Chapter 224: Episode 224_Preparations

The Dungeon Master of Balak had regained consciousness. The news spread like wildfire throughout the territory. To the dungeon’s residents, Taehyun was their undisputed lord, and the mere fact that he had awoken was a cause for celebration.

“Did you hear? The Master has recovered!”

“Shh! The raiders will hear you! Didn’t Sir Grai tell us to keep quiet? We’ll be in big trouble if they find out.”

“What a relief. The dungeon will finally get back to normal.”

The dungeon had been left in the hands of the Supporters for some time. Although no A-rank raid parties had dared approach since the annihilation of the Yuda party, a palpable anxiety had lingered. Now that the Dungeon Master was back, they had nothing to fear. And so, completely unnoticed by the raiders, the small city of Myol began a period of explosive growth.

[15 Intermediate Grain Silos have been built.]

[15 Intermediate Food Storages have been built.]

[15 Intermediate Warehouses have been built.]

[10 Intermediate Armories have been built.]

[3 Intermediate Stables have been built.]

[An Intermediate Carriage Service has been built.]

[10 Intermediate Barracks have been built.]

[The Low-grade Training Ground has been upgraded to an Intermediate Training Ground.]

[The city of Myol has officially secured trade routes.]

[A Trade Post has been built.]

[The Balak Embassy has been built.]

[The Balak Resident Management Office has been built.]

[The marketplace is expanding.]

[The Intermediate Blacksmithies are beginning internal expansion.]

[The Balak Merchant Guild building is beginning internal expansion.]

[The Low-grade Guard Headquarters has been upgraded to an Intermediate Guard Headquarters.]

[Low-grade Guard Posts have been upgraded to Intermediate Guard Posts.]

[Low-grade Watchtowers have been upgraded to Intermediate Watchtowers.]

[An Intermediate Ranch is in the preparation stage.]

[The streets of Myol are being divided into four districts.]

[The city of Myol itself is beginning to expand.]

It was nothing short of a great leap forward. Divided into four districts—commercial, residential, industrial, and military—Myol was filled with new construction as it began a full-scale internal expansion. Trade, entertainment, security, livestock, agriculture—the city began to develop in multiple fields at once. That day, all dungeon residents received official citizenship through the Resident Management Office, their status as people of Balak formally recognized.

—

[The Rough Rock Guild has been established.]

[The Merchant’s Guild has been established.]

[The Artisan’s Guild has been established.]

[The Raider’s Guild has been established.]

[The Farmer’s Guild has been established.]

[Guilds for each profession have been established.]

[Guilds for each district have been established.]

[The Balak-exclusive Raider’s Association Headquarters has been established.]

The development of Myol continued unabated. The dwarves, mid-chug of dark beer, rubbed their eyes and stared at the streets in disbelief.

“H-has that demon bastard finally gone mad?”

“Not at all! The demon has finally recognized the will of our Rough Rock tribe! This is a blessing!”

“Ooooh! Tupelus! Tupelus!”

An entire district had been created just for artisans. It was all thanks to Taehyun, who had meticulously planned every detail, from the grandest sectors to the smallest. While the dwarves cheered, the raiders visiting Myol were bewildered.

“Not just a Raider’s Association, but a ’Balak-exclusive’ one?!”

“Does this mean we don’t have to make that annoying trip back to Partren anymore?”

“H-hey, look! The inns and taverns in the entertainment district got bigger! The shops, too! They’re expanding!”

“That demon bastard. Looks like he’s finally decided to invest in the whole city!”

It wasn’t just the residents’ districts that were growing; the areas catering to raiders were also developing rapidly. Now, with professional guilds and a dedicated Raider’s Association, Myol was becoming a true hub. The new trade post began full-scale operations, with the goal of having the territory of Balak officially recognized throughout the West.

“Balak is practically a part of the West now. Demon or not, you won’t find another dungeon that treats raiders this well.”

“She may be a dungeon resident, but I love Iris. I’m going to marry her, no matter what.”

“I heard they’re starting to check IDs and citizenship at the entrance. Outsiders have to pay a Zen fee to get in now.”

“Same with the Forest of Silence. You have to pay Zen for an hour of access. I got caught by the High Elves last time I tried to hide, scared the hell out of me.”

As if developing a kingdom, the dungeon’s territory itself evolved. Some raiders were initially suspicious, but as they adapted, their disapproval quickly faded. As Balak began to establish a system on par with a nation, the Holy Kingdom and other continental powers began to voice their opposition.

“Not only has he defied the will of Behel, but a demon has established a foothold on the continent. This is a matter we cannot overlook!”

“Trade routes and a national system? How absurd! At this rate, he’ll be meddling in politics next.”

“The more Balak develops, the more powerful its military will become. We must move to restrain him now!”

As royal families across the continent began to view Balak with hostility, political schemes were set in motion. However, no one made a direct move to subjugate the territory. The West was currently in chaos due to the internal strife of the Enais Kingdom. No one was brave enough to enter a region where tens of thousands of raiders, not to mention two superhumans, were active. With the Peshandt and Derk Empires also remaining mysteriously quiet, making a rash move was too risky. And so, with Balak at its center, the continent was once again thrown into turmoil.

—

Meanwhile, Larkan, the alchemist recognized as Balak’s greatest artisan, was deeply troubled.

—”I heard from Tupelus. He said you’re recreating the ancient artifact from the temple? If so, we’re going to need your Transmutation Circle. Get over here, now.”

A week had passed since Taehyun regained consciousness. It was the neutralization artifact Tupelus had mentioned. Just as Larkan had feared, Taehyun intended to involve him.

“The blueprints aren’t even finished, and we still haven’t identified all the necessary materials. Surely you don’t need me just yet.”

