"W-Well...Some things happened, and I kind of couldn't complete the quest." I say awkwardly, giving an awkward smile. "However, I got it!" I take out the yellow crystal I got when I defeated the moose and place it on the table.

"Oh, that was pretty…unexpected." She answers. "Here is your payment. And return the mission paper." She opens the coin box under her waist, takes out a gold coin, and places it on the counter.

I hand her the mission paper.

The payment is 20 Dungions, the currency that is used in the Dungeon Area.

"Twenty dungions... All this for twenty dungions..." I whimper a little.

Each crystal has a value and color that varies depending on the monster's Rank.

The table with each color and price of crystals is as follows:

Rank X: Unknown Color = D$700+ (Value not defined).

Rank S: Red = D$600

Rank A: Green = D$200

Rank B: Blue = D$60

Rank C: Yellow = D$20

Rank D: Gray = D$15

Rank E: Brown = D$5

"I think we're going to have to go back tomorrow to kill some more monsters, only this time we're going with a map, please." I speak to Reinier.

Reinier sighs.

"Okay." He says.

"Thank you very much, lass." I thank the elf attendant and take the coin.

The coin is made of gold with an engraving of a dragon with its face on its side.

I head towards the Guild exit.

"Check back often!" She says waving.

Passing through the door, Rei and I stood at the entrance of the Guild.

"We'll go somewhere for lunch, and there we'll discuss how we're going to find a new member." I say to Rei.

"Okay, first I'm going to go to my apartment to get some money and take a shower. Where are we going?" He asks.

"No idea; do you know any places?" I hope he doesn't choose an expensive place.

"Well, I know a tavern called "Dragon Tavern." We can go there; it's opposite the Dungeon Tower." Rei says.

"Okay, then I'll see you there." I answer, and we split up, each heading home.

When I got home, I took a shower and changed my clothes. Wearing black pants and a simple white shirt, I grab some money and my map and head to the tavern Rei spoke of.

The Dungeon Area has eight Main Streets, all leading to the Dungeon Tower faster as they are wider streets. These eight streets are in each cardinal point, and these streets are named after the cardinal and collateral points on which it is located.

In this case, the Dragon Tavern is located on Southwest Main Street.

After leaving the house, I go to the place where the tavern is located; it takes me about fifteen minutes.

Okay, he had said it was in front of the Dungeon Tower.

Around the Dungeon Tower, there are no nearby buildings, as if it were a square, so the buildings are at least a quarter of a mile away.

I walk around this open area of the Dungeon Tower, looking for the tavern. A few groups of adventurers are gathered in this area, perhaps organizing quests or something.

I finally find the tavern; it seems to be quite busy.

At the entrance, the sign says: ''Dragon Tavern: The best tavern in the Dungeon!" I hope it's the best and not the most expensive.

Entering the place, I see a lot of people; the place is really full. Waiters and waitresses running around taking orders and delivering food and drinks. A little further on, a counter with a middle-aged man serving drinks to customers sitting on three stools; behind him, various types of drinks are in a cupboard.

A little further to the right, a group of bards play happy music while some drunks dance in front of them. On the left side, a staircase goes up that probably leads to the tavern's warehouse. Some waitresses come down with barrels of beer, I think to put behind the counter of the drinks master.

The place is illuminated by sunlight. The light entering through the windows makes the place well lit. The ceiling of the tavern is quite large and shaped like the roof, with a chandelier of candles hanging down in the middle of the room.

Looking at the customers for a bit, I look for Reinier.

Hmm... Where is this guy ?

I thought. Sitting at a table near the wall, Reinier is wearing a long-sleeved black shirt. He is looking at a piece of paper; it must be the menu.

I approach.

" Hey." I pull out the chair and sit down while I talk.

"Finally arrived." He says.

"Have you been here a long time?" I ask.

"In truth, no. I arrived about five minutes ago." He looks back at the paper.

"This place is really big; I had never been here."

"This was one of the first places I went when I arrived in the Dungeon Area. I had made my reservation at an inn and came here for dinner." He speaks.

"Just one question: This place isn't expensive, is it?" I hope he says ''no'', because I only have 60 dungions in my pocket...

"Don't worry, anything you can eat stale bread." Look at the audacity of this guy, making fun of a poor guy like me.

"Give it to me." I roughly take the paper he was holding.

Looking at the paper, it's pretty old and torn. At the top, in the center of the sheet, is written ''Menu'' and below there are the dishes.

Everything is expensive...

How can everything be expensive in this place?!

Or I'm very poor...

No, I think this place has slightly higher prices. Ironically, I need to value myself.

...

Well, I think I'll get this thing called ''Cheese Puffs''. It's the only thing I can afford with sixty dungions.

''A small, round cake made with sour manioc flour, grated cheese, and water. Baked in the oven, it has a crispy crust on the outside and a soft, warm interior.''

Looks tasty.

"Have you decided what you are going to choose?" Reinier asks me.

"I think I'll have a cheese puff."

Reinier raises his hand, and a waiter comes to our table to take our order. The waiter wears a brown leather vest with a thin white long-sleeved shirt underneath.

"I'll have a cheese bread."

"And I, a pea soup."

"Your orders will arrive soon." The waiter, in a pompous voice, takes our order and leaves.

Let's go to what matters.

"So, how are we going to get a new member?" Rei asks.

"I thought we'd go to level sixteen, but I don't know if you think that's too dangerous."

"I think it would be ideal; there must be a lot of strong adventurers there." He answers.

"The ''plan'' is for us to find someone without a House there, so we'll probably have to fight monsters to find people like that." I say.

"And why exactly do we need to fight?" Reinier asks a sincere question.

"I believe it will be easier to attract attention this way, this way, the adventurers who will ask to enter our House, and we won't have to ask anyone or pay anyone, which is the most important thing!" I answer.

"Seems to make sense; I believe we're only going to have some difficulty with the monsters starting at level fourteen, so it's good to have some med kits." Good thing he remembered.

If I knew some healing magic, it would buy us a lot of time.

"I thought we'd go back to level eleven tomorrow to hunt some monsters and get some crystals." Rei says.

"What time do you want to go?" I question.

"About eight in the morning, after breakfast, I thought we'd stay all day on the level." The whole day!?

"And what would we have for lunch!?" I question a little agitated.

"We would go upstairs to eat and then back downstairs."

"Oh." I should have thought of that... " Then maybe let's go tomorrow; just don't be late." I complete.

"That line is mine." He quietly says.

"Speaking a little more about level sixteen, this level is literally a dense jungle. The monsters there are quite different too." I say.

The waiter comes and places our order on the table.

Both foods steam out of them; they look great.

I pick up my cheese bread, and it's the size of the palm of my hand.

Biting into it, I feel the cheese expanding, the taste is simply divine.

Reinier eats the soup silently.

Speaking of which, I remembered one thing.

"By the way, do you remember our arrangement?" I ask.

"Hmm, what deal?" He really doesn't remember.

"Well, we're going to fight, don't you remember?" I answer.