"I haven't seen that loud guy in a while, have you?"

"The red-head?"

"That's the one."

"Now that you mention it, neither have I. He might be out patrolling the forest with one of the patrols. I'm sure he's part of the guard of something."

"Don't tell anyone I told you this, but I'm pretty sure he's part of an undercover shadow gang... Or something like that."

"Don't be daft. If it was any other city, I might agree with you. But this one?"

"Especially this one. I'm telling ya. That's the reason why it's so peaceful here."

"Naa. I'm not buying it. We've been here for how long now? I'm sure I'd have noticed something."

"You have and it's right in front of your eyes yet you can't even see it. Did you hear about old Ewan?"

"The Stuck-up head of the Howser's, how could I forget that prick."

"Disappeared not long after we arrived. Was constantly complaining about the lack of hospitality until he just wasn't here anymore."

"It's not strange for a mouthy noble to be killed because of their sharp tongue."

"Alright. What about Lady Illanoir?"

"What about her? She used to torture people for the guard back in Cowley. To be frank, I'd be better off not knowing someone like that. This place seems to let you just... forget your past transgressions somehow. It's almost mystical."

"That's another example of what I'm talking about! Also Lady Illanoir disappeared just like old Ewan did. One morning she just wasn't there anymore."

"She could have gone back North. Stupid as that sound, crazy bitch does have more than a few screws loose."

"She could have, but it's not likely."

"If you have something to say then just spit it out. I don't need you beating around the bush while I'm trying to enjoy my lunch break."

"Ok. So the other week, I was at Talia's place. Granted, I'd had a few drinks, but I swear to god I know what I saw."

"Fuck sake. Go on then. What did you see?"

"I shit you not, as I stumbled outta the door, that same red-head dropped into the shadows beneath his feet. He wasn't alone either, he dragged some other poor souls down with him before he was gone. No hole or nothing. Just gone."

"I'm calling bullshit on that one. You must've been really pissed to have thought you saw that."

"I did see it! And it's not the first time I've seen one oddly-suspicious person around here do it either. Honestly!"

"Aww. Whatever. To be honest, I'm not even bothered."

"Why? After what I've just told you don't you feel like there's something going on here?"

"Yeah. I do. I reckon, there's a bunch of people protecting this lovely little city that we've been so graciously allowed to live in. Free of charge still, I might add. That's not going to last forever, but for the moment it's still a blessing we can't overlook. That said, most of the able-bodied men joined the guards just as we did. Pay isn't bad and the fact that we get three square meals a day means this is the only place I spend any coin. Well, between here and Lucinda's that is."

"Have you tried her energy potion yet?"

"Of course. I've got three on me."

"Mate, I swear. They're the best thing since... In fact, nevermind them. I'm telling you something shady is going on here."

"Really? All you've got is speculation and drunken admissions."

"What about that chef then? The head chef at the Crescent Cafe. They call her Ali."

"The one behind you?"

"Where!"

"You fucking idiot. I was just messing with you."

"I'm being serious man. Don't downplay this."

"Im not. You're over-playing it, if anything. I fucking love it here."

"I'm not saying I don't. I just need you to see what I'm seeing."

"I'm seeing the same as shit as you. You're just going a bit loco. Maybe if you don't keep quiet, you'll be the next person to drop through a shadow."

"Don't say that... I wasn't joking. I really saw it."

"Yeah. Yeah."

"Ok then. This one you can't dispute. What's up with Talia's brother?"

"You mean Light?"

"I-Is that his name?"

"Yeah. I asked him. He's not Talia's brother either by the way."

"He isn't?"

"No. They just look similar. They must be from the same place or something like that."

"That... Would make sense. That's good though. I might actually ask her out now."

"Ha. I wouldn't bother. She's into someone else. Light told me."

"What? Are you two like best friends or something?"

"He was in here the other day drinking and I was feeling quite brave. I'd already had a few so I marched up to him and said 'I wanna date Talia!'. Do you know what he did?"

"What? What did he do?"

"Laughed in my face. Afterwards he explained things to me, but go for it if you think you have a chance."

"No... I'll er... Leave it at that. Nevermind. There are plenty of fish in the sea, or fine women in Varona I should say."

"Now that's a nice change of tune."

"Well there are. Don't get me wrong though, that's also another one of those things that they're involved in."

"Oh my gods, will you give it a rest. Who are these 'they' you keep going on about?"

"I've just told you!"

"Who? Talia, Light, Ali, and the redhead?"

"Yeah! It's not just them though, there are lots of them."

"Fuck off, I'm going back to work."

"But Max..."

"Listen Sam. We're friends, have been since we were kids and I'm telling you now to stop it. Do you hear me?"

"But..."

"So fucking help me. Do you hear me!?"

"I hear you Max."

