Cough*, okay, I’m not going to pretend like I’m a master of speeches, so I’ll make it quick
Great work surviving this period that has been nothing less than a real war, albeit a small one. If you have any grudges to your new allies, forget about them. Those are unproductive, nor would they honor your, our, fallen comrades. Then, without further ado, cheers!" - Garami
"Cheers!"
And with that, the party was started for real. I an, you have to have one after conquering one, two... six different Dungeons in less than a month. Oh, thinking about it, they were all different types. What a coincidence.
Everyone is partying with the goods I had prepared from Earth. At this rate, I’ll be offered to give the Dungeon a Sweets Shop the when it reaches Lv.10. Oh, and the undead in the underground floors have also been given sweets. Sa with the guards on duty. Rather, we won’t be able to fit everyone on the oasis floor. Huh, when did we beco the most crowded division of the organization?
As I looked at the monsters who were having a blast (so even blasted fire in the sky as fireworks), I retired to the... "shack" that had been built in the shadow of a large rock. Really, it’s too luxurious to be called a shack. It’s got a throne made of marble and with pillows (made by ), a refrigerator that works on Ice Crystals, and an automatic fan. I’m a hedonist of a demon~.
But hey, I’m the guy who has to work despite there being a party going on.
There’s the problem of turning the sixth (forr temple) Dungeon into sothing decent, swapping the last floors (except the Underground Lake) of the first Dungeon with the Fallen Church floor-type, finding a way to lure victims into the seventh (volcano) Dungeon...
I give up. Can’t think. I’ve been overworked lately. Especially with the ss regarding the Fire Dragon. The sweets-trap also required to hurriedly produce Camouflage Cloaks that we used to hide in the water with. I want a vacation...
"Ga~ra~mi~." - Noire
"No gatcha." - Garami
"Why gatcha?" - Noire
"Oh, sorry. Thought it was Mira." - Garami
"That shaless girl... in any case, I have a request, no, I wish that I want to be granted." - Noire
What is it this ti!?
---
The next day:
"The wind feels aweso!!" - Lily
We’re riding the rcenary, which had only been used for scouting lately, and flew through the desert.
Our target? There is none! Except having fun!
"I needed this..." - Noire
"To think that even the genius Fallen Flugel needs a vacation." - Garami
"I am still a person... and why do you always call a genius? Not that I dislike it~." - Noire
It seems I wasn’t the only one who was feeling burned out. Noire had asked to take a day off, which reached Flint’s ears and made him wanna join, and Lily jumped at the opportunity herself.
"Do you two even need a vacation?" - Noire
"Sure am. You know how stressful it is in living on the run?" said Flint with a calm face. He must have had his own demons to fight with this whole ti.
"And it’s crampy in the caves! And the food’s horrible!" - Lily
Bet that last part is your real reason for wanting to get out. After being served Sphinx-beef and Wyvern-burgers among other stuff...
"You know there are no restaurants out here, right?" - Garami
"EEEHH!?" - Lily
"We’re not going to Shaharin?" - Flint
"You said you wanted so cloth from there, did you not?" - Noire
...Crap. Busted.
"Ga-ra-miiii!!" - Lily
"Fine, FINE! I’ll treat you to sothing, so don’t shake around while I’m driving!" - Garami
Just as I said that while prying the hungry chira off -
*Dump!*
I knew it! A speed... or not. I hit a bad dump of sand that sent the floatship up in the air, and-
*Dunk!*
"Garami! Watch the road while driving!" - Flint
"I am! By Lily was... where is she?" - Garami
"...The sky..." - Noire
Aw, crap. She was the only one without a safety belt. I did wonder how she could grab when she was supposed to be sitting in the back.
"HEEEELP EEEE!!" - Lily (crying)
Alright, it’s ti for Garami’s three seconds rescuing. First, you throw so Spider Lord’s threads towards the area the no-brained glutton is falling to while braking the floatship. Then, with so [Thread Control], grab the flailing idiot, and threw her into the backseat. Think I beat the ti record~.
"Th-that wash shcaryyy!" - Lily (crying for real)
"Think of it as punishnt for disturbing the driver. Sit still, or you’ll lose your right to vote where we’re going to eat. And fasten your seatbelt." - Garami
"*Sniff*, fine..." - Lily (still crying)
*Snap*
? What was that? I turned around and saw Lily holding her chest... oh.
