Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 60 - D-Rank Labyrinth – Library of Sin (3)

Chapter 60: D-Rank Labyrinth – Library of Sin (3)

 

A Large Grimoire opens itself up and releases its tentacles when it “reads” an explorer.

While it is reading, a special mechanic activates: its resistance is fixed at 0, and any fire damage it receives is greatly amplified.

That brief moment… was the only opportunity I had to deal any meaningful damage to them.

[I understand what you were aiming for, but that was far too reckless!]

It was a strategy I rarely used, since it required the death (or near death) of the bait.

“But if I hadn’t done it, the kids would’ve died. I didn’t have a choice.”

[Observation: Had you sacrificed the bald explorer and his party as decoys instead, you and your wards could have survived unharmed without suffering at all.]

But if I’d done that… the kids would have grown to resent me forever.

I do know what kinds of actions other people consider morally unacceptable.

“What a headache…”

I waved my hand dismissively, making the floating text disappear, then firmly massaged my temples.

My excessive mental energy expenditure was giving me a pounding headache.

Still… It had been worth it.

[First of all, congratulations: [Death · Flame · Transformation] has advanced to the Second Hierarchy.]

The advancement condition for [Death · Flame · Transformation]: Burn something with flames imbued with the powers of life and death… or turn something into the dead.

Granted, even after advancing, it was still among the weakest Mysteries within the Second Hierarchy.

But in a place filled with tree-born abominations like this… it could truly shine.

Squirm!

My left arm itched.

The snake tattoo, now slightly thicker around its body, writhed excitedly over my skin.

Its joyful wriggling carried a bizarre intent beyond the comprehension of any ordinary intelligent being.

If one absolutely had to express it in the language of the surface world… it would be closest to an overwhelmingly majestic evil laugh of,

“Hehehe… O Silent One, I too wish to share in the joy of this growth, but regrettably, I have no leisure to do so at present.”

Because even after exploiting the mechanic… I still hadn’t killed the Large Grimoires.

No matter how much fire I poured out in my current state, I could never defeat a Level 8 monster.

The Large Grimoires had only become vulnerable because they were exceptionally weak to burning agony.

In reality… I probably hadn’t even shaved off a tenth of their vitality.

’…Which is why I’ll have to use another method.’

While the book monsters continued burning, I barely forced myself back to my feet and drank a stamina recovery potion.

One bottle wasn’t enough.

I drank a second. Then a third.

All while staggering toward my destination.

Fortunately, it wasn’t far away.

Among the surrounding bookshelves and books burning into piles of ash… one lone book remained completely untouched by the flames.

[Mystery Tome of ?th Hierarchy — The Sealed Demon King]

[Its effects remain unknown. However, it is certain that this book only appears when one possesses every other Mystery Tome related to the ‘Demon King.’]

The flames covering the Large Grimoires were already beginning to die down.

Ignoring my swaying body, I hurried over and picked up the pitch-black Mystery Tome.

I immediately opened it and began reading.

I had absolutely no idea what it contained.

Like one of those Magic Eye books, every page consisted entirely of abstract symbols and bizarre illustrations.

Kiiirururuk!

The Large Grimoires had finally extinguished the flames and began searching for the arsonist.

There was no need to actually understand the contents of the Mystery Tome.

I rapidly flipped through page after page.

Meanwhile, the swarm of Small Grimoires that had remained outside the firestorm also began charging toward me.

Kiiiririk!

Just a little more.

[Grimoires are approaching from every direction!]

Three more pages.

[Warning: If you do not evade immediately, you will die!!]

Taking advantage of the fact that Large Grimoires floated slightly above the ground… I flattened myself against the floor.

The Grimoires, having opened themselves wide to read me, hesitated for an instant.

A fleeting opening… created solely by the limitations of their physical structure.

If an explorer couldn’t seize an opportunity like this… they had no right to call themselves an explorer.

Crunch!

Just before the reading, tentacles wrapped around my body again… At last, destiny has arrived.

The moment the final bizarre illustration entered my sight… a deep, resonant voice echoed from somewhere.

It was coming from the Mystery Tome I’d just finished reading.

Kiiirururuk…?

The Large Grimoires, preparing to read me, suddenly began panicking in confusion.

I pulled the remaining four Demon King Mystery Tomes from Radiant’s subspace.

Centered around The Sealed Demon King, every one of the books floated into the air.

A blasphemous pentagram of murky green light formed in midair.

“I never imagined I would emerge into the world like this.”

Then…

A blue-skinned demon stepped naked out from the center of the pentagram.

[The Nameless Demon King (Demon, ??? years old). No further information can be read whatsoever.]

The Nameless Demon King.

The forgotten ruler of the demon race during its golden age.

Simply standing in the same space as him made it feel as though my entire body was being crushed.

