Without the comforting scent on the bed I find myself having trouble sleeping… I keep having nightmares about Listel’s last few moments as I stare helpless at the screen. They each start out the same with what actually happened, but they all then twist in which the dead Listel would begin mocking me or blaming me for what happened.
In the last one after Listel’s face contorts and starts to ridicule me her figure changes to that of Belinda still lying there with glassy eyes and the same wounds as she just simply repeats the words “Why.” I then wake in a cold sweat.
Maybe casting clean on the bed wasn’t such a good idea, it was strange to feel the comfort in Belinda’s scent but at least I was able to sleep. I get out of bed moving over to the mirror and the face looking back at me is not the one I remember, but that of Two-Twelve.
Just by my appearance you can tell I had a rough night so I start by casting [Clean] on myself. Two-Twelve’s hair is quite shorter and courser then mine was, and it’s a drab brownish-blond. I miss my hair and my chin… I slap my face a few times and then start to comb my hair.
First I try slicking it back, but that makes me look an awfully lot like Dyson, which makes me wonder if Two-Twelve ever asked Dyson which core he was born too. I run my hands back through my hair messing it back up again, and try several other styles until I just give up and go with the un-combed look.
I have already spent far too much time on this then I should and the sun can already be seen creeping though the windows so I use [Menu] to equip my things and then head out of the room. I find Belinda, Roxy, Zoey, Doug, and his slave Aria in the dining room eating breakfast.
Maybe I didn’t do a good job because the first words out of Belinda’s mouth after she sees me are. “You look tired, did you sleep alright?”
“Yea, I’m fine…” –I say while moving over to Two-Twelve’s spot and sitting down.-
Belinda starts to get up saying she will get me some coffee, but I tell her its fine. She looks a little upset but doesn’t say anything else as she sits back down eating her breakfast.
Doug: “Are you not going to have anything?”
“I’m not much of a breakfast person.”
Zoey: “Or lunch or dinner!”
Roxy slaps Zoey on the shoulder while Zoey smiles with a sheepish grin.
Doug: “Zoey, Aria wanted to know what you used in your hair? It really brought out its shine.”
Zoey hesitates then says. “Ah, it was something from the adventurer’s shop. Some monster extract or secretion or something like that.”
Belinda face palms while Doug and Aria have pretty uncomfortable expressions. Roxy quickly chimes in.
Roxy: “She is joking. It’s something we picked up in the capital, but it is tailored to each different hair color, so the one I would use or Aria would use would have to be a different one.”
Doug: “I see… We might have to check that out next time we head back to the capital.”
Zoey: “But if you roll around in one of them blue slimes from up in the dungeon, that scent will last for days! That is if someone doesn’t keep casting [Clean] on you every five minutes.”
Roxy: “Zoey! If you keep saying things like that they are going to think you aren’t joking.”
Doug and Aria laugh, but I don’t think Zoey actually was joking… Everyone then finishes their breakfast and after Aria helps Belinda clean up Doug and Aria wish us luck and then head into town. We then transfer up to the edge of the dungeon again and after Azami is ready we use [Gate] to return to the forest.
Belinda’s ribbon is still hanging on the same place on the tree so it looks like we made it back to the same location alright, and we then set out though the forest. It only takes us about an hour to finally clear the forest, and if what the elves said was true we should be looking at two full days of travel from here.
The further west we travel the rockier the surrounding area gets. Its early spring and most things should be in the beginning stages of blooming, yet everything looks closer to fall. I know Lodia is barren and dead, but to be spreading this far into Exeter I can see why the humans are worried.
I try to push our pace a bit on the quick side, but still not to the point it was yesterday morning, so by evening we have made good progress but I hope it was enough that we can at least reach the town tomorrow afternoon sometime.
Belinda notices the look on my face and says. “I know it is nothing traveling back and forth with [Gate] but we have been wasting quite a bit of time in the morning with breakfast and everything so maybe we should set up camp tonight instead of heading back.”
Azami: “I would rather sleep in the trees, but we did seem to get a late start this morning.”
Zoey: “Aww, but I like our bed, and if we sleep outside we will have to have a watch and everything like that.”
Belinda: “You wanted to become a dungeon monster again, and part of it is being on the road and traveling.”
