Witches must be exterminated. This is the consensus of this world.
Black magic created witches, and the root of black magic stems from the rank 2 dungeon, 'Ten Circles of Hell,' which secretly unleashed black magic.
Though more than a hundred years have passed, humanity's hostility toward witches has not diminished to this day.
To learn black magic, there was one essential condition.
Only women pregnant with daughters.
Female mages bewitched by black magic chose pregnancy just to obtain black magic.
As it was a secretly known magic with strict conditions, those who mastered it were in single digits.
Strangely, despite no new black mages being initiated, their numbers grew like mushrooms after rain.
This was because the mother's magical power persisted in their bloodline.
As long as the bloodline lived and they bore children again, black magic would theoretically be eternal.
When the news finally spread, humanity unanimously declared that black magic was a wicked plot by the Ten Circles of Hell.
Along with this, women who learned black magic were called witches, and witch burnings became widespread throughout the empire.
Charlotte, a fourth-generation witch, had lived in hiding from humans since birth.
In her life on the run, she had to flee even after watching her friends, grandmother, and mother burn to death.
Years of condensed hatred and vengeance toward humans.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, as they say.
Perhaps it was natural for Charlotte to vow to slaughter millions of humans until her death. Just as they had done to her family.
But the world was vast and humans were numerous. Now that half the continent had become human territory, Charlotte's hiding places were extremely limited.
Though there was the demon realm that divided the continent with human forces, its oxygen was highly harmful to the human Charlotte.
Charlotte thought.
A place safe from human exposure while guaranteeing security.
A place where she could satisfy her thirst for killing while finding comrades to help with revenge.
'A dungeon.'
Since establishing her plan, Charlotte had served several times as a dungeon's deputy and guardian.
But she was mostly driven out after a short time just for being human.
Despite repeated failures, Charlotte set out wandering with grand plans.
And now, she was resting at an inn in a village between roads.
"Miss, have you heard that news?"
"Not interested."
"Sigh, there you go again. Such a rigid young lady. A woman should be more approachable... anyway, I guess you're not interested in dungeons?"
When anyone thinks of dungeons, they first think of Demongate, humanity's nemesis.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Charlotte, who had been feeling an inner kinship, stirred.
Was it just kinship? As it was her former workplace, she automatically reacted when dungeon talk came up.
"What news do you mean?"
"About the dungeon that appeared in the back mountain. And it's even– oh my, look at me. I'm such a gossip."
The innkeeper shook her head mid-sentence.
Charlotte frowned and tossed a coin.
The innkeeper caught it reflexively and gasped when she saw it was gold.
"Please explain in more detail."
"Oh, oh my! Of course I should!"
The innkeeper spilled her story bag, even spraying spittle.
Charlotte's expectations, which had been hopeful, swelled into even greater anticipation.
'The Invincible 7 Palace? Impossible.'
Charlotte had also heard plenty about the Invincible 7 Palace being recently conquered.
As with all dungeons, she figured a new rank 7 dungeon would soon be born.
That it would be in this village's back mountain?
If the birth of the Invincible 7 Palace was true, not just the human empire but even the demon realm would be in chaos for a while.
"...Isn't this an exaggerated rumor?"
"No, no, I'm telling you I heard it directly from the subjugation party that went there! From the start there were true vampires and Death Knights. Some kind of irregul– anyway, they say even Death Knights appear! Though it was said while drinking, it didn't seem like a lie."
Said while drinking, huh.
The credibility wasn't very high. Humans casually tell lies when they drink.
'But if it's true.'
If it was the Invincible 7 Palace, it would clearly be the perfect residence.
Whether they would accept her was unknown, but all possibilities had to be tried to know.
"Do you know where this subjugation party is?"
"Oh my, interested after all? They're staying in the largest room upstairs. I heard they're leaving tomorrow morning–"
Before she could finish speaking, Charlotte went upstairs.
Sigh, such bad manners. A sigh was heard from behind but she ignored it.
Knock knock.
"What is it now? Huh?"
As soon as she knocked, the door opened with a hinge sound.
Charlotte immediately scattered mana powder from the pouch in her hand inside.
Starting with the man who opened the door, the large men collapsed into sleep like dominoes.
Charlotte crouched down to meet their eye level and asked.
"Tell me everything you know about the dungeon in the back mountain."
A sleep-induced mental manipulation spell.
With this, they would have no choice but to truthfully reveal everything they saw, heard, and felt.
"Back mountain... dungeon..."
They mumbled with slurred pronunciation.
Through cross-verification, the information converged to one point.
The newly updated Invincible 7 Palace had appeared in this village's back mountain.
Though not confirmed, the possibility of it being true was high.
If she could make that place her residence, the first button of her plan would be fastened.
There was no time to waste. Charlotte headed toward the back mountain through the night.
==
'This is going to shit.'
Charlotte, who should have originally gone to the Ten Circles of Hell, tried to settle here instead.
Why? Because she thought this was the Invincible 7 Palace.
Hearing her obsession with the Invincible 7 Palace, it was confirmed this was in the past.
The background story I knew about Charlotte was that she wanted to become part of the Invincible 7 Palace to take revenge on humans.
