Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 218

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 218

Chapter 19

Long, long ago, even before the Mage Republic was established.

Mages fleeing persecution from the Holy Empire reached the Sahara Desert in the center of the continent.

With nowhere left to run, they hid from the temple’s eyes and used magic to build foundations in the barren land, creating an underground village.

Rumors of a mage paradise spread secretly, and as mages gathered one by one, the village became a city, and the city became a kingdom.

The ancient underground kingdom of Sahara, the origin of a brilliant magical civilization that even created an artificial sun, was formed in this way.

Unfortunately, that glory did not last long.

Due to one mage’s betrayal, Sahara’s existence was exposed to the Holy Empire, and eventually the kingdom was trampled under the military boots of the religious order.

However, the queen of the fallen kingdom was not one to give up easily.

“As long as I reign, Sahara shall not perish. Therefore, I shall curse for eternity all those who set foot on this land!”

The queen, who carved curse magic into her own soul, became a being that overcame death—a lich king—and resurrected the massacred kingdom’s people, turning them into undead.

The dungeon ‘Ruined Ancient Kingdom of Sahara’ was born in this way.

‘So to clear this dungeon and escape, I’ll need to kill the queen.’

I narrowed my eyes as I looked up at the roof of the royal palace glowing bluish under the artificial moon.

It had already been two months since I fell into this place with Lord Cheri.

Lord Cheri could certainly behead the queen with his own power, but the problem was the swarming undead monsters in the royal palace where the queen resided. Even he was helpless before such overwhelming numbers.

“Lady Blanche, I’ve found a place to spend the night.”

Just then, Lord Cheri, who had finished patrolling the residential areas surrounding the royal palace, leaped up onto the roof of the building where I stood.

As I naturally wrapped my arms around his neck and held on, Lord Cheri ran off, stepping on the roofs of houses shrouded in darkness and the debris of ruins.

The scenery of the fallen kingdom visible over his shoulder boasted such tranquil beauty that it was hard to believe we were underground.

The collapsed ruins alone gave a glimpse of how brilliant this kingdom’s civilization had been.

“Grooooan.”

…If only there weren’t ghouls wandering between the collapsed buildings, I would have explored this kingdom on my own feet.

Soon Lord Cheri landed at a two-story stone mansion that retained its original form reasonably well.

When we politely knocked on the door and entered, the homeowner welcomed us enthusiastically.

“Grooooan!”

“We’ll just stay for one night.”

Bang!

As I shot a mana bullet into the ghoul’s forehead while politely requesting to stay for one night.

“Grooooan…”

The homeowner, now gentle in temperament, kindly showed us around the house.

While I organized the room I would use for sleeping under the homeowner’s guidance, Lord Cheri prepared a simple meal in the kitchen.

Sahara, where all kingdom citizens were supposedly skilled mages, naturally had every house equipped with a food storage enchanted with preservation magic.

Thanks to this, we hadn’t worried about meals for the past two months.

By the time I finished organizing some decent clothes and bedding, Lord Cheri’s cooking was complete.

“For the appetizer, onion soup, the main dish is steak using duck breast, and for dessert, I’ve prepared soufflé.”

Even dessert in such a short time?

‘A Northern Duke who’s even good at cooking. Isn’t this a bit of character overload?’

Lord Cheri, who had a talent for bringing out the gamey smell of pork magnificently, surprisingly displayed excellent cooking skills as soon as we arrived in this dungeon.

When I asked when he had learned such things, he said that long ago, after failing at roasted whole pig in the World’s Greatest Cooking Competition, he had secretly honed his culinary skills.

So serious was he about cooking that he didn’t hesitate to use aura in his cooking.

“By infusing ice aura into the kitchen knife when cutting ingredients, you can handle them without damaging the tissue.”

On the first day we fell into the dungeon, seeing him proudly explain the most trivial use of aura in the world made me burst into laughter despite our dire situation.

“Additionally, I found an excellent wine.”

The homeowner cried “Grooooan” as if to say that was absolutely not allowed, but since he could no longer savor the taste of wine anyway, it would be better for the wine if we drank it rather than letting it rot.

“Shall I have just a sip then?”

We drank exactly one glass of wine each to warm our bodies without getting drunk, then headed to the bedroom.

“Lord Cheri, lie down.”

“…”

“Don’t hesitate, quickly.”

“…Excuse me.”

Lord Cheri quickly built a wall of pillows dividing the bed vertically.

I occupied one-third of the bed and looked across at Lord Cheri lying like a log as I asked.

“My lord, aren’t you uncomfortable? You could sleep more comfortably if we removed these pillows.”

