For that reason, they did not travel in a straight line, instead taking detours through every area they had already explored as thoroughly as possible.
Half a day later.
Dark took out his pocket watch and glanced at it, only to realize it was already past eleven thirty in the morning.
The group exchanged smiles, then casually found a relatively level patch of open ground and set up camp on the spot.
Aurora took her enormous backpack off the Heavy Armored Rhinoceros's back, then pulled out cooking utensils one by one, somehow assembling a complete stove right there.
"Too bad we didn't run into any underground monsters."
Having set up the stove, Aurora sounded somewhat regretful.
Oli nodded in deep agreement and began boiling water and heating the pan with her.
Although... well...
This small party really did contain two master chefs.
The two of them handled the cooking.
Tom and Jerry gathered firewood.
Angri stood watch.
And Dark and Lily were responsible for taste-testing.
Everyone had a clear role, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
Laughter and cheerful voices filled the underground space.
After eating and drinking their fill, they rested where they were.
By the time they set out again, it was already one in the afternoon.
The group continued deeper in. Though their spirits remained high, a faint sense of laziness had crept in.
Then, at around one thirty, they finally encountered their first danger since entering the temple.
But it was not an underground monster. A pattern on a wall had come to life!
By the time they reached the deeper parts of the temple grounds, the surrounding walls had disappeared from sight. Some areas were filled with houses like a city district, while others were barren wasteland, where looking up revealed only the ceiling