《Mr Devourer, Please Act Like a Final Boss》 Chapter 1 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 1 ¨C [Prologue] After a long journey, an artificially adorned path appeared at the end of the damp cave. With the thought, ¡°Finally arrived,¡± I unconsciously sighed. I turned my head and looked back. When we first entered the dungeon, there were a total of 74 members, and now there were 43 members behind. Even the surviving comrades had a deep despair on their faces. Everyone was exhausted. The dungeon was large, but the monsters were equally powerful. It¡¯s not that we lost 31 people, We have 43 survivors. I desperately brainwashed myself like that. Without doing that, we couldn¡¯t move forward. It wasn¡¯t because the plan was wrong or the pre-information was incorrect, leading to additional casualties. It was just that we couldn¡¯t protect 31 comrades despite the best plan and everyone doing their best. That¡¯s it. Yes, honestly, I was prepared for this level of determination. In fact, I had considered even more serious situations than now. This is one of the ¡°Seven Great Evil Dungeons,¡± the ¡°Primordial Core.¡± It¡¯s one of the dungeons deemed ¡°impossible for humanity to conquer¡± ¨C one of the Seven Great Evil Dungeons. It¡¯s only natural that many sacrifices follow. Vern, the expedition leader with a greatsword on his back larger than his own height, bit his lip. All the previous expedition teams, when challenging this ¡°Primordial Core,¡± always chose the left path, the ¡°Red Path.¡± Most expedition teams had chosen the ¡°Red Path,¡± and most of the information obtained at the cost of numerous lives was from the ¡°Red Path.¡± According to the information, if you go straight into the red path, the space that appears is a wide room with an open view on all sides. Greeting the expedition team in that place is ¡®Blade Maid Renee,¡¯ who elegantly greets with outstretched fingers and a slight smile. A faint smile. And then, a cascade of slashing blades. Although there were those who escaped by luck, no one who entered that room survived. No one knows the true identity of the small monster in the form of a maid, but everyone knows that if you confront the ¡®Blade Maid Renee,¡¯ the expedition team will not return safely. That¡¯s why Vern, unlike previous expedition teams, chose the right path covered in filth. The monster waiting there was a giant creature with over a hundred tentacles wriggling. Even so, more than 20 comrades were lost to that monster. No, it was undoubtedly the best choice. I brainwashed myself again. If he had chosen the left path, like the previous expedition teams, we would have suffered much more damage. It must have been like that. As he finished his agony, a deep darkness different from before covered Vern¡¯s vision. He stopped his steps. Before he knew it, he stood at the end of the path. What spread out in front of him was a huge hall. It was difficult to gauge its scale because it was covered in complete darkness, but he was sure it was larger than any dungeon hall he had seen so far. The tremendous resonance created by the empty space was telling him that. He turned his head back again. The expedition members behind him, who had been silently preparing, now wore determined expressions. After nodding silently, he slowly stepped forward. The air was strangely cold. He lifted his head, but he couldn¡¯t see the ceiling. The space overwhelmed him. He bit his lip and exhaled. ¡°This is the end of the ¡®Primordial Core.''¡± even without being told, he could instinctively know it. This vast hall is the end of the dungeon. This is the final destination of the adventure that arrived after numerous sacrifices ¨C a place where unimaginable treasures are stored, and perhaps the ¡®Masterpiece 36,¡¯ the ultimate creation possibly made by humanity, is sleeping. And, then¡­ The place where the owner of this dungeon resides. In an instant, a roar echoed. S~?a??h the N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Everyone, into formation!¡± Vern shouted. The noise of the huge hall shaking was enough to Devourer Vern¡¯s voice, but despite stumbling, everyone neatly adjusted their formation. That was all they could do. The ground trembled. Consequently, the vision shook. Even in the chaos, the formation was disrupted. The sound of sharp stalactites, which had been sticking together here and there, falling to the ground, echoed. [Note- A stalactite is an icicle-shaped formation that hangs from the ceiling of a cave and is produced by precipitation of minerals from water dripping through the cave ceiling.] Magic spheres that had belatedly risen into the air illuminated the vast space with light. And within that light, all members of the expedition saw something gigantic. A black, seemingly reaching the sky, sinister, fearful, indistinct creature. As if awakening from a dream, the huge creature twisted its body and took a step forward. Between the precarious light that seemed to be Devourered by darkness, the silhouette slowly revealed itself. It was at that moment that they realized the black mass, the size of several watchtowers combined, was the monster¡¯s head. With a tearing sound, the shape of the monster was revealed along with the opening of its monstrous mouth, which had an uncountable number of teeth aimed at the expedition team. At the same time, one of the monster¡¯s four eyes met Vern¡¯s gaze. Then the expedition leader, who was once hailed as the hope of the empire, was convinced. ¡°¡­Run away.¡± It was impossible to win. Absolutely impossible. * * * ¡°So, let me summarize¡­ You were sleeping, and humans swarmed in, and you fought despite being tired. Is that it?¡± ¡°Yes, I faced two enemies simultaneously ¨C humans and fatigue. And it wasn¡¯t sleep; it was just a brief nap. Patrick, calm down for a moment.¡± ¡°Calm down? I will calm down. Is it reasonable for the dungeon boss to be dozing off until humans are right in front of it? Is it sensible to be yawning in front of humans? This is a matter of mental health! Renee, what do you think?¡± ¡°Are you mad at me right now?¡± ¡°¡­Renee, what do you think?¡± ¡°Well, overwhelming humans with just a yawn¡­ Devourer, I¡¯m once again amazed by your majesty.¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re saying that now¡­¡± There was a feeling of something snapping inside. The skeletal knight, as if plagued by a headache, covered its skull with both hands. Then, as if judging that rational conversation was impossible, it mumbled in a low voice. Yeah, this dungeon is done for ¨C it was always a thought in the back of my mind. Now it¡¯s firmly confirmed. ¡°Enough, Patrick. I messed up¡­ Wait, isn¡¯t it your mission to prevent those guys from coming to my room in the first place? Why are you mad at me?¡± Even while playing the drums and beating the drum alone, the monster referred to as ¡®Devourer¡¯ didn¡¯t stop yawning. Despite the thousands of teeth revealed with each wide-open mouth, no one was frightened. Instead, the skeleton standing in front of the large, black body raised its voice as if ready to attack Devourer. ¡°Of course! That¡¯s right! Moreover, aren¡¯t all these actions to enhance the boss¡¯s intimidation? Isn¡¯t the problem that the one who¡¯s messing it up is the person involved? Argh! It¡¯s frustrating!¡± ¡°Patrick, you¡¯re getting too worked up; you¡¯ll dislocate something.¡± ¡°Right, Patrick is overreacting; it¡¯s a problem. Besides, that rigid jaw, to be honest, it¡¯s too noisy. It¡¯s so loud that it might even be heard outside the dungeon.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I told Renee that if she keeps making noise, I¡¯ll rip off her jaw.¡± ¡°Renee, when did¡­!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± With the murmured words, ¡°I should write a resignation letter or something,¡± the skeleton seemed to give up, lowering its head as if in defeat. Devourer, who was making a scornful expression towards the skeleton, scratched the back of its head. Perhaps making a mistake while raising its arm, the wall in the vicinity vibrated, and soon the wall where its arm touched collapsed with a loud noise. ¡°Oh, my bad.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s much louder than the sound of my jaw clicking.¡± With a sarcastic remark, the skeleton buried itself deep into the chair. Behind the roughly made wooden chair, lay the corpse of Vern, who was once the ¡®Hope of the empire,¡¯ and his sword scattered around. This is the ¡®Primordial Core,¡¯ one of the ¡®Seven Great Evil Dungeons.¡¯ It¡¯s one of the dungeons deemed ¡®impossible for humanity to conquer¡¯ ¨C one of the Seven Great Evil Dungeons. Phase. 1 ¡®Dungeon conquest¡¯ mostly ends with human victory. From the beginning, dungeon conquest is not conducted from a fair standpoint. It¡¯s merely a blatant act of invasion under the guise of the human pretext of ¡®challenging the unknown.¡¯ Is it fair for humans, who can attack at any time, and monsters, who must always be prepared to defend? Even if humans fail due to unexpected dungeon structures or monsters, they can refine their strategy based on the information gained from that battle and retry. There¡¯s no limit to the attempts. It¡¯s not humans but the dungeon that rapidly weakens with each repetition of war. Of course, there will be human casualties in the process, but considering what can be gained after conquering the dungeon, it¡¯s a sacrifice that can be endured. ©¤For this reason, as long as there are those willing to challenge the dungeon, dungeons are ¡®ultimately¡¯ conquered. Beneath the dungeon lie hidden treasures, the corpses of monsters used for equipment or magical research, and the vast territory called a dungeon. Information about monsters, rewards, and honor given to the successful expedition team. One conquest yields many things. With such an enticing challenge, humanity has no reason to miss out. Numerous expedition teams emerge just for the sake of conquering one dungeon. They systematically attack the territories of monsters one by one. Through this process, the expedition teams become stronger with the treasures obtained, challenging even stronger dungeons. In this simple cycle that started centuries ago, countless dungeons have been conquered, and new ones continue to emerge. Even within this flow, there exist dungeons that humanity cannot conquer, which is quite natural. The deadly dungeons, precisely known as the Seven Great Evil Dungeons. A name attached to the unknown area judged temporarily impossible for humanity to conquer, filled with anger and fear. Among the notorious The Seven Great Evil Dungeons, there was a dungeon that received an absolute judgment of being impossible to conquer. The worst abyss in history that has never revealed its end to humanity. ¡®The Primordial Core.¡¯ A dungeon in the form of a giant cave. Dozens of high-level monsters guard this dungeon. As one progresses through the rugged path, a crossroads emitting a gloomy aura welcomes the expedition team. Beyond that crossroads, guarding each path, are the gatekeepers of the dungeons. Guarding the red path on the left is Homunculus ¡®Blade Maid Renee.¡¯ Guarding the central blue path is the skeleton ¡®Death Knight Patrick.¡¯ According to recent reconnaissance information, there is also a path contaminated by sludge on the right, but accurate information about it is yet to be revealed. In the macabre structure adorned with grotesque forms, a crossroads awaits the expedition team beyond the gate. Only tens of thousands of challengers who could not overcome it are known. Dominating this impregnable fortress is the first monster mentioned in the imperial myth, the primordial creature ¡®Devourer.¡¯ Larger than the imperial palace, its thick skin is said to be impervious even to bullets. Its sharp claws and teeth tear through the sky, and its death-filled eyes plunge the hearts of those who meet its gaze into an endless abyss. even in the midst of despair facing the primordial monster, the reason the century¡¯s strongest challengers endlessly challenge the ¡®Primordial Core¡¯ is the numerous weapons presumed to be buried within the dungeon, especially the 36 masterpieces¡­ ¡°¡­It¡¯s written like this. Certainly, as Devourer mentioned, after these books spread among humans, more and more people have been coming. I never thought humans who always came through the red path would choose the sludge path.¡± ¡°See, dungeon management requires know-how too. Look at some other dungeons. Just because you wrap it up in mystery, humans won¡¯t bother. You need to leak just enough information so that humans think, ¡®Oh, we know a lot about that dungeon!¡¯ and delude themselves. So, even while publishing books that are half imagination, rush in like a hornet. That¡¯s how we get hit hard like this.¡± ¡°Hehe, Devourer seems really smart. I couldn¡¯t calculate that side of things at all.¡± ¡°¡­Well, even so, I honestly didn¡¯t think they would rush in like this. Moreover, without even glancing, they went straight to the right path¡­¡± At Devourer¡¯s words, ¡®Blade Maid Renee¡¯ turned her head. Devourer¡¯s room, reminiscent of a cave without a ceiling. Dozens of corpses piled up in a corner caught the eye. ¡°Were there 74?¡± ¡°Yes. But there are only about 50 humans with intact equipment. The rest faced the ¡®116 Black Tentacles¡¯ and their equipment melted away, becoming useless. Looking at the intact equipment, each one seems to be quite valuable¡­¡± Devourer, seeming disappointed, turned away from Renee as if to divert her attention. Despite the spacious common area, it seemed uncomfortable to find a comfortable posture, and Devourer¡¯s body rapidly contracted with each breath. ©¤In an instant, Devourer, transformed into a human-like form, petted Renee¡¯s head, and then a giggling sound was heard. At times like this, she was truly just a child. Seeing the blush on Renee¡¯s face, it felt like such a thought. And in a manner that seemed quite unpleasant with that spectacle, ¡®Death Knight¡¯ Patrick spoke©¤ ¡°What a spectacle.¡± Showing a clearly annoyed expression, he tapped the table with his fingers. ¡°Hey, Renee? Boss? We gathered for a meeting, right? Not to play, right? But why are you two having so much fun? The atmosphere is so sweet that just breathing in the air feels like it¡¯ll give you cavities. We came to have a meeting, but we might end up with cavities instead. And Boss, if you¡¯re going to polymorph, wouldn¡¯t it be better to do it properly? The fingers that just petted Renee¡¯s head looked like they were six.¡± ¡°Oh, right. They are indeed six.¡± ¡°Last time, there were over 40 teeth. After transforming and laughing while grinning, saying ¡®I melted them with my gums,¡¯ it was truly chilling¡­¡± ¡°Patrick, your jaw clattering is too noisy.¡± ¡°Ha, this dungeon. It¡¯s screwed.¡± *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 2 ***[Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 2 ¡°What would you do if I got so stressed that my skull might actually split open?¡± Patrick said, adding with frustration as he grabbed his head. Whether it was because Patrick was pitiable or not, Devourer nodded towards Renee. Understanding Devourer¡¯s intention, Renee responded with a light gesture before slowly opening her mouth. ¡°All right, Mr. Patrick. Let¡¯s get to the point. You probably know¡­ humans have finally attempted an invasion on the right path. The problem is, the number and level of humans are exceptional, and ¡®116 Black Tentacles,¡¯ who were guarding the right path, are in a very precarious state.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. Mr. Tentacles isn¡¯t someone who would easily succumb to humans.¡± ¡°Perhaps because there were quite a few using flame-type magic. He couldn¡¯t handle flame magic well. Earlier, when dealing with those guys, sparks were flying everywhere. There were even flame pillars reaching up to the knees.¡± Still itching from the hits, Devourer scratched her knees vigorously. ¡°He had bad luck. The matchup wasn¡¯t in his favor.¡± ¡°Indeed, there were quite a few wizards. When I roughly counted while retrieving equipment, more than half were magic users.¡± ¡°So, how is Mr. Tentacles now? Is he at the brink of death? Or¡­?¡± ¡°He was in a state where he either rooted himself completely underground or couldn¡¯t avoid getting completely burned. All visible tentacles were burned away, and the problem is the core of the tentacles¡­ The state of the core is not good either. We¡¯ll have to wait and see, but in the current situation, it seems unlikely for a complete recovery.¡± It was undoubtedly a fierce battle. Considering the nature of tentacles, they prefer a method of penetrating prey like a spear when hunting. Pouring acid on prey to use them as spawning material became impossible in many ways. A tentacle that attacked humans ruthlessly without choosing means and methods likely meant there was no time for even thoughts. The fact that the humans who invaded this time were strong opponents indicated as much. S?a??h the ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°So, complete recovery is impossible?¡± ¡°We need to observe a bit more, but based on the current situation, that seems to be the case.¡± There was a moment of silence in the heavy atmosphere. Patrick, who seemed to have something to say, closed his mouth, feeling the unusually somber mood. Devourer was the first to break the silence. ¡°Well, let¡¯s not worry too much. Tentacles always had exceptional regenerative abilities.¡± ¡°Right, when the boss first brought him, he was almost dead. At first, I thought the boss brought a corpse of Tentacles.¡± ¡°Unfortunate, but Tentacles wasn¡¯t able to stop the humans. That¡¯s also a fact.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± This was a dungeon. Even from the monster¡¯s perspective, it was a battlefield where allies were dying. Letting the enemy break through without fulfilling the assigned mission was a big mistake in itself. Moreover, the defeat of the right-hand man of the boss monster, not an ordinary monster, should be held accountable. ¡°Let¡¯s see how it goes, and if necessary, we have no choice but to look for another gatekeeper.¡± ¡°Oh, boss. Then, when you find one, please bring two. I might as well quit when that happens.¡± ¡°No, even if only your rib bones remain, you should still protect our dungeon, right?¡± ¡°If only you could show me a half of the kindness you show to Ms. Renee?¡± While Patrick spoke with a resentful gaze, Devourer yawned as if she was deliberately bored. ¡°¡­ Regardless of what happened, now humans will continue to come from the right path. They might organize another large-scale expedition soon.¡± So far, most of those who attacked the ¡®Primordial Core¡¯ chose the left path, and every time, Renee¡¯s retaliation was relentless. It was also a fact that the perception had been formed that ¡®Even the gatekeepers cannot win in this dungeon, the Primordial Core.¡¯ In such a situation, the expedition force that suddenly chose the right path defeated ¡®116 Black Tentacles,¡¯ the most outer defense, which achieved the goal of confirming the true identity of the boss that had been hidden in the unknown so far. A faint ¡®ray of hope¡¯ emerged, as they might be able to conquer the Primordial Core. ¡°If I may add one more thing, humans may already be organizing a new expedition. Nowadays, humans use communication magic like oracles quite actively, so the information that a gap has appeared in the right sewage path might have already spread.¡± I¡¯m not sure how far communication magic reaches, but it¡¯s highly likely that they communicated after defeating the tentacles. Humans are not the type to just stand by and watch when a gap they¡¯ve finally created is being filled. They¡¯ve always been like that. Humans steadily gnawed away at dungeons, using such methods. This time will probably be no different. If the human horde returns, they might reorganize a large-scale expedition soon to head for the right sewage path. ¡ª I won¡¯t fall for such an obvious tactic. ¡°So, we need to plan accordingly.¡± With a serious tone devoid of playfulness, Devourer spoke with a sly smile. ¡°Listen up, both of you. We¡¯re changing our positions.¡± ¡°What? I thought you were going to come up with some amazing plan again.¡± ¡°No, listen. It¡¯s really amazing. First, Renee, you guarded the left red path, right? From today, Renee, you¡¯ll guard the right sewage path. If my prediction is correct, the next expedition will definitely go that way, thinking that path is empty. Renee, you just need to block them.¡± ¡°Renee can handle even if several come, Sir Devourer.¡± ¡°¡­Next, the left red path that Renee originally guarded will be taken over by Patrick. If the humans notice that Renee is on the right sewage path, they¡¯ll likely turn towards the left red path where Renee originally was. Then, Patrick, you just need to block them. This way, we can prevent two invasions.¡± ¡°Just a moment? Boss? What if the humans blocked by Renee don¡¯t enter the left red path, but instead, go into the central blue path? What will you do then?¡± ¡°Then, is there a way to escape? It¡¯s like having a direct date with me.¡± ¡°No, what kind of sloppy plan is this¡­¡± He added more words, but Devourer just tilted her head without saying anything. Without entertaining any dissent, Patrick marveled. He genuinely marveled. It was admiration that spontaneously burst out because it was so absurd. ¡°Patrick, there¡¯s something you overlooked. Humans are so stupid that they can¡¯t even imagine that we would think this much. This is a perfect plan.¡± ¡°The moment the words ¡®unavoidably¡­¡¯ came into the plan, it fell apart. Renee, what are you saying this time¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect, Sir Devourer!¡± ¡°¡­I expected this reaction, to be honest.¡± With a sparkling gaze, Renee looked at Devourer. After staring at the silver-haired maid for a while, Patrick muttered dryly. Yeah, let¡¯s just give up on everything. * * * ¡°As for other dungeon improvement suggestions, first, ¡®There¡¯s too much trash left by humans in room 3, when are you going to clean it up?¡¯ and¡­¡± ¡°Room 3? Did the guys from room 3 suggest this? Are we the janitors? Who told them to submit dungeon improvement requests? Where are they now? What are they doing?¡± ¡°They were wiped out this time.¡± ¡°Next.¡± ¡°Next, ¡®What¡¯s the concept of our dungeon, exactly?¡¯ and¡­¡± ¡°This question is so useless that it¡¯s probably Patrick¡¯s suggestion.¡± Patrick¡¯s jaw, itching to respond, wobbled. When he met the gaze of Devourer, he naturally averted his eyes. ¡°Well, anything is fine, just submit whatever complaints you have.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just sigh.¡± ¡°The concept¡­ I¡¯ll try my best. Renee, read the next one.¡± ¡°Yes. The next suggestion¡­ that was the last one, Sir Devourer.¡± This time, Renee awkwardly smiled and quickly distanced herself. A small piece of paper fell to the ground behind Renee. ¡ºRather than eating the food made by Renee, I¡¯d rather die¡­¡» ¡°What is this!?¡± When Patrick, who noticed the fallen paper, extended his bony words, the sound of black shoes stepping on the paper echoed. Stepping on the paper as it was, Devourer laughed coldly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± ¡ªDevourer also pretended not to see. The meeting was coming to an end. In essence, the biggest topic of the meeting was the invasion of humans, so once they decided to change their positions, there was no need to drag on the meeting. ¡°Lastly, we have ¡®income distribution¡¯ left.¡± Saying that, Renee rummaged through the front pocket of her white apron. Two thin sheets of parchment came out from the front pocket. Showing the list written on the parchment to Devourer, Renee spoke. ¡°Excluding the ones that are damaged and unusable, quite a few came out this time. It seems that there were quite a few heads among the humans who came this time.¡± ¡°Handle it as we always do. Use what we can use on our side to the fullest, and the useless ones can be used as bait for the next guys or stored in the warehouse.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the detailed distribution, Sir Devourer. But for magical items, there are not many usable monsters this time, and if we detach the magical stones separately, it might fetch a decent amount of money if we sell them. Shouldn¡¯t we sell them?¡± ¡°Oh. Then, I might as well visit the human village after a while. Most of the food made by humans is delicious. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to buy a lot with the money we¡¯ve earned. However, Renee going there¡­ Maybe transforming into a human is too awkward, so you might be exposed quickly, Boss.¡± ¡°Uh, um, Sir Devourer. Actually, Renee also has a similar thought to Mr. Patrick¡­ That is¡­¡± ¡°¡­Then bring back a lot of delicious things.¡± In quick resignation, Renee forced a smile, as if apologizing. ¡°As for the armor, distribute it as much as possible, sell magical items separately to humans, and¡­ after sorting everything out, there¡¯s one thing left, this sword.¡± ¡°A sword? What sword? Is it something special?¡± The one who reacted to Devourer¡¯s question before Renee was Patrick. As soon as the words ended, Patrick, who stood up from his seat, headed towards a pile of human corpses. From within, he pulled out a large greatsword that seemed to be at least 2 meters long. ¡°The sword the leader of the recent expedition team was using.¡± Vern¡¯s greatsword. Gripping the sword with one hand, Patrick exerted force on his wrist and swung the sword, producing a loud and rhythmic sound as it cut through the air. After a few turns, he stabbed the sword back into the ground, speaking with a serious tone. ¡°As heard, it¡¯s light, and the blade is sharp. To handle it properly, you¡¯ll need effort and talent, but it¡¯s such a good sword that even a beginner can easily cut through rocks. Seeing someone carrying this, it seems the guy who came this time was quite strong.¡± ¡°Indeed, compared to the humans from before, they were tenacious and managed to avoid damage skillfully. But what kind of sword is it?¡± ¡°Oh, this. It¡¯s famous among humans. Boss might have heard of it, but it¡¯s one of the 36 Masterpieces¡­ it¡¯s quite a famous weapon, called Tanabella or something like that. Anyway, you can think of it as something good. One of the labels Renee has is also one of the 36 Masterpieces.¡± ¡°¡­Humans carry such good things.¡± ¡°Even if you have that level of equipment, it won¡¯t be able to conquer the dungeon. Ultimately, where you place this sword is the key. Well, even if we give it to the monsters near the entrance, it will be taken back by humans, and if something like this gets into human hands again, we¡¯ll be in trouble.¡± ¡°The monsters near the entrance were all wiped out, so we can¡¯t give it to them.¡± ¡°Since it turned out that way, Boss should take care of it¡­¡± ¡°Then you should take it.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Patrick, you use a sword too, right? Isn¡¯t it something you can use?¡± ¡°Well, but if Renee also has a label, and she¡¯s using it well¡­¡± ¡°Just now, didn¡¯t you say, ¡®Renee also has one¡¯? If you each have one, it would be better. Renee, what do you think?¡± Saying so, Devourer smiled at Renee. Then, with a wink and a red face, she looked at Renee, mixing embarrassment with a slightly flirtatious expression. Blushing and flustered, Renee stammered out her answer. ¡°Y-yes! Of course! Since Renee already has one!¡± Mumbling and fumbling, Renee took out what she had from her front pocket¡ªa small blade with a wrapped handle and no hilt. ¡°S-since I have this, the ¡®Fang of Execution,¡¯ it¡¯s okay! Even if I didn¡¯t have something like this, R-Renee always follows Devourer¡¯s choices¡­¡± Still under the influence of Devourer¡¯s laughter, Renee, who was still stumbling, looked at Devourer with a somewhat embarrassed expression. Devourer, still under the influence of that laughter, scratched the back of her head as she added an explanation. ¡°As you can see, Patrick. It¡¯s decided that you¡¯ll have the one you have.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ really¡­? Ah¡­ I see¡­ Haha! Well, there¡¯s no help for it! Since it¡¯s Boss¡¯s command! Since I received the order, I¡¯ll take it.¡± Despite Patrick¡¯s attempts to hide his joy, his chin continued to rattle noisily. Devourer, briefly contemplating how to react to such an overt response, tried to maintain an indifferent expression, pretending not to notice. Since a while ago, whenever there was a gap during the meeting, Patrick kept glancing at the sword, his reaction clearly indicating his intense desire. Devourer, pondering for a moment on how to respond to such an obvious display, managed to put on a poker face, feigning nonchalance. ¡°Since I gave you the sword, tear up the resignation letter you hid in your ribcage.¡± She Devoured those words with forced composure, as Patrick, who had been looking forward to it, eagerly shook his head again. The atmosphere was becoming more relaxed, and Devourer decided to change the subject. This place was called the ¡®Primordial Core.¡¯ A place where the fearsome Homunculus Maid, the Death Knight emitting deathly energy, and the colossal Ancient Monster resided. *** [Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 3 [Translator ¨C Kie]Chapter 3 Today, the weather is nice. No signs of human presence can be felt in the vicinity. Stretching while facing the chilly wind, I opened my eyes. The dungeon interior lacks proper ventilation, making the air too stuffy and humid. With the mix of magic and stench emitted by some monsters, it feels like my nose is about to clog. My apologies to Mr Devourer, but it seems the outside air is more pleasant. Thinking like that, Renee Relow looked down at the ground. The view of a forest where refreshing green and subtle light green are appropriately mixed. The wind touching the cheek. The sound of leaves rustling. The chirping of small birds flying around. Closing my eyes, I tilted my head up slowly. Opening my eyes again, the vast sky filled my vision. The right eye, damaged in a past battle, squints slightly, and even the faintly hazy clouds still look beautiful. In the past, when I was confined in a giant flask, I couldn¡¯t have imagined such things. I dislike humans, but human villages are quite enjoyable. The lively atmosphere, different from the dungeon, is intriguing. More than that, whether I¡¯ve truly become a maid to the bone, my heart is lifted at the thought of buying the necessities for housekeeping. The pink lips that always maintained composure when Devourer wasn¡¯t around now formed a smile. In one hand, a leather bag filled with plenty of magic stones. Wearing a long robe that reaches below the knees inside out, Renee turned her steps towards Hastin. * * * ¡°Miss, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t possibly buy these.¡± In a low, robust voice, Renee asked shortly, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The magic stones you brought, Miss, I may lack the skill to accurately sense them, but they¡¯re all high-grade magic stones. In terms of rank, they are at least Grade B or higher.¡± The shop owner, with his tan skin, expressed a perplexed look as he fiddled with the magic stones. ¡°At this level, only high-ranking wizards from the Imperial Palace or advanced sorcerers from the Tower could use them. Magic is finicky, and using magic stones of a higher level than the user¡¯s skill can cause mana backlash.¡± The well-built owner glanced at Renee, who remained composed with a stoic expression and silence. Afterward, he lowered his body beneath the counter. A moment later, what he placed on the counter was a safe with a double-lock mechanism. As if to show something, the shop owner started unlocking the safe. From Renee¡¯s perspective, placing a safe where important items were stored in front of a customer was incomprehensible. However, from the owner¡¯s perspective, it was a display of trust towards the customer. Simultaneously, it was an expression of the unspoken saying, ¡°The items I have are of such low value compared to yours that I can openly display them.¡± The owner¡¯s words were also a form of understated expression. After a few clicking sounds, the owner pulled out a magic stone emitting a yellow light from the safe. ¡°Take a look, Miss. This is a Grade B magic stone. It¡¯s the most expensive item in our store. To buy just one of these, an ordinary citizen like us would have to save up relentlessly for about ten years. But the magic stones you brought are all larger than this one. Of course, size doesn¡¯t necessarily mean better.¡± As if saying, ¡®Unfortunately,¡¯ the shop owner put the magic stone he was holding back into the safe. ¡°To buy all of those, I¡¯d have to sell the store and still go into debt. Probably, the situation would be the same elsewhere. A place dealing with such high-grade magic stones¡­ Let¡¯s see, maybe a jeweler in the capital who has a covenant with the palace or a thriving Tower guild might handle them.¡± Hearing that, Renee furrowed her brow. The capital was too far away. More importantly, with a total of 74 members, it was a large-scale extermination team, and there was a high possibility that the Imperial Palace was involved in the formation process. If she went to a jeweler who had a covenant with the palace, and the humans who appraised the magic stones recognized their true nature¡­ ¡®Things will get out of control.¡¯ Since she didn¡¯t want to create unnecessary trouble. ¡°The capital¡¯s too far . Where¡¯s the closest Tower?¡± ¡°Well, a Tower¡­ There is one, but I can¡¯t guarantee they¡¯ll buy the magic stones. It¡¯s a Tower guild that focuses on dungeon conquest rather than treating magic as a scholarly pursuit.¡± ¡°Where is it located?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see, it¡¯s a Magic Tower called ¡®Wing.¡¯ If you head straight down the main road to the right of the Liberation Monument in the Grand Square, you should find it. It¡¯s a giant tower, about nine floors high, so you should easily spot it. They all called it ¡®Wing.''¡± ¡°To the right of the Grand Square¡­¡± Ending her words vaguely, Renee slowly closed her mouth. The girl, who clenched her fist and squinted her eyes, seemed to be drawing a path in her mind. Whether caught up in a strange atmosphere or for some other reason, the shop owner stared blankly at the silver-haired girl standing in front of him. For almost a minute, an awkward silence lingered, and only when the owner realized the situation and was about to say something did Renee slowly open her lips. ¡°Yeah, I think I know. Thanks, human.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, you¡¯re welcome. Sorry I couldn¡¯t buy them. Rather strange girl, aren¡¯t you? Even though you¡¯re a human too.¡± Before the owner could finish his sentence, the door made a creaking sound as it opened. The shop owner finally noticed a small magic stone left on the counter and shouted to Renee, ¡°Hey, Miss! You left this here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a tip.¡± With those words, Renee left without turning back. The shop owner, with a bemused expression, laughed as the door closed. Responding to Renee¡¯s lack of courtesy was impossible, and the girl seemed quite dismissive¡ªor rather, she appeared eager to finish the conversation quickly. Moreover, addressing each other as ¡®human¡¯ was something he hadn¡¯t seen before. Given the valuable magic stones she possessed, she might be a caretaker in a well-off noble house. After all, nobles raised in luxury all tended to have eccentric personalities. The strange behavior and speech weren¡¯t completely incomprehensible. With a sound like ¡®kiki,¡¯ the door closed. The shop owner, with a puzzled expression, couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the closed door until the end. ¡°Well, well, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a peculiar girl.¡± * * * The distance to the Grand Square was quite close. The buildings near the square were not taller than three floors, making it easy to find the Tower. Upon reaching the Tower after wandering the streets expressionlessly, Renne¡¯s first action upon discovering the Tower was to sigh. It was a sigh of relief. If she hadn¡¯t found the Tower, she would have had to ask humans for directions again, and conversing with humans was stressful enough for someone who disliked them. ¡°No ordinary folks allowed. Go back, go back.¡± At first, the gatekeeper blocking Renne¡¯s path was reluctant, but as soon as she silently showed the magic stones, he quickly stepped aside. Afterwards, climbing up to the 7th floor of the Tower was instantaneous. The structure of the Tower was simpler than expected. At the same time, it was a familiar sight. Dozens of humans gathered on each floor. Each one repetitively practiced using a staff with a single magic stone embedded in it, and as they ascended, the level of the humans increased. Judging by the size of the magic stone attached to the staff, it was clear. The explanation from the merchant she met earlier seemed to make a bit more sense. ¡®¡­Is there a leader of the Tower at the top of the Tower?¡¯ The humans of the Tower resembled us. Human Towers resembled dungeons. The Tower consisted of human wizards, just like a dungeon. With this thought in mind, Renne climbed the stairs to the 8th floor. Around the middle of the stairs, Renne¡¯s shoulders twitched for a moment. ¡®¡­Quite a high amount of mana.¡¯ A faint but noticeable flow of eerie mana. ¡°You¡¯ve traveled a long way. Welcome.¡± A young human woman was sitting. She appeared to be in her late twenties to early thirties. She had red hair twisted up like a whirlpool, and a pattern of a snake and flag wrapped around her chest¡ªRenne learned that the patterns on clothes represented the lineage of nobles. The nobility of her family was clear. S~?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The only thing puzzling was that, unlike the other humans Renne had seen so far, she wasn¡¯t holding a staff. However, the source of concentrated mana was undoubtedly this woman. She probably had a separate weapon for exclusive use. Renne wrinkled her brow. Nothing about humans pleased her¡ªneither their appearances, gazes, nor the flow of mana. If they had met in a dungeon, she would have slaughtered them with dozens of pieces. ¡°You carried that heavy bag all the way up to the 8th floor?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Well, never mind that. Surprising. I thought a peddler or an old beggar came to visit when they said a stranger arrived.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°No words? Well, okay. According to the guards, you brought a lot of magic stones. You must have heard about the reputation of our Tower, ¡®Wing,¡¯ right? I believe you¡¯ve brought advanced magic stones that match our level. Last time, someone brought a bunch of E-grade magic stones and couldn¡¯t even break even. I hope it¡¯s not the case this time, miss.¡± Laughter echoed from all around as the woman finished speaking. Meanwhile, the sound of Renne¡¯s footsteps climbing the stairs was faintly audible. It was more of an irritation than embarrassment. She wanted to draw her hidden weapon from the robe immediately¡ª ¡®If I cause a disturbance, I won¡¯t have a face to meet Devourer.¡¯ [Translator ¨C Kie] Trying her best not to react, Renne put down the bag. At the same time, the sound of spilled contents caught the woman¡¯s attention. Her stiff expression could be seen above her unblinking eyes. For several seconds, she stared blankly at the spilled contents, then cleared her throat and fully opened the bag. In the meantime, some humans who had been watching from here and there also gathered to see what was inside. Soon, what became visible made the woman¡¯s expression solidify. Her frozen face only blinked her eyes. It seemed like her open mouth wouldn¡¯t close subconsciously. After staring blankly at the spilled contents for a few seconds, she cleared her throat, and then completely unraveled the bag. Finally, some of the humans who had been watching from various places also gathered to see the contents of the bag. Following that were stiff body movements and expressions that seemed incomprehensible. ¡°Where did you get this¡­?¡± ¡°How much are you selling it for?¡± The small girl with silver hair peeking through her robe remained expressionless amidst the murmurs. * * * It was unbelievable. Graumitz Amer, the leader of ¡®Wing¡¯ ¨C the largest mage tower guild in Hastin, was speechless. A common robe, usually worn by ordinary people, turned inside out on a peddler. From that peddler¡¯s bag emerged not just one or two, but over 20 B-grade magic stones. Among them, some were in such good condition that they could rival A-grade magic stones. These were genuine, not fakes. Even if someone could deceive others¡¯ eyes, they couldn¡¯t deceive Amer¡¯s eyes. He was confident in that, and indeed, Amer had never been wrong in his emotional assessment, not even once. Even if it were something seen with the naked eye. ¡®How can this kid have something like this?¡¯ For a group of magicians with this level of magic stones, what would their capabilities be? Amer quickly turned his head while maintaining composure. Perhaps they could easily sweep through most dungeons. The Seven Great Evil Dungeons might be challenging, but other than that, they might be capable of conquering any dungeon. Above all, with this quantity of magic stones as a foundation, gathering skilled individuals, it might be possible. To move away from a small Barony like Hastin and become the largest Mage Guild in the Empire. Graumitz Amer¡¯s gaze returned back to the girl. [Translator ¨C Kie] Chapter 4 ***[Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 4 The girl with silver hair that seemed delicate still maintained a neutral expression. Upon closer inspection, her arms and legs were slender. She appeared young, and it was highly unlikely that a child like her would have conquered a dungeon to obtain magic stones¡­ ¡®She must be from a prominent family.¡¯ A sudden thought flashed through Amer¡¯s mind. Among the nine imperial families, there was one with a hereditary trait of having silver hairs. A shabby robe, clearly an attempt to conceal her appearance. ¡°A shabby robe¡­ silver hair¡­¡¯ Two pieces of information formed in Amer¡¯s mind. Pure conjecture. But if, by chance, the daughter of that family had ran away with the family¡¯s treasure, the magical stones, the pieces seemed to fit together. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been impolite. I never thought this would be such a valuable commodity.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Alright. Our guild ¡®Wing¡¯ intends to purchase these magical stones. But first, let¡¯s introduce ourselves properly. I am Graumitz Amer, leader of the Magic tower Guild ¡®Wing.¡¯ If it¡¯s possible, may I know your name?¡± ¡°Re¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Ren.¡± ¡°Ren, your surname¡­ No, such trivialities don¡¯t matter. You don¡¯t need to mention your family. Let¡¯s proceed to the transaction. How much are you willing to sell for? All of them?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s quite a lot.¡± Amer, trying to maintain composure, felt a cold sweat on his forehead. It was disconcerting not being able to read the other party¡¯s expression during negotiations. Moreover, in this situation where an audacious response was given without hesitation, determining the price was a dilemma. He couldn¡¯t gauge whether to quote high or low. The only thought occupying Amer¡¯s mind was that he had to somehow secure the deal. ¡°Bring out all the gold and jewels we have in the guild.¡± After sending a signal to the guild members around, Amer pretended to examine the magical stones. We can¡¯t let her think that we can¡¯t afford the stones. ¡°How much were you planning to inquire about?¡± ¡°The price is on your end.¡± ¡°How about 50 ounces per piece? For the ones in good condition, we could go up to 80 ounces.¡± Upon hearing this, Ren paused for a moment. ¡°To buy just one of these, commoners like us would have to save up relentlessly for ten years.¡± The words of a merchant she had met earlier came to Ren¡¯s mind. For an ordinary human like Ren, the money earned from a year¡¯s work amounted to about 10 ounces of gold. It would take 10 years to save up 100 ounces. ¡°But aren¡¯t the magical stones you brought larger than this?¡± ¡°Mock me again, and you¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°Ha, hahaha. I jest. But honestly, even if our ¡®Wing¡¯ pooled all our money together, we couldn¡¯t afford them all.¡± ¡°Then buy as much as you can.¡± ¡°However, Ren, judging by your attire, it seems you don¡¯t want your identity exposed¡­ Our guild prioritizes customer confidentiality, but if you roam around selling magical stones, rumors will spread.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, by the way, just a thought. I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand. I¡¯m not trying to threaten you; I¡¯m genuinely concerned.¡± With a friendly expression, Amer slowly approached Ren. It wasn¡¯t a comforting statement, yet there was truth in what Amer said. It wouldn¡¯t be wise to wander around openly selling these difficult-to-move items. Renee nodded in affirmation as a sign. Shortly after, two wizards arrived in front of Amer, placing a box down. ¡°As you can see, this is all of it. It¡¯s just shy of 2,000 ounces in gold. But considering the situation, it might be best to conclude the entire transaction here.¡± ¡°Get to the point.¡± ¡°As part of the entire deal, I was considering adding a few more valuable items. How about it?¡± ¡°What items?¡± ¡°We have plenty prepared. They¡¯re mostly gems, if that helps.¡± ¡°Is their value certain?¡± ¡°There might be some variance, but most of these items have a history of previous transactions.¡± ¡°They should be easy to sell.¡± ¡°You need not worry about that.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°¡­Well then, let¡¯s take a look.¡± Contrary to Amer¡¯s expectations of Renee having more deliberation, her response was straightforward. Amer smiled, feigning nonchalance. It was a smile tinged with pretense, but Renee seemed unbothered by any of Amer¡¯s facial changes, emitting a small sigh as if dismissing such expressions. After the brief conversation, Amer guided them upstairs. The top floor, the 9th floor. Renee followed Amer with her belongings. On the 9th floor of the Matap, apart from the two wizards who had just ascended with Amer, there was no trace of any other human presence. ¡°This is our Magic tower¡¯s warehouse.¡± Amer stopped after explaining, allowing Renee to take a brief scan of the space. Contrary to expectations of a cluttered collection of dusty magical tools, the area was adorned with neatly arranged vibrant-colored chests and jewelry. If a human emperor were to create a treasure vault, it might look somewhat similar to this. Renee had no way of knowing why the leader of Magic tower had arranged such a space, but knowing wouldn¡¯t change anything. Quietly, she tapped the heel of her shoe on the floor and observed the items. There was mostly jewelry and gems that nobles would fancy. ¡°These gems aren¡¯t bad.¡± She didn¡¯t particularly harbor personal desires for jewelry, but as Amer mentioned, such gems were easy to convert. Their value wasn¡¯t likely to depreciate easily. ¡°This necklace was worn by the daughter of the Elaha family, executed during a coup half a century ago. It¡¯s a rare treasure obtained from the boss during last year¡¯s expedition in the ¡®Cursed Deep Swamp¡¯ dungeon.¡± As they moved, Renee halted in front of a black pearl. ¡°This is the ¡®Living Black Pearl.¡¯ It emits a baby¡¯s cry if poison is nearby. Nobles who fear poisonings favor this. Most of those nobles are rather dubious individuals, but regardless, it¡¯s a work crafted through alchemy¡­ Oh my, you seem quite uncomfortable, Ren. Well, alchemy is considered an unsanitary discipline, so many people have aversions to it.¡± As if trying to avoid discomfort, Renee quickened her pace. ¡°This tiara is made of a 4-carat diamond. It was a treasure bestowed by the prince when he rescued the lost second prince from the ¡®Spider¡¯s Keep¡¯ dungeon¡­ Not interested? And that one¡­ it¡¯s not much. The ¡®Crimson Love Stone.¡¯ Let¡¯s pass on that too. The next ring is¡­¡± The clicking sound of her shoes stopped again. When Amer turned his head, Renee was standing in front of a red heart-shaped gem. ¡°¡­The Scarlet Love Stone?¡± ¡°Oh, are you interested in this? This is also a magical stone. Rather than a gem infused with magic, this stone artificially injects magic into the gem¡­ Perhaps it¡¯s a gem that brings love. In my view, it¡¯s not particularly necessary for you¡­¡± ¡°Details.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Please explain to me in detail.¡± For a moment, Amer was taken aback and fell silent. His face slightly furrowed, seemingly not understanding the situation. The silver-haired girl remained expressionless. Her intentions remained unreadable from what was visible on the surface. A few seconds of silence passed. ¡°Umm¡­¡± Soon enough, Amer, as if joyous, began speaking. His lips curved into a sticky smile as he uttered his clumsy words. ¡°Well, there¡¯s not much to explain. When mana is infused into this gem in front of someone you love, the spirits within the gem grant eternal love between the two. You¡¯ll receive boundless love until death.¡± ¡°Exceptions?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as flimsy as having exceptions.¡± ¡°Against anyone? Can you guarantee it?¡± ¡°I stake our Magic tower¡¯s name and affirm it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take this.¡± As Renee made her decision, Amer discreetly swallowed his dryness, then pretended to ponder. Afterward, Amer¡¯s second smile was one filled with malice, the corners of his mouth almost reaching his ears. ¡°Do you truly like this?¡± ¡°Absolutely with this gem.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Well, I didn¡¯t mention it thinking that you¡¯d like it¡­ Unfortunately, it¡¯s a bit difficult to offer this. Unlike others, this gem holds a hefty price. It¡¯s valuable enough to exchange for an empire because with this single gem, one could even capture the heart of the Emperor. It¡¯s our Magic tower¡¯s top treasure. I¡¯m sorry, but this might be challenging. It¡¯d be better to see other things¡­¡± ¡°I need that.¡± ¡°¡­While I understand your sentiment, that particular gem is not possible.¡± ¡°How about this then?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This¡­ What about this?¡± A hesitation crept into Renee¡¯s previously blunt expression. From under her robe, the girl pulled out something¡­ ¡°Why do you¡­?¡± Before Amer could express his amazement, a question burst out. There was nothing more surprising left. While words were uttered in such a manner, his mind was cheering for this unexpected turn. ¡°All you managed to swindle, Leader.¡± S?a?ch* Th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°She¡¯s clearly clueless. People like her who have no idea of the world need a wake-up call.¡± Watching the silver-haired girl leave the Magic tower with light footsteps, Haim, a member of ¡®Wing,¡¯ settled down beside Amer. Haim sighed, a mixture of concern and resignation, staring at the ground. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. That¡¯s not at the level of deceit, right? What you give away is a sealed demon gem.¡± ¡°So what? She wanted it herself, right? Besides, it¡¯s actually expensive. That thing, it¡¯s so strong that it can kill most creatures instantly. I don¡¯t know who that blunt and unlucky kid fancies, but the other party¡¯s going to be quite unfortunate.¡± ¡°Human lives are not a joke. That child will really die.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re feeling guilty now. If you wanted to stop it, you could have said something earlier. It¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Besides, isn¡¯t it somewhat okay? At least they won¡¯t suffer much after they die.¡± At the words ¡®they will die,¡¯ Haim¡¯s brow furrowed. He wanted to argue, to express his thoughts about what kind of mindset this person had. But it wasn¡¯t a rational conversation. He slowly began to understand that. As Amer stood up, he smirked darkly. His smile was closer to that of a torn monster¡¯s grin than a human¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s with the seriousness? It¡¯s something to celebrate. Come on, we¡¯ve finally reached the top.¡± *** [Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 5 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 5 ¡°I¡¯m sorry for coming so suddenly. It¡¯s always a favor.¡± ¡°No need to apologize. Helping each other among neighbors is only natural. I had nothing to do anyway.¡± Snip, a sound echoed as a few strands of Renee¡¯s silver hair fell to the ground. Elizabeth Batory, the boss of ¡®Cheite Castle,¡¯ one of the The Seven Great Evil Dungeons, chuckled. Each time her beauty scissors moved swiftly, Renee¡¯s body trembled slightly. Whether it was because the length of the falling hair was longer than she thought or not, Renee¡¯s gaze kept turning toward the ground. Ignoring Renee¡¯s uneasy behavior, Batory hummed a tune happily. ¡°As expected, anything looks beautiful if the foundation is pretty. When I went inside the dungeon last time, it was quite humid, but living in a place like that, having such smooth skin is cheating, really. I envy the Humunculus in times like this. Not aging at all.¡± ¡°Even if you say that, Miss Batory, you look much younger than Renee. Your skin is much fairer too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t flatter me. How much blood do you think I use in a day?¡± At Batory¡¯s lament, Renee smiled awkwardly. She didn¡¯t express her thanks, but Renee¡¯s blushing face was conveying gratitude. Batory, with a satisfied expression, looked at Renee¡¯s reflection in the mirror. In the mirror, instead of a ¡®Blood-stained Homunculus,¡¯ there was an ¡®Ordinary, shy girl.¡¯ ¡°By the way, Renee. Who are you dressing up for? Are you trying to impress someone? Confessing your feelings, perhaps?¡± ¡°Confession¡­ Yes, I¡¯m going to confess. Yes, I¡¯ll confess.¡± ¡°Huh? Is it real? I thought it was a joke. Then who¡¯s the other person? Don¡¯t tell me, a human?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s Mr. Devourer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making an incredible joke so casually.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a joke. I¡¯m going to confess to Mr. Devourer this time.¡± Perplexed, Batory waved her hand, and the ghost in the form of a maid, which had brought the full-length mirror, nodded and hid its appearance. After confirming that there was no one around, Batory whispered to Renee. ¡°¡­Is it serious? Are you really confessing to Devourer? What¡¯s good about him? Isn¡¯t he a bastard whose strengths are hard to even point out?¡± ¡°He has lots of strengths. He¡¯s reliable.¡± ¡°Reliable¡­ Yeah, he must be the most reliable in the world. I guess he¡¯d protect you even if a great flood happened. But he¡¯s so lazy that it emphasizes his reliability. On top of that, he¡¯s unnecessarily big, so his laziness stands out more.¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s lazy. He¡¯s big. He eats sloppily, sleeps as he pleases every day, snores when he sleeps. He¡¯s even developed a belly recently.¡± ¡®If you¡¯re going to confess, you¡¯re saying quite harsh things.¡¯ Smirking at Batory, Renee also laughed. Maintaining her smile, Batory looked at Renee¡¯s reflection in the mirror again. In the mirror was a girl in love. Nothing less, nothing more. * * * The capital of the empire, Riaze. Although it was named a city, its size surpassed that of several ordinary cities combined. It was an exceptional case where a city had absorbed and swelled up other cities around it through economic and political pressure, becoming a city-state, so some referred to it as such. With the power and military might to stand against bordering nations, it served as the ultimate destination where all culture and wealth converged. It was the city of the emperor, the heart of the empire, essentially the empire itself. Therefore, everything outstanding in the empire existed in Riaze, and the most crucial institutions were gathered there. Even the ¡°Dungeon Raid Union Headquarters,¡± which managed numerous expedition teams and handled vital dungeon-related information, was no exception. The grand hall of the ¡°Dungeon Raid Union Headquarters¡± was adorned with golden shields and patterns of silver swords on the carpet and curtains. The huge room, with the imperial flag decorating it, created an atmosphere reminiscent of a banquet. However, at the center of that space was not a spacious stage but a large and glamorous round table. Those surrounding the splendid round table were all individuals of noble status. By looking at the chandelier hanging above the center of the table and the luxurious glassware placed as numerous as the chairs, one could gauge their positions. However, in such a place, the things that usually would be seen, like personal bodyguards or symbols of each family¡¯s influence, were nowhere to be found. Amidst the hustle and bustle, only an eerie atmosphere of fear permeated the space. Two days had passed since Vern H¨¹schaltz, one of the empire¡¯s three heroes, led his expedition team towards the Primordial Core. No one had returned. The foul energy emanating from the Primordial Core persisted. Humans, Vern Hishutslt¡¯s, and his expedition team. ¡°¡­It is presumed that they have been annihilated.¡± They had lost. Even though it was stated as a presumption, no one accepted it as such. It was a clear declaration of death. Using a concise formal announcement as a pretext, anger and screams that had been barely suppressed began erupting all around. It was quite a sight to see normally composed nobles shouting in such a manner. Truly, it was chaos. But it was only natural because no one sitting around this table had anticipated such a situation. In the midst of the chaos, questions were thrown. The anger that had been wandering aimlessly, having lost its target, was directed toward the young man reporting the results. Questions and accusations poured towards him as if he had done something wrong. When asked how they could claim annihilation when no bodies were found, the answer came that not even corpses were discovered. To the question of whether they hadn¡¯t easily defeated the guards up to the gateway, the response was that communication had been lost since then. To the question of whether it made sense for Vern to die at the hands of monsters¡ª No answer came. An absurd barrage of questions in the midst of a chaotic scene. In the midst of that chaotic scene, amidst the discomfort and silence, the unprecedented investor, ¡®Phaemore du Bellaie,¡¯ let out a heavy sigh. Amidst the grey strands of hair pushed back, sporadic patches of white revealed the burden he carried. ¡°These idiots¡­¡± In this chaos, it seemed that more than half of those present still hadn¡¯t grasped the situation. The Primordial Core was not as large or complex a dungeon as one might think. Although each room was unusually spacious, the dungeon itself wasn¡¯t as massive as to take days and nights to traverse. Considering this, Vern¡¯s expedition team, led by Phaemore, ventured into the dungeon without even preparing a day¡¯s worth of provisions. If the load is too heavy, it results in a loss of agility, which translates to a loss of strength. Especially when it¡¯s not a dungeon that will take several days to conquer. Either kill them all on the same day you enter, or be killed by all. ¡ªTwo days had passed since they entered such a dungeon. s?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. And what¡¯s this? How can you say they were annihilated? All this time, have we, experts who regarded fools as nothing more than blockheads, been sitting here and discussing with these idiots who couldn¡¯t even handle that? It¡¯s the end, the end of an era. In frustration, Phaemore wiped his forehead. After scanning the surroundings with an irritated gaze, his eyes met with the young man who had been stuttering through the questions. Clearing his throat, Phaemore politely asked, ¡°Is there any more information¡­? Yes, what about the Hishutslt family¡¯s sacred sword?¡± ¡°¡­It seems that the 14th masterpiece, Tanabella, is considered irretrievable. Since communication magic was severed from the heart of the Primordial Core, we can only assume it¡¯s somewhere within the Primordial Core.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Even Tanabella¡­ This is truly the worst. Phaemore muttered, running his tongue briefly over his lips. Vern was dead. Vern, the warrior known as the strongest in the empire. This defeat was on a different level from the defeat of an ordinary expedition team. In dungeon conquests, the name Vern Hishutslt meant victory. He had single-handedly conquered the two demon castles that various expedition teams had failed to conquer, the boiling Aggrumund, the witch of the Undermountain¡¯s snowy plains, and even the dragon of Tamriel, known as the Forbidden Land. All of it was built by Vern. He was a man known as the Undying Warrior. Even if he suffered wounds so severe that he couldn¡¯t lift a sword again, he would miraculously recover. More than anything, his skills, character, virtue, and humility¡ªhe possessed everything and had been awarded the highest decoration, the title of ¡®hero,¡¯ by the Emperor himself. Yes, Vern was a hero. The spiritual leader of the imperial citizens. And that hero was dead. How did things get so tangled up? Phaemore¡¯s forehead showed a burst of veins. The ¡®symbol¡¯ had crumbled. Vern, who was called the hope of the empire, the symbol, had disappeared, and with that, the hope of the imperial citizens vanished as well. At least, that¡¯s how it would be perceived by the imperial citizens. Moreover, this was not a situation that only affected the imperial citizens. Since the title of ¡®hero¡¯ was directly bestowed by the Emperor, the nobility considered the hero as their possession. The hero existed for the imperial citizens, and since the imperial citizens¡¯ owner was the Emperor, by the logic of being the Emperor¡¯s possession, the hero belonged to the Emperor as well. When Vern declared that he would conquer the Primordial Core, who here tried to stop him? Wasn¡¯t almost everyone around here waving their swords in celebration? Didn¡¯t they shout for joy, thinking that losing was unimaginable and looking forward to the money and glory that would return several times over later? Yes, we threw the hero worshipped by the nobility into death. Even if that¡¯s not the case, if the Emperor thinks so, that¡¯s what it is. And that alone was not enough. The entire imperial leadership, including the Emperor, was closely watching one of the 36 masterpieces, Tanavella, being lost. ¡ªCan the one who committed this crime bear the weight of it on their own? When the stress had completely filled his head, Phaemore woke up again to the loud voices coming from all directions. It seemed that the chaos had subsided to some extent, and the investors and nobles who had been causing a ruckus were engaged in fervent discussions. It was a discussion about whether they should continue to conquer the Primordial Core. *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 6 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 6 Even though they suffered defeat, Vern¡¯s punitive expedition had reached the heart of the dungeon. The terrible outcome of their annihilation had overshadowed their achievement, but the record of reaching the heart of the Primordial core could only be found in history books written a century ago. Moreover, most dungeons were restored to their former state just two months after a failed conquest. Some faster dungeons even recovered in 2 to 3 weeks. Since they had shed blood, the proponents of the conquest were in favor of giving it their all before the Primordial core was restored. On the other hand, although Vern¡¯s punitive expedition was one of the empire¡¯s most powerful forces, failing to conquer the dungeon led the opponents of the conquest to suggest giving up without further casualties. Under normal circumstances, Phaemore would advocate in favor. However, this time was different. Vern¡¯s punitive expedition had reached the end of the dungeon, where the boss resided. And they perished. According to the final testimony, including Vern, 43 individuals survived. Conversations were exchanged, emphasizing that no reinforcements were necessary. There were two scenarios. They either ¡°infiltrated¡± into the boss room without defeating some monsters along the way, considering the subsequent reinforcements might suffer from the monsters, or it was a situation where no reinforcements were needed. Most likely, it was the latter scenario. The absence of reinforcements signified that 43 individuals were deemed sufficient, indicating they were generally unharmed. ¡°That means all those unharmed 43 individuals were annihilated by the boss.¡± In reality, up to this point, anyone could deduce. This is why the ¡°pro¡± side advocated for the re-conquest of the hub. The state of the boss fighting against the unharmed 43 individuals couldn¡¯t have been good. An unrecovered dungeon and a boss in a dilapidated state. Isn¡¯t this an unparalleled opportunity? And Phaemore was fully aware of this logical reasoning behind this twist. However, if that ancient monster, the boss of the ancient hub, didn¡¯t sustain major injuries? If it wasn¡¯t in a dilapidated state? If it didn¡¯t cause significant harm to the elite 43? Then, how many would it take to bring it down? 100? 200? Are there enough individuals comparable to Vern¡¯s punitive expedition across the entire continent? Of course, this, too, is speculation. There¡¯s a high probability of being wrong, and there¡¯s no concrete evidence besides the intuition derived from numerous punitive expeditions. But. ¡°It¡¯s weird from the start, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡± Exhaling a faint sigh, Phaemore leaned back in the chair. The chair wasn¡¯t designed for comfort, and the polished gem decorations on it pierced Phaemore¡¯s back. Yet, it was disregarded. Despite the discomfort and the piercing gazes from some nobles and investors due to the awkward posture, it was disregarded. Everyone from the pro-side naturally assumed. They firmly believed that 74 elite soldiers had ¡®sufficiently¡¯ conquered the ancient hub. They didn¡¯t doubt that the 43 survivors had narrowly lost the battle against the boss. Of course, they would think that way. Even though it was the formidable ¡°The Seven Great Evil Dungeons,¡± the failure of Vern¡¯s punitive expedition of 74 was almost paradoxical. Each member who followed Vern in this punitive expedition was a top-tier fighter. S~?a??h the N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. They were stronger than 7,400 ordinary members of punitive expeditions. That¡¯s why©¤ they didn¡¯t even consider the possibility of losing initially. They selected the worst among The Seven Great Evil Dungeons because they were convinced it was an assured victory. But they lost, didn¡¯t they? Why doesn¡¯t anyone even consider the hypothesis that the ancient monster residing in the hub is overwhelmingly powerful? They¡¯re all insane. If they leave it like this, the edge of the aristocracy¡¯s blade will turn towards them. They¡¯ve closed their eyes and ears to survive. Without considering the future where even the second expedition fails miserably, they¡¯re being brainwashed into believing that they just need to take one more step in the heated atmosphere. The more they think, the more they get absorbed in their own hypotheses. ¡°Even if we attempt again, conquering the Primordial Core is impossible.¡± The thoughts that had been churning in the mind spilled out beyond the threshold of mere contemplation. It was clearly a soliloquy. Yet, a sudden silence fell upon the chamber. All eyes were fixed on Phaemore. [Note:- Soliloquy- an act of speaking one¡¯s thoughts aloud when by oneself or regardless of any hearers, especially by a character in a play.] Quiet, if not heavy, oppressive air filled the space. Numerous gazes, a mix of incredulity, anger, and mockery, converged on Phaemore. Amidst the heightened tension, everyone demanded an explanation from Phaemore in the form of silence. In this tense atmosphere, what would happen if an explanation were given? Just as the remorse for their own foolish actions began to sting, a booming voice echoed through the chamber. ¡°Master Phaemore, why do you think that way? I believe it¡¯s entirely possible.¡± The tone was generally assertive, but within it lay a subtle nuance. All heads turned simultaneously as if manipulated. A man stood confidently at the source of the voice, accompanied by four others. How did they manage to enter this place, one of the few sacred realms in Riaze? The moment they were seen, all questions vanished. A long, thick, gray priestly robe adorned with discomforting golden iris patterns. Such strange attire and those capable of donning it were unique to the empire. ¡°Why is the Royal Magic Academic Society here¡­?¡± The Royal Magic Academic Society, ¡®The Third Eye.¡¯ Expressions froze on everyone, including Phaemore. To the ignorant citizens of the Empire, the ¡®Third Eye¡¯ might appear as another reliable pair of wings, guarding alongside the Imperial Guards, ¡®Roah¡¯s Crimson Spear.¡¯ However, the reality was different. In the eyes of the nobles, they were merely the hounds of the empire or venomous, silent snakes. Unlike ¡®Roah¡¯s Crimson Spear,¡¯ they lacked the minimal chivalry or discipline to uphold; they were simply individuals obsessed with occultism and truth. If ¡®Roah¡¯s Crimson Spear¡¯ represented the light of the empire, they were the darkness. And that darkness had stirred¡­ ¡°Why indeed? Have you witnessed us moving without orders?¡± The man with the moss-colored hair at the forefront chuckled. Phaemore confirmed from that smile. ©¤It meant the royal involvement had commenced. ¡°Dungeon conquest is akin to a scholarly pursuit. If one does not attempt it despite it appearing impossible, enlightenment will forever remain elusive. Particularly now¡­ when we are so close, right at the doorstep. Surely we¡¯re not considering ending things in the middle of this scenario? We cannot resurrect the fallen Vern, but¡­ surely, we weren¡¯t planning to leave a masterpiece behind in the dungeon, were we?¡± The man with the moss-colored hair maintained a consistent smile. It seemed so insincere that it bordered on provoking anger. He quietly awaited a response, yet nobody answered his query. After a silence, he continued. ¡°Those astute among you might already know, our presence here means¡­ you all will soon pay dearly for your sins. Not only did you participate in the deaths of the heroes, but you also allowed the masterpiece cherished by His Majesty to be left in enemy territory. Yes. However, truth be told, there is much contemplation. If everyone present here perishes, who will manage the countless punitive expeditions of the empire? You are talents, after all.¡± He added further. ¡°Oh, of course, the contemplation isn¡¯t by His Imperial Majesty but Her Highness.¡± Amidst the voice, a trace of laughter tickled the ears of the listeners. Still wearing an indifferent expression, the man continued. ¡°So, we proposed to Her Highness. We have a solution that can save all of you. Considering the noise you¡¯ve been making, you might have an idea. Yes. Just conquer the ancient hub. Retrieve the lost masterpiece, ¡®Tanabella.¡¯ It¡¯s quite simple.¡± ¡°But¡­ who would conquer the dungeon that even Vern failed to¡­¡± ¡°Niphrim.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deploy Niphrim.¡± Silence enveloped the room. The reactions of those present in the chamber could be largely categorized into two. Either they kept their mouths shut because they didn¡¯t understand or furrowed their brows as if they heard something they shouldn¡¯t have. ¡°Isn¡¯t that not such a good choice¡­?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a defective piece in many ways? Even if it¡¯s been put to better use, I can¡¯t possibly imagine Niphrim being stronger than Vern.¡± ¡°Ah, hahaha. It seems like¡­ everyone is misunderstanding something here. Firstly, Niphrim is not a failed creation. It¡¯s an undeniable success. It¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t reached our pursuit of the ¡®perfect truth.¡¯ Also, since this is akin to a scholarly pursuit, understanding the root cause is crucial for problem-solving. Why couldn¡¯t Vern H¨¹schaltz and his comrades emerge alive from the ancient hub? Were they weak? Careless?¡± ¡°Then, would only someone stronger than Vern be able to survive in the Ancient Hub? Well, I don¡¯t think so.¡± The eerie moment¡¯s atmosphere stiffened everyone. ¡°For Vern and his companions, there was decisively one thing lacking.¡± With a mad grin, the man twirled his finger. His eyes held something incomprehensible, something that embedded itself in the mind, haunting it relentlessly. ¡°What Vern lacked, Niphrim possesses.¡± As he finished speaking, a surprised and mocking laughter echoed through the chamber. The scholar of the ¡®Third Eye,¡¯ concluding his speech, stretched his arms wide. Faint footsteps were heard from beyond the entrance. All eyes, except the scholar¡¯s, turned towards the source of the sound. Soon after, the footsteps ceased at the threshold of the chamber. Niphrim, the owner of the steps, leaned against the door in a casual manner. His gaze into the chamber was chilling. Blonde with clear eyes and an unassuming figure, he seemed ordinary at first glance, but an eerie aura set him apart from the ordinary. As he swept his long bangs aside, scars covering half his face became visible. Niphrim, after scanning everyone in the chamber, slowly spoke. A grim voice escaped through his grim lips. ¡°I was talking about myself, wasn¡¯t I?¡± As always, no answer came. ¡°Such anxious faces all around. Why so tense? Did I hit a nerve? Have I been spreading slander? Haha. What, was I saying something about being defective, about how I can¡¯t do what Vernswa couldn¡¯t do?¡± Some contorted expressions were the entirety of the returning response. ¡°Ha, it seems like I struck a chord with these rotting faces unable to maintain composure.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Where¡¯s all the noise you were making? Well, alright. If you won¡¯t talk, I¡¯ll do the talking for you. Fine, I¡¯ve heard the overall explanation, so I¡¯ll give you the gist. You all will die soon.¡± There was no need to delve into detailed explanations. The question of what they did wrong to deserve death was utterly meaningless. They had committed a grave crime, and that was the only concern. ¡°Exactly a week from now, execution for the common crime. It¡¯s the decree passed by Her Highness, who you all so adore, so it¡¯s up to you to decide if mercy is possible among yourselves.¡± The point was simple. ¡°Well, you never really had a choice.¡± Merely brushing aside the remnants was insufficient to cover the stigma of the heroes¡¯ deaths and the loss of the masterpiece. The Empire intended to sever the thick roots, cutting even the top brass of the Dungeon Raid Union. Since they were aware of the superiors¡¯ intentions, there was no need for them to debate the re-expedition to the Primordial Core. They had shifted from worrying about the Dungeon Expedition¡¯s goal of challenging the Ancient Hub to worrying about their own fate. As if ghosts had passed, an absolute silence settled in the chamber. It was a different kind of silence from before, as if time had stopped entirely, not even a faint breath could be heard. Only Niphrim continued to smile amidst the suspended time, breathing as if alive. ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it is.¡± As if erasing the previous madness, he smiled with pure innocence. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it myself, so shut up and beg on your knees.¡± Beneath the innocent smile, a whisper of grace echoed. ¡°Please, grant us salvation.¡± *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 7 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 7 ¡°Ah-hee-ehk-chwi!¡± A coughing sound, so regal that one couldn¡¯t find it even if they rubbed their eyes, echoed repeatedly. Hair as long and dark as its main body. Despite generously giving it a score of 70 out of 100, the quality did not surpass its appearance. Devourer, wandering through the dungeon in the form of an unstable human male, sniffled. It was already humid, and with the added dust, even breathing felt like a chore. ¡°What kind of body structure is this supposed to be?¡± Even though it only imitated the human body, it couldn¡¯t even withstand a single speck of dust. Perhaps this is why humans have such a short lifespan. It¡¯s not because of the poor dungeon environment; it¡¯s the frail respiratory system of humans. Devourer wrinkled his brow attributing it to biased excuses. Sometimes, dealing with minor annoyances is more irritating than major wounds. This was one of those times. Devourer¡¯s body, as uncomfortable as a human¡¯s, was constantly restless. He should have been lying in his room, sprawled out. The less movement, the better. Observe without doing anything. Only deal with the things that return when neglected. Devourer, who usually took pride in his efficiency, thought deeply. He would handle whatever task was assigned to him, even if it meant forcing himself. Despite living up to the standards of life, Devourer¡ªthis time, it fell under the category of a ¡®truly necessary task.¡¯ After repelling the invasion of humans, it¡¯s essential to quickly assess the damage and refine the formation to prepare for a counter-attack. It¡¯s the most basic common sense and rule of dungeon operation. Normally, Renee, who took pride in Devourer¡¯s exploits, would handle this task. But whatever the reason, Renee was unusually late today. Devourer, who went to find Patrick with the intention of delegating the task, only returned with a dissatisfied lecture. Escaping without looking back, Devourer thought carefully. In situations where humans might attack again at any time, delaying patrols any further could lead to escalating problems. It¡¯s better to avoid becoming more troublesome. He wanted to finish it quickly and enjoy some rest, but unfortunately, the central part of his swollen polymorphous body was too vast. He might have to move as many steps as there are stalagmites protruding from the cave floor. However, his original form couldn¡¯t wander freely. Devourer was a considerable central core even among the caves, but he was unnecessarily large, preventing him from moving around at will. If he recklessly roamed in his original form, he might inadvertently conquer the dungeon with his own hands, causing an unprecedented crisis. ¡°Darn it.¡± He should have learned a spell to summon a servant or something. Devourer walked the path with the same regret repeated every time, thinking calmly. After walking for about ten minutes in reverse from the core of the central, three paths branched out. Patrick and Renee were doing well on their own, so there was no need to visit their rooms. Devourer hesitated for a moment at the three-pronged path and then stepped again. As he walked along the rightmost path, a familiar stench pierced his nose. One of the three paths, the ¡®Right Sewage Path.¡¯ S~?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Stopping in the middle of the passage, Devourer removed the sewage covering the wall, revealing a hidden space. A small secret place that one could find only because of the nauseating odor. There, the creature known as the ¡®116 black tentacles¡¯ was present. The creature, now so distorted that it was hard to recall its original form, tightly embraced a pulsating core, as if not wanting to miss it. Part of the core seemed deformed, either rotting or melting. To someone unfamiliar with the situation, it might appear as just a mushy lump of stench. ¡°Ugh.¡± Disgusting as it was, there was nothing Devourer could do to help immediately. Silently, Devourer moved on. The next room Devourer arrived at had vines entwined intricately from the entrance. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that the room was consumed by green. The room was entirely covered with damaged stems and branches. Though sporadic reddish stains from dried-up flowers were visible, the severed stems and vines overwhelmed them. There was no room to step on without stepping on the plants. As Devourer passed, a repulsive dark brown liquid flowed thickly from the withered flowers. The manager of Room 5, the carnivorous plant ¡®Antropopago.¡¯ In a primitive sense, it¡¯s a creature where the word ¡°primitive¡± comes to mind first, with teeth like saw blades on the edges of its petals, devouring humans. It lacks leaves, and its stem, with sharp thorns, is embedded in the ground for support©¤ ¡®What was it again?¡¯ Thoughts were interrupted, and Devourer absentmindedly scratched the back of their head. The only thing that vaguely came to mind was that beneath the dungeon¡¯s stone floor, there existed the main body of Antropopago. If memory serves, Antropopago, as long as there¡¯s a main body and nutrients, can regenerate even if the plants die. From Devourer¡¯s perspective, they were relatively simple beings, so Room 5 was completely set up as Antropopago¡¯s domain. As Devourer stepped on the tall stems and looked up, the cross-section of a well-cut stem caught their eye. Some were burned by fire, and others were sharply cut by sharp edges. It must have been a battle. A brief observation concluded, and Devourer kicked a short stem with their foot. Thud! A quite hefty sound resonated as the stem fell far away. At the same time, a subtle trembling sound emanated from beneath the thick floor. It was the sound of the main body reacting, hiding beneath the floor. ¡°Fortunately, the main body is alive.¡± If the main body is alive, this place will recover on its own without interference. Therefore, there¡¯s no need to pay any more attention to this room. Having made that judgement, Devourer glanced at the corridor leading to Room 4. Even without thoroughly investigating, they could roughly sense the situation. Certainly, it must have been annihilated. Considering the state of Room 5, it¡¯s unlikely that monsters survived in other rooms. ¡°Indeed, it seems we need to reinforce the defense within the dungeon.¡± ¡°Boss, it seems necessary to renovate all rooms from Room 1 to Room 5.¡± ¡°While the monsters up to Room 5 may not be weak, shouldn¡¯t we consider the level of humans coming to our dungeon?¡± Patrick¡¯s words suddenly came to mind. Come to think of it, it has been a long-standing issue. ©¤Most of the raiding forces that set foot into the heart of the primordial lose their lives to Renee on the Red Path. While it signifies Renee¡¯s strength, interpreting it inversely implies that most punitive forces pass through relatively unscathed until just before the Red Path. Whether it was unscathed or not is uncertain. ¡°I guess I should talk to Patrick this time.¡± Having reached a vague conclusion, Devourer turned their head left and right. After several rumbling sounds, as if feeling refreshed, they yawned repeatedly while muttering. Ah, it¡¯s a bit bothersome, but should I go in and rest? After a long time of working, the body feels stiff. This should be enough effort, even if I only explored Room 5. I¡¯ve worked hard enough to admire myself. Anyway, there¡¯s no need to see the rest. Yeah, let¡¯s do the rest later. Whether it¡¯s tomorrow or next year, who knows, but for now, let¡¯s take a break today. Of course, if Renee takes care of the work in my absence, well, nothing can be done about it. ¡°Um, then. Patrick will surely understand.¡± Well, let¡¯s end the patrol here today. Thinking like that, at the moment they were about to return to their room, Something flashed in the direction they were facing. In an instant, Devourer turned their head to the left. At the same time, a metallic something quickly passed by Devourer¡¯s face. Subsequently, a sharp scream, as if tearing through the air, reached their ears. Although it was too fast to see accurately, it was definitely something flying. In a situation where a normal creature, without even knowing what hit it, would have died instantly. Devourer¡¯s eyes, returning to their original position, stared at the point where the projectile flew. In the darkness, a presence that looked like a dot slowly revealed its shape and approached Devourer. Staring at it with narrow eyes, Devourer observed the presence. While both hands were still grabbing the back of their head as they yawned, the black things flowing below the waist swayed like a tail, sharpened to the end. ¡°¡­Ah, it¡¯s Mr. Devourer! I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°¡­Ah!! It was you.¡± Soon, with a familiar voice, the identity was revealed to be Renee. ¡°Ah, Renee, it¡¯s no big deal. Just a bit surprised. By the way, as soon as I saw you up close, I recognized you easily.¡± ¡°Well, Mr. Devourer. Right now, your tail is sticking out. Renee has never seen such a sight. Even when you make mistakes, your tail has never stuck out¡­¡± ¡°¡­No, well. Haha.¡± Pointed by Renee¡¯s finger, the black tail sticking out behind Devourer¡¯s back moved busily. Trying to cover the tail with a mechanical laugh, Devourer, who was about to put the tail away, was stared at by Renee with a subtle expression. Renee asked first. ¡°By the way, Mr. Devourer, what were you doing here?¡± ¡°I was patrolling since you weren¡¯t around¡­ We suffered quite a bit this time too.¡± ¡°Oh! I see. Thank you, Mr. Devourer. Since Renee has checked the path ahead while coming, you can rest now.¡± ¡°Did everything perish?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. They were some lowly monsters that couldn¡¯t even stop mere humans.¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t particularly mind what you said. I just asked out of curiosity.¡± Saying that, Devourer grinned. Renee also smiled as if following that smile. ¡°Yeah, so, by the way, Renee.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr Devourer!¡± ©¤What¡¯s up with your current state? At the same time, Devourer heard the sound of their lips tightly clicking. If they hadn¡¯t bitten, that thought would have come out as it was. Swiftly turning their head, Devourer, who avoided making a face, pondered what to ask. What should I ask? What should I ask? What should I ask to make it look as natural as possible? ¡°Um¡­ so¡­ your clothes¡­ changed?