Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. - Chapter 146

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

Episode 146: Southern Continent Expedition – Land of Delusion (1)
Our Moon Expedition Party was ascending the Snow Mountain.
Crunch. Crunch.
With each step, my legs sank up to the ankles in the powder.
The relentless blizzard meant we were breaking deeper into the snow with every stride.
A journey difficult enough in this cold, let alone on foot.
“I’m absolutely f-f-freezing!”
Bartimir, who’d been leading at point alongside Pendrick, shuddered visibly.
He wore nothing but bandages wrapped around his bare chest, as usual—of course he was cold.
Astrímia let out a spiritual sigh.
– I told you how many times to pack proper winter clothes?
“But the ‘Extreme Cold’ is a negative concept, so I can’t help it!”
Bartimir, who’d been hunching against the wind, suddenly drew in a deep breath toward the empty air.
A common Demon Breath Feeding technique.
Not long after, the demon-type being’s previously sluggish pace began to quicken, matching Pendrick’s stride more closely.
“See? See? I get stronger just by breathing in this Dungeon!”
– Well, being a Demon-type Being certainly has its advantages!
There was no denying that Demon-type Beings were superior explorers in harsh environments—they grew stronger from suffering what would break others.
The downside was they were also the easiest type to become outlaws.
“Still, it’s manageable for now,” Merlin offered beside me.
The fox-girl’s ears twitched as she walked at my side.
“With Sky Ear, I’m not picking up anything unusual.”
“Keep your hearing sharp, then.”
“How much longer before we reach our destination?”
“Let me see…”
I studied each member of the expedition carefully, then answered with genuine deliberation.
“Roughly one week to a month, I’d estimate.”
“That’s quite a wide range, isn’t it…?”
“I can’t help it. Even for me, it’s a Dungeon where I can’t say with certainty how long it will take to clear.”
Thump.
Before long, we’d reached a point where the snow had piled up to knee height.
Our shoes and socks were soaked through, and I trudged on, savoring every unpleasant squelch with each step.
“I’ll place the third Protective Waymark.”
Lucius knelt and invoked a Holy Secret Art.
A low hum resonated.
A gray arrow etched itself into the white expanse of snow.
Protective Waymark.
A Secret Art that served both as a direction marker and provided the faint blessing of a defensive ward.
“As expected from a priest. You’re invaluable in so many ways.”
“It’s nothing. Any priest who serves one who protects the multitude could do the same.”
We continued up the Snow Mountain, steadily marking the path for the Eyebeam Bear Love Guild that would follow behind us.
And so.
Twelve hours passed.
Yet the scenery remained largely unchanged from when we’d started, stretching endlessly forward.
“Whoooaaa!”
While Bartimir grew increasingly invigorated, the rest of us were growing steadily worn down by the relentless assault of wind and snow.
At least the gentle slope of the mountain made it bearable, if we were being generous.
“We’ll eat while walking. Lucius, would you distribute the Dried Meat?”
“Of course.”
Lucius withdrew bright red Dried Meat from the dimensional space within his Rosary and handed two pieces to each member of the party.
Food made from the meat of beasts that dwell in volcanic regions.
It quieted our hunger and brought a measure of warmth to our bodies.
“…Kar.”
Munch. Munch.
Merlin chewed on the Dried Meat while tugging at the hem of my coat.
“We can’t rest even for a little while?”
“We can’t. It’s dangerous.”
I tilted my head back, looking upward.
Nothing but pure white filled the sky above.
Not a hint of blue was visible—only clouds of pristine white blizzard cascading down without end.
“When exploring the Southern Continent proper, you mustn’t stop and rest for even a moment. Riding on someone’s back is at least somewhat manageable, so if it becomes too much, tell me. I’ll carry you.”
“…Wouldn’t I collapse if Kar carried me with his strength?”
Merlin’s frozen face barely managed a smile as he touched my waist gently.
“I’ll see it through to the end. I’m an explorer too, after all.”
“Well done.”
“You really think so?”
Pendrick glanced back over his shoulder, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
“Now that Merlin can fulfill his role completely, this expedition should proceed without any trouble at all!”
He spoke with deliberate cheer, bolstering the team’s morale.
This was why our prodigy swordsman had become the central pillar of the Moon Expedition Party.
His skill was guaranteed to reach the peak eventually, and yet he managed morale too—a talent that would make him an expedition leader in any other group.
– Everyone, stay strong!
We were making our way through the Snow Mountain, buoyed by Astrímia’s spirited encouragement.
“…….”
Suddenly.
Rosalia, who had been walking silently, raised her arm.
“I hear something….”
At nearly the same moment, Merlin’s Sky Ear ability detected a sound of some kind.
“…Everyone, prepare for combat.”
It had finally come.
The true enemy of the Snow Mountain on the Southern Continent—beyond the extreme cold and snow.
Merlin, concentrating on the sound, carefully raised his hand and pointed to the eleven o’clock position relative to our expedition’s path of travel.
Crunch-crunch.
Someone walked through the snow field toward us.
Merlin, who had been gripping the short blade First Breath and tensing his body, suddenly felt his shoulders stiffen.
“…The guild master?”
Maken, the leader of the Black Sword Guild.
Sif, who had been offered as tribute to Sué, approached with a form composed entirely of snow and ice from head to toe.
《Ice Snow Manifestation (Level 3)》
《A demon-type being presumed to construct its body based on the memories of adventurers. It will mimic the speech and behavior of its target, so caution is advised!》
“Merlin.”
The ice-formed Black Sword Guild master opened his mouth quietly.
“If I hadn’t helped you, you and your sister would have starved to death on the streets. If I hadn’t taken you in as guild members, you could never have survived this long. In fact, you’ve owed your life to me how many times?”
