Side Story: Chaos Dungeon – 2
Patting Eclipse’s head, who was gloomy and had her head down, I glanced around the community. The majority were still on the first floor, and only a handful had advanced beyond that.
It’s been a whole week since the Chaos Dungeon DLC opened, yet here we are.
‘If it were me back in the day, I wouldn’t have cleared this so quickly.’
I couldn’t sit in front of the computer for 168 hours just playing games without going bonkers, and there’s no way I could react to all the patterns on the first try either.
‘I guess I’ll postpone the initial clear certification.’
I thought about posting a certification like I did when I was the first to clear the Dark Mode Level 1 Barehanded, but if I posted it now, I’d 100% be treated as hacking or using a trainer, so I decided to hold off.
If I absolutely had to do it, I could attach a handcam and film it, but I’m not that crazy about being the first title holder.
“Goddess.”
“……Yes, you?”
Eclipse rubbed her cheeks against my hand with a blank look and answered in a gloomy voice. It must have really shocked her.
“Should I think that the dungeon generated in the Goddess’s world is completely the same?”
“It doesn’t match perfectly. I can’t just throw in all the in-game elements from Brightest Darkness 4. I made it look a bit more natural. Oh, but I didn’t change too much. You can think of it as not having a resummon button for the boss battle and just adding a little detail.”
Eclipse didn’t just stop at my palm; she moved my hand around all over her jaw, neck, bridge of her nose, and forehead, then suddenly started glancing at me with a thoughtful expression.
“Uh… you. I lost our bet, right? Can you at least tell me what you’ll make me do?”
“Now? Didn’t we decide to postpone that?”
“I need to know what punishment I’ll get so I can mentally prepare… And… well… it’s not like there’s anything I wouldn’t do… I mean, you can really make me do anything…”
Nothing much came to mind—
‘…Wait a second.’
I suddenly had a good idea and rummaged through my desk to pull out a sketchbook.
“You mentioned wanting to wear a necklace earlier, Goddess?”
“Yes!”
The moment I mentioned the necklace, Eclipse’s eyes sparkled. The gloominess she had just a moment ago was gone. If she had a tail, it would surely be swinging back and forth at lightning speed.
“I’ll put it on you. The necklace.”
“You just have to stay like that until I come back.”
I smiled and patted the Goddess’s head. Eclipse nodded with a face as red as a tomato from embarrassment.
I opened the door that had been tightly closed for a week and stepped out into the living room.
Thud!
As soon as I went out, someone jumped into my arms. It felt rather heavy, like they had thrown themselves at me with all their might. Shimmering gold and cool silver scattered everywhere, and I felt a squishy chest press against my torso.
It was Floretta and Luna. The two hugged me tightly, burying their faces in my chest and fervently sniffing. Nix followed behind them a moment late.
Stella and Selene were back there, unsure of what to do, but as soon as our eyes met, they vanished in a flash. They had been behaving like that since the vibe of the future began overlaying.
Kaiquilia, who had been looking at the popes and Nix with a judgmental expression, spoke up with her characteristic haughty smile.
“Your emotions are clearly visible on your face. Did you succeed?”
“Yes. You can go check for yourself.”
“I trust you, so I need no verification. But the inside of that dreadful place does pique my curiosity.”
Kaiquilia stood up as if she had been waiting for me to say that. Just as she was about to enter my room, she paused when she noticed Eclipse sitting on the bed.
“……?”
Once her feet were planted on the ground, they didn’t move easily. No matter how self-centered Kaiquilia was, it seemed she found the creator of the world somewhat intimidating.
“Why is this Goddess… in this position, Delta?”
“I thought it would take at least a month to clear that dungeon, but it only took a week.”
“A month, you say?”
Kaiquilia glanced back and forth between the Goddess and me, a smirk of invisible derision forming on her face.
“If it were me, I would surely say you were correct. Your faith is sadly lacking.”
“…….”
Eclipse flinched. To laugh at a goddess, you’d need some serious guts.
Or maybe she believed in me. After all, I wouldn’t allow them to fight amongst themselves, of course. And I certainly wouldn’t permit such openly provocative behavior.
Kaiquilia, her expression returning to neutrality, approached the computer. Aurora, who had inconspicuously stepped outside to gauge the Goddess’s mood, quietly followed her inside.
Before entering, she gave me a little wave.
Hey. Are you okay for a moment?
As I waved back, Minerva’s voice resonated in my head.
I glanced around. Minerva peeked out from her room, waving her hands. The popes and Nix were hanging in the air and moving unpredictably.
“There sure are a lot of guests.”
Minerva smiled softly at the three who were clinging to me as if they weren’t letting go at all. She stepped closer, and smack, our lips met.
After a prolonged entangling of tongues, Minerva pulled back and sensually licked her lips. Mischievous smile lighted her eyes, as her elegantly arched eyebrows twitched slightly.
“Aren’t you curious about where the Knight Commanders are, dear child?”
“Weren’t they out because of the Chaos Dungeon?”
“Oh, did you know?”
“I just deduced it well enough. I stepped out, yet all four were silent. And Minerva, you were asking where they had gone.”
Minerva, though disappointed, seemed pleased that she could explain quickly.
The absence of the Knight Commanders was exactly as I expected; they had been ordered to monitor the area surrounding the Chaos Dungeon. It was a place where anything could pop out, so the elite forces had been dispatched.
The Knight Commanders, who knew the truth, looked disdainfully at Aurora, who was loitering in her apartment, but Aurora stealthily avoided their gaze.
