It may seem strange to the likes of humans, but I remember the time I was born. Not like it was that long ago, and for me it was like waking up from a long rest. None of us can be certain quite how it works, but when I was born I had all the knowledge I needed to get me started.

I might be getting ahead of myself. Let me start over.

I am Dungeon Core #135, and after opening my eyes I found myself to be the center of attention for quite a few people. I don’t know about you but the saying naked as the day you are born applies to us as well, so to have so many gawkers naked body just after being born is a little more than uncomfortable.

Luckily it isn’t long before I receive some clothes, well at least a robe, from one of the boss monsters of the dungeon core in which I was born to. After my trainer introduces himself, his boss monster tells me she will take me to get some proper clothes, and so I follow her.

I can’t be certain but I feel by the stares of several in the room as I exit that I am somehow not up to their standard, and you would think it would be the men, but instead most of them looked rather embarrassed rather than disappointed.

I can’t say I was as voluptuous as some of the others, but with the exception of one or two, there isn’t that great of a difference, maybe they are just intimidated by my height, or perhaps it was my race that was giving them trouble as most appeared to be some form of beastkin, but like the one training and his boss monster taking me to get clothes we share the Divine Being race, so I can’t see how that would be shocking to them.

I am led into a bedroom in the upstairs section of what appears to be a normal human’s house. Now I was born with the knowledge that the one that trains me is quite different, and I know that this is his home, but it is kind of strange to see one of us living like this.

After a few minutes of silence the woman that led me here finally makes a decision, and summons me a pair of clothes.

Belinda: “There, I think these will look quite lovely on you, and I am sure your daddy and the other will agree.”

“My daddy…?”

Belinda: “Well Two-Twelve, the dungeon core that will be training you. We have treated all the dungeon cores he has trained so far like our children as dungeon cores are unable to have their own. You can call him Daddy, or Papa, or whatever, but I think it gives us a special bond with the dungeons trained here.”

“That seems kind of odd, but I do know that with his unique nature, and the innovations he has made to the training process, if something like this is the cause I guess I will have to accept that.”

I get dressed in the clothes she proved me with and it seems out of place. It really does seem to suit me quite well however, so it could be alright I guess.

“You don’t think these clothes are a bit out of place for my training?”

Belinda: “You will have to go get and adventurer’s ID first, and I want my daughter to look her best, besides your daddy will give you some equipment before you start. Now that we have your clothes sorted out, we just need to come up with a name for you.”

“Shouldn’t we leave that to my trainer?”

Belinda: “Your daddy is not the best at that sort of thing, so he usually lets me choose.” –She looks me over a bit then with a bright smile proclaims.- “You will be Maeve!”

I take a look back into the mirror. Maeve… I guess I could live with that name, it could have been much worse. This dungeon really does seem quite unique, but with the knowledge I was born with I know he is the best at training new dungeons, so I guess a few eccentric traits are to be expected.

My training is only a month, so acting as their daughter for that time shouldn’t be too hard, so when my “mother” leads me back to the room in which I was born I spin in a circle and say “Papa, what do you think?”

I feel I just became the butt of a joke as the most of the women in the room find my reaction humorous. My trainer however doesn’t miss a beat telling me I look lovely, and then mentions giving me a name. My “mother” said he is bad at that sort of thing, and as he just uses his dungeon core as his name I think I will take her word for it.

“If it’s ok with you, Mama wants to call me Maeve.”

Two-Twelve: “Maeve it is then.”

After speaking for a minute a few of the others depart, and I see this really is quite the unique dungeon. Even after we leave the house heading into the town, the dynamic my trainer has with his monsters and the townsfolk really is something.

After being presented with my adventurer’s ID I am able to speak with my trainer for the first time alone. I find out he is not as serious about the entire mama and papa thing as his boss monster, but if that is what makes the dungeon cores he trains special it might not hurt to keep it up for the sake of his boss monster.

I also find out that I might be able to reach a quite profitable quid pro quo type of agreement with one of the elders that might fancy my body. That isn’t exactly the most ideal sort of agreement, but if the price is right, the benefits of having the assistance of an elder might make it worth it.

