In the Core Room, on the sixth floor of the dungeon, a golden-rimmed Mimic is licking clean the accumulated dust from one of its many duller unmoving brethren.

Colin has no idea why the other chests refuse to get up and clean themselves, especially after his valiant efforts to assist them and has now taken it upon himself to do it for them. He gives each one a thorough going over, taking specific care around every nut and crevice. He spares no expense in their maintenance and lifts them from the floor with his large-muscular arms so that he can give the newly placed marbled floor a good shining as well.

After doing twenty of what can only be described as less-than-fine chests, Colin's tongue is feeling a little worse for wear. Ever diligent though, this does not stop the drooling Mimic as he looks at the ten new Silver chests that the Supreme Master has placed along the back wall for him.

Surely these guys will clean themselves if he injects them with his seed. Unlike the other twenty loafers beside him.

His lid chatters away merrily as he makes his way towards them. Stopping in front of the first chest, he sizes it up and moves around inspecting each part of it before shaking his large frame in delight.

Colin sits down, withdrawing his legs in the process, hoping this will be the one as his large mouth opens wide. He raises the Silver chest above him with the strength of his arms and two long black tendrils extend out from the void of abyss inside his mouth. They pierce through the chest, leaving no physical signs as Colin injects it with the Abyss of nothingness from within himself.

The tendrils pump away until they're removed, at this point Colin places the chest back on the floor and stands back up. He skitters around the chest, slowly, waiting in anticipation for it to do something before arriving back at his starting point. He moves left and right, he even reaches out to touch it before withdrawing his hand and skittering around it once more. Checking again to see if he missed anything

With every fibre of his new Core, which he knows is connected to the main Core in the room with him, Colin is hoping that this new chest will be able to clean itself.

As he passes around the front of the chest, for the third time, the lid slowly begins to open and Colin stops in his tracks. He turns to face the smaller chest and watches as life comes into existence within the inanimate object before him.

Multiple portals open at its side and four long spider legs lift the smaller, Silver Mimic to a taller height than Colin and it chitters in merriment knowing no better. It believes because it's bigger, it is better and more fun.

Unhappy with his own height, compared to the Mimic he helped come into existence, Colin pulls the closest leg in reach and brings the Silver chest down to his own height. With his free hand, he thumps the lid of the hissing chest causing it to become silent. Colin then licks the silver framed joints of the Mimic before pointing to the newly created creature in a gesture meaning 'now you'.

Unable to comprehend what it's creator wants it to do, the Mimic nervously moves away to avoid another licking. Missing the concept of Colin's careful explanation though earns it another thump and Colin proceeds to follow the Silver Mimic around until it finally gets the point.

Sitting back in its original position, the Silver Mimic is now thoroughly licking itself clean much to the delight of its creator. With his task accomplished and his lesson taught, Colin moves towards the second chest before repeating the process from before, much to the shock of the other Mimic in the room. Learning how one comes into existence can be a truly terrifying experience.

Dungeon Stories Volume 1

A few drinks later, and with one man carrying a lot less coin than when he entered, no one seems to be too phased about being inside a dungeon anymore. It's amazing how alcohol can ease many burdens troubling a single soul all on its own. Regarding the matters that Light managed to slur his way through, and which Talia had to add more context towards, overall I'm quite satisfied with the situation so far.

"So you're telling me... That your master... Is a woman? Get outta here, where is she?" Wheeler can't seem to get his head around the idea of a woman owning a man as he scans the bar.

"I would like to meet with your master, is she available?" Eyeing Light up, like a kid in a candy shop, Sophie shows no ill regard for the supposed woman in question either and asks for a meeting.

Red in the face from the strong ale that Talia has been supplying them, Aaron manages to slide off the stool and onto his feet before boldly declaring, "I love this ale!" The same swaying momentum that he had used to right himself then carries him backwards as he turns and the young man crashes face first into the floor in a drunken heap.

"I'm fine... Go on without me..." his eyes close and a surreal dream washes over the drunken guard as he lays in his own drool.

What does he mean by that?

Nothing, he's just drunk.

Ahh. Just like Light.

Haha. Yeah, that's right. Good one, Me. Only this guy is way more drunk than our resident alcoholic. I swear, if Light spends anymore of his free time in the Retreat, Talia's going to end up employing him.

Although, he must be building up some type of tolerance for her Ale as I haven't caught him sleeping on any of the tables in a while.

As I converse with Me, Light sits himself on the bar as Sophie repeats her question and once again asks for a meeting with his master, "My Master is usually around, well most of the time she is. She's always watching."

"Does that means she's here now?" looking around the Retreat, she catches no sight of anyone new. Only Talia, Light and her own companions.

"When can I meet her?" for some reason Sophie is determined to get a meeting with me.

"She's... Away, at the moment, and has left me in charge, " the semi-drunken dungeon monster proclaims.