“To think the Silver Dawn Knights would eye the Empress this way is something I never could have imagined in the past four hundred years. And, had it not been for you, Delta, they might have remained oblivious forever.”
“I don’t want to divide my girls by rank.”
Even though Kaiquilia casually spoke in a disrespectful tone to anyone, that was just her nature and couldn’t be helped. Everyone just went along with the atmosphere.
“In the boundaries of your girls, I must also count myself, dear child?”
“Why ask what’s obvious?”
Minerva’s cheeks flushed red. Like Kaiquilia, Minerva seemed to have become far more restrained than in the past. She used to be unpredictable when it came to matters related to magic.
Instead, her curiosity in other areas has been immensely vigorous. Even now, a lewd desire dripped heavily from the way she looked at me.
“Perfect timing.”
I had intended to visit the Chaos Dungeon, and if the Knight Commanders were there, I had more reason to move quickly.
Huu…….
Lize, sitting on the bed of the temporary camp, sighed. Beyond this tent lay an enormous pupil. The Silver Dawn Knights had been tasked with monitoring this pupil.
In the past, as a knight, I would have thought it was only natural to follow such orders. But now, things felt different.
I had a lot more insider knowledge.
I knew what this dungeon truly was, that the Empress’s orders had really come from Aurora’s avatar, and I found out that the actual Empress was just having fun in Delta’s apartment.
Moreover, the actual Empress was younger than Lize, and lately, she felt less like an Empress and more like one of Delta’s girls, which made it even more so.
“What’s with the sighing, Lize?”
Iris, who was polishing her sword, approached me. Unlike Lize, who was visibly slumping, Iris had movements that were crisp and refined.
“I’m thinking, considering the Empress might just be relaxing at Delta’s place…”
I almost slipped and called her Aurora just like at home, so Lize quickly swallowed her words. It would be okay if we were in the apartment, but here, I couldn’t say that. There were too many eyes.
Once the whole continent found out, I didn’t know how receptive Delta would be to becoming more famous, so it had to remain a secret.
“Hmm… I think she will likely come here soon.”
“She’ll come here? Who, Delta?”
“Yes.”
“On what basis?”
“Faith. It’s the faith I must hold as one of Delta’s girls.”
“Faith, huh…”
A mischievous expression crept onto Lize’s face.
“You said you’d never let anyone take your man, but after a few rounds, you’ve become quite the devoted housewife, dripping honey with every word, huh?”
“……Cough.”
Iris averted her gaze awkwardly. I supposed that teasing would continue for as long as this situation lasted.
If only I could go back in time, I would advise my past self not to say such things, but what’s spilled is spilled. I must accept it humbly.
“We’re here.”
“Nothing special happened.”
The cloth at the entrance was pulled back. Claudia and Erica, who had gone to survey the terrain near the dungeon entrance, returned. Since both knew the truth about the dungeon, they seemed rather unenthused.
“Have we played too much? Why do the armor and greatsword feel so cumbersome?”
“Mind if I hit you for whining on and on while we were surveying? Claudia?”
“Why do you always act like you’re the only one who works hard?”
“That’s because it’s true. What you gonna do about it?”
When Erica confidently questioned her, Claudia seemed to have no retort and shut her mouth. It was evident whose words were true in that moment.
“Well, at least Delta will arrive soon, so we won’t be bored anymore.”
“Delta is coming? Who said that?”
“Right next to you, our Iris. She confidently exclaimed that she’s now one of Delta’s girls, and her faith in her husband is firm.”
As all eyes focused on her, Iris’s face turned beet red. Lize poked Iris gently with her elbow.
“Gonna try to take my place later on—”
Prepare for Battle!!!!!!
At that moment, a voice rang out from outside as if to burst a lung.
Prepare for battle? The four of us exchanged glances without needing to say who would see it first. There had been no mention of such a thing when Kaiquilia and Aurora explained this dungeon.
We dashed out of the tent. Just as expected, a massive monster was stealthily advancing toward us from inside the pupil. Its form was indescribably horrendous.
The Silver Dawn Knights and Battle Nuns scattered throughout the pupil were forming up and preparing to engage.
“Didn’t they say this wasn’t supposed to happen?”
“Yeah, they definitely told me it was a farming dungeon for Delta.”
“……Let’s ask about it when we get back.”
“We have no choice.”
The Knight Commanders drew their weapons, striding boldly forward. The knights swiftly cleared a path left and right. Meanwhile, the Inquisitor and the Heretic Inquisitor were stepping up too.
“Everyone! Prepare for bat… uh…?”
Just as Iris was about to shout boldly,
The monster, slowly scanning our group, suddenly locked its gaze onto something and dashed back into the pupil, fleeing in panic. Iris blinked in confusion.
“……What was that?”
“……I don’t know either. Didn’t it just take off in surprise from wherever it was looking—”
“Holy One!”
“The Holy One has descended upon this place!”
A massive cheer drowned out the voices of the Knight Commanders. There could only be one person referred to as the Holy One among those people. Iris slowly turned her head.
Dressed in pitch-black uniform, Delta walked toward us, bowing deeply with her head almost touching the ground among the Battle Nuns.
“…….”
The four of us exchanged glances, communicating silently.
‘That expression, huh?’
‘Looks about right. That expression.’
‘Wait, does that mean Delta also doesn’t know why that just happened?’
‘That seems very likely.’
That was the expression Delta often made whenever something unexpected happened.
