God Vritra stood in front of the Gold Rock Dungeon with his arms folded and a very plain expression on his face.
"So, what's this dungeon about?"
He briefly glanced back at Sadim.
The young hero didn't realize he had been staring at Vritra with such a venomous expression. When Vritra looked at him, Sadim quickly wiped the anger off his face and cleared his throat dramatically.
"Uhh, yes, that…"
He took a mont to gather his thoughts.
Rosemarie watched Sadim with so confusion, worried about why he was acting so strangely. It was unlike her man to be so zoned out, especially at tis like this.
『Is he nervous…?』
She shook her head, dismissing her own question.
『There's never been a ti when he was nervous around anyone, so I don't think that's it. Maybe he's still feeling so pain from his wound? Or is it because he still senses tension between him and God Dionysus? No… that doesn't make any sense.』
The nun didn't realize the real reason Sadim was furious—because of how close she was getting to the young lord. And the fact that she didn't realize this made it worse, as it ant that Vritra touching her hand and chatting romantically with her seed normal.
Just the thought of that made Sadim burn with fury.
"First Lieutenant Goldtouch, answer my question…"
The young lord called to Sadim a second ti, and the young hero quickly saluted Vritra.
"In ancient tis, before the lands beca a blue sea, there was a king nad Midas who had the power to turn anything he touched into gold. This gift, however, led him to beco too greedy.
"Eventually, Midas angered the gods, and Dionysus—the god who had given him this power in the first place—decided to step in. As punishnt for his greed, Dionysus killed Midas and sealed him deep underground in what is now called the Gold Rock Dungeon.
"People say that traces of Midas' magic still remain there, turning anyone who enters into lifeless gold statues, forever guarding his cursed tomb."
There was so frustration in Sadim's voice as he told the story, but he managed to get it out regardless.
Vritra placed a hand on his chin and humd thoughtfully.
"Ohhh, how surprising."
But he didn't say anything more, which left a lot of open questions, with everyone already staring at him.
Luciana tilted her head.
Dionysus… isn't that the na my husband said we should call him by while we're with these people?
She looked at Sophia, and it seed she likely had the sa thought in mind.
However, the only person willing to ask was Rosemarie.
"Uhhh, isn't that your na?"
Vritra chuckled softly. "It seems to be, but that's not really important now, is it?"
"I-, I guess not?"
Vritra stood before the sealed entrance of the Gold Rock Dungeon, arms folded behind him. He looked over the ancient stone door, not with awe but as if it were just a curious problem to solve. The massive door was etched with detailed carvings—symbols of power and caution—left undisturbed for centuries.
"Well then, shall we head inside?"
Vritra said casually as he glanced over his shoulder at the group.
Sadim stiffened, his brows knitting together in frustration as he stepped forward, his voice strained.
"That's not possible, uh, God Dionysus. That entrance has been sealed since the dungeon ca into existence. The power of Midas is indomitable."
Vritra's gaze shifted toward him.
His expression beca as flat as ever.
"For a normal human, perhaps."
Without saying a word, Vritra walked up to the huge door and placed one hand on its cold surface. As soon as his palm touched it, a wave of energy pulsed outward, making the air around it ripple.
For a mont, everything was quiet.
Then, with a loud crack, a shockwave burst from Vritra's hand and explosively echoed through the air.
… DUUUUUUM!!
The door shattered.
Chunks of stone flew everywhere, hitting the ground like pieces from an ancient ruin. Dust filled the air, swirling around them, as the once-unbreakable door crumbled into a heap of rubble.
Vritra remained unaffected by the chaos, calmly brushing the dust off his sleeve, his expression as calm as ever. He turned back to the group, hands clasped behind his back again, and nodded.
"Shall we?"
He stepped over the wreckage and entered the dungeon without waiting for a reply.
For a mont, no one moved.
Everyone simply stared at the demolished entrance with their mouths hanging open in shock.
Rosemarie's jaw nearly hit the floor as her wide eyes followed Vritra's retreating form.
"Did… did he just…?"
Esralda, standing beside her, gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder, barely suppressing a smirk.
"You'll get used to it."
"But that was—"
"I know… I still haven't gotten used to it either, to be honest."
Esralda said as her eyes glimred with amusent.
However, Sadim was far from amused.
His fists clenched at his sides as the remnants of his pride ground like the dust that now coated his boots. The venom in his eyes was unmistakable as he watched Vritra disappear into the darkness of the dungeon.
Still stunned, Rosemarie gave Esralda a weak nod as her face paled.
"Yeah, maybe… one day…"
Standing at the back, Luciana glanced between the remains of the door and her companions.
Her brow were raised in disbelief.
"So… are we really not going to talk about how he just casually tore apart sothing that's been sealed for centuries?"
Arms crossed, Sophia smirked slightly but said nothing, clearly expecting it all along.
━ ━ ━ ━
The tunnels of the Gold Rock Dungeon extended far into the darkness, filled with shadows and the damp sll of old, untouched earth.