We then return to their house and my trainer helps me select some equipment. I have a unique idea on the way in which I want my equipment, and surprising to me my trainer was able to match my ideals on the first try.

He does worry me a bit about this armor he is having made for me consisting of not only elven but dwarven craftsmanship as well. I wish to remain as mobile as possible, and dwarves seem to have the idea the only protection is burying yourself under solid dwarven metal.

Being a dungeon core I know the way in which dungeon cores are trained, and I also know the training technique is rather new due to my trainer’s influence, so when he suggests switching me back to the old training method right off the start I am quite surprised.

After forming my training dungeon however he gives me a massive amount of xp to take every skill I possibly can. That alone puts me at one hell of an advantage, and after he uses an item he confiscated from a dungeon core that used it against him we begin my training.

Fun isn’t exactly how I would describe the training method, but it should give me quite an edge when starting off my own dungeon, with learning all those skills at level one, by the time I reach level 20 most of them will be maxed out and I will easily be stronger than 50 adventurers at my own level.

I give it my all throughout the entire day, but my trainer seems a little dissatisfied with the amount of xp I have gathered for the day, so I suggest further training, but he insisted that his boss monster would get upset… Just who is the one that runs this dungeon?

I take a few new skills that become available due to my level gain, and my trainer asks me about the monsters I can summon. After that he suggests that I summon my boss monster to help me level, but I was hoping to wait for the summoning of my boss monster until I had the ability to summon elves.

I manage to convince him and after the conversation I realize just how different from the normal dungeon he really is. He does claim to have an idea to help with my training, and we return to his home. My “mother” has ironically prepared quite a feast to celebrate not only my birth, but my trainer’s ability to survive for another year.

Even the family dynamics of this rag-tag dungeon core and his monsters is quite interesting I find out after having to listen to a squabble between my “mother” and her human siblings. After dinner my “mother” shows me to a room for me to rest while my trainer prepares for tomorrows training.

The next morning I loose myself to the comforts of this human bath my “mother” told me about, and after taking more time then I should have I prompted to hurry by my trainer. After getting a bit of enjoyment out of teasing him we then prepare for my training.

The training today is quite a bit more productive as my trainer recruits the help of my “mother’s” human brother and another friend of the family. My so called uncle is rather weak but him and his beastkin companion deal with the weaker slimes while the squirrel beastkin and I deal with the tougher enemies.

Even though we are pretty much doing our own thing, with just the fact of being in a group together the xp we acquire is quite a boost over yesterday, and we make considerable progress. Things continue like the for the next few days until the squirrel beastkin’s wife goes into labor.

Watching the events unfold leave me to wonder. My trainer treats his dungeon less of a part of himself then he does maybe like a human would treat a job, while spending his free time typically in a way that perhaps a human would. Does that mean this human like behavior is the cause of his uniqueness and leads to the advancement of dungeon cores, or are the two things even related at all…

Without the assistance of Kline, I reluctantly decide to summon my boss monsters that are available to me. The first boss monster’s result is how I feared turning out in the fairy evolutionary line. The next one however is far more pleasing. It isn’t exactly an elf like I hoped, but it is at least within the correct evolutionary line that should result in the unlocking of elves as I progress.

In the end it may be more beneficial this way because having an elf boss monster won’t necessary unlock them to be summonable, but as sentient elves progress indefinitely unlocking the race as a whole will mean I won’t need to make them boss monsters anyway.

After we resume my training and I test out what my boss monsters can do, I have the nymph that I named Syrinx hold off on gaining experience so the fairy in which I named Windy doesn’t get left behind as a secondary boss monster.

Even after a single day of training on returning to my dungeon Windy evolves. That should solidify her as my primary boss monster for now, and I can begin working with Syrinx till she surpasses her yet again. As long as I am careful about it and don’t level one up to much where the other can’t catch up I should be able to alternate them as my primary boss monsters and have them both evolve until they reach the end of their evolutionary lines.

