Ascalon led the group with resolute steps, his senses sharpened, his eye scanning every nook and cranny of the streets in search for the sewers entrance. Along the way, they could witness again what worried Ryan.

Some of the poor-looking people of the lower district looked even more shifty than earlier, and behaved violently. A couple had even attempted to rob them, which was a terrible decision. After knocking some sense into them, the robbers were swarmed by more denizens, who scrambled as soon as they found nothing of value in their clothes.

A familiar tingling assailed his chest as he watched these events unfold, unaware that it came, once more, from his emblem. It was a shocking sight, but there was nothing he could do for them. After all, there were pressing matters at hand, and they had to find the sewers.

As far as Ascalon knew, they were like a set of tunnels underneath the city, where the citizen’s residues ended up. It was a place unfit for human activity but they had to go nonetheless.

Escarlata was following behind them, as a surprising addition to the group. She took the chance to accompany them, her reasoning being the ‘young master's’ safeguarding. It was the perfect excuse, she thought!

Her eyes seemed fixed ahead, though Ascalon could feel she kept taking peeks at him, probably still wary of his presence and the fact that their encounters had been anything but friendly.

As they walked under the little shade provided by the buildings, Selorien and lilithra skipped ahead suddenly.

“Here, I guess?” Lilithra asked as she leaned with curiosity, her left hand wiping off some sweat from her forehead. Selorien mimicked her actions, clearly affected by the heat. Both of them were gazing at the ground, where a huge, rusted metal door gave way to the lower district innards.

Ascalon and Lyra followed suit, appraising the entrance, while Escarlata shot cold glares to curious onlookers, who promptly scrambled. She was truly an imposing presence amidst the desertic city.

“Shall we go in, then?” Ascalon asked, making sure his friends were ready. After all, they hadn't rested much, driven by a sense of urgency—Lyra most of them all. It was no wonder that she would feel that way, especially after hearing her brother was ‘beaten to a pulp’, even if it might have been a lie from Loreno.

Unsurprisingly, Lyra was the first to nod, her ears twitching as if reflecting her enthusiasm, her fists clenched with determination. No other words were needed, as Lilithra and Selorien smiled with renewed conviction, encouraged by their willingness to help Lyra.

Ascalon basked in their resolve, his expression adorned by a bold smile. With a slight nod of acknowledgment, he grabbed the door and pried it open with an unnatural ease, the metal bending like a can of tuna.

His friends were surprised at the almost cartoonish scene in front of their eyes, though they were slowly growing accustomed to Ascalon’s feats. Escarlata, on the other hand, did her best to conceal her admiration.

As was his duty and honor, Ascalon led the way, descending through the entrance and climbing down into the dark, foul-smelling sewers. With some effort and discomfort, the rest followed—the last one being Escarlata, who looked as unfazed as always.

The interior was pitch black, aside from the light that came through from the entrance, and the pungent smell made both Lilithra and Lyra gag. Selorien looked around with his nose wrinkled up in disgust, while Ascalon appraised the surroundings.

He could see well enough, and knew that Selorien and Escarlata would have no problem perceiving their surroundings, but the other two girls might find the journey more difficult.

As if reading his thoughts, Lilithra brought out her phone, and after fiddling with it for a bit, she lit up the area with a moderate but helpful stream of light.

“Hehe, see, it's not just for games!” She exclaimed with pride and a smug smile, as Ascalon gazed upon the brightness with clear surprise and admiration.

“Lil, using her phone for something other than games?!” Selorien questioned with a smile, his tone mischievous, as Lyra giggled and took out her own phone to do the same

Lilithra puffed her cheeks in irritation but quickly explored the surroundings with her gaze. They were still pretty much at the entrance, as there were no water canals to be seen, so she feared just how much worse it would get from then on.

Exchanging firm glances, the group set out, walking through the tunnel as the girls lit the path ahead.

“Wish I had packed some masks in my inventory…” Selorien commented as they advanced, his disgust for the smell evident and reasonable.

Ascalon then wondered just how much of an advantage the inventory system was, and how better it would be with some foresight. Technically, they could carry with them whatever they needed for almost any situation.

He couldn't help but compare how easy it would've been back in Excadia if they could carry war rations in an inventory rather than in wagons. No need for food guards or horses, for example.

They could also change weapons and armor on the go, and have all kinds of life-changing items for different situations. Upon realizing he was getting carried away with his overthinking, he let the matter rest, but reminding himself to scold his friends later—he had to ingrain in them the sense of precaution, so they would pack more stuff for unforeseen situations!

Just as his attention shifted back to reality, he noticed a slight problem ahead: the path split in three different tunnels.