His presence alone was utterly overwhelming.

“What is the name of the one who awakened me?”

His unnaturally eerie heterochromatic eyes turned toward me.

“…Karr.”

Summoning every ounce of strength I had left just to answer, I finally managed to speak.

The Nameless Demon King smiled gently.

“A half-elf cultist. You must have lived quite the difficult life.”

“…”

It wasn’t that I was being rude by not replying.

I simply had no strength left in my body.

“If speaking pains you, then remain still. As my reward, I shall bestow upon you a Mystery of my own creation.”

The Nameless Demon King strode over and briefly examined me from head to toe.

Then he rubbed my forehead.

“This spot will do.”

Krrrkkk!

Pain shot through me as though my bones and muscles were being reconstructed.

Immediately afterward, an indescribably strange sensation spread throughout my body.

[??: A growth-type Mystery (Third Hierarchy), [Sin: Gluttony], has taken root within your body.]

[What in the world is this ominous Mystery? Confusion fills the air…!]

“Golden-haired half-elf, I shall additionally take care of one small matter for you.”

The Nameless Demon King looked around at the Grimoires now lying prostrate across the surrounding area as though bowing before him.

Then… He casually waved a hand.

Shhhh!

Every Grimoire surrounding me shattered simultaneously.

Countless pages scattered into the air like cherry blossoms.

The hidden-piece effect of the Nameless Demon King:

Eradicate every nearby enemy.

Back in the game, nearby enemies were annihilated by the shockwave accompanying his summoning animation.

The process was somewhat different now… but the result was the same.

No… It exceeded my expectations.

[Every nearby monster has been exterminated! Even those located far away from here!]

“That should do.”

The demon lightly dusted off his hands.

Then, in an unexpectedly gracious gesture, he helped me to my feet.

“…Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for your boundless grace.”

“I shall now depart. It has been a long time since I last enjoyed freedom.”

The Nameless Demon King waved his hand through empty air.

A deep green gate leading outside appeared.

A gate exclusively for the Demon King.

I couldn’t use it.

“But, half-elf. How fares the Demon Realm these days? Does it still wage holy war against the Church of the God of Good every single day as it did before?”

“…”

I quietly closed my eyes and slowly turned my head away.

There was no reason to tell him something that would only sour his mood.

Perhaps he’d only been asking casually.

The Nameless Demon King asked nothing further before disappearing beyond the gate.

[Just who exactly was that Demon King? Even the Wise One is utterly bewildered…]

Crackle?

Even the Evil Gods were puzzled.

But I couldn’t explain it either.

Even back when this world had been a game… the Nameless Demon King’s true identity was never revealed.

’Everyone just accepted that he was a MacGuffin…’

Even on creator Kato Roger’s MiTube channel, where he explained every imaginable piece of lore… there wasn’t a single video discussing the hidden piece that released the Nameless Demon King’s seal.

Now that I thought about it… it was strange.

He’d uploaded videos explaining even the window structure of the vacation villa in [Nightmare World].

Yet there was absolutely no information about a demon who had appeared with such obvious narrative significance?

[Regardless, it was certainly a novel experience. The Wise One is extremely satisfied!]

Personally… I wasn’t dissatisfied either.

After all, there was now a good chance I’d eventually discover the Nameless Demon King’s identity as new content.

“I am pleased that Lord Lidni is pleased.”

It had been an exhausting… but rewarding act of devotion.

I stood there quietly for a while.

Then, limping softly, I began walking once more.

“Now then. Let’s resume the exploration.”

One hidden piece of the [Library of Sin] remained.

 

***

 

“There it is!”

Following Dark Mage Bartimir’s directions as they searched, Pendrick shouted.

Beyond an ordinary row of bookshelves… stood what appeared to be a tall cactus.

But upon approaching it… they realized it was merely a green bookshelf and green books warped into the shape of a cactus.

“No, what is this place?”

The surrounding scenery was even more absurd.

The floor had turned the color of sand.

As if that weren’t enough, its surface rose and fell at varying heights.

Above them…

A cluster of orange books had shamelessly embedded itself into the ceiling like a blazing sun.

Faced with scenery practically insisting that this was a desert, Pendrick and Astrimia couldn’t help laughing in disbelief.

“It was a forest a moment ago, and now it’s a desert?”

“Ridiculous, isn’t it?”

“I’ve been wondering since yesterday… why is this place like this?”

“The [Library of Sin] expanded on its own as mana accumulated. But how well do you think mindless mana can build a library? Of course it ended up a complete mess.”

Bartimir casually tapped part of a shelf jutting out like a cactus spine.

“That’s why areas resembling natural landscapes ended up forming.”

Apparently, every clue for finding the hidden pieces was hidden in places like this.

“It’s a little warm.”

“The climate gets adjusted slightly too.”