Azami: “If you are concerned about sleep I can take your watch, I require little sleep and my friends and I can keep watch by ourselves. Either that or my friends and I can keep watch by ourselves because we require little sleep, so we can take your watch while you sleep.”
Zoey: “Yay!”
Roxy: “No, we will do our part.”
Azami: “Really it is not a problem as I will be awake anyway.”
Roxy: “Well if you are sure.”
Belinda: “Well Two-Twelve looks like if he goes to sleep he will be out the rest of the night, so we probably should take the first watch, and when it’s time we will wake you Azami.”
Azami: “If that is what you wish.”
“I am not that bad off. I could probably even go a few days without sleep.”
Belinda: “It looks like you already have.”
“It’s not that bad.” –I then find a large rock and sit down leaning against it and stretching.-
I just sit and watch while the others use [Shadow-pocket] to pull varies items out and Belinda even makes a fire and starts preparing a meal.
“I thought the making of the meals was part of the problem that is causing us to waste time.”
Belinda: “Well we are already stopped for the day, and if we are not having breakfast in the morning we could at least have a good meal tonight.”
“Nobody here is even required to eat.”
Belinda: “That doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy doing it.”
Zoey: “Like sex!”
Roxy: “Zoey!”
“Well I guess we are done for the day, so it’s not like its hurting anything.”
Belinda: “Now that I think about Azami, you haven’t eaten with us the entire time you have been part of the dungeon, is there something you like to eat?”
Azami: “We always ate just to survive, not out of enjoyment, so now that I am part of a dungeon I don’t see the need anymore. Either that or there is no need to eat now that I am part of the dungeon, and I find no enjoyment from it because I only did it in the past to survive.”
Zoey: “Then I will take her share! And boss’s too because he doesn’t like to eat either.”
“You know I think I will at least try it.”
Zoey’s ears droop but Belinda eyes light up as she says. “Really?!”
“When I was with Listel we didn’t eat, but we did drink alcohol once and I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed that coffee the other morning. I can’t say just because Two-Twelve disliked food I will to just on them grounds alone.”
Zoey: “But boss liked both of them things as well.”
Belinda seems more conflicted about it now.
Belinda: “So you are only doing it to separate yourself from Two-Twelve?”
“Well if I enjoy it doesn’t that mean we are not as alike as everyone thought, but if I don’t maybe we are?”
Belinda: “I never thought I would say that I hope you don’t enjoy my cooking.”
“It doesn’t mean if I do enjoy it we are different people. If his memories return I am sure I will not just disappear, and if they do return maybe this is something I could give him he didn’t have before.”
Belinda regains some of her enthusiasm but still looks a little conflicted. It becomes irrelevant when Belinda finally presents me some of the food. She stares at me enthusiastically while I start to chew on a piece, but my eyes begin to water and I swear this must be was eating a piece of coal would be like.
I would say she did it on purpose and it is not the way it is supposed to taste, but Zoey seems to be greatly enjoying it and it looks identical to my own.
Belinda: “So what do you think?”
“It’s good…” –I struggle to say while I cough.-
Belinda seems almost relieved when she says. “You don’t like it?”
“I’m sorry, I am sure you did your best.”
Zoey: “Hey boss can I have the rest of yours then?”
Belinda: “Did you already eat all of that Zoey?!”
Zoey: “What I was hungry…”
Belinda: “Like Two-Twelve said, you don’t get hungry.”
I hand my food to Zoey and she gives me a big toothy grin and begins happily chewing away on it. After dinner Roxy and Zoey then prepare for bed. I have to say I seen Zoey naked just the other day when I made her a boss monster but when Zoey and Roxy both change into pajamas while only turning their backs to me is rather embarrassing. Belinda then moves over and asks me if I would help her out of her armor.
When I get up and start to help her remove her armor I can’t shake an image of practically peeling a gambeson from her sweaty skin wearing only a simple pair of short shorts and a light top, but that doesn’t make sense because as a dungeon monster the temperature would have to be quite extreme for her to sweat. Besides this dwarven full-plate armor is made in a way that doesn’t even require a gambeson, so her clothes underneath are normal traveling clothes if not a bit on the high quality side.
It makes it quite hard to concentrate, and as soon as she removes the last piece of armor I quickly clear my throat, shake my head, and sit back down.
