It’s Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

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– 1 –

Snap!

“In friendship, I wish to give you a gift.”

“What is it? I’m excited!”

As Echidna snapped her fingers, one of the Lamia lurking in the lake silently slithered out and retrieved two silver goblets from the storage cabinet on the wall of the room.

Such a natural action.

From this, it was clear that this gift was already predetermined.

“What is this…?”

However, that fact didn’t diminish the value of the gift. It was because of the appearance of that gift right before my eyes.

Goblets made of Mithril, adorned with jewels, that looked particularly magnificent and fit for a palace or a high-ranking noble’s mansion, held a clear, transparent liquid that was undisturbed like a still lake.

“One contains a potion. The other holds poison.”

“From a glance, I can’t tell which is which. They both look like simple water.”

So, there were two goblets in front of me, but to the naked eye, they appeared entirely identical.

No color, no scent, no texture; they all looked just like water, and the Mithril containing them showed no discoloration despite holding both ‘poison’ and ‘potion.’

‘A poison detectable by Mithril is limited to those with sulfur compounds, so relying on that to determine its presence would be foolish… but this is Mithril.’

Mithril is a metal with a wider range for poison detection than pure silver. Therefore, the lack of discoloration in the goblet meant the poison contained within was quite special.

However, that didn’t mean it was impossible to distinguish between them.

“If you concentrate your magical power in your eyes, there should be a mark on the goblet.”

“Really? I need to handle this carefully so I don’t make a mistake. But what about this…?”

Whether it was my ‘intuition’ or confirming via her words that something was marked in the goblet with magical sensitivity, if both methods were unavailable, wouldn’t I just pick a victim to test it out?

There were plenty of suitable monsters that had settled near the dungeon to experiment on.

However, what surprised me more was the identity of this poison and potion.

“This poison has the effect of magical residue.”

“Is that really true?”

Echidna smiled confidently. Seeing my reaction, she seemed quite satisfied.

“There would be no reason for me to lie at this point, would there?”

“I didn’t think you would. I was just surprised to see such a rare item appear suddenly.”

“I also didn’t consider it rude.”

But this was undoubtedly astounding.

The poison of magical residue is a potent toxin that necrotizes the magical nerves of the target. It means it kills the nerves that can accept and manipulate magic.

In the end, the one who drinks this poison would find themselves unable to perform magic, ending their path as a superhuman. Even if treated, they would live in despair, wondering if they could still possess power, until ultimately losing their lives.

“So, this potion…?”

“It can cure minor ailments and intoxications with ease and can delay more severe conditions. But most importantly, it’s an antidote to the magical residue poison.”

Echidna explained everything as expected. As she began talking about the poison, she became rather chatty, perhaps due to her pride in her own power.

Her primary powers are healing and poison. So, her pride surely extends to the drugs and poisons created from that power.

It might not just be a matter of simple power usage but could also be the result of research.

“I’ve heard tales of your wisdom. Meeting you in person makes me think you could handle this poison excellently.”

“Thank you. I will use it well. Since they come as a set… I can truly use them splendidly.”

Both the poison and the goblets themselves were treasures, but Echidna’s subsequent explanations were treasures in their own right.

The effect of the poison’s magical residue is proportional to the amount used, and inversely proportional to the incubation period.

If you don’t use more than double the amount of the antidote compared to the poison used, it won’t properly heal, and the poison will flare up again.

Her explanation also pointed out that there was no need to use large quantities of either.

Moreover, since the poison activates after permeating the entire body, it would take time to reach a critical situation and the recovery would be the same, so it should be administered with ample time.

“In the end, this is a poison specialized for ‘controlling sentient beings.’”

“That’s correct. Hence the name ‘Flowing Chains.’ It should be very useful for taming.”

It soon became clear to me what it meant that she was gifting this to me.

‘She must have heard about me bringing humans into the dungeon. Whether from another queen or through her own information.’

