Chapter 23: A Dungeon Appears Out of Nowhere to Add Something to the Plot
"Alright, everyone quiet."
The teacher’s voice echoed through the classroom.
For some reason, it sounded more serious than usual.
The students gradually fell silent.
Kael lifted his head from his desk.
Or at least he tried.
Because the Fat King was using part of his face as a pillow.
"...Why are you so heavy?"
"Meow."
"That doesn’t answer my question."
"Meow."
"Understandable."
The teacher ignored that conversation.
Probably because he had already accepted that fighting the cat’s logic was useless.
"I have an important announcement."
That caught everyone’s attention.
Even Darius stopped bragging about a recent mission.
Even Aurelion, who was sitting on a windowsill instead of a chair.
Even Seraphina looked up slightly.
Well.
For three seconds.
Then she went back to staring at the Fat King.
The teacher sighed.
"Young Darius, Aurelion, and Lady Seraphina... What are you doing here?"
Aurelion laughed.
"Sorry, Professor. I requested a transfer to this class."
"And they gave it to me, since I never attend my classes anyway."
Aurelion looked at Kael seriously.
"Besides, I can’t have my rematch if we’re not in the same classroom."
Kael just sighed.
The teacher looked at Darius.
"Young Darius, you’re a good second-year student. You shouldn’t be in this course."
"Well, I can’t leave my future wife alone near someone like Kael."
He looked at Kael with contempt... Kael just ignored him.
Seraphina looked at Kael, who was sitting next to her, and asked.
"Do you have a lover?"
Kael choked.
"WHAT???"
"Darius said you’re too close to his future wife. That means you’re cheating on me."
Kael sighed.
"I don’t know if that means we’re dating, but he was referring to you."
Seraphina looked at Darius, then back at Kael.
"How is that my fault?"
Ouch — Darius’s heart could be heard breaking all the way from there.
Darius looked at the teacher, trying to ignore it.
"And for the announcement that the director is about to give, he wanted to assign someone from another group to help the young students."
"Lady Seraphina, I’d like to ask you the reason, but I’ll spare myself the question."
He simply looked at the class and continued.
"Two days ago, a new dungeon was discovered."
Silence.
And then...
"A DUNGEON!?"
"NEW!?"
"JUST DISCOVERED!?"
"THAT’S WORTH A FORTUNE!"
The class exploded.
Kael also sat up abruptly.
"Is there money?"
"A lot of money."
"I’m willing to risk my life."
"Big brother, that was way too fast."
Kael turned his head.
Luna was peeking through the door.
No one knew how she got into first-year classes.
Not even the teachers.
But they also didn’t know what three students from other groups were doing there.
"You don’t understand, Luna."
"What?"
"I could buy expensive bread."
"Does expensive bread exist?"
"I don’t know."
"Then why do you want it?"
"Because it sounds delicious."
The teacher massaged his forehead.
"Can you stop talking about bread?"
"No."
"No."
The teacher decided to ignore them.
Again.
"Arcadia Academy has been given exploration priority for this dungeon."
That made the whole class even more excited.
Because everyone knew what that meant.
A new dungeon was a treasure.
Resources.
Materials.
Artifacts.
Prestige.
And money.
A LOT of money.
Kael was already imagining a mansion.
Well.
Maybe a house that didn’t look abandoned for three generations.
But it was a start.
The teacher continued.
"The expedition will begin today."
"YES!!"
"FINALLY!!"
"ADVENTURE!!"
"TREASURES!!"
Kael raised a hand.
"Professor."
"Yes?"
"How likely is death?"
"Very low."
"Perfect."
"That wasn’t a reassuring answer."
"It is for me."
Luna shook her head.
"You’re definitely going to end up in trouble."
"I have a mountain-rank cat."
"That’s not reassuring either."
"It is for me."
---
The next few hours were chaos.
Everyone was forming groups.
Students ran back and forth.
Some negotiated.
Others argued.
And a few desperately tried to recruit people.
"We need a healer!"
"We need a tank!"
"We need someone with a brain!"
"The last one is hard to find."
Meanwhile, Kael was sitting quietly under a tree.
A student asked him.
"Shouldn’t you be looking for a team?"
"I already have a team."
"Who?"
Kael pointed at the cat.
The cat was asleep.
As always.
"That doesn’t count."
"Of course it counts."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"..."
"..."
"I’m winning."
"No."
Aurelion appeared hanging upside down from a branch.
"I’ll participate."
"In the expedition?"
"Yes."
"Don’t you have classes?"
"Like I said, I transferred, and classes are boring."
"And an unknown dungeon isn’t?"
"No."
"Understandable."
Darius appeared right at that moment.
And as always, he seemed annoyed to exist near Kael.
"Don’t be a burden."
"Hi, Darius."
"That wasn’t a greeting."
"Thanks anyway."
Darius stared for a few seconds.
As if he were considering committing a crime.
Then he walked away.
Aurelion burst out laughing.
"I like you."
"That worries me."
"That’s normal."
