By the time we finally escaped the tunnel, everyone was extremely tired and grumpy. Well... Except for me, I felt pretty good, all things considered, the benefits of being a slime.


    Since there were so many of us, fresh air apparently became an issue for the dwarves, but Thern and the party leader had come prepared, and both had a dimensional storage container containing fresh air.


    "Any smart dwarf keeps at least one of these things; you don''t want to be trapped underground and suffocate," Thern explained.


    I guess being buried alive is a common occurrence for them... That''s rather unsettling.


    Thern and the Geomancer had to repeatedly work overtime casting [Sand Pit], but the lad had far less Mana than Thern and frequently took breaks to recover.


    Meanwhile, I kept compressing the sand into spheres, even though Thern was unlikely to need them anymore. Occasionally, I''d throw out [Shatterquake] to contribute to our excavation by breaking apart a large enough rock into more manageable chunks for our two diggers.


    To boost morale and also aid in their recovery, I pulled out some of my "alcohol" to share with the group. Thern chugged it as soon as it was in his grasp, while the rest of the dwarves were initially hesitant. Although once they all had a few sips, they were hooked and singing praises.


    "Is this recovering my Mana?" The Geomancer asked, looking astonished.


    "I always had suspicions about that myself," Thern answered. "Whenever I had a hard day full of enchanting, nothing put the spring back in my step than some of that glorious booze."


    "I guess the secrets out. I like to think it gives it the extra kick," I replied, relying heavily on [Acting] to save the day.


    "Ha! What next? You gonna start mixing in health potions?" Thern said, laughing uproariously.


    "Either that or antidote," I teased.


    "Sorry, I don''t think even the gods could make your booze palatable if you mixed in that gunk," Thern replied, shaking his head.


    "Please don''t," The other dwarves agreed. It seemed everyone hated the taste of antidote potions.


    Nobody wished to continue, so we all headed back to Dhoggurum together.


    The group seemed quite happy, and it looked like they had made good progress despite the kobolds ending their adventure early. They had also become much more amiable to Thern and me, and some brown-nosing was happening with the former.


    When we finally got back inside the city, we said our goodbyes and headed back home.


    "Sorry about that. I''m sure you usually get to do far more exciting stuff," Thern apologized unexpectedly.


    "No worries. I''m sorry my luck didn''t activate, and we couldn''t kill a lesser dragon or something rare and interesting," I responded.


    "Ha! Now, that would have been a story," Thern chuckled. "Still, it feels good to get a bit of a workout. Feels like it''s been too long since I did some good monster hunting, even if it was just a few kobolds."


    "Too much sitting around enchanting?"


    "Mostly. That and paperwork," Thern shuddered. "What''s your next plan? Going to go find a good quest to hunt? Take a break?"


    I paused to think a bit, then nodded before responding, "Maybe a small break... I want to do some shopping. Do you think I could get one of those timekeeper tools?"


    "Oh, you want a clock? I''m sure my Pa can point you in the right direction," Thern answered.


    "Great, thanks," I replied cheerfully.


    ***


    The next day, I went on a shopping trip. While I would have appreciated it if Darmod had accompanied me, he was a little too busy negotiating with the Flinthearts.


    Thankfully, he did at least give me a list of shops to check out and which ones to avoid. Having a merchant''s opinion was always good.


    Thern, meanwhile, was called in to assist Thessa with some enchanting, so it was just me today. This meant I spent a large portion of my morning getting utterly lost in this dwarven maze until I finally gave in and asked for directions.


    The merchants I dealt with were polite and friendly, especially when I flashed my gold-rank adventurer tag, and then they ensured I was given VIP treatment. I managed to get my hands on one of the time devices, a clock, as they called it, and I fondly inspected the rounded and flattened device in my hands.


    They came in various casings, but I chose the sturdiest option available, preferring robust practicality over gaudiness. It did not look bad—far from it—but it was remarkably more subdued compared to some of the gem-encrusted pieces they had on display.


    At least now I''ll know the time if I spent days in a dungeon, underground, or who knows where. I thought happily over my purchase.


    I also stocked up on some more containers in case I needed them for harvesting and opted to buy a few emergency potions. I wasn''t sure if or when I''d group up with someone again, but I didn''t want to end up in a situation where someone I cared about was dying of poison, and I could only watch helplessly.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Definitely adding alchemy to my to-do list at some point. Either that or somehow convincing a dungeon to give me a pink slime... Probably both, though, why not. I have the time.


    I pulled out my coin marked by Trixie and wondered when the pixie would arrive. I certainly hope she wasn''t playing a prank on me, saying she''d meet up with me only to leave me waiting months.


    Hopefully, she didn''t get herself captured again... I couldn''t help but worry.


    Before returning home, I purchased some choice cuts and other food items for our dinner. They gave me free room and board and refused any payment offer. So, if I wanted to reciprocate their kindness, I had to take any chance I could, and they could never turn down food or drinks that had already been purchased.


    Then again... They had already helped themselves to that obsidianite...


    At dinner, Darmod was looking mightily pleased with himself.


    "I got this as a downpayment from the Flinthearts," Darmod said with a wink as he handed me another silver slime core.


    I couldn''t help but smile at it gleefully. "Thanks!"


    While I was incredibly tempted to eat it on the spot, I knew I''d be wasting the trait level up. [Metal Slime] had leveled up after the fight with the ant princess.


    Then I had gone to fight two powerful worms and used them extensively, so I could only hope that the next level-up was somewhat close, especially after sampling something as rare as obsidianite.


    Nope... Patience, Syl. Get the trait to level five; then, it''ll be time to chow down.


