The bullish creature stood as tall as a semi-truck. It huffed from its nose and started charging at the group. Elanore noticed that the hedges behind the creature ended in a dead end.

  I guess this guy is supposed to get us to run towards the right? That must be why it’s so much higher leveled than those raptors. She remembered the average level of humans, and her theory became more likely she surmised.

  “However, you’ve chosen the wrong opponent today,” she said with a smug grin, “for now you will face the wrath of a pink star.” She pointed her staff forwards towards the Minotaur, and she channeled her magic. “[Scorching Ray]!”

  The expected sorcerer spell did not come. She’d tried to use a lower level spell just in case. Instead, a pink ray of light flashed from her staff. It was a blazing pink fire, and it started with a small hue and grew larger. It became an enormous beam and shot forwards.

  It was all-consuming, and the Minotaur was eviscerated in a flash of brilliant pink. Not only that, the beam scorched the surroundings. Walls of hedges evaporated, and half of the maze disappeared in an instant. At the very least, the distant manor was protected by a barrier, repelling the after effects.

  At the center of the maze, a fountain split in half, and all of the water inside evaporated. What used to be brilliant hedges and grass was now a crater. The other half of the dungeon rushed to start repairs, but thorny vines beneath the surface were reduced to bits and pieces of their old selves, failing to regenerate. It was a complete and total dungeon malfunction.

  Elanore stared in awe at her own spell’s aftermath, and she clenched her teeth together when she looked at Naela’s disapproving expression. “Hey! I had no idea that it would be so severe!”

  “Really? You had no idea? You just obliterated most of this floor! The dungeon can’t even respond to the damage! Mistress…”

  Elanore rushed to hide behind her floating cauldron, and the Pot came to her defense.

  “As expected, our majesty is much stronger than any dungeon. That minotaur didn’t even turn into an item.”

  Elanore looked inside of the crater where the Minotaur used to be, and she had an urge to cry. My precious loot!

  Naela sighed. “Mistress, you really need to learn some restraint. Not even I would do something this bad!”

  “I was exercising restraint! That was only a Journeyman level spell!”

  “Ahah, a Journeyman level spell? And executed by what? A Divine level vampire?”

  Elanore shook her head and looked across the maze at the manor. “Hey, before we entered this maze, you said we could simply fly over it. Well, I created a path straight to the the place. You should be praising me, instead!”

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  Naela blinked several times and placed a hand on her forehead. “You are supposed to be the mistress, but you’re the one that needs looking after the most. I thought that this contract would make my life easier.”

  “Did you think that you would get to laze around while I fed you all of the time or something?”

  “Yes.”

  Elanore struggled to contain her laugh. Instead, she started walking towards the entrance of the white manor. “More importantly, I find it interesting that this thing had a barrier to protect it.”

  The vampire marveled at the design of the structure. There were curved, white stairs going up to the place, and windows were all along its exterior. She could see red curtains along the inside, draping the window seals. Though, one thing about the windows gave her pause.

  Despite them being clear, she couldn’t exactly see inside of them. Tall wooden doors made up the entrance, but there was no way to see into the place. She wrinkled her brow at manner.

  She noticed a pair of golden rings hanging from each of the wooden doors. Each of them ended with a carnotaurus head at the bottom.

  The vampire’s eyes widened. She hadn’t even noticed the earful she was receiving from the wyvern. She turned around and grabbed Naela’s arm, pulling her towards the door.

  “And that’s why…” Naela’s words trailed off. “Mistress, were you listening to anything I was saying.”

  “No, you need to look at this door. It has carno rings.”

  The wyvern tilted her head towards the golden rings. “Carno? Oh, I remember those monsters.”

  “Remember that energy drink I gave you before? These rings are from that same monster.” Elanore smiled and placed both of her hands on Naela’s shoulders. “If we go inside, I bet we will find some more energy drink fuel.”

  Naela’s previously stern gaze changed. She stared at the golden rings, and her mouth salivated. “Energy drinks, you say, mistress? No wait…” The wyvern shook her head. “Is this a ploy to get…”

  Elanore shook her head and started massaging Naela’s shoulders. “Of course this is not a ploy. I was just thinking how delightful those drinks tasted. Do you remember how you felt after you drank one?”

  Naela’s breathing became labored, and her cheeks flushed red. “M-mistress, I understand. Can you take your hands off me?”

  Elanore rushed to pull her hands away. She didn’t expect such a strong reaction from her wyvern, and a familiar feeling started returning again. The vampire’s heart pounded in her chest, and she stepped away.

  “I am sorry,” Ella said, sitting down on one of the steps. “I really shouldn’t try and force you.”

  Naela took a deep breath and collected herself, sitting next to Elanore. Her face was still tomato red, but she managed gather herself. “You haven’t been listening to me since we arrived at this place. Even on the outside, you ignored me.”

  Elanore frowned. Though, she couldn’t deny it. “I know. I am not very good with people.”

  The wyvern shook her head. “There is no need to make excuses. I already know you’re not good with people. Anyways, there is no need to sit here. I accept your apology.”

  Elanore turned hesitantly towards the wyvern. “Really?”

  “Yes, really, mistress. And sitting here like this makes you look pathetic. Gosh, you are so hopeless. One second you’re raving about items and blowing things up, the next second you’re sitting down after doing something strange. It’s so hard to understand your behavior.”

  Is it really that hard to understand? For Elanore, all of this was normal. She was a reclusive gamer before, so it was expected she’d have social mishaps.

  Naela sighed again. “You have to believe in what you do. The strong are supposed to do things without asking questions. Why question yourself now, mistress?” The wyvern stood up and reach out a hand to Elanore.

  The vampire took the outstretched hand and allowed herself to be pulled upright. She scratched her cheek awkwardly. “I am sorry once again.”

  Before she could get caught up in another strange atmosphere, Elanore pulled at the ring, and she started knocking. A magic outline formed on the door, and without the assistance of anyone behind it, it began to open.