22. Searching for the Moon
After chatting with Joodak about finding the moon, I took a moment to organize my to-do list.
"First up, the salt flat business. Can't do that right away, so I'll push it back a bit..."
They'd need time to mentally prepare over there too, so I'd hit up the dwarf trio tomorrow or so.
"And... oh yeah, gotta pick up those books from Dennis hyung."
Books on herbs for potions and special ingredients that only drop in dungeons.
I figured these would open up new possibilities for my dungeons. From skimming the gallery in my downtime, I'd gathered that special spirit herbs or minerals only appeared in dungeons.
My dungeon ability wasn't completely omnipotent—I couldn't intentionally spawn specific plants or ores inside. But that was just for regular ones. Special resources unique to dungeons should be different.
If they only existed inside dungeons, I should be able to create them with my powers too.
Short-term goal: secure potion ingredients.
"Shelter's full of people like Luna, from what I've heard..."
People suffering from monster curses for over ten years.
Luna's permanent burn scars were like a brand, making her an outcast in the shelter.
Victims of flame monsters struggled to even land normal jobs. If they tried selling, they had to price way below competitors just to move product, like Luna's stall.
Of course, margins were razor-thin in that case. How the hell was she scraping by? Impressive.
Anyway, since holy magic didn't work on those wounds, folks called them curses. To avoid catching it, they shunned the scarred—and in bad cases, straight-up despised them.
Naturally, the "curse" wasn't contagious. It wasn't a curse to begin with.
Holy magic failing was just the flame monster's unique mechanism blocking the healing.
Curses my ass—it's just superstition at worst...
The Magic Tower had officially debunked it, but who listens to data when it shatters their worldview?
World's full of all types. Some live by their own twisted logic. Easier to eliminate the cause of that bias than change minds.
Making potions was for those sufferers, but now I had another reason.
I started this for Luna, but...
Lately, dungeon observations showed occasional injured explorers.
Didn't happen with slimes, but ramping up difficulty meant minor casualties now.
Saw posts about it sometimes.
Stuff like that popped up once a day.
I planned to expand dungeon size and difficulty, so potions were essential.
And they'd help in all sorts of ways.
"Next... the disguise job hunt 'StickyThingLover' advised on, and the tentacle dungeon commission..."
First one's definitely a priority—handle it soon.
For a work-averse guy like me, 'StickyLover' suggested ways to rule from above.
Probably meant open my own shop.
"Coins are plenty."
Shelter had few jobs.
So everyone dungeon-dived. Food demand was endless, and dungeons were the only source.
Makes sense? Most shelter shops were eateries.
Couldn't keep pre-apoc jobs like furniture-making or hunting or brewing—shelter life killed that.
Processing raw materials? No materials, half those trades vanished.
Some survived on dungeon monster parts or scrap wood.
But who splurges on clothes or furniture? Masses blew coins on food. Hence few tailors or carpenters.
My analysis might be off, but that's my take. So my shop? Eatery.
"Plus my dungeon inventory's stacked with food drops..."
User drops had piled up steadily.
Slime jelly? Thousands.
Pick the right menu, cut ingredient costs... Yeah, restaurant it is.
Got the perfect chef too.
Tentacle dungeon? Delay as long as possible... Not urgent. String StickyLover along with daily check-in replies.
"Next... New dungeon creation! Monster list's done—just build it."
Gurgle~
"Hm... Food first, then think?"
Trouble.
Luna's stall hadn't opened today either.
Planning to hire her as my restaurant chef, so I'd come to discuss.
"Something wrong...?"
I hit the stall next door and asked the owner.
"Hey, mister."
"Yeah? What'll it be?"
The middle-aged guy with a boozehound face answered while prepping prior orders.
"Next door seems closed lately—when'd that start?"
"Tsk... Bandage girl's place? Second day no-show today."
Two days... Right when I finished my food tour and started hitting stalls again.
The boozehound tsked.
"Good riddance she's gone. Hope she quits for good. Her freak show next door tanks my sales too."
He unloaded years of bile on Luna... flame victims.
"Church protecting those cursed freaks pisses me off from the start. Shelter food shortages? Kick 'em out first! Who knows if monsters sniff 'em and come knocking?!"
"......"
My grip tightened involuntarily. Knew types like him existed, even got it on some level. But face-to-face? Hit different. Made me realize the stares Luna and others endured daily.
And she stayed so bright through that...?
Luna's amazing.
What about me? Same spot...?
Probably curse the world. Victim like anyone, yet whole shelter despises you as cursed, spews hate, shuns you.
Might've lost it from the injustice.
Maybe just under the weather... But this guy amped my worry.
Time to visit Luna's place.
I left the still-ranting boozehound.
"Hey, dude, no order? Oi!!!"
But 30 seconds later, big problem.
"...Where the hell does Luna live?"
I had no clue.
Swiveled back toward boozehound.
"Guess you stepped out quick! So, order or... Oi!!!"
Ignored him, headed to another stall near Luna's. This one run by a sharp-faced auntie.
"Um..."
"What? Order?"
...Her vibe screamed don't-mess. Kinda cowed me.
"About next door..."
She eyed me.
"Hm? Oh! Luna's regular guy!"
...She knows me?
"Her stall's been closed lately—know what's up?"
"Hm... She looked down past few days. Bet that damn raccoon next door chewed her out! Knew he'd mess with her someday!? Poor kid can't catch a break, and he blames her for his empty shop!! As if! His crap food's why—burnt every time! Seen her prepping at dawn to ease church burden, three years now. First greeted me so polite! Thought, if my girl took after her half... You know, kid...?"
Ah... Brain fog.
A while later... finally my turn.
"Oops, lost my head. Whatcha ask?"
"Uh... Don't misunderstand. Worried, wanna check her place—but don't know where."
She lit up, thumped my back, made a fuss.
"Oh!! Really?! Luna lucked out with a fine young man! Been stressing for her. Great! Great! No misunderstand—my lips sealed! Oh my..."
Meant don't think stalker, but...
"Not blood, but like my own daughter. Seen her without veil? Scars yeah, but eyes so pretty. Hiding 'em hurts! No scars, she'd be shelter's beauty! Figure too—back in day, I had it goin'. Now slippin', but Luna-level..."
No, auntie—where's Luna live?