Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. - Chapter 4

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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 4: E-Rank Labyrinth – Stronghold of the Hidden Ghoul Pack (3)
– Screeeeeech!
The moment the prayer ended, the right eyeball popped free from its socket with a wet pluck.
Without warning, the liberated eye rolled across the floor, writhed for a moment, then transformed into a raven that began ravenously pecking at the neck-stump of its former body.
Crunch-crunch.
Bone-crunching sounds mingled with flesh spattering through the air and blood pooling across the floor.
The sight made my nose wrinkle—such atrocious table manners.
But my counterpart was a Divine Mystery’s terminal.
One could hardly expect such a being—a direct extension of the Twisted Truth Cult’s herald, capable of seizing every thinking race through madness—to observe human courtesy.
【Young seeker, newly treading the path toward flawless truth.】
As I watched the blind raven eat, a sinister voice suddenly seeped into my mind.
Lidni.
A Divine Mystery of cunning knowledge and insidious sorcery.
The treacherous wizard who swallowed the World Tree and seized infinite wisdom!
That bizarre voice, as if squeezing my brain in its hand and kneading it roughly, piercing it at will, nearly sent my consciousness spinning into a haze.
A faint-hearted person would be seized by madness from mere conversation.
As a newcomer, I needed to display nothing but diligence, so I knelt on one knee and lowered my head.
“I hear you, Lidni.”
【Tasty enough, but this leaves much to be desired.】
Lidni continued the divine pronouncement, smacking intermittently.
【Especially—my mouth feels parched. This is why humans are always disappointing. From now on, do not offer humans as tribute.】
Here it comes.
What the dead call the infamous Hour of Hell’s Hospitality.
A single wrong choice would earn the Divine Mystery’s hatred.
Yet too much flattery would let the Divine Mystery’s power consume both body and soul, reducing me to something less than human.
A conversation demanding to walk the razor’s edge.
“Lidni.”
Like a seasoned cultist, I spoke the correct answer with composure.
“We are not in a position to be choosy about tribute. Has not every cult—including the Twisted Truth Cult itself—already withered long ago?”
【Then at least bring me one stripped of all sinews.】
“That takes too long.”
【What a troublemaker!】
The ominous voice erupted, now tinged with a whimpering note.
【Why not just do what all the other cultists do—bow your head respectfully and cry out, ‘I shall obey your command!’—then writhe about in some bizarre fashion and bare your madness? Everyone did it back then! What is wrong with you young ones!】
To survive as a cultist of the new generation, blind obedience to one’s patron Divine Mystery was not enough; sometimes one had to offer bitter counsel.
So I raised my shoulders with a show of politeness.
“Then where are all those obedient cultist elders now? They’re probably burning in those righteous gods’ Hell as we speak.”
【…Hmm.】
“If you wish not to lose every last believer and fade into oblivion, you must accept what little we offer.”
【You impudent thing!】
With an irritated snap, Lidni’s sinister presence, which had filled my head and mind, vanished.
Clearly sulking.
In such moments, one simply calls again without panic.
“Is there nothing you’ve forgotten?”
Speaking politely, the wicked presence returned.
【Fine. The tribute was not entirely to my liking, but I shall grant you a special favor regardless. Resourceful young seeker—what do you desire of me? The truth that would shake the world’s foundations? Or sorcery to assassinate every king? Whatever you wish shall become reality!】
“I have one question first, if I may.”
【The will to resolve questions is the basic mindset one must possess to unearth all understanding and truth. Ask whatever you wish!】
“From what I understand, there are only two-digit believers remaining. Can you truly grant any wish at all?”
【…….】
The wicked presence that had been blazing fiercely in my head began to shrivel rapidly.
I’d been too pointed in my questioning—feelings hurt.
Deeply reflecting on my own rudeness, I opened my mouth again.
“I’m only asking out of genuine curiosity. If there are only two-digit believers, isn’t Lidni’s influence on the mortal realm limited to something like a handful? So how can you grant every wish?”
Even though I shaped my tone and expression as pleasantly as I could, nothing changed.
【…So what do you desire?】
Lidni murmured quietly, thoroughly pouty.
It was something common even in games.
If I coaxed gently enough later, the mood would lift, so there was no need to worry.
I neatly consumed the scattered teeth on the floor as a final course, then caught the raven’s body as it squeezed into my right eye socket and helped guide it as I spoke.
“Grant me Divine Mystery.”
That mysterious power which served as a skill in the game—Divine Mystery.
Ordinarily, gods bestowed it upon their faithful as a reward for devotion, but cultists had to undergo the rather tedious ritual of human sacrifice to obtain it.
【Very well. Seeing such earnest offerings, I shall grant grace even to one so discourteous. What exactly do you desire?】
I spoke the name of the Divine Mystery that could be called the key to conquering the Labyrinth.
【Will that truly suffice?】
It was an unexpected choice, it seemed.
Lidni’s voice carried innocent curiosity, as though wondering when I had ever been dissatisfied.
“Yes, it will.”
