Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Master of the Lake (4)
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"...It's the lord!"
"I... am... Kana... Cheok Jun-kyung...!"
Clang clang clang clang clang clang!
The piercing noise jolted my eyes open.
When I came to, I was holding Canelian, dressed in her tube-top bikini armor.
"This time... the duchess wins the draw, huh? Ugh..."
Object was sleeping soundly like she was dead to the world.
Canelian had already woken up but stayed still since I was hugging her.
"Hold on a sec, Duchess. Where's your nightclothes...?"
"I'm putting on armor right away, so change it to rash guard. No floral patterns."
I switched it to rash guard, and Canelian quickly donned her armor.
It was a shame to cover up those beautiful curves with clunky plate mail.
Bikini armor only worked without extra layers on top, but she couldn't go showing off bare legs in front of other guys.
'The good stuff is for my eyes only.'
My woman strutting around in just a rash guard in front of strangers? No way.
I draped a robe over Object, who was sleeping blissfully in her underwear.
I scooped her into my arms, and still no stirring.
"Shouldn't we just let the professor sleep more?"
"With Windeller making that much racket, the master of the lake has shown itself. We need the professor's help."
"Then let me carry her."
"You need to hold your sword, Duchess. And the professor's lighter than she looks."
Are all elves this light?
We stepped out of the tent made from the 【Starry Cloak for the Milky Way Wanderer's Comfortable Camping】.
'Wish players had flight skills for times like this.'
Canelian grabbed me from behind.
"I'll jump high. Hold the professor tight."
"Got it."
Canelian gripped us both and leaped lightly, landing us on the high watchtower.
Swordmaster, as expected.
Windeller, atop the tower, dropped to one knee the moment he saw me.
"A monster resembling the master of the lake has appeared."
"Over there?"
A pillar of light shooting straight up from far across the lake.
Too distant to see clearly.
At Swordmaster level, he'd recognize it wasn't just light—that a monster lurked at its core.
'Activate Discernment Eye.'
The moment I triggered the unique skill, a massive mana storm came into view, raging wildly.
The storm's range was immense.
It stretched all the way to the flooded areas around the lake.
'At least several hundred kilometers in radius.'
"Baron Caron!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Even amid the army's uproar, Caron somehow heard me and shouted back.
"I'm putting you in command of the entire force! Advance cautiously toward the lake, but absolutely do not touch the water. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Me, Canelian, Object, and Windeller boarded a small high-speed airship—four of us total.
Even now, my hand squirrel Object was still fast asleep.
I glanced at Windeller swinging his shield around and said,
"Lord Windeller, there won't be a fight. No—we must avoid combat at all costs."
"Understood."
This was an event quest to show low-level users their next goal, sparking their growth drive.
Users die here once.
Later, they learn the Empire planned to offer sacrifices to the lake.
Survive leisurely without dying, and when they hit max level, the raid story unlocks beautifully.
That's why I came.
'Don't touch the water or land, and you won't get eaten. The boss will even admire you and share good lore.'
Lowbies without flight mounts can't reach the boss without a boat.
So they hole up, doing NPC errands to gather every scrap of aid.
Minimum days of time-gated "feeding" grinding—most just die once and move on.
'But I've got an airship now.'
And Object, who knows flight magic.
"Mm..."
Object finally stirred in my arms and opened her eyes.
She blinked sleepily around, then startled.
"Your Highness? Where are we?"
"The master of the lake has stirred. We're heading to meet it now."
"Finally...!"
"Remember: never fall in the water or land. It'll attack us."
All three nodded vigorously, and I emphasized once more.
"Address it as 'Master of the Lake' with utmost respect. Fancy honorifics upfront are even better."
"Got it."
"Understood."
Soon we soared over the lake, vast as an ocean.
Canelian scanned around and muttered in dismay.
"To think this is a lake, not the sea. I'd heard Pendragon Lake was huge, but this is unreal."
"Take it all in now. It'll shrink over time until it's dry land."
Succeed in talking to the master, and a hidden main quest opens.
I was curious how it'd trigger here.
