Aiden
After making sure Evangeline was not in danger, I began thoroughly checking her and was relieved to find out she was safely evolving. I shifted my view to Hector, demanding an explanation for all of this, as he explained everything that happened.
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“What were you thinking!”
I was mad, outraged. Screaming at him, I couldn’t believe just what I heard.
“I did what was required.”
He speaks without remorse or shame, like he's spitting out facts. It was weird to see him like this. He was so different from the one I was used to and knew.
“She would cause you distress, I had to prevent her from hurting you. If she is to continue to exist, her independence could lead to the death of people, I don’t want you to be hurt by that.”
“And it would be efficient for me to wield her body while also eliminating variables that would come with her, correct? Then is it just her or to every one of them?”
Hector silently affirmed my first question as he explained the other.
“No, just boss monsters. Dungeon monsters aren’t technically real, they are a copied construct of mana in the form of monsters. Every monster, even in different dungeons, follows a pattern. The binding with the dungeon makes them ‘real’; the strongest binding with boss monsters makes them no different from true monsters, from their traits to individuality. The other titled monsters will at most have an inkling of monster instincts but are mostly filled with the will of the dungeon.”
Listening to him, I take a few deep breaths as I try to understand. Hector, the way he speaks, what am I missing? This is familiar yet different.
“Hector, just give me a few minutes to think about this.”
This was just too much; first, it was the delvers, and now, this. I try to wrap my head around this. So, with a few minutes of organizing, I come to a conclusion
‘So, I have a weird psychopath of a companion and daughter I have to raise. Shit!’
And they are different from psychopaths because of me. From our bond, I know that what they said and felt was real. They do love me, and they do care for me that feeling is real.
In my view, psychopaths aren’t incapable of love, it's that their love is different. They love themselves and no one else. They love their children's smarts, achievements, capabilities, and toughness because they love those traits, not them.
Hector and Evangeline were meant to be like this, yet I implanted them with my emotions and morals with a brain incapable of doing so. Hector will do anything for my well-being. He understands morals but only in a way to know how it affects me. That’s why he did this horrendous thing with more steps required because he understands me.
Evangeline, there were signs. The way she felt about delvers or how she viewed her children with a mix of love and possession. To her, she loved them as her project and loved them as her children due to the emotions I implanted. I just brushed it off, attributing it to her monster nature, rapid growth, and sudden maturity.
‘But, it seems this won’t be solved with time. After all, they are complete as is how to fix something that is not broken.’
Augh, why do monsters have to be murderhobo psychopaths, and why did it have to be my daughter? Anyway, enough whining. It’s not the best situation but I can work with this.
“Hector, don’t ever do anything like this again. And I want you to swear that you will tell me everything if you know it will upset me.”
Hector reluctantly gave in as he promised me. Knowing he was telling the truth through our bond, I knew he would uphold it. However, whether he will listen is another story.
‘Well, at least I know now that he is definitely an individual and not someone solely created to match my preferences.’
As I was trying to find the silver lining to this whole mess, I heard Hectors concern.
“Aiden, what would you do with her, and not just her but for the future boss monsters?”
Knowing everything, I can see now Hector's concern has always been only about me. Morals only apply to me, and why am I excited about this more than I like to admit? Is he like this because I wanted this?
‘Shit, is my serial killer romance smut the cause of all this? Ahhh! I thought I abandoned you in the hellhole where you belong long ago!’
Jokes aside, I know it actually isn’t the cause, probably. Maybe? Just a little?
‘Haaaa, I need some holy water to douse my eyes and brain in. Or bleach for this tainted one.’
“Look, as you’ve seen in my memories, there is at least 1 percent of psychopaths and sociopaths living on Earth, and Earth is hanging on a thread just fine. I assure you far more misery and death were caused by ‘normal’ people due to politics, wealth, religion, bigots, pride, and whatever stupid reason they always come up with. Psychopaths may have no morals, but they are not stupid. They know the importance of following the law in order to live in and benefit from society and the following privileges.”
“But, they are monsters, not humans. Their instincts are to kill, devour, and grow ever stronger.”
I understand that no matter how human they act, it won’t change the fact that they are not human. But, hey, I’m a human inside a dungeon core, and they will born from a special existence like me. So why can’t they be something entirely new?
“I know. But you, her, and the children that will follow are also not like regular monsters. You have morals and empathy and are able to love more than just yourselves. Even though it is highly limited to me and things relating to me, starting from zero cannot compare to starting from one.”
Hector still isn’t convinced, but he doesn’t refute me. He says the following words with a serious expression, leaving no room for compromise.
“Aiden, once I have determined they are a threat to you, I will act without hesitance.”
‘I want to reject him, to dissuade him, I really do, but…’
What if they become killing machines? What if they slaughter thousands for no good reason? Can I truly handle it all?
“Yeah. But, not without trying, I don’t… I could never abandon them just because of what they could be and what they could do.”
Seeing Hector’s apprehensive expression and worry I mentally smile and pump myself up, sending my feeling to him.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be okay.”
With that, I could see a small smile and some relief wash over him. Seeing him like that was complicated.