【I see. A Divine Mystery of that caliber, even I with my ‘mere double-digit believers,’ can surely grant without difficulty!】
Lidni revealed a hint of pettiness even as he bestowed grace upon his few, and therefore all the more precious, faithful.
Crackle.
The skin of my right index finger began to burn, a faint sting spreading across it.
A process that, in the game, would have been represented by a modest loss of health.
Soon after, a tattoo in the shape of an eye—with a sharp, ragged pupil—appeared on my fingertip.
《Divine Mystery, the Web That Holds All Things, has taken root within your body. Praise the benevolence of the wise one!》
“Lidni. Thank you.”
【Show a little more sincerity.】
“Oh, I am ever so grateful! My lord!”
【…If you do not prepare something special next time, I shall thrash about with great intensity!】
“Very well.”
I rose to my feet with a terse reply and surveyed myself where I stood.
My clothes were dyed almost entirely crimson, and blood continued to drip steadily from the Dagger I held.
Any stranger seeing me would have taken me for a serial killer.
‘Will I have to continue with human sacrifices like this from now on?’
Since this was my first time slicing through a human body, it had proven far more difficult than expected.
Still, I was grateful to have finished without incident.
Now that I’d done it once, perhaps the next time I could proceed more smoothly.
“…You’ve worked hard.”
“Thank you.”
Marlin approached quietly and handed me a Handkerchief.
The distaste in her expression suggested it was hardly an experience she’d cherish as a fond memory.
Even I, who had butchered countless pieces of meat, felt queasy—what must it be like for an ordinary person?
“We’re done here. Let’s go.”
I gathered up the ritual implements and left the building, then led the siblings back toward the forest.
There was a suitable location for executing the operation.
“Here.”
After heading steadily northward to avoid the ghouls’ sight, I reached a place where trees grew particularly dense and friendly.
Squeezing my body inward through the tight gap, I came upon a small space one could barely fit into while crouching down.
“You two wait here for a moment. If you get sleepy, you can rest.”
“How could we possibly sleep in such a dangerous place…?”
“Close your eyes and sleep will come whether you like it or not.”
I forced Abel to lie down despite his whining, then slipped back outside alone.
Only the final stage of the conquest remained.
It was time to awaken the artist’s soul that slumbered deep within.
First, to verify things, I examined the eye tattoo on my right index finger.
《Web That Holds All Things : Rank 1 Divine Mystery. Thin threads can be produced from the fingertip. Their thickness and durability are determined by Mental Power expenditure.》
Exactly as I understood it.
When I received the Divine Mystery from Lidni, the method of use naturally seeped into my mind.
Swish.
Using it directly, threads flowed out that resembled something between spider silk and fishing line.
Concentrating further and adjusting to make them as sharp as possible, I created a thread that was keenly sharp.
Holding it taut and brushing it lightly with my left hand, my skin was cut slightly.
‘My head already aches.’
Nightmare Dungeons consumed different resources for each class, and cultists consumed “Mental Power.”
Unlike a mage’s “Mana,” which had a clearly defined quantity, it was theoretically a resource that could be drawn upon endlessly.
But overindulge and one would encounter the full course of varied status abnormalities—madness, delirium, depression, hallucinations—so precise control was essential at this point.
《Your remaining Mental Power threshold, organized for easy viewing : 85/100》
“This is good.”
Was this really possible?
Now that it’s become reality, the Eye That Pierces Truth, which already boasted excellent versatility, is proving even more useful as a Divine Mystery.
The Cultist of the Twisted Truth Cult truly was the strongest class.
“Just keep telling me like that.”
《:)》
With a means to prevent excessive Mental Power consumption at my disposal, there was nothing to hesitate about.
I began in earnest to create an installation artwork utilizing the Web That Holds All Things.
‘As carefully as possible.’
In reality, there were no second chances.
If the design failed, I would die.
Not just me—the young siblings too would end up as cold, rigid corpses stored in some food depot.
I couldn’t let the children perish in such a place, so I poured my heart into constructing a natural bunker for survival.
《Remaining Mental Power Threshold: 10/100》
Things were getting precarious.
A throbbing headache beyond what I could bear overlapped with everything, and my vision was spinning.
‘…Done.’
The work finally finished when my Mental Power had dwindled below five.
Exhaustion and drowsiness mingled together, making my entire body unbearably heavy, but I forced myself to stay conscious.
There was still work left to do.
“Marlin.”
I left Abel, who was sound asleep, alone and woke the slightly less young one.
“When did I fall asleep…?”
Marlin rose immediately and, upon seeing my face, flinched.
“You don’t look well.”
“It’s because I’m ugly.”
“…Don’t joke at a time like this.”
“The ghouls will be coming soon.”
“Are you planning to hold out here until the clearing condition is met?”
“You want to stay that long? Getting attached to the ghouls?”
…….
Marlin glared at me for a moment before speaking.
“Just tell me what you’re thinking. What should I do?”
Though we’d known each other less than a day, she’d already learned enough about me to cut straight to the point.
Children these days really did grow at a terrifying pace.
If I dragged this out any longer, she might even throw a punch, so I opened my mouth at once.
“Just stay still. Then we can leave within an hour.”

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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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