Scarlet felt the intense but dormant fire mana seep through the floor. She was alarmed. Fire mana tends to…bow or be subservient in her presence, Hector’s fire enhancement is weakened when facing her, although only Hector noticed that. The fire mana, likely from Mark’s spear, seemed to ignore her. It was almost as if they didn’t know she was there. That was a first.
She did not like studying and wasn’t really that good at it. The runic circle and symbols were alien to her. It was weird, they looked like they were inscribed on the icy floor but the ice was undamaged as if the inscription was inside the floor. The floor didn’t melt either but that might just be due to the dungeon’s durability.
She tried to exert control over some of the fire mana close to her. They reacted to her mental touch, she was able to control them. It consumed more mana and mental effort to control them. She conjured fire mana in her blood to find similar effects to a lesser degree.
Her fire magic or control over fire mana was weakened, even affecting her mana efficiency with fire magic.
‘A domain mage…’ Scarlet knew Mark was not normal to have earned Ebony’s respect but a domain mage was beyond her imagination. Using fire magic against a fire domain mage was practically foolish unless you were a domain mage yourself or have far higher control over the element. That, or have far higher Intelligence stat.
‘Master class domain mage…he doesn’t look like he’s worried about the mana cost either. But his control over fire mana is so…elementary. Runes. Runic domain. And he found out how to inscribe or engrave one instantly.’ Scarlet wasn’t scared that she would be at a disadvantage against Mark.
She didn’t even give the Kobolds surrounding them a glance. She was itching to duel with Mark.
Just then, she sensed Ebony’s gaze on her giving her mixed feelings when she felt the subtle emotions from him. The result was warmth, a flushed face and complete distraction from the battle that Mark was in.
❅❅❅
Ebony could tell that the runes were not inscribed, engraved or even drawn on the ground. It was just a hunch since he couldn’t sense fire mana but, from what his eyes and Mana Perception is telling him the runic circle was fixed in space. He recognised bits and pieces of it but having everything placed together made the difference. He also guessed it was so because Kong Jing showed him something similar.
The runic circle was small, less than 20 metres in diameter. The Kobolds were wary of the orange light that was glowing from the ground but seeing no movement from their prey they attacked. The first ones were the javelin throwers but they landed on Mallory’s barrier.
It was surprising that her barrier held this time when it couldn’t do the same so easily the previous time. Even Mark was surprised by the domic barrier just over the reach of his domain. The princess must have prepared that in advance as they flew and climbed up. The duel between Mark and Mallory must have struck a sore spot in her as she was glaring into the distance. It was clear to Hector her cousin, Scarlet, who had her skill and Mark who had defeated her that she was frustrated at the sight of his runic domain. Ebony was clueless as usual as he watched the attacks and wondered how Mark was going to handle the group of enemies.
The failure of the javelin throws only signalled their charge into close range. Hector got ready by smashing his fists together but the others only watched. Although Ebony and Mallory still prepared their defensive skills while Scarlet got her enhancements building up.
4 of the Kobolds stepped into the runic circle at the same time. Mark’s response wasn’t his signature spear spin, he simply raised his spear and tapped the ground with its butt once again. The orange runic circle only glowed brighter as multiple spears that looked just like the one Mark was only pierced out from under the Kobolds and right through the bodies as if those bodies didn’t just take Ebony and Scarlet’s sword with ease.
That was it. Ebony didn’t see them struggle anymore, they were dead just like that.
Then Mark swung his spear in a wide arc in front of him and fire arrows were formed by flames that was coming out from the ground. It was similar to his arrow barrage runic circle that he could cast by spinning his spear. They homed in on all the Kobolds in the area when the runic circle suddenly expanded to bring them all within his range.
The Kobolds were not defenceless but the barrage of fire arrows didn’t die down and they had to watch their feet as an orange spear would pop out with a simple tap from Mark. They were surprisingly resilient to flames and they also noticed the spears wouldn’t just pop out as they touched the ground it required a movement from Mark, although a very simple movement.
Instead of spreading, they came close to each other. Some of them cast ice walls to protect themselves while the javelin tossers attempted to force Mark to defend himself. Mark understood that they were the priority target so they were never given the chance to throw another javelin as the barrage of arrows and spears from the ground were focused on them.
Mark then spun his glowing spear above his head as another familiar runic circle that formed floated over to the congregation of defensive Kobolds. A huge beam or ray of flames fell down on them for more than a minute before Mark tapped the ground with his spear butt again and the orange glow and warmth faded.
“Surely that consumed a heck ton of mana.” Ebony had to ask as he chilled himself with ice magic. It was a huge pillar of flames that poured down for more than 60 seconds, a flame of that size would dry Ebony’s mana pool in less than a second. He had to consider the high consumption of mana frost blaze too but that wasn’t the point.
