Chapter 98: Corner Ossuary (1)

Heh.

The Nightmare Queen’s hand trembles as she reads the letter.

It was from her remaining subjects in the otherworld—likely written by a succubus girl. Filled with pleas to inform her of their situation and return to save them.

Seeing that, the Nightmare Queen—who already carried heavy guilt toward the subordinates she left behind—couldn’t help but waver.

Then the Fairy Princess behind her points accusingly.

“You’re thinking of going back, right?”

“Huh? No—how did you…?”

“Baby. Is there something I don’t know?”

“…Your memory?”

“Well, not that.”

The Fairy Princess admits it too calmly.

The Nightmare Queen couldn’t hide her shock at the change.

Just moments ago, when rubbing her belly, she seemed like a babbling infant?

“Even without memories, personality remains—why don’t you act like this normally?”

“Who knows? It’s not something I control. I turn into a baby in front of him. Sometimes I wonder if this is the fake, and the childlike form is my true self. That’s why I can’t bring out this side usually.”

“You’ve adapted well to this world. My pride’s been crushed, you know.”

“Then abandon the queen mindset and become a baby instead.”

“Huh?”

“Your succubus kingdom is out of your hands. There’s nothing you can do. Struggling and crying won’t make someone magically appear with milk for your hunger. You can’t even drink it yourself.”

“Of…”

“Besides, since you’re not actually a baby, that struggling just looks like a childish adult pretending to be one. But wouldn’t that be easier?”

“You’re saying live like you? As a baby?”

[Is that so? Living baby-style is comfy. Waaah, me baby cooker. Boil meat soup instead of monsters, make it blue!]

“That thing would probably stop if I unplugged it?”

“Probably?”

[Sorry! Princess. If I had a head, I’d do wall-sit bomb… No, wait. Wall-sit no good.]

RiceCookerMan overheard and tried a killer gag, but the mood didn’t lighten.

The Fairy Princess gently closes her eyes.

“Unless Joo-heon grasps dragon-level mana like you, you can’t return anyway. You didn’t cross the gate on your own mana alone. Even I came at the cost of countless spirit souls. Same for you.”

Crossing gates is hard without traits/skills that endure inside—or requires massive mana consumption.

The Nightmare Queen dispatched monsters via palace mana amplifiers; she herself used the same aid when defecting.

“So that’s why the strategy was like this. Obviously.”

Even in a giant’s world, enlargement strategies exist; huge monsters too. If they sent an overwhelmingly high-level one first to crush by level alone, this place would’ve fallen long ago.

But sending them costs too much mana to prioritize overkill forces.

Of course, the reunion lure toward the Nightmare Queen suggests breaking through the dungeon and giant isn’t easy.

Now the dungeon giant boasts mid-executive+ levels, and thanks to the baby dragon and Nightmare Queen.

Growth via level-ups without hunting makes breakthrough harder.

“Yes, so you can’t save your precious ones right away—or even go to them. Don’t get tricked into foolish actions.”

“Then you’re saying live clutching this bursting heart?”

“Come here.”

“Where? Come wh—ugh?!”

She goes—and the Fairy Princess hugs her into her round belly.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Become my ally. When I awaken someday, I’ll help you freely return home.”

“B-but this isn’t a solution. In the meantime, my subjects—my children—will all die.”

The Fairy Princess stares at the pleading Nightmare Queen, then plucks a leaf from her now-tree pot plant and offers it.

“Take this.”

“W-what? Why?”

“As you saw with the fish, demons are born from misguided desire for mana. Those frail fish monsters—forced to invade without realizing they’d be grilled, fried, or dried here—were once normal fish.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your succubi probably started as fairies. So if your clan’s children die, bring their remains here.”

“Here…Ah, plenty of room.”

A small tree leaf from the pot—but in the original world, bigger than a sleeping bag.

Even with enlargement undone, the Nightmare Queen could sew clothes from it.

“Then they’ll reborn as fairies, follow my path, and likely regain former personalities.”

“Really? Ugh.”

“Don’t want? Hold on.”

“Kyahaha, no, ah—I’m sensitive!? Why touch there.”

“OCCH.”

“What?”

“Feeling much better, right?”

“Ah. Hmm. Seems so.”

Called princess for childish appearance, but she’s practically a fairy queen.

Inheritor, guardian, unified with the world tree—source of mana.

Not yet awakened, so not reliable now.

“But why go this far for me?”

“To steady your wavering heart?”

“Steadying mine—what do you gain?”

“You started as fairy, settled as demon, desires grew. So you can raise real child soldiers.”

“Don’t say that in a kid form.”

“Oh? Ah, kyahahahaha.”

Embarrassed by her words, the Nightmare Queen tickles her belly again—response back to normal.

“Spirit!”

[Yes! Princess.]

“This granny keeps touching me. Tell on her later!”

“Yesss!? Wait, no.”

“Kyahaha.”

The Nightmare Queen—whose navel seemed a button—pounces, but the Fairy Princess forgets all prior maturity.

RiceCookerMan nods his lid, murmuring.

[Awakening must be close. Hmm.]

“Cooking complete.”

Deep concerns pondered.

But monologue always ends as “cooking complete”—sad inanimate fate.

[Hey, why walk!? What’s this!? Dust on paws?!]

CatMan, why so <Dog Freakout>?

“If asking why walk—answering is common courtesy.”

[Cat cat.]

Separately, Yong-gae seems enjoying cat cat.

Villains duo with cat, right.

“Hey.”

[Anyway, why no Spatial Movement—walk directly?]

