“…That’s how it happened!”
Skoll, a 3-star Orc.
He also leads the dungeon ‘Red-Haired Tribe’.
Skoll had a long conversation with the Arch Lich.
This included events before attending the social gathering.
A few days ago, a representative from the Merchant Guild visited Skoll’s dungeon and handed him an invitation.
He also revealed that not only he, but all dungeons under Chief Administrator Celia had received invitations.
Specifically, the Merchant Guild proposed that they would be responsible for protecting the dungeons if they attended the social gathering.
However, Skoll refused the Merchant Guild’s offer.
The reason was simple.
“I am a warrior! I will never forgive handing over my tribe to someone else’s hands! It is an act that goes against a warrior’s honor!”
Skoll believed that his territory must be protected by himself.
He thought that entrusting it to others was not a warrior’s honor.
“And we are all strong!”
*Nod*
The Arch Lich nodded at Skoll’s words.
He was right.
Thinking about it, the Arch Lich had no worries about intruders either.
Perhaps they should offer condolences to the intruders who entered the dungeon.
In fact, the first thing Celia did after receiving the social gathering invitation was to strengthen the dungeon’s defenses.
She expanded the dungeon’s defensive range.
The Goblin scout team extended their range of activity beyond the Chief Administrator’s dungeon into the forest surrounding the four subordinate dungeons.
“…”
Indeed, thinking about it again, there was no problem.
As the Arch Lich was lost in thought, Skoll brought up the topic again.
“By the way, Arch Lich-nim! Since we met here, let me introduce you to a member of my tribe!”
Skoll introduced another Orc beside him.
“This is ‘Malox’ from our tribe! He’s the most reliable strategist in our tribe!”
Malox had red hair, just like Skoll.
Skoll grinned, revealing his fangs, and boasted about his tribe member.
In fact, Malox was not only Skoll’s most loyal subordinate but also his strategist.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you! I’m Malox!”
Malox extended his hand with a simple greeting.
The Arch Lich shook Malox’s outstretched hand without changing his expression.
“?”
Something felt strange as they shook hands.
“Clink?”
Suddenly, gold coins were in the Arch Lich’s hand.
“I’ve heard you’re always busy serving our great ruler! This is a small token of my appreciation!”
Malox only replied with that and stepped back.
The Arch Lich quietly watched Malox’s retreating figure.
Then, Skoll also offered his hand to the Arch Lich for a handshake.
The result was the same as before.
After shaking hands with Skoll, the Arch Lich’s palm held gold coins.
“Then I’ll see you later! Arch Lich-nim!”
*Clink!*
After Skoll and Malox stepped back, the Arch Lich immediately opened his notebook.
Then, he began to write in the thick notebook with his fountain pen.
– Skoll and Malox have exceptional loyalty to their great master.
In recognition of their loyalty, no inspections will be conducted on the ‘Red-Haired Tribe’ dungeon for the time being.
Malox, who was called a strategist.
Even without further evidence, the Arch Lich could tell.
Skoll’s dungeon was a place that operated correctly, so much so that it did not require inspection.
This was not because of the gold coins.
Since things had turned out this way, the Arch Lich decided to meet the owners of other dungeons as well.
There were a total of four dungeons under Celia.
[Red-Haired Tribe]
[Sticky Puddle]
[Scraps of the Demonic Realm]
[Village Covered in Mist]
He had met Skoll just a moment ago.
Excluding the ‘Red-Haired Tribe’ dungeon, there were three remaining dungeons.
The Arch Lich nodded.
Up to two people could visit from each dungeon for the social gathering.
This meant that besides Skoll and Malox, there were six more monsters present.
As an inspector, he had the right to meet those six.
“Clink!”
The Arch Lich made a sound, and a skeleton beside him immediately rose from its seat.
It picked up the Arch Lich’s notebook from the table.
That’s right.
It was the same skeleton that had given the Arch Lich a diamond first when the banquet began.
They say life is about timing.
By being the first to offer a diamond, it gave the Arch Lich a realization.
For that reason alone, he had now become the Arch Lich’s right-hand man, exclusively for social gatherings.
“Clink, clink!”
(Let’s go!)
“Clink, clink, clink!”
(Understood!)
The banquet between the Arch Lich and the skeleton was about to begin.
* * *
Someone was sitting in a corner of the banquet hall.
Her eyes had lost their light, and her dark expression veiled her face.
