How to Survive as a Dungeon Manager in Another World

Episode 7 – The Deal

The Grotesque Killer.

The White-Haired Thousand-Year Fox.

A being hailed as the most monstrous of all beast-people.

Each and every one, titles that belonged to Adina, and at the same time, expressions of awe towards her.

Naturally, Luke Richter, having read the original work, knew that those titles were hardly an exaggeration.

She corrupted humans, devoured grotesqueries, and her very existence was a calamity. One couldn’t easily forget her presence.

But even she, the mighty Adina, possessed a past.

A somewhat embarrassing, dark past, at that.

‘I’ve been…found out!’

From the start, she hadn’t intended to blackmail them.

She had simply wished to avoid traversing this hellscape alone, and planned to use the signpost as an excuse to request their company.

But everything had gone awry.

All because of a single, thoughtless word he’d uttered.

— It’s not just that you’re easily frightened?

‘Why did he have to say that…’

Adina was easily frightened.

She knew it herself, too well.

How could she not?

She had been so very different from her clan since the day she was born.

— Depart. You are unworthy to stand with our clan.

And so she was cast out.

For the sole reason of lacking valor, even her parents turned their backs.

She wished for death.

No, she had, in truth, come to die.

Had she not come to this Blackmoor only for that?

She had intended to leap without hesitation, without a second thought.

Yet, standing at the cliff’s edge…

“…”

She could not, in the end, bring herself to jump.

The instant she gazed down from the precipice, her whole body trembled, a shivering dance of dread.

She could not move even a single step.

The desire for life within her was far grander than she had ever imagined.

‘Damn it…!’

Her lips, stained with terror, quivered.

She struggled to breathe, as if strangled by the overwhelming self-loathing.

She was trash.

A worthless piece of trash incapable of doing anything right.

As someone had said, she was a disgrace to her clan.

Was that why…?

She looked at the signpost and thought to herself.

‘Yes, it’s all because of this blasted signpost.’

She knew it was a ridiculous excuse.

But she had no other choice.

She felt she could not bear it unless she shifted the blame to someone, something.

So, making that her justification, she would hold them accountable.

Since they had interfered, she would demand they accompany her as recompense.

But instead.

‘M-Monster…!’

Adina, overwhelmed by Rudene’s bloodlust, found herself robbed of speech.

Ludiné’s unveiled malice was of a level impossible to fathom.

A primeval malevolence, ominous and raw.

Her twisted smile, coupled with the chilling, viscous energy, was both appalling and terrifying.

A mineral gaze, as if peering into the deepest recesses of one’s soul, dried her mouth.

Far from inspiring the will to fight, it subjugated even the strongest resolve.

Trickle.

Beads of cold sweat traced a path down her spine.

Her eyes twitched uncontrollably.

‘…Just what is she?’

She wondered.

Just how strong was the man who commanded such a monster as a subordinate?

Honestly, she felt a hint of awe.

But that wasn’t what mattered right now.

This place was a demon realm.

She had come here seeking death, but having failed, she had to find a way to survive, no matter what.

However.

‘H-How…?’

There was nowhere to go.

No food, no knowledge of the paths, no home.

Her eyes grew red-rimmed.

Her limp, silver tail twitched, shuddering.

She needed someone to rely on.

And then, a man came into her sight.

None other than Luke Richter.

‘That man…’

The thought arose suddenly.

If he commanded such a monster…

At least her safety might be assured.

And so, the words spilled out.

“I, I don’t want to be alone…”

“…”

Upon hearing that, Luke Richter thought,

‘Just what is this now?’

It was truly absurd.

He asked why she was stalking him, and she said she was scared to be alone.

Befuddled, he countered,

“You’re a beastkin, aren’t you.”

“…”

“And you’re saying you’re scared?”

“…”

Twitch! Twitch!

Instead of answering, she rapidly twitched her triangular ears.

An affirmative of sorts.

But still.

“So?”

“…What?”

“What does you being scared have to do with me?”

“…”

Adina’s lips, which had parted to form a response, snapped shut as if by magic.

She blinked, her face etched with shock.

“But…!”

“But?”

“I, I could certainly be of help to you…!”

“What help?”

“Huh?”

“In what way could you possibly be of help to me?”

He watched as tears welled in Adina’s amethyst eyes.

She presented a picture of a girl undeniably pitiable.

But that was all.

He was not her guardian.

“My nose is three feet under already, what can I do.”

Adina would survive just fine even without me, anyway.

Beyond merely surviving, her growth was so steep, she’d soon claim her seat amongst the Beast Kings.

