Chapter 85

It technically wasn’t the worst case scenario. That would have been a party hunting down enemy delving groups with intent to kill. Indeed, their opposition was a group of other Tenet students, so their literal safety—in the lethal sense—was assured. Maybe tensions between House Beaumon and Parda-Halt were high, but Natalie was ninety-nine percent sure that murder wasn’t on the table. Especially since Liz wasn’t that important inside House Beaumon. Though maybe that was worse for their situation. Natalie really wouldn’t know. Politics.

Elida’s party was composed of, unsurprisingly, five people in the archetypal layout. Elida herself was her team’s rogue. The heavily armored boy at the front, the tank, hadn’t removed his helm, so Natalie couldn’t make out much of him. From his gear alone, though, she could tell he was even more defensively focused than the average tank. She thought his name was Otto, but wasn’t sure.

The fighter, a boy with green hair, a crooked nose, and a scar on his lower lip, Natalie recognized from yesterday’s spars. Another member of class twelve, as Elida. She couldn’t remember his name. He’d been good—as all of class twelve.

Finally, the backline was composed of their healer, a girl with long brown hair, and a mage with short orange hair. Natalie didn’t recognize the mage, but the healer was another of class twelve. That wasn’t surprising; competent delvers usually wanted to group with one another.

Natalie didn’t get a chance to make more than a superficial appraisal of her opponents. Arriving within a distance they could casually speak, Elida was happy to take the opportunity.

“My, my, my,” the red-head’s amused voice rang out. “What do we have here? Is that you, dear Elizabeth? And your wonderful collection of strays, no less. How fortuitous of a meeting.”

By the girl’s tone alone, Natalie’s hopes that this encounter wouldn’t be antagonistic evaporated. Now, she just hoped it would be refrained to insults. Even that she found herself dubious on. The glint in Elida’s eyes was a bit too excited—a bit too opportunistic.

“Elida,” Liz returned frostily. “Yes. How nice to see you.”

Hearing Liz take an unfriendly tone was, funny enough, the most shocking part of everything. Natalie got the sudden impression that more than a house rivalry, there was some personal dislike mixed in between these two girls.

Which, great. Even better.

The ‘collection of strays’ comment hadn’t endeared Elida to Natalie, obviously, and she was definitely pissed off from it, but she was still digesting what was going on. She would really rather this unfortunate encounter wrap up cleanly and without incident. She wanted to be on with delving—seeking out a boss, not dealing with Tenet politics.

“And you as well, of course,” Elida said politely, her expression belying the seemingly friendly tone. The two girls studied each other for a long moment, when Elida finally continued: “So. How’s the delve going, Lizzy?”

“Don’t call me that,” Liz said flatly.

Elida’s grin widened at the response. She didn’t address it. “We haven’t been having much luck, ourselves. Not a single uncommon, the whole way through—and we’ve found two mini bosses. The dungeon’s being stingy, today.”

Natalie would’ve sympathized—that was rather unfortunate—but for obvious reasons, failed to dredge up any empathy.

“I was starting to wonder whether the whole expedition would be so unlucky,” Elida continued. “But, ah, it never lasts forever. Here it is. Our windfall. In such wonderful form.” Her eyes roved across Natalie’s party, the predatory smirk accompanying her words making her intentions clear.

Natalie internally grimaced. Not that she was surprised. She’d had a feeling what this would turn into the moment they’d bumped into another party—and doubly so when it turned out to be Elida.

“I like that wand, especially,” Elida said. “Is it new? I wonder how much it’ll go for on the Exchange.”

Liz’s grip tightened on the shaft of wood. She, like Natalie, didn’t seem surprised at the threat.

So.

This would be coming to a fight, then.