It’s Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

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– 1 –

Elena and Reinhardt.

They walked side by side toward the garden of the Inner Castle.

‘What a hassle.’

The scene of the garden, graced by the spring breeze, was peaceful, but Elena’s heart was anything but.

“Elena.”

His voice was still soft, yet carried a slightly cold tone.

Elena thought he might finally be getting to the point.

“Yes.”

She answered tersely, letting out a sigh inwardly.

After all, dealing with this man was exhausting.

“There was an order to assign you troops. Do you know why?”

‘Finally asking about it.’

He had the right to ask.

Not because he was one of the most likely heirs to the Outskirts Duke, but because he was one of the generals who had legitimately wielded part of the military power.

However, Elena also had the right to refuse that question.

“It’s still classified information. If you want to know, you should ask my father.”

At her refusal, Reinhardt’s face briefly tightened before returning to its characteristic gentle expression.

But Elena could tell. His gaze had changed.

‘This kid…’

Reinhardt didn’t miss the passing thought.

The fact that Elena could conduct military movements involving ‘classified’ information meant that the head of the household had given her special trust.

‘Have I caught my father’s favor…?’

His unusual gaze was fixed on Elena.

That gaze contained complex emotions.

Reflecting in his eyes now was a younger sibling who he needed to pull into his faction.

At the same time, it could be a person who might become a ‘rival’ subordinate.

‘How?’

Surely, until she ran away from the territory, she was a younger sibling with no apparent skills.

It was true she had an above-average talent being of the Outskirts Duke’s bloodline, but she was just a knight at best.

At least that’s what he thought.

Then, suddenly, she returned as a woman claiming to be cursed and began to prove herself one by one.

‘Interesting.’

This was seen as intriguing in Reinhardt’s eyes.

“If you have no further business, I will take my leave. I’m busy.”

“Yes… Elena.”

As Elena once again tried to move to assemble her troops, Reinhardt’s voice caught her by the ankle.

Elena turned back, and Reinhardt smiled charmingly.

“You must be facing a lot of difficulties. Come consult me anytime. I’ll be waiting.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

As she politely bowed and turned away, a chill ran down Elena’s spine.

At the same time, her mouth hardened in irritation.

‘Crazy bastard. Treats me like a real woman.’

She had already made up her mind.

She had no intention of entering under Reinhardt’s wing.

Joining along with Reinhardt, who had great military power, would only allow her to maintain a ‘stable and unremarkable public image.’

Her ‘ladder’ was intended to be her elder sister, Adelaide.

– 2 –

“What kind of person is the eldest son of the Outskirts Duke?”

In response to my question, Lan laid his head and arms on my thigh and answered.

“As I mentioned, he is the one handling most of the military disturbances, large and small, occurring in the Outskirts Duke’s territory. He is said to be cruel on the battlefield, but famous for his gentlemanly behavior in civilian life.”

“Sounds like the type the noble ladies like nowadays.”

“It seems that way; his letters never cease.”

According to Michaela, Elena’s half-sister.

Recently, in the Kaisen noble society, a character who appears perfect on the outside but is somewhat insane on the inside seems to be quite popular.

Ironically, the archetype of a romance fantasy male protagonist from Earth became the popular man in the noble society.

‘If you think about it, most noblemen fit that description…’

That’s what power does.

It twists a person from banal daily hobbies to deep-seated sexual preferences.

In some aspect, it is bound to distort a person.

‘The ‘omnipotence’ mentality is just that.’

Of course, I’m not someone with my wits about me, but I must be wary not to become excessively deformed either.

‘Well, most nobles would be eliminated for ‘plausibility.’’

I internally accepted this while focusing on Lan’s next words.

“There’s also a political marriage scheduled, but they say he has no feelings for that woman either.”

“Really…?”

Suddenly, I became curious. What exactly was this person’s twist?

Thinking that ‘madness on the battlefield’ would only be the entirety of that twist seemed insufficient.

‘That cannot explain a neatly kept private life.’

Usually, someone who is insane on the battlefield is also insane in everyday life.

The stress of taking lives cannot merely be released through chaotic actions and slaughter.

When discussing on the same plane.

The person I was in the future of my three confidants would likely be somewhat different from who I am now.

Back then, I would have been trapped in ‘loneliness in the crowd’ among the summons for a long time.

Gradually, bearing the mental distortions arising from taking lives, I would have slowly but surely gone insane.

‘Was it then that the children who managed to open their hearts healed me?’

Concerning my acceptance of my own demise, I was the same as I am now.

Right now, I cannot say that I am entirely sane, but it is hard to argue that I am not rational either.

‘Like that, perhaps he has his own way of comforting or outlet.’

How corrupt could a person who claimed to avoid women possibly be?

Whether he was fundamentally rotten, or perhaps genuinely clean in the contrast, he surely was an interesting character.

He remains a ‘potential enemy’ that has nothing to do with me for now.

“So, what happened next?”

– I’m curious too!

“I’ll tell you now.”

As Lan flinched his tail, which was being petted in my arms and forced a smile, he continued.

However, he couldn’t resist the lush tail.

– 3 –

If Reinhardt is gathering military power for the position of heir to the Outskirts Duke, there was another heir candidate who controlled everything but military power.

Adelaide En Sandota Ironfield.

The name of Elena’s blood sister… no, now the woman who has become her elder sister.

“Good afternoon, El…ena.”

In the gaze of Adelaide looking at her former blood siblings, there wasn’t a trace of warmth to be found.

