How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 80
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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 80】
Carlisle’s group, having decided to investigate the Abandoned Mine, rode donkeys up the Merel Mountain Range.
The path was extremely steep and narrow, making it quite dangerous, but there wasn’t much to worry about.
Excluding Evangeline, everyone had good stamina and excellent motor skills, and since they were traveling by donkey, it wasn’t particularly difficult.
Moreover, since they were traveling by donkey, there was no physical burden to feel in the first place.
“Butler, where are we going?”
“There’s a Mine that the Dwarfs abandoned, but it seems there are still many minerals buried there. So we’re going to investigate.”
Carlisle answered the Baby Dragon’s question.
“Dwarf? Ah, those short people?”
“Yeah.”
“Hmm.”
The Baby Dragon narrowed its eyes and fell into thought for a moment.
“I need Dwarfs too.”
“What do you mean by that.”
“Dwarfs are an extremely useful race to us dragons. They build nests well, make art well, and have lots of Gold and Gems, right?”
“Don’t tell me you’re…”
Carlisle glared at the Baby Dragon as if incredulous.
“Are you planning to kidnap Dwarfs and force them into labor?”
“That’s right?”
“How can you call that reasonable?”
“Why not?”
The Baby Dragon retorted as if asking what the problem was.
“That’s a crime, you know?”
“Then is a tiger eating a deer also a crime?”
“That’s just the law of nature. Why are tigers and deer coming up here.”
“We’re the same, you know? It’s natural for dragons to raise Dwarfs. It’s been that way since ancient times.”
“Is, is that so?”
“Us taking Dwarfs and making them work is the same as humans slaughtering cattle and pigs. Butler doesn’t know anything.”
“So you’re saying Dwarfs’ natural enemy is dragons?”
“That’s right.”
“It’s strangely persuasive though…”
“It’s not strangely persuasive, that’s the natural order, you know?”
“But that’s just about animals, right? Dragons have intelligence.”
“Do humans raise and use dogs and horses because they have intelligence?”
“…That’s true.”
Carlisle couldn’t argue against the Baby Dragon’s words.
Since it was called the law of nature, there wasn’t any particular logic he could raise as a counterargument.
“Then maybe there’s a dragon there?”
“That probably isn’t the case.”
The Baby Dragon spoke as if that was impossible in response to Carlisle’s worry.
“If there was a dragon, would they have left the Dwarfs alone? They would have made them dig up all the Gold in the Mine to decorate their nest.”
“Ah, that’s true.”
“I don’t know why the Dwarfs left, but it wouldn’t be because of us.”
Carlisle felt somewhat relieved by the Baby Dragon’s words.
In this world, dragons were creatures you should absolutely never encounter and absolutely never make enemies of.
* * *
When they arrived in front of the Abandoned Mine, they could see a small Village that Dwarfs had once lived in.
Of course, the Village was also abandoned and had become ruins.
The Mine Shaft Entrance had collapsed, but clearing it wasn’t difficult.
“Please leave it to me!”
Evangeline summoned Titan and cleared away the rocks that were blocking the Mine Shaft.
Inside the Mine Shaft was surprisingly bright.
Magic Stone Lamps installed on the left and right brightly illuminated the Mine Shaft, so Carlisle’s group could step into the Mine Shaft without much difficulty.
“Don’t walk, let’s ride this.”
Kudo pointed to a Cart commonly used in mines.
Since Rail Tracks were laid on the Ground, if they rode the Cart, they could traverse the Mine Shaft quickly without having to walk.
Moreover, befitting a Cart made by Dwarfs, it was equipped with a Magic Stone Engine so it would move automatically with just a little operation.
Clatter, clatter-clatter!
Carlisle’s group rode the Cart and proceeded straight into the depths of the Mine Shaft.
The Mine Shaft was incredibly deep.
Even after riding the Cart for dozens of minutes, they couldn’t see the end at all.
“Just how far did they dig in.”
Carlisle was amazed by the Dwarfs’ obsession.
After riding the Cart into the Mine Shaft for about 2 hours, a massive Underground Cavern appeared.
In the wide space that could fit several small villages, not only were there Dwarf accommodations but also various precious Minerals piled up like mountains.
Among them were many that appeared to be Raw Ore of Top-Grade Magic Stones, so just taking the Raw Ore here would be of tremendous value.
Also, the Tools and equipment the Dwarfs had used were very precious, so their value was considerable.
“Seeing that they took all the Minerals and equipment when they left, something must have happened.”
Just as Carlisle was muttering while looking around.
“Young Master.”
Evangeline pointed to the surroundings.
“This is…”
Carlisle suddenly discovered about hundreds of statues resembling Dwarfs and tilted his head.
The Dwarfs who should be here were absent, and only statues resembling Dwarfs were present?
“Don’t tell me the Dwarfs who were here turned into statues?”
“That can’t be.”
Wilson shook his head as if that was impossible.
However, Carlisle’s thoughts were different.
Swoosh, Carlisle carefully examined the statue’s expression.
The statues’ faces all had expressions of great surprise or terror.
‘What crazy person would make statues like this. These are expressions from right before becoming statues.’
As soon as Carlisle reached that conclusion, a sliding sound came from deep inside.
Slither slither slither…
“Young Master!”
Maranello called out to Carlisle while guarding the front.
“I know, I heard it too.”
Carlisle swoosh, drew Grimgand.
“There seems to be something there.”
“What the hell is it?”
“Damn! What kind of vacation is this!”
Kudo’s group also drew their respective Weapons and prepared for the approaching battle.
Soon, long things wriggling and crawling on the Ground revealed themselves.
“Snakes…?”
They were snakes.
Those snakes with brilliant multicolored scales all had gray eyes, constantly flicked their bright red tongues, and gleamed with long, sharp fangs.
