Samuel’s raised eyebrow indicated the man wasn’t quite sure how to interpret Severin’s reaction. Was he trying to deny what had become so obvious due to his careless question? Was the shop keeper simply surprised someone had finally put things together?

The man in question, of course, had no idea what was going on or what had prompted the [Berserker’s] sudden claim.

Why would he know anything about dungeons? Why would anyone suspect such a thing? If anything, of all the people on his mountain, apart from maybe a handful of others such as Emily, Krill and Sabina, and maybe Bandur, he should be the one least familiar with even the concept.

If one discounted his highly fictitious and oftentimes even contradictory knowledge on the matter, taken solely from games and novels, that was.

He wasn’t an adventurer who, day in day out, risked his life for some gold and fame and levels and whatnot. Everyone else was. How could he know more than them? What was he missing?

Severin was still trying to think up some noncommittal reply when the half-giant, despite no one else but Emily being in the vicinity, much less within earshot, continued to explain in an almost conspiratorial low voice; maybe in an attempt to convince Severin that further denial on his part was useless.

“Even without understanding the actual science being done on them, I understand that dungeons are considered one of the world’s great mysteries. As someone more familiar with them than most, I concur with that sentiment. I have seen what they are capable of. Reservoirs of seemingly endless amounts of energy.

I have seen some shape their environments. Others simply adapt to it. And the most deadly of them almost seem to evolve with every group of adventurers delving into them seeking their riches. And while the magic-sciences may still claim the research in that regard inconclusive, I and every other adventurer worth their salt knows they are able to create life; they don’t just corrupt it. Twisted and cruel creatures, sure, but still very much alive. And they have control over it. If not directly, then at the very least, enough influence to ensure those creatures do their bidding and sacrifice themselves, seemingly on command, to protect their creator.

In the low tier dungeons it might not be that apparent, but believe me, in the higher ones it is.

And there is one more thing I know for sure, one even the scientists seem to agree with. If something can create life, it can create other things as well. Loot, for example. Literal treasures. Out of thin air.

And you know what? Somehow they do it without even leaving any traces. No magic fluctuations or disturbances. No, nothing.

Now, again, that should almost be as impossible as creating life. I don’t understand how something like that is possible. And in the past, I would have thought no one does, but…”

When at the beginning of Samuel’s speech Severin was just glad he wasn’t expected to explain his small lapse and instead was given some of the answers he had been looking for, he now began to fidget uncomfortably.

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He didn’t like where this was going. Not one bit.

The only relief was that Samuel ended his sentence with a poignant look instead of finishing it. If he did, Severin wouldn’t have known what to say. This time, he wasn’t as confident he could bullshit his way through this conversation; with the exception that it wouldn’t be bullshit either.

He didn’t know what to think. He understood what Samuel was getting it, but what did it actually mean? And why the fuck did the System still remain silent even now?

“Of all the people around here, I’m probably the one who knows you the longest, no? And I have certainly seen more than most. So really, there is no need to play coy with me. I might be old, but that doesn’t mean I’m blind.

Whole buildings suddenly appearing overnight and with no one noticing? Just a couple of meters away from me? And those machines of yours.

You know just as well as I do that Mylana still hasn’t given up on figuring them out. But all this time and she hadn’t made the slightest bit of progress. And she is far more knowledgeable than me when it comes to the magic sciences, you know? More sensitive towards magic than me as well; comes with being a caster, I guess.

And I haven’t forgotten about your deal with the one from the… Lion’s Head guild, was it? Andreas.

That core was already considered depleted. Dead. Or whatever you wanna call it.

I can only imagine what might be possible with one that was still alive. That is why you have decided to come here, a place that is so abundant with dungeons, isn’t it?”

“Right,” Severin croaked with a dry throat. Because what else was he to say? The truth? For that, he would first have to know what the truth actually was. Sure, the [Berserker] had gotten that last part wrong; it had been the other way round; the quest to get a hold of another dungeon core had popped up only after he had already arrived, not before. But apart from that? For all he knew, the man could very well be right. Well, not with everything, since obviously Severin had no clue how to control or make use of a dungeon core himself. But maybe he knew some…thing? Who did?

As for the alternative, Severin refused to even think about it.

All he could do for now was play along.

“I’m looking for another one,” he said, hoping he managed to sound as conspiratorial as Samuel did when he had lowered his voice, and not as awkward as he felt.

“Haha, well, well.” Satisfied that his conjecture had apparently been proven right, Samuel’s booming voice returned, carrying not a hint of suspicion.

”In that case, you might want to check in with Magda. Last time I saw her, she was still going on about her paperwork, and how she would have to request special exemption status, seeing as she inevitably would end up infringing upon the jurisdiction of potentially even multiple other branches. Last I heard, she was considering applying for nineteen of those. One for each of the branches down there.

But where was is?

Ah, right. Talking to her would probably be the easiest way. Or at least the fasted, I reckon. Just issue a quest. If you are willing to advertise the fact that you’re looking for a core, that is.

Sooner or later, people will come to the same conclusion as me. Not sure if you want to speed this along, though.”