Back at the camp, a tense atmosphere hung among the party members, radiating from the unsettling glares exchanged between Gil and Anderson. Anderson's gaze was as sharp as Gil's, both locked in a silent battle of resentment. The intensity of their mutual stares sent ripples of discomfort through the others in the group, casting a shadow over the camp.
Especially Lack, he found himself particularly confounded by this sudden rift. Waking from his slumber, he was thrust into a scene where the others had returned, bringing an air of disquiet with them. Seeking clarity, he inquired about their absence, and only Elise offered a response, explaining that they had returned victorious against a monster's sudden appearance. While Lack wanted to trust Elise's account, the fiery exchange of glares between Anderson and Gil whispered of an underlying narrative that surpassed her words.
Amid the charged atmosphere, Lack summoned his courage to voice the unspoken tension. "Um, is something going on, guys?"
Catching the question, Gil glanced at Lack, only to avert his gaze shortly after. A frustrated click of his tongue betrayed his inner turmoil. He wished he could disclose the truth but remained shackled by silence.
Elise's earlier warning echoed in his mind – revealing the reality to Lack would yield unwanted consequences. Either Lack might spiral into despondency, hampering their ability to press on with the mission, or worse, infighting might erupt within the group, fueled by Lack's justified anger upon learning the truth. Both scenarios spelled disaster; the quest could be jeopardized, leaving them to go back empty-handed.
Gil knew that he lacked the strength to defeat the Minotaur alone in his present state, thereby amplifying the necessity of his silence. But there was no way he would remain silent. He resolved to reveal the truth to Lack only once their current mission concluded.
Meanwhile, Anderson remained silent. He chose to close his eyes, shutting out Lack and the discomforting question that hung in the air. Then, Elise once again assumed the role of the reassuring voice, seeking to alleviate Lack's concerns.
"Nothing that you need to think about, Lack. Just some minor problem," she gently reassured with a smile to dispel any lingering traces of worry that had taken root.
However, after hearing what Elise said, a subtle yet unmistakable irritation pricked at Gil. 'The audacity to say that while you are the problem, what a b*itch.' he thought with exasperation and resentment.
Observing Anderson and Gil's silence in response to Elise's words, Lack found himself compelled to trust her, even though a sense of unease still lingered in his mind.
"Well, if you say so, Ms. Elise." Lack reluctantly conceded. "Then, should you guys have a rest now? I feel bad you guys went defeating the monster while I'm still sleeping. So let me do the watch duty now."
"Oh, okay, I'll leave it to you then, Lack," Elise responded once more, a grateful smile gracing her lips.
While Anderson remained quiet, he rose and began making his way towards the bedroll.
However, their actions were abruptly halted by a sudden call from Gil. "Why don't we proceed to the next floor now? Since you two look so eager and passionate to fighting together before," he remarked, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.
Obviously, Gil's reference to "fighting together" alluded to the two people's recent sex activities. The culprit behind that encounter fully grasped the implication of Gil's suggestive statement.
Elise let out a weary sigh, replying, "Gil, I need to regain my mana first to chant another spell."
"Come on, you don't have to use magic, right? Remember, these two gentlemen pledged to safeguard you. They vowed to protect you even from a low-level boss, remember?"
Upon hearing this, Elise forced an awkward smile. The swear Gil mentioned was a recollection of Anderson's words before they almost had sex.
Meanwhile, though clearly irritated, Anderson refrained from snapping at Gil. In fact, he agreed. "You know what, brat, You're right. Let's finish this stupid quest of yours quickly so I can get back."
However, Lack interjected, "What's wrong with you two, really?! Ms. Elise needs to rest. We can't go while she is tired!" He said with a bit of an angry tone.
Lack was acutely aware that something significant had transpired between Anderson and Gil, something that had fueled their current animosity. As curious as he was, Lack understood that prying wouldn't yield answers. He was willing to respect their privacy, but he couldn't tolerate their actions, causing unnecessary problems for Elise denying her the rest she needed.
Unexpectedly, Elise, the very person Lack was defending, provided her response. "It's okay, Lack. I'm fine. We can go to the next floor," she said, her voice carrying a hint of resignation.
With Elise's response, Lack had no further grounds to oppose Gil's proposition.
Promptly, the group gathered their belongings and descended to the dungeon's lower floor.
***
The tenth floor of the dungeon exuded the same eerie ambiance as the previous ones. However, a notable distinction lay in the emptiness of the place, setting it apart from the floors above.
This emptiness unsettled Lack, but Anderson's reassurance offered some comfort. "Relax, this hints that my guts tell the truth. This is a boss floor. That means there are no other monsters exist other than the boss monster itself."
Anderson's statement held true. As Gil recollected, within the game, the party would be immediately pitted against the boss upon reaching a boss floor. However, unlike in the game, Gil and the others now had to actively search for the boss monster inside this floor.
"At this rate, exhaustion will come first before facing the boss," Gil grumbled in a complaint.
Ironically, as if in response to Gil's remark, a presence began to make itself known – a creature emerging from the shadows. Slowly, it revealed its form to the party, and upon witnessing it in its entirety, they recognized the looming threat. Just as Gil had anticipated, it was a Minotaur.
However, to Gil's shock, there weren't just one but there were two of these formidable monsters.