Mark leaned back against the throne and let out a long sigh.
"We need to talk..."
The three won remained kneeling before him, their expressions attentive.
Mark paused for a mont, organizing his thoughts, then spoke.
"I’ve discovered sothing... problematic. I can’t level up using the dungeon."
Ely’s eyes opened slightly.
"What do you an, Master?"
Mark gestured vaguely around the chamber.
"I an exactly what I said... when adventurers die inside the dungeon, I don’t receive any experience for it."
There was a mont of stunned silence.
Aria was the first to speak, her voice full of concern.
"But... you are the dungeon’s master now. Shouldn’t you gain experience from intruders who die here?"
Mark shook his head.
"That’s what I thought too. But apparently it doesn’t work that way."
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.
"I’ve checked my status several tis... and my experience hasn’t moved at all since we took control of the dungeon."
Yuki remained silent, but her expression shifted slightly — a small frown forming.
"So if I want to be a competent dungeon master, I’m going to have to go out and earn experience."
’I can’t just stay here waiting for things to improve on their own.’
The three won exchanged glances, clearly worried.
Aria spoke again.
"But, Master... isn’t that dangerous?" she asked, her voice tinged with anxiety. "If you leave the dungeon, you’ll be exposed. And if sothing happens to you—"
"I know," Mark interrupted gently. "But I don’t have a choice... I need to level up, and the only way to do that is by going out."
Ely pressed her lips together, clearly unhappy with the situation.
"Then we’ll all go with you," she said firmly.
Mark shook his head imdiately.
"No. That’s not practical."
Ely blinked, surprised by his refusal.
"Why not, Master?"
Mark leaned back in the throne again.
"Because if all of you co with , who’s going to protect the dungeon?" he said. "We can’t just leave it unguarded."
The three won fell silent, processing his words.
"So... how many of us will go with you, Master?" Aria asked.
"One," Mark answered, holding up a finger.
Another silence followed.
Then all three spoke at once.
"I’ll go," said Ely.
"It should be ," added Aria.
"I will go with you, Master," said Yuki last.
Mark had to hold back a smile at the situation.
’Of course they all want to co.’
When the three won realized they had all volunteered at the sa ti, they looked at each other, the tension beginning to rise.
Ely was the first to speak.
"I should go," she said firmly. "I’m the strongest. I can protect you better than either of them."
Aria frowned.
"But I’m support," she argued. "I can heal you if you get hurt. And I can boost your stats to make you stronger."
Yuki stayed quiet, but her expression showed quiet determination.
Mark raised a hand, stopping the argunt before it could escalate.
"I’ve already decided who’s coming with ," he said calmly.
All three won imdiately turned toward him, waiting for his answer.
"Yuki, you’ll co with ," Mark said, looking at the dark-haired assassin.
Yuki blinked, clearly surprised by her master’s decision.
Imdiately, Ely opened her mouth to protest.
"But, Master—"
"Yuki is the most stealthy," Mark interrupted firmly. "And for what I’m planning, I need soone who can move without being detected."
Mark turned to Yuki.
"You can turn invisible, right?" he asked.
Yuki nodded slowly.
"Yes, Master. I can use my Concealnt skill to beco completely invisible."
"Perfect," Mark said. "Then you can scout the area, warn of any danger, and help ambush monsters before they even know we’re there."
Ely clenched her fists, clearly frustrated at not being chosen.
"But, Master, I can do the sa," she protested. "I can move through your shadow and—"
"Ely," Mark interrupted gently but firmly. "You’re limited to my shadow. You can’t move far from to scout ahead... Yuki can."
Ely opened her mouth to respond again, but stopped — clearly realizing Mark had a point.
Mark continued, softening his tone.
"Besides, Ely, you’re the strongest one here," he said. "If sothing happens in the dungeon while I’m gone, I need to know it’s in good hands. And those hands are yours."
Ely looked down, clearly conflicted.
"But... I want to be with you, Master," she murmured.
’Damn... I hate it when she makes that face.’
