Chapter 402: Progress in the Workshop

Irina straightened her posture instantly upon being addressed and took a half step forward with an attentive expression.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Irina replied clearly. "During our last patrols, Chloe and I successfully cleared three active A-rank dungeons in the nearby sectors, and we also found the locations of four additional dungeons scattered across the region... although, after verifying them, we confirmed that those four are also A-rank."

Ryan nodded slowly as he processed the information.

’I know full well that getting S-rank dungeons to appear is quite difficult,’ he reflected silently, not feeling disappointed by the report. ’But at least it’s very useful that they keep finding so many A-rank ones to gather resources and train.’

Beside the princess, Chloe enthusiastically raised her hand to add to the report.

"In fact, since we’ve finished restocking here, we were planning to go clear the remaining four A-rank dungeons right now," Chloe added.

Ryan looked at both of them and approved the plan with a simple gesture.

"Sounds good to me. Be careful; maybe with some luck, you’ll find an interesting item in the boss chests."

"Yes!" both replied in unison, bowing their heads slightly before preparing to leave.

However, before the two young women took their first step toward the courtyard exit, heavy boots crunched on the snow behind them.

William approached, walking calmly, followed closely by Alina and Delia, who had already recovered a bit of color in their faces after the scare with the mountain, although they still maintained a safe distance from Ryan.

"Do you mind if I go with them on that expedition?" William asked, stopping a few meters away and pointing his chin toward Irina and Chloe.

Ryan looked at him somewhat confused, raising an eyebrow. For a combatant of William’s caliber and level, going into a place like that had no obvious progression benefit.

"Why are you interested in entering an A-rank dungeon at this point?" Ryan questioned frankly.

William shrugged slightly, hooking his thumbs into his belt.

"In reality, I’m not interested in the monsters or leveling up," William explained in an analytical tone. "But as an adventurer, I’m quite curious to see with my own eyes the internal condition of a dungeon located right in the middle of demon territory. And, above all, I’m intrigued to see why the former owners of these lands hadn’t sealed them."

Ryan observed him for a couple of seconds. It was a reasonable doubt for someone coming from the human nations, where every dungeon was controlled down to the millimeter.

"I see," Ryan finally said. "Then it’s fine, you can go with them to take a look. But you are strictly forbidden from clearing it yourself or getting involved in the main fights; that training and the loot belong to the two of them."

William offered a slight smile of agreement and nodded.

"Agreed. So be it, we will only go as observers."

With permission granted, Chloe and Irina exchanged a glance with William’s group, and the five of them left together, crossing the courtyard’s main archway toward the outskirts of the castle.

Chloe and Irina rode wyverns, and William’s group rode the giant wolves, although at first they had some doubts about whether those creatures would let them ride them.

The courtyard grew much quieter. Of everyone who had been present when Ryan destroyed the mountain, only Iris and Alicia remained.

Both waited for the exploration group’s footsteps to fade down the stairs and calmly approached until they were next to Ryan.

Iris looked in the direction William had just left, her brow slightly furrowed as she pondered the comment he had made before leaving.

"Now that I think about it, why didn’t the demons who ruled this area seal those dungeons when they appeared?" Iris asked aloud, turning her gaze back to Ryan. "Isn’t it quite strange considering they go to human nations to seal them?"

Ryan looked at her in silence for a second and then averted his gaze toward the northern horizon, focusing on the colossal flat trench he had made minutes ago where the summit used to stand.

"It’s not that strange if you understand how their biology works within the system," Ryan commented in a calm voice, as the cold wind slightly moved the collar of his clothes. "Demons can enter and exit dungeons just like anyone else, but unlike us, they don’t grow stronger by gaining experience from killing monsters. And the dungeon system doesn’t give them items or rewards when they clear a floor either."

Iris blinked, paying full attention to the explanation.

"For a demon, conquering a dungeon’s core is a waste of energy without a payout," Ryan continued without taking his eyes off the cleared plain. "The only logical reason the demons of this territory decided not to seal those A-rank dungeons must have been that they used them as private training grounds to practice their ambush strategies and group tactics before going out to hunt humans."

Beside him, Alicia nodded serenely, backing her lord’s deduction.

"Yes, I also think exactly the same," Alicia confirmed.

"I see... Looked at that way, it makes a lot of sense," Iris murmured quietly, convinced by the answer.

Just as silence was settling among the three of them again, a pair of familiar voices rang out from the side hallway of the castle.

"Your Majesty, I was hoping to still find you out here."

"Good morning, Your Majesty."

Ryan turned his body toward the source of the voices, and a genuine smile curved his lips upon seeing the newcomers.

There stood Runa, the dwarven blacksmith, with her arms stained with soot and her heavy leather apron, accompanied by Mika, the elven alchemist, whose tunic smelled slightly of distilled herbs and mana tree leaves. Neither of them had a single speck of snow on them, nor did they look scared by the earthquake that had shattered the windows of half the castle.

"You two truly are completely unflappable, aren’t you?" Ryan told them in an amused tone. "Half the fortress came running out thinking the sky was falling to pieces, and you didn’t even peek outside."

Runa let out a short laugh and thumped her chest with her gloved fist, flashing a wide smile.

"First and foremost is the work in the forge, Your Majesty. You don’t drop a good hammer in the middle of tempering just because the ground shakes a little bit."

Beside her, Mika adjusted the sleeves of her clothes with her usual calm elegance.

"For my part, as soon as I felt the magical signature in the air, I figured all that commotion was caused by some demonstration of your power, so I didn’t give it much importance and kept on with my work," Mika commented softly, before offering him a slight bow of her head. "Besides, whatever threat might present itself out there, I fully trust that you will handle it without any problems, Your Majesty."

Ryan let out a brief laugh at his alchemist’s blind faith.

"I hope to never betray that trust," Ryan said with a smile, as his gaze moved from Runa’s dirty gloves to Mika’s bright eyes. "But knowing the two of you, if you are out here at this hour and away from the workshop, it’s because you finally made progress on something important that you want me to see in person, isn’t that right?"