QUEST X QUEST
It’s a clear blue sky.
The weather’s been very calm these past few days. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a cloud in the sky over Orario.
Many people of all shapes and sizes go about their business, carrying many different things with them underneath the gentle sunlight.
A woman is balancing a basket full of fruit on top of her head, a man is carrying a bag full of what looks like dirty clothes, and a well-dressed merchant walks between the two of them. Horse-drawn carriages work their way down the middle of the street and into the throng of people.
The streets are alive with people of many races, human and demi-human living side by side in harmony.
“T-today was rough…”
I take in the view while willing my wobbly knees forward, as I work my way down West Main.
Aiz has been teaching me how to fight for the past three days.
We start training in the darkness before sunrise, which means my body is beaten to a pulp before going into the Dungeon. I think I take more damage from her than all the monsters I encounter down there combined.
People are laughing, running around on Main Street. Meanwhile, it takes all I’ve got to keep putting one foot in front of the other on the stone road.
This is all so I can get stronger.
So that I can catch up to her, my instructor.
I keep telling myself that over and over and ignore my aching joints as I make my way to the spot where Lilly is waiting for me.
“Bell…Be-ll…”
A monotone, almost lazy voice reaches my ears.
I come to a stop when I realize it’s calling my name. I scan the crowd for a moment and find the owner of the voice right away.
She’s a chienthrope, a dog person named Nahza belonging to Miach Familia.
She’s slowly waving at me from between two buildings that mark the entrance to one of the backstreets. As usual, her clothing is quite strange. Her shirtsleeves are two different lengths, the left sleeve ending just above her elbow, but her right sleeve goes all the way down to her wrist. Her right hand is covered by a glove. Looking farther down, I can see her thick, bushy tail sticking out from underneath a long skirt. I watch it sway from side to side for a moment before looking up at her half-open eyes. She motions for me to come to her.
I quietly nod and look both ways to make sure the coast is clear before making my way through the bustling crowd toward her.
“Um, good morning. What are you doing out here—is something wrong?”
“Yes, a little something…”
This is the first time I’ve seen her out and about in this area in the morning.
I tilt my head in confusion as she looks back at me with a groggy stare. Her expression unchanging, her lips start to form words.
“I was waiting for you, Bell. I thought if I was here, you would pass by…”
I always travel down West Main whenever I go to the Dungeon after leaving home. Nahza must have known that and waited here looking for me.
As for the reason why…She pulls a rolled-up piece of paper from her pocket and hands it to me.
“A quest. Was wondering if you’d be willing to take it up…”
“Qu-est…?”
“Yep, there’s even a reward…Could you bring me what’s written on the memo?”
She and I lock eyes for a moment before she lowers her head in a bow and I look at the “memo” in my hand.
“Think of it as helping out Lord Miach and me…Please.”
“S-sure…”
“There is no time limit, but the earlier the better…Thanks a bunch.”
Swish-swish! Showing more energy than she had up until now, Nahza waves a few times before turning around and going down the backstreet. I blink a few times as I watch her go back toward Miach Familia’s home.
So, I’m doing a job for them, I guess…?
I unroll the piece of paper and have a look. It seems like there’s a monster name on top with a whole bunch of Koine, the common language, scribbled out underneath. I stare at it for a moment, scratching my head. In any case, I should go meet up with Lilly.
“A quest?”
I nod back at Lilly as she looks up at me in a daze.
We are in a corner of Central Park, very close to Babel Tower. We use this spot as our meeting point because of the wide leaf tree growing here and the brick planter it’s in is at the perfect height to sit on.
The sun’s bright rays make their way through the gaps in the leaves and onto my face while I tell Lilly about my conversation with Nahza.
“This is unusual. No matter how friendly their Familias are, Lilly’s never heard of anyone giving a low-level adventurer a quest directly.”
“Are quests like that?”
“Yes. It depends on the item they’re looking for, but most quests issued by Familias are accepted by high-level adventurers.”
Lilly’s been a supporter for a long time, so she knows far more about the Dungeon and its ins and outs than I do. It makes sense that she would know more about adventurers as well. “Can I see that, please?” she says, pointing at the memo. Something in her voice sounds like it doesn’t add up. I hand her the paper.
“Well, if it’s something like this, Lilly doesn’t see a problem with a Level One adventurer accepting this quest…”
The request written on the paper is to collect the drop item Blue Papillon Wings.
Lilly’s round eyes look up at me, a very ho-hum look on her face.
“Mr. Bell. Is it possible that Mr. Bell is being used? Has Mr. Bell confirmed that the reward is prepared and ready? Lilly feels like you have been sent on an errand…and for really cheap.”
“I-I don’t really think…”
…that’s true. I can’t finish my sentence out loud.
Thinking back on all the times that Nahza has practically forced me to buy potions from her…It might be a little rude for me to think this, but for a moment there, Lilly’s accusations make sense.
I quickly change the subject to hide the sweat starting to pop up on my brow.
“Um, well, what exactly are quests, anyway? I feel like I’ve heard about them somewhere before, but…”
If I remember right, way back when I first became an adventurer, Eina warned me that I shouldn’t “accept any strange quests.” However, I’ve been so focused on getting stronger since the day I met Aiz that I haven’t really had time for anything else.
Lilly scratches her chin with one of her tiny fingers as she thinks about my question.
“Mr. Bell has a point, all adventurers will need to know about them eventually…Okay, shall we spend the day working on this quest?”
She looks right at me as she says that last part and smiles.
“Eh, but…”
“This looks like a good opportunity. Mr. Bell seems to be very tired recently…”
She adds that as if she can see the part of me that wants to scream out, I have no time to waste relaxing if I’m ever going to catch up with her.
The look that she shoots from the corner of her eye makes me flinch. I’ve kept her in the dark about my training with Aiz, but Lilly seems to know something’s going on…
“Resting is important, too, Mr. Bell. Let’s have an easy day and accept this quest.”
“…Okay, let’s do that, then.”
Part of me feels like she’s leading me around by the reins.
On the other hand, she seems worried about me. So I decide to take her suggestion without any complaints.
And what she’s saying makes a lot of sense, too.
“First things first, let’s go to the Guild. Lilly thinks it would be good for Mr. Bell to learn about quests for the future.”
She seems kind of happy as she grabs my hand and pulls me out of Central Park.
“In short, quests are requests made to adventurers.”
The two of us are walking up Northwest Main Street.
Known as “Adventurers Way,” it’s a bit wider than the other main streets in order to accommodate all the adventurers traveling through it.
“People who make these requests are called clients. They’re looking for an adventurer to solve various problems. It is the client’s responsibility to prepare a reward that fits the items requested. It’s the adventurer’s responsibility to collect their reward after the quest is complete.”
“Umm, that sounds an awful lot like the Blessings that the gods give us in exchange for our support…”
“Very much so. The gods even have a saying for it: ‘give-and-take.’”
The sounds of many boots hitting the stone pavement fill my ears.
It’s still pretty early in the morning, so many adventurers are visiting the Guild or buying items at one of the shops on this street to prepare for a day in the Dungeon.
