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Still deep within the cave, four people sat on the cold stone floor.
The environment, once completely swallowed by darkness, was now illuminated by improvised torches, all crafted by Yuto.
He himself sat there cross-legged, casually enjoying a chocolate bar, almost like a well-behaved child ignoring the chaos around him.
At his side, Alice remained visibly frightened.
She clutched the side of Yuto's loose clothing, as if afraid he might suddenly vanish. Her wounds, once severe, were now nearly fully healed thanks to the potion she had drunk.
Shortly after finding the couple at the end of the cave, Yuto had returned to retrieve Alice as promised, then gathered everyone at the far end of the rocky corridor.
The surviving couple was still trying to process the sheer absurdity of the situation: they were deep inside a goblin cave, alongside two children, one looking like she might faint from fear at any moment, and the other eating chocolate as if he were lounging on a couch at home.
— Arfff… alright… I guess it's best we start with introductions.
With a sigh, Vanessa decided to take the initiative.
— My name is Vanessa Rivers, and this here is my husband, Ricardo Rivers.
She gestured to the man beside her, who raised one hand in a friendly wave.
— We're mercenaries. We make a living raiding dungeons or completing hunting and combat contracts. But we ran into trouble when we came face-to-face with a boss monster and… well, we ended up here.
The explanation was simple and straightforward.
To Yuto, it made sense that they worked in combat-related fields; both had displayed above-average strength and coordination.
And contrary to what many believed, the term "mercenary" in that world wasn't something dirty, they were hired protectors, almost like official bodyguards, with legal permission to operate in dangerous zones. A job similar to heroes… just far less recognized.
Vanessa then looked at us, waiting for the rest to continue.
Alice, still trembling, surprisingly took the initiative. Between broken phrases and stutters, she introduced herself:
— M-my n-name is Alice… I w-was a student, b-but I left school for personal reasons. I entered the dungeon because I needed money, but I was defeated by a group of goblins and ended up here…
— A student? — Vanessa frowned. — Forgive me for asking, little girl, but… how old are you?
There was discomfort in her voice. She hated the idea of children being in such dangerous situations, as it always brought back unpleasant memories of her own childhood.
— I-I'm fourteen… — Alice answered plainly.
Vanessa's expression changed instantly, giving way to a serious, firm, almost maternal look.
— And what were you doing in a dungeon? Do you have any idea how dangerous this place is?
Vanessa had heard that the girl needed money, but not knowing the full story led her to believe that it didn't justify someone so young risking her life.
— Dear, stop it… — Ricardo intervened gently.
He understood his wife and even shared some of her concern, but life had taught him not to take hasty positions.
Alice squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and then broke down:
— I-I… I'm sorry… I know it wasn't right, but I had no choice… I need to pay for my mom's hospital bills… and I can't get a job because of my age…
This was one of the major problems with Dungeon Seekers in the black market: unrestricted acceptance.
Anyone who paid the entry fee could enter, heroes, criminals, laborers… and even desperate children.
No screening. No selection. No guarantee of preparedness.
— I-I didn't think this would happen… it's j-just th-that I… I don't know what else to do… — her voice faltered more and more, her eyes filling with tears.
Vanessa felt the weight of those words. She recognized in them a familiar pain.
That situation was an almost perfect reflection of her own past, and it brought a horrible sensation to her stomach.
After a moment of silence, she let out a long sigh and said firmly:
— Right now, the only thing you need to do… is survive. Focus entirely on that, okay?
And despite their harshness, those words touched something inside Alice.
The girl took a deep breath, wiped her tears with the back of her hand, and nodded silently.
— Alright, now it's time for our masked hero. Anything you'd like to say?
Vanessa turned to me with light irony, trying to preserve some humor despite the dreadful setting.
— Kazehara Yuto. Lock Academy freshman. I came here to make some money, followed a goblin, and… well, ended up here.
I summarized everything in four sentences, as dry as always.
Vanessa raised an eyebrow.
— You summarized this whole saga in four sentences… Are you sure that's not just laziness?
I looked away, like someone who had just been caught doing exactly that. She wasn't wrong.
To Vanessa, it was obvious how strange I must have seemed: childish appearance, angelic features… yet completely different from Alice. I didn't radiate fear, nor did I seem like someone running from a troubled life. On the contrary, I carried the calm confidence of someone standing in their natural habitat.
The fight from earlier was still fresh in her mind. She knew, with uncomfortable clarity, just how dangerous I was.
That boy… a little monster, both physically and mentally.
Maybe Lock Academy truly did have the level everyone talked about.
— Perfect. Now that everyone's introduced, how about some context?
Ricardo suggested gently. Despite his strong and weary appearance, his voice carried a surprisingly warm tone.
We were all seated, resting. I had shared food and a few potions with the group, which helped ease the initial tension.
— S-sorry to ask… but how long have you been here?
Alice, calmer thanks to the food and the lit environment, finally managed to voice one of the questions gnawing at her.
— It should be about twenty days now. — Vanessa's answer almost made Alice choke on the stuffed cookie she was eating.
Surviving a single day in that place would already be inhuman.
Twenty… was almost unimaginable.
— When we were captured, we still had supplies stored in our dimensional inventory.
Vanessa raised her wrist, showing a discreet leather bracelet.
— Our plan was to hold out for thirty days until Dungeon Seekers' rescue team arrived.
That made sense. The Guild usually kept that time frame as the standard for missing persons.
— The problem — she continued with a sigh — is that the supplies ran out today. So we decided to improvise some weapons and face the goblins head-on. It was our last chance to escape.
— You do realize the chance of dying that way was almost guaranteed, right? — I said, finishing the last bite of my chocolate.
Vanessa pressed her lips together slightly, annoyed by my lack of tact, but still nodded in agreement.
— Yes… but we'd rather die trying than rot in here until we starved.
A reasonable decision. With their skills, defeating the goblin chief was even plausible… the real issue was dealing with the hundreds of others spread throughout the village.
— Since we're on the subject — I continued — do you know why the goblin chief ended up like that? Like… suddenly kidnapping people, talking, acting human?
The expressions on both of their faces hardened completely—regret, anger, and perhaps a bit of shame.
— Actually… this is probably all our fault. — Vanessa muttered through clenched teeth.
I kept my expression neutral, simply staring at her, waiting for the explanation.