The family of 3, Cotton, and Guard Captain Heath sat at a table in an upscale inn with their dinner before them.
The 5 had just attempted the level 15 version of Fey Nights.
"I want to hear your opinions." Lord Titters said.
"Those fey are viscous." Cindy said while cutting into her steak. "They are all a bunch of abnormal freaks. Level 15s aren't supposed to be that strong."
Halbin somewhat agreed with his daughter. They had passed 2 encounters and failed during the third. His daughter had always wielded a fierce saber and today was no different. What surprised him the most was his son.
Rod had told him that he had improved greatly even though his level had barely changed but seeing it with his own eyes made him proud. Rod had contributed the least out of everyone, but that was expected. Rod was level 10 while his sister was in the low 20s. Cotton was at 48, Heath was 45, and he himself was level 51.
Rod spoke up. "Teacher told me that all the creatures in the dungeon have their stats and skills maximized so it makes sense. There are plenty of skills you don't have but could." He told Cindy. "Compared to them, we are going into battle half equipped."
"These class trainers… They know how to unlock all the skills?" Cotton asked.
Rod nodded. "So far, I have only visited the warrior trainer since that is the base class for me, and I guess you all as well."
And it was true. Lord Titter was a Sword Master, Cindy a Saber Master, Cotton a Spear Master, and Heath a Halberd Master. The Titter family had a long history of using the Master Classes. It was reflected in their guard unit as well.
"Only the basic classes have teachers in the training hall. The advanced classes also have trainers, but they are scattered all around."
"Do you know where the Master trainers are?" His father asked.
Rod shook his head. "No, teacher wants me to reap everything I can from the warrior skill set before I get distracted with my axe."
Lord Titters nodded and then looked to Heath.
"My Lord, the dungeon is difficult. We may have problems with the recruits if they are constantly defeated and don't have a sense of progress."
"They will be fine." Cotton said. "Constant defeat will make their eventual success all the more rewarding."
"What do you think about the dungeon Cotton?" Halbin asked his old mentor.
"I love it. It reminds me of those days back in my youth where every adventure was a fascinating journey. And I don't think anyone can deny the benefits of the revival buff when it comes to training. But we must be careful."
Halbin Titters nodded. "Yes, I don't want the recruits to get into the habit of dying to achieve their goal. Training with the revival buff has a risk of them forming dangerous habits. We all must keep an eye open for this sort of thing."
The others at the table understood his meaning and agreed.
"Rod, I haven't seen Dirk since we arrived. I assumed he would be joining us."
Rod laughed. "That guy would probably be thrilled you haven't noticed him. He wanted to finish his mission to unlock the stealth skill before he sees his teacher tomorrow."
"His hard work is admirable. You both know the ins and outs best of this dungeon so far. I want you each to take 4 recruits with you tomorrow. Bring a different group on your second trip into the dungeon. I plan to speak with a few of the basic class trainers tomorrow. If the rewards outweigh the cost, I want them to train like the both of you. Staying at level 10 until you have all the necessary skills. The rest of us can only do our best to pick up what we can, but you 2 seem to be thriving while restricting your level."
"But… I thought you guys were going to get those cursed bracelets and raid the dungeon with me." Rod said.
"Rod, it is possible that your future guards are being raised in this current batch of new recruits. It is best if they see you as one of their leaders instead of just my son."
"Alright." Rod said.
He may be a little thick, but he understood his father's point. It was just a shame that he wasn't going to get to enter the dungeon with his family or even Dirk.
"Do well, and I will consider purchasing you and Dirk some fast passes so we can still fight together."
"Really?" He asked.
Halbin nodded. "Since you and Dirk are only level 10 they are still affordable."
"Awesome. I will let Dirk know. We will work hard and won't let you down. I will show these recruits what hard work really is. Don't worry dad, I will make sure they learn Indomitable within a week, even if I have to teach them myself. I have to go find Dirk and let him know, we can go get started right away."
With that Rod was out of the Inn and running down the street.
"Did he just…" Lord Titter trailed off.
"Yupp." Cindy said with a smile. "He is going to go wail on the new recruits."
Cotton let out a laugh. "He is so funny when he gets excited. Hopefully he and Dirk let the recruits know what is going on before they start beating them up."
Heath sighed. "I will let the men know so we don't have any accidents."
///
Max was fiddling with the seats around a fighting pit when a gnome popped in beside him.
"Master, Lord Titters would like to meet whenever your free."
Max nodded to the gnome and then checked his watch. "Tell him we can meet at the Gilded Rose for lunch, my treat. And you don't need to call me Master. Call me Boss instead. You are my employee, not my servant."
"Yes Boss." The little gnome said.
"Is Anna aware?"
"Not yet Boss. I will tell Mistress, I mean, Lady Boss right away."
"Good."
The pair then disappeared. By the time Max was out of his sweats and into a suit Anna entered their bedroom to see if he was ready.
"Let's go." He said.
The pair walked to the north side of the village and found Lord Titters and Cotton waiting for them.
"Hello, please join me for Lunch." Max said to the pair of men while he held the door open for Anna.
They were seated in a private room that overlooked a small garden outside. The atmosphere was pleasant. But that was expected of the best restaurant in the village.
"Have you enjoyed your stay?" Max asked.
"I am very impressed with your dungeon Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson." Halbin responded.
"Please, just call us Max and Anna."
The Lord nodded. "Call me Halbin."
"Still just Cotton." Replied the old man, which earned a soft chuckle from Anna.
"I am pleased you are enjoying your time here. We aim to keep our customers happy here at Crag Dungeon."
"Good." Said Halbin. "That is one of the reasons I wanted to meet with you."
"Oh. Is there something that is not up to snuff?" Max asked.
"No, nothing like that." Halbin said as he filled a glass with wine and then passed it to Max. "I was hoping we could make a deal." He finished by passing a second glass to Anna.
Max took a sip of wine. He had never been one for drinking in his past life, but a lot had changed since he became a Dungeon Master.
Smiling happily at the Lord, Max spoke. "As a businessman, making deals is what I do. Tell me, what do you have in mind?"
"I was hoping to arrange a training facility for my new recruits."
"Is there an issue with the training facilities I have provided?" Max asked.
"No, I have visited the class trainers and am amazed by their knowledge. What I am looking for is a place where my senior guards can train and oversee the new recruits. I want somewhere they can stay and train that is more permanent than rented halls and Inns."
"Ah, I see." Max said in understanding. "If that is the case, there are a few options available."
He then noticed that Anna was flipping through the pages on her clipboard. Leaning over, he whispered softly. "Under training equipment, section L."
Anna quickly found the right page. She then unclipped a few pages from her clipboard and passed them over to the 2 men as she spoke.
"As you can see, the simplest option starts at an empty hall and the most extravagant goes up to an imperial war facility. Does Mr. Halbin mind if I ask a few questions?"
"By all means." Lord Titters said with a smile.
"Are you looking for something temporary, or long term?"
Halbin turned to the man next to him. "We are thinking of trying it out for a year, if things go well maybe more long term. But we do have a few concerns." Said Cotton
"Such as?" Max asked.
"The first level of your dungeon is great. It will teach those punks awareness and how to fight in small groups while dealing with things in the forest. But what we don't know is what you have available for higher levels. While Fey Nights is great, if that is as good as it gets then I don't know if we would want to build a full-time training outpost here. We may just come seasonally to sharpen the recruits."
"Understandable." Max said. "My pride as a dungeon Master won't let me tell you exactly what comes next, but I can give you a bit of an overview."
"That would be appreciated." Lord Titters said.