Chapter 102: We want a reward.

The throne room of the Nameless Dungeon was quieter than usual, the kind of quiet that only existed before something inevitably went sideways.

Kai sat on his obsidian throne, one leg crossed over the other, his chin resting on his fist as the Pillars gathered before him.

Each one had been dispatched on separate assignments, and now it was time to hear what they had accomplished.

Lyra was the first to step forward.

She walked with that signature mix of elegance and purpose that she always carried, stopping at the base of the throne before lowering her head in a bow.

“My Lord, I have returned from Rambosa with the information you requested.”

“Let me hear it.”

“The Black Magic Crystals, as we suspected, hold significant value on the open market. I spent two days gathering information from various merchants, traders, and even a few shady dealers who specialize in rare materials.” She pulled a folded parchment from within her sleeve and held it up with both hands.

“Depending on the size and weight of each crystal, the price ranges from 10,000 Cens to as high as 200,000 Cens per unit.”

Kai’s fingers stopped tapping on the armrest.

’10,000 to 200,000 Cens per crystal? The ones Teriam’s workers pulled out of that cave were roughly the size of a human fist on average.

If I had to guess, those would land somewhere in the middle of that range. And we have an entire vein of them running through the Fifth Floor. If the deposit goes as deep as Teriam suspects, then the Nameless Dungeon is sitting on a fortune that could rival most noble houses.’

“You have done well, Lyra. This information changes several things.”

The joy that bloomed on Lyra’s face was immediate.

Her tail would have been wagging if she had one. She clasped her hands together and practically vibrated where she stood.

“Thank you, my Lord! I researched as thoroughly as I could. I even compared the prices across three different districts to make sure no one was inflating the numbers.”

“Your diligence is appreciated.”

Kai reached into the air beside his throne.

The shadows shifted briefly, and from within the dark mist, he produced a small black ring. It was sleek, with no gemstone or ornament, just a band of smooth obsidian metal that pulsed faintly with mana.

“Take this.”

Lyra’s eyes widened as she accepted the ring, holding it in her palm like a sacred relic.

“My Lord, this is…”

“A recall ring. It is tied to my mana signature. Whenever you are in danger, or whenever you wish to return to my side, the ring will teleport you directly to my location. No matter where you are, without you having to use your mana.”

Lyra stared at the ring.

Then she stared at Kai.

Then back at the ring.

Her face went through approximately seven different expressions in the span of two seconds before finally settling on one that could only be described as a woman who had just been proposed to at sunset on a cliffside overlooking the ocean.

“My Lord… you want me to always be able to come back to you?”

“That is what I said, yes. It is a practical tool for emergencies.”

“A ring… that binds me to you… forever…”

“It teleports you. That is all it does.”

Lyra was no longer listening.

She had already slipped the ring onto her left ring finger, holding her hand out in front of her face while her cheeks burned a shade of crimson that could rival Carlotta’s eyes.

“I will treasure this for the rest of my existence, my Lord. No, beyond my existence. I will carry this into the afterlife and show the gods themselves what my Lord has given me.”

’She is making this weird again,’ Kai thought, choosing to move on before she started planning a wedding.

“Carlotta.”

The witch stepped forward immediately, as though she had been counting the milliseconds until her name was called. She dropped to one knee with practiced grace, her long black hair cascading over her shoulder.

“My Lord.”

“Your report.”

Carlotta rose and folded her arms behind her back, her posture straight and professional.

“The meeting with King Desmond went exactly as you predicted. The Kingdom of Traona has agreed to formally recognize the Jaun Land as sovereign territory under the rule of the Nameless Dungeon. The documentation is being prepared as we speak and will be delivered within the week.”

She allowed herself a small, satisfied smile.

“I did not kill anyone. I did not threaten anyone beyond what was necessary. And I kept my composure even when that wretched prince called me a creature to my face.”

“I heard. Sanovere relayed the details.”

“Then you also know I showed remarkable restraint.”

“I do. You have done well, Carlotta.”

Hearing those words, Carlotta’s composure cracked just slightly. The corners of her lips twitched upward, and her cheeks were dusted with pink.

“Thank you, my Lord. That said… I do have a small request, if you would permit it.”

“Speak.”

Carlotta tilted her head slightly, her red eyes gleaming with something that was decidedly not professional.

“During my mission, I passed through a city called Gatevally. It is located in the heart of the Traona Kingdom. The streets are lined with lantern trees, and the markets stay open until midnight, and I am told the evening atmosphere is quite… romantic.”

She paused, as though savoring the word.

“I would like to request, as my reward for completing this mission, that my Lord accompany me there. Just the two of us. For a single evening.”

The throne room went dead silent.

Lyra, who had still been admiring her ring with the dopey expression of a woman in love, snapped her head toward Carlotta so fast it was a miracle her neck did not break.

“Excuse me?”

Carlotta did not look at her. She kept her gaze locked on Kai, her smile calm and unwavering.

“I believe I spoke clearly.”

“You want a date,” Lyra said flatly. “With my Lord. Alone.”

“I want a reward for my service. If that reward happens to involve an evening stroll through a beautiful city with the man I serve, then so be it.”

Lyra took a step forward, her mana flaring just enough to make the air feel heavy.

“If anyone is going on an evening stroll with Lord Kai, it will be me. I was here first. I have served him the longest. And I just received a ring from him, which, if you did not notice, is on my left hand.”

“Congratulations on your teleportation trinket,” Carlotta replied without missing a beat. “I am sure it will be very useful for running errands.”

