Fear Not, Princess. This Time, I’ll Be the Boss Myself Chapter 25

Out in the wilderness at night, the campfire crackled, casting a warm orange glow across every face. The rich aroma of roasting fat spread irresistibly through the air. A freshly hunted deer was skewered over the flames, its skin crisped to a golden brown, sizzling as it cooked.

Nolan focused on turning the spit, perfectly sealing in the meat’s juices. Occasionally, droplets fell into the fire, causing the flames to flare up even brighter. Little Donnie and Kreil, the two half-grown boys, were practically glued to the roast, swallowing their saliva again and again. Even Anna, usually so composed, found her gaze drifting repeatedly toward the source of that irresistible scent.

“Kid,” Hank said, poking at the fire with a branch and breaking the quiet, “this isn’t the fastest route to Veli City.”

Even riding alone at full speed, the journey to Veli City would take over three days. With their group hauling a wagon full of fragile alchemical supplies, there was no way they could move quickly. At this pace, five days would be the minimum.

Nolan tore off a glistening, oil-dripping piece of venison and handed it to Anna. She accepted it without hesitation and took a bite—her beautiful eyes lighting up instantly.

“This is amazing!” Little Donnie grabbed another piece, hissing from the heat but refusing to let go. “Big Brother Nolan, with cooking like this, you could open a restaurant in the capital and make a fortune!”

Nolan unscrewed his water flask, took a couple of swigs, and wiped his mouth before answering Hank’s question, “You’re right. If we were taking the shortest route, we should’ve turned right at the last fork. But before that, there’s something we need to do—something very important.” He smiled faintly, the firelight reflecting in his eyes, giving them a mysterious glint. “A crystallized lizard nest.”

Crystallized lizards were around level twenty—Bronze-tier monsters. Their bodies formed faintly magical purple crystals, which were bought at high prices in major cities by nobles with refined tastes and by alchemists. Back in Nolan’s beginner days, he had earned quite a bit of his living from these crystals. A high-quality one could fetch a full silver coin.

Of course, Nolan’s goal was far beyond that bit of money.

That nest was famous in Glory—the beginner dungeon: the Crystal Cavern.

It was well-known partly because of its low difficulty. Almost every player had entered it at some point; it was practically a beginner’s rite of passage. But what truly made it legendary wasn’t the modest income from monster crystals. It was the hidden area within the dungeon—one that contained the strongest early-game weapon.

In his previous life, this secret hadn’t been uncovered until the kingdom was already on the brink of collapse, discovered by a veteran lore-hunting player. By then, it was too late. Countless people had lamented, “If only we’d known sooner…”

Fortunately, Nolan was someone who had been given a second chance.

Of course, now that the world had become real, so-called “drops” would follow the rules of reality. He couldn’t be completely certain those items would still exist as they had in the original game—but he had to come. This was both an exploration of how this real world functioned and a necessary upgrade to their equipment. Sharpening the blade does not delay the cutting of firewood. If he wanted to build his own force and influence the fate of the kingdom, strength was the ultimate currency. His need to improve their combat power was urgent.

“Crystallized lizards?” The moment the words left Nolan’s mouth, Leus’ eyes lit up—brighter than the campfire. “Excellent! That’s perfect!” He rubbed his hands together, so excited that he nearly sprayed spit into the flames. “I’ve been wanting to test a new formula for my enhancement potion. Their magic crystals are exactly what I need! And according to ancient texts, they supposedly carry traces of draconic blood—it makes them extremely cost-effective alchemical catalysts!” At this point, his tone turned slightly awkward. “The problem is… they’re too expensive. A good-quality one costs a whole silver coin… Every time I grit my teeth and buy some, Kreil and I end up living on thin porridge for a week…”

Hank and Nolan exchanged a glance, the same thought crossing their minds: This alchemist really isn’t doing well at all.

