Luna turned her face skyward with a smile and closed her eyes as the couple walked through a patch of sun between buildings. “The weather is changing; beautiful spring will be here soon.”

Vee slowed to a stop and looked up too, though his appreciation for the beauty was marred by the fact that a clump of snow fell from an awning to his right and landed on his shoulder with a slushy splat as he did so. “Can’t happen fast enough,” he grumbled. “I’m done with the cold.”

Giggling at the [Dungeon Master]’s misfortune, Luna reached over and helped Vee brush the snow off his coat. A second clump fell and would have landed on her hat, but the [Pumpkin Witch] deftly stepped aside and it splattered harmlessly on the ground.

“I wouldn’t have thought you liked spring all that much,” Vee said. “Aren’t you a fall girl?”

“Fall’s nice, but spring reminds me of happy times with my parents and my sister, so it’s my favorite season. Back before…well, everything, the four of us would spend most of our free time in the garden. We had lots of flowers, and my sister and I would just stand there and smell them while my ma and da did all the hard work.”

Smiling from ear to ear, as if remembering pleasant days long since past, Luna asked, “What’s your favorite season, Vee?”

The [Dungeon Master] ran a hand through his hair. “I’m…not sure. It’s definitely not spring, though.”

Luna’s questioning eyebrows prompted the young man to keep going.

“You see, springtime is when my father’s work really starts picking up. He’s a busy man, and so most years he had to travel for weeks at a time or longer to go and take stock of all his ventures. They were never up to his standards, either, and when he came home afterwards he’d be irritable and frustrated. He’d yell and scream in his office, arguing with his [Managers] and [Underlings] about prices and schedules constantly. He worked figures during mealtimes, and had a terrible temper with anyone who interrupted his work. Except my mother and brother, I suppose.”

He fell quiet, dwelling on the unpleasant memories, and was grateful when Luna changed the subject.

“I see. Well, anyways, you’re going to love this place we’re going to. It’s really nice and cozy, and they have delicious drinks too! Come on, it’s this way!”

She nodded toward a quiet side street, and the couple turned at its corner. They passed an old woman who stopped and watched them walk with a big grin on her face.

“You two are so cute together,” she called after them. “Your butterflies are beautiful! A happy day to you both!”

Vee felt his own cheeks redden as he turned to wave in response, though he was glad to see that Luna’s face was pinker than usual too. Their butterflies seemed to glow for a moment as the golden pumpkins in the [Pumpkin Witch]’s eyes sparkled, and the scents of vanilla and cinnamon filled the air.

When they stopped in front of The – Vee couldn’t make out the next word, as it was half faded and drawn in a script that probably only looked good when writing its own name – Cup, he opened the door for Luna and followed her inside.

The [Pumpkin Witch] had not been lying when she’d said the place was “cozy”, so long as she meant “unbearably warm and cramped as could be.” Vee, who was far from big, had to turn sideways in order to reach the counter, where a purple and gray salamander was reading a book. She glared at them as they approached.

Still, the place smelled nice, and some of the drinks on the menu looked interesting. Beyond that, Luna was smiling, so Vee decided to make the most of it. He ordered a spiced pear tea, and Luna got a drink that contained enough extra flavor additions to pass for something out of a [Mad Alchemist]’s recipe book.

After paying for both drinks, Vee sat down across from Luna at a table near the window, and the pair enjoyed the rest of their date in meandering conversation while their butterflies perched on the nearest windowsill.

***

When a smiling Vee returned to the boarding house later that afternoon, he found a pair of strangers waiting for him on the steps next to Sculla. The first was a man with thinning gray hair, and the other was a fierce young woman who looked like a [Bodyguard] or [Protector].

Sculla grunted and nodded at Vee.

“That’s him. Vee Vales.”

“I see,” the man said, standing up with a smile. “I thought he’d be taller.”

Vee felt his good mood melting like the snow on the ground, but took the man’s outstretched hand and shook it when it was offered. Stay polite, he grimly reminded himself.

“Name’s Glett Haverhen,” the stranger said in a dusty voice. “And this is my associate, Kyrie Laroux. We’re with Continental News Monthly, and working on a piece about dungeon sports. As I understand it, you’re the only [Dungeon Master] in Oar’s Crest. Is that correct?”

“It is.”

