At the end of the ceremony, each of the guardians or landlords returned to their respective landings without creating any further problems. Only Sins, Amon and hella remained in the throne room.
After the guards had left, Hella stepped down from her throne to sit on the steps. She looked out of breath with drops of cold sweat. Her heart was racing as her breath came faster and faster. She turned to Amon on her right and said
- Fuck, for a moment I really thought I was going to die. I was expecting them to be strong, but not that strong. They scared the shit out of me, but it seems to have gone rather well, doesn't it?
When she turned her head towards amon and sins, Hella noticed that these two hadn't heard a word she'd just said. They were still in shock and deep in thought, trying to understand what had just happened. They were asking themselves questions like
- What could have happened? I don't know what's more astonishing, between the fact that no one died and the fact that it was the Black Knight who bowed first.
Amon asked Sins, who replied
- I have to admit, I had planned over a hundred different scenarios, but none of them matched this one. The most likely scenario would have been to eliminate at least two guardians and then take advantage of the dragon's unfailing loyalty to subdue the others. My calculations were perfect, but now I'm speechless, Master Amon. Declared Sins.
- Bah what? Sounds like there's a problem?
asked Hella.
- In fact, the only problem is that there isn't a problem. I still can't believe it. I remember when I was enthroned, I had to eliminate three guardians and fight a fierce battle with the Black Knight, and of course I won. But here, he didn't put up any resistance, on the contrary, he even looked delighted!
- Did he really? Do you think so?
pronounced Hella.
- Well, for me, the confrontation was inevitable. Amon and I hadn't even prepared any traps etc... But it looks like luck is on our side.
replied Sins.
- Anyway, it was weird. But what's done is done, no need to dwell on it.
pronounced Amon before adding
- That said, never let your guard down, Hella, never!
With an air of extreme seriousness, to the point where it could have seemed like a threat to hella's life, who took it with the utmost seriousness.
After a few minutes of long reflection, the trio pulled themselves together and accepted the facts. Amon informed Hella that the induction process was now complete.
- Now we're going to move on to training.
- Oh training, I understand, it's true, I am now the master of all these creatures. I have to be strong if I want to be respected. It's going to be even more fun, but first...
- What? What is it? asked Amon.
- I can't take it any more, actually. I've been holding back since the start, but now all these scary monsters have speeded things up. I'm at the end of my rope. I've got to go to the toilet!
shouted Hella as sins and Amon resumed with a surprised look
- To the...
- Toilets?
Hella looked at them in horror.
- Nooo, you're not serious? You've got a toilet, haven't you?
- I'll do something about that. Just give me a couple of hours.
Sins replied.
- Two o'clock, two o'clock, what are you, stupid? What kind of person creates such a gigantic building without a toilet? Shit, if it was just for taking a piss I'd be fine, but I can't take this shit any more.
Seeing the latter's anger, sins immediately rushed to meet her demands.
A few minutes later, Sins and Hella were standing in front of a locked room.
- Are you sure? I'm not tired, so...
- Please, this is for your own good. I've transformed this room in the dungeon so that you have everything you need for your daily life at your disposal. Basically, this is your room.
Pronounced Sins as he politely opened the door in front of hella.
- You're welcome.
Hella entered the room and was surprised by the luxury worthy of the greatest hotels. The room was magnificent, luxuriously decorated and full of light. Everything seemed to sparkle in there and it was as beautiful as it was vast. There was a large, soft bed, a well-decorated red carpet on the floor, a large glass table with flower pots and a picture frame next to the wall. Not forgetting the other decorations on the walls and vases in the room.
Hella was so surprised by the beauty of the room that she was speechless.
- This is a representation of the bedroom of a young human woman that I have tried to reproduce, but with the limited time at my disposal... please forgive the poor quality of the place.
- You've got to be kidding me. I've never set foot in such a luxurious place. It's magnificent. It's like being in the bedroom of a princess or a queen. It's like the Palace of Versailles in here.
- Oh, I'm so glad you like it. I've also had a toilet made in a room next door just in case...anyway, as Amon suggested, you need to take some time to rest and digest everything that's just happened. It's for your own good. So make the most of it. Tomorrow, I'll come looking for you. On that note...
Sins said before leaving. Hella was so absorbed by the place that she hardly paid any attention to what Sins had said. She was totally immersed in the sublime aesthetics of her room. She walked around the room, touching and admiring each piece one by one. Everything fascinated her.
But after a while of visiting her room, she finally came to the royal bed that was waiting for her. She put her hand on it to check how soft it was before turning and falling onto her back. After which, she took a deep breath before laughing.
