Money and People (2)

A half-step behind Kaya, I followed while stealing glances at her, lost in thought.

'We've already completely derailed from the game's original track.'

Even making a hundred concessions, I could chalk up the relationship changes to that. People get close sometimes, or things sour— that's just life. Especially in a dungeon where you never know when death might come, fighting side by side and seeing every ugly side of each other. No matter how businesslike it started, relationships were bound to shift.

A mentality-shattered guy trash-talking his teammate and backstabbing him, or— in the rare case— someone awakening successfully to become the hero party's savior and pulling off a safe retreat. As a gamer, I could only sense their emotions and mental states indirectly through the mentality stat, but considering them as people, nothing seemed off about it.

So, quantifying those changes after I arrived here was understandable.

But the instance dungeon? The message popped up while I was scrambling for ways to make money besides the part-time gig, so it felt like something watching and toying with me— but whatever, that could wait.

As far as I knew, The Long Terror's dungeon originally had Zone 3, each with 10 rooms, and the DLC added a new Zone 4. So at most, four bosses and around 40 rooms to clear.

But an instance dungeon shook that foundation to its core.

A 'dungeon' outside the dungeon. I had no idea its difficulty, but its mere existence hinted that the main dungeon might have changed too.

The instability spiked way beyond when Kaya's relationship unlocked.

"...Captain."

"...?"

"Captain!"

"Huh? Oh."

"We've arrived at the branch... but you don't look well, Captain. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. It's nothing."

I shook off the thoughts. Couldn't forget the primary goal: survival. No matter how this world's elements changed, conquering the dungeon remained unchanged.

"Welcome, Sister."

"Greetings. I am Kaya Epentzel, who has come to Seilroom walking the path of mercy from the main temple."

"You must be Sister Kaya. I am Sestia, walking the path of tolerance."

The goddess Kaya believed in was Raella, goddess of mercy and tolerance, right? Sestia looked nothing like a fighter— definitely a pure healer.

'So smashing maces into heads is the path of mercy? Scary goddess under that pretty face.'

I glanced at the distant goddess statue, lost in idle thought, then realized both women were staring at me.

"Sister Sestia. This is Hendrick, captain of the hero party I belong to. Though we've only recently crossed paths, he is steadfast in mind, trustworthy, and pure of soul."

"Hello. Kaya's introduction is a bit grandiose, but I'm Hendrick. I've been relying on her a lot."

"Pleased to meet you, Hendrick. May warm mercy and cool tolerance be with you."

Well, it was lip service for a first meeting, but I hadn't expected Kaya to think so highly of me.

'Good is good. High relationship might unlock bonuses.'

I nodded, then noticed Sestia still watching me intently.

"Kaya. I'll poke around the monastery a bit, so handle your business and come find me."

"Understood, Captain. See you shortly."

Kaya nodded and headed 'inside' the monastery with Sestia.

"Sister Kaya."

"Yes, Sister Sestia."

"How was the dungeon delve?"

"...Darker and more terrifying than I'd heard or imagined. Though we were ejected from the entrance for some reason."

"Sister, that's nothing to be ashamed of. We are mere mortals, and fear is an unavoidable instinct for mortals."

Despite Sestia's warm words, Kaya shook her head grimly.

"Separate from the fear I felt... I couldn't bear my own patheticness. I thought I'd walked the path of mercy with hardship, but in the dungeon, I made a fool of myself. I survived only thanks to the captain."

"You mean Hendrick."

"Yes. I sense a strong fate with him."

"Oh my."

Walking the 'path of tolerance'— studying, spreading, and practicing the doctrines of the goddess of mercy and tolerance— Sestia admired and respected the battle nuns of the order who walked the 'path of mercy,' pitying a world suffering from negatives. Even if the other was a fresh-faced novice nun just finishing training.

As one of the two branch leaders in Seilroom, guide of the path of tolerance, Sestia smiled warmly at the stiff-uniformed, fidgety young battle nun— per order rules requiring a stop at the Seilroom branch post-dungeon.

"Our goddess actively supports love between man and woman."

