A Dungeon Boss's Journal Chapter 9

Day 41

Quest received: ‘From small beginnings’ has been added to your quest log.

Current goal: Collect information.

Reward: Summon skill ???

I woke up to an alert hanging on the edge of my vision,‘Weird’ I thought.

A quest, something that as far as the books I’ve read told me, only adventurers get.

After organizing the parts of my dungeon that required my focus, I summoned a wolf. A small creature, while menacing, I reasoned was much better then living grey fire or a massive grey bear. I spent a few seconds preparing myself and then used [Guiding hand]. My vision shifted between 4 sets of eyes, two of which dulled the various colors of my dungeon to greys and blacks.

I shifted my true body into my throne while also walking through various shortcuts with my wolf summon, the awkward shift from one body to two was only a problem for a few minutes, and by then my summon had reached the entrance to the dungeon.

The prince from before was by himself pacing about the room, observing the artwork carved just few days before as if their every detail was an important clue. It was strange to see some royal child walking around without some sort of guard. Granted my knowledge only comes from books, but seemed careless…

As my summon lacked the vocal cords needed to speak, I barked, after drawing his attention, my true form quickly wrote down “Here I am.” on a piece of paper, the paper appearing at the foot of my summon. In my dungeon I call upon anything I wish from my armory and various item safes, but I was not sure if that worked outside of my dungeon, conveniently... it did.

“Ah, a wolf, I was hoping you would pick that.” William said, glancing over. “Now, let me guide you through your town, if you don’t mind.”

“Lead the way.” I wrote.

The building my dungeon’s entrance was in turned out to be a temple, outside of that room was a complex network of corridors filled to the brim with artwork and lavished furniture. All made to depict the underworld. It’s punishments for those who hurt the innocent, it’s rewards for those who help the world. The river that washes memories clean. The cycle of reincarnation. Then the massive hole known as the abyss surrounded by the many distorted forms that wished to challenge it’s levels. All in the same white and grey that decorated the entrance of my dungeon.The hallways were vaulted and decorated with a crisscross pattern of supports that created a sense of pressure, like we were deep underground still.

“They built all of this quite fast.” I wrote, barking to draw the princes attention.

“Oh yes. Adventurers tend to develop skills and attributes at a horrifying pace. So their talent in everything is quite amazing, if expensive. Most of the money my brother gathered went into this building, carved from the marble they gained from your dungeon, and the stone of the mountain your dungeon rest in. If we can ruin his plans, my biggest competition for the throne would be finished.” William shrugged, apparently used to the expensive and complex architecture.

“So when will more adventurers entering my dungeon?” I wrote.

“Tomorrow,” He replied “I’ve been preparing a list of adventurers based on their skills and high levels for a few days now to send in, in swarms in order to speed up your advancement to make up for the time lost because of this building.”

We finally made it to the exit, a massive cast iron gate with a small door set in one of it’s left to control traffic. When we went through, I suddenly lost myself in the sky. In the dungeon’s various themes and through the various books I had seen various depictions, but nothing seemed quite as immense as that sky. A wall of blue painted with fluffy white strokes. A yellow sun hanging in the sky that even with the wolves powerful vision was too bright to gaze upon. The expensive building I had been in was nothing compared to that view of the sky. The gentle warmth I felt was amazing even though the summoned wolfs body.

I decided that my next floor design was going to use the garden theme I had. A theme that created an artificial sky and allowed an open floor plan.

After a few minutes of staring William tapped the wolves head to get my attention. “Are you ready to go? I figured the first place you would like to visit would be a book store.”

I quickly wrote down. “Right.” Nodding the wolves head as he read the paper.

The town itself was focused on a central road leading to the temple, stores and inns made of wood and marble lining it and filling the place with a fresh smell of bread and honey. Smells I didn’t know I knew. The whole road was loaded with people, humans, elves, and gnomes moving around between the various stores like a massive tide. The moment we went down the stairs the tide split apart for us, while plenty of people looked, most seemed afraid to stare for long, instead focusing on my wolf summon, confused, but not interested in getting closer.

As we walked down the street I saw various offshoot roads that lead to simple houses and an army’s worth of tents.

“Because of how quickly this place was made, few have had a chance to settle down, most of the town is just commerce.” The prince said, pointing down one of those roads after he saw me staring.

At the edges of the town, where the main road started to curve into a trail a the prince pointed at a small building.

“Why here?” I wrote.

“There are other stores in this town book wise, but this ones more focused on geography and maps, something you probably want to familiarize yourself with.” He said.

The store in question had a sign hanging up with an opened book marked on it, no words, no fancy title. Just a symbol of what they sold.

‘Odd’ I thought. The building itself was like the rest, a mix of wood and marble, a checker pattern that made the building feel far more fancy and complex then it actually was.

