"Crackle."
The campfire flickered, casting warm light on everyone sitting in a circle.
They held wooden bowls, enjoying the red sausage soup Ronan had prepared.
The ingredients had been prepared in advance and stored in sealed boxes before they entered the Dungeon. Once the fire was lit and the water boiled, it did not take long for a hot meal to be ready.
But today's main dish was something special Ronan had been saving for a long time: Bacon Potato Rolls.
[Name]: Bacon Potato Rolls
[Origin]: Veyr Familia
[Type]: Dish
[Effect]: Temporarily increases all Abilities by 5% for 2 hours after eating.
[Description]: These rolls carry more than potato inside them. They carry a small blessing for victory.
This precious recipe was something Ronan had unexpectedly found in a drop chest during his last Dungeon exploration.
Recently, he had been busy training the new members on the surface. Aside from his own occasional solo trips into the Upper Floors for Magic practice, the team hadn't explored the Dungeon much.
Because of that, this special dish had stayed at the bottom of his chest, waiting for the right time.
Today, as they restarted their exploration, Ronan finally brought it out.
"Bacon Potato Rolls?"
Jeanne picked one up and looked at Ronan with a questioning and slightly skeptical gaze.
"You look suspicious... is there something special about this?"
Ronan smiled like he was about to play a prank.
"If you can't tell, why not just try it? Trust me, since I've been saving this, it won't disappoint you."
Hearing this, everyone looked at the basket of food. The rolls smelled good enough that everyone wanted to try them at once.
Nobody held back anymore. Everyone reached for the basket and took a portion. Even though they were excited, they only took small, careful bites, afraid of missing the taste.
"Mmm!"
Lorie took her first bite and her eyes widened. She instinctively covered her mouth and let out a muffled sound.
"What is this? How can it be so good?"
The moment she bit into it, the rich flavor filled her mouth.
The mix of crispy bacon and soft potato hit her much harder than she expected. The taste was strong enough to make her tremble.
The world around her seemed to twist and change.
"This... is a field..."
Rose whispered in a daze.
"Potatoes... why are the potatoes dancing? Ah..."
Another dazed voice followed.
Ronan sat nearby, trying his best to keep a straight face and not laugh out loud.
This recipe from the system was truly effective. Aside from the Ability boost, the shock from such strong flavor was more than a normal person could handle.
This side effect is stronger than I expected.
He clicked his tongue inwardly and looked around nervously. Luckily, this scene didn't attract the attention of the other nearby adventuring parties. He breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, Jeanne and Rose were the first to recover from the hallucination caused by the dish. Their faces were still red, and they were still breathing a little faster than usual.
A second later...
Ronan felt two angry gazes lock onto him.
Rose narrowed her eyes. Her face carried a gentle smile that looked even more dangerous than usual, and her voice was soft.
"Dear Ronan, about the hallucinations from this dish... don't you owe everyone an explanation? Hmm?"
At the end, her voice rose slightly.
Ronan knew it wasn't his imagination. He was sure he saw anger in her eyes.
Being targeted by Rose's golden eyes and remembering her scary side made Ronan feel a chill.
"Ahem!"
He cleared his throat and tried to stay calm. He shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands in an innocent gesture. His eyes looked sincere.
"Well... isn't it reasonable to have a few hallucinations when something is this delicious? It's just the highest form of enjoying good food! Yes, that's it!"
Seeing Ronan shift the blame as if nothing had happened, Jeanne and Rose were furious.
Jeanne, seeing the culprit defend himself so shamelessly, reached for the sword hilt at her waist with a sharp clink.
The sharp metallic sound made Ronan's heart race. His survival instinct kicked in at once.
"Wait! Jeanne, calm down, put the sword down! Let's talk! I swear I didn't know it would be this bad. Do you believe me?"
Ronan's voice cracked with panic.
Jeanne and Rose exchanged a look. Their lips curled into the same cold smile, and they said at the same time:
"No. We don't."
"...Fine, it's my fault. I knew the food had a tiny side effect, but I didn't think it would be this extreme."
Since he couldn't hide it anymore, Ronan gave up and accepted it.
The moment he finished speaking...
"Hiss... Ow, ow, ow!"
Rose's hand had already slipped past his guard. She grabbed the skin on Ronan's waist with two fingers and gave it a ruthless twist.
"Hiss... It hurts, it hurts! Dear Rose, don't do this, we're family! Don't embarrass me in front of everyone. There are people nearby, don't let them laugh at us... Hiss!"
The skin at the waist was weak against pain. Even though Ronan had a strong body, he couldn't handle it. He cried out within two seconds.
But Jeanne and Rose ignored his performance.
They stayed expressionless, watching his exaggerated acting as if they were watching a joke.
While Ronan was being punished for his prank, Aura and Lorie finally snapped out of it.
Their minds cleared, and they realized they had fallen into another one of Ronan's traps.
"Ronan, you tricked me!"
Lorie remembered how she had acted and her face turned red with embarrassment as she pounced on Ronan.
As for Aura, once she recovered, she sat on the side with a calm face and her arms crossed. She watched Ronan's punishment with a satisfied look.
...
Fortunately, everyone knew they were in the dangerous Dungeon. After a small punishment, they let him go. As for what would happen when they returned to the surface, that depended on Ronan's behavior.
After the noise died down, the team's mood felt much lighter. Being in the tense environment of the Dungeon for a long time was hard on an adventurer's mind. A little relaxation was necessary.
Currently, Ronan sat by the fire pretending to finish his soup, but his mind was elsewhere.
He looked around casually, but he was actually observing the other adventuring parties.
Even from a distance, Ronan could tell from his experience that these teams were not like the less experienced groups he had seen on the floors above. They were on a completely different level.
Every party he saw looked sharp and professional. They occupied spots in the room that were easy to defend. They looked relaxed, but they were steady and alert.
Their equipment was even more impressive. Even without touching them, he could see the high quality of the weapons and armor. The blades looked sharp, the armor looked solid, and the staves clearly held stable magic power. These were clearly expensive items made by masters, not common gear.
Additionally, the teams had varied members.
Beast People with composite bows, Amazons with giant axes resting on the ground, and Elves with silver staves and robes... they all looked different, but they all had the air of people used to real battle.
One look was enough to tell they were experienced adventurers.
People like this were called veteran adventurers.
"Tch, I wonder how many Level 2 adventurers are hidden in these teams?" Ronan wondered.
Since they were already here, they had clearly worked hard to reach the 12th Floor. These teams would not just stay here. They all planned to challenge the Middle Floors soon.
Based on that, it was almost certain that these teams were led by strong Level 2 adventurers.
After all, without a Level 2 holding the team together, a group of Level 1s trying to enter the Middle Floors would be walking straight to their deaths.
While Ronan was wondering if they should move to a less crowded spot to hunt, Jeanne's eyes suddenly narrowed.
She grabbed the spear planted next to her and stood up quickly.
The sudden movement startled everyone.
Remembering Jeanne's Revelation, everyone immediately stood up and went on alert.
"What is it, Jeanne?" Rose asked in a low voice, holding her sword and shield.
"Something is coming."
As soon as she spoke, Lorie, who also had detection Skills, turned pale. Her eyes widened, and her voice trembled with nerves.
"W-what is that...!?"
Ronan followed their gaze. He tightened his grip on his staff and then grinned, showing his white teeth.
"I have to say, the Dungeon really knows how to pick the right time."
"..."
"ROOOOOAAAARRRRRRRR!"