It’s Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

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– 1 –

The conversation with Nirvana continued all night, and I was finally freed the next morning. If she hadn’t taken a nap for a few hours, I would have almost stayed up all night.

She was quite… no, incredibly talkative.

“I hope we can see each other again next time.”

“You’ll definitely be seeing me more often from now on.”

After all, the best way for the two groups to get close is for the leaders to form a bond.

If that’s the case, then frequent interactions would be good… but honestly, I wasn’t too keen on that right now.

There were reasons to be cautious about such interactions as things could go awry, but the main reason was that Nirvana wasn’t exactly a good partner for this.

“You can sleep over tonight, you know? Are you really going to leave?”

“Yes. I’m really leaving.”

“That’s such a shame…”

She was quite persistent.

Was Serha’s assessment that Alraunes are airheaded truly accurate?

“I think a night with you would be enjoyable. If you change your mind later, come visit me. Libertus. Personally.”

“That won’t happen, Nirvana.”

“You’re quite resolute. Makes you even cuter, heh.”

It was clear that her interest in me wasn’t genuine affection but merely an attraction to my appearance, which made me want to keep my distance even more.

Of course, if I were to consider future agreements and such, it would be necessary to keep close…

But I really wasn’t keen on it.

“Well then, until next time.”

“Until next time.”

As I walked away, waving while she was still there, Serha came flying toward me after I had reached a somewhat distant spot.

She was carrying a bunch of fruits, her body smelling of fruit and dew.

It seemed she prepared breakfast. How diligent of her.

“From the length of the conversation, it seems you got along well?”

“Yeah. It went well. We established an agreement between the Dungeon and the Swamp.”

Seeing that she didn’t seem burdened despite the large quantity, it was clear that just like when I saw her wielding a spear, her mother’s blood hadn’t gone to waste.

She was just small in build.

‘Was it that her father’s side was small? What if she was a wren harpy or something?’

“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you.”

“Oh! Would you like to try this? It’s the tastiest fruit around here.”

As I was talking and going through pointless thoughts, she handed me what looked particularly small among the fruits.

It resembled a raspberry but seemed to be a larger version.

It wasn’t particularly pretty on the outside. It looked like something that would be truly hated if one had fear of holes.

However, the taste was surprisingly sweet, lacking juiciness but without any sense of repulsion.

“Wow, that’s really sweet.”

“Right? Hehe.”

I personally preferred the tanginess of apples or grapes, but this wasn’t bad either.

Perhaps my tastes had changed since becoming a woman.

It wasn’t a distasteful change. It wasn’t a big deal.

“What’s the next closest spot?”

“The current Queen placed the meeting location far from her base. She probably didn’t want to show it off.”

“A cautious approach is good.”

The Alraune Queen approached me with a favorable attitude from the start, but the other queens hadn’t done the same.

Even Kamaya and Serha, who I’d say I was somewhat close to now, had taken a cautious stance at first.

She was just bolder than the other queens for inviting me to her base.

It was fair to assume the other two queens I had yet to meet would be about the same or worse.

“She’s too cautious to even have a successor. I hear she doesn’t choose a husband either.”

“Really…?”

This seemed to reflect her own nature to some extent.

One important thing for a ruler is to have a successor, yet she hadn’t even decided on one.

It made sense to think that a common ruler, who is not even a Dungeon Lord with the dungeon and the core integrated, would have a reason for such behavior.

Especially if, like her, she belonged to a species that typically has many offspring.

“So, what’s the location?”

“It’s a lake to the northwest of the Queen’s dungeon. She requested we meet there.”

“Okay. Let’s go.”

As I briefly recalled the dungeon’s vicinity and the type of queen I was about to meet, I nodded quickly.

Like the Alraune, she too needed water.

Especially to fully exhibit the ability she possessed…

‘Of course, the area near the lake would be the most reassuring.’

As they still didn’t fully trust me, I could tolerate that level of reluctance cutely.

However, if they resisted even after granting enough trust and confidence, I would have to take appropriate measures then.

“I wonder what kind of greeting will await me this time.”

I directed my gaze toward the setting sun.

The sun hadn’t fully risen yet, and the sky was still dark.

Below the mountains, just beneath it.

That was where the third queen I would meet was.

– 2 –

“…”

Xue was lost in thought while glancing at her master’s back.

It was due to the two conflicting thoughts she currently bore.

‘… Should I say something?’

The first was whether it would be wise to inform her master about her caution regarding the queens.

Currently, the wild monster leaders cooperating with her master all had their own ambitions, thus collaborating with Libertus.

However, if they found themselves in a position where those ambitions couldn’t be fulfilled, they would likely betray the dungeon at once and cut ties.

‘This warrior Kamaya is no different in this aspect…’

So, trusting those queens was a no-go, but…

If Libertus kept his distance from them due to her caution, the betrayal might come even faster.

‘This is giving me a headache… If Eve or Yuran were here, I could have just left the thinking to them and acted.’

While pressing her head, Xue did not stop thinking.

Despite deeply disliking deep thoughts, she was mulling over them because this was her master’s matter.

‘Still. I don’t want to lose him again.’

How many times had she regretted that if she had only thought a bit more and acted shrewdly, she wouldn’t have needed to lose her master?

So she too had to keep pondering.

At the very least, to actively exchange opinions with her fellow companions.

‘And… I need to regain him quickly.’

The second conflict was this.