¡± The best question was decided after several considerations. Ah, I don¡¯t know where to start. Devourer inwardly exclaimed for a tackle specialist like Patrick! Devourer turned to look at Renee, who was in front of them, with the sound of Devourer¡¯s lips tightly clicking. Renee standing in front of Devourer was not the Renee that Devourer knew. She had become strange and returned. First of all, it wasn¡¯t the maid outfit she usually wore. She had come wearing a sky-blue dress with a light, airy feel, and the fabric was somewhat see-through, although it wasn¡¯t layered with frills that could reveal the inside. The exposed fair skin on the arms and shoulders, where there was only one layer, was enough to make viewers uneasy. The head dress, however, was nowhere to be seen. In the situation where Devourer had given Renee a few maid outfits as the entirety of what she had done for him, it was obvious that Devourer had no right to interfere with whether Renee bought new clothes or did anything else. However, from the perspective of Devourer, the ¡®boss monster of the dungeon,¡¯ checking the status of Renee, the ¡®gatekeeper of the dungeon,¡¯ it was not a situation to overlook with a smile. Firstly, the pockets on the clothes were too small. Moreover, there was no sheath, and there was no place to hide a weapon even if one looked everywhere. Somehow, Renee seemed to look a bit taller, and she was wearing strange shoes. If she leaped with those shoes, her ankles would be shattered upon landing. Even when Renee looked at the bracelet on her left hand with force, no magic could be felt. The same went for the necklace. It wasn¡¯t a magical item. Yeah. This is not attire for combat. This is not a guess but an objective fact. Following a series of thoughts, Devourer derived a second objective fact. It seems to fit human aesthetic standards, but anyway. ¡°You dressed up.¡± ©¤Here ends Devourer¡¯s commentary. ¡°You recognized it. I¡¯m happy. Renee also took care of herself after a long time. How about it, Mr Devourer? Does it suit me?¡± Devourer¡¯s face, full of embarrassment, seemed not to be noticed at all, or Renee¡¯s voice was filled with shyness. The blush on his cheeks stood out particularly. It wasn¡¯t because of the mood. The skin, which was already a peach color, was even paler, and there was a faint smell of something unpleasant. Renee¡¯s lips were even redder. ¡°Well¡­ What¡¯s up?¡± In response to Renee¡¯s question full of concern, Devourer hesitated. If judged based on the content of the conversation, he wanted to say no, but once he saw those clear pupils, he couldn¡¯t bring themselves to say that. However, if he said, ¡®It suits you well,¡¯ there was an inexplicable anxiety that Renee might continue to go around like that in the future. ¡°Is¡­ there some special occasion?¡± After running countless simulations in his head, Devourer smoothly presented the most neutral response. ¡°Something special, yes.¡± The girl with flushed cheeks lowered her head. As if feeling shy, she fidgeted and shifted her body. With that gesture, a silence that Devourer had hoped wouldn¡¯t come enveloped them. At the same time, various thoughts occupied Devourer¡¯s mind. This isn¡¯t good. If I say, ¡®I¡¯ll go to sleep now,¡¯ it would be like abandoning Renee. However, it was too late to point it out at an appropriate time. It¡¯s quite awkward. The initiative has been taken away. Until Renee says something, there¡¯s nothing I can do¡­ ¡°Mr Devourer.¡± Before Devourer could organize his thoughts, Renee¡¯s tightly closed upper lip fell. Startled as if unexpectedly slapped, Devourer raised their shoulders. ¡°Can you¡­ spare some time for Renee¡­?¡± Suddenly, a trembling voice appealed to Devourer. It was an atmosphere where Devourer could do nothing but nod his head. *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 8 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 8 ¡°This is Renee¡¯s secret place. Now, it has become a place known only to you and me, Mr Devourer.¡± If Patrick is added to the list, won¡¯t it become a well-known place for everyone? As they entered the secret place, facing the imminent danger of it turning into a public space, Devourer discreetly coughed. When Renee pushed a magic lamp placed at the end of the red path aside, the secret place appeared. Thinking about Renee, who had worked hard to scrape the walls to create such secret places, Devourer couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. It occurred to him that there might be more than one or two of these spaces, and the thought sent a shiver down his spine. Laughing and crying, with no sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Renee¡¯s dynamic reactions made Devourer turn his head. Devourer, who had quickly straightened up, raised an eyebrow as if nothing had happened. Even though Renee called it a secret place, it was a well-organized space rather than having a hastily put together feel. Natural light seeped in through cracks in the ceiling, giving the impression that it was naturally formed. The thickness of the opening seemed substantial, judging by the narrow angle of the light. Devourer, who was casually staring at the single beam of light illuminating the dark dungeon, threw a comment. ¡°Don¡¯t you think this place needs some maintenance?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still romantic, isn¡¯t it?¡± Romantic? You have that kind of sensibility too. I can¡¯t agree with the opinion that it¡¯s romantic. Devourer shouted silently. Not only does he not like bright things, but above all, particles revealed in that light, they¡¯re all dust. He already felt the urge to scratch his nose. He glanced at Renee with concern, wondering if it¡¯s okay for her to live inhaling this kind of dust regularly, although it¡¯s fine for him when he¡¯s in his polymorph form to deal with dust storms or sandstorms without any concern. But is it okay for Renee? Ah, she¡¯s a homunculus, so maybe it¡¯s fine. ¡°Mr Devourer, would you like a cup of tea?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Renee also nodded lightly, perhaps asking out of courtesy. Devourer thought that she handled her duties skillfully. Looking at Renee holding a teapot and cups, Devourer felt that she was a maid indeed, despite the seemingly casual atmosphere. The sound of pouring tea echoed particularly loudly. Why is Renee acting like this? What should I say to break the silence? ¡°Lately, there have been frequent invasions by humans, Mr Devourer.¡± As if she noticed Devourer¡¯s concern, Renee cautiously spoke up. Yes, I regret it. I should have just turned around. Why didn¡¯t I go to sleep without worrying about this? Regrets flooded in like a tidal wave. ¡°There were monsters guarding rooms 1 through 5, right?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°We probably need to supplement them with stronger ones, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°It seems necessary, Mr Devourer.¡± For now, let¡¯s throw a topic out there. In response to the sudden question, Renee, who showed signs of being taken aback, answered briefly. And silence fell once again. I should¡¯ve turned around. I shouldn¡¯t have worried about things like this and gone to sleep. Regret filled him like a tide. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s better than before. It was much more serious back then.¡± ¡°Indeed, 80 years ago, it was quite severe.¡± ¡ªNo, I was talking about the great battle that happened 300 years ago. Is this a generation gap? For some reason, an unexplained sense of defeat and despair made Devourer utter a surprised ¡°Huh?¡±. ¡°That, that¡¯s right. At that time.¡± He nodded quickly. After all, discussing the history of an era before Renee was born wouldn¡¯t be polite. There was no need to go back 300 years, as Renee pointed out. Just 80 years ago, there were frequent clashes, far more intense than the current situation. The reasons for the fights were somewhat hazy in memory, but they were trivial, to say the least. A frenzy to conquer dungeons between humans on both sides swept through, and within a week, over a thousand dungeons were captured. The number of humans who perished during that time was close to a hundred thousand. The leader of the humans at that time had a strong personality, and I remember using the term ¡°punishment¡± instead of ¡°subjugation¡± even in speeches. Come to think of it, there was a Dungeon that couldn¡¯t withstand the onslaught at that time. Incidentally, the number of people who tried to invade the Primordial Core to defeat Devourer also exceeded thousands. ¡°You¡¯ve also endured a lot¡­.¡± Renee acquired her fame, and her status rose from that time. ¡°Renee just wanted to show a splendid appearance in front of Mr Devourer.¡± Come to think of it, why was Renee so diligent? ¡°I stayed up for several days and nights. It would have been better if I had taken the lead.¡± While saying that, Renee and my eyes met. Devourer, who suddenly pulled out a memory, spoke. ¡°The right eye, is it okay?¡± ¡°¡­.Mr Devourer, you remember. That makes Renee happy.¡± It was a sudden remark, but Renee just smiled brightly. ¡°Mr Devourer.¡± The tension eased, and Devourer was convinced. The words to be said from now on are the main point. Soon, Renee slowly stood up from her seat. Devourer unconsciously swallowed dry saliva. Every time the maid with silver hair took a step, droplets from the ceiling fell in sync with the clattering sound of her shoes. The frills of the fluttering salmon-pink dress stopped fluttering. When the light from the ceiling enveloped Renee, the girl slightly lowered her head. The sparkling dress, dust, and everything combined¡ª ¡ªshe looked like a fairy. ¡°It¡¯s been 80 years since that incident, and you picked up Renee, Mr Devourer. Do you remember?¡± ¡°¡­Of course, I do remember.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with my body, Mr Devourer.¡± It was impossible to forget. Only after hearing Renee¡¯s words did the fragments of memory come together. Yes, that large-scale subjugation of humans happened right after recruiting Renee into the dungeon. Renee was desperate, even hurting her eyes, just to avoid being abandoned again. ¡°I was so happy to be by Mr Devourer¡¯s side all this time.¡± ¡°No, wait. Renee, saying you¡¯re happy sounds like something you say when you¡¯re parting ways. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re resigning before Patrick¡­.¡± ¡°Mr Devourer.¡± He was cut off mid-sentence. Simultaneously, an inexplicable anxiety gripped Devourer. One would have to be quite foolish not to read such an overt atmosphere. Fortunately or unfortunately, Devourer was not that foolish. And when that anxiety overwhelmed Devourer, it was already too late. ¡°Well, uh¡­¡± ¡°¡­.Yes?¡± ¡°I like you.¡± The answer Devourer had hoped not to hear reached his ears. ¡°Huh?¡± Devourer¡¯s tongue got twisted. But at that moment, he wasn¡¯t in a situation to pay attention to that. Devourer, who coughed for a moment, took a deep breath before thinking again. Let¡¯s not overthink this. Saying ¡®I like you¡¯¡­ well, it¡¯s a phrase that can be easily said. Devourer liked many things. He liked Meat Pie, and this is a secret, but he also really liked wild strawberries growing outside dungeons. It might sound strange, but if you were to ask whether Patrick liked or disliked something in a black-and-white logic, he would obviously like it¡ª ¡°Please date Renee.¡± s?a??h th? N0??F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡ªStarting with a curveball from the beginning. Renee¡¯s long eyelashes and her two slender hands with clipped nails trembled as they waited for an answer. The cool breeze from somewhere made her silvery hair flutter lightly. Devourer, worried that the sound of his restlessly tapping foot might reach Renee, felt tension in Renee¡¯s face as she anxiously anticipated whether he could hear it. Her hesitating lips seemed to be getting dry. ¡°Um, that¡­¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment for 80 years.¡± Whether it was due to the inability to hide his embarrassment, or perhaps the mana also made him unstable, the humanoid Devourer¡¯s body swayed here and there. The remnants of round shapes protruding behind him shook uncontrollably without a clear pattern. It was like a wagging tail of a dog. Devourer, looking down with his pupils, gave Renee a serious look. However, even so, it felt out of place. ¡°Um¡­ you see, Renee.¡± If the answer was too delayed, he would not be able to do anything. With that judgment, Devourer opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you said you like me. But, you know, we are always on the edge of life and death, and this place is both our home and a battlefield. We never know when we might get hurt, when we might die.¡± ¡°In that case, please be with Renee even in the moment of death.¡± ¡°You know, death is inherently unfair. It¡¯s not like one side wishes to spend their remaining life in loneliness, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°More than anything, if you do as you say¡­¡± The dungeon will collapse. What Renee suggested was indeed an embodiment of human behavior, and if it goes as Renee wishes. Can the boss monster Devourer allow Renee Relow, the Homunculus, to be sent to the battlefield as a sentinel? Impossible. Moreover, it might become the fuse for the collapse of the dungeon system. It was not an easy problem to solve. It seemed like he should clearly reject it, but Devourer couldn¡¯t bring himself to say, ¡°You¡¯re a Homunculus, and I¡¯m an originless monster.¡± There were many complicated reasons beyond this. Devourer couldn¡¯t predict what Renee wanted from him, what the result of her request to ¡°date¡± would be, and what it would lead to. He couldn¡¯t handle things he didn¡¯t know properly. ¡°So, this is how it turns out, after all.¡± Renee¡¯s response came faster than expected. The word ¡°after all¡± made Devourer blink. Following that, he heard, ¡°I also expected you to say that, Mr Devourer.¡± Then she laughed. It was a smile filled more with bitterness than joy. ¡°Renee¡­¡± Within the calm voice, there emerged concealed and tangled emotions. ¡°I knew it was an unreasonable request. Somehow, it felt like it would turn out like this. Still, it was too heavy to carry in my heart for a lifetime. I wanted to somehow let it out. But¡­ if I confessed and got rejected, if you turned your back on me, if I got abandoned¡­ that¡¯s too terrifying. Being abandoned is now unbearable. But still, still, somehow I wanted to be loved by you, Mr Devourer. Somehow¡ªsomehow¡ªsomehow! I wanted to be obsessed! I wanted to be obsessed and wanted!¡± ¡°Hey, Renee? Calm down first¡­¡± ¡°Renee!¡± Renee Relow. ¡°Somehow!¡± Even if it means resorting to despicable tactics. ¡°Love¡­!¡± Renee¡¯s voice, screaming like a plea, cooled down abruptly. Amidst this, Devourer, who was left speechless, couldn¡¯t bring himself to calm her down. It was a side of Renee he had never seen before. He couldn¡¯t react because he didn¡¯t expect it. He was struggling to figure out where to stop Renee¡¯s actions. Finally, when Renee took something out and the voice of her scraping the floor echoed, it pierced Devourer¡¯s ears once again. ¡°Forgive Renee, please.¡± What she pulled out was a heart-shaped red gem. Renee, who had regained composure after the excitement, extended the gem held in both hands towards Devourer with a gentle expression. ¡°With this¡­ my wish will come true, Mr Devourer¡­¡± In her eyes, there was madness. A mass of pure instinct consumed by possessiveness. She didn¡¯t look like a girl in love; her gaze, gestures, and even the surrounding atmosphere were eerie. Except for the reddened cheeks, everything else seemed drained of vitality, pale and lifeless. Renee, tightly gripping the gem with both hands, stared at Devourer with that intense gaze. ¡°Now, with mana here¡­!¡± Thud! Thunk! Before she could finish her sentence, something snapped, burst, and split. Renee couldn¡¯t conclude her words. Her voice didn¡¯t come out. Her breath didn¡¯t follow. What¡¯s happening? When trying to ponder the question, Devourer¡¯s voice, broken and tearing through his eardrums like a storm, penetrated Renee¡¯s body. Are you trying to kill me? Letters read rhythmically in his mind. Renee¡¯s pupils dilated. In front of her, Devourer, who had just moments ago struggled with an expression of difficulty, now had a grotesque face twisted like crumpled scrap metal. The already unstable humanoid form of the human male seemed to be swaying chaotically without maintaining its fixed shape. It looked like a nightmarish scene. Soon, Devourer¡¯s back burst open. From beneath the flesh, a strange, indescribable something, with memorized patterns, emerged. An immediate sense of coldness enveloped Renee. It wasn¡¯t a drop in body temperature due to the cave¡¯s low temperature. It was the chill emitted by the body sensing danger. Dying. Living. Am I being murdered? The body lost control. Was it malfunctioning, or did it lose the ability to control? Tears flowed uncontrollably. Saliva pooled in the mouth on its own. The body, arriving at the closest point to death. ¡ªSuddenly, why? Why? Why would Mr Devourer do this to Renee? The mind trembled as if in convulsions. Unable to withstand the intense shivering, Renee dropped the red love stone she was holding. Falling from a height of over a meter, the red love stone drew several circles on the floor with a loud bang, and then shattered into countless pieces. Black liquid flowed out along with the shattered red gem. A nauseating scream echoed along with the unpleasant sound from the liquid. With the black liquid, something vaporized, and black smoke rose. Subsequently, a pungent odor. At the same time, the shattered gem fragments, which should have been red, began to darken. Something squirming in the stagnant liquid caught Renee¡¯s gaze. A tiny fetus, in the form of a devil. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± For a moment, the emptiness that made Renee forget even the situation of death opened her mouth. ¡°What¡­ is that¡­ uh¡­?¡± It was by no means a form worthy of being called a love stone. *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 9 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 9 ¡°Wow, boss. No matter how I think about it, you¡¯re the best. You didn¡¯t stop at driving away the humans, you even chased Renne away!! I¡¯m so shocked, I can¡¯t even shut my mouth. Your kicks really don¡¯t discriminate between friend and foe. ¡°Patrick, how do we handle a situation like this¡­¡± ¡°Why should I find the solution when the boss is the one who caused the problem?¡± Well, he says that, but it¡¯s already the fourth day in this state. With a sidelong glance at the unresponsive Devourer, Patrick took a seat. It was pitiful, but there was no lack of a sense of pity. Seeing him sprawled out like a dried squid with such a massive figure, even Patrick felt a loss of strength in his body. Well, saying such things in this situation won¡¯t improve anything. Time might not resolve it, but for now, Patrick thought that being by Devourer¡¯s side was all he could do. After the incident, a day has passed since Renee was forcibly expelled from the Primordial Core. Chay, who had playfully chased away the bored Devourer and was taking care of the lovely figure of the greatsword ¡¯14th Masterpiece, Tanabella,¡¯ was cleaning it. While wiping away the fine particles of lime embedded in the sword, he felt an overwhelming amount of memorization bursting out from the dungeon entrance direction. For the first time in decades, Patrick could feel the immense memorization, and he rushed towards it with Tanabella still in hand. The situation felt unusual, and he could sense it just from the atmosphere. Prepared for the worst, ready to fight if necessary when he pursued the memorization¡ª There stood Renee with lifeless eyes like a doll, and Devourer, still possessing reason but unable to calm down, emitting memorization that seemed capable of overwhelming everything. They were standing in a straight line. ¡®What happened next?¡¯ He scratched his skull with sharp fingertip bones. He couldn¡¯t remember well due to the confusion, but that was probably how it went. s?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. * * * ¡°Boss!!!¡± Shouting at the top of his lungs, Patrick, however, received no response from Devourer. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Patrick sprinted towards Devourer, who remained motionless. In an instant, countless spikes erupted from Devourer¡¯s body, all aimed at Renee. There was no doubt ¨C Devourer, the boss, was trying to kill Renee. He perfectly recognized her as an enemy. As Patrick¡¯s mind raced with uneasy thoughts amidst the overwhelming memorization filling the room, an unsettling image flashed through his mind ¨C the black spikes piercing through Renee¡¯s body, splitting it into thousands of pieces like a turned-over lump of meat. Or perhaps, a future about to unfold. Patrick¡¯s footsteps halted in front of Devourer. He grabbed Devourer, who was partially released from the polymorph, but he didn¡¯t budge at all. Instead, the ground couldn¡¯t bear Devourer¡¯s weight, crumbling beneath. Without any delay, Patrick turned towards Renee. Renee still stared blankly at the ground. The black gems that had fallen from her body caught Patrick¡¯s attention. After briefly examining the gems, Patrick immediately grabbed Renee¡¯s hand. It was cold. Patrick needed to create some distance somehow, but Renee seemed so stiff that he began to doubt if she was still alive. ¡°Renee!¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Aah¡­ What¡­ have I¡­ done?¡± Communication was impossible in this state. Making that judgment, Patrick lifted Tanabella, the greatsword he was holding. He swung the massive sword, half a rotation, piercing Renee¡¯s abdomen with the blunt end. Renee didn¡¯t scream; she just forcefully exhaled the held breath. Although this level of attack wouldn¡¯t render her unconscious, her body had undoubtedly weakened. Patrick, making that judgment, threw Renee with all his might towards the direction of the dungeon entrance. Renee, tossed powerless, collided with the wall with a loud crash, and the wall collapsed with a clamor. ¡°Well, I managed to create some distance in a hurry¡­¡± Patrick wasn¡¯t particularly skilled at throwing. He had only slightly increased the distance rather than securing a physically stable one. He adjusted his posture, muttering to himself as if asking Devourer what to do. In the most basic and bizarre stance ¨C the sword¡¯s tip aimed at Devourer. Can I win? It¡¯s truly a foolish question. What are you thinking, Patrick? Don¡¯t act like an amateur. He scolded himself. ¡°Boss, you seem serious after a while. It¡¯s not cool because the target of your anger is completely wrong.¡± If I don¡¯t exert all my strength at every moment, I might end up dying instead of Renee. A crisis that could be described as overwhelming desperation. The worst-case scenario. Nevertheless, Patrick faintly smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be like this, but to be honest, I¡¯ve always wanted to have a serious match with the boss.¡± The overwhelming despair unfolding before his eyes, combined with Patrick¡¯s exhilaration, made his bones tremble ever so slightly. This is it. Vague terror. A crisis that proves to myself that ¡®I exist.¡¯ If you ask about the odds of winning, they¡¯re probably extremely low. In the first place, the boss, Devourer, is not a creature that exists to win. Winning is not the goal. A matter of seconds or minutes, just keep him at bay until he regains consciousness on that side. Are you trying to kill me too? Devourer¡¯s voice, scratching like iron, sounded as if it was proclaiming death. Simultaneously, in the form of a grotesque monster, Patrick charged towards the boss. * * * ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t entirely the boss¡¯s fault,¡± Patrick remarked, wrapping up a brief reflection. It took quite some time before Devourer, now fully composed, could hear the complete story of the incident. From Patrick¡¯s perspective, this wasn¡¯t a situation caused by anyone¡¯s fault in particular. It wasn¡¯t a matter of both parties being right either. ¡°No, I think it¡¯s mostly my fault when I think about it.¡± ¡°Feeling guilty about it now won¡¯t change anything. Even if you consider driving Renee out as fortunate, it was still a less than ideal situation.¡± It was both unfortunate and fortunate that Devourer had displayed more than necessary madness when losing rationality. Due to Devourer momentarily perceiving Renee as ¡®a source of vague fear¡¯ rather than ¡®a loved one,¡¯ it inadvertently led to driving away Renee, who lost her sanity. If Devourer had shown even a bit of his usual behavior, causing Renee to feel more guilt. ¡°She might have died.¡± Before Devourer could even lay a hand on her, Renee would have taken her own life right there. There would have been no hesitation. This could be asserted with confidence. Considering Renee¡¯s intense attachment, bordering on pathological obsession, to Devourer, a mix of strong attachment and loyalty, there was no reason for her not to end her life. That was certain. ¡°Well, it seems like both sides share some blame. Of course, to me, the boss is definitely the one at fault.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t quite remember it¡­¡± ¡°Really? Let me remind you. Do you remember saying, ¡®Are you trying to kill me?¡¯ I remember it vividly. Boss¡¯s voice is truly something I can imitate only after grinding my jawbone. I should try it again sometime. How did it go? Like this, precisely fitting the bones, ¡®Are you trying to kill me¡­?''¡± ¡°That¡­!¡± ¡°Do you still not remember?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Damn it¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Well, admitting it quickly is good. Be careful, boss. With thousands of years, I¡¯ve gained quite a bit of experience.¡± Taunting Devourer, who was sprawled out as if giving up, Patrick mocked him. Though he said that, Devourer¡¯s actions were somewhat understandable. According to Devourer¡¯s account, what Renee had taken out was a magic stone containing a sealed demon. The demon sealed in the magic stone forms a contract with the user who injects mana into it. The problem is, it¡¯s more like a contract only in words. Since the demon forcibly takes over the body of the one who injected mana, and there¡¯s no way to revert it. Naturally, the demon¡¯s power also corresponds to the user¡¯s strength. Although the demon in its pitifully shattered state took on the form of a fetus, if it had awakened at Renee¡¯s call, it would have turned into a monstrous entity. It wasn¡¯t even an ordinary demon summoned by a human; Renee herself had called forth the demon. In such a situation, Devourer feeling threatened with murder was, in a way, an inevitable circumstance. ¡°Besides, it was a demon. That makes it even worse.¡± Another period of silence. The sound of water droplets falling from the ceiling and hitting the floor seemed to echo like the ticking of a clock. A slow passage of time. Just when it was starting to become tedious, a low voice escaped from Devourer¡¯s long mouth. ¡°As expected, we need to go find Renee¡­¡± ¡°Why state the obvious¡­?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh? I thought you¡¯d say not to¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. I just find it hard to believe that you¡¯re saying it like it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Well, anyway, I don¡¯t have the confidence to cook or clean. Hurry up and come with me before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Whether you prostrate yourself, beg, or kiss Renee¡¯s shoes, figure it out yourself.¡± With these words, Patrick addressed Devourer. ¡°If the news of Renee leaving the dungeon spreads through the dungeon network, do you know what will happen? Other dungeons will go crazy trying to recruit Renee. We¡¯ll have a hard time too. If I hear that Renee has joined another dungeon ¨C before the boss returns ¨C I¡¯ll resign neatly and disappear.¡± ¡°Patrick, you don¡¯t have ears.¡± ¡°Do you want to fight?¡± As if deflated by Patrick¡¯s words, Devourer¡¯s body rapidly shrank, transforming into a plausible human male figure. Seeing Devourer like that, Patrick seemed to recall something and pulled out something from between his ribs. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll need this when you go outside.¡± A bracelet with a faint green glow. Before Devourer could ask what it was, Patrick threw the bracelet towards him. Ignoring Devourer catching the bracelet with a clumsy movement, Patrick continued speaking. ¡°It¡¯s a bracelet that helps stabilize mana. It¡¯s a type of genuine jade with the name ¡®Demeura.¡¯ You don¡¯t need to know the details, just remember it¡¯s expensive. Although it helps stabilize mana, considering how severe the boss¡¯s mana reflux is, the actual effectiveness is uncertain. It might not play a significant role, but it should at least prevent excessive fluctuation in polymorph state.¡± ¡°Where did you get this?¡± ¡°I found it lying around.¡± ¡°Cool!¡± ¡°And please, don¡¯t do anything else with this, boss. It¡¯s not as sturdy as you might think.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll know when I use it.¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make an effort, I will.¡± ¡°¡­And, you must return within five days.¡± Devourer noticed Patrick spreading out his awkward palm. Patrick, as if emphasizing concentration, made a crisp contact with Devourer¡¯s palm. Patrick¡¯s voice, as he spoke, carried a fairly serious tone. ¡°It¡¯s time for humans to come, boss. There hasn¡¯t been any expedition news in the human newspapers for the past few days, but roughly estimating, they¡¯ll probably invade within ten days. This is just a guess. The limit I can guarantee for safety is five days.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me to come back before humans arrive?¡± ¡°Yes, boss. I can¡¯t be sure how long we¡¯ll last without information about the enemy.¡± Every room is in a state of complete destruction. It would take quite a bit of time to restore the empty rooms. Even the fifth room, which starts recovering automatically after some time, was in a situation where Antropophagus, the mother organism, had stopped breeding due to Devourer enthusiastically spewing out memorization. ¡°If I can¡¯t stop the humans and they arrive at ¡®that place¡¯ while the boss is away, who knows what will happen. It¡¯s five days, even if it¡¯s a little late. Remember that.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll definitely bring Renee back within five days.¡± ¡°And finally, a sincere request, if you happen to go near a human village, please refrain from overly conspicuous actions, boss. It¡¯s not good if monsters from the dungeon are found secretly lurking around the human village.¡± ¡°Got it. If I mess up, I¡¯ll destroy everything. If you hear banging sounds from outside, that¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Oh, please!¡± Before Patrick finished speaking, Devourer leaped towards the entrance passage. It would be more accurate to say that he threw himself with open arms and legs, landing on the ground. The human male figure, who had leaped high into the sky, instantly transformed into a gigantic dark mass as if expanding. Very naturally¡ªyet so quickly that it couldn¡¯t be followed with the eyes¡ªthe monstrous shape took form. Although it was less than a quarter of the original size, the shape was large enough to completely fill Patrick¡¯s field of vision in a pitch-black manner. The massive figure landed on the ground with one step, and with that single leap, it disappeared completely from Patrick¡¯s sight. In the place where Devourer had passed, a gust of wind swept through after a slight time interval. Feeling the refreshing breeze all over his body, Patrick shook his head. ¡°Geez, he sure departs noisily.¡± * * * After the gust subsided, and the dust that had been lifted several meters into the air by the reversed wind settled, Patrick finally stood up from his spot. Brushing off the lightly settled dust from his shoulders, he pulled out something from his embrace. It was a human newspaper, and it was dated for today. ¡°Masterpiece 36 Lines, Number 34 ¡®Brachycepthalic Tooth¡¯ Genuine Article to be Auctioned¡­ What will be the winning bid¡­¡± ¡°The situation has unfolded more complicated than I thought.¡± ¡®Fangs of the Guillotine¡¯ was undoubtedly one of the seals Renee possessed. Miss Renee had gone to the human village. There, she handed over her cherished seal, ¡®Brachycepthalic,¡¯ to the humans, who were the objects of her hatred. Four days ago, why did Miss Renee call the boss to her secret place? There¡¯s no need to think deeply about it. It¡¯s obvious that Miss Renee likes the boss. However, there might have been some variables introduced. In that situation, what Miss Renee brought out was a magic stone imbued with demonic power. ¡­ She gave up the ¡®Brachycepthalic¡¯ she had and brought a magic stone infused with demon power from somewhere. In the end, because of that, the boss, who lost his reason, almost killed her. ¡°It seems we can get a rough estimate.¡± What would the boss have done if he had known this fact? He doesn¡¯t particularly like humans, but that doesn¡¯t mean the annihilation of humanity is an absolute happy ending. If that were the case, he would have done it long ago. No, it¡¯s not yet time to destroy humanity. Sighing, Patrick flipped through the newspaper. The first page always contained articles about the imperial family. As he flipped to the next page, a large feature caught Patrick¡¯s attention. ¡°Dungeon Raid Union Headquarters: ¡®Will Conquer the Primordial Core within 3 Days.''¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Return within five days.¡± Suddenly, the words he had said came to his mind. ¡°I¡¯m going insane.¡± Phase. 2 *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 10 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 10 ¡°Ah, so the humans have made it all the way up here. Well, quite impressive. Welcome. I shall bestow upon you the honorable death you deserve.¡± The top floor was filled with the arrogant voice of the demon king. The throne was situated several steps above the grand red-carpeted path. Seated arrogantly on the throne, the demon king¡¯s sharp fangs glinted ominously as they looked down upon the humans. The staff held in the right hand emitted a sinister mana, staining the air around with an ominous aura. ¡°So, that¡¯s how you present yourselves to me. Quite delightful.¡± Eight members of the expedition force, each grouped in sets of four, slowly advanced towards the demon king. At a distance of barely 30 meters, the bold-looking man at the forefront of the group stabbed his sword into the ground. The demon king remained unperturbed, maintaining a relaxed expression. Only the corners of their mouth curled slightly. ¡°Ho? Weapon to the ground? What mischief is this?¡± ¡°No matter your demon status, you¡¯re the boss of a dungeon. It¡¯s a sign of respect. By the way, I never thought the demon king would be a woman. Naturally assumed you were a man.¡± ¡°Quite an amusing fellow. Showing off, are you?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, taunting won¡¯t work here. I am Kelumit, a proud Inspector of the capital of our esteemed empire, Riaze. And behind me are the elite warriors of the 32nd-ranked expeditionary unit, the ¡®Daybreak¡¯s Yellow Tiger Mercenary Squad¡¯ of the empire! Remember, we¡¯ll be the ones to kill you and make a name for ourselves on this continent.¡± ¡°¡­I am Melje De Lymph Agrea, the 17th descendant of Asmodeus. I¡¯ll make you remember my name and©¤©¤ perish!¡± With those words, the demon king introduced themselves as Melje and rose from their seat. The staff in their hand levitated in the air, emanating a presence akin to a living being. In a moment of opportunity, Kelumit, swiftly drew his sword from the ground. The sharp blade sliced through the air with a piercing sound. The members of the Daybreak¡¯s Yellow Tiger Mercenary Squad behind him immediately began weaving their magic, as they had practiced thousands of times. Those wielding bows aimed directly at the demon king¡¯s heart. ¡°Burn!¡± Black mana scattered in all directions, and countless mana particles formed a massive flame. Kelumit brandished a large alloy shield strapped to his back and charged through the fire, piercing flames causing several members of the Daybreak¡¯s Yellow Tiger Mercenary Squad supporting from behind to fall. Amidst the cacophony, a nearly ear-splitting scream echoed from behind Kelumit. However, he did not flinch an inch, confidently advancing with his shield, unyielding to the flames that dissipated futilely against it. Though the pattern was simple, Kelumit¡¯s movements left no room for error, rendering the flames useless against the sturdy shield. Assessing the situation, Melje prepared a second spell of physical destruction. At the moment Kelumit hurled his shield, he leaped forward. The sharp edge of the sword, heavily stained with demon blood, was aimed directly at Melje. Simultaneously, as Melje was about to finish casting the spell, he stretched out both hands. In that instant of collision between close-range magic and a retaliatory strike¡­ *Kwa-ang!* A deafening noise rang out as something crashed between them. Simultaneously, a massive shockwave. A vast amount of dust and thick smoke filled the air. In the blink of an eye, something plummeted down. The aftermath was overwhelming, causing Melje and Kelumit to tumble several times on the ground. The sword and staff made a loud noise as they hit the ground simultaneously. Kelumit¡¯s head was grazed by flying stone shards, and red blood trickled down. Similarly, Melje, who rolled nearly, was slammed into the walls of the demon king¡¯s stronghold. However, true to their status as a demon king, Melje, with one hand, touched the ground and barely managed to rise. A faint groan escaped between Melje¡¯s lips, and drops of blood fell one by one. Struggling to stand, Kelumit was in a similar state. ¡°W-what?¡± Both expressed their confusion simultaneously. A breeze swept in through the shattered ceiling, allowing yellow sunlight to flood in. Illuminating the dark interior of the stronghold, the light shone solely upon the hole in the ceiling. The dust and smoke dispersed as the wind blew, revealing a faint silhouette. As the curtain of smoke cleared, the silhouette became distinct. It took on the form of a human, slowly becoming more apparent amidst the dispersing dust and smoke. Watching the human-like silhouette gradually take shape, a faint smile appeared on the lips of the expeditionary force members. If this unknown being took the form of a human, it certainly wasn¡¯t an ally of humans, at least not by appearances alone. ©¤©¤©¤©¤In the spot where the dust cleared, stood a tall man in his mid-twenties. ¡°Ah.¡± It was the first word spoken by the man. ¡°I see.¡± Damn it. From the moment I fell from the sky, I knew something was off, but this is a whole new level of messed up. This is the third time I¡¯ve ended up in the wrong place. I thought I only lacked polymorph skills, but it seems my spatial teleportation magic is just as chaotic. Now, Patrick¡¯s words about ¡®don¡¯t use magic because the mana inside you is chaotic¡¯ are starting to make sense. Initially, I thought it might be a coordinate error, but now it¡¯s clear that the coordinates aren¡¯t the issue. It¡¯s simply a complete disaster. Ah, this is a disaster. I should have just walked. I would have reached the village by now if I had just walked. ¡°Seriously¡­ I can¡¯t even do polymorph properly, why would I attempt teleportation magic?¡± Devourer, a tall and lean man, brushed his hair in frustration. His already messy black hair was annoyingly obstructing his view. Glancing around nonchalantly, he noticed a monster-looking creature on one side, while on the other side, a group of humans stared intently at him. The intense gazes felt overwhelming, so he intentionally averted his eyes, but it didn¡¯t alleviate the feeling of being watched. Judging from the traces of magic visible here and there and the arrows stuck in the ground, it seemed like they were somehow interfering with each other in a heated battle. What should I say in this situation? Should I apologize for intruding while they¡¯re in the middle of a heated battle? Or should I tell them to continue fighting without bothering about me? As he pondered over an appropriate response, a question, filled with the vibes of a third-rate actor, echoed from the humans. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡®Must they ask so unconfidently¡­¡¯ Me? Devourer pointed at himself, and the group of humans collectively nodded in affirmation. When asked who he was, Devourer considered what he should answer. But before he could decide, another question came: ¡°Not who you are, but whose side are you on? You seem human¡­ Yes! Are you reinforcements? Sent by the Guild Union? The Imperial Family? And how did you fall from the sky? No, wait! For now, quickly attack that demon in this gap!¡± Despite speaking, the human was trembling. It seemed like the question was more of a demand. Devourer, maintaining a nonchalant expression, turned his head. Facing a fierce gaze mixed with tension and enmity from a demon, he locked eyes with it. According to the human, that demon must be the Demon king. ¡®Quite different from the Demon king I¡¯ve seen before.¡¯ Sure, many years have passed, but the demon Devourer knows used to be massive, close to monstrous in form. However, the demon staggering before Devourer seemed rather different. For a demon, she seemed scarce in numbers. A slightly reddish hue tinted her waist-length purple hair. Sharp eyes and fangs. Tinted wings and two horns on her head were definitely symbolic of a demon, yet she didn¡¯t appear particularly threatening. Her clothes weren¡¯t suitable for battle either. Renee used to be like that too. Is this the trend these days? Well, most of those thoughts might be Devourer¡¯s alone. However, one objective fact was clear: this Demon king was young. In human standards, she looked like someone in her late teens. For a demon of that stature, she might be around 200 years old. ¡®Not really a significant issue.¡¯ Sighing deeply in frustration, Devourer, feeling his stomach grumble, realized he hadn¡¯t eaten properly while worrying about Renee for the past few days. ¡°Hey, guys?¡± ¡°Die! Although an unknown intruder might have barged in, you all will die in our hands!¡± ¡°You lower beings, taste the agony slowly!¡± ¡­It seems dialogue isn¡¯t an option. Well, besides those guys, there doesn¡¯t seem to be anyone else around. Thinking that, Devourer slowly released his power. And then, he opened his mouth. It was enough time for a moment. His lean body transformed into a sleek physique, and black masses surged from him. Like things being forcibly squeezed out of a small pouch, giant black shapes repeatedly expanded and contracted. Those unstable black masses were indistinct whether they were liquid or solid. And when the process regained stability, a huge black form, enough to Devourer shadows, faced the Dawn Tiger Mercenary Squad and Kelumet. Crunch. S?a??h the N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. With a grinding sound, the movement of the black mouth ceased. The enormous mouth, big enough to Devourer them all, dripped saliva from the ceiling over the heads of the squad. No one thought it would be the last word. The huge black mouth encompassing the squad remained closed. It didn¡¯t chew. Hence, there was no blood. It Devourered them whole. Because it¡¯s Devourer. The only surviving Demon king blinked. Looking dumbfoundedly at where the humans were, the Demon king blinked again. During that moment, the mysterious entity had returned to its original form. It was almost like seeing an illusion, as if it was in a trance, sporting a lazy expression while grooming itself. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Demon king, ¡®Melje De Lymph Agrea¡¯, uttered a sound that might be amazement or doubt. This sight, either cunningly taking advantage of human vulnerabilities and successfully ambushing them or truly overwhelming. ©¤©¤©¤Something truly overwhelming. ¡°Just now¡­¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡­ did you just do? Your¡­ no. Who are you really? Truly¡­ impressive¡­ strong. If what I saw was accurate, you might be¡­ stronger than me. Doesn¡¯t my statement make sense?¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Devourer uttered, repeatedly shaking off the residue. Devourer glanced at Melje. The young Demon king wasn¡¯t filled with exuberance or reverence, but rather displayed the typical demeanor of a naive creature. It wasn¡¯t particularly surprising. When individuals confident in their strength witness such a spectacle, more often than not, they exhibit such an attitude. That incredulous expression was all too familiar to Devourer, shaped by countless ages. ¡°You could be strong, or maybe not.¡± ¡°What kind of strange response is that? Well, never mind. I¡¯ve taken quite an interest in you. I¡¯d like to know a lot! First, what¡¯s your name? Oh, pardon me. Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Melje de Lymph Agreia, the great Demon king, the 17th descendant of the mighty Asmodeus.¡± ¡°I am Dev¡ª¡± Instantly, Devourer halted. Revealing their true identity would undeniably make it easy to subdue this amateurish Demon king. But disclosing it in any way could ultimately spread rumors. There¡¯s no need to voluntarily proclaim, ¡®I¡¯m Devourer!¡¯ and go about promoting it. Most importantly, it had to be remembered: the reason for all this was to find Renee. ¡°Devde Rounie.¡± ¡°Terrible naming sense¡­,¡± Devourer regretted inwardly, unable to conjure a more fitting name. ¡°Devde Rounie¡­ Fine. Would it be alright to call you Sir Devde?¡± ¡°Suit yourself. It¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°Great, Sir Devde. First, I express my gratitude for your assistance. If it wasn¡¯t for your aid, I might have suffered at the hands of those humans.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t particularly eager to help.¡± Devourer had simply eaten up the louder side, either the demon or the human. If the demon had been noisier¡ª ¡°Um¡­¡± In imagining that scenario, Devourer¡¯s expression became rather complex. Yet, not paying attention to Devourer¡¯s awkward expression, Melje approached. Their purplish hair, reminiscent of an orchid, swayed naturally. Despite the recent encounter with the wall, their attire still carried an air of sophistication. ¡°While not a direct descendant, I carry the blood of the mighty Asmodeus. Having received your kindness, I wish to help Sir Devde too. Do you have any requests?¡± With that statement and a slight shake of their arms, Melje¡¯s chest, quite demon-lordly for their age, caught Devourer¡¯s attention. ¡°Something? It¡¯s just that¡­ it¡¯s fascinating to look at.¡± ¡°Just curious. If anyone flaunts themselves like that, wouldn¡¯t anyone look?¡± ¡°Is that so? It was an area I was confident in.¡± The dejected tone returned. Asmodeus had been known to preside over carnal desires, but perhaps it was due to that lineage. Or maybe¡ªnot due to lineage, but if it wasn¡¯t because of that, the problem could escalate. ¡°Given the urgency, I don¡¯t particularly need any help. Ah, right. I need to ask you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Trying to reach Hastin. Do you happen to know the way?¡± ¡°Oh, Hastin!¡± ¡°Yes! Hastin! You know it!¡± ¡°But what is Hastin?¡± ¡°You pretend to know and then claim ignorance!¡± Suddenly, a question arose in Devourer¡¯s mind. Even if they were monsters or demons, if they possessed intelligence, it was normal to know the location of the nearby human village. Especially for this Melje, a Demon king in humanoid form, it was unthinkable not to know. Yet not knowing Hastin? Not just not knowing the way, but not knowing Hastin itself? ¡°Hey, you. You mentioned Melje, right? Melje, do you know where the nearest human village is around here?¡± ¡°From what I know, Riaze would be the closest.¡± The more ominous feeling returned¡ª ¡°Why are you doing that, Sir Devde? Why the bewildered expression? Huh? Why? Sir Devde!¡± A sense of disappointment and self-blame engulfed Devourer simultaneously, as Melje, grinning, kept asking questions. *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 11 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 11 ¡°Looking for a silver-haired woman? Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll assist you in finding her by your side.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to go this far¡­ But thanks. By the way, weren¡¯t you the owner of that Demon king¡¯s castle? The dungeon and all that?¡± ¡°Are you concerned about me? I appreciate the sentiment, but you needn¡¯t worry to that extent. I am a Demon king, born to rule. The form of a Demon king¡¯s castle is not important. Where I am is the domain of demons, and all the demons around me are my legion.¡± ¡°Is it some kind of Demon king¡¯s power? Like, you can gather nearby demons just by your will?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Although I¡¯ve never tried it.¡± ¡°Is that really okay?¡± ¡°My father did it too. I can do it¡­ probably.¡± Quite the inexperienced Demon king, isn¡¯t it? That last ¡®probably¡¯ was particularly irritating. Doubts began to creep in, but not wanting to dampen Melje¡¯s confident demeanor, Devourer murmured a small ¡®wow¡¯ in response. Whether it was due to feigned praise or not, Melje¡¯s lips lifted slightly. Well, if that¡¯s how they see themselves, then so be it. ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s one thing. Actually, the castle that my father passed on to me was partially destroyed by what happened earlier¡­ I honestly didn¡¯t feel good about it, not at all! Being so close to the capital of the human empire is tough.¡± ¡°Apologies for the destruction of the castle.¡± ¡°Watching the stars at night is quite romantic, but I regret not having a hobby of basking in the sun during the day.¡± The culprit behind the partial destruction of the Demon king¡¯s castle quietly shook its head. ¡ª The road to the heart of Riaze was farther than expected. Fortunately, there was no concern about getting lost. Almost every road in Riaze was leading toward the city¡¯s center. Red flags reappeared whenever they seemed to fade from view. The massive castle sat centrally, guiding with red flags. Although the view of the castle diminished the further they moved away from the center, obscured by misty walls, it was enough to gauge its immense size. It was incomparable in size to Hastin, the peripheral baronial seat. Undoubtedly the dwelling of the human empire¡¯s head. Melje and Devourer were heading toward the center of the empire for a simple reason. Unable to walk all the way to Hastin, they might have the only means to reach Hastin within the inner central castle of the empire. ¡°¡®Teleportation Hub,¡¯ it¡¯s called, a human invention that compiles magical and alchemical advancements. I¡¯ve never used it, so I don¡¯t know much, but it¡¯s said to be a device that forcibly triggers spatial transference magic. It might be of help to Sir Devde.¡± Above all, ¡°If you¡¯re gathering information, there¡¯s no better place than the heart of Riaze.¡± Melje¡¯s chest-puffing statement was bold. Though the action of puffing out their chest bothered Devourer, the words weren¡¯t wrong, so Devourer nodded. Given that it was the center of the human-made empire, there would likely be a wealth of information. Of course, being far from Hastin in Riaze, the chances of finding Rene¡¯s traces were low. But on the contrary, it couldn¡¯t be affirmed that there were no traces of Rene in Hastin. The idea was ¡®if Rene had fled to another dungeon or place.¡¯ To anticipate where they might have gone, it was most convenient to inquire in Riaze and then proceed. ¡°There¡¯s also a place in Riaze that compiles information on all dungeons within the empire¡¯s territory.¡± Considering those possibilities, regardless, it was necessary to visit the heart of Riaze. Considering the mishap of spatial displacement, it was fortunate. Their journey through the streets was quite bustling. The constant gazes felt amidst the crowd was taxing for both of them. With a stature tall enough for most human men to look up to, Devourer had slightly tousled black hair. The angular jawline made them appear to be in their mid-twenties. Despite wearing a somewhat shabby and impoverished appearance, the polymorphed Devourer was undeniably handsome. Slightly torn features complemented their slight gruffness, exuding a rather fierce charm. Though Devourer considered themselves oddly shaped, borrowing Melje¡¯s words, it seemed that in humans¡¯ aesthetic standards, they definitely fell within the handsome category. Accompanying Devourer closely, Melje was equally beautiful. Though hiding wings and horns, the figure-hugging dress they wore couldn¡¯t conceal their curves, showcasing contours that nobles often preferred. The contrasting heights, ages, and attire ended up accentuating them even more. Passing through the crowd, they felt the continuous stares of onlookers. Murmurs here and there were as annoying as mosquitoes, making the sensory experience quite uncomfortable. Oddly enough, it was Melje, not Devourer, who frowned in frustration. How many times have they commented on such a mundane topic? Humans certainly needed population control, contemplating such remarks, Devourer just smiled. Actually, opening their mouth might result in an upset stomach. After an arduous journey, Melje brought Devourer to a tavern. ¡°Innkeeper, two glasses of beer, please.¡± s?a??h th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Um, Melje? What exactly are you doing?¡± ¡°Ahaha, Sir Devde, fret not! I¡¯m capable of affording a beer for a helper like you!¡± ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not it. We have a long way to go, and wasting time in a place like this¡­¡± ¡°A clear mind comes from a clear body. To think clearly, one must have a clear body¡­¡± Does drinking beer make the body clear? ¡°¡­Please don¡¯t look at me with such a scary look, Sir Devde. I was joking just now. Right here is our first destination.¡± During a brief exchange, two large glasses were swiftly placed in front of them. They arrived so quickly that Devourer suspected they might have canceled the order. Nonetheless, without any hesitation, Melje raised her glass to take a sip. ¡°Do you not know much about human villages, Sir Devde? Taverns are a gathering place for information! Look around, listen. All these conversations happening. They¡¯re raw, unprocessed nuggets of information. You just pick what you need. Simple, isn¡¯t it?¡± She laughed heartily, seemingly incongruent with her appearance, and took another sip of her beer. Despite whatever disdain she held for humans, it seemed Melje enjoyed their beer. ¡°Picking what I need¡­ You make it sound so easy.¡± Curious, Devourer tried the beer but immediately put the glass down, clearly not to his taste. He looked around as they sat in a place quite different from the taverns in small villages like Hastin. The space was at least six times the height of an average human. Stairs rose up to the third floor, and the whole ambiance exuded an artistic vibe. Water flowed between skillfully placed stone sculptures, and groups of people sat among them, discussing business or contracts, as Devourer could gather from the repetitive words ¡®revenue¡¯ or ¡®agreement.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Devourer, scanning the surroundings, noticed something and got up from his seat. Melje, despite trying to finish her drink, followed his gaze. Devourer walked to the far end of the first-floor tavern corridor, where a wall displayed rows of paper. Lists of dungeons within the empire, or dungeons allowing access from other countries, were documented here. They categorized dungeons based on various factors, recommending a number of participants and detailing potential rewards. Occasionally, at the bottom of some dungeon descriptions, were the names of various expedition parties. To prevent conflicts, it seemed these lists served to avoid simultaneous entries by multiple parties. ¡°That¡¯s the list of expedition parties for each dungeon. To prevent clashes, you see. It¡¯s because conflicts arise when they distribute rewards.¡± ¡°Which is good for us.¡± ¡°Us? Is Sir Devde also a dungeon-bound demon? By the way, there was something I wanted to ask. Even if you¡¯re one, how come you freely roam outside the dungeon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated¡­ Can we just let that go?¡± ¡°You hide a lot, Sir Devde. Well, there must be reasons. Okay, I won¡¯t ask anymore.¡± As Devourer scanned the list, his attention was caught by seven red sheets. They were placed at a height even Devourer, with his considerable height, had to reach for. The familiar writing caught his eye. [The Seven Great Evil Dungeons, ¡®Primordial Core.¡¯] Boss: ¡®Ancient Monster¡¯ Devourer ¡®Oh, that¡¯s my place.¡¯ Devourer smiled unconsciously, feeling an unexpected sense of joy. Melje reached out her hand as well, but since Devourer was engrossed in the paper, she didn¡¯t manage to touch it. ¡°What?! What are you looking at so intently? I want to see too! Don¡¯t be selfish, show me!¡± Watching Melje¡¯s gestures for a moment, Devourer finally extended the red paper toward her. Taking it in her hands, the small demon was engrossed in the contents. Her eyes widened gradually as she read. Suddenly, she turned to Devourer with an excited voice. ¡°Ha! The Primordial Core! I know everything about this dungeon! Sir Devde, it seems you¡¯re interested too! This is my favorite dungeon, the Primordial Core! If you have any questions, ask me! I¡¯ll tell you everything!¡± Seeing Devourer¡¯s surprised expression, Melje cleared her throat and began explaining. *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 12 ***[Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 12 ¡°The Seven Great Evil Dungeons! Even the foolish humans recognize its strength, the pinnacle of all acknowledged dungeons! The goal of every monster! Do you understand?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± ¡°However, even among the Seventh Great Evil Dungeons, there are different levels! Listen¡­ Sir Devde, are you listening? Of course, all seven dungeon Kings are beyond ordinary monsters, but let me, for now, giiiive a loooong ©¤ Just, I meaaaan, in the end, iiiiiit¡¯s juuuuust¡­. That¡¯s not important.¡± ¡°The descriptions and titles are unnecessarily lengthy, aren¡¯t they? Besides, these grandiose titles seem quite exaggerated. Maybe closer to homeowners than rulers. It¡¯s quite an amusing jest to consider a being hunted by gatekeepers as a ruler ¨C at least that¡¯s how Devourer perceives it. Being the warden of all existence is a bit far-fetched, isn¡¯t it? And the pinnacle of everything¡­¡± ¡°Sadly, I apologize, but the esteemed being you revere is here lost in these depths, barely capable of casting a proper spell. Where did those grandiloquent titles come from?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not necessary! One can discern it from the humans¡¯ word of mouth.¡± The rumors, overseeing our dungeon¡¯s promotion, must have been under Renee¡¯s control. It seemed like Renee¡¯s hand had been busier than needed. Maybe I should have asked what specific parts to exaggerate rather than assuming they¡¯d manage it well. I trusted they¡¯d do well and overshot it too far, leading to this deification. ¡°Of course, the other Seven Great Evil Dungeons are equally formidable! Look, ¡®Cheite Castle¡¯s¡¯ Elizabeth Batory, ¡®Corpse¡¯s Demise¡¯s¡¯ Erebus, ¡®Desert Hell¡¯s¡¯ Great Wyrm Hexabel, and also¡­hmm.¡± ¡°The rest of the descriptions are needlessly hurried¡­¡± ¡°Oops! I¡¯ve already given descriptions for all seven places!¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Even though I counted only four, it¡¯s futile to engage with an intoxicated entity. Simply giving a vague response, Devourer glanced briefly at Melje. With five empty glasses right in front, one could roughly understand the situation. Watching Melje add one or two orders while being conscious was entertaining. However, they ended up in this state at lightning speed. If only I hadn¡¯t let them continue drinking. Despite the regret, the present condition of the little demon, judging by the number of empty glasses, their attire, and outward appearance, indicated a certain state. ¡®It¡¯s the only gain, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Ignoring the heavily drunk Melje, muttering in a tangled tongue, Devourer concentrated on recalling the contents of the paper seen earlier. The red paper containing information about the The Seven Great Evil Dungeons. Fortunately, there was nothing written under ¡®Dungeon Participation Expeditions List.¡¯ It implied that the formation of human expedition parties wasn¡¯t yet complete. The five-day limit set by Devourer and Patrick accounted for the expected human invasion date. So far, the situation had been proceeding according to Patrick¡¯s plan. There was no rush now that the sun had set. Thus, Devourer didn¡¯t need to move hastily. Already inebriated, Melje¡¯s current state, appearance, and apparent age, combined with her female gender, heightened the likelihood of an attack while traveling. For this reason, there wasn¡¯t a necessity to move in the evening. With the sun having set, there was no hurry. S?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Seeing Melje, who was reddened, suddenly making an odd noise and straightening her neck, Devourer, who had been watching, decided to feign surprise. ¡°Whoa, impressive! But where did those impressive titles for that figure come from?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s be careful about what we say. There are many ears listening.¡± ¡°Oh, come on! Answer me! I¡¯ve been curious since earlier. How does Sir Devde, the esteemed being, handle strength? How could you easily handle those humans earlier?¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s be careful with our words. There are many ears here.¡± ¡°Ooh, that¡¯s frightening! If the esteemed being gets angry, it¡¯ll be terrifying! The esteemed being is strong, even stronger than me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not exactly weak yourself.¡± Despite being immeasurable accurately, even from Devourer¡¯s perspective, Melje was by no means weak. She rather belonged to the category of strong individuals. Though not reaching the level of Devourer himself, Patrick, or Renee, the demon race itself wielded considerable power, making even average members able to handle most dungeon bosses with ease. Although Melje appeared lacking in many aspects compared to a typical demon, she possessed a power that couldn¡¯t be disregarded. ¡°Thanks for the praise, but Sir Devde probably meant it from the perspective of an ordinary monster, right? I¡­I want to become stronger. I want to try everything after getting stronger. If I become stronger, maybe Mr Devourer will acknowledge me?¡± ¡°¡­Seems like you¡¯re quite fond of Devourer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Devourer ¡®King¡¯! Isn¡¯t it magnificent? A strength that is incomprehensible¡­!¡± ¡°It seems like you¡¯re fixated on strength.¡± Melje, hearing those words, gulped down a beer that had been ordered, then spoke again. ¡°My father devoted his life to the dungeon and even drew his last breath on the throne facing the humans.¡± ¡°That sounds like the opening to an epic saga.¡± ¡°Shush. Sometimes, it¡¯s polite to listen calmly. My father, I don¡¯t think his life was wrong. He was strong. Even in this recent incident, despite me messing things up¡­ he was a true Demon King who guarded that Demon¡¯s castle for over a hundred years. He was the right one for the throne. There was only someone stronger than him, around ten years ago? I think it was Vern? A rather young human.¡± ¡°A warrior who defeated the Demon King? That¡¯s something I wouldn¡¯t want to encounter.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s the gist of it. That¡¯s why I unexpectedly inherited the dungeon. But even so, I don¡¯t want to live like my father. Rather than dedicating my life to dungeon management, I wish the creatures drawn by my strength would create the dungeon themselves. That¡¯s the reason I want to grow stronger. What do you think? Isn¡¯t it impressive?¡± ¡®Ah, youth is truly something. I had those days too.¡¯ Even with a tongue twisted from the drink, the sincere tone in the speech reminded me of the past. A time long forgotten. Before creating and settling in the Primordial Core. There were times of fervor, leading a legion powerful enough to dominate the world. Not to the extent of what Melje mentioned as the ¡°Guardian of All,¡± but there was a time when all creatures bowed beneath my feet. I¡¯ve lived more seriously than most, sought to master the knowledge of the world, and even had moments mingling with humans, deeply indulging in their emotions, dedicating everything to them. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤Only to realize eventually it was all futile. Now, the goal of my life is simply to lie down and rest. Nodding to Melje¡¯s words, I recalled the past. In the meantime, Melje had collapsed on the table after the phrase ¡°Isn¡¯t it impressive?¡± It seemed the strain of battling humans in the bustling streets had exhausted her. ¡°Are you asleep?¡± No response. ¡°Are you really asleep¡­?¡± Still no reaction. ¡°¡­How much of a nuisance are you?¡± Utterly unresponsive. It was confirmed, she¡¯d fallen into a drunken stupor. Is it acceptable for a Demon King to be this weak to alcohol? It made me doubt whether Melje was indeed a real Demon King. Considering waking her and making her walk to her room for a moment, I reluctantly lifted Melje with both hands. Though she might prefer to sleep on a bed of thorns, I suppose. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± I did consider she might end up sleeping on the streets, so I should probably be grateful. Besides, both the cost of the drinks and the accommodation came from this Demon King¡¯s purse. Trying to positively brainwash myself as much as possible, I covered Melje with the blankets from both beds. She seemed not entirely asleep yet and was tossing and turning. ¡®Resembling humans even in the smallest ways.¡¯ Nevertheless, I¡¯m not particularly annoyed. * * * A remarkably warm feeling. A feeling I haven¡¯t had in a long time¡ªa feeling of being cared for, wanting to rely on someone so warm¡­ Did I get drunk again? My head throbs. Although I seem to have sobered up quickly as a Demon King, the hangover persisted around my temples. Melje put her hand on my head. It seemed I relaxed too much after the intense drinking. I slowly got up from the bed. I vividly recall drinking enthusiastically, but I couldn¡¯t remember what happened afterward. However, based on the situation, I had a good idea of what had transpired. ¡°Did Sir Devde bring me here¡­? Hah, but more importantly¡­!¡± A presence behind the door, presumably Sir Devde and only the two of us in the accommodation. And I was inebriated. This situation, could it be? ¡°This, this is¡­ a situation where I¡¯d¡­with Sir Devde?!¡± Melje¡¯s mind became confused. Is this an opportunity or a crisis? *** [Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 13 ***[Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 13 ¡°Please come again next time!¡± With a loud clatter, the paper hanging on the wooden door rang. Finally, the last stumbling customer disappeared from sight. It was well into midnight, the clouds obscured the moon, yet it seemed that the day¡¯s work hadn¡¯t ended as swiftly as expected. ¡°Ha, finally¡­¡± Closing up was always an ordeal. Given the nature of the tavern, where even the sober turned into stumbling figures, it was even more laborious. Nevertheless, after remodeling, the interior ambiance had somewhat improved, resulting in a decrease in the rowdier customers. Not that it became tidy, though. Chaos remained chaos. Tables and the kitchen would be cleared by the waitstaff and cooks. That¡¯s why they were employed. The owner¡¯s gaze, watching them intently, shifted toward the end of the corridor. The sight of the disorder at the moment froze the owner¡¯s expression. ¡°If you¡¯ve seen it, tidy up before leaving. They act like it¡¯s not their responsibility to clean up¡­ tsk.¡± The owner¡¯s brows furrowed as he looked at the cluttered notice board. The mercenaries were the problem. After living nomadically, their manners had clearly fallen. Thus, further solidifying the negative image of mercenaries, the owner slowly organized the notice board. Beer stains on the white paper looked as if urine had been smeared on it. Touching the damp paper brought an inexplicable disgust, akin to someone touching a snot-stained tissue. What¡¯s more amusing is that the mercenaries who don¡¯t have the skills to venture into the lower dungeons roam around creating chaos. ¡°What? This one¡¯s soaked in alcohol too.¡± With an annoyed tone, the owner held up a red paper. ¡°The Seven Great Evil Dungeons paper is expensive¡­ The material is completely different from the others. Why is it in this state again? I really don¡¯t understand why these need to be posted. Don¡¯t you think so? They should be posted on the Imperial walls. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°The law states that if you¡¯re going to post, post everything. Haha¡­¡± The other staff chuckled, murmuring, as the owner, filled with irritation, grabbed the offered paper. It¡¯s a usual occurrence. They make plenty of money, but when there¡¯s an extra expense, they shine like that, and by now, it¡¯s become familiar. ¡°Was the discarded paper the request to subdue the Primordial Core?¡± Amidst the grumbling, a staff member¡¯s question rang out. The owner, seemingly not remembering, glanced back at the board before responding. ¡°Yeah, looking at the missing spot, it¡¯s the Primordial Core.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s that, then it¡¯s fortunate. There was a new one that came in about yesterday, and I forgot to replace it. We should switch it out.¡± S?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°What? You left it as it was? Call that a notice¡­ If we¡¯re caught by the Imperial Inspectors, it¡¯s a fine, a fine!¡± Despite the complaints, the owner, with a face full of laughter, seized the red paper handed over by the staff. After replacing it with a new paper, the tavern fell silent once again. The workday was coming to an end. The Seven Great Evil Dungeons, the ¡®Primordial Core.¡¯ Inside the Grapenia Forest, near Hastin in the western empire. Composed of limestone, the hexagonal cave (standard 3©¤16 type) ¡ùWarning©¤ A dungeon involving the dangers of The Seven Great Evil Dungeons, admission granted to Imperial-certified S-grade subjugation units or equivalent capability acknowledged by influential powers. Recommended personnel for this dungeon©¤ Detailed descriptions below that, miscellaneous comments. And finally©¤ ©¤©¤©¤©¤Raid Force List©¤©¤©¤©¤ Under the command of Paimour Du Bellay, the ¡®Paimour Raid Force.¡¯ Comprising a total of 31 members led by Raid Force Leader Niphrim. ©¤Raid Scheduled Date©¤ Within 72 hours from the issuance date of this request. The newly replaced paper exuded an unpleasant reddish hue. Phase 3 ¡°Warm feels nice, it really does.¡± Dipping into the tub, emitting warmth, Devourer muttered to himself. The human body feeling comfortable in such low temperatures was a pleasure even a fiery storm of flames that high-ranking sorcerers easily cast couldn¡¯t provide. No way water at this temperature would feel warm in a circular pool. Leaning back with his neck submerged, he stared at the ceiling. In a hexagonal tube made of transparent synthetic mineral, a mana stone imbued with luminescent magic faintly glowed. The light swinging from the ceiling swayed like a precarious chandelier. Devourer, who followed the movement with his eyes like he was hypnotized¡­ ¡­had no thoughts at all. ¡®Renee¡­ I need to find her¡­¡¯ Even if he was desperate, he knew it was pointless, yet the words slipped out of habit. Despite saying that, no concrete plan came to mind. Just a vague idea of taking the ¡®Teleportation Hub¡¯ to Hastin somehow. What¡¯s Renee doing now? Is she resenting me? Why did it happen? Perhaps we¡¯ll meet as the enemy next time. ¡®As Patrick says, if I just bow down and kiss her shoes, somehow that might work.¡¯ Mulling it over doesn¡¯t yield any solutions. Right now, it¡¯s a situation where actions matter more than thoughts. Deciding so, Devourer rose from his seat. He felt that closing his eyes for the remaining time would be the wisest choice. As he picked up the discarded clothes, the room seemed filled with vapor, making them damp. Letting out a deep sigh at his own foolishness, he hastily put on his upper garments. It felt odd, as if something was amiss with his clothes. ¡ªHe wore them inside out. ¡°Oh, this is the worst.¡± With a tone of complete resignation, Devourer quickly put on the remaining clothes and flung open the bathroom door. Like a grand spectacle one might see in a human play, Devourer emerged from the bathroom amidst a massive cloud of steam. The sight of the vapor made it feel more like an escape than just stepping out. As the mist gradually cleared, her vision returned. The first thing that caught her eye was Melje. And the next thing she saw was also Melje. Melje was there. There was nothing but Melje. Melje was right in front of him. ¡°Sir Devde, Sirrrr!!¡± ¡°AAAGH!¡± Startled, Devourer reflexively screamed, simultaneously stepping back. His foot slipped, almost causing him to fall backward, but after a few wobbly moments, he managed to regain his balance. He let her guard down. Tremendously. What¡¯s going on? In a combat situation, that would have allowed for a fatal strike. The unexpectedness of the situation was so certain that Devourer¡¯s voice, which was originally going to say, ¡®Oh, you¡¯re up,¡¯ rose several octaves. ¡°Why¡ªWhy are you so surprised? Sir Devde? Is there¡ªIs there a reason I shouldn¡¯t wake up?¡± ¡°No, I was surprised! You should¡¯ve given some kind of sign! Anyone would be startled!¡± ¡°Were you startled? Hm? Were you?¡± ¡°Yes, it was an incredible skill! I couldn¡¯t even hear your breath! With that level, not even Devourer, whom you like, would have noticed!¡± ¡°Such sacrilegious words! Mr Devourer would notice such things!¡± Oh dear, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t notice in real-time! Suppressing the urge to shout loudly at Melje¡¯s puzzled expression, Devourer barely managed to hold back the words that had just reached his throat. He has to hold back. He has to. The reason for doing this is to find Renee. Just then, there was a knocking sound from beyond the wall. A complaint to keep it quiet from the neighboring room. Finally calming down, Devourer also took a deep breath. After somewhat calming her excitement, Devourer looked at Melje again. The reason was simple. Melje was staring directly at Devourer, so Devourer was only looking back at Melje. And then, she got excited again. No, it turned inversely subdued. ¡°Are you in heat?¡± ¡ªAs he became too calm, his thoughts spilled out into words. Melje in front of Devourer, to put it simply, was different. It seemed like the simple transformation magic pretending to be human had been undone, revealing horns extending sideways from the forehead. Wings were visible too. And, most importantly, she was nude. If Devourer lowered his gaze slightly, a slender neck came into view. The gentle curves of the collarbones, the adequately full chest. ¡®Where is it?¡¯ It was gone. Disappeared. Where did the chest run off to? For a moment, Devourer¡¯s mind went blank. What he saw in front of her was a fairly underdeveloped figure. Even if it was Melje, the owner of a modest figure, this body looked immature compared to what Devourer had seen so far. Did his vision blur? He rubbed his eyes. Still, there was no change. Lowering his gaze again, to the collarbones, then the face. Slowly raising his gaze, for some reason, Melje¡¯s face seemed off, the dewy cheeks seeming closer to the nose than usual. Lowering his gaze again¡ªtoo low, he realized it was becoming dangerous and quickly brought it back up. No, even before all of this. ¡°You a little one?¡± Her height had reduced. Equivalent to that of a 10-year-old human girl. ¡°N-No, not a little one!¡± A rather rough denial was heard. The tone of the voice was higher than before, but the distinct fluctuating tone, the unique horns, the wings¡ªall remained. In front of Devourer was Melje, undoubtedly. ¡°Is this rejuvenation?¡± ¡°It seems like a very rude term! Sir Devde!¡± ¡°Your Charms got lost on the way here.¡± ¡°Stop treating me like a kid!¡± ¡°Tee-hee.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ forgive you¡­¡± ¡°¡­Why did you suddenly become younger?¡± ¡°Ha, ha! I didn¡¯t become younger! It¡¯s just¡­ um¡­ I was originally like this! What you saw until now was, um, to avoid looking ridiculous to pitiful humans, it was ¡®Version 2¡¯¡ªto not be laughed at¡ª¡± ¡°So, your true form is this?¡± Ultimately, it seems to be a confession of disguising through transformation magic. ¡°Indeed. Ah, no, that¡¯s not it! This is ¡®Version 1¡¯! Moreover, the thing about transformation magic is that it reflects the user¡¯s future form! It means that I¡¯ll eventually have a splendid figure when I age! Do you understand, Sir Devde!¡± ¡°Well, I mean¡­¡± Watching Melje particularly exaggerate her response, Devourer became convinced. So, in the end, that kid¡¯s body was the real deal. It¡¯s not like he wanted anything, but something feels off. Unable to hide his awkward expression, Devourer instinctively scratched the back of his neck. With a body disguised by transformation magic, was she boasting, ¡°It was like this, that¡¯s how I was all along¡­?¡± Oh my. Now he can¡¯t really trust those demons who claim to be kings. Watching her wobble on her shortened limbs was a sight to behold, albeit pitiful. ¡°Even if you say that, I know everything you like! These days, even younger ones like me are more popular among the demon crowd! How about that! Do you acknowledge that, Sir Devde!¡± ¡°Those demons, I don¡¯t know who they are or where they live, but they all should be thrown into underground dungeons.¡± ¡°You¡¯re noisy! Always blabbering! Anyway, I¡¯m serious! I revealed this truthful form to have a genuine conversation with you!¡± A genuine form. Lowering his gaze once again¡­ ¡°You, you¡¯re staring too much, Sir Devde!¡± He got caught. Melje blushed, conscious of Devourer¡¯s gaze. Yet, it felt somewhat different from the innocent face of a girl in love. Compared to Renee¡¯s expression when she confessed to Devourer, there seemed to be an additional purpose in that expression. Yes, in heat. If his knowledge was correct, that expression was that of being in heat. Furthermore, the clothes¡ªwhere did she even get them from? They were neatly laid out on the wooden bed. It wasn¡¯t just thrown carelessly, but meticulously placed. Even though it might seem insignificant, it held a significant meaning. In short, she wasn¡¯t doing this intoxicated. ¡°Perhaps even the Demon King has a mating season¡­¡± ¡°Th-That¡¯s absurd! And it¡¯s not a mating season! Using such an expression is too vulgar! Call me an opportunist! No, I¡¯m just¡­ in a critical situation! I merely chose to be the assailant rather than the one being assaulted. Yes, I am the aggressor! For a Demon King to be an aggressor, not a victim! Besides!¡± From her diminutive stature, a voice resounded enough to apologize to the neighboring room. ¡°I¡¯m! Succecor of Asmodeus, the Great Demon in charge of lust! This is proof that the body holds the blood of a Great Demon! Yes, Sir Devde, you and that, yes! It¡¯s mating!¡± With that declaration, Melje¡¯s wide-open arms aimed at Devourer. With fingers raised like a beast¡¯s claws, Melje, in front of Devourer, tried to pull him close as if to overwhelm him. It was sudden and desperate. Devourer grabbed Melje¡¯s hands, using strength to thwart Melje¡¯s actions. ¡°Why, why are you resisting! Could it be that I lack the allure of a female to you! Am I not enough!¡± ¡°Wait, hold on. Calm down. Look, you have Mr Devourer, whom you respect. Wouldn¡¯t it be embarrassing for him to see this!¡± ¡°Devourer is too busy to have time for this!¡± ¡®He¡¯s watching in real-time!¡¯ ¡°Moreover, if I wait for him and age in the process, would you take responsibility?! If you were really willing to take responsibility, take it now! First, bear a child with strong genes! Devourer will go through my ¡®Plan C¡¯ strategy. Do you understand!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pass on weird dreams to your child!¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late!¡± There was no time to ask what Plans A and B were. Thinking so, Devourer urgently shook his head. Think for one second. Ding. Unable to arrive at an answer. Perhaps forcing it with strength might work. But waiting for Melje to tire out would only waste their energies. More importantly, he didn¡¯t know where to look, and besides, Melje¡ª ¡ªMelje was preparing some wicked magic. ¡°Amazing power! As expected of Sir Devde! You¡¯re qualified to be my companion! However, if you refuse, I¡¯ll break you with my magic¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± With a ¡®crack!¡¯ sound, Melje¡¯s words ceased. Devourer quickly brought down Melje, judging it to be too dangerous. With a thud, Melje collapsed into Devourer¡¯s arms. The mana gathered in both hands dispersed into thin air in an instant. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Supporting the fallen Melje, Devourer murmured to her. Of course, the unconscious Melje wouldn¡¯t hear. He didn¡¯t want her to hear. It¡¯s embarrassing. What kind of reaction should she show when Melje wakes up? Now that he¡¯s done it, he feels lost. It was an unexpected turn of events. Even if he comforts himself, the deed has been done. As if to mock Devourer¡¯s emotions, the sun, signaling the end of a grand battle, was rising. ¡°We messed up.¡± With a sentence containing so much, Devourer closed him eyes. *** [Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 14 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 14 It took two hours after sunrise for breakfast to arrive. The offerings were quite disappointing, considering they could have been used for a distinguished guest¡ªonly a fist-sized loaf of bread with dense clusters of wheat seeds and a bowl of watery soup with chopped pungent herbs. And two incredibly thin slices of bacon. S~?a??h the ?0velF?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. For Devourer, who was quite interested in human food, it was quite underwhelming. Human food that seemed even less appetizing than the humans themselves. Amid complaints about the lackluster breakfast, Devourer hungrily slurped down the soup from the fancy pottery. Surprisingly palatable. Somehow, it raised an expectation that the bread might taste decent too. With inflated anticipation, Devourer tore off a corner of the bread and popped it into their mouth. Chewed. Spit it out. The whole process took no more than a second. ¡°Yuck, blegh!!!¡± Devourer¡¯s expression stiffened as they belatedly examined the contents of the bread. Upon closer inspection of the bread¡¯s interior, they found finely chopped pieces of the ¡®dreadfully tasteless dried fruit¡¯ they had encountered yesterday embedded within. How do you even eat this? Devourer diverted his gaze elsewhere, only to find Melje quietly eating the bread. And remarkably, despite being potentially the Demon King, there was a sense of elegance in the way Melje delicately cut the bread with a knife. Devourer wasn¡¯t entirely sure if slicing the bread with a knife was customary. Nevertheless, Melje, in an uncharacteristically composed manner, consumed the bread without a word. Even her thick eyelashes, so fitting of her, seemed to captivate the attention. ¡®This composed Melje has a certain allure,¡¯ Devourer thought briefly and concluded. Melje¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t just irritation. It was more than ¡®being upset.¡¯ It was closer to ¡®being absolutely peeved.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just a slight annoyance; it was a deviation from the norm. ¡°Sorry.¡± Devourer wasn¡¯t entirely sure what he was sorry about, but for now, that could wait. With as pitiable a voice as possible, he apologized to Melje, which surprisingly drew murmurs of pity from the humans around them. ¡°From the beginning, Melje was miffed.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t annoyed. Also, did something happen last night? I was sound asleep and don¡¯t really remember. So Sir Devde, don¡¯t speak to me.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve been hearing everything despite saying that.¡± ¡°Too loud! La-la-la, I can¡¯t hear you. I won¡¯t hear you. Even if you speak, I won¡¯t hear a word.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, since earlier, you¡¯ve been saying that and still hearing everything.¡± ¡°Loud! I said, I can¡¯t hear you. I won¡¯t. Heh, whatever. I¡¯m starting to dislike Sir Devde. I used to like him, but not anymore. From now on, I¡¯ll only look at Mr Devourer, not Sir Devde.¡± It was quite a contradiction, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°At least give me a chance to explain¡­¡± ¡°Explain? Go ahead. Even if you do, I won¡¯t forgive, but out of my generosity, I¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ certainly¡­ if you put it that way, I¡¯ve got nothing to say. It makes sense.¡± The effect was tremendous! ¡°Y-yes! If you had blocked my strike, who knows what would have happened.¡± ¡°Because I wasn¡¯t stronger¡­ I hadn¡¯t thought of it. So everything lines up! Right. I was going to misunderstand. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Melje¡¯s face flushed again. It smiled again as if to say, ¡°What a simpleton.¡± Despite feeling internally embarrassed, Devourer forced a grin. In this awkward atmosphere where both smiled, Melje whispered subtly. ¡°Sir Devde might need to learn how to dress women. Cinching too tightly with a corset only leads to a fatter figure. Thanks to you, I¡¯m still sore. Be a bit gentler with a woman¡¯s body from now on.