Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Despair and Regret (2)
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"Do you know what goblins and orcs have in common?"
Celia spoke in a soft, gentle voice.
The question was directed at the adventurer Denver.
But Denver couldn't answer.
"W-Water..."
It had already been two days since he was captured in the dungeon.
His eyes were unfocused, and his body desperately craved moisture.
As if there might be even a trace of vapor in the air, Denver stuck out his tongue toward the empty space.
But it only made his thirst worse.
Celia continued her explanation, ignoring Denver's state entirely.
"It's that both species have an extremely low chance of females being born. Usually, nine out of ten are males, and only one is female."
Of course, even that one might not be born at all.
Celia murmured to herself and smiled sweetly.
"With so few females, they couldn't increase their numbers through normal means. So, they chose a completely different method to preserve their race. Do you know what that was?"
Despite Celia's repeated questions, Denver gave no response.
His mind was already half-broken, his appearance utterly ruined.
No thoughts came to him at all.
The only thing in Denver's vision was one person.
Jane was already lying discarded on the floor, her clothes torn. Unknown fluids covered her body.
Her body and mind had long been defiled by the goblins.
"The answer is breeding with other species. However!"
Celia shook her head and opened her mouth.
"Orcs aside, goblins are at the bottom of the food chain. For such goblins to target other species is incredibly difficult!"
So, goblins had always targeted easy prey like humans for breeding.
"Of course! Excluding strong humans like knights or mages. Hehe."
Even goblins couldn't handle powerful humans.
For a moment, Denver's expression twisted.
It wasn't hard to infer what her words and actions so far meant.
"That's when I got curious about something. What kind of power would a child born between a human with mana and a goblin have?"
They wouldn't be ordinary goblins, that's for sure.
She planned to confirm it soon enough.
Using Jane, who was captured here.
She would become the incubator for goblin offspring.
Those individuals would be born in this dungeon.
And in the future, they would live as workers serving the dungeon.
"Ahh, just thinking about it makes me so happy."
Celia cupped her face with both hands, her expression ecstatic.
But to Denver, there was no sound more horrifying.
Using people for monster breeding...
He didn't even want to think about it. It shouldn't exist.
Denver forced out words in his cracked voice.
"You think you'll get away with this?!"
He mustered every last bit of strength and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"What do you think happens if we don't get out? If there's no contact in a week, other adventurers will come swarming!"
He was telling the truth.
If an adventurer who accepted a dungeon request went silent for a week, the guild would launch an investigation.
It was the guild's policy to manage every dungeon without fail to prevent monster waves.
"Then you and that precious master of yours are done for! You should let us go right now!"
Kuhuhuhu.
Denver laughed like a madman.
In contrast, Celia's expression hardened.
Not because of the threat of other adventurers from the guild.
"A worm not even worth calling filth dares to speak my master's name. Disgusting."
Celia grabbed Denver's mouth with her hand.
She wanted to smash his face right then, but that wouldn't be enough.
Snap-
With a flick of her fingers, the resting goblins sprang back into action.
Their sole purpose was pleasure.
And Denver was forced to watch.
"Don't... You can't look away. Watch closely. You have to pay the price for invading the dungeon of such an exalted being."
"Uwaaaaaah!"
He had already endured two days of this horrific scene.
Denver's body and mind were at their absolute limit.
"Just... kill me... please..."
He couldn't bear to see the girl he once liked suffering any longer.
His mind went cold.
It would take five more days for the guild to come.
There was no guarantee he'd survive that long.
In fact, escape was impossible; suffering was all that awaited.
So he begged Celia to just kill him.
To stop defiling them any further.
"Hmm... Do you really want to die?"
Celia's eyes met Denver's.
Denver nodded desperately.
"Well, I suppose Master would be satisfied by now."
Her words sparked a glimmer of hope.
Hope that he could close his eyes peacefully, without more pain.
"Now, look into my eyes."
Celia's gaze changed.
Denver's eyes began to glaze over as he stared at her.
Celia had used a skill on Denver.
Charm.
A succubus's Charm was lethal.
The higher the succubus's rank, the stronger the effect. Men exposed to it would feel no attraction to any woman but the caster.
And they would remain in a constant state of arousal.
They'd probably shake their hips until their skin peeled off and die.
That was the fate of humans under Charm.
"Cel... Lady Celia..."
And now, Denver had become Celia's faithful servant, seeing only her.
He acted like a beast in heat before her, making Celia frown.
"My body is for Master alone."
Instead, she pointed at Jane.
"Don't you have that bitch right there?"
But Denver could feel no attraction to any woman but Celia.
Despair at not being able to hold her, yet his boiling lust was uncontrollable.
Finally succumbing, Denver stepped toward Jane.
"No... please... don't..."
Seeing him, Jane barely opened her mouth.
But she couldn't stop him.
The fragile thread of reason Jane had clung to snapped in her mind.
He... hehe.
Jane began to laugh like a madwoman.
Now, this place had become no different from a beast's den.
A squalid space where everyone pursued only their own pleasure.
"Tch."
Celia clicked her tongue at the sight.
Pathetic.
At the same time, rage surged.
"For worthless vermin like you to invade Master's dungeon."
Her face twisted, then she turned away.
It wasn't worth watching anymore.
She gestured to the Death Knight and spoke.
"Kill only the man. The woman still has much work to do."
Jane had plenty of work ahead.
She was a valuable asset who would continue producing dungeon workers.
She would bear offspring until her body broke.
How beautiful and noble.
That was maternity in the dungeon.
The Death Knight drew the sword from its waist.
The drawn blade pierced Denver's heart.
"Guhk."
And so, Denver.
Died while holding the woman he once loved.
Tears flowed from his limp face—whether from sorrow or joy at final release, no one would know.
But it was meaningless now.
Denver's slack body began to move again.
It was an unnatural movement, the effect of the Death Knight's skill.
Those slain by the Death Knight were revived as ghouls.
Denver, pierced through the heart, had been reborn as a ghoul.
"Cel... Lady... Cel...ia... Loyalty..."
But this was no ordinary ghoul.
"Ho..."
Celia's mouth fell open in surprise at the ghoul's behavior.
Even as a ghoul, the Charm she had cast in life still lingered.
"This is surprising. But your loyalty should be to Master alone."
Celia smiled and tried to send the ghoul that was once Denver to Sector 1.
But the ghoul didn't budge.
"Ha... If I'd known this annoying issue would arise, I wouldn't have used Charm..."
But it was too late.
The ghoul that was Denver kept following Celia around.
"No helping it. From now on, I'll call you Denver, so don't interfere with my work."
Celia shoved Denver aside and clapped her hands.
"Now, we have a lot of work ahead."
Master had told her.
To manage the dungeon.
And to bring despair to all who entered.
To do that, she had to stay busy without rest.
Trade with the merchant guild for supplies, manage all dungeon affairs.
Lots to do for a while, but Celia showed no fatigue.
"Now it's time to spread Master's will across the Eldorado Continent-!"
Imagining a future where the continent was blanketed in Master's fame made her current labors feel like nothing.
"I hope that day comes soon."
Only Celia's mad laughter echoed through the dungeon.
Alarms blared nonstop on the smartphone.
Unfortunately, Yi Kang-hyun was working as a porter in the dungeon right now and couldn't check the alarms.
But the alarms didn't end there.