This Isn't Normal
The moment I arrived at the 10th floor of the Tomb of Faith, all my tension melted away. Setting aside the Grave of the Ancient Dragon, it seemed my mind and body had been thoroughly exhausted by everything that had happened with the Grand Sage.
"Mr. Balutak! We're back!" Isabella cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted. True to their best-friend status, he was the first one she looked for. Thanks to her loud voice, the deputy's room burst open, and Estizel came rushing out.
"You're back! ...Hieeeek?!" Estizel gasped in exaggerated shock upon seeing the witches. It wasn't just one or two, but a whole massive family, so her reaction was only natural. Come to think of it, every time I went out lately, I returned with more family members.
"These are our new members who will be joining us. Get along well."
"Oh... It was getting a bit lonely around here anyway, so this is great! Ah, by the way! My rank went up! I'm Rank 60 now!" Estizel placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest proudly. Her face practically screamed for praise, but she was genuinely adorable. I really made the right choice bringing her here.
"You've made rapid progress."
"Hehe!" Estizel giggled happily and flashed a peace sign. Somehow, even her gestures resembled Isabella's. No wonder Balutak called her a mini-Isabella.
"Go introduce yourself to the witches. Help them adjust well."
"Hwaaa... The kids are so cute...!"
"Mr. Balutak! Hey, you bug!" While Estizel was busy chatting with the witches, Isabella had already headed up to the upper floors. She must have really missed Balutak. I turned my head and fixed my gaze on Selina.
"I have something to ask you."
"Please, speak."
"Are you familiar with man-eating plants? Or labyrinth flora?"
Truthfully, I had no intention of using her or the young witches as combatants. According to the lore, Selina possessed deep knowledge regarding man-eating plants and labyrinth flora. Currently, Charlotte was the only subordinate who knew how to handle labyrinth plants professionally, and even her knowledge was superficial. Therefore, Selina was perfect as the dungeon's gardener. The young witches would also be able to pull their weight once they were properly trained.
"My, you saw right through me. I absolutely adore plants. I've handled both man-eating plants and labyrinth flora before."
"Then it is decided."
We could purchase plant seeds from the merchant guild. Charlotte would handle that. Since the 1st to 3rd floors were heavily trapped, man-eating plants would be ideal there. From the 5th floor onward, it seemed best to cultivate labyrinth flora that could be used as medicinal herbs or bear fruit. Of course, Charlotte and Selina would know better than I did, so I planned to trust their judgment.
Should I make separate rooms for the witches on the 10th floor? Since they weren't combatants, it was best to keep them in the safest place possible. There was plenty of space next to the deputy's room, so I should have the insect workers build them soon. If their work seemed too clumsy, I could always hire some dwarves from the merchant guild.
"Kiririk!" A bizarre screech echoed through the hall. The moment I turned my head, Balutak burst into view.
"Kirik! Great Chief-dak!" Wait, did he change a lot? He must have evolved in the meantime, as special appendages longer than his arms had sprouted from his shoulders. They looked like scorpion stingers, and having two of them on his shoulders instead of his tail made him look strangely badass.
Even his level had grown exponentially. He was definitely in his early 70s just a short while ago. While growth was always welcome, I couldn't help but wonder how he had managed to level up so much. Unless there had been intruders, the dungeon should have been perfectly peaceful in my absence. Did he secretly eat some high-grade elixir on his own?
More importantly, why is he so happy to see me? Balutak tried to lunge forward and hug me, but Charlotte quickly intervened and stopped him. Meanwhile, a familiar yet foreign silhouette caught my eye near the stairs. Seeing him finally reminded me of what I had forgotten. Ah, right. Reinforcements from the 9th Legion of the Ecstatic Castle were supposed to arrive.
