14

THWACK!

The goblin's head snaps back as the arrow penetrates its eye socket and punctures the back of its skull. A puff of black as the body disintegrates, dropping both the arrow and a small magic crystal.

"Excellent shot Mister Solomon," Lili says.

"Well, it's not exactly difficult when they don't see it coming and are standing still," Ziggy says back. "But thanks, all the same. And, please, call me Ziggy. I feel like I'm at a job interview every time someone calls me mister."

"Well, in a sense, I am your temporary employee, and this could be considered a kind of interview to see whether you'd like to retain my services," she retorts.

Hah! "Well, I guess you got me there. Tell me, Miss Ahh-" Ziggy pauses, catching himself before saying a name she never gave him. "You know, come to think of it, I never did catch your surname."

Lili frowns, debating whether she wants to give Ziggy more information on herself or make something up. After a moment, she takes a breath and says. "Arde. Liliruca Arde."

Ignoring her hesitation, Ziggy plows forward, hoping to get the better energy of the conversation to perk her back up quickly. "Well, Miss Arde, why don't we start with some basic information. How long have you been a supporter? Have you ever considered transitioning over to adventurer?"

"Actually, I started out as an adventurer, but I wasn't very good at it, and after the events of five years ago, I transitioned over to being a supporter. I just don't think I am suited to full adventuring. I have a very slow progression with Excelia," she says.

Ziggy frowns and looks back at Lili. "What happened five years ago?" he asks.

Lili cocks her head with a look of puzzlement. "You really don't know?"

Ziggy shakes his head. "I'm pretty much brand new to all this and only arrived in the city a week ago."

"It's called the Great Feud, but that's just a polite way of referring to a cult of madmen trying to destroy the city. They killed thousands of adventurers, and large swaths of the city were destroyed."

Ziggy's frown deepens. "And this was five years ago?"

"Almost, the city holds a day of remembrance for all those lost. You'll see. It's in a couple of months."

'I thought the Great Feud was seven years before canon,' he thinks. 'Why the change? Lili seems a little different as well, not as guarded. She still seems to be being bullied by the Soma Familia members, but she isn't as anti-adventurer as I expected.'

A kobold rounds the corner catching Ziggy's eye, and he reflexively draws back the bow. T'WANG! The arrow penetrates the kobold's throat, and it bursts into dust.

"Are you sure you just started learning a week ago?" Lili asks with a mix of surprise and suspicion. "You seem surprisingly good with the bow."

"Honest to goddess truth. The first time I picked up a bow was just a few days ago," Ziggy says, but he sees the doubt in Lili's eyes. He rolls his eyes. "I have a skill that improves my learning and comprehension. It means I pick things up quickly. Weapons, magic, utility skills, general knowledge, and maybe even Development Abilities when I hit level, all of them are fair game."

"You're kidding!" Lili practically shouts, considering the potential of someone that could learn at an accelerated rate.

"Nope, I also notice things more easily. Hidden monsters, variations in the environment that would indicate a change in the Dungeon, creepy adventurers stalking cute supporters outside Babel..." Ziggy mumbles that last one before letting the sentence trail off.

Lili still caught it, though, and blushed at him calling her cute, but she otherwise ignored the comment.

Ahem. Ziggy coughs to clear the tension. "So, Miss Arde, what else can you tell me about yourself? Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Pfft. She snorts. "Those who make their living in the Dungeon don't generally make long-term plans like that. Supporter survival rates are even lower than adventurers over the long run," she says bitterly.

Ziggy frowns. "Hmm. Why is that? I'd think that the supporters that are carrying the supplies would be protected."

"That may be the way it is in the larger exploration Familias, but in general, supporters are viewed as a necessary evil by the majority of lower-leveled adventurers at best and at worst as parasites living on their hard work," she says with a bite to her tone.

"Well, that's just stupidly shortsighted," Ziggy says. "Logistics is vital to any significant endeavor, especially when supply lines are fragile, such as when you start diving even a little deeper into the Dungeon."

"You obviously haven't met enough adventurers," she says. "Most are ignorant, cruel, and greedy. I've only met a handful that aren't."

"I hope I'm included in that handful," Ziggy says with a wry grin. "I can't claim I'm not a bit greedy, but two outta three ain't bad, right?"

She chuckles. "No, I suppose not. I guess you're alright."

"Phew. I was a bit worried there," he says, jokingly wiping his brow with the back of his hand. He flashes a smile that the diminutive Pallum returns. "So, who else?"

"Hmm?" Lili says with a tilt of her head. "Who else, who?"

"Which adventurers aren't greedy, ignorant, and cruel?"

