The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices

The Dungeon Monsters Keep Offering Sacrifices – 157

EP.157 Adventurers Caught in a Trap (2)

In the deep night, the mansion district of the royal capital was enveloped in silence. Darkness covered the streets, and the lights in every window were extinguished. In this stillness, a crow flew leisurely through the sky. Without even the moonlight in the night sky, the crow’s figure blended into the darkness like a shadow.

The crow circled above a mansion, its wings flapping continuously as if observing something. It looked down at the mansion as if it were watching something intently.

Caw—

There, armed mercenaries were densely packed. All of them were covered in armor and helmets, making it impossible to identify them. With curious eyes, the crow approached the mercenaries and pecked at them with its beak. However, there was no reaction. The crow moved around, trying to provoke the mercenaries, but none of them responded.

Caw—

Losing interest in the mercenaries who did not move as if they were dead, the crow let out a cry and disappeared into the darkness. A moment later, in an alley slightly away from the mansion district, the crow reappeared. As soon as it landed on the ground, its form twisted and transformed into a small woman. She brushed her black hair aside and spoke to someone in the darkness.

Then, three figures emerged from the darkness. Including the person who had just been a crow, there were a total of four. They were all adventurers.

“Well, Shay. How is the situation at the mansion?”

The one leading the group asked the first question. She was the leader of this team, Ibis, a platinum-ranked adventurer. Despite the leader’s question, Shay remained silent, shifting her body. Perhaps due to the prolonged flight as a crow, her back and shoulders were stiff. Shay twisted her shoulders briefly before speaking.

“Nothing has changed since we saw it during the day. So, this time, I approached the mercenaries.”

Shay had spent the entire day monitoring the mansion in the form of a crow. Since the atmosphere of the mansion was the same this time as well, she decided to make a slight change.

“But there’s something strange. The mercenaries didn’t react at all to my pranks.”

Shay shrugged her shoulders as she relayed what she had seen to Ibis.

“I pecked at them with my beak and did all sorts of things, but they didn’t move an inch.”

“Hmm, no movement at all…”

Ibis wore a serious expression upon hearing Shay’s report. No matter how much of a nuisance a bird might be, it was normal for there to be some reaction, wasn’t it? The mercenaries at the mansion remained completely still, as if they were dead. It was certainly strange.

Currently, Ibis was here on the orders of Kyle, the head of the Adventurers’ Guild Union. Specifically, she was ordered to investigate Ralph, the subject of many rumors. The first place they investigated was, of course, Ralph’s luxurious mansion. It was indeed an impressive mansion, confirming that the discovery of treasure in the dungeon was not a lie. The problem was that the number of mercenaries guarding the mansion was so large that further investigation was impossible. Moreover, Ralph never left the mansion, so there was no progress in the investigation.

The only thing they could do was have Shay transform into a crow and monitor the surroundings of the mansion. However, Shay had brought back a clue.

‘Even when a bird touches them, they remain still…’

Ibis’s mind became more complicated.

‘It’s like they’re scarecrows.’

Scarecrows? Suddenly, Ibis’s thoughts opened up. Farmers also set up scarecrows in their fields to drive away animals.

“Could it be that they just set up armor?”

A ruse to make it seem like there were more mercenaries. At first, she thought Ralph had hired many mercenaries overnight because he had suddenly become wealthy. But the reality was different. The mercenaries Shay had touched were likely dummies.

‘Yes, it didn’t make sense from the beginning.’

No matter how rich someone became, it was difficult to hire that many mercenaries. It wasn’t just a matter of wealth; what if the mercenaries conspired and betrayed their employer? Anyone with sense would have hired knights or wizards instead of mercenaries.

“Hmm.”

As her thoughts reached this point, Ibis’s eyes narrowed.

“…Could it be a trap?”

Thinking back, even the rumors seemed unnatural. It was as if someone had intentionally spread them. Ibis looked around at her team members. Shay, who had just transformed from a crow. Herad, holding an axe with his massive frame. Faren, with her golden hair flowing. All of them were under Ibis’s command. Their main duties were information gathering and assassination, following Kyle’s orders.

Although they were far from typical adventurers, their mission was to operate in the shadows rather than in the light.

“What do you all think? Given the current situation, Ralph’s mansion might be a trap.”

Ibis spoke, knowing it was time to make a decision. Even though she was the leader, it was important to hear her subordinates’ opinions.

Herad was the first to respond to her opinion.

“A great warrior does not succumb to traps!”

