Our first raid on the third floor ended without any Mana Orbs, but the Monster Cores alone were enough for us to make $88.
That was already great, but not running into the receptionist who bugged us about the government contracts was even better.
Especially since this time, we had Beatrice with us, and I wanted her to take it easy-
Beatrice: "S-Slow down... Please..."
We were taking a slightly different route home, to eat some snacks on our way back.
It only meant walking through a few more streets, but to an already exhausted witch, that seemed to be too much.
Miwen: "You know... There's a park just down the street if you wanna sit down for a second."
Beatrice: "Can't you... Make it an hour?"
She was panting hard, her back arched forward while her hands rested on her knees.
Claire: "She's a witch. It could be a trick."
It was the first time I had seen her eyes so cold; she stared down at Beatrice like she was an insect.
To my surprise, Licia didn't correct her and watched silently.
Even Beatrice barely batted an eye, though she was more focused on catching her breath.
Miwen: "Unless she can sweat on demand, I don't think so..."
Since the girls were looking forward to the snacks so much, I gave them the money we'd just earned and headed to the park with Beatrice.
The two of us sat on a bench watching kids playing games, couples making out, and the sunset painting the horizon orange.
We were also being watched, though mostly by men who paid their respects to Beatrice's curves by discreetly looking back at her.
Beatrice: "...I take it you're a rogue?"
A couple of minutes had passed, the mood between us slightly awkward.
Because of the girls' reaction to her, I had my guard up, but other than her habit of smiling to embarrass men, Beatrice didn't seem too bad.
She was even kind enough to break the ice first.
Not very witch-like, from all I had been told.
Miwen: "I'm still undecided... But I like to help wherever I can."
Claire, Licia, and I had reached level 9, and with the points I got, I increased the level of my [Movement Speed Up] skill, as well as my strength and dexterity stats.
I had always needed the extra speed stat to keep up with Claire and Licia, but now that our party was more balanced, with a clear frontline and backline, I wanted to be able to fill the gaps.
Hybrid stat allocations were usually worse than focused builds, but I enjoyed the flexibility that my Gift's systems allowed.
Miwen: "Though a rogue sounds a bit harsh, don't you think, miss evil witch?"
She didn't approach me on the bench, but her knees turned slightly more toward me.
Her smiles were always small and subtle, yet immensely provocative.
It was hard to look away, even when I felt her watching me intently, and her body didn't give me many safe places to land my gaze on.
Even though I knew little about witches, every second I spent with Beatrice made me acquainted with her dangers.
Beatrice: "Fufu... I wonder?"
A quiet, almost internal giggle escaped her.
Despite the girls' warnings, being with her felt comfortable and oddly nice.
Though her eyes were a little too attentive for me to lower my guard, and I felt like probing her a little myself.
Miwen: "What have you spent your points on? Intelligence again?"
That'd be natural for a mage, regardless of their level.
However, the girls had warned me that witches and mages were completely different things.
Beatrice: "I have been saving them... Unless you want me to do something for you?"
If her playfulness were slightly less deliberate, I wouldn't hesitate to call it charming.
As it stood, it only reminded me that I should be careful not to fall for a witch's trap.
Miwen: "Actually, yes."
Her eyebrows rose for a brief moment, and her lips curled into a slight smile.
Both of us remained silent for a second, the words hanging in the air.
She refused to let her expression tell me her feelings, and I denied her the enjoyment of another flustered man.
It was an impasse.
But it worked better for me.
Miwen: "I asked Claire to save her points for now. I was thinking you could level the [Fire Magic] you have so that she can level up [Swordsmanship] with her flame points."
She hid her smile behind her hand and shifted even more toward me.
Naturally, I felt obligated to do the same, and suddenly, our eyes locked.
Beatrice: "...Oh? I don't imagine she readily agreed with that?"
Her read was spot on.
Claire seemed to be trying to avoid the same mistakes of her past, being a little more willing to invest in her [Mana Control], but she still had her complaints.
She even put me through her whole "Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm doing this for you..." routine.
Miwen: "Readily or not, the important part is that she agreed. What about you?"
The silence was her territory.
She could make it comfortable; she could make it oppressive.
All with just her expression.
Beatrice: "Our Gifts are quite selfish, don't you think? Mine and the redhead, I mean."
She moved closer, the bench suddenly a little too small for the two of us.
Her words were mostly true, though.
Claire's [The Last Flame Knight of Abdure] and her [Deep Secrets Of Arcanum Omnimagic] would normally only work to strengthen their users, but with my-
Beatrice: "But your Gift... It's such an opposite... It overwhelms both, turning ours into its tools. And then, you use them for... Other people's gains..."
Her cadence made it hard for me to know what to emphasize; each word felt heavier than the last.
Still, I didn't miss the implication she was reaching for.
Miwen: "It's your choice. I'm not going to force you. The same way I didn't force her."
While she controlled the silence, I controlled the energy.
She had stared into my eyes, stepping into my territory.
I could always break the silence.
She couldn't so easily escape my gaze.
