Chapter 86
Chapter 86
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: Snake's Jealousy (1)
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The atmosphere of the gala grew increasingly heated.
Gorgeous lighting illuminated tables laden with tantalizing food.
Those in attendance were swept up in the lavish, elegant ambiance, reveling in it.
Yet even as they indulged, they never forgot the reason they had come.
Some had attended to forge ties with as many dungeons as possible.
From those connections, they hoped to build alliances, perhaps even partnerships.
Others sought help overcoming their current predicaments.
The motives for joining high society varied widely, but one thing united them all.
Securing their own interests.
No matter the reason, everyone was ultimately acting for personal gain.
And to achieve their goals, sitting idle wouldn't cut it.
In truth, they were moving swiftly even now.
Especially at this gala, where the arrival of one particular being had undead monsters rushing about with unusual haste.
"Clack clack?"
(Did you hear that?)
"What... do you... mean?"
A skeleton and a mummy monster—its decaying body wrapped in bandages—were whispering in a corner right now.
"Clack clack."
(A truly impressive figure has graced us with their presence.)
"Truly... impressive...?"
The skeleton glanced around furtively before leaning in to whisper to the mummy.
"Clack... clack."
(Don't be shocked... It's none other than Arch Lich herself, who has descended upon us.)
"...!"
And the name on their lips was that of a single entity.
The Arch Lich.
Who was the Arch Lich?
A high-grade undead monster of 5-star rank, no less.
The moment they heard the name, their next move was obvious.
Head straight to where the Arch Lich was.
Was she truly that impressive?
A long line of various monsters stretched out before the Arch Lich's table.
Most were undead.
They were desperate to make any kind of connection with her.
Just forging a tie with the Arch Lich would more than fulfill the purpose of attending this gala.
But it wasn't easy.
Plenty were turning away in despair even now.
"Clack clack-"
(She says if you want to connect with Arch Lich, you need money.)
That was right.
Piles of gold coins and jewels adorned the Arch Lich's table.
These were gifts offered up to her.
Accept the gift, and a connection was formed.
"Clack clack clack!"
(And your name gets added to Arch Lich's book!)
The mummy's eyes gleamed at those words.
Ordinary powerhouses offered empty promises.
But this Arch Lich was different.
She actually wrote names in her own book.
What did that signify?
It meant a genuine bond was forged once your name was in the Arch Lich's book.
The mummy resolved itself and shuffled to the end of the line, bandages rustling.
The queue was long, but securing this connection now would prove invaluable someday.
But contrary to their assumptions, the Arch Lich placed little stock in such bonds.
"......"
Instead, her visit here had led to a major realization.
And based on that insight, she was steadily jotting things down in her notebook.
- Ghoul Dungeon: Located near the Free City Alliance. Farther than expected.
Information on the other party's dungeons.
Before attending the gala, Celia had instructed her.
Gather as much intel as possible.
To carry out her orders, the Arch Lich kept her pen flying without pause.
Her notes were meticulous, thanks to her recent epiphany.
She'd figured out how to extract dungeon info while accepting gifts.
Clink-
A not-insignificant pile of gold coins was placed on the table just now.
The Arch Lich nodded and scribbled down the offerer's name and dungeon location in her notebook.
Her luxurious blue robe's pockets bulged with coins and gems as a result.
Nod.
The Arch Lich gave a slight nod, a satisfied expression at the modest haul flickering across her face.
"Oh, what's this?"
The Arch Lich I'd sent to the [Dungeon Social Gala] had gained enlightenment.
"Sending the Arch Lich was the right call, after all."
Unfortunately, I didn't have any suitable skills or traits to enhance her with just yet.
"Hmm..."
There was plenty of time anyway.
Whenever something fitting for the Arch Lich popped up, I could assign it then.
After checking the alert, I immediately called for Maru.
"Maru, it's about time we got ready to head out."
Maru, who had returned from the Eldorado Continent, had transcended into a 5-star skeleton.
Not just any skeleton—a Skeleton Holy Knight, no less.
This offset all the chronic weaknesses of undead monsters.
With the current Maru by my side, dungeon runs would be a huge help.
'A Skeleton Holy Knight wielding a magic sword.'
It sounded contradictory, but it was real.
The current Maru could easily take down villain hunters.
And hunting villains was my goal, too.
"Shall we go level up the dungeon a bit?"
The gala had fully matured before long.
As everyone maneuvered for their own gain, some simply lounged, soaking in the atmosphere.
Succubi and incubi were prime examples.
"Isn't this social gala just dazzling and seductive?"
One succubus struck up the conversation.
She elegantly tilted her wine glass to her lips.
But she didn't drink plainly.
With a sweep of her long hair, she accentuated her figure.
It wasn't just her.
The incubi did the same.
All of them exuded their charms in a fierce battle of allure.
