121. Secret Pact (2)
121. Secret Pact (2)
- 1 -
"Such a thing exists?"
The in-game dungeon wars I had experienced in 'MLD 1' had, to my knowledge, been nothing but all-out warfare.
A clash of power against power, leading the forces you had built and nurtured over time, giving everything you had.
But according to my close aides, that wasn't how it worked in this world.
"Yes. That is correct."
"Ha... Champion Duel, you say?"
According to Evangeline's explanation, in this world two hundred years later, 'war' between dungeons was conducted in three stages.
A preliminary champion duel, where individuals advantageous in personal combat were selected.
A small-scale group battle, where elite entities below platoon size were chosen.
And finally, an all-out war where every entity gathered for the decisive battle—three rounds in total.
"It's like a game or an exam."
- A game! An exam?
"Well, it has taken on a different form compared to human warfare."
As I stroked Crow Mary's head and thought about it, I felt that such a thing might indeed be possible.
Because first impressions weren't everything, and examining what followed revealed it to be a more brutal fight than expected.
'For humans, death is the end of everything, but for summons, that's not the case.'
Even in MLD 1, summons that were killed in a previous round's attack only suffered critical durability loss—they could still act in the next round.
If their durability was fully depleted, they had to undergo a resummoning process at the cost of massive materials and time, but until then, restoration was possible.
Since this world had inherited the game, it meant there was a system for resurrection after death as well.
After all, this game wasn't something like a roguelike—it was strictly a bonsai management game.
"Come to think of it, it would indeed be a more lethal fight for the dungeon's demon beasts."
"That is correct."
As such, despite first impressions, this three-round war was indeed a war where a Dungeon Lord staked everything.
Ordinary summons only participated in the all-out war, but major summons were highly likely to take part in every battle.
'The side that loses the previous battle will, unless their luck is exceptionally good, end up with an irreversible outcome in the next battle.'
Summons or mercenaries expended in the previous battle would find it harder to exert their strength in the next.
And soon they could face a 'real' death.
They would suffer the full depletion of their durability.
A dungeon that lost its core summons in such a way would, as ■fate would have it, inevitably lose its growth engine.
'They're only high-rank at best, but losing your core force at this moment, even temporarily, is literally as good as the end.'
Even if the opponent's mercy spared the dungeon core or the Lord themselves from destruction, it was ultimately the same as meeting death.
The moment growth fell behind, you'd be in a situation where neighboring Dungeon Lords could devour you at any time.
And if humans discovered your location in the midst of that, it would truly be the end.
"They have leeway, but we have to win, no matter what."
In other words, this battle could be called an all-out war for me, standing alone, but for them, it was a war of attrition aimed at exhausting growth engines.
"Of course, we will win. Master."
"Yes. That is ■fate."
- We will win!
Contrary to appearances, I had recognized that this process was a far more brutal battle than it seemed.
That was the reason I had decided to talk with one of the enemies, Kyricia.
'The best strategy in war is to win it before it's fought.'
Of course, the larger reason was to exploit the enemy's weaknesses, but still.
- 2 -
Dalkak.
"You really are quite at ease."
The moment the communication screen turned on, the woman bared her teeth and spoke roughly.
The sight on the other side, of someone enjoying tea while reading in a sunlit library, simply didn't seem like that of a person facing an impending war.
- I am relieved to see you well, Lady Kyricia.
On top of that, she was even offering well-wishes toward her 'enemy.'
"Are we truly on greeting terms? Lady Libertas. What was it you wrote in that letter?"
Kyricia, the Dungeon Lord leading the werebeasts.
She was a were-dragon with the features of a 'sea serpent,' bearing scales, a finned tail, and on her back, magic wings so small they seemed almost adorable compared to her body size—taking the form of a human.
A beautiful form, by any ordinary standard.
Only now, her expression was twisted, and she was openly displaying a ferocious intensity.
- It seems you read my letter quite intently.
"Ha. If you tried to tempt me with nonsense, you'd do well to think again. Young Dungeon Lord."
Kyricia sneered and glared at Libertas as intensely as she could, but that 'young Dungeon Lord' didn't miss it.
The fact that her eyes and the corners of her mouth were trembling minutely.
Leaning back comfortably in her chair, taking a sip of tea, she smiled and spoke, her tone still as gentle as ever.
- But you came to speak with me like this. That means you have your own suspicions, doesn't it?
"That's..."
Kyricia momentarily lost her words at Libertas's remark.
She racked her brain, trying to conjure a rebuttal, but it was Libertas who ■spoke first.
- If you continue like this, you will die. Kyricia.
Kyricia openly made a face of sheer disbelief.
No matter how she thought about it, it only felt like simple deception.
A worthless promissory note shouted by someone cornered in a crisis—an attack by peer Dungeon Lords, three of them no less—desperately trying to avert the situation.
Naturally, an expression of disappointment rose on her face.
"I thought you were someone with considerable ability, given you made the request through a dungeon merchant... What did you just say now?"
- I said you will die.
But Libertas's expression as she repeated what she had said before was utterly serene.
"On what grounds...?"
- Of course, it's because you chose the wrong alliance.
"..."
An attitude of extreme calm and ■inevitability, completely unbothered by her rough expressions or words.