As she presently embodied the reputation of the ‘Cold-Blooded Minister’ or the ‘Steel Rose’ of the Outskirts Duke.

‘Truly unchanged.’

Elena inwardly gave a wry smile.

She was that kind of person.

If Reinhardt was seen as an open and genuine person, Adelaide was assessed as strong on the outside and even stronger on the inside.

To gain recognition from both her father and this sister, who is nine years her senior, the past Elias worked tirelessly.

What meant a lot to her was not simply his ‘growth’ she was unaware of.

[Elias would be better off being given a village to manage. If he’s not interested in the succession, send him to the outskirts. Your Excellency.]

What she had returned to was the tale of this petition submitted to her father.

That’s when she realized.

To Adelaide, her younger siblings were either allies or competitors.

‘But not anymore.’

Though she might not have entirely erased the stains from her heart, she had now found her own place.

She only needed to do her best for that…

She thought that way.

However, human emotions are not that easily controlled.

“Hello there, sister.”

“… Every time you call me that, my head truly aches.”

The woman known for being cold-blooded among people could not help but frown and press her forehead at the current situation.

Although they have met a few times, she had no time to adapt to Elena’s situation.

Aside from family dinners, this was the first formal meeting like this.

“I didn’t know you could make such faces.”

“What face?”

“I always thought you weren’t human because you remain expressionless.”

The stains of the past were contained in her words.

It’s not easy for anyone to control past trauma.

Additionally, it takes time for scabs to form over wounds once disturbed.

“It’s surprising that you would say such a thing.”

“What’s surprising? Is it surprising that someone who foolishly chased women outside would say such things? You probably thought I got my act together after becoming a woman, didn’t you?”

“….”

Elena realized her mistake after spilling all those words upon encountering Adelaide’s silence.

‘That was not the kind of conversation I intended.’

Her goal was to obtain Adelaide’s cooperation to support the supplies deriving from the military power she’d gained from the Outskirts Duke.

Moreover, she aimed to join her faction and undermine her position internally.

Thus, causing a relationship rift in this way was out of the question.

‘What should I do…?’

With that ‘oops’ sentiment in mind, she attempted to regain her composure while sipping tea.

Wondering whom to target among her siblings aside from Adelaide.

‘It’s sweet.’

The tea was exceedingly sweet.

Ill-fitted for the current situation and for Adelaide’s demeanor.

And…

‘It feels like I’ve tasted this somewhere….’

“Ah.”

As Elena tried to recall something, she was brought back to her senses by Adelaide’s sigh and looked at her.

Adelaide seemed now to be gazing at her with a face that looked incredibly tired in a brief moment.

“You didn’t come here to talk about this, did you? Speak your business.”

Elena, who had thought it a stroke of luck that she hadn’t been chased away right away, found it incredibly unexpected.

While it was etiquette to finish the tea brought in, she hadn’t imagined that the original business would come out here.

‘Why…?’

“….”

Elena scrutinized her sister’s expression.

However, there was nothing to be read from Adelaide’s face.

‘It’s like staring at my Master’s face.’

When she faced her, Elena had successfully read Libertas’ temperament.

However, that was because she had gleaned it from the atmosphere she wore and her natural posture, not from the changes in her expression.

Adelaide displayed similar restraint that was reminiscent of her.

‘How audacious.’

This only made Elena more uncomfortable.

To monsters and the demon clan, the Demon Lord and the heir candidates are objects of absolute respect.

An entirely natural sentiment that arises from within.

It had been instilled in the monsters by the Demon Lord’s design, and some Dungeon Lords who realized it used it as a brand of the soul.

Libertas was also actively using this knowledge after coming to understand it.

To minimize deaths and to accumulate more.

‘Yet a mere daughter of the Outskirts Duke…’

How could a simple human noble’s daughter wear an aura similar to that of the figure she serves?

Of course, her master was much more gentle, cruel, grand, and kind, but the idea that a hated person had even an atom of resemblance to such a master was unbearable.

“If there’s nothing to say…”

“I’m sure you know I received military support from our father.”

The words spoken were already out there.

Elena spoke about her business with a half-giving-up mindset.

Although her existence was unpleasant, she seemed to be willing to listen.

“Yes. I know.”

“I need support for that.”

“… Do you understand what it means to receive my support?”

‘Huh?’

Elena suddenly felt something.

A certain ‘concern’ that emanated from Adelaide’s words.

She glanced at Adelaide’s face again, but there wasn’t a trace of such emotions visible there.

‘Was that a misunderstanding?’

“I know. It’s also true that it’s not the time for you to pick and choose.”

“….”

Though Adelaide was recognized for her abilities both inside and outside the territory, it was only half the truth.

Power without military strength is bound to fall in the contemporary situation.

And most of the military power held by the Outskirts Duke was currently gathered under his rival, Reinhardt.

Adelaide was in a state where even the slightest military authority possessed by Elena was coveted.

“I’m fine. Even without your power.”

A gentle but firm denial.

Hearing that, Elena looked at her face once more, but there was no sign of to retract those words.

But at the same time, Elena realized that her expression was strangely solid.

So subtle that she wouldn’t have known if it weren’t for her heightened senses as a monster.

And along with that came that earlier feeling of misunderstanding.

‘No way.’

“Sister, are you… worried about me right now?”

Tilting her head and trying to take a risk since their relationship had already turned strange, Elena blurted it out.

“….”

Elena discovered that Adelaide’s eyes widened slightly as she looked over here.

It was the moment when emotions that had been perfectly hidden for many years were revealed.