“Perfect! Then you’re the one who’s going to be involved with the upcoming dungeon development committee. Would you be willing to answer a few of our questions about that venture, Mister Vales? I think that it’s going to be quite the spectacle despite its humble size.”

Vee was growing more wary by the second. The man’s face was open and inviting, but Vee had heard his father rail about the dangers of interviews – They’ll twist your words into the worst shape possible to sell a few extra papers! – more times than he could count. Or magazine, in this case. However, despite his concern, Vee also got the sense that talking to these people was the right thing to do. As such, he nodded and gestured for them to follow him upstairs.

Reginald and Alforde were waiting inside, with the armorsoul twirling Slammy around and the hat staring out the window. As soon as Vee opened the door, Alforde turned to him with excited eyes and all-but-shouted, “Vee! I finished my quest and got some new skills today! Wait until you see—”

He trailed off at the sight of Glett and Kyrie, who’d stopped in front of the door, then stiffened and bowed to each in turn.

“Greetings, I am Alforde,” he said formally as Vee invited the newcomers inside. They introduced themselves in turn and sat down at the small table in the center of the room.

The [Dungeon Master] smiled at his friends. “I’m excited to see your new skills later, Alforde. Before then though, these people would like to ask us a couple questions about the upcoming dungeon development committee.”

Reginald perked up. “You two are press?”

Glett nodded, and if he was surprised by a talking hat his face showed no signs of it. His companion didn’t have his rock-solid expression though, and her wide eyes made it obvious that her experience with sentient pieces of clothing was limited, if it existed at all.

The pair considered Alforde once again.

“I assume that you’re the same Alforde as the [Dungeon Champion] of – what was the name again? Oh that’s right, Crestheart.”

Alforde inclined his helmet, and Glett grinned. “It’s a pleasure to meet you two, and wonderfully convenient to be able to talk to you both at once. As for the hat, I must admit that I’m at a loss.”

Reginald introduced himself, adding a few credentials to his title that Vee had never heard of before that very moment. The [Dungeon Master] raised an eyebrow at his [Majordomo], and was rewarded with a wide felty grin and a mischievous wink.

“Well, I don’t want to take up too much of your time,” Glett said. “I’ll start right away.”

From somewhere in the recesses of his jacket, Glett produced a pen and pad and set them on the table. He looked down at them both, closed his eyes, and said, “[Transcribe Interview].”

The pen started floating above the page, and Glett calibrated it by stating the date, time and location of the interview. Vee wasn’t thrilled with the way the man described the room as a “Bare and utilitarian square space, devoid of warmth or other human emotions but for a messy sprawl of books in the corner.”

It wouldn’t hurt to get some decorations, I suppose.

“Alright, we’ll start with you Mister Vales. My first question is: how long have you been a [Dungeon Master]? Did you have any experience prior to starting your venture here in Oar’s Crest? As an [Apprentice Dungeon Master] or a [Dungeon Assistant], perhaps?”

Vee shook his head. “I didn’t have any prior experience with dungeon sports before starting Crestheart, actually. I’ve only been a [Dungeon Master] for a handful of months, though some days it feels like it’s been much longer.”

Glett tilted his head to the side and frowned. “I see. That’s quite interesting. If I may ask, what exactly made you want to become a [Dungeon Master] if you didn’t have any previous exposure to dungeon sports?”

Vee shrugged, already worried that agreeing to this conversation hadn’t been as good of an idea as he’d first thought. “It was just something to do, I suppose.”

Kyrie snorted in her seat, and Reginald piped up. “Crestheart’s history isn’t really pertinent here, is it?. You said that you wanted to talk about the development committee, did you not? Let’s focus on that, please. I’m sure your piece doesn’t have room for a full discussion of each dungeon in the committee.”

Glett’s lips tightened. “Fine. How do you feel about the fact that Crestheart is the committee’s first location? Most fans believe that the first dungeon in a circuit is the worst, and often don’t pay attention to it on principle.”

“We don’t see it as a bad thing at all. If anything, we’re excited to go first,” Vee said, choosing his words carefully. “We’re looking forward to the chance to test our dungeon against a new batch of adventurers and see how we stack up. As for viewership or fan engagement, those are always appreciated, but my associates and I are focused on providing the best experience that we can for our challengers. We’ve been working on a series of new rooms, traps, minion arrangements, and other elements to ensure that Crestheart is as challenging as it can be.”

