(AN: So, long story short, I set the upload timer and went to sleep. I woke to discover that I mistakenly set it one whole day after the intended time 😅)
(3rd person PoV)
"Papa, wake up!" Fey tried to wake up her papa.
"PAPA! WAKE UP!" Seeing as trying gently did not work, Fey shouted to his ears. He still slept some more.
Fey's little patience ran out. She picked him by the back of the shirt and flailed him around.
"Huh?! Wha?!" Henryk's gibberish surprised noises were raised.
"You finally woke up, Henry" Ray said. She was smiling at the endearingly close relationship shown between these two.
"Oh, we are at the fountain still. Where's captain and Welf?" Henryk woke up from a "little nap".
"Captain rabbit and mister ginger (aka Welf) didn't come yet" Once she was sure he woke up, she put him back down. "Anyway, papa! A kid's looking here from a distance!" Fey angled her head in the kid's direction.
"Hey, you! The kid over there! Would you come closer?!" Henryk raised his voice enough to let the kid hear him.
The kid was a little hesitant at the beginning, but he decided to get closer to where Henryk, Ray and Henryk's five children were.
"Mister, ummm, can I... touch them?" the kid was wary, but his curiosity won over his reasoning and nonexistent sense of fear.
"Of course, you just need to see who among them allows it" Henryk pointed his thumb at the boys.
"Can I pet the one with the silver fur? He looks the most gentle" The kid pointed at Blanc. His appearance may be a plus all on its own. Even though the kobolds still looked like monsters in an obvious manner, their clothes and civil mannerisms gave the little boy some reassurance.
The other three planned something.
'HAAAAH?!' A ridiculous thought came to Henryk's mind. 'Wouldn't my sons look like beastified chienthropes?!' He took a look around, and as he thought, chienthropean women were eyeing them in confusion. 'It may be something of an honor or a point of attractiveness to be able to beastify? Lucky them! Fey had the skill that will make her adored by people, but they just had it in their faces all along, lucky bastards! At least, they may be viewed positively by chienthropes and somewhat neutrally by others'
"It would be a pleasure to make you happy" Blanc acted with grace and exuded elegance. Some of the women who were looking his way got appreciated the sight of his elegant, gentle smile. That clean-up sure did a lot.
'I don't know if I should be proud or jealous. No, I mean, like, he's my son' Henryk was conflicted between feeling jealous or not. His son already charmed some women, while he looks too average and acts too casual to charm any. 'Good thing I already got Ray in my life somehow'
'When am I allowed to fly up there?' Ray was sitting on the edge of the fountain, gazing at the clouds.
Henryk was not sure if allowing her to fly during the day would paint her in a bad image, but he has something planned for this. He noticed her gaze and had an idea. "You could fly at night, Ray. As for the day, we'll work that out later" He sat back next to her.
She was reassured since he thought of what she wanted. His claims of wanting to help seemed more like his true intentions now. He let the sisters a couple of days ago and the kid today come closer to show that monsters are not always bad. He started to take action from day one and was not letting many opportunities go away.
As the kid came close to shake Blanc's hand, the three brothers who were left behind jumped the duo. They gave them a group hug, although Noland was hesitant.
"Blanc, you shouldn't keep the kid's attention to yourself. We also wanted to play with him" Mont whined. He wanted to play. "Um um" The same as Ouros who hummed in agreement and Noland who nodded his head, shyly silent.
"What can I do? My brothers wanted to play with you as well, child" Blanc said with a toothy smile. For some unknown reason, his smile did not scare the kid.
"They were brothers?!" Woman #1 asked in bewilderment.
"No way!" Woman #2 said in disbelief.
"But they look so different?" Woman #1 asked, wondering why they do not look the same. They share nothing beside their large builds.
"Mister, why are you different from each other?" The kid was curious as well, so he asked Blanc.