Beatrice: "And yet... I feel so compelled..."
I let a chuckle escape me while raising my arm, slouching on the bench.
She was quick to notice my hand approaching behind her shoulder. She almost seemed amused by it.
Miwen: "I'll take that as a yes, then."
Beatrice: "I meant it as one."
Only when I turned forward did I realize how much she was leaning toward me.
How much I had been leaning away...
Miwen: "I don't understand. This should be something good for you, but you're acting so... suspiciously. Why?"
To get the most synergy out of our three Gifts, we'd need Beatrice to study magic on her own, which she seemed more than happy to do.
She'd naturally level up all kinds of magic-related skills, while also using her Gift's discounts to further increase their levels with Level-Up Points whenever needed.
Not having to use so many of her Sparks with [Fire Magic] would allow Claire to increase the level of her other skills, and then...
I'd share the skills among all of us using my [Kingdom Points], letting everyone focus on harder skills to level or just their stats.
It worked well for everyone involved.
Beatrice: "That would mean... You're giving me permission to pursue magic as I like?"
Again, her wording was very deliberate.
But this time, she got me.
I had prohibited her.
And I didn't regret it.
The girls told me she was dangerous; letting her obtain magic felt like handing a gun to a stranger.
Even now, I still kept a watchful eye on her, more than on anyone else.
Miwen: "You really don't make things easy for yourself..."
It felt like the opposite of what an evil witch should do.
I expected her to exploit anything that was to her benefit, but...
Thinking back on it, even during her first day with us, despite having all the reason and ability to hide it, she purposefully declared herself a witch in front of everyone.
The consistency didn't make her behavior any more understandable.
Beatrice: "Fufu. I may have one condition."
I turned my face toward her.
She kept quiet, letting a cold breeze speak louder.
Since I had already fallen into her territory again, I went all the way in.
Miwen: "I'm listening."
She fixed her posture, the two of us now keeping the same distance we had when we started talking.
It was more appropriate.
But far less interesting.
I actually enjoyed her probing me.
At least, as much as I enjoyed probing her.
Beatrice: "I'll increase my intelligence one more time. And I also want to unlock [Water Magic]."
Perhaps I had underestimated just how strong her Gift truly was.
The discount was big enough that, according to her, she could level up [Water Magic] to level 3, get another point in intelligence, and still increase the level of her [Fire Magic].
She had saved points from her sixth and seventh level-ups, but still...
That was slightly terrifying.
Miwen: "...As expected of a witch."
Beatrice: "Fufu... You're not answering me..."
Even though she enjoyed playing with the silence so much, it seemed like she hated when someone else stole her gimmick.
She made her point clear.
Trying to play her game wasn't wise.
Miwen: "...Can I trust you with it?"
Offensively, fire was the most powerful of the basic types of magic.
Wind worked especially well with it, and earth would allow her to defend herself.
Yet, even though her Gift gave her access to all types of magic, she chose water, the least compatible with the element she already had.
Just another self-provoked setback, or...
Beatrice: "...Can you?"
Of course.
She wasn't going to make it easy.
I should've already known.
Miwen: "Pft. I do want to trust you."
Beatrice: "That would be nice..."
I gave her the go-ahead, and the girls finally returned from their shopping trip, carrying a plastic bag full of all sorts of snacks.
Licia: "Did something happen while we were away? Between you two, I mean..."
While making our way back home, Licia grabbed onto my arm, while Claire grabbed onto the other.
Claire: "Look, it's not that I care who you trust, but..."
Beatrice and I were slightly closer now, and the two definitely noticed it.
Their concerns seemed mixed with a tinge of jealousy, but...
Miwen: "I don't know. Did something happen, Beatrice?"
Beatrice: "Well... I had a pleasant time."
Neither of us wanted to fight the impossible battle against the duo, and suddenly, the silence didn't favor any of us.
Still, we at least agreed that their reactions were as fun as our conversation.
Once we were back home, all of that faded as Beatrice sat on the couch, silently researching on my phone.
Meanwhile, Anna joined Mia and Claire in the TV monopoly, killing all semblance of a democratic choice.
Ellie and Licia helped me in the kitchen, but Beatrice's words kept coming back to me.
Despite how much my Gift seemed to compel her, and maybe even the others, I felt more like a cook than a king.
Perhaps that would change if I were to summon a maid, but chances were that I'd only get someone else to feed...
Still, before going to bed, I decided to do a little research myself.
The topic was, of course, the AOTG.
My sister always said I was overprotective when it came to her, and it was hard to deny that I could be thinking about it too deeply.
However, I had a bad feeling about it.
Since I didn't know any AOTG member other than my sister, I couldn't do much more than a surface-level search.
My best hopes were actually Sam and Roy.
The two were still raiding the Dungeon with a new party, and they told me that they had just reached the fourth floor, so there was a chance their new party members, or some of their friends, knew something.
Perhaps because of what I talked about with the girls inside the Dungeon, I also contacted my parents to ask if they knew anything.
It was rare for me to reach out to them, and...
I'd only understand the mess I got myself into much later.