Is It Wrong To Skitter In A Dungeon? Chapter 41: The Cost of Success

Chapter 41: The Cost of Success

“Alright… and… done!” Hestia said as Taylor felt the tiny goddess’s divine essence update her Falna. The tingling faded, and she sat up as Hestia handed her a sheet of paper with the improvement to her stats.

Taylor Hebert “Weaver”

Level 3

POWER – E 424 → D 511

ENDURANCE – E 448 → D 585

DEXTERITY – D 500 → C 666

AGILITY – D 503 → C 607

MAGIC – B 742→ S 933

Developmental Ability

Hunter H → G

Chain Attack I → H

Her numbers had risen a bit after taking down the Ishtar Familia, and her Developmental Abilities had grown as well. Impressively so considering it’s been almost three weeks since the War Game – technically nineteen days, with four of those spent in a coma – but it wasn’t as much as she’d expected.

“I kinda thought I’d be able to Level Up after everything I did,” Taylor admitted, noticing that she didn’t have that option, and Hestia rolled her eyes at her child’s priorities.

“Unfortunately, you already Leveled Up once by beating up an entire Familia while severely outnumbered,” Hestia drawled. “You can’t get the same reward for an identical accomplishment, can you?”

“I suppose not,” Taylor sighed.

“The Falna is supposed to encourage growth. To Level Up means to go beyond your limits. To do something deemed insurmountable in normal circumstances,” Hestia explained gently, patting her arm. “Don’t worry, though. You’ll get there. For now, just take it easy.”

Taylor just nodded before putting on the nicest outfit she owned.

“You can still rest,” Hestia offered, watching her get dressed. “The Guild can wait.”

“Yeah, but it’s better to get this over with,” Taylor replied. “And I feel fine enough to walk.”

“Alright,” Hestia sighed. “Let’s go see what they want.”

Hestia and Taylor left the Hearth Manor and made their way to the Guildhall. The parahuman kept Chris at her side as a bodyguard, as she wasn’t sure whether or not somebody might try something stupid.

Ever since she’d woken up, the Crystal Mantis had been acting clingier than usual, sticking close to Taylor’s side. From its mind, Taylor could feel it had missed her and been worried about her condition. It was interesting to note how far the monster’s thoughts had come.

Gone was the mindless beast who only sought violence, in its place was something about as intelligent as a puppy, with about as much innocence and enthusiasm.

Upon reaching the Guildhall, Eina and Misha were waiting outside the doors, bowing to the group as they arrived.

“Thank you for responding so promptly,” Eina said politely, giving Taylor a relieved smile upon seeing the dark-haired parahuman back on her feet.

“I understand the Guild’s director wants to speak to us?” Taylor inquired, and Eina nodded.

“This way, please,” she said, leading the group, save Chris who had to wait in the lobby, to the office where the head of the Guild awaited them.

“Sir Mardeel, Lady Hestia and Lady Taylor Hebert have arrived.”

“Send them in,” the elf ordered, and Eina obeyed, taking her leave when her job was done.

Royman Mardeel looked at the duo who entered, looking exhausted. His eyes had bags and the lines on his face were deep.

“You’ve caused a lot of trouble for the city and the Guild,” he began without preamble. “Destruction of Property, Trespassing, Assault… the list of crimes is quite long and I don’t think anyone has ever broken so many laws at once. It’s almost impressive.”

“It was justified,” Taylor replied, defending her actions. “Hestia was kidnapped by Ishtar and she was doing… horrible things.”

“We know about the Killing Stone,” Royman said darkly. “Lady Freya was kind enough to inform us of it. We also found plenty of evidence regarding it and her plans. Not to mention a whole host of other unpleasant things she was keeping secret from us. Freya also took responsibility for Ishtar’s ‘departure.’ So while I do not like it, we are willing to overlook this incident in exchange for a few concessions.”

“What sort of concessions?” Hestia asked before Taylor could, and Royman smirked and stood up.

“In due time. First, someone important wishes to speak with you, Lady Weaver.”

He exited his office, and after a moment the duo followed him out into the hallway, where he led them towards a set of golden double doors.

