The estate of the Kalsburg family, rulers of the North.
A middle-aged man with platinum-blond hair walked down the corridor, the sharp clicks of his shoes echoing with every step.
Following closely behind him was Orland Bellot, Knight Commander of the Kalsburg family.
He had already noticed the subtle change in his master’s mood.
“My lord, what did you think of the succession duel?”
The outcome had already been decided.
It was an audacious question intended to probe his master’s thoughts.
No one but the man known as the Family Head’s Sword would have dared ask it.
At the question, Theosis Kalsburg raised the corner of his mouth.
“It was entertaining.”
“Entertaining... you say?”
“Do you believe a wolf’s cub can become a sheep?”
Orland considered the meaning behind the question.
The wolf referred to Kalsburg, and the sheep to Allen.
After a moment of thought, he answered carefully.
“A wolf’s cub... can only ever be a wolf.”
“Indeed. A wolf’s cub is a wolf. Yet that boy was nothing but a sheep.”
“You mean Young Master Allen.”
Theosis Kalsburg nodded.
“A person’s instincts and disposition are determined from birth. One’s innate nature rarely changes.”
“…….”
“And yet, he had become a wolf. Overnight.”
“…I will investigate what happened.”
Theosis shook his head at Orland’s response.
“Leave it. The process is irrelevant.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“I am curious. Will he grow large enough to sink his teeth into me, or will he hunt lions at my side?”
“You seem to be enjoying yourself for the first time in quite a while.”
Orland knew this side of his master well.
The man known as the King of the North often wore that expression when he encountered a powerful opponent who caught his interest.
Whenever someone stirred his competitive spirit, he looked exactly like this.
‘Was it really that impressive…?’
It was quite different from Orland’s own assessment.
Allen had certainly shown an unexpected side of himself, but it had only been a spar in which mana was prohibited.
They had not even used swords in the end, merely traded blows with their fists.
It was too early to judge.
However, his master’s eye for people had never once been wrong.
Orland suddenly remembered the enormous flames he had witnessed in the arena.
‘Magic….’
It was a word rarely heard in the North.
By now, the entire household was surely in an uproar.
Sure enough, as they approached the conference room, the agitated voices of the knights reached them.
“This changes everything! We prohibited Skills in the duel because we were told Lord Allen could not use mana! And now this? Magic?”
“It certainly was unfair. A duel is meant to test both one’s body and mana. We only imposed those exceptional rules because of Lord Allen’s circumstances.”
“Precisely! And on top of that, the eldest son of the Kalsburg family using magic? How can such a thing even be possible? I heard that the ability to become a mage is determined by bloodline! What if the late—”
Someone was about to cross a line that should never be crossed.
Before he could, Orland hurriedly opened the conference room door.
“Silence! The Family Head has arrived!”
The knights around the round table hurried to their feet.
Among them was Haveron, the knight who had been shouting passionately just moments earlier.
His mouth was already firmly shut, as though it had been sealed.
“Sit.”
Only after the Family Head took his seat at the center of the round table and gave the order did the knights silently sit down.
A frigid atmosphere dominated the room beneath the Family Head’s silence.
Just as beads of sweat began forming on the knights’ backs, he broke the silence.
“Haveron.”
“Yes, my lord!”
Knight Haveron shot to his feet.
He took care not to bite his tongue.
“I hear you convened this meeting.”
“That is correct!”
“State the agenda.”
The Round Table Council.
It was a meeting that any knight of the Kalsburg family could convene after obtaining the agreement of more than half the knight order.
Haveron, who had proposed this meeting, concealed his nervousness as he addressed the Family Head.
“…It concerns the succession duel. Under the original rules, the use of mana is permitted. Mana was prohibited only because of Lord Allen’s circumstances, but if he possesses a talent for magic, I believe it would be appropriate to return to the original rules. Therefore, I humbly wish to propose... a rematch.”
The moment Haveron finished speaking, he forced his trembling body upright.
Even if he was speaking in defense of Lord Gilbert, standing before the Family Head was terrifying.
Under that gaze, which made him feel as though his head might be severed at any moment, he swallowed hard.
Fortunately, the Family Head’s eyes soon left him and turned toward the other knights.
“What do the rest of you think? Is it right to hold the succession duel again?”
Once permission to speak had been granted, only the senior knights closest to the Family Head voiced their opinions.
“Hmm. Rather than leave matters ambiguous, it may be better to settle things decisively.”
“Is that not obvious? The one who succeeds you, my lord, must unquestionably be the strongest! If Lord Allen wins once again, every knight here will kneel before him of his own accord!”