¡± Walking would¡¯ve been a disaster, indeed. Yep, it sure would¡¯ve. After finishing breakfast, Devourer and Melje headed towards the center of Raize. Fortunately, not long after, a huge castle wall spread out before them. Another castle wall within the city enclosed by the outer walls. When they first saw the outline of the wall shrouded in mist, it didn¡¯t feel so grand. But as they approached, lifting their heads to see its height, it truly was magnificent. A size that would fill the entire field of view. Compared to Devourer¡¯s wingspan, it reached up to Devourer¡¯s chest. And only after the inspection did they realize ¡®the fact¡¯. ¡°From here on, it¡¯s the entrance to the central part. You mentioned going to the teleportation hub, right? The hub is located outside the palace, so we still have quite a ways to go from here. We¡¯ll need to pass through three more castle walls ahead.¡± ¡°The time it takes?¡± ¡°If you were to walk, I¡¯d advise planning for at least a week.¡± The reply came from the guards at the castle gate. They used formal language, probably acknowledging Melje¡¯s noble attire, but their tone hinted at a hint of ¡°Are you asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± An unexpected situation. No, perhaps if they had thought a bit more, they might have realized. They were too careless. Raize was vast. It wasn¡¯t just the size of an ordinary city. Despite knowing that the distance between Hastin and Raize could take two months by carriage, they were too nonchalant. They were under the illusion that once they entered the castle, the palace would be right there. It was daunting. Devourer grasped his forehead with a headache accompanied by dizziness. Should he just sprint with all hismight? If he unleashed his polymorph and ran in circular flight, he could probably arrive today. But doing so would turn the entirety of Raize into a battlefield. It might even become the starting point of a chaotic war between humans and monsters. Not that he cared much about fighting or not, but he didn¡¯t particularly want to trigger the display of power in that war. He considered using teleportation magic, but no matter how much he thought about it, it wasn¡¯t a good idea. The Primodial Core to Melje¡¯s citadel, a distance that took humans over two months, covered in just three teleportations by Devourer. However, all three times were misfires. The teleportation worked correctly, but he ended up at coordinates far from the designated ones. Apart from covering more distance, it was akin to the lowest-tier teleportation magic, ¡®Random Teleport,¡¯ which didn¡¯t set coordinates. The probability of landing in the center of Raize with the next teleportation was close to zero. It was almost zero for landing near Hastin as well. No one knew whether the next teleport would drop him in the sea or onto a different continent. Melje didn¡¯t dispute this aspect either. The fact that he landed on top of her citadel due to teleportation mishaps was something she probably vaguely understood. ¡°So, what about flight magic?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t¡­ constantly emitting mana in the open might get us noticed by humans.¡± They were stuck in a dilemma. Was there truly no way to get to the hub quickly? And then, as he pondered, a savior appeared in the form of a man named ¡®Belbir.¡¯ ¡°Sorry for eavesdropping unintentionally, but are you folks heading to the hub?¡± The gate was guarded by the soldiers. Next to it, a man handling a carriage led by two peculiar creatures greeted Devourer and Melje with a commercial smile. Through such a scenario, Devourer and Melje were now comfortably lounging. They were flying through the sky. A flying carriage¡ªsomething Devourer had never heard of. They didn¡¯t even know such a thing existed. A robust physique, neat short black hair, and the man¡¯s self-introduction as ¡®Heavenly Horseman Belbir.¡¯ The carriage he led was indeed flying. However, instead of horses, it was two creatures strapped with wings larger than their bodies, attached to arms thicker than their torsos. ¡°Alchemically-created Homunculus, the Winged Horses.¡± Heavenly Wings Abandoned 4th-generation Homunculus. It were the result of the Empire¡¯s ¡®Artificial Angel Production Project¡¯ Engineered angels meant to destabilize the refined aura and solidify the Emperor¡¯s ¡®Sole Divinity¡¯ position by pulling out the Pope. Belbir introduced it, patting one of the Homunculu¡¯s heads. Their slightly retreating expression seemed twice as large as a human¡¯s mouth. Their tongues extended, splitting into three branches. Apart from having wings, it didn¡¯t seem to share any common traits with angels. ¡®White, even pallid skin. Thin, revealing blue veins. It resemble Chimeras.¡¯ Devourer watched with fascination, while Melje, displaying a repulsive reaction, stepped back. Belbir resumed with his sales smile, explaining: ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s a stretch to call it angel based on its appearance. Its strong, obedient, and can fly, but fundamentally, it failed to achieve its original purpose of ¡®refined collapse.¡¯ Hence, the ¡®Artificial Angel Production Project¡¯ was a failure. So, It have been discarded, as it have been deemed useless and are sold off at a fraction of their actual price to us Heavenly Horsemen. Though even at a fraction, the actual cost is enormous.¡± He said this while tapping the carriage with his hand. Then, Melje, now curious about the carriage, began to look around through the window. ¡°As for human Homunculus research, is it concluded then?¡± ¡°Hardly. It¡¯s tough to explain the details to outsiders, but the Empire wouldn¡¯t give up on such power. There are rumors that large-scale production of Homunculus is ongoing somewhere. Well¡­ as you can see from these fellows, it seems more like they¡¯re creating simple biological weapons rather than Homunculus.¡± ¡°The large-scale production? Wasn¡¯t it carried out meticulously in giant flasks?¡± ¡°What era are you talking about? That was the cultivation method used a hundred and fifty years ago for the 1st generation Homunculus. What time are we in now?¡± Devourer nodded slightly, wondering if it had already been that long since Renee was born. ¡°The carriage seems sturdy, and it doesn¡¯t seem like a lie. How long will it take to get to the hub if we ride this?¡± ¡°Three hours for the flight, an hour for inspection. So, about four hours in total. Even if we fly, we¡¯ll still have to go through inspection at the gate eventually.¡± ¡°An hour for inspection?¡± ¡°An hour is short, actually. As you move towards the center, the crowd gets packed, so you¡¯ll have to queue up for inspection. We have dedicated inspection for the Heavenly Horsemen, so that makes it quicker.¡± ¡°And the cost?¡± Interrupting Melje and Belbir¡¯s conversation, Devourer asked. Belbir flashed his irritating salesman smile again as he replied, ¡°For the two of you, it¡¯ll be eight gold ounces.¡± An absurd price. Eight gold ounces equated to 800 silver ounces. The inn¡¯s petty lodging cost was four silver ounces per person. If there had been enough time, Devourer might have cursed out the Heavenly Horsemen and walked away instead. ¡°Sorry. Sir Devde¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ have¡­ that much money¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t carry money either.¡± Melje¡¯s trembling voice came from beside. Despite being a Demon king, Melje considered eight gold ounces a considerable sum, more than the revenue from killing humans and more than her dungeon management expenses. Devourer was in the same boat¡ªno money. The situation was the opposite for Devourer. He had money but rarely had reasons to leave the core; his style was hoarding it all there. ¡®Should I kill this Belbir guy and steal the carriage? Would that Homunculus obey my commands?¡¯ Exhaling deeply, Devourer rummaged through his pockets. There was no way there was money. However, something was caught in the pocket, something was there. Pulling it out revealed a neatly folded, thick note. It seemed damp, probably from the incident at the bath in the early morning. Carefully unfolding it to decipher the somewhat smeared ink, he managed to read the writing: [Boss who gets everything right. Someday, you¡¯ll owe me thanks, -Patrick] Inserted between the note were six gold coins, each worth five ounces. ¡ª The wind rustling through the gap in the carriage door signified the end of Devourer¡¯s nostalgic recollection. ¡°That¡¯s quite fortunate, Sir Devde. But seriously, that money, who put it in there? It wasn¡¯t just a couple of coins; it was quite a sum, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it was secretly put in by a dungeon companion.¡± ¡°Companion? Oh, I asked before, but how can Sir Devde freely roam around despite being a dungeon-bound monster?¡± Melje¡¯s gaze was solely fixed outside. Even as the Heavenly Horsemen steered the carriage, she strained to see the scenery outside. ¡°If I say I was chased out, will that be an acceptable answer?¡± ¡°Chased out? Sir Devde, so you were expelled from the dungeon and wandering like this? Is the companion you¡¯re looking for someone who was also expelled then? And you know, I had a faint inkling. Somehow, avoiding answers hinted at something going on.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the gist of it.¡± It wasn¡¯t necessarily a wrong statement. Renee was chased out by Devourer, and Devourer was expelled too, chasing after Renee. ¡°I envy you. Even after leaving the dungeon, you¡¯re still looking out for your companion. I wish I had a companion like that.¡± Still looking outside, Melje¡¯s voice lingered with lingering regret. ¡°I want a life like yours, Sir Devde. Someone taking care of you, and you, in turn, going to take care of someone else. Isn¡¯t that an amazing life?¡± The carriage was flying through the air. Glancing momentarily outside from behind Melje, Devourer saw the palace far off in the distance. Phase 4 *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 15 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 15 ¡°You are even mocking me!¡± Unable to contain his anger, Count Ettark threw the document forcefully, but even the paper seemed to mock him as it fluttered weakly to the ground. He vented his frustration by kicking the paper with his shoe, letting out a stream of curses. All the refined demeanor seen throughout his life seemed nothing but a facade as harsh words poured out, lacking any hint of noble dignity. Though pushed to the far-off village of Hastin amidst factional strife, he was still a Count, no matter how rotten he was. Despite the looming danger akin to the ancient center, Hastin was a functional territory. ¡°¡­Explain.¡± S?a??h the N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Glaring at the servant with bloodshot eyes, the Lord of Hastin, Count Ettark, intimidated the maid who cowered on the ground, her hands worn out from begging. Even that seemed to fuel his derision, prompting the Count, who had been pacing, to draw the sword resting on the ornate stand. The room filled with the sound of terrified sobs. ¡°Explain! I demand an explanation!!¡± He brandished the sword as if about to strike at any moment. Count Ettark¡¯s hand trembled, unable to focus even his gaze due to his anger. It took a significant pause for some semblance of composure to return. As the maid¡¯s whimpering ceased, the Count, who had been bristling with anger, managed to regain control. ¡°No¡­ I need to think calmly. This isn¡¯t the maid¡¯s fault.¡± As if dispelling his rage, he threw the sword aside, clattering loudly on the floor. Watching the fleeing maid, terrified and muffled, the Count, who had momentarily prevailed, picked up the crumpled paper again. He re-read the notification of the dungeon conquest, like confirming an execution order. A blatant notice. It wasn¡¯t seeking permission but a unilateral notice. For dungeons estimated at B-rank or higher, approval from the local lord must be obtained before entering. This was because failures in dungeon conquest often led to monsters spilling into human settlements, causing havoc. Assessing the potential success of a conquest team was a crucial duty for the lord, as incorrect judgments could directly result in territorial loss. Therefore, the judgment on entering a dungeon was an indicator of the lord¡¯s capabilities. And unless the royal family intervened, no one could overlook this unique authority. Within the territory, the power of a lord was almost comparable to that of an emperor, perhaps with a bit of exaggeration. Hastin was no exception. Even though pushed to such an obscure place, Ettark was law, the justice of Hastin. Sending such a unilateral notice, especially with the scheduled conquest date being two days away, was a direct challenge to his authority. Ettark clenched his teeth. ¡®The Third Eye.¡¯ Those damn Imperial-affiliated bureaucrats. He had been pushed away due to factional feuds, and he had no intention of getting involved with the royalty. Furthermore, the backers behind the notice were linked to Paimour Du Bellay, a reputed major investor. This reeked without even needing a royal seal. Aside from the wax seal not bearing the imperial emblem, it was essentially a royal decree. There was no way to refuse it. Coming in the form of a notification was an implicit threat to heed their commands. ¡°This¡­ is unbelievable¡­¡± Not only the investors and the expedition force but also the lord would suffer losses if the expedition failed. It was a perennial method of subjugating nobles by nobles. It was also a legal method. Labeling it a fault due to unclear judgment, they could attach any blame they wanted. ¡°Do you think this expedition force can conquer the Primordial Core?¡± After barely calming his excitement, the Count asked the servant again. The servant shook their head. Ettark thought the same. Most likely, everyone else thought the same. It was too ambiguous. He had considered the involvement of the royal family in a re-conquest, considering the death of the warrior Vern, but this was too inadequate. The figure mentioned as the Raid Force Leader, Niphrim, was an unknown individual. What were they thinking? Were they even burying themselves along with their own reputation? No, it couldn¡¯t be. The Count sighed softly. He was already a fallen entity. With his position unable to be restored, it wouldn¡¯t even be worth sacrificing dozens of expedition members for retribution. ¡­Regardless of the truth, one thing was certain: it was dangerous. ¡°We have to stop this, somehow.¡± It wasn¡¯t merely a reprimand. Touching even slightly on the ancient center could escalate matters unpredictably. Though no significant issues had occurred in the past half-century, history revealed instances of unprecedented chaos caused by movements in the Primordial Core. The Primordial Core itself was a disaster. Think. The Count rubbed his temples. Think, think of a solution. Even if it was a reckless attempt, if the conquest of the ancient center was already completed, that would solve it. A few regulations could be overlooked. Once the ancient cave was conquered, no one could be held accountable. Yes, this was it. ¡®Inevitably,¡¯ they couldn¡¯t proceed to the Primordial Core. With this conclusion in mind, the Count pondered the next issue. So, how should the expedition to conquer that Primordial Core be assembled? ¡°It might exist surprisingly close by.¡± The old servant, who had spent half a lifetime with him, quietly uttered, as if reading the Count¡¯s thoughts. Understanding the meaning of those words, Count Ettark remembered the ¡®Wing,¡¯ the mage tower guild. It would have to perform as well as a B-rank expedition team. Although the ¡®Wing¡¯ had struggled to conquer the former B-rank dungeon, Tetarinde Sanctuary, the current ¡®Wing¡¯ might make it possible. The mage tower had conquered over six B-rank dungeons in just a few days. Based on their visible progress alone, they were more than capable of matching the skill of an A-rank expedition team. Moreover, the reason for such drastic improvement was attributed to superior-rank mana stones of unknown origin, a secret that the Count was aware of. Challenging The Seven Great Evil Dungeons with just an A-rank capable team was undoubtedly insane. But the Primordial Core might not be in a normal state. If the news the Count had heard was accurate, the only creature remaining in the sewage path to the right of the gatekeeper road was Devourer, who fought Vern¡¯s expedition team. It was possible, quite possible. ¡°The mage tower guild, Wing. Send someone there immediately! If we leave such unheard-of fellows to proceed to the ancient center, it¡¯s the end of my life. I heard news of the conquest reaching the Gatekeeper, so I¡¯ll promise you a large amount of money and great honor in the name of the lord, so I ask you to somehow attack the Primordial Core! Beg them! Somehow! Anyhow¡­.¡± However, the Count¡¯s outburst stopped there. It caught his attention that another maid, who had been there for who knows how long, was visibly uneasy near the door. When the Count glared at the maid with an irritated look, she nervously spoke, ¡°G-Guests have arrived,¡± before bowing exaggeratedly. ¡°Guests?¡± The expression of displeasure and disdain on the Count¡¯s face became even more evident. It seemed like his patience was wearing thin. ¡®How much disrespect can I endure from everyone? From the sudden notification to these unexpected visitors¡­!¡¯ ¡°Are you the Count here?¡± A foreign voice interrupted the Count¡¯s thoughts. Beyond the maid, a blond man appeared, followed by a group of people. This was undoubtedly the Count¡¯s castle, and this room should have been the Count¡¯s private chamber. It wasn¡¯t a place where anyone could enter without permission. ¡°Where do you think you are¡­?¡± But the Count couldn¡¯t say anything more. The leader, the blond man, was looking elsewhere as he spoke. ¡°You must be the Count, right?¡± The intruders were dressed in a way that made it clear who they were. The confident expression on the leader¡¯s face was an added bonus. Although the blond man started to speak, his attention was directed elsewhere. ¡°Sylvia, you gluttonous human mongrel who sold your soul for the sin of gluttony. Must you seek such things even in a place like this?¡± ¡°Fool, it¡¯s because it¡¯s a place like this that you should try such things! And don¡¯t speak ill of a lady!¡± ¡°Oh well, you¡¯re right.¡± Completely ignoring the Count. Facing such blatant disregard within his own domain, the Count¡¯s gaze was buried in the commotion. Even his reproachful glances were lost in the noise. The maid¡¯s footsteps echoed as she retreated, breaking a teacup in the process. ¡°What is happening¡­?¡± ¡°Simply put, we¡¯ve come to clear the Primordial Core.¡± The vibrant voice echoed in the Count¡¯s mind. ¡°Well, well. I just wanted to provide some accommodation for a few days unless there¡¯s something urgent. We were planning to leave right after visiting ¡®Wing.''¡± ¡°The Wing? What¡­ What is the purpose of going there?¡± ¡°To kill them all.¡± At the sudden statement, the Count¡¯s face stiffened. In the distance, the sound of a maid breaking another cup could be heard. ¡°What¡­ What nonsense is this¡­?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re wondering, we came all the way here for one dungeon. ¡®Primordial Core,¡¯ as stated in the documents you received.¡± ¡°Th-the dungeon¡­?¡± ¡°Exactly. We were about to leave for it right away. However, we got a new schedule, so we might have to go tomorrow. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Why, a schedule? What do you mean? And two days, isn¡¯t that too impatient? It would be fine to recover your strength thoroughly before going, especially for such a momentous task.¡± ¡°Oh no, is it? We heard the schedule changed while coming here. Using magic to eavesdrop was quite easy with such lax security. I heard everything. You plan to entrust the mission to ¡®Wing,¡¯ right?¡± The Count¡¯s face became rigid. Even his attempts to regain control seemed futile. ¡°Well¡­ If you must know, we¡¯re here to eliminate any hindrance. After all, the stronger force will ultimately challenge the Primordial Core. So, if we survive, you won¡¯t have to worry, Count. Isn¡¯t that right, Count?¡± Niphrim asked. The Count, after a moment of silence, muttered. ¡°¡­Pardon my outspokenness.¡± ¡°Kahaha, thanks to the Count¡¯s kindness, I can¡¯t decide whether I should be grateful or not.¡± Satisfied with the humble response, Niphrim reached for the remaining half of the snack. Crunch! Even the sound of the snack being chewed felt unusually sharp. *** [Translator ¨C Kie] *** Chapter 16 ***[Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 16 ¡°Please use our service again!¡± With a business smile that never seemed to get familiar no matter how many times you saw it, Belbir greeted the next customer, disappearing. Judging by the impression of the next customer, it was probably a fairly influential noble. Besides the Heavenly carriage Devourer rode, there were two more Heavenly carriages circling the skies of Reage, indicating that it was a popular means of tourism for wealthy nobles. The landing spot for the Heavenly carriage was ¡®Survey Rose.¡¯ Another name for it was the ¡®Street of Gold and Pleasure.¡¯ Externally, it seemed well-known, but in reality, it served as a hub for fulfilling the peculiar hobbies of nobles after sunset, involving numerous deformed slaves and large sums of money. ¡°It¡¯s called the ¡®Night Street.''¡± Devourer had no knowledge about it, but according to Belbir, at least that was the case. Beyond one fortress wall was the Imperial Palace of the Empire, and since the street was considered a habitat for the so-called humans, even in the overflowing crowd, there was a restrained and organized atmosphere. Even with a sufficient number of people to fill a market, no one raised their voices. No one disrupted the street with noise, even with the performance of a street musician. However, not everyone in Survey Rose was naturally refined. In short, the modest atmosphere kept the mouths of those who would disturb the peace sealed shut. Devourer and Melje were no exception to having their voices stifled. Caught up in the atmosphere, they repeated their questions without raising their voices. ¡°So¡­ is it true that the ¡®Teleportation Hub¡¯ cannot be used?¡± ¡°Yes, I apologize for the inconvenience.¡± Of course, there was no expression of apology to be found. After using the expression of apology hundreds of times a day, the feeling of remorse might have disappeared. The gatekeeper bowed his head while uttering the scripted lines. A black robe extending down to the knees. The alchemical symbols on the necklace and the outer eye pattern, along with four intersecting lines, indicated that he was a member of the Alchemist Association. Behind him, something that looked like the teleportation hub, as Melje described it¡ªa large bio-experimentation tube. Whether it was the metal alloy plate beneath it or the unprocessed mana solution contained in the giant crystal connected to the hub, anyone could guess that it was a teleportation hub. However, at the moment, no light emanated from the crystal. Typically, mana circulating for use emits its own light. The fact that mana wasn¡¯t glowing meant that it wasn¡¯t even ready for use. In that situation, the hub was in a powered-down state. The gatekeeper¡¯s statement that it was unusable was not a lie. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this¡­ Sir Devde, it¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Melje, who was at a loss, tightly gripped Devourer¡¯s sleeve with a disheartened voice. It must have been confusing for Melje, even from the perspective of someone who confidently claimed that everything would be solved just by going to the hub. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Sorry as Melje might be, Devourer couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it¡¯s okay. Because it wasn¡¯t okay. Everything went dark. Initially, the thought was to kill the gatekeeper and take the hub. However, upon further consideration, it wasn¡¯t a great solution. Without knowing how to restart the hub and, more importantly, with no guarantee that the gatekeeper in front of them was the only one managing the hub, killing the gatekeeper could lead to another administrator who witnessed the act rendering the hub unusable. Then, should I ask Melje for a mind control spell? As Devourer entertained that thought, the gatekeeper cautiously spoke. Perhaps confused by Melje¡¯s use of the honorific ¡®Sir Devde¡¯ in addressing Devourer, the gatekeeper, who had been struggling to grasp the situation, ultimately directed his question to Devourer. ¡°It seems like you urgently need to use the Teleportation Hub. Are you in a hurry?¡± ¡°I need to get to Hastin¡­ so, yes.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not a situation where you¡¯re in a dispute, how about coming back around 8 p.m. tonight?¡± ¡°At 8 p.m.? Will the hub be operational again at 8 p.m.?¡± ¡°The auction is scheduled to end at 6 p.m., and the dinner after the auction is expected to finish before 8 p.m. VIPs skipping the post-auction reception will use the hub temporarily, so permission for hub use will likely be granted by the higher-ups at that time.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t received any instructions yet,¡± the gatekeeper added cautiously, scratching his side. The Uroboros-shaped ring on his index finger reflected the sunlight, shining yellow. I wonder if the instructions he mentioned are transmitted through that ring. ¡°Auction?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention it? The reason the hub usage was suspended today is because of the upcoming auction. Some quite rare items are being auctioned this time.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s an auction, why block the hub? How significant can these important items be?¡± ¡°The item coming up this time is one of the legendary ¡¯36 Masterpieces.¡¯ The long-lost ¡®Brachycephalic Tooth¡¯ suddenly came up for auction a few days ago. Blocking the hub is, of course, to prevent accidents in advance.¡± 36 Masterpieces. ¡°Ah, this. It¡¯s famous among humans. Boss, you¡¯ve probably heard of it, but the 36 Masterpieces¡­ They¡¯re quite famous weapons.¡± It was a word Devourer had recently heard from Patrick. The leader of the intruders who invaded the Primordial Core last time had one¡­ and now, Patrick owned one of those swords. Rene also mentioned that one of the weapons she possessed was one of the 36 Masterpieces. Ultimately, the gatekeeper explained that preventing infiltration of the auction through the Teleportation Hub was necessary, and with that, he stopped talking. However, from Devourer¡¯s perspective, there were several points that didn¡¯t make sense. How would they prevent wizards who could use teleportation magic without the hub, and why not just place teleportation resistance throughout the auction venue if that was the case? There were a few other questions that came to mind, but even if Devourer thought about it, the situation wouldn¡¯t change. Even if Devourer didn¡¯t understand the situation, it was still the reality. If the current situation is like that, then so be it. He looked up at the sky. The sun had already tilted to the west. There were still five hours to wait until 8 p.m. During that time, there was nothing to do but wait. The artificially heavy atmosphere of the street, although aesthetically pleasing, was uncomfortable. ¡°Still, if we wait, we can definitely use it, right?¡± ¡°As long as you pay the usage fee, you can enjoy the best service at any time.¡± Money was not a problem. When Devourer flicked the gold coins from his pocket into the air, the gatekeeper skillfully caught them, offering a slight smile and bowing his head. It was an apology for suspicion and rudeness. Certainly, the usage fee for the hub was unreasonably expensive for commoners, and proof of noble status was required, making it an absurd condition. In Devourer and Melje¡¯s case, they were in a position where they had to pay extra, but the amount of gold coins they could use was a whopping 22 ounces. ¡°Well then, we¡¯ll come back around the time the auction ends.¡± ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience. Since there are many attractions in Survey Rose, you can enjoy the scent of the street at ease¡­¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t particularly want to¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like the street? Well, it¡¯s not a street filled with passion and excitement. If you want to experience that atmosphere, participating directly in the auction might be a good option, but if you need it, take this.¡± Saying that, the gatekeeper handed Devourer a paper filled with content. Melje also showed curiosity when Devourer accepted the paper. However, perhaps due to the small stature making it difficult to see, Melje jumped around towards Devourer and said. ¡°Something! I¡¯m curious too! Show me!¡± ¡°Is this the list of items for the upcoming auction?¡± ¡°Yes, well. Each item to be auctioned is so expensive that an ordinary gatekeeper like me can¡¯t afford to live even if I save for a lifetime.¡± Saying that, the gatekeeper pointed his finger at the upper part of the paper. Melje, who could finally see the content with difficulty after standing on tiptoes, let out a small gasp at the intricately drawn small blade picture. S?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Wow, quite well-drawn.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a magic-made woodblock print, so it should be identical to the real thing. This is the ¡®Brachycephalic Tooth¡¯ that will be auctioned this time.¡± ©¤Where have I seen this form before? Even though he internally urged himself that he didn¡¯t have time to leisurely observe such things, an inexplicable uneasiness kept his gaze fixed. Only after looking at the drawing did the pieces of the puzzle in his mind start to come together. It didn¡¯t take much time to recall the memory. ¡°Oh, this¡­ It¡¯s the same as the weapon my¡­ companion uses?¡± ¡°Huh? Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the same. Exactly the same. When you apply force, it transforms into a large blade, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but you must be mistaken. It¡¯s a one-of-a-kind weapon in the world.¡± ¡°Is it not a fake that¡¯s up for auction this time?¡± A smile appeared on the gatekeeper¡¯s lips upon hearing those words. Suppressing the laughter that was about to burst out, he playfully clapped his hands, indicating that the joke had gone too far. Judging by the reaction, it seemed like everything he had said until now was genuine. So, was the one Renee was using a fake? No, no matter how much he thought about it, it didn¡¯t make sense. There was no way that something so finely crafted could be fake. The fact that she had been using a fake for decades was absurd in itself, and if it was fake, there was no way such a small blade could transform into a large one. Above all, Patrick had clearly said, ¡®One of Rene¡¯s weapons is one of the 36 Masterpieces,¡¯ so it was definite. Patrick, who instantly recognized that the human¡¯s sword was one of the 36 Masterpieces, was the one who made it clear. ¡­He definitely mentioned the 36 Masterpieces. Definitely said it was a one-of-a-kind weapon in the world. In that case? A suspicious conclusion emerged. Could the item currently up for auction be Renee¡¯s, or¡ª ¡®No, no way.¡¯ Are there any other possibilities? Are there any? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤There aren¡¯t any. ¡®No, no, no. Am I playing around right now?¡¯ [This item up for auction this time is the legendary ¡¯34th Masterpiece.¡¯ The ¡®Brachycephalic Tooth,¡¯ which has been elusive for a long time, suddenly came up for auction a few days ago.] [36 Masterpieces.] [For a long time, its whereabouts were mysterious¡ª] [Suddenly a few days ago¡ª] There might be a possibility. Too many thoughts were swirling in his mind, and it felt like his thoughts were about to explode. Melje noticed first that Devourer¡¯s expression was crumpled, and she observed him cautiously. Maybe he was too complacent. ¡°As Patrick said, if you grovel and kiss someone¡¯s shoes, things will somehow work out, right?¡± The words he uttered in the early morning came to mind. Yes, in truth, he had been treating it somewhat lightly. Despite saying that every minute and second mattered, his actions were leisurely. To act like that, he had his own corners of belief. He had confidence. Because Renee was strong. Renee was really strong. So, Renee could ¡°rule,¡± but she would never ¡°submit.¡± Moreover, he had never even thought about what it would be like for Renee, who had left the core, to die. He hadn¡¯t considered it in the slightest. It was audacious even to imagine such a thing. Renee is dead? Renee, who couldn¡¯t be easily touched even by the bosses of the Great Evil Dungeons. It was ridiculous to sit there and say, ¡®It¡¯s not for nothing she¡¯s known as ¡®The Blade Maid¡¯.¡¯ In the first place, this story had only two possible endings: ¡°Apologize to Renee and return to a peaceful daily life¡± and ¡°Unavoidably let go of Renee, whose heart already has been broken.¡± He firmly believed in such a story. But now. Why was Renee¡¯s weapon in the hands of humans? He recalled Renee¡¯s figure when she last left. The pockets on her baggy clothes were very small. Moreover, she threw a dagger at me, mistaking me for an enemy, and yes, she didn¡¯t have a waistband either. Then, how many weapons did Renee have when she ran out? Has Renee ever fought humans with fewer than five weapons? What remains when the ¡®Blade¡¯ is removed from ¡®Blade Maid¡¯? Patrick was strong even without a sword. With a sword, he¡¯d be even stronger. But Renee was different. Renee had to have a blade to be strong. Renee without a Blade. Renee. ¡°Renee¡­¡± To humans. To humans? To the likes of humans? He couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Sir Devde? Sir Devde! Snap out of it! Sir Devde!¡± In reality, it was as if the cry of Melje reached him from a very close yet far distance. Devourer, with a blank expression, looked at Melje. He took a few steps forward. With a worried expression, Melje followed his steps. It was only when the distance was so far that the gatekeeper couldn¡¯t hear that Devourer slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Melje.¡± ¡°What happened, Sir Devde! Do you realize how suddenly your behavior changed? Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Me.¡± There was no need to ponder any longer. ¡°I¡¯m going to retrieve the Brachycephalic Tooth.¡± *** [Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 17 ***[Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 17 ¡°Are you serious, Sir Devde? To retrieve it? What are you talking about? I¡¯m really puzzled by the sudden actions of you. Didn¡¯t you just say that the weapon used by a companion earlier is exactly the same? What¡¯s the connection between you and the Brachycephalic Tooth?¡± ¡°Hey, Melje.¡± ¡°Yeah? Well, speak.¡± ¡°About the 36 Masterpieces, the Brachycephalic Tooth. Are they really unique?¡± ¡°If the knowledge I have is correct, it should be. But why are you suddenly asking about this, Sir Devde?¡± ¡°So, it was true after all.¡± His pupils lost focus. The iris was murky, but a fierce glint remained. His tone was eerily flat, suppressing emotions that were eager to burst out. Devourer was clearly in a state where, with a little more provocation, intense emotions were ready to burst forth. ¡°That thing, it¡¯s the possession of a companion I¡¯ve been looking for.¡± A hollow laugh echoed in Melje¡¯s ears as he demanded an explanation. Just then, the shadow of the clouds covering the sun was cast. ¡°I have to retrieve it.¡± Devourer, who declared so abruptly, smiled at Melje. Although his mouth displayed a gentle smile, his eyes remained lifeless. The smile conveyed nothing but disappointment. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing special. I hope you don¡¯t pay too much attention. Oh, and helping me ends here. I appreciate the short assistance.¡± ¡°Sir Devde, are you really saying that you¡¯re going to retrieve it¡­?¡± ¡°I know how to get back to Hastin, and I can handle the future on my own.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. It would be wise for Sir Devde to make a more rational judgment. Stirring up trouble in the capital of the human empire is never a good deed, no matter how strong Sir Devde is¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s fate, we¡¯ll meet again later. Well, I hope you will be able to meet Mr Devourer, rather than me.¡± ¡°Sir¡­ Devde¡­?¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s best for you to get out of here as soon as possible.¡± A faint shadow of a cloud engulfed them. With the last words, Devourer turned away. He moved slowly. Even from a distance, Melje felt the faint gaze of the gatekeeper. Devourer was not hearing it, but Melje was still looking at Devourer¡¯s back. In Melje¡¯s gaze, there was no doubt, but there was still suspicion. She wanted to ask many things, but she couldn¡¯t find words to hold Devourer¡¯s steps. Only after Devourer had taken a few steps did Melje cautiously open her mouth. ¡°¡­Sir Devde¡¯s comrade and the possessor of the Brachycephalic Tooth.¡± The sound of footsteps stopped. ¡°If my knowledge is correct, there is only one person who comes to mind. It seems that I know who Sir Devde is looking for.¡± When she first heard about finding the silver-haired woman, the name of one person who had briefly crossed Melje¡¯s mind¡ª but she had erased it from her mind, thinking it was impossible. ¡°¡®The Blade Maid Renee.''¡± Devourer still didn¡¯t say anything. However, silence itself indicated affirmation. A small sigh was heard. ¡ªMelje couldn¡¯t see Devourer¡¯s face, with his eyes turning black and his mouth slightly torn apart. ¡°Looking at your reaction, It seems my guess is correct, Sir Devde.¡± ¡°How much more do you want to know?¡± ¡°No need to tell me. Even if Sir Devde says it in such a terrifying voice, I won¡¯t be scared. I¡¯ve already grasped what your identity is. Ms Renee is the gatekeeper of the great Primordial core, a supreme being. If that¡¯s the case, what Sir Devde, who calls such Ms Renee ¡®companion,¡¯ is¡­¡± Still, Devourer remained silent. But the unsaid meant affirmation. Trembling fingertips were aimed at Devourer. ¡°Master of the Primordial Core, The Supreme Mr Devourer.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, I am Devour-¡± ¡°Underling.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m his underlying, damn it.¡± ¡°Hahaha! This is the intelligence of the Demon King.¡± Despite the serious atmosphere, the tension vanished in an instant. Devourer, whose complex thoughts were instantly wiped away by Melje¡¯s blow, exhaled deeply. It was a moment when the intricacy that had looked several moves ahead, even considering the worst-case scenario, suddenly transformed from calculation into foolishness¡ªstill, it wasn¡¯t entirely incomprehensible that Melje¡¯s answer left Devourer puzzled. He must have said something like ¡°expelled from the dungeon¡± around the time he mounted the Heavenly carriage, so if she firmly believed in that statement, the only conclusion she could reach was that he was once a monster affiliated with the Primordial Core. Because one wouldn¡¯t think the boss had escaped from the dungeon. ¡°Hehe, your expression says you¡¯ve been caught. Don¡¯t make that kind of face, it¡¯s embarrassing. Just think about how excited I was talking enthusiastically about the Primordial Core in front of Sir Devde. Yes, you must have laughed at me inwardly! Right! That¡¯s bad! Why didn¡¯t you tell the truth and just continue to listen to my story!¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± It felt like reading a novel full of new content. ¡°Anyway! As you can see, I knew everything! So, Sir Devde, I know how dangerous your thoughts are. I will help you. I won¡¯t listen to your objections.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t make it any less dangerous if you help.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t increase either.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure.¡± It seems like it might increase. ¡°More importantly, can the Demon King move with such a simple logic¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about having logical reasoning. It¡¯s about logic being attributed to what the Demon King says.¡± ¡°The Demon King isn¡¯t exempt from guilt either.¡± A really insane ideology. Devourer, thinking about how the situation had come to this point, burst into laughter. Only then did a bright smile appear on Melje¡¯s lips. ¡°Ah! That expression! That¡¯s the Sir Devde I know.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Were you aware? Until just now, Sir Devde seemed like a different existence. I don¡¯t know if it was my mistake, but it felt like something was about to burst from your head. Anyway, I¡¯m relieved that you¡¯re back to normal.¡± While Melje said so, circling around Devourer, still carrying the baggage, she let her long hair flutter in the wind. Behind her, as if plucking strings, a refreshing melody played. Melje, who had stopped in front of Devourer, had a carefree smile on her face. Clear eyes, slightly raised cheekbones. Melje, tilting her head playfully in front of Devourer, put strength into her voice. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t worry about anything. I will help you. So, never say such things in that tone from earlier again. Promise me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything¡­¡± Renee¡¯s life and death are uncertain. How can one not worry in such a situation? Melje¡¯s current actions may be due to not knowing the seriousness of the current situation, or perhaps she doesn¡¯t feel the gravity because it¡¯s not her own affair. Maybe that¡¯s why she can laugh like that. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about anything.¡¯ It¡¯s impossible not to worry. It¡¯s a foolish thing to say without knowing. But¡­ ¡°Alright, sorry.¡± Devourer also managed to smile. ©¤Ah, who knows. * * * ¡°I expected it, but no one¡¯s coming through the back door.¡± Muttering to himself, the servant in a shabby shirt yawned incessantly. It was understandable. The back door was quiet compared to the grand front entrance. As the act of ¡°revealing oneself at the auction¡± was a display of status for them, the affluent participants all came through the grand front entrance. Moreover, the reason for placing a servant at the back door was to prevent unwanted guests, such as drunkards or intruders. Unless they were confident nobles entering with pride through the grand front entrance, there was no reason for them to come through this back door. With the earnings received today, what kind of evening meal should he buy? If he was lucky, he might get some gossip at the dinner after the auction. While contemplating this, two silhouettes approached the area where the servant was. A woman adorned in vibrant colors with a lavish dress, and a man following her like a shadow, tracing her footsteps. The woman appeared to be in her late teens, filled with the bloom of youth. Even from a distance, she belonged to the rare category of undeniable beauty. The man following her, although a few years older than the girl, looked gentle but wore shabby clothing. It was not just shabby but downright frayed. It seemed like he deliberately wore tattered clothes all over, perhaps to emphasize his humble status. ¡®They¡¯re not family, maybe a noble and her retinue.¡¯ There was nothing resembling family between them; the difference in hair color alone ruled that out. If they weren¡¯t family, then judging by their attire, the man seemed more like a retinue. While contemplating the idea of a noble parading around with such a refined young girl, the servant unintentionally chuckled. Fortunately, it seemed that the girl didn¡¯t hear the laughter. Being associated with nobles of that age, especially those with immature and prideful personalities, was almost a guarantee of an embarrassing situation. Only after confirming that the noble girl and her retinue were approaching the door where he was stationed did the servant casually bow his head. The noble girl also responded by nodding her head briefly. Just as he was about to pull out the tired guideline, the servant¡¯s gaze met the noble girl¡¯s. ¡®¡­Beautiful.¡¯ A beauty that deserved a nine out of ten, the kind that could be agreed upon by everyone. There seemed to be no other way to express it. Lifting his head and looking at the girl again, their eyes met by chance once more. ¡°I¡¯m planning to participate in the auction today. Is it this way to enter?¡± ¡°Yes. You may enter through here. Before that, there is a necessary confirmation, may I ask for your name?¡± ¡°Oh, do you need my name? I am Melje of the Agrea family. This is my retinue, Mr. Sir Devde.¡± ¡°I see. Please wait a moment.¡± Agrea. It was the first time the servant had heard of that family. It certainly wasn¡¯t one of the Empire¡¯s nine families, and it might be an unknown noble family. Most nobles entered into alliances with other families before reaching maturity, so was this beautiful girl still unmarried from any family? Thinking this made the commoner status of the servant seem all the more pitiful. ¡®If I were a noble, I would have confessed right away.¡¯ After a brief contemplation, the servant, with the two letters ¡®Melje¡¯ etched into his heart, scanned the list. There was no Agrea family on the list. The name Melje was also absent. ¡°I apologize, but I can¡¯t find your name on the list.¡± It felt as if he wanted to let them in, but the name Melje, even after checking again, was not on the list. Allowing someone not on the list into the auction might lead to a body covered in the dew of the gallows, so the servant expressed his apologies while bowing deeply. ¡°Ah? That can¡¯t be right. Let me check again¡­ Oh, Sir Devde, was it the invitation? Don¡¯t you have it with you now?¡± ¡°Ah, you mean the invitation. Well¡­¡± A slightly embarrassed tone in a higher octave. The girl¡¯s question was answered by a gentlemanly voice that seemed to be more mature than the girl¡¯s. ¡°Yes? The invitation. I¡¯m sorry, but for this auction, you need an invitation¡­¡± ¡°Here it is.¡± Thud! Suddenly, the view spun around. The view spun at an impossible angle, beyond what a human neck could handle. And then, it slowly descended. In the falling view, the servant witnessed his own body. There was no neck. After several spins, the eyeballs finally touched the ground. ¡°Here, I found your invitation to the afterlife.¡± Sir Devde, the retinue, crushed the servant¡¯s head with a mocking smile. ¡°As expected, got caught right away.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. If I knew I¡¯d be caught from the entrance, I should¡¯ve dressed more casually. But changing the way I talk is quite challenging. I feel comfortable with this way of speaking.¡± ¡°¡­But isn¡¯t it more likely that we¡¯ll get caught if we just recklessly do this?¡± ¡°Yeah, probably. Sir Devde, let¡¯s hurry.¡± The two shadows sneaked into the building. ¡ª Side. 1 ¡ª I had a nightmare. It was vivid enough to be called a nightmare. In the dream, I, in a grotesque body, was instinctively running away to survive. I regained consciousness far from the Grephenia Forest, after crossing a small stream and stumbling over rocks. It took a while for my body¡¯s sensations to return after flipping over and drinking the cold water from the stream. ¡°Ha, Ahaha. Aaah¡­.¡± In the dream, I felt despair. I felt powerless. Whatever it was that was so agonizing, even the act of breathing was difficult as something intangible twisted and squeezed my throat. What happened? What did I do? I lifted my head. The face of a maid, illuminated by the moonlight reflected on clear water, appeared. It was repulsive. The silver hair soaked in water didn¡¯t look so hideous. The maid, who used to live with the saying, ¡°I can¡¯t live without him,¡± had fled this far to survive from him, and that was repulsive. It was so repulsive that I wanted to tear off my face right away. No, rather, should I cut off my ankle? If I cut off my ankle, will I not be able to move further away? The thought occurred to me, but there were no tools in the water, and I sat there hesitating. Although I wanted to cry, I couldn¡¯t shed tears due to guilt, so I raised my head and laughed feebly while looking at the moon. The dream always ended that way. ¡­Don¡¯t deny it, Renee Rello. You know better than anyone. It¡¯s already too late. It¡¯s already too late. I, Renee Rello, can never return to the Primordial Core. Ah, it¡¯d be better if the dream would end quickly. ¡ª S?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Renee, who woke up from sleep, slowly lifted her upper body. Cruelly, there was no difference between reality and the dream. The memories that had gnawed at her several times were vivid, and those agonizing memories took the form of a nightmare even in her dreams. Like a masochistic act ¨C enjoying tormenting herself, one by one, slowly. The subconscious mind didn¡¯t even allow the act of finding solace in dreams. Renewed struggles with the remnants of memories from a few days ago, the nightmare persisted in Renee¡¯s dreams. Struggling to shake it off, she would tire herself out and fall asleep. Once asleep, memories she had tried to forget would blossom into nightmares. Like enjoying self-inflicted pain¡ªslowly, one by one. Even in her dreams, the unconscious mind didn¡¯t permit seeking solace. It had been a day since Renee Rello had left the Primordial Core. Wind swept across the desolate plain. The sound of dry leaves from dead trees rustled in the air. Yellowed grass crunched beneath her feet. Ravenous crows squawked in the empty sky. In a space where everything was dead, Renee sat on the cold ruins of the steep fortress, gasping for breath. ¡ª Bloody, mad eyes filled with madness and brilliance were observing her from behind. As Renee slowly turned her head back, her gaze met those eyes. ¡°Poor child.¡± Phase 5 *** [Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 18 ***[Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 18 The man, overwhelmed by fear, trembled as if his body had lost control. His hands and knees desperately tried to move away from the situation, but his sweaty palms kept slipping on the ground, leaving him struggling in the same spot. Crawling was not going to solve the predicament from the start. ¡°Guards! No, even if they¡¯re not guards, anyone, please help! Where the hell did they all go?¡± ¡°Where did they go? Well, they¡¯ve gone to a place where they can¡¯t come back.¡± ¡°What happened to the royal magic barriers, damn it!¡± ¡°Huh? You really believed in that and stayed like this?¡± The voice that casually threw a joke was unusually low-toned. Devourer, raising an eyebrow, scanned the surroundings. Three bodies were awkwardly stuck to the wall in strange postures. Twelve guards have been killed so far during the journey. Combined with the ones about to die here, it made sixteen¡ª ¡°Human, you¡¯re not armed, so it¡¯s safe to assume you¡¯re related to the auction, right?¡± Melje asked with a serious tone. There was no way around denying it. The moment he gestures a denial, the thin thread of life would undoubtedly be cut. The security of the auction house was questionable, to say the least. It was as poor as it gets. Inside the building, designed like a snake twisting around, only mercenaries guarded the paths with considerable gaps between them, so much so that they couldn¡¯t communicate. Considering the mismatched attire and weapons, they were probably hastily recruited individuals. If they were elite mercenaries or soldiers hired by aristocrats who valued dignity, they wouldn¡¯t be dressed like this. Of course, among them, there was hardly a strong one. There was no need to waste time breaking through the guards, given how weakened they were. Devourer moved forward without slowing down, fully aware of his own strength, yet thinking, ¡®It¡¯s not because I¡¯m strong.¡¯ Melje, who had cast intermediate magic on the first encounter with enemies, apparently deemed it not worth the mana. Devourer ignored the guards, as if conceding his prey, and passed by. The humans who saw Devourer and Melje clad in blood-red armor could only cast the ¡®Mute¡¯ spell to prevent themselves from screaming. There were also several layers of magical barriers, but most of them were ignored. Devourer, carrying a lot of mana, easily shattered the low-level barriers upon contact. Some that felt awkward to pass were either broken by Melje¡¯s barrier destruction or weakened and shattered after being softened. As a result, they reached a large hall on the third floor. It took less than five minutes to get here. Subtracting the time spent contemplating which direction to go, it wouldn¡¯t have taken even three minutes. As soon as they arrived, they saw three armed mercenaries and a man reading a list with a smirk. After killing all the mercenaries and the man who poured out sweat from head to toe, Melje and Devourer, who found him useful, slowly approached. ¡°H-hey! Don¡¯t come closer! Don¡¯t! Spare me! What do you want?! Why are you doing this to me?!¡± ¡°Alright, your words are getting through. After all, people who wield pens are smarter than those who wield swords. Asking what I want means you¡¯re willing to do what I want, right? If you cooperate, I might spare you. So calm down.¡± Something touched the hand of the man who was retreating. Following a thud sound, pain was felt at the back of his head. What touched the back of the man¡¯s head was a wall. When he came to his senses, he was already cornered. The shadows at the corner were covering his face like waiting for his death. Human? Monster? From the man¡¯s perspective, he couldn¡¯t figure out the identity. However, it was clear that the elegant man possessed power beyond common sense, and the woman behind him used magic¡ªactually, this didn¡¯t matter. What mattered was that both were strong, invaders, and ruthless. Without any change in expression, they killed people, making it clear they were professionals. ¡°Do you know anything about the Brachycephalic Tooth that was put up for auction this time?¡± The soft voice of the man covered in filth approached temptingly. The warmth exuding from that voice didn¡¯t sound like the voice of a ruthless murderer. Yeah, that was a voice filled with mercy. Perhaps, he might actually spare him. With that thought, the man¡¯s mind was busy. Half of the busy mind was venting resentment, ¡®Why did such a thing get put up for auction, causing all this trouble?¡¯ The remaining half was fear of death. In succession, he imagined the appearance of his family waiting for him at home. He regained his composure only after the man who asked gently opened his eyes wide. He thought desperately. Literally desperately. There was no other way to express it but desperation. If he didn¡¯t answer straight, he would die for sure. ¡°I, I vaguely know! But I don¡¯t know exactly! I¡¯m just a regular event manager, and I¡¯ve only memorized a few lines that the higher-ups told me! Really! Please believe me!¡± ¡°Recite those few lines now.¡± ¡°¡­.Yes?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t forget, did you?¡± ¡°No, no! So, um, the Brachycephalic Tooth, part of the 36 Masterpieces, reappeared after missing for decades, and then¡­!¡± ¡°No, not that.¡± The gentle voice turned into a seductive one. ¡°Tell me something that everyone doesn¡¯t know, something only you know. For example, information about those who put up the Brachycephalic Tooth for auction. Or perhaps details about how you obtained it, where you found it¡ªinformation about the monsters you encountered during the acquisition. Something like that.¡± ¡°That¡­ I don¡¯t know about that¡­¡± As the man finished speaking, Melje¡¯s staff, emanating magical power, lit up. Low-level magic, . ¡°Human, you lied.¡± Upon hearing Melje¡¯s words, Devourer chuckled. A chilling aura enveloped them. It was a smile overflowing with pretense. Devourer slowly raised his hand to the man¡¯s head, petting it like one would do with a pet. The man¡¯s internal organs trembled with fear. As if playing around, Devourer extended his right hand, seemingly to shake hands with the man. The five fingers, as if trying to applaud, touched. Wooddddukk. The five fingers that touched bent at an angle close to 180 degrees, toward the direction of the man¡¯s body. ¡°Ah¡­ ah¡­ ahaaaaaaah! Aaaaaaaah!¡± As he looked at his fingers, now tattered like a rag, it took 0.3 seconds. Heat rose in his body as if his body reacted faster than his senses. Simultaneously, pain, screams, and cries attacked him. Couldn¡¯t he feel his fingers? No, on the contrary, the sensation was even clearer. The grotesquely bent five fingers wriggled like fish fins. The maximum pain that could be felt in the fingers and the maximum scream that could be emitted from the mouth. Tears flowed out as if all the moisture inside his eyes was drained. Saliva from his mouth and mucus from his nose dripped. Though there was no blood, the joints of the twisted fingers were turning pitch black. Blood would stagnate. He would rot like this. The right hand¡ªcouldn¡¯t return to the way it was. Even so, his body still trembled. The two killers standing in front of the man experiencing death indirectly wore expressions devoid of joy, anger, or any emotion. Eyes that seemed to say nothing had happened. ¡°I told you. If you come out cooperatively, I might spare you. Why provoke anger?¡± ¡°Ah, ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m s-sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ please¡­ spare¡­ spare me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Do you know anything about Brachycephalic Tooth?¡± Only now did the man realize. The black mana emitted by the woman behind him, the monstrous power behind the calm expression of the man. They weren¡¯t human. Those two weren¡¯t human. He was foolish to have expected human-like behavior from them. They were monsters. Not a metaphorical expression, but real monsters. ¡°Brachy¡­ Th-those¡­ Has¡­tin¡­ mage tower¡­ Wing¡­¡± ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t understand well, is it because your fingers hurt? But you know, except for your fingers, everything else seems fine, right? You didn¡¯t think your fingers were the end, did you? Answer slowly. There are many chances. Humans endure well when they¡¯re slowly broken. Even if everything else is broken, they can still answer, right?¡± That man. No, the monster¡¯s words were sincere. The rigid tone alone made it clear. ¡°Has¡­tin¡¯s¡­ mage tower¡­ ¡®Wing¡¯¡­ was¡­ the one who auctioned¡­ Other than that¡­ I really don¡¯t know¡­ Truly¡­ Please¡­¡± He spoke, squeezing out the strength from his entire body. The pouring tears blurred his vision. The two silhouettes in front of him became blurred. The indistinct black silhouette was close to a grim reaper. Upon the man¡¯s words, Melje¡¯s staff glowed again. This time, a voice saying, ¡°Sir Devde, that¡¯s the truth,¡± reached his ears. ¡°Has¡­tin¡¯s Mage Tower ¡®Wing¡¯¡­¡± Certainly, Hastin. Devourer¡¯s expression hardened as he thought of that. Was there a human powerful enough in Hastin to defeat Renee? He couldn¡¯t remember. What became certain with this was the high probability that the Brachycephalic Tooth auctioned at this event were closely related to Renee. And the fact that there was some turmoil in Hastin. ¡°Thanks for telling the truth. I¡¯ll spare you. Promises must be kept.¡± Again, a gentle voice was heard. Then, Melje and Devourer exchanged words. A few steps were heard. Did they disappear? Even in the midst of the pain devouring his entire body, the man focused on his hearing. He couldn¡¯t hear anything anymore. Only then, as if pouring out restrained emotions, the man groaned. ¡°I¡­ I survived¡­ you bastards¡­ what did I do wrong¡­ you bastards deserve punishment¡­¡± Sobbing sounds echoed in the room. The tears didn¡¯t stop. ¡ªAnd then, footsteps were heard again. They approached. It was the sound of returning footsteps. The ominous clattering of shoes and the uneven rhythm of footsteps were undoubtedly the footsteps of the two monsters who had just disappeared. ¡°I thought they came to tell me something, was that the sound?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh¡­ no, I¡¯m sorry! I won¡¯t say anything¡­ no, I¡¯m sorry for saying useless things¡­ please, spare me¡­¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± An unexpected response brought a few seconds of silence. ¡°Everyone seems to be feeling unfairly treated. So, let me tell you something. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Really. No, is it too hasty to conclude that? I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know much about you, but at least you haven¡¯t done anything wrong to us. Oh, except for lying.¡± There was a mix of mischief but also a clear sincerity in the response. ¡°By the way, have you ever killed a monster?¡± The answer did not come. When Devourer extended his right hand as if to threaten the man, only then did he nod his head up and down. ¡°Alright, what did you kill?¡± ¡°S-Slime¡­¡± ¡°Fair enough. So, how did it feel when you killed that slime?¡± ¡°That¡­ that¡­¡± ¡°Did you feel guilt or something like that?¡± Again, the room fell into silence, and Devourer raised the corners of his mouth slightly. The hesitant man responded to the smile and shook his head left and right. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s normal.¡± And then. ¡°I feel the same way.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How do you describe the act of stepping into our territory? Have you ever used words like massacre or slaughter? Or perhaps, words like subjugation or extermination, something fancy? Oh, and lately, it seems making creatures like Homunculus or Chimera is a trend. How many monsters have you killed doing that? How many do you think might have died? Have you ever felt sorry for doing such things? Have you ever thought they might have done something wrong and died?¡± No, right? Saying so, He organized his words in a calm tone. ¡°It¡¯s the same for me. The way you look at a slime is the way I look at you. Just an enemy. That¡¯s all. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong, and you have nothing to feel unfairly treated about. You just unfortunately caught my eye.¡± In short, it¡¯s the law of the jungle. It¡¯s just the cycle of the food chain. ¡°Well, or not.¡± Devourer, who sighed as if he had vented his complaints for centuries, slowly stood up from his seat. The man, with his tears partially dried, turned his head, facing Devourer, who already had his back turned. He also noticed the woman looking at him with a scornful expression. ¡°Foolish human.¡± The woman who spoke like that, Melje, also turned her body. Then, she suddenly looked at another man. ¡°Well, a word for the mouth that confessed the truth so late. I¡¯ll say one more thing. This building will collapse soon. You¡¯ll die painfully, crushed by the ceiling.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡± With the voice, despair was expelled. Many thoughts came to him. Why am I still alive? The vague curiosity about the identity of the invaders. Thoughts of family at home. Ah, by the way, has my daughter finished her private lessons and returned home by now? It¡¯s fortunate. I¡¯m really grateful that I didn¡¯t bring my family to this auction. It¡¯s fortunate that my home is far from this place. Thank you. Thank you very much. The last thought that occurred to him was the curiosity about the intention behind the woman¡¯s question. Thanks to the dulled senses, he could vaguely perceive the intention. It¡¯s an option. The last chance given to me. ¡°¡­Is there a magic that allows you to die without pain?¡± ¡°Nothing of the sort.¡± The user closed his eyes. Melje¡¯s staff emitted light once again. Devourer¡¯s voice, saying, ¡°Melje, come quickly,¡± reached him from a distant place. * * * ¡°Yo Garrote, Is that thing really that expensive?¡± ¡°It¡¯s uncertain whether we could afford it even if we emptied our guild treasury.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not because our guild is poor, but rather because of your extravagance, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Except for the sheep, everyone is living quite comfortably. We have only one poor sheep in terms of ability.¡± Amidst the bubbling sounds, pickets with numbers written on them were raised here and there. The price continued to soar, reaching a level where it was difficult to comprehend. The gemstones and rare items that had been auctioned so far seemed like mere trifles, as the digits of the price were in a different league. The seats were all occupied. Most of the participants were not individual buyers but rather representatives of famous guilds or heads of households. Among them, there were also familiar faces of the aristocrats. The expressions of everyone participating in the auction showed both anticipation and worry as the auction continued. After 10 minutes. The winning bid price had yet to be determined, and the price continued to skyrocket endlessly. The auctioneer didn¡¯t even have time to move the wooden hammer in his hand. The item wasn¡¯t something that could be brought to the desired price by gauging it properly. The 34th masterpiece out of 36. Auction of the genuine article, ¡®Brachycephalic Tooth.¡¯ A high-stakes showdown of wealth pouring out like each one¡¯s showoff. From the perspective of Wooin, it was a somewhat pitiful sight, but regardless, judging by the heat of the auction house, everyone seemed to think the same. ¡°I¡¯m a bit bored. Should we bid as well? Judging by the rate the price is going up, we can fool around a few times, right?¡± ¡°Get a hold of yourself, Wooin. We didn¡¯t come here to participate in an auction, did we? You should know that better than anyone.¡± S?a??h th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Oh, right. Right. I was foolish. Just call me the embodiment of ignorance.¡± The grumbling voice was as gender-neutral as a boy who hadn¡¯t gone through puberty. Among the aristocrats who adorned themselves extravagantly, the long sky-blue hair, reaching down to the chest, stood out. The slight wave at the ends of the hair gave a somewhat messy feeling, but it suited the girl infinitely well. The bangs in the shape of a straight line, like they had been trimmed and polished, were right under her eyebrows. Appearance-wise, there was no denying that she was an outstanding beauty, but it was a bit of a stretch to describe her as elegant and beautiful. On the contrary, the vibrant eyes, radiating lively energy, stood out. The somewhat flat eyebrows just below the straight-line bangs. Rather than denying the beauty, everyone who saw the girl agreed that it was hard to find fault with her. Despite her average height, her body seemed less developed, almost as if it hadn¡¯t grown much yet. However, the people who saw the necklace visible through the simple blue dress wouldn¡¯t dare to look down on the girl. Hanging from the necklace was the platinum badge proving the ¡®Hero¡¯ position, which, until last week, had only three in the empire. ¡®Iron Fist,¡¯ ¡®Punisher,¡¯ ¡®Hero of the Sand Hell,¡¯ ¡®Youngest Hero.¡¯ And an officer of the ¡®Black wolfs knight order,¡¯ the empire¡¯s top expedition force. Wooin Historia. It seemed like Wooin couldn¡¯t stay still, as she fidgeted with her hands. The gauntlets covering both of her hands sparkled as they caught the light from the chandelier. Originally, Wooin would have been at home enjoying snacks and relaxing. In the afternoon, she would have casually dressed up and gone on a matchmaking date arranged by the aristocrats, defeated her male opponent with strength, and planned to go for a bath with her colleagues. That was the plan. But Wooin unexpectedly found herself sitting in the auction house. The reason was simple. She received some kind of request to guard the auction house. The condition that it had to be guarded from inside the auction house and not from the main or back entrance was somewhat odd, and the compensation was so meager that it was hard to call it a request for a hero. Nevertheless, there were no other options. It was because Vern Hishutalt, one of the three heroes of the empire, had died in the Primordial Core. Now, there were only two heroes left, including Wooin, in the entire empire. In reality, the Primordial Core was considered impenetrable, and it was more like ¡®impossible to conquer.¡¯ Nevertheless, there was no doubt about the strength of the heroes, as Vern¡¯s death had not raised any questions about the strength of the heroes. However, there were criticisms about their judgment. It was only natural that heroes, who were supposed to protect humans, volunteered to enter a dungeon and meet such an end. However, the damage fell squarely on the remaining heroes. Wooin also needed to instill trust in the people of the empire as one of the remaining heroes. That¡¯s why she accepted the seemingly cheap and useless request to guard the auction house. Garrote, with her pink streaked hair that was more eye-catching than Wooin¡¯s, and a face covered with freckles, was also in a similar predicament. It was Garrote¡¯s duty as a senior member of the subjugation squad to assist and restrain the not-yet-17-year-old Wooin. Garrote, also a high-ranking officer in the expedition squad, was suddenly dragged into the schedule. With a somewhat annoyed expression, Garrote expressed her dissatisfaction. ¡°By the way, when will this end? Was an auction supposed to be this dragging?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I want to eat something delicious. I want to eat a salad with lots of macaroni from a famous restaurant. I want to eat pistachio cookies made by the royal pastry chef. I want to eat roasted chicken with plenty of pepper.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the first sensible thing you¡¯ve said, Wooin. Let¡¯s go eat that after this. I can¡¯t stand it anymore; I¡¯m stressed too.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s just be pigs, pigs. After all, Garrote has already passed the age for marriage, right? There¡¯s no one good-looking around, so let¡¯s just go all out.¡± ¡°¡­Let¡¯s talk about it after the auction. I won¡¯t acknowledge you as a hero, so wait until then.¡± As Garrote rushed at Wooin as if to devour her, Wooin dynamically avoided her, and when the two were in motion¡ª That was when it happened, Above the noisy auction house, sudden silence descended. Not a single sound could be heard. Although the murmurs changed somewhat, a single thunderous voice had disappeared, leaving only traces. As Wooin and Garrote, who felt that something was wrong, looked towards the front of the auction house¡ª The voice of the auctioneer couldn¡¯t be heard. The auctioneer, who was shouting enthusiastically, was now collapsed on the floor. His head was exactly pierced through by a magically created arrow. He was dead. The survival probability was zero. When Wooin, who felt urgency, stood up from her seat, Garrote put her hand on her shoulder. It was a signal not to rush out. Wooin, who was still excited, held her breath at Garrote¡¯s action. Garrote was a ¡®Tracker.¡¯ A being who could sense things even before others noticed. Garrote had never led them to losses by following her instructions. Soon, they would see who was walking out of the curtain on the floor above, beyond the noisy auction house¡ªtwo people. Both of them were covered in blood. ¡°¡­Looks like it¡¯s going to be a long night.¡± With her tongue clicking, Garrote muttered. *** [Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 19 ***[Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 19 Melje, who had been closely observing the auctioneer, turned her head back to Devourer. Devourer remained silent, nodding stoically with closed lips. [Kill the auctioneer right away.] The figure currently drawing the attention of everyone in the ongoing auction. It was a task that one couldn¡¯t easily approach or torture, especially considering the auctioneer likely knew more than the manager. Devourer¡¯s judgment was to take control of the situation by swiftly killing the auctioneer. Understanding Devourer¡¯s demand, Melje responded with a subtle gesture. Through the hazy curtains, only the silhouette of the auctioneer could be faintly seen, and only a booming voice was audible. But even that was enough to make casting spells as easy as breathing. Melje pondered whether the auctioneer was an ordinary human or someone who had emerged from numerous battlefields. After a brief consideration, Melje concluded it was the former, likely specialized in magic rather than combat. In that case, She wondered how strong the individuals among the humans behind the curtain might be. There was certainly no shortage of powerful figures. Considering the nature of the items being auctioned, there would be attendees and guards matching their worth. The fact that the auction house¡¯s security was lax indicated there was a certain level of trust in the attendees¡¯ abilities. The dilemma arose: should she use a low-level magic spell to kill the auctioneer with minimal mana emission? Casting a conspicuous spell in a situation where the enemy¡¯s strength was unknown would undoubtedly expose them to many observers. Melje briefly hesitated, contemplating the consequences if someone noticed the precursor of magic and informed the military. Looking at Sir Devde, Melje couldn¡¯t help but recall the frightening expression she had seen before entering the auction house. He seemed to be taking the matter more seriously than Melje had initially thought. Clearly, the person Mr Devde was searching for was Ms Renee. The legendary being that had gone missing. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Melje wondered if Sir Devde would let his anger escalate further. It was likely he was already considering the possibility of things getting out of hand. In any case, the situation was bound to escalate regardless of their actions. Melje decided not to unnecessarily hinder themselves by worrying about the potential consequences. As Melje took a deep breath, a subtle light gathered in front of her. The irregularly shaped light, resembling graffiti more than a magic circle, soon settled into position. Subsequently, slender light stakes, resembling a mixture of arrows and spears, formed from Melje¡¯s shoulders to her elbows. Improved and reinforced, intermediate magic: ¡°Dumb Dagger.¡± From casting to throwing, not a single sound was heard. True to its name, completely silent. While its power was no more than that of a low-level magic, it was sufficient to kill an ordinary human. The clearly defined light stake advanced towards its target without making any sound or indication. The noise beyond the curtain was too loud to hear the stake being driven in with a ¡°thud.¡± However, judging by the disappearance of the auctioneer¡¯s voice, it was undoubtedly successful. Beyond the curtain, the shrunken form of the auctioneer gradually collapsed to the ground. Devourer took the lead, followed by Melje, staff in hand. All the attention that had once been monopolized by the auctioneer now focused on the two who emerged after breaking through the curtain. Devourer, especially, commanded attention. Covered in blood from methods like smashing heads or crushing abdomens of guards, he looked more filthy and grotesque than brutal. Moreover, his attire was far from suitable for someone participating in such an auction. Devourer¡¯s presence seemed more alien compared to Melje, who followed in a more dignified manner. The commotion slowly subsided, with no one attempting to flee. Perhaps it was because Devourer stood in the direction of the auction house¡¯s exit, or everyone took pride in their individual strengths. The sound of murmuring was audible, but no one among the humans dared to speak to Devourer first. They were waiting for someone to properly assess the situation. Devourer¡¯s first words. Observing the humans packed in the semicircular seating arrangement, reminiscent of a theatrical stage, Devourer asked, ¡°Are you all here to purchase the ¡®Brachycephalic Tooth¡¯?¡± No one responded. The murmuring only slightly intensified, and no one stepped forward to represent them. Pushing the head of the auctioneer, whose head was impaled like an arrow in an apple, with his foot, Devourer walked to where the auctioneer had stood. Perhaps the space beneath the wooden floor was empty, as Devourer¡¯s footsteps echoed throughout the silent hall. In the center of the stage was a round table. Surrounding the table was a crimson silk draped gracefully over a multifaceted metal stand. Devourer directly picked up the dagger placed on the stand. A single thin cord woven into the handle, a smooth blade in the shape of a crescent moon ¨C this was the Brachycephalic Tooth. Externally, there were no distinctive features indicating it belonged to Renee. There was no name engraved on the blade, and Devourer didn¡¯t have enough interest in her weapons to remember such details. In the first place, Renee had an infinitely wide range of choices when it came to weapons. Sharp objects were manipulated and examined in any way possible. If unable to wield, she would throw them, and if too heavy to throw, she would use the weight to crush or strike. If the blade was not strong enough, she would break it into pieces and use the fragments, and on occasion, she would even seize the enemy¡¯s weapon. Even though the Brachycephalic Tooth was her favored dagger, recognizing it immediately as her weapon would be a lie. Yet, Devourer¡¯s lips curled as if filled with conviction. His gaze trembled. Brachycephalic Tooth, this dagger. Denying that it wasn¡¯t Renee¡¯s was impossible; her scent permeated it too strongly. ¡°The situation is complicated, but this is an item with an owner. So, I¡¯ll return it to the original owner. Sorry for interrupting your bids.¡± Saying so, Devourer gripped the Brachycephalic Tooth Despite exerting a considerable amount of force, no blood flowed from the hand holding the blade. After securing the dagger at his waist, Devourer finally raised his head. Hundreds of eyes stared intensely at Devourer, harboring hostility. ¡°G-Guards!! What are you looking at, go capture that bastard immediately!!¡± As if in response, Devourer chuckled, feigning nonchalance. ¡°I feel the same way.¡± His intentionally casual voice suddenly split into two. [I¡¯ll tear you all to pieces and bury you along with this building.] He declared it. That¡¯s when it happened. One human, who had been dormant in the audience, slammed her chair and leaped high into the air. For a human, it was a significant leap. Effortlessly drawing a parabolic trajectory, she flew as if experiencing less air resistance or gravitational influence than others. Despite this, the distance seemed insufficient, and she landed a bit farther than the front row of seats. The ground near the landing site vibrated and sank, making a dull, heavy sound. Subsequently, several more individuals, spinning like wheels, flew into the air and rushed towards Devourer. ¡°A rather nimble flying squirrel. It would have been better if you used those moves to escape.¡± For a human, she was surprisingly fast, but Devourer could easily keep up with her movements. Up close, he saw a slender woman. ¡ª Let¡¯s start by getting rid of her as an example. Where should I hit her first? Maybe grab her first. If he squeezed with just a little force, the girl would burst like a juicy fruit, spraying juice in all directions. As Devourer contemplated this, the girl threw a punch towards him. The recoil added force as the punch traveled upward. It was a powerful and simultaneously flexible posture. Above all, the cyan gauntlet adorning the girl¡¯s arm piqued Devourer¡¯s curiosity. I¡¯ll give credit where it¡¯s due. Quite impressive for a human. The gauntlet had a decent design and matched the girl¡¯s skillful movements. But that was all. Moreover, aside from the gauntlet, she had no other armor. It looked amateurish. Alright, for now, let¡¯s crush that hand along with that gauntlet. Devourer reached out towards the gauntlet. ¡°Shatter!¡± The girl¡¯s powerful energy burst and swallowed all the sounds within the building. The gauntlet extended in a straight line, cutting through the air. The air unable to withstand the shockwaves exploded in a chain reaction, producing a series of thunderous blasts. Devourer¡¯s hand met the girl¡¯s fist. At that moment, it wasn¡¯t the girl who sensed imminent defeat in a single blow, but Devourer. He should have easily applied force to his hand. The girl¡¯s fist should have exploded as soon as it touched Devourer¡¯s hand, scattering red juice. However, that fist did not stop. On the contrary, what was being pushed back was Devourer¡¯s extended hand. Sensing that something had deviated from his expectations, Devourer looked down at his own right hand. In slow motion, as if in a slow-motion replay, all the way up to his elbow, his skin was tearing apart. As time, which had momentarily slowed down, rapidly regained its pace, a shock surged towards him. * * * Thud! The sound of air bursting resonated, accompanied by a storm-like wave. A massive distortion of the air occurred around the point of impact. Everything in the straight line of the unleashed fist was destroyed and pushed away. The wall of the building behind Devourer started to collapse with a deafening noise. Soon after, a giant vortex swept through the auction house as an aftermath. The girl, with her light blue hair fluttering, maintained a firm posture. Shortly afterward, the recoil, as powerful as the escaping air, rushed back through the punctured wall. Dust-laden winds, accompanied by debris from the shattered wall, enveloped the area where Devourer had stood. Sharp stone fragments tore through the empty space like the claws of a beast. An attack that shook the entire building, overwhelming power. However, despite the devastation, the girl, Historia, looked grim. ¡°It¡­ didn¡¯t kill him?¡± Historia muttered. It wasn¡¯t just that he didn¡¯t die; usually, with shockwaves alone, most explode in what¡¯s known as ¡°blast death.¡± Even ordinary dungeon bosses would vanish without a trace. But it seemed different for that man, or rather, the entity taking the form of a man. He wasn¡¯t just alive; he didn¡¯t take any damage. It wasn¡¯t a victory. She merely seized the opportunity by taking a step forward. S?a??h th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Crunch! Thud! The smallest cracks should have been easily regenerated as they were a replica of the apocalypse. Something that could endure shocks three times its power. The cracks that appeared on the gauntlet gradually expanded. The gauntlet, covered in cracks, soon shattered like fragile pottery, falling silently to the floor. Simultaneously, amid the swiftly dispersing dust, the figure that had taken the full force of the punch became visible. At a glance, the man appeared unscathed. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of surviving the blow. Typically, most would explode from the shockwaves alone. Yet, that man¡ªno, something taking the form of a man¡ªremained unharmed. However, the single blow was undoubtedly effective. To prove this, the man¡¯s right hand was a complete mess. The skin, muscles, and even the bones were torn and gouged out. ¡®Only this much?¡¯ Even the smallest wound regenerated in an instant. But it wasn¡¯t just a wound; it was something much more severe. ¡®Dark Blood¡­ No gas¡­¡¯ No, not blood. There was no way it could be blood. Looking at the black substance flowing from the man¡¯s body, reconstructing it into bones and muscles in an instant, Historia was certain. It didn¡¯t fall to the ground, nor did it flow freely; it clung to the body, defying gravity. What was the identity of that substance? More importantly, who was the entity? ¡°Not human. Not an ordinary monster.¡± If not human, nor an ordinary monster, then what was it? ¡°Unfortunately.¡± Her thoughts stopped there. Historia sensed impending death. Instinctively, she reached out both arms. The man, Devourer, met her gaze. The color of his eyes was the same as the black substance flowing from his body. In the middle of that, sharp golden pupils looked down at Historia. His gaze lowered a bit more. The man¡¯s right arm, which should have been crushed, had somehow cleanly regained its form. The right arm was now aimed at Historia with a posture full of strength, mirroring her own. ! ¡®Impossible¡­¡¯ Only moments ago, that arm¡­ ¡°Wooiiiiiiiiiin!¡± A deafening scream echoed. Wooin Historia turned her head towards the source of the sound. From the direction of the audience seats, a figure with outstretched arms was rushing towards her. No, Garotte. Don¡¯t come. If you come, it¡¯s no good. If you come©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Before she could finish her thoughts, Wooin¡¯s emaciated body floated in the air, overwhelmed by an unbearable shock. *** [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 20 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 20 ¡°Sir Devde, are you okay? I was worried! I thought you would be killed without any mercy!¡± ¡°Yeah, I managed to stay alive.¡± Devourer turned his head towards Melje, who was exclaiming in relief. After giving a reassuring smile, Devourer stood there, holding his fist. His fingers were numb. The regenerated right hand felt strange, as if it had become some kind of prosthetic. He clenched and opened his fist repeatedly. Although Melje jokingly said he survived with ease, it was undoubtedly a critical situation. The impact of that blow surpassed Devourer¡¯s expectations by several levels. It wasn¡¯t the level of strength a human could possess. If he had taken that blow to his heart¡­ The polymorph might have been undone. For Devourer, who utilized an ¡®imperfect polymorph,¡¯ it was like a protective shell. It imitated humans and mimicked their organs, but if the shell, the imitation of a human body, were to break due to external pressure, the core, the essence, would be revealed. If it manifested in its original form, it would pose a significant challenge not only to humans but also to Devourer. Nevertheless, the ¡®shell¡¯ was quite sturdy. Then what was the identity of that girl? A hybrid born between a human and a monster? It didn¡¯t seem that way. Even if it were true, could she become so strong in the usual course of events? No, rather¡­ ¡°¡­She disappeared.¡± Devourer sighed briefly as he scanned the auction house. In the seating area where hundreds of people should be engrossed in the auction, there was no one. Silence hung in the air. Everything©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ had been missed. ¡®It seems there was more than one flying squirrel.