CHAPTER 13 - PART 3 & 4

Part 3

We reached our destination in the deepest part of the dungeon a bit too easily, which was near the lich's room.

If I remember correctly, this should be the deepest part of this passage.

"… What is with this? No matter how I look at it, this must be the boss of these monsters."

Before me and Darkness was a figure sitting crossed leg in the lich's room, working hard at making the dolls.

He was wearing a suit that didn't match the dungeon at all, and his hands were covered in white gloves. The mask he was wearing had a similar design with the dolls that attacked us.

The mask that didn't cover the mouth had an ominous feeling.

Maybe he didn't saw us even though I was holding up an oil lamp, or maybe he was too focused on making his dolls, but this fellow didn't even look at us.

I couldn't see his face with his mask on, but from his build, he should be a man.

As I was wondering what to do, Darkness took large steps towards that masked man.

"Hey… What are you doing here? If you are making that doll, that means you are the mastermind behind this commotion, right?"

Darkness then drew out her sword and took a stance.

The masked man only faced us now, as if he only noticed us after Darkness said that.

Looking closely, that guy was tall.

He didn't have anything that looked like a weapon on his hands, but it was obvious that he was not a mere minion character.

The eye part of the mask gleamed with a red light, and the exposed mouth smirked.

"Ohh… I didn't expect anyone to be able to reach here. Adventurers, welcome to my dungeon! Thou art correct, moi art the source and the origin of all evil! Moi art a boss of the demon king army, the duke of hell that commands the devils! The arch devil that could see through anything in the world, Vanir!"

An unexpectedly strong enemy appeared!

— In the dim dungeon, I backed away slowly.

Darkness held her sword cautiously against Vanir. She was tense since this was a boss of the demon king army after all.

Oh no, I didn't expect to meet a boss of the demon king army with just Darkness and me.

No, now that I thought about it, there were plenty of signs.

For example, the toads that emerged out of the ground as though they were fearing something.

What spooked them wasn't the explosion spell.

Just like that time when Beldia showed up here, the weak monsters had all fled.

"Darkness. Hey, Darkness, we can't handle this situation by ourselves, let's think of a way to escape!"

"What are you saying! As a devotee of the Goddess Eris, how could I retreat in the face of the devil, and a boss of the demon king army on top of that! Even if it will kill me, I will bring him down!"

What a stubborn woman!

After hearing what Darkness said, Vanir smirked enthusiastically:

"Ohh, thou wish to defeat moi? Defeat Mr. Vanir who some say is stronger than the demon king? But… the girl who is worried that the man over there saw your six pack when thou were naked in the shower. I couldn't fathom why art thou is so angry, but moi heard that eating some small bones will help in alleviating your nature of being quick to anger. Part of my mask was made from the bones of magic dragons, I don't mind letting you bite it."

"Six pack, six pack…! You, stop spouting nonsense you minion of the demon king! Kazuma, this guy is lying! I don't have any six packs, I am not worried about it!"

"Eh, don't get agitated, Darkness. Calm down!"

I restrained Darkness who was waving her sword and about to attack.

Vanir ignored the enraged Darkness, maintaining his position of sitting cross legged and said:

"Please calm down. I didn't come here to pick a fight with thou. It's because that fellow, the demon king ask moi to investigate something. Also, I have some business with the useless boss in Axel who become more impoverished the harder she worked.

Darkness and I looked at each other when we heard Vanir said that.

Part 4

Darkness who was standing at one side kept her sword raised and alert, ready to strike at any time. I sat on the floor of the dungeon and listened as Vanir spoke.

"First, although I am a boss of the demon king army, I am just maintaining the barrier of the castle because of his request, so I'm just a boss in name. I am known to others as a devil. The best delicacy for devils are the negative feelings produced by the hatred of human. In my eyes, humans are the producer of delicacies, so I won't perform stupid things such as killing or harming thou. Whenever a human is born, I will be so happy that I would dance in the courtyard."

"I, I see… But to stimulate our negative feelings, that means you will harm us correct? There won't be any negative feelings if our lives are peaceful."

He had not shown hostility yet, but since he was a boss of the demon king army, we won't be able to handle him with just the two of us.

It's better to play along with him and avoid fighting.

Speaking of which, a boss in name maintaining the barrier…

He was someone just like Wiz.

Vanir remained seated cross legged as he created dolls skillfully while speaking:

"For negative feelings, there are tons of them in various intensity. The taste of every devil are different and have differing preference. Some devil likes fear and despair, while others are like me, transforming into a great beauty to approach men, and after working hard to make the men fall for me, I will reveal my true form and say 'too bad, it's actually moi'. I will then taste their feeling as they cry tears of blood."