“I’m a poor man. My runic research was focused on mana conservation.” Mark’s reply said plenty.
Hector was shell shocked by the display and got even noisier as they continued their exploration.
Sadly, none of the Prime Verglas Kobolds they encountered on the 20th floor was level 200. They were not all that much stronger than the ones on the 19th floor and there weren’t any different or additional types of them either. Similar to the desert or swamp floors.
Scarlet suddenly called for them to rest for the night after just a single battle. There was no large group after the first ambush. She seemed sluggish in that last battle.
They were all tired from travelling and battling so it was no surprise. Ebony thought it was fatigue kicking from the poor environment. Scarlet also nursed him back to health the entire time and might not have slept well. He went to help her with dinner preparations and was allowed this time. She still did most of the cooking but he helped with ingredient preparation and also cleaning of the used dishes and containers so that there was less washing to do after dinner.
“What’s wrong?” Ebony asked as he was eating together with Scarlet, hidden behind multiple Layered Ice Carapace as a screen. It was extremely concerning that she seemed to be poking at her food and taking smaller bites than usual.
Although they didn’t fight much and their expenditure of energy and stamina was not much, it’s just unnatural that she wasn’t eating with glee.
“...It’s a woman thing. The cramps hurt.” Scarlet was surprisingly honest.
Ebony blinked, ‘so it’s that time of the month now?’. He wanted to ask how does Constitution or evolutions affect that but he was not so insensitive to ask that now. He was not an expert but he heard that stomach cramps could get really bad.
“You should put something warm on your belly,” Ebony said as he tried recalling what helps but he was unfamiliar with the topic. He then looked at the table with their half-consumed dinner. “Is there anything you’re craving?”, food cravings were a symptom if he recalled correctly.
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“Yes…something cold. Can you make me more of that ice cream?” Scarlet looked at Ebony almost shyly.
“Of course, what flavour should I make? Pyrula?” Ebony wanted to suggest tea flavoured but she was not a fan of tea and preferred sweet things so fruit flavour should appeal to her more.
“Ermm…can I have blood flavour? Yours…” Scarlet’s voice was extremely soft as she requested. It was no wonder she was acting so shy.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Ebony did not think it was weird for her to ask for blood. He just wasn’t sure if that was good for the body.
‘Wait there’s another woman and doctor, healer here. I should ask for advice just in case.’ Ebony remembered there was a better person to ask.
“I’ll check with Mallory.” Ebony was about to leave before Scarlet stopped him in a hurry.
“There’s no problem. Just a little won’t hurt and your blood gives me energy and calms my nerves.” Scarlet assured him.
“...Alright, I’ll make it after we finish dinner.” Ebony sat back down.
He watched as the plates were cleaned up in minutes as if her appetite returned and strengthened. He was relieved that she was really fine. He wasn’t about to look down on the dangers of period cramps.
Scarlet pulled out milk and sugar as Ebony conjured a jar of ice and gave himself a small cut on the arm. She was staring at his cut or his bleeding but it was not as uncomfortable as it used to be. She used to stare really hard as she controlled herself from jumping onto him but now the look in her eyes was different. Since she didn’t hide her mouth, Ebony could see her puckering in her lips as she moistened them. Her condition seemed to be improving so he was glad for that but he shouldn’t indulge her so much.
He was probably lacking some ingredients since the ice cream didn’t have the right texture. Scarlet savoured the pinkish ice cream bite by bite all the same. She retreated to her tent and fell asleep in a short while so clean-up duty was left to him.
“Oh my oh my, what were you doing behind your shields huh?” Hector couldn’t keep a dirty grin behind his ‘confused’ face.
“Eating dinner?” Ebony cocked his head in reply and answered honestly, he wondered why Hector asked such a stupid question.
“...you’re no fun.” Hector shook his head in response.
It was nice that Mark was helping out with the dishes, unlike the prince and princess.
❅❅❅
Hearing the sound of knocking in the middle of the dark and cold night alerted Mark and Mallory whose barrier was knocked on. They didn’t really keep the lights on to avoid attracting Kobolds and Kobolds wouldn’t knock politely either. Mark was sitting outside his tent as he traced his fingers over his spear when the dark silhouette appeared in front of him.
It was presumably a person, Mark used his spear tip to draw fire mana from his weapon to inscribe a small fire in the air. He couldn’t conjure fire mana and there was little fire mana in the surroundings of this floor, he had been trying his best to reduce his usage of the limited amount of fire mana he had.
It was rare but Ebony had just fallen asleep and the knock was soft enough that only Mallory sensed it and Mark who was coincidentally sitting there noticed.
The man outside the barrier was wearing a suit, it was too dark to see the details. Mallory was getting up but she was taking her own sweet time, likely getting dressed or at least putting her boots on.
