novelraw Chapter 108 : Chapter 108
Chapter 108 : Chapter 108
Chapter 108. Dungeon Construction (2)
The vast, open space on the outskirts of Lumen Fortis had been transformed into a massive construction site.
Mammon, with his arms crossed, supervised the site with a satisfied smile.
At his feet, more valuable than all the treasures he had amassed as the demon of greed, a massive dungeon blueprint was spread out.
“Hmm, my design is perfect, as expected.”
Mammon briefly conducted a final review of the dungeon blueprint’s details with the Unseen Ones.
Moving like shadows, they posed sharp questions about the blueprint’s complex structure and trap placements, but Mammon answered without hesitation, proving the validity of his plan.
Once the review was complete, Mammon raised his voice and declared the start of the work.
Gathered around him was a truly bizarre combination of personnel.
Dragons transformed into human form, yet still exuding an air of intimidation.
The residents of Rarc Village, who had lived here for ages.
Mammon’s demon brothers, also in human form.
And even the Unseen Ones, who moved in the shadows.
“From this moment, we begin the construction of the Great Underground Dungeon of Lumen Fortis! Everyone, dig diligently! Begin!”
At Mammon’s command, most of them picked up shovels and pickaxes and began to dig without a word of complaint.
The dragons, despite their human forms, lifted and moved huge boulders with immense strength.
The villagers shoveled and carried away the earth with skilled hands.
The Unseen Ones moved swiftly, installing supports and taking measurements.
But Mammon’s demon brothers were different.
They leaned on their shovel handles and openly voiced their dissatisfaction.
“Are you planning to work us like dogs again!”
“We are not your subordinates, you damned bastard!”
What they disliked most was the fact that he alone was receiving preferential treatment.
Mammon wasn’t even doing any physical labor; he was just giving orders from a cool, shaded spot.
Satan, Beelzebub, and so on.
The demons, who might have once commanded a corner of hell, were now grumbling like nothing more than lazy laborers.
Seeing this, Mammon’s brow twitched.
Swish!
A whip that Mammon pulled from thin air struck the ground hard.
The earth caved in as a sharp cracking sound echoed.
The demon brothers flinched and looked at Mammon.
“Silence, you mongrels! Have you forgotten who I am? I am the general manager of this construction and the site director! My word is law! If you have a complaint, take it up with Frank—no, with the Master himself!”
At Mammon’s roar, the demon brothers, with crestfallen faces, reluctantly picked up their shovels.
The sight of them starting to dig while grumbling was quite a spectacle.
Soon, the construction began in earnest, and the site buzzed with activity.
The massive piles of dirt dug up by the dragons were moved to a distant vacant lot on a temporary conveyor belt built by the demons with magic.
In the deeply dug pits, a framework was erected with special alloys and magically enchanted stones brought by the Unseen Ones.
Clang! Clang!
The sounds of metal clashing, dirt being dug, and shouts mixed together, echoing like a grand symphony.
Beams of magical light cut through the air, reinforcing the ground, and strengthening spells were carved into the walls.
Mammon watched over the entire process with a hawk’s eye, orchestrating the flow.
His mind was filled with complex calculations.
‘Hmm, this ground is weaker than I expected. I’ll have to use twice the amount of reinforcement materials.’
It would be a disaster if an earthquake were to happen.
It was better to build it sturdy from the very beginning.
‘I’ll have to consider the magical pressure as we go deeper into the lower levels… Designing a dungeon is fun, but it’s a tiring job.’
Although the grumbling demon brothers were a headache, the construction was proceeding smoothly.
Look at that sight.
The spectacle of various races joining forces for a single goal was truly magnificent.
Mammon, envisioning the day this grand project would be completed, once again raised his voice towards the site.
In his eyes, the satisfaction of a demon of greed and the pride of a competent site director shone together.
***
Under Mammon’s command, the construction site of Lumen Fortis was bustling with activity.
But I couldn't just stand by and watch.
A crucial piece of the puzzle was missing from the grand plan of building the dungeon.
‘What is the heart of a dungeon? The Dungeon Core, of course.’
