WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Ceaseless
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Dungeon Gallery's Terrifying Newbie ◈
Chapter 69: Traitor (3)
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【Instructions for Intruders】
1. Dreamland is a newly established dungeon avoided even by Blessed Ones. You only have half a day to escape without an Escape Scroll. Leave the dungeon immediately.
2. This dungeon cannot be raided.
3. If you were forcibly dragged here, your chances of survival will be higher if you eliminate the person who brought you here instead of trying to raid the dungeon.
4. So far, Dreamland has never harmed anyone other than "dungeon intruders." Please cooperate so this can continue.
5. Beyond this point lies nothing but a deep nightmare. If you choose to proceed despite reading these instructions, you will sincerely regret it.
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The sixth Dungeon Raid.
Day 1 of the Dungeon Raid.
Dragrade swallowed a groan as he stared at the notice posted on the wall.
It wasn't a bluff.
The fact that they had gained nothing so far proved it.
Seventy-five people had died.
And yet they had failed to bring back even a single piece of information.
What that meant was simple.
Entering Dreamland was no different from suicide.
Things had felt good at first.
They expected to resolve the cause of the Mana Storm, take the Dungeon Master's head, and become nobles.
Everyone had been excited, looking forward to a brilliant future.
But frankly, even being promised the throne meant nothing if they died.
Especially when those deaths had achieved nothing.
They had sacrificed seventy-five people and still failed to make progress.
Of course that would shatter morale.
"What the hell is this...?"
"It's telling us to leave if we don't want to die. That's all."
Dragrade frowned.
Still, he had no choice but to press on.
He couldn't return to the territory empty-handed with nothing to show for it.
The Count would certainly hold him responsible as the raid leader.
At the very least, he needed to bring back some information.
"Why do you think the commanders died without using their Escape Scrolls?"
Railo, his aide, spoke up suddenly.
"They were repeatedly told not to overdo it and to come back, so honestly, I don't understand. The Escape Scrolls wouldn't disappear just because the commanders died. Even if they were caught in an unavoidable instant-death trap, couldn't the soldiers just use them? I heard some Dwarves made it back that way."
Dragrade had wondered the same thing.
Why hadn't the raid parties used their Escape Scrolls?
He rubbed his chin.
"According to the Dungeon Walkthrough, it's been confirmed that Escape Scrolls can be used as far as the Elevator... and at least in Area 1."
They had returned after recording that information.
That meant Escape Scrolls could be used within that area.
"Detection Magic shows that Dreamland has up to Area 4. There's a high chance that Area 2, Area 3, and Area 4 have some kind of mechanic that prevents Escape Scrolls from being used."
Railo blinked.
"Escape Scrolls can't be used...? Is that really possible?"
"Once a fake with the same power as me showed up, common sense went out the window. arboralis said it too. This place is full of things we can't understand."
"Then did everyone solve Area 1 and move on to Area 2?"
Dragrade shook his head.
He was sure that wasn't it.
The Area 1 Dungeon Walkthrough provided by arboralis was incomplete.
There was a clear difference between it and the Dungeon Walkthrough for the Elevator.
It lacked a solution.
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「The fake will slyly try to kill raiders. Identify and kill the fake.」
「Never step into a hallway without lights.」
「The maze gradually fills with water over time, creating a risk of drowning.」
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That last part.
Setting aside the manipulated information, wasn't the explanation of the maze lacking?
There was nothing explaining how to solve it.
The other sections gave clear answers.
In other words.
They hadn't fully uncovered the information there.
If Railo's guess were right, there would have been no reason for the raid commanders to move on to Area 2.
There was clearly information to bring back from Area 1 as well.
"I think that Elevator might be able to send people somewhere other than Area 1 too..."
Railo understood.
The outline of Dreamland, which had been hidden in darkness until now, was slowly taking shape.
"Don't write that in the journal yet."
"Ah, yes."
"We need to confirm it first."
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The group arrived in front of the Elevator.
