The sun was shining in the late morning of the Dungeon City of Dolan and the group; Alice, Fel, Sui and Dora-Chan were preparing to enter. She had let out Lucario since she had a feeling he's needed as they all stared down the stairs that will lead them inside the dungeon.
"Let's get in there! I'm revved up and ready to go!" Dora-Chan said excitedly as Sui bounced in agreement.
"Yay! Sui is ready to go, too!" Sui said excitedly, excited and determined to go pew-pew.
But Alice was nervous as hell. This will be the first time they'll be going into a dungeon of this size that she couldn't help but hold Fel's fur due to how nervous she is. Lucario sensed her nerves and grunted quietly to Fel who had sensed her unease as well.
"You're considering having us turn back, aren't you?" Fel asked her gently as she gulped, turning to him.
"I was, but I wouldn't dream of it. I promised you all that we'll explore a dungeon and I'm keeping my word." Alice told him as he hummed. She gulped nervously before nodding for them to descend the stairs. Into the dungeon and the unknown.
Alice and Fel took careful measured steps as Lucario was using his aura sense with Alice to sense for any traps as Fel sniffed the air to see if there's any strong monsters but to his disappointment, there weren't any.
"A shame." Fel said, disappointment in his tone as they continued to walk down the stairs.
"The first few floors are infested with small fries." He told them as Alice look at him.
"Yeah, I sense it too. Goblins mainly." She said, agreeing with his judgement.
"I also heard that most adventurers explore and make their money between the 10th and 15 levels." Alice noted as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Apparently there are treasure chests all over those floors." She added as Fel walked beside her, keeping his senses sharp. If the early floors have small fries and only treasure chests, they might as well run through the early floors to reach the deeper ones.
"Then why are we wasting our time up here? We have no interest in the early levels." Fel said as he paused to look at her as Sui jumped in her arms.
"We're going straight down and I shall make this less painful. Get on." He told her as she immediately got the hint which excited her a bit.
"You sure?" She asked him as he crouched down and she got on his back. Fel didn't hesitate to practically plow through the early floors. Dora-Chan kept up at Fel's speed with Lucario using extreme speed to match Fel as Alice held on, her hair whipping behind her with how fast Fel is going.
The first few monsters that tried to attack them were goblins and a black serpent but Fel just ignored them, plowing through them and leaving the goblins and black serpent defeated and beaten while leaving adventurers stunned in their wake by what they're seeing.
"Perish!" Fel growled at the goblins and black serpent as he carried through the first floors. Alice looked back to the adventurers who were trying to comprehend what they had just witnessed.
"Sorry about that!" She called back loudly.
'That was practically a hit and run!' She thought in disbelief. She turned back only for something metallic and sharp to head straight for her and her eyes widened in shock and she braced herself for the pain but Fel had sensed something was amiss when he felt something under his paw sink. He had set up a barrier for them all as an arrow hit the barrier while Lucario and Dora-Chan looked stunned by the sudden arrow.
Fel glanced at her as Dora-Chan and Lucario looked at Alice, seeing that she was unharmed but a little shaken.
"What was that just now?! I didn't know they had assassin's in here!" Alice said in shock and disbelief. She quickly used her aura sense but didn't sense any humans. But if that's the case then, where did the arrow come from?!
"Were those traps?!" She yelped just as another arrow hit the barrier.
"Looks like it. I felt something under my paw. Must've triggered the trap." Fel told her much to her disbelief. The first dungeon they went to that had the kobold king before didn't have those!
"I thought dungeons were supposed to be naturally occurring! Aren't traps a little too artificial and excessive?" Alice asked him in confusion and shock.
"I've said it and explained this all before. Dungeons are like living creatures hungry for prey. They lure humans in with treasure chests and monsters that drop magic stones. Once the human is murdered by monsters or taken by traps, their bodies are absorbed by the dungeon. With their nutrients, the dungeon can continue to grow larger and larger." Fel explained deeply as Alice just paled.
"So you're saying that dungeons are living beings and people and us as well are just waltzing in the belly of the beast." Alice said shakily as she tried to laugh it off.
"You are correct there. Think of traps as a dungeon's fingers, feeling around for its next meal. Thanks to my barrier, they will not find it here." Fel said with a small smile, feeling Alice relax on his back while his barrier held strong, keeping them both safe though the same couldn't be said about the monsters outside the barrier. Looks like the dungeon has some food to absorb.
Alice yelped when a much larger arrow smashed against the barrier. Even Fel was a bit stunned by that but his barrier held strong and he couldn't help but feel a bit worried for her. That was bit much if he thought about it.
'Dungeons are so freaking scary and terrifying!' She thought, her body tensing slightly. Her aura senses sensed something ahead and Lucario tense, grunting loudly to her.
"Uh, Fel, be careful with one of the tiles!" She exclaimed but Fel stepped on it which opened up a pitfall trap and her eyes widened in shock.
"A pitfall trap?!" She yelled in shock and she had to grab Sui before he was blown off when he came out of the bag.
Fel grunted, finally noticing it and used his wind magic to act as a stepping stone so they wouldn't fall into the trap, landing on the other side.
"Tricky, but not tricky enough to catch me or stop us." He said as he turned his head to check on Alice who was looking a little green.
"You're the real deal!" Dora-Chan said in amazement.
"Uncle Fel is the coolest!" Sui said in admiration though he, Lucario and Dora-Chan. checked on Alice who was trying not to lose her lunch.
"You okay there, boss? You're looking a little green." Dora-Chan said in concern as Alice took deep slow breaths.
"I... I don't think I can handle that much excitement..." She groaned as Fel decided to walk, sensing no further danger around.
"Are you sure you are ready to tackle the dungeon with us?" Fel asked her, concerned for her well being.
"I am. I promised you guys that we'll check this place out before. But going that fast too suddenly makes me wanna lose my lunch." Alice said with a small chuckle as he huffed in amusement.
"Is mama sick?" Sui asked her in concern as Lucario grunted softly.
"No, I'm not sick, Sui." Alice reassured him with a smile as Fel jumped down some stairs. If Alice had counted right, they're on the tenth floor.
"Looks like we made it to the 10th floor in no time flat." Alice noted as Fel sniffed the air to see which boss was in the dungeon.
"There aren't any worthy enemies here, either. Seems the boss of this level... is a tarantula." Fel told them much to Dora-Chan's and Lucario's disappointment.
"Spiders again? How boring." Dora-Chan said with a sulk, landing on Alice's head.
"I have something in mind though. Why don't we plow straight through to the boss room?" She suggested which made them curious.
"That's the plan." Fel complied, running at a safe speed that Alice can handle to reach the boss room.
In what appeared to be the boss room, a small group of four adventurers were waiting outside the boss room as if waiting their turn. They were just relaxing but tense as one of them was looking at a map of the dungeon that they have.
They sensed something was coming and they looked up. In the shadows of the entrance and heading towards them was a beast with ominous green eyes and they got ready to fight immediately.
"Monster!" The one with the sword, Wylde, tensed before he noticed an ornate cuff on the beast's left foreleg and someone on its back. Turns out it was just Alice and her group.
