Over the next hour an over emotional Belinda, embarrassingly tries to explain. After Listel left the dungeon Belinda and her apparently met up back in the village and spoke further. The reason for Belinda’s emotional outburst is still quite unclear, but it seems to be due to some miscommunication that Listel purposely orchestrated.
From what I have pieced together, Belinda wishes to become my boss monster, and in doing so she wishes to begin her adventuring again, while returning xp to me. Listel apparently explained in great detail how, and what Belinda would be able to do as my boss monster, enough that some of it includes information that even I didn’t know.
After careful considering the information, I can’t really find a disadvantage other than the fact. After all she already knows about my dungeon and I no longer receive any xp from her so the only disadvantage is that in Belinda’s absence I will have to deal with the employees she has hired at the adventurer’s guild, and several other small tasks she attends to.
Even with checking the xp cost of taking her as a boss monster in [Menu] is even the same as if I were to summon one if I could, at 1000xp. The most difficult part is her party must exclusively consist of dungeon monsters for her to return xp to the dungeon.
As kobolds would be hard to explain traveling with a human, so we will have to come up with another idea.
Belinda now sits silently on the edge of my bed with her hands in her lap, staring down at them, still red in the face. Meanwhile I set up [Menu] to accept Belinda as my boss monster.
When I finish and hit accept, one of the magic screens appears before Belinda for the first time causing her to jump. After carefully reading it she starts to reach forward. She hesitates briefly then pushes against the screen.
Once she does a light begins to emanate from Belinda, she is lifted off the bed, and begins to float as her appearance is completely shrouded by the light. A message then quickly appears before me.
Due to the unique nature of Small Polychromatic Diamond crystal, your first acquired boss monster, along with boss monsters acquired after reaching crucial points in the dungeons growth, will have their favored element removed, and be granted the [Gifted] skill.
Evolution has occurred in Boss Monster [Belinda Gowen] Race has changed from Human to Divine Being Level has reset to 1 HP bonus +50 MP bonus +50 Ability bonus +5 granted to Strength, Agility, Endurance, Spear Arts, Sword Arts, and Defensive Arts Ability bonus +10 granted to Spell Power, Concentration, Mental Defense, and Spell Arts. Status Resistance acquired: Confusion immunity, Charm immunity, and Fear immunity
New Monster Avaliable
Divine Being Cost: 100,000xp
Once the light surrounding Belinda fades her feet touch the floor, and a now naked Belinda stands before me. Her facial features and shape of her body looks much the same as before. However her once short auburn hair, now has grown extending past her shoulders, and has changed to a flaming crimson red.
Her once green eyes are now a deep blue that shine with a light that would rival the finest sapphire. While still maintaining the same build, her body seems far more toned, and her soft pale freckled skin now seems to glow. Belinda’s shadow now seems to dance independently from the light given off by the screens lighting the room.
Through the changes the person is clearly the same woman, which I have seen naked on multiple occasions but her appearance now causes a burning in my cheeks, and I advert my gaze.
Belinda quickly waves her arms grabbing the blanket from my bed next to her, and wraps it around her body. I try to turn and face her now, but after only a few seconds of eye contact I can’t help being drawn in by the way the thin blanket sensually wraps her curves.
After I turn my head again, Belinda speaks, and although the voice is that of the panicked and embarrassed Belinda, it seems softer and more harmonious.
Belinda: “What are you getting all embarrassed now?!” –She then sits on the bed, crosses her legs, and covers her chest further with her arms.-
I try to speak but it comes out as a squeak, so I clear my throat and try again.
“U… Use the [Menu] and put on some clothes!”
Belinda then begins fiddling with the screen in front of her for a few minutes before I get a message.
Boss Monster [Belinda Gowen] requested to equip [Luxurious Clothes] from equipment.
I quickly accept then look to Belinda. Belinda stands looking at herself while dropping the blanket back to the bed. The clothing she is wearing looks to be the same clothes she had on before, so when she changed it must have just added her clothes to the dungeon inventory.
Belinda: “Wow, that’s amazing.”
