Chapter 67

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 67

Chapter Title: Traitor

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There's a dungeon called Dreamland located near the snowy mountains by Fireforge.

Unusually, humans rather than dwarves had gathered in front of the entrance. They were subordinates of Count Wolfhauen.

"The commander hasn't come back."

"He definitely went in with an escape scroll..."

They stared at the open rift, swallowing hard.

A week ago, a vanguard of slaves and soldiers had entered, but there had been no word since.

"...In the end, they all died inside. To think we'd lose something so valuable just like that."

"We can't figure out what's happening inside... It's a real frustrating situation."

Among the humans stood a man with a strikingly unusual appearance.

Horns, a tail, and wings—features similar to a human's yet unmistakably not human.

A man exhaled a puff of white breath, voicing his regret. His name was Dragred.

His race was dragon, currently polymorphed and mingling with the humans.

He wasn't an ordinary dragon.

And for good reason.

He was a creation of a dungeon master once nicknamed the Red Dragon King.

Of course, that was in the past.

Most believed him to be a young dragon hatched and raised by the previous Count Wolfhauen, with only a scant few knowing the truth.

Now, he was merely a loyal subordinate of Count Wolfhauen.

Proof of that hung around his neck: a wolf pendant.

It had been decades since Dragred emerged from the dungeon.

Despite his appearance, his mindset was much like a human's, as could be seen.

"The first Dreamland raid is a complete failure."

"Just as Lady Avaloris said, it doesn't seem like an easy place."

Dragred gazed at the Dreamland guide.

'I wanted to conquer it as quickly as possible, but that looks impossible.'

Honestly, when he first saw the guide, he couldn't believe it.

Dragred knew dungeons very well.

This dungeon called Dreamland was far too anomalous.

Starting from the fact that its inhabitants could come outside, there were just so many illogical aspects.

"Hm."

He extended a hand toward the snowflakes drifting like fluff, reminiscing about the past.

.

.

.

Lately, strange rumors had been circulating in the North Kingdom.

The tale that beings from dungeons had emerged outside.

Dungeons were unknown magical realms that had suddenly appeared hundreds of years ago.

Places harboring treasures like magic stones and dungeon masters wielding power akin to their creators.

For the North Kingdom, which had recently suffered a massive mana storm disaster, this was thunder from a clear sky.

The surviving dungeon masters were mostly beings of near-omnipotent power.

Even blessed ones with infinite lives couldn't easily eliminate them.

If they came out, it would be no different from a catastrophe—small wonder the fear.

The source of the rumor was the church.

The church was based in the North Kingdom.

They worshipped the god of oblivion, Oblivion, revered blessed ones as divine messengers, and branded dungeon masters—who monopolized magic stones, the gods' grace—as evil.

In the North Kingdom, which had benefited greatly from magic stones, the church had many followers, so the rumor spread like wildfire.

Perhaps the massive mana storm was caused by a dungeon master—such suspicions spread rapidly.

Mana storms were unlike ordinary disasters.

They destroyed all magic tools in the area.

For the North Kingdom, which relied on magic tools to endure its cold, barren environment, it was a highly lethal calamity.

Rumors that the storm resulted from the collusion between the ruling class—who'd taken bribes from magic academies to allow large-scale experiments in territories—and the mages were being buried, so even mages and nobles sided with the church's tale.

Dragred hadn't believed it at the time.

The rumors were rampant, but no one knew the identity of that dungeon.

Dungeon beings couldn't leave the dungeon.

He knew that better than anyone.

What could have sparked this absurd rumor?

The chance to resolve his curiosity came sooner than expected.

-Count Wolfhauen. Do you know of a dungeon called Dreamland?

Avaloris.

A renowned blessed one.

She had suddenly visited Count Wolfhauen's territory.

-Dreamland?

-Yes. A newborn dungeon with the world's most precious magic stone.

Avaloris had ties to the count.

Her cherished aide, Lilia, hailed from Wolfhauen.