Momentarily distracted by a party of elves dressed in beautiful robes and armor, I accidentally run into Lilly, my hand brushing across her upper thigh. I apologize over and over as her cheeks swell up in anger. I shift my focus completely to her explanation when she starts speaking again.
“To give an example of the average quest in Orario…When a client isn’t strong enough to retrieve an item themselves, they submit a request for an adventurer to go into the deepest parts of the Dungeon to find that item in their place.”
“That sounds just like the ‘Labyrinth City.’”
“Hee-hee-hee, sure does.”
We ride the endless wave of adventurers until a large white building made of marble comes into view, a beautiful structure that looks like a large temple: the Guild Headquarters.
We make our way through the front garden and into the busy lobby, adventurers sliding past one another through the narrow doors.
Lilly, who has already “transformed” into an animal-people child, leads me through the crowd and stops in front of a long bulletin board. I follow close behind, watching the wolflike ears on top of her head twitch from side to side.
“Most quests are posted by the Guild here. These are the quests available now.”
Pieces of paper are pinned all over the bulletin board. Some of them have information about the Dungeon or tips for adventurers, but most are the quests Lilly’s talking about.
I can see item lists and rewards as well as client signatures and Familia emblems written on the papers.
“Let’s see…‘Hellhound Fangs x10’…‘Twenty-fourth floor—I would like to trade the items listed below for the fruit of a jewel tree’… ‘Recruiting battle-party members to face a floor boss. *Attention—Only adventurers Level Three and above will be considered’…”
I can feel the muscles in my cheeks tightening as I read through the requests.
Looking at them from a difficulty standpoint, most of these are still well out of my league. The only one that I find that looks doable is a request for “Orc Hide x30.”
I don’t think anyone could take care of that in one day…Sounds very difficult, actually.
“As Mr. Bell can see, most quests take place in the middle levels and below.”
Middle levels: the area of the Dungeon that starts on the thirteenth floor. Adventurers need to be at least Level 2 to survive.
Adventurers who level up are known as upper-class adventurers. Only they can enter.
“Why aren’t there many quests on the upper levels?”
“Because most Familias and adventurers are strong enough to go get those items themselves. Unless they’re not cut out for being an adventurer, as long as they have time and form a battle party, almost anyone can go as far as the lower seventh.”
Oh, I get it.
Most of the adventurers in Orario have yet to level up. They’re still at Level 1.
Which means that most Familias can operate in the upper levels, but only a select few can reach the middle levels. Fewer still can go deeper than that. It only makes sense that the number of quests increases as the number of adventurers who can complete them goes down.
That must be what Lilly meant by “most quests are accepted by upper-class adventurers.”
“However, the only quests that the Guild posts here are from clients like Familias and smiths, and are very appealing to adventurers.”
“?”
“In other words, the Guild has guaranteed the rewards…They can be trusted.”
Lilly must’ve read the confusion on my face and added one more thing.
We leave the bulletin board behind and exit the Guild.
“The point is that there are some really fishy ones as well. Sometimes the client’s name will be hidden, and the request is absolutely absurd.”
“…Or maybe the client refuses to give the reward?”
“Very sharp, Mr. Bell. Lilly is happy Mr. Bell realized that.”
She’s smiling at me like a teacher would when praising a student.
“Lilly’s pulled that one off before, by the way,” she continues with her grin plastered on her face. I do my best to force a smile and nod again.
Just how deep does your grudge against adventurers go, Lilly…?
“Anyway, shady quests not approved by the Guild, or requests from townspeople, can be found in bars like that one over there. Most of them are very dubious in more ways than one.”
Lilly points to one of the bars built along the side of West Main.
It looks like it’s run by a Familia. A place other than the Guild where adventurers can take up quests—albeit a little under the table—from average people. I blink my eyes a few times to get a better look and, sure enough, that billboard looks like a Familia emblem.
In addition, Familias that operate taverns like this one also act as a place for people to gather information—a knowledge shop of sorts.
Running a Familia as a quest-and-information brokerage…Not a bad idea.
There really are a lot of different types of Familias in the world…
“All of this means that if you don’t want to wind up in a sticky situation, don’t accept any quests that haven’t been approved by the Guild…even if asked directly by a friend from another Familia.”
…So that’s what she’s been getting at this whole time.
Lilly went through all of this to teach me that from now on I shouldn’t accept quests that aren’t posted on that billboard. That includes requests from people like Nahza, who isn’t that trustworthy to begin with.
But Nahza isn’t some person I’ve never met hiding behind a sheet, and she sought me out personally. So I don’t think there’s any reason to worry…
“That’s exactly why Lilly says Mr. Bell is too kind. Bad people will take advantage of anybody, use that kindness to gain trust. It will come back to haunt Mr. Bell, but Lilly didn’t say that.”
…Is she reading my thoughts? Or is it written all over my face?
I think she’s aware of it, too…I can’t respond to that.
“Fear not, Mr. Bell, for as long as there are still lights in Lilly’s eyes, she shall protect you from those traps.—Now, that’s enough studying for today. Let’s move on to the main event.”
“Ah, sure.”
I take another look at that memo in my hands as we stroll down the main street.
I read back to myself what Nahza requested, making sure I understand every word.
Hmmm. That’s right, Blue Papillon Wings…
“Aren’t blue papillons one of those…what are they called…‘rare monsters’?”
“Yep. They’re found in the upper levels, so it won’t be all that dangerous for Mr. Bell…Finding one, however, that’s easier said than done.”
“Of course…”
Nahza said there was no deadline but…this quest that I took up might end up being a real pain.
My head and shoulders droop. Lilly flashes a big smile at me in an effort to ease my fears.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Bell. Lilly has a plan. When Lilly is done preparing, let’s head to the Dungeon.”
…Lilly has really helped me out at every turn.
I really am grateful to have a supporter who I can rely on and who can cover my weaknesses so easily. I’m sorry that she has to work so hard, though……
“Blue papillon.”
It’s a butterfly monster that is said to appear on the lower seventh floor.
Its light blue wings are so thin that light can pass through them. Tiny scales fall off of them as it flies, leaving a beautiful sparkling trail in its wake. I’ve heard it’s so beautiful that even the most hardened adventurers will stop to admire it.
While the blue papillon is a sight to behold, it’s also well known as one of the harder monsters to encounter.
We adventurers call monsters that are extremely difficult to find on any level of the Dungeon “rare monsters.” The blue papillon is one of them. This goes without saying, but rare-monster drop items are even rarer and sell for a very high price.
I remember hearing somewhere that the blue papillon is relatively easier to find than other rare monsters…but if we just walk around the Dungeon like usual, it’s going to take an extremely long time to find one. The fact I’ve never seen one before is proof enough of that.
Remembering the monster encyclopedia that Eina had drilled into my head not too long ago, the more I think about it, the more I realize that this quest won’t end in a day.
“…We’re pretty far out, aren’t we?”
“Yes. We’ll be in the southern corner very soon.”
We’re on the seventh floor. Lilly and I made our way down here to find the blue papillon after making a quick stop at an item shop.
Following Lilly’s instructions, I make my way through a very thin corridor. I’m pretty sure we’ve been down here for more than an hour. Rather than staying on the path that leads to the lower levels, we took one heck of a detour and are headed to the deepest corner of the lower seventh.