"Ah, not a monster. He's actually my familiar and companion." Alice immediately said, diffusing the situation before it gets worse. That made the four adventurers pause as they took in what they were seeing.
"Give him a collar." Wylde explained, expression deadpanned but they were able to relax a little.
'(Does this human think he is joking?)' Fel questioned with a disgruntled look.
'(There's no way I'm doing that, okay?)' Alice reassured him as she got off his back as they approached with Lucario and Fel behind her on each side and Dora-Chan on her head, Sui in her arms.
"Anyway, this is the boss room, right?" Alice inquired as she saw the doors and the carved mural on top.
"Correct." Wylde said after introductions.
"Aren't you guys going in?" Alice asked them curiously. Fel had said he sensed humans by the boss room and she was confused when there were four adventurers who weren't entering the room. Was there a problem?
"What?" Wylde looked surprised and stunned with his party as the one with the arrow, Robin, came to his side.
"Have you lost your mind or is this your first time in a dungeon?" Robin questioned her as Alice, Fel, Lucario and Sui shared a glance. Second time actually.
"Kinda actually. One of this size, at least. It's my second time. The first one had a kobold king as the final boss." Alice explained as Fel and Dora-Chan look disinterested but they let Alice handle the situation. The information of her venturing in a dungeon for the second time after a kobold King stunned the adventurers.
"To keep our dungeons lucrative and fair, adventurers must all follow the same rules." Robin started to explain as Alice listened.
"When fighting monsters, the party that makes the first move gets to see the battle through. The drop is theirs too. Once the battle starts, you're not allowed to help unless they ask you and the adventurers that open a chest get priority on its contents." Robin explained further as Alice breathed in awe. So dungeons, specifically the ones that guilds have governed or have rules that everyone has to follow.
"Makes sense." She nodded as she looked at the door as Fel went to rest up by the other wall.
"Is there another party in there right now?" Alice asks them curiously.
"Yes, so we're waiting." Robin nodded, sensing that she didn't know the rules and was complying but was curious.
"There are some people who ignore the rules and snatch up everything they can. Bright-eyed and clueless newbies like you have targets on their backs. Be careful." The one with the axe, Bruce, told her and Alice couldn't help but shake her head in disbelief. Looks like rulebreakers if anyone asks her.
"I understand." Alice just nodded with a small smile.
After the party in the room didn't come out, probably moving to the next floor, Wylde, Robin, Bruce and Lyle entered and Alice wished them luck as she went to Fel to sit down by him as he rest his head on his paws as she watch Sui bounce in the bag with a fond smile while petting Fel's head, making his ears twitch and tail wag as they pass the time. Dora-Chan was waiting by the door, bored already and wanting to go in and beat up the boss of the floor.
"Come on, let's go." Fel was as bored as Dora-Chan is, opening an eye to watch Sui as well, the only source of entertainment as Lucario was meditating beside him.
"We're losing all our momentum..." Dora-Chan whined as he came back to Alice, plopping down on her shoulders. She gave him a scratch under the chin, causing him to purr and his tail wag happily.
"You heard the last party. We have to follow the rules like everyone else." She told them calmly as Dora-Chan huffed but snuggled against her shoulders.
It didn't take long as the doors of the boss room opened that they perked up immediately and Wylde and his party exited, carrying the loot from the boss monster inside the room. Alice stood up immediately as she assessed their condition. They're not badly injured and only a few scrapes here and there.
"Thanks for waiting." Wylde told her as she came to them.
"You guys aren't seriously hurt, are you?" She asked, holding Sui in her arms.
Her concern and question surprised them. Not used to having another adventure concerning their wellbeing but they welcomed it with open arms.
"We're alright. Go on in." Wylde reassured her.
"So you're not going to the next floor?" She asked them though she had a feeling they have families waiting for them.
"This level is where our journey ends. We all have wives and children. So we choose to play it safe." He said and Alice sighed in relief. She was glad they're not risking their lives and leaving their families behind.
"Right. Be safe on your journey back." She told them as Fel nudged her gently.
"It's time." He said.
"Finally!" Dora-Chan exclaimed excitedly as he didn't hesitate to enter with Fel, Lucario and Alice following him as the adventurers watched them enter before the doors closed.
"Is it just me or were those bands on the girl and Fenrir matching?" Lyle noted curiously.
"What? Like a spousal band?" Wylde asks him curiously and surprised. He thought he was the only one who noticed the matching bands.
"I noticed it too. Hope those two have a great time together." Bruce said, already supporting the relationship since he'd seen humans getting together and having romantic relationships with different species. Elves, dwarves, even beastmen.
The doors close immediately once Alice and her group enter and they can sense they're being watched in the darkness by the tarantulas.
"Now would be a good time for that idea of yours." Fel told her as she nodded and unclipped Bolt's Poke Ball from her belt.
"You might wanna shield your eyes cause it's going to be bright in here." She warned them as she let Bolt out as the venom tarantulas along with a large one showed itself.
"Bolt, use Flash!" Alice shouted out the move and she immediately made Fel and Dora-Chan look away as she shielded Sui just as Bolt's body glowed.
"Pika!" Bolt cried out, his body giving a super intense glow that stunned and disoriented the venom tarantulas.
"Now, Dora-Chan!" Alice gave Dora-Chan the signal as soon as the light stop.
"Alright! Here it goes!" Dora-Chan grinned as he charged forward in a burst of speed.
"Eat this!" He channeled his fire magic and launched it at the venom tarantulas, beating them in an instant.
"Great work, Dora-Chan!" Alice smiled as she, Fel, Sui, Lucario and Bolt came to him as he cheered happily.
"Woohoo! I've got power for days! Your plan also works, boss!" Dora-Chan came to Alice excitedly. She had explained to them her plan that she'll let Bolt out to use a move called flash and Dora-Chan needs to use fire magic specifically and when Sui asked why, Alice explained the bug-like monsters are like bug type Pokémon back in her home world and are weak against fire-like attacks.
"This blessing from the god of war is awesome!" Dora-Chan said, circling their fallen foes as Fel assessed the damage, nodding in approval. The blessing of the God of War is helpful.
The venom tarantulas disappeared in a puff of smoke and all that was left were monster drops. Tarantula legs, and a jar containing a heart?
"An item drop? I wondered how items would appear though." Alice said as Fel looked at the web that was caught on his paw before blowing them away as Dora-Chan, Sui, Bolt and Lucario checked the items that the venom tarantulas dropped.
'It's like a video game.' She thought, holding one of the already processed tarantula legs.
'Everything's perfectly processed too.' She noted as she started to put the items in her item box.
"Hurry. I'm done waiting." Fel told her as he waited for her to finish. With the first boss done, it was time to move on to the next level.
"I know. Coming." She said as she went to him after she recalled Lucario into his pokeball so they could move to the next floor. The next one was Orcs.
"Is this floor's boss an Orc General?" Alice questioned in disbelief as Fel, Sui, Dora-Chan and Bolt took care of them which was easy and not so much of a challenge.
