novelraw Chapter 122 : Chapter 122
Chapter 122 : Chapter 122
Chapter 122. The Unexpected Appearance (3)
Exactly three months had passed since Douglas Junior arrived in Lumen Fortis.
In that time, the young, naive country boy was nowhere to be found.
Repeated dungeon raids and real-life combat experience had transformed him into a respectable adventurer.
His worn-out equipment was replaced with decent gear purchased with money earned from selling magic stones and rare materials from the dungeon, and his eyes, once filled with innocence, now held strength and confidence.
“Oh, isn’t that Douglas! I heard you’ve already conquered up to the 28th floor? Amazing!”
“At this rate, won’t you soon surpass the 30th floor and challenge the records of Lady Adel and Lady Iris? Hahaha!”
Fellow adventurers greeted Douglas, who was having a late dinner at the inn’s restaurant, with a mix of praise and envy.
The Lumen Fortis dungeon was still notorious for its high difficulty, but it was also a place that offered numerous opportunities.
Those like Douglas, who consistently conquered the dungeon and proved their skills, naturally earned the recognition of other adventurers.
Douglas chuckled at the shower of compliments and humbly returned the greetings before focusing on his meal again.
But his heart was by no means filled with conceit.
‘Lady Adel and Lady Iris have already broken through the 50th floor. Compared to them, I’m still far behind.’
The two sisters’ records felt like an insurmountable wall.
The eldest, Adel, in particular, consistently broke records and surprised everyone.
He too had been working tirelessly, but the gap did not close easily.
Of course, thanks to the recently introduced ‘transition magic circle’ system in the dungeon, the pace of conquest had become much faster than before.
By registering one’s magic power on the magic circles installed in the shelters of each floor, one could start directly from the last registered point upon entering the dungeon next time, without having to start from the 1st floor.
It also added a sense of psychological stability, as one could return at any time if things got dangerous.
But that didn't guarantee one's life.
Douglas glanced at the huge board hanging on one wall of the restaurant.
There, the number of adventurers who had lost their lives in the dungeon was updated daily.
“Tsk. Three more died today. They should have known when to quit and get out.”
Someone clicked their tongue and said.
[Current Deaths: 102]
The clearly written number was a stark proof that this place was no mere playground.
Whenever they saw that number, the adventurers would become solemn for a moment, but their challenges did not stop.
The magic stones and rare items dropped by the dungeon monsters were worth a lot of money, and above all, there was the hope that if one was recognized for their skills here, they could be hired as a regular soldier by Margrave Frank and gain a stable life and honor.
Douglas, too, was holding onto that hope.
He finished his meal and got up from his seat.
He was about to return to his lodging to rest before challenging the dungeon again tomorrow.
Just then, someone stood in his way.
“You’re Douglas Junior, right?”
It was a young-looking girl.
But the immense magic power and confident aura she exuded were anything but ordinary.
The girl looked Douglas up and down with curious eyes and said.
“I heard you’ve already reached the 28th floor? You’re more amazing than I thought.”
“Wh-who are you?”
Douglas asked, flustered.
The girl chuckled softly and introduced herself.
“My name is Noemi. Frank Pendragon’s daughter.”
“La-Lady Noemi?!”
Douglas was horrified and unknowingly bowed deeply.
To think that the person before him was Noemi, Margrave Frank’s youngest daughter and known as a genius mage.
Unlike her older sisters, she didn’t challenge the dungeon directly, but he had heard that she was the one who developed the convenient transition magic circle system recently installed in the dungeon.
Why would such an amazing person talk to him?
“D-Douglas Junior pays his respects to Lady Noemi!”
At his reverent demeanor, Noemi giggled and waved her hands.
“Enough with the formalities. Anyway, you’re amazing. At this rate, aren’t you going to beat my sisters’ records?”
“N-no way! Lady Adel and Lady Iris are truly amazing people!”
“I know.”
Noemi wore a strange expression for a moment and then added a word.
“Anyway, just know that Dad is also keeping a close eye on you. I guess that means your skills are that outstanding. Well then, take care.”
Leaving only those words, Noemi turned sharply and disappeared into the crowd.
Douglas stared blankly at the spot where she had disappeared for a long time.
‘What was that? Why did she suddenly talk to me?’
And most importantly, Margrave Frank was keeping a close eye on him.
His chest burned hot.
It was proof that his efforts had not been in vain.
‘Let’s do better. I have to get stronger!’
Douglas Junior clenched his fists.
He would gain Frank’s recognition, build his strength under his command, and definitely avenge his parents.
His eyes shone with a firm resolve like the stars in the night sky.
***
I clicked my tongue without realizing it as I checked the ‘28th Floor Clear’ record next to Douglas Junior’s name on the dungeon status board.
“The 28th floor already? That guy is really no ordinary person!”
As expected, the title ‘Hero of the New Era’ from the game was not just for show.
Look at that insane growth rate.
“He keeps moving forward despite the obstacles.”
In fact, I had specially asked Mammon to significantly increase the difficulty of the areas Douglas Junior was conquering whenever he entered the dungeon, compared to other adventurers.
It was to somehow hold him back and eliminate any contact points with my daughters.
‘If he goes any further, he’s bound to run into my daughters.’
But despite all the sabotage, he was clearing the dungeon at a tremendous speed.
Thanks to that, there was hardly anyone in Lumen Fortis who didn't know Douglas Junior’s name.
He was even being treated like a hero, with grand nicknames like ‘The Comet-like Nova’ and ‘The Second Frank.’
A while ago, even Adel and Noemi had cautiously asked me about him.
