Jude had cut it close. According to his estimations, respawning would have happened soon. But he finally figured out the Seal enough to disable the ‘curse’. The seal, however, was much more than just a curse. The seal was what made the entire place a dungeon. In a sense, it was the dungeon core! For Lord Bertram and his Cultists, it really was a curse as it trapped their souls here through their . And because of their the dungeon absorbed them into its own system. But since the area itself could only support level 10 mobs, they were all downgraded to level 10!

Since the process of categorizing them as monsters and downgrading them because of their high level, the had upgraded their race to that of .

With Jude’s power, there was nothing he could do to the Seal itself, for him it was indestructible. However, using Ellie’s idea to connect his Modicuit to the Seal worked out better than he could have hoped. It not only allowed him to gain the necessary understanding of what the seal was and did but also allowed him to make adjustments to the dungeon itself!

Using the Dungeon Seal, he changed the dungeon to no longer spawn any Vampires and destroy any that remained. As soon as he did that, the kicked Jude out of the Seal and the Seal then underwent a change. The Seal wasn’t only the thing that was changing, but the entire dungeon as a whole!

“What is going on?!” Ellie asked as the ground started to shake and the Seal started to shine with light.

“I think I did it!” Jude said excitedly.

“Are you sure this is what you were supposed to do?!” Ellie asked.

Before Jude could reply they were teleported out of the dungeon.

Quest Complete: Cleans the Curse!

Due to your actions today, you have cleaned the curse that has haunted the Grimwar Caves for untold years. This place will no longer be known as the Grimwar Caves, but the Undead Caves. The evil has been purged and you will be known far and wide as the Heroes of Longdale!

Rewards:

Due to your actions of analyzing spells you have been granted a unique class based on your abilities.

Unique Class: Spell Analyst

Your primary class has been changed to Spell Analyst!

Spell Analyst

Unique Class

This class would not be considered powerful in terms of combat power, however, as a utility class, there is not one better. With it, you will be able to uncover all the secrets of magic and more!

Skill Category unlocked!

Analyze Magic (Spell Analyst)

Rank II

Analyze Magic is the magic of analyzing all things magical. From the most mundane to the divine!

Unlocked:

· Internal Analyze

· Area Analyze

Internal Analyze

Rank II (Rank is higher due to previous use of skill)

Allows you to view and analyze a person’s internal skill circuitry (now known as a Modicuit.)

Area Analyze

Rank 0

Allows you to view and analyze an areas mana and mana flows.

Range: 5 meters.

Rank A Dungeon cleared, Calculating EXP…

Titles gained: Dungeon Master, Dungeon Expert, Small Party Expert, Lifter of Curses, A Crafters Friend, Heroic Wizard

EXP Calculated: Spell Analyst now level 10

Skills gained but locked due to insufficient skill Rank in Class abilities:

Create Magic

Disruption Magic

Gain more Skill Ranks to unlock these skills. Requires a Rank III skill in Spell Analyst for Create Magic and 2 Rank III skills for Disrupt Magic.

Congratulations to Ellie Copper and Jude!

They have cleared the Grimwar Caves, purified the evil of the , and lifted the Curse of Grimwar set by the Myth of Murl.

The Grimwar Caves will now and forever be known as the Undead Caves. Spawns reduced and bosses mitigated to that of a Low-Rank Dungeon.

Everyone, celebrate the heroes: Jude and Ellie!

***

Jude was reeling from all the notifications! And he hadn’t even looked into his new title descriptions.

Ellie was stunned too, but recovered quicker, “Wow! Do you see that? We are heroes! And I’m no longer a peasant! I’m a Freeman now!”

“That’s great! Congratulations!” Then Jude asked, “Actually, I’ve been wondering what is the difference between Freeman and Peasant?”

“You don’t now?! Sometimes you are the strangest person. How are you so smart yet do not know so many basic things?”

“Because I’m not from here. It’s really hard to explain. So hard that I’m not sure how to even do it. But I can say that I’m not from this and because of an accident I got stranded here.”

“Stranded? So are you trying to find your way back?” Ellie asked.

“Honestly, I’m not sure that’s even possible. Where I come from is so far away, that I can’t even fully comprehend it.” This was true, how big is a Universe? How far do you have to travel when your home is not even in the Universe that you reside in? You could say that it was possible since he was here in the first place. But if Murl hadn’t done it after a few hundred years, what hope did Jude have?

“So can you tell me what it means to be a peasant?” Jude asked again.

“Yeah, a peasant is subservient to their lord. Have you ever wondered why there are so many freelance newbies? It’s because most people are peasants and we belong to the lands of our lords. Now peasants can join an Organization, but we are still peasants, so it’s just changing one lord for another.

“But now that I’m a Freeman, I’m no longer bound to the land I was born in! If I join an Organization, I would have a higher status and now I can truly join you in creating our own. Freemen are even exempt from most taxes and can travel easier between the nations.

“You see, the ranks of society are as follows: peasant, citizen, freeman, nobles (and their rankings), and royalty. Freemen are both part of and exempt from the lineup. Plus, the higher up you go, the better the stats you get per level. I hear royalty get ridiculous bonuses.”

