บท 142: To Illusory Dungeon

"Hey there, can I buy you a drink?" Ryu asked the adventurer, who was grooming himself in a hurry,

"Sure you may, junior" the adventurer smiled as he moved his hand to blond hair,

"Jue, buy some beer from the counter for him," Ryu said to Jue, who nodded and went to buy beer with Aiena, who was feeling uncomfortable with the adventurer's gaze,

Ryu sat before the adventurer while Rafa sat beside him, looking bored. When the adventurer finally spoke with a wicked smile,

"You sure have it good. Where did you even get a wolf girl in this day."

Ryu looked at him while forcing his lips into a smile,

"It was just a coincidence, but luckily she is part of our party now."

"I see. You sure got wild luck care to share some with this senior here," the adventurer said while eyeing Rafa, and Ryu tried his best to hold back,

'If not for the info, I could've punched him by now…' Ryu thought and took a deep breath to return to a cheerful persona,

"Big brother, I brought them," Jue said as he held four glasses of beer. Aiena stood beside Jue and sat down on the other side of Ryu,

"Ohh, you are generous junior, so what is it you came to me for?" the adventurer spoke as he knew none would treat another without a need,

Ryu took this moment to cut to the chase as he asked,

"we overheard you talking about Elite paladin, so I wanted to know what's that all about"

The adventurer nodded as he began drinking beer. He finished one glass.

'Now he'll answer…' Ryu thought, but the adventurer proceeded to drink all the glasses one by one, and then only he finally begin speaking,

"few days before an Elite Paladin from Light Goddess's palace came to our town, he was going all around asking adventurers to participate in his quest to conquer Illusory dungeon, but the thing is that dungeon is deep shit!! Even the adventurer guild washed their hands off it for now, and declared it enter at your own risk!!"

"So why would adventurers even join him?" Ryu asked, interested in knowing why anyone would intentionally go into a so-called deep-shit dungeon,

The adventurer turned his head left and right a bit as he spoke in a low voice,

"Let me have a night with that wolf thing, and I'll tell you much more than I've told others" the adventurer had a weird smile on his face, and his blond hair looked to be sparkling, too, but he didn't know what he had done,

'He did it!!'

'What had he done…' Jue and Aiena thought consecutively,

"Big brother… don't," Jue spoke in a worried voice,

'What did this brat take me for…' Ryu thought at Jue's warning and said in a low voice,

"[Mana Might]," the adventurer who was looking confident and as if he had struck gold seconds before got a pale face, and Ryu stood up, followed by Fusion souls,

"I think I've asked more than I've paid for, senior… see you later."

The adventurer opened his mouth multiple times, but only air escaped. No words were forming in his mouth as he experienced the pressure. Fusion souls moved towards the adventurer's guild exit.

…..

"Ryu, I am proud of you. You controlled your anger well!!" Aiena patted Ryu like a little kid. Although Ryu's height was already above hers,

'Why does everyone think… am a berserk?' thought Ryu as he planned what they should do further. Even though he planned to get information from the guy inside the adventurer guild, he crossed the line, and Ryu didn't know what he would do if that guy tried it again,

"So let's do this; Rafa and Jue could go for selling the loot from the previous dungeon. While Aiena and I can go to reserve a place for staying the night just in case."

"Okay big brother, I learnt haggling from an auntie in the last town so I'll do my best!!" Jue said as he smiled at the thought of responsibility,

"nice, then we'll meet at the carriage when both groups are done, and be sure to ask whatever you can about Elite Paladin."

Once their planning was done, both groups made their way to perform their task; they didn't have any idea that this plan would attract to them unwanted attention from someone who had been eyeing them,

As Ryu and Aiena entered an Inn, they booked a double room for a night, and Aiena, who was taking the keys, started a conversation with the old lady at the counter,

"Aunty, I am confused about something, may I ask?" when Aiena asked sweety for permission, the old lady smiled as she spoke,

"Ask away anything, dear."

Aiena nodded as she asked her question with a finger on her chin,

"Why are there so many adventurer's here? I mean, there is no accessible dungeon and no monsters nearby…. Yet there are tons of adventurers."

The old lady sighed heavily as she explained,

"You know, young girl, this town was made in a hurry the year before last year by the Lord of Reinguard because a permanent dungeon with high reward appeared nearby….. but…."

Aiena gave the old lady time to continue, and she finally spoke,

"But.. the dungeon became inaccessible this year, most who went in die… the town money was mainly from there and adventurers who came for it… now we are suffering from a crisis.." the old woman looked at Aiena as she laughed,

"I am sorry dear, you asked a simple question but I am revealing my suffering too… it is just most of us were transferred here from the main town of Reinguard… with homes and shops better than before in cheaper prices…. We never expected it would bring more loss than gain."