Her golden hair had long since lost its vitality, and instead of a stylish dress, only a tattered, shabby cloak indicated her situation.
And fear and anxiety made her body tremble.
Her pitiable state was not the end of it.
As the bright ceiling lights enveloped her, the marks etched on her skin stood out.
“Sigh…”
The woman sighing was Baalcherit.
She was a 5-star Vampire.
Although the blood of a high-ranking demon flowed within her, her current appearance was tragic.
“Where did it all go wrong…”
Baalcherit mumbled weakly.
She once lived a life enviable by others.
Even without lifting a finger, fresh blood was served at her table every day.
Without effort, forces naturally gathered under the name of a high-ranking demon.
Soon, she would have amassed enough power to be called the Queen of Vampires.
Her territory was too perilous for adventurers to dare approach, and the Underworld Merchant Guild could not treat her carelessly.
Truly, she lived a life no different from a king.
However, that joy did not last long.
“The White Church…”
The White Church, the only religious order on the continent.
The Church suddenly began to subjugate vampires, leading with Paladins.
The reason is unknown.
But day by day, the Church’s actions became bolder, and her influence continued to dwindle.
Many vampires who followed Baalcherit were killed.
As the vampire population decreased, the dungeons began to fall one after another.
Her once vast influence gradually disappeared and eventually reached a breaking point.
At this point, the vampires who had been loyal to her began to leave.
The collapse of her forces soon threatened Baalcherit’s personal safety.
This provided another opportunity for the Church.
Even as a 5-star being, perhaps Baalcherit could be subjugated at this time, creating anticipation.
Of course, she knew this.
She knew that if things continued like this, she would fall soon.
That’s why she attended this banquet, albeit under duress.
“Tsk.”
Normally, she should be in her dungeon right now, not at a banquet.
It was right to be contemplating how to stop the Church and devising strategies.
However, her current situation was dire.
She had to somehow extend the precarious balance, even if only slightly.
Attending this social gathering was one way to do that.
If she attended the social gathering, the Underworld Merchant Guild would take responsibility and protect her dungeon.
Ultimately, Baalcherit had reached a point where she needed the Merchant Guild’s help.
And this news spread quickly.
Because of this, no one approached her at the banquet.
No one wanted to associate with her, who had already been targeted by the Church.
Except for one person.
“Baalcherit-nim?”
A man dressed in a suit approached the despairing her.
A neat black suit and neatly styled hair.
And black glasses and black shoes.
He was a man covered in black from head to toe.
The man pushed up his black glasses and took out a document.
“Here, just sign here, and the contract will be complete. this is our last gesture of consideration for you.”
His voice was dry.
He was like a creature devoid of emotion.
And the document he handed to Baalcherit was a contract.
“Dungeon Management Rights Transfer Agreement”
The man’s name was Serinu.
He was a demon affiliated with the Underworld Merchant Guild.
He once again tempted Baalcherit with a sweet voice.
“Don’t you want to rest now, Baalcherit-nim? Why don’t you leave everything to our Merchant Guild and live a relaxed life?”
His slight smile was no different from a devil’s whisper.
He was indeed a demon, but Baalcherit knew this.
The moment she signed that contract, she would be reduced to nothing more than a puppet of the Merchant Guild.
She would manage the dungeon according to the Merchant Guild’s words, and change the dungeon’s directives according to the Merchant Guild’s guidelines, becoming a nominal owner in the truest sense.
In exchange for becoming a țhree, the Merchant Guild would resolve the situation she was currently in.
“…”
Baalcherit quietly bit her lip.
‘…Those cheap bastards.’
If they had the power, why wouldn’t they help her now?
However, the Merchant Guild was unyielding.
They had no intention of making any deals unless she signed the contract and gave them ownership of the dungeon.
Baalcherit could do nothing but glare at Serinu.
The Merchant Guild was infinitely weak against the strong, but conversely, they were strong against the weak.
And Baalcherit was currently in a position of a subordinate, not a superior.
All she could do was respond powerlessly.
“Just give me… just give me a little more time…”
The demon Serinu simply pushed up his glasses and smiled.
After all, Baalcherit had little time left.
If she didn’t sign the contract, she had no way to overcome her current predicament.
Ultimately, being subjugated by the Church was only a matter of time.
Knowing this, the Merchant Guild was at ease.
After all, Baalcherit was pressed for time, and if she waited a little longer, she would surely bow down.
“You know you don’t have much time, right? Then I look forward to hearing good news soon, Baalcherit.”
