Part Twenty-Nine

I feel so goddamn tired! Please, just let me go to sleep!

The Commander had forcibly gathered everyone still on their feet and forced us to attend an assembly. He’d given this whole rambling speech, but I was completely out of it and barely heard a word. There were more than a few grumbles about keeping us up for so long.

The apparent reason for this impromptu assembly was obviously the recent battle. The fact that monsters had infiltrated the fort en mass was both terrifying and concerning. While we had successfully defended the fort, the battle had still cost thirty mercenaries their lives.

So sleepy. I just want to go to bed, but this windbag won’t shut up! Can it already!

“One last thing before we adjourn. Everyone who participated in the defense will receive a reward based on how much they contributed. Those who did exemplary service will be in line to receive a special reward. That is all.”

Must sleep now.

[Alicia’s POV]

“Huh, I wonder what this special reward is. Knowing you, you’ll probably try to get that, won’t you Michael? Michael? Wha, where did he go!?”

“Calm down lass. He just went back to his room. Honestly, he looked like he was half-asleep during the assembly. He just needs some sleep.”

“Alright. Still, couldn’t he have said something before leaving? It just feels weird.”

The two began to make their way back to their rooms. While not as bad as Michael, they had both had long busy days and were exhausted. Now that the prospect of sleep was in the table, Alicia found herself unable to stop yawning.

“Do you think he’ll wake up on his own? If he’s that tired, one of us will probably have to do it. He’s definitely not a morning person.”

“It is a possibility. He does have that alarm clock, but I doubt he remembered to set it. Which would leave his watch’s alarm.”

The three of them had taken to using watches during their adventures. Cameron had worn one beforehand, but the younger two hadn’t.

“Great. Maybe I’ll just dump a bucket of water on his head. That should wake him up just fine.”

Seriously, I’ve never known someone who couldn’t get up on their own like him. He’s slept through multiple alarms in the past. How do you do that!? It was apparent that Alicia was one of them. A morning person.

“Don’t take it too far. Michael’s got his own problems he needs to work through. Everyone does.”

“You don’t need to tell me that. You know how he won’t talk about his sister? Every time I try to talk to him about her, he just shuts me down. He hasn’t even told her that he’s alive.”

“Alicia, not everyone thinks the same way you do. And you don’t know the circumstances behind all of it. Sometimes all you can do is to support someone and let them work it out on their own.”

“Wait, do you know what’s going on?”

“A little. Michael confided in me shortly after we left Cavisburgh. And no, I won’t tell you what he said, that’s for him and him alone to do.”

Ooooh, I don’t know why, but that pisses me off! Why did he tell Cameron, but not me? Does he think I’m untrustworthy or that I can’t keep a secret?

“Don’t overthink it Alicia. He probably just feels more at ease confiding in someone older.”

“I know that I shouldn’t, but I can’t help but feel offended for some reason! I opened up to him, but he can’t do the same?”

Her ranting was starting to gather attention, so Cameron worked to soothe her rage. This outburst was likely due to her exhaustion, otherwise she wouldn’t have been so prickly about it. Thankfully they were already near their rooms.

“Just go to sleep, you’ll feel better in the morning and can think it through properly. You don’t want to do or say something you’ll regret.”

“Stop acting like I’m a child. Or do you want to tuck me in?”

Again, it must be stressed that she was tired. She wasn’t one to say things like that.

“Just go to bed." With that, he pushed her through the open doorway into her room.

Guess I’ll just go to sleep. Just gotta make sure to chew Michael out tomorrow for just leaving like that. Oh, that’s right. I might not see him tomorrow. We’ve got separate assignments. He won’t have us to watch his back. Maybe I should ask Kalia to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t do anything too rash.

No, I shouldn’t. I promised to trust him more and he does normally know what he’s doing. And he will probably tell me what he told Cameron. Haaah, I’ll just stop thinking about it for now.

[???’s POV]

In a room further down the hallway, a rift began to appear. Those familiar with magic would recognize this as an effect of Space Magic. Someone was trying to illegally enter the room.

Space Magic was a rather common branch of magic and the use of it was normally regulated in certain worlds, but Earth was still in the beginnings of World Decay. There was no legislation to prevent this kind of thing from happening, not that anyone knew how to stop it.

The rift fully opened and a figure clothed in black stepped through, all while the room's sole occupant slept, completely unaware as to what was happening just feet away from them.

The intruder looked around the room, perhaps searching for valuables. Their gaze soon landed upon a series of bags laying on the floor near the bed. The occupant had merely taken them off before going to sleep, not even bothering to properly put them away.

Skulking over to them, the intruder began to sift through the bags. They would pick one up, briefly confirm something about it and then set it back down before picking another one up. Whatever they were doing, they were being excruciatingly thorough.

Finally, they settled on one bag in particular, opened the top up and began to mutter under their breath. Glyphs formed into the air around them, before bursting into motes, which were absorbed by the bag.

Then, the figure produced a vial from a pocket, which they slipped into the bag. The spell that they’d just used was a combination of Space and Dimension Magic. It allowed them to interfere with the enchantment on the Magic bag, though they hadn’t been able to do anything too fancy, as those bags were produced by the System’s superior magics.

Still, it had allowed them to ensure the success of their nefarious plan and the demise of the room’s occupant. And once they were certain their subterfuge was complete, they created another portal and disappeared from the room, leaving no traces they’d ever been there. Aside from the vial.

[Protag’s POV]

Huh? I coulda swore I heard something. Oh well. Zzzzzzz……

***

*Beepbeepbeepbeep! Beepbeepbeepbeep! Beepbeepbeepbeep!*

“Damnit, I’m up! I’m up! Fucking thing, how do you shut it off!?”