This was where Dreamland's true beginning could be said to lie.
Dragrade thought about it.
The most efficient method was to establish a command post in front of the Elevator.
At least Escape Scrolls could be used here.
They could get a rough grasp of the situation inside through Communication Magic.
What mattered was getting information out of the dungeon.
'This will make them sacrificial lambs.'
It was impossible to raid Dreamland in a single attempt.
He looked at the frightened soldiers.
This was what he had prepared himself for.
He had brought them here with that intention from the start.
Railo and Dragrade had Escape Scrolls.
The soldiers did not.
What was the point of worrying about that now?
Sacrifices were inevitable if they wanted to accomplish their goal.
Dragrade spoke.
"Railo and I can use Communication Magic, so we'll stay here. From now on, board the Elevator and investigate Dreamland as quickly as possible."
"J-Just us...?"
The soldiers hesitated.
They had somehow managed to follow them to the dungeon, but the news that the most reliable knight and dragon would not be entering with them seemed to crush their resolve.
"N-No..."
One of the soldiers refused, trembling.
"W-We came here after suppressing our fear for the future of the North Kingdom. O-Of course, we're very interested in titles and Magic Stones too. We believe this dungeon should disappear for the sake of the future. B-But we didn't come here to die in Railo and Dragrade's place...!"
"R-Right! What kind of sense does it make for only us to go in? You should come with us!"
"As retainers of Wolfhauffen, set an example first! Then we'll follow without complaint!"
Dragrade clicked his tongue.
This wasn't a situation that could be resolved with words.
Maybe it would have been different at the beginning.
But they had entered the dungeon only after seeing countless people die.
'It's only natural it came to this.'
Flames were about to rise from Dragrade's palm.
"If you don't want to die..."
"I'll go with them."
Railo grabbed Dragrade's wrist.
With a serious expression, he shook his head.
"Railo."
"The soldiers are right. Someone needs to set an example. As a knight of Wolfhauffen, I'll protect the soldiers."
He smiled.
Then, as if reassuring the anxious soldiers, he gently patted their shoulders.
"There won't be any problems now, right?"
"..."
Dragrade honestly didn't want to let him go.
Knights were valuable resources.
Railo also held the important position of Dragrade's aide.
He was supposed to send him into a place where swords didn't even work just to soothe the soldiers?
"Fine."
"Thank you. Everyone, let's go."
Only then did the soldiers look relieved.
"T-Then I'll go in first."
"All right. Things to watch out for in the Elevator are..."
The soldier who had complained first stepped into the Elevator.
Dragrade communicated with the soldier while writing in his journal.
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-W-We made it to the next area. The password is 534. I-I can see a maze!
"The password is 534. Everyone, go in."
There were eight people in the party, including Dragrade himself.
Since Dragrade had decided to guard the entrance, that left seven people to explore.
The soldiers entered.
All of them headed into the maze.
For the moment, that was reassuring.
They could determine whether the Dungeon Walkthrough was true or false.
Dragrade temporarily turned off Communication Magic.
Then he spoke to Railo, who was about to board the Elevator last.
"Are you really going?"
Railo paused in the white hallway.
Then he remained silent, as though carefully considering something.
"Thank you for valuing me so highly, but what I said before was sincere as well. As a knight of Wolfhauffen, I have a duty to set an example for the soldiers. Please let me go."
It seemed he had already made up his mind.
The only reason he had hesitated was likely because he had been choosing what to say to Dragrade.
"Don't hesitate to use your Escape Scroll if things get dangerous."
"Understood. I can use Communication Magic too, so I'll keep a connection open with you, Dragrade."
He entered the Elevator.
-D-Dragrade, when will Railo arrive at the maze?
"He'll be there soon. Wait a little."
-U-Understood...
Right.
Escape Scrolls could be used freely in the maze.
He was a little worried.
But the maze should be safe enough to send him into.
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But.
Thinking everything would go smoothly was Dragrade's greatest mistake.
