Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. - Chapter 22

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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 22 – Tomb of the Earth Elf (3)
“A grave robber, then….”
Ermentas, the Earth Elf from the distant past, let out a weary sigh and waved his hand dismissively.
“Be off with you. I have no treasures for the likes of your kind.”
“Please, won’t you reconsider? Surely my devastating charm and appeal are worth a moment of cooperation?”
I raised my index finger and poked my cheek with it.
I tilted my head slightly as well.
“What nonsense is this— wait.”
The elf, who had been shaking his head in disbelief, suddenly fixed his gaze on my eyes and let out a loud scoff.
“You’re a half-elf, aren’t you?”
“I am.”
“How dare you speak to me, you mongrel? Where is your master?”
I remained composed, but Marlin beside me gasped in shock and whispered urgently to me.
“What era is this, and how can he say something so discriminatory? This is outrageous! Kar, should I go teach him a lesson?”
Gulp.
Even Rosalia, who had been hiding in the shadows, peeked out and stared at me intently.
Her gaze carried the silent question: ‘Should I take care of him?’
“Marlin, stay calm. Don’t take it so personally. You too.”
“But how can you remain so unruffled when he dismisses you as a half-elf?”
“Remember? This labyrinth is set in the distant past, when the demons still wielded tremendous power. In the era when he actually lived, half-elves were classified as property—less than slaves.”
“…I see.”
Only then did Marlin lower her hand, which gripped the short dagger.
“The world’s gotten better, hasn’t it? Now half-elves can walk around freely on two legs.”
“Please, if you’re going to joke, at least smile while you do it….”
Marlin laughed awkwardly and scratched her hair with her fingernails for no reason, then murmured again.
“So what are you going to do? He won’t even acknowledge you as a half-elf.”
Protesting against someone from an age when discrimination was taken for granted would only yield bewilderment in return.
In situations like this, I needed a more practical means of communication than mere words.
“Sister!”
“…….”
Rosalia vanished for a moment, then reappeared behind Ermentas and swiftly locked her arms around his throat.
A flawless execution of the Sleeper Hold.
“Kuh—!”
As the ancient Earth Elf writhed in resistance, brilliant crimson flowers bloomed from Rosalia’s hands, scattering their pollen.
It was a sight that drew out a small gasp.
At last, I was seeing it in person!
《5th-Tier Mystery (Growth Type) – Fresh Companion》
《An Innate Gift born to Flora Elves. A plant possessing unique properties grows within the body. In the case of the assassin Rosalia, it is the ‘Scarlet Death Rose’—a flower that disperses pollen laden with various toxins.》
Each elf is born with one Mystery, known as their Innate Gift, determined by their lineage.
There was a time when unscrupulous Evil Elf users spawned them indiscriminately—they were uniformly broken skills.
“Curse… this….”
The Earth Elf himself possessed a formidable Innate Gift, but once caught by a seasoned assassin, there was no escape.
I signaled Rosalia to stop just before Ermentas lost consciousness, then approached at a leisurely pace.
“Ermentas.”
I bowed and met the elf’s half-open eyes with my gaze, repeating my request with courtesy.
“I will say this only once. Reveal the hidden treasures of this temple, and we shall trouble you no further.”
“…….”
Whether he sensed my genuine intent transcending the ages, Ermentas slowly nodded.
“Very well. I accept.”
“My thanks. Truly, a decision worthy of the noble Earth Elf.”
I then produced the water flask we had prepared outside from Marlin’s leather bag.
“Please, consider this a token of gratitude, however humble.”
“I would never drink something offered by a mongrel— no, wait. I shall accept it gratefully.”
The elf uncapped it, sniffed cautiously, and took a sip. His eyes widened.
“Does it suit your palate?”
“…It is not unpleasant.”
Abel’s special brew seemed to appeal even to the tastes of this ancient elf.
As Ermentas continued sipping the tea, his expression gradually softened.
“Had you offered this from the start, we might have spared ourselves the unpleasantness.”
“Surely not. A mongrel’s gift would never have been so readily accepted.”
“…Yes, I suppose that’s true.”
The threat to life was, put simply, preliminary work to align their perspectives at the same level.
Other races could converse on equal footing without such tedious rituals, but Half-Elves alone had to endure this bothersome process.
Quite a fascinating and peculiar people, weren’t they?