Using all the xp for my training to further teach me skills that I pick up while leveling us has caused us to completely run dry with still a week and a half of my training to go. I could gather xp from Papa’s monsters… Damnit now I am calling him that without even trying… But with the assistance of Uncle Doug I haven’t been acquiring xp for my dungeon that way.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Papa then suggests a rather troubling suggestion for the remainder of my training. He reassures me saying that attacking one of the Elder’s dungeons should be fine, but I am not sure I am convinced. I am quite curious however about just how strong Papa is himself, so I reluctantly agree.

As great as Papa is supposed to be I find his strength not any better than my own, either that or he is holding back quite a bit in my presence… Before even a full week is up we are confronted by Elder Madam Erin.

After a rough couple of minutes I had a fear that Elder Madam Erin was going to end us, but Papa manages to square things up with Elder Madam Erin and they start talking about the manner of my training.

Elder Madam Erin sends for Elder Dyson and transfers us to a deeper section of her dungeon. After Papa introduces me to Elder Madam Erin she seems size me up, and has the same general consensus as those of Papa’s dungeon, and that I am in some way lacking...

Just talking about the cost of replicating the cuff we used for my training caused my head to spin, so if xp like that is nothing to an Elder, when Elder Dyson arrives I try to put on the charm in hopes I can really profit off his desire for a Divine Being.

When he learns I am a Divine Being he seems pleased, but that is as far as it goes, because he seems far more interested in the succubus of Madam Erin’s and in the news of my training leaving me to wonder if Papa wasn’t exaggerating on just how much Elder Dyson was looking forward to a female Divine Being dungeon core.

After a discussion about replicating the cuff I wore for my training with the Elders, Papa is forced to take us back to his dungeon to do just that.

The succubus returns with us causing Mama quite a bit of anger, and after Papa retreats to make the items in question things are pretty awkward between Mama, the succubus, myself, and Kline’s wife. Kline’s wife excuses herself taking her baby and heading home, while Mama stares down the Succubus.

The Succubus seems to care less about Mama’s stares as she makes herself comfortable in the living room of Papa’s house, and when Mama suggests I head to bed early I agree quickly to leave the tense situation.

The next day Papa gives me quite a bit of xp and tells me to use it for spells or skills, and suggests I use the remaining of my time to train on his monsters to assist my boss monsters, and allow me to learn more skills.

And like that my month of training has ended I managed to scrape by reaching level 25 and raised up the strength of my boss monsters by quite a bit, like this I should have no trouble unlocking elves within a few months.

While training alone I put a fair amount of thought into how I want to set up my dungeon, and just what makes Papa such an effective dungeon core, and on my final evening we have a celebration to mark the completion of my training, Papa asks me if I have a plan.

The idea I have is completely out there and may very well fail, but if it does it will cost me my life, so I decide to keep it as secret as possible as not to worry Papa.

After dinner I am presented with the sword that and elf boss monster of Papa’s was working on for me, and it completely surpasses all my expectations. I also finally get a chance to see this elf/dwarven armor they have been working on. I have to say my opinion of the dwarf is quite higher now, she really seemed to put great thought into adding to the elven armor without just slapping dwarven plates on it like they tend to do.

After everyone parts Mama pulls me to the side and tells me that she appreciates me going along with the whole Mama and Papa thing, and tells me I don’t have to keep it up, but hopes I am willing to at least keep in contact with them after starting my own dungeon.

I have to admit I don’t actually think of them as my parents, but it isn’t so bad. I mean I can tell how much they care for me and I them as well so even as being as close to actual parents a dungeon core can possibly have I see no reason not to continue to think of them as such.

If my plan fails this could very well be the last night of my life, so after parting from Mama and Papa I take a nice long bath soaking till the water turns cold and then go to bed.

The next morning we head to Elder Dyson’s dungeon to start my evaluation, but instead we are met by the succubus of Madam Erin’s dungeon. After telling us the location of the evaluation has changed we wrapped up tight by the succubus’s arms and wings as we are pulled into her chest.

With the displeasure on Papa’s face and the reaction Mama had the other day about the succubus I can’t help but to tease Papa about the situation, and Papa then leads me to the room in which I am supposed to be evaluated in.

