After my sed, and more secrets including, factory tour with Lua, I had to hurry out of bed. Quickly ge clothes and half run to breakfast. Luckily I made it just in time, as the Earl and his wife were sitting down, so I was only fashioe, as I really should be there before they are. Etiquette and all of that. I gave everyone a quick apology and we began breakfast.

  After breakfast, everyo suited up ahered at the front yard of the manor. I was just going to call Big Cht here. For two reasons. One, we had ara with us. The Earl had gotten a knight to e with us to the dungeon. He was one of the ohat visited the dhampir vilge while Lua was evolving, so he had already seen Big Core, so I didn’t mind him ing. But yeah, because he was here, there is no way all six of us would fit in Overdrive.

  Sed reason was the slight drizzle of rain. It really shouldn’t bother Overdrive, but it might. I’ve never really driven it over wet streets. Now sure there is the slight problem that Big Core will act like a giant umbrel over the town, and someone might spot the rain hitting it, but at the same time, I have an app for that.

  “Summon Water Spirit.”

  I summoned a water spirit and got one of the intermediate rank ones. Good. I asked her if she could stop the rain for a bit of time, but apparently that would be too much for her. The greater spirit could do it, but she couldn’t. But she could clear a small area of the rain. Small being a questionable measure. She could temporarily stop the rain for more than half the city, but I guess pared to her mother that could trol massive rain clouds that could stretch e areas, that was small.

  So with a temporary stop in the rain, I summoned Big Core a in. I the Ria down to the ground and had her pick up Agatha. She asked ere getting into the ship withiy, but I just answered: “Because it is ve.”

  After we cleared the city walls, I thanked my water spirit friend and we headed for the vilge. Paulina got a look when the spirit disappeared. Yeah. We never did test out if they’ll be willing to synchro with her. Let’s do that in the dungeon.

  “Hi Lua.” I said as I got down to the ground. “Are you ready to go?”

  “... y-yes. I hope so.” She responded.

  She was wearing her new adventuring dress, the one we made from the clothes of Vampire Grimson. The only difference was that she didn’t have her ma hand, but instead her regur staff. She had the cloak on so that it hid most of her new features. Really down on her head. You couldn’t see her slightly longer hair, and even her wings were covered by it, unless you kly where to look.

  “Don’t worry. If anyone says anything bad about you, I’ll punch them in the face.” I said.

  “Heh. Why don’t you start with yourself? That might help you not to be a dummy.” Lua joked.

  “... maybe I will, since you asked.” I offered. “Or you could sp me instead.”

  “If you say something stupid again, I will.”

  … I don’t know if that is a promise or a threat. Also, I don’t want to be spped.

  Actually, would Threatening Roar activate if Lua tried to sp me? It might, but I don’t think it would. Just because of the dition for its activation. It should activate if someoacks or is about to attack me with the iion to kill me, or cause harm to me. And a sp might not be inteo harm me, so it might not. Well, I don’t know if I actually want to find out.

  “e o’s head up.” I said as I took her hand and pulled her into the teleportation beam.

  We waved at the other vilgers before I ordered Big Core to teleport us up to it.

  “Brian. Why are you holding her hand?” Alice demao know as we walked to the bridge, still holding hands.

  “Am I not allowed to?” I simply asked.

  “But… you don’t hold my hand!” She pined.

  “Well, unlike you, Lua is my girlfriend so I’ll hold her hand if I want to.” I answered.

  “G-gi-gi-girlfriend? When?” Alice sputtered.

  “Yesterday.” I simply answered. “Now sit down. ces to be.” I told her, only to receive a small sp from Lua. It didn’t hurt at all, so it wasn’t a serious sp.

  I turo look at her and saw that she had a pyful smile on her face.

  “What was that for?” I asked.

  “You said something stupid, so I spped you. I did warn yht?” She answered.

  “... I guess you did.” She still didn’t have to do it. And art of what I said was stupid? Anyway. “Here. Take a seat. stop, the Wat manor.” I announced as I took the captain’s seat.

  inally Christina was supposed to meet us at the dungeon after flying there on one of her birds, but as the weather was cloudy and it drizzled from time to time, she asked if I could pick her up instead, and I agreed.

  “Good m, everyone.” Christina said, as she got to the bridge. Worth mentioning here is that she wasn’t alone. She had two maids, Sana and Aneesa with her. I didn’t know she was bringing them, but it doesn’t really matter.

