Chapter 5 : Growth

Miach was tending Sidhe's injuries, he looked again at the bandages, checked if there wasn't any infection, and gave him a potion to drink. Sidhe's deep cuts on the body were changed to pink lines.

Sidhe was feeling much better after the treatment, his hand didn't hurt anymore, he could breath easily, and with a bit of rest he could go down in the dungeon later this day.

Miach made two cups of tea, he gave one to Sidhe, and took a seat on Sidhe's bed, he sipped tea, looking with worry at Sidhe, he put the cup on his lap and said, "Sidhe, I know that I allowed you to go down in the dungeon, you are doing exemplary, for a beginner. I know that situations like these will still happen, but are you entirely sure that you want to be an adventurer? I can teach you to do medicine and make potions, think about it."

Sidhe smiled, full of quiet confidence in his skills, saying, "Lord Miach, don't worry. I don't regret becoming an adventurer, it was what I wanted to be. Next time I will pay more attention to not get this hurt," secretly he was touched by the worry of Lord Miach, he was a father figure for him.

Miach was intently looking at the cup of tea in his lap, he ended up saying, "If this is your decision, so be it, I will fully support you from now on. My dear child, my heart pains every time you go in that wretched hole, I wish it disappeared, alas, it's not possible. Just be careful, okay? You are probably tired of seeing me worrying so much about you," his voice breaking at the end.

Sidhe knows why Lord Miach was just so mother hen with him, Naaza's crippling injury affected him very much, even more so that all of his familia members left, some were forced by their injuries, others fled the sinking ship.

It was warming to know someone cares about you, and your wellbeing, with how much he cares about Sidhe, how he could not give one-hundred percent of his everything to pay the debt? Sidhe drunk a bit of tea, it had a medical taste, reminding him of that fruity smell from Hostess of Fertility.

Sidhe looked at Lord Miach's dark blue eyes, serene and calm as a peaceful night, full of mixed feelings, they were like a shinning moon. Sidhe felt happy being with Miach, he was the most important person in his life, he thought how things would have gone if this person didn't save his life. He could only have foreseen death on how things were going.

He was poor, miserable and without parents, he never felt affection from someone, till Lord Miach came in his life like a hero from tales, or an angel. He will even put his life on danger if that meant making this person happy and get rid of that problem.

Lord Miach stood there with Sidhe for a time, both in silence, drinking tea from time to time, enjoying their presence, sadly, Lord Miach needed to go, as he was working in a shop.

Just as Lord Miach was opening the door to leave, Sidhe said, "Lord Miach, can you please update my status?"

Sidhe took off his shirt and sat with on his belly. Miach approached him and drawn a droplet of blood. Hieroglyphs appeared on his back. Miach noted them on paper and gave them to Sidhe.

Sidhe took the paper and said, "Thanks you."

Lord Miach smiled and nodded, then left to work.

He looked at the paper, grinning like a kid when he saw how much he progressed:

Sidhe Si

Level one

•Strength:

I-20 > I-71

•Endurance:

I-12 > I-52

•Dexterity:

I-25 > I-80

•Agility:

I-28 > I- 87

•Magic:

I-0 > I-0

Magic ()

Skills ()

For an adventurer of three weeks, this was good, he is getting close to passing the rank of newbie, he put the paper on the table.

Sidhe took a nap, he was still affected by the injuries. At noon he woke up, the first period of adventuring has passed, now less people will be in dungeon. He prepared his backpack, putting food, refilling his can of water, ropes, whetstone, bandages and the magical compass.

He put it on his back, then attached the saber to his belt, the dagger on the other part of his waist. He was ready to go.

As he was leaving the house, he was Naaza eating, she looked at him with her half-lidded eyes, and only said, "Good afternoon," and continued eating.

He responded, "Good afternoon."

He left for the dungeon, it seems Naaza remained as cold as she was in the past. When he entered the dungeon he saw a familia preparing for an expedition, from their beauty it was probably Apollo's familia. Well, he had nothing to share with them, so he entered the first floor.

Not even five minutes passed after he entered, that two goblins appeared ready to attack him. They bared their teeth and claws. One jumped straight at him, he dodged the incoming claws and just slashed that monster's throat, leaving it gaping for air on the floor.

The other goblin, saw its kin death and cowed, though its eyes flickered with malice, started going backwards. Sidhe took notice of that and ran towards the goblin who wanted to escape.

Sidhe was faster, he ended up blocking the path for the goblin, who looked with its beady eyes at Sidhe, whose tail was swishing, he was happy at the moment, he grown so much, now he could easily kill two goblins, they were like chicken in the night. Defenseless against him.

