The dungeon monsters keep offering sacrifices – 102
EP.102 rchant Vetter First Contract
The yellow and purple stones shown by the master of the Kobold Dungeon.
Surely, they were gold and magic stone.
‘I must catch these no matter what.’
A dungeon abundant in gold and magic stone…
Just that alone was enough reason to engage in trade with this dungeon.
Vetter adjusted his posture and sat up.
“Well then, shall we discuss the terms of the deal?”
With that, he swiftly retrieved a docunt from his pocket.
It was a contract.
Vetter began to add or modify the necessary items on the prepared contract.
Even as he wrote the contract, mories of past events quickly flashed through Vetter’s mind.
Vetter was originally a sli monster.
He was originally the lowest-ranking sli with no capacity for thought.
Then one day, he was kidnapped by a group of humans who invaded the dungeon.
For Vetter, this marked a turning point in his life as a sli.
Vetter and the slis, including him, were imprisoned in a laboratory for a long ti after being kidnapped.
Inside the laboratory, they were subjected to various experints by humans.
While slis from the sa dungeon succumbed to experints one by one and died, Vetter alone remained exceptionally resilient.
Vetter managed to survive through nurous experints.
As the experints continued for a long ti, Vetter also underwent changes. Initially, he gained the ability to think.
With that, Vetter could assess the situations he encountered.
But he didn’t reveal it.
And the second change was the ability to transform into other beings.
Of course, Vetter didn’t reveal this either.
He quietly waited for the right mont while hiding his newly acquired abilities.
The researchers in the laboratory also looked at Vetter with surprised eyes for continuing to survive, but that was all.
Since Vetter deliberately concealed the changes that occurred to him, there seed to be nothing special about his survival other than that.
Nevertheless, the experints continued.
Especially as ti passed, the researchers told various stories in front of Vetter, which provided him with a great opportunity to learn about the world.
Thanks to that, all the various knowledge for Vetter now was just what he learned in the laboratory.
‘Magic stone…’
Actually, gold wasn’t particularly important to Vetter as a monster.
Even if he heard what the researchers said in the past, it seed that the use of gold was only for decorating the exterior.
Still, selling it to humans would bring in money.
But magic stone was different.
As Vetter wrote the contract, he casually glanced at the magic stone.
A purple-colored stone.
It might appear that way to the eyes of kobolds, but magic stone was said to be the rarest gem.
The researchers in the laboratory also treated magic stone with great care.
It was such an important resource.
‘Surely, the utility of magic stone is boundless.’
The story that the researchers always told when they were in the laboratory suddenly ca to mind.
The existence of dungeons was said to threaten humanity, but at the sa ti, it provided new opportunities.
That was resources.
Unlike the resources limited to Earth, dungeons continued to appear, and within them were resources unseen on Earth.
Thanks to this, humanity could once again leap forward.
Among them, magic stone was especially rare.
It was in high demand for various fields, but the supply was scarce.
As rare as it was, its price was not comparable to gold.
But if such magic stone appeared in the Kobold Dungeon?
Perhaps if others had known, they would have eagerly rushed in.
To discover the value of such a dungeon first was like an enormous opportunity.
“Well then, it seems like this is about the extent of the contract. Would you like to take a look?”
Vetter finally finished modifying the contract entirely.
There was originally a basic structure, but this was a dungeon where magic stone was found.
Vetter wasn’t foolish enough to push an ordinary contract into such a dungeon.
Kobold began to review the contract handed to him by Vetter.
