Dungeon Annihilation 2 - 34

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Louella

I groaned as the morning light hit me in the face. I had waited up for Earle, but eventually had decided to try and sleep after it became obvious he was upset after all and wouldn’t be coming to see me. Yawning, I realized that my pillow was a bit rougher than last time.

Snapping open my eyes, I found Earle under me. I had been using his arm as my pillow. I expected him to be displeased, but contrary to my expectations. I found he was in a very good mood. “Earle. What? I thought you were upset with me?”

“Ah. That’s what you get for assuming. I can manipulate shadows! I heard everything you said last night. No. I really had things to take care of that prevented me from seeing you.”

“Judging by your mood. I can assume it went well.”

“Very well.” I’m not sure what face I made but he started to chuckle. “No. I wasn’t cheating on you.”

“Cheating?” I pouted and crossed my arms. “Thought never crossed my mind.”

“Sure. Here. Breakfast,” he said handing me a tray. I took in the food with a curious glance but didn’t recognize any of it. “Recipes of my clan.”

“Of course.”

There appeared to be a few slices of flatbread, a scrambled egg or something similar, with bacon, though it was cooked in a way I’d never seen before. There were a few fruits and vegetables that added some color to the assortment. To be honest, I didn’t expect much given that breakfast was usually a bland affair.

I was excitedly mistaken. The bread was sweet and the bacon juicy. There were several seasonings I had never tasted before. The fruit also tasted freshly picked. “This… this is amazing!”

“You’re welcome.” He glanced at the door. “Time for me to go if you want to keep your secret. Which by the way, I would recommend you get your money’s worth.”

I nodded with a smile. “I’ll try, but he’s not exactly a man that you can pull one over just because you say something.”

“Maybe.” He started to fade before he returned. “Watch your back around those two chained knights. Something is… off about them.”

“You mentioned something like that before. Shouldn’t we inform the marquis if that is the case?”

“Unless he is in on it,” Earle said before his body vanished completely.

There was a knock before the door was pushed open as Ezal made her way in. “Good morning, my lady. You have a rather full day. I wanted to check to see if you wanted an early breakfast.”

I gestured toward the now empty tray. “I am good. Help me dress and we’ll get a jump on the day.”

“I see. Well, my lips are sealed.” Ezal moved to the wardrobe and began selecting my clothes while I got out of bed and washed up. We had a few new arrivals today that required us to greet them. Most were stewards and vassals of the nobles that would be arriving in a few weeks. They were sent on ahead to get a jump on things like lodging and security.

“How many do we have today?” I asked as I did up my hair. Ever since coming to the valley, I had allowed my appearance to slip a little. When I knew I was meeting the marquis, I made sure to put in an effort but other than clean and tidy. I hadn’t been going the extra mile for much else. It would go a long way to send a message to the incoming nobles that I was able to keep up my image even away from the bastion of fashion that were the capitals.

“Four. All relatively minor nobles in the grand scheme of things. One however is related to the noble that sold you the land. I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes out of his way to make things… annoying for you.”

“Just what I needed this early in the morning. Well, Let’s have his first so that the rest of the day might wash it out the taste.”

“As you wish. Ioa arrived just at dawn as well. Along with her guard duty, I believe she wishes to discuss something with you.”

I wrinkled my nose at that. While I liked the Elf, she wasn’t afraid to state her mind. While I haven’t been on the receiving end, likely owed to the fact that I’m her employer, I have found her tongue as sharp as any sword. “Let’s hope it’s not a pay increase.”

“We still have a considerable amount from the last time we asked the dungeon.”

“I understand that. And while the host has technically taken his ‘payment,” I said making air quotes. “Next time the host might ask for a complete sacrifice. I’m not quite ready to go down that road nor see the dungeon corrupted in such a way.”

“You think it has something to do with the necromancers that died in its halls?” Ezal asked with concern. The last thing we needed was a repeat of Undead Queen Alara. Ironically, at least in her case the necromancer had some kind of involvement. I dreaded what might happen if the dungeon had completely free reign in concert with the powers the necromancers used.

“I don’t know. We do need to find out soon.”

Fully dressed, we made our way out into my office. The desk was already overflowing with stacks of paper from various matters around the town that needed my attention. If I gave some of the officials more reign, then this wouldn’t be the case. I just didn’t want to risk any embezzlement or corruptions issue this early on. Development areas were always the target of such scams. Just yesterday, I found three issues with reporting from various people the guilds had hired for one thing or another.

Ioa made her way into the office moments after I sat down. “Good morning, Ioa. Anything to report about your group?”

“Two matters, I’m afraid.”

“Let me guess. You want a raise due to my recent… change in status.”

The prideful elf actually bowed her head. “Yes. If it was just me, I would leave it. The others, however, are not so easily persuaded. The brain of our group claims the threat on your life has nearly tripled with this change.”

“Tripled!?” I asked honestly surprised. I knew it would have gone up, but I wasn’t sure by that much. “Why do they say it will have triple?”

Ioa gestured to a chair and I nodded. She sighed as she took the seat. “We have contacts in several different groups. I’m sure you know the marquis is a fairly well respected noble.”