She then twirls around, and that’s when she notices her hair. She runs her hands though her hair looking at it.
Belinda: “My hair! It so much longer… And the color.”
She then quickly starts to investigate herself, lifting her arms looking and running her hands all over. I find a small mirror in [Menu] for a few xp and buy it handing it to Belinda.
Belinda takes the mirror looking into it, and rubbing her face as she speaks.
Belinda: “My face looks the same, but my eyes, and my hair… My body even feels firmer.”
“Your voice is a little different as well.”
Belinda: “Really? ♪La La La♪ I can’t really tell.”
I then pick up Belinda’s adventurer ID of the desk and look at out of curiosity.
Adventurer #13,257 [Belinda] Base: Ancient Kobold Stronghold
Race: Divine Being Gender: Female
Rank: D Level: 1
Class: Spear-woman Favored Element: N/A
Commissions Complete: 113
Dungeon Crystals Destroyed: 0
I show the ID to Belinda.
Belinda: “What is this? How can I be level 1 I worked hard to get to level 6… I don’t feel any weaker though, actually on the contrary I feel stronger… Divine Being, what does this mean? And my element, how is it not applicable?”
“How bad of a problem do you think this will be?”
Belinda: “Well lucky for most situations I can use my royal seal to use as identification, but when I try to rank up, I have to go to a capital branch of the adventurer’s guild, and I don’t know how they will react.”
“How long do we have to figure something out?”
Belinda: “Technically I could have ranked up to C once completing 100 commissions, but I never seen the need. I have heard of adventurer’s races changing when they become heroes but short of that I haven’t heard of it before. Also the favored element part has me worried, I haven’t ever heard of someone’s element being N/A.”
“Yes, that apparently seems to be a pretty big deal on my end as well.”
Belinda: “Oh so dungeon bosses are bound by favorite elements as well?”
“All of them with the exception of me apparently, do you think you could play it off if you managed to become a hero?”
Belinda: “Well sure, I guess, it’s never been seen before but heroes often get abilities that haven’t been seen before. There is no way I would be able to destroy a dungeon crystal though especially now that I am level 1 again.”
“What if I could tell you where a dungeon was that was barely surviving as it is? Although it is all the way out in the Adra Mountains.”
Belinda: “But aren’t the other dungeons like your family? Could you really have me destroy one?”
“Well we started at the same time, and for some reason he has decided I am his enemy, so I don’t think it would bother me. Dungeons often kill other dungeons from what I understand.”
Belinda: “Well that just seems wrong somehow, so let’s try to avoid that if we can. Besides it would be at least a 6 month round trip to the Adra Mountains.”
“Do you have another idea then?”
Belinda: “Well C rank shouldn’t be too big of a deal once at Gowen capital I could use my status, and the fact I have been running this adventurer’s guild to be able to do it myself. But once I try to go to rank B it will be a whole different story that takes an examination, and is far more detailed.”
“For now I guess that will have to do.”
Belinda: “I am actually more worried on how I am going to explain my appearance change. Sure in the capital they haven’t seen me for quite a few months so I can blow most of it off, but my eye color won’t be so easy. And the people of Tobes see me almost every day explaining my hair or my eyes to them will be hard.”
“Well for Tobes, the adventurers are all still pretty new, and the villagers are just hunters, so I bet they will believe any story you give them. You could even say it was an item you found in the dungeon, and place a fake commission for people to try to find more.”
Belinda: “That might actually work…”
“Oh, I completely forgot I need to take some food to Thirty-seven your arrival earlier made me completely forget. You should freely be able to move about the dungeon now that you are a boss. I will be right back.”
Belinda: “Wait boss? I thought you were the boss?”
“Well technically I am the dungeon core, or I should say I am part of the dungeon, so the dungeon core and dungeon boss monster are actually two separate things. No point in hiding it now that you have come this far.”
Belinda: “So you ARE the dungeon? So dungeons really are alive? If I could tell that information to the guild it would be so helpful, but I guess I can’t help the guild anymore…”
“Well I don’t see a problem with helping the guild, as long as it doesn’t affect us, because like it or not you are a dungeon monster now. Your fate is as bound to this place as mine.”
