After a couple of days it was time to meet up with Windry and Angel again. For the Mushroom Dungeon. Fun. And while Richard didn’t like the place, it should be an easy ride. At least when compared to how his last trip to the Cabbit Dungeon went. Though it wasn’t like they were planning on going to the third floor with only 3 people.

  He arrived first which gave him time to people watch. There were all sorts of explorers coming and going from the Dungeon Center. Between people that probably should have still been in high school to ones dressed up in clothes that looked like they belonged more in a ren faire than a dungeon. There were also the proper parties. Ones that looked like they at least had a tank along with a mix of both melee and ranged dps.

  Angel was the first to arrive and she waved to Richard when she noticed him in the lobby. “Thank you for helping out Gem,” Angel said once she approached. “It sounded like it was some bad luck. Usually the Umbras don’t wait to attack or attack as soon as another Cabbit is encountered.”

  “We were lucky that the potion at least stabilized her. And that Umbra behaviour is something to remember next time for sure. Though if there was a way to create more light we might have been able to notice the first Umbra before it ambushed us.”

  Angel tilted her head to the side and placed an index finger on her chin. “I think that I heard something about a party trying that before. But the problem they ran into was that with more light more monsters were attracted. So unless the party can deal with multiple Umbras at once, on top of the Large Cabbits, it would be a bad idea.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that…” What was something that seemed to be as straightforward as more light became dangerous instead. Dungeons were not places to underestimate. Something that Richard had done at first by diving on the first floor of ‘safe’ dungeons. Outside of those first floors people were fighting for their lives. To level up. To make a living. To fight against the dungeon threat that had appeared so many years ago.

  There was a feeling of being in over his head. He was just a average person. Someone who stayed out of dungeons until he wanted something different to make a living. How many people entered the dungeons for the same reason as Richard and went too far? People who weren’t able to make it home again. He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. His mother’s worries must have gotten to him.

  “What is the plan for today?” Windry said. She probably arrived at some point when Richard was fighting the good fight in his mind.

  “Just down to the second floor again please. I think that I almost have the recipe down for the bow that I’m trying to make. Though if I lose focus for a moment then the materials are wasted and I have to start again. If I had known how hard it was to be a crafter I would have sold the book instead of using it,” Angel said and shook her head.

  “But then where would you have been?” Windry asked.

  “I don’t know,” Angel shrugged, “Probably not here, or a member of the Crafter’s Union. Maybe not even an explorer. But then I also wouldn’t be chasing after drops again and again to try and make something that might not even be that good.” Angel sighed. “No sense worrying about it now I guess.”

  The exploration went about as well as the last time they were there. First they visited Angel’s gathering spot to find that it had been either taken by another or still needed time to respawn. They then coasted through the second floor fighting through the mushrooms easily. Richard had really noticed that the extra level helped with his damage. And that what had been a two or three shot before only needed one and sometimes a nudge.

  It was freeing. The feeling of his power growing by seeing an actual result come about from it. And he mentioned as much to the others.

  “You need to be careful,” Windry said. “I know that I’m being a Grandma with this. But if you get over confident you might take a risk that shouldn’t have been taken. And then you’ll be injured, dead, or worse.”

  “What’s worse than dead?” Richard asked.

  “Missing,” Windry said and took point. Richard watched after her for a moment before he moved to catch up.

  In the end they managed to find and defeat 20 Walking Mushrooms, as well as 6 Large Walking Mushrooms. The drops were about as bad as Richard expected them to be. Mosty Mushroom Caps, a few branches, and four pouches of spores. There were two new spores, paralysis and berserk, as well as a couple of poison ones.

  When he checked the recipe list there still wasn't a way to use the pouches, or any of the other drops. It caused Ricard to wonder if there was a way to unlock a recipe before he had seen all of the materials? Usually once he had made the vial other recipes would unlock if he had interacted with the other materials. But what if he could just see all the recipes at once? Or even partial recipes? Wouldn’t that be overpowered? He could only dream for the moment. Maybe something would unlock when he reached a higher level of Alchemy.

  The earnings for the day were $30,338, which was then split 3 ways. It only took a little bit of pushing between the two of them to get Windry to accept her share. Richard may have reused part of the conversation he had with Brock and the others. About how paying a fair amount showed that they were respecting one another and not taking advantage of someone’s kindness.

  ***

  Since he was already in Rowan Richard decided that he might as well make some potions. And when he entered the building he noticed that the market had a different feeling to it. But there wasn’t something that he could put his finger on. There were just as many people out and about. The noise level was similar. But it also felt unusual in some way. He spent a moment more before he figured that he was just imagining things.

  Richard bought the Blue Slime Cores and Healing flowers that he needed and then got a crafting room. He also asked if Argence was around and if she could be notified that he would have something to sell soon. The clerk assured him that the message would be passed on.

  He wasn’t sure if the guild wanted more of the bone meal or not. So he had also grabbed enough of the Cabbit Teeth to grind some out. Just as he finished crafting the last one his phone dinged. It was his mother wanting to know if he was still good for Thanksgiving. And if he wanted anything special to be made. Otherwise it would be turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, with whatever dessert his father ended up deciding on.

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  Richard messaged his mom back saying that the food was good with him. And then he sent his father a quick message asking him to vote for pie for Thanksgiving. His father sent back a “lol“ with a pie emoticon which caused him to laugh. It would get his mother going good and he expected another message from her complaining about his father.

  Only before such a message could appear Richard heard a noise. And after listening for it again he found that the sound was coming from the door. And after a moment it opened. Argence strode a few steps into the room and then stopped in place as she looked at Richard with her eyes wide. “I’m sorry. I thought that this room was free. I just wanted to get another piece of equipment for someone who had broken one,” she said.

