The Skeleton Soldier Failed to Defend the Dungeon-Chapter 49. Collaborator and the One Who Burns (9)

Clatter!

What exactly happened?

The question boiled inside me.

Why did I die?

Everything had been going so well. Clearing the dungeon, hunting adventurers, and exacting revenge on the guards—all three of my objectives had come together seamlessly. I had even gained an unexpected ally and acquired an incredible item, Grassmere's Fire.

The liquid displayed terrifying power even when diluted to a twentieth of its strength. The pure form was beyond imagination.

It was remarkable.

I replayed the events in my mind. I'd knocked Rena out and placed her in a safe spot. I'd covered myself and my armor with the powder the old man had given me to protect me from the flames.

Entering the dungeon's depths, I spotted the guards, unleashed the fire, and watched as both the enormous spider boss and the guards turned to ashes.

So why did I die? I followed the old man's instructions.

I kept the recommended distance and applied the powder thoroughly. Ordinarily, I would have felt the heat. Though my senses were dulled, I should have still recognized the dangerous temperatures. Yet, with the powder on, I'd felt nothing.

That's why.

I'd kept pouring the fire without hesitation, unaware that something was amiss. The white-hot blaze exploded, reducing everything, including myself, to ash.

So, where did it go wrong?

"Did the old man double-cross us?" I muttered.

He must have lied, although the fire itself was no hoax. A fire of that magnitude, reacting with the air and exploding in blinding white flames, was a force of pure terror.

But...

The powder was fake.

The powder he told me to sprinkle on my body and armor was useless for fire resistance.

Is there even a substance that can withstand flames like that?

Clatter.

I shook my head. In hindsight, justifying why I'd trusted the old man was hard.

Did I fall for his act? I didn’t think he’d use the story about his wife to lie to us. Or was I simply captivated by the aura of Grassmere's Fire?

A flicker of anger rose within me, mixed with curiosity.

What did the old man hope to gain by lying? What did the powder actually do?

I'd be sure to ask him next time, perhaps with my hands around his throat. After all, without that fire, killing the guards would have been much harder.

Another thought of my armor melting like a candle crossed my mind.

I wonder if Rena made it out.

The flames from the explosion had filled the entire boss chamber and then surged through the outer corridors. I'd left Rena hidden within a stone shelter. If she awoke, she might've been able to open it and escape.

I hope she's okay...

I imagined her timeline, separate from mine, rummaging through the thoroughly scorched boss chamber. Perhaps she managed to salvage a few items. Even if the silver coins had melted, silver ingots could still be useful.

Clunk.

I pushed aside the memories, refocusing. I turned my head, taking in my surroundings. Once again, it wasn't a grave but a quiet cave. Rena lay on a blanket, breathing softly in her sleep.

Has Rubia really disappeared for good?

Just then, a familiar sound echoed.

Ding!

[Succession Complete!]

[Name: None

Skeleton Soldier Lv. 1 (88)

Health: 34

Strength: 42

Agility: 41

Wisdom: 13

Remaining Points: 14]

By now, I was used to it. Each time I died, all my points, skills, and perks remained intact when I revived. That fact no longer felt strange.

Seeing the accumulated points made me think that, strangely, dying and reviving like this wasn't such a bad deal. When I'd entered the dungeon before my death, I'd been at level one. I quickly leveled up after killing a few spiders, and slaying the D-rank dungeon boss and ten brutal guards boosted my level even further.

Should I do it again?

It was tempting. With a few more runs, my stats would become formidable. However, the changed reset points hinted at the dangers involved. Without understanding the mechanics behind the resets, pushing my luck would be reckless. For now, I'd keep moving forward and make every step count.

As I stared at my status screen, my gaze drifted toward Rena.

Rena's stats rose four times faster than mine.

I opened her status window.

Ding!

[Name: Rena

Class: Thief Lv. 5

Health: 13

Strength: 11

Agility: 17

Wisdom: 11

[Affection: 11

— Rena feels a sense of kinship with you.]

[Basic Skills:

— Unlock by increasing Affection.]

[Perks:

— Unlock by increasing Affection.]

[Title:

— Unlock by increasing Affection.]

Back to the beginning.

Rena was just as she'd been when we first met. Her stats hadn't carried over—they seemed unaffected by my resets. Her Affection had also reset.

It was a bit disappointing; I even felt a little bitter about it. I'd shared many experiences with her—countless battles, walks through forested paths, and dungeon explorations. We'd talked and joked together, but now, she looked at me without any of that history, as if we were meeting for the first time.

"..."

As I mused, another message popped up.

Ding!

[Death Memorial]

[You have achieved your sixth death since succession.]

1. Necromancer's Beloved

2. Fire Safety Week (New!)

— You died by melting in the white-hot fire. Scary, isn't it? Keep fire safety in mind.

Fire Resistance increased by 25. (Note: Ineffective against magical fire.)

— If this perk is selected, B-rank or lower fire damage will not affect you for one hour.

Should I choose the second one? It's not like I'll be meeting a necromancer anytime soon...

Just then...

Ding!

[Auto-selecting perk.]

Perk: Necromancer's Lover

— This is a hero-level perk. It will be forcibly selected until another hero-level perk is activated.