Belinda nods and begins to think on it, I then take the food and drink I prepared for Thirty-seven hours ago, and transfer down to her room. Belinda quickly follows me transferring herself for the first time, and she waits right outside the door as I enter Thirty-seven’s room.
“Sorry, sorry. I got distracted and forgot to bring your meal down to you, I hope you didn’t get to hungry.”
Thirty-seven: “It makes no difference. As long as I retain this amount of food daily my body shall survive. It doesn’t matter when it is consumed throughout the day.”
“I do try to bring it to you early though, so I am sorry.”
“I see you have finally managed to summon your boss monster.” –She says motioning to Belinda that is standing there peeking in through the door.-
“Well, something like that…” –I say as Belinda quickly opens the door and bows apologizing for peeking.-
“Wait doesn’t that bother you?”
Thirty-seven: “Why should it?” –she says as she picks at the food in front of her.-
When Belinda steps forward into the room and Thirty-seven shows no sign of reaction I continue.
“But she is a human, or at least she was until she became my boss monster.”
Thirty-seven: “Clearly that is impossible, as humans level up indefinitely as it is, so only foolish dungeons that take humans to be boss monsters, as they neither evolve nor advance very quickly.”
Belinda: “But it’s true! I have even met you before, don’t you remember?”
Thirty-seven: “I have never met you before, the only other person I have seen has been a human, and that clearly is not you.”
Belinda: “But that was me, before I joined Two-Twelve’s dungeon!”
Thirty-seven: “Impossible.”
“Wait are you saying she looks completely different then before? She looks relatively the same to me…”
Belinda has a concerned look on her face as she feels her face with her hands.
Thirty-seven: “I clearly do not understand what it is you are speaking of.”
“Ok, sorry for confusing you. I will leave you to it then…”
I take Belinda by the hand and escort her out of the room.
“What should we do? Do you think you really look different?”
Belinda: “I don’t think so…”
“Maybe I should return with you to Tobes, just in case…”
She nods and we head back to the core room, after gathering a few things we make our way down to Tobes. As we reach the base of the mountain we slowly head into town cautiously. The first building we come up to is one of the new shops Belinda has commissioned, and it is run by a small family that moved in from the capital.
A small boy runs up to Belinda pulling on the edge of her shirt.
Boy: “Princess, princess! The things you ordered from the capital hasarrived.”
Man: “Boy. Don’t go bothering the adventurers… Oh! Excuse me princess, I barely recognized you, did you do something with your hair?”
Belinda awkwardly laughs and pats the kid on the head.
Belinda: “haha, you could say something like that. I ran into something odd in the dungeon. It seemed like some kind of trap sprayed me in the face. I quickly washed it off, and it seems like it just it did this to my hair.”
Man: “Oh…You’re not going up there by yourself again are you? You might want to ask one of the adventurers that can cast healing magic to take a look at you just in case though.”
Belinda: “Yea, I’ll do that.”
The man then retrieves a package from the store, and Belinda pays him with a few of the small gold coins. We then move on heading towards the adventurer’s guild.
“Well it seems like the villagers are easily convinced now we just have to see if the adventurers are as easily fooled…”
Belinda: “I don’t like deceiving them this way, but I guess I have no choice at this point.”
At the next building Belinda asks me to wait outside then she heads in by herself, I move to the door listening in just in case she needs my help.
Lady: “Hey princess, how did the steamy lunch date go? It must have gone well, because you look positively radiant.”
I hear a strange noise escape Belinda then I can hear her rush though the store. The women continue talking, but I can no longer make out what they are saying.
Lady: “Alright, Belinda. You have a good one, and maybe next time you will at least let me get a glimpse of your little stud muffin.”
Belinda quickly retreats from the store now carrying another package. Belinda maintains a bit of distance ahead of me as we make our way to the adventurer’s guild, with her ears and cheeks dyed a light shade of pink.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Once we reach the guild I sit at one of the tables, and Belinda heads to the back. She returns a few seconds later without the packages, she then moves to the counter grabbing a few items and brings them over to the table sitting down with me.
