8K words.
I hope you can enjoy this more transitioning chapter.
Peace!
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Silver and the gang crossed the shore, and the mild destruction that spread throughout its length.
As they dived into the next set of caverns and hallways, Silver stopped to look back at it all for a moment before realizing something was missing.
/Swirl…/
He took out his trusty camera, pointing it at the lake and the falls.
/Flash!/
"Hm?… What was that?"
Lefiya, who was closest to him, turned around as her long ears twitched at the unfamiliar noise.
She turned back to see Silver holding a strange black box with a pensive gaze.
"What are you doing?" She asked with lingering suspicion as she approached him
"I'm recording this moment for posterity."
"What?"
"I'm taking a picture."
/Flash!/
The words weren't unfamiliar to her. Having studied in the School District, she was very familiar with advanced technologies employed not only in Orario but the world at large… even if most of those originated from Orario in the first place.
However, something was strange… that was too small for what she was used to.
She inspected the device closely, "Is that really a camera? The last one I saw was quite tall."
"That's because this is a portable one."
She looked at him with a gaze that said she didn't buy his words, "I never heard of it."
"That's because I made it."
Now she believed it even less… but why did part of her almost brush it off as a matter of course?
"It doesn't look like you believe me. Well, how about I take a picture of you then?"
"Huh? Me?"
"Yes, for posterity."
"I… whatever."
He smiled, moving back slightly, "Just step here and look at the distance."
"Erm… like this?" She asked as she brushed her hair aside, looking at the distant waterfalls
"Good, now…"
/Flash!/
"And we're good. I'll process the film later." He said as he took out a black film as it was ejected from underneath the camera
'I should also clean up what they left behind.'
"… Whatever…"
"How long are the two of ya going to stay there? We need to go." Gareth said as he waited near the cavern's entrance
The two of them turned to him, and Silver joked lightly as he raised his hand, "Well then, ladies first."
"Humph…"
The grumpy girl walked ahead of him, and Silver followed her as he maintained Rakta floating beside him.
After he walked past him, Gareth followed, closing their formation once again.
/Fwoop!/
A vortex closed in the distance, sucking in the last magic stone in the beach.
…
/Step…/
The cavern narrowed as they descended further beneath the earth, the roaring waters of the Great Falls slowly fading behind them until only the echoes of their own footsteps remained.
The air blew from below. Gone was the damp heaviness of the Water City, replaced instead by a faint floral fragrance, a scent unlike what he expected from the Dungeon.
Silver's gaze sharpened slightly, 'It's like the 18th Floor all over again.'
"… Wait! We forgot to collect the magic stone!!" Lefiya exclaimed all of a sudden, startling them
Gareth grumbled as he scratched his ears, "Keep it low, you'll rip a hole through my ears…"
"M-My bad…"
"I have already collected the magic stones." Silver added with a yawn as Lefiya turned to him with a dumfounded expression
"Since when?!"
"Since the battle ended… though I can't say I swiped all of it, most of it fell on the water."
Gareth laughed, "You really don't miss a chance, do you?"
"I'm a pretty competent Supporter. I'll work for my rates." Silver replied as he patted his chest with a chuckle
"You speak as if you weren't expecting us to forget about it so you could take them all." Gareth pointed out as he scratched his beard
Silver clicked his tongue, "Can't beat experience, huh?"
"What?!"
Lefiya clenched her teeth. She was going to thank him for helping her clean up, but now it felt wrong to even acknowledge it!
Silver felt her burning gaze and smiled accordingly, "What? Don't look at me like that, I'm only doing my job."
"Since when do Supporters steal the loot?!"
Silver took a notebook from his pocket space, "Then please, miss mage, how many monsters and of what types did you take down so I may write down your contribution?"
"Ah?"
"Don't tell me you weren't paying attention? This isn't good. At this rate I won't know how many to collect…"
She pouted, "But you already know how many there are!"
Silver raised his right hand, counting with fingers, "Do I?… I counted about… five dozen."
"Are you kidding me?! I killed at least three… seven times that!!" She claimed as she stomped her feet and calculated with her fingers as well
"So you don't know how many, is it?"
She clenched her teeth. It was true, she didn't pay any attention at all.
And to be honest, who did?
Gareth stepped forward, slapping Silver's back, "Leave the lass alone, just round up the stones and put it all in her name. I barely did much anyway… Besides, I won't be needing any money when we're back." He added as he patted his stomach
Gareth chuckled, "Someone is already paying for my food."
And Riveria snickered in the front, "Tsk. Only the drinks."
"And don't you forget it! Buwahaha!"
/Step…/
Silver noted something down in the notebook, as he followed the others down the staircase, "So we can roll with… how about three hundred monsters?"
But Lefiya turned her head away, "Whatever! I don't need to nitpick at all the monsters I kill anyway!"
She proudly waved her hair as she tried to act tough. Unfortunately, Silver wasn't buying.
"Great, that leaves me a few hundred Level 3 Magic Stones. Calculating their rough value according to Guild's rates… that's well over five million Valis at the very least post-taxes."
"Guah!"
Lefiya held her chest tightly as if something had pierced straight through it.
In most expeditions, adventurers were forced to nit-pick at everything they brought in and out with them.