¡¯ Was the reason that the people in the auction house didn¡¯t set up barriers or anti-teleportation spells because of this? If so, it would make sense that they blocked the use of teleportation hubs rather than reinforcing the defenses. Devourer marveled at the thought of taking them all out in one fell swoop. The one who must have moved all those people in the auction house in such a short time was probably the girl with the pink hair. When he threw the sky-blue girl away, Devourer had seen a pink-haired woman rushing from the corner of his eye. ©¤ At that time, there were only two people in the auction house. Did she evacuate everyone and try to save the sky-blue girl? In that short time, the pink-haired woman cast several layers of protective spells on the sky-blue girl. And there was no trace of casting after so many times. ¡®Even so¡­¡¯ Surely, the pink-haired woman was within the shockwave¡¯s range, and if so, there should be traces. There was blood around, but it was too little to be from a human body. Did she use teleportation magic to escape in that short time? ¡°Interesting.¡± Devourer laughed with a rather unpleasant expression. It was an obvious mockery. Although it was uncertain whether the other side was a skilled human, they were just a coward who ran away well. What bothered him, however, was the sky-blue girl. Did she die from that attack just now? It was hard to predict for such an unpredictable human. Especially considering the protective spell that the pink-haired girl casted. ¡­But she definitely took a direct hit, so even if she survived, she must be in a critical condition. Devourer pondered with an expressionless face. Should he leave the fleeing individuals and leave for Hastin? Or should he pursue them to eliminate the potential threat? ¡®In reality, chasing and killing them all is the right answer.¡¯ In principle, avoiding being chased is the right thing to do. However, this is the capital of the Empire. Moreover, he safely recovered the Brachycephalic Tooth. Above all, there was an objective that he must not forget. ¡°Melje, let¡¯s clean up.¡± Devourer, having made up his mind, spoke earnestly. Melje¡¯s hesitant response of ¡°Ah, I understand,¡± prompted Devourer to glance at her with a hint of hesitation. Melje seemed visibly uneasy, and her hand holding onto Devourer¡¯s tattered garment trembled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, n-nothing. Really, it¡¯s nothing at all.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like nothing at all.¡± After waiting in silence for a while, Melje cautiously opened her mouth. ¡°Sir Devde.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ strong.¡± ¡°You, always throwing unexpected comments.¡± ¡°No, I mean it. You¡¯re really strong. I thought you were strong from the beginning, but you¡¯re even stronger than I anticipated. Yeah, you said you¡¯re a colleague of Ms Renee, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You seem stronger than Ms Renee that I know. Is it just my misconception? Or is Ms Renee far stronger, unbelievably strong?¡± ©¤Sir Devde said he was a companion of Ms Renee. He said companion, but he must have been a subordinate. Sir Devde couldn¡¯t be the Master of Primordial Core. Since Ms Renee¡¯s only superior was Devourer, there was no way he could be above her. ¡®That¡¯s right. Sir Devde is definitely Ms Renee¡¯s subordinate¡¯ ©¤In that case, could Ms Renee also withstand the blow from earlier? Could she counterattack like Sir Devde did? Melje couldn¡¯t be sure. ©¤How many were there who were stronger than Ms Renee? ©¤What about Sir Devde¡¯s existence? ¡°Who are you, Sir Devde?¡± Melje asked a question that truly pierced the essence. A bewildered Devourer scratched the back of his head. If Melje¡¯s eyes had been admiration until now, they were now filled with awe. The more Devourer hesitated, the greater the proportion of fear grew. Now, there was no room for lame excuses. Thinking so, Devourer answered in a low voice. ¡°Melje.¡± Approaching her, Melje took a step back. ¡°I am.¡± Devourer extended his hand. Melje, trembling, bowed her head and closed her eyes. ¡°¡­?¡± Feeling the soft touch immediately, Melje, startled like a rabbit, blinked her eyes. A vague expression, a mixture of annoyance and gentleness, adorned Devourer¡¯s face as he caressed Melje¡¯s head. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. As if it were bothersome, he did it a few times before removing his hand. ¡°I am Sir Devde. For now.¡± ¡°¡­Ah?¡± ¡°When everything is settled, I¡¯ll tell you the truth.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re dying to know, I can tell you now.¡± ¡°¡­No, um, no! I mean, um, I was hasty. Tell me later. Yeah, tell me later, please. If it¡¯s something that really needs to be kept a secret, you don¡¯t have to say it. It¡¯s not that I doubted you, or, um¡­ It¡¯s just that I was curious. Does it not seem foolish to act without knowing anything? No. You don¡¯t have to say it!¡± ¡°Well, whatever.¡± It seemed too late to brush it off. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell you when the job is done.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, I got it.¡± Lifting his head, Devourer realized that to smoothly conclude the impending ¡®task,¡¯ they needed to act quickly. A strong wind blew through the breached part of the building. As Melje¡¯s auburn hair fluttered in the wind, she finished casting and raised her staff. ¡°Let¡¯s begin, Melje.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir Devde.¡± Advanced magic, [Reconstruct]. In an instant, the ground trembled, and the building slowly sank into the chaos as if it were an anthill collapsing. * * * Reacting instinctively, the only thing I could manage was to reach out my arms. My breath stopped for a moment. The violently shaking view made my stomach churn. Consciousness faltered. In the faint consciousness, I thought: At least, that¡¯s fortunate. If I had even the slightest doubt about my momentary instinct and hadn¡¯t reached out my arms, maybe what got pushed back wouldn¡¯t have been my body but just my organs. There might have been holes in my body, and a gigantic blood fountain might have erupted from my back. ©¤ When I suddenly came to, I was lying on the ground. As if my entire body had been shocked into paralysis, not even a single finger could move. In that state, my neck couldn¡¯t move either. I forced myself to look up at the sky. A cluster of clouds covered the purple sunset. Under the clouds, a flock of birds flew by. Their chirping was reminiscent of the scream of a small devil. Amidst this, a peaceful melody reached my ears, and it seemed like I was lying in Survey Rose. Consecutive cries of pain and the voices of people gathering to witness the tragedy echoed loudly. ¡®Did I get knocked out in one hit?¡¯ Wooin Historia, a hero, by an unknown monster. Only then did my body react to the shock, and a strong pain spread throughout. Breathing was nearly impossible; an overwhelming amount of blood rose to my throat. Drenched to the point of dizziness, but I couldn¡¯t even move my mouth to spit it out. I barely managed to inhale through my nose to keep breathing. A tingling shock, like electricity flowing, ran up from the tips of my fingers. It hurts. It hurts so much that I feel like I¡¯m going to die. Barely enduring the intense pain, my consciousness, holding on, felt precarious, like hanging on the edge of a cliff. It felt like if I relaxed even a little, I would lose consciousness. At this point, I began to desire to faint. Maybe it would be better to faint, I thought. Even then, I persisted. As I endured the pain, things I had forgotten began to surface one by one. ¡®Imperial citizens¡­¡¯ Were the people in the auction house all safe? The next image that came to mind was the last scene before losing consciousness. When my body floated©¤ No, before that. When my eyes met the monster in front©¤ No. When Garrote shouted and ran towards me. ¡­ Right. Garrote. Where was Garrote? ¡°Ga¡­rrote¡­?¡± Forcibly making a sound, bubbles rose in my mouth, filled with the blood that had been accumulating. When that monster threw a punch, Garrote was quite close. She was running towards me. Surely, she must have been within the shockwave range. ¡°Garrote¡­¡± Lying helplessly on the ground, I moaned again. Damn it, was the ¡®hero¡¯s intuition¡¯ something that only worked in useless situations? Especially, it seemed to be more accurate for ominous things rather than good ones. The hero¡¯s head, now that he thought about it, was suddenly filled with thoughts of Garrote¡¯s death. And ¡°How would I hear if you call me so softly, Wooin¡­¡± A familiar voice responded. The girl, with eyes half closed, slowly opened them at the sound. Her vision was blurry. Whether it was due to tears or pain, couldn¡¯t be determined, but her sight was undeniably hazy. Through that haze, the most worrisome figure revealed itself. ¡°Wake up. You should be thankful. If it weren¡¯t for me, you¡¯d probably be preparing for your funeral right now, considering the situation. You¡¯re like a ghost, coming back to life.¡± ¡°Garrote¡­¡± She was alive. ¡°Lady Wooin should be grateful to me. You see, I cast a protective spell earlier, otherwise, your funeral would already be underway.¡± One of the citizens, who had been watching over Wooin, helped her sit up. Only then did she expel the blood that had filled her mouth. After vomiting out the mixture of sticky blood and slippery saliva, the control over her body slowly returned. Though she still trembled, she could move her arms and legs. The pitiful warrior, seated on the streets, finally turned her head, cautiously, like handling a baby. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a hallucination. Next to Wooin, Garrote sat, looking at her with a worried expression. ¡°Garrote¡­?¡± Simultaneously, there was no need to ask how he managed to escape from that place. ¡°Garrote¡­ Your arm¡­ your right arm¡­¡± The traces of a narrow escape were clearly visible on her body. ¡°Right arm¡­ Why, Garrote¡­?¡± ¡°Stop fussing, Lady Wooin. I used protective magic. Without it, you would have been dead by now. Oh, don¡¯t touch it so much. Even with anesthesia magic, it¡¯s still quite painful, you know? Do you think I might suffer more than you? Do you know how much I struggled to stop the bleeding?¡± ¡°Me¡­ because of me¡­ right arm¡­ why¡­?¡± ¡°Lady Wooin, please, snap out of it. Losing one arm doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m dead, so please, just stop.¡± ¡°But why¡­ Garrote, sorry. Sorry. Because of me, Garrote, I¡¯m disqualified as a hero. Sorry. Aaah¡­¡± ¡°Ugh, so frustrating! Can¡¯t you stop being like this, Lady Wooin Historia? Were you always this annoying? I¡¯m not blaming you for my arm, so what are you crying about? Do you know how much I suffered to stop the bleeding?¡± ¡°I¡­ because of me¡­ Garrote, sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. I caused¡­¡± ¡°Lady Wooin.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Wooin Historiaaa!¡± Garrote¡¯s shout, sounding like a scream, swallowed up all other sounds. ¡°Snap out of it, Wooin! You¡¯re a hero! If the Empire¡¯s hero is whining like an idiot, everyone will be delighted, won¡¯t they? Even though it¡¯s not your first time seeing someone injured or killed, why are you whining like this? And one arm is cheap, you know? Do you know? Despite everything, if I hadn¡¯t escaped a little earlier, if you hadn¡¯t reached out a little later, what do you think would have happened? Right now, Wooin, we should be grateful that we¡¯re still in this human form. Okay? Right now, Wooin, do you even know who the opponent was? The monster that intruded into the auction house, It¡¯s Devourer, the Master of the Primordial Core!¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about, Garrote¡­ Don¡¯t joke. Such a monster wouldn¡¯t come here, right¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the reason, but I¡¯m sure.¡± Garrote, being a ¡®Tracker,¡¯ could sense it. The feeling she first sensed when she saw the male monster, the traces she saw. It was definitely not Garrote¡¯s imagination. ¡°What you saw is the real Devourer. An ancient monster, the Black Calamity, Devourer.¡± He had the outward appearance of a black-haired man, but the traces of Vern Hishutalt, ¡®Hero,¡¯ were heavily imprinted on that monster. ¡°It¡¯s really Devourer. An ancient monster, the Black Calamity, Devourer.¡± Traces of Vern Hishutalt, who should have died at the Primordial Core, were unmistakably present on that monster. Fresh traces, not even a month old. ¡°I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s here. I just know for sure.¡± Garrote¡¯s ominous thoughts were stirred up. ¡°The situation is much worse than I thought.¡± Heavily influenced by the traces of Vern Hishutalt, Devourer, the monster, stood before them. ¡°It¡¯s possible that the Empire is on the brink of destruction.¡± *** [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 21 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 21 Devourer The owner of the Primordial Core. A monstrous being that may have lived for hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years. In truth, there isn¡¯t much known about its existence. Just the name and the dungeon. Besides these two facts, it¡¯s safe to say there¡¯s not much else known precisely. Details about its size, form, descriptions, and behaviors vary in myths and writings, and most of it is likely false. Garrote belonged to the category that thought so. Much of it is passed down, and in the process, a lot of imagination is added. Above all, there¡¯s even doubt about whether there¡¯s anyone who has survived seeing the creature and lived to write about it. Nevertheless, what Garrote faced was undoubtedly Devourer. She was certain of that. The reason was ridiculously simple. Garrote saw it clearly. Amidst the battle with Wooin, under the creature¡¯s feet, there were unmistakable ¡®traces.¡¯ As a ¡®tracker,¡¯ Garrote could see the alien traces sticking to the creature¡ªindescribably eerie markings. The marks under the monster¡¯s feet belonged to Vern. And they were fresh, not even a week old. Had Vern encountered a monster within a week? Apart from the expedition to subdue the Primordial Core, he hadn¡¯t come into contact with any monsters. Therefore, the creature with Vern¡¯s traces had to be Devourer, the Primordial Core. Despite having such clear evidence, Garrote¡¯s mind was entangled with complexity. Except for one unequivocal piece of evidence, there were too many implausible things in the circumstances. Why did ¡®that Devourer¡¯ appear in the heart of the imperial capital? Why was Devourer, presumed to have fought with Vern, in such a pristine state? Why did Devourer target Brachycephalic Tooth? Why did it take on a human form? If its purpose was to annihilate humans, why bring only one monster capable of using magic? ¡°If it¡¯s really Devourer¡­we need to stop it even more desperately.¡± ¡°Huh, getting hit in the head made you lose your mind, didn¡¯t it?¡± Her response contradicted Garrote¡¯s intent, conveying the meaning that there was no hope. ¡°¡­Reinforcements, we need them. No matter if it¡¯s a monster, this is human territory. Garrote, We are at advantage here.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯ve healed, don¡¯t talk. Reinforcements are needed. It might be for organized evacuation forces rather than combat, but still.¡± ¡°Garrote, suggesting that a hero should run away from evil¡­ ¡± ¡°Lady Wooin, this is a no-win situation. Don¡¯t you, as the one who took a hit and fell, understand that? Look at your current condition. It doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡± As Garrote spoke, she staggered. Blood started flowing again from the hastily sealed and anesthetized wound. Garrote knew that maintaining this state would lead to festering from the imperfect first aid. ¡°Garrote¡­? The¡­the wound is¡­¡± ¡°Because Lady Wooin keeps not listening, it turns out like this.¡± ¡®I wish it had been a clean cut.¡¯ Garrote thought, suppressing the pain. Her missing right arm was undoubtedly lost in the shockwave. If it had been cleanly severed, she might have been able to use some recovery magic, but in the current crushed state, no magic could restore the lost arm. ¡°Stop arguing. It¡¯s not the time for this. We need to go to the Dungeon Raid Union Headquarters now. Proper first aid, reinforcement requests, and reporting to the palace are all necessary. Lady Wooin, wait here.¡± No response came as to whether it was a bluff, but Garrote got up as if she didn¡¯t care, as if she expected the reaction. However, she still couldn¡¯t balance well, swaying and stumbling due to the unaccustomed absence of her right arm. ¡°Stay still.¡± Staggering to her feet, Garrote reached out her left hand towards Wooin. Particles of a refreshing energy appeared between Wooin and Garrote. Intermediate Magic [Whispers of Light] Low-level Magic [Cure]. ¡°It won¡¯t completely heal, so please don¡¯t go wandering around believing in this. I can¡¯t use my hand properly due to the injury. If you don¡¯t get treatment in time, you¡¯ll have to live with a disability forever, so don¡¯t entertain foolish thoughts.¡± Continuously coughing, Wooin spat out a clot of blood tangled in her throat. As a warning to her condition, Garrote whispered and cast another spell. This time, a blue mana enveloped her. ¡°Please don¡¯t go somewhere strange. Wait here.¡± In an instant, along with the mana currents flowing around her, Garrote disappeared from Wooin¡¯s sight. ¡°Um, excuse me for asking, but are you the hero, by any chance?¡± After Garrote vanished, a resident of Raize, who had been supporting Wooin, inquired. The question caused the residents who had been observing Wooin in a circle to murmur. A hero ¨C does Wooin have the qualifications to be called that with this appearance? Wooin, hesitating for a moment in response to the resident¡¯s question, answered. ¡°¡­I am Wooin Historia. Please, because I¡¯m asking, run away from here. Run right away.¡± ¡°Yes? I don¡¯t quite understand¡­ More importantly, why would the hero end up in such a situation, and earlier you mentioned Devourer¡­something. What¡¯s that about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to explain in detail. Just run away¡­ Run away. If you stay like this, everyone will die. As far as possible, run away from here. Right now!¡± The words ¡®everyone will die¡¯ hit her hard. Blood continued to trickle down her lips. Although Garrote¡¯s healing magic reduced the pain compared to before, Wooin remained a battered mess. Whether it was from being frightened by the sight of the blood-soaked Wooin, or if it truly touched them ¨C among the murmurs, some transformed into screams, or screams similar to roars. Some of the other citizens, shaken by the actions, also started running away in various directions. ¡°Haa¡­¡± No one was supporting Wooin. It wasn¡¯t particularly disappointing or resentful. It was just that being left alone made her feel the reality. Just a moment ago, she was thinking about what to eat for dinner, and now she found herself in such a situation. She stood up with her own strength, alone. Wooin¡¯s thin legs trembled. As she took a step, pain surged into her soles like driving stakes into them. As she prepared to take another step, the sound of buildings collapsing echoed in the distance. [Please don¡¯t go somewhere strange. Wait here.] The words Garrote spoke just now came to her mind. That monster, charging recklessly into the current situation, isn¡¯t an opponent you can defeat like that. To save even one more person, evacuating the citizens is the best course of action. She knows. ¡°¡­It¡¯s tough.¡± Knowing what is right but unable to do it. A hero cannot retreat. Even if the Imperial citizens flee, the hero cannot. If the hero, the hope and will of the Empire, retreats, then it¡¯s no longer hope. The moment the faint flame in the hearts of the Imperial citizens goes out is the end. Victory ¨C Garrote¡¯s words are correct. In the current situation, where even the Gauntlet, the ¡®Replica of the apocalypse,¡¯ is shattered, there is no chance of winning. But, it¡¯s wrong. Anyone, not just a hero, can evacuate. So, if she can buy even a little time for them, if she can hold onto Devourer¡¯s ankles for a little longer. In Wooin¡¯s eyes, struggling with each step, she noticed the wand that the shaman had discarded. Wooin smiled bitterly. With that smile, using the wand as a crutch, she walked towards the location of the explosion. * * * Dust mixed with stone particles rose densely. The auction house building, completely collapsed, had lost its once-beautiful architectural form and turned into a pile of rubble. The scene of a building that once dominated the street collapsing endlessly could be considered art if we define it as such. Even the collapsed building could be seen as an art piece. ¡ªIt was an art piece. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± A string of curses echoed within the art piece. Suddenly, two arms shot up from within and hurled several large rocks in all directions. Devourer, revealed amidst the scattered rocks, coughed incessantly. The thoroughly displeased expression on its face didn¡¯t seem to indicate a good mood. ¡°Melje, what was the name of the spell you just used?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Reconstruct, an advanced magic that collapses the ground.¡± ¡°Did you have no other choice in that situation?¡± ¡°Come on, Sir Devde. Don¡¯t blame me for this. Sir Devde, in his ostentation, said ¡®Let¡¯s begin¡¯ and wanted the most plausible spell. If you were going to complain, you should have specified which magic to use.¡± ¡°I trusted you to figure it out.¡± The voice coming from the side was incredibly nonchalant. Amidst the collapsing building, Melje showed no signs of distress. The protective barrier that surrounded her slowly dissipated into the air. Devourer, who had been glaring at Melje with resentment, sneered. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re having all the fun.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Only now did Melje realize that Mr Devde was looking at her. The head, covered in dust, transformed into a grayish color in an instant, making her look suddenly aged amidst the collapsing debris. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here too!¡± Maybe she should have just devoured him when they first met. Grumbling to herself, the collapsed ceiling wall once again struck Devourer¡¯s head. After clearing away the rocks again, Devourer extended his head and spat out the dust that had entered his mouth. ¡°Sir Devde, what a pitiful situation.¡± ¡°Now I just want to rest at home¡­¡± ¡°¡­I never thought you would sound so sorrowful.¡± What a miserable ordeal. There¡¯s nothing good about it. Neither being in such a battered state nor being surrounded like this is pleasant. ¡ªBeing encircled like this isn¡¯t pleasant either. ¡°Sigh.¡± ¡°Messed up, huh?¡± Devourer, finishing a yawn while muttering to itself, looked at Melje. ¡°Melje, do you remember the way to the hub place or whatever?¡± ¡°Huh? Sir Devde, why are you suddenly asking¡­ Oh, of course. I remember it well.¡± ¡°Good, then go ahead and keep an eye on that. A lot of people will likely gather there, brainwashed or whatever. So, make sure I can use it even if I¡¯m a bit late. Oh, and while you¡¯re at it, please set it up so I can go to Hastin as soon as I head in that direction.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. But Sir Devde, you¡¯ve been looking for Hastin for a while now. Which area is this Hastin village located in? We need a general idea of the route to handle it quickly, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite far west. You¡­At least know the coordinates for the Primordial Core, right?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve told you countless times, my favorite dungeon is the Primordial Core¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the closest village from there.¡± S?a??h the ??v?l_Fir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­.¡± Melje, looking somewhat embarrassed, closed her mouth. Lowering her reddened face and emitting a soft groan seemed to be because her superficial knowledge had been exposed and made her somewhat ashamed. ¡°In truth, I¡¯ve only learned about the Primordial Core from books¡­¡± ¡°Tell me the reason later.¡± ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Melje, who nodded, looked at Devourer sideways. Scratching the back of her head with a considerate or indifferent expression. Sir Devde will be fine alone. Since witnessing the scene earlier, Sir Devde wasn¡¯t particularly worried. Can she trust this, is it something she should believe? If so, then let¡¯s not be a burden on this end either. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it responsibly.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll catch up soon.¡± While fidgeting with the fangs embedded at her waist, Melje, who had finished casting the transport magic, disappeared from Devourer¡¯s sight. Only now, stepping on the debris and slowly moving forward, Devourer smiled faintly. Climbing on top of the highest debris, standing at the highest point of the collapsed building, the landscape of Raize gradually came into Devourer¡¯s view. The view was filled with things Devourer had no particular interest in. ¡°I wonder how many of you are there?¡± Wearing leather boots and holding a black Zweih?nder, a flashy armored knight with a halberd twice the size of an adult male, a mage with a giant elemental shadow instead of a regular shadow, a shield knight made of an unknown mineral with a smooth appearance, and a priest with the most serene look but the most imposing gaze, all focused on¡ª Devourer Devourer, folding each finger one by one, sighed and rubbed his wrist. Not enough fingers to count them all. Roughly over 20, maybe a bit more. While not a large number, they all looked flashy with what they adorned on their bodies, making it seem not quite that straightforward. With the emanating aura alone, they seemed to be at the level that wouldn¡¯t be easily overwhelmed even facing a horde of monsters in an average dungeon¡ªa certain level of prowess. Devourer raised an eyebrow. The lead detective extended the tip of his sword towards him. ¡°We are the Langger family, one of the nine pillars of the Empire, and members of the Langger Blue Hawk Expedition Force. Casper, the leader, is curious. Who are you?¡± ¡°All¡¯s good, but the final line sounds like a third-rate villain¡­¡± As expected. These are the mercenaries who were at the auction house. Even before entering the auction house, something had bothered Devourer. The auras around the buildings near the auction house, even considering it was the capital, were unusually strong. It was as if they were intentionally emanating oppressive forces toward the people around. Alright, interesting. You guys also won¡¯t send me off nicely. Devourer chuckled as if responding to the question. He slowly opened his mouth, catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Who am I, huh? Indeed, maybe that¡¯s not it.¡± Every time Devourer¡¯s mouth changed its shape, everyone paid close attention. ¡°Your enemy.¡± ¡°¡ª¡ªAnnihilate.¡± That was the end of the exchange. The first to charge was the charging knight. Despite wearing full armor, his movements were as light as a feather. The knight, charging at full speed, gathered strength and swung his halberd. Using the debris of the collapsed building as a foothold, he leaped without hesitation. Red smoke resembling flames wrapped around the sharp blade of the halberd. The knight, leaping towards Devourer, put all his strength into swinging the halberd. Thunk! With the sound of piercing flesh, the chilling sensation of the sharp blade touched Devourer¡¯s neck. ¡°Ah?¡± The knight¡¯s voice unconsciously leaked out. It was undoubtedly a tremendous blow. It was a formidable strike even among the Langger Blue Study Extermination Unit, known for their strength within the Langger family. Yet, it failed to sever the neck. A shiver ran down Casper¡¯s spine. Even with just one attack, an unknown fear seemed to overwhelm his senses. Despite the sound and feeling, he had only cut through the muscles at best. The body trembled from the recoil. What did the halberd fail to cut ¨C the bone? Or something other than the bone? The knight who raised his head looked at the monster. The creature in front of him was smiling. Clearly, enjoying it, smiling. The monster was smiling. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say ¡®annihilate¡¯?¡± ¡°Uwaaaaah!¡± As if trying to shake off the fear, the knight screamed. In response to the scream, a red smoke wrapped around the blade of the halberd that was swinging with the mixture of a scream and rage. Intermediate Magic . A vast amount of mana surged and intertwined. Like disintegrating threads, it began to split in all directions, starting from the tip. Bright light, containing mana from the inside, exploded. A whirlwind of red explosion enveloped them. The ground shook. A tremendous storm, capable of enduring the collapse of the auction house, raged between the two. A massive smoke emerged, and as if time had replayed, it dispersed into the air in an instant. There were still two human shapes¡ªtwo beings with the form of humans. Both still in the same posture as before the explosion. However, due to the aftermath of the explosion, the knight was pouring blood from his entire body, and in the human-shaped man¡¯s body, not even a trace of vitality could be found. ¡°¡­Why.¡± A brief lament. A hand that swung without consideration, and the detached head rolling on the ground, touched the sole of the leading detective¡¯s foot. ¡°One.¡± The monster, Devourer, muttered. And. Not missing a moment, a dagger silently aimed at Devourer¡¯s back ¨C ¡°Two.¡± Shack. Another head rolled on the ground. *** [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 22 ***[Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 22 Two cold bodies rolled on the icy ground. At the forefront, the commander of the expedition force, Casper, raised his right hand without uttering a word. The members of the Expedition force, waiting for the command, stepped back, forming a defensive formation. Casper clenched his jaw. The severed neck on the ground, sharp and smooth as if cut by a keen blade, belonged to an unarmed individual. No weapon in sight. The movement was too fast to follow with the eyes, but judging from the dynamic, it was clear that the assailant had struck down the victim with bare hands. ¡°¡­¡± The Langger Blue Hawk Expedition Force, considered the elite even within the Empire. Among them, Casper was known for his unparalleled destructive power. Despite receiving a blow from the most powerful force, the victim remained unharmed, as if mocking death itself by just lowering his hand to sever the neck. The fact that the assailant anticipated the use of magic by the knight indicated a profound understanding of impending doom. ¡°Monster¡­ Who are you?¡± ¡°Because you guys are my enemies.¡± The corners of the monster¡¯s mouth lifted, likely a smile intended to disrupt the opponent¡¯s composure. Despite Casper noticing, he couldn¡¯t shake off the confusion. Was that smile genuine or just an act? Based on past experiences, it was impossible to discern. If not human, then what could the true identity of this creature be? Vague thoughts suggested only a dragon. ¡°¡­A dragon?¡± ¡°Huh? Have you seen one before?¡± An answer laden with annoyance. At the piercing remark, Casper was momentarily silenced. Indeed, it couldn¡¯t be a dragon. The colossal monster he encountered in the forbidden land expedition led by the former hero Vern didn¡¯t behave in such a manner. A perfect being, always arrogant and haughty, exuded authority with every gesture and word. At least the monster before him didn¡¯t seem authoritative. Moreover, that supposedly formidable lizard wasn¡¯t that strong. Even the previously proven phrase ¡°pierces through dragon scales¡± had no effect. ¡®No, the important thing is not that.¡¯ With a nonchalant attitude, Casper turned away from the approaching monster. Most of the remaining Expedition force members were struggling to grasp the situation. ¡°Commander, give the order¡­¡± The deaths of two have dampened the morale of twenty. The problem wasn¡¯t the deaths themselves but the lack of any achievement from those deaths. As confident as they were in their skills, the confusion had spread. Expedition force members with dazed eyes, unable to easily accept the situation, looked solely at Casper. Everyone awaited orders, placing their lives under Casper¡¯s command since they couldn¡¯t make judgments themselves. In such a situation, what command should be given? What order could lift the morale that had fallen to the ground? No, now is not the time to issue orders. ¡°From now on, I will take the forefront.¡± Casper, with a drawn sword, intoned in a low voice. There was no need for complex thoughts. This fight wasn¡¯t about subduing an unknown monster and restoring peace to Liage. This was a dungeon. That monster was a dungeon monster. Nothing more. ¡°This is a dungeon expedition.¡± So, the only thing to consider is winning. The eyes tainted with fear swiftly transformed resolutely. In a brief motion, Casper, with the Zweih?nder in hand, released a surge of cold air. Without adding further words, Casper glanced over his comrades behind him. All eyes were on him. Glances were exchanged. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± s?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. There was no thunderous charge order to break the enemy¡¯s momentum. Casper simply struck the ground before anyone else. His troll leather boots imbued with wind-type magic. The protective light that emerged behind him unfolded two pairs of wings. The members of the Expedition force followed suit. ¡°¡­You guys, Patrick would probably love this. He¡¯s into this kind of stuff, you know? Fighting with the single-minded determination to win, regardless of the odds. But you know.¡± Devourer observed the approaching group and casually loosened his neck. ¡°If you die, there¡¯s nothing left, whether it¡¯s conviction or nonsense.¡± Casper, the first to approach, swung his sword. The colorless blade aimed for Devourer. Devourer deflected the attack with his body, then swiftly retaliated with a swing of his right hand. Casper narrowly avoided the strike. In the momentary lapse of Devourer¡¯s stance, another knight¡¯s attack came in. With a thud, it only pierced through flesh. ¡°Three.¡± The monster, gripping the knight¡¯s head, slammed it against the ground, creating a loud bang. Fragments scattered as a shield-bearing knight deflected them. Devourer tore through the shield effortlessly, grabbing the arm of the shield-bearing knight. ¡°Four, five.¡± Devourer, still holding the arm, brought it down on another knight. The clash of metal on metal echoed loudly, and the blood of two splattered in all directions. Immediately after, Devourer¡¯s vision shook slightly as he received a blow to the back of his head. ¡°Kill in an instant¡­¡± ¡°Six.¡± A black thorn emerged from behind Devourer, piercing the abdomen of an Expedition force member. Suspended in the air with the thorn impaled, the member spurted blood with a gasp. Then, a hidden explosive magic in the corpse struck Devourer. A thunderous explosion engulfed Devourer. Smoke filled the air. Taking advantage of the chaos, two spears thrust in. With a thud, only the sound of one spear piercing was heard. When the dust settled, the lifeless bodies of the two lay exposed. Blood adorned the ground abundantly. Corpses piled up slowly. The onslaught that had raged like a storm began to lose its momentum. Uncertainty crept into the eyes of the survivors. Once again, the powerful swordplay of the Expedition force members aimed diagonally at Devourer. But it was futile. Devourer casually swung his arm, causing the abdomen of an Expedition force member to burst with a simple gesture. The member fell to the ground, groaning. ¡°Kuh, ugh¡­¡± With a crunch, Devourer stepped on and crushed the head as a finishing touch. Expressionless, he muttered to himself, ¡°No thrill at all,¡± after dismantling the skull. ¡°Ah, how many were there?¡± As Devourer finished speaking, a shadow cast over his head. ¡ªIn a leap that defied gravity, Casper thrust his sword downward directly above Devourer. At least, that¡¯s what he thought. ¡®?!¡¯ His vision trembled. Crack! The airborne body hit the ground multiple times, rebounding like a spinning top. Only after flying for several dozen meters and finally coming to a halt did Casper snap back to reality. His body creaked. Every part of him felt sore, and he could tell from the blood-soaked state that his entire frame had been torn apart. If it weren¡¯t for his well-trained physique, it would have been impossible to discern any recognizable form. ¡°What just happened¡­¡± This time, he didn¡¯t see it again. Groans escaped Casper¡¯s lips as he struggled to rise. Gazing towards Devourer in the distance, he noticed Devourer looking back at him, an expression that seemed to say, ¡®You managed to survive.¡¯ Even amidst Casper¡¯s descent, some knights found themselves impaled by the enigmatic black thorns. ¡°Ha, hahaha. Don¡¯t play around¡­!¡± Despite being the acknowledged elite Expedition force of the empire, relentlessly pressing forward without a moment¡¯s pause, they were reduced to barely a handful. It hadn¡¯t taken even a minute for this situation to unfold. ¡°At this rate, it¡¯s completely¡­¡± Just then, Devourer, in the distance, chuckled. His laughter conveyed a message to Casper. ¡ªPathetic, is what it said. No, we are the elite Expedition force of the empire. Everyone gave their all, and now there are barely five of us left. Elite. ¡ª So? It didn¡¯t take a minute for the situation to reach this point. ¡ªThat¡¯s why it¡¯s a complete¡­ Devourer, in the distance, chuckled again. That laughter was saying to Casper, ¡ªUtter defeat. ¡ªUtter defeat. Devourer¡¯s smile whispered once again. ¡°Aaaarghhhh!¡± The rationality that upheld sanity gradually dwindled, turning into a dot before disappearing entirely. Casper screamed in an incomprehensible roar as he charged towards Devourer. Both hands tightly gripping his sword, putting every ounce of strength into it. ¡°I must cut. I must cut. I must cut.¡± Bend. It must be severed, even a little breath must be left for that mysterious monster¡ªonly then¡ª it wouldn¡¯t be utter defeat. He leaped. He leaped with all his might. Show the mightiest technique. Provide the ultimate strike that even the Royal Guards of the ¡®Crimson Spear of Roa¡¯ couldn¡¯t imitate. It¡¯s not an utter defeat. It¡¯s not utter defeat¡ª ¡°Ha.¡± Devourer sighed. Casper, who was sprinting towards Devourer, came to a halt. More precisely, he was thwarted. Casper¡¯s desperate efforts ended right there. With a single finger, Devourer blocked Casper¡¯s sword, then reached out and seized it. The blade shattered into hundreds of pieces like falling autumn leaves. ¡°Hu, huk¡­!¡± Devourer, who destroyed the sword, held Casper¡¯s head frozen in place with his right hand. Ever so slowly, Devourer lifted Casper¡¯s face in that position. ¡°If you just gave up a bit of resistance, it could have quietly faded away.¡± Gasped Devourer. Devourer¡¯s voice was several steps lower than the lowest pitch a human could produce. If death had a voice, it would undoubtedly sound like this. ¡°You know, me. In reality.¡± There was no mental space for pondering the meaning. Casper¡¯s face turned deathly pale. He seemed to age rapidly, as if drained of vitality. All he could do was leave behind one final command. ¡°Ve¡­ngeance¡­¡± With a squelch, the sound of bursting accompanied chunks of flesh raining down. * * * Reinforcements. ¡°I can¡¯t win.¡± The wizard sprinted. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ win. Can¡¯t win¡­ How can you fight and win against something like that¡­?!¡± Suppressing the collapse occurring in his mind, the wizard sprinted. It was the moment when the undefeated Casper collapsed relentlessly. [Vengeance¡­] This word echoed rhythmically in his mind. Survivors of the Langger Blue Hawk Expedition Force fled in all directions. Their actions were not guided by normal thought processes. It was pure instinct, moving the body a beat ahead of reason. ¡°Vengeance, vengeance, I need vengeance¡­¡± As if cursed, the wizard murmured the same words while running. He ran until his breath was caught under his chin. Every time the cry of Casper, etched into his mind, echoed, his stomach churned. In the curiosity within terror, glancing back slightly, the monster was still there in that spot. The monster didn¡¯t pursue. However, no matter how much he ran, the distance didn¡¯t seem to be increasing. Repeating the cycle of running and running, the wizard eventually collapsed to the ground. A sensation of leather met his hand. He raised his head. What touched his hand, outstretched as he fell, was someone¡¯s leg. He raised his head further. ¡°Now leave it to us.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Over a hundred individuals clad in Imperial Defense Force attire were present. There were reinforcements from the nearby magic tower ¡®Red Gate,¡¯ and elite Expedition forces from various locations had joined as well. The wizard¡¯s eyes widened. Reinforcements. It was the reinforcements they had been eagerly awaiting. ¡°Help, please help¡­ Help! Please, please help!¡± The wizard grabbed at their pant legs, stumbling and pleading. The words struggled to come out, hindered by the overpowering fear. As the wizard was being calmed down, the reinforcements gathered from various Survey Rose locations marched towards the monster. Each one carried the same pride as the Langger Blue Hawk Expedition Force. Each individual was an elite in their own right. ¡°Reveal your identity.¡± ¡°Do you have something more interesting to say?¡± At the front, a human inquired, and a grumbling response could be heard. The monster, as if tired of it all, squinted its eyes. Its pupils were black. And the monster said, ¡°Ah, there are too many of you to deal with one by one.¡± Uttering a word as if annoyed, it raised its right hand. The wizard witnessed it. The monster was casting a spell. The magic circle forming the basis of the spell was truly for a simple spell. Even though it was meant for basic magic, the monster¡¯s casting was amateurish. The lines were crooked and uneven, indicating clumsiness and immaturity. Moreover, the time it took for the magic to activate was so slow that it seemed impractical in actual combat. The wizard knew what kind of magic it was. It was a low-tier magic called ¡°Breath of Flame Fairy.¡± Certainly, it was a rarely used, inefficient low-tier magic. Furthermore, the wizard knew something else. That magic shouldn¡¯t possess such a massive amount of mana. However, it was too late to convey this fact to everyone. Flames erupted from Devourer¡¯s right hand, directed towards the wizard¡¯s location, the gathering point for reinforcements. It was a place where reinforcements were clustered. The field of view was dyed white. Phase 6. ¡°Oh, finally you¡¯re here. Or not? Is it faster than I thought? Well, whatever. If I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time, isn¡¯t it late to arrive now? Ah, I never thought I¡¯d end up talking to myself like this.¡± The Primordial core, the only one present, was as quiet as a cave where human presence had been absent for centuries. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration; the only sound was the dripping of water from stalactites. After a moment of quiet, I thought about closing my eyes for a while. Still, as expected, I couldn¡¯t fall asleep even if I lay down. [Do skeletons sleeping make sense? I¡¯ll take care of your share too, so you guard the dungeon until my share.] Only Devourer¡¯s voice, which used to mock me on an imaginary day, echoed heavily in my head. Waiting silently, lying prostrate, for humans had become so frustrating that it felt like I might die. At first, without thinking, I counted sheep, then the number of stalactites hanging from the ceiling, then measured the speed of droplets falling from the stalactites to decimal places, but even that got boring, so I rolled on the floor. After thinking about what to do, I went to meet ¡®116 Black Tentacle¡¯. However, as if the core was forcibly woken up by someone, just as someone forcibly wakes up anyone, the undulating thing hurt so much that I ran away sneakily. Frustrated to the extreme, I went to meet the Antropophagus Main body in Room 5, but this unintelligent plant, without thinking about chattering, immediately opened its mouth, so I kicked it away and returned. It didn¡¯t fly far because it was heavy for a plant. ¡°By the way, what is the boss doing¡­ I gave him Demeura, so he¡¯s not fooling around in a strange place, right? No way. No matter how stupid the boss is, he wouldn¡¯t be that reckless. Yeah, boss is mature, acting like that would be stupid¡­¡± As Patrick self-criticized, thoughts of his past actions flashed through his mind like a lantern in the dark. Calling it a waste of time, he still had the energy to engage in other activities. No way, no way. It won¡¯t happen. But why does the more he thinks about it, the more uneasy he feels? ¡®Hopefully, our boss won¡¯t do anything strange in strange places.¡¯ After gathering his awkward hands in prayer towards the entrance, Patrick drew the sword stuck in the ground. It was brilliantly shining, a sword that looked completely different from when Tanabella first held it, demonstrating how well it was polished. It emitted a silver radiance befitting a silver blade. The red decorations around the blade smoothly reflected the dim light in the dark cave. The sound of approaching footsteps grew closer. There were around 30 people, at least. He thought there would be more, at least over 50, but it was fewer than expected. How much did they underestimate? ¡°Well, I guess I should go see for myself.¡± Ending his self-talk as if questioning himself, Patrick walked towards the entrance. *** [Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 23 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 23 From the count¡¯s castle to the Primordial Core. The short journey took less than a day. Led by Niphrim, the 31 members of the Paimour Raid Force came to a halt only when the sun, led by Niphrim, reached beyond the horizon, leaving a faint trace. A massive cave in front of them captivated everyone¡¯s attention. Although it appeared to be an ordinary large cave, it emanated an enormous sense of oppression, enough to engulf most of the expedition force even though it was far from them. A conspicuous sign hung by the cave entrance caught their eyes. The graffiti, roughly written in red ink on a description of the Primordial Core, seemed like a curse. The red ink represented the blood of livestock. Regardless of whose prank it was, there was nothing more effective in escalating fear. ¡°Niphrim, Niphrim! Look at this. They say no one who entered this cave has survived. If you die here, your soul corrupts, wandering the underworld for the rest of your life. Should we just turn back now? Should we?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like a fool.¡± ¡°Come on, it¡¯s just a joke! Even if we go back now, dying is inevitable. What¡¯s there to be afraid of anymore?¡± Niphrim shot a sharp look at Sylvia, who was unnecessarily making a fuss. No expedition members seemed swayed by Sylvia¡¯s antics. Judging that lingering at the entrance was not a good option, Niphrim promptly headed into the cave. It didn¡¯t take long for the expedition force to reach the Primordial Core from the Earl¡¯s castle. As Niphrim led the 31 members of the Paimour Raid Force, they stopped only when the midday sun, hidden beyond the horizon, cast a long shadow. The enormous cave in front of them captured everyone¡¯s attention. Though it seemed like an ordinary large cave from the outside, it emanated a massive sense of intimidation, enough to engulf most of the expedition force even though it was far away. A conspicuous sign hung by the cave entrance caught their eyes. The graffiti, roughly written in red ink on a description of the Primordial Core, seemed like a curse. The red ink represented the blood of livestock. Regardless of whose prank it was, there was nothing more effective in escalating fear. ¡°Niphrim, Niphrim! Look at this. They say no one who entered this cave has survived. If you die here, your soul corrupts, wandering the underworld for the rest of your life. Should we just turn back now? Should we?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like a fool.¡± ¡°Come on, it¡¯s just a joke! Even if we go back now, dying is inevitable. What¡¯s there to be afraid of anymore?¡± Niphrim shot a sharp look at Sylvia, who was unnecessarily making a fuss. No expeditionary members seemed swayed by Sylvia¡¯s antics. Judging that lingering at the entrance was not a good option, Niphrim promptly headed into the cave. Upon entering the cave, a room much larger than the entrance greeted the expedition force. The steep path descending from the entrance continued endlessly. The slippery slope gradually flattened as it descended about three levels deep. The dungeon, much larger than an ordinary cavern and therefore creating vague fear for those who imagined the Core arbitrarily, could be aptly called an underground world rather than an underground dungeon. Although the slope¡¯s angle made the interior slightly darker, it wasn¡¯t pitch-black, thanks to the artificial lantern crafted by Sylvia, illuminating the interior brightly. It was a space larger than a dungeon room, each room forming a complete ecosystem for monsters. ¡°According to the information, this is the first room. I don¡¯t see any living monsters¡­ or do I?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t judge based on incomplete information. Sylvia, any signs of life?¡± ¡°Wait a moment¡­ I don¡¯t sense any activity nearby.¡± ¡°It seems like it hasn¡¯t regenerated yet.¡± The voice echoed faintly. The room was so quiet that it gave the illusion that the dormant creatures in the cave were about to awaken. Niphrim casually scanned the surroundings. The room was indeed spacious, but there was no sound. Something crunched under the foot of one of the expedition force members as they cautiously walked. The member drew their sword with a surprised exclamation. What the expedition force member stepped on was a demon-shaped corpse torn into two by an ambush¡ªa monster called ¡°Glacia,¡± with a strange appearance and claws that could crush rocks, once even referred to as a reaper. ¡°So, Glacia is in the first room¡­ Indeed, it¡¯s the 7th-layer dungeon.¡± The member, who was initially startled and about to fall backward, nonchalantly muttered. The information that Glacia inhabited the first room was obtained beforehand, but the realization only sank in after seeing it, causing shivers in their flesh. ¡°There are probably around 50 to 60 of them. These kinds of monsters seem to be overflowing.¡± Niphrim¡¯s anecdote, mixed with mischief, echoed through the cave. Except for Niphrim and Monk, everyone¡¯s shoulders tensed. ¡°Cowards. Don¡¯t be scared of something so trivial. The fact that regeneration hasn¡¯t occurred here yet means other rooms haven¡¯t regenerated either. It¡¯s good news.¡± The most basic structure of a dungeon. The first room¡¯s monster is usually weak. The investigation revealed that the Primordial Core was no different. Even the fastest-regenerating first room hadn¡¯t recovered yet, indicating that the path to the boss room in the current Primordial Core was empty. Of course, there would be ¡°Blade Maid Renee¡± and ¡°Death Knight Patrick¡± guarding the three branching paths, but choosing the route devoid of those two gatekeepers was the obvious choice. The tentacle that guarded the path to the sewage system had already been killed by the Hishutalt expedition force. Niphrim led the expedition force without encountering any monsters. After crossing a short passage, the second room finally came into view. The size of the room was similar to the first. Although a nauseating smell wafted through the air, it was refreshing compared to the stench in the first room. The quiet sighs of a few members could be heard as if breathing became easier. Ignoring the trivial reactions of the members, Niphrim continued forward. The structure was generally chaotic. Irregularly arranged and irregularly shaped stone pillars rose on all sides. Some of them were neatly cut. From the blackened traces on the ground to the colossal stone pillars connecting the floor and ceiling, signs of fierce battles were prevalent. Unlike the first room, no light penetrated, making it pitch dark without a lantern. Niphrim¡¯s casual remark echoed in the cave with mischievousness. The shoulders of everyone, except Niphrim and Monk, hunched. ¡°What¡¯s happening, Niphrim¡­? Something feels off.¡± Sylvia held her staff tightly against her chest as she inquired. Niphrim, leading the way, remained silent and continued walking with determination. Relying on Sylvia¡¯s magical lantern, the expedition force followed closely behind. It was only about halfway through the shortest route to the next room that Niphrim finally stopped. ¡°Well, what do you all think?¡± Seemingly a random question, but everyone, including Sylvia, understood the intention behind it. This expedition force, under the renowned dungeon investor Paimour, though not numerous, was well-prepared under the banner of Paimour¡¯s name. Naturally, they had ample information about the Primordial Core, and in the days leading up to this expedition, they thoroughly familiarized themselves with information about the Core. The entity that should be in the second room is the corrupted and decayed fairy, the Murder Fairy. A monster that takes several weeks for its corpse to fully decay. So, the second room should be filled with the corpses of Murder Fairies. Of course, those expected corpses were missing. The fact that someone cleared them away implies that the culprit wasn¡¯t the Hishutalt expedition force, who recently visited. So, the culprit must be a monster¡ªmore precisely, an intelligent one. Why would someone clear away the corpses? ¡°Is it stupidity, or deception?¡± Niphrim shouted ahead. In response, echoing back was a voice. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d like to say it¡¯s the latter, but unfortunately, I¡¯m not deceiving anyone. I just tidied up because it¡¯s unpleasant to see the mess everywhere. I even cleaned up in anticipation of guests, so it¡¯s disheartening to be scolded.¡± ¡°Sylvia, investigate properly.¡± Awaiting Niphrim¡¯s command, Sylvia cast the Lesser Magic , and a radiant sphere floated into the sky. Like a compressed artificial sun, the luminous sphere rose into the sky, scattering light in all directions. Incomparable to the lantern from before, the brightness illuminated the entire front of the previously dark second room. Only now, with the radiant light completely dispelling the shadows that concealed the monster, did Niphrim speak. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s blinding.¡± The sound of bones colliding mixed seamlessly with the voice. The hand holding the massive greatsword was a skeletal joint. The eye sockets looking down on the expedition force were eerily empty. As the brighter light revealed the monster sitting leisurely on the neatly cut stalactite, Niphrim spoke. ¡°Skeleton¡­ You¡¯re Patrick.¡± s?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well, it¡¯s an honor to be recognized. I even prepared an introduction in case someone said, ¡®Who is this guy?¡¯ but all that effort went down the drain. Thanks a lot, you damn bastards. Now, I can¡¯t even use the carefully crafted entrance lines I¡¯ve been working on all day.¡± Patrick sighed. ¡°Well, anyway, thanks for going through the trouble of coming all the way to this humble place without even being summoned. Nice to meet you all.¡± Instead of a response, the sound of blades being scratched against scabbards echoed from various places. Patrick observed the expedition force with a gleeful expression. Except for Niphrim, everyone had their weapons drawn and was adjusting their formation. From lightly gripped short swords to true two-handers ¨C considering the guys who were scared stiff, their stance of holding weapons was surprisingly convincing. ¡°The reactions are quite fierce. First, everyone relax, and put your weapons away. The lady there, put away the staff, and the unarmed lady, put away your fists¡­ Huh, does that sound a bit odd?¡± ¡°Rumors say the dead don¡¯t have a lot to say, but I guess you weren¡¯t one of them.¡± ¡°Even in death, I guess you can¡¯t stop talking. What¡¯s with this incessant chatter? There¡¯s a saying that the sword speaks with the sword, but¡­ it¡¯s not as easy as it sounds. Unless it¡¯s a genuinely talking cursed sword, you know.¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re quite inexperienced. Non-stop talking is like begging for someone to tell you to shut up. If the Gatekeeper leaves his post and comes out to the second room, what do you think I¡¯d be thinking? Even if a skeleton rolls its head, isn¡¯t this the limit? I¡¯ll make a guess. Everyone here, wiped out by the 5th room, right? Now, all that¡¯s left is you, the Gatekeeper, Holmunculus, and Devourer. Am I right?¡± ¡°You shameless guy. Talking so casually about dying under the attack of millions of skeletons on the entire continent. And by the way, what¡¯s with your tightly packed head; it¡¯s like you¡¯re begging to stop thinking. If the Gatekeeper leaves his post and comes out to the 2nd room, what do you think I¡¯d be thinking? Is it possible for a skeleton to strategize? Let me guess. Wipe out everyone here up to the 5th room, right? Well then, Devourer, you¡¯re the only one left, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the great detective has an overflowing brain full of thoughts. But that¡¯s not the case; it¡¯s not that I was hiding it, and it¡¯s not that there are three of us. I¡¯m the only one left; they all went on vacation. Oh, I feel like tears are coming suddenly. Even though I don¡¯t have tear ducts.¡± ¡°Ah, of course, now that you¡¯ve heard this fact, you won¡¯t be able to live even if you go back.¡± That¡¯s what Patrick said, scratching his chin with a sarcastic pose. Hearing Patrick¡¯s words, Niphrim furrowed his brow slightly. ¡°Moreover, I have quite a few things I¡¯d like to ask all of you. Thanks to my own sources, I know that you came to this dungeon with Paimour¡¯s support as dungeon investors. However, the Paimour I know is a coward. Whenever he sends an expedition force to A-rank or higher dungeons, he always deploys over 50 personnel. Now, count your heads. How about it? Isn¡¯t it strange? So, with my empty head, I¡¯m speculating that ¡®perhaps Paimour only lent his name.¡¯ In reality, I¡¯m wondering if there¡¯s another force behind it.¡± ¡°You talk too much. I guess I¡¯ll just have to kill you.¡± ¡°Shall I knock you out after the execution? Or should I make you unconscious and then knock you out?¡± With the end of Patrick¡¯s speech, he stood up. With a frightening stretch, the massive blade descended on Patrick. Still moving leisurely, Patrick, after evading the blade, picked up the lying sword with one hand. Tanabella¡¯s guard headed towards the expedition force. After dodging the blade and leaning to the side, Clang! The sound of swords clashing echoed. ¡°You lack manners. Not even giving me time to catch my breath.¡± *** [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 24 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 24 Rounds of exchanges continued in seconds. Dominating the battlefield was not about reason but instinct. The chaos of swords and magic was so overwhelming that just tracking with the eyes was enough to make one dizzy. Each fighter¡¯s body moved before their mind, focusing on thrusting, bending, and blocking. If dissected, it was a series of simple choices. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t this a bit much?¡± And in the midst of it all, not a single attack pierced through Patrick. Of course, it didn¡¯t mean Patrick had the upper hand in the battle. Despite blocking all the attacks, Patrick was gradually being pushed back. There was simply no room to find a chance for a counterattack. Attacks were relentless. Whenever there was a moment to find a gap, support attacks from the rear would rain down like a magical storm. Swordsmanship was a continuous exchange of agreements, where attacks flowed into defenses and defenses immediately turned into attacks. Most of this flow was filled with defense. Even if Patrick occasionally found a gap and countered, the expeditionary force easily evaded the attacks. Patrick¡¯s counterattacks were stiff and lacked the fluidity needed. At the level of the expeditionary force, there was no need to exert too much effort to dodge attacks. At first, Patrick enjoyed some leisure, but gradually his words dwindled. After managing to create some distance, short swords with daggers from the left and rear targeted Patrick. Patrick quickly turned his sword, barely blocking the attacks. Although it was supposed to be perfect defense, one attack was missed, heading towards Patrick¡¯s left shoulder. Thunk! A harsh impact echoed from Patrick¡¯s right hand. The monk¡¯s fist, which was aiming for Patrick¡¯s shoulder, barely stopped when it reached Patrick¡¯s right hand. The touching fists of Patrick and the monk trembled simultaneously. At that moment, a sword traced a short path, heading towards the chest. This time, Patrick didn¡¯t block the attack but took it directly. Patrick, after grabbing Tanabella and lifting it high, slammed it onto the ground. Tanabella, deeply embedded in the ground, unleashed a powerful shockwave. The expeditionary members, who were preparing for the next attack in an unprotected stance, momentarily lost their balance. A sudden small ¡®opening.¡¯ Taking advantage of it, Patrick, who rushed towards the inspector, swung Tanabella¡¯s massive wing down onto the expeditionary member¡¯s right hand. The monk¡¯s right hand, severed cleanly as if a head was being cut off, fell to the ground. Patrick, who received the next blow without blocking it, grabbed Tanabella high and impaled the sword into the ground after hitting the inspector. Tanabella, deeply embedded, sent a resounding boom echoing through the cave. The expedition members, who were in a vulnerable position preparing for the next strike, swayed as their center was suddenly lost. Patrick, who had been gradually pushed back, turned the tide of the battle with a well-timed maneuver. ¡°Ha.¡± Rushing forward with all his might, Niphrim, after swinging Patrick away, let out a breath. Patrick, who immediately grabbed his sword and stood up, had a rather joyful expression. Admiration echoed through the cave walls, reverberating several times. ¡°Impressive. It¡¯s amazing how much power can come from such a small frame.¡± ¡°Haha, this is what a Water Moon Knight looks like, amusing. Alright, I should do at least this much.¡± ¡°I feel this every time, but dealing with multiple opponents at once is indeed challenging. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking them to come out one by one, but¡­ maybe we started this the wrong way. It would have been much easier if we had taken out around three of them at the beginning.¡± Saying so, Patrick once again lifted Tanabella. ¡°Well, anyway, it seems like I¡¯m going to win.¡± With only one arm severed, Patrick declared with a triumphant voice. He immediately leaped into the forefront of the expeditionary force. Breaking through the magical barrier that unfolded before him, he aimed his sword at the location of the monk. The monk, who was about to counter after dodging, suddenly realized something and hastily evaded. Another shockwave erupted as Tanabella struck the ground. ¡°You have good judgment.¡± A mocking or praising remark slipped from Patrick¡¯s lips. Two spells flew towards Patrick. Just two. Patrick, bending his body to easily evade them, picked up a stone and threw it in the direction where the spells came from. With a loud thud, one of the mages fell backward. Seizing the opportunity amidst the chaotic front, Patrick immediately adjusted his stance and leaped towards the next target. ¡°See, I told you I¡¯d win.¡± The tide of the battle naturally shifted. After exchanging blows hundreds of times, Patrick found a gap. This gap created a change. It wasn¡¯t a gap formed by the inspectors, but rather a hole created by the absence of rear support fire¡ªmagic support. Hundreds of branches of magic shrapnel that were initially dividing were now merely pouring down in a few streams. The magical support from the mages was gradually diminishing. It was an undeniable sign that their magical power was depleting. The eyes of the Death Knight, wielding a hefty greatsword, gleamed in Patrick¡¯s direction. Niphrim and Patrick¡¯s gazes met. Without hesitation, they rushed forward. The ¡®gap¡¯ had already emerged. Even facing several opponents at once, if there was a gap, it could be exploited. In Patrick¡¯s eyes, the Paimour Raid Force was led by Niphrim, the leader of the expedition. Niphrim served as the spiritual anchor of the expeditionary force. If he were to fall, humans would be instantly demoralized. As Patrick rushed forward, a large shield blocked his path. Maintaining the momentum from the previous leap, he forcefully tripped the shield bearer and then skillfully sliced through the muscles of an approaching rogue. After delivering a punishing blow to the rogue writhing in pain, Patrick turned towards Niphrim. ¡°Well, that was quite enjoyable.¡± Clang! Sparks flew as their blades clashed, and under the impact, one inspector couldn¡¯t withstand the force and dropped his sword. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤Tanabella, who had been knocked away, fell to the ground, wobbling. The item knocked away was Tanabella. ¡°Haha, that was close.¡± Intermediate magic [Strong Body]. Niphrim grinned. Intermediate magic [Reading Omens], intermediate magic [Light Feathers], intermediate magic [Step of Silence], intermediate magic [Boiling Blood], intermediate magic [Bone Ashes of a Famous Warrior]. Numerous buff spells enveloped Niphrim. This time, Patrick let out an ¡®Ah.¡¯ The countless buff spells that manifested in an instant were undoubtedly accumulated steadily from before. A small gleam in the empty eye sockets targeted the wizards. It was clearly a trick from the female wizard with short green hair and a flipped robe. The cessation of the magic onslaught wasn¡¯t due to the wizards running out of mana but©¤ ¡®You had something else prepared.¡¯ Patrick, turning his head slightly, glanced at where Tanabella had fallen. Unfortunately, it was an unexpected development. No other celestial beings except Tanabella had been brought along. Patrick remained silent, shaking his head. The duration of those buffs isn¡¯t that long. Among buff spells, these are rare ones without significant side effects. So, the buffs would be effective for at least a minute. ©¤One minute. Just need to endure for one minute. Having completed his thought, Patrick gritted his teeth. He needed to retrieve Tanabella, whom he had let slip away. After dodging Niphrim¡¯s attack by leaning backward, Patrick sprinted towards Tanabella. The distance wasn¡¯t too far. He had enough time, more than enough to get it. Low-level magic [Stiffen]. He should have been able to get it easily. For a very brief moment, his body froze. He took another step. Low-level magic [Stiffen]. He froze again. Maintaining the same posture, Patrick¡¯s neck twisted eerily. A grinding sound echoed as bones rubbed against each other. Patrick¡¯s gaze focused on Sylvia, the girl with short green hair. When Sylvia, seemingly unafraid, stared back with her cold eyes, Patrick¡¯s neck twisted even more grotesquely. Low-level magic [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen], [Stiffen]. In no time, every wizard in the expeditionary force blocked Patrick¡¯s movements. As if overloaded, Patrick¡¯s body squeaked. Amidst the numerous resistances, the sound of bones being ground and worn out echoed as Patrick forcefully took steps forward. It seemed like time was moving slowly just for him. Stiffen, move. Stiffen again, move again. Repeat and repeat. In a situation where the invisible chains seemed to wrap around him, defying fate, Patrick stretched his arm with great effort. The distance between him and Tanabella was just as much as the width of a palm©¤ It got a little closer. With a bit more effort, he could reach her with outstretched arms. And just before his arm touched Tanabella©¤ Thunk. A chilly sensation pierced through Patrick¡¯s spine. Patrick turned his neck. Right behind him, Niphrim, who had thrust a sword into Patrick¡¯s back, met eyes with him. ¡°Who said who¡¯s going to win?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s my principle.¡± S?a??h the n0v?l(?)ire.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. With a chilling madness in their eyes, they stared at each other©¤ Niphrim pulled out the sword that pierced Patrick¡¯s armor. Thunk. He stuck the sword into another area. Thunk. Pulled it out again and stuck it into a different area. Thunk. Again into another area. He thrust the sword dozens of times into Patrick¡¯s body. Until right before the buffs ended. After thrusting the sword consecutively numerous times, finally turning Niphrim¡¯s armor into a spider¡¯s web, Niphrim breathed heavily. Patrick, now motionless, collapsed weakly on his knees. When Niphrim completely pulled out the sword that turned Patrick into a battered mess, Patrick knelt with no strength left. Holding the sword above Patrick¡¯s head, Niphrim crossed a final powerful blow. Like an executioner. ¡°Die.¡± With a brief word, the last strike, meant to conclude the battle, was©¤ ¡°Ha.¡± Empty. ¡°Hahaha.¡± So anticlimactic. ¡°Ah, that was fun. Really fun. I immersed myself in the acting this time.¡± His palm, now nothing but bones, meets an unexpected resistance. Certainly, there¡¯s no way that skeleton is intact. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t intend to joke from the beginning©¤ No, I¡¯ll stop lying. I did plan to joke from the beginning. I¡¯ve been so bored for these few years. Acting is fine, and I just wanted to experience a crisis. Thanks for playing along.¡± ¡°You¡­.¡± ¡°It was all a joke from the beginning.¡± There was no time to retrieve the sword, take a defensive stance, or even respond a bit. Before Niphrim could react momentarily, intense pain echoed in his abdomen. His mind became distant. The vision gradually darkened to black. Along with the darkening vision, the hearing slowly dulled. Only Patrick¡¯s last words echoed endlessly in his head, like an endless dream. How much time had passed? With pain searing through his body, Niphrim slowly opened his eyes. A cold chill seemed to rise throughout his body, as if he were lying on a cold stone floor. Despite just regaining consciousness, the memories were vivid. The nightmarish last line still lingered in his mind, making it feel like an endless loop. ¡°Oh, are you up?¡± Whispers of the nightmare echoed. *** [Translator ¨C Kie] [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 25 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 25 Have you regained consciousness? Ah, you don¡¯t need to look at me with such worried eyes. You were just unconscious for a very brief moment. It was no more than ten seconds, really. Anyway, it was quite amusing. I forgot how immersed I was, to the point of forgetting that I was acting. Plus, I learned quite a lot. I¡¯ve seen many humans entering with buffs, but you were the first one to cast buffs right in front of me. Buffs seem to have tremendous effects, more than I thought. Even with armor that¡¯s nearly impenetrable, a surprise came as you effortlessly stabbed through it. Thanks to you, I¡¯ll have to get a new set of armor. Damned bastard. Oh, did I deviate from the main topic of the story? Well, never mind. It seems like I won, as expected. ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it turned out.¡± A droplet dangled at the tip of the stalactite and fell with a soft sound. Feeling the drop on his back of the hand, Niphrim flinched reflexively. Before, it was dripping with cold, and now it felt like a tingling sensation, as if the body were paralyzed. The dungeon fell silent. Patrick sat beside Niphrim in a crouched position. The position didn¡¯t seem comfortable, as the constant sound of bones creaking could be heard. Niphrim¡¯s unfocused pupils turned towards Patrick. As if waiting for that reaction, Patrick finally gritted his teeth. ¡°As an apology for the prank, let me tell you a few things. First, enhancing your physical abilities using buff magic is undoubtedly impressive, but with that alone, you can¡¯t defeat our boss. Your sword won¡¯t reach our boss.¡± Responding to Patrick¡¯s words, Niphrim attempted to speak but ended up spitting out blood. ¡°Secondly, I twisted something inside your body earlier. So, I recommend not talking. It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t move either. I won¡¯t tell you how I twisted it. I won¡¯t tell because even if I did, it¡¯s not something you could easily replicate.¡± Speaking in a leisurely tone, Patrick slowly stood up. ¡°Thirdly, during the few seconds you were unconscious, I took care of some business. Your body might find it difficult to move, but¡­ It would be good for you to at least be able to lift your head. It¡¯s quicker to check for yourself.¡± He lifted his head. All the members of the expedition team were dead. In just about ten seconds, all 30 members were gone. ¡°Lastly, among those who have encountered ¡®Death Knight¡¯ Patrick¡¯ at the Primordial Core, not a single one has returned alive. Not a single one.¡± The scent of blood emanated from Tanabella lying beside Patrick. As Patrick walked away, seemingly muttering to himself, saying, ¡®I have something to show you,¡¯ Niphrim, who unfortunately was still alive, just looked on helplessly. A dragging sound echoed on the floor. What Patrick dragged with both hands were the bodies of two people. The path along which the bodies were dragged resembled a red carpet stained with blood. The bodies were once monks and a wizard, namely Sylvia. Patrick carelessly threw the bodies in front of Niphrim. Sylvia¡¯s body, impaled on a protruding stone on the floor, started bleeding profusely around her head. ¡°Dealing with these two was the most challenging. I swung my sword eight times in total to cut through them. If I say I swung four times at the monk, you might get the idea. They were strong, resilient, truly formidable opponents. Even after cutting half of their bodies, they tried to attack me, using it as an opportunity. I didn¡¯t let them hit me, though.¡± Patrick glanced at Niphrim with a sly smile. As expected, what gleamed in Niphrim¡¯s eyes was only flesh. Just a facade of an enemy. Patrick chuckled. ¡°Oh, and this wizard girl was more troublesome than the monk. She took a real beating. She could use area-of-effect holy magic. My bones still itch from that. More importantly, your name is Niphrim? ¡­Judging by the look you¡¯re giving me, it seems right. Even on the verge of death, this woman kept calling the name Niphrim until the end. She really searched for you desperately.¡± Patrick concluded his words and maintained silence, as if observing Niphrim¡¯s reaction. After observing Niphrim silently for almost a minute, Patrick let out a small sigh. It seemed somewhat disappointed, as if not getting the desired response. ¡°I hoped to see a bit more intensified emotion from you, but there¡¯s no reaction. Mr. Niphrim, you¡¯re completely cold-hearted. Well, saying something like this is pointless. Let¡¯s move on to the main topic. Mr. Niphrim, do you know why I didn¡¯t kill you? Do you happen to remember what I said at the beginning? I mentioned that after knocking you down, I would make you vomit. That¡¯s right, that. It¡¯s question time now.¡± ¡°No matter how much I think about it, there are too many strange things to just accept it at face value. Even if Pyimore is a fool, he wouldn¡¯t have sent only 30 people like this. Moreover, you guys¡ªoh, right, they¡¯re all dead, so choosing that word was a mistake. Anyway, this punitive expedition wasn¡¯t particularly strong or anything. Typically, the punitive expeditions that come here are all at this level or even higher. Ironically, except for you, Niphrim, the female mage, and the monk, everyone else was clearly below average. After taking a long breath, ¡°What are you hiding?¡± S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. If questions had a form, Patrick¡¯s question would undoubtedly be in the shape of a sharp dagger. His chilly voice pierced Niphrim¡¯s ears. Niphrim seemed to try to react, reaching out his arm, but his paralyzed body made it impossible. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to answer with your insides twisted. Um¡­ First of all, I¡¯m a completely kind and friendly skeleton, so I¡¯ll give you some choices. I don¡¯t plan to force an answer out of you. After all, trying to control your kind through force would be utterly fruitless. Whether you raise your right hand slightly if you¡¯re willing to answer or your left hand if you¡¯re not. Oh, of course, no matter which one you raise, Niphrim, you¡¯re going to die. There may be a difference in the process of dying, but the outcome is obvious.¡± ¡®What choice will you make?¡¯ An optimal state. In front of them, there were corpses, the fear of comrades, a longing for survival, and a fear of death, all mixed in a moderately balanced manner. In this situation, he proposed not only ¡®survival¡¯ but also the sweeter ¡®comfortable death.¡¯ The best choice given the lack of anything in a situation where one loses. In a state where there is no hope, it is undoubtedly the optimal state to desire ¡®death.¡¯ In the same position as when Niphrim fell, he raised his head. The motion of raising his head was still evident even in his paralyzed body. Patrick couldn¡¯t read his expression as he kept his head down. Rather, such behavior seemed to excite Patrick, who enjoyed it. Finally, Niphrim¡¯s raised hand was his right hand. ¡°A wise choice. Okay, if you spill everything, I¡¯ll send you off with as little pain as possible¡­ Oh, this also works.¡± Immediately, Patrick chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a human in this situation offer a cease-fire. What kind of brain structure do you have to come up with such an idea in this situation? I¡¯m starting to respect you a little.¡± With a consistent smile, Patrick bent the raised hand that Niphrim clenched. Crunch, wood creaking. The fingers twisted into a mop-like tool were grotesque and unmatched in their oddity. ¡°I¡¯ll respect that choice.¡± But still, he didn¡¯t like it. Muttering to himself, Patrick, scanning the surroundings, picked up the raid force member¡¯s sword strewn on the ground. He thrust the thin and long blade directly into Niphrim¡¯s abdomen. He twisted it. With each turn, as flesh was carved out, Niphrim¡¯s mouth emitted a stuttering scream and blood burst forth. After twisting the belly several times, Patrick let go of his hand. Patrick kicked Niphrim, who was no different from the sprawled raid force member, aside with his foot. The sword remained stuck in his belly. ¡°Please die slowly.¡± With Tanabella in his arms, Patrick moved his steps deeper into the core. * * * Niphrim, facing death, clenched his entire body, pressing it against the ground. Blood was vibrant on the path ahead. With great difficulty, his outstretched arm caught a corpse. One of the two corpses Patrick brought earlier, most likely. With his hand reaching out to the corpse, he hesitated ever so slightly. Hanging on the corner of Niphrim¡¯s mouth was a smile filled with madness. I have to live. Strangely, the pain was gradually diminishing. He opened his mouth more easily than he expected. Chomp! The sound of chewing, the sound of tearing something apart hastily, the sound of tough meat not easily tearing but stretching, the sound of liquid pouring out profusely from the meat, the sound of a still limber corpse wriggling. The sounds of filling the hungry stomach filled the cave. * * * ¡°It sure takes a while. You should consider the perspective of the one waiting.¡± Patrick, who had been pretending to leave, turned his steps. ¡°What are you hiding?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s probably nothing to hide.¡± Whether in the Primordial Core of the prehistoric era or before being in the Primordial Core, whenever he fought with a group of humans, there was always some kind of law. Generally, those who exuded confidence had something to hide, about eighteen or nineteen out of twenty. And those hiding something often wanted to boast about the hidden topic and showed it blatantly. It¡¯s like a common phenomenon, a kind of forewarning. For example, laughing heartily and displaying all sorts of relaxation ¨C a laughter like ¡®kahahaha¡¯ would be like nailing a sign that says, ¡®I¡¯m hiding something amazing.¡¯ Quite literally nailing it. Well, he¡¯s really nailing it. At the sound of rustling, Patrick turned around. Niphrim, who had been devouring a corpse for a while, staggered to his feet. Niphrim, who should have had difficulty moving a finger due to the twisted internal organs, had no constraints on his body as he staggered to rise. Even the abdomen that had been trampled just a while ago looked intact. His fingers were intact. After feasting like a starving wild animal, his body seemed full of vitality. It was evident that he had become stronger, even compared to when he had abundant buffs. ¡°Hah¡­¡± As if purging what had been festering inside, Niphrim exhaled. After the warm breath, something, whether blood or saliva, trickled down. ¡°Indeed. Eating corpses makes you stronger. The body regenerates. But does it accumulate strength every time you eat? Is it only applicable to human flesh? What¡¯s the origin of that ability? A demon? Alchemy? Magic? Or something else I don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t want to reveal this.¡± ¡°Well, another fantastic line comes out here. Are you like a dialogue generator? Did you receive specialized training at some academy or something?¡± ¡°¡­Noisy. I¡¯ll kill you for real. Just as you said, why do you think a below-average Raid Force like you came here? Below average? Haven¡¯t you ever thought that I was dispatched because I have experience in dealing with guys like you who are saucy and sly?¡± ¡°I have.¡± While Patrick sneered, a cheerful sound of kicking the ground echoed. Niphrim, who was staggering, leaped in an instant. Despite not having a proper leaping posture, the speed was tremendous. There were many unnatural movements as if he couldn¡¯t control his body, but his focus was undoubtedly sharp. Passing by Patrick in an instant, Niphrim whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s end this now.¡± ¡°Wow, it gave me chills. In this day and age, using such creepy lines¡­¡± Turning his body toward Patrick and holding the sword in reverse as if lifting it in front of his body. Formless Backflow Phantom Slash ¨C Moon Break. The level itself is different from the ordinary imperial swordsmanship. It¡¯s a technique that has slaughtered dozens of dungeon boss monsters so far. The essence of the strongest sword strike, squeezing the muscles of the whole body and unleashing the formidable strike¨C To adopt the posture, he first planted his left foot forward. Pressing his right foot, which served as a fulcrum, tightly against the ground, he took a deep breath. He stepped forward to deliver the first blow to the bewildered Patrick. A herbivore¡¯s stabbing attack, several times faster than usual. Although the armor almost nullified the damage, it went in smoothly. He turned the drawn sword once and corrected his posture. Perfect movement up to this point. Now, he would take down the skeleton ¨C ¡®He disappeared?¡¯ ¡°Uh, so¡­ What technique is that? It¡¯s the worst¡­ What was that long preparation move? It¡¯s not like that was your ultimate technique or something, right? What kind of reaction should I show? Huh, I mean¡­¡± Certainly, Patrick, who was just in front moments ago, is nowhere to be seen. Before he could ponder where he went, the voice came from right next to Niphrim. For a moment, the breath caught in his throat. The aura emanating from Patrick, standing upright beside him, was unbelievably cold. Emotions were extremely restrained. The mocking tone from earlier was gone, replaced by a low voice almost as if it could be lying on the ground. That single phrase echoed in Niphrim¡¯s ears, scratching at him like a thousand times. ¡°Disappointing, aren¡¯t you?¡± A familiar sensation in a familiar area. Once again, Niphrim¡¯s stomach was pierced. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­¡± ¡°Your gaze is intense. You¡¯re making a face like something big happened. Indeed, you¡¯ve gotten stronger. About 9 to 13 points. You¡¯ve risen by about 4 points. Although you¡¯ve gotten significantly stronger, you¡¯re still lacking the score to confidently say those creepy words from before. By the way, if you get stronger every time you eat a corpse¡­ How many corpses are left here? 29? I¡¯ll wait for you to eat them all. How about starting after consuming all of them? You might not reach 90 points, even then. If you do, maybe you can beat me. Still, you¡¯ll be far from defeating the boss.¡± Taunting loudly again, Patrick pulled out Tanabella, embedded in Niphrim¡¯s stomach. Thick liquid oozed out. Just like before, Patrick, who was staring at the staggering Niphrim, promptly severed both of Niphrim¡¯s arms. He also cut off both legs. The sound of a dungeon crumbling echoed continuously. After leaving only the torso, Patrick, who was surveying the surroundings, threw the most intact corpse in front of Niphrim. ¡°Eat. There¡¯s still plenty left, so you can take your time. Your colleagues have prepared a feast for you, you know? Psycho, who has dealt with guys like me several times. Although I don¡¯t particularly pride myself on being the central point of the Primordial Core¡­ Well, that¡¯s true, where dare you compare the Primordial Core to other dungeons? Fortunately, I¡¯m glad that I¡¯m the only one who heard your slip of the tongue. Since I have kindness ingrained in me, I¡¯ll generously offer you this meal, but if such words were heard by another boss in Primordial Core who¡¯s sensitive to such matters¡­ You might not even be treated like a monster and could experience all sorts of unimaginable pain. Ah, just thinking about it gives me the chills.