BOOM!
"Whoa… so many people… It's not usually this crowded, right?"
"With this many folks, there's probably no monsters left at the dungeon entrance. We might have to go deeper."
"It's because high-level monsters keep invading lower areas. People drop down to farm cash and levels in easier, closer spots… Let's take a break, everyone. Tris looks like she's about to collapse. We can set up camp too…"
"Mmm." x2
"…Huff, huff…"
Ugh, I knew it'd be like this… but I can't just say it out loud, can I?
The party of four girls finally reached the dungeon entrance.
Nerim flinched at the sight. The closest dungeon to the city was packed with nearly a thousand people—adventurers, merchants with stalls, tent guards, food vendors, and sellers of adventurer gear. There were even guild outposts handling skill quests… and that's not counting the folks inside the dungeon!
Rejeen explained the situation and started planning for the team, proving she's the most mature in the party, even at just 13 like the rest.
Her reasoning makes sense…
Some of you readers might be wondering why adventurers in this world level up so slowly—like, painfully slow. They run from high-level monsters and stick to low-level dungeons or forests, unlike the fast-paced action in anime, novels, or manga.
If you start like Tris, Nerim, Waan, or Rejeen—ordinary commoners aiming to be adventurers—heading to far-off forests to grind levels and EXP comes with one big hurdle: food supplies. Then there's gear, weapons, and mana potions. How do you carry all that without an Item Box or Magic Bag? You haul it… on foot. Just that's exhausting enough!
After fighting and farming EXP or loot, you've gotta lug monster carcasses back. Or at least slice off the priciest parts to sell for a living.
Facing high-level monsters? Besides risking your life, you might lose gear or waste money for nothing. People need to eat and pay for lodging—bills don't wait! (Picture it: one life, no do-overs, and they're living it seriously.)
The best option? Fall back to farming weaker monsters. They're easy, buyers are nearby, guild quest outposts are close, and sticking with a crowd feels safer. Even if those high-level monsters invade low-level areas…
Ching!
"Here's 300 zen for guarding your tent for 5 days. Thanks for using our service! We're registered and guarantee compensation for lost goods, up to 5000 zen!"
Thud, plop, rustle!
Finally dropped the gear! I'm saved!
After paying for the adventurer tent-guarding service, we got a small spot to pitch a four-person tent. We stashed our stuff and prepped to grab a ton of quests from the guild's outpost.
"C-Come on in… Welcome…"
"Wow, that kid's so tiny and cute! That's Grace, right? The guild's trainee mascot who's famous across the city! Hmph… so adorable… I wanna pat her head. She's just too lovable!"
"Nerim, you always get all soft when you see someone shorter than you."
"What's wrong with liking cute, tiny kids, Waan?!"
"Nothing wrong at all!"
"Pfft… Hey, Grace, can we get a dungeon quest for a party with an average level of 25-30? Somewhere deeper, with fewer people, please…"
"…"
Oh man… this is the first face-to-face meeting between my two original clone-siblings, separated for over 420 days. No idea what to even say…
Yo, Grace! What's up, big sis Tris? …Nope, can't do that! We're strangers, gotta stick to the script. The goddess is watching, you know.
Nerim, usually all tough, was melting, practically dying to pat Grace's head. I'm a guy, but even shorter than Nerim—the shortest already! Grace's signature pink adventurer outfit, complete with a guild apron and name tag, was just too eye-catching. Total heart-stealer!
Alright, let's pick a quest in a secluded spot so I can secretly drop some epic items for the three of them…
"Got it, cr—…"
"Ahem!"
Paper, the supervisor at the outpost, coughed loudly as I almost slipped and said "ครับ" again…
"Got it, ma'am! How about taking down 20 Dubat and 20 Durat? It'll take some time, but you can find them everywhere. Don't forget to bring back their wings and ears!"
"Got it! Can we take another quest on top of that?"
"Sorry, no stacking quests. But I'd recommend taking out some Dumol or Duworm along the way, or grabbing extra wings and ears from those two. There's always more quests!"
"Thanks for the tip, Grace!"
"E-Er, you're welcome! W-Wah, whoa!"
Pat, pat, squish, rub!
Nerim, having ditched her wooden armor, reached out and ruffled Grace's head, then squished her cheeks, startling her a bit.
"Couldn't hold back! So cute! Soft hair, squishy cheeks, and you smell amazing! Ngh, so squishy!"
"Eek, ahh, wah!"
"Pfft, our Grace is the best, right?"
No one's stopping her, Paper?!
"Nerim, stop it! Sorry, Grace!"
"This girl can't resist cute things. Don't mind her, little Grace!"
"I-It's fine… hehe…"
"She's sooo cute! I wanna take her home!"
And with that, Rejeen and Waan dragged Nerim away to head into the dungeon. Meanwhile, Tris gave Grace a shy wave, exchanging nothing but smiles.
Kinda ticklish… Since both are my main bodies and I haven't linked their minds, they feel like completely different people…
Alright, I've set them on their path. Now, what should I drop to help Nerim, Waan, and Rejeen?
End of Chapter 50
The First Face-Off Between Two Siblings