“I agree. More importantly, neither of the young masters is likely to be satisfied with the current result. Lord Gilbert looked positively furious.”
At the mention of Gilbert’s name, Orland carefully addressed the Family Head.
“My lord. Since we are all gathered here, perhaps we should also discuss Lord Gilbert’s punishment?”
“There is nothing to discuss. Confine him for three days.”
“Is that not rather lenient?”
At that, the Family Head murmured,
“It is enough. Things will only become harder for him from now on.”
“…Understood.”
By then, the knights’ opinions had been gathered.
More than half had concluded that ‘a rematch was necessary.’
Of course, no proposal could pass without the Family Head’s absolute approval.
“My lord, what do you think…?”
Haveron asked with a tense expression.
He waited for the Family Head’s answer, but none came.
Every knight fell silent.
Just as Haveron’s trembling began to grow audible, the Family Head finally spoke.
“I permit it. Proceed as you wish.”
Only then did the oppressive atmosphere lighten somewhat.
The knights slowly adjusted themselves in their uncomfortable seats.
Then the Family Head spoke again, and every movement stopped.
“However, Allen must meet with me personally, in private, and receive my permission.”
With that, Theosis rose from his seat.
Orland followed closely behind him as he left the conference room.
With concern in his voice, he asked his master,
“Most of the younger knights support Lord Gilbert. What if Lord Gilbert and the Duchess join forces and resort to coercive measures—”
“That, too, is survival of the fittest.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“However.”
Theosis stopped walking.
He recalled the scene from earlier.
Allen’s eyes glaring up at him from the sparring arena.
“He will not be easy to persuade.”
For the first time in a very long while, his blood was boiling.
Damn it.
I woke up somewhere unfamiliar again.
A luxurious chandelier hung from the ceiling, while several antique paintings decorated the walls.
Staring at the tightly closed bedroom door, I examined my body.
‘What the hell? Why am I completely fine?’
The tacky pajamas were an eyesore, but there did not seem to be anything wrong with my body.
Had someone fed me a potion while I was asleep?
I walked over to the mirror opposite the door.
A handsome young man with platinum-blond hair stared back at me with hollow eyes.
“Phew….”
I was going insane.
What kind of fucked-up situation was this?
I had suddenly been thrown inside a game.
It was so absurdly unrealistic that I could hardly process it.
‘...Wait.’
Something I had forgotten amid all the confusion suddenly came back to me.
If I was here now, what had happened to my body in reality?
The last thing I remembered was collapsing onto the floor.
‘Damn it….’
What had happened to me back there?
I had no idea.
Maybe I was still unconscious.
The thought, ‘What if they’re already holding my funeral?’ crossed my mind for a moment, but I shook my head and forced the negativity away.
Thinking pessimistically would not help me right now.
It would be better to focus on what I needed to do next.
‘Set my priorities.’
What should I aim for in this damned world?
For an ordinary person, the objective would probably be to survive in this godforsaken hardcore game.
As it happened, Allen Kalsburg had another name.
The ‘Vessel That Beckons Death.’
From the assassination of the Duchess to the annihilation of the family after Theosis was charged with treason, there were far too many deaths I would have to avoid.
Normally, the easiest path would be to run far away and live quietly in hiding.
‘But….’
My situation was different.
Survival was not my only goal.
I had a reason.
A reason I absolutely had to return.
Even if I had to risk my life to do it.
‘Fuck….’
How could I return?
I had two clues.
I recalled the voice I had heard at the very end.
「Entering the deepest labyrinth….」
「The First God ‘El’ is disassembling the soul….」
「The Last God ‘Om’ is reassembling the soul….」
‘El’ and ‘Om.’
The gods of this world.
If those bastards were the ones who brought me here, all I had to do was ask them myself.
However....
‘Put that aside for now.’
That would be far more difficult than it sounded.
Perhaps even harder than climbing the labyrinth all over again.
‘The labyrinth….’
The main content of [Deep Dungeon] was exploring the labyrinth.
The condition for clearing the game was to reach its very end.
Naturally, it would not be easy.
The game’s brutal difficulty came from the labyrinth itself.
“Phew….”
I made up my mind.
There was no other way.
I would enter the labyrinth.
I had no choice.
‘Five years... Within five years….’
Because I had a reason I absolutely had to return.
Fortunately, there was still hope.
The magic I had cast using Allen Kalsburg’s body.
That meant this body possessed a talent found in only a tiny fraction of people.
‘At least there’s one silver lining….’
Every person was born with mana.
There were no exceptions.
It was an ability all humans naturally possessed.
Some people went their entire lives without ever using their mana, while others trained it and learned to wield an ability unique to themselves.
