By the time they were all done eating, there was one question that came to their mind: How are they gonna get out of the dungeon?
"By the way, how do we get out of here?" Alice asked after cleaning everything with Sui's help.
"Same way we got in." Fel said as they saw the same sigil they had seen a couple of times at the very center of the room.
"If I channel my magic into that sigil, we can leave." He explained as they walk towards it.
"Ready to leave this place?" Alice asked them all as Sui jumped in her arms, Dora-Chan on her head and her hand on Fel's shoulder.
"Heck yeah! I wanna get out of here." Dora-Chan said, still shaken from earlier but had calmed down.
"Sui is ready, mama, papa." Sui agreed with Dora-Chan, calling Alice and Fel mama and papa which was technically true. They have confessed their love for each other and Sui now sees Fel as his father.
Fel and Alice smiled at them both before Fel channeled his magic and they both appeared in what looked like a boxed room.
"Is this the exit? It's a bit dark though." Alice said as she squinted in the dark and Fel's fur glowed to give a bit of light which they were thankful for. The room soon rumbled and the wall slowly descended to reveal stairs and the sun which led to the real exit.
Outside, some adventurers who were all waiting to enter the dungeon were gathered at the entrance when suddenly, the entire dungeon started to shake which alarmed them all before cracks beside the entrance on the floor started to form and gave way to reveal a new set of stairs that leads into the dungeon.
"The ground split!"
"What's going on?"
"It looks like a new exit!"
They saw someone coming out and it was revealed to be Alice who coughed a little from the dust as she used her arm to shield her eyes from the sun and saw that all eyes were on her as the adventurers stared at her in shock and surprise as Fel and Dora-Chan followed behind her as Sui was on her shoulder.
"Uh, hello." She greeted them cautiously.
"You just came through the floor." An adventurer pointed to the stairs that Alice and her party were coming out of.
"Where were you?" Another adventurer asked in confusion.
"Ah, well, it's a long story." Alice said but she knows Fel will reveal where they had been.
"We were completing the dungeon's lowest floor." Fel said truthfully as he came up beside her as they climbed out of the stairs to be on equal grounds with the adventurers. The reveal that they have come from the lowest floor could only mean one thing, they have completed the dungeon!
"The lowest floor? That would mean..." An adventurer said in disbelief and shock.
"We are the first party to conquer this dungeon." Fel said truthfully as he glanced to Alice who wasn't mad at him for it as she just smiled slightly.
This revelation shocked the adventurers who immediately needed to know what happened in the lowest floor.
"What happened?!"
"Were there monsters?!"
"Tell us!"
"What items did you find?!"
Alice was getting overwhelmed by the questions especially that incident during the boss battle and her breathing was quickening slightly. Fel had sensed his mate's uneasiness and immediately stepped in, growling protectively at anyone who got too close even Sui and Dora-Chan became protective of Alice and Fel, forming a second barrier between their group and the adventurers who immediately saw how distressed Alice was and backed off.
"Get the guildmaster here immediately!" Someone shouted.
Alice and her group were given space and she was sitting on the top of the stairs, answering questions vaguely, not wanting to reveal too much. Upon hearing that Alice and her party had returned, Elrand didn't waste any time to practically dash to the dungeon.
"Dora-Chan!" Alice heard the telltale signs of Elrand's voice and Dora-Chan immediately tried to hide from the crazy elf as adventurers stared at the guildmaster in bewilderment.
"So you've defeated the boss! I knew Dora-Chan could do it! Amazing work, my darling!" He said in delight and Alice didn't like the fact that Elrand thought Dora-Chan did all of it alone.
"Um, Elrand, me, Fel and Sui helped too, you know." Alice said warily. As much as she wants to tell Elrand all about the dungeon, she really needs to get everyone to the inn so they can rest but apparently, Elrand is not an easy elf to reason with.
"I'm not surprised, though! I knew your dungeon dreams would come true!" Elrand said in relief and excitement.
"Quickly! I'll escort you to the guild right away. Nothing's officially confirmed until you submit your report! I'd like to talk to you about it once we reach the adventurers guild!" He said excitedly as he grabbed Alice's wrist and Fel practically bristled at that while Alice just looked exasperated, pulling her along.
"H-Hey, wait a second!" She yelped as Fel followed quickly with Dora-Chan flying above Fel as they headed for the guild.
Once there, Elrand had everything prepared even though Ugor was there to keep him in line.
"Cleared the dungeon and on your first try, as expected of Dora-Chan." Elrand said in delight, completely forgetting that Dora-Chan didn't do it alone.
"I, Fel and Sui were there too." Alice repeated with a sigh as Fel rested near her with Sui bouncing on the couch while Dora-Chan was sitting on the table.
"I was so worried about you, sweet Dora-Chan! I can't tell you how I could hardly keep myself from tailing behind and the number of times I was about to chase after you guys to help out..." Elrand said, shaking Dora-Chan's hand much to the Pixie Dragon's annoyance and Alice gave Ugor a look, hoping he stopped Elrand from doing so.
"Don't worry, I made sure that didn't happen." He told her with a grunt, remembering how many times he had to keep Elrand from following. They soon got to working on their dungeon exploration, especially what took place at the final floor while also leaving out the part that Fel almost died from the behemoth protecting Alice which they would rather keep a secret.
"I see. I didn't know a behemoth was that powerful. As expected of a dungeon boss, it's more than I expected." Elrand said in curiosity while Ugor can tell that something else happened given how Alice seemed to falter when explaining the battle with Fel adding more details or how Dora-Chan and Sui even Fel huddled close together, as if shielding each other from the experience.
"From what you told me when we first got here, it's a good thing your party pulled out before the final boss." Alice said as Sui bounced slightly on her lap.
"Sui worked hard too!" He said and Alice smiled at him softly.
"With out of the way..." Ugor began and Alice caught on immediately.
"I'm sure you're wondering what kinds of items we found." Alice nodded and Elrand became even more excited.
"Yes! What did you find?! Dungeons have plenty of items and materials that you can use. I'd like to buy some for the adventurer's guild." Elrand said and he went on an explanation about the items that can be collected.
"Monster hides are a staple. Skins from monsters in dungeons are strong, so they're always in high demand." Elrand explained as Alice just nodded before remembering how Fel plowed through the first few floors.
"Fel kinda plowed through the first few floors." Alice said casually while Elrand looked stunned. Plowed through?
"A paltry concern. His curiosity can wait until we have food and rest." Fel said. He would rather be resting right now with his pack rather than being here with this crazy dragon-obsessed elf that he doesn't like being near Dora-Chan.
"I know, but wait just a moment, Fel. There are a lot of items I want to sell first. After that, we can go and get some rest." Alice said patiently and Fel huffed but trusted her word.
"If you must." He said as she smiled at him before she opened her item box to take the items she wanted to sell out.
"We found a few chests which were trap ones and monsters that dropped tons of good stuff." Alice told Elrand and Ugor.
