Circulated Chatter 335/05/04 #12.

Status: Thrice-Verified

A field agent [REDACTED] had managed to obtain a new type of potion in the [REDACTED]. The potion identified by senior tread, [REDACTED] using [REDACTED] rank [Appraisal] and shown as ‘Stamina Elixir’. Primary effect was shown to ‘refill [REDACTED] of the drinkers' stamina within [REDACTED] [REDACTED] after consumption. The circular was in the opinion that [DATA EXPUNGED]

"What's real?"

He squeezed himself near Em, trying to read the paper from behind.

"Look it yourself," her wife said, handing the paper.

"Zhortal beard! This is..."

"Yes. The maze could be challenged now.”

Clem said, folding his hand. His eyes got this conspiratorial glee —sparkle that told him that the guy once again stumbled upon another big secret. This time it was the maze; the out of reach, all delver dream’s maze.

That it somehow was within their grasp.

At once he turned his head. Left then right in just one single breath. The room silent still, the privacy screen, black, was hung unfurled and undisturbed. Which as reassuring as the glowing light green bubble enveloping their table.

Meant not at all.

“Bud, did you hit your head or something?” he felt his temple pounding —throbbing at his friend’s colossal stupidity. Not even calendars of training could stop the sweat pouring off his back.

“We shouldn’t discuss stuff like this here!” he almost yanked the man’s collar but chose to pound the table instead. “Pack it. My house. Now.”

“Nope.”

“What?”

“No, you big oaf. We can’t go to your house.” the man just waved his hand dismissing him.

“What do you mean we can’t? Do you think we’re safe here? Clem you’re the freakin’ rogue. [Conceal Presence] is like level 10 skill.”

“Which is why we’re here~” his bud smiled.

“How that makes sense!”

He almost cried, his hand just a step away from shaking his friend smirking face up and down. He knew he wasn't the smartest one on the team, but how spouting town-level secret in a room chock of adventurers somehow the best choice!

“...because we’re one of the only fourteen teams that could delve,” said his wife suddenly, staring at his friend. “Isn’t that right, Clem.”

“Emmy gets it.” he looked at him sighing with his ‘I pity you look’.

“What?”

“Look, Ren, there’s a very very fragile balance here. It’s complicated but we’re safer here than anywhere else.”

“If you want to know about the intricacy of our lovely town information network, you should come with me. Later. But for now, we have to came to decision whether we want to try the delve or not before…” he paused, parting the privacy screen a bit. Looking at the window. “...sixteenth bell.”

“...number.”

“What?”

“What’s the number, Clem? The number! We’re talking about maze delve here. It meant supplies. Hiring [Transporters]. Likely the brothers. You know how expensive they are. It’ll at least. At least, I tell you, eat all of our season target plus a fifth of our emergency!”

What? Did it cost that much? He didn’t remember they paying that much the last time they tried delving to the fifteenth—

—right. They didn’t pay because it was sponsored run. The town handled the supplies and the guild fork up the quest reward.

“How much of the stamina we’re talking here? If it’s only like a short break level stamina, or it’s a full night sleep stamina but took around two bells to get it done we shouldn’t—”

“—it’s half.”

“Half?”

“Half of the stamina in 100 breaths. Had to pay my contact fifteen golds to get that number out.”

If it half… Then one shot in the fourth bend, another one in… hmm… the cleft, and at maybe one more in the center fountain… yeah, that sounded about right.

But, it didn’t mean they have to go. Heck, they shouldn’t go. Let the other delve first. Or wait for the town or the guild to organize another campaign. It wasn't like the treasure would go away. It the dungeon! The thing get refilled! This was way, way over their fund!

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“I see.” he saw her wife pause for a moment. He sighed. Good.. At least Em knew what made sense—

”It’s worth it.” The group will reimburse you. Where we get this potion?”

His face fell.

“12th Agle— “

“ —wait, wait, wait!” Her light! What bad spirit possessed his team!

“Em, Clem, you can’t be serious!” he said, his mouth agape looking to the pair of lunatic.

“I mean sure, if we succeed we’ll become the first delvers there! Which Zhortal smite me if I say that didn’t sound super awesome. And also it wouldn’t hurt that we perhaps get those system title stuff, like [First Explorer of the Sixteenth] or something. But!”

“But why we should be the first? You know how the saying goes! Be the first, and you’re accursed. Be the first, you got burnt the worst!”

“We know nothing about what monsters are there, none of the traps, even with you Clem.” he eyed his friend. “Also how about the terrain? Her light if the dungeon decides to throw another weird mechanism like fourteenth or fifteenth!”

He heaved, his chest was puffing up and down. His mouth was gasping for air. He stared at his wife for a full one breath. Right into her eyes. Trying to hammer a reason to her. “...and Em,” he said. “We just four seasons away from ...you know what. Delving just—just didn’t make sense.”

“Rene…” he felt a touch. Em was patting his hand. “You’re right, of course.” she smiled. “But that’s only if we’re out to fight. We won’t.”

“Wha—?”

“We won’t. This is scouting only, Rene. The only thing we do will be mapmaking. That’s it.”

“Mapmaking?”

“Ten thousand,” his friend suddenly chimed, grinning. “That’s how much the guild pay when the Torches found the hallway shortcut.”

“What?! How much?!”

“Ten thousand.”

“Ten thousand???”

“At least. And it just a shortcut, not a complete floor.”