"...Excuse ." - Lily
Lily got down below to the storage area with a blank look on her face. Noire on the other hand looked like she had swallowed a bitter bug... before starting to bang her head against the railing. Hey, don’t hurt the ship!
"What’s going on?" - Flint
"Lily is in her ’growing season’." - Garami
"...She’s been getting too many ’high-classed’ als?" - Flint
"More like ’high-ranked’. It’s good timing. Let’s take a break to stretch our legs." - Garmi
I parked the rcenary for real and let Lily take her ti to change clothes... and Noire to wake up from her headache. She needs to accept that there are people better than her out there... or at least accept her superiority in the fields of craftsmanship instead of trying to conquer fruitless fields.
"Hey, what’s the deal with chira-girl?" - Flint
Flint ca to and asked while I was walking around the rcenary.
"What parts of her?" - Garami
"...Well, everything, considering her race... but explain that just now for starters." - Flint
"Probably from the forr Dungeon Master of Dungeon #3." - Garami
"The one with the open lake... and what does that even an?" - Flint
"It ans the forr Dungeon Master was of a Lamia-species that all had ’mature’ body-types. And you asked about that first? You’re a man indeed." - Garami
"Shut it. If they’re not scaley, I’m not interested." - Flint
"I think Lily has so though?" - Garami
"I’m talking about real scale-holders. And that Revi-girl is out of the question as well." - Flint
Glad he told that. I don’t want either of them to connect with a troublemaker like this guy.
"If I ever get the snake-line added to the Dungeon, I’ll introduce so to you." - Garami
"I would rather have so dwarfs or the like to help with the forge." - Flint
"...Are you married to your job?" - Garami
"I can’t deny that." - Flint
Greaaat...
"More importantly, why didn’t the girl fly when she was falling?" - Flint
"Flying?" - Garami
"People noticed at the party yesterday when the girl jumped into the water. She’s got a pair of small, bat-like wings. The Lesser Fiends looked sowhat embarrassed over them for so reason..." - Flint
"Ah, that. They should. Those are probably the result of what their dead brethren left behind." - Garami
"..." - Flint
Crap, it looks like he’s gonna explode. Gotta add so more info.
"Before the triple-attack on the three Dungeons, including you bamboo-forest, I asked all the monstrous subordinates if they could give a hand even if they fell in battle." - Garami
"...So that’s it. From those that were killed..." - Flint
"I’m not heartless enough to kill my created subordinates just to power a single chira. It’s not cost-effective either." - Garami
"Fine. If they were already dead, then I’ve got no reason to complain." - Flint
Phew, safe.
"As for why the wings didn’t work, I think it’s because Lily’s current species is not that of a chira that can use the wings yet." - Garami
"Oh?" - Flint
"If she evolved into a bird-type Living Chira, then they may grow to a size that can carry her." - Garami
"Even the all famous Living Chira have limitations to work with." - Flint
"That’s about it." - Garami
"What monsters is she ’lacking’ though?" - Flint
"Only the Lesser Mimics, if we’re not including the evolved monsters. Dark Elves and Zerbreuses, humanoid demons, can’t give her any abilities, as they’re less than 50% monsters as opposed to the Lesser Fiends, and the undead are impossible from the start." - Garami
"Hmm, they are undead and Living Chira after all." - Flint
Oh, he ca to the sa conclusion as ? Glad that I recruited him. Only having Mira who can follow my line of thoughts can be stressful sotis.
"Hey, Noire is out cold up here~." - Lily
Crap, that was close. She didn’t hear us, right?
"Did sothing happen?" - Flint
"No... where you talking about ?" - Lily
"Y-yeah! About the fact that you don’t need to worry about Revi’s experintal cooking anymore!" Garami
"Really!? Yahoo!!" - Lily
Phew, she didn’t hear us...
---
We kept on moving after Noire woke up. Soon, we saw the Stone Highway, a local oddity that’s shaped like a large bridge, providing safe and easy travels to people due to its height, and is a straightforward way to Shaharin, the city of cloth. Just which Migrant nad this place...?
"There are people around the entrance." - Garami
"Aren’t they waiting in line?" - Lily
"No, the road is free, but the people aren’t moving," said Flint after putting down the binoculars.