Belinda: “I could help you with yours if you like.”
“No!” –I quickly say startling her. - “I mean I’m fine for now. I will leave mine on till our watch is over.”
Belinda: “Ok…” –She then sits down next to me and lays her head on my shoulder, but she then quickly sits back up. - “I’m sorry…”
“It’s alright, but I am sure that pauldron isn’t very comfortable…”
Belinda: “Yea, seeing you in armor is taking quite a bit to get used to, the only time I have ever seen you in armor was just after Thirty-seven died… But I guess you don’t remember that do you?”
“I’m sorry…”
Belinda: “If your memories don’t come back things like that will be the ones the hurt the worst. They are painful memories, but having no memory of Thirty-seven is even sadder.”
“Well then tell me about it, who was Thirty-seven?”
Belinda: “I guess you could say she was the closest thing to a big sister that a dungeon core could have. She was a dungeon core that failed her training due to some trauma she got while the core that was training her was killed by adventurers. Madam Erin took her in and when you were born Thirty-seven was the one that helped you though you’re training. She even was your boss monster during that time.”
“You’re saying Madam Erin was the one I was born to? Then what about Dyson was he born to her as well?”
Belinda: “Dyson? I don’t know. Why would you say that?”
“Oh… I guess it’s nothing then, anyway you were saying?”
Belinda: “Thirty-seven opened up a lot while you were training, but after you started your own dungeon she regressed back to the way she was before you were born. Madam Erin decided to send her to stay with you for a while so maybe you would be able to help her, and things were really starting to go good… But an overzealous group of adventurer’s confronted you both and during the fight Thirty-seven lost her life.”
“That is quite a sad story…”
Belinda: “At the time it was just you, Lilah, and me. We all took it pretty hard, but Lilah probably took it the worst. That small stuffed cat she takes around with her was something you gave Thirty-seven.”
“I think I seen that in the core room… It reminded me of Listel…”
Belinda: “That is kind of a habit of yours. You always kept making stuffed animals for the girls that represented the animals their beastkin traits follow. I guess that started with that cat, you made it for Thirty-seven right after Listel first came to the dungeon the first time, so I guess it makes sense that it reminded you of her.”
“…”
Belinda: “I’m sorry I guess I am just making things worse aren’t I?”
“No… I am glad to hear about it.”
Belinda then lays her head back down against my pauldron and we continue on with our watch. At some point Belinda must of fell asleep, as our watch comes to an end I debate wanting to wake her up to get Azami up, but that solves itself when wakes up on her own.
Azami: “Me and my friends got this now, so go ahead and rest.” –She says as she casts [Shadow-pocket] and the 16 muck made monsters surround the outside of the group in a circle.-
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
I am sure with the way they are circling us it would look quite disconcerting from the outside looking in, but even if they are quite grotesque to look at their movement is pretty rhythmic so between watching that and Belinda’s scent as she is lying against me, I find myself drifting off to sleep pretty quickly.
When I finally open my eyes I am no longer leaning against the rock but lying flat on my back. Above me it is pure black, I look around and it appears I am in the core room of Two-Twelve’s dungeon, but the number of screens on the wall are much fewer.
Over at the desk where I would expect to see one of the bunnies is instead a young squirrel beastkin sleeping with her head on a pile of clothes with a mischievous smile on her face. I try to get out of bed but I notice someone is on top of me.
It appears to be Belinda but instead her hair is a different shade of red and short, when she opens her eyes and looks up at me they are also green instead of the deep ocean blue color they are now. We are both completely naked and it seems Belinda just noticed the situation we are in as well as she screams and covers herself with the blanket while retreating to the far end of the bed.
Belinda: “What are you doing!”
Her scream and voice seems to cause my head to hurt quite a bit and I grab it while saying. “Not so loud… My head.”
I then get out of bed walking over to the desk while Belinda’s eyes are following me the entire way. I grab the clothes from out from underneath the squirrel’s head causing it to thump loudly against the desk.
Squirrel: “Oye!” –says the squirrel as she starts to look me over. She quickly looks over my nude body and while blushing a smile forms on her face.- “Well isn’t that a sight to wake up too?”