The drops were magic stones, meat and of course Orc testicles that Alice collected in her item box. They were heading for the next floor which was level 12 with Sui hopping ahead as Alice was on Fel's back with Bolt, Dora-Chan flying beside Fel as they passed by some adventurers who were stunned to say the least when they saw Fel.
"The more magic and energy I use, the hungrier I get..." Dora-Chan said, clutching his growling stomach as Alice looked at him worriedly.
"Sui's hungry too..." Sui said as he looked up at Alice.
"Pika..." Bolt said, slumping against Alice's head as Fel paused to a stop.
"You guys have been working pretty hard." Alice noted as she got off Fel's back, Sui jumping in her arms.
'(Is there any safe spot for us to rest so we can eat, Fel?)' Alice asked him telepathically.
'(Let me check.)' He said as he sniffed the air. He can smell monsters somewhere but there was an area where he can smell groups of humans along with a familiar scent that he had memorized since leaving the town of Veenen.
"There's a quiet room just a few paces ahead." Fel told her as Alice sighed in relief.
"Does that mean we can eat there?" She asked as they started to head in the direction of the room Fel had sensed.
"I don't smell monsters. We'll be safe there." He said. They found a corridor where there was a large spacious room with adventurers gathered inside, probably resting to plan strategies as Alice peeked inside warily. Bolt was on her shoulder, Sui had hopped onto Fel's back and Dora-Chan was hovering above them as they looked at the adventurers inside before entering as well, finding a spot just for them.
'It's like a rest area.' Alice thought in awe as she sat down with a weary sigh as Dora-Chan practically plopped on her head with a groan, his stomach rumbling slightly. Fel sat down by them and Sui and Bolt started to play to pass the time. Just before they can relax, a familiar voice makes Alice look up in surprise.
"Wait a second... Alice?!" Alice felt a smile appear on her face when she saw a familiar group that she hadn't seen in months now since Veenen.
"No way! It's Iron Will!" She exclaimed happily as Vincent ruffled her hair as she laughed.
"I would recognize that face anywhere! You can't even mistake Lord Fel from a distance." Vincent grinned happily as Fel growled slightly as he stood next to Alice.
'(Fel, be nice.)' She told him telepathically.
"Hello!" Werner greeted her warmly, surprised to see Alice after they had parted since Veenen.
"It's been a while." Rita grinned happily. Bolt recognized Rita and ran to her.
"Pika pika!" Bolt greeted her happily.
"Aww! Bolt, I miss you too!" She squealed, picking him up.
"I didn't expect to meet you again in a place like this." Werner said as he looked at Alice up and down. She seemed to have matured a lot since they last met too.
"You look like you're doing well." He said, offering a handshake which she obliged.
"Thanks, so do you." She smiled at them warmly.
'(Who are they, boss?)' Dora-Chan asked Alice curiously.
'(Are they mama's friends?)' Sui asked curiously.
'(They are when I first met Fel, you two. These folks are the reason I made it out of the Kingdom of Reijseger safely. It's thanks to them, who knows where I'd be. This is a great reunion.)' Alice explained with a happy smile as she and Werner pulled their hands away.
They all sat around together, Alice with Fel who was laying behind her, Sui in her arms, Dora-Chan on her head and Bolt by her legs as Iron Will gathered around them.
"We arrived in the City of Dolan two days ago and began our expedition as soon as we woke up yesterday morning." Werner explained as Alice hummed.
"I see. We were originally planning to go to the seaside Town of Berléand. Then we heard rumors about the dungeon here and Fel wanted to come here along with these guys." She said though the last part was playful as Fel huffed but his tail wagged gently.
"Lord Fel is unchanged." Werner chuckled. Though he had noticed that Fel and Alice seemed much closer when they first and last saw them. Did something happen between them? He had noticed the matching bands too. Does that mean their bonds have become something deeper?
"By the way, Alice. I can't help but notice. You picked up a couple new Familiars other than just Lord Fel." Vincent said, having noticed a dragon on her head and a slime comfortably in her arms.
"Is that little guy a baby dragon?" Vincent asked and Dora-Chan twitched on her head.
'(Did he seriously call me a baby dragon?)' Dora-Chan asked Alice through telepathy.
'(Given your size, you can be mistaken for one, Dora-Chan.)' Alice explained as he huffed but settled on her head.
"Oh, no. He's a small breed called a pixie dragon. He's actually fully grown." Alice explained as Dora-Chan moved to her shoulders to look at the humans that Alice seems to know.
"I named him Dora-Chan. He may be small but don't let the size fool you. He's very strong." She added as Iron Will had to hold back their laughter but they had to laugh to the side as Dora-Chan gave them annoyed looks.
"What's so funny?" Alice asked playfully.
"Morons." Dora-Chan huffed but Alice reached over and scratched him under the chin and it made his tail sway happily, wings fluttering in content. Once the initial laughter died down, it was Sui's turn to be introduced.
"And who's this?" Rita asked curiously, looking at Sui who was comfortable in her lap.
"This kiddo is Sui, and although he's a slime, he's actually the strongest and most unique slime that you'll ever meet." Alice explained as she picked Sui up who was looking at Rita curiously.
"Oh, really?" She said in surprise as she poked Sui gently, inwardly squealing at how jiggly he is.
"Guess looks are deceiving." Rita chuckled.
"Don't be deceived! Sui is strong!" Sui said though only Alice, Bolt, Fel and Dora-Chan can hear him and his little act to flex tentacle arms made Alice chuckle fondly.
"Can I hold him?" Rita asked Alice hopefully as Alice looked at Sui.
'(Sui, can Rita hold you?)' She asked him telepathically.
'(If Miss Rita is a friend of mama's, then they're Sui's friend too.)' Sui said, which made her smile.
"Of course." She said as Rita took Sui in her hands, holding him and the curious small squeak Sui let out and the fact that he jiggled made Rita's heart melt completely.
"What a cutie pie!" Rita squealed as she practically cuddled Sui who was enjoying the attention.
"I wanna protect you with my life, Sui. Such a precious baby." Rita cooed as Franka was getting to know Dora-Chan.
"Nice to meet you, Dora-Chan." Franka smiled at Dora-Chan who seemed to have taken a liking to while Alice, Fel and Bolt watched, glad that everyone was getting along.
'They're loving this attention.' Alice thought with a chuckle as Fel nudged her hand and she petted his head.
"You have quite the impressive party. You must be a great leader." Werner said, smiling at how well everyone was getting along. Alice heard that as she just laugh sheepishly.
"Well, they're here for one thing but each day has been a journey. This group became much more than that." She said softly, smiling fondly at Dora-Chan and Sui before feeling Fel's paw on her shoulder.
"Quickly, we were promised a meal." He said near her ear which made her blushed brightly.
'(F-Fel!)' She scolded him though it didn't have any heat to it just embarrassment as Fel just grinned softly at her.
Werner didn't miss how Alice was blushing by what Fel said or rather how much closer they were than before. There was something going on between them.
Dora-Chan and Sui heard Fel and immediately went to Alice, Dora-Chan practically flying onto her head, hugging her there.
"My stomach's digesting itself!" Dora-Chan said dramatically.