“Hey! Loreno said nothing about this!” Lilithra complained, as she shone her light through each entrance. Lyra started fidgeting as her eyes darted between the different paths, while Selorien sighed with frustration.

“This way.” Both ascalon and Escarlata exclaimed in unison, their fingers pointing to the same tunnel. The rest perked up with curiosity, as Lilithra stepped forward.

“How do you know?” She asked with eager anticipation and intrigue in her tone, knowing that if both of them had picked the same path, it meant it was the correct one without a doubt.

Ascalon glanced at Escarlata, who simply nodded in return, and took it as a cue to speak. “I can sense lingering presences through this path.” Ascalon declared, taking a few steps ahead.

“You can also compare it with the other entrances.” Escarlata added, pointing toward another path. “The dust is mostly unperturbed through there, and there as well.” She remarked, her finger tracing the air to the remaining tunnel.

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The rest let out impressed sounds, while both Lilithra and Lyra appraised the paths with narrowed eyes, trying to perceive the differences the maid had told them about.

Be it because the smell was too distracting, their untrained eyesight, or the lack of experience, they couldn’t grasp what made the correct path stand out. They gave up and slumped their shoulders, as Selorien spoke with a reassuring tone.

“I can barely notice even with my elven eyes, so don’t feel bad about it.” He exclaimed, his friends smiling softly at his words. “It’s unfair to compare yourself to these monsters, anyway!” Selorien added, giggling to himself.

Ascalon sighed, while Escarlata seemed to take it as a compliment, her expression a proud one. Without wasting any more time, the knight led the way once more, and the rest eagerly followed.

They walked on and on for what seemed like an eternity, the paths before them splitting multiple times, the smell becoming less and less of an annoyance as they grew accustomed to it. Lilithra was wondering if that even was a good thing, but decided to simply get an hour-long shower afterwards. Maybe two hours.

As their impatience grew, Ascalon finally stopped, gesturing to his friends to do the same as he raised a hand in the air.

“I can feel a draft.” He stated, approaching a corner and taking a cautious peek. “Ah, here it is.” The knight added, this time waving a hand toward him, inviting the group to follow.

Lilithra took the initiative and skipped past him, turning the corner, only to come to an abrupt halt. Just mere steps ahead was a big hole, its edge looking cracked, seemingly about to collapse at any moment.

As the rest followed, they gasped at the size of the crevice, peering down at what looked like a bottomless pit. At one side was a portable ladder: a set of wooden boards tied together by two ropes, its long end disappearing into the dark chasm.

Lilithra took a few steps back, looking at the flimsy ladder as she shook her head. “No, no, no! No way that thing is gonna hold on!” She exclaimed with a panicked expression, her concerns infecting Lyra who started to fidget nervously.

Selorien, as usual, giggled to himself in amusement. Ascalon, on the other hand, considered Lilithra’s fears. The ladder did look quite flimsy, and it didn’t seem like it would support his own weight. The rest were probably safe, as they were pretty lean and athletic, Lyra being the only exception—though not enough to warrant worry.

Still, Ascalon thought of a better solution. He just had to confirm something first, so he promptly spoke. “Miss Escarlata, may I impose upon you for a moment?” His eye locked onto her, and the maid visibly flinched, clearly taken aback by him suddenly addressing her.

Selorien didn’t let the chance slip away, and smirked, while Lilithra and Lyra peeked at them with curiosity, wondering just what did Ascalon need from her. The maid, recomposing herself, managed a slight, shy nod, and the knight continued.

“Could you kindly scout ahead, to see if the ‘landing’ is safe?” Ascalon asked, his choice of words confusing the rest for a bit, though Escarlata grasped the meaning in an instant. She bowed politely before replying.

“If it is for the young master’s safety, I shall oblige.” She said with a courteous tone before taking a few steps ahead and suddenly leaning forward, her body falling into a fast plunge as gravity pulled at her.

Lilithra and Lyra gasped in shock as Escarlata descended rapidly, her figure vanishing into the dark abyss, where their light couldn’t reach.

“Wha-?!” Lilithra began, likely about to reproach Escarlata’s actions, but Selorien shook his head with a knowing smile on his lips.

“Don’t worry.” He stated, making Lilithra reconsider.

She sighed in resignation, realizing that there was indeed no need to worry—it was Escarlata, after all. Lyra still seemed skittish, so Lilithra took the chance to ruffle her hair, mostly for her own amusement. Lyra took the action with confusion but relished on the affection.

At that moment, the sound of something cutting swiftly through the air reached their ears, and a second later something struck the ceiling. They all looked up with curiosity and wariness, and witnessed what appeared to be a knife embedded in the roof.