"Good. Because if any part of what you're saying is right then I don't need you disappearing on me so let's just go to work and forget this conversation ever happened. Ok?"

"Ok."

Conversations from Varona

Sam and Max

I can't believe I have two unique Slimes. Next time I do the rounds, I'll upgrade a different colour. The idea of multicoloured women, fawning around in a meadow is glued to my brain. In fact, I'm quite surprised that I got out of there as soon as I did.

The night sky is as beautiful as the day's in its own right. Stars glittering and twinkle as people sleep in the city beneath.

The building-less feature that once caused an old man to travel to my dungeon, with a gift that's still in my tower, has almost reached the next level.

The Syndicate:

Level 5

All associates earn a 50% boost to all stats regardless of location

All associates are able to use Dark Magic fluently even if they are unattuned to the darkness element

All associates physical combat skills inflict an extra 30% damage and all mental skills lasts 30% longer regardless of stats

All associates are now able to return to the dungeon through shadow transport once a day

Cloak of Night:

Turn invisible for 60 minutes once a day

Does not cost mana to cast

Does not require a physical skill to use

Once deactivated cannot be used again until the cool down period is over

Contracts until next level:

1

Contracts can be acquired from:

Taskmaster Talia

The Gourmet Ali

Potion Master Lucinda

The Swindler Jack

Guard Commanders Hana and Mira

Cloak and Dagger

Mayor Kana

Cardinal Carn

...

The list went on.

Almost anyone in my family that holds some type of position can now offer contracts to the others. They're able to earn experience by doing missions for each other, while doing tasks that benefit the dungeon. Me says they still need my connection, but I reckon these guys would do just fine without me.

As I contemplate how well my family has grown, the night passes peacefully until morning's first light illuminates Varona. The citizens wake up and go about their daily lives as the dungeon residents tend to their establishments and the fields.

Speaking of residents, Me's sat in the garden of the academy, enjoying the day.

The Academy of Dark Arts:

The dark arts care little for titles or trivialities and only serve those strong enough to wield them

Courses are available for those wishing to aspire to greater heights

Novice Teachers: 4

Intermediate Teachers: 4

Advanced Teachers: 0

Masters: 0

Students: 58

The building that conceals the entrance to my dungeon is now fully up and running. Turns out I did earn the teacher sub-class, I'd just forgot about it due to everything that was happening at once. Even with amazing skills in delegation, I'm still rushed off my feet.

Needing someone to run the building, I choose Mystique, one of my oldest family members that's still unassigned to a job other than scouting. The Assassin is granted the title Headmaster and her partner Coral is set as the deputy head. Knowing that the majority of my buildings have one or more Assassins assigned to, or close by, them, is a very comforting feeling and I don't think I've ever felt so safe.

The Academy of Dark Arts has been open for a few hours now and there is already a queue leading down the beautiful garden outside. It leads all the way to the gate and then part way round the main square as more citizens are waiting to enroll. With its low admission costs for the novice and intermediate level courses, I'm sure it's going to become a major hit in my city. Everyone has the capability for magic after all. Some more than others but that's not important in the least. It's not as though I'll be depending on the civilians learning magic to defend the city like others do.

As I look at the long line of people from my spot on top of the academy's tower, some leave to pop into Ali's as that's how far it reaches. Thinking about the numbers, I summon a few more Mages, Arch Mages and Magi and have them specialise at the Mages Guild. I then set their subclasses to teachers and assign them to the academy, increasing the staff dramatically. Classes will officially start tomorrow, once everyone has finished enrolling, and I just wanted to make sure there are enough teachers to ease class congestion.

Now that my magic school is taken care of, it's a relief of my mind. For the most part it will run itself, if not that's what Mystique and Coral are for. At the same time, I sense malicious feelings near the border of the residential district. Arriving in less than a second, a few of my guards arrive shortly after me.

Their detection abilities are almost as good as mine these days.

The woman at the forest line is screaming profanities at no one in particular. Through her delirious ramblings, I'm able to discern two things. First, she's experienced a truly traumatic journey and second, both of her children have died.

This is a truly unpleasant situation as her soul is dark orange, bordering the territory with red. I don't actually want to kill the woman. She may have done something to deserve the colour she's been branded with, but after what she's gone through I'm more than willing to try and help her. This is exactly the type of situation I've prepared for after all.

Well, not exactly. But it's close enough.

I have the guards escort the woman to a holding-cell beneath the white barracks. During the early hours of the morning we'll move her to one of the cells inside the dungeon. The woman can go straight to Samantula's floor seeing as how she's almost dead-red. Hopefully, the sight of my hairy boss might slow, or best-case scenario reverse, her condition. That would be fantastic for now. I don't know what I'll do with her after, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Now that the excitement has died down, what shall I do?