After another week things begin to return to the way they were before. The groups that enter the dungeon now seem to be having a tougher time lately, and many of the groups have begun to lose members. Lilah one day asks me if she can help out, and after looking through [Menu] I am able to give her some limited options to the dungeon.

Lilah seems to have a knack for ordering the kobolds around, and have even let her command the kobolds for a few of the battles against the adventurers. One morning before leaving Belinda asks me if it would be ok for Lilah and me to join her for dinner that evening in Tobes, and after being in the dungeon for the last week and a half Lilah seems to really want to go.

That day a group enters the dungeon with 2 low level C-ranked adventurers and 3 D-ranked adventurers. Since the entire group doesn’t consist of C-ranked adventurers I let Lilah take control of the monsters.

Lilah keeps looking at me rather worried as the group pushes their way through the dungeon making it all the way to the third floor, but she manages to gain confidence when the first C-ranked adventurer dies. She then uses the golems in a bold attempt to stop them from escaping, but one of the D-rankers and as well as one of the C-rankers manages to escape.

Lilah is confused as we get ready to depart from the dungeon when I tell her we need to change. I buy her a set of normal clothes with pants instead of her normal dresses and then try to equip her in armor with [Menu].

When I equip her in the black leather armor that Kodiak wore it fits her like a glove. I then try to give her a sword, but it remains normal size and she can’t hold it well. I can only summon crappy quality short swords so I summon up two superior quality daggers.

“I know we haven’t started training you to fight yet, but I would feel better if we are more prepared when we leave the dungeon from now on.”

I myself wear one of the superior quality chainmail from storage, and take along the dwarven sword we got from Garm. We then set out for Tobes, we bypass the normal entrance from the gate down the mountain for one of the hunter trails entering the village from the side.

Traveling through town quite a few people whisper about us, and when we bump into Susan outside the bakery she looks at us with sad eyes. She says something about it being a shame to herself, but we ignore it and head to the adventurer’s guild.

Several of the adventurers begin to talk quietly amongst themselves when we enter, and Belinda even has to look twice before realizing it us. She then heads over to greet us.

Belinda: “What are you guys wearing?”

“I didn’t feel safe enough to travel unarmed anymore.”

Belinda: “It’s just a short…” –She however can’t manage to finish her own sentence. Before she just nods then leads us to a table.-

Belinda: “I got something in the back prepared special for tonight I am just going to go get it real quick.”

Belinda heads into the back for a few minutes and when she returns she is carrying a large covered platter. After setting it on the table she then goes and grabs us all a drink, plates, and silverware. She then sits down at the table and takes off the lid from the platter.

Under the lid is a large chuck of some kind of meat cooked along with several types of vegetables, putting a little on each of our plates she then hands them to us. Lilah quickly begins to eat her food down, while I take a small bite.

The meat is soft, juicy, and easy to chew, but I still find the taste rather unpleasant. I however seem to be the only one that feels that was as in a short time Belinda has had to give Lilah two more servings and she has even hand another serving herself.

I try not to show the displeasure on my face, but quickly wash it down with my drink, and after a while I manage to finish my plate, Belinda offers me more but I quickly refuse.

Belinda: “I am almost set to take my next trip into the Tower of the Gods, I just need to get the group together. How are we looking at that end?”

“Well it all depends on what kind of group you want to “hire” “

Belinda: “Hire?”

When I motion to the side Belinda notices a man that is listening in on our conversation, I discreetly message Belinda telling her that he has been listening in on us since Lilah and I entered the guild.

Belinda: “Well I guess I will have to think a little more on it then…”

We continue to talk for a while, but now that Belinda knows the guy is there she seems to have a hard time staying focused on the conversation. When we decide it’s time to go home the man quickly leaves out before us.

When we make our way out of Tobes nobody seems to be following us, but we still take the precaution of taking a long way around to get back to the dungeon. Once we make it in I store the equipment back, and then send Lilah off to bed.

Sitting in the core room when I return Belinda seems to be apologetic as she says. “I didn’t even realize anyone was watching, I wonder if they have been watching me the whole time…”

“I don’t think so, they don’t seem to be bothering you any, probably worried about you being a princess, but since Thirty-seven’s death they have been following Lilah and me every time we enter town. After the funeral they have quit following us, it seems, but they still watch and listen in on our conversations when in Tobes.”