For the Upper Floors where the number of monsters and resources was low, carrying it all back and forth was easy, but the deeper one went, fitting it all within a backpack becomes increasingly difficult, for no matter how strong one is, they cannot expand their storage.
Most materials and items were left behind, to the point that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say over 80% of the loot a party comes across in a dive to these floors would be destroyed or left behind.
Even for an expedition of this size, a lot of the collected magic stones could only be shattered to prevent the strengthening of the monsters. That's why many Familias believed the idea of diving deeper down to be more of a moral task of cleaning the floors than a monetary one.
Adventurers had to explore deeper to grow stronger, but when it comes to making money… how can one carry a ton worth of stones on their back across monster-ridden caverns?
"Were they worth that much? Man…" Tiona said as she scratched the back of her head
Tione didn't seem very happy to hear the numbers either, "We usually just crush it all and keep the drop items to sell… I kind of forgot how valuable they all were."
'Also, we kind of got our share after the expedition was over, so I haven't had the chance to see how much they were selling for.'
Lefiya almost pulled at her hair as she bit her lips in frustration.
"Stop talking! You're making me feel worse…"
Breaking the mild awkwardness, Silver stepped forward again, "Would you all like to know how much you've made so far?" He asked as he checked his notes
"It's a rough estimate, but the total through Magic Stones alone amounts to a little over forty million Valis. Forty-five now, I suppose."
"I haven't counted drop items and other retrieved materials since I don't know how to appraise those."
""…""
They all went silent, even Gareth was impressed at the number.
He coughed faintly, "I can clearly see now what Finn saw in you."
Lefiya gulped down, but then tilted her head, "Wait… if you don't know the rates for drop items, then does that mean…"
"Yes, I've memorized the table of rates on Magic Stones. I tried asking for the ones on Deep Floor monsters, but any information on that is sealed, so I had to ask others… thus I can't say its very precise."
'We're only on the Lower Floors anyway.'
"Why?!"
"Why, what?"
"Why would you memorize such a thing?"
He smiled, "Because I'm the God Supporter."
But Tione just clicked her tongue, "Isn't it just because of the money?"
"Ha! That is a great motivator also!"
""…""
…
/Gleam…/
The rough stone passage soon widened, and a pale glow emerged from beyond the bend ahead, soft and diffused, unlike the harsh blue radiance of the crystals from the upper safe point.
Then, they crossed into the 28th Floor.
…
/Shine…/
For a brief moment, Silver forgot he stood beneath the world.
A vast field of flowers stretched through the underground expanse before him, blooming beneath a ceiling covered in luminous roots and crystal veins that resembled a false night sky.
Countless petals swayed gently under the wind, their colors blending into an endless sea of white, blue, violet, and faint gold.
'So this is the place. What many call the most beautiful place in the Dungeon…'
The floor itself was smaller than the Under Resort, narrower as well. And rather that he had climbed down a floor, Silver felt as if they had entered a hidden sanctuary, one carved into the Dungeon itself.
Massive roots twisted along the distant walls, their surfaces wrapped in glowing moss and flowering vines, while thin streams of water crossed through the fields in shallow currents so clear they reflected the lights above like mirrors.
He heard no monsters, their cries did not reach them here. Only the soft rustling of flowers answered their arrival.
"… It's as gorgeous as ever." Lefiya muttered quietly, her previous irritation forgotten as she stared at the scenery before her
Even Bete clicked his tongue less harshly than usual as his sharp ears twitched beneath the unusual silence. He looked around with a soft gaze, remembering things he'd rather leave buried.
Ais slowly raised her gaze toward the glowing ceiling, the pale lights reflected within her golden eyes as the wind brushed against her hair.
She was reminded of Silver's and Riveria's conversations before. And while this wasn't the first time she had seen this sight and looked up at the glistening roots above, she wondered… was this place truly vile?
/Inhale…/
Silver took a deep breath. For once, even the Dungeon seemed willing to let them breathe.
He stepped forward through the flower field. The flowers brushed against his legs as he walked, their petals released to the wind as they spread around him and the others.
'They say this place is similar to the High Elves' gardens. I've never been to them, so I'll have to believe it…'
"So? How does it feel? The Under Garden?" Gareth asked as he stepped beside Silver
"… Not bad."
And for a fleeting instant, as Silver looked upon the Under Garden's endless bloom, he wondered whether the Dungeon itself understood beauty.
Or if it was merely trying to trick them, like it always did.
"ATCHIU!"
Breaking the silence, Rakta opened her eyes, only to sneeze uncontrollably as the pollen reached her sensitive nose.
"I really can't stand this place… thank you, Sil… ATCHIU!" She said as Silver gave her a towel to wipe her face
She added with reddened eyes, "But it's so beautiful… SNIFF!"
"… Let's get a move on before Rakta grows sick."
Gareth pointed at the distant hills, "The usual place should suffice."
Their destination is sight, they continued on their journey.
…
"… Say… what was that thing you did in your fight?"
"Not very specific. I'm a man of many talents."
"I'm talking about the pottery thing!"
"Huh?"
Riveria sighed, "She's talking about teleportation."
Hearing the words coming from another's mouth was quite surprising, "You know about it?"
