Raised in Dungeon

"It stinks in here!" Felicia exclaimed, covering her nose with her handkerchief.

"That's rude! I didn't think so," Sharik responded, gently setting the materials he had purchased from the market district onto the wooden table.

Sharik and Felicia were inside an equipment store that remained eerily empty. The shop was a family-owned business belonging to Sharik, nestled in a remote corner of the market district, far from the bustling foot traffic.

Despite her comment about the smell, Felicia walked further into the store, her curiosity piqued by the array of equipment on display. Sharik couldn't help but think, 'Even though she said it smelled, she still walked in and took a good look at our equipment, I guess she must be a good human!'

"Ugh, even though there are much better options here, I can't say I'm fond of any of these," Felicia admitted, her discerning eye scanning the equipment in front of her.

Sharik's shoulders slumped, "The prime selections were snatched up by an early bird this morning. But don't fret; my father probably can find a solution."

"Your father?"

Sharik went into the back room, leaving Felicia alone for a few minutes. When he finally emerged, he was accompanied by an older dwarf who had the air of someone deeply knowledgeable about the craft.

"Father, this is my friend, Lady Felicia," Sharik introduced, his face brimming with warmth and pride.

Felicia's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, her thoughts racing. 'Father? But he's a dwarf?!' She concealed her puzzlement behind a graceful smile and lifted her skirt slightly as a sign of respect.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Preobrazhensky? It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"My name is Adelskold, I am not the biological father of this dog," His voice carried a hint of irritation, though, to be fair, his features already appeared somewhat grumpy from the start.

Adelskold wasted no time on pleasantries, cutting straight to the point. "Hmph! Human and young lady... I've heard you're in need of improved school supplies. I can craft them."

Felicia felt a sudden weight in her chest at the sternness of his tone, but she didn't want to appear intimidated. "Really? That would be wonderful. If possible, I'd like them to have a touch of elegance," she replied, doing her best to hide her apprehension.

Adelskold's eyes narrowed, and he huffed, "Of course it's not possible… I know you'd have your own preferences. I can create something exceptional, but I must admit, I have trouble understanding human tastes."

Felicia nerves still on edge from the dwarf's stern demeanor, couldn't help but let a note of pleading slip into her voice. She spoke softly, her words carrying a small, earnest heart, "Could you possibly add a touch of cuteness to them, please?"

Adelskold's gruff exterior seemed to soften just a fraction. "I can do so, but only if you provide me with blueprints. Do you have any?"

Her heart sank as she confessed, "I-I don't have any..."

Adelskold's response was as direct as ever, "Of course you are. No way a little lady could create that."

Determined not to give up, Felicia offered an alternative, "Could you, at the very least, incorporate my family's rose crest into all the equipment? That way, they'll align more closely with my tastes."

Adelskold pondered this for a moment. "Hmm. Well, since you're Sharik's friend, I suppose it won't be a problem."

Felicia sighed in relief. "Phew, that's a relief."

The dwarf retreated back into the room again as he said, "You can expect them in about a week."

"A week, just in time for the admission ceremony."

Felicia's attention shifted towards Sharik, who appeared distracted, his gaze continually returning to the store's entrance. Sensing his unease, she inquired, "Is something matter?"

"No, I was wondering where Allen went."

Ever since he saw Allen, Sharik seemed to have a certain affection for him as a figure he admired.

"I don't know, But considering he left me his scarf, he probably wanted to leave me a little longer. Perhaps he went to explore something in the market?" She tried to sound reassuring, but in truth, she couldn't shake the disconcerting feeling she'd had when she last saw Allen. His usually composed face had carried an air of seriousness, and it left her feeling more than a little uneasy.

...

Half an hour ago, Sharik invited Allen and Felicia to his house because his house also sold some equipment that Felicia needed. At that time, Allen asked Felicia for permission to leave her for a moment, and in that time, he left the reig with Felicia. He then embarked on a quiet quest of his own, discreetly following a trail that had caught his attention.

Allen followed someone's trail until he reached one of the dorms. Within the room, he discovered not just one person, but several of them—three to be exact. These were the very individuals who had earlier tormented Jenkins in the market.

Their bodies were injured and they gathered in one of the dorm rooms after finishing their treatment.

"Damn it! That b*stard girl! Then her servant! Then the dog! I'll make sure they pay for this," one of the noble students seethed in frustration.

