The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 93

Chapter 93: 03/11- Dull blade
Aeliana examined her weapon with a frustrated sigh, running her fingers over the blade’s edge. Though it had served her well in previous battles, against this monster’s thick, armor-like hide, it had proven nearly useless. She grimaced, realizing just how dull the blade had become.

“I should’ve sharpened this before we set out,” she muttered, shaking her head. “Or maybe even chosen a better-quality weapon altogether.”

Kael, still gripping his own sword, glanced over at her with a slight smirk. “You think that would’ve made a difference? That thing’s hide is tougher than steel. Even my blade barely scratched it.” He gestured toward the remains of the monster, its corpse still emanating an eerie, unnatural energy. “It’s not just about the weapon. This thing was built to withstand brute force.”

Garrik wiped sweat from his brow, adjusting the grip on his axes. “He’s right. We need more than just sharp weapons. This monster was some kind of enchanted beast—probably reinforced with protective magic.” He kicked one of the shattered crystal fragments at his feet. “My axes barely dented it, and I put everything into that final strike.”

Aeliana frowned. “So brute strength wasn’t enough, and our weapons weren’t effective. If we run into another one of these, what do we do then?”

Kael sighed. “We need to rethink our strategy. This thing might be dead now, but we got lucky.” He shot a glance at Garrik. “If it wasn’t for that final blow, we might still be stuck fighting it.”

Garrik folded his arms and nodded. “Yeah, and I’m not sure I can pull that off again so easily.” He tapped the handle of his axe against his shoulder. “We’ll need better equipment next time. Something designed to break through magical armor.”

Aeliana pursed her lips, deep in thought. “We should consult a blacksmith—one who specializes in enchanted weaponry. If there are more creatures like this in the dungeon, we can’t rely on just brute force and luck.”

Kael nodded. “Agreed. But for now, we should focus on getting out of here.” He gestured toward the dark tunnel leading deeper into the dungeon. “We’ve spent enough time in this fight. Who knows what else is lurking down here?”

Aeliana turned her gaze to the corpse of the creature, a sense of unease creeping into her mind. It was massive, terrifyingly resilient, and worst of all—it had almost seemed like it wasn’t alone. She shuddered at the thought. “Let’s hope we don’t run into another one before we leave.”

Garrik rolled his shoulders, already preparing himself for the worst. “Hope all you want, but dungeons like these don’t usually let people off that easily.” He gestured for them to move forward. “Come on. Let’s get moving before something else finds us first.”

The trio cautiously advanced through the dungeon’s corridors, their weapons still at the ready. The air felt heavier now, the battle having drained much of their strength. But despite their exhaustion, they knew they couldn’t afford to let their guard down—not yet.

As they walked, Aeliana kept replaying the fight in her mind. She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something they had missed, something crucial about the monster that they hadn’t understood. “I want to study that creature when we get back,” she murmured to herself. “There has to be a way to prepare for something like this.”

Kael overheard her and arched an eyebrow. “You’re really that determined, huh?”

Aeliana glanced at him and nodded. “Of course. If we don’t learn from this, we might not survive the next one.”

Garrik chuckled. “Now that’s the kind of thinking I like to hear. If we can figure out a weakness in these things, we’ll be able to fight smarter, not just harder.”

Kael smirked. “You’re both getting ahead of yourselves. First, let’s make it

Aeliana halted mid-step, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword. A deep frown settled on her face as Kael’s words echoed in her mind. “Scammed?” she repeated, disbelief laced in her voice.

Kael sighed heavily, lifting his sword to inspect the blade under the dim dungeon light. The edge was duller than it should have been, and worse yet, tiny chips marred the once pristine surface. This was unacceptable. A proper weapon should have held up far better against a single battle, no matter how tough the monster had been. Running his fingers along the damaged blade, he clicked his tongue in frustration. “These were supposed to be top-tier weapons,” he muttered, eyes narrowing. “Reinforced steel, enchanted ore—yet look at them.”

Aeliana frowned, holding her own weapon up for examination. It didn’t take much effort to notice how much it had degraded after just one fight. The shimmering enchantment she had expected to glow faintly along the blade was practically nonexistent. A wave of irritation swept over her. “We paid a fortune for these,” she grumbled. “I even confirmed with the blacksmith that they were the best in his stock.”

Behind them, Garrik let out a short, amused snort. “Sounds like someone sold you a pile of glorified scrap metal,” he remarked, resting his axe against his shoulder. He gave his own weapon a thoughtful glance before knocking it lightly against the dungeon wall. A solid, resonant clang echoed through the chamber, unlike the dull sound Kael’s sword had made earlier. “Yep. Definitely junk,” Garrik continued, shaking his head. “You got played, princess.”

