Chapter 87

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 87

Chapter Title: Who Is Cleaning?

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"I've collected everything with this, Master."

"Good. Separate the items we'll sell to the dungeon merchant from the ones we can use ourselves."

"Yes, sir!"

After Erzsebet completely demolished the alliance's dungeons, we searched the locations we'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠learned about in advance through our swift-footed elves. Sure enough, we found clear traces of the dungeons' collapse.

"See? I told you."

"Y-yeah... Of course I believed you."

...No, I really didn't expect her to smash three entire dungeons.

How strong is Erzsebet, exactly? That dazzling display back then seemed even more powerful than her usual self...

"I can't use that power recklessly, Master. It was only temporary—thanks to steadily consuming Rio's and the dream demon's blood, I managed to draw out a glimpse of my former strength..."

"What? So that power only lasted for a day?"

"Why else would I be so thrilled with the staff you gave me? Blood magic is powerful, but its fuel efficiency is abysmal, Master."

Erzsebet answered while clutching the [High-Pressure ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Cleaner] I'd lent her to my chest while she slept. When she woke up and I returned it to her, she was overjoyed. Of course, I wanted to do even more for her.

Dispatching elves to the site of the alliance's dungeons had yielded a massive haul of valuables.

"Then give me your blood, Master."

"Why do you keep asking for my blood...?"

The problem was Erzsebet's constant demands for my blood. She no longer showed any defiance, behaving so obediently that I was tempted to just close my eyes and let her have some. But if word got out that I was human, it could spell trouble, so I'd been dodging her requests.

"I'll protect you..."

"......"

And now there was another reason I absolutely couldn't let on that I was human.

"...I'm fine, so could you back off a bit?"

"N-no, I can't...!!"

This half-breed woman we'd rescued from the alliance forces scattered by Dry during the ruins assault. Cursed with that vile "Curse Jar" affliction, she'd been freed from its influence—likely because the [Robot Vacuum] had sucked it all up. She was now completely rid of the curse's effects.

She seemed wracked with guilt, crying alone, and knowing she'd been a puppet under the curse made her pitiable. I'd thought to treat her like the other prisoners...

'Who would've thought she was one of those rare mages...'

One issue Alfred and I had discussed before: this ruins lacked anyone skilled in proper magic. The crew thought I was some grand archmage, but I knew nothing about it.

Turned out this captured half-breed was a precious magic user. Hearing that, I figured since she was pitiable and the demon who'd controlled her was dead by Erzsebet's hand, I could win her over. So I offered her a place in the ruins...

"I... I can't let you die again!"

"No, I'm..."

She'd accepted our offer after we killed her tormentor, which was good. But this half-demon who'd freaked out at my black hair on the first day—triggered by trauma—now wouldn't leave my side.

'I'm not a half-breed, damn it...'

The issue stemmed from my black hair. I'd been mistaken for one before, but she took it to another level.

All her fellow half-breeds she'd known were dead—some by her own hand under the curse—so she was obsessed with not losing more kin, stalking me nonstop to "protect" me.

"Cool your head a bit."

-[Quick Movement]

"W-wait...!"

-Whoosh!

Today, as usual, I used the [Quick Movement] function to eject the half-breed woman—Pandora—who was lurking and stalking me outside my house.

"Hiring her as a [Staff] was the right call..."

For some reason, a [Sub Quest] had popped up, plus the enormous points from shredding the horde of demons who'd invaded the ruins.

Pondering how to spend them, I'd first registered the new half-breed recruit as [Staff]. I'd even given her the name "Pandora" since she'd forgotten hers after years under the curse.

A full 4-star staff member. Pandora was on par with Lil, so bringing her on board was a win. It expanded my staff slots and cost 15,000 points in one go, but with 30,000 from pure profit, I could afford it boldly.

'The description's a bit scary, though.'

Especially that [Obsession] under disposition. It screamed fixation—on me, no less.

I appreciated her clinging to "protect" me, but the problem was I wasn't a half-breed; I was fully human. If that got out, I'd be dead meat...

'Anyway... a normal talent showed up.'

Pandora's [Equipment Expert] was straight out of the cleaning game.

All staff I'd hired in this world had unique talents unseen in the game. Spotting a standard one felt oddly nostalgic.

Guess it's not always weird ones. Seeing game talents means...

"Things are finally solidifying around here."

