A Vulpine Spanner in the Works
Chapter 20: Dungeons and Dinners is a Far-Out Game
[Lukrut]
Day 15:
Standing in front of the mayor's estate, I couldn't help but feel a little ridiculous waiting by the gates in this ludicrous getup. After she took me inside the cabin yesterday, Kashia conjured up a set of clothes for me to try on for this event.
By the end of it, I found myself in a white buttoned shirt made of silk and tan trousers of an unidentifiable origin which were tucked into black leather boots. Tied to my neck was what Kashia called a cravat, something I had never heard of before, in a burgundy color that matched the waistcoat I was wearing. Over that was a crimson coat that ended to my knees in two tails while being edged in gold.
I had even been forced to comb my hair for this event! This all just made me feel like a rooster being put on display. This feeling was reinforced because of the glances I kept receiving from passing nobles who didn't recognize me. Not that I could claim the same either.
There were only a few nobles that I knew the names of, just because they were so prevalent, not that I'd be able to recognize them on sight. The mayor was one of those people and the direct royal family was another. Other than that, these people were just a flock of birds trying to show off their feathers to one another.
"Lukrut, correct?" A deep voice that I recognized asked. I turned my head to the voice to find my gaze only reaching up to his chest where I saw an adamantite-plate resting. Craning my gaze upwards, I found myself meeting the gaze of a dark-haired man with black eyes and foreign features that I would assume came from the east.
"Momon?" I asked in response, finding it quite surprising to see the elusive adventurer outside of his dark concealing armor.
The man nodded, and I found myself noticing something that was just 'off' about him. It was an innate feeling at the back of my mind, but it was hard to shake away. One of the physical things I could identify which wasn't just a simple feeling were his eyes. They seemed lifeless and dead, like black pits to an abyss that would swallow all light into them.
It was unnerving to say the least.
"You are correct, Lukrut. Your question is quite understandable considering that you've never seen me without my armor before in addition to us only having met yesterday." Considering the dark suit he wore that was also of a foreign style, no one would ever recognize him from that platemail of his. While it did have some similarities to the fashion styles here, it had too many differences to consider the clothes as anything but foreign.
He wore a gray shirt that was buttoned up. At his neck was an odd folded collar where a strip of black fabric was tied around before the end of it went down his chest and fell under a purple waistcoat. He wore a pair of black pants which matched the short jacket he had on.
What completed this outfit was a pair of unique leather shoes that looked odd in comparison to the other shoes that I had seen nobles wearing. With his height and fashion choices, Momon stood out like a sore thumb.
Momon then motioned to the woman standing next to him, "This is my partner, Nabe."
I remembered her, though she definitely looked a lot different when out of her adventuring attire. She wore a ballgown of gray velvet that was both conservative and seemed to fit her regal appearance and demeanor more than the adventuring attire did. Though, her glances of annoyance at the nobles looking at her with interest seemed to muddle that regalness. Alongside that was the adamantite-plate which proved that she was more than just a pretty face. She at least managed to fit the ascetic of the nobles entering the manor unlike her larger partner.
"It's good to meet you both again. You didn't stay long before you both suddenly left the guild." I remarked. It was fairly obvious that Momon and Nabe had rushed off due to that warning from Kashia.
"Yes, well, Nabe and I had a few matters that needed to be attended to." Momon answered quickly, and I found it unsettling how his face showed absolutely no emotion that his voice seemed to convey. He then decided to change the subject, "Since you're here, I can assume that you're the guest Kashia brought with her. Where is she right now since I couldn't find her anywhere else?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. I've been waiting here for a while now. Been receiving all the fun attention of nobles looking at me like a dog performing a new trick." I muttered with some hard to contain frustration at the end.
"I see." Momon hummed in contemplation, "It's obvious that you are uncomfortable here. It's a feeling that is mutual." The black knight answered while scanning the crowd around us.
"At least I'm not the only one that feels that way." I replied with a lightened mood. Then, I became slightly surprised when Nabe spoke since she seemed like a quiet person unless addressed.
"I wish for this event to conclude swiftly. Receiving these glances of obvious intent from these hum-nobles makes my skin crawl." Nabe stated with a frown.
"It shouldn't last too long. We-" Momon was interrupted when the familiar voice of Kashia spoke up behind him.
"Seems that the gang is all here."
The three of us then looked behind Momon to find Kashia approaching us looking completely different from what I was expecting. Instead of black, she was wearing a dress that looked like it was made from gold. While slightly more conservative from her usual outfit due to having flowing sleeves and a skirt that was connected, there were some obvious parts to it that went against conservative fashion.
For instance, her skirt had a scandalous slit up the right side that allowed her bare leg through. Her cleavage was on full display and the collar of her dress was open.
What really ended up drawing my gaze were the two items around her neck. One of them was her adamantite-plate, but the other was an object I hadn't seen her wearing before. Attached to a choker around her neck was a spherical jewel that almost seemed to glow in the dim light.
I felt a strange pull to it that I couldn't explain while my chest seemed to warm up. It was almost mesmerizing, but I managed to pull my gaze away from it to look at Kashia's face. I was greeted by a warm smile that I returned.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Tuare wouldn't stop fussing about my appearance. Namely, the hair." She said while pointing her her hair that had been put into a braided bun.
"It's fine, Kashia. I didn't have to wait long and these two just got here." I answered, happy that someone I knew was here in this sea of snobs. Someone that I had managed to actually kiss.
I don't even know what had pushed me to finally take the initiative to do that. The bet I had made with the others was definitely not part of it since that hadn't even been on my mind at the time.
But she kissed me back! She felt the same way I did which made me feel like I could jump over the moon in joy. And that also made me feel that much more determined to fulfill my promise to her.
"Shall we get this excessive waste of food and money over with?" She asked with her usual sarcasm.
"Yes. I don't particularly enjoy the idea of being forced to interact with these people to try and establish connections, but it is a necessity we must endure." Momon answered, which made me finally notice something else that unsettled me. His blinking.
At the span of every eight seconds, he would blink. It almost felt less like he was blinking because it was a natural bodily function and more because it's what a normal human was expected to do.
