Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Traitor (3)
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1. Dreamland is a newborn dungeon shunned even by the blessed. Half a day without an escape scroll is your only chance to get out. Escape the dungeon right now.
2. This dungeon cannot be cleared.
3. If you were dragged here against your will, killing the one who brought you raises your survival odds more than trying to conquer the dungeon.
4. Dreamland has never harmed anyone except 'dungeon intruders' up to now. Please cooperate so it stays that way.
5. Nothing lies ahead but deep nightmares. If you press on after reading this, we sincerely regret your choice.
6th Raid.
Dungeon Raid Day 1.
Dragred stared at the poster affixed to the bulletin board and swallowed hard.
It wasn't bravado.
The lack of any gains so far proved it.
Seventy-five people had died.
Yet not a scrap of information had come back.
What that meant was clear.
Entering Dreamland was no different from suicide.
At first, the mood had been upbeat.
They'd resolved the mana storm's cause, beheaded the dungeon master, and earned noble titles.
Everyone had been excited, dreaming of a bright future.
But bluntly put, even a promise of the king's throne meant nothing if you died.
And those deaths had been utterly meaningless.
They'd sacrificed seventy-five lives and made zero progress.
No wonder morale was in the gutter.
"What the hell is this...?"
"It's saying get out if you don't wanna die. Duh."
Dragred scowled.
Still, they had no choice but to press on.
He couldn't return to the fief empty-handed.
The count would surely hold him accountable as raid leader.
At least some intel—he had to bring back something.
"Why didn't the commanders use their escape scrolls before dying?"
His aide Leilro suddenly asked.
"I explicitly told them not to push it and to come back. Honestly, I don't get it. A commander's death doesn't make the scrolls vanish. Even if they hit an instant-kill trap, the soldiers could use them, right? I heard some dwarves survived that way."
Dragred had wondered the same.
Why hadn't the raiding parties used their escape scrolls?
He stroked his chin.
"According to the manual, escape scrolls work up to the elevator... and in Zone 1 at least, they're confirmed usable."
Someone had returned with that info.
So scrolls worked in that zone.
"Detection magic shows Dreamland has four zones. High chance Zones 2, 3, and 4 have some gimmick blocking scrolls."
Leilro blinked.
"Scrolls unusable...? Is that even possible?"
"The moment a 'fake' matching my strength appears, common sense goes out the window. Aborallis said it: this place is full of the incomprehensible."
"So everyone cleared Zone 1 and moved to Zone 2?"
Dragred shook his head.
He was certain that wasn't it.
Aborallis's Zone 1 manual was incomplete.
Compared to the elevator, there were clear gaps.
Specifically, no 'resolution method.'
...
「The fake tries to kill raiders slyly. Distinguish and kill the fake.」
「Never go down unlit corridors.」
「The maze floods over time, risking drowning.」
...
The last part.
Setting aside info tampering, wasn't the maze explanation lacking?
Exactly—how to solve it was missing.
Other parts had clear solutions.
So.
This wasn't fully scouted info.
If Leilro was right, no commander would advance to Zone 2.
Zone 1 still had info to gather.
"I think that elevator... it doesn't just go to Zone 1. Feels like it sends you to other zones too."
Leilro nodded, convinced.
Dreamland's outline was finally taking shape from the shadows.
"Don't log this yet."
"Ah, yes."
"Confirm first, then write."
...
The party reached the elevator.
The true start of Dreamland.
Dragred thought.
Most efficient: station command here.
Scrolls worked here at least.
Communication magic could gauge the interior.
Goal was info out, anyway.
'Guess these guys become the sacrifices.'
Clearing Dreamland in one go was impossible.
He eyed the frightened soldiers.
They'd steeled for this.
Brought them for exactly that.
He and Leilro had scrolls.
They didn't—that proved it.
No point quibbling now.
Sacrifices followed purpose.
Dragred spoke.
