"So you have gotten your Falna repaired, and immediately you want to go into the dungeon when I told you before you needed to get used to your new body before considering it. Does that about sum it up?" Eina Tulle asked seriously as she stared at Bella, who was fidgeting a bit under her gaze.

"Um, yes but Mama Mia suggested I come and ask because of my stats, " Bella explained as calmly as she could with how energized she seemed to be so early in the morning.

And it was early in the morning, so early in fact that Bella was the first non guild worker in the building bare seconds after the door had been unlocked. It made Eina want to groan in aggravation, but instead she simply settled for letting out a light sigh. "Do you not remember how I made it clear that you needed to get used to your body before even considering going back into the dungeon?" Eina asked again, causing a couple of nearby Guildworkers who were not aware of Bella's situation to glance sideways at her strangely.

"Well yes, but just look at my stats, please?" Bella pleaded as she held out a sheet of paper to Eina.

"Eina let another sigh slip from her lips as she held out a hand and took the paper. "Very well, but I cannot guarantee anything," she said as she began looking over the sheet. And within a moment she found her eyes widening in disbelief what she was seeing. Bella's stats were impressive with her level, but more shocking were the abilities and magic. Not only did she have not one, but three passives, she also had a skill she had never heard of, and a magic spell as well. Of course, the fact she had a as of yet unknown passive was also a cause for concern as its name was, strange to say the least. She looked up from the page to see Bella looking at her hopefully, and again sighed. This needed to be talked about, but not in public. "Bella, we will speak of this in the second meeting room. Please head there and I will be along presently,"

"Alright!" Bella said happily as she turned and headed to the room in question, allowing Eina to watch her from behind as she went. Having seen her in clothing that was more appropriate to her new body had been a good sign, and watching her move she could see that her body was moving a tiny bit more naturally. It was still clear that she was not used to her body yet however, as the movements of her hips was clearly forcibly subdued, and that her legs were a bit to far apart. Still, it was progress in a short time as Eina had expected her to take two or three weeks to get used to her body. It was just a more realistic timeframe, one that it looked like Bella was intent on proving wrong.

"Like what you see Eina?" Eina turned to see one of her human coworkers giving her a smirk "I didn't realize you were in to girls,"

"I am not, she's one of my charges. The one I mentioned had fallen over," Eina explained with a sigh.

"Oh she's the one huh? I see it. She looks a bit stiff," her cohort said before smirking again. "Once she gets comfortable though that ass will attract so much attention!"

Eina groaned, having forgotten that her cohort was a raging lesbian and shook her head. "Please don't even joke about it. She has enough problems as it is, and that may be one or them in the future. I'm just worried as she wants to get back into the dungeon now that her Falna has been repaired."

"Heh, well, adventurers are not known for being patient. Are you really surprised?"

"No, but I need to go ask lord Oranos about what he thinks of her stats now, so good luck covering the counter," Eina said as she walked off into the back.

"Wait Eina! The rush is about to start. Eina? Eina?!"

Bella did not like waiting. It was probably related to those years in the mountains with her grandfather, or perhaps it was just she was naturally impatient. She hated waiting, but understood the need to often do so.

Unfortunately waiting for Eina was far worse than waiting to become an adventurer, to level up and become stronger, or anything else because she had been less waiting for almost half an hour in a small meeting room with nothing of note inside it beside the table and chairs and her own thoughts.

Was Eina going to let her go back into the dungeon? She had the stats for it, for at least the first five or ten levels she assumed, but it hadn't quiet been a week yet. Technically she still wasn't perfectly comfortable with her body either but going back into the dungeon would be perfect to help with that!

Right?

But if Eina didn't agree . . . .

Bella shook her head, trying to remove such thoughts from her mind. "I just need to get back into the dungeon, even if it's not every day."

Finally, the latch on the door clicked and it opened, Eina walking inside with Bella's stat sheet in hand, as well as a leather and wooden case in her other hand. "I'm sorry for the wait, it took longer than I expected it too," Eina said as she closed the door behind her and then took a seat across from Bella.

"No, it's fine," Bella said as Eina put the case on the table, then placed the stat sheet between them. "Um, so, can I go into the dungeon then?"

"We will get to that in a moment," Eina said as she tapped the stat sheet with her finger. "I brought your stat sheet to Lord Oranos to see. There are some things that must be discussed."

Bella stiffened from Eina's tone, worry filling her thoughts.

