“I see, so this is one of the three marked locations.” The elder from the council had sent several scouting teams throughout the week, spending quite a lot of money to find clues about the dungeon boss. This place was marked as a possible location—and the best one—for a lair, which is why they came straight here. The other two spots are farther away, and reaching them would take a full day without interruptions along the way.

  “What’s your plan from here?” I’m a bit curious about how their team will proceed. They’re quite strong; under optimal conditions, they could have taken down the Withered Tree group. It wouldn’t have been easy—they might have lost a few members—but they would have eventually won.

  Especially their leader and vice-leader—both are pretty strong. Shawu would lose to them most of the time right now. My friend has far more talent, but these two are nourished by decades of experience.

  “We’ll proceed with the same plan as before. We’ll send two scouts to check the nearby areas, then make a plan to inspect the two remaining zones and figure out whether the dungeon boss is there.” That sounds like a solid idea. Their scout is quite skilled; he has an ability that lets him disappear from sight easily and blend his mana with the environment.

  “What will the rest of you do? Just stay here waiting?” It makes sense if they rest for now since they’re exhausted, but not once they’re fully recovered.

  “We’ll start luring some monsters and kill them around the area. Their cores have good concentration, and we’ll make a decent profit selling them outside.” That makes much more sense.

  I want to check the dimensional bracelet belonging to the Withered Tree leader. I can’t force it open with mana and Imra like the others—the structure of this one looks more complex, with different enchantments. The basic bracelets I managed to open by studying the enchantment patterns. They resembled Professor Jhonny’s exercises, and after applying some pressure I broke the Imra link.

  It helped that their owners were dead. Dimensional bracelets weaken when they no longer detect their user’s Imra, which makes them easier to force open.

  “Do you have any plans yourself? You could stay with us while we explore the dungeon—having you on our team would help us a lot.” Joaki offers to have me join them. It’s not a bad idea.

  “I’ll move on my own. I’ll come back here every day to rest—we can exchange information then.” They all seem friendly. I haven’t detected a hint of hostility from any of them. They truly seem like good people. But I prefer moving alone; that way I can fight without holding back.

  Joaki lets out a sad sigh. “Alright. We’ll be here the whole time until we find something better or the dungeon boss. We can keep trading information or just talk whenever you want, Maki.”

  “By the way, Joaki… what happens if we find the boss’s location at the same time?” My question makes him think for a few seconds.

  “We’ll let you fight the boss first if that’s what you want. We can support you if necessary.” He becomes more serious. “Without you, we wouldn’t be alive. We can’t take that chance away from you. We’ll only interfere if you ask.” He has loosened his Imra a bit so I can read his feelings—and he seems to be telling the truth.

  I smile at his sincerity. I’m glad I found a group that prioritizes its principles and shows gratitude to their savior. “Then this is a partnership until we clear the dungeon.” I offer him my hand, and he shakes it firmly.

  “Yes. I hope this partnership lasts into the future.” From the corner of my eye I can see a few of his teammates smiling as they listen to our conversation.

  “Let’s both do our best.” I’ll keep observing how they act over the next few days or weeks. When power is within reach, some people tend to change. But if they stay true to their words, this partnership could turn into a friendship.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  And he owes me a favor—I might ask him if he wants to move to my territory. A team of this caliber would bring enormous benefits. Joaki and Murill together could fight a Ruby rank without trouble. Their whole group combined could hold off three or four Rubies at the same time. They’re first-rate reinforcement.

  They could also handle many grade-3 dungeons on their own. They’ve been operating together for nearly twenty years, and their coordination inside dungeons is excellent. If they don’t bare any fangs against me the entire time we’re here, I’ll invite them to come to my family’s territory.

  We stop talking about the dungeon after a few more questions from each side. Now we’re chatting about our daily lives—trivial topics without much purpose while we rest. The rest of their group also joins in. They bring snacks, and the tense atmosphere turns livelier.

