Eventually, I got dragged by her to her party camp. Their party still haven't sleep yet. "Then, what do you want to make a deal about?" I said holding back my irritation.
"Join our party, then I will show you my secret." Aeri said. "I don't need your secret or party." I said to her.
"We need your help!" Maria said to me. "What do I get out of it? Let me explain something, I don't need your secret as payment. It's one of the requirements for me to join but I still need something." I said since they take it wrongly.
"Then, how about you take half of our income in this cooperation?" Barton said with an idea. "Fine, You caught my attention, but I won't bring the loot. Someone had to bring it with them." I said demanding it from them.
"No problem, we had a storage bag with us." Maria said with a flat tone. "Hmm... Good. Wait, what?" I felt like I heard something useful.
"My side bag here had some space storage in it. I can store items for 10m cubic." Maria said. "I never heard of it. Isn't it people around here brought a big bag for them to bring their loot?" I ask her.
She nods "Um.. this is a product from the Elf Kingdom.". "Wait, Maria. Why you said it to him?" Aeri said. "Because he said no lie." Maria said and nod. Barton just shrugged his shoulder while Laris stay quite.
"Mind if I take a look?" I said to her. She gives it to me and I start inspecting it. Then I could see Aeri become restless, "What do you want to say?" I ask her.
"Noo... Nothing." She said. I start looking at the magic structure than create a copy of it with my other hand. "Interesting, is this elf language? I never have seen such a language before. No, this is an ancient language." I said inspecting the magic circle I made after copy the one inside the bag.
"Right, since I got something big. I will help you, no need for your income." I said. Maria's eyes widened and she made a little smile. Aeri becomes more restless. Laris also smile and nod, while Barton happy showing his teeth.
"Then, What help do you need me to do?" I ask them. "Do you not going to ask Aeri's secret?" Maria ask. "Who cares about her? Just tell me your goal, this payment is enough." I said nonchalantly.
"Youu... You... How dare you!?" Aeri pulls her bow and about to shoot and her party starts to calm her down "Wowowowo... Aeri, calm down. It's ok." Barton quickly stands between us.
Laris then come to me "We need your help to defeat the 50th-floor boss.". All of them now silent waiting for my answer.
I smirk hearing their goal "Do you only want help? You know this magic is more valuable than your goal." I ask for confirmation.
They look at each other and then look at me. "Yes, that's it." Their face made me laugh. "Sorry if I laugh. I ask you again what's your goal? Is it only to clear the 50th floor? I don't want to owe you with this gift. Since it's looked like Laris had told you about my identity, I will help one each your goal."
Then noticing my question they start to talk again, in a group this time. I take a rest while waiting for their answer.
Then Laris comes to me "My goal is to defeat the 60th floor." then Barton walks with Laris "Me too. The Lightning Dragon party is my idol. I want to stand there.". Maria then comes to me "I want you.". "Nope, not gonna happen." I give a quick answer to Maria.
"Tch... Then the same as them." Maria annoyed. Then Aeri comes to me. "Before I tell you my wish, you need to know something." then her magic starts to vanish.
"Ayaa~ Who would have thought? The elf princess sneaks into this kingdom." I said after looking at her green hair and green eyes. Then I stare at the other member, they just nod "Looks like your party is really a good guy to keep your secret.".
"Find, tell me what do you want?" I ask. "I don't know your strength to make father ask me to observe you if I had time but I want to cancel the marriage talk between us but still form an alliance between the Elf Kingdom and the Aqerra Kingdom.". "Deal, Then Let's go." I said.
"I know it's kinda hard to release beautiful woman like me but you need to.. Wait, you accept?" Aeri said. "What makes you stunned like that? Put your magic back. I don't want to marry you anyway." I said while standing up. "Tch... Jerk." She said while packing her thing.
I wait for them to pack their tent. Now we enter the boss's room but nothing is here. So we get to floor 31st. "Now, let me tell you something too. Since you can keep that spoiled princess secret. You should be able to keep my secret. Everything happens down here, will be our little secret." I said while looking at them.
