Good Soup

I’m an idiot.

I am such an idiot.

I pace back and forth occasionally, darting my eyes to the door. I don’t want to leave my room.

“Hmph…” I let out a sigh.

I’ll have to face them all eventually. I really do need to thank them for saving me.

I definitely need to apologize for being an inconvenience.

I am always moving my body before I can think my options through. I should have turned around after I made it to that second boss room.

Was I so tunnel visioned I didn’t hear about the storm. I guess it makes sense that the dungeon could flood.

I was just having way too much fun dodging the skeletons. That massive golem looking thing was so easy to speed past.

Too bad I broke my rental sword. That’s gonna cost me…

As I descend the stairs from the dormitories I start to get more nervous.

What should I even say?

Maybe I should be quick. I don’t want to ruin the rest of their night.

As I near the corner I can hear the ruckus of adventuring parties are all laughing and having a good time. Even out here I can smell the scents of warm meals, ale, and the roaring fire.

The low tones of a bard playing by the fire brings it all together.

Barmaids carry plates of food I have never seen before. The alcohol is overflowing from the barrels along the wall. There are large tables filled with adventurers. So many different people all together having so much fun. It’s intoxicating.

This is what it must mean to be an adventurer.

“Would you look at that–Goggles has risen from the dead!”

The crowd shouts and jeers.

“Every new adventurer gets rescued at least once!”

“I ain’t ever heard of an adventurer skipping a boss before!”

“It's best if it doesn't go to the rookie's head…”

A carefree barmaid passes by skillfully weaving between the joyous crowd.

“You want to use your daily meowl voucher hun?”

She tilts head waiting for my reply. Her little cat ears shift slightly.

“Um...yes please.”

“Okay! Coming right up nyaow!”

This world is so cool.

I’ll just go sit alone over here and try not to bother anyone.

The bowl of soup is hot and the steam is clearly rising. I dip my spoon and stir. Clapping my hands together instinctively. 

"Thank you for the food!" 

The base is thick with a rich texture and flavor. Some of the herbs remind me of rosemary but it is still different from anything I have had before.

The meat kind of tastes like chicken.

SLAM!

A mug of ale collides with the surface of the table next to me.

“It's you...What kind of idiot charges into the dungeon, skips all the monsters and collects no loot?”

The orc next to me is massive. Up close I can clearly see his red tattoos. The images depict something almost like a story through its use of significance shapes.

“You listen’ to me Goggles!”

“Yes! Sorry. I really don’t have a good answer for you. I was just looking around to see what the dungeon is like.”

“Hmph-” The orc takes a swig of ale. “That’s an easy way to end up dead.”

I can’t argue with that.

He raises his fist breaching my personal space.

One finger.

“No torch!”

Two fingers.

“No map!”

Three fingers.

“No common sense.”

He waves his hand.

“You know the dungeon doesn’t change much day to day? The traps may shift and the monster spawns may fluctuate but it is largely the same. At least until the change of the seasons.”

Wait, really?

“This is all covered in the beginner course.”

Oh. I skipped that to get to the dungeon as fast as possible.

“You really are such a dumb–”

Clack.

An elf slumps into the bench across from me.

Even up close I can’t tell if they are a man or a woman. It doesn’t really change the fact that they are flawless. They have gleaming violet hair mostly covered by their large drooping wizard hat. I can’t quite tell if it's serenity or sleepiness that is their resting expression.

“I want to thank you. Both of you for saving my life.”

The elf opens one sleepy eye to meet my gaze. For a moment their expression changes eyes wide open. Their eyes look like they contain a starry night.

“I hate to break it to you kid but the old elfs a mute. We just call’em Silence the elf.”

Fitting name. They look happy, chowing down on their meal.

Wait, did they snatch my breadloaf?

I hear the elf snicker.

I owe them both my life so there is no reason to complain.

The orc rubs the back of his head.

“I guess I didn’t mention it but just call me Brutus!”

He slaps my back hard.

“I thought there was one more member of your party?”

“Oh don’t worry about her. She is over there hiding behind that pillar.”

Sure enough there she is hiding…well atleast trying to hide.

The pillar is doing an extremely poor job at concealing her. I see that she is not wearing her usual armor however she has her helmet on. Faceplate down.

I make my way over to greet her. Her head darts back and forth.

Is she trying to find someplace to run away to?

“Um, I really wanted to thank you for saving me. I also heard you were the one to carry me out of the dungeon. I want to say I am really sorry I put you and your party through that.”

I bow my head.

“Oh please…We are all adventurers. It's what we do…”

Her voice really is shy and gentle. For someone so large I really didn’t expect it.

“Hey bring our leader over here Goggles!”

I can hear Brutus struggle to say through all the ale.

We all join together at the table. When she sits down the weight of the bench shifts.

“Well, did you tell him your name?”

“I was getting to that Brutus! Oh…Um…You can call me Momo.”

It is hard to hear the whispers in her helmet but I understood.

Why does Brutus look so proud?

I shoot up from my seat and bow respectfully to the party before me.

“You can all call me Tai! I want to thank each one of you for saving my life.”

“Don’t worry about it Goggles. We are Death Clap so your debt with us won’t be that deep!”

“Brutus I told you to stop calling us that.”

“A name like that is hard to lose Momo.”

“It's ‘cause you are the one that keeps sayin’ it!”

“Well you are the one who clapped a bandit clean in two with your bare hands.”

Momo shoots up and her faceplate bounces open. Her large singular eye focuses on Brutus with anger.

“IT WAS ONE TIME!”

Quickly she realizes her eye is visible. She lowers the faceplate and sinks back down on the bench.

“What did I tell you Missy? He isn’t hollering or running away. Goggles isn't afraid of that eye of yours.”

Momo’s helmet head turns toward me.

“Why would I be afraid of that? I have never seen anything like it before.”

“You are a weird human, you know that Tai…”

She might be right. Here I am with a second life and I want to risk it running around in a dungeon?

I could make coins off of my other worldly knowledge or just open up a quiet shop.

Instead I want to run, dodge monsters, and race to find out what's in the bottom of that dungeon.

My heart races.

If the dungeon stays the same I will be able to work with that.

I don’t want to stop with just one dungeon either. There has to be so many things to explore in this world.

I have to be smarter now.

“Would you guys be willing to teach me what it means to be an adventurer?”