"Oh!" she says and then places a finger on her chin in thought. "Well, my friends Lyra and Aurelia are pretty great, and the rest of the adventurers in their Familia are nice, if a bit weird. I'm pretty sure Aurelia is the reason Canoe leaves me alone now. Whenever he's around, and she shows up, he suddenly has somewhere to be."

Lili has a vicious grin by the last sentence, but Ziggy doesn't notice because he's deep in thought.

'She has friends now? And that name, Lyra. If I remember right, she was a Pallum from the Astraea Familia. Did they survive the Great Feud? I didn't see Ryuu at the Hostess of Fertility, so maybe.

I don't remember Aurelia from the story. The closest to that name I can think of is Aura, and I think she's from the Dionysus Familia, and that doesn't track. Maybe she's a transplant like Yue and the rest but from where? I can't think of any Aurelia from any anime I've seen. Perhaps a minor character that didn't catch my attention or someone I'm overlooking...

Arrg. This is going to drive me crazy. Fuck it. I'll just have to wait until I meet her to see if she sparks a memory.'

"There's a few more I've met through those two as well. Some members of the Ganesha Familia are pretty nice. I met Ardi from the Ganesha Familia during the Great Feud, come to think of it. I was still trying to be an adventurer back then, but after... well, things changed."

Ziggy draws back and launches an arrow through another goblin. "How so?" he asks, walking towards where the goblin burst into dust.

"A lot of people died back then. People are less trusting now. Who knows whether someone else is one of the hidden remnants of Evilus?" she says. "Aurelia says she's sure there are players that stayed hidden during the incident and others that will use the Great Feud as a template for future actions."

"That sounds likely," Ziggy says, picking up and tossing the goblin's crystal to her. Looking ahead, he sees the end of the second floor coming up. "You good for the next floor, or would you like to take a break?"

"A break?" Lili says with a weird expression on her face. "Do-do you need a break?"

"Nope, just being polite," Ziggy says. He turns and hands her his bow. "I'm going to switch it up a bit now and go close quarters."

He pulls a pair of thick forward-curved blades a little more than half a meter in length from sheathes strapped to his thighs and holds them out in front of him, testing their balance.

Lili cocks her head to the side. "Those are different," she says.

"Yeah, they're a little long for kukris, but I'm pretty tall, and they fit my hands well, so I thought I'd give them a shot," Ziggy says. "I'm not all that practiced with them, but then again, that's why I'm here."

"Is that why you wanted to stick to the upper floors?" Lili asks.

He nods. "That and I promised Rose that I wouldn't go down to the fifth floor until all my stats hit G rank."

"Rose?"

"She's my advisor from the Guild. She's the redheaded werewolf. She is tired of seeing her adventurers die on her, so she tries to remain detached but closing off your emotions isn't healthy. So, I'm trying to make sure I don't get too screwed up down here and worry her," he says while swinging the kukri in short sweeping arcs to acclimate to their motion.

"I think I remember her," Lili says. "I've seen the Sword Princess speaking with her."

"Yeah, Ais is exactly the type of adventurer Rose hates," Ziggy says. "Dedicated to pushing themselves right to the brink, dancing with Death. It is what helps adventurers grow, but it's also what kills a majority of them."

Lili is about to ask a question when a cracking sound interrupts her. A scraggly dog-like form pushes its way through the wall and settles on the ground. Shaking, it stands up and, seeing Ziggy, releases a rasping howl and charges toward him.

Claws descend toward his body, and Ziggy takes a half step back and to the side, evading the attack. A fast circular motion hacks through the wrist of the kobold, sending the claw tumbling. A quick stiff jab impales the kobold on the blade of Ziggy's off-hand as the kobold's momentum carries it passed. The drag on the kukri creates a pendulum motion, pulling Ziggy around and accelerating his follow-up swing. Ziggy's primary weapon chops through the back of the kobold's spine and neck as the off-hand blade tears free from the monster's guts, spilling blood and viscera. The kobold explodes into dust before the entrails hit the ground, dropping its small crystal.

Lili raises an eyebrow. "That was impressive," she says.

Ziggy snorts. "Thanks, but these guys are basically mindless fodder. The only real use they have is for practicing some basic forms. The third floor is barely better, and it's only the uptick in the number of monsters that makes it at all challenging. Same thing with the fourth floor. The lizards are a little better, and that's only because I have to remember to look up, so they don't get the drop on me... literally."

"Still, most rookies have trouble fighting monsters, especially with the aggression of the kobolds. You seem almost casual as you slaughter them."

"Well, I can read their movements and patterns probably better than most people of my experience. Remember my Skill that enhances my comprehension? It also lets me pick up on patterns easier."

"You know," she says, shaking her head. "You probably shouldn't reveal too much about your Skills. You're bound to make enemies eventually. Everyone does, and it'll be harder for them to target you if they don't know what you can do. Keeping a low profile can be a matter of survival."

