(Curator Pov)

AAAAhhhhhhh! My core’s pumping a mile a minute! That was way too close.

“He’s stable but dormant.” Rose released all her pent-up exhaustion in one breath. “I love him, but these outbursts never get any less stressful to deal with.” Her flower droops over like a shawl. Draping her head in a truly depressing display.

G exhausted himself out in that last push. Cheating back bosses a la buyback respawn, demolishing three floors in his rampage, all the while barring his entrance. Not to mention the strain from constantly inflicting madness on his whole dungeon.

Now we were left to clean up the mess. Ugh, hopefully with those four up there, G will calm down once he wakes up. Rose described it as a place where unfinished ideas are thrown then subsequently forgotten. So there’s a good chance he won’t notice them.

But now the question was, how do we get them down? I didn’t exactly have all the time in the world to think through the ramifications of spouting them up there. It was a split decision type of thing.

Nowhere else to go, and with the exit blocked. At my wit’s end, memories of the tour flashed through my mind, to a moment that struck me.

Back in the lobby, G talked about showing me the higher floors. But he was cut short when that brute attacked Rose.

It was such a striking reveal, but that’s why it stuck with me and why I took the gamble. And I gotta say IT PAID IN SPADES! Just seeing that torrent of water shoot them into the sky like-

*Ahem* Not now. Rose is shooting me death stares.

With G conked out, she was relying on me more than ever. Now that the A.A folks were combing the scene, horrified at the floor(s) spanning destruction and apparent flood. Which I already took care of in the lobby. Hope they have a good drainage system.

Aside from getting a few pant-legs soaked when I unblocked the front door, we should be in the clear. During the kerfuffle, the two of us managed to keep casualties to a zero. Some are in critical condition by virtue of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But they’ll live thanks to Rose’s medical know-how.

As Rose helped cart the wounded out. I noticed that apart from the medics whose professionalism masked their emotions. Our guests were on an uneasy build-up, eyes paranoid and bodies tense.

It was fear, fear of the dungeon that just went berserk, fear that Rose might do the same.

Well, with the exception being that elderly gent whose very presence mocked the cowering younglings. He stood shorter than most with a head of brown greying hair. Donning no armor, opting for hiking clothes that would at most stop a stray blade.

Striding up to the floral dungeon manifestation, the A.A guards parted for him. Giving a slight bow, he started talking to her like an old friend. A boy with rushing blue hair trailed in his shadow.

(Zhenya Pov)

“Ukkk. To tight! To tight!”

“Sorry.” Fredrica unstrangled the gauze around my tummy before tying it. “Alright, that should keep you nice and together.” She gave me a light tap on the back.

Laying me back down on a bed of rustling clouds, the bed to end all beds, she started tending to Su’s wrappings.

It almost seems strange having a moment of peace after the hell we went through. It does help that these cloud plants are just the softest, cuddliest things ever!

In all seriousness, the fall got me pretty bad. I’d be a pile of gore right now if I wasn’t lucky. Su, on the other hand, still had her wounds from before the dungeon tried drowning us. So, yeah. She was much worse off than I was.

Freddie was just fine. Nothing outside a bomb or a boss monster is gonna faze her. And Nickolas? I swear that boy was born under a lucky star or something! After all this, he comes out of it with a couple of bruises!

Well, he did a good job gathering stuff and making this bed, so I can’t complain too much. He was currently on lookout duty.

“Alright, get some rest. Doc’s orders.” The knight playing doctor lays the listless girl down, leaving her to her own devices, before sitting down beside me. “We’ll make camp tonight. You and Su are in no condition to move.”

Can’t argue with that logic. My stomach s’been kicking my ass from the inside for the last cycle. And it was already evening to boot, plus we haven’t eaten anything today.

Watching the sunset on a clear sky, as eager stars rush out to play, I can’t deny the romance of it all. We’re the first people to set our sights on this vista. The highest point of the world... I can see a vast grey empire with grand towering cites and lively ports to the west. And in the east, a sea pink engulfed all traces of human life, only black roofs breaking the surface, a grand castle presiding over its pink domain.

I can even see home from here. Sorta. Just the mountain range and the peak of the sacred mountain. But still, I think we’re the only ones who can say they’ve seen the whole world.

As the moon sailed the clear night sky, we got a fire pit going. Heating up miss Diana’s homecooked boxed meals, I’m amazed at how much love and care was put into them. Each one was jammed packed with favorites Freddie and I have grown to love while living at the inn. While Su’s and Nick’s looked custom-made for them.

On an open flame, savory scents radiated throughout our camp, stimulating even the dullest of people. *Grrrruuppp* That meaning even Su’s stomach wasn’t safe from Diana’s motherly food bombs!

There was slight chatter as we ate, but nothing important. Even if the food was good, we were tuckered out from today’s events.

When it came time to hit the hay, I argued for the third night watch shift. Freddie and Nick were adamant they could go with the four hours of sleep each, but I was having none of that.

Eventually, they caved when Nick brought up that he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of a monster this whole day while he was on watch.

And so it was decided, Nickolas woke me up at the break of dawn for my shift.