¡± Niphrim, writhing in agony, couldn¡¯t possibly respond properly. The unscrupulous Patrick directly shoved food into Niphrim¡¯s mouth. A cycle of vomiting and eating repeated. Once the consumed corpse was completely cleared, the severed parts of Niphrim¡¯s body were regenerated. Soon, after devouring one corpse, Niphrim¡¯s limbs were perfectly restored. The wounds vanished neatly. However, Niphrim couldn¡¯t stand up. Not because lying down was miserable, but if he were to stand up, he would die more horrifically¡ª Only now did he feel fear. The Skeleton, nicknamed ¡®Death Knight,¡¯ was not an exaggeration. The spreading aura was so dense that it felt like it was constricting the breath. If he were to stand up now, their eyes would surely meet. The empty eye sockets undoubtedly showed a chilling and cruel curiosity. ¡°¡­It¡¯s the same as before. It seems you¡¯re not getting any stronger.¡± Patrick¡¯s tone, which had been playful until now, suddenly turned serious. Patrick got up from his seat without saying another word. Then, he scanned the blood-stained Room 2. There were 28 corpses left. In the Primordial Core, endless screams echoed. Phase. 7 *** [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 26 ***[Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 26 ¡°Is she¡­ not my daughter? Who are you?¡± ¡°Do you see it? This is the smile of the citizens protected by Wooin. It¡¯s something only Wooin can do.¡± Capital Raize, now turned into a sea of flames, walks. The elegant buildings Devourered by the inferno paint streaks across the purple sky like an illusion. The sight of everything humans have built over the years turning into ashes was not only devastating but also strangely beautiful¡ªif only the smoke hadn¡¯t choked the breath, one might have lost themselves gazing at it. A passage from a book came to mind. Everything is like a star, even in its end, it shines brightest and most beautifully. Be it people, things made by people, or things not made by people. While everyone else was running away from Capital Raize, only the girl walked into the center of the flames. Although some people glanced at her as they passed, no one stopped her. Despite the screams coming from all directions, there was no hesitation in Wooin¡¯s steps. She walked, stumbling occasionally, and dropped her staff, falling forward. She touched her reddened knee and got back up, the pain somewhat subsiding, seemingly thanks to Garrote¡¯s magic. Walking again, leaving behind the thirst, she was recovering relatively quickly, aside from that. The word ¡°monster¡±¡ªa term used countless times by those who had mocked her in the past¡ªcame to mind. Monster. Like a monster. At times like this, there¡¯s nothing better than a body like a monster. She continued to walk. Walked and walked. Occasionally swaying, but she didn¡¯t fall anymore. How long had she been walking? When she reached the place emitting the most fragrant smell, the girl raised her head slightly and looked at the ground. The screams that had gradually diminished as she entered the center were now no longer audible. There was only the sound of the remaining building debris clattering. There were no fleeing people, but there were people not moving. All of them were missing parts of their bodies¡ªmostly missing heads or lying in abnormal postures. Judging by their equipment and attire, most of them were members of the expeditionary force. Many of them seemed to be elites of the highest order. The number of weapons scattered around exceeded the number of fallen bodies. Some might have escaped, or perhaps they vanished without a trace. Or both. This time, she raised her head a bit higher. In the flames, she saw buildings collapsing, creating a sea of fire. A hill with burning streets came into view. At the top of that hill stood someone she had met for the first time today but would never forget. She clenched both fists. ¡°Did you come here to die?¡± Devourer asked. * * * ¡°Did you come to die?¡± A tone devoid of pitch, an endlessly surreal voice echoed in Wooin¡¯s mind. The voice was ice-cold, but in Devourer¡¯s expression, there was a sense of indulgence. To die, huh¡­ So quietly that no one could hear, Wooin whispered to herself. There was no need to hide her emotions, so she snorted openly. She didn¡¯t come to die, but there seemed to be no other choice. ¡°Well¡­¡± Wooin continued to walk. There was no fear in the girl¡¯s expression. She just showed determined eyes and continued walking towards Devourer. The sky-blue hair of the girl, contrasting with the burning flames, was stained with a reddish hue as if burned. The monster in front of her, as Garrote described, was undoubtedly male in form, but how to express it? He was pristine. Even his right hand, which had taken a direct hit, remained unscathed. There seemed to have been a fierce battle just before Wooin arrived, but there was not a single trace on his body. ¡®Probably regenerated.¡¯ Different from ¡®monster-like¡¯ here, he was a ¡®real monster.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t until she had distanced herself about 20 meters that Wooin stopped. She stiffened her neck as if putting her spirit into it and took a deep breath. She scanned her surroundings as if making a final check. There were no signs of life nearby. Only traces of humans were burning vigorously. What kind of powerful fire magic could do this? At least, the advanced fire magic Wooin had seen so far didn¡¯t have such a wide range. With this level, it might be comparable to expressions like [Dragon Breath] or [Roar of an Angry Dragon]. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t just physical strength; his magic seemed to be beyond standard as well. That¡¯s why, even more so. ¡°¡­I have to stop it.¡± Capital Raize is already beyond salvation. Now there is nothing more to destroy, and most likely, the citizens have mostly completed evacuation. The problem is what comes after that. If there is nothing left to destroy in Capital Raize, where will Devourer head to next? How much more will he turn the Empire into a sea of flames, and how many more piles of corpses will he create before he is satisfied? She clenched her fist. Looking at Devourer, who had been yawning, Wooin declared. ¡°I am Wooin Historia.¡± ¡°Good determination. But you can¡¯t beat me.¡± Whether Devourer sensed Wooin¡¯s intention or not, she responded nonchalantly. She doesn¡¯t deny it. It¡¯s not a false statement. Wooin doesn¡¯t think she can win against Devourer. She thought about it dozens of times while walking through the flames. She knew better than anyone that this was a battle where she could illustrate the outcome without necessarily fighting. Even so. ¡°¡­I am Wooin Historia.¡± Wooin Historia is a warrior. Right after finishing her words, Wooin slammed the ground. In an instant, she covered the minimal distance she had kept for acceleration. Having swiftly reached Devourer, Wooin, with her full weight, swung her fist. Crush¡ª It was a bare fist without even wearing gauntlets. A tremendous force-filled blow aimed at Devourer¡¯s heart. Devourer braced herself against Wooin¡¯s attack. As Devourer leisurely avoided the attack and prepared to counter, Wooin, who had lightly landed with the tip of her toe, swiftly turned her body. Loading her strength, once again, she delivered a punch. Bam! A shockwave rippled through, and that was it. Wooin¡¯s attack was easily blocked by Devourer¡¯s outstretched hand. The shockwave couldn¡¯t even penetrate Devourer¡¯s palm. Unlike the first strike in the auction house, Devourer¡¯s skin remained intact. Instead, it was Wooin who was pushed back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± With a dry response, Devourer tripped Wooin with his foot. Wooin¡¯s body lost its balance and floated in the air. In an unprotected posture, she landed on the ground. Wooin, who expressed pain, touched the ground and stood up again. Before properly adjusting her posture, she swung her fist. Once again, Devourer simply reached out his hand. The fist was blocked once more. This time, Devourer stepped on Wooin¡¯s left foot. The sound of bones crunching was audible. Devourer kicked the screaming Wooin with his foot. Thud, a dull sound. Although it didn¡¯t carry much force, Wooin¡¯s slender body staggered for a few meters. ¡°Kuh¡­ Ugh¡­¡± Dust mixed with ashes swirled around. Wooin, covered in dust, staggered and stood up again. After groaning in pain, spitting out blood, she rushed towards Devourer again. She swung her fist once more. Whoosh, the air only parted, blocked by Devourer again. Immediately, she swung her left fist¡ªbefore reaching Devourer, a similar kick sent her tumbling several meters. This time, she lay there as if dead for a while before barely getting up. Trembling all over, she walked slowly, and with weakened strength, she again swung a feeble fist towards Devourer. Thud. Not even a ripple formed. There was no pain. Wooin, offering a weak punch as if claiming an attack, this time, Devourer used his forearm to shove Wooin¡¯s back. With a ¡®thud¡¯ sound, Wooin fell to the ground. Even in that situation, she tried to grab Devourer¡¯s ankle. Blood gushed out. The body was restless, and the heart pounded faster than ever. It screamed that she would die, that she should not move, that it was already the limit, that instinct spoke. ©¤Now, it¡¯s really the limit. How many times did she attack? How many seconds passed? It hadn¡¯t even been a minute since she provoked, right? This is the limit. Nothing changes by provoking more. It¡¯s meaningless. So, just end it with this. It¡¯s okay to be comfortable now. You¡¯ve done enough. It¡¯s already honorable enough. Sinful thoughts entangle her mind. With a dying voice, Wooin muttered, ¡°Imperial citizens¡­¡± Wooin Historia is a hero. ¡°Innocent people¡­¡± Because she¡¯s a hero, she shouldn¡¯t fall yet. ©¤Move. It¡¯s not over yet. It¡¯s not the limit. The words shouted by instinct are all lies. You haven¡¯t reached the limit yet. There¡¯s still a bit of strength left. You have to squeeze out everything. Even if there¡¯s only the minimum energy needed to survive, you have to squeeze it out. It¡¯s okay not to move forever. So, move for now. It¡¯s okay to die. If you¡¯re going to die, move until the moment of death. Move. ¡°Res¡­ cue¡­¡± One minute? One second? It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a really short time. No one knows what changes that brief time can bring. Right now, the best action ¡®Hero Wooin¡¯ can take is to stop time. Time, time. ¡°Can¡¯t go¡­¡± She pressed her hands to the ground. It seemed precarious, as if she might collapse at any moment. To protect the Imperial citizens, to defend the Empire, she mustn¡¯t pass through until all the Empire¡¯s forces are gathered. She can¡¯t pass through until all of them are assembled, just a bit more. Just a bit more. ¡°Aaah¡­¡± Just a bit more. ¡°Haaaaa!¡± She screamed in a roar. It was her final resistance, the last few drops of strength truly stuck to the bottom. Madness surpassing will, slowly raised her petite body. Wooin¡¯s body swayed as if being manipulated by someone. She rolled her shoulders back. All Wooin knows is how to overthrow authority. It¡¯s what she¡¯s most confident in, what she does best. s?a??h th? ??v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. To wager even a bit of injury. To stall for just a bit more time. ©¤The final strike pierces Devourer¡¯s heart. Thud. It only lightly touched his chest. They stood like that for a while. Blood flowing from her head dripped down her lips onto the floor. The bruised body was a darker shade of blue than Wooin¡¯s hair. Wooin Historia slumped down. Her swollen lips trembled. Wooin, with blood-stained tears on her face, whispered with the last bit of strength, ¡°Imperial citizens¡­¡± She collapsed to the ground, silent. Devourer clicked his tongue. He could have killed her instantly if he wanted. He had no intention of toying with her. He was just curious. Curious about how far a person with determination can go. Well, the conclusion was quite satisfactory. ¡°Congratulations, it¡¯s not a total defeat.¡± Devourer said to the fallen Wooin. There were no other living humans around here. Yet, Wooin chased Devourer. Probably to stall for time, there was no other interpretation. If the goal was to stop time, she held on quite long. ¡°Your name is Wooin, right? I¡¯ll remember at least that much. I don¡¯t know for how long tho.¡± Devourer raised his left foot. The shadow of his left foot covered Wooin¡¯s sky-blue hair, thick with congealed blood. It would easily shatter with a simple press of force. It might seem brutal, but ending it with a swift blow to the head is a blessing for ending it without any pain. It was at least a minimum acknowledgment of Wooin¡¯s perseverance. Just before Devourer could exert force to smash Wooin¡¯s head, he felt a few signs of presence. Wondering if they are humans again, Devourer, annoyed, turned his gaze to where the signs were. Firstly, a few in the front. The numbers are annoying to count, but not significantly many. ©¤And one in the back. Thud! Something heavy struck the back of Devourer¡¯s head. There was no damage, but the unexpected force caused a slight disturbance in Devourer¡¯s vision. Devourer, who was already balancing on one leg, swayed as his body¡¯s center of gravity shifted. In the midst of his staggering, the person behind quickly pushed the fallen Wooin aside. Ignoring the rolling Wooin as if she were an object, the person behind Devourer promptly retreated. ¡°You guys, what¡¯s the sausage party? You¡¯re all coming one by one instead of all at once?¡± Expressing his irritation openly, Devourer asked. The once-hidden expression on his face seemed to have stopped hiding. ¡°Firstly, we had to use drastic methods to save Lady Wooin. Please forgive our rude actions.¡± Among the humans who revealed themselves in front of Devourer, the man with long hair at the forefront answered. Among the humans, the black-haired one, which is almost unprecedented. He was dressed like the leader of the human group, and even though he was quite tall, he was smaller than Devourer in his polymorphed state. In his speech and actions, there was a sense of elegance. If Melju showed awkward elegance, this one seemed to possess a more refined and genuine sense of it. ¡°¡­Do you think apologizing after hitting me on the back of the head will make me forgive you?¡± ¡°Better late than never. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ar Edelbreas Garr Livistem, a knight of the Edelbreas Black Wolf Knights order, presenting myself to the mighty Devourer.¡± *** [Proofreader ¨C Zain] *** Chapter 27 ***[Translator ¨C Kie] [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 27 ¡°Ar Edel¡­ What?¡± ¡°I am Ar Edelbreas Garr Livistem, a knight of the Edelbreas Black Wolf Knights order.¡± ¡°Black¡­ what? ¡­Why is the name so long?¡± Well, whatever. Let¡¯s just call you Ar. The rest is probably all titles. Devourer, looking puzzled, casually nodded his head. ¡°Yeah, you¡­ You just called me ¡®Mr Devourer,¡¯ right? How did you know?¡± ¡°I simply have a talent under my command who can recognize Mr Devourer, that¡¯s all.¡± Ar bowed his head once again, and a faint smile of discomfort appeared on his lips as he spoke formally. ¡®Typical smirk of guys with hidden agendas.¡¯ Devourer, thinking such, raised an eyebrow. He, too, has aged as time passed. Judging by his experience, dealing with this type of guy is quite tricky. They enjoy manipulating conversations to ridicule others, and he has had instances where he couldn¡¯t stand the irritation and just devoured them. Not proud of having a quick temper. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway.¡± After all, the plan to quietly handle things in the empire has fallen apart. Continuing to ask, ¡®So, what¡¯s the matter?¡¯ Devourer hesitated. Even thinking about it, it¡¯s a stupid question. Obviously, that sky-blue-haired©¤ Wooin must be the reason they came. If not, there¡¯s no reason for them to come all the way here, and there¡¯s no reason for them to try to crack her head open a moment ago. Devourer, counting the number of people in the group, spotted a familiar face among them. A girl with pink-streaked hair. Clearly, the one who was with Wooin. Devourer, observing the girl with pink hair, seemed to understand something, ¡®Oh-ho,¡¯ and lightly tapped his chin. The girl with pink hair is related to that Wooin. It¡¯s certain since she tried to protect Wooin even when she blew away the auction house. If that¡¯s the case, the human force that came to save Wooin must be brought in by that girl. If Ar, the black-haired man, mentioned the ¡°talent capable of recognizing Devourer,¡± there¡¯s a high probability that it refers to that girl. At least the girl with the pink hair knows something©¤ that was the strong conviction. Using protective and teleportation magic in the auction house at that moment was possible only because she already knew something. If she didn¡¯t know, logically, she would have used an immediate attack spell instead of teleportation. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ©¤The situation is roughly understood. It seems the story of the guys who came to rescue their comrade ending up in total defeat. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling great right now. I wasted quite a bit of time on that Wooin girl, and now I¡¯m wasting my time in real-time because of you guys. So, come at me all at once.¡± Devourer gestured toward Ar with his finger. If things got worse, he was planning to Devourer them all. However, Ar¡¯s reaction was unexpected to Devourer. ¡°There seems to be some misunderstanding. We have no intention of fighting against Mr Devourer.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We have no intention of engaging in a battle with no chance of winning.¡± ¡°Not going to fight and trying to rescue that guy? Against me? Do you think you can escape? How much time do you think I¡¯ve wasted? Do you think you can run away?¡± ¡°We have no intention of fleeing either. As I mentioned, we avoid actions with no chance of winning. The reason we came here is to propose a deal to Mr Devourer.¡± ¡°A deal? With me? What¡¯s so unsatisfactory that you want to deal with me? Human, you better understand the situation properly. Playing with me without knowing anything will make it hard for you to die comfortably.¡± Devourer¡¯s expression momentarily distorted upon hearing the word ¡®deal.¡¯ The Demeura on his wrist shook left and right. Ready to tear everything in front of him to pieces, Devourer glared at Ar. If he uttered anything nonsensical, he was ready to Devourer them all without further conversation. After a few seconds of maintaining silence, Ar¡¯s lips finally moved. ¡°It seems there is a misunderstanding. We have no intention of fighting against Mr Devourer.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Our goal is not to engage in a meaningless battle. We came here, as mentioned before, to propose a deal to Mr Devourer.¡± The monstrous presence that dominated the front had taken down two of the empire¡¯s powerful warriors and remained unscathed. Would such a creature hide its identity out of fear of humans? No. It¡¯s more accurate to say, ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause a disturbance.¡± ¡°Then at least your purpose here isn¡¯t to pass judgment on humans.¡± ¡°So? What do you propose in this deal?¡± ¡°We will assist you.¡± Ar¡¯s emotionally restrained response even stiffened Devourer¡¯s movements. ¡°I don¡¯t think you came all the way here just to reclaim the Brachycephalic Tooth.¡± After saying that, Ar closed his eyes as if waiting for judgment. While the situation could be predicted, predicting Devourer¡¯s reaction was unpredictable. From this point on, it was a gamble for their lives. Earlier, according to Garrote, who rushed to the Dungeon Raid Union headquarters after losing one arm, intruders had entered the auction house. Their number was two. Emerging from the back of the auction house, they declared the retrieval of the Brachycephalic Tooth. From one of them, the traces of ¡®Vern¡¯ were strongly felt. Considering the density of the marks, it was likely that there had been several ¡®direct contact¡¯ with the individual, making it clear that the intruder was Devourer. After Devourer declared he would slaughter all humans in the auction house, Wooin attacked him, and when Devourer retaliated, Wooin was thrown out. In the process of rescuing Wooin, Garrote lost one arm and barely escaped. The crucial point here is that Devourer declared ¡®recovery,¡¯ not ¡®plunder.¡¯ Furthermore, he stated, ¡®Since it¡¯s an item with an owner, I will return it to the original owner.¡¯ ©¤Devourer came here to retrieve someone else¡¯s weapon. Why did ¡®that Devourer¡¯ move directly? Whatever the reason, it must be crucial enough for Devourer to reveal himself in his ¡®human form¡¯ at the heart of the empire. After all, they couldn¡¯t predict Devourer¡¯s reaction despite anticipating the situation. ©¤Devourer hasn¡¯t left this place yet. He turned the Raize into a sea of flames, pushed Wooin to the brink of death, and still remained. Did he stay to kill Wooin? ©¤It¡¯s hard to believe. Given the situation, it¡¯s more likely that Devourer didn¡¯t find Wooin. The probability is much higher that Wooin followed Devourer. ¡®Devourer didn¡¯t use teleportation after reclaiming the weapon¡­¡¯ There is still something lingering, something Devourer tried to handle quietly. Something that needed attention even after the retrieval of the Brachycephalic Tooth. However, unexpected interference from Wooin likely escalated the situation that Devourer intended to handle discreetly. And now, they¡¯ve reached the current situation. Up to this point is Ar¡¯s speculation. If this speculation is true, and if Devourer still has unfinished business with Raize, the entire situation might lead to the burning sea engulfing Raize. In the current circumstances, with Vern Hishutalt dead and potentially losing Wooin as well, if Devourer, or any other enemy for that matter, prevails, the empire would undoubtedly collapse in an instant. That is something they must prevent. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do from now on, but for now, I¡¯ll help. What¡¯s it to you? If I say, ¡®I don¡¯t need anything,¡¯ what will you do? Or if I say, ¡®I just came because I was bored, and I retrieved the weapon just for fun, and now I¡¯m going to judge humans.¡¯ How will you handle the aftermath?¡± ¡°Regardless, if everything is going to be destroyed, wouldn¡¯t it be better to cut your losses?¡± Ar laughed as if joking, but it was undoubtedly sincere. ¡°What do you plan to help with?¡± ¡°If the mighty Devourer is facing difficulties, it¡¯s probably due to a lack of information. Even though you possess everything, safeguarding the Primordial ore might have left you with limited knowledge. I¡¯ll provide top-quality information to ensure the smooth progress of what you¡¯re currently dealing with. If you need additional personnel for information exploration, we promise to reinforce them as much as necessary. If there¡¯s any knowledge we are unaware of that you require, we¡¯ll dig into the imperial confidential documents if needed to find it. It¡¯s about saving Wooin and stopping the destruction of the empire.¡± In response to that statement, Devourer chuckled. At this moment, Ar, the human, had laid bare all his tricks and cards. If the cards he possessed were information, there was no need for a deal. Information could be obtained by pushing it into the brink of terror and questioning. Yet, boldly demanding a deal, it was an expression of an unwavering will not to disclose information by any means other than a deal. ¡°Interesting. Can you take responsibility for that?¡± Grinning, Devourer revealed the Brachycephalic Tooth. ¡°Find out right now where the owner of this item is, what situation they¡¯re in. Then, we¡¯ll consider meeting your demands.¡± In response to Devourer¡¯s demand, Ar turned his head to glance briefly at Garrote. Garrote¡¯s footsteps headed towards Devourer. Perhaps struggling to maintain balance, she slightly staggered as she approached Devourer and opened her mouth. ¡°I can roughly determine where the owner is, although I don¡¯t know who it is or the current situation.¡± ¡°¡­Then find that much at least.¡± ¡°To pinpoint the location, we need to make contact with a being that has traces. I can briefly examine the Brachycephalic Tooth to see if we can confirm any traces¡­¡± As if expecting Garrote to come forward, Devourer casually handed the Brachycephalic Tooth to him. ¡°If you make futile attempts, it won¡¯t end with just one arm, as it did before.¡± * * * ¡°All right, bring her. By the way, this woman, Wooin, is like a monstrous human. If she were an ordinary human, she would have died a long time ago.¡± ¡°Even though she looks like that, she¡¯s the ¡®Hope of the Empire.''¡± With the permission granted, several humans who had been tense behind Ar rushed towards Wooin. Still not letting their guard down towards Devourer, the woman who carried Wooin looked at Ar. After exchanging glances, the woman quickly moved away from Devourer. Devourer paid no attention to the scene, merely questioning Garrote. ¡°Let¡¯s confirm one last time. Is it definite that it¡¯s to the west from here?¡± ¡°The distance is too far, making it challenging to precisely determine the location, but I definitely felt it from the west.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s what you said.¡± Smirking meaningfully, Devourer glanced around. There were no additional reinforcements coming. While those cunning fellows were on their way here, they must have mobilized reinforcements to prevent further casualties. He raised his head and looked at the castle. In the sky obscured by the black and hazy smoke of the fire, only the massive silhouette of the castle wall, the last gateway to the palace, was revealed. Pink hair. No, was it Garrote? She has a quite remarkable ability. A ¡®tracker,¡¯ if I recall correctly. A human belonging to the category of ¡®special condition¡¯ or ¡®mutation.¡¯ Someone who possesses the ability to trace unseen traces¡ªa common term being ¡®unique constitution¡¯ or an individual belonging to the ¡®aberration¡¯ category. Whether it was coincidence or destiny, it seemed to be the only solution to remedy the current situation. ¡°¡­There is an overwhelmingly abundant trace of one individual. Presumed to be the owner of the weapon, that person is located to the west, centered around the Raize Palace. However, the distance is too far. It¡¯s so far that the exact location cannot be estimated.¡± To the west. In this context, to the west lies Hastin. Of course, it¡¯s not the only thing in the west, but when you think about it simply, the probability of being nearby is highest. Since Devourer was heading towards Hastin, it made sense to start looking for Renee from there. Above all, the fact that she is in the west means¡ªone thing for sure¡ªshe is alive. Renee is alive. That alone is enough. A feeling of relief washed over him, lifting the guilt in his heart. Sighing, Devourer scratched the back of his neck. Walking slowly forward, he headed towards where Ar stood. In response to Devourer¡¯s actions, the humans behind Ar drew their weapons. There was a full measure of wariness in their gazes. Ar reached out a hand to stop their actions. ¡°It seems I owe you one.¡± Devourer said casually, brushing past Ar and hitting his shoulder. ¡°It was an honor to be of assistance.¡± Ar nodded his head. Ignoring even that response, Devourer continued to walk forward, towards the direction Ar was standing. Observing Devourer¡¯s actions, the humans behind Ar raised their weapons once again. Ar extended his hand to halt their actions. It wasn¡¯t until the black creature walked for a long time, and the sound of footsteps could no longer be heard, that Ar raised his head again. The human next to him nodded towards Ar. Devourer had disappeared completely from view, but the uneasy memory still lingered in place. Once the rear man asked Ar, ¡°What should we do, commander?¡± Ar didn¡¯t respond. He just shrugged his shoulders. * * * Devourer walked towards the location with a teleportation hub. How much time had passed since he told Melje he would catch up soon? Maybe not even 20 minutes had gone by. Due to living life leisurely, his sense of time tended to lag. Still, it had been quite a while since he casually mentioned it would be ¡°soon.¡± It¡¯s troublesome, really troublesome. His steps towards the teleportation hub were quite diligent. Anticipating Melje waiting for him, he walked briskly, secretly admiring his own diligence. What¡¯s this? I can walk quite fast, can¡¯t I? There might be a side to me that¡¯s surprisingly diligent. As he thought so for a few seconds and walked, the rapid accumulation of fatigue in his legs made him walk at his usual sluggish pace. As he neared the hub, scattered corpses became more apparent. Blood adorned the ground. Devourer, getting closer to his destination, turned a corner. Once around the corner, the teleportation hub came into view. As agreed, Melje stood guard in front of the hub. There were dozens of human corpses. ¡°Sir Devde.¡± While some were damaged, the teleportation hub still stood intact. In front of it, barely holding on with mental strength alone, was Melje in a state of complete disarray. Underneath her, without any space to step on, dozens of human corpses piled up. Traces of fierce battle were everywhere. ¡°Sir Devde¡­ You¡¯re a bit late.¡± Melje¡¯s parched lips trembled. Her cracked voice and dim focus were clear evidence that Melje was barely holding onto her sanity. ¡°I kept my promise¡­ Look at this. I admirably secured the teleportation hub.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The red flowers blooming in the pale corpse were marks pierced by sharp objects. The once beautiful purple hair was tangled in dried blood, a testament to the substantial amount of blood Melje had shed. Mana that once showcased the Demon king¡¯s spirit seemed completely depleted. Approaching Melje, Devourer couldn¡¯t sense any flow of mana. Melje was alive, but she was fading away. ¡°This should be enough¡­ to repay the favor.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Replying with a brief but meaningful word, Devourer approached Melje. Through her blurred vision, Melje extended her arms. She seemed to have no strength left to stand, falling forward into the embrace of Devourer. ¡°Thank you.¡± Embracing the seemingly peacefully sleeping Melje with both hands, Devourer shifted his gaze to the teleportation hub. The internal structure of the device wasn¡¯t as complex as Melje had described. Perhaps Melje had taken heed of his advice to prepare in advance; the coordinates stamped into Hashtin were still intact. After a simple operation, the inside of the teleportation hub glowed blue amid the fiery red flames. A tremendous amount of mana from the crystal shone intensely, as if pouring into it in an instant. Melje and Devourer, inside the hub, floated in the empty air. Devourer, feeling the mysterious atmosphere, closed his eyes tightly. A sensation of gently falling refreshing things onto his body. Soft mana spun faster and faster, reaching its peak. Then, the worst-case scenario he anticipated became reality. Boom! ¡°Ah.¡± Even without opening his eyes, Devourer could tell that the crystal connected to the hub had spectacularly exploded. ¡°Damn it.¡± This was mostly how it went. Almost every magical tool interfering with Devourer¡¯s body was destroyed. The few surviving ones were those like the Demeura Patrick provided, designed for mana stability or suppression. Even though he thought he could endure them sufficiently, given the vast amount of mana stored in the crystal, it turned out he couldn¡¯t ignore it. It was disappointing rather than despairing. It was just that the best option had collapsed. There was still an alternative. ¡®¡­I feel needlessly sorry for Melje.¡¯ Devourer, having made a decision, slowly directed his gaze upward. The current outcome was a half-destroyed area and a reality already irreversibly chaotic. At this point, one might say, ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± With determination, Devourer undid the bracelet. After taking a deep breath, he released Polymorph. This was what Devourer considered the ¡°last resort.¡± Ultimately, the chaos in Devourer¡¯s magic was due to the inability to stabilize the mana flowing within his body. The occasional erratic movements even in the Polymorph state were for the same reason. Thus, by wearing Demeura, which stabilized mana flow, Devourer could achieve stable Polymorph. Using only one Demeura was barely enough. So, if Devourer used all of Demeura¡¯s mana suppression function for Transmutation magic, perhaps he could use Polymorph more stably. It was uncertain because he hadn¡¯t experimented with it, and even if Devourer¡¯s hypothesis was correct, it was doubtful whether Demeura could withstand it. Also, to use all of Demeura¡¯s mana suppression function for Transmutation magic, he had to release Polymorph. Consequently, it would reveal Devourer¡¯s presence to all living creatures nearby. Therefore, he called it the ¡°last resort.¡± It was the final means. He didn¡¯t want to use it if possible. ¡°Well, we¡¯re screwed anyway.¡± He messed up the conclusion he wanted to make gracefully. Sorry, Patrick. As the human shell burst, the black form expanded. Unidentifiable black substances, whether solid, liquid, or gas, oozed out and grew in size. Expanding, expanding again, and expanding once more. It swelled endlessly. The black substance, like corrupting the air it touched, expanded with each repetition¡ªexpanding, expanding, expanding, expanding. Soon, the surroundings of anyone watching Devourer were covered in darkness. The black mass, emitting a subtle purple light, created an illusion of sucking in even the light, causing the viewers to lose their sense of depth. The body, not casting shadows, pushed away everything around it¡ªbuildings, forests, even flames¡ªand reshaped itself. Devourer engulfed the surroundings. As the black mass, taking the form of a quadruped, landed on the ground, earthquakes shook in all directions. The sounds of numerous buildings collapsing due to the impact were quite loud, but Devourer seemed to be in a good mood, murmuring as if he didn¡¯t care about such trivial things. ¡°Indeed, much more comfortable than the human body.¡± The coordinates were in the center of Hastin. The goal, for now, was the mage tower ¡®Wing.¡¯ If Devourer went to the source of the problems, the mage tower ¡®Wing,¡¯ he could more definitively find out about Renee¡¯s whereabouts. If he arrived safely, he might as well destroy everything and start anew. A gigantic body floated up. The dark figure disappeared from the center of Raize as if evaporating into thin air. ¡ª In the chilling atmosphere that captivated his entire body, Ar glanced unconsciously as he moved towards the palace. It was at that moment when the shape that had swelled up, destroying everything around it, entered his sight. A moment of uncontrollable dizziness gripped Ar¡¯s head. A feeling of losing direction, as if being sucked into something black, like a black hole. Instinctively, Ar could recognize that the presence was Devourer. ¡°Ah¡­¡± As if the black entities had taken control of Ar¡¯s brain, he couldn¡¯t think of anything. Only one question lingered in his mind. How would Vern Hishutalt, who had to fight against that existence, have felt? Phase. 8 *** [Proofreader ¨C Lucky] *** Chapter 28 [Translator ¨C Peptobismol][Proofreader ¨C Zain] Chapter 28 You know, I tried not to say things like this. Renee, how long are you going to keep doing this? A gust of wind messed up the silver hair, and lips parted to let the wind pass. In response to the voice coming from behind, Renee turned her head. The red pupils looking at her were slowly approaching. She weakly opened her lips, and a feeble voice came out. ¡°Miss Batory¡­¡± The cursed fortress, one of the Seven Great Evil Dungeons, the paradise of withered trees and starving crows, ¡®Cheite Castle.¡¯ The owner of that castle, a vampiress with hair and eyes redder than blood, the daughter of the night, the nightmare of the Astricia Forest. Elizabeth Batory. As if responding to Batory¡¯s call, Renee looked at her. Renee¡¯s eyes had a somewhat lifeless appearance, especially the right eye, where the pupil was so dilated that it was difficult to distinguish the iris. ¡°I¡­¡± Renee couldn¡¯t continue her words. She bowed her head deeply in guilt. Batory also closed her mouth for a moment in front of such a reaction. Batory knows what Renee went through in the past few days. She probably had a rough idea of what emotions Renee might be feeling. Being a woman herself, she might understand Renee better than the monsters of the Primordial Core she had spent decades with. ¡°I roughly know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Batory said. It was literally a rough understanding. Since she hadn¡¯t experienced it herself, she couldn¡¯t be certain. Even if she had a similar experience, saying things like ¡®all¡¯ or ¡®definitely¡¯ would be hypocritical. It would likely be insincere and false. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I support you going through this.¡± Since Renee left the Primordial Core, up until today. For the past few days and nights, Renee stayed awake with wide eyes. She rejected even the minimum meals to survive, always sitting under the debris or trees in the field of Cheite Castle, gazing at the sky. Despite not being able to overcome physical exhaustion, she would wake up after just an hour or two of sleep. Every time she woke up, Renee¡¯s body was drenched in sweat. Weakened skin turned as pale as Batory¡¯s, revealing blue veins, and her exhausted body, with a bit of exaggeration, looked dangerously fragile, as if it could collapse with a slight push. With such a body, how could the sky look beautiful? Especially with her nearly blinded and hazy right eye, how clear could the sky appear? The sky was always bleak. Whether it was resonating with Renee¡¯s emotions or not, there were always clouds obscuring it. ¡°I have at least the minimum obligation to ensure that my customers don¡¯t starve to death, since I¡¯m the dungeon boss.¡± ¡°¡­Miss Batory, I feel terribly sorry for always causing you trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for an apology. Renee, one of the messengers I sent to Hastin has some information.¡± S~?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°One of the Imperial raid forces re-entered the Primordial Core today. They should have arrived by now.¡± Renee¡¯s eyelids trembled. Her cloudy right eye did not see clearly, but it felt vibrant. After a long, profound silence, Renee finally raised her head. ¡°Even if Miss Batory says so, Renee can¡¯t return to the Primordial Core.¡± ¡°Renee Rello.¡± A brief pause ensued. Renee¡¯s response to Batory¡¯s call was consistent¡ªa choice of silence once again. ¡°You¡¯re seriously mistaken. I¡¯m not suggesting you return to the Primordial Core. Your happiness matters, but I prioritise choice and freedom. Even if you were determined to end your own life, if that¡¯s your true will, I wouldn¡¯t stop you.¡± It¡¯s a distinct issue, separate from sadness. ¡°But whatever knot you tie, it must be tied firmly.¡± Whatever Renee chooses is acceptable. Whether they become a stalwart force of Cheite Castle, eventually depart after healing their emotional wounds, wield a sword against the Empire as a wanderer, or rule as the lord of monsters, crafting their own dungeon¡ªa skilled individual like Renee might even create a dungeon rivalling the Seven Great Evil Dungeons. ¡°Renee, you probably think Devourer wouldn¡¯t want to see you.¡± A miscalculation. ¡°Shall I make a prediction? If It¡¯s the Devourer I know, he¡¯ll soon be stirring up the continent to find you. He might even turn it into a barren field if necessary.¡± If Devourer can¡¯t move, Patrick will undoubtedly take action. ¡°He might come here soon too. Even if it¡¯s not here, it won¡¯t take long to find your traces.¡± The skeleton living in the Primordial Core has an empty skull but incredibly fast brain rotation. ¡°¡­Mr Devourer wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°No, he will definitely search. Even if you can¡¯t accept it, let¡¯s assume that for now. So, Renee, what do you think those two will do when they find out how you ended up like this? You know it well, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Then¡­ what should I do?¡± ¡°Erase your traces.¡± ¡°¡­Traces?¡± ¡°Yes. If you really plan to hide and live, erase your footsteps.¡± It doesn¡¯t have to be perfect. Even if you erase them clumsily, it¡¯s enough as long as Patrick, who was chasing Renee¡¯s traces, realises the fact. ¡®You reap what you sow,¡¯ if she can somehow demonstrate that, Patrick will surely handle the rest well. If he recognizes Renee¡¯s sincerity, even if he has to lie, he will convince Devourer. So, she must somehow show it. Never look for Renee Rello again. ¡°Your boss is more relentless in that direction than you might think.¡± Common worldly values mean little to Devourer, the ancient monster. With just one cheap emotion of wanting to save the subordinate who left home, he could turn the world upside down. ¡°Let me say it again. Today, the subjugation team sent by the empire headed to the Primordial Core.¡± Now, Batory¡¯s intentions were clear. It¡¯s not about going to the Primordial Core. After all, Devourer isn¡¯t the type to be stopped by humans. The reason Batory said that was to inform Renee. The fact that the Primordial Core will be busy with dungeon cleanup for a few days, and during that time, there will be no choice but to stay outside the dungeon. It implied that if she was going to tie the knot, she should do it during that time. Renee looked up again, thinking of Devourer and the Primordial Core. If she doesn¡¯t erase her traces, will Devourer try even harder to find her? Despite the strong desire to remain in Devourer¡¯s memories, no matter how hard she tried, Renee couldn¡¯t return to the Primordial Core. Renee doesn¡¯t have the right to be by Devourer¡¯s side. In that case, erasing her traces is undoubtedly an acceptable solution. ¡°¡­Miss Batory, I¡¯ll take a moment to get some fresh air.¡± ¡°My personal servant is in the third room from the entrance to the left corridor. He¡¯s a pretty capable guy, so even if he turns into a bat, he can lift your weight and fly quite competently. If you mention my name, he¡¯ll follow your orders respectfully.¡± ¡°Thank you, Miss Batory.¡± A hoarse voice emerged from Renee¡¯s dry lips. Turning her head to look ahead, Renee stood up, swaying. She didn¡¯t look at Batory. She didn¡¯t want to show a face full of sadness. Leaving behind Batory while maintaining her posture, Renee walked away. Soon, she stopped walking. Something suddenly occurred to her, and she asked Batory as if pouring it out. ¡°¡­Where are the blades?¡± Batory replied. ¡°How many do you need?¡± * * * It didn¡¯t take too long to reach the entrance of the Mage Tower. The memory of wandering around Hastin just a few days ago lingered, but this time, the path to the Mage Tower was clear. Thanks to that, there was less need to ask insignificant humans for directions. ¡°¡­Straight ahead.¡± Renee lifted her head. Despite Renee¡¯s life being completely shattered, the Mage Tower that ruined her still stood tall, displaying its majesty. It seemed to be looking down on Renee, mocking and sneering. Renee, gazing at the Mage Tower, quickened her pace. As emotions surged within her, staring any longer seemed to risk losing her rationality. ¡°Welcome to ¡®Wing.¡¯ May you have an enlightening time.¡± The gatekeeper politely welcomed Renee. Whether it was because she was wearing a dress instead of the robe from the previous visit or if he simply couldn¡¯t recall, it was hard to say. ¡ªShould I kill the guard too? ¡°¡­¡± Ignoring the guard¡¯s greeting without a word, she stepped over the entrance threshold. It might be better to deal with the guard after finishing the internal cleaning; otherwise, there might be interference from outsiders. ¡®Wing¡¯ was not much different from when she visited a few days ago. A guide, perhaps informed by some special means, rushed towards Renee, exuding excitement. Slightly puzzled by the guide¡¯s courteous greeting and raised head, confusion flickered on Renee¡¯s face. Although the dress she was wearing was undoubtedly noble, there seemed to be some hesitation in assessing Renee¡¯s status. [Translator ¨C Peptobismol] [Proofreader ¨C Zain] ¡°You¡¯ve gone through so much trouble to come to such a humble place. If you had informed us in advance, we would have welcomed you more warmly. Please forgive us for not being fully prepared. It may seem terribly impolite, but if it¡¯s possible, could you tell us your family and status¡­¡± ¡°Human.¡± ¡°Yes, yes?¡± ¡°Can you use dimensional magic here?¡± ¡°What? ¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°Can you use it?¡± Sweat formed on the guide¡¯s forehead. It seemed like hiding emotions was not a talent the guide possessed. After stammering for a while, the guide responded with a hesitant voice. ¡°W-well¡­ there¡¯s a dimensional magic barrier that envelops the entire Mage Tower, so we can¡¯t use dimensional magic. But more importantly, what¡¯s happening, and¡­¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes, yes. I¡¯m sure.¡± Well, there¡¯s no escaping then. Nodding her head slightly, Renee lifted the hem of her skirt and closed her eyes in silence. The guide¡¯s eyes, which had been captivated by thick eyelashes, now looked downward. The emotion revealed this time was excitement. ¡°E-even the disciples are watching, what suddenly¡­?¡± The guide¡¯s trembling voice abruptly stopped. The once flushed face quickly turned pale blue. Cat garters clinging to Renee¡¯s thighs. About a dozen daggers attached to those garters. ¡°You¡­¡± Before questioning it, a fountain of blood sprayed from the guide¡¯s neck. With that single action, the expressions of the first-floor disciples who had been glancing at Renee froze. More precisely, their attention shifted from Renee to the dagger she had pulled out. Drops of blood dripped from the blade. After confirming the dagger, everyone raised their gazes. Renee Rello remained expressionless¡ªstill. Human Mage Towers resembled that. Human Mage Towers resembled dungeons. Ah. Indeed, the Mage Tower is a dungeon composed of human mages. ¡°¡­Weak and feeble monsters.¡± She pulled out a towel from her pocket and wiped her blade. * * * Amidst the clattering and noisy sounds of someone coming up the stairs, Hansennel, the Vice-leader of the Mage Tower ¡®Wing,¡¯ turned his head. Climbing the stairs, out of breath, was a disciple from the 5th floor. Hansennel frowned. Climbing from the 5th to the 7th floor shouldn¡¯t be a breathless journey, and running up the Mage Tower stairs was undoubtedly against the rules. ¡°In-intruder!¡± Before anyone could ask what was happening, the disciple shouted. After finishing his words, he hesitantly sat down, hugging himself. His mumbling, ¡°I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯m going to die,¡± sounded like he was possessed by a ghost. ¡°¡­Calm down. Stay calm and tell us what¡¯s going on. What¡¯s happening¡­¡± ¡°S-she¡¯s coming! She¡¯s coming. She¡¯s coming. She¡¯s coming!¡± The disciple writhed without curling into a ball. Who was coming? ¡ªThe question didn¡¯t last long. Just as the disciple said, when attention was paid, an ominous energy could be felt. ¡°Aura¡­¡± The aura of a demon. Dark and dense. ¡®Why would a demon be here?¡¯ Pondering the question, Hansen quickly grabbed the staff. Despite being a scholar studying magic, he had a robust physique. As the substantial staff touched Hansen¡¯s hand, a faint light emanated from it. The Mage Tower ¡®Wing¡¯ was near the central square, the heart of Hastin. Does the intrusion of a demon into ¡®Wing¡¯ mean that the entire Hastin was falling prey to monsters? Or is it that monsters have infiltrated this Mage Tower? And why? ¡°Enemy count?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ One¡­¡± ¡°What type of monster?¡± ¡°Human, it¡¯s human!¡± ¡°Human?¡± This magic clearly belonged to a monster. If it¡¯s of human species, does that mean it¡¯s a humanoid monster? ¡ªNo, humanoids and humans have distinct appearances. The disciple¡¯s words suggest that it has the form of a ¡®real human.¡¯ A polymorph? If it¡¯s a monster strong enough to use polymorph, it must be a formidable one. ¡°Calm down. Among the 6th-floor disciples, there are nine who can use intermediate magic. It won¡¯t be easy to break through. So, stay a bit more composed. First, take a deep breath. Once you¡¯re calm, tell us more details. Depending on the situation, we might need to request reinforcements from Count Ettark¡­¡± In response to Hansennel¡¯s words, the disciple took deep, laboured breaths repeatedly. However, fear paralyzed him to the point where even breathing became challenging. Despite several attempts, the trembling didn¡¯t subside. Yet, perhaps having gained a bit of composure, the disciple opened his mouth again. ¡°It really came out of nowhere! There was no special noise from below. Casting noises have always been there, but suddenly¡­ ah, ah? ¡­Cough, cough.¡± Before finishing his sentence, the disciple collapsed. A silhouette walking from behind became visible. Hansennel tightly gripped his staff. It had been only a few seconds since he said the 6th floor wouldn¡¯t be easily breached. The arrival seemed to mock Hansennel¡¯s words. The silhouette walking from behind was a woman. A small, pitiable figure wearing a heavily tattered pink dress, yet still a beautiful woman. There was no need to think of such a figure as a monster. All the blood stains on her were undoubtedly from the disciples. Hansennel clenched his staff tightly. It was his own mistake to have thought he could afford to be somewhat relaxed. He had no confidence in defeating that presence. Even if he had confidence in his abilities, it was impossible to defeat someone who breezed through the 6th floor. There was no prepared magic, and the situation prevented escape through dimensional magic due to the dimensional magic resistance within the Mage Tower. ¡®Let¡¯s buy time for now. Amer is just above, on the 8th floor. Once I send a message, if I fight together with Amer, we can bring her down.¡¯ ¡°Human.¡± After a moment of contemplation, the slowly approaching female monster spoke. A glimmer of hope flickered in Hansennel¡¯s heart. Knowing how to speak meant communication was possible. Even just having a conversation could buy enough time. So, he responded with utmost respect, trying to gauge the situation. Every bit of time gained was crucial for success. ¡°I greet you. I am Graumitz Hansennel, the vice-leader of this Mage Tower and a servant of Graumitz Amer. It would be convenient to think of me as the one overseeing the practical operations of the Mage Tower.¡± ¡°¡­Vice-leader.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. I would appreciate it if you could call me Hansennel comfortably.¡± ¡°Where is your leader?¡± ¡°Ah, Amer is¡­ well¡­¡± Hansennel stuttered in response to the sudden question. It was a difficult inquiry due to its directness. If he answered that Amer wasn¡¯t in the Mage Tower, it might provoke an attack thinking there¡¯s no need for him. If he said Amer was present, it might signal the end of the business, and the monster might brandish a weapon. ¡°¡­Human.¡± ¡°Uh, yes?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± After ending her statement, the female monster looked up at the ceiling. ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯ Hansennel could immediately understand the meaning of those words. ¡ªCaught. ¡°Damn it!¡± Shouting, Hansennel swung his staff. It was a resolution to throw anything out, no matter what. The staff glowed. What he used was the fastest magic to cast, the one that could be expelled the quickest. And¡­ ¡°Shit.¡± He gave up upon seeing the sharp metal needle already flying towards his face. He closed his eyes. Squelch! The sound of blood hitting the ground. [Translator ¨C Peptobismol] [Proofreader ¨C Zain] Chapter 29 [Translator ¨C Peptobismol][Proofreader ¨C Zain] Chapter 29 Four blades remaining. No, five. Huff! Huff! She pulled out the blade piercing Hansennel¡¯s head with both hands and glanced back at the ceiling. The top of the tower is the 9th floor. From the 1st floor up to the 7th floor where Renee stood now, every human in sight, she had killed. According to Renee¡¯s memory, the 9th floor was a warehouse, so practically, only the 8th floor directly above remained. She tapped the floor with her shoe. The low, resonating sound was quite thick. If she had fangs, it might have been possible to collapse the ceiling and bring down the upper floor altogether, but with the four daggers she currently held, it was impossible. Even if she were to collapse right now, her body condition was nothing out of the ordinary. However, even though she hadn¡¯t allowed a single attack, Renee¡¯s slender legs trembled. ¡®There¡¯s one human left upstairs.¡¯ ©¤Now, there¡¯s only one human left. For the leader on the 8th floor to escape the tower, they could only either descend the stairs or use ¡°Flight¡± to escape through the window. The latter option, however, rendered them defenseless until just before landing, making it practically a suicidal act. If the leader had any sense, they wouldn¡¯t choose the latter. Anyway, it¡¯s a rat in a trap. The leader has no choice but to come down these stairs. ¡®There are two choices.¡¯ It¡¯s simple. Either go up first or wait. ©¤There was no need for Renee to choose first. It became unnecessary. ¡°¡­You seem quite confident.¡± Renee muttered to himself, hearing the clacking of shoes from upstairs. ©¤Unexpected. ¡°Oh my, have you laid out a nice trap here~? But who is it? Judging by the magical aura, it definitely seems like a monster¡­.¡± Following the sharp shoes, a rather long-legged figure came into view. Unlike the attire of ordinary female magicians, this attire caught the eye with a thin metal skirt worn over pants that men would wear. Apart from the unusual bottoms, the attire sported a neatly ironed crimson shirt, almost whirlpool-like, with red hair twisted down to the chest. The dangling ornaments on the shirt made a jingling sound that pricked the ears. No doubt about it. It was Graumitz Amer, the one who sold the ¡®Red Mana Stone¡¯ to Renee and got rid of it. The leader of the Mage Tower ¡®Wing,¡¯ Graumitz Amer, smiled. Whether he had sensed the situation or not, he was in a state adorned with several layers of protective magic. Amidst the smile he feigned, there was an underlying artifice. ¡°Oh? Where have I seen you before? Could it be? Really? The young lady who came a few days ago¡­ Is it you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Amazing~ Is this really true? I almost didn¡¯t recognize you because of the change in attire. Were you a monster? You seemed too foolish to be a human, you know.¡± Renee tightly gripped the daggers in both hands. The urge to tear him apart surged within. But it¡¯s not time yet. There¡¯s still something to figure out. Something to conclude. ¡°¡­Where are you?¡± Suppressing the impulse tinged with malice, Renee spoke. Clenched teeth. ¡°The fangs, where are they?¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this? The fangs I sold you last time, aren¡¯t they gone now? Or did you already know about them? Is there somewhere I¡¯m supposed to return the item? Oh~ Perhaps the reason you came here was to get them back? What a complete fool you are?¡± ¡°Speak, right now.¡± ¡°Your expression is quite scary~ But, wasn¡¯t that already my possession? Wasn¡¯t it my duty to inform you about it? Right? Or did I have to return it to you? Oh, by the way, I have a question too.¡± Amer¡¯s deep voice slipped through his crimson lips. ¡°Right, you. How are you still alive?¡± As soon as the words ended, something cut through the air beside Amer. The sound of glass breaking made Amer stiffen his expression. It was only after hearing the sound that Amer realized the translucent barrier ¡®Rejection Wall¡¯ surrounding him had shattered. Amer widened his eyes. Though he tried to smile, a hint of bewilderment lingered beneath the mask-like expression, and his mouth twitched slightly. ¡®An attack that can¡¯t be followed with the eyes¡­ is it magic?¡¯ It must have been a protection magic that was considered even sturdier than a shield. With eyes widened, Amer shifted his gaze toward Renee. There was no change in Renee¡¯s expression. As if this was nothing, Renee retrieved another dagger from the garter belt, and fiddled with it.Her gaze filled with murderous intent was chilling. ¡®Oh, what a great look in your eyes.¡¯ A monster that could break through intermediate-level protection magic with a simple throw. This wasn¡¯t something to take lightly. Come to think of it, she had reached here alone and took down Hansennel in one blow. Judging from the situation, among all the monsters encountered so far, this one might be the strongest. Amer wiped his lips with a glove. If he had encountered such a monster in the dungeon, he definitely would have been at a loss and torn to shreds. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Wow~ You¡¯re really remarkable~ But there¡¯s no need to be so angry, right? Fine, I¡¯ll tell you properly.¡± But no matter how much he thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem promising. ¡°The fangs, I mean.¡± Amer raised both hands in surrender, showing a gesture of submission. However, despite the gesture, his smile remained unchanged, evoking only a slight furrow of Renee¡¯s brow. ¡°They¡¯re not here. I sent them away some time after Raize left. I¡¯m sorry~¡± Amer chuckled. With a manic grin across his face, Amer spread his arms wide. The Magic Realm. s?a??h th? N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. A dazzling flash covered the sight. The glowing entities were mana. The mana filling the 7th floor, constituting it. All the mana that made it up. Originally, the Mage Tower was a structure artificially built over a region called the ¡®Mana Spring,¡¯ where mana was heavily concentrated underground, turned into human territory. Like a tree drawing nutrients from its roots at the Mana Spring. That¡¯s why the mana circulating inside the Mage Tower was ¡®excessive.¡¯ To those studying magic, the tower was a small utopia, but at the same time, it displayed the limitations starkly. Even if mana overflowed, without the discretion of a mage, it would be a hindrance. Conversely, if one could utilize all that mana¡­ ¡®¡­I can, I can do it!¡¯ [Translator ¨C Peptobismol] [Proofreader ¨C Zain] Because of who Amer was, or rather by wielding the A-rank Mana Stone staff, it was possible. Of course, it was impossible for Amer to utilize all the mana in the tower. Would there even be a human capable of using half of this tower¡¯s mana in the first place? Being able to pull just 1 percent would be boast-worthy among the mages, and if one could draw 3 percent, they could cause a stir among the mages. It was said that exceeding 8 percent would earn one the title of a Sage. At present, Amer¡¯s talent allowed for about 5 percent. And that 5 percent was more than enough. It was enough to control all the mana that filled the 7th floor. ¡°You seem¡­ pretty strong~¡± Yes, that silver-haired monster was powerful. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. But here was the Mage Tower ¡®Wing,¡¯ a stage for mages. ©¤ The star of the show was on this side. ¡°I¡¯ll go all out from the start.¡± Right after, Amer casted the advanced magic, [Holy Lance of Longinus.] Light gathered. A luminous lance, combining light and mana, with its sharp tip poised, revealed itself in front of Amer, exuding a divine presence. Of course, Renee wasn¡¯t about to idly wait. Leaping forward, Renee hurled two daggers at Amer. Flying along a straight trajectory, the daggers were neutralized by the two layers of magic barriers, falling weakly. In no time, the completed lance of light aimed at Renee. Additional magic was bestowed upon the massive lance. [Divide], [Chase], [Accelerate], [Changing Properties©¤ Depravity of Holy Light]. The straight-moving lance of light split into distorted black fragments. These black fragments rained down upon Renee, a multitude of dark shards directed at one existence. ¡®Block it, block it, you stupid girl¡­!¡¯ It was a high-level spell. The kind that even most dungeon bosses couldn¡¯t withstand. Typically, one would have to squeeze out all their internal mana just to cast it twice, that¡¯s what such magic was. Who would think to use such a spell just to buy time? ©¤An action only possible because the stage was the Mage Tower. The ¡®Holy Lance of Longinus¡¯ imbued with ¡®Divide¡¯ and ¡®Chase¡¯ lacked squares. To escape the torrent of blades, that monster definitely had to deflect the fragments and create squares. It seemed theoretically possible, but if anyone could, it would surely be that monster. In that case, this side would prepare for a ¡®real attack¡¯ in the meantime. Two magic circles appeared simultaneously in front of Amer. Double-casting advanced spells, [Black Extermination], [White Extermination]. If one had to choose the most straightforwardly named magic, this would undoubtedly be the one mentioned. Using the word ¡®extermination¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. Amer had never seen any being withstand this magic, even after being hit directly. He smiled in triumph, tossing aside his pretentious voice and reveling in madness. Thrilled by power that even the conditional ¡®sage¡¯ couldn¡¯t overwhelm. ¡°Oh¡­ Ahahaha! This is the best! The best!¡± Moreover, these two spells weren¡¯t the end. The mana overflowing in the tower didn¡¯t deplete just by casting three advanced spells. So, it was a festival. That stupid girl. No, that stupid monster would perish under dozens of spells, becoming unrecognizable, just a mass of flesh. ¡°This is what happens when you pretend to be a human while being a monster~¡± Amer chuckled. The two extermination spells were taking shape. Focused on casting, Amer raised his head slightly to track Renee¡¯s movements. Amidst a creeping chill that felt like suffocation, Amer involuntarily let out a sound. ¡°Oh?¡± Renee was right there, close enough that he could feel her breath. ©¤When did she get here? The sound of cutting flesh interrupted the thought. Amer¡¯s wrists were severed, floating upwards. Soon, the hands fell to the ground with a thud. A chilling sensation that drained the blood followed by an excruciating pain that was nearly impossible to endure soberly. ¡°Ahh, hah, what¡­ what¡­? It hurts, it hurts? Ahh¡­ Argh¡­!¡± The two almost-finished extermination spells disintegrated into fine particles, scattering in all directions. Amer writhed on the ground. His severed wrists oozed blood, quivering. ¡°Uwaaa¡­ Aaaaah!¡± The screams grew louder. Renee furrowed her brow. Seeing Amer dropping pretenses and screaming in agony, she couldn¡¯t help but think he was no different from a slaughtered pig. ©¤Noisy Muttering briefly, Renee crushed the squealing pig beneath her heel. The screams overlapped with another cry. For a while, Renee kept her foot pressed down before finally lifting it. She breathed heavily. Despite being covered in blood all over her body, Renee was no different from before. Countless fragments of ¡®Holy Lance of Longinus¡¯ stuck in her small frame. Amidst the fragments raining down like drizzle, if one were to create space, it might have been possible. However, pursuing safety in that situation would undoubtedly lead to a prolonged battle. Renee¡¯s stamina was already nearing its limit. The throwing daggers she could barely use were almost depleted. So, she endured rather than repelling. Ironically, it was a more dangerous choice. Despite being small fragments, ¡®Holy Lance of Longinus¡¯ was an advanced spell, and the power of each fragment exceeded that of an average low-level spell. If Renee had lacked even a bit of energy, her daggers would never have reached Amer. ¡°It hurts. My arm. M-my arm hurts. What¡¯s happening, what is it? Hurts. Wh-why? Hurts. My arm, where, ah. Ahhhh. Aaaaaaaa. It hurts. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Save me, save me¡­ Anyone¡­¡± Rarely does one find a being as feeble as a mage unable to cast magic. Having lost both hands, which were the essence of being a mage, Amer lost his composure and screamed. It was a pitiful sight, like a human contorted by a curse or a fish gasping for air outside the water, squirming on the ground. Amer, who tried to cover his face with his two hands, once again expressed his agony. His face was covered in blood. He was completely broken, far from the confident figure he was just now, staining the floor of the tower increasingly red, a far cry from his previous vigor and composure. ¡°Just because both hands got chopped off.¡± Thud. Thwack. Thwack. Whether filled with anger or not, Renee kept repeating in a low voice while incessantly trampling on Amer. ¡°Stop your groveling.¡± Behind her restrained expression, the evident emotion was unmistakable anger. It was much later that Amer, who had struggled for a while, regained some semblance of composure. It was a calmness originating from a mind muddled by the copious bloodshed. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to die¡­ I-I don¡¯t want to die¡­ Haa¡­ so much mana¡­ left¡­ I have to¡­ live¡­¡± ©¤Pitiful. The sight of Amer desperately crawling on the stairs, using elbows on the ground, resembled livestock. Pitiful. This is his true nature. Renee thought. Just a bit more desperate struggle. Yes, it would be too merciful to end that human¡¯s life right now. There was no chance of survival anyway. He had already shed too much blood and was losing consciousness. Rolling on the stairs, pouring blood with each step, gradually losing even the hope of ¡®just a bit more,¡¯ dying was the best for that human. Renee, whose whole body completely drained of strength, also collapsed on the floor. ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s over. ©¤I¡¯m not happy at all. ¡°¡­I erased my traces.¡± Renee murmured to herself and questioned herself. She erased them. Just as Batory said. Now what should Renee do? What¡¯s left for Renee? ¡°¡­Hah.¡± She chuckled. The wounds throbbed, making it difficult to even stand. Her right eye throbbed. Leaning against the pillar supporting the floor, Renee laid down. ©¤I¡¯m exhausted. Her body relaxed, consciousness gradually blurred. Listening to Amer¡¯s cries, she closed her eyes slowly. She felt if she slept now, she might never wake up. [Translator ¨C Peptobismol] [Proofreader ¨C Zain] Chapter 30 [Translator ¨C Peptobismol][Proofreader ¨C Zain] Chapter 30 As consciousness hovered at the edge of awareness for a while, footsteps echoed in. Faintly registering the movement, Renee laboriously lifted her eyelids. The approaching presence grew louder, indicating someone was drawing near. Renee focused her senses. It seemed human, judging by the absence of demonic aura. Not only Renee but Amer, too, halted his cries upon hearing the footsteps. Renee silently felt around her thigh. She fumbled with the garter, extracting the remaining blade hidden within. This would rid her of the sensation of the metal pressing against her thigh. It was the last blade. ¡°¡­Leader?¡± Amidst the tension, a strange male voice was heard. With a clatter, the man dropped the staff he was holding. The metallic rod clattered noisily to the ground. Renee squinted slightly, glancing at the man. Perhaps her right eye had lost function entirely, as her vision was blurry. Amidst this, the only clear thing was the green shock of hair. The human with green hair likely belonged to this Mage Tower as he addressed Amer as the leader and was holding a staff. What was intriguing, however, was the man¡¯s remarkable composure. He seemed prepared for the situation to a certain extent. He must have encountered numerous colleagues¡¯ corpses on his way up to this level. He appeared to have a fair estimation of what might have occurred. ¡°Leader! What happened? Y-your wrist¡­¡± ¡°Ha¡­im?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Haim. Leader, what in the world has happened¡­¡± The man referred to as Haim began to speak, his words faltering. Amer, overcoming spasms, barely raised his arm. The direction his severed wrist pointed towards was Renee. Haim stared at Renee, leaning against the pillar, for a few seconds. ¡°You were there at that time¡­¡± Renee didn¡¯t respond, just glaring at Haim. Haim didn¡¯t continue speaking either. Just locking eyes was enough to fit the jumbled puzzle pieces together. Having grasped the situation, Haim turned back towards Amer. s?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Leader, can you hold on?¡± ¡°Haim, it hurts¡­ It hurts, quickly¡­ Ah, please¡­ Save¡­ me, my wrist, my wrist, my wrist¡­¡± ¡°Calm down, you¡¯ve lost too much blood.¡± ¡°That bitch, that bitch¡­ kill her¡­¡± ¡°Leader, pull yourself together and listen to me properly.¡± There was urgency in the voice. Haim pulled something out of his arms. ¡°Do you see what this is?¡± He would have held it out right in front of Amer¡¯s face. Yet Amer only shook his head. Whether gradually nearing death and losing sight, or regardless of Haim shaking ¡®that item¡¯ in front of him, Amer only kept shaking his head. ¡°What¡­ is¡­ it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a high-grade magic stone embedded with an escape spell. With just this, we can get out of here. But my mana is too low to activate it. Leader, you have to infuse mana into it.¡± ¡°What¡­ do you¡­ mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to explain in detail. Escaping from here is urgent. There¡¯s no way I can defeat an opponent you couldn¡¯t. Leader, just live for now. Whether you seek revenge or not!¡± Saying that, he placed ¡®that item¡¯ onto Amer¡¯s chest. Amer, hesitating for a moment, slowly nodded. Casting without a wrist was impossible, but infusing mana was something he could manage. Amer slowly poured mana into the item Haim had handed him. It seemed like pouring out all the remaining life force. That was Graumitz Amer¡¯s final straw to grasp. Renee just stood by, observing. She was too powerless to intervene. She couldn¡¯t clearly understand the situation. But before all that, Renee was certain. That man known as Haim. ©¤He¡¯s definitely not on Amer¡¯s side. Contrary to his voice, there was no trace of concern for Amer in his expression. When their eyes met, it wasn¡¯t the expression of an adversary but one of jubilation. After realizing Amer¡¯s sight had faltered, Haim overtly smiled. When making a proposal to Amer, he couldn¡¯t contain his laughter, suppressing it as he grinned. Above all, the last thing given to Graumitz Amer, the magic stone. Renee gagged as she saw the stone Haim handed over. A retch escaped, bringing up nothing but bile since she hadn¡¯t eaten. ¡ªThere¡¯s no way that stone contains a ¡®high-grade escape spell.¡¯ Can one forget something meant to be forgotten? Inside that dark-hued stone was a squirming, fetus-like form, much like what had been inside the ¡®Crimson Love Stone.¡¯ ¡°¡­Demon.¡± ¡°Huh? Uh? Ugh, ugh¡­ cough¡­ cough¡­¡± As Renee muttered, Amer retched. What came out of his mouth was a clot of dark crimson. ¡°What?¡­ Wh-why? How¡­ why, AHH!¡± He screamed in agony. A surge of black mana seeped out of the magic stone and pierced Amer¡¯s body. Through his nose, mouth, even his eyes¡ªAmer¡¯s body absorbed the black mist as his body convulsed. He seemed to squeeze out all the blood from his body endlessly. ¡°¡­Haim?¡± As soon as he asked the question, Amer¡¯s pupils started spinning. His dimmed vision couldn¡¯t locate Haim or anything else, as his pupils looked in different directions. Finally, amid the blood-drenched lips stuttered a voice. ¡°¡­You¡­ can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°You seem to be in pain. Well, since you¡¯re about to die soon, would it be alright if I tell the truth? And also to formally greet Miss Ren here. I¡¯ll tell you the truth I¡¯ve hidden.¡± ¡°What? No, no! Ugh, it hurts. Oh, oh! Haim. Wh-why? Why¡­ Haim¡­ what¡­ why, AHHHH!¡± He laughed. Haim laughed. His laughter held no pretense. Amer¡¯s screams were music to Haim. Turning to Renee, Haim spoke. ¡°Haim Saryuvelle, a poor disciple who¡¯s responsible for our leader Mr Amer¡­ A spy pretending to be¡­¡± Before receiving a response, Amer¡¯s neck twisted halfway around. Observing death with the gaze of a street acrobat admiring tricks, Haim added: ¡°Mr Amer has made too many enemies. Why would the Graumitz main family send a spy to monitor their beloved protege? Why would they order the immediate elimination upon showing any suspicious signs? Why would a finished deal like Miss Ren come seeking revenge? Isn¡¯t that right?¡± A thunderous noise pierced the ears. Thud! Crack! Amidst the resounding and the bones of Amer reassembling, Haim¡¯s voice was nearly drowned out. ¡°¡­Where are the fangs?¡± ¡°What? Mr Amer didn¡¯t tell you?¡± As Renee, witnessing such a scene, asked in a low voice, Haim glanced at Amer. Amer lay sprawled like a discarded rag, seemingly devoid of a single drop of blood. The ground was a lively crimson. Bent in a grotesque posture, she was silent, as if already dead. Haim sighed. ¡°The fangs were auctioned off to the Raize region. Such weapons are of little use in the Mage Tower. It¡¯s far more profitable to replenish resources from the auction money.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m grateful to Miss Ren here. Since you¡¯ve done my work for me, I want to repay you¡­ But that¡¯s that and this is this. Dissolving this situation might lead Miss Ren to chase after me, you know?¡± If the situation had come to Haim eliminating Amer, he would have used assassination as a method. He wouldn¡¯t have chosen assassination for no reason. Amer is not an opponent to be underestimated. Moreover, the silver-haired girl is a presence that severed Amer¡¯s wrist. Judging by the smooth cut on the severed wrist, it seems like it was done in a single strike. Ending it with one strike. A formidable opponent, even if appearing exhausted, is not someone to be taken lightly. Haim was no match for Renee. However, if it¡¯s a demon that used Amer as a medium, the story would be different. ¡°Then, this is it.¡± With a smirk, Haim fled downstairs. Amer¡¯s corpse slowly floated in the air. The distorted and contorted figure, bending and twisting in various ways, would make anyone think it wasn¡¯t human if they hadn¡¯t witnessed the process. The ground trembled. The Mage Tower was in turmoil. From Amer¡¯s corpse, loathsome purple things spread in all directions, then gathered again. Indistinguishable limbs, whether arms or legs, emerged from the purple liquid. Dozens of teeth, not chosen carefully, protruded through the grotesque skin, and a sinister extra eye glared at Renee through the stretched skin. The demon that emerged from the corpse let out a howl. Renee¡¯s silver hair fluttered in the sound waves. Her right eye, damaged during the fight, barely made out the form of the demon. It wasn¡¯t a shape she particularly wanted to see in detail, and at this moment, she was relieved that her right eye was damaged. Renee muttered quietly. ¡°Pathetic.¡± It was a word directed at the demon in front of her. A word to the painfully deceased Amer. Simultaneously, it was a word to herself. [Translator ¨C Peptobismol] [Proofreader ¨C Zain] There was no chance of winning against such a demon. At least, not with a body as battered and weaponless as Renee¡¯s was now. So what would unfold next wasn¡¯t going to be a grand battle. It would simply be a tragedy in which one helpless maid would be horribly ripped and shredded apart. Because she is powerless. Because right now, Renee Rello was the most powerless there is. In fact, if she had decided to escape, she would have found an opportunity somehow. ©¤Here, Renee was paying for her sins. There was no meaning to her remaining life anyway. She didn¡¯t want to become more pathetic. ©¤It¡¯s erasing the ¡®real traces.¡¯ Here. Forever. The demon that was dripping saliva roared again. Countless legs extended from its body, reaching Renee in an instant. Among the tentacle-like numerous hands, the longest and thinnest one headed towards Renee. Renee, trying to endure the discomfort, bit her lips. Something slimy touched her forehead. The voice resonated as if carving letters directly into her head. It wasn¡¯t a language that could be understood, but the certainty that she would die soon was palpable. Certainly, she could feel that she would die. Is this it? Is this where Renee dies? Dying in such a disgraceful manner by a despicable creature. It feels like a punishment, doesn¡¯t it? Is this what karma dictates as Renee¡¯s fault in this incident? The truth is, she knew. She was aware that this whole thing was her fault. Devourer likely despises Renee. Yes, Renee is a sinner. That¡¯s right. This seems like the fitting death for a sinner like Renee. ©¤Even so. ¡°¡­Those filthy hands.¡± Smelling of Devourer¡¯s scent that still lingered on Renee¡¯s body. ¡°Don¡¯t dare to put it on me¡­!¡± She pulled out the dagger she had been gripping tightly. It happened in an instant. Renee swung the dagger towards the demon in front of her. First, she thrust the dagger into the center of the repulsive and large pupils that stared at her. The demon let out a scream. Viscous fluid poured out with a squelching sound. The light pink dress was stained with mucus. After pulling out the dagger, Renee, with the remaining strength, pushed the dagger under the demon¡¯s chin. The demon had no heart. The only place that seemed like a vital spot was the throat. ¡®Even if I die, I¡¯ll take you with me©¤¡¯ But one dagger was not enough. In response to the demon¡¯s counterattack, Renee¡¯s body floated into the air. Between the diminishing sight, dozens of demon arms came into view. Hundreds of fingers were visible. Sharp claws resembled stakes. Hundreds of stakes were aimed at Renee all at once. It was an intention to pierce through her, leaving her torn apart. ¡®Ah.¡¯ ©¤It wasn¡¯t enough, as expected. She closed her eyes. Sadness settled on her thick eyebrows. Unfortunately, there was no lantern-like thing coming to her mind. It felt like there was no sense of crisis in death, so she wondered if this was what it was. Closing her eyes and ears, she recalled Devourer. ¡®Mr Devourer, will you really be sad if you find out that I¡¯m dead?¡¯ It was a situation reminiscent of when Renne was first saved. When her body and soul were parched, unable to find meaning in life. That¡¯s when Devourer appeared, dark and obscure but to Renne, a dazzling light. Renne recalled what Batory said. The Primordial Core was fighting against the subjugation force,, wasn¡¯t that it? By now, everyone must be busy. They might not be able to come. Even if they could, they wouldn¡¯t, right? Renne thought she would die without regrets, but something stirred within her. For the last time¡­ ¡°¡­Mr Devourer.¡± I wanted to see you. Even with closed eyes, Renne vaguely felt the shadow emanating the stench completely obscuring her view. It truly seemed like the end now. She thought it was really the end. A deafening roar temporarily paralyzed her ears. Then, a rush of air pressure followed. Faint light seeped in, and it seemed like the foul-smelling shadow from right in front of her had disappeared. The direction of the wind, the pattern of the waves, she could sense them. The demon didn¡¯t vanish. It had been blasted away by an immense energy collision. While questioning the situation, she also doubted her own senses. This sudden sensation was absolute, to the extent that most creatures, when trying to comprehend it, would simply go mad. It was something darker than black, deeper than the abyss. Even the darkest entities rarely possessed this kind of power. There was only one being capable of such a thing. Renne knew the source of this energy. It belonged to someone who was not supposed to return. In the instant before she could open her eyes, Renne felt the warmth of arms gently catching her as she fell. That warmth, so gentle, delicately placed her on the ground, maybe to avoid causing more harm. Renne trembled. If she were in a space with others, she might have been overwhelmed by emotion and cried. Even though her eyes still didn¡¯t open, she was certain. Was this really happening, was it not a dream? Mr Devourer. Phase. 9 [Translator ¨C Peptobismol] [Proofreader ¨C Zain] Chapter 31 [Translator ¨C Peptobismol][Proofreader ¨C Zain] Chapter 31 The demon, flung tens of meters, crashed into three pillars before slamming into the ground. The shock wasn¡¯t absorbed by the tower; instead, it swayed in all directions. Stone shards rained down from the ceiling like morning dew in spring. Where the demon landed, dust billowed from the floor like mist. Devourer walked slowly towards the mist. The pace didn¡¯t seem hurried, with narrow strides indicating no rush. The hesitant steps didn¡¯t veer far from Devourer¡¯s usual demeanor, except for the firmly shut mouth, devoid of words or any apparent thought. The complexion was dark. No, the absence of expressions made it appear erratic and dark. Isn¡¯t the most terrifying expression a blank one? As if proving that point, Devourer¡¯s expression was so devoid of emotion it was chilling. It seemed to have no thoughts at all, almost as if masked, making it difficult to decipher the hidden intentions. Devourer, who approached the demon, slowly reached out his arm. As Devourer reached out slowly, suddenly dozens of stakes shot up, piercing through its arm. The demon roared. Despite almost half its body bursting out, it had already regenerated to its original form. Unperturbed, Devourer grabbed the demon. Lifting up it briefly, Devourer struck it down forcefully onto the floor. Crash! The area struck by the impact sank. Devourer lifted the demon again, striking the same spot. Unable to withstand the two impacts, the floor gave way below. Holding onto the demon, Devourer dragged it several meters. And once again, Devourer struck the demon. As if flicking off moisture from his hand, Devourer lightly shook it off. Yet, the floor had several gaping holes. After a while of pounding, just as signs of the collapsing floor became evident through the numerous holes, Devourer lifted the demon to check its condition. Despite most of its body bursting and oozing brownish mucus onto the ground, the demon¡¯s body continued to regenerate. Endlessly. With a slightly furrowed brow, Devourer, this time, exerted considerable force, hurling the demon downwards. The surrounding floor made a series of sinking sounds. Six consecutive clattering noises. Given that it was thrown through the holes precisely, it likely slammed down to the first floor. Once the tremors from the tower ceased, Devourer dusted off his hands. Silent, he stood for a few seconds before turning around. Only then did Devourer slowly step towards Renee. Walked. And then, Above the gaping hole behind, a crimson light surged. He halted his steps. Devourer furrowed his brow, scratching the back of his head. The expression was pleading. Disgusting, it seemed to say. From the hole where the demon was thrown, the demon rose again. This time in a winged form. It had reduced in size from before, but the intensity of ominous aura had doubled. A huge mana flow surged in front of the demon. It was magic. And not the standardized kind used by humans. The unrefined, unpleasant mana condensed into a shape akin to the advanced magic [Black Elimination], yet the intensity seemed incomparable. Devourer could somewhat perceive what the demon was thinking. The demon¡¯s magic didn¡¯t account for the aftermath. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called ¡®raw magic¡¯. If that unprocessed black sphere made of scraped energy from the tower were to be expelled, the entire area would become a wasteland. It was an established fact. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Devourer turned back to look at the sphere. ¡°You, the source of your power, was the tower¡¯s mana.¡± Having realized¡ªthere was no need to wait. Devourer opened his mouth. This, too, was instantaneous. From Devourer¡¯s face, a gaping, grotesque black mouth burst forth, revealing thousands of teeth towards the demon and its magic. Engulfing the demon, its magic, and a quarter of the tower. Thus, the gaping maw devoured the things it touched without a sound. The collapsed space within the gaping tower now filled with cold air. There was nothing, only the echo of wind hitting the walls. Devourer turned back and walked towards Renee. ¡°Renee.¡± That¡¯s how the first breath was finally let out. * * * Amidst the crumbling tower, only the two of them remained motionless. Renee had buried her head between her knees in a crouching position. The warmth felt against her back was not false. Devourer, whom she longed to see so much, was sitting right behind, leaning against her. ¡°I had so much to say when we finally met.¡± Devourer spoke. ¡°But now that we¡¯re here, my mind¡¯s a blank canvas.¡± He continued. ¡°If only I had written it down before we met.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I suddenly remembered something. On my way up here earlier, I encountered a green-haired human. I saw him and killed him, but¡­ there shouldn¡¯t be any issues or repercussions, right?¡± Speaking nothing but unadulterated truths, Devourer continued to express himself. There was a slight tremor in his voice, but Renee couldn¡¯t hear it. ¡°¡­.Haa.¡± Once again, silence settled. From the crumbling ceiling, bits of stone fell sporadically. A small fragment tapped Devourer¡¯s shoulder. It felt almost as if urging for a proper conversation. Devourer flinched. ¡°Renee.¡± S~?a??h the ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­I¡¯m listening, Mr Devourer.¡± This time, there was a somewhat solemn tone. A low voice lingered in the air. Finally, from Renee¡¯s parched throat, a dry voice emerged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what happened a few days ago.¡± ¡°¡­Renee is no longer qualified to see Mr Devourer.¡± ¡°The Ancient Core needs a Gatekeeper named Renee, and I need you, Renee.¡± ¡°Renee is not confident that she can live up to those expectations.¡± Once again, silence passed between them. ¡°¡­Mr Devourer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Mr Devourer, do you resent Renee?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Mr Devourer, do you dislike Renee?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dislike you.¡± ¡°Renee is¡­¡± The words trailed off. Merely clasping her hands tightly, her body trembled. This time, a ceiling fragment that had fallen from above grazed Renee¡¯s wrist, causing droplets of blood. ¡°Renee is scared.¡± Scared of being abandoned, scared of being hated. Giving love alone and expecting alone. Enduring and enduring alone, unable to endure it anymore, causing harm to everyone, and then being afraid again. Scared of being abandoned, scared of being hated. