“Alright, enough, you lot. There are plenty of people watching,” said Autumn Waters, the elegant and graceful mage, her gentle voice cutting through the chaos with a smile.
I hadn’t expected her, of all people, to put an end to the commotion.
“Admit it, Autumn, you want to pet her too, don’t you?” Scarlet Rain teased.
“She’s just trying to get on the kid’s good side~” Mushui added playfully.
Despite their words, the group of girls surrounding me finally stopped their mischievous hands.
Clearly, Autumn Waters’ words carried weight.
As I glanced at her curiously, I met her assessing gaze.
Her warm, gentle smile sent an inexplicable shiver down my spine, like a prey caught in a hunter’s sights.
But when I looked again, the feeling was gone.
Was it my imagination?
Prompted by Autumn Waters, Yoyo finally snapped out of it and began introducing the team members one by one.
Scarlet Rain, the tank warrior; Dream Cradle, the holy knight; Elk, the priest; Nightwish, the rogue; Mushui, the frost mage; Autumn Waters, the holy word mage; and Yoyo herself, the fire mage.
A well-balanced team, all things considered.
Each introduction came with a friendly smile, but I wasn’t about to forget their earlier crimes.
The only ones spared from my mental blacklist were Autumn Waters and Nightwish, who hadn’t joined the “group assault.”
Still, Little Aunt entrusted me with a task, and unreliable as she might be, I had to see it through.
I withdrew my gaze and coughed lightly.
“I’ll let the earlier incident slide. But if you want to clear the dungeon, no more messing around. You have to follow my lead.”
A child speaking with such an adult tone was undeniably cute, making Mushui and the others itch to tease me again.
But under Yoyo’s warning glare—perhaps out of guilt or a desire to salvage her image in her niece’s eyes—they held back.
Some raised minor doubts about whether a kid like me could actually lead the team.
Before I could respond, Nightwish, who’d been quiet until now, spoke up slowly. “Her demeanor isn’t that of an ordinary child. I think we can trust her.”
Her rare endorsement surprised everyone, elevating their view of the adorable loli before them.
I couldn’t help but wonder why she trusted me so much. This was only our second meeting, after all.
But not having to waste breath explaining myself was a plus.
The real issue now was…
“We don’t have enough people,” I said, eyeing the team of beautiful girls. “No one else?”
“No luck recruiting,” Scarlet Rain shrugged.
“People run when they see Sister Yoyo,” Mushui quipped.
“All we got were guys trying to flirt,” Elk added.
Their gazes collectively landed on Yoyo, the fire mage.
After all, current forum strategies strongly advised against bringing fire mages to this dungeon.
Yoyo crossed her arms defiantly. “They’re just short-sighted. Tongtong said I’m the star today!”
Who’d believe that? their skeptical looks seemed to say.
I stifled a laugh, eager to see Yoyo’s reaction when she learned her true role.
But for now, I kept it under wraps. “No worries. I know a sister who can bring some guildmates to join us.”
“What kind of friends? Not some shady people, I hope?” Yoyo instantly transformed into a protective mother hen.
The others chimed in:
“Tongtong’s so cute, don’t let some creep trick her!”
“Yeah, some bad guys act overly friendly to take advantage. Be careful, Tongtong!”
“We’re exceptions, of course.”
“…Did you have to add that last part?”
By their logic, the entire Rose Heart guild would be full of villains.
Gossiping behind others’ backs wasn’t my style as a good kid, so I waved my hands to clear the air.
“They’re from Rose Heart, not bad people… Oh, there they are!”
Since we were already near the Black Prison Forest dungeon entrance, it didn’t take long for Doran to appear at the agreed coordinates after I contacted her.
Her striking eyes scanned the crowd, quickly locking onto the petite figure waving at her. With a gentle smile, she approached with her teammates in tow.
“Long time no see, little one,” Doran greeted.
“Hi, Sister Doran! Oh, Sister Coral and Sister Watermist too!” I waved, about to introduce them, when I noticed Nightwish and Mushui’s expressions shift upon seeing Doran’s group.
Nightwish’s gaze narrowed. “Didn’t expect it to be you.”
Mushui looked wary. “Hmph.”
