Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. - Chapter 156

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 156: Southern Continent Expedition – The Blank Land
Within the Extreme Frost Throne Tribe Ruins.
The streets lay scattered with traces of my disarming the Intrusion Prevention Devices with my entire body.
“Quite the mess, isn’t it.”
Pitter-patter-pitter.
The last surviving resident of the Extreme Frost Throne Tribe waddled before us with endearingly clumsy steps, leading the way.
《Last Survivor Pingpi (Extreme Frost Throne Tribe, ???years old). Presumed to be a foolish creature who clung to this city even after all clanmates departed. The rank is far too high to read detailed information.》
“I had no choice in the matter. Pingpi.”
I followed close behind, shaking my head with a wistful air.
“If someone saw a city suddenly appear right before their eyes—a city gleaming with such impressive technical prowess—and thought, ‘Well, this looks dangerous, so I shouldn’t go in,’ that person would certainly be born under some curse that left them completely devoid of aesthetic sensibility.”
“…A friend with an eye for things, it seems.”
Pingpi gave a small nod of his head.
“Besides, we can repair it quickly enough, and since we’ve slighted a legitimate visitor, this much is something we must endure. I understand.”
The Extreme Frost Throne Tribe was not so savage as to ruthlessly destroy the body and spirit of everyone who approached their city.
They were a merciful race who thoroughly trampled only those with sinister intentions, reducing them to a state from which they could never stand straight again, then transformed them into ice statues to suffer for eternity.
“Thank you for your magnanimity.”
“No, rather, I am the one who should apologize. I abandoned my duty of stewardship and was about to sink beneath the glaciers….”
Pingpi preened his beak with his wings.
Due to the extreme racial differences, an ordinary person would struggle to notice it properly, but it was body language conveying profound remorse—having nothing more to say.
“In any case, allow me to express my thanks once more. Thanks to you, I have been able to reverse my contemptible choice to turn away from my duty and flee.”
Merlin poked me in the back from behind.
“Kar, how did you help him?”
“Nothing much—I simply revived him.”
“…When did ‘resurrection’ become such an easy thing?”
“It is easy. For the Extreme Frost Throne Tribe.”
“What the blonde friend says is true.”
Pingpi turned his small head to regard Merlin, his beak moving.
“If our people are covered with a sufficient quantity of ice upon our bodies, the soul rises again from beneath the sleep and reclaims life. No matter how much time has passed.”
A racial trait whose fundamental nature was ‘resurrection’—a broken ability.
It was surely one of the various reasons the Extreme Frost Throne Tribe was counted among the mightiest races.
As a Half-Elf with nothing to boast of save for beauty, I felt an enormous sense of deprivation—and oddly, that made me feel better.
“Pingpi, if it’s not too much trouble, would you tell me something I’m curious about?”
Pendrick, who possessed Borderless Sociability, spoke up with easy familiarity to the penguin-like race he was meeting for the first time.
“What are you curious about?”
“If it’s not presumptuous, I’d like to know when this city was founded and where everyone else has departed to.”
“There’s nothing particularly fascinating to tell. I don’t know much about the interesting parts myself.”
Pingpi continued walking while casting a glance around the suddenly hollow city.
“We have dwelt on this Snow Mountain since ancient times beyond measure. I don’t know when it began.”
“What of the others?”
“In the depths beneath the city, there are documents recording our entire history. The volume is so vast that no one save the record keeper has ever read through it.”
By now, expedition leader Brinya would have almost completed her cheerful deciphering.
It meant this exploration was drawing to a close.
“So I cannot tell you when the city was founded. But I do know well why everyone departed.”
Pingpi suddenly looked up at the sky.
The first clear blue sky I had seen since setting foot on the Southern Continent.
“My clanmates ascended beyond the highest expanse of heaven.”
“You mean… they became divine beings in the celestial realm?”
“No. Higher still.
Pingpi gestured at the sky with his small wings.
“A realm of mystery beyond the heavens. A suffocating void where mystical darkness lurks—a space where even the sun and moon are but two among countless light sources. They went forth to conquer that place.”
To put it simply, they had ventured into space itself.
Knowing what position and reality space held in this world, I could once again feel just how tremendous a race the Extreme Frost Throne Tribe truly was in terms of technological prowess.
“The void above the heavens… I may not fully understand, but it’s certain they went to establish some great achievement? Or perhaps they have already done so?”
At Pendrick’s quip, Pingpi let out a small laugh.
“I suppose so. Though it’s an achievement without much meaning, after all.”
The penguin suddenly turned back to face us, and there emanated from him a chill that felt subtly cold.
“After all, this world is ‘fake,’ isn’t it?”
…….
Fake.
A word that would not have been adopted had one failed to discern the truth of the world surrounding oneself.
Eila, the Dungeon’s phantom, had gone to guard Brinya in exchange with Luxerion, so I could speak freely.
