It all started ten years ago when she lost her hometown.
Charlotte wandered aimlessly and lived in a daze.
Her thirst for revenge against the humanity that massacred her clan was pushed far back.
For her, survival was the top priority.
The empire’s purge order mandated that the bloodline of any revealed witch be eradicated down to the roots.
Charlotte just had to find a way to live while holding onto her grand revenge.
A place where she could be safe without exposure to humans.
A place that could satisfy her thirst for killing and help her find comrades to plot revenge with.
‘…72 dungeons.’
She established a plan and began searching for dungeons.
But as a witch, Charlotte was a target for humans, and the human Charlotte wasn’t welcome in dungeons.
Even after nearly dying countless times in various dungeons, Charlotte didn’t abandon her plan.
She believed that one day, there would be a dungeon that understood and supported her.
Did that hope finally bear fruit?
After a long wander, she found a dungeon that accepted her for the first time.
Ranked 21st, the Abyss of Blood at Night.
The boss, Gergor, had taken notice of Charlotte’s abilities.
“Stay as a guardian of the first floor.”
Even being a guardian of a whole floor was more than enough for Charlotte.
But it was short-lived.
All the members of the dungeon were less than thrilled with Charlotte.
Of course, Charlotte accepted the disdain and neglect from her comrades.
How could dungeon monsters show any favor to a human?
She believed that over time, once she proved her abilities, they would recognize her too.
Charlotte spent a long time as the guardian of the first floor.
However, the first floor had to be defended solely by Charlotte, essentially making her a bulwark.
Charlotte realized she was being treated like a useful consumable.
Even knowing this, she fulfilled her duties as a consumable, believing that her treatment would eventually change.
Charlotte single-handedly repelled dozens of raid parties trying to invade the dungeon.
The only things that changed were the numerous wounds etched on her body and her increasingly worn-out mind and spirit.
“Please grant me fair treatment.”
Unable to hold back any longer, Charlotte confronted Gergor face-to-face.
There was no denying that the dungeon had greatly benefited from her.
In just over half a year, the first floor had not been breached, and thanks to her dedication, there was no harm to the monsters.
It was only reasonable for the boss to acknowledge this contribution.
“Know your place, human girl. If you have any complaints, get lost.”
What she learned too late was that she wasn’t even a consumable.
She was merely trash to use until she was worn out and then thrown away without hesitation. To the boss, Charlotte’s worth was only that much.
Was that all? Gergor grabbed her by the neck and opened his mouth wide.
‘…Was I also food?’
“Humans are the tastiest.”
She nearly lost her life there as well.
Barely escaping the dungeon, Charlotte moved forward, drenched in blood and with weak steps.
Just because she was betrayed by the dungeon didn’t mean her thirst for revenge against humans would fade.
For Charlotte, whose emotions had long since dried out, this incident didn’t invoke any strong reaction.
The other dungeons that had accepted her didn’t end well either, simply because she was human.
All that lay ahead now was a lonely and boring path of wandering.
Seasons changed, and Charlotte fixed her hope on the dungeon one last time.
If it turned out the same this time, she’d stop hoping and go it alone.
I would like to begin.
In the midst of all this, I accidentally heard news about the newly minted Seven Lairs.
There’s no need to mention the reputation of the Seven Lairs.
Charlotte was more interested in the possibility of being accepted.
Considering it was a ‘newborn’ with a slight enmity towards humans, it was worth a shot.
“Welcome. I shall accept you as an assistant to the dungeon.”
It was the first time she heard such words.
On one hand, a suspicion arose from her past experiences.
Could this person truly treat me fairly?
As if to confirm her doubts, this dungeon didn’t treat her with such courtesy either.
Far too generously. They treated her better than her abilities warranted.
The first person to welcome her existence. The boss who gave undue favors to a blundering assistant.
Thus was the boss of the Seven Lairs.
“I asked. What’s a young lady like you doing here?”
“…I came as the dungeon’s assistant.”
In front of Gergor, whom she met again, Charlotte held her head high.
The dignity of the assistant was directly linked to the boss’s dignity.
