Fatigue

"To auspicious adventures and plentiful profits...!" shouted Aelius, raising his glass in an impromptu toast.

"I can drink to that," replied Will, raising his own glass in turn, albeit with significantly less enthusiasm.

"Hear, hear," appended Angil, emulating the action before downing nearly half the contents of his glass in a single go. At the same time, Kris issued a simple "Mmm..." while Allyson, who ostensibly wasn't much of a drinker, abstained from the toast but joined the group by sipping her beer.

"So, what's our itinerary look like...?" asked Will, directing the question to Aelius.

Instead of Aelius, it was Agil who explained, "We're going to be joining a merchant convoy transporting Water Magic Crystals and other goods to a Dungeoneering City called Dalon. It's a ten to fifteen-day journey on foot, but it will probably take us around one month due to stops along the way."

"Mmm...a month isn't too bad..." affirmed Will. "But how were you able to secure an escort job? I didn't see anything posted back at the Guild Hall."

Adopting an amused smile, Agil explained, "That's because the Southern Merchant's Association, Golden Sands, issues requests independently of the Guild. They don't trust just anyone to escort their goods. Lucky for us, I grew up with some people who are now reasonably influential players in the Association. Perks of being a local."

"I'm sure," responded Will, smiling knowingly before asking, "Any idea of when we'll actually reach the capital?"

"Why? Are you in a hurry to arrive before a specific date...?" asked Aelius, raising his brows in curiosity.

"Not in particular," answered Will, shaking his head. "But if a large-scale conflict breaks out before we arrive, I imagine it will be difficult to enter the city and move freely."

"That shouldn't be an issue," assured Agil, explaining, "My family is in the capital. Even if traffic through the gates becomes restricted, we'll be able to get inside. One way or another."

"Then that brings us back to my previous question," said Will. "Do we have a base estimate of the time it will take us to reach the capital?"

Stroking his chin with his left hand, Angil eventually replied, "If we don't accept any commissions, I'd say three months at the minimum. But since money is what keeps the gears of society running, it's better to have than not. With that in mind, I'd say six to eight months, at the least."

'Looks like I'll need to write my mother a letter...' thought Will. Being away from the Royal Academy for a month or two wasn't that big an issue, but if Angil's estimates were correct, he was virtually guaranteed to be removed from the Elite Class.

"That reminds me..." said Allyson, drawing the gazes of nearly everyone at the table but focusing on Will as she asked, "What, specifically, made you come to Deisceart, Aiden? If you just wanted to hone your skills or raise your Adventurer Rank, traveling through the Oirthear Duchy and exploring the ancient battleground would have been better. Deisceart is even more chaotic than usual with the recent disappearance of the Sultana."

"It's because of the Sultana's disappearance and Deisceart's reputation as a whole," answered Will. "The Oirthear Duchy may be regarded as the Holy Land for those aspiring to become Knights, but Deisceart is famous as the Proving Ground for Warriors. I plan to avoid killing, but I'm looking forward to battling with Deisceart's Warriors and Shamans..."

"Then you and Kris have something in common," mused Aelius, prompting his taciturn friend to respond with a curt, affirming nod.

"And what about you? What brings you to Deisceart?" asked Will, briefly meeting Kris's gaze before turning his attention to Allyson, the target of his query.

Before Aelius could interject and change topics, Allyson decided to be honest, revealing, "My brother went missing in a ruin along Deisceart's southeast coast, located at the base of the Dragonspine Mountains. He was also an Archeologist, researching ancient artifacts from a time long before the War Against the Creator. My goal is to find out what happened to him."

Ding

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[Remnants of an Ancient Civilization]

Rank: S-SSS [Main Quest]

Objective(s): Though it is still in its larval state, the history of Andora spans tens of thousands of years. The civilizations that currently call it home are far from the first. There is a reason why Demons, Mages, and Scholars are obsessed with artifacts found in Dungeons. If you possess the strength, courage, and curiosity, delve into Andora's oldest Dungeons and uncover the truth. Treasures beyond comprehension await.

Optional Objective(s): Enter the Ancient Labyrinth, Arkaidos, and discover the path to the Seventh Stratum(0/1), ????, ????, ????, ????

Rewards: 1,000,000 Karma, ????, ????, ????, ????

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Though he initially skimmed the Quest details, Will's eyes widened ever so slightly when he saw the base reward of one million Karma. He wasn't the biggest fan of the Quest system, as he hated how it treated them like pawns, but one million Karma was more than he had earned across all of his incarnations thus far...

"Why do you look surprised?" Allyson asked, frowning as she explained, "Julian was my only family. He was the one who took care of me after our father died. It's normal to want to know what happened to him..."

Shaking his head, Will quickly excused, "I was surprised because I think I'm familiar with the ruins you're referring to. I think it was something like Arkaidos...?"

Surprised by Will's words, Allyson blinked several times before revealing, "That's right...?" in a slightly confused tone. It was normal for Adventurers venturing into Deisceart to research places of interest, but since Arkaidos was an A-Rank Dungeon with a high degree of difficulty compared to the rewards, it wasn't a place most took an interest in.

Deciding to make use of his recent acquaintance, Will explained, "I heard about the location from a Dragonsdottir named Kiran. She mentioned that if I ever traveled to Deisceart, I might find something interesting beneath its Sixth Stratum."