-D-Dragrade, I-I can't see the soldiers.
-T-This is the Academy...?
-A Faceless Student suddenly appeared and demanded my belongings.
-I gave them over for now.
-...So this is why Escape Scrolls can't be used here.
Dragrade's expression darkened.
He immediately used Detection Magic.
Then a shocking result emerged.
Railo was isolated alone in Area 2.
What the hell had happened?
"..."
His head spun.
He had never imagined the Elevator's spawn location would change in real time.
-W-We'll wait here until Railo arrives...
-So this is Area 2. It's a very troublesome situation, but I'll continue the investigation. Please explain things well to the soldiers.
The sixth Dungeon Raid had encountered the worst possible situation from the very beginning.
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-Dragrade! When the hell is Railo coming!?
-You fucking bastard! You piece of shit! That's not what you said! You fucking dog!
-You really saw us as tools! You don't even see us as people, do you!?
-Fuck, fuck, fuck! If you have any conscience, get over here right now!
-We didn't come here to die in your place!
-Answeransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweransweraaaaaah!
"Calm down first. Railo didn't break his promise. But an accident happened."
Dragrade calmly explained the situation.
He told them exactly what had happened, but the soldiers, convinced they had been deceived, didn't believe him.
-How are we supposed to calm down!? Do you think we'd naively believe that!? Ha, fuck. I'm the idiot for trusting a bastard like you and coming in here.
"I know it's hard to believe. But what I said was the truth. We didn't deceive you..."
-Even if we find information, we're never giving it to you, so cut the connection and fuck off, you bastard!
The mood refused to settle.
After that, the same conversation kept circling like the hands of a clock.
"Fuck."
Irritation surged within him.
At some point, his patience ran dry, and Dragrade's face crumpled like a sheet of paper.
"Calm the fuck down, you bastard. My head's spinning too trying to figure out what's going on, so shut your fucking mouth already."
Dragrade roared for the first time in a long while.
His boiling anger overflowed beyond his control.
"Railo boarded the Elevator. He boarded it! If you're that suspicious, use Detection Magic and check for yourself. Ah, fuck, you're worthless bugs, so I guess you can't use magic? Fuck, then what am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to cram the truth into those fucking stupid heads of yours? Huh? Could you please tell me!?"
-...
When Dragrade flew into a rage, the soldiers fell silent.
A long silence followed.
Railo seemed to understand that the situation was bad as well.
He too remained quiet.
"Fuck."
Dragrade clenched his shaking fist and forced down his emotions.
Getting angry in this situation was pointless.
Now was the time to move forward.
Using a gentle voice, like he was calming children, he persuaded the soldiers.
"I'm truly sorry this happened. Yes. Frankly, someone has to take risks in this dungeon. But that doesn't mean I want any of you to die."
-...
"I'll support you as much as I can through Communication Magic. Railo is in Area 2 right now. If we share the information each side discovers, then no matter how shitty this dungeon is, won't there still be hope?"
-Hoo...
-Understood...
Fortunately.
The situation calmed down.
The soldiers began investigating Area 1.
-They said our belongings are stored in a place called the Faculty Office. Should we search the Faculty Office first? All our food and drinking water were confiscated, so we're in trouble.
-A song plays at regular intervals. It alternates between forty-minute and ten-minute intervals. For forty minutes, the hallways are covered in darkness... We tested it with a desk, and it seems like we'd die if we were in the hallway then.
-There are clocks on the walls. We can use them to check the time.
Railo continued investigating Area 2 as well.
This was better, if anything.
They could gather information on two areas at once.
Railo would have a heavier burden.
Still, there was hope.
Dragrade wrote in his journal at the entrance.
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-S-Someone is approaching...
Dragrade put down his pen.
Had the fake described in the Dungeon Walkthrough appeared?
"Can you tell whether it's real?"
-I-It's not the fake from the Dungeon Walkthrough. It just looks like a human, but no matter how I think about it, it doesn't feel like a M-Minion or a trap, so, uh, uhhhh, uhhhhhh...!