"I do, that said, I can count on one hand the number of times I've ever mentioned it. Much less in Koine."
Silver smiled helplessly, "Isn't that right… it took me several years to even find out we had a word for it, and we just borrowed the term from the White Elves."
"Oh? Are you familiar with it?"
"Very much so. The second language I ever learned was that." He replied as he looked at the flowers on the ground
"Of course you know how to speak it…" Lefiya mumbled with a frustrated pout as she looked away
'It took me multiple semesters to master it!'
Silver smiled awkwardly. Meanwhile, Tiona shoved herself into their conversation, "Anyway, what's that all about?"
He didn't immediately respond, taking a minute to think about it, "It depends on how you see things."
'Teleportation can be performed in many ways. I know well over a dozen Plasmids that can do it.'
He closed his eyes, 'Back in the day, when I explored the tears for inspiration, just how much technology and ideas did I steal from others and claim them as my own work?'
/Flash!/
"!!"
Silver stretched out his hand, and a beam of red light beamed from the tip of his finger, "Normally, to reach somewhere, you must cross the distance between the two places. Teleportation simply ignores the distance." He said as he used his finger like a laser pointer.
"But how can you ignore distance?" Tiona asked as she tilted her head
Silver smiled helplessly, "Have you ever wondered why the sun is yellow?"
"No?"
"Great, keep at it."
She was mildly frustrated by his reply, "You could've just said it's complicated."
"It's far more than complicated."
But he held his true thoughts inside, 'You cannot even fathom the idea of complexity something like this exists in, and it isn't even amidst the most complicated Plasmids I ever had to master.'
Nonetheless, he still tried to help her. He clasped his hands together and parted them, creating a thin layer of greenish cloth between his palms.
"Imagine the world as this stretched cloth."
"If two points are far apart, you'd need to walk from one end to the other, spending time and energy… Teleportation folds the cloth until both points touch. Then all you have to do is walk to the other side."
Lefiya tilted her head, "But then… wouldn't the cloth have to be punctured or fuse away somehow?"
Silver clicked his tongue, "You're awfully sharp when you don't need to be…"
"RUDE!"
'This guy frustrates me so damn much!'
Silver smiled at her increasingly red face, "Space cannot be torn so easily, it can be bent and stretched to an unbelievable degree… or so it seems if you liken it to something as simple as a piece of cloth."
'Space is far more complicated than you can imagine.'
"I merely "swim" through it, nothing else."
"I don't get it… but I believe you." Tiona said with a faint smile as she scratched her nose
Silver plucked a flower and put it on Lefiya's head while she was distracted, "The world is far larger than we think. We are merely suspended between the infinitely large and the infinitely small…"
"Where did this come from?" She muttered as she wiped the flower off her head with a scoff
But Silver didn't even give her a second glance, "How about a short race? See who can get there first?"
Tione looked at him as he walked past her, "What's that all of a sudden?"
"Who knows? I felt like showing off a little more, so I wanted to see who was the second fastest here."
"Second fastest?"
He pointed at his own chest, "But of course. I'm the fastest one here after all."
She smiled in amusement, "Woah there, take it down a notch…"
"I don't want to hear it from the one who lost to a Level 1."
"I was holding back before!"
Silver pushed his hair back, "Then try to keep up."
/Vanish!/
""!!!""
"Arg! Dammit! He's pushing me!"
Tione ran after Silver, kicking up a cloud of flowers and dust as the others looked on from the side.
Tiona waved her hands in the air, "Cough! Did she need to kick up all this fuss?"
"I think some of it fell in my mouth…" Rakta said as she stuck out her tongue and plucked a flower from it
"That just means she's up for building some tents." Gareth added as he crossed his arms, "Hasn't she paid any attention? Speed or not, it doesn't matter. It didn't take much for me to understand it."
"I didn't understand it either. Te-he…"
Bete grunted as he held in his urge to sneeze, "That's nothing to be proud about, dimwit."
"All the two of you can do is smash your heads against every problem until it somehow solves itself." He added with a snicker as he raised his head
She turned around and barked at him, "You're the dimwit, stink wolf! Your fur reeks of fish!"
"Huhh??"
/Kick!/
Gareth kicked Bete's butt as he walked past him, "Don't fight right now, I'm too worn out to babysit the two of ya."
"Don't kick me, you damn old man!"
"…"
Riveria couldn't have a moment of peace as her eyebrows came together, 'Can't they stay put for a moment?'
Having heard Tiona's words, Ais looked at her clothes and then back at flower fields, "I want a bath."
"… Yes… a bath will help me clear my head." Riveria said as she went downhill
"Oi, elf. You're letting your thoughts bleed out."
But Riveria didn't bother with Gareth.
"…"
'I need a bath too…' Lefiya thought as she looked at her stained clothes
Her last fight had left quite a few marks on her "battle armor". And above all, every time she looked at it, she couldn't help but think of Silver's words earlier… 'This isn't a swimsuit!' She thought as if reassuring herself…
They moved on into the distant hills.
...
/Meanwhile…/
/Fwoosh…/
"Stop right there!" Tione exclaimed as she reached the hill
"Oh, hell…"
/BAM!/
Silver waited for her near a boulder, but as soon as the running Tione reached him, a blast of air slammed against him, sending him flying onto the boulder behind, cracking it.