That attitude was enough to stir Kyricia's anxiety once more.
Because whatever her actions, what Libertas had presented was a thought Kyricia herself had entertained at least once.
Thus, her words gradually seeped into Kyricia's ears.
- Don't you know it too? That you are not a welcome presence to them either.
She was under Archduke Astaroth of the deep sea, but the other two Dungeon Lords belonged to Duke Dantalion of the north.
And all the Surface Archdukes were not on good terms with one another.
To the point of checking each other at every opportunity.
- Cooperating with them means exposing your ■vulnerabilities to them.
In such a situation, a Dungeon Lord serving a different Archduke had appeared alone before the eyes of the other two.
Kyricia herself knew very well what she would do if she were in such a situation.
Exploit them if there was a corner to exploit, and if not, scheme to devour them in some way or another.
For her, this attack had been a rash decision made with eyes blinded by the cause of 'loyalty.'
- They must have told you: they'd support you with elites, so why not stand at the vanguard and seize the first merit?
"How did you...? Keuhum...!"
Hearing Libertas immediately guess exactly what they had proposed to her, Kyricia couldn't hide her fluster and fell silent again.
To her, Libertas whispered once more.
- Whether you win or lose, they will ■plant a knife in your back.
- If you take victory from me, they will kill you.
- Or else, you will die defeated by me.
- Where is there any meaning in such a death?
Quiet but clear, a voice that nurtured the suspicions within her heart one by one.
Following the growing doubts, a voice that flowed in ever more subtly.
- Recall it. Alone in a dungeon whose name you don't even know yet...
"Stop, stop! Even so, that's nothing but suspicion!"
Listening to that voice, Kyricia finally cried out convulsively, stopping it.
Hearing this, Libertas nodded and agreed willingly.
Her smile growing deeper.
- Of course, it's only suspicion. But think about it.
"What...?"
- What you are trying to do to me is fundamentally the same.
"Ugh..."
Every Dungeon Lord on the surface was ultimately a competitor and an enemy to all others.
Competitors in the 'Demon Lord Candidate Selection' that had already lasted two hundred years.
Enemies who, from the moment they had memory, had raced toward a single goal, forced to hinder and expel one another.
With the passing years, the most powerful contenders had emerged, and subordinate Dungeon Lords had appeared to serve them, hoping to pick up even the scraps—but fundamentally, that was the nature of it.
So, even if the other two tried to drag Kyricia down, it was an entirely ■natural course of action.
"Then what should I do! If I back out now, they'll declare war on me instead...!"
- There's no need for such worry. Carry out the attack as planned.
"What...?"
Libertas, whose face had at some point become expressionless while her tone remained the same, spoke as if giving her an order, but Kyricia could only stare at her, failing even to perceive that.
Libertas manipulated the communication screen, brought her face closer, and whispered a single phrase.
- What you need to do is just one thing.
"That is... what?"
At that question, Libertas, now certain she had won her over, gently creased the corners of her eyes and delivered her final words.
- That is...
- 3 -
"Will she really ■act as you said?"
It was a question from Sonia, who had been watching my conversation with Kyricia.
To that, I gestured toward her and opened my mouth.
"Whether she does or not, it doesn't matter."
"Pardon? But..."
My first disciple sat on the floor before me, her back facing me.
At a glance, she seemed to have grown much more relaxed, but she still kept her back straight, her posture correct, her knees politely knelt—she hadn't forgotten the minimum courtesy.
"Of course, things would be easier if she obediently follows my words. But even if she doesn't, I, we, will not lose. Sonia."
"But still, if you were to get hurt..."
"It's fine. Trust your teacher properly."
"... Yes."
I brought my hands to the left and right sides of the back of her head as she nodded at my words, and I channeled my mana.
Then, Sonia's hair naturally followed my mana, moving on its own, and began to take the shape I pictured in my mind.
Amelia had told me that using magic for such daily tasks was an excessive '■waste of dignity.'
But for me, using mana for such trivial things was itself the fun, so it didn't matter.
In truth, I was even skeptical whether the concept of 'waste' applied to mana that replenished as soon as it was used.
"How is it?"
"... I like it. It's very pretty. Teacher."
"Good. Let's go with this for a while."
I gathered the hair guided by my mana, made one strand each on the left and right, then brought them together at the back and tied them once more.
The commonly known half-up hairstyle made with braided hair.
The hairstyle worn by the heroine of a certain famous Japanese animation.
"It looks hard to maintain..."
"Whenever it comes undone, come to me."
"Then... wouldn't it be a bother to you?"
"How could my effort for you ever be a bother? Don't mind it, just come find me."
"... Yes!"
Sonia smiled more brightly than usual.
Lately, she had been in the same space as me more often, and her expressions had grown correspondingly more expressive.
As I stroked the head of my disciple, with whom physical contact had become more frequent lately, I recalled what I had said to Kyricia earlier.
- If it seems you will lose, surrender.
That was something very simple, and yet very difficult for a Dungeon Lord.
But now, within Kyricia's heart, the seed of that action had effectively been planted.
'This is something to prevent my own danger.'
The seed of a vine that would help her climb over the high wall of pride, called survival instinct.