"When we were given birth to from the dungeon's walls, the four of us were all simple-minded kobolds" The kid was getting scared at the notion that he was hugging a monster, a bunch of them were hugging him to be more accurate. Blanc tightened his hold of the kid. He needed to finish his part before the kid misunderstood him. The bystanders were all civilian at the moment, so no one dared come close.
"But, when our noble father graced us with his skill, we brothers were reborn. We acquired a mind akin to the ones you have. We knew reason. Our bodies changed. We knew emotions other than anger and the thirst for blood. We also long for a peaceful life with the people of the surface now" Blanc had an elegant and gentle smile that eased the boy to his words. It may have helped that the one being talked to was a kid, as his curiosity and innocence can easily take hold of him.
The brothers let the child go without much racket after that talk. The kid gave them a thanks with a bright smile. As for the crowd, women and men alike, they looked unsure. They were eyeing monsters, questioning if they were anything good. 'They at least let the kid... go... without harm?! They are truly different' Thought one person who eyed Ouros. His natural senses were tingling the rest of their wait by the fountain.
"Sorry, man. We kept you waiting for long?" Bell and Welf came to the fountain. The party agreed to group here then depart.
"Let's discuss the plan while we walk. Can I decide the plan for today, captain?" Henryk waited for Bell's permission before going ahead and explaining his plan to them.
"What is the plan?" Bell did not give immediate approval.
'He's growing as a captain, little by little. It's a good move to listen first without giving immediate approval or immediate refusal' "The plan I had in mind's for my sons to accompany Welf to the tenth, eleventh, twelfth and maybe middle floors to train against stronger monsters. They are all estimated to be level two in strength. They can keep him safe even against minotaurs and ligerfangs. The three of us, namely, me alongside Fey and you, can go on an adventure on the first four floors for the day. Ray'll be our guard in case the unforeseen happened" Henryk talked in a voice only they would hear. He was sure nobody heard him mention the level his sons were.
"Our parameters are appropriate for that" Bell was striking a serious thinking pose. "We can go with that" Bell turned to face Welf. "Welf?"
"If you don't mind me taking the lot of them with me" Welf shrugged, accepting the arrangement. The sooner he got to rank-up, the better it was for all of them. The quality of his gear would improve, and that would end up helping everyone more in the long run.
"Then we will go with Henryk's plan for now" Bell left himself room to alter the plan later.
'A good move that was, captain' Henryk was amazed at Bells growth. He was acting like a captain from just one or two times Henryk advised him. '[Liaris Freese] does give accelerated growth, but guess not everything was from it. His natural learning speed might be already up high'
"Well, the thing you five will do on the eleventh floor would be to gather as many magic stones as you can. If it so happens and you stumble on a Blue Papilio or a Purple Moth, tame them using the stones from this bag. This's an experiment with two things in mind. One's if my skill requires me to personally tame the monster, or if it allows taming by proxy. Make sure to weaken the monster enough first. Once this shows even one success, go with the next step. The next step's Noland's skill, [Gjallarhorn Howl], and if it counts as weakening the monster"
"ACKNOWLEDGED, FATHER/NOBLE FATHER" They thumbed their chests where their hearts were. It was their agreed-to signal. A signal that signifies their resolution to fulfill his orders.
The two groups separated at the entrance. Ray was allowed to enter the dungeon as a monster who has a specialized collar. Hers was a little different. It was in the shape of a golden necklace inlaid with a purple gem, much like Fey's, as opposed to the leather collars the kobolds got.
Henryk especially requested for Ray to wear the necklace to not feel like he wronged her. In Fey's case, her feathers have swallowed hers. They did try. With the boys, they readily put them on before he could say much and refused to change them. Henryk had to argue very hard with the Ganesha familia personnel about not making Fey or Ray wear a leather collar. The boys expressed their indifference toward the collar, however. The four of them were comfortable with the more convenient and practical option.
Henryk, Fey and Bell went to murder some monsters from floors three and four with Ray guarding them from the side, while the five-man group went down further. They will keep their pace at Welf's speed until they reach the eleventh floor.