I’ve gone deeper into the Dungeon than this, but I haven’t explored the outer rim of any of the levels. This unfamiliar terrain gets my blood pumping with excitement as I quickly dispatch all the monsters that appear in front of us with the Divine Knife and the baselard.
Lilly quickly withdraws a magic stone from the killer ant I just took down.
“Lilly, what’s waiting for us at the end of this path?”
“The Dungeon’s pantry.”
“Pantry?” The moment I echo Lilly’s words the path in front of me begins to change.
The pale green walls, the lights in the ceiling, the path under my feet—everything is starting to get uneven. The farther I walk, the less my surroundings look like the Dungeon I know. It almost feels like I’m lost in the belly of a cave.
Suddenly, the luminescent spots on the ceiling start to go dim. My heart pounds in my chest as a shroud of darkness descends around me.
That light…
There’s a soft greenish glow coming from around the rocky corner ahead.
I stop for a moment and turn to face Lilly. She doesn’t say anything, instead giving me a silent nod. I take a deep breath, face forward, and turn the corner.
My heart is pounding so fast that I can feel it in my lungs.
I’ve gotten used to crawling the Dungeon, so it’s been a long time since I’ve felt like this. Going someplace new, facing the “unknown,” it’s exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. My inner adventurer feels so alive!
I follow the glow through a few more turns in the cave, only the sound of our footsteps in the air. The source of the glow is waiting for us at the end of the path.
“?”
Words leave me the moment I emerge from the rocky path.
This is a very, very big area.
I’ve never seen a space this big, even in the levels farther down in the Dungeon.
My eyes instantly lock onto a towering pillar of quartz in the back of the room.
The massive column of powdery green rock stretches from the floor all the way up to the ceiling. The whole thing is jutting out of the back wall. But the surface isn’t smooth, bits and pieces stick out like tree bark. This whole thing might as well be a tree made of quartz.
The entire structure is emanating a green light. So this is where that green glow was coming from…
Those are monsters…
A clear white sap drips out from between the breaks in the rock, enough to make a large pool at the base of the “tree.”
I can see killer ants and purple moths dotting the surface of the tree and a needle rabbit dipping its tongue into the pool. They’re all drinking the sap.
“Is Mr. Bell surprised?”
“Lilly…”
“This is a pantry…a place that the Dungeon stores food for the monsters to eat.”
Clearly enjoying the awed look on my face, Lilly strikes up a conversation and explains what’s going on.
Monsters born from the dungeon walls are alive, so it makes sense they would get hungry. While they can feast on stray adventurers or other monsters, it looks like most of them get their subsistence from their “mother,” the Dungeon itself.
This wide area is a source of nutrients for the monsters.
I can see why it’s called the “Dungeon’s pantry.”
“…So then, does the blue papillon also…?”
“Yep. Rather than bumbling around in the Dungeon for who knows how long, Lilly thinks our chances of finding one are better if we wait here.”
I agree.
Lilly explains that there are two or three pantries on every level of the Dungeon except for the first two. As long as we stake out one of them and keep our eyes open, a hungry blue papillon will show up sooner or later. After that, we can make our move.
Set up a trap and ambush our prey. So this is hunting…
“Don’t just stand there, Mr. Bell. We need to hide ourselves. Lilly doesn’t want to think about what will happen if the monsters see us.”
“Ah…Yes, let’s do that.”
I can feel her hands on my lower back as Lilly pushes me out of the entrance and off toward one of the sides.
Taking another look around the room, there are many entrances to the pantry. Even now, monsters are streaming in from ten, twelve other places. If even one of them realizes we’re here, we’ll have to fight every monster in the room to make an escape…I don’t want to think about that, either.
We make our way into a corner of the room.
“Well, then, excuse me.”
Lilly sets her backpack down and withdraws a large piece of cloth from it. The whole thing is a mossy green color and matches the dungeon walls on this floor almost exactly.
Lilly whips the fabric around through the air like a massive cape and wraps the two of us from head to toe in a green cocoon.
“So that’s why you bought this…”
“That’s right. None of the monsters on the lower seventh has a good sense of smell, so as long as we’re quiet and stay out of sight, Mr. Bell and Lilly will be fine.”
She bought this at the item shop right before we entered the Dungeon. I had no clue what she was doing…This is what she had in mind.
Our camouflage seems to be working. None of the monsters has noticed us; even the ones that look in our direction think we’re just part of the dungeon wall and go back to their meal.
“W-w-wait a second, Lilly. Aren’t you a bit close?”
“Lilly has no choice. Lilly has to hide the backpack, too, and this cloth can only hide so much. Oh, it’s still sticking out! Lilly has to get closer!”
She slides her small body up against mine, making me flinch.
Lilly slips under my right shoulder and wraps her arms around my chest, as if she were giving her body to me, and squeezes. A soft pressure brushes against my ribs through my inner shirt. My face feels like it’s on fire.
I understand why…but if I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s enjoying this. It has to be my imagination.
The two of us talk in hushed voices as we twist and turn to find a comfortable position.
“…H-hey, I have a question. You know how there are items that can draw in monsters, right? If there’s a place like this where they can eat as much as they want, why do those items work…?”
I strike up a conversation to get my mind off of her body fitting snugly up against mine.
I swear she is in such a good mood that if she were a cat, she’d be purring at the top of her lungs right now. She answers my question right away.
“Isn’t it boring to eat the same food all the time, Mr. Bell?”
“Ahh…”
“Fu-fu, that’s why. Monsters like a little variety, too.”
I keep becoming a little bit smarter every time I ask Lilly about something that doesn’t make sense. So I keep the questions coming.
First I ask her why adventurers completely ignored this really good hunting spot. She explains that this place is too far out of the main path. In fact, every single dungeon pantry is so far removed from the usual route that it will take hours to get to one of them. Even if you manage to find one—and are strong enough to survive fighting everything in here at once—it’s more efficient to collect the magic stones that are worth more from monsters farther down.
But the most important reason is that if you make even one mistake, the danger of being overwhelmed by sheer numbers is very real.
These are the reasons why most adventurers try to avoid turning these places into their battlefield.
…It could also be that they don’t want to ruin such a beautiful place.
At least that’s how I feel, looking out across this tranquil scenery from under our camouflaged cloth.
A wide cavern bathed in soft green light.
The clear crystals emerging from the tree are absolutely breathtaking. Light reflects off the pond beneath it like the moon off a still lake at night. The pond’s surface glistens in silence.
White flowers with blue stems are blooming in bunches all around the lake. Every so often a needle rabbit pokes its head out from between them. Purple moths fly through the flowers and land on the crystals above, resting their wings. Soft splashes fill the air as a small group of killer ants makes their way through the pond toward the quartz tree on the back wall.
The green light makes everything look calm, almost gentle.
It’s hard to believe that monsters that should be violent and horrifying can look this beautiful.
Of course, I fully realize that these beasts are the enemy of humanity.
They’re extremely dangerous and will attack if I try to confront them.
Even still, I don’t want to do anything to disturb this awe-inspiring scenery.
Looking across the cavern, taking in the light, the monsters, everything, I can’t help but feel this way.
“…! Mr. Bell.”
“!”
