WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Irevi

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 43: Doll Dungeon (1)

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Since people needed rest, the Academy of the End naturally had weekends too.

In the game, weekends could be spent on all sorts of activities, such as part-time jobs and quests. Reality was not much different.

Most students enjoyed their free time or lived as they pleased, while only a handful of top students remained at the academy to study.

This weekend, though, was an exception.

The first Follower class and dungeon practicum would end next week, making this the last weekend before the evaluation.

As a result, Christoph Station and the trams were packed with students rushing off to cram.

There were no other students on the train Cecilia and I had boarded, on the other hand.

The city we were headed for, Erandar, had no dungeons besides the Doll Dungeon.

The capital's scenery receded beyond the window, and white spires steeped in religious atmosphere came into view.

Erandar was a city in the lake region of the Empire's west.

It was said that the Main Gods had once resided there. It was also the headquarters of the Empire's Church of the Main Gods, as well as Mine's hometown.

A temple stood in the middle of a lake near Erandar.

That was where the Doll Dungeon was located.

While ordinary dungeons took the form of caves or wildernesses, the Dungeons of the Evil God all resembled temples.

That was because the Abyss itself was said to be a temple devoted to Tartarus, the Evil God.

For example, Varhatan's field had been a ruined temple. Varhatan was like a guard posted at the path leading to the Evil God.

In other words, it was a watchdog.

‘That watchdog killed me three times, though.’

The Doll Dungeon had its own story as well.

The temple on the lake was originally where the twin bishops Rose and Lilian served the Main Gods, as well as a graveyard for martyred believers.

During their lives, they made wax dolls in the likeness of the believers and placed them before the graves. After they died, the twins themselves were buried there as well.

The problem was that an Abyss of the Evil God formed there, and the demonic energy that seeped out permeated the wax dolls.

As a result, every doll transformed into a monster, creating what was now known as the Doll Dungeon.

Like the Beast Dungeon, it could not be cleared beyond the entrance without playable characters. The Empire had built watchtowers around the lake and assigned priests to monitor and purify it regularly.

By the time Mine's existence as someone who could open the boss room became known, she had ironically already developed dungeon phobia.

They hurriedly designated her a Saintess, but she would break into a cold sweat at the mere sight of a dungeon entrance and often fainted after taking only a few steps inside. There was no way to bring her all the way to the boss room.

The method they had used in my case, throwing in civilians by the dozen, probably had not even been an option for religious people.

“Did anyone contact you separately?”

“No.”

“I knew it. That's why I hate this place.”

Then what about me, instead of Mine?

I was known as one of only two keys in the Empire.

Under normal circumstances, it would have benefited the Empire to have me lead Holy Knights in clearing the Abyss.

But it was the usual corrupt religious leader cliché, I suppose.

Erandar's leadership received a massive budget from the Empire each year under the pretext of monitoring the Doll Dungeon.

Since purification was enough to contain the demonic energy leaking out, the dungeon was probably less of a threat to them and more like a lucrative cash cow.

Naturally, Erandar had heard plenty about me, the Funeral Sword.

They had not contacted me because they were afraid I might upend their lucrative arrangement.

That was what concerned me most.

I had already acquired enough equipment, but I had no clear idea how to deal with this side of things.

The original Aren began to face opposition from Erandar's leadership from the moment he cleared the Doll Dungeon.

But once it was revealed that he possessed the power of the Celestial Extremity God, they lost their justification for opposing Aren.

‘That doesn't apply to me.’

An extra like Halibal Velder had no such power.

The question was how I would overcome their interference.

While I was lost in thought, the train arrived in Erandar before I knew it.

The pure white marble buildings that greeted us as we stepped off the train cleared my mind considerably.

‘Yeah. What can I do?’

Since when had I ever worried about things like this before making a move?

I'd act first and deal with the consequences later.

⁎⁎⁎

“I've been waiting for you, Halibal Velder and Cecilia Ren. My name is Razen.”

The person who appeared as soon as we left the station was a narrow-eyed priest.

I had never heard that name in the original, but when it came to a male character with narrow eyes, physiognomy alone was reason enough to be suspicious.

“Are you perhaps headed for the Abyss of the Evil God?”

We had not told anyone that we planned to clear the Doll Dungeon.

Senia might have guessed because she was perceptive, but I had not even told Adeline.

Adeline would surely have opposed it.

Yet here he was, waiting for us.

Where had the information leaked from?

“With the academy practicum nearly over, what other reason could the Funeral Sword possibly have for coming all the way to Erandar besides clearing a dungeon?”

‘Who does he think is dungeon-addicted?’

Cecilia and I could have come here sightseeing.

I could have made up an excuse, but there was little point in lying here.

“Yes. We intend to clear the Doll Dungeon.”

“My apologies, but that will be difficult at the moment.”

Who was he to say that?

“Ah, please do not misunderstand. The Abyss of the Evil God is a place where indescribable dangers lurk.”

“I know that.”

Was there anyone who knew better than I did at this point?

“No one should set foot inside without thorough preparations. If you intend to enter, then we should naturally provide troops as well.”

“You don't have to...”

“Unfortunately, not a single Holy Knight is currently available. I will send word to White Spirit Hall in advance, so please return sometime next week.”

‘So this was how he was going to play it?’

Next week was not an option.

By then, the practicum would be over and I would have to part ways with Cecilia. I would not even have time to come here during the week.

Just as expected, an outright rejection.

Even if I came next week, he would probably find another excuse to keep me from entering the dungeon.

“Since you've come all this way, allow me to show you around Erandar myself. Have you ever seen the Silver Stairs?”

This was my first time here, so of course I had not.

I could not help sighing inwardly, but it was not as if I had no answer.

