🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 8
Fragmentary Knowledge
While I was on high alert, the villain rummaged inside his coat and pulled out a piece of bread.
What is it? Is it already mealtime?
I tried to ignore the drool forming in my mouth, but then his low voice tickled my ears.
“Rat.”
“….”
I deliberately ignored him.
This was my way of showing that I hated the name.
But as expected from a final boss villain, he was persistent.
“Rat.”
“….”
“Rat.”
“….”
“Rat.”
It was like a voice on repeat—steady rhythm, identical tone, identical timing.
He showed no signs of giving up, so eventually I had no choice.
“…Chi.” (What.)
The moment I responded, a large white hand appeared in front of me.
Between his long, elegant fingers was a tiny piece of bread.
“Good.”
“….”
Only then did I realize what he had been doing, and I trembled in rage.
This bastard is training me with bread crumbs?!
But my rational thoughts meant nothing—my body obediently grabbed the bread.
Sob. Where did my dignity go?
I chewed it while swallowing tears.
By the time I finished it, he called again.
“Rat.”
“…Chi.”
“Good.”
“…Chi.”
Two responses earned me another piece of bread.
After repeating this about ten times, he nodded in satisfaction.
“Good. Naming training is complete.”
Then he added casually:
“Tomorrow I should teach ‘come here’ and ‘sit.’ Basic pet training is the owner’s duty.”
…Is this guy insane?
He brushed off the crumbs and sat down under the massive tree.
Leaning against its rough trunk, he stared down at the peaceful field below.
A landscape too beautiful to belong in a world on the verge of destruction.
After a long silence, his voice slipped out.
“…Rat.”
Not a command. Not a call.
Just a murmur, as if tasting the word.
I knew that if I responded, no bread would come this time.
And yet—somehow—that voice sounded lonely.
And so, without thinking much—
“Chi.”
I answered, just as softly.
…That was a mistake.
The villain slowly nodded.
“Still alive, I see.”
That phrase sounded far too suspicious.
I instinctively looked down.
The crumbs he had dropped were scorched black, as if burned.
Poison?
I grabbed my throat.
But nothing happened.
No pain. No choking. No burning sensation.
“…Chi?” (What?)
Before I could figure it out, his voice rang out.
“As expected. I tested it just in case… and you’re immune to curses.”
“…Chi?” (Curses?)
I looked at the ground again.
Faint black mist lingered around the scorched area.
It was the same kind of energy that always surrounded Calix Nepherto.
“It’s not just resistance… the curse is being converted into something else.”
He stopped, then lifted me from his head and brought me in front of his eyes.
His violet gaze sharpened.
“Then it’s likely purification… or something similar.”
…This is bad.
To him, anything related to purification was an instant execution reason.
While I was frantically thinking—
He placed me on his knee and took out a small vial.
“Then what about poison immunity?”
“…?”
I blinked.
“I don’t know yet, is that it?”
He uncorked the vial.
“Then I’ll need an experiment.”
What?
“Don’t worry. I have an antidote prepared.”
“Chiiiiii! Chirp chirp!” (That’s not the problem, you psycho!)
But I was a small, helpless rat.
Before I could resist, the vial was forced into my mouth.
Glug.
Bitter. Sour. Sharp. Acrid.
A taste beyond description poured down my throat.
I braced for death.
But—
I was fine.
“….”
“….”
After staring at me for a while, he finally nodded.
“As expected. You have poison resistance too.”
“….”
I seriously considered fainting on the spot just to spite him—but decided against it.
I didn’t want to show him my soft belly even by accident.
Why is this guy testing me like a lab rat?
I narrowed my eyes at him.
But then he smiled and lifted me again.
“Good. Let’s go.”
…Go? Where?
Before I could ask—
The ground shook violently.
RUMBLE──
The lush green hill split apart, revealing a black obelisk beneath.
A dungeon entrance.
My eyes widened.
I had cleared all 66 dungeons in the world when I was a saintess.
A prophecy said dungeon breaks would bring the apocalypse.
So someone suggested a simple solution: remove all dungeons.
And I, the unlucky escort of a bad knight, was forced to join the dungeon-clearing expedition.
Nine months of relentless dungeon raids later, I thought I would never see one again.
And yet—
Another dungeon?!
As I was still shocked, Calix calmly reached out.
The black obelisk pulsed, as if welcoming him.
It pulled him in.
And I—still in his grip—was dragged along.
Inside the Dungeon
A narrow corridor stretched endlessly upward.
Smoke filled the air.
I quickly scanned the surroundings for information.
Dungeons were classified from Rank 1 to Rank 5.
Rank 1 was the most dangerous, Rank 5 the weakest.
And you could identify the rank by the color of the markings:
Purple = Rank 1
Red → Orange → Yellow → White (descending)
Please be white. Please be white. Please be white.
I looked at the wall.
A marking was there.
Black.
A color I had never seen before.
And an extremely ominous one.
