel cleared her throat and said, “Ahem, as I explained before, there are fairly normal places within the Great Labyrinth.  It’s a vast area.”

“Like fragments of the world before it was turned into a labyrinth… the original, normal world?”

“Um… yes, that’s right.  In areas where our forces are strong, we cultivate crops and raise livestock.  And we supply the food produced there to the Heroes.”

“I see.”

He understood roughly.  It was like bringing a packed lunch into a dungeon.

‘But wouldn’t people eat monsters if they were desperate?’

If they didn’t have any food like he and Luciel, they would have no choice but to eat monsters.  He wouldn’t touch humanoid monsters, but creatures like Giant Rats and the Mad Crawler weren’t that different from wolves or bears.

“Anyway… as far as I know, this is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“Hmm, I understand.”

Cheon-ho decided to keep it simple.  It didn’t matter what others did; he currently had nothing but monsters to eat.  Moreover, the God of Cooking had even praised his cooking.

‘Alright, let’s try a new dish tonight.’

The God of Cooking had granted him the Umami Enhancement magic, after all.

‘Now that I have a pot, I can boil things, right? Should I try boiled meat? Raw meat would be a bit much, wouldn’t it?  Ah, I want flour.  If only I had flour, the number of dishes I could make would increase dramatically.’

Cheon-ho started pondering the menu with a serious expression, and Luciel, watching him, thought, *He’s thinking deeply about the structure of the Labyrinth World.*

As expected, he wasn’t just strong.  He was thoughtful, wise, and truly dependable.

“Hmm.”

For some reason, Luciel was looking at him with admiration.

Feeling pleased, Cheon-ho stored his dinner menu ideas in his mind and said, “Anyway, let’s get ready to leave.”

“Yes, Hero.”

Luciel smiled and flapped her wings lightly.

—–CROW—–

Luciel, despite being an angel, was surprisingly versatile.  She could use Inventory, and she could also use incredibly useful magic like Purification, Alarm, and Healing.

But that wasn’t all.

Luciel was kind, beautiful, cute, and lovable—

‘No, that’s not it.’

Cheon-ho shook his head and looked up at the sky.  He saw Luciel soaring through the gray sky.

Flight.

Luciel’s wings weren’t just for show.  They could be used as a blanket and for flying.

And one more thing.

Luciel could sense the approximate location of the stairs leading to the lower floors.  It was a basic ability of angels serving the Five Goddesses.  Their ultimate goal was to conquer the Great Labyrinth and liberate the Labyrinth World.

There were supposedly anywhere from five or six to dozens of staircases on each floor.

“He-ro!  Over the-re!”

Luciel shouted something from the sky.

Unable to hear clearly, Cheon-ho stopped, and Luciel glided down like a dove and landed.

“I think the stairs are in that direction. I couldn’t confirm it clearly since it’s still far away, but judging by the shape, it seems to be the staircase leading to the lower floor.”

Perhaps because she’d been flying in the cold air, Luciel’s cheeks were flushed red.

‘I should make a scarf for her too.’

Were there foxes or deer in the Labyrinth?  Ones with soft, fine fur?

“Hmm, I see. Good work.”

“No, it’s the least I can do.  And…”

“And?”

“I found something that caught my attention, although it’s not near the stairs. It’s not too far; you’ll see it soon.”

Luciel pointed towards a hill, suggesting there was something beyond it.

Cheon-ho nodded and headed towards the hill with Luciel.

“You see it over there?”

As soon as they reached the top of the hill, Luciel pointed to their left.

As she said, among the ruins resembling an ancient city, there was a prominent structure.

“A tower.”

“Yes, it seems to be at least seven stories tall.”

Since the surrounding buildings were only one or two stories high, a seven-story tower stood out significantly.

“The stairs are in that direction.”

Luciel pointed straight ahead.

If they were heading straight for the stairs, there would be no need to visit the tower.

But Cheon-ho looked towards the tower, not the stairs.  He remembered his father’s words.

‘If you see a tower, go inside.’

‘Why?’

‘Because the tower is there.’

‘Father?’

