The Value of Trust
Why are you looking at me with those eyes? The Charlotte Coin is showing signs of a massive surge. The Balutak Coin is steadily climbing. The Estijel Coin is on a slow but sure upward trend. And the Isabella Coin—which I hadn't expected a single thing from—has absolutely skyrocketed to the moon. To put it in perspective, it's like buying a tiny fraction of Bitcoin on a whim, only to watch it multiply by dozens of times. Of all people, not Charlotte or Balutak, but Isabella? At first, I was beyond shocked; I simply couldn't accept reality. But as my racing thoughts cooled and stabilized, it slowly began to make sense.
My very existence has completely rewritten the future. First, Isabella evolved into a True Ancestor vampire, and Babayaga's death was brought forward. When a Rank 8 dungeon is destroyed, its Dungeon Core naturally regenerates after a certain period. This Dungeon Core either births a brand-new boss or transforms a nearby monster with high potential into the dungeon's new lord. The latter was none other than Isabella.
If I had to guess, the probability of this transformation increases if the candidate belongs to a weak race but possesses immense latent potential. Balutak was a prime example of this. Insectoids, much like vampires, were historically considered one of the two weakest races in existence. Yet, with the Insect King Balutak at their helm, the insectoids were rapidly rising to become a dominant force that threatened the Empire. In that regard, Isabella was a carbon copy of Balutak. She belonged to a weak race, but she carried the bloodline of a True Ancestor, brimming with untapped potential.
"It's all thanks to you, Boss, that I became the Rank 8 Lord," Isabella said, hooking her pinky finger into the corner of her mouth and pulling it back. Her sharp, prominent True Ancestor fangs caught the light. "Hehe, surprised? A mere blood-sucking mosquito suddenly became the Lord right below you! Of course, compared to the Abyss Palace, I'm still lacking, but I've grown, haven't I?"
"Indeed," I replied, nodding calmly. On the outside, I was the picture of composure, but on the inside, my heart was practically leaping out of my chest.
"Kirik? What does that mean-dak? Has Isabella also become one of the 72 Great Chiefs-dak?"
Smack!
Balutak's head snapped forward so hard his neck nearly buckled. Charlotte, who had just delivered a swift strike to the back of his head from behind, politely folded her hands. She then bowed deeply toward Isabella.
"I greet the newly born Rank 8 Lord. Please forgive my previous rudeness; my narrow perspective led me to commit a grave discourtesy."
"...Eh?"
Isabella froze. She clearly hadn't expected the adjutant, who had done nothing but scold and look down on her, to suddenly show such absolute respect.
"I-I greet the Lord," Estijel stammered, bowing awkwardly as well. Only Balutak stared blankly, completely out of touch with the sudden shift in the room's atmosphere.
More than anyone, Isabella herself looked the most utterly dazed. Charlotte's sudden shift in attitude was so shocking that the vampire couldn't even move a muscle.
"Uh... Adjutant? Treating me like this is a bit..."
"To what treatment do you refer, my Lord?" Charlotte asked, her tone perfectly level and formal.
"Oh, this is so embarrassing..." Isabella muttered, rubbing her arms as goosebumps broke out. She couldn't even manage her facial expression properly.
"I'm having a bit of cognitive dissonance here. Are you really the Adjutant Charlotte? The demon adjutant who got mad just because I sucked a little bit of blood—gasp!"
Isabella slapped her own lips the moment the words slipped out. She stealthily glanced at Charlotte, checking her reaction. Charlotte, however, didn't show a single ripple of emotion on her face. She simply bowed once more.
"I was highly discourteous back then. I pray you find it in your generous heart to forgive me."
"...Oh, wow."
Excluding the 7 Abyssal Palaces, the highest-ranking lord in the dungeon hierarchy was now Isabella, the Rank 8 Lord. Even though Isabella herself was currently flustered by the royal treatment, she quickly adapted.
"Uh, excuse me, Adjutant? Then, by any chance... could I suck just a little bit of your blood?"
"Yes." Charlotte rolled up her sleeve without a hint of hesitation.
"Mmm. If possible, present your neck to me instead."
"Yes."
How long had it been since she said she was embarrassed? She was already drunk on power. Her sudden about-face was absolutely wild.
As Charlotte gently swept her hair aside, her slender, pale neck was revealed. Seeing that, Isabella swallowed hard. Just as she opened her mouth wide and was about to carefully sink her fangs in, her eyes fell on Estijel.
"But wait, isn't that person next to you human too?" she mumbled, her fangs already bared.
"Huh? Oh, I'm, well, a half-demon..."
"A half-demon!" Isabella suddenly shrieked.
Unlike the bewildered Estijel, I knew the reason all too well. If you had to rank the blood vampires preferred, human blood was a delicacy, but the absolute premium, top-shelf grade above that was a hybrid—a half-demon. To Isabella's eyes right now, Estijel probably looked like a bottle of the finest vintage wine.
"Just one bite! No, no! Present yourself to me immediately!"
"Y-Yes?"
"Calm down, Isabella."
"Yes, sir."
Charlotte was still holding her hair aside. After I gave her a light touch, she finally let go of her hair and stepped back.
Isabella had said the purpose of her visit was to repay her debt of gratitude. As a Rank 8 Lord, she should have more than enough power to repay everything she owed.
"Um, Boss," Isabella asked cautiously. "Could we talk in private for a moment?"
After greeting the rest of the vampire pack, I sat down with Isabella in the boss room for a private audience. I had just learned that the other vampires had also been chosen by the Dungeon Core.
"It's an octuple-entity dungeon," Isabella explained. "I'm the boss, and the rest are my thralls."
