"Ah, how long has it been since I had this many souls! Well, shall we have a taste?"
Little by little, the souls trickled out from the children who had become dolls. Rodrigo filled the wine glass he was holding and savored the aroma.
"It is sweet. The master will be pleased."
"Hu-uh!"
The children feel in confusion, dropping their toys and dolls. Rodrigo declared with a wicked grin.
"Come on! With this, the first game, 'Easter Egg of Random Death' is over. Congratulations to all the children who survived!"
"Aww! I-It's a demon! Demon!"
"Th-then, uh, th-this is the dungeon…!"
"It's sad to see with such frightened eyes. I really like children. Let's have fun together. Yes?
"R-R-Run, run away...!"
"He-Hey! Th-There is a door!"
The children gathered at the front door leading out of the reception hall. But the door didn't budge. Rodrigo shuddered as he twirled the bundle of keys with his index finger.
"Access to this mansion is under my control as the butler. The entrance was closed long ago, and finding the exit is in vain. Count Orsche's mansion is different from other dungeons."
What? A dungeon that doesn't generate exits and entrance gates even if you haven't encountered the boss?
Is it real or fake? I can't believe this Demon's words.
['The world-building God' says it's true.]
['The Spoiler Inspector' is startled and takes out a yellow card.]
Unlike before, the inspector reacted violently.
'Thank you for letting me know, World God.'
The fact that the exit and entrance gates do not open, hope is blocked inside and outside. Not only is it impossible to escape from the inside, but it also means that rescue forces cannot come from the outside.
In this case, the only way out of the dungeon is to subdue the boss, Count Orsche.
"Th-then we can't we get out of here? Are we all going to die?"
"M-Mom...Aww!"
As the despairing children began to cry loudly, Rodrigo exclaimed with a blushed face of excitement.
"Then let's start the second game right away! The next game is... Voila! Hide and seek of death!"
A three-headed clown doll appeared in the air.
"This is an easy game where you just need to run away and hide well from these guys... what. No one is listening to me. That's why brats that cry so hard are...Oh my! That was a slip of tongue. You are all wonderful! I absolutely love children! It's absolutely tasty!"
"Whuaaa! He said delicious! I don't want to be eaten!"
"Mom! Dad!"
"Help me! Buaaa!"
The noise was terrific as the children raised their voices and wept. Rodrigo covered his ears and took a step back.
"Okay, okay! I'll make you a way back home. Stop it!"
"Re-really?"
"Yes, yes. I just have to ask my merciful master. So, let's stop crying and get motivated to play with gusto."
Rodrigo signed a contract.
For demons, contracts are absolute, it was binding under the rules of this world, and for me, it was guaranteed in the form of a quest.
[ A quest has arrived.]
[ Count Orsche's Grace (Difficulty: S)
The demonic and merciful owner of the mansion, Count Orsche has opened up another way to escape the dungeon other than defeating the boss, so bow his head and thank him!
Requirement: Be the only survivor of the dungeon
Success Reward: Survival
Failure penalty: Death]
[ A quest has been forcibly accepted.]
...The sole survivor.
"Let's be the last one to survive! So don't give up hope!"
I see, this was how Little Thesilid was able to survive alone in an S-class dungeon.
"Then we start counting to 20. One, two, twenty!"
"Kyaaaa!"
"Ho-How can you count numbers like that!"
Countless Clown dolls approached the children and swung their arms. It was a slow movement and a dull attack. But bloodshed unfolded nonetheless.
[] Violation of the Violence Standards for the tutorial has been detected. Reduces mental shock.]
Thanks to that, I calmed down and came to my senses. Otherwise, I might have used Descent already.
"Aww! no!"
"Mo-Mom...hic… … ."
Some children ran into the hallways or wielded something that could be used as weapons, while others were confused and hardened on the spot.
"Hiccup!"
Puck!
"Calm down, run away or stop it from attacking!" (Eli)
The clown, who was about to attack a girl, was hit by a gift box I had thrown and froze. The girl ran outside the reception hall in a hurry.
"She heard you well and yet ignored everything I said."
Thesilid with a toy wand as a weapon said bitterly. It seemed that he had rescued some of the children in crisis and returned to my side.