Gasping for air, he fell on the ground while Tione's expression froze, "Crap!"
She pulled him from the rock and laid him flat on the grass as he struggled to get air into his lungs again…
"Huff… you… haaa… know… You run… pretty fast…"
"Don't push yourself, if you die here Finn's going to hate me!"
Silver closed his eyes, so that was all his life was worth in her eyes?
He recovered soon after, and as the others arrived, they began setting up camp.
…
/Clack!/
"… Why do I have to do this again? We already have him!" Tione complained as she hammered a nail into the ground
"We can't rely on the boy for everything, can we? Just like the old times…"
"It hasn't been that long!"
"More of a reason for you to stop complaining and help me pitch this tent." Gareth grumbled as he grabbed a metal rod and shoved it down solid rock as if it were butter
Meanwhile, Silver finished taking the last box from storage, placing it on an open patch of grass.
He cleaned his hands and stretched his shoulders as the others, minus Bete, watched from the side.
"… Come on… I want a bath, can you finish it any quicker?" Tiona complained as she lay on a rock
She clenched her teeth, almost crushing the metal nail, "How about you come help me instead of lazing up there?!"
"No can do, that's your punishment for knocking him out. Now, on with it… once we have this tent pitched, you can go shower."
/BAM!/
She grumbled something in a low tone before punching the ground, caving the rock, before shoving the bent rod into the rubble.
"… It's about time I went to shower too. So if you girls don't mind, I'll be taking that spot over there." Silver said as he closed the vortex
"I put your clothes over there as you asked. But is there anything else you'd like?"
Tiona looked at the hill Silver pointed at with a frown, "There's nothing over there, though?"
He smiled as he turned from her, "Just a second."
/SHUA!/
A large dark sheet spread in the air uphill, and in a mystical scene that shattered Lefiya's already broken mind… a whole house slowly descended from within.
/THUD!/
The massive structure, a two-floor house, gently landed on the flowery hill as Silver exhaled in relief.
"If you'll excuse me…"
"… Where did this house come from?!" Lefiya exclaimed as her jaw hung loose
Riveria pushed her hair aside, "I'm mildly intrigued also."
"Haa… I forgot about that…" Tiona said as she scratched the back of her head
Hearing their conversation, Silver spoke on their behalf, "It's my house. One of them, at least."
"And why do you have your house inside your storage?"
"So I don't have to sleep in a tent."
Lefiya's expression darkened, "But how did it get there?!"
"Oh? I ripped it from the ground, of course. Once I bought the land and the house, I was free to do whatever I wanted with it, and there's no law that says I can't relocate my house like this… so I did it."
She remained stupefied, 'That's just because no one thought such a thing possible!'
He touched his chin, "That said, I was thinking about what to do with that empty plot of land. I wasn't thinking of moving this house around… mn…"
""…""
After thinking for half a minute, Silver shook his head, "Well, I'll think about it later."
"But how do you plan on showering without water?" Riveria pointed out with a helpless sigh as she admitted defeat to his bizarre logic
"I'm glad you asked!"
Silver walked to the hill's edge and looked upon a distant river.
He raised his right hand, reaching out to the flowing water…
/Shua!!/
To their horrified eyes, he gently altered the river's coarse, having it flow into the air before depositing its contents into a large water reservoir above the house.
/Splash!/
"Phew… now the water tank's full."
Riveria's expression was stuck between awe and something else, "I… I see. Thank you for answering…"
"No problem. I promised to be more transparent after all."
He waved at them, "So if you don't mind me, I'll go take a hot shower."
"W-Wait a moment!" Lefiya exclaimed as her face grew red
"Hm?"
"D-Did you just say hot shower?"
He turned to her as if she had said something stupid, "Yes? Of course, I brought my own heater. The ones powered by magic stones… it comes with the house."
""…""
She coughed faintly, trying to muster the courage to continue her words… but she was beaten by Gareth.
"Kid, you wouldn't have a spare shower in that house, would ya? I'm not much for outdoor showers. Leave that for the elves."
Lefiya's jaw fell, her entire plan…
Silver smiled, "There is another, so feel free to drop by anytime. I'll teach you how to use the heater… But I didn't bring a lot of fuel, so we have to use it a little sparingly."
"And going back to the surface to get more would take a while…"
Gareth finished tying a knot, "A warm bath in the Dungeon… those geysers don't count, I suppose? Buwahaha!"
She did not give up, "I…!"
"Let's shower together, Lefiya! A little cold can be fun!" Tiona said with a smile as she held her hand, pulling her away
"Ahh! T-That's not it…"
'Showering together or not, I'd rather have a hot shower!'
Rakta laughed drily, "I do prefer hot showers…" Before she was also dragged away by the clueless Amazon.
Ais looked back at the river and then at the house and reluctantly went after Tiona. Riveria, on the other hand, sighed at the ridiculousness of the situation.
Like the others, they all went away to shower.
…
/Later…/
/Shua…/
Chilly water flowed through the carved stone, steam rising gently into the underground night as the flower-filled breeze crossed over the hills.
