8. Queen's Toy, Side Effects
Arcia and Ian had changed the awkward subject and entered the dungeon together, partly to experiment further with the boon.
After what happened last night, there had been a change in the boon. The moment Ian took Arcia's hand, he knew right away. The mana, which he could only sense by concentrating before, was now distinctly felt just from holding hands. If it had felt like a sticky lump yesterday, today it flowed more smoothly, like water. It wasn't completely under his control yet, but gathering mana was definitely easier.
"Maybe it's because we've gotten closer?"
According to her guess, boons like this grew stronger the deeper the relationship between the two people became. Thanks to that, it was much easier for Ian to use magic now.
"Ian, there's another one over there."
On the opposite side of the cave, a goblin staggered around in the darkness.
"Got it. Give me a sec."
Ian took a deep breath and gathered mana. The process was the same as yesterday. Ian collected the mana, and Arcia arranged it precisely. For the finish, "Focused mana, take form in response to my will—Mana Bolt."
As Ian chanted the spell, a glowing mana orb struck the goblin square in the head.
"KEEK!"
The goblin collapsed to the floor.
"Did we get it?"
Ian cast the revival spell, but the goblin didn't rise again. With half its head blown off, rising would make it a zombie, not a goblin.
"Shall we go a bit deeper?"
"Yeah, I think we can handle it."
The goblins near the 1st floor entrance were no match for them. One Mana Bolt was all it took. Even if things got dicey, Arcia was there. She was an adventurer who operated below the 20th floor. If conditions were right, she could wipe out all the 1st floor monsters in one go.
Ian followed such an Arcia deeper into the Labyrinth.
Thud. Thud.
Only their footsteps echoed in the quiet Labyrinth. An awkward air still lingered between them, though it was better than this morning. Ian's rear was still a bit sore, though.
Then Arcia's eyes narrowed.
"Ian."
"Yeah?"
"People."
Her voice lowered.
"Three of them."
Ian still couldn't see anything, but Arcia was certain. As a deep-floor adventurer, her senses were far sharper.
"Don't let your guard down just 'cause they're not monsters."
"Right."
In the Labyrinth, people could be more dangerous than monsters sometimes. Except for your own party members—no, even them you couldn't fully trust. Laws didn't apply here. You could only rely on yourself.
A moment later, three silhouettes appeared around the corner. They seemed to spot Ian's group too and approached slowly.
Squeeze.
Ian gripped Arcia's hand tightly in tension.
Thud. Thud.
The two parties drew closer. Finally, the three women's forms came fully into view. All female adventurers in simple armor, swords at their waists, spears on their backs. And one face was familiar.
The female adventurer who had caused a ruckus at the Temple...
Gulp.
Ian's throat went dry. The thought flashed that he might have to kill someone for the first time. But luckily, it didn't come to that.
The three glanced at them once and silently turned into another passage.
Thud. Thud.
And just like that, they were gone.
"Phew..."
Ian let out a small breath.
"Ian."
Arcia called him. Her voice was strangely low.
"Yeah."
Ian still couldn't tear his eyes from the alley where the adventurers had vanished.
"You earlier."
Arcia tilted her head.
"You checked out those women's tits, right?"
Her face, tilting gradually, blocked Ian's view of the alley.
"...Huh?"
Ian's expression stiffened. It was a sudden question. Sure, one of them was wearing tight clothes that clung to her chest. And... yeah, he had seen it. But in that situation, he didn't have the luxury to focus on that. He just saw the people, not specifically their chests. For real. Probably?
Whoosh!
"You did, huh?"
Arcia's face drew even closer. Her red eyes gleamed right in front of him.
"...No."
"Liar. Liar!"
"I-I'm serious."
"You're stuttering!"
Ian averted his gaze slightly. Arcia narrowed her eyes.
Whoosh!
"Ack!"
She yanked up the hand she was holding. Ian's body was pulled upward. Due to their height difference, he had to stand on tiptoes.
"It hurts!"
Pain shot through Ian's raised shoulder.
"Ah..."
Arcia flinched for a moment.
"Sorry."
She lowered her hand a bit. But she didn't let go.
Arcia pondered for a moment.
"That's weird..."
She muttered.
"It wasn't like this before."
She brushed her hair back with one hand and touched her forehead.
"Hoo..."
Arcia exhaled as if to calm herself. Then, after a brief hesitation, her eyes lit up.
"Ah."
She hurriedly rummaged in her bosom.
"This is it."
What she pulled out was a parchment. The boon explanation from the Temple yesterday...