"It's partly Hussain's fault for not coming to our aid, even though we paid him generously," another student chimed in.

A third student, more level-headed, shot a disapproving look at his companions. "You're both fools! You nearly jeopardized our entire arrangement with the disciplinary commission! It's an open secret that you never reveal your dealings with Hussain."

"But we paid him to keep things hushed up!" one of the others protested.

"The money won't do you any good when the situation spirals out of control," the sensible one retorted.

Hidden in the shadows, Allen listened closely to their conversation, 'Just as Sharik suspected, Hussain took their money to turn a blind eye,' he mused silently.

The conversation took a darker turn as one of the noble students vented, "In any case, we need to teach that woman a lesson! She's the one who vexes me the most! Posing as a defender of justice!"

Another student suggested, "Tomorrow, we should send someone to tail her and discover which dorm she resides in. We can make her time at the academy a living nightmare!"

"But what if we get reported to the SDC?" a cautious voice chimed in.

"Don't fret. We haven't violated Hussain's rules yet, so we can simply pay him off again, with more money this time, to ensure he remains silent and out of our way," one of them proposed, their plan of vengeance.

Behind the concealing wall, just outside the window, Allen couldn't help but release a long, thoughtful sigh. His thoughts wandered back to Felicia, and he couldn't shake the sense of responsibility he felt for meddling in other people's affairs.

'This is precisely why you find yourself entangled in the troubles of others,' Allen couldn't help but think, reflecting on his own choices and actions. He had sensed the anger in the nobleman's eyes when he'd issued the warning to Felicia, a warning he knew was laden with intent. His curiosity had driven him to follow him, suspecting something was amiss.

"As she surrenders! I'll shout at her to lick my shoes! Besides, she's pretty too, it'll feel great if people see her being humiliated!"

"We have to show that the world is not so kind to sanctimonious people like her!" they repeatedly said harsh things about Felicia to vent all their anger.

As the three noble students continued their vile discourse about Felicia, Allen felt a sudden rush of anger. He had initially only intended to eavesdrop on their planning, but their derogatory comments stirred something within him.

'That girl might be naive, and her naivety could lead her into unfortunate situations like this one. But...' Allen's thoughts veered towards a more hopeful perspective, 'I'm the only one who knows and believes that she may one day bring a glimmer of hope to everyone...'

The shadows concealed his emotions, but they couldn't hide his resolve to protect Felicia, a resolve that ran deep, rooted in his faith in her potential.

With a swift and resolute motion, Allen leaped into action, his foot making contact with the window of the noble students' dorm room.

-CLANK!!!

The occupants of the room were thrown into a panic, their voices trembling with surprise and alarm.

"Who's out there?"

"You... You were with that girl!"

"What's your business here?"

"Hey, you! Quick, run and get the dorm mother and the disciplinary commission. He'll face severe punishment for this!"

One of them made a desperate dash for the door, but before they could escape, Allen's blade flashed with incredible speed, preventing the escape attempt and casting a shadow of impending doom.

Indeed...

Allen, who once claimed to regret his actions towards his action in the past, now exuded an overwhelming and palpable intent to kill.

"Hii!!!"

"Someone! Help us!" They cried out in desperation, their pleas ringing out into the corridor, their faces etched with sheer terror. It was an aura they had never encountered before, a determination to kill that sent shivers down their spines, making it clear that this was a threat unlike any they had ever faced.

 'Felicia... forgive me for lying to you again...'

In an unexpected and eerie twist for them, Allen drew his blade and deliberately slashed his own wrist, allowing a rivulet of his blood to flow forth.

"It'll be a hassle if you scream, so I'll lock you up." he declared, his voice resonating with high pressure.

"God blessing, Spillege Mysanthrope." the crimson blood covered everyone, engulfing them in an uncanny and unsettling space contained within the circle of blood Allen had created.

"HWAAAH!!!"

Inside this new space, an overwhelming sense of emptiness and dread enveloped them. They felt trapped, much like blind individuals thrust into a cage with a lurking tiger, knowing danger loomed at every moment.

"Help us!"

"Is there anyone out there?"

Allen's voice echoed through the surreal space, his emotions still turbulent but reined in.

"Don't move," he intoned, his voice now eerily smooth yet undeniably commanding. It resonated as if it whispered death itself into their ears. "From this moment onward, never involve yourselves with us again."

'Felicia… Actually, I... haven't really stopped being a murderer'