"I'm starting to think it would be better to kill you off."

I looked with suspicion at the devil wearing a suspicious mask.

— The demon king seemed to had tasked this devil with the job of scouting out the humans that defeated Beldia.

"As I was toying with the demon king's subordinates and feeding off their negative feelings… he pleaded with me 'don't sloth in my castle and bully my subordinates, go work once in a while…' I was thinking about visiting my old friend residing in this town, so I took the job. On my way here, I found this dungeon without a master. I thought that it suited moi and came in on my own."

What about your work? Your old friend? There had to be a limit on how carefree you could be! I wanted to retort, but if he said 'I will start doing my work then', it would be troubling.

The humans who defeated Beldia were us after all.

— Although I wanted to ignore this fellow and scram, there was something I couldn't ignore.

"You mentioned that it would be troubling for you if humans were harmed, so what's with these dolls? They kept spilling out from the dungeon and gave plenty of trouble to the townsfolk."

"… Hmm? These things are used by moi to exterminate the useless monsters inside this dungeon. I see, since they had made their way out of the dungeon, it means there are no more monsters inside the dungeon. It's time for moi to stop the mass production of Vanir dolls and begin the next phase."

"… The next phase? What are you scheming?"

Hearing me say that, Vanir returned the half finished doll into dust and said:

"It's rude to call it scheming, the man who was as worried as a bear and pacing around the room all day because the armour girl didn't return home for a few days. I have a grand dream as a devil. I came to this place in order to fulfill that dream."

"Hey! Shut up, you did say that you are a devil that could see through all things, but why are you describing it as if you had seen it with your own eyes… And you, you, stop squirming about!"

Darkness who was blushing and stealing glances at me was annoying.

It was true that I was worried about her, but I didn't pace around my room… The frequency should be negligible.

"The dreams of a devil doesn't sound like a good thing. Anyway, can I ask what kind of dream is that?"

Under the angry glare of Darkness, Vanir nodded…

"For moi who had existed for near eternity… I have been harbouring the urge to go out with a bang for quite some time now— And that is to pass on elegantly after dining on the finest negative emotions. I had been thinking for a long time, I don't even remember when I first had this thought. I had been thinking, what do I need to do in order to dine on the negative emotion I am most fond of. And I have finally found the best idea…"

Vanir smiled at this juncture, and I waited with bated breath.

"First, I will obtain a dungeon. Next I will dispatch my evil minions to standby in each room, setting grueling traps in them! Powerful veteran adventurers will then come forth to challenge themselves! After experiencing numerous challenges, someone will finally make it to my residence in the depths of the dungeon!"

Vanir got more and more excited during his monologue, his hand gestures were larger and his tone more agitated.

"And waiting in the depths of the dungeon will of course, be moi! I will then say 'It was impressive for you to make your way here, adventurers! Come, great fortune awaits if you could defeat moi…!' After my opening speech would be the final battle! After a fierce fight, the adventurers finally defeat moi. In the end, a treasure chest with heavy seals would appear behind my tattered body. As I start to lose consiousness, the adventurers who overcame immense hardship open that treasure chest before my eyes…!"

Darkness and I gulped and waited in silence.

"... Inside the box would be a piece of paper saying, 'Thank you for your patronage!' The adventurers would look at this paper with a blank face, that's the scene I want to see as I head toward my demise."

"Don't do that. That's so pitiful, anything but that…"

"Hey Kazuma, I think we should take out this fellow after all."

Vanir smirked at me and Darkness lightly and said:

"A friend of mine is operating a shop here. Moi original plan was to work in her shop to save up money, and use those funds along with the help of my friend to create a large dungeon. But when I passed by this dungeon, I realized there was no owner. So I changed my mind and decided to use this place instead."

"Staying here for such a reason is a bit… Anyway, I know what you are planning to do here. Since you won't be creating anymore dolls, there's nothing more to discuss. We are here because we need to do something in the room behind you. To tell you the truth, we are here to dispel the magic circle in that room."

"Huh…! Hey Kazuma, instead of that magic circle, we should take care of this guy! You want to ignore this boss of the demon king army? The enemy of humanity is right before us!"

That might be so, but what can just Darkness and I do against the boss of the demon king army?

As I was getting up and planning to leave after dispelling the magic circle…

"… Magic circle? Ohh, That magic circle that gave moi quite a bit of trouble? Thou art too kind. I don't know which annoying fellow did this, but this irritating magic circle is keeping me out of the room. If thou is willing to dispel it for me, I will gift you a Vanir doll made by moi which will laugh in the middle of the night."