We had started sharing a bed like this a week ago, after being attacked by the queen in the middle of the night.

Since then, we decided to use one bed so we could respond immediately to attacks.

“Though I am in a position of courting you, I don’t think it’s right to use the situation to satisfy my personal desires.”

“Courting… Ahem, personal desires, you say.”

When would this man realize that openly speaking of courting and personal desires was more embarrassing than simply lying side by side and sleeping innocently?

I buried my head in the dusty-smelling pillow and squeezed my eyes shut.

Though my body was weary, I couldn’t fall asleep easily.

How was the outside world faring during the two months we’d been in the dungeon?

After entering the dungeon, I had tried calling up the status window several times, but there was no response.

That made me worry even more.

Was Leo crying alone somewhere?

Had Chaser or Mikhail noticed Giuseppe’s betrayal, and why had Giuseppe betrayed us in the first place, and most importantly…

“My plan is growing stronger and stronger while I’m here.”

What was Ophelia’s plan?

Countless thoughts stirred in my head, making it difficult to fall asleep.

‘I should have had another glass of wine if I knew this would happen.’

As I swallowed a sigh and tossed and turned, a voice drifted from beyond the pillow fortress.

“It’s alright.”

…Had I just voiced my inner thoughts out loud? The timing was so perfect that I wondered.

Then Lord Cheri’s quiet voice came again.

“Everyone will be fine. They’re all people who stayed by Lady Blanche’s side, aren’t they?”

My people. So they would be fine.

Though it was baseless and fanciful words, strangely all my worries melted away with that single statement.

I imagined what Lord Cheri’s expression might be like beyond the pillow fortress and opened my mouth.

“My lord, let me hold your hand like in the Barrier Forest.”

Lord Cheri didn’t answer, but I slipped my hand between the stacked pillows.

After a while, I felt Lord Cheri hesitantly take my hand.

When I interlaced our fingers and gripped tightly, warmth spread from my fingertips throughout my body like the delayed effects of wine.

That day, I was able to sleep soundly for the first time since entering the dungeon.

* * *

The next day, at dawn when the moon and sun coexisted.

Lord Cheri and I stood on the main road leading from the royal palace.

Lord Cheri, who had focused on handling the magic sword for the past two months, slowly gripped the black sword hilt at his waist.

In an instant, his atmosphere changed so dramatically that even I could feel it, making the air seem to tingle.

“Lord Cheri.”

When I called to him quietly, I could see a dangerous light flickering in his red eyes as he turned to look at me.

Veins stood out on his throat, and he whispered to me in a lower voice than usual, as if restraining some desire.

“Permission.”

My mouth felt parched, so I swallowed dryly before extending my left hand to him.

“Would it be alright if I made a vow to you, Marquess’s Daughter, so that I won’t be consumed by the demon sword?”

“If it would help you, Cheri.”

To think that nodding thoughtlessly would come back to me like this.

Cheri drew my hand toward him and pressed his lips to it as if making a knight’s oath.

However, it wasn’t the respectful vow where he would lower his gaze as always.

He pressed his lips firmly against my ring finger where Baluashten’s heirloom had once rested, and throughout the kiss he never took his eyes off me.

Those raw eyes that seemed ready to lick and devour me completely.

At times like this, regardless of trusting him, I would feel the threat that my fingers might be bitten.

Soon he released my hand and drew the demon sword from its sheath.

As that sword, which had even broken through the barrier of holy relics, sliced through the air, a crescent-shaped sword energy shot out.

Crash! It half-destroyed a tall spire of the Royal Palace.

From the collapsing tower, pitch-black poison leaked out as if a fire had started.

Above it, a ghostly blurred form rose up and began to become clearer.

The Queen of Curses and Corruption, wearing a black dress like mourning clothes and a black veil.

As she, who had long lost her reason, muttered in a language I couldn’t understand, the Royal Palace that had been crushed black against the dawn began to writhe.

Creak.

Over the moat surrounding the Royal Palace, where poison bubbled and boiled, a drawbridge slowly began to lower.

From beyond it poured out the howls of all manner of beasts that filled the Royal Palace.

However, neither I nor Cheri retreated.

“Grooooooar!”

“Grooar, grooooar!”

The legion of hundreds of ghouls guarding my back.

It was the result of wandering around various places for the past two months, shooting until my mana was completely drained.

Though each one was merely a low-grade monster, there’s no beating a numerical advantage, is there?

Thud, thump.

As I gestured with my hand, the ghouls began marching toward the Royal Palace in step with slow but threatening strides.

“It’s time to usurp the throne.”

It was time to settle who was more suited for the crown.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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