Imitating the way I’ve seen the big ones hold it, I brandish and wave my spear at the angry, giant rat. It’s surprisingly nice to be so far away from your victim when you try to draw their red. On the next swing, I’m too slow and the rat darts straight past the dangerous metal bit at the end. However, I get lucky and kick it hard, throwing it back into the wall. Now cornered, I stab, stab, stab, stab, stab. In fairness, most of those are really misses. Regardless of my ability, eventually I prevail.

  This rat is big. Much bigger than the ones in the forest. Thinking about it, it dawns on me that I’ve never attempted to appraise a victim before.

  Interesting. The introduction to the other world mentioned this. Once completely dead, the rat becomes a common object, which can then be appraised as I would any other. Contrary to that convenience, appraising living creatures is impossible until higher milestones and other song syntheses.

  It took five rats to steal a song for this lovely spear, and it finally feels familiar in my hands. Before, it may as well have been that brush aimed at those rats. At least I remembered to put the metal bit towards my opponent. I mean, after that first time.

  After fully exploring the side tunnels and hunting these rats, I found a wonderful, tucked away alcove in a particularly stinky section through a number of twisting offshoots. It’s unlikely any big ones would come all the way down here given their preferences.

  Having secured this new safe haven, I rush outside to bring back all the treasures I hid in the forest. On the way back inside, I prudently tie the stems of any still fresh herbs to the bars of the entryway to dry. Then, in the alcove, I place my iron pot down in a convenient, central spot before shoving the more delicate valuables into various little cubbies formed by structural stones having fallen from the walls. It’s already such a comfortable new home!

  So tired after all my labors, I don’t even bother to undress, lying down to sleep the rest of the horrid daylight away. Any more jaunts outside or above can come tonight. Assuming I don’t just mix all night! So many lovely options in this lovely new place.

  However, after only a brief rest, sudden, strange whispers in the distance lull me back awake with a sense of danger. Grabbing my cloak and spear, I rush back through all the twisting turns to the main tunnel, carefully peering inside before committing myself to enter.

  “Child! CHILD! Not comin’ down there to get ya, fool. Come now! Blasted waste of my time. I won’t ask again,” the loud, domineering voice shouts down into the large, echoing passage.

  What should I do? He says he won’t come down, but he might send someone else if I don’t at least show him that I’m still here. For some reason, it seems like he wants to know. My muddy mind wavers, but I decide to slowly step forward into the light shining down from the opening above.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Gads, child! Ya look to stink even worse now. Come up and get ya yer reward.”

  He wants me to come back up again? But why? Oh wait, what’s this reward? Can’t he give it to me down here? Feeling perhaps too confident after all my recent accomplishments, I decide to risk climbing up to at least poke my head out to see what he’s talking about. Spear in hand, I gracefully ascend like the savvy hunter I’ve become.

  “Whoa, there! Leave the tools where ya found em for the next one.”

  Climbing back down and leaning the spear against the wall next to the bucket, I pause to check that my other metal is still securely on my belt, just in case. The brush is back in the alcove, but hopefully he won’t notice. Again, after ascending the ladder, I slowly present my head out under the harsh, late afternoon sun to prove that I’m insignificant, trustworthy, and not hiding away plotting their destruction. The aggressive big one, seeing my reluctance, grabs me by the back of my neck and easily pulls me up the rest of the way, dangling me above the ground. I reflexively curl up into a tight, cloak covered ball and aimlessly roll across the ground after he plops me back down next to the hole. The same metallic sliding sound rings out before I have a chance to see what’s happening, since I’m now too terrified to look out from beneath my cloak..

  “That blood on ya?”

  Carefully standing back up at his demand, I look down at the cloak and notice some rat’s blood having splattered there. Thinking fast, I grab one of the bodies still tied by the tail to my belt in a cloak covered hand and present it. Can’t have him wishing to inspect me for wounds. As pushy and unhelpful as he’s been, I need to take control of the situation as best I can.

  “Oh? Ya got one? That’s extra, mind you. Rules is rules.”

  Emboldened by his acceptance, I side-eye out from under my hood for the first time to get a look at the giant who’s been leading me around. He’s easily four times my size with enormous arms and legs that look as though they could lazily crush my head with a thought. Dropping the rat, I grip my cloak closed even tighter around my body. Why did I risk coming back up here? What was there to gain? Has my tiny, prideful confidence betrayed me?

  Rummaging through a pouch, the big one removes a few small metals and tosses them to me.

  These are like the ones I stole from the others. What are they for? Metals are nice, but they're so small and not sharp or pointy like most of the others. Am I supposed to eat it?

  “Get ya cleaned up, a bite to eat, and a place to sleep with that,” the giant one stated matter of factly as though doing me a huge favor, before immediately turning and stomping off at a fast pace.

  At least he’s finally gone. However, to my horror, I see that the hole has been resealed. I desperately try to dig my tiny fingers beneath its ridges and jam them into its various holes to pull, but it’s so heavy. I didn’t consider this problem at all! What should I do?

  This village dungeon suddenly returned to a state of complete hostility and danger. Don’t panic, don’t panic. Do I steal away onto another wagon and re-enter via the sewage output? Or do I find a way to re-open the hole?

  Yes, yes, the hole for men. That’s the only correct answer in the long term. After all, hiding down in these sewers isn’t truly that great if they can come down to get me at their leisure but I can’t get up and down to steal their treasures at mine. One way or another, I absolutely must find a reliable way back from the inside.