"Uhm. So, is brother Louis your mentor?"
As Aiden was busy with talking to Eden, Noi decided to speak as she asked the question she wanted to ask.
"…" Aiden opened his eyes as he looked towards Noi in confusion.
'Brother? Is she his sister?" He thought as he wondered what she meant.
He knew nothing of Louis, so it was a surprise for him.
"I-I'm sorry if I'm asking something difficult." Noi said as she lowered her head.
"No need for that. Yes, he is mentoring me." Aiden said as Noi raised her head.
"I see." She thought as a sense of relief washed over her.
"…"
Aiden just stared at Noi, as he didn't know if he should even ask about their relationship.
"Louis Vandruff, h-he is my blood related brother." Noi said as Aiden closed his eyes.
"I see." He replied as he returned back to staying still for the healing to take proper effect on him.
'So, they are siblings.' He thought as he thought their conversation was over.
"You might have already realized from him, but we are currently on a run from our family." Noi said as Aiden kept his eyes closed.
'I thought the conversation was over.' He thought as he felt awkward.
'You should learn how to communicate more properly.' Eden said as he crossed his arms.
'Now, you have to deal with her tragic story.' He said as Aiden nodded his head.
"So you knew." Noi said as she misinterpreted Aiden's head nodding.
'…?'
"Despite us both being on the run, we haven't met up with each other even once. At first, I wanted to go to him, but after realizing that I might create problems for him and his peaceful life, I decided to live a peaceful life too." Noi said as she lowered her head.
"Please look after him and treat him right; he is a very hard working brother." She said as Aiden turned his head towards her and looked at her green hair.
"He lives a regular life."
…
"Is everyone ready?"
Ann asked as she looked at everyone.
All of them were positioned in the same role they were given as they nodded their heads and proceeded to pass through the door that the key had opened.
'Please don't tell brother Louis about me.' Eden mouthed Noi's last sentence as he asked.
'That's what she said, but what will you do?' He asked as Aiden replied.
'I already have enough things to worry about myself; I don't care about them.' He said as Eden smirked.
Tap Tap
One by one, they all walked through the door to the tunnel lying in front of them.
Looking around, Aiden felt something off.
'…Walking through this door feels strange. Are we forgetting something?' He thought as he felt like he was forgetting something crucial.
Feeling uneasy, he turned around to observe the room.
Just like earlier, it was a room filled with dolls that were alive just a moment ago. A huge blue chandelier was hanging on the ceiling.
Although one couldn't see anything through it, there were windows.
It was like the luxurious room of a princess who loved playing with dolls.
'…I also don't get it. Why don't you try asking them?' Eden said as Aiden frowned.
'…Window.'
'Tsk.'
Aiden asked to the system instead as a window appeared in front of him.
Ding
[Your intuition seems to be correct. Please refrain from entering the door.]
'Huh.'
BAM
Just as everyone entered through the door, the doors shut closed as everyone was caught off guard.
Aiden's mind became hazy as it quickly tried to understand what was happening.
[Welcome challengers.
The owner of this room has gone out of the house for the time being.
He trusted his lovely pet to guard his house and the lovely collection of his toys.
Be careful not to make a noise.
The pet isn't lovely to robbers.]
The image of the paper talking about the chamber's challenge came into his mind as he felt like the answer was here.
"It's a trap, everyone. Protect yourself." Ann commanded as the ground shook and several of the arrows suddenly started flying towards them.
She quickly summoned her purple book as a purple lightning conjured up on her hand.
Swoosh
Swinging her hand, the purple lightning left a trail of lightning, which destroyed every arrow it came in contact with.
[Rob the key before the time limit reaches zero.]
'Wait…rob?' Aiden's mind became clear as he realized what was going on.
'The pet isn't lovely to Robbers!. That's it. We are the robbers!' Aiden thought as he became active and looked around himself.
The furious attack of the arrows and the earthquake were still present, making it hard for the others to think of a retreat.
'If I'm correct, that door should still be openable.' Aiden thought as he looked at the door they came in from.
Crouching down, he stabled himself from the earthquake as he looked at his side. Ann was still there, destroying the arrows.
Aiden was glad to be positioned beside her since she was protecting him too.
'If you want to let them know about what you came up with, you will have to properly communicate with them.'
Eden said as he smirked. It was a test for Aiden's communication problem.
"…Guildmaster Ann. Going further this tunnel would create more trouble." Aiden said as he looked around where the arrows were coming from.
They were being bombarded from everywhere, from within the darkness of the tunnel, making it hard for Aiden to make a proper decision.
Ann, who was continuously destroying the arrows with her lightning element, side eyed Aiden as she wondered what he was talking about.
'Is he saying to retreat and give up?'
A thought rose up in her mind, making her bite her lips in frustration.
'Does he know how much I've planned to get here?' She thought as she started to regret bringing him here.
"The next chamber isn't inside this tunnel." Aiden said as Ann snapped into reality from her thoughts.
"What do you mean?" She asked as she frowned. The arrows were getting more annoying than threatening.
"The next chamber isn't here," Aiden said.
"Then where is it? And how do you know?" Ann asked as Aiden raised his hand and pointed towards the door.
"Please listen to me very carefully." He said.
It was a crucial point.
Aiden knew going further inside the tunnel meant more traps. And maybe… maybe their death.
"If the details of the recent challenge still persist, then the path to the next chamber is inside that room." Aiden said as Ann's frown deepened.
"How can you say that?" Ann asked as Aiden shook his head.
"I can't properly explain in this condition." He said as he lowered his hand.
"I just know the path to the next chamber." He said as Ann looked towards him and became silent.
"…"
"Ok. If you insist, then we will return to the room." Ann said as she turned her head and looked towards Ben, who was fending off the arrows along with the other three members.
"Ben." Ann called as Ben looked towards her.
"Plan changed; retreat to that room." She said as Ben simply nodded her head in understanding.
Looking at their situation, Aiden gritted his teeth.
He couldn't die in a place like this. He promised to live this life to the fullest.
'…Window.'
In a desperate situation like this, the system was the only thing he could turn to.
Ding
[Yes. Host.]
'Can I do that?' He asked.
Ding
[It is possible, but the host will require more focus and control for that.]
The window replied as Aiden nodded his head.
'I can do that.' He said as he turned towards Ann.
"Guild master Ann, I can provide a shield that can block the arrows from every direction, but I won't be able to move while it's activated." Aiden said as Ann became silent.
"…If you have such skill, why didn't you say sooner?" Ann asked as Aiden was currently like a surprise box to her.
"There are conditions!" He said as Ann swung her hand, throwing purple lightning around her and Aiden, which destroyed the arrows.
"Speak." Ann commanded as Aiden swallowed his saliva and opened his mouth.
"My safety. If you can promise me my safety, I can provide you the pathway to the room." Aiden said as Ann became silent again.
'…He doesn't trust us.' She thought as she looked at the untrusting eyes of Aiden.
Looking at them, she was reminded of the grim truth of the dungeon exploring.
In this job of dungeon exploring, life was like an unguarded treasure.
Anybody could die anytime.
Although deaths in dungeons were common knowledge, the reason for the death wasn't.
Most of the time, the reason for someone's death was the betrayal.
It was the grim truth of this grim reality.
A small smile formed on Ann's face as she became impressed by Aiden's nature.
It was an impressive nature. It was the nature of someone who often survives in grim reality.
"I give you my words. As soon as we reach the room, I personally will provide you safety." Ann said as Aiden frowned.
Words usually gets people killed.
"Prove it."