Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. - Chapter 100

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

Episode 100: Guild Battle – First Light (1)
A round sun hangs in the sky.
Not a real one.
Artificial, conjured by Secret Art within the ruins, yet the sunlight filtering through the forest felt as bright and clear as genuine day.
Writhe.
The serpent tattoo coiled around my artificial arm convulsed suddenly, then slithered beneath my clothes and out of sight.
This place was hardly conducive to the mental health of one so averse to attention.
“Leria, should you experience chest tightness or difficulty breathing, cease your observation at once and rest.”
I surveyed my surroundings slowly.
The ceiling, though nearly a perfect replica of real blue sky, betrayed its indoor nature, while below spread a forest of crisp green.
And at the center, a long golden tower connecting sky and earth.
《B-Rank Dungeon – Battlefield of Sun and Moon》
《A vast sacred repository founded by the congregation of Lumeran, the deity of light and sun and moon before the solar deity Sol Miran and lunar deity Selveran split into two separate entities.》
Lumeran.
A deity—the one and only child of Meterd, god of nature and abundance.
Before division into siblings, a noble being who had been the chief deity of the righteous faction.
This was a sacred ruin where Lumeran’s final relic lay sleeping.
‘So quiet.’
No one was nearby.
All explorers entering the dungeon had their positions randomized upon entry, a defining trait of the Battlefield of Sun and Moon.
『Hear me, Nobles of Night.』
Then, my superior—overseeing this dungeon exclusively—began to issue commands.
Not inside my mind, but as if echoing from every drop of blood in my body: a youthful, crystalline voice.
『Now the vile war with the Ghouls approaches its end. Beyond this day, those cursed by moonlight shall sink eternal into Night’s mire!』
In actual history, they continued fighting endlessly long after this….
『Move swiftly. Go forth and seize the final grace left by Lumeran!』
The Lord was not within the ruins.
Neither was the Ghoul commander.
The interior was so perilously lethal that entry meant near-certain death, so both sides had sent only subordinates.
“Understood, Lord.”
I answered dutifully regardless.
Though he couldn’t hear me from there, immersion was always paramount in such matters.
“I shall secure the relic without fail.”
I murmured with resolve and withdrew a map from the pocket space of my Soul Rank, unfolding it.
Premium-grade exploration equipment provided by the Gray Wolf Guild.
It marked the positions of other explorers carrying identical maps.
‘Only two on this side, then.’
The territory divided in half, like yin and yang symbols.
Four with the wolf-head insignia were stationed on the opposite side in the lunar battlefield, while only I and one other explorer occupied the solar battlefield.
《Your overall physical capabilities have been reduced by approximately thirty percent due to the artificial sun’s rays!》
The solar battlefield was disadvantageous for vampires; the lunar battlefield was the reverse.
Other explorers were not the only threat—Ghouls too remained dangerous adversaries.
《Advisory: Other guilds will coordinate to attack only Gray Wolf Guild members at first, sparing each other. Proceed with utmost caution!》
“We’re certainly in the most precarious position.”
A coalition of rival guilds targeting the Gray Wolf Guild, favorites for victory.
Guild members whose fighting power had all been exposed.
And on top of that, the presence of the six apostle conspirators.
Too many obstacles standing between us and the championship.
“Which makes the guild battle all the more rewarding.”
Even circumstances like these weren’t entirely unfavorable.
Making victory more difficult was certainly a pursuit worth undertaking.
‘Time to move.’
Standing still would only make me an easy target for the united explorers.
Socialites were naturally weaklings in the prey position—to avoid becoming food, I needed to stay mobile and keep moving.
Thud-thud.
As I walked between the trees, my footfalls echoed quietly.
It was during this quiet movement.
《Warning: Ghouls approaching from behind!》
Whoosh!
I spun around instantly and released flame at maximum output.
A coveted bright scarlet flame stretched outward, consuming the nearby trees as it advanced.
The Fifth Tier Fire Flame looked entirely different in appearance.
“…How dare you!”
In the next moment, an undead creature that looked remarkably intact burst through the wall of fire.