The pale glow of the Under Garden filtered through the thin curtains surrounding the river pool, mixing with the drifting mist until the entire place resembled something out of a fading dream.
The gentle trees swayed in the breeze, and here, only quiet voices and flowing water echoed.
(Image?)
"Haa…"
Riveria leaned back against the smooth stone, her previously tied hair let loose, its jade luster spreading over the water like strands of silk as the tension she carried since the battle slowly melted away beneath the breeze.
Even now, there remained an untouchable grace about her, something ancient and elegant that made the Under Garden itself seem more fitting around her presence.
If Silver were here, he would mention something about elves and rivers being two lines of the same paragraph, and that the scene of an Elf bathing in a calm, flowery patch of a secluded forest under the moon to be nothing short of mystical, if not, perhaps, stereotypical.
But where there was a stereotype, there was a shred of truth to it. And even now, in modern times, most elves alive, their population still held within the many ancient forests scattered around the world, lived in this manner, showering in rivers with no eyes to defile them.
/Splish splash…/
Beside her, Ais quietly washed the sand and blood from her arms, golden eyes lowered as steam drifted around her pale figure.
The faint light reflecting upon her hair made it resemble molten gold beneath moonlight, and in that silence, she carried the same distant beauty as the flowers blooming around them.
'I wanted a hot shower…' She quietly thought as she caught a few flower petals with her fingers
/SHA SHA SHA!/
As the water splashed around her, she recoiled faintly, stepping further away from the deeper parts of the pool as Riveria glanced at her, sighing even louder as she tilted her head back in a rare display of carelessness.
Tiona, meanwhile, shattered the tranquil atmosphere entirely as she laughed loudly, splashing water onto her sister as she swam around.
Her dark green eyes were full of life while droplets clung to her sun-kissed skin and untamed black hair.
Compared to Riveria and Ais, her beauty felt warmer, brighter… the kind that came with the passion of youth, as some old say.
"Stop that, Tiona!"
Tione immediately retaliated, irritation printed across her face despite the faint redness creeping onto it.
Her sharp features softened beneath the mist, and with her long black hair loosened around her shoulders, even her usual hostility seemed less severe than before.
She applied some sort of cream onto her skin and face, "Dammit, I'll have to reapply it. Do you know how hard it is to keep my skin smooth for Finn?"
"Is that why you smell of condiments?"
"#!! I don't smell of condiments!"
Despite that, Tione smelled her arms, 'Do I actually stink of condiments?'
"ZZZzzz…"
Rakta closed her eyes on the lake's shore, taking a light rest after soaking herself… She needed it after everything she saw.
/Bubble…/
At the far end of the pool, Lefiya quietly sank deeper into the water, hiding the lower half of her face while her long orange hair floated behind her. Though she tried to avoid attention, the soft light of the Under Garden suited her strangely well, giving her an almost ethereal appearance fitting of the Elven gardens this floor sought to imitate.
Her inquisitive eyes fell onto Ais as she cleansed her legs and arms, and for a moment, she almost looked like Loki as her lips curled underwater.
'Hehehe… Ais is as beautiful as always… and Riveria is as graceful as when I first saw her.'
Her mouth underwater, bubbled splash around her eyes as she enjoyed the sight, 'Haaaa… if only this could last forever…'
She then looked around warily, 'That pervert… he isn't peeking on us, is he?'
Her worries misplaced, Lefiya continued to enjoy her bath. And amidst the drifting steam and blooming flowers beneath the earth, the Dungeon felt impossibly far away for just a little while.
…
Ais and the others returned to the camp feeling refreshed. Without wasting a single second, Tiona rushed inside the house in the distance, Ais and Lefiya behind her.
/Chatter…/
The closer she and the others got to them, faint whispers of a conversation slowly drifted to them as they opened the door and stepped inside.
""…""
There, sitting next to a bonfire, were Silver and Gareth on opposite couches, a large plate full of unique cheeses between them as they held what seemed to be wine.
They both wore white bathrobes as they relaxed by the fire, something that had no room in the Dungeon…
"… and that's how I went on to become an adventurer, leaving my village behind." Gareth said as he took another small slice of cheese
Silver listened quietly as he chewed on another piece, "Don't you miss them? Your family and friends?"
Gareth took a sip of his drink, "Bah! Such melancholy is the kind of thing elves dwell on… anything that I had to say has already been said when I decided to leave."
"Nonetheless, I still visit them now and then when I have the chance." He said as his tone grew a little heavier
"My life before… was far too monotonous. There hasn't been a moment since then that I've regretted my decision."
Silver smiled cheekily, "But what's a Dwarf without his pickaxe?"
He smiled, "If you want to experience the Dwarven lifestyle, just say so and I'll shove you through the floor."
"I'll skip it…"
"Hey! Gimme one of these…"
/Chomp!/
"Yummy!"
Tiona stepped into the living room, leaning over Gareth's chair as she reached out for the cheeses.
"Don't jump over me, lass, there's enough for everybody." Gareth said as he picked the plate and handed it to Tiona, who walked away with a happy smile
"… You sure look comfortable." Tione said as she crossed her arms, "I thought you didn't drink in the Dungeon."
Gareth raised an eyebrow as he took another sip, "This isn't wine; it's grape juice. A damn good one at that."