    "Speaking of which, the Flinthearts were wondering if you were open to completing a quest for them?" Darmod asked.


    "Sure, I don''t mind doing a quest," I replied happily. "It''s sort of my job, even if I''m kind of treating this a little like a vacation."


    "That''s good. It''ll also help you, relieving some of their financial pressure," Darmod said happily.


    "Oh? Why''s that?" I asked curiously.


    "They''ve been having trouble with one of their mines, and someone is blocking people from taking the quest posted to free it up," Darmod explained.


    "The guild would never!" Thern shouted angrily.


    "It''s not the guild staff, but adventurers who accept the quest get... Persuaded to turn it down," Darmod said sadly. "While the bribes are no doubt less than the reward, they come with no risk."


    "Bloody noble politics," Thern spat.


    "Well, I don''t think they could bribe me unless they offered me a ton of slime cores," I joked.


    "Please don''t..." Darmod begged.


    "She''s joking, Pa..." Thern paused. "At least I hope she is."


    "Mostly," I teased. "Any idea what the issue is?"


    "Just that a monster has taken residence in their orichalcum mine," Darmod answered. "You can meet Kaldrour Flintheart at the guild for more details; he''s dying to meet you."


    "Sure, sign me up."


    ***


    Elsewhere...


    Two individuals were seated in a grand chamber adorned with opulent furnishings and extravagant decorations. The walls were draped with rich, heavy curtains in deep, royal colors and scattered intricate tapestries depicting historical battles and tales of valor.


    Wall display cases showcased rare and valuable artifacts, intricate sculptures, and ancient tomes. The room was also adorned with gilded mirrors, which added a sense of grandeur and expansiveness.


    The room''s centerpiece was a large, polished marble table surrounded by ornately carved chairs upholstered in sumptuous fabrics. The table adorned elegant candelabras, casting a warm, flickering light across the room.


    As a finishing touch, a small serving area was discreetly tucked into one corner, offering a selection of fine wines, pastries, and other delicacies to indulge in.


    "It''s been decided that we will continue our trade agreements with the Outeatus Kingdom, but only for necessities and luxury goods. Arms and armor are off the table," The dwarf spoke before sipping his wine. "I hope this is satisfactory to The Grove."


    "More than satisfactory, my old friend," A lithe elven male replied before gracefully sipping his own cup. "After months of refusal to budge over the promised wealth, I''m frankly surprised that The Empire has so abruptly come to reason."


    "Oh? Are you going to play the fool, Tamnaeth? After you made such a blatant power display," The dwarf chuckled.


    Tamnaeth was immediately suspicious but hid it behind a mask of utter composure. Power display? He''d done no such thing. Had one of the elders interfered with the lack of progress in recent months? He had reassured them multiple times that things were still within expectations.


    While something had been suggested originally to remind the dwarves not to trust that savage kingdom, it was deemed far too risky at the time. When dealing with their stout allies, if you were too forceful, they tended to dig in their heels and oppose you out of sheer stubbornness.


    "Come now, Loldraeg. Surely you can indulge me," Tamnaeth threw on as much social charm as possible, even though it was notoriously ineffectual against the dwarves. "For old time''s sake?"


    "Fine, fine," Loldraeg chuckled, giving a knowing wink and grin. "I understand the need to gloat and bask in the glory of a job well done. I''ll give it to ya."


    Tamnaeth gave a tiny smile as he drank from his cup. He patiently waited for Loldraeg to continue.


    "I don''t know whether to call it a stroke of genius or madness. Sending an elf to join the adventurers guild was startling enough on its own, but going out of her way to accept multiple quests to turn dwarven goodwill towards her was smart thinking.


    Singlehandedly taking out a fire ant princess and two royal guards, and, by estimating the numbers, likely almost the entire nest. You know how much we dwarves hate those blasted ants...


    And then, the cherry on top is having her defeat a tier five monster, presumably also by herself. But not bragging about it openly, and instead subtly handing it in with the completed ant quest to an inquisitive staff member, who would question the sheer numbers...


    Combining goodwill and a reminder of your fangs all in one neat package. Truly brilliant," Loldraeg said, raising a glass to toast.


    Tamnaeth was shocked. He had not heard any of this; it took all of his social prowess not to let his mask crack. He couldn''t sense any falsehood in Loldraeg''s statement, but it sounded outlandish.


    Would the elders really send someone to join that guild? They always scoffed at the idea and said it was beneath us. While killing a tier-five monster isn''t that unbelievable, it would have to be of someone with some degree of pedigree. Would any parent accept their child dirtying their lineage by joining that group of rabbles? Even if it was for a good cause.


    Tamnaeth merely smiled, accepting the toast. "Thank you for the indulgence, old friend."


    "Anytime. Personally, I think any coin accepted from that kingdom isn''t worth it," Loldraeg admitted with a sigh. "Those coffers reek of blood, but the lust for wealth has tempted many young dwarves..."


    "I can''t see even the staunchest of our elders complaining about trading a few amenities," Tamnaeth replied, waving his hand dismissively in gesture. "Besides, I assume even that trade will be guarded for snapping mutts."


    Loldraeg nodded. "Of course. Should any of that cursed seed think themselves another God King, they''ll be swiftly reminded why their forefather failed."


    They continued to exchange pleasantries. Meanwhile, Tamnaeth kept thinking about that elven agent in the Adventurer''s Guild.


    I''ll have to pay them a visit... I''m curious about who they sent and why I wasn''t informed. I understand the need for some undercover action, but not even coming to greet me when I''m in the most authoritative position for this region is almost insulting. Still... It certainly has garnered results.