We walked back towards the exit.

"Well, to officially create a House, we need to have at least four members. So let's go in search of two more!" I say excited.

Reinier looks at me suspiciously.

"Okay, and how are we going to arrange these three people?"

"We can hire someone from the adventurer's guild. I don't particularly like this idea since most adventurers offer short bounties and also most don't aim to be a superpowered adventurer or anything like that." I answer.

"And how do these contracts work?" Reinier asks. I see I'm going to have to be a teacher again...

"Houses make contracts with promising adventurers or even adventurers from another House. Depending on the House, they offer a large amount of money, but it may involve other benefits. These contracts can last for years or a few days, depending on how interested the house is."

"Okay, that being said, what is our budget for hiring adventurers?" Rei asks, I hope he doesn't have high expectations.

"Currently, I don't have a penny to hire an adventurer." I answer.

"Me too. So how are we going to hire without money?" Rei asks.

At least we are in the same situation...

"We can go to other floors to look for Houseless adventurers. You don't necessarily need money to hire an adventurer." I say.

"And how are we going to hire them if we don't have the money?" Rei asks a little excited.

"I will convince them with my charisma and my kindness." I respond by closing one eye and making a V sign with my fingers.

"No ironically, I don't doubt you can do it." Rei replies.

After a few minutes of walking, looking ahead, the forest seems to have an end, and the big stone wall of the level gets closer and closer.

"Finally… LET'S GET OUT OF THIS PLACE!" I think I screamed too loud...

Yet this forest does not make a sound.

"Bizarre." Rei speaks with a bit of contempt.

Finally leaving the forest, I look back and see the huge blue forest we just came out of. It was a long journey... I think.

Looking ahead, I see the entrance to a tunnel that leads to the previous level, level 10.

We enter the tunnel and begin to climb back to the surface.

At level eight, I start to get hungry and thirsty. I should have drunk in the lakes of level 9... I didn't want to do that because it would be dangerous; probably some piranha would bite my mouth when I was drinking water.

Again, I'm here on this level of the cave that has the stalagmites and stalactites.

My lips get dry, as do my mouth and throat.

I look to one side of me and see a puddle of water formed by the drops that drip from the stalactites on the ceiling.

I could... just take a sip of that water. I mean, that water is clean, isn't it?

Stalactites are thorns formed by minerals that transport water and consequently form drops of water that drip.

"Hey, you're not going to drink that, are you?" Reinier speaks, and his voice even makes a little echo in the place. And I realize that I was going towards the water unconsciously, almost hypnotized by thirst.

"I am literally dehydrating." I say in a hoarse voice, my vocal cords are drier than the level 21 desert.

"We can stop on level five for food and drink; do you have money there?" Rei asks.

"I'm poor, man." I answer.

"And I only have a few pennies." Rei says.

Suddenly, my stomach rumbles with hunger. The noise echoes off the cave walls and even makes some bats wake up and fly away.

After going up a few levels, we're finally at level five.

We come out of the cave that leads to the level, and right away we get a bright light in the face. I close my eyes because of the light that blinds me.

My vision adjusts to the light, and finally I see a large field of flat green grass with a few scattered trees with yellow leaves on their branches, making shadows in which adventurers rest in them. There are also some red slimes being hunted by adventurers; they are probably fire slimes.

"I just want to have a drink of water…" I say with my tongue out.

"I confess that I am also thirsty." Good thing I thought he'd never get tired.

"Let's look for a lake to drink water." I say and start walking across the field.

Walking through the level, the air is totally different; sometimes refreshing breezes come towards my face. Birds and flowers are also very common to see. The climate is very pleasant, and it is possible to see even small cloud formations.

In the meantime, the water that wet my pants when I used the magic has already dried up.

Rei and I entered a small forest. The concentration of trees is a little higher, and their height is also higher, with the long trunk and the branches being high.

"How the fuck can a dungeon level produce clouds?" Reinier suddenly questions. "Like, the only source of light in this level is that yellow Crystal of Light at the center of the level." Rei complements.

"Well, that crystal in the center of the level emits light and heat, and you know, the cloud formation process until it becomes a rain cloud, and blah, blah, blah. The coolest thing about these first five levels is that eventually small rains happen, watering all the plants." I... I think I'm a nerd...

"I would recommend you not to spend so much saliva talking; you are already dry; it would be a problem for you not to produce more saliva." This Reinier guy is mocking.

"I would even explain that Crystals of Light of this level have a day and night system, but I don't want that anymore." I say flexing my arms.

"Wait, is this level at night?!"

Looking forward, as if hidden among the trees, I see a small pond.

"I thought!" I go running with joy to drink as much as I can.

I dodge trees on my way until I'm facing the pond.

I quickly go to the edge of the pond, kneel down, scoop up the water with both hands, and finally drink. Water is simply delicious; they say when you are thirsty, water is the best drink, and it's true!

I drink as much as I can, and it's a great feeling, like my energy is coming back.

Looking further into the place, it's a pond surrounded by trees, a pretty hidden place, but it's sure that many adventurers come here to fish or camp.

I look back and see Rei coming.

"You didn't even wait for me." Rei comes to my side, bends down, and drinks the water.

"Sorry, hehe." I scratch my head a little with a little embarrassment.

I hope this water doesn't have any disease...

After we've had some water, we take the elevator back to the surface; at least this time I'm not alone with strangers in the elevator.

The elevator finally reaches the surface, and the doors open. Rei and I step out.

Seeing the great hall, I see large queues to enter the dungeon. We distanced ourselves a little from all the agglomerations. The queue with House adventurers is a little shorter, but that's already common.

"Okay, do you have that monster's crystal over there?" Rei asks.

"Yes." I open my bag, take out the yellow crystal, and show it to Reinier.

"Great, now how do we turn this into cash?"

"We have to go to the Adventurer's Guild; there they buy this type of material." I put the crystal away as I speak.

"Okay, after that, let's eat something, because I'm starving." Rei says and walks away.

"Do you know where the Adventurer's Guild is?" I ask, almost as if I already know the answer.

"No." It's not like it's any surprise. And why does he say ''no'' with such confidence?!

"Follow me; I know where it is." I take the lead, leading Reinier.

It must be around one in the afternoon; today I have a late lunch.

The Three Great Houses rule the Adventurer's Guilds. Each territory has a different Guild that pays different amounts. For example, the Adventurer's Guild in House Skylar's territory pays more than the Adventurer's Guild in House Kalos' territory; this is due to the quality of life and economic situation of each territory.

As we walk, I see most of the restaurants and bars crowded because it must be lunchtime for a lot of people. The street is also quite busy; everyone has their lunch break at the same time, apparently.

"What part of the Area do you live in?" I ask Reinier.

"In the Southwest region, almost in the West."

"So we live in the same region! Only I live a little further south."

"It makes things easier." Rei complements.

Finally, we come to the Adventurer's Guild, by the way, the same one I got my quest from earlier.

I enter the place, and right away I see the elf who attended to me earlier. I approach the counter until she notices I'm there.

"You came back!" She says from afar. She quickly comes to answer.

"So it is." I say awkwardly, giving a small smile.

"So, did you get the crystals?" she asks very gently. "I see you made a new partner too; hello!" She's pretty lively, huh?

"Hey." Reinier says to her.

How am I going to tell her that I've been lost this whole time and that this guy right next to me joined me because he was lost too?