The frozen fjord grew dark and the rumbles of thunder echoed through the chilling winds. Death from above rained down and lightning thrashed through the area for a while.

Einar stopped his horse next to me and carefully observed the surroundings. “My Lord, she is still alive. I can feel her fear.” He faced in the direction of land and rode slowly towards the snow-covered alpine trees. “Please, allow me.”

I was taken aback, but shrugged in the end. “Be my guest.” Even if the boss tried to kill him, there was no way she’d get past Aether Shell without handling me first. I stood around idly, throwing my scepter up and catching it back. What a dark and ominous place this was. The winds seemed to howl at you, as if it was suffering eternal torment. Not to mention the frigidity of the place was almost unbearable. Thankfully, there weren’t any monsters at this altitude except the boss. If these monsters were anything like the desert’s surprise attack monsters, those who dared to attempt the dungeon would have a rather hard time being clothed against the temperature and being armored for battle at the same time.

I checked my wrist, as if I had a watch. He’s been there a few minutes now… I wasn’t exactly sure how time worked in a dungeon, so if there was no need, then I’d rather get a move on. Finally, Einar came flying out of the trees with a figure behind him on the horse. He landed softly in front of me. Well, well, well, look at you sweeping ladies off their feet, you fucking Chad, you! I grinned internally.

She hopped off, looked at Einar, then stared at me shakily. Her hand was clutched closely to her bow, and by the way she stood, anyone could tell she’d be ready to retaliate if anything went down.

I flicked my wrist at her. “Oh, calm down, will you. If you don’t make yourself my enemy, then I’m not your enemy.” My eyes, so to speak, fell on Einar the Unbreakable, or perhaps he was now Einar the Charmer. “So, you smooth-talked her, huh? What dreams did you sell?”

He was, a little addled. Perhaps I should’ve invested in learning how to speak like them. The boss finally spoke after putting her bow over her body. “Can you really, free us from the dungeon?”

My eons-old bones rattled by that sexy mature voice. C-calm down, buddy, I mentally told my vagina. “I, don’t know? I can make a portal to outside the dungeon if you want.”

She shook her head. “Even if I escape to the outer world, I am not truly free unless I separate from the dungeon.” She was worried and scared about something. Hers were the eyes of someone who gave up on life, on hope.

“Perhaps,” Einar dismounted, “you view it from another perspective, My Lord. When she speaks of severance, she refers to what you did for me.”

“Oh!” Well, that makes sense. I guess your will isn’t your own when you’re a dungeon monster or something. In preparation to cast Enthrall on her, I really did sense two separate minds again. The only issue was, this time, both minds accepted Enthrall. I didn’t quite understand what that meant until a blue mist began forming around the boss then materialized into another person.

The one that formed was an elf, and she looked full of ambition, but at least she didn’t seem hostile. Once her body formed fully, she kneeled and humbly asked what was the price for her freedom. Well, before that, I made sure to question her, because I didn’t want to be responsible for releasing a crazy criminal. “Good. But, before you go, are you aware that humans detest elves?”

She nodded. “Yes. I am aware,” she took her bow from the other woman, “but a lonely life is better than one of servitude.”

“Well, in that case,” I opened the portal to the part of my territory that had weak monsters, “go ahead. Oh, and the undead won’t attack you if you don’t attack them.”

She nodded, thanked me again, and left. As for the other woman, who appeared to be the wizard of the two, she had some questions for me. I found her somehow familiar, but couldn’t place her.

Unlike Einar who was a knight, but never a part of the Knight Guild, Edurne – the wizard – was a full-fledged member of the Wizard Guild. The first thing she asked me was about her family, the Morgausses.

I laughed. No way, right? Naw, that can’t be right… “Do you know someone named Tina?”

Her eyes immediately lit up. “Tina?! That’s my daughter! You know my daughter?!”

I palmed my face. What the fuck, man? Cool knight dude in first stage. Tina’s mom in second stage. Who’s in the third then? “Y-yes. We’re friends, I think.” I opened up the portal to her house. “This will take you straight home, but it’s a little creepy if you just appear in the house so I set it to place you in the yard.”

Edurne looked at it and was rather tempted to go, but she held back. “I can’t even begin to thank you, lich. I haven’t been here long like Venomknight has, but it still feels like you saved me from a dooming existence. Visit us soon, okay?”

Uh… “Sure!”

She slipped through the swirling portal. I breathed a sigh of relief, and for just a couple seconds, my vision darkened, and I grew weary. Huh? Hell was that? It felt like my consciousness wavered, my soul was partially torn in two then it reweaved itself.

Whatever. I set my eyes on the ruddy light.