WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Mordor
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Mistaken as the Dungeon Boss Monster ◈
Chapter 37: Estigel, a half-human, half-demon person
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Estigel was a half-human, half-demon person despised everywhere she went.
To avoid the public eye, she lived hidden away in a remote cave.
All she wanted was to live quietly without being discovered.
‘Why do I have to endure something like this?’
The trouble began when the Rank 72 dungeon was conquered.
By terrible misfortune, a Rank 72 Dungeon Core formed in the cave where Estigel lived, transforming the insignificant Estigel into the Rank 72 boss.
Naturally, a number was engraved into Estigel’s mind.
I’m the boss of one of the 72 Dungeons! But I’m Rank 72!
If people found out she was a boss of the 72 Dungeons, her peaceful life would be shattered.
Estigel hid herself deep within the dungeon to conceal her identity.
Then, before the Assembly, the Dungeon Association began searching for the Rank 72 dungeon. It did not take long for Estigel’s dungeon to be discovered.
Even under the merchants’ persistent questioning over whether she was the Rank 72 boss, Estigel stubbornly denied it. Her denial fooled no one.
The merchants saw Estigel’s Dungeon Core with their own eyes.
Artificial dungeons outside the 72 Dungeons could not create Dungeon Cores.
That was the moment it was proven that Estigel was the Rank 72 boss.
‘You may face consequences if you do not attend the Assembly. You would be disregarding the Dungeon Association’s efforts.’
She was a Lord, but one at the very bottom at Rank 72, and a half-human, half-demon person at that.
The merchants did not hesitate to threaten Estigel.
This was an Assembly resuming after a hundred years.
Every Lord needed to attend for it to live up to its significance.
Of course, the other Lords would likely be hostile toward a half-human, half-demon person, but Estigel was not important enough for the merchants to care about that.
‘D-Do I really have to go...?’
‘Do as you wish. But if you do not attend, you will deal with the consequences yourself.’
Estigel knew all too well how the world viewed half-human, half-demon people. That was why she was so afraid.
She had hidden in that cave from the beginning because she feared a day like this would come.
The thought of how she would be treated if she attended already made everything go dark before her eyes.
At the same time, she was terrified of what retaliation the Merchant Association might bring if she did not attend.
In the end, Estigel reluctantly agreed, like swallowing bitter medicine.
Only when the fateful day arrived did she hear something from a merchant.
‘...A half-human, half-demon person committed suicide?’
‘Yes. Did you only hear about it now?’
A half-human, half-demon person who had accompanied the previous Assembly as a Keeper had committed suicide.
Estigel’s mind went blank.
She had already arrived at the palace banquet hall. There was no turning back now.
In her heart, Estigel wanted to bite her tongue and kill herself too.
I could be made to “commit suicide” just like that other half-human, half-demon person, couldn’t I?
Even so, she entered the banquet hall with the tiniest shred of hope.
It took less than ten seconds for that hope to be shattered.
“Isn’t that one a half-human, half-demon person?”
“Yes. I heard Rank 72 was one, so that must be the bitch.”
“She has no shame. What was a Rank 72 half-human, half-demon person thinking, coming to the Assembly?”
“Looks like we need to replace Rank 72 again.”
Ah.
‘I’m dead now!’
Contempt and murderous intent beyond anything she expected poured in from every direction.
“Move!”
“U-Uh...”
Shoulder checks were the least of it. People cursed directly in her face, and someone even spat on her shoes.
Judging by the atmosphere, they seemed ready to start hitting her, or even beat her as a group.
Unable to bear the humiliation, Estigel decided to make herself as inconspicuous as possible.
For hours, Estigel stood pressed into a corner.
Thankfully, the attention around her gradually faded.
Estigel felt relieved, but her anxiety only grew.
‘Please, I just want time to pass quickly....’
One minute here felt like an hour. Just standing there made it hard to breathe.
“Lord Vargoer, the Death Knight and Rank 7 master of Faith’s Tomb, has arrived─!”
The loud announcement startled her, and its meaning startled her even more.
Estigel had eyes and ears. How could she not know the rumors that had spread?
The Seven Palaces of the Abyss! Lord Vargoer of Faith’s Tomb!
She had heard that Vargoer had been born as the sole boss of a single-entity Seven Palaces dungeon, had made an enemy of Rank 5, and earned the blind affection of Rank 6.
More than anything, Vargoer had killed two Heroes and even taken an awakened Holy Sword. Such majesty was impossible to believe of a newly established dungeon.
It was an achievement even the other Lords of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss would surely admire.
“Huh. That’s the one who killed Lord Gergoer....”
“I never thought a boss would kill another boss...”
Estigel pricked up her ears at the voices around her.
Then an indescribable shock struck her.
‘Vargoer killed the Rank 21 Lord!?’
A newly established boss of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss had killed the Rank 21 boss. Without hesitation, in a single strike.
Her shock lasted only a moment before Estigel became overwhelmed with worry for her own safety.
This was a boss of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss who had ruthlessly killed even Rank 21.
What if a half-human, half-demon person, already an eyesore, caught Vargoer’s attention?
‘If our eyes meet, I’ll die!’
She immediately turned and faced the wall.
If she kept Vargoer behind her, she would not be able to meet Vargoer’s eyes even if she wanted to.
Whoosh!
A sharp cutting sound suddenly rang beside her ear.
When she glanced sideways on instinct, she saw Vargoer holding the Holy Sword. A boss who looked as though they had fallen onto their rear sat on the floor before Vargoer.
“Urk....”
“Rank and name.”
“Y-Yes?”
“I said, tell me your rank and name.”
“...I’m Brutalgrim, Rank 34.”
“I’ll remember that. Since this is a formal gathering, I’ll stop here.”
“....”
“Next time, be prepared to have your tongue torn out. Understood?”
“Y-Yes. I won’t do it again....”
With that, Vargoer returned to the same spot.
Gulp.
Even the saliva going down Estigel’s throat felt heavy.
At a banquet meant for socializing, Vargoer had not hesitated to threaten a Lord with murder.
Just as expected of a boss of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss who had killed a Rank 21 boss....
“Eek!”
Estigel quickly turned back around.
She may have looked like she was meditating before a wall, but her thoughts were far from peaceful.
‘If Vargoer sees me, I’ll die. If Vargoer sees me, I’ll die. I’m going to die if Vargoer sees me. Please, please, please....’
Her entire body shook uncontrollably.
It was a pitiful sight, but as a half-human, half-demon person, Estigel inspired no sympathy here. She only stirred up more murderous intent.
That was when footsteps approached.
Clank, clank.
The footsteps came with the sound of metal scraping against metal.
Fear crawled up Estigel’s spine, and cold sweat ran down her body.
Please, please, let those footsteps not be headed this way. Estigel prayed desperately to the heavens.
As though betraying her prayers, she felt a touch on her shoulder.
‘...Ah.’
Estigel froze in place.
Vargoer had definitely recognized her as a half-human, half-demon person.
The fear weighing down on her entire body made it difficult to move even a fingertip.
If she ignored Vargoer like this, she would die in one blow.
Like a broken wooden doll, Estigel creaked as she painfully turned around.
Because of their vast difference in height, she had to crane her neck just to see Vargoer’s face.
But she should not have looked at that face. The moment she saw the fierce glow in the Death Knight’s eyes, tears welled up and burst free.
“P-Please, just spare my life....”
Vargoer silently looked at her.
To Estigel, it felt like murderous intent that could kill her at any moment.
“Hic!”
She was so frightened that a hiccup slipped from her mouth.
Vargoer immediately moved a hand. Estigel reflexively squeezed her eyes shut.
“Your hand.”
“......?”
When she barely opened her eyes, Vargoer was holding out a hand.
Looking only at the gesture, it seemed like Vargoer wanted a handshake. Looking only at the gesture.