- It's all so absurd. Hahaha ha Me, summoned to a dungeon and made its master. These monsters, this place, this situation, it's all just absurd. And yet, this extremely colossal mana inside me, I feel it as if it's always been present in my body. The powers that Amon transferred to me, I also remember them as if they had always been mine. So I really was summoned to a dungeon?! Am I really the mistress of this dungeon?! Absurd...but really exciting.
And so went what must have been the night. Even though daylight didn't reach the dungeon, hella was already awake after a good night's rest. She was sitting on her bed in the beautiful black dress that Sins had given her earlier. She was sitting in the Zen position, circulating her mana as she meditated.
She seemed completely absorbed in her meditation as her soft yellow black mana filled the room, scattering her hair in the air.
But at the same time, a noise could be heard on the other side of the door. But hella paid little attention until the noise, which sounded like a knock, was repeated six times in a row before she responded with
- Come in!
At hella's command, the author of the noise entered the room. It was a demon in appearance. Although it looked human, it also had three horns on its head and a large tail. His eyes were closed and he dressed like a martial arts master.
As soon as he opened the door to hella's room, he was hit full force by her mana, which had suddenly become violent. It was as if hella's mana was trying to repel the creature. It was as if hella's mana was trying to repel the creature.
Despite the hostility of hella's mana hitting the demon like waves, it continued to move forward until it came to face the mistress sitting in her bed, eyes closed. He left his table and got down on one knee, uttering
- Sorry to interrupt your meditation, but Lord Sins sent me.
He received no reply from his interlocutor, so he continued
- Let me introduce myself. I am Victus, the tricorn demon and also the lord's right-hand man and guardian of the 4th level. I've been personally charged with bringing you something to keep your strength up...Dungeon Mistress.
It was at this point that Hella interrupted her meditation. Her mana calmed immediately and gradually diminished until it disappeared completely from the room. She opened her eyes, delighted by her experience. Multicoloured magic circles were drawn on her pupils, shining in her eyes.
- Incredible! So that's what it's like, mixing mana! I love it. The feeling you get is just incredible. If I had to describe it, I'd say it's closer to the sensation of orgasm after an intense sexual romp. It's really...fantastic. And then I understand better what Amon meant by "I'm going to transfer some of my knowledge to you". I just have to think about it to know how to do it. It's magical. Hey...what are you doing here?
- I'm Victorus, Sins' right-hand man. I bring you food.
- What? Is it that time already?
pronounced hella in astonishment.
- Well, the Lord asked me to refer to the sun when choosing meal times and seeing as it's just risen...have I misunderstood?
- Ah... in that case, it's my fault. Amon asked me to rest but as you can see...I haven't been able to sleep all evening. All this information running through my head. I absolutely had to try. Especially magic. In my world, it's the dream of millions of people to be able to use magic and I can finally make that dream come true. Well, I haven't used any magic yet, but I really enjoyed this little experiment in mixing. Sorry, this must be boring hahaha.
- It's not boring at all!
- So, what's on the menu this morning?
asked Hella. Victus replied
- The Lord asked for a more human preparation of the food, so here's what I've been able to make for you. Winged demon fish from the thirty-third floor, I've heard it's the favourite food of humans. First there's sushi, then grilled fish, and I've also made some in a sauce with a mixture of astrix tear and vegetable caiman scales from the 16th floor. Then there's a fish skewer with a sauce made from the eyes of the demon poison, accompanied by a cup of coffee like humans like to have in the morning. The lord also asked for cakes on the table. "A food much appreciated by young women" he said, so here are three varieties of cake made from products found between the 30th and 50th floors.
Hella, who had moved to the dining table in a hurry, was now wondering if it was a good idea to order food in a dungeon.
- The fish... it's fine, but the cakes... why are they so weird?
- Weird? Oh, I'm sorry. The first one from the left is a mixture of a special powder found only on the 46th floor and a liquid extracted from the veins of a demon. That explains why it looks like frozen lava.
- O...k what about this one?
- It's made with flour and beaten globe fish eyes as well as sugar and milk.
Hella swallowed her saliva and said to herself with a look of disgust, "it was the only one that looked affordable".
- The last one is a mixture of water, flour, milk...
"Finally something normal?
hella asked herself as
- And a Teranozore tear, reputed to be very sweet. I hope you enjoy it all.
"I knew it would
she thought inwardly as she replied
- I hope so too.
Looking a little unsure, Hella took a mouthful from the cup of sushi. The shock was immense and the verdict was not long in coming.
- It's delicious! Wait, I'll try that too.
He took another plate to taste the result
- It's even more delicious. You've got to be kidding me. Such flavour, I've never experienced it even in my world. I couldn't say which of his dishes is the most delicious of all. Each one has its own unique flavour and stands out from the rest. It's like...a festival of gustatory delights. My palate has reached NIRVANA.
