Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Faith.

"My biggest tip on dungeoneering?

— Wipe your feet.

I know that you might be thinking; what’s the point of such a dumb gesture when you’re entering a dungeon? A dungeon that is likely chock full of mud, slime, gunk, goo and froths of twenty different shades?

I’ll tell you why you should wipe your feet. It’s a real simple reason.

Respect.

You need to understand that a dungeon isn’t just some random hole in the ground. It’s not just a cave or some pit. It’s a delicately crafted, constructed place, where something lives.

That something is very much alive and very much aware of who is inside of its home.

Sure, that something may try to beat my ass every time I come by. But it’s what I need to take into consideration, just as if I were breaking and entering into a cottage as a burglar. There’s a risk to the job.

So you can bet your biscuits that I’m not going to make it angrier than it already is by dragging mud in from outside.

— Wipe your feet. Thank the dungeon for any chests you find. Apologize if you break anything unusual during a fight. Pick up your trash.

When things go sour, those little details might be the difference between you getting sent packing with a bruise on your ass or not being able to feel your body ever again by the time night falls.

Call me crazy if you want to. But the fact remains that I hold the world record for being the sole survivor of over seventeen adventuring parties.

And no, I don’t tell anyone at the guild how many failed groups I’ve been in if they ask me about my experience.

Then, when we go, they always make fun of me for wiping my feet.

Joke’s on them, I guess."