READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 108
Amidst the gloomy and sinister darkness, a rustling noise echoed.
I turned to see Charlotte pulling out a lantern and lighting it.
Suddenly, my surroundings came into focus.
Sparse bushes grew around, and the ground was soaked, resembling a shallow swamp.
*Knock. Knock.*
Water dripping from the stalactite echoed one drop at a time.
This dungeon was as dreary as I remembered.
Charlotte glanced around several times.
She seemed completely disoriented about where we were.
“Do you remember the Forest of Decay and Spirits? This is similar to that.”
The grave of the Ancient Dragon and the ruins of the Half-Wizard.
Although the Ancient Dungeon and the Undead Lair are distinctly different, explaining to Charlotte that this was the seventh Undead Lair would be quite a stretch.
Also, the way this dungeon was so well concealed reminded me a lot of the Ancient Dungeon.
“How does the boss know about a place like this?”
It was a perfectly reasonable question, and I was slightly surprised that Charlotte, who had only obediently followed until now, asked it.
“Of course, you don’t have to tell me. I only follow the boss’s will.”
“It’s part of my abilities.”
It was a commonly held belief that the Undead Lair Lord possessed an unfathomable power.
It was a rather comforting setup to think that the Undead forgot their memories.
Even if I spoke in such roundabout ways, those listening had no choice but to accept it.
“I see. Thank you for the explanation.”
Charlotte’s face showed an unexpected surprise, as if she hadn’t anticipated an answer. She nodded, seemingly satisfied with just that.
This was very much in line with Charlotte’s blind obedience.
“Summon the Undead soldiers.”
“Yes.”
The Hermit would have known we were coming and would certainly have laid out appropriate precautions for us.
As Charlotte waved her hand upward, shadows started to stir.
Soon, skeleton soldiers emerged from the shadows.
We began to advance with the Undead in the lead.
***
As we walked, Charlotte tried not to, but her eyes kept stealing glances at the boss’s profile.
It was strange even to herself that she would be so captivated by just one glance.
Even when her gaze didn’t focus on him, all her attention seemed to be directed there.
Thump, thump.
Just walking side by side made her heart race.
She knew better than anyone that it was an irreverent feeling.
She had tried countless times to suppress it, but it wasn’t easy to fold her heart.
With her mind set on such unhealthy thoughts, there was no way she could express them openly.
She had no intention of confessing outright.
She just wanted to subtly convey her feelings.
Now, without any interruptions, this moment, the two of them alone, was the only chance she had.
“Boss.”
Charlotte quietly broke the silence.
“I feel like I can’t live without you from now on.”
Ah, that wasn’t what I meant to say.
She regretted it only after the words slipped out.
Charlotte, who had merely been musing, managed to continue.
“Do you remember when we were called urgently?”
Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke.
She had mentioned it but was the one who became flustered.
Even now, just recalling that time brought vague darkness to her mind.
“If the boss had died then, I would have been a dead soul too.”
“I know. The dungeon would have collapsed.”
“No, that’s not it.”
Charlotte placed her hand on her chest.
“My soul is bound to the boss.”
When the boss nearly died at Cecilia’s hands, Charlotte had sacrificed her soul to save him.
As a result, if the boss’s soul were to perish, Charlotte would meet the same fate.
“Once the soul bond was established, if the boss dies, I too will die.”
“…Ah.”
It seemed he finally understood, letting out a sigh of realization.
He scratched his head, showing a rare moment of awkwardness.
Charlotte nearly burst into laughter at that.
Although he had a surprisingly careless side, she found even that to be a twist of charm.
“Of course, I’m terrified of death, but it’s really only your death I’m worried about. I wouldn’t mind if I died.”
“Don’t say such things.”
It was a remark laced with kindness.
Charlotte pressed her lips together and lowered her head.
“…I’m sorry, but I hope you will fear my death as well.”
Unlike the Undead, who don’t fear their own demise, Charlotte couldn’t help but worry.
There was a reason most Undead seemingly threw away their lives.
“The boss seems indifferent to his own death.”
That worried Charlotte.
The boss, being Undead, didn’t fear death; thus, there was a risk he might die easily.
Charlotte wished that he would value his life, if only to fear her own death.
“Indifferent? I’m equally scared of death.”
“…?”
Charlotte tilted her head in confusion.
To think an Undead could fear death; that curious thought faded quickly.
Most Undead forget the feeling of fear, yet a few still possess it.
The Undead were beings who forgot their past memories and the fear of death.
However, instincts based on those memories remained intact.
A knight who had walked the path of swordsmanship would still swing a sword like he did in life, even after death.
All Death Knights have a profound understanding of swordsmanship because their instincts are deeper than their memories.
The boss saving Cecilia was also the result of the protective instinct carried over from his life.
The fact that Undead could fear death stemmed from this same logic.
If they had a great fear of death in life, that fear might linger as an instinct in their Undead form.
“Do you remember the death you faced while living?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you know if you feared death while alive?”
“All humans fear death. Why would I be any different?”
He replied nonchalantly, but Charlotte took it very sensitively.
He was said to have been executed during his time in the Empire.
Charlotte closed her eyes and envisioned that scene in her mind.
The plaza was filled with countless people, and on the side of the crowd, there was no sign of Lucas.
Among those waiting for the execution, only the cries of “hurry up and die” resonated.
“….”
Charlotte clutched her chest, feeling a painful ache.
How lonely and terrifying must death have been back then?
An emotion sprouted in Charlotte’s heart that surpassed mere empathy.
“I still loathe humanity.”
Leaving her grudge behind to protect humanity was solely for the boss.
The hatred toward humans that had doubled over time was still a feeling for the sake of the boss.