"Before being human, I was born a witch. Despite appearances, I have experience as Demongate's deputy, and as this is a new dungeon, it's still incomplete. If you use me, I can be of great help."
Stiff tone with a mechanical facial expression.
What a sociopath without blood or tears.
Honestly speaking, even having a conversation is terrifying as hell.
Whether Charlotte is human or a witch who hates humans doesn't matter.
This isn't even a dungeon to begin with!
"I'll tell you one thing. This isn't the Invincible 7 Palace. I'm not the boss either."
"I see."
Contrary to her words, she didn't seem to believe it at all.
No, why would I be the boss of the Invincible 7 Palace? This isn't a dungeon and I'm not a boss! So just leave quickly, damn woman.
I wanted to vent my frustrating outburst like this.
[Lv. 72]
It's because of that level that I can't.
I barely swallowed my frustrating outburst.
I shouldn't act rashly in front of Charlotte.
Am I just a cowardly man? That's true, but it's also true that this crazy woman is an emotionless serial killer.
She's a witch who enjoys skinning humans alive. Despite her appearance, no one can predict how this psychopath who destroys everything according to her whims might act.
Let's say I cleared up the misunderstanding that this isn't a dungeon.
What would Charlotte's reaction be then?
'I understand. So this wasn't the Invincible 7 Palace. How dare you deceive me. Atone with your death.'
If it goes like this, I'll die without being able to resist.
Then what if I say I won't accept her?
'So you don't trust me. Then let me show you my power. (Magic blast BOOM!)'
However I think about it, there's only death.
After long deliberation, my choice was:
"Welcome. I'll accept you as the dungeon's deputy."
When I extended my hand, Charlotte grasped it with trembling hands.
Though expressionless throughout, her true feelings showed in her actions.
"Thank you for accepting me."
"Work hard from now on."
"Yes. I will devote myself entirely to being of help."
Do whatever you want.
Behind us, the vampires clapped. Cheeky mosquito bastards.
"I need to step out for a moment."
"Where are you going?"
"Now that I have a deputy, I have business outside. Don't ask beyond that."
"I see. Understood."
Though what business could there be outside just because I got a deputy, there actually wasn't any.
Fuck it all. I'm going to bolt.
Better to set up house in the demon realm than stay here.
==
"It's my first time seeing a dungeon boss go out."
Charlotte trailed off while glancing sidelong at the vampires. She seemed to be asking if their boss usually engaged in such eccentric behavior.
Isabella shrugged her shoulders.
"We're not sure either. We haven't known them for long."
"What do you mean?"
"Um... actually we're not even part of this dungeon. We somehow ended up coming in here yesterday and they graciously accepted us. We didn't even know this was the Invincible 7 Palace... now I understand."
"Understand? What do you mean?"
"It's nothing. Oh, or is it something big? The boss somehow saved me when I was about to die and, uh, um. In that process, they made me like this."
Due to her poor articulation, Charlotte couldn't understand exactly.
If Isabella hadn't touched her horns, fangs, and red hair, she wouldn't have understood until the end.
"You mean you evolved thanks to the boss?"
"Oh evolution! Yes, that's right. They didn't tell me how, but anyway it's real."
Charlotte's eyes narrowed. The truth of what was just said seemed suspicious.
Having lived among non-humans in dungeons, Charlotte knew more about non-humans than humans.
Monster evolution only happened through self-awakening. There had never been a single case of forcibly inducing that change.
If true, it was truly an incomprehensible ability.
Suddenly the subjugation party's words at the inn overlapped.
They too said their weapons simply vanished with just a gesture from the boss.
"That's right. That's real too. Whew, I thought there was something different about them, but they were the Invincible 7 Palace's boss..."
Isabella seemed strangely excited.
Well, the Invincible 7 Palace is an object of admiration and awe among non-humans after all.
A dungeon boss with incomprehensible abilities who doesn't mind going out.
Charlotte gave up trying to understand them. The Invincible 7 Palace's bosses were all beings that defied understanding.
'That's why it's the Invincible 7 Palace.'
Charlotte looked around here and there.
"I should look around until the boss returns."
As it was a new dungeon, she needed to examine the internal structure before renovating and reinforcing it.
As a deputy directly appointed by the boss, that much was her natural duty.
The positions within the dungeon are as follows:
Boss -> Mid Boss -> Guardian -> Other Mobs.
Here, guardian refers to one who protects a floor or room.
As a side note, there exists another branch called deputy.
A dungeon deputy carries heavier responsibilities than a deputy in human society.
They serve as an attendant assisting the boss while keeping an ear to human society to gather information.
Furthermore, dungeon expansion and monster recruitment management, trap placement, water and food supply, ore vein collection base construction, maze plant management, map creation based on changed terrain, strategy establishment to prepare for intruders, emergency contact network setup with the dungeon association in case of emergencies.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were entirely entrusted with all management of the dungeon.
In a way, the position of dungeon deputy could be called second-in-command.
That's why a deputy needs to be "capable" rather than personally powerful.
Charlotte calmly observed the dungeon interior while walking here and there.
Though the boss accepted her, they would distrust her for being human on some level. Charlotte knew this well, having received such recognition tiringly often.
So she would prove her capability to the utmost and make them change their mind.
"When you return, you'll probably be surprised."