Herad was a barbarian warrior who loved to showcase his strength. Despite his simple actions and thoughts, he had earned a gold badge in a flash with his sheer brute force.

“I can charge in right now. That’s what a warrior does.”

Moreover, Herad was a warrior who strictly followed orders. Since Kyle had ordered them to investigate the mansion, he was determined to see it through to the end.

Ibis nodded at Herad’s words.

“Yes, Herad is right. Even if those mercenaries are just scarecrows and it is indeed a trap, we need to find out who set it up and why.”

Their primary mission was information gathering. Reporting to Kyle based on mere suspicions was not enough. If this was all a trap, they needed to uncover who had set it and for what purpose. Even if it wasn’t a trap, they needed to find out how the rumors had spread. This was the task assigned to her.

With this in mind, Ibis decided to thoroughly investigate the incident. Earlier, they couldn’t approach the mansion because of the large number of mercenaries. But now, realizing that some of the mercenaries were dummies, they might be able to infiltrate the mansion secretly.

“Shay, what do you think?”

In this mission, Shay’s ability to transform into a crow was crucial. Although she was a mage, her only magic was the ability to transform into animals. While she wasn’t suited for direct combat, she excelled in information gathering, making her an important asset for this mission.

“I’m fine.”

Shay replied briefly, causing Ibis to smile slightly. She then turned to address another member of the team.

“Faren, what do you think?”

Faren, though not as physically imposing as Herad, had a sturdy build with impressive muscles. His golden hair was striking, and his blue eyes seemed quite different from those of ordinary people. Faren muttered to himself before answering Ibis.

“I think it’s worth investigating. The spirits are whispering as well.”

Faren had a slight ability to communicate with spirits, not so much because he was a full-fledged spirit mage, but because his elven heritage gave him a high affinity with them. His preferred weapon was the bow. As he caressed the air, he murmured softly.

“The spirits say that place lacks vitality. It doesn’t seem human.”

Ibis nodded at Faren’s response. This time, she was certain. If Faren’s spirits said so, then most of the mercenaries Shay had seen were likely dummies.

‘Would that really be effective?”’

Ibis wondered briefly, but she knew that pondering here wouldn’t solve anything.

“Alright, let’s enter the mansion.”

Ibis led her team stealthily towards Ralph’s mansion.

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“……”

Ibis infused her eyes with magic as she gazed at Ralph’s mansion. The mansion was enveloped in silence. The building was constructed of gray stone, with wooden decorations scattered here and there. The exterior was a curious blend of antique charm and modern elegance.

The mansion looked more like the residence of a wealthy merchant than that of a noble. Dark brown curtains were drawn over every window, preventing any view inside. The stairs leading to the entrance were made of well-polished marble, with thin iron railings on either side. Mercenaries were stationed around the area, including in the small garden surrounding the mansion. Whether there were actual people inside those armors or if they were empty was unknown.

“Shay, go check it out,” Ibis instructed.

Shay transformed into a crow once again. Just like before, she pecked at the mercenaries’ armor, but there was no reaction. The complete lack of response from all the mercenaries around the mansion gave off an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

At that moment, Faren, who was behind them, made a puzzled sound.

“Huh?”

“What’s the matter, Faren?” Ibis asked, but he shook his head.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I thought I saw something like smoke over there, but I must have been mistaken.”

There was nothing where Faren had pointed. Perhaps he had seen wrong, or maybe his elven senses had picked up something unusual. Ibis decided not to dwell on it.

“Alright, let’s stay focused.”

This mission needed to be carried out quietly. The Adventurers’ Guild was essentially investigating someone from the Kingdom of Seil without any formal notification. Even though the target of the investigation wasn’t a noble, it could still escalate into a significant issue. Therefore, Ibis remained even more vigilant.

A moment later, Shay returned.

With Shay’s actions confirming that the mercenaries were fakes, it was now time to infiltrate the mansion.

“Alright, let’s go in. If it seems dangerous, don’t hesitate to pull back. Oh, Herad, you stay here and keep watch,” Ibis ordered.

She gave specific instructions to Herad, the barbarian warrior. His large frame was not suited for a stealth mission. Moreover, his unusual appearance would make him easily noticeable if they needed to retreat quickly.

“That’s unfair! I want to go on the mission too,” Herad protested. For a warrior, carrying out missions was a matter of honor. Being excluded from the mission made him angry.

However, Ibis was an experienced adventurer and easily quelled Herad’s objections.

“Herad, I’m saying this for your sake. Is it honorable for a noble warrior to sneak into someone else’s mansion?”

