Chapter 104
The Nymph Cultist and Pluto’s Underground Maze
Chapter 104 – The Nymph Cultist and Pluto’s Underground Maze #2
The captive nymph cultist, Paranoi, sitting slouched in her cell slowly spread her legs apart.
Is there a more primal scene than this? A robust man would inevitably find his gaze locked on that direction.
“What did you just say…?”
“My, my life owes so much to you, friend. Even risking your mouth to s*ck venom to save me… So, therefore, I will give you what I’ve guarded like my life.”
I had no understanding of what the bound cultist Paranoi was suggesting. Moreover, there was never any venomous spider in the first place.
What exactly is she going to give me?
I glanced out of curiosity, suspecting whether there was some hidden treasure between her legs, but logically there was none to be seen.
“Are, are you offering me your virtue…?”
“…”
Paranoi merely swallowed hard once, remaining silent thereafter.
Does her silence…
imply consent?
What is going on here? Is this some wicked trap set by the cultist?
“It is something I’ve cherished to offer to the Lord of d*ath, but… now, all I can give you as a comrade is this.”
Paranoi’s words sent a flush to my cheeks and an intense rush of bl**d to my lower body.
Is there any man who could refuse an offering like this?
There is.
A man who’s already in a relationship.
I already have a precious Luna.
Besides, Paranoi, being locked up in a dungeon for so long, is in a rather unsanitary state. Embracing her in this condition would surely result in contracting some strange disease.
If Paranoi had been even slightly cleaner, I’d have genuinely contemplated this deeply. Admittedly, despite her foolishness, she looks rather cute, worthy of the name “Nymph.”
After considering all these factors, I reached the conclusion that I could not accept Paranoi’s offer.
“Paranoi, you don’t need to.”
“R-really? Phew… Thank goodness. You seem generous. I underestimated you….”
Paranoi sighed in relief, indicating that she was indeed shaken by her own fear. It’s clear she was wary of giving her virtue to an unknown man.
“Another day, once we step out of here, I’ll surely repay your kindness, friend. You can count on it.”
“So be it.”
Paranoi still seemed to harbor the hope of getting out of this underground jail. It’s strange she hasn’t lost hope, even in such a desperate situation.
Could there be another plan? Perhaps some secret scheme masterminded by the cultists? I decided to probe carefully.
“Is there any way out of here?”
“Ah, it’s not entirely nonexistent. The dogs of Mars made me an offer — if I convert, they’d release me.”
Convert and they’d let her go?
In my position, it seemed odd that a cultist could just be released so easily.
“Did they really say that?”
“Yeah, a rather high-ranking guy said exactly that, so it must be true. Someone like me, a pure-blooded nymph, must have many places to go. They likely want to recruit me as one of their own. Though betraying Lord Pluto… That’s a far-fetched idea.”
“Hmm.”
“That, but maybe Lord Pluto would forgive pretending to convert? It’s not like I’d really convert, so it might be acceptable to just pretend….”
This naive cultist brat.
*
A week buried in the smell of books and potions.
Just as I was starting to feel bored, wondering if anything interesting would happen.
Hassan of Samaria, is Lady Luna Noxdotty around?
An urgent messenger from the Mars Guild had come looking for me and Luna.
“Hassan, what’s the matter?”
“I don’t know either.”
Is the guild resuming its activities? Or is it perhaps another chance to make some money — perhaps there are some goblins’ heads to bash with my slightly rusty club. I seemed to have become addicted to the thrill of smashing things with my club recently. I even hoped I’d have an opportunity to hit some goblins’ helmets.
As we arrived at the guild building, among the remains of the guild’s shattered structure, quite a number of notable adventurers were gathered.
The only familiar face amidst the strangers was Hippolyte, who approached us.
“Ah, you’ve arrived.”
“What’s the matter, Hippolyte? Why have you gathered both of us?”
“Hmm, ahem, hem.”
Luna’s question seemed to fluster Hippolyte slightly as she shrugged her shoulders slightly. She then casually exhaled and responded.
“To the Noxdotty clan’s heir: humph. It’s not a big deal — I’ve called you to be observers at a conversion ceremony.”
“Our job is to observe a conversion ceremony? That’s for real? Cool!”
Luna perked up in disbelief and excitement.
She looked so thrilled. Unable to resist, I nudged her side and asked.
“Luna, what’s a conversion ceremony?”
