Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Fake Dungeon Master (2)
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Crimdor, the hyena-faced gnoll, and his pack of gnolls.
They set foot into the dungeon.
As soon as they entered the entrance, the silent darkness gave way to torches lining the walls, welcoming them.
"It's bright in here."
The row of torches flickered gently, illuminating the cave interior and providing a psychological sense of stability.
Crimdor scanned his surroundings and resumed walking.
The floor was covered in smooth pebbles, muffling his footsteps as they echoed softly.
"Well-maintained, too."
He ran his hand along the wall, but not a speck of dust came off.
It meant the dungeon was kept impeccably clean.
'The master's preference, I suppose.'
Dungeons varied in atmosphere and upkeep depending on their master's tastes.
This one exuded a clean, spartan vibe.
'But for a succubus dungeon, it's awfully plain.'
Crimdor looked around and voiced his doubts.
He had once visited a succubus dungeon much like this one.
Not the Succubus Queen's own, but one under her influence.
His impression upon first seeing it had been:
- How beautiful.
A true dream demon lair.
The dungeon itself was seductive and mysterious, a space that blended serene quiet with a dizzying pull into enchantment.
Filled with red, black, and vibrant magenta decorations, the centerpiece portrait of the Succubus Queen had been lethally captivating.
Though it was in the past, the memory still flickered vividly before his eyes, as if it were happening now.
The first succubus dungeon he'd seen had been that enchanting.
But look at this one.
Wasn't it too austere for a succubus master?
"Something's off."
Of course, tastes differed.
But a suspicion had arisen on the way here.
'Why did the Merchant Guild send us to scout this place?'
They must have information even the Guild couldn't confirm, hence assigning it to them.
Which meant they couldn't be sure it was truly a succubus dungeon.
'No, they can't.'
The Demon Realm Merchant Guild had called it a succubus dungeon.
But they hadn't mentioned the succubus master's rank.
Nor had they warned about the hordes of goblins in the forest.
'The Guild doesn't know much about this dungeon either!'
The conclusion was clear.
Even the Guild that assigned the mission knew little about it.
So there was no guarantee the master was a succubus.
That was as far as Crimdor's thoughts went.
His reasoning was spot on, but unfortunately, when they took the mission, the Guild had only mentioned a succubus dungeon.
There was no proof his hunch was correct just yet.
"Hmm..."
As they proceeded cautiously, a sound echoed from far ahead.
Crimdor focused all his senses on it.
'Water?'
It was the sound of water.
A gentle lapping came from deep within the dungeon.
'A lake in the dungeon?'
Too vast for a mere puddle.
Various thoughts raced through Crimdor's mind.
The dungeon was far larger than expected.
And the Guild's info was unreliable, which nagged at him.
"Halt."
Crimdor stopped his subordinates in their tracks.
He'd handled many jobs for the Guild.
Some like this, scouting dungeons; others, conquering them outright.
Those experiences let him read the situation now.
Crimdor steadied his breath, then shouted loud enough to echo through the dungeon.
"We are inspectors from the Demon Realm Merchant Guild!"
From the moment they'd entered, their presence was likely detected.
'Maybe even before we came in...'
The goblins in the forest flashed in his mind.
Perhaps they weren't wanderers but dungeon affiliates.
An uneasy feeling crept in.
Best to declare their Guild affiliation and go straight.
Whether it worked, a monster soon emerged to greet them.
"A goblin..."
The greeter was a goblin.
Problem was, it matched the forest goblins' armament.
"No need to hide, then."
Crimdor's face twisted.
* * *
Crimdor and his gnolls followed the goblin.
A three-way fork appeared first; the goblin took the left path.
Normally, they'd split to scout the other two, but something felt off.
So Crimdor and his gnolls silently trailed the goblin.
The first clearing revealed hordes of undead monsters.
Skeletons dominated the ranks.
No high-grade ones; it looked like a standard dungeon so far.
But the next area shocked him.
"Death Knight...!"
Crimdor cried out involuntarily at the sight.
A 5-star being, no less!
"Why a Death Knight...?"
A massive lake dominated the area.
This must be the water source from the entrance.
But one thing made no sense.
The Death Knight was shoveling dirt near the lake with a spade.
"?"
Incomprehensible.
A 5-star Death Knight should be the dungeon master, right?
The succubus idea vanished from Crimdor's head.
The real master was surely the Death Knight; the Guild had bad intel.
Had they known it was 5-star, they wouldn't have sent him.
They'd seek alliance instead.
Yet the apparent master kept digging.
'Dungeon in financial trouble?'
Sometimes cash-strapped dungeons had masters pitching in.
But something was wrong.
The undead they'd passed just stood guard, idle.
"Hmm."
Maybe the master was just diligent.
Whatever the case, staring was rude.
Crimdor greeted as politely as possible.
"I am Crimdor, sent by the Guild."
He'd assumed a no-account dungeon from the succubus tip.
But with a 5-star Death Knight master, he had to tread carefully.
True to its reputation.
Even after the greeting, the Death Knight just dug.
'Deliberately ignoring me.'
