Luca, leading the followers of the Void God, entered the hidden room in the lab and frowned at the sight before him.
When I came here before, it was such a desolate place. Why is it now transformed into a corridor that looks like something from a noble’s mansion?
It’s hard to believe that this was prepared by Lady Alrn.
I don’t know how she was in the past, but the recent Lady Alrn is far removed from vanity.
Even on holidays at the academy, she doesn’t wear expensive clothes, just her usual uniform. She’s too lazy to even decorate her own room. There’s no way she would go to the trouble of preparing something like this for a personal hobby.
Then what is this scene now? Why did Lady Alrn create something like this herself?
If she went so far as to overcome her laziness, there could only be one reason.
“A dungeon.”
Luca, who had felt how serious Lucy Alrn was about dungeons during the final exams last year, was sure that his instincts were correct.
There was no way Lucy Alrn would go to such lengths unless it was for a dungeon.
This is starting to get complicated. If Lady Alrn herself has worked on this dungeon, it’s bound to be very tricky.
If I recklessly walk in, who knows what might happen. One thing I can be thankful for is that, despite being a noblewoman, there are limits to what she can do without the academy's support in creating a dungeon.
Like when they built the academy dungeon, it couldn’t be forced. In a way, that’s a good thing.
If I were to destroy something that Lady Alrn worked so hard on and head straight to her, she’d probably sense the danger.
That works for me. If I can corner her, I’ll gladly do it.
“Let’s go.”
As I shared the sight of the spirits through Adria’s dark magic, I couldn’t help but feel perplexed watching Luca easily break through traps left and right.
It’s true that there was some compromise due to time and resource limitations, but those things aren’t that easy to break.
For example, those skeletons waiting to ambush us are nothing more than a distraction.
While the ambush was meant to draw attention, I had planned to trigger the traps I had set in advance to create chaos, and then use the spirits to initiate a real attack to make things chaotic.
But Luca was the one who first noticed and eliminated the ambushing spirits, clearing the traps ahead of time.
He made the skeletons attack, but even that didn’t have any meaningful results.
The fake wall he’s currently destroying is the same.
I had added a few tricks to the fake wall to make sure it couldn’t be easily destroyed even if someone figured out it was fake, but Luca effortlessly tore it down like it was nothing.
Everything else is falling apart just as easily.
What is this? This is really strange.
Luca has become more competent than he was in the game.
He was already skilled, except for his insanity, but not like this.
Did something change when Luca got involved with me?
“This is strange. There’s no way Lady Alrn would have put this much effort into a dungeon like this.”
Hearing Luca muttering to himself, I felt the thread of reason snap and turned my gaze toward Adria.
“Stupid old man. What do you think of what that perverted professor said?”
...Uh, well, that...
“Isn’t it strange that a pig who should be groveling on the floor is talking?”
Hahaha.
Is this really the place I designed?
That son of a bitch.
“Give me back what I gave you. Now.”
H-Here! Here it is!
Taking the paper from Adria, I quickly revised my plan based on what Luca and the Void followers had just shown me.
For now, it would be difficult to threaten them with physical force that Adria can prepare on her own.
The barrier had already fallen into the hands of the Void, making the followers much stronger, and Luca’s power was greater than I had expected.
In times like this, I’ll have to approach from a different angle. Fortunately, Adria, who is skilled in necromancy, is right next to me. I’m sure she’ll be able to handle it.
Using the fact that many of the traps I set up earlier were easily undone, I decided to play a psychological game. Considering that Luca treats these followers like tools, if I mess with their minds a little more...
“Old man. Can you do it?”
...I think it’s possible, but this is too much.
“Lonely old man. Have you been living alone for so long that you can’t read the atmosphere? I want one answer, and you just need to do it. Even if your social skills are lacking, you should understand this much, right?”
I thought Adria would complain, but to my surprise, she nodded and quickly gave commands to the spirits she controlled.
What’s this? Why is she acting like this all of a sudden? Did she feel some sense of danger?
Just as I was wondering, Freya poked me.
“What’s wrong, dumb sword?”
“Lucy was really scary just now.”
“...Huh?”
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“Really. Really. Really. Scary.”
“Uhhh?”
Having bypassed the minor traps set along the corridor, Luca continued ahead, still puzzled by the situation.
This is strange. This place looks like something Lady Alrn put a lot of effort into, so why is it so easy?
This can’t be the dungeon she prepared. It’s far too ordinary.
It’s not extremely difficult, but for something she made, it’s too typical.