"But there was a treasure chest that we found on one floor. I really don't have any use for jewels though." She explained before placing the jewelry box down on the table.
"This jewelry box was dropped by a mimic." She said much to Ugor and Elrand's surprise. A mimic?!
"From a mimic?! What a find! I've never seen such a thing!" Elrand said as he picked up the jewelry box carefully, looking at it in surprise and disbelief.
"Mimic jewelry boxes are incredibly rare! T-This is incredibly valuable!" He said as Ugor was shock as well. This one came from an actual mimic?! Drops from those types are incredibly rare!
"Allow us to properly appraise its value! Don't worry! We'll even issue you a deposit!" Elrand said as Alice set down the magic box. She was on the verge of taking out the sword but she figured not to due to how he reacted.
'Based on that reaction, I should probably keep the magic sword under wraps and not bring it out.' Alice thought as she put the sword back in her item box.
'(You are not taking the sword out?)' Fel asked her telepathically as she glanced at him with a shake of her head.
'(From how they reacted, I wanna play it safe and avoid causing a lot of chaos. Willem and Johan promised to keep the second monster batch a secret cause it might cause an uproar at Karelina, but I don't know about Elrand though.)' Alice explained telepathically with a wary expression.
Noticing her wary expression, Elrand became confused and concerned.
"Is something wrong?" He asked her curiously but she just smiled politely and waved him off.
"No, no, it's fine." She laughed sheepishly as he hummed and nodded.
"These first-hand accounts about mimics are very valuable. Also, did you happen to see any dragons on the lower floors?" Elrand asked her excitedly.
"No, I don't think so." Alice said while she could feel a migraine forming which is just a metaphor.
'He's really obsessed with dragons.' She thought warily as Dora-Chan came to her, practically uncomfortable with Elrand and she held him on her lap, letting him rest as she rubbed him under the chin as he closed his eyes in content.
"Now then, I want a floor-by-floor report!" Elrand said and Alice nodded, glad that the subject was changed.
"There was also a field type dungeon floor. It's all underground but it felt like we were outside!" Alice said but she mostly remembered how they practically had to eat ice cream and drink a lot of water due to how unbearable it was.
"Ah, that's the floor right before the Boss.They say it's the hardest dungeon floor to conquer." Elrand said but Alice just had a wry expression.
'If I'm being honest, it took us two days to cross the desert floor.' Alice thought wryly.
"Normally, it might have taken a month or so to get through." Alice said and Elrand nodded, opening a map of the dungeon.
"That's right. Back then, our preparations were very thorough, but it was still very difficult. After all, the floor is incredibly vast." Elrand said as Alice just nodded along as Sui huddled close to her, feeling sleepy and dozing off for a nap.
"I'm amazed you got through it in so few days!" He said in delight while Alice just rubbed the back of her neck.
"That's all thanks to Fel. Besides, we really didn't explore every nook and cranny." She explained.
"In hindsight, it was a pretty amazing place. It's underground, yet to know that there's still a day-night cycle was pretty amazing." Alice added and Elrand nodded in agreement.
"That's right! Nights get cold and monsters even get more active." Elrand said, nostalgia in his eyes.
"It was so hot during the day though, it was difficult to even walk on it without sweating a lot." Alice said as Elrand chuckled.
"Reminds me of my party's own dungeon dive back in the days." He chuckled as Alice nodded.
"It was pretty tough." She said with a small smile.
"The forest!" Elrand said.
"Desert!" Alice said at the same time as Elrand before the elf looked at Alice in shock and disbelief.
"What did you say?!" He questioned her loudly which caused her to wince slightly and Fel gave Elrand a warning look and Alice had to put a hand on his head to calm him down.
"Desert...?" Alice repeated and Elrand was even more surprised.
"A desert?!" Elrand quickly rummaged through his papers while Alice just watched him, a bit nervous.
"There's been no reports of a desert ever since our delve. Deserts are even more dangerous than forests. It's frightening to think the dungeon has changed over the years." Elrand said as his tone and expression was so serious that it honestly scared Alice a bit and made her Familiars wary.
"This is incredibly important information for our adventurers. Please, tell me more about it." He told Alice who looked at Fel, Sui and Dora-Chan before sighing.
"S-Sure." She agreed.
It took Alice to report their experience with Fel's help, leaving out the small incident at the boss room with the behemoth as guild staff came in and out to take finished papers from Elrand.
"Thank you. From what I've heard, we'll be very busy." Elrand said as he handed an official looking paper to one of his staff who took it.
"We'll discuss the appraisal later." Elrand told Alice before handing more papers to his staff.
"Sure."
"Please take these papers to the admission desk." He told her and she nodded.
"Yes."
'Elrand, if dragons aren't involved, you do your job pretty thoroughly...' Alice thought before Ugor came back after leaving to tend to some matters, noticing how tired and exhausted Alice and her group looked.
"Guildmaster, Alice's party must be pretty exhausted. They need a break." Ugor told Elrand and Alice was grateful that he stepped in.
Elrand look to Ugor before looking at Alice and her party closely and they do seem pretty exhausted.
"I guess you're right." He admitted begrudgingly.
'Ugor saved us!' Alice thought in relief as she moved to stand up.
"Hold on! One question before you go! It's about those bands you and Lord Fel have!" Elrand said excitedly and Alice looked wary as she looked to Fel who nodded as he moved to stand up too.
"They're called aurimith. A mixture of gold and mithril." Alice explained simply and Elrand looked stunned.
"Gold and mithril?! But those look like spousal bands!" He pointed out which caused Alice to blush heavily with Fel as Dora-Chan and Sui looked at the two in amusement.
"Are you and Lord Fel in a relationship?! If so, for how long?!" Elrand asked excitedly and Alice would rather avoid that and Ugor came to her rescue though he was curious too.
"What did I just say?" He scolded Elrand who looked sheepish but let Alice and her party leave which they didn't hesitate to do so as they left the adventurer's guild to rest up.
With new information about the dungeon, Dolan's dungeon had an announcement that was regarding new information about each floor it has which meant that it is classified as a high difficulty dungeon now and were all notified to prepare a lot of food and water mainly this time.
Instead of heading to the inn, they left Dolan to have some privacy in the forest so Alice can take a bath there. Fel gives her privacy despite both of them being officially together now and she appreciates it. After the hot bath due to how sweaty she was, they were enjoying the MooMoo milk drink treat Alice and Sui drank on the first bath and Fel loved how rich it was.
"Finally... There's no better way to relax than with a warm bath and some MooMoo milk to refresh the body." Alice said in relief.
"Mmm, I had no idea fruit flavored milk could be so refreshing!" Fel said as he licked his mouth which had a bit of milk around them.
"With just a few laps and it has washed my stress away!" Fel said in delight.
"I could drink this like water! Keep some in stock, boss!" Dora-Chan said, chugging his down with Sui.
