As his hunger diminished and his thirst quenched, courage and optimism began to occupy Tristan's heart and mind.
He called the three lady servers and asked them to clean up the table, informing them that he had filled his stomach to the brim and would not require dinner. With the table cleared and the ladies leaving his room, Tristan paced around, lost in thought.
"Hmm… what's next, Tristan?" he said aloud to himself, his eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. He contemplated between staying in his room, being passive, and letting events unfold or venturing out into the castle at midnight to explore.
"Dagger, are you there?"
"Yes, sir. Dagger at your service" replied Dagger promptly.
"Dagger, can I seek your assistance outside this room without the armor suit?" Tristan's eyes sparkled with an idea.
"No, sir. Not yet. You are currently at Level 2 of your power and skills, which is insufficient to utilize me and the armor fully," explained Dagger.
"Level 2? Out of how many levels?" Tristan's face betrayed his shock.
"Ten levels, sir," Dagger answered succinctly.
"What? God damn it, Tristan Moonstone! Why are you so bad at this?" Tristan can't help but scold himself.
"Master Tristan, may I offer a comment on that?" Dagger cautiously interjected.
"Hmmm… what do you like to say, Dagger?" Tristan replied, curious about the AI's comment.
"You, sir, do not suck. You are simply new to this. Achieving level 2 in one year is acceptable. However, it is also considered the bare minimum," Dagger stated matter-of-factly, devoid of flattery.
"HaHa... Thanks for the uplifting advice, Dagger," Tristan retorted sarcastically.
"You're welcome, sir..."
"I was being sarcastic, Dagger. I thought you were an advanced AI?" Tristan mocked.
"Like you, I am still a Level 2 AI, sir. AI can understand sarcasm once it reaches Level 5," Dagger responded nonchalantly.
"Alright, alright. Let's stop mocking each other," Tristan said, unable to contain his laughter.
'Oh my god, did I just get burned by an AI? I'm pathetic,' he thought to himself.
Having decided to wait until midnight, Tristan asked Dagger to wake him one hour prior and attempted to sleep. He drifted off quickly, his mind filled with anticipation for what lay ahead.
****
"Master Tristan. Master Tristan! Wake up, sir," the sound of Dagger calling his name roused Tristan from his slumber.
"Yeah, Dagger. I'm awake now. What time is it?" Tristan asked with a hoarse voice.
"It's thirty minutes before midnight, sir," Dagger replied.
"Dagger, I told you to wake me up one hour before midnight. Why are you so late?" Tristan complained.
"I did, sir. I have been trying to wake you up for the past 45 minutes, but you were sleeping soundly."
"Okay, my bad. I must have slept deeply with a full stomach," Tristan admitted. "I'll freshen up first and then put on the armor suit."
With the armor suit donned Tristan cautiously stepped out of his room. As he stood outside, a sudden realization struck him. 'Wait, where should I go first? What is my objective? God, I feel foolish,' he muttered inwardly.
For nearly a minute, Tristan stood there, bewildered and uncertain about where to go and what to do. Suddenly, his head started to spin, and his ears buzzed loudly. "Ouch..." Tristan winced in pain. As the buzzing subsided, he heard a voice repeating a word in his mind. 'Dungeon?' Tristan softly echoed the word, almost like a question.
"Dungeon, sir?" Dagger inquired.
As the dizziness and buzzing dissipated, Tristan straightened his posture, gathered his resolve, and replied, "Yes, Dagger. Show me the map of the castle's dungeon."
Immediately, a map of the castle, indicating his current position and the route to the dungeon, appeared on the screen inside his helmet. The map provided clear directions.
"Dagger, let's proceed with caution and maintain discretion during this venture. Ensure the CCTV cameras along the route are disabled when I approach their coverage," Tristan instructed.
Every alley in the castle is only lit dimly. But Tristan's armor has night vision and a sensor to detect the surrounding situation. Anything that moves and breathes within a radius of 30 meters could be detected by his sensor. The sensor also informs the people's names or what animal it's detected.
Midway to the dungeon, Tristan has to stop to wait for Dorian Moonstone, the fourth prince, and his entourage to pass through. Among the entourage were several ladies who could be heard giggling along the way.
"Oh Dorian, naughty, naughty Dorian," Tristan said, giggling.
As Tristan ventured deeper into the castle's basement, the illumination along the alley gradually diminished, relying solely on his enhanced night vision to navigate the path.
Fortunately, this area was devoid of CCTV coverage, and it appeared that no one had passed through here at such a late hour.
As the alley narrowed, Tristan realized he was approaching the end of the passage. A small metal door stood between him and whatever lay beyond. Slowly and silently, Tristan pushed against the door, but it remained stubbornly unmoved. Increasing his effort, he mustered all his strength to push the door harder, but it only moved a little.
"Dagger, I need your assistance," Tristan pleaded, straining against the door's resistance.
"Concentrating power on the armor's arms and legs," Dagger responded.
Suddenly, a refreshing sensation enveloped Tristan's limbs as his energy surged. With one final, powerful push, he managed to slowly open the weighty door until it swung fully ajar.
Inside, he found himself in an immense chamber with towering columns and expansive space. The ceiling soared to great heights, supported by these massive pillars.
"Dagger, is this the dungeon?" Tristan inquired.
"Yes, sir," Dagger confirmed.
"Do you know what awaits us here?" Tristan asked further.
"This is where your sword and other weapons are stored, sir," Dagger explained.
"What? So this is an armory? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Tristan exclaimed with excitement.
"You didn't ask, sir," Dagger responded matter-of-factly.
"Dagger, we need to improve our communication," Tristan remarked, a tinge of annoyance in his tone. However, he quickly brushed it off and continued, "Alright, please guide me to my armory."
Following the directions provided, Tristan passed by towering cabinets adorned with nameplates. The first cabinet belonged to Adrian, followed by Barotheon's.
"So mine would be the eighth cabinet," he muttered to himself.
As he stood before his designated cabinet, Tristan paused, bracing himself for the exhilaration of discovering the weaponry inside. Opening the cabinet wide, he was met with the lamps' illumination. However, his excitement quickly turned to disappointment.
"A sword and a shield? Really? And a small pistol? Is this all, Dagger?" Tristan's tone conveyed desperation.
"Yes, sir. These are standard level 2 weapons. As you progress in level, your arsenal will become more formidable, to the point where the armor itself may no longer be necessary," Dagger explained.
"Is that so? At what level does that happen, Dagger?" Tristan inquired, rekindling his excitement.
"It happens at Level 7, sir," Dagger replied.
"Level 7? Ah, only five levels to go!" Tristan exclaimed with renewed optimism.
Suddenly, a thunderous voice not belonging to Tristan or Dagger shattered the silence within the colossal room.
"And how long do you think it will take you to reach that level, Tristan?"