Belinda talks to several adventurers, and only about one in three even notice anything different about her. The ones that do notice ask her if she did something to her hair, and nobody even mentions her eyes.
“I guess when you are a princess most people tend to avoid eye contact, so they don’t notice the fine details.”
Belinda fills out a commission for a mysterious spraying trap in the dungeon, giving it only a D class rank, even the reward amount is low, so people will only take it with others, and not go looking specifically for the trap.
After hanging the commission Belinda gets herself a drink then sits back down.
“You don’t have to eat or drink anymore you know.”
Belinda: “I forgot… I guess since I got it though I might as well drink it.”
Belinda looks like she has something else to say, but she sits there silently drinking her drink.
“Was there something you had a question about?”
Belinda: “Oh!” –She quickly says choking on her drink. After coughing a few times she begins to blush before saying. - “Should I gather my things and move in with you now?”
“Well you are my boss monster now, but I don’t think there is any requirement for you to having to live in the dungeon.”
When I say that her face seems a little sad, but she quickly recovers and proclaims.
Belinda: “You have to promise me though if I bring back a bunch of xp, you will give me my own room like you did Thirty-seven!”
“Well Thirty-seven is borrowing all of your things, so technically the room is more yours then hers.”
This causes Belinda to smile, but her face gets serious again as she says. “Not technically though, I want a room where I can put a real bed, furniture, and all of my things in.”
“Well if you bring in a lot of xp I don’t guess that would be a problem, but if you just want a place for now, you could always just use the core room. That’s the room we were in before.”
Belinda: “You want me to move in with you in your room?” –She quickly says, and blushes a bright red, which causes me to blush as well. She then shakes her saying. - “I…I’m not mentally prepared for that yet.”
I want to fix the misunderstanding, but I can’t bring myself to say anything, and I somehow feel disappointed for some reason. I then decide to change the subject.
“So, what are we going to do about your party? Kobolds would stick out to much, just about the only other things I can summon are slimes or goblins, and I don’t think either of them would be any better. What about golems? Do mages use golems as protectors?”
Belinda: “Yea goblins and slimes are definitely out. Only powerful mages can use summoning spells or create golem spells, so even as a princess it would look pretty strange without a mage around.”
“Your magic shouldn’t be too bad though.”
Belinda: “Oh my magic is pitiful. I can barely cast a clean spell long enough to… Well it barely works, and that was my favored element.”
She seemed to get a lot of bonuses to magic type abilities when she became a boss monster so I figured she could do decent magic as well. I look around the room to make sure no one is looking then quickly open [Menu].
Outside the dungeon it is pretty limited but I am able to bring up Belinda’s information screen. Looking it over for a second I then instruct her on how to open it herself so she can see.
Name: Belinda Gowen Race: Divine Being Class: Spear-woman
Level: 1 XP till next Level: 10 XP: 0
HP: 266 MP: 200
Strength: 36
Agility: 35
Endurance: 36
Sword Arts: 30
Spear Arts: 36
Defensive Arts: 37
Spell Power: 40
Concentration: 35
Mental Defense: 35
Spell Arts: 35
Resistances: Confusion immunity, Charm immunity, Fear immunity
Armor: None
Equipment: [Luxurious Clothes]
Skills:
Gifted (Rank 1): Most creatures favor one element above all others, and are unable to cast spells from the opposing element. You however do not, thus granting you a 5 bonus to spell power and 25 additional MP.
Spear Training (Rank 2): Spear training allows the use of basic spear techniques.
Lunge (5mp): A quick lunge attack with a spear boosted by magic.
Whirlwind Swipe (10mp): A spinning attack that causes damage in all directions at spear’s length.
Spear Throw (10mp): A thrown spear attack granting bonus accuracy and distance with the assistance of magic.
Iron Defense (Rank 2): Rigorous training with Heavy Armor, grants a %25 bonus to armor when equipping Heavy Armor.
Pampered Princess (Rank 1): Nurtured at youth with the best of everything, you gain a bonus of 5% when learning new skills and spells. Interactions with others that are aware of your status grants you a 10% bonus on negotiations.
