Pushing his anxiety down, Nero stowed his loot, crystals, cards, and seven Arbitrium for parts along with his shrunk pets in the shelter. After repairing his gear and taking a bath, Nero was ready to go outside. He would lose seconds on the outside world for every "day" he spent inside the Dungeon anyway.

Nero appeared in front of the portal with [Stealth] active. The witching hour was still a bit away but he expected trouble now. That party of seven wouldn't be in without support. The glow of a fairy bouncing off of well-polished armor told him his prudence was well rewarded. The group of knights that was in plainclothes at the coming-of-age ceremony was now in silver armor that never knew dent or stain. Arguing with the guild master and his parents.

"You ain't questioning anyone, esteemed knight boy," Amaryllis mocked. "What happens in the Dungeon stays in the Dungeon."

He didn't pause to listen more of the argument. A quick scan found his wife hale and in the care of his mentor and sister at the back row of the event. Everyone accounted for, he slowly made his way to the back row where that group was. He approached Altia from behind, looking at the gash across her back armor on the right side displaying unblemished skin underneath.

"Mission Accomplished, milady," He whispered.

Altia froze then turned around. "Ne-Nero?"

"Yes. I'm here," He hugged her from behind.

"We knew you did your job," Serena, no, Crystal the commoner formerly known as princess Serena affirmed. "Glom kept us informed as the Dungeon's grade plummeted. Good job, brother."

Nero told himself he had to get his act together. Serena was no more. The princess was officially dead. Only his sister, Crystal remained. She was trying to turn over a new page and he'd be damned to use her old name.

They watched the argument going back and forth for one minute, then Rhynne chimed.

"It's past midnight. It's over."

"Aye, it's over and our boy is right there," Byron pointed at the back row. He talked to the guys in polished armor that never saw combat, "We're going home, esteemed knights. Have a good night."

The lead knight, the one entertaining the novices with hollow promises of power and glory at the military when they would most probably be turned into low-rank Dungeon scraping team like the last one, tried to intercept but got a fairy to the face.

"No going that way for you, Shinepolish," Amaryllis said.

In the back row, Altia was telling Nero what happened to her. He didn't let go of her.

"I got out not three minutes ago and used a few potions on myself. The bastard nicked my neck!" She said. "The knights were here already and started asking me uncomfortable questions. Then everyone came to see us out and the argument was like what you saw."

"I'm sorry, I failed you," Nero lamented.

"A Dungeon is lawless, you said it yourself," Glom remembered. "Polite people avoid each other in a Dungeon. The principle of charity does not apply to those that do not. Assume the worst and act to safeguard your own safety."

Back to the bright argument. Literally but not figuratively.

"I need to know what happened to my men!" He shouted. "Let me talk to them, guild master."

"They delved, midnight came. They're dead. That's what happened. Should've trained them better. Or checked the Dungeon's rating. With the number of people you're sending here to die, no wonder it overflowed a few days ago. Look around you, dumbass. The palisade is broken. Why don't you get some dents in that sword of yours chopping wood so we can rebuild the protective wall? What if the Dungeon overflows again? Will you take responsibility? No. It falls on Guild personnel to clean up your crap. So don't give us more than we can handle. Shoo. Go away."

The lead knight ground his teeth and walked away, the others following after him. Nero, his family, and guests walked back home.

"Too bad we didn't measure the Essence levels as you brought this one down," Glom remarked. "But it can't be helped.

"We can do a lot of them. Good exercise, good drops, good Accolades. I got... nine this time. If only we had someone with information on Dungeons all over the place in handy..."

Amaryllis flew and landed on his shoulder. "Are you volunteering to be worked like an ox clearing Dungeons for me, level zero? I'd love to take you on your offer."

"What's the pay?" Crystal asked.

"I can pay in Anima crystals. Until Tinky publishes his strain theory anyway. Then you can expect the prices of rank-I Anima to soar through the roof. Full disclosure," The fairy snickered, "I already ordered the outlying branches to purchase all of the low-rank Anima crystals they can put their hands on. Prices are already rising."

"Mary!" Rhynne chided. "What about the guild's neutrality?"

"Bah. That's just propaganda. You know that!" The pixie pouted. "And what if I am buying them to feed our kid?"

"My kid!" Rhynne grabbed Nero and dislodged Amaryllis. "Get your own."

Amaryllis flew around, annoyed. Her wings flaring pink, red, and yellow. "Aww, don't be a drag! You know I can't. I don't have the right equipment. Why can't you share!"

"Don't worry, mom," Nero hugged her back, "Guild master's jobs are all safe. It's not like she will hire us to overflow a Dungeon on purpose."

Altia snorted.

"Aww, shucks!" The fairy darted off into the distance, away from the village.

"Mary!" Rhynne chased.

The group kept walking home. These two could look after themselves.

Byron groaned. "They devolved into mischievous teenagers. Again." He looked at his children. "No offense."

"None taken... dad," Crystal played with the word in her lips, a bit bashful and unsure.

