The other women had all decided to come along with Braga and the black goblins, even when Vandal offered them a big chunk of money and their freedom to keep what they knew about Vandal’s secret. They were deeply grateful to Vandal already; he had cured their various drug addictions and used magic to remove their slave collars and tattoos. Of course, it might also be that they didn’t believe he really would set them free.
Still, they had chosen to come to Talosheim. Even though they had been born in the Heartner Domain, these women were now residents of Talosheim. About a third of those working at the brothel were refugees from the Saulon Domain, so they weren’t that attached to Heartner to begin with. That said, talking about killing and living pestilence in front of them probably wasn’t the best idea.
“. . . Sorry. I got overexcited,” Zulan said.
“Me too. I’m sorry,” Eleanor added. “I know things aren’t so cut and dried in your position.”
Braga nodded. “I went too far. Thanks for your understanding, King.”
“It’s fine. I’ve gotten mad and screwed up plenty of times,” Vandal said, standing up. At least it seemed like everyone had calmed down. “But if we take this lying down, then we’re nothing better than prey waiting to be eaten by beasts. Beasts who won’t hold anything back, even if we don’t resist. They will gobble our flesh, chew our organs, and crunch our bones. We need to take back what was taken from us and make them see the error of their ways. Regarding Heinz . . . we’ll let him be for a while. Build our strength while waiting for a proper chance to strike. And as for the Heartner Domain, I’m giving up on it.”
That final comment, almost offhand in its delivery, made everyone give a start in surprise.
“By which I mean that I’m not going to register as an adventurer here or undertake any activities here or trade with them in the future.”
Heartner had committed a complete denial of Vandal and Talosheim. There was no need to cling to ideals of peacefully dealing with them.
“Ah, hold on. I’m not including the new villages in that.”
That comment got pleased smiles around the group.
“One thing, Lord Vandal,” Eleanora said. “What is this rock here, exactly? I don’t think that was there when we arrived.”
“It doesn’t look like a naturally occurring phenomenon,” Zulan said.
The two were looking up at a massive rock rising up behind Vandal. It was much bigger than any of the trees in the forest. But more than the sheer size, it was its strange shape that caught the eyes. It looked like a giant skull, with a wide-open mouth big enough for a wagon to drive into. The interior appeared to be connected to something—or somewhere. Warm air flowed out, almost as though the skull itself was breathing.
“. . . It isn’t anything harmful to us,” Vandal responded. “I’ll tell you that.”
Skill level increased for Dungeon Construction, Scream, Magical Power Auto Recovery, Death Attribute Allure, and Limit Break!
——Name: Vandal
——Race: Dhampir (Dark Elf)
——Age: 7 years old
——Alias: [Ghoul King] [Eclipse King] [Unspoken Name]
——Job: Poison Warrior
——Level: 20
——Job History: Death Mage Golem Creator Undead Tamer Crusher of Souls
——Status
Vitality: 184
Magical Power: 378120344
Strength: 128
Agility: 130
Muscle: 119
Intellect: 761
——Passive Skills
[Brute Strength: Level 3] [Rapid Healing: Level 5] [Death Attribute Magic: Level 6]
[Resist Maladies: Level 7] [Resist Magic: Level 3] [Night Vision] [Death Attribute Allure: Level 7 (UP!)]
[Skip Incantation: Level 4] [Enhance Brethren: Level 8] [Magical Power Auto Recovery: Level 5 (UP!)]
[Enhance Followers: Level 4] [Poison Dispersal (Claws, Fangs, Tongue): Level 3] [Agility Enhancement: Level 1]
[Physical Length Change (Tongue) Level 3 (NEW!)]
——Active Skills
[Suck Blood: Level 7] [Limit Break: Level 6 (UP!)] [Golem Creation: Level 6]
[Non-Attribute Magic: Level 5] [Magic Control: Level 4] [Spirit Body: Level 7] [Carpentry: Level 4]
[Construction: Level 3] [Cooking: Level 4] [Alchemy: Level 4] [Brawling Proficiency: Level 5]
[Soul Crusher: Level 6] [Simultaneous Activation: Level 5] [Remote Control: Level 6] [Surgery: Level 3）]
[Mental Multitasking: Level 5] [Substantiation: Level 4] [Cooperation: Level 3] [Rapid Cognition: Level 3]
[Command: Level 1] [Agriculture: Level 3] [Clothing Making: Level 2]
[Thrown Projectile Proficiency: Level 3] [Scream: Level 3 (NEW!)]
——Unique Skill
[God Smiter: Level 3] [Spiritual Abnormality: Level 4 (UP!)] [Spiritual Corrosion: Level 3 (UP!)]
[Dungeon Construction: Level 4 (NEW!)]
——Curses
[Unable to carry over experience from previous lives] [Unable to enter existing jobs] [Unable to personally acquire experience]
“So, it isn’t going to harm us . . . and? It looks like a dungeon,” Eleonora said.
“Just leave it,” Vandal said.
“Are you sure?” Zulan asked. “You don’t want to check it out?”
“We’re still close to the town,” Vandal replied. “If we go inside and then some adventurers come out to investigate it, we don’t want know what might happen. Also, we need to prioritize Princess Lebia.”
“All true,” Eleonora said.
Vandal gave a nod, deciding to tell them about his new Dungeon Construction skill later. It wasn’t something they should be experimenting with this close to a town anyway.
The day after the minor incident in which a dhampir child mysteriously fled from the adventurers’ guild, everything was normal in Niakki. Apart from for a few junkies looking for a fix and a few men visiting their favorite brothel, it was the same “today” that most lived through yesterday.
Denuh’s life had been a string of minor but unfortunate events. Her father had fallen sick, forcing her to work in order to support her family. Once he recovered enough to work again, she was almost immediately married off. In her new home, her mother-in-law used her like an indentured servant, and when the woman finally died, Denuh’s husband didn’t last much longer. No matter what was going on, she was always run off her feet.
Her son had grown up into a man with no intention of caring for his mother. When he got married, Denuh thought she might finally catch a break, but her son and his new wife simply moved out. The only one who listened to her was her dumb nephew.
There was nothing good to be had in life anyway. I’d grow apples, sell ’em, rinse, and repeat . . . Denuh was walking along, dragging her feet, leading the horde. She had just been selling those apples, when she spotted the kid with the silver coin passing by again . . .
But I never thought my life would continue after death! That he would give me such an important mission. My whole life . . . I lived it all for the purpose of dying yesterday. That’s the whole reason I was even born . . . She felt a sense of satisfaction like nothing she had ever felt in life. She felt pride at having become a part of something so much larger than herself.
She continued along the narrow, dark passageway and then came out into the forest. She knew this place. It was the forest where she had died, along with her nephew and his thugs.
If they continued straight, they would reach Niakki. Denuh urged her companions to follow her. As they murmured their new mission, not in life, but in death.
“Ki . . . ei . . .
“Kill . . . He . . . z . . .”
“Kill Heinz!”
Denuh, who had sold apples from a market stall until yesterday, moved forward. Today, she was part of an undead horde of more than one thousand.
A dungeon had suddenly appeared in an ordinary forest. A horde of monsters, mainly undead, flowed out from within, rampaging toward the town of Niakki.