“I see. It seems to be safe.” Ascalon proclaimed as he stepped forward, the rest looking at him with curiosity. “Grab onto me.” He suddenly ordered, leaving his friends puzzled.

“Huh?” Lilithra blurted out, while Selorien, wasting no time, lazily climbed onto Ascalon’s back, making the girls realize what the knight meant. “Come on.” The elf urged as he smiled, clearly amused.

Lyra hesitated for a moment, putting her phone away, and then skipped toward Ascalon and hugged his right side. Ascalon enveloped her with his arm, and lifted her effortlessly. The cat girl blushed and held tighter, her face showing a contented smile.

Lilithra puffed her cheeks as both jealousy and eagerness overcame her, and quickly ran toward Ascalon’s left side, mimicking Lyra and also putting away her phone. Ascalon gently put his arm around her, and lifted her too, her face reddening as she squealed.

“You girls…” Selorien teased before tapping Ascalon’s shoulder. “Hiya!” He exclaimed, as if urging a horse to move. Ascalon exhaled sharply at the elf’s antics, and grabbed both girls tighter.

“Do not fear—just do not let go.” He proclaimed, as he stepped forward, his figure inching closer to the abyss. They all knew what was going to happen next, but had the utmost trust in the knight—though two of them had also some ulterior motives of their own.

With unwavering confidence, Ascalon jumped down, the weight of his companions adding to the momentum of his descent.

“Aaaah!!” Both Lyra and Lilithra screamed, a mix of elation and uneasiness in their voices. For them, it was like going into a rollercoaster—just faster and more dangerous!

As they fell, Ascalon peered into the distance, watching as the ground slowly appeared and grew increasingly closer. Just before impact, Ascalon shifted his posture and adjusted his grip on the girls, while Selorien giggled as he flailed on his back.

The knight landed with a solid thud, his legs bearing the brunt of the impact and absorbing most of it. The ground cracked slightly as he cushioned the fall for his friends, who felt a sudden jolt as the momentum stopped, but were otherwise unharmed.

Both girls let out a sigh of relief as Escarlata greeted the group with a slight bow. Selorien was the first to let go of Ascalon, falling to the ground and stumbling slightly as he recomposed himself.

“That was something.” The elf added, a smug grin spreading across his face as he looked at Ascalon. There stood the knight, two girls tightly clinging to him.

“It is safe to let go now.” Ascalon informed them, but the girls remained unfazed. They exchanged glances, their cheeks flushed red, and Lilithra broke the silence.

“I’ll let go if you let go…” She said while narrowing her eyes. Lyra met her stare with surprising boldness.

“N-no I’ll let go if you let go!” She exclaimed, Ascalon feeling flabbergasted by the situation.

It was Escarlata’s cold, sharp stare that made both girls flinch, and they promptly let go of the knight. “S-sorry…” Lilithra and Lyra said to each other, before smiling and giggling at their own antics, though still feeling the maid’s emotionless eyes on them.

They thought that maybe Escarlata was feeling impatient at their childish attitude. If only they knew she was simply jealous, perhaps they might have bonded over it! But that wasn’t a priority at the moment.

“Hmmm…” Ascalon muttered as he appraised his surroundings. They were in a dimly lit corridor, with a few, broken statues littering the ground around them, their stone ‘eyes’ focused on their direction. Mounted along the walls were a set of old-looking torches—most likely magical, as there was no way their ancient flames could remain lit for so long.

Lilithra looked around with clear curiosity, followed by a sheepish Lyra. “Are we like, actually in? No entrance or anything?” Lilithra asked, her gaze shifting to Selorien.

“We didn’t get a dungeon notice either…” The elf replied, pondering over the matter, while Lyra nodded in acknowledgement. Ascalon remembered their time at the Howling Chasm, and how a network message had greeted them upon entering.

But this dungeon, if it even was one, seemed different—perhaps outside the network’s intervention. It was something to be wary of, that much was clear.

Heightening his senses, Ascalon felt many presences around the labyrinthine paths, and raised an eyebrow as he pondered. “Seems like there are beasts abound.” He declared, and his friends looked at him with knowing looks.

“That much is a given!” Lilithra proclaimed with confidence, her friends nodding at her. She seemed excited, and ready to face the dungeon and its unknown dangers.

Still, Ascalon couldn’t help but feel something was strange, as he felt a familiar tingling in his chest, though this time it was stronger. He produced his knight emblem from his pocket, and everyone marveled at it with curiosity.

The crest moved by itself in his palm, surprising both the group and Ascalon himself. The mysterious event unfolded, as deeper inside the dungeon, another presence became aware of their arrival.