Day 1089

The VIP has entered the dungeon, despite having a strong affinity for life, he has no talent for magic and he wields a one-handed sword. I'm disappointed, he sucks, he makes an effort but his guard bangs his head against the walls. Even in front of a rat he is in danger, he is too good-looking and intelligent and has no coordination. I'm sure he would miss an elephant in a hallway.

After two hours, the guard cleared the hallway and they left the dungeon. I'm starting to understand why his father wants to train his son, he really needs extensive training. It's strange that he is so bad because he is very strong-willed.

I send the vampire count to cross paths and try to control him with his aura of nobility. The VIP seems to attract inexorably towards the vampire who walks in the upper town before entering a villa. Unfortunately I notice that several enchantments have been lit on him and the vampire does not manage to do anything more.

Day 1094

The ants continue the tunnel and approach the dungeon, they are late but should arrive within a month. I have finished the insulating painting and I am installing it around the alchemical gardens.

For the first time I managed to erode the soul of the necromancer very slightly, he may be a soul expert but he has no way of looking at his. We are in the process of establishing a technique for removing a soul mark.

The VIP returned to the dungeon every two days, he didn't make any progress but he didn't get discouraged. As he was walking around the upper town he unconsciously made his way to the vampire count's villa, he seemed surprised when he got in front of it. He hesitates to enter before returning to the church, his guard never leaves him which could pose a problem.

Day 1101

The VIP has returned several times to the villa, he has finally made up his mind to enter, his guard frowns but still follows him. A butler comes to open the door for him and guides him to the living room, informing him that his master is not present and that he will be back during the day.

Change of VIP POV

I arrived in the city of the dungeon, it is located in the north of the kingdom, it is my father who sends me to train me because I am null. I did not expect that, for a city which is less than three years old, it is very beautiful, the architecture of the city is strange with its three floors, especially since the church is on the third.

The lord of the city came to greet me before leaving in a hurry, I visited the city the day after my arrival and apart from its floors it looks like all the other dungeon cities.

I entered the dungeon but barely made it halfway to the first floor, I see the depressed look of my guard, but I keep trying without any success.

I met a man today just by looking at him, you can immediately feel his power and his nobility. I also want to be like him. Since I saw her I keep going to see her house.

Finally I had the courage to knock on the door. I know my guard disapproves of my behavior, but he will protect me if something goes wrong. A butler receives us, even gives him an aura similar to that of the man she is much less strong but I still feel her, he accompanies us in a tastefully decorated living room, with a warned eye. I can see the price of this piece . If the whole mansion is like this room, this man is mighty wealthy more than the church in this town, even with the new relics donated by the lord of the town.

Why is there so much wealth in this town? We wait two minutes before the butler returns and informs us that his master will not be there until the end of the day. However, they invite us to dinner tonight. I am reluctant to reach four o'clock in a stranger's living room, but the butler offers us to visit his master's library.

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I gladly accept, I love to read and learn new things, my guard is more and more tense as he observes the house.

The library is huge, it is partly underground, the shelves are over 20 meters high with thousands of volumes, on all subjects. I also notice that several shelves are not accessible, the library really seems to contain all the subjects, it does not bother me because I love all the knowledge, although some worry me, you have to know what we are going to fight for a chance to win.

The library is half the size of that of the church in the capital of the kingdom. The church however only has books related to the church, so this library is probably equivalent to that of a powerful duke or marquis. It's impressive for someone I don't know, I immerse myself in different books that I have never read.

Someone entered the library, I immediately recognize this aura, I did not see the time.

“Hello sir, how honorable is your visit”

A noble voice surprises me as I rise from my table and greet the master of this place.

“Hello sir, you have an amazing library”

“Yes indeed, I like knowledge from all walks of life”

I introduce myself as my father taught me and the man invites me to his table, the dinner is sumptuous without being heavy and I discuss all the subjects that come to my mind, the man has an opinion on all topics and seems to know everything I tell him, it's a real well of knowledge and it doesn't seem to have a limit. He doesn't have an answer to all my questions, no doubt because they don't exist. When I ask him about the dark arts, he's not embarrassed and answers all of them. I don't know much about these subjects and it enlightens me on many points.

I feel that my guard, who is standing at the door and about to hold him back or even kill him when I bring up this subject but I hold him back with his hand; the man does not pay attention and continues our discussion. Time flies too quickly and I don't want to leave but I have to or the higher priest will come and get me.

I'm coming back to church and I'm already feeling nostalgic for this evening, I want to go back, I want this man to take more things from me.

Dungeon POV change

The VIP went to see the vampire count while he was not there, the evening went very well, the only incident took place because of the guard but the influence of the vampire count seems to be gradually taking effect on the VIP.

Day 1106

The VIP came back every day to read and to chat with the vampire count, very gradually using his aura, only on the VIP, never on guard so as not to alert him, he manages to bypass the enchantments. The vampire count is absent regularly because he has selected a young girl of the same age as the VIP, this time he completely enchanted her without biting her. The plan is to make him fall in love by manipulating them to speed up the process and then have the VIP killed by the young girl in the crypt.

I have not been able to find better, but it seems acceptable to me.

The war is going less well than expected, it should have lasted only three months, the time to make an incursion and loot outside the kingdom but the troops have been under strong resistance for five months. The Crown Prince cannot give up now or his supporters will pay a heavy price for nothing and this may weaken his position. Better to lose more men but complete the original goal than to give up now, he has gone too far to stop.

This lightning war is turning into a war of attrition. The Alliance of Northeast Kingdoms would not have said anything if the war had only lasted three months, but if it lasts too long, they will be forced to intervene to maintain cohesion between them and not show weakness to the Holy Empire.

On the other hand, it benefits the city, I continue to produce a few rare potions and the weapons sold are appreciated. The count earns merit through his actions, and golden tributes to the king's troops are always welcome. I have to produce a lot of gold to support the Earl and the vampires, I have severely limited this and the vampires are now self-sufficient, likewise I only provide gold for the earl's very important expenses like relics. If I create too much gold, there is a risk that its value will collapse.

The resistance of the neighboring kingdom is strange, it should be very weakened and it manages to support a front without retreating inland. They probably have outside support.

The necromancer and I managed to remove part of the Soul Rune, there is still the tether, but we are on the right track.

Day 1115

The VIP met the girl, they fell in love but it's still too early for him to go to the crypt. The vampire account continues to corrupt the VIP's mind to convince him of his love. I make sure that the young girl is unable to recognize the vampire and that no link can be found between them.

We managed to destroy the Soul Rune in its entirety, so I immediately created a new artificial core on Demonic Research. It has the same job as the other cores, spell research. I keep researching souls and demonic rituals, even though some spells are soul-related.

The necromancer is very slowly being corrupted, and I have already discovered two possible loopholes that I am closing so that he cannot borrow them. His servants still remain in the cave with some of his experiments and research.

As expected, it seems that someone is supporting the kingdom in the east, while they had few weapons and bad qualities, they were given new forged steel weapons.

The ants are close to the dungeon and there should be no problem stealing the heart.