Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Doll Dungeon (1)
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As humans inevitably need rest, Apocalypse Academy naturally had weekends as well.
In the game, weekends allowed for various activities like part-time jobs or quests, and reality wasn't much different.
Most students spent their free time enjoying leisure or living freely, while only a few top performers stayed at the academy to continue their studies.
But this weekend was an exception.
With the first follower class and dungeon practicum ending next week, this was the last weekend before evaluations.
Thanks to that, Christoph Station and the trams were swarming with students rushing for last-minute cramming.
In contrast, the train Cecilia and I boarded had no students aboard.
Because the city we were heading to, Erandar, had no dungeons other than the Doll Dungeon.
The scenery of the capital faded from the window, replaced by white spires exuding a thick religious atmosphere.
Erandar, a city nestled in the Empire's western lake district.
It was said to be a place where the main gods once resided, the central headquarters of the Empire's Main God Church, and Mine's hometown.
A temple situated in the middle of a lake near Erandar.
That was where the Doll Dungeon lay.
While typical dungeons took the form of caves or wild areas, Demon God's Dungeons uniformly resembled temples.
This was because the Abyss itself was set as a temple worshiping the Evil God Tartaros.
For example, Barhatan's field was a ruined temple, as Barhatan served as a sentinel guarding the path to the Evil God.
In other words, like a guard dog for the house.
‘Though that dog killed me three times.’
The Doll Dungeon had its own lore as well.
The temple on the lake was originally where the twin bishops Rose and Lilian served the main gods, and it was also the tomb of martyred followers.
They had crafted wax dolls modeled after the followers during their lives and placed them before the tombs, and after their deaths, they themselves were buried there.
The problem arose when the Evil God's Abyss formed at that spot, and the leaking demonic energy seeped into the wax dolls.
As a result, all the dolls transformed into demonic beasts, creating the Doll Dungeon.
Like the Beast Dungeon, it was impossible to progress beyond the entrance without a playable character, so the Empire had erected watchtowers around the lake and entrusted priests with regular surveillance and purification.
By the time Mine's existence—capable of opening the boss room—was revealed after a long period, ironically, she had already developed a dungeon phobia.
They hastily designated her as a saintess, but she would break out in cold sweats just seeing the entrance and faint after taking a few steps inside, making it impossible to escort her to the boss room.
The method of shoving in masses of civilians like they did with me back then wouldn't even be an option for the religious folk.
“Have you received any separate contact?”
“None.”
“I figured. That's why I said I hate this place.”
So what about me, instead of Mine?
Even if it looks this way, I'm known in the Empire as one of only two keys.
Normally, it would benefit the Empire to lead with me alongside holy knights to conquer the Abyss.
But call it the cliché of corrupt religious figures.
Erandar's leadership was drawing massive annual budgets from the Empire under the pretext of monitoring the Doll Dungeon.
Since the leaking demonic energy could be sufficiently contained through purification anyway, the dungeon was less a threat to them and more like a honey pot.
Naturally, word of me and the Requiem Sword had spread widely in Erandar as well.
They weren't contacting me separately out of fear that I might overturn their honey pot.
In that sense, this was the part I was most worried about.
I'd already geared up as much as possible, but I had no good sense of how to handle this.
In the original story, Aren starts getting checked by Erandar's leadership the moment he conquers the Doll Dungeon.
But later, when it's revealed he possesses the power of the Heavenly Apex God, they lose any pretext to check him.
‘That doesn't apply to me.’
Extra Halibal Belder has no such power.
The problem is how to get past that scrutiny.
Lost in thought, the train had already arrived at Erandar before I knew it.
Stepping off the train, the sight of pure white marble buildings cleared my mind.
‘Yeah. Whatever.’
Since when have I ever planned around this stuff?
Just move first and deal with it later.
⁎⁎⁎
“We've been waiting for you, Halibal Belder, Cecilia Ren. I am Rajen.”
The moment we left the station, a squinting priest appeared.
A name I'd never heard in the original story, but with a squinting male character, physiognomy dictates suspicion first.
“Are you perhaps heading to the Evil God's Abyss?”
We hadn't told anyone we were conquering the Doll Dungeon.
Senia might have guessed with her sharp wits, but I hadn't even told Adelin.
She'd obviously oppose it.
Yet here he was, waiting.
Where did the info leak from?
“With the academy practicum so close, what other reason could the wielder of the Requiem Sword have for coming all the way to Erandar besides conquering a dungeon?”
‘Who're you calling a dungeon addict?’
We could be here on a tourist trip with Cecilia.
I could have brushed it off vaguely, but lying here wouldn't mean much.
“Yes, we intend to conquer the Doll Dungeon.”
“I'm sorry, but that's not possible right now.”
Who the hell are you?
“Ah, don't misunderstand. The Evil God's Abyss is a place fraught with inexpressible threats.”
“We know that.”
Who could know better than me at this point?
“Without thorough preparation, one shouldn't even set foot inside. So if you insist on entering, it's only right that we provide support troops.”
“That's not necessary…”
“However, we currently have not a single available holy knight. I'll send word to the White Spirit Hall in advance, so please return next week.”
‘Playing it like this, huh?’
Next week was out of the question.
By then, the practicum would be over, I'd be separated from Cecilia, and weekdays left no time to come here.
Just as expected, a flat-out rejection.
They'd probably make another excuse even if I came next week, blocking entry.