Those were what the game called Skills.
‘Quick Draw.’
A technique that rapidly drew a sword and released a blade-shaped shockwave.
It was Gilbert’s specialty.
The Skill was quite powerful.
If I had taken it directly, I would have been seriously injured.
‘The more I think about it, the more pissed off I get. How dare he try to kill his older brother?’
Even after beating him that badly, I still was not satisfied.
That settled it.
I was going to torment him whenever I got the chance.
KNOCK, KNOCK.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
For the first time, I put some authority into my voice.
“Who is it?”
A woman who was presumably a maid answered from outside.
“Young Master, Sir Haveron has come to see you.”
“Haveron? Who’s that?”
“He is one of the family’s rank-and-file knights.”
A knight?
Why would a knight come looking for me?
“Give me a minute. I need to change.”
“I will assist you.”
“No, I’m fine. Just don’t open the door.”
I quickly changed, just in case she came in anyway.
I had barely finished putting on the unfamiliar clothes and was about to fasten my belt when a knight suddenly threw open the door and barged into the room.
“Lord Allen. I am Knight Haveron. I have come because there is something I need to discuss with you.”
“…….”
What the hell was wrong with this bastard?
I was dumbfounded.
Was it normal to enter a noble’s room without permission?
“Didn’t she tell you I was changing?”
I directed the question toward the maid outside, just to make sure.
Her flustered voice came through the doorway.
“I did. But Sir Haveron said you should have finished changing by now and entered before I could stop him.”
The wide-eyed knight stood directly in front of me.
His expression practically screamed, ‘And what are you going to do about it?’
Allen might have been treated like a worthless weakling, but this was going too far.
‘Hold it in for now….’
At least hear what he had to say.
I continued fastening my belt as I asked,
“You said you were Sir Haveron. What brings you here?”
“Lord Allen. You must come with me immediately.”
“Where?”
“Lord Gilbert is waiting. We will go to the Family Head together and receive permission for a rematch of the succession duel.”
What kind of bullshit was this now?
“As I recall, I won the succession duel... What rematch are you talking about?”
“A Round Table Council was held. Now that you have awakened your talent for magic, it was decided that you should duel again with mana permitted.”
“Hmm. Is that so? But... in that case, shouldn’t we simply choose a date? Why do I need to ask the Family Head for permission?”
Something did not add up.
A decision made by the Round Table Council was effectively absolute.
That was because the Family Head’s approval was required for it to pass in the first place.
“Well….”
Haveron suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
I asked him directly.
“Did the Family Head tell me to come and receive his permission personally?”
“…….”
I could more or less see what had happened.
They must have assumed that since Allen was known as a worthless weakling, I would immediately obey if they pressured me.
Apparently, they had planned to drag me over there quickly and make me put my seal on the matter before I could object.
A young, low-ranking knight would naturally try to attach himself to the Duchess and Gilbert’s faction.
‘I don’t like this.’
I was not Allen Kalsburg.
I would not cower just because someone tried to intimidate me.
And there was no chance in hell I was going to play along with this bastard’s scheme.
“Sir Haveron, you seem remarkably lacking in manners. You know I have been physically and mentally exhausted by the duel, yet you came to visit without so much as bringing a gift?”
“A gift?”
The moment I brought up etiquette, Haveron’s face reddened.
“Yes. If you are going to ask someone for a favor, is it not only proper to demonstrate some sincerity? I found the outcome of the duel unsatisfactory myself. In fact, I was already planning to approach the Family Head and request a rematch on my own initiative, but you’ve completely killed my enthusiasm.”
“…….”
“Where is Gilbert? I think I should make myself perfectly clear to him. There will be no rematch.”
“N-No, wait….”
Seeing him panic, I drove the final nail in.
“Lead the way. I’ll go with you.”
“N-No!”
“What do you mean?”
Haveron stepped in front of me and raised his voice.
“I-I will be back shortly!”
“Where are you going?”
“It’s nothing! I’ll return immediately!”
Haveron hurriedly burst through the door and rushed away.
I shouted loudly enough for my voice to echo down the corridor.
“I like expensive things! Artifacts and things like that!”
After saying that much, he should be able to figure out what to bring me.
This worked out nicely.
I needed money anyway.
There was a mountain of things I would need before entering the labyrinth.
I might as well empty the knights’ pockets while I had the chance.
KNOCK, KNOCK.
“Who is it?”
“Sir Oswell, a rank-and-file knight, has come to see you.”
“Oh... really?”
Let’s see.
Oswell....
I had never heard that name before.
Now, how much had this bastard prepared to spend?