(Line Break)
After a few hours of killing anything inhuman insight, Bell had a not so bright idea. Henryk knew it would come about then. They will fight against minotaurs. They were going to become real adventurers. Something Eina was sure to nag them about later.
"I am curious. Can we take on the fifth floor on our own?" Bell wanted to venture to the fifth floor. He already went down further with Welf. They went to the sixth floor, but not further. Killer ant armies are not something they wanted to deal with at Bell's level. He wanted to test his capabilities without the protection of a stronger adventurer.
"I guess we could try at least. What's the worst that can happen at the upper floors?" 'Pretty much everything' Henryk knew of the mad chase that was going to occur here.
As they walked, Henryk put a distance between him and Bell.
"Ray, can you do me a favor?" Henryk whispered to her. He said it in a voice low enough not to be heard by Bell.
"What could it be?" She asked in a whisper.
"When we separate paths with captain later, accompany him in the shadows. I know what's gonna happen later. I want you to interfere only if he was really going to die. No matter how despairing, let him go through the experience. Can you do that for me?" Henryk said, expecting a question.
"If you know it's something traumatizing, why are you letting him go through it?" Ray said with a judging look. "I thought you weren't so cruel"
"Like I said, experience. It's also an opportunity. He should meet someone if we don't interfere too much, someone he might want to meet desperately" Henryk elaborated.
"I would have liked to stay with you" Ray wanted to accompany him down there. If there was danger, she wanted to prioritize Henryk. Then, a thought came about. "How did you come to now of this?"
"I'll share it with you some other time" He saw a slight sadness forming in her eyes. "It's a long story" He clarified.
"I want to protect him. After the two weeks we lived together, his eyes started to look up to me. He saw me as someone like a brother to him. Go protect him and don't worry about me. Fey's there to assist me. Will you stay in his shadow today, Ray?" Bell's view of him rubbed off on Henryk. He was not going to lose another dear person.
"... Make sure you stay safe" She agreed to his request. It would not be good to pressure him to give an answer here.
(Line Break)
Henryk thought himself brave, but even he realized how his arrogance in underestimating minotaurs could get them killed. This was not the time for carelessness. "Umm.... captain?"
"Yes, Henryk?" Bell was similarly frozen as they both were ready to run, more than one minotaur rounding a corner. The minotaurs were just now noticing them.
"Who was the idiot who said we could try?" Henryk said as he was already stepping back.
"You, Henryk" Bell said without filter. "You said that"
They started running at the same time.
"RUN! I WILL TAKE ONE WITH FEY! YOU TAKE THE OTHER ONE!" Henryk said as he then threw a rock, which Bell imitated. They both hit a different minotaur.
Henryk intentionally led his to a dead end and turned back with an evil smile. "It's time for truths" He said in a sinister voice. The minotaur was uneasy, especially that, now, it could feel the presence of a threat near the prey it was chasing. Oh, the mount was the threat.
"My daughter, cripple it" A battle ensued.
Henryk and Fey were fighting separately. Fey will try to distract it and throw any hit she could deliver, while Henryk will bludgeon at its joints' weak spots with his mace. By putting all his momentum in the blunt hit, the mace might just be able to crack a bone or at least hurt the thing. A hit on the head was also desirable. Blunt trauma is never to be underestimated.
"MUUUUUUUU!!" The minotaur was not at all pleased that its prey was harming it.
The minotaur developed aching and numbness in the sides of its knees, rendering it unable to escape from the nimble Fey. Wounds on its shoulders caused it to not be able to strike the pest who was striking it from the dark. Slashes from Fey's talons kept its attention on her.
Henryk was using the minotaur's momentum against it. If the minotaur took a step back, Henryk hits that leg's heel from the back. His momentum against the leg's momentum resulted in just enough force to crack one of the minotaur's heels. It was still not broken, but that slowed the monster significantly and restricted its movement.
