CH 14 Changes

Irene took a deep breath. After blinking her eyes several times, she looked back into the wooden chest.

But nothing had changed.

The only thing inside the wooden chest was the same pebble she had seen before, seemingly mocking her quietly.

“This can’t be right….”

She muttered to herself without realizing it.

A few days ago, Irene had requested records of all the dungeons that had appeared during this expedition. Those who used to insist on coming in person to record the details now, perhaps aware that Michael was taking care of her, had diligently transcribed and delivered all the information.

As a result, Irene could leisurely compare each record without the need to painstakingly copy them one by one.

Regardless, she had already confirmed the records of all dungeons that appeared and disappeared before her recent arrival. Thanks to that, Irene was certain that nothing had changed in the dungeons – the numbers, locations, attributes of the monsters, and even the rewards.

‘But why?’

‘The only thing that’s changed is the reward for this particular dungeon, number 181.’

She trembled holding the chest, a pitiful sight.

Michael cautiously spoke up, “Originally, rewards from lower dungeons sometimes come out completely worthless. It’s not just lower dungeons; even intermediate dungeons can yield similar results. So, please don’t be too disheartened.”

She knew. It was often difficult to obtain useful rewards in these lower dungeons.

However, this dungeon was not supposed to be like that!

As Irene stared at the pebble in disappointment, Michael seemed increasingly troubled.

“I understand your disappointment. For now, let’s return to the fortress and call it a day. I’ll ask the fortress to ensure your comfort…”

Although Michael continued to console her, Irene heard nothing but her own thoughts.

It’s all ruined.

* * *

Irene lay sprawled on the extravagant sofa in the opulent room, staring blankly at the ceiling. She couldn’t recall how she returned to the fortress recently. The memories were hazy at best. Upon exiting the dungeon, she vaguely remembered interacting with a staff member, discussing something about the chest and pebble, but that was about it.

“This can’t be happening.”

She swiftly got up, making her way to the large table at the center of the room. On it lay information about the dungeons she had previously researched and details about other pairs’ successful conquests until tonight.

Irene fetched her bag from the corner, the one she had prepared with essentials for a quick departure. She took out the papers where she had meticulously recorded memories and details upon returning to the past.

“Number 98, Number 115…”

In the past, Irene had made a habit of reviewing dungeon records daily. It wasn’t a hobby she particularly enjoyed; rather, it was a routine born out of necessity.

Having spent the entire day alone, unable to endure the boredom and melancholy, Irene eventually chose to peruse the records. She had wandered around, but the mocking voices of people had driven her back to the archives.

‘At least records related to dungeons were open for anyone to see.’

So, she frequented the record room to learn how other pairs conquered dungeons, what they gained, and more. She didn’t limit herself to the records of other pairs—she also delved into Michael’s records.

Unlike others, Michael tackled dungeons alone. Observing his records filled her with a sense of profound misery. It reaffirmed her belief in her own uselessness.

‘Fortunately, being a paladin made him resilient against magical afflictions.’

He could easily purify himself from minor magical ailments, rendering the need for him to seek out Irene unnecessary. Trying to forget the loneliness and misery, she continued to immerse herself in the records, not just about dungeons but also about every detail concerning monsters.

In the process, she unintentionally amassed knowledge beyond that of mere scholars, especially regarding the dungeons of that time period.

She flipped through the paper a few times and sank back in her chair.

‘Poring over these records won’t change anything.’

The only certainty she had now was that she hadn’t acquired the Invisibility Ring. That meant she still couldn’t leave the fortress.

“I don’t have the money…”

Feeling a sense of injustice, she struck the table with her fist in frustration, but that didn’t make an Invisibility Ring materialize out of thin air. Resting her face on the table, Irene sighed deeply. As she turned her head, she glanced at the items piled in the room.

“At least these are still here…”

Before she left in the morning, she told the fortress authorities that she hadn’t laid a finger on them and that they could return them as is. Of course, she also requested that they be returned to the Tyrenian Kingdom ambassador who paid for them.