It was somewhat muggy… but nowhere near unbearable.

“Black. Red. Look carefully around you. There should be an empty bookshelf somewhere here as well.”

“Understood.”

“…”

Pendrick and Rosalia carefully searched with focused eyes.

Rumble…

“…Ah, here we go again.”

Frowning, Bartimir called out to his teammates.

“Leave this place immediately!”

A moment later…

A knight whose entire body was made of books emerged from the ground.

A Level 7 monster. Library Guardian.

It was on the same level as a Large Grimoire.

However, because it wore flame-resistant armor, fire couldn’t exploit its weakness.

Against explorers appropriate for a D-rank labyrinth… it was an enemy that could never be defeated head-on.

“Red and I will buy time!”

“Black, hurry and find the empty bookshelf!”

“Yes!”

“Ugh… here comes another miserable fight.”

Bartimir ripped the bandages off both hands and immediately charged.

His fist slammed straight into the Library Guardian’s abdomen.

A relentless barrage followed.

The monster knight endured every blow with ease.

Then swung its sword, made entirely of books.

However… Bartimir had been nothing more than bait from the very beginning.

“…”

Just before the blade could cut off the demon’s head…

Rosalia kicked the flat of the sword, redirecting it, before landing atop the Library Guardian’s head.

She forcibly pried open its thick book-like mouth.

Guuu!

The poisonous creature perched on her shoulder…

Maengmaeng… Immediately crawled inside the monster’s body.

“Cowardly tricks!”

The Library Guardian slashed upward.

But Rosalia swiftly leaped away, avoiding the strike.

Immediately afterward…

Bartimir launched several murky green spheres from his hand, smashing into the Guardian’s head.

It was another attempt to draw its attention.

But this time… the Library Guardian wasn’t fooled twice.

“How dare you!”

A crescent-shaped sword aura sliced through the air.

Slash!

“…Shit.”

Bartimir’s left arm was severed.

Thanks to the curse [Malicious Companion], his petrified arm would regenerate.

But there was no avoiding the fact that he was temporarily crippled.

The knight swung again.

One clean slash severed the demon’s leg.

“Now…!”

With only his right arm remaining, Bartimir grabbed hold of the knight’s sword arm.

Rosalia instantly seized the brief opportunity and swung her dagger with all her strength.

[Ultimate: Severance].

A Fifth Hierarchy assassin Mystery.

“Ggh…!”

The Guardian, its throat deeply cut, twisted the features of its book-made face.

“None of you shall leave here alive!”

The ferocious assault of the Level 7 monster began.

Rosalia was relentlessly driven backward, barely managing to hold on.

Meanwhile…

Pendrick continued searching for the hidden piece together with Astrimia.

How long had they searched?

“Pendrick!”

“…Mm. Here it is. On the ground.”

Near the edge of a rounded mound resembling a sand dune… stood a tiny bookshelf just large enough to hold a single book.

Pendrick took out one book from his robes.

Then placed it into the shelf.

Kiiiiiik…

A strange sound echoed. A hole opened in midair. A single sheet of paper drifted down.

 

[Donation Points: ■■□]

“Donate one more book in the future to receive a special benefit!”

 

“Done.”

One of the two hidden pieces within the [Library of Sin].

Donate three books filled with blood, pain, and screams.

“Captain Bartimir! The donation is complete!”

Karr might be their benefactor… but he was the sort of cultist who would certainly be disappointed if they didn’t give everything they had.

That was why Pendrick intended to do his utmost.

Exploration was supposed to be like that.

“You donated it?! Then run!”

Rosalia hoisted Bartimir onto her back while his legs had yet to regenerate.

Pendrick joined them midway.

“You wretches!”

The expedition barely managed to escape the pursuit of the Library Guardian… whose only weakness was its lack of speed… by the narrowest of margins.

“…If we fight it again, my head’s really going to come off.”

“So it would seem…”

The group found terrain where bookshelves formed a circular wall and paused briefly to catch their breath.

Then…

Caw!

The cry of a crow echoed from afar.

Rosalia immediately warned them.

“…Karr.”

Pendrick, who had been sitting on the ground, instantly sprang to his feet.

Bartimir blinked blankly at the unusual reactions of his two companions.

“What? Is Goldie coming?”

“Yes.”

Pendrick gripped Astrimia tightly, his expression grim.

“We have to move immediately.”

When he was an ally…

Karr, who possessed vast knowledge inherited from the Evil Gods, was incredibly dependable.

But when he was an enemy?

His brilliant schemes and stratagems.

His fighting style made it seem as though his vitality would never run dry.

And above all… His sheer unpredictability.

“If we hesitate… Captain Karr might trap us before we even realize what’s happening.”

When encountered as an enemy…

Karr was the most dangerous cultist of them all.