Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Dungeon's Temptation
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“What do you mean, brother? Father is awake for less than an hour a day.”
“Then we’ll meet him during that time, won’t we? He’ll want to meet his new little brother anyway, so we can greet him together.”
“Brother!”
“What? Why?”
Sparks seemed to fly between the eyes of the two brothers staring at each other.
Then Kamara shrugged his shoulders and turned to Eugene.
“My apologies, sir. I meant to arrange a meeting with the lord directly—especially after failing to recognize you earlier—but it looks like that won’t be possible now. Thanks to someone.”
Kamara shot Bertel a look that screamed, *This is all your fault!*, before continuing.
“Anyway, rest well today. If anyone changes their mind, I’ll let you know right away. Excuse me.”
Kamara vanished with the servants in tow.
*They never intended to let me meet him in the first place. They just used me to provoke their little brother.*
It was obvious they were passing the buck. Eugene gave up on meeting the lord through the Tiwin brothers.
*In the end, do I have to use Pellid?*
That was when he had the thought.
“Hey! Second son Tiwin! Busy?”
A booming voice came from one side of the stairs built along the castle wall.
Eugene was inwardly surprised to see a man as burly as Partek.
*A knight.*
The man wore only leather armor, but a longsword—the kind knights favored—hung from his belt.
On the opposite side of his waist dangled a rondel dagger, known as a knight’s dagger, shaped like a large awl.
“No. Heading out now, Sir Galpredic.”
After replying to the burly knight, Bertel turned to Eugene.
“The servants will show you and your men to your rooms. Take meals in the annex dining hall or have a servant bring them.”
With that, Bertel walked off toward the burly knight with two soldiers. He exchanged a few words while glancing back this way, then entered the main keep together.
By then, Partek and the mercenaries had finished unloading the wagon and approached Eugene.
“Sir Galpredic placed third in the tournament hosted by Count Evergrow last year.”
“Is that so? He certainly looks impressive, with that build.”
“They say he’s incredibly strong. Sir Rugetz, who won, was just overwhelmingly dominant. Otherwise, Sir Galpredic is the kind who could hold his own anywhere.”
Eugene was glad he’d gotten friendly with Partek, who knew so much.
“I see. But why would a knight of his caliber come here?”
“Word is the Tiwin family plans to open a dungeon soon, and it must be true. The knight who leads the first successful raid after opening it stands to gain great fame.”
“So Sir Galpredic will become a Tiwin knight?”
The youngest, Raban, glanced cautiously at Eugene before asking. Partek shook his head.
“No, I doubt it. I hear Sir Galpredic is an ambitious knight. He wouldn’t settle for a small territory like Tiwin’s. He’ll take his share, earn the prestige of a successful dungeon opening raid, and move on. Then he could be recruited by a noble house with a title on far better terms.”
“Jealous.”
“Jealous, my ass. Opening a newly discovered dungeon means risking your life. No one’s been inside. You don’t know the layout or what monsters might pop out.”
“I-is that so?”
“Yeah. You’ve got to take down at least 40 to 50. Plus, you need at least one or two mid-tier monsters like trolls or dungeon giant spiders. If you just bag a few low-tiers and bail? You’ll be branded a coward. No knight would stand for that. Right, Sir Eugene?”
“Hmm. Sure.”
It was none of his business, and he couldn’t see the point of wealth or fame when your life was on the line, but Eugene nodded along.
“Even so, can one knight like Sir Galpredic handle it? I heard you need at least 20 people, including laborers, just to enter a dungeon or labyrinth.”
“That’s for places that have already opened and succeeded a few times. For an opening raid, you’ll need twice—maybe three times—as many. And no riffraff; only proven talent. That takes money… Bilmore, how much?”
“If you hire two or three knights and 30 mercenaries, that’s about 800 silver upfront. Success bonuses based on mana stones from the monsters are calculated separately.”
“Whew…”
Raban’s jaw dropped at the unimaginable sum.
“And if you fail, that 800 silver is gone. That’s why the Tiwin family has to be cautious. A wealthy house could weather it, but failure here means bankruptcy. Assuming they even gather the full force, that is.”
As Partek spoke, he glanced at Eugene. The other mercenaries’ eyes naturally followed.
Eugene knew they saw him as a knight aiming to join the Tiwin territory’s dungeon raid for a cut. He said nothing.
His mind was still fixed on how to meet Lord Tiwin.
That was when a castle servant, who’d been hovering nervously behind Eugene and the mercenaries, spoke up cautiously.
“Um, sir knight. Terribly sorry to interrupt, but how about I show you to your rooms first, and you can talk there?”
“Fine.”
“T-this way, please.”
The servant, expecting a scolding or a slap, hurried off in surprise at Eugene’s mild response.
* * *
“So stuffy!”
Mirian finally burst out of the leather pouch and buzzed around Eugene.
“This? This is the room they gave you?”
It was a small room with one window, an old bed, a desk, and a few clothes hooks. Apparently, it had been the steward’s old quarters.
“They gave me this when I asked for the darkest room. No fleas or lice, at least. It’s enough.”
