Raised in Dungeon



To maintain health and increase Iva's stamina and physique, Rodion asked Allen to make a meal made of beans, fish, milk, eggs, and chicken liver, and the dessert was oranges.

With those ingredients, Allen made fried food that had been given many types of spices. Because the food was expensive, Allen only made a ration for Iva. As for the others, Allen made them a regular soup of potatoes and mushrooms.

"Allen... This is really good..." said Iva.

"Of course, Allen is a great cook!" said Susan proudly.

"This soup too. You said it's a cheap soup, but how can it taste this good? What did you use?"

"I can't say; Master forbade me to say," Allen replied.

"This is our signature soup; how could we give the recipe to anyone else," Rodion replied.

"You cheapskate! I won't give the recipe to anyone else!" shouted Peter.

"I'm a merchant too! I've already lost money making this soup at a low price; how could I increase my losses by sharing my recipe."

Iva chuckled a little at Rodion and Peter's argument; then Iva stole a subtle glance towards Pascoe, who was currently devouring his meal with immense gusto. She couldn't help but ponder over how appetizing the food must be.

"How's Pascoe? Did you like it?" she curiously inquired.

When Iva asked him, Pascoe shuddered slightly.

Allen observed him with anticipation, waiting for Pascoe's response. After a moment's hesitation, Pascoe slowly gazed down through his bowl of simmering soup and finally spoke,

"Yeah, not bad," Pascoe replied. A light pinkish glow could be seen creeping up on his cheeks, a clear indication of his shy manner.

At that moment, Allen rethought Rodion's words,

'It's not just people with money who want good food.'

Now, he truly comprehends the intended message. Allen had sampled Iva's insipid cuisine for the previous few days and couldn't fathom how they enjoyed that food. Now Allen could see the joy they would feel upon consuming delicious food. Allen could discern the contentment in Iva, Peter, and Pascoe's countenances. They relished his culinary creations and were delighted to partake in them.

"But, are we really going to eat this every day?" asked Iva.

"Of course, I've promised to provide enough nutrition for you."

"Isn't this too luxurious? It feels like this fish is also very expensive in the soil month. Especially at a time like this," Iva asked, worried.

"Don't worry about that," Rodion replied. "We've already discussed the money you'll pay us. You must give us your monthly harvest money to repay the debt. This way, you won't have to stress about money. Remember, stress will only worsen your pregnancy. Don't let our efforts go to waste."

With deep reverence, Iva humbly lowered her head and spoke in a quivering tone.

"Mr. Rodion, Allen, and Susan, I cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Her genuine and solemn expression surely melted the hearts of the trio, filling them with a sense of worthiness and recognition.

"Don't thank me; give birth to your child first; after that, you can say that every day in front of my shop."

"I'll remember that," Iva said.

"Iva, from now on you have to make an effort too," Allen said.

"Of course, I'll eat enough and rest enough.

"No, you won't rest," Allen replied.

"Eh?"

Rodion then explained,

"You will exercise. Until your child is born, you must exercise. If you feel minor pain or are tired, you must endure it. But if you feel stomach pain, you can stop."

"Rodion?! Are you as crazy as that kid?! Iva's pregnant! She's always exhausted, and you tell her to exercise?!"

"What's wrong? You've always trusted me. Why are you hesitating now? Do you want your wife to survive or not?"

"That is..."

With a determined nod, Iva made her intentions known.

"I'll give it a try, and I'm determined to do whatever I can." And so, the mission to ensure a successful labor for Iva began.

Their duties were divided into three.

Rodion was in charge of the exercise.

Allen is in charge of food and sometimes helps Iva do his exercise.

and Susan was responsible for caring for all the women's personal needs, such as bathing, toileting, and changing clothes.

In order to maintain her health and increase her stamina and physical strength, Iva was asked to undertake a series of exercises every morning for an hour. These included squats, the butterfly position, lunges, and various forms of yoga. They were confident from the beginning that their plan would work without obstacles.

However, they knew that just performing well-structured exercises wouldn't be enough. Iva was pregnant with twins, and their birth could be fatal for her.

One week

Two weeks

Three weeks pass.

They were doing well; there would be no obstacles from the start. But, just doing that shouldn't be enough to help Iva.

Rodion knew that, and Allen knew that too.

He needed one more thing—the most important one.

"Master, I haven't asked about this yet. But isn't there a person in charge who usually helps baby labor?"

That afternoon, Allen as usual would go with Rodion to the market to select the groceries that would be brought to Peter's place. They often discussed what steps they should take to ensure Iva's safety.

"Of course there is; we can ask a baby shaman or a physician when doing so. There are some physicians in this town, but they are very expensive."

"It turns out that money is indeed a very important item. I finally understand why Susan got so angry when you set a low price for the food."

Allen then thought of an obvious thing that strangely hadn't occurred to him before, "Should I double the money with my scarf?" he asked.

"No, that will only add another problem. Money can't just be spread around in this world. Some people regulate its distribution. Even gold can affect the city's economy if it's not regulated."

"Econo-?"

"That's not important right now. I know the basics of baby labor, but I've never actually tried it. Plus, I'm too old to do it."

"Aren't any physicians or healers willing to work for free?"

"There are, but you know that's not enough. The healers here can only do low-level healing and eventually add potions. If there are any great healers, they must belong to the Barkaley nobility, but I'm not sure they would lend them out."

"Why is that?"

"Nobles can only use noble physician. There's no way a noble would lend his physician to a commoner, and there's no way a noble physician would heal a commoner."

"Is that so..."

'Whereas the nobles I know even used their own power to save everyone and then fainted for three years, it seems that is quite strange in this world.'

"Hey! Stop daydreaming! Think about it again tonight!" said Rodion. abit exasperated. Allen shook himself out of his thoughts.

Allen had been lost in thought. He kept thinking about how to save Iva as he walked alongside Rodion towards the market.

Without Allen realizing it, they were already standing in front of the tavern's door. Rodion swung open the door of the quaint tavern. A wave of warmth hit him as he stepped inside, and he was greeted by the familiar sight of Susan wiping down the wood-paneled bar. However, something was different today. There was a stranger in the tavern, a woman Rodion had never seen before, leaning across the counter and asking Susan about soup.

"Is it true that there's no more soup? My boss asked me to buy it immediately." Her voice was laced with panic and impatience. Rodion could see the desperation etched on her face.

"Unfortunately, this tavern is closed during the soil-to-water month, so our cook isn't cooking anytime soon."

The woman looked panicked and a little pushy.

"What's going on? How did you get inside? Isn't there a 'closed' sign on the door? Aren't you blind?"

Without looking ahead, Allen remained focused on his thoughts, determined to find a way to make Iva's labor a success.

'There must be...

There must still be a way to save Iva...

I have to think harder...' he thought.

Little did he know that the figure in front of him might be the key to Iva's salvation.

"Allen?" the woman's voice echoed in his ears, jolting him out of his daze. Her voice was familiar to him, and upon lifting his gaze, his suspicions were confirmed.

Allen raised his face, looking at the woman.

The woman before him had long brown hair cascading down her back in a braid, her piercing green eyes taking him in. She adorned a striking fire church priestess outfit, radiating a sense of power and authority that caught Allen off guard. He gawked at her, a mixture of surprise and

And also

out of fear, washing over his face.

"Are you really Allen?" the woman said.

In surprise, Allen muttered

"Miss Lavinia."