In the Demon Realm, half-human, half-demon people were as low as untouchables.
The exalted Lord of an Abyssal Palace would never willingly touch one.
Countless guesses swirled through her mind, and then the answer flashed before her.
‘Vargoer’s going to break my wrist...!?’
* * *
Estigel looked up with a face full of fear.
With an expression like that, even without seeing her level color, her feelings were painfully obvious.
“Your hand.”
I carefully held out my hand, keeping my tone gentle.
I had thought long and hard before approaching her.
A Lord of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss becoming the patron of the Rank 72 boss, who was also a half-human, half-demon person? It would surely cause an uproar, and not in a good way.
Even so, I wanted to recruit her because I thought so highly of Estigel’s potential.
“Didn’t you hear me? I said, give me your hand.”
My arm was starting to hurt.
Then she gave me an absurd answer.
“A-Are you going to do something to my wrist...?”
It was ridiculous. Did I look like I was about to chop off her wrist or something?
Left with no choice, I took her hand myself and shook it.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Vargoer, a Lord of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss. Please introduce yourself as well.”
“...Huh?”
“I said, introduce yourself.”
For a moment, it felt as though only Estigel’s time had stopped.
Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish’s while her eyes blinked nonstop.
“We’ll be here all day.”
“Y-Yes?”
“You only need to tell me your rank and name.”
“U-Um, ah, aaah....”
Stammering, rambling, fidgeting, hesitating.
Her behavior was frustrating from beginning to end, and I barely managed to hold back a sigh.
“I-I’m Estigel, Rank 72. I-I’m late in saying it, but it is an honor to meet the Lord of an Abyssal Palace....”
Estigel bent at the waist like a flip phone.
She was scared when I did nothing and scared when I shook her hand. I felt like I was becoming the bad guy no matter what I did.
She looked like a girl who had only just come of age, which made me feel even more guilty.
“Estigel, Rank 72. You’ve caught my interest.”
“Me? I-I caught your interest?”
“Yeah.”
“D-Do you mean as a toy? Or are you talking about using me as a test subject...?”
What the hell did she think I was?
“That’s rude.”
“Eek! I-I’m sorry! I’ve committed an unforgivable sin!”
“You are neither a toy nor a test subject. Do you have a moment?”
“Uh....”
“I have no hostility toward you. Let’s at least talk. I’m doing this because I want to be friends, so don’t be afraid.”
Gasp.
Estigel took a sharp breath.
“Friends, with me?”
“Yeah.”
“B-But I’m Rank 72?”
“I know.”
“And you’re a Lord of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss...?”
“Do you think I don’t know that?”
“...And I even have human blood.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
It did matter, but your potential mattered more.
Even after I said all that, her level color did not change.
Just then, Charlotte and Balutak approached from either side.
“Let me introduce this Insect first. This is Balutak, Keeper of Faith’s Tomb.”
“Kirik. Nice to meet you. I’m Balutak.”
“And this human is my adjutant, Charlotte. She is not half-human, half-demon, but a pure-blooded human. She is a Witch, though.”
“...It is an honor to meet you, Lord.”
Estigel’s widened pupils fixed on Charlotte.
“You’re really human? A human is really the adjutant of a Lord of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss?”
“That is correct.”
“Wow....”
Estigel opened her mouth slightly in surprise.
As planned, the black of her level color faded, even if only a little.
Since I had a pure-blooded human as my adjutant, she should at least stop thinking I was a racial supremacist.
Of course, my subordinates might question why I was making contact with someone as low as Rank 72.
Balutak probably let it go because they did not give it much thought.
As expected, Charlotte kept glancing at me with a troubled expression.
“Boss, may I speak with you alone for a moment?”
“Sure.”
I could already guess what she wanted to talk about this time.
* * *
Lately, Charlotte could not help but question the Boss’s intentions.
A Rank 72 half-human, half-demon boss. A boss of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss had expressed friendly intentions toward Estigel.
Leaving Estigel behind, Charlotte spoke with the Boss.