Though she had absorbed the strength of the elite warrior Elenore to reach the elite early stage in the ‘attributes’ affecting her body,

She still couldn’t compare to a fully matured elite wild monster queen.

It applied to her master as well.

‘My master is probably still ‘advanced.’ In terms of raw power, he’s comparable to the wild queens, but…’

Xue’s face darkened as she evaluated her master’s power according to the classification he mentioned.

Though it might be overly arrogant to think this, considering that ‘Seduction’ is the Alraune’s main magic, Xue didn’t believe so.

That’s because there were many formidable foes approaching.

‘Firstly, the kingdom nearby.’

As they began to dominate the neighboring country, it wouldn’t be long before they couldn’t completely hide their presence from each royal household.

And each royal household had its own power that had been placed along the borders of the Magical Realm.

Whether openly or secretly.

‘And further afield, the Magical Realm.’

The Grand Dukes of the Magical Realm also posed a significant problem.

While the strongest among those Grand Dukes was undoubtedly themselves, there also existed summons with ‘high’, ‘elite’, or ‘lord’ level powers among them.

‘As the grade becomes higher… the power of summons wouldn’t differ much from a Dungeon Lord.’

Of course, the Dungeon Lord would still be stronger, but even gathering just two elite summons would allow them to buy time against a Dungeon Lord.

The reason Libertus has been thinking that they need to strengthen the dungeon’s power was, after all, this.

Ultimately, if the dungeon and its summons do not grow stronger, the Lord cannot survive either.

And the ones currently holding the strongest powers in the dungeon were Eve and Xue, the two of them.

It was only natural to feel a sense of responsibility there.

‘Perhaps it would be better to head back now…?’

At that moment, Xue’s eyes glinted with intent.

If she acted now, she could hunt the nearby monsters to fill her ‘frenzy’ and, with that power, strike down the Alraune Queen.

As a warrior, she could act like an assassin in emergencies.

‘If I absorb her like that, I could fundamentally supplement the dungeon’s military power.’

And something would definitely come from the body of the Lotus Queen, who she had killed.

In other words, she could strengthen herself by sacrificing a potentially treacherous ally.

It was merely a matter of possibility, though.

“Xue?”

Just as she was developing that thought, her master’s voice reached her.

“Huh…?”

Disregarding the murderous intent and thoughts in a flash upon hearing her name called, Xue approached her master.

Her tail, of course, was swaying quite vigorously.

“You called…?”

“Yes. I’ve called you several times.”

“I’m sorry… I got caught up in complex thoughts…”

As Xue approached, looking up at her master, Libertus raised her hand, and Xue naturally bent at the waist and lowered her head to match.

The shadows cast around them muffled the sounds.

Then what she said surprisingly pierced through Xue’s worries.

“We’re doing well, Xue. There’s no need to rush.”

“How did you know…?”

Xue was not surprised by her master’s insight.

She was aware that she couldn’t hide it well and had gotten used to Libertus’s behaviors.

Whether she spoke or merely showed hints of contemplation for a moment.

Her master accurately understood her thoughts.

“Do you think I don’t know your thoughts?”

“Yes… you are who you are. I know that…”

“Hehe. Thank you for trusting me.”

Despite not being a summon, even without conveying emotions,

And even with Evangeline beside her, who could communicate her feelings directly, Xue didn’t feel jealousy or impatience.

“Nirvana has accumulated strength over the years, and you’ve already become this strong. Don’t be impatient. I’ll make you strong soon, so you should hone your techniques.”

“Okay… Oh, and don’t trust the queens too much…”

“I know.”

It was an impulsive remark about another concern.

Her master did not let down her expectations.

“But since you’re wary of them like this, I can afford to be less worried.”

At the same time, her master pointed out another aspect, allowing her to realize it.

“Why…?”

“If you focus too much on one thing, you’ll miss other things. Since you’re keeping an eye on them, I can focus on other matters. You’re relieving me of my burden.”

“Is that… so?”

“Of course. Thank you.”

A surge of emotions filled her chest.

She didn’t want to settle it merely by sticking close.

The acknowledgment of her master made her heart race and weighed heavily on her.

‘Not yet.’

Xue succeeded in holding back those feelings.

There was a reason for this unusual behavior.

‘Evangeline.’

Yuran was rushing in, but Evangeline remained cool.

She appeared to be clever and loyal on the surface, but in reality, she had a cunning side, and there must have been a reason she kept her distance.

Although the promise was half-broken, she felt it was disgraceful to rush in first.

“Hehe. You’re acting oddly out of character all of a sudden.”

“Sorry…”

“Not at all. It’s cute.”

Thus, Xue endured by pressing her lips against the palm of the hand that had been stroking her cheek.

That alone significantly alleviated the anxiety that was filling her heart.

‘Wow, wow… What’s this atmosphere…’

Meanwhile, Serha was quietly watching that master-servant scene from her hidden spot nearby.

Having shifted from a hunched position to kneeling, she was kissing her master’s palm like a white wolf beastkin.

Her posture was profoundly reverent, as if coming into contact with something sacred.

‘Not just the Lord, but even those summons are exceedingly extraordinary… It was indeed the right choice to cooperate.’

The sight of a summon expressing loyalty close to madness or devotion. This was something that had not been seen in any of the previous Dungeon Lords.

Thus, the evaluation of the person capable of drawing such loyalty from a summon had to change as well.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes…”

“Oh, of course!”

The three women were all thinking different thoughts.

Before them, the lake at the foot of the mountain where they would next meet the queen was drawing near.