"Sui likes it too!" Sui said in agreement as Alice smiled at them.
"Can't drink milk without a hot bath? And you can't take a hot bath without milk. Right, Fel?" She told them before she looked at Fel.
"Bathing is useless." Fel said playfully as she snorted.
"No, it's not, fluffball. And if you don't take a bath every once in a while, you'll start to stink. You look like a canine and you'll start to smell like one too." Alice said playfully and Fel felt a bit offended but decided to go along with it.
"You are too comfortable, my mate. Your insolence shall cost you!" He growled playfully as she laughed, knowing that he'll have a bath once or twice a month.
"Sui likes when papa is shiny and fluffy." Sui said, liking how Fel would always be so shiny and how fluffy he gets when it was bath time. Fel just snorted as Alice came to him, petting his ears, causing his tail to wag.
"My skin was kinda rough before I got in, but now it feels smooth and supple!" Dora-Chan admitted, liking how refreshed he is, especially how his skin was moisturized after the bath.
"See? Maybe bathing isn't the torture you think it is." Alice said as Fel hummed.
"I suppose I can agree to the once a month bath." Fel told her which made her smile more before his ears perked up, hearing something.
"I heard a strange cry somewhere in the woods." He said as he lifted his head, his body tense.
"Huh? Really?" Alice asked him in confusion.
"I heard it too." Dora-Chan said as Alice turned to him before her expression became serious.
"Let's go there, right now." She told them. They had to pack up first before Fel crouched down so she could get on his back with Sui before he took off with Dora-Chan following quickly.
Somewhere in the forest, two terrified cries can be heard as two were siblings as the older one, a boy was pulling his sister along with him as they tried to escape an orc.
"You go before me, Iris!" The boy told his little sister who shook her head.
"Uh-uh! We have to run away together!" The girl, Iris, told her big brother, tears in her eyes. Behind them was an Orc as it chased after the two little children who were terrified.
Iris tripped over a tree root and she fell to the ground, accidentally letting her big brother's hand go.
"Iris!" The boy, Daryl, ran back to her and they wouldn't be able to get away in time as Daryl tried to shield his little sister from the Orc who was about to get to them if it weren't for Team Heartbound intervening.
"Quick! Save them!" Alice said and Sui and Dora-Chan moved quickly.
"Leave it to us!" Dora-Chan said as he and Sui charged towards the Orc. Dora-Chan charged forward, lightning covering his body and Sui spewing his acid bullet at the Orc as they practically turned it into swiss cheese.
The two little kids look up, shaken and confused by what happened as Alice got off Fel's back as she ran to them, worried.
"Hey! We're here to help!" Alice told them as they looked towards her voice.
"Are you two okay? The orc is defeated now, you're safe now." Alice came to them and knelt to their level as they started to cry.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. That big mean orc won't bother you kids anymore. You're safe." Alice reassured them.
"I thought I sensed signs of orcs nearby." Fel spoke as he walked up to Alice but the sight of him practically froze the two kids from fright. Fel had noticed them and was confused. Was this what he heard the cry from earlier?
"What's with these children?" He asked Alice in confusion.
Alice noticed they were looking at Fel in fear and understood why.
"Don't be scared. He won't harm you." Alice reassured them only for them to start crying again and Alice panicked and took out from her item box as well as some water.
"H-Hey, it's okay! Don't cry. He's my partner, just think of him as a giant big puppy." She continued to reassure them, calling Fel a puppy as a tease and joke as their cries slowly subsided to whimpers and sniffs.
"A puppy? How ridiculous. You have shattered your thin ice." Fel told Alice playfully but he can see how terrified the kids are.
"I'm trying to calm them down, can you please help?" Alice pleaded and he huffed but complied as he lay down to make himself look less threatening.
"Have you calmed down now?" Alice asked the kids softly as they drank the water she provided and blew their nose on the tissues.
"Can I ask your names? And where are you from?" Alice asked them gently, noticing how young they are. They must be 6 and 8 years old from the looks of it as Sui was on her lap with Dora-Chan on her head.
The two kids looked at each other, nodding before looking back at Alice.
"My name is Daryl. This is my little sister." Daryl introduced himself as Iris still has tears in her eyes but was calm now.
"I'm Iris." Iris said meekly.
"We live in Dolan." Daryl said and Alice's eyes widened in shock. Dolan? That's a hike for kids their age!
"From Dolan? What a hike! It would take an adult three hours to walk from Dolan to here." Alice said in surprise. It honestly took them almost an hour to reach the forest though.
"Was there a grown-up with you?" Alice asked them but the two kids stayed silent.
"My team just wants to help, so please tell me what you can." She told them softly.
"I'll tell you if you let us keep that orc." Daryl said, hoping to negotiate with Alice who didn't disagree.
"That's fine. You can have it, but how will you get it home? I don't think you can carry it." Alice said in confusion.
"I have the item box skill." Daryl revealed and Alice was fairly surprised. Daryl is probably the second person, well, kid to have one just like Elrand.
"Wow, that's a pretty rare skill, you know." She told them as Daryl and Iris went to the Orc and tried to put the entire thing in his item box but only the head managed to fit.
"It doesn't fit..." Daryl sniffed as Sui and Dora-Chan came to check on the orc.
"It's okay, I can work on that. I can carry it for you in my item box." She suggested and Daryl and Iris looked at her before they nodded.
"In the meantime, why don't you tell us why you're out here? I promise the orc's all yours. It's pretty dangerous if you're not careful." Alice said, feeling strangely protective over them.
Daryl and Iris hesitated before explaining to Alice why.
"We live in the city with our mom and we would normally never travel this faraway from home." Daryl started to explain.
"Our dad is an adventurer who went into the dungeon with his friends, and that was the last time we saw him. Since then, we've all worked hard to support ourselves. But one day, our mom got sick and collapsed." Daryl said and Alice felt sympathy for them as Fel noticed how the children seemed saddened.
'(It seems that their father failed to come back after facing a strong foe in the dungeon.)' Fel told Alice telepathically. His tone was gentle yet firm and Alice nodded sadly.
'(It must've been very hard for them and they're so young, they only have their mother.)' Alice told Fel sadly.
"How is your mother doing now?" Alice asked them softly.
"We took her to the temple to get help from the priest. The temple priest had a look at her and cast his healing magic on her." Daryl explained.
"And did it help?" Alice asked though she had a feeling that wasn't enough and Daryl nodded hesitantly.
"Kinda. She felt better for a little, but then she got even sicker." Daryl said sadly, remembering what the priest said as their mother, Lucille, was on the bed, worse than before and Iris was trying not to cry.
"This is beyond my skill set. I'm afraid I can't heal her. If we don't get her to a higher ranking priest from the capital soon, she'll pass on."
Daryl wiped his tears, trying not to cry as Iris sniffed as her eyes filled with tears.