‘You really only care about me. You really feel nothing towards them.’
I didn’t know how to feel about that, but some part of me, due to my selfish desire, wanted him to look at me forever like he does now.
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It's been three days since then, and during those days, I expanded my aura to the top of the mountain while adding some touches to the road and the way up to my entrance.
Once my aura was near the top of the mountain, I created three small hidden spaces at different altitudes, covering them with illusion mana and placing a telescope and mirror in each. The telescope was for Hector, and the mirror was for me to see outside my aura.
Evangeline had yet to finish evolving, and I was working on my second floor, which was currently in its last stages. It was the same as the first floor, with three floors combined, creating a 2-meter-high, roughly 5-kilometer-wide, and 10-kilometer-long rectangular cube as I expanded the space by eight.
This floor will be the restaurant, with roughly 5 kilometers and 2.5 kilometers of space(before space expansion) for customers. The other three sides will be used for the kitchen.
This time, the monsters will be slimes, with no other monster components but only affinities imbued on them. Slimes have a variety of evolutions exceeding any monster type, and their diversity in evolution is just what I needed.
First, I used heat mana to boil water, watching it become steam and sensing the movement of mana as I replicated it using water and heat mana.
You have unlocked Steam Affinity
Then, I used the steam mana and heat mana to create pressure as I felt its movement.
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You have unlocked Kinetic Affinity
I slowed down the movement of the steam till it coalesced into water and further with crystal mana as they started to take the form of ice.
You have unlocked Movement Affinity
You have unlocked Cold Affinity
You have unlocked Ice Affinity
Finally, getting some wood from the first floor and drying it, I burnt it as I watched the smoke produce, sensing the mana within, replicating it with air and heat mana.
You have unlocked Smoke Affinity
Now, with all the ingredients ready, I started to work on my monsters. The first one specializes in water, steam, and heat for steaming and washing. Another for cold, ice, and time for the refrigerator. Third, metal, kinetic, movement for preparing. Fourth, heat, kinetic, and time for marinating and juicing. Fifth, fire, heat, and smoke for grilling and barbecue. Sixth, time, heat, and life for bread making, finally something I hope could work out to be the waiters time, gravity, and movement.
Sectioning off some places, creating appliances, tools, and devices for cooking and storage, and making them work with mana instead of electricity was easy but difficult trying to improve its efficiency, but I was able to manage with Hector’s help.
I created chairs and tables for the dining area and installed illusion crystals with preset scenes that change daily.
I imagined and remembered the scenes I wanted to imbue a soothing forest and the sounds that follow, scuba diving in the ocean as the sun illuminates the wonders below, the fancy ballrooms I hated but come to appreciate, standing on the canyon viewing the sunset and night sky, snowfields as the aurora shines above, seeing the clouds above on the plane, and the oceans spreading vast and endless with glowing jellyfishes while on the cruise.
Some conveyor belts for the food and a grand fountain in the middle. Designating the dining place as a safe zone and placing stone tiles for a curse/blessing as emotion and intent stir inside me taking form.
How much do you need to be satisfied?
As the blessing/curse takes place, I finalize it by naming this floor, this is the Domain of Satiety. Welcome to the Buffet of Wonders
All components met for Unique Floor
Floors 4-6 are designated as Buffet of Wonders
These are the following effects on Buffet of Wonders
Buffet of Wonders
-Any food ingredient capable of being produced by the dungeon will be generated daily in a designated location(the amount will vary depending on the quality and dungeon core level and cannot be used outside the floor)
-All monsters will gain a major boost for any acts involving cooking
-All dishes made within will gain a large boost to taste, quality, aroma, and appearance
-All dishes made within will gain a generous boost to effects
-All beings while on this floor will gain a generous boost to the sensitivity of taste and smell or will gain the ability to taste and smell if not present
-All delvers will be cursed with the Curse of Satiety if a similar curse is present, it will amplify the curse instead
-All delvers will gain a generous boost for any acts involving cooking
The primary monster type has been finalized
The primary monster type is slime-type
All your monsters will gain a 10% increase in physical resistance per floor
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The next day, Hector mentioned something that caught my attention as I was deciding whether to use time distortion on my second floor since my mana couldn’t keep up with both.
“We got company.”
Feeling where Hector was through our bond, I saw him in one of the spaces using a telescope. I then used the mirror to take a look. There, I saw Andrea and about 10 people coming this way.
“I’ll go and eavesdrop on them.”
Then he flew through as his presence became thinner till I could only know where he was by our bond. Watching, I could see Andrea commanding the people as stones, tools, and materials were emptied out of their bags of holding. Soon, they got to work cutting the trees and flattening the ground in a matter of minutes, much faster than anything I have seen on Earth.
Their superhuman strength and magic just made everything so much quicker, and probably because they are talented professionals, considering Andrea's position.
Soon, a donut stone structure was built as they carved out patterns and filled it with magical stuff. Soon, I see Andrea take out several shards of a dungeon's core as she fixes them in a certain pattern. Soon, they do some magical thing as the structure comes to life as the space inside the hole distorts, stabilizing to create a portal. Then, people and carts full of material came out of the portal.