Though the rest of the table was surprised to hear Will had encountered a Dragonsdottir, Allyson's enthusiasm was on another level, her voice rising as she smacked the circular table they were seated around, stood up, and shouted, "Then my brother's research was right! There really is a Seventh Stratum...!"

"I guess...?" responded Will, feigning being taken aback. He had no idea what Allyson's brother had been researching, but since the Quest he had received was a Main Quest, it must have been fairly significant.

"But don't get too excited," said Will, preempting Allyson's response by shaking his head and lying, "According to Kiran, there is something very dangerous lurking within the Ancient Labyrinth. She told me that if I were to venture there, I needed to be prepared to risk my life."

"That makes sense," said Aelius, revealing something Will wasn't aware of by appending, "Not many A-Rank Dungeons can be considered 'safe.' And if someone like a Dragonsdottir told you to be cautious, it's probably even more dangerous than reported..."

With Aelius directing the last half of his statement at her, Allyson returned to her seat and forced herself to calm down. It wasn't easy, as it had been years since she learned anything of consequence related to her brother's research and disappearance, but she was hopeful for the future.

Seeing Allyson stare at him like she wanted to crack open his brain and uncover his secrets, Will smiled wryly, broke eye contact, and suggested, "We may want to change venues. People, especially in places like taverns, are very nosy..."

"I have a better idea," claimed Aelius, grinning mischievously as he looked between Will and his long-time friend, arguing, "I'm certain Ally has many questions for you. Since neither of you seems particularly interested in drinking, why don't you head back to the Inn and discuss things in one of your rooms?"

"Some of us may take exception to that suggestion, Captain..." said Angil, sporting a playful smile but with serious eyes. Allyson routinely blew him off due to his playboy nature, but he wasn't comfortable with her being in a room with a guy they had only recently become acquainted. Will wasn't the most handsome man in the world, but his physique was excellent, and he had already demonstrated that he was much stronger than Allyson.

Though she was initially going to reject Aelius's suggestion, as she and Will would have plenty of time to chat throughout their journey, Allyson changed her mind when she heard Angil's words, asserting, "I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself, Angil. Besides..."

Shifting her gaze to Will, a glimmer of certainty exuded from the depths of Allyson's faded golden eyes as she added, "I choose to believe Aiden is a good person. At the very least, he wouldn't have received the guidance of a Dragonsdottir if he were evil."

Rubbing the right side of his forehead and combing his fingers through his somewhat curly brown hair, Angil defiantly uttered, "Assuming he's telling the truth..."

"Well, there's only one way to know for certain," said Allyson, rising from the table and directing her gaze to Will as she added, "Let's head back to the Inn. We'll speak in my room."

"I would prefer to finish eating first..." said Will, maintaining his smile but feeling somewhat annoyed that Allyson was telling rather than asking him to accompany her back to the Inn. He understood she was eager to hear what he had to say, but he didn't order food, only to leave before he had a chance to eat it.

"Ah..."

Realizing how impulsive she was being, a faint blush colored Allyson's cheeks as she promptly returned to her seat. At the same time, Aelius turned to Angil, saying, "See that? Your worries are unfounded. Besides, Aiden already has someone he loves. Once he returns from this journey, he's planning to get married."

"Oh?" responded Angil, raising his brows and becoming noticeably less tense. He knew being betrothed didn't mean much if the man or woman weren't faithful, but Aiden lacked the aura typically attributed to someone who slept with a plethora of women.

Avoiding Allyson's gaze, Will explained, "I don't plan on going into details, but it's true I have someone waiting for my return. It's one of the reasons I asked how long our journey would take."

"Then we better make sure you return in one piece," said Angil, regaining his usual charismatic smile as he joked, "Last thing I need is your fiancee hunting me down, asking for compensation, or seeking revenge."

"Let's not jinx it..." said Will, the image of Andrika appearing in his mind. There was a chance her condition had improved since the start of their current incarnations, but if it hadn't, he could definitely see her holding Aelius's group accountable and hunting them to the ends of Andora if she learned they were involved in his death...

Noticing the tell-tale shift in Will's expression and tone, Angil raised his right brow and asked, "I take it your fiancee is the temperamental type?"

"Maybe, maybe not," responded Will, shrugging before taking a sip from his mug to indicate he had no intention of going into further detail. Lucky for him, their food arrived soon thereafter, serving as a convenient segue into less personal topics...

...

..

.

"Uh...feel free to sit on the bed..." said Allyson, floundering a bit as she noticed her room lacked furnishings like a chair or sofa. The alternative was having Will sit on the floor, but as that didn't seem appropriate when he was there to humor her queries, the bed was her only option.

"It's fine," assured Will, crossing his ankles before lowering himself into a cross-legged sitting position on the ground. His previous encounter with Ohta was still fresh in his mind, so he decided to play things safe and turn off his indeliberate charm.

"..."

Seeing Will sit on the floor, Allyson hesitated for a moment before doing the same. It felt weird, but since talking to him from the bed would have felt even more discomfiting, she set it to the back of her mind and began bombarding him with various questions, starting with, "Is it true you met with a Dragonsdottir? Do you have proof...?"

"I have this," responded Will, proferring the mana-imbued scale Kiran had gifted him. It wasn't the most concrete proof, but with Allyson's ability to sense Mana, she could tell almost immediately it wasn't a scale belonging to a monster. Thus, even though he answered most questions as curtly as possible, Will ended up accompanying Allyson for nearly five hours before returning to his room and collapsing face-first onto his bed...

...

..

.