"It is fine, Aunty. I am sorry for asking something difficult," Aiena apologized, her face saddened by empathy for the old lady. Ryu, who saw such an expression on Aiena's face, came from to counter,

"We want the bigger room, with bath and also dinner included" Ryu put some coins on the counter, and Aiena smiled,

'After all, Ryu is good.'

…..

"Really that's what happened?" Jue eyes filled with curiosity as he talked with a shopkeeper whom he sold monsters bone,

"Honestly I think, If it is Elite paladin sir it is possible," the Shopkeeper said,

"But uncle, if it is oracle by the goddess that Mr Paladin would save the town by defeating the dungeon… why is he taking so long?" Jue asked as he asked the Shopkeeper,

"That's because the Holy knight of light tasked him to hire more paladins using this opportunity as a test," the Shopkeeper said what he heard from an adventurer who joined the paladin's party,

'Big brother wouldn't like it….' Jue thought as he thanked the Shopkeeper,

"You are so smart, uncle thanks for helping me," Jue bowed politely, making Shopkeeper smile as he brought out a few more coins,

"I wouldn't really like ripping off a boy as polite as you, here… next time when you haggle or buy something, ask more shops to know the price," the Shopkeeper who originally intended to make a fool of Jue by selling him items at a higher price couldn't help it when faced with praise and politeness of Jue,

'I was nearly scammed… thank god big brother is not here,' Jue sighed in relief as he took the money, thanking the Shopkeeper,

"Rafa big sister, what happened?" Jue asked Rafa, whose face looked tensed,

"something is bad, Jue…." Rafa replied with an equally tense voice and a furrow between her eyes. She couldn't figure out what was making her uneasy,

'If the big brother was here… he could've consoled her. What do I do?' Jue wondered and finally decided to go with the most straightforward option,

"Don't worry. If there is something bad. Big brother would find out a way."

"Ryu will. He always does," Rafa spoke while regaining her calmness as she held Jue's hand for more assurance,

'So it was here, silverwin…' a shadow standing on top of one of the houses thought as it smiled,

"Maybe I will become Holy knight's right hand now… haha," it thought as it disappeared,

…..

A few carriages stood in the adventurer's guild stable, but only one had horses. The horse peacefully eat the hay left by their owner,

"Arion, Glad give us a single if someone comes near," Rafa said to horses who neighed in reply,

'Leave it to us,' Arion seemed to be saying,

'Leave it to Arion,' Glad seemed to be saying,

Most people would do secret meetings and discussions in a room at Inn or a private room in the adventurer's guild, and that was precisely why Ryu thought,

'Those are the places people spy on most, let's just do the meeting in our carriage; there is no one in the whole stable.'

"Big brother, the shopkeeper uncle told me, that Elite paladin got an oracle by Light Goddess that can conquer the dungeon and save the town," Jue spoke, carefully leaving out the part about the holy knight because he knew Ryu would be angry,

'I am afraid big brother would do something impulsive…' thought Jue, and then smiling, he announced as he handed over the pouch to Ryu,

"Also I sold everything at a perfect price!!!"

"Good job, Jue. I think you can keep selling our loot by yourself," Ryu praised Jue as he thought in mind,

'That's one less chore on me… how great it is to have responsible younger brothers,' he smirked as Aiena told everyone what she heard from the receptionist at Inn. After their discussion was over, they reached two conclusions,

"Big brother, are we really doing it?"

"Yes, Ryu, what about the prophecy."

"I don't care about it either way, as if that Goddess could predict anything?" as Ryu said this, the holy orb he carried on his side shined a bit, showing the will of light Goddess that she could hear, but Ryu ignored it as he continued,

"It is a simple plan, we'll go into the dungeon, we'll complete it and will take the dungeon core solving any mystery there is… and then will escape the town," Ryu stated in a matter-of-fact voice, but Aiena retorted,

"But what if there is something very strong in there? Many people died already there" at that, Ryu stood up and walked towards Rafa; moving behind her, he said,

"Until there is Rafa sister, I doubt anything could harm us, and maybe it is just another Drake."

"But…" Aiena tried to reason, but before she could, Rafa spoke,

"It is Rafa big sister, and I will protect everyone! Nothing could harm Ryu, Aiena and Jue if I am there" Rafa looked upwards at Ryu with shining eyes, and Ryu patted her, realizing what she wanted,

'Sometimes she acts adult and next second she is a spoiled child….' he smiled,

-to be continued