I was coming back to the mansion when I met Anna on the way.
- Oh hi, Luna! She said waving her hand shyly.
But I wasn't in the mood for her game, so I ignored her and tried to leave.
- Wait! There will be a meeting tonight after dinner. So, you should eat with us …
- I already ate!
- Oh! Ok.
She didn't anything more, so I went straight to my room.
It's been a month since the money incident. I couldn't leave the party, but it didn't mean I had to make friend with them. I can't and don't want to get along with people protecting such useless person.
I mostly spend my time in my room. I refused to eat anything cooked by that man. I have plenty of money, so I eat in the town restaurants. Their meals may be crude, but it's better.
I entered my room and collapsed on the bed.
I can't wait to raid a high-level dungeon and see that man get killed. The hero will have no choice but to accept that I was right. But it'll be too late. She has already lost my respect, and nothing she will do will redeem her. Yeah, I just need to be patient.
An hour after I got back, there was a knock on my door.
- Hamon, the meeting is about to start!
- I'll be there, Sebastian.
And here we go, the only time I have to interact with these people. But I try to keep it to the bare minimum. I almost never talk during their meetings, and when I do, I only say 2 things: ''yes'' or ''no''.
I wrapped up what I was doing and headed to the meeting room. Everyone was already present, so I just took my seat without saying a thing.
- Now that everyone is here, let's get started! A dungeon appeared close to the forest and its danger level is probably 10.
- Oh shit! So that means a demon is guarding it?
- We don't know yet, Roy. The dungeon hasn't been properly appraised. But let's assume the worst.
- So, what, we have to clear it?
- If possible. We may be the Hero party, but the strongest dungeon we raided was a level 8. Our order now is to simply scout it.
- And what after?
- If the dungeon is proven too much for us to handle, we will receive help form the Knight Order and even some high-level adventurers.
Yeah, that's the hero's party for you! They never fail to disappoint me. Relying on others to do your job. You know, fighting demons is your job? And the highest you went is only 8? Seeing how much you panic in front of weaklings, what are you going to do in a level 10 dungeon? At least this is the chance to get rid of that guy. Surely, he wouldn't be the only one. I expect half of them to die.
- We will take it nice and slow. I expect at least a week of raiding. So, make sure to stock up on supplies! And Ms. Hamon …
Huh? She is calling me? What does she want this time? I raised my head, without answering.
- I know you have trouble with Lucas, but given the nature of this raid, I ask you to put it aside and let him carry your stuffs.
During this month, I always carry my supplies myself. I wanted to prove that we didn't need this man for such a trivial job. Up to now, I had no problem. Maybe it's working and she wants to stop me from showing the others how useless that person really is.
- No need!
- (sigh) Ms. Hamon, up to now, I only choose 1 or 2-days expeditions. But this time, we will be gone for a week. You can't fight and carry 7 days' worth of food, water, and potions by yourself.
What do you mean you choose? Did you deliberately take weak quests? Not confident you can handle dangerous missions? Like I said, they never fail to disappoint.
- I'm also an alchemist. I will prepare some pills to replace food. And I have enough mana not to use potions.
- …
They were speechless. Of course, they will be. I'm independent and that's how you should be. Maybe you should have hired more people like me and less commoners like that guy.
- (sigh) Very well, Ms. Hamon! If that's how you want it, I will comply. Just be ready to leave the day after tomorrow.
The meeting was adjourned after that, and I returned to my room.
The next day, I woke up early and began preparation. I wasn't lying when I said I'm an alchemist. I have completed a course when I was at the academy. And naturally, I was the top of the class. Concocting nutritious pills is an easy job for me. I'll even make them more nutritious.
But I need to prepare a lot as I'll be gone for a week. Considering I'll need 3 per day, I'll need at least 21. I'll make it 30, just to be sure.
I took me the whole day, but I managed to refine 30 pills. And they only weight 6 kg. No need for a porter to carry them. I also decided not to bring water as I can make some with my magic.
- You just wait, you crook! Your days are numbered!
The following day, I meet up with the rest of the party in front of the mansion. That man had a huge bag next to him, the biggest I've ever seen.
Is he planning to carry this? It's almost as big as himself.
2 carts rode in, and the hero came out of one of them.
- Ok, everyone is here! Last minute intel: the dungeon is indeed a level 10 and is guarded by a demon, but we don't know it's nature yet. Our mission is to map it and deactivate any trap we found. The King is currently assembling the Knights.
- So, there will be a second raid to clear it!
- Indeed! So, for now, be cautious!
Seriously, they will really have others help do their job. Why are you the hero then?
- The dungeon is quite far! We will probably arrive at night and only start exploring tomorrow. For now, get into the cart.
Surprisingly, that man managed to lift his bag and put on a cart.
