It’s Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

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– 1 –

It was only natural for a group that had grown beyond a certain scale to gather periodically.

And inevitably, conflicts arose within such gatherings, especially among Dungeon Lords brimming with confidence in their own powers.

“Kimaris.”

The strange tension lingering in the banquet hall of the northern ‘Dantalion’s Magical Realm’ was related to this.

At the center of this massive gathering were the top leaders, their underlings, and even those lower-tier powerful beings who wouldn’t need to mind the interests of others. While the other Dungeon Lords remained tense, not daring to touch their food, a peculiar atmosphere allowed just a handful of them to enjoy the feast freely.

The cause of this atmosphere was singular.

It was due to the two prominent figures at this very gathering.

“Please… save me…!”

Of course, those at the heart of the conflict were also enjoying their meals, as usual.

Snap!

Today’s main dish for Kimaris was a female siren who looked to be around twenty. After slowly twisting her neck, absorbing her essence and soul, Demi-Rich slowly shifted his gaze toward the one who had called him.

Thud.

Only after the now-mummified siren’s corpse fell to the ground did he speak.

– You called for me, Your Highness?

The man with the silver mask appeared calm outwardly, yet a certain undefined, shapeless power emanated from him gradually. If those near him hadn’t been Dungeon Lords with considerable power themselves, that mere presence would have been enough to cost them their lives.

The power of the Demon Clan, born from a mix of external forces. It was a force even the Dungeon Lords feared, but Kimaris possessed the strength to confront such a man.

“You asked for that human female to be released.”

– Human female…? I’m not sure what you mean.

At Kimaris’s vague response, the small, pretty lips hidden beneath the silver mask curled slightly. The demon, appearing as a beautiful human boy, added with a noble expression.

“I’m talking about the green-haired female you had captured.”

– Ah! That’s right. I had some use for her, so I tossed her in there.

With a nonchalant attitude, there were those who had predicted this outcome and suspected the Grand Duke’s fury was about to erupt, tensing their bodies. But surprisingly, Dantalion continued to ask in a cold voice.

“If you believed you needed her, there must have been a justification. Was that high-level Dungeon Lord truly worth using my specimen?”

– Hmmm…

Seeing Dantalion remain emotionless in the face of continued provocations, Kimaris dropped his cheeky demeanor and looked down at the wine glass in his hand. The red liquid in that glass was none other than Elf’s Juice.

Gulp.

As he downed the elixir in one go, a brief red light and steam emanated from the skeleton body. Feeling a slight increase in power, Kimaris opened his mouth once more.

For now, he could not confront Dantalion directly. Although he had chosen to ‘stay back’ instead of ‘advance,’ the Grand Duke was still the Grand Duke.

– I don’t know.

“You don’t know?”

– It seems that specimen was more incompetent than expected. Considering how it hasn’t brought in any results and hasn’t shown up, it should be evident.

“Hah.”

This time, Dantalion chuckled at the Marquis’s nonchalant words. Leaning forward, he braced himself against the table with both hands. The dangerous aura emanating from him caused weak Dungeon Lords to begin exiting the banquet hall one by one.

“You signed a contract with her? But she hasn’t returned? Then, does that mean she’s dead?”

– I said I don’t know. There’s been no news of whether she’s alive or dead. It’s clear that she wasn’t to the liking of the Grand Duke.

“….”

After staring at the Marquis for a long moment, the Grand Duke gave a smiling glare from behind his silver mask and stepped back.

Just as the Marquis was cautious of the Grand Duke, the Grand Duke shared the same sentiment towards him.

After all, he wasn’t the second-in-command of a faction for no reason.

“Well. If that’s the case, so be it. What a pity. I finally secured a suitable candidate.”

– Well, surely you can find better. There are plenty of demon kin and humans, like cockroaches.

“That’s true.”

The conflict that nearly erupted between the two powerful figures over a mere human was thus temporarily quelled.

Phew…
I thought I was gonna die today, damn it…!

Only then did the other Dungeon Lords start eating and chatting, yet they still kept an eye on the atmosphere around the Grand Duke and Marquis.

Regardless of whatever anyone said, Kimaris was a Dungeon Lord whose combat power was nearly equal to that of Dantalion. If the two properly clashed, it was obvious that the balance of power in the northern continent would shift entirely.