Said doors led to a set of stairs that led down deep into the bowels of the Guild. From what Taylor was able to sense through her swarm, they were now below the Guild’s basement, and above the sewers of Orario.

There were also no insects anywhere in this place save what she’d brought with her, and it unnerved Taylor quite a bit.

The chamber they were escorted to by Royman was quite wide, but completely barren, save for a few scattered pillars holding up the ceiling and a large golden throne at the very center, flaming braziers providing light on either side.

Seated in the throne was a tall man, almost seven feet tall, with white hair and sky-blue eyes. He wore a plain white robe with a black hood and sandals. He stared at Taylor and Hestia with curiosity in his gaze.

‘What is he?’ Taylor wondered, unnerved. She could feel nothing from him. Not a single drop of power. In fact, she almost hadn’t been sure he was even human or alive at all, as she couldn’t feel him breathing, nor did his heart beat.

“Lord Ouranos,” Royman said respectfully, bowing towards the seated man.

“Thank you, Royman,” the figure said, raising a hand in gratitude. “You may go. And perhaps take a nap? You look tired.”

“When the work is done,” Royman replied before turning around and leaving.

“Little Hestia,” Ouranos said, and his deep voice filled the entire room without issue. “Lady Taylor… or perhaps Weaver is preferred?”

“Either is fine,” Taylor said, still a bit uncomfortable.

“So, you’re the one who wanted to talk to us?” Hestia asked. “I should have guessed.”

“Indeed, I’ve wanted to meet with both of you for a while,” Ouranos admitted.

“The Guildmaster said there were conditions for letting my actions in the Entertainment District being forgiven,” Taylor said.

“Indeed. When you next head into the Dungeon, you will meet with one of my agents, a man named Fels, on the 18th Floor,” Ouranos informed them. “He will tell you more.”

“You won’t tell us anything more than that?” Taylor asked, annoyed.

“Even in this place, it is not safe to speak openly,” Ouranos replied with a shake of his head. “Only the Dungeon and its curious properties can ensure total secrecy, especially from the prying eyes of other gods.”

“So, this is something important, then,” Hestia guessed.

“If known, it could shake the very foundations of Orario… no, the entire world,” Ouranos admitted.

“Anything else?” Taylor inquired.

“Yes,” Ouranos confirmed. “You will have to pay for the damages you caused. And I wanted to discuss a… call it renovation project, for Rivira.”

“Renovation?” she asked.

“Royman has more information on it, and he will give it to you before you leave, but to be brief, I wish to make the shanty town bigger and more respectable. To make it a proper settlement within the Dungeon to act as a forward base for future expeditions,” Ouranos explained. “And that includes establishing a branch of the Guild itself down there.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Hestia asked nervous. “If too many people enter the Dungeon…”

“The Dungeon primarily reacts to divinity,” the God of the Sky stated. “This includes the Falna. Ordinary people do not create as intense a response, so it is theoretically possible for them to live on the 18th Floor safely without provoking a Stampede or Overflow.”

“I see, now it makes sense,” Taylor muttered, understanding dawning. “When there are too many adventurers in the Dungeon, especially higher level ones, their combined divinity in the form of their Falna is what causes a Stampede! A few sparks on their own is nothing, but too many of them can add up, creating a larger, brighter flame that attracts the Dungeon’s attention. Hence why you want to use normal people to expand Rivira.”

“Precisely,” Ouranos nodded.

“Alright, I suppose I can understand that, but it still sounds a bit too ambitious,” Hestia said. She then squinted up at Ouranos. “Is there something you aren’t telling us?”

“Obviously there is,” Taylor said. “But Ouranos also has an idea, and likely has a way to get around a few of the issues involved with trying to establish a permanent base in the Dungeon.”

“Fels can tell you more, but yes, you are correct,” Ouranos claimed, but there was a glint of respect in his eyes as he looked at Taylor.

“Alright. I’ll meet with this Fels person. What do they look like?” the adventurer agreed.

“Let’s just say you won’t be able to mistake him for anyone else,” Ouranos said, chuckling at a private joke.

“Is that all then?” Hestia asked hopefully.