As for me, I made sure to get into the other cart. I don't want to ride a whole day with him.
When we arrived at the dungeon that night, there were a few people around there. The hero explained that they were adventurers she hired to guard the dungeon, making sure no monster gets loose. You know, if you want to avoid a monster's outbreak, just get in and clear it up.
The next day, we finally entered the dungeon. Unlike other dungeons, it has a more sinister look. It was filled with dark energy that even I was feeling uneasy. If I'm so affected, I wonder how the others are doing. They must be uncomfortable, however, they managed to hide it quite well.
As planned, we advanced slowly. The monsters we encountered were a lot stronger than expected, but we managed to defeat them.
During break, while others had to sit to eat, I just had to swallow a pill and I was satiated. Seriously, this should become the standard food of adventurers. Small pills which take less than a second to swallow. You can even take one during fight. I wonder why I didn't get the idea sooner.
The first day ended with no trouble. We were making good progress. Which was a surprise. I was expecting the heroes to be defeated by now, but they were getting rid of the monsters with ease.
The second day, we continued advancing. The dungeon had become a maze with many hidden doors. Yet the monsters were still not a challenge. Daleth always found and defused the traps; and Diego was detecting any ambush. Maybe they have the skill after all.
I was also fine. It's just I had something unexpected happened. I was using more mana and the break weren't enough to totally replenish it. But still, no worries. I never had to use more than half of it. I was just a little surprised.
The third day was also easy. But I was starting to get hungry. I swallow 3 pills yesterday and one this morning, yet I was still hungry. And during fights, my mana was starting go below 50%. Maybe I should take another pill. I had made 9 more and seeing how the raid goes, it would probably be over before the 7th day. So that day, I took 2 more pills to calm myself. Surely the next day would be fine.
The fourth day, however, was worse. I took 2 pills at breakfast and yet I'm hungry. I started messing my spells and missing my targets. And for the first time, I used 70% of my mana in a fight. What's going on? Maybe the dark energy released is affecting me more than I fought. How come the others are fine?
That night, when we were camping, I was counting my remaining pills. I had used more than expected. If this keeps up, I'll be out of food before long.
I glanced at the others and saw them eating the food made by that man. I never paid attention but they foods were packed in box. They had bread, rice, meat and even potatoes. They were eating such delicious food while I was starving here. And they call themselves heroes.
Angered, I swallow a pill and laid on my back. I didn't even have a sleeping bag. Everyone else had one. That man brought it for them.
- Tsk!!
Well, it's just hunger, I can endure it.
- Ms. Hamon, please take this!
That voice, it was that man. Why is he talking to me. Well, I don't care. I'll just pretend to be asleep.
- Luna, I know you're not sleeping. Get up and eat!
This time it was the hero. She spoke with such a tone; I had no choice but to get up. Wait, what does she mean ''eat''?
I turned to see that man handing me a box. It was full of food like the one the others are eating. Upon seeing the meat in it, I started salivating. I almost reached to the box, when I snapped back to reality.
- No need! I have my pills.
- You should have noticed by now that they are not enough. You need a proper meal with them!
- Huh, what?
- What? We are exploring a dungeon. We spend our days fighting strong monsters. You can't only rely on pill.
How does she know that?
- You have pills too?
- Yeah, Anna usually makes some for us during long raids.
I turned to look at Anna. She was happily biting into a chicken thigh.
- So, eat up! I can't have you exploring the dungeon with an empty stomach.
- But I can't! I mean, it's not mine!
- Don't worry, Lucas had prepared meals for you too!
- …
I really didn't want to, but my stomach was growling. Plus, the food looked tasty. No, no! This is the hero's order. I'm just obeying an order. It's not like I want to eat the food made by that man.
I took the box and ate it. I didn't know food could taste so good. Each bite was sending me to heaven. I was a little sad when it was over.
Wait, she said he had made food for me. Does it mean, he will give me something too tomorrow? The answer was yes. He gave me a box a breakfast, lunch and dinner. And they were all delicious and nutritious. I didn't even have to use the pills. My mana consumption had unexpectedly slowed down.
I also noticed the other members swallowing some pills at time to time during fight. So, they had it since the beginning! Why didn't them tell me? They could have warned me that pills are not enough.
The sixth day morning, we arrived in front of a huge door which is likely to be the boss room.
- Okay everyone, get ready to leave!
- Huh? So, you are really not going to fight it?
- I doubt we will be able to kill it! And after all, our orders are just to map the dungeon. Besides, there are still a lot of monsters. It's better to kill them all before fighting the boss.
What a coward! You can spout any excuses you want, but I know you're just scare to fight the demon. But why though? To my surprise, you prove to be quite capable. We handled the monsters perfectly and didn't even have any injured.
Well, if you want to run away, so be it.