'Game systems held up so far, but no quests have popped.'
Finally, the shape inside the vertical light pillar came into view.
"Professor, Blink magic circle ready?"
"Perfect. No worries about emergency evac."
Worst case, toss Windeller as bait and bolt with the three of us.
At last, we faced the boss mob floating in the giant light pillar.
Even the colossal [Fallen Earth Dragon's Fang] paled in comparison.
It felt less like a creature and more like a floating mass of earth—pure intimidation.
Canelian and Object went pale.
"Th-this is the legendary dragon...!"
"It's not a dragon."
I cut in sharply.
As the name showed, it wasn't a dragon—just a mass of desire to become one.
-Mortals.
A deep voice boomed in my head.
The hazy, massive pupils in the light pillar fixed on us.
'Jackpot.'
It spoke to us—no more risk of being swallowed whole.
-What brings you to invade my domain?
I stepped forward.
"Great Master of the Lake, I sincerely apologize for disturbing your solitary reverie."
Its massive body twitched lightly.
Satisfied. Things were going well.
"I came to investigate reports of Pendragon Lake flooding. Drawn inexorably to this mystical light, I approached."
-You are courteous. Unlike other mortals, you possess non-trivial intellect.
"If possible, please tell us why the lake floods. If we've caused offense, we'll beg forgiveness and leave at once."
-With my blessing, I shall reveal it.
Yeah, I knew anyway.
Expand the lake to devour max souls, build power for a dungeon.
Then shrink to a pond dungeon, awaiting the final sacrifice for ascension.
That sacrifice? The raid party—players.
-Impressed by your valor. Spread this knowledge to the foolish mortals.
The light pillar faded, revealing its form.
A Western dragon straight out of legend.
Wings spanned dozens of kilometers; its head could gulp my castle whole.
The two women blanched further at the vivid reality.
A scale on its forehead peeled back, revealing a massive third eye.
Right then.
The instant I locked eyes with its vertically slit third pupil—
The alert popped up, Discernment Eye ranking up from seeing the third eye.
Life? What did that mean?
The question was brief—Discernment Eye flooded me with data.
The massive lifeform before me.
The essence of the lake's master was crystal clear in my sight.
'It's fake!'
That enormous body.
Even dwarfing the [Fallen Earth Dragon's Claw].
All of it—hollow fakery.
Its true essence was the third eye.
No—not an eye...
'An egg.'
The core was an egg, shell unbroken.
Realization hit.
'Flooding the lake to devour souls gathers life energy for hatching. Not for a dungeon.'
Wait, shit.
Then why did the Empire think soul sacrifices delayed dungeonization?
It'd accelerate the hatching instead.
An egg disguised as a third eye.
No pushover.
150 meters across, brimming with life force.
Force-hatch it now, and it'd flop around harmlessly?
I gauged its life force carefully.
'Overwhelmingly strong even now. But...!'
Might be doable.
Worth raiding with just us.
'If it goes south, sacrifice Windeller and bail. Forcing incomplete hatch alone is huge gain.'
-Unique-minded mortal, the reason this lake floods is...
"Vain dreams of perfect hatching? Dream on! Gladiator, I authorize giant robot mode! Smash it!"
"As you command, my lord!"
-Wh-what insolence!
Windeller leaped from the airship toward its head without hesitation.
His body swelled rapidly.
"Target the third eye! That's the real body!"
-H-how do you know?
"Object! Ragna de Lux! No rain!"
"Ragna de Lux? Right away, Your Highness!"
'Superconducting Collapse!'
As giant-robot Windeller slammed onto the third eye—the egg core—I unleashed skills on his armor like mad.
'Thunder Chain! Wrath of Lightning!'
Boom! Kra-boom-boom!
Lightning damage and massive Aura Blade hammered the egg's surface.
Before it could react, fine cracks spiderwebbed the shell.
Discernment Eye showed it clearly.
Life force gushing wildly from inside.
"Hahaha! Shell's cracked! It'll have to hatch now!"
-You vermin! I'll tear you apart!