"Haha, this place is truly magnificent. Those splendid paintings and sculptures are so beautiful, I'd love to have them in my own dungeon."
Azmo, detached from the fray, candidly shared his honest thoughts.
This venue was genuinely stunning.
He wanted to haul those artworks straight to his dungeon.
"Is this your first time at the social gala, Azmo?"
A succubus showed interest in him.
As she spoke, she sidled closer.
And she wasn't alone.
Most of the gathered succubi had their eyes on Azmo.
"......"
Gazing at Azmo stirred something in their hearts.
They didn't know why.
But one thing was certain.
Azmo was different.
He radiated an aura and vibe unlike any other incubus.
Like a beast that seduced indiscriminately.
That was the pull.
The problem? Some incubi felt it too.
'How can I feel this way about another incubus...'
The situation bewildered them.
Unaware it was Azmo's [Distorted Charm] skill at work.
The succubi and incubi chatted amiably in their little group.
They slipped away from the venue together, deep in conversation.
Where they headed was a tantalizing secret.
As each enjoyed the gala in their own way, one watched with displeasure.
Arcaneya.
Arcaneya.
A lamia by race—upper body that of a woman, lower that of a serpent.
And right now, she hated this gala.
'How did things end up like this...!'
Her table held only her lieutenant—no one else.
Not a single visitor.
"Tch..."
Humiliating.
Nothing was more mortifying than fading into obscurity at high society.
Even the Succubus Queen had skipped this gala.
She'd predicted as much, given the Queen's long absence.
That meant one major rival was out of the picture.
And another rival—5-star Vampire Baalcherit.
She was a powerhouse.
Powerhouses always received preferential treatment.
So Arcaneya had viewed her as the biggest threat.
But that threat was short-lived.
Baalcherit's situation wasn't great.
Rumor had it the White Church was mobilizing forces to suppress her allies.
She'd dismissed it as gossip at first, but Baalcherit's grim expression confirmed it.
The fallout was immediate.
She might have shone at the last gala, but not this one.
No monsters approached her in the corner.
Even fellow vampires ignored her.
Word had spread.
Baalcherit was toxic right now.
Vampires were keeping their distance to avoid getting burned.
'She still showed up, though.'
Baalcherit was busy defending against the Church, yet here she was.
'She had no choice.'
Arcaneya understood.
Even if her own dungeon were under threat, she'd attend.
The Merchant Guild's gala was no ordinary affair.
Just showing up came with perks—like the Guild guaranteeing your dungeon's protection.
Dungeon lords could relax and attend worry-free.
Baalcherit, if smart, wouldn't miss that.
It ensured the Guild would shield her dungeon.
Still, Baalcherit was effectively a non-entity now.
"Tch."
But Arcaneya had issues too.
Two 5-stars had flopped at this gala, and now she'd vanished from notice.
"To dare ignore me..."
A gala sans 5-stars.
She was on the cusp of 5-star herself.
She'd been certain she'd shine brightest.
Show off her presence, impress the Guild.
Then they'd favor her dungeon.
That was the plan.
Until one being shattered it.
"Where did that freak even come from?"
Arcaneya muttered irritably.
Her gaze fixed on the Arch Lich's table.
"Stia."
"Yes, Lady Arcaneya."
Arcaneya issued a covert order to her lieutenant, Stia.
"After the gala—no, sooner. Mobilize our contacts and dig up everything on that one."
"Understood."
Stia rose immediately at her mistress's command.
"Where the hell was it hiding all this time?"
There'd been no Arch Lich at the last gala.
Yet here one was now.
5-stars didn't drop from the sky. This made no sense.
'Where did this thing crawl out from?'
Luckily, it was an Arch Lich.
Liches were magic-wielding undead, but not overwhelmingly powerful.
Corpse Explosion was their one decent skill, unusable here anyway.
"I'll just show my strength in the dungeon showdown."
One upcoming event was the dungeon battle.
A contest to rank dungeons by combat prowess.
Top performers earned the Guild's patronage.
That's where she'd demonstrate.
"I'll prove I'm superior to that bag of bones."
Plus, she'd attended every gala.
A newcomer couldn't have her network.
That gap would widen over time.
"Yes, the tide will turn my way then."
Arcaneya smirked faintly.
She'd show them how terrifying a serpent's jealousy could be.
But she had no idea.
"Oh, Arch Lich! What a coincidence running into you here. Heh!"
"Clack?"
The Arch Lich turned at the voice calling her.
There stood Orc Skol.
And Skol served the same master as she did.
"All the Conqueror's minions got invites—what luck!"
Skol grinned as he spoke.
This was his first invite too, but natural for the Conqueror's underlings.
And that wasn't all.
He shared how Celia, who served the great one, managed four dungeons.
All their lords were here at the gala.
The Arch Lich's allies—fellow servants of the same master—were debuting in force.
Arcaneya hadn't the faintest clue.