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Chapter 87: The Snake's Jealousy (2)
The dungeon monsters keep offering sacrifices 087
EP.87 The Snakes Jealousy (2)
So thats how it happened!
3-star Orc, Squall.
Simultaneously leading the dungeon Red-Headed Tribe.
Squall exchanged stories with Arch Lich.
Among them were also included events before entering the social circle.
A few days ago, a representative from the Association visited Squalls dungeon and handed him an invitation.
Moreover, it was mentioned that not only him but all the dungeons under the control of Manager Celia received invitations.
Especially, it was suggested that if they attend the social circle, the Association will take responsibility for protecting the dungeons.
However, Squall rejected such an offer from the Association.
The reason was simple.
I am a warrior! I can never forgive handing over my tribe to someone elses hands! It goes against the honor of a warrior!
He believed that one should protect their own territory.
To entrust it to someone elses hands was not the honor of a warrior, according to Squall.
And we are all strong!
Nodding,
Arch Lich nodded at Squalls words.
It was true.
Come to think of it, Arch Lich had no worries about intruders either.
Rather, shouldnt they wish for the well-being of the intruders who entered the dungeon?
In fact, after receiving the invitation to the social circle, the first thing Celia did was reinforce the defense of the dungeon.
The defense range of the dungeon was expanded more widely.
The Goblin Scouts extended their activities beyond the dungeon to the forests surrounding four dungeons under her control.
.
Indeed, there seemed to be no problem when thinking about it again.
When Arch Lich was lost in thought for a moment, Squall brought up the topic again.
By the way, Arch Lich! Its fate that we meet here, so let me introduce my tribe member!
Squall introduced another orc next to him.
He is from my tribe Malox! The most reliable strategist in my tribe!
Malox also had red hair like Squall.
Squall proudly introduced his tribe member, even baring his fangs with a smile.
Indeed, Malox was the most loyal subordinate to Squall and held a position similar to that of a strategist.
Its truly a pleasure! Im called Malox!
Malox extended his hand with a simple greeting.
Arch Lich shook Malox hand without any change in expression.
?
They shook hands like that, but something was odd.
Tick?
In Arch Lichs hand, there seemed to be gold coins suddenly.
Ive heard youre always busy serving the great Master! This is a small gift for him!
Malox replied so and stepped back.
Arch Lich silently watched Malox retreating figure.
Then, Squall also requested a handshake from Arch Lich in succession.
The result was the same as before.
After shaking hands with Squall, there were gold coins clenched in Arch Lichs palm.
Well then, see you later! Lord Arch Lich!
Tick!
As Squall and Malox stepped back, Arch Lich immediately unfolded a notebook.
And he began to record with a fountain pen on the thick notebook.
[Loyalty of Squall and Malox to the great Master remains unmatched.]
[Based on this loyalty, no inspection will be conducted for the Red-Headed Tribe dungeon for the time being.]
[Malox, the strategist.]
Just by looking at it, Arch Lich could understand.
It meant that Squalls dungeon was being run correctly to the extent that it didnt require inspection.
This wasnt because of the gold coins.
Since it had come to this, Arch Lich decided he wanted to meet the masters of other dungeons as well.
There were a total of four dungeons under Celia.
[Red-Headed Tribe]
[Sticky Puddle]
[Remnants of the Abyss]
[Village Shrouded in Mist]
He had just met Squall earlier.
Excluding the Red-Headed Tribe dungeon, there were three dungeons left.
Arch Lich nodded.
At the social circle, two visitors from each dungeon could allowed to attend.
That meant, apart from Squall and Malox here, there were six more monsters to meet.
As an inspector, he had the authority to meet those six.
Tick!
As Arch Lich made a sound, a nearby skeleton rose from its seat.
Then, it picked up Arch Lichs notebook from the table.
Indeed.
The skeleton that had given Arch Lich diamonds first when the party began.
Life is all about timing.
By offering diamonds first, it gave Arch Lich enlightenment.
With just one reason, it had now become Arch Lichs right-hand man limited to the social circle.
Tick!
(Lets go!)
Tick-tick-ddak!
(Understood!)
The party of Arch Lich and the skeleton was now beginning.