Doran, after a brief moment of surprise, smirked playfully. “That’s our line.”
Red Coral flashed her usual harmless smile, her mole adding a touch of allure.
“What a coincidence, you two.”
Watermist said nothing, subtly pulling me closer to her side, away from Nightwish and Mushui.
The tense atmosphere piqued my curiosity, as well as Yoyo’s and the others’.
“Nightwish, you know them?” Autumn Waters asked.
Nightwish glanced at Doran’s group and explained briefly, clearing things up.
Apparently, both groups attended rival high schools and were standout students, leading to some competitive history and grudges.
High school drama is terrifying. Good thing I’m still in elementary school.
I couldn’t help but think.
“So that’s the deal. How about we set aside the grudges and focus on clearing the dungeon?” Autumn Waters suggested with a smile, looking at Doran.
“For the little one’s sake, we’re not that petty. Just hope certain people don’t pull any dirty tricks,” Doran replied, glancing at Nightwish and Mushui with a hint of meaning.
“We’ll mind our own business. We’re not bored enough to stoop that low,” Nightwish replied coolly.
Mushui stuck out her tongue. “Bleh~”
Sensing the team’s discord, I stepped in as the peacemaker. “Alright, let’s focus on the dungeon.”
Both sides backed off, though their attitudes suggested they wouldn’t let personal feelings interfere with the task at hand.
Best to clear this dungeon quickly and be done with it.
I turned to Doran. “Sister Doran, call the others over. We’re ready to start.”
Doran looked confused. “Others?”
“You didn’t just bring Sister Coral and Sister Watermist, did you?” I blinked.
“I thought you had enough people,” Doran said, eyeing the team.
“Our elite squad’s tackling Nightmare mode right now. Watermist was offline earlier and just joined me. I wouldn’t have brought Coral if you hadn’t mentioned it.”
Red Coral coughed awkwardly. She knew her fire mage class was a liability in this dungeon, which is why she’d refrained from joining raids despite wanting to. Did she have to call me out like that?
“How about we try recruiting more?” Yoyo suggested.
With the current roster barely meeting the dungeon’s minimum, she didn’t want another failed run due to an underpowered team.
“No way. We won’t find more fire mages here,” I shook my head.
More fire mages? Are we trying to blow up the entire Black Prison Forest?
Though puzzled, the group held their questions, eager to see what this little one had up her sleeve in the dungeon.
“My students are nearby, and some are fire mages. Shall I call them over?” Autumn Waters offered with a smile.
“Sure, thanks, Sister!” I nodded, trying to shake off that odd feeling.
Her being a teacher wasn’t surprising—her “class advisor” vibe explained the strange sensation. No kid escapes the fear of their homeroom teacher.
Nightwish, hearing this, asked instinctively, “Your students, Autumn? From our school?”
“The new batch, your underclassmen,” Autumn Waters confirmed, winking at Nightwish and Mushui. “Look out for them when school starts.”
So they’re students and a teacher from the same school?
As I pondered their dynamic, a hesitant voice interrupted.
“Um, are you guys recruiting fire mages?”
When the Black Prison Forest dungeon first opened, Fallen Sunny had missed the initial wave due to real-life commitments, thinking it wouldn’t matter.
But she hadn’t anticipated missing the only window for fire mages to join teams normally.
As everyone knew, fire mage skills triggered explosions in the Shadow Swamp, often harming teammates.
The Corrosive Vines, crucial for clearing the dungeon, were also at risk.
Some tried bringing fire mages and barring them from using skills in the swamp, but losing a key damage dealer meant burning through all the Fog Lamps, resulting in wipes.
Thus, excluding fire mages became an unspoken rule for teams aiming to clear the dungeon.
Fallen Sunny had faced rejection after rejection but refused to give up, lingering near the dungeon entrance for any opportunity.
Just moments ago, after another team turned her away, she was about to grind mobs for levels when she overheard a group discussing recruiting fire mages.
Seizing the faint hope, she approached cautiously.
Though, to her, the team looked a bit… unreliable—a group of diverse, beautiful girls, including a loli who seemed more like a mascot.
If they weren’t clearly talking about running the dungeon, I’d think they were an idol group formed to save a failing school.