To bow here would mean to take the boss’s name lightly.
“And this insect?”
“He’s a guardian of the same dungeon as me.”
“Looks like a bunch of misfits.”
In an instant, Charlotte frowned.
“Gergor Lord, you need to watch your mouth.”
“Ha! Watch my mouth? Did I hear that right?”
“I’m the assistant of the newly formed Seven Lairs, the Mausoleum of Faith.”
That was a sufficient statement in this situation.
Saying any more could be seen as an overstepping threat.
No matter how new the Seven Lairs, she was still an assistant.
Especially, if a ‘human’ assistant dared to threaten a Lord, it would be an act of desecration.
“An insignificant human as an assistant, and an insect, the pinnacle of barbarism, as a guardian? This girl! How dare you belittle me?”
“Claiming to be part of the Seven Lairs is a grave sin punishable by death. You know that, don’t you, Lord? Why would I lie?”
For this reason, she thought he would definitely believe her.
“You expect me to believe that a girl like you is an assistant of the Seven Lairs…?”
He clearly showed that he could not believe that a human could be an assistant of the Seven Lairs.
Charlotte surveyed her surroundings.
Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be anyone who looked like Gergor’s assistant or guardian.
Facing such a misfortune without any subordinates to back her up was unfortunate.
Rank 21 Gergor belongs to the boss faction ranked 8.
If this were a solo boss, it wouldn’t be a problem, but there’s nothing good about conflicting with a faction boss.
Of course, when comparing losses, Gergor would suffer far more. However, due to being newly formed, the Seven Lairs had to endure political losses as well.
Charlotte was extremely reluctant to cause any harm to the boss because of herself.
‘I need to somehow resolve this without any issues and leave it unmentioned.’
Charlotte thought realistically and calculatively.
If she could smooth things over on her end, she had to do whatever it takes, even if it meant bending the dignity of the Seven Lairs assistant.
If not, the situation could spiral out of control.
It would be best to bury this matter without anyone knowing, even if it meant deceiving the boss.
If it was discovered at the meeting that she was indeed the assistant to the Seven Lairs, Gergor would likely keep quiet about it.
Because they both knew that would be beneficial to them.
‘As if nothing happened…’
Charlotte, being human, was burning with a desire for revenge.
But acting impulsively would mean the repercussions would solely fall on the boss.
As if that weren’t enough, the meeting was just a day away.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, a meeting was just a day away.
If something unsavory happened between the bosses, it was clear things would escalate beyond expectations.
Charlotte squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head.
“I apologize. I was disrespectful to you, my esteemed Lord. However, it’s true that I am an aide of The Seven Lairs.”
“….”
“This matter must be resolved here and now without anyone knowing. It will benefit us both.”
At this point, they should have understood.
Just as Charlotte slowly lifted her head—
Smack!
With a crisp sound, her neck was snapped to the side.
The gas mask that covered her face flew off, revealing Balutak’s astonished expression. Charlotte shook her head, biting her lip.
Realizing what it meant, Balutak could only stand there in silence.
Breathing in the noxious air of the abyss became difficult, but Charlotte averted her gaze at Gergor.
Gergor’s eyes were already wild with fury.
Werewolves are driven more by instincts and emotions than rational thought. That’s why they’re considered monsters, I suppose.
Just the fact that he was humiliated by a former subordinate was enough to push his emotions over the edge.
“I hope this satisfies you.”
Smack!
After the stinging slap, Charlotte’s hair was roughly grabbed.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, revealing a deep smear of blood.
If she sustained any more injuries to her face, it would be irreversible.
“You damn bitch. You better believe you’re dead today.”
Smack! Smack!
Her vision spun as the ‘frying pan’ hands struck her face.
The silver lining? He didn’t actually intend to kill her.
If he had truly meant to kill her, she would have been done for the moment he let the first strike land.
Right now, the slaps were merely an outlet for his frustration.
It seemed that even though he didn’t trust her, he still believed she was the aide of The Seven Lairs.
‘Do I just keep taking this?’