Makes sense, commanding all those forest goblins.
Such a figure would brim with pride in its power.
Crimdor addressed it again.
"Crimdor from the Guild. You appear to be the dungeon master—"
But his words cut short.
The diligently digging Death Knight reacted.
"Huh?"
Crimdor questioned the gesture.
The Death Knight pressed a finger to its mouth area.
A "be quiet" sign.
'What?'
Why silence?
Then it resumed digging.
"......"
Ignored again.
Even for a high-rank, this was much.
Crimdor represented the Guild.
No dungeon could defy them; they'd be mice before a cat.
This treatment crossed the line.
"No! Even as dungeon master, this discourtesy—"
Again, his words halted.
"Huh?"
The escort goblin gestured from afar to come.
'What now?'
This mission was full of oddities.
For now, he left the Death Knight and followed.
Another area appeared.
'How vast is this place?'
The lake alone was huge.
Yet more space.
"Ho..."
Humans were imprisoned there.
Fitting for a dungeon master.
"You've arrived?"
Another being greeted Crimdor and his pack.
"A succubus...?"
Her seductive looks, dress, and horns screamed it.
But her power felt negligible.
No, undetectable, likely due to weakness.
'So that's it.'
The succubus's presence.
Now he understood why the Guild called it a succubus dungeon.
'The succubus is toying with the dungeon master!'
Succubi, dream demons with incubi, seduced with charm.
Typically men, but not limited to humans.
Sometimes fellow monsters, like here.
'Ha, seducing the master and playing owner...'
Had to be.
The Succubus Queen was missing.
No higher-rank succubus existed unknown.
This one seduced the Death Knight master and impersonated it.
"Ha. This is rich."
Crimdor laughed in disbelief.
"Unbelievable."
The Guild probably didn't know.
The Death Knight crumbling to this wench seemed pathetic.
"Mind sharing the joke?"
The succubus smiled.
Well-managed, she had poise.
But to Crimdor, just a pretty flower.
"A fake playing master is hilarious. Hahaha!"
This time, genuine laughter burst out.
Rude from the start? Whatever, just a succubus.
A looks-only bitch couldn't harm him.
Plus, upon hearing "succubus dungeon," he and his gnolls donned anti-mind attack gear.
"Figures, with a master like that, a succubus plays owner."
Crimdor's words grew coarser.
Now it seemed a nothing dungeon; he felt foolish for the trek.
Pathetic.
Furious.
To vent, he bellowed.
Her face twisted more, but who cared.
"You dare make that face, you bi—"
His words cut off.
'Wh-when!'
The succubus, once ahead, was now muffling him.
"Be quiet."
Her cold tone chilled him.
Her grip was impossibly strong for a succubus.
No escaping despite struggles.
As his gnolls raised weapons upon their boss's capture, it was futile.
Goblins swarmed and subdued them.
Hobgoblins among them.
'G-Goblin Lord?!'
The crowned goblin stood out.
A Goblin Lord.
'Why!'
Death Knight, now Goblin Lord too.
And the succubus wasn't ordinary.
Finally, Crimdor realized something was wrong.
Still, he couldn't break free.
"Insult me all you want, but insulting my master is unforgivable."
Her calm voice carried force.
She was enraged; Crimdor knew it.
"Mmph... mmph!"
Couldn't speak.
And then.
His subordinates fell to goblin blades.
"Mmph!"
The succubus—Celia—released her grip.
Finally, Crimdor shouted his protest.
"You dare touch the Guild!"
Precisely, contractual ties.
But invoking the Guild was priority to escape.
No matter their power, they'd back down.
Had to.
But Celia just smiled.
"I see. Betting on that flimsy Guild name for this stunt?"
She'd never planned to release him.
He'd insulted the great master.
Death a hundred times over.
At her gesture, the Goblin Lord moved.
Ears ringing, pain exploded in Crimdor's gut.
"Wh...?"
His hand came away soaked in blood.
"You think you'll get away with this...!"
Killing Guild monsters meant the dungeon's end.
Crimdor pressured them, knowing it.
But they showed no fear.
"Think I'd fear such words?"
The more he thrashed, the wider Celia's smile.
"Looks like a Guild mission."
Destination: here.
If he vanished, this place first suspected.
"Sadly, you were ambushed by wandering goblins en route."
Crimdor's face went blank.
"Wh-what!"
Celia snapped her fingers.
Incredible scene unfolded.
"Keeek! For the master!"
Goblins awkwardly screamed, stabbing their own throats.
Others gutted themselves.
Blood sprayed in mad self-slaughter.
"......"
Crimdor's expression darkened.
"You fought valiantly with your gnolls but perished."
Celia pointed to the fresh goblin corpses.
"Impressive, taking goblins down before dying."
Her smile demonic.
As Crimdor stood dazed, Celia ordered.
"Shadow, haul the bodies far away. Stage it like mutual kills."
The gnoll and goblin corpses still held warmth.
Manipulate the scene right, and the Guild wouldn't notice.
Crimdor could only gape.
"This place... is insane."
His final words.