"And that is why," Eina suddenly said, visibly confusing Bella. "It is clear that you are still not used to your body. It shows in your posture and how you slouched a bit when I said that. Also the way you walked away from the counter. You are still not used to the weight of your breasts, your now different center of balance, or the differing shape of your hips and waist."

"But, but I can move around without a problem! I even have the clothes I need!" Bella exclaimed.

"Clothing does not make a woman, just as a sword does not make a warrior," Eina stated, her tone not chiding, but serious enough to make Bella lean back in her seat. "And before you say anymore, that is not going to stop you from going into the dungeon, but it does mean other things. We will get to them momentarily however. Firstly, Lord Oranos is concerned about your skills. Specifically this one. Do you know what it means?" Eina asked as she pointed at the skill in question. Red eyed rabbit queen.

"Um, no," Bella admitted almost shyly. "My old stats just had my stats and magic, so . . ."

"I understand. The situation is that, while many passive skills exist, most are well known, or simply uncommon. It is very rare for there to be one that the guild has not documented. Even rarer that its description itself is hidden from its wielder."

"So, Lord Oranos is worried because its unknown?" Bella asked unsurely.

"Yes. There exist some passive skills that are, less that respected in that those with them usually turn to being less productive or dangerous to others. Some can even shift the alignment of people, so they are recorded and taken note of and those that gain such passives are regularly met with to check for such things. Because yours is unknown it could be a problem as such you will be required to report it as soon as you learn what it does. Do you understand?"

"when I find out what it does, I have to report it to you, right?"

"Yes," Eina said with a slight smile, happy that revealing it went as well as it did. It did not always go so well with some adventurers after all. "Then the next thing to speak of is your stats, as your other skills and abilities while interesting, should not stop you from entering the dungeon. Lord Oranos believes that your stats, level, and skills mean you should have no trouble with the first few floors of the dungeon. However he also agrees with me that your still obvious lack of understanding your new body's shape could pose a problem to you if it should not move how you expect when in danger."

"Does, that mean I can't?" Bella asked, clearly sounding downtrodden at the idea.

"No, it means that you will be allowed to enter the dungeon, but the first time must be for a test to prove your aptitude and skill," Eina said as she clicked open the latch of the case and opened it, revealing the contents to be a number of sheets, and a pair of medallions of bronze. "These are the sheets for the test. You must have someone accompany you only to make sure nothing extreme happens to you, and these medallions will alert the guards at the entrance to the dungeon to your reason for being there. It will also tell them to begin timing you."

"Timing?" Bella asked, her tone making it clear she was surprised by the idea.

"Yes, for this test you have three hours to gather as many magic stones from the first six floors of the dungeon as possible. You must return by the three hour point, and you will be escorted by another who will watch over how you do, and intervene if they absolutely must. However if they do, it will count as a failure."

"What happens if I fail?" Bella asked nervously.

"Then you will not be allowed to enter the dungeon to attempt the test again for full month," Eina said seriously. "This is the test all those who fall must take to prepare them and make sure they are ready. Normally any who fall must have been here for two weeks before they are allowed to attempt it, though your stats, and Lord Oranos's word allow you to now, but only if you wish to and feel you are ready."

"Why wouldn't I be ready?" Bella asked in confusion.

"There are many reasons why people decide to wait, or believe they are not ready. The most common reasons are that they are not ready, do not have what they believe to be the right gear, or have yet to acclimate to their new forms if their form had changed," Eina explained, shifting her tone slightly with her last example to make it clear her position on the matter.

Bella however simply looked at the medallions and then back to Eina. "I am ready!"

"No, you think you are ready," Eina stressed. "I forgot to mention that for this test, the only thing the guild will provide is a weapon, not armour, nor a map of the dungeons upper levels. The only thing you will have is what you can bring on your person, the weapon that the guild chooses for you, and the person who will be overseeing and observing the test."

"Wait, I don't get to choose the weapon?" Bella asked in shock.

"No. The reasoning is that an adventurer will not always have what they want and must make do. However most of us in the guild find that to be rather mean spirited and will usually give the testers a weapon which they are more comfortable with,"

Bella let out a sigh of relief at Eina's explanation, before realizing another potential issue. "Uh, who is the observer then for the test?"

"That depends, if you know an adventurer of level three or higher who is willing and has the time, they may be. Otherwise the guild can assign an observer from a list we have of those who volunteer for such a thing."

"Okay, then when can I take it?" Bella asked hopefully.