I doubt most of these nobles would notice something like this when speaking with Momon, but my background as a hunter and archer let me notice these small details that grew more concerning as time went on.
"Then let's get going." Kashia announced, taking me out of my observations of Momon. I held out my arm to her and Kashia linked her arm into the crook of mine. Then the four of us began walking through the gates.
Glancing around, this was the first time I've ever even seen the mayor's estate. There were statues on pedestals to either side of the walkway depicting dragons, warriors in mid-swing of their blades, archers with their bows drawn, mages casting spells. I'd find it interesting to stop and look at if it wouldn't single me out as a normal peasant to the nobles around us who didn't spare these statues a glance.
When we made it to the door, a pair of armored knights wielding halberds glanced at us… Well, more so that they glanced at the adamantite-plates hanging from the necks of Kashia, Momon, and Nabe. Then their eyes focused on Kashia's cleavage which filled me with a pang of annoyance.
They didn't even pay me a moment's attention. Then again, it's hard to compare oneself to adamantite-plates when you are just a silver-plate. Also, they continued ogling Kashia as we were let through the door. That left me a little miffed.
Once we were past the door, it opened into a great hall where nobles were mingling with one another and being served food from trays that servants would bring up to them. The silver trays that were carrying all this food were worth a fortune. The fact that there were dozens of these servants carrying these silver trays really proved to me how different the value of things was between peasants like myself and all of these nobles.
Kashia was likely used to displays like this considering that she is the noble daughter of the ruler of a country. Come to think of it, since she never said that her country was a vassal of another…
Am I romantically involved with a princess?!
Looking at Kashia dressed in gold and giving no care to the wealth around her, I could easily picture her with a crown on her head.
I didn't have long to continue this pondering as a man in a purple outfit filled with more frills than sense appeared before us. I think he was even wearing a wig.
"Ah, splendid! You must be the new adamantite-plate adventurers that slew the dreaded vampire!" As he said this, his green eyes moved from Momon, with a hint of disinterest, to Kashia and Nabe who he became a lot more fascinated by. "And aside from strength, it seems that tales of your beauty are true as well."
"Thank you for the compliment, good sir." Kashia replied with that hint of sarcasm that I could hear and did my best to not smirk at. "But we are at a loss, who might you be?"
"I am Lord Irenicus Roshard von Dalton III. My family breeds many of the horses used in Re-Estize's cavalry units. In addition, we breed the very horses that the royal family rides upon." The purple pompous lord bragged. "Would you fair ladies be kind enough to give me your names in return?"
"Certainly, I'm Kashia Blanc." Kashia answered. I noticed as Momon nudged Nabe in the side.
"I'm Nabe." Nabe begrudgingly answered while looking like she wanted to be anywhere else but near him. This made the purple fop look a bit put off before he refocused his attention back onto Kashia.
I felt a growing urge to hit him.
"Those are certainly quite exotic names. And with your beautiful appearances and unique clothing of expensive make, you seem less like adventurers and more like nobility."
Nabe scoffed at this compliment, "I would never dare claim to be of nobility. My station is to serve Momon."
"I am." Kashia answered, eliciting a warm smile from Ireni-whatever that didn't match the sinister and cunning gaze in the man's eyes. At the same time, I noticed Momon's head swivel to Kashia, yet I couldn't tell what, if any, emotions or thoughts might be going through his mind.
"I knew that a maiden of your class and grace wouldn't be anything less. From what land do you hail from? I'm not familiar with any noble family of the name Blanc?" The purple jester pried deeper.
"That is because my home is far away. Beyond all the known countries to the east. Then even further beyond that. It is a land called Yggdrasil." She answered. "Momon also hails from Yggdrasil with a noble lineage himself."
The purple fop looked at Momon in a new light. I couldn't blame him since it was a surprise for me as well.
"Really? What house do you come from, good sir?"
"My house doesn't matter as they are all dead. My family and land were destroyed by the vampire we hunted and killed. Now, I'm just a simple adventurer." Momon answered, noticing the now uninterested gaze the noble gave him. "I believe that I shall take a walk around. I'd like to clear my mind of such events."
He then gave a nod to the two of us before walking away. Nabe gave a small bow to us as well before following after Momon. I could only guess that his reason for leaving the conversation was due to him realizing he'd get nowhere with this prick.
Kashia, Momon, and Nabe were here to build connections after all. And trying to get blood from a stone that was this noble would be a waste of effort that could be better spent elsewhere.
I just wished that Kashia had a reason to leave the conversation with this guy because he was getting on my nerves.
"What a dour man. Though, considering the circumstances, it is understandable to be upset about losing one's family lands and wealth." Really, that's his first thought? No sympathy that his family is dead, just that he isn't as rich as he used to be?
I could feel my hands beginning to curl into fists as I really wanted to punch this man.
Apparently, Kashia noticed this as I felt the pressure of her arm gently squeeze, making me let go of the fist I was making.
"Onto other topics, what about your family?"
"My mother rules our country. Aside from her, I had a few sisters." She answered.
"Oh, and what about your father?"
"He's dead."
The purple prick gave her a look of sympathy, but I knew better than that. Those cunning eyes of his were continuing to look at her with a growing glint of greed. "So, your mother rules your country alone. Very interesting. I've only heard of matrilineal rule from the Roble Holy Kingdom with their current first female monarch. But, your country practices it as well, which is quite intriguing. Is your country vassalized under another?"
"No one would be stupid or insane enough to try." Kashia answered, making me smirk at how strong I knew just she was. I couldn't even fathom how powerful her mother might be to maintain control of her kingdom with all the wars that Kashia had said occurred there. "My mother rules as the sole queen."
Then, I really was romantically involved with the princess of an entire kingdom! To be honest, Kashia didn't exactly act like what I expected royalty to be. She certainly had the beauty and grace for it, but she could also be crass, vulgar, and quite the practical joker. And I don't think that I'd have it any other way.
"Then that would make you a princess. Actual royalty!" The prick then gave a deep bow, "It is quite the honor to meet a foreign dignitary such as yourself. I'm highly interested in knowing what brings a princess to our kingdom when it is so far away? Normally, royal families are kept close to home in case unforeseen circumstances were to occur. Especially so for heirs."
