Chapter 200

Outside the imposing stone entrance of Nazas Dungeon, the adventuring party waited. The air was heavy with the damp scent of the Withering Jungle just beyond the cleared area.

Emerick and Nekari stood nose-to-nose, bickering as usual, oblivious to their surroundings.

"I found it first!" Emerick insisted, his blonde hair immaculately styled even under the scorching heat. He clutched a small, ornate wooden chest close. "Finders keepers! It's clearly the dungeon's farewell gift to me!"

"Finders keepers? We found it together!" Nekari scoffed, her eyes flashing with annoyance. She grabbed one end of the chest, tugging. "And since when do you 'find' things lying in plain sight right outside the entrance? That's not finding, that's picking up litter!"

"Picking up expensive litter!" Emerick countered, yanking back. "Besides, the dungeon owner clearly favored me! You saw her wink at me when we left!"

Nekari rolled her eyes dramatically. "She was blinking, you narcissistic oaf! That chest is party loot! We split it five ways!"

"Three ways," Rolfe mumbled from his spot leaning against the dungeon wall, idly chewing a blade of grass. "The new girl ain't part of the party. She's just… temporary. And Hanry doesn't care about gold." His voice was flat, bored.

"He might!" Emerick protested. "Hanry! Tell them! You want gold, right? Say the word and these shiny things are all yours!"

Hanry stood slightly apart, his back to the group, staring intently at the sealed dungeon entrance. His posture was rigid, knuckles white where he gripped his sword hilt.

"Hey!" Nekari nudged Hanry's shoulder with her elbow. "Earth to Captain Serious! Miriel will be fine. The dungeon owner said she was just a guest and will be out soon."

The squire startled slightly, turning to face her. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes – frustration, suspicion, maybe even guilt before being smoothed away by a bland smile. 'This fucking greedy woman! Because of them, Miriel is captive inside,' he thought bitterly. 'They don't remember… they don't even know…'

Aloud, he said, "It's alright, Nekari. You did what you thought was right. And I'm sure Miriel is… comfortable." The words tasted like ash.

"Right?" Emerick piped up, still wrestling with Nekari for the prize. "See? Hanry trusts the dungeon master! Very friendly! Gave us this lovely parting gift!"

"Which is party loot!" Nekari snarled.

"No, my gift!"

"Stop!" Hanry snapped, his voice sharper than usual. The duo froze. "Enough. It's just a small chest. Split it evenly."

"Alright, party pooper," Emerick sighed theatrically, finally releasing his grip on the chest. He shot Nekari a sulking look but relented.

The cat girl who was still holding the prize, frowned. "About the quest… what exactly do we report to the guild? The commission said to 'clean out the monsters in the Nazas Dungeon.' But we didn't actually clear anything. Will that count as a failure?"

"Pfft, failure? Nonsense!" Emerick waved a dismissive hand. "We say it's cleared! Who's gonna know?" He nudged the chest. "Besides, we have evidence! Look at this lovely gift we received for our 'services rendered.'"

"The guild might send someone to verify," Nekari pointed out, her brow furrowed. "We can't just lie."

Rolfe pushed himself off the wall, spitting out the grass blade. "Who cares? If they send someone, we intercept them. Give 'em a cut of the loot. Easy." His voice was flat, utterly pragmatic. "Or just 'accidentally' block the path. Lotta wild beasts in this jungle…"

Hanry sighed, rubbing his temples. "We have to tell the truth. We didn't complete the objective. The guild needs accurate reports."

"The truth?" a soft, curious voice echoed from the dungeon entrance. All heads turned.

Coraline stepped out, blinking slightly in the brighter light. She was now clad in her simple village tunic and skirt once again, but there was a new confidence in her posture. Around her neck glittered a silver pendant.

"You must be the one the dungeon owner asked us to escort back to Willowmere," Hanry said, stepping forward. "I'm Hanry. This is Emerick, Nekari, and Rolfe." He gestured to each in turn.

Coraline dipped into a polite curtsy. "Thank you. It's a pleasure to meet you all. The dungeon master spoke highly of you." She smiled warmly, then added, "You were just discussing reporting to the guild? About clearing the dungeon?"

