We teleported to the Dungeon Nexus, appearing in what looked like a large hall with solid stone walls and various different people milling about the place.

Almost all of them were dressed up in Dungeoneer gear whether it be heavy armour and weapons or enchanted robes and staves.

There were several counters scattered around, each of them manned by someone who looked like a Guild staff member.

Aside from that, there were also a few stalls set up which looked like they were privately run by businesses including a blacksmith that was doing repair work and selling weapons and armours as well as an alchemy workshop and even an enchanter’s workshop.

I’m guessing these were shops that people decided to set up here to do business with the people who were looking for convenience before stepping into the Dungeon or after leaving it, saving them the time of going to the market district.

At the far end of the hall, I spotted several magic circles that were also teleportation arrays with lines of people queuing up to enter each one.

Odeta grinned at the sight, "Wahahaha! This looks like our kind of place, Sister Aster! Let’s go!"

She’s already looking forward to fighting again huh...

Well... Can’t say much because I’m also kind of looking forward to seeing what kind of Dungeons there are.

I led the way towards one of the counters because it seemed like everyone was funneled through them whether you were coming from or going to the Dungeons.

We drew quite a few gazes especially since I was still carrying my egg that I was hugging in front of me.

I’m also not sure if I was imagining it, but I kind of sense a low hum coming from the egg now, like it was showing me that it was content.

I ignored all the gazes directed at me and headed towards one of the open counters and stepped up to it, finding a rather unassuming Auto with a human looking face but mechanical looking body standing behind said counter.

The Auto smiled at me as I approached, "Greetings. You are... First year students? Is this your first time in a Dungeon?"

The Auto had a rather feminine voice so I assume this one was a she.

"No, we have experience," I answered her while taking out my Guild identification to slide over the top of the counter.

The Auto slid her gaze down and took my Guild card, not even commenting on the egg I was carrying in my arms like this was something that she has seen on a daily basis.

"Aster... Dungeoneer... C Rank. Confirmed," She reported monotonously before sliding the card back to me.

Her gaze then shifted to my girls that were standing behind me and paused for a moment as though she was scanning them before she turned back to me.

"Miss Aster. The party you have registered under White Dragon’s Sword Maidens does not seem to encompass everyone you have brought with you today."

"Oh, right. Umm... I would also like to register them under the same party as well if that’s possible. I think... Some of them aren’t registered Guild members yet. Can we register them here?"

"Certainly. We will handle the process. Please have them step forward."

I stepped back and let the others who have not been registered under our party step towards the counter to handle their registration process.

In the meantime, I was occupied with looking at the others that were also within the hall.

Most of them were obviously students who were also here to dive into the Dungeon and I noted that a large number of them all had similar looking insignias marked on the clothes they were wearing.

From what I’m able to identify, there seemed to be three major Clans here and almost everyone here was a member of one of the three.

There were, of course, other Clans as well, but it seems like these three were the biggest ones and I’m not sure if their members were on good terms with the other Clans since they don’t seem to be interacting with each other much.

If I had to guess though... I don’t think those three Clans get along well just by how they were actively avoiding one another.

Well... I don’t intend to join any Clans so this has nothing to do with me anyway.

It only took a while before all of my girls were now registered under the same party under me and I stepped back to the counter again.

"Will you be diving into the Dungeons today, Miss Aster?" The Guild receptionist asked.

I nodded, "I am. Are there any restrictions?"

She gestured towards the other end of the hall where the other teleportation arrays laid, specifically gesturing to the group of arrays that were closest to the counters.

"Since you have new, unranked members in your party, the most challenging Dungeon you can go to are the E Ranked ones. If you would like to challenge the higher ranked ones as a party, please have your party clear the low ranked ones first."

That was to be expected so we didn’t complain.

She then slid several bracelets to me, "Please wear these bracelets as you enter and return them when you leave. How long do you intend to stay in the Dungeon?"

I picked up one and distributed the rest to the girls, "Just for today."

"Very well. Do note that if you do not return in three days, your group will be considered to have perished inside the Dungeon. And do know that when the school term starts, you would need to have permission from your professors as a first year in order to be allowed to dive into the Dungeons during school hours."

They are quite thorough I see...

I nodded at her and slipped on the bracelet which I assumed was how they kept track of people entering and leaving the Dungeon before walking over to the teleportation arrays.

Each one had a staff member standing in front who seemed to be verifying the people entering them and there were signs on each array showing what difficulty the Dungeon was as well as what kind of Dungeon it was.

And by ’kind’, I meant whether it was one of those lewd Dungeons or the normal Dungeons...

I decided to go for the normal ones and went straight to the E ranked one which was mostly deserted aside from a few first year students also trying to enter it.

I assume they were also just here to kill time and explore what the Academy had to offer before the school term started.

They were all looking at me and my party, though mostly me since I was still carrying my egg and they definitely were thinking what kind of crazy person was carrying an egg to a Dungeon.

Hey, it’s E ranked. We’re really just here to kill some time.

Besides, I’m occupying the support role of the party so I won’t be fighting directly much.

Additionally... I realise that this might be the first time that our entire group will be fighting in a Dungeon together so this would be a good chance to see our party dynamics in a group fight.

We waited for our turn to step onto the teleportation array and as it lit up, we were teleported to what appeared to be the edge of one of the floating islands.

I looked around and saw the main island of the Academy behind us in the distance, though I could only see the top half of the spire where Chancellor Vastraea’s office resided.

The rest of the island was completely blocked from view by the other floating islands that were between the one we were standing on and the main island itself.

Turning back, I found a path leading towards what was obviously the entrance of a Dungeon with its ominous looking stone arch and the open door, leading to a set of stairs that descended into the ground.

There was a pair of first year students in front of us, both of them dressed as mages who were standing in front of it and looking like they weren’t sure if they wanted to go into the Dungeon after all.

I simply led my party towards the entrance where the two of them, a male Mahun and a female Nekomata, were seemingly arguing over it.

"We should just try the F ranked first!"

"That one is boring! We’ve already tried F ranked Dungeons before and just didn’t complete them! We can try this one!"

"No! Every Dungeon is different! We should not just assume--"

I stopped behind them, getting their attention as they turned around to gape up at me while I looked down at them from over the top of my egg.

"Move," I warned them, not wanting my girls to accidentally bump into them.

They quickly scurried to the side of the path, making me wonder why they looked so afraid.

Anyway... To the Dungeon we go!