[Persuasiveness +1]

“Oh? Will you be doing a complete redesign for the event, or just some targeted modifications?”

“The details are still being figured out,” Reginald interjected smoothly before Vee could accidentally commit to something he didn’t want to. The [Dungeon Master] was grateful for the assist.

“Thankfully, the [Dungeon Master]’s vision is clear, and we’re going to really have something special when the runs begin.”

“I see,” Glett grunted. He scowled at Reginald before turning to Alforde.

“My next question is for you, [Dungeon Champion]. According to the local branch of the adventurer’s guild, not many of those who you face are above Level 20 in their primary classes. In fact, most are in the 15-18 range, actually. I understand that many of your new challengers will be in the mid-twenties, and some might even be higher than level 30. How do you think you’re going to compare to them when it comes time to fight?”

Alforde’s voice was steady and calm. “I’m not sure. Levels in champion bouts aren’t everything. As I’m sure you already know, there are a variety of tactics and techniques that can affect the outcome more than a simple number. That said, I’m going to do everything I can before the start date to raise my own levels so that I’m better able to perform my duties.”

“Is there anything you can reveal about your training that our readers may be interested in?”

The armorsoul thought for a moment, then said, “Challengers should expect to battle inside a Domain.”

“We’re also considering some modifications to the champion arena itself,” Reginald added. “Battles will be unique, and there will likely be new environmental hazards that adventurers will have to overcome in addition to our champion’s formidable combat prowess.”

From there, they discussed other things related to the dungeon. Vee did his best to answer all the questions, but Reginald had to step in more than once to answer more completely or deflect the question to a different topic. When the interview finally came to an end, Glett and Kyrie thanked them for their time and left.

Reginald gave Vee a wry look.

“You sure talked the place up quite a bit, Boss.”

Vee nodded as he got out his own pen and paper. “Indeed. I suppose that means I should get to work on making sure it lives up to the hype, huh?”

Reginald’s mouth split into a wide grin. “My thoughts exactly. But there’s something else you need to do first."

"What’s that?”

“Tells us all about your date with Luna, of course!”

Vee groaned as Alforde sat down at the table, also demanding the details.

Main Character Sheets:

Vee Vales

Primary Class: Ghost Maestro (Locksmagister University), Level 29

Secondary Class: Dungeon Master (Oar’s Crest), Level 21

Tertiary Class: Guy-Who-Takes-Things-WAY-Too-Far (Self), Level 5

Might: 13

Wit: 33

Faith: 21

Adventurousness: 7

Ambition: 14

Plotting: 19

Charisma: 15

Devious Mind: 23

Leadership: 17

Guts: 14

Intimidating Presence: 10

Citizenship: 20

Public Relations: 7

Determination: 2

Persuasiveness: 2 (+1)

<3***Infatuation***

Alforde Armorsoul:

Primary Class: Hammer Afficionado (Self), Level 24 (+2)

Secondary Class: Right-hand man (Vee Vales), Level 14

Tertiary Class: Dungeon Champion (Oar’s Crest), Level 14

Additional Class: Glaciernaut (Sacha Silverblade), Level 5

Might: 41

Wit: 12

Faith: 28

Adventurousness (Bound – Vee Vales): 9

Endurance: 21

Intimidating Presence: 12

Heart of a Champion: 9

Citizenship (Bound – Vee Vales): 8

Vigilance: 6

Vanity: 1 (-1) WARNING: Further losses will remove this stat and all associated skills!

Reginald :

Primary Class: Core Spirit (Unknown), Level ???

--~%@(%[email protected] &% (*$ #&#e !i$$ (#$%#$%#[email protected]!)~--, #[email protected]& ????

Secondary Class: Loudmouth (Self), Level 39 (+1)

Tertiary Class: Majordomo (Vee Vales), Level 16 (+1)

Additional Class: Announcer (Vee Vales), Level 8

Might: 1

Wit: 33

Faith: 14

Ambition: 27

Greed: 22

Deceptiveness: 27

Manipulativeness: 37

$#&*[email protected]!!: !!!

Loyalty: 47 (+1)

Patience: 9

[#&%%%@%!#@__--#%]

[email protected]#!! @#[email protected][email protected]#

@#[email protected]%%^

Citizenship (Bound – Vee Vales): 7