ALL NOVEL Chapter 31
– 1 –
“While I’m away, there’s nothing you must do in the dungeon, so focus on recovering your health.”
“… I understand.”
Next to Sonia, who bowed deeply, stood Mire and the soldiers saluting. Among them were Jacob, who was not yet ‘discarded,’ and Maria, who glared at me as if she wanted to kill me.
I intended to leave some of the troops to guard the dungeon.
I couldn’t take Sonia, whose capacity for self-defense was sealed, along the way to the human world, nor could I leave her and the others without anyone to protect and watch over them.
Although Mire might feel a certain affection for Sonia that she herself could not fully understand, that wouldn’t serve as a motive to defy my orders.
As I said, a contract between a Necromancer and a Summon is not easy.
“Once you recover your body, you can do anything. Just endure until then.”
“… Yes.”
Even though unfulfilled hatred still danced in her eyes, Sonia tidied her posture politely. I encouraged her by patting her arm a few times, which seemed uncertain in decision-making.
If it were before, her shoulder would be exactly at the right height.
Now, as her health improved, she was growing taller, surpassing the level that was similar to mine before.
… Well, people are said to grow until they’re 25, and Sonia is now in her early 20s.
I, on the other hand, am a being whose form has been fixed since birth.
“Then, I shall be off.”
– Snap!
“Please take care.”
Thus, I set off from the dungeon.
– 2 –
“Are you doing this using that body right now?”
“Yes. Being a member of the Information Guild is quite useful.”
Talhan was still quite capable, even as an Undead.
Considering travel time, it seems he fabricated a small trading company that can supply support from Solemio to Copgerin in no more than three days.
『Name – Talhan (Natalie)』
『Attributes – Health 19(22) Skill 24(27) Durability 15(18) Magic Power 32(16) Resistance 13(24)』
『Specialty – Specialization: Dagger, Trace Finding, Information Analysis (Inactive),』
The body Talhan now donned was, by all appearances, a typical ‘Assassin’ class woman.
With near-black, dark reddish-brown hair tied in a ponytail under her hood, there was a woman with deep blue eyes beneath.
I didn’t know why it was a woman’s body, but…
“It’s easier to approach as a woman than as a man. The moment a male adventurer is with a woman, they are most relaxed during… well, that moment.”
“I see?”
“I felt a strange look coming from you…”
Still perceptive, huh? At this rate, it wouldn’t be surprising if ‘Quick Wit’ were added as a trait.
The problem was her poor conduct.
“I didn’t mean that. Your will is commendable. Please continue to do well.”
“… Yes, Master. I will call you ‘Miss’ during our travels.”
“That will suffice.”
As I turned my gaze from the driver’s seat to look inside the carriage, I saw several sleeping adventurers.
All of them were novice-level adventurers, previously hypnotized under the pretense of being hired to transport supplies for this small trading company.
Their ability levels were still insufficient to be of any use in confronting formal-level adventurers.
“Even so, it’s just a light hypnosis; they’ll sleep fine.”
Now, they were simply temporarily enchanted for conversation and would naturally awaken without noticing anything unusual.
Thus, the only ones with formal abilities here were me, Talhan, and Xue.
Of course, the soldiers hiding in my shadow were included as well.
“Try to be patient, even if it’s frustrating.”
“Okay…”
– Snap.
Answers came simultaneously from my shadow and outside.
The climate around us was close to tropical. Xue, wearing a thick hood, might wear out from the heat, and even the soldiers waiting in the shadows might feel boredom due to their intelligence.
It was unavoidable.
Xue was far too beautiful, and my soldiers were just too conspicuous.
“It’s fine. You’re with the Lady.”
– Clip-clop.
“… Thank you.”
Perhaps noticing my mood, Xue and my soldiers exchanged reassuring words with me.
I felt I had found good subordinates relative to my abilities.
“So, what kind of place is that city? Talhan.”
“The city ‘Copgerin’. It’s known among the nobles and court officials as the Southern Capital.”
According to Talhan, the city with the name Copgerin is one of the most important cities in the Kaisen Kingdom, to which my dungeon belongs.
The nickname ‘Southern Capital’ intuitively indicates its importance.
“It’s a mess because a Dungeon Lord was discovered right next to such an important city.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Of course, even if Copgerin is an important city, there’s no way the entire city would gather reinforcements just because a Dungeon Lord was discovered.
Although the rank of that Lord is ‘Upper-level,’ that also means it’s just an Upper-level.
In this world, at least three higher ranks exist.
“The bigger problem is the position of that Lord.”