I turned to the newcomer, a pretty girl with vibrant short hair and a ruby-studded staff, clearly a fire mage.
But her name, Fallen Sunny, caught my attention. I feel like I’ve heard it in my past life, but I can’t place it.
Shaking off the thought, I asked, “We’re recruiting fire mages. What’s your spell damage, Sister?”
Fallen Sunny hadn’t expected the “mascot” loli to be the team leader. Glancing at the others, who seemed unfazed, she answered hesitantly, “Around 45.”
She’d lowered it deliberately, knowing the Shadow Swamp’s explosion damage scaled with spell power. She’d unequipped gear to hit that number.
“That’s a bit low,” I frowned.
Someone’s actually complaining a fire mage’s damage is too low to avoid killing teammates?
Fallen Sunny blinked, explaining, “It’s 45 because I unequipped some gear.”
“What’s your max?”
“63,” she said cautiously. That number used to be a point of pride for a solo mage, proof of her strength, but now it felt like a burden.
To her surprise, I sent her a team invite immediately. “Perfect! We need a strong fire mage like you!”
Though shocked, Fallen Sunny accepted, relieved to finally join a team. She planned to greet the others quietly and keep to herself, as was her solo habit.
But when she saw Yoyo, she froze. “Wait, you’re a fire mage too?”
“Of course! We’re the stars of this dungeon. Let’s do this, girl!” Yoyo patted her shoulder enthusiastically, missing the subtext.
Mushui kindly added, “Besides Yoyo, that guy over there, and you, another fire mage is coming.”
Fire mage + fire mage + fire mage + fire mage under heat… what happens?
Fallen Sunny’s mind conjured dozens of explosive reactions. I’ve walked into a den of gas tanks with a built-in catalyst.
But regardless of her thoughts, Autumn Waters’ students arrived soon after.
Morning Season, enduring Otaku Source’s complaints about being used as free labor, froze upon seeing the stunning group of girls. Even his usual calm wavered, and he instinctively adjusted nonexistent glasses.
Otaku Source and Galaxy Vast were even more blatant, eyes wide.
“Is this paradise? A delicate mage girl, a cool stoic, a lively warrior, a quirky rogue, a literary priestess, a sultry older sister…”
Otaku Source rattled off anime archetypes, but when he spotted me, his eyes gleamed. “Whoa, a cat-eared loli! God, you’ve finally realized this world belongs to beast-eared girls!”
Before he could approach with some modern-day Hikaru Genji plan, a gentle voice stopped him cold.
“What are you up to, Student Qiu Shan Yuan?” Autumn Waters asked, her smile sharp.
“A-Autumn… Teacher Autumn! I, uh, just wanted to get to know this cute kid, maybe help with her homework…” Otaku Source stammered.
“Sounds like you’ve had a boring summer. How about I assign you a few extra test papers?” she replied sweetly.
Ignoring Otaku Source’s wails, Galaxy Vast, ready to flex his “romantic” skills, noticed Nightwish’s odd stare. Feeling a strange familiarity, he hesitated, then shifted his focus to me.
Unlike Otaku Source, his attention wasn’t on anything weird but on my familiar face.
“Hey, it’s you?” he said.
I tilted my head, puzzled. The cute, dazed look on my delicate face only amplified my charm.
Before I could speak, Weaving Night, who’d been about to pinch my cheek alongside White Rabbit Candy, asked curiously, “You know each other?”
I want to ask the same thing. I studied the holy knight, unable to recall where we’d met.
Seeing I’d forgotten him, Galaxy Vast sighed. “I drove you home once.”
“Oh, you’re that brother!” I remembered the guy who’d given me a ride home from the supermarket. “I recall a sister too?”
“What’re you thinking? That was my cousin,” Galaxy Vast said, sweating under the team’s odd looks. “She’s elsewhere. You haven’t kept in touch with her, have you?”
“Uh…” His question reminded me of his cousin’s parting words, and I scratched my cheek awkwardly. With everything going on, I’d forgotten. Oops.
To my surprise, Galaxy Vast seemed relieved. He patted my shoulder solemnly. “Good. Don’t contact her, and keep it that way.”
Can I admit I forgot her name entirely?