“My Lord, this truly cannot be allowed. Naturally, someone as foolish as I am has no way of knowing your true intentions. Even so, this really is....”
Charlotte came to her senses, cut herself off, and watched the Boss’s reaction.
An adjutant who served the Boss had openly revealed her negative thoughts.
Charlotte lowered her head apologetically.
“I understand your concerns.”
“...Then why?”
This might cause a greater loss of honor than the Gergoer incident.
The Boss knew all that, yet no matter how hard Charlotte tried, the Boss’s true intentions remained a mystery.
“I saw potential in Estigel.”
Charlotte knew that the Boss had the ability to see potential.
Even so, potential alone was not enough justification.
“I will not accept any more objections. As you always have, trust my decision.”
“But, my Lord.”
“Enough.”
The Boss stubbornly refused to change course.
Was the Boss really planning to befriend a Rank 72 half-human, half-demon person based on potential alone?
No, there had to be another reason.
Charlotte watched the Boss’s back as the Boss headed toward Estigel and tried to discern the hidden intentions.
After thinking deeply for a long time, she arrived at three conclusions.
She could not be certain, but nothing else came to mind.
The Boss possessed deep altruism uncharacteristic of an undead.
The first possibility was that the Boss had simply taken pity on someone being persecuted and offered a hand.
‘If that isn’t it.’
The second possibility was that the Boss had done it for her sake.
Charlotte was a pure-blooded human, but she had lived in circumstances much like those of a half-human, half-demon person.
A life marked only by oppression and escape. Witch Charlotte was welcomed neither by humanity nor by dungeons.
The same had clearly been true for half-human, half-demon people.
A sense of kinship and shared identity that she had not felt even on seeing humans.
When she saw Estigel, those feelings became clear.
From time to time, Charlotte had even found her gaze unconsciously drifting toward Estigel.
The Boss was quietly comforting Charlotte by treating a half-human, half-demon person without hesitation.
Do not be discouraged just because you are human. Even if you are human, I see you for who you are.
It seemed plausible. Charlotte had continued to stay at the Boss’s side while looking timid.
If the Boss had noticed her hidden feelings, all of these actions now made sense.
‘The last possibility....’
This was honestly the hardest one to believe.
That the Boss was a sexual deviant.
There were necrophiliacs among humans, so there was no reason there could not be undead with a human fetish.
Of course, undead had no sexual desire, along with no appetite or need for sleep.
But the Boss was a Lord of the Seven Palaces of the Abyss.
It would not be strange for the Boss to possess something undead could not.
There were even rumors that Lich King Kalandas satisfied his appetite by consuming souls.
Charlotte and Estigel were both beautiful young women.
They also seemed to be around the same age, having only recently become adults, and had similar figures.
Thinking back, the Boss had accepted Charlotte as an adjutant immediately without even interviewing her, not as a Keeper.
As an adjutant who had to remain by the Boss’s side at all times.
‘Come to think of it, before....’
There had been a time when the Boss entered the Adjutant's Room while she was changing clothes.
Charlotte had been naked from the waist up at the time.
If the Boss were an undead without sexual desire, the Boss would have simply handled the business without reacting.
Instead, the Boss repeatedly cleared their throat before pretending not to have seen anything and closing the door.
That was the kind of reaction someone would have if seeing a woman’s naked body aroused desire.
‘The Boss did not value my abilities, but coveted my body....’
Charlotte had made countless mistakes and had not been very helpful in managing the dungeon.
Despite that, perhaps the Boss had kept her by their side all this time just to enjoy looking at a woman.
If that were true, it meant the Boss desired her.
It was a shock she had never considered before.
Maybe it really was not her abilities that interested the Boss, but her looks.
“....”
Charlotte looked over her body.
Her robe covered her from head to toe without exposing anything.
The robe was comfortable, but she suddenly found the sight of herself so completely concealed stifling.
‘I should find clothes that emphasize my figure.’
Inwardly, Charlotte hoped the last hypothesis was true.
Footnotes:
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