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This chapter has been replaced with a new translation on [2024-07-03]. Comments may refer to the old translation.

“Well, everyone, I am truly sorry… And thank you very much,” an old man apologized.
“Oh no, we came here due to a request, so if you have issues, we are here for you.”
“That’s right, Village Chief, y’know? No need for bein’ so humble.”
“Thanks to this, we were able to obtain the hides and fangs of these three Black Soldier Dogs.”
“If there is any more trouble, just give us a call, alright?”

A group of four people, made up of young men and women, was talking with the old man.

“Ho-ho-ho… you kids are awfully reliable…” the old man, who had been called village chief, gazed at them with respect. “Incidentally, you weren’t injured or anything, were you?”
“Nah, we’re fine! We have a brilliant healer!”
“Eh-heh-heh… You are making me blush.”

A man with a strong-looking appearance, brown hair, and a rather well-featured face replied to the old man’s question, followed by the comment of a girl with long hair of a pretty light-blue color.

“Oh, my goodness! In that case, you kids¹ might be able to conquer ‘that place’.”
“Huh? What ‘place’ are you talking about, Mister²?”

The one asking that question was a girl with a cute face and pink hair, reaching down to her shoulders.

“As a matter of fact, there is a dungeon in the forest close to this village…”
“A dungeon!? What is its name and of what level is it?” a boy with blonde hair and a captivating face, who was the leader of those four, asked the village chief somewhat excitedly.
“Let me think… what was the name again?” the old man replied. “Right, it should be “Pipi Forest” and something, but… as for its level… Since discovering it, I’ve only gone in once. Naturally, I immediately left…”

“Yo? Why don’t we see how far we get? Even if the boss is impossible, maybe we’ll pick up somethin’ like a treasure chest on the way!”
“Oh, you’re right!”
“We have prepared HP and MP potions, have we not?”
“Still, everyone, if things get dangerous, we get out of there immediately, you hear?”

“Alright!”
“Understood!”
“I hear ya!”

The three replied in unison. Their leader looked at the scene warmly.

“Ha-ha, Mr. Village Chief, would you mind showing us the way?” the youth’s leader asked.
“Of course. When will you depart?”
“We ain’t had breakfast yet, so after that should be fine!”
“You are right. Let us eat breakfast, even if it is a bit late.”
“Ho ho, if that’s the case, why don’t you try the vegetables, that are the pride and joy of Pipi Village?”
“Huh, is that alright? We cannot have you treat us to a meal.”
“Ho-ho-ho, I don’t mind. If you kids hadn’t arrived, those accursed Black Soldier Dogs and Black Pawn Dogs³ would’ve devoured me whole.”
“Alright, if you insist.”

The four youths and the old man ate breakfast, which had been prepared by the old man’s wife, got their preparations sufficiently in order, and then went to the dungeon.

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They left the village at 7 am and had spent around 20 minutes discussing how to conquer the dungeon, when they arrived at its location.
However…

“Oh… huh.”
“Is something wrong, Mr. Village Chief?” the blonde boy asked.
“T-This is the place where the dungeon should be, but that’s just a hole… I-It definitely was here…”
“Might someone have conquered it?” the girl with blue hair wondered.
“Certainly seems that way,” the brawny boy mused. “Well, conquerin’ a dungeon takes power, and it’s first come, first served, right?”
“Still… No adventurers have come to Pipi Village in some time… Even if you were to come here from outside the forest, it’s so deep, you hardly won’t find the way out once you’ve entered, and locating the dungeon should be almost impossible…”

Right after the old man had explained that, the youth’s leader gave a shout.

“Hey! Over there… I see someone!”
“Hm? You’re right… ain’t they covered in blood!?”
“Huh!? That cannot be!”
“We have to help them quickly!”

The five of them rushed to the blood-covered person’s side. Then, they were astonished even further.

“Hey, ain’t that a girl? Why’s she in such a place?”
“I don’t know… but it looks like she’s still breathing!”
“Wah~! High Heal, High Heal!”
“F-For the time being, let’s get her to the village…”
“You’re right, we can have her rest in my house’s guest room!” the old man suggested.
“Let’s get her there quickly! Y’know, I’ll carry her on my back!” the brawny boy said.

He loaded the bloodstained girl with red hair onto his back, and then the five of them hurried back towards the village.

Upon returning, they learned something. Something rather strange.
That no one in the village knew, who that girl was. Not even the village chief…

TL notes:
I tried to have the characters talk slightly different from each other, but I’m not sure if it’s noticeable enough. In the original, the blonde boy and the pink-haired girl talk normally, the blue-haired girl uses polite speech, and the brown-haired boy talks with slight slang.

1. In the original, he addresses them with 皆様方 (“everyone”, “ladies and gentlemen”), but I decided to have him talk more like a normal old man.
2. She calls him おじいさん (“grandfather”, “old man”) which is somewhat hard to make sound polite, so I opted for “Mister”.
3. I guess Black Soldier Dogs are the lion-sized ones and Black Pawn Dogs the normal-sized ones.