"I'm a bit of what you'd call a 'free spirit'. I didn't have any plan when coming here, just a wanderlust and enjoyment of adventure. As for being allowed to travel, my mother is quite hands-off as it were with her children. This is aided by the fact that she has no plans to vacate her throne anytime soon since my family is aided by an extraordinarily long lifespan."
A long lifespan? How long did her family members typically live for?
"I see. Still, if the worst were to occur, your mother's heirs should be nearby as a precaution. Would you happen to be lower on the line of succession that would allow you to travel so freely?" I really wanted to punch this man in the face since I could see the obvious gears in his head turning at this. He was looking at Kashia like a piece of meat with a crown attached to it. Now, he was just wondering on how to acquire that crown.
"As her only remaining child, I would be next in line for the throne." Kashia answered with a slightly mournful tone.
"You have my condolences, your highness. I know the tragedy of losing my four older brothers to tragic illnesses and accidents. It also left me as my family's heir due to being next in line." He replied with a sad expression that I could tell was good acting. I was becoming pissed that this prick couldn't muster any form of compassion for just one minute. "Yet, that just means that I must become more diligent in fulfilling my duties to my family. After all, ensuring the bloodline is something that heirs like us must complete at all costs."
"Of course." Kashia said with a strained smile. At least she was getting as annoyed with this guy as I already am. That seemed to be the signal to the purple prick to make a move.
"I have typically received quite a few proposals to unite my family's line with another, yet I haven't found the correct one to accept. What of you? Surely, as the sole surviving princess of your homeland, Yggdrasil, you would receive many different proposals from suitors over the years?" Now that he asked it, I couldn't help but wonder that myself.
As an extremely beautiful princess with great magical power and next in line to a throne, she likely would receive suitors from a massive amount of people, both within her kingdom and outside of it. Many from suitors who were probably stronger and more capable than I am right now.
"I'm not engaged to anyone nor have I received any proposals." She then smirked, "It would be a little difficult to send said proposals when I'm away from my home, after all."
"That certainly is true. But have you ever considered making ties to foreign kingdoms? For instance, as a noble and heir with quite high standings, I have a quite the sway in Re-Estize's politics." This little fuck…
"Unfortunately, while your offer is kind and quite generous, and while I'm not engaged, I'm currently seeing Lukrut right now." She then leaned her head onto my shoulder, drawing the asshole's attention onto me.
"Oh, and who might you be? Forgive me, but I've never seen you before and believed that you might be Princess Kashia's manservant." My eyes narrowed as I knew an insult when I heard it.
"My name's Lukrut Volve. I'm part of an adventuring team with Kashia." I told him, doing the best to hide my anger.
"Hmm… I don't recall hearing of your family's name from anywhere." He pondered with a sly look.
"That's because you wouldn't. My family are peasants." I stated. That caused him to become shocked as he looked between myself and Kashia with some (very satisfying I might add) confusion.
"Princess Kashia, while I don't mean to insinuate anything of your character and status, why are you in such a relationship with a peasant? It is most unbecoming." Purple prick asked while frowning.
"He makes me laugh." She answered dryly.
"But the peasant is beneath you. He provides nothing for you but a means to sully your honor! Like rats, peasants try to steal and consume from their betters. This ma-" I finally had enough of him insulting not only me, but also Kashia.
"You know, it's funny how you describe rats," I interrupted, "after all, you certainly seem to be acting like one ever since you learned of Kashia's status." Purple prick looked like he'd been slapped once I said this. I enjoyed the few seconds of peace from hearing him speak before he finally processed everything. Then his face began turning red.
"How dare you declare such a slanderous insult against your betters, you lowly wretch! Words such as that against nobility can earn oneself time in a gaol or death!" He threatened, making me feel more certain that I wanted to make him swallow his teeth.
"It's only slander if it were a lie."
"You insignificant bas-"
"Please, Lord Dalton." Kashia interrupted as she got in between me and the arrogant little shit, "Let's not have you and Lukrut get into a petty disagreement at such a wonderful party. Right now is a time to celebrate and enjoy ourselves. I'm sure you can find it in your generous heart to look past this. Don't you think so, Lord Dalton?" I could tell that the guy was getting pretty flustered at her putting some charm into her request.
"O-Of course, Princess Kashia. It wouldn't do for those of our stature to be brought down to such base reactions in front of our lessers." He then bowed before taking her hand and kissing it. "Please, enjoy the party, and I hope that we can eventually meet again in a different venue."
"Of course, Lord Dalton. I wish you the same as well." Kashia answered with a plastered smile. Then, Dolton focused on me.
"Enjoy the party, since I doubt that you've ever experienced much like it before, Lukrut Volve." With that, he walked off into the crowd towards another group of guests. Kashia then turned towards me with a raised brow.
"I hope you don't plan on making enemies with too many people tonight. I doubt I can defuse every situation as easily as that one." She remarked with a genuine smirk.
"I know. It's just that he managed to really get under my skin. I didn't like how he was taking about you." I answered with a sigh. I felt her hand cupping my cheek and felt my gaze drawn to her orange eyes.
"You are not alone in that regard. That man was revulsive. I had half a mind to teleport him into a lake and leave him there." Kashia remarked with a disappointed sigh, "Sadly, that wouldn't exactly make for a good reputation and would create more issues compared to the relief I'd feel."
The pair of us got a small laugh from that. Then, Kashia went back to my side and hooked her arm into mine before leading forwards.
"So, a princess, huh? Should I start referring to you as Princess Kashia as well?" I asked with a teasing grin.
"Would you like to be teleported into a lake?" She warned in response.
"But if you did that, then you'd have to deal with all of these nobles by yourself." I retorted, making the blonde princess think about it before rolling her eyes with a sigh.
"It appears that you are right. Guess I'll have to save dropping you into a lake for a future date."
Realizing that this would be one of the few times I could do this without immediate retaliation, I leaned down and whispered into her ear, "I'll keep that in mind for the future, my beautiful Princess Kashia." I finished with as much huskiness as I could conjure into my voice. That seemed to get the reaction I wanted since I felt her shiver for a moment before red dusted her cheeks.