"Yes! Sui is hungry too!" Sui said excitedly for mealtime, jumping into Alice's arms while she laughed fondly with Bolt snickering.
"They're tagging along because they like my cooking." She said playfully and Fel just growled playfully against her head which made her blush further.
'Damnit, Fel! Not in front of Iron Will!' She thought in embarrassment.
"Well, you are an incredible chef." Vincent said as Werner and the rest of Iron Will sat down which made Alice laugh slightly but she can sense how proud her Familiars are by that comment.
Alice soon had an idea and she knew Fel wouldn't like it but they have plenty and since Iron Will is here, why not share some with them since it's been a long while since they last saw each other.
"Ah, that's right. Since we reunited after so long, why don't you guys join us?" She offered kindly.
"We packed a lot of food for this dungeon mission." Alice added as she opened her item box to start taking out one of the gas stoves.
"What?! That's our food." Fel looked stunned as he looked at her.
'(I thought the meals you prepared were just for us.)' He told her telepathically as she gave him a look.
'(I did say that, but can you at least let them have some? It's been so long since we last saw Iron Will.)' Alice compromised as Fel huffed, looking at Iron Will.
'(Fine but the rest will be ours.)' He complied which made Alice smile reassuringly, petting his neck.
"Are you sure?" Rita asked but she and Vincent were already drooling at getting to taste Alice's cooked meals again.
"You need to calm down." Werner told them but the thought of getting to eat Alice's cooked meals was making his stomach rumble slightly.
"It's alright, Werner. You were all very kind to me when we first met. Plus we have plenty. Consider it as my thanks for your help." Alice reassured him with a smile.
Rita and Vincent look to Werner with Ramon and Franka, looking hopeful. He was feeling conflicted about eating the meals she made for herself and her Familiars and yet here she is, offering to share like always when they first meat. He finally came to a decision, clearing his throat.
"Well, it would be rude to refuse." Werner said, accepting the offer.
"You can act polite, but you're screaming inside." Vincent teased him but they were all excited to get to eat something delicious again as Werner gave Vincent an amused look.
"Please, allow us to contribute some of our provisions. It's not as good as your cooking, but we have a few items we could share." Werner said as Rita took out something wrapped in a cloth.
Rita unwrapped it and Alice smiled at seeing what Rita took out. Black bread.
"You have black bread?" Alice asked them with a smile as she took out the one stockpot that has something that will be a perfect pair for it.
"I've got the perfect pairing!" She said as she heated up their shared meal. Once the meal was heated up nicely, Alice served the meal in equal portions though Fel, Bolt, Sui and Dora-Chan got a large helping but it was enough for all of them.
{Wyvern Beef Stew Black Bread}
Iron Will accepted their share though hesitating on trying Alice's cooking before they decided to go for it. Once they have taken their first bite, the flavors just explode in their tongues that they're so moved to get to eat something really delicious.
"It's so good!"
"It's so tasty!"
Iron Will didn't hesitate to start eating immediately, the food that Alice cooked helped their bodies regain strength and energy as Alice served herself a bowl of the stew to start eating while her Familiars and Bolt never hesitate to eat theirs immediately once served.
"Judging by their responses, I think they're fans." Alice chuckled as she helped herself to her own share, humming in delight at the flavor. Nothing beats a nice home cooked meal.
"I didn't realize it was possible for meat to be so tender it could dissolve in your mouth." Franka said, moved by how the meat practically melted in her mouth,
"The flavor is miraculously deep. And the vegetables are so sweet!" Ramon was in the same boat as Franka. The flavor of the stew was perfect and with the vegetables gave it a more unique flavor.
"So good. I was afraid I'd never get to eat Alice's glorious food again... My love, together at last..." Vincent said, practically in tears, that he got to eat Alice's magnificent cooking once more.
"He won't admit it, but he talks about your cooking pretty much every chance he gets." Rita said, teasing Vincent.
"You're too kind." Alice chuckled sheepishly.
"By the way, what is this tasty meat?" Vincent asked, growing curious about what it was.
"Oh, it's wyvern." Alice said too casually much to the shock of Iron Will that they practically coughed a bit from the shock.
"Forgive us. We robbed you of such a high-class ingredient." Werner was the first to apologize after recovering but Alice just reassured him.
"I offered it, so there's no need to apologize, Werner." Alice reassured him as they continued eating.
"Besides, I've got tons of the stuff." She told them, showing them the pot as they stared at her in disbelief.
'She has tons of it?!' They thought in disbelief.
"Lord Fel is the one who hunts for all this meat, right?" Werner asked as they were finishing their first serving.
"I was curious to find out what it was, only to learn it's from Wyvern meat. It's just too good." Werner said in shock as Vincent was in the same boat.
"We'll never be able to defeat something like this, will we?" Vincent asked him as Werner nodded. Alice is a special case with her Familiars after all.
"If Lord Fel hunted the Wyvern for the meat, it must mean that it was processed by the adventurer's guild, right? Were you able to register at the guild?" Rita asked her curiously as Alice nodded, looking at Bolt and her familiars.
"Yeah, I even registered in the merchant's guild too. Fel and Sui hunted them before we met Dora-Chan. They're so strong, there's a lot of work for us from the adventurer's guild." Alice explained as her group had finished their first serving as they were looking at her curiously as she smiled warmly at them.
"That's crazy." Vincent said in awe.
"As expected of Lord Fel and Alice's familiars." Werner said with admiration in his tone.
"I guess Sui really is strong." Rita said with a chuckle.
"By the way, what rank are you now since you've registered at the adventurer's guild?" Franka asked her curiously.
"We've been bumped to C rank recently." Alice said sheepishly, hiding the fact that along with the new rank came a lot of rare monsters that was hunted along with tons of money.
"I'm not quite there yet, but I've been practicing magic from time to time." She said which caught Ramon's curiosity.
"Oh, what attribute?" He asked her curiously.
"I could teach you how to use a sword too!" Vincent offered and Alice was really flattered by the generosity.
"It's fine! Really." She said as they ate but Alice paused, looking down at her plate.
"I... I'd also like to thank you all for what you did for me back then. I was all alone with Eevee and didn't know my way around." Alice said truthfully, tears of gratitude forming in her eyes.
Fel smelled her tears as he came to her side.
"Are you alright?" He asked her softly as she sniffed and smiled.
"Y-Yeah." Alice said as she turned to Iron Will and gave them a thankful smile.
"Thank you for escorting me. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have met Fel, Sui and Dora-Chan." She said sincerely as Fel nuzzled her head gently as she smiled at him. Sui came to her with Dora-Chan and Bolt, surrounding her as she smiled fondly at them.
Her words moved Iron Will to tears as Franka wiped her eyes with a smile. Vincent looked like he was gonna cry with Rita as Ramon smiled warmly at Alice with Werner though they had noticed how Fel seemed more tender and gentle with Alice with a warm gentle smile only directed at them and the way his eyes seemed so soft and gentle towards Alice. The tender moment of when Fel nuzzled Alice's head didn't escape their sight though. They can sense that something far deeper, intimate is between Fel and Alice.