Of course, such pests wouldn’t affect a vampire anyway.
“Tsk tsk! You’ve got a long way to go. You need to rise fast and live large. On that note—how about joining the dungeon raid?”
“Not interested.”
“Why not? Money and honor, all in one!”
“Securing proper status comes first.”
As he said it, a knock sounded.
“Come in.”
“Sir knight, the bathwater is ready.”
“Thank you.”
The servant bowed deeply at Eugene’s reply, then filled the large wooden tub in the attached small bathroom with steaming hot water.
He placed a clean cloth on the bathroom table, then bowed again.
“Let me know when you’re done. I’ll clear it right away. Oh, what about dinner?”
After a moment’s thought, Eugene told the servant.
“I’d like to eat with my companions. Possible?”
“Yes. The mercenaries’ room is spacious, so we’ll set the food on the table there once it’s ready.”
Once the servant left, Eugene stripped quickly and slipped into the tub.
“Oooh! So hoooot!”
Mirian darted in after him, splashing and floating on the water while making elderly groans.
Amazingly, the water cleared wherever it floated. A true water spirit.
“Ahh~ Still, that dungeon thing bugs me.”
“Like I said, status first.”
“That big bear said the first to raid a dungeon gets huge fame. You wouldn’t even need recognition from the lord here, right?”
“…”
Eugene paused mid-wash.
It wasn’t wrong.
As Partek had said, the first to explore the dungeon and slay monsters could gain wealth and fame.
A fairly famous knight like Galpredic had come here for that very reason.
*Too many variables for me to enter a dungeon. Unsure if those brothers would accept me. And I can’t reveal vampire abilities with other knights and mercenaries around. But…*
Dungeons were dark places without sunlight. Far more advantageous for a vampire than a human.
So if he used his abilities discreetly, depending on the situation?
“Not a bad idea. Looks like you’re useful for more than just making water.”
“Eheheh! Of course! I, Mirian, am…”
Mirian puffed up to boast, then started hopping mad.
“Did you just diss me? Don’t diss me! Eek!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Eugene rose from the tub with a perfunctory reply.
As he dried off quickly, his eyes caught his reflection in the copper mirror.
Gazing at his perfectly muscled frame, Eugene suddenly narrowed his eyes.
“Hm?”
Unknown tattoos marked his body—etched by whom, when, or how, he didn’t know.
But one, which should have been on his right chest, was gone without a trace.
*Why is it gone? How?*
Confused by the sudden change, Eugene heard Mirian’s voice in his ear.
“Oh yeah, dungeons have a few upper-tier monsters like that croc punk. It was kinda scrawny and young, but… Eek!?”
Mirian, floating smugly on the bathwater and chattering, startled.
Eugene plucked it up with his fingers and murmured low.
“There are swamp monster types in the dungeon too?”
“Yeah, yeah. That croc kid looks weak but it’s upper-tier. You killed it and ate its mana stone, right? The red one.”
“Upper-tier monsters have red mana stones?”
“Not all, just the special ones? Dunno why. Hey, put me down?”
Eugene released his finger, frowning.
* Ate the swamp monster’s red mana stone and gained Black Scale Mail. Pain started from the right chest then. If I kill another upper-tier and eat its stone…*
Whatever happened, he might gain a powerful monster ability.
More importantly, an indelible tattoo might vanish.
*What happens if all the tattoos disappear?*
He didn’t know yet.
But to find that clue, there was only one choice.
“Let’s check out that dungeon.”
“Excellent choice, Lord Eugene, Count of Blood! Eek!”
* * *
“Ah, there you are, Sir Eugene.”
Partek, still in his leather armor even in the lord’s castle, greeted him.
The table, big enough for five or six, was laden with food.
Bread, a few roasted ducks, a huge pot of stew packed with large meat chunks and vegetables.
Plus a keg each of beer and wine.
“The Tiwin hospitality isn’t bad. All thanks to you, Sir Eugene.”
“Is it?”
“Of course. The kitchen put in this much effort because you’re dining with us. Alone, it’d be just bread and stew.”
“No pork rind even!”
“Liquor? Dream on. Lucky if they don’t serve chamber pot runoff.”
“That’s a reward for you, isn’t it?”
Laughter erupted.
After a few days together, they treated Eugene more casually.
They knew he was a knight from a literate noble house, so they never crossed the line.
But sensing Eugene’s mild nature—unlike other knights—and that he didn’t lord it over them, a subtle camaraderie had formed.
And now, enabling this fine dinner only deepened their gratitude.
“Dig in, everyone.”
“Yes!”
The mercenaries dove in noisily, eating and drinking.
Young and burly, they polished off the food in no time. Eugene set down his wooden cup of wine and said to Partek.
“By the way, your contract’s done now, right?”
“We’ll head back to Maren with Bilmore first.”
“And after?”
“If the Feilin Merchant Group has more work, we take it. Otherwise, the guild. Unless it’s territory wars or battlefields, guild jobs are best. But why do you ask?”
“Nothing much. If you don’t have a job lined up, any interest in raiding a dungeon with me?”
“...!”
Partek and the mercenaries froze in unison.
(To be continued)
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