Syl: Chapter 202 (Patreon)

Chapter 202: Dungeon and Mirror

"So, is there any difference between this conquered dungeon and a normal one?" I asked.

Kaldrour nodded. "The spawns are more regulated, and in some cases, we've even ensured only certain types of elementals can spawn by changing the environment of the rooms. The spoils from the elementals are also taxed by the city."

Wow... The poor dungeon master, has it been bullied into submission? I wondered.

"And if you have any looting skills or emblems, you are asked not to use them!" Darmod quickly added. "We don't want to starve the dungeon or break the delicate equilibrium that's been established."

I nodded.

Well, it's not like eating any elementals will help me out since they all seem to come from the same profile. But that probably means trying to coerce the dungeon into spawning a slime for me is off the table. I should probably hold back on sliming out, but there's no reason for me not to use [Metal Slime] and hopefully get it to the next level!

"No problem. It sounds like a great place to train and get some levels," I agreed.

"Wonderful. I'll ensure you have access and that someone guides you to the entrance," Kaldrour cheerfully replied.

"You need access? Is it not controlled by the adventurer's guild?" I questioned.

"No," Kaldrour shook his head. "The dungeon is fully maintained by the city itself, and thus, it falls outside the guild's regulation."

"Oh..." I mumbled, not really understanding.

"The Adventurers Guild was established by humans first; we dwarves took a while to accept its existence," Darmod explained. "We had our own way of doing things for centuries, and so concessions were made when we finally allowed it to operate within our borders."

"So... If I said I wanted to train specifically on spells, what would you recommend?" I questioned.

"What kind of magic?" Kaldrour asked.

"Corrosion," I replied and elaborated in case they weren't familiar. "Acids and a few afflictions."

Kaldrour hummed in thought before finally responding. "Probably the rock elementals. That way, you can damage their outside body without too much fuss. If you went to train on something like the crystal or metal elements, you might get some people angry that you're intentionally damaging the resources!"

"You're serious?" I questioned.

"Deadly serious, we weren't kidding when we said we've conquered the dungeon and maintained its equilibrium. We've turned it into a glorious harvesting ground."

"Oh... So as long as I keep the crystal cores relatively intact, people won't mind?" I questioned.

"Pretty much," Kaldrour nodded in agreement. "There are fire elementals, too, but I worry with their partially incorporeal nature, your magic would immediately destroy their crystal."

"How do you usually go about gathering their crystal?" I questioned.

"Water, mud, or even enclosing them in an airtight room. Eventually, the elemental burns itself out and dies. It's a rather brutal method but the best way to gather their crystals unharmed. They are one of the best sources of pure Fire Mana, and we use them to power some of our extreme forges."

"Makes sense," I said with a nod. "I guess we will hunt a few earth and rock elementals before eventually going on some quests."

"Sounds good to me! Earth crystals aren't used often, so don't be too beat up if you destroy a few."

As if sensing my next question ahead of time, Darmod quickly spoke up. "We sometimes grind them down and use them to enrich the soil. It can help with plant growth. Although sometimes they just throw the crystals in a dungeon room to shift the room's elemental alignment toward Earth."

"To influence the dungeon spawns?" I asked.

"Bingo!" Kaldrour said excitedly. "If it's high enough, we get some really good ones."

I wanted to question that mindset. As far as I knew, the dungeons could seemingly spawn anything they wanted, so either they'd tricked the dungeon, or the dungeon was tricking them.

Or perhaps there are certain rules around the spawning? Is it cheaper to spawn a monster that matches the element in the room? However, that wouldn't explain the vast variety I saw in that last dungeon...

After finalizing everything, Kaldrour decided to lead us toward the dungeon. Darmod left to immediately contact his merchant suppliers to see what slime cores he could scrounge up.

Vee and I marveled like tourists at all the new sights we saw as I followed Kaldrour deeper into an area of the city I'd never been to. Our destination was a huge set of ornate, heavily guarded double doors.

"Well, this is the entrance to the dungeon!" Kaldrour explained excitedly.

"Great! So which way are the Earth elementals?" I asked.

"I'll ask the guards for a map while authorizing your permission to enter," Kaldrour responded.

He spent some time chatting with one of the guards, who then handed over a stone tablet before Kaldrour trotted back.

"Right, you're authorized to enter, and here is your map," He said cheerfully, handing over the stone tablet.

"Thanks Kaldrour!" I said happily.

"No, my friend, thank you!" Kaldrour said with a cheerful chuckle. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some merchants to contact and then some foreman to tell to get back to work!"

He waved goodbye and left the area. I finally scrutinized the tablet he had handed me to understand what this dungeon looked like.

Examining it, I saw engravings of a floor layout with large areas marked towards a certain element before going into further detail by room. I was startled at how efficient the layout looked. The dwarves weren't kidding that they'd subjugated the dungeon, and the entire thing looked extremely square, as most dwarven constructs seemed to favor.

Did they forcibly build it like this, and did the dungeon adapt? Or did they somehow force it to create the dungeon like this? Or maybe the dwarves are friends with the Dungeon Master, and there's an agreement?

That last possibility made me hesitant about what I revealed during my encounter. Definitely no fully sliming out, although I reckoned the Dungeon Master would likely be sworn to silence by Gramps or Mother.

"So, Vee, are you ready for your first dungeon?" I asked the spider mentally.

"I guess... although if we are just going to fight a few rock elementals, I'm not sure how fun it will be," Vee responded.

"Well, at least they will make good target practice. Hopefully, we can get you some easy levels in your class before we head out and do some quests. I'm sure that will be much more fun."

"Sure, lead the way!" Vee agreed. "At least I'll finally get to cast some real magic and not just coordinate nonsense!"

I had half expected to get another quest to slap the spider, but either Mother wasn't watching, or she had run out of free points to give me.

***

Alone in a room was a lithe elven figure staring into what looked like a shimmering mirror of mercury; across from the other side were blurred figures, their appearance hard to make out other than their pronounced pointed ears, which signified their elven heritage.

"I made the snap decision to intervene and prevent the dwarves from interfering with her [Bonded Companion]," Tamnaeth reported. "Regardless of which branch she is from, we would not want to lose such a powerful, tamed asset."

One of the figures nodded. "Yes, I agree with the decision. To so effortlessly tame a monster of that caliber clearly shows that she is hiding her true levels behind her current class."

"Has there been any progress in identifying which branch she is from?" Tamnaeth asked, hoping for a positive response. "I'd appreciate knowing whom I'm potentially working with."

One of the other figures shook their head. "No... Strangely, it seems none of the branches wish to claim this individual's actions. Either she is deep undercover or a loose agent acting freely."

Tamnaeth frowned, not happy with the news. He was about to voice his complaint when there appeared to be a commotion on the opposite end of their communication device.

Abruptly, one by one, the figures started dropping to their knees. Tamnaeth could only presume someone important had entered the room and hastily knelt.

The new figure rapidly approached the communication mirror; even separated by such a far distance, Tamnaeth could feel the social pressure weighing down upon him.

"Agent, you're in the presence of the Feirelle branch," another elf, clearly an assistant, said.

"Tamnaeth, reporting for duty!" He dropped deeper to his knees. "This sprout is honored for being graced by your presence, and I humbly ask how may I serve the great Feirelle branch on this blessed day?"

"First, confirm the name of the individual you saw," the assistant responded.

"[Identify] reported her name as Syl," Tamnaeth responded hastily. "It seemed like a shortened name or nickname, so I presumed it was modified."

"Describe her appearance as best as you can remember," the assistant spoke.

Tamnaeth hastily responded. The more he described, the more agitated the Feirelle branch head seemed to get.

"And she tamed a monster spider, you say?" The assistant asked.

"Yes, a Riftweaver Spider, tier five, named Vee," Tamnaeth replied.

There seemed to be a commotion between the assistant and the Feirelle branch head.

"Mistress, I understand your agitation, but..."

"Paeris," A commanding voice echoed out. Tamnaeth felt the urge to kneel even harder. "I do not know or care, but that sounds exactly like my daughter. She even bonded a companion!"

"Mistress... I understand... But, her leaf fell from the sprig; it can't be her," Paeris, the assistant, pleaded.

"The description matches her perfectly; she even had her golden oak bag!" She continued. "And now it's revealed that she has the Tamer class too; this is far too much of a coincidence."

Paeris tried to say something but was interrupted as she continued talking.

"Her sudden disappearance goes unexplained to this very day, and yet you wish me not to act? No. I will get my answers to why she left home. Either my daughter is alive, or another branch has the gall to imitate her," The Feirelle branch head spoke. "Dispatch Llewel to retrieve her by any means necessary."

"Yes, Mistress..." Paeris mumbled.

"Tamnaeth," She spoke. Tamnaeth flinched. "Keep an eye on her, but do not interfere. I do not wish for her to flee until Llewel arrives."

"I understand," Tamnaeth said, bowing his head.

The imposing woman looked ready to leave but paused and glared at the communication mirror. Tamnaeth thought perhaps he had done something accidentally to offend her when she suddenly waved her hand, and the watery reflection shimmered a vibrant spray of colors until a small black splotch was revealed.

"This device has been compromised!" She declared angrily.

Tamnaeth felt a pit in his stomach beginning to swell; he gulped and was ready to take some of the blame when she raised her hand and waved it again. A crack split the mirror in half, then shattered into countless pieces following an earsplitting screech.

He stared at the sight and let out a sigh of relief.

"At least I'm not taking the blame... But who would snoop on such a meeting?" He couldn't help but wonder. "Were they interested in snooping on our ongoing relations with the dwarves, or is this related to the Feirelle branch?"

He paused and began thinking. The Feirelle branch was remarkably close to the trunk. Was someone plotting against them? Was one of the outer branches looking to increase its influence, or was one of the other inner branches trying to retain control?

"It's all certainly possible..." Tamnaeth admitted.

He then thought about his meeting with Syl. She undoubtedly had the [Elven Glamour] trait at an extremely high level, indicating close ties to a branch. The fact that she might have been the Feirelle's lost daughter was certainly plausible.

"If it is her, why did she disappear only to join the adventurers guild?" He continued to wonder. "Not to mention coming to visit the dwarven empire..."

He sighed and shook his head.

"This is far above my pay grade. I need a drink..."