Osamaru Ta
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(AS) B2 - Lesson 49: "... With Pleanty Fools To Play Their Part."
🕑 Added 2024-08-15 16:42:00 +0000 UTCChapter releases will be a little chaotic in the short-term, as I get back into the flow of things. Sorry for the delay.
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"HALT! By order of the Queen, state your business!"
The figure who stepped out of the shadows was undeniably human. His sharp, clean-shaven jawline and icy blue eyes gave the man an air of noble refinement, while his commanding voice spoke of authority.
Yet the armor he wore was… strange. At first glance, one would think it was just a typical set of plate mail, complete with a half-helm. On closer inspection, one could see that the armor wasn't made of metal. Instead, the silver armor was made up out of the silver carapace of a giant ant. Even the half-helm was shaped to vaguely resemble the head of an ant, while the large halberd they wielded was crafted from a large ant's mandible.
The Adventurers didn't let their guard down, however. They were the only ones who were supposed to be in the dungeon. So, where had this newcomer come from?
Robert stepped forward, his sword at the ready. Before he could ask who the man was, however, a second armored figure walked into view.
"Claude… what are you doing? Mr. Alpha told us to bring them to the Mud Drake."
The second man spoke, his arms folded, his own halberd resting in the crook of his arm.
The first man, Claude, visibly deflated, and he turned to the second. "We're supposed to follow the script, Bill!" he said with a sigh.
The second man, 'Bill,' smirked from under his helmet. "Why bother? The dungeon's not operational yet. We're not on duty."
Claude pointed at Bill. "Because I put a lot of work into it, dammit! Why can't you just give me this?!"
The two armored men started arguing while the Adventurers stared on, utterly confused.
The sudden rustle of fabric caused the group to turn around, and a third man stepped out of the command tent. This man was larger than the other two, and his armor was more intricately designed. If the first two men's armor were inspired by the more common ants in the dungeon, the new man's armor seemed to invoke the larger, rarer soldier ants.
The newcomer let the flap of the tent fall and stood straight, frowning at the group of Adventurers, then turned to his companions. He pinched the bridge of his nose through his intimidating helmet and sighed.
"What are you two doing?" he asked, his voice flat.
Bill and Claude froze, then turned and stared at the large man, then pointed at each other;
""He started it!"" they complained together.
The large man stared at both silently, then turned to the Adventurers. "I apologize for these two, Trialtakers. This is still new for us, so it's taken some getting used to. I assume you're the lot Mr. Alpha called to solve our little 'problem' then?"
The Adventurers shared a look before Robert stepped forward and extended his hand toward the third man.
"I believe so," Robert said, "and who might you gentlemen be? I was led to believe we would be the only Adventurers operating in the dungeon?" Though Robert's words were warm and friendly, his eyes held a dangerous glint that didn't go unnoticed.
The third man in ornate armor reached out and shook Robert's hand. "You can call me Hugo. These two are Bili and Claude," Hugo said, thumbing toward the other two men. "As for why we're here… well, that's complicated. We're not Adventurers. Not anymore, at least. We're —"
"We're NPCs!" Bill interrupted with a grin before Claude elbowed him in the side.
"Fool, we're actors. Stop using words no one knows."
"Who's a fool?! That's what the big Boss called us!"
As the two men argued once more, Hugo turned back to Robert.
"What my compatriots are trying to say is, we've been hired by the Dungeon Core to play roles in its 'story.' Once the dungeon is operational, our job will involve helping Trialtakers learn about the dungeon and provide tasks or rewards as needed."
Robert frowned and narrowed his eyes. "I… see," he responded. "I've never heard of a dungeon hiring outsiders to play a part in their dungeons. Typically, if such things are needed, they are filled by dungeon-born creatures or artificial constructs. How did you come across such an opportunity?"
Hugo chuckled and looked off to the side as he rubbed the back of his head, "Ah… well… you see… it's kind of an awkward situation —"
Before Hugo could speak further, a growl escaped Antchaser's lips. "They're bloody bandits…"
As one, the group turned to stare at the seething goblin, one unblinking eye twitching as Antchaser stared at the three 'NPCs.'