When we entered I noticed that every wall was layered with books, a piece of paper hanging from every level detailing the general idea, geography, history, science, magic, fiction. It took me a whole minute to realize there was a counter, a small block of wood where an old incredibly pale human was sitting. Staring at me with the same rage I saw from many adventurers. Someone enraged and blood thirsty.

“Kill?” I wrote, barking for Williams attention.

“Please don’t, I’d loose my frequent buyer discount. Also he's not a adventurer, if you kill him, he won't come back.” The prince said, clearly amused at my question.

“I know I never told you this master William, but no pets. Fuck off if you can’t figure that out.” The man finally said.

“Oh don’t worry Daniel, he’s not a pet.” William said, completely ignoring the mans aggressive tone. “Remember that ‘Grey Lord’ we were talking about yesterday?”

“Oh...well as long as he doesn’t shit on anything.”

“I don’t eat. I don’t think I can even do that.” I wrote.

“Who ever heard of a beast that doesn’t shit?! You might as well call yourself a tree.” The old man’s face was shaking violently despite how little he moved, his wrinkled face grinning like he heard something funny. “You got yourself a rotten thinker prince?”

"Not as much as you are Daniel." The prince replied, and then offered me a short introduction.“He’s a tad vulgar, but he’s connections mean he can always get what you need information wise. Almost half the information I gave you came from him.”

“Vulgar like your mom was last night. Now what are you here for...master William.” Daniel said, struggling to call him ‘master’ again.

“Our new friend here wants to get a good lay of the land, standard package if you may.” William said, once again ignoring the mans insults.

“Ah, I already made a few packs, got some more shit on those ‘Grey Horizon’ mother fuckers in the pile.” The man shifted in his seat, pulling a large stack of books and scrolls of from behind him, the whole thing held together by a loose rope.

“I’d rather not owe too much.” I wrote. “I’ll pay what ever it cost.”

“Ah, little shits trying to avoid owing a prince, easier time teaching a lass how to ride a horse.”

“You’ll pay me back eventually.” William shrugged.

“Fuck it, I’ll die by then.” He shot back. “Whole stack’ll cost you five hundred gold. How you gonna pay with nothing on you?”

“Same way I’m writing these letters.” I wrote, a bag materializing at my summoned wolfs feet, five hundred coins already counted inside.

“I’m not countin’ it. But if I find out you tricked me I’ll find some way to tan ya.” Daniel said, handing over the pile of books and scrolls when William hands him the bag.

“Why do you talk like that?” I wrote, the pile of books and scrolls disappearing back to my dungeon.

“I talk like my mom. Proper phrasin’ and all that guff.” Daniel said. “Now how the fuck you teleportin’ shit around?”

“Daniel comes from the south side of [Mahdunt], thanks to a few civil wars, the accent took a rather aggressive turn a few generations back.” William offered. “Now while I’m sure you’re interested in buying a few more books, there are a few more places I want to show you today, and we might not make it by the time your done browsing.”

“Don’t be takin away my sales.” Daniel said.

“I’m sure he’ll come back, don’t worry.” William said, turning around, and slowly walking out the door.

I took a final glance back before I followed him.

From there he started explaining the town to me as we walked back. About how the most popular inn is called the ‘Shepherds Choice’ a weird carved tentacled head icon hanging from the sign. The most popular restaurant for adventurers was ‘Jonesy’. How the prince personally liked eating at a place right next to the temple called ‘The flying Eagle’. After almost five hours of guiding me around he finally stopped at a small house off on a side road. An entire wall had been knocked down from the looks of it, and built on top of, the side of the wall in what looked like with was replaced with a fleshy jell.

“As we’re starting to run out of time before your skill cuts off, I feel you’re missing a very special skill.” William said. “Your relying on the cheaper weapons that adventurers bring in I notice.”

“I have a few good ones, but weapons break so often I rather save them.” I wrote.

“Yes, most well made adventurer weapons are linked to them through an enchantment, making it impossible to steal those for yourself. I suppose I could outfit you. But with the number of deaths your dungeon goes through I imagine without some good enchantments you will loose them quickly. So I feel you’re missing out on a rather useful skill.” William said, walking up to the door and knocking. At that moment a muffled explosion went off.

“Ah! Damn it!” Someone female yelled inside.

“Bad timing...” William muttered.After a few minutes of loud crashing noises and the sound of someone shuffling around the door was yanked open, a small female gnome covered in ash, with half her clothes burned appeared. Her childish features made her expression quite odd to look at, but I couldn’t judge much through the ash.

“What!” She yelled, staring daggers at the prince for a few seconds before she registered who she was looking at. “Oh-master William, so-sorry. You see I was working on something, and then the noise set it off and-”

“Forgive me for interrupting. I can’t help you with your projects, but I will pay back anything you lost.” William said, interrupting her.