“Awesome!” Little Donnie pumped his fist, his eyes filled with excitement for adventure. “Finally, we get to fight monsters for real!”

***

The next morning, as the group prepared to venture deeper into the forest, their horses suddenly became extremely restless. They pawed at the ground, refusing to move forward no matter how much they were urged on.

“Looks like we’ll have to abandon the cart and continue on foot,” Hank said, unloading supplies from the wagon as he stared into the depths of the forest, his expression grave.

Little Donnie took the lead, hacking away at the vines blocking their path with his short sword, his mouth just as busy as his hands. “My god, this damned place! It’s hot and humid—we’ve been walking for nearly two hours already. I hate jungles! Damn it, the horses wouldn’t come in no matter what. I swear my boots could start raising fish at this rate.”

From the rear, Hank barked at him in a rough voice, “Quiet! A soldier doesn’t complain about the environment! Do you think the enemy will pick a comfortable battlefield for you? If you can’t adapt, you’ll end up as fertilizer for this forest! Save your energy and watch your surroundings!”

Startled, Little Donnie shrank his neck and fell silent, only sneaking a face at Nolan beside him.

Nolan didn’t scold him. From his experience, keeping the mood relaxed during an expedition could ease tension and even conserve energy—constant mental strain inevitably translated into physical fatigue.

He scanned the surroundings as he spoke to remind the group, “The nearby villagers say they often feel unusual tremors underground. Don’t underestimate these creatures just because they’re only crystallized lizards.”

The first half of that statement came straight from the NPC who issued the quest in his previous life. A beginner dungeon, yet it carried such an unusual hint—unfortunately, back then, not a single player had taken an NPC’s words seriously.

At that moment, Anna, who had been silent all along, suddenly stopped. “Over there,” she spoke softly, a hint of uncertainty in her voice, raising a slender finger to point toward the northwest depths of the forest. “I can feel… a faint fluctuation of magic.”

The moment she finished speaking, Leus, who had been trailing behind, bent over slightly with his hands on his knees and added between breaths, “That’s right, I feel it too! A weak concentration of earth-element energy!”

Nolan’s heart jolted. He stopped and turned, staring at Anna in disbelief.

Despite living two lifetimes, compared to his exceptional talent in swordsmanship and combat, his aptitude for magic was pitifully weak. Like most ordinary people in this world, he could barely sense magical fluctuations at all. The only reason he could lead the way was pure muscle memory from grinding monsters in his previous life.

Leus sensing it didn’t surprise him—after all, the man was destined to become a master alchemist. Sensitivity to magical elements was fundamental. But Anna…

Nolan glanced at the girl in astonishment. In his memory, she had been nothing more than a tragic footnote in the background—a lifelong wound and regret for Hank. Yet now, standing here alive before him, her sensitivity to magic was on par with Leus, a future giant of alchemy? This was an enormous, unexpected surprise. Not only had he pulled in the “Red Lion” and the “Harbinger of Calamity,” but he might have also brought along a future magical prodigy? It felt like fate itself had granted him yet another crucial advantage in saving the kingdom.

Suppressing the surge of excitement within him, he gave Anna an approving look and adjusted their direction. “Well done, Anna. Stay close. We’re almost there.”

After nearly twenty more minutes, they pushed aside a final cluster of massive ferns, and the view suddenly opened up.

In the center of a clearing of bare rock stood a cave. The entrance wasn’t large—about two meters across. Around the rock walls were dried streaks of dark purple residue.

“This is it.”

Nolan lowered his stance, his gaze fixed on a spot not far from the entrance.

There, two lizards about the size of hunting dogs, their bodies studded with purple crystals, flicked their tongues as they prowled.

“Hank, protect Leus and the others. Little Donnie, stay with me. Watch the flanks and the cave interior.”

He issued his orders briefly, drawing the Darkpiercer from his waist. The blade flashed coldly in the filtered sunlight breaking through the canopy.

“Prepare for battle!”