It’s Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

---

– 1 –

“How have you been lately, Grace?”

“Thanks to the Lady’s consideration… I’m, I’m doing well…”

Currently, Grace Avano, a Cleric who came to that city at the request of Amelia, the Lord of Solemio.

“Really?”
“Yeah… I’m comfortable, you know…”
“You’re quite honest. How sweet.”
“Ah…”

Talking with her was something I had done every single day since bringing her to my dungeon.

It was merely to make her cooperate with me “voluntarily,” but… I realized now that there were benefits beyond what I had thought.

‘Gray…’

The soul of Grace Avano, visible to my eyes, was tinted gray.

It was a different hue from the original color I saw when piercing through the Spirit Realm with magical power, a color I perceived instead.

‘I thought it would at least be a light gray. It’s different from what I expected.’

I distinguished the ‘soul’ visible through the “Veil Keeper” based on which world or nature it was closely connected to, categorizing it into five colors.

Black from the ‘Demon World.’
White from the ‘Celestial Realm.’
Red from the ‘Outer World.’
Blue from the ‘Phantom.’
Green from the ‘Elemental.’

Those were the five colors.

Similar to how the Cleric’s power was white, mine was set to black.

I would have assumed she wouldn’t be influenced by the Demon World.

‘Is it because she was in the dungeon?’

She seemed either sufficiently infused or just on the brink of it.

In that soul, gray, white, and black swirled together.

It was hard to be certain since it was only one specimen, but…

“Hmm… It seems the power of the Celestial Realm is still intact, Grace.”
“My… my faith doesn’t waver…?”

At least I now had a plausible hypothesis.

Be it a god or their servant, they are foolish or too broad-minded.

Whether it’s due to a lack of perception or simply not being “absolute good,” it certainly seems there isn’t any existence that can uphold that value absolutely.

After all, if it were otherwise, the struggle between the Celestial Realm and the Demon World wouldn’t even exist, nor would there be fallen priests on the ground…

‘Defensive Coward – innate trait. Durability and resistance increase, while stamina and magical power decrease by double the increase.’
‘Greed – an innate/acquired nature of loving gold coins. The more coins you possess, the more stamina and magical power increase.’

Such beings wouldn’t have emerged, right?

‘Long time no see.’

Her traits were ones I had seen often in Mill Don 1.

Defensive Coward is a tank, while Greed is a dealer. They are great traits to attach to regular summons or mercenaries.

Since it’s a game without a sacrificial enhancement, the general no-spending user is advised to stockpile that unique entity if it comes out of a gacha.

I relied on her plenty before I fully got into it.

‘A god entrusting the credit of his absolute nature to the believer…’

Anyway, it’s a reality that someone with such qualities can become a Cleric.

This aspect does seem quite similar to the powerless gods of Earth.

“Lying you are. Even in your eyes, doubt about yourself is showing. If that wasn’t the case, you wouldn’t be so obsessed with gold coins.”
“Ugh…”
“Accept it.”

As I patted her head, I dropped a gold coin into her lap.

This was also an action I took each time I met her…

“Ah, oh.”

The coin just happened to settle atop her chest, and Grace carefully and naturally pocketed it.

‘Looks like she’s gotten quite used to it.’

Even if it’s a bad deed, when you’re receiving a reward that suits your taste, rationalizing it becomes easier.

Especially for someone like her, who prioritizes material value.

“So, what were you planning to talk about today? Sister…”
“Today, it’s not a conversation but an experiment I’ll be conducting.”
“An experiment…?”

Her eyes, looking at me warily as if to prove that, had lowered significantly compared to the first day we woke up here.

“Another strange thing…!”
“Who knows.”

Though, she seemed to be putting more strength into it than yesterday.

It was likely because of what I had done to her on the first day I saw her.

‘It was something I could be perceived as attempting to assault her, after all.’

A bitter smile naturally formed on my lips.

Her attire was adorned with items that were once holy relics hanging all over the place.

Even though I had returned them a while ago, the white cloths and gold accessories still retained no power as relics.

It was the result of my experiment where I stripped her, intending to dye her in the way of the Lord.

“Don’t worry. It won’t hurt.”
“Wait, you said the same thing on the first day…!”

Tap.