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Renee.¡± And Devourer extended a hand. Devourer was always like that. The ceiling reverberated loudly. It was a sign that the tower would soon collapse. Devourer slowly stood up from his position. He rummaged for something. The familiar sound of metal clanging on the ground, the sound of tearing, Renee also lifted her lowered head. ¡°This was something you left behind. And¡­¡± Though not visible, within the hesitation, Devourer slowly began to speak. * * * [Translator ¨C Peptobismol] [Proofreader ¨C Zain] ¡°Hey, Boss, you¡¯re here already? I¡¯ve been waiting so long for you. What? Are you serious? Did you come here dancing madly from Hastin? What on earth did you do to make the ground tremble like this?¡± ¡°Patrick, there¡¯s always an exception in a monster¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Boss, do you remember the one who said, ¡®Patrick, let¡¯s not mess with Hastin¡¯? The one who was strict, solemn, and serious?¡± ¡°The weather¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°Oh, come on, seriously.¡± Patrick covered his temples with both hands as the headache hit him. He recalled the snippet Devourer mentioned a few days ago, ¡°If things go wrong, I¡¯ll tear everything down and come back.¡± Was that possibly a foreshadowing? Considering Devourer either lives without much thought or is a cunning planner, it seemed like the former with a three-digit probability. ¡®Well, aside from that.¡¯ Patrick refrained from speaking further. The atmosphere wasn¡¯t very conducive to flipping the dungeon upside down. Devourer had left the house just a day ago and had already returned. He answered questions in a playful manner, but there wasn¡¯t much strength in his voice. ¡®The mysterious earthquake that occurred in Hastin was undoubtedly caused by the Boss unlocking the Polymorph.¡¯ Something significant must have happened in that short time. ¡°Boss, did you have nothing to do with it?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­ well, Patrick, did something happen to you?¡± ¡°Oh, me?¡­ Nothing happened.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Actually, nothing happened to me either.¡± ¡°Really¡­? Um, Boss, how¡¯s your conscience? Should I mention that the person who went to find Renee is saying that nothing unusual happened?¡± He said it this way, but it probably wasn¡¯t entirely true. Patrick¡¯s intuition said so, and it was most likely a rhetorical question. Patrick rolled his eyes, wiping down Tannabella. Firstly, he was most concerned about the unknown creature Devourer had brought earlier. It seemed substantial judging by how they carried it. ¡°Why did you bring that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a long story.¡± Unsatisfied with the answer, Patrick got up to inspect it. Up close, it seemed to be a demon¡ªnot an ordinary one. It seemed more like a demon lord, with horns and fangs¡ªa being that could be considered close to a demon king, soaked in various hues, and young. This might mean it was so influential that it couldn¡¯t even hold an inauguration ceremony as a ruler¡ªhmm, thought Patrick, noticing numerous traces of injuries. ¡°Wait, Boss, did you¡­ kidnapping?¡± ¡°Would I do something troublesome like that¡­¡± ¡°Listening to you, it seems so.¡± ¡ªOnce again, making it all sound acceptable. As a gesture of astonishment, Patrick tapped his skull. Thud! A clear sound echoed. ¡®Okay, enough with the jokes.¡¯ ¡°So, Boss. Why did you use healing magic on this demon?¡± That¡¯s the crux. Traces of healing magic lingered on the demon lord. Not just ordinary healing magic, but traces of eerie healing. The demon¡¯s body was filled with mana that wasn¡¯t its own but someone else¡¯s. It was evident that a colossal amount of mana, not the demon¡¯s inherent mana, had been forcibly infused. And there aren¡¯t many who can forcibly inject such an enormous amount of mana at once. ¡°Boss, did you use healing magic on this demon?¡± It¡¯s not about reproach, just pure curiosity. Devourer had been repeatedly advised not to use magic. Devourer naturally knew the reason. Mana is dynamic and reflux in Devourer¡¯s body. Supplementing the body with mana aids in healing and regeneration. This is the basic principle of healing magic. If turbulent, surging mana is forcibly injected, it could cause the body to explode. It¡¯s a gamble. It could either become a ¡®Cure¡¯ or a ¡®Catastrophe,¡¯ no one can guarantee. Devourer probably knew these facts as well. ¡°Even if I left it alone, it would have died. It was urgent.¡± ¡°¡­Fine, understood. Just don¡¯t do this again, Boss. Using it as an alternative to destruction against enemies is fine, but not this.¡± Let¡¯s not delve too deep into it. Patrick, thinking so, soon acquiesced. Ultimately, it was a success. They succeeded remarkably using that dynamic mana. It¡¯s truly impressive in moments like these. ¡°Well, whatever you¡¯ve brought back with a whim, let¡¯s discuss it later.¡± Saying so, Patrick ended the conversation. It wouldn¡¯t be polite to decide the disposal of the one who collapsed in front of them without consciousness. Besides, deciding now doesn¡¯t mean immediate action. Patrick¡¯s choice was silence. It wasn¡¯t just silence but a silence meant to extract something¡ª ¡°Patrick.¡± As expected, Devourer, who had been tossing and turning, subtly initiated the conversation. ¡°I met Renee in the human village.¡± ¡°You did meet her, after all.¡± So, what happened? They don¡¯t ask the same question. If it ended well, they would have come back together. But currently, Renee isn¡¯t present at the Core. There¡¯s no reprimanding here. They don¡¯t inquire about the circumstances. Devourer¡ªBoss doesn¡¯t think, not because they lack thoughts, but because the current situation is the result brought back by the Boss, and Patrick merely respects that. ¡°Is she hurt?¡± ¡°She seemed exhausted.¡± After a sigh, Devourer added. ¡°Patrick, perhaps we¡¯ve been constraining Renee¡¯s life.¡± ¡°If it were, you could simply say so without being so poetic.¡± ¡°Annoying.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredibly constraining.¡± ¡°Stop it¡­¡± Nevertheless, the denial in the end felt somewhat suspiciously sympathetic. ¡°Now, you have to wear a maid¡¯s outfit and manage the dungeon¡­¡± ¡°Are you planning to hire two Gatekeepers?¡± Saying so gave Patrick shivered. If he had skin, he¡¯d have goosebumps. He mentally visualized himself in a maid¡¯s outfit, stirred by a mix of guilt and horror. ¡°¡­So, what are your plans now?¡± ¡°What else can I do?¡± Even though Renee is gone, it doesn¡¯t mean the Core will collapse. Frankly, the Core will return even without Renee. It has to return. Humans should not set foot at the Core¡¯s end. ¡°Until all ¡®116 Black Tentacles¡¯ regenerate, guard the three forks and the entrance to Route 4. Once they¡¯ve all healed, break down two paths to create one.¡± ¡°Are you not going to fill Renee¡¯s place?¡± ¡°Keep it empty. We don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll return.¡± ¡°¡­If the Boss says so.¡± It was strategically the worst move, but when the dungeon¡¯s boss commands, one must act. It was silent. The Core without Renee was strangely silent. Even though Renee wasn¡¯t usually talkative, it was odd how her absence made it so chilly. But still, the core continued to function. Even during the hundreds of years without Renee, the core continued to function perfectly. Though it might have been exhausting and melancholic for a long time, eventually, it would be forgotten. Devourer isn¡¯t a creature that lives for just a few decades and then dies. The colossal figure, the owner of the dungeon, rolled a few times and then settled into a position. Patrick also got up silently from his place. Leaving Devourer in this state was the best course of action. There might not be any more conversation. Patrick walked towards the three forks. And then, Patrick¡¯s footsteps halted. ¡°Boss.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Boss?¡± ¡°Keep talking.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± The silhouette slowly approaching in the darkness¡ª ¡°The one Boss has been waiting for the most.¡± Wearing the usual attire, with the same voice and expression¡ªno, with a slightly happier expression, traces of unshed tears, and a slightly more hesitant gait. ¡°Mr Devourer, have you had your meal?¡± She repeated the usual question. ¡°If you haven¡¯t, shall I prepare it now?¡± Renee Rello smiled. Only then did Patrick face Devourer directly. Then he looked at Renee. He turned his head again to look at Devourer. ¡ªTo offer that. Is she in her right mind? Or is she in her right mind enough to offer¡­ ¡°Was that sincere.¡± He muttered faintly. ¡ª ¡°Renee, your right eye. It¡¯s completely damaged.¡± ¡°If I could see properly, would I have been able to distinguish the truth?¡± ¡°That statement you made back then. If I¡¯m still holding onto that feeling.¡± ¡°Anytime you want.¡± ¡°Next time, bring a real love stone.¡± Lying beside the sharp fangs was a black eyeball. It¡¯s vividly visible now. The flow of mana, the stars in the sky, and even Devourer¡¯s figure, all appear much clearer than they did before. A smile formed on the maid with the same right eye as an ancient monster. ¡°It¡¯s really with Mr Devourer, indeed.¡± [Translator ¨C Peptobismol] [Proofreader ¨C Zain] Chapter 32 {V1 End} [Translator ¨C Clara][Proofreader ¨C DemonGod] Chapter 32 ¨C Epilogue The turmoil that unfolded in the empire spread uncontrollably fast. The aftermath was particularly devastating in Riaze, surrounded by layers of fortifications and boasting itself as the empire¡¯s pinnacle. This was the very heart of the city, where the incident involving the Emperor¡¯s palace and one of its protective walls occurred. The sudden appearance of the ¡®Black Calamity¡¯ without any warning claimed numerous lives in an instant. The once proud and joyous district of pleasure, Capital Raize, was reduced to unrecognizable ruins, and the disaster left thousands of imperial citizens in shock ¨C among them, even the Third Princess. The arrival of the ¡®Black Calamity,¡¯ known as Devourer, led to the near-annihilation of the elite Imperial punitive force, the Languere Blue Crane Raid Force. The death of Vern, the consecutive tragedies involving Historia, and the overall impact were staggering. Though the Imperial Palace itself was not attacked, the mere fact of the event was enough for people to recognize the vulnerability. It wasn¡¯t that the palace wasn¡¯t attacked but rather a conscious choice not to attack. While the empire still had many powerful figures to maintain its strength, it was merely a facade in the face of this calamity. A facade of strength. This notion was enough to instill anxiety among the citizens who once believed in the empire as the blessed land that promised eternal peace. The initial response came from the Imperial government. The suggestion that the calamity might be the work of Devourer was incessantly debated at the highest levels. The evidence included dramatic accounts from those who miraculously survived the encounter with the darkness and a synthesis of Devourer¡¯s description from myths, leading to uncanny similarities. It was despairing. The next ones to react were the common people. Eventually, under the Emperor¡¯s decree, the official stance announced by the government was as follows: ¡°The presence of the calamity in Riaze was not Devourer.¡± Whether it was truly Devourer or not was uncertain. However, the majority of the citizens did not believe those words. Instead, rumors spread even faster, fueling dissent. Despite considerable trust in the Imperial family among the people, the thin-skinned citizens paid more attention to rumors. The emergence of the ¡®Black Calamity¡¯ was so mythic that it only heightened the credibility of the myths. The rumor that ¡®the identity of the Black Calamity is Devourer¡¯ spread rapidly within the empire, giving rise to new religious sects predicting the empire¡¯s downfall and groups venerating Devourer as an absolute being. Even amid oppression, signs of the end of the century stubbornly emerged. Everything seemed to be heading towards disaster. As the Imperial oppression intensified, baseless rumors spread uncontrollably. The phenomenon was akin to an epidemic, a mental illness that debilitated everyone¡¯s mental state. Everything shook. In less than an hour, the nightmare that swept the empire rendered it ¡®unstable.¡¯ Essential goods for survival began to skyrocket in price. The land values around Capital Raize plummeted one after another. Noble factions emerged, debating the identity of the calamity. Parts of Hastin and the forests of Graphenia were declared off-limits. Traders passing through those routes were hindered, causing abrupt price changes for certain goods. The scarcity of potions and medicinal supplies led to the death of hundreds within a few days. Citizen dissatisfaction grew, and countless rumors circulated in the city. What started as rumors in Riaze, within a week, spread throughout the entire nation through the mouths of many mages and merchants. The rumors even included malicious gossip like ¡®monsters appeared due to the aristocracy¡¯s mistake.¡¯ This mix of rumors, combined with the already mythical nature of the ¡®Black Calamity,¡¯ brought about a phenomenon that undermined the authority of the aristocracy. The nobles were unable to live without the respect of the commoners, and a purge of the origin of these rumors began. Innocent people perished. In due course, a special unit was formed to unveil the truth behind the incidents. Based on the testimonies of witnesses who had seen Devourer at the auction house, the secret investigation team considered the possibility that the appearance of the Black Calamity and Brachycephalic Tooth might be linked. The trail led them to Hastin. However, Hastin had become a chaotic scene much like Riaze. Assuming that the key to the incident lay with the tower ¡®Wing,¡¯ the investigation was halted. The tower was demolished, leaving only its foundation. Devourer must have come and gone. The symptoms similar to those in Riaze among the residents of Hastin confirmed the suspicion. The Black Calamity that had been in Riaze had moved on to Hastin ¨C it was natural to think of the ancient core near Hastin, and the hypothesis that ¡®Devourer is the Black Calamity¡¯ gained strength. With no further leads and all related witnesses either dead or missing, the investigation came to a close. Even the Lord of Hastin, left a suicide note before hanging himself in his room. The members of the investigation team grimaced after reading its contents. The ancient monster raged. Humans could only await the judgment of death. Not only the empire but the entire end of humanity had arrived. Under the colossal entity known as the empire, numerous suppressed elements began to stir. * * * A cold droplet of water fell from the ceiling with a soft, distinct sound, landing on Melje¡¯s forehead. She opened her eyes as if waking from a deep sleep. The cool air tickled her nostrils. Even though she had fully opened her eyes, the ceiling remained slightly dim. Where was she? What had happened? With various thoughts swirling in her mind, Melje touched the ground with both hands, slowly raising her upper body. From the side, a faint rustling sound of scratching ears could be heard. She turned her head towards the source of the noise. Sitting down, a skeletal figure with a knife came into view. A skeleton. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Only then did Melje¡¯s mind, still groggy from just waking up, become clear. Memories of the last moment before she blacked out started to resurface. Yes, that¡¯s right. If that¡¯s the case, the current situation makes some sense. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re awake.¡± Just as Melje heard Patrick¡¯s voice at the right moment, she looked at him with a clear but somewhat amazed expression. Patrick, in turn, seemed subtly uncomfortable and turned his head away, while Melje, looking at him as if fascinated, slowly lowered her lips. ¡°You¡­?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡­ are death. Are you a reaper? Is this hell?¡± Melje asked. From her perspective, the stale air, the dark space, and the skeleton all made sense. Why a reaper was carrying a sword instead of a scythe was a mystery, though. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The gatekeeper of the afterlife is a skeleton, I read it in a book, and it turned out to be true. How did the author of that book, who hasn¡¯t died, know that reapers are skeletons? Amazing. So, Reaper, I am Melje De Lymph Agrea, the 17th descendant of Asmodeus. I have no regrets in death.¡± ¡°No, it seems like you¡¯re having a serious misunderstanding¡­¡± ¡°What will happen to me in the future? Heaven? Hell? Where am I going? Humans who believe in gods have always talked about a place called Purgatory. Does Purgatory really exist? Before that, do places like Heaven and Hell exist? Truly intriguing. If they do exist, I¡¯m in trouble going to Heaven. I¡¯m a demon lord, after all. Yes, Hell suits a demon lord. Now, take me away.¡± ¡°Are you sure you haven¡¯t mistaken something¡­?¡± ¡°What about the boss? Is there a boss among the reapers?¡± ¡°Um, miss, this isn¡¯t the afterlife.¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Then, where am I?¡± ¡°You might want to listen carefully since I won¡¯t say it twice.¡± A loud voice, as if hitting her eardrums, reached Melje¡¯s ears. ¡°Here is Primordial Core.¡± A moment of silence followed before the response came. ¡°Huh?¡± The surprised voice was succeeded by another silence. It seemed like there was more to say, as Patrick, tapping his ribs with his fist, expressed his frustration. Soon, Melje¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°So, you¡¯re not the reaper but¡­ Patrick?¡± ¡°You¡¯re smart.¡± * * * Melje still seemed to have trouble grasping the situation, and Patrick, holding the edges of her doll-like clothes and dragging her along, headed towards Devourer¡¯s room. ©¤ By the way, Patrick felt embarrassed about Melje¡¯s quite tattered clothes. However, the material seemed to be of good quality as it didn¡¯t tear even when pulled. ¡°Get up.¡± Patrick said after kicking the boss, who had been sleeping for hours, with all his strength, and he threw Melje in front of him. The gazes of Melje, who couldn¡¯t bring herself to speak in front of Devourer, and Devourer, half-closed eyes in a half-asleep state, crossed. ©¤ Both were stiff. At a glance, it seemed so, but they were just not saying anything. Both were actively moving. Melje¡¯s eyes moved busily, and Devourer¡¯s brain worked rapidly. Soon, Melje¡¯s eyes sparkled with amazement, and Devourer¡¯s mind went completely black. ¡°D-D-D-Devourer!¡± ¡°Who is it again?¡± ¡°Devourer, the ruler of Primordial Core, the guardian of the ancient ones captured by fear, the pinnacle of everything, the ancient monster¡­ Devourer!¡± ¡°That again¡­¡± At the excessive epithets, a mocking sound from Patrick was heard. [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C DemonGod] Ah, where should I start explaining? It¡¯s awkward. Devourer, who mumbled like that, covered his face with his front paw. He didn¡¯t intentionally hide anything¡­ well, the news is quite surprising. Patrick, with a clenched fist, was also watching from the side. He seemed to plan on hearing the whole story of the incident he missed last time. The movement of Patrick, who swung his sword as if ready to cut it off if an unsatisfactory explanation was given, was very annoying. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have given him that sword for no reason,¡¯ thought Devourer, but it was already spilled milk and past. ¡°Devourer, I, if I may introduce myself¡­ No, I¡¯m sorry! A mistake in addressing you in front of the great Devourer! Well, let me introduce myself first¡­¡± ¡°Uh, I know it.¡± ¡°Huh, how? How did Devourer remember my name? Did Sir Devde tell you? Sir Devde must have told you! Sir Devde, even among the demons belonging to the Primordial core, is clearly different! Ah, more importantly, Devde, where is Sir Devde?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, right! Devourer, what did you just say¡­?¡± ¡°I am Devde.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Devde, and Devourer is me. You¡¯ve been with Devde, who¡¯s been Devourer all along.¡± ¡°Ah-ha!¡± What¡¯s ¡®Ah-ha¡¯? A delayed reaction. Melje replied with a voice that seemed to understand. However, her expression contradicted her voice, indicating not understanding but a refusal to understand. ¡°Devourer, your witty jokes have been understood by humble me now.¡± She spoke with a tongue-twisted voice, and Patrick¡¯s derisive laughter was heard from the side. Ah, so where should I start explaining? ¡°You don¡¯t have to understand everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°Not a big deal¡­ it is.¡± Not a big deal. It was all just a reinterpretation from start to finish. Praising Devourer in front of Devourer, trying to outdo Devourer, well, that¡¯s it. Melje, who couldn¡¯t accept reality, collapsed. ¡°Is she dead¡­?¡± After going through all the trouble to keep her alive? ¡°She¡¯s not dead¡­ Seems like she fainted from the shock. Is it really useful to keep someone so weak as the Demon King, Boss?¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m not sure either.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk about bringing her into the dungeon as a member in a more genuine situation. By the way, Boss, there was something that Melje, the Demon Queen, mentioned just now.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± S?a??h th? ?ov?l?ir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°The part about being a bit late because you were passing judgment on humans in Raize.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It took more than six hours of turmoil to be forgiven. * * * The process was somewhat drastic, but in the end, even Renee came back, and peace was restored. ¡°Where did you get that from?¡± ¡°I had it hidden. After all, it¡¯s my favorite. Boss, would you like a drink?¡± ¡°¡­You drink it.¡± A hole-ridden ceiling at the top of the central hub. Patrick, raising his glass, enjoyed the moonlight flowing through it as an accompaniment. Although a skeleton with no digestive organs, he had a strange gas that mimicked the taste to some extent. Patrick, driven by the zeal to learn polymorph to at least feel the taste, had tried his best. However, due to the magical limitations of the skeleton, learning polymorph properly failed. Still, he managed to achieve some success in replicating the sensation of taste, even though he didn¡¯t fully reproduce the role of the tongue and digestive organs, and some weird gas was emitted from his mouth. In Devourer¡¯s eyes, it didn¡¯t seem like he could feel the taste with such a thing. ¡®Sucks that I can¡¯t get drunk.¡¯ Looking at Patrick with a wry smile, Devourer thought for a short moment. ¡ªDropping alcohol on the floor, would he get drunk? Without saying that thought out loud, Devourer looked up at the moonlight again. He didn¡¯t find it beautiful or anything, just thinking, ¡®When did that hole appear again?¡¯. Oh well, it must be busy. There must be more than a couple of things to repair. ¡°Boss, what are you going to do now? After causing a ruckus in Raize, are you going to destroy the Empire?¡± ¡°Huh? Why would I?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The sound of dripping water echoed in the silent central hub. ¡°Do you honestly not regret it, Boss?¡± He looked serious. It was also a talk that needed to be addressed since Devourer, in his current situation where he pulled out his eyes and gave it, thought it was necessary to go over it. ¡°Whether it¡¯s about eyes or not, well, I¡¯ve never done it, but maybe it will regenerate. It feels like my eyes are itching. Is it because of my mood? Anyway, even if it doesn¡¯t work, I can live with three eyes.¡± ¡°Really¡­ Honestly, Boss, you didn¡¯t have to go this far. Even if it was a mutual mistake, there was nothing good about what Renee did.¡± ¡°Everyone has their own thoughts.¡± ¡°Things have escalated so much. Renee didn¡¯t do anything right, so there¡¯s no denying that it got bigger because of her excessive thoughts and actions. In my eyes, it just looks like Boss accepted Renee¡¯s act.¡± ¡°You, you don¡¯t even have eyes¡­.¡± ¡°Really¡­ Take this seriously!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Saying that Devourer lay down on his back. Patrick also said nothing and picked up his glass again. Back to everyday life. That¡¯s enough. * * * Adults have always said not to enter the Grephenia forest. They claimed that the dense Grephenia forest is inhabited by terrifying monsters cursed by the forest. But I know it¡¯s all a lie. According to Darian, a long-time friend and a gate guard in Hastin, there are no scary monsters in the Grephenia forest. He said people just avoid going in because they¡¯re afraid of Primordial Core, and there has never been an incident of monsters attacking from the Grephenia forest. So, occasionally, Olene would venture into the Grephenia forest on dark nights. Secretly, with a softly glowing lantern in hand, she would find abundant fruits and numerous mushrooms in the forest. The untouched gifts of nature had enough value to allow the girl to roam the darkened forest alone. The giant mushrooms reaching up to Olene¡¯s waist in secluded areas sold for quite a high price. Occasionally, rare herbs, more expensive than the money exchanged in the hands of dirty streetwalkers, were sold. Finding such herbs in the dark forest was not easy, but even if she found just one every three days, she could buy trendy dresses and still have money left over. Why does no one approach such a treasure trove? People are just cowards. ©¤Today, should I go a little deeper? With that thought in mind, Olene headed deeper into the forest than usual. The overgrown grasses up to her knees were intimidating, but she kept walking. Although there seemed to be a path, it appeared abandoned as if human presence had been severed long ago. As she ventured deeper into the forest, unfamiliar plants started appearing one by one. Somehow, if she went a little further, it felt like there would be truly extraordinary things. The little girl moved forward without fear. She walked and walked. How long had she been walking? Just when she began to feel a bit uncomfortable, thinking it was time to turn back, she heard strange sounds from somewhere. The frightened girl froze in every movement. Only then did she listen closely to the rising sense of terror. There was a sound like an animal¡¯s howl. It was unusually irregular. Heuk. Heuk. To her ears, it sounded like a human¡¯s labored breathing. Sounds rustled in the grass. ¡°Who¡­ is there?¡± Shaking off fear, she asked in a small voice. Instead of an answer, she heard even more labored breathing. No matter how it sounded, it was human breathing. But why would there be a human in this forest? After a few minutes of silence, fear turned into curiosity. If it were a beast or a monster, it would have attacked Olene already. Slowly, she walked towards the origin of the sound. As she got closer, the sound became faster¡ªno, it decreased. Almost like a flickering flame dying out. Deep in the Grephenia forest, there was a dying boy. ¡°¡­!¡± Momentarily shocked, Olene couldn¡¯t say anything. Seeing the boy lying on the ground covered in blood, she instantly thought he was dead. However, the laborious breathing heaved out clearly indicated he was alive. The boy¡¯s arm trembled weakly. Holding out her lantern emitting a faint light, Olene checked and found his whole body was in a state of mutilation. Between the belly button and the upper body, there was a tear, and things inside were spilling out. Tears welled up. She wanted to vomit. Suppressing her instinct to reject the gruesome scene before her, the girl made a quick decision. She must save him. Even though he seems already dead? Still, she must save him. She must try, and do her best in any way she can. ¡°Just wait a little, a little longer! I have herbs!¡± It¡¯s not like wounds could be healed with herbs, but in her confused state, this was the best choice the girl could make. She pulled out herbs she crammed into her pocket. She hadn¡¯t learned herbology, but she knew one of the herbs she collected had anesthetic and healing effects. With trembling hands, she scattered several herbs on the ground. It was hard to see in the dark night. After placing the lantern on the ground, she rummaged through the floor. Unbeknownst to her, the boy on the verge of death suddenly drew a knife from his bosom. Thunk. Chkaduk. [End of Volume 1] [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C DemonGod] Chapter 33 {V2 Start} [Translator ¨C Clara][Proofreader ¨C DemonGod] [Start of Volume 2] Chapter 33 ¨C Prologue Truly, it was a scene worthy of being called a disaster. Until yesterday, the village was filled with the sweet scent of ripe grains. The small hamlet surrounded by fields and mountains had the perfect terrain and climate for wheat cultivation, and the daily lives of the villagers flowed peacefully as they cultivated the wheat. Occasionally, goblins lurked around the fields, but the village had the capability to repel intruders with its militia alone. There was no crisis in the village. The harvested wheat was sold at a high price due to its quality, and there was no economic hardship. People woke up with the sunrise, worked the fields, gathered for meals, shared laughter, welcomed occasional visitors, and went to bed when the sun set. Until yesterday, it was just another peaceful day. ¡ª But, now¡­ A nauseating stench of decay and corpses vibrates over the fields. The once comforting scent of grains that permeated the village for decades was nowhere to be found. Everything was decaying ¨C the wheat fields, the wooden houses, and even the villagers themselves. The scent of decay from these rotten things Devourered the distinctive aroma of the village, and on top of it, a strong smell of blood lingered. Unfortunately, not a single villager had survived the undead onslaught that had attacked the village. The faces of the corpses strewn across the ground all wore expressions of terror. Even those who had managed to survive against all odds could not escape unscathed. Those who had hidden for survival eventually transformed into non-human entities. They gradually turned into members of the undead horde that had attacked their own village. The village was no different from hell. ¡°We acknowledge your hard work.¡± A low voice descended over the putrid fields. The owner of the voice walked on a carpet made of corpses. With each step, the undead, who had been clumsily moving around to find living beings, stopped in their tracks. The owner of the voice was dark. More closely associated with death than the dead bodies themselves, he was a figure of awe for the undead. Thin flesh clinging to grotesque bones, black skin, a physique twice the size of a lich of the same kind¡ª the lord of the dead. The boss monster of the Catacomb, ¡°Corpse-Dying-Tera,¡± Erebus. The oppressive weather accentuated the despair in the atmosphere of the devastated village. The black clouds that had covered the sun started pouring rain. The melted flesh of the corpses, drenched by the rain, clung disgustingly. The sound of rain, occasionally mixed with echoing thunder. Only these two things stimulated the auditory senses in the space. While all the undead bowed their heads, only the lord of the dead slowly raised his head. The sharp eye sockets faced the top of the mountain that blocked the plain and the village. Beyond the mountain range lay a vast plain, and a river crossed the plain. Beyond the river, there was a massive forest. After crossing the forest and passing through several human castles, there lay the city of L¨¦age. The heart of the enemy. ¡°¡­The greatest enemy that will bring the empire to ruin.¡± Erebus murmured quietly. The dead began tearing apart the corpses again. Prologue. 2 ¡°Total chaos.¡± The dungeon is a battlefield. In any battlefield, there exists a virtue one must possess to survive, and one of them is ¡®minimal tension.¡¯ No, to call it a virtue would be an understatement. If you¡¯re not on edge, you¡¯ll die. Hunting unprotected enemies is as simple as it gets, but only if you are tense enough. So. So, a dungeon without even a hint of tension is already a doomed dungeon. ¡°If you call yourself a Demon Queen, please be quiet for a moment, Miss Melje! I¡¯ve told you several times that silence is basic in Lord Devourer¡¯s room! And! I¡¯ve taught you multiple times, that you shouldn¡¯t wander around when the other person is talking! Oops, don¡¯t run around! Listen to Renee!¡± ¡°No! I will not! I¡¯m a free dungeon monster! And Renee, the popular dungeons these days are all monsters from the dominant layer fighting for the welfare and rights of monsters from the subjugated layer! I was a Primordial core chef before becoming the Demon Queen, and I¡¯ve come to talk with the dominator, Lord Devourer.!¡± ¡°Lord Devourer needs to sleep now!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m needed! I plan to stick close to Lord Devourer until he sleeps comfortably and share warmth! Renee is too stubborn in this regard! Too naive! You¡¯re like a grandmother!¡± ¡°What? Did you just call Renee a grandmother? I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Renee, whose eyes went mad, swung her teeth in all directions. Melje ran away, and the missed blade hit the cave wall. The blade danced in the enormous cave. Thud! Thud! Fragments fell from the cave wall where the blade struck. ¡°Haha.¡± Yes, that¡¯s right. The Primordial core is indeed a doomed dungeon. ¡°It¡¯s a mess.¡± Patrick, sitting on a rock, sighed. Patrick raised his head, He held a little hope, and looked towards Devourer, who, for some reason, was tilting his head. The four eyes were focused on where Melje and Renee were. The gaze contained sorrow, anguish, and worry. Patrick doubted his own eyes. Oh, is this it? It¡¯s unmistakable. That¡¯s a certain¡ªconstructive gaze worrying about the future of the dungeon. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­.¡± Touched by overwhelming emotion, Patrick made a choked sound in his throat. Already his heart was a sea of tears, but since his body couldn¡¯t shed tears, the bizarre sound of bones colliding echoed incessantly. ¡°Boss¡­ you finally have that kind of look¡­¡± ¡°Patrick¡­ they¡¯re so noisy I can¡¯t sleep¡­¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s unbelievable¡­.¡± What were you expecting, Patrick? Self-reproach, and then, overwhelmed by the impending despair, he shook his head. Gray dust drifted like snowflakes through the joints of his fingers. Ah, all hope dispersed into the air. ¡°Why is it so chaotic¡­.¡± Renee, who had left the house and returned¡­ If asked whether it¡¯s peaceful, one could answer that it is for now. Except for the fact that the young Demon Queen, who seems to lack some circuits in her brain, entered as a chef. Aside from her aimless wandering within the dungeon, nothing much had changed from before. To Melje, the overly aggressive attacks of Devourer have apparently been recognized as a remarkable achievement¡ª ¡®I have nothing to do with that.¡¯ In any case, Patrick was relieved by Renee¡¯s lively actions. There might be a slightly awkward atmosphere remaining, but apart from that, the relationship between Devourer and Renee is not much different from before. Without a doubt, it¡¯s because of Devourer¡¯s right eye. That must be an incredibly meaningful item for Renee. Devourer¡¯s eye, which was plucked out in an instant, regenerated just as quickly, so there was no loss of power. It¡¯s a stroke of luck, or you could say that Devourer saw a few moves ahead. Devourer¡¯s response to the situation at hand was undoubtedly the best possible option, surpassing any alternatives by a wide margin. Thanks to it, describing the resulting peace as an overstatement wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. ¡°Even if we say our dungeon is peaceful for now, the aftermath of this incident shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly.¡± The problem is that this peaceful situation is limited to the Primordial core. Letting out a habitual sigh, Patrick unfolded the newspaper. The human newspaper with the most recent date¡ªmost of the articles in it were about the aftermath of the ¡®Black Calamity.¡¯ Dozens of articles had been published in the past three weeks alone. If you added incidents not covered by the newspapers, the number would likely exceed a few hundred. While the world was in turmoil, the main culprit, Devourer, showed no signs of movement. ¡°How long do you plan to lie down like this?¡± Patrick asked, but there was no reply. After a few seconds of delay, Patrick picked his sword. After poking with the tip of the sword handle several times and causing the ancient black monster to make groaning sounds, he finally spoke. ¡°Uh, Patrick. It¡¯s good to be passionate, but how about thinking a bit after resting a little more.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it several times before, Boss. We can¡¯t just dismiss the aftermath of this incident lightly. Right now, you might not feel it directly since it¡¯s not touching us immediately, but¡­ do you know how the outside world is functioning?¡± ¡°Rebuilding Raize and Hastin after they were destroyed?¡± ¡°First of all, Riaze has strengthened its defenses. By gathering additional defensive forces from various parts of the empire, villages undergoing imperial changes are being turned into monster fields.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°The Empire¡¯s third princess is still in a coma. Unluckily, she happened to be on the palace balcony, and it seems she saw the boss¡¯s real body.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± ¡°And Hastin¡¯s lord committed suicide.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s quite serious.¡± Even Devourer, who had consistently shown playful reactions, stiffened his expression at the latest news. ¡°Speculating on the situation, it seems like he took his own life before being held responsible by the imperial family. It¡¯s like hanging oneself from the ceiling of one¡¯s own room just before the harvest, you know? Thanks to that, Hastin is completely paralyzed.¡± There is much more news to convey, but even this should be enough to convey Patrick¡¯s feelings. Patrick didn¡¯t dwell on the incidents any longer. ¡°Besides this, there¡¯s a lot that needs to be done immediately. Assuming that the 116 black tentacles are slowly regenerating and Antropophagus in Room 5 is smoothly reproducing¡­ we also need to fill the vacant rooms from Room 1 to Room 4. Even if you don¡¯t know much about what¡¯s happening in the Empire, Boss, Hastin definitely needs attention. You need to check the situation firsthand and find alternatives.¡± Having finished speaking, Patrick planted Tanabella into the ground. A heavy sound of the blade digging into the earth echoed. Just then, Renee and Melje seemed to have changed locations as the silence of the room shifted. ¡°It¡¯s time to make a choice. Boss.¡± Delaying any longer might lead to unknown consequences. Devourer nodded as if acknowledging Patrick¡¯s sincerity. A minute of silence passed. Soon, the ancient monster slowly opened its mouth. ¡°Patrick, I know how much you care about the dungeon. ¡­Yeah, let¡¯s take a little rest, just a little more¡ª¡± ¡°Just a little more?¡± ¡°Just a little more, rest and think.¡± ¡°Haha, I guess I¡¯m not angry anymore.¡± Primordial core, one of the seven great dungeons, deemed temporarily impenetrable to human exploration and the ancient monster Devourer that shook the Empire¡ª ¡°I might as well go on strike.¡± It¡¯s a mess. S?a??h th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Phase. 1 [Translator ¨C Clara] [Proofreader ¨C DemonGod] Chapter 34 [Translator ¨C FartKing]Chapter 34 The room was narrow. The feeble flame of the lamp hanging from the low ceiling of the cramped room flickered sadly. With each flicker, a gentle cascade of fine white dust settled like snow on the lid. The fallen dust quietly descended onto the pale bones of the person beneath the lamp, who silently read a newspaper. ¡°It¡¯s troublesome.¡± In the silent room, Patrick, known as ¡®Death Knight,¡¯ muttered softly while reading the newspaper. No matter how much he searched, it was nowhere to be found. After leisurely flipping through the page he was reading, quickly scanning the next page of the newspaper, he confirmed the absence of the desired content and turned to the next one. Still nothing. It was the same. There was no need to bother meticulously. As an undead without any need to sleep, time had always been available, and during that lingering time, he had repeatedly read the same contents over and over again. Three weeks had passed since the incident of the ¡®Advent of the Black Calamity,¡¯ and by now, Patrick had collected every newspaper he could find, proudly claiming to have ¡°gathered them all.¡± And he had read them all. It took time to be sure, repeating it several times over, with the remaining time at his disposal. None. Still nothing. So, I guess there¡¯s no need to dwell on it now. Having made up his mind internally, Patrick folded the newspaper. Contrary to the restrained sound, the newspaper fluttered weakly. Patrick, rising from his seat, stretched. Perhaps due to the awkward posture, creaking sounds echoed from various joints. After loosening up, Patrick¡¯s gaze was directed towards the entrance of the dungeon ¨C outside the cave. As he retraced his steps, the 5th room, where the Antropophagous dwelled, came into view. Just three weeks ago, it was filled with the corpses of carnivorous plants, but now, the air in Room 5 was filled with the eerie pollen of strange plants, showing how quickly they had recovered. Stepping on the stems of Antropophagous that had multiplied into dozens, Patrick headed towards Room 4. Originally guarded by a massive twin skeleton, Room 4 had turned into an empty space without an owner for the third week. The same fate befell Room 3 and Room 2. Room 1 was so empty that even the smell of the monsters that used to inhabit it had dissipated. Taking a breath and raising his head, spider webs scattered around the cave entrance touched Patrick¡¯s nerves. [Patrick, since we still have some time, let¡¯s take a little break.] ¨C As someone else suggested, if we take too much of a break, it seems like the dungeon might close down, Boss. If other monsters knew that the renowned dungeon Primordial Core was falling apart like this, they would all be terrified. Muttering to himself about Devourer¡¯s excuses, Patrick walked until the light tinged with nostalgia illuminated his sight. He lifted his head, and as always, the peaceful forest of Grephenia greeted Patrick. Having confirmed the absence of human presence, Patrick continued walking a bit further. Encountering a stag so massive that anyone could call it a mythical creature was during the time when he walked and walked, heading towards the center of Grephenia¡¯s forest. Despite the approaching stag hidden among the trees, Patrick showed no particular reaction. He had anticipated it. He merely nodded slightly, showing courtesy. The stag, a manifestation of the witch Grephenia, approached Patrick. When Patrick asked if there were humans in the forest, the distinct high-pitched voice returned as a response. The stag-shaped manifestation of the witch extended its back toward Patrick. The stag carrying Death Knight moved leisurely towards the outskirts of the forest. The destination was the highest hill in the forest. Too low to be called a mountain, and a bit high to be just a hill. The sun was crossing the midday point, heading towards the horizon. In a couple of hours, the sun would completely set, and darkness would envelop the surroundings. Patrick turned his head. Between the giant antlers of the stag, the silhouette of Hastin¡¯s fortress, backlit by the sun, came into view. Hastin looked quiet from a distance. No smoke rose from within the castle. ¡°It might already be too late.¡± The Death Knight muttered. The Witch¡¯s avatar turned her gaze without saying a word. * * * And so©¤ ¡°I¡¯ll go to Hastin for a bit.¡± With that, Patrick uttered a single word that filled the once ¡®peaceful¡¯ dungeon, now brimming with Renee¡¯s shout and Melje¡¯s scream. Although not loud, his sharp voice timely interrupted the conversation between Renee and Melje. Frozen in their dynamic postures, Renee and Melje looked somewhat ridiculous. A moment of stillness. To break the tension, Patrick deliberately cleared his throat, prompting both the maid and the demon queen to simultaneously inquire if there was some kind of agreement with Hastin. ¡°Hastin, you say?¡± ¡°¡­Hastin?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems like we shouldn¡¯t delay it any longer.¡± Blurring the end of his words, Patrick glanced at Devourer. On the surface, it seemed like he was addressing Renee and Melje, and the response also reached them. However, Patrick was actually waiting for Devourer¡¯s answer. Perhaps sensing the intention, Devourer, who had been groaning and tossing, subtly let out a sigh. ¡°¡­Are you declaring your resignation?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been singing about going to Hastin for weeks. How much do you have to mishear to come up with that kind of response?¡± As he spoke, a sound of a surprised hiccup could be heard from behind. Without turning his head, Patrick knew what it was. It was the surprised hiccup from Renee in response to the mention of escape. Despite being a newspaper, the text was too small and densely packed, making it challenging to read. Devourer, already large in size, just smirked without bothering to read. It didn¡¯t matter. Devourer wouldn¡¯t read it properly even if it was presented clearly. He brought it just for the sake of showing, saying, ¡°Here¡¯s something! I brought evidence, so just listen without arguing!¡± It had already fulfilled its purpose. ¡°Let me explain one by one. Do you remember the things I¡¯ve been complaining to the boss about for the past few weeks? Like how Raize strengthened its defense or how the third princess of the empire is in a coma or how Hastin¡¯s lord committed suicide. Do you remember?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Yeah.¡± It takes quite a while for an answer. Do you really remember? No, did you even listen properly before? Various suspicious thoughts crossed Patrick¡¯s mind, but let¡¯s put them aside for now. Patrick, brushing off the situation with a spirit of tolerance, continued speaking. ¡°This is a compilation of news related to Hastin from human newspapers over the past few weeks. As you can see, there¡¯s hardly anything. Excluding news from before the boss left¡­ Well, there are only three left. There are only four articles in total. Four in three weeks. That¡¯s the current coverage of Hastin in the newspapers.¡± Hastin is a viscount. Even if Etark is not considered the real power of the empire, it is still a fairly large village. And most of what Patrick picked up were newspapers mainly covering news about Raize and the third princess of the empire. In spite of such a significant event, there were only four articles. ¡°Moreover, among the three, there¡¯s not a single piece of news within the past two weeks. Besides this, I¡¯ve searched through all the human newspapers I could find in the past three weeks, but there was no mention of Hastin. Do you understand what this means?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Are you even thinking before you speak?¡± There was a sound from Patrick that felt like bones being crushed, as if getting hit in the back of the head. Having received a verbal blow to the back of the head, either his head was aching or his patience was running thin. ¡°Sorry.¡± Devourer briefly apologized to Patrick, as if something between a sigh and a soul was escaping through his wide-open mouth. However, that apology didn¡¯t seem to console Patrick. Perhaps if he were a living being and not undead, it might have triggered a fit of rage. You have to endure. You have to endure. To operate the primordial core, you must stay alive. No, do you have to operate it? Can¡¯t you give up? After agonizing for tens of seconds, Patrick, who eventually found solace through self-indoctrination, staggered and suddenly lifted his head. His eye sockets glowed a faint blue. ¡°All¡­ alright. You might not know. Haha. I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll explain one by one, slowly, so listen carefully, Boss¡­.¡± In Patrick¡¯s trembling voice, there was a hidden recitation. Behind him, Melje¡¯s stifled sound of distress could be heard. ¡°Firstly¡­ as I mentioned before, the Lord of Hastin committed suicide. Boss, you roughly understand how much absolute power a lord has within his territory, right? That count died. It¡¯s normal for mourning to continue for a few weeks. The most powerful figure in the territory has died, after all. However, there are only three articles. And two out of the three are about mourning. Isn¡¯t that strange?¡± In essence, one could say there were practically no articles about Hastin. Yes, there were no articles in the newspapers about Hastin. As if the territory of Hastin didn¡¯t exist in the Empire. ¡°Patrick, what are your thoughts?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Without information, there¡¯s nothing to know. The most likely situation is that Hastin completely cut off communication with the outside world¡­ that¡¯s about it. Whether Hastin voluntarily cut ties or if it was cut off from the outside, I don¡¯t know. But if it¡¯s a situation like the former, where Hastin refuses interaction with other towns, there would be articles about it. So, the latter is more likely. Considering the Empire¡¯s history, there¡¯s a high probability that even the imperial family intervened.¡± Why they intervened isn¡¯t really important. Devourer has no intention of destroying the Empire. ©¤ Not only that, he just doesn¡¯t have any thoughts. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t need to know the Empire¡¯s goals or weaknesses. However, ¡°We need Hastin for the operation of the primordial core, don¡¯t we?¡± When conquering a dungeon above a certain level, humans must obtain approval and report to the lord of the nearby village before entering the dungeon. In the case of a conquering party challenging the Primordial Core, there might even be direct intervention from the royal family. This means that by monitoring Hastin well, one can know ¡®the size of the conquering party and when they plan to challenge the primordial core.¡¯ If you can know, you can prepare. It¡¯s a simple logic-driven necessity. Hastin is necessary for the operation of the primordial core. Strictly speaking, it was Devourer himself who created the unwritten rule, ¡®Let¡¯s not mess with Hastin if possible.¡¯ Of course, the one who stated that was mostly demolished. ¡°Since you¡¯re the one who completely destroyed the village, you roughly know how much damage you caused. A silent village is a hundred percent bad news. If we continue to delay, we won¡¯t know what might happen. We have to go to Hastin.¡± At the mention of ¡®completely destroying the village,¡¯ Devourer deliberately avoided eye contact. Whether it was a serious matter or not, there was a brief groan. ¡°Moreover, winter is coming soon.¡± Patrick made a brief comment to Devourer, who was contemplating. Even without further explanation, everyone, including Melje, understood the seriousness of the situation. For humans, winter is synonymous with hardship. In a village that primarily focuses on agriculture rather than training, it¡¯s imperative to prepare thoroughly; otherwise, they won¡¯t be able to endure. S?a?ch* Th? N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. It¡¯s uncertain whether hundreds or thousands will die in Hastin this winter. ¡°If we urgently prioritize, rescuing the monsters in rooms 1 to 4 that suffered complete annihilation takes precedence. However, the chances of a new conquering party entering our dungeon, which has been blocked twice by the previous one, are low. Besides, rescuing monsters isn¡¯t a priority during the winter when humans are weakened. Moreover, it¡¯s around this time that monsters expelled from the northwestern region are likely to migrate south.¡± He pressed on. Patrick had no intention of giving Devourer time to think. Whether it was Patrick¡¯s intentional overload or if Devourer¡¯s mind was overburdened, Devourer stumbled through his words several times. ¡°Th-then, I guess you should go.¡± ¡°If we keep delaying, Hastin will turn into complete ruins, making things even more complicated.¡± ¡°Y-yeah, that¡¯s true¡­ Well then, take care. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and investigate firsthand, and depending on the situation, we¡¯ll need to plan our response. I¡¯ll try to return as quickly as possible. Well then.¡± A few seconds of silence followed. Patrick turned as if the business was concluded. A small sigh was heard from behind Patrick. It sounded like a sigh of relief, judging by its length. ¡®What, was it that simple to just say, ¡°Go and come back¡±?¡¯ Devourer must be thinking along those lines. ¡°Well, you got caught, Boss.¡± Patrick smirked, then, after resuming a casual expression, abruptly turned around. ¡°But seriously, even if I think about it, going alone seems impossible. It would be good if someone could accompany me.¡± He grinned, a smile quite different from the devilish one he had displayed when turning around. And to Devourer, it seemed like the most sinister smile he had ever seen. Only now realizing the situation, Devourer cringed. Providing an answer to a vague question of how an ancient monster would react in fear, he rolled his eyes busily. Rolling his four pupils, he alternated between looking at Renee and Melje. Devourer¡¯s initial gaze landed on Melje. Meeting her eyes, Melje raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner, as if asking, ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ ¡®For now, Melje seems¡­ feasible.¡¯ She¡¯s not yet a monster belonging to the Core. Even excluding that, how could he send the Demon King, who had indulged heavily in alcohol in Riaze, and couldn¡¯t even handle her own body? Melje is dangerous. To put it in magical terms, she¡¯s like a level of explosion magic. Having silently concluded that, Devourer turned his head towards Renee. At the same time, Renee also asked Devourer a question. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be fine if Renee goes, Mr Devourer?¡± ¡®No. No, no, no, no, it¡¯s okay. You¡¯re okay. Really, you¡¯re okay.¡¯ If Melje¡¯s Explosion magic, Renee would be a Giant Explosion magic. Her not doing anything is her helping. It¡¯s a request, so please just stay still. ¡°If Melje or Renee wants to go, they can, but considering it¡¯s an unpredictable situation and we don¡¯t know how long it will take, what if the Boss goes with me? What do you think, Boss?¡± The expression of the black monster froze. Excluding Renee and Melje, there was only Devourer himself left. Given the excuses like ¡®We have to protect the dungeon¡¯ won¡¯t work, and it might even lead to a counterattack, staying silent might be the best option. He completely fell into Patrick¡¯s trap. Regret surged. There was no way out. He was being dragged. A situation teetering on the brink of defeat. Suddenly, Devourer, recalling something, widened his eyes. ¡°¡­Yeah, it seems like it¡¯s a situation where I should go. But Patrick, what about it? Last time, I couldn¡¯t use Polymorph because I accidentally demolished Demeura.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Listening attentively to Devourer¡¯s words, Patrick stiffened his expression. The voice muttering, ¡®That¡¯s right,¡¯ carried a perplexity that he hadn¡¯t expected. ¡°Indeed¡­ If there¡¯s no Demeura, I guess you can¡¯t come with me.¡± Until that moment, Devourer was convinced of his victory. * * * ¡°You really won¡¯t die gracefully.¡± ¡°Even though you went through the trouble of cursing me, I¡¯m sorry, but my body is already dead.¡± The lushness of the forest was green, but the eyes that accepted it were the eyes of a rotted fish, so there was no chance of looking beautiful. If you had to express ¡®rotting away¡¯ with your body, this would be the exemplary answer¡ªDevourer, walking through the plain, was expressing despair with his whole body. On the other hand, Patrick, who was walking beside him, fully armed, was laughing. Although his expression couldn¡¯t be seen through the helmet, he was undoubtedly smiling with great joy. He might be laughing to the point of straining his jaw. Devourer could vouch for it based on his symptoms alone. ¡°Boss, after being cooped up in the dungeon all the time, it must be refreshing to step outside after a long time, isn¡¯t it? You must be feeling refreshed. He swallowed the words that reached up to his throat. Then he blamed himself. It was his own fault for underestimating Patrick. He was much more wicked than a simple skull. ¡°And as the boss said, it¡¯s a situation where we have to go, but we can¡¯t because there¡¯s no Demeura.¡± Hearing Patrick¡¯s words, Devourer raised his left arm. The crimson gem-studded bracelet on his wrist sparkled in the sunlight. It was a bracelet full of resentment. It was the second Demeura Patrick had given him. ¡°On the contrary, didn¡¯t you say that if you had Demeura, you¡¯d set off immediately?¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say this was expensive?¡± ¡°I did say it was expensive, but I didn¡¯t say there¡¯s only one.¡± ¡°Not just one, but several. Where did you even get them from?¡± ¡°I picked them up.¡± Are you pushing forward steadily for that reason? I want to go back. I¡¯m tired already. Although various thoughts crowded his mind, he couldn¡¯t turn back. Devourer, slightly straightening his slumped shoulders, raised his head. The walls of Hastin were getting closer. [Translator ¨C FartKing] Chapter 35 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 35 ¡°Boss, there are four simple ways to find out how active a human village is,¡± Patrick suddenly spoke while walking through the streets of Hastin. Devourer¡¯s uninterested question about what they were was met with silence as Patrick moved his steps without uttering a word. The bustling marketplace became the place where the ceaseless footsteps finally paused. ¡°The first is to see how lively the market is.¡± The market was empty. Numerous shops lined both sides of a single street. Counting with both hands, the number of shops with open doors was so low that one hand would have fingers left. Even the makeshift stalls, commonly referred to as street vendors, had long disappeared. It didn¡¯t feel like the shops closed due to the late hour; the lack of people was too severe. Even the few open shops didn¡¯t seem to be operating with any enthusiasm, and among them, there wasn¡¯t a single store selling food. In other words, the open shops were merely holding on out of obligation. ¡°The second is to see how much smoke is coming from the lord¡¯s furnace¡­ You should check a couple of hours before humans have their dinner. Looks like we¡¯re out of luck today.¡± Although he said that, there wasn¡¯t much expectation on this front. When they climbed the hill with the help of the witch Grephenia, they directly confirmed that no smoke was rising. ¡°The fact that the furnace is not in operation implies that the food supply is not smooth. It might be an exaggerated interpretation, but it probably aligns well with the current situation. Just looking at the empty market gives us confidence.¡± ¡°Not baking bread in a village that revolves around agriculture is a clear sign that food distribution is not smooth. Perhaps they are watching each other closely. In a situation where they are struggling with a lack of food, showing it to others wouldn¡¯t be beneficial.¡± In addition, Patrick has realized something while wandering around Hastin¡¯s busy district. The residents of Hastin are not only wary of outsiders like ¡®the knight and the accompanying undead.¡¯ The residents were mutually wary of each other, and most of them probably locked themselves in their homes for that reason. ¡°What do you think, Boss?¡± After finishing his thoughts, Patrick turned his head back. Devourer, who was staggering from behind, lifted his head slightly. Seeing his periodically muttering ¡®hungry, tired,¡¯ there was no separate undead around. ¡°Just say Boss is an undead.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Let¡¯s be grateful that he followed us this far. After quickly finishing his self-brainwashing, Patrick sighed and added, ¡°The third is how many mercenaries and expedition members are in the extermination request board. However, this only applies to areas with many dungeons around the territory, so it¡¯s irrelevant to Hastin. Lastly, here.¡± With the conclusion of Patrick¡¯s words, he halted his steps. Only then did the soulless eyes of Devourer, who had been wandering without hope, light up. ¡°An inn.¡± The end of the journey. The orange light illuminating the interior of the shop brightened Devourer¡¯s face. There was no lock on the door, indicating that it was open for business. ¡°The significance of an inn is similar to that of a market, but the market is related to the territory¡­ Are you listening?¡± ¡°Oh, yes¡­¡± Turning his head, Patrick glanced at Devourer. The bright light inside the shop breathed life into Devourer¡¯s dying pupils. He had the typical face of a ¡°redeemed weakling.¡± The author of the strongest ancient monster had the face of a human who had been stranded in the desert for a few days after just one day of wandering. ¡°Let¡¯s rest, Patrick. Let¡¯s rest here for a bit¡­¡± ¡°I was planning to stay here anyway since it¡¯s getting dark. Go inside, Boss. But don¡¯t expect too much¡­¡± Whether Patrick¡¯s words were not worth listening to or if Devourer was caught in the madness induced by fatigue, he opened the door of the inn. The soft light and warm atmosphere enveloped Devourer¡¯s whole being. For just 3 seconds. The expression on Devourer¡¯s face, which had briefly brightened, gradually sank into despair. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°There you go. Didn¡¯t I tell you not to expect anything?¡± As Devourer, about to slump down, Patrick, holding her with one hand, concluded with an indifferent tone. No noise was heard outside the inn, so there was no way there could be customers. ¡°This is the worst.¡± The inn was silent. Naturally, there was no sign of any customers. Although it looked like just a quiet village at first glance, it seemed to be completely failing to fulfill its village role. Patrick muttered to himself. We¡¯ll have to check more tomorrow, but probably ¨C there¡¯s a high chance that the village of Hastin itself has been isolated. The external material exchange might have been completely cut off. Rather than the direct damage of Devourer destroying parts of Hastin, the collateral damage of Hastin becoming the target of avoidance by lords from other regions due to that would be much greater. ¡°Are you from out of town?¡± In the car that was already in a mentally exhausted state, a fairly strong-toned voice was heard. Patrick and Devourer turned their heads simultaneously in such a tight and tense atmosphere. In response to their reaction, the man coming down from upstairs frowned slightly. With an intimidating impression as if he had built a wall with politeness and manners, brown skin that made him stand out more, rugged muscles. A middle-aged man with short white hair that seemed quite suitable for him. Judging by the sleeveless outfit he was wearing, he wasn¡¯t a guest. Without much thought, the man, who introduced himself as the innkeeper, continued his question. ¡°¡­Where are you from?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a knight belonging to the Pytarion Black Dog Suppression Force from Netranje.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± As Patrick casually mixed and responded with the gathered names, the innkeeper stroked his short beard with his hand. Shortly after, he silently looked at both of them. The gazes directed at Patrick and Devourer were quite different, especially the one towards Devourer had a noticeable sense of confusion. In the face of the meaningful reaction, Devourer and Patrick looked at each other ¨C but only Patrick seemed to understand the situation as he nodded his head. Devourer, still not grasping the situation, only furrowed his brow. ¡°Um, I apologize, but the person beside the knight¡­¡± After hesitating, the innkeeper finally spoke. Patrick replied while tapping Devourer¡¯s back. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s my slave.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The last voice came from Devourer¡¯s mouth. A moment of silence. Devourer turned his head towards Patrick with a look that seemed to say, ¡®Patrick, what nonsense are you talking about?¡¯ However, Patrick just stiffly nodded, tapping Devourer¡¯s back with the gauntleted hand. Although there seemed to be a message trying to be conveyed, Devourer couldn¡¯t understand it, especially with Patrick avoiding eye contact and wearing a helmet. ¡°Um, Patrick¡­¡± ¡°Considering the rather modest attire, it might be uncomfortable for you. Given the circumstances, please understand. Even though he¡¯s a slave, he has been quite helpful¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just receiving what¡¯s appropriate treatment, so please don¡¯t take it too strangely.¡± ¡°I see. Since the knight said so, I should rather apologize from my side. I was momentarily confused about what to call him.¡± The conversation between the two, excluding Devourer, continued. Devourer, who was unable to accept it and frowned, eventually succumbed to fatigue, lowering the corners of his eyes. Patrick, who had finally released the fingers pressing Devourer¡¯s back, asked the innkeeper a question. ¡°So, by the way, we need a simple meal and a place to relieve fatigue.¡± ¡°You mentioned you came from Netranje, right? I¡¯m afraid you might not be aware of the situation in our Hastin. I apologize, but we don¡¯t have any food to treat the knight. It¡¯s not just our shop. You won¡¯t find any place selling food anywhere in this village.¡± ¡°¡­Because of the ¡®Black Disaster,¡¯ is it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re aware of it. In that case, I trust you¡¯ll understand.¡± Contrary to his initial impression, the innkeeper could be naturally polite, or it might be his usual courtesy since Patrick was a knight. Whatever the reason, the innkeeper politely bowed. Devourer, who was despairing at the fact of no food, also bowed his head in succession. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if there¡¯s no meal.¡± ¡°No, saying it can¡¯t be helped that there¡¯s no meal¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t interfere when the owner is speaking.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Seeing Patrick¡¯s reaction, which was too natural for a situation that required such behavior, Devourer dropped his tail in disappointment. It was a face filled not with disgrace but with helplessness. Patrick, glancing at Devourer in such a state, turned back to the innkeeper and opened his mouth again. ¡°So, is accommodation possible?¡± This time, the innkeeper, slightly taken aback, absentmindedly stroked his beard. The answer came after a brief silence. ¡°¡­I apologize again to the knight, but honestly, we haven¡¯t prepared for business at all. Even unlocking the door was for personal matters. Given the situation where we can¡¯t even provide a meal, I cannot offer an unprepared room.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I think it¡¯s acceptable from my point of view.¡± Patrick, who glanced at the somewhat surprised innkeeper, raised his right hand discreetly. It seemed like it would turn out that way. The village was a mess. Taking in such a situation, where the town was in shambles and there was no way to make money, especially considering that there wouldn¡¯t be much even if they hosted two guests, probably not even five ounces of silver combined. In such circumstances, offering an unprepared room to guests seemed unthinkable. Patrick somewhat expected such a reaction. After finishing his words, Patrick, who had a faint smile on his lips, raised his right hand subtly. He somehow knew it would turn out like this. The village is a mess. In such a situation, hosting two guests and expecting to make much money, and then using that earned money for something meaningful, seemed improbable. Even combining the two, it probably wouldn¡¯t amount to more than five ounces of silver. In this dire situation, five ounces of silver was a considerable sum. It was certain that anyone would refuse. Patrick, having anticipated such a reaction to some extent, revealed a faint smile on his lips after finishing his words and flicked his finger toward the innkeeper. Patrick, who had a faint smile on his lips after finishing his words, raised his right hand subtly. He somehow knew it would turn out like this. A small, sparkling object, whose appearance and origin were unknown, floated into the air as it left Patrick¡¯s hand, accompanied by a tinkling sound. ¡°Ting.¡± At the metallic ringing sound, the innkeeper, who had absentmindedly extended his hands at the unexpected appearance of a coin, held the object within the shop. ¡°Suddenly, what coin is this¡­ What?¡± Immediately, the innkeeper¡¯s voice, which deviated from the normal pitch, filled the interior of the shop. Like someone who had seen something they shouldn¡¯t have, his voice departed from the usual tone upon seeing the coin, and he momentarily lost his composure. The innkeeper asked Patrick again, who just smiled in response. ¡°Gold¡­ coins?¡± ¡°How about being lenient with yourself?¡± To cut to the chase, the power of gold coins was magnificent. It was a moment when Patrick¡¯s past saying, ¡°Most things that money can¡¯t buy can be bought with more money,¡± was proven in real-time. The place guided by the innkeeper was a room on the second floor with the largest and best-view balcony. With two windows and a spacious area, it seemed to be a room prepared for special guests¡¯ special moments. As soon as they arrived in the room, Devourer threw himself onto the two adjacent beds. There was a slight creaking sound near the ankle due to a missed shot, and the wood made a golden sound, but aside from that, the beds easily accommodated Devourer¡¯s body. Considering it was from a small village, the bed quality was quite good. S?a??h th? N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°It¡¯s much better than where I stayed with Melje in Riaze.¡± Devourer¡¯s small admiration echoed from under the covers. ¡°I¡¯ll be going out for a moment then.¡± Sitting on the edge of the bed, Patrick, after delivering a clich¨¦ remark to Devourer, stood up, brushing his knees. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re resting. As for me, with a body that can¡¯t even sleep, just staying here would be a waste of time. I¡¯ll take a look around and be back soon.¡± ¡°Patrick, I don¡¯t recommend pushing yourself that much.¡± Even the citizens of Riaze, the imperial capital, wrapped up their daily routines when the sun set. A knight roaming the streets at night in a village that was already in a dire situation wouldn¡¯t seem too suspicious. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Boss. On the contrary, since it¡¯s nighttime, there might be places to move around freely. If the innkeeper asks about my whereabouts, just tell them I went for a simple night stroll. If they press further, you can say, ¡®It¡¯s the owner¡¯s personal matter; don¡¯t interfere.¡¯ Give them a stern look. Boss, with your sharp gaze, you¡¯ll look quite intimidating without even trying.¡± Devourer, whose shoulders twitched at the term ¡®owner,¡¯ turned to glare at Patrick. His eyes were filled with dissatisfaction. ¡°By the way, speaking of which, did we really have to go with the slave setting?¡± ¡°Huh? ¡­ Well, Boss, isn¡¯t the outfit you¡¯re wearing the most comfortable attire? If you¡¯re going to walk around in that shabby attire, rather than being treated like a beggar, it¡¯s much better to be treated as a slave.¡± At least a slave is someone¡¯s property. There¡¯s an owner to the body. Miserable as it is, it¡¯s special, and because of that, it can¡¯t be easily meddled with. With a fairly flat and businesslike tone, Patrick continued his explanation. ¡°If you walk around in that outfit, all ten out of ten people will treat Boss like a beggar. It¡¯s much more dangerous to go around pretending to be a beggar. You never know when or how someone might pick a fight. I thought logically and made a judgment for Boss¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°No, still, a slave¡­?¡± ¡°Boss, don¡¯t you want to move as little as possible?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve reached a point where I¡¯d rather be born as a rock in my next life.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s better to listen to what I say.¡± ¡°You speak wisely, Master.¡± He reluctantly accepted it. There¡¯s no reason to fuss about some trivial formality if it allows him to move less. After exchanging a few meaningless words, Patrick concluded the conversation with, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be off.¡± He opened the window and jumped out, causing a slight noise that Devourer barely registered. Since there was no sound resembling the collapse of a window, he must have landed safely. Devourer, with his face buried in the bed again, stayed in that position for a while. The cool breeze entering through the open window was quite refreshing. If he stayed like this for another five minutes, he felt like he would fall asleep right there. Enjoying sleep in a cool dungeon is nice, but this isn¡¯t bad either. The sound of an owl crying came from beyond the window. ¡°¡­But they really don¡¯t make it comfortable to sleep.¡± It was around that time that he heard the discreet sound of someone coming up the stairs. [Translator ¨C Clara] Novel Illustrations (v1) S?a??h the N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 36 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 36 The night in Hastin was silent. The only things shining were the crescent moon and a cluster of stars hanging in the sky. The only audible sound was the chilling hooting of an owl. Like most human villages after sunset, there were no visible people wandering the streets. Perched atop the highest point in Hastin, the spire of the Count¡¯s residence, Patrick gazed down at Hastin¡¯s night scenery. As he had barely managed to climb up using a summoned familiar through a magic stone, the tall spire provided a panoramic view of Hastin¡¯s territory. Silently contemplating, Patrick slowly removed his helmet, and a blue glow emanated from the empty eye sockets. ¡°It¡¯s already more than half decayed,¡± he murmured. Hastin was crumbling. Raising his head slightly, Patrick could see the grand square in the distance. It was once called the main square of the town, a bustling place where numerous residents used to come and go. Now, it had completely collapsed, and it was impossible to even gauge its original circular shape. Since it was the source of the ¡®Black Disaster,¡¯ there was nothing left but ruins. The places where the mausoleum stood, where the fountain in the square was, all covered in debris. This time, he turned his gaze to the right. In the vicinity of the massive castle walls surrounding the Count¡¯s residence, there was an open space. The surrounding grass suggested it was an artificially created open space, probably burned to create it. In the center of the open space, there was a wide pit. From the pit, a familiar smell wafted through the air. It was not a smell that could be sniffed with the nose. It was an instinctive smell that undead beings could feel, even from a distance. Yes, it was the smell of decaying bodies. The bodies that were once called ¡®residents of Hastin¡¯ were entangled in a grotesque manner. Bodies cause plagues. If corpses scattered throughout the village start to decay, there could be an outbreak of disease in the village. However, burying them individually would be challenging due to the sheer number of corpses. It¡¯s a more common occurrence than one might think, piling up difficult-to-handle corpses like that. ¡®Because it¡¯s a disaster.¡¯ To humans, the existence of Devourer is akin to an ambiguous disaster. It¡¯s not surprising that corpses accumulate in the wake of a disaster passing through. Without saying a word, Patrick turned his head to the left. The left area seemed to have suffered less damage, and outwardly, it looked quite intact. However, it was likely deteriorating inside. Within the territory surrounded by the massive castle walls, there was probably not a single place left unaffected. After finishing his thoughts, Patrick turned his gaze once more. The last place where the eye sockets stopped moving was right below, the castle of Hastin¡¯s lord. ¡®I¡¯ve been curious for a long time.¡¯ After the ¡®Black Disaster¡¯ descended on Hastin¡¯s main square, Count Etark, the lord of Hastin, took his own life by hanging. His suicide was a unilateral decision and an impulsive act. How would the imperial family accept it? ©¤ There¡¯s no need to think too deeply about it. Certainly, they must have been enraged. Their plans had gone awry. Internally, there was a need for a target to vent their frustration about the assault of the ¡®Black Disaster.¡¯ Externally, they needed someone to take responsibility for the consecutive failures in suppressing the ancient core. S~?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Trying to hold someone accountable, the sudden action taken by the Count was, in essence, disobedience to the imperial orders. To exaggerate a bit more, it could be interpreted as an act of rebellion. ©¤ In that case, who is the current lord of Hastin? Leaving the inn was mainly to confirm this. Typically, when a lord dies, the successor inherits the domain. Almost always, no, there is almost no need to use the word ¡®almost.¡¯ The successor is always a blood relative. So, would Etark¡¯s successor inherit the title this time as well? Given the imperial anger losing its target, it¡¯s clear it would be directed towards the family. But would the lordship be left vacant? ¡°Well then, shall we go see the new face?¡± Muttering to himself, Patrick put on the helmet he had just taken off. Soon after, a cheerful sound of footsteps echoed as he set off to verify the new situation. * * * The castle guards were exactly at the expected level. Guards stationed at crucial junctures, with only one of the two lamps in the corridor lit. The rest of the space lay dormant, with the bare minimum alive and breathing. Patrick silently navigated the castle, minimizing his footsteps. The clattering noise of his armor could be easily solved with a simple spell, but since Patrick wasn¡¯t magically inclined, that was the extent of his capabilities. ¡®I should learn some other invisibility spells if the opportunity arises.¡¯ Carefully lifting his body after several attempts of hiding and repeating the process to sense the human presence, Patrick finally managed to reach the lord¡¯s chamber. ¡®Oh, this is troublesome.¡¯ Peeking slightly from the end of the corridor to check the lord¡¯s chamber, Patrick turned away and sighed as if lamenting. Now, even sighing seemed like a habit. Overlooking those cursed humans had become a complication. At least, Patrick hadn¡¯t come to fight humans. In fact, he wished the best for the people of Hastin, so causing a disturbance would be detrimental to him as well. There were only two guards protecting the lord¡¯s chamber. Just two. They didn¡¯t appear particularly strong. Patrick was confident he could easily kill them, or if he decided, he could knock them unconscious in an instant. However, if he did so, the situation would likely escalate after sunrise. In other words, the guards placed in such locations were obstacles even for the current Patrick. ¡®Even if I manage to break through somehow¡­ it¡¯s not wise to rush, is it?¡¯ He didn¡¯t plan to leave Hastin immediately. If he observed for a few days, there might be no visible openings. Going straight through to the lord¡¯s chamber was not the only option. Having made his decision, Patrick, with a somewhat regretful sigh, turned on his heels. Just as he was contemplating how to leave the castle, he heard footsteps from around the corner. Unstable light and a slowly approaching figure indicated Maid¡¯s movement. It might not be good to be noticed by a human while leisurely taking one¡¯s time. Muttering softly to himself, Patrick grabbed the open window of the corridor and leaped down. The place where Patrick landed was surrounded by high walls, blocking any incoming light. After landing in a hurry, Patrick, with a tone of annoyance, confirmed that it wasn¡¯t a good place. Looking around, he added a curse to his muttering and raised his head. The dim light passed through the place where Patrick had just been. Patrick was relieved to confirm that the human presence had disappeared. It was after this that he thought about where he had fallen. Enclosed space, muck-covered sticky floor. It seemed humans in the castle didn¡¯t typically wander around here. Mutters becoming a habit, Patrick surveyed the surroundings. As an undead who could see in the dark, he could roughly make out the contours of the place. It was a dirty path. Following the muck with his gaze, he soon saw a staircase leading down. ¡®Underground prison¡­¡¯ What he thought inwardly slipped out unintentionally. The image of the underground prison in Patrick¡¯s mind was somewhat more discreet than the actual feeling of the place, but there was nothing particularly strange about an underground prison in a castle. Just the smell emanating from it was a bit bothersome. After a few seconds of hesitation, Patrick urged himself forward again. * * * Through the open window, a girl cautiously peeked her head. The room beyond the window was warm, illuminated by a bright light, as expected, coming from a continuously burning furnace. Certainly, it was the same room someone had been using until just now. Simultaneously, it was now an empty room. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± The girl, who had only revealed her face, muttered with a determined expression after confirming the vacancy once again. Immediately afterward, she reached out her arms and grabbed the window. Whether it was an uncomfortable posture or the process of struggling outside the window, both seemed to be laborious for the girl. She displayed no expertise. The way she clumsily managed things, it seemed as if she was inexperienced, almost to the point of wondering how she managed to sneak in through a second-floor window. Completing the grand process, the girl, now inside the room, gasped for breath. Disheveled pink hair obscured her view. She roughly swept it aside with her hand, revealing the girl¡¯s cute face. It wasn¡¯t clean; the messy face suggested days without washing. Even though she was at an age when she should care about her appearance¡ªhowever, she didn¡¯t seem to care at all. With a lively smile, she seemed content. Although she hadn¡¯t stayed at this inn before, she could be sure this was probably the most expensive room here. Who could these people be, staying in such a place when the village was in such a state? Judging from the circumstances, they were undoubtedly outsiders. Rich outsiders, probably. Well, that¡¯s fine, the girl thought. Somehow, it felt like the guilt in her heart was diminishing, not a bad feeling. Since she didn¡¯t know when the guest would return, she had to finish her work as quickly as possible. The first thing the girl looked for was food. However, there was no food to be found. Changing her target quickly, the girl picked up items at hand. The first thing that caught her eye was a black coat haphazardly thrown over the bed. As the girl picked up the coat, she furrowed her brow. The black coat was so worn out that it was hard to tell if it was clothing or a rag. It was dirty, suitable for someone living on the streets, like herself. ¡®¡­Wasn¡¯t this guest, not a rich person?¡¯ Although suspicious, she didn¡¯t have the luxury to dwell on questions for long. The first thing the girl noticed was that there was no one else in the room. ¡®Did they take luggage with them?¡¯ It was strange, but there was no time to ponder. The girl first sought out food. But there was no food. Startled by her own actions, the girl unintentionally blurted out, ¡°Why is there nothing here!¡± The girl, surprised by her own outburst, covered her mouth, silencing herself. Then, silence. After a long stillness, the girl took a deep breath, opened her eyes wide, and looked around. No sound of someone coming back yet. Having rummaged through every place where valuables might be hidden, all the girl had in her hands was still the black coat. Clearly disappointed, she openly displayed her frustration on her face and, lastly, turned to the dresser right next to the bed. Thud! The sound of wood scraping against wood. And the sound of something rustling in the last compartment made the girl¡¯s eyes light up. Overwhelmed by joy, the girl¡¯s face turned all shades of red. With a pounding heart, she opened the drawer. And, ¡°What is this?¡± she said, holding up a long, white object. After hesitating for a few seconds, the girl¡¯s expression turned pale as she grasped the identity of the object. [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 37 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 37 ¡°I¡¯ve prepared something, even if it¡¯s modest. There¡¯s no fancy arrangement, but it should be enough.¡± A piece of black rye bread, a cheap bottle of barely drinkable grape wine, and a few pieces of salted turnips, just enough to fill one¡¯s stomach. ¡°¡­¡± Devourer, who was scanning the food on the table with a skeptical look, raised his head slightly. The innkeeper, with his characteristic curious smile, was discreetly observing him. ¡°If there¡¯s anything uncomfortable, oh, and if you¡¯re worried about the knight¡¯s portion, I¡¯ve set that aside separately, so don¡¯t bother about it.¡± No, it¡¯s not about that. ¡°What¡¯s the situation right now¡­¡± As Devourer revealed his perplexity through her facial expressions, the innkeeper nonchalantly replied. ¡°Huh? As you can see, the innkeeper is treating the guest to a meal.