Then, her eyes flashed gold before changing back to their normal orange. Was that some sort of magic?
I didn't get long to think about it because she then pulled my arm closer to her chest, enough to feel the soft pressure of her generous bust squish into the side of my arm. This was followed by her hip bumping into my side as she got slightly closer to me.
"Don't start teasing me now." She said as a warning, but I could also hear a bit of needy desperation in her tone. I feel that leaving her a little hot and bothered was perfect payback for how she teased me yesterday.
"I could never try to tease you, my beautiful princess~." I whispered into her ear and felt another shiver, followed by her stepping a heel into my boot. The pain my foot was feeling was definitely worth the reaction, especially because she now had trapped my arm into a death grip against her breast.
"Th-This is pa-payback for yesterday, isn't it?" Kashia asked as she began trying to calm herself down. The cute pout on her reddened face made it even better.
"What would ever give you that idea?" I answered as nonchalantly as possible.
"I really hate you right now." I couldn't help but chuckle at that. At least this feast gave me the chance to taunt Kashia without retaliation.
Following that, multiple nobles would come up to us throughout the hour that we spent socializing. Apparently, the purple prick, Dalton, had already been spreading word to the other nobles that one of the newest adamantite-plate adventurers was actually the princess of a foreign land. That caused no end of headaches as multiple men kept trying to court her or offer marriage proposals that Kashia had to turn down.
I did my best to try and remain quiet while offering my support to her, not that Kashia exactly needed it. No, she seemed to constantly manage to wrap these nobles around her finger, a task made easy due to her appearance.
She wasn't the only one finding success since Momon and Nabe, well, more Momon than anything, were making good headway with their interactions. I think that Momon's mysterious presence, combined with his serious expression enamored more than a few noble ladies. At the same time, Nabe's beauty and regal air managed to pull in the men. What did make the whole process a little humorous was how Momon constantly had to speak for Nabe since she showed no patience or urge to deal with those interested in her.
Aside from those two, I also spent my time listening in on other conversations that the nobles were having. It was quite interesting to hear their thoughts, opinions, and knowledge on matters related to the kingdom.
For one, the crown princes were all fighting among each other to become the next king. Some thought that if an heir was not declared soon, then the possibility of a civil war could be on the horizon.
Another conversation involved talk of a massive fire in the capitol that caused the deaths of many different nobles at a brothel, yet, oddly, it didn't manage to spread anywhere else. No survivors had been discovered which was causing issues for a few houses whose house heads and heirs had been among those discovered dead.
Along with that, there was a lot of talk about this year's harvest having shrunk due to a lack of farmers who had been conscripted for the army. The fact that the army was also consuming the country's food stores while less could be put in meant that the prices of food would end up being raised soon, along with starvation becoming an issue. That news was immensely concerning.
And then, I heard some of the most interesting news of all…
"From what I've heard, a goddess was found in the Great Forest of Tob living on the lake in a palace of gold." A noble in blue stated.
"Really? That sounds absolutely absurd. What goddess would ever decide to live in that barbaric place for starters? And a golden palace, too? Obviously, it's some fanciful tale that the peasants have been spreading. It's likely some hermit witch that casted a few spells to scare some gullible fools." A fat noble in green responded with a laugh.
"There may be some truth to such a story." A noble woman in red interjected, "My husband has had quite a few dealings with the Magician's Guild in the past few days. Aside from them acting odder than usual for such people that practice those strange arts, they also had an expedition sent out to the forest that apparently came back with something of great importance."
"I can confirm that." A thin noble in a wig added, "Quite a few of those mages spoke of a woman of inhuman beauty that they called the Fox Princess. She could apparently conjure up spells beyond the abilities of mortals. Such as a giant tree of stone. Apparently, she even blessed some of their own with knowledge on controlling time of all things."
"And I think that the mages have gone cracked. A 'Fox Princess'? What does she do, conjure animals that I spend my time hunting with my hounds?" The fat noble joked.
"Well, I think part of her name comes from the fact that she has the traits of foxes on her body. Long animal ears and nine golden tails. They were really quite descriptive."
"So, a witch with a beautiful body and some strange animal appendages managed to beguile some scholars who have been lacking in the company of women. This witch is obviously a fraud. I won't be surprised when the church of the Four Great Gods decides to send an inquisition upon her. But who knows, maybe I could send a few of my hounds to hunt her down myself, see what the fuss is all about?"
That got a laugh from the group of nobles while I could only ponder their words. Kashia had been part of that expedition but hadn't really said much about it. Maybe her group really did encounter a goddess? She had dealt with gods before from what she had said to us.
And from what I saw of that spell she cast from miles away, I could only imagine what this goddess could do. Though, the fact that this Fox Princess was beautiful could only make me shrug in response. I had Kashia, and she was more beautiful to me than any random goddess could be.
But still, if powerful monsters that could give Kashia trouble and deities were appearing, I needed to get stronger quickly. I had to be able to protect everyone. That seed I was given would be the key to doing that. I just needed to figure out how it worked.
I was taken out of my thoughts when the voice of a servant echoed through the hall, "Esteemed guests of Lord Rettenmaier, would you kindly make your way to the banquet hall where your seats have been prepared!"
The nobles quickly began clearing the room to head for the banquet hall. Kashia looked at me with an excited twinkle in her eyes, "At least we'll finally be able to get the free food and drink that was promised. You ready?"
"Yes. I don't know about you, but I want this feast to be over as soon as possible. These people irritate me with how superior and haughty they act." I remarked before adding, "It also doesn't help that I've had to listen to gods knows how many propositions of marriage to you."
"Not a walk in the park for me, either. Most of the men giving me said proposals can't even be bothered to maintain eye-contact with me." Kashia complained with a huff, "That is in addition to the people who wanted to recruit me for their private armies. Either I'm someone they want to fuck or a weapon to be pointed at their enemies. Hopefully, Momo and Nabe had better luck than me."
We then started making our way out of the room and went up a grand staircase as we followed the other guests.