Maria then come toward me "Are you going to eat me down here? Even though you quite a savage but I will contend with it.". I push her face away "Move away, Maria. I won't take you.". "Tch..." She said before moving back.
"Hah~ I need to keep all of you safe, so try to keep up. Answer my call, partner." Then my sword gets out of my tattoo. Not a bad deal, I had enough reason to kill this weak monster. I start to move and killing the monster one by one.
"What makes all of you stand there!? Keep moving!" I shout while they start to move with me. "Show me the way to the stairs." Barton starts telling me the way while I keep killing.
Soon, we reach floor 50 with their help for showing me the way. No party stays here, so the place is empty. We met some party on the way here but I quickly stand back and act like a helper. "Hehe... Let's break your record here." I said and open the door. The monster inside is a giant yellow lion, the floor boss.
"Now, go. I will cover you." I said and they stunned for a second before a determination could be seen in their eyes. I block every attack that comes to them. Not taking that long since they focus on offense. The lion is dead.
The body soon disintegrates and a big chunk of mana stone drop in front of them. The room becomes silent and they start to shout out loud celebrating except Maria that can only say "Yeeyy.." with a flat tone.
"What makes you happy that fa... Watch out!!" My danger sense didn't pick up anything but I could see a sliver of shadow shooting toward Aeri. It's an arrow that already shot toward her, I also let my guard down, I don't have time to cast my magic 'Tch... This is annoying.' I thought while dashing as fast as I could and push her aside.
The arrow hit my shoulder and send me flying. 'Damn, it hurts. Paralyzing poison? Tch...' I thought while hit the dungeon wall and drop to the ground.
"Hehehe... That Mana stone is ours. I just want to torture that little runt, never would have I thought he's dead now. Hahahaha...." Cade gets inside the room with a crossbow in his hand and laughing. Barton and the other already tired from fighting the boss. No one can be here as witnesses the place is empty with only Cade's party and Barton's party.
"Hahaha... I will also take you, Elf. I would have enjoyed you when you paralyze by my poison. I accidentally watch you with that kid, Hehehe...." He said while pointing at Aeri. Aeri still shocked by being pushed and quickly realize what happened. She ran toward my direction "Arthur!! Are you okay!!??". I got crushed under the rock, while still concentrate using my mana to push the poison out.
"Catch them." Cade said to his party. Each member knocks Barton's member except Aeri. Cade then walks toward the mana stone "Hahahaha... I'm rich now. Now, you, elf. We gonna have some fun or maybe I will start from the mage right there but she unconscious, Not fun to play." He said while walking to Maria.
"Stop it, if you know I'm Elf. You should stand down. I'm Aerith Rokas, the princess from Elf kingdom. Do you want to start a war between two kingdoms?" Aeri said. "Hehe... No one will know if you died here. I never taste an elf before." Cade said while walking closer to Aerith but she keeps moving back and stumbled by rocks and fall.
Her face becomes horrified, never would she thought she will really die today. "No.. Please... Stop!!! Stay away from me!!" She keeps screaming while moving back. She looks at her party member that drops unconscious. Cade holds her hair and picks her up while licking her cheek "Umm.. sweet. Maybe you should remove your magic. So, I can picture your expression more. Hyahaha...". "Noo... Noo!!! Please, someone, help!! Stay away!!!"
Then I vanish from the rock and bound his party member with earth magic and close their mouth. Moving fast to him "True, no one will know everything happens down here." I said behind him.
Cade surprise and swing his sword to me while about to pull Aerith closer but easy to predict. To avoid something unnecessary, I cut his hand off, the one that holds Aerith. Aerith drops to the ground while I throw Cade to the opposite side, he looks at his left hand and drops his sword "Hii... How do you still alive?". His face horrified looked like even his scaredness get on top of his pain. "Mila, cast me support magic.". He said while keep looking at me. "Hoo... You look cute right now. Why don't you take a look at your party members? Hehehe...". Everyone is bounded by earth magic.
