Chapter 226
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 226
Chapter Title: The Vampire's Lair
“Won’t you really take any porters or dismantlers with you?”
Even after arriving right in front of the dungeon, Kamara Tiwin couldn’t quite let go of his reluctance.
Eugene nodded once more as he checked his gear.
“It’s fine. They’d just get in the way if they came along. Besides.”
Eugene’s chilling gaze fell on Kamara.
“This dungeon might come to an end today. At the very least, everything inside it right now will be wiped out.”
“……!”
Kamara’s eyes widened in shock, and the soldiers who had come with him swallowed hard.
It had been several years since Eugene last visited Tiwin Territory, so most of the territory’s soldiers didn’t even know who he was.
Even the territory knights that Kamara had hired recently had only heard stories about Eugene—they were seeing him in person for the first time.
‘Is he serious? No, even if only half the rumors about the Archduke are true, he could probably end the dungeon for good…….’
And among the tales about the young and beautiful Archduke standing before them, the most famous and undeniable fact was that he had been the one to open Tiwin Territory’s dungeon.
He had even claimed an astonishing feat by slaying mid-tier monsters during that opening subjugation, making it one of the territory’s most legendary stories. Songs and poems had even been composed about it.
‘Still…….’
The Archduke included, that made eight knights total.
Sending just eight people into a dungeon subjugation that normally required at least thirty was simply absurd by any standard.
“We’re going in.”
With a casual wave, Eugene unsealed the dungeon entrance. Under the dubious gazes of Kamara and his dozens of soldiers, the elven knights plunged into the dark dungeon without hesitation.
* * *
“Everyone, conceal your presence.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The monsters had likely already sensed intruders through sound and smell anyway.
There was no need to gratuitously reveal their numbers and alert them further.
The goal of this subjugation wasn’t just to hunt monsters—it was to exterminate them and reach the dungeon’s depths to uncover its secrets.
‘The Helmund Clan’s vampire, huh.’
Eugene hadn’t mentioned it to Kamara, but he suspected the vampire wasn’t dead in the dungeon—he was probably scheming something inside.
Once upon a time, Eugene himself had considered holing up in a dungeon or labyrinth if his identity as a vampire was exposed and he had nowhere left to go.
Dungeons and labyrinths offered the perfect conditions for vampires to inhabit.
And yet, a high-ranking vampire bearing his clan name as a surname had supposedly died inside one?
‘Ridiculous.’
Moreover, he had entered the dungeon nearly a year ago. Whatever he was plotting, it clearly tied into the sudden surge in monster numbers and their increased aggression.
“In case anything happens, go ahead and scout.”
“Got it!”
Mirian, suppressing her innate spirit glow unlike usual, darted forward into the depths.
Though they lacked essentials like maps and torches for dungeon subjugations, Eugene and the elven knights pressed on effortlessly with their superior vision and senses.
After about five minutes—
“They’re coming.”
Eugene drew Wolfslaughter upon hearing the monsters’ noises with his enhanced hearing.
Shring.
As Princess Lilisein and the elven knights drew their swords, eight streaks of light pierced the darkness.
One key reason Elrand’s elven knights were veterans at monster hunting: they could wield mana.
Swords infused with mana’s mysteries inflicted damage on monsters as devastating as a holy knight’s holy sword.
Even a simple slash or stab brought excruciating pain, and monsters with self-regeneration like trolls couldn’t heal.
These elite knights who could wield auras also possessed exceptional vision and senses, allowing them to fight freely in the pitch-black dungeon as if it were broad daylight.
The subjugation of Tiwin Territory’s dungeon was a foregone conclusion from the start.
Keeek!
Kek! Keeeh!
The monsters’ cries grew closer.
Eugene gripped Madarazika in one hand and Wolfslaughter in the other, murmuring softly.
“Let’s start light.”
Ziiing!
The red sword, thick with Origin’s aura, illuminated the darkness with a bloody glow.
* * *
Stab, stab. Squelch.
Unpleasant, eerie sounds echoed ceaselessly in the space.
Deep in the dungeon, where only faint light came from mana stones and torches, dozens of mercenaries huddled in groups on the floor, casting sinister shadows as they focused intently on something.
They were in the middle of “dinner.”
Amid piles of bones and skulls from humans and monsters alike scattered everywhere, figures that resembled humans—but could not be called such—slurped down blood and flesh with wet smacks.
Dungeons were always cooler than the outside. Places near the “heart” like this were so frigid that even heavily clothed ordinary people struggled to endure it, preventing corpses from rotting even if left for long.
And what these grotesquely shaped mercenaries devoured now were the bodies of those who had entered and died here.
At the center of this bizarre feast sat a man on a throne of bones, watching the scene with bored eyes.
His sickly pale face bore eyes glowing red and yellow respectively, with long fangs protruding prominently from his lips.
Unmistakably a vampire.
“……Hm?”
The vampire, who had been idly observing his slaves’ meal, lifted his head slightly.
“Hoh. Fresh prey has entered after so long.”
A smile brimming with anticipation curled on the vampire’s lips.
One mercenary, ripping leather armor off a corpse with one hand to tear out its heart, grinned wickedly.