There was that one time. The minotaur was about to grab hold of Fey, but she trusted her papa. Henryk did not betray Fey's trust and struck the wrist of the hand targeting her. The pain made the minotaur change targets. The force would have sent him flying if he did not redirect the force acting on the mace by bending backwards. He backflipped away from the hit that was directed at him, letting the hit whiff past him mid-backflip.
Henryk ignored his own hit's rebounding pain and immediately went to hide behind Fey. The minotaur was enraged and, in its rage, did not pay attention to Fey. Fey delivered a deeper double slash to the minotaur's chest and then leapt backward.
The bleeding made the minotaur falter a bit. That chance was all Fey and Henryk needed. They took its eyes, both eyes. Fey shredded one while she flew by, she shrunk her body as she was escaping the grabbing minotaur. As for Henryk, he stabbed its other eye whilst it was distracted with Fey. He did that using the spike at the mace's tip, pointing upwards.
Now, the minotaur was completely blind, injured and bleeding from more than one open wound.
"You can finish it now!" Henryk shouted for Fey.
"Yes, papa!" Fey slashed at its neck with her talons, latching to its back.
"MUUUUUUUUU?!!" She hit one of the bigger blood vessels, sadly not an artery, and the minotaur lost blood at an even faster rate.
The minotaur thrashed around randomly, hitting itself on the wall a few times and breaking some of the already cracked bones.
"My daughter, try shrinking him a little. This's a chance to test if that works" Henryk said. He was decidedly ignoring the morbid nature of what he said.
"Yes, papa!" Fey tried to focus on the downed minotaur and do the same thing she does to her body. The result was subpar. The minotaur only shrunk a tiny bit.
"It seems likely to be resisted by unwilling targets" Henryk compared it to yesterday's test. They did it with a rock. The rock did not resist at all. Returning it to its original size, however, proved a hard task for Fey. It either shot over the size or became smaller again. 'Thankfully, we prevented her from using us as her lab rats'
The minotaur was killed by Fey after they were done testing.
'If I received even one proper hit, I may have died, or at least got wrecked for a lifetime. The only reasons I went with this reckless plan are Fey's level and the fact that minotaurs are slow by nature. In fact, they're slower than a level one Bell' Henryk recalibrated his plans. 'I'll need to become faster myself. Being fast will at least guarantee that I could avoid most enemy attacks if coupled with experience'
"Congratulations! Henryk! You successfully hunted your first minotaur!" Tiona was standing there. She was ready to step in, should this acquaintance of hers be in danger.
She was grinning, and Fey knew why. Fey surrendered her feathers to Tiona. Or was it Tiona surrendering herself to Fey's feathers? They were forming a friendship Henryk could not understand fully.
'Well, they're friends. That's what matters' He mentally shrugged, leaving them to themselves.
(Line Break)
(With Bell)
"MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" A bull is seen chasing a young rabbit through the fifth floor's passages.
'Is it wrong to try to pick up girls in the dungeon?' He thought as he side-stepped an attack.
"MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" The minotaur bellowed in frustration.
'Yes! Yes, it is wrong! Very wrong!' He thought as he ducked under a punch that almost nicked him.
"MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU" The minotaur was getting even more frustrated.
'And now I had to leave my comrades to their fates, fighting one of these things!' Bell was feeling guilty.
'Would it have been better if I did not agree to have Henryk join us?' He thought as he dodged a grabbing hand.
'Would he be safer with another familia?' He thought, a pit forming in his guts, as he dodged a punch, going down a branching path.
'Maybe I should not have become an adventurer?' Bell thought, spiraling down a sinister thought pattern.
Bell was having some dark thoughts there. Thankfully, his train of thought reached an end. He reached a dead end.
Bell turned around to see the minotaur at the entrance to the dead end. It was gloating at him, finding sick pleasure in his eyes gradually losing hope. It stomped harder on the ground as it got closer to him.
The minotaur took its sweet time, playing with its prey that 9it finally cornered. As it got closer, its death came closer.
