Dungeon of Niflheim

“Oh I’m flattered Cassandra but to my eyes you’ve really not got anything to be jealous about.” Maya replied with a friendly expression as her eyes took in Cassandra’s form. Though Maya was certainly more explosive in her hourglass figure and her skin was pristine and smooth Cassandra wasn’t anything to sneeze at. For a woman at her age and a mother no less she was an absolute bombshell, her chest more than a match for Maya’s.

Nanna sat next to them in the water, her eyes automatically looking between Maya’s and Cassandra’s well developed chests before looking at herself, not even a slight bump as of yet. Frustration filled the young girl, she lowered herself under the water and let out a mild scream in anguish.

Maya and Cassandra both giggled at Nanna’s antics before sweeping her up in a hug, squishing her head between their protruding peaks as though mocking even though that wasn’t their intention. She was still very young with ample room to grow, hell she wasn’t even a teenager yet.

Luna on the other hand was feeling far more crestfallen, unlike Nanna she was pretty much full grown. She patted her slightly budding chest before eyeing Maya and her future mother in law with an intense glare full of jealousy.

‘If anyone should be jealous it should be me!’ She internally cried before letting out a depressed sigh. She’d have to be content with an average sized chest, just like her birth mother. Though Cassandra practically raised her that didn’t change her genetic makeup, some things were just impossible to alter. Thankfully however it seemed that Leo didn’t mind that she didn’t take after his mother in that regard. A blush quickly formed on her cheeks as she thought of Leo.

This was caught by Maya and Cassandra who promptly attacked her from both sides, enveloping her in their assets. This move of theirs was different from consoling Nanna, it was purely bragging which Luna quickly caught on to.

“Ahhhhhhh! They’re just lumps of fat, who cares if they’re big!” She burst out from the water in anger before running away, she could hear Maya and Cassandra giggling without restraint as she did, further increasing her fury. Nanna who had finally gotten the chance to breathe again looked at the situation in confusion before once again staring at her own chest.

‘As long as I’m bigger than Luna I’ll be happy.’ If Luna could hear Nanna’s thoughts right now she might bang her head against the wall in despair, a child was pitying her.

.....

After bathing everyone joined up for breakfast before they had to each head off in differing directions. Bastion would have to head back to the adventurer’s guild, Cassandra had a long list of meetings with the merchant heads as well as preparing the refugee shelters. Whereas Luna and Leo would be attached at the hip to Douglas and Ryuu, following their lead in governing the territory during such tumultuous times. Learning what they needed to so as to handle it themselves during the next monster stampede and those that follow. A hectic workload for all those involved.

Frost and his entourage seemed to be the only ones who could enjoy their time leisurely. All they needed to do today was pick up Frost’s newly engraved glaive from Borris before heading back home. Bastion had brought a coin purse with him last night containing 4.8 gold coins. It was the payment for the delivered ice griffin parts, a very welcome payment given the over 5 gold coins that was spent yesterday at the [money pit] and thus removed their need to visit the adventurer’s guild that was sure to be even more frantic and crowded than yesterday.

“Frost, Maya, Nanna, and Loki I guess this is farewell once again, hopefully we can reunite when the stampede has concluded. We’d be honoured to entertain you as guests as we celebrate our triumph.” Douglas stood at the manor’s entrance as he bade Frost and his group farewell. Cassandra was once again struggling to let go of Nanna and Loki, trying several times to convince Frost and Maya to simply stay here during the stampede along with the little angels. She hadn’t seen them wear the new outfits she bought them enough or squeezed their now chubby cheeks enough.

Her desire for another child increased every time she laid eyes on them. Douglas couldn’t help but look at them and his wife and cringe in fear ever so slightly. She was already hounding him incessantly, demanding another child yet from that look she showed he could tell it was only going to get worse.

‘Haaaaaaaa’ Douglas let out a heavy sigh in his head. He was all for engaging in romantic battles with his beautiful wife, but he had his limits.

“I suggest you leave through either the west or eastern gate as the northern one will be completely overrun with refugees as well soldiers working on its defences. While the south will have queues of people leaving for the more southern territories, fleeing Furano before the 48 hours are up.” Not everyone dared to sequester themselves within Furano and the other bastion towns during the monster stampede. Whether this be due to fear, work, money or just rejecting the idea of being under military lockdown a fair number of people would leave during the 48 hour period.