“Not quite,” Ouranos said, and his expression turned serious. “Weaver… I must ask that you never do what you did to Ishtar ever again.”

“I can’t make that promise,” Taylor replied, folding her arms across her chest. “If another god tries to harm my family…”

“You do not understand,” he said sharply. “That was not a request. It was an order. Fail to accept and I will be force to banish you from the city entirely.”

Taylor frowned at that, and he returned it, locking eyes and refusing to budge. In the shadows above, her swarm began to lash about angrily, her rage being shunted into the insects under her command.

Being told what to do did not sit well with her. It was only the fact that she knew Ouranos was not like a normal god or even leader that she held her tongue, waiting for him to explain himself.

'And he'd better have a damn good explanation!' she thought bitterly.

“Your actions nearly caused the Dungeon to break some of the seals that have been placed upon it,” Ouranos informed her darkly. “And it badly weakened others. The Leviathan Seal had been damaged, and another bad shock will sunder it. We can repair it, and I have recalled the Poseidon Familia and the School District for this task, but until then, you must restrain yourself.”

Hestia gasped in horror and he raised a hand. “Furthermore, you may not use whatever that other odd power of yours is within a hundred miles of Orario. The one where you grant Falna-like powers to other mortals by extruding some sort of extra-dimensional energy into their brains.”

Taylor tensed up at that and he scoffed. “You think I cannot tell when someone – or something – is abusing dimensions near me? I am suppressing the Dungeon and keeping its influence from reaching out into the wider world. Were I not here, it would have recalled the Black Dragon and the other Calamities to destroy Orario by now. Your dimensional meddling is making that task much harder.”

Ouranos leaned in towards her. “The Dungeon is subdued. It does not produce monsters as quickly as it used to and it cannot expand and grow. But all that work will be undone if you cannot control yourself, Faller.”

“…Very well,” Taylor said after a moment of staring at the god. “I will not do anything like that again. And if I do, it will be far away from the Dungeon.”

That was admittedly a very good reason not to unleash Godslayer again, and explained why Ouranos was so tense and upset with her actions. The Dungeon was unnatural, and its resurgence would not be good for anyone.

And, privately, Taylor could read between the lines. Ouranos was less concerned about her killing gods than he was the damage done to the seals. So long as she didn't use her Skill to eliminate any more deities, then everything was fine.

The God of the Sky grunted, accepting her oath before leaning back into his throne. A weight seemed to lift from his shoulders, and the terse expression he'd been wearing throughout the meeting melted into something more neutral.

“You knew she was a Faller, too, Ouranos?” Hestia asked, exasperated. “First Hermes, now you… who’s next? Freya? Loki?”

He had an amused look on his face as Hestia ranted a bit, while Taylor watched him curiously.

“Are Fallers that common?” Taylor wondered.

“There are many other worlds beyond this one. As many as there are stars in the sky. It is thus not that rare for unexpected visitors to arrive here,” Ouranos said cryptically. “Though you are certainly the most troublesome Faller I’ve ever met.”

“Do you know if any of them ever returned home?” she asked quietly.

“Not to my knowledge,” Ouranos admitted. “The reason they ended up here is because the Tower of Babel acts as the center of a ritual that creates a magical vortex that pulls dimensional energies downward in order to aid in the suppression of the Dungeon. It is not easy to go against that flow. Though nothing is impossible, so perhaps someday there might be a way.”

“Thank you,” Taylor sighed. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy.

“Do not despair, child. You have found a home here, have you not?” Ouranos said kindly.

“Yeah… I suppose I have,” Taylor said, glancing over at Hestia, who smiled back and held her hand.

The two of them left a little bit later, returning to the Guildmaster’s office. As Ouranos has promised, Royman had several documents for Taylor and Hestia.

"Here. The Freya Familia agreed to cover most of the repair costs, but you are still responsible for handling some of the damages," he informed the goddess and her captain.

The former choked when she saw how much money they were liable for, though Taylor knew they could pay it off easily with a single sale of silken garments. The latter was more surprised by what the Guild wanted her to do down on the 18th Floor. Specially, what they wanted her to bring to Rivira.

