"It seems this is something that only happens to Bell-kun."
"If others find out, it will also draw the attention of certain gods."
"There must be some special secret about Bell that makes him different. That's normal. It's just that he himself doesn't seem to realize it."
"I'll need to be especially careful going forward to make sure no one else discovers this boy's secret."
Eina had no intention of revealing this secret to any god. By being entrusted with it, she had gained Bell's trust. To be worthy of that trust, she would do everything possible to help keep it hidden.
"Bell-kun, don't let anyone else know what you've just shown me."
"If the Guild's higher-ups learn about something like this, you might become a subject of research."
"The Guild has been continuously investigating the dungeon. Regarding such research, if someone can influence the dungeon's workings for personal reasons, they automatically become a subject of observation."
"That's why it's better if you don't party with others. This would be absolutely worst for your future development."
"Many dungeon levels can't be traversed alone, and you'll eventually need to form parties to reach the middle levels. But if you want to keep your secrets hidden, you won't be able to take dangerous actions in the future and will only be able to develop your strength little by little."
Not being able to form parties also meant Bell would have to challenge his limits alone. Going further required more than just hard work - it truly meant taking risks. The difference between Level 1 and Level 2 was enormous, and overcoming it would require dangerous effort.
Eina normally strongly opposed such reckless adventures. "Adventurers shouldn't take unnecessary risks" was her usual motto. But for this boy, it seemed there was no way to maintain that stance if he wanted to keep his secret.
"Precisely because of that is why I want this."
Bell had never intended to trust any "comrades-in-arms" from the beginning. In a city like Orario, trusting someone was like handing them your life - something only a fool would do, and Bell was no fool.
Based on personal experience, he didn't trust people lightly. Orario was a special place where finding a reliable party member was extremely difficult.
"If that's what you think, then do as you believe."
Though Eina wanted to explain some ideas to the boy, he had already said that due to personal experience, he didn't want to trust anyone. Eina didn't know what experiences had led him to think this way, but at that moment she genuinely wanted to understand.
It was clear Bell had matured because of those experiences. His humble thoughts and efforts to conceal his actions indicated this boy had been deeply hurt in the past.
In other words, knowing where he might get hurt, the boy's emotional defenses were very thick, and not just anyone could break through them.
Moreover, not everyone was qualified to know. Having known Bell for less than three days, Eina clearly wasn't qualified to know more. So she didn't press further.
Looking at the goblin knives scattered across the room floor, Eina felt somewhat helpless. The exact number couldn't be determined quickly. Of course, the origin of these knives also needed to be concealed - otherwise the Guild would immediately become aware of Bell.
"Bell-kun, let's discuss the value of these goblin knives."
"Goblin magic stones aren't very valuable, only worth about 100 valis each. But the goblin knives are worth much more."
"Considering they're quite sharp weapons that can even damage minotaurs - mid-level monsters with strong physical defense - each goblin knife is worth around 100,000 valis."
The high value surprised Bell. He'd initially thought each knife might be worth about 10,000 valis, but it turned out to be ten times that!
"Are monster drops really this valuable?"
Eina felt she needed to explain properly to Bell.
"Bell-kun, drops from upper-level monsters typically fluctuate between 1,000 to 10,000 valis. After all, most monster drops are materials for weapons and potions that require secondary processing, so upper-level monsters have similar values."
"But weapons are completely different."
"The goblin dagger is a weapon that can seriously wound mid-level monsters like minotaurs, so its value isn't in the upper-level range."
"It's sharp enough to seriously injure even mid-level monsters."
"Additionally, the probability of obtaining goblin knives is quite low, so their value is only slightly worse than the low-grade weapons sold in specialty shops."
Through Eina's explanation, Bell understood why the goblin knives were so valuable. Mainly because they were finished weapons requiring no further refinement, and their excellent condition allowed them to even cut minotaur flesh. It was precisely this uniqueness that added to their worth.
"Bell-kun, how many are there total?"
"264."
In this case, that amounted to 26.4 million valis. On his very first dungeon dive, Bell had made a fortune. If he told other familias about this, they'd all be shocked by Bell's money-making ability, wouldn't they?
Bell smiled wryly. This single operation would indeed scare the familias - it might even scare people to death.
Truthfully, he himself was terrified by his own results. With 26.4 million valis, if he maintained this operation for a week, he could probably afford top-tier equipment.
Of course, this operation couldn't be repeated multiple times. Once was enough to draw attention. If done too often, it would easily attract those with ill intentions, since these knives needed to be sold off, and he'd already risked exposure. He couldn't afford to repeat this operation several times.
This should be the last time. From now on, except for magic stones, he wouldn't sell such materials at the Guild anymore. He might need his goddess's help to sell things, or perhaps ask Hephaistos - the gods had their own channels.
After the joking, Eina became more serious. As part of the Guild, she could provide Bell with much help, but this help wasn't unlimited. It needed boundaries, and Eina felt she needed to give Bell a limited, discreet arrangement.
Otherwise, if he used such methods every time, not only would the gods grow suspicious, but even within the Guild it couldn't be hidden.
"Bell-kun, I also need to discuss these knives with you. From now on, you'll need to control how many monster drops you sell - otherwise not only will the gods watch you, but even the Guild will monitor you. I can cover for you this time, but only once."
"So Bell-kun, next time you'll need to handle any excess drops through other channels."