Chapter 405

As we walk to a secret spot where no one else can see us, Ethan and I find ourselves at a seaside cave. Since it’s close to the water rather than a sandy beach, we have to use water-walking to get closer. Once inside, the cave opens up into a spacious area.

“This place is part of Plyana Beach? You really found a hidden gem, Lilith.”

“I spotted it while we were treasure hunting on the second day. I didn’t have time to explore because of everything else going on, so I kept it in mind.”

“With a place like this, it wouldn’t be surprising to find real treasure, not just what the professor hid.”

... Good guess. Or maybe he was just joking.

In reality, this coastal cave is a mini-dungeon where secret items can be found. It’s designed to be hard to reach, making it inaccessible to characters other than the protagonist. While the dungeon itself isn’t difficult, the reward doesn’t quite justify the time investment, so it’s not essential to the storyline.

The hero, busy maximizing events for experience and fortune, wouldn’t linger at Plyana Beach for two extra days just to grab resources here. While you could find it by searching the western point during the treasure hunt on the second day…

‘We’ll take a look at the east coast. I have a feeling there’ll be a lot over there.’

Him saying that in front of me was essentially his way of conceding this opportunity to me. He probably thought it was a luck-related item. I’d worked hard to raise my luck to an average level, but Lilith’s base luck was notoriously low.

“Since there might actually be treasure here, would you like to search for it?”

“…I’d like to, but it’s dark. Isn’t it dangerous?”

‘Sally, could you make a small light we can carry?’

‘Sure, got it!’

With Sally’s response, a small flame appeared in my left hand, glowing and flickering gently. It was the perfect size to light the way for both Ethan and me.

‘Thanks, Sally. Want some mana?’

‘Yeah, give me a lot, so I can share it with Say.’

‘Of course. I have plenty since I rested yesterday.’

Ethan couldn’t hear our spirit conversation as I exchanged my mana for the flame light with Sally. I turned back to Ethan, showing him the fireball in my hand with a smile.

“Does this brightness suffice, Young Master Ethan?”

“Yes, this should be enough.”

With a small flame in hand, Ethan and I ventured further into the cave.

Suddenly, a fluttering noise!

‘Screech! Screeek!’

A few monsters appeared, but they weren’t much of a threat. They were so weak that my dagger, which isn’t coated with a sharp edge, could still slice through them. I had brought Ethan here today, not to level up, so weak monsters were hardly disappointing.

-Swish!

After about ten minutes of clearing out visible bat monsters and cave slimes, we reached the inner part of the cave. There, we found a giant clam, much larger than a typical shellfish.

“…A monster?”

“It doesn’t seem like one, but it might be a trap or a mimic, so we should be cautious.”

Well, I knew it wasn’t a trap, but staying vigilant never hurt anyone. I tested for traps by shooting a vision arrow to check for life responses and throwing a small ember from Sally’s light. Once I confirmed it was just an ordinary clam, I reassured Ethan.

“It seems this clam has been here for ages, Young Master Ethan. Judging by the salt line, I’d say it only survives during low tide.”

“…Yeah, looks that way.”

“Would you like to open it?”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense for you to open it, Lilith? Since you’re the one who found the cave.”

“Let’s open it together. I’ll wedge my dagger into the left side, and you lift from the right.”

“Alright. One, two…”

With a pop, the clam shell slowly opened, revealing a large pearl nestled inside, resting atop the clam flesh.

“A pearl?”

“It appears there really was treasure, just as you said.”

This was the mini-dungeon’s reward: the Radiant Pearl. It boosts the owner’s charm and slightly raises luck. While it didn’t mean much to me since my charm was over 400, it would be quite useful for Ethan. In the original game, his charm stat was notoriously low.

‘I suppose he’s more charming than in the game, given how popular he seems to be with the girls…’

I handed the pearl to Ethan, thinking he could make good use of it.

“This pearl suits you well, Young Master Ethan, especially with your noble bearing.”@@novelbin@@

“…Wouldn’t it suit you better, Lilith? Jewelry tends to look better on women.”

“But it suits a noble better than a commoner, so it belongs with you.”

“Well, if that’s the case, aren’t you a noble too, Lilith? You may not be a true noble yet, but in a few years, that could change.”

“I’m just a baron’s daughter for now, whereas you are the heir to the Blackwood Duchy…”

“Still, we’re here because you wanted to be. You should keep the treasure.”

If he insists so much, he might as well just take it…

As Ethan and I briefly argued over who should keep the dungeon’s prize, we were interrupted by the sound of water.

-Splash.

“Huh?”

The cave was slowly filling up with high tide.

“We should get out of here quickly, Lilith. If we dive a little at the entrance, we can still get out before the water rises…”

“That won’t do, Young Master Ethan.”

“Why not?”

“The pearl will lose its value if it touches seawater. Letting such a fine gem become discolored isn’t a good idea.”

Though it’s not impossible to escape now if we abandon the pearl, leaving the dungeon’s reward behind would make the whole trip pointless. I wasn’t about to let that happen.

“There’s a higher ledge deeper inside. Let’s wait until the tide goes down there. It won’t rise above the salt line, so we’ll be safe.”

“…Alright, Lilith. Let’s do that then.”

Reluctantly, Ethan followed me further inside, not wanting to risk the pearl’s value. We climbed up to a small chamber.

“The ceiling is low, Young Master Ethan. Be careful.”

“You too, Lilith.”

We crouched to avoid bumping our heads, squeezing into the small space. Fortunately, it was above the waterline, so we wouldn’t get soaked unexpectedly.

“How long do you think until the water recedes?”

“If we wait for it to drop just enough for us to exit, two hours should be sufficient. It’s high tide now, so…”

“Two hours isn’t too long. Besides, I have your company, Lilith, so I won’t be lonely.”

Ethan smiled at me as he settled in, bathed in the red glow of the flame. My face grew hot at the sight. I took the pearl and placed it further inside, where it wouldn’t get scratched.

‘I’d hate for it to get scuffed by leaving it on the ground.’

I wished I had something soft to place under it, but the only fabric available was my swimsuit. I could remove it, but doing so in front of Ethan wasn’t an option.

‘I can’t take off my swimsuit… or I’ll end up showing him that.'

The thought crossed my mind. Today, I had a little surprise hidden beneath my swimsuit, just in case. And now, I stood at a crossroads, debating whether I could bear to reveal it to Ethan or not.