“What are you playing at?” –I say while tossing a colorful dress and pair of women’s undergarments at Belinda.-
Belinda quickly scrambles pulling them under the blankets as she tries to put them on and both girls continue to stare at me with bright red faces. The squirrel continues watching intently as I bend over and begin pulling on my shorts, she goes as far as tilting her head to one side.
Amy: “Now that’s not what I was expecting.”
“What is something the matter?”
The blushing squirrel looks quite pleased with the view as she says with a smile on her face. “No, nothing at all.”
Belinda: “Amy!”
I quickly jerk awake, causing Belinda to slide off my shoulder waking her up as well. I am back at our campsite with Azami’s “friends” circling around.
Belinda: “Are you ok?”
“Where is Amy?”
Belinda: “You remember Amy?” –She says now completely wide awake with an excited expression.-
“She was always with you right? What happened to her?”
Belinda: “She is back at the Gowen capital with Logan, she and Kline switched places so Kline could stay with Scylla and Amy could stay in the capital where she wanted to, remember?”
“I’m sorry… I don’t…”
Belinda: “But you remember Amy! That’s wonderful!”
Belinda then jumps up and quickly wakes Roxy and Zoey repeating. “He remembers Amy!” They look confused at first. I don’t think it’s really that big of a deal, but I guess it is proof that Two-Twelve’s memories are slowly coming back so I guess I can understand her excitement.
Belinda’s excitement continues all morning and as we are traveling she keeps asking me what I remember. Everything I seem to recall is all about Amy some of it is so disjoined and jumbled it make little to no sense, but with every new thing I mention Belinda becomes even more excited.
“She was in a fancy dress with her hair tied but looking like she didn’t want to be there, She was standing behind you and I said something and she kicked my chair, but that’s it…”
Belinda: “That must have been when you met my father for the first time! You have remembered so much!”
“Not really… I can’t even make sense what is going on just snippets of time that Amy was present.”
Belinda: “Maybe Amy is the clue to you getting your memory back!”
“I don’t think it works quite like that.”
The one advantage of Belinda’s enthusiasm is that we seem to be maintaining a good pace, and about mid-afternoon we can see the start of farmland. It still takes us close to an hour though before we actually reach the town. I thought it was a village, but it is closer to a city. It is at least the size of Tobes, although it is not near as tightly compact so it looks much larger.
There is no big wall or anything around it, but there is still a checkpoint on the road leading into the city. Once we approach we see quite a few people flashing a yellow colored booklet that is similar to an adventurer’s ID. When we finally approach the guard stops us.
Guard: “foreigners? State your business.”
Belinda: “I am Belinda Gowen third princess of the Gowen kingdom. I am passing through on my way to the capital in hopes to gain an audience with the Queen.”
The guard checks Belinda’s credentials and once he seems satisfied he says. “Well welcome to Exolian second city of Exeter, everything looks in order so you should be able to come and go as you please, but I believe you are in for a rude awakening once you reach Exelka. Being a princess should allow you to get a meeting with a councilman or two, but if Gowen was serious about an audience with the Queen it would have been wiser to send one of Gowen’s military commanders.”
Belinda: “Well at the moment I am not even here on an official capacity, but I heard that the queen recognizes power over status so we are willing to do what it takes.”
Guard: “It will take more than expensive armor I assure you.”
Belinda: “I happen to also be a hero, and my husband is one 4 times over.”
The guard actually seems impressed. “I stand corrected then I haven’t heard anything about a 4 time hero from the Gowen kingdom, but if that is true you might be able to prove yourself to the queen yet.”
I take out our map looking for Exolian. “So if we are in Exolian then the capital should be due north?”
Guard: “That is correct, but the undead pouring in from Lodia has been getting thick lately, so be on your guard as you continue your trip.”
Belinda: “Thank you.”
Guard: “I would also keep an eye on your elf while in town, there used to be a settlement of them to the east. They would raid farms and attack the smaller settlements. They up and disappeared a dozen or so years ago, but there is still a bit of bad blood between elves and the residents.”
Belinda: “Thanks again.”
He then lets us through and we enter the city.
“Is that true Azami, did you people used to attack the humans here?”
Azami: “Before I destroyed the dungeon the elves bound to the dungeon would be forced to raid the surrounding areas to bring xp back to the dungeon. The death of the dungeon ended that, and that is why they think they are gone. That and the magic they are using to conceal their location.”
