68. Imiho (2)
68. Imiho (2)
- 1 -
- Ppadeuk!
"... Hey."
The menacing aura behind her back suddenly surged, and she felt two presences draw up close—just half a step behind on either side.
She didn't need to turn her head to know it was Shue and Eve.
"Lady. I want to teach that one a lesson. Would that be alright?"
- Ppadeuk-padeuk.
Hmm.
They were obviously furious. Should she praise them for asking permission first? Or should she find it impertinent that they'd asked about their own feelings before she'd even decided whether to grant permission? Both possibilities were tricky, because either way they only seemed more endearing.
In the midst of that, the fact that they stayed exactly behind her without stepping forward was certainly worthy of praise.
"Lady. I think a good smack on the head is in order too. Her spirit seems a bit out of sorts."
And what's gotten into you, Scarlet?
"..."
Even as a subtle hostility— no, more like annoyance— radiated from those around her, Yuran, true to her name, kept her gaze fixed solely on her.
Her attitude suggested she couldn't care less about what went on around her.
"Very well. Ran. You may proceed."
"Truly?!"
"Lady?!"
When she nodded, Ran's anxious face instantly brightened, and she drew closer.
The joy filling that face only grew with time. She truly was incredibly happy.
"Here."
She felt a little apologetic.
While everyone else looked shocked and only Ran was overjoyed, she extended her hand toward her.
"Ah...?"
At that, Ran's eyes widened, then went dead with bewilderment. She could guess what Ran had been expecting, but she had no reason to grant even that.
Above all, they were meeting for the first time.
"Surely the Oath Kiss, given to the back of my hand, would suffice."
"Ah..."
With eyes still slightly dead, she nodded twice before looking down at the back of her hand.
The sight was almost wistful, but her stance would not change.
At least, not yet.
"It is the kiss you desired, Ran. Ran."
"Ah, ah... Ah, yes!"
Pek.
Still, she seemed to pull herself together when pressed.
What mattered more than her own satisfaction was her decision— that seemed to be a thought shared even by the more assertive woman, just like the other two.
It was a relief, if anything.
"... As expected. I believed it would be so..."
- Ttak.
Shue and Eve.
You two have already been caught. Pretending you don't know now is pointless.
Thinking that inwardly, she grasped the chin of the woman who was gazing at the back of her hand with an intensity that went beyond kissing and bordered on licking, and gave that chin a good scratch.
- Grrrr...
Their species classification was entirely different, but perhaps because she was also canine, she seemed to enjoy the same things Shue did.
"Bring it."
Kiiiik...!
When she gave the order toward her back, several of the warriors who had come down with her brought over a cart laden with the corpses of a Claiamel branch family member.
At the sight, Ran's eyes began to sparkle.
"Could it be...! Is this a reward?"
"It is a gift for you, Ran. Use it to revive them as demon beasts, or as nourishment. Do with it as you will."
"Thank you, my husband!"
Dungeons ultimately grow fastest by consuming humans. That wasn't limited to merely absorbing their magic power, but also applied to what could be called 'experience points.'
Although their physical essence had somewhat degraded from ceasing training for so long, these were the bodies of several humans who once possessed high-rank power.
For a dungeon that hadn't leveled up in ages, this would be like rain upon parched earth.
There could be no finer housewarming gift for a dungeon.
Pulleok!
She immediately pulled a talisman from her bosom, enlarged it broadly, and draped it over the corpses.
That seemed to be her 'inventory,' a subspace.
The sight of the nobles' corpses vanishing in an instant confirmed her guess.
"You aren't processing them right away."
"It seemed it would be a sight too unsightly to show before my lord husband. It is Ran's heart that wishes to show only lovely things to my lord husband."
"If that is the case. I shall not force you."
A gift given was given. It mattered not as long as she didn't lose practical benefit by clinging to principle.
Like refusing to eat what must be eaten when on the verge of death...
As long as that didn't happen, she was free to do as she pleased.
'「Dungeon Lord Information」.'
Now that she knew her name and the contract was made, it was time to properly learn about her.
『Name - Yu Ran』
『Title/Entity Designation - Two-Tailed Fox (Low-rank Gumiho)』
She wasn't expecting her condition, having failed to properly grow, to be terribly good, but she at least needed to know where and how to make adjustments, didn't she?
『Attributes - Stamina 16 Technique 27 Durability 12 Magic Power 32 Resistance 22』
『Traits - Gumiho Heavenly Fox, Spirit Foxfire of Lifespan, Specialization: Flame Sorcery, Specialization: Pharmaceutics, Dagger Arts, Member of Necropolis (Inactive)』
'Better than expected...'
