Catgirls And Dungeons-Chapter 173: Bag of gold

"So, you think the Celestial Hounds truly stumbled upon it just yesterday?" Eris probes, her voice sharp with doubt as she props her chin on her hand, her eyes narrowing in the secret chamber’s golden glow.

"Haha, of course not," Guildmaster Karlogen replies, his laughter a low rumble as he swirls his tea, the liquid catching the light like molten amber.

"Wait, what’s that supposed to mean?" I blurt, my brows creasing.

"Well, picture this," Eris says, tilting her teacup with a sly smirk, the steam curling around her lips. "You’re strolling along and spot a bag stuffed with a million crowns on the ground. What do you do?"

"Ermm... a bag of money?" I falter. "I guess... report it to the Guild? So they can track down whoever dropped it and give it back?"

"Oh my..." Eris chuckles, her laughter bright and teasing, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Oh, Felicia," Guildmaster Karlogen also exclaims, his facial expression same as Eris.

Huh?

What’s going on?

I’m so confused now.

"What?" I look between them, my eyes wide. "It’s not my money, right? And what the heck does this bag of money have to do with the dungeon?"

"Tsk tsk tsk," Eris chides, her smile teasing as she wags a finger, brushing cookie crumbs from her sleeve with a flourish. "Felicia, you’re far too pure for this world!"

"Haha, you’re indeed a rare one, little girl," Karlogen adds. "But on the other hand, would others share your honesty? Especially when they are the ones who would easily be blinded by power and wealth? What’s to stop them from pocketing the whole bag for themselves?"

"Erm..." I scratch my head again, my ears drooping slightly as I fumble for an answer. "I mean... Isn’t it illegal to take things that not belongs to you?"

"Well, it is!" Eris replies. "But if you don’t report it, how would anyone know?"

"Right...." I nod, brows furrowing.

If that’s the case...

Then... finder’s keeper, I guess?

But then, suddenly, it clicks.

"Wait!" I gasp, my hands flying to my cheeks, my tail puffing up. "You’re saying... the dungeon is like that bag of money? The Celestial Hounds found it, but did not report it right away?"

"Hey! You finally got it!" Eris exclaims, snapping her finger. "They probably discovered it a while ago. And now, reporting it only means a few things..."

"One," Eris continues, biting into a chocolate chip cookie with a loud crunch, her eyes gleaming with mischief, "they already got what they wanted from the dungeon—but that’s unlikely."

"And two?" I prompt, leaning closer.

"Two," Eris says, her grin sharpening. "the dungeon was probably too brutal for them to tackle solo. They couldn’t grab what they’re after, so they’re calling in backup. No way a powerhouse like the Celestial Hounds would share a prize that big otherwise."

"And third," Karlogen cuts in, his tone turning grim as he sets his teacup aside, his fingers tightening on the armrest, "it could be far worse. The situation might be slipping beyond their control."

Gulp.

I swallow hard, my throat tightening as my fingers clutch the edge of the couch. "B-but isn’t it an S-rank dungeon? Can a single guild even conquer it?"

"Well, it’s hard to say," Karlogen muses, cradling his teacup. "Normally, no. But the Celestial Hounds are different. They are strong. Really, really strong."

"Oooh! Stronger than Black Scorpion?" I blurt.

"Well, probably" Eris replies. "After all, their Guildmaster is SS-rank."

"What? SS-rank?" I squeak.

"Yup," Karlogen affirms. "And that’s already ten years ago. Now, he’s one of the strongest in the world. That’s how they claimed that Divine Weapon in the first place."

"Wow..." I breathe, my voice a faint whisper as I sink back "So that means... this S-rank dungeon is probably really dangerous, right? If not, their Guildmaster must have already conquered it!"

"Exactly," Eris replies, nodding. "And that’s also one of the reasons why I’m not rushing into that dungeon right away."

"Oh right!" I exclaim. "Yeah, that makes sense! It’s way too risky to charge in when we barely know anything about it!"

"Yup," Eris agrees, tilting her teacup with a firm nod, her fingers grazing the rim thoughtfully. "I’d wait a month or two until I’ve got a clear picture of what’s inside and what we’re up against. Sure, I might miss some treasures—early adventurers will probably snatch them—but..." She pauses, turning to me, her eyes softening like a warm hearth. "I promised Felicia I’d always come back to her. Artifacts are shiny, but nothing’s more precious than our lives, right?"

...

Right...

As Eris says that, my heart suddenly swells with warmth.

"Eris..." I murmur, my voice trembling as my heart swells, my hands clasping to my chest as tears prick my eyes.

Karlogen watches, his slitted eyes glinting with warmth as he leans back, a faint smile curving his lips. "Haha, you’ve changed," the lizardman remarks, his nod slow and approving, satisfaction shimmering in his gaze. "You used to charge straight into danger without a second thought."

"Yeah, I was pretty reckless," Eris admits, her chuckle soft as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear

"Thank you, Felicia," Karlogen says suddenly, dipping his head in a slight bow, his voice earnest and warm. "I’m glad Eris has met you."

"Eh? W-why?" I stammer, my face flushing hot as I wave my hands frantically. "I-I didn’t do anything!"

Oh god...

I totally didn’t expect the Guildmaster to do that!

But then, I feel something...

Eris’ hand, intertwining mine...

"Apparently, you being here is already more than enough." she says and squeezes my hand little, smiling.

And just like that...

Badump!

Badump!

...

"Alright, back to the dungeon!" Eris says, steering the conversation. "Karlogen, you ventured into the one in Schwarzfels, right? How was it?"

At her words, Karlogen stiffens, his claws pausing mid-tap on the armrest. A faint tremble ripples through his frame, barely noticeable but chilling in the quiet chamber.

"Yeah, it was horrible," he murmurs, his voice a haunted whisper as he stares into his teacup, the liquid still as if holding his memories. "If I could go back in time, I’d do everything to stop myself, so that we wouldn’t step foot into it."