Dragred, listening beside the count at the time, tilted his head in thought.

The most precious magic stone.

All magic stones were precious by nature.

Did she mean the very best among them?

If so, why wasn't she conquering this newborn dungeon herself but spreading the info?

No matter how blessed, a magic stone was better than none.

The count surely knew this too.

Yet instead of questioning her intent, he bit the bait.

-Details.

-As you know, my ability is 'Illusion.' I can spy on the past by reading a lion's memories. I happened to glimpse one lord's memory in the Forest of Life.

Avaloris smiled as she continued.

Her demeanor was like a witch seducing with sweet words.

-Yuben Jericho. A baron from the West Kingdom. He led his men bravely into the newborn dungeon. Ruthless yet astute, his fame precedes him. Amid Dreamland's riddles and mysteries, he pressed on without faltering. His men died one by one, but he deemed their sacrifice noble and persevered. Finally, he reached the core room and discovered the dungeon master and magic stone.

A long yet short tale.

Like a fairy tale from a mother.

Fairy tales always end with rewards.

She boasted of Dreamland's magic stone's greatness to hook the count.

-But he couldn't defeat the dungeon master in the end. He was alone by then.

-A question, if I may. You read memories via 'Illusion,' so...

-Yes. Yuben Jericho is dead.

-Did you read it inside the dungeon?

-No, not quite.

Bodies in dungeons are processed by slimes.

A fact Dragred knew well.

-Yuben used an escape scroll and died outside the dungeon.

-The Forest of Life is Branded Elves' territory, so...

-No. He was killed by the dungeon master who emerged from the dungeon.

At that moment.

The count held his breath.

Dragred, listening intently, was stunned.

It was only natural.

A dungeon master emerging outside was preposterous.

It was like.

Fruit on a tree not falling to the ground.

But ascending to the heavens. Utter nonsense.

But.

The one spouting this nonsense was a blessed one.

The being closest to dungeons in this world.

One who'd resolved many incidents via illusions, earning fame across kingdoms.

Her claim lacked credibility.

But her very existence lent it veracity.

And.

Rumors backing her claim had already spread in the North Kingdom.

-The Branded Elves were dead before Yuben arrived.

-So Yuben raided Dreamland after Restia repelled the Branded Elves? Then did the South Kingdom know of the dungeon's beings and ignore them...?

-I believe the Branded Elves vanished from the Forest of Life not due to a South Kingdom sheriff, but Dreamland's dungeon master. Could a mere sheriff kill Julius? He can emerge from the dungeon. Alongside incomprehensible, indescribable beings.

Avaloris asserted.

The reason Branded Elves vanished from the Forest of Life, why Yuben died outside the dungeon—it was all Dreamland.

-An unbelievable tale...

-If my story strains belief, speak to the new Baron Jericho. He aided Yuben's raid from his territory.

The count blinked.

She'd masterfully captured attention.

So, what was the point?

-This world has clear black and white, light and shadow, salvation and ruin, angels and demons, dungeon masters and blessed ones in opposition. If Dreamland accumulates power and reveals ambition toward this world... Well, even the four kingdoms dividing the continent might share the Branded Elves' fate...

-Avaloris. Mind your tongue.

Undeterred by the count's irritated tone, Avaloris pressed on.

-Of course, mere hypothesis. Dreamland is still a newborn dungeon, needing much time to grow like others. But nipping a disaster's bud early? A great one who could would be hailed a hero for generations.

-...

-Invasion, catastrophe, curse, symbol of chaos against order... As a hero slaying the demon king's seed, wouldn't you claim the world's most radiant magic stone and fame as spoils?

.

.

.

The count bit the bait.

He demanded Dreamland info from Avaloris.

She handed over a guide detailing features, traps, minions, etc.

Acting as if she'd awaited this moment left a fishy aftertaste.

But.

The count said nothing until she departed his territory.

-Will you truly raid the dungeon?

-Yes.