"She's decent."
"Pardon?"
Thinking that, she couldn't help but be surprised by the unexpected situation.
Her condition truly was better than she had imagined.
Both the attributes she possessed and her traits.
『Member of Necropolis (Inactive) - This soldier is under your special protection. (Reason for Inactivation: Dungeon Lord)』
『Gumiho Heavenly Fox
■ Gumiho's Spirit Foxfire
■ Specialization: Foxfire Sorcery
■ Lifespan-Determining Arts (Spirit)
■ Heavenly Fox Ten-Thousand-Mile Eye
A composite trait combining the above four traits. For now, its true form is concealed.』
The inactivated Member of Necropolis trait being due to her being a Dungeon Lord could be accepted as is.
But that trait called 「Gumiho Heavenly Fox」 was currently legendary grade, yet the description made clear it was certain to become 'mythic grade.'
This was the first she'd seen since her alpha tester days.
Since she only had 'two tails' still, there were many aspects she couldn't use yet, but those would unlock as she grew later, so the ceiling remained exceedingly high.
'「Dungeon Information」.'
『Lady-in-waiting 'Yuran's Dungeon Lv. 1』
『Continent Fame - 192 (Recognized by guild administrators)』
『Demon Realm Fame - 1 (None)』
『Core Activation - 122/124』
'She managed it extremely tightly.'
The secret became clear the moment she opened the dungeon information.
Seeing the core activation, adjusted so finely, she could vaguely guess how meticulously she must have monitored her own condition and controlled her growth rate, despite lacking a status window.
Looking at that, she felt as though she had gained some insight into her essence.
Truly...
"You fooled the humans well, didn't you. Ran."
"Ah... this lowly concubine, Ran, truly tried her utmost to survive until she could meet her lord husband."
"Yes. I can see that effort."
"Fufufu."
The story Ran told afterward about her struggle for survival went as follows.
What humans typically handed over as feed to a Dungeon Lord were beasts. And what they wanted to make from those beasts were zombies.
However, humans had no desire to venture deep into the mines. They only wanted the harvest, and simply knew that there wouldn't be much harvest coming out now.
Ran had focused on that point.
"So?"
"I made a secret room, gathered the zombies there, and deceived them by changing their appearance little by little and showing only a few at a time, claiming the numbers had increased."
"Excessive."
This seemed to be why she hadn't bothered to standardize the zombies' attire.
To demonstrate that they were 'different individuals,' there would need to be individuality between them. She'd probably stashed clothes somewhere.
Initially, the room hiding the zombies was an 'inactive' room without magical elements applied, so there was the worry of being discovered since entering the room couldn't exclude a passageway...
But she'd created that room deep within the mine to reduce risk, and later, once she'd accumulated magic power, she remade it into a room that could only be accessed via spatial movement without any passage.
"Thus, I devoured the beasts humans kept bringing, and sometimes ignorant goblins that appeared underground without fear, all while awaiting my chance."
"And then I arrived."
"Though I could not see the outcome, how could I regret it when my lord husband has come? Merely holding out until now has fulfilled its purpose."
Since merchants only visit a dungeon after successfully repelling the 'first human attack,' she seemed to have held on alone diligently, without any support from trading companies.
In circumstances far harsher than my own, she had survived splendidly and well.
"If you hadn't been discovered like this, you might truly have come to find me on your own. You did well. Truly."
"Fufufu. This Ran is as honored as the vast sea."
They both knew that time surely hadn't lasted merely one or two months, but neither spoke of it.
She had already escaped that situation, so there was no need to discuss unpleasant matters.
"Then, the zombies attacking at first... that must have been because you created demon beasts beyond the core's control capacity."
Among her demon beasts were several formal-grade ones, not apprentice-grade.
Perhaps those had been her desperate trump card for a 'turnaround.' She might have planned to raise her magic power and, when the time was right, cultivate them to high-rank or above to use as a hidden dagger.
Monsters she couldn't control were driven outside to serve as shields.
"Embarrassing as it is, that is correct."
Yuran covered her mouth with her long sleeve and flushed red.
Hmm. The sense of dissonance grew stronger at times like this.
It was because her intuition told her that while this certainly wasn't her usual personality, it wasn't 'not sincere' either.
She couldn't perfectly sense emotions the way she could from her summons, but she could at least always tell whether the other party was speaking sincerely.
"Let me make this clear."
"Yes?"
Because of that, she couldn't avoid addressing this at least once.
"I trust that you will not always face me wearing a mask. Yuran."