—”Wrong. I need your Transmutation Circle. Ever heard of saving time? We need to whip this thing up and be done with it. You and Tupelus can create the blueprints as you go, using your circle. I’ll get you whatever materials you need immediately, so hurry up.”

Larkan fell silent.

—”Hello? Can you hear me?”

Taehyun’s voice echoed through the communication device.

Building the structure with the transmutation circle, managing the countless dwarves, and calibrating the artifact’s magic using the blueprints—the sheer amount of work meant he would be cooped up inside the dungeon for a very long time. Wiping the cold sweat from his brow, Larkan made his decision.

’I’m running away.’

The contract made it impossible to leave the territory, but he could at least hide somewhere within it. Larkan packed his things and slipped out of the inn.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?”

“Don’t look for me.”

“Huh?!”

Tuperus, who was chugging a dark beer in the lobby, was completely bewildered. They had just received permission to craft the ancient artifact, and now the lead engineer was making a run for it. Tuperus urgently chased Larkan out of the inn, but he had already vanished.

’This is a serious problem!’

No transmutation circle? That meant the work would inevitably take three times as long. Even for dwarves dedicated to their craft, work with no progress was deeply unsatisfying. Tuperus took out his communication device and reported to Taehyun.

“That demon, Larkan—he’s run off!”

—”He did? Just let him be.”

“What are you talking about? Without the alchemist, the work is bound to be delayed. We can’t stand for that!”

—”Don’t worry. There’s only one place he can go. I’ll end up dragging him back myself.”

The communication ended. Tuperus repeated Taehyun’s words, tilting his head in confusion.

“There’s only one place he can go…?”

—

[You have entered Dungeon Heimdal.]

A colorful hill came into view. Raider parties that had entered earlier were scattered about, busy fighting Bearbears.

“Bearbear!”

“Aah! They’re so cute, but they hurt so much! Waaah!”

“G-get a grip! That’s not a teddy bear. It’s a demon!”

Some were getting swarmed by the Bearbears, but it was nothing worth his attention. Larkan surveyed his surroundings and drank another potion.

[You have consumed a Mid-grade Invisibility Potion.]

[You will become invisible for a set amount of time.]

It was an invisibility potion he’d managed to create as his Potion Manufacturing skill improved. As long as there were no radar detection nets or magic sensors, he wouldn’t be caught. Larkan headed straight for the final room.

“Hm. Who’s there?”

“It’s Larkan. You’re the only one I can trust. Please, hide me.”

Cheder, the Drake Slayer. He was the only raider Larkan had befriended while working within the territory. Cheder—no, Shihan—looked at Larkan as he materialized and asked, “Don’t tell me you ran away.”

“If he catches me, that bastard Taehyun will drag me back and force me to work for who knows how long. I’m begging you.”

“That damn Dungeon Master. I can’t stand a single thing he does. Fine. Stay in my room for now. I’ll let the others know, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you. You’re really the only one I can count on!”

Shihan, who had always harbored a dislike for Taehyun, agreed without hesitation. He was a little worried about the other raiders in Heimdal, but he was confident he could persuade them. And so, Larkan went into hiding in Heimdal.

—

On his second day of hiding in Heimdal, a call came from Taehyun. He didn’t sound angry yet, but his threatening tone was unchanged.

—”I don’t know where you are. I don’t know what you want. If you’re looking for freedom, I can tell you I have none to give.”

Larkan remained silent.

—”But what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you come back now, that’ll be the end of it.”

Larkan remained silent.

—”I will not look for you. I will not pursue you. But if you don’t… I will look for you, I will find you, and I will make you work for the rest of your life.”

“D-damn it!”

—”Good luck.”

The moment the call ended, a chill ran down his spine. It was a warning with absolutely no mercy for a fugitive. Larkan shut himself in his room, his mind racing. If he was forced into a lifetime of labor, he might actually go insane.

’Work without any rest? What am I supposed to do?’

If he went back now, he might be forgiven. But he would still have to start working on the ancient artifact. Larkan shook his head, his resolve hardening.

’I have to hold out here, no matter what. When he needs me badly enough, he’ll be the one offering terms!’

The fact that Taehyun hadn’t issued a coercive command yet proved it. Taehyun probably knew the importance of an alchemist. As the most crucial engineer, he surely couldn’t afford to be careless. Larkan clung to that single hope and held on.

—

On his third day of hiding in Heimdal, Eleonora came to his room. She seemed to pity his situation and listened to his story.

“…and that’s what happened,” Larkan finished. “I certainly said he could use me as he wished for my revenge, but this is too much. I deserve at least the basic respect of an engineer!”

“Oh my. That’s just terrible. I’ll try speaking to Taehyun about it.”

“W-wait. You mustn’t tell him I’m here.”

“Of course not. All you have to do is stay hidden here, Larkan. Taehyun will only realize how precious you are when you’re gone.”

Eleonora—no, Inhye—smiled, her dimples showing faintly. Until that moment, Larkan had trusted her. He believed in her, as she was the only one who truly understood Shihan. But that was nothing more than a delusion.

“There you are.”

“H-how?!”

“I heard from Inhye, of course,” Taehyun said calmly. “You must have had a tough time cooped up in Shihan’s room.”

“Damn it! You tricked me!”

In the end, Taehyun had found him. He belatedly realized Inhye had deceived him. Larkan tearfully glared at her, but it was no use. She simply clung to Taehyun’s side and sneered.

“I didn’t say ’you’ were here, Larkan. I just mentioned that a fugitive was hiding in Heimdal.”

“Ugh, Ahhh! I won’t forgive you! I’ll surely… make sure you…!”

“Good luck, Larkan.”

A guttural scream tore from his throat.

And so, soldiers seized Larkan and began dragging him back to Balak.

—

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