I am then introduced to the ones in the room, and then Elder Madam Erin enters the room along with another trainer and trainee. The trainer is one of Papa’s other “daughters” and she quickly greets him as Daddy and sizes me up while we are introduced.

She seems to have the same expression as everyone else has about my appearance, and I am glad I have enough self-confidence to know I am and attractive woman, and I state as much to my “sister.” She quickly apologizes and then gives the same rely everyone else has about Papa being unique…

I have learned enough about Papa to know he is completely devoted to Mama, but just what is this secret standard that seemed to apply to all of those that Papa summons?

My evaluation turns out to be less of that and more of just a meeting to discuss that the rings that Papa had made should be kept secret from everyone including the other elders, and we are then instructed to select the location of our new dungeons.

The dungeon core that was in the room before we arrived seems to have no trouble selecting the location for her new dungeon, but I am quite nervous and my “sister’s” trainee seem reluctant as well. The relationship between them doesn’t seem any less unusual then the one between me and Papa as their relationship seems to be more of a dungeon core and monster then that of two dungeon cores.

He however eventually chooses a location rather close to Papa’s dungeon and leaves me no choice but to select my own location now. This very well could be my last moments so I move up to the map, sigh, take a deep breath, and then begin looking over the map.

I find a location over a small but quite deep bit of water that could serve as a decent location for a dungeon. With all my skills and level I don’t know if I could survive a fall from a great height into the water, but it is better than nothing if my plan happens to fail.

I slowly hold my finger in a location way up above the map over the water. Madam Erin questions my choice and I then confirm I indeed want to be placed in the sky… What happens next is quite intense. After the draw of magic can be felt in my chest I am now in freefall as the ground is nowhere to be seen.

The only reason I know which direction is up, because the rush of the wind as I head ever closer to the ground. I quickly open my [Menu] and try to set up my dungeon.

Location of Dungeon #135 set to location sky. Setting dungeon location to sky will result in the placement of a standard sized room with a generalized appearance. This will also cause the consumption rate and the xp cost of additional rooms to be of higher cost. Do you wish to proceed?

I don’t care if I do eventually hit the water, this was far higher than I anticipated, so I seriously doubt I will survive impact, so I have no other choice to but to accept. A small island begins to appear, but it doesn’t stop my freefall, so as a message appears before me I quickly try to transfer and land safely on the small section of land.

It is a rather small area of grass and stone that is just peacefully floating in the air. With the light breeze blowing against my face it appears my plan has worked. I am a bit worried about the higher cost of consumption and higher xp cost, but it is to late to back out now. It is time to check over [Menu] and get to work.

Small Wind Emerald placed at center of available area, Dungeon granted 50,000xp. 10xp removed do to consumption, if dungeon is reduced in size no xp will be refunded but the new xp consumption rate will take effect at the start of the new day.

A single room is 10xp per day? That is an insane amount, not that I can’t get that back quite quickly with my level I have to be able to find something to gather xp from first. It said my crystal was placed so I look around the small area and find a small stone that matches the color of my eyes glowing softly in-between the grass. I then decide to look over several of the other screens that have appeared and get to work.

The first thing I need to do is increase the size of this area so I select to add more areas. Even maxing out another section of land it is only half the size you can get a typical room and yet it is double the cost. I might seriously need to find me a way to gather xp and quickly.

I add more land and resize the original section, and after 25,000xp is spent I barely have a 200 foot by 150 foot area of grassland. It may be a while till I will need a dungeon core room so I decide to hold off on that for now and decide to work on the dungeon.

Instead I am interrupted by Papa saying the Elders are having a fit about my dungeon. Well it is something that has never been done before so I can understand, but after I talk to him for a few minutes then the Elders start messaging me as well.

They keep insisting to come to my dungeon, but I don’t want them to see just a barren strip of grass, so I tell them to give me time to set it up first… They don’t like it but they finally agree to give me a few hours.

