NOVEL NEXT 167- Could it be that I think I like Karina less than Sol?
I repeat the strategy. The difference is that I use a mana potion instead of a lick, saving that as a last resort. You never know who might enter the dungeon. Hell, maybe even another assassin trying to kill me. Though I doubt it, since they don't know how I escaped, how I survived. That had to make them rethink the whole assassination plan. Plus, they'd first have to reach this dungeon in the mountains. In the kingdom, it's not exactly centrally located. The easiest way to access it is through a portal that requires permission to use.
I finish clearing the remaining villages pretty late—that's what happens when you stop to meditate. Next, I head to where I hid the pack with the troll blood flasks to retrieve it.
My leather armor is covered in dirt and even some dried blood that isn't mine—and I'm not even sure how it got there since I had fire channeling applied to my sword, which cauterizes wounds. Maybe it's from filling the flasks. My face and hair are dirty too. Actually, I push a strand of hair out of my face and notice it's all matted. For a moment, thinking about fire channeling, I wonder if applying it to myself would clean me up. Stupid idea. I'd easily end up with no clothes and no armor.
Either way, I wouldn't mind washing my face. But there are no rivers here, and I'm not going near that lake.
So I leave the dungeon, and when I approach the human village, the guards become alert and shout for me to halt.
"It's me, Bianca, the academy student."
I think I look worse than I thought. Can they maybe tell I've just come from several battles that ended in carnage?
"Go ahead," he answers after hearing my voice—which he must recognize by now—and studying me for a couple of seconds.
I enter the village and head straight for the portal. The sooner I get to the academy, the sooner I can take off these dirty clothes and armor and take a bath.
Actually, Judith, who's in the dormitory, wrinkles her nose when I walk in.
"You smell terrible," she tells me.
All the more reason to quickly get into the adjoining room with the wooden bathtub. On my way here, I let Berta know. She should be heating water right now to bring it up in buckets and fill the tub. Luckily, she doesn't take long.
Later, after I've even removed some troll bits from my hair and I'm clean and dressed for dinner, I sit on my bed for a moment to check my experience.
Judith went out a while ago, also for dinner.
4,135 XP for me, counting both floors of the dungeon—which I could only clear once—and 218 for the pup. I haven't leveled up any spells or skills.
I can see that I'm starting to understand how complicated leveling up is getting. I need stronger enemies that give more experience points. Like the bosses from the secret level of the desert dungeon. I don't know what insane amount of points the mother scorpion would give—I calculated around 8,000—but it doesn't matter because that was a boss that only appeared once. For the others, I figure around 2,000 XP for the golem and the lich, I don't know... maybe 700? The naga warrior even less.
Here, an alpha boss, if you're not careful, gives you less than the 50 points I estimate a specter gives. However, with the yeti, since Ronan has always killed it with his creatures and I've only gotten assist credit, I'm not sure how much it might give. From what I've been able to observe, when it's an assist, the system gives you a relatively small proportion of the total XP based on your contribution, and with the yeti, I've barely contributed. When Ronan touches the stone slab, he can only see his stat sheet, he can't access any other information. So I can only speculate that it'll give quite a bit less than the scorpion mother, but similar to or more than the golem.
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I get up and walk down the hallway with that idea in mind. After making my way to dinner, I bring it up to Vincent.
"By the way, when's the next raid in the desert dungeon?" I ask him.
We're all here, even Karina. And Lily too.
"Well, whenever you guys want, but not until the second trimester."
"Are you going somewhere during the fall break, Bianca?" Theodore asks me.
He's referring to the six days off after the ball.
"Well, I hadn't thought about it. I imagine my parents will want me to come home with them, but I'm fine staying here. I could take the opportunity to practice my spells and study a bit."
And go to the goblin village, I think to myself.
Because I don't want to be with Bianca's parents—who would undoubtedly realize I'm not her—and besides, those female goblins are going to give birth and I'll meet all the town hall requirements.
"What about you?" I ask Theodore.
"Home, Alistair and Lily are coming too."
I notice Mary shift uncomfortably in her seat when she hears this. Curious, I turn to her.
"Are you going with your parents too, Mary?" I ask her.
The girl blushes a little.
"I'm not sure."
Something's off here. I'll investigate later when we're alone.
"And how did the mission go today, little sis?" Vincent asks her.
"Don't call me that," Lily gets a bit annoyed. "But fine, we completed it."
"This guy didn't kill all the monsters and leave you with no training, did he?" Darius chimes in while grabbing his friend by the shoulders.
"No, actually, I've been fighting the lizards with his help."
Alistair removes Darius's arm from around him, pushing it away with his hand, never taking his eyes off the princess with a smile.
"Lily, you know you're a good fighter. You just need confidence in yourself and a little practice in real combat," he assures her.
"Thanks, Ali."
The princess seems a bit flustered by the compliment. I'd tell her she needs to stop being so scared, but well, if the redhead's help has worked, then great.
"And you're not going with them during the break, Vincent?" I ask curiously.
"The Dravenholt Marquis mansion is almost like a second home to my sister and me. We spent many seasons there as children. But I still don't know what I'm going to do. Actually, I was waiting to talk to you."
Oh, and he says it in front of everyone. Karina looks at me, and from the way she presses her lips together, I don't think she's very happy.
"Well, like I just mentioned, I hadn't even thought about it; but going home doesn't appeal to me."
Not at all. It would only be a risk of them realizing I'm still "weird," and I don't think I can keep blaming it on feeling unwell or hitting my head.
"So you'd be open to suggestions?"
"Well, the truth is, I'd like to stay at the academy. But practicing spells, sword mastery, and if I can ask Catrina to teach me, claws too."
"You're going to spend your fall break studying? How boring," Karina blurts out, changing her annoyed pout to a triumphant smile. "Come to the ball my parents are throwing if you want to, Vincent."
"I don't know... maybe I'll stay at the academy too. Training doesn't have to be boring."
"You know, even I'd say that it's healthy to rest and disconnect sometimes," Theodore says while raising an eyebrow.
"Don't stay just to keep me company," I tell him with a smile so he doesn't take it the wrong way. "I'm going to be incredibly busy, like, no time for anything."
And it's true, I have a goblin village to manage that he knows nothing about.
He looks somewhat disappointed but doesn't say anything.
"Well then, it's settled! You're coming with me," Karina concludes while making a gesture to grab his arm.
She's sitting on the other side of the prince, of course.
He stops her attempt with his hand.
"No, I'll see whether I stay at the academy or go with Theodore."
Karina turns toward the water mage, trying to catch his attention. I imagine she wants to invite herself.
Darius, I don't know if it's on purpose or if he's totally oblivious, is faster and tells her:
"Come to my parents' mansion if you want. They also have fire magic. I'm sure you'd feel right at home."
"Ugh." She frowns. "Better not."
Theodore takes the opportunity to bring up another topic and the conversation flows in other directions. When we finish dinner, we say our goodbyes. I arrange to meet Ronan tomorrow and walk toward the female dormitory with Karina and Mary, like the other day.
A bit awkward, to be honest.
"You're different," Karina blurts out with that lack of tact I'm associating with those who have a high fire affinity.
"Different? Hardly..."
I keep walking forward, and don't even look at her. With a bit of luck, she'll take the hint.
"Oh, come on, Edran's little sister turning down time with no less than one of the princes? Please. I know full well that your fiancé doesn't interest you, and if you can climb the social ladder, you'll jump at the chance."
Okay, now I do stop. Mary covers her mouth with her hand to muffle the horrified gasp that escapes her.