"From what I saw, I don't think your friends Momon and Nabe many issue establishing connections. Though, they didn't receive nearly as much attention as you did. Bet the two were thankful for that."
Kashia took a glance over to the aforementioned pair that looked at ease in the current moment.
"Bet they were indeed." Kashia remarked with a giggle. Did she know something that I didn't?
It wasn't much longer before we finally arrived into the banquet hall. What I saw inside there were two tables parallel with one another that spanned most of the banquet hall's length that were draped in purple cloth. Up at the front of these two vertical tables was a third table that was horizontal to them. I could already see what I assumed was the mayor at that table with a few friends or family to either side of him. All of the tables were loaded with plates of food and that I've seen people kill for even a tenth of.
From there, us guests were led by servants to designated seating spots. Kashia and I had been sat together at one table while Momon and Nabe had been sat at the other. Interestingly enough, the four of us had been put in chairs closest to the mayor's table.
My guess for this is that the mayor wanted to spread out the adamantite-plate adventurers between the two tables to show off. I just happened to be the extra tag-along.
What really sucked about this seating arrangement is that while Momon and Nabe were put across from a kindly-looking elderly couple, Kashia and I had been put across from…
"Ah, Lord Dalton," Kashia said with a forced smile as we were seated, "this is such an interesting coincidence to be sitting across from you."
"It is such a delight to be sitting across from your radiant beauty, Princess Kashia." The purple prick said with a grin. I knew he had to have something to do with this seating arrangement.
The purple prick was soon joined by a man in a red outfit similar in frills to him. Unlike Dolton, he wasn't wearing a wig. Instead, he had a mustache that curled upwards on his face and looked to have been covered in grease to accomplish said feat.
"Princess Kashia, let me introduce you to my cousin, Count Iselk Bernard von Dalton II. He is known for owning multiple establishments throughout the country." As the purple prick introduced this count, I couldn't help but notice how the count looked at Kashia with utter lust like she was a piece of meat.
"It is an amazing pleasure to one of your stature, Princess Kashia. When my cousin told me that we had a princess attending this event, I was amazing, especially when hearing that you were one of the three adventurers that ended up defeating the vampire threatening E-Rantel. Most impressive." He complimented while his eyes wandered all over her body.
"Thank you for the praise, Count Iselk. It was a tough fight, but Momon, Nabe, and I eventually defeated Bathory together." Kashia replied while taking a sip from her goblet of wine.
I did the same, if only so that the eventual buzz from the alcohol would make listening to the Daltons that much more tolerable.
"I hear that you the journey here from your homeland, Yagdrasel, all by yourself. Is that correct?" Iselk asked while cutting off a piece of boar slipping it into his mouth.
"It's pronounced Yggdrasil. But yes, I did make the journey here by my lonesome."
"Quite astounding. Did you not fear the possibility of encountering monsters, bandits, or slavers while traveling?"
"Any journey has risks, Count Iselk. If I had to stop my journey because of every little danger encountered, then I'd have never left my home." Kashia replied with a smirk as she took a bite of boar meat. Taking another sip of my goblet, I dug into the food on my plate.
"A wise mentality, Princess Kashia." Iselk acknowledged while giving the purple prick a knowing glance from the corner of his eye, then he focused on Kashia once more, "So, this land of Yggdrasil, your mother rules all of it?"
"Yggdrasil is divided into nine different realms. All these realms have different rulers of them. While there are constant wars between the multiple kingdoms of each realm, my mother rules a territory between the realms of Vanaheim and Midgard known as the Realm of Foxes." Kashia answered, her tone becoming more regal as she spoke more of her home.
"Isn't that just interesting. I would assume that the name is due to a large number of the creatures residing within your land, correct?" He asked while I started thinking about the name of Kashia's homeland. Earlier, a few nobles spoke of some goddess that had appeared in Tob that was known as the Fox Princess. Could she somehow be related to Kashia? Perhaps a deity from her homeland? But then, why would that deity be here, unless she followed Kashia?
"That would be correct, Count Iselk." Kashia answered with some mirth, "Foxes are considered to be quite sacred in my country."
"Really? At least in Re-Estize, foxes are typically hunted for being pests to farmers or for the sport they provide during hunts. It is quite unique for another country to see these animals as beings of worship." Iselk said with some actual interest, interest that I shared. Kashia hadn't really spoken much of her home, so I was quite enraptured when she actually did speak of it.
"You have to understand that our land is protected by a guardian goddess who is considered the Queen of Foxes. She both aided the mortals of the land with bountiful harvests, industry, fertility, prosperity, and magic. Her emissaries are foxes that are blessed with both magic and intelligence. Another unique trait of these foxes is their ability to grow multiple tails. So, it is quite reasonable to see why foxes as so revered in my homeland."
"Well, it seems, at least, that you are living proof of this goddess' blessings. You are quite blessed as the epitome of fertile beauty while also being a powerful enough sorceress to have become an adamantite-plate adventurer. Any person would be blessed to have a woman like you…" Kashia covered her lower face with her sleeve, as if she was shy of such compliments.
Yet, knowing her long enough, along with having a better view of her from the side, I could see that she was anything but bashful of such compliments. Her eyes remained playful to the cousins, but her mouth, hidden behind her sleeve, showed absolute disgust.
"Please, Count Iselk, you're making me blush." She said shyly with gritted teeth. Then, her mouth turned back into that plastered smile and she lowered her sleeve from her face.
"It is the truth, Princess Kashia. In fact, if you were willing, I'd love for you to come by my manor hear more about your homeland along with stories of your travels. They sound so fascinating that I doubt this feast will last long enough to hear them all. I plan to remain in E-Rantel for a few weeks to make a few business deals, but I have multiple days free that you could come by for tea to continue discussions." The Count offered.
"That would be lovely, Count Iselk. I always enjoy when people have curious minds eager to learn new things." Kashia replied in a bubbly tone.
I don't know why, but something just bothered me about the man. Aside from his lustful looks at Kashia, Iselk just gave me this feeling that made me want to get away from him. I know Kashia probably felt the same way and that made me all the more confused on why she was so enthusiastic about meeting with this Count, most likely alone.
