Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. - Chapter 9

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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 9: E-Rank Dungeon – Hwa-an Ant Cavern (1)
The dungeon we were to explore this time lay within Cult Town itself.
Because of this, we could enter without going through the tedious procedure of requesting the Harmonious Cult’s permission to leave and then waiting several days.
“Is that really the entrance?”
Marlin asked cautiously, her expression slightly tense.
“It is.”
“It doesn’t look much like a dungeon.”
“That’s fair.”
In the middle of the road on a deserted street where few people ventured.
A narrow opening gaped in the pavement—too tight for a large orc to pass through easily.
This would be the entrance to the dungeon we were about to conquer: the Hwa-an Ant Cavern.
Even accounting for the fact that my new assistant was a novice to dungeons, the appearance was certainly unconventional.
“You’ve come to conquer it, yes? I’ll need to verify your identification!”
A priest of the Harmonious Cult emerged from a nearby house, smiling warmly as though he’d been watching for us.
I nodded and produced my ID Badge, and Marlin hurriedly followed suit, fumbling hers out.
“Kar of the Twisted Truth Cultist, and Marlin, ordinary citizen of District 6. Yes, confirmed! Do you know the conquest method?”
“I do, but my companion doesn’t. Could you explain it for her?”
“Of course! I should go into detail!”
The good-natured cultist beamed at Marlin and launched into his explanation.
“The Hwa-an Ant Cavern is the lowest-ranked dungeon—E-Rank. The conquest difficulty isn’t steep, and the danger level is quite manageable, so you can enter with full confidence!”
Perhaps he’d noticed how frozen she looked.
Beyond merely explaining the conquest method, he was providing mental support to a novice adventurer.
It was premium service that proved why the Harmonious Cult numbered among the six great powers that held Pletica in their grip.
“The conquest conditions are also remarkably simple. Our tiger friend here—do you know what they are? You simply enter through the entrance and exit through the exit!”
“Oh? That is simple.”
“Isn’t it?”
Thanks to the seasoned dungeon administrator’s persuasive tongue, Marlin’s tension eased and her expression softened slightly.
“The cavern is enormous—as vast as a decent-sized city—and hopelessly tangled throughout, making the paths quite complex. But you needn’t worry about that either! You’ll have a map!”
“A map…!”
“Yes! Normally it would cost 5 Silver, but since you’ve listened so attentively, you seem absolutely delightful, so I’ll provide it free of charge!”
In truth, it was always free.
“Wow….”
But what did the truth matter?
Not when she was this pleased.
“What do Fire Ants look like? They must be gross if they’re shaped like real ants, right?”
“Not at all. Compared to other insectoid monsters, they’re actually quite cute!”
The priest flashed a grin and winked at me when Marlin wasn’t looking.
I responded by discreetly giving him a thumbs up.
“Marlin, are you ready to go in?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s move. I’ll head down first.”
As I descended the ladder installed in the opening, my vision swam dizzily.
Surrendering my body to the strange sensation that gripped me, I waited in stillness until the wavering sight cleared and returned to normal.
Tap.
I landed lightly in the narrow cavern, having fallen from empty air.
The Curse of the Nature Deity hadn’t activated yet, so I could still demonstrate this much agility.
I drew my Short Dagger from my pocket and surveyed my surroundings.
The cramped cavern and a warm, humid sensation rising from the ground beneath my feet.
‘How beautiful….’
To be able to enjoy such an exquisite sight for free.
Was I truly blessed enough to deserve this?
All I could do was regret that I couldn’t capture it in a photograph to keep.
《E-Rank Dungeon – Hwa-an Ant Cavern》
《The habitat of Level 1 monsters known as Fire Ants. Tediously vast and sprawling in every respect, yet—why has someone entered a dungeon already completely explored in all dimensions? The wise one grows disappointed.》
Just as those words suggested, this dungeon had already been fully conquered.
The monsters that appeared.
The treasures that could be obtained.
The hidden traps.
Everything had been thoroughly analyzed, which meant it didn’t match Lidni’s taste for fresh, interesting stimulation.
Of course, by making use of Hidden Pieces, I could transform it into an exhilarating dungeon that would draw sweat without fail.
“Lidni, don’t grumble. Simply observe. This Kar doesn’t conduct trivial conquests—he’s a cultist with standards.”
Best to stop building expectations here.
If I kept rambling and spoiled everything, the thrill would drain away and disappointment would follow. Restraint had its virtues.
“So this really is an ant cavern.”
Marlin descended lightly to the cavern floor behind me.
“But it’s so dark I can barely read the map.”
“Pull out the candle set.”
“Ah, so that’s what this was for.”
Marlin drew candles from her leather bag and struck a match to light them.
Crafted by an artisan’s hand, they burned brighter than ordinary candlelight, driving back the darkness with ease.
“Hand it here.”
I took the candle and placed it atop her head.
Then I drew the Web of All Things from my right index finger and fixed it firmly in place.
“There. No more getting lost in the dark.”
“…Is there some particular reason it has to be on my crown? I could just carry it in my hand. You’re not playing pranks on me, are you?”
“Don’t be like that. How am I supposed to fight properly while holding a candle?”
“Oh, right.”
“You’re not going to apologize? My feelings are hurt.”
“Which direction do we go? There are five passages.”
Marlin brushed aside my words lightly and studied the map carefully, then pointed down the left tunnel.
“We should go this way.”
“You figured it out already?”
“Of course. I have the map.”
Even with a map provided, first-time explorers struggled to navigate the Hwa-an Ant Cavern easily enough….
But spatial perception with Sense 19 was not to be underestimated.
That was precisely why she had the makings of an excellent explorer.
“…Kar.”
