The duurned out to be siderate of their situation. The first reward Natalie pulled out was two vials of red liquid. Health potions.

  Seeing how the two of them didn't have a healer on standby, and the challenge had taken their ables, the alchemical co would be their only way to patch themselves up. They'd both taken nicks and bites from the scurrying crystal spiders, though nothing serious. Natalie took a small sip, then hahe rest of the first potion to Ana. Cuts and scrapes cleared away on both of them.

  The sed vial, she would have to carry around. Another detriment to adventuring naked—s and pouches.

  out was a bit more surprising. Not because it was an unon drop in the dungeon, but the disproportionate quantity of the item. Natalie hefted up a detly sized vas pouch weighed down by a mass of king s. Her eyes widened, seeing it. Even if the s were made from a less valuable metal, it would be worth several times a normal loot chest's haul—more than they would earn in a boss fight, even.

  "I think the dungeon's tempting us to tinue," Ana said, a hint of amusement in her voice. "That weak of an enter, for that many s?"

  Natalie undid the string holding the bag closed and peeked inside. Her surprise grew. "There's even some silver mixed in." She'd half expected it to be all bronze.

  Ana leaned forward to peek inside, and her sudden proximity reminded Natalie of their nakedness—and sed bodies. She did her best not to fidget as Ana's shoulder pressed into hers.

  Natalie wasn't used to being the shy ohe thing was, Natalie didn't even know whether Ana was being fident or clueless. It was holy one of the reasons Natalie was so off-foot. She couldn't read her.

  Plus, there was the elephant in the room. Or rather, the co the room. Ana's cock. Which would probably be used on Natalie. Because why else would the body s have happened? Natalie was simultaneously ing to terms with that, and doing her best to ig.

  Natalie cleared her throat, tied the bag up, and took a step sideways to get some space between them. She hoped her blush didn't show.

  "Even if that's it," Natalie said, "it's a good haul. But I bet there's more."

  Ana made a noise of agreement.

  Natalie set the bag aside, along with the health potion. She closed the chest and ope, peeking io see if the dungeon had anything else in store.

  A vial of sparkling pink liquid sat at the bottom. Natalie nearly wihe color pink rarely boded something good. Or, at least, boded something normal, and Natalie could use some normal right about now.

  ***

  Potion of Perma Minor Furor

  Rare

  Lv. 2

  Effects

  - Permaly raises furor by a small amount.

  Description

  A potion imbued with the essence of a waking goddess.

  ***

  Natalie read the effe stunned silence. Even Ana's eyes widened in surprise.

  "That's … iing," Ana said. "The essence of a sleeping goddess? That might be the only crete evidence for the Reverie that I've ever seen." She hesitated. "Though nothing says the dungeoo tell the truth. The description could mean nothing."

  Natalie had nearly fotten about 'the Reverie', the possible rising of a goddess of lust, and the implications behind her css and its bestowal. She was just trying to survive her first year at Te, and the plicated dynamics arising—both personal and professional. The 'big picture' stuff seemed oddly unimportant in the face of all that. But being spped with a reminder was—well, startling.

  "Is the durying to tell us something?" Natalie asked, sending a ed go Ana.

  "Who knows? Even if it isn't, it's still fasating."

  "I should probably look more into all of that. My css. The Reverie."

  "Yes," Ana said. "You should. Given such a btant piece of evidence, I certainly will be."

  The two of them stared at the potion for a bit longer, digesting the surprising description. Finally, Natalie shook her head. The Reverie, and her css, didn't matter right now. They were still down in the dungeon inside a challenge room.

  "The potion, though," Natalie said. "Its effect. A perma minor boost? Have you heard of something like that?"

  "No. I wouldn't be surprised if potions like it existed at higher levels, but level two?" Ana shook her head. "More unpreted behavior tied to your css, undoubtedly." She gave Natalie a curious look. "I would love to know what is going on with you."

  "That makes two of us." Natalie certainly wasn't hiding anything—she had no ao give. Besides maybe the Bestower's odd ents, but that wasn't something Natalie should go bbbing about to anyone.

  Ana nodded. "I don't thiher of us should drink it. We'll o discuss with the team. I 't imagine what a potion like that would sell for. Or whether selling it would even be smart."

  Right. Because the appearance of su item o's marketpce would draw attention Natalie might not want. It was fortuhat Ana was being siderate of that.

  Natalie wrinkled her the vial of sparkling pink liquid. Why did the appearance of such a blessing give her a headache, rather thae her?

  She plucked out the item, then closed the chest and reope. Ay bottom met them; the loot had been expended. Natalie had expected more—but then again, for su easy first enter, maybe that had been too hopeful.

  "So," Ana said. "Fe forward?"

  "With rewards like that? There's no reason not to."

  "I agree."

  Ana seemed more excited to tihan Natalie herself, if admittedly iypical subdued way. Was that because of the profit to be made, the iing and unnerving reminder of the Reverie, or … even something else?

  Because Ana seemed remarkably unbothered by the potential of a lewd enter. She wasn't literally emotionless—and had admitted she preferred girls. So Natalie could only assume she didn't have pure apathy for the possibility of something happeniweewo of them. Maybe she was excited, and masking it behiypical passive posure.

  There was another reason Natalie suspected that. Natalie was doing her best to not look directly at Ana, since she was naked—even if it was her own body—but she could hardly avoid it entirely. And she'd seen in her peripheral some physical proof that Ana wasn't ued by their circumstances. Proof between her legs—something stig up and at attention. Natalie had politely not ehus far, when it happened. What would she say? And sidering their nakedness, it was only fair.

  "Okay," Natalie said. "Moving forward." She picked up their earnings. The potio into the bag—easier to carry around that way. Then she headed for the exit door.

  Through it, they found another hallway like the ohey'd e from. There was no searble bin. A dder led upward, though, with the same warning—that exiting the challenge would forfeit future rewards. But what they earned was theirs to keep.

  A foreboding symbol hung above the entrance. A heart made out of pink crystal, pulsily with light.

  "I don't think the challenge is going to be monsters," Ana said.

  "Probably not," Natalie agreed, somewhat faintly. She swallowed, steeled her nerves, and pointedly didn't look back at Ana. "Let's go find out what."