Spells:
Clean (Water) (Cost 1mp): summons water to clean items and objects up to ten feet away. This spell can be kept active by repaying its original casting cost once per second.
Cool (Wind) (Cost 1mp): Summoning your mana with the power of wind you can cool items and objects up to ten feet away. This spell can be kept active by repaying its original casting cost once per second.
Light (Light) (Cost 1mp): Summing your mana with the power of light you can light items and objects up to ten feet away. This spell can be kept active by repaying its original casting cost once per second.
Belinda quickly jumps up from her chair startling several of the adventurers in the room. After apologizing she sits back down.
Belinda: “I have never seen so detailed information about someone before…Is this really me?”
“Yes, I told you that the adventurer IDs were similar to what dungeons used.”
Belinda: -She can’t help but laugh- “…This is in no way similar, this is FAR more advanced magic. I don’t quite understand though, I am not sure what these numbers mean but by going by just how high the number is. It says my spell power is even higher than my strength, and that can’t be possible.”
“Well, I did get a message in the dungeon when you changed races. You got quite a few bonuses to magic type abilities, also the [Gifted] skill helped quite a bit as well.”
Belinda: “But this is crazy, if I assume the numerical value is point for point, then my magic will surely be stronger then Amy’s now, and she has dedicated her life as a mage… This also says my spear techniques use mp…”
Belinda thinks for a second before continuing.
Belinda: “Nobody has ever heard of that before. When I joined your dungeon I could only hold a clean spell for almost 10 seconds before I would get close to blacking out, so no wonder I couldn’t master my spear techniques.”
“Well you shouldn’t have a problem now.”
Belinda nods then says. “I am going to have to learn more magic now.”
“Well we can’t do it here, but once back in the dungeon you can spend some of the dungeon’s xp to learn spells. I haven’t checked what spells are available lately, but you should at least be able to learn the basic attack spells.”
Belinda: “You mean you can “buy” spells?”
“Yes, and I believe you can learn skills the same way, as long as its knowledge the dungeon has collected.”
Belinda: “What do you mean collected?”
“When something dies in the dungeon I gain the ability to reproduce their abilities or skills, and in the case of monsters I can summon more of them by spending the xp cost.”
Belinda: “So you can’t summon humans?”
“Well unfortunately no, humans are unique and must take some kind of special circumstance, as only one dungeon core is capable of doing it, and that was only after spending years as a hero destroying dungeons.”
Belinda: “There are even dungeon cores that are heroes?”
“Well each dungeon core goes through training to determine if they are allowed to start their own dungeon, and once Dyson failed he joined humans taking out his anger killing other dungeons. Once he killed his replacement he was allowed to start his own dungeon. It still hasn’t stopped him from killing more dungeons though, and so far he is the only one that can summon humans.”
Belinda: “Dyson? THE Dyson? He was a legendary hero from over 100 years ago, many adventurers still become adventurers because of his stories, and you are saying he is still alive, and is a dungeon?”
“Yes, he has a dungeon in Merretta Pass, between Merretta and Adra, called the Portal to Hell.”
Belinda: “The Portal to Hell is a dungeon?”
“You know of it?”
Belinda: “Of course I know of it, it’s proper name is Mar, but it is the largest city of bandits, thieves, and scoundrels in the entire world. Entire armies have tried to raze it but have perished, and you’re telling me the legendary hero Dyson runs that city?”
She seems floored I am practically turning her entire world upside down.
Belinda: “Well if not humans, what about beastkin, you once said they started in dungeons right?”
“No they must require something special as well. However there are quite a few dungeons that make use of beastkin.”
Belinda: “And the other races like Elves, Dwarves, and such?”
“I honestly have no idea about them, I haven’t seen anything about them, or even met any.”
Belinda: “Yea they are not common among adventurer’s and wouldn’t come to a backwater like this place. I am sure if we go to the Tower of the Gods though we could possibly see some.”
We continue to talk until late in the evening, then we decide to reconvene in the dungeon first thing in the morning. I then head back to the dungeon while Belinda stays in Tobes.