If it were up to her, she would want to obliterate anything connected to his death.
***
The traps on the first, second, and third layers mostly ensnare intruders.
The skeletons would serve as excellent offerings for those traps.
With that thought, we had been moving for ten minutes.
“….”
I turned back and refocused on the front.
The condition of the skeleton soldiers was surprisingly good.
By now, they should have been mostly submerged in some pit, but there hadn’t been a single trap so far.
It’s good news, but why was that?
It was then that I noticed a white level appear beyond the landscape.
[Lv. 85]
A “Swamp Monster” covered in vines and moss.
It was the guardian of the first layer of stillness, tiered in monochrome.
I thought it was about time, and now it seemed to be.
“Dragon Scale.”
I had Dragon Scales composed of draconic words on my body, with a Mana Eater clinging to the Holy Sword I held aloft.
As I approached, I finally caught sight of yellowish eyes.
Thump.
“What?”
Suddenly, the creature bowed low and started to back away slowly.
It stood back up, then bolted away in a hurry.
The indication above its back, Lv. 85, turned a dark shade of black.
…What the hell?
It didn’t even try to fight back or pose any threat?
“Truly, the boss is impressive.”
But hey, I didn’t do anything!
‘…Could it be?’
Perhaps it was based on a communication received from the Hermit.
That creature’s nature was to hinder any intruder, regardless of who it might be.
It was believed that it would try to stop us, but in reality, it behaved entirely the opposite.
With the Hermit’s intelligence, he undoubtedly knew of my actions.
Perhaps, being under pressure turned out to be so overwhelming that it considered resistance pointless.
As this friendly demeanor emerged, it felt like a credible assumption.
As I penetrated further inside, my suspicions turned into certainty.
No traps nor even low-tier mobs were found; it was definite.
While I had told them to prepare to host a visitor, I had never expected it to turn out like this.
‘This is somewhat disappointing.’
It was comfortable, of course, but on some level, I felt betrayed by my expectations.
If I reached the boss room only to find the Hermit absent, I’d have felt even more deceived.
If he’s not in the boss room, I’ll have to search the entire dungeon from corner to corner.
The Hermit couldn’t leave the dungeon on his own.
Just as it was tricky to get into the dungeon, it would also be difficult for him to exit.
Of course, with Charlotte’s portal magic, the Hermit could slip out easily.
If he cooperated smoothly, I intended to take only the core that held the core of the dungeon.
If he didn’t agree, I’d have no choice but to use other methods.
I had plenty of strategies in store.
We proceeded smoothly through the fourth, fifth, and sixth layers, almost as if passing through automatic doors.
Finally, we reached the seventh layer and stood before the boss room.
There stood a moss-covered iron door that looked like something from a game graphic.
‘Is this right?’
Honestly, I felt a bit dizzy.
Could the path to the boss room be this easy?
Having brought Briyagon and Charlotte along just in case, I wondered if I could have come alone instead.
Looking back, Charlotte’s expression was also filled with doubt.
I cleared my throat to set the mood.
“This area ahead could be dangerous. Stay back.”
“Yes.”
To avoid exposing myself as a fake seventh-tier lord, I left Charlotte behind.
The Hermit was already a boss of the Undead Lair.
I wouldn’t worry about taking Briyagon along on my shoulder.
Having been cooperative so far, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he might attempt treachery.
Just in case, I wanted to ensure I would have a backup plan.
Creaking open…
As the door swung open with a grand sound, the inside revealed itself.
Slowly stepping inside, I shut the door.
Just before it closed, I saw Charlotte bend deeply with respect.
She seemed to have an obsession with maintaining courtesy until the very end.
Thud.
After the door closed, I stroked Briyagon’s neck and said, “Feel free to kill if necessary.”
I surveyed the vast emptiness around me.
All I could see were lotus leaves, sparse bushes, and mossy stones.
No other signs of life pulsed with energy.
Rather, levels floated ominously all around.
[Lv. 71]
[Lv. 73]
[Lv. 75]
[Lv. 77]
Dozens of levels were the division of the Hermit, disguised as part of nature.
If I approached them, they would swarm, but it seemed unlikely this time.
Each one was painted a deep black, speaking to their nature.
Without the instinct of wariness or animosity, there was no reason to attack me.
In extreme fear, they must be waiting for me to leave, intending to hide.
They would not willingly let me go either.
[Lv. 82]
While particularly dark, this entity was the one with the highest level among the lotus leaves.
That must be the Hermit’s true form.
Splish. The water would rise up to my ankles.
I focused my gaze upon the core as I waded in that direction.
Having been rather far away, it took several steps to arrive.
Smoothly—
As I got closer, the lotus leaf started to drift away.
It seemed like a natural movement, following the direction of the waves. At least, that’s how it appeared.
In reality, it was fleeing out of fear of me.
“Accelerate.”
As soon as I finished speaking, I launched forward.
It was unable to react, finding itself in the grip of my hand.
“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”
“Ahhh….”
Flailing as if it was using all its strength, the lotus leaf squirmed in every direction, but it was futile.
Swoosh—
Hearing the approaching sounds, I gripped the sword’s hilt with one hand.
The division began to swarm in unison toward this location.
Just as I was about to draw my sword, it was halted in an instant.
“Please! Just let me go this one time!”
“I’m sorry for hiding! I’m lazy and I’m sorry! Please just forgive me for slacking off!”
“Ugh…. that’s wrong…. Number one has been caught… we’re all gonna die….”
“Quit whimpering! What are you doing!? You all should beg too! We’re gonna die like this!”
“Please, boss! Just give me a break! Spare my life….”
What are they saying right now?
What’s this about being a boss?