-Feels like we're being played. Bad vibe.

-Dungeons have magic stones. Dreamland's a newborn. That's ample reason to challenge.

-Even so...

-Eyy has little time left. This might be Oblivion's final chance for me.

The count had a daughter with an incurable illness.

He doted on his late wife's child, so he'd desperately want a magic stone.

Avaloris likely knew this well, choosing Wolfhauen deliberately.

-You're in charge of the Dreamland raid. I'll allocate men and supplies—head out at once.

Oh, and.

The sparks flew to Dragred.

The fate of a subordinate, perhaps.

He'd expected this from the start, so no surprise.

He was Wolfhauen's foremost dungeon expert, after all.

-...Not keen, but I'll do my best.

Bring back the magic stone, no matter what.

The count's final words to Dragred.

Dragred nodded.

Likes or dislikes aside, he had no right to refuse.

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.

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Dreamland was near Fireforge.

Thus, they set base at Fireforge and sought Mayor Goldhand's permission.

Contrary to expectations, Goldhand welcomed Dragred warmly.

No lord liked an out-of-territory army camping, yet here it was.

Even supplying materials suggested dwarves eagerly awaited Dreamland's conquest.

Of course, the guide showed it wasn't easy.

Still, the mood wasn't bad.

The soldiers brimmed with zeal.

This raid wasn't just for a magic stone—it was to save the North Kingdom, or so Count Wolfhauen had declared, promising titles and riches to whoever slew the catastrophe-causing dungeon master and claimed the stone.

Truth aside, it quelled their unease and stoked ambition, boosting morale.

Vanquish disaster, become a hero.

A chance to fulfill childhood dreams.

Dragred assembled the first raid team and attempted the conquest.

The result, as seen: all dead.

But.

Even so, he deemed it worth challenging.

Morale held strong, and soldiers remained plentiful.

.

.

.

"What now?"

Dragred snapped from his reverie.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Leilro's voice had woken him.

A Wolfhauen knight who'd volunteered as Dragred's adjutant.

Dragred shrugged.

"Who knows. Prep the second raid for now. Slaves are too much. Low chance of control inside... Anyway, form the raid with soldiers."

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.

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A slime observed that scene.

Ta-da.

It's our squishy.

Size reduction lets it shrink to about ant size.

This time, I used that to gather some outside intel.

Anomalies evade detection magic—must be spotted visually.

Spotting a flying ant-sized slime? Near impossible.

Even mosquito pups buzz.

Our squishy flies silently—no chance of detection.

Remember Restia?

Back then, heading from Lowjinrat Mountains to South Kingdom, she met Sinclair. I saw how she acted through my minion's eyes.

Observing the world through minions' eyes is an anomaly's privilege.

The reason we're targeted? Curiosity resolved.

Avaloris leaked the info.

About the dungeon with the world's best magic stone, its master a global terrorist capable of mana storms.

Ridiculous.

That the fake news?

They want me gone that badly.

My existence irks them, I guess.

They haven't pinpointed Dreamland yet.

But from the looks, it's just a matter of time.

Won't the whole kingdom target us later?

That'd be scary.

No matter how much I deny it, I'm a dungeon master first.

This fake news probably won't clear till I die.

Anyway, the only thing I can do now.

Beat 'em senseless till they snap out of it.

Beating is medicine.

Try raping? Pay the price.

As I said.

No mercy for those harming me or my friends.

Overwhelming terror.

Imprint it on all, and anxieties resolve in a flash.

If my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dungeon were like 3M Hamster's.

Would they dare enter amid world-ending talk?

I don't harm you all.

You're being tricked.

If words can't convince.

Slap 'em silly till they wake up.

Plan set.

Now, biggest question.

That bastard with the humans.

Unlike Secha Ham, it has wings—so probably dragon.

Of course I remember.

The vets warned never to hire minions early on.

They called cases where minions kill dungeon masters 'revolutions'.

Ah.

Not just a dragon, but a traitor dragon?