Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Kayrel's Tribulations
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As expected, it had fully absorbed my ideology and thought patterns!
But experiments are something you just have to conduct.
I soon asked the doll the most important question.
"How do you feel about PC culture?"
"Father, political correctness holds the potential to unify the world, as long as it's handled appropriately."
"And the prerequisite?"
"Do not deny mass appeal or good looks."
"That's exactly it!"
""Hahaha!"""
I ran a few more tests like that, and it seemed clear this thing truly stemmed from my own mind.
Father, huh...
Also, this doll was unusually polite.
C-Could it be?!
"So there must be my brothers' behavioral patterns mixed in too, right?"
"Correct, Father. I also incorporate the ideologies of my uncles."
"Hm? So why don't you call Pu or O 'Father' like you do me?"
"You dislike gays, Father. And the uncles are all straight."
"Spot on."
One wrong move and I or my brothers could end up gay, but this was a perfect workaround!
Plus, to avoid ending up like that Chinese general from my past life with three dads, distinguishing the titles like this made sense.
"Take good care of me, son!"
"The pleasure's mine, Father!"
"""Hahaha!"""
As I bantered with my son, the others started eyeing us with strange looks.
"Mr. Balak, isn't the magic working a bit too well?"
"It feels like Big Bro's been duplicated."
"W-Woah..."
"Uh... I'm getting this nagging regret like maybe I shouldn't have done it, but at least we'll get solid intel from outside."
"Exactly! That's where the skeleton merchant comes in."
Now if my daughter could just head out and relay info back here, it'd be perfect.
And instead of me being stuck in this dungeon, my son would adventure the world!
This was what family was all about.
"Next up, time to name you."
"Oh, great idea, Balak."
"What will you call me, Father?"
"Give me a sec to think."
Strictly speaking, my son was a soulless mechanical lifeform.
But this guy was truly alive!
He had the heart of a real man pounding away!
So his name was decided.
"Your name is Anima."
"Anima... Father, does the name have any special meaning?"
"It means soul and spirit. You're a living being with a soul in your own right."
"I like it."
"I've always thought you were good at naming things, Balak bro."
"If you don't half-ass it, you'll get good at it too."
Anima seemed pleased with his name, which was a relief.
After that, while gathering various info from outside, Carrian started bringing in gear to upgrade Anima for action.
"But does it have to be that design?"
"Absolutely essential."
"I ask you too, Uncle Skeleton. Please make it exactly that design."
"Uh... well, it doesn't matter much, but it might be a tad inefficient for combat."
So even my son liked this design?
With that, the second and youngest put off the mini-dungeon visit for now.
Dhampir, curious about my work with Carrian, stuck around to watch.
"By the way, skeleton merchant."
"Yes?"
"Can Anima just head straight out through the entrance right now?"
"Not quite. Think about it, Balak. What if a being created in a dungeon could just stroll right out?"
"Wouldn't that trigger something like a dungeon break?"
"What's that?"
"It's when monsters from the dungeon flood out into the world."
"Ah, you mean dungeon overflow. Spot on, actually. To prevent that, there's some resistance—less for you, Balak, but still there for others."
So we'd have to force our way through?
But Carrian wouldn't elaborate.
"It's borderline taboo info, so I can't say precisely."
"I see..."
"Just leave it to our branch manager. No need to worry—get excited instead."
Hm... if that competent branch manager steps in, I'd feel at ease.
Anyway, three days later, as my son prepared to venture out, we chatted about this and that.
We did group training with newbie Dhampir joining in, and two days flew by.
So tomorrow, when the dungeon opens, it'd be goodbye?
"You're saying... if I use this magic tool, I can head outside?"
"That's right. And Anima, take this too. Any records you make out there will auto-sync to our recording orbs."
"Oh ho, intel gathering will be a breeze. What if it breaks?"
"We've got spares—five extras—as backup, plus the blueprints. And this..."
"Hm? Skeleton merchant, what's this bracelet?"
"It's a new subspatial bracelet. Stores all sorts of items. Implant it in your body, Anima, and no worries about breakage."
An inventory?!
Dungeon merchants' tech was truly top-tier.