Belinda: “Well what do we do?”

“Well Herald seemed rather suspicious of us concerning the adventurers, so I am sure this is all his doing. I think once he doesn’t find anything after a while, he will eventually back off. We will just have to be careful till then.”

Belinda: “What about when I leave for Madam Erin’s? Will you guys be ok?”

“The guild can practically run itself now, and I will just have to stop in every few days to make sure everything is going smoothly, so we should be alright. Have you decided what kind of group you want to take with you this time? We have managed to build up quite of xp lately, because quite a few adventurers have fallen lately.”

Belinda: “Yea about that… The adventurers have noticed that lately the difficulty within the dungeon has gotten quite a bit higher.”

“It’s a given, I mean as the rifts level up the kobolds that are born inside become tougher.”

Belinda: “You also haven’t been taking any prisoners lately either.”

“The prison wasn’t deep enough so we changed it up, and we haven’t been able to build a new one yet, so we haven’t really had the ability to take prisoners.”

Belinda: “Are you sure you’re not mad at the adventurers for what happened to Thirty-seven and are just taking it out on all of them?”

“Of course not, besides I have been training Lilah to command the monsters so she has been taking care of most of the battles. Even though she has to command them manually like you, I think in small groups she will even surpass me pretty soon.”

Belinda moves over, wrapping her arms around hugging me tightly, and then says. “You know you can always talk to me if something is bothering you right?”

“I am telling you I am fine…”

Belinda appears to be a bit sad as she let’s go of me and then sits down in a chair. She then opens [Menu] and begins looking through it.

Belinda: “Have you tried summoning one of the beastkin yet? I was wondering just how useful one would be that doesn’t have a mind of its own.”

“Well we can try it real quick, I mean if it works you can use it, if not it’s only the cost of a goblin so we won’t be out much.”

Monster Belinda (Boss) has requested summing feral beastkin (random) for 25xp.

After I nod there is a light that forms in front of Belinda, one once it dissipates there is a nude male feral beastkin with a long tail, droopy dog like ears, and its body is covered in a short course black fur.

A feral beastkin (dog) has been summoned the (dog) sub-race is now available.

Belinda quickly blushes jumping from her chair, and after a few frantic seconds of her pounding away at [Menu] I accept her request for clothing and she puts it on the beastkin. The entire time the beastkin just stands there.

Belinda: “Is this normal?”

She says as she walks over to it waving her hand in front of its face. It doesn’t react, but eventually it blinks causing her to jump a little bit.

“Well its acting like the kobolds and goblins did when I was in training, let’s try something.”

I transfer the beastkin into the room with several of the kobolds and after a few minutes it begins to interact with the kobold and objects in the room in the same fashion as the kobolds. We then bring it back to the core room where it stands motionless again.

Belinda then orders it around a bit telling it to sit, stand, and other various actions it preforms them without trouble. After a while of work we manage to get it to interact with objects like it did in the dungeon with the kobold, but no matter how hard we try it doesn’t seem to be able to speak.

We then equip it with a weapon and some armor, and then we take it down to spar with some of the kobolds. It seems to be able to use the equipment much like the kobolds do, but its power is very low. We then return to the core room again and instruct it to sit down out of the way.

Belinda: “I don’t know if it will be much use, I can’t take an entire group like that but maybe one or two would be ok. Can we try to summon an intelligent one?”

“Alright.”

This time she requests clothes before summoning the beastkin, and she stands next to me as she prepares [Menu] this time however it takes her a bit longer before the request pops up.

Monster Belinda (Boss) has requested summoning feral beastkin (random) parameters set to [Female],[20 years]

This time when I nod and the light appears Belinda quickly covers my eyes, and after a short period she then uncovers them. The beastkin in front of me is like nothing I have seen previously she has damp black looking scale like skin covering most of her body with large round yellow spots. I look to the screens that appeared while Belinda covered my eyes.

A feral bearskin (Salamander) has been summoned the (Salamander) sub-race is now available. (Salamander) sub-race is an advanced sub-race, and as such summoning a feral beastkin with the (Salamander) sub-race will incur a 25% increase in cost.

Salamander: “I am pleased to meet you master. What is it you require of me?” –She says directed to Belinda-

Belinda: “Me?”