¡± The innkeeper said that with a somewhat awkward smile. However, it didn¡¯t look like a joyful smile; it seemed more like a forced smile since he didn¡¯t have a suitable expression and ended up freezing with a smile. Recapping the situation, the innkeeper called Devourer about ten minutes ago. The culprit behind the stealthy footsteps coming upstairs was the innkeeper. Asking where the knight was out of the blue, the innkeeper, instead of explaining Patrick¡¯s absence, called Devourer. Upon realizing this, Devourer found himself in the current situation. Well, that¡¯s how it happened. Devourer looked down again at the food on the table. Although the menu seemed decent, the dishes in front of Devourer were undoubtedly below the standard for an inn menu. ¡®In a bad sense,¡¯ these were not the kind of dishes one would present in an inn. Given that Devourer had a meal at Riaze¡¯s inn just three weeks ago, the contrast was even more stark. First, there was the hard rye bread that felt tough even at a glance. He touched it himself to confirm, and it was as expected. It was hard enough to be used as a weapon; he thought it might come in handy if an enemy ever needed to be knocked out in one blow. Perhaps it could even be used as a projectile. ¡°¡­¡± S~?a??h the N0v?lFire(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Without saying anything, Devourer shifted him gaze to another dish. The grape wine also had too little for one person. Even the pickled turnips, which seemed decent, had a small quantity. ¡°This is all I can offer.¡± The innkeeper, noticing the discomfort in Devourer¡¯s gaze as he looked at the food, cautiously spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ll take this, but I specially prepared this as an apology to you and the knight. I really shouldn¡¯t let my guests go hungry, considering that the knight paid much more than the usual fare. I feel obligated to make amends like this.¡± Saying that, he smiled awkwardly. However, it didn¡¯t look like a smile born out of joy. Perhaps he was forced to smile because there was no suitable expression to show, and it froze as a smile. Devourer, staring at the food, couldn¡¯t hide the unease in him gaze. The innkeeper cautiously continued. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t take it the wrong way when I said earlier that the meal couldn¡¯t be prepared. It¡¯s my way of making amends.¡± After descending to the first floor with the innkeeper, for the next ten minutes, Devourer occasionally glanced at the innkeeper. At least, during that time, the innkeeper Devourer saw was desperately searching for any additional food. Of course, he probably didn¡¯t bring out all the food he had, but it was clear that he had gathered whatever he could, making the best of the situation. Reacting to the innkeeper¡¯s sincerity, Devourer reached out towards the food. He found the hard bread too intimidating to pick up, so he chose the turnips. As Devourer touched the food, the innkeeper spoke as if waiting for him. ¡°Come to think of it, we haven¡¯t introduced ourselves properly. I¡¯m Nohan Heteke. I¡¯m not a formal person, so just call me Nohan, Mr Nohan, or anything you prefer.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m Devde.¡± After a brief greeting, Devourer tore into the turnips. They tasted dirty. The flavor was worse than expected. Then followed a moment of awkward silence. This time, Devourer asked naturally. ¡°¡­Is the situation in Hastin really bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no different than hell.¡± As if there was no need for further thought, the answer came swiftly, almost chillingly. After confirming Nohan¡¯s calm expression, Devourer silently took a sip of the grape wine. The wine also didn¡¯t taste good. Despite not having expertise in alcohol and food, this was clearly not something that could be sold for a decent price. But even these things seemed like precious provisions to Nohan. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to talk about the village¡¯s bad situation to an outsider, but¡­ considering that both the knight and you are in Hastin, it might be helpful to know at least a bit. Well, to put it briefly, a few weeks ago, the ¡®Black Disaster¡¯ arrived, and the entire area around the mage tower was completely destroyed.¡± ¡°I heard that the area around the mage tower was completely devastated.¡± ¡°Even the knight and others seem to know. Given the state of the village, it¡¯s not surprising if you don¡¯t know. It was truly a disaster. Most residents who witnessed the disasters lost their minds on the spot.¡± Well, I know better than anyone else. Because it¡¯s me. ¡ª The Black Disaster nodded silently. ¡°After that incident, the lord¡­ committed suicide.¡± There was a momentary crackling sound from the firewood in the fireplace. Startled, Nohan, who had been nervously looking around, confirmed that no one was eavesdropping before cautiously continuing. ¡°¡­Did you know about this news?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard such a story.¡± Devourer nonchalantly tilted his head. It was a lie. The news of Lord Hastin¡¯s suicide was something Patrick had mentioned several times, and pretending not to know was more advantageous. It was just a matter of judging what was more beneficial. ¡°According to the rumors spreading among the villagers, the lord passed away due to an illness. But the maid working in the castle directly said that the lord hanged himself. It¡¯s not just baseless gossip, you know?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Although it wasn¡¯t something openly discussed, such rumors circulated among the villagers. ¡®Perhaps the lord knew something.¡¯ That¡¯s what people were saying.¡± Nohan swallowed his saliva. Whether it was due to the mysterious atmosphere or the tension, he kept glancing around despite his imposing figure. Only after confirming once again that no one was listening did he cautiously continue. ¡°¡­Anyway, the certain thing is that this village has no hope. I, and all the remaining residents, cherished and loved this village. Even though it¡¯s only been a few weeks, we tried desperately to endure and survive.¡± As Nohan continued the story, a gloomy shadow fell over his expression. ¡°But now, it¡¯s clear that there¡¯s no chance. I don¡¯t know the exact reason, but the traffic of carriages to and from the village suddenly stopped after that incident.¡± ¡°The reason for that¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know. Haha.¡± As if trying to dispel the subdued atmosphere, Nohan forced a smile. Devourer, holding back his tension, nodded slightly. Not knowing was quite natural. Commoners are ignorant. It happened not only in human societies but also in all places with social classes. Especially those in the middle of a class society receive only mediocre information. With only vague information, they mistakenly believe they know enough. The intricacies hidden beneath the surface of the incident. In other words, only those who know ¡®really important¡¯ things would be aware of it. Most likely, only a few among the upper class would know the reasons. ¡°Anyway, the definite thing is that this village is in a dire state. Even I, let alone others, am aware of it. After that incident, there¡¯s a pit outside the outer wall of the castle filled with corpses. The pit has reached the surface, showing how many bodies are piled up. Things are not going as we wish. The village¡¯s food is running out too. People are starting to starve to death, and those who have gathered food won¡¯t last more than two weeks, I think.¡± Nohan also mentioned that he planned to leave the village soon. Devourer replied that he would convey the message to his master. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this meal was the last one I could offer to you and the knight. Whatever the reason for your visit to this village, I don¡¯t know how much longer you¡¯ll stay, but it¡¯s better to leave as soon as possible. It¡¯s difficult to find more food anywhere in this village.¡± As Devourer got up from his seat, Nohan gave him a final piece of advice. ¡°Devde, you probably know. If people are cornered, you know what happens, right?¡± * * * Patrick returned through the wide-open window shortly after Devourer returned to the room and lay down on the bed, not even a minute passing since he settled in. Entering the room silently, Patrick glanced at Devourer, and simultaneously, he jumped in surprise. ¡°Boss¡­ why are you still not sleeping? Why? How?¡± ¡°Must you make such noise for such a trivial matter¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not trivial. The fact that the boss hasn¡¯t slept in all this time is theoretically incomprehensible.¡± Do you really need to throw in theories? ¡°The innkeeper called, and I went downstairs. He gave me some bread and pickled turnips. I¡¯ve put your share on the drawer over there.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. The boss can have it as your tomorrow¡¯s ration. It¡¯ll serve as breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so you need to ration it.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± That¡¯s too much, Devourer thought but couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it out loud. For some reason, the feeling that he had to endure the day with those hard-as-stone bread and a few pieces of turnips became stronger. He realized the harsh reality. Damn it, Devourer clicked his tongue silently. ¡°I briefly visited the lord¡¯s castle. I thought of seeing the new lord¡¯s face for a moment, but the guards were strict, so I just came back. No outcome.¡± After Patrick finished the report, he finally released the magic. Along with a groan and a clicking sound as if the jaw was adjusting. ¡°Do you know anything, boss?¡± He asked, but his voice didn¡¯t contain any expectation. Devourer, lying like a corpse, responded briefly. ¡°Uh¡­ It seems like Hastin¡¯s communication with the outside world has been cut off. Apart from that, even the innkeeper seems not to know much.¡± ¡°It¡¯s surprising that the boss found something out.¡± Patrick exclaimed with sincere admiration. ¡°Communication cut off¡­ I thought something like that might happen, considering the appearance of a new disaster three weeks ago. If it¡¯s true, let¡¯s investigate more about it tomorrow, boss.¡± ¡°Do it on your own.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll do it together.¡± Ignoring Devourer, who didn¡¯t move as if he were exhausted, Patrick, as usual, added some nagging. ¡°Oh, and boss, please try to close the window. I only opened one side when I left, but now both sides are open. Don¡¯t trust humans too much. Thieves might get in if you do.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I haven¡¯t touched the window.¡± ¡°Haha, boss, you¡¯re something. Calling an unconvincing excuse a joke. This window doesn¡¯t easily open just because of the wind. Do you think ghosts would open it?¡± Devourer brushed off Patrick¡¯s remark as a joke. It was definitely meant as a joke. A silence colder than ice settled in the room. Suddenly, Devourer, who realized that something was wrong, quickly turned his head. Now that he thought about it, it was gone. It couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡®That Devourer¡¯ got up in a hurry from his seat and looked around the bed. It was gone. Certainly, the clothes he had thrown on the bed©¤were gone. ¡°My coat is gone¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s gone. It really disappeared. Patrick, we have to find it somehow. Even if it¡¯s just money in the pocket, but that clothes¡­¡± It was made by Renee herself for him. If he loses it, he can¡¯t even imagine what might happen. In succession, Patrick¡¯s face also stiffened. ¡°Ughh?! Wait¡­ No way?¡± And then he spouted a scream-like question filled with doubt. Making a rattling noise, Patrick rushed to the dresser. The place he ran to was in front of the drawer. Simultaneously opening the drawer, the white skull inside turned even paler. ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s not here. Boss, I don¡¯t have it either. Boss, did you see it? Did you see it in the drawer?¡± ¡°¡­Did you get robbed or something?¡± The voice of the ancient monster asking was trembling intensely. The response from the Death Knight trembled even more than that. ¡°My rib bone.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± What did you say? Phase 2 [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 38 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 38 A slender crescent moon illuminated the dark street. Relying solely on that moonlight, the girl crossed the steep path. On one side of the alley, there were abundant low roofs. The shadows created by these roofs cast darker darkness upon the dim street. The back alley. After arriving at the end of the alley, the heaven for Hastin¡¯s thief girl, Rosalina, finally ceased her sprint. Her sanctuary was there¡ªfilled with scattered debris on the ground, an artificial watercourse, and a few structures. As she walked further, the vulnerable figures of people lying defenselessly on the ground became visible. Rosalina, repeatedly catching her breath with each labored breath, finally turned carefully to look behind her. Silence. There was no one chasing her. Only then did the tension release, and the girl took a deep breath. ¡°Rosalina.¡± At that moment, a voice calling her echoed from the darkness. Under the shadow, a man with a robust voice, familiar with hunger, like Rosalina, was also a resident of the back alley. Unlike Rosalina, he had spent most of his life in this back alley, and his eyes carried a certain harshness from his decade-long experience. His intense gaze focused on Rosalina. ¡°Where have you been this late at night?¡± the man inquired. Many other eyes in the darkness were also watching Rosalina. ¡°I told you not to roam around recklessly on dark nights. Especially in the current eerie atmosphere of the town, if you catch the eyes of the night guards, you know what will happen, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, no. I didn¡¯t wander aimlessly for no reason! Listen slowly. Even this time, it¡¯s for everyone¡­¡± ¡°For everyone? Is wasting your energy and making yourself even hungrier what you call ¡®for everyone¡¯?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. Listen¡­¡± ¡°¡­It won¡¯t work. Your words seem like you haven¡¯t faced reality. You¡¯ve only been here for two weeks. If you keep acting recklessly like this¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t push too hard.¡± A sudden, authoritative voice interrupted their conversation. Both the man scolding Rosalina and Rosalina turned their gazes simultaneously. Then, they both bowed their heads. ¡°¡­Captain, you were awake?¡± A man with a bold voice spoke. The man¡¯s gaze, directed toward the darkness of the alley, revealed the figure of a man referred to as the captain. Certainly, he possessed the figure worthy of being called a captain. Differentiating himself from other residents of the back alley, he had a robust physique, a shining southern face even in the dirty environment, and a gentlemanly appearance with combed-back brown hair and a neatly grown beard. However, the lack of a proper wash made him not look as clean as he could have been. If he had maintained cleanliness and only had tidy clothes, he would have felt at ease participating in noble gatherings. The man referred to as the captain turned his head toward Rosalina instead of responding to the man¡¯s inquiry. Their gazes crossed, and Rosalina swallowed her words without speaking. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be afraid of the night if you¡¯re a thief. That¡¯s not going to do any good.¡± In the firm but weighty voice, the man who had been scolding Rosalina quietly stepped back. ¡°Captain.¡± ¡°However, wandering around without a word is undoubtedly a mistake. Think about the possible harm you might cause to others by moving recklessly in such a grim situation, Rosalina. This place is different from the old home that used to warmly embrace you.¡± Rosalina didn¡¯t respond, just lowered her head with a tense expression. Sweat drops fell through her disheveled pink hair. The captain turned away, no longer reprimanding, and redirected the conversation. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s continue with what we were talking about earlier. Rosalina, for everyone¡­ didn¡¯t you say that? What did you do?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah, Captain! Look at this.¡± Only then did Rosalina relax and smiled. She untied something from her shoulder and laid it on the ground. It was a black garment used as a makeshift bag, with two white bones inside. ¡°Did you steal these?¡± ¡°Yes, Captain. I thought I should do my part too.¡± ¡°¡­Is this all of it?¡± ¡°I thought there would be a lot, too, but really, even after searching thoroughly, this is all there was. There was no food, and nothing worth any money.¡± ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be any food in the wilderness.¡± Without much interest in Rosalina¡¯s desperate explanation, the captain, without any reaction, picked up the bones after a moment of silence. For one minute, then two, until other residents of the alley, sensing something strange, gathered one by one, the captain stared at the bones for a long time. Rosalina also watched nervously. The captain finally asked Rosalina a question after a long time of observing the bones. Despite his normally low voice, his tone was even lower than usual, filling the alley at midnight. ¡°Where did you get these items?¡± ¡°Oh, that, it was from the inn, I mean¡­ ah, ¡®Rest Stop of the Sacred Tree¡¯! I took them from a really nice-looking room! I thought it might be some artifact because it was kept so preciously in a deep drawer, and the bones were so clean, maybe something really valuable¡­¡± ¡°Rosalina.¡± The captain¡¯s low, murmuring voice interrupted Rosalina¡¯s excited voice. ¡°Do you know what you have brought?¡± ¡°Well? Bones, right? I¡¯m not sure what kind of bones¡­¡± ¡°Human ribs.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°All of these you brought are human ribs.¡± The gazes of everyone changed from curiosity to astonishment in an instant. A cold wind blew. Even in the silent situation where you could hear the sound of swallowing saliva, the hooting of an owl resonated clearly. For a moment, time seemed to have stopped. Startled, Rosalina took a step back. Her face turned pale. It took a few more seconds for her to utter an explanation. ¡°W-wait. Human bones! I didn¡¯t know, really, I didn¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Do you¡­ really went to that inn?¡± To the quiet question from another resident who had been silently observing, the bewildered Rosalina took another step back. Soon, murmuring voices were heard everywhere. Even though they were residents of the alley, living as beggars, and often engaging in stealing and plundering to survive, there were certain rules they strictly followed. Although occasionally violated in the chaotic times of the past, since the emergence of the current ¡®captain,¡¯ these rules had been rigorously adhered to. Most of them were to maintain at least a minimum level of humanity. One of them prohibited grave robbing. ¡°Wait a moment! No!¡± Realizing what everyone was thinking, Rosalina was horrified. Seeing her visibly distressed, the residents of the alley slowly rose to their feet. There was a shuffling sound behind her, and a few people were blocking her way. Rosalina¡¯s heart raced. With an expression that seemed like she might cry at any moment, the girl pleaded with her eyes towards the captain. The captain was lost in thought. Eventually, he raised his head and glanced at Rosalina. ¡°Ca-Captain?¡± ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be grave-robbing.¡± s?a??h th? N?v?lF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Relieved by the captain¡¯s words, Rosalina slumped down as if all her strength had left her. ¡°If it were grave-robbing, you wouldn¡¯t have proudly shown this, and the bones wouldn¡¯t be this clean. These might be bones used for some necromancy or dark magical purposes¡­ perhaps even artifacts.¡± ¡°Is there a human who has a macabre hobby of collecting human ribs?¡± One of the alley residents, who had been hesitatingly observing, asked. The captain, examining the ribs carefully, replied. ¡°In this world overflowing with trash, there are people who cut off limbs of slaves and enjoy them for divination purposes. Who knows? It might not be ¡®human bones¡¯ but rather ¡®bones of someone who used to be human.''¡± For example, a necromancer studying necromancy might use parts of a corpse as a catalyst for casting spells. The bones Rosalina brought were just two delicate rib bones. It¡¯s probably more accurate to think it¡¯s related to that. Above all, the captain was certain. Rosalina had no reason or courage to engage in grave-robbing. Thinking rationally, it was absurd to suspect her. ¡°Rosalina, you said you got these items from the ¡®Rest Stop of the Sacred Tree,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Uh, yes, Captain.¡± ¡°¡­In that case, I will tell everyone awake right now. Approaching the vicinity of the ¡®Rest Stop of the Sacred Tree¡¯ is prohibited for the time being. Don¡¯t even think about it. This is not advice but an order.¡± As the captain spoke, the sound of dry swallowing was heard among those who were holding their breath. ¡°If you see anyone acting suspicious, do not approach them under any circumstances. Someone might be wandering through our territory looking for these items. If someone asks about the whereabouts of these items, say you don¡¯t know until the end. Never show that you know anything.¡± Researching necromancy and black magic is dangerous. If the one searching for the bones is not a necromancer, it might be even more perilous. ¡°Rosalina, make sure not to engage in such reckless actions in the future.¡± Rosalina nodded vigorously with a determined look. The tense atmosphere dissipated in an instant. With that, everyone who had been paying attention to Rosalina and the captain returned to their respective places, and only a few remained to deal with the situation. ¡°We tried, but there¡¯s no profit in it.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Captain, sorry. Sorry, Tott.¡± Tott, a robust man with a bold voice, turned his head without saying a word. The captain picked up the black garment Rosalina had used as a bag. ¡°This is a reasonably useful piece of clothing. When the sun rises and everyone wakes up, give it to the person who needs it the most.¡± It wasn¡¯t a clean piece of clothing. Traces of wear and tear were visible here and there. However, it wasn¡¯t so worn out that it couldn¡¯t be worn. Rather, the fabric might be considered top-notch. The captain, who had an eye for valuable items in the past, could be sure of it. ¡®¡­It¡¯s inconspicuous.¡¯ Judging from appearances alone, it was undoubtedly the sort of rag that beggars might wear, but in reality, the weave of the fabric was sturdy. Without feeling it in person, it was hard to tell, but there was a good chance it had been coated with magic. Furthermore, what was suspicious was not just that. As soon as the captain picked up the clothes, he frowned. It felt substantial. It wasn¡¯t extremely heavy, but for clothes made with special fabric, it had a weightiness. ¡°There¡¯s something inside the pocket.¡± The captain looked at Rosalina again. Rosalina, meeting his gaze, had a tense expression, as if not understanding the meaning of that look. She must have been absent-minded. She probably didn¡¯t check the inside of the pocket thoroughly. The captain, after a brief consideration, wordlessly rummaged through the pocket. As expected, he grasped something solid, and he pulled it out of the pocket. What came out of the pocket was neatly folded paper. Although something was written on it, it was too dark to read. The captain furrowed his brow and unfolded the paper. There was something inside the paper. Gold coins. Not just any gold coins, but five one-ounce coins, not even one-tael. ¡°¡­And they¡¯re not fake.¡± Uttering a whisper as if enchanted by the faintly shining gold, the captain continued, ¡°For common people, these are ¡®more valuable than necessary¡¯ units of currency, so they¡¯re not actually used much. It¡¯s money that you would have to work for a whole month even if you worked your bones off. What commoner would prefer a coin more risky than convenient?¡± And there were five ounces of such gold coins. After concluding his thoughts, what came flooding in was a sense of unease. What kind of people would carry around such gold coins casually and hold human ribs? The captain turned his head towards Rosalina, but her gaze was completely stolen by the gold coins. A girl like her probably wouldn¡¯t know any secrets. ¡°Rosalina, I¡¯ll explain the details later. It¡¯s not common for a guest to have such items. For now, I¡¯ll take care of the clothes, bones, and gold coins.¡± ¡°Uh? Captain?¡± ¡°Trust me.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, got it.¡± Rosalina nodded. While it was uneasy to entrust the gold coins found in the clothes she brought, the captain was the most trustworthy person here. After finishing a bit more of his thoughts, the captain hastily put the gold coins into his pocket. He was just about to gather the clothes and bones as well. At that moment, in the dark space, a single shadow was added. ¡°Ah, finding you was a real pain. But it seems like we¡¯ve got the right one, Boss. Doesn¡¯t that outfit match the Boss?¡± ¡°Aah¡­ We found it. We survived¡­¡± ¡°Thank goodness. My precious and beautiful things are also there.¡± A somewhat cheerful voice echoed in the dark alley. It wasn¡¯t the voice of an alley resident, and it was a voice that no one in the alley had heard before. The size of the voice wasn¡¯t considerate of the sleeping people scattered throughout the area, and it was quite loud. Everyone who was awake, as well as those who woke up, raised their heads. A man in shabby attire and an armored knight, who knows when, where, and how they arrived, were standing in front of the captain and Rosalina. ¡°Well, everyone, pay attention. You might be curious about who we are¡­ Well, there¡¯s no need to say it. Oh, everyone¡¯s expressions are a sight. Your faces are saying, ¡®I, conscience, stabbed.¡¯ Finding the culprit should be less of a hassle.¡± The knight chuckled. ¡°Damn thieves, we¡¯ve come to retrieve everything that was stolen.¡± Phase 3 [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 39 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 39 Devourer and Patrick had to circle the territory for about half a lap before they could arrive at this place, the back alley. When they realized that there had been a theft, it was quite frustrating. Devourer, Patrick, neither of them had any cunning skills to find thieves. Tracking peculiar scents or using magical means to trace the whereabouts of objects were stories of a distant land for Devourer and Patrick. Originally, they were just ancient monster and Death Knight. They were monsters that knew nothing but hitting and smashing. So they ran with their feet unsophisticatedly, until they found them. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you guys like crazy.¡± After finishing his sentence, Patrick burst into laughter and took a step forward. The humans sitting in front of them moved backward as Patrick approached. The humans were on high alert as two vague beings suddenly appeared in front of them. It was a natural result since they had silently approached right in front of them. Patrick enjoyed the gaze of those humans and slowly walked forward. As the place where the thieves were was the darkest part of the back alley, the humans¡¯ backs were blocked by a wall. There was no way out. Patrick, having pushed the humans inside to some extent, looked towards the ribs and black clothes. ¡°All the items seem to be intact.¡± The worst-case scenario that Patrick had in mind didn¡¯t seem to have happened. If stolen goods had left the hands of the thieves and leaked outside of Hastin, he might have had to roam the entire continent playing hide and seek or live a life without ribs for the rest of his life. Fortunately, contrary to such concerns, the clothes and ribs in front of Patrick seemed to be unharmed. Patrick, who breathed a sigh of relief, turned his head and glanced at Devourer, checking for his reaction. Earlier, he had said something like, ¡®Ah, we survived.¡¯ Now, his expression seemed like he might collapse at any moment from physical and mental exhaustion. ¡°Well, Renee gave me this outfit.¡± Since Renee had returned not long ago, and causing another hole in her heart might lead to unknown consequences, Patrick added. ¡°Besides, the boss even jumped around.¡± The ancient monster, renowned for serving Primordial Core for over a hundred years, jumped around with a stern expression. It was a sight that even Patrick, who had served Devourer for over a hundred years, had never seen before. Anyway, ¡°Sorry for the trouble.¡± Patrick, who spat out words to the residents of the back alley, loosened up. The sound of rustling from the plate mail sounded unusually loud. Whether that sound was perceived as a threat or not, tension spread among the humans. ¡°Are you the leader?¡± S~?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Clad in full plate mail, Patrick, a knight with a tall and robust figure, looked down at the humans and asked. His gaze focused solely on the captain. Instead of answering, the captain raised the corner of his mouth. It was a smirk. Patrick, satisfied even with that response, also smiled. However, that smile couldn¡¯t be seen behind his helmet. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°Because you look like one.¡± When asked the question, the human didn¡¯t avoid eye contact. Not caring about anyone¡¯s opinion meant there was no need to be cautious. It probably meant there was no one higher than oneself. Besides, there were a few more reasons to be sure, but before that, the captain admitted in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯d prefer if you called me Captain instead of leader.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste of energy to argue about such similar meanings. Besides, strictly speaking, wouldn¡¯t Leader be more accurate than the Captain? Calling someone the captain in a back alley discussion is too much.¡± ¡°You look like a knight, but instead of martial skills, you seem to have focused on training your tongue.¡± ¡°Oh, You, who swim at the bottom of morality, even have the qualifications to judge people?¡± ¡ªBesides, I don¡¯t even have a tongue to train. A blue glint shone within the helmet. Whether it was noticed or not, the captain¡¯s lips twitched slightly. ¡°How did you know and came here?¡± ¡°It seems the item was desperately looking for its owner.¡± Once again, Patrick replied with a playful tone. Seemingly dissatisfied with Patrick, who hadn¡¯t given a proper answer since earlier, the captain frowned. The captain slowly stood up from his seat and brushed his knees. The humans lying down also got up one by one, following the captain. Devourer¡¯s yawn was heard at that moment. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s finish this and rest quickly.¡± Patrick, who was about to turn his head to deliver his usual nagging, forcibly fixed his gaze on the captain. I¡¯ll endure it just for today, boss. You¡¯ve been running around until just now. ¡°It seems the private talk has become too long. Back alley leader¡ª No, well, if you want, I¡¯ll call you Captain. Back Alley Captain, you picked the wrong items to steal.¡± It was fortunate that the culprits were the back alley poor. If such humans, who couldn¡¯t receive the protection of nobles, were suddenly discovered as cold corpses, it wouldn¡¯t attract much attention. Moreover, in a situation where the village was in chaos and commoners were dying, would a few poor people¡¯s deaths become an issue? In fact, it was surprising that these guys had survived until now. ¡®As long as we clean up afterward, Everything will be fine.¡¯ However, it¡¯s better to leave as few traces as possible in any case. It would be best for Devourer to devour everything at once. Patrick turned his head towards Devourer. As Devourer¡¯s gaze was unusually quick-witted only at times like this, Devourer quickly declared before Patrick could open his mouth. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m too tired to help with anything.¡± ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect much, but isn¡¯t that too quick?¡± Well, that¡¯s true. Given that he followed, he should be thankful. Seemingly disappointed by Devourer¡¯s reaction, Patrick asked the humans in a more generous tone. ¡°Do you have any intention of returning them nicely?¡± Several humans, taken aback by the sudden question, glared at Patrick with eyes full of hostility. The captain, in turn, questioned back. ¡°¡­Is there any guarantee that you guys will just leave if we return them?¡± ¡°Um, now that you mention it, it does sound like that.¡± Without any counter arguments, Patrick nodded. Of course, there was no intention to just let them go. The situation is different now. Tanabella was left behind. It was certainly noticeable for sneaking around due to its large size. So, even if the surroundings became a bit dirtier¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s not complain about being unfair to each other, alright?¡± A playful tone filled with mischief echoed. * * * ¡®So, it turned out like this.¡¯ The captain murmured to himself secretly. And he thought, ¡­This isn¡¯t just a bluff. There exists an atmosphere that can be discerned by each person¡¯s actions, voice, demeanor, etc. From that perspective, the knight in front of him¡ªyes, from the beginning, he exuded confidence. This side was by no means a small force. Being nonchalant in the midst of such a crowd meant having confidence in one¡¯s abilities. Why would someone confident in their abilities let things slide so gracefully? Of course, on this side as well, they couldn¡¯t just return the items without any conditions. He extended his right hand. Several comrades responded to the signal and slowly approached the knight. Some who concealed weapons discreetly surrounded the shabbily dressed man standing next to the knight in a natural way. ¡®I need to be cautious.¡¯ Let¡¯s think about how they found their way here. Even if Rosalina, who was not familiar with this lifestyle, left traces unskillfully, it would be impossible to follow those traces on a dark night. But did they search all of Hastin? It would have been impossible. Because Hastin is by no means a small land. Unless those two were monsters, it would have taken too short a time to wander around and find them. ¡°Dark magic, perhaps.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The knight replied with a questioning look, but other than this method, there was no other interpretation. Recalling the conversation between the knight and the shabbily dressed man, the man spoke informally to the knight. The knight used polite language with the man. Externally, it meant that their positions were opposite. The title of a knight was equivalent to a sub-viscount. Although the number of knights had rapidly increased due to the popularity of dungeon exploration, and their status had drastically declined, a knight was still a higher existence than commoners. That the knight used polite language¡­ Then, could it be that the man had a higher status than a sub-viscount? ¡®That can¡¯t be.¡¯ It was absurd for a noble to walk around in such shabby clothes. Then, if it wasn¡¯t their status, something else distinguished their hierarchy. If so, the shabbily dressed man must be stronger than the knight. ¡®There¡¯s no way.¡¯ It was inconceivable for a noble to wear such humble clothes. So, something other than status must be distinguishing their hierarchy. If that¡¯s the case, the shabbily dressed man must be stronger than the knight. In this situation, only one conclusion could be drawn. The man was a necromancer. Moreover, a necromancer stronger than the knight. The captain clenched the rib bone in his hand. ¡°You guys live in the darkness, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Indeed, caves are dark.¡± ¡°What is this rib bone for? Some kind of magic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just mine.¡± ¡°¡­Are you saying you gave away bones from your body?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just mine.¡± The man behind him remained expressionless and did not answer. Only the knight responded one by one. It was all meaningless words that couldn¡¯t be understood. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too obvious that you¡¯re trying to buy time?¡± The knight asked. Flicking his fingers, he taunted them to come at him. He was enjoying his leisure since he was blocking their only exit. Of course, the captain had no intention of quietly enduring it. Although he was currently the leader of the poor in this quiet village, he had once gained notoriety even in the slaughterhouse where dozens died at a time. It wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for the captain, who had gained a notorious reputation, to suppress a single knight. ¡°Rosalina, Tott.¡± Rosalina, who had been in a state of confusion, lifted her head. The girl was trembling, maybe due to guilt over her actions. Tott remained relatively calm and composed. He had already overcome countless crises, so there was no reason for him to be flustered. ¡°¡­Those who can¡¯t control their bodies properly take priority.¡± The captain couldn¡¯t elaborate further. Rosalina¡¯s reaction was ambiguous, but Tott seemed to understand as he nodded. Only now did the relieved captain glanced at the knight in front of him. The escape routes were wide-ranging. While it might seem like the path was completely blocked, there were many hidden escape routes, as you never knew when someone might come barging in. First, prepare for the worst and evacuate the vulnerable. Of course, this was just a method to minimize damage in the worst-case scenario. ¡®They are undoubtedly strong, but¡­¡¯ Even though they may be strong, they¡¯re not invincible. There is a good chance for us to win as well. They probably underestimate us due to their arrogance. Each of those gaps in their confidence is a vulnerability, a variable. If we aim well, we can definitely win. The captain addressed the knight. ¡°This rib bone, it must be precious.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my own, after all.¡± ¡°¡­Is it as precious as your body?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just a rib bone.¡± The conversation was filled with cryptic words. Deciding that further conversation to buy time was impossible, the captain chuckled lightly. The rib bone floated into the air just as the knight briefly diverted his gaze, catching a glimpse of the captain¡¯s smile. ¡°Ah.¡± The knight, Patrick, uttered a brief voice and immediately leaped. The captain shouted, ¡°Tott!¡± The resounding voice broke the silence of the night. Upon hearing that voice, Tott also shouted towards the residents of the alley. Those who were sick and weak quickly moved towards Tott¡¯s hidden escape route. It was a method to minimize damage in the worst-case scenario. At the same time, someone close to the knight, with a brick-made hammer, swung towards Patrick¡¯s waist. The goal was Patrick¡¯s waist. Patrick, who had caught the rib bone with agility, immediately turned his body. It was already a late situation. The man with the hammer, with a maniacal smile, confronted Patrick. Klang! The sound of a metal plate striking filled the narrow alley. Meanwhile, an individual rushed towards Devourer, aiming a dagger at his side. However, behind all these actions, there were no screams or cries that should have followed. The dagger couldn¡¯t even pierce the skin. Whether it was coated with protective magic or the armor itself, there wasn¡¯t a scratch. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s happening?¡± The man was bewildered, and Patrick laughed. ¡°Well, how to handle this is the problem¡­ There¡¯s a way to kill them all, but then the ground would get too dirty. How about knocking them all down first and then thinking about it?¡± ¡°Are you suggesting we spare all of them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying to spare them. It means dealing with them collectively.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m too tired, and I¡¯m not sure if I can control my strength.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s something stressful.¡± Whether he didn¡¯t properly grasp the situation or not, the resident from the alley who attacked Patrick just stared with a vacant expression. Patrick grabbed his arm and lifted him into the air. It was as effortless as throwing a pebble. ¡°Just make an effort.¡± Patrick slammed the man into the ground. [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 40 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 40 ¡°It¡¯s been over half a day since Mr Devourer has left.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right¡­ It¡¯s only been half a day.¡± The taste at the end of the tea was quite bitter. The cave was so quiet that even the sound of the teacup clinking was loud. The Primordial Core was serene. Renee and Melje, who used to run around screaming and yelling on imaginary days, were still guarding their places in the cave, but without Devourer, the cause of the conflict, there was no reason for them to stir up trouble. Strictly speaking, Melje had nothing to do. With all the forceful actions she used to impress Devourer excluded, there was hardly any work left. Renee had no reason to pressure Melje, who was quietly sitting there. It was naturally formed, a ceasefire agreement. Ten slender fingers surrounded the teacup. Sipping the tea while holding the cup, Renee asked casually. ¡°¡­Is everything okay with Mr Devourer?¡± ¡°Probably. If my predictions are correct, Mr Devourer is likely thoroughly analyzing the issues affecting Hastin, and by now, he¡¯s working diligently on restructuring the fundamental causes of the problems to contribute to the growth of the village.¡± Melje, sitting across from Renee, replied in a brisk voice. Renee sipped her tea, closing her eyes thoughtfully. ¡°I hope so. I¡¯m a bit worried if it¡¯s okay for Renee and you to enjoy this break alone. Mr Devourer might be in a situation where he¡¯s starving.¡± ¡°Oh, Renee, you¡¯ve gone too far with your worries! It¡¯s hard to even imagine Mr Devourer going hungry. If a great being like him skips a meal, what kind of monster could have the privilege of dining?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Renee seems to be overly concerned again. It doesn¡¯t make sense that Mr Devourer and Patrick are struggling in a mere human village, right?¡± ¡°Well, they are ¡®Apex of All Existence,¡¯ the ancient monster, and the ¡®Arbiter of Death,¡¯ Death Knight, are they not?¡± Uttering words that felt embarrassing just to think about, Melje, following Renee¡¯s lead, sipped her tea without hesitation. Why does this tea taste so bitter, she wondered momentarily. Dismissing the question that popped into her head, Melje immediately brought up another thought. ¡°Still, it¡¯s a shame. Honestly, I wanted to go to Hastin with Mr Devourer. It feels empty staying in the dungeon.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t think that way, Melje.¡± Renee, upon hearing Melje¡¯s words, raised her shoulders. She picked up the teacup with trembling hands, as if pierced to the core, and continued speaking. ¡°It¡¯s not just about working alongside Mr Devourer that¡¯s impressive, but the fact that he entrusted us with the dungeon. Is there anything more important than guarding the dungeon? It¡¯s proof that we¡¯re receiving boundless trust right now.¡± ¡®Of course, it¡¯s not Melje, but in Renee they trust.¡¯ The golden pupils within the black eyes sparkled. In response to Renee¡¯s words, Melje, holding both hands to her chest like a child excitedly, replied, ¡°Oh, thinking like that makes sense again! My narrow perspective didn¡¯t catch on!¡± Renee chuckled at Melje¡¯s reaction and took a sip of tea, appearing to have perfectly completed the self-indoctrination. The trembling in her hands also ceased. ©¤Of course, it¡¯s all just a bluff. The desire to go was as strong as a chimney. In her mind, Renee had already woven a scenario that involves traveling with Devourer, enjoying Hastin, and even getting married. She was just following orders to stay in the dungeon. ¡°Anyway, Renee just needs to guard the dungeon. That¡¯s right, Melje. This is an opportunity. It¡¯s the chance Mr Devourer gave us. While Mr Devourer is away, as gatekeepers and maids, we should clean up the dungeon thoroughly.¡± Then, Renee added that she should clean herself up as well, blushing at the thought of Devourer¡¯s return. There were indeed many tasks to handle. Cleaning the dungeon was a given, and although Patrick suggested taking it slow, they also needed to prepare to gradually fill monsters in rooms 1 to 4. The longer the preparation period, the better. The Primordial Core was a ¡®Non-Regenerating Dungeon.¡¯ It naturally formed in an environment suitable for monsters to thrive, unlike the ¡®Regenerating Dungeon¡¯ where monsters naturally gathered over time. The ¡®Non-Regenerating Dungeon¡¯ was artificially constructed, and when monsters died, they had to manually insert new ones. Given its nature as the ¡®Seven Great Evil Dungeons,¡¯ some monsters occasionally visited voluntarily. Many of the humans challenging the Seven Great Evil Dungeons fall short in terms of skill. Most who dare to enter consider themselves formidable individuals. Even Glacia, who was in Room 1, was such a monster that a single one could turn a small village into ruins in an instant. S~?a??h the N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. However, even with such high-level monsters in Room 1, there are numerous cases where they couldn¡¯t stop the extermination of the expedition team. To construct a dungeon with monsters coming of their own accord, the quantity and quality are insufficient. To consistently fend off humans entering the dungeon for several years, the reality was that creatures like dragons or ancient golems were needed. ¡°And Melje, you should always stay alert. We never know when humans might intrude,¡± Renee added subtly. As Patrick mentioned, there might be almost no incidents of humans intruding given the circumstances, but ¡®almost none¡¯ and ¡®none¡¯ are different. Allowing the invasion of humans during a moment of carelessness would be embarrassing. ¡°Yeah, of course. Leave it to me, Renee!¡± Melje¡¯s response was full of energy. Since Melje joined as a culinary expert, a transparent eye has always been hidden on the dungeon entrance ceiling. Intermediate magic, the ¡®Observer¡¯s Eye,¡¯ consumed minimal mana to monitor the dungeon entrance. When someone stepped over the dungeon threshold, the eye turned its gaze towards the incoming presence. In other words, if the gaze shifted, it meant someone had arrived. Of course, there was a drawback of needing frequent checks. Among intermediate magics, there was also the higher-ranked ¡®Wakeful Watchman,¡¯ which alerted Melje immediately upon detecting an intruder. However, it consumed much more mana than the ¡®Observer¡¯s Eye¡¯ to sustain the magic. In situations where constant surveillance was required, it was not the most suitable magic. ¡°Melje, you have to check regularly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I check as soon as I find a gap. I checked about 10 minutes ago. Yeah, that¡¯s right. Since we brought it up, I should check again now.¡± As Melje responded, Renee, who emptied his teacup, stood up from his seat. He tied an apron around himself. It was time to work. A situation where the dungeon¡¯s boss monster is struggling outside meant that the gatekeeper couldn¡¯t enjoy tea time indefinitely. Since things have come to this, let¡¯s turn even this situation into an opportunity, Renee thought, firm in her decision. Renee, who had resolved himself internally, took a deep breath as if gathering his energy and smiled at Melje. ¡°From now on, Renee will do the cleaning. I¡¯m sorry to ask the culinary expert, Melje, but since we¡¯re short-handed, I¡¯d like to assign a few tasks to you as well. Spare maid uniforms will be prepared soon, so could you help?¡± In reality, it was more of a half-coercion. Judging by Melje¡¯s reaction, even if it was excessive, her face turned pale. It seemed like her reaction might be more than just an exaggeration. ¡°Uh, sure. ¡­But, Renee, it seems like that¡¯s not the issue right now.¡± ©¤It didn¡¯t seem like Melje turned pale because of Renee¡¯s words. The small demon¡¯s trembling fingers pointed at the screen hovering in the air. It was a screen linked to the ¡®Observer¡¯s Eye.¡¯ Renee focused her gaze on the screen, which seemed alien, like the space had torn apart. Renee took out the clasp from her pocket. The ¡®Brachycephalic Tooth¡¯ gleamed menacingly. It seemed like the intruder had passed through Room 5 in the meantime. Renee squinted her eyes. Melje, visibly tense, prepared her casting, swallowing nervously. It was only when the chaotic sounds from before ceased that Renee and Melje simultaneously expressed their bewilderment. The agressive aura emanating from the intruder©¤ this was undeniably some Demon. * * * Another teacup joined the set. The intruder in the middle of the night silently lifted the teacup. The intruder was crimson. The breath that lightly flowed from their lips was red, the enchanting smile that rose above the slender jaw was red, and even the color of the hair tied up to reveal the nape of the neck was deliberately dyed red. Except for the pale skin, the intruder was entirely engulfed in red. ¡°I apologize for not having anything proper to offer. If you had given me notice before coming, Renee would have prepared something¡­ ¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry too much since I came unannounced. Besides, I came not only because there was business, but also because I wanted to see you.¡± The nightmare of Astreshia Forest, the Night¡¯s Daughter, the boss of one of the Seven Great Evil Dungeons, ¡®Cheite Castle.¡¯ The intruder, ¡®Elizabeth Batory,¡¯ greeted Renee with a smile. ¡°I was worried about how you were doing, seeing the flush on your face, I guess my concerns were needless.¡± ¡°Renee is always leading a happy life. It¡¯s almost too much for me to be living like this¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s fortunate.¡± Renee responded with a smile as well. The cheerful smiles of the two seemed to brighten up the atmosphere in the dark cave. Meanwhile, Batory frequently glanced around. While appearing to enjoy the tea with closed eyes and an air of sophistication, her occasional gaze, revealed through her half-open eyes, always lingered around Renee¡¯s eyes. ¡®¡­There really was no need to worry.¡¯ Even without asking, it seemed like She knew what had happened during the three weeks Renee wandered and disappeared. Being back in the dungeon and, above all, that right eye. ¡®It¡¯s quite impressive, considering it¡¯s Devourer. But it seems like progress hasn¡¯t gone beyond that.¡¯ Despite the dazzlingly pure smile, it appeared that things hadn¡¯t progressed further. How could they not break free from expectations? Batory sighed as she pressed her lips to the tea. It was quite an accomplishment for a girl who seemed to have no thoughts and a guy fixated on just one thing to come this far. Yes, quite an accomplishment. ¡°By the way, who¡¯s the new face over here?¡± This time, Batory turned her gaze toward Melje. Melje, who had been subtly staring at Batory since earlier, now had eyes filled with curiosity and doubt. As Batory¡¯s question echoed, Melje, as if waiting, cleared her throat stiffly and coughed. ¡°Are you asking me? If I may introduce myself, I am Melje De Lymph Agrea, the 17th descendant of Asmodeus, the powerful demon who governs demons!¡± ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t properly introduced Melje here. This is Batory, the boss of ¡®Cheite Castle.''¡± ¡°¡­¡­So it is.¡± ¡°Ah, I thought the aura was unusual, so it was a young Demon King.¡± ¡°Yes, she is staying here for a while.¡± ¡°¡­Renee, if I live here as a guest for the rest of my life, can I see all the bosses of the Seven Great Evil Dungeons?¡± ¡°Melje!! Really.¡± Please speak sensibly. Saying you will live as a guest for the rest of your life, you really have no shame. With hidden thoughts, Renee smiled discreetly and patted Melje¡¯s back. Perhaps putting in more force than intended, Melje let out a scream as she received the pats. ¡°So you¡¯re not part of the Primordial Core yet?¡± ¡°Well¡­ no, not yet.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I know that Demon kings have a pretty long lifespan. It is more than ten times that of humans, right? Since you¡¯ll have plenty of time, don¡¯t be too hasty and take it slow.¡± Batory didn¡¯t delve into further questioning. Tilting the teacup periodically, whether she had emptied its contents or not, Batory, who had now placed the empty cup down, clapped twice. In response, one of the bats clinging to the cave wall gradually took on the appearance of a butler and went to receive the teacup offered by Batory. The butler, taking a handkerchief from his tuxedo pocket, wiped away the sediment settled at the bottom of the cup. The handkerchief was full of dried blood particles. ¡°By the way, where is Devourer?¡± While Renee¡¯s attention was drawn to the teacup, Batory subtly inquired. At the same time, it seemed like she was grabbing the frill of her dress and getting up, as if intending to change her seat. Come to think of it, She did mention that she came here for a reason. Is she finally getting to that matter? Renee, who roughly grasped the situation, answered. ¡°Mr Devourer has temporarily left.¡± ¡°Hmm? ¡®That Devourer¡¯ went outside the dungeon? ¡­Then, where¡¯s Patrick?¡± Hearing the seemingly contradictory statement, Batory frowned. ¡°Patrick also left his post to follow Mr Devourer.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Batory fell silent. The slow solidification of her expression became apparent to Renee and Melje. After her expression completely stiffened, she sighed as if saying, ¡°What nonsense.¡± Then, she snapped her fingers as if feeling frustrated. The attentive butler on the side, who had been silently guarding the seat, nodded again. ¡°Did they go there knowing what the situation is like now?¡± [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 41 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 41 I started feeling this strange phenomenon a few days ago. Batory¡¯s source of blood supply was the humans from the nearby villages. Given the perishable nature of fresh blood, the most efficient method was to receive a real-time supply from the surrounding areas. Fortunately, the villages near the Astreshia Forest, where Cheite Castle was located, had plenty of good blood. The pure and robust blood of these individuals was undoubtedly the finest delicacy for Batory and the ultimate suppressant to maintain her sanity. Batory thrived on the humans from the surrounding villages. In exchange for periodically kidnapping humans from the village, she protected the villages around the Astreshia Forest from the monsters. It was quite a lucrative business¡ªof course, the majority of the villagers were unaware of these facts, living their lives without even knowing. And then, a few days ago, when Batory¡¯s kin went down to the village to choose sacrifices. ¡°¡­You¡¯re saying the humans were wiped out.¡± ¡°I¡¯d say wiped out is a bit vague. Since the village was stained with blood, they must have all died, but there were no bodies. They all disappeared. And¡­¡± The problem was that this phenomenon wasn¡¯t limited to just one village. ¡°The other villages nearby were the same.¡± All the human villages in the region had suffered total annihilation. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s just a matter of humans causing this.¡± After a brief pause, Batory continued with her explanation. Examining the timeline marked by the bloodstains on the ground, it revealed a ¡®marching path¡¯ of the phenomenon. It seemed more like a deliberate, calculated progression than a sudden disaster. The anomaly consistently moved in a certain direction, systematically engulfing the villages in its path. ¡°Hastin is in the direction it¡¯s heading.¡± The corpses were disappearing. All those corpses vanished as if they were never there. Unless you were clueless, it was hard not to notice. ¡°Undead¡­¡± This time, Melje responded. Batory squinted her eyes in affirmation. The crimson tint in her pupils was quite chilling. ¡°But there aren¡¯t as many creatures capable of doing something like this as one might think.¡± Commonly referred to as undead, these beings were mostly devoid of intelligence. Those with intelligence, like Dullahan or Lich, were higher-ranked creatures labeled as ¡®Elders¡¯ with special terminology. And Elder undead don¡¯t typically arise through conventional means. The residents of raided villages, having ordinary bodies and ordinary souls, would, if infected, only resurrect as lower-tier undead without intelligence. Undead without intelligence typically wander. In cases where an entire human village is overtaken by the undead, it¡¯s normal for the undead horde to scatter in all directions. The synchronized movement of the undead forces, acting with consistency, can only be interpreted as someone commanding them. ¡°Erebos.¡± The God of the dead¡ªErebos, the Undying King. Finally, Batory uttered that name. If we were to select the prime mover of the incident based on the ability to command undead, the next consideration would be whether this individual had a reason to sweep through human villages. Through such thoughts, the final conclusion pointed to the boss monster of one of the Seven Great Evil Dungeons, known as the ¡®God of the dead,¡¯ Erebos. ¡°There¡¯s no direct evidence, but it seems like that guy is causing a commotion.¡± Batory lightly flicked her finger once again. The servant who reappeared before Batory, carrying a teacup prepared who knows when, replenished the cup. The red liquid filled the cup, creating ripples. If the one leading the undead is just a ¡®Elder Undead,¡¯ there¡¯s no need to pay much attention. Even Melje, who is currently a chef in the core, is practically a demon king. Most Elder Undead wouldn¡¯t withstand a few fire spells and would melt away. However, if the leading figure is Erebos, the story changes. It won¡¯t be just a matter of balancing forces; it will escalate further ©¤As there will likely be a territorial battle among the Seven Great Evil Dungeons. ¡ªThe invasion of the territory of Cheite Castle and Astreshia Forest by Erebos, the boss of one of the Seven Great Evil Dungeons, essentially amounted to a declaration of war on Hastin, the central region of the Seven Great Evil Dungeons. It¡¯s akin to declaring war between the two Great Evil Dungeons. It¡¯s a situation that no one can handle, and Erebos is not someone who wouldn¡¯t calculate that much. It was clear that some scheming was at play. ¡°Well, roughly, it¡¯s like this. Even if I handle it in my own way, Hastin is still the central region of the Primordial Core, right? Because of this, I came to hear Devourer¡¯s opinion. ¡­But, why is Devourer doing something unusual again?¡± Renee forced a smile, saying that the timing was bad. Batory, who had a headache, cautiously asked, ¡°So, those two. When are they coming back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Renee doesn¡¯t really know. Actually, I think it might take quite some time. Patrick is also cautious in handling his tasks.¡± Batory raised her head, wondering if those two would come back early. If they went, what would they do? The sight of Patrick handling work alone was vivid in her mind. ¡®Probably going somewhere to mess around again.¡¯ Batory sighed softly and spoke, ¡°What monsters will you send as messengers?¡± ¡°Currently, the dungeon is empty¡­¡± ¡°¡­Have you established a communication network?¡± ¡°Renee trusts Mr Devourer.¡± No, from now on, I¡¯ll trust someone trustworthy. Batory was amazed at the incredible dungeon operation. It seems difficult to obtain forces from Cheite Castle. Our situation is currently desperate, lacking even the troops to obtain the needed blood. Moreover, no matter how shameless their relationship might be, this is a task that the ¡®dungeon boss monsters¡¯ must undertake to maintain their respective influences. While indirect assistance can be provided, there was a clear need to draw a definite line when it comes to directly intervening in the events to offer help. ¡°So, what are we going to do?¡± Someone had to convey the news. After posing the question, Batory alternated her gaze between Melje and Renee. ¡®She said the demon king is a chef¡­.¡¯ It was the duty of the guardians of the Seven Great Evil Dungeons¡¯ hearts to block those who tried to reach the deepest part of the cave. I heard news that the 116 Black tentacles was not in perfect condition. Renee could never entrust the dungeon to a chef. Batory once again gauged Renee¡¯s reaction. Renee seemed to be aware of her own situation, wearing a distressed expression. Despite the opportunity to visit Mr Devourer, she couldn¡¯t go due to her current state. She might be resenting the 116 Black tentacles right now. And the demon king next to her¡ª ¡ªwas shaking her legs severely. S?a?ch* Th? Nov?lF?re .??t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°Well, well, well, looks like I.I..I.I..I..I have to go. There¡¯s no other choice¡­!¡± She was shaking with joy. *** Phase 4 *** Yeah, it was suspicious from the start. The captain thought it over, reviewing the situation. They hadn¡¯t revealed anything from the beginning. Even just looking at the knight, it was evident. The plate mail differed in age from recent creations, and there wasn¡¯t a single emblem indirectly indicating his status. Moreover, the supposed knight didn¡¯t even draw his weapon. The man in shabby attire went even further, being less than expected. Contrary to the captain¡¯s assumption that he might be a necromancer, the man didn¡¯t use dark magic or enchantments at all. He simply stood there, effortlessly subduing his comrades with minimal movements. The power emanating from his unassuming build was unbelievable. Suspicious usually implies some level of danger. In other words, those two were also dangerous individuals. So¡­. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ There was never a chance of winning from the beginning. Uttering a small curse, the captain collapsed to the ground. The humans who had rushed Devourer and Patrick were all wiped out. The number of heads that charged in and the number of heads scattered on the ground were identical. It didn¡¯t take much time to deal with the humans in the alley. ¡®It seems to be more or less over.¡¯ After finally knocking out the captain, Patrick brushed off his hands. The clinking sound of the gauntlets meeting echoed, seemingly mocking the humans. ¡°That was an incredible skirmish. For a moment, you managed to surprise me. Quite impressive for humans.¡± ¡°No, weren¡¯t you just fooling around and accidentally stepped on your own foot¡­¡± ¡°Making me make a mistake itself indicates that the enemies had considerable skills. They were not ordinary humans.¡± Well, they were actually quite ordinary humans. Devourer responded with a yawn. Except for the part where Patrick unexpectedly fell over, causing him to be beaten by the humans, it was relatively easy to tidy up the situation. After embracing their shabby outerwear and rib bone each in their arms, the two sighed in relief. After the situation was settled, Patrick rummaged through the captain¡¯s pockets. It looked like the scene where humans rummage through the bodies of dead monsters to loot. The first thing that came out of the captain¡¯s pockets was gold coins, probably taken from Devourer¡¯s pockets. It was the emergency fund that Patrick always kept for Devourer. ¡®Well, there¡¯s nowhere to spend all of this in this village anyway.¡¯ After roughly collecting the gold coins, Patrick searched through the captain¡¯s clothes. Quite a variety of things came out, mostly cheap magic potions¡ªranging from ones that explode to ones that glow, there was a considerable variety. ¡°That was quite refreshing. Admirable.¡± Patrick spoke with a cheerful tone in his solitary mutterings. Knowledge about potion blending couldn¡¯t be acquired wandering around the back alleys. The captain probably wasn¡¯t from this side. The recent battle was the same. When a few humans fell, the captain shook his head. He obscured his vision, induced explosions, and employed other tricks until the end, targeting only the vulnerabilities. It was the typical ¡®combat for survival.¡¯ ¡°Well, they¡¯re thieves, so I thought they might have a map of the village or something. But there¡¯s no income at all. Rather than wasting more time looking for something useful, it seems better to handle it quickly. So, Boss, please don¡¯t lie down already.¡± ¡°You lie down too, Patrick. It¡¯s surprisingly cozy here.¡± ¡°I say this every time, but wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to at least pretend to listen when I talk?¡± Having found his own outerwear, Devourer, who had been lying on the dirty floor as if his business was done, yawned and stretched. The ones who escaped were hard to catch. Initially, there was no intention to kill them all. A leaderless group of beggars is utterly powerless, so they would naturally disperse without chasing them down. Therefore, ¡®Once we deal with these guys, it should be fine.¡¯ The number of humans sprawled on the floor was less than twenty. Patrick, contemplating how to handle them, remembered the pit he had seen earlier. ¡°There¡¯s a place on the outskirts piled up with corpses like mountains. Let¡¯s handle it there, Boss.¡± He was about to turn his head towards Devourer while saying that. ¡°First, let¡¯s welcome our lady.¡± Suddenly turning his head, Patrick added a remark. Devourer also turned only his head while maintaining his prone position. At the direction of Patrick¡¯s gaze, there was a girl. Even in the dark midnight, the girl with dirty clothes and distinctly pink hair was noticeable. The girl was approaching Patrick. With each step, unmistakable hesitation revealed her fear, but her eyes were fixed firmly on Patrick. She didn¡¯t take a step back; she was approaching steadily. Trembling, leading her trembling body. ¡°Th-th¡­¡± ¡°Rosalina!¡± A voice chasing after the girl followed. This time, a man appeared behind the girl. Too old to be called a young man, a thin, bony man. Numerous scars all over his body spoke volumes about the hardships he had endured in life. ¡°To-Tott¡­.¡± Rozalina The girl called out the man¡¯s name. Unlike the energetic panting of the man, she had a small voice as if she were crawling. Patrick just chuckled. ¡°Why are they coming one after another like this?¡± In response to Patrick¡¯s playful words, Devourer scratched the back of his head. It was the same when he encountered Arin or whatever his name was in Raize. Humans seemed to have the characteristic of coming out one by one, not all at once. With a nonchalant tone, Devourer said, ¡°Humans are all like this, huh?¡± [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 42 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 42 ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Those were the first words to escape from Rosalina¡¯s lips. It was her own doing¡ªa tragedy unfolding from her unilateral actions, something no one had asked for. It was all a consequence of ¡®Rosalina¡¯s actions.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± The girl was already not in her right mind. With a body seemingly frozen in fear, Rosalina managed to move forward. Her disheveled hair covered most of her expression, but it was evident she was on the verge of tears. Tot seemed equally frightened. Cold sweat poured down as he mustered the courage to call Rosalina¡¯s name again. In response, she turned her head and offered a smile. It was a forced smile. Trying to smile while on the brink of tears made her lips quiver. ¡°Tott¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I never expected things to turn out like this. I clearly messed up this time. I did something wrong, and yet, why are others suffering the consequences? So, let¡¯s apologize. No, I¡¯ll apologize. I messed up. If I admit my mistake, the knight will surely forgive us.¡± ¡®Stop spewing nonsense, idiot. That knight has no intention of showing any mercy.¡¯ Tott wanted to shout anything, but he couldn¡¯t muster the words. The overwhelming aura emanating from the knight felt like a crushing weight on Tott¡¯s throat. It was debilitating. Reaching out was all he could do in his powerless state. ¡°The¡­the knight, and even our comrades¡­ I messed up. It was me who stole. Others have nothing to do with this incident. I¡­I haven¡¯t been here for long¡­ So, please, just forgive us once.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Patrick¡¯s response was cold. His emotions were so restrained that it was impossible to discern the meaning behind his sigh. When Patrick turned to look at Devourer, who had slammed his head onto the dirty floor and remained in that position, Devourer spoke without changing his posture. ¡°This is insane.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he says.¡± There was no need for further pleas or self-pity. With that brief exchange, it was already over. Facing Patrick approaching Rosalina, the only thing Tott could do was walk forward and block their path. He spread his hands to shield Rosalina from Patrick¡¯s view as much as possible. Simultaneously, he thought it was foolish to act and still considered himself stupid. There¡¯s a creature among birds that, when sensing danger, supposedly sticks its head into a hole. This situation of trying to shield Rosalina from the knight¡¯s view felt exactly like that. There was no difference between Tott and a birdbrain. Arrogant thoughts swirled through Tott¡¯s mind. Like Rosalina, his lips trembled. ¡°If you come any closer, I¡¯ll kill you.¡± He even brandished a dagger in an attempt at a meaningless threat. Rosalina bowed her head deeply. Taking something out of her pocket, she clutched it tightly in both hands, shaking. She seemed to be praying. Although she muttered something, it was impossible to make out the words. Without taking many steps, Patrick approached Tott until he was right in front of him. The enormous shadow seemed ready to swallow Tott whole. Tott¡¯s hands, holding the dagger, twitched. For a moment, Patrick stood in front of Tott, gently raising his hands over Tott¡¯s shoulders. In that position, he pressed down ever so slightly¡ª ¡°¡­!¡± Tott sank down. A shiver ran through him. Any resolve in the face of death was useless before the true terror of death. Tott¡¯s gaze, now sitting down, was fixed on the ground. He couldn¡¯t lift his head. His instinct was telling him¡ªIf he raises his head, he will die. Ignoring Tott, who was barely breathing, Patrick took another step forward and crouched down right in front of Rosalina. After silently observing Rosalina, who continued to pray, for a few seconds, Patrick finally brightened his gaze. He reached out. The cold gauntlet, devoid of any warmth, touched the girl¡¯s skin. ¡°¡­This.¡± Opening the girl¡¯s hand and taking the item she had clenched tightly¡ªPatrick spoke. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± S~?a??h the N0v?lFir?.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡ª Whether it was intentionally damaged or not, there were cut portions of a laurel leaf hanging upside down, and a black phoenix that seemed to be deliberately distorted. The shapes were grotesque enough to be considered ominous, but it was clear. Based on the basic form it had, it was undoubtedly¡ª ¡°It was a rosary.¡± The item the girl had clutched while praying was a rosary. Despite Patrick¡¯s solemn tone, Devourer¡¯s reaction was indifferent. It was a tea that could easily pass with just a few yawns. ¡°¡­So what?¡± Devourer retorted with a voice full of annoyance. Although Patrick spoke as if he had seen something terrifying, the existence of a rosary wasn¡¯t something to be particularly concerned or amazed about. Certainly, it has to be a religious item. Despite the immense suppression from the imperial authority, and instead of holding the rightful authority they should have, the Empire undeniably had religion. Strangely, among those daring to challenge the Primordial Core, most were prepared for death. When sorting through the spoils of the deceased, religious items were frequently found. Devourer had seen Rosaries a few times while Renee was categorizing the loot. ¡°So what? Boss, Look at the patterns. Torn laurel leaves or an inverted phoenix¡­ compared to those, isn¡¯t the rosary quite ominous? It¡¯s like saying, ¡®We are suspicious, please be suspicious of us.¡¯ Turning the phoenix upside down is outright proclaiming an inverted cross. Moreover, you must have felt the mana emanating from the rosary, Boss.¡± ¨C Why do you know so much about that, Patrick? Overlaying his thoughts onto Patrick¡¯s sermon, Devourer looked up at the sky. The already purple-transformed sky was being painted over with bright colors. It was already morning, and the realization that there was more to do made Devourer feel on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. ¡°¡­Mana can come out of an item. Suspecting every little thing is a sickness, Patrick.¡± ¡°It was a dense gray mana. Not your usual mana. It¡¯s surveillance mana,¡± Patrick asserted. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a knight¡­? How do you distinguish something like that?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know magic just because you can¡¯t use it, that¡¯s a problem. You need to understand it to counter it. Especially magic related to tracking or surveillance, you should be aware of it for assassination preparedness at the very least. Boss, even if you get smacked around without knowing these things, it should be possible to survive if you¡¯re tough enough.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. You¡¯re quite impressive, Master.¡± Patrick¡¯s words weren¡¯t wrong. When the human girl prayed, mana clearly flowed from the rosary. The color was gray. However, it was a negligible amount that didn¡¯t warrant much attention. Patrick¡¯s voice gained strength as he stared at Devourer¡¯s vacant face. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? The rosary has not protective magic but surveillance magic. And it belonged to a poor girl who has nothing special, not a noble or a commoner.¡± In this case, it¡¯s more appropriate to see it as ¡®among many rosaries with surveillance magic, one happened to be with the girl¡¯ rather than ¡®the girl had a rosary with surveillance magic because she¡¯s special.¡¯ In other words, the girl is likely one of many being observed. ¡°The residents of Hastin are under surveillance by someone.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± ¡°Moreover, this is an opportunity. Considering the state of the village, it¡¯s natural for religion to emerge. But for the poor to have rosaries means there¡¯s no class distinction in recruiting followers for the religion.¡± A village heading towards despair. And a subtly watchful religion even over the poor in such a village. ¡°Don¡¯t you think a picture is forming? If we dig deep on this side, we can encounter various types of people, Boss. Understanding why they suffer and what causes it becomes easily accessible.¡± ¡®Besides, there are a few more things I¡¯m curious about.¡¯ Until the girl took out the rosary, it showed no reaction. Mana flowed only after the girl began praying. It means it operates only in specific situations. If we figure out those conditions, we might understand what the one who gave the rosary is plotting. ¡°Hastin isn¡¯t just some magical city¡­ Last time, it was a magic stone, and now it¡¯s an item with magic. Is that it?¡± It¡¯s clearly a situation spiraling out of control. After muttering, ¡®Can¡¯t we just leave Hastin be?¡¯ while swallowing the words along with saliva, Devourer slapped Patrick on the shoulder. It was a gesture with a meaning like ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is, but I find it bothersome, so handle it yourself.¡¯ ¡°Then we¡¯ll go in the direction of persuading the humans, so you need to cooperate, Boss.¡± The sound of Patrick¡¯s jaw grinding echoed loudly within the plate mail. He must be feeling exhilaration at approaching the truth. ¡°How are we going to persuade them?¡± Devourer, with his face buried in the ground again, asked casually. Patrick, who had risen from his seat, tapped the area around the helmet¡¯s temple with his finger. ¡°I¡¯ve come up with a fantastic method for that, Boss.¡± ¡ª * * * ¡°Apologies for earlier. We have our own circumstances, and the situation forced us to act aggressively. We have no intention of causing harm to any of you now, so you can rest assured.¡± ©¤This is quite impressive. Devourer, who had been sprawled in the corner, muttered silently to himself as he listened to Patrick¡¯s speech. Without even greasing his lips, how can he spin lies so smoothly? Could that be considered one of the virtues of a knight? ¡°We are Shadow Knights affiliated with the Imperial direct covert organization, ¡®Roano¡¯s Mist.''¡± Ignoring Devourer¡¯s peculiar gaze, Patrick continued, gathering those who were in relatively good physical condition. Patrick was skilled at reading people. He knew how to appease individuals who harbored hostility almost like a living enemy. First, appeal to them as non-enemies as much as possible. Emphasize that it¡¯s not beneficial to treat them as foes, mention the Imperial name to imprint that confronting them won¡¯t lead to anything good, and stress being public servants to ease their guard. ¡°Shadow Knights¡­ you mean?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no need to accept it too heavily. It hasn¡¯t been widely known externally. Even within the Imperial, not many are aware.¡± Adding a sense of suspicion for legitimacy. ¡°It¡¯s natural that you don¡¯t know.¡± Acknowledging ignorance. ¡°So, it would be great if you could keep this fact under wraps as much as possible.¡± Add specific actions to enhance trust. Whether it¡¯s direct lineage to the imperial family, the mention of covert operations, or shadows, sprinkle sentences with seasonings that evoke a sense of secrecy. It didn¡¯t take long for the atmosphere in the back alley, filled with hostility and caution, to soften. ©¤The overwhelming force displays a humble and gentle attitude, revealing their circumstances. Considering they currently don¡¯t have the upper hand to do anything to them even if they don¡¯t believe, how would they behave in such a situation? The choice was already predetermined. The animosity of the humans gradually shifted into curiosity. ¡°First, regarding the situation earlier, there was a clear order not to leave traces about those who caused friction. We weren¡¯t angered because of stealing. It was an unavoidable situation.¡± After a while, one of the humans who had been listening spoke up. ¡°¡­ You mentioned following orders, but why did you come to Hastin?¡± ¡°We came to rescue Hastin.¡± ¡°To rescue¡­ What do you mean?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s difficult to explain exactly why we came in detail, but we received a report from our superiors to investigate as it seems there¡¯s a problem in Hastin. Currently, we are trying to understand the situation.¡± Coming to rescue Hastin is the truth. After repeating it several times, Hastin is a crucial entity for the Primordial Core. ¡°The reason we are making this request, even while violating such orders, is¡­¡± Patrick continued his well-spoken words, engaging in a conversation where truth and falsehood intermingled. The humans seemed to be drawn into Patrick¡¯s words as if they were under some kind of influence. Amidst them, only two individuals named Tott and Daechang maintained unwavering eyes. Thinking that the persuasion was more or less complete, Patrick, after a moment of pause, declared: ¡°Simply put, our ¡®Roano¡¯s Mist¡¯ needs your information. We need to quickly understand the situation and identify the cause so that we can provide smooth material support and relief efforts in Hastin. How about it? Would you like to join us in restoring peace to Hastin?¡± If using them is a way to be together, then it is a method. From that perspective, this statement was not entirely false. ¡°I want to become your allies.¡± The following words, however, were a perfect lie. The blue glow flickered coldly. Despite tilting the head slightly outside the helmet, no light leaked out. Of course, Once the job was done, he planned to kill them all. [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 43 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 43 ¡°Persuading the humans is more or less done. It¡¯s surprisingly easy. People from the lower class are often more lenient when it comes to rationalizing their actions.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°The Captain and that man, those two never let go of their suspicions until the end, which is annoying. But everyone else has come around. They might initiate a conversation with us soon. Those suspicious ones tend to make the first move originally.¡± ¡°Um, yeah.¡± It took Patrick less than an hour to convince the humans. Unable to express gratitude for their efforts, Devourer scratched the back of his neck. While thankful for their cooperation, the scale of the situation seemed to overshadow the effort, making Devourer somewhat indifferent. Rolling his eyes, Devourer glanced at Patrick and saw a burst of enthusiasm. Oh, he doesn¡¯t plan to finish this casually. ¡°So, the enemy is among us, that¡¯s what it means.¡± ¡°What? What are you suddenly talking about?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Patrick confirmed the absence of any approaching threat before taking off his helmet. Talking in a refreshed voice about something as mundane as breathing, he occasionally seemed to forget that he belonged to a different species. As Devourer attempted to lie back on the floor, Patrick cleared his throat and added a remark. ¡°Anyway, from now on, it¡¯s the main act.¡± While until yesterday, their activities mainly revolved around secretly collecting surface-level information, they had now gained dozens of residents of Hastin as both potential sources and informants. This allowed them to delve more deeply into their investigation. Observing Devourer sprawled on the ground like a corpse, Patrick spoke. ¡°Now, Boss, let¡¯s see¡­ What should we do now?¡± ¡°¡­Do I have to work too?¡± ¡°Is that what you call work?¡± Devourer¡¯s pupils shook intensely at Patrick¡¯s words. Seeing this, Patrick sighed softly and continued. ¡°Boss, you should stay here with the humans. I¡¯m not saying just to idle around. I¡¯m asking you to keep an eye on things. Monitor the activities of the alleyway residents, build camaraderie with the humans, and observe if anything unusual is happening.¡± ¡°Huh? You want me to be friends with humans?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so, Boss. Whether the ¡®fully armored knight¡¯ or the ¡®boss who looks like a beggar¡¯ appears more approachable to humans, isn¡¯t it clear without much thought?¡± ¡°I had a feeling you¡¯d say something like that. But didn¡¯t you just call me a boss who looks like a beggar?¡± ¡°Anyway, Boss, you need to find a way to befriend the humans here, even if it means using some methods. Hm, for example, behaving as similarly as possible to the people in the alley and increasing the sense of camaraderie could be one way.¡± Ignoring Devourer¡¯s question, Patrick spoke. In response to the suggestion of behaving like humans, Devourer, for the first time in a while, shook his head. I¡¯ll probably spend most of the day sleeping. Even those who are awake are likely to be groggy, and any physical activity would likely be sluggish. This is totally¡­ ¡°So, just live as usual?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re saying that as some kind of trick, but it won¡¯t be that easy. Don¡¯t forget that we need to investigate the religion that distributed the rosaries. You need to approach as a devotee, and that too, after building enough familiarity.¡± If you approach a devout person on the verge of death and say, ¡°Let¡¯s investigate the religion you pray to,¡± it¡¯s obvious that the other party will harbor hostility. They might even provide false information, potentially ruining the entire mission. It was better to invest more time and effort to approach as a believer in a more natural way. Patrick stood up from his seat. As he rose, it seemed like he was getting ready to conclude the ¡®conversation with the captain¡¯ he mentioned earlier. ¡°I¡¯ll conduct my own investigation. Boss, don¡¯t just complain; put in a bit more effort. We need to finish quickly so we can go back and rest sooner, don¡¯t we?¡± Ignoring Devourer, who nodded a couple of times, Patrick took a step forward. Before leaving, Patrick opened his mouth one last time. ¡°Oh, and just in case, you should be aware that even if humans seem wary, you should endure it. No matter how well you manipulate them with words, the current humans are more sensitive to physical injuries than mental trust. It might be quite challenging to get close to them.¡± ¡ª [It might be quite challenging to get close to them.] ¡®What¡¯s so challenging about it¡­¡¯ Trusting Patrick was a mistake. Contrary to someone¡¯s words suggesting that getting close to humans would be difficult, Devourer didn¡¯t take even minutes to start conversations with the alley humans. Moreover, it was the humans who initiated the conversation, not Devourer. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re a shadow knight of ¡®Roano¡¯s Mist,¡¯ the imperial family¡¯s knight, right? Sir Knight, did you come from Raize? They say there¡¯s plenty of milk and honey in Raize, is that true?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! They say food is so abundant that it rolls on the ground, and the residents of Raize can live without working for a lifetime!¡± ¡°Sir Knight, Sir Knight! Your comrade was wearing armor; why are you dressed like this?¡± ¡°Fools, this is a disguise! I don¡¯t usually go around dressed like this!¡± So many words were exchanged in front of Devourer that he couldn¡¯t even react to all of them. Already, more than ten humans were showing curious glances. ¡®Whether it¡¯s positive or they lack learning ability.