The Merchant had just suggested that I do him a favor in exchange for a chain that was worth far more than I could afford.

I didn't need to think twice to ask for more information. I was very interested.

He took a moment before he responded.

"You see, we merchants require raw materials to craft objects. For more complex items, like robots, we use 'energy engines,'" he paused, then continued. "It's a type of small magical orb capable of artificially creating EP so the robot can function," he clarified.

So, robots used EP as well. And the major information was that these robots, as strong as high-level players, were creations of the Merchants. This class was truly formidable; it even seemed to me to be the most impressive of all.

"To construct one of these machines, I need a highly potent magical orb. Coincidentally, I know the location of one such orb. The issue is, it has been reserved by another merchant. Thus, you must purloin it before he retrieves it," he finished.

He wanted me to steal something for him. It seemed simple, except for the detail that I had to steal an object from a merchant.

"Why send a low-level player, instead of going yourself?" I asked.

Once again, he took time to answer, as if he was doing something else while talking to me.

"Mmmh... Yes, so. I can't go there without starting a war against this other merchant. Let's just say that taking an object 'reserved' by another player is frowned upon among us," he said.

I did not quite understand what 'reserve' meant, nor why certain things in Hell could not be done without consequences. Strangely, Hell seemed to be a whole different world for high-level players. A world where actions had consequences.

He continued his explanation: "Even a high-level player wouldn't dare infiltrate a merchant's dungeon without certainty that the risk justifies the reward. But I have information that will help you evade any complications - I know the location of the service entrance," he said, pausing as if this information would take me some time to absorb, as it was so unexpected and important.

"Ok, and so?" I asked, without grasping the significance of the information.

"um…" he stuttered, embarrassed. "Well, each dungeon created by a merchant has a concealed entrance known only to him, or well, usually only known to him... This entrance is devoid of, or contains very few traps. It's used solely by the creator of the dungeon or his associates," he explained.

So, I had a way to get in without risk. I could have continued to ask him questions, but there was only one thing that was really essential.

"What proves to me that if I bring back the object you want, you will give me a good chain in exchange?" I asked.

"I will give you the chain first, and if it's to your liking, you'll hand over the orb. It's not my usual practice to give before receiving, but I will make an exception for you as a token of good faith," he retorted, this time swiftly.

"Mm. Suppose so. Tell me exactly what to do," I asked with curiosity.

.

An hour later, I was walking towards the North, skirting around the East of the mountain.

My new employer had given me all the necessary information for the success of the mission. He had indicated that the orb was in a cave higher up in the mountain.

The other Merchant had apparently left a sign right in front of the entrance indicating that the place belonged to him. And to protect it, he had left traps.

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He then explained to me this famous concept of 'reservation'. It was actually quite simple.

Raw materials, as well as certain objects placed there by Hell, regenerated over time. This meant that everything existed in abundance for those who knew how to search.

In the case of a magical object like the orb I had to recover, the more time it spent at its spawn location, the more energy it naturally amassed.

So, the longer it remained untouched, the more powerful and valuable it became.

An object that had not been found for a long time was formidable, and of good value. But an object or material that was regularly recovered was almost worthless.

And that wasn't even the most amazing thing he had explained to me.

The craziest thing was that high-level Merchants had a skill that allowed them to dig underground dungeons in an instant.

This allowed them to secure themselves to sell the fruits of their labor.

This merchant that I was going to rob had designed an entire dungeon to protect his orb. But knowing the location of the secret entrance was supposed to make the task much simpler for me.

Of course, the question was whether I was skilled enough to survive such a trial. And to this question, my employer responded with as much comfort as an overly pragmatic man could offer.

He told me, "It's 50-50."

I still accepted. A 50% chance of success was more than all the other challenges I had faced.

After more than two hours of walking, I reached the vicinity of the famous cave serving as the entrance to the dungeon. It seemed normal. The hole was about three yards high and two yards wide. Just in front, there was a sign stating that the area was under the control of the Merchant King.

I had no idea who this player could be. And I even wondered if this sign wasn't another reason to go inside and see what this cave might be hiding.

"A King, that sounds rich," I thought, imagining the wealth that this cave might contain.

I had trouble understanding why a high-level player, like the Brute woman, wouldn't attack a cave like this. But I would have wondered the same thing about the red carriage if I hadn't seen it in action.

The defense system it hid prevented even a player as strong as her from trying anything.

"Am I getting duped? What if my employer is using me to test this dungeon's defenses?" I wondered.

I began to doubt whether the reward for this mission was worth the enormous risk I was taking. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"Once in front of the secret entrance, I will decide," I thought.

I climbed a bit higher up the mountain, and after about fifteen minutes, I stopped in front of a large white stone. It was supposed to mark the hidden entrance of the dungeon.

I pushed it gently in case a trap would be activated if the stone was moved incorrectly. But nothing happened.

As I moved it, a small door appeared on the ground beneath it.

I opened it with my chain attached to my wrist, my body as far from the door as possible. Again, nothing happened. I leaned closer to see inside.

I expected to see nothing, but to my great surprise, the hole led to a small, narrow staircase lit by many magical torches.

It was almost welcoming. There were no signs of traps.

It was time to decide whether or not to take the plunge. My cautious nature was battling against my desire to own a magnificent high-level chain. Ultimately, my greed won.

I picked up all the branches I could find and put many stones in my pockets.

I then grabbed a large round stone and dropped it down the staircase leading into the depths of the mountain. It clattered loudly down the stairs.

I watched it, my head in the hole, ready to jump out in case of trouble.

Eventually, the stone reached the bottom without anything happening. That was the final proof my caution needed for me to finally enter.

I put my feet on the first stone step, which was almost two yards from the hole I was descending through. Then I started moving, holding a stick in one hand, touching each wall and each step before descending.

It took me ten minutes to reach the bottom.

The stairs ended, giving way to a hallway just as narrow, leading to the left.

I retrieved the round stone and rolled it in front of me, all the while continuing to check all the walls.

My exploration was going well. However, I still remained on guard.

I moved forward for another ten minutes in the corridor and reached another corridor now turning to the right. This last corridor was only a few yards long and led to a large wooden door.

It looked old and sturdy. Fortunately, I had taken some stones, including some sharp ones that I could attach to my small chain to cut the wood.

I fixed them on the chain, then I prepared to cut the wood, but when I lightly pushed the door, it opened with a sharp creak.

I hadn't even thought to check if it was unlocked. But the idea that it was open displeased me.

It was far too easy, even for a secret entrance. "You should at least need a key to enter," I thought.

Looking into the room, both my joy and my anxiety grew even more.