“Is there any other way to become a Freeman?” Jude asked.

“The lord of the land can give a Peasant the status of Freeman, but I’ve rarely heard of that being done. Becoming a citizen is hard enough that most peasants won’t become one. But I suppose if one was already a citizen then they would have to do some sort of merit for the kingdom to get Freeman. Or they could always buy it. That’s how the merchants do it.”

“If you hadn’t gotten Freeman now, then I would have definitely worked hard to get it for you,” Jude said. “Or should I say Freewoman?”

“Freewoman? What is that?” Ellie didn’t understand the combination of free and man to make freeman. So when Jude said freewoman it did not make sense to her.

“Never mind.”

But then Jude remembered something important, he had been so focused on breaking the curse that he hadn’t checked for the loot the boss would drop! “We forgot the loot!”

“Don’t worry about it. You were so focused that I didn’t want to bother you, but I picked it all up.” Ellie handed Jude a small bag with a smile.

Jude was confused at first, a bag? But when it was fully in his hand he instantly came to the realization that this was more than just a bag. It was a spatial bag! Inside it was rest of the loot which was all crafting materials and gold.

It was similar to his so he took out half the gold and gave the bag back to Ellie.

“You take the bag and the rest,” Jude said with a smile.

Ellie was taken back, “Are you sure? It’s incredibly rare for a Spatial Bag to drop and you are just going to give it to me?”

“Why not?” Jude asked. “We are a team and I already have my . As for the rest of it, it’s all crafting material so I deemed it under your jurisdiction.”

“Aren’t you a little too trusting?”

“After all we’ve been through, is it really strange that I trust you?”

“No, I suppose not. I guess that I was just afraid that once we got out… I don’t know… that things would be different.”

“Ah,” Jude pondered her words for a moment, “Don’t worry, we are friends and will continue to be together.”

Ellie was a little disappointed, either Jude was just that thick or he didn’t like her that way. But she mustered a smile up anyway and said, “Okay!”

“Let’s get back to town. Are there any inns in town that have access to a bath? I’ve been dreaming about a bath for a while now.”

***

Merek, Lord of Longdale, was furious. While technically part of the Riwa Kingdom, each lord had a measure of freedom. He had humored Guudnash because he was the head trainer for Riwa here in Longdale. But Guudnash had dug a hole for himself and had lead Merek straight into it as well.

The people that Guudnash had lead him to believe to be thieves and murderers were actually not criminals, but the new heroes! He had issued a Warrant for these two! How despicable was this?! What would the nobles do after this? Being the Lord of Longdale was quite profitable, but it wasn’t as if it couldn’t be taken away! If the King hears of this, then the real trouble would start.

The one thing Lord Merek knew was that he wasn’t going down for this!

“Scribe!” he shouted, “Lift the Warrant for Jude and Ellie and get it lifted quickly! Use as many people as necessary to take down all the wanted posters. One better not be left up by the time Jude and Ellie get back to town. Then send out some town criers to spread the news of our new heroes and make sure they knew that the Lord of Longdale is in full support of them.

“Guard! Take the castle garrison and round up both Guudnash and his pupil Abaud! Do not let them escape! If necessary, activate the cavalry. But you will take them and put them into the dungeon at all costs.

“Stone Witch, go to the town stone and verify both of these individuals. I would like to know everything about them.”

A girl, neither old or young glared at the lord, “I’m not a witch, I’m a Switch!”

“I’m pretty sure you work with a stone and what you do with it is very witch like.” Lord Merek never liked the Switch, in a way she had more power than he did. But he didn’t have to do all the tedious tasks she was in charge of. Still, he had the authority, so he could order her around.

The Switch was covered in a purple hooded robe. It was trimmed in thick arcane words and there was a swirling pattern on her robes that if one didn’t look carefully you wouldn’t see at all. Her pale white skin was covered with even more arcane words and symbols. The only skin you could see was the face, but even that was covered with the tattoos. Her whole façade gave off an otherworldly appearance.

Lord Merek had already forgotten the Switch. Right now he was pondering how a party of two had defeated a Rank A dungeon by themselves. How powerful would they need to be? And who was backing them?

***

It was already evening by the time Jude and Ellie reached the walls of Longdale. As they got near, there were people who saw them and pointed excitedly.

“Did everyone get notified that cleared the dungeon?” Jude asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve never encountered something like this before. But even if it did, how do they know what we look like?” Ellie responded.

“It’s very strange.”

They continued walking up to the gates where the guards instantly recognized them.

“Are you the Heroes? Jude and Ellie?” The guard asked.

“Yeah, I guess that’s us,” Jude said he wasn’t used to being called a hero.

Ellie elbowed him, “Yes, we are.”

“Good! The Lord of Longdale has requested you to come to the Citadel. Please follow me.” Said the guard.

“Right now?” Jude asked. “We have been in a dungeon for days without proper rest or food. Let us clean up and rest. Then we will be more than happy to visit the Lord.”

Ellie was shocked by Jude’s response as she still had the mindset of a Peasant. The guard wasn’t much better.