Belinda: “I’m sorry your people had to go through all that.”
Azami: “It didn’t affect me as I wasn’t bound to the dungeon, but my grandfather was killed on one such raid.”
Belinda: “Your grandfather? But what about your parents? You didn’t tell us what happened to them”
Azami: “Like Miliano’s father I killed them by destroying the dungeon.”
Belinda seems horrified and still seems to be trying to process the information Azami just gave us so I speak up causing her to shake her head on change the subject.
“Well what do we do now? Do we continue north to the capital or try to get a better understanding of Exeter first?”
Belinda: “The audience with the Queen is just the end objective, but the reason we are here is to train right? I think it wouldn’t hurt to check out the adventurer’s guild.”
After getting directions we make our way to the adventurer’s guild of Exolian. For being a small city Tobes’s adventurer’s guild in the city hall is quite impressive, but the adventurer’s guild in Exolian seems far grander.
Instead of being a single building there is an entire section of the city walled off with the entry stating adventurer’s only and adventurer’s guild it even has a guard checking IDs as they enter. As we approach the guard eyes Belinda’s ID quite suspiciously.
Belinda: “Does there seem to be a problem?”
Guard: “Your commission count is quite low, but you are already a hero. I have never even heard of someone without a favored element before though.”
“Well if that is shocking I am sure mine is more so, I have more dungeons destroyed that actual commissions complete, and all 5 of us don’t have a favored element.”
The guard seems to get more suspicious, but he would of discovered it himself when he looked, and I am sure getting ahead of the problem was the correct way to go, but Belinda seems to start getting worried about something.
Guard: “Let me see all of your IDs.”
The others are beginning to get nervous as well but they had over their IDs, and I do as well.
Guard: “And the elf?”
Belinda: “Well she…” –Belinda quickly stops herself once Azami then pulls an adventurer’s ID handing it to the guard, and Belinda’s nervousness seems to lessen a bit.-
The guard however looks over all of them seeming more and more suspicious with each one. He finally just says. “I am going to have to ask you all to come with me.”
He tells one of the other guards something quietly and then leads us inside the wall. The adventurer’s guild of Exolian really does seem to be a village all to itself with shops, a few inns, and a very large tiered building right at the center easily larger than all the adventurer’s guilds I know combined.
We however are led to a building off to the side. It is quite large itself, but there is quite a few nervous young people each holding a form waiting to go up to the counter. The guard proceeds to talk to one of the people behind the counter who in turn waves their arm. We are quickly surrounded by several strong looking guards.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding… What exactly is going on?”
The young people with the forms quickly step back worried. While the man behind the counter walks over to us.
Man: “You might be able to skirt by with fake IDs like this in some other country but fake adventurer IDs are a serious crime here in Exeter.”
Belinda: “I assure you they are not fake, I am the third princess of the Gowen kingdom, and also run the adventurer’s guild in Tobes.” –She tries to present her credentials but the man ignores them.-
Man: “Most likely fake as well.”
“If you think they are fake then make me another, if you do it yourself and it comes out the same that should prove the IDs are real right?”
Man: “Oh you think your smart, but you can’t fake the guild’s magic, alright you think you can prove it then let’s do it.”
The man leads me over to the machine to create me another ID after going through the process when my ID is filled out though the guild’s magic the man’s face pales.
Man: “That can’t be possible…”
He looks at the IDs again, and then smirks.
Man: “That’s why you insisted me check your ID, it’s the only real one! But a B ranked hero with that many commissions there is no way the elf is only level 4”
Belinda: “Azami you are a B-ranked adventurer? I wasn’t even sure you had an adventurer’s ID.”
Azami: “Of course. Our mutual friend had me make one after I left home.”
The man makes Azami make another ID and is shocked again.
Man: “How…”
“Well the ability Azami got when destroying the dungeon also reset her level that’s why she is only level 4 and Zoey has only done in town commissions so far, but she has good skills so I invited her to join us to help her level up. I assure you all of our IDs are legitimate.”
Man: “What about Divine before your race or the lack of a favored element?”
“That is a skill of mine I got when I destroyed one of the dungeons, every few months I can boost someone’s magical ability, it adds the divine to their race, and removes their favored element.”