As we turned our heels to head back, the door of the boss room suddenly exploded. The shockwave sent me flying. When I came back to my senses, I was in Christa arms. I had forgotten how charming her smile was. But this is not the time for it. I glanced around. As expected, Roy and the hero were fine, everyone else has been knocked down.
- GET BACK IN FORMATION!! The hero ordered.
We took position and got ready for whatever was coming out of the flames.
The dark energy concentration suddenly increased, and I got nauseous. I fell on my knees trying to hold myself back. I was barely managing when I heard a loud step. The monster was coming out. Still trembling, I raised my head and saw a dragon coming out of the flames.
- T… the … demon is a dragon!?
Dragons are already the strongest species there is. And this one is a demon. That's means it's a Demon Lord. The only thing stronger than that would be the Demon God. We have no way of wining!
I looked up to the Hero, hoping she would do something. She has serious look on her face, not fear, more like determination. Seeing her like that appeased me a little. She is the Hero after all; she can do miracles.
But the dragon stood up, spread out its wings and left out such a huge roar that even Christa got pulled back. I was already at my limit, and this roar, it made me lose my concentration and I puked. But this didn't help me. My whole body was frozen, and I couldn't even breath.
I was at a total loss. My mind was blank, and I couldn't remember any of the thousand spell I memorized.
That's when Anna got close to me and put a white pill in my mouth. Once I swallowed it, the intense pressure I was feeling from dark energy disappeared. I regain control over my body. I wanted to ask what kind of pill she fed me, but this wasn't the time to chat.
- Okay everyone, retreat! The hero ordered.
No need to ask me twice. I immediately stood up to run, only to be stopped by Anna.
- No, not like that! Use your more powerful spells to attack the Demon Lord and let Lucas evacuate us!
- What?
Without answering, Anna turned to the Demon Lord and blasted it with an explosion just as powerful as the one which destroyed the door.
- What? I shouted crouching behind her.
I was speechless. Even my most powerful spell wasn't anything like that. And she just casually casted it.
Still amazed by Anna's spell, I barely noticed Lucas lifting Roy from the corner of my eye. I tried to get a better look, but they disappeared. He can run that fast with Roy on his back? How?
But I had no time to be surprised. The Demon Lord attacked us with its fire breath. The whole area was about to be swallowed by flames.
- NOOOOOO!!!!!! I screamed, falling on my butt and holding my head in my arms.
I don't know how, but Anna managed to counter the fire with another of her spell. Her flames and the Dragon fire collided and extinguished themselves.
I was lying down there, incapable of understanding anything. And it seemed I was the only one shocked because as soon as the fire disappeared, the others attacked the dragon.
I already knew Bertrand was capable of enchanting his arrows, but it seems he wasn't the only one. Everyone's weapon glowed before hitting the dragon. The Hero even blasted it with lighting. She could use it, on top of light magic?
The Heroes' attacks landed, but it didn't seem to be effective.
- We need you, Luna! Anna spoke to me.
But I was too scared to move. I was just sitting there, agape, and powerless. I could feel my tears piling up in my eyes.
Anna pulled me over and my face was resting on her chest. Next, she embraced me and whispered into my ears.
- It's ok! You're going to be fine!
For a moment I had forgotten about the danger. I was feeling good and let myself melted in her arms. It's like I was in my mother arms.
- Please, Luna! Fire is not effective against this dragon! Use water!
The next words she said brought me from my dream. I remembered the dangerous situation we were in. Fortunately, her hug made me regain some of my confidence. I was still shaken, but managed to cast a water type magic. This hurt the dragon, but not much. However, it attracted its attention and the dragon turned to me. I got scared once more, but Christa and the Hero landed a powerful blow that made it stepped back.
Anna gave me another pill and hugged me from behind. Feeling more confident, I attacked the dragon again. Water was much more effective, but my spells were too weak to properly hurt the dragon.
- Luna, make a hole just under it!
I followed the Hero order and made the hole. The Demon Lord fell inside and got immobilized momentarily. That when Lucas reappeared and took Diego.
I tried attacking with wind magic, but this prove to also be useless. Meanwhile the Demon Lord was getting out of the hole.
- Deeper the hole! The Hero ordered again.
Why, can't she see that it's useless? I was septic, but right now, all I could do was following her orders. So, I made the hole deeper, and the Demon Lord was much more incapacitated. This allowed the others to freely attack it even though they weren't doing much damage.
Lucas came back again and took Bertrand.
Wait, why is he taking fighters instead of physically weak mages? Those fighters could run away on their own. How can't he not understand such a simple thing?
I was angered by the situation but couldn't do anything. So, I tried attacking the dragon with water magic again, but the Hero stopped me.
- That's enough Luna! Save your mana!
