There were two main reasons why I ventured into this damned dungeon. The first one, as you’d probably guess, was to beco stronger. The second was to gain my first true ally in this world. In other words, to deepen my relationship with Rebecca, who also played a significant role in the novel.
But in my previous shitty life, I was neither a social butterfly nor particularly talkative. So now, I had to do my best.
Seriously, what do you do to improve a relationship with soone? In real life, it’s not like in gas. you can’t just press a button or complete a side quest to raise your affection points. So what then?
After thinking it through for a bit, I ca up with two general thods of building relationships. The first, and by far the most effective, is through action, real, aningful gestures. Sacrificing sothing significant for soone else, for example.
The second thod is through visual and auditory engagent, like a smile or a chill conversation. While slower, this approach lays down a much stronger emotional foundation.
That’s why I figured starting a personal conversation with Rebecca would be a good idea. And for a thirty-sothing mage like her, two topics ca to mind: magic, or family. Though I’d been spending every spare mont in the library lately trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible, I didn’t want to risk raising suspicion. So I went with the safer question.
"Do you ever think about starting a family?"
Rebecca opened her eyes slowly, the gentle vibrations of the heat orb reflecting in them. Her gaze turned directly to , neither defensive nor surprised. She understood my question, both the words on the surface and the intent beneath them.
"That’s an odd question," she said. Her tone was calm, but clear.
"A family..." she repeated, as if weighing the word against her own life. "Many people caught between power and loneliness see it as a form of escape. But I never wanted to run from anything. Still... maybe soday. When the ti cos."
After a short pause, she turned her head toward . "And what about you? Your mind’s always working. Always planning. Your eyes never rest. Even in battle, you’re watching everything. Does family factor into your plans? Or, more specifically... did that woman and child ever feel like a family to you?"
I wasn’t surprised she turned the question back on . That was Rebecca,never passive, always dissecting every word, weighing every answer. Now it was my turn. And I wouldn’t lie.
The heat orb pulsed steadily, but inside , sothing had shifted. Even so, I didn’t look away. Rebecca’s eyes searched mine for any flicker of emotion, but as always, I spoke from within silence.
"Even if I wanted to see them as family... I doubt they’d ever see that way. I guess I’m just paying for all the cris I’ve committed."
Rebecca’s eyes trembled slightly at my words. But inside, I was celebrating.
"That’s it! That’s how you fucking build a relationship. Be proud of , Mom, your boy’s finally doing it. He’s becoming a real man!"
There was a flicker -barely noticeable- in Rebecca’s gaze. A spark of empathy on the verge of becoming sothing more, though still restrained. Her expression remained cool and composed, but anyone paying close attention would sense that sothing more personal was brewing beneath the surface.
"You’re improving, from what I’ve seen so far. So whatever it is you’re doing... keep at it."
As cold as her words might’ve sounded, I knew they were a complint. In Rebecca’s language, "Keep at it" translated to "Well done." It was the softest kind of praise one could hope to get from soone so distant and composed and for , that was more than enough.
I nodded slightly, a gesture that ant both "thank you" and "ssage received." But inside, I was screaming.
Note too self: serious talk tragic backstory = emotional XP.
If even Rebecca’s showing a hint of softness, this is working.
"So... does this an we’re like real siblings now?"
Rebecca tilted her head, but didn’t answer directly. Instead, she turned her eyes back to the fire orb. For a few seconds, only the soft hum of the flas filled the silence. But I knew. her quiet wasn’t avoidance. It was contemplation.
"If what you ant was whether I see you as family... I’ve already answered that. But if what you an is whether I trust you enough to entrust my life to you, don’t get ahead of yourself."
As soon as she said it, I instinctively looked down, as if her words had actually hurt . I stared at the fire, my eyes slightly downcast.
"I understand. I’ll do my best."
After that, I turned over, using my soft bag as a pillow, and lay down.
Rebecca stayed silent for a while. Probably thinking: "Shit. Did I go too far with this?"
Yep. That’s it. The bait has been taken. She’s squirming just like a fish caught on the hook.
A few monts later, I heard a soft rustle. Rebecca had moved closer. Very close. She was trying not to make a sound, but every step echoed on the cold dungeon stones.
"Look," she finally said, her voice noticeably softer than before. "Trust doesn’t co overnight. Especially not for people like ..."
She paused again. Carefully choosing her words. This woman used words like a surgeon used a scalpel. cut wrong and it bleeds, cut right and it heals.
"... But know this," she continued. "If I didn’t trust you right now, I wouldn’t have co on such a dangerous adventure with you in the first place.."
"You’re right. You should get so sleep... while you still can."
With that, Rebecca pulled back and lay down, just like I did. I could see the regret in her eyes, for not being a little softer. But that was exactly what I wanted. To make her feel that guilt.
It was necessary for what I had planned at the end of this dungeon crawl. I know it makes sound like a bastard from the outside... But for power, there’s nothing I won’t do. And in a twisted way, this was a small evil done in pursuit of a greater good.
The next morning, we woke up early. Then again, in this dungeon, who the hell could tell if it was morning or evening?
Anyway... Rebecca and I hadn’t spoken much since we woke. We stayed quiet. Until a group of monsters showed up ahead.
The mont they appeared, the calm shattered like glass. There were three of them. Two looked like rotting, barely holding-themselves-together zombie creatures. The third one was sothing else entirely, over two ters tall, with four arms and two mouths. Yes, two. One on its face, the other on its stomach. The kind of abomination that makes even God go, "Yeah, that’s a bit much."
"Looks like the welcoming committee’s here," I muttered.
Rebecca glanced at . "Plan?"
The zombies began to shuffle toward us, groaning. The two in front were the classic grave-escapee type, dislocated shoulders, crooked necks, but still very much bite.
The four-ard thing in the back looked like it was flexing, getting ready for a WWE entrance. The stomach-mouth drooled, while the fanged crater on its face seed... amused. What a delightful freak show.
"Plan’s simple: I scatter them, you clean up. Standard formation. And don’t forget. I’m the ridiculously handso DPS character."
"I won’t ask what DPS ans, but I hope it involves high damage."
"Your guesses are weirdly accurate lately, and it’s starting to worry ."
"Then shut that mouth and make yourself a smaller target, will you?"
"Soone’s grumpy today..."
"Quiet. They’re coming."
Perfect. That was the signal.
I didn’t even bother greeting the zombie on my left. A circle of light flared beneath my feet. My vision blurred for a split second as I teleported behind the creature, leaving a glowing streak in the air. My sword was in my hand before it even settled on my hip. The blade cleaved into the zombie just below the neck, slicing its torso clean from the shoulder.
It dropped to its knees. The crack of bone, the hiss of seared flesh.
Rebecca caught the zombie on the right with a chained fireball from her wrist and incinerated it on the spot. Her magic was poetry, silent, precise, and utterly rciless.
"Alright then, co at , you budget Cthulhu knockoff."
As you can see, we were in for a pretty exhausting day. But there was sothing weirdly satisfying about slicing every limb off that grotesque creature with flawless technique.
I think I could get used to this.
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