Without even realising it, she had devoured all the dishes with incredible speed. Then she turned to the cakes, starting with the one that looked like volcanic lava. She took a spoon before taking her first bite. She didn't utter a single word. She then took a second mouthful without saying a word. Looking sombre and serious, she devoured her plate of cake then turned to the other plates of cake. She took them all in one bite.
Then she put down the plate and her spoon and said in a serious, shocked tone of voice
- How can such ugly things be so delicious? It's the strangest thing. I don't know if I should be surprised or if I should just enjoy it. Well, let's see that coffee now.
After that, she took her cup of coffee to round off this most exotic of breakfasts. She took a sip of tea with joy but immediately spat it out with disgust.
- Is this some kind of joke? It's the only slightly normal-looking thing on this table that's the most disgusting. This stuff is undrinkable. How did you prepare this?
- Well, with leaves from a tree on the fourth floor.
- And this tree, is it demonic?
- Every living thing on the fourth level is demonic like its master.
- Haaa what else surprises me about this place?
she uttered under her breath. A few minutes later, Hella was washing her mouth to get rid of the disgusting taste of the coffee she'd just tasted. She took advantage of the situation to ask Victus a few questions
- So, Victus, you're a demon, we agree, and so is Sins, but why do you have horns and he doesn't?
- The appearance of a demon is individual. Unlike humans and certain races, we don't all share the same appearance. It simply depends on our curse.
- Your curse? What's your curse?
- The power that turns us into demons. Malefice is a source of power that takes its source in mana and negative emotions. As such, it's different from magic and the beings who possess it and can use it are called demons like me or lord sins.
- Right, then! I get the picture. So magic isn't the only source of power in this world. I wonder if I could also possess other types of magic other than magic. Interesting, but what does the rest of the dungeon look like?
- It's hard to say, I've never been beyond the lord sins floor. So I don't really know what's up there, but then it's hard to describe. The best thing would be to visit it yourself, wouldn't it? On the other hand, the place where you're standing is completely inaccessible to other inhabitants or visitors to the dungeon, without your permission of course.
- And how many species are there altogether? Are they all equally strong?
- I wouldn't know! But those from the fourth level upwards take pride in a certain uncommon power.
- I see. One last question, sins is your master, isn't he?
- Of course he is!
- And what about me?
- Of course you can!
- Well, if I order you to kill Sins for example and he gives you an order to protect him, who are you going to obey?
- You don't need to give such an order. By swearing loyalty to you, the lord has placed his fate in your hands. Give the order and he will kill himself...
- Answer my question.
Hella pronounced insistently as she stared at Victorus. He in turn looked her in the eyes before answering
- I'll kill him as you asked. The dungeon master's orders take precedence over those of the guards. That's a fact and she'll always be absolute as long as it doesn't depend on the will of the individual.
- I see! That will be all. Sorry, I wasn't trying to test you or anything. I just wanted to see something. That'll be all for now. You can go.
- Righto!
So Victorus left, leaving Hella alone in her room. She returned to her bed thinking
- Amon wants me to rest for a while before I start training, but...I can't sleep at all. How can I sleep after such a discovery? The mana is fabulous, not to mention the dungeon. Hey, why don't I go and visit it myself, this dungeon where I'm currently staying. It's a great way to kill time and I'd learn even more about this strange universe. All I have to do is remember how to get to the different floors.
Out of curiosity to discover her new surroundings, Hella got up from her bed and began to search her memory for ways to satisfy her uncontrollable urge.
- If I've understood correctly, Amon used magic to get around, but I don't master magic, so there has to be a way of getting around other than by magic or on foot. After all, I'm the mistress of this place, so I'm bound to be privileged.
After a moment's concentration, she finally found it and shouted
- Eureka! The knowledge passed on by Amon is really useful. As I thought, there must be a way of travelling in the dungeon that only the master can use. Here goes. So I just have to say "appears".
she uttered as a key appeared in front of her, floating in the air.
She took it and made a door-opening gesture, inserting the key into the void. But in the same place, a white door appeared, and she uttered the number of a floor chosen at random.
- The door opened onto the twenty-second floor. Open Sesame.
The door immediately opened by itself. Hella stared at it for a moment before stepping through confidently.
At exactly the same moment, in another room of the dungeon, a conversation was taking place between Amon and Sins.
- Your spiritual energy is disappearing faster and faster. Don't you think it's time? If you carry on like this, the wound on your body will gain even more ground. You should get some rest. Pronounced Sins.
- I'd like to, but I need to see it with my own eyes before I fall asleep. Amon replied.
- I understand, but in my opinion, I'd say you've made the right choice and I hope to prove it to you in a moment, and besides, I think it's time. Says sins.
- Yes, you're right, we've waited long enough, it's up to you now .
- You can count on me! Leave it to me, I'll take care of everything.
Sins asserted with a smirk and a smug look.