Before I could answer, I got lifted and carried as a princess. I thought it was Anna but when I turned my head, it was Lucas I saw holding me. We suddenly started moving fast, very fast. He was so fast that I could barely see my surrounding. I was so scared that all I could do was holding onto him as tightly as possible.
After what seemed like an eternity, he stopped and put me down. I was still dizzy and didn't even notice when he left. Something was pressed against my lips, and I could feel some liquid run down my throat. The next moment, my mind was clear, and I could see Bertrand.
- Good, you're ok! Get up and help us secure the perimeter!
- Huh … what?
I looked around me and saw Diego and Roy fighting monsters.
- Lucas took us here, but we are still inside the dungeon. We have to clear up every monster here so the others could retreat safely.
I did not understand everything, but I knew we were surrounded by monsters. Yet, it was way better than fighting a Dragon Demon Lord. I got up and started casting spells. I did my best to support the 3 of them.
Suddenly, Diego shouted:
- Lucas, incoming!
I got startled by his shout. Before I could ask anything Lucas, indeed arrived and dropped Daleth. She immediately took a potion and got up, drew her weapons and attacked the monsters around.
- She knows what to do!
She didn't even hesitate. She took that weird potion which seems to stop dizziness and got into the fight. And Diego, his shout earlier was to warn us of Lucas' return so we wouldn't mistake him for a monster. They are organised!
We kept fighting for some time before Diego shouted again.
- Lucas, incoming!
This time it was Ines who was evacuated. However, she was injured. Despite that, she got up and drew her weapons. Unfortunately, I couldn't heal her. I had no affinity with light magic, and I had no potions. Why did I refuse to bring supplies?
Mad at my own stupidity, I double down and cleared up the few remaining monsters. If I couldn't heal her, I could at least make her job easier.
- Lucas, incoming!
It was Sebastian who was brought back, and he healed Ines. I was relieved to see her safe, but this situation was worrying me. If Sebastian is here, this means Anna, Christa and the He…, I mean Rina are stuck with the Demon Lord with no healer. This is not good!
Anna was brought next. But she was brought unconscious. Sebastian explained it must be mana exhaustion as she used more powerful spells after I left.
You mean to tell me that what she did before wasn't her true power? She can do more?
While I was amazed, Lucas brought Christa. And of course, she was severely injured. Her left arm and leg were gone. Sebastian immediately went to tend her. I don't know how, but after a few seconds, her limbs were growing back. Sebastian kept healing her till they completely recover, and she opened her eyes.
- Miracle! Is all I could say.
I hear Sebastian could do them, but this was my first time witnessing one.
It seemed Christa heard me because she smiled at me. Maybe because she was almost dead, it was much more beautiful than usual. Her smile distracted me, but only for a few seconds.
Christa is a tank and she got so badly hurt. What would happen to Rina who is still there? Alone! Lucas went to retrieve her, but will he make it in time? Will Sebastian be able to save her? He must have exhausted his mana by now.
- Potions, I …
No, I didn't bring some because I thought I wouldn't need them. How could have I been so stupid? Lucas left our supplies to evacuate us. Will she die because I was so self-centred. No, please, someone must have at least one bottle.
I turned to the others and saw Sebastian already drinking a potion.
- You had one?
- huh ... potion? Yes, we have some on us in case of emergency!
That's right. When I was brought here, Bertrand gave me a potion and I saw Daleth drink one herself. They were prepared. Maybe it would be enough …
- Lucas, incoming!
Diego's voice took me out of my sorrows.
They're back! Please, I just want Rina to be safe. It wasn't that long since Lucas left. She should be ok.
When Lucas appeared, instead of stopping, he crashed. Christa managed to catch him. He was unconscious and was holding Rina firmly. I was about to burst out of joy when I noticed it was only her head, on arm and bust. The rest was gone.
- No! Please… no…
Sebastian and the others run to her, but I simply fell on my knees. Tears were dripping off my cheeks.
- Big brother!
An image of my brother came to my mind. I already lost him. I can't lose her too. I …
Why didn't they let me die there. My death would have saved her. It's the weak duty. And yet, she stayed. And now she is dead.
As I was crying, a hand was put on my head.
- Didn't expect you to cry that much over me, Luna!
This voice! No, can't be! I raised my head and saw her, Rina, in front of me, smiling.
- I … I …
I couldn't say anything. Am I hallucinating? No, her lower half was completely exposed. I was staring at her naked legs. This mean they have been regrown.
I turned to Sebastian, and he smiled. He healed her? He managed to save her in that condition.
I started crying even more. I was so happy. I thought I had lost her, but she is here in front of me. I wanted to jump and hug her as tight as possible, but I remembered my actions since I joined the party. How awful I was to them.
Even if I'm happy to see her, it must not be the same for her. I was useless in today raid and they must have saved me simply because they are heroes.