After tapping her forehead to knock her out, I turned around.

There Mur and Lan, who were present to assist in my experiment, were all looking at me with strange expressions.

Mur was staring at me with eyes full of reverence, while Lan glared at Grace with blazing eyes.

“On the first day with a Cleric…?”
“Master, you wouldn’t…!”
“No, that’s a mistake.”

Both nodded, but while Lan believed I wouldn’t lie to her, it seemed Mur didn’t believe me at all.

… It was giving me a headache.

– 2 –

Regardless of what the two thought about me.

The experiment that followed yielded some results.

Hssss…!

An experiment on spectral distortion defined as the color of the soul as the ‘spectrum.’

As a result, more black light was added to Grace’s soul, ultimately showcasing a ‘blessing’ rooted in the power of the Demon World.

Though it was only once.

“I… I used the power of the Demon World…! No way…!”

This certainly wouldn’t be a successful outcome for Grace herself.

I retrieved the power before she woke up and made her consider the previous event as a nightmare…

“She fainted.”
‘Conducting similar experiments will be tough now.’

It seems the way Grace looks at me wouldn’t remain as “scary yet not dangerous.”
If I ask for another experiment, who knows, she might have a seizure and my fainting magic might not even work.

Such a shame.

“That must have been a big shock. Even if we were to use spiritual power, wouldn’t there be a similar shock?”
“You won’t know unless you try.”

Her words suddenly reminded me of something, so I said that while gazing at Mur. She became flustered for a moment and spoke quickly.

“Um… I am stronger than Lady Libertus, so the experiment won’t work on me.”
“Why would I experiment on you? You’re a guest.”
“Ah, uh, right…?”

It was a misunderstanding intended as a joke, but it seems my impression on her must be as great as the Apocalypse.
No matter how curious the results of the experiment are, I wouldn’t experiment on a noble of the Demon World with such uncertain results.

“Take Grace to her room.”
– Snap!

After laying the now incapable of further experimentation Grace onto a Skeleton and sending her back.
I returned to my private room with Mur and Lan.

“Now, the tasks I asked of you have all been completed.”
“Well… that ended far too quickly. I expected it to take at least a week.”

Mur had arrived at this dungeon on the 19th.
Now it was the 22nd, meaning it had been four days since she came here. The actual learning began on the 20th, which means it took three days for the learning.
For me, it was a satisfactory result, but considering the time I presumed, it could be confusing.

“You can go back now to receive the promised reward. Of course, if you have other intentions, you may stay a little longer.”
“Is it alright for an outsider like me to stay so long…?”

Upon her cautious question, I smiled.
While I didn’t hold greedy feelings toward her yet, the image I had seen of her over time was quite likable.
At the very least, just in terms of value, she is someone I believe my person, Xue, can trust. It wouldn’t hurt to keep that in mind.

Of course, I didn’t forget to include some implications in my words.

“If your Grand Duke directly questions you, that’s a separate issue, but in all other cases, you won’t carelessly divulge my affairs, will you? You surely have that much insight.”
“Ha ha. I appreciate your words.”

She simply responded like that.
Even though she should be able to comprehend that my words were a mix of expressing faith and giving a warning, she didn’t show any displeasure.
Considering that one usually has to possess a mindset before understanding that aspect, it shows she holds quite a significant affection for me.

“Right. If you intend to stay longer, it would be best to change rooms once.”
“I actually like this room…”
“There should be a distinction between ordinary guests and food guests.”

The guest rooms in my dungeon are all located on the second floor, but among them, the rooms meant for food guests are prepared relatively close to my own room.
This is to improve the efficiency of managing them by more skilled handmaidens.
Even though we haven’t made a contract, it’s a room for trustworthy guests and people who might work for me, isn’t it?
It’s only natural to use better personnel for management.

‘Thinking about it, she is my first food guest.’

If that’s the case, I need to pay more attention to my hospitality.
To gain more good guests in the future, it’s only natural to treat my first food guest well.

“If that’s the case… I won’t refuse.”
“I’m glad. I hope we can have more pleasant conversations going forward.”
“I should prepare teaching materials. The student’s level is so high that I feel I’ll be surpassed soon.”
“That student is diligent, so it’s reasonable to be cautious.”

