Dungeon King: A Lady Knight Offered by My Goblins



"Rose?" 

"You wish to know about that young maiden?" Old Lady Mary let out a string of chuckles.

She began to narrate, "Within the Dawn Elf Kingdom, elves are classified into different tiers. At the very bottom are the common elves. These elves don't possess the innate talent to cultivate nature magic. They can only engage in simple labor, serve as attendants to the high elves, or become members of the elf army." 

"The common elves are the most frequently met with death."

"Above the common elves are the high elves." 

"The Rose you speak of is one such high elf. Furthermore, she carries the bloodline of Elf Royalty, making her an esteemed figure even among the high elves." 

"This place is the trial grounds of the Original Elf King." 

"As a progeny of the Elf King, it is Rose's duty to participate in the trial of the Elf King." 

"So, she indeed is in the trial and isn't in danger."

"But the other, the one you call Oberlis, is a different story. Although he is an elf, he doesn't possess the bloodline of Elf Royalty. Instead, he has the tainted bloodline of a fallen Dark Elf."

Old Lady Mary's smile took a sinister turn, sending chills down one's spine. Swallowing his unease, Ethan inquired, "So, what will happen to Oberlis?"

Old Lady Mary didn't respond but instead delved deeper into the annals of elven history.

She began, "When the Original Elf King ascended to deity status, the progenitor of the Dark Elves, the Dark Elf King, emerged, vying for that very opportunity of ascension. However, during their confrontation, the Dark Elf King was defeated. The Original Elf King not only vanquished him but also fashioned his remains into the Elf Crown, a divine artifact revered by all elves."

"In the aftermath, the Original Elf King orchestrated a massacre of the Dark Elves."

"Their numbers dwindled rapidly. However, traces of the Dark Elf lineage lingered in the blood of many elves. Under specific stimuli, this latent lineage could resurge, manifesting the Dark Elf bloodline fully."

"Oberlis was a case in point."

"Back then, he was ostracized by the elf community and was forced to fend for himself in the wilderness. It was during this bleak period that Rose chanced upon him, saving him and imparting some of her magical knowledge."

"To everyone's astonishment, the lad possessed an extraordinary aptitude, especially for space magic."

"Regrettably, even with such talent, Oberlis was forbidden to return to the territories of the Dawn Elves."

"I believe, by now, I needn't spell out the specifics for you to grasp the present circumstances of Oberlis. He too participated in the trial, shortly after Rose's entry."

Old Lady Mary still wore her smile.

But to Ethan, it was a smile of utmost repugnance.

However, Old Lady Mary seemed entirely unperturbed by Ethan's disposition, turning her gaze to Quel instead, she inquired, "And you, what would you like to ask me?"

"I...," Quel hesitated for a brief moment.

Eventually, he proceeded as they had previously discussed, "I wish to know how to navigate through the trial successfully."

"That's not a straightforward question," Old Lady Mary said with a smirk.

"Many who've embarked on the trial have posed this very query, yet the only response I've consistently offered is— it all hinges on your luck."

"The numbering of the houses within the village is chaotic."

"As you wander its paths, you may easily stumble upon entities of sheer horror."

"However, there is solace in knowing that once inside a house, you're granted absolute sanctuary— a fundamental tenet of the trial. But don't entertain the notion of lingering indefinitely. If you overstay a given duration, you will perish, a kind of demise where your soul dissipates entirely, devoid of even the chance to become a Wraith."

"Now that your query's addressed, next!" Old Lady Mary directed her attention towards Kadiven.

Following this, Kadiven voiced the longest statement he had made in some time.

"Where might one find the homeland of the Rune Fairy?"

Upon posing this question, a profound silence enveloped Old Lady Mary. 

During this hush, Ethan perceived something amiss. 

The motionless Old Lady Mary seemed devoid of life, appearing much like a carved marionette.

A disconcerting sensation...

Only when Old Lady Mary's familiar smile re-emerged did that palpable essence of life return.

"Indeed, that is a question as ancient as time itself."

"Ancient?" Ethan murmured under his breath, brimming with curiosity.

Both Ethan and Quel had been privy to details regarding Kadiven's bloodline and identity during their assembly in Devil, but Kadiven hadn't revealed, nor had anyone inquired, about anything more. 

Given Kadiven's reticent nature, such questions seemed inevitably bound to go unanswered.

Yet now, it seemed there was more to the tale.