Salamander: “Of course, are you not the one that summoned me?”

Belinda: “What about Two-Twelve? He is the dungeon core…”

Salamander: “If you are master, which makes him master’s master.”

Belinda: “Please, for one don’t call me master. Belinda is fine.”

Salamander: “Certainly Belinda, what is it you require of me?”

Belinda: “What are you capable of doing?”

Salamander: “Anything you require.”

Belinda: “Can you use spells?”

A [Menu] seems to appear before Belinda as she begins reading something in front of her.

Belinda: “Yes, set class as mage.”

New spells available

Earth Pillar Cost: 75xp

Salamander: “Very well I will be able to cast simple water, and earth spells, I can learn other spells with training, except of course for fire spells.”

Belinda: “So you do have a favored element?”

Salamander: “Of course everyone bares a favored element.”

Belinda: “…What about a name?”

Salamander: “If you so desire to grant me a name I would be grateful.”

Belinda: “I plan on taking you with me to fight outside of the dungeon, so I have to give you a name. Do you have any preferences?”

Salamander: “Whatever Belinda desires.”

Belinda: “hmmm. How about Scylla?”

Belinda then appears to be reading a screen again. It seems to be a rather odd feeling to be off to the side watching this for a change.

After Belinda agrees I can see the beastkin’s name change in my list of monsters.

Belinda: “So exactly what spells can you cast now?”

Scylla: “I can currently cast [Clean], [Soil], [Frost], and [Earth Pillar]. Of course with further training I will begin to be able to cast more powerful spells.”

“Earth pillar is new to the dungeon, what exactly does it do?”

Belinda: “Really? Amy used it remember, it can cause damage but mainly she used it to push things out from behind cover.”

“I see. Well that looks like a start, what do you think Belinda?”

Belinda: “I think I am going to need at least one more intelligent beastkin, and I think I will go with one more that isn’t just in case. I don’t think we will be able to enter Madam Erin’s dungeon right away though, so I think we will take a bit more time on the trip there to train.”

“We have enough xp if you want to summon two more intelligent ones.”

Belinda: “That’s ok. No offense Scylla, but they don’t seem like they are very strong, I don’t want to end up losing them and losing all that extra xp.”

“Ok, if you think its best.”

We name the unintelligent beastkin Bo, and Belinda summons two more sets of clothes she turns her back asking me to summon another male beastkin, and we end up with a male rabbit beastkin, after getting him dressed we name him Ike.

Belinda then continues to summon another intelligent female beastkin. Covering my eyes again till it’s dressed this one results in another dog, but this time her ears are straight and she has a bushier tail.

Dog: “What do you want me to do?”

Belinda: “Pretty soon we will set out of the dungeon to gather xp, so I need to give you a name, do you have any preference?”

Dog: “As long as it’s not stupid.”

We end up naming the dog beastkin Zoey, and although she speaks rather rudely she is never directly rude to Belinda or myself, after a while we determine she isn’t able to have a mage class so we give her a archer class.

With both of the intelligent beastkin in the back of the group it might help them survive a bit longer, while the two unintelligent ones with be in the front lines with Belinda. We manage to find out though the summoning of both the intelligent and non-intelligent feral beastkin, that the intelligent ones are assigned a class like humans, but the non-intelligent ones are not, acting more like monsters.

I check on Lilah and she is sleeping so I don’t bother her, but I put up some walls in the big empty area that Lilah’s room sits in the corner of, creating some rooms for the new beastkin, I just put 2 beds in the one room for the unintelligent beastkin, but I put some other furniture and décor in two separate rooms so Scylla, and Zoey each have their own rooms.

For equipment I set Bo up with the [Top Quality Full-plate Armor], [Superior Quality Gambeson], and the [Superior Quality Great-axe] from storage. I set Ike up with a [Superior Quality Steel Sword], and a [Superior Quality Steel Tower Shield], so I give him the weaker [Superior Quality Full-plate Armor], and the [Leather Gambeson]

For Zoey I spend quite a bit of xp on getting her a [Top Quality Large Bow], and give her a [Superior Quality Black Leather Armor] from storage. I also give her two [Superior Quality Steel Sword]s from storage as backup.