Munching on some long-arm bear jerky to keep myself awake. I simply fed the fire and stared out at the world below, wondering what was next in this frankly ridiculous adventure we found ourselves on.

Around the two-hour mark, I heard shifting from behind me. Reaching for my sword, I quickly stopped seeing Sushila. Which in itself was mind-blowing.

Despite her injuries, she was up and moving without a hint of pain. Giving a stretch, her body cracks and pops as she holds the pose, soaking in the sunlight. Plopping down next to me, I offer her some jerky. Taking the snack, she looks me in the eyes and points southward.

In the distance was an archipelago consisting of seven islands. Lush and full of life, I could almost feel the tropical breeze from here.

“Is that your home, the islands?” She nods.

“How was it like? Living there, I mean.” I can’t even fathom a place that temperate. Open beaches, no ice or blizzards, constantly warm... “It must be paradise.”

Su ponders on this for some time before shaking her head, “No?” She mimics the crashing of waves with her arms. “Oh, Can waves really get that big?” She nods enthusiastically.

This game of charades helped pass the time. We were worlds apart when it came to our experiences growing up. Taking interest even in the mundane aspects we’ve come to see as normal. For Su, it was the idea of snow and ice fishing, and for me, it was the beaches.

As we hit the limit of what could be conveyed via hands, Su surprised me once again, raising her rusted but eager voice.

Steadily speaking, I noticed Su would unconsciously or not avoid topics involving people. Opting to focus on sights, landscapes, and animals. The ring Nirve gave us that she made off with tumbled in her hand as a means of comfort.

Perhaps noticing my gaze periodically settling on the object. She raised the ring up to the sky, letting it glint off the morning rays. “You’ve met Nirve.” She started, looking relieved. “I’m happy he is okay.”

“Yeah, made a living for himself out here. He seems to be having fun.” Don’t need to drop everything on her right now.

“He blames me for their deaths... It was such an ordinary day-.”

I brought up a hand to stop her “You don’t need to-” She stopped me right back.

“Too many years locked away, I’ve all but forgotten the world, our promise, his promise... He promised to show me the wide world, the world beyond the islands” He? She jumped to her feet, with her arms outstretched. “This! This sight! Is what he wanted to show me. How vast and amazing the world is!” Fire returned to her once empty gaze.

I make out the groans of two groggy adventurers waking up.

“Yes. When he went against the elder’s word and asked me to see the world with him, to be part of his adventuring team.” Tears streamed down her face as she stood at the edge of the world tree. The sun’s rays, reflecting off each droplet.

“Would this ‘he’ happen to be-”

‘Yes, Nirve’s brother.”

Freddie and Nick caught on quick, silently blending into the background.

“Escort the client to the deepest floor and gather samples of a new type of mana-crystal. It was an ordinary request, but it was special to us. It was a commission specifically requesting our group.

Leader. Reis was ecstatic. After all our hard work, we were finally getting recognized.

He even threw a celebration for all of us at the Crescent Hare’s inn. It had been a couple of years since our arrival, so he cooked up classic dishes from our homeland. It was a joyous occasion for all. But leader, he was especially boisterous that day.

When the time came, we met with our client and entered the dungeon. All the way down to the third floor, felling the last boss, we had reached the dungeon’s supposed end.

Working as the client instructed, we uncovered a small flooded passage leading deeper into the dungeon. This was when the client requested my expertise. The others ate their oxygen seeds and held on to each other as I lead them into the murky depths.

The ordeal lasted six strenuous minutes, each one plagued with the uncertainty of failure. But I held faith that the Moon goddess would deliver us to safety. Then I saw it, a light in the dark.

Surfacing near a secluded island, we found the objective. A large, chest-sized gem embedded within a gnarled tree.

Just as we were about to take our prize, a woman appeared. Not an ordinary one. It was the motherly flower tender who always waved every party departing into the dungeon off with a smile.

She pleaded with us to stop. ‘There was nothing to be gained from this.’ She’d compensate our efforts in rare dungeon materials. While this ascertained its value, her voice conveyed a strange emotion, a blend of fear and deathly panic, making clear the consequences.

After a lengthy discussion, we acquiesced, much to our client’s displeasure. In a rage, he shouted ----- I pulled out my weapon and reaped our reward. I cut a chunk from the dungeon’s core, giving it to my client. The dungeon’s avatar fell unconscious, and all at once, the dungeon screamed in agony, horrific never before seen beasts sprouted from every nook.”

So Su actually did it. No? Maybe? I- why the sudden change of heart? And what did her client say to change it? She skipped over that like it was natural. but- I should wait until the end. Also did she say dungeon core?!

The battle-.” Su stumbles, breaking out into a cold sweat hyperventilating, but regains her footing. We were all ready to catch her if she tripped.

“The battle was never ending. In the end, Reis said something I can’t remember. Wrenching the chunk from our client’s hands, he pushed me and it back into the water.” Seeing her about to keel over, I’ve heard enough.

Stopping her, I wrapped an arm around Su and brought her back to bed. While still in a cold sweat, her breathing was much calmer. Maybe telling us her story lifted a weight off her heart.

Whatever the case was, we decided to stay put a while longer to let Su rest.