“It’s a canyon with a road connecting to the capital… the humans of a trade-utilizing nation might go into a frenzy.”
The shortest route connecting the southern capital, Copgerin, to the kingdom’s capital, Hiralash, passes through a canyon between two small, rugged mountains.
In Kaisen Kingdom, it’s called the ‘Golden Road’ as it’s considered the lifeline for logistics connecting the north and west of the continent, and it is where the Vampire’s dungeon is located.
Moreover, it is of the kind that can rapidly expand its influence over time, one of the zombie-type, causing significant reactions from the higher-ups of the kingdom.
“It seems it had been hiding until now.”
“That’s why they seem to be taking it more seriously.”
That makes sense.
If not handled properly, the national project of Kaisen could wholly be influenced by a Dungeon Lord.
Even if I were the king of the country, I wouldn’t be able to maintain my composure in such a situation.
After this, there might be restrictions on the movements of the dungeon.
– Lady.
While I was thinking that, the awaited communication arrived.
“Good afternoon, Daniel.”
– Ah, yes. I am in the middle of going into battle, though.
“Is that so.”
The group of adventurers, including Daniel. And news that the dungeon subjugation force in Copgerin, along with that adventurer group, has set off.
At this point, there’s no need to stop by the city; I can directly deliver supplies to that subjugation force and join them.
Since the supplies are genuinely prepared, there’s no risk of being suspected, and there’s no need to stay in the city while worrying about people’s eyes.
Our party is filled with beauties, so it’s fortunate that they will definitely attract attention.
– I contacted you to check the instructions.
“You can fight actively. Just take care of your body.”
– … Is that really okay? The opponent is a Dungeon Lord, and Lady, you also…
“All Dungeon Lords are enemies to each other, Daniel.”
Of course, that was not the only reason.
Just as Daniel might feel worried or fearful, I didn’t wish for the kingdom’s army and the Dungeon Lord’s army to suffer greatly. I hoped that the kingdom’s army would take suitable casualties and achieve victory.
And according to the report Daniel sent, there was not much to worry about.
“If the forces gathered from the kingdom are as you said, that Dungeon Lord won’t easily lose even if they put in all their power.”
– Is that really so? There are several elite-level adventurers, and parts of the kingdom’s knight order…
“How much help do you think the army of a peaceful nation will be? Adventurers will surely be active to some extent.”
An Upper-level Dungeon Lord can easily match elite-level adventurers or summons in terms of pure stats. However, under the current conditions, even if there are several elite monsters, the dungeon angle will likely be disadvantaged.
It’s a battle of an Upper-level dungeon against an army representing half of the kingdom’s emergency forces.
However, the Upper-level Dungeon Lord had one advantage that those below it did not possess.
“That place is the Vampire’s home ground. Surely, the environment inside and around the dungeon won’t be easy for humans to operate in.”
That is the benefit of ‘Magical Realm Transformation’ of the dungeon.
This is a feature of dungeons that literally optimizes the interior for the Dungeon Lord.
Of course, being only upper-level means it wouldn’t be particularly strong or expansive, but since the Lord is already rampaging, that area must have spread outwards. Weak humans would struggle to approach the dungeon at all.
Even if they manage to access it, ordinary soldiers would have to confront the monsters pouring out of the dungeon rather than entering it themselves.
“Moreover, that dungeon is in a rampaged state. The danger of the monsters should not be assumed to be at the regular upper-level.”
– To what degree should I think?
The Dungeon Lord, having annihilated or subjugated the surrounding wild monsters, would be pouring out mana liberally, so the quality and aggressiveness of the dungeon monsters would far surpass those from before.
“At least half a step. Since that Lord is upper-level and quite matured, an elite monster or two might show up.”
– If they’ve become stronger… then it will certainly be dangerous.
With only a small number of elite monsters and a Dungeon Lord of similar caliber rampaging, this dungeon could become a battlefield where even a single moment of carelessness could put my life in jeopardy.
It would be even more dangerous for Daniel, who is just an upper-level adventurer.
“You’re likely to be included in the front lines. Make sure to check your equipment that can withstand the toxicity of the magical realm. Daniel. I still don’t want to lose you.”
– Understood.
“I believe you won’t easily fall to those crazed ones. Be careful for Maria’s sake.”
– … Yes. Thank you, Lady.
Facing a Dungeon Lord who has lost their intelligence and become a beast, at least I was fortunate to be fighting amidst humans where I could hide my presence and wait for opportunities.
I, myself, was not without worries.
“This might be fun.”
I had no confidence in achieving my objectives.