‘Hmm, to be more serious… whether it’s a damsel in distress, hidden treasure, or a reclusive wizard, there’s bound to be something.  By the way, I first met your mother in a tower.’

A tower.

Like a treasure chest, it had to be opened upon discovery.

‘Besides… I have a feeling.’

A Hero’s intuition, perhaps.  He sensed an inexplicable aura of a jackpot.

“Luciel, let’s go to that tower first.”

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous?”

“If it’s dangerous, we’ll run.”

Luciel blinked.  It sounded both logical and illogical at the same time.  But she nodded.

Although they’d only been together for a day, she trusted Cheon-ho completely.

“Alright.  Let’s be careful.”

“Yes.”

Cheon-ho replied briefly and started walking, gripping the war hammer.

A few skeletal monsters, including Giant Rat Skeletons, attacked them along the way, but the slow creatures were no match for Cheon-ho.

About 30 minutes later, Cheon-ho and Luciel arrived at the entrance of the tower.

It was a gray tower made of stacked stones, and up close, its scale was impressive.

“Luciel, I’ll take the lead, so follow me.”

“Yes, Hero.”

Luciel gulped and nodded, and Cheon-ho slowly approached the tower’s entrance.

A gate-like door, much smaller than a castle gate, was firmly shut.

Cheon-ho pressed his ear against the door and listened intently, but he couldn’t hear anything.

‘Let’s go.’

You never knew what was inside a treasure chest until you opened it.

Cheon-ho pulled on the thick, ring-shaped doorknob. Fortunately, it wasn’t locked.  The door, although heavy, began to move slowly.

*Creak…*

Finally, the door opened completely.

The air that rushed out was even colder than outside.

And dry.  The inside of the tower was filled with darkness.

Cheon-ho extended his hand to Luciel, and she instinctively took out the torch she’d prepared and handed it to him.

What awaited them inside?

Cheon-ho handed the war hammer to Luciel and took out his kukri, easier to wield with one hand.

“I’ll go in first.”

“Yes, Hero.”

Luciel replied, her face tense.  Cheon-ho slowly stepped inside the tower.

And then…

The darkness vanished.

The moment he stepped inside, the lights attached to the ceiling and walls lit up simultaneously.

Cheon-ho quickly scanned the interior of the tower.

Luciel gasped in pure amazement.

“Wow.”

The inside of the tower was spacious.  A grand, ornate staircase led upwards, covered with a red carpet.

And bookshelves.

Bookshelves filled almost half of the first floor.

Cheon-ho focused.

He couldn’t sense anyone’s presence.

“Luciel, do you sense anything magical?”

“I’ll need to get closer, but… other than the lights on the ceiling and walls, I don’t sense any magic right now.”

Then the only option was to check for themselves.

Cheon-ho extinguished the torch and cautiously stepped further inside.  Instead of heading towards the center of the spacious room, which was easily 50 meters in diameter, he approached the nearest bookshelf.

An ordinary bookshelf, the kind you’d find in any library.

And books neatly arranged on the shelves.

Luciel cast Purification Magic, just in case.

Cheon-ho reached for the bookshelf, now bathed in pink magical light, and carefully pulled out a book.

“Hmm.”

[100 Etiquette Tips for Dignified Imperial Citizens]

He could read the unfamiliar script.

Cheon-ho opened the book. He flipped through the pages slowly, even touching them with his fingertips.

‘He likes books.’

Luciel, watching Cheon-ho’s profile, thought so.  His eyes, as he caressed the book, were filled with delight.

As expected of an intellectual Hero.

As Luciel smiled contentedly, Cheon-ho cheered inwardly.

‘Ooh!  I can do this! This is possible!’

He didn’t care about the contents of the book.  What did imperial etiquette matter?

The important thing was the material the pages were made of.

It wasn’t parchment.

It was paper.

It wasn’t as high-quality as modern paper, but it was undoubtedly soft enough to make books.

And that meant…

Cheon-ho looked around.

He looked at the more than twenty bookshelves and the books on them and thought, ‘Now I can go with peace of mind.’

Soft paper.

Cheon-ho had acquired toilet paper.

—–CROW—–