Early the next morning Belinda arrives at the dungeon. Her eyes are bloodshot, and it looks like she didn’t get any sleep. Apparently she spent most of the night looking over [Menu]. After a 15 or so minute rant about how great the dungeon magic is, she shares with me ideas she had prepared beforehand.
I look over several spells, and even monsters she wishes to purchase. Totaling it all up it will only leave me with a small amount of xp. With the constant flow D rank adventurers in my dungeon I don’t think I am at risk of starving, but I fear if a strong group enters I will have no emergency funds. I also only replaced 2 of the 6 golems that were destroyed by Listel.
Belinda: “I know this leaves you pretty tight on xp, but I don’t plan on setting out till next week, so I will try setting some commissions to build us up before then.”
“Is that really all that you want?”
Belinda: “Well I had quite a few items as well, but I have to go to the capital to change my rank, so I might as well just buy the items there, I won’t have to waste xp that way.”
“But the monsters, will you really be able to get xp anywhere with two small golems and a dog?”
Belinda: “There is a dungeon not far from the capital that has at least 10 floors of weak monsters like goblins, I plan on starting off there. I should be able to strengthen them up quite good without them being in much danger.”
“Well, ok if you’re sure…”
Belinda: “Yea, the first 10 floors of the dungeon are really weak. Most adventurers from Gowen start there, but I doubled the commission rewards here, so that some would make the trip.”
“Well I understand the golems, but the dog? The one that came here seemed pretty useless even against the normal kobold.”
Belinda: “You are highly underestimating your monsters. The kobolds here in your dungeon, are easily just as strong, if not more so then even crimson kobold found elsewhere.”
“I don’t anything special. I don’t see why people keep saying that.”
Belinda: “Really? You don’t use [Menu] to direct them?”
“No, I just let them go about on their own.”
Belinda: “Why do they act like normal kobold when you are not in the dungeon then?”
“They do?”
Belinda: “Several reports have come in that every once in a while the kobold act normally, and after finding out about you I checked it out. That and during my birthday when you passed out the kobold were acting normally.”
“That’s strange…”
Belinda: “You really don’t do anything? After learning of [Menu], and how you can use it to communicate, I thought you just personally orchestrated every battle yourself.”
“Now you are giving me too much credit.”
I then open [Communication] to prove it to her, but much like when I sent Thirty-seven messages unintentionally, the kobold’s tabs are filled with orders, tactics, and instructions.
“Oh…”
Belinda: “What is it?”
“Well, when I was born I was a little different than other dungeons. I didn’t seem to know a lot of the things that all the others are naturally born with, and my [Menu] was a little different as well. Most of the time it’s a disadvantage but sometimes it’s not.”
I continue on to explain the “errors” in my [Menu], and about how [Communication] sometimes works without me knowing it like it did with Thirty-seven. Although I leave out the details of what the things I said.
Belinda: “So does that mean now that you know your monsters are going to get weaker because the messages won’t happen anymore?”
“Well I think as long as I don’t intentionally suppress them, they will continue. Even with Thirty-seven when I tried to prevent it, when I got emotional sometimes they would still slip though…”
Belinda: “Does that mean I will start receiving the same types of messages from you?”
My voice shows a little panic as I say. “I sure as hell hope not…”
Belinda seems a little taken aback by my sudden outburst as she looks at me questionably.
“But to be on the safe side, if you do receive any “odd” messages from me please just delete them…”
We continue talking the rest of the morning, and when an adventurer group makes their way into the dungeon Belinda gets to see the battle from the other side for the first time.
For some reason Belinda still insists on eating, so Thirty-seven and Belinda share a meal at noon. Belinda tries to talk to Thirty-seven but seems to have very little luck.
After lunch I show Belinda the Dungeon Core Information book. Belinda is floored by a few of the dungeons. She simply couldn’t believe the “god” Faron was actually just a dungeon core.
Belinda manages to find the dungeon that she plans to head to, and learns more information about it in 1 page then the entire capital has in the 100 or so years of investigation.
