Firefly In The Dungeon

「Fragment VII」Geūr

   Nothing much happened after Alice bought Kiran's house. As the man leave with a glee, which makes him look a little foolish, Alice went back inside.

   The smell of alcohol lingering in the room is rather strong, likely has been accumulating through a long time. It caused the girl to frown slightly, yet the reason is not the smell itself. In fact, it was not much of a bother when someone is used to the smell coming from brewing potions.

   Goodness. . , I hope alcohol poisoning wouldn't be his death. Alice sighed in dismay. She herself was unable to understand the pleasure of poisoning oneself for the sake of becoming an intoxicated fool.

   The drunkard aside, Alice rest her old staff against the wall as she moved closer to the table. Moving the empty liquor bottle left by Kiran to the side, Alice put down her unlit lantern before taking a piece of folded paper out of her robe.

   Within the pinch of her fingers was an old piece, for it was dyed dirty with a light brown color, while the edge has some small bits and torn.

   Before long, Alice unfolds the paper carefully and placed it on the table. Drawn on it was nothing, empty as if it was never used, yet the girl's eye was fixated on it for a while.

   It's time to set up.

   Taking a short breath, Alice placed her right hand on the old paper before directing her own Mana to it, and as if answering to her calls, the whole paper lit up in a white dim light. Lines began to appear and spread quickly, revealing a certain pattern to which each of it connected like a thousand delicate gears put together.

   By then, its true nature was obvious.

   Although its appearance was deceiving due to the slightly rough treatment Alice gave, it was a priceless magical item; enough to treat a pouch full of gemstone like a spec of useless dust.

   As Alice waits for the lines to reach every corner, a nostalgic feeling managed to slip into her thought.

   . . . This roughness of a paper brushing against this hand. . , is always the same, isn't it, Linnea. . ?

   But that glimpse ended short as Alice shook her head lightly to clear that unnecessary thought and refocused herself on the paper that was now filled with magical arrays.

   Every node is lit up by Mana without a sight of faulty, and knowing that it is working as she remembered, Alice took another step further to finally activate it. "Geūr, your help, is needed, wake up."

   Her voice was soft, akin to whispers, but it was enough because the entire array flickered wildly, creating a spark of light that slowly gathered midair, and from the very floating orb before her, a voice answered,

   "I will never getting used to this, knowing it was you, Alice. Really."

   The girl could only wince as her name was called, before turning into an awkward and troubled smile. "Bear, with me."

   Geūr sighed as its form solidified into that of a bird, and landed gracefully on top of the table. Covered in blue feather, its tiny eyes looking around in a curious manner, before commented, "This new place is quite the ordinary, isn't it? Clearly."

   "As it is." Alice nodded once, and shifted to the main problems. "Time is, ticking tight, Geūr. Let's set up, a Concealment, Barrier."

   Geūr titled its head, looking confused. Alice request was slightly different from the usual one it has remembered.

   "What about the Durability Enhancement? It would be better, surely. This building shouldn't have the ability to withstand even one basic offensive magic. Obviously."