While not serious enough to require a contract, it seemed to be something easy to use for personnel that might be useful now and could be discarded afterward.

It could also prove handy when urgently needing to force a contract upon a specific target.

The fact that the potion and poison itself are colorless and odorless was also a good aspect.

It would be easy to mix it into other foods.

“This is a truly great gift. I, too, would like to give you a present.”

“I heard you didn’t bring anything prepared.”

“Of course not.”

She likely meant it considering I hadn’t brought a carriage or other means of transport, but I didn’t need such a thing.

Every shadowed place is my space.

“You only wear diamonds for accessories, don’t you? How about trying a new gem?”

Whoosh…!

I spread my hand once, then slowly curled my fingers, causing the shadows in the room to gather and regurgitate something into my fingertips.

A silver bowl and the processed rubies contained within.

These were among the unusually clean raw stones I had sourced from Yuran’s dungeon, handed to the artisans of the Demon World, and brought back.

Subjectively, I thought sapphires would suit silver better, but this is what I have, so I’ll make do.

“This is…”

A fleeting moment of tension crossed Echidna’s face before joy took over.

She probably had hoped that by showing me her poison, she could exert some subtle pressure on me, but seeing my current state, she realized that wouldn’t be easy.

As long as there were shadows nearby, I was always ready to assume a battle stance.

One might say that given we declared ourselves friends, what on earth were we doing, but isn’t this typical behavior of leaders who steer a pack?

“In comparison to the poison you gave me, this might not measure up, but it’s the most suitable item I currently have.”

“Not at all. If you gave it to me, even ordinary metal would feel special. Moreover, it’s a precious metal that enhances my accessories and appears well-crafted. I am truly pleased.”

The glint in her eyes as she looked at the ruby sparkled with the excitement and joy of an art connoisseur.

Perhaps it was because she had artisans under her command that she could recognize the quality of the well-crafted gems.

“To our ongoing friendship, cheers.”

“Sure. To us.”

Alongside considering the role of calling each other ‘friends’, it was also visible.

“To a long-lasting bond with you, the Goddess of Power.”

“To our bond.”

As our goblets filled with wine clinked, I smiled back at Echidna, who was grinning at me.

The more I looked, the more intriguing this creature called Echidna was.

– 2 –

“To genuinely start our exchange, I think I should send a messenger. From my side, I will send a Lamia to help you handle the poison. Once we get to know each other better, I’ll also send those who can aid you.”

“Sounds good.”

My conversation with Echidna was surprisingly short compared to my time with Nirvana.

In fact, back then, she had monopolized the interaction, making it too shabby to even call it a meeting or a conference.

“It seems Echidna is quite interested in human culture. I’ll send one of the nobles I captured this time.”

“Really? But humans tend to be rather weak…”

“Of course, I’ll also let you know how to handle them, so don’t worry.”

“That’s kind of you.”

In comparison, my discussion with Echidna was productive and efficient.

We talked about what we could provide each other moving forward.

“Shall we call it a day for now?”

“Let’s do that.”

After which, we tidily parted ways to return to our respective duties.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Libertus.”

“The same goes for me. I hope our next meeting will involve everyone.”

“I will definitely participate then.”

As I left Echidna’s residence, I didn’t forget to conduct a self-inspection.

Of course, it was an inspection regarding the poison.

There were no abnormalities detected.

Even if one of the advantages of poison is its secrecy, it should show under this thorough exploration, so I could rest assured.

No matter how proficient she might be with the poisons she possessed, she wouldn’t have a qualifying level that vastly surpassed mine in magical potential.

“Is this a culture among friends in human society?”

Afterward, I exchanged a handshake with Echidna, who had come to see me off.

Though there was a slight distance, it still felt like an ordinary friendship.

Perhaps it was her first time experiencing such a custom, as she seemed curious about the ritual itself.

“When humans wield weapons, they predominantly use their right hands, you see? It symbolizes grasping peace together instead of weapons. It’s not exclusive to friends but is a practice everyone follows.”