The big man smiled. "That reminds me, you didn't give me a hug yet."

Crystal approached him slowly. Nero could tell she was doing her best to not freak out. She finally wrapped her arms around Byron's waist and flinched when he held her tight.

"Dad, she can't breathe!" Nero tugged ineffectively to pry open his arms.

"I-I'm fine, Nero. Let me get used to it," The nereid said.

The went back home and Nero led Altia to the shelter, leaving the portal entry at the broom closet. The guest room was gone.

----------------------------------------

He was glad he rested before leaving the Dungeon because he was up with the sun. It did him no good as he couldn't wriggle free from Altia's sleep-death-grasp. She was even clingier than before. He had to rub her back and caress her nape until she was content enough to let go.

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"New rule," She whispered. "Assholes we meet in a Dungeon die on the spot, no questions asked."

"That's so unladylike of you," He joked. She huffed and glared. "Right. Assholes that don't know to leave others alone die. We should get our day started, we need to see the novices in."

"Hard to believe we started only two months before them."

"Aye. Let's go, veteran Adventurer."

They met Crystal at the kitchen, the nereid was toasting some bread on the Essence stove. A bit expensive but they were rich. Most Adventurers that find a good farming niche were, but they would eventually level and be forced to find another. It took dedication, perseverance, and a very good head over one's shoulders but it could be done. Save some Essence and you'll be good for early retirement.

They approached her, Altia still clinging to his arm.

"How are you, sister?" He asked.

"Wonderful, brother!" She smiled. "I have scrambled eggs and fried bananas."

"Oh, great! By the way, we call the big ones for cooking plantains around here."

"Yeah, the magical fruit," Altia added. "they increase in value as they mature."

"Really?" Crystal asked with genuine interest. It showed how much she wanted to fit in.

"Yeah, it's obvious once you think," Altia delivered the punchline. "They start green and become yellow."

"Oh, they become even more valuable once they spoil then," Nero added. "They become black!"

"Eww," Altia pushed him away, finally unlatching. "That's dark-disgusting-brown."

Crystal laughed so many tears rolled down her eyes.

"Sister, the plantain slices are burning!" Nero warned.

Their parents and guests arrived. Everyone went on with their duties for the day. Altia would play handmaid for Crystal, their parents would work hard at doing nothing, Amaryllis was off to harass the knights because they were so good a sport. It was up to the professor and assistant to go to the Dungeon and oversee the delving.

The youngsters were all eager to delve. However, on this first day, an order must be followed. They would enter with twenty minutes of interval, enough time for them to spread out. This would reduce the odds of kill-stealing or murder. Some soldiers were watching from a good distance, taking notes of who was entering with whom.

The last in line was the eanling siblings.

"Hey, Knazer! Delving with your sister?" Nero waved and asked.

The eanling girl bowed. "I thank you for your assistance, professor," she said facing Nero.

"I'm not a professor, sorry. I'm just a research assistant. Were you talking about professor Glom, here?"

"No," she turned to the diminutive squiig. "No offense, professor. Nero, I'm Fotia, Knazer's twin sister. We want to talk to you in private, if possible."

"Well, you are not holding the line," Glom said. "It would not hurt to spend a few minutes talking. Go ahead, Nero."

"Watch our observers, would you, professor?" Nero asked, talking about the military watchers.

They moved a bit deeper into the forest, away from prying eyes.

"We heard you avoided recruitment from the knights, Nero," Knazer went straight to the point. "And we have a high enough level cap that we will be forced to enlist. They gave us one week to prepare and say our goodbyes. Then it is straight to war. They gave us yellow Classes and Skills and forced us to activate them in front of them."

The eanling spat down, grinding his teeth.

"It wasn't what we wanted for ourselves. Now we're stuck," Fotia lamented.

"The Attribute bonuses are awesome but we want to know how you evaded conscription," Knazer continued. "We would like very much to just disappear."

Nero sighed and turned on his display bright enough so they could see. "My level cap is zero, folks. The knights' visit was a prank by a rival neighbor. He was condemned to the mines for lying."

"You have pretty awesome Attributes for a level zero, if I may say so," Knazer said.

"Brother! It is unfitting to do it. Forget what you saw!" Fotia hit his brother's arm.

"I'm sorry. The only way to avoid conscription is to get out of the country. But they have their eyes on you," Nero pointed at where the observers were. They couldn't overhear them without Huron levels of Perception but they were watching them for any signs of evasion.

"We don't want to go. We would do anything to avoid conscription," Knazer implored. "And I heard they do terrible things to female conscripts, to 'toughen them up'. I don't want my sister to go."

"We even thought about just dying in the Dungeon today," Fotia added.

"And now we owe them the yellow cards. And the price of our Arbitrii. They paid back our parents. But if you can't help us..."

they turned around to go to the Dungeon, dismayed. Nero knew what they felt. The same fear he had when Valawayfromymom visited. Honestly, Nero's disgust for this country and its institutions grew with each interaction.