Man: “That’s not even…” –He looks like he is about to pass out.-
Belinda: “Like I said I am a princess of Gowen, you don’t think I would go adventuring with normal adventurers do you?”
The guard seems to step back up and begins to apologize.
Guard: “I am sorry princess. Fake IDs have become quite a problem here lately and when all of your IDs looked so outlandish.”
Belinda: “I understand…”
The commotion as seemed to die down now and the other guards stand down and even though we are the talk of the building the young people resume trying to get their IDs.
Man: “If you will forgive me princess, I will lead you all to the main building and make sure they know that your IDs have been confirmed, so you don’t have to go through something like this again.”
Belinda: “I would appreciate it.”
As the man leads us out of the door Belinda whispers to me. “That was quick thinking I thought we were going to be in a lot of trouble.”
“Honestly so did I… At any point if he didn’t buy any of that it would have been hard to refute.”
Belinda: “I was practically shaking though, but you seemed so calm. I don’t know if the Two-Twelve I know would have been able to handle that so well.”
The man leads us into the large central building heading up to the counter he shows the receptionist our IDs and tells her we are alright. He then hands us back our IDs along with the extra ones of my own and Azami’s
Man: “Your ranks and levels are all over the board, so I don’t know what kind of commissions you plan to take, but she should be able to at least get you all situated where you need to be. And again I am sorry for the confusion…”
After apologizing one more time the guy then leaves quickly heading from the building and the woman behind the counter asks us what she can do for us.
“Well for one we should probably take it slow till Zoey gets the hang of things, so we should probably start with some C-ranked commissions.”
Receptionist: “Each rank has its own dedicated floor with the expectation of D-rank it has the non-combat and a combat type commissions on two separate floors. This floor is for the non-combat commissions for D-ranked, so if you plan to take C-ranked commissions that will be two floors up. Given your situation I will take you upstairs to make sure you don’t have any problems up there as well.”
With that we are being led though the building again. Uthaira’s adventurer’s guild seemed to function much in the same way as this one, but were Uthaira’s seemed to get smaller going up this one doesn’t In fact this appears to be at least as many people on it as the first.
Receptionist: “I will speak with the receptionists at the counter, if you want to find the commissions you would like to take just bring the commission ID number to the counter, and they can then help you after that.”
The receptionist then heads to the counter and points to us while talking to the others. We then head to the commission board to see what is available. It is pretty late in the afternoon so I am assuming the commissions would be pretty thin, but the entire board appears to be covered still.
You don’t seem to take the commissions down here, as I see another group writing down several numbers from the board then heading towards the counter.
“Well what do you all think?”
Roxy: “From the commissions it appears there are at least 2 separate dungeons nearby, and that’s not including the undead from Lodia”
Zoey: “I want to take this one!” –She says pointing to a commission.-
Dungeon Commission #593:
Requirements: Ability to cure meat.
Request: 1000 Dire Hogs worth of cured meat.
Rewards: 1 gold per Dire Hog worth of cured meat, reward given to the first 1000 dire hogs worth of meat provided.
“Zoey… Dire Hogs are far from what we are looking to train on, besides does anyone even know how to cure meat?”
Belinda: “I get the concept, but I don’t personally know how to do it.”
Roxy: “Besides Zoey if we took that commission you would eat all the meat before we made it back with it.”
Zoey: “I thought we could split it down the middle one for us and one for the commission.”
“Do you even know how large a dire hog is? Just how much can you eat?”
Zoey: “I have placed second place in the eating competition during the winter solstice festival 3 years running!”
“Only second?”
Zoey’s ears droop and Roxy puts her hands over them lightly as she says. “It’s kind of a sore spot for her…”
Zoey then perks back up. “But this year I am going to win for sure!”
“Well let’s see if we can find something not with our stomachs but that would help for training a bit more.”
Belinda: “What about this one?” –She says while pointing.-
Dungeon Commission #267:
Requirements: Combat of level 20 equivalent monsters.
Request: Eliminate orcs from the Ruined Colosseum Dungeon.
Rewards: 1 gold per orc eliminated, and must provide both ears as proof. 1 commission point rewarded for every 10 orcs per party member
“Well orcs might be a bit tough for Zoey at the start, but what else does the ruined colosseum dungeon have?”