"More than that, Uncle Skeleton, drop the formal talk."
"Hahaha, it's a habit now..."
Anima was incredibly sociable.
The others seemed to hit it off with him too, visibly bummed he was leaving tomorrow.
I wanted to keep my daughter here forever too.
But to scout the outside world, there was no choice.
That said...
"Dhampir, why hasn't this guy shown up?"
"Huh? Yeah, weird."
"Like the bros said, it's work hours. He running late? Maybe he caught a cold from yesterday's training?"
Ah, like the youngest said, we did drill him hard yesterday.
But half-vampire and he gets sick?
Before we could worry more, the magic tool Carrian gave Dhampir activated, and an eerie aura flowed from the boss room.
Then Dhampir appeared...
"Kyaaaaah!"
He'd clearly fought someone—his clothes were a mess—as he rolled into the boss room screeching like a pterodactyl.
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Two days before Kayrel turned into a pterodactyl.
After receiving a ring from Carrian, she could now commute from the dungeon's fourth-floor cave, her original haunt.
She'd normally have investigated the massive power surge that echoed for ten hours.
And after escaping Balak's group, she'd sworn never to go back...
'Damphir, you've got real talent!'
'You made the right choice.'
'...I'll forgive you, so let's get along from now on.'
'No one starts out perfect. Don't worry, Miss Kayrel.'
That single day with those four intensely memorable guys was enough to stir her heart.
She was a half-baked vampire, shunned and unwelcome everywhere.
This was the first place that truly accepted her.
After agonizing without rest until work time, Kayrel decided.
"Hah, just one more day?"
Soon, she was sinking deeper into the swamp of connection, heading back to the first floor—only to sense something was off right away.
"Yeah!! Damphir, you can do it!!"
"One more!! One more time!!!"
"That's nine already!! Hang in there!!"
"That was nine just now tooooo!!"
They didn't care at all that she was a woman.
Sweating it out in brutal training with the guys.
Boom!! Baaaang!
Shiiiiek!
"Uwaaaak!"
"Kayrel, you can't just approach the nature spirits' powder clouds 'cause they're cute. Gotta pay the price."
"D-Don't just talk, help meeee!!!"
Guided by Orek around the mini-dungeon's sky islands, she ended up chased by spirits.
"Ta-da~ What do you think?"
"Ooo... It's so pretty. But this is booze?"
"It's a cocktail, one way to enjoy liquor. Wanna try?"
"That's a Lady Killer. Think Damphir's okay?"
"I can hold my liquor, looks notwithstanding."
Despite Balak's concern, she chugged Ferguson's tasty cocktails, blacking out until the detox potion.
Back at her lair after work, something hit her...
"......"
The silent, empty cave started intensely stirring one emotion.
It was one she'd buried deep in her heart through her whole life so far.
Loneliness.
Always discriminated against and used by others, Kayrel had never felt belonging like this—
No, she'd never shared memories with anyone her whole life.
Forcing herself to lie in her lair amid swirling thoughts, she spent the night sleepless.
Work time approached.
She placed the ring to the first floor on her big rock "table," staring at it as a thought formed.
'Keep going for a bit.'
The moment Kayrel steeled herself to head back to the first floor.
Beep!
"？!"
The warning alarm spell she'd set in her lair triggered, jolting her up.
Unsure what was happening, she lunged for the ring on the table.
But the boulder blocking her lair's entrance shattered.
The ring flew far off the table, and a figure appeared before Kayrel.
"Flesh detected. Extermination commencing."
It was a female doll with long blue hair.
Even its arms whirred with weapons like chainsaws from the info age.
Stunned by the sudden intruder, Kayrel fought back.
As a dungeon boss, she unleashed spells and abilities against the doll.
Finally, her one sure shot worked—mana chains bound the blue-haired doll.
But it shredded the bindings in an instant, charging with swinging saw.
Just as the viciously spinning blade was about to slice Kayrel...
Piiiing!!
In the brief moment the doll was chained, Kayrel snatched the ring from the boss room corner and activated its embedded spell.
Result!
"Kyaaaaah!"
"Damphir, what's with you!"
Kayrel successfully fled to the strongest ally she knew.