Lilly’s shoulder stiffens as she grabs and shakes my arm.
My mind comes back to my body as I sit up and follow Lilly’s eyes to the pond at the base of the tree. I spot them immediately.
Butterflies with blue wings fluttering gracefully among the flowers.
A group of four blue papillon, the target of our quest, has appeared in the pantry.
“It was worth coming all the way down here.”
“Y-yes.”
We get up in unison, preparing to leave at any moment.
The butterflies’ elegance and refinement match the cavern perfectly. Each one of their bodies is much more delicate than a purple moth’s, their two sets of wings flowing like water. The light blue trails they leave behind are pretty enough to make my heart skip a beat.
While the blue papillon pose no threat in combat, the scales that flake off their wings heal the injured monsters around them. The reason that Nahza wants blue papillon drop items is because they would make an excellent ingredient for healing potions. Of that I’m sure.
“We mustn’t make a scene in here. Let’s watch them and follow them out of the pantry.”
“Okay, got it.”
My mind back in questing mode, Lilly and I wait with bated breath for a chance to spring our trap.
A light breeze caresses my face.
Closing one eye to shield it from the gentle wind, Lilly and I emerge from the base of Babel Tower with big smiles on our faces.
“That went very well.”
“Yes, to get this many drop items at once is very lucky.”
Lilly looks up at me with a happy grin on her lips. Our plan worked without a hitch. Follow the group of blue papillon, take them down, collect the drop items, and return to the surface.
Just as Lilly said, all of the blue papillon left behind drop items. We couldn’t be happier that we finished this quest so quickly.
Five wings altogether…I have no doubt that Nahza will be more than happy with this haul.
“If Mr. Bell took these to the Guild, they’re worth at least nine thousand vals. The fact they’re in good shape might make them worth even more…Too bad we’re going to trade them~.”
It sounds like Lilly’s only excited because these drop items are from a rare monster. I force a smile at my unusually high-spirited partner as we make our way through Central Park and toward West Main.
That was just what I needed to cheer me up…
That amazing scenery put my mind at ease.
I wasn’t planning on taking a break, but I’m glad I did. Sure, I still ache all over, but it feels good. I’ve got a little pep back in my step.
“Good afternoon! Anyone here?”
“…Bell?”
We enter Miach Familia’s home, a shop in the backstreets.
Nahza watches us come through the door from her chair behind the counter, her drowsy eyes opening just enough for me to notice.
“Don’t tell me, you’ve already finished the quest…?”
“Yes. We’ve dropped by to finish up.”
I take a box roughly the size of a shield out from under my arm and open it to show her the contents.
A rare, energetic expression runs across her face the moment that Nahza sees the beautiful blue hue of the Blue Papillon Wings. A smile is on her face in the blink of an eye.
The fluffy dog tail beneath her long skirt is happily swishing back and forth.
“Thank you, Bell…You’re good; never knew how good.”
“I-it’s nothing…”
“I always believed you could do it if you tried, Bell…”
I shyly scratch the back of my neck, my cheeks on fire, as Nahza gives me compliment after compliment.
She steps up to me and pats my head, almost like a reflex.
“Sorry to interrupt your moment, but shall we trade the goods for the reward?”
Lilly hadn’t said a word since we came into the shop, but she steps in to speed up the process.
Nahza freezes and looks down at her before forming a very innocent smile on her lips.
The two of them have never met before. Nahza must have figured out that Lilly is a member of my battle party because she nods and says, “…Of course,” before making her way behind the back counter.
“Mr. Bell, now is not the time to get sloppy.”
“I-I don’t think I was being sloppy…”
“Remember this well, Mr. Bell. The quest isn’t over until you have the reward in your hands.”
“…Huh?”
I’ve never heard her say something so profound. She didn’t even look at me when she was talking, just kept smiling in Nahza’s direction.
I tilt my head and look at her for a moment before I hear Nahza return with a wooden case in her hands.
“Here’s your reward: two dozen potions.”
“T-two dozen?!”
I normally buy the cheapest potions that Miach Familia has to offer, 500 vals apiece. So twenty-four of those…12,000 vals!
I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for her for adding on extra potions as hazard pay.
Liquid happiness runs through my veins as I look at my first-ever reward from the quest. I’m about to hand the box containing the Blue Papillon Wings over to her, when suddenly—Shoup!
A small hand comes out of nowhere and grabs hold of my wrist.
“L-Lilly…?”
“Please wait a moment, Mr. Bell.”
Keeping her gaze locked squarely on Nahza, Lilly swiftly reaches out toward the box of potions.
She withdraws one of the vials full of blue liquid in the blink of an eye.
“Hope you don’t mind. Lilly will pay you back later.”
“Eh, what are you…?”
Without waiting for permission, Lilly flips open the top of the vial and brings it up to her nose.
A few quick whiffs, and she stares at the color of the liquid. A surprisingly flustered Nahza looks on as Lilly pours a drop of the liquid onto her hand and takes a lick.—The next moment.
“—Fu-fu, is this potion worth five hundred vals? What a lovely business you’re running, enough to make Lilly jealous.”
Lilly sounds absolutely terrifying while wearing the face of an innocent child.
““?””
“This potion, it’s been watered down quite a bit, hasn’t it? It’s less than half as potent as it should be. There’re extra ingredients mixed in to give it the right color and sweetness. Yes, this is a common scam.”
Shock rips through my body. Is it true?
Nahza and I stand in silence as Lilly drives her point home with that same innocent smile plastered on her face.
“These potions might be worth two hundred vals. It seems you’ve been drastically overcharged, Mr. Bell.—Of course, this reward is nooooooowhere close to the value of the drop items.”
I can practically see the blood draining from Nahza’s face.
Even with her eyes half closed, sweat is pouring down her cheeks. The tail that was happily swaying back and forth before is now bent at a very awkward angle.
I don’t know what to think anymore.
“So, how do you propose we fix this?”
Lilly narrows her eyes and smiles like a little devil as she takes one step toward Nahza.
“My apologies!!”
Lord Miach forcefully throws his head down in a bow.
The red evening sun shines through the open windows, casting everything in a crimson hue.
Standing next to Lord Miach, with his hand firmly clasped behind her head and forcing her down, is Nahza.
“One of my own has caused you a great deal of trouble, and for that I am deeply sorry, Bell! I will return every val that was taken from you this instant.”
“Eh, um, please, Lord Miach, it’s not a big deal. Raise your head…”
He straightens up little by little. I can see his downtrodden face but he won’t look at me. “My apologies,” he says one more time.
Lord Miach’s build is very tall and lithe. Wearing his aquamarine hair longer than most men, he carries himself like an aristocrat. The fact that his gray robe is in rough shape doesn’t hurt at all; in fact, it adds to his charm.
Nahza’s god looks every bit the part of someone from Deusdia, except that right now Lord Miach’s expression is very dispirited.
“This has caused you problems, too, Hestia. Taking what little money the both of you have available…”
“What’s done is done. Be extra careful that something like this doesn’t happen again and teach her right. You’ve helped me out of a few jams, Miach, so we can let this slide.”
“Yes, it will be done…”
After Lilly had finished grilling Nahza, all of us, including my goddess, Hestia, had gathered at Miach Familia’s home for an apology session of sorts.
