โAlright, thatโs it for todayโs work.โ
The foreman clapped his hands sharply, signaling the end of the day. The miners wrapped up their tasks, finishing at natural stopping points before heading home.
Aldo also completed his work, prepared himself for a dungeon dive, and headed to his meeting place with Clara.
โHey there, Aldo-san!โ
Noticing Aldo, Clara waved enthusiastically. Aldo raised a hand in response, acknowledging her.
โAh, Clara. Thanks for taking care of Iris.โ
โNo problem! Hey, listen, Aldo-san. Iris is amazing! I think she might already be a better mage than me.โ
Clara spoke with a cheerful smile, clearly excited. Aldo chuckled politely.
โHaha, come on now. Iris has only just started learning magic. Thereโs no way she could surpass you so quickly.โ
โNo, seriously. Iโm not joking. That girlโฆ she has incredible talent.โ
Claraโs expression turned serious as she locked eyes with Aldo. Her conviction was unmistakable, making Aldo swallow nervously.
โAre you really saying that?โ
โYes. Iโve never been much of a combat mage, so I didnโt train that aspect heavily. Even so, sheโs already surpassed me. Thereโs no doubt sheโs a genius.โ
โIs that so?โ
Aldoโs face softened, a broad smile spreading across it as he visibly relaxed.
โAnd thatโs without even tapping into the power of spirits. If she clears a dungeon and receives their blessing, boosting her abilities further, she could become an extraordinary mage.โ
Even Clara, as she spoke, broke into a nervous sweat. She herself had grown stronger with the power of spirits, but Iris still had untapped potential.
โSo, Iris really is that talented. Thatโs great.โ
โYouโre completely acting like a doting parent now, Aldo-san!โ
Claraโs comment snapped Aldo out of his reverie, and he quickly tried to compose himself. Though his attempt to appear serious came too late and lacked impact, he persisted.
โDonโt get too distracted before diving into the dungeon. Save all that praise for when youโre back home.โ
โYeah, I know.โ
With that, Aldo and Clara turned their attention to the looming danger of the dungeon. It was a perilous place where lives were at risk, and vigilance was essential. Even Clara could be in danger if things went awry. With a moderate tension in the air, Aldo stepped forward into the dungeon.
โAldo-san! A malevolent spirit is coming!โ
โYeah, I see it.โ
A massive, gray rock spirit appeared before them, standing taller than Aldo. He swung his sword at it, but the blade failed to do any damage.
โItโs no good. My attacks arenโt working.โ
โRock spirits are resistant to physical attacks. For these, magic is the best strategy. Cyclone!โ
Clara chanted her green magic. This wasnโt the beginner magic Iris had learned but a practical combat spell.
The condensed wind assaulted the rock spirit, gradually breaking its form. As its body began to crumble, Clara landed a decisive blow.
โGraaaah!โ
The rock spirit collapsed, leaving behind scattered fragments of stone.
โWhew. Magicโs the only way to deal with these spirits. I couldnโt have handled it without you, Clara.โ
โExactly. On the flip side, if we encounter spirits resistant to magic, Iโll be relying on you, Aldo-san.โ
Clara and Aldo picked up the fragments, collecting the valuable materials. This was the steady work required to prepare for greater challenges.
After gathering the fragments, they pressed on. Soon, a soft, white, slime-like spirit appeared, hopping toward them.
โHmm, this one also seems resistant to physical attacks. Itโll take magic to weaken it. Aldo-san, Iโll leave the finishing blow to you.โ
โGot it.โ
Aldo readied his sword while Clara cast Cyclone to damage the spirit. Weakened, the spirit wobbled before Aldo delivered a swift strike, defeating it. Once again, fragments dropped to the ground.
โNo matter how many we defeat, these spirits just keep coming.โ
โYeah. Unless we defeat the boss at the dungeonโs core, these lesser spirits will respawn in about a week. Thatโs why we have to clear them regularly to make any progress.โ
The arduous nature of dungeon exploration weighed on Aldo. Only through this relentless effort could they hope to release the spiritsโ power.
โBut stillโฆ after all that work, sometimes other diggers get to the boss first. Thatโs the most frustrating part.โ
โAgreed.โ
They ventured deeper into the dungeon, only to encounter more rock and slime spirits. The sheer number of magic-reliant foes drained Claraโs mana reserves, and her frustration showed.
โUghโฆ I canโt handle this many with my magic alone. Iโm running out of mana.โ
โIs that so?โ
โYeah. We should retreat for nowโฆ And if there are more spirits like these ahead, weโll need a digger skilled in magic to go further.โ
โA digger skilled in magic, huh? Do you know anyone?โ
โHmmโฆ not really.โ
โI see.โ
Deciding not to overextend, the two retreated to the surface. Knowing when to stop was the key to a long career as a diggerโafter all, they only had one life to lose.
โ
โWelcome home!โ
โIโm back!โ
Iris greeted Aldo at the door. She seemed unusually restless, fidgeting nervously and casting upward glances at him with a look that begged for attention.
โGuess what, Dad! Clara praised me and said I have a talent for magic!โ
โOh, thatโs amazing! As expected of my daughter!โ
Aldo ruffled Irisโs hair affectionately, making her giggle with delight.
โIsnโt Iris already a splendid magician?โ
โR-Really? But I think itโs still a bit early for that,โ she said shyly, her cheeks flushed. She clasped her hands behind her back, looking down with embarrassment.
โAfter all, once I become a magician, youโll grant my wish, wonโt you?โ
โHm? Oh, well, as long as itโs within my power, sure. I canโt do the impossible, though.โ
This was a promise Aldo had made when Iris shared her dreams for the future. At the time, Iris had been emotionally fragile, and he had made the vow to encourage her.
โThenโฆ maybe itโs still too soon,โ she said.
โHuh?โ Aldo tilted his head, unable to grasp her true intent. But setting that aside for nowโฆ
โIris, youโre incredible. Hey, show me some of your magic!โ
He wasnโt doubting Clara or Iris, but Aldo wanted to see for himself just how skilled Iris had become.
โMagic? Sure! Watch this!โ
Iris beamed, eager to demonstrate what she had learned. She took a deep breath, preparing herself.
โInhaleโฆ exhaleโฆ inhaleโฆ exhaleโฆโ
Iris steadied her mana, extending her hand.
โWind!โ
A powerful gust erupted from Irisโs hand, nearly blowing Aldo off his feet. He braced himself against the storm-like force, feeling like he was caught in the eye of a hurricane.
โHa-ha! Okay, Iris, thatโs amazing! I got it! I got it! You can stop now!โ
โOkay!โ
As Iris halted her magic, the house was left in disarray from the gale. Aldo stood dumbfounded, his mouth agape, while Iris finally realized what she had done.
โOh no! Sorry, Dad! I still canโt control my power very well.โ
โHa-ha! Itโs fine, Iris. This just proves how amazing you are. Donโt worry about it. Iโm just happy to see how much youโve grown.โ
โHeheโฆโ
Iris scratched her head sheepishly at the praise. But reality wasnโt about to let them off so easily.
โStill, letโs clean this up together, okay?โ
โOkay!โ
Without scolding her, Aldo began tidying up the mess with Iris. Though Aldo wasnโt the best at cleaning, Iris helped him along, and the pair enjoyed some lighthearted father-daughter time as they restored order to their home.