"If you want a guild chosen Observer, you will need to wait until tomorrow, or perhaps the day after. If you can find another adventurer, then all you need to do is bring them, with the signed forms, back here for me to look over. If all is right then I will give you a temporary loan weapon and you may attempt the test as soon as you reach the dungeon," Eina explained as she took the form out of the case and placed them on the table, before losing the case. "you do need the medallions however, and they are only given if the forms are complete."

"Then can I go now?" Bella asked as she shot up in her seat, eyes wide with possibilities.

Eina sighed, figuring she was planning to ask any of the other girls at the Hostess of Fertility. Technically they could be asked, though she hoped they would not be. She didn't have anything against them personally, but a few of them did have rather, dark rumors about them floating about. "Yes, you can leave with the forms if you already have someone in mind," Eina finally said after a few pregnant moments of silence.

The result was instantaneous as Bella swiped the forms and bolted out the door, while speaking. "Thank you Eina, I'll see you in a bit!"

Eina stood there for a few seconds before sighing and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Goodness, I have a feeling she is going to be no end of trouble for me."

The dungeon that sat beneath the tower Babel in the center of Orario was a dark and wondrous place where the laws of nature everywhere else in the world seemed to falter and in some cases be completely ignored.

Some said that the dungeon was a living being, and that the monsters it produced were its form of defence against intrusion, or perhaps its weapons against the gods and their children that it so hated.

Others claimed the dungeon was once a god that lost a war against all the rest and was doomed to a fate worse than nonexistence.

The most ridiculous claim was that the dungeon was created by the gods themselves for their amusement and hated them for it.

Bella didn't really care about the rumors and claims about the dungeon though, and was just happy that the first and second levels of the dungeon did not see too dissimilar from what she knew. The stone seemed the same while the layout was a bit different, but the monsters were the same, as was how they spawned. And that was what was most important to Bella because knowing was half the battle in the dungeon.

"Good kill. Little slow though," come a voice right after Bella plunged the knife that she had been given by Eina and the guild, more a dagger really, into the skull of a goblin that had senselessly rushed her. It had turned to mist instantly, its magic stone falling to the ground with a light clinking sound.

The dungeon was not being much of a problem so far, but the fact she was being followed and watched was. She had hoped that Mama Mia would allow Ryuu, Lunoire or maybe Chloe or Anya to help her by being the observer for the test. Unfortunately Mia vetoed the idea, saying it might be a busy day and she would need the floor as full as possible, but not necessarily behind the counter. It confused her, right up until Mia said that she herself would help her with the test by being the observer.

So now here she was, taking the test to prove that she knew what she was doing, while Mama Mia was following her watching, wearing the same clothing she usually would while at the hostess and seeming perfectly at home despite the danger all around. She didn't even have a weapon in her.

"Getting tired yet?" Mia asked suddenly.

"No, I'm fine," Bella responded as she picked up the magic stone and placed it in her pouch. "I still have time, I need to keep going and get as much as I can,"

"Alright, then let's see what you can do!" Mia stated with a smile as she very suddenly swung her arm behind her, pounding the body of a goblin perfectly out of existence with nothing but the back of her hand.

"Uh, right," Bella said as she continued down the tunnel, trying to put what she had just seen Mia do out of her mind.

After that it didn't take long for her to find the way down to the third level, where things began to deviate from what she knew. Instead of the third floor being basically the same as the first or second but with more monsters, it was a maze of crisscrossing passages that undulated up and down on both long and short ramps of rough uneven stone. The only monsters seemed to be the same goblins and kobolds, but the sudden shifts of elevation made things tricky, allowing monsters a high ground advantage in many places, forcing Bella to fight more defensively and dodge more than she was expecting to.

Still, it was not as if the monsters themselves had gotten stronger, and her own skill and the dexterity of her body, and it's ability to jump much greater than other people, made it not to much more tiresome or strenuous than the first two levels had been.

No, the real trouble began on the fourth floor. Like the first two it was mostly long corridors with wiggly turns and passages connecting them with some small room interlaced around. But like the third floor all the halls where angled, albeit at much softer angles. This made the halls feel worse due to their length and the inclines together, and it was at the bottom of one incline where the path split in four ways that Bella made her first real mistake.

Not watching her feet.

*click*

Bella looked down as soon as she heard the noise, finding that the stone underneath her left foot had sunken down in a perfect circle. She lifted her foot, and as she did the stone lifted up with another clicking sound, as well as a glowing line of purple light moving along the floor and away from the stone, forming circles on the walls ahead of, and behind her.

"A summoning trap. Those are pretty rare," Mia commented as the circles glow was getting brighter around them, making the tunnels themselves seem even darker in contrast.