“Greetings. My apologies for disturbing your rest. I’m sure the lady noticed me but could you get si..Hector for me? No need to wake your other compatriots up, its a small matter.” It was only muffled a little but not enough that Mark couldn’t understand.
‘Compatriots?’ Mark was sure the old man wearing a suit that he couldn’t Identify was probably one of the real bodyguards that was either following Hector or Mallory, well both in this case. It wasn’t that he got [???] it was that nothing came up to his mind when he tried Identifying the man. Furthermore, he was clearly standing not far from Mark but other than what his eyes were showing him, Mark couldn’t sense the man’s presence. He really had no talent with mana and magic, even his perception of mana was so weak.
Mark nodded in reply as he passed by Mallory who walked out of her tent covering her bare shoulders with a shawl. Mallory forgotten that there was a really paranoid or perhaps, cautious man in the party. She didn’t notice her face and shoulders getting redder, she would’ve imagined it was from the cold even if she did notice.
Mark on the other hand just walked past her to get Hector, dragging his snoring figure with the a ugly smile on it. It was hard to imagine that he was a prince. He tossed the sleeping prince onto the icy cold floor and walked off to give them the privacy they wanted or needed. He didn’t want to get involved with them too much.
❅❅❅
“What is it that you couldn’t wait till morning to contact us through the callstone?” Mallory let the old man in as she asked. Her barrier obviously interrupts mental signals to the callstone so that one could stay hidden in it without pursuers following them through the mental link or lamp that is the callstone. At least, that was the purpose of adding that function it is indeed inconvenient at times.
“Huh where?” Hector, who fell hard, woke up and rubbed his eyes before a fist rammed into his head. He couldn’t even yell out before he was silenced.
“Wel!” Hector shut his own mouth quick enough this time.
“Good evening to you too, young sire. I’ll cut to the chase. Play time’s over.”
“Wha..mrrhm!”
“I haven’t finished. I’ve checked, the guardian floor is just two floors above. Don’t worry, I didn’t walk in but be careful, Ordina is unlike most freshly born dungeons I’ve been in. Sire, you are given the privilege of choice. To start as a common footsoldier on the scouting ship to Tova or take control of a squad of ten men for training in First Tide.” The old man Hector called Wel let his words sink.
“Crown princess. I’m afraid you, along with most available healers are needed near the front lines as well. The injured are starting to pile up. It would be a good idea to work on the mass mana coating spell if you haven’t already done so. Regardless, under royal discreet your natural potential takes precedence and there isn’t anywhere more suitable. Both of you are scheduled to be in Tidal in a month.”
Mallory listened with her arms crossed.
“And you couldn’t tell us that tomorrow?”
“...It would be difficult to gain a private audience with the two of you on the move.” Wel couldn’t help but smile awkwardly. The crown princess asks for a lot as usual, fortunately, he wasn’t in charge of protecting her and Hector is much easier to handle.
“It’s not like it's a secret at this point.” Mallory pointed out before going back to her beauty sleep.
“See ya soon I guess, if it's only two floors we should be able to handle it.” Hector turned back and yawned. An exit opened for cold air to enter and the poor old man to get back out there.
❅❅❅
“How bad does a woman’s period get?” Mallory repeated the blunt and straightforward question first thing in the morning. She wouldn’t have bothered with the person asking if it didn’t occur to her that Scarlet might be on her period. That was the only reason why Ebony asked the supposedly random question. She sighed as this was the first time she had to explain something like that to a man.
“Why do you want to know anyway?”
“Why? I have to know her condition to know if it’s okay for her to continue fighting or using fire enhancement magic on herself and whatnot. It would be horrible if it harms her to continue fighting in that state.”
“...”
Ebony wondered if she was trying to make it easier for him to understand. It was both more complicated and more simple than Ebony imagined. It just wasn’t a monthly cycle anymore, every evolution changes it and Constitution stat also affects it so it is different from woman to woman. The healer went off tangent and explained how people get less fertile with every evolution and it was generally true for every race.
‘Balance…?’ Ebony randomly thought.
They moved off immediately after breakfast since Scarlet kept insisting that she was feeling better and stronger than ever. Ebony believed her, there was more of a spring in her steps as proof.
It was a little disorientating when they moved slow because everywhere looked to be the same for hours on end. The day ended with nothing attacking them nor did they spot any Kobolds.
They were setting up camp when Ebony noticed a shadow far in the distance. He continued setting his tent before saying he would scout the area and they can put the barrier up first. He left on quick feet before Mark could attempt to follow or ask someone to accompany him since going alone was foolish. He left Hector to deal with the furious Mark.
Ebony was using Frostblaze Augmentation to chase the figure but there wasn’t a need since the figure was just sitting behind a tree.
“Hello Tuffock, it’s been awhile. Or is it Hardock? Pettock?”