Lord Miach had been unaware of Nahza’s shady activities until now, and he has been doing all of the apologizing.
His hand is still firmly placed on the back of Nahza’s head, not allowing her to stand up.
“I must say, Miss Supporter, great job catching this in time. I’m relieved to see that you’re taking such good care of Bell. Thanks.”
“No, no. Lilly is just happy to be of service to Mr. Bell and Lady Hestia.”
T-taking care of…?
I break out in a cold sweat as I watch the goddess nod with a happy smile on her face and Lilly respectfully bow a few times. It almost feels like they’re bound by some kind of contract that I don’t know about…
“…Nahza. Why did you do this?! Answer me!”
Lord Miach’s voice thunders.
The moment he releases his hold on Nahza, she turns her back on him.
The half of her hair that isn’t tied back floats on air as her head flicks around to look at the wall.
“Our Familia’s bank account—it’s always moments away from collapse…And the clueless rabbit was a sitting duck.”
My eyes go wide at the same time as Lord Miach’s. What did she mean by rabbit and duck…?
She doesn’t look or sound any different than usual, monotone voice with droopy eyes, but…her bushy tail is shuddering beneath her skirt.
“You fool! What happens when you rob people blind?! This world moves on honesty and trust, especially the business world. You’ve risked the trust of a valued customer for spare change?!
“How foolish can you be?!” he continues with a glare strong enough to make the bravest of people crumble to their knees.
Nahza casually looks over her shoulder, clicks her tongue, and stares down Lord Miach’s gaze with her own.
So she can show emotion.
“How can you say that, Lord Miach, when you give out free potions to anyone and everyone? That’s why we never have any money. And on top of that, girl after girl is drawn to you like a moth to the flame and you give them the wrong idea…If I had a val for every time I’ve covered for you…!”
“What…what are you talking about?! I don’t draw in anyone, nor do I try to deceive anyone!”
Lord Miach seems to have been caught off guard by Nahza’s retort. The goddess’s and Lilly’s gazes have gone cold.
I’m sure Lord Miach has stolen many hearts with that smile and the way he carries himself like royalty…but I guess he doesn’t realize it, otherwise he wouldn’t be so confused right now.
“I have wronged Bell…but at this rate, it will be impossible to pay back the loan and it’ll only get worse…!”
Eh? That gets my attention.
I take a look around to see if other people heard that, too. The goddess has a very serious look on her face.
Loan…?
Lord Miach is looking more and more uncomfortable by the moment. Between him and the painful look on Nahza’s face, I get the feeling something suspicious is going on. Something that Lord Miach doesn’t want to talk about…
In that moment—
“FU-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA, I’m coming in!!”
The room shakes with a roar of laughter, and again as the door gets kicked off its hinges.
“?!”
“You got my money for this month, Mii-ahh-chhh?”
A middle-age god with graying hair and a beard appears in the doorway.
I can tell he’s quite a bit older than the gods and goddesses I know, but he still has that perfectly chiseled face they all share…But at the same time, his aura is completely different. All that handsomeness is wasted on him.
His cheeks peel back in a sickening grin as he looks around the room like he owns the place. He’s wearing an extravagant gold robe with intricate embroidery. Did he choose his wardrobe today just to rub it in Lord Miach’s face…?
“Dian…!”
“I dragged myself all the way out here ’cause you never showed up. Be grateful, you ruined beggar, bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”
…I think I have a pretty good idea what this god is like.
“I see your shop is just as dusty as always! Gotta make this a quick visit, being here too long’s gonna make me sick. Oh, I see misery loves company! Hosting some more beggars so you won’t get lonely?”
Nahza’s eyes are burning like this god is her father’s sworn enemy. Lord Miach turns to face the intruder with a very sour look on his face. “Huh?” Lady Hestia’s voice rings out as if trying to get out of the way of an explosion of sparks.
“He’s Lord Dian Cecht.”
“Lilly…”
“He’s the head of a Familia that is well respected by adventurers and makes healing items and medicine. Since Lord Miach sells healing potions…they’re business rivals.”
I nod as Lilly whispers information into my ear. That explains Lord Miach’s and Nahza’s reactions, as well as Lord Dian Cecht’s taunting tone. There’s got to be a deep connection between these two, and it’s not a friendly one.
“Well, Miach, where’s my money?”
“Well, it’s…!”
“Fu-fu-fu, do you have it or do you not have it? Gu-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!”
—chit chit chit. I can hear Lord Miach’s and Nahza’s teeth rattling from over here.
“I’ve given you extension after extension out of the goodness of my heart, but I’ve had it with your unpredictability. If you don’t have this month’s payment by tomorrow, I’ll run you out of this place and sell your home to cover your debt! You might as well kiss this place good-bye!”
Lord Dian Cecht laughs so hard that spit flies everywhere.
“FU-HA-HA-HA-HA!! We’re leaving, Amid!”
“Yes, sir.”
A little girl standing behind Lord Dian Cecht moves out of the way as her god heads for the door. She must’ve been standing behind him the whole time.
The girl is rather short and looks more like a doll than a person. Amid bows to us as her god walks briskly through the broken door, she turns and rushes to keep up with him.
The storm having blown through, the five of us sit in silence.
“Dian Cecht and I have never seen eye to eye, even in Tenkai……”
Lord Miach begins to tell his life story bit by bit.
After what just happened, I couldn’t exactly just go home and pretend everything’s okay. So we stuck around to find out about what’s been going on inside Miach Familia.
“Once we came down to this world, we butted heads at every turn. Our rivalry extended to the children we took under our wing when we got into the same business…”
“I broke that cycle to pieces.”
Nahza jumps into Lord Miach’s story when his words begin trailing off.
“I used to be an adventurer.”
“Eh…”
“I used to crawl the Dungeon like you do, Bell, saving up money…But one day, I screwed everything up. Got thoroughly wrecked by a monster, and it ate my right arm.”
She tells me before I could even ask.
Nahza looks down at her strangely uneven-sleeved shirt and starts rolling up the wrist-length right sleeve.
All the breath in my body leaves me a moment later.
“A silver arm…?!”
“Lord Miach got it for me after I lost my real one…it’s from that Dian Cecht Familia. He practically begged them.”
I can hear the shock in Lilly’s voice.
Just as she said, Nahza’s right arm is completely made of a silver metal.
It’s as smooth and shiny as a freshly polished sword. While looking almost exactly like a human arm, it’s easy to see the gems embedded in the joints of the appendage.
Once she takes off her glove, I can see that her right hand is constructed with exactly the same silver metal.
“Dian Cecht Familia makes medicines and other things. Besides selling potions, they also take custom orders from adventurers and make special items to suit. This airgetlám, or ‘silver arm,’ is one of them.”
Click click. Nahza extends and flexes her arm, showing us how it works.
“Lord Miach took out a loan so he could buy this arm for me. The other members of our Familia turned their back on Lord Miach when they found out…and left, everyone.”
…She says that Miach Familia used to be in the middle of the pack in terms of rank. At that time, it was strong enough to compete with Dian Cecht Familia on the open market selling potions.
Then after Nahza’s accident, everything fell to pieces almost overnight.
