Chapter 92: From Simple Town To Strange Dungeon - Part 1

"Isn't this town wonderful, Mr. Arezu?" Within its towering stone wall and massive iron gates lies a town that shines brighter than any other in its kingdom. With streets decorated with colored glass ornaments shaped into various creatures and objects, and houses and buildings designed with large windows and mirrors, the town's beauty could even rival that of the capital. Yet no matter how brightly the town shone under the morning sun, no matter how many pretty glass decorations adorned its streets and houses— "—All of them are nothing compared to how bright and pretty her smile is, right, Mr. Arezu?" Lynn said with a cheerful smile as she turned around and stopped walking to stand in front of Arezu. Her cheerful smile, free of her usual mischief, was a rare sight for Arezu, and he wouldn't deny that it was indeed more pleasing than any decorative glass they had seen while walking the bustling streets of the town. However, Lynn's vanity—her excessive pride and self-admiration—still managed to annoy him as always. But even so, Arezu wouldn't dare tell a girl that a piece of glass was more beautiful than her. She would shoot me with her crossbow if I said that, Arezu thought, before giving his response in his usual laid-back tone. "Then I wouldn't mind seeing that cheerful smile more often, Lynn." Though his response was only a safe answer so she wouldn't get mad or ruin her good mood, what Arezu said was still true. And it caught Lynn off guard, making her blush and grow flustered. "I didn't know you were actually this good at handling Lynn, Arezu," Beatrix said, teasing Lynn for a reaction she had never seen from her before. "..." Lynn, in turn, remained stunned and speechless, unable to respond to Arezu or counter Beatrix's teasing. And hers wasn't the only teasing coming her way. —"Why don't you show that smile of yours again, Ms. Lynn?"— Said the four mage students in unison. "How about you four treat us to breakfast instead? Don't worry, it's not like we're going to the most expensive restaurant and ordering the most expensive meal," Lynn said, trying to get back at Leo, Cliff, Senna, and Casey, while also deflecting the attention and hide her embarrassment. Following Lynn's suggestion, their group wandered the town until they found the most expensive-looking restaurant and ordered the most expensive meal on the menu for their late breakfast. Leo, Cliff, Senna, and Casey didn't mind treating Lynn, Arezu, and Beatrix to a meal. In fact, it was part of their plan—to show their gratitude for keeping them safe as bodyguards during the Annual Caravan. Still, the price of the meal Lynn ordered would definitely hurt their budget for the rest of the expedition. But it was worth it to show their gratitude, especially to Lynn for agreeing to teach them mystic spells and other knowledge. If she could be satisfied with their treat, then cutting their budget short would be worth it. However, that wasn't exactly the case. "This place is a scam," Lynn said with clear dissatisfaction the moment she took the first bite of the beef steak on her plate. —"Ehh?"— Everyone shared the same confusion, unable to understand what she meant. Noticing their blank stares, Lynn promptly explained. "It's the meat—" she said, pausing to cut the steak for another bite before continuing, "—it's not fresh. It's barely at the standard for the price they're charging." To Arezu, Beatrix, Leo, Cliff, and Casey, Lynn understood they wouldn't notice the slight difference in taste. After all— "You all have average taste." —"Huh?"— "But you should be able to tell, right, Ms. Senna?" Despite her suspicion of Lynn, Senna took another bite of her steak and slowly savored it. Then, with an uneasy look, she admitted: "You're right, Ms. Lynn, this place is a scam." Don't copy her words or you might grow up like her someday, Arezu thought, shooting Lynn a questioning look, wondering what exactly she was teaching the four students. "How dare they lie to their customers! I'm going to have a word with the chef and the manager—" "If it's just a subtle difference in taste that only the two of you can notice, then you don't have to ruin your mood over it, Lynn." Arezu's remark stopped Lynn, who had already stood up and was about to storm into the kitchen. "Hmph!..." Lynn grumbled as she sat back down and continued eating her meal. After their late breakfast— "Thank you for your purchase, please enjoy sightseeing in Mirare Town." "We're never eating at this restaurant again!" —and after stopping Lynn from causing a scene, the group decided to split up for sightseeing. Leo, Cliff, Senna, and Casey would stroll around the town before returning to their camp, Beatrix would visit the Crafters Guild, and Arezu would accompany Lynn to the Crystal Mirror Dungeon to make sure she didn't cause any unnecessary trouble. "How rude, Mr. Arezu! You're making it sound like I cause trouble wherever I go." "I'm not. I'm just making sure you don't try to conquer the dungeon like you said earlier." Lynn and Arezu left while squabbling, making Beatrix wonder what kind of trouble they might get into, while the four students wondered whether the two were really heading to the dungeon—or perhaps somewhere else to be alone. "Thank you for your purchase, please enjoy sightseeing in Mirare Town." "You've been in this town before, Mr. Arezu, so why do you still need a tourist map?" Lynn asked, looking at the map Arezu had just bought from a stall at the town square. "I only stayed a few days here before. That wasn't enough for me to know or remember where everything is, Lynn," Arezu replied as he guided her to a bench so they could study the map. At the center of the town where Lynn and Arezu sat stood the tallest building in Mirare: a clockwork tower, the main landmark marked on the map Lynn now held. Looking at the large clock atop the tower, Lynn pulled out her pocket watch from her enchanted bag, strapped to her belt, to check the time. "Pfft—Hahaha... Look, Mr. Arezu, for such a big clock, it's running a minute late." "How do you know it's not your pocket watch running a minute fast, Lynn?" "Because I don't use cheap items. I have high standards, after all." Shifting his gaze from Lynn's smug grin, Arezu looked back at the map in her hands. To the north of town was the residential area, with the caravan camped outside. To the east was the noble marquess's manor. To the west was the commercial area, home to the Adventurers, Crafters, and Merchants Guilds. And to the south was the entrance to the Crystal Mirror Dungeon, surrounded by forest. "Now that we know where the dungeon is, let's go conquer it, Mr. Arezu." "I told you, didn't I, Lynn? There will be no conquering of any dungeon."