He had called her “nim” a moment ago, but in his final words, he only used her name.
This meant that Baalcherit was no longer even a customer of the Merchant Guild.
This must be the sorrow of the powerless.
As Serinu left, tears welled up in Baalcherit’s eyes.
“Sob.”
It was because her current situation felt so pathetic.
Because she saw no solution other than that contract.
She shed tears over her powerlessness, unable to do anything.
‘I should have accepted that offer back then…’
A mysterious being with unknown power.
At some point, such a being had extended a hand to her.
But she had immediately refused.
She was living a comfortable life without needing to do anything, so why would she bother going out of her way to serve someone else?
Furthermore, she disliked being looked down upon as a high-ranking demon.
So she refused.
But that refusal now felt unbearably painful.
What if.
What if she had accepted that offer back then?
Wouldn’t the outcome be different if she had followed that being’s words?
Perhaps her influence wouldn’t have crumbled.
Perhaps she would have been granted great power by being under a powerful being.
She regretted her choice back then.
“Please… please come back…”
After that, she developed a habit of muttering to the empty air.
Perhaps there was a chance that that great being would return?
If she got another chance, she could prostrate herself on the ground like a dog.
She could beg and wail.
Baalcherit could give everything she had.
But reality was cruel.
The miracle of that day did not return.
With a vacant expression, she looked at the contract the demon had given her.
Now, she really had no time left.
* * *
“What about the information you were asked to gather?”
Serinu, a demon belonging to the Merchant Guild.
He spoke to his subordinate after leaving Baalcherit behind.
In response to Serinu’s words, a small imp with wings spoke.
“We have dispatched monsters to investigate the current dungeon. You should receive the results soon.”
Serinu had only given one directive.
A dungeon that was currently the talk of the Merchant Guild.
It was a dungeon led by a mere succubus, and its transaction volume with the Merchant Guild was overwhelming.
Thanks to this, it was rumored that the person in charge of transactions with that dungeon was beaming with joy.
However, Serinu found something strange.
It was a newly created dungeon that had only recently been established.
Yet, it inexplicably had too much money.
Furthermore, information about the dungeon was shrouded in mystery.
Although a report on the dungeon had been conducted by the audit team.
Something felt off.
He couldn’t shake the suspicion that the audit team had only disclosed partial information.
The rank of the succubus, who was said to be the owner of the dungeon, was not disclosed.
Most importantly, she had not appeared at this social gathering.
“It’s definitely strange.”
Serinu found the current situation very odd.
And he kept one situation in mind.
‘The being who came instead of the succubus is a 5-star.’
The monster that came instead of the dungeon’s owner was the Arch Lich.
Its rank was a remarkable 5-star.
‘Could the owner’s rank be 6-star?’
Serinu shook his head.
It was unlikely.
If it was a dungeon deep within the Demonic Realm, perhaps, but a 6-star being in the Human World was unheard of.
Furthermore, even the Succubus Queen, who had disappeared, was only 5-star.
In such a situation, it was unlikely that another succubus’s rank would be higher than the queen’s.
‘Well, the dungeon owner’s rank isn’t always high…’
At that moment, a hypothesis occurred to Serinu.
‘Could it be?’
And it was a very likely hypothesis.
‘What if the succubus isn’t the dungeon’s owner…?’
What if the succubus was just propaganda?
What if the actual owner was the Arch Lich?
It was obvious when you thought about it.
The Arch Lich, not the owner of the dungeon, wouldn’t be acting so boldly.
A sly smile spread across Serinu’s face.
‘She used a ridiculous trick.’
How dare she try to deceive him and the Merchant Guild.
It was outrageous.
He wanted to get back at the Arch Lich for something.
He fully intended to make her pay the price for deceiving the Merchant Guild.
What would be a good approach?
After a moment of thought, Serinu instructed his subordinate.
“Call Arcanea.”
Arcanea, the owner of a dungeon who attended this social gathering.
She was a monster with the lower body of a snake, and she was currently jealous of the Arch Lich.
Her existence, which should have shone, had become dim because of the Arch Lich.
‘The jealousy of a snake.’
A snake that cannot soar into the sky is dangerous.
The way of a snake is to pursue its object of jealousy to the end and trample it.
“Tell her that I will tell her how to win against the Arch Lich in the next event. Then she’ll come on her own.”
And Serinu decided to use Arcanea’s jealousy.