“All that stayed with Lord Miach was a useless former adventurer and a colossal loan,” she says with fire still burning in her eyes.
“The way I am now, fighting monsters is impossible. I was able to change jobs and become a chemist only because my former compatriots taught me the tricks of the trade…But I can’t make enough money to make a dent in the loan. I’m utterly useless.”
“Nahza.”
“I’m the reason we have to pay anything to that abomination. It’s all my fault—me!”
“Nahza, that’s enough. Stop there.”
Nahza looks like she wants to say something more on the subject, but Lord Miach convinces her to close her mouth with his quiet voice.
A heavy silence descends over all of us.
I can’t find any words. Nahza used to be an adventurer, her arm is fake, and everything else is too much to handle at once. Lady Hestia must not have heard that Lord Miach had been demoted as well. She’s just sitting there, arms folded across her chest and her eyes closed. Meanwhile, Lilly’s calmly looking at Nahza.
Nahza may have scammed me out of some money recently…but if I were in her shoes, I might have done exactly the same thing.
I would’ve done anything to try to support the one god who didn’t abandon me, the one who always extended a helping hand when I needed it most.
That has to be the most difficult thing in the world.
So hard that I’d want to scream out every day.
“…Well, then, what are you going to do? We know what happened, but right now we need to focus on what’s in front of you. Dian’s threatening to sell your home, isn’t he?”
The goddess broke the silence and asks if there’s any way they could have the money ready by the end of tomorrow.
Lord Miach scrunches up his face and looks toward Nahza from the corner of his eye.
She meets his gaze for a moment and slowly nods.
“There is one way…”
Nahza’s voice is so soft, it’s like it could be snuffed out at any moment.
“But with just me…and Lord Miach, it’s impossible…”
The last of the evening light comes through the window glass, making the room glow red.
We’re a good distance away from Main Street, but I can still hear the din of many voices and footsteps mixing together on the stone road.
Nahza’s body droops as she avoids eye contact. I wonder if she feels like she doesn’t have the right to look us in the face. The very words “help us” must feel so far away after everything she’s put us through.
The silence is making me uneasy. I glance at everyone around the table in turn before looking at the goddess as if she’s our last hope.
She looks back at me with a mysterious blue warmth in her eyes. She tilts her head to the side as if to say, Well?
In other words, she’s asking me to decide what to do about this. At least that’s the sense I’m getting from her.
Her eyes, it’s like she’s looking at her own son…So many emotions are welling up inside me, but I take a deep breath and go for it.
My mind scrambles to find the right words. Now all I have to do is speak loudly enough to break through this dark silence.
“Ah, ahhh…Lilly. Back to what you were talking about before, couldn’t we take up another quest? The last one wasn’t enough…and I still have a lot to learn.”
My acting skills need a lot of work. At the very least, the topic will change one way or another.
Lilly’s eyes pop open. Then she must’ve realized what I was trying to do because she grimaces for a moment and hides a chuckle. She jumps into my “act” a moment later.
“Lilly agrees, Mr. Bell. But where in the world is there a client willing to bestow a quest onto hardworking people such as ourselves?”
Lord Miach and Nahza look on in surprise as Lilly takes my side with an almost giddy smile on her face.
Lady Hestia’s lips perk up in a grin. She turns her head to face Lord Miach.
“So how about it, Miach? Do you have any work for these two? Think of it as helping them out. Their energy has to go somewhere. They’ll do anything if you ask, including helping you pay back that loan.”
“Hestia, are you really…No, my apologies. You have my gratitude.”
Nahza looks at me with embarrassment—or is that shame?—from beside Lord Miach as he thanks us over and over.
“Bell, are you sure…? After all I’ve…”
“…It’s thanks to you, Nahza, that Lilly and I are still alive today.”
It was the day that I was surrounded by a horde of killer ants.
No matter what the actual price was, the fact that she talked me into purchasing a magic potion was the deciding factor in a desperate battle.
But above all, I can’t just abandon someone who helped me in the past.
I relax the muscles in my brow and smile at her. Her eyes open in disbelief for a moment before she hides her face.
“I’m sorry…Thank you.”
Her last words barely louder than a whisper, she jerks her head down in what is an unmistakable bow.
Quest accepted
• Client: Miach Familia
• Reward: original healing item
• Content: retrieve monster eggs
• Comment: Let’s do our best. They’re counting on us.
We leave the city early the next morning.
I was told as much last night, so I cut my training with Aiz short and meet up with Lord Miach to help with preparations. Lady Hestia and Lilly join us after we hire a horse-drawn cart for the day from another merchant.
Two divine beings and three humans of different races. I doubt anyone has ever seen a party like ours. We arrive at the city wall as the sun reaches the mountains in the distance.
“Bell, you’re such a hard worker. Getting up extra early today to help Miach get ready like this.”
“Ha-ha-ha-ha…”
Just like Lilly, I haven’t told the goddess about my training with Aiz, either. I really don’t want to think about what would happen if she ever found out.
Apologizing over and over in my mind, I quickly engage Nahza in conversation before the situation gets out of hand.
“Hey, um, Nahza. So, as you said yesterday…”
“Yes. There is no time to prepare money for payment by the end of today. So the plan is to turn the tables on them and create an original healing item to sell to Dian Cecht Familia to cover the costs…”
She responds in her usual monotone voice. She’s wearing rather loose clothing compared to her usual strange combination of garments.
Once we finish some rather monotonous paperwork, we receive clearance to exit Orario’s East Gate. A vast prairie spreads up before us, greens and golds swaying in the breeze.
“Lilly asked yesterday, but will this plan actually work? Making a new item from scratch is not easy…”
“Not a problem, I’ve got an idea…”
Nahza answers Lilly’s question with a quiet confidence. As usual, Nahza looks like she could fall asleep at any moment. Shff, shff. Her tail is lazily swishing back and forth behind her.
“I didn’t hear where we’re headed today. Where’s this cart taking us?”
“The Deep Forest Seoro. It’s not too far away, but we’ll be in this cart a while. Since we’re all here together, now would be a good time for bonding.”
This time it was Lord Miach who answers Lady Hestia’s question. He looks at Lilly while saying that last part.
This wooden cart is a lot more cramped than I thought it would be. My shoulders brush up against my neighbors every time the wheels hit a bump in the road. All of us are sitting in a circle with Lord Miach closest to the driver, me next, then Lady Hestia, Lilly, and finally Nahza on the other side of Lord Miach.
The morning sun shines down directly on us because this cart doesn’t have a canopy or roof of any kind. Feeling the warmth on our faces, we take Lord Miach’s advice and strike up a conversation.
“Miss Nahza. Lilly knows that you successfully switched from adventurer to chemist. Does that mean that Miss Nahza has learned Synthesize as well?”
“Yes, I have…I learned enough by helping make medicine to gain the correct excelia and was very lucky…”
“Um, is Synthesize one of those…?”
“It’s an Advanced Ability that allows a person to create higher-quality items and medicine, Mr. Bell.”
So that means that an adventurer could learn an ability called Synthesize when they level up, if they have the right excelia. Lilly goes on to explain that it allows a person to create a potion so powerful that it can close wounds on contact, just like a healing spell.