"You just got lucky that I'm retired from torturing, my friend. I even give you a chance to watch your girls died." I said while his party starts struggling. "Yes, please. You can have them, but let me free. You made me lost an arm. I will quit being an adventurer. I'm useless." Cade plead to me.
"Oohh... What a nice offer but first. You can't offer a deal with me in this situation. Second, then isn't it better if you die so I can get those three?" I said looking at him. He looked horrified then I kill him with that expression on his face.
"Three of you can run back, You won't tell a soul about what happened here because. Hehehe... Everything will be taken from you if you dare to." I said while letting them go. 'Should I ask Lily to watch them? Yeah, Maybe a good idea to bait people that scheming something but that is if they had the guts to speak.' I said inside while letting them go to touch the returning orb and bury Cade inside the dungeon so no one can never found it.
"Ar... Arthur..." Aerith then came out from the corner. "I forgot about you." I said while scratching my head. She ran to me and hug me "Tha... Thank you. I'm scared!! Uwaaaaa...." She starts crying. "Move away girl.." I said while pushing her away but I don't want to hurt her and keep losing.
"Barton!! Laris!! Maria!! Help me!!!" I yell out loud while pushing Aerith back. All of them start to groan "Ughh... What happen?" "Oi!! Help me!! I'm getting attacked!!!" I yell and Barton heard someone getting attack quickly snap his gaze.
"Aeri!! Arthur!! What happen?" He panics. "Aeri getting hypnotized... Help me remove her!!" I said to him. He then quickly run to me and pull Aerith from me. "Aeri!! Wake up!!!" Barton yells and can't hold it anymore and slap her. The slap is so hard that I could even feel it 'Uuhh... That had to hurt..' I thought looking at it. Aerith stunned so do Barton, I just look at both of them with pity but Barton keeps his composure and starts to help Aerith.
"Snap out of it Aeri!!" Barton said then Aeri stop crying for a second and look at Barton. She slaps him in exchange "That hurt!!". 'Ugghh... What did I just saw?' I said internally but Aeri stops clinging on me and still sobbing on the ground.
I start walking and help Laris and Maria. "Oh, Arthur-sama. Am I doing a good job last night?" I knock her head "Don't talk nonsense, Eromage.".
"What really happens here, Arthur." Barton asks while walking but he keeps touching his cheek. "After all of you defeat the boss, it starts releasing gas and made all of you unconscious except Aeri. Then she starts hallucinating and I yell to wake all of you up." I made up some story.
Laris then sits on the ground "So, that's what happens.". "Let's take a rest outside. We will continue after some rest." I said while helping him get out.
Then we made a camp outside the boss room and took some rest. Everyone looked tired so they sleep soundly "Everyone already sleeping. Stop pretending. What do you want to talk about?" I said and Aerith's ear move upside down. She then wakes up and walks beside the fire. "You, Why are you lying to them?".
"Because they're good people. I don't want to put the weight on them." I said while adding wood to the fire, I got the wood from Maria's bag. "Are you really married to Aqerra's Princess?" Aerith asks.
"Yup. Not yet at least." I give a quick answer. "Do you think, will it be worth it?" She asks. I look at her, I confuse why she asks me. "Do you like someone and something blocking you?" I ask her. She nods at me while looking at the fire.
I'm about to say why but then something gets into my thought "Oh~ Is it because of your long life span? That's why you worried to marry someone other than elf?" I ask her and she nods. "If you really like Barton better ask him, I know you might bore the pain later but at least you had more memory with him. Even though the more memory the more you're hurt, I don't think you would regret that." I said to her.
"You.. How can you said that?" She asks me. "Because I didn't. The day they leave me, I didn't hate them. I also didn't regret being born in this world. Isn't that the same thing?" I said and add another wood.
"I.. I'm sorry. The first time I saw you at the harbor. I thought you're the type of person that has it all for you. I never meant to made you remember bad memories." Aerith said while her pointed ears going down.
"It's all right. I won't ask about how you ended up here but if you really like Barton, better get him quick. I won't help you." I said while leaving her to get my sleep.