We closed in on the entrance of the Highway and discovered that the people waiting were a caravan of Desert Elf. The blond hair and the tan skin says it all, plus so help from Identification.
"Hey. is everything alright?" - Flint
"Hmm? Are you travelers as well? The Highway’s blocked now, so you should just make yourself comfortable for a few days." answered one of the elder caravan mbers.
"Why so?" - Lily
"A Desert Cleaner has taken the whole Highway. We can’t walk around it, and we don’t know why it is doing so, nor when it will leave."
"Desert Cleaner?" - Garami
"A type of worm-creatures that lives in the desert. They eat cadavers and monsters while also cleaning the desert sand for pollution and bad aether, making the sothing akin to a sacred animal for the desert people." - Flint
In other words, if I start killing it and converted its corpse for blueprints, or stuffed Lily with it, we would get a bad na with literally everyone native to the desert. Tch.
"Is mister Cleaner that big? The Highway can take several carriages at the sa ti..." - Lily
What’s a "mister Cleaner"?
"Garami, how about you go and take a look? You’re good with Identification, aren’t you?" - Flint
"...Better than most, probably..., is it safe?" I asked the elderly elf.
"Why, yes. The Desert Cleaner only harms monsters. It never lays a hand or feeler on humans or normal animals."
"What about demons?" - Garami
"Demons? That should be alright, assuming they are humanoid demons."
"Should", eh...
"W-what about chiras!" - Lily
"Chiras? Well... maybe?"
"I’m watching over the ship!!" - Lily
"...And I’ll watch over the watcher." - Flint
"Really? I can take your place if you want." - Noire
"I’ve seen a Cleaner before, and believe , it’s a sight you need to see once in your life if you’re planning to live in the desert." - Flint
Let’s take a look at this celebrity then. One of the younger elves volunteered to guide us. The road up to the Highway ain’t that big, but I still envy Noire’s wings this ti around...
"...Wow." - Garami
"Wow indeed..." - Noire
A huge, purple-skinned earthworm was lying on the Highway, covering the whole road with its body. Is it a size bigger than the Lesser Boitata from the Sea Tree Isle? The trunk of its body is definitely bigger, at least.
It lacks eyes, but it’s got a normal mouth, and it’s got lots of feelers covering it, which gives it the appearance of having a beard. It’s also got thin hairs all over its body, but one wouldn’t notice unless one’s eyes are good, and you looked very carefully.
And it’s not only big. There’s sothing about it that radiates, I don’t know, an aura of... sothing. Experience? Old age? Divinity? No, not the last one. More like, it has the appearance of an old being... even if it’s only a big earthworm. What’s up with this guy?
Na: Gwendler
Race: Desert Cleaner | Gender: Male
Level: 55
Karma Value: 0
Main Class: Traveler of the Desert Lv.25
Sub Class: Guardian Deity Lv.4
Blessings: 2
Condition:
Wounded: [Constant HP Loss: [5HP/3s]]
HP: 2,235/3,017 MP: 200/220 SP: 2,332/2,332 14
STR: 1,007 VIT: 3,001 MAG: 162
RES: 1,110 SPD: 531 DEX: 199
INT: 81 LUC: 111
Okay, that’s waaaay too much min-maxing! What’s up with that stat-sheet!? And this guy even got classes! They’re those, right? Those "Monster classes" that certain, high-ranked monsters with an incredible rep and power are granted as a reward, complints from the Lesser Gods, right? Those Master-tier classes...
"Noire, act with respect. We’re standing in front of soone incredible." - Garami
"Huh? Why are you suddenly so polite?" - Noire
Didn’t you hear what I said!! Act with more... "Wounded"?
"Hey, I think he’s got a wound sowhere. A nasty one as well." - Garami
"Then, he must have co here to prevent sand from irritating the wound?" - Noire
"Probably. Hey, you," I asked the young elf, "this guy’s alright with us healing his wound so he can leave the place? It won’t attack us all of a sudden?"
"W-why yes. The Desert Cleaner is a creature we respect and is given respect back in return."
"...And if there’s no respect?" - Garami
"Then... well..."
"Ah, I get it, you don’t need to say anything. Noire, you’re free to go." - Garami
"? Garami knows Healing magic as well." - Noire
"Do I have wings that can be used to look for the wound on that big thing?" - Garami
"...That is true." - Noire
And with that, Noire started to fly around the Cleaner until she stopped all of a sudden at the worm’s right side.