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***
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Someone was sitting in a corner of the banquet hall.
Her eyes had lost their sparkle, and a dark expression enveloped her face.
Her golden hair had long lost its vitality, and instead of a stylish dress, only a worn cloak indicated her situation.
Fear and anxiety trembled her body.
Her desolation was not the end of it.
As the bright light from the ceiling engulfed her, the marks on her skin stood out.
Sigh
Her name was Baalzerith.
She was a 5-star Vampire.
Though the blood of high-ranking demons flowed within her, her situation was dire at the moment.
Where did it all go wrong
Baalzerith muttered weakly.
Once, she lived a life not enviable by others.
Even if she remained still, her table was always filled with fresh blood every day.
Without effort, under the name of a high-ranking demon, power gathered around her.
Soon, she could have accumulated enough power to be called the Queen of Vampires.
Her domain was untouchable by adventurers, and even in the Demon World, she couldnt be treated lightly.
Literally, it was a life no different from a kings.
But that joy didnt last long.
The White Order
The only order on the continent, the White Order.
The Order suddenly began to purge vampires, sending knights to hunt them down.
The reason was unknown.
But as time passed, the Orders actions became bolder, and her power continued to diminish.
Countless vampires who followed Baalzerith died.
As the number of vampires decreased, the next to crumble were the dungeons.
The once vast power slowly faded, now reduced to the level of collapse.
At this point, the vampires who had been loyal to her began to leave gradually.
Such a decline in power soon threatened Baalzeriths safety.
This became another opportunity for the Order.
No matter how powerful a 5-stars was, there was hope that they could subdue Baalzerith this time.
Of course, she knew it too.
If things continued like this, she wouldnt last long.
So, she reluctantly attended this party.
Tsk.
Normally, she should be in the dungeon at this time, not at the party.
It was right to think about how to stop the Order and devise a strategy.
But the current situation was too dire.
She had to prolong the balance that seemed to collapse at any moment.
One way to do that was to attend the current social circle.
If she attended, the Demon World Merchant Association would take care of her and protect her dungeon.
In the end, Baalzerith had come to rely on the Associations help.
And this news spread quickly.
Because of this, there was no one approaching her at the party now.
There was no one to accompany her already marked by the Order.
Except for one.
Lady Baalzerith?
A man dressed in a suit approached her, sitting in despair.
Neat black suit and neatly groomed hair.
And black glasses and black shoes.
From head to toe, he was covered in black.
Lifting his black glasses, the man took out a document.
Now, if you just sign here, all contracts will be finalized. This is our last courtesy to you.
His voice was dry.
It was like an emotionless creature.
And the document he handed to Baalzerith was a transfer contract of dungeon management rights.
The mans name was Sernu.
He was a demon affiliated with the Demon World Merchant Association.
Once again, he tempted Baalzerith with a sweet voice.
Now, Baalzerith, dont you want to take a break too? How about leaving everything to our Association and enjoying a comfortable life?
His slightly smiling words were nothing less than a demons whisper.
Indeed, he was a demon, but Baalzerith knew.
The moment she signed that contract, she would simply become a puppet of the Association.
She would become a mere facade of a master, managing the dungeon according to the Associations instructions.
As the price for becoming a scarecrow, the Association would resolve her current situation.
.
Baalzerith could only bite her lips quietly.
Damn bastards.
If she had the power, what good will it do if you help now?
But the Association was adamant.
Unless she signed the contract and handed over the dungeons management rights, they wouldnt make any deals.
Baalzerith could do nothing but glare at Sernu.
The Association becomes infinitely weaker to the strong but shows strength to the weak.
And now, Baalzerith was not in a position of power but one of weakness.
All she could do was weakly respond.
Just a little longer, please
The demon Sernu just lifted his glasses and smiled.
Anyway, Baalzerith didnt have much time left.
If she didnt sign the contract, there would be no way to remedy her current situation.
In the end, it was only a matter of time before she was purged by the Order.
Knowing this fact, the Association was relaxed.
Since Baalzerith was the one in a tight spot, she would eventually bow her head as time passed.
We dont have much time, do we? Then Ill wait for good news soon, Baalzerith.