It sounds a lot like the Advanced Ability Forge, in that only professionals tend to learn it and it has a deep connection with creating strong weapons and potent items.
Even if two different people create the same item using the same ingredients, the results will be completely different if one of them has an Advanced Ability.
“Wait, you have an Advanced Ability, so that means…”
“Yeah. I’m Level Two…”
My eyes shoot open as wide as they go.
N-Nazha is just as strong as other upper-class adventurers…
“I made it down into the middle levels, but a monster nearly burned me alive down there…Then it started eating chunks of my arms and legs.”
“Oh no—”
“It took a lot of work to get my left arm and legs back to normal, but my right arm was beyond saving. The beast ate everything, even my bones…Ever since that day, I haven’t been able to fight a monster. Just standing in front of one of them…My body won’t stop shaking.”
Chills run up and down my spine as I listen to her gruesome tale.
The stench of charred flesh all over her body.
The feeling of being on her back and utterly defenseless as a monster devours her right arm.
All of the traumatic memories of pain and fear that have literally been burned into her revive every time she faces any monster. She tells me everything.
“…Sorry, I didn’t want to scare you.”
“Ah, i-it’s okay…”
“Anyway, don’t let your guard down while crawling the Dungeon…It took me six years to level up…but it only takes a second to lose everything you’ve worked for.”
I clear my throat and take Nahza’s warning to heart.
“But that arm of yours, it’s very, very well-made. Do you ever have any problem using it?”
“No, I can move it naturally…”
“It cost an incredible amount of money, but I ordered the best item that Dian had available. While it pains me to admit this, I can trust that anything his Familia makes will be very high quality.”
The deities in the cart change the topic and clear the air. The mood quickly changes from dark and uncomfortable to light and friendly.
We’re following one road that leads from Orario’s East Gate and through a blanket of green that spreads in all directions. Since Orario is the home of the only dungeon in the world, well-kept roads are required to sell magic-stone goods outside the city. The road that we’re on is made of a white stone and is very smooth.
“Lord Miach doesn’t recognize my feelings for him at all…although I’m glad he doesn’t notice all the other girls looking at him with hearts in their eyes…Sometimes I wonder if he really is a god…”
“Ahh, I know the feeling. My Bell is just as dense. I don’t know how many times his cluelessness has made me cry.”
“Hee-hee, but in Lady Hestia’s case, Mr. Bell’s keeping his distance out of respect and doesn’t see Lady Hestia as a girl. It would be a good idea to realize that, you know…And Lilly gets treated like a little sister.”
““…””
Why did all the girls suddenly get so scary, and why does it feel like the cart is shrinking?
I can hear them whispering to each other, but Lord Miach and I can’t understand what they’re saying. All I know is I suddenly feel very small.
We pass by many carts heading toward Orario on our way down the road that cuts through the expansive grasslands.
We finally reach our destination with the sun high overhead.
“S-so this is…”
“Okay, I can see why they call it the deep forest.”
The goddess and I marvel at the scenery. This is the first time either of us have come here.
Deep Forest Seoro.
It’s an incredibly dense forest located at the base of the Alb mountain range, directly east from Orario.
Every single tree in front of me reaches high into the sky, their trunks many times thicker than any other tree I’ve ever seen. The ground is covered in vibrant wildflowers and moss. This green realm is truly ruled by nature.
All of us quickly hop out of the cart and grab each of the bags we brought with us.
After telling the cart driver we hired to wait for us outside the forest, all of us step into the wilderness together.
“We’re going to get some monster eggs, right?”
“Yep. They’re not drop items, but actual eggs…”
We came all the way out here to find eggs that were laid by monsters. Nahza must need them as an ingredient for her new healing potion.
The monsters that escaped the Dungeon in the Old Age learned to live on land and reproduce on their own. Their descendants are scattered all around the world even today. Considering that they’re still alive, the fact that they lay eggs should make perfect sense…But now I’m so used to the fact that monsters are born from the dungeon walls that the thought of them laying eggs just feels weird.
I keep my head on a swivel, looking for monsters as we make our way through the forest.
“…Bell, stop there.”
I was leading the group down a thin path through the trees when Nahza calls out to me and I stop moving.
She can see something up ahead: a wide, round depression in the ground.
Nahza starts giving out orders a moment later. First, she tells Lord Miach and Lady Hestia to wait here. Then she puts Lilly in charge of protecting them.
Last, she waves her hand and motions for me to follow her.
“Bell, here.”
Keeping her shoulders low to the ground, Nahza brings me some equipment.
A heavily worn broadsword and a backpack with something inside.
“Wh-what’s this for?”
“These guys are tough without a weapon this big…Put the backpack on.”
I break out in a cold sweat, pondering what she meant by that. Nahza goes a few paces ahead of me and stops in the shade of a tree just in front of the depression.
Sniff, sniff. I can hear Nahza taking in all of the smells as the dog ears on her head arch back and open wide.
The tension in the air is starting to make me nervous. My heart begins to pick up the pace when suddenly—Nahza moves.
She reaches past my shoulder and swiftly opens the top of the backpack.
“Uck…?!”
My sinuses erupt in pain the instant a new stench wafts up my nostrils.
I know the smell, but I can’t quite place it. Nahza salutes me as I rack my brain for an answer.
“I wish you luck, Bell. Sorry.”
She takes off before I can even say, “Huh?”
She darts through the trees with the speed and agility befitting a Level 2 adventurer and leaves me behind.
I stare at where she was for a moment, blinking, when…out of nowhere, splat.
“…eh?”
A strange goo falls down from overhead.
I can feel the warm, clear liquid running down my shoulder. Slowly but surely, I look up.
“UuuUuu…”
What greets my eyes is the drooling mouth of a large dinosaur.
Then it hits me: I remember where I’ve smelled the stuff that’s in the backpack. Blood is racing so fast in my veins that I could pass out at any moment.
It’s a trap made of raw meat that draws out hungry monsters.
“UUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”
“DDAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!”
Scream and roar mix.
I turn my back to the massive chin and take off at full speed.
“Uh, isn’t that a large-category monster?!”
“Whaa, B-Bell?!”
“B-bloodsaurus…?!”
Hestia was the first to yell out, followed closely by Lilly’s shriek of surprise.
A five-meder-tall, carnivorous, red dinosaur had appeared.
It let out one bloodcurdling roar after another as it rampaged through the forest, chasing the “rabbit” that was to become its next meal.
“H-hold on a second here. That’s a monster that shows up on the thirtieth floor…!”
“There’s no problem. Monsters on the surface are much weaker than the ones found in the Dungeon.”
In contrast to Lilly’s shaking voice, Nahza’s response was quite calm.
“Now’s our chance to enter the depression. We need to work quickly while Bell leads the monsters away.”
Nahza guided Hestia and the others down the slope.
The depression was revealed to be a monster’s nest; the group spotted ten or more eggs situated in a space between two trees.
“Wasn’t there a better way we could have done this…?”
“No. If we faced all of the bloodsauruses at once, we wouldn’t have been able to protect Lord Miach and Lady Hestia.”
“My apologies, Bell…”
“Less talking, more grabbing, dammit! That thing’s going to eat Bell!”
Hestia scolded the others for pointless conversation as all of them shoved as many eggs as they could into the bags they had brought with them.
