Chapter 531 Cursed Item
The four of us ran as fast as we could while the giant spiked ball rolled after us, threatening to squash us underneath it.
What made it worse was the fact that we not only needed to avoid all the traps that we had just avoided to get here, but this whole entire passageway was a straight line with no alternate paths to take, meaning we had no choice but to run all the way back to the first intersection while avoiding all those traps.
Thankfully, we had Kaelin who was using his map to pinpoint all the traps out to us so we could just avoid them as we ran, though it was still a challenge to keep up while worrying about a giant death ball behind us.
There was at least once or twice Riklan or Eita triggered one of the traps and I had to cast [Cleanse] on them while pulling them along, making sure they had managed to start running on their own again before I pushed them ahead of me.
The rumbling of the ball got louder and louder and I didn’t even dare to look back, fearing that the moment I did, I might slow myself down just enough for the ball to catch up to me.
In my mind, I was already convinced that it was right behind me and if it was a monster, I’m sure I would be able to feel its breath on my neck right now.
After what felt like an eternity, the intersection was in sight, we just needed to run the last few hundred metres and we should be safe.
Then, as if the Dungeon itself felt that our escape from this trap was a travesty, the walls on either side suddenly opened up without warning, revealing rows upon rows of tubes that spewed out a gas cloud.
More specifically, it was a sleeping gas cloud.action
I only had time to cast an [Air Pocket] on myself to prevent myself from breathing in the gas, but the others were not so fortunate.
The three of them were already stumbling over themselves as they failed to resist the gas, slowing down as they lost strength in their limbs.
Deciding that now was not the time to hold back, I called up two of my summons to snatch Riklan and Kaelin up before they fell on the ground, leaving Eita for me to take care of.
I was afraid that I would trigger the other traps leading up to the intersection but it seems like everything had been deactivated for now.
I doubled my pace and made a final dash towards the intersection, using another summon I called up there to grab the three of us to toss towards the side.
Not even a split second later, a loud crash came from behind me and I knew the summon I had used to fling me away had been crushed by the spiked ball.
I hit the ground with Eita in my arms, the other two summons also crashing on either side of me with Riklan and Kaelin safe in their arms.
I looked back at where we had just narrowly escaped death, finding the spiked ball stuck at the intersection of the tunnels.
Had I just been a second late, I would have been crushed under that as well.
I took a minute to catch my breath, needing just a moment for me to recover from that close encounter with death.
I dismissed my summons and used [Cleanse] on the three Adventurers I rescued, waking them up from the sleeping status effect.
Slowly, the three of them stirred from their slumber and pushed themselves up to get their bearings.
“Are we… Dead?” Riklan asked.
“I don’t think the afterlife looks like this… And I doubt we would end up in the same afterlife anyway,” Kaelin commented.
Eita recovered faster than the guys, probably because she was closest to me and she saw the spike ball embedded in the wall.
Even as we watched, the giant spike ball slowly disappeared before our eyes, as though it was just an illusion all this while. But of course, it was most definitely not an illusion and the trap was merely just resetting itself.
“Aster… You saved us?” She asked with wide eyes.
I let out a breath, “Huu… Indeed, so don’t worry, you’re not dead.”
“Damn… You managed to take all three of us and escape from that thing? I suppose that’s a Nilm Family’s maid for you,” Kaelin whistled.
“We owe you one, Aster. We would not have made it without your help.”
I waved my hand at him, “There’s no need to go that far, I had to save myself as well. And you had also hired me as your support, so to abandon you after that fact would mean that I was lacking.”
That was when I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned to see Eita looking at me with serious eyes.
“Aster… Please let me to lick your pussy.”
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Er… What?
Oh wait, I know this… This is Eita trying to repay me for saving her, isn’t it? Yep, I’ve seen this scenario before.
I raised my hand at her, “Hold on… I don’t think this is a safe place to do it… And also I think I need to let you know that I’m a futa.”
The two guys turned to me with wide eyes.
“There’s… Futa maids in the Nilm Family?” Kaelin gasped.
I was about to affirm that until I stopped myself, realising that I have actually not met a futa maid, have I? Then again, it’s not like I fucked everyone yet so there’s definitely some right?
Well… Even if there aren’t, I’m considered one now so telling him that there are futa maids would not be a lie either.
“Ahem… Yes there is. Though it is still a fact that there are more females than futas at least.”
Kaelin nodded, accepting my answer without question.
I guess it would be obvious that a Nilm Family maid knows what goes on inside the Nilm Family better than outsiders do.
Eita wasn’t done with me yet though, “Then please allow me to service you below when we get to a safe zone, Aster. Say whatever you want, but this is a debt that I will repay.”
Riklan also added from the side, “And me as well, Aster. I’ll be happy to eat you out as well.”
“Err… Sorry but no thanks… I’m not into guys.”
“Ah… Pity. Then I suppose I’ll have to find some other way to repay you.”
I shrugged, “Maybe in the future if I need help from Adventurers, I’ll look for you?”
“That seems too cheap a price to pay after what you’ve done for us but… Alright.”
“Now… I suppose we can conclude that this side of the tunnels have nothing left for us?” I asked.
Both Riklan and Eita turned to Kaelin who was just in the midst of finishing up his scribbling on his map. I managed to catch the words ‘Stupid giant ball’ scribbled on one side of the map.
Don’t ask me how I know but I think he’s quite upset about all the traps we’ve encountered so far.
He slipped the map back into his pockets angrily, “Yeah. Let’s just get out of here and go explore the other path… I hate this place…”
Eita giggled, “Hey, at least you got that bracelet or whatever it is. Maybe it’s a super strong artefact!”
I was a little curious about it, “Do you think you can let me take a look at it?”
He hesitated, clearly not willing to hand it over but he must have remembered that I had saved his life not too long ago and grudgingly dug into his pocket to fish the bracelet out to hand over to me.
I made a show of inspecting it, as though I was trying to discern the shape, form and material of the bracelet. But in reality, I was simply using [Screened] on it.
[Cursed Bracelet of Unending Shadows – Gives wearer Tier 1 proficiency in Umbramancy.
Cursed item: Wearer will be unable to remove it physically upon equipping it.
Curse Effect 1: Wearer will start to hear whispers whenever they are in the dark.
Curse Effect 2: Wearer will constantly have a compulsion to seek out dark areas. Intensity of the compulsion increases the longer they have been away from darkness.]
What do you know? It’s cursed. Surprise, surprise.
Well, I can’t tell him that I know it’s cursed or he would wonder how I knew and may even suspect that I wanted the bracelet for myself… But I sure want to dissuade him from wearing it if I can…
I handed back the bracelet to him, “I would recommend that you get this thing appraised before putting it on. I can’t exactly explain it, but I’m getting a rather bad feeling from it. That is, unless you have a way to deal with curses of course.”
He took the bracelet back with a poker face, “Thank you… I will keep your words in mind.”
Well, I already tried so whatever happens after this is not my fault… But I think he believes me at least.
Hopefully he doesn’t put it on…