"Heh," Ziggy smiles. "You're probably right, but I'm not exactly cut out for low profile. Not to be arrogant but I sort of stand out."

"You're not wrong," Lili mutters, staring at Ziggy's ass which draws her eye and imagination. It's not inappropriate if the ass is at eye height for the girl. It's just where the eye naturally lands. At least, that's what she tells herself.

Ziggy notices her gaze as he looks back over his shoulder. He smirks as he walks towards the entrance to the third level. "So, I noticed you've only mentioned girls. Not many good guys around? Or just none that stand out? What about a boyfriend?"

Lili blushes. "Don't you think that's a bit personal?" she grumbles.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I can be a bit forward. I don't have much of a filter sometimes. Obviously, if you're uncomfortable with the question, please, ignore it," Ziggy says contritely.

She squirms a little. "Well, if you must know, most people aren't really interested in members of the Soma Familia for more than our access to Soma wine, which is exceedingly limited, and most Familia members would rather drink it than share."

"Sounds bad. Did you ever think about leaving and joining another Familia?" Ziggy asks.

"Only since my first dive into the Dungeon," she says with a snort and then sighs. "It's not that easy, though. First, I have to earn enough merits or money to gain an audience with Lord Soma, and he's mostly concerned with crafting his wines. There is no guarantee that he'd even let me go or even acknowledge me being in the room with him."

They're silent for a few minutes as they make their way onto the third floor. Eventually, Lili breaks the silence. "Lyra tried to introduce me to someone once," she says.

"Oh? I'm guessing, by your tone, that it was no good," Ziggy says.

Lili shakes her head. "A little too good, honestly... It was the captain of the Loki Familia."

"Ah. Finn, huh? I can understand why that wouldn't work," he says, nodding.

"What? Do you think I'm not good enough?" she asks bitterly.

"On the contrary," Ziggy says. "I believe the problem lies with Finn."

"What do you mean?" she says, frowning. "Finn's practically worshipped in Orario. He's rich, powerful, and powerfully connected; any girl would be lucky to have him."

Ziggy shakes his head. "That may be true, but in my opinion, he has his priorities fucked. His life is dedicated to the advancement of the Pallum race, and that's fine, but he's doing it by trying to present a picture of what he feels is the ideal member of the race.

He strives to be a handsome warrior, a charming leader, a peerless hero, and a family man, but to be a family man, he needs a family, and that family has to match his image... A woman I met from the Loki Familia, an Amazon, is in love with Finn; she would do anything for him, but he will never return her love. Not because she is lacking in any way but because she does not fit into the image he is cultivating.

Finn isn't looking for love, he's looking for a broodmare, and I don't think you would take well to that role. I'm not saying he would treat you poorly. In fact, I imagine you'd be treated very well, it would hurt his image if you weren't, but there would be no love because Finn isn't interested in love. He is interested in legacy."

Lili was quiet after that, thinking about Ziggy's assessment of Finn. She wanted to argue with him that Finn's goal is for the betterment of her people and that in itself is a form of love, but in the end, she rejected the idea of being Finn's wife for reasons not far off from Ziggy's thoughts.

There would be no love in a relationship with Finn, not romantic love anyway, and no personal agency, either. She'd have been a bird in a gilded cage that is expected to sing a pretty tune. No matter how beautiful the cage, it still would chafe Lili. She's spent her life trapped by the Soma Familia, and she has no interest in exchanging one cage just to jump straight into another.

"What about you?" Lili asks, breaking the growing silence.

"Hmm?"

"Well, you've been in town a week," she says with a hint of snark. "A handsome adventurer like you must have the ladies beating down your door. So, did you already find yourself a girlfriend?"

"Oh, well, yeah, actually," Ziggy says. "Rather, I'm developing my relationships with a few women."

Lili frowns. "So, nothing serious then," she says.

"Actually, I am very serious about them," he says.

"How can you be serious about 'a few women?'" Lili asks, rolling her eyes.

Ziggy looks back at her. "One of the things that makes love such a powerful emotion is that the more you share it, the more it grows. At least that's what my girlfriend from my hometown said to me when she was trying to convince me to create a harem."

"A what!?" Lili shouts.

Haha. Laughing, Ziggy asks, "Was that question pure shock, or do you really not know what a harem is?"

"I know what a harem is!" she says, almost outraged. "What are you, some kind of playboy? Philanderer? A rogue playing with poor girls' hearts!"

He shakes his head. "I try not to play with hearts. I'm not particularly rich, and I'm not aiming for casual relationships, or I would have already succumbed to the urges of my goddess. So, technically, I'm none of those things.