A contingent of soldiers, adventurer guild staff and government workers were enlisted to help manage this evacuation calmly and smoothly. Everyone would have to report their details and reasons for leaving so as to provide Douglas and Cassandra an accurate census for the population they’d need to provide for and keep track of during the stampede. This information actually helps in many other faculties out with the stampede, So Cassandra makes extra sure that the information is accurately recorded, no exceptions even among visiting nobles.

Most civilian residents remain it’s generally merchants that rely on movement for their income, lower nobles, affluent men and woman as well as temporary residing travellers that choose to leave. Douglas and Cassandra hold nothing against these people for their decision, choosing to instead focus on those that remain, aiming to ensure their lives remain safe and secure during the stampede. Once a person leaves the bastion town they no longer became their problem.

“Will do Douglas, thanks for the advice.” Frost thanked Douglas before assisting Nanna and Loki onto Kiba’s back-much to Cassandra’s reluctance. Frost and them would head towards the eastern district where Borris’ shop was, pick up the newly engraved glaive before heading out of the eastern gate and wrapping around and heading northward back home to the dungeon.

The red alert that was enacted yesterday should have gotten the attention of the adventurers camping outside the dungeon. Whether or not they rushed for one last delve -which would mean their doom- or immediately packed up and headed towards Furano he didn’t know. Frost did however hope it’d be the former situation as that would bring him the most DP. Findlay was given permission to kill any and all intruders in his absence, in fact it was encouraged.

Frost had the spawners he wanted, and the first four floors fully kitted out. Over the next couple days he’d be purchasing individual high ranking monsters that would serve as his officers during this long siege with Findlay acting as his commander in chief. Frost was quite keen on having his ice troll commander reach the next level in his evolution during this drawn out siege.

Frost ascended on Kiba’s back last and waved farewell to Douglas and Cassandra who were there to see them off-Ryuu had already taken Luna and Leo into the office, putting them straight to work.

“Oh and Frost.” Douglas called out just before the set off

“Yeah?”

“If you are planning on coming back for the stampede, make sure it’s in the late stages and not the mid stages. I know you’re strong but even if you ascend to B-rank wading through hundreds of monsters is a clear death sentence. Only in the late stages will the horde be thinned enough for you to make it through, take a wide berth in terms of direction as well.” Douglas spoke with a serious tone. The space between the Glacial mountains and the Furano Viscounty would be chock full of monsters during the early and mid-stages, impossible to fight through even if one was A-rank, the quantity being far too much for one man. Douglas didn’t want his young friend to brave through a death field just to arrive to their aid a little sooner, it wasn’t worth the risk.

“Understood, I know my limits....you’ll see me at the late stages and not a day sooner.” Frost nodded his head and showed an understanding look towards Douglas. He was in complete agreement with what Douglas said. The moment he learned of the enormity of the forces that would dwell in the Northrend forest as well as the presence of the entities at B-rank he immediately rejected coming early.

‘Like hell I’d risk my life doing something so foolish and pointless.’ Frost treasured his life and knew his limits, even if the territory encampment was finished and his dungeon was out of danger. Rushing headlong into a horde by his lonesome was just asking for a quick death. Douglas and Hamon would have to deal with the monster stampede until the late stages without him.

At that thought the image of Colonel Hamon that Douglas and Leo described sprung to the forefront of his mind. He hadn’t had the chance to meet this mage who was supposedly even stronger than Ryuu. A battle hardened commander who has faced the monster stampede multiple times and taken part in a great many wars. He was sure to be a good resource to learn from in terms of battle tactics.

Frost was told that the man he met at the Northern gate was one of Hamon’s four Majors, Major Conran an entry level B-rank fighter who uses the spear. One of the ice wolves staying at the Furano manor was his mount.

These were the people he could look forward to fighting alongside in the next few weeks. He had a lot of training to do if he wished to stand shoulder to shoulder with them. His aura was formed making him half step B-rank, all he needed now was to improve his glaive mastery and or his magical ability to fully enter that realm. He was still a long way from becoming a truly powerful being.