“Greetings, adventurers. The pair of you seem to be short a front-line fighter. For newcomers, that shortage is even more dangerous. Would you like to join us?” Azoth said, a disarming smile accompanied her words.
“Thank you, but we are not new arrivals. We are done with our business here and were just about to head for our homeland.”
Azoth raised an eyebrow at the mage’s response, then she spoke with evident surprise and a hint of contempt.
“Ah, survivors then, I presume. What happened to the rest of your party? I can’t imagine what kind of battle left only two back-line fighters standing…”
The boy behind the mage responded with gritted teeth to the pointed inquiry.
“We were attacked by a monster called an Abyssal Drakeling in the first layer. That thing was a ferocious beast, and its strength greatly outshone its rank. After a long battle, our fellow adventurers were felled by it, and we would have followed them if not for my quick thinking. Even though we were exhausted, I managed to lure the thing near one of the pits that lead to the lower layers and then pushed it in, so I would appreciate it if you did not make vile assumptions.”
Azoth hummed as the wind mage eyed the boy with an unreadable expression. The boy glanced at him with a challenge, as if daring him to say anything. The mage sighed and maintained his silence. Just as Azoth was about to speak, words dripping with naked hostility spilled out of my mouth.
“Why did you attack the Drakeling unprovoked?”
Incensed, the boy quipped back.
“What do you mean unprovoked? It’s a bloody monster in a dungeon, why should I need a reason to attack it?! Besides, I was just trying to subdue it like any [Beast Tamer] would, and it should have worked. I have no clue as to why it failed…”
Before I could respond, the wind mage addressed me.
“How did you know that he attacked the Drakeling? Were you nearby when it happened?”
“Yes, I was. And I watched this coward run with his tail between his legs before the fight even began, right after he started it!” I said, looking both of them in the eye.
The boy paled and the mage’s face wore a grim expression. Azoth stopped playing dumb and began to question them directly, a dangerous glint in her eyes.
“Well, we were there when the boy ran, and you chased after him. As a result, the other three died to the Drakeling. I don’t particularly care for them because they’re strangers, but I take issue with treachery. If we allow everyone to stab each other in the back like you did with no consequences, people would never be able to trust each other in the dungeon down there.”
Azoth had never seemed so domineering before, and it moved me a little.
“Please calm down, young lady. Treachery is indeed a vile thing, but this was not an act of willful betrayal. After the failed attempt at subduing the drakeling, it roared loudly, and caused a [Fear] status effect. Had I allowed the status effect to isolate him from the group, I feared he might encounter something deadly and die from it.”
“What solidified my decision to chase him was that I believed a mere Rank D creature would not be enough to harm the three adventurers, much less kill them. After all, they functioned as a party long before we joined them. Moreover, we simply hired them as escorts to the first layer, and I served as the young lordling’s guard on his trip. It was their duty to fight off incoming monsters and mine to protect the boy.”
Shrugging him off, Azoth refused to let go of the matter.
“Alright, let’s put that aside for now. After the monster killed the three unfortunate adventurers, it chased after the two of you. What happened after that?”
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
“I had chased after the boy’s tracks hoping that he was still alive. I found him by a cliff’s edge, with a pit that led to the lower layers serving as a dead-end. After making sure the boy was alive, I scarcely had time to turn around before we heard the Drakeling following after us. When it found us, it lunged at us, and I summoned a gale to make it overshoot us and fall into the Abyss. Otherwise, we might have met the same fate as the other three.” The mage explained.
“That is everything that happened, so please understand that there was nothing we could do.”
“Well, did you earn some kind of proof from killing the Drakeling? A trip to the Guild’s appraiser should be able to show the boons you earned from killing a monster that powerful.”
“That’s the thing. That monster actually survived the fall! If it did die, then something else must have killed it because I did not receive any rewards.” Said the mage, shuddering at the thought.
“So let me see if I got everything right; your little client provoked a monster into a fight, ran for his life after it roared in outrage, and you chased after him, leaving the other adventurers to take up the fight he started. Then, after you find him, the drakeling corners you and attacks, and you just so happen to overcome it with a little spell. However, the creature survived a fall between the layers of the Abyss, so you have nothing to show for it. Or did I miss something?” Azoth said, scoffing with incredulity.
“I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s the truth. We went to the adventurer’s guild and explained everything, and they did find mentions of the Abyssal Drakeling in their records. They agreed that we were merely unfortunate and intend to send a team to investigate.”
“And in the meantime, you and your little mouse can scurry away to the Republic, where the boy’s family can shelter the two of you of what would happen when the rest of the adventurers figured out what happened. Perhaps I might as well let people know that the Guild implicitly let you run away…”
Now, even the boy began to sweat. If the guild suffered from his mistakes as well, his house would face consequences. And if his family’s interests were hurt by his actions, his father was going to make him wish he had never been born. He was not even the spare of a spare, and his position in the family was already precarious.
“Please, we’ve had enough of a rough time already. We don’t want any trouble. I am sure I can compensate you for the suspicions and fears you harbored…” the mage said, eyeing the boy harshly.
He gulped and nodded.
“See, I knew we could come to an agreement. My name is Astarte, and this is my child, Kema.” Said Azoth, raising her right hand.
My eyes widened slightly, but a slightly tightened grip on my shoulder signaled that I should go along with it.
The mage took her hand and smiled.
“My name is Valerian Crassus Maximillian. My client’s name is His Lordship, Alanus Alypius, of House Alypius. I am sorry we had to make your acquaintance in such circumstances, but it is a pleasure nonetheless.”
“I can introduce myself, Valerian. That said, why did you take a classless child like that into the Abyss? She can’t be older than 10 years old.” He said, looking at me.
“That’s none of your damn business, you craven bas-”
As I was about to insult him, Azoth tightly squeezed my shoulder once more.
“I have had it with your constant disrespect, girl. I am a noble, and I will not suffer your ins-”
Before he could complete his words, his voice disappeared despite his lips moving. Valerian then calmly, yet firmly put a hand on Alanus’s back.
“Now, now, your lordship. They have done us a favor, so I humbly ask that you forgive her behavior. You as well young lady, it’s not a good idea to needlessly provoke nobility. Doubly so in any of the five nations.” Valerian politely scolded the two of us.
Alanus stared at me venomously, and I more than matched his hateful glare. A tense silence took over the atmosphere before Azoth broke it apart.
“Well then, now that we’ve settled that matter, how do you intend to compensate us?”
Gritting his teeth, Alanus was surprisingly the one to respond.
“We do not carry much gold as we had spent most of it on travel, the adventurers, and the fine the Guild billed us. I can offer you a favor from House Alypius.”
I scoffed.
“Do you think I was born yesterday? Who’s going to make sure you actually follow thr-”
“I swear upon my soul to honor my end of the deal, should you do the same.” The boy interrupted me, to the surprise of Azoth and the horror of Valerian.
Immediately, a green circle with crisscrossing lines and letters shined on his chest, slowly spinning, and then fading away just as quickly. Valerian and Azoth both maintained their silence, and Alanus glared at me.
“There, you have your insurance. Don’t you dare question my honor again, girl, or I will make you regret it.”
“Well, that settles our business today. I suggest we let the two of them calm down separately, so I bid you two a good day.” Azoth said, turning around to walk away.
I glanced back once more at Alanus before following in her footsteps.
This isn’t over. Not by a longshot. Alanus will pay for what he did to me.
I swear upon my soul.
Beneath the illusion, the same green circle appeared on my chest. Azoth stared at me in shock, and gripped my hand harder than she ever did before.
"What have you done...?"