It raised its arm to finally release Bell from this torment. Bell closed his eyes and balled up on himself. He did not want to see it coming. Out of nowhere, a warm, stinky liquid splashed at him.
"Muu?!" The minotaur was not anticipating itself to die. It dissipated into ash.
"Are you alright?" Bell opened his eyes to see the one who rescued him.
'Beautiful' Bell caught his thoughts and reddened even further than the blood made him already, if that was possible.
He was about to flee from the embarrassment, but he remembered that Henryk was fighting another one of these things.
"My familia member is fighting another minotaur somewhere. Please, help him" Bell pleaded for their help.
"Bell? You can rest assured. Henryk killed the one he was fighting. Fey helped him with it. They are on their way here" A grinning Tiona came into view.
Ais looked back and forth between them before tilting her head at Tiona.
"I made friends with a couple adventurers!" She raised his hand in a victory sign.
Seeing Ais's cute tilt of the head, Bell's instincts to run in embarrassment returned with a passion. His familia member was safe and he needed to run.
"EXCUUUSSEEEE MEEE!!" Bell ran away, leaving Aiz to mistakenly think that she scared him away.
"Who was that tomato boy?" Bete said.
"Aaand, there he goes. Typical captain" Henryk came in, riding Fey's back.
He did not get to choose. Between a stubborn Fey and his tired body, he was forced to ride her back. Fey insisted he rides her back while he was still tired.
"Is it really typical?" Ray, who was hiding from sight, came out.
"Very" Henryk said as Fey pulled closer to Ray. He sighed as he pulled Ray up to sit in front of him. She took the opportunity to lean back onto him.
"Feathers!" Tiona hugged Fey's feathers again. This time without warning. Her weapon was promptly discarded on the ground.
Aiz looked intently. She was confused. 'Why is Tiona hugging that monster?'
"Fey's strong!" Usual Fey behavior.
'IT CAN TALK?!' Aiz's expression was nearly perpetually frozen. Her surprise did not show.
Now, Aiz normally would attack any monster on sight, kill it, then ask questions never.
Two things held her blade down. One reason was that the monster is saddled and someone rides its back. It is a tamed monster with an owner. She cannot strike down someone's property. The other reason was that Tiona hugged it without a second thought and the monster accepted it. The owner did not object, either. That means that Tiona knew them beforehand.
"'m drunk. 'at's 'r sure" Bete was stunned, fumbling the vocalization of his words. It was just as he was going to comment on how Henryk was riding a monster that he was interrupted.
"Here ya go" Tiona rolled her shoulder a few times and punched Bete's temples. The force sent him slamming into the dungeon's wall, knocking him out. "That should help!" She was not feeling any guilt.
"I will be going then" Henryk said dismissively. He did not care if Bete was knocked out or what.
"Stay safe, Henryk" Tiona wished him safety and turned to Bete. "Come on, Aiz" She dragged him by his jacket, going deeper into the dungeon. They were going to return to the rest of their expedition.
(Line Break)
"MISS EINA!" Eina heard her name being called by a familiar rabbit.
Some other people laughed at how stupid he looked, running around while drenched in blood.
"EHHH?!" As she turned back, she was shocked to see Bell covered in blood. She could not hold the box in her hand and it fell to the ground, scattering its contents.
(Line Break)
"TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT AIZ WALLENSTEIN" Bell's love fell into the plot's original intent, or did it?
'Is it wrong to try to pick up girls in the dungeon? No! No, it is fine! The very best!" He seemingly forgot how he was the one that got picked up in the dungeon.
(Line Break)
"Here we are, finally at the guild's building" Henryk said, hands on his hips, ready to perform his second prank, the second of many to come.
"Fey's gonna eat captain rabbit!" Fey did not like how Bell ran alone. Though, the eating part was not literal.
"No. We still need him an alive rabbit for now" 'He better stay alive, or this world'll face greater losses, even if it was somehow saved'
"Boooo!" Fey disapproved.
"Anyway, we are gonna make fun of him" Henryk grinned deviously.