"Leilro and I stay here—we can use comm magic. Board the elevator and scout Dreamland ASAP."
"J-just us...?"
Soldiers hesitated.
They'd followed to the dungeon, but losing their trusty knight and dragon broke their will.
"N-no, I refuse...!"
One soldier trembled, refusing.
"W-we came here swallowing fear for North Kingdom's future. S-sure, ranks and mana stones tempt us plenty. This dungeon must vanish for our future. B-but we didn't come to die in your place...!"
"R-right! Why just us? Come with!"
"As Volfhausen's vassals, lead by example first! Then we'll follow without complaint!"
Dragred clicked his tongue.
No reasoning with them.
Not the first time.
They entered after countless deaths.
'Guess this was inevitable.'
As flames flickered in Dragred's palm—
"If you don't wanna die..."
"I'll go with them."
Leilro grabbed Dragred's wrist.
He shook his head gravely.
"Leilro."
"The soldiers are right. Someone must lead by example. As Volfhausen's knight, I'll protect them."
He smiled.
Gently patted their shoulders to soothe.
"No issues now, right?"
"......"
Dragred hated it, honestly.
Knight was key asset.
Also his vital aide.
Waste sending to sword-proof depths just to calm troops?
"Fine, for now."
"Thank you. Let's go, everyone."
Soldiers finally relaxed.
"Th-then I'll go first."
"Yeah. Elevator precautions..."
The first complainer boarded.
Dragred logged via comms.
...
-W-we've moved to the next zone. Password 534. M-maze visible!
"Password 534. Everyone in."
Eight including himself.
He'd guard entrance, so seven scouts.
Soldiers entered.
All moved to maze.
Good for now.
Could verify truth from fakes.
Dragred cut comm temporarily.
To Leilro, last to board:
"You really going?"
In the white corridor, Leilro paused.
Silently pondered.
"I'm grateful you value me, but my words before were sincere. As Volfhausen's knight, I must set example for soldiers. Let me go."
Mind made up.
His silence was picking words for Dragred.
"Use scroll if danger—no hesitation."
"Got it. I can comm too, so I'll link to you."
He boarded.
-D-Dragred, sir. When's Leilro reaching the maze?
"Soon. Wait."
-C-confirmed...
Right.
Scrolls usable in maze.
Worrying, but maze should be fine.
...
But.
Dragred's assumption all would go smoothly was a grave mistake.
-D-Dragred, sir. S-soldiers vanished.
-Th-this is the academy...?
-Faceless student appeared, demanding our belongings.
-Handed them over for now.
-...This must be why scrolls don't work here.
Dragred's face darkened.
He cast detection magic immediately.
Shocking result.
Leilro isolated in Zone 2 alone.
What the hell?
"......"
Head spun.
Didn't expect elevator spawn to shift real-time.
-W-we'll wait for Leilro here...
-This is Zone 2. Tricky, but I'll keep scouting. Please calm the soldiers.
6th raid hit worst-case from the start.
...
-Dragred, sir! When's Leilro coming!?
-Fuckin' bastard! You liar! You shit!
-So you saw us as tools! Not even human!?
-Fuck, fuck, come here now if you got a conscience!
-We didn't come to die for you!
-Answeransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweranswer!
"Calm down first. Leilro didn't break promise. But accident happened."
Dragred explained calmly.
Straight facts, but deceived soldiers didn't buy it.
-Calm!? You think we'll swallow that shit!? F-fuck, idiot me for trusting you.
"I know it's hard to believe. But everything I said is true. We didn't trick you..."
-Even if we get info, won't give it to you. Cut link and fuck off!
Atmosphere wouldn't settle.
Same convo looped like clock hands.
"Fuck."
Irritation boiled.
Patience bottomed out; face crumpled like paper.
"For fuck's sake, calm down, you shits. My head's spinning figuring this out too. Shut your damn mouths."
Dragred roared, rare fury erupting.