Something’s being hidden for sure.
Feels like a slippery eel.

Of course, they were more aware of this than anyone else.

In a situation where other Grand Dukes and rivals were lurking, it wasn’t the time for them to fight each other.

– 2 –

A week had passed since ‘Zenota’s army’ invaded Kaisen’s borders.

Elena still stood in the middle of the battlefield.

“Phew…”

As a sigh escaped her lips, her magical power flowed out, and the spear responded with a sorrowful cry.

Ahhhhh…

The mournful wail reverberated through the air, lamenting the tragedy of war.

But in reality, it was a complete 180 degrees from that.

Elena felt the swirling magical power within her. More accurately, it was the powerful force resonating with her spear.

“I’ve grown a lot stronger than before the war.”

The power she possessed now was incomparable to that of a week prior. Although she still remained at the elite rank, comparing her before the war and now would have been an insult to her growth.

She had filled a month’s worth of training and battle experience with just a week of fighting.

However, that was only in terms of magical prowess.

My body can’t keep up with this power.

The weapon granted to her by her master continuously empowered her. Yet her body failed to keep pace with that growth.

It was as if she were trying to hold more water than the capacity of her vessel; she couldn’t properly manage the overflowing strength.

Ah…

The reason the magic of grief spilled from the spear was exactly that. It was responding to her melancholy while also leaking due to her incomplete control.

“Sigh.”

Finally exhaling this realization, Elena wrapped the spearhead with the special leather given by her master.

This spear, known as ‘Griever’s Devourer,’ possessed the unique ability to absorb negative emotions raging on the battlefield and convert them into magical energy.

For that reason, she couldn’t simply leave the spear unattended in the barracks.

It could absorb even the ‘reluctance to fight’ among the soldiers, causing unnecessary disputes among them.

“Elena!”

“Camilla.”

Turning at the familiar voice, her aide stood there.

Wasn’t she named Ginger?

Elena’s gaze naturally drifted to her red hair.

Though she seemed perfectly human on the outside, her true identity was that of a Kaisen’s yokai, a Jiangshi.

Michaela.

Once her sister, she had now become Elena’s aide, having lost all memory of her past.

Her once alluring features had completely changed, and what now glimmered was more determination than seduction.

The only remnants of her former self were the red locks Elena could see now.

Serves her right.

Elena smirked slightly at that thought.

Considering what she had done in life, this outcome could be deemed merciful.

Of course, whether she thought that way remained uncertain… Elena felt no sympathy for her at all.

Even when alive, she had been nothing but a hindrance, and now she had become a far more useful existence.

“Elena, I have a communication request from Adelaide.”

“… Again?”

“Should I ignore it?”

“… No. Connect it.”

At her reply, Michaela, now called Camilla, retrieved the communication crystal from her arms.

As a subtle light emanated from the crystal, a familiar cold expression appeared beyond it.

Her hair, dazzlingly shifting from brown to reddish gold toward the ends, and the same blue-gray eyes as Elena’s. Adelaide Ironfield, the eldest daughter and one of the prominent heirs of the Outskirts Duke, was on the other end.

– Elena.

“Sister. I heard you were looking for me.”

– Yes. It’s nothing major.

The ensuing conversation revolved around supplies and additional reinforcements to be sent to the frontline where Elena stood.

However, the essence of those words was little more than idle chatter thus far. Such trivial matters had already been coordinated among the field staff.

– It seems Reinhardt is sending additional reinforcements. It’s probably an attempt to keep you in check.

Moreover, discussions inherent to a family heir were hardly the kind to be shared with a general on the battlefield. Such petty intentions were something both sides were well aware of.

If this were before, I’d have thought of it as a hassle.

Elena surveyed Adelaide’s small gestures through the communication crystal.

Her constant fidgeting with her ears, adjusting her hair, and scratching her nails… Ordinary actions she wouldn’t ordinarily dare to perform if she thought herself ‘cultured.’

Seeing those actions, which subtly screamed, ‘I have no interest in you,’ Elena internally chuckled.

Her anxiety was all too clear to her.

In situations already fraught with suspicion, those were significant telltale signs.

“Do not worry about me, sister.”