What was she planning?
I drained my goblet with this question and grabbed the silver pitcher in front of me that I used to refill the cup. Then I immediately drained half the cup.
"Splendid. If you are able, would you be willing to come by my manor in three days at noon?" The repulsive Count asked with a sinister glint in his eyes and a growing, toothy grin.
"Certainly! I just love being able to visit new places." Kashia said with an excited tone. With that, I had to continue listening to the odious cousins continue to fire questions at my sorceress while she answered with that fake enthusiasm that felt painful for me to hear since it just felt wrong. They also spent quite a bit of time bragging about their families and wealth. As I continued to eat, I ended up draining my cup a few more times until I was feeling warm and my thoughts felt clouded.
Yet, that didn't change the fact that listening to all of these nobles talk of immense wealth, their great families, successions, and more that just went on and on made me feel like an outsider. I wasn't like these people, and I never would be. Put a bow in my hands, and I could give a person a whole wealth of knowledge on usage, hunting, the best spot to hit a target, how to lead a shot, and more.
But this? It made me feel like the loneliest person in the world, and it felt choking.
I needed air.
Pushing myself out of my seat, and nearly stumbling, I leaned over to Kashia's ear and whispered, "I need to move my legs for a bit." Her orange eyes met mine with some concern.
"Are you alright?" She whispered back.
"Y-Yeah. Just continue enjoying the feast. I just have to get some air." I replied with a reassuring smile. She didn't look fully convinced, but she nodded in acceptance. From the corner of my eye, I saw the odious cousins sharing satisfied smirks as I walked away. I did my best to keep myself steady, but I may have made a small stumble before I finally exited the banquet hall.
I found a servant standing at attention by the banquet hall's entrance, so I went over to him. He gazed at me with a look of concern before asking, "My Lord, is there something that I can do for you?"
"Is there a place to get some fresh air? It's a little stuffy in there and I needed to catch my breath."
"If you head down the hall, the door to the terrace will be the first on the right." The servant answered and I gave him a nod of appreciation.
"Thanks." I said before stumbling my way off towards the directed area. It took a minute, and I almost tripped over my feet, but eventually, I opened the door to reveal the terrace under the starry night sky. As I stumbled to the railing, I was able to get an amazing view of the city ahead. The lights coming from each building off in the distance gave it a feeling of life that you couldn't find during the daytime.
Out here, everything seemed so much simpler. No nobles talking about inane bullshit, no thoughts of what the future may hold, no worries.
Just the cool night air and a simple view of the city. I spent some time like this, enjoying the feeling while also working through the fog on my mind. I closed my eyes and just focused on breathing.
"Copper for your thoughts?" Then, I felt a warm at my side before I opened my eyes to see Kashia resting on the railing next to me.
"What brought you out here? You should be in banquet hall continuing to make connections. That is what you are here for, after all." I questioned as those jewels of orange gazed into the distance. The lights of city reflected off her eyes, making them glow like setting suns. Then, she turned those jewels to me and smiled warmly. It made me happy to see her with a genuine smile instead of the plastered expression she had been using for much of the night.
"Eh, I think I've made enough connections for one day. Besides, I can only take so much of people trying to kiss my marvelous ass before I get sick of it. It was only bearable because I had someone else with me to share in the suffering." She answered while playfully bumping her body into mine. I chuckled at her response.
"Wow, you only brought me here to suffer? I can really feel the love from you right now." I teased back.
"Well, I guess I did also bring you here so that I could have an enjoyable time with someone I knew." She admitted with a giggle.
"Then, if you had to rate it, how enjoyable would you say your night has been?" I curiously asked with a raised brow.
Kashia put a finger on her chin in thought as she pondered the question, then she answered, "On a scale of one to ten for dates, I'd give it a four. The food was worth two points."
"What were the other two points for?"
"Hmm, I think I'll keep that to myself." Her face was filled with amused mirth when she said this, which made me quite curious. But then, I thought of a better idea, since she probably wouldn't answer if I asked.
Putting my hand under her chin to lift her face up, I leaned down and met her lips with mine. I watched her orange eyes widen in surprise before changing to amusement and then finally closing as she leaned into my kiss with a satisfied hum.
We were like this for a while before finally separating as we caught our breaths. I rested my forehead against hers and watched her eyes open with satisfaction. "How many points would you say that was worth?"
"I'll give it three. Congrats, your total is at a seven right now. You're getting a passing grade." Kashia answered with a cute smile.
"If I'm getting a passing grade for satisfying a princess, I think that I'm doing pretty well." I remarked.
"I think I'll have to bring the score down to a six for that. Maybe a six and a half if I'm feeling generous." She responded before I kissed her again, earning a muffled giggle before separating once again. "We'll leave it at a seven, just because I enjoy your boldness."
"I always aim to please my beautiful princess." I whispered back. She responded by hooking her arm into mine and resting her head into my shoulder while looking out onto the city.
"Don't push it, dummy." Kashia playfully warned as we remained in that position for a while after.
[Ninya]
Day 16:
Walking east of E-Rantel, none of us knew where Kashia was leading us to. We had met at the Adventurer's Guild, and then Kashia had us all marching out of the city without even taking a job. Instead, she just told us that, "Jobs would only be a waste of time."
None of us had been able to get any information from Kashia when we asked her where she was leading us. Not even Lukrut or myself could pry any word from her. It was actually quite impressive how she kept silent since we tried everything in our combined arsenal to get her to talk. We gave up after realizing that we were more likely to get answers from a corpse than from her.
Still, speaking of Lukrut and Kashia, it seemed that the pair had a good time at the feast. Tuare and I were able to get a good view of this when she had returned home last night with a bit of a cheer in her step. Tuare had asked her what had happened, and I eagerly listened because I liked knowing that my teacher was being made happy. And since I knew it was Lukrut she was seeing, then I wasn't worried about him upsetting her.
From what Kashia had told us, the evening had gone relatively well with Lukrut, at least. The only main issues that occurred were lusting nobles and unending offers of joining as a household mage or marriage. Tuare and I were quite confused at why so many nobles would be giving her marriage offers until she dropped a fireball onto the conversation.