Dungeon Commission #281:
Requirements: Combat of level 20 equivalent monsters.
Request: Eliminate harpies from the Ruined Colosseum Dungeon.
Rewards: 1 gold per Harpy eliminated, and must provide complete right foot as proof. 1 commission point rewarded for every 10 harpies per party member.
Dungeon Commission #246:
Requirements: Combat of level 25 equivalent monsters.
Request: Eliminate Ogres from the Ruined Colosseum Dungeon.
Rewards: 2 gold per ogre eliminated, and must provide right hand as proof. 1 commission point rewarded for every 10 ogres per party member.
Dungeon Commission #234:
Requirements: Combat of level 30 equivalent monsters.
Request: Eliminate trolls from the Ruined Colosseum Dungeon.
Rewards: 2 gold per troll eliminated, and must provide nose as proof. 1 commission point rewarded for every 10 trolls per party member.
Dungeon Commission #230:
Requirements: ability to map dungeon floor.
Request: Mapping of the Ruined Colosseum Dungeon.
Rewards: 100 gold per newly discovered floor mapped. 1 commission point rewarded per party member per newly discovered floor. Current deepest floor mapped 32 35 37
Dungeon Commission #231:
Requirements: Unknown level of Combat
Request: Identify new monsters in the Ruined Colosseum Dungeon.
Rewards: 50 gold for first kill, minimum of 2 gold per each like monster kill after, and must provide some identifiable proof. Each newly discovered monster will result in the 50 gold reward. Additional gold per kill negotiable at Exolian or Exelka adventurer’s guild. 1 commission point reward per party member for first kill additional points rewarded at adventurer’s guild discretion.
There are also quite a few for weaker monsters in the ruined colosseum dungeon but they are almost worthless, we write their numbers down as well because even without the gold the commission points might be of more value to us at this point.
We end up with about 15 numbers by the time we return to the receptionist. She looks over our list she then asks for our IDs again and doing something even Belinda seems surprised about she adds the commissions to the bottom of the ID.
Belinda: “Wait… How did you do that?”
Receptionist: “I’m sorry?”
Belinda: “I run the adventurer’s guild in Tobes in the Gowen kingdom, but I have never seen an adventurer’s guild use the guild magic to actually add the taken commissions to the adventurer’s ID.”
Receptionist: “It is standard practice in Exeter, it allows the adventurer to look back on their ID if they forget what items they need to acquire or whatever the commission is asking of them.”
Belinda looks a little concerned as we wait for the receptionist to add the commissions to each of our IDs. After she is done we start to make our way out when Belinda says.
Belinda: “They don’t realize just how close to making the Gowen communication parchment they are… I need to tell Logan.”
First chance she gets she does just that, and then we do a little shopping. We buy a copy of the map of the Ruined Colosseum Dungeon, and a few other items that may be of use. The adventurer shops in Exeter are on a completely different level.
Even being the second city of Exeter we find several pieces of Mythril and Dwarven equipment for sale but the prices are so astronomical. We decide to spend the rest of the day looking around before choosing one of the nicer inns to rest at.
Like the one I stayed at once before with Listel this one has various items more tailored to the adventurer like an armor rack, but the quality is by far better. The prices are quite high as well making even Belinda hurt when paying for 5 rooms. Especially when Azami tries to protest afterwards about staying in one.
Belinda: “I am sorry Azami, this is where we have to stay tonight, I know you might not like it but it’s the only choice we got.”
Azami: “It makes me claustrophobic. Can’t you at least send me back to the forest and retrieve me in the morning?”
“The dungeon we are heading to is only a few hours from the city, and we should be able to cut that time in at least half, if we have to use [Gate] it could put us in a bind later in the day for magic. Besides if we spend several days or weeks in the dungeon I am sure it will be much worse than this inn.”
Azami finally admits defeat and we manage to get her to her room. After Roxy and Zoey retire to their room it leaves just Belinda and me yet again.
Belinda: “Well, good night…”
“Good night Belinda.”
Belinda looks like she wants to say something else but it looks like she decides not to and then retreats into her room. I then retreat into mine storing my equipment in [Shadow-pocket] to be on the safe side and then go to bed.