‘This is troublesome. What should I do.’
My daughters were already starting to show interest in him.
There was no law saying the marriage ending from the game couldn’t become a reality.
‘Should I kick him out?’
But how?
Lumen Fortis was a sanctuary for those who yearned for freedom and adventure.
If a rumor spread that a specific adventurer was kicked out without a just cause, the flow of adventurers to this place would be cut off in an instant.
The city’s reputation and future were at stake.
‘If I can’t do it by force, I’ll have to make him leave on his own.’
I thought for a moment and came up with a clever idea.
Yes. Let’s tell him about the ‘real’ dangers of the dungeon.
Scare him so much that he tucks his tail between his legs and runs.
I immediately summoned Douglas Junior to my office.
A short while later, Douglas Junior appeared before me with a tense face.
He couldn’t even dare to lift his head properly, as if he was overwhelmed.
I looked at him and opened my mouth, my face trying to hide my complicated feelings.
“Are you the young man who has been conquering the dungeon at a tremendous speed lately?”
“Ah, y-yes! That’s right, Your Excellency the Margrave!”
“You seem to be quite confident in your skills.”
“N-no! I was just lucky!”
He’s even humble!
‘Such an upright appearance would easily win my daughters’ favor.’
He's tall, his face is quite handsome, and his personality is good, so it’s impossible for him not to be popular with women.
I cleared my throat unnecessarily and slowly began to speak.
“You’re still young, so you may not know, but from the 30th floor onwards, it’s a different dimension. Monsters incomparably stronger than what you’ve faced so far are swarming, and countless adventurers die. You know that over a hundred have already lost their lives, right?”
I spoke as if giving him a choice.
“I acknowledge your skills, but you only have one life. A reckless challenge is a foolish act. How about you back down at this point?”
I went a step further and threw out a conciliatory offer.
“I heard your hometown is the Principality of Polotsk, it’s unfortunate what happened. I’ll provide you with ample funds, wouldn’t it be a more rewarding thing to return to your hometown with that money and focus on rebuilding?”
This wasn’t just a proposal to get rid of him.
The fall of a nation was a major event.
To rebuild the country, an outstanding individual like him would have to take the lead.
But he resolutely shook his head.
His eyes were unwavering.
“I am truly grateful for Your Excellency’s sentiment, but I must decline. The stronger the enemy, the stronger I will become. I want to stay here and challenge myself to the end.”
A persistent fellow.
I tried to persuade him again by emphasizing the dangers of the dungeon, but he refused once more.
“I can’t help it. That’s all I wanted to say. You may leave now.”
In the end, I had no choice but to let him go.
I watched his back as he bowed and left the office, lost in complicated thoughts.
‘What should I do with that stubborn guy? Would it be better to just bring him under my command?’
Come to think of it, it might be easier to control him if I keep him by my side and monitor him.
His skills are certain, so if I raise him well, he could be a great asset in the war against Primus.
‘For now, let’s watch him a little longer.’
I decided to postpone my decision for a while.
Then, I suddenly remembered the fact that the number of dungeon deaths was constantly increasing.
‘The number of dying adventurers has been increasing too much lately. Could it be that the Unseen Ones are slacking on their guide duties?’
There had been too many deaths recently.
I thought I should call Number 1 soon and give him a stern warning about that.
However, since he was acting as Adel’s guide, I hadn't seen him around lately.
Thinking of Adel made me feel a little better.
‘Adel, and Iris too. They’re doing so well.’
To think that such strong children are my daughters.
I think I’m a truly blessed father.
***
Douglas Junior’s heart was filled with something hot as he left Margrave Frank’s office.
To think he would worry about and encourage him.
He even promised to provide funds for the reconstruction of his hometown.
Although he had politely refused, he was so grateful for the sentiment that tears welled up in his eyes.
‘He truly is a real hero.’
Douglas was deeply moved by Frank’s consideration (?).
He once again made a firm resolve to succeed here, if only to meet the Margrave’s expectations.
‘Right. For now, let’s aim to quickly break through the 30th floor!’
That would be the first step to proving his abilities and catching the Margrave’s eye to become a regular soldier.
But after that, something strange happened.
Noemi, the Margrave’s youngest daughter who had spoken to him a few days ago, started appearing before him much more frequently.
She would pop up out of nowhere and ask him all sorts of questions or strike up a conversation.
“What did you have for lunch today?”
“How’s the dungeon conquest going? Isn’t it tough?”
And sometimes, she would say, “This is a gift from me,” and hand him a small accessory.
They were all precious items imbued with immense magic power.
Among them was even a necklace with a function that would automatically teleport the user to the dungeon entrance in a critical situation.
Douglas was flustered at first, but he soon realized the reason and was deeply moved.
‘All of this must be His Excellency the Margrave’s consideration!’
He must be worried about him but couldn't come forward himself, so he was indirectly taking care of him through his youngest daughter.
What a warm-hearted and considerate person His Excellency the Margrave was.
Douglas gratefully accepted the gifts from Noemi, and his loyalty and respect for Frank grew even stronger.
Finally, having completed all preparations, Douglas stood before the dungeon entrance with a grim determination.
Thanks to the magic accessories Noemi had given him, he felt much more secure than before.
‘Today, I will definitely break through the 30th floor!’
He made a promise to himself, and to Margrave Frank who would be watching him, and strode into the dungeon.
But he had no idea.
That the moment he entered, somewhere on the 30th floor of the dungeon, a huge presence was slowly awakening.
That being had been silent for a long time, but it was about to rise, feeling the approach of a powerful being.