Lysandra stared at the warrior without even thinking about her proposal, noticing the unmistakable interest shining in the emerald eyes of that intimidating stranger.
She's beautiful…
Captivated by her noble beauty and striking charisma, Lysandra began to blush faintly. As she kept studying her features, she realized the woman's skin was far more sun-kissed than her own—yet still lighter than most of the other adventurers in the Guild. From her point of view, this was a girl with notable confidence, the kind who probably didn't face rejection very often.
— Hey! Are you listening to me?! the warrior asked, keeping her tone calm and steady.— Ah… I'm sorry! I… I was thinking of hunting boars in the nearby forest, to be honest…
At that simplistic statement, the adventurer lifted her chin, freezing her gaze.
— Hunting boars?! she blurted out before bursting into laughter. What a stupid idea! You'll never improve like that!
A suffocating aura seemed to settle around the counter. Without turning around, Lysandra pictured the anger spreading across the guild attendant's face—she must have heard everything. At the same time, she couldn't help a small grimace at the warrior's total lack of tact.
— Boar hunting is for beginners! the latter declared.
Well… it just so happens that I'm a beginner, Lysandra thought, staying silent.
— Don't you want to do something more exhilarating?!— I… I don't know… I'm a pretty cautious girl… so starting gently doesn't bother me.
That innocent answer did nothing to soften the warrior's arrogant expression. She slapped Lysandra's shoulder without measuring her strength, then made a new request:
— Here—what if we swap our adventurer cards?
Name: Artoria
Rank: Bronze
Class: Paladin
Race: Human
Sex: Female
Age: 20 cycles
Height: About 1m70
Hair: Blond — long, wavy
Eyes: Green
Affinity(ies): Light
Internally judging her interlocutor as a thick-headed brute, Lysandra carefully took the card being offered. Her eyes widened as she read it.
But… she's almost reached Silver rank! And she's a paladin!
The [Paladin] is one of the rarest—and strongest—classes among swordsmen. It requires outstanding physical ability, a Light affinity, and reaching master rank in a martial discipline such as the path of the Martial God or the Solar God, for example. In theory, this adventurer could handle every battlefield role: attack, defense, or support.
I could learn so much at her side… but with that personality… I'm still pretty… unsure.
— Oh! Your card is really not bad for a beginner elementalist. You can use healing spells and barriers? Artoria asked.— Yes… Th-Those are the first ones taught in the kabbalah for that affinity.— Ah… You're from the magic school?! That's a good thing! Personally, I'm self-taught, she declared, puffing out her chest.
Lysandra stared at her without looking away.
Just how far does this girl's "perfection level" go…
— Well… enough chatter! With my group, we're heading to the dungeon. You know—the one in the heart of the forest to the west.— Th-The Temple of Solarium?— You know it?— I've heard of it.— Great! Perfect timing—it's right next to where you wanted to take your little country stroll!
Those jabs—and the mocking tone Artoria used—made the young girl's brows knit even tighter, distorting the softness of her gentle face.
— So? Are you interested in my offer? she repeated.
Being backed up by adventurers more experienced than yourself is beneficial, and Lysandra knew it. She studied Artoria with intensity, searching her noble features for an answer. As her heartbeat thudded in her ears, she weighed the implications of this decision—one that felt decisive.
Dungeons are known to hold riches while they're still occupied by monsters. It's dangerous, but it would speed things up for me… With her, I think we have nothing to fear.
And yet, that materialistic thought wasn't the only thing pushing Lysandra to accept such a sudden request. She could feel the need in Artoria's gaze—the drive behind her insistence. She wanted to offer her support, her contribution, against such determination.
— O-Okay… I'll come with you… Lysandra finally agreed.— Great! Artoria exclaimed, lifting her up in excitement as if she were a child. But you'll have to be less shy if you want to enjoy your adventures to the fullest!
Faced with that strange reaction, Lysandra tensed; her face reddened visibly.
— From now on, you can call me "Artoria"! she proposed, setting her down gently.— Alright… Pleased to meet you, Lady Artoria. I… I'm Lysandra.— Hey! None of that between us—"Artoria" is enough, I insist!
Lysandra gave a brief nod.
— To sum it up: we're doing an exploration quest. And also… I need to go validate it at the desk! In the meantime, you can meet the others.
She looked satisfied with this last-minute recruitment. The confident stride she took toward the guild counter only confirmed it.
When Artoria reached the attendant, she thrust the notice forward with a lively, abrupt gesture. Lysandra couldn't hear their conversation, but it was strangely loud.
I shouldn't worry about it too much… It must be linked to what she said about boar hunting, she thought, rubbing the back of her neck.
While she waited for her new teammate to return, Lysandra went to introduce herself to the group. It was mostly made up of girls. The only boy was a short, slim warrior with short blond hair. The other two were a black-haired ranger—taller and leaner than him—and a brunette mage, small and a bit round. They looked young, and all wore a copper plate around their necks.
Looks like we're all beginner adventurers…
— Hey! How are you feeling, Kevin?! the ranger asked the warrior. It's your first quest and you're already surrounded by a harem—lucky little devil!
She tugged his cheek like a jealous kid as she said it.
— Feels like all the cute guys are taken in other groups… It's frustrating! she sighed, rolling her eyes up at the ceiling.
The boy finally slipped out of her nimble grip.
— Raaah, let go of me, Clara! If I'm here, it's because Artoria's the only one who agreed to recruit me. I think everyone in this city has passed Copper rank… Even Nami struggled to find a group! he blurted, pointing at the mage.
