For the first time in a long time, Arthur felt out of place in a discussion he should be the leader of. Normally the day-to-day matters and even some of the more intensive duties of the nobility were nothing new to him, his father had him sit at court each time since he was nine, occasionally being asked to provide his perspective, and his mother tutored him in how to handle political intrigue when she wasn't fighting with his father that was. But those were the problems of people, no matter the race or religion, they were problems he could meet face to face with arms, or discuss with sharp words and wits, magic was neither of those. That wasn't to say that his knowledge of it was lacking but he lacked the talent of his half-brother Ed, who was arguing with Helvina and the other magical members of their expedition.

"Forgive me ser Edward, but this is a total anomaly, ever since the Collapse no dungeon has been seen with this level of intelligence since the God Tomb fell. For all we know it could already be producing unthinkably powerful weapons and monsters!"

The God Tomb was one of the few dungeons that survived The Collapse, a spiraling death trap no one had ever seen the bottom of, believed to have been a dungeon that formed around what was once the graveyard of countless gods from a time so far gone that even the immortals of the world struggled to remember. That was of course if you believed the half-baked stories and legends that persist today, but what was known was that the Tomb was an ancient dungeon, and age to a dungeon meant power, a power that let it survive the collapse before dying, the reason is still unknown. Barqelen, a hedge wizard his father hired for cheap, wasn't wrong to say that the dungeon was abnormal, but the comparison was rather disproportionate, at least he got Ed's title right this time.

"Don't blow this out of proportion Barqelen, the dungeon is smart, very smart, and while one day it could be just as dangerous as the Tomb is, ALLEGED, to have been. What we are working with is still a young dungeon, one that hasn't even formed a third level, and it has a long road ahead of it if it wants to challenge the other more established dungeons."

A fair point from Ed, but Barqelen's was also there, the dungeon only had two floors, dangerous, yes, but only two, if the current group couldn't deal with it then Arthur's father was more than capable of arranging for people who could, hopefully, it doesn't come to that.

"Good ladies and gentlemen of this gathering, I ask that you calm your words, we can't afford any dissent among our ranks, and we can't face the dungeon with a divided front. Now, mage Barqelen's belief in the strangeness of our situation is not without merit, and my brother Edward has a point, but my friends, what do you propose we do about it?"

His brother and Helvina gave him looks of approval, and the assembled group was silent for a time, considering their lord's words.

Randal Mulz, an academy mage charged with creating the beginnings of the fort, was the first to answer.

"My lord, while I do not doubt the potential danger of the dungeon, why not simply collar it?"

"Because Mage Mulz, while intelligent dungeons can still be collared, they require a far more powerful collar than what we presently have, and only by requisitioning one form the church could we hope to acquire one."

That put a frown on most of the faces gathered, the church always exacted a heavy price when it came to their 'divine collars' that were produced by the Kannorite sect, followers of Kannor, the god of control. Furthermore, the Church was known for its immense dislike of dungeons, often preaching that their power to create life is an affront to the gods with it not being uncommon for zealots to actively pursue the deaths of existing dungeons. To ask for their aid in this matter would only bring trouble to the Nightingale lands, trouble that neither Arthur nor his father were willing to allow in.

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"The Church isn't an option, but we do need a solution still."

From here the gathering went back and forth on many ideas, but it was from an unlikely source that we found one we could mostly agree on. It came from Lily, Ed's companion, who seemed to have an increasingly odd relationship with Arthur's brother, not his business but if it needed addressing then he'd ask later.

"It might be presumptuous of me to say this, but why not deal with the dungeon?"

Most of us were skeptical, especially those who were of the mind that despite said intelligence and awareness, it was still a creature to be beaten into submission. But after some discussion, we came around to the idea, enough of us anyhow. So, in the following days, we prepared arguments, gifts, and threats for the dungeon, until days later we stood in formation before the dungeon and proclaimed our intentions to negotiate with it, giving it until the next day to prepare a representative. What we did not expect was for the dungeon to release a tidal wave of potent mana out of its entrance, proclaiming to everyone that it had gained another floor, becoming that much more dangerous.

But our plan remained the same, we would just need to present a more powerful front when the time came. When the time did come, the negotiation team entered through the strange device that lifted them up and into the entrance, being met by a glass door with an unusual symbol on the front. Entering we were met by one of those large rat creatures in an odd brightly colored outfit with a small piece of wood stating that its name was... Ratnold, strange name. The room itself was brightly lit with strangely textured bronze flooring and simple stone walls with pipes going in and out of them, the counter itself was like a toll house between the entrance and what looked to be a merchant's shop.

"Greetings dear customers, to the Super Mart, I take it you are the ones who wish to talk with our master?"

Its voice was light and raspy, but not overly so, and from what Ed was whispering about, the creature before us was an unusual one for a dungeon this young.

"Indeed... Ratnold, I, heir apparent to the Nightingale house have come to discuss both present and future business ventures between us. We of the household are willing to negotiate for the safe use of your master's domain."

The creature moved its head around, twitching and listening for an unheard sound.

"My master is willing to discuss this, but he would know the nature of your use, and how you might pay for it."

Figures the abnormal continues to be just that, even if it isn't on par with veteran merchants or lords it will still take some work to get an agreeable deal now that we know it can understand deals and implications.

"We intend to work alongside the dungeon to better this land, using the unique materials and power that can be gained within to improve and secure our lands. As for payment, we are prepared to give tribute in the form of livestock and a constant source of growth for your domain."

Again, the creature listened.

"My master would ask that you explain just how you would be acquiring and using these, materials, and why he should believe you won't attempt to harm him."

"I hope that we might come to an agreement that your good master would allow us to explore and collect throughout the dungeon, so that our miners may collect the ore from those spaces below, or that our craftsmen could work with the fascinating objects your domain has produced."

Arthur could feel the mana in the air shift and fold, setting them on edge but nothing came of it.

"The master is amenable to this; however, he requires time to review this deal and to discuss it with his... advisors."

Shit, if someone was already influencing the dungeon then they needed to sweeten the deal and find a way to turn out this advisor.

"For your master's benefit, we are willing to gift him with some creatures to his pleasure."

Arthur had two of the guards go back and return with a cage full of ravenous monsters, hobgoblins, the only thing more of a pest than greebles, they had captured them as a last resort food supply, they are unfortunately edible. But as they came into the room, lifting the cage into the dungeon, we were directed by the negotiator to open the cage in front of the door to the next room. With a hiss the doors opened to show the metal hounds from the skirmish barring their fangs at the hobgoblins, together they pounced on them and began savaging their throats, dragging them further into the dungeon, dead or alive.

"The master is pleased with this gift and will take it into consideration, please, peruse my stock while our master deliberates."

Our?

But from the corners of the room and in the pipes overhead I could see, rats, lots of rats, staring at them with eyes nearly glowing in the torchlight. Hopefully, things turn out well, he always disliked rats.