“I don’t know either! But it must be something good! Pfft!”
“Hmm.”
Watching this, Hippolyte let out a groan and kindly explained.
“The conversion ceremony is an event to change one’s faith and allegiance to another deity. For heretics, at least five Silver-tier adventurers must be present as witnesses for the conversion to take place.”
Silver-tier adventurers.
Surveying the area in response to Hippolyte’s words, we indeed saw several people wearing silver necklaces: they were mighty adventurers, no doubt. Looking at their shining armaments, bulging muscles, or the frosty aura surrounding their staves made me feel slightly intimidated.
Though I’ve seen rapid growth recently, comparing myself to these Silver-tier adventurers made it apparent I still had a long way to go.
I turned away from them and asked Hippolyte calmly.
“Why have you called us here to observe the conversion ceremony?”
“Because of your significant role in subduing the cultists, I’ve invited you as special observers. It’s not a big deal; you just need to sit and watch, so no need to be burdened.”
“Is that so? Then who exactly is converting?”
“There he comes.”
At that moment, when I turned my head slightly,
Clack, clack, squeak, squeak.
A small wooden cage on wheels appeared among the adventurers.
Inside, bound and clothed in rags, was none other than the nymph cultist Paranoi!
What?
Seeing her confined like a monkey in some cruel zoo left me quite shocked.
Are you really going to convert? Have you finally given up because of your long imprisonment?
At that moment, the half-bald, one-eyed man named Valtma stepped up in front of the cage, looking like some sort of zookeeper.
“Behold, here stands Paranoi, daughter of Demeter. Paranoi has declared today that she will abandon her faith in Pluto and become a faithful servant to the goddess of the hearth, Vesta.”
Murmurs.
With Valtma’s declaration complete, the murmurs among the adventurers and spectators grew.
Luna, sensing something amiss, whispered to me.
“Isn’t that the cultist we met at the lumberyard? Hassan, why, why are you sweating so much? Hot?”
Luna, fanning me while her fingers gently grazed my forehead, offered me a breeze.
Though the weather was indeed warm, my sweating wasn’t solely because of the heat.
“Paranoi, do you pledge to live as a faithful servant of Vesta henceforth?”
Valtma questioned Paranoi, confined in the cage, who seemed uncertain how to respond and fidgeted restlessly.
“W-well…”
“If you don’t answer quickly, I am afraid there’s no other option but to send you back to the dungeon city. Do you know what happens to nymphs like you there?”
“W-what happens?”
“Ho ho, I don’t know either. But you can enlighten us when you get there, right? Of course, whether you’ll have the leisure to write letters from there is another question.”
“M-mph…”
Did Valtma’s intimidation work? Paranoi trembled like a frightened mouse caught among giant dogs, unsure of what to do.
Who could imagine such an evil cultist in that position now? At this point, who knows who the real bad one is?
“Paranoi, do you pledge? This is your last chance.”
Valtma questioned into the cage once more. Soon, Paranoi shut her eyes tightly, as if making a grand decision, and answered.
“I, I pledge! I swear it!”
“Great, then say ‘Pluto scumbag,’ let’s see.”
“H-what? That was not part of the deal!”
“If you truly want to convert, saying it shouldn’t be a problem.”
“M-mph…”
Paranoi appeared deeply troubled, her eyes shifting nervously. Looking around at the people’s faces, her amber eyes met mine.
“Kk-ker…!”
And with that, the girl seemed to resolve herself, screaming it out.
“P-Pluto scumbag!”
Who would have thought such a loud voice could emerge from such a petite nymph’s body? Regardless, everyone surrounding her smiled in satisfaction from her resolute pledge.
“Alright, there’s just one last hurdle.”
“What? W-what is this? Mars’ dogs… No, Valtma! This is totally different from the promise! I did everything you asked! Just let me go already!”
Though she snarled in confusion, Hippolyte, who had heard quietly while standing at one corner with her arms crossed, stepped forward.
“Cultist Paranoi, you will participate as part of the exploration team leaving tomorrow to plunder Pluto’s ruins. Let that serve as proof of your conversion and defection.”
“You, you’re asking me to plunder ruins!?”
“Yes, Pluto’s maze is akin to his shrine. If you can bring us some artifacts from there, we’ll officially grant you your freedom.”
“I, I can’t do that. I’d surely incur the curse of Lord Pluto!”