And that important Dungeon Core was not here.
Which meant I had to go get it myself.
Fortunately, the place where the Dungeon Core slumbered was not far from here.
The Knossos Ruins, near the Sage’s Castle ruled by Rude.
The Dungeon Core was supposed to be in the very place where I had once made a bet with Iris, wagering the Lion Heart.
I convened a meeting and revealed this plan.
Upon hearing my words, Rude asked with a regretful expression.
He seemed to have an attachment to the place as the acting lord of the Sage’s Castle.
“You’re bringing the Dungeon Core from the Knossos Ruins? If you do that, won’t it lose its function as a ruin?”
“It would. If a dungeon loses its core, it loses all its functions and turns into an ordinary cave or ruin.”
My confirmation of the kill made Rude let out a deep sigh.
“Haha. Barely anyone visited, but it’s still a shame, as it’s the only dungeon in the area I rule.”
I fully understood his regret, but it couldn't be helped.
I thought to myself.
‘It’s okay, friend. You just keep diligently producing mealworms and focus on building your insect empire. It's not like losing one ruin is a big deal.’
After finalizing the plan, as I was about to prepare for departure, Isabel cautiously approached me.
She hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Excuse me……”
“What is it? Is there something you wish to say?”
She gestured between me and Anonymous and asked carefully.
“Did something happen between you two?”
My heart sank.
She was sharp as a tack
I forced a calm demeanor and asked back.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
Isabel met my gaze and replied calmly.
“The atmosphere between you two feels very different from before. I might be mistaken, but… it feels much more intimate, shall I say.”
Gulp.
‘Am I caught?’
I swallowed a bitter laugh.
I remembered what I had said to her in the past to stop her from taking Iris as the next Saintess.
‘After I kill Primus, I will personally propose to you.’
I had definitely said that.
‘I had no choice back then. If I hadn't, it seemed like she would take Iris away immediately.’
In that sense, she was to be my future wife.
But now, beside me was an unexpected rival, Anonymous.
She had somehow burrowed deep into a corner of my heart and quietly settled there.
‘I’ve already declared Anonymous as my woman, what should I do about this?’
While my mind was a tangled mess, Anonymous approached just in time, linking her arm with mine as if to show off, and snuggled into my embrace.
She smirked and cast a provocative gaze towards Isabel.
Isabel’s brow furrowed nicely.
“What… do you think you’re doing?”
Anonymous didn’t back down one bit and scoffed in response.
“Hmph. There's no longer any space for you to squeeze in.”
“What did you say?”
“Master is mine now. Right, Master?”
Anonymous turned her head and even winked at me, as if seeking my agreement.
My pupils trembled soullessly.
I didn't know where to look.
What kind of ridiculous drama was this?
Isabel’s voice rang out coldly.
“Frank, you will have to explain this.”
I felt that if things continued like this, something terrible would really happen.
I quickly thought of an excuse to escape the situation.
“Ah, right! The Dungeon Core! I have to go get the Dungeon Core right now! There’s no time!”
I shouted awkwardly and scurried away.
I tried my best to ignore Isabel’s cold glare and Anonymous' satisfied laughter from behind me.
“Where are you going, Master! I’m coming with you!”
Anonymous swiftly chased after me, and the furious cry of Isabel, left alone, echoed down the hallway.
“Frank! When you get back, I will have my answer!”
Her voice lingered in my ears, but I couldn't bring myself to look back.
For now, running away was the best option.
How on earth do protagonists of harem stories maintain their sanity in situations like these?
Nine times out of ten, it must be an exaggeration.
***
I decided to think about the issue with Isabel later.
What was more important was securing the Dungeon Core.
Fortunately, I had been to the Knossos Ruins before when I was looking for the Lion Heart while betting with Iris.
The internal structure and the strategy to beat it were already perfectly stored in my head.
“Let’s go, Anonymous.”
“Yes, Master!”
This time, I didn't bring anyone else along.
The features of the ruin were mostly figured out during my previous visit, and I had fought the boss, the Double Head Ogre, several times, so I knew its weaknesses inside and out.