Their work done, each of them slung a bag full of eggs over their shoulders.
“Miss Nahza, was that true, about the monsters?”
“It is. Hundreds of generations of reproducing have taken their toll on the beasts. The magic stone in their chests is so small it might as well not be there.”
Nahza answered Lilly’s question as she adjusted her bag of eggs.
Monsters that were separated from the Dungeon followed their instincts to ensure the survival of their species.
They began relying on strength of numbers as their own physical prowess began to decline. Since each individual needed less power to survive, magic stones became smaller over time.
As each successive generation’s magic stone decreased in size, so did each individual monster’s in strength. At this point, monsters on the surface didn’t even compare with the “originals” in the Dungeon.
“Bloodsauruses on the surface might be a little bit stronger than an orc in the Dungeon…”
Said Nahza as she cast her gaze in Bell’s direction.
The boy was currently being chased by three such monsters. Their numbers had increased. Bell’s yelps of fright echoed through the forest.
Nahza straightened up and took hold of the weapon strapped to her back.
It was a longbow that stood just as tall as she did. Holding the weapon steady with her silver arm, she nocked an arrow using her left hand.
There was enough space between her and the monsters to prevent Nahza’s traumatic memories from triggering. The sun’s rays illuminating pieces of the asymmetric light armor equipped over her traveling garb, Nahza narrowed her eyes for an instant before the arrow hurtled forward.
The projectile tore through the air the instant that Nahza lifted her fingers, and it found its target: the eye of a bloodsaurus.
“?!!”
A deep roar of pain sounded through the trees.
Its balance and vision gone, the injured bloodsaurus staggered into the one next to it at full speed, sending both of them to the ground.
Bell felt the shock wave of their impact and saw the leaves shake around him. He looked over his shoulder and his eyes went wide as he drew the broadsword into position. The last bloodsaurus charging him with reckless abandon, Bell chose to believe in Nahza’s support, drove his heel into the dirt, and charged headlong into the monster’s path.
“?This makes me so happy.”
“YAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”
Nahza, grinning from ear to ear, unleashed another arrow at the same time that Bell let loose a battle cry.
The arrow got there just in time, piercing the beast’s eye just before Bell got into position. Reeling in pain, the monster was defenseless against the incoming blade.
Bell’s jumping strike took a slice out of the base of the bloodsaurus’s lower neck. Fresh blood spraying like a fountain, the beast fell to its knees.
Bell went in for another strike to finish it off but lost his balance in mid-swing. Nahza couldn’t help but laugh as she watched from her vantage point.
“Nahza, that’s enough.”
“Okay…”
She turned to face Miach, the same smile still plastered on her face.
Nahza scanned the group, making sure that both Lilly and Hestia had bags of eggs securely fastened to their backs, before looking back in Bell’s direction.
The boy emerged from behind a tree, using the broadsword as a walking stick. “Can we go now?” he said with a very pathetic look in his eyes. Nahza smiled and nodded.
“Time to go home, Bell.”
Beneath a night sky studded with stars.
A vial containing a dark blue liquid was given to a man standing in the open doorway of a large mansion.
“This is my Familia’s latest product. I guarantee its effectiveness.”
“Eh, geh…!”
Dian Cecht gasped as he took the vial from Miach’s outstretched hands.
After closely inspecting it himself, the deity handed the vial to his assistant, Amid, and asked for her opinion.
The girl took a sip and went silent. Both of the gods waited with bated breath for a moment before she looked up and gave a very curt nod.
“A double potion that restores physical strength and mental energy…This is the first of its kind. Therefore, you would be able to sell them for quite a high price at your Familia’s shops. It is sure to meet the demand of many adventurers, don’t you agree?”
“Geh, grrrr…!”
“I have twenty of them right here. The profits from their sale should more than cover this month’s payment. Please buy them.”
“Wh…Why youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…?!”
A deep roar of frustration rang out under the night sky.
Bell and the others, waiting on the outside of the mansion’s four high walls, knew the transaction was successful the moment they heard it.
“Sounds like it worked…”
“That geezer isn’t dumb enough to turn down the opportunity to make a killing. Although I’m sure he wanted to see us squirm…Too bad.”
Nahza half laughed as she responded to Lilly’s comment.
The group had been waiting just outside the walls that surrounded Dian Cecht Familia’s home for Miach’s return.
“Whew, that was a long day! There was no time to sit down.”
“Ah-ha-ha…”
A battle against time to produce the double potion was waiting for them as soon as they arrived home in Orario after collecting the eggs from the Deep Forest Seoro. While Miach and Nahza worked their fingers to the bone to meet their deadline, Bell, Lilly, and Hestia helped out in any way they could. All of them worked continuously for hours on end.
Bell grimaced as he looked over at his exhausted goddess.
“But you really did a good job making it. And at the last moment, too.”
“The people of Orario are obsessed with the Dungeon and don’t even try to learn about the possibilities around them…There are so many discoveries out there just waiting for people to find them.”
Monster eggs and Blue Papillon Wings. Nahza told Bell she’d created a new item using resources from both inside and outside the Dungeon.
“Oh, Miach. Finished already?”
“Yes. Everything has been settled.”
Miach emerged from the gate and returned to the spot where the group was waiting for him. He smiled and said that they no longer had to worry about being kicked out of their own home as he looked to each person in turn.
“Allow me to thank you once again. This was only possible because of you, and you have my gratitude.”
“I’m happy to hear that your loan has become a little lighter.”
“It was a quest worth doing.”
Hestia and Lilly looked back up at him and smiled. Bell followed suit.
Miach finally turned to face Nahza, his thin eyes smiling.
“Nahza.”
“Yes…”
“Yesterday, you called yourself useless.”
“…Yes.”
“I have never, ever thought that even once.”
Nahza’s eyes opened wide as she listened to Miach’s words.
“I am a god whom you have saved many times. Even if we’re not as well off as we once were, your presence makes it all worth it. So please, don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“…Is that an order?”
“No, a solemn request from the god who watches over you more than any of the other children.”
Miach stepped in front of her as he spoke, reached out, and stroked her hair.
Caught in the warm gaze of her deity, Nahza blushed for a moment before looking at the ground. “So dense…” she whispered under her breath as he patted her head.
Hestia watched them with a twinkle in her eye as Miach once again said and did things that could be taken the wrong way. She used the opportunity to tease him, and Lilly enjoyed every second of it. Bell forced a smile as both sides made fun of each other back and forth. Nahza took the opportunity to break out of the small circle and walked up to him.
“Bell, thank you for today. Really…Really, thank you.”
“Nahza…”
The dog girl gave a deep bow before raising her head and pulling a vial out of her breast pocket.
“Eh, isn’t that…”
“A double potion…There was only one left over, but…this is the reward for completing the quest, and my thanks.”
In contrast to Bell’s surprise, Nahza’s face went back to her usual drowsy expression, but with a smile on her lips.
“If you need help with anything, tell me. After everything I’ve done, I need to make it up to you…”
Bell’s surprise faded away as a smile bloomed on his lips big enough to rival Nahza’s.
He took his reward from the girl’s outstretched hand.
At long last, Bell’s quest had come to an end.
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