Scylla is given the [Master Quality Magician’s Robes], and [Master Quality Gem Studded Steel Rod] from storage, and with an unpleasant expression from Belinda I give her the other [Minor Ring of Magic]

To make it up to Belinda, she forces me to allow her to stay with me tonight, and after everyone is settled in Belinda and I go to bed. I don’t feel near as embarrassed this time as I did the last, but once she begins to rub her fingers across my chest, I begin to get uncomfortable so I try to ignore it as I drift off to sleep first.

The next morning when I wake up Belinda is still peacefully sleeping, I gently wake her up and then get up putting my shirt back on. After heading to her room to get dressed she returns with Bo, Ike, Scylla, and Zoey. They don’t have their gear I assigned to them but Belinda quickly requests some of the crappy rusty gear out of storage.

I approved it and she equips the beastkin in it. I ask her why and she tells me. “I am going to take them down to Tobes today, I will have them wait just outside of town for an hour or so then come in asking to join the adventurer’s guild, after all they will need their IDs to be able to enter Madam Erin’s dungeon.”

She then checks over their gear while she continues. “If they wore the other gear it would seem rather odd for them to not being high level adventurers already, so I figured I will make them seem like they came here to train in the dungeon, and kill two birds with one stone.”

“That makes sense I guess, they could even move around in Tobes without much suspension after that as well.”

Belinda then sets out with the group heading down the mountain and I go to collect Lilah from her room.

Lilah: “Master…Lilah woke up this morning and her room has gotten a lot smaller…”

“It’s ok, it was just extra space anyway, I added some rooms for the new monsters Belinda and I summoned for her to take with her when she goes to Madam Erin’s dungeon.”

Lilah: “Master is not going to get rid of Lilah, because she can’t help fight are you?”

“Of course not, besides you are fighting really well, in your own way. By commanding the kobold groups you are giving me the ability to do other things, so Lilah is very important to the dungeon.”

Lilah then puffs out her chest in pride, and after she gets changed into her normal blue dress we head back to the core room. While Lilah keeps an eye on the screens I look over [Menu]. Belinda has seemed to acquire everything she needs for her trip, and I still have a bit of xp left so I decide to take a look at the dungeon.

I manage to finally replace the crimson kobold brutes and elder on the third floor, and decide to add one more golem leaving me with just under 100xp. My current consumption is now 10xp per day, so I should level up in 2 days.

I continue to mess around in [Menu] even after a group enters the dungeon leaving it to Lilah. She keeps looking back to me to see if I am watching the screens but as I am looking down she seems satisfied, I do however have a small screen open in front of me keeping an eye on the battle.

After a while out of a large group of 7 D-ranked adventurers there are only 3 left. Lilah has blocked off their escape as they are fleeing from the dungeon.

“Be careful now, there is starting to be talk in Tobes about the dungeon taking too many lives lately, you might want to pull them kobolds back, and let them 3 escape.”

Lilah: “Aww, master was watching… Fine…”

She then pulls the kobolds back into one of the side rooms so the 3 adventurers manage to escape.

Lilah: “But Lilah had them!”

“Yes, and good job Lilah.”

Lilah: “Why let them go though, most dungeons don’t work that way do they?”

“Honestly I don’t know, but what I do know, the 3 that escaped might head down to Tobes, and find 4 more friends to help them get revenge, and we then can end up with more xp. Instead of just the small amount we would have gotten from just them 3 alone.”

Lilah: “Ok…”

“Besides if groups manage to escape, it keeps the difficulty of the commissions down, so we don’t have to get stuck with much stronger groups before we are ready for them.”

Lilah: “Lilah still has a lot to learn…”

“It’s ok. You are doing great so far. By the time Belinda returns from her trip, you’re going to be capable of running the dungeon all on your own.”

Lilah: “Yay!”

“After all not long after the time Belinda returns I will have to go for the meeting, this time I don’t know how long it will take, maybe even up to a full month. With Belinda having to attend to things in Tobes I will be counting on you here in the dungeon.”

Lilah: “Master is going to be gone for a month?”

“Well I don’t know, I do know the training for the new cores will take a month, and I have to evaluate the dungeon cores that are training the new cores, so I don’t know how that’s going to work. With the reward for completing it is good enough though it doesn’t sound like it is going to be a simple task.”

