Chapter 223: Double Restriction

"Halved the number of people?" Luna repeated with a bit of surprise evident in her voice. A dungeon with two limits was a rare sight to behold. Now it was understandable why the guild struggled to organize a party strong enough to clear it.

"Right. It means only ten people can enter, which in turn means we can’t even hire dungeon aides... Our awakened will have to carry their bags and collect the dropped loot themselves. Make the camps, cook the meals, all the mundane stuff no one wants to do," Talia admitted with a gruff grunt.

"Vampires..." Bastet hissed next with clear distaste evident in her tone.

Everyone turned toward the tanned felinid. "Do you know something about them that we don’t?" Tessa asked curiously.

Bastet remained quiet for a bit, but her strong frown never left her face. "No... I just don’t like the sound of them."

No one knew what to do with that information, so Tessa moved on, turning toward Kaiden. "Does this sound like something you guys want to partake in? Sounds like the high-risk, high-reward situation you were looking for."

Then, Tessa’s lips curled upwards, not with her usual poised calm, but with something subtly mischievous.

"Maybe you can bring a vampire girl home with you..." she mused, casting a sideways glance at Bastet.

The tanned felinid’s ears flattened. A hiss escaped her lips as her golden eyes narrowed into dagger-slits. Her fangs showed in a pointed, unamused snarl.

"I don’t think so..." Bastet growled, tail whipping behind her with clear tension. "I don’t share territory with bloodsucking leeches."

Kaiden didn’t react outwardly, but the corner of his mouth did twitch upwards just like Tessa’s. The guild leader chuckled at the response, raising her hands in mock surrender.

It was Vaelira who spoke up next.

"Do you have anyone else lined up for the slot besides Nova Circuit’s allied merc group?" she asked the tablet, speaking to Talia directly. All three Valkyries turned their heads toward the woman once they realized she dared to call them allies.

"Only Diaz. He’s level 25 and a very experienced awakened for his level. He’s been inside once already when I sent in the scout party, so he’ll serve as the party’s rogue—especially since, as far as I can tell, Valhalla’s Sinners don’t have anyone to fill that role."

Kaiden sat back in his chair, feeling conflicted about the news.

A man who survived when nineteen others died?

Suspicion curled inside him, though he said nothing aloud. Maybe Diaz was incredibly skilled. Everyone knew rogues weren’t the heroic type; it wouldn’t be surprising if he bolted to save his hide while leaving the others on their own. Either way, Kaiden didn’t have the luxury of refusing a guide with firsthand experience, especially since Talia seemed rather set on him tagging along.

"We’ll work with what we’ve got," he said after a short bit.

That’s when Vaelira tilted her head and turned toward him with a playful glint in her eye.

"Well, Miss," she purred, "correct me if I’m wrong, but you only have six people lined up for the job thus far... How about we join in? Me and my three lackeys- I mean colleagues."

Tessa blinked, visibly surprised. "You’re volunteering?" Her voice carried clear surprise. Based on what the guild leader knew of the woman, she didn’t take her as a risk-taker. After all, Vaelira spent years in Nova Circuit’s pre-dungeon school to get prepared instead of diving in as soon as she awakened.

Vaelira smirked. "I am."

Tessa didn’t reply, but her eyes flicked toward Kaiden.

The man’s calm demeanor. His calculated rejection of a freebie. The way he looked beyond streaming and fame, straight toward growth. Strength. Legacy.

Tessa knew a rare breed when she saw one. And if her guild was going to claw its way up from the lower rungs of the ladder... then more of her people needed to start thinking like him.

So she said nothing. No protest left her lips.

"Hm..." Talia hummed from the tablet, clearly weighing the proposal. "An A-rank like you would balance things out nicely against Diaz. He’s a very competent B-rank, but there’s only so much one scout can do. If you bring your squad, we’ll be at ten. Perfect count."

Her voice sharpened.

"If you’re all agreed, then let’s consider the squad locked in. That leaves one last thing... Tess, are you okay with this? Vaelira is your golden goose."

Tessa nodded slowly, her eyes now cool and precise. "I’m fine with it. But if Nova Circuit’s young talent is being leveraged, and our guild’s name is on the line..."

She leaned forward.

"Then it’s time to talk numbers."

"Oho!" Talia’s voice deepened a pitch as she, too, leaned into the hologram. "As Diaz is by far the highest leveled person in the group, and as it is we, the Runewoven, who created this opportunity, it’s only fair if we get 25% of all spoils."

"I didn’t know you became a comedian since I last saw you, friend."

"..."

"Ten people will go in, so each one should receive 10% of the spoils. Which means 10 to you, 40 to us, and 50 to Valhalla’s Sinners," Tessa proposed.

"You can’t put your scrubs on the same level as Diaz! He’ll do five times the work your busty redhead archer puts in."

"You’re in no position to negotiate. Also, stop badmouthing my adorable guild members."

"... Haaah. You’ve become such a cruel bastard since inheriting the guild, Tess. Where’s the bubbly girl I fought alongside?"

"Is that a yes?" Tessa probed while ignoring the woman’s remarks.

A second sigh came from the tablet’s speakers. "You leave me no choice. Yes."

"Great, let’s shake our virtual hands on the deal," Tessa replied.

"Excuse me," Aria spoke up all of a sudden, grabbing the attention of both Tessa and Talia. The Moon Valkyrie didn’t mind the attention she was receiving as she delivered with a fake smile, "I’m glad you two came to an arrangement, but I don’t remember Kai saying he was okay with the deal. Aren’t you getting a bit ahead of yourselves? With all due respect, of course."

Tessa eyed the girl’s gorgeous smile for a moment before realizing she wasn’t going to have things so easy. That smile told her all she needed to know.

Kaiden didn’t speak right away. Instead, his hand slid over to Aria’s thigh, which he stroked in appreciation. His voice, when it came, was quiet.

"I might’ve come to Nova Circuit for a dungeon, but the last thing I want is to be trapped in a crypt with Vaelira and her gang of arrogant brats."