"Leilro boarded the elevator. Boarded! Doubt me? Use detection magic—oh, fuck, you vermin can't, huh? Fuck, then what? How do I hammer truth into your thick skulls? Tell me!"
-......
His outburst silenced the soldier.
Long quiet followed.
Leilro knew things were bad too.
He went silent.
"Fuck."
Dragred clenched trembling fists, suppressing rage.
No point raging now.
Time to advance.
Like soothing a child, soft voice persuaded.
"I'm truly sorry it came to this. Bluntly, someone has to take risks in this dungeon. But I don't want you dying."
-......
"I'll support via comm max. Leilro's in Zone 2. Share intel from each zone—even shit dungeon has hope, right?"
-Sigh...
-Understood...
Good.
Situation calmed.
Soldiers scouted Zone 1.
-Belongings stored in staff room, they said. Prioritize there? Food and water confiscated—trouble.
-Song echoes periodically. Every 40 or 10 mins. Corridors go dark 40 mins... tested desk, being there feels deadly.
-Clock on wall. Can track time.
Leilro pressed on in Zone 2.
Better this way.
Info from two zones at once.
Heavy on Leilro, but hope remained.
Dragred logged from entrance.
...
-S-someone approaching...
Dragred set down pen.
Fake from?
"Can you distinguish real from fake?"
-N-not the fake, looks human. Doesn't feel like minion or trap, uh, uhhh...
-A-aaaaaah! Aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaaaagh!
Soldier screamed.
Voice pure terror.
Dragred's mind iced.
Cold sweat down spine.
"Hey, what happened!"
He bellowed.
Didn't reach panicked soldier.
-Savemepleaseimsorryimsorryididwrong!!
-Wontenterdungeonagainneverpleaseletmeliveifoolaaaaaah!
Snap.
Comms cut.
New trap? Minion?
What happened in Zone 1?
...
"Fuck..."
Dragred realized.
Why 75 deaths yielded nothing.
Not minions or traps killing soldiers.
Simple logic.
Dungeons have dungeon masters.
Freest mover inside.
He knew well.
As dungeon master's creation, he knew.
Dreamland had owner of these anomalies.
Ruler immune to destruction.
Too late grasping this.
...
-Dragred, sir?
Woke him.
All soldiers dead.
Leilro scouted alone.
Didn't quit.
Steadily relayed via comms.
"...Keep scouting. Stay alive."
-Yes.
Pen moved.
Logged Leilro's info.
Dragred thought.
Dungeon master appeared.
To eliminate intel-gathering intruder.
But question.
Leilro scouting school, Dragred logging entrance.
No encounters despite time.
"Maybe..."
Puzzle pieces fit.
...
-I'm about to die. School has teacher. Sometimes enters class, teaches incomprehensible lessons—asks questions, fail to answer body breaks I'm full warnings probably aaaaaaah!
Snap.
Comms cut.
"So that's it."
Dreamland nulls sword and magic.
Aborallis advised normals charge.
Wrong.
Dungeon master.
Freely roams, kills intruders.
But.
Can't kill Leilro or me.
Simple reason.
If could, would have already.
Dragred logged dungeon master info.
And Zone 2 intel.
Prime targets, yet alive—confirms.
"Small elite is key."
Firm resolve.
Too strong for dungeon master.
With wise allies, Dreamland clearable.
Answer existed.
This raid found it.
He scribbled excitedly.
Looked thrilled logging.
Final entry, closed log.
Real gains at last.
Satisfactory.
But.
Touching upturned lips, face hardened.
"What the hell am I so happy about?"
Satisfactory?
Sacrificed soldiers and Leilro for path forward.
Grinning over that?
"Am I insane...?"
Dragred stared at elevator.
Feeling in ages.
What to call it.
Moment Dreamland's riddle solved.
Indescribable emotion.
Incomprehensible became truth.
Path opened; vague terror to unknown realm.
Heart raced.
Not just fear.
"Next time..."
No hesitation, used escape scroll.