"Our goal... is to raise enough money to get a priest from the capital to come to Dolan. We're gathering things to sell. Taking medicinal herbs is the only job we can do!" Daryl sniffed, his voice cracking and Alice felt tears in her eyes as she wiped her tears away.
"Oh, Daryl..." She whispered sadly as the two siblings turned to each other, innocent hope in their eyes.
"Brother? How much money will we get if we sell the Orc? Will we have enough to call a priest?" Iris asked Daryl hopefully who nodded.
"Uh-huh! We'll call for one as soon as we get home! It'll be okay soon!" Daryl reassured her as Alice wiped her tears away.
"Really?!" Iris was filled with hope but Alice knew they would need more than an Orc to raise enough money and she felt bad for them.
'I don't know. Orcs are pretty common monsters. Just one won't be worth very much at all.' Alice thought as she looked at the two kids who were really hopeful.
"And mommy will get better soon?" Iris asked Daryl hopefully.
"Yup, just wait!" He said as they smiled hopefully.
'But what can I do to help?' Alice thought worriedly. She glanced at Fel who was probably thinking the same thing as they caught each other's eyes.
Iris' stomach suddenly growled loudly much to her embarrassment.
"Now that I'm not scared, I'm feeling hungry." She said followed by Daryl's stomach which growled loudly and Alice couldn't help but smile fondly. If she was being honest, she has a soft spot for kids and these two took the cake of being cute.
"That's your cue, for I have grown hungry as well." Fel told Alice who gave him a teasing look which he returned with a smile.
"I can go for a quick bite." Dora-Chan said as he circled the two kids who looked at him and Sui who was bouncing happily.
"So could, Sui!" Sui said in agreement as the two children looked curious and more at ease with them.
"You guys..." Alice chuckled. She unclipped her belt and let out Sylveon, Vulpix and Eevee who the kids immediately looked to with how colorful and friendly they look.
"You need some fuel for your big journey home. Let's all eat together then. It's my treat." She told them as the two kids looked up at her, Dora-Chan on Daryl's head and Sui in Iris' arms which made them look really cute. The thought of getting to eat something made the two kids' eyes light up excitedly.
Alice started to prepare her usual tools before Iris and Daryl came to her.
"We can help." Daryl suggested and Alice just smiled at how sweet they are.
"Okay, then. Think you can keep Sui, Dora-Chan, Eevee and Vulpix busy?" Alice suggested instead and it made the two kids excited and happy.
"Yeah!" They soon went to where Sui and the others were and they started to play with Fel and Sylveon watching them all play, making sure they didn't hurt themselves.
'They're such good kids. They're clearly hungry. I should cook something that will fill them up for a while.' Alice thought as she saw how Fel was smiling, watching Daryl and Iris play with Sui, Dora-Chan, Eevee and Vulpix.
Alice soon prepared everything and she knew exactly what she was gonna make.
'Slice the onions into rings and cook both sides until they're nice and golden brown.' Alice started with the onions, making them evenly sliced before frying them in the pan.
'This method makes them sweeter and easier for kids to eat.' Alice smiled once the onions were done before she moved to the meat as she put it in the pan, skin side down first.
'Now, fry the Cockatrice meat skin side down.' Alice made sure they're thoroughly cooked before flipping it.
"Cook the other side with oil from the skin." Alice used a specialized tissue to wipe the excess oil.
'Don't forget to wipe up the excess.' After that, she shook the bottle of teriyaki sauce for a bit before opening it and poured it over the Cockatrice meat.
'Add some teriyaki sauce to your pan.' Alice grabbed the spoon as the sauce started to bubble.
'Coat the meat and let it simmer. Once it's thick and glossy, you're done.' Alice used the spoon to scoop some of the sauce to coat the meat with it and made sure to cook all of the Cockatrice meat so she can start putting everything together.
She almost forgot when she saw the eggs. She can't complete this meal without them.
"Oh right." She went to it and cracked some eggs to start cooking them.
'You can't forget the fried eggs.' She smiled as she cracked two at a time.
'Let them firm up a bit more than usual.' She then moved to the black bread with a bread knife and cut them in half.
'Slice your black bread and top with lettuce, meat and cheddar cheese.' Alice started to put everything together in order, smiling as it was finally coming together.
'On top of that, add onions, tomato and your fried egg.' She put the top bun last with a small flag as a design.
"At long last... Lunch is ready! Teriyaki cockatrice tsukimi burger!" Alice said as she served Iris and Daryl their lunch. She even cooked some potatoes as a side dish to make it more filling.
{Super Filling Teriyaki Cockatrice Tsukimi Burger}
The sight of the food amazed the two kids. They have never seen food like that before and it smells so good!
"Amazing!" Daryl said in excitement. She made sure to tell them to remove the flag on the top which they did so and didn't hesitate to start eating.
It was an instant hit as the first bite was so amazing that they couldn't stop eating.
"Yumm, yummy!" Iris said in delight, sauce covering their mouths a bit.
"There are flavors in here I've never tasted before!" Daryl said after swallowing as Iris took another bite.
"Would you like another drink?" Alice asked them as she poured orange juice that would go perfectly with lunch.
"Yes, ma'am!" Daryl smiled excitedly.
"Me too!" Iris was on board as Alice brought them cups of orange juice.
"Yep, thought so. Holler when you need some more." She told them as they smiled up at her before going back to eating.
"And where is our share?" Fel asked her and Alice just grinned at them.
"Just a sec. Your plates are over here." Alice reassured them as she stood up and went to prepare it.
She made a long stack that was wobbling and she had to be careful not to waste any of it.
"Four monster-sized burgers coming up!" She said and her familiars and Pokémon got excited.
{Fel and Friends Exclusive Extra-Large Burger}
"Very nice." The sight was a surprise and it made Fel drool at how delicious it looked.
"Major win!" Dora-Chan said excitedly.
"Yay!" Sui bounced excitedly.
Fel didn't hesitate to take big bites as Eevee, Vulpix and Sylveon shared one of them as Daryl and Iris watched in awe at how much Fel was eating. Sui was practically sucking everything in with how good it was and Dora-Chan was eating it piece by piece, showing how big their appetite has gotten. They looked at each other before giggling and taking one big bite and Alice finally started to eat beside Fel as he and others had finished eating. There was a bit of sauce on her cheek and Fel leaned to her and licked it away which made Alice blush heavily but smiled at him to which he returned.
The sun was starting to set and Alice was cleaning up and everyone was full with Fel resting on the picnic blanket, still keeping watch over them though he was napping.
"I think this is the best meal I've ever had." Daryl said in delight, patting his full stomach as Iris played with Sui who liked playing with the kids as Eevee was resting against Sylveon and Vulpix slumbering beside Daryl.
"It's been a while since I've been full." Iris agreed. Alice was cleaning up the dishes and utensils, wiping them dry before she heard footsteps and turned to them.
"U-Uh, excuse me?" Daryl looked up at her with Iris.
"Thank you! We loved it, auntie!" They said happily which melted Alice's heart before she realized what they called her. Auntie?!