"A summoning, . . .what do they summon?" Bella asked nervously.

"Not sure " Mia answered with a shrug. "summoning traps usually only make one or two circles, so I'd say your pretty lucky to trigger one with eight of them. Or unlucky depending on how you look at it."

Bella opened her mouth to reply, but stopped as the first monster climbed out of the magic circle on the floor. It had no legs and its torso was sharp and angular looking. Its arms ended in long blades of black metal, while its head was a featureless black plate. It was like someone had taken a Wall-shadow and removed everything unnecessary from it.

"Wall-wraiths," Mia said, providing the creatures a name for Bella to refer to them as. "Exceedingly rare variants of a wall-shadow. They are fast and strong enough to sometimes kill level two adventurers on their own, and they always drop rare drops that can be made into very strong blades or armour. Never seen this many before though," Mia said in a strange one that almost sounded impressed.

"How big of groups do they usually travel in then?" Bella asked as the wall-wraiths slowly inched closed and closer, their sword like arms dragging against the dungeons rough floor.

"They don't. I've only fought them solo, never in groups," Mia said as she cracked her knuckles together. "Get ready to run, I'll handle this, and it won't be held against your test."

Bella took a step back to do as Mia said, rightful until a thought crossed her mind. Not fighting them wouldn't count against her test, but would triggering a trap without dealing with its effect? Traps hadn't been a problem before, but they had been talked about like they were normal, so if she couldn't deal with them, would she pass the test? Besides they were a variant of War-shadows, and she had taken a number of them before . She just had to do it again! "No, I'll take them out!"

"No you won't these are not just simple War shadows that ambush one at a time they-" Mia stopped as she looked to see Bella's expression. One of serious resolve, not foolhardy courage or arrogant self assurance. "Fine. Take the four in front of you while I take these four," she finally said as she turned to look at the four Who had tried to form behind them. "But if one of them you are fighting hits me, I will count it as a failure."

"Understood," Bella said as she ran at the four in front of her, hoping to gain the initiative since they seemed to be holding back for some reason. And as soon as she was a couple meters away from Mia, the wall-wraiths charged at her.

The first swing both of its long mantis like blade limbs down at her from above, allowing her to sidestep it and swung her dagger up into its arm. Only for the blade to go through without any resistance whatsoever.

"What?" Bella muttered before she dodged another swipe from the second Wraith, and putting her between all four. Not standing still she slashed at the back of the second as it turned around, the blade going harmlessly through again, and then was forced to block a swing of the seconds blade claw. The blade was heavy and sounded dull against her blade, and in the caves half light it almost looked like the wraiths own shiny head.

In that moment, Bella's eyes widened with realization and she felt elation fill her even as she smiled, even though the situation likely did not call for such a reaction. Pushing the blade upward and away she then allowed herself to fall backwards and landed on her free hand, kicking up while spinning to dodge a strike from the first, then the third, while swinging a foot into the head of the second.

In midair she spun, catching the blade of the fourth on the edge of her dagger, and pointed her free open palm at its head, its head tilting in that same second as if confused. "Firebolt!" Bella called out, the mana within and her skill activating at once together and forming the spell in her palm. the result was instantaneous as the fire bolt collided with the fourth wraiths head, breaching it's almost helmet like skull with a sick crunch and blowing it apart in a blast of heat and ash.

The fourth wraith fell backwards, partly propelled by the fire bolt, its body disintegrating as it fell. A pair of clicks echoed out as it dies, it's long blades landing on the ground even as Bella landed right behind where the fourth wraith had just been.

The three wraiths fully turned to face her, raising their bladed limbs with obvious intent. She met them head on with her own, blocking swipe, swing and thrust every time she could not dodge it. The wraiths were not making it easy however, guarding the others blind spots by attacking from them or by suddenly backing up after having a blow deflected, as if trying to goad Bella between the three of them.

She didn't allow it to happen, and a few decently timed fire bolts managed to disperse them enough to kill a second one by thrusting the dagger up into its head from below by its chin.

Unfortunately this resulted in the wraiths almost seeming angry as one began thrusting its blades at her so quickly all she could do was deflect its strikes or back up while dodging them. She could see the other one doing something, almost looking like it was crouching down to the ground, but why was it-

"Ah?" Bella let out a gasp as she suddenly found her feet not finding traction and her body falling backwards. Had she slipped? Tripped? She could still feel her legs and feet so she hadn't been attacked from behind. Bella blinked as she realized the wraith in front of her was swinging at her as she fell. Knowing she had only a few options to not get hit she threw her arms behind her and bent her body backwards, in a way no man could ever hope to, and tried to pull of something similar to what she had done to Mord. Her hands touched the ground and she pulled herself back while twisting her legs up in a forced kick that, while it did not kill or seem to damage the wraith, did clip its head and cause its attack to stab into the ground and miss her.