"I know, Ely," Mark said softly. "But I need you to stay here and protect the dungeon. It’s important."
Then he turned to Aria.
"And Aria, you’re pure support. You’re more useful here, backing Ely up in case high-level adventurers try to enter."
Aria nodded slowly, though her expression showed disappointnt.
"I understand, Master," she said quietly.
Mark looked at the three won in front of him.
"I trust all of you," he said firmly. "Every single one of you."
A long silence followed.
Finally, Ely nodded, though clearly unhappy with the decision.
"As you command, Master," she said, her voice strained.
Aria also nodded.
"We’ll protect the dungeon, Master. Don’t worry."
Yuki stayed silent, but Mark caught a flicker in her eyes.
’I know she’s uncomfortable here.’
So hopefully getting out of this place for a while will do her so good.
Mark cleared his throat and continued.
"Good. Now that that’s settled, I need to know sothing," he said, looking at the three won. "Do you know of any high-level dungeon nearby? I need sowhere I can keep leveling up."
Ely frowned, thinking.
"There are no dungeons we could use for leveling up near here, Master," she said slowly. "Only low-level dungeons exist in this region."
’Great... that complicates things,’ Mark thought.
But before he could respond, Aria spoke.
"Well... there is that dungeon," she said hesitantly.
Ely turned toward her sharply.
"No," she said coldly.
Mark raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"What do you an, Aria?" he asked.
Aria glanced nervously at Ely, then back at Mark.
"There’s a dungeon a couple of days from here," she said slowly. "But... it’s the forr Demon Lord’s dungeon."
Mark blinked, caught off guard.
"The Demon Lord?" he repeated.
Aria nodded.
"Yes, Master. The Demon Lord was defeated three hundred years ago by a group of heroes."
Mark leaned forward, interested.
"Go on," he said.
Aria took a breath before continuing.
"The Demon Lord was defeated outside his dungeon by the heroes," she explained. "But to everyone’s surprise, the dungeon didn’t collapse when he died."
Mark frowned.
’That’s... strange.’
Vorax had said dungeons collapse when their boss dies.
So why hadn’t that one?
"Although both the guild and the kingdoms are actively trying to form a new group of heroes capable of sealing the dungeon once and for all," Aria paused, "progress has been slow."
Ely spoke again, her voice slightly tense.
"I received an invitation to participate in the trials to join the group that would attempt to close the dungeon," she said.
Mark looked at her, surprised.
"Really?"
Ely nodded.
"Yes. But I didn’t attend because... well. I died."
’Ah... right. She died before she could go.’
Mark leaned back in the throne, processing everything.
A Demon Lord’s dungeon that hadn’t collapsed after its owner died.
That was strange, to say the least — but it also sounded like the perfect place to farm experience.
Finally, Mark spoke.
"I’ll go," he said simply.
Ely rose imdiately, alard.
"Master, no!" she protested. "That dungeon is far too dangerous. Even for it would be difficult—"
"I’m not going to try to clear it," Mark interrupted calmly. "I just want to see if I can farm experience on the first floor."
Ely opened her mouth to protest again, but Mark raised a hand.
"Listen to , Ely," he said firmly. "I’m not going to do anything stupid. I’ll just explore the first floor with Yuki... and if it turns out to be too dangerous, we’ll pull back imdiately."
Ely clenched her fists, clearly frustrated.
"But, Master—"
"Besides," Mark continued, "I won’t just be going with Yuki."
Ely blinked, confused.
"What?"
Mark glanced toward the nightstand where Vorax rested.
"Vorax will also be coming with us," he said.
Vorax rippled slightly, as if nodding.
"Of course, Master," the sli said. "I would be happy to accompany you."
Ely looked between Mark and Vorax, clearly torn.
Then, finally, she let out a long sigh.
"Alright... Master," she said with resignation. "But please, be careful."
Mark smiled slightly at her concern.
"I will."
Finally, Mark rose from the throne and stretched.
’Well, looks like I’m going on a business trip.’
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