“I-I thank you Master William.” She said bowing slightly. She noticed my wolf summon and said “You have a pet?”

“I’m not anyone’s pet.” I wrote.

“Oh, the doggy can write.” She muttered. “That’s cool.”

“Ms.Bulreguard, this is Greryune’s dungeon boss. The one I asked if you could teach your enchantment skill to.” William said.

“I thought he was a Lux Historia or something.” She said.

“I summoned this in order to visit the town. Can’t leave with real body.” I wrote.

“Oh right, I remember master William mentioning that...” she muttered. “Well, I am Michelle Bulreguard, famed Enchanter. Bribed- asked to come here at Master Williams order.”

After that I spent my remaining time observing her work, in short, from what I could tell enchantment is a process of making a rune out of a skill, placing it on a piece of paper she called enchantment paper, and then etching it on a object, using the paper as a sort of stencil. After that the object would be granted a skill by whatever the rune was based on, at the cost of mana, even if the skill does not require it normally. The only exception being passive skills.

After half a day of watching her I finally got the skill [Enchantment] which allows me to create runes, comprehend them, and etch them into things, [Rune craft] which allows me to see the rune of my skills, and [Rune copy] which allows me to see the rune of any skill people allow me to copy. There was more to it, but we ran out of time. So she gave me a enchantment paper with the skill [Tool Lock] on it, allowing me to keep a item even if I drop it when I die. With [Scitis Eyes] I easily learned the skill. She told me to spend my free time mimicking what I saw her do as 'homework' before I left, telling me to visit her again in a few days.

Day 42

“Question number four,how do you learn skills so fast.”

“I have a skill called [Skill Learn], I was born with a lesser form called [Skill Copy] that allows me to passively learn any skill I observe long enough. Except for a few passive skills and things like enchantment, I have to be fighting them to pick up the skill.” I said, reading through one of the many books I now had. Ash was leaning on my side, struggling through a book on [Mahdunt]’s many wars. Recently she got more touchy after her first blessing, but after I started teaching her how to read she’s gotten into the habit of laying on me. I’d figure that laying on my armor would be uncomfortable, but she seemed just fine with it. 

Odd.

Shortly before a wave of adventurers showed up to challenge my dungeon the elf Gabi showed up with prince William. Apparently she had been trying to get in for several days, and when the prince realized she knew me personally he offered to let her in through his own connections. She had stock piled all sorts of history books and offered to share them, apparently excited to meet someone else who liked history and was fascinated with my species. So shortly after handing over all of those books and refusing my offer to pay her, she started asking me questions. Telling me to ask her something in return for each question. It was quite hard to hold a long conversation because adventurers kept beating their way to my throne room, but she didn’t seem to mind it.

A game of sorts for her I suppose. Since I saw her as a talking companion and since she gave me so many books, I didn’t have any trouble playing her game.

“Where did you come from?” I ask in return.

“[Faldunor], meaning ‘red meadow’” She said. “A city state of [Mahdunt] exclusively for elves. I left after I found out I could summon. The flowers were nice, but no books, and nobody cared about anything but elf tradition. It was boring, so I ran as soon as I got an excuse.

Question number five, for Ash, how much freedom do you have as a minion.”

Ash didn’t seem to hear the question, so didn’t react, I had to tap her to and get Gabi to repeat the question.

“Um...Before the blessing, I couldn’t think for myself. Followed masters orders and instinctively protected him. After the blessing I was still was compelled to do that, but now I can think for myself, and unless commanded, I am able to do what ever I want. Don’t know if it’s that I got smarter or the blessing removed some of Masters control over me.” Ash said, touching my hand for some reason.

“Ah” Gabi quickly wrote what Ash said in a note book of hers. “Now do you have any questions Ash?”

“Can you bring chicken next time you visit?” Ash said.

“I mean about me, I’m plenty interesting.” Gabi said.

“Not interested~” Ash said in a weirdly sing songy way.

“Then what about you Zeno? I’m plenty interesting. Ask me anything.” Gabi said shifting her gaze over to me. I shrugged, not sure what to ask. I then remembered reading that elves lived for a long time, so I figured that would be a good question.

“...How old are you?” I finally asked.

“………….Rude.” Gabi said.

Apparently I broke some sort of social rule. The rest of her questions were quite harsh, not even letting me ask anything in return. But she seemed to get over it after the conversation was stopped a few times thanks to a few fights.

I might need to buy a book on social rules if I plan to interact with more humanoids.

I tried enchanting a iron sword with [Charge], just to see if it would work, the iron sword exploded.

Day 43

Lots of fighting, plenty challenging, but sadly I didn’t pick up any skills.

