"Zane," Gwen said. "Are we going to stay here in this dreary chamber or are we going to move into the next room? I'm sure there is at least a fountain in there that we could drink from. Considering this is the last floor of the dungeon, it wouldn't surprise me if there's a little bit more comfortable room in there."
Zane looked at Gwen and then to the far end of the chamber where the throne was. To the right of it he could see a door, one that he had not noticed before. He had been so concentrated on the things that were unlocked that he forgot that this was a rather bleak place to rest. "I'm sorry, Gwen. I was too excited about all the unlocks I got. Let's move into the next room and see what's there."
He moved back to the main doors that they had entered through and grabbed his pack before heading to the far side of the room and going through the door that was there. He stepped into the room and stopped, staring at the luxurious amenities in this room. There was a small fountain in the wall that was continuously running, a table with a comfortable chair. Along the wall there was a banquet table full of food and drink. Opposite that was a large bed.
"The rat champion needed all of this?" Zane asked.
Gwen snorted. "I told you that the rats in this place were all mana constructs. They don't need things like this. Mana provides everything that they need. Think of this place as a reward for clearing the dungeon. You spent days fighting your way through this place, resting on uncomfortable floors and surviving off meager rations. Érimón is giving you a place to rest comfortably before you move on to more difficulty and hardship. Who knows when you will be truly comfortable after this. You must go out into a new world, meet and befriend new people, search for an unknown energy source that wants to kill you and everyone around you, all while keeping sane. I suggest that you enjoy this small time you have here. I know I will." She walked across the room to the banquet table and took a large roast off the table before settling down next to the bubbling fountain, which she then took a drink out of after placing her meat on the floor.
Zane wanted to say something, but she didn't seem interested in conversation at the moment. She was ripping apart the roast with a lot of gusto. His stomach grumbled at the sight of her eating the juicy meat. He laughed to himself and went and set his bag down at the foot of the bed. He then went to the banquet table, grabbed a plate, and filled it. The table was filled with bread, meats, different types of vegetables, and even sweets. It reminded him of eating at his father's family reunion. He came from a large family, and the get-togethers were centered around large portions of amazing food. It was the one time of year that his dad, who was very health conscious, allowed himself to eat without worry... That came the next day.
He sat down at the table and let out a satisfied groan as the flavor hit his tongue from his first bite. It had been at least days since he had a good meal. It had been jerky and bread all this time. He took a drink, appreciating the unique flavor of the fruit juice that was in his cup. Like Gwen, he did not hold back and devoured his meal. He refilled his plate three more times before he felt full. He heard some snoring and looked over at Gwen. She was laid out on the ground, fast asleep. Considering what he had just ate, he looked over at the bed. He got up and he made his way over to the bed, taking his armor and clothes off. He pulled back the covers and settled in, sighing as He sunk into the soft mattress. He let out a long sigh as he relaxed, enjoying the feeling of comfort all around him. When thoughts tried to intrude on his bliss, he ignored them. Gwen was right. It would be good to just forget about everything for a little while. He could feel that things would be getting intense soon. Now is a good time to just relax.
He felt like he was somewhere warm and soft, though he felt a heavy weight on one side of his body. He slowly opened his eyes, a bit disoriented. He wasn't sure how long he had slept. He tried to move his left hand to rub his eyes but found that he couldn't move it. He looked to his left side and found Gwen snuggled up against him. The big cat was pressed up against his side and partially on top of him. He rubbed his face with his right hand and then pushed against Gwen as he shimmied out from underneath her. Once he was out of the bed, she rolled a little into the spot where he had been, obviously seeking out the warmth that was left there by him. He shook his head at the cat's antics, surprised that despite the intelligence and size of this one, all cats are the same.
He walked over to the banquet table and found that it was filled with new food. Eggs, pancakes, bacon, and all sorts of breakfast items. He was very grateful that Érimón seemed to be spoiling him at this moment. He looked around the room and found a smaller room that had a toilet in it. In some ways, this seemed to be the greatest luxury of all. Relieving himself had not been pleasant through this entire experience.
After he gathered up a full plate of food and sat back down at the table, determined to enjoy this reprieve while he could. He opened his map and scrolled around it, zooming out. It didn't let him go out too far, only allowing him to see a small bit of the continent he was on. After some time, he found the nearest town. Distances can be quite deceiving on maps, so he had no idea how long it would take him to get to this town. He closed the map and concentrated on enjoying this food, for he may be living off the bread and jerky again for some time.