Kashia's a princess. Well, technically, I already suspected that considering that her mother is an actual goddess. If that wasn't considered royalty, then I don't know what is.
Still, the fact that she admitted it was interesting, especially because Tuare didn't exactly know how to react. Thankfully, Kashia has always been pretty humble about her status. The most she ever brags about is her appearance or magical power, both of which were well deserved. She just wanted Tuare and I to treat her the same as we always have.
From there, she had mentioned how she and Lukrut had spent some time alone watching the city together. The fact that she blushed when talking about it confirmed that she and Lukrut did a little something more than just watch the city. After enough needling, Tuare managed to coax out that Kashia and Lukrut had kissed some more which made Tuare squeal in delight at the romantic activity.
I highly enjoyed that it was Kashia being made uncomfortable and embarrassed for once instead of me.
Still, all of that led to right now, where we had begun our journey at the start of the morning and it was now some time past noon. When asked why she didn't just teleport us, we were told that our journey to the end destination was stamina training. If this was stamina training, I feel that Kashia was going easy on us.
"Alright, everyone! We've made it!" Kashia announced as she stopped walking. The rest of us followed suit before looking past her to a small hill with an entrance blocked by a stone door in front of it. On either side of the door were sconces holding torches of blue fire that illuminated it in an eerie azure light.
[Foxfire]
"Where are we?" Peter asked as he looked at the stone entrance cautiously. Kashia turned around and looked at us with an ominous grin. The fact that my mind identified the blue flame let me know that it was somehow related to Kashia in one way or another.
"We're at a relatively new dungeon that has appeared in this land. It's filled with more than enough challenges to force all of you to grow stronger." Kashia answered.
"How did you even find out about this dungeon if it's so new?" Dyne spoke up. The fact that the fire was related to Kashia possibly meant that something divine may have informed her of it. That, or some other method that I was unaware of.
"To answer that, I'll only say with magic." Kashia said with a laugh, making us all groan at how much of a non-answer it was. "Now, before I send you into this place, we'll be going over exactly what you'll be expecting once you go inside, so gather around."
The four of us quickly dropped our traveling packs and got closer to my teacher before she finally spoke again, "I already know everything that is inside of this dungeon. What you four need to know is that there are three levels to this dungeon that get harder the further you go down. While I might not be going with you, I will make certain that none of you end up dying during your dungeon delving."
"What about enemies in this dungeon?" Lukrut asked.
"The first floor is filled with undead. When you manage to conquer that floor, I'll let you know what is on the second."
Undead. I had three reliable spells that could work against undead. [Firebolt], [Flame Wave], and [Force Blast]. All three capitalized on undead weaknesses which would certainly be useful.
"How will you make sure that we don't end up dying?" I couldn't help but ask.
Kashia just gave me a smirk in response, "You'll have to find out if it comes to that. Just know that I won't allow any of you to die."
"Should we expect anything on this first level besides undead? From what I know about dungeon exploration from others, there can also be things such as traps, treasures, and even greater monsters that can rule a dungeon." Peter questioned while pulling out a few potions from his traveling pack and equipping them into pouches on his belt.
The rest of us copied his action and started unpacking tools for the dungeon.
"Possibly. You should always expect that there may be something else within a dungeon that even prior intel doesn't cover. This is just one those moments." She said with a serious tone, making us all pay attention at the tip. None of us had actually performed dungeon delving before, namely because of how dangerous such a job could become.
At a bare minimum, most dungeons were explored by gold-plate adventurers and above. Additionally, it took a certain kind of confidence to march into a dungeon without any knowledge on what may reside inside. It was a high risk, high reward job that might not even provide a proper reward after defeating all the enemies of the dungeon.
All of us had heard tales of adventuring teams coming back home with only a single survivor. The only thing of value that was found consisted of a single item worth a silver or two.
Even with Kashia's reassurances and knowledge of what this dungeon held, I still couldn't help but feel worried about what we may encounter.
"If we enter this dungeon, will we be able to exit it? I've heard about dungeons with entrances that would shut behind anyone who entered, with the only exit being located further within." Lukrut remarked as he glanced at the stone door.
"You'll all be able to leave at any time, Lucky." Kashia answered with some mirth, "That doesn't mean that it will be easy." Then, my teacher motioned over to the entrance and finished with, "Now, your dungeon awaits you to conquer it. Be alert, keep your wits about you, never split the party, and kick some ass." She then conjured a strange white chair on the spot and sat in it. Following this, she waved her hand and conjured a magic circle that enchanted all of us.
It felt exactly like the spell [Mana Font] that she had used on us when we fought those goblins and ogres at the farm. At least I was reassured that I wouldn't be running out of mana anytime soon.
We all finalized equipping any of the items that we had brought with us in our packs. I had made sure to bring a few extra torches, flint and tinder, some rations and drink, five healing potions, and a few rolls of bandages. I now felt as prepared as I could be. Once the others had finished, we all began marching towards the stone door which allowed us to get a better view of the design that was carved on the front of the door.
A stylized tree with nine branches shooting off into different directions was the main design of the door. At the top of this tree, runes of an unknown language said something, either in explanation of this place or as a warning.
"Anyone have an idea on what these runes mean?" Peter wondered as his hand traced the runes carved into the door.
"I've never seen a language like this. It is interesting." Dyne replied as his eyes repeatedly examined the words in hopes of recalling something. I noticed that Lukrut's eyes seemed more fixed on the image of the tree, like some kind of vague recognition.
"I don't know either." I admitted, "What about you, Lukrut?" That seemed to bring the blond archer out of his fixation on the door, and made him look at me with a shrug.
"I'm… I'm not sure. Something about the tree on the door just looks familiar to me. But it's like trying to recall something from a dream." He answered, making the others look at him with sympathy.
"Well, don't become that fixated on it. Maybe the recollection will come to you in time." Peter said to reassure our friend. Lukrut seemed to perk up at this and gave a nod in response. With that, Peter began pushing the door, eliciting the sound of stone grinding against stone. Yet, oddly enough, Peter didn't seem to show any signs of struggle opening the door like one would expect from something so heavy.