Lyra’s eye twitched.

“Trinket?”

“Ladies,” Kai interjected, but his voice was promptly buried beneath the growing storm.

“At least my Lord trusts me enough to go on solo missions to negotiate with kings,” Carlotta continued, turning her body slightly to face Lyra fully. “While you were here researching crystal prices, I was securing the future of this entire nation.”

“And while you were playing diplomat, I was making sure we knew the value of our own resources so this nation actually has an economy. Do not compare price tags with me, witch.”

“I will compare whatever I please, snake.”

Kai pinched the bridge of his nose.

’Every single time.’

Before the two of them could escalate further, a voice cut through the noise like a blade through butter.

“Boss! I want to give my report too!”

Phera bounded forward from where she had been standing at the edge of the room, her lioness tail swishing behind her with unbothered energy.

She planted herself right between Lyra and Carlotta, seemingly oblivious to the murderous tension radiating from both of them.

“While everyone was out doing their thing, I was guarding the trade route between Rambosa and the Nameless Dungeon. And guess what? A group of thugs tried to rob the factory where Leo and Sophia store the merchandise.”

Kai looked at her.

“And?”

Phera grinned, cracking her knuckles.

“I handled it. They came in with about fifteen guys, all armed, thinking they could walk in and take whatever they wanted. I broke six of their weapons, knocked out ten of them, and the last five ran away screaming.”

She puffed out her chest proudly. “Not a single item was stolen, and the factory did not even get a scratch.”

“Good work, Phera.”

“Hehe, thanks, Boss!” She scratched the back of her head sheepishly, then suddenly stopped.

Her tail went still. Her eyes shifted to the side, glancing at Carlotta, then at Lyra, then back to Kai.

“Say, Boss… I heard something about a date?”

Kai felt a disturbance in the force.

“You did not hear that.”

“I definitely heard that. Carlotta wants you to take her to some fancy city with lanterns and stuff, right?” Phera leaned forward, her golden eyes sparkling.

“Can I come too? I have never been to a city like that! I want to try the food there. And the drinks. And maybe fight someone in an alley.”

“That last part is exactly why you should not come,” Carlotta said coldly.

“Boss! I can behave! Probably!”

“Lord Kai,” Lyra interjected firmly, stepping forward. “If you are even considering going to this city, then I must insist that I accompany you as well. As your first and most loyal servant, it is my duty to be at your side at all times.”

Carlotta scoffed. “Your duty is whatever Lord Kai decides it is. And right now, he has not decided anything because you keep interrupting.”

“I am not interrupting. I am protecting his interests.”

“From what? A pleasant evening?”

“From you.”

Phera raised her hand. “I just want to eat stuff.”

Kai closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. Then he exhaled slowly through his nose.

’I killed a Duke. I slayed four Dragons. I built a nation from nothing. And somehow, this is the hardest part of my day.’

“Enough. All of you.”

The three women froze.

Kai opened his eyes. His shadow aura pulsed once, not aggressively, but with enough weight to remind them exactly who sat on that throne.

“I will consider the request. That is all I am saying for now.”

Before any of them could argue further, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from the far corridor.

Moments later, a familiar skeletal figure appeared at the entrance of the throne room.

It was Teriam.

The Great Forger walked forward with measured steps, his blacksmith apron still covered in soot and metal shavings. He stopped at the base of the throne and dropped to one knee, his hollow voice echoing through the room.

“My Lord. I bring my report from the Fifth Floor.”

“Speak.”

“As instructed, my workers have continued to mine the cave where the Black Magic Crystals were discovered. We have extracted a significant quantity and stored them as ordered.” He paused.

“However, the mining ground goes deeper than we initially estimated. Far deeper. The tunnels extend well beyond what my current team can explore safely.”

“Have you found anything new in the deeper sections?”

“Not yet, my Lord. The tunnels are unstable in certain areas, and some of the lower paths are too narrow for my larger workers to navigate. I request additional time and resources to map the full extent of the deposit.”

Kai considered this for a moment.

“Granted. Take as many workers as you need. If the tunnels require reinforcement, speak with Sanovere about acquiring additional materials.”

“Thank you, my Lord.”

Kai then reached to the side, pulling something from the shadow beside his throne. It was a small, ornate bell, the kind used to summon attendants.

“For your diligence, Teriam, I will assign you a personal maid from the First Floor to assist you with administrative tasks on the Fifth Floor. She will handle the logistics of the mining operation so you can focus on the forging.”

Teriam raised his skeletal head, and although his face was incapable of expression, the slight tremble in his jaw suggested something close to surprise.

“My Lord… that is most generous. I will make good use of this gift.”

“See that you do.”

As Teriam rose and stepped back, the three women at the front of the room had been watching the exchange with varying degrees of impatience.

Phera was the first to speak again, because of course she was.

“So, Boss. About that date thing.”

Kai sighed.

“Phera.”

“I am just saying, if Carlotta gets to go and Lyra gets to go, then I should get to go too. It is only fair. I punched fifteen guys for you today.”

“You punched fifteen thugs who were robbing a building. That is your job.”

“It is still fifteen guys!”

Lyra crossed her arms.

“My Lord, I would like to formally submit my request as well. If this outing is happening, then I refuse to be excluded.”

Carlotta narrowed her eyes. “It was my request first.”

“And now it is all of ours,” Lyra fired back.

Kai looked at the three of them. Then he looked at the ceiling.

’What exactly is going through their heads?’

….

[A/N]

Thank you for reading.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep