BXBX NOVEL Chapter 45.2: Dungeon (1)
"Sure. Just keep in mind what I said.”
What I asked of Yuriel was the following.
– To completely conquer Elisha\'s husband\'s heart. He shouldn\'t have any lingering feelings for Elisha.
– After conquering her husband\'s heart, she also needs to win the heart of the child. She will regard the child as her own.
The reason for adding the second requirement was simple.
It is Elisha\'s offspring, but the child isn\'t guilty of its mother\'s crimes, right?
I didn\'t want the child to suffer because of family strife.
So I came up with an amicable mother replacement.
A happy family is left as it is, and only the mother is changed in a swipe.
She not only has a lot of money but also a lot of time, moreover, she is a kinder mother too.
Wouldn\'t that make the child happier?
It is the best of both world where no one except Elisha is hurt.
"Do not worry. To be honest, I have no chance in failing this. Sir Hero, please keep your promise. If I can create a happy family, you’ll give me those remaining 50,000 gold coins.”
“If the child and father are happy, I will give as much as I can, so go ahead.”
“Yes, thank you!”
Yuriel waved her hand and disappeared across the street with a bright complexion.
‘I think she said two months would be enough?’
During the week when Elisha was assembling those S-class adventurers, I investigated Elisha\'s family.
After all, I did need an insurance.
And when I told her the information that I had investigated and found out, Yuriel swore to me that two months would be enough for her.
She was full of confidence, but honestly, I was skeptical.
Even though Elisha ate my money and made things messed up, she was a faithful woman in her own way.
How can it be so easy to break into such a woman\'s family?
‘Well… I should now go to the dungeon and worry about it later.’
If she succeeds, I can pay the promised amount.
If it\'s in progress, I can support it.
If she fails, I can take my money back.
If she elopes with my money, I can hire an assassin.
I decided for now to not care about Elisha\'s matter any more.
From now on, I have to fully focus on the dungeon.
I went to the private lock-up storehouse\'s caretaker and retrieved the equipments I had left before. Perhaps it was worthwhile to show the Hero\'s plaque, the equipments were safely stored.
Let\'s see…
“Take it, Neria.”
I handed the Lightning Sword, Storm Shield, Kobold Leather Armor, and an earring with health bonus to Neria.
Neria widened her eyes.
“Cloud, this is..?”
“Your equipments are not quite good. At least the loot was not properly distributed at the previous party. We can’t go to the dungeon like that.”
Afterwards, the Staff of Woe and Lightning Earrings were given to Eri.
Meanwhile, the Windfortune Ring and Thorn Mace went to Ophelia.
The three of them looked at the equipments given to them with surprise.
I added.
“Take them and follow me. Arm yourselves while we go up.”
* * *
The peach trees where the dungeon is hidden.
While Cloud jumped into the pond to open the dungeon, Eri fiddled with the staff and earrings she had received from him.
“Eri, if you keep fiddling with the earrings, it will hurt your ear.”
Ophelia cautioned her.
“I, I know. It\'s just… it\'s been a while since I changed my equipments… so.. so…"
At Lorian\'s Party, she was neglected.
Instead of having a share in the loot, she had to be content with just some experience points.
She found herself realizing this once again when she received these equipments from Cloud.
I\'m back…
Looking at her side, Neria was also stroking the Lightning Sword she had received from Cloud with a subtle expression on her face.
“It’s nice to see everyone looking better. But… why was I given a mace?”
“Maybe it is for self-defense? No matter how much Cloud and Neria protect you, they might miss one or two from time to time. It will be useful at that time.”
“Is that so…?”
Just when Ophelia was feeling an unknown sense of anxiety for some reason.
Slurrrsh~!
The pond parted and a staircase materialized.
While the three women were startled, Cloud jumped out of the water. He grazed his palm with a dagger and brought it to the stone gate.
– Qualified. Entry allowed.
The four of them were qualified because they were in a party, fulfilling the condition.
The dungeon opened and Cloud walked inside.
The three women hurriedly followed him into the dungeon.
“This is a dungeon… it’s amazing…”
Eri admired, she looked further inside. The other two women\'s reaction was not much different from hers.
Then Cloud spoke.
“This dungeon has a total of 30 floors. It is cleared by killing the boss on the 30th floor.”
“30th floors?! It\'s a huge dungeon!"
"I know, right. It’s going to take a lot longer than I thought.”
“I don’t know if the food we brought will hold up until then.”
Each of the three women gave an opinion.
Cloud smiled slightly and shook his head.
"Don\'t worry. It won\'t take long.”
“It won’t take long? How?"
“We will pursue speed. By tomorrow, we will reach the 15th floor.”
The three women thought Cloud was joking with them. They smiled and were about to tell him not to joke, but then they looked into his serious eyes.
This man… he was serious…!
Eri hurriedly tapped Neria\'s back with her elbow.
“Neria, you try to convince him somehow..!”
"I..?"
“You are the most likely among us… If you\'d say it, he might consider it even if he doesn’t listen to you as unconditionally as before.”
"Is it..? Okay, I\'ll try.”
Neria didn\'t try to hide her nervous expression and approached Cloud. Her face, though hardened by her tension, contained a subtle anticipation.
“Cloud, why don\'t you reconsider? Going from the 1st floor to the 15th floor in one day…”
“I’m sorry, but it has already been decided, Neria. That\'s final.”
“Ha, but…”
“Neria. Am I the party leader? Or you?”
"Ah? Of course, it\'s you..!"
“Then you must obey the leader’s orders. Oh, of course, if there\'s a better way than what I plan us to do, you can suggest it. That\'s always welcome. But the final decision is mine. Got it?"
As Cloud spoke while looking straight into her eyes, Neria abruptly nodded her head.
When Cloud asked if she had more to say, Neria replied in negative and returned to her position.
When she returned to her position, it looked like Neria had tears in her eyes.
‘…why did I even ask her.’
Eri felt guilty and turned her gaze away.
‘Yeah, Cloud must have made his preparations. No wonder he aspires to reach the 15th floor in one day.’
However, contrary to Eri\'s thoughts, Cloud was sincere, and the same day, Cloud\'s Party made their way from the 1st floor to the 15th floor in one fell swoop.