---

{Place}: The Level Goddess Aurora's Shop

---

Level Goddess Aurora: “Welcome to my humble shop, oh noble adventurers.~”

Erika: “Hi, uhm, so I want to level up.”

Level Goddess Aurora: “Certainly. Are you familiar with the process?"

Erika: “No, I’m sorry.”

Level Goddess Aurora: “Don’t worry, that’s perfectly fine. Let’s see, we level gods are beings that convert experience points into levels. After a certain individual collects enough experience points through fighting he or she can visit one of the level shops and get their level raised by exchanging their experience points. We level gods then perform a special ritual that collects enough experience and levels that person up, strengthening them in accordance to the amount collected. It’s easy, right? As said I certainly recommend you to sign a special contract with me, that you will only level up in my shop, in exchange you will be granted a special discount. Every tenth level up you will only need three-quarters of the experience points you would normally need. It’s a pretty good offer, right?”

Erika: “Ah, uhm, I think?”

Camelia: “What business-like feeling. I see so that’s how a professional shop owner works. Master Erika, please remember it well.”

Level Goddess Aurora: “So, as not to prolong it too much, let’s just sign this piece of paper. You little fox, please sign it too.”

[Explanation]: ’No, you can't!’

Erika: “Uhm, is it here? Uhm, Erika Tempest. Alright, I did it, what’s next?”

Camelia: “I did it too, Master Erika! Look!”

Level Goddess Aurora: “Perfect. Now just wait I will perform a ritual, so just relax. Cough. Gęś~ Sól~ Szpinak~ Krytyk~ Jagoda~ Osobnik~ Mapa~ Energia~.”

Camelia: “That dance looks a bit silly, isn’t it Master Erika? But I like the song.”

Erika: “I don’t know, is it really?”

Level Goddess Aurora: “By The One-thousand Helms Of Cadaverous Eu'ndolegr! I Invoke The Chains Of Furious Dusialy!”

Erika: "What is she doing?"

Camelia: "I don't know, Master Erika."

[Explanation]: ’As the ritual goes on, a bright light appears from nowhere and engulfs Erika and her familiar. So she got her too, that vixen.'

Erika: "Ah! What's happening?"

[Explanation]: ’Soon after that, the light begins to fade.'

Camelia: “Oh, amazing master Erika. You finally leveled up to level 2, even though you were unable to level up for all this time in your Magic Academy days and after that when you had a shop.”

Erika: “That’s right. I’m amazing. No, wait were you actually mocking me?”

Camelia: “As if, master Erika. I would never do that. I was just mesmerized by your gallant figure of leveling up.”

Erika: “I see then that’s good. Hmph.”

Level Goddess Aurora: “The level up process went well miss Erika. But, I’m sorry little fox, You can’t level up today, You don’t have enough experience points.”

Camelia: “No it’s okay. I was useless today after all. Certainly next time I will level up too.”

Erika: “Thank you uhm…”

Level Goddess Aurora: “My name is Aurora. That’s how other mortals call me.”

Erika: "Hmm, well then thank you Aurora."

Aurora: "You are welcome.~"

Erika: “Alright Camelia. We are going out, Let’s relax in that new clothes shop that opened up lately.”

Camelia: “Yes, master Erika! But, please, don’t spend so much again like last time. We still need to open the shop again someday.”

Erika: “Hmph.”

Level Goddess Aurora: “Please come again soon.~”

Erika: "...See you later, Miss Aurora."

[Explanation]: ’Sigh. So they left that place finally.'

Level Goddess Aurora: “..." *stare*

[Explanation]: ’That girl. Is she looking at me? No, that's impossible, right? That's probably just my imagination.'

Aurora: "..." *smile*

[Explanation]: ’Hiii! That... that was certainly my imagination, right? Right? Plea... Please tell me that is the case. She was... She was probably just looking at those two. Right. I'm... I'm just going to ignore her. Yup.'

---

Back in the Adventurers and dungeon-delvers guild

---

Vincent: "I'm sorry for Erika. Please don't hate her, she is easily irritated, but she is a really good person."

Quest Giver Rena: "Oh no you don't have to worry, honey. I'm not angry at all. And I might have gone a bit too far with my teasing. That said, you say you have completed the quest, I figure you have a proof for that, right?"

Vincent: "Oh yes here it is. Please check it yourself."

Quest Giver Rena: "Hmm hmm. Let's see. Some questionable quality armguards, an ear of a monster, apes in particular, and an old war glaive. Alright, as your assignment was a special case this time, it seems everything is in order. Usually, the first quest is to deliver just monster parts, but Katia made an exception. Please, just remember that when you start your adventuring and dungeon-delving in earnest, things like changing an assignment might not be possible. Anyway, here is your payment, honey."