"This! This is why!"
She was so excited her tongue tripped.
Boon:「Queen's Toy」
Effect
When in skin contact with a woman stronger than yourself, you can resonate with and use a portion of that woman's boon.
Trait
Stimulates possessiveness and dominance in women with strong controlling tendencies, arousing the desire to make them yours.
「Queen's Toy」 A boon that attracts women with strong dominant tendencies. There was no mention of enhancing dominance, but it was plausible enough. Just as unlisted abilities could appear—like the boon's power strengthening slightly today—there could be hidden traits not written in the description.
Arcia's red eyes slowly turned to Ian.
"Maybe when we're holding hands, my personality gets a bit more violent... something like that?"
She did obsess over Ian and act a little rough. He couldn't know her true nature, but...
"That could be it!"
It seemed plausible. Ian rotated his now-freed hand. His wrist was a bit sore.
"Sorry."
Arcia apologized as she looked at him. Her red eyes were moist, as if one wrong step would bring tears.
She was insanely cute like that again.
Stroke.
Ian slowly approached her.
"It's okay, Arcia."
He carefully pulled her into his arms.
"No matter how you change..."
He patted her back reassuringly.
"I'll be with you."
"Uuung..."
Arcia sniffled in response to his warm words.
Ian found her utterly lovable. A scene so warm, like a painting of tender lovers.
"But Arcia..."
"Yeah?"
Arcia replied innocently to his call.
"Your hand on my butt..."
While hugging him, Arcia had been groping Ian's rear.
"Hehehe. It's fiiiine."
Whatever was fine, she kneaded Ian's butt for a good while.
After that little commotion, the two resumed walking deeper into the Labyrinth.
"There's a monster inside."
Arcia pointed out monsters one by one that Ian could handle.
"Got it."
Ian replied energetically at the chance to try magic again.
Thud. Thud.
Small footsteps came from around the corner.
Ian peeked around cautiously.
Ahead was a hobgoblin with blue skin, unlike regular goblins.
"It's a hobgoblin."
Arcia, peering over him, said.
"Wanna attack it?"
She extended her hand forward.
"Sure."
Ian gently placed his hand on hers.
"Focus."
"Yeah."
The process was getting familiar. Ian gathered mana, Arcia arranged it, and Ian activated the spell.
"Focused mana, take form in response to my will—Mana Bolt!"
The Mana Bolt flew toward the hobgoblin.
Boom!
It hit the hobgoblin's head dead-on.
"Keek!?"
But the result was different this time. The hobgoblin shrugged off the Mana Bolt unscathed.
"KEEK!!"
It even spotted them and charged.
Arcia cast her spell at the approaching hobgoblin.
"Hold!"
Such clean magic. No time gathering mana like Ian, no help arranging it, no long incantation—just instant activation.
"Kiggit!"
The hobgoblin froze under Arcia's spell.
"Hobgoblins have magic resistance, unlike regular goblins."
It was similar in games. Hobgoblins barely took damage from 1 Circle magic.
"Then how do we beat it?"
Normally, physical attacks worked, but Ian couldn't do that now.
"First way."
Arcia pointed her other hand at the hobgoblin.
"Climb!"
Whoosh!
A massive pillar of fire erupted beside the hobgoblin with her gesture. It was strong enough to scorch part of the wall.
"Keek!"
The hobgoblin wasn't directly hit but cowered in agony from the heat.
"Overwhelm the resistance with massive firepower."
But Ian couldn't use that yet.
"Second way."
Arcia pointed at the hobgoblin.
"Mana Bolt!"
She used the same spell Ian had. The Mana Bolt flew straight at the hobgoblin—but she wasn't aiming for it.
Whoosh.
The Mana Bolt, mid-flight, suddenly shot upward.
Bam!
It nearly tore the ceiling apart.
Rumble.
The collapsing ceiling.
"Keeek!!"
The debris swallowed the hobgoblin whole.
"Use the terrain around you like this."
"Whoa! Awesome!"
Ian was impressed by her neat magic demo.
"Ehem!"
Her shoulders puffed up proudly at the praise.
"That's me!"
"Hahaha."
Ian found her adorable. But there was one problem...
"Hey, Arcia?"
"Yeah?"
Ian pointed at the collapsed Labyrinth debris.
"How do we get through there?"
The path ahead was completely blocked. This was a dead-end path otherwise. To go deeper, they had to go forward.
Arcia's pretty red eyes rolled sideways.
"Uh..."
She made her signature troubled face.
"W-Well...?"