“Yes. While I’m from Lecazar even we have heard of the saint like noble.”

“That is part of the problem. He has a large,” she emphasized the word large, “fan base among women. Since he has never settled down to this point, there were more than a few that were dealing in the background for a chance to woe the man. Some of these women are not… the nicest in the world.”

I rubbed my head at the actions of my fellow women. I recalled the woman that was coming to the valley soon. “What do you know about a Helicilia?”

“Not much. A new noble, for all intents and purposes, to Thonaca that was hidden by her family until recently. In fact, it is almost strange that there is almost nothing on her.”

I smirked at that. As they say few nobles were truly clean. “I can only imagine what you’ve found out about me from your contacts.”

She gave me a tight-lipped smile. “Nothing that would keep us from working with you, at the very least.”

“Isn’t that a blessing,” I said shaking my head. “Very well. Given your concerns, I shall double your pay.”

“Thank you. As for the second matter I wanted to discuss with you.”

“Go ahead.”

“My group has attempted the boss in the mines twice now. While we have managed to avoid being killed, we haven’t even started to be close to defeating it. Our overarching problem is that the woman aptly named Greed, appears to enchant the party attacking her to desire her above all else.”

“Desire her? As in?” I asked letting the sentence hang.

“No. No. Its hard to describe. While some might call it sexual, it is more of an overpowering need to claim her as your own. To touch her.”

I shook my head. “I probably won’t be able to understand until I experience it myself.”

“About that. I want to lead a raid level attack on the boss.”

“Raid level?!” I asked shocked. It was only the third boss in the dungeon! Even the Night’s Cradle next to Tearfalls, one of the oldest dungeons on the continent didn’t require a raid until the sixtieth floor.

“Unfortunately, yes. I and a few other party leaders feel that is the only way to defeat her.”

“How many have gotten past Wrath?” I still recalled the last boss battle I had recently. I wasn’t too sure I wanted to try another one so soon. Plus, to have a raid level we’d need at least fifty people. Given that party sizes were already doubled for this dungeon, it might be safer to factor for a hundred people. That was nearly the level of skirmish in a war.

“As of this morning, we have seven parties that have defeated Wrath. The battle during the tournament allowed for most parties to prepare for the fight.”

“So that puts us at… eighty or so people?”

“If we include your party, my lady, we will have exactly one hundred members for the raid.”

It was a strong force. One that would usually roll through a dungeon with considerable ease up until a certain point. The fact that she was bring this to my attention meant the other leaders were probably already on board. It was possible.

Tapping the desk, I thought of a certain person. “Is Sir Earle participating?”

“I have not yet asked. However, I did see his companion. I believe her name is Set. When I explained the situation, she only gave me a smile and walked away without a word. I have a feeling we can’t rely on him for this.”

“Okay. I shall bring it up myself.”

“Then we have a good ahead?”

“Yes. It will be good if we can get further in the dungeon.” If the adventurers were making progress in the dungeon. It would be a bigger draw for the people that were on the fence. Not to mention, I had my own situation to consider. If I was part of the party that pushed the group further, then I could use that.

Getting deeper int eh dungeon would be nice for another personal reason. I would be able to cultivate better. As a lightning wielder. Cultivating, in the wild, as some people called it, was nearly impossible. At least in the dungeon, it wouldn’t be quite as slow.

Ezal saw Ioa out. I wanted her to focus on setting up the raid. Raven had come in yawning a few minutes into our discussion, so I felt it was fine to relieve her. The dark-haired elf dropped onto the sofa with just a nod. I nodded back and pulled the first of the many stacks of paperwork over to me.

~~~

“The first steward should be here in ten minutes.”

“Yay,” I whispered under my breath. I heard a snicker from Raven and realized she’d managed to hear me. Damn elves and their excellent hearing. I sighed and looked over to her. “Do you think Sir Earle would be willing to participate in the dungeon raid?”

The snicker became a full-blown laugh. “Something funny?” Ezal asked with annoyance clear on her voice.

“Sorry. No. Um, master helping you in the dungeon?” She tilted her head to the side as if considering it. “It hard to say. It depends on his mood for the most part. Master has gotten a lot further up the dungeon than anyone else.” She pursed her lips. “I have a secret.”

My chest tightened when I heard that. I knew the man had many secrets. I doubted I’d learned them all in my lifetime. “You probably shouldn’t tell me if it will get you in trouble.”

“I never said it would. Just like you, master has an… arrangement with the dungeon. You know the host displays how far the dungeon conquering has gone on the outer walls right.”

“Yes. Much to the adventurers’ embarrassment I might add,” I replied nodding.

“Well, it doesn’t show masters.”

“You mean to say… How much higher is he?”

“Now that would get me in trouble if I told you,” Raven said before turning over on the sofa. Less than ten seconds later, I heard light snoring.

I looked up at Ezal. “I’ll inform him, but like Ioa said. I have a feeling he isn’t going to help.”

“You could demand or even beg…”

“I have my pride,” I snapped, cutting her off.

No. I would push the dungeon further with my own means. If a hundred adventurers couldn’t do what three can. Then we have no right to head further up the tower.

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