He turned to Silver, "Can you give me some ice?"
Silver snapped his fingers, and a cube of ice fell gently into his drink as Gareth proceeded to swirl it and sip it again, "Haaa… not as good as ale, but it hits well enough."
Tiona jumped onto the couch next to Silver, "Can I have some too?"
"There you go, pour as much as you want." He replied as pulled a cup from nowhere, pointing at a metal jar on the table
"Thank you~"
""…""
Ais, Lefiya, and Rakta watched it all unfold before the silence was broken once again, "Pour some to me as well." Riveria asked as she stepped inside the room.
Tione turned to her with some surprise, "Riveria?"
"I went to the tent to look for him, but when I realized he didn't even step inside, I figured he'd be here."
She looked at Gareth as he relaxed on the couch and rolled her eyes, "I'm hungry as well. How about we make a proper meal?"
"That sounds a good idea, I'm famished." Tione said as she nodded
Silver stepped out, "Then let's make something. I already left the oven heating up, but if you're craving something else, feel free to cook it in the kitchen."
As Silver walked past them, Rakta couldn't help but ask, "What are you making?"
"Have you ever heard of pizza?"
She looked at Tione and Ais, but they shook their heads. Even Lefiya didn't know what that was.
"Looks like it's a first time then. Very well, I'll make something really good."
Tiona raised her hand, "I'll help!"
"Are you sure you want to help and not eat the ingredients?" Her sister pointed out as she realized her plate was empty
"Hehehe… you got me."
Tione sighed, and Ais stepped forward, "I'll help too."
'Last time I failed, this time I'll do it properly!' She thought as she grasped her hands together, determination flowing through her eyes
"…"
But Silver froze… "D-Don't worry. It's nothing complicated, I can…"
"I'll help." She insisted, misunderstanding his intent
"No, no… be my guest and sit tight, I'll…"
She ran past him, "dashing" into the kitchen, "I'll help!"
"…"
"You should just accept reality and move on." Riveria said as she walked to a nearby seat
Silver looked at the ceiling in despair while Lefiya also walked past him, "Ais' handmade food…"
"… Your look tells me something's wrong." Rakta noticed as she looked at him
"… Forget it. Let's just move on… somehow."
In the end, everyone except Uncle Gareth and Lady Riveria went to help Silver bake a pizza. You could say the youngster went to cook their meals while the old seniors stood behind…
But even thought he thought of that, he knew it was best not said aloud…
…
"… Where's Bete again?" Tione asked near the door as she crossed her arms
"He's fine, leave him be. I already gave him clearance to do whatever he wants. He won't descend, but he might've returned to the 27th Floor." Gareth replied as he poured himself more juice
"Huh? And why would you give him that?"
Gareth didn't seem too troubled by it, "Hm… it's complicated. Give the boy some time to himself and he'll be fine."
He looked at Riveria who silently understood his meaning. They had already had this conversation before, so she didn't worry about him either.
At least not in any noticeable manner.
"Tsk, when that mutt comes back, I'll give him a piece of my mind for leaving me to raise those tents alone…" Tione complained as she stepped inside the kitchen
"…"
'There's no one to blame but you for that.' Gareth thought as he listened to her mumbling, but opted not to say anything so the others would leave him be with his drinks and cheese
…
"Before we start… you didn't peek at us, did you?" Lefiya asked with a half-embarrassed and suspicious gaze as she stood between Silver and the kitchen
Silver stopped before her, raising an eyebrow.
"Ask that a few more times and I'll start thinking you want me to peek on you."
Her face went red, "That's not it!"
"I stood here all the time with Gareth. I couldn't have been there looking at you even if I wanted to."
He crossed his arms, smiling, "But don't worry, if I train a bit more, I'm sure I'll be able to!"
"That's not something you should train for!!"
The girls laughed while Lefiya stormed into the kitchen.
…
"… So? What are we doing here?" Tione asked as she put her hands on her waist
"I'll share the details as we go through it all. Just follow along and we'll do just fine." He said as he walked to the sink to clean his hands
As the others followed suit to clean their hands as well, Silver began putting the ingredients on the table. And after taking out a few chef hats and aprons, he continued, "Now then, shall we cook something you've never seen before?"
"Let's do it!" Tiona said as she put her hands together
Ais raised her hand, "Yes."
"I'm not too good a cook, but I'll put in my best." Rakta added as she gave him a determined glare
Lefiya scoffed, "I'm just here to make sure you don't do anything weird."
Tione exhaled, "Sigh…"
'Everything will turn out fine, right?'
…
/About half an hour later…/
/Burn…/
Silver and the others watched a blackened disc of dough burn on the counter.
His forehead pale, he gazed between that and the others, who promptly looked away.
"How? I just put it in the oven and went to the bathroom! It hasn't even been five minutes!"
His gaze lingered on Ais and Tiona, but neither had the courage to look at him.
He facepalmed, calming himself down, "Huff… okay, it's fine. We have enough ingredients to make a dozen more."
…
/Burn!/
"… How? What went wrong this time?!"
""…""
Silver looked at them, but no one looked at him again. He went past them and looked everywhere for the answer…
"… Who put the oven on five hundred degrees?!"