"U-Uh, Alice, this might be bad timing, but can I have seconds?" Vincent asked sheepishly.
"Vincent!" Werner hissed, not liking how his party member interrupted the most tender moment that was right in front of their eyes.
"It was so good." Vincent reasoned sheepishly.
Alice just chuckled as Fel looked at Vincent with the most annoyed look that he interrupted.
"Of course. If you're still hungry, there's enough for seconds." Alice told them as Alice served her Familiars first.
"Sign me up!" Vincent said excitedly with Rita as Alice handed Dora-Chan's refilled plate before refilling Sui's and Fel's next.
"There's lots." Alice said with a smile. Iron Will looked at each other before coming to a decision.
"Sign us up too, please!" They said, offering their empty plates which made Alice smile and shared the meal together.
'This makes all the hard work worth it.' Alice smiled as they ate together happily though the smell of good foods made some adventurers look on in curiosity and slight envy at the good smelling food Alice and her party and Iron Will were eating but they didn't dare to approach due to Fel being a legendary Fenrir.
After finishing up the wyvern beef stew and black bread, it was time for them to part ways once again.
"You go on. There's a bit more we want to explore on this level." Werner said as Rita waved to Alice and her group happily.
"Best of luck. Take care, everyone. Be careful and have fun." Alice smiled as she waved goodbye with Sui, Dora-Chan. and Bolt.
"What nice folks." Dora-Chan said, glad and happy to have met nice people that were friends with Alice.
"Bye-bye." Sui waved goodbye. He was happy to have met mama's friends and hope to meet them once again next time.
"We wish your party well, though you don't need wishes when you have Lord Fel by your side." Werner told her as he and Fel caught each other's gaze and Werner just nodded his respects.
Fel just huffed as Alice chuckled softly. Iron Will soon left for the other hallway as they watched them leave.
"See ya!" Dora-Chan smiled, waving them goodbye.
"Now then, ready to continue to the next level?" Fel asked Alice once they're gone and she turned to him with a grin.
"No choice anyway, but yup." She said as they went to the other hallway, opposite of Iron Will's choosing after Alice recalled Bolt into his Poke Ball.
The 12th floor has lizard men as boss monsters which Fel disposed of quickly using wind magic which had gotten stronger with the training Alice put him through and he was thankful for that. On the 13th floor, a blue ogre was the boss monster and it had chased Alice who was running from it as Fel and the others watched as she managed to put some distance and used her earth magic combined with her fire magic to attack it. On the 14th floor was a green ogre that was another boss level monster and Sui took care of that one with his acid bullet. On the 15th floor was a minotaur that Dora-Chan had no problem taking care of with his own fire magic.
One of the monster drops was a weapon that was way too heavy but Alice managed to put it in her item box that contained the drops from the monsters they defeated from floors 12 to 15.
They were now walking through the 16th floor and it looked like a regular mine shaft as Dora-Chan was resting on her head.
"The 16th floor. Still a long way to go though." Alice noted but her senses were on high alert. The air feels way different for some odd reason that put her on edge.
"The air down here feels different for some reason." She said as Fel had sensed it as well. He was on edge as she was.
"That is a common phenomenon. Oftentimes the change is even more drastic." Fel explained but they all stopped when Fel stepped on something and they look down to see that Fel had stepped on a trigger.
"Great... more traps." Alice said, feeling ironic that there were still traps way down here. Soon the area started to rumble and shake causing some debris to fall from the ceiling. Dora-Chan quickly came to Alice's shoulder, tense by the suddenness.
"What's rumbling?" Alice asked nervously as she shifted closer to Fel who was tense though his ears were swiveling to pinpoint where the rumbling was coming from. The rumbling soon grew louder and they all looked behind them to see a large boulder, heading straight for them.
"Whose idea to put a boulder as a trap?!" Alice yelled in disbelief as Fel quickly pushed her aside quickly to his other side.
"Stay close to me." He told her as he powered up his rending claws to destroy the boulder before it could reach them and Alice held Sui and Dora-Chan as debris flew everywhere.
"If you ask me, these traps escalated too quickly for my liking." Alice said as she came to his side once the danger passed, brushing off small stones that landed on Dora-Chan, Sui, Fel and herself as they proceeded forward.
After 3 more floors, they finally reached the 20th floor which left them about 10 floors left to reach the last and final floor.
"We finally reached the 20th floor, haven't we?" Alice said as Dora-Chan was moving his shoulders. They have taken down some monsters together, tag teaming on certain floors.
"Aren't you impressed by our strengths, boss? These monsters don't stand a chance. The God of War fixed Fel and me up real nice!" Dora-Chan said excitedly and confidently.
"I've been impressed since the day we met." Alice told Dora-Chan with a chuckle.
"Though I am rather impressed with that combination of earth and fire magic back on the 13th floor." Fel told Alice who laughed sheepishly.
"It's not that much." She said, wanting to downplay the little skill she had tried out.
"Not that much? You combined earth and fire magic! Not even I can do that!" Dora-Chan said. He was really surprised when Alice combined both magic that created something so powerful.
"Keep pushing until we reach the dungeon's heart." Fel told them. He had sensed stairs at the end of this floor.
"I can't wait for this to be over so we can relax." Alice said as she stretched her arms.
"Mama!" Sui called from behind them, making them pause. He had noticed something that made him stop as he stared at what looked like a cave.
"What is it, Sui? Find something?" She asked as they turned to him, seeing him by what looked like an opening to a wall.
"Uh-huh. Right in this spooky cave." Sui said as the others looked inside to see what it was. Alice was surprised yet a little suspicious by what she saw in the cave.
"Is that a treasure chest? What's it doing in this cave then?" She asked as she entered cautiously. There's no way such chests should be in a way too obvious of an area unless it's a trap.
But before she could approach it, Fel snagged the back of her shirt immediately, pulling her back to them as he glared at the suspicious chest. He had used appraisal and he acted immediately before she could open it.
"Slow down." He said as he set her down on her feet as she looked up at him in confusion.
"I warned you and told you before during the earlier floors. Dungeons use treasure to lure greedy humans to their doom. Now look closely." Fel told her as Alice just sighed.
"Thanks for the save though." Alice smiled at him thankfully as he returned it while she used her appraisal on the chest and, boy, was she glad Fel pulled her back before she could open it.
[Treasure Chest]
A treasure chest rigged to release poisonous gas upon opening. If you inhale the poisonous gas, you will die.
"If you inhale the poisonous gas, you'll die." She read with growing disbelief.
"Yeah, no way am I opening this." Alice said as she picked Sui up who didn't complain as they left the cave.
"That would be for the best." Fel said as they resumed their trek.
"If you didn't have us and Fel, you'd be the dungeon's dinner." Dora-Chan said, landing on her head which made her smile slightly.
"Myself, Sui and Dora-Chan all have full protection from our blessings while you only have minor and moderate blessings. At best, you'll just get sick." Fel said, not wanting to say the last part.
"I'll probably have to make some tonics from Pecha and Lum berries with Sui's help if it comes to that." Alice said, thinking of selling medicine made from the pokemon berries. They can be useful products at least.