Lilah: “Lilah doesn’t want master to be gone that long.”

The rest of the day goes pretty smoothly after lunch another group looks to be heading up the mountain to the dungeon, but I then notice it’s the new dungeon monsters. I watch them head to the dungeon, and I then move them to the core room.

“How did it go?”

Scylla: “We managed to get our IDs alright, although there may be a problem in the future with Bo, and Ike, as they don’t have a class.”

I get the group to show me their IDs.

Adventurer #45,204 [Scylla] Base: Tobes

Race: Feral Beastkin (Salamander) Gender: Female

Rank: D Level: 1

Class: Mage Favored Element: Water

Commissions Complete: 3

Dungeon Crystals Destroyed: 0

Adventurer #45,205 [Zoey] Base: Tobes

Race: Feral Beastkin (Dog) Gender: Female

Rank: D Level: 1

Class: Archer Favored Element: Fire

Commissions Complete: 3

Dungeon Crystals Destroyed: 0

Adventurer #45,206 [Bo] Base: Tobes

Race: Feral Beastkin (Dog) Gender: Male

Rank: D Level: 1

Class: None Favored Element: Water

Commissions Complete: 3

Dungeon Crystals Destroyed: 0

Adventurer #45,207 [Ike] Base: Tobes

Race: Feral Beastkin (Rabbit) Gender: Male

Rank: D Level: 1

Class: None Favored Element: Fire

Commissions Complete: 3

Dungeon Crystals Destroyed: 0

“Three commissions? What did you guys do?”

Scylla: “We delivered some good in Tobes, for a few people, Belinda wanted to make sure people got used to seeing us around, and to see if Ike and Bo would be a problem.”

Zoey: “I can’t tell who is worse Bo and Ike, or the idiot humans that can’t even tell they aren’t normal…”

Lilah: “What do you mean?”

Zoey: “Who is the runt?”

Lilah: “Lilah isn’t a runt! Lilah is master’s favorite.”

Zoey: “Why is that do you curl up in his lap while he pets you?”

“That’s enough.”

Lilah looks to be getting mad, but once I speak everyone calms back down. I then walk over to Bo and knock on his forehead a few times and nothing happens.

“That’s what she meant, Bo and Ike are like the kobold, they can’t talk and only do what they are told, and just wonder around aimlessly if you leave them alone.”

Lilah jumps up from her chair and goes over to Ike poking Ike in the ribs a few times.

Lilah: “But their beastkin… That’s weird…”

Zoey quickly takes Lilah’s chair while she is busy, and when Lilah notices she gives her an angry look. She however quickly shifts to a smile then runs over jumping up on my bed then sits down on the edge looking triumphant.

“Did Belinda say anything else?”

Scylla: “She said that she is going to have us run a few more commissions in town tomorrow, and if we do alright, we will set out the day after.”

I go ahead and send Bo and Ike to their room, but ask the girls if they need anything, and they say they don’t I send them each down to their rooms as well.

Lilah: “Lilah doesn’t like the dog…”

“Zoey? She acts rude, but she is harmless.”

I then tell Lilah about Zoey, Scylla, Ike and Bo in greater detail, and we then sit waiting for Belinda to return. Once Belinda arrives I ask her how the group did.

Belinda: “So far they did alright. Scylla and Zoey won’t be a problem for sure, and as long and Ike and Bo are close to one of the others I think it will be alright. Quite a few people were shocked to see a group made completely of feral beastkin, especially Scylla, because I don’t think anyone has seen a salamander beastkin before.”

“Scylla said there may be a problem for Ike and Bo in the future?”

Belinda: “Yea D-rank won’t be a problem, but I don’t know of any adventurers that have ever not had a class by the time they reach C-rank.”

“Well Lilah is actually doing really well learning the ins and outs of the dungeon, so it might not be as big of a deal to leave you two in charge when I have to help out Madam Erin, so you probably won’t have to push too hard on your trip.”

Belinda: “Well if we don’t have to push it, I might take a bit longer to get to Madam Erin’s, so I can train up the others a bit more.”

“That should be ok.”

Belinda: “I have a lot to do tomorrow, to prepare for my trip, so I am going to head to bed.”

She wraps her arms around me and after a few seconds she lets go then transfers out. Belinda leaves first thing the next morning taking the new monsters with her, I pick up Lilah from her room and take her to the core room.