That buys me a little time, so I then return to working on my dungeon. I want to add more to the surface, but without a dungeon core room I need a place to at least protect me from the elements so I add a small cave entrance. After only one more room I have to pay to add another floor which luckily unlike the rooms it doesn’t cost double the price.

Still after another 10,000xp for a new floor and another 6,000xp for a small but intricate system of cave tunnels, my xp consumption is already through the roof at 1/hour and I only have just under 9,000xp remaining.

One of the screened mentioned my boss monsters so I bring it forward to read it through.

Boss Monster Windy stored in Dungeon’s Crystal, removing Boss monster from Crystal permanently binds boss monster to the dungeon. Monster can be broken down at 0xp but allows the summoning of a new boss monster.

Boss monster Syrinx stored in Dungeon’s Crystal, removing Boss monster from Crystal permanently binds boss monster to the dungeon. Monster can be broken down at 0xp but allows the summoning of a new boss monster.

At the moment I can’t afford to summon more flying monsters that could take me to down to the ground, and it would probably take both of them to do it anyway so I go ahead and pull them from the crystal.

They seem happy to see me, but as non-sentient creatures it’s not like it is actually true, more like a perceived reaction. I move the crystal down to the deepest part of the pitiful caves and move both Windy and Syrinx down to guard it.

Now I just have to make my dungeon presentable. The grass blowing in the breeze is actually quite picturesque, but it is just a empty meadow, so let’s give it a bit more character.

Water sources seem to be quite a problem as a small quaint little pond cost as much as a room leaving me only just under 7,000xp left. A few cobblestone paths, a handful of small trees, drops me another 1,000xp.

I already went down, so I can’t add any rooms up here but adding buildings to the existing rooms should work, but opt to save a bit of xp by putting in some ruined buildings instead. It gives it a very lost village in the clouds vibe and am actually quite pleased with it.

Now I don’t have any xp for anything else and should save the last 4,832xp for consumption just in case I have trouble collecting more.

I move over to one of the chairs I summoned in one of the ruined buildings and take a seat letting the feeling of the gentle breeze through my hair and across my face, wash over me. This really is quite nice. Well it better be, this will be my home for the rest of my life so I better enjoy it.

I end up spending roughly 1500xp more on small aesthetically pleasing items to my dungeon while waiting for Papa and the Elder, and once I get word of their arrival I transfer myself to the opening of the cave crossing my arms and legs while leaning against the mouth of the cave.

As they approach Papa looks quite astounded, but the Elders facial expressions are far more serious.

“What do you think so far?”

We then have a conversation about my dungeon, and Papa seems quite worried about the xp I spent. I lie and tell him I summoned more monsters to protect my dungeon, but that seems to put him at a bit of ease.

The conversation then shifts to the Elders arguing about Papa… I can’t help feel a bit jealous after all my hard work they are making it sound like Papa’s accomplishment so I say.

“Damn Papa, it sounds like you have a couple fans…”

The elders have seemed to reach a… Well I can’t say agreement, but a mutual understanding at least, and Elder Dyson offers Papa a position to work alongside the Elders! Of course not as an Elder, but still I did all this work…

“Hey it’s my dungeon! Don’t I get something for my contribution to this?”

Dyson: “With your father joining up with us, maybe some of the benefits will trickle down to all of his daughters.”

Not the most desirable outcome, but it is something at least so I look at Papa hoping he accepts.

Papa: “For one I wouldn’t want to make any decisions without talking it over with my boss monsters, and secondly what would be in it for me?”

They then discuss some of the details of it and I then look at Papa and try to act as daughterly as I possibly can while batting my eyelashes at him and saying. “Papa… If you decide to join with the elders I promise to be a good daughter, and help Papa with anything he needs!”

Papa didn’t buy it because he sighs and says. “Well if that’s all I am going to go check on Inari, and instead of sucking up to me Maeve dropping a message to Belinda every so often would go a lot further in making me happy then puppy dog eyes.”

Well there are worse things he could of asked for so I flash a bright smile and enthusiastically say “Understood!”

I talk with Papa for only a few more minutes, and the Elders look around a bit, but they all then depart leaving me alone to my own devices among the clouds.