Round 108

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For now, Mammon’s matter took precedence, so the detailed story was postponed. If they couldn’t resolve the dungeon break happening here, it would be difficult to treat Ryu Cheon’s chronic illness.

‘I did share some of the remaining bell pepper, though.’

Making a vegetable juice with bell pepper as the main ingredient might be more helpful. But as mentioned, the antidote was more important right now.

Bzzz-.

Before parting, Ryu Cheon’s intent gaze as she held Ara in her arms led to spending more time with her.

Ara, seemingly happy that Ryu Cheon liked her, chattered incessantly with a beaming smile.

“Do you have any specific goals, Awakened Kyu-seong?”

“Goals?”

I shrugged at the sudden question from Yu Bihong while watching Ara play.

“To live simply and happily, without major worries.”

“Simply…”

Yu Bihong looked at me with a gaze that seemed surprised.

Why are you looking at me like that?

“Forgive me for saying this, but I believe your abilities should extend beyond just Korea and reach the entire world.”

“You think too highly of me. Thank you.”

“I mean it.”

Considering Yu Bihong was a member of the prestigious Skyscraper Guild, normally someone like me wouldn’t even dare to speak to her.

Her compliment made me realize the distinctiveness of my abilities.

“Then may I also speak a bit bluntly?”

“Of course, please do.”

“The Skyscraper Guild is lucky. They’ve made a connection with me, someone who prefers a simple life. I’m not the kind of person who can ignore those I’ve formed bonds with.”

“…Huhu, huhu-huhu.”

Yu Bihong hesitated, then burst into laughter.

Then she suddenly extended her hand for a handshake.

As I naturally shook her hand, she grasped and shook it firmly.

“Thank you for forming a bond with us.”

“That’s all thanks to your guild.”

“Indeed. I should also thank Ara Hongryeon.”

After finishing our conversation and watching Ara and Ryu Cheon’s one-sided chatter, I returned to my lodging.

The day had turned to night, and it was time to sleep.

“A lot happened today.”

“You’re tired, right? Let’s sleep.”

“Yeah!”

Watching Ara yawn cutely, I lightly washed my face and turned off the light. Despite being confident in my stamina since becoming an awakened, today I was especially tired.

Rustle!

As soon as I thought I had fallen asleep, I felt a presence and opened my eyes to see Ara tugging at my blanket.

“Uhmm, Ara, what’s going on?”

“Kyu-seong, wake up.”

“Why?”

“We need to go out now.”

Go out? Where to?

Ara hadn’t gone to the bathroom, and it seemed she had digested everything she ate completely. I couldn’t understand why she wanted to go out in the middle of the night.

Ignoring my confusion, Ara grabbed her bag and opened the door. In a half-awake state, I had no choice but to follow her.

“Where are we going, Ara?”

“To greet someone.”

“Greet? Who?”

Checking the time, it was 4 AM.

Seeing the lights still on here and there, I thought about how hard the night watch must be working.

But it seemed like Ara was heading further outside the base.

“Ara, you can’t go out there.”

“We must go!”

Why was she acting like this? Ara, who usually listened well, was acting recklessly without any explanation.

Thud-thud-thud!

Ara suddenly increased her speed.

Then, after a few attempts, she climbed over the fence.

“Ara!”

I tried to shout quietly, but Ara had already crossed to the other side and showed no sign of coming back.

“Hurry up, Kyu-seong Kyu-seong!”

She was urging me instead.

I thought I had to bring Ara back, so I clumsily climbed over the fence. Fortunately, there was no one around, so I could cross without any trouble.

Thud.

-Creak?

“…Huh?”

When I landed after crossing the fence, I heard a strange sound.

Thinking I misheard, I turned my head.

-Creak.

-Creak-creak?

I saw dozens of eyes glowing in the dark.

“Huff!”

Goblins? Why were goblins here?!

Before I could even be surprised, Ara put her hand on her waist and spoke.

“Mammon!”

-Creak!

Mammon? 

Could it be that Mammon was here?

My ominous guess was correct.

Even in the darkness, something particularly shiny was getting closer. 

A red goblin wearing a crown.

It was the Greedy Mammon.

-Who are you?! Why do I sense gluttony from you?!

I could hear Mammon’s words naturally, similar to how Frey, the queen of Alfheim, spoke.

“I am Ara!”

-Ara? What nonsense! You, you are Gula…

“I am Ara!”

I had no idea how to process this situation.

Why had Ara suddenly wanted to go out, and why were Mammon and the goblins here?

Could it be that Ara had sensed Mammon’s presence here beforehand?

“I will punish the wicked Mammon!”

Ara started swinging her arms vigorously. It looked cute to me, but apparently not to Mammon.

-G-Gula! I didn’t know this was your territory! P-please forgive me!

“I am Ara!”

-Y-yes. Great Ara. Could you please forgive us?

Was this really the notorious boss of the Seven Deadly Sins, the Greedy Mammon? He looked much cuter than I had imagined. More like a mischievous child.

Mammon was practically groveling, begging for forgiveness from Ara. It seemed like they knew each other, and considering the dynamics, Ara was Mammon’s natural enemy.

“Umm… what should we do, Kyu-seong Kyu-seong?”

“Me? I-I have to decide?”

I was flustered by the sudden responsibility.

Mammon, noticing me for the first time, looked up.

-A-and who might you be?

“He is the Overlord Kyu-seong Kyu-seong!”

-The Overlord? Gasp! Could it be, the Slime Lord!

Mammon’s expression was filled with shock.

