The three of them sat at the edge of the newly formed massive crater, their bodies extremely exhausted after the long, grueling battle and the devastating explosion that had turned the entire ant nest area into scorched ruins. Black-and-white smoke still rose slowly from the depths of the crater, which gaped like a giant wound in the dungeon’s body, carrying a sharp scorched smell, a mix of melted stone, burned monster flesh, and scorched earth. The characteristic cold dungeon wind blew gently through the cracks, stirring fine dust that floated in the air like gray snow, stinging their eyes and drying their throats. Sylvia sat leaning against Sol, who was still in his small golden kitten form, her breathing ragged and irregular. Her already pale face was now as white as paper, her lips dry, and her dark red eyes looked dim from complete mana exhaustion. Her usually resilient undead body now felt heavy and weak, with regeneration progressing slowly like a machine running out of oil.

Stacia and Alicia also looked heavily fatigued, though not as badly as their sister. Several strands of Stacia’s eight jet-black wings were still torn, the dark runes on their surface flickering weakly as they tried to repair themselves. Her gray dress was covered in dried green fluid stains and tears. Alicia floated lower than usual, the edges of her pure white translucent spirit body slightly blurred, her light dim like a candle about to go out.

"We... are too exhausted to continue now," Sylvia said softly, her voice hoarse and weak like a whisper from a grave. "Thousands of ants... that explosion... that’s enough for today. We need proper rest. If we push ourselves, we’ll only become easy targets for other monsters."

Stacia nodded while wiping sweat mixed with leftover green fluid from her face with the back of her hand. "Agreed. This area is too damaged and dangerous now. This crater might attract other curious monsters drawn by the explosion earlier. It’s better to return to the Goblin King area from before. The room is spacious enough, relatively safe after we cleared it, and we can set up good defenses."

Alicia checked the condition of her slightly transparent spirit body, gripping her magic staff tightly. "I agree too. We need to fully recover our mana and stamina. Sylvia is in the worst shape... you almost completely ran out. Don’t push yourself like that again."

Sylvia only gave a tired faint smile, too weak to argue. She tried to stand with great difficulty, but her legs trembled violently and her knees immediately gave out. Her body swayed to the side. Sol meowed worriedly in a loud voice, then his small body began to change. His golden fur lengthened rapidly, his muscles expanded powerfully, his bones elongated, and in an instant he transformed into a majestic and magnificent golden lion. His body size was now that of a large adult lion, with a broad and sturdy back, his golden fur gleaming softly under the dungeon’s faint crystal light, and a strong sacred aura spreading from him like a small warm sun.

Sol gently brought his body closer to Sylvia, lowering his large head. Get on, Master. I will carry you safely, his voice echoed softly in Sylvia’s mind through telepathy.

Sylvia smiled slightly, her eyes warming despite the exhaustion. With Stacia’s help holding her arm, she climbed onto Sol’s back. Her body felt very light on the warm, soft, and comfortable golden fur, like the best living mattress. The heat from the golden lion’s body spread into her cold undead body, giving her a little relief. "Thank you, Sol..." she whispered while gently stroking the lion’s neck fur.

Stacia and Alicia walked in front, ready to face any danger that might appear. Sol followed from behind with steady and graceful steps, carrying Sylvia like a queen at rest. They walked back through the corridors they had passed earlier, stepping over scattered stone debris, cracked walls, and the horrifying remains of battle. The air was still thick with dust and the scorched smell from the earlier explosion, making them cough occasionally. The farther they moved from the crater, the fresher the air became, though it remained stuffy with the characteristic Greywood dungeon smell of damp earth, moss, and a faint metallic scent from dried monster blood.

The journey felt long and exhausting due to their accumulated fatigue. Every step felt heavy. Stacia occasionally used small wind magic to clear dust and smoke ahead of them, creating refreshing cool gusts. Alicia channeled a bit of her pure white spirit energy to Sylvia from a close distance, the soft light spreading into her sister’s body and easing the pain in her undead muscles. Sol walked steadily, his large and powerful paws stepping firmly on the floor, his golden tail swaying slowly like a calming metronome. Occasionally he meowed softly, his voice echoing gently through the tunnel as if soothing his master.

