“Not a chance,” Graem said, trying to push his office door shut. Orrin could smell pungent smoke wafting through the air.

“I’m going to sign up and when someone tries to invite me to a party, what is going to happen?” Orrin countered, shoving his foot into the path of the closing door. “If I’m stuck here doing her bidding, I want to have some sort of payment.”

Orrin’s request for Graem to change the magical restraints of his slave collar once again was not going well. After Ellis informed him that the school allowed students to enter the Mistlight dungeon on their off day each week, Orrin’s plans evolved again.

Every solution to his current problem relied on using his skills, spells, or Administrator powers to solve his predicament. Orrin’s dilemma came from not knowing how to get the collar off without being killed. He was stuck on campus, with a limited amount of freedom to move about town. The one missing element was gaining more experience. Whatever solution he came up with could fail and that would stick Orrin with useless skills and no further attempts to gain his freedom.

There was also one major hope as well.

Obtain Level 20

Reward: [Hero Kit Level 3]

When Orrin completed the last Quest, Obtain Level 10, the System gave him an error regarding the reward. [Hero Kit] appeared to be class-specific and Orrin wasn’t allowed to have it. However, the System let him choose a reward. Orrin didn’t realize it at the time, but it was his Administrator power letting him manipulate the blue box Quest.

The knowledge that he might be able to gain experience and get to level twenty made Orrin remember the way the System responded to his thoughts about a reward. Maybe he could gain an ability to control the slave collar or even just take it off. He could escape the dungeon, [Teleport] back to Dey, and be done with the entire charade in just a level and a half.

Orrin

Utility Warder Level 18 (2,786/9,000)

According to Ellis, only five groups containing five students each were selected each week. While the students were restricted to the first ten levels, Orrin hoped he could make up the six thousand points he needed to get to level 19. He would need to cheat his party members out of as much experience as he could safely steal but that was only if Graem let him go in the first place.

“Any payment issues are between you and Annabella.” Graem kicked Orrin’s foot out of the doorway and stepped into the hall. He closed his door and blinked heavily in the brightness of the hallway. “My job is to keep you on mission and safe. There is no reason for you to go. As far as I know, none of your new friends are jumping at the chance to go playing dungeon diver.”

Orrin chewed the inside of his lip. It was a flaw in his plan. The students who did go into the dungeon were mostly the lower-leveled ones from poorer families. Being restricted to the first ten levels meant less experience than a noble could get with an outfitted party designed to keep them safe while keeping monsters distracted. Someone like Finley or Maeve had a high enough level already that such gains were a waste of time. Orrin tried to find Rhys, hoping to convince him to go but he wasn’t able to locate him or his shadow, Iona.

Orrin tried the last card he had. “When Finley gets back, I need to be stronger. I’m nearing level twenty and could use a few extra stat points. If I can show rapid improvement while he’s away, I might be able to get closer to him.”

Graem squinted his bloodshot eyes at Orrin. “Casimir, that is a weak argument.”

“If you don’t let me go into the dungeon, I’ll find monsters outside the wall. I have to level. I’m not good enough to take him on as I am.”

“You won’t be able to take on young Madvarr in your lifetime. He’s been trained since he could walk. I don’t have the brain power to waste on this. I already let you stay in your room and created a scene in front of everyone like you asked. Why not let you risk everything for some meager experience points?” Graem rubbed his brow in frustration. “If you are selected, come back and visit me. I’ll open your connection up for one invite. If you try and join a party other than the one assigned to you for the dive, I will end you. You will have no freedom to move around, no matter how it hampers your assignment. Do you understand?”

Orrin nodded, worried to say anything in case he changed his mind.

“Now get out of my sight, I’m trying to relax. I find my days extra stressful as of late.”

Signing up for the dungeon was as simple as writing down his fake name on a ledger. Of the roughly hundred students who started the semester, approximately a quarter left to fight against Daniel and the elven army that ravaged the countryside. It took all his strength to keep quiet about the misinformation and obvious propaganda he heard in these rumors.

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A little less than half of the remaining students signed their names on the list. Orrin was number thirty-three.

Next, he prepared. Orrin went to the library and simply asked for books on the Mistlight dungeon. He was told it was checked out but due back in an hour. Another student was likely reading it in the room. However, he had to wait his turn, with three other students queued up for the book before him.

Orrin gave up and went back to his room, where he sent another message to Annabella.

I’m going into the dungeon to get stronger. Maybe you can help me get selected. I think it might help impress Finley if he ever comes back. No progress with Maeve, as class was canceled. More delays because of your son’s war. Rhys is getting friendlier. We had a nice lunch together.

Orrin kept the stylus pressed against the final period. A dozen insults careened through his mind. He wanted to rage against his captor, for the powerless feeling he had every morning when he woke up, and for the fear that his friend was fighting miles away.

With a shaky hand, Orrin closed the Relic sending book and put it away. He sat at the desk watching the last of the sun fade across the school’s edifice, meditating and wishing for something to hit.