The morning passes without any trouble, I leave a group of adventurers that has entered the dungeon up to Lilah, and she seems to be handling it quite well. When the group flees I receive a message.

Kobold Mage Rift has reached max level kobold mage rifts may now be purchased at any level up to max at a higher xp rate.

“Max level for the normal kobold is level 9?”

Lilah: “Does that mean they won’t get any stronger?”

“That’s exactly what it means… The way they are tearing through them I don’t see the point in making any more…”

I receive a message from Belinda just after lunch.

Belinda: “Hey, I sent the monsters out on a commission a few hours ago and they still haven’t returned, it should have been an easy commission I am starting to get worried.”

“Have you messaged either of the girls?”

Belinda: “I am sorry, I didn’t even think… I will do that now.”

“Lilah, you have been doing really well, how would you like to take the next step?”

Lilah: “Really master? What does Lilah have to do?”

“I am going to leave the dungeon for a while, and you keep the dungeon safe while I am gone.”

Lilah: “Lilah wants to go…”

“But I thought you wanted to take the next step?”

Lilah looks sad then says. “Fine, but master has to bring Lilah back something for her hard work.”

“Ok, I promise.”

I equip the chainmail armor and dwarven sword again, and then begin to make my way down to Tobes. Belinda seemed like she was sort of out of it, I am going to go check on her to make sure everything is ok.

I turn off the path to take one of the hunter’s trails into Tobes. I head straight for the adventurer’s guild, but before I reach it I first run into the group of monsters talking to someone. I start to walk to them but as I get closer I notice they are talking to Denova…

I decide I will just message them and quickly try to turn down a side street, but Denova spots me before I have the chance.

Denova: “Two-Twelve! I need your help for a moment.”

I let out a deep sigh then make my way to the group. Bo and Ike both seem to be carrying some large sacks, and Denova seems to be arguing with Zoey.

Denova: “I am telling you the location of the delivery has changed, and you need to take it to my place.”

Zoey: “Our commission is to drop it off here, if you want to take it then that’s on you, if you want us to take it all the way to the other side of town, and you are going to have to give us another commission.”

Denova: “I am not paying you twice for one delivery. I am not signing your commission until you take it to my place.”

Denova shoves some paperwork in my face once I reach the group. I look it over and it appears that Denova ordered some products from the capital though the store here, but she wants the product taken to her place.

“May I see your commission, so I can see what’s going on? –I ask Scylla-

Scylla: “Certianlly Mas…”-I quickly shake my head.-“Sir, here” –She hands me the commission slip.-

The commission clearly states for them to pick up the items from the delivery point and bring them here to this shop, but it does appear to be the items that Denova has ordered.

“This is clearly your stuff, but the commission says to bring it here, so you can’t expect them to take it all the way across town for you for free.”

Denova: “The shop keeper is out for the day, and told me I could sign for my things, but I am not going to sign the commission till they take it to my place.”

“If it was a few doors down or something I could see it, but you place is clear across town I say if you want them to deliver it there you need to at least pay them extra for it.”

Denova: “I am not signing it till they deliver it where I want it.”

“If you don’t sign their current commission, I will have to inform Belinda that you refused to sign just to get out of having to pay.”

Denova: “Fine I will double the commission, but I will give it to them in store credit.”

“What would these young ladies want to do with store credit in a brothel?”

Denova: “They are not even the ones doing the heavy lifting, the guys can use it.” –I give Denova a look.- “Fine, they can have the gold, but I will remember this next time you need my help Two-Twelve.”

“Aren’t you the one always asking me for the favors?”

She makes the changes to the commission and has me sign as a witness, and then the group then begins to follow Denova to the other side of town. I send a message to Zoey and Scylla telling them to be extra careful around Denova and to message me if they have any more problems.

I then resume heading to the Adventurer’s guild. Once I arrive the place seems rather quiet, a few adventurers here and there but nothing more than usual. The receptionists on the other hand have stacks of paperwork and stuff in front of them and they look stressed out.

Once one of the receptionists sees me they all quickly call me over.

Receptionist: “Please Two-Twelve, you have to do something about Belinda, because she is driving us crazy… I know she is leaving for a long trip tomorrow, but we can handle it… She has left enough instructions here to keep us busy for a year…”

“I will talk to her, where is she?”

