"As a direct decree from our Duke, Zeterion Nillegan, for your horrible crimes, you are sentenced to a Dungeon Keeper Trial!" A judge's voice carried an air of finality. "Do you have any last words, Melus Ar'Sellios?"

"Yes, Your Honor." The accused—a devilishly handsome half-elf with long silver hair and bright gold eyes stood up. 

"Spill it," the judge, a dark elf old enough to have wrinkles, said dismissively. 

Melus glared around the courtroom, not shying away from the eye contact with those who gave him disdainful looks. Then, his melodious voice bellowed at the judge and the Council. "Fuck. You. All!" 

The half-elf's outrageous behavior only made the judge shake his head. There was no point in entertaining a dead man with a reaction. 

***

As a half-elf, Melus Ar'Sellios had no place he could truly call his home. His kind was ostracized by humans and elves alike while being too rare for them to gather together. In a way, he considered it a blessing in disguise as this fact made it easier to find out if a person was a scum right away. 

With [Bard] as his Class of choice and some magic he'd learned from his elven mother, Melus made his living by traveling around the continent and sharing the gift of music with people. The beauty of music—he believed—could pass the barriers of race and status and open a heart as long as it wasn't too corrupted. Unfortunately, on one autumn day, fate brought a person just twisted enough to ruin his life. 

Melus had no regrets in rejecting the offer that others would have considered an opportunity of a lifetime. He had his principles, and a Duchess of a state of some small Kingdom was definitely not influential enough for him to change his mind. Of course, if he knew how corrupted this country was, he wouldn't allow himself to get caught in the first place. This was what he truly regretted as a prosecutor who could as well be called an executor approached him with a beautiful tablet made of violet crystal in his hands. The Keeper Token, as it was called, activated right in the middle of the courtroom under the jeers of the spectators and the woman responsible for his accusation. 

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One moment Melus stood at the platform as the defendant and accused of his trial. The next, he appeared in a small white room, empty except for the orb of light floating at the center. A bunch of System notifications appeared in the corner of his eye, proving that his punishment had already been executed. 

Welcome to Earth Type E, Traveler! On this just recently Awakened planet, opportunities and dangers come hand in hand, but we believe that you'll succeed in achieving your goals, whatever they may be. Please get along with Earth's native races and don't bully them too much! 

This one message proved that Melus was a truly unlucky fellow. The ten-year survival rate of a Dungeon Keeper was around five percent in stable worlds where adventurers had more important matters than clearing newly appearing Dungeons. On the planets that just recently had joined the Dimensional Maze, though, Keepers usually died within the first year. Less than one percent made it past the ten years mark. 

The next notification was informing Melus of his new identity. 

Congratulations! You've used Platinum-Ranked Dungeon Keeper Token! Your Soul has been connected to Dungeon Core. Welcome to the proud ranks of Dungeon Keepers! Raise your Levels, grow your Dungeon, and Evolve your Core! But, most importantly, survive! You are given three hours to configure the Dungeon before it opens. Good luck! 

Melus could feel a faint connection between his Soul and the orb of light nearby. He used Identify—the most basic of Skills—on the latter. 

Minor Dungeon Core

Type: Undetermined

Level: 0

Ownership: Melus Ar'Sellios (you)

It took him only a moment to realize that he could get way more information by actually browsing his own Menu. Sure enough, a new option appeared on his main screen. 

[General Status]

[Class and Race]

[Skills and Spells]

[Talents and Gifts]

[Inventory]

[Dungeon Interface]

[Configurations]

Without a second thought, Melus opened the second to last option. It was time to prepare for what was about to come.