  “Mom! Mom. Listen.” Alice called as she rushed over to her mother. “Brian is being meaook Lua as his girlfriend instead of me!” She informed her mother. “And then he forced me to give up my seat that I fought for.”

  e on Alice, I told you all that I wao leave the lead navigator’s seat for Lua this time, even before you were pying rock-paper-scissors for it. That isn’t my fault. It is ary that the new person on bets the lead navigator's seat. Though I think from now on I’ll keep the lead on’s officers seat for Lua. It is on the right hand side of the captain’s seat, and I want Lua there. Either that, or I’ll just make a new seat for her, which is right o mine. If this ship was any rger, or if it had a medbay, maybe I would make her the lead medical officer. But realistically, I should just name her the sed-in-and, as that is what she is. But I’d like her to know how Big Core works a bit better before that. You still do a l, and blow up a mountain or something if you do. Okay, you ’t actually blow up a mountain. Big Core’s ons aren’t that powerful. But you destroy some houses if you actally fire them.

  “Oh? Brian? You did something like that? I didn’t think you would.” Christina said. “And with Lucia. I didn’t think you would go for the dhampir, but I guess I ’t predict you.”

  “Well, I do things my way.” I ented.

  “Yes, yes you do.” She said and turned her eyes to Lua. “I have to say, you’ve really ged your style. You always had such reserved colors, but look at you now. Really dressing up to impress Brian, huh.”

  “... I … it’s not…”

  “Well, I guess not everything has ged. I really like this mantle. Where did you get it?” Christina asked, running her hand over it. “... what is this? This metal edging?”

  Yeah. The silver lining isn’t actually silver. I should have guessed as much, but it was actually vampiric steel, not silver. Of course it would be. You have the super metal that vampire’s like and it be form trolled quite well, so why not use it for something like that. Sadly, because of it being attached to a mantle like that, it wasn’t hardened. uess in terms of vampiric steel, I should call it ‘not set’. It isn’t quite the same as hardening steel, but that is the closest parison I make.

  “I… Brian gave it to me.” Lua answered the first part of the question.

  “I see. So I’m asking the wrong person.” Christina turo me. “Brian, where did you get it from? I might want one of my own.”

  “Sorry, it is a special order, and I ’t get another one, or tell where it is from.” I answered.

  You could probably make a simir mantle, but making one just like that, with the vampiric steel and everything, not going to happen. Maybe with mithril or some other metal instead. Maybe I get some of those ‘greatest metals’ from somewhere and use that instead.

  “I see. I guess that is fihem.” She said.

  “I do have something else for you though. I’ll hand it over once we get to the dungeon.”

  “Oh? A gift for me? I hope it will be something nice.”

  During our quick flight, I introduced everyoo each other. That included Cardo, our knight escort for the day.

  We made it to the dungeon and got down from B.E.S. Big Core. Because of how many of us were here, we used both teleporters, instead of just one.

  “... I don’t see anyone. Good. We do what we want.” I said, looking over the dungeon cameras. I just wao firm that we wouldn’t be stepping on aoes and stealing their prey. “Did you tell the guild that we would be in the duoday?” I asked Christina.

  “I think you are fetting that most adveravel in carriages or on foot. How fast do you think they get here?”

  “... oh yeah. That little problem. Traveling sucks.” Holy. Even ba earth, I hated long car rides. I usually loved the destination and the people there, but traveling sucks. Thank god Big akes traveling a breeze. But at the same time, being here and oh is quite different. Here you don’t ck a puter just because you are in a car, a carriage, as you never have a puter to begin with. Well I do in the factory, but it isn’t ected to the i, so it doesn’t t.

  “So… we just kill all the monsters?” Ria asked.

  “Yeah. Go for it.” I gave permission.

  “Nice. e on Alice. Let’s go!” She called, as she took Alice by her hand and dragged her in.

  “Yes! I’m going to crush them.” Alice ran in with Ria.

  “... wait! Don’t run off!” Cardo rushed after them and Paulina followed him.

  “I’ll head in as well, if you don’t mind.” Agatha said, following after Paulina.

  “Well, shall we?” Lua asked, holding my hand.

  “Yeah. Might as well. But I think we should let them deal with most of the monsters, at least as long as they have that kind of energy.” I agreed, following after the people with more enthusiasm than I had.

  “When did my lovely daughter bee a battle hungry fiend?” Christina wondered.

  “Sorry. That might be my fault.” I admitted.

  “No. I like seeing her with that kind of energy. As long as she has something to el it towards.”

  “So, Brian, may I ask a few things?” Christina began another versation after we caught up with the rest of our party.

  Our lineup was Ria, Agatha and the knight holding down the front line, Alice, Paulina and Sana were ag as magic support, and Lua, Christina, Aneesa and I were in the rear, not actually taking part in any battles.

  “Sure, but you do realize that that in itself is already a question.” I responded, as I sometimes do when I want to try to be funny.

  “Whatever. So, first of all. The dy with that battle axe? She is Lucia’s mother, that’s what you said, right?” Christina asked.

  “Yes. She is my mother.” Lua answered before I had the ce.