— As long as there are magnus to be made, any group works for me, she replied with a knowing nonchalance.
Watching her new companions' extravagant behavior, Lysandra sighed in turn.
At least we can say their ambitions don't match…
Her gaze finally settled on her fellow mage. She immediately noticed the good-quality equipment the girl wore—for a supposed beginner.
— What's your affinity? Lysandra asked gently.
The question—hardly indiscreet—froze her interlocutor for a moment.
— W-Wind… she finally admitted, avoiding eye contact.
Her answer and expression made Lysandra smile… before she caught herself at once.
They both knew it: Wind was, by far, the worst affinity for a mage class, because it was difficult for them to exploit. Until you reach an advanced level of mastery, most of its power comes out in close combat—precisely where mages are most vulnerable.
— So you're an aeromancer…— Yes… Nami sighed bitterly. It would suit a magelame better, but unfortunately I'm not skilled enough.
Indeed, the girl carried a notable amount of extra weight. And despite the imposing wizard hat that cast a shadow over those around her, she looked weak at first glance.
As silence settled between them, Artoria finally returned to the group. The smirk she had been wearing up until now was gone, replaced by a far more bitter expression.
Without offering any further explanation about the quest they were about to undertake, she led the young adventurers outside.
— I see everyone's ready. Let's go, you sorry lot! she declared, stepping out of the Guild with a determined air.
At the edge of the forest, not far from the city of Horizon, a path appeared—leading to the Temple of Solarium. With no human presence in sight, rampant vegetation reclaimed its rights over the beaten earth. Only local wildlife brought the place to life, between chirps and small bestial grunts.
— Do a lot of adventurers run this dungeon? Lysandra asked Artoria.— Unfortunately, no… It was cleared out from top to bottom a long time ago, so no one risks it anymore.— In that case… w-why are we going?— Hmm… There's a rumor that the few people who go exploring it never come back.
Despite the casual tone the paladin used, the vacant look in her eyes caught Lysandra's attention.
— You… you don't look so good.— I'm fine!… I just argued with the attendant earlier. She was complaining that I was taking novices with me! Tsk… It's just that no other adventurer wanted to "lower themselves" to do this exploration.
Yeah… going alone must be hard… but will it really be different with beginners?
— I've seen that quest on the posting board several times. It gets updated regularly—something has to be going on down there!
Is she doing this for glory… or out of genuine concern? Lysandra wondered, lowering her chin.
She didn't know Artoria. That fact alone left her unsure of the woman's intentions—and fed a strange, creeping unease. The farther the group advanced along the narrow trail, the more troubled she felt. A nasty sensation crawled along the hollow of her back, like an alarm-bell instinct.
Still, she ignored it, blaming stress.
***
The young adventurers reached their destination.
Since they were on foot, the journey had taken a long time, but the good mood—and their conversations—made it pass before they even realized. From the outside, the dungeon looked like a large pyramid with a religious symbol at its peak. It must have been a temple built by a cult as ancient as the stone itself.
The entrance, for its part, opened onto a gigantic staircase plunging into the depths of the lair. The heavy silence seeping from it was sometimes disturbed by the whistle of wind slipping inside.
— Prepare your torches and watch where you step, Artoria ordered, pulling hers out.
The slope was not forgiving given the state of the place, and a single misstep could easily turn into a fatal fall. But without hesitation, they edged their way in slowly, keeping one hand clenched against the gritty wall bordering the descent.
As they went deeper, a tainted odor began to tickle their nostrils. Hard to define at first, it grew sharper and more recognizable with every step into the darkness. Eventually, it resembled a putrid gas—an awful blend of excrement and decomposing flesh.
Its toxic fumes weighed on the adventurers throughout their crossing, dulling their senses and disrupting their focus. They also fed their torches with an intimidating crackle.
Once they reached the bottom, Lysandra exhaled, letting a small smile appear.
She remembered she had the ideal tool to counter that constant discomfort. Digging into her satchel, she pulled out a cloth mask to cover her mouth and nose from the fumes. That simple gesture—proof of startling adaptability—quickly caught Artoria's attention. She watched Lysandra with raised brows.
— You're smarter than you look!
That fresh lack of tact made the elementalist's gentle gaze turn into something far less pleasant.
— That's a good idea… Do you have any more like that? Artoria asked, hope clearly coloring her voice.
Lysandra rummaged through her satchel again, only to realize she didn't.
— No. I-I… I only have bandages, but…— But?— Th-They'll be less effective than a real mask… To be honest, I… I only use them to dress wounds when I can't use my miracles anymore.— Don't worry. I can use curative magic too. It'll be fine!
Reassured by Artoria's words, Lysandra carefully fashioned makeshift protections out of bandages and handed them out to the other adventurers.
— You're pretty handy for a mage, the ranger remarked, admiration in her voice as she watched the craftsmanship.— I… I love sewing, so it's nothing.
Even though the improvised masks brought a bit of comfort, the surrounding stench was starting to wear them down.
They were pale. Their steps were unsteady. Their breathing was heavy. Their inexperience was obvious.
Nami seemed the most affected by the fumes. She could try to hide beneath her wide hat all she wanted—her livid complexion betrayed her state even in the dense darkness.
Artoria, on the other hand, remained impassive. She was the only one showing no sign of weakness.
Aware of the group's condition, she gave a new directive:
— Everyone ready to keep exploring? If we wrap this quest up quickly, tonight I'll treat you to the best tavern in the city!