Still, her teary eyes did tug at my heartstrings, so I added a word more.

“Forgive me. I’m too busy just keeping myself afloat.”

That should be enough to make her understand, right?

I was just about to be on my way again.

“…Let’s make a deal.”

What?

“I said, let’s trade.”

“A trade?”

“Yes!”

She began to rummage about in her pockets, pulling something out.

It was just a common, ordinary-looking stone.

But what was remarkable was the stone’s surface.

‘Could this be…’

A faint light flowed across the surface, and embedded within it was a large, golden sigil.

Its identity was—

‘A Rune.’

A rune, a letter from the dawn of time.

“Heh.”

Ludiné, who had been watching, arched an eyebrow, a hint of amusement playing on her lips.

Purely by instinct, she had realized that this stone was no ordinary object.

And it was true.

Runes were rarities that granted an immediate ability upon acquisition.

Of course, most runes weren’t particularly efficient, but amongst them were a few that were downright broken.

And that sigil.

If my memory serves…

‘A Rune of Time.’

Gulp.

I swallowed a thick lump down the back of my throat.

The curiosity was a thing I could no longer bear, so I asked.

“Where did you get that?”

The question bloomed across her face, a sudden, bright flower.

As if she felt the negotiation’s reins had been passed to her, even her tail gave a delighted sway.

Her answer, then:

“I stole it.”

Hm?

“What did you say just now?”

“I said I stole it.”

“…From where?”

Twitch! Twitch!

Her fluffy ears, soft triangles, kept drawing themselves in the air.

Adina planted both hands on her hips, and declared, her voice ringing.

“The White Fur Clan.”

The White Fur Clan (白毛族).

Adina’s identity, the very essence of her being: a fox demi-human clan.

The White Fur Clan, who claim a Divine Beast as their ancestor, were infamous for a history that had stagnated, grown fetid, with age.

Wait a moment.

…Could it be?

“I raided the White Fur Clan’s vault (宝庫).”

“!!!”

No.

Could this truly be real?

“Do you even know what that object is?”

“Nope!”

“So, this trade… is it perhaps…”

“Ahem!”

Swish, swish.

Her lush, silver tail gave a knowing sway.

“Let me accompany you!”

“…”

“Then, as payment, I offer you this.”

Wow.

What a windfall.

Meanwhile.

“…”

A masked man, walking the path, surveyed his surroundings.

The bleak and dreary landscape of Blackmore twisted the man’s expression.

Huu.

He swallowed a sigh and resumed his pace.

He reminded himself of the reason he had come here.

It was none other than a secret directive from the higher-ups: to observe Luke Richter, the newly appointed administrator of Blackmore, and report back.

‘Luke Richter…’

He did not know the precise reasoning.

What was certain was that, for some reason, the higher-ups had begun to take an interest in him.

‘An overabundance of attention for a mere low-ranking official.’

He thought to himself.

Too much focus was being placed on the b*stard of a Count’s family.

‘Is this the place.’

He had unknowingly arrived at Luke Richter’s office.

The man concealed his presence and slowly examined the vicinity.

‘He seems to be a rather tidy fellow.’

The office was immaculate.

Everything was neatly organized, and there was not so much as a speck of dust to be found.

‘No particular anomalies, it would seem.’

He stepped out of the office and surveyed the exterior.

He harbored no great expectations.

After all, what special qualities could a mere low-ranking official possibly possess?

It was then.

“This…?”

Upon the dirt floor, a scattering of crude, crimson smears.

Unmistakably, bloodstains.

Moreover, the stains trailed off, as if guiding the way.

‘…’

The man’s eyes glinted with a strange light at the sight.

No wonder, for the bloodstains were so vivid, one could scarcely fathom the sheer volume soaked into the ground.

He followed the trail.

With each step, the heavy stench of blood hammered at his senses.

His sense of smell threatened to become numb, overwhelmed by the reek of gore.

And then.

At the end of it all, what he found was this.

“!!!”

The corpses of the beasts Ludine had dealt with.

Heaped high like a mountain, it was nothing less than a charnel mound.

“…Hah.”

Just how many of them were there?

And not just any beasts, but ones that clearly possessed unusual power.

Moreover, the cuts were so clean, as if behemoths of creatures had been cleaved in two with a single stroke.

This was a skill no mere low-ranking official could ever display.

Nay, if truth be told, such a pristine, one-sword cut would be a challenge even for himself.

Once he realized this, his course was set.

“…There’s nothing more to see here.”

He had to report this at once.

The man’s mind was consumed by that single thought.