"Eh? Is that what it is? I thought that was to turn it on…" Tiona mumbled as she scratched her cheeks awkwardly
"…"
"Okay… let's do a change of pace. I'll take care of the oven, you girls take my role and cut the ingredients."
""Okay…""
Unfortunately, it wasn't on the third try, nor was it on the fourth one that they succeeded. It took them six tries for them to finally get one pizza right, and that was only when Silver kicked them out of the kitchen.
Utterly hopeless was the only word to describe Ais and Tiona's cooking power.
With everything finished, they went to the living room to eat their well-awaited meal.
…
"Haaa…"
Defeated mentally and physically, Silver collapsed on the couch as the others ate the pizza beside him.
/Chomp!/
"… For all the trouble we went through to make them, they're quite delicious!" Rakta said out loud as she ate her portion
Gareth enjoyed his slice as well, "It's an odd combination, but the taste is quite nice."
"So this is like a large bread with condiments?" Riveria asked as she looked at the pizza
Silver tilted his head, "From a certain perspective. Some might find that correlation offensive, though."
"??"
"I like it." Ais said with a smile as Tiona bit onto her slice, pulling the cheese so far it slapped back on her eye
"Arg!"
"Can you eat like a proper adult for once?"
Tiona slurped the cheese, "How is this my fault?!"
"…"
Lefiya, however, pouted, 'This can't be. He knows how to do everything, even cooking… it's unfair! I also want Ais to praise my cooking!'
The spirit of competition lit up inside her, but for rather twisted reasons…
…
Time passed, and before long, the layout of the camp was finished.
With little else to do but wait and rest, each member of the vanguard went to their little corner to pass time, and even the ever-so determined Ais was pulled away by Riveria before she could pull Silver along for training.
The man, on the other hand, found himself writing in his notebook as he sat atop a nearby hill overlooking the forest and fields of flowers that stretched into the distance.
/Step…/
"There you are."
Silver stopped scribbling in his book, turning around to face the princess of the white elves.
"Lady Riveria."
"Riveria is fine. Lady is too formal, we aren't at a party." She added with a small smile as she gazed into the distance as well
"Can I help you with anything? I was uh… writing the report Finn asked me to do."
She stepped forward, standing beside him, "I won't take much of your time."
"I only had one question for you, if you don't mind?"
He got up from the ground, dusting his clothes, "No problemo."
Her smile became serene as she turned a bit more serious, "Your teleportation."
"… I can't bring you in and out from the surface, I'm afraid." Silver replied as he anticipated her question
"Uhmnn…"
"The way it is, the most I can do is transport myself somewhere I can sense. And in the Dungeon, its not much of a matter of distance, but a matter of how far the Dungeon allows me to go."
"Allows?"
Silver looked at the walls, "The Dungeon is full of magic power. If I can sense an area, I can move to it. But the further I go, the harder it becomes to grasp the area."
He tilted his head, "From here, at most the top of the Great Falls, and that's just due to its unique characteristics. Most of the time, I use it to move between Floors instantly."
"Is that how you moved to and out of the Middle Floors within an hour?"
He smiled, "So you heard the story from them?"
"They talked about it before."
'Multiple times. Tione was really appalled by it.'
But a question remained… "How fast can you reasonably reach the surface?"
He massaged his temples as he looked for the answer, "From here?… If I did the way I showed you… less than an hour. With others… about the same time, but I might need some potions in the process."
His words kept tugging at her mind. She knew something about his statements was incomplete, and the moment he gave her even the slightest hint of it, she pressed, "The way you showed us?"
His smile grew, "Yeah? Is there another way?"
"…"
She didn't like his answer. Riveria stared down at him, but he didn't hesitate for even a second.
After a few seconds of silence, she stepped back, but Silver… laughed.
"Ha! Alright… I'm just joking with you."
He got up from the ground, closing his notebook and putting it away.
He stretched his arms as he walked to her, "I'll only do this once, and above all, it's not the kind of thing I'd like being known."
'Everything would have to be revealed one way or another. And within my list of things I want no one to ever know… this isn't even in the top hundred.'
/Crackle…/
The ground shook as rocks rose from the dirt, forming a large door of rubble and roots decorated with flowers and grass.
He approached it, holding onto the knob, "Shall we? Or should I say, ladies first?"
/Push…/
He pushed the door open, and what happened after collapsed Riveria's understanding of what was possible through magic.
/Step…/
As she followed him through the door, she found herself inside a dark, quiet alley… amidst the bustling streets of Orario!
"This is…"
She had no words to describe it, she stepped forward unconsciously, wanting to get a better look at everything, but Silver held onto her shoulder, pulling her back.
As she turned back to throw him a sharp glare, Silver took his hand, "I apologize, your highness, but we aren't supposed to be here."
"I can blend in, no one knows me… but you're too noticeable."
She calmed down, closing her eyes, and the moment she opened them again, her distress couldn't be noticed any longer, "Is that a compliment?"
"Do you even need it? The truth is quite apparent!"
She sighed faintly, walking past him and back into the door, "I've seen enough."
As she stood beside the door, she looked at him, "And stop being so formal."
"Okay, Riveria-tan…"
She shoved her staff in his face, eyes as sharp as ever, "Say that again and you're not coming back."