"Garami, I need a hand here." - Noire
Huh? Why?
I walked on the edge of the Highway that wasn’t covered by the bigass worm and... wow.
"That’s one nasty wound." - Garami
A large, X-shaped wound was on the side of the worm. Dark-purple fus or sothing seems to be coming from the wound as well. It could be easily be excused for a cursed wound from the appearance alone. Luckily for this Guardian Deity, it’s not. Still, with a wound this big and deep, just one or two healing spells won’t do it.
"I get the problem. Take the left-part of the wound, then I’ll try to heal the right side." - Garami
"Roger!" - Noire
And with that, the operation was in motion! It’s not sothing too difficult. We first cleaned the wound with Cleaning, then used our respective healing spells we had the best affinity with. Darkness Rejuvenation for , and Sacred Relife for Noire. Soon, the wound closed with only a slight scar still visible... on my side. Noire had done her part flawlessly. Tch...
"Ehem~." - Noire
"Yes, yes, you’re the best healer. Hurrah." - Garami
I gave so cheep praises to Noire as we saw the worm moving away from the Highway by jumping off it... hey, you’re just recovered from your previous wound. Don’t go and get a new one...
"Hey, what do you think wounded that big guy anyway?" - Garami
"How would I know?" - Noire
Yeah, that’s right-
"However... I feel like I have seen that wound from sowhere before." - Noire
Please don’t let it be what I think it is...
---
We rode the Highway without further problems and soon reached Shararin. If I had to describe it, it would be a city taken from the stories of the One Thousand and One Nights. You know, the old, Arabian kind. So of the buildings are reinforced with tal and wood, so it’s not a 100% match to the stories though. There’s also sothing akin to streetlights placed over the place, with so crystals to replace the lightbulbs.
And most notably, there are colorful robes of cloth decorating the whole city. I Identified so, and they’re of a higher quality than what I can make. I’ve got confidence in threads, but cloth like these are outta my reach.
"This is impressive indeed." - Garami
I couldn’t stop myself from saying that out loud as I walked out in the streets after parking the rcenary in the floatship port.
"It is the greatest cca for textile on the continent after all." - Flint
No wonder. I’ve heard rumors about it in Velantas, but this is more than I could even imagine. Glad that I told Mira and Alf that we were gonna stay a few days. It’s gonna take a while to go through all this.
"Where’s the other two?" - Garami
"They said sothing about spotting a nice inn and went ahead." - Flint
Tch, we’re getting lower and lower on money after having to convert them into CP. Don’t reduce my wallet even more! That’s what I’m gonna buy cloth with!
It took... not so long ti, as we entered the most fancy-looking place. Rather, this is a real hotel, right? No way it can be classified as an inn. And I can see the two at the reception disk. Crap, Noire saw .
"Garami! They say that the place is reserved by just two people and refuses to give us so rooms!" - Noire
"C-custor, as I said, the visitor is of-"
"I’ve got no room, so don’t go ’custor’ with !" - Noire
Even her polite language has left for realms unknown. Stop bothering the poor receptionist guy.
"Excuse , is the one who reserved the place a noble from Solomar?" - Garami
"Yes, how did you know?"
"Eh?" - Noire
"...Could you please take us to them. They are people we are related to." - Garami
"Well... if it is only eting them..."
Probably not wanting Noire to explode at him again, the young receptionist led us to the back, where a massive pool was built. Yup, a hotel indeed. By the poolside, we could see two persons. One dressed in smart-looking clothes, and the other... got Noire to freeze up when she laid her eyes on her.
Na: Filyn Nequitia Belial
Race: Lilith | Gender: Female
Level: 31
Karma Value: -200
Main Class: Netherworld Blade Mistress Lv.15
Sub Class: Demon Noble: [Belial] Lv.11
Sub Class: Darkness Warlock Lv.35
Sub Class: Grand Avenger Lv.14
Blessings: 2
HP: 1,735/1,735 1,500 MP: 2,366/2,366 3,000 SP: 1,520/1,520 1,500
STR: 2,455 VIT: 1,550 MAG: 2,352
RES: 2,241 SPD: 2,107 DEX: 2,202
INT: 115 LUC: 140
Hello there, boss.
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