Finally, after what felt like hours of walking, they returned to the large Goblin King area. The room still carried a strong stuffy smell: a mix of dried goblin blood, rotting flesh beginning to decay, extinguished torch smoke, and damp earth. Bones and goblin remains were still scattered across the floor, making the place feel like a battlefield that hadn’t been fully cleaned. Rusty weapon fragments and dried blood pools decorated the corners of the room.

"It still stinks," Stacia complained while wrinkling her cute nose. She quickly opened her grimoire and began chanting. "Spatial Isolation Barrier." Dark purple spatial runes spread through the air, creating a strong invisible wall. The barrier separated this area from the outer corridors, trapping the stuffy smell outside while making the air inside cleaner and fresher, and dampening sounds from the dungeon beyond. The atmosphere inside immediately felt calmer and safer.

Meanwhile, Alicia began working efficiently to set up their tent from the inventory. With practiced movements, she assembled sturdy magical poles, stretched out thick, weatherproof, and fire-resistant tent fabric. She added simple protective runes around the tent, making it glow softly with white light. In a short time, a large, comfortable, and warm tent stood in the middle of the spacious room, complete with soft flooring and small ventilation.

Sylvia was still lying weakly on Sol’s back, who remained in his golden lion form. She could only watch her two sisters busily working with half-closed eyes, her body too weak to help. Sol’s warm and soft fur felt comfortable beneath her, like a living mattress full of affection and loyalty. Sol lay down slowly to make Sylvia more comfortable, his large head gently resting beside his master, meowing softly while keeping watch with wary golden eyes.

Once the tent was ready, Stacia and Alicia enthusiastically shared cooking duties. Stacia took out cooking utensils from her grimoire and lit a small bonfire with her controlled magic warm flames that didn’t produce excessive smoke. Alicia took ingredients from storage: pre-prepared monster meat, dried vegetables, aromatic spices, and hard bread that could be toasted.

"I’ll make the soup," Alicia said gently while slicing the meat with a gleaming magic knife. Her movements were neat and attentive. "You handle the toasted bread and tea, Stacia."

"Alright," Stacia replied with a tired but sincere smile. She toasted the bread over the fire, occasionally flipping it until it turned golden brown. The tempting aroma of toasted bread began to spread inside the barrier, mixing with the rich smell of spiced soup. Stacia also boiled water for herbal tea that could help restore stamina and mana, the dried leaves releasing a calming aroma. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Sylvia watched everything from Sol’s back with a faint smile. "You two... look like housewives now," she teased softly, her voice still weak but carrying a hint of humor.

Stacia chuckled lightly, her voice bright. "Better than fighting thousands of ants again. You just rest, Sylvia. Let us handle everything tonight. You already did the hardest part earlier."

Alicia approached carrying a bowl of freshly cooked warm soup, steam rising fragrantly. The aroma of meat, dried carrots, and rich spices made Sylvia’s stomach rumble despite her heavy exhaustion. "Eat a little first. This will help restore your mana and give you energy. I made this soup specially with light recovery herbs."

Sylvia accepted the bowl with still-trembling hands and began eating slowly. The rich warmth spread through her body, reaching her stomach and giving her a little strength. Sol meowed happily seeing his master eat, his head gently resting against Sylvia’s arm, his tail curling softly around her waist.

That night, they spent their time quietly inside the tent. Stacia told light stories from fantasy novels she had read before, her voice lively and entertaining, lightening the mood. Alicia sat beside Sylvia, continuously channeling spirit energy slowly and steadily, her white light healing small wounds and easing fatigue. Sol lay beside Sylvia, his golden lion body serving as a warm and comfortable pillow, his slow and steady breathing soothing.

Outside the barrier, the dungeon remained dark and silent, with only the occasional sound of distant water droplets or faint wind gusts. But inside the space they had created, the three sisters felt a rare peace after a long and bloody battle. Sylvia stared at the tent ceiling while lying down, her hand gently stroking Sol’s fur with affection. The newly reached Level 100 granted new power flowing through her body like a river of energy, but tonight she only wanted total rest, without the burden of battle.

Stacia and Alicia took turns keeping watch outside the tent, though Sol was the most vigilant among them his golden eyes remained open even as his body relaxed.