¡¯ He wanted to devour them all up, but if he did, there would be a festival of Patrick¡¯s nagging. Alright, let¡¯s get along. Let¡¯s get along. Devourer forced a smile, brainwashing himself. ¡°Contrary to appearances, Sir Knight seems to be incredibly strong. I was surprised because I also don¡¯t get pushed around by force when I go somewhere.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yeah, well.¡± Controlling my strength to the extent of just fainting them was incredibly challenging. ¡°Sir Knight! The Imperial ¡®Lance of Roa¡¯ wears armor made of gold, so is your armor also made of gold?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not, probably.¡± I vaguely remember a knight challenging the Primordial Core in the past wearing golden armor. It was intriguing, but it wasn¡¯t gold. Making armor out of gold is as foolish as it gets. ¡°They say all the food in Raize is delicious, is that true?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± The lingering taste of the dry fruit Devourer ate at the inn with Melje still lingered in his mouth. He frowned slightly, thinking it was still in his mouth. ¡°During your time as a knight in the Imperial service, have you ever met Vern or Wooin?¡± ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d know those guys?¡± This time, the humans showed a slightly puzzled reaction. Thinking about it, the names sounded somewhat familiar. Numerous questions followed. Most of them were cheap questions full of curiosity, like, ¡°Is there really a dragon in that dungeon?!¡± likened to lower-tier monsters¡¯ inquiries. Whether it was Vern or Wooin, Devourer couldn¡¯t recall much about their actions. The questions about their deeds were quite numerous. While Wooin¡¯s name sounded somewhat familiar, it was probably a trivial matter, given that he couldn¡¯t remember after a day. S?a?ch* Th? ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I¡¯ve only been to Raize once recently; there¡¯s no way I¡¯d encounter those guys.¡± Numerous questions and answers continued. Devourer, answering for over ten minutes, displayed a visibly tired expression, prompting the humans to start discreetly leaving. It was precisely when Devourer was about to heave a sigh in relief that Rosalina timidly approached. ¡®This is driving me crazy.¡¯ Could it be an inherent habit of the human race to keep coming one after another when it seems to be finally over? ¡°Um, excuse me¡­ Sir Knight.¡± As the hesitant voice approached, Devourer lifted his head. Behind the girl, who looked somewhat more composed than when they first met, a man with a stern expression was also approaching. Devourer narrowed his eyes. The girl had a rosary hanging around her neck, which she used to carry in her pocket. ¡®She does look a bit eerie.¡¯ However, she wasn¡¯t emitting any mana. It seemed Patrick was right; she probably released mana only in specific situations. Rosalina, approaching Devourer cautiously, lowered her head deeply. ¡°Uh, Sir Knight, I¡¯m really sorry for stealing the item.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± It was merely the loot from the Primordial Core boss. Devourer replied casually and scratched the back of his head. An awkward atmosphere settled in. This time, the man who was behind Rosalina stepped forward, pushing her aside. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Tott. I¡¯m currently overseeing the back alleys in place of the absent captain.¡± The man still seemed full of caution. He must be the other person Patrick mentioned, the one besides the captain, who wouldn¡¯t let go of suspicion. Devourer also nodded lightly in response. After a brief intake of breath, Tott immediately asked, ¡°The captain asked me to assist wholeheartedly until he can reach you.¡± Devourer raised an eyebrow. The cautious treatment towards him was likely because of this reason. It seemed that Patrick, who had gone to meet the captain, had handled the conversation well. ¡°You seem quite tired. I¡¯ll get straight to the point. The captain mentioned that you came here to save Hastin.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°If you want to know the current situation of the village, it would be quicker to see for yourself rather than hearing about it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re okay with it, I¡¯ll guide you right now.¡± ¡ªWait, why would you want to do that right now? Someone is quite eager, thinking this, Devourer reconsidered his thoughts after a moment of contemplation. Staying idle here would undoubtedly result in another merciless barrage of questions. Given Patrick¡¯s intricate setup earlier, there were quite a few tricky questions that would be challenging to answer. Just staying here would be another form of torture. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± As Devourer stood up, Tott spoke. ¡°First, let¡¯s take a look around the residential area.¡± ¡ª The first place they entered was a plain, empty house in the deserted street. No signs of anyone inside. It seemed like Tott was aware that no one was inside, as he confidently opened the door. The door was already open. More precisely, the bent latch was rendered useless. It was a sign that someone had already been here. As the door opened, the first thing to react was their sense of smell. A thick and heavy odor permeated the entire building. A smell that might be repulsive to some and familiar, albeit unpleasant, to others. Silently, Devourer and Tott explored different corners of the room. The origin of the smell was on the second floor. It wafted uncomfortably from a room used as a storage space. They opened the slightly ajar door. There were two corpses. ¡°It¡¯s been three weeks since the ¡®Black Disaster¡¯ struck Hastin.¡± Tott, who had been silently observing the emaciated bodies, suddenly spoke. ¡°Why is the village so quiet? Why aren¡¯t the villagers rising with pitchforks and scythes¡ª¡± These questions had been there from the beginning. When famine struck a village, the arrows of anger were usually aimed at the lord, and enraged peasants would rise with their weapons. The ¡®Black Disaster¡¯ was certainly formidable enough to withstand famine. Yet, why did the residents of Hastin starve to death without taking any action? Why did they not even unite? ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Tott¡¯s question received no reaction from Devourer. He maintained his expressionless demeanor. A static silence settled between them. Considering the silence as affirmation, Tott spoke again. ¡°It all started with the ¡®Black Disaster.''¡± [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 44 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 44 The beginning was the ¡®Black Disaster.¡¯ Without any warning, the disaster descended upon Hastin¡¯s square, disappearing in a matter of seconds. In that brief moment, countless lives in the square were snuffed out. Buildings touched by the black entity crumbled, and living beings it touched burst apart. Everything was thoroughly trampled upon. Unfortunately, those who gazed upon the Black Disaster with their own eyes mostly fell into an eternal slumber. It was only natural that those unconscious could not endure even a week and succumbed to death. People who lost their homes began to wander aimlessly. Soon after, news of the death of Count Etark, the lord of Hastin, began to circulate in the streets. Not long after the disaster struck, someone set fire to the fields. Immediately, ominous rumors spread throughout the entire village. It was said that the crops in the path of the Black Disaster were all contaminated. Anyone who tasted even a bit would suffer from a terribly painful plague. S?a??h the N?v?lFir?.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. The villagers pleaded for help from other territories. After several attempts at communication, a promise was returned to send a carriage loaded with supplies. And so, one day, two days, a few days passed. It didn¡¯t come. No matter how long they waited, not only did the carriage carrying provisions fail to arrive, but even something resembling a carriage¡¯s snout did not appear. It didn¡¯t take long for communication with other territories to be severed. And so, a few more days passed. Under the cover of night, individuals who suggested secretly escaping the village started to appear one by one. Making a pact to send news and supplies once they reached another village, they departed on the dark night roads. When even news from them became impossible to hear, no one could rely on external support any longer. Rumors began to circulate that Hastin was a cursed land. There were whispers that the empire had abandoned the cursed land. Despair took root. The residents had to endure through winter. The fields, now darker than the Black Disaster itself, were rendered useless. The residents had to endure until the crops grew again. Amidst the bleak situation, the residents thought, ¡°Even though there¡¯s no mention of the land being contaminated, the newly grown crops should be safe.¡± Now, the key was whether they had enough provisions to last until winter. ©¤ There was none. Given the unfortunate timing just before the harvest season, the stored grains were at their lowest. Crops that were flourishing and on the verge of harvest had all turned into black ashes. The feelings of the villagers mirrored the situation of their crops. In the midst of everyone wandering aimlessly, a wealthy commoner couple stepped forward. The couple had a considerable amount of food. There were no class distinctions in the conditions for sharing food with the residents of the alley. Even the residents of the back alleys received the couple¡¯s kindness. Around this couple, people began to emerge, shouting that everyone must unite to survive. And the next day. ¡°Both of them were found murdered in their home.¡± A predictable but tragic story. The amount of food the couple shared was nowhere near enough to last through the winter. At best, it was an amount that wouldn¡¯t even last a week. Someone who needed more food must have killed the couple. As the stench of decaying bodies filled the house, the stored food in the barn disappeared unnoticed. ¡°No one trusts anyone else. Without trust, they don¡¯t unite, and in an atmosphere of widespread distrust, people lock themselves in their homes to avoid being robbed.¡± Tott subtly observed Devourer¡¯s expression. Devourer showed no change in expression, listening as if it were an ordinary story. ¡°Fortunately, not all fields were completely burned. There were some untouched areas, but since the rumor spread about the contamination of crops, no one dared to touch the crops.¡± That was also the reason why the people living in the back alleys had not starved to death until now. The remaining grains, considered contaminated, became the share of the back alley residents. They had been struggling to survive by eating those abandoned grains. Being impoverished, having nothing to lose, and already afflicted by numerous diseases, it was the only choice they could make. ¡°So, you ate it, and contrary to the rumors, it was fine?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, so far.¡± Devourer sat in the living room, resting his chin on his hand. ¡°There¡¯s no way the crops are contaminated.¡± What touched Devourer¡¯s true form stained black. Only on the things it touched. The ancient monster wasn¡¯t a creature governing the plague. There¡¯s no way something untouched would be contaminated. ¡®Could it be a rumor tainted with someone¡¯s malice?¡¯ Certainly, that possibility couldn¡¯t be completely ruled out. In the meantime, Tott, who had been rummaging through the living room, sighed and called Devourer. Although they thoroughly searched the house, there was nothing to take. They didn¡¯t expect much, considering someone had already been there. ¡°Do you want to look around more?¡± ¡°¡­Seems unnecessary.¡± Entering another house wouldn¡¯t change the situation. There was no point in hoping for a different scene, just a twisted corpse stuffed in a different position. After confirming that there was nothing different even after inspecting the neighboring house, Devourer and Tott moved on. Their next destination was the outskirts of the castle. The peace-engulfed walls of Hastin, covered in moss to the point of shadowy places, greeted Devourer. While on the move, Tott handed Devourer a handkerchief. It was a dirty and crude bundle of cloth, almost like a rag. Then, he took out a similar one for himself and covered his nose. In a voice tinged with disgust, Tott suggested to Devourer, ¡°Having this is probably better than nothing.¡± As their pace increased, the stench grew stronger. Undoubtedly, with such a smell, humans would likely feel lightheaded. However, Devourer showed no reaction and continued walking. They reached a location with a large pit, filled to the brim with corpses. ¡°At first, most villagers believed that the aftermath of this disaster wouldn¡¯t last long. Therefore, even if not immediately, they had planned to hold separate funerals for the bodies piled up in Hastin Square.¡± Even the surviving villagers faced difficulties. Given the circumstances, arranging immediate funerals was impractical. ¡°So, the pit was created as a temporary solution for storing the bodies. Leaving corpses on the streets would attract insects, so they started placing all the bodies near the pit.¡± Devourer raised his head. The mound of corpses towered much higher than Devourer¡¯s height. The shadow cast by that mound obscured them. There shouldn¡¯t be this many dead in Hastin Square. It was a mountain of those who died from starvation or various reasons. ¡°Aren¡¯t they being cremated?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s challenging to confirm identities, as the bodies are tangled and intertwined. There are probably some who still harbor attachments among family or relatives. Well, the lack of unity is the most significant issue; no one is willing to step forward and cremate them.¡± Tott fell silent. The buzzing sound of insects, reminiscent of black clouds, was quite loud. After gazing at the mountain of corpses for a while, Tott continued explaining as Devourer took the first step and he followed, trying to keep up. ¡°I didn¡¯t mention it earlier, but the commoner couple who were murdered had a daughter.¡± Even though it was a somber story, Devourer, unable to overcome the weariness, let out a small yawn. Tott didn¡¯t mind and continued speaking. ¡°¡­Underneath that pit, Rosalina¡¯s parents are also buried.¡± ¡°How unfortunate.¡± The sentiment was brief. As if there were still several places to inspect, Tott took the lead in guiding the way. Devourer followed silently. Walking along the castle walls, they eventually encountered guards at the western gate. Without much thought, Devourer unintentionally locked eyes with them. The guards seemed weary. Enduring a whole day in armor must be quite taxing. Yet, persisting in guarding the gate until the end probably earned them a reasonable reward. It might signify that they won¡¯t starve. ¡®They won¡¯t starve¡­¡¯ In other words, there is food in the lord¡¯s castle. ©¤ Patrick¡¯s words about having a mark on his ear came to mind. ¡°The lord of Hastin committed suicide.¡± ¡°It seems he took his own life before facing responsibility from the imperial family. They say he was hanging from the ceiling of his room, like the guilt before the harvest.¡± Who was the current lord now? Devourer, casually contemplating while observing the guards, suddenly stopped. Tott, walking ahead, also halted at Devourer¡¯s reaction. Directing his puzzled gaze at Tott, Devourer asked in a low voice, ¡°¡­Have there been people trying to escape the village recently?¡± ¡°I heard guards are stopping them.¡± ¡°Under the lord¡¯s orders, I suppose?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Even when Patrick first stayed at Hastin¡¯s tavern, he had left his seat to see the lord. It was certainly suspicious. ¡°As expected, the lord is suspicious.¡± Devourer murmured quietly. * * * ¡°As expected, the lord is suspicious.¡± He was a person riddled with suspicion from the beginning. ¡®In cases like this, there¡¯s no clearer answer than meeting them in person.¡¯ Several hours had passed since the conversation with the back alley gang leader. Standing alone in the village square, Patrick muttered to himself. There were countless ways to meet the lord. Starting from chance encounters, there was also the option of infiltration, as attempted last night. Since the presence of internal guards had been confirmed earlier, this time, if one were to infiltrate through the window at midnight, they could see the lord. ¡®But even if I do that, it might not mean much.¡¯ Just seeing someone while they sleep wouldn¡¯t reveal much about their true nature. Voice tremors, subtle glances, habits, attitudes, expressions ¨C to uncover many things, engaging in direct conversation was the best option. In essence, he had to personally go to the lord and have a conversation. The problem was how to meet the lord. There was no need to overthink it. Patrick made a small fake cough, contemplating. If he had to see the lord, he needed to create a situation where seeing him was unavoidable. If a major event occurred within the territory, whether good or bad¡­ Patrick¡¯s choice was the latter. In the case of a crime, there was a higher chance of being immediately taken to prison without meeting the lord. Considering the hassle of dealing with the aftermath, it was better to choose the option of making a public statement with some significant achievement. For such an achievement, a crisis of a corresponding magnitude was necessary. ¡®No need to complicate things.¡¯ Creating a crisis was as simple as making it himself. Being called the ¡°Prince on a White Horse,¡± it was a method nobles had been fond of for a long time to capture the hearts of women. It might be common and cheesy, but one effect was undoubtedly guaranteed. ©¤Creating a crisis intentionally and solving it to gain fame. Patrick wore a sinister smile. Carefully held in his hands was a harpy egg, cautiously guarded as if it might break. Surreptitiously conducting reconnaissance outside Hastin wasn¡¯t an easy process. Originally, he wanted to obtain a wyvern egg, but since there were no wyvern nests around Hastin, he opted for a harpy egg as a substitute. Despite putting in his best effort to sneak out of Hastin, head to the forest, steal the egg quietly, and return, Patrick wasted a whole day. Harpies had a keen sense of smell. Simultaneously, they emitted a foul odor. The scent was a racial characteristic, and eggs, even from harpies, carried the same stench. On the way back to Hastin, Patrick had scattered things emitting the scent of harpies all around the path. Soon, the harpies would catch wind of the stolen egg. Since they lived in family units, he expected around three to four of them to gather. In the current chaotic situation of the village, if harpies arrived, the guards alone wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them. That¡¯s when Patrick would barge in, drive away all the harpies, and claim the credit for the feat. ¡°I came up with this plan, and it seems to be a perfectly flawless operation. Ha, my talent is becoming quite fearsome now.¡± Of course, the sudden appearance of harpies and the knight who dealt with them out of the blue would be highly suspicious. Executing the operation without any losses, how could one proceed without encountering difficulties? All Patrick needed was to meet the lord between the left and right. Having rationalized the situation to himself, Patrick lifted his head. The loud cries from a distance were getting closer and louder. ¡°They¡¯re already coming.¡± Patrick, who had secretly hidden the egg, grabbed a thick tree branch instead of a sword. It might be a crude weapon for a savior, but what could he do? No matter how you think about it, he seems like a genius. Patrick, lost in self-admiration, counted the approaching harpies. The wriggling mass seemed a bit larger than expected. One, two, three, four, five¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a bit much.¡± No, it¡¯s more than just a bit. ¡­Roughly estimating, there were more than dozens of harpies swarming in. In no time, Patrick, who had been folding his fingers, clenched both fists when the approaching harpy horde reached a significant number. At that moment, he muttered to himself in a small voice. ¡°Darn it.¡± It seemed like a large family. Phase 5 [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 45 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 45 [Lara, You must survive at all costs.] It had been several days of recurring nightmares. Judging by the sensation enveloping her body and the sore feeling, it seemed like she had once again curled up in bed, groaning before falling asleep under the covers. Her entire body was drenched in sweat. ¡°Young Mistress.¡± At the voice of the maid calling her, Hastin¡¯s Lord, Lara Cinevier Etark, reluctantly opened her heavy eyelids. ¡°Did you have the nightmare again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied with a still cracked voice, getting up from her bed. As if predicting the unsteady condition, as expected by the maid watching her anxiously by her side, Lara immediately swayed as soon as she stood up. Unstable on her feet, as anticipated by the maid anxiously watching her nearby, Lara immediately swayed. ¡°I can manage on my own.¡± Whether it was a severe headache or pressing on her temples, Lara spoke with a strained voice. After pushing away the maid¡¯s helping hand somewhat harshly, Lara moved hesitantly. The girl¡¯s destination was the window. Perhaps she had overslept, as the sun was already at its zenith. The elaborate patterns on the window obscured the outside view, so Lara struggled to open it with both hands. A chilly breeze entered as she managed to crack the window open. Lara, soaked in sweat, shivered in the cold wind. The clothes she wore were so thin that it was almost as if she were naked. The maid beside her asked with a worried expression, ¡°Shall I bring warm tea and some blankets?¡± ¡°¡­Just the clothes will do.¡± After sending the maid away, Lara looked out at the village beyond the castle. The view of Hastin outside the window was desolate. The deserted streets were plagued by a particularly harsh sandstorm. The quietness settling in was not the peace of tranquility; it was the emptiness of the vacant streets. Every time Lara looked at the village, complex emotions flooded her mind. [Lara.] [You must survive at all costs.] The sentence that was written at the end of the will and the words Grandfather uttered in her dreams came to mind. Lara slowly raised her head to look at the ceiling. The ceiling was directly visible by turning her head slightly from the bed. There it was. Grandfather ¨C the ancestral Lord of Hastin ¨C had hung himself. In this room, right there, Dead Grandfather visited her in her dreams every night. Sometimes hanging from the ceiling, sometimes with a noose resembling human hands. Most of the nightmares always started that way, ending with a conversation with the hanging Grandfather. In the dream, Grandfather always had his tongue stretched out long. A long tongue that reached down to the collarbone. A sticky voice flowed along that long tongue. You must survive at all costs. Yes, Lara Cinevier Etark must live. She couldn¡¯t die in a place like this. ¡°My Lady.¡± What snapped Lara out of her thoughts were two maids bringing a new dress. Upon the maid¡¯s suggestion to wear the dress after cleaning up, Lara nodded. Even after washing, there might be an unpleasant lingering sensation, but nothing could be as discomforting. At least for now, she didn¡¯t feel like cleansing her body thoroughly. ¡°Well then, please excuse us.¡± As the two maids nodded and bowed, Lara spread her arms. As the thin clothes she was wearing were removed, the girl slightly cringed. A flawlessly clean skin, devoid of any scars or specks of dust, was revealed, appearing almost unreal like a greenhouse flower. The girl, grown like a delicate plant, was undoubtedly a beauty with an impeccable physique, and sweat droplets adorned her smooth skin. Soon, the maids assisted the girl in putting on her attire. Soft fabric of silk touched the flawless skin. After ensuring everything was neatly arranged, the maids stepped back a few paces. Only then did Lara sigh, sweeping her golden hair back with her hand. Immediately, she raised her head. Lara¡¯s gaze was directed towards the entrance of the bedroom. There, a man was standing, observing the young Lord of Hastin from a distance. The man was watching Lara, but there was no hint of desire in his eyes as he gazed at her body. The way his eyes looked at Lara¡¯s skin was not much different from how one would observe an insect on a leaf. Lara, without showing any particular reaction to such behavior, merely furrowed her brows slightly without any embarrassment. ¡°My Lord, did you have a good night?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was a greeting that seemed to mock the girl who seemed to have wandered in from a nightmare. Lara remained silent, tapping her fingers while the man, nodding courteously, approached her. The man was unsettling. His eyes were tainted with darkness, giving an impression akin to the unpleasantness of the deceased. As the man came closer, one of the maids assisting Lara with her attire turned her head away from him, avoiding his gaze. The man smirked meaningfully. Lara pointed outside the window as if to say, ¡°Look at this.¡± ¡°You promised salvation,¡± she stated. ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± replied the man. ¡°You assured me that you would protect me. Also, you pledged to safeguard my domain.¡± ¡°Indeed, I did.¡± ¡°Look outside the window. Is this what you call salvation?¡± Lara shivered. It wasn¡¯t the cold breeze, as there were warm clothes enveloping her already. What made her tremble was the silence that settled over her domain. Lara Cinevier Etark was not originally the designated heir. Her older brother, the ¡®former Count Etark,¡¯ had a son. The entire family fervently adored the Count¡¯s son. He was destined to become the ¡®true Count Etark,¡¯ inheriting the title and the domain. That was until a month ago. After Lara¡¯s brother, the former Count Etark, took his own life, the Imperial family was furious. The arrows of wrath were aimed at the Etark family, and the situation was dire enough that the entire family could face punishment. The elders of the family desperately bowed their heads. They needed a plan to rectify the situation. They targeted the Empire¡¯s concerns. They approached the Empire, acknowledging the situation where someone had to manage Hastin, the ¡®land that no noble desired.¡¯ They promised that they would somehow save Hastin, seeking forgiveness for their actions. Thus, instead of the son of Lara¡¯s brother, Lara herself succeeded to the title. The current Count Etark. A ¡®sacrificial lamb¡¯ abandoned by the family. Considering Lara as family, those who once adored the family turned away from her, seized the opportunity, divided the assets among themselves, and scattered. Even her brother, the former Count, was no different. He wrote Lara¡¯s name in the will, indicating that he foresaw her fate. Despite knowing this, he chose suicide, making him no different from the rest of the family. In such a gloomy situation. Lara had to survive. She wanted to survive. To survive, she had to revive Hastin. However, the girl was incompetent and ignorant. Not being the designated heir, she lacked knowledge in managing the territory. A delicately grown sixteen-year-old girl had neither the insight to be knowledgeable in managing the domain nor the experience to be proficient in speech and behavior. For the incompetent ruler, there were only two options. To be captured and beaten to death by the enraged citizens, or to be executed brutally according to the Imperial decree. Amidst such a dark future, the man extended a helping hand to Lara, despite his ominous demeanor. ¡°How much longer do we have to wait¡­ Hastin is falling. If the residents continue to starve, won¡¯t it become irreparable?¡± However, even after three weeks since the man promised salvation, the village showed no signs of improvement. The residents were still dying of hunger. S?a?ch* Th? N?v?lFire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°I won¡¯t break my promise. You don¡¯t need to worry; all the problems the people of Hastin are facing will be alleviated.¡± Despite the lack of a detailed plan from the man, Lara couldn¡¯t press him further. It was already too late to pursue other options. If the man left, it would truly be the end. The girl could do nothing but trust the man. Lara¡¯s voice, now raised even higher, filled the hall with frustration. ¡°Now is the time to seek support from other domains¡­ Isn¡¯t it? It feels like corpses are littering the streets¡­ The stench of decay reaches up here, and I wonder how¡­!¡± If her domain collapsed, the Imperial spear would undoubtedly turn towards Lara. She would be held accountable for the downfall. She clenched her lips. Although she tried to appear strong, the anxiety was evident on the girl¡¯s face. Observing Lara¡¯s expression, the man called the maid beside him. ¡°Prepare some incense for the Lord¡¯s bedroom. She mentioned that the unpleasant smell has reached here.¡± Then, he spoke in a low voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be too distressed. Everything is progressing smoothly. The Lord just needs to enjoy life comfortably.¡± Another similar response. Lara eventually closed her mouth. She wanted to go outside and check the situation in the village, but the girl hadn¡¯t left the castle in weeks. She was afraid to imagine what might have happened to her neglected domain. ¡°All worries will soon disappear.¡± Reading Lara¡¯s expression, the man whispered softly. Indeed, since the mysterious man¡¯s deal, no issues had arisen within the castle. Even though there was no food in the village, the residents of Hastin didn¡¯t pick up their farming tools or petition for help. It was truly strange. ¡°¡­I guess I don¡¯t need to do anything today either?¡± Lara asked, turning her gaze towards the chair. The man nodded silently. Every day was a repetition of this routine. Even though the village was not functioning normally, oddly enough, there were no tasks for the Lord to handle. ¡ªIt¡¯s no different from being livestock raised for slaughter. The girl chuckled at herself. ¡°Lord.¡± The steward approached with an unusually solemn tone. ¡°I have a report regarding the security of the territory. There was a monster attack near the North Gate earlier.¡± ¡°¡­Monster attack?¡± Lara¡¯s response, expressing doubt, was filled with confusion. ¡°Yes, about an hour ago, there was an attack by a harpy group near the village close to the North Gate.¡± This time, upon hearing the steward¡¯s words, Lara openly displayed discomfort. Despite her lack of knowledge about the situation in the territory, Hastin was known for rarely experiencing monster attacks. ¡°A harpy group? Wasn¡¯t Hastin known for having almost no incursions by monsters?¡± Instead of answering, the steward nodded. ¡°Do we have any scouts or have they identified the cause? No, more importantly, what¡¯s the current situation? How many forces do we have that can stop harpies? And do we have any mages who can intercept and repel them within the territory?¡± ¡°Well, my Lord¡­ It¡¯s about that.¡± As Lara rambled, the steward whispered in a lower voice. ¡°According to the report from the North Gate guards, there is a knight who single-handedly repelled the harpy attack.¡± [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 46 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 46 The reports from the steward continued unabated. As Lara listened to the reports, she furrowed her eyebrows unconsciously, finding the content so difficult to accept that she wondered if it was some kind of joke. More than twenty harpies suddenly attacked the outskirts of Hastin¡¯s north gate. The harpies, as if searching for something, violently destroyed the surrounding villages. It was a situation where the guards deemed it unstoppable and were about to return to the castle to request reinforcements. Suddenly, a knight appeared and charged at the harpy group. And he defeated them all, effortlessly. The events unfolded in less than five minutes. ¡®¡­Isn¡¯t this all too suspicious¡¯ It was a situation that couldn¡¯t be doubted. Not only had a monster group invaded suddenly, but the arrival of a knight into the village without any prior notice seemed too orchestrated. ¡°¡­What should we do in a situation like this?¡± Lara whispered anxiously to the steward. Judging by the steward¡¯s reaction, he seemed to think it was just as incongruous. ¡°Typically, for nobles and expeditionary teams who have accomplished feats, it¡¯s appropriate for the lord to personally acknowledge their efforts and bestow fitting rewards.¡± ¡°Then, should we do the same this time?¡± S?a??h the ???el F?re.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. ¡°¡­I just wanted to mention that it¡¯s a precedent.¡± ¡°What about the knight¡¯s identity and affiliation? Can¡¯t we find out which family he belongs to?¡± ¡°The guards at the north gate already asked about his affiliation, but the knight ignored the question. For now, he has been escorted to the audience chamber within the castle.¡± With a nod from the steward after finishing the report, Lara pondered for a while until a somber atmosphere emanating from the corner prompted a comment from a man. ¡°My lady, please consider your choice carefully. It¡¯s not a good decision for someone to draw attention to you in such a situation. We cannot rule out the possibility that the knight may be a disguised assassin.¡± Upon hearing this, Lara, who had remained silent, slowly spoke up. ¡°Bring the knight to me.¡± The man, who had thought the situation was far from alarming, was taken aback. ¡°Just because he appears suspicious, does that mean his contribution to saving Hastin from danger should be disregarded? Or are we questioning the knight¡¯s accomplishments? His merits remain intact. Acknowledging them is the duty of a lord.¡± The voice of the child sounded as if she was being stubborn, echoing lightly in the room. From Lara¡¯s perspective, it was a small act of rebellion against the man. As the man took a step back, unable to respond, his face became even darker. This time, a bystander who had been observing quietly suggested. ¡°How about meeting the knight in the audience chamber with the castle¡¯s soldiers present?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for the steward, whether permitted or not, to bring the knight. After relocating to the audience chamber and reaffirming their positions, Lara cleared her throat and sat down. Eventually, the knight appeared from beyond the door. As the sound of his footsteps echoed on the red carpet, Lara looked at him. ¡°The journey to Hastin hasn¡¯t been easy, and the fatigue isn¡¯t just for show. But merely standing in front of the esteemed count feels like receiving a reward for all the efforts.¡± The knight who greeted Lara first had a dignified air about him. He was fully clad in armor, not even removing his helmet as if he had no intention of revealing himself. He raised his head and glanced at Lara, then knelt on one knee. ¡°A wandering knight presents himself to the Lady of Hastin.¡± ©¤ As if he himself chose to be called a ¡®wandering knight¡¯ rather than revealing his identity. ¡°¡­I am Lara Cinevier Etark, Countess of Hastin. I have heard that your courage and pride have defended Hastin. On behalf of all of Hastin¡¯s people, I express my gratitude in the name of the Countess.¡± ¡°It is an honor.¡± The knight responded briefly to Lara¡¯s brief introduction. ¡°To which family do you belong?¡± Instead of answering, the knight bowed his head in silence. With a puzzled expression, Lara asked again, ¡°Then, what is your name?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I am in a position where I cannot speak my name.¡± ¡°You claim this moment is an honor, yet you seem eager to conceal much. If I were to ask you to remove your helmet, would you refuse even that?¡± There was a slight pause. The surface of his dark armor reflected the light from the window smoothly. ¡°If you command me to remove my helmet, I will comply. However, my face bears the marks of battle, and it may be repulsive to behold, yet if the Countess can graciously overlook it, I will gladly obey.¡± ¡°¡­Forget it. If it was your consideration, then it was my mistake to force it.¡± A small sigh followed at the end of her words. Lara found herself in a situation where she had disregarded the man¡¯s advice and met the knight. Engaging in a confrontation with the knight would not benefit Lara in any way. ¡®In the end, they¡¯re all trivial matters. What¡¯s important is that you protected Hastin.¡¯ Despite this, there was a noticeable dissatisfaction in her voice, impossible to hide. ¡°I may not be able to offer much, but I want to repay you as much as I can. I would like to remember your name and help elevate your reputation, but that might not be possible¡­ If you have any requests, please speak.¡± Lara finished speaking with a slight cough. The knight, hearing Lara¡¯s words, raised his bowed head. He responded with a voice filled with determination. ¡°I am in need of provisions.¡± The Lady replied, ¡°They shall be provided willingly.¡± * * * ¡°The Lady of Hastin extends her gratitude on behalf of all the people of Hastin.¡± Ah, as expected. Patrick, the self-proclaimed wandering knight, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle quietly after hearing the words of the young girl. Etark. The notion that the Countess who inherited the domain was of the Etark lineage was not surprising. ¡®In such circumstances, it¡¯s no wonder the town is in chaos.¡¯ Anxious expressions, trembling voices. Just by looking at them, one could gauge the current state of the countess of Hastin. Clearly, she wasn¡¯t yet fit for her role as countess. ¡®Perhaps she¡¯s the late daughter or the youngest sister of the former count.¡¯ Patrick pondered, bowing his head before the Lady. ¡®A helpless younger sister ascending to the lordship,¡¯ several hypotheses arose. And they all stemmed from one root. Ultimately, it seemed that burdening her small shoulders with the weight of Hastin was inevitable. Poor girl, sacrificed by her family. ¡°¡­Then, what is your name?¡± Lost in thought, Patrick snapped back to reality at Lara¡¯s voice. He provided suitable answers to her subsequent questions. Most of them were overly cautious inquiries about Patrick. It was understandable as the knight before them didn¡¯t reveal his identity. As Patrick carefully chose his words, the Lady swiftly changed the subject. ¡°If you have any requests, please speak.¡± ¡°I am in need of provisions,¡± Patrick replied without hesitation. Currently, the most precious commodity in Hastin was undoubtedly food. The reason the Lord¡¯s castle functioned while the town struggled was due to its food supply. Requesting food would result in unexpected losses for the Countess of Hastin. ¡®Surely, there will be some hesitation.¡¯ He intended to assess the situation. Depending on the castle¡¯s food supply, he could gauge how desperate the countess was emotionally. If he could gauge it, he was confident he could easily manipulate the situation. ¡°They shall be provided willingly.¡± Patrick¡¯s expectations were pleasantly met. The countess¡¯s response showed no hint of hesitation. Soon after, the countess summoned her steward. Sensing her intentions, the steward immediately addressed Patrick. ¡°We will provide provisions for your journey back. How much do you need?¡± ¡°¡­Two meals¡¯ worth should suffice.¡± The countess asked once more, ¡°Are you sure that will be enough?¡± ¡°I came to Hastin to seek someone, but now is not the time. Inns are closed one after another. It can¡¯t be helped. After exploring a bit more, I plan to return. I already have some provisions, so two meals¡¯ worth will be enough.¡± At the mention of inns closing one after another, the countess¡¯s expression darkened slightly. Patrick, noticing it, murmured meaninglessly, ¡°Hmm,¡± capturing the moment. The countess remained silent for a moment, then rose from her seat as if she had nothing more to say. Even after the countess left, Patrick remained kneeling. Glancing at Patrick before returning to her chambers, the countess seemed startled by Patrick¡¯s voice. ¡°Ah, come to think of it.¡± Patrick paused, just as the countess was about to leave the audience chamber. Patrick¡¯s voice was low, almost sinister. The room suddenly felt heavy with silence. The countess halted her steps. Her eyes widened, sweat forming on her body, unable to adapt to the sudden change in atmosphere. ¡°Oh, truly an honest soul. You don¡¯t know how to hide your expressions.¡± From the moment he entered the audience chamber, there was a very unsettling feeling emanating from her. Perhaps the other party was also sensing it all along. A feeling that neither Renee nor Devourer could sense. A feeling that only Patrick, a Death Knight, an undead, could sense. Empathy. Patrick slowly raised his hand. His fingers covered in azure gauntlets pointed at the man who had been following the countess all this time. ¡°Who are you, really?¡± The final words swallowed all the noise in the room. * * * [The countess must be even more cautious from now on.] Confirming that the only door to her chamber was completely closed and she was alone in the room, Lara buried her face into the soft blanket. ¡°Who was that knight¡­?¡± There were more than a few suspicions. Moreover, despite insisting on meeting the knight, she hadn¡¯t learned anything. If anything, she had been played. Even her attempt to assert the countess¡¯s authority had backfired. ¡°If rumors spread about food within the castle, it could complicate matters.¡± The man¡¯s advice certainly had merit. If the castle¡¯s food supply leaked outside, it would be problematic. The request for food had to be declined. That¡¯s the only way her current neglect of the town made sense. When she accepted the man¡¯s proposal, he had told her something important: Lara Cinevier Etark was not the ruler the people of Hastin desired. If Lara didn¡¯t resolve the situation properly in the current disaster, she would surely earn everyone¡¯s hatred. The man had advised her that if she could turn such a crisis into an opportunity, she could gain everyone¡¯s love, proposing one simple but cruel method: Become their savior. ¡°I¡­ want to live.¡± Just a little longer. If she could hold on a little longer, the man would bring salvation to Hastin as promised. Lara was prepared to ally even with demons if it meant survival. Outside the door, the man listening chuckled. It was an eerie laughter, unlike any other. Phase 6 [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 47 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 47 ¡°Well, there was an incident.¡± Having concluded his investigation of the noble¡¯s secret affairs, Patrick immediately headed to the back alley. It was to share information with Devourer. Devourer, whom Patrick found in the back alley, was sleeping among a tangled crowd of people like a threadbare blanket. ¡°Getting friendly with humans is good, but it seems like you got too close for comfort.¡± ¡°¡­So, what happened?¡± Devourer, having heard Patrick¡¯s explanation, scratched his head and asked. Whether it was due to being caught up for negligence on duty or being dragged here with the back of his neck, he seemed unable to regain his composure. Small teardrops were forming at the corners of his eyes. It was clear that excessive yawning had become a habit. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be done, it just ended there. I vaguely covered it up. I asked out of curiosity, without any other meaning.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t say you felt empathy? You just left the undead alone?¡± ¡°Feeling empathy doesn¡¯t mean all undead are the same. Necromancers sometimes emit that aura under certain circumstances, and among humans even slightly associated with dark magic, there are those who emit such vibes depending on the internal corruption.¡± In essence, it was a warning to be cautious. ¡°¡­Then why did you say the last words?¡± Devourer asked as if he couldn¡¯t understand Patrick¡¯s actions at all. In Devourer¡¯s common sense, if there were suspicions, one could just knock them all down and find out. Patrick gazed at Devourer with a hint of contemplation and instead of a sigh, added a brief remark. ¡°I had my reasons.¡± In Patrick¡¯s view, the countess seemed like someone with hidden intentions. There must be some belief that led her to leave the territory in such a neglected state. Taking an extra step in suspicion, if a man feeling a sense of camaraderie is involved in this incident, it¡¯s highly likely. For such individuals, the existence of an ¡°overtly suspicious knight¡± would undoubtedly act as a wildcard. Acting hastily would inevitably leave traces somewhere. If the anxious countess approaches Patrick first, there¡¯s nothing more grateful than that. ¡°If it were me, I would have knocked them all down right there.¡± ¡°Boss, can¡¯t you distinguish whether you came to resolve the incident or to destroy the village?¡± ¡®I¡¯m really glad it¡¯s me going instead of the boss.¡¯ Patrick muttered as if telling him to listen. Of course, he said it like that, but it doesn¡¯t mean Patrick didn¡¯t ponder over it. However, as always, one must be prepared for the worst-case scenario. After causing a commotion, if it turns out that the situation with the man and Hastin has no significant connection, it would be incredibly difficult to rectify the mess he created. ¡°Boss, do you have any idea what¡¯s going on?¡± After organizing his thoughts and letting out a sigh, Patrick asked. Devourer, who had become more of a ¡®back alley resident¡¯ than getting friendly with the people in the back alley, would have gathered quite a bit of information even if he was just sprawled out sleeping. Devourer responded to Patrick¡¯s question with a serious expression, creating a tense atmosphere. ¡°For starters, I find the countess suspicious.¡± ¡°¡­Wasn¡¯t that something I¡¯ve been saying tirelessly since before we came to the village?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve found a few other things besides that¡­ Oh, here, the humans here are surviving on abandoned crops, claiming there¡¯s a plague. I was wondering why the village was so quiet, but turns out, some of the humans hiding in their homes are starving to death.¡± ¡°Besides that, have you found out anything about the rosary?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think so.¡± A crisp sound, like bones grating against gold, echoed clearly from Patrick. ¡°So, to sum it up, you haven¡¯t found out anything that actually needs to be found out.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you last time that it would take a while¡­¡± Devourer, whose voice was gradually diminishing, muttered something like ¡®I did try, you know,¡¯ and then, as if remembering a suitable excuse, added, ¡°What was that girl¡¯s name? Oh, Rosalina, I think. That girl seems to have more emotional fluctuations than I thought. It¡¯s not easy to approach her.¡± It seemed like he wasn¡¯t in his right mind, but after hearing Devourer¡¯s explanation, Patrick nodded as if understanding. ¡°That does make sense.¡± The reality can be quite harsh for a person of immature age to grasp. Hastin¡¯s situation is not ideal, and the fact that the people around her are suffering due to her actions adds to the complexity. It must be emotionally challenging. ¡°Still, it¡¯s better to find out quickly. We can¡¯t just wait indefinitely until the girl regains stability.¡± ¡°But there isn¡¯t any particularly good method, is there?¡± ¡°¡­It would have been good to learn some mind control magic.¡± I should have chosen a staff instead of a sword. As regret set in, Patrick suddenly thought of Melje. I should have just brought Melje. But then again, the gatekeeper can¡¯t say such things in front of the boss. Patrick gathered his resolve. ¡°I should have just brought Melje.¡± ¡°¡­You brought me against my will and are now saying that?¡± Saying that, Devourer sighed simultaneously. It¡¯s easy to ruin the mental state of a perfectly fine human. But restoring the shattered mental state of a person is a difficult task. Currently, there were no sharp reproaches. ¡°¡­Ah, what about this method?¡± S?a??h the N?velF?re.?et website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Both of them shook their heads, immersed in despair for a moment. Something seemed to have come to Patrick, and he casually suggested. Devourer, who had lowered his head deeply, raised it at Patrick¡¯s words. He seemed to have swallowed his saliva with a gulp in that short time. Where are the limits of the boss¡­ In a situation where it seemed almost impossible to find anything else, Patrick quietly rummaged through his pockets. Devourer, who had been absentmindedly watching the scene without any particular thoughts, suddenly frowned. ¡°You didn¡¯t, by any chance, go around with ribs removed to do that, did you?¡± Patrick had always found it strange that he fumbled through his pockets every time he took something out. Come to think of it, there had to be enough space to put his hand inside the pocket. Not understanding what was so proud about it, Patrick stood up straight and proudly said, ¡°Just remove three ribs. It¡¯s one of the blessings given to me, who is destined to wear armor, not an outer garment.¡± No, you could just wear a coat with pockets. Moreover, if you don¡¯t like that, you could just attach pockets to a belt and carry them around. ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me with such a worried expression. After all, it¡¯s detachable and attachable.¡± ¡°If you had put the detached bones back in your body¡­¡± Regardless of whether he said that or not, Patrick lightly ignored Devourer¡¯s words and offered a bundle with a faint smile. ¡°Anyway, this is the food I obtained from the countess¡¯s castle this time.¡± ¡°Eat and think after?¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s try to win the favor of a girl named Rosalina with this.¡± The grains that the people in the alley are eating are nothing more than rations for survival. But the bundle Patrick received is something explicitly ordered by the countess. It¡¯s undoubtedly filled with a level of food that can¡¯t be compared to mere survival rations. There is nothing in the alley right now that is more valuable than this. ¡°But will that method really work¡­?¡± Devourer questioned as he faced Patrick, who held out a bundle of food. ¡°With the current situation, I can¡¯t be sure it will work well. Anyway, it¡¯s better than just waiting idly,¡± Patrick replied. ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you go yourself then?¡± ¡°Have a safe journey, boss.¡± Interrupting Devourer¡¯s words, Patrick placed the bundle of food on Devourer¡¯s hands. Devourer, feeling awkward despite the expression of discontent, scratched the back of his head as he held the food in his hands. ¡°Boss, you should be careful not to make any verbal slip-ups. If the bond with humans is strong, giving her food separately might backfire,¡± Patrick said. ¡°Even if you say that, it might not go well¡­ But let¡¯s give it a try.¡± As Devourer stood up from his seat, Patrick offered one final piece of advice. ¡°And, it¡¯s obvious, but if you decide to give, give it all. This is a persuasive measure to gather information about Rosalina. If you have any thoughts about sharing or dividing it, boss, give up on that. You¡¯ll have to rely on the rations you receive separately at the inn for a while.¡± Seemingly unimpressed by Patrick¡¯s words, Devourer got up from his seat. After another round of scratching his head and even letting out a yawn, Devourer responded to Patrick¡¯s advice. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡± It was a response that lacked any sincerity, as if there was not a trace of genuine commitment. *** ¡°Let¡¯s share the food.¡± The first words that Devourer uttered after calling Rosalina separately. ¡°¡­What?¡± Rosalina still seemed to be afraid of Devourer. When Devourer suddenly held out the bundle, Rosalina took a few steps back in surprise. She definitely didn¡¯t look well. Recalling Tott¡¯s words, since the incident of the ¡®Black Disaster,¡¯ their condition hadn¡¯t been good since they started living together in the alley. Tott mentioned that it was only after a few days of getting used to alley life that Rosalina began to show signs of vitality, and now Devourer and Patrick had brought her back to square one. ¡°Let¡¯s share the food.¡± As if he had completely forgotten Patrick¡¯s advice, Devourer subtly suggested. Rosalina still seemed frightened. Devourer, who glanced at Rosalina with a hint of concern, slumped down on the spot. Startled by Devourer¡¯s actions, Rosalina cautiously approached. ¡°¡­Why are you giving it only to me?¡± Once again, he examined Rosalina¡¯s expression. The atmosphere seemed even more guarded than before. Questions and suspicions arose ¨C why was he withholding food from others and giving it only to her? The girl is wary of kindness for reasons unknown. ¡®Ah, this situation is not looking good at all.¡¯ It seemed like the situation Patrick mentioned as ¡®not good¡¯ was unfolding. Thanks a lot, Patrick. Devourer resolved that if Patrick came back saying something like, ¡°Oh, it seems this method isn¡¯t working. Boss, let¡¯s go back to the beginning and try again,¡± he would truly return to the primordial core. Having made up his mind, Devourer silently opened the bundle. The food inside was more refined than he expected. Thin bread made from flour, large chunks of cheese, dried fruits, and water stored in a magically treated leather pouch. ¡®¡­Didn¡¯t expect much, but¡­¡¯ It could be considered an upgraded version of the meals given at the inn. It might be considered low-level for goods from the countess¡¯s estate, but on the flip side, it indicated the severity of the situation within the territory if this was all they could provide. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to eat it, I¡¯ll eat it all.¡± There was no room for further negotiation. With that judgment, Devourer, grumbling to himself, began to eat the food. The first thing he grabbed was the bread ¨C thin, round, and not as hard as wheat bread. Okay, this isn¡¯t lethal bread. After muttering to himself, Devourer was about to put the bread into his mouth. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes widened, sensing that something was amiss. It all began with the girl¡¯s mixed sigh of inquiry. Upon the sudden questioning sound from the girl, Devourer, who was about to eat the bread, turned his head to look at Rosalina. Wide-eyed, Rosalina was staring at the bread Devourer was holding. Simultaneously, the corners of the girl¡¯s mouth, looking at the bread, slowly lifted. ¡°This is the bread that the leader gave, isn¡¯t it?¡± The girl, who had walked up to Devourer, lifted the same bread from the bundle and spoke. Devourer¡¯s expression froze as he witnessed the dramatic change in the girl¡¯s face. A genuine smile spread across the girl¡¯s face, appearing truly happy. It wasn¡¯t a mere emotional fluctuation in expression. Devourer had seen similar smiles from humans somewhere before. Thinking about it, there were a few similar instances. Some members of the expedition force that came to the primordial core had displayed such smiles. That was the smile of humans who had lost their sanity. The smiles of those who had gone mad. The laughing girl and Devourer¡¯s gaze met. The girl¡¯s eyes, as Devourer saw them, seemed empty. No, they seemed to have nothing. The girl¡¯s eyes were undeniably filled with something, but only ordinary people couldn¡¯t comprehend what. ¡°Sir Knight! Sir Knight, did you also believe in him?¡± With a smile tainted by madness, Rosalina asked. [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 48 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 48 [We are the shadow knights of ¡®Roano¡¯s Mist,¡¯ a direct lineage shadow organization of the imperial royal family.] Can they truly be trusted? The captain sat in a secluded corner of the alley, eavesdropping discreetly. There was no information to be gained from the conversation with the knight wrapped in armor. He merely agreed to the knight¡¯s demand for information, ¡°Provide us with information,¡± after hearing vaguely exchanged words. In front of those who could potentially kill everyone instantly, there was no room for any choice. ¡®Despite claiming to be members of a shadow organization, I don¡¯t trust them.¡¯ The captain did not trust them. They had tried to kill all their alley comrades, had indeed forced some into the afterlife, and spared everyone with capricious actions. Yes, sparing them was merely for the sake of obtaining information. Those who claimed to be part of the shadow organization couldn¡¯t leave so many witnesses. They would erase all traces as soon as the job was done. We, the ¡®witnesses,¡¯ will all be killed. The captain was convinced. Choosing active cooperation was for that reason. ¡®To assist in the work while keeping a close watch on those two as much as possible.¡¯ Certainly, it was mentioned that solving Hastin¡¯s issue was the objective. If that¡¯s the case, closely monitor their actions, and when they are busiest, quietly leave the village. Since it was known that Hastin wouldn¡¯t last long, it was only a matter of slightly advancing the time to leave. ¡°¡­¡± As the captain finished his thoughts, he shifted his gaze towards the direction where footsteps were approaching. Clearly, the silhouette hurrying towards the captain at midnight was Tott. It seemed like he came with urgent news, running with all his might. ¡°Captain!¡± It wasn¡¯t until the footsteps came close enough for the sound of labored breathing to be heard that Tott called out to the captain. ¡°Rosalina, ugh, Rosalina¡­¡± ¡°Rosalina? What happened?¡± Raising an eyebrow, the captain frowned. While Rosalina leaving her spot was common, Tott had never shown such a reaction before. ¡°Rosalina is missing!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°She disappeared with the knight with black hair, dressed in shabby clothes.¡± After catching his breath a few times, Tott, who had barely regained composure, continued. ¡°Captain¡­ I think she might have¡­ gone back there again.¡± * * * ¡°I didn¡¯t know Sir Knight was also a believer.¡± s?a??h th? N?v?l(F)ire.n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. Along the dark path at night, Devourer walked alongside Rosalina. The girl¡¯s footsteps, walking a step ahead, were light. They were heading towards the outskirts of the village. ¡°I¡¯ve tried to convince everyone around to accept salvation together many times. But they¡¯re all fools. No one believed. Isn¡¯t that strange? Do you think so too, Sir Knight? They offer salvation without any conditions. Just believe fervently, and they¡¯ll save you.¡± As they moved away from the Lord¡¯s castle, the atmosphere on the street became more decadent. After passing several corners of narrow alleys and arriving at a place with large stones piled up, the girl stopped walking. ¡°I always feel eerie here. What do you think, Sir Knight?¡± It was a secluded place, one that would go unnoticed if not carefully examined even when nearby. Between the piles of stones, an artificial stone structure became visible. It was the entrance leading underground. They descended the stairs towards the underground. The front was pitch black, but as they entered, the faint light from magical lamps hanging on the walls illuminated the stairs. After descending to an exhausting extent, they reached a place that could be likened to a maze, chaotic and narrow. It seemed to have originally served as an underground graveyard. Occasionally visible rooms were filled with wooden coffins, and the gaps in open coffins were undoubtedly filled with bones. As Devourer finished his thoughts, he surveyed the surroundings. A winding corridor. Following the subtle light that served as a guide along the path, they walked endlessly until they reached a spacious courtyard. Somber yet reverent, the space was illuminated by numerous candles, casting a gentle glow. ¡°¡­¡± There was no need to ask Rosalina what this place was for. The courtyard was already filled with humans. Even at a glance, there were more than 40 people, densely gathered and seated. All their gazes were directed towards the same point. At the forefront, there stood a man wearing a black priest¡¯s robe. ¡®¡­Is that man the bishop?¡¯ Devourer and Rosalina made their way to the back of the courtyard. Suddenly feeling a gaze on the back of his head, Devourer turned his head, but the bishop quickly shifted his gaze to the followers as if nothing happened. Devourer sat on a rudimentary wooden chair, barely making a sound with his tongue. ¡°The disaster that has befallen Hastin is a trial given to humans tainted by wicked deeds.¡± Meanwhile, the bishop¡¯s restrained voice echoed in all directions. ¡°And the Almighty being possesses the ability to transcend and purify all trials. Those who have gained faith in Him are all chosen, glorious humans. May He bestow His trust upon us¡­¡± Apart from occasional incomprehensible words, there was nothing particularly remarkable in the content. It was simply the repetitive rhetoric of indoctrination. After each conclusion of the bishop¡¯s words, the humans repeated the cycle of sitting and standing. The scenes of praying, relying on lanterns illuminated by magic, were secretive and cautious, akin to the actions of those doing forbidden things. Even in the empire, there was religion. However, Patrick had explained that they were all superficial religions established by the empire to deceive public sentiment. There were religions in the Empire, but as Patrick once explained, they were merely shells set up by the Empire to deceive the public. The greatest being in the Empire had to be the Emperor, unwavering even if compared to gods. Thus, the imperial family had two faces: they acknowledged religion but implicitly suppressed it. In such a situation, those who believe in the gods usually have secret meetings and actions underground. Their actions were considered entirely natural from the religious standpoint. Once again, Devourer glanced at Rosalina. She was already praying like the other followers, adopting an attitude of reverence. Judging by her demeanor, she was no different from the other devotees. After glancing, Rosalina¡¯s gaze met Devourer¡¯s. As if whispering for Devourer alone, the girl spoke softly. ¡°This is how we are saved.¡± When Devourer responded with silence, Rosalina spoke again, seemingly placing confidence in her own words. ¡°We can be saved.¡± We must be saved. I want to be saved. She whispered to herself, as if soothing her own soul. The Mass didn¡¯t take much time to proceed. Since everyone had secretly escaped in the middle of the night, there wasn¡¯t much time to spare. After a few more ceremonies were conducted swiftly, the followers finally rose from their positions. ¡°It¡¯s time for the communion ritual.¡± Humans who were in front started gathering in front of the bishop. Devourer, observing the scene from behind, raised an eyebrow. After a brief conversation between the bishop and the followers, they were given bread and an unknown liquid. The bread was of the same kind as the one in the bag earlier. Well, it looked like the same type of bread, and it was understandable that Rosalina had misunderstood. ¡ªSo why? Why was that bread in the lord¡¯s castle? Just as the question resurfaced, Devourer snapped back to attention with a poking sensation on the side. Counting the number of people waiting in front, there was still a considerable amount of time left. Turning to Rosalina, who was poking him on the side. ¡°Sir Knight. I¡¯m only telling you. When he saves Hastin soon, those who have solid faith will enjoy eternal happiness¡± ¡°Eternal happiness¡­¡± It was a laughable statement. Devourer muttered in a dry tone. ¡°Yes! You¡¯ll be closer to him. The bishop said he will share an even nobler essence than before.¡± If it¡¯s an essence, it undoubtedly refers to that bread. In that case, ¡°What do you mean by a nobler essence¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like a consecrated essence infused with his energy; I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s his real essence. The way they talk about it, it makes me think it might be meat.¡± ¡°Meat in this village?¡± Though it sounded dubious, Rosalina spoke with a playful tone in a serious voice. ¡°Anything is possible because it¡¯s him. Being able to supply meat in a place like this is something no one else could do.¡± With a final addition, asking, ¡°Don¡¯t you think so too, Sir Knight?¡± the girl smiled. It seemed like anticipation. She wanted recognition for the mysteriousness of the being she believed in. Naturally, there is no magic that creates meat. If such magic existed, Devourer wouldn¡¯t have budged from his room. Yet, even metaphorically, obtaining meat in a place cut off from resources is not realistically easy. Perhaps it¡¯s just a metaphorical expression. But if those words are not a metaphor, but the truth¡­ ¡®If it¡¯s true.¡¯ Once again, Devourer¡¯s thoughts remained unfinished. Rosalina in front had just received the sacrament. Holding the bread from the bishop, her hands trembled. Everything seemed uneasy. After his turn came, Devourer walked up to the bishop. The bishop, with his face hidden by a hood, concealed his identity. Devourer raised his head to confirm the bishop¡¯s face. At first glance, he appeared to be an ordinary human. ¡°It¡¯s our first meeting.¡± The bishop murmured in a low voice. Although his black hair might stand out compared to others, entering during the mass made him more noticeable. Devourer responded with silence. As if not expecting an answer, the bishop, without saying a word, handed a piece of bread to Devourer. Their hands touched. And then, the bishop stopped moving. Devourer also froze. A few seconds of stillness. Soon, Devourer burst into laughter. ¡°What was that just now?¡± The bishop, too, appeared to be laughing. However, he only wore a false smile, unable to accept the situation. It was expected. As soon as the bishop held Devourer¡¯s hand, he channeled mana into Devourer¡¯s body. It was mana that delved into every part of the body to understand the opponent¡¯s identity. And with such a meager amount of mana, it was impossible to grasp the existence of Devourer. The mana that flowed in didn¡¯t return to the bishop. It was devourered by Devourer, leaving no trace behind, only instilling fear of an unknown existence. ¡°You¡¯re not human¡­¡± In the diminished voice of the bishop, Devourer extended his head. His smile remained unchanged, finding amusement in the bishop¡¯s bewildered state. ¡°Prying into someone else¡¯s body without permission, isn¡¯t that rude?¡± Ah, as expected. ¡ªThe bishop of a pseudo-religion that surveils everyone with non-human mana. ¡ªOne emitting the aura of the undead next to the lord. ¡ªAn isolated village. The moment of suspicion turning into certainty. Behind everything, there is someone. ¡°Blatantly stirring up trouble.¡± Just like there are different types of dogs, there are different kinds of troublemakers. From those clingy to their owners to the downright crazy ones. Among them, the most disliked troublemaker is undoubtedly the ¡®one who meddles in other people¡¯s territory¡¯. Even though Devourer usually ignores what others do, being targeted like this couldn¡¯t help but leave a bad taste. It¡¯s inevitable that his own territory is falling apart due to his own mistakes. There¡¯s no one to blame, and at best, it¡¯s just regret. However, if those who intrude without understanding the situation ruin everything, the situation changes. A dog that can¡¯t distinguish between the line it should cross and the one it shouldn¡¯t, well, it¡¯s only normal for it to mess up its legs. However, for now, it¡¯s still too early. There was a need to be a bit more composed than usual. ¡°My memory is quite bad.¡± While the culprit who shared the rosary has been roughly identified, the exact mastermind behind the incident hasn¡¯t been revealed yet. Information sharing with Patrick hasn¡¯t taken place either. So, it wouldn¡¯t be wise to start breaking things right away. ¡°Still, I¡¯ll try to help remember you.¡± Devourer whispered. Thinking about Patrick¡¯s statement, ¡®Hastin¡¯s condition is suspicious,¡¯ he chuckled. *** After the mass ended, and they left the underground graveyard, it was still nighttime. Devourer sent Rosalina ahead and then sat down on a wooden box in a corner of the alley. Rosalina left a remark, ¡°Is it proper for a Sir knight to send a lady home alone so late?¡± before departing with a puzzled expression. She was extremely cautious just a day ago, claiming to be fellow believers. But now, all those precautions were shattered due to the misconception of being the same believer. It was impossible to restrain such a person. ¡®I wonder how Patrick manages to endure dealing with humans.¡¯ Taking in the cool night air, Devourer was lost in thought. Since the recent incident, the situation felt entirely different. To be honest, it was getting a bit annoying. The provisions received from the lord¡¯s castle included ¡°bread used in religious ceremonies,¡± so there must be a connection between the lord and the religion. The person involved is likely the man emitting the ¡°undead aura¡± that Patrick mentioned. Moreover, when the bishop poured mana into Devourer¡¯s body, Devourer could be sure that the mana was not human. In other words, the bishop is not human either. In a situation where there is too much circumstantial evidence and no direct evidence is needed. Undead hiding in Hastin, and not just here and there, but systematically hidden ¨C that¡¯s the high probability. ¡®¡­I¡¯d like to smash it all, to be honest.¡¯ It started as a mere nuisance, but knowing that the annoyance was due to someone¡¯s scheme made it even more irritating. Breaking everything wouldn¡¯t solve the problem, and the frustration intensified. Undead are different from humans. They have a basic immunity to fear, and they lack the fear of death. Threats are impossible. So, interrogating them after a good beating is not an option. The key is the mastermind. Time is running out. Patrick and Devourer have openly declared hostility, so the other side is likely to take action as well. Before that, find them and smash them all. ¡®I guess I have to wait for Patrick for now.¡¯ It was getting late. According to Patrick, both the captain and Tott seem to be keeping an eye on our movements, so staying here any longer wouldn¡¯t be wise. Devourer, rising from his seat, walked towards the alley. As he passed through the main street, he heard the voices of people breaking the silence. Turning his gaze discreetly towards the source of the voices, Devourer noticed the sounds of guards from the inspection post at the castle gate. ¡°Do they ever get tired¡­,¡± he thought briefly and was about to turn back when he sensed something odd and listened more carefully. The guards at the castle gate were always two. However, the silhouettes illuminated revealed three figures. Two seemed to be hesitating, and one was moving energetically. Listening closely, Devourer identified a female voice among them. ¡°Are they getting tired¡­,¡± he thought briefly before realizing that the number of guards did not match the norm. Curiosity piqued, Devourer approached a bit more. It wasn¡¯t until the voices and figures became clearer that he stopped. The female voice from the castle gate sounded similar to Melje. Even the appearance resembled Melje. ¡°Could it be Melje¡­ No, it couldn¡¯t be.¡± It¡¯s impossible. Let¡¯s assume it¡¯s not. If it were our Demon King, she would have undoubtedly flown over the castle wall with a flying spell. It¡¯s unimaginable for her to foolishly try to pass through the castle gate and get caught. Devourer¡¯s footsteps, retreating into the alley, gradually quickened. The voice of the woman, praying it wasn¡¯t Melje, echoed as Devourer hastened away. ¡°Ah¡­?! Devo¡­ Sir Devde-! Over here, over here! Can you help?! Hey, hey? Sir Devde-! Sir Devde-! Why are you ignoring me?! I¡¯m asking for help! Sir Devde-!¡± [Translator ¨C Clara] Chapter 49 [Translator ¨C Clara]Chapter 49 ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit much¡­ That splendid sight of you rescuing me in Riaze is still so vivid in my heart.¡± Even the process of rescuing Melje, who was caught by the guards, was a trial. I tried to buy her using money, following Patrick¡¯s method, but since Patrick took all the gold, that option was not available. It probably took about five minutes to persuade the guard and bring her here. Around the time I felt the urge to just knock him out to make it quiet, they finally let her in. ¡°No matter how many times I think about it, it¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°No¡­ from my perspective, it¡¯s you who¡¯s too much.¡± Thanks to that, I also got my face stamped by the guards. But really, as a Demon King, she didn¡¯t really need to come in through the main gate so boldly. ¡°You could have used flight magic to cross the castle walls, or incapacitated the guards with mind control or sleep magic before entering. Wait. Come to think of it, there¡¯s also teleportation magic¡­ Are you a fool?¡± The more I think about it, the more profound it gets. When we first met, Melje seemed genuinely determined to break through head-on while adopting a mature demeanor. As Devourer chuckled, Melje, whose face had turned red, waved her arms in frustration and shouted. ¡°I¡¯m not a fool! Do you think I don¡¯t know Hastin¡¯s geography? Moreover, if it¡¯s Mr Devourer, I was convinced you¡¯d come in through this door. Uh-huh! I was planning to ask the guards if they¡¯d seen you before erasing their memories!¡± Well, why not just use mind control from the start then? I wanted to say that, but¡­ ¡°¡­Come to think of it, you¡¯re right. Sorry.¡± The Demon King seemed to have roughly anticipated what kind of objection might come, as her expression turned gloomy. Devourer, who glanced at her with a quick look, promptly apologized. Well, you can¡¯t always make the best choices. Rather, perhaps because she had lived a life revered as great, after hearing the word ¡°fool,¡± the Demon King seemed as if her spirit had left her. Devourer apologized again, thinking he might have been a bit harsh. But she did seem a bit foolish. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t say that, though.¡¯ After accepting the second apology, Melje grinned again and replied, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Upon hearing the response, Devourer thought to himself, ¡®None of the women around here, whether human or magical beings, seem to have normal emotional changes. Why is that?¡¯ ¡°¡­So, what brings you here?¡± Devourer asked, minimizing his stray thoughts. In response to that question, Melje put her hands on her hips and confidently said, as always, but Melje was always so active. ¡°Well, obviously, I came because I wanted to see Mr Devourer!¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± -If that were the reason, Renee wouldn¡¯t just have let her go. Devourer glanced at Melje¡¯s eyes slyly. They were sparkling. Unless he scared her, she seemed to be determined to push through with that reason to the end. ¡°After returning, I¡¯ll ask Renee, so I hope you give an answer without any shame.¡± As soon as he applied a bit of pressure, a whimper escaped from the Demon King¡¯s mouth. Renee is Melje¡¯s arch-nemesis. Melje remembers receiving quite harsh treatment from Renee every time she got caught causing a ruckus inside the dungeon. There was even a time when Renee tried to trap her with 116 black tentacles once, causing quite a commotion. If Melje had just admitted her mistake, things would have been fine, but she insisted on maintaining her pride as a Demon King, almost letting the situation escalate. ¡°I won¡¯t help you even if you end up in a situation like last time.¡± At the mention of ¡®a situation like last time,¡¯ Melje¡¯s expression became increasingly complicated. It seemed like it wasn¡¯t the first or second time she had experienced such a thing, making it hard to gauge her reaction. ¡°Ugh¡­ I was going to tell you everything without acting so tough. I came as a messenger because there¡¯s news about the Primordial Core.¡± ¡°News? Did the humans infiltrate?¡± ¡°Not really. But someone else did come.¡± ¡°¡­What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start. Anyway, Elizabeth Batory visited the Primordial Core.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Elizabeth Batory. Upon hearing that name, a look of disgust blatantly appeared on Devourer¡¯s face. ¡®It¡¯s really fortunate that I happened to leave at such a miraculous timing,¡¯ he thought, followed by a relieved sigh. ¡°So, here¡¯s the thing. Batory¡­ Miss Batory?¡± ¡°¡­Call her whatever you want if it¡¯s confusing. Just be careful when addressing her in person.¡± As the king of demons, Melje, who had always ruled over someone, had various issues with formal titles. Even if Devourer casually told her to call him comfortably, Melje continued to address him as ¡®Mr Devourer,¡¯ and perhaps, she used the title ¡®Sir¡¯ upon Patrick¡¯s request. Renee also requested to be addressed with the same title, saying, ¡°If you call Mr. Patrick that way, you can¡¯t address me differently.¡± Melje, who had her hand on her ample chest as she pondered, came to a conclusion and spoke. ¡°Yeah, then let¡¯s go with Miss Batory. The reason Miss Batory came to the Primordial Core was to convey a message. It seems that the undead might invade Hastin.¡± Saying so, Melje raised her head and looked at Devourer with anticipation. Although Melje¡¯s expression seemed to hope for surprise, Devourer, from his perspective, didn¡¯t need to be surprised as he was already aware of the situation. Ignoring Melje¡¯s slightly disappointed reaction, Devourer mumbled. ¡°¡­As expected.¡± ¡°Huh? As expected? Mr Devourer, did you already know about this?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was already investigating that area. But Melje, how did Batory know about it?¡± ¡°Miss Batory explained it. She saw the direction of the march with some phenomenon.¡± Starting with the open statement, ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything!¡±, a few minutes of explanation followed. Disappearances near the Astrisha Forest, some doubts, and the fact that the direction of the march mentioned earlier was towards Hastin. Although Batory¡¯s opinion was more of a conjecture than a certainty, most of what she said seemed to align with the current situation. Devourer remained expressionless throughout Melje¡¯s narrative. ¡°¡­And Miss Batory said. Perhaps the mastermind behind this incident is¡­¡± In Melje¡¯s final words, the name Devourer had briefly considered was revealed. ¡°Erebos.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Certainly, he is currently the most likely suspect. In fact, most of the undead on the continent are under Erebos¡¯s control. ¡°If it¡¯s Erebos¡¯s doing, I can¡¯t understand why he¡¯s causing trouble in other territories.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know the details of that guy¡¯s situation.¡± The crucial question is whether this is the work of Erebos or not. If Erebos is the culprit, causing enough chaos to utterly destroy him would be the only solution. ¡°We need to find out where Erebos is.¡± Therefore, to resolve the incident, it¡¯s urgent to discover Erebos¡¯s whereabouts. Considering Erebos is one of the bosses of The Seven Great Evil Dungeons and tends to be cautious, he is most likely observing the situation from a safe location. ¡°Um, Mr Devourer. I¡¯ve thought about something related to that.¡± As if she could read his thoughts, Melje, pressing Devourer¡¯s finger against her temple, spoke. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°When undead attack a village, it¡¯s typical for them to push in with numerical superiority. Of course, in a sturdy stronghold, they might employ different methods, but at least the current situation in Hastin doesn¡¯t qualify as a robust fortress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± It had been a peaceful village for decades. Moss growing in the shadow of the walls would indicate it¡¯s not exactly what you¡¯d call a solid fortress. ¡°But why use a method of infiltrating from within? Well, that¡¯s secondary. I¡¯m curious about the specific method they¡¯re using to infiltrate the village. ¡­That¡¯s what I think.¡± Interrupting her thoughts, Melje suddenly looked around. After confirming the absence of humans, she pulled out the staff she had hidden. Midway through her words, Melje abruptly scanned her surroundings. Once she confirmed the absence of humans, she retrieved the staff she had concealed. Low-level magic: Mana Detection. S?a??h th? N?v?lFir?(.)n?t website on G??gl? to access chapters of n?vels early and in the highest quality. As she slammed the staff on the ground, faint waves emanated from the point of contact, quickly reading the mana in the surroundings. ¡°¡­Unless it¡¯s a special area called the ¡®Mana Source,¡¯ mana circulates in most areas of the continent.¡± Fine particles of blue magical dust hovered around Melje. With a serious tone, she spoke. ¡°And the mana flowing through the ground here is intertwined into several threads, all heading in one direction.¡± ¡°Are you saying someone deliberately altered it?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I think. Moreover, it¡¯s the work of someone highly skilled. If an inexperienced person had tampered with it, they might have disrupted more mana than necessary, causing unusual phenomena. But this was done with precision, subtly redirecting only the required amount of mana.¡± If it weren¡¯t for a capable Demon King like her, one probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed. Finishing her explanation, Melje smirked. The ¡°mature version¡± of her ample chest aggressively flaunted itself, but to Devourer, who already knew the truth, it seemed like nothing but a hollow show-off. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re amazing.¡± ¡°Heh,, Mr Devourer¡¯s praise seems insincere¡­ Anyway, the problem is finding out why someone twisted the ley lines like this.¡± After saying this, Melje coughed again. As if there was still something to show, she grabbed Devourer¡¯s hand. Confused, Devourer expressed a quiet question. Nonetheless, he followed Melje, who led her. After reaching the rooftop of a building far from the castle gate, Melje, standing on tiptoes, looked down at the scenery. It wasn¡¯t a very high vantage point, but still, most of Hastin came into view. Confirming her predictions, Melje spoke with a triumphant tone. ¡°Look at this. My guess was right.¡± With these words, she immediately cast a magical barrier in front of Devourer. Now able to see what Melje saw, Devourer silently gazed at the sight of Hastin. His expression was slightly distorted. Hastin, surrounded by a circular wall. Starting from the edge of that wall, a dense ring of mana encircled it, forming countless paths of mana within. Combine them all, and magical runes emerge. ©¤Hastin itself, the mana flowing through Hastin¡¯s land, forms one giant magic circle. It was the moment when all doubts turned into certainty. Melje had said, ¡®If I weren¡¯t as competent as you, I wouldn¡¯t have noticed.¡¯ If so, the magician behind this magic must be someone who is much more skilled than a mere demon king. While Melje didn¡¯t say it directly, there was only one undead being among them who fit that description: Erebos. ¡°Then those emanating the undead¡¯s aura from the lord¡¯s castle, the ones toying with the experiments¡­ all of them must be Erebos¡¯s subordinates.¡± Devourer, landing on the ground, fell silent. It took dozens of seconds before he spoke again. Melje just waited quietly for Devourer to break the silence. ¡°Melje, can you figure out where the person who casted this magic circle is right now?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no surefire way. Typically, such massive magic circles maintain the flow of the ley lines continuously.¡± It was a safeguard against interference. By keeping the direction constant, even if someone tries to disrupt part of the ley lines, the user can quickly regain the intended direction. ¡°If it¡¯s being maintained¡­ it means the user might be nearby.¡± ¡°They could be nearby, but it¡¯s not a guarantee. Another possibility is using a medium to consistently maintain the direction of mana flow. Ah, yes. Think of it like a ¡®teleportation hub.¡¯ ¡­In my opinion, it seems more like the latter. What do you think?¡± ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Considering Erebos, who is known for his caution among the bosses of The Seven Great Evil Dungeons, if Erebos is behind this incident, he would undoubtedly ensure his safety even if he didn¡¯t come in person. Melje, observing Devourer pondering, added a remark. ¡°This is just my speculation, but if a magic of this scale, encircling Hastin, and a crystal assisting it exist, they must contain vast amounts of mana. If they weren¡¯t thinking of manipulating the ley lines, they wouldn¡¯t have embedded such a massive chunk of mana into the ground. So¡­¡± Having said that, Melje turned her head. Following Melje¡¯s gaze, Devourer turned his head to see a massive building. ©¤ The Lord¡¯s Castle. It was the only structure within the territory that could easily conceal such a medium and maintain a sufficient distance from the ground. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s no certainty. It¡¯s all just speculation.¡± ¡°This should be enough.¡± He meant it. Even if they didn¡¯t know what kind of trick the undead were up to, if they could overturn everything they were attempting, someone would likely show up. Dealing with those scheming behind the scenes required dragging them out by their feet. Of course, even if they begged for mercy, there was no intention of showing any mercy. ¡°Since Patrick is probably over there anyway¡­ Melje, is there anything urgent you need to take care of right away?¡± ¡°Of course! Didn¡¯t I come because I wanted to see you?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go visit the castle together.¡± ©¤ We can think about the details later. Truly in the silent midnight, Devourer smiled silently. At the end of his laughter, madness followed. Devourer muttered, ¡°It¡¯s time to wipe out one of The Seven Great Evil Dungeons.¡± Phase 7 [Translator ¨C Clara]