-A-Aaah! Aaaaaah! Aaaaaaah! Aaaaaaaah!
The soldier began screaming.
Nothing remained in that voice but fear.
Dragrade's mind went cold in an instant.
Cold sweat ran down his spine.
"Hey, what's happening!?"
Dragrade shouted sharply.
But his voice did not reach the terrified soldier.
-Savemesavemeimsorryimsorryitwasmyfault!!
-IllneverenteradungeonagainIllneverenteradungeonagainpleaseimbeggingyouIwassofoolishaaaaaah, aaaaaah.
Click.
The connection cut off.
Was it a new trap, or a Minion?
What the hell had happened in Area 1?
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"Fuck..."
Dragrade realized it.
Why they had been unable to advance, even after seventy-five people had died.
The one who killed the soldiers was neither a Minion nor a trap.
Thinking about it, the logic was simple.
A dungeon had a Dungeon Master.
And the Dungeon Master could move most freely within the dungeon.
Dragrade knew that very well.
No, as a creation of a Dungeon Master, he had no choice but to know it.
Dreamland had an owner for these bizarre phenomena.
The ruler of incomprehensible Anomalies that could not even be destroyed.
He had understood that fact far too late.
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-Dragrade?
A voice called out to him.
All the soldiers were dead.
Yet Railo continued investigating alone.
He had not given up.
Through Communication Magic, he steadily relayed what he discovered.
"...Continue investigating. Be careful not to die."
-Yes.
The motionless pen began moving again.
Dragrade wrote down the information Railo gave him.
The Dungeon Master had revealed himself.
To eliminate the intruders gathering information.
But that raised a question.
Railo, investigating the School, and Dragrade, recording information at the entrance.
No matter how much time passed, neither of them encountered the Dungeon Master.
"Perhaps..."
The missing pieces of the puzzle slowly began to fall into place.
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-I'm going to die soon. There's a Teacher at the School. He sometimes comes in during class and conducts lessons I can't understand. The Teacher asks questions, and if you can't answer, yourbodybreaksandI'vegottentoomanywarningsnowsoprobablyaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
Click.
The connection cut off.
"So that's what it was. That's what it was."
Dreamland was a dungeon where swords and magic were useless.
That was why arboralis's Dungeon Walkthrough advised sending in ordinary people.
But that wasn't it.
It was because of the Dungeon Master.
Dreamland's Dungeon Master could move freely.
He roamed through the dungeon at will, killing intruders.
But.
He was not strong enough to kill Railo and Dragrade.
The reason was simple.
If he could kill us.
He would have done so already.
Dragrade recorded information about the Dungeon Master.
And information about Area 2.
The Dungeon Master should have considered them the highest-priority targets.
The fact that they were still alive proved his theory was right.
"A small elite group was the answer."
People with a firm will to raid the dungeon.
People too powerful for the Dungeon Master to touch.
If they were joined by people with wisdom, they would surely be able to raid Dreamland.
The answer existed.
And Dragrade had found it in this raid.
He scribbled furiously, like someone overcome with excitement.
He looked incredibly happy as he wrote down the information.
After recording the last piece of information, Dragrade closed his journal.
At last, he had gained something meaningful.
It was a satisfying result.
But.
When he touched the corners of his upturned lips, Dragrade's face stiffened.
"What the hell am I so happy about?"
A satisfying result?
Even after sacrificing countless soldiers and Railo.
All he had done was find a way forward.
And he was grinning like an idiot over that.
"Have I gone insane...?"
Dragrade stared at the Elevator.
It had been a long time since he had felt this way.
How should he put it?
The moment he solved the dungeon's mystery.
Dragrade felt an indescribable emotion.
The incomprehensible had revealed its truth.
The path forward had opened, and Dreamland changed from a vague terror into an unknown place.
His heart pounded.
It could not have been driven by fear alone.
"Next time..."
Without hesitation, he used his Escape Scroll.
Footnotes:
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