We exchanged smiling glances.
I succeeded in recruiting Mur Felix, the ‘Baron of the Requiem,’ as my first food guest and teacher.

– 3 –

“Damn…”

Lix, the Hop Goblin Dungeon Lord, who was given the name of the Insulting Baron by his lord, couldn’t hide his trembling body as he entered the room.
The news he brought today was so devastating.

– So those foolhardy ones have completely failed?!

As expected.
His lord began to spew green fumes from every hole in his head in rage as soon as he heard the matter.

“Yes, Your Excellency…!”

Lix barely managed to respond while huddling his body.
He felt like the blade of the great sword stuck into the floor was about to fall onto his neck any moment now.

– How could that be possible! I clearly said this would be an easy task! To fail in dealing with just one High-level Dungeon Lord and having two more added to the mix?!

“T-that’s…”

Lix felt his breath becoming labored.
Typically, he was a wicked and cunning strategist who made humans tremble in fear around the Magical Realm, but in front of the Marquis, he was merely a minister afraid of his wrath.
The Marquis’ wrath was something that was unbearable for a High-level Dungeon Lord like him.
That anger could easily cost him his life, and thus, he had to quickly redirect that rage elsewhere.

“The opposing Dungeon Lord was unusually strong…! As if they were receiving support from somewhere…!”

– What?!

With one last puff of anger, the Marquis gradually calmed down.
As a seasoned noble both as a general and a Dungeon Lord, he was someone who shouldn’t be judged solely by visible rage.
That fact was evident from the glint of interest that filled his eyes.

– They said they are certainly receiving support from the Baritra Marquis House. But it’s likely a form of support given to a regular rising star. But was that child truly so strong?!

“Yes. It was not at the level of an ordinary High-level Dungeon Lord…!”

– Hohohohoho. Intriguing. Very intriguing.

The skull with neither flesh nor skin smiled broadly as the Marquis pondered deeply while striking the ground with his sword several times.

“…”

Lix held his breath.
He knew all too well that if he interrupted this moment, the sound of his punishment would fall.

– Good. Insult! Go out and bring me that human thief.
“Do you mean the Human Female? But Your Excellency, that girl is…!”
– Shut up! Since when did you get the privilege to question me! If I say bring her, then bring her!
“Yes, yes!”

As soon as Lix exited the door, the Marquis, who remained in place, broadened the smile he had just formed.
Even though his body was nothing but black bones, that expression seemed completely natural.

– Who is providing support, I wonder. Support.

But that was a story he had never heard.
Undoubtedly, it was a topic that couldn’t be brought up in the Demon World.
All six Grand Dukes on the ground had their own information networks and connections within the Demon World, and being a Marquis under a Grand Duke meant he was in the closest position to access that information network.

– Then, I just need to use someone who isn’t part of the Demon Clan.

After all, being the Marquis of the Magical Realm, he couldn’t move personally. It would be pointless to talk to the Grand Duke about it as well.
Therefore, he needed personnel who could move freely across the continent.
And suitable for that would be the “criminal” he had captured earlier.
If he could plant a contract on that skilled yet insane criminal and make her act, he should be able to distinctly grasp the essence of that Dungeon Lord.
After all, she was someone who used a power that was difficult to comprehend.

– I’m excited. Perhaps I have a promising junior or maybe some hidden guy is scheming! If it’s a junior, I’ll praise them, but if it’s a scheme, I won’t let it be!

The Marquis laughed heartily.
Demi Lich “Kimaris.”
Enthralled, he raised his sword and swung it wildly.

Boom – !!!
Swish!!

He didn’t care about the destruction of his room at all.
However, the repair was as swift as the destruction itself.
The dungeon, which was the core of the Magical Realm he commanded, was almost one with him.
A force that allowed him to move the entire Magical Realm like a living being, as if he borrowed a portion of divine power.
That was the power of a Dungeon Lord who had reached the rank of “Lord.”

– An anomaly… is a delightful thing.

The Marquis held great expectations.
The Grand Duke would certainly dislike it, but as he had already given up on the road of being a candidate and settled on the position of Marquis, he needed some excitement.

– I hope you stay alive until I see you… please.

And for him, a “great junior” was one of those stimulations.