Chapter 312: Breakthrough (5)

After breaking through the First Dungeon's 86th floor, I entered Beyond straight away with little rest. As the succubi told me to wait a week, I planned to clear as many floors as I could before that.

Beyond's 36th floor had mobs of Vampire Lords. They were undoubtedly copies of an original Vampire Lord created by Sherafina. Still, that didn't mean they were any weaker than the Vampire Lord on the 75th floor. In fact, they were much stronger and annoyed me to no end.

They maneuvered around freely, making it seem as though they were everywhere at the same time, and with their boundless mana, they constantly aimed for my neck with their blood magic attacks.

Unfortunately for them, I had gone through too much hardships for them to faze me. The enemies I had faced just before them was a world's enemy's army. Though it took some time, four days to be exact, I cleared the 36th floor with little problem.

Loretta seemed to be waiting for me to come out, as she welcomed me on the 86th floor and gave me a Fatigue Recovery Juice. While I drank it and relieved myself of exhaustion from the past four days, Loretta asked me a question.

"Shin-nim, so how did you get through 31st to 35th floors so quickly?"

"The succubi and incubi knew they weren't a match and made way for me. They just told me to go fight Lilith."

"Really?"

"Really."

Loretta flapped her ears and laughed.

"How smart of them. Thanks to that, they'll get to live peacefully for a long time."

"Lilith died and Sherafina said she wouldn't be revived, so who's going to fill her place?"

"Sherafina will probably make a fake by picking one of the succubi."

"That's unfa—"

Loretta put her hands over my mouth. Then, with a cute smile, she spoke.

"It's difficult to restore an original from nothing, but it's easy to make a fake by giving power to what already exists. With Lord's power, it will be easy to make an acceptable Floor Master. In truth, Lilith was just too strong. Though, I've only seen her once..."

Loretta made a slightly worried expression. Ah, thinking about it now, Loretta had the Evil Eyes of Charm. I quickly glanced at her shining eyes. As my charm rose, I felt like Loretta was lessening the restraint on her Evil Eyes.

No, it wasn't just a feeling. Her eyes openly shone just now. Even so, I wasn't affected whatsoever. The reason was simple. It was because of my incredibly high charm and the fact that I had become part-Mare... Ugh, just thinking about it made me mad. In any case, considering that Lilith might have had her horn when Loretta met her...

"... You lost?"

"Do you want to be hit?"

It seemed I was right. Loretta trembled and clenched her fists as though her pride has been shattered. Thinking she was cute, I put my hands around her.

"Don't worry. Loretta is the most charming person to me."

"I know you say that to everyone."

Loretta snorted, but she couldn't hide her reddened cheeks and flapping ears. When it was her puppet at the Floor Shop, I remembered her being good at hiding her emotions... It seemed that her real body wasn't too skilled at it.

I could have simply laughed in this situation, but where the conversation was headed made me a bit nervous. Although Loretta hadn't mentioned it until now, it was a mine that could detonate at any time! My brain was at work harder than in any battle. But I still couldn't figure out what to say. How can I be two-timing anyone if I'm not even dating anyone? Not knowing what to say, I kissed Loretta's on her cheek and whispered.

"No, I've only said this to Loretta."

"... Really?"

"Really. You can ask Hwaya and the others."

"But you like this Hwaya more than me, right?"

"... Of course not."

I didn't answer instantly. I had unknowingly ranked them in my head. Ah! Loretta's gaze is heavy! Is this the price I have to pay for walking this road!?

Loretta glared at me with puffed up cheeks, then sighed. I quickly added.

"I like Loretta the most, really. Look at me. I can only see Loretta."

"... Uuu, I hate myself for falling for these sugar-coated words."

Really, Loretta was too eas... kind! Seeing the tension leave Loretta's body, I lightly embraced her and stroked her hair.

"Thank you for understanding. I really do like you, Loretta."

"I know, it's my fault for falling in love. And considering what Shin-nim needs to do in the future, making them not have any other thoughts is certainly good, but still..."

Not just in a practical sense, but how I felt about Hwaya or Ludia also... No, I buried these emotions deep inside my heart. I recalled the advice Lin gave me.

'If you want to take in many women, be confident and commanding. Still, make the woman you're facing believe that she's the best.' To do this, I shouldn't think of other girls at this moment.

... Lin, you playboy, thank you for the advice!

"... Shin-nim, I'm the best, right?"

Loretta looked up at me with worried eyes. Kuk, did I let my thoughts show!? I cleared my thoughts with Lin's advice in mind and brought up the truth within me. Don't lie! Fight head on with nothing but the truth!

"That was the first confession of love I made ever, can't you believe me?"

"Words aren't enough."

Loretta pushed her lips out. Her eyes were closed, but her ears were flapping as if to make a storm.

"Proof. I need proof."

"You were aiming for this from the start."

"Proof. Hurry."

Loretta said the same thing repeatedly with her lips out. She was too cute and Lin's manual for responding to such situation disappeared into the back of my mind. In front of this adorable bird asking to be fed, I wholeheartedly did my duty. However, it was hard to make a baby bird full.

"I need more."

"Sherafina should be watching."