Kael’s scowl deepened. “That’s impossible. I did my research. The blacksmith had a good reputation.”

Aeliana groaned, running a hand through her hair. “Clearly, that reputation meant nothing if he managed to cheat us.” She looked back at the defeated monster—their blades had barely scratched its shell. That explained why they had struggled so much. “This fight should’ve been easier if our weapons were up to par.”

Garrik crossed his arms. “To be fair, even if your weapons were in perfect shape, that thing’s armor was ridiculously tough. Maybe you were doomed from the start.”

Aeliana shot him a glare. “That’s not comforting, Garrik.”

He grinned, unbothered. “Hey, I’m just saying. You should always test your weapons before heading into dangerous situations.”

Kael let out a slow exhale before sheathing his battered sword. His voice was low, but there was an unmistakable edge of anger behind it. “We need to return to that blacksmith once this mission is over. If we really were scammed, I plan on getting our gold back. One way or another.”

Aeliana nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. We can’t let something like this slide. If he cheated us, then he’s probably cheating other adventurers too.”

Garrik smirked. “I like where this is going. You two planning to storm into his shop and demand justice?”

Kael didn’t even hesitate. “If it comes to that, yes.”

Aeliana rolled her shoulders, trying to ease the tension that had built up in her body. “We’ll deal with that later. Right now, we have to make do with what we have.” She looked at her dulled blade and sighed. “Even if these weapons are second-rate, we don’t have any other choice.”

Garrik chuckled, clearly enjoying their frustration a little too much. “Well, if your weapons give out, you could always throw them at the enemy and hope for the best.”

Aeliana shot him another glare. “Not. Helping.”

Garrik only laughed. “Fine, fine. But look, I know a real forgemaster—one who doesn’t peddle fake enchantments. I can introduce you.”

Kael arched an eyebrow, clearly suspicious. “And what’s the catch?”

Garrik smirked. “No catch. I just don’t want to die in a dungeon because my teammates are swinging around glorified butter knives.”

Aeliana sighed, rubbing her temple. “Alright. Once we’re out of here, we’ll look into it. But first, let’s focus on surviving this dungeon.”

Kael gave a firm nod. “Agreed. But next time, we make sure we’re properly equipped before going into something this dangerous.”

Aeliana turned her gaze forward, pushing aside the irritation for now. “Let’s just get this mission done. We’ll worry about the weapons later.”

Garrik let out a dramatic sigh. “Fine, fine. But if your sword snaps in the middle of battle, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

As they resumed their march through the dungeon, the frustration of being swindled still lingered between them. But for now, they had bigger problems to deal with. If they wanted to survive, they had to fight smart—with or without proper weapons.

The air remained thick with frustration as they continued forward, their footsteps echoing against the damp stone walls. Aeliana clenched her jaw, feeling the weight of irritation pressing down on her shoulders. The thought of being deceived gnawed at her pride—she had trusted that blacksmith’s word, had ensured their weapons were of the highest quality, and yet here they were, struggling against foes they should have cut through with ease. It wasn’t just the wasted gold that angered her; it was the principle of it. As the Oracle, she had been trained to read people, to discern truth from deception, and yet she had failed to see through a simple merchant’s lies. That alone stung worse than the exhaustion settling into her limbs. “I should’ve known better,” she muttered under her breath, gripping her sword tighter. “This is unacceptable.”

Kael, sensing her frustration, cast her a sidelong glance. “It’s not your fault,” he said evenly. “We both inspected the weapons. Even the enchantments looked genuine at first.” He ran a hand over the hilt of his sword, his expression dark. He hated being played just as much as she did—perhaps more so. As her protector, he had a duty to ensure her safety, and faulty weapons only made his job harder. “We’ll handle it,” he assured her, his voice carrying a quiet but firm resolve. “When we get out of here, we’ll find that blacksmith and make this right.” Kael wasn’t the type to seek out conflict without reason, but if there was one thing he wouldn’t tolerate, it was deception that put Aeliana at risk. He glanced at Garrik, who still looked far too amused by the situation. “And you’re sure this forgemaster of yours can be trusted?”

Garrik’s grin didn’t waver, but there was a rare glint of seriousness in his eyes. “One hundred percent,” he said, adjusting his grip on his axe. “Master Durnan’s been forging weapons for centuries—real ones, not that counterfeit nonsense you two got swindled into buying. If you want blades that won’t fail you when it matters, he’s your guy.” He paused, then smirked. “And besides, if he does try to cheat you, at least you’ll have me to hold him accountable.” Aeliana scoffed