"Haha, don't be preposterous. You may be a somewhat capable fighter but anyone can tell than you're not a leader," Wheeler knocks Light off his podium with his harsh words.

Sophie's eyes widen at her client as Light puts on the charade of being mortified. He drops from the bar to one knee and clutches his chest, "Your words cut me deep, Sir."

Realising who he is talking to and remembering the current location he's found himself in, Wheeler drops to his own knees in front of their guide and the self-proclaimed, temporary leader apologising profusely.

"Hahaha, I'm only joking with ya, I'm not hurt or nothing. Anyway, let's head to Ali's for some food, I'm starving and we can continue our conversation there." Rising from the floor, Light gestures towards the door.

The pale-faced Wheeler also stands up at the mention of food and his eyes widen. All previous worries are forgotten and colour flushes his face once more as he strides towards the door adjusting his pants, "Let's go!"

"H-hey, what about your friend?" Light calls out towards the plump man heading towards the door and a much anticipated dinner.

"He'll be fine," latching on to Light's arm, Sophie informs him of her companion's weak nature towards alcohol.

"As long as he is not eaten by the dungeon, he should be fine. Come on, Light. Let's go, I'm hungry and also curious to what food is served inside a dungeon. I also have a lot of questions to ask but they can wait until we've eaten," pulling his arm, Light looks towards the sleeping guard Aaron before nodding at Talia and leaving with Sophie and Wheeler.

The humans aren't the only hungry people around here. His belly lets his intentions be known with a loud rumble which earns him a laugh and a smile from the accompanying duo.

"Ali is amazing. Her food is out of this world," Light tries to play down his minor embarrassment by explaining how good the delicacies produced here really are as they come to a stop outside a tall sky-blue building .

Large windows provide view to the spacious floor space inside the restaurant. In between them is a wooden door, which has three circular glass windows running down it, is wedged wide open. Delicious smells and tempting allures are drifting out from within the establishment whispering for customers to enter. A white rectangular sign sits above the wedged-open door and the word 'Ali's' is written in vibrant red letters.

"Oh my lord. What is the delicious scent I'm getting?" sniffing the air outside, Wheelers eyes begin to water as he and his employees have only been eating rations these last few days. A proper meal or even a fresh loaf of bread would be enough to reduce the large man to his knees and crumble his resolve.

"Wheeler! Get up. You're embarrassing yourself," Sophie remarks to the food-loving large-bellied merchant.

"You're one to talk hooked up to that man like a schoolgirl," he snaps back as Sophie flushes red. She realises what she has just been doing due to being a little intoxicated and pulls away from Light with incredible speed. After she returns to her senses and composes herself, Sophie then stares at Wheeler in hate and anger.

Truth be told, she didn't want to release the rather well-built and extremely good-looking man they had luckily met whilst at a perilous point in their journey.

Because of this, she is extremely irritated with her employer now but before she can voice any words toward him Kat exits Ali's and smiles at Light.

"Light!" she shouts and jumps into his arms for a hug. This causes shock to Sophie who has just released him from her grasp and she stares furiously into Wheeler's own gaze, cursing him as much as possible in her own mind.

"Hi, Kat. Have you just had dinner?" Light places his hand on her head and smiles warmly.

"No. I was just visiting Ali to see how she's doing. Did you know Abi gave her more people to help with cooking? She's too kind for her own good sometimes. Although, I suppose she's not really losing out when you consider everyone's fighting potential. She's actually quite clever. Speaking of Abi, where is she? Do you know?" releasing him from her small but bear-like grasp, Kat looks at Light with big inquisitive eyes.

"Erm... She's out," looking around before he answers, Light is unsure what to say as Kat seems unaware that the two visitors are not Abi's creations.

Coughing into his fist, Light changes his tone to an implying one, "I'm just escorting our visitors to Ali's for a nice dinner. There's one more that passed out on Talia's floor, can you go see if she managed to get him into bed please? I would but Abi asked me to escort these guys around and explain things to them."

"Who is she and why is she... Cuddling you?" Sophie blurts out as if her and Light are already an item.

Light laughs, but this doesn't stop him from feeling chills run down his spine at Sophie's death stare. Realising what she has just said, she reddens up once again before putting on a nervous smile.

"I'm Katrina, it's a pleasure to meet you. I have to go see Talia now but we can talk later if you like. Good bye. See ya, Light," with that the ex-apprentice skips off to Talia's and Light, Wheeler and Sophie head in to Ali's.

So far, Light hasn't done a bad job. He has managed to avoid explaining two major details even whilst being intoxicated. The first one being that he's actually a creation of the dungeon they know they're in. Damn, my guys look that good that none of the three guests can tell otherwise.

The second detail he did well to gloss over, was the fact that his outrageously-gorgeous female master is not only the owner of said dungeon but she is in fact, the Dungeon Core itself.

Way to go Light.

No one wants to kill me, and no one is running to the closest Categoriser they can find to report me either. So far, I'm taking this as a win.