  “... but her arm. It has scales, right? Even other parts of her body have some, but they are pronounced in that area. So isn’t she a lizard folk? How e you don’t show aures like she does?”

  “Because mother is … was a normal human until…” Lua answered and looked at me.

  “... Brian? Want to expin that?” Christian asked.

  “I , but will it matter?”

  “I would like to know. Unless it is some big secret.” Christina said.

  “No. It really isn’t. She was missing an arm because of a past i. I wao make her a new one and in doing so I had to ge her race to a half-dragon. Those aren’t lizard scales, they are dragon scales.” I expined, and as I did, I saw Aneesa’s eyes open wide.

  “... you … ged her race? Is that even … Why am I asking that? Mister does whatever he wants, even if it is impossible. I would say stop, but I wouldn’t want Alice to go back to what she used to be.”

  “Wow. That’s a long name. You could have just called me Mr. Impossible. Or just Brian. That works as well. And those that know me, know why Brian means what it means.”

  “Well it doesn’t matter. question. That Ria girl. She is a dhampir, right?” Christina asked.

  “Yeap.” I firmed.

  “Is she … stable?”

  “Now you are asking that? You’ve seen her multiple times already and has she never done anything to prove you otherwise?”

  “I guess. I just…”

  “You are scared for Alice. I uand. Don’t worry. I do have ways to keep her in check, but I really don’t think it will ever actually be necessary.”

  “... I know I shouldn’t be, it’s just…”

  “She is a dhampir.” Lua cut in. “That in itself makes her dangerous, right?”

  “... yes. I’m sorry. I hope you uand where I e from.” She apologized to Lua.

  “No. I do uand. Even if I don’t like it, I’ve seen it many times.” Lua said.

  “Yes. Again, I apologize. It isn’t something we have any right to do. You are uhe prote of oddess, just like every other race.”

  “... it is what it is. But we will make it better, won’t we Brian?”

  “Well, hopefully.” I answered. “Let’s just hope things won’t get worse before they get better.”

  “If you are doing it, I’m sure it will succeed. Whatever it is that you are pnning.” Christina said. “... Lucia, may I ask about … the wings?” Christina asked with a very quiet voice. I don’t think outside of the four of us, anyone else would have heard.

  “How did you..?”

  “I noticed them when I was feeling your mantle.” Christina admitted. “So they really are wings. Did Brian?”

  “No. That one isn’t on me.” I answered, keeping my voice low. “Well, it kind of is, because of Level Up, but that’s all.”

  “... an evolution, then?” Christina guessed.

  “Yes.” Lua firmed.

  “... I see. I didn’t know if the Level Ups could cause an evolution, so that is good to know.” Christina said. “But a winged dhampir… I didn’t know that ossible. Well, not that I know a lot about dhampirs.”

  “Based on my info, winged dhampirs aren’t that rare, but her white wings are.” I told Christina.

  “... and your informatiinates from where? Your system..?”

  “My vampire summons.” I interrupted.

  “... why do I ask.” Christina muttered before speaking up. “Also, didn’t you say something about a gift for me? What is it?”

  “Oh yeah. That. I have this.” I said as I got out the A-rank core. It was just about 18 diameter pared to the S-rank core which was about 25 cm.1I was going to pare the size to the size of some ball from some ball game, but for the A-rank core, only Rhythmic gymnastics ball and Team Handball ball are in that range.2Of course the S-rank core is still about the size of a Basketball, if not just a bit rger.

  “An A-rank monster core? Why would you give me something like this?” Christina asked.

  “... to make up for the one used for this dungeon?” I questioned my own judgment.

  “You really don’t have to. I know I was … still am, a little a a certain someone for using the S-rank core, but that isn’t your fault. You shouldn’t have to make up for the mistakes of others, and be reassured that I’m making him pay for not even discussing with me about using that core before it was too te.”

  “... so do you want it or not?” I asked.

  “Keep it.” Christina said. “sidering you, I’m sure you’ll find a good use for it. Better than we would, anyway. For us, it would likely just be stored in a case, until we either had to sell it, or another dungeon would pop up which we needed a core for. And holy, this dungeon is a good thing for us. It will help the town grow.”

  “... alright. Then I’ll keep it. But if another dungeon does pop up, send me a message and I’ll bring this core over. Unless I’ve used it already. And if I have, I’ll find another one quickly.”

  “Well, thank you. You really are too kind.” Christina said.

  “Only the best for my dungeon master, right. Actually, I analyzed this one magic book …”

  And so, we explored the dungeon. you actually call this expl? We are just taking, while we let the others take care of everything. The only ‘explorer’ thing we do is abs the monsters, as my geion points just are more effective than the regur dungeon points the others get.

  nro_8