Then he crawled on the ground, rubbing his hands together in supplication.

-P-please, spare our lives… We had no choice but to come here.

“Even if you say that…”

What should I do?

As Mammon begged while prostrating, the goblins around him took the hint and followed suit, also prostrating themselves.

-Creak, creak!

-Creak, creak-creak!

-We only came out because we were lacking food. There’s no more food in the dungeon we were staying in. Please, have mercy on these poor beings…

“You came out because you were lacking food?”

Glancing at Ara, she noticed my gaze and tilted her head.

“They are saying they are all starving.”

“Oh, you understand what the other goblins are saying too.”

Looking at the goblins, I could see they were indeed emaciated. Their condition, which I hadn’t noticed until now, became evident.

Despite the dungeon having a fissure, it hadn’t caused a break until recently, probably because of this.

“Food? Food, huh…”

When it comes to food, I have an idea. Expanding the fields is doable. But what should I do about these creatures?

‘If we ignore them and fight, we might be in danger too.’

To be precise, I would be in danger. Ara, on the other hand, had nothing to worry about.

“Kyu-seong Kyu-seong, can’t we take these guys with us?”

“Take them with us? Oh!”

The Master of Gluttony!

However, to take them as my minions, the prerequisite was that they must submit to me.

“Mammon! Submit to Kyu-seong Kyu-seong!”

-S-submit?

“Otherwise, I’ll punish you here!”

-N-no! I will submit! I will submit!

There’s no way it could be that easy to become my minion.

The opponent was none other than Mammon, the Greedy, a boss of a rank 9 dungeon and one of the Seven Deadly Sins. It couldn’t be that simple…

[Mammon, the Greedy, offers to become your minion.]

[Do you accept?]

“What, this is possible?”

As I stood there bewildered, messages kept appearing.

[If accepted, all goblins from the Dungeon of Greed will become your minions.]

This was too sudden!

I need some time to prepare myself!

But Ara, oblivious to my turmoil, raised her head and shouted.

“Revere Kyu-seong Kyu-seong!”

-O-oh! W-we revere you! All hail the Overlord!

The atmosphere made it impossible to refuse.

The goblins around me were all looking at me with shining eyes. They reminded me of lost children.

“Wait a moment!”

“Huh?”

-Gasp!

Let’s calm down first. Let’s sort things out a bit.

“You said your name was Mammon?”

-Yes, my lord!

“And you don’t mind becoming a minion just like that?”

-O-of course, as the leader of these goblins, I do have some pride! But it’s all about survival…

His voice grew fainter as he glanced nervously at Ara.

-And as I said, I do hold the title of leader. If I were to fall while my subordinates are starving, there would be no one left to protect and take responsibility for them.

“Hmm…”

-My life is important, but to save my subordinates, I beg to serve under your command, Lord.

Just as Mammon said, the other goblins were merely ordinary low-level monsters. Although Mammon’s poison was currently helping to maintain the advantage in battles, it would be meaningless without him.

“Then let me ask you one more thing.”

-Please, go ahead, my Lord.

“What can you do if you come under my command?”

-T-that is…

Mammon’s eyes rolled around frantically.

It was clear he was desperately trying to prove his worth.

-First of all, my poison is extremely useful!

“Hmm, that’s true.”

-It can not only be used as a poison! It can be manufactured into medicine, and if we explore further, it can be processed in various ways! Right now, we are using perception-lowering poison to sneak… I mean, to secretly visit humans.

“Oh, can the poison be used as medicine?”

-For now, yes. I have always used it as poison, but there is potential.

I remembered hearing somewhere that the difference between poison and medicine is just a fine line. Honestly, even if it weren’t for his abilities, having Mammon as a minion would be a significant advantage.

Who else could have a boss of a rank 9 dungeon as a minion?

-And we goblins are experts in crafting!

“Crafting?”

-Yes! We excel in intricate carvings and jewel crafting!

Suddenly, the mine in the Dungeon of Gluttony came to mind.

I still hadn’t decided how to replace the workforce for mining…

“Hehehe.”

“Kyu-seong Kyu-seong, that’s an evil laugh.”

I looked around.

There were about 30 goblins in sight.

“Mammon, how many goblins do you have under your command?”

-A little over 500. Would it be too much to accept us all as your minions? If so, I am willing to sacrifice myself to save my subordinates…

“No! Not at all! It’s fine! I can handle it!”

Over 500?

It seemed like a lot, but it was just the right number to create a village around the mine and operate it.

-Can you really accept all of us?!

“Of course.”

-As expected, you are the Slime Lord. No, the Overlord!

Now that I looked, the crown on his head was quite beautiful.

That must be the craftsmanship Mammon boasted about. There would be plenty of items to craft soon, so it wasn’t a bad deal.

‘From mining to processing and manufacturing, all in one go!’

With the goblins, it was entirely feasible.

The unexpectedly perfect scenario made me smile as I opened my arms wide.

“Welcome, my people.”

-Oooooh! Thank you, Overlord!

[Mammon, the Greedy, has been added as a minion.]

[522 goblins from the Dungeon of Greed have been added as minions.]

Wow! It was 522 goblins!

Now, I just needed to expand the fields to produce more food. It shouldn’t be too difficult with the goblins’ help.

At that moment, another unexpected message appeared.

[Awakening Quest: Hunt Monsters]

[Use the slime to hunt monster]

[Goblins: 523/10]

[!! You have hunted Mammon, the Greedy. The quota has been severely exceeded.]

What was this all about?

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