'How interesting,' she thought, intrigued.

Perhaps this would turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The punishment given to the Hestia Familia was little more than a slap on the wrist, a show for the other Familias to remind them the Guild still had power. And Ouranos' plans for Rivira had the potential to vastly boost the status of the Hestia Familia. Assuming it all worked out in the end with whatever this 'Fels' character wanted to show her.

"We'll get this done right away," Taylor informed the Guildmaster, who merely nodded tiredly. Ouranos was right. The poor guy really did need a nap.

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“This is it, the big moment,” Taylor said. “Are we ready?”

“Yes!” several voices called out.

Taylor took a moment to look over her companions as they stood in front of the Hearth Manor in the early morning light. This would be their first major excursion into the Dungeon as an entire Familia. Everyone would be venturing down, making their way to the 18th Floor.

From there, the Level 1s would be trained by Ryuu and Aisha in the upper levels, fighting against the monsters that roamed there in order to get used to fighting with each other.

Then the elites, the Level 2s and above save Ryuu and Aisha, would travel into the Great Tree Labyrinth for intense training sessions of their own. Tammuz would be their lifeline, the Level 4 acting as a buffer against the stronger monsters of that realm.

She also admired their equipment, noting they’d gotten some upgrades while she’d been unconscious.

Bell was wearing modified vambraces that could let him block attacks and also contained sheaths where he could store his daggers, letting him draw them in a flash, or turn the vambraces into weapons, the knife blades sliding out near the knuckles, creating a punching dagger-like set-up.

Lili had a second Kukri, this one made of Adamantite, and Mikoto had modified her outfit with a bit of Black Goliath Hide for added protection. Emma and Silva had gotten actual bows and were much more proficient with them, while Gita, Leo and Iris had heavier armor to go with their heavy weapons.

Haruhime and Primo had been given a Black Goliath Robe and a spear for the former’s personal defense, and Aisha sported a huge curved great sword, even if she refused to wear any armor behind a bit of chainmail and armored vambraces and chausses on her arms and legs. Gina had basically copied Aisha’s outfit, and Taylor wondered why Amazons were so averse to wearing anything.

Even Tammuz had put on some armor. It was ostentatious and golden but durable despite that. He also had an odd choice for a weapon: a curved great sword called Last Harvest. It was made from Red Moon Steel and Mythril, and had the ability to absorb Tammuz’s magic to unleash shockwaves of razor-sharp wind that synergized well with his Spell. It even looked like a bird's wing, if you squinted at it.

Welf had changed his equipment the most, swapping his Far Eastern style outfit for a Black Goliath Hide mantle over an Infant Dragon Scale cuirass. He’d also changed out his weapon, the big sword replaced by a bigger anvil-hammer.

It was essentially just a blacksmithing anvil on a stick, which combined with his fire magic he’d been practicing, allowed Welf to perform makeshift equipment repairs and forging right there in the field. A clever fusion of functionality and practicality. And it was quite a lethal weapon, too, able to cave in the head of a Troll, the beefiest of the monsters on the Upper Floors, in a single hit.

‘He’s really gotten into making equipment with combined functions, hasn’t he?’ Taylor mused.

Last but not least, Karen and Oriana were the only ones without upgrades, as they’d already arrived to Orario with high-quality equipment.

They were all strong, and Taylor felt a flicker of pride as she led them towards the Tower of Babel for the first major delve of their Familia.

This expedition was also going to involve harvesting resources from the Dungeon, namely wood from the Tree Labyrinth. Taylor wanted good, sturdy furniture and that stuff was the best material for it.

And speaking of materials, Debbie had a bunch of crates strapped to her back, which had been delivered by the Guild last night with a letter from Royman Mardeel informing her these supplies were to be delivered to Rivira.

What Ouranos and the Guild wanted her to bring down to the 18th Floor was mostly construction material like timber, nails, and such, but there was also lots of soil and seeds and several dozen live chickens in cages.

The Guild sought to establish Rivira as a branch-office of sorts, and part of that plan involved cultivating the Dungeon. Plants from the surface could grow down there, but they died quickly without pollinators and or proper fertilizer.