"Fey approves!" Fey changed her opinion. She gave up eating him in favor of having fun.
"Ray, can you stay outside while we prank the guy?" Henryk asked her with an apologizing expression.
"I can come inside and stay far?" She wanted a front raw seat. The show might be worth it.
"Well, that also works" Henryk said, taking into consideration to change how he views things to allow himself to treat her better, to let her feel more included.
They entered through the front door as silently as possible. They even signaled the occupants to not make it obvious that someone entered. Fey became as small as a fly.
"Captain rabbit" Just as Bell stood up to leave, Fey whispered to his ear. Fey purposefully dragged her words even more than usual. She made her voice as shrilly and ghostly as she possibly could.
"We came to take your soul with us" Henryk was hiding behind the sofa, in the opposite side from where Fey was whispering. He did the same with his voice.
As Fey could fly without issuing much sound in this size, and as Henryk was sneaking his way through, Bell did not know exactly from where the sounds came. He looked left and right, up and down. He saw nothing. He started to believe that his familia members died, unlike what Tiona said, and that their ghosts came to take revenge.
"DIE, CAPTAIN/CAPTAIN RABBIT! TASTE THE DEAD'S RESNTMENT!" The two ghosts screamed from opposite sides. Each took an ear to scream into.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Bell could not handle it. He was so frightened he fainted.
"Cute" Eina slapped a hand on her own mouth and glanced around. Thankfully, everyone was focused on the unconscious rabbit. Nobody heard what she said.
"FUHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *wheezes* HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA" Henryk started laughing hysterically.
"Hehehehehhehehehhehe" Fey giggled uncontrollably. She was enjoying toying with this rabbit.
(Line Break)
"Am I back in the church?" Bell was rising from the couch.
"Hey, you there. You are finally awake. Your soul was resting peacefully on the couch, recovering from our ambush" Henryk's "little prank" still has part two to enact.
"So, I really was dragged by your vengeful ghost. Huh, Henryk?" Bell fell on the couch again. He covered his eyes with his elbow.
"What? You think I die alone?" Henryk said in a condescendingly mocking tone.
"No. I guess I deserved it. I left you to die, after all" Bell said, covering his eyes with his arm.
"Hahahaha!" Henryk laughed a bit more before ending "his" prank. Well, his side of it at least. "Captain, we're still in the living world. That was all an elaborate prank" Henryk was having too much fun. He needed to restrain himself.
"But that was a lie?" Fey did as before. "Fey did not survive, captain rabbit" She made sure to not be noticed.
Bell fainted again. He just could not handle the shock. His could could be visibly seen leaving his body.
"HAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA! THAT'S MY DAUGHTER!" Henryk laughed at his double-layered prank.
"Fey's a good girl! Right, papa?" Fey said, head tilted.
"Yes, you're a good girl!" As she changed her size to that of a small kitten, Henryk rubbed cheeks with her.
"But we should stop. We do not know when his heart might stop for good" Ray said worriedly.
"Roger that!" Henryk gave a salute amidst his laughs.
"Fey understands!" Fey was planning a prank that may come to pass soon, or just does not.
(Line Break)
"When is my turn to reincarnate?" Bell woke up accepting his new "reality". He was in for a world of shock.
"We're all alive, captain. That was a double-layered prank" Henryk said with a blank face.
Henryk let the words sink in for a bit. "We're all alive, captain. That was a double-layered prank" He then repeated his words to cement them in for good measure.
Bell's eyes widened slowly, then closed abruptly. "COME ON! HENRYK! YOU SHOULD NOT PLAY THAT PRANK ON ME! MY HEART COULD HAVE STOPPED!" Of course, Bell did an "embarrassed Bell pose" and shouted, feeling flustered.
"The most memorable part was your cute reactions. They can charm the ladies" Henryk was about to laugh again. He was holding one hand over his mouth.
"STOP TEASING ME! HENRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYK!!!" Bell felt exploding from Henryk's teasing. He had had enough of it.