Lisusa approached the tent of the Grand Merchant Venancijs.

  “Good afternoon. I’m Lisusa. I’m a candidate for Tavern Keeper. Can I talk with the head of this merchant house?” She asked the elven woman sitting before the desk.

  “Good Afternoon. You say Tavern Keeper? Splendid.” The elven woman beamed. “I will bring Grand Merchant immediately.” The receptionist disappeared into the depths of the tent and reappeared accompanied by a middle-aged man.

  “Welcome to the On Taram Oasis Dungeon.” Smiled man. “I’m Grand Merchan Venancijs. I’m representing Dungeon Mistress outside her domain. And speaking about her. Jolana, please send someone to inform our Mistress about the arrival of the Tavern Keeper.”

  “At once.”

  “Thank you for the welcome, but I need to see the contract before deciding.”

  “And I have it with me. Please read it and ask any questions, while we wait for Dungeon Mistress.”

  “Let's do that.”

  The document was short and straightforward. Lisusa even turned it to see if something was on the back, but found nothing.

  “Can I run the tavern however I want?”

  “Yes.” The man smiled. “Oh. Dungeon Mistress is coming.” He added.

  Lisusa looked outside and saw a short human girl in an adventurer's attire running in their direction.

  “Give me a moment.” She gasped for air. “Hello. I’m Dungeon Mistress of On Taram Oasis Dungeon, and this is my path.” Naomi smiled when she caught her breath.

  “Good afternoon. My name is Lisusa. And this is my path.” She answered, shocked by Dungeon Mistress' behavior.

  “Nice to meet you,” Naomi smiled. “Sorry, I was late welcoming you all at the gate. I was drinking with a few adventurers. I guess, for occasions like this, I'll have to build a magic doorbell.” She laughed.

  Lisusa watched, stunned for a moment, then remembered. This woman is watched by her goddess, and you can’t have her favor if you don’t know how to have real fun.

  “Our Dungeon Mistress is a very social person.” Explained Grand Merchant.

  “That is not true. I’m just pretending to be social. I hope that with time, pretending will become my second nature.” She sighted. “Anyway, Lisusa, I see you read the contract already. Any questions?”

  “Grand Merchant said I have free hand. But is that the truth?”

  “Of course. I have no idea how to manage a tavern, and I don’t have time for that. Better leaving that for a true expert, and that is you.”

  “What about supplies, Mistress, mostly food?”

  “Basic things are ready in the pantry. Floor, bread, vegetables, and meat. Some better things will be available on my deeper floors. Anything extra you will need to buy from the Grand Merchant. You just need a cook. You brought someone with you?”

  “I do, Mistress. I managed to hire a basic crew. After familiarizing myself with a tavern, I will decide if and how many more people I need.”

  “Like I said. It’s your tavern and your decisions.”

  “What about a tavern itself?”

  “Well. It turns more like a guest house than a typical tavern. For adventurers, I have prepared rooms of different sizes, there are also separate rooms where you can stay with your team, at least for the beginning. When the town is built, anyone can choose where to live. I also built a forge next to the tavern, and there are two benches for dwarves, obviously. Oh, and also, there are bathhouses too.”

  “Even bathhouses?” Lisusa, was overhelmed. “That kind of guesthouse can be found only in capitals. And only the biggest one.”

  “Well. I’m Dungeon Mistress, and it turns out, I have a problem with not overdoing things.” Naomi smiled embarrassedly.

  “Ha, Ha, ha.” Lisusa laughed. “I’m sorry, Dungeon Mistress, but I can’t stop. With each passing moment, I understand more why my goddess likes you.”

  “And I like her company too,” Naomi answered.

  “I guess it's only left to venture to the fifth floor and see the tavern myself.”

  “Great. Adventurers returned from the sixth floor yesterday, so finding a team or two shouldn’t be a problem. Grand Merchant will organize everything.”

  “Thank you, Dungeon Mistress.”

  Two days later, Lisusa and her workers, under the care of the adventurers, reached the fifth floor. Naomi was already waiting for them.

  “Thanks, Jilax, for the help.” She said to the leader of the expedition.

  “No problem, Dungeon Mistress. It was easy money. Also, a tavern will finally be up and running like a real one. You did a great job, Dungeon Mistress, but some change, from time to time, doesn’t hurt.”

  “I know, I know. I, too, can’t wait.” Naomi laughed. “Anyway. How was the trip?” She turned to Lisusa.

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  “Huh?” She was interrupted while watching ruins and trying to grasp what she saw. “I’m sorry, Dungeon Mistress. It was a fine journey. Adventurers take good care of us.”

  “Don’t worry. It’s normal here. Let’s go to the tavern.” Naomi smiled. “Outside, maybe look unassuming, but inside, I make it nice.”

  “Normal tavern?” Lusisa read the sign. “How many adventurers were scared when they read it?”

  “Probably all of them.” Naomi laughed, opening doors.

  Inside, the future tavern keeper once again stopped. This was indeed a normal tavern. It looked expensive, but thankfully, without any legendary magic flying everywhere. Dungeon Mistress gives them a quick tour, showing them the kitchen, private rooms, and public space.

  “So, we signing this contract or not?” Lusisa asked her workers.

  “Boss, you will be crazy if you do not sign it. Even with half of the income, it still will be an opportunity of a lifetime.” The dwarf chosen as senior cook answered.

  “Yes. And remember that we are in a dungeon. Half of the usual work will be done by itself, like cleaning.” A rabbit woman who was hired as a waitress pointed.

  “Oh yes. She is right.” Others agree. Cleaning was always a never-ending battle. Here, no problem at all. Sometimes you sweep here and there with a rug or a change of sheets.