Unfortunately her landing was not stellar as her feet hit the ground and slipped causing her to land painfully on her front. "Ow, not sure if armour would have made that better or worse," Bella grumbled as she climbed to her feet, free arm pressing against her recently squashed chest in pain as she realized she was a bit of a ways up an incline in the tunnel. Meaning she was elevated above the wraith that looked like it had fallen onto its back I and was now lifting up off the floor like some kind of storybook villain. "Firebolt!" She yelled she ran down the incline and leapt to the side, using the wall as a springboard to dive right at the wraith still partly on the ground. Its arms flailed, blocking the firebolt , but stopped it from getting up further and from seeing her. A half second later she landed beside it, dagger slamming into its head and killing it.

"Move!" came Mama Mia's voice.

Without knowing why Bella obeyed, and heard the sound of blades rending the air with their speed where she had just been as she flew backwards. Landing and looking up she found the last of the four Wall-wraiths before her, but it looked wrong. Its head was deformed and riddled with glowing red cracks. Its body was now larger and it had four arms, each ending in the same long blade, now serrated and tipped with red. She took a step back away from it in preparation, only for her eyes to go wide as she witnessed it cross over the blades left behind by the one Bella killed. Only for those same blades to protrude out of the wraiths sides forming a third pair of blades arms.

"That, doesn't seem fair," Bella found herself mutter right before the now six armed wraith rushed at her. Its arms flashed forward at speeds much greater than those before, one after another in an unending tide of sharp pointy hatred. Bella winced as, despite her attempt to deflect the blows or dodge out of the way, the blades clipped her arms, shoulders and sides ever so slightly, cutting her clothing and just enough skin to start bleeding ever so slightly. "I, am, not ,losing, " she vowed as she continued to be pushed back while her free hand began to glow. A second later a ring echoed out, prompting Bella to leap backwards and throw her hand out forward. "Not now, not ever again. Firebolt!"

The Argonaut empowered firebolt ripped from her hand like lightning and streaked at the wraith. It had thrown its blades up in a block, but it did not help as the firebolt simply blew through its blades and slammed into its head, exploding in a flash.

When the light died down, the wraith stood there, the upper two thirds of its head gome, revealing a broken in half magic crystal. Its broken blade arms began disintegrating, the blades falling to the ground with light clatters. When the disintegration reached its body however it stopped and its lower head split open forming a mouth that spoke with a voice that was utterly foul, yet otherworldly beautiful and feminine.

"Impressive little rabbit, it seems I was right about you. I always am," the voice stated before the wraiths body began convulsing as its it disintegrated, leaving nothing but its blades and those it had absorbed behind on the ground.

Bella suddenly found herself on her knees, and noted that she was breathing heavily. Her lungs burned, her body ached, and her injuries stung constantly. It was just like the time she had went into the dungeon at night and been swarmed by regular Wall-Shadows, and was a telling sign that she likely could have died.

"Sorry about that, I should have been faster to come and help," Mama Mia apologized as she walked up to Bella and offered a hand to help her up. Her had was scratched all over and bits of her clothing was torn, though her actual injuries seemed negligible.

"No, I'm fine," Bella said with smile as she took Mia's hand and was promptly lifted to her feet. "That wall-wraith that had more arms. It spoke."

"I heard it. That has never happened before. And I have never heard of wall-wraiths attacking in groups, or of absorbing their own drop items like that," Mia said in a tone that was bordering on openly nervous.

"So these are drop items then, right?" Bella said as she bent over at the waist and picked up one of the black blades.

"Bend at the knees not at your waist. Otherwise you will give anyone behind you a lovely view of your rear," Mia chastised with a sigh before nodding. "Yes. They can be made into blades, or broken down and made into very tough armour. Though that is a rarity due to the number of them needed for armor. Pick them up and then well head back up."

Bella felt her heart drop. "We're going back up? Did, did I fail?"

"Hardly, you killed three wall-wraiths, and one that was extremely irregular. Normally a single wall wraith is a challenge for a level two. You have passed easily, but we still need to report what happened here as I have never even heard of a trap doing what that one you triggered did. Come."