"Wait," He called them. "Do not give away what I will tell you to the military. You need to go and enter the Dungeon as if I told you nothing. There is one way. I will explain it to you in the Dungeon. Go ahead and delve but stay in the entrance room. Wait there as long as it takes, I'll enter when the coast is clear."

Knazer held Fotia's shoulder and hid her face from the observers. "We understand. C'mon, sister. Time to look sad," He said.

The three returned to the Dungeon portal.

"Off you go," Nero said. "I hope my pointers help you. Do as I told you and take no risks."

The twins held hands and entered.

"Well, our work here is done," Glom waved in relief. "I'm going home to work on some projects, Nero. If you want to join me..."

"No, professor. I think I'll work on the repairs for the wall here. The Dungeon is gray and won't be a problem but I can shape stone and want to work a bit."

Nero glanced at the military observers. They were going away.

"Well, knock yourself out then. There's nothing dangerous around anyway," Glom waved goodbye and went away, bounding along the dirt path.

Nero sighed, confirmed using his [Rogue] build he was indeed alone and then changed to his stone-shaping build. He worked for one hour raising walls around the Dungeon where the palisade stood. Some villagers came to take the wood for kindling while he worked. When he was finally alone and the thin walls hid the Dungeon portal, he shifted back to his sniping [Rogue] build, became invisible, and entered the Dungeon.

He appeared in the entrance room and found the twins sitting with their backs against the cavern wall. They didn't notice the invisible Nero. Before he revealed himself, he scanned for enemies around his detection range. Nothing. Then he waited for a while, to see if he could eavesdrop on their conversation. They remained silent for a few minutes.

"Do you think he'll come, brother?" Fotia asked.

"He's a good guy. I feel that if anyone can help us, it's him. He's got connections. They said some high-level bigshots came to see him. His parents are also the caretakers of the local Dungeons. If he can't help us, we will need to flee the country," Knazer said. "I don't want to fight in a war and I know they will separate us."

"Worse yet, we're stuck with this [Squire] Class and Skills," Fotia added.

She was almost breaking down. The distant echoes of combat didn't help. Nero let the [Invisibility] wear off and made it look as if he just appeared.

"Hey. Glad you stayed here. So, here's the deal. You got a week before they take you away, right?"

After the initial surprise wore off, they stood up

"Yes. Six days now that we wasted this one delving," Knazer said. "Can you help us?"

Nero shook his head. "Maybe. But not now. I need to talk to some people first. And to be honest, make sure this isn't some kind of deception."

"No!" Fotia shouted. "We would never dare!"

"But he's right, sister. Helping us evade our 'duty'," Knazer said the last word with disgust, "is tantamount to treason. He has the right to be cautious. That's why he wanted to meet us in the Dungeon."

"You're correct, Knazer," Nero said. "I apologize for being suspicious, Fotia. Let me tell this you. If you run, it will be hard. You might never be able to come back here. There's a permanent bounty on deserters."

"We know that," Fotia said.

"Good. Now, do you have gear, supplies, food, water, weapons? You should delve as normal and get out normally. Forget that we met today. Say your goodbyes to your parents. Once you are done, we'll meet here again in six days. Do not level up. If you reach level ten, you won't be able to enter here again. Until then, we're strangers. Understood?"

"Understood. Mr. Nero, you have our gratitude. Since you are here, don't you want to delve with us?" Knazer offered his hand.

Nero shook his hand and then walked to one of the tunnels. He looked back and waved. "No. I'm not even here. This is an illusion. I'll see you outside."

he activated invisibility and snuck away, running down into the boss room. He would slow down once he was near someone, walk past and go. From what he was seeing, they were having no problem against the very weak rats. He reached the serpent sands and found a group of three trying their luck with the ophidians.

Luck he didn't have, because a few meters ahead of that group one of the serpents jumped to strike him. Nero grabbed the serpent by the neck but the act broke his invisibility.

"Hey, did you see that? There's someone ahead!" One of the novices said.

Nero ran with the serpent in his hand. The monster tried to wrap around his arm but they were ambush predators with poison and a thought exterior, not much strength left for constricting.

He left the sands behind and crossed into the creepy crawler country. This area was empty and should be. "What should I do with you?" He asked the snake. "Know what? Why not tame you?"

He tossed the serpent away. The monster knew no fear and came to bite Nero. He fumbled a bit with his cards, cursing that he didn't toss the serpent back to the sand and not in the same direction as the crawler tunnel. Some cards fell but he found the [Monster Tamer]. The serpent bit his boot but failed to pierce his skin. He picked up the monster back and held it taut, one hand below the head and another grasping the tail. Soon he felt the connection and the serpent was his. A level six rock serpent.

He let it down and picked up his cards. Nero unslung his rifle and moved ahead, shooting the crawlers. Now at the gray rating, they were levels four through seven. A pale shadow of their first run. Soon he was outside, in the middle of the morning. The utility of his second black Skill was amazing. The rock serpent smelled around and explored the enclosure of the stone walls. Nero remembered he had to make them a bit thicker if they were to even hold a person leaning against it.