Dungeon Odyssey [EN]: Chapter 233

Dungeon Journal-233

# 233

Dungeon Journal

Chapter 234

[Since the dawn of the Underworld, there have been countless great labyrinths, but none have ever independently grown a core. No one knows how the great labyrinth that has accepted the Naga’s Heart will transform, or when its growth will end.]

[It may take longer than expected, or it may end tomorrow.]

The message that appeared with a brilliant flash was more ominous than ever. It sounded as if the growth might never end.

“Oh, no….”

It was too late to regret whether it would take too long. Now, all he could do was wait for the dice to roll in his favor.

“Huh?”

Kim Jin-woo, who had been focusing on the message in front of him, suddenly felt something was off and looked up. The air in the Owner Room, which had been filled with the Nagas’ wishes, expectations, and desires, had become abnormally cold.

“Ah….”

Kim Jin-woo looked around and involuntarily groaned. The Nagas, who had been all around him until just now, were gone without a trace.

Instead, hundreds of eggs filled the space.

[The entire Naga race, who share the fate of the Naga’s Heart, has fallen into a deep sleep.]

[They cannot wake up until the Naga’s Heart finishes growing.]

It was not good news. Although they had stopped growing due to the limitations of their species, the Nagas were the main force of the great labyrinth.

They numbered more than all other races combined, and they did most of the work.

But with them falling into a deep sleep at the same time as the core’s growth, there was no way to prevent the power vacuum.

The Dukes of the Deep could invade the great labyrinth at any time, and to make matters worse, the Usurper had begun to move. He had to worry about tomorrow.

But despite all this, the Nagas’ growth was essential, so he gritted his teeth and decided to endure.

“Angela!”

“Yes, Master.”

“I will replace the Nagas’ empty positions with your familiars.”

Angela’s eyes lit up, and she pounded her chest. She had been waiting for the moment to use the vampires, who had been huddled in one place, watching his every move. Without delay, she released the vampires.

“Morrigan! Find Valishus and take over the restored Moais [large, monolithic human figures]! Guard the entrance to the labyrinth with them!”

“As you wish!”

The vampires, who were weak in all-out battles, could not completely fill the Nagas’ empty positions. So, he placed hero-grade summons and Boreas, along with the surrendered nobles, in various parts of the labyrinth.

“Rickshasha.”

“My King.”

“Until Dominique returns, I will entrust all of her duties to you. Understand the work in progress and ensure there are no disruptions.”

“As you command.”

Even Rickshasha received orders and disappeared somewhere. Kim Jin-woo, left alone in the Owner Room, looked at the Nagas who had turned into eggs once again.

[Naga Egg.]

[Created to protect the Nagas until they awaken, this giant egg is a cradle and a fortress in itself. The Nagas have fallen into a deep sleep inside the hard shell until they awaken again.]

[The Naga Egg, transformed for the Naga race to be reborn as a new being, is a collection of enormous life force. There may be those who seek the egg.]

The Naga eggs looked the same, with only differences in size, but there was one egg that particularly caught his eye.

[Dominique’s Naga Egg.]

[Dominique, who has always been with the Naga’s labyrinth, is a beloved maid and advisor. She is also the King’s most trusted representative. The loyal Dominique, who has worked tirelessly for her master, may even serve the King in her dreams.]

Kim Jin-woo quietly stroked the egg.

Like the skin of the Naga lady, which was always cold, her egg was also cold. But despite that, he could feel warmth inside.

“I hope you have good dreams.”

Although it would not be easy to fill her and the Nagas’ void, he wished for their return.

***

At the same time that the entire Naga race fell asleep, a new guest arrived at the great labyrinth.

“A guest has come to see me?”

Kim Jin-woo, who was already busy trying to fill the power vacuum, frowned at the sudden visit. None of the guests who had suddenly visited the labyrinth had brought good news, so he was immediately on edge.

“Show them in.”

“Yes.”

This was something that could be done by a familiar, but Angela’s steps were still light. Perhaps she was reluctant to bring her familiars into the Owner Room where Dominique and the Nagas were sleeping.

“Who on earth has come to see me?”

“They didn’t reveal their identity. They said they would introduce themselves when they met you, Master.”

“How presumptuous.”

“They seemed to have the qualifications to be so.”

It was quite unexpected for Angela, who had risen to True Blood [a high rank for vampires] and looked down on even Boreas of the Sacking Winds, to say such a thing, so he hurried his steps even more.

“However, the energy they possess isn’t very good. The beings of the Underworld are already sinister and dark, but she was especially so.”

“She?”

“Yes, the guest is a woman.”