“Instead, since you've come, allow me to personally guide you around Erandar. Have you seen the 'Silver Staircase' by any chance?”
As if I'd have, on my first visit.
I sighed inwardly, but I wasn't without options.
“Her Highness the Princess granted me the right to enter and exit dungeons at will.”
Even access to upper dungeons had been thanks to rights from Alicia during the Beast Dungeon conquest.
Erandar, being part of the Empire, couldn't ignore the Princess's orders.
“…Is that so. Then there's no helping it. I'll escort you to the lake.”
The moment I mentioned Alicia, Rajen calmly started walking as if he'd been waiting.
‘Then why block us in the first place.’
The answer to my question came soon enough.
He repeated the same lines the entire way to the lake.
“It's true we have no holy knights available. So Erandar has no choice but to dissuade you two.”
“……”
“If you ignore my warnings and enter the dungeon only to meet misfortune… how could I show my face to others?”
“……”
“Please reconsider once more. Entering the dungeon with just the two of you is far too reckless.”
‘Shut up already.’
While incessantly dissuading us with his mouth, his feet showed no sign of stopping.
Yeah, as if he'd give up so easily.
He'd planned this from the start.
‘We can't provide you with troops.’
‘Erandar has sufficiently warned you.’
‘Any problems from ignoring the warning and entering are solely your responsibility.’
In the end, his goal wasn't to stop us.
It was to lay down excuses to dodge blame if we failed.
The Doll Dungeon's difficulty was incomparably higher than the Beast Dungeon.
That's why I'd prepared far more thoroughly than for the Beast Dungeon, ready to use every bit of original knowledge, Rene's power, and everything at my disposal.
If this weren't a spec plateau period, I'd have farmed shards up to rank 5 in the Goblin Dungeon.
Of course, dragging it out like that would let the academy get wiped by the church first.
‘Worried, huh? That we'll clear the dungeon and cut off your honey.’
Probably why he kept mentioning holy knights.
Realizing that sparked my defiance instead.
Cecilia felt the same.
Arms crossed, glaring with utter disdain.
She was even showing her original trademark expression, rare lately.
“Don't worry. We won't hold Erandar responsible, no matter what happens.”
“The Ren family as well. This is our choice through and through. Whatever the outcome, we won't blame you.”
Even after that, Rajen insisted on getting us to sign a pre-prepared waiver.
…We'll see about that later.
Moments later, crossing the marble arch bridge, the lake came into view in the distance.
White Spirit Lake.
The seven watchtowers surrounding the lake seemed inoperative now.
No difference whether they monitored or not—they were clearly slacking off on salary.
Might as well replace them all.
Looking toward the lake's center, a massive temple on a small island leaked demonic energy.
That was our destination, the Doll Dungeon.
“This is as far as I can escort you.”
“Why not come in with us? Don't you want to conquer the Evil God's Dungeon ASAP too?”
“Of course I'd like to, but given my shortcomings… I worry I'd just hold you back.”
Brushing off the nonsense, we headed straight along the bridge to the island.
The temple looming upon arrival was overwhelming.
It hadn't felt real in graphics, but up close, it dwarfed the Beast Dungeon's crude stone doors in grandeur.
While I stared blankly at the temple, Cecilia handed me a map showing the terrain up to the Doll Dungeon's entrance.
“Here, the map.”
“You hold onto it. I've already memorized it.”
Though the Doll Dungeon looked like a temple outside, it transformed into a quiet noble mansion inside.
Much like the Beast Dungeon's cave leading to a ruined temple.
The mansion's first floor featured trash mobs and elite demonic beasts.
On the second floor, the giant knight doll, Alain, appeared as the mid-boss.
Finally, ascending to the temple rooftop on the third floor brought confrontation with the boss awaiting intruders: Rose & Lilian.
At the encounter, the space shifted, forcing a battle against both bosses simultaneously in a field blending morning and night themes.
To prevent revival, their HP had to be equalized and dropped in one go.
‘……It'll be fine.’
My heart pounded like this after so long.
I'd prepared countermeasures, but no certainty.
Anything else I could have readied?
‘Nope. Probably.’
Finishing my check, I placed my hand on the left door handle of the iron gate.
Cecilia mirrored me on the right, meeting my eyes.
“Nervous?”
“Yeah.”
“Really? I'm not particularly tense. After a month of dungeons because of you, this won't faze me.”
Even as she said that, her hand trembled like an aspen leaf.
‘You are tense.’
Feeling my gaze, Cecilia bit her lip and spoke.
“…Still, it's my first Evil God's Abyss.”
“Mine too.”
“You've cleared it once.”
“First time going with two people.”
Cecilia's eyes widened at my words.
Then she grinned broadly and gripped the handle tighter.
I matched her force, and with a creak, the Abyss's maw opened.
The moment we stepped through, a thud rang out as the door sealed with demonic energy.
Easy to enter, not so much to exit.
At least until the mid-boss Alain was defeated, that door wouldn't open.
Entering the mansion, we were greeted by darkness deeper and thicker than the Goblin Dungeon.
From within came a clattering sound.
A grotesque friction, like forcing two ill-fitting bowls together.
As surrounding lanterns lit one by one, the source of the clatter revealed itself.
It was human.
A human clad in priestly robes.
But both Cecilia and I knew instantly it was no human.
The demonic energy oozing from it was stickier than even a Goblin Lord's.
The wax doll in the priest's form charged straight at us.
My turn.