  “Dungeon Mistress, Grand Merchant, we agree.” Lusisa approached Naomi and Venancijs.

  “Owsom!” Naomi jumps happily. “I will be busy building a seventh floor for the next week or two. If there is something that needs to be improved, tell me. Otherwise, make a list, and after I finish my work, I will see what I can do.”

  “Also, I will be leaving with a caravan next week. Jolana will be representing me. She will help you procure food from the dungeon. She will also send me a letter once a month, so inform her of any lack of personnel or supplies.”

  “Understood,” The Tavern Keeper answered. “For now, everything is in order. We will familiarize ourselves with the tavern, and after your Dungeon Mistress returns, we will tell you if we need something.

  “Great.” Naomi nodded. “And I guess it’s goodbye time for us.” She turns to the Grand Merchant.

  “Don’t worry, Dungeon Mistress. This half of the year will pass in the blink of an eye.”

  “Maybe. But still have a safe travel.”

  “Thank you, Dungeon Mistress.”

  Naomi entered her workshop the next day to start building the seventh floor. Once again, some things piled up and needed to be resolved. One was the start of building a town. Her town was in the middle of the desert. It was one more thing she didn’t think about or ask when she decided to become. Regardless of the epoch, towns need a source of energy. For modern Earth, it is electricity and oil; here, it’s fire. Mana, although convenient, was not easily available, expensive to use, and sometimes downright dangerous. And there was a water, her lack to be exact. But like her teacher, Paoli loves to say: If you don't see a solution, cheat. So she decided to do that. She was a dungeon master and had access to things normally inaccessible, like elemental mana stones. They were rare and hard to get because of places where they appear, like volcanoes, the depths of water, and windy mountain peaks. And those were easy places. Many others are just objects of scholars' speculations and legends. Naomi, for now, needs only fire and water mana stones. Adventurers can get one fire mana stone from the sixth floor. But that will not be enough. According to the Grand Master of the Forge, demand could be as high as several stones every week. Smelting ore could use all fire mana from one stone instantly. In Dwarven forges, depleted fire mana stones were typically placed near the furnaces to recharge them. You won't be able to do that here because all the furnaces will be powered by mana.

  Water will face a similar problem, especially when people start growing plants or raising animals.

  Another issue becomes grand magic. It was inevitable that with time, the challenges of the first floor would become less challenging, but the surge of the mages' abilities poses a risk for her. She was well guarded, especially now that so many new holy knights had arrived, but you never know.

  Coincidentally, all those problems could be resolved, at least partially, on the next floors.

  “First, the entrance.” She chose a big cave with a hot spring and even one geyser. Next, she imagined how the stone roof collapsed and plants and animals made it their home. She created a frosty wasteland for those curious and wanting to see what's happening outside.

  On top of a three-meter-high stone pillar, standing in the middle of a small lake, she placed a water elemental mana stone. In the lake were fish, and in the bushes hid rabbits and birds. With heavy sight but with firm resolve, she placed a sign next to it. Hunting and fishing are allowed. Don’t be cruel to the animals.

  “I see you have changed your decision.” Naomi heard her goddess's voice.

  “Greatings, goddess.” Naomi politely said. “I decided to stop pretending that some things don’t exist, or happen.”

  “Are you planning to stop using golems?”

  “No.” Naomi strongly denied. “For fighting, I will never use animals. And golems become my symbol, which I’m kind of proud of. Even if they are a clumsy copy of your, goddess, creations.”

  “You have just started your path. Who knows what you achieve in the future?”

  “Thank you.”

  “I’m proud of you.” Goddes smiled and vanished.

  Naomi immediately returned to work. The mana stone needs a guardian. Naomi chose a snake. Four meters long and with a body half a meter thick. Powered by a high-pressure steam engine that could operate for many hours, and equipped with double-layered armour that covered the most critical weak points. During the final inspection of the project, she noticed something that made her laugh.

  “That is fucking magical nucler reactor.” She shook her head when she saw the steam engine boiler. Like usual, it was a tank filled with water, and seven pipes went through it. Normally, through them goes fire and hot air, heating water inside. Naomi used small fire mana stones at the end of the control rods. Depending on how many will be inserted, a different amount of steam could be generated. In the nuclear reactors, rods are used to slow down or stop the nuclear reaction. “Oh well. Thankfully, it’s not radioactive.”

  She also added turtle golems. They were more like walking turrets. They were equipped with steam guns. Not designed for mobility, Naomi covered the top of it with thick spherical armour and painted it with confusing colors. The head and legs were retractable. The whole room was a set of places where golems could roam, but with no visible markings indicating the beginning or end of each zone. For example, an adventurer can safely sit on the bank of the lake and go fishing, but entering the lake will trigger a response from the snake.

  “Time for the second part.” Naomi created a spacious cave, with the ceiling supported by stone pillars. The floor and the walls were full of cracks filled with volcanic fumes. There was even a lava lake at the end of the room. Next to it, Naomi placed something looking like a crystal tree. On one of the branches, like it was an apple, she hangs a fire mana stone. Guarding it will be a Drake. It was a four-legged reptile, similar in length to the snake golem, with a nasty surprise in its belly.

  Naomi paused, realizing how deadly this golem could be.

  “No! Even though my decision was hasty and stupid, I will not take it back.” She said to herself. “Those women and men know what they are doing, and aren't stupid. Well, usually.” She takes a deep breath. “Back to work.”

  Naomi needs more golems to fill the empty cave. She chose small but agile lizards. Their sharp talons and teeth were their mine weapons. Golems also had many places in which they could ambush adventurers. Before she decided to finalize everything, she checked if there was something that lived inside volcanoes. And she found a few insects and some lichens. She uses them all.