"Besides, there are still other treasure chests around here." He said as Alice looked at him.
"Wanna check it out then?" She suggested and they like the idea. They indeed found more chests around but Alice and Fel used appraisal to see if they're trap ones or not until they stumbled upon a similar poison gas chest.
"Again with this one?" Alice sighed in exasperation as Fel shook his head.
"I shall open the chest so you won't be harmed." Fel said as he approached it which alarmed Alice.
"Absolutely not, Fel. I don't want you opening trap chests and getting hurt in the process." She told him firmly before she heard Ninrir's voice. She wasn't the only one, Fel's ears twitch in surprise as he had heard Ninrir as well. He couldn't believe he was hearing the goddess' voice but he found it strange. Why is he hearing it?
"Testing, testing. Otherworlder, can you hear me?" Alice and Fel looked at each other in disbelief before Alice decided to speak.
"Uh, hi, Ninrir. Isn't it a little too early to ask for offerings already?" Alice asked in confusion before she gestured for Fel to be quiet.
"You must be cursing me for only granting you a minor blessing. And there's something I have to tell you about your blessings."
At the divine realm, Ninrir was sitting by the pool, watching her fellow deities enjoying the offerings.
"But because the other goddesses have blessed you as well with moderate blessings, you have the equivalent protection of one full blessing." Ninrir explained, grinning.
"Come again?"
"It's very rare that three goddesses bless the same human, so it didn't occur to me and took me a while to relay this information to you until now. I do apologize for the delay." Ninrir explained in full detail.
"All that to say, you can't get sick and the gas won't kill you! In fact, most dangers in this world won't kill you. And with that knowledge and in other words... Go enjoy your little dungeon to the max!" Ninrir cheered her on.
Back in the dungeon, floor 20, Alice and Fel both have deadpanned expressions while Fel's ears flicker in disbelief. Was this how Goddess Ninrir acts around Alice? He's really in disbelief.
'Where did she even pick up her vocabulary?' Alice thought in disbelief and confusion.
"What now?" Fel asked her curiously.
"You heard her too?" Alice said as she turned to him to which he nodded.
"Apparently, my overlapping minor and moderate blessings have stacked with each other and have the same effect as a normal full one." Alice explained as Fel hummed. That means she won't get status ailments then which brought him much relief.
"I see. If Goddess Ninrir says so, it must be true." He hummed thoughtfully as Alice cautiously approached the chest.
"Let's put it to the test then." She said as she hesitantly opened the chest and a burst of purple smoke came out, surprising everyone.
It caused Alice and Dora-Chan to cough a bit from the suddenness of it.
"Is this the end?" Dora-Chan coughed as Fel used Wind magic to disperse the poison gas from the area.
"It's a little smoky, but we're all alive." Alice coughed as she checked what's in the chest. So all that the chest contained was nothing but the poison gas.
"Well, guess that says it. Nothing more than the poison gas." She said as she stood up before having an idea.
"Wait, if we open these chests that have deadly traps that might hurt others, won't that mean we'll end up saving future adventurers?" She muttered as she felt Fel beside her. He had heard her mumbling about saving future adventurers if they open the chests.
"You're going through the trouble of opening them for the safety of future adventurers?" Fel asked her curiously as she looked up at him.
"Our mistress is a real softie." Dora-Chan commented as Alice turned to them.
"Think of it this way, guys. Fel and I can use appraisal and all of us have blessings. Iron Will or other parties might arrive on this floor later if they reach it." She told them as Fel thought about it.
"If Mama wants to open more chests, then Sui will help!" Sui said as he jumped on her shoulders.
"Well, those humans from earlier were really nice." Dora-Chan said.
"If you help me out, I'll make us something special once this dungeon is over." Alice negotiated.
"Alright, let's go." Fel finally agreed as they went around the floor, disabling each trap chests which were getting more and more ridiculous at how eager the dungeon seemed to be at killing anything.
"Anyone would be doomed if you don't have the appraisal skill or aren't careful." Alice said as she and Fel coughed a bit after one of the chest let out a combination of poison gas and fireball.
"Hey!" Dora-Chan called them over and they turned to see that he was pointing at something after scouting for more trap chests they could disable.
"There's a massive treasure chest over here!" He told them. Fel and Alice looked at each other as Sui jumped on Alice's head.
"Alright, lead the way." Alice told Dora-Chan as they followed him to where he found the chest.
"We opened quite a few, so this might be the last one." Alice said softly. They finally came at the end of the corridors that led to a chamber where a rather large treasure chest was resting at the back on the 21st floor but Alice had a feeling this was a monster.
"It's huge for a chest though." Alice said as she looked at it suspiciously, approaching it carefully.
"And it's tucked away at the back of the floor in the deepest area. It must be special." Fel said as he was on edge by how suspicious a massive chest was just sitting out in the open.
"If it's this big, let's see what it has inside. But first, let's use appraisal." Alice said as she used her appraisal skill to see what type it was.
[Mimic]
A monster disguised as a treasure chest. When defeated, it will occasionally drop a decorated treasure chest.
'Of course it's a monster.' Alice thought with a huff as Fel approached her side.
"Mimics attack the moment when you try to open them, considering its size." Fel paused as he sniffed the mimic. He can smell something from it. An item drop perhaps.
"It's hiding something worth fighting for." He told her as she looked at the mimic.
"Then let's crack it open!" Dora-Chan said excitedly.
"Open it! Open it!" Sui cheered Alice on excitedly as she smiled slightly at them.
"Right. Let's do this." Alice put her hands on the lid but paused as she looked to the others who gave her space to open it.
"Be sure to stop it before it gets out of hand, okay?" She told them as she took out her mithril sword.
"Get on with it." Fel said, wanting to see how she will fair with her new weapon.
"I know." Alice said as she tried to open the lid but before she could open it fully, it suddenly lunged at her as she yelped, swinging her sword which cut its tongue but the monster made one fatal mistake when it lunged at Alice.
Fel quickly intervened as he stepped between it and Alice who was shaken from the sudden attack, giving it a murderous look which seemed to frighten the mimic as Dora-Chan and Sui were giving it looks before Fel practically stomped on it, defeating it with one blow.
"Another small fry." Fel growled at the defeated mimic with a huff.
"Yeah." Dora-Chan agreed.
"You're rather merciless today." Alice laughed sheepishly and nervously, putting the mithril sword away.
"You did it, Mama, Uncle Fel." Sui said happily. He was happy that Alice managed to at least land a hit before Fel had intervened.
"Thanks. The mithril sword sure is sharp and unbeatable too." She said as Fel smiled down at her.
"I owe you big time, Sui." Alice told the slime with a smile as Sui squeaked happily while Alice stood up.
"Well, we've opened all the trap chests, let's find the stairs to reach the next floor." She told them just as the mimic burst into smoke, leaving an item behind. Since the danger is over, Alice walked to it to see what's inside.
"Looks like it dropped a jewelry box." She said in surprise, picking it up before opening it and to say the least, she was surprised. A magic recovery ring and some jewels too!