That was what the soil was for, and it was packed with earthworms and other bugs which could serve the crops they sought to cultivate. Taylor would use her swarm to encourage the worms and bugs to reproduce rapidly and use them as both a way to help the proto-farms but also to feed the chickens who would produce eggs and meat for the adventurers down there.

In time, the 18th Floor could potentially be turned into productive farmland that would help feed the adventurers and allow for the Familias to conduct longer and deeper delves into the Dungeon.

It’d take a lot of work, and relied heavily on the Dungeon not immediately sending legions of monsters after them if it realized what they were doing. Attempts at this had been tried before, but the monsters plus the distance between the surface and the safe spot made it unfeasible.

‘There’s something else, though,’ Taylor thought to herself as they made their way to the Dungeon. ‘My ability cannot be the only reason Ouranos and the Guild are so confident. Something else is going on. They know about a factor that can change the way things have been done until now.’

She’d find out what it was eventually, though. One way, or another.

“We’re getting so many looks,” Haruhime said nervously, looking around at the adventurers who were staring at they made their way into the Dungeon.

“They’re just jealous!” Aisha laughed, slapping the renard on the back in what the Amazon probably thought was a comforting gesture but nearly sent the Level 1 sprawling.

“Indeed, you have no reason to worry about anything with us at your side,” Mikoto promised, placing a hand on Haruhime’s arm to keep her steady.

Upon entering the Dungeon, Taylor mounted Debbie while Chris and Tammuz took up vanguard positions in front of the massive worm.

“Level 1s and 2s are riding with me,” Taylor announced. “The rest will follow along. We’re heading straight for the 18th Floor and aren’t stopping for anything.”

Once they were aboard the Taylor Express, the Hestia Familia plunged into the First Floor. And then the Second. Third. Fourth. They rushed through the Dungeon, hitting the 7th Floor in an hour and the 12th an hour after that.

By the time they reached the 18th Floor, a mere three hours had passed and it wasn’t even noon yet.

“Good work, everyone,” Taylor said as she dismounted Debbie as soon as it came to a halt a little bit away from Rivira’s gates. “We made excellent time.”

“F-fast…” Primo squeaked out.

“Indeed,” Karen said, feeling wobbly as she got off.

“You get used to it,” Emma assured the noblewoman.

Karen couldn’t even muster up a snippy comment at her rival’s response, instead just looking relieved to have solid ground beneath her feet again.

“Wooo! That was a rush!” Oriana said cheerfully, looking pumped and ready to go. “Where to first?!”

“I have business in Rivira,” Taylor told them. “Ryuu, Aisha, take the Level 1s and head back up to the 17th Floor. Tammuz, led the others to the 19th Floor. Wait for me there.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Tammuz said with a bow.

“Of course,” Ryuu said with a bob of her head.

With her orders given, the parahuman headed into the settlement, leaving Chris and Debbie outside. Making a beeline for the bar, which was one of the few buildings to survive the Black Goliath’s rampage intact, Taylor walked inside, earning some looks.

“I’m impressed by how quickly you’ve rebuilt,” Taylor commented as she approached the bar and the adventurer manning it.

“Morning,” Bors said, yawning a bit. “Ugh, too early for this crap.”

“Hungover?” Taylor asked.

“Of course!” the eye-patch wearing Level 4 chortled. “What brings you here, Weaver?”

“I’m here on behalf of Ouranos,” she said.

“We heard from some of the Guildies up top that the big man wanted to reinforce us,” Bors said, eyeing Taylor with a frown. “Surprised to see you leading the charge, though.”

“Consider it community service for wrecking the Entertainment District,” Taylor replied. It was an unsubtle reminder that she’d destroyed something bigger than Rivira already, and could do the same to the shantytown. If she had to, she’d rebuild from the ashes.

Bors grunted, accepting the threat for what it was, before gesturing to her to sit down. “Tell me what the Guild and Lord Ouranos want.”

“What they want is to increase the defenses of the town, and begin small-scale agriculture and animal husbandry to turn the entire 18th Floor in a genuine outpost within the heart of the Dungeon,” Taylor explained as she took a seat at the bar.

