I’m Telling You, I’m Not a Boss Monster!

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I can’t stand this insect delicacy, seriously.

And on top of that, Balutak is a flying insect!

‘How can I possibly endure this?’

I was planning to ask Cecilia to train Balutak in swordsmanship somehow.

Maybe Balutak has immense talent in swordsmanship, who knows?

I gathered the scattered swords one by one from the ground.

Tap, tap.

That’s when Roseha elbowed me in the side.

“Hey. You’re going to kill all the relatives of the Seven Dukes, right?”

The smile she wore while saying that was far from friendly.

Eek. A few people in the crowd visibly shifted uncomfortably.

They seemed to be relatives of the Seven Dukes.

“The Seven Dukes tried to kill the Undead Lair Lord. This is an unforgivable crime, isn’t it? We should have them all wiped out, right? We can’t leave any seeds of rebellion!”

Roseha’s argument made sense.

The Seven Lairs are the seven thrones revered and considered untouchable in the magic realm.

If the Seven Dukes conspired to kill the two of them, it would be unprecedented treason.

Even if it was orchestrated by the Old One, it was their own actions.

“This can’t be swept under the rug. We should eradicate them all from the roots. You can just stay still. I’ll take care of everything.”

When you think about it, her words were spot on a hundred times.

Even knowing that, a part of me felt a pang of unease.

“Then what about the Seven Mages?”

It was a valid concern.

But try to eliminate the rulers and relatives of the Seven Mages overnight.

I worried about the aftermath that would follow.

“Isn’t this actually good for us? We’d have a reason to rule over the Seven Mages. It’s like a pumpkin rolling in our direction.”

The idea that the Seven Lairs dominate the Seven Mages sounded good at first.

But was it really that simple?

In an empire, squashing a rebellious faction and sending an administrator or court noble to govern is an option.

However, the Seven Dukes of the magic realm were in a position similar to that of a head of state.

It didn’t seem like an easy fix.

“There are many eyes on us here, and they are all witnesses. What’s there to hesitate about?”

Even if there was justification, the magic realm had been ruled by the Dukes until now.

If we suddenly say the Undead Lords will rule…

Of course, the Seven Mages operated on the principle of the strong preying on the weak.

Most might actually welcome it, but there would surely be backlash.

On the flip side, rallying the Seven Mages to strengthen our power would be ideal.

Whether we set up puppets or rule outright, it’s the same in terms of control.

Unless it was just one place, it would be about the entire Seven Mages.

“Roseha. Promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“If you’re going to rule the Mages, you need to leave a good precedent.”

What I worried about was the spark of rebellion.

To resolve this, the new ruler had to perform better than the existing Seven Dukes.

To the point that they would beg us to dominate them.

“Do you think I’d go on a dictatorship spree? I have a thousand years of wisdom; I know that much.”

Honestly, my concern stemmed from the aggressiveness of the Seven Lairs.

Maybe for Daron, but Roxanne, Renlin, and Roseha all carried a dictator-like air about them.

“Don’t worry. It’s easy to handle a thousand mouths.”

Well, having ruled as an Undead Lair Lord for over a thousand years, she should have the experience.

I trust she’ll handle it well.

Roseha is from Calasutra. Roxanne is from Prifatana. Then there’s Daron and Renlin, and myself.

Each of us would govern the magic realm adjacent to the Undead Lairs.

Earlier, Roxanne mentioned stirring the Undead Lords to form factions.

If the five of us share the Seven Mages, a natural power structure of the Undead Seven and Seven Mages would form.

To deal with the Old One, we’d have to be properly prepared.

‘…It’s strange.’

On the other hand, I couldn’t grasp the Old One’s plan.

If the Seven Dukes are killed, as Roseha said, the magic realm might fall to us.

He couldn’t be oblivious to that, yet I couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

“So, is it settled then?”

As I spoke, Roseha reached her hand into the air.

Swoosh – a wicked nightmare beast appeared in her grasp.

Clip, clip.

The sound of Roseha’s high heels echoed menacingly.

The nobles had long since tried to escape, but the barrier had already been set.

Among them, no one could break Roseha’s barrier.

“Don’t be scared. I’ll only kill the Dukes’ relatives.”

Roseha hummed casually while looking around.

“But I don’t really know their faces, you see? I want to kill them all, but…”

Out of the corner of my eye, Roseha glanced at me.

“Depending on how you act, I’ll spare the outsiders. You all know, right? Who the Duke’s kin is. If you report them, there’ll be a huge reward, so do it.”

“Is that… really true?”

A voice from the crowd asked.

Roseha nodded at him.

“Of course it’s true. Would I lie?”