Ash is getting more and more touchy I noticed. Not sure if I should discourage her or not.

Tried to enchant a bow with [Double strike] a few times, nothing happened.

Day 44

The timing of convenient things is always shortly before some greater hardship, that is what many of these books claim. So I am a bit worried about how convenient today’s events were.

After a day of fighting all of my first minions gained a blessing, Ash, Brook, and Harley. After getting an alert about it I also ended up with one. The timing of all this far too convenient.

I received [Blessing of Speed], from the lesser goddess [Katira]. My speed seems to have doubled even without skills, and I gained [Shift] as a good replacement for [Charge], it does effectively the same thing, but for a short time in this new sort of charge I shift dimensions, making me impossible to hit. The period is only half a second, but that is more then enough. When I glanced into the mirror at myself I noticed I had lost my jagged lips, replaced by the ones Lux Historia normally had, the same sort a human would have. The new markings of my blessing were placed on my upper back. Further my face had become slightly effeminate and my muscles had compacted.

I liked my muscles. I worked really hard for those, running, jumping, maiming the ill prepared, stabbing a man to death with his own leg bone.

Good times.

Anyway.

Ash received [Blessing of Rage], from the lesser god [Ridli]. Which massively boosted her regeneration rate and hp. It came with a skill called [Boiling Blood] that allowed her a temporary boost to her power and speed any time she drinks the blood or eats the flesh of a recently killed enemy. Her features started to become all the more...soft, her mouth became like a humans except for two extended canines and somewhat full looking figure, along with adding some runes to her left arm.

Harley gained [Blessing of Magic] from the lesser goddess [Nivius]. Which granted her an over all boost to all magic skills and a skill called [Mana boost] that gave her 4 extra points to her mana pool per level. It was just as clear that Harley was female now as it was when Ash was first blessed, a new curve added to her, and all of her skin had cleared to a smooth finish. The originally bald head given a wave of new grey hair which she seemed excited for. Like Ash she could now speak and the normally composed hobgoblin was running around, attempting to talk to the other minions.

Brook gained [Blessings of War] from the lesser god [Galnubar]. His raw power, which was already close to mine even though he was a rank bellow me had been boosted, and a passive skill called [Tank] was added to him, making his resistance to damage in general far higher. As far as looks he didn’t actually change much, his face smoothed but he still had those wide white eyes. His body also seemed to have gotten bulkier. Unlike Harley and Ash he didn’t gained all that much intelligence wise, I suppose even with a boost he didn’t have much to add on too as rude as that sounds. I’m going to have to force him to learn I suppose.

As a reward for the newly aware minions, and a reward for my nose, I created a bathroom off the main throne room. As none of us eat or drink, one of it’s facilities is quite useless. But a bath, a shower.

That’s useful.

The smell of death and gore is getting less and less tolerable as my senses develop. I don’t think I can handle the smells much longer. I somehow already knew how all the facilities worked, and it only took me a minute to explain it all to them. The inborn knowledge this dungeon gave me and my minions seems to cover a lot of things we easily could never interact with in our lives. Odd.

Either way.

I’m pretty sure this blessing wave was intentionally timed. What are the gods planning?

I spent the day trying to force [Charge] on several swords, some exploded, some did nothing. Ran out of enchanting paper. This skill is hard.

Day 45

Warning hint of sexual content in this day, skip if you are too young or can't handle it.

‘No.’

A popular word used throughout the kingdom for anyone who disagrees with something.

One of the books I bought through one of my many explorations with William was called ‘the teenagers’. It outlined how as people grow up, they go from innocent and obedient to saying no at every opportunity. Denying the orders and suggestions of people they had followed willingly throughout their life. Demanding the same or even more spoiling treatment as they got when younger, without offering much kindness in return.

Ash, with her second blessing, had gained enough freedom to ignore my orders. She was now capable of saying ‘no’ to me. To ignore my demands as her boss. An ability she used quite eagerly like the teens I was warned about.

When two adventurers showed up who might kill me, I ordered Ash to leave because I wanted the training experience, she said “no” and stayed. Happily strangling one of them with her ribbon like extra arms.

I order her to go help out Cerberus.

She says “No.” and just hung onto me like a spoiled child.

When I asked her to clean up the corpse loot after we killed a team of 3. “No”

When I decided to try out the new bath, relaxing and soaking in a marble carved tub of water, only to notice the girl walking in unarmored and asked her to leave…

“Nope.” She said while looking at me, like a predator looking at it’s prey.

“A-ah, w-well if you want to take a bath first, I’ll just go then.” I stumbled on my words, half pulling myself out of the bathtub I was laying in.

“I won’t let you run away.” She said, pushing me back in.

I’m still reflecting on what happened after that...

Forgot to try enchanting today.