Chapter 13

I rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I climbed out of bed. I glanced at Eiji, who was still lost in slumber, silently wishing I could have a few more moments of rest. However, I had an early morning ahead. As I opened the door, I turned to my left.

"Good morning useless, ready to carry my bags around." Liam walked past me with a spiteful look on his face.

I ignored him and walked in the direction he came from. Inside the bathroom, I take off my pajamas and start the shower. With my gaze on the ground, hot water rained down on me as I thought back to yesterday evening.

Everyone who signed up from the expedition team waited at the square, but they weren't the only ones.

Daniel's harsh gaze stared at the eighteen standing in a line to the side. "For all you slobs who didn't want to work! I'll make sure to give you the most annoying ones!"

With his words, Daniel could see all of them look in defeat except for a single person who didn't show many emotions. Daniel was taken aback by the blank expression on the person's face. Throughout his years, he had encountered countless individuals who tried to sneak away from their duties, but rarely does he see someone still indifferent when they get punished for these actions. 

So, seeing this unexpected trait in an otherworlder, who he believed were all weak-willed, made him change that preconception.

"Now then." Observing the documents he held, Daniel started calling our names and telling us which unpopular job we got. They were all low-paying labor jobs that the masses would mainly refrain from.

"Robert and Samuel."

Robert closed his eyes and prayed for a favorable outcome. "You two will be joining the expedition team." Upon hearing him, Robert's eyes widened, and his mouth fell open, but Daniel still had more to say. "As mules, you'll be carrying the supplies and anything found in the cave system."

As he turns away, his eyes fixate on the signups. "What I am about to say is for all of you, and you two. This is the hardest job of all meaning I expect discipline, on days you aren't in the tunnels you will have training on the grass plain outside the town, and during the evening you get lessons about the abyss below our feet these start from tomorrow onwards."

"Sir, I don't think I'm physically built for this." Robert spoke when Daniel finished, and he got his answer incredibly quickly. "Did I ask for your opinion on my decisions?"

Robert shut back up and lowered his eyes to the ground. With that, Daniel announced everyone was allowed to join the team.

My gaze was focused on him as he shouted. With how he handled everything in this town, I could only commend him. He never said anything about having to do a job, because he knew that people who wanted to be lazy would not take one, which made it possible for him to force people on necessary jobs that others would skip.

Turning from him I look at the paper I was given. I noticed that it didn't say mule for expedition team; it said house cleaner.

After turning off the shower, I proceed to dry myself and go back to my room. Inside my closet, I had the clothes they told me to put on if we went into the tunnels. The materials used included thick leather, linen, and occasional metal accents, while the color scheme leaned towards dark shades with no vibrant tones. I put on all my layers, then walked downstairs and also put on the boots that were provided to me.

As I approached one of the town entrances, I noticed a crowd of people already assembled. From what I could see around thirty to frothy decided to join the expedition team, while the rest who I could see were people under Daniel's command. 

A fancier-dressed soldier stood atop a pedestal in the front. "I'm Nathan, and I'm the one in charge of this expedition." Nathan began to explain how things would go but I ignored everything he said and let time pass.

When he finished I could see Robert and two people I didn't know making their way towards me. They came to a halt in front of me and handed me a pouch. "Inside this one is food and other supplies. Attach it to your belt and ensure it is securely fastened. It is crucial not to lose it unless you want your starving teammate on your conscience."

"Alright." Looking at the bag I wondered how much food could be in such a small pouch, but I could feel the weight that was stored inside when they placed it in my hand.

He handed me a backpack as well. I took it from him while somewhat listening to his explanation. "Any creature they kill we'll need to carry them around, we'll also have to keep further damage after death at a minimum but you will not have to worry about that for now. The smaller compartment is for more precious minerals, but we'll tell you if they are when we find any."

Before we even left a lot more things were said by Nathan, but I couldn't bother to listen to everything. 

After some time, we finally departed. We moved by carriages that could fit around twenty people for a while until we reached what appeared to be a military compound. The entire area was enclosed by a wall, and there were many people in uniforms patrolling it. One thing I observed was that the attire of the town's guards differed from what these soldiers were wearing.

When we tried to enter we first needed to be patted down before they let us through. Inside the compound, barracks and other amenities were built for the soldiers. They all stood against the large wall and hills and in the center, there was an elevator that went down into the ground.

We stood on the platform and waited as Nathan had a conversation with someone who seemed important. Not long after, the platform beneath us trembled briefly, and we descended.

"How did the expedition go?" Daniel looked at Nathan who was in front of him with his arms behind his back.

"Good, sir."

Daniel glanced up from the documents on his desk and met Nathen's eyes. "Then why are you here?"

Holding his body straight, Nathan spoke with full confidence. "I want to remove Samuel Ledger from the expedition team."

"Oh, and why should I consider doing that?" Daniel leaned his elbow on the table and gazed straight ahead.

A few hours into the journey through the tunnels.

"Is it normal it gets this heavy?"

"Stop whining, you're not even carrying that much."

Robert huffed and puffed while the other two guards seemed completely fine. 