"I greet your supreme presence. The 9th Legion under my command is currently guarding the 6th floor of the Tomb of Faith. I offer my respects on behalf of my subordinates." Reaching me, Karleon knelt and bowed deeply. It was an incredibly burdensome display of formality. Only after I gestured for him to rise did Karleon stand straight. Now that I looked at him, I understood exactly how Balutak had grown so rapidly in such a short time, and why he was so glad to see me. Karleon must have recognized Balutak's potential, and given his chivalrous nature, he had undoubtedly trained Balutak to within an inch of his life. To think he did such a commendable job on his own initiative. This was the first time I had ever felt the urge to kiss a corpse.
"It seems you've had a productive time with Balutak."
"I beg your forgiveness for acting without authorization."
"Kirik!" As expected, my guess was spot on. Balutak was snickering in the back as if saying 'serves you right,' which was honestly quite a pathetic sight. Anyone watching would think he had been abused by Karleon. He didn't even know how to be grateful to his mentor.
"No, I am pleased. Continue to train Balutak during your stay here."
"Your recognition is the greatest honor."
"Kieeeek!" Balutak shrieked, clutching his head. That annoying bug deserved to be worked to the bone.
"My Lord. Though it may be presumptuous, might I request a duel?"
"..."
"I came here eagerly anticipating a sparring match with you. I was deeply disappointed to find you absent."
Shit. I was in no position to laugh at Balutak. Karleon was a knight overflowing with fighting spirit. A battle-maniac who could only be satisfied by clashing swords with a stronger swordsman. Knowing his personality, even if I refused right now, he would only persist tenaciously.
"Sir Karleon." Charlotte suddenly intervened, and standing beside her was Wilhelm, whom she had summoned at some point without me noticing.
"The Boss is incredibly busy with public and private matters. It is inappropriate to make such a request of someone who has only just returned."
"Mmm..."
"Instead, how about a match with this man? This is the Hero Wilhelm. I believe he will provide a thoroughly satisfying duel."
"I see. I understand. I shall borrow this friend for a moment. You, Balutak, come along as well."
"Kieeeek!" "Me too!" "Isabella-aaak! Save me-dak!" Karleon dragged Wilhelm and Balutak upstairs by force. Isabella followed behind them with excited steps. Balutak screamed for help, but Isabella merely laughed it off. Swallowing a sigh of relief, I looked at Charlotte.
She was stealing glances at me, shifting restlessly. I wondered what was wrong, but then she suddenly bowed her head.
"Forgive me if I was presumptuous. It seemed the Boss found the request troublesome." So that was why. She really worried about the strangest things.
"You handled it well."
"...Thank you."
"You've worked hard. Go rest and recover from your fatigue." Since I had also gone through hell and back, it was time to get some rest. I needed to heal my soul with our cute Hellboki. The thought of Hellboki waiting for me in the boss room made me quicken my pace.
"Let us call it a day." Only after exchanging dozens of blows to his heart's content did Karleon satisfy himself and sheathe his sword. Wilhelm nodded in agreement and returned to stand by Charlotte's side.
"It has been a long time since I faced a knight of this caliber." For Karleon, one of his few pleasures was a closely contested duel, and it was even better if his opponent was a knight. In that sense, Wilhelm's presence was like rain after a long drought. He was a worthy rival who instantly quenched Karleon's long-standing thirst.
When Karleon turned his head, his eyes naturally met Balutak's. "Kirik!" Startled out of his wits, Balutak quickly hid behind Isabella's back. As Isabella giggled and shifted her position, Balutak frantically moved with her.
Karleon calmly scanned the three of them. The deputy, Charlotte. The guardian, Balutak. The Rank 8 Lord, Isabella. Even to Karleon, a mid-boss of the Abyss Palace, this was an incredibly illustrious lineup of executives.
There was no need to even mention Isabella, the Rank 8 Lord of the 72 Lords. Even Charlotte possessed a pool of mana that was fully worthy of a deputy of the Mugan 7 Palaces. The fact that she could command Wilhelm spoke volumes. Though still lacking, Balutak also possessed potential comparable to theirs. Having clashed with him for over a week, Karleon knew Balutak's combat instincts were truly extraordinary. Above all, his growth was not learned through the mind but absorbed through the body—a realm of pure instinct. He was a born fighter.
