Chapter 109 - The Viper's Trap!
"Then, Klea. Be careful out there. Don't rush ahead..."
"Haa. I know, Paul. It's not like this is my first dungeon."
"Still... anything can happen inside a dungeon..."
"I know, so get out of my way already."
As the dungeon loomed right in front of them, Paul trailed after Klea like he was clinging to her, babbling on about precautions. It seemed pointless, though, since she treated him like an annoying fly she was swatting away.
Hmm. Yeah. Perfect attitude, Klea.
"Uh... Gonpas Dungeon has been rated by the Guild Management Office as appropriate for level 27..."
In front of the dimensional gate leading into the dungeon, someone who looked like one of the archbishops was reading from a paper, explaining the dungeon's details.
Level 27... A bit high for us, but with a balanced party of warrior, mage, and healer—plus my stats that punch above my level—it should be fine. We can take it slow and steady.
The other dungeons we've cleared weren't a big deal, so this one probably isn't either, right?
"Hero Knights have already scouted the interior... The overall evaluation will be based on difficulty, time, and the party's condition after clearing... You can't re-enter once you exit... If you forfeit midway, the kingdom's knight order will assess the internal situation for points..."
Klea didn't seem all that interested in becoming a saintess anyway... and since forfeiting midway is an option, no need to worry too much. Partial points, even?
"As saintess candidates, make us proud... Bring the goddess's iron fist down on the demon beasts that defile Essentia..."
After the archbishop's boring sermon devolved into goddess worship midway through, Lizbet, Klea, and I entered Gonpas Dungeon.
"......? Huh...?"
Once we passed through the gate and the interior of the walled-off closed-type dungeon came into view, Klea frowned oddly and looked around.
When I asked what was up, she said the feeling had been weird for a second, tilting her head.
What the hell? Something happen when we went through the gate?
"...Sorry. Must've been my imagination."
After focusing for a while, Klea apparently sensed nothing and said so.
Well... Hero Knights checked it out, so probably nothing to worry about. Plus, I've got Malborgi for style points—if shit hits the fan, we just bail.
Right now, though, I gotta savor this: just me and my bitches in the dungeon. Been looking forward to it.
I tucked the two of them under my arms and growled in a sleazy voice.
"Well then, shall we start our dungeon date with my bitches?"
"Kyaha♡ Come to think of it, this is our first dungeon without any pests♡ I can go wild with Master♡"
"No pests... Master and... gulp..."
As I pulled them close, Klea's weird look vanished, replaced by the ecstatic face of a proper bitch in heat. She swallowed hard at Lizbet's words, shuddered, and pressed even tighter against me, mashing her monstrous tits into my side.
Heh heh. Perfect.
Two girls tucked under my arms? Living the dream. Sucks I can't fully feel it through this armor, though.
I draped my arms over their shoulders, groped their tits with my hands, and sauntered deeper into the dungeon.
Every time my hands kneaded their chests, Lizbet and Klea twitched and shivered, happily accepting my touch.
"Still a dungeon, so stay sharp. No slacking off. Fun and games only during breaks. Got it, both of you?"
"Yeah, of course♡ Just being able to walk around without prying eyes is satisfying enough♡ Right, Klea?"
"...Y-yeah... hee hee...♡"
Klea turned her face toward me, flashing a beautiful, satisfied smile.
No trace of resistance in her expressions or actions anymore. Might be the perfect spot to claim her virginity in here.
Nah, maybe too wasteful for a dungeon. Save it for somewhere special?
"By the way, you don't seem too keen on the saintess spot, Klea? Not really motivated."
Gazing at her smile, I voiced a curiosity that had been nagging me.
From the church stories Paul and Klea had shared lately, the saintess position sounded pretty damn appealing. The pope was the church's top dog, real power player. Saintess was a step below but still number two, the public face.
Pope could be man or woman, but you couldn't hold both—you picked one lane. Basically the church's endgame thrones.
Pope track was steady: priest to bishop to archbishop, only the vetted vets with proven skills made candidate.
Saintess? Lottery for any nun. Personality, talent, extras factored in, but a bishop-level rec got you in. Worth a shot for any nun.
Yet here was Klea, a candidate, acting like she couldn't care less.
"...I just don't think the saintess role suits me."
Klea sighed, her face turning bitter.
"It's a big representative position for the nuns, and with my bad eyes, I don't think it'd do the church any good. There are plenty of better candidates..."
Born and raised in the church, she'd climbed to senior nun—equivalent to a company exec—despite her youth. But even that felt burdensome, let alone saintess.
She sighed again, her expression souring with a hint of anger as she blamed Paul.
"Seriously, no idea what he was thinking recommending me without a word... Total nuisance. So selfish..."
Her tone and face dripped with disgust when she mentioned Paul.
Time to plan some kind of breakup message for that loser.
"...And if I became saintess, I'd have to live at the church's royal capital branch... Lots of eyes on me..."
...Huh? Hadn't thought of that...
I figured saintess meant power and perks, but hearing her say it'd lock her down in the capital... suddenly felt like the wind went out of my sails.
My bitch Klea stuck in the capital, unable to move freely? That'd suck.
Was gonna help her out as far as I could, but this complicates shit.
"Ah... yeah. That'd be a real bummer."
Hadn't explored much, but the royal capital still felt iffy for settling down. Big and fancy, sure, but not great for adventurer life... and those busted Hero Knights everywhere? One wrong grab on a girl, and bam—"Died at 29, stabbed for hitting on a hero's girl."
Radia hits the sweet spot. Everything you need, easy adventuring, no OP heroes.
If Klea became saintess, I'd stay in Radia—seeing her would be a hassle.
Hmm...
"...Yeah. It's a shame. That's why I have no intention of becoming one."
Her face said she'd already decided against it.
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"Master! I'll tie that bastard down! Kill it quick!"
"Hiya!"
Lizbet restrained the skeletal demon beast in front of me, and I smashed its skull with my club.
The solid bone shattered under my full swing, crumbling to dust.
This club really sticks to my hand now. Didn't like how uncool it looked at first, but damn, it's growing on me.
That satisfying crunch every swing? Might go full club warrior...
Alright, time to name this beast. From today, you're Malpark.
Tremble before Malpark's might, monsters and demon beasts!
"Hmm... but the numbers are off. One or two per room? Weird..."
After naming my club, I scanned the now-empty room, that nagging sense of déjà vu creeping in.
Level 27 appropriate, so the demon beasts aren't pushovers. Their attacks pack a punch, and without Lizbet binding them, they'd dodge, block, counter—tricky fuckers.
But for level 27, the quantity feels low. Three or four would've had me protecting the girls, sweating it out.
Now? I could solo if I pushed.
And this shortage vibe feels like before...
"...Nah, probably not. Church-picked dungeon. No way they'd rig it that blatantly..."
"...No other vibes besides the demon beasts. But... deeper in, something subtle..."
Klea closed her eyes, focused, then spoke with unease.
"Hm... weird boss? Or just a real tanky one?"
"Saintess test aside, we're here—might as well go deeper? Keeping an eye on traps anyway."
Lizbet suggested, and I nodded.
Yeah. Church-approved, loot's ours per rules—good cash. Hero Knights swept it already.
Wouldn't let us in if dangerous. Maybe they thinned the mobs on their pass, tuning the difficulty.
With that, my bitches and I pressed on into Gonpas Dungeon.