“Such a good meaning…”

By mixing half-truths with half-subjective interpretations, I relayed the sentiment as if it were all truthful, causing Echidna to nod seriously.

I felt a bit guilty, but she was also quite cute.

As I pondered my words, a significantly stronger curiosity soon appeared in her eyes and smile.

“So, how do close friends do it?”

Having apparently robbed dwarves from slave traders, it seemed she had never heard much about continental life from those traders or dwarves.

She might have believed that expressing curiosity about human society would undermine her dignity.

Either way, she was quite an endearing queen who was well aware of her charm.

“Would you like me to teach you?”

“I’d like that.”

“Then, bend down for a moment.”

“Huh?”

Having never bent down after becoming a strong entity, she raised her delicate brows in confusion but cautiously bent over.

“A bit more.”

“Like this…? I’m worried it might look a bit undignified.”

“You look beautiful, so don’t worry. Now, more.”

For quite a while.

It was inevitable.

With her luscious tail raised appropriately, she easily exceeded 2 meters in height and could grow even larger when standing.

In any case, Echidna completely bent down at my continuous requests.

As I stretched my arms over her shoulders, I was met with a slight resistance.

“Wait a moment…!”

“What is it?”

I couldn’t hide my puzzled expression as I looked up at Echidna, who asked me with a bewildered tone.

“What are you doing right now?”

“It’s a greeting among friends. For close friends.”

“Is this really right…?”

“It is, so come a bit closer.”

A request that was half coercive.

In the end, I successfully pulled her shoulder into an embrace as she leaned on one hand to the ground.

Of course, I could have used my arm to wrap around her waist, but considering our size difference, that was not possible.

“What do you call this…?”

“This is called a hug.”

“Is that so…?”

When I stepped back to look at her, Echidna’s face was slightly flushed.

“Well then, I’ll be going.”

“Hmm, see you next time.”

A moment later, as I departed her territory and glanced back, she was still maintaining her rosy complexion, seeing me off.

What should I say? She was a queen of stark contrasts compared to her appearance.

Just like the effects of the medicines and poisons she wielded.

– 3 –

“Next is the north.”

“The queen has quite a few sins, doesn’t she…?”

As I asked about the location of the last remaining queen in this area, I received an odd response.

Looking back, Serha was watching me with a slightly flushed and horrified expression.

“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”

“No, no. The north is correct. It’s the Coniferous Forest. But are you sure? They refused the meeting request.”

As she said, my request to meet with the Coniferous Forest in the north had been declined.

There were two reasons for this, and the first was that they outright stated, “Dungeon Lords cannot be trusted.”

A stance that was even more hostile than what Echidna, who proposed meeting closer to her stronghold, had displayed.

“I don’t see why we should pay heed to what they refuse. That said, we don’t need to let our guard down either.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“I will return to the dungeon for now. And go check on their situation.”

“What do you mean by the situation…?”

The reason for heading back to the dungeon this time was closely linked to the second reason they refused the meeting.

“You told me yourself. They are at war.”

Currently, the Coniferous Forest in the north appears to be embroiled in fierce conflict between two factions.

The owner and the guest.

I’m unsure which side has the upper hand, but it’s clear that the faction originally ruling the north is not at a complete disadvantage.

If so, it’s likely that other monster races sent assistance per the ‘agreement’ the four queens had.

“If that’s the case, the war itself might become the key.”

“You’re trying to help them end the war easily, aren’t you?”

“That could be the case. Or it might not.”

“Uh…?”

Serha tilted her head cutely, questioning with innocent curiosity.

Gently stroking her head, I simply smiled.

There are two choices I still have that remain only in thought.

‘For now, I guess I’ll have to go see.’

Whether that choice is genuinely worth considering, and which of the options I’ll take, will depend on observing the northern situation and how the current queen responds.

Their lives are at stake as well.