The actual ranking must be different. For single-entity dungeons, only the boss's personal combat power determined the rank. While other dungeons could raise their rank as their subordinate monsters grew, single-entity dungeons could not. No matter how powerful the subordinates they recruited, their nature remained that of a single-entity dungeon. Only the growth of the master himself could shift their rank. If those three were the executives, they were already on par with the other Mugan 7 Palaces. The probability was high that their true rank was far different from what was officially recorded.
Judging by what I saw back then, the Boss alone seems stronger than the Rank 2 Lord. No matter how massive the impact, the rankings were absolute. Of course, because it was a single-entity dungeon, if the executives were factored in, the actual threat level would be entirely different.
"Kieeeek! Hide Balutak-dak!" "Hehehe, no way." Although they looked like a ragtag bunch when behaving like this... Balutak made a huge fuss as Karleon approached. Ignoring the commotion, Karleon spoke.
"Would you all be interested in visiting the Castle of Pleasure?" As fellow members of the Mugan 7 Palaces and allies, he wished to deepen their friendship. His Queen had undoubtedly desired exchange with the Tomb of Faith as well. "As the Queen's right hand, I invite you."
"Oh... Really?" Just before nodding, Karleon remembered her status as the Rank 8 Lord and bowed his head. "You may visit whenever you wish. If you come, my Lord, the Queen will surely welcome you warmly."
"Great, great! I was actually really curious about what the other Mugan 7 Palaces looked like."
"I am curious as well."
"Balutak is not going-dak! I hate it-dak!"
"Don't worry. I'll drag Mr. Balutak along. But is it really like its name, a castle filled with constant moans?"
"It is not always like that. Only about half of the day."
"Oh my, that sounds a bit embarrassing..." Isabella laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of her neck. Karleon had to concede on that point.
"It is indeed obscene, but it is the Queen's preference. The Servants of the Night are also accustomed to that atmosphere. After all, at night, one mingles bodies rather than words, and copulation occurs far more than confidential negotiations, does it not? That is why it is called the Ecstatic Castle." The solemn Dullahan suddenly began to speak with fluent eloquence. The three listening had to struggle to hide the sheer discomfort on their faces.
"There are also many adult toys on each floor. They are used both front and back, regardless of gender. There are even toys designed for hermaphrodites."
"..."
"The dungeon's underground library is also filled with erotica. There are some romance novels, but those are merely for warming up." The atmosphere suddenly grew solemn. Feeling a bit self-conscious, Karleon turned his head, which he had been holding in his hands. None of them had any immunity to such topics, and only Karleon, who lived in the Ecstatic Castle, possessed such an open mind.
"By any chance, do you have the kind of novel I want?" Charlotte broke the awkward silence. Karleon eagerly took the bait.
"Tell me anything. I will have the chief librarian find it for you. You require a romance novel, I presume?" Judging by her appearance and conduct, Charlotte seemed like a refined lady. A tender romance novel seemed to suit someone who looked like a noble lady quite well.
"Erotica."
"...Ahem. Right. What kind do you need?" Charlotte fell silent for a moment. She stealthily glanced around before leaning in close to Karleon's detached head. Upon hearing her whisper, Karleon flinched involuntarily.
"Do you have it?"
"...There probably is. There is no erotica that cannot be found in the castle." Charlotte tightly pursed her lips while maintaining her expressionless face. It seemed to be her own way of showing joy.
"Thank you. I would be most grateful if you could obtain it for me."
"I shall do so." Even as he answered, he couldn't help but wonder if such a thing even existed. Erotica depicting a relationship between a witch and a Death Knight? Even Karleon had never heard of such a thing. ...Could she be projecting her own Boss onto it? Karleon decided to stop digging any deeper. This was not something an outsider should pry into.