It's Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

* * *

To conclude first, the dungeon core that came out as an auction item in the black market was indeed Serica’s.

“You’ve obtained what you wanted. Congratulations.”

“Yeah! Thank you!”

There was no problem in winning the bid for the core either.

We had plenty of money from selling tons of ruby ore that Ran had found and dug up in the mine in advance, and though the Claimel family were fallen nobles, they had considerable accumulated wealth, and the three elite adventurers including Alexis also had quite a lot hidden in various places.

Well… it might be a problem that it was all other people’s things, but except for Ran’s case, it’s all property I obtained from losers as a victor, so it should be fine, right?

At least according to the common sense of war in this world, it seems okay.

However, the problem was after that.

“Um… Lady.”

“What is it?”

That problem was neither with the dungeon core nor at the auction house.

It was my problem.

My current appearance was the same as the one I used when infiltrating to subjugate Serica’s dungeon in Copzerin, and as luck would have it, I ended up reuniting with someone who knew that face at the black market.

“It’s Sir Elias.”

“Yes…”

High-rank knight, Elias.

He worked as an administrator in the subjugation force, and was one of the people I had faced for a long time.

‘I should have changed my face properly even if it was troublesome.’

No, from now on, if I have to go out, it would be better to just wear something like a veil.

A wide-brimmed hat with a veil or a parasol with a veil are things noble ladies often wear.

It’s this troublesome when someone recognizes one disguised face, so wouldn’t it be better to just cover my face?

It might be a bit stuffy, but it would be better than situations like this.

“Shall I kill him…? Lady.”

“The son of a Marquis? It would become troublesome. Leave him be.”

“Isn’t it a good idea? I’m in favor. He keeps bothering Rita.”

“You seem to know something…”

“It’s alright. Serica.”

When I restrained Xue, who had been making vicious remarks more often lately, she made a very regretful face.

Yes. Surprisingly, he was the son of a noble family as high as a Marquis.

His real name is Elias en Ironfield.

Although he has many siblings in the family so his succession rank is practically nonexistent, and he has little chance to make a name for himself as his qualities as both a knight and administrator are ambiguous…

Being the child of a high noble like a Marquis would be powerful just for the name of that family.

Enough that it would be difficult to carelessly kill him off.

“I’m displeased. Dungeon Ladies are like princesses even among demons. Rita is a princess to me too.”

“Hmm…”

“Above all, I really don’t like his gaze. I want to gouge it out.”

His gaze was somehow blatantly looking at me as if I were a noble.

If it’s true that he’s the member of a Marquis family, he probably lived a life where he never needed to hide such a gaze.

‘There’s nothing that can’t be killed off if we want to, but…’

The Marquis family was one of the two Counts in the Kingdom of Heisen, and their jurisdiction is the Ironfield region near Krode, which borders the United Kingdom of Xenota, one of the two great powers in the southern part of the Eastern Continent.

He was a Count, but he was also facing a great power.

In other words, if Elias, the son of that Count, goes missing and the suspicion falls on us, it would be an incredibly troublesome situation beyond imagination.

‘But there is still room to dig deeper.’

[I can’t even begin to express how shocked I was when you suddenly disappeared from the battlefield.]

[We were told that your mother back home had fallen ill, so you had no choice. You completed the handover process before leaving, so there shouldn’t have been any issues work-wise. But still…]

[I was so worried…]

Recalling the conversations we had, it seems Elias still has feelings for me.

…Just thinking about that look in his eyes gives me chills.

He must be really infatuated. Simply feigning ignorance has its limits.

In any case, having room to dig deeper refers to his feelings for me, his jealousy, and the obsession he is now undoubtedly displaying.

‘That man is not without ambition.’

I don’t know what led him to focus on administrative work, but back then Elias was clearly jealous of the elite knights of Copzerin.

Jealousy is an emotion that cannot arise without a desire to do better.

Ultimately, it means Elias has experienced ineptitude as a knight, is consciously or unconsciously aware of his lack of talent, and yet still has a desire to rise higher.

So the first method I came up with was to demand, as a ‘condition for meeting’, that he fulfill his ambition.

To put it bluntly… a seduction. Although I didn’t quite say it like that.

‘…But there’s no way I could do that.’

It was impossible for two reasons.

It’s against my nature to attempt it, and my ‘nobility’ wouldn’t allow it.

Just seeing a man’s lecherous gaze makes my skin crawl, so how could I attempt to seduce them?

And it seems my ‘nobility’ views me attempting seduction as something unclean.

Judging by the chills and revulsion that arise beyond my nature.

‘So there’s only one option left.’

For that, I waited until he got used to coming to this house.

And now it’s been three days.

“Ah, Miss Angelita.”

“You came again today. I guess you’re not bored yet.”

Elias gives an awkward laugh at my remark laced with rejection. Given his status, he probably isn’t used to being rejected.

But I had my reasons for saying that.

It’s been three days since I reunited with him.

However, on the day we reunited, there were an abnormally large number of low-level ‘eyes’ around our lodging that would be strange not to notice. And for three straight days, he has been coming here without fail.