《Slaughterer Ghoul (Level 5)》
《An elite soldier who moves under the command of the Ghoul Commander. Be warned — it can move at a speed far beyond that of a Lurking Ghoul.》
Unlike the grotesque Lurking Ghoul, this one had a neat, presentable appearance.
To all outward appearances, it was scarcely different from a human.
“Die, vampire!”
The Slaughterer Ghoul came surging forward along the tree trunk in a burst of performance, then suddenly lashed out with its claws.
An ambush from a monster possessed of insane speed — Agility as high as eighteen.
An attack impossible to evade.
Thunk!
So I simply let it hit.
Long, razor-sharp claws dug deep into my chest.
“Kekeke, you couldn’t even react!”
The ghoul laughed with satisfaction, then slashed at my face with its other hand.
It stung considerably, but….
I felt a little disappointed.
Compared to the agonizing moment when the giant demon book had “devoured” me, this was trivial.
“……!”
Perhaps the ghoul sensed something in my blank, unmoved stance.
It hastily tried to widen the distance.
Before it could pull back too far, I unleashed black lightning from my right hand.
Crack-crack-crack!
On the Battlefield of Sun and Moon, all growth-type Secret Arts are locked at Fifth Tier.
Lightning with several times the normal force pierced through the Slaughterer Ghoul’s chest and engulfed its entire body in flames.
The majesty of Fifth Tier Dark Brain Blooming.
In an instant, the ghoul’s entire form blackened, and it toppled backward limply.
Of course, with regeneration that potent, this alone wouldn’t kill it.
“…Is that all you have?”
“I doubt it.”
I answered indifferently and drew near, then sliced its pale abdomen with the Full Moon Reaper.
“Gaaaaahhhhh!”
As its belly split open, the Slaughterer Ghoul began to shriek in absolute agony.
A ghoul’s weak point.
Strike its abdomen with the crescent-moon-shaped blade, and it dies.
“One more time….”
The ghoul, its body contorted unnaturally, grabbed hold of my pant leg.
“I’d rather not.”
I refused flatly and pulled my hand free.
If I drove the blade in twice, the symbolism of the “Moon” would weaken, and it would slip from death’s grasp.
“…A pitiable end.”
The ghoul’s body faded into nothingness, muttering its dying words with bitterness despite being mere vermin, leaving behind only a small jewel of bright luster in its place.
《??? – Fragment of Primordial》
《Collect six of these, and you can open the door to the tower leading to the depths of the ruins. You gain one each time you defeat another Explorer or Ghoul.》
‘One down.’
The first phase of the Guild War.
Rapidly collect the Fragments of Primordial and advance toward the depths.
Once opened, the door wouldn’t close for ten seconds, so even if only one person gathered all the fragments, all Explorers belonging to the same Guild could ascend together.
Tap-tap-tap.
I picked up the Fragment of Primordial and was walking again when I heard the sound of footsteps rushing from around the corner ahead.
I transformed my right hand into lightning and waited, and soon a dwarf of small frame came bounding out.
“Kar!”
“Ah, so it was you, Yallen.”
“You’re here!”
Hop-hop-hop.
Yallen approached with light, bouncing steps, then came to a stop.
“First, shall we go through an ‘identity verification’ process? Your Soul Rank is so low, Kar, that you’re far too easy a target.”
…….
“Stop staring at me like that and prove it, would you? If you keep silent much longer, I won’t be able to sit still either.”
Without a word, he rolled up his sleeve to reveal a band of blue pigment wound around his wrist.
Schemer Class Secret Art: Bound Colors.
He could perceive in real time the location of pigment he’d applied anywhere.
“Ah, so it really is Kar!”
Yallen approached with obvious relief written across his face and body.
“Thank goodness you’re nearby. Since you have the shortest Explorer career among all participants, I was terrified you’d be eliminated early.”
“That’s correct.”
“…What?”
The dwarf who had been approaching leisurely came to a halt.
“Ah, um, could you lower that black lightning in your right hand…?”
Crack—
“Ughh!”
Electrocuted, Yallen’s body convulsed violently before pitching forward.
As he fell, his form shifted—suddenly he was a small human.