"No, no thanks. It would be troubling for us if this magic circle remains here. We will be leaving after dispelling that, please do as you pleased after that."

My plan was to rush off after getting rid of the magic circle, so I said so casually.

"Why would the existence of this magic circle be bad for thou? Let moi peer into thou's past…"

My words stirred the curiosity of Vanir and he said this light heartedly…

… No, wait…!

"... Fuhahaha!"

Before I could stop him, Vanir seemed to have observed something and laughed dryly.

Feeling a strange aura coming from Vanir, Darkness moved up to protect me.

"Fuhahaha…. Fuhahahaha! Fuhahahahahaha! Should I say this is as expected or unexpected?! So the magic circle that is troubling was set by thou's party mate! Even an arch devil like moi couldn't breach it, to be able to set up such a magic circle, could that priest be…!"

Damn, I didn't know what was happening, but this devil appeared to be agitated!

Vanir stood up slowly, his eyes that were looking at me emitted a red gleam.

Unlike the red pupil of the Crimson magic clan, it fitted the image of a devil, drawing out the instinctual fear of men. Eyes that were red like blood.

"Ohhh,,, the vision is clear to moi! On the surface! At the entrance of this dungeon! I see the priest who set up the magic circle drinking tea leisurely while looking bored."

If what he said was true, I had the urge to go back immediately and beat her up. I want to scold her for making life so difficult for me.

The face below Vanir's mask was full of life.

"Alright. That girl who is really concerned with the 'overboard demand' after losing a bet to this man, can't get it off her mind, is full of anticipation and keeps squirming around. That man who is thinking about what to do to that girl and is itching to do so. Open a path for moi! Don't worry, 'not killing humans' is moi iron rule. That's right, I will not kill humans… all 'humans'! That girl who gave moi so much trouble with her magic circle, I will show her!"

"Nothing is on my mind I'm not anticipating and I'm not squirming stop your nonsense! Don't, don't mess around!"

"That that that's right! I am not itching at all! No, no such thing!:

We barely endured the psychological attack of Vanir who could see through minds as he took a step towards us.

This fellow said he was a devil that could see through all things, and he emphasized just now he didn't kill 'humans'.

Which meant he knew Aqua's true identity…?

At this moment, Darkness lifted her long sword and pointed it at Vanir who was closing in on us.

"If you are planning to harm Aqua, there is no way I will back down. As a crusader serving the goddess Eris, I swear on my honor that you shall not pass!"

"Not just your six packs, even your brain is hard and inflexible, girl. If I am serious, it's easy for me to finish you off. But I am not planning to kill humans. It is hard to judge which person will produce an exquisite negative emotion after all. Go home and finish that 'overboard demand' with each other. This devil with foresight eyes guarantees thou that if you return now, no one will get in your way, things will definitely develop as you hope for."

This, this guy…

"Ignore him Darkness! These are the so called whispers of the devil! Don't get tempted by his alluring words."

"I, I won't get tempted! Kazuma, think of the time and place okay?!"

Strange? My heart was shaken immensely …!

What's with that foresight eyes devil? He made me think that 'can't get it off her mind, is full of anticipation and keep squirming around' was real.

… I stole a glance at Darkness and found her cheeks slightly red, the tip of her sword was shaking, showing how shaken her heart was.

"Fuhahahahaha! Both are interested in the other party as a member of the opposite gender, but too scared to cross that line because thou art party mates! Scurry off! Or thou could rest in that room with a magic circle after I had passed through before returning!"

They really were the sweet murmurs of the devil!

None of the enemies I encountered had set such a vicious trap!

"Hey, Kazuma! What are you so hung up about! We live in the same mansion, it would be awkward if we develop such a relationship! Get your act together!"

"Ahh! That's right, this is Darkness, I have to get my act together! It's just that her looks and body suits my taste, but it is that Darkness inside, don't tricked by a moment of lust!"

"You, you… You will get it after we go back…!"

Girls were so complicated.

"Ohh… You resisted my temptation. But how should I go about this? All of my skills are so powerful they will kill in a single hit. For example moi lethal laser. Because it is a lethal laser, thou who art a human would perish with one hit, thou shall perish even if it doesn't hit. Aside from this, there is the Vanir eye beams, but it has the side effect of burning moi eyes after using it, so I had not tried it before…"

"Enough, enough! I will go crazy if you go on! I will not let you go to Aqua, you will have to defeat me first if you want to go there!"

Darkness slashed at Vanir after saying that!