“It’s none of my concern. And it’s best not to change your mind either. We’ll have a brutal jailer watching you closely.”
“Mpff…”
Paranoi ground her teeth, clearly feeling aggrieved. However, Hippolyte, unaffected, continued loudly without any hesitation.
“The expedition departs at dawn tomorrow. The destination is the Eastern Rank D maze floating in Kalin’s Swamp. I will now announce the assembled expedition members.”
Rustle.
Hippolyte pulled out a scroll from her belongings and unfurled it on either side. After scanning through the names, she announced.
“The Eastern Rank D maze expedition has selected promising new stars from within the guild. Adventurers called forth, please collect your seals from me! First, the young beast of Ailen, Didier!”
“Haha, what a great honor. I knew I’d be chosen!”
From the crowd, a small-built man emerged. Encased in thick steel plating carried a considerably large two-handed axe like a true formidable warrior.
He appeared rather talented, but the necklace he wore indicated he was only a Bronze-ranking.
“I’ll teach those dungeon monsters the taste of my axe! Those bastards will surely pay for eating my leg!”
What caused such fury? Now I see, the dwarf’s left leg was a wooden prosthetic.
Even a one-legged adventurer thrives in this world. While I was musing indifferently,
“Isn’t he the one-legged Didier who single-handedly exterminated a Basilisk?”
“Looks more composed than I’d expected.”
“This year, he might ascend to the Silver Rankings.”
People around me were whispering about the one-legged dwarf Didier. Apparently, he’s quite the remarkable guy.
“Hem, quiet down. Next, second, Berylina of Carrintos!”
“Hmph.”
At the name Berylina, a woman draped in a blue robe stood up and accepted a small seal from Hippolyte’s hands. Her long sky-blue hair gave her a refreshing impression.
She seemed timid and delicate. Judging by the wand in her hands, she must be a mage.
“Second in line to graduate from the Ivory Tower?”
“Reputedly masters ice magic.”
“Wow, ice magic? Even if not fire magic, isn’t it a high-level offensive spell? And yet, still at Bronze Tier?”
“She’s ascending smoothly, I’d say.”
But contrary to my harsh evaluation, the blue-haired female mage received some high praise. Since mages are indeed a top-tier talent,
Graduating from the Ivory Tower and specializing in magic usually meant reaching Silver Tier and above.
“And third, the daughter of Ideope, the mistress of superstitions and violence, sorceress Luna.”
“What?!”
Luna, entirely unprepared to hear her name called, leaped up in surprise. Honestly, I was equally shocked and confused about what was happening.
Wasn’t this assembly supposed to form an ultimate team of dungeon-clearing badasses like an Avengers-style squad? Now Luna’s involved, it feels like a Pomeranian dog mixed into a pack of muscle-packed pitbulls. Could she break under the pressure?
“Isn’t she the girl who’s been skyrocketing in power lately?”
“Her Karma has increased by several points over a few months.”
“Wow, she’s much prettier than I expected. I thought she’d be some brutish amazon. She could easily pass as a noble young lady.”
“Nah, no matter what, a countess’s daughter would still be more…”
It seems whispers and tales about Luna had been circulating behind our backs. Who knew that the same Luna who used to be battered by goblins had become someone admired by the crowd?
After all, I helped raise her, didn’t I?
Just as I felt proud,
“Lastly, let us announce the expedition leader. I doubt much introduction is necessary for this man.”
As Hippolyte mentioned the expedition leader, the murmuring crowd fell silent.
“This man defeated Pluto’s great warrior in single combat and subdued the flying witch’s lions and crocodiles with his bare hands.”
With a palpable tension and silent stillness in the air,
Hippolyte declared,
“The party leader is the descendant of Jupiter. The soul hunter of the Black Wilderness, the great warrior of the silent gods, Zigress!”
Zigress? What’s all this about some Zigress?
“Also known as Hassan of Samaria! Young warrior, you will be responsible for this dungeon expedition!”
[Author’s Note]
It feels like we’re around one-tenth into the story. I plan to speed up the plot a little more.
Since I’ve already determined the conclusion, there will be no significant changes to the journey and outcomes involving Hassan and Luna until the very end.
But do note, my main goal is to keep this a light and enjoyable read. So rest assured, none of the content will be too worrying or serious, so go about your daily lives without stress, dear readers!
Trust me completely with this one…!