“And how exactly do they plan to do that?”

“Some Level 2s from Demeter will be sent down here to help with the crops and architects from the Goibniu Familia will help with building things,” Taylor said. “The Guild will send civilians to run a branch once everything is fully up and running.”

“And the chickens?” Bors asked. “‘Cause I heard there’d be chickens.”

“You can decide amongst yourselves who takes care of them,” Taylor replied. “They aren’t exactly hard to raise, and I have a book on how to handle them you can borrow, as well as sacks of grain to feed them with until the bug population has reached a level that they can sustain the chickens and pollinate the plants.”

“Alright. What sort of crops are you gonna try to grow?” the Level 4 inquired.

“For now, potatoes are the crop that’s been selected for initial testing,” Taylor said, glad that the New World plants grew so abundantly here. “And I brought soil and seeds to get started, as well as earthworms and farming tools to set up a test garden.”

“Alright,” Bors said slowly. “What will you be doing while we set all this up?”

“My Familia is here to train, but I will help out as needed. This will mostly be a joint project conducted by the Guild and a few other Familias, including the Ganesha Familia.” Taylor then looked around. “Speak of them, where is Modaka? I was told he’d be here to speak with me about their involvement.”

“Who? Oh, the Ganesha guy. He’s around,” Bors said dismissively. “Said he was tracking down a lead on something, and would be back later. Not sure when, exactly.”

“A bit annoying, but I can work around it,” Taylor said. “I have the supplies with me right now. Do you have a place where I can put them?”

“Come with me,” Bors requested. “Oi, Marty! I’m stepping out for a bit! Watch the bar and if you drink anything I’m kicking your ass!”

One of the other adventurers in the bar waved at him. “Yeah, yeah, whatever, old man!”

“Smug brat,” Bors said, but his voice carried a hint of fondness as he left the counter.

He then led Taylor out of the bar and Rivira entirely, taking her to a spot just outside the town walls. There were large empty wooden boxes lying on the ground, and a makeshift chicken coop had been built nearby as well. All of which made from the trees growing around the 18th Floor.

“This is where we’re planning on putting the garden and birds,” Bors said. “One of the reasons it’s next to impossible to grow things in the Dungeon is partly due to the fact that it tries to absorb anything that isn’t made of it. Corpses of adventurers vanish if not collected quickly, and everything from metal to leather to even wood and stone that comes from outside of it will degrade rapidly.”

He tapped a foot on the ground. "Of course, anything made out of Dungeon materials does better. But even stone and wood sourced from here will eventually become useless and gobbled back up. Not to mention the Dungeon tries to heal the damage done to it. It's a constant battle keeping the buildings in one piece and not regenerating back to normal."

“That will make things difficult,” Taylor said slowly. “Does this affect living things?”

“Luckily, it doesn’t. But I wouldn’t say its great for ‘em either. The soil here is sterile, and can only support Dungeon-born flora.”

“That explains why they insisted I bring soil,” Taylor muttered. “And the planter boxes… you’re going to use them to hold the dirt so the potato seeds can grow.”

“Pretty much,” Bors nodded.

Taylor summoned Debbie and immediately got to work, pouring out sacks of dirt into the boxes and putting the chickens in their coop. she then released her swarm.

Earthworms fed on plant debris and things like manure and natural fertilizers, and helped improve soil nutrients. Taylor planned to have them reproduce and spend some time churning up the soil before planting the seeds. As for the pollinators, she brought a species of bee from outside Orario. They could feed on the highly sugary juices of the Honey Cloud fruits and would produce honey and wax and spread pollen when the potatoes started to grow.

Bors assured her he would have apiaries built to accommodate the bees, and she left him with the piles of building supplies to do with as he pleased. She left them on the roots of the giant tree Rivira had been built alongside, as the Level 4 informed her that leaving non-Dungeon materials on the bare dirt would see them pulled into the Dungeon. Hence why Rivira was partially built onto the roots themselves.

Her job in Rivira was done for the moment, and she made her way to the 19th Floor to rejoin her companions afterwards. It was time to train!