“I prefer the prettier term ‘Small World Embracing Possibilities’ to the bleak expression of ‘fake.'”
“Hmm. Rather long-winded.”
“The longer the original name, the higher the value of the entity it’s given to.”
That’s why the Immortal Heresy Build originally consisted of forty-nine characters, but sadly Yunji forced a practical compression, resulting in its current name.
“…But how did you find out?”
Merlin opened her mouth quietly, then flinched and darted behind my back.
…….
Pingpi swept an unusual gaze over Merlin and Aiquiril perched on her head, then looked ahead again.
Then, moving silently, she answered the question she’d just received.
“I simply felt it instinctively. The existence of the ‘Outside World.'”
“…Captain, is this a common occurrence?”
“Of course not. Regardless of rank, even divine entities are often bound to the Dungeon.”
Except for rare cases like Seraphina, who uncovered the world’s truth through the Heavenly Ear, breaking the Dungeon’s laws was normally impossible.
One should fail to perceive a Gate’s appearance entirely, and even if someone left through a Gate right before your eyes, you wouldn’t feel the slightest contradiction.
“It does happen occasionally.”
Veldora spoke with the calm composure of a seasoned explorer.
“Pingpi is level-headed, so there’s no issue, but there have been cases where explorers learned the world’s truth, fell into despair, and indiscriminately attacked others. So Moon Expedition Party, it would be wise to exercise caution.”
“Uh, Veldora?”
“What is it, Pendrick?”
“But if someone as strong as Pingpi attacked us, wouldn’t we have no choice but to die? Given your experience, do you have a way to handle it?”
…….
Veldora suddenly drew out a grotesque scythe and began earnestly polishing and sharpening its blade.
“Don’t worry. At least I have no intention of attacking you.”
Pingpi casually smoothed back her own hair.
“Even if the world is false, ‘I’ am not false. I am alive, I breathe, I think—so I am a genuine living being and a conscious entity. That’s something I understood anew through this resurrection.”
…….
The explorers found the atmosphere—heavy, difficult to respond to—turn cold as the chill that settles over a city.
“…Astrímia.”
Even Pendrick, who would normally be the one to rescue us from such awkwardness, was absorbed in thought as he gazed intently at his lover, leaving us without aid.
It fell to me to step in.
I was just about to launch into an adorable, affectionate dance to lighten the mood of everyone caught off-guard by this unexpected revelation.
“We’re here.”
Pingpi, who had been walking quietly, came to a halt.
Before us stood a single edifice, elegant as a work of art—our destination.
《Location – Extreme Frost Throne Tribe Temporary Warehouse》
《The Extreme Frost Throne Tribe, heading toward the Void, apparently crafted various new tools with fresh hearts before departing, and left their previously used items here. It seems there will be all sorts of rare implements!》
Ching.
Pingpi, having unfastened the lock with her wing and opened the door, spoke dispassionately.
“Take what you want inside, one by one.”
Standard rewards for the Southern Continent Expedition.
Various rare weapons of the Extreme Frost Throne Tribe.
In reality, the Extreme Frost Throne Tribe was an extraordinarily difficult race to encounter, so their value ranked among the very highest rewards of a C-rank Dungeon.
“Oh yeah!”
“All the hard work was worth it.”
“Let’s hurry!”
The explorers of the Eyebeam Bear Love Guild grinned widely and rushed inside.
Before entering, Veldora turned to me and spoke.
“No matter what anyone says, you were the true hero of this expedition.”
“Why speak so stiffly? Weren’t we supposed to be ‘friends’ now?”
“…Yes, Kar.”
“There we have it.”
Veldora’s lips quirked into a crooked smile as she continued.
“Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that our guild won’t touch the very best items. After all, what we really needed was the ‘honor’ of conquering an Unexplored Dungeon.”
“To be honest, I enjoyed the process of conquering the dungeon itself, so I wasn’t planning to yield unnecessarily….”
Thump!
Merlin jabbed my side with her sharp fingernail, cutting off my words.
Veldora bowed her head slightly in thanks and stepped into the building.
Following suit, the wicked ward who had wounded her patron spoke, turning to face the rest of the team.
“Shall we go in as well?”
“Let’s go!”
With Bartimir at the lead, pushing me forward, the Moon Expedition Party filed into the warehouse.
The interior was nearly as cold as a freezer, and the ice shelves held an array of implements arranged in neat rows, most painted in shades of blue.
“Hmm… these look good too, and those… everything here is decent.”
Bartimir, who had been examining various items intently, soon gestured toward me with vigor.
“Mooooom! Could you pick out some good ones for me?”
“Of course.”
I nodded lightly in assent, and from all around came voices calling out for me.
“Um, Commander? Could you perhaps pick something out for me too?”
“Me as well!”
“Please, if you would.”
…….