"Who cares if that oldie's watching? Let her watch if she wants! So quickly, quickly."

In the end, I kept feeding the baby bird until she was satisfied. The succubi were waiting for me on Earth this entire time, but I ended up being an hour late.

"Sweet scent."

I wasn't sure how she knew I would come here today, but Daisy greeted me at the guild house in her full beret, uniform, and enamel boots and commented out of the blue. I asked back.

"Sweet scent?"

"Elf Queen's scent."

I almost touched my lips subconsciously, but I managed to catch myself before the act. I decided to be shameless.

"I stopped by the Floor Shop, so Loretta's scent might be on me."

"Scent, every time you talk... You ate the Elf Queen?"

She came up with a truly original conclusion and, in a way, she wasn't completely wrong. Daisy's senses were too sharp. I smiled and shook my head, but Daisy tilted her head and asked a follow-up question.

"You want to eat me, too?"

"No, I'm good."

"Then I will, eat Kang Shin's lips."

As soon as I heard her words, I activated Divine Speed and jumped back. Daisy swung her whip wanting to capture me, but missed. She narrowed her eyes and spoke.

"Fair play violation."

"You knew everything! Why did you act innocent? Plus, you took out your whip first!"

"I knew you'd run."

Daisy prepared a second attack. Her whip control had long since reached a pinnacle. If I wasn't careful, I could really be done in. Thrown off guard, I shouted.

"Whatever happened to easygoing!?"

"Sometimes, youth explodes. Elf Queen's scent, unpleasant. I will overwrite it with my scent."

"You're not even that young—"

Daisy's whip flew in. That wasn't for capturing, but for shattering someone's bones! When I dodged it in shock, Daisy spoke with a stiff voice.

"In elf age, I'm a girl in the flower of youth. What Kang Shin said, very rude."

"I'm sorry."

I quickly gave up and apologized. Daisy put her whip down as though she was content and began to approach me.

"Oh, Oppa, you're here!"

At this desperately dangerous moment, Yua's voice rang out. Her baby dragon, Luna, was in her arms.

"Yua, you're here too?"

"Yes. Everyone else is busy."

While Yua didn't say much, seeing how Daisy and Yua were both here, I knew that what I planned to do on my own had gotten a bit out of hand.

Daisy controlled the undead and Yua controlled an army of mantises. They were both perfect for dealing with a large number of monsters, even the ones that already became petrified.

"Oppa can just go alone, you know."

"Hehehe, climbing the dungeon is important, but didn't Oppa say this? That there's something you can't learn in the dungeon. Not to mention, it seems these kids get stronger faster by defeating monsters in the outside world than in the dungeon."

I could immediately guess a reason. Monsters in the dungeon were all fakes under Sherafina's power. On the other hand, monsters roaming around on Earth were real monsters that had crossed over a dimension.

Monsters ate the flesh and drank the blood of the enemies they killed and grew stronger by absorbing their mana. It made sense that monsters on Earth were better at helping Yua's mantises grow. Even the monsters that already became petrified...

"What about you, Daisy? Aren't you busy climbing the dungeon?"

"..."

Daisy flinched and looked away. I could guess as to what happened. I asked after waiting a bit.

"... Vital zero?"

"..."

Daisy covered her face with her beret. It seemed I was right on the mark. But I knew it was unreasonable to ask someone to climb the dungeon without ever dying. This was especially so if that person was someone like Daisy, who was climbing the top floors.

"Too..."

Daisy spoke quieter than a walking ant.

"I got too excited..."

"Excited? About what?"

"... Mating with Kang Shin."

"Oppa!?"

"I didn't do nothing!"

Daisy realized her mistake and corrected herself.

"I meant, dating Kang Shin."

"You got that wrong on purpose, right!? And when did we start dating!?"

"Owowowowow."

After paying the appropriate price, Daisy held onto her aching forehead and explained what happened.

"Got too excited, couldn't focus on battle... and made a mistake on the 88th floor."

"Daisy, you..."

Because of how Daisy always showed her emotions in a joking manner, I thought Daisy was odd, but it seemed that wasn't it.

Daisy seemed to be embarrassed by what she said, as she covered her face with her beret again. I decided to not poke her dignity any further. Moreover, this topic was making me embarrassed too.

I changed the topic slightly.

"At least you didn't die in Beyond."

Dying in the First Dungeon only came with a week-long rest period. In comparison, Beyond had a month-long period. I sighed in relief.

"There's nothing you can do about it now. But you should take this opportunity and take care of things you couldn't do because of the dungeon. You don't really have to come with us."

"...? What I neglected because of the dungeon, I'm doing now."

What Daisy said touched me. I knew that Daisy cared about Earth's safety more so than other members of Revival, but I didn't think she would be this caring for Earth. Just when I was about to put this thought into words, Daisy continued.

"Spending time to mate... date Kang Shin."

"..."

Daisy lowered her beret slightly. Daisy's crimson eyes looked pure and innocent, but they also contained an unconcealable heat. At this instant, I realized two things. First was that easygoing was a dead word.

Second... Loretta, it looks like you aren't the only elf devoted to your desires!