'Am I really that old?! I'm only 18! I can tell by their smiles that they meant well, but I didn't realize I reached aunt status!' Alice thought in disbelief while Fel looked amused
"Seems I am no longer alone in the uncle club, Auntie." Fel teased her and she blushed heavily.
"You're centuries older than me!" Alice teased back.
"And yet we're mates now." Fel told her genuinely which made her blush further but she smiled.
"Well, you don't act like an older sister. More like a mother." Dora-Chan pointed out teasingly.
"Mama is mama." Sui chimed in and it just made Alice laugh slightly as Fel nuzzled her head as she held his face tenderly.
With full stomachs, Daryl and Iris had fallen asleep, using Fel to sleep on while Alice put a blanket over them with an almost maternal expression.
"These two... I guess they got sleepy with a full stomach." Alice said as she wiped the slight tears in Iris' eyes.
"We're coming, mommy..." Iris mumbled in her sleep.
"These kids are way too young to have the weight of their mother's life resting on their shoulders. I can't believe they need to go through so much to pay for her treatment. It must be so hard to make ends meet. Plus they have to take care of themselves too." She said softly as Fel had one eye open, noticing how her expression was soft and gentle which only happens when she's feeling very sorry and strong sympathy for people or when she holds Sui.
"We're gonna save you..." Daryl muttered in his sleep and Alice clenched her hands slightly. She felt sympathy for the kids.
'I vow to help them anyway I can.' Alice soon opened the online grocery as she had recalled Eevee, Sylveon and Vulpix into their Poke balls as she had gone to the drugstore page.
"Having said that, there's a problem and I don't have a clue what's wrong with their mom or what kind of ailment she has. All they said is that she's so sick she can't get out of bed." Alice mumbled softly as Sui bounced to her.
She opened her item box and started to take a few items out to see what she can use to help.
"I still have a bunch of the high-grade potions Sui made. But these are for injuries." Alice said, knowing that these won't help.
"Sui can make medicine too." Sui bobbed next to her as she smiled at him.
"I know you can, Sui." She petted him before she turned to Fel.
"Fel?" She asked, hoping he might have some answers.
"Potions cannot cure illness." Fel told her as she grew saddened.
"I figured as much. But do you know which item?" Alice asked him as he nodded, sparing a glance at the children sleeping against him. Dora-Chan was even sleeping on his head.
"I'm only aware of one item class that can. Elixirs." He explained and Alice became hopeful. Maybe an elixir is what the kids need.
"What do elixirs do?" She questioned him and he was happy to provide her information about it.
"They can allegedly cure all diseases with one drink and grant immortality."
"They can do that? But from what I read in certain books at the library from that town where I got the map, they're not easy to get and hardly exist." Alice said before her mind went back to when they finally got the Earth Dragon meat and parts.
'Or maybe... Back then, when we were processing the Earth dragon...' She thought, thinking back to what Elrand said.
"First, I'd like some earth dragon blood. It's used to make elixirs. Along with the liver, it's said to be a panacea."
Alice started to feel hopeful as she grabbed a bottle of Earth Dragon blood along with part of the liver that could hopefully make the elixirs.
'If Elrand believes it, then it's worth a shot. It might be the only chance their mother can be cured.' Alice thought as she prepared the ingredients before presenting them to Sui who was curious.
"Sui, I've got two ingredients for you. Can you use them to make a potion that works on someone with an illness, please?" Alice asked him as he poked them curiously before accepting them.
"Sui isn't so sure about that. But Sui will try." Sui absorbed the liver first before the blood and started to use his healing potion creation skill to start making the potion and Alice prepared three bottles for him to put the medicine in.
"You got this, Sui." She told him as his entire form wriggled and bubbled. If Sui's gonna make the elixir, maybe she should make something for the siblings and their mother to eat.
"While you work on that, I'll cook up something a little tastier for their mom to eat. It should be yummy and easy to consume, a dish both kids and adults can enjoy." Alice thought and had a light bulb. She knows just what to make.
"That's it!" She soon got all the needed ingredients ready. She got the right ones ready as she rolled up her sleeves. She even added some Nanab, Oran and Sitrus berries to make it more nutritious and help regain energy.
"We'll start with bacon, onions, carrots and broccoli." Alice soon got to work by chopping up the vegetables followed by the meat and the berries
'Chop everything but the broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Then minced up the nanab, oran and sitrus berries.' She put everything in a pot and started to stir-fry it.
'Now, stir fry until it's cooked through.' Once it was cooked through, she grabbed a bottle of water, opening the cap and pouring plenty of it in the pot.
"Next up, pour plenty of water and consomme." Alice put a cube of the specialized consomme so everything will cook and have a flavorful taste.
'Let it slowly simmer until the vegetables soften.' She soon grabbed the bowl that has the broccoli before adding it to the pot.
"Now add the broccoli." She smiled as it started to boil more now, making sure to stir it a bit so the flavor is mixed together.
"It's perfectly tasty as it is, but I'll use a little soy milk and a small amount of MooMoo milk today." She added the soy milk followed by a two spoonful of MooMoo milk.
"If it boils, the milk might separate." She soon adjusted the heat and kept an eye on it.
"I'll have to keep an eye on the heat." After a few more minutes, it was finally done. She gave it a little taste and smiled. It was perfect.
"The hearty soy milk soup is done." She smiled as she removed it from the stove.
{Gentle and Hearty Soy Milk Soup}
"The broth has plenty of nutrients and umami from the ingredients I simmered in the pot. Simple broth for mom and yummy nibbles for the kids." She said as she set it down to let it cool off a bit before covering it with the lid just as Sui hopped to her.
"Mama! Sui's done too." Sui told her much to her surprise and hope.
"Well, that was speedy." Alice chuckled as Sui showed her the finished products.
"Ta-da!" The sight made Alice's eyes widened in relief as she came to him to check the elixir as she took one of them from Sui who handed it to her.
"I've never seen a potion this purplish-red color!" She said as Dora-Chan had awakened, flying to them to see what was going on. He had heard everything while taking a nap, so he wanted to see.
"Is it able to cure illnesses?" Dora-Chan asked her curiously.
"I hope so. Let's check and find out." Alice used her appraisal skill to see what type of elixir it is.
[Sui's Special Elixir (Degraded Version)]
Cures all ailments.
As this is a degraded version, it does not increase lifespan.
The info almost made Alice drop it from shock and astonishment.
"I can't believe it worked!" Alice said in disbelief and shock.
"Is it good?" Sui asked her curiously.
"It's better than good, Sui! It's awesome! You really did it!" Alice said with a smile which made him quiver and giggle in delight.
"Hey, how long do you expect me to babysit for you? I have grown very weary of playing babysitter. The sun's setting" Fel called her over as Alice put everything away in her item box.
"Right, sorry, Fel. Let's go." Alice came to him with Sui and Dora-Chan.