"Understood."
Silver straightened his back almost instinctively.
…
Once they returned, the door crumbled to nothingness, and Silver reached out to his forehead, almost falling over as Riveria held him by the shoulder.
She noticed his condition immediately, "Mind Zero. I expected such magic to consume an unbelievable amount of Mind, yet you still stand."
He smiled weakly, "I trained all my life to keep myself conscious at all times. It'll take far more than just a little headache to pull me down."
"Calling Mind Zero a headache… Don't let the others hear you."
'Not many can train to attain such mental discipline. He doesn't seem to possess a mind-tuning method either… this is purely his will.'
Silver slowly got to his feet, "And miss out on seeing their reactions? No way."
Her stoic face curled into another faint smile, "Don't say I didn't warn you later."
She stepped aside, "And this secret… I'll keep it well."
Silver waved his hand in the air, "You can share it with Finn and Gareth, so feel free to do so. But then again, don't. Let me do it so I can see their faces… also… here." He said as he pulled something out of his pockets.
"What is this?"
She took what seemed to be a small piece of black paper from Silver's hands. As she held onto it, color began appearing on its surface, displaying an image.
It was a picture, one showing her as she walked through the portal…
"…"
'This kid…'
… and her reaction as she stopped before the gate.
/Crunch…/
She crumbled the picture with her hand with little hesitation, "Is there anything else?"
"Man… no?"
"Take it out."
"Whoa there… n-no need to be so upfront, that's the only one!"
'Available.'
Her cold eyes turned to the side, "Good."
Riveria left while Silver pulled at his collar, "Phew…"
"Don't forget what I said, though!" He added as he waved his hand at her
Riveria's eyelids twitched once more…
…
/Time passed…/
"… Ugh… why is it so boring! There's nothing to do!" Tiona exclaimed loudly, causing birds and insects to take off within the distant woods and hills
Her sister snapped at her, "Can you stop screaming for once?! I'm trying to relax." She said as she got up from her nap on a blanket over the grass.
/Slurp…/
""…""
The two of them turned to the side to see Rakta drinking what seemed to be orange juice from a large jug.
She turned to them, embarrassed, "H-Huh?"
"At least someone's enjoying herself…" Tiona muttered with a broken smile as Riveria approached them
'Maybe I should go there and grab a snack for me too… he wouldn't mind, would he?'
/Step…/
Someone approached them from the side, "… I could hear you screaming from the other side of the Floor. Some would think a monster has arrived."
Tiona collapsed into her arms like jelly, "But Riveria… I can't take it anymore… let me do something, anything!"
Riveria pushed her aside, causing her to fall into her sister, who kicked her away without hesitation.
"You need to rest. As soon as everyone arrives and rests, we'll be continuing our journey down to the 50th Floor. Given it's a record floor for us, there can be no hiccups, and this means you need to remain in tip-top condition."
Tiona rolled on the grass and back into Riveria's feet, "Behhh… But what about Bete?! He's out there having fun while I'm here rotting."
Tione scoffed, "If you're rotting, then what about me?"
Riveria sighed, "If we take too long, you complain, if we're too fast, you complain."
"For once you get to do nothing but kill monsters and laze around after, but when that happens you're suddenly bored?"
'An unforeseen consequence of his introduction. With him around, the whole trip flows far more smoothly, to the point even I'm starting to find it a little monotonous.'
"Just stand still for an hour or two more. Finn and the others will be here in no time."
"Another hour?… Uggghh I'm dying…" She said as she squirmed on the blanket
"Stop being so melodramatic. Go find something to do."
"And stop pulling at the blanket!" Tione exclaimed as she poked her sister with her feet
Tiona looked away as she was kicked aside, "I tried looking for Silver, but he's gone! I had so many things to ask…"
Tione raised an eyebrow, "Isn't he up there?"
"No. All I found up there was Gareth sleeping on the couch and snoring." Tiona said as she crossed her arms
Riveria had the urge to laugh but kept it at bay, "I knew he found those comfortable."
"… Gaahhh!! Help me, Riveria! I'm going to die from having nothing to do!"
"And what to you want me to do?…"
/BOOOOM!/
""!""
As they discussed, a cloud of dust ignited in the distance…
"Huh?! FINALLY! Let's go!"
She jumped into the air…
"Wait, Tiona!… And there she goes." Tione said as she got to her feet
Riveria immediately stepped forward, going after her, "Let's not leave her alone."
Tione nodded begrudgingly, "There goes my beauty sleep… but I must say, I too was lacking some adrenaline."
She slapped her knuckles together, "Monster or not, let's go kick some ass!"
The two vanished into the woods.
…
.
.
.
Notes
I'd say we're about 2-3 chapters to end this arc.
One to tie together Finn's return and the Loki Familia descending into the Deep Floors as they make their way to the 50th Floor.
One to close the timeskip and their return.
And one to close their return to the surface, which will be more of the same we've seen so far, but with the addend of a few more fights especially against the Floor Bosses that will make their return.
From there, we can move on to Volume 2 and more adventures!
Speaking of that, would you be more interested in seeing the Loki's Familia venture into the deeper floors, or would it be for the best we kept it for later?
That's about it from me, thank you for reading!