If it were the Lady Alrn I know, there’s no way she would have made a dungeon like this.
Something’s wrong. Is there something I’m missing? Wondering if he had fallen into some kind of trap, Luca immediately drew his dagger, sensing a shiver from behind him.
The spirit that had emerged from the wall clashed with his dagger.
Hehehe.
Before Luca could react, the spirits began to emerge one by one from the wall.
A maid, a servant, someone dressed as a noble, someone in a knight’s armor—each emerged, carrying the resentment of their painful deaths, appearing and vanishing repeatedly.
It’s a person.
What’s going on here?
It smells musty.
It’s a disgusting smell. Maybe they had a lot left unsaid in life.
The dead constantly muttered, filling the corridor with their voices.
Another set of spirits? They don’t seem like they belong to the Holy One’s followers.
...No, these are different from the spirits that attacked us before.
These spirits have full forms, unlike the ones that assaulted us earlier.
“They should vanish.”
“I will share the blessing of the Void.”
While Luca pondered, one of the Void followers swung their weapon.
The attack, infused with the power of the Void, tore the spirit in half, turning its form to dust.
Seeing this, Luca clicked his tongue inwardly.
Too hasty. Didn’t they notice the changes?
If this is a place tied to dark magic, every detail should be observed carefully. Who knows what traps lie in wait?
Well, whatever. There’s no reason to stop someone who wants to be a test subject.
“You’re pathetic!”
Even though one of their comrades was torn apart right before their eyes, the spirits only laughed louder, unafraid.
Scared, are we?
Are you afraid of dying?
Hehehe.
Afraid to go to the Void while serving the Void?
“You pathetic creatures!”
As the Void followers grumbled and swung their weapons at the walls, Luca merely pretended to fight while calculating the power of the spirits.
These aren’t just ordinary spirits. If they were simply filled with resentment, they would have already lost their minds and attacked us without hesitation.
Instead, they’re only poking at us, meaning they have power enough to be controlled.
No matter how I think about it, there’s nothing to gain by disturbing the spirits.
I’ll just keep up the pretense and observe the situation.
“Damn it! These rat-like things keep... urgh!”
In the midst of a small skirmish, one follower was injured by a spirit. The wound, though small, would have been nothing more than a superficial scar.
However, the follower, with blood dripping from the wound, grinned proudly as they erased one of the spirits.
“I’ll send you back to where you belong!”
The battle didn’t take long to end. As more than half of the spirits were gone, the remaining spirits retreated.
“Not as troublesome as before, but still not much of a challenge.”
“Even using our full strength, this is all we get. Truly pathetic.”
“What can you expect from those who serve the rotting God?”
It was absurd that the woman who should have been speaking with the Holy One’s grace was now working with necromancers and still preparing such weak forces.
The Void followers, who didn’t know much about Lucy Alrn, thought she was cornered.
“Professor Luca! Quickly guide us! We’ll remove the obstacles and offer sacrifices to the Void!”
Pushed by the eager followers, Luca thought about warning them, but simply nodded.
The spirits’ assault continued.
They were supposed to be filled with resentment toward the world, but they kept attacking suddenly and retreating in between.
The Void followers, covered in minor wounds, didn’t seem to care at all.
They had worked and survived countless near-death experiences for their God. How could such small wounds stop them?
Through this process, Luca began to feel more and more uneasy.
Am I worrying too much?
No. But the opponent is Lady Alrn.
She must be up to something.
“Terra? Why are you acting like this?”
Hearing the voice from behind, Luca turned his head and saw the Void follower, Terra, standing with a blank expression, muttering in a language he didn’t understand before swinging their weapon at their comrade.
“Hey! You!”
Seeing this, Luca didn’t look surprised; instead, he breathed a sigh of relief.
The traps prepared on the side of the road were distractions.
The skeletons that had ambushed us before were the same.
By making them seem insignificant, it made us feel at ease. In doing so, it made the minor wounds the spirits inflicted seem like nothing.
But that was the trick. Those seemingly harmless wounds were letting something slip in.
What exactly that was, I didn’t know, and I didn’t want to.
It didn’t matter if I didn’t know.
Passing by the confused ones, Luca stood before the one who had lost their sanity, quickly slashing their neck with his dagger and turning around.
“Let’s continue. Stay alert and avoid getting hurt.”
“Yes. You.”
“Is there a problem?”
But this is a boring trap. Lady Alrn.
The talent I know from you is not at this level.
How can I make you more desperate?
As expected.
Should I threaten those connected to you?