"Y-yes," Bella replied as she followed Mia back the way they had come up to the stairs. As they went the dungeon was strangely quiet with no monsters spawning, and no sounds of distant combat from any direction. It was unnerving and reminded Bella of her first time encountering a minotaur. "Um, the report to the guild . . ."

"Yes?"

"We'll have to say how that one wraith, talked, right?"

"Yes, I am not about to keep something so potentially important from the guild," Mia said before looking back at Bella, then looking back ahead. "You should not speak of it speaking to anyone else but the guild or myself however. Do not even speak of it to Syr, do I make myself clear?"

"Uh y-yes, but, why?" Bella asked.

"We do not know what it means, so keeping it to only ourselves and your guild advisor is the best idea for now. It is not that I do not trust our girls, it is that I worry about what Syr's mother could learn from her if she knew. It is safest to keep those who know of that occurring in the minimum."

"But, won't it be hard to hide these?" Bella asked as she held the wraith blades up in her hands, including the ones her firebolt had broken.

"Some people may be curious do to their number, but they are a known drop item, just rare," Mia said as eye turned a corner in the tunnel, allowing Bella to see a number of wraith blades in the pouch on her apron.

"So the other four are gone then? They won't attack anyone else?"

"That's correct," Mia said as they ascended a set of stairs. "I take it you have experience with that?"

Bella nodded even though Mia could not see. "I encountered a minotaur on the fifth floor when I was level one. It would have killed me if someone hadn't been after it and saved me."

"I see. You're lucky then. Minotaurs can be troublesome for many even up to level 3. Who saved you?"

"She, was part of the Loki familia," Bella said, feeling like saying who would not make sense anymore.

"You know if she is in this world?"

"She . .is, but she's not the same here," Bella said, feeling a bit sad about that fact. And then feeling embarrassed as she recalled that outrageous dream.

"Then I'll leave it at that," Mia said, ending that topic.

The rest of their passage back up the dungeon was quiet, encountering no one else as they went until they began ascending the stairs out of the into itself. Other adventurers passed them with looks of wonder and surprise that Bella quickly realized was not from the wraith blades, but due to Mia's presence. Some were so awed by her that they tripped over their own feet or walked into others.

"Um, you used to be an adventurer, right?" bella asked, finally unable to contain her curiosity.

"I am retired now, but yes," Mia answered simply.

"What, level are you? If it's okay to ask I mean,"

"Right I forgot you wouldn't already know," Mia mused as she smiled. "I am level six."

Bella felt something in her body stop for half a second, her mind stunned by the revelation of what level Mama Mia was. Six. That was stronger than even Aiz had been! Stronger than anyone he had ever fought beside that she was aware of!

Mia let out a chuckle as the two of them came up into the main hall on the ground floor of Babel. "You may get there yourself one day. All you have to do is two things. Keep doing your best, and remember that every day you come back, you win."

Bella felt herself smile as she was instantly reminded that the first time she had spoke to Mama Mia, or had been nearly berated by her, she had said the same thing. "Yes, I know!"

"Good. I will speak to the guild attendant waiting for us, so why don't you cash in those magic stones you have."

"Okay, uh, what about these blades though?" Bella asked as she looked at then, the black sheen slightly reminding her of the now lost Hestia knife.

"Your choice. You can cash them in for a lot of Valis, or keep them to be made into blades or armour when you have the money. I take it you know how to cash in your stones?"

"Yes."

"Then go do it. I'll meet you by the doorway so we can go speak to your advisor," Mia said before she turned and walked off toward the Guilds office across from the exchange booths.

"An exchange please," Bella then said as she walked up to an open exchange booth, and then noticed the drawer was not present.

"Name and Falna Patron please," the attendant in the booth requested calmly.

"Oh, uh. Bella Cranel, and my Patron is the Godborn spirit Syr?" Bella responded, unsure if she was doing it right.

"One moment . . . . . . . . Documentation states you were taking a dungeon entrance test. Please present the medallion as proof."

"oh, uh, here," Bella said as she pulled the medal on out and almost fumbled it.

The exchange booths were made of wood and had strange grated covers over them at angles, making it impossible to see who was within them, but apparently that did not stop them from seeing out, as the drawer slid out a second later. "please place all magic stones, and any drop items you want converted into Valis, in the drawer."

Bella did as asked, dumping all of the stones in and then looking at the wraith blades, deciding a second later to keep them. She knew how expensive good blades and armour could be. And if providing the materials made the cost less it was better to keep them on hand. Putting them back on her belt she then slid the drawer into the booth. "just those please."