...Right.

I'd momentarily forgotten that other perks were off-limits. This absurd perk, raising necromancers' affection toward me, had been forced upon me. I sighed, my bones rattling.

I looked at Rena. She was sleeping peacefully, likely undisturbed by my presence this time, enjoying a deep, dreamless sleep.

While she slept, I passed the time by reading some of the dungeon's books. After finishing two volumes by Kevin Ashton, my wisdom increased by two.

It still works.

[Name: None

Skeleton Soldier Lv. 1 (88)

Health: 34

Strength: 42

Agility: 41

Wisdom: 15

Remaining points: 14]

I allocated 7 points to Health, 3 to Strength, and 4 to Agility.

[Health:41

Strength: 45

Agility: 45

Wisdom: 15]

This should be good enough.

Statistically, I wouldn't be outmatched by most opponents. Humans typically stopped leveling significantly past levels twenty or thirty, so these stats would be uncommon even among the strongest.

Still, remembering Lady Succubus, Rubia, and Rena, the hollow satisfaction of increased stats weighed on me. My abilities might've improved, but my judgment often fell short.

Perhaps I should prioritize wisdom?

I considered finding more of Kevin Ashton's books when a soft murmur interrupted me.

"Mmm... that was a good sleep..."

Rena slowly opened her eyes, looking well-rested. Our gazes met. I chuckled inwardly, remembering how cautious I'd once been around her. She reached into her coat, likely for reassurance, but I spoke first.

"I trust you."

"What?"

My words, seemingly out of the blue, confused her. Without regard for her reaction, I continued saying what I wanted.

"I just trust you. I'm on your side. Do what you want."

I wasn't sure if it was laziness or indifference, but I couldn't be bothered to explain myself fully. She wouldn't believe me if I tried to tell her about the resets. So, I decided to speak freely, knowing she wouldn't understand.

I knew this woman. I remembered how she'd lure men in to slit their throats, how she'd set traps in the mountains to protect our dungeon. I recalled seeing her meticulously lay traps outside the spider den, proudly declaring the area ours. I knew the songs she hummed in a hot bath, the jokes she enjoyed, the way she flung her clothes aside.

But she didn't know me. Her confusion was only natural. Still, I trusted her, past and present alike.

Clink.

"All the money's here. If you want to buy something, go ahead. Or you can handle the items we need to sell."

"Any suggestions on what to get?"

"I told you, whatever you want. Get yourself something nice."

Rena blinked, clearly bewildered. One hand was still in her pocket, and she looked at me like I'd lost my mind.

"Why are you suddenly acting so... strange?"

I recognized the words, almost identical to what she'd said before. The circumstances were similar, so it was unsurprising I got a similar response.

"Maybe I had a personality shift while you slept," I joked. freeweɓnovel.cøm

It was only a joke to me because of my memories with her. To Rena, it was simply strange.

"Uh..." She looked adorably confused, rubbing her temple. "Just like that? You trust me, just like that?"

I nodded.

"Maybe I got lonely, shut up in a dungeon for so long. Lots of possible explanations."

"Haha... Don't you have other skeletons for company?"

I shrugged. "They're not exactly chatty."

"Conversation's important to you, then?"

I remembered our exchanges, which were still fresh in my mind.

"Anyway, thanks," Rena said, a soft smile forming on her lips.

Her smile changed slightly each time we met.

She added, "I'm confident in handling items. Leave it to me."

As Rena took out a pendant to start sorting items, I felt a twinge of guilt watching her Affection rise again.

It's deceitful.

It was like I was deceiving her, keeping her in the dark about everything.

Should I tell her the truth? Would she believe me?

Until I had concrete proof, it seemed wiser to keep quiet.

Over the next three days, Rena went back and forth between the dungeon and town, sorting through items and trading as necessary.

On the third day, she returned with a familiar crimson cloak.

"Try this on." She moved behind me, fastening it over my armor. "Hold still..."

Clink. Clink.

I let her work, knowing how to adjust my stance so she could attach it comfortably.

"You look good in it. Shall we stay a little longer?" Rena asked, admiring the cloak.

"No."

Staying here wouldn't lead to anything worthwhile, especially considering the strange experiences in the dungeon and the imminent threat of the knight in blue armor. I'd improved my stats, but that man's strength was on another level.

Thinking of him, I turned to Rena. "Do you..."

"Yes? Go on."

"Do you know this emblem?"

I sketched the symbol from the blue armor onto a spare piece of parchment. She squinted at it, frowning slightly.

"That's the emblem of the Blue Lion Order."

"The Blue Lion Order?"

"Yes, it's one of the empire's elite knight orders, known for their power."

I knew knights were strong, but that man's power had felt unmatched.

I thought momentarily and then asked, "Could someone slice through armor with just a blunt scabbard, slowly but surely?"

Rena tilted her head. "Slicing armor with a scabbard? That's impossible."

"What if I told you I saw it myself? He had ash-blue hair and wielded a sheath as white as snow."

Rena smirked. "Maybe you got caught up in a circus act? Or..."

"Or what?"

"Or you got incredibly lucky. You saw one of the Empire's Four Swordmasters up close and lived to tell the tale."