[Contract]
[Contracting Parties]
Dungeon Corporation (hereinafter referred to as “Association”) and the Dungeon Master (hereinafter referred to as “Kobold Dungeon”)
[Contract Contents]
Obligations and Compensation:The Association shall do its best to effectively protect the Kobold Dungeon from adventurers.In addition to financial compensation for dungeon guardians, the Association shall have the right to obtain a certain portion of the yellow and purple stones mined in the Kobold Dungeon. Acquisition of Gems and Gold:The Association shall receive accurate reports on the amount of yellow and purple stones discovered in the Kobold Dungeon at regular intervals.The Kobold Dungeon shall transfer 90% of the monthly mining amount of yellow and purple stones to the Association according to the designated ratio during the respective period. Contract Period and Termination Clause:The contract shall continue as long as the safety and security of the Kobold Dungeon are maintained.If the Kobold Dungeon breaches the contract terms, the Association may rectify the violation or interfere with the managent rights of the dungeon through proper procedures. Miscellaneous Provisions:This contract may be anded by agreent between the parties.The Association shall have the right to provide special support and assistance to the Kobold Dungeon.
[Contract Effective Date]
This contract shall take effect from the date of signing by both parties for a lifeti.
[Signatures]
Dungeon Corporation (Association): (Signature)
Dungeon Master (Kobold Dungeon): (Signature)
“……”
Kobold’s expression changed in real-ti as he read the contract.
“T-This is…”
It was an expression as if he had seen sothing he shouldn’t have.
“Difficult! Content! too much!”
Unfortunately, Kobold didn’t have the intelligence to understand the contract.
But Vetter smiled subtly at Kobold’s appearance.
As he was in sales, Vetter decided to kindly explain to Kobold.
“It’s not difficult. We will protect this dungeon ‘for life’ as if it were our own lives. In return, you, the master of the dungeon, only need to provide us with yellow and purple stones ‘for life’.”
Vetter pointed to the stones Kobold had with his finger.
Kobold nodded after hearing Vetter’s simple and clear explanation.
Indeed, it was easy to understand when explained verbally.
“Oh, get it! Understood!”
Thanks to that, Kobold’s expression brightened.
To protect the dungeon for a lifeti, what a wonderful contractual relationship it was.
Moreover, he only needed to provide the yellow and purple stones.
“The Association is really a kind place.”
Kobold signed the contract as it was.
Watching him, Vetter smiled and said,
“Now, we are like one family. Welco.”
“Family!! Great!”
Vetter and Kobold shook hands at their seats, sealing the deal.
With this, the contract was established.
“I’ll bring the troops as soon as possible.”
This dungeon must be protected at all costs.
It’s impossible to let such a great place be taken by others.
Although he wanted to deploy a large number of troops imdiately, it was not realistic.
As they had just started the Association, the system was still imperfect.
“I need to deal with the Black Sun Guild quickly.”
Vetter was a sli, but currently, he was using his abilities to take on a human form.
The target was Ji Seong-min, a hunter in Azmo’s dungeon.
And he planned to visit the Black Sun Guild where this hunter belonged.
Not only here but also in various dungeons in the future, he would need to mobilize troops smoothly with the help of humans.
‘Co to think of it, ‘borrowing’ might not be the right term.’
It was a world where the great ones would reign soday.
The expression ‘utilizing humans’ was correct.
Anyway, if he could utilize humans, it might be possible to secretly transport a large number of troops.
To do that, he needed to find the headquarters of the Black Sun Guild where Ji Seong-min belonged.
He planned to place their organization under his control once found.
But this plan had a problem from the start.
Didn’t Ji Seong-min say it himself?
The Black Sun Guild was a branch organization, so it would be difficult to find other mbers even if one belonged to it.
While smiling and holding Kobold’s hand, Vetter continued to ponder how to find the Black Sun Guild.
And at that mont.
“Wow, what’s all this?”
Uninvited guests appeared in the Kobold Dungeon.
They were ard and held weapons.
They were hunters.
Hunter-like, so of them had blood on their hands, holding the lifeless body of Kobold.
The invaders’ faces were filled with sinister smiles.
“Check out this guy’s necklace and ring. They’re totally legit, huh?”
One of the n at the forefront pointed at Vetter’s necklace and ring.
“Haha. Brother, I wasn’t wrong, right? It’s obviously a jackpot, isn’t it?”