"Thanks for keeping an eye on them, guys." Alice thanked her Pokemon before recalling them into their Poke Balls.
She petted Fel's head which he appreciated before she knelt down to wake up the two kids.
"Daryl, Iris, sorry to wake you up. Time for us to head back to Dolan." She told them as they yawned, blinking their eyes up at her groggily. She felt sorry for waking them up but they really need to go back to Dolan now.
Fel stayed low to the ground as Alice helped Iris on Fel followed by Daryl who was rubbing his eyes. Sui was already on Fel's back as Fel watched them carefully.
"Uncle Fel is kind enough to give us a lift. Just sit right there." She said playfully as he snorted. Alice soon got on Fel's back as he stood up carefully.
"Grab his mane and hold it tight." She told them and the two kids did so after Fel stood up which caused the two kids to gasp in surprise.
"Take it slow, okay? Don't go too fast." Alice told Fel who just smirks and Alice knows that smirk anywhere.
"That is my plan." Fel told her playfully as he took off at a careful pace before he increased his speed as they practically dashed through and out of the forest and fields as Dora-Chan followed not far behind while Alice burst out laughing with Iris and Daryl bursting into giggles as the ride was really fast.
They all made it to Dolan as the sky was turning dark and Fel lowered himself so Alice can help Iris and Daryl off Fel's back.
"Great job today, you two." Alice smiled and Iris and Daryl jumped happily due to how fun the ride back home was.
"What a fun ride! That was amazing!" Daryl said happily.
"We went whoosh and zoom through the forest and the fields then we went home!" Iris said in delight as Alice smiled at them while Fel stood up.
"Hey, I think I owe you an orc and I still have it." Alice said as she opened her item box and started to pull it out. Hearing that, the two siblings turned to her.
"I almost forgot." Daryl said, seeing Alice pulling out the orc.
"Let's hurry to the adventurer's guild now to sell it!" Iris said hopefully as she turned to her brother.
"After that, we can call the priest." She said and Daryl was hopeful too.
"Mom is gonna be back to her old self in no time!" He told her with a smile but Alice paused on pulling the Orc out.
"Sounds like a good plan. Alas. I've actually been meaning to talk to you about that." She told them seriously as she had to act a bit.
The two look up at her in confusion, confused on what she meant.
"I was searching through my item box and found something mysterious hiding inside." She told them and showed it to them.
"It's an elixir. A powerful medicine that can cure your mom without the help of a priest." She told them much to their shock and surprise. A medicine that can cure their mom?!
"Really?" Iris and Daryl looked shocked as they came to her.
"You sure it works? That medicine will make mommy better?" Iris asked her hopefully and worriedly.
"Of course. It's just..." Alice paused and the two kids looked a bit scared and nervous now.
"I can't give it to you for free." She told them gently and firmly which made the two kids more nervous now.
"Sorry, but you see, I'm an adventurer but I'm a merchant as well." She told them as she knelt down in front of them to look them in the eyes.
"This medicine is something I sell. It's all yours, but you'll have to trade me for it. So this could be a business dealing with me and Daryl. You understand, don't you" She told them gently as Iris looked up at Daryl nervously, almost close to tears.
"Uh, yeah." Daryl said nervously as he and Iris looked up at her, eyes pleading.
"What's it cost?" He asked her and Alice smiled softly. They don't have to pay with money but something else instead.
"I don't have too many of these in stock, for a rare elixir like this..." Alice paused as if thinking about what the two can exchange for it while Daryl and Iris look at her nervously.
"I would be willing to trade it for one Orc. How does that sound?" She told them with a smile, pointing to the Orc that the siblings were planning to sell. Hearing that Alice will trade the medicine for one Orc made their little hearts filled with so much hope that tears were in their eyes.
"Yup! You got a deal!" Daryl accepted with the biggest smile on his face and Alice smiled back, ruffling his hair.
"Great, then it's official." She told him with a chuckle.
"Hooray!" He cheered as Alice handed the bottle to Iris.
"Here's the medicine." She said as Iris held it close like it was the most precious thing in the world, tears of gratitude in her eyes.
Alice put the Orc back in her item box and took out the pot that had the soup she made just for the kids and their mom to eat.
"And I'll throw this in for free. Enjoy it with your mother, okay?" She told them as she gave it to Daryl who held it while Alice lifted the lid to show them the contents. The sight was very delicious and the smell was so good too!
"Whoa! That looks so yummy!" Daryl said in surprise and delight as Iris looked as well as Alice covered it again.
"Will this stuff really cure mommy?" Iris asked Daryl, excited to go home now.
"Yep, she'll be just fine." Alice reassures them as the two siblings have tears in their eyes when they look back to her. They couldn't believe that someone as kind as Alice would do this for them.
"You're the best! Thank you, Auntie!" Daryl said, his voice cracking slightly with tears in his eyes and Alice just smiled at them and wiped their tears away.
"It's no problem, Daryl. I've been looking for an Orc. Thanks for the trade." She told him with a warm smile as Daryl looked up at her.
"Uh, Auntie, my dad, he was an adventurer. But when I grow up... I'll become a merchant like you!" Daryl told her and Alice listened, her eyes slightly wide.
"I'll use my item box skill! I'm gonna be the best there is! Someday I'll have my own store! I'm gonna make a lot of money and keep my mommy and sister happy! And then, I'll make good business deals like you did today, auntie! I can do it!" Daryl told her which moved Alice so much that she had small tears in her eyes. Such a big dream for a little kid to say and promise.
"I know. I'll be rooting for you. Can't wait to see." She told them as she knelt down, petting their heads as they smiled.
"You got this. Dream big, kiddo." She told them before she stopped, standing up as the two kids put the items they got from Alice in Daryl's item box.
"Thank you for your help, auntie! Bye, everyone!" They waved goodbye with big and happy smiles before they ran home, holding hands.
Alice waved goodbye as she and her group or family watched them leave before she wiped her tears away.
"They'll be just fine." She said softly as Sui jumped in her arms as they started to head back to the inn to finally retire and relax for the night. They went to the stables as Alice sighed in relief to finally be able to relax after a small eventful day.
"Those were some good kids." Alice said as they were relaxing by the stables.
"Yeah, they even played with Sui." Sui said, which made her smile. She was glad Sui played with the kids.
"You're a good kid too, Sui." Alice said with a smile.
'(You're surprisingly good with children.)' Fel told her telepathically which made her smile at him.
'(Well, Sui is a good practice and he's technically our kid.)' She told him as she came up to him, petting his head making his tail wag.
'(I may have wondered how you would do if we have our own.)' Fel admitted which made her blush.
"Seriously, Fel?" She chuckled while he just grinned playfully before she thought about what their stats looked like now after the dungeon.
"I wonder. I haven't checked our stats in a while after leaving the dungeon and defeating the behemoth. Did we all level up in the dungeon?" Alice said as she looked to Fel who caught her eye.