"Understood, please wait," the clerk said as the light sound of clicking stones came from the booth for a few seconds before the drawer suddenly pushed out, filled with coins. "Your total comes to nine thousand one hundred Valis. You have no debt to the guild and as your Falna is from a spirit the spirit fee has already been deducted. Please do not leave any Valis in the drawer or they will be considered a donation to the guild."

"Right, thank you," Bella replied as she scooped up all of her new Valis into her money pouch and bounded off to the doorway of Babel to wait for Mama Mia.

It was interesting and strange to just stand by the doorway and watch other adventurers go in and out. Some looked very strong, others weak while more still looked like they had just gotten up or had been in the dungeon all night long. The divide between races was interesting as well. There were so many more cat people, chienthropes, werewolves, Pallums and Amazons than he was used to. The split she was used to was humans, dwarves and elves being the most prominent with Amazons following, but here it was like the split was almost even between all the races. Though he did not see any Hume bunny's around, which was a bit strange and kind of unnerving. It made her feel even more noticed and out in the open than she did in the past due to just having white hair.

"Hey there cutie, gather those yourself?"

Bell turned to the new voice and froze in shock and nervousness as, standing before her was none other than this places version of Aiz. If she recalled what Syr had said before his name was Ainz and his nickname was something different as sword princess clearly would not suit the man before her. He was slightly taller than Aiz would have been, with flawless skin and hair that seemed to almost glisten. He was wearing armour that was similar in style to what Bella knew, but clearly crafted for mans body as it protected what it needed to, while somehow showing off his tight toned form. A basket hilt broadsword sat in a sheath on his waist, and his eyes seem to sparkle with an unnatural glint.

Bella looked to her sides, figuring that despite the fact that Ainz was standing in front of her, he had probably been speaking to someone else and she happened to be nearby. Finding no one else near her however she looked back to him. "Uh, are you speaking to me?" she asked, finding her voice a little quieter than she expected it to be.

"I am, you are the only girl standing around clutching a bunch of what look to be Wraith Blades in her hands after all. That's not a common thing, and being that you are wearing just basic clothing, you caught my interest," Ainz said with a smile that was, odd to Bella. "So tell me, are those actual Wraith Blades?"

"They are, though some are broken in half," Bella answered.

"Oh I see, that explains why some look a bit short. How many did you deal with, let me guess, three?"

"Um, four, but they-"

"Oh that is impressive!" Ainz stated with a smile as he stepped closer to Bella. "You must have been in the dungeon for quiet a while to find four of them. I have only ever encountered one, so I am sure you must be as tired as you are skilled. Say, what level are you, three? No, four, right?"

"Uh, um, I, uh, I am level, two" Bella answered , finding Ainz's close proximity to be a slight bit unnerving, yet also finding it strangely difficult to look away from his eyes or to try to shift away from him.

"Oh? That seems a bit unlikely, no?" Ainz said as he stepped even closer and placed a hand on the wall behind Bella, now so close that his chest was just shy of pressing against her breasts. "Its not that I don't believe you, I always trust beautiful women like yourself, but others might not believe you. So why don't I help you out? I can read a bit of the language of the gods, so why don't we go somewhere private and you can show me your Falna?"

Bella was about to answer on reflex when she suddenly realized something was weird and wrong. Wasn't it an adventurers choice to show their Falna? And more importantly, the way he was speaking was odd, almost like those lines he heard some adventurers say to girls in the past to . . . . Was Ainz trying to pick her up? The thought brought up a mix of emotions that Bella had no understanding of and made her shiver. "No, no thank you I mean," she said to Ainz.

Ainz looked shocked as his posture visibly slackened for a moment, then he took a step back and brushed a hand through his hair in a way that was far too elegant and smiled at Bella softly. "Wow, I'm surprised that is your answer. You know who I am, right?"

"No, I do not," Bella lied, hoping to find a way to back out of the uneasy situation she found herself in.

"Oh? Then I apologize, I had figured you knew of me, so please allow me to introduce myself. I am Ainz Wallenstein, level five adventurer of the grand and glorious Loki Famlia, holder of the Epitaph of Slayer and-"

"Oi, what do you think you are doing?" Mama Mia asked as she walked up beside Bella and Ainz.

Ainz looked up at Mia and immediately pulled his arm off the wall and took a step back from Bella. "Oh, hello there Mia, how can I help you?"

"I already asked you what you were doing, boy," Mia said, her tone sounding on the edge of serious.