However, upon returning, the fortress authorities insisted that returns were fundamentally impossible. At that time, her mind was elsewhere, and she let the information flow past her.

“Thank god.”

Irene muttered to herself as she found clothes among the stacked items. She wasn’t sure how things would turn out in the future, but she needed at least one set of clothes to change in for today.

“At least one outfit… No, two outfits…”

Thinking that clothes would be enough for now, she realized there was more to consider.

“Shoes… Underwear… Oh, soap!”

Before she knew it, a pile of items Irene might need had accumulated beside her.

With the generous meals provided by the Kingdom of Tyrenia and the consideration of Michael, a few days’ worth of the same lavish food was set before Irene. It was no longer a time to refuse, and after enjoying the meal, Irene sat back at the table.

‘I need to come up with a new plan.’

Not having obtained the Invisibility Ring didn’t mean she could just continue to stay idle. She still had a debt of 100,000 gold, and it had to be repaid within six months.

All hope was not lost.

Even though Irene didn’t acquire the artifact this time, there were still other artifacts to be found in the future.

‘What would be something useful?’

Irene rummaged through the initial records she had noted down, soon discovering the next item she should target.

“The Stone of Silence. That’s what it was.”

A stone that, when grasped, renders the wearer deaf to all sounds for about ten seconds. Its power was mysterious, but its utility was limited, earning it a relatively low value among artifacts.

‘Still, it went for around 20,000 gold at the auction.’

On the continent, collecting artifacts was a passion for all royals, nobles, and wealthy individuals. Naturally, the powerful and useful artifacts were so expensive that they were hard to come by. Still, those who wanted to show off their artifacts would buy modestly priced ones, like the Stone of Silence.

‘So they can boast about having several artifacts in their collection.’

The Stone of Silence, compared to other artifacts Irene had in mind, had a relatively useful power. Of all the artifacts she remembered, the one with the most minor power was the one that boiled eggs. While practical, it fell into a gray area where it was somewhat dubious to spend money on it.

Compared to those, the Stone of Silence was at least a decent artifact.

‘The problem is… Dungeon 482, where I can get the Stone of Silence, appears in about a week.’

She recalled the agreement with Michael – once a month, they would tackle a lower-level dungeon of her choosing, and she would claim all the rewards.

‘Once a month.’

That was the problem. That particular dungeon would appear a week from now, and in the meantime, any other pairs could venture into the dungeon and claim the rewards before her.

‘Even if Michael enters, it’s still a problem.’

Any rewards obtained from dungeons other than the one Irene designated would belong to Michael.

‘What should I do?’

Irene regretted not negotiating the contract differently, perhaps limiting it to once a week.

But it was too late to regret anything.

‘Maybe I can ask him for a favor.’

The Michael in this life seemed much more affectionate compared to the past.

‘He even put his arm around my waist.’

He says it’s because he’s worried about her getting hurt, but the old Michael would never have done that.

‘Maybe Michael genuinely wanted to enter a pair in this life.’

Perhaps that’s why he held less resentment towards Irene.

After contemplating for a while, Irene began to feel her eyelids growing heavy.

‘I need some sleep to think more clearly.’

She had been moving since morning, and unexpected events had added to her exhaustion.

Irene neatly organized the papers, placing them in a drawer, and covered the glow stones scattered around the room with lids. She left one with the faintest glow on a distant shelf, lying down on her bed.

‘In the past, I never would have dreamed of having such glow stones.’

Of course, these glow stones were also expensive items. Irene hadn’t even touched them, let alone considered placing them around her room. But now they were scattered throughout her space.

‘I’m glad it’s not too dark.’

When she had laid down on the hard bed in her small, lightless room, the fear of being sold off, unable to escape the grasp of the Count, suffocated her. The murmurs of people talking against her echoed around her.

But now, lying in the cozy glow and on a fluffy bed, those troubling visions seemed to disappear. All she could think about now was how to negotiate the terms of her contract with Michael.

‘I’ll have to see Michael and talk to him first.’

That’s what she thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Knock. Knock.

There was a short knock on the door and a voice came from outside.

“It’s Michael. Are you inside?”

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