"Oh my."
Huuuk...
At that, the mask fell away, and the corners of her eyes curved into full crescents.
Within her two golden eyes, gold and violet magic mingled and shimmered brilliantly.
Added to the bewitching aura she had displayed earlier when asking for a kiss, an intense, irrepressible desire emerged.
... Right. So this was her true nature.
"I swear to my lord husband. Every action Ran takes toward my lord husband is without mask. All of it is sincere."
"I see. If that is so."
Watching that sight.
Though her tails were still barely two, it felt as though all nine were already flickering behind her back.
- 2 -
"Eleanor."
"Yes!"
"There is an eldest son of the house, but I said you were the successor. Is that correct?"
"It is. ... No, it is correct!"
Her answer was filled with fighting spirit.
Having observed the series of events, she must have grasped that she was a Dungeon Lord, a dangerous figure who had used some means to operate outside the dungeon.
As a demon-worshipping fanatic, she would have realized that she was an existence to be revered, and now a demon to be 'served.'
"I intend to close this mine and conceal the dungeon's existence. Inform the guild that the dungeon was subjugated as necessity required."
"The reason, what should I...?"
"I had thought you wouldn't need to think that far."
"Ah..."
"Say that magic stones were urgently needed, leaving no choice."
When she said that to the flustered woman covering her mouth, she quickly understood and bowed deeply.
A dungeon core was a resource that could substitute for high-density magic stones. And this dungeon was currently perceived as a completely early-stage dungeon.
If magic stones were truly urgently needed, this excuse would be sufficiently plausible.
... Since she seemed to be the type not given to much thought, she would need to lay out everything for her.
"Also mention that your family has relocated. Do not say it openly, but subtly drop hints."
"Understood."
"Ran. Watch over what she does. It is for your dungeon's sake."
"Worry not. I shall ensure this foolish human does not act in a lacking manner, Ran."
Ran answered joyfully, her two eyes gleaming.
Since she seemed prudent and intelligent, she would probably be able to handle whatever Eleanor did.
"Do not resist. It is to ensure you properly carry out my lord husband's commands."
"Eek...!"
"I said, do not resist. Ran has to use one more talisman, you see."
...or so she thought, and immediately the woman slapped a talisman onto Eleanor's forehead.
"Ah..."
The first one simply burned up and disappeared, and as the second one was affixed, the light in Eleanor's eyes vanished.
It was obvious even at a glance. It was something like hypnosis.
Hmm. ... Right.
She was sinister indeed.
'I think I understand why Shue dislikes her.'
Since Shue seemed to hate behind-the-scenes scheming.
She had never shown dislike toward her, but she also tended to avoid standing by in the background normally.
"Once that task is done, divide the nobles and send only half to my dungeon. I will send the subordinates who were guarding the entrance, so they can escort them, Ran."
"Understood, my lord husband."
"Leave Eleanor here. If we send her ahead, there may be an accident."
"I shall ensure such a thing does not occur."
On the other hand, she had to admit that Ran suited her. She was the type to pursue profit under the safest conditions possible.
Just like now.
"Scarlet. I must commission the Elder Gremlins for the closure and development of this mine. Tell them the compensation for the commission will be 20% of the raw gemstones produced during the mine's development."
"I'll prepare the commission form and a person in charge!"
"I leave it to you."
From what she'd heard from Ran, who had already explored deep into the mine, this mountain didn't just contain iron ore.
While it wasn't gold ore—like the 'Yu' character in her name—a fair amount of ruby was buried here, and its value in this world was by no means lesser.
There was already quite a quantity mined out.
The value of gems in this world was determined not only by their original beauty but largely by their 'magic power,' and while rubies were valued slightly lower than diamonds in terms of the gemstone itself, their mana yield was somewhat better.
She had confirmed that precious metals held little value to her, so taking the mining rights for herself would be no issue.
"..."
Looking at her bare neck, she did feel the thought of adorning it with something.
Ran's neck was so unusually white and slender that it caught her eye every time she saw it.
"Eve. Assess the dungeon's current status and bring it to me. I need to check the warehouse. Though there's probably almost nothing there right now..."
- Ttak!
"It is shameful."
"Shue. Would you contact Serica for me? I must tell her to bring a core fragment."
"Okay..."
Thus, wrapping up matters at Ran's dungeon, she prepared for the next step.
The final task of this outing was retrieving Serica's core, believed to be in Sonyataff.
The outing that had felt so long was drawing to a close.
'I hope nothing happens this time.'
She sincerely hoped so.
Because an unexpected loss was something once was more than enough.