“You likely came here already knowing this, but this Temple was built to protect the sacred ground of us Earth Elves. Though it lies twisted now, devoured by the foul aura of the corrupted world above.”
A faint tingle rippled through the air.
The master of the power shimmering across this entire Labyrinth conveyed a sense of contentment through the bond.
“So you wish to claim treasure?”
Ermentas gestured toward the Stone Slates strewn along the left wall.
“Then arrange those slates in the correct order and affix them to the wall. Find the right solution, and you’ll be able to obtain the treasure sleeping in the Depths of this Temple.”
With a glance from me, Marlin tilted her head and began working through the puzzle, shifting the Stone Slates about.
For someone with Perception 19, it would be no difficult feat to finish quickly.
“Done!”
As expected, after waiting quietly, the puzzle swiftly revealed its true form.
It was a mural depicting Elves threatened by a black eagle with wings spread wide, rushing toward a great luminous stag and kneeling to make their prayer.
“…Swift work. That is correct.”
Ermentas nodded slowly.
“Now venture to the Depths. To claim the treasure, you must overcome the trial—prepare yourselves well before you go.”
Once all the Stone Slates were placed correctly here and you reached Underground Floor 4, you would face a reinforced boss-tier creature.
Defeating it would yield an abundance of hidden rewards.
…This much—the primary mechanism of the Hidden Piece’s activation—was what the Harmony Church had disclosed to the world through their investigations and verification.
Even with this alone, one could obtain respectable rewards, but only those who pursued something richer and more precious, never content with mere gain, could be called true explorers.
“If I may ask one thing. What exactly transpired here?”
At my question, Ermentas slowly raised his gaze toward empty space.
“…We were, in payment for worshipping the Evil God Sue’je, put to death by elite Druids.”
“Why would Elves serve an evil god?”
“That’s not something you should say.”
“But am I not a lowly mongrel? A noble pure-blooded Elf such as yourself shouldn’t speak that way.”
“Hmm, I’ve nothing to say to that….”
The Earth Elf, laughing weakly, turned his gaze to the puzzle mural on the left.
“If you wish to know the reason, open it yourself. The door leading to the hidden truth.”
I did not hesitate, stepping toward the wall and rearranging the puzzle anew.
No tedious work was necessary.
Simply switching the positions of the Stone Slates that bookended the sequence would suffice.
“Kar, what is this….”
Marlin, observing the newly adjusted mural, narrowed her eyes.
“The Elves threatened by the stag went to seek out the eagle? Is that the correct interpretation?”
“Ermentas, is that right?”
The Earth Elf, rather than answer, only smiled bitterly.
It was a smile that carried more weight than a hundred words.
“Now that the truth has been revealed, you will face the worst trial.”
“That is what I desired.”
“Then I wish you fortune.”
Ermentas chuckled quietly, then spoke suddenly.
“Still, what strange times these are. Visitors keep appearing, willingly stepping into the pit of hardship.”
“…You mean there was another expedition that challenged this place besides us?”
“That one was alone, not many. That bastard gave me no small amount of trouble.”
The Tomb of the Earth Elf undergoes a Reset every four days.
So within a span of days, an explorer had come through and triggered the Hidden Piece to its completion….
‘Who could it be?’
The problem was not knowing their identity.
This had never happened before.
Of course, “perplexed” was not quite the word—”exhilarated” was more apt.
Was this new content?
“We should depart now.”
“Wait.”
Just as I turned to leave, Ermentas called me back.
“You’re a Cultist who serves Sue’je, aren’t you?”
“I am. It seems the Mighty One finds me quite endearing.”
“…….”
The phantom of the past trapped within the Labyrinth stared at me intently for a moment, then narrowed his eyes.
“Do not use Black Lightning Flower Bloom carelessly in this Labyrinth. The aura of Suae permeates every corner, and if you’re not careful, your body could transform entirely into lightning.”
I nearly burst out laughing.
My thoughts were laid bare for him to see.
“Thank you for your concern for the safety of a mere hybrid. Until we meet again, then.”
I turned away from Ermentas and exited the secret chamber.
Marlin, who had been following with hurried steps, jabbed me sharply in the ribs with her finger.
“What’s wrong?”
“What did he just say? The worst ordeal…?”
“Nothing much. I just activated a Hidden Piece that maximizes the chief entity’s power.”