Marlin crouched low, her eyes fixed on a passage opening at the lower edge of the right wall as she double-checked the map.
“They’re coming. Monsters.”
Her tail, which had been swaying idly, stiffened.
“What do we do? I’m so nervous….”
Thanks to the kind Harmonious Cult Priest, the tension Marlin had set aside now gripped her again, her pupils trembling wildly.
It was natural to feel anxious before your first real combat.
She was probably seeing the moment again when a ghoul easily pierced through a green orc warrior’s body during the last dungeon expedition.
“Relax. You’ll be fine.”
Caring for a companion’s mental state fell to the expedition leader.
I loosened my competent assistant’s stiff shoulders, then pressed a short dagger—standard issue for cultists—into her hand.
“Take this blade.”
It was cheap enough to abandon after a few uses without any real loss. Besides, unless you were a rogue, there was no way to actually fight monsters with something as short-ranged as a dagger.
Cultists had their own form of combat.
Already, I was calculating which techniques to prioritize.
“Handle it carefully. It was made for ritual use, so its durability isn’t great.”
“Understood.”
As we prepared for combat, the dungeon’s master emerged from the shadowed passage.
A low growl rumbled forth.
A massive red ant, larger than most humans.
A Fire Ant.
Apart from its size, it looked almost identical to an ordinary ant, except where eyes should have been, flames flickered in their empty sockets.
Fire Ant (Level 1)
A monster that overwhelms through raw bulk and sheer numbers. Threatening enough, but ultimately just a worthless vermin lacking intelligence.
Ten Fire Ants emerged together, creeping slowly toward us.
Marlin grimaced and gripped the dagger tightly.
“You lied, Priest! You said they weren’t grotesque!”
“I didn’t lie. If you rank insect repulsiveness on a comparative scale, ants fall rather low on the list, don’t they?”
In dungeons, hideous appearance was a survival strategy.
It served to dampen an explorer’s aggression, after all.
Another harsh screech echoed through the passage.
The Fire Ants, which had been observing us from a distance, suddenly charged forward.
They surged across floor, wall, and ceiling in perfect synchronization.
A novice explorer would panic, fumble, and be caught up in the assault—dead before they knew it.
“…don’t come any closer!”
But a tiger-human born of beast blood wasn’t about to cower before a mere insect.
Marlin struck down the first ant that lunged at her with her short dagger, then swept her arm to the left.
Slice!
The body and head of the monster climbing the wall were severed in a single motion.
The next one rushing from the front she dispatched with a spinning kick, and simultaneously struck down the one dropping from the ceiling with her claws.
This wasn’t combat.
It was one-sided slaughter.
A handful of insectoid monsters with inferior intellect stood no chance against a beast.
‘She really does fight well.’
Though she wasn’t using the short dagger properly yet, there was little else to fault her technique on.
The only issue was that her clothes were getting filthy—she’d need new ones when they left.
For someone fighting in a Dungeon for the first time, she showed no obvious gaps.
You could tell from how she moved that she’d done more than just burgling in the Slums—she’d brawled plenty.
‘Why a thief, of all things.’
A warrior or hunter would’ve been ideal.
It was a shame that her talents were being wasted simply because she’d taken the path of a rogue.
—Squelch….
It took barely three minutes for all the Fire Ants to ascend to whatever heaven or hell the insect deity operated.
Marlin, who’d been moving frantically, finally crouched down in place and caught her breath.
“…Phew.”
“Good work.”
I carefully wiped the blood from her face with a handkerchief.
This was what a proper patron should do, wasn’t it.
Marlin, who’d been resting quietly, raised her eyebrows.
“They’re weaker than I expected. That ghoul we saw before had monstrous physical abilities and kept reviving—”
“That’s normal. Those Lurking Ghouls were just unusually strong for E-Rank Dungeon monsters. Usually, you mostly encounter Level-1 creatures like these.”
“What Level were those ghouls?”
“Level 3. Normally you’d only encounter those in D-Rank Dungeons.”
“…now that I think about it, we were really reckless back then.”
Better she realized it now.
“Marlin, once you’ve rested enough, harvest some materials for me.”
“Harvest them?”
I scanned the Fire Ants scattered across the cavern floor.
“Cut open their abdomens with your dagger and you’ll find blue stones—those are Mana Stones. Collect them all.”
“Oh, Mana Stones!”
The stone imbued with mana had uses too varied to list individually.
It was the universal fuel, material, and currency that kept the Dungeon Cities running.
“But why didn’t we collect them from the last Dungeon?”
“Mana Stones only appear in the bodies of dead monsters. Those ghouls had their bodies torn apart but didn’t actually die.”
It made sense that the Lurking Ghouls were such valuable trophies.
“And if you carefully dig into their eye sockets, you’ll find a small organ that shoots fire—we call it a Fire Spring. It gets hot, so handle it carefully.”
Marlin worked as instructed, though she tilted her head quizzically.
“What would we use these for?”
“Everything has a use.”
Since Marlin’s Dexterity—a rogue’s core stat—wasn’t particularly high, the harvest took quite a while.
It would’ve been better to leave before more Fire Ants arrived, but I didn’t rush her.
“All done.”
“Then let’s move quickly. If more of them swarm here, it’ll be a hassle.”
“We’re heading for the exit, right?”
“No.”
“Huh?”
Marlin’s ears, which had been drooping with exhaustion, perked up suddenly.
“Why look so surprised.”
“If not the exit, where are we going?”
Before explaining, I pulled out the map and pointed to our destination.
[Garbage Dump]
“We’re heading here.”
“The Garbage….”
“Don’t say it like that—you’re making me sound bad.”
“Why would you take us to a place like this?”
“This isn’t a garbage dump.”
Not at all.
“To me, it’s a treasure trove.”

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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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