"I don’t think it is."
"It is."
---
Then Seraphina appeared.
Out of nowhere.
As always.
She didn’t even walk.
She was just there.
One second she wasn’t.
And the next she was.
Kael had already stopped trying to understand it.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Aurelion watched the conversation.
"Incredible."
"What?"
"I just witnessed a four-sentence conversation."
"There were two."
"Exactly."
Seraphina ignored the comment.
She looked at the Fat King.
The Fat King pretended to be asleep.
"I’m going with you."
"To the dungeon?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I want to see the Little Fat King explore."
"That was a stupid question."
"Yes. But I also want to team up with you."
"Thanks."
"You’re welcome."
Aurelion started laughing again.
"Just kiss already."
"I wish... But maybe if I do, I’ll wake up as a web novelist self-insert."
---
Shortly after, everyone was gathered in front of the academy.
Dozens of students.
Teachers.
Instructors.
Guards.
Everything seemed much more serious than usual.
And then Luna appeared.
Running.
"I’m going too!!"
The teacher pointed at her.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because you’re too young."
"That’s discrimination."
"Yes."
"..."
"..."
"At least he was honest."
The teacher crossed his arms.
"Students at your level cannot participate."
"Unfair."
"Correct."
"I hate this academy."
"That’s also forbidden."
"Worst academy in the world."
Kael gave her a light tap on the head.
"Stop complaining already."
"I want adventures."
"I want a house that doesn’t leak when it rains."
"I want that too."
"Then let me work."
Luna puffed out her cheeks.
But she stepped aside.
"Don’t die."
"I’ll try."
"And take care of the cat."
"I think you should say that the other way around."
"I was telling the fat king."
---
The journey took several hours.
And when they finally arrived...
Even Kael was impressed.
Before them loomed a gigantic natural structure.
Colossal roots emerged from the ground.
Twisted.
Ancient.
Covered in glowing runes.
They looked like the limbs of an impossible tree.
One so large that its end couldn’t even be seen.
In the center of those roots was an opening.
Dark.
Deep.
Unsettling.
The dungeon entrance.
"Wow."
For the first time in a long while,
Kael was speechless.
Aurelion smiled.
"Now this feels like an adventure."
"Yes."
"Much better than classes."
"That wasn’t a high bar either."
All around were professional adventurers.
Researchers.
Mages.
Guards preventing unauthorized people from entering.
Even merchants selling food and exploration gear.
The whole place was full of activity.
And then the problems began.
A student tried to enter with a dragon.
The dragon got stuck.
"PUSH!!"
"WE’RE PUSHING!!"
"HARDER!!"
"IT DOESN’T FIT!!"
Another student tried to enter with a manticore.
That didn’t work either.
Then a giant bear.
Also didn’t work.
Chaos spread quickly.
Finally, one of the researchers raised his voice.
"Silence!"
Everyone quieted down.
"The entrance has a dimensional limitation."
"What does that mean?"
"Creatures that are too large cannot enter."
Silence.
Then came the shouts.
"WHAT!?"
"MY DRAGON IS EIGHT METERS TALL!"
"MY MANTICORE DOESN’T FIT EITHER!"
"THIS IS UNFAIR!"
Kael watched all of that.
Then looked at the Fat King.
The cat walked slowly toward the entrance.
Waddling.
Without hurry.
Without dignity.
Without worry.
And it passed through the barrier without any problem.
"Meow."
Kael smiled.
"For once, your obesity has advantages."
WHAP.
The slap came instantly.
"OW!!"
Aurelion doubled over laughing.
Even Darius seemed to be holding back a laugh.
Seraphina watched the cat.
"Good job."
The Fat King raised its head proudly.
As if it had just accomplished a legendary feat.
Kael pointed at the cat.
"Look at that."
"What?"
"He’s proud."
"Yes."
"For walking through a door."
"Yes."
"Incredible."
"Yes."
---
The groups began to gather.
The teachers gave final instructions.
And finally, the moment arrived.
One by one,
the students began to cross the entrance.
The outside light was left behind.
The roots slowly closed behind them.
The atmosphere became colder.
Darker.
Quieter.
Kael swallowed.
Not out of fear.
Well.
Maybe a little.
It was his first time entering a real dungeon.
Not a practice.
Not a simulation.
A real one.
"Alright."
"Ready?"
"Yes."
"Yes."
"Meow."
"That counts as yes."
Aurelion looked into the darkness.
Darius adjusted his gear.
Seraphina walked beside the Fat King.
And then they crossed the threshold.
The giant door of roots finished closing behind them.
Darkness filled the tunnel.
And an ancient voice echoed throughout the dungeon.
An impossible voice to identify.
Cold.
Empty.
Inhuman.
"Intruders detected."
Silence.
Kael looked at the others.
"I didn’t like that."
"Me neither."
"That definitely didn’t sound friendly."
"No."
The runes on the walls began to glow slowly.
One after another.
Like eyes waking up.
And somewhere in the depths...
Something opened its own.