Current Dungeon Core #245 [Simon] Location: Central Gowen Plains
Dungeon: Leona ruins Crystal: medium water moonstone
Dungeon contained at its peak: 87 floor, 567 room, 5,348 monsters, 425 traps.
Dungeon core level: 43 XP: 33354
Dungeon active: 231 years
A medium dungeon using the ruins of the old capital city of Leona, it serves as a training ground for the Gowen army, and new adventurers. During the Leona uprising 150 years ago the royal family fled into the depths of the dungeon. Members of the rebel up risers began a purge of the dungeon to locate the royal family. In efforts of preservation Simon created the very first teleporting trap sending the royal family back to the rebel army. Many dungeons have sense adapted the [Teleport Trap] to suit their own needs. Deepest floor mapped by humans 47, Deepest floor explored 53, Most favored monster cave salamander warlord, most favored trap teleporting trap, most purchased monster goblin (rift), most purchased trap teleporting trap, boss monster serpentine water dragon.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Previous Dungeon Core #245 [Bowen] (Deceased) Location: Senyen Cove
Dungeon: Senyen cavern Crystal: small water aquamarine
Dungeon at its peak contained 27 floors, 124 rooms, 1342 monsters, 227 traps
Dungeon core level: 52 XP: 10726
Dungeon active: 48 years
A cavern at the sea’s edge off the small island kingdom of Senyen, humans of Senyen used the dungeon as a training ground until they began to suffer to a pirate armada. The dungeon was then purged to grant the king’s military general the power of a hero. Most favored monster siren, most favored trap whirlpool trap, most purchased monster armored giant crab, most purchased trap flooding room, boss monster siren queen. (Deceased)
Belinda: “The experts have all said it can’t be more than 50 floors deep, but this says it’s closer to 100… And what’s with 5 THOUSAND monsters.
“Well if the dungeon is that big, and you don’t plan on going any deeper than a dozen floors or so I don’t think I will need to contact Simon.”
Belinda: “You know looking though all these pages, you seem to be the only dungeon core that doesn’t have a name. Why is that?”
“Oh… Well at first I just could never choose one that I liked, and then I just got used to Two-Twelve. There was a screen for me to change my name, but I haven’t seen it anywhere in a few months so maybe I missed my chance.”
Belinda: “…”
For the rest of the week Belinda learns everything she can about dungeons, while she teaches me the things down in Tobes that I will have to attend to in her absence. Belinda continues to spend her lunches with Thirty-seven, and they have managed to begin talking more, but still not to the point where I would call it an actual conversation.
I haven’t made any progress with Thirty-seven as well, and she doesn’t seem to be opening up to me like she did in Madam Erin’s dungeon. Maybe I just need to give her more time.
As Belinda prepares to leave she learns the spells a day or two in advanced so she could practice them, and I let her name the dog, and the two golems. When I asked her why she named the golems Mindy, and Tanya, she simply stated they were named after her hard headed sisters. She just chose to name the dog Rufus.
Right before she leaves I have her exchange her current armor and weapons with her original set. Not even a day after I watch her set out, I begin getting swamped with the work from Tobes,
I try to spend as much time in the dungeon as possible now that I found out the monsters are weaker when I am not around, but I usually spend my entire evening in Tobes addressing the needs of the village.
Only after one week, I already begin to wonder if it was all worth it. Belinda has probably just reached the capital, and is probably sitting back taking it easy while I am forced to do all this work… I wonder what would happen if I just confined myself up in the dungeon…
Belinda promised to help me out though, going as far as binding herself to me as a boss monster, so I will have to trust her, and do the work I promised her.
Belinda keeps in contact with me daily through [Communication]. She informed me today that she has now left the capital, and is on her way to the other dungeon.
Thirty-seven voices her disapproval one day when I get to busy, and forget to send her food. I feel bad afterwards and apologize, but I consider it a win that she is starting to open up again even if it was in the form of a complaint.
When Thirty-seven and I take our weekly walk around the lake, one of the hunters from the village sneaks up and startles us.
Hunter: “Hey hey, Belinda hasn’t even been gone two weeks yet, and you are already sneaking around up here in the mountains with another woman.”