“…Wanted to, but couldn’t find restroom. Café hallway had CCTV.”

CCTVs everywhere?

Korea’s CCTV republic.

Managing them post-studio takeover humbles people more.

Despite hallway/elevator surveillance, tenants do all sorts.

In my now-owned studios—despite warnings of security cams in halls/recycling—elevator heavy skinship is mild.

[No stealth or invisibility?]

“Suspicious bastard.”

[What’s suspicious?]

No such skills.

“LF!”

Still, achieved goal taking Yong-gae to cat café.

Issue: speech a bit off.

Dragons roar kyaaang—not nyang nyang?

[Some get carried palm-free like precious goldfish spring water.]

Expressive for a change.

“Become a kitten then.”

[Bite some up?]

“Any mates?”

[Heh, didn’t see? Kings have multiple consorts.]

CatMan meows from tower—café cats swarm, bow heads like Lion King.

Really thought cat king.

“But they’re all neutered—mates? Full of eunuchs.”

Most subjects snipped/sealed—no mates for CatMan.

What.

Anyway, walking back—deep-hatted, cold-weather aviation jumper over something, petite build from café keeps appearing.

Worried seeming weird talking to CatMan.

“Aigoo, our walking kitty wants home?”

“Meow.”

[Learn from that human. As lord of creation, be gentle to small animals.]

“Do like that?”

[Gross—don’t you.]

“What then?”

Many talk to cats—no issue.

But paths keep overlapping?

Slowed pace, walked farther back.

They short-step but fast.

Distanced—entered alley near studio, saw again.

Our tenant?

Elevator check for floor—stops at 2.

“Young person. 2-3 floors usually stairs. No, wait.”

Lives 2nd floor?

Electricity/management bills—elevator dings right away.

“I’m back. Anything—”

“Ihihihihi.”

“Stop it.”

“Hateee!”

“What are you doing.”

Entering room—Nightmare Queen and Fairy Princess tickling bellies.

When did they get close?

“P-Princess keeps touching!”

“Soft!”

Hey.

Why my level rising?

“No bites.”

Fished fish for 800 levels.

Even no bites—rod stays in gate.

Think not gate but ice-fishing hole—mind calm, curious what’ll bite.

Whirrrrr.

“What?”

Dragon bone rod line/hook reels with wind sound.

Nothing caught—gate rebound ejecting rod.

Simultaneously gate shakes.

[Aeaeeaeeaeeaeng, aeaeeaeeaeng. This no love song.]

“Hey, gate not your belly now? Don’t excuse as appliance knowing all. Cut rice.”

[Leveled up!]

“Yeah?”

Rice cooker’s rice cooker—thoughts too.

Lots levels true.

Now <Delicious Rice LV88>.

Early Nightmare Queen negotiations—got used, no taste.

Now rice improved—eat admiring.

Situation serious—watching warily.

Thud.

Something emerges from gate.

<Dragon Bone>

“What now? Why give weapons?”

Dragon bone—made rod, know it’s SS-grade material.

Wraiths say dwarf blacksmith experimenting Memorial in weapons called it that.

They didn’t make, but rod gives +500 Strength—makes sense.

If fight with rod—sufficient weapon.

Flail or morningstar feel.

Boom!

“Again?!”

Really dying to give materials?

Suspect plot—no disarm guard down.

Gate just spits dragon bone.

“Hey Queen. Plot there? Reason, right?”

“Hmm… Princess, any plot?”

“Dunno!”

“Uwaaa. Why dunno? Pretending?”

“Kyahahahahaha. Nooo, this unni weird.”

What doing?

Decided date while gone?

Weirdly close.

Anyway, collect store dragon bones.

Gather, maybe portal some to grandma’s for safety.

[Protected by strong mana.]

Obvious trap-like.

Punch to break—same message.

Grrrrrr, krrrrrr.

Boom!

“Oops?”

Skull stuck, wouldn’t come—finally skull too, placed on floor.

“Think this ossuary?”

Should Yong-gae drool situation—but she avoids.

Then piled dragon bone fragments from gate—black and purple light mix

Rises.

“Ha, combine? Damn.”

Bones piece together, layer stack, enlarge.

“Why combine so boldly? That side tacit rule—no attack during combine?”

Of course no wait for combine/power-up.

[Very strong mana protection.]

Still protected.

Maybe counter using all dragon bone weapons.

Since I attacked with dragon bone rod.

“Hey CatMan, RiceCooker. Attack. Anything. Whatever works.”

Maybe only my attacks blocked—ordered attacking CatMan first.

[Kyaoooong.]

CatMan lightning LV35 now. Crackling serious.

“Meong?!”

Bounces off some barrier.

Finally bones assemble one form.

<Bone Dragon>

Undead dragon.

Though dead, lost flesh/heart—spirit, mana quality, skills in bones remain.

Powered by black magic.

[Kyaaaaa!]

Proper howling—dragon bones unite into bone dragon.

“Wow, first real monster-like monster in ages.”

Enemy but cool.

Not just dragon—bone dragon?

Howling faithful fantasy roots—pure romance.

Even bone combine!

Reminds my turning mecha cards—boyhood dreams full.

But…

“I don’t know much, but dragons… bipedal? Dragon mom wasn’t.”

“No!”

“No. Unless transformed. Oh?”

Made from dragon bone—why bipedal.

[Kkokkio!]

“…?”

Howling fine.

But cry chicken?

Then bone dragon’s already sloppy biped assembly—joints collapse first.

“…Uh.”

Collapses; non-neck seeming bone—reptile skull drops

Rolls. Roll roll.