It’s Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

---

– 1 –

‘What the hell is this? And where the heck am I?’

Unfathomable situation.

Elias rolled his eyes around while turning his body, staying on guard until he was sure there was no immediate threat and then relaxed his tension.

‘I’ve never heard of a situation like this. I entered the mansion, and suddenly I’m here. But this place…’

Though only of upper class, he is a knight.

He had fought in numerous battles in his parents’ territory and had entered high-level dungeons several times.

Thanks to that experience, he was able to discern.

– Oooooo…

‘This definitely has the scent of a dungeon. Magical Realm Transformation is in progress. Probably… undead-related.’

What appeared to be just a gloomy mansion on the outside was, in fact, a dungeon undergoing ‘Magical Realm Transformation.’

Although the Ironfield Marquis House hadn’t granted him a position in the succession line, it had not been stingy in providing him with experiences for survival and advancement.

‘Could it be… I’ve crossed over into the Magical Realm? But how far is it? I’ve never heard of such spatial teleportation magic.’

Long-distance teleports or large-scale spatial transfers are massive spells that require premonitions and signs.

So, that possibility didn’t make sense.

However, there were aspects that remained incomprehensible, making it difficult to dismiss this theory.

“Just a little while ago, I exterminated the high-level dungeon in the inland, and now there’s another high-level dungeon?”

As Elias spoke those words, chills crept up his back.

A high-level dungeon signifies the beginning of ‘Magical Realm Transformation.’

And that implied that it was just one step away from becoming a significant threat with the potential to harbor seeds of danger.

The elite stage, where they begin to gather nearby dungeons and kick off the continental invasion.

For that reason, the Kaisen Kingdom had summoned reserve troops almost immediately after discovering the dungeon of Copgerin.

With how little time had passed since it became high-level, it was imperative to eliminate it quickly before it could call adventurers along the borders with the Magical Realm.

But to think another high-level dungeon exists inland, unaccounted for…

That means…

“No. There’s a possibility this is the Demilitarized Zone at the border. It could be that by some luck… or misfortune, the signs of Magical Realm Transformation haven’t reached the army… Then…”

‘It’s likely within a range that can be moved by spatial transfer.’

The border between countries, the point where castles and territories intersect.

Just inside that border is where dungeons find it easier to thrive.

Since reconnaissance by human armies focuses solely on the borders, the defenses within that inside territory weaken relatively.

In a sense, this could be seen as a military loophole, but it hasn’t been a problem so far.

‘Well, it’s the border after all.’

A place where the military might of any nation remains on standby.

At that location, the dungeon detection magic of the adventurer guild wouldn’t be effective, but once a dungeon grows and becomes high-level, it will be inevitably detected.

The signs of Magical Realm Transformation are so substantial that unless it’s a truly sparsely populated area, they can be sensed from anywhere.

Then, immediately, forces capable of extermination will be pooled there.

When Libertus initiated Magical Realm Transformation inside the dungeon, the energy was limited to keep its signs confined within that area for such knowledge-based reasons.

However, even if this location is close to the border, it doesn’t mean it’s better than being within the Magical Realm. It is still equally bad for him.

‘Another high-level dungeon, huh? And right now… I’m in that dungeon?’

That’s when it happened.

Tap tap tap…!

Elias instinctively raised his un-sheathed sword, tense, due to the sudden noise…

“Damn it.”

And moments later, feeling awkward, he lowered the sword again.

He realized that the sound was from his own teeth clashing together.

‘This is terrifying.’

If he were an ordinary knight, he would likely scold himself and deny his trembling body, making an even bigger mistake.

But Elias was different.

He was someone who could face his fears head-on.

His experiences as a knight acting as an administrative officer.

And the experiences he had standing on the battlefield.

Moreover, the jealousy he felt towards knights younger than him who became elite-level warriors fueled his recognition of his own weaknesses.

All those experiences had made him who he was now.

The reason he was acting this way right now was precisely because of those things.

“Torches… I’ve got them.”

Crack! Stomp…!

Spotting a large wooden lantern hanging on the wall of the mansion, he quickly tore it from the wall.

Using his gloved hand, he rubbed the ash on his armor, and then began to blacken his armor with another torch.

‘It feels wasteful.’

Though it’s half-plate, it’s an act of actively damaging incredibly expensive plate armor.

However, this was a survival strategy.

Though it may seem shameful for a knight, his armor had so few ‘marks’ of battle that it could shine even with just a glimmer of light in this darkness.

‘The undead detect the presence of life, but believing that this high-level dungeon only has undead is too naive.’

When encountering a species that relies solely on ‘sight,’

Engaging in such trivial actions was believed to assist him.

“Now… alright. Everything I need is here.”

Tick…

After completing that one task, Elias stood up, drawing his sword, and opened the nearby door.

Fortunately, there was nothing inside.

Not even a room.

In fact, this was because the dungeon wasn’t fully completed, but he interpreted it differently.

“Looks like this really isn’t the actual mansion… is that the intention to deceive?”

He quickly sheathed his sword, then ripped the door off its hinges.

Of course, the purpose was to use it as a shield.

He had no intention of overestimating his capabilities.

‘I’m much weaker than usual right now. And this place is dangerous.’

With a decorative sword instead of his main weapon, a spear, his combat power was now less than half of his usual.

Moreover, he was in a high-level dungeon.

He was in a state where he had to think and act solely about how to escape from here.