Sidhe cut the goblin head with a single swing. He then removed the blood stains by wiping the blade on the goblins, he made a notice to bring a handkerchief with him, as the blood causes damage to the blade.

He took his dagger and removed the magical crystals. Embolden by the sudden new found powers, he started going deeper, towards the second floor.

As he was nearing the second floor, he meet two kobolds, wretched creatures, a shadow pain flared in his former cuts. He remembers very well how they cornered him, and almost lost his life there.

The creatures didn't notice him yet, he wasn't in their zone where they could smell him, he took a deep breath to calm his excitement, fear and foolishness. He didn't want to barge on them and fight a 1vs2. It would have been a risky move without much benefit.

He thrown a rock to attract to alert them, he kept from being seen. The kobolds approached the rock then tried to find from what direction it came.

Sidhe stood in shadows as he observed the kobolds being confused, one of them approached Sidhe, it started to notice him, yet, it was too late, as Sidhe like a viper jumping at its prey, leaped from the spot, cutting his throat, killing him in a moment.

The other kobold smelled the blood and heard the last howl of its kin. It turned and attack Sidhe directly, Sidhe evaded the incoming wooden spear. They engaged in a minute of combat, the kobold was pressured on, loosing ground and power behind each attack.

Sidhe was playing with the creature, he slashed at the creature's wrist, losing the spear. The kobold tried to bite, alas, it was for naught, as Sidhe plunged his saber.

Sidhe took the magic crystals, one of the kobold left a tooth, he took it happily, it was more money. Even if it doesn't cost that much.

He entered the second floor. There wasn't any difference from the first, the only thing that could indicate that you were in the second floor were a new type of monster. If he remembered right, it's a lizard, a dangerous lizard that camps on walls.

His first foray into the second floor was uneventful, that's a relief for him, the monsters were more powerful, just by a bit, noticeable but not dangerous. He ended up with more magic crystals than ever. He had twelve on him. Maybe he should go to buy a coffee today?

He did want, he shook his head, not yet, he still has energy to kill more monsters.

As he walking through a winding path, he first heard small movements upwards, then a flick of a tongue. He rolled as a lizard jumped on his former spot. The miserable creature, it wanted to catch him in a trap.

He was lucky that his species is blessed with good hearing, dexterity and great eyesight. He took a defensive stance, analyzing his new enemy. He never fought a lizard, so who knows what it has in store.

His tail announced its presence, again, it was flickering, great. One thing he hated about his species was the tail, it always shows what the person thinks, at the moment he was curious what this lizard could do. One thing he noted was the four sucker disks on its legs.

Probably used to climb on the walls, the lizard and him kept the eye contact, then, the lizard broke in a run, climbing the walls.

Sidhe didn't let it go, as it was trying to get on the walls. He sliced its back. The lizard had blood pouring from the wound, it felt down on the ground. He cut its head then took the magic crystal, that was a little bigger than a kobold's one.

He looked at the carcass, disappointed that it was not exciting to fight, at least the goblins could be tricky in some cases. He shouldn't underestimate them, they hide on the ceilings. They can take you by surprise when you expect the least, that's dangerous.

He explored the second floor more, it had nothing different from the first, as he noticed. Just the lizard. As he leaving the second floor, one lizard jumped on him. This time he didn't hear when it moved, as he wasn't paying attention.

The lizard was heavy, with a stinky breath than stung his delicate sense of smell. He lost the saber on the ground. The lizard was prepared to bite, Sidhe struggled, he reached for his dagger and implanted it in the lizard's magical crystal.

The lizard disappeared in a cloud of dust, leaving behind a fragmented crystal, Sidhe felt a terrible loss. He just lost over 100 valis, and almost died from this over sized lizard.

Stinky beast.

He took all of the fragments, he could sell them for a bit of valis, he hoped, maybe he would get around twenty?

When he was leaving the first floor he meet two goblins, while he was exhausted, he still could deal with them.

He blocked one who was braver, it had only claws and fangs as a weapon, but shown more courage than those ugly creatures. He twisted his saber and cut the goblin's stomach.

The other one had a sword. It hit right and left, Sidhe parred each of its attacks, the goblin did a horizontal slash, Sidhe sidestepped, hitting the goblin with his leg.

The goblin flew, hitting the stone wall, it tried to get up; it was too late, as Sidhe was next to him and killed him with his saber.

Sidhe had got over the bad mood he was in, he got back two hundred valis. It started to be easy to kill goblins, kobolds less so, as they had their very good nose, if he continued with this progress it wasn't out of question to become a level 2 adventurer by the end of the year. Something worthy of celebration. He would reach the same level as Naaza.

He left the dungeon and wanting to reward himself visited the Hostess of Fertility, he was giddy for his coffee.