Chapter 47: Do a quest, I beg you...

 Augustine: Song weaver, self-proclaimed Life Skiller. Has two building projects under his belt. 

So, the guild master called us, stopping the time we had, as a family. I really would have liked to spend more time with Lexus. Even so, the kid is a good boy. He peeled potatoes, without arguing, when I was preparing the dinner last night. Maybe, I can teach him to play with the harp?

Without much explaining, Warren handed us a quest license, and send us off to a dungeon. It seems this one is listed as peaceful, but hasn't paid its taxes recently. Honestly, why would someone risk something like that, is beyond me? It is the first offense of this particular dungeon. So, it only gets away with a stern talking to. 

The party is before the dungeon, and we do a group huddle. 

"Ok, this dungeon has crystal golems. We might need to fight," I say, and everyone nods. 

"Crystal is more brittle than stone. Our five golems will be able to wipe the floor with the ones in here," Vincent says. 

I look at Dean. 

"Now, I know what you might think. That it will be easier to blow up the place," I say. He shrugs. 

"Well, can you really argue with that?" He asks me. 

"Well, no," I admit. It would really be easier if we blew up the place, and looted the remains of the dungeon to cover the unpaid taxes. "But we have to be considerate. There is no telling why the dungeon chose to stop paying their taxes." 

"They could be on hard times," Atha agrees from my right. 

"Yes, we have to give the dungeon core a chance," I know that it simply doesn't sit well with Allan, for us to barge in, and kick the ass of the core. It doesn't sit well with me, either. I mean, we are not a part of the mafia. 

 Just a part of the adventurer's guild. Which, for the dungeons, probably doesn't make a difference. 

"Ok, I think we are done talking," Vincent places his hand in the middle. We all pile up our hands over his, and then rise them. 

Atha, as the only tanky person in the party, takes point. He slithers towards the entrance, a barrier from Allan's staff around him. We just need to be cautious with Allan, seeing as he has more mana than usual. The last thing any of us want, is for Atha to be forever stuck behind a barrier. 

That will really put a wrench on our nightly activities. 

Although, I suppose that Allan can still partake. As long as he is still holding the staff. 

 As I try to imagine how it will go, with Allan holding the staff, and Atha trying to ride him, Atha comes to a stop. He cranes his neck up. Then, he points at a stone above the mouth of the cave. 

"There is a sign in here," he says. Considering that nothing attacked our Naga dungeon core on the way, we all come closer. 

"No more taxes, I beg you?" I read out loud. Aren't dungeon cores rich? What does it matter, if they pay taxes? 

"I am getting the feel that this will be another talking quest," Atha sheathes his swords then. We all cross the entrance of the cave, without bothering to take out our weapons. Still, Allan puts a barrier over us. Just in case. 

We are about five minutes in, when we see it. A sea of crystal golems, wearing signs, and yelling. 

"A protest?" Atha asks. Huh, it does look like it. Just who is stupid enough to give a brain to golems? 

"Looks like it. Vincent, tell our golems to wait outside. Least they get infected from these," Dean says. Vincent whistles a tune, and our golems make the trek back. 

"Wait, no! Don't yell! I am doing my best with the trade deals," we hear someone say, and then see a man on a platform a little to the left. His shoulders are slumped. His hands are balled to fists by his side. 

"The dungeon core?" I ask. Atha nods. 

"Excuse me, coming through," the rest of the party decides that it is best to let Atha handle this. We watch him make his way to the dungeon core. Soon, he is beneath the platform. 

"Greetings," Atha says, as the man blinks. "I am here to collect your taxes." 

The golems begin to boo Atha. Some take their signs, and hurl them his way. 

"I can't pay taxes right now. I have to pay 1,000 golems their monthly wages. I am just a glass merchant," the man runs his hands through his messy hair, and then nearly pulls out a strand. If I can see that from here, then it didn't escape Atha, either. 

"How about I pay your taxes, and you enter my employee?" Atha suggests. There is a silence in the cave at that moment. 

 Atha, was this the right time, for you to take over someone?

I take off my harp from my back. No idea how effective my music will be for the golems. But the dungeon core has a human body. If we topple him down, then we can make it out of here, before the golems manage to swarm us. Suddenly, I don't feel so confident about sending our stone golems back out. 

"You'd do that?" The dungeon core asks, looking ready to kiss Atha. I know that look. I have seen it on Dean more than once. "Oh, this is wonderful news. I was looking into the local dungeon unions." 

"This is not a dungeon union," Atha says, and the dungeon core stops talking. "You will enter my employee. Just like the dungeon core of the dungeon of flies." 

"Dru is in your employee?" The man asks, now happier. "She has a sweet gig. I mean, she now lives in a castle, and has a man of her own." 

What is wrong with this dungeon core? It is almost like nothing, Atha says, is going to discourage him from this arrangement. Oh, why am I even complaining? We can mark a quest as... wait, does this mean that I will have to pay this dungeon's taxes? 

Son of a slime!