Thirty-seven panics, cowering behind me. I tell the hunter that Thirty-seven is my sister, and with the villagers all still thinking I am a slave that has escaped I manage to convince him that Thirty-seven is terrified of new people because of it.
Once dealing with the hunter and returning to the dungeon it still takes another hour before I can get Thirty-seven calmed down. Since then I haven’t been able to get her to go outside, she now takes walks around the third floor of the dungeon.
At the end of the second week another building that Belinda had commissioned has been completed, and the villagers asked what the next building to be commissioned to be built would be. When I didn’t have an answer for them, many started throwing out suggestions.
I am not quite sure what it is, but most of the adventurers and villagers wanted it, so construction has begun on a large brothel. The men of the village often stop me wanting to buy me a drink now, when I make my rounds though town.
A few days later the woman running the bakery stops me asking about the brothel. She has apparently become good friends with Belinda after moving here to run the bakery for her.
Baker: Two-Twelve, does Belinda know what you are having built in town in her name?
“?”
Baker: “The brothel, Belinda told me to keep an eye on you, but to think as soon as she turns her back you decide to open a brothel.”
“Is it bad?”
Baker: “You don’t even know what they talked you into building do you?” –She sighs. - “Well it is true it will keep a small bit of crime down, but it’s not exactly something the princess would want her name attached too, so you better make sure everyone knows she has no part of it. You hear me?”
“Got it.”
Baker: “I would also suggest you commission a building for town guards. Poor Herald has been doing his best, but he would really use a few more men.”
“Thanks, I will keep that in mind.”
The next day I get a message from Belinda though [Communication].
Belinda: “Hey, what is this I hear about you commissioning a brothel in Tobes?”
“How did you hear that so far away?”
Belinda: “I have my ways…Please tell me you didn’t have them start building it next to the new school house I was building?”
“They said they needed more room, so I had them start building it at the far end of town, where they recently cleared the trees out.”
Belinda: “Well at least that’s something. When you send a commission to the capital for staff, make sure you put on behalf of the village leader, not the adventurer’s guild…”
“Ok, how are things going on your end?”
Belinda: “I already lost Mindy, but Rufus and Tanya are working out ok. We might not get as deep as I hoped now, but I will do my best I promise."
Belinda told me that she, Rufus, and Tanya are all gaining levels, and that she is going to bring a lot of xp back with her, but when I ask for details she says it’s a secret. I have tried to bring up their status, but I guess with the distance it doesn’t work.
At the end of the month Belinda tells me they are done at Leona ruins, and that they heading back to the capital for a day before returning to the dungeon. The construction on the brothel has been going at an extreme speed, even with a building as large as the inn, and they are already more than half way completed.
Madam Erin sent me a message asking how Thirty-seven was doing, when I told her I haven’t made much progress she told me just to hang in there and keep working at it.
I haven’t heard from Alex in a while, but Sara seems to be doing ok. She has had a group of adventurers hanging around her dungeon the last few weeks killing off a few of the fairies and pixies, but they haven’t discovered her dungeon yet.
On the day before when Belinda is expected back, Thirty-seven finally leaves the dungeon again, and we take a walk around the lake. Once we reach the far side of the lake Thirty-seven removes her boots, sitting on a log, she then places her feet in the water.
Thirty-seven: “I know I have been a bother to you, and for that I apologize.”
“What are you talking about? You are no bother, not one bit.”
Thirty-seven: “With this weak body constantly requiring maintenance, I don’t see how I can be any assistance to anyone.”
“Maybe when Belinda returns she can help you get used to it, and after all she was human for 18 years, and still managed to do so much.”
Thirty-seven: “I have no desire getting used to this body.”
“Living with the body of a human might give you the chance to understand them, and free you of your fear.”
Thirty-seven: “I would rather kill them all.”
“Well that’s path many dungeons take, but you have to be able to look at them without being frozen in fear to be able to kill them.”
Thirty-seven doesn’t say anything else, getting up, and finishing our walk we then head back to the dungeon, and I can’t help but feel excited that Thrity-seven initiated and held a real conversation with me. For a moment there she seemed practically normal.