"And there's all sorts of treasure in it." Alice as she lay everything down on the floor. Being a dragon and that they like shiny things, Dora-Chan picked up a diamond, looking at it curiously with Sui looking at a ruby.
"Good for you, right? It'd be boring if they were all duds." Fel said, smiling sincerely at Alice who smiled back, glad that the mimic dropped an item that's worth keeping or selling.
"You're a charmer, you know that?" Alice teased playfully as he chuckled at her.
"Hey!" Dora-Chan called them and they turned to see him pointing at an entrance.
"I found stairs to the next floor!" He said. They packed up the jewelry and climbed down the stairs when Alice started to feel something weird. Almost a familiar feeling.
Alice's eyes widened as they slowly came out of the cave and Alice gasped in shock and disbelief. Lostlorn Forest?!
"What the... Why are we in Lostlorn Forest?!" Alice gaped in disbelief and shock as Fel came to her side with Dora-Chan. It was indeed Lostlorn Forest but it feels completely different.
"Lostlorn Forest?" Fel asked curiously as she turned to them, Dora-Chan looking curious by the different smells of the trees.
"Lostlorn Forest is a forest area in the Unova Region back in my world. I... I don't understand why this is here." Alice explained truthfully.
"Hmm. This dungeon is finally getting interesting." He said as he looked at the unfamiliar forest. It was indeed strange and Alice seemed to recognize it immediately. This forest must be something to explore.
"It's too interesting yet too confusing." She said as Fel sniffed the air. It was unfamiliar but he could smell a strong foe from within the forest.
"Get on my back." He said as Alice looked to him.
"I'm picking up on a fairly strong presence. I'll take us there." Fel told her as Alice sighed. She can ponder on why they're in Lostlorn Forest later.
"For real?" She asked as she moved to climb on his back.
"Let's see what they've got!" Dora-Chan said excitedly.
"Sui can't wait!" Sui agreed with Dora-Chan, both were excited for the boss.
"Make haste!" Fel said playfully as he crouched down slightly so Alice could climb on his back.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." She chuckled as she climbed on his back with Sui jumping into the bag before Fel stood up and started to carry them through the forest. Dora-Chan was keeping up as Fel's senses were picking completely different and new scents. He could even see creatures peeking out of the trees, watching them pass by. These must be Pokémon like the ones Alice has.
Fel suddenly felt some strong presence ahead and he went to a stop. His entire body tense before he looked up to see Giant Killer Mantis which were B-rank monsters.
"Whoa, it's massive! And it's a B-rank!" Alice exclaimed in surprise at the sudden ambush of the mantis.
"Just a small fry." Fel grunted as he channeled his magic and used lightning magic on the giant killer mantis to dispose of them and not even letting Dora-Chan and Sui get a chance to hit one.
"Geez, Fel." Alice sighed in relief once the mantis had been defeated but Dora-Chan gave Fel an annoyed look.
"Hey! We were supposed to take down those bugs as a team!" Dora-Chan complained as Sui came out of the bag, sad that he didn't get to beat up one.
"That wasn't very nice, Uncle Fel." Sui chided, a little upset that Fel defeated the bugs as he huffed.
"It doesn't matter. I will find us a stronger enemy to slay in no time." Fel told them but Dora-Chan just pouted more.
"You say that, but then you'll just blow them up, too." Dora-Chan said in annoyance.
"Sui wants a turn to fight. Sui will go pew-pew and defeat lots of bad guys." Sui said as it was turning into a small argument with Fel letting out a small growl and Alice sighed before having an idea.
"Guys, guys, calm down. You know what? I have noticed that your fighting styles are so different from each other, you all should take turns." Alice suggested as they looked at her curiously, but they were listening now.
"Is that okay? You two go next." She told them kindly as Dora-Chan huffed but he liked the idea.
"I guess that's fine." He said, agreeing to the plan.
"If mama thinks it's a good idea, Sui does too." Sui agreed as Alice smiled at them while Fel huffed but agreed to that. The next monster they came across was a murder grizzly which was harassing an Ursaring and Teddiursa.
Alice grabbed its attention while Sui went to heal the Teddiursa and Alice signalled for Dora-Chan to beat the murder grizzly which he was all too happy to do so by charging towards it, covering himself with fire.
"I'M COMING IN HOT!!!" Dora-Chan charged at it, practically blasting through the murder grizzly as Alice, Fel and Sui watched to the side after the Ursaring and Teddiursa had left.
"So fast." Alice huffed in amusement before they moved through the forest, coming across butterfly-like monsters and Fel had to nudge Alice back as they approached.
"These monsters scatter paralyzing dust and suck the fluids from their prey while they're still alive." Fel explained, already wary of them. So they can't get close.
"These guys don't mess around. If we can't attack without getting dusted by them, we need to attack from a distance." Alice said before she looked at Sui who looked up at her.
"Sui, how about a little target practice once more? Be sure to attack from far away." She said and Sui hopped forward.
"Okie dokie." Sui jumped before shooting multiple acid bullets at the butterfly monsters, taking them down with ease.
"Yay! Sui defeated them all!" Sui cheered as he hopped to them.
"Way to kick some butterfly butt, kiddo." Alice chuckled with Fel letting Sui jump on his head with a giggle. They finally found a spot to get some rest and take a break but something else entirely too.
"The presence I felt before, it is close." Fel said cautiously as Alice gulped slightly.
"Slow your roll a second, Fel." She said as he turned to her with Dora-Chan on her head.
"If this presence is a boss which I have a feeling that it is, we're in for a fight." She told him as Fel looked confused.
"What's wrong with that?" He asked her curiously as she smiled slightly.
"We shouldn't go into a fight with empty stomachs." Alice said simply which excited the three of them, Fel's tail wagging immediately.
"And if this thing is as strong as you say, it wouldn't hurt to raise our stats with some otherworldly food and some wagyu." She added and that was all that excited Fel.
"You're finally getting wagyu?!" He asked her excitedly which made her smile.
"I did promise wagyu." Alice said as Fel hummed but his tail continued to wag.
"Fair. There is no world in which we lose to this beast." He said confidently.
"But a delicious snack would certainly lift up our spirits." Fel added, already salivating at getting to eat wagyu once again. Alice sat on a log and her Familiars gathered around her as she opened the online grocery.
"How does a little steak sound to you guys?" Alice asked them as she scrolled through the meat section to see which ones she'll buy.
"Delicious!" Fel said excitedly.
"Right, domestic Japanese wagyu it is." Alice just chuckled as she added it to the cart before finding more items and food to buy.
"Now how can we up the flavor?" She muttered curiously.
"Oh, with pre-seasoned grilled pork!" Alice blinked in surprise but added it to the cart.
"There's lemon and green onion. Sounds good." She added it to the cart as well.
"Maybe some sausage too. And they're selling black peppered roast duck today? Looks like they also have Yakitori thigh and liver." Alice put everything in the cart and purchased them.
"That should be more than enough meat for a stats buff up. And maybe a few sandwiches for myself." She purchased everything and served the meat that was already cooked for them.