“Hiss! Hiss hiss!”
The snakes lunged toward Carlisle’s group.
“Where do you think you’re going, you mere snakes!”
Wilson was about to split a snake that had leaped up in half with his axe.
Sizzle!
Venom sprayed from the snake’s fangs.
“Ugh!”
Startled Wilson quickly dodged the venom, but couldn’t avoid it completely.
Crack, crackle.
The hem of Wilson’s clothes where the venom had splashed turned gray and crumbled away.
“It’s petrification venom! Everyone fall back!”
Maranello stepped forward.
“Hiss hiss hiss!”
What seemed like thousands of snakes sprayed venom as they charged at Maranello.
However…
Flash!
Whoooosh!
Like a cold wind blade sweeping across the ground, it stretched out and swept away all the snakes at once.
Soon, thousands of snakes lay scattered in pieces, reeking of blood.
He hadn’t used a weapon.
All Maranello held in his hand was the feather duster he usually carried around.
‘He really is incredible.’
Carlisle watched Maranello’s back, truly understanding why he was called the Grim Reaper of the North.
To think he could annihilate so many monsters with just a swing of a feather duster…
However, the dead snakes weren’t Carlisle’s group’s only enemy.
Slither slither slither…
Something with a massive form crawled out from the darkness and glared at Carlisle’s group.
It was not a human being.
It was a monster with the body of a snake, the upper torso of a woman, and small snakes growing from its head instead of hair.
“Th-that thing!”
Evangeline recognized the being and cried out in shock.
“Do you know that monster?”
“G-Gorgonne… It’s an ancient demon.”
“A demon?”
“Yes, I’ve seen it in magic books. It’s one of the generals of the Demon Realm, and if you make eye contact, it turns you to stone…”
“Everyone turn your heads away!”
Before Carlisle could even finish hearing Evangeline’s answer, he shouted loudly.
* * *
“Ahhh!”
“Ugh!”
At Carlisle’s shout, everyone turned their heads and retreated.
As Evangeline had said, they didn’t want to become stone statues like the dwarves just for making eye contact once.
This demon called Gorgonne was an existence even Carlisle didn’t know.
After all, no demon named Gorgonne appeared in the game [Overlord].
“I have waited for a long time.”
A hissing voice like a snake’s tongue flowed from Gorgonne’s mouth.
“After hundreds of years of waiting, they have come. Those who will free me from this dark cave.”
“What are you talking about?”
Carlisle answered while hiding behind a dwarf statue.
“We’re supposed to free you? We didn’t come here with that intention.”
“I shall be freed by the blood of the living. I shall be liberated from this place using your lives as stepping stones.”
“Hmm.”
Carlisle couldn’t understand exactly what Gorgonne meant.
The only thing certain was that this demon was the culprit who had turned the dwarves into stone statues.
‘No wonder the dwarves wouldn’t have abandoned a perfectly good mine and fled.’
Carlisle finally understood why the mine had been abandoned and nodded inwardly.
With such a monster appearing, even the dwarves, despite being a warrior race, would have been wiped out.
“Stop hiding and come out. You cannot escape even if you hide.”
Slither slither…
Small snakes emerged from everywhere and surrounded Carlisle’s group.
There seemed to be tens of thousands of them.
“Hehe.”
Maranello let out a hearty laugh.
“I don’t know why an ancient demon is lurking around, but you seem to have very bad luck.”
“Luck…?”
“You happened to encounter this old man, so your luck is quite terrible indeed.”
Maranello looked straight into Gorgonne’s eyes without turning his head or back, or closing his eyes.
“You’ll turn into a statue too if you do that, Maranello.”
“I’m fine, Young Master.”
Maranello answered Carlisle’s words as if it were nothing.
Seeing how he wasn’t afraid of Gorgonne at all, it seemed that a master like Maranello wasn’t afraid of demonic magic either.
“What an arrogant old man, insufferably conceited.”
Gorgonne’s two eyes glared at Maranello.
Flash!
A gray flash flickered and petrification rays struck Maranello.
However, nothing happened.
“Wh-what is this…”
Gorgonne was startled.
Far from turning into a statue, Maranello was still looking at her with a faint smile.
“Hehe. Is this all there is? The ancient demon is showing off petty tricks.”
Swish, Maranello reached his hand toward the air.
Then a massive scythe revealed itself.
That scythe, which looked like the Grim Reaper’s scythe, was an Inheritance Sword bestowed upon Maranello, a retainer, by House Sigmund.
Its name was [Grimreaper].
It was the weapon of death that had claimed the lives of tens of thousands of barbarians.
“I usually try not to wield this ominous thing, but since this isn’t a battlefield and you’re not human, I suppose it wouldn’t count as breaking my oath.”
Maranello, gripping Grimreaper, slowly approached Gorgonne.
“If you’re an ancient demon, you should stay quietly crushed like an ancient demon. What’s there to see that made you crawl out into the world? Hehehe.”
Chill!
Despite her dignity as an ancient demon, Gorgonne froze.
She was overwhelmed by Maranello’s red-glowing eyes and the killing intent flashing within them.
“I shall claim that worthless life of yours.”
Maranello closed the distance to Gorgonne in the blink of an eye.
“…!”
Just as the startled Gorgonne tried to respond to Maranello’s movement.
Whoooosh!
Maranello swung that massive scythe at an invisible speed, dozens of times over.
Carlisle couldn’t accurately count how many times Maranello had swung Grimreaper.
After all, what Carlisle had seen was only an afterimage.
Thud thud, thud thud thud.
Gorgonne was cut into dozens of pieces and crumbled apart.
It was an surreal sight, as if she had been composed of dozens of fragments from the very beginning.
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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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