Orrin woke to another short and direct message.

A great victory will be announced in five days and all new recruits will be sent home. Permission for entry to Mistwater Lanterns will be granted. This opportunity came at a great cost. Do not squander it.

“What is Mistwater Lanterns?” Orrin muttered, figuring it out even as he said it. “Oh, it must be the dungeon name.”

Orrin cleaned up and put on some new clothes, making sure to check his inventory of potions kept hidden in [Dimension Hole].

If he was selected, Orrin would be going straight into the dungeon, as only this day was set aside for the students. He didn’t know how multiple groups in a dungeon worked but Ellis didn’t seem to be worried about it so neither would he. The boy hadn’t gained his trust back and Orrin was still suspicious but until his other plan came to fruition he was giving Ellis the benefit of the doubt.

Orrin considered his plan for the dungeon. He was going to cast increase stat spells on himself before using a level two [Utility Ward]. It would lock in his stats at a higher maximum and if done before a party invite was sent, would work only on him.

The trouble would be making his speed seem normal but the maxed intelligence and will would make his spells hit harder and for less mana. That was the real trick. He could hunt monsters for as long as he could.

At breakfast, a list was already up with the names of the selected students. Ellis sat dejected. Orrin didn’t approach the board and instead picked up some food.

“You didn’t make the cut?” Orrin asked, sliding into the seat next to him with a plate of eggs and ham. He wanted to be full for the hunt.

“I’m on the reserve list, the ones who didn’t get into a group this week. I’ll be first next week,” Ellis said, trying to not whine too much. “I saw your name. Congratulations.”

Orrin sighed. “I hadn’t checked it yet. I don’t even know what I’m doing. Any advice?”

He had three reasons for sitting with Ellis before checking the list. The first was simple. He knew his name would be on it. Annabella had told him as much in her message. The second was to comfort a friend, even if he ended up being the prey of Orrin’s other hunt. The third reason was information. Orrin needed to know what to expect below.

“It’s simple. They’ll explain it.” Ellis pushed a small roasted potato around on his plate.

“I’d rather hear it from someone I trust.” Orrin thought he laid it on too thick when Ellis didn’t respond right away. A moment later, to his horror, he saw tears. “Ellis? Are you—”

“I didn’t do it and I know I’m innocent. Everyone else talks about how it had to be me but you still talk to me like a friend. I’m probably going to lose my sponsorship but you sit next to me, making everyone more confused.”

Orrin let him ramble for a minute before reaching out and patting the crying boy on the shoulder. “Hey, if I thought you killed something in my room, I would have already thrown you out the window.” Ellis laughed and coughed at the same time. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Professor Graem will catch whoever broke into my room and everyone will see they were wrong.”

Orrin prayed he was right and Ellis wasn’t the culprit. If he was, the boy was also an amazing actor. “Talk to me and take your mind off it. Why five groups only? Why not everyone who wants to go in? How do five groups go into the dungeon in the first place? Won’t it get crowded?”

Ellis wiped angrily at his eyes and shook his head before explaining. “Mistwater Lanterns is one of the oldest known dungeons and part of the lords’ job is keeping it culled. The first ten floors have turned into huge ecosystems that can take days to travel if you don’t know where you are going. The Sanerris house keeps watch to make sure nobody tries to destroy it, as the dungeon is used for training as well. Even though we get to use the dungeon as students, we are limited to one day. We still have to get to classes tomorrow,” Ellis smirked. “Each group will enter an hour after the last. If you see another group, your protocol is to leave and head in opposite directions. If more than five groups enter, it makes it harder to train… I think. I’m not sure the exact reason why only five groups of five students but it’s been that way for decades.”

Orrin processed all the information and asked a few more questions about the makeup of the dungeon. The most important aspect was that the dungeon used water and light magic.

“Light magic is weak but can amplify other types of magic. The lighted areas under the Lanterns are danger zones, with stronger monsters.”

“Why only ten levels? Why not try and defeat the entire dungeon?”

Ellis laughed, finally regaining some of his normal mirth. “I think the dungeon is over a hundred levels deep. It’s not possible to defeat it. The ten-level maximum is to let us spread out. There are maps in the library of how to get to each floor as quickly as possible. I think most groups prefer floors two to four since they are the easiest to get to and have some good monsters to fight but nothing crazy like floors five and seven. Nobody ever goes beyond floor six.”

Orrin noticed two people enter the cafeteria and move to the wall. He’d never seen them there before and suddenly felt a pit in his stomach remembering Annabella’s words about an opportunity.

“I’m going to check on which group I’m in,” Orrin said, standing up and leaving his plate behind.

He made his way up behind the dwindling group and found his name. Just as he’d feared. Two of the five names were unknown. The other two stood next to him. Rhys and Iona.

“Tell me again why we are training in the dungeon?” Iona queried.

Rhys stared at Orrin as he answered. “It’s an order from home. A new potential prospect.”