Her vision was dizzying, but her thought process was chillingly clear.
How could she manage to salvage even a drop of this spilled water?
The physical threat had long surpassed the bounds of her dignity.
If the aide continued to take these hits, the name of The Seven Lairs would plummet.
But if the boss intervened, things would spiral completely out of control.
‘…From my end.’
There was only one answer: she had to put up a fight.
In a test of brute strength, Gergor couldn’t defeat her.
She had held back because she had no confidence in handling the fallout from angering the 72 Lords.
If this incident turned out to be damaging, it could easily be dismissed as the aide’s unilateral actions.
Doing so would help preserve her dignity as an aide and avoid turning factions into enemies, bringing the matter to a smooth close.
Upon further consideration, she might find a better solution.
But given the circumstances, time was of the essence.
Once she calculated her options, Charlotte concentrated her magic, gathering it in her hands.
If she happened to inflict serious injury, that would be the end of it.
If she just focused on proving she was solely defending herself…
Smack!
At that moment, out of her blurred vision, she spotted the Death Knight.
“Oh….”
The blue glow from its eyes fixated on her.
That individual was already gripping the hilt of a sword.
I was holding the sword handle in my hand.
*
[Lv. 74]
A werewolf with three eyes, including a pair on its forehead.
The only boss ranked 21st that I know is Gergor.
Suddenly, I recalled the plot thread from the game where Charlotte had a deep grudge against Gergor.
I didn’t know the details, but I couldn’t turn a blind eye to what was unfolding before me.
I pushed Helbok away and gripped the sword handle tied to my back.
As soon as I unraveled the tightly wrapped bandages, brilliant light burst forth.
“What the heck is that…?”
“Human? Why is a human doing that here?”
A crowd began to gather due to the commotion.
While I felt compelled to defend Charlotte, it wasn’t the only reason.
Charlotte is the deputy of The Seven Lairs. If I just let my deputy get smacked by the 21st boss, my reputation would hit rock bottom.
Now that so many eyes are on us, how I respond will matter greatly.
If this conflict was caused by Charlotte’s misdeed—
At least the Charlotte I know wouldn’t do something so foolish.
With just a day left before the meeting, we could be blamed for creating a scandal. That would naturally send shockwaves all around us.
However, what happens next might actually boost my authority and dignity.
Above all, one thing is certain: nobody will dare touch Charlotte after this.
Swish—!
The floating sacred sword zoomed forward like a shooting star. It brushed past Gergor at my will.
In the air where the sword light had passed, red blood splattered. The wrist that was about to slap him dropped unconsciously.
“Ahhh!!”
Gergor screamed, trying to stifle the fountain of blood bursting from him.
The sacred sword returned and blood splattered again.
With a slashing sound, both of his legs were cleanly severed. Gergor toppled over like a collapsing building.
Is my heart turning undead too? Now, witnessing blood splatter and limbs falling doesn’t even faze me.
Perhaps all this justification is merely a rationalization for my actions, and my heart has already wrapped itself around its rationale.
With slow steps, I eventually reached him.
Gergor’s remaining hand trembled violently. I stomped on it mercilessly like a discarded cigarette butt.
“You can’t do this. You really can’t, boss.”
Out of the corner of my eye, Charlotte was shaking her head.
“You need to listen to me. Just stay calm—”
“I’ll handle it.”
Though she looked worried for some reason, I didn’t want to care.
This was far beyond what happened with the Lionheart King. I was witnessing an act of physical assault beyond mere insults.
Grabbing my returning sacred sword, I crouched in front of Gergor.
His face, stained with blood, spit, and tears, was truly a sight for sore eyes.
Gergor looked up at me with bloodshot eyes.
“Death Knight? The sacred sword…?”
His pupils, stained with blood, dilated abnormally. Without saying a word, he recognized who I was.
Thanks to that, I didn’t even have to irritate myself with a pointless self-introduction.
“You turned The Seven Lairs into enemies.”
From the previous incident with the Lionheart King, I learned one thing.
If I killed him right now, it would provide legitimate grounds.
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