"...Pardon?! N-no, Sister, it's not like that!"

Kaya jumped back late, but Sestia's smile didn't fade.

"Just teasing, Sister Kaya."

"Ah...."

"Still, you can share the details of your delve now, right?"

Kaya swallowed and began recounting her experiences one by one.

"Especially in the second room, I had this bizarre dream-like thing..."

**

Kaya hadn't emerged after over an hour. The grounds outside the monastery proper were spacious enough, but aside from a tidy flowerbed and pretty goddess statues, there wasn't much to see.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

For kicks, I pretended to pray before a statue, asking why this happened to me— no answer, naturally.

'Figures. Gods are all the same.'

Couldn't outright dismiss them either, since divine power was real. Made it more frustrating. It existed, but not for me— same as not existing.

'No surprise. Why would it listen to some guy who doesn't follow or believe? I'd do the same.'

Spacing out led to more idle thoughts. I'd expected Kaya back within an hour, but now I wondered if I should leave a note and scout the instance dungeon alone.

"Hello?"

"Oh, hi. Hello."

"Not a believer, so a hero, right?"

"Ah, yeah. Pretty new at it, though..."

A new nun approached. Not a battle nun— decent height but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠skinny and frail. Crucially, her complexion was deathly pale, like she'd attended back-to-back funerals.

Still, her tone was politely kind, so I responded in kind.

"Um, Hero, do you take commissions?"

"Pardon?"

She lingered, saying something odd.

"Commission? What do you mean?"

"Ah... well."

I asked skeptically. This was a temple branch. In dungeon city Seilroom, no less. They should have plenty of internal forces— more than most branches.

Plus, Seilroom was bigger than expected; away from the dungeon-adjacent core, slums teemed with ex-heroes turned day laborers. Plenty handling odd jobs.

So a commission for a greenhorn like me was absurd. She knew that; I knew that.

"Um, you see."

'Spit it out already. You asked if I take commissions out of nowhere— why drag it out?'

Couldn't yell at this fragile-looking nun, so I scratched my head. She fidgeted, eyes darting, then finally spoke.

"Please don't tell anyone. Oh, I'm Libea, walking the path of tolerance."

"Hendrick."

"Yes. Hendrick. So, um."

Libea sighed repeatedly.

"Truth is, one of our sisters has gone missing."

"Pardon?"

Suddenly?

"No, missing nuns are the order's affair."

"The order's basically washed their hands of it."

What? Bad vibes. Order ignores a missing nun? And entrusts it to a random rookie hero via some low-rank nun?

"Ah, um. I'm just a fresh dungeon diver. No talent for searching. Sorry, if the order can't handle it, I sure can't."

"That's not what I mean by washed hands! The order is...!"

"Sister Libea. Hendrick."

As I politely declined, Libea stepped closer to argue— then froze at the voices.

Perfect timing: Kaya and Sestia emerging.

"G-Guide."

"Yes, Sister Libea. Were you talking with Hendrick? Sorry if I interrupted."

"N-no. I'll head back to prayer then."

Libea bowed and vanished inside instantly.

'What the hell? Feels off.'

But Kaya looked relieved, like things went well. Whatever unease from a stranger nun wasn't worth dwelling on.

"Captain. Sorry to keep you waiting..."

"Nah, not long. Business done?"

"Yes. Sister Sestia, I'll visit again."

"Anytime for Sister Kaya. And Hendrick too."

I returned Sestia's smile appropriately, then left the monastery with Kaya.

**

We grabbed a light lunch on the inn's first floor with our remaining coin, then headed out. Funds were nearly gone. Kaya re-armed reluctantly, and I aimed for the instance dungeon message's location.

A crowd gathered at a bulletin board plastered with notices.

'Looks just like a Seilroom temp agency.'

Setting aside how this led to an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠instance dungeon, I scanned idly when Kaya pointed at one with her index finger.

"Captain. What about this?"

'Nun thing? Doesn't look easy.'

I wasn't keen. Madmen were exhausting to deal with, past or present. And a taboo-breaking magician? Sounded insanely strong.

But the rewards looked decent enough not to dismiss outright.