The grimy walls seed to carry the whispers of those who had walked there long ago. It felt eerie, but Rosemarie's cheerful voice broke the silence as she spoke to Vritra.
"I think if you invested more into the lower city of the Red Desert, we could set up better trade routes with other tower cities like Whiterune Tower. The main issue is the lack of clean water. So, perhaps starting with so purification thods could help a lot."
She chatted away with Vritra, who walked next to her with a thoughtful look, nodding as if he was weighing each word she said. Behind them, Princess Luciana's sharp eyes narrowed as she quietly listened in.
"I can't believe this woman…"
Luciana muttered under her breath, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Her brow furrowed, and she leaned closer to Esralda with deep irritation in her voice.
"She's trying to get my husband to throw his money away on pointless projects. Lower city? The Red Desert? Please."
Esralda abruptly raised a brow and glanced sideways at the princess.
"You don't want him to help the people there? That's surprising coming from you. I thought you were all about making him look good to the public, and more about also helping the sick and poor."
Luciana clicked her tongue as her deepened.
"It's not about that. Of course, I want him to help, but it's the way she's manipulating him. He's usually more careful with his investnts. This nun is just pushing him in whatever direction she wants, and it's pissing off."
Esralda chuckled softly, shaking her head. "I don't think you're worried about his finances. You're just jealous."
Luciana's face flushed red, and she whipped her head around to glare at Esralda. "Jealous? Of that red-haired nun? Don't be ridiculous."
But her protest only earned a knowing smirk from Esralda.
A little further back, Sadim walked in moody silence next to Ghislaine. His eyes kept flicking between Rosemarie and Vritra. They were talking far too easily for his taste. His mind raced with thoughts, and a deep scowl darkened his face.
『Why is Rosemarie being so friendly with that bastard? It's like they're old friends or sothing. God, it's making sick. I swear, if Vritra even thinks about trying sothing…』
His thoughts were cut off when he noticed Ghislaine walking quietly beside him. She looked more tense than usual, her eyes locked on the ground in front of her, clearly doing her best to tune everything out.
Sadim hesitated for a mont, then leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if confiding in her.
"What do you think of the young lord? God Dionysus, I an. Is he always so…"
Before he could finish Ghislaine's eyes snapped toward him, and in an instant, her face turned fierce.
"Shut up."
Sadim blinked, taken aback. "Wha──?"
"I said, shut up."
Ghislaine glared up at him with her tiny form brimming with unexpected hostility.
"Don't ask about the young master. You piss off just as much as the next arrogant bastard."
Sadim stared at her, completely dumbfounded. His mouth opened to say sothing, but no words ca out. After a painfully awkward mont, he simply muttered.
"Alright… fine."
He shoved his hands into his pockets and continued walking in silence.
His mind, however, was far from quiet.
『What the hell's her problem? Did I say sothing wrong? No, wait… she's like into that bastard or sothing, right? That would explain the attitude. Hmph, small woman syndro strikes again. Whatever, like I care about her stupid opinion anyway.
Tch, pissing off!』
Up ahead, Vritra glanced over at Rosemarie as a slight smile tugged at his lips.
"You've certainly been thinking a lot about the lower city. I'll consider it, but only because you make a very compelling case, Lovely Rose."
Rosemarie's cheeks flushed with pride, and she smiled brightly.
"Really? That's great! I'm glad you're open to the idea."
Vritra leaned in a little closer and lowered his voice just enough so only she could hear. "How could I say no to you?"
Sadim's jaw tightened as he watched them, his fingers twitching at his sides. It was taking every ounce of his self-control not to storm over and punch Vritra square in the face.
But Rosemarie's words from earlier repeated in his mind, just enough to calm him down and stop him from losing it.
Barely…
Still fuming, the princess let out a huff and crossed her arms tighter.
"If that nun keeps sweet-talking my husband, I swear…"
Esralda rolled her eyes then pat Luciana on the shoulder with a mild smile.
"Relax, Your Highness. You're not going to lose him to so average nun. Besides, it's kind of entertaining to watch, don't you think?"
Luciana shot her a glare but said nothing. She hated to admit it, but there was a small part of her that enjoyed the tension. Watching Vritra toy with people had always been strangely satisfying, as long as she wasn't the one being toyed with.
anwhile, Sophia just remained silent.
『The love drama going on here is too much for . I just want to go back to Grimbarrow City.』
A depressed sigh escaped her tired breath.
Sadim stole another glance at Vritra and Rosemarie and his eyes burned fiercely.
『I swear, if he tries anything──』
But before he could finish that thought, Ghislaine, without looking at him, muttered, "You're gonna get yourself killed if you keep staring daggers like that, dumb fuck."
Sadim grunted, his fists clenching at his sides. "Whatever."
In his mind, he added a silent curse directed at Ghislaine, though he kept it to himself. It wasn't worth picking another fight… especially not with her.
But one thing was clear: this dungeon dive was going to be a lot more challenging than just navigating through dark tunnels.
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