The party members gazed at me like baby birds seeking their mother, making their requests in unison.
A competent, popular leader’s life is certainly exhausting.
I resolved to become a thoughtful adviser to my companions, offering my recommendations as their leader.
“You should take that Dagger. It’s an artifact that inflicts frostbite on whoever it wounds. The one you’re using now has decent quality, but the performance isn’t even comparable, is it?”
“……?”
“There’s no poison on it either, so just go with that one.”
…….
Rosalia, her ears drooping slightly, quietly claimed the Dagger.
“You should take that Belt I can see over there. When you wear it, your strength becomes considerable.”
“Mom’s the best!”
“Pendrick, those Gauntlets over there would suit you. When you unfold your sword technique, the blade becomes sharper and faster.”
“Just as expected from our Commander!”
“Luxerion, that Buckler right next to it would be excellent. It’s a shield that flies on its own and blocks attacks. We could also aim for the bonus effect where people find it reminiscent of Seraphina’s Clerisium.”
“An astute choice. Thank you.”
Aside from the money-obsessed youth we have because we’re blessed with a wealthy patron, the others don’t really care much for money—but tools, well, that’s another matter.
It was a natural instinct for any adventurer worth their salt.
“Kar, what about me?”
“Merlin. You should naturally take the finest artifact we can find in this Dungeon.”
I pointed confidently to the best reward for Merlin.
The Frozen Sardine Set.
“Take it with you.”
“…What on earth is that supposed to be used for?”
“It’s delicious if you eat it.”
…….
Merlin began jabbing me repeatedly in the ribs.
– Chirp!
Aiquiril, for some reason, also seemed to harbor a grudge against me, patting my shoulder repeatedly with her front paws.
To appease Merlin’s indignation, I quickly began massaging her shoulder.
“Just wait a moment. It’s because they don’t have the right tool here.”
“…Can I trust you on that?”
“Of course. Surely you don’t mistrust your patron?”
“I’m just worried you’ll knead some snow into the shape of a tiger-like doll and say, ‘Isn’t this the very best tool?’ just to tease me.”
“What kind of person do you think I am…?”
I swallowed my disappointment and quickly erased the joke I’d been planning from my mind.
“I suppose I should pick something for myself now too.”
I already had the finest reward in mind.
I reached for an artifact tucked away in the corner.
A striking Blue Ring inscribed with mysterious markings.
Beside me, Merlin and Aiquiril’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“Oh… what’s that used for?”
– Chirp?
“When you wear it, the power of ice-attribute Secret Arts increases.”
It was an artifact that suited the Immortal Heresy Build perfectly, since I needed to use the Evil Frozen Wind periodically.
“But is that a ring? It looks a bit big for one, doesn’t it?”
“It can be a ring, it can be a bracelet—it can be whatever you want. The size adjusts.”
Slip-slide.
As I willed it, it expanded to a fitting size.
Just large enough to fit around my neck.
“I’m thinking of wearing it around my neck like this. What do you think?”
“…….”
Merlin looked up at me with an enigmatic expression, then stroked the squirrel’s head.
“You really are a strange person. Aren’t you?”
– Chirp!
Aiquiril nodded his small head vigorously.
“Merlin, you just don’t know any better. These days on the Western Continent, fitted-to-the-neck necklaces are all the fashion.”
“But even being generous about it, that looks more like a collar than a necklace….”
“That’s precisely what makes it good.”
“…Do as you please.”
“Why are you giving up on me? Try to dissuade me a little harder.”
“I’d rather not.”
– Chirp.
“Why are you giving up too?”
I was in the midst of trying to convince Merlin, who had turned away with firm resolve.
“You seem to have gotten close to Aiquiril quite quickly.”
Pingpi waddled over and looked up at Merlin.
“Ah, yes! We’ve been spending time together for a few days, so we’ve grown fond of each other.”
– Chirrup!
“…….”
I observed the contemplative penguin for a moment in silence, then retrieved the Cube-shaped Artifact I’d collected from the underground warehouse of the ruins before and produced it from my Subspace.
Pingpi’s eyes widened.
“…You, golden-haired one—you know things you shouldn’t know.”
《That’s true enough.》
I reached out with my free hand and patted Merlin on the shoulder.
“I’d like to give this to this child. For the record, I’ve already prepared all the materials needed.”
“…….”
The city’s last Extreme Frost Throne Tribe member stared at me for a long moment before opening his beak.
“I understand. Wait for me a little while in the Plaza.”
Pingpi left with those words alone.
“…Why does he give such a strange reaction when he hears that you’ve grown close with Aiquiril? And why was he so surprised to see that cube?”
“What do you mean, why?”
I tapped Merlin’s head teasingly and placed the cube in her hands.
“I told you, didn’t I? I’d give you the greatest reward this Dungeon has to offer.”
I was an honest Half-Elf who never spoke false words.

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