If there’s anything fortunate, it’s that the current state of this dungeon is ‘alpha testing,’ meaning there aren’t properly stationed forces within the dungeon, but that was information he couldn’t ascertain right now.

“… Let’s go.”

Immediately, he began to move.

He didn’t yet know, but this marked the beginning of the most terrifying and brutal week of his life.

– 2 –

“Phew… Where is this…?”

Elias, who had just opened the largest door he’d ever seen and walked out, was taken aback as he recognized someone seated on a distant throne.

The person sitting there was someone familiar to him, and what laid out before that person was a banquet he hadn’t seen in the last week.

“Lady Angelita…”

“Welcome, Elias.”

That someone was me.

While he was wandering around the dungeon, I had returned to the dungeon, doing what I needed to do, and had come to greet him after hearing he had navigated the labyrinth.

Along with a suitably grand banquet to reward him.

“So you are the Lord of this dungeon, huh.”

“Indeed, it’s me.”

Elias’s appearance had changed quite a bit during the week he had been lost in the dungeon.

His once handsome face had completely withered into a gaunt and eerie look due to poor nourishment, and his half-plate armor had vanished, replaced by a strange armor that looked like crude pieces of orc leather stuck together.

His underclothes were completely torn as well.

“I wonder if you enjoyed it the past week.”

“Enjoyed? Yeah. It was hell of a lot of fun. You know… well, you’d know since you’re the owner of this dungeon.”

What had changed the most was his expression.

Once tainted with inferiority and jealousy, the pretentious air had completely vanished, along with the surface-level etiquette caked on with artifice.

‘It seems I made a good choice telling Eve to ‘handle’ him.’

What was left was a survival instinct full of venom.

Setting aside personal feelings, it was a pretty favorable expression.

Especially considering he had survived his week in this dungeon.

“How did you come back to the dungeon? I would think my soldiers and the knights of my house would have attempted to attack you since I was missing.”

Of course, they planned to do that.

But given that the principal was missing, it wouldn’t be a difficult task to create a false knight of only high-level status.

Even now, an unknown knight with a changed appearance and an undead scout in his head would be taking his place.

That wouldn’t be something they could keep up for long, but that was for later.

Since the principal was already in my hands, concocting the circumstances was a piece of cake.

However, I didn’t feel the need to say any of this, merely gesturing towards the food.

“Is that really that important? You must be starving, so eat first.”

“Ha… it’s pitiful to think I can’t say something more important than that.”

“Eat the soup first. You’ll get indigestion if you eat the meat first.”

“Very well. Thank you.”

The meal began.

Eager as he was, he quickly finished the soup as I advised and gradually began to devour the four portions prepared for him.

“Damn. This is good…”

“Eat slowly. I have work to do.”

“I intend to do just that.”

His expression showed he had deeply realized the value of meals after a week, along with the way he chewed thoroughly.

While he was eating, I drank tea, read books, and dealt with the papers brought by other skeletons.

I couldn’t spend all my time on him when I had been out of the dungeon for quite a while.

‘Nevertheless, thanks to testing him, I’ve become aware of quite a number of areas that need improvement.’

He was a knight more experienced and smarter than I expected, doing his best for survival in every situation.

As a result, he had uncovered ten flaws in the newly decorated dungeon. This would be transformed into thoroughness for the next victim.

I knew he wouldn’t be pleased to hear this.

“So… what the hell is this nonsense? It would have been far simpler if you wanted me dead.”

“That’s true.”

“… Could this be a test? To see if you’re worthy?”

Stripping away the embellishments, he spoke with glowing desire in his eyes.

Though I wasn’t pleased that his fondness for me had completely morphed into lust…

Considering the usefulness he would have thereafter, it was a positive change.

“You’re not wrong.”

“… In that case.”

A large man with an ominous face started to approach me.

To an ordinary woman, the sight of such a hulking figure might have been intimidating.

But, of course, I felt none of that.

Just a bit of satisfaction and disgust.

‘Well, it’s not surprising. It’s common for someone who survived a near-death experience to ignite their reproductive instincts.’

“I suit you because—”

Crack!

“Cough!”

If he had any intelligence, he’d know to pick his time and place.

As the man fully approached me, his jaw crashed, and his large body fell toward the ground.

This was all due to a punch delivered by my skeletal hand.

– Thud.

“You, you’re…?”

The way he pronounced it cracked me up.

As he regained his senses, he saw Evanjelean standing next to me, wiping the blood off her fist.

“That wasn’t necessary.”

– Chomp.

“Yeah. It must have been uncomfortable. But the blood on your hands is much more disgusting to me.”

– Thud.

“You don’t need to apologize. You’ve done well over the past week.”

Because Eve had been the one tormenting him throughout that week.

Eve had pushed him to his limits, forcing him to experience every ‘content’ the dungeon had to offer.

While also intervening just enough to adjust the intensity of the trials when it looked like he might die, she was his benefactor in a way too.

Of course, he wouldn’t know of the last part.

“Sit down and listen, Elias.”

“Ah, understood…”

Only then did the man seem to realize reality, becoming courteous again, his eyes no longer holding any signs of lust.

Not only that, but his gaze had dropped, even as unfulfilled questions and rage flickered in his gaze.

The lingering displeasure towards the man who had tried to force me was now washed away by his own misery.

“First… yes. Let’s discuss what you felt over the past week.”

“Um, I…”

Knowing that the questions and answers from now on would determine his fate, his voice quivered but was serious at the same time.

As he suspected, this was the final test to decide his survival.

“I…”

And the answer was relatively satisfactory.