My watch's alarm woke me up at ten A.M, which was an ungodly hour of the day to wake up at. Sure, when I was working I had to wake up even earlier, but it still didn’t make it right.

“Ugh, can’t I sleep some more?”

“No you can’t. We have to get ready to head out.”

“Holy fucking hell! What the heck are you doing Alicia!?”

“I came to make sure you were up. By the way, you should really lock your door while you sleep. There’s no telling who might creep in while you’re asleep.”

“Yes, someone might come in. Someone like you!”

“Oh calm down. We’ve slept in the same room before. You’re being too self-conscious. You’re also still wearing your armor, so it’s not like I could see anything.”

“Don’t care, get out!”

Once she’d finally left, I hurriedly grabbed the gear I discarded the night before and put it back on. I’d taken off the bear minimum I needed to in order to go to sleep last night, so re-equipping was relatively easy.

Jeez, why did she just barge in like that? I could’ve been naked for all she knew. That was just reckless. If I’d done the same thing to her, I’d never hear the end of it.

By the time I’d gotten around, Alicia had already left. Unfortunately, we had different destinations today, otherwise she’d hear more about how she violated my privacy.

During yesterday’s assembly, the Commander had told us where we were to gather for each assignment. Alicia and Cameron would be meeting near the infirmary, while I had to go to the canteen. Because there was only one teleportation formation, along with the time it took to prepare the actual spell, each group was being sent out about an hour after the previous one. The gatherings were to let us talk strategy or something along those lines.

All I knew was that it was going to be a massive pain in the ass. I had nothing against Kalia or Braddock, but they weren’t my companions. The three of us had been through some truly dangerous situations. I knew I could trust them to have my back in a fight, something I was skeptical about for others.

The only person I actually know is Kalia and even then, she spent more time with Alicia than me. I know nothing about their abilities or formations, and that’s ignoring the fact that I prefer to fight independently if I can.

Regardless of how I actually felt, there was nothing I could do at this stage. The rosters were already set and trying to change them now would be a herculean task. Even if I really, really wanted to.

There they are. You know, I could sneak out of here. No one’s seen me yet. It would be pretty easy to escape, but what would I do after that? Hide out in the monster-infested forest for a week? Not a chance.

“Oh good, you’re here! Come over here, you should meet everyone else.”

Kalia was the first to notice me and she beckoned me over. She apparently intended on introducing the rest of their group, to which I had but one thought. Oh fucking hell.

***

The meet-and-greet hell was finally over, so I was taking this opportunity to sit where no one else was at so I could recuperate before the upcoming fighting. Kalia’s excitable chatter had nearly driven me off the edge.

She, she can certainly talk. I thought my sister was bad, but this was on a completely different level. Even her own friends were freaked out. I really hope that this was a freak occurrence, or I’ll get fed-up pretty quick.

My thoughts were soon interrupted by an unexpected visitor, Braddock. He’d stayed back during most of the earlier conversation and had been talking with Jansen and the leader of the other group ever since. I’d thought he was too busy to talk with me, but it looked like I was mistaken.

“Don’t hold that against her. She gets excitable when she’s nervous. She’s been on edge for a while now, even before we entered the Dungeon. Actually, she was acting odd the day we arrived too. Kept looking over her shoulder.”

“That’s nice. I’m assuming you didn’t come over here just to apologize and ramble on, now did you? Why don’t you just get to it already.”

“Fine, have it your way.” He stopped to take a few deep breaths, before looking me right in the eyes.

“Two things. One, don’t do anything to endanger the others. They’ve entrusted themselves to me and I intend to get them through this. Understood?”

“Completely. I’m not in any hurry to die. Though I promise nothing if shit hits the fan. If a reckless ploy is all that can get us out of that, then I’ll do what I have to.”

“Good enough. Just tell me before you do that.”

“Eh, fine. It’s better than getting bitched at later.”

I kinda expected that to happen sooner or later. I’m already known as a reckless nut job, so why wouldn’t he take precautions against me? But what’s the other thing?

“If that proverbial shit does hit the fan, I want you to keep an eye on Kalia. She’s been pushing herself too hard and it’s close to breaking her.”

“You know that and still brought her here? Why?” He took another series of steadying breaths before answering.

“Because she insisted. She’s convinced she needs to help us, in whatever way she can. We all tried to talk her out of it, but she’s stubborn. Won’t hear a word you say.”

She what!? Why the hell would she want to come in here? Even I was wary of clearing this Dungeon and I’m particularly bloodthirsty.

“Don’t look at me like that. She’s got a good heart, that one. Even though she’s obviously terrified, she keeps trying her best to keep everyone alive. She spent weeks learning Healing Magic. She stayed up late every night experimenting and practicing until she got it. But everyone's got their limits and I’m sure she’s near hers.”

“Which is why you want me to keep an eye on her?”

“Exactly. You’re not the only one I’m asking either. We should all help one another when we can. It could be the only way to get through this.”

With that parting remark, he got up and left.

Cooperation, huh? Not sure I want to do that. Or that I’m even capable of it.

Cooperation required a certain level of trust or mutual benefit between parties for it to work. And even then, it was all to easy for someone to stab you in the back. Maybe it made me selfish, but I didn’t think I could work with everyone. Maybe on a temporary basis, but not for the rest of the Dungeon. I was too untrusting.

The odds of everyone agreeing to work together are less than the odds for the lottery. I don’t believe full cooperation is possible. Everyone is just too different and there’s too many conflicting interests here. Sure, we all want to survive, but we also want to gain as much as possible. That’s where the conflict lies.

There had yet to be any incidents, but I was certain that they were right around the corner. We’d been cowed by the authority of the NPCs, but that wouldn’t last forever. Sooner or later, something would snap.

But as for Kalia. I can at least agree to that. I do owe her my life and I’m not one to forget a debt like that.