“So it’s Sorcery Secret Art: Chameleon Camouflage. I nearly fell for it. It was clever of you to demand proof of identity while being false yourself.”
“When did you figure it out?”
“Your Western Continent dwarf dialect was slightly off. You should have spoken with more innocence and cheerfulness.”
“I didn’t know that!”
The fallen sorcerer explorer’s form vanished in an instant, reappearing directly in front of me.
A hand gripping a translucent weapon thrust toward my chest.
In that moment before my chest could be pierced—
Thunk.
A youthful-faced dwarf appeared from nowhere, driving a dagger into the sorcerer’s neck.
“…Ugh, it’s Yallen!”
“I’m afraid that’s your elimination.”
With fluid grace, Yallen thrust two more small daggers—one into the forehead, one into the heart—and as he landed, the sorcerer collapsed.
The Explorer, struck by blades in three places in an instant, soon evaporated into nothing, leaving only a Fragment of Primordial behind.
He had been expelled from the Dungeon.
“Are you all right, Kar?”
Yallen looked up at me with a worried expression.
“My heart sank thinking my guess might be right! But I’m relieved you’re unharmed.”
Translation: I thought you were weak and would collapse before joining up with us, and sure enough you nearly did. At least I came and saved you, so that’s fortunate.
This subtle ridicule and sarcasm.
The original is indeed different.
“I’m somewhat disappointed. I’d hoped to have my chest run through cleanly.”
“…Let’s move quickly. On the Battlefield of Sun and Moon, only the two of us are here from the guild, so we’re at a disadvantage.”
As Yallen tried to hurry ahead, I quickly placed a hand on his shoulder and held him back.
“Why are you doing that?”
“My apologies, but I intend to move separately from you. I have something I need to do alone.”
The dwarf sub-leader looked me up and down, then tilted his head.
“As you said, I’ve come up with a defensive strategy for now, so there’s no issue… but specifically, what are you planning to do? We could devise a more ideal strategy if we put our heads together.”
“I’ll do it like this.”
I immediately used Transformation.
Everything except my left prosthetic arm—which wasn’t affected by the Secret Art—shifted in an instant.
Having completed my transformation into the appearance of the sorcerer explorer I’d just killed, I cupped my hands in a gesture of respect.
“What do you think, Sub-leader?”
……
Yallen stared at me for a long moment before shaking his head.
“Is that… the Secret Art of Apocalyptic Genesis, Transformation?”
Okayl still retained enough of a reputation as a troublemaking kindergarten bully that he recognized it immediately, as expected.
This was the first time since I began living as a Socialite that such a thing had happened.
“You seem to be giving off a tell that you’ve changed your appearance using some illusion-type Secret Art?”
“That’s because you witnessed the transformation happening, Sub-leader.”
The combination of Thunder Rumble and Transformation reaches maximum effectiveness only if the target doesn’t see the moment of change.
Even Arsène Lupin, the master jeweler of the theft world, couldn’t perform his inspired disguises properly when people were watching intently.
“Since you’re a Schemer, you’ll understand what I’m about to do. Wish me luck!”
“…Kar, surely your sense of self hasn’t completely shifted already, has it?”
“Kar? I am the heir of the prestigious Ires family, the Level 6 sorcerer Veldora Ires.”
I grasped the hem of my robe with both hands and made a slight bow.
“My specialty is heavy-load strength training. My hobby is hunting monsters. The Secret Art I favor most is Chameleon Camouflage. Thanks to my exploration record over the years, I’m being considered as a leading candidate for the next Guild Master of the Eye Eye Bear Love Guild, apparently?”
I know the profiles, usual tactics, and primary combat methods of every Explorer participating in this Guild Tournament.
That’s only natural—the Tournament only permits Explorers with some degree of renown to compete.
“At that rate, we’re heading into dangerous territory, wouldn’t you say…?”
“It’s fine. This could be a good opportunity to create a second personality as well. I’ve always wanted to experience something like that!”
“Well, I… hmm….”
Yallen paused, searching for words, then smiled brightly.
“You really are something else, Kar.”

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