I'm a Immortal Tavernkeeper, But My S-Rank Daughter Doesn't Know That!

Ruins were strangely interesting to explore, even a hundred years after the first one was discovered.

These ruins sometimes had ten levels, one higher than the other because of the importance of each level. And the deeper the floor, the harder it was to find the way down to the next one. What’s more, to the society that inhabited these ancient ruins many, many years ago, each floor had a purpose. While one floor might just be storage, the other might be for bedrooms, bathrooms, gardens, and so on.

Victor invited Aluella to explore these ruins near Klento because she had always liked to do that and they had never done it in Klento because they had not discovered any ruins in Klento twenty years ago.

He also had something else in mind, because he and Aluella had a slightly eccentric streak.

Yes, the altar where the dagger lay became the scene of a deeply intense passion. His movements were slow and deliberate, every touch, every whisper etched into the ancient walls of the ruin, like a secret kept for eternity. Victor and Aluella found a harmonious rhythm to their passion, where time seemed to stand still and the world around them disappeared.

When they finally pulled away, both breathing deeply, there was a gleam of satisfaction and complicity in their eyes.

Victor, still recovering, looked at Aluella and couldn’t help but laugh as he realized the intensity of what had just happened.

"It seems the ruins still hold surprises."

Aluella laughed with him and straightened her own clothes. "Maybe we should explore more often, and other places too," she said, winking at him.

Victor nodded, still smiling, but soon their expressions turned serious as they remembered the mission they were on.

**

As they walked through the dark corridors of the ruins, the torches on the walls cast dancing shadows that seemed to follow their steps. The stone floor was cold beneath their feet, and the air carried an ancient smell of moss and wet earth. They followed cautiously, looking for any sign of danger.

"It’s amazing to think there’s a story in this place, Victor."

Victor nodded, but his thoughts were on their safety. "We have to keep moving," he said. "If we want to get back, I think the way is through here."

Turning a corner, they came to a large room where the light from the torches revealed walls covered with ancient, faded tapestries. In the center of the room, a stone fountain gushed crystal clear water, creating a relaxing sound that contrasted with the tension they felt.

"It looks like a place to rest," Victor said, approaching the fountain and dipping his hands into the cold water. "We couldn’t find this place last time."

Before they could drink from the water, footsteps echoed down the hallway on the other side of the room, Victor and Aluella quickly raised their heads, their hands going for their weapons. Three adventurers appeared at the other entrance to the room.

"Ah, it’s the man named Renan." Victor took his hand from the hilt of his sword.

"You’re alive and obviously not that far away." Renan said.

"We are on our way back. We just wanted to... explore a bit for fun." Aluella said, looking at Victor out of the corner of her eye with a small blush on her face.

"Explore for fun? That’s something new," Renan said and crossed his arms. His eyes swept the room, taking in every detail of the ancient tapestries and the stone fountain. "This place is really fascinating, isn’t it?"

Victor smiled, trying to ease the tension. "Yes, it’s an interesting way to pass the time. And who knows what else we might find here."

Aluella nodded, her blush beginning to fade as the conversation took a more relaxed turn. "Ruins always have something to offer, even if it’s not what we expect."

Renan looked at his companions, who examined the tapestries with obvious interest. "Well, it looks like you’re right. Did you find anything interesting?"

"Aside from that fountain?" Victor replied, pointing to the crystal clear water. "Not much. But there’s still much to explore."

Renan approached the well and watched the water with an appraising eye. "Be careful what you drink. Not all that glitters is gold, especially in places like this."

"Yes, but it’s a perfect place to rest," he replied, trying to keep a friendly tone. "But as you know, ruins can be treacherous. We’re just exploring out of curiosity, that’s all."

Aluella, sensing the tension in the air, tried to lighten the mood. "We wanted to go back. The ruins are fascinating, but also dangerous. Maybe we should split up here."

Renan nodded, but there was a calculating glint in his eyes.

