Gavin walked ahead, and Eira clutched her father's clothes, following cautiously behind him, never leaving his side.
Her past experiences still haunted her.
She was still very afraid of dark environments and worried about monsters suddenly jumping out at her face.
As the two walked forward, a dark figure suddenly appeared beside them.
"Ah~"
Eira glimpsed the figure, immediately screamed, and then tightly hugged Gavin.
"Who!"
Instantly, a powerful aura burst forth from Gavin, and his sharp gaze turned towards the dark figure.
It seemed to be startled by the powerful aura.
The dark figure froze for a moment.
It was only for a second, but the dark figure then felt the oppressive aura directed at him disappear, as if it had been cut off.
"It's Lord!"
He instantly understood that Lord must be helping.
After thanking Lord inwardly, he slowly emerged from the shadows and faced Gavin and his daughter.
"Hello, my name is Marlon, I'm from the Adventurer's Guild next door. Are you here to explore the mine?"
Marlon, wearing a half-cape and with a scruffy beard, appeared before Gavin and said this.
Gavin saw Marlon, and with just a glance, understood that the other party was the guide for this Dungeon.
He immediately retracted his aura and nodded apologetically.
"Yes."
Following the other's words, Gavin replied.
"Then take this sword; there are many monsters inside."
Saying this, Marlon took out a rusty iron sword from his person and handed it to Gavin.
"If you need anything, you can find me at the Adventurer's Guild next door."
"Thank you."
Gavin politely thanked him and took the rusty iron sword.
He hadn't brought any weapons or worn any equipment when he came here. This sword was very ordinary, but it would do for now.
"Mmm."
Afterward, Marlon left.
After he left, Gavin and Eira saw a downward cave entrance behind where he had been standing.
Arriving near the mine, they could see a flight of stairs leading straight down.
"Dad, do we go in here?"
Eira looked at the dark entrance, asking with some hesitation.
"Yes, we're going in," Gavin said without hesitation.
He couldn't give his daughter any room for hesitation now; if she started begging, it would be hard for him to refuse, and a golden opportunity would be lost again.
"...Mmm."
Seemingly influenced by her father's firm attitude, Eira's hesitant thoughts were somewhat diminished, and she slowly nodded in agreement.
Eira was then protected by her father as they descended into the mine using the ladder.
"It's so dark!"
They reached the first level of the mine.
The dark environment made Eira feel very uncomfortable.
"It's alright, there's light in the distance. Just follow behind me."
Gavin comforted her, then walked ahead, holding the rusty iron sword.
Just like a knight guarding a princess.
At this moment, feeling protected, Eira looked up, firmed up her fearful heart a little, and carefully walked in her father's footsteps.
This gave her a sense of security.
After walking a distance, the ground was covered with various rocks and stones, some gray, some coppery.
"These should all be stones, right? These coppery stones should be copper ore. Let's collect them."
Gavin pointed at the coppery ore on the ground and said to his daughter behind him.
Using the things in front of them to attract his daughter's curiosity could reduce her fear.
"Oh... but I don't seem to have brought a pickaxe..."
Eira was indeed attracted, looking at the strangely shaped copper ore on the ground, but then realized she hadn't brought any collecting tools, feeling a little troubled.
"Dad brought a pickaxe."
Gavin then took out a beginner's essential pickaxe from his backpack and handed it to his daughter.
"Okay!"
Eira took the pickaxe and nodded.
"I understand."
After saying that, Eira squatted down and began to mine the copper ore with the pickaxe.
Engrossed in collecting items, Eira's fear of her surroundings diminished somewhat.
After collecting two pieces of copper ore from a rock in front of her, Eira suddenly felt happy. She looked up and saw another rock in the distance that looked like it would yield copper ore, so she disregarded her surroundings and rushed to walk over.
"Eira!"
Seeing his daughter in this state, Gavin quickly pulled her back.
"It's dangerous here, don't run around on your own."
"Got it."
Eira was called out by her father, feeling a little unhappy, but she still obediently stopped.
However, her fear had already become very faint.
She only wanted to collect a few more pieces of copper ore.
"I collected two pieces of copper ore, and there's one more."
Eira returned to her father's side, pointing to the one she saw in the distance and saying.
"I'll take you over to collect it; don't go by yourself."
Gavin held his daughter's hand and walked towards that piece of copper ore.
Just then, a "sizzle sizzle~" sound came from the shadows beside them.
"There's a monster!"
Gavin immediately pulled his daughter in front of him.
"Dad..."
Eira, panicked, hid behind her father, too scared to look ahead.
"It's okay, don't be afraid."
"It looks like a Slime!?"
The source of the sound jumped out from the shadows and appeared before them.
Looking at the underdeveloped, tiny Slime that could be squashed with one foot, Gavin was dumbfounded.
Wielding the rusty iron sword in his hand felt like a waste.
Did this Dungeon really put such monsters?
It was completely fooling around!
"Neira, don't be afraid, it's just a Slime."
Gavin looked at his daughter and said comfortingly.
"It's a Slime?"
Eira listened, then slightly raised her head to take a look.
A completely green, soft Slime was lying on a rock in front of them, constantly twisting its form, moving by hopping, and showing no desire to attack.
Seeing its adorable appearance, Eira's fear immediately lessened considerably.
Only then did Eira fully emerge from behind Gavin, looking at the Slime.
"...Is this what a Dungeon monster is?"
Eira looked at her father in confusion and asked.
"Yes, they put such pitifully weak things in the Dungeon."
Gavin shrugged and said.
Gavin then handed the rusty iron sword in his hand to Eira, "You kill it."
"This, can I do it?"
Eira hesitated, holding the rusty iron sword and gesturing, looking at the lively Slime in front of her, asking hesitantly.
"You definitely can."
Gavin nodded.
"It's very weak; one slash will kill it, don't be afraid."
"Is that so?"
Eira held the iron sword, and after seeing her father demonstrate, she nervously imitated him.
"Yes."
Seeing his daughter so nervous, Gavin placed his hand on the back of her hand.
Just like when he taught his daughter to use weapons when she was little, even now that she was older, he still had to teach her.
Who told him he once wanted to take Neira to the Dungeon?
"You just need to chop down at it, and it will die."
Gavin slowly raised his daughter's iron sword.
"I'll try..."
The feeling of her father's hand guiding her grip on the weapon made Eira's nervous heart relax a little.
"Yes, just like that, very good, chop down hard!"
Gavin said, gripping the iron sword and chopping down hard onto the ground.
With a "bang!", the Slime was killed in one hit.
"See, that's all it takes."
"I killed a monster!"
Looking at the Slime, which had turned into Slime and died in front of her, Eira was overjoyed.
She really did it!
She personally killed a monster!
Although it was very weak, it was enough.
This was her first kill in a Dungeon in her life!
Achievement unlocked: Dungeon First Kill!
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