The Wandering Witch Celeste

Using [Creation Magic], I created a lantern that didn't use any fuel except for Mana Crystals, furthermore any small crystals would do and could last for quite a bit of time. I didn't want to be hindered in battle because I was holding a lamp, I made the lamp to be attachable and fixed the lantern to the back of my waist, clipping it onto my robe. I had also made the lantern to be quite sturdy, I didn't want it to break during battle. It was a crystal incased inside something similar to a birdcage. 

Of course, I made a few other items like another book, but a bit bigger than the one I was using for taking notes of the creatures and surroundings, this book to map out this dungeon. I didn't really want to get lost inside a dungeon, and the map itself might become handy in the future, I couldn't really say for sure, but it really wasn't an issue right now. 

With the preparations for the dungeon done, Mirelle and I were now ready to dive into the dungeon. Feeling a bit nervous, I approach the smooth dark surface and reached out my hand towards it and pushing it deeper into the dark rectangular surface, which caused the smooth surface to now ripple. 

Because nothing felt wrong, I continued to move my hand deeper into the now rippling surface until my whole arm was now in it and in the next second almost all of me was inside the rippling surface, but just before fully going into the rippling surface. 

"Mirelle, please follow along..." 

"Mii~" - Mirelle.

I requested for Mirelle to follow me into the rippling surface. It wasn't that I didn't trust her to come with me into the ripple in the wall, it was more so to reassure myself as we went it. After fully going in, what was in front of me was a long dark corridor. 

"So, this really is the entrance to the dungeon, huh... It doesn't quite seem like part of the cave. Maybe it's some kind of portal—or perhaps a doorway that leads directly into the dungeon itself." 

Just as I was talking, Mirelle had already entered the entrance and energetically greeted me with its usual noises. After Me and Mirelle entered through the rippling dark wall, I turned my head around and reached out to the back of my waist to turn the lantern on, to light the dark corridor in front of us and handed over another sturdier lantern to Mirelle, as it was still a bit too dark in the corridor we were standing in. 

"Mirelle, could you take this, please? And… would you mind taking the lead?" I asked, handing the lantern to her, my fingers brushing against her muddy hand. 

"Miii~" - Mirelle. 

Mirelle took the lantern from my hands and energetically lead the way while still holding the sword in its other hand. The corridor was now truly well lit, while we couldn't still see into the distance. This amount of light was enough and reassuring for me.

With adequate lighting surrounding the area, I took out another book and wrote on its hard cover the words "Dungeons", and took this opportunity to name the other books I had with me, the one with the most notes and had been with me the longest was name "Journal #1", the big book being "Maps", and lastly the book containing the notes about Mirelle when I first made her was name "Mirelle". 

I had originally wanted to name it as "General Notes" but when more and more notes about Mirelle were being written in the book, it seemed fitting at that point to make it about her and could prove to be useful in the future. Holding the books in my hand, I looked at the books intently wanting to make organize the notes in it into different books, but I knew this wasn't the appropriate time nor was it the appropriate please. 

Deciding to do them later after getting out of the dungeon, I tucked away "Journal #1" and "Mirelle" into the pouch, and attached "Dungeons" to the book holster I made earlier just before entering the dungeon, only after taking down some notes and continued to hold the big book "Maps" in my hand as I started to draw a rough outline of the corridor, we were currently standing in. 

After labeling the page "First Dungeon" and finished a rough outline of the surrounding, I open my robe and attached "Maps" securely inside my robe with another book holster and slowly continued forward into the dungeon and carefully inspecting every nook and cranny of the areas in front of us. 

Just after walking for a bit and occasionally taking notes in both "Maps" and "Dungeons" and defeating goblins, Mirelle had stepped on something that made a bit of noise. 

"Mirelle, watch out!" I shouted, my voice breaking with urgency as I saw a flurry of arrows slicing through the air, aimed at her head and upper body. My breath caught in my throat, my heart pounding in shock. 