“Her light...”

“Also…” the rogue twirled his hand. “Don’t forget about the rumor...”

“Which rumor?”

“The break rumor, you big oaf.”

“Oh!”

“Yes, Rene. With the town is on edge like this. Any information pertaining dungeon floor should worth a lot more. We could get at least twenty, maybe thirty.”

“Twenty, Emmy. Thirty is for complete map. I don’t think we’ll gonna get that in first delve.”

“Twenty thousand gold…”

“Yeah, I mean, there still supplies and we have to hire [Cartographer], but yes, twenty thousand,” her wife continued.

“All right, All right. You won. But scouting only right? No fighting?”

“Yes, fighting should be our last option.”

“And Clem, you and Lyd would do triple terrain check, okay? Promise?”

“Of course, bud.”

“Fine! I’m in. So where is this store?”

“12th Aglen Street.”

“What are we waiting for then? Let grab those potions!” he stood up, ready to open the privacy screen.

“Not so fast!” Clem held his hand. “They’re not open right now!”

“What?”

“They’re closed you, big oaf! Not all stores open every day! Some of them took a day off.” the man sighed.

“So why didn’t you—”

“—look, that how it is all right. It’s the stairs. They play games. My contact sold me the circular this morning, this morning.”

“...when the store’s open, then?”

“Second to fifth, Emmy.”

“...sigh. And they wait until seventh to sold us the information.”

“Precisely.”

“Fine, whatever. We play—”

CLANG. CLANG.

Rene jumped, his blade was half-sheathed when he realized it was just the overhang service bell ringing. The stuff was Arlet’s unique ingenuity with the rope extended just outside the screen, the waitress could ring the attached bell from outside. But who was it?

“Ah right.”

Clem, looked almost ashamed, parted the privacy screen a bit. He gave his trademark smiling-apologizing to Lena. The waitress was holding a steaming plate of what looked like today’s special.

“So-rry.”

Clem, lip-spoke the word, pointing his finger at the still glowing bubble. Lene to her credit replied stoically —leaving their booth and without a fuss brought the food back to the counter. But before she did that, she waggled her index finger. Which Rene bet was a gesture for something along the line of you-better-tip-me-for-this.

“So, where are we, again?” said Clem, closing the screen tight.

“Buying the potion, bud.” he sighed at his antic.

“Right. Like I said, they’re open from second to fifth. I assumed we want to buy on second?”

“Yes.”

“So I don’t know when the store opened. Is it on seventh bell, ninth bell, I don’t know. My contact won’t tell me. So what can we do is we should camp at the nearest inn. And do a check every half bell or so.”

“Got it.”

“Also, there’s this one thing…”

“Another problem?” his wife asked.

“Well, theoretically no… but.”

"Apparently, the seller wasn't really, hmm… nice? The first guy who ‘bought’ the potion. ...well, ‘bought’ might be too charitable of a word. He tried to stea—skimp the seller or something, I heard. Anyway, the guy almost got torn.”

“Torn?”

“Torn. Clawed to pieces. The seller keeps this big feral Growl for a pet."

"Growl?"

“Yeah, I meant I almost don’t believe it either. But it truth spell sworn so…”

"...doesn’t matter. We could always ask politely. Very politely. Which means I'm gonna do the talking, Rene." his wife eyed him.

"Ok."

"We scout first and set up plausible escape route. I think Arlene has some unused [Quickstep] scroll. But worst-case, I'm gonna use that."

"That? You don't mean your [Web Corridor] wand Emmy? I thought that thing only has one charge left."

"Em!"

"Yes but it's the maze. The maze."

"...isn't that like your dad's heirloom though?"

"Yes. But he'll understand... I know.”

"I thought Teacher Fritz offered to buy it's from you."

"That cunning jerk? He only offered Em five hundred golds. It's a tier three spell!"

"...which only have one charge. Even the Blue Court's Enchanter need at least five charges to copy dungeon spell."

"Still!!"

“It’s fine, Rene. It’s fine.”

"...so what's the plan, then?” his friend asked.

"First, we should check on Arlene and Lydia. Convince them, Clem. I know it’s preparatory, and they only have like a month. But even with exploring, it wouldn’t be more than twelve days. Tell them that.”

"And it need also be a secret. Limit your talk in the academy only. In their room if possible. Set the bubble again if you have to. The party gonna factor it as cost. We need both of them to come.”

“Also if they know someone who trustworthy, offer them a slot. Two people maybe. Don't reveal the whole thing, but give hints. I don't care if in the end, we need to divide it seven or eight ways. The map worth that much."

"What about me?" he asked his wife.

"Contact the brothers, ask them if they have suitable [Transporters] but don't reveal anything. The rumor says the brother sometimes sells information to the stairs so be cautious. Remember. Do not reveal anything. Not even with contract. Just tell them we need someone who capable delving up to the maze."

"Alrighty!"

"And don't forget to get the quotes this time!"

"Ok. Ok!" he rolled his eyes. It just one time! Sure he got charged almost twice the market rate. Ok, it was terrible. But he wouldn’t do that again! Why Em keep reminding him tha—

POP

"And just about time." Clem sighed. “Damn, expensive stone don't even last three wicks.”

"All right, I'm going to prepare supplies. Clem, are you coming?"

"Nah. I got things left."

"Another preparation? Okay, see you at—"

"—Lenaa, my food!"

"...nevermind."