“Yo-you are not going to comply with the lord’s command?!”

“It’s not that we aren’t going to comply, but rather it would be rude to show up in front of the lord stinking and disheveled. Besides, we are Freeman, so I’m sure the lord will understand our delay.” Jude decided to use his new understanding of his status to his advantage. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to meet the lord, it was just as he had said. They were both tired and needed a rest. Adding yet another stressful encounter to the day was not something he desired.

“Freemen? Fine, then may I know where you will be staying to let my lord know?”

Jude turned to Ellie, “Does the Steel Flower have baths?”

“Yes! It is my favorite inn after all.” Ellie replied.

“We will be at the Steel Flower Inn,” Jude told the guard.

***

Jude and Ellie were confused as they entered the town. People everywhere seemed to recognize them. Some congratulated them, others gawked, and many people just seemed to be talking about them. It wasn’t surprising that they were famous, it was surprising that they already knew their faces. Jude wondered if there was some way to pull up people’s pictures through the .

He had already forgotten about the Riwa recruits that had chased them into the Grimwar Caves. Right now he was just focused on getting some good rest and cleaning up. A fine meal would top it off and now that he was rich with gold, he would spare no expense this one time.

Ellie, on the other hand, had not forgotten about the Riwa soldiers. In fact, she was a little worried about their new found popularity. Ideally, she would have liked to come back to town unknown and blend back into society. She had never had thoughts about getting back at the Riwa recruits as it would end up as more trouble for her than otherwise. The Riwa Kingdom ruled here and she had no desire to dig her own grave.

They entered the home-like inn of the Steel Flower. The rustic feel of the wood floors, the plaster and wood walls, and the exposed wood beams made ones heart warm. The overweight lady with a kind smile who ran the place was surprised when she saw them.

Jude took the initiative, “We would like a room each for the night and a bath.”

“And your best meal!” Ellie added, “The one with the mutton and stewed potatoes!”

The innkeeper broke out of her shock with a big smile, “Of course dearies. I’m so proud of you two.”

***

Merek sat on his throne in the citadel. While it wasn’t as grand as the one from Grimwar it was still a fine place. It was a broad long room with the plastered walls covered in bright murals. The tall windows stood high above, their bottom only starting after 3 meters and extending to the near 5.5-meter ceiling.

The guard had just reported that Jude and Ellie were now in town and Lord Merek was not happy that they didn’t come see him right away.

“I understand the boy, being a freeman, not coming immediately. But the girl is a peasant! To not obey the lord of the town is despicable!” Merek said.

“Did they not just come out of a dungeon? Surely they need some rest before they can properly meet with you,” Switch really didn’t like Lord Merek. He was capable and ruled well, but his detest for lower people was what was truly ‘despicable’.

Lord Merek didn’t like Switch much either. He had plans to replace her, but getting another Switch was not easy. “I didn’t ask for your opinion Stone Witch.”

Stone witch was his way of insulting her. He knew that she didn’t like it, but she had a problem of mouthing off.

“I had hoped to make a good impression on them before they found out about the Warrant that had been issued. Especially since one of them is a Freeman. After all, I can always control a Peasant.”

The actions of these two would greatly help the further development of the kingdom. All newbie area’s ended at level 10. But Allur Forest had been capped at level 8 with the goblins inside their village. And even then, it was only the boss that was at level 8. In the past Grimwar Caves was the only level 10 place to go, but its difficulty was so high that it was a death sentence to any group that tried to concur it. Occasionally one of the Organizations would sweep through the first part, but it took several high-level people. It was similar to power leveling so it was considered distasteful by the .

The real problem for the Riwa Kingdom was that the next lowest area was level 15. Since there were no areas to bridge the level gap, most organizations had to spend an enormous effort in getting their people ready for the level 15 area. Two levels may not sound like much of a difference, but it did mean that more people would be able to reach level 10.

Level 10 was an important level for Warriors as it allowed them to gain access to skills that would allow them to work together better, especially in an army sense. So the Riwa Kingdom emphasized getting its Warriors to level 10.

“Their story ought to be an interesting one,” a new voice sounded. It was the Lady of Longdale, Lord Merek’s wife. She was a kind woman with a pear shaped body and loved to wear blue gowns. Her black curls framed her round face, making it more oval that it truly was.

“Indeed, a wizard and a crafter. Almost sounds like the start of a bad joke.”

“If you added the Switch to it, then it would truly be funny.” Said the Lady.

“Ha ha,” the lord laughed, “That it would!”

“Tch,” said the Switch, but was completely ignored.

The lady continued, “But truly dear, you shouldn’t hold those two responsible for coming today. Even you have been to dungeons, you should know the stress one goes through. I find it quite acceptable for them to take a rest.”

“As always, you are right dear,” the lord responded. “Scribe! Have someone sent in the morning to their inn and make sure they feel welcomed to come.”

“Dear, these are new heroes and we will benefit from their actions greatly. How about I go and invite them back here tomorrow morning?”

“You?!”

“…” She glared back at him.

“… Well, I hope they feel honored.”