“A warrior who knows honor does not sneak in!”

“Exactly, so Herad, you stay here and keep watch. That’s an order.”

At Ibis’s words, Herad nodded. “Understood. I will follow the order.”

“Good. If anything happens, inform the Adventurers’ Guild immediately.”

“I will inform the Adventurers’ Guild.”

Leaving Herad behind, Ibis, Shay, and Faren climbed over the mansion’s wall. Despite knowing the mercenaries were dummies, they entered the mansion through a window instead of the main entrance, just to be safe.

But they were unaware. The moment they entered the mansion through the window, the mercenaries outside began to move simultaneously. As they moved, the creaking sound of armor and the eerie noise of bones could be heard.

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“Rats have entered.”

Celia muttered in the depths of the dungeon. She had been attending to her duties when she noticed the intruders at Ralph’s mansion, which she had set up as bait. Shadows had been stationed to monitor the mansion, and now there were intruders.

“Hmm, I need to decide how to deal with these rats.”

There were many methods at her disposal. She could command Queen Elena to mobilize soldiers. However, capturing the intruders in such a manner could negatively impact the rumors. With many adventurers climbing the mountains due to the rumors Celia had spread, there was no need to pour cold water on the situation.

Should she send Holy Knight Eric? Currently, Holy Knight Eric was under the control of a banshee. But Celia shook her head. That wouldn’t do either. This matter needed to be handled quietly.

Should she send the shadows? No, handling it too quietly wouldn’t prevent such situations from recurring. She needed a method that would create a moderate amount of commotion while neatly resolving the incident.

“I have no choice. I’ll send Dambi and Lils.”

Dambi was a half-vampire disguised as an adventurer. Lils, originally a mage and adventurer, was also under the control of the banshee. Using them, who had the status of adventurers, would allow her to manipulate the situation appropriately. At Celia’s command, the shadow disappeared. Dambi and Lils would take care of this matter.

It was time to return to her dungeon duties.

“By the way, the goblins seem to be very busy these days.”

“Clack, Clack.”

The skeleton knight answered to Celia’s inquiry. The goblins were indeed very busy. Besides the scouting units, they were managing the liquor made from lamia and processing the remaining lamia corpses. Additionally, they were crafting armor for the goblin lord, who might soon become the guardian of the floor.

“Indeed. Their loyalty to the Goblin Lord is exceptional.”

Celia remarked, impressed by the Goblin Lord’s capabilities. He certainly deserved to rise as the floor’s guardian.

“By the way, I recall giving the Goblin Lord some armor previously.”

“Clack, Clack, Clack.”

The skeleton knight responded.

The armor made from the red leather of a salamander, acquired from an auction, had been given to the Goblin Lord. However, the Goblin Lord was a much larger creature compared to regular goblins, almost comparable to an orc. Thus, the existing armor wouldn’t have fit him properly.

“Given the Goblin Lord’s substantial build, it would indeed be difficult for him to wear the armor without adjustments.”

Hence, the goblins were diligently modifying the armor to fit the Goblin Lord perfectly.

“Well, let’s move on from that.”

Celia knew that the Goblin Lord was competent enough to handle things on his own. Her priority was the adventurers and the spread of rumors.

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The smile on the Goblin Lord’s face resembled that of an absolute ruler. His armor was adorned with the bones of lamia and humans. Sharp bones protruded from his shoulders like spikes, and a necklace made of human skulls hung around his neck. A bone-decorated belt encircled his waist. Most notably, the red leather armor of the salamander had been tailored and worn like a cloak.

The very image of the Goblin Lord symbolized his authority—a true king among goblins. Who would dare to consider him a weak goblin upon witnessing such a sight?

“Kruk, this is truly splendid.”

The Goblin Lord murmured, his voice resonating with power. It was as if the souls of his enemies were being absorbed by his armor.

“Bring me my weapon!”

He commanded loudly, and the goblins struggled to carry the weapon towards him.

In the Goblin Lord’s hand was his favored weapon, the Mana Gun. He confidently snatched it up and gripped it skillfully. The Goblin Lord’s massive stature, crowned with a regal headpiece, was a symbol of absolute power.

The surrounding goblins looked upon their king with a mix of fear and admiration. The Goblin Lord, ready to dominate the battlefield, strode forward powerfully. The ranks of goblins behind him also began to move in unison.

“Kruk, let the hunt begin.”

The Goblin Lord declared, his smile filled with the certainty of victory.