Receptionist: “She is in the back at the moment…”

I head into the back room and find Belinda elbow deep going through old crates stacked up for storage.

“What are you doing?”

Belinda: “Two-Twelve? What are you doing here?”

“You seemed kind of out of it when you messaged me about the others, so I left Lilah in charge of the dungeon, and figured it would come check to see if you’re ok…”

Belinda: “I’m fine, I am just trying to get this all squared away before I leave tomorrow.”

“What exactly is it that you are doing?”

Belinda: “We have to keep records of all the commissions complete, if someone from the capital comes in asking for information I want the girls to be able to find it, I am just making sure all these old commissions are organized.”

“Do they do that often?”

Belinda: “Well no, but what if it happens while I am gone?”

“Then I am sure they can handle it if it comes up… Are you sure you are ok?

Belinda says she is fine but her shoulders seem to be shaking a bit, so I walk over to her and place one of my hands on top of her head. Belinda stops what she is doing, and she then begins to cry as she turns around hugging my waist.

I just stand there and stroke her head while she cries… After a few minutes she manages to calm down enough to start to talk.

Belinda: “I…I’m scared…”

“I don’t understand…”

Belinda: “Last time I went to Madam Erin’s dungeon I should have died…If Madam Erin didn’t help me I would have died… And then there is what happened with Thirty-seven… I… I just…”

“Are you saying you don’t want to go?”

Belinda: “I… Of course not… You need me, and I promised not to let you down. I have to do this… I am just…”

“If it’s too soon you don’t have to do this right now… The dungeon is doing ok right now.”

Belinda: “No…It’s ok, I made a promise to you, and to Madam Erin… I can’t let my fear take over, or I will end up like Thirty-seven was… I can do this…”

She then stands letting go of my waist, and wipes the tears from her eyes. She still seems to be shaking a bit, but she has calmed down now as she places the lid back on a crate, and puts it back on the stack. She then kisses my cheek.

Belinda: “Thanks Two-Twelve, I think I am going to be ok now…What do you say we get the others and head home early today? Now that I mention it they should have been back by now.”

“They had to make a delivery to Denova’s place, so they should be back here shortly.”

Belinda: “Denova’s place? Why are they making deliveries to Denova’s place?”

“I bumped into them on my way here, the commission they had been to deliver some items from the capital, but it was items that Denova had ordered though someone else. She wouldn’t sign the commission until they delivered it to her place. I did manage to get her to double the reward though.”

Belinda: “Why does she always have to make things so difficult?”

“I told them to message me if any other problems came up.”

Seemingly right on cue Scylla pokes he head into the back room.

Scylla: “Belinda, we have made it back, what’s next…Oh master you’re here too?”

“Why does everyone insist on calling me master?”

Scylla: “Well Lilah called you master…And Belinda told me not to call her master…What do you want me to call you?”

“Just call me Two-Twelve like everyone here in Tobes does…”

Scylla: “But master is easier…”

Belinda: “Give it up Two-Twelve. Just don’t call him master in front of the villagers ok? We don’t want them to get suspicious.”

Scylla: “Oh…About that…”

“What happened?”

Scylla: “That Denova lady… Before she signed our commission she asked us all kinds of questions. She thinks you went behind her back, and bought us as slaves from someone named Edward or something…”

Belinda: “She never gives up…”

Scylla: “She also seemed pretty suspicious of Bo and Ike, I told her they were both mute, to try to explain why they wouldn’t talk to her, but that seemed to make her even more suspicious…”

Belinda: “I was hoping to get you guys more established in Tobes before we had to deal with her… We leave tomorrow maybe she will get over it before we return... Two-Twelve, do you think you can handle it if she asks a bunch of questions while we are gone?”

“It shouldn’t be a problem.”

Belinda: “Well let’s call it an early day for today. We got a long trip ahead of us starting tomorrow.”

We then head back to the dungeon, on our way through town I spot Denova heading to the adventurer’s guild, but we manage to duck down a side road before she sees us all together. We head up one of the hunter’s trails to the dungeon, and when we arrive Lilah looks proud of herself.