Old Lady Mary continued, "The Rune Fairies are a distinct clan amongst the elusive Little Fairies, masters of myriad magic runes, wielding powers beyond comprehension."

"They dwell in a realm known as the Path of Runes."

"It's a mystical land woven from countless runes, existing neither in the physical nor the conscious world. It doesn't even belong to any dimension we comprehend."

"Then where is it?" Kadiven asked, animatedly.

"Patience," Old Lady Mary said gently. "Having posed such a question, I shall undoubtedly unravel its mysteries for you."

She lifted her hand, tracing an enigmatic pattern in mid-air. 

Upon seeing the design, a jolt went through Ethan, though he betrayed no outward sign of it. 

Language of Nature! 

It was a glyph of the Language of Nature!

"This is the Rune Language," Old Lady Mary elaborated, "officially known as the Rune Language of Nature. Once you comprehend it, you gain the power to control various runes, even conjuring magic circles out of thin air. More than that, the Rune Language of Nature is the key to unlocking the Path of Runes. If you wish to return, you must grasp the essence of the Rune Language of Nature."

"How does one comprehend it?" Kadiven inquired once again.

It was clear that accessing the Path of Runes held great significance for him.

Yet, instead of continuing her explanation, Old Lady Mary simply smiled and remarked, "I've already answered your query. How to grasp the Rune Language of Nature is a different matter."

"Moreover," she added, "you all have asked your questions, it's time to leave."

Saying this, Old Lady Mary stood up and swung open the door of the little wooden hut. 

A tremendous force emanated from the entrance, drawing all three of them out into the open. 

Then, without another word, Old Lady Mary closed the door behind them.

"According to the rules of the trial, our next stop is the second house," Ethan declared. 

As he spoke, the lights in the cottage where Old Lady Mary resided went out, and suddenly, a beacon of light illuminated a hut directly ahead of them. 

The change did not escape the trio's notice.

"That way," Quel directed.

Neither Ethan nor Kadiven voiced any objections, and they began to make their way towards the now-lit cottage. 

It wasn't long before they reached their destination. 

As Quel's hand hovered, preparing to knock, Ethan's voice cut sharply through the air, "Quel, stop! This isn't the second house!"

"It's not?" Confusion clouded Quel's features. 

He quickly cast his gaze to the wooden door. Instead of the number two, it bore the mark of three.

A cold sweat broke out on Quel's skin. 

Unable to contain his frustration, he exclaimed, "Why would they light it up if it's not the second house? Are they trying to deliberately mislead us?"

"Ethan, did you happen to spot where the actual second house is?" Quel queried, anxiety lacing his voice.

However, something felt amiss. 

No reply came. 

The weighty silence was punctuated by the faint, unmistakable scent of blood in the air.

Whirling around, Quel was taken aback to find no one behind him, only the ghostly white of skeletal remains. 

By now, the sky had plunged into an inky darkness, with only the soft glow of the cottage providing any semblance of light.

"What in blazes is going on?" he muttered.

With a swift motion, Quel shattered the looming skeletons. 

Just then, the door to the cottage behind him creaked open. Ethan and Kadiven stood there, beckoning, "Quel, why are you out there? Come on in."

Kadiven echoed, "Quel, come inside."

"Something's not right! This is all wrong!" Quel's senses were instantly on high alert. 

Grasping his blade, he lunged towards Ethan and Kadiven without hesitation. 

With a singular swing, their forms evaporated into thin air.

"How could Kadiven possibly invite me in? This is absurd," Quel mused, noting the discrepancies in the illusion. 

As the phantoms of Ethan and Kadiven vanished, the environment reverted to its prior state; a heavy, oppressive sky loomed overhead, reminiscent of the calm before a storm.

"Quel, are you alright?" Ethan inquired, concern evident in his voice.

Startled, Quel turned to see the taciturn Kadiven beside him, realizing that the Ethan and Kadiven before him were genuine. 

A wave of relief washed over him as he replied, "I think I might've been caught in an illusion... Let's find the second house quickly. Roaming around this village might plunge us into more unexpected situations."

"The second house is over there," Kadiven pointed out.

In an instant, both Ethan and Quel, without hesitation, lunged at Kadiven. 

His figure dissipated like mist. Once again, their surroundings seemed to shift ever so slightly. 

Kadiven reappeared within their sight just a few meters away, his face as impassive as ever.

"So, is it one by one then?" Quel remarked, raising his blade as his gaze settled on Ethan.