Just like Robert, I felt the weight as well, but I kept quiet. Throughout the time we had spent in these depths, they had slain quite a few monsters and they were now all in the backpacks we carried, but none of them were taken care of by outworlders our escorts took care of everything. Today was to get firsthand experience of what it's like in this vast underground cavern system, fighting wasn't something we had to do yet.

As I looked around, I couldn't help but appreciate the eerie atmosphere. The darkness engulfing us, illuminated only by the soldiers' lanterns, created a sense that I could get lost in this place. It made me feel that all my thoughts could fade away.

As I bumped into the person in front of me, they shot me a stern glare. Backing off, I didn't say a word, but I didn't have to as they quickly turned back around. With a slight lean, I glanced past the crowd, trying to understand the cause of their sudden stop.

From within the darkness, I could hear footsteps approaching us. Anticipating what other beast, it could be a brownish furry foot, walked into the light.

"Samuel?"

I turned to my sides, searching for the source of the voice calling me, but nobody was looking my way. My odd behavior catches the attention of a soldier, who begins to make his way towards me. 

"Hey, what's wrong?"

As my shoulder is grabbed, I feel sharp claws digging into my flesh. Pushing the creature off me, I fall to the ground. Looking up, I could see its rat-like-shaped mouth with sharp teeth, the creature loomed over me but did nothing. 

Blood moved down my body, creating a puddle underneath me. It spread rapidly, engulfing everything in sight, even crawling up the walls. From the red, bodies flow to the surface. These lifeless beings began to move and get ahold of me, as a grading laughter overloaded my ears.

"How could you!"

"It's all your fault!"

"When will you pay for what you have done!" As I heard these words, everything around me seemed to pause for a brief moment. "I'm trying." These were the last things to come out of my mouth before I passed out.

As Nathan finishes off the last of these creatures, he turns his head to the left and finds me lying unconscious on the ground. "What happened?"

"He seemed to have gotten a panic attack."

Nathan turned away from the soldier standing next to me and glanced at his watch. "That will be the end of today's expedition, Let's go back."

"So that's what happened."

"Yes, that's all."

"What did you end up deciding on?"

Turning his head, Daniel looked at a woman, who was staring out the window. "I told Nathan that I wouldn't kick him off."

"So you're giving him another chance. I haven't seen you so forgiving in a while."

Daniel raised an eyebrow as he heard her words. "Is that so?" He pondered for a second, with his gaze lingering on her. "Well anyway, to what do I owe the pleasure of you coming by Rena."

"I'm here to tell you, you'll be moved to the massacre investigation."

He peered intently, his eye-locking onto hers with a gaze filled with confusion. "I'll be moved to the priest incident isn't that enforcer business, and who'll be taking my place here then?"

"I will, of course."

"When will this happen?"

"In two weeks."

As he nodded his head, he had discerned the broader perspective. "Ah, so you're letting me do all the paperwork, while you lazy around."

Rena wanted to do a long explanation, but she knew how Daniel was. "You know what. Yes, I am, and I hope you suffer."

In response, he smiled a bit. "It's all fine, I would have to do all the work around here, anyway."

When he spoke, Rena gave him the side eyes.

"But why did you come in person; you could have called me?"

As she heard him, her attention shifted back outside the window. "I was curious."

"Is that all?"

"Yep, but I'm wondering now, Daniel. Have you given these people time to relieve their stress?"

"Why should I, they should have had enough time in the passage."

"You know what they have gone through. You can't tell me you believe a week is enough."

The two stared at each other.

"My men-" Rena swiftly stepped in, interrupting him amid his words. "Daniel, they are not military-trained to fight abyssal creatures."

With his arms crossed, he ponders for but a moment. "I'm training those who are willing, and the others work to become functioning members of society. Is that not enough?"

"You are keeping them caged. Let them experience the world that has to become their reality."

Daniel let out a heavy sigh, at a loss for words.

Turning back towards him, she smiled. "You know what? I have an idea. How many people in total do we have living here."

"Four hundred and one residents. What are you thinking?"

"That's a lot more than I thought, but let's have a trip through the city tomorrow."

He turns back to his bureau, and the sound of a quill scratching against paper fills the room. "I don't think so. It's unproductive and the kids have school tomorrow, the adults need to work, and the expedition team needs to train."

"What are they doing today?"

"The exact same things."

Ready to give him a piece of her mind Rena looks outside again. "You said he carried himself meekly and had blond with black hair, right?"

"You mean the one who fainted?"

"Yeah, shouldn't he be training right now?" Through the window, Rena could see Samuel and Ella walking.

"Not my problem. He should know whether he needs it or not. I shall see whether he'll make it to a third expedition."

"Anyway." With a soft touch on Daniel's shoulders, Rena made her way towards the door. "You should think about what I proposed and stop thinking like a drill sergeant and more like a human about these things."

When he heard the door to his office close, Daniel turned behind him and looked out the window.

Daniel sighed, his mind filled with memories of Samuel's calm and stoic gaze. "Maybe I misjudged him."