"Let's see where you're at Fel." She said as she checked Fel's stats first to see if anything changed using appraisal.
[Name] Fel
[Age] 1014
[Race] Fenrir
[Level] 921
[Strength] 10,003
[Magic] 9637
[Attack] 9275
[Defense] 10,001
[Agility] 9839
[Skill] Wind Magic, Fire Magic, Water Magic, Earth Magic, Ice Magic, Lightning Magic, Sacred Magic, Barrier Magic, Rending Claws, Body Reinforcement, Magic Attack Resistance, Magic Efficiency, Appraisal, Battle Boost
[Blessing] {Goddess of Wind: Ninrir's Blessing} {God of War: Vahagn's Blessing}
The sight of how much he leveled up and how his stats have increased was a major surprise.
"Whoa, really? Level 921?" She said in surprise as she checked once more. His level had jumped a few so maybe the dungeon helped him level up.
"That's a pretty hefty jump. About ten levels last I checked." Alice said before she soon checked Dora-Chan next.
[Name] Dora-Chan
[Age] 116
[Race] Pixie Dragon
[Level] 160
[Strength] 1092
[Magic] 3223
[Attack] 3115
[Defense] 1057
[Agility] 3893
[Skill] Fire Magic, Water Magic, Wind Magic, Earth Magic, Ice Magic, Lightning Magic, Healing Magic, Bombardment, Battle Boost
[Blessing] {God of War: Vahagn's Blessing}
"You're at 160, Dora-Chan." Alice said as she checked his stats. His speed seemed to have increased a lot from the looks of it.
"You've gone up over 30 levels. Very impressive." She told him before she looked at Sui last.
"You definitely have the most potential to grow with the two, Sui." Alice told him, checking his stats.
[Name] Sui
[Age] 2 months
[Race] Big Slime
[Level] 88
[Strength] 1489
[Magic] 1467
[Attack] 1460
[Defense] 1464
[Agility] 1491
[Skill] Acid Bullet, Healing Potion Creation, Proliferate, Water Magic, Blacksmithing
[Blessing] {Goddess of Water: Rusalka's Blessing} {God of Blacksmithing: Hephaestos' Blessing}
"88?! Your level has quadrupled, Sui!" Alice said in surprise. If she remembered it right, Sui was only level 21 last time. This was a major bounce.
"You're leveling up at the speed of light, kiddo." She told him as Sui jumped happily.
"Yay! Sui is strong!" Sui said in delight as Fel smiled proudly.
"Both my strength and defense exceed 10,000." He said proudly while Dora-Chan tested how fast he can go now.
"That's great, Fel." She smiled at him.
"Now I'm faster than ever before!" Dora-Chan said excitedly as Alice watched him zoomed around in amusement.
"Their stats all skyrocketed. Did mine?" Alice soon checked hers even though she knows hers only claimed up by double or triple.
[Name] Alice
[Age] 18
[Job] Accidental Otherworlder, Pokémon Researcher, Big Slime's Mother
[Level] 24
[Strength] 284
[Magic] 279
[Attack] 262
[Defense] 256
[Agility] 236
[Skill] Appraise, Item Box, Fire Magic, Earth Magic, Perfect Defense
[Familiars (Contracted Monster)] Fenrir, Big Slime, Pixie Dragon
[Unique Skill] Online Grocery(+1)
[Blessing] {Goddess of Wind: Ninrir's Blessing (minor)} {Goddess of Fire: Agni's Blessing (moderate)} {Goddess of Earth: Kisharle's Blessing (moderate)}
Her stats did change only by a little which was progress if she's being honest.
'It's still a progress. Not like I expected to skyrocket like everyone else. I made it down to the bottom floor with everyone else.' Alice thought in content, crossing her arms though she was a little frustrated at not leveling up a lot before she noticed her online grocery skill has a plus one.
"Hang on, a plus one on my skill? I don't think I'd remember if that was there before." She muttered in confusion.
She soon touched the plus one and the online grocery page lit up but this time, it was something new.
[Online Grocery's Tenant]
Online Grocery's Tenant has been unlocked.
Please choose from the following:
(WakuWaku Burger) (Sweets Fujiya)
"What the heck?! And it's telling me the online grocery's tenant has been unlocked. Tenant?" She checked the info. Does that mean she has to choose one?
"Does that mean I'm supposed to choose one?" Alice was still confused and in shock by this. Fel, Sui and Dora-Chan came to her when they heard her say something and went to see what she's doing. Fel was the first to see what's going on and he was curious.
"What are you making all this fuss over?" Fel asked her curiously, resting his head on her shoulder to see.
"What are you looking at?" Sui asked her curiously.
"Dunno what it is, but it looks pretty tasty." Dora-Chan said as he came to take a look too.
"Well, actually, I'm not sure I even know. Something called a tenant just got unlocked when I reached level 24." She told him, raising a hand to pet his head as Sui jumped on her free shoulder.
"If I had to guess, I'd say it's some kind of new ability." She explained as best as she could.
"Wow." Dora-Chan breathed in awe as Fel's eyes were on the WakuWaku Burger.
"There. the meat-filled delight we ate today. Select that one." Fel told Alice as she hummed but it doesn't feel like the right one especially after conquering the dungeon.
"Sui?" She looked to Sui to see what he liked as he was looking at the Sweets Fujiya.
"Sui thinks the pretty one looks nice and yummy." He said curiously, pointing to it.
"Hmm. We could pick the WakuWaku burger but it doesn't feel right to eat meat all the time." Alice said before humming.
"Okay, let's go with that one then, Sui." She agreed with Sui's choice. Who knows, this Fujiya option might have something good.
"Yay!" Sui cheered happily.
"My opinion holds no sway?!" Fel looked defeated as he rested his head on top of hers.
"Mark me, you're only spoiling that little ball of goo child of ours." Fel told her as Alice chuckled at his little sulk. She knows he likes sweets too with Sui having a big sweet tooth.
"Come on, Fel. Don't try to stand there and tell me you don't like sweets as much as Sui does." Alice told him as he looked down to her as she smiled up at him.
"This can be our reward for beating the dungeon. Plus saving room for dessert after dinner is true." She told him as she picked the Sweets Fujiya. The page soon changed and their eyes lit up in delight at how much cake there was to choose from.
"Sweets, you say?" Fel's mind changed the moment he saw the cake. He wants to try them!
"They're more amazing than a whole pile of jewels!" Dora-Chan said in excitement. He's never had sweets before and the food options of the sweets on the online grocery made him excited. He can't wait to try them!
"Sui wants a closer look!" Sui said excitedly as Alice grinned. She's a big fan of cakes and she wants some too.
"Are these those fluffy white things that you've offered to Goddess Ninrir one time?" Fel asked her curiously since he saw her offering some delicious looking sweets.
"Yeah, it is." Alice chuckled and the thought it made Fel's tail wag excitedly.