The stream of words flowing from the communication crystal abruptly cut off.

The expression of indifference etched on Adelaide’s face was different from her usual demeanor.

It wasn’t mere calmness or coldness.

It appeared as if she had suddenly forgotten how to express her feelings.

In other words,

It was the mark of a woman who had strived to not let her ‘weakness’ be her own sister.

“I’m not weak. Personally or as a group. So you should focus on Reinhardt.”

– … I don’t understand what you’re saying.

After a moment, Adelaide, who had been frozen in place, shook her head and turned her gaze away.

Watching her, Elena continued speaking with a firm expression.

“Then do your best, regardless. Your opponent is not someone you can treat casually while being distracted.”

– …

“I’ll take care of the younger siblings.”

At those words, Adelaide’s expression instantly hardened.

Despite having expected it, being found out about that long-hidden secret by her ‘inept younger sibling’ seemed to shock her.

– You should think about such things only after winning this war.

Just as I thought.

Elena reaffirmed that realization she had come to understand not long ago.

That they, her siblings, were indeed the true weakness of Adelaide.

The reason for her subtle attempts to draw in the others, leaving her behind, was now clearer.

Both my brother and sister had ambitions for politics and power.

Thus, she tried to protect her younger siblings, who had already been tangled in the battle for succession.

But I was different.

Elena, as she had been, was Elias’s goal of ‘proving herself.’

That is why she sought to push herself to the margins, away from the enemy’s sight.

To give herself a chance to find her talent.

Having come to that realization, it grew difficult to merely hate Adelaide.

I too… eventually longed for affection.

She wanted to be acknowledged by her charismatic father and her always-cool and strong sister.

Although the objects of her desire may have changed, the remnants of those feelings still resonated deep within her heart.

With love and hatred.

“Try to contact me less often. I’m not getting hurt.”

– That’s not why I’m trying to contact you…

“Got it. So, is today’s business concluded?”

– … Yeah.

Now, Adelaide had become a sister Elena could neither respect nor dismiss but at least couldn’t ignore.

“Well then, I’ll contact you again. Take care, sister.”

– You too… Yeah.

I feel like I saw a faint smile passing through the fading communication crystal.

That couldn’t be true.

Her face had been stern for so long that it would take quite a while for it to soften again.

Unless something triggered it.

To find that trigger, I must first achieve victory here.

With that thought, Elena turned to look westward.

Flutter!

From afar, countless flags flapped in the wind.

Countless tents and scenes of busy armies bustling about came into view.

And just behind that, a castle stood in sight.

Cheyoks, one of the two main powerful zones of Driadz Duke Territory and Cheyoks Outskirts Duke Territory.

It lay before her eyes.

“….”

In the heavy silence of the battlefield, Elena tightened her grip on her spear.

The cry of the magic spear, which devoured the enemy’s pain and the allies’ fear, vaguely reached her ears.

– 3 –

“The head of the family wants to see me?”

At the sudden news, I paused for a moment.

It wasn’t an unexpected announcement. I had always anticipated that such a day would come.

“Yeah. I opposed it, but…”

In response to my counter-question, Serika scratched her forehead, looking somewhat disheveled and troubled.

Gone was her usual audacious demeanor, replaced by a cautious attitude akin to a servant delivering bad news.

However, her next words were resolute.

“If it’s too burdensome, you can refuse. I’ll convince the head… father.”

“What’s the purpose of this, that it requires all this caution?”

Serika’s reaction was odd.

If it was merely a matter of the head wanting to see me, she wouldn’t be this cautious.

There must be something more.

“Well… Ugh.”

She repeatedly opened and closed her mouth.

Finally, after a deep sigh as if she had steeled herself, she spoke.

“… A groom? Or maybe a bride? In any case… he sees you as one of those sorts.”

“What… do you mean?”

In that moment, I thought I didn’t quite catch her words properly.

But judging by her red face and embarrassed expression, my ears weren’t at fault.

Whoosh!

A moment later, I sensed an undercurrent of subtle animosity towards Serika emanating from Eve, standing next to me.

Her animosity was so delicately controlled that nobody but me could pick up on it, but it was anything but mild.

What a mess.

I sighed internally.

I quickly guessed that something troublesome was about to happen.