{Yakitori Chicken and Roast Duck}
"Thanks for waiting. Now let's get those stats up." Alice gave them the green light and they didn't hesitate to start eating excitedly. She made sure she had some herself at a separate plate as she got to cooking.
She cooked the wagyu on the pan, making sure it was cooked perfectly before boiling the sausages in water in the second pan.
"Another serving!" Fel, Sui and Dora-Chan said excitedly, holding their empty plates up, ready for seconds as Alice smiled at them.
"Did you guys at least chew?" She asked them playfully before serving them their second serving.
{Otherworldly Meat Assortment}
They didn't hesitate to eat it as well as Alice ate some of hers, humming at the flavors from the food of her world and the other.
"Mmm, both flavors of this grilled pork are so light and refreshing." Alice said after eating a bite before trying the sausage and was delighted by the flavor.
"The skin is so crisp and the meat is so juicy too." Alice ate it happily.
"Another serving!" Her trio Familiars said, holding out their empty plates for their third serving and Alice almost laughed at how fast they ate it, she better make sure they drink something to help digest the food.
"Guys, I also need to eat." She told them fondly which they understood but the food was just too good.
They all started to eat together as Alice finished her meat dish and was eating some sandwiches. She had made sure to prepare drinks for them since they might get thirsty. Alice was about to drink her juice after finishing one sandwich, the trio familiars held out their plates to her for their fourth serving.
"Another serving!" They said and Alice finally let out a laugh and served their fourth and final serving which had satisfied them all greatly.
Everyone was satisfied and full from their lunch/snack after Alice gave them some water to drink and were resting up before they could face the boss monster and Alice had Sui help her clean up the utensils.
"The food from your world is truly scrumptous." Fel said in content as he sighed happily, his tail wagging slightly at getting to eat wagyu again. It was so worth it.
"I tried a bunch of new things and loved them all!" Dora-Chan was laying down, rubbing his full belly. There was so much yummy food that Alice gave them and he loved each piece of the meal.
"It was yummy as always, Mama." Sui said honestly as Alice smiled at them all, glad to see that they were satisfied and full.
"I'm glad to hear it." She smiled at them. With the amount of food they had eaten, their stats should have gotten a major boost.
"Food like that should have majorly boosted your stats though." She said as she looked at them all. Time to use appraisal.
"I'll check Fel first." Alice soon used appraisal on Fel to see if his stats have a boost.
[Name] Fel
[Age] 1014
[Race] Fenrir
[Level] 911
[Strength] 9890(+5002)
[Magic] 9534(+4675)
[Attack] 9118(+4483)
[Defense] 9814(+4907)
[Agility] 9732(+4856)
[Skill] Wind Magic, Fire Magic, Water Magic, Earth Magic, Ice Magic, Lightning Magic, Sacred Magic, Barrier Magic, Rending Claws, Body Reinforcement, Magic Attack Resistance, Magic Effienciency, Appraisal, Battle Boost
[Blessing] {Goddess of Wind: Ninrir's Blessing} {God of War: Vahagn's Blessing}
The sight of his increased stats made Alice let out a whistle. She remembered the boost he had gained from eating wagyu alone but it was still impressive.
"That's a huge increase." Alice said with a smile before checking on Dora-Chan.
"And Dora-Chan?"
[Name] Dora-Chan
[Age] 116
[Race] Pixie Dragon
[Level] 129
[Strength] 915(+459)
[Magic] 2935(+1148)
[Attack] 2703(+1342)
[Defense] 886(+445)
[Agility] 3345(+1673)
[Skill] Fire Magic, Water Magic, Wind Magic, Earth Magic, Ice Magic, Lightning Magic, Healing Magic, Bombardment, Battle Boost
[Blessing] {God of War: Vahagn's Blessing}
Alice grew worried and sheepish as he seemed knocked out from eating.
"Did I overdo it?" She muttered but she was glad his stats was boosted up a lot before she looked at Sui.
"How about you, Sui?" Alice checked Sui's next.
[Name] Sui
[Age] 2 months
[Race] Big Slime
[Level] 21
[Strength] 1079(+538)
[Magic] 1063(+529)
[Attack] 1058(+533)
[Defense] 1061(+525)
[Agility] 1080(+540)
[Skill] Acid Bullet, Healing Potion Creation, Proliferate, Water Magic, Blacksmithing
[Blessing] {Goddess of Water: Rusalka's Blessing} {God of Blacksmithing: Hephaestos' Blessing}
His stats have been boosted up too and she was glad as Alice sighed.
"There's a boss coming up, so I'm sure it's fine." Alice said before she checked her own.
"I wonder how my stats look though." She muttered and everyone gathered around to see as well.
"If your stats didn't increase, this feast was all for naught." Fel told her as he came to stand behind her. He wanted her stats to at least have a big boost like the rest of them even though she was content with her own stats.
"Hope you ate enough, boss." Dora-Chan said as he was on her shoulders, wanting to see if she had boosted up a lot.
"Come on, mama, let's see." Sui said excitedly. He wanted to see if mama got boosts like they all did as well. With their encouragements, Alice soon checked her own stats to see if it improved.
[Name] Alice
[Age] 18
[Job] Accidental Otherworlder, Pokémon Researcher, Big Slime's Mother
[Level] 16
[Strength] 238(+14)
[Magic] 226(+22)
[Attack] 212(+12)
[Defense] 210(+12)
[Agility] 202(+12)
[Skill] Appraise, Item Box, Fire Magic, Earth Magic, Perfect Defense
[Familiars (Contracted Monster)] Fenrir, Big Slime, Pixie Dragon
[Unique Skill] Online Grocery
[Blessing] {Goddess of Wind: Ninrir's Blessing (minor)} {Goddess of Fire: Agni's Blessing (moderate)} {Goddess of Earth: Kisharle's Blessing (moderate)}
Her stats went up alright but not that large or have increased like the three of them which made Fel sigh in disappointment and sadness with Dora-Chan.
"Hey, it's okay. My stats may not have a large boost like yours, but I'm content with my own stats like this." Alice reassured them with a smile.
"I was really hoping you'd gotten a big boost..." Dora-Chan said sadly.
Another World Theater: Second Serving
They were silent for a moment before Alice broke it.
"Well, I just had sandwiches and a helping of the meat you guys have." Alice said as she turned to them.
"But as long as our stats are up, I'm sure we'll get through this." She told them with a reassuring smile but Fel was mostly worried.
"That's the weak answer. You might not be able to grow if you don't raise your stats." Fel told her firmly as she sighed.
"I know, Fel. I'll try harder next time, okay?" She petted his head as he huffed but leaned against her touch.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot." She said as they looked at her stats again but mainly the skills.
"Last time I gave offerings before we ventured into the dungeon, Hephaestus very generously blessed me with the perfect defense skill." She said as Fel, Sui and Dora-Chan noticed it.
"I told him that I might not need it since I already have your barrier, Fel, but he said I would be thankful to have it." Alice said as Fel hummed.
"But I wouldn't deny having extra protection just in case. Dungeons are dangerous." She said and Fel and Dora-Chan agreed.