Quickly looking over the dungeon, quite a few of the kobold that were alive when I left are no longer there, and even one of the crimson brutes looks pretty beat up. There is a message telling me of the items acquired, xp, and by the looks of it there were 3 high D-ranked adventurers or 3 weak C-ranked adventurers.

After we send the others to their rooms Lilah happily tells Belinda, and me about the group she defeated in the dungeon. After her story I give Lilah a pat on the head and tell her she did a good job. She then asks me what I got for her in Tobes…

Lilah: “That’s no fair! Master promised.”

“Things went a little crazy, I am sorry. I will make it up to you.”

Lilah: “Fine.”

Lilah then crawls under the covers in my bed.

“What are you doing now?”

Lilah: “Master said he wanted to make it up to Lilah, so Lilah wants to sleep with master.”

“Fine, if that’s what you want.”

Belinda: “Wait a minute! Lilah can’t sleep with you.”

“Why not? You do it all the time.”

Belinda: “But that’s different, and tonight is my last night…”

“Well I guess you do have a point.”

Belinda: “Good.”

“Lilah how about tomorrow night instead?”

Belinda: “No no no… Fine she can stay tonight, but only tonight.”

Lilah: “Yay!”

Belinda then uses [Menu] into her long night gown, then says. “But if she is so am I.” She then quickly climbs into my bed…

“Where am I going to sleep then?”

Belinda: “What are you talking about there is still plenty of room.”

I sigh, maybe this new bed still isn’t big enough… I start to take off my shirt when Belinda begins to blush and quickly asks. “What are you doing?”

“I always take off my shirt. You said it’s uncomfortable…”

Belinda: “Not with Lilah here… Leave it on…”

I pull my shirt back on… I then crawl into bed. Belinda quickly pulls one of my arms over her, wraps her arms around my chest, wraps her legs around on of mine, and places her head on my shoulder. Lilah on the other hand just buries her face into my other arm while wrapping both arms around it.

After lying there a few minutes Lilah then asks. “Master…Are you going to have sex with Belinda and Lilah now?”

Belinda quickly shoots up in the bed, blushing brightly, and says. “What are you talking about Lilah? Two-Twelve is not going to do…That…With you. Where did you get that idea?”

Lilah: “Before Lilah was with Master the mean man before him, told Lilah when a man gets in bed with a woman he has sex with them.”

Belinda: “That’s wrong! That was only because that guy was trying to sell you to a brothel…Don’t worry Two-Twelve isn’t going to do that to you…”

Lilah: “Oh… Is master going to have sex with you then?”

Belinda: “No! Two-Twelve is not doing that to anyone tonight!”

“Tonight?”

Belinda blushes again then hits me on the chest a few times telling me to shut up, then buries her face into my shoulder, I can feel the heat from her cheeks though my shirt… She starts to calm down when I start to rub my fingers softly up and down her back.

Lilah doesn’t say anything else but she holds my arm tightly. Both of the girls go to sleep rather quickly, but I can’t manage to get comfortable with both of them pinning me from both side so it takes a while before I manage to fall asleep.

The next morning Belinda wakes up early and begins preparing Bo, Ike, Scylla, and Zoey. I have to wake up Lilah who is still clinging to my arm when I get out of bed. Belinda then brings the others to the core room giving each a pack to wear with misc. Items held within.

“Do they really need to pack food, because won’t that just slow you down?”

Belinda: “It’s for appearance sake. If you run into someone three days into the trail and don’t have any food on you they are going to get suspicious.”

“I guess I will take your word for it… So you guys all set then?”

Belinda: “Almost.”

Belinda hugs me tightly which is rather uncomfortable with her wearing her armor, she then places her lips against mine kissing me softly. This causes Zoey to smirk and elbow Scylla, but Scylla just rolls her eyes.

Belinda: “Ok, you be careful alright?”

“You guys are the ones going to be taking all the risks… Come back safely, no need to push too hard.”

Belinda gets on her knees to hug Lilah who is still rubbing her eyes as she is just waking up.

Belinda: “Take care of Two-Twelve, and the dungeon while I am gone ok?”

Lilah: “Leave it to Lilah!” –She says while giving Belinda a thumb up.-

Lilah and I watch the group leave heading down around the lake, they then hit a hunter’s trail that should lead them out of the forest, and after they completely disappear from sight Lilah and I return to business as usual in the dungeon.