It has become a situation where it’s difficult to escape by ordinary means, and the culprit is obvious.

So my reaction was natural.

This was the basis for me saying he is obsessed with me.

“If my visiting is an inconvenience…”

“No, not really.”

I shook my head at the man feigning ignorance with an awkward expression, and gave him a smile I rarely show.

Thankfully, my revulsion was minimal. Perhaps a simple smile doesn’t count as seduction.

“I was waiting for you. Shall we go in?”

As I turned and started walking, I felt footsteps following behind me. So far, so normal.

The sight before me was a rather long and dark corridor.

Walking down that corridor, I paused for a moment at the voice coming from behind me.

“Even though it’s already been three days, this mansion is truly splendid. Did you originally own it?”

“No, it’s rented.”

“Oh…”

The lodging I’m currently staying in is a mansion that a nobleman in Sonyataf had been using.

A penniless but honor-seeking former aristocrat, unable to part with his mansion but allowing it to be rented out while continuously maintaining it.

Hailey rented it for us to use as lodging.

It cost a pretty sum, but I liked how luxurious it was for use as lodging.

“But all the paintings in the hallway seem to have been changed.”

“That’s because I plan to purchase the mansion soon.”

To the point that I want to use it as my base going forward.

The current owner has no intention of selling the mansion, but that mindset will soon change.

Through one of two methods.

Unaware of my intentions, Elias simply nodded his head a couple times in admiration.

“As expected, Miss Angelita’s wealth is no trivial matter. Managing just an ordinary store wouldn’t suffice.”

“…”

I gave him a slight smile and started walking again.

As if telling him to imagine for himself.

“Pardon me, but I’ve done some investigating about you, Miss Angelita.”

And indeed he had.

Seeing how nonchalantly he says things most would find distasteful, he must have quite the self-confidence.

The confidence that he can turn even distasteful things into appeal, in the end.

Of course, it’s a delusion.

“Did you find anything?”

“They say you can’t be traced, like you just fell from the heavens. As if a real angel had descended.”

“I take it you went through the information guild.”

This was information I already knew.

The number of ‘eyes’ outside has been steadily increasing, through necromancy and sometimes magic.

“Yes. As honorable as they are, it was embarrassing to request such a thing from them, but I paid a hefty sum to cover my lack of honor. It was sluggish until recently, but I did obtain some results.”

Whether he used the wealth allocated to him or his family’s wealth, I’m sure it was not lacking.

On my end, having reunited with him necessitated getting some forged identities made by Talhan, just in case.

All I had to do was pass one of them to him at the right time.

“I see you did.”

“Don’t worry, I have no intention of sharing this with anyone else.”

As I hardened my expression slightly, he seemed to tense up and put on an artificially friendly smile.

To be frank, his face is well-featured.

It would probably work on the people here, but if he went to Earth, he could probably become an idol right away with that sort of face. He’s developed quite the physique as a knight too. If only he could balance out his face and body, he’d be even better.

Not that it would change the fact that he chose the wrong person to love.

“Well, the fact that you obtained information means others could too, if they pay a sufficient price.”

“Knowing that, I made a generous ‘donation’ to the guild. Anyone trying to obtain information about Miss Angelita would have to exceed the Marquis Ironfield’s name and the amount of my donation.”

“…Thank you for the kind words. How thoughtful.”

That the money he gave to the information guild actually came to me is a secret that he and the guild are both unaware of.

And they will remain forever unaware.

“But strangely, this hallway seems quite long today. Must be because of the delightful time with you, my dear.”

Now that he seems fully convinced I’m a noblewoman, he’s even calling me ‘my dear’ and being overly familiar.

Sharing secrets does tend to bring a closeness to any relationship, be it good or bad.

“…”

“Uhh… Miss Angelita? No matter how I think about it, this is strange.”

When I didn’t respond, Elias approached me with a somewhat uneasy voice and expression.

It seems he’s finally realized properly.

That this hallway is abnormally long.

“…Miss Angelita?”

Tap.

And finally, when he touched the shoulder of the ‘me’ standing there.

-Kihihahaat!!

Empty eyes.

Hair that instantly turned from black to a dull, faded gray.

Mouth torn up to the ears.

“Aaahh!!”

What he came face-to-face with was not a beautiful woman, but the face of a ghoul.

Sshck!

“Miss Angelita…?! If this is a prank, come out now! It’s not funny!”

Though not so rusty as to be a poor knight, he drew his sword and slashed, causing the ghoul to vanish. But in that place, my form had already disappeared as well.

No matter where he looked, he wouldn’t be able to find me.

Of course, we were still at the mansion in Sonyataf.

“Congratulations on being selected as an alpha tester… was it?”

He has already been invited into my dungeon.

Just as I had entered this world as an alpha tester. Come to think of it, since he’s an outsider and not internal personnel, would this be a beta test instead?

In any case, he will be testing my dungeon.

“I’d appreciate it if you could survive for as long as possible.”

Of course, what awaits at the end is neither treasure nor love.

Simply an ‘end’ to face, by whatever means.