Vincent: "Thank you. And once more I’m sorry for Erika’s unreasonableness."

---

Sarah: "Amin do you think that 'it' is here? We are looking for two weeks already and we found nothing."

Amin: "Well I heard the rumors at least. I have no idea how truthful they are."

Sarah: "So unreliable.~"

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Claire: "Hey. Aren't you a little too ungrateful? Amin even found you a potential solution to ‘your’ problem, even though he didn't have to. Shouldn't you thank him instead? If you are so unsatisfied you can finally leave us alone."

Sarah: "I know! I know that it's just...We looked for a long time yet every time some potential solution came up it ended as just a fluke. What if it will be the same this time?"

Amin: "What, are you giving up already?"

Sarah: "No I don't. I want to change back. I hate this appearance after all."

Amin: "I see."

Sarah: "it's just...mumble mumble... What if you leave me after I change back... somehow, I hate that, not seeing you anymore...mumble..."

Amin: "What did you say?"

Sarah: "Nothing! It's nothing! Besides, shouldn't we find a better place to hide? Ephraim is still on our tail."

Claire: "Aren't you a bit too dishonest with yourself? I hate that about you. And your brother is completely your problem too. We have nothing to do with it. Amin, let's just leave her, please?"

Amin: "No, we won't. Don't talk like that Claire. And don't worry about Ephraim that much Sarah. If he wants to catch us that much we might as well play with him a bit, instead of running away."

Sarah: "No! My brother is dangerous, don't underestimate him, Amin."

Amin: "I don't, but he became bothersome with his chase. We might as well retaliate. And I'm not exactly your goody two shoes either. I don't know what you feel about your brother, but let me tell you, Sarah, I don't like that piece of shit. I never liked him from the moment I met him. Especially considering what he did to you. If I see him again, I might kill him. No, I will kill him. If you don't like it then you better stop me at that time."

Sarah: "I...That's why you are so...I won't stop you. I hate that person from the bottom of my heart. If he dies for real then it's completely his fault. But can't you understand?! You might lose your life instead. If that happens then I..."

Amin: "Heh. A sheltered princess like you shouldn't worry about such a loose bastard like me. I can handle myself."

Sarah: "I'm not a princess! And who is worried...mumble..."

Claire: "Uuuuh, completely leaving me out of the conversation and ignoring me again. Ugh, the way you talk and act around each other. I want to vomit!"

-

Vincent: "Who are those people?"

Quest Giver Rena: "Oh, them? They are new Adventurers just like you and that little girl that stormed out of the guild so angrily. I can't tell you much, but they are foreigners. From some distant desert land no less."

Vincent: "Foreigners?!"

Quest Giver Rena: "Don’t make such face honey, don't worry, they aren't those Ilomathian barbarians. They should have all died after the invasion.”

Vincent: "That is..."

Quest Giver Rena: " ...not the case? Maybe. After the dome collapsed and the invasion ended. Our old government is no more. The new ‘Council of Six’ as they fancily call themselves, wants to establish positive relations with other countries as not to repeat the tragedy. So after that, a lot of foreign folks started to come to our city. If we worry about every one of them, we might as well just close ourselves within a dome again. And you know how well it resulted in last time."

Vincent: "That might be the case, but..."

Quest Giver Rena: "What a worrywart, you are just like Katia."

Vincent: "So...What's up with them?"

Quest Giver Rena: "I don't know. I only heard that they are searching for something. Something about getting rid of a curse. Weird."

Vincent: "..."

Quest Giver Rena: "Anyway. They don't seem that dangerous to me, but like everyone else, who knows what baggage they are forced to bear through their life. They already completed their fifth tutorial quest, so don't lose to them."

Vincent: "Well it's not like we are competing or anything."

Quest Giver Rena: "You aren't? But, Adventurer’s work is a constant competition you know? I think you and that little girl should take it a little more seriously. Well, don't be discouraged, honey. I do mean for you not to lose to them. At least we don't want our citizens to lose to some foreigners."

Vincent: "Yeah. Thank you for your advice miss."

Quest Giver Rena: "Oh stop with the miss already. Just call me Rena, honey. Rena Irving. And, yes, from ‘that’ Irving family. Though I don’t pride myself on it.”

Vincent: “Irving? Then why you are working in such a place? If it’s that family, then...”

Quest Giver Rena: “Working in such a place, you say. I’m more of a black sheep within the family, so I had to grab whatever I could."

[Explanation]: ’Rena pauses for a little while. Hmm. Does she look a bit sad?'