For a moment, I couldn't think clearly. But then Mirelle turned her head towards me, tilting it slightly to the left as if puzzled by the sudden attack. 

"Mii~?" - Mirelle 

It murmured, its soft, curious sound breaking the tension. 

Its muddy face seemed to convey nothing but confusion, as though Mirelle was asking me, what was that all about? It was only then that it dawned on me—Mirelle was a golem made of mud. The arrows had simply passed through Mirelle harmlessly and some simply sticking out of its muddy body, leaving Mirelle completely unfazed. The realization washed over me like a wave, and I let out a shaky breath, relief replacing the panic in my chest. 

"Ah… of course," I muttered to myself, a sheepish smile tugging at my lips. How could I have forgotten something so obvious? My companion was safe, and for now, that was all that mattered.

As we continued to dive deeper into the dungeon, encountering various more traps; I felt bad for making Mirelle continue to take the lead and take the brunt of the traps, as Mirelle had a higher and significant chance of coming out unscathed. 

Continuing onwards, we encounter numerous dungeon monsters like the giant rat. Despite it being half the size of me, its movement were still quite fast. Making hitting the giant rat to be difficult. In the end, to defeat the giant rat Mirelle had to lure it into itself and immediately hold it in place and stab at the giant rat halting all of its movement. 

Just after delving deeper a bit more and encountering more traps, we encountered another dungeon monster that had the body of a human but was covered with a light black fur and had the head of a hyena. This was a Gnoll, and this gnoll was holding unto a weapon, accompanied by a few more gnolls. 

Not wasting a moment, I slid the book Dungeons back into the holster at my waist. As I secured it, Mirelle lunged forward, its earthen form flexing as it closed the gap between us and the gnolls. A crude sword gleamed in its clay hand, raised and ready. 

Before the gnolls could react, Mirelle swung the blade in a sharp arc. The sword cleaved into the first gnoll's chest, sending it sprawling to the ground with a strangled cry. Without pausing, Mirelle spun on its heel, the sturdy lantern in its other hand catching the dim light as it smashed into the head of another gnoll. 

The second creature collapsed with a sickening crunch, its body crumpling to the floor. In just moments, two gnolls lay defeated at Mirelle's feet, their snarls silenced. 

Mirelle leapt back toward me, its sword raised defensively as the remaining gnolls realized what had happened. They snarled, their eyes narrowing in rage, but I was already prepared. 

Gripping the [Verdant Staff] tightly, I channeled mana through it, a familiar warmth surging through my hands. Raising the staff, I pointed it toward the advancing gnolls, my voice steady as I chanted: 

"Let thy flames rain on my enemies, <>!" 

The gnolls broke into a charge, their weapons raised high, but the air shimmered with magic as fiery arrows materialized above them. With a sharp hiss, the first arrow shot down, striking the lead gnoll square in the chest. It howled as flames erupted around it, consuming its body in a bright blaze. 

The others hesitated, their charge faltering as they glanced at their fallen comrade, but the arrows kept coming. One after another, they rained down, each striking true. The gnolls barely had time to react before they, too, were engulfed in roaring flames. 

When the spell ended, the battlefield was quiet, save for the soft crackle of dying embers. All that remained of the defeated gnolls were faintly glowing mana crystals—a bit larger and more vibrant than the ones we had encountered before. I exhaled, gripping my staff tightly, and glanced at Mirelle, who stood guard beside me, its sword ready for anything else that might appear. 

However, since nothing else appeared, I lowered by staff and my grip loosened and Mirelle's sword went down. This was one of the dungeon monsters we encountered aside from the giant rats, goblins and occasionally some easily defeatable slimes. 

Mirelle and I continued to delve deeper into the dungeon, occasionally taking a rest, writing down notes, and I continued drawing the layout of the dungeon in my book, "Maps". By then Me and Mirelle had already gone down 5 to 6 floors.