“What was the point in learning all those useless formulas!” Ravina cried over the corpse of another Poisoned Ögar. It was annoying. This was the third Ögar they had run into and while Ralf was exceptionally skilled at dismantling and storing its usable body parts, known as loot, Ravina was frustrated. While taking care of a level 3 monster alone was a feat init of itself, the fact remains that she was less weaving a spell and more feeling the spell out.

Sure she could weave out just about any spell she learned in school to take care of the level 1 creatures that roamed the spacious dungeon, but there was something about looking an Ögar in the eye that quickly spread fear throughout her body. Every time it was instant that allowed her to create that blade of fire which took care of them. Like a bad habit, if scared thow fire. It wasn't necessarily bad but Ravina couldn't figure out two key things.

What Αρκαδία construction that spell was made out of and how she was able to manipulate mana once it was released from her body. It became a bit of a pet project for her. She was crafting spell after spell but nothing came close to that attack. She was free to cast it of course but “It would have been a sure fire winner for my thesis!” she could only lament at the loss of a sure A. Seriously though, a spell that could one shot a monster that requires multiple groups of adventurers to defeat? First place would belong to her!

“Lady” Ralf called up to her after he finished dismantling the Ögar. “We really gotta go, I know you want to continue practicing but the bags been full up for a while now.” true to his words there were drops from other monsters strewn around the harvested Ögar. Less valuable than the drops from the higher ranking monster. The kid stopped begging her to leave for another dungeon but instead asking her to return so they can come back with another bag. “Like I said.” he quickly added before she could answer. “We can get a draphor cart as well and set up a base camp in the middle of the dungeon!”

“Okay, fine!” Ravina could only relent at his annoyance. Well it wasn't really annoying, it was cute how hardworking he was, and he was skilled at dismantling. “Im done anyway” she rubbed the kids head, knowing that he would make a dependable man when he grew up. Seeing how hard he worked made her mind wander to a certain forest, wondering how they were doing right now. Quickly she withdrew her hand and shook her head. “Anyways it's not like i'm making progress.”

“Right!” the boy cried happily. “This way, i’ve drawn a map!” gods above, he was dependable already. Good thing he didn't have red hair. It would have left her to wonder. Following the boy allowed her to fall into her head, thinking about what exactly happened. The spell hadn’t formed properly—it was an unguided wave of magical energy, a mist of mana, tinted red by her intent to cast a spell in that vein. Every time she was able to adapt it there was a pull at her chest and… strings on her fingers?

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And then there was that… scent that filled the air when the monsters were defeated. It didn't smell of iron or rotten flesh. It wasn't unpleasant but then again it wasn't really pleasant as well. It was like a freshly baked cake when one was full. After eating their fill and being satisfied with the meal they could enjoy the smell of it but not be enticed to eat it. In the end the smell of the cake would just be there in the background.

“And we’re here!” Ralf called joyfully as he crossed the crack between the dungeon and the outside world. Ravina was jolted out of her thoughts, finding herself back at the dungeon's entrance.

“That was quick,” she voiced in surprise.

Ralf chuckled. “Well, yeah, we were just walking in a circle after all.” He showed her a piece of well-used leather. Despite the smudges, clear points were mapped out in charcoal. Looking past the parchment, Ravina noticed the boy's hands were covered in charcoal.

“Wow,” she said. “I really like going right, don't I?” True to her words, the map showed she always chose the right path when it was an option, yet they had still ended up making a big circle.

“Well, that just means you always made the right call,” Ralf said with a dumb smile as his face brightened.

With a sigh, Ravina snapped her fingers, effortlessly summoning a ball of water to float in the air before her. "Ha ha," she muttered, her voice devoid of true mirth. "Just wash your hands first, and we’ll head back to the guild quickly." She glanced at her bag, wishing it could hold more supplies. If only it could, she could have stayed hidden away for days. "Oh, and can we just say that we found the Ögars dead?"

Ralf's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? But miss, you'll become a legend when it's known!" he insisted.

Ravina shook her head, a weary smile playing on her lips. "Perhaps, but I don’t really want to be popular," she replied, her laughter tinged with genuine amusement.

Ralf hesitated, biting his lip. "But..." He fell silent, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "Alright," he conceded.

"Thank yo—"

"20 Dons, and my silence is yours," Ralf interrupted, holding up his hand with his thumb and index finger pinched together.

Ravina's smile grew strained. "20 Dons is a lot," she pointed out.

"Ha, nah it ain’t. You’ve got five Ögar eyes in mint condition; they're worth 5 Dons apiece. You've got the cash, lady."

Ravina could only smile, albeit a bit ruefully. "Alright, 20 Dons it is," she agreed