And the guy next to him said while wiping his hand, a guy Vetter recognized.
He was the one who checked Vetter’s hunter license before entering this Kobold Dungeon.
At first, Vetter thought it was just a routine inspection, but it turned out to be a trap.
But for Vetter, their presence wasn’t a big problem.
But the dungeon master being present was a variable.
“Intruders! Intruders are here!”
The dungeon master, Kobold, yelled at the intruders.
Fortunately, unlike before, Vetter was present in the dungeon now.
And there was a stronger Maru.
“Sir Maru…”
Vetter turned away from Kobold yelling and looked at Maru.
Maru nodded back at Vetter.
Their problem wasn’t the intruders.
Rather, they were worried that the contract with Kobold Dungeon might be broken because of the intruders.
And finally, their fears ca true.
The intruders also noticed another presence.
“Huh?”
Soone questioned.
Their eyes all turned to Kobold’s hand.
Among them, the one who had checked Vetter’s hunter license earlier spoke first.
“Brother, that… magic stone-”
But he couldn’t finish his sentence.
“Sir Maru!”
Vetter imdiately shouted to Maru.
They couldn’t let Kobold know about the presence of the magic stone.
Maru, realizing this fact, quickly drew and threw a demon sword.
The sword thrown by Maru pierced the throat of the one speaking.
====
***
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“Such things happened?”
The central part of the dungeon
Celia was diligently handling her duties today as well.
Recently, the size of the dungeon had increased.
As a result, they had to think about how to operate the dungeon and its future direction.
At the sa ti, information was constantly flowing in from the Sael Kingdom.
As the general manager, Celia had to gather this information and consider what movents would be made in the future.
That was true loyalty to the great Master.
And the docunt she was currently looking at was a letter sent by Azmo.
The content of the letter was simple.
Currently, he was carrying out the Master’s orders in another dinsion, Earth, naly, the establishnt of the Demon Corporation.
But the Association was not ordinary.
According to Azmo, it seed that the Master planned to create a Association that would encompass the world.
“Indeed.”
There was a Demon rchant Association in the El Dorad Continent that dealt with dungeons.
Of course, there were also wandering rchants besides the Demon Association, but they all dealt with dungeons.
Occasionally, there were monsters trading with humans, but the main trading partners were always dungeons.
But the great Master was not ordinary either.
“It seems you’re planning to reign over the world in earnest.”
The Master began to move.
This both pleased and pressured Celia.
It was certainly pleasing that the Master was moving directly.
But the fact that the Master was taking direct action also ant that they hadn’t lived up to the Master’s expectations.
“I can’t just stand by.”
As the Master’s first servant, she couldn’t just stand by.
She had to do sothing.
Fortunately, she could find the answer in the letter Azmo had sent.
‘A chanism to engulf the world.’
What Azmo ntioned about the Association was just a deception.
Celia could understand.
The Master didn’t just want an Association, they wanted an organization to control the world.
“Tick!”
At that mont, a skeleton knight entered beside Celia.
“Tick!”
The skeleton knight said, bringing humans behind him.
They were all ard adventurers.
More precisely, they were humans controlled by the banshees.
Celia spoke quietly as she looked at them.
“Behold, the great Master’s command has been given.”
Everyone paid attention to Celia’s words.
“From now on, you will venture beyond the walls of the dungeon into the world of humans.”
Most monsters, including Celia, were restricted to areas where they could not go outside.
But through various experints, Celia found that humans controlled by banshees could surpass these constraints.
“Our dedication and loyalty will bring honor to the great Master.”
The skeleton knights outside handed out pouches filled with gold coins.
“Whether it’s the royal family or the adventurer guild, it doesn’t matter. Prove your worth there. Strive for greater heights.”
Although they were just small words for now.
But what if those words each grew into sothing bigger?
“For the day when the Master calls us again.”
As soon as Celia finished speaking, the adventurers began to step out of the dungeon.
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