Chapter 45: Debt 45 - Dead Adventurers and the New Objective

The automatic debt collection activated just as the group was still gathered around Helen.

Helen, who had been smiling with that characteristic satisfaction of hers just a second earlier after a good fight, suddenly looked away.

Her body no longer obeyed her.

She moved behind Ryan without saying a word.

She leaned toward his ear and began gently biting it. Then she slowly ran her tongue along the edge, from bottom to top.

’Well. At least this time we’re all together.’

Then he felt something on his other ear.

Mirian was there, eyes half-lidded and a smile she wasn’t even trying to hide.

"Mirian."

"Hmm?"

"What do you think you’re doing?"

She pulled her lips away from his ear for a moment.

"It’s the debt payment, isn’t it?"

"You don’t have any active debt."

Mirian stayed silent for exactly one second.

"No, I do. My body just won’t listen. Tehe."

And she went back to licking his ear.

Ryan sighed.

"You two really are hopeless."

She laughed shamelessly.

Karol watched them from a couple of steps away with her arms crossed.

"Seriously," she said. "We’re in a dungeon. You just fought the son of a Demon King. And you’re doing this?"

No one answered her.

Karol opened her mouth. Closed it. Looked at the stone ceiling.

Then she took two steps back and sat on the floor with her back against the wall.

"Do whatever you want."

And she stopped commenting.

A moment later, Helen released Ryan’s ear.

Her body was still responding to the debt, but the impulse had changed direction.

She positioned herself directly behind him, placed her hands on his shoulders, and began to press.

Ryan blinked.

Helen worked with her thumbs on the muscles of his neck, searching for tense spots. She pressed harder on one and Ryan felt something release in his right shoulder.

’A massage.’

Mirian sat in front of him, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at him.

’So this time the debt was this. A massage with some mischief.’

Every now and then Helen would plant a soft bite on his shoulder or briefly press her lips against his nape before continuing with her hands.

[Debt Collection Applied]

[Debt Bonus: +50 Points]

[Debt Bonus: +45,000 XP]

[Level Bonus: +20 Points]

[Attributes Increased: +10 to all stats]

Helen’s hands stopped.

A second later she slowly withdrew them.

"Did you like it?" Helen asked.

Ryan nodded.

She picked up her sword from the floor with complete naturalness.

That was when they heard footsteps in the corridor.

All four turned their heads.

Alina and Delia appeared from the far end of the hallway.

They walked slowly, looking around at the surroundings, their eyes tracing the destruction Helen’s attack had left on the walls and floor.

Delia stopped in front of the large hole that Straight Repulse had carved into the rock.

She looked from one end of the destroyed corridor to the other.

"What kind of attack did this..." she murmured.

Alina observed the same line of destruction with a slightly furrowed brow.

"It looks like someone tore through half the dungeon."

"It was Helen," Ryan replied. "She was fighting Solaris. Though he managed to escape in the end."

Both heroines turned toward Helen.

Alina crossed her arms.

"How could you let an archdemon escape?"

Her tone was slightly mocking, but only just.

Helen was about to respond, but Karol beat her to it.

"You two aren’t exactly in a position to talk," Karol said with a smile that wasn’t friendly. "A few mere princes gave you a beating and Ryan had to save you. So..."

"We already told you it was Lighter," Delia cut in.

"Well, we didn’t see him anywhere," Karol replied. "So that story is a bit questionable."

Alina frowned.

"Whatever," Ryan said.

"We have more important things to talk about. And I’m pretty sure neither Solaris nor this Lighter guy is still in the dungeon."

Mirian looked at him.

"Why are you so sure?"

"Solaris left," Ryan answered. "Before he went, he was talking to someone through telepathy. They probably returned to the Demon Continent using teleportation stones."

He paused briefly.

"And it’s very likely that the teleportation stones Alina and Delia used sent Lighter back as well. Otherwise he’d already be here."

The group looked at him in silence for a moment.

Alina was the first to speak.

"You’re probably right," she said. Then she paused. "But why did they leave? Did they really run away from you?"

"Of course," Helen answered immediately. "I alone was enough to beat them."

Karol looked at her.

And smiled.

It wasn’t a mocking smile. It was one of approval.

"I’m sure Helen could have beaten Solaris," Ryan added. "But I doubt they left just because of that. Before he left, he mentioned that Rigal’s sentinels were roaming around the dungeon. He probably didn’t want to get ambushed while he was worn out."

Alina frowned.

"Rigal’s sentinels? Then are they coming for us?"

"I doubt it," Ryan replied. "If they had wanted to attack, they would have done it while we were all separated and exhausted. That was the perfect moment and they didn’t take it."

He paused.

"Now we’re together and prepared. I don’t think a few sentinels would want that kind of trouble."

Alina and Delia exchanged a quick glance.

"We get the point," Delia said. "If Lighter really isn’t here, some sentinels won’t be a problem."

"Exactly."

Karol looked around.

"Hey," she said. "What happened to the other adventurers? You said earlier you were going to look for them. Are you two the only ones here?"

Delia didn’t answer right away.

Neither did Alina.

It was Delia who finally spoke, her tone calmer than before.

"We looked for them," she said. "But we didn’t find anyone alive."

The corridor fell silent.

"All of them?" Karol asked.

"All of them," Alina confirmed. "Except five. Five Rank A adventurers we found before reaching here. They were injured but alive."

Then Delia continued.

"They told us that an assassin-class warrior had saved them," Delia went on. "But then he was teleported away. Thanks to his help they survived. Since they were hurt, we sent them back to the city. We didn’t know about the sentinels at the time. We hope they made it safely."

Alina looked directly at Ryan.

"And I suppose that assassin they mentioned was you."

Alina let out a slow breath.

"After the way we treated you..." she murmured. "Five Rank A adventurers who now admire a Rank B." She paused briefly. "It’s so ironic."

"Ha. It’s the least they can do," Helen grumbled.

"Thank you," Alina murmured.

"What did you say?" Ryan asked.

"Nothing. Forget it." She looked away.

After a brief silence, everyone was now standing.

"We’re leaving," Alina said. "We need to report what happened to the guild."

"Understood. But we’ll stay a bit longer," Ryan replied.

Then the two heroines left.

The sound of Alina and Delia’s footsteps faded down the corridor until they disappeared completely.

Ryan turned to his group.

The four of them looked at each other.

"I also think we should leave, but... we’ll clear the rest of the dungeon floors."

"I agree," Mirian said. "After all, we came all this way. We can’t just leave now."

"Then let’s keep going," Karol said.

Helen placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Floor sixty-nine," she said. "Clear it all the way to floor one."

She paused.

Then a smile appeared on her face.

"This feels like déjà vu."

Mirian let out a laugh before she even finished.

"Once again, we’re clearing the dungeon from bottom to top," Helen said.

’Just like the Sky Dungeon,’ Ryan thought.

"Then let’s go," he said.

And the group began advancing toward the lower floors.