"I see."
I had figured it wouldn't be an ordinary dungeon. While Babayaga's level had been 86, Isabella's level was 88. Because it was an octuple-entity dungeon, the vampires, including Isabella, possessed strength comparable to the former Rank 8 dungeon, the Swamp Valley of All Diseases. Among them, Isabella had gained power that completely eclipsed Babayaga.
Level 88, octuple-entity, Rank 8. She was much more energetic than before, and it seemed like the number eight had some sort of special connection to her.
Contrary to my internal musings, I spoke with a serious, measured tone. "Your atmosphere has changed a lot. You've become more mature."
"Ehehe..." Isabella scratched the back of her head sheepishly.
Although her appearance hadn't changed much, she exuded a distinct aura. If I were to exaggerate, it faintly reminded me of the overwhelming pressure of the 7 Abyssal Palaces. It was extremely faint, so it didn't quite reach the level of true intimidation, but the potential was there.
"I can still call you Boss, right? It's just habit at this point," she said.
"As you wish."
Even though she was now the Rank 8 Lord, in my eyes, she was still the same old dimwitted Isabella. Perhaps this was how parents felt, seeing their children as kids no matter how old they grew. I felt an involuntary wave of sympathy.
"You said you came to repay your debt."
I would have welcomed her with open arms even if she had just shown her face, but she had come to repay a debt. Our Isabella was truly admirable. Just as we were preparing to conquer the Ancient Dungeon, she had returned in glory. Simply helping us with the raid would be more than enough to repay any debt she owed.
"Can I get straight to the point?"
I decided to listen to her first. When I nodded, Isabella reached into her clothes and pulled something out. Inside what looked like a crystal ball, an indescribable, swirling energy was pulsing.
A Dungeon Core.
If game graphics were realized in the real world, it would look exactly like this. She probably didn't realize it, but she practically reeked of being a rookie boss. No matter how trustworthy someone was, showing your Dungeon Core to another was equivalent to handing over your life on a silver platter. The moment a Dungeon Core is destroyed, the boss and their subordinates perish, and the dungeon collapses. Furthermore, lords of the 72 Dungeons could absorb each other's cores. If I were to suddenly snatch it away, Isabella would be dead.
There was no way Isabella didn't know this basic fact. Was she trying to show me the absolute depth of her trust through her actions?
But why show me the Dungeon Core in the first place?
Offering it to be absorbed under the guise of repaying a debt was far too burdensome and only made me feel guilty. Not to mention, it wasn't even possible for me. I couldn't tell if she showed it to prove she was the Rank 8 Lord, or if she had some other intention entirely.
"Dungeon Core Fusion. You know about it, right, Boss?"
Ah. That was a thing.
I recalled reading about sub-dungeon core fusion in the lore book detailing the history of the 72 Dungeons. Usually, when dungeons went to war, they would absorb the opponent's core, but there was also a way to subjugate the opponent's dungeon through Dungeon Core Fusion. Fusing a sub-dungeon core established an absolute master-servant relationship between the bosses. This had a far more absolute effect than a lord's knighthood or a slave contract. Since it was a fusion, the subordinate dungeon would no longer regenerate. Naturally, only the main dungeon would be strengthened, which was used to exert pressure and keep other dungeons in check among the 72 Dungeons.
"I might not look like much, but I'm the Rank 8 Lord. I might still look like a rookie to you, Boss, but I've completely changed."
Isabella puffed out her chest proudly. For a moment, she looked exactly like Estijel when she was trying to show off.
"I won't be a burden anymore, and I'll serve you diligently. Will you accept my Dungeon Core?"
If I accepted, Isabella would become bound to my fate in a completely one-sided contract. If I died, Isabella would die, but if Isabella died first, it wouldn't affect me in the slightest. In other words, Isabella would be destined to protect me with her life, if only to save herself.
But the problem was...
I don't have a Dungeon Core.
Whether it was absorption or fusion, both processes required both parties to possess a Dungeon Core. There was no way I, a complete fraud posing as a lord of the 7 Abyssal Palaces, had a Dungeon Core. Honestly, I wanted to fuse Isabella's core too. But what could I do when I didn't have one?
"It is fine," I said, rejecting her offer out of sheer panic and uncertainty.
I wished she would just accept my refusal, but Isabella shook her head vigorously.
"You see, Boss. Actually, I'm the one begging you. Me, and everyone else... we all missed you so much."
"..."
"You can call it selfish if you want. But my mind will only be at ease if you accept it. So... will you be my Boss again, just like before?"
Isabella held out the glowing Dungeon Core with both hands.
How on earth was I supposed to gloss over this? After agonizing over it, I spoke again, trying to sound as profound as possible.
"No. I cannot accept it."
"...W-Why?" Isabella's face crumpled, on the verge of tears as she stammered.
"Isabella. What do you think Dungeon Core Fusion truly represents?"
"Uh... isn't it a symbol of mutual trust?"
"It is the exact opposite."
"Huh?"
"Fusion itself is proof of distrust. If we truly trust each other, a simple vow is more than enough."
I took the Dungeon Core from Isabella's hands and gently tucked it back into her clothes. Instead of the core, I clasped her empty hands in mine.
"Isabella. I trust you."
"..."
"So, you must trust me as well."
Isabella stared at me blankly, her mouth slightly open. Soon, her eyes welled up with tears, and her lips trembled. A soft, shaky breath escaped her lips.
"I see. Boss... you have always been this kind of person."
Always a scammer?
A guilty conscience needs no accuser; for a split second, that was exactly what it sounded like to me.