As the door finally opened, the four of us saw stairs made of a dark stone that went down into the earth. The only light coming from more torches of [Foxfire] that continued bathing the area in azure light.
"Well, at least this place looks consistently creepy." Lukrut remarked, making us all smirk.
"I think that most dungeons would probably be creepy." I retorted as we entered the doorway. With that, all four of us had entered the dungeon and slowly made our way down the stoney steps. All of us made sure to keep our eyes open for traps, and it was lucky for us that we did.
"Stop!" Lukrut commanded, making us all freeze in place. We began looking around, wondering what danger might be near us. "Peter, the stone brick in front of your foot looks suspicious." Peter, Dyne, and I then moved our eyes to the spot Lukrut was pointing out, making us understand what the archer meant.
The azure light slightly obscured it, but the coloring to the brick was just a shade darker than all the other stone. In addition, it was slightly raised whereas all the other steps of the stairs had perfectly level bricks. Too suspicious to be anything but a trap.
"Good catch." Peter complimented as he stepped to the side of the suspicious brick and went down another step before stopping and examining the steps before continuing down. We all made sure to note where our leader walked before copying his steps.
"Seems like this dungeon won't allow entering it to be easy." Dyne remarked as we kept this cautious pace down the steps for a few more minutes. It was a good idea since we found three more trapped bricks before making it to the bottom of the stairs, and into the first hallway of this dungeon. That was when we all heard a rattling noise echoing from down the hallway that seemed to be getting closer.
"Everyone hear that?" Peter asked as he readied his sword. We all followed suit and I readied a [Firebolt] in preparation. It was a good thing that we all did so as a squad of skeletons came into view wielding rusted swords and axes. "Lukrut, try to conserve your arrows if you can. We don't know how many of these things might be here and we don't know if you'll be able to recover your arrows."
"Got it, Pete." Lukrut responded as he drew an arrow back, making the bow creak before letting it go. Impressively, the arrow he fired punched through the skull of one of the skeletons and made it through that of another. I joined him and launched my [Firebolt] in turn, blasting the skull of another skeleton apart.
Peter and Dyne stepped a few feet forwards, but remained close enough to Lukrut and I in case we needed aid. Lukrut took out another pair of skeletons with a single arrow while I blasted the skull of my second skeleton apart. That managed to lower the squad of skeletons from ten to four. Peter and Dyne didn't charge the skeletons and waited for them to get closer.
In fact, Peter took the few moments before the skeletons arrived to change his strategy. Due to knowing that his edged weapon was less useful against the skeletons, he quickly untied his sheath from his belt, stowed his blade back within it and wrapped the leather straps of his sheath around the hilt of his sword to keep it in place. Then, he gripped his weapon by the sheath and used it as an improvised hammer that he smashed into the skull of the skeleton, resulting in a loud crack.
This crack was echoed by Dyne's mace as it crushed the skull of another skeleton. Peter ducked under the swing of a rusted blade while Dyne blocked an axe strike with the shaft of his mace. Then, Peter smashed his sword's cross guard into his enemy's bony knee, causing it to snap and making the skeleton fall. Following this, he struck the fallen skeleton's skull, ending it. At the same time, Dyne swept his skeleton's feet out from under it before stomping his boot into the skeleton's skull, crushing it.
"More of these things are likely to start coming because of the noise." Dyne warned as Lukrut and I rejoined our melee fighters.
"Then let's get moving. I have a feeling that these skeletons were just meant to feel out our strength." Peter said as we started walking down the hallway together. Lukrut made sure to collect his arrows from the skeletal corpses before putting them back into his quiver. A bit further down, the pathway split in two.
"Any ideas on which route to take?" I asked as I examined each side. Both paths led to matching hallways that gave no hint on which path might be better. We didn't get long to contemplate our options as more rattling of bones came from the right hallway.
"Seems like our company is making the choice for us." Peter joked as we readied ourselves. As Lukrut and I readied an arrow and spell respectively, and all of us watched for more skeletons to approach from the right hallway, I felt three spikes of pain erupt in my back, followed by a spreading numbness.
I reached behind my back and my hand brushed against something that I grabbed and pulled out before bringing it into view.
It was a green dart with a feathered end. Noticing Lukrut doing the same, the pair of us had our gazes meet, horror filling our eyes as we understood what just happened. "Guys! It's a traaupuh!" I tried to shout as my tongue felt thick, the numbness quickly spreading through my body as I fell to the ground.
Lukrut wasn't doing much better as he had fallen to a knee.
My eyes glanced over to the left hallway, where I witnessed a cloaked figure having stepped off a pressure plate that had caused a section of ceiling to lower with tubes which likely had fired the darts at the pair of us.
I heard Peter and Dyne call out our names from what seemed like far away. I tried moving my gaze to my teammates as a blackness filled the corners of my vision.
Seeing Peter and Dyne's worried faces as they rushed over to Lukrut and I was the last thing I saw before darkness fully consumed my vision.
I woke up with a deep gasp to see the blue sky outside the dungeon.
Quickly sitting up, I found the others sitting around me with relief in their eyes as Kashia's voice filled my ears.
"Welcome to the land of the living, kiddo. You all managed to last 15 minutes." She said with a warm tone as I turned to see her still sitting in that chair, a large smile on her face.
"W-What happened? I know that Lukrut and I got hit by some darts, and then I blacked out after that." I asked while rubbing my head.
"Sadly, Dyne and I didn't last much longer after you and Lukrut went down." Peter answered while patting my shoulder. "Turns out that the rattling wasn't even skeletons, it was actually a robed figure shaking some bone chimes together to distract us. It was meant to keep us from noticing the other asshole activating that dart trap that took the pair of you out. Moment that Dyne and I focused on you two going down, the asshole with chimes activated the trap on his side that took us out as well."
"Seems like they utilized our expectations against us." Dyne remarked with a chuckle.
"And what does this event teach all of you?" Kashia asked us.
"Don't trust every noise." We all replied.
"Good." She clapped, "Now, ready for round two?"