Quest Giver Rena: “I'm not like them, that's why. I had to work hard to prove myself, and I earned my place here. Something that none of them ever did.”

Vincent: “I see, everyone has their circumstances I guess.”

Quest Giver Rena: “You took the words right out of my mouth. Well, I said we can't go out, but how about a little bit of private time once in a while? You could take out some other… secrets from my mouth and we could talk a bit more about your... Uh-huh business that is."

Vincent: "No, uh that is...I'm sorry. I need to go now. Goodbye, miss Rena."

Quest Giver Rena: "Hmmm. Well, if you are still interested just tell me later okay? Goodbye and come again, honey.”

-

Quest Giver Rena "Is it Katia? Or that little girl, I wonder."

---

Sometime Later

{Place}: New clothes shop

---

Erika: "How do I look, Camelia?"

Camelia: "You are as beautiful and mesmerizing as always, master Erika!"

Erika: "Of course I am. But I'm not talking about that, you stupid critter. I mean, what do you think about those clothes?"

Camelia: "How mean, master Erika. But, Clothes is it? Hmm. I'm not that knowledgeable about human clothing, however, I'm sure mister Vincent will certainly love them."

Erika: "Why would I care what that idiot thinks!? Tch, how useless."

Camelia: "But, master Erika, didn't you want to seduce mister Vincent with new clothing and make him completely forget about that woman from the guild?”

Erika: "I don't! Don't speak rubbish, you useless critter. I don't care about that stupid Vincent or that bimbo girl. Not at all!"

Camelia: "Don't be shy master Erika, don’t be shy, you are certainly worried what are both of them doing together now, right?"

Erika: "I don't care. You stupid Fox. Ruining my mood, it seems you need some punishment."

Camelia: "Noo! Not the punishment, I was just kidding, please stop master Erika, it hurts! My ears hurt!"

Erika: "Tch, we are going out.”

Camelia: "Yes...uhm, isn't that...?"

Erika: "What is it?"

Camelia: "No, look, master Erika, it's mister Vincent, right?"

Erika: "...that’s true. Hey, Vincent! Stop, where are you going? That idiot, is he not hearing me?"

Camelia: "Maybe he is thinking about something or maybe someone? Oh, I have an idea, let's follow mister Vincent, what do you think master Erika?"

Erika: "W...why would I? I don't care where is he going or who is he meeting with."

Camelia: "But aren't you worried master Erika? He might be meeting with that woman from the guild. Man and woman meeting somewhere away from home, it can only be 'that'."

Erika: "W...what?"

Camelia: "It's 'that', master Erika, 'that'."

Erika: "What is 'that'!? Just tell me already!"

Camelia: "It is that thing humans often participate in, that thing called... Rendezvous."

Erika: "Re...Rendezvous?"

Camelia: ”That's right. Men and women meeting each other in some bar or other places. Talking, drinking, looking at each other's eyes, smiling together, doing some strange moves."

Erika: "What... What are you saying, what moves?"

Camelia: "No, don't you humans make those strange moves when music is playing and you sing?"

Erika: "Oh, you mean dancing. Sigh. Wait, what?! Are they gonna dance together!?"

Camelia: "It’s not over yet master Erika, after that, they walk together side by side while intertwining their hands."

Erika: ”What...what is that pervert Vincent doing?!"

Camelia: "And then, and then..."

Erika: "There's more?!"

Camelia: "Well...how do I say this, they... They..."

Erika: "They what!?"

Camelia: "They stop and hug each other."

Erika: "Hug? Vincent is hugging that Bimbo girl? How could he?"

Camelia: "That's right, and then..."

Erika: "...a...and then?"

Camelia: "...for some reason they press their lips together. I don't quite understand, but that's how it usually goes. I saw it all when I watched some humans when I was bored. But, how envious, hugging like that. I want a hug too. Master Erika, will you hug me?"

Erika: "...they are pressing their lips? Thhhen, I..it's a k..kkkiss. uwaaaah, Vincent how could you? I hate you now!"

Camelia: "Master Erika, are you crying?"

Erika: "I'm not crying! I'm not crying at all! Sigh, I'm just sad now. So sad that it's making me cry."

Camelia: "What is?"

Erika: "Life. Life is making me cry. It's making me cry a lot, right now."

Camelia: "Master Erika? But, it didn't happen yet. Of course, it surely will if we won't go after him. So are we gonna follow mister Vincent, now? We need to hurry or we might lose him. Quick, master Erika!"

Erika: "Y...yeah. Sniff"

[Explanation]: ’How sad. Sniff. Now I'm crying too. Sniff sniff. I'm rooting for you girl!'

Camelia: "Okay, after Mister Vincent, let's go!"