"I see. It’s always wise not to venture too deep into unknown territory." He gestured to the other two adventurers, who looked equally alert. "We’ll keep exploring. Good luck on your way back."

Victor and Aluella began to walk away slowly, following the corridor Renan and the others had come down, keeping a watchful eye on the adventurers. The sound of their footsteps echoed softly off the stone walls, and the fountain continued to murmur softly, a temporary lull before the storm.

As they walked back down the dark corridor, Victor whispered to Aluella. "Be careful. I don’t trust them."

Aluella nodded discreetly.

The corridor seemed to go on forever, each step increasing the tension. The torches on the walls seemed to cast deeper shadows, and the sound of their footsteps was the only sound except for the distant murmur of the fountain.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of a blade being drawn from its sheath. The sound was unmistakable, metallic and ominous.

Victor stopped abruptly, and Aluella did the same, both slowly turning to face Renan, who was now holding a sword with a cold, calculating gaze fixed on them.

"No one is very friendly in ruins, are they?" Renan said with a wicked smile. "You have something that interests us." He glanced at the jeweled dagger at Aluella’s belt.

Victor stepped forward, instinctively protecting Aluella. "We don’t want any trouble. We just want to get out of here in peace."

Renan laughed, a dry sound without humor. "Unfortunately, that’s not how it works here. The dagger at your friend’s waist... it looks quite valuable. I don’t think we’re going to let you off that easy."

Aluella, her eyes shining with determination, put her hand on the dagger. "You will regret your attempt to rob us."

The other two adventurers also drew their weapons and slowly advanced to surround Victor and Aluella. The atmosphere, which had been mysterious before, was now filled with imminent danger.

Victor clenched the hilt of his sword, feeling the familiar weight in his hand. "Then let’s settle this the only way we can."

The first to strike was one of Renan’s companions, who came at Victor with a direct sword thrust. With an agile movement, Victor dodged and countered, their blades colliding in a series of sparks.

At the same time, Aluella defended herself with the hilt of her bow from the sword attack of one of the men.

Victor felt the familiar tension in his muscles as he blocked his opponent’s blow. His opponent’s blade rattled as it slid against his, creating a trail of sparks that briefly illuminated the concentrated expression on his face. The man before him was a skilled swordsman, but he seemed more interested in keeping Victor occupied than in beating him directly.

"You fight well," the man said between blows, a smug smile on his lips. "But it won’t be enough."

Victor didn’t answer, keeping his full attention on the fight. He knew something was wrong. The swordsman’s goal was clear: to buy time. His eyes quickly searched for Aluella, who was already surrounded by Renan and the other adventurer. The tension in the air was palpable; every move was crucial.

Aluella held the handle of her bow tightly, her eyes shining with determination. Renan advanced with a cruel smile, his sword raised for a devastating attack. The second man flanked, trying to find an opening. But Aluella was not only a skilled archer; she had trained her body for close combat.

With surprising agility, Aluella dodged Renan’s first blow, ducking quickly and spinning on her heels. In one fluid motion, she used the handle of her bow to block the second man’s attack, causing him to retreat with a grunt of frustration. Renan tried to take advantage of the opening, but Aluella was already on her feet, ready to counterattack.

She launched a swift kick in Renan’s direction, hitting him in the chest and knocking him off balance for a moment. Taking advantage of the gap, Aluella deftly swung her bow and landed a direct blow to the second man’s face, sending him staggering backwards, dazed.

Furious, Renan regained his balance and attacked with renewed ferocity. "You will pay dearly for this insolence!" he growled, his eyes blazing with anger.

Aluella smiled confidently. "You underestimated the wrong person."

With a swift move, she blocked another attack and spun her bow, striking Renan’s blade hard enough to knock him away. The second man, still dazed, tried to pull himself together, but Aluella didn’t give him time. With one swift movement, she delivered a precise blow to his knee, causing him to fall with a cry of pain.

Renan was about to get up when a sword pointed at his neck. It was Victor.

"Not another move, boy."