While listening to Angela’s explanation, he reached the outskirts of the labyrinth and spotted a woman confronting Morrigan in the distance.

He couldn’t see her features because more than half of her face was covered by her messy black hair, but he could tell that she was a mature woman just by her exposed figure.

However, the energy of the giant woman, who looked down on Morrigan, who was quite tall, was on a different level from that of an ordinary woman.

Indeed, she had the presence that Angela would consider qualified.

“I’m very sorry for coming so suddenly.”

With a voice that would melt the bones of any man who heard it, the woman greeted him with a friendly attitude that was unimaginable for a first meeting.

“But please understand that the matter is so important that I had no choice.”

Kim Jin-woo narrowed his eyes and looked at her before nodding his head.

“Let’s talk in a quiet place.”

She was intrigued by Kim Jin-woo’s attitude, who didn’t even ask any questions. But soon, she followed him.

“Morrigan, guard the surroundings.”

“Yes.”

Morrigan seemed to have something to say, but she didn’t hold him back. She just asked him to come back to her with her eyes.

“Okay, let’s talk here.”

Kim Jin-woo stopped and turned to the woman in an area that was on the outskirts of the great labyrinth, far from the center.

She glanced around, subtly exploring the surroundings, before turning her head at his words.

“What business does a Duke of the Deep have seeking me out?”

Even though the words Duke of the Deep were mentioned, she didn’t deny it. Rather, she flashed her eyes between her disheveled hair.

“It seems you already knew.”

“I’m not stupid enough not to know when you’re exuding so much energy that it’s obvious.”

When he first saw her confronting Morrigan, he could tell right away that she was a noble of the Deep, and a precious one at that, incomparable to Barons or Viscounts.

“You’re more difficult to deal with than I heard from Tyrenon.”

“Tyrenon… Are you his master?”

By mentioning Tyrenon, a viscount of the Underworld who served Brunhilde, the Queen of Corruption, she had revealed her identity.

In fact, she readily nodded her head as if she had no intention of hiding her identity and introduced herself.

“Nice to meet you, Commander of the Conquests. I am Brunhilde, the Queen of Wise Schemers.”

Kim Jin-woo didn’t bother to introduce himself. He had no intention of revealing his true name to an untrustworthy being, and he was also hesitant to utter embarrassing titles like Commander of the Conquests or Conqueror.

“So, what’s the reason for coming to see me?”

He immediately got down to business. Brunhilde, who introduced herself as the Queen of Wise Schemers and had even her subordinates call her the Wise Queen, must be a master of mind games.

It would be foolish to talk to such a being for too long.

“Hmm.”

As expected, Brunhilde seemed displeased with his direct attitude, twitching her lips and showing a dissatisfied expression.

But it was clear who was in a more urgent position, since she had come all the way here. She soon sighed and brought up the main point.

“I want to join forces with you.”

It was an unexpected proposal, but Kim Jin-woo didn’t show it.

He knew better than anyone how much silence pressured those who were confident in their own minds, so he simply closed his mouth and looked at her.

As expected, she showed a slightly flustered expression when he didn’t react. But this time, she was the one who spoke first.

“This isn’t just my idea, it’s the opinion of all the Dukes of the Deep.”

Even he couldn’t help but be surprised this time. The fact that the Dukes, who had been watching each other, looking for a chance to overthrow each other, had joined forces was something he had never expected.

“Why?”

So, he couldn’t remain silent any longer. Of course, he had no intention of showing Brunhilde the reaction she wanted, so he asked a short question and put on a cold face.

“Because he has started to move.”

It was a vague statement, but Kim Jin-woo immediately knew that the ‘he’ she was referring to was the Usurper.

“What does that have to do with the Dukes?”

“It’s because of us Dukes that he has only just started to move.”

He was starting to get a sense of it. It seemed that the Dukes’ ambition to covet the power of the High Lord and even blind the Usurper had backfired.

“Tsk.”

He clicked his tongue briefly, understanding the situation the Dukes were in. It was true that they had avoided the Usurper’s surveillance thanks to them, but it didn’t seem like they had done it out of goodwill.

What they were aiming for was the High Lord’s authority and the great labyrinth, and that was all.

There was no reason to be loyal to the Dukes now.

But despite that, he humored Brunhilde’s words appropriately.

Not knowing his true thoughts, she continued to explain the urgency of their situation and how many benefits they had bestowed upon him.

After rambling on for a while, she finally explained the specific situation.

“We can’t trust anyone right now.”

It was an excessively self-deprecating statement for a Duke who possessed talented individuals as much as a powerful army. But he soon understood the meaning of the ‘distrust’ she spoke of.

“Anatolius was attacked by the Watcher.”