  Their stories go from how they met, to unbelievable dungeon tales where they survived by pure luck, and other fun, more personal anecdotes.

  “Yes, the leader has saved us many times with that ability of his. If used at the perfect moment, it’s an attack impossible to dodge.” Gator, the scout, picks up a stick and imitates the skill by snapping it in half, and everyone laughs at his performance.

  I saw that ability when I was spying on them—it’s a fascinating skill and surely difficult to master. He opens a small spatial gap with his spatial affinity, and the sword travels through it, appearing somewhere else. Joaki also has to open the exit point. It’s a devastating blow if you’re caught off guard.

  “Yes… but my spatial affinity is really low. That’s the most I can do. I haven’t managed to improve it after years of training. It doesn’t compare to anyone with Maki’s affinity.” Joaki opens a space hole in front of him and pushes his sword through it so it appears above our heads.

  I still find the skill impressive—it can turn the tide of battle with a single strike if executed at the right moment. Catching the opponent off guard could earn him the victory in a tough situation.

  “Your ability is versatile and powerful. I can only move side to side.” I downplay my ability a bit. Many Ruby-rank mages can do what I do, and every Diamond and Obsidian rank has movement abilities just as potent.

  I’ve read plenty of books on the topic—it opened my mind to improving my understanding of spatial affinity. Otherwise, it would’ve taken much longer to acquire my new movement skill.

  “Don’t say that. Your ability is a lifesaver. And with your strong life affinity, you’re practically immortal if you focus only on defending and running.” Yuly talks a lot. She’s been asking me questions about the life affinity, and in the end she was a bit disappointed when I told her I can only heal simple wounds in others and that I’m mainly good at healing myself.

  “Maki doesn’t need to defend or run. I saw him during the inauguration tournament, and it was a spectacle.” I’m not surprised—Brendu already warned me about not talking to recruitment groups or other noble houses. They’re always present in these tournaments searching for new talent.

  “One thing caught my attention while watching your match with Lady Areci. Some people called you ‘prince’ among other nicknames. Do you belong to a Royal or Imperial family?” His tone changes completely—much more respectful and cautious.

  Everyone stares at me, uneasy. Some look down nervously, others tense up. Their reactions make me laugh a little.

  “No, I don’t belong to any royal or imperial family. I’m the son of a very small noble family. Just the most beloved son of a baronet from a tiny territory.” I notice the slight shift in their expressions—they’re not as tense as a moment ago.

  At least I made it clear that I’m from a minor noble house. They can read between the lines—I’m not an heir and have no intention of fighting for inheritance. My family isn’t influential among nobles, though they’re extremely important to me.

  “Don’t worry about being formal or anything like that. We’re inside a dungeon risking our lives—we’re all equal here.” Their bodies release the last bit of tension, and their postures relax.

  “Then why do they call you ‘prince’? That’s the strangest nickname I’ve heard.” Murill and the others wait for my answer.

  What should I say? My relationship with Brendu is no longer just rumors—people see it as reality now. That has lowered the amount of gossip and turned it into casual conversation.

  “He’s probably dating a princess. Look at that pretty face—Maki looks like a prince!” Yuly speaks half a second before I do. Everyone bursts out laughing. I can only give an awkward smile—because she’s right. The laughter begins to fade as they see my reaction. “Wait, wait—I was joking… are you really dating a princess?” My smile turns into loud laughter when I see their faces.

  “Yes, more or less—it’s complicated.” I could tell them a bit of my story. Eventually they’ll find out about my relationship with Brendu, Arisa, Sol, and Marga. In the empire it’s already official with the three, and in this city it’s likely everyone has heard about the princess’s romance with a lower noble.

  I slowly stand up from my cushion, watching their expressions—they look like kids. People really love gossip, regardless of age.

  “I’m going out to hunt for a while. I need to clear my head a bit.” Joaki nods, and the rest just stare quietly as I leave the cave.