The Mine

The Lawrence Mine was named after the Lawrence family.

The territory had originally been bought by an ancestor of the Lawrence family; at first, it was nothing more than rolling wasteland.

It was not until decades later, during an accidental survey, that a mineral vein hidden within the mountain was discovered.

From then on, the mine became the Lawrence family's most important asset, upholding the family's prestige and status.

For this reason, the current heir, Sir Cooper Lawrence, had specifically built a small manor outside the cave entrance to serve as the mine's administrative center.

And right now, he was leading Rosie toward the open ground outside the mine's entrance.

Rosie examined the entrance to the mine as she walked.

The entrance was situated on the southern side of a low hill.

The mouth of the mine was held square and open by timber supports, wide enough for two mine carts to pass side by side. A gravel path wound its way toward the nearby manor.

Just then, three men walked out from the entrance.

“Sir, you've arrived,” the man in front greeted.

“Miss Rosie, this is Carl, captain of the mine guards. The other two are his men, Bill and Jack.”

Lawrence spoke in a flat tone, as though introducing a few routine tools.

Rosie gave a slight nod, her gaze sweeping over the three. “Hello, gentlemen.”

Carl stood at the front. He was about thirty years old, of average build, wearing a slightly faded, thick cotton coat with an old leather chestpiece worn fuzzy at the edges layered over it. A longsword hung at his waist.

The two young men behind him both looked to be in their early twenties, similarly outfitted in cotton coats under leather armor with swords at their waists.

Carl scanned Rosie up and down. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and he turned to Lawrence, his tone tinged with undisguised doubt:

“Sir, are you sure this little girl can handle it? Those cave spiders are extremely dangerous monsters. I still think we should ask Baron Rorick for help—his men have plenty of experience.”

“That bastard Rorick is far too greedy. I can't stand the sight of him.”

Sir Lawrence scoffed coldly, then continued, “Miss Rosie is a professional adventurer. I trust her abilities.”

Rosie didn't interject from start to finish.

Carl remained quiet for a short moment before nodding. “Fine. In that case, we'll assist her.”

Just then, Rosie suddenly spoke up. “No need. I'll handle it alone. Just give me a map of the mine.”

Her words left everyone present stunned.

Sir Lawrence asked, his voice laced with surprise, “What do you mean by that, Miss Rosie?”

“I'm used to acting alone; it's more efficient,” Rosie said. “Don't worry, I won't raise my price.”

Before Lawrence could speak, Carl beat him to it. “How can we allow that? How could we let you go in alone? Wouldn't that make us look completely useless?”

Rosie turned to Carl and offered a faint smile. “Mr. Carl, space inside the mine is tight. More people will only get in the way. It'll be easier for me to manage on my own.”

Carl opened his mouth as if to say something more, but Sir Lawrence raised a hand, cutting off the words before they could leave his mouth.

“Since Miss Rosie says so, let's do it her way. Carl, you and your men stay outside.”

He stepped aside and gestured for Rosie to follow.

“Miss Rosie, come with me. I'll show you the map of the mine.”

Carl stood where he was, his lips twitching slightly, before he silently nodded.

The two guards behind him exchanged a look, neither saying a word.

Rosie followed Sir Lawrence along the gravel path into the manor.

Calling it a manor was generous; it was essentially a walled compound.

Besides serving as daily mine management headquarters, it also housed temporary quarters for the miners.

However, due to the cave spider infestation, all the miners had been sent home.

Sir Lawrence led Rosie into the manor's main building, entering a room that resembled a study.

In the center of the room sat a broad oak desk piled high with account ledgers and official documents.

Lawrence walked over to the desk, pulled open a drawer on the right side, and retrieved a folded piece of parchment. He spread it out across the desk, smoothing out its curled edges with his palm.

It was a hand-drawn map of the mine. Though the ink had faded somewhat, the lines remained clear.

“This is the full layout of the mine as it currently stands.”

Lawrence tapped his finger against the lines on the map, tracing inward from the entrance along the main tunnel, finally stopping at a red circle deep in the northern section.

“The cave spider nest should be right here.”

“How many spiders are there roughly?” Rosie asked.

“Hard to say.” Lawrence shook his head.

