(Dungeon POV)

I’d say I’m surprised at how open Tiara was with the new visitor, just saying that they were in a dungeon like saying they just entered the foyer, which they sort of just did. “Wait so this is a dungeon then?” The investigator asked, the little title above his head clues me into what he is. “And you kids are just, living here?”

“Where else could we even go?” Tommy scoffs, “it’s not like anyone in town is willing to take us in, and you already know I’m not even old enough to sign up as an adventurer and properly earn some coin for a place to sleep for us Anderson.” He gives the inspector a harsh look.

Anderson looks almost apologetic, “listen, I just inspect dungeons and take the odd quest. I can’t just change the rules, that’s completely up to the guild master and she’s a very busy lady. So the closets meeting we can get you in is in three months, I told you this last time you asked.” His face turned more serious as it seems he remembers why he’s here. “So where’s this dungeon exactly?”

Tommy speaks up first, “so far just the first floor and the basement.” He points a thumb at Tiara, “but if you want to know anything more ask her. She’s it’s voice.”

Anderson freezes up, “it has a voice already? And a sentient one at that. This shouldn’t be possible, dungeons have to be at least level ten to get a voice and we would have it well documented by then. I know we ignored it because the thought of a dungeon in the orphanage seemed ridiculous knowing you all were still here but it was such a short time” he starts furiously scribbling on his clip board.

I think if he’s here to inspect it I should give him a proper dungeon experience, Tiara tell him the rats and spiders are my denizens and have everyone step out on the porch for now. I’m going to give him the grand tour myself. Tiara seems to nod to herself and relays my message to Anderson and ushers everyone else outside. ‘Eight residents on leave’ huh interesting, I can just let them go ‘on leave’ and do whatever? How long does it last? No, no, we have a visitor and it’s very rude to keep them waiting.

Anderson looks around and makes some notes, not much is happening and it seems kind of boring overall. He chuckles at my scrap wood node, well that’s fair I suppose. But I think I should spice things up a bit, I focus on the areas connecting to the next room and tell my spiders to set up a web at about ankle height across the door and I set a rat around the corner just out of sight. If this guy is good enough to be an adventurer but Tommy isn’t then he should handle this easily.

The inspector walks into the next room and- yes! He tripped! He caught himself on all fours and looked back to see the web now loose on his foot. “ it wasn’t a real trap so I my detection didn’t go off” he grumbles while he gets back to his feet he pulls out his sword as my rat jumps at him. The rats are all around the size of a cat now and panzer, well I’ll keep him as a surprise in the basement for now. I’ll have a nice little boss battle with panzer and widow down there for him.

He blocks the rat fairly easily and swiftly cuts it in half. After wiping off his blade with the bottom of his shirt he taps an amulet he was wearing. It begins to glow faintly “ dungeon laid a trap, one that isn’t really a trap somehow so my skill failed to recognize it, a rat attacked after I triggered the trap. The rat was level 2. First floor doesn’t have much besides a few nodes, one mushroom node and a scrap wood node, seems it has a sense of humor as the wood node it just some broken furniture. Proceeding to basement.”

Yeah you do that big guy, I decide to make it just that bit more interesting by adding a few broken boards on the stair. These were put in via the system so he might find these ones, but luckily it says that residents and denizens can’t activate traps unless doing it purposefully. So Anderson opens the basement door and peers down.

“No noticeable light source in basement, I can see 3 traps on the stairs, if I had to guess, maybe rotting floor boards? I do see something glinting toward the back wall. I suspect it to be a chest, proceeding.”

Good luck buddy, as far as I can tell there’s nothing in it and I haven’t told anyone to put anything in it either

Anderson deftly dodges all of the traps I laid down and proceeds toward the chest. Uh, uh, panzer, widow, go say high to the nice man. Widow rode atop panzer as he stepped out from behind some boxes, he was now almost the size of a Great Dane, a very big boy. I might have to keep him outside if I can expand that way soon. I may not be able to get him outside if I don’t. Anderson tosses the clipboard to the side and taps his wrist, a shield spirals out of it and he holds his long sword with one hand. “Let’s dance” he smirks.

Widow jumps off of panzer to find a flank to attack while my big rat boy swings his tail out toward our inspector. His tail is aimed for his legs but I don’t think he’s very keep on being tripped twice in one dungeon as he easily jumps over the attack and gives out one of his own. Panzer raised an arm to block it and ends up losing it, panzer! Can I regrow my denizens limbs? I sure hope so.

Widow lands on the back of Anderson neck and gives a bite before launching off on a web, I see a little poison status appear for our guest. Good, can’t be squashed be some adventurer now can we? Anderson turns around to find widow but she’s already gone. Panzer uses this opportunity to- panzer no!

Anderson swung around and cut off my poor rats head, ending him cleanly. Without him around Widow seems to think that’s good enough for now and leaves. “Boss encounter done, spiders confirmed poison. Boss encounter was against a rat guardian and a spider assassin, suggested medium level party and high level solo. I took damage and I’m not confident I would win a second time. Retrieving loot.”

I look toward the rat den hoping to the angels that my special guys respawn, and I see a timer labeled ‘panzer’ slowly ticking down. Well that’s a relief

“No loot found in the chest, dungeon must still be too new to have any proper loot.” Now it’s what I expected but it’s a little fishy as I notice him pocket something. Maybe he’s not as nice of a guy as I thought.

I leave him be as he goes to rejoin the kids, I can’t be too upset seeing as I think my mana actually doubled from that, he calls them back inside and says he’s finished here and he’ll be back in the future for updates. Wishing them well and pressing something into Tommy’s hand. He closes the door and leaves.

“What’s that?” Sara asks, Tommy looking just as confused opens the little pouch and says “i don’t know, he just gave it to me and said it was in the chest down-“ Tommy stops talking as I see what’s inside, it’s a bunch of gold coins.