"Yeah," Emerick said, eyeing Coraline appraisingly. "Gotta report back. But there's a… complication."

"What sort of complication?" Coraline asked innocently.

Hanry hesitated. "Well… technically, we didn't complete our original commission."

"But the dungeon is cleared," Rolfe interjected. "In a way. The lady's in charge now. Keeps the monsters in check."

"Oh!" Coraline's eyes widened slightly, understanding dawning. "Yes! Of course! The dungeon master has… pacified the monsters. They are no longer a threat to anyone." She touched the silver object at her throat, a small smile playing on her lips. "The guild should know the truth. It's safe now. This place is under new, capable management."

Hanry and Nekari exchanged glances. Coraline's phrasing was technically true in a way.

"New management?" Nekari muttered. "That works."

Emerick chuckled. "Sounds official enough to me! See? Problem solved!" He beamed at Coraline. "You're quite the clever little thing, aren't you?"

Coraline blushed at the compliment, ducking her head. "I… I just know the truth."

Hanry nodded slowly. "Alright. We'll report that the dungeon is secured. Under new management. The immediate threat is neutralized." He looked at Coraline. "Thank you."

"Of course!" Coraline smiled brightly. "Shall we head home now? I'm eager to see Willowmere again."

"Sure, let's go," Hanry agreed, his tone clipped. He gave the entrance one last, lingering look, his expression unreadable, before turning to lead the way through the dense jungle undergrowth. The team fell into step behind.

Emerick quickly sidled up next to Coraline, his blonde hair glinting in the dappled sunlight. He flashed her his most charming, roguish smile.

"So, if you don't mind me prying, sweetness…" he purred, voice dripping with innuendo. He leaned in close, eyes twinkling mischievously. "I couldn't help but notice… do you have a boyfriend yet? Because I have this absolutely divine little cabin in the woods near Elmridge… private hot spring, spectacular views and I would love to show it to you sometime." He punctuated his words with suggestive eyebrow wiggles.

Coraline instinctively leaned away from the overly familiar elf, her cheeks flushing pink. "Um… I… well…" she stammered.

Before she could form a coherent response, Nekari stepped between them and a sharp elbow jab to Emerick's side.

"He meant to ask," she interrupted, shooting the guy a glare that promised violence, "what exactly is your relationship with this 'dungeon master'? Why was she so adamant about sending you back with us? You seemed quite… cozy together." Her tone was casual, but her eyes were assessing.

Coraline stumbled back a step, flustered by the sudden shift. "Oh! Well… she's just… she saved me. I was kidnapped by bandits, like the other women. The dungeon master she rescued us. She's been incredibly kind to me. She offered me shelter and… and work while I recovered."

"Shelter and work?" Rolfe grunted from the back. "What kind of work?"

Coraline flushed crimson, remembering the scandalous maid uniform. "I… I just helped with some cleaning. Nothing improper! She treated me with respect."

Emerick recovered from Nekari's shove, rubbing his side with an exaggerated wince. "Respect? And shelter? Sounds like she was trying to keep you as a… pet? Why send you back at all?" He eyed the pendant with suspicion. "Did she give you that shiny trinket too?"

Coraline's hand tightened protectively around the trinket. "Yes. A thank you gift. She's very generous."

Nekari snorted. "Generous? Or controlling? Mark my words, there's more to that woman than meets the eye. Something feels off. I've never met someone called 'dungeon masters' before. She's different."

"Leave the poor girl alone," Hanry mumbled quietly without looking back. "Her reasons are her own." He picked up the pace slightly. "We need to reach the rendezvous point before nightfall."

Coraline walked quickly to catch up, grateful for Hanry's intervention, though her mind was racing. 'Is something off with Mistress? No, she's kind… she saved us. She'll come for me if she needs me…' The thought brought a strange mix of fear and anticipation.

The party pressed on, the jungle swallowing them as they moved further from the dungeon, each lost in their own thoughts about the enigmatic dungeon master.