  “Uh, well. It’s not free. What do you need?” As he spoke Richard noticed that her eyes were flitting around the room. Looking at the work benches, equipment, and the cart with the bone meal already stacked onto it.

  “I see it here. And thank you for keeping the place clean. Sometimes crafters think that they can just leave a mess and get away with it,” she said, then she picked up a couple of hammers and a pair of pliers off of one of the workbenches, turned around, and left.

  Richard watched her leave and wasn’t sure what to think. She didn’t smile once the entire time. And should have known if a room was occupied or not. Since she should have been notified that he was in the building could it really have been a coincidence? That the room she had decided to unlock and enter was his?

  He locked the door behind her, and then put a chair in place to keep it closed in the event of someone trying to open it again. They wouldn't put cameras in the crafting rooms right? He looked to the corners of the room and under the workbenches. If that was ever found out it would be the end of the Crafter’s Union. As no one would feel safe crafting there, not if their techniques and secrets could be stolen at any time. He wondered about it for a moment and then sent a couple of messages off.

  There were no more interruptions and Richard was able to finish crafting his Healing Potions in peace. Just another 20 Weak quality ones, so nothing special. He had decided on Healing Potions as he wanted to put more into the market. Maybe it would make them just a little more affordable? If people were trying to make do with Poor quality potions there might still be some deaths or permanent injuries that could have been avoided by using a Weak one.

  If Argence felt anything about breaking into the crafting room on him she didn’t show it. All he got was the business smile not smile that he was used to. She quickly counted what he had brought and sent over the payment without much discussion.

  Just as they finished up she turned to him and asked a question, “Was there anything new that you wanted to submit today?”

  “What? No. I don’t have anything else at the moment. Why do you ask?”

  “Just wondering. There are orders to buy anything new that you might discover. So please remember to bring in everything and anything that you make,” she said and then excused himself.

  He sat there for a moment and once again found himself looking at the door that she had left by. Argence should have been one of the best and brightest of the guild, at least he assumed it to be so. Since she was put in place by the Buying and Sales President, by Nora, to make it easier for him to do business with the guild. He tapped a finger against his lips as he thought about her actions that day.

  ***

  For what felt like the first time in weeks Richard found himself with nothing pressing that needed to be done. No orders to fulfill at the Crafter’s Union. No plans with anyone to hit up any dungeons. And no real need to work. With the money that he had saved up, over 2.2 million, he would be able to coast for some time if he felt like it.

  So he took a little mini vacation. Richard had been working quite hard, and he needed to find a balance with all of the dungeon and alchemy work. He visited the park a couple of times to fulfill the touching grass life achievement. Otherwise he mostly stayed at home.

  He tried making a spiced Brown beer that should be nice in the New Year. Did some reading of a number of web novels that had gotten away from him. As well as checked out some new games that he had been wanting to play. All in all it was a productive long weekend. And when Thanksgiving finally came he was good and relaxed and ready for a meal with his family.

  His parents lived in a northern section of the city called the Boroughs. It was cheap land that had just been reclaimed when they bought it. Though it quickly rose in value when the wall was extended and people wanted more room and quality than a hastily built apartment would provide. And while the house wasn’t large, it had been enough for the four of them.

  “Oh! You look so good. That dress shirt fits you so well,” his mother was fussing over him before he even got in the door. She was someone who worked hard after the break to make sure that they could do with the little that they had. And even after double knee replacements she was just as bouncy as she always had been. Her gray hair was pulled back into a neat bun. And she had dressed up with a white blouse and long maroon skirt which were covered by a freshly stained apron.

  “Mom, can I get in first? Supper smells amazing by the way.”

  “You visit us so rarely, so I need to get in time with my son when I can.”

  “Let the boy breathe Brenda, heya Richard. Never thought that you would become a gym rat.”

  Had he really changed that much? Running around the dungeons was more active than he had been in some time. There was also the increased to his stats to consider. “Just getting out of the house more now,” Richard said.

  His father had started losing his hair years ago, and just decided to shave it off instead. Which got easier to do as its surface area decreased. The stubble left behind was gray and trending towards white. And while his father was older than his mother, the old man was doing well and there didn’t appear to be any decline at all due to his age. Somehow he had convinced his wife that a blue tank top was acceptable wear for Thanksgiving.

  “Hey! Who's blocking the road!” There was a shout from outside. Richard turned and was embraced by his sister. “Brother. Mom’s not getting out of the way again?”

  “Sister,” Richard said. “And yes. I’ve been stuck here for hours.” Shannon had the same messy brown hair as Richard, only it was a little longer. She had on a plaid long sleeved shirt overtop of a white t-shirt and bluejeans.

  His mother swatted him on the back. “It hasn’t been more than a few minutes. Hello Shannon, are you alone this time?”

  “Ma, get off my back. We are taking a break is all. Robin doesn’t know what he wants. So I’m giving him space.”

  “Sounds like you need to get him to give you a ring. That’s how I got your father-”

  “Brenda, let the kids in and stop giving the neighbors something to gossip about,” his father said and pulled her into the house.

  “Hal, I rarely get to see them.”

  “If you don't let them in the house they might run away. Once the door is closed and locked then they have to stick around.”

  “Richard, You go west, I’ll go east,” Shannon said. “That way she’ll only get one of us. The one that escapes will need to live twice as well for the other that didn't make it.”

  “Now you’re being mean!” His mother said.

  “Now, now. I know that I’ll get stuck here as the oldest. Also because Shannon cheats and would trip me.” Shannon rolled her eyes. “She, she won’t even admit it.”

  They finally got into the house and closed the door. It took a moment more to get rid of the shoes and coats and then everyone settled in the kitchen to help and heckle.