The alliance threat—our biggest worry—had been neatly handled by Erzsebet. We'd scavenged tons of useful loot from the dungeon rubble, fattening our coffers and diversifying our traps and facilities.

Now we'd even added a real magic user, and points overflowed for the [Shop]!

No immediate problems left!

.

.

.

"Humans are breaking the long peace and starting to attack dungeons again!"

"Goddamn it."

How did the peace last less than a week?

The dungeon merchant I'd summoned to sell the alliance spoils delivered the news in a frenzy.

"Wow, as expected of a VIP customer. Seeing you unscathed after taking down Hero Fallen, I predicted the alliance's doom... but I didn't think you'd crush them this fast."

"Forget that—tell me more about what you said earlier. What are the humans doing?"

"It was inevitable. You might think little of it, VIP, but a 4-star hero carries world-shaking weight."

I knew that. The alliance formed just from rumors of a 4-star hero heading south.

"And you slew that precious ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠4-star hero. Naturally, the humans are in chaos upon hearing the news."

"Hmm..."

Come to think of it, I'd been too focused on the alliance to check human movements. With a 4-star hero dead, they'd surely react...

"Especially the Radiant Hero, who lost his old adjutant—he's gone berserk, they say. Leading the charge to break long-standing policy and attack demons again."

"So the humans struck dungeons first?"

"Reports of humans raiding dungeons across the continent are surging. No conquests yet, but weaker ones will fall to the pressure."

"...How are other dungeons responding?"

"Oh dear, customer? As I mentioned last time, info on other dungeons is off-limits."

"Urgh..."

These guys were sticklers in the weirdest spots. They'd spill on humans but clam up on demon—especially dungeon—movements.

Still, I learned something key: the reason for the continent's long peace, and that the "dungeon preservation" policy had collapsed.

'It won't be long before they notice us.'

If we'd laid low, maybe not—but smashing the alliance days ago was bad timing. Southern demons already knew of our ruins thanks to that.

With humans assaulting demons and dungeons again, word that this ruins survived Fallen unscathed would spread fast among demons.

"Sigh... Fine. Sell all this for now."

"Heh heh heh... Worth the hustle. As expected from the alliance-crusher—prime goods! This'll rack up performance points!"

...Dungeon merchants ran on performance? Who evaluated them? That Kench gorgon from before?

"By the way, satisfied with your last purchases?"

"Yeah."

The alliance got wrecked by Dry, and the dungeons by Erzsebet solo—no need for the bought monsters. But testing them left me plenty satisfied.

"The slimes were especially good."

"Pardon? Slimes...?"

Thinking of the slimes dutifully handling cleaning as expected, I smiled contentedly. The merchant looked baffled.

"...Ah! Right, you're a gentleman customer. Yes, for that use, slimes work fine..."

He quickly nodded, lost in some weird assumption. Made my skin crawl. What did he think I was?

"Some dungeon masters buy slimes now and then. Fun to watch them evolve."

"Evolve?"

The merchant reacted to my interest with surprise after wrapping the deal.

"Yes. Don't know? Slimes are the weakest monsters, but they evolve based on what they eat. Absorb lots of liquid for King Slime, poison for Poison Slime, etc."

"Ho... Useful after evolving?"

"Nah, still low-tier even evolved. Rare ones touch high-tier, but normal food won't cut it. Better buy proper monsters for that."

"Hm."

Still, worth noting. Slimes crawling corridors devouring filth might prove handy later.

"Records exist of slimes eating bizarre stuff and hitting top-tier... but in my long life, I've never seen one."

"Got it. Thanks for the tip."

"No trouble—light info like this is free for VIPs. Looking forward to next time."

I pocketed hefty gold from the sale but slumped in my makeshift chair, head throbbing.

"Whew... Thought I could catch a breath, but now humans and demons at war?"

Especially since I sparked it by killing Fallen. Felt like inevitable entanglement in the chaos.

But unlike before, our crew had grown, and we'd fortified well...

"...Huh?"

What? The [Main Quest] contamination dropped ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this much already? It hit 80% discovering Desmond, so this was overdue. Others must be cleaning hard. Dropping this fast...

"...Wait a sec."

What the hell? Dropping way too fast? Contamination falling was good, but...

'...Why no points coming in?'

Cleaning by [Staff] or their subordinates should yield points proportionally... So why was it plummeting with zero points?

As if someone else was cleaning the ruins interior.