When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 105

Episode 105

The Shinjuku Dungeon is a first-class dungeon located right in the heart of Tokyo, in Shinjuku. Besides the Shinjuku Dungeon, there are other large-scale dungeons scattered throughout central Tokyo, such as those in Roppongi and Shibuya. In addition, there are dungeons like the Mitaka Dungeon, which are not open to the public and reserved for research institutions. Surprisingly, Tokyo contains a significant number of dungeons.

According to some researchers, the likelihood of dungeon occurrence seems to be proportional to population distribution and density. In other words, the more densely populated an area is, the more likely dungeons are to appear. One theory suggests that this might be influenced by the trace amounts of magical energy emitted by people, but the actual cause remains unclear.

Regardless, dungeons have become a familiar part of modern life in Japan. People who explore these dungeons to obtain resources and make a living are known as explorers.

Explorers typically experience an increase in physical abilities the higher the concentration of magical energy in the area. Although the concentration of magical energy on the surface has clearly risen compared to pre-dungeon times, it remains significantly lower than inside the dungeons. Therefore, if explorers want to fully utilize their enhanced physical abilities and supernatural powers, they must venture into the dungeons. Conversely, as long as they lead a normal life outside, their physical abilities remain no different from ordinary people.

When registering as an explorer, one first learns about the basic structure of dungeons, monsters, and materials, along with relevant laws, through a written test. Following that, they gradually acclimate their bodies to dungeon environments through hands-on experience. Since most prospective explorers enter a dungeon for the first time at this stage, they often start out nervous and cautious. Of course, these training sessions are supervised by highly skilled instructors.

In Japan, individuals can register as explorers starting at the age of 18. Various high schools and vocational schools specializing in explorer training have been established throughout the country.

Against this backdrop, Jez and René were about to enter a dungeon for the first time. Technically, they had been inside the Okutama Dungeon before, but this would be their first time entering a well-maintained, active dungeon.

Before registering as explorers, Jez and René had conducted thorough research. Jez, in particular, wanted to learn more about the undead dragon he had fought when he first arrived in this world and its standing here. He wanted to avoid accidentally drawing too much attention by casually saying something like, “Did I do something impressive?”

That being said, a video of Jez slaying the dragon was already circulating on the internet. Fortunately, his face hadn’t been exposed, so he wasn’t worried for the time being.

Still, there was also the possibility that this world was far more dangerous than they anticipated, and that they could find themselves in trouble. In any battlefield, gathering information is the top priority. This was a lesson Jez, despite being a civil servant, had learned from his battlefield experience. René was currently a commander and understood as well.

Over the course of about a week, Jez and René conducted in-depth research into the world’s dungeons and explorers. In addition to using media like the internet and books, they visited various dungeons across Tokyo. Although they couldn’t enter the dungeons themselves, they observed explorers coming and going.

Fortunately, they even caught sight of several famous deep-level explorers. After several days of investigation, Jez and René reached a conclusion.

They determined that the upper-level explorers of this world were generally below the average standard of students at the Royal Academy in the Kingdom of Tashman. Mid-level explorers were roughly equivalent to academy graduates, while lower-level explorers were comparable to newly recruited soldiers. As for deep-level explorers, they were on par with an average centurion. However, individuals like Lilly, Jamil, and Lady Cynthia, who were also centurions, led specialized units and thus shouldn’t be compared to average centurions.

After carefully reviewing all the information, Jez and René concluded that the combat power in this world was generally several steps behind that of the Kingdom of Tashman.

This wasn’t entirely surprising. In this country, monsters only appeared within the confined and special space of dungeons, and they rarely ventured out onto the surface. In contrast, in the Kingdom of Tashman, the presence of monsters was an ordinary part of life. This difference in environment was significant.

However, there was one point to note: the five ultra-deep-level explorers in this world seemed to be in a class of their own. Recently, Japan had produced a new ultra-deep-level explorer, and after watching a video of them in action, Jez realized just how absurdly powerful they were.

Watching this dungeon livestream, Jez came to fully recognize just how “mysterious” Japan was. These explorers, while using different terminology, seemed to wield what Jez would call “conceptual armaments” from his own world. Jez believed that these ultra-deep-level explorers could potentially rival the class of commanders in the Kingdom of Tashman—or perhaps even surpass them in some cases.

On a different note, Jez couldn’t quite wrap his head around the concept of dungeon livestreams. When he first learned about it, he couldn’t help but think, “What on earth is a dungeon livestream?” and felt the need to comment.

Meanwhile, René had taken quite a liking to watching these dungeon livestreams. She would often lie on the sofa in the evening, watching videos while munching on potato chips. Jez couldn’t help but think, “Princess, aren’t you adapting a little too well?”

With her long hair loosely tied back, dressed casually in a camisole and shorts, René lounged in the living room with her midriff occasionally peeking out. Watching this, Jez felt a strange sense of urgency—thinking that they should return to the kingdom soon.

During these moments, Jez was busy in the kitchen and efficiently preparing dinner. Perhaps he was planning on transitioning from being a civil servant to a full-time househusband? That day, he’d found pork on sale at the supermarket, so dinner was ginger pork. As he worked, he contemplated what side dish to make and continued to prep with practiced hands.

After spending such days together, Jez and René were fully prepared when they joined the explorer registration training. Both participated wearing comfortable outfits they had bought from a sports shop.

At this time, they wore matching tracksuits, though in different colors. What they had forgotten, however, was how much they stood out in this country. Both Jez and René drew considerable attention from their fellow participants—being a striking couple of a handsome blonde man and a beautiful blonde woman in matching outfits.

A few of the instructors, observing Jez and René’s movements during the physical fitness tests and mock battles, quickly realized that the pair were far from amateurs.

Just as the first day of training was about to end without incident, a sudden “dungeon quake” struck the Shinjuku Dungeon.