Queen's Core

"Finally!" Bogart shouted as he pant hard while limply wielding the hammer and shield on his hands. "Seniors, can we end this already? I'm already tired and bored fighting with these ants.."

"Haha!" Ed Win can't help but laugh how whinny was this half-dwarf becoming. Still though, he was impressed with how resilient they were. Four hours of repetitive fights with the ant monsters have passed by. Despite the fatigue that were stacking their bodies, their focused never waned.

"As promised." Thus, the Ed brothers decided to end the battle once the ant queen ran out of mana to spawn another ant monsters.

"Let's end this brothers." Ed Win exclaimed.

"You may pull back now, boy." Ed Ward mysteriously appeared beside Lu Ciel as he helped kill the final two soldier ants. With the ant soldiers slayed, Lu Ciel only nodded as he pulled back leaving the rest to the Ed brothers.

"Young master!"Bogart asked as the two headed to a nearby boulder to rest. "How are you?"

"I had fun!" Lu Ciel answered as his butt dove down on the ground and let out a deep breathe as his head and back leaned on the boulder. "How about you?"

"I've learned a lot as what you've asked me to do." Bogart answered as he dragged down his body to sit up and rest on the boulder as well. "I'm glad you're safe, young master."

"You too." Lu Ciel smiled in relief.

"Do you think it would take long for us to be strong just like them?" Bogart wondered as he looked at the Ed brothers as the distance slowly taking care of the Ant monsters.

"As long as nothing bad will happen.." Lu Ciel pondered for an estimation to the answer. "Probably, we can barely catch up to their level by the time that the contract is finished."

"Hmm!" Bogart strongly nodded as his fist clenched hard. "That's the goal."

• 1 Ant Queen's Core [Rare]

• 1 Ant Queen's Antler [Rare]

• 1 Ant Prince's Skull [Rare]

• 1 Ant Prince's Wings [Rare]

• 1 Ant Prince's Claws [Rare]

• 8 Soldier Ant's Sword [Common]

• 4 Soldier Knight's Spear [Common]

"Whoaw.." Bogart can't help but exclaim. "That's a lot of items."

After a moment from slaying the Dungeon Boss, the Ed brothers approached the two who were still resting.

"Nice work." Lu Ciel congratulated the Ed brothers.

"Haha!" Ed Win laughed as he was carrying the limbs of the Ant Queen. "You two are not bad either."

"What are you gonna do with those limbs, senior?" Bogart curiously asked.

"Of course, these will be our feast!" Ed Win gleefully smiled.

"Eh?" Bogart can't help but be shocked in confusion. "Aren't dungeon monsters inedible?"

"I heard that it can demonized a person if they consume a monster." Lu Ciel nodded in agreement.

"That's true!" Ed Win nodded in agreement as well which made the two confused even more. "Unless, if a Chef would prepare it then every monster in the dungeon can be edible."

"That's awesome!!" Hearing this, Bogart's eyes can't help but sparkle in amazement. "So, are you a chef, senior?"

"Nope." Ed Win simply chuckled as he pointed with his thumb towards Ed Red. "But, my brother is."

"Nice one!" Bogart cheered.

"Indeed." Lu Ciel nodded in approval as he took out the condiments that's in his Inventory. "You can have these then."

After seeing the condiments, Ed Red nodded as said to Ed Win, "Brother, make a hearth and chairs for us to relax."

"Aye, aye." Ed Win used a skill called Earth Shape Shifter which took shape of five chairs that took a ring formation together with the boulder that the was resting on, and on the center of these chairs was the three-meter hearth.

"That skill's pretty convenient, senior!" Bogart praised.

"I know, right?" Ed Win chuckled as proudly advertised about it. "Not only I can use it for miscellaneous things, this can also be used in battles."

"That's pretty neat, indeed." Lu Ciel nodded in agreement.

The party began to take their seat while Ed Red was sticking the Ant Queen's limbs one by one on the hearth.

The limbs of the Ant Queen's were three meters long with each three parts of the limbs were equally one meter long. Bogart was curiously watching Ed Red as he stick the first part of the limbs which was the foot part buried on the ground while the second part of the limbs were coated with oil and at the top part of each limbs was stuffed with green leaves and a bar of butter.

"Senior Red." Bogart being curious. "Can you describe your dish to me?"

Ed Red only nodded as he began to explain. "This dish is called Creamy Lobster."

"Ignite." Ed Red casted which created a fire on the coated oil of the limbs.

"Eighty percent of the body of an Insect-type monsters are made up of water. The shell of the limbs will act as a conductor which will heat up inside. With the water being heated, it will boil the twenty percent of meat in the second part while the evaporated water will steam the meat at the top part and will be coated with butter while the Spirimint leaves that I've stuffed will purify the toxins of the monster and provide a refreshing taste to the meat and to the remaining water."

"Wow." Bogart was amazed and can't help but look forward to how its taste will be. "How will you know when it's cooked, senior?"

"You'll know when the fire dies." Ed Red simply answered as he sat on his chair.

"You make it sound so simple, senior." Bogart can't help but praise Ed Red. "I can only imagine how intricate the method of preparation is."

"Indeed." Lu Ciel agreed. "I presume that you have to be accurate with how much oil you have to apply.."

"You really are pretty smart, boy." Ed Ward praised as he eyed on the young man.

Seeing this, Lu Ciel smiled as he understood that Ed Ward want to divide the spoil already. As the party leader, the System automatically given the rewards to Lu Ciel. "It's good that there are five rare items to be equally split by us."

"Here." Lu Ciel took out the eight Soldier Ant's Sword and the four Soldier Ant's Spear. "As we agreed, all the common items will be given to three. I guess that will sell a lot."

"As for the rare items, I will be taking the Ant Queen's core and the Ant Prince's Wings." Lu Ciel took out the remaining three rare items. "I've given a lot of thought about it. The Ant Prince's skull would be a very good item to be smithed into a helmet which is very compatible with Ed Win. For the Antlers, it's very compatible with your Water Affinity. As for the claws, it would make a really good special arrow.

"How is it?" Lu Ciel asked after explaining why he wanted the two rare items.

"No disagreement from me." Ed Win answered confidently.

While, Ed Red only looked at the Ed Ward. Sensing this, Ed Ward turned to his brother, nodded to encourage on accepting this deal.

"Despite that all are rare items, cleary, the Ant Queen's core is the most valuable." Ed Ward looked at Lu Ciel once more. "Don't you think that we're losing out here?"

"Please don't think that way, brother." Lu Ciel can't help but smile wryly, and just sigh as Ed Ward won't give in. "Alright. Since we're a party, and you three brother's help, maybe this will work."

"What will work, young master?" Bogart was curious as well as confused.

"I think there's a hidden puzzle about this core." As Lu Ciel stated this, everyone's ears peaked. "I think if we can collect four core..not just any core, to be specific, a Queen's core. We can open a passage which may lead us to special floors or something."

"Oh?" Hearing this, Ed Win got interested. "How did you think of this?"

"Well.." Lu Ciel took out the Ant Queen's Core for the party to see its description.

Description:

• can be used as an Alchemical Ingredients

• can be used to enchant Equipments

• can be used for Rune Formations