“The cave spiders appeared out of nowhere, and the workers panicked on the spot. But according to those who escaped, there are at least five or six. If there are other connected side passages nearby, there might be even more.”

“Has anyone gone down since?” Rosie continued asking.

Lawrence hesitated before answering, “Carl and his men went down once. The location of the spider nest is what they brought back.”

“They couldn't clear it?” Rosie thought Carl's strength seemed decent enough.

“Carl and his team tried once, but failed and lost a man in the process,” Lawrence explained.

“Alright.”

Rosie studied the map carefully, memorizing the layout and paths of the mine. She extended her finger to trace the route from the entrance to the nest.

It wasn't a short trip, but the main path was clearly marked. As long as her sense of direction didn't fail her, it shouldn't be hard to find.

Lawrence rolled the map back up and handed it to Rosie. “Take this with you. It's much more intuitive than a verbal description.”

Rosie took the map, rolled it tightly, and slipped it into a side compartment of her backpack.

Lawrence glanced out the window at the pale grey sky, then turned back.

“Get a good rest tonight. You'll set out early tomorrow morning. Do you have any other requests?”

“None for now.”

“Good. Dinner is already being prepared. Go settle into the guest room first.”

Rosie ate dinner in the manor dining room alongside Sir Lawrence.

The spread wasn't lavish, but the portions were hearty: a large bowl of northern vegetable and meat stew, crispy roasted coarse wheat bread, and a small dish of cheese.

Rosie ate until she was thoroughly full.

After dinner, she returned to the guest room at the end of the second-floor hallway.

The room was small, featuring a wooden bed topped with a thick wool blanket, a coat rack, and a window overlooking the dreary grey sky above the mine.

She pulled out the map, laid it flat on the table, and studied it carefully under the dim yellow glow of the oil lamp, locking the route firmly into her memory.

Next, she drew her sword and daggers, inspecting their edges and grips to ensure everything was in top shape before placing them within easy reach by the bed.

Only then did she turn in for the night.

Early the next morning.

Just as dawn was breaking, Rosie ate a simple breakfast in the dining room.

When she finished, she checked her gear once more, buckled on her sword belt, slotted her daggers into place at her waist for an easy draw, and strapped the round shield to her left arm.

Her wool cloak and backpack were left behind in the guest room.

By the time she reached the mine entrance, Sir Lawrence was already waiting for her.

Behind him stood the three mine guards, their faces devoid of expression.

Beside the entrance sat a few pine resin torches and a charcoal brazier.

Lawrence bent down himself to grab a torch and handed it to Rosie. “It's very dark inside. Don't let the flame go out.”

Rosie took the torch and nodded.

“Well then, Miss Rosie, I'll leave the inside to you,” Lawrence said.

Rosie held the torch over the charcoal brazier to light it.

The pine-resin-soaked hemp wrapping burst into flames. The orange-red fire leaped up, shining brightly against the grey morning light.

Holding the torch, she walked toward the entrance.

As she passed Carl, he suddenly spoke up. “The spiders inside like to cling to the cavern roof. If you only keep your eyes on the ground, watch out for something dropping onto your shoulders from above.”

Rosie glanced sideways at him, gave a nod, and said nothing more.

She stepped past the threshold of the entrance. Darkness rushed in from ahead, forced back a few steps by the torchlight to form a circle of warm yellow light.

Her boots treaded on the gravel ground, producing a clear rustling sound that echoed through the empty mine shaft.

The air inside the cave was warmer than outside, but carried a stifling heaviness unique to enclosed spaces.

Chisel marks were still visible along the walls on either side of the shaft. Every few steps, timber support beams were set into the walls to prop up the low ceiling.

The entrance behind her grew smaller and smaller until, as she rounded the first bend, it disappeared completely beyond the edge of the torchlight.

Faint human voices drifted from the direction of the entrance behind her.

It sounded like Carl saying, “Sir, let's head back.”

The mine fell completely silent, leaving only the occasional crackle of the burning torch and the sound of Rosie's own footsteps.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Within the stifling air, a faint, foul stench subtly began to mix in.

Ahead, under the reach of the torchlight, the space gradually revealed its outline.

It was a zone covered in grayish-white webbing.