Marlin blinked vacantly for a moment, then began poking my waist repeatedly with both hands.
“Your nails hurt. Stop it.”
“But…why are you deliberately making the dungeon harder to clear?”
“Because we’ll get incredible rewards. And if we finish clearing it safely, I was planning to give you pocket money once a month. You don’t like that?”
“…I didn’t say I disliked it. I’m just worried, that’s all.”
“Just trust in me this time too.”
We’ll suffer some hardship, but that’s what makes it worthwhile.
The creator of the Nightmare Dungeon may be a sadist who delights in others’ suffering, but he’s adhered strictly to the Labyrinth’s one defining characteristic: that hardship always yields fair reward.
“But why is that elf living inside that wall anyway? He doesn’t seem mad like the other cultists….”
“Who knows. Maybe he enjoys being confined.”
“That makes no sense.”
“We’ll figure that out later. For now, grab the short dagger and wait.”
Before heading to the Depths, there was one last thing I needed to retrieve.
I entered the same password as before using the numbers carved on the opposite wall from where Ermentas had been, and the floor opened to reveal a treasure chest rising upward.
– Grrrrunch!
The ordinary-looking treasure chest opened its mouth of its own accord, bared sharp fangs, and began to growl.
《Lesser Mimic (Level 1)》
《A Demon Beast disguised as a treasure chest. Kill it and inspect the contents—there may be something valuable inside.》
I stepped forward and extended my hand.
– Grrunch!
Unable to suppress its own aggression, the beast immediately snapped at my arm, and in the next moment paid the price for its impatience.
– Kgh….
The poisoned Mimic convulsed for some time before finally falling still, its tongue lolling out.
I pried open the slack jaw of the dead Mimic and had Marlin thrust her arm deep inside.
“Ugh, it’s all squishy….”
“Just bear with it. This is a one-time opportunity.”
“It’s huge inside. I’m touching things covered in saliva. What should I pull out?”
“Find something that feels like a book.”
Marlin searched carefully for a moment, then withdrew her arm.
In her hand was a dark crimson Mystery Tome.
– Szzzzzzz.
The moment she pulled her arm free, the Mimic dissolved away entirely, leaving behind only a small Mana Stone.
My bewildered assistant picked up the Mana Stone and held the book out to me.
“Here you go.”
“No. That one’s yours.”
《Second-Tier Mystery Tome (Thief) – Hide Presence》
《Temporarily causes your presence to vanish.》
A thief handling menial tasks should carry at least one such Mystery.
“Can I sell it?”
“Learn it first, then sell it.”
With the Mystery Tome secured, we left the sanctuary and resumed our exploration.
– Khahahaha!
Once more the cultists came surging through the darkness.
Where the upper levels had merely housed those whose minds had been addled, here appeared Earth Elves festooned from head to toe in black lightning tendrils.
《High-Ranking Earth Elf Cultist (Level 2)》
《Once a high-ranking cultist, this Earth Elf has devolved into a Demon Beast. Of limited intellect, yet formidable as an opponent—exercise caution.》
For their level, they were fairly strong Demon Beasts, but there was no real problem.
“Big sis!”
With our leveling complete and without issue, I left the rest to Rosalia.
“…….”
An assassin erupting from the shadows cut down every high-ranking cultist that approached us without hesitation.
The carriage ride was remarkably comfortable.
“It’s quite pleasant…!”
“If you’re grateful, come hug me later while saying thanks, yeah?”
“I think you’d dislike that, wouldn’t you?”
“That’s exactly why I said it.”
……
We descended the stairs toward the depths in pleasant comfort, reaching the lower passage without incident.
With Rosalia leading the way into the Depths, a vast, open space unfolded before us.
The structure was nearly identical to the upper level.
Thick pillars stood along the walls, and a colossal stone statue rose at the very center.
Unlike the upper level where the upper half had crumbled, this was an elf statue that retained its full beauty intact.
《A sculpture carved by the Earth Elves who worshipped Meterd, the God of Nature. It radiates a pervasive sense of corruption.》
“That statue—it actually moves, doesn’t it?”
“Your instincts really are sharp.”
Rumble-rumble-rumble.
After taking a few more steps forward, the statue began to activate.
I struck Marlin’s back hard as she stared blankly at the statue, giving her a warning.
“Be careful. A Lurker Ghoul is a demon beast strong enough that it won’t even be worth fighting.”

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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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