“Her Highness the Imperial Princess granted me the right to enter any dungeon whenever I wished.”

The right Alicia had given me during the Beast Dungeon raid was also why I could enter upper-tier dungeons.

Even Erandar could not ignore the Imperial Princess's orders as long as it belonged to the Empire.

“...Is that so? Then there is nothing to be done. I will guide you to the lake.”

The moment I mentioned Alicia, Razen began walking as calmly as though he had been expecting it.

‘Then why did you try to stop us?’

I soon learned the answer.

He repeated the same thing all the way to the lake.

“It is true that not a single Holy Knight is available. Erandar has no choice but to dissuade you.”

“...”

“If you ignore my warning and enter the dungeon, only to suffer some misfortune... how could I ever face the others?”

“...”

“Please reconsider once more. Entering the dungeon with only the two of you is far too reckless.”

‘He's annoyingly loud.’

Though he kept trying to dissuade us, there was no sign that he intended to stop walking.

Right. There was no way he had given up so easily.

This must have been his plan from the start.

‘We cannot provide you with troops.’

‘Erandar warned you sufficiently.’

‘If you ignore those warnings, enter the dungeon, and something happens, it is entirely your responsibility.’

In the end, his goal was not to stop us.

He wanted to prepare plenty of excuses to avoid responsibility if we failed.

The Doll Dungeon's difficulty was incomparably higher than the Beast Dungeon's.

That was why I had prepared far more thoroughly than I had for the Beast Dungeon. I had already resolved to use everything available to me, including my knowledge of the original, Renee's power, and every other means at my disposal.

If I had not been stuck in a stat-growth lull, I would have farmed Shards in the Goblin Dungeon up to Tier V.

Of course, if I had spent that much time, the academy would have been destroyed by the Cult first.

‘They must be worried we might clear the dungeon and cut off their source of easy money.’

That was probably why he kept bringing up Holy Knights.

Once that thought occurred to me, it only made me more determined.

Cecilia felt the same way.

Her arms were crossed, and she glared at him with an expression that said he was beneath contempt.

She even wore the trademark expression she had in the original, one I had not seen from her much lately.

“Don't worry. No matter what happens, we will not hold Erandar responsible.”

“The Ren House feels the same. This is our choice. Whatever happens, we have no intention of blaming you.”

Even after we said that much, Razen made us sign the waiver he had prepared.

...Just you wait.

A short while later, we crossed a marble arch bridge, and the lake came into view in the distance.

White Spirit Lake.

The seven watchtowers surrounding the lake did not appear to be operating.

Since watching it or not made no difference, they were clearly getting paid to do nothing.

Wouldn't it be better to replace them all?

At the center of the lake stood a massive temple on a small island, demonic energy seeping from it.

That was our destination, the Doll Dungeon.

“This is as far as I can guide you.”

“Why? Why don't you come in with us? You want the Evil God Dungeon cleared as soon as possible too, don't you?”

“Of course I do, but I’m not capable enough... I fear I would only hold the two of you back.”

We ignored his nonsense and headed straight across the bridge toward the island.

The temple that loomed over us as soon as we arrived was overwhelming.

It had seemed less impressive when I’d only seen it in the game, but seeing it firsthand, I found it far grander than the crude stone doors of the Beast Dungeon.

As I blankly stared at the temple, Cecilia held out a map showing the terrain leading to the Doll Dungeon's entrance.

“Here. The map.”

“You keep it. I've already memorized it.”

Though the Doll Dungeon looked like a temple from the outside, once inside, the space transformed into a quiet noble estate.

Just like the Beast Dungeon, where a ruined temple had stood beyond the cave.

The first floor of the estate was where ordinary monsters and elite monsters appeared.

On the second floor, Alain, a massive knight doll, appeared as the mid-boss.

Finally, after passing through the third floor and reaching the temple rooftop, we would encounter the bosses waiting for intruders, Rose and Lilian.

The moment we met them, the space would change. We would have to face both bosses at once in a field where two themes, morning and night, coexisted.

To prevent their revival, we would have to keep their Health even and defeat them at the same time.

‘...We can do this, right?’

It had been a long time since my heart had beaten this loudly.

I had several countermeasures prepared, but I was not certain.

Could I have prepared anything else?

‘No. Probably not.’

After going through my final check, I placed my hand on the left handle of the iron door.

Cecilia followed suit, placing her hand on the right handle and meeting my eyes.

“Are you nervous?”

“Yeah.”

“Really? I'm not particularly nervous. We've gone into dungeons so many times over the past month because of you. Why would this make me nervous?”

Despite her words, her hand was trembling like an aspen leaf.

‘So you are nervous.’

Noticing my gaze, Cecilia bit her lip and spoke.

“...Still, this is my first time entering an Abyss of the Evil God.”

“Mine too.”

“You've cleared one before.”

“It’s my first time going in with just the two of us.”

Cecilia's eyes widened at my answer.

Then she smiled softly and tightened her grip on the handle.

I did the same, and the entrance to the Abyss opened its jaws with a creak.

The moment we stepped beyond the entrance, the doors shut with a clunk and became covered in demonic energy.

We had been free to enter, but leaving was another matter.

At least until we defeated the mid-boss Alain, those doors would never open.

What greeted us inside the estate was darkness deeper and thicker than anything in the Goblin Dungeon.

A rattling sound came from within it.

It was a grotesque scraping noise, like forcing together two bowls that did not fit.

The lamps around us lit one after another, revealing the source of the rattling.

It was a human.

A human dressed in full priestly robes.

But Cecilia and I immediately knew it was not human.

The demonic energy pouring from its body was stickier than even the Goblin Lord's.

The wax doll in the shape of a priest rushed at us.

My turn.

Footnotes:

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