“It’s this person! This woman is the spouse of Duke Prifatana!”

“Ahhhh!”

Just then, a Werewolf dragged a Succubus by her hair and brought her forward.

Thud!

He tossed her like an object at Roseha’s feet.

The Succubus clung to Roseha’s ankle with tears streaming down her face.

“Que, Queen! Please spare me! I didn’t know anything! I never thought he would do such a thing!”

“Hmmm….”

“I’m of the same kin as the Queen! I’m just like you—”

Snip.

With a brief slicing sound, the head of the Succubus was severed.

The decapitated body crumpled to the floor, quickly creating a pool of blood.

…It was an unsettling sight.

As Roseha smiled at the corpse, she turned away.

The Werewolf in front of her froze in place.

Clip, clip.

Roseha approached him.

“Hand.”

“…What?”

“Extend your hand.”

The Werewolf hesitated but eventually extended his hand.

As Roseha placed her palm on it, coins of gold spilled from his empty hand.

It looked to be dozens of gold coins.

It might not be a huge amount for nobles, but for money earned with just a word, it was excessive.

“What’s your name?”

“Beowulf, my Queen.”

“Beowulf. I’ve remembered your name and face. Good news will come to you soon. Look forward to it.”

“Y-yes! Thank you!”

The corners of the Werewolf’s mouth curled upwards gradually.

He looked happier than just receiving the gold.

“My Queen! This person is the real brother of Duke Sandziba!”

“Look at this old man! He’s the biological father of Duke Calasutra!”

“Ahhh!”

Those who had trembled in fear just moments ago were now yelling in greed.

As I watched this scene for a moment, I suddenly felt a gaze from the side.

Turning, I saw Roseha glancing my way.

“See? Easy to handle, right?”

“….”

Once again, I turned my gaze toward the crowd.

Watching them succumb to greed felt strangely familiar.

***

I had been through a lot at the Duke’s castle.

After wrapping things up somehow, I returned to the Mausoleum of Faith through Roseha’s portal.

I brought back the Duke’s six swords among the spoils.

“Oh! The boss is here!”

“Kirik?”

In the 10th layer, the golden trio had gathered as expected.

Among them, Estizel ran up to greet me.

“You’re here! But what’s that?”

I was holding six swords in my arms.

Not just one, but six. Estizel’s question was only natural.

Before answering, I casually asked,

“Where did the others go?”

Hermit would be holed up in his room, and Selina was probably taking care of the young witches.

In essence, I was asking about the whereabouts of Cecilia and Charlotte.

“You came at the right time! Just a moment ago…”

Estizel began to explain slowly.

At first, I thought it was just some mundane information.

But the more I listened, the more baffled I became.

“…The princess came?”

“Yes. The princess was the only one left, and everyone else was sent back. Oh, and the princess is currently in the Lieutenant’s Room.”

The three of them are in the Lieutenant’s Room? I couldn’t comprehend that in my mind.

Why on earth would the princess show up out of nowhere?

And why was she alone calmly in the Lieutenant’s Room? Had her brain short-circuited?

I was left speechless in disbelief, but Estizel carried on without hesitation.

“The princess said she came to see you. For now, she’s just staying as a guest.”

“…Is she still in the Lieutenant’s Room?”

“Yes! Oh! By the way! I ranked up! I’m now 25th!”

I tuned out the rest and absentmindedly patted her head, earning a happy reaction from her.

My mind was filled with questions.

What in the world could Elize want with me?

You’d think I’d at least have some inkling as to why, but I had no clue whatsoever.

While I knew she had feelings for me, it didn’t make sense that those feelings led her here.

Even if she loved me, would a princess really sneak into the Undead Lairs all by herself?

“What she came for…”

“She didn’t say. She only mentioned she would tell you once you met.”

“Got it.”

I left the three behind and headed toward the Lieutenant’s Room.

Knock, knock.

Even though I’m the boss, I still made sure to knock out of basic courtesy.

After knocking, I opened the door and stepped inside.

Half in doubt, I found three women sitting across the table.

Charlotte, Cecilia, and…

[Lv. 26]

Even though it was my first meeting, she had a deep pink level.

Though it wasn’t entirely my first meeting; I had seen her once before.

At the same time, all three of them turned to look at me, and Elize jumped up.

“Lucas!”

Elize dashed toward me.

Not stopping there, she suddenly threw herself into my arms.

Left in utter surprise, I caught her without thinking.

Elize slowly lifted her head.

“Do you know how much I’ve missed you? I’m so thrilled to see you again!”

“….”

My gaze didn’t meet Elize’s.

Instead, it fell on the two women glaring daggers at me.

A chill ran down my spine.

 

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