"Just talking to this beautiful girl, why does it matter to-"

"Because she is one of my girls and there are things we need to do," Mia said, cutting Ainz off.

"Ah, she is one of your girls? How lovely!" Ainz said as he turned back to Bella. "As it seems you are taken for now by business we will have to continue our conversation later then. I shall see you soon my lovely." Ainz said as he walked off as if nothing was wrong into Babel.

"Bloody skirt chaser," Mia said with a shake or her head as she watched Ainz walk off, then turned to Bella. "You okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Bella asked before realization dawned on her that now she felt fine, when bare moments before she had felt, strange. "Wait no I, that was . ."

"That is why I asked. The Loki Familia's Slayer is known fro three things, being extremely adept and fast with a sword, being a dangerously effective flirt, and for being rumored to either be a half spirit, or having been gifted some kind of charm in his eyes that makes women more lenient to his advances."

"So he was, uh, talking me up?" Bella asked, uncertain to the term.

"He was hitting on you, yes," Mia said with an exasperated sigh. "I've heard some claim that he has convinced a solid number of female adventurers to leave their Familia and join the Loki Familia just to be with him. I would be very careful if he speaks to you again."

"R-right," Bella answered , feeling like she was being berated. "Um, talking to the guild went well, right?"

Mia let out a sigh and waved for Bella to follow her as she began walking away. "Yes, I was just reporting what had happened in the dungeon in addition to the paperwork. All we need is to meet with your advisor and you will be able to go into the dungeon on your own," Mia explained as they walked down the street toward the guild.

"So let me get this straight. You a set off a trap that was perfectly hidden in the floor, it then activated not just one summoning circle, but eight, all of which summoned Wall-wraiths. You fought three, then the fourth one absorbed the drop items of the others, and when you killed it, it spoke to you. Correct?" Eina asked as she, Bella and Mia were sitting in one of the guilds meeting rooms, the two piles of wraith blades sitting on the table.

"Yes, that is correct," Bella stated.

Eina looked at Mama Mia hopefully, only to let out an exasperated sigh as Mia nodded. "I see. I guess hoping you could be. . . . No, forgive me that was not proper," Eina said, suddenly changing her tone with a shake of her head. "You both are fine, yes?"

"Nothing more than scratches," Mia said with a smile.

"That is good then," Eina said with a sigh as she reached over and picked up one of the wraith blades and looked it over for a few seconds. "There has never before been a case of more than a single sighting of a wall-wraith at one time. They have also never been reported to be summoned by traps, and no one has ever said anything about monsters speaking," Eina said seriously as she put the blade down. "The guild will look into this and we ask that a monster spoke to you not be spoken about. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, I understand," Bella responded nervously.

"Good. Then we can move onto your actual test," Eina said, making Bella stiffen up. "You were clearly toughened up a small bit, but by defeating such high rank monsters in such a situation the guild will allow you to enter the dungeon. However as you are still new to your body, and are still unaccustomed to the dungeons traps you will be limited to the sixth floor."

"Sensible," Mia commented with a nod.

"Yes, I mean thank you," Bella said, correcting herself instantly as she realized thanks was in order.

Eina smiled a bit, then went back into business mode. "your welcome. You will be allowed deeper when you have proven you can do so safely. Also if you encounter anything like a strange trap, or monsters a ring unusual like speaking to you, please return and report it to me immediately, alright Bella?"

"Yes, if I find anything g odd, I should tell you,"

"Good. Then starting tomorrow you may enter the dungeon as you wish," Eina said as she stood up, then smirked. "Provided your current occupation allows that of course. I will take my leave now. So I will see you again soon," she said before leaving with a bow.

"Alright, now that that is settled I think it's time we return to the hostess to prepare for the evening," Mama Mia said as she stood up and smiled at Bella. "Don't worry, once the evening is done, we can talk about your employment and how much you want now. Though just a warning, Syr won't want you leaving."

"Right," Bella said with a bit of a chuckle as she followed Mia out of the room, and then out or the guild building. The afternoon sun was bearing down on them and the lively streets and as they walked Bella realized two things. She had no weapon or equipment as she had returned the one she used during the test, and that she had not done something very important yet. "Mama Mia,"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For taking me in, and helping me. For everything."

"Its nothing. Now come on girl. Everyone is waiting."

"Yes."

Kibble scribble: alright we're into the dungeon and have begun some of the real fun stuff in earnest! I hope everyone likes the chapter, and maybe is not terribly upset with how I'm portraying a male aiz. I've got lots of plans, so I'm hoping they all pan out.