"What the hell, Alpha?! Why are these three here?!" Antchaser sent through his comms. He had to resist mentally screaming the question.
"Yaaaaa, sorry about that one. I needed your reaction to be genuine, so they buy what we're selling. Just roll with it. Those three have already been told what to say," Alpha responded.
Robert raised a brow. "Bandits, you say?"
Antchaser's clenched fists shook, but he spoke through clenched teeth, "Yes… bandits. They're part of the lot who… followed Bosco into the dungeon."
Robert turned back to the nervous-looking three and frowned, his hand gliding toward the hilt of his sword. "I see…"
Maggy flinched and retreated, her staff held outward as if to fend off the former bandits while Garrelt reached for his bow.
Hugo took a step backward, his hands raised. "Woah! Easy now, no need for any for that. Your goblin friend is right; we were part of Bosco's group. But like I said, the situation is… complicated."
"Why should we believe anything you say!?" Maggy called from behind Garrelt.
Garrelt frowned before his eyes widened, and he whispered, "You're… Dungeonbound… aren't you?"
Hugo's arms dropped, and he sighed, his shoulders sagging. "Aye… that's right. After the… incident with Bosco, the dungeon captured the lot of us." The large man chuckled to himself and shook his head. "Now look at us."
"Dungeonbound?" Maggy asked, looking between the former bandits and Garrelt.
Robert was the one who responded, as he frowned at Hugo. "It's a term used to refer to those who have broken a dungeon's laws and, in turn, been captured. Yet, it's supposed to be just a rumor. There have been no verifiable reports of Dungeon Bound in millennia. It's just another story used to scare new Adventurers into behaving while in a dungeon. After all, if you broke a dungeon's rules to the point it was forced to act, they would typically just kill you."
Robert stood straight and folded his arms. "So… that begs the question. Why you three?" he asked, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Hugo.
Hugo shrugged. "Who knows? Good behavior? This place is… strange. What matters is we work for the dungeon now, not Bosco."
"Good ridden, too. Never liked that arse anyway…" Bill muttered before Claude elbowed him once more, harder this time.
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Maggy asked.
The three former bandits exchanged a look. "Well, the fact we're not dead, for one. This place is more dangerous than you realize," said Bill.
Robert frowned and drew his sword, causing Hugo, Bill, and Claude to take a step back. "An interesting story, but by Halirosa law, you are bandits and will submit to capture or face execution. For the time being, you'll be detained at the camp until such time that you can be questioned and transported back to Halirosa for trial."
Robert stepped forward, and the bangle on his wrist flashed to life. The silver dragon lifted its head and stared into Robert's eyes before speaking in a monotone voice. //Warning. Hostile action toward NPCs detected. Trialtakers are advised that attacking NPCs unprovoked may result in penalties up to and including expulsion from the dungeon.//
Robert stared wide-eyed at the tiny dragon wrapped around his wrist.
"These three are criminals by law. Is the dungeon going to stand in the way of justice?" he asked with a frown.
//Your feedback and concerns have been duly noted and will be passed on to dungeon management.//
With that, the silver dragon lay back across his wrist and became lifeless once more.
Robert ground his teeth and looked between the former bandits and the bangle. Garrelt stepped forward.
"It might be best to let this one go, Robert. Keeping in the good graces of the Dungeon Core is more important than dealing with a few minor bandits," the scout leader said as he pushed Robert's sword down.
To the surprise of everyone present, Antchaser agreed. "While I respect your desire for justice for my people, I doubt anything you could do to them would be worse than what the dungeon is capable of. We have more important things to worry about."
"You have no idea," said Bill, "You don't want to know what happened to the others — OWE! Will you stop that?!" Bill rubbed his sore kidney while glaring at Claude.
Robert stared at Antchaser with narrowed eyes before sighing and sheathing his blade. "Very well…" he said, "we'll discuss this matter later."
He then turned back to Hugo. "Assuming what you're telling us is the truth, how exactly are you supposed to help us?"
In response, Hugo only grinned.
Comments
JulesBeHere
//Your feedback and concerns have been duly noted and will be passed on to dungeon management.// Lmao the BS bureaucracy is hilarious xD