“Looks like some fresh sacrifices have arrived after ages, Master. If you give me a chance…….”
“Quiet.”
The mercenary shuddered and prostrated himself at the vampire’s curt word. The overwhelming aura in his master’s eyes crushed his mind.
“P-Please forgive me! Master!”
The other mercenaries devouring corpses followed suit, collapsing in submission. As the vampire’s slaves and servants, the mercenaries obeyed their master without question.
Their master had risen as the ruler of all demonic realms in the region, including Tiwin Territory’s dungeon. He was merciless.
And he was no one meant to linger in a place like this.
They couldn’t know, nor should they—a superior’s command had kept him here for nearly a year.
“Not many of them, so leave it to the monsters, slaves, and servants for now. Tell them not to kill—bring them alive.”
“Yes, Master.”
The monsters inside the demonic realm, unlike those outside, had their minds fully subjugated by their master.
Even the cave spider queen, the former upper-tier monster lording over this dungeon, had been dominated and now guarded the entrance to the dungeon’s heart.
“Send the trolls first. Tell them they can take a limb or two.”
“As you command, Master.”
The butlers, who hadn’t tasted tender living human flesh in ages, licked their lips but obeyed.
* * *
“Let’s take a break.”
“Yes.”
The elven knights sat on the floor, exhausted from four fierce battles.
In four hours since entering, they had faced over two hundred low-tier monsters and three trolls, pushing their stamina to the limit.
This was the elven knights’ sole weakness.
In demonic realms, elven knights’ stamina dropped to human knight levels. Mana circulated slower inside due to the ambient demonic energy.
Human knights could sustain themselves with mana crystals, but the elves could not.
Thus, with their stamina nearly depleted, they needed rest now.
“We apologize for disappointing you, Your Highness. Two hours. We’ll be combat-ready after that.”
Eugene nodded at Princess Lilisein’s words, unmasked fatigue and all.
“I’ll handle security, so hydrate and get some shut-eye.”
“Yes.”
Fortunately, mana wasn’t severed entirely—just slower. As the princess said, a couple hours’ rest would let them fight again.
“How many mana stones did we get?”
“Kieee… W-Well… Lots! Super lots! Kiehehehe!”
The spirit, whose greed pierced the heavens but faltered at numbers, gestured a huge circle with his arms and cackled.
Fair enough—exact counts didn’t matter much.
As Mirian said, they had acquired an enormous haul of mana stones.
‘The monsters grew stronger and more aggressive, and the proportion carrying mana stones increased too. Even low-tier ones had them eight or nine out of ten.’
Normally, low-tier monsters carried mana stones at under 30%—this was triple that.
He had suspected demonic realms would follow the trend of higher mana stone rates in roamers, but this exceeded expectations.
‘Monsters got stronger, but mana stones increased. Strange. Not entirely bad, but…….’
Most races, especially humans, were insanely greedy for mana stones.
Monsters harmed people, but refined mana crystals boosted health and lifespan.
If this wasn’t localized to the region, every noble and merchant in the world would cheer rather than worry.
No one refused wealth or longevity.
But Eugene’s instincts told him it wasn’t so simple.
More mana stones from subjugations? Everyone would hunt monsters frenzy.
Nobles would borrow to hire soldiers and mercenaries; commoners would abandon trades to join.
Mana stones were valuable, but not essential for survival.
Refined ones mostly went to the elite anyway.
Rural serfs often lived without ever seeing one.
For the world’s vast majority, other priorities loomed larger.
‘Food. That’s the real essential.’
Starvation was rampant already.
For ordinary folk, reliable full bellies trumped mana stones.
Serfs were farmers. Increased monsters hit them first and hardest.
Starving, cornered farmers had few choices.
Farms ruined, they’d turn to monster hunting.
Dispossessed by monsters, they’d seek revenge and quick riches as mercenaries.
And then……
“Rebellion.”
Not in one or two places—but simultaneously across the kingdom.
Starving to death or rebelling against lords? Little difference.
Rebellion might even mean eating today.
“……Whoever planned this, thinking that far ahead.”
A flash of clarity hit Eugene, and he was genuinely impressed.
Only a true Demon King, sincerely wishing for the world’s end, would devise such a scheme.
That was when—
“Hm?”
Eugene’s expanded senses caught something.
“As expected…… What mad bastards.”
Feeling the base, vulgar aura, Eugene grinned.
Just as he thought—the Helmund Clan’s vampire had this dungeon in his pocket, plotting away.
“Kieee! Milord! Somethin’s comin’!”
Mirian belatedly sensed the mid- and low-tier vampires’ auras and fussed.
Princess Lilisein and the elven knights jolted up to grab their gear.
“You lot keep resting.”
“Yes? But…….”
“They’re vampires. Better to capture them. So…….”
Feeling his magic armor’s eagerness to show off after absorbing troll blood freely, Eugene donned the dragon-head helm.
“The best test subjects are fellow vampires.”
Fwooooosh!
In the darkness, the magic armor Armis dyed itself crimson.
One hidden ability of the magic armor, craftable only by Vampire Origin: infuse aura into the armor, allowing it to shift size and form to match its wearer’s transformations seamlessly.
(To be continued)