Any woman I have a relationship with will be fully aware of my intentions. So far, one has already agreed to join the harem, and another is considering it before we take another step in our budding relationship."

He stops and turns back to Lili. "Now, that isn't to say that I'm absolved of all sin here. I'm still acting hypocritically in that I am unwilling to share my lovers outside the harem. Specifically, I'm not willing to share them with other men. Perhaps, in another life, I could have dealt with an equal polyamorous relationship, but not here, not now. This is a different situation...

I am upfront about all this with the women I am interested in and that show an interest in me. Being friends is not contingent upon joining the harem or anything but being my lover is. If the other woman I mentioned rejects joining the harem, I will not hold it against her. I would still be her friend. I am asking a lot, and not many people would be willing to give that much."

Lili's head was spinning. One woman had already accepted, and another was considering it? Ziggy was incredibly handsome but are women that easy to convince to share their lover? Lili didn't think so, but she wasn't experienced with love and had virtually no sexual experience except for a bit of skinship she shared with her friends when they had a spa day at the baths.

Lili felt her cheeks heat up. 'Why'd I have to think of that? He's going to notice and think I'm weird.'

But it wasn't her discomfort that Ziggy noticed. He frowns and looks around for a moment, focusing on his surroundings. "Lili?" he says. "Would you mind if we picked this conversation up at a later date?"

"Hmm?" she says, confused by his change of subject. "Um... Sure? Why? What's wrong?"

He pauses for a moment. "Do you hear that?" he asks.

Lili frowns and cocks her head to listen. After a moment, she shakes her head. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly. Something is wrong," he says. "We've been on this floor for a while now, and I haven't heard or noticed any monsters. It's like something scared them off."

Lili takes an involuntary step back. "C-could it be a monster surge?" she asks. A monster surge is precisely what it sounds like, an over birth of monsters from the Dungeon, usually collecting in an area like a Pantry, a food source for monsters in the Dungeon, and bursting forth to overwhelm adventurers with sheer numbers, but that wasn't likely to be what was happening now.

Ziggy shakes his head. "Nah. I'd be able to hear that many monsters breathing if they started congregating. No, this is something else."

He slides the kukris back into their sheathes and takes the guandao that had been strapped to Lili's backpack. A guandao is a type of polearm. It has a curved blade with a spike or a hook off the back, similar to a glaive.

A cracking sound in the distance gives the two pause, and they focus on listening. A moment later, a low rumbling sound echoes through the corridor, immediately followed by a sharp yelp. Ziggy's hearing is much better than Lili's, and he can hear something approaching at a casual, almost taunting pace.

He frowns. "Lili, get ready to run," he says, his playful mood a distant memory.

"What is it?" she asks nervously.

"I'm almost positive it's an Irregular. A monster that has gotten significantly stronger by eating the magic crystals from other monsters," Ziggy says.

"We should both run then," she says, her eyes wide with fear as she starts backing towards the way back up to the second floor.

"No," Ziggy says, shaking his head. "I'll hold him here. When you get back up to the Guild, let them know that an Irregular has appeared on floor three. They'll issue a quest for its extermination, and stronger adventurers will come to take it out... assuming I don't do it for them."

"Are you kidding me!?" she says. "You're brand new. You can't take on an Irregular. What about Rose? Isn't this exactly the kind of thing she'd scold you about."

Ziggy smiles. "I'm not suicidal, Lili, but if I run now, other people will get killed. I'm confident that I can at least keep it busy. That's why I took the guandao. If nothing else, I can keep it at bay. Who knows, maybe a level two will show up and solve the problem for us, but until that happens, someone must hold its attention. Just hurry up and bring me some backup. I don't want to dance with this thing all night."

A low growl sounds through the corridors. Lili takes another step back. "Fine, but don't die. I want to finish our conversation later."

"It's a date," he says, and Lili stumbles at his words.

With a 'tsk,' she turns and runs towards the entrance to the second floor.

Ziggy smirks and takes a deep breath. "Zeke," he says, and a magic circle forms on the ground in front of him, and the kobold Zeke appears. Zeke stands up and takes his position on Ziggy's left flank.

Zeke growls low in his throat as a shadow emerges from around a corner in a large corridor. The figure is about the same size as Ziggy, about one and a half times the size of Zeke. As it comes into the light, it reveals a furred form and long canine teeth.

"It's a kobold on steroids. This could be tough, Zeke. Not sure how strong this guy is, but he isn't weak."

The Irregular kobold growls and holds up a magic crystal in his paw, tossing it into its maw and crunching down and swallowing the crystal. A ripple of energy passes over the Irregular kobold, who seems to grow even larger, and its eyes gleam with malicious delight for a moment.

Ziggy sighs. "Definitely, not weak."