Chapter 165: Phantom Dungeon III
The noble girl's expression darkened. "They came back either mad or broken—some completely lost their minds, others couldn't even recognize their own families. The healers say it's not a curse, but something far worse. A nightmare they can't escape from."
She then added eyeing them " We want you to clear it" She said.
"And we already did it—killed the boss and even saw it dying," Asher said.
The noble lady shook her head. "It has been cleared that way many times. My father, Earl Leo, has done it himself… but it was never truly cleared. That's why we believe there is a hidden floor with the real boss."
She leaned forward. "I want you to defeat it and clear that dungeon for us. It will reform after 24 hours."
Asher immediately shook his head. "No."
"What?" she asked in shock.
Asher crossed his arms. "First of all, if you're asking for our help, don't act like you're ordering us."
"You think I'm going to beg you to clear it?" she asked angrily.
Asher shook his head. "Nope. But at least ask politely." He stood up, clearly uninterested in wasting more time.
Serena sighed, following after him.
"You think you can just walk out like this?" the noble lady sneered.
Asher didn't even look back. Instead, as an eerie breeze filled the room, his presence vanished like a phantom.
A moment later, a trail of blood formed into words on the ground, spelling out a single message:
"Just did that, bitch."
Lyna was a noble lady born into the esteemed Stemend family. From a young age, she understood her superior standing over those of lower status. She took great pride in her nobility, believing that commoners should feel fortunate even to serve her.
Never in her life had anyone dared to defy her. No one had ever denied her anything. To her, commoners were nothing more than tools—grateful for whatever scraps she tossed their way.
But now, a mere commoner had just dodged her attack, denied her request, mocked her, and worst of all—had the audacity to call her a bitch in bloodied writing!
Her face twisted in fury, her hands clenching into fists as her entire body shook.
"I will get you, Asher!!" she screamed, no longer caring about her noble dignity.
Back on the road, Asher and Serena rode two flaming horse-like monsters, borrowed from the Guild. Their hooves scorched the ground with each step as they galloped away from Earl Leo's territory, heading back toward the city.
Serena glanced at Asher, frowning. "Are you sure we should have done that?"
Asher scoffed, his eyes gleaming with anger. "If she needed help, she should've learned how to ask for it properly."
Serena sighed, shaking her head. "You really enjoy pissing off nobles, don't you?"
"Only the arrogant ones," Asher replied, kicking his mount into a faster pace.
Serena rolled her eyes but followed after him, the two disappearing into the distance as the fiery trails of their mounts slowly faded behind them.
As they rode toward the city, the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the landscape. The fiery hooves of their mounts left behind faint embers that flickered in the wind before vanishing into the darkness.
Serena glanced at Asher. "So, what now? Are we just ignoring that dungeon?"
Asher shrugged. "It'll respawn in 24 hours. If someone else clears it before then, great. If not, we'll decide what to do later."
"And if that noble girl comes after us?" Serena asked.
Asher smirked. "Then she's welcome to try. But I doubt she has the strength to actually do anything."
Serena sighed. "You really know how to make enemies, don't you?"
"I only make enemies out of people who deserve it," Asher replied nonchalantly.
The city lights soon came into view, the towering walls and busy streets signaling their return to civilization. As they approached the gates, the guards recognized their Guild insignias and let them pass without much trouble.
Once inside, Asher pulled the reins of his mount, bringing it to a stop near the Guild building. Serena did the same, sighing in relief as she hopped down. "Finally, some rest."
Asher nodded, stretching his arms. "Yeah, but first, let's check if there are any new quests. If we're going to kill time, we might as well make some money while we're at it."
As they entered the Guild Hall, the familiar sight of adventurers drinking, laughing, and discussing their quests filled the air. The scent of ale and roasted meat mixed with the slight metallic tang of blood from returning hunters.
Serena nudged Asher. "You check the quest board. I'll grab us something to eat."
Asher nodded, making his way toward the large wooden board where various requests were posted. His eyes scanned the parchment papers, looking for something worth his time.
[Available Quests]
Urgent Request: Missing Caravan – A merchant's caravan has vanished near the Ravenspire Woods. Investigate and recover any lost goods.
Beast Subjugation: Crimson Fang Wolves – A pack of enhanced wolves is terrorizing villages near the southern border. Eliminate them.
Bounty Hunt: The Silver Mask – A rogue assassin has been spotted in the capital. The noble families are offering a reward for their capture or elimination.
....
......
Asher continued to look at the numerous quests before finally pulling one off the board. "This will do," he muttered as he examined the parchment.
[Quest Accepted: Twin-Headed Serpent Subjugation]
Location: Mew Drop Village
Objective: A dangerous twin-headed serpent has appeared near the village, attacking livestock and
travelers. Eliminate it before it causes further damage.
Reward: 500 Gold + Bonus for intact serpent materials.
Serena glanced at the quest. "A twin-headed serpent? Those are rare."
Asher nodded. "Which means it's either mutated or something is forcing it to act aggressively. Either way, we handle it."
" okay, lest do it after filling our stomach " She said as he nodded, they went to chair where their food was already on the table.
It was standard food was Soup, meat and vegetable dish with bread and a glass of beer to go with it, a modest meal commonly found in all Adventurer taverns.