I was grateful that a child with power came to me on his own.
As expected, the spirit of chivalry is strong, just like a holy knight who will be called the first sword of the Kingdom of God in the distant future.
Swallowing my emotions, I picked up a heavy gift box and said:
"Don't be disheartened. Do you think she can really hear me? She just ran away by instinct."
"I'm not depressed. More than that, you know what?"
"What?"
"You're the only one not being attacked."
"...Oh? It's true."
Clowns were only sneaking around me, in contrast to relentlessly chasing other children. Even Thesilid, which exudes divine power, was no exception, am I the only one?
'They must be undead.'
The passive skill I had, 'Notoriety that resonates in the underworld' was obviously the main cause of the effect.
At the moment the Clown's white face, who was flying around, overlaid with that of a skull, and the moment it attacked the children, a dreadful scythe-like afterimage was revealed by its blunt movement.
Intermediate Undead, Grim Reaper. That was the identity of the Clown doll.
That's good. Due to the timing, the main character must have just awakened his divine power, and the undead is particularly vulnerable to divine power.
Then a thought suddenly came to mind.
'Wait a minute? So the reason Thesilid was attached to me was to use me as a shield?'
My grateful emotions stopped at once. Meanwhile, Thesilid narrowed his eyes at me.
"As expected, there's less attack because I'm next to you. No way…are the demons not attacking because you're on the same side?"
It is a scary and embarrassing misunderstanding. I immediately pleaded innocence.
"Hey, I'm on your side."
"...."
Thesilid's sea-blue eyes widened.
"You're on my side...?"
I raised my right hand as if taking an oath.
"Yes, your side. Really. I swear."
"...I see, well. For now, let's just say that's the case."
With a bitter answer, Thesilid averted his gaze. It seems like he's letting it slide. Even after I said I was on his side, I fell troubled.
Now what?
Unfortunately, saving everyone like a hero was impossible for me.
Since Descent is a fast-paced skill that has no backup plan, it must be used in a decisive battle with the boss. It's no use attacking the butler or making a riot by attacking lesser demons.
The owner of this dungeon appeared only after going to the boss room. I guess I'll have to stick with Thesilid as well.
Soon, almost all of the children ran into the hallway.
The Clowns will keep chasing after them, but it was better than the reception hall that was decorated like a creepy play.
"Oh no! The situation in the West Annex where we are located is the worst. Is it because there's only one stigmata? Even so, I don't think you can use any powers. Oh! Maybe you are the weakest of the stigmata?!"
Thesilid was just not compatible with this many-to-one battle. He was not provoked needlessly.
"It seems there are several hide-and-seek places. I have to join my friends, but the number of Clowns doesn't go down."
"Are you using the divine power?"
"No. Those things look like monster-type, so I'm trying to save it."
"Use divine power. It looks like these dolls are disguised with phantom magic, but they are actually intermediate-level undead. You can't see it, but they are holding a scythe, so be careful."
"How do you...It's getting harder and harder to figure out your identity. I'll trust you for now."
Thesilid threw the toy wand to the floor.
"Huh? What is it?"
It was the moment Rodrigo felt an unusual sensation and looked at Thesilid.
A white light shone on Thesilid's hands. It seemed he cast a very sacred and powerful skill just by looking at it.
Since divine power and magic cannot be omitted from the start-up word in the chanting process, I soon knew the skill name.
"Baptism of condemnation."
Pussack!
The head of the Clown doll, which was held in his grasp, turned to powder. The destructive baptisms continued one after another.
"Oh oh! Now you're showing off your skills! But to no avail! I can make more clowns!"
Thesilid silently killed the creepy Clown dolls.
"The Clowns will fight you until you get tired. Well, then! I have a spectacle in the Southern annex, so I'm out!"
Only me and Thesilid were left in the reception hall. I spoke behind his back.
"I think that's enough time for the kids to run away from the reception hall."
"Why didn't you run away?"
"I'm your shield for n-…Thesilid, back!"
The Clowns scythe was drawn towards the back of Thesilid's head as he looked back at me.
At this rate, our little doormat is in danger of being crushed!