“…….”
Merlin’s complexion, which had been full of resolve for battle, turned pale in an instant.
“But then, you betrayed me after all. Did you enjoy this little ‘family game’ with the Socialite? Do you really believe a Socialite who serves an evil god would genuinely cherish you?”
Mockery, ridicule, contempt.
The longer the Black Sword Guild master spoke, the more Merlin’s eyes began to shake.
“One day you’ll be offered as tribute by the very Socialite you follow so devotedly. How can I be so certain? Because ‘someone who has given their heart sincerely’ is the demon-god’s favorite offering, right after the Socialite himself.”
“…….”
Merlin clenched his eyes shut and gripped my wrist.
The emotional turmoil transmitted itself directly to me through the trembling of his body.
“One day you’ll die in a miserable, horrible way. You’ve seen the offerings that Socialite has made, haven’t you? You’ll end up just like that—nothing but ‘food’….”
Whoosh—!
A murky green force flew past like a crescent moon.
Slice.
The Black Sword Guild master, his neck severed, collapsed in place.
“…Really irritating monster.”
Bartimir muttered flatly, scratching his head as he tapped Merlin’s crown gently.
“Merlin. You were shaken just now, weren’t you? By that creature’s absurd claim that your mother would make you an offering.”
“…There was a time when I wasn’t without such fears.”
Merlin, still gripping my wrist, spent a long moment breathing heavily before opening his eyes.
“But not anymore.”
He then met my gaze.
In the eyes of the girl who had held no hope whatsoever when we first met, there now dwelt a warm emotion.
“Now I know for certain. Even if Kar is a bit odd, he’s absolutely not a bad person.”
“Well, that’s admirable.”
Bartimir smiled gently and pinched Merlin’s cheek lightly.
“Merlin.”
I placed my left hand over Merlin’s, which still gripped my right wrist.
Though it is a prosthetic hand, I believe my warmth of intent will reach them clearly enough.
“I’m not playing house with you two. I want us to be a real family.”
Since I need this emotional exchange that remains unfamiliar to me, I am still clumsy in many ways, but I am working hard nonetheless.
To become at least a decent adult for the children.
“If you keep that one thing in mind, you’ll be able to maintain your composure no matter what spectacle the Snow Mountain shows you ahead.”
[Southern Continent Exploration Expedition] Strategy, Fourth Stage.
Enduring endless psychological assaults.
There is no shortcut.
What matters is only the will of the explorer themselves.
“The same applies to the rest of you.”
I turned to address the expedition members.
“From here on, this Snow Mountain will perpetually devise schemes to break your spirits. You must endure them all and press forward together.”
We can do this.
Together, we can succeed.
In the game, I always came alone and overcame crises by myself, but now we will all advance together.
– But Merlin, isn’t Kar a bit strange? Just a ‘bit’—’weak’ at that!
Astrímia’s jest at a moment of sincerity.
It wasn’t funny at all, yet the grave atmosphere dissolved, and bright, warm smiles bloomed across all their faces despite the bitter cold.
“As expected of Astrímia. With beauty that sets the viewer’s face aflame, you bring a welcoming warmth to the very mood itself.”
– Oh, Kar! Don’t oversell me like that!
I watched Astrímia dance a sword dance of joy before resuming my steps.
“The Snow Mountain’s monsters that construct their bodies from our memories appear all the more frequently as we approach our psychological limits.”
From now until we reach our destination.
We will be exposed to endless mental assaults.
“As we go deeper, the snow that freezes both body and heart will fall ever more fiercely. And with it, the intensity of the psychological attacks will only increase.”
The Southern Continent’s blizzard freezes the heart itself.
“I stress this again, but resting along the way becomes dangerous. Beyond mere monster-based psychological attacks, you’ll experience vivid delusions where reality and fantasy become indistinguishable.”
Those who cannot endure repeated mental blows will eventually be buried entirely in the snow, never to rise again.
They will become earth-bound spirits of the Snow Mountain, forced to repeat their unbearable suffering eternally.
“When it becomes too painful and frightening, remember one truth.”
I raised my left hand and fired a flame for emphasis.
“I stand beside you. I will become the anchor that fixes your sense of reality and hope in this sea of delusion.”
That is my duty as expedition leader.
“…It’s coming again.”
Another Ice Snow Manifestation appeared.
And three of them simultaneously.
“Specimen ‘Demon-type Being 227.’ You seem to think you’ve found true comrades who share your heart. Still utterly foolish as ever.”
“…Ha, tch.”
Bartimir’s eyes went cold.
“You still haven’t abandoned your affection, Rosalia. How many more times must we cut down your friends before you come to your senses?”
……
Rosalia began to tremble violently.
“Lucius, my dear. Mother loves you. So please, just die. Die, die! Drop dead already!”
“…Artein.”
Lucius murmured quietly.
“Merlin, Pendrick.”
“Yes!”
“Understood!”
In place of the three expedition members frozen in place, Pendrick cut down the dark mage and the rogue.
Merlin’s hidden blade, the Last Breath, pierced through the priest’s forehead.
“Captain, another appeared directly to the right!”
This time a monster manifested at close range.
“…Are you happy, living alone while letting me die?”
It was Yoon Ji.
Covered in blood from head to foot, glaring at me.
……
I stood motionless for a moment, then drew a thick, sharp strand of web from my right index finger.
Then I wrapped it in black lightning.
Crack!
The lightning-wrapped web severed the monster mimicking Yoon Ji completely.
“…….”
“Kar? Are you alright?”
Pendrick gazed down at the snowfield where the creature’s body had scattered, his brow narrowing.
A flicker of unease crossed his face.
“…It was too weak.”
What if the Dungeon’s psychological attack were less horrifying than the nightmares she usually suffered?

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