With just me and Anonymous, we could finish it in an instant.
As expected, the inside of the ruin was relatively quiet.
The occasional monsters that appeared turned to dust with a light gesture from Anonymous.
We proceeded unhindered towards the center and caught our breath for a moment in front of the boss' room.
“Seeing that guy again is going to be annoying.”
As I grumbled, Anonymous smiled brightly and replied instantly.
“I’ll finish it right away.”
We jumped into the room at the same time, and sure enough, the Double Head Ogre was trembling on its knees.
“You’re here… again! Are you even human!”
Whatever.
We didn't even give the creature a chance to voice its complaints.
“Let’s go!”
While Anonymous bound its feet with powerful magic bullets, I precisely pierced the weak spot between its two heads with Balisardo.
“Kuaargh!”
With a final scream, the creature collapsed, and an orb emitting a brilliant light rose from the altarin the center of the room.
It was the Dungeon Core.
“Success.”
The moment I grasped the Dungeon Core, the entire ruin began to shake violently.
Chunks of rock fell from the ceiling, and the walls began to crumble.
“Damn it! I forgot that taking the Dungeon Core would make the ruin collapse!”
In the game, it just ended with a screen transition, but reality was different.
Why do people always repeat the same mistakes?
In that life-or-death moment, with everything collapsing around me.
“Master!”
Anonymous shouted and simultaneously transformed into a massive dragon.
She blocked the falling rocks with her huge wings and body, gently wrapping me in her foreleg.
KRAKAKABOOM!
Like a cannonball, Anonymous burst through the collapsing walls and ceiling with fierce
momentum, soaring towards the surface.
Inside her hard scales, I could only close my eyes for a moment and then open them again.
Before long, we escaped the ruin safely.
Anonymous returned to her human form and handed me the Dungeon Core.
Though covered in dust, her face was full of pride.
“Thank you, Anonymous. I would have been in big trouble if it weren't for you.”
“Don't mention it. It’s what I’m here for.”
She smiled shyly, then suddenly looked at me with a serious expression and said something completely out of the blue.
“I don’t care how many wives you have, Master.”
“What?”
“Because I am generous.”
What is this all of a sudden?
‘Could it be that she knows what I said to Isabel?’
Come to think of it, her hearing is incredibly sharp.
So sharp, in fact, that a soundproof barrier had been placed around my room to prevent eavesdropping.
I asked cautiously.
“Do you mean what you just said?”
Anonymous smiled brightly and nodded.
“Of course. They say heroes are lechers, right? It’s only natural for a hero to have many women by his side. However.”
“However?”
Her red eyes stared straight at me.
“As long as your love for me doesn’t fade. If you can promise me just that, then I’m fine with anything.”
Her eyes were filled with sincerity.
I swallowed hard and slowly nodded.
“Of course. My love will not change.”
Upon hearing those words, Anonymous beamed as if she had the whole world and threw herself into my arms.
As I hugged her back, I briefly thought of Iris.
Perhaps it was because the experience of nearly losing someone precious had made me anxious.
A sense of urgency to improve my relationship with Iris quickly arose.
‘But Iris' expression hasn't been the same lately.’
Recently, she seemed to be keeping a distance from me for some reason.
Was the golden statue gift effective, or did it have the opposite effect?
‘Giving another gift seems a bit much.’
Then, a good idea suddenly popped into my head.
‘Right! How about I cook for her?’
There could be no more satisfying gift than a warm, heartfelt meal.
Didn't Adel and Noemi love the food I cooked for them?
It wouldn't be any different for Iris.
As it happened, special herbs grew naturally in this area, near the Sage’s Castle.
I began to look around and gather the rare herbs.
“What are you doing, Master?”
Anonymous asked with eyes full of curiosity.
I gave a slight smile and answered.
“There’s a dish I want to cook. Something very special.”
“A special dish? If that’s the case, I’ll help you!”
Hoping to melt Iris' tightly closed heart, I diligently gathered the herbs.
Will my cooking work?
I answered myself that it would, and my hands moved ceaselessly.
The scent of herbs filled the air around my hands.