They quickly worked, cutting down the trees and flattening the land as roads and buildings were built. Soon, they built three more portals, and Nolan, Varkana, and Lorien emerged from them with more people and material behind them.
Nolan brings a crystal nearly as big as him, sets it in place, and does something as the crystal comes to life. It glows softly, levitating and suspending itself above the ground.
“Hector, just how much time do you think we have till people come rushing in?”
I nervously ask, as I never knew things would go this fast.
“Hmm, about two, maybe three days.”
“Shoot! And why didn’t you warn me about this.”
“Well, it is the first time such four powerful countries have actually put their efforts into one task. I underestimated their competence, and I thought it would take at least a month of politics and scheming for it to get started.”
Well, at least I don’t have to worry about which floor to use time distortion on. On floor one, my monsters were actually gaining the hunger affinity, which I still don’t fully understand, seeing as how I couldn’t unlock it myself.
Hector speculated they were able to easily gain this affinity due to their above-average bodies and souls being influenced by my blessing and curse of hunger and being connected to Evangeline. I just hope most of them could acquire it before delvers pour in.
‘Huh!?’
Feeling Evangeline awakening, I shifted most of my attention to her.
“Evie!”
“Father.”
Then, I talked with my daughter about the things I contemplated in these few days while she was evolving.
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Three days later, as more people poured in from the portal, a whole town had been built during these few days. Unlike the builders and planners who left to sleep at home, these people settled down in their newly built homes and opened shops.
Those who settled down all went through the process of touching the settlement crystal, which Hector explained was for registering to gain the benefits and to fill in the needed numbers for it to be upgraded, which I saw Nolan do three times the last time he even used a piece of a dungeon core for the upgrade.
The town was bustling with new buildings built by the second, and it was like watching your sim city grow. It was fascinating but also nerve-racking, considering what it entails for me.
From what Hector has learned, the people who are settling are well-known experts in their professions. They bring with them their families, students, trainees, and appretencies. Apparently, the alliance put quite an effort into bringing them here, and there were more to come.
The four of my first delvers delved into my dungeon twice a day, accompanying different people each time. They were all investigating my peculiarity and what I had to offer. The priests Nolan came with were um… concerning. I mean, I’m all for religion and all, but their devotion is something else, not that I can blame them since there are actually literal gods doing stuff and a whole-encompassing omniscient System. So, yay for fanatics if it means they protect me and are on my side.
From what I have seen and Hector's daily spying, Andrea made her impressive company building by shadowing other nearby buildings. She was a busy bee who was always doing something.
Varkana was the guild master of the newly built adventures guild, organizing who and how long one gets to delve, who and when they get to face my floor bosses, teaching the trainees, and explaining what to take note of in my dungeon.
Apparently, they restricted higher-tiered adventures from delving me. At least until more information is found and more floors are opened. It was so that their stronger mana didn’t agitate me, which was weird, but I think I get it. The fours mana was like 100% juice, while the trainees were like flavored water. I mean, I’m not a baby so I can handle it, and I think they know, too, but they are being extra careful or probably have something to do with politics.
After they were clueless about the main quest after investigating me multiple times, they decided to give a reward to anyone who figured out the condition to clear the main quest or to anyone who completed it
They even offered rewards if someone reported new information about me. Surprisingly, she was doing a good job. I mean, not that I know much, but just the fact that when she was in my dungeon, I felt she actually cared about the trainees she taught, and her emotions of not wanting them to die were more than enough for me. Even more so, she didn’t slack off a little even though there were no deaths in my dungeon.
Nolan and some fellow priests helped the builders build the church. They even provided special materials, expensive ones, judging by Andrea's reaction to them.
Surprisingly, or perhaps not, they built it within my dungeon aura where the forest is. I mean, it's not like there are side effects on living within dungeon auras, but it's more about not wanting to build on someone else's property or having cameras installed in your house so that someone could spy on you anytime.
The church was magnificent, and it seems they plan to build it as big as my aura. They even went to great lengths to reference my entrance style.
‘Yikes, I know they're technically not wrong since I do have The System Chosen title, but come on, you don’t even know me. You’ve seen me for like a few days! And they are acting like obsessive fans.’
Lorien was the semi-mayor? I don’t know. He is the mayor, and he performs the mayor's responsibilities, acts like the mayor, and works like the mayor. However, from what I've gathered, the real mayor is someone else, a prince, they say. Though where he is is anyone's guess.
I also learned that Lorien is a noble, a high-ranking one, and though he relinquished his family name and title, the teachings he learned made him quite competent. Even then, I wonder just why a dungeon inspector was given such a position. I cannot help but worry every time he comes to my dungeon, I can see his face get grimmer and watch his life get sucked out of him by paperwork by the day.
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A week has passed. Fortunately, no one has completed the main quest, buying me enough time for my second floor and for me to engage with my second boss monster and son.
Soon, I notice someone entering my dungeon. A young girl with two party members. The reason I’m interested in her is because she has done two of the conditions needed to complete the quest, and something tells me she is the one most likely to do the third condition to complete the quest.