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Having rested for 7 long and peaceful hours. The ladies all slowly awoke to the tempting aroma of bacon, that was sizzling upon the pan above the campfire.

Bacon, toasted soft bread, eggs and sliced tomatoes. A hearty breakfast that included the essential proteins and carbohydrates. Ensuring one started the day off with healthy amounts of nutrients. And whilst Asai prepared the breakfast, Robin Sol insisted on sorting out their drinks. That being, a large cup of coffee that consisted mostly of milk, making it more or less a latte.

Stretching and yawning, Mel rubbed the sleep out of her hazel brown eyes before packing away her bed roll. 

Bethel shot up from her sleeping position, springing up like a zombie, she quickly pouted as she awoke from her dream. Her cheeks greatly flushed pink as she stared at Asai's broad back. 

"Morning~ Had a bad dream?" Mel assisted the half-elf by handing out the coffee. 

"No... I dreamt that I was riding a mighty dragon, that's all." Bethel accepted the cup before taking a large swig of the stuff. Instantly choking and coughing as she forcefully kept the vicious liquid from spitting. Her throat burned with both great heat and intensity. 

Staring down at the cup, she realized it was laced with almond flavoured liqueur.

"Alcohol for breakfast!?" Swishing the remnant liquids around her tongue, she dissected and analysed its contents. "Was this coffee made from coffee beans, milk and alcohol alone?" Having little flashbacks of her wet dream that included the duke, she decided to down the drink.

Olivia, Mel and Sora, all seeing the girl choke upon drinking the coffee, believed it was simply because she wasn't attentive enough to the piping hot liquid. Thus, when they all received their own shares they simply blew upon it before taking large gulps themselves.

Quick to end up in a symphony of coughing fits as the alcohol content burnt their throats whilst filling their bodies with warmth.

"What... Did you put inside the coffee Robin?" Asai, finally turning around to see them all coughing, also received a cup of his own from Robin.

"Mmm? Well, since you advised me not to put so much sugar into our drinks, as too much sugar is bad for our health and bodies. I've been replacing the sweetness with other drinks. Like your favourite almond juice, or honey from a [Bee Queen] Oh, I also mixed in stamina potions to help everyone recover their energies faster." Looking around, and seeing everyone up and awake. Hardly a yawn to be seen or heard, she believed her newest version of coffee to be successful.

"What did you put in mine then?"

"Oh. Nothing much, just: Milk from a mother [Mollek], syrup from a [Pixie Queen], concentrated and processed blood from an beetle of longevity; as it has been proven their blood holds great amounts of nutrients and vitamins. Something you always tell me to focus on consuming on a daily basis."

Robin Sol flicked her smooth white hair behind her long ears before landing her golden excited eyes upon him. Waiting for him to try her newest drink, and to perhaps compliment her. Afterwards, she would report back to Rosemi on her latest success.

Asai glanced down into his cup, it appeared brown just as usual milked coffee would. Even smelt sweet, possibly too sweet. "Well... Lads. If I die today, so be it! I chose this girl to be my future wife, and I'll be damned if I'm unable to even accept her love-filled drink!" Talking to absolutely no one, he closed his eyes, stopped breathing to cease his sense of smell. And chugged the drink down as if it were a bottle of beer.

The drink, both hot and cold, slowly squirmed down his throat as it was both smooth and thick. Forcing him to gulp multiple times to literally push the liquid down like a thick ice cream made milk shake.

Thankfully, with [Immunity] and [Survivalist] no negative implications occurred. And Asai truly only received the positive effects as he felt energized.

Opening his eyes to find Robin Sol almost fidgeting and tip-toeing. Asai stroked her soft hair before laying a kiss upon her forehead. 

"Thank you Robin. It was a good drink, but I think it's too strong for most people. So do me a favour and never serve anyone else but me alright? Because, too much of anything can also make it bad, think of the potions we drink. Too much and we still become bloated and could possibly end up vomiting due to the sheer amount of liquid intake etcetera." 

Robin Sol nodded as her pointed ears twitched in joy.

"Come, help me with the portions." Seeing as the food was done, everyone dug in. 

Thankfully, whilst Robin was entirely focused upon Asai's critique, the others had the chance to pour away their cups of coffees. Saving themselves from further stomach-ache.

...

After breakfast, the party was ordered to prepare themselves, as after 30 minutes of digesting their recent meal, they would all enter through the hole upon the platform. Triggering their next battle, and last of this dungeon.

And although magical weapons didn't require maintenance or sharpening, as their brilliant edge and mass would naturally regenerate over time. The girl's still made it a habit to care and attend to their weapons.

Robin being her mithril daggers, as well as her spare steel-daggers that were hidden within her knee-high boots. Something she kept, in the rare scenario that she wasn't able to summon her magical-blades from her ring.

Bethel sharpened her only magical weapon, 

[Mirror Blade]

Level Requirement: 50

Requirements: [Female]

Stats

[Reflection]

Upon successful parry reflects 75% of opponents attack back

A souvenir and also gift from both the leader of Orca and the duke Asai.

The blade itself was a beautiful metal, and whilst unsure of its material, the flat surface was so polished and spotless that it literally was usable as a mirror.

Sora tended to her katars, sharpening only the edges along her whetstone as they were more or less utilized as stabbing weapons rather than slicing.

Olivia, had it the easiest, she simply laid her mace upon her lap and meditated in peace. Preparing her mentality and faith towards her next battle and trial.

..

"Mel. Come with me."

Asai pulled the adventurer towards one side of the platform, giving them some sort of privacy.

"Mel, as an adventurer. You should already be aware that most nobles and powerful knights all have abilities. And whilst the common people believe these skills to be dormant bloodline abilities, and thus, only belonging to the chosen and special. I have a certain means available to me right now. That can bestow you with those very abilities.

Now, no one person is exactly the same, as people will develop abilities according to their life style, bloodline, body or preference in battle. So I can't guarantee that you will become as powerful as... Robin Sol or Bethel, but at the very least, it will make you much stronger.

With it, you'll also be able to use magic, or mana."

Mel's hazel brown eyes widen in excitement and shock. Back when Bethel was screaming and shouting about red circles. She hadn't a clue as to what they could see. From her perspective, they were simply running within an empty vast world of white. A white sky, a white ground and the occasional ground rumbling. She saw no celestial dragon, and saw none of the trees and rocks. Becoming entirely a dead-weight to the group as Bethel had to focus on steering both of their paths.

Pulling out the small vial, Asai carefully held it out for her to see.

"This is an extract, an essence from the world tree itself. Something incredibly rare as you can imagine... Mel, I need fighters, not passive and defensive fighters. In the next room, prove to me that you want this. Prove to me your conviction, willpower and determination and I will grant you it."

Asai thought back to her previous performances. In every battle, she remained extremely passive and taking only shots in which were basically guaranteed hits with no risk, whether Bethel had set them up or the man's summons. The girl wasn't willing to shine in battle, afraid of pain or afraid of death, Asai needed warriors...

"If you simply decide against receiving this, then I will gift it to either Clam or Gary. As those two are truly striving for greater levels of strength. Not for some whimsical notion and inclination towards freedom, adventure and romanticized dungeon-diving. They train their bodies day in and day out for the greater good of many. That's what I need."

Having said his piece, Asai returned to the others. Leaving the brunette to think to herself. To decide whether a life of dangers and risks was truly what she wanted. She understood clearly, what Asai was implying.

That what he required, wasn't to simply become the giving-tree that kept giving and providing for her. What he required were people willing to lay their lives down for the greater good, to be just as he is, risking their lives to fight against the dekan menace.