Until just now, he had been calling her Lady, but in the last sentence, he simply called her by her name.
Now, Baalzerith was no longer a client of the Association.
This must have been the lament of a powerless person.
As Sernu left, tears flowed from Baalzeriths eyes.
Black.
Her situation seemed so pathetic.
Because there was no remedy other than that contract.
In her helplessness where she could do nothing, she shed tears.
I should have accepted that offer back then.
An unknown being with inexplicable power.
There was a time when such a being reached out to her.
But she immediately refused at that time.
Even though she was living a comfortable life without much effort, why bother taking care of others?
And she didnt like the idea of being looked down upon by her as a high-ranking demon.
So, she declined.
But now, that rejection felt painfully regrettable.
What if?
What if she had accepted that offer back then?
If she had followed the words of that being, wouldnt there have been different results by now?
Perhaps her power wouldnt have crumbled.
As she was under the command of a powerful entity, she might have been given significant power herself.
She regretted why she made such a choice back then.
Please please come back
Since then, she developed a habit of murmuring towards the empty air.
Perhaps there was a possibility that the great being would come back again?
If another chance came, she could prostrate herself on the ground like a dog.
She could wail and beg.
She could give up everything she had.
But reality was harsh.
The miracle of that day didnt come back.
She looked at the contract handed to her by the demon with a desolate expression.
Now, there really was no time left.
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***
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Hows the reconnaissance going?
Sernu, a demon affiliated with the Association.
He spoke to his subordinate, leaving Baalzerith behind.
A small imp with wings opened its mouth in response to Sernus question.
Weve sent monsters to scout the dungeon. You should hear the results soon.
One of Sernus instructions was clear.
The dungeon currently in the limelight at the Association.
It was a dungeon with a succubus as its master, and the volume of transactions with the Association was overwhelming.
Thanks to this, it was rumored that the official responsible for trading with this dungeon was in the Associations pocket.
But something was off to Sernu.
It was a newly formed dungeon that had appeared not long ago.
Yet strangely, it had too much money.
The added problem was that information about the dungeon was shrouded in secrecy.
Although a report on the dungeon had been prepared by the auditing team, something seemed off.
It couldnt shake off the suspicion that the auditing team only reported partial information.
The grade of the succubus, the owner of the dungeon, was also not disclosed, and above all, it hadnt revealed itself in this social gathering.
Its definitely strange.
The current situation was too bizarre to Sernu.
And one thing was certain.
He would keep a check on this situation.
A being with a 5-star rating instead of a succubus.
The monster that replaced the dungeon master is Arch Lich.
Its grade was an astonishing 5-star.
Could the masters grade even be 6-star?
Sernu shook his head.
Thats unlikely.
Even in the depths of the Demon World, there had been no mention of a 6-star being in the human realm.
Moreover, even the succubus queen who currently hides her presence is only 5-star.
In such a situation, it was inconceivable for the grade of another succubus to be higher than the queens.
But then, the dungeon masters grade isnt necessarily high, right?
At that moment, a single assumption popped into Sernus mind.
No way.
And it was a very plausible assumption.
If the succubus isnt the dungeon master?
What if the succubus is just a propaganda?
What if the real master isnt the succubus but that Arch Lich?
It made sense.
Arch Lich couldnt possibly wander around like that if it wasnt the master of the dungeon.
An ominous smile spread across Sernus face.
Theyve played a fair game.
They dare try to deceive him and the Association.
It was despicable.
He wanted to give that Arch Lich a taste of its own medicine.
The price for deceiving the Association would be paid in full.
What should he do?
After a moment of contemplation, Sernu instructed his subordinate.
Summon Arcane.
The dungeon master who attended this social gathering, Arcane.
As a monster with the lower half of a snake, she was currently envious of Arch Lich.
Her sense of existence, which was supposed to shine, had dimmed because of Arch Lich.
Snakes jealousy.
A snake that couldnt ascend to the sky was terrifying.
The object of that envy was relentlessly pursued and trampled upon by the snake.
Tell her that Ill show her how to defeat Arch Lich in the next event. Shell come on her own then.
And Sernu decided to make use of Arcanes jealousy.