"So I'll be eating the same offerings as Goddess Ninrir?!" He asked her excitedly as she grinned.
"But! I think this is a specialty store and a famous one to boot! It might even be better than the offerings for Goddess Ninrir." Alice told him which excited her family as she turn back to the page.
"Alright! What should we go with?" Alice picked cakes that they would all enjoy, purchasing them and the box appeared that held all of the cakes she ordered.
She went to the box and opened it and smiled.
"The prize of the specialty cake shop is this! The take-home box!" She told them as she showed them the box that has one of the cakes inside.
"Just knowing there was a cake inside always made the trip home so exciting. My parents always bring home something similar back home." Alice explained. Fel could smell there was something sweet inside and it made him curious and anxious to see what it was.
"Yes, we all see the box. Now open it!" Fel said as Alice just chuckled.
"Okay, okay." She Sai as she opened the side opening and pulled out a whole strawberry shortcake.
"Ta-da!" The sight of the cake made Fel, Sui and Dora-Chan excited to start eating their dessert as Alice set everything down on a folding table and took out each cake carefully.
"Are these works of art truly edible?" Fel asked her though he was starting to drool. He doesn't know which ones to try first!
"So pretty!" Sui excitedly said.
"Right?" She prepared their plates and started to cut them evenly with a cake knife.
"Let's start cutting them up so you can try them all, yeah?" Alice told them.
"I can eat them in one bite as is." Fel told her playfully.
"But you won't." She told him as she put one slice each of the three cakes on their plates.
"Okay, enjoy!" She told them as she had three slices of the same cakes as well.
They didn't hesitate to eat their first cakes with Fel going for the strawberry shortcake and his tail wagged vigoriously. Was this one of those sweets that Alice sent to Ninrir?! Alice saw his tail wagging and smiled. Looks like she found his favorite sweets. Dora-Chan went for the chocolate one first with Sui trying the strawberry shortcake one, practically absorbing the entire slice in one go.
"So..." Sui started to shake and shudder from the sweetness before he bounced super high from the flavor.
"So sweet!" He shouted in delight as Fel and Alice watched him with fond smiles as Dora-Chan was trying the one with the fruits.
"This is made out of fruit? No freaking way! I love it!" Dora-Chan said in surprise and delight, taking one bite after the other.
"That's what we call corporate effort, Dora-Chan." Alice chuckled as she opened a can of light coffee.
"Yes, the fluffy and melty white parts are working together most deliciously." Fel said, the strawberry shortcake is his third favorite aside from meat and wagyu.
"Sui can eat way more than this, mama." Sui said, eating one cake and another which made Alice chuckle. But Fel, Sui and Dora-Chan saw she's not eating with them yet even though she was eating the same slices as they are.
"Mama, are you not gonna eat with us?" Sui asked her curiously as he, Dora-Chan and Fel finished eating their first cakes.
"Of course, I will." She reassured them as she grabbed one of the additional sweets she ordered.
"The custard pudding's pretty tasty, too." She told them which caught Dora-Chan's attention. Pudding?
"Pudding?" He asked her curiously as she had a plastic cup before she grabbed a plate.
"Look here." Alice showed them as she demonstrated how she got the pudding out of the container.
"Just do this, and then... See?" The pudding plop on the spare plate and it jiggle upon landing and the sight made Dora-Chan gasp in delight as he looked to Sui.
"Hey, that kind of looks like you!" He told Sui who giggled.
"Yeah, jiggly." Sui copied the movements of the pudding which made Alice and Fel chuckle. While Sui and Dora-Chan tried the pudding, there was one cake left and it was a cake roll.
"I'll have this one." Alice picked it up and put it on a plate after unwrapping it. Alice used a fork to take a slice and ate it, munching on how fluffy it is and the cream complimented the texture.
'Fluffy cake with soft melty cream in the center!' She thought in delight before picking up the light coffee.
'And of course, some light black coffee.' She picked up the can and took a sip which made the flavor even more perfect.
"You do enjoy that sweet black water, don't you?" Fel said as he was confuse why she drinks that stuff.
"Yes, but I'm not a coffee fan. I only drink lighter versions to blend the sweetness of desserts and the bitterness of coffee." She told him before sharing her cake with him which he accepted, tail wagging at the flavor.
"Mama! Papa!" Sui called them both and they both turned to Sui and Dora-Chan who had finished the pudding.
"That jiggly stuff is off the charts! It's so tasty! I need more! Lots more!" Dora-Chan told Alice excitedly.
"Sui wants lots more, too!" Sui said in agreement with Dora-Chan.
"It's best not to eat too many of these sweets at one time, kiddos." Alice told them. She's worried about Dora-Chan's and Fel's teeth since they might lose one.
"You really like it though, huh?" She told them as Fel sat down beside her.
"Yeah!" Sui and Dora-Chan cheered excitedly, like siblings agreeing on something which made Alice chuckle as she took a sip of her light coffee.
"Weird, I feel like I'm forgetting something." Alice thought. Was she forgetting something?
At the divine realm, Alice did forget something which wasn't her fault with what happened in the dungeon.
"You are forgetting something! Something important too!" Ninrir shouted at her through the viewing pool.
"Our offerings! Our offerings! Offerings!" Ninrir was throwing a tantrum.
"I'd like some cake." Rusalka said softly, fidgeting with her fingers as Agni crushed her empty can of beer.
"I'm all out of booze here! Come on!" She said in annoyance while Kishar rubbed her hair together, feeling the dryness coming back.
"Beauty such as mine must be maintained." Kishar huffed. Being new to this, Vahagn and Hephaestus are experiencing what the four goddesses went through now and it will not be the first time.
"Truly, it's a painful waiting game." Hephaestus grunted as Vahagn tried to be patient.
"Does she need a divine message before she'll remember us?" Vahagn asked Hephaestus who huffed.
"Maybe but I don't think we can blame her. Especially with that incident with the behemoth." Hephaestus said which made everyone pause.
They had witnessed everything and Ninrir was practically bawling when Fel almost died and Kishar had her mouth covered in shock. Vahagn, Agni and Hephaestus were all in shock by Fel's sacrifice. More so with the appearance of Mewtwo. Kishar and Ninrir practically cried tears of joy and relief when Alice and Fel finally became official.
"Yes, that... that was truly something we all didn't expect..." Kishar said softly.
"But, hey! The Otherworlder and my servant Fenrir are together now." Ninrir said, trying to lighten the mood.
Back at the stables, Alice soon remembered. She probably should have given Daryl and Iris some of the sweets too if she had discovered the tenant thing.
"Oh, of course! I completely forgot about Daryl and Iris!" Alice said as Fel, Sui and Dora-Chan were all content with the amount of sweets they had eaten.
"If I'd found out about the tenants sooner, we could have shared with them. What a shame though." She said with a small smile. She wondered how those two kids and their mother are doing now though.
As if hearing that, the gods and goddesses shouted at the same time.
"Try again!"