Chapter 19
Frost Giants still roamed the island. So Leofric hadn’t completed his mission.
Jack and Isoldea spent the whole day surveying the island from up in the air. They found nothing suspicious or any clues of where the expedition force was.
The sun was setting. It was best for them to return to the camp and rest. There’s always tomorrow.
“Let’s give the area a quick look over again before we head back to camp,” Jack told Isoldea.
“If that’s what you wish, my lord. I’ll keep my eyes open.”
So they did another scan of the area. Surveying this island properly was a bit tricky. It had a thick forest that covered most of the interior and they couldn’t see much on the ground.
Jack yawned and was about to call off the search when he spotted something weird. There was a patch of land that had no trees.
Jack guided the black dragon over that spot. Below he spotted a cave. What was a cave doing here?
“It’s just a cave, my lord,” Isoldea told him.
“Maybe. But it doesn’t hurt to check.”
“My lord, you’re tired and the sun is about to set. It wouldn’t make sense to enter a cave in our state currently. Let’s check this cave tomorrow morning. When you’ve fully rested.”
Jack had to admit that she had a point. It doesn’t make sense to explore a new location while tired and in the dark. He therefore returned them back to the campsite.
He [Recalled] the dragon and lit a campfire for them. Isoldea was an undead and didn’t need warmth during the cold night. But Jack was still a mortal. He had to keep hypothermia away from him.
When he got himself warm enough, he cast a defence spell around the camp area.
“[Fortified Defense Circle]!” he cried out.
A magic circle glowed around the campsite. For lower level monsters, the circle will keep them away. But for stronger monsters, anything that had a level of 15 or above, the circle would warn him and Isoldea of the danger when they’re asleep.
“You’re cautious,” she chuckled.
“Never hurts to be extra safe.”
“My lord, I don’t need to sleep. I could keep watch for the whole night. You should preserve your mana for tomorrow,” Isoldea advised him.
“You should rest too, even though you’re an undead. We don’t know what kind of danger we’ll face and so if we’re both rested, we’ll be better off.”
“Very well, I sleep. Even though I must point out that sleep doesn’t refresh an undead.”
“Point taken.”
Jack cooked himself a sausage over the fire. Isoldea didn’t eat regular food, she had her own little red bag to nourish herself.
“Do you think I’m a good leader?” Jack asked Isoldea.
She tilted her head, “My lord, why would you ask me that?”
“Just curious.”
“Well, you’re the greatest liege in all possible worlds.”
Jack sighed, “Of course you’d say that.”
“I mean it,” she insisted.
“If I was such a good leader, I should’ve known that Leofric’s lack of reporting was a concern. Had you not discovered it, I probably wouldn’t have noticed his absence.”
“The fault is mine, Lord Zodark. You gave me the duty to run the palace and staff whilst you were experimenting with the sheep. I should’ve noticed it sooner.”
Jack sighed again. It was pointless trying to get truth from her. Maybe she’s programmed too deep to be a loyal subject. She wouldn’t be able to see his faults even if they smacked her on the head.
“Forgot about it.”
“I can’t, my lord. You feel guilt even though it's not your fault.”
“You’re just sparing my feelings.”
“My job is to help you and make sure the palace is being run accordingly. It’s not like I can’t criticise you.”
Jack chuckled, “Really? Then criticise me.”
Isoldea kept quiet.
“What’s wrong? You just told me you’re not afraid of finding fault in me.”
“Well...”
“I command thee to speak honestly and frankly to me. How else can I improve my blindspots if my subordinates aren’t willing to call out my shortcomings??”
Isoldea looked away.
“Well… I do see some of your shortcomings, my lord.”
“What?”
“You work too much.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Jack laughed, “That’s such a lame cop-out. You’re praising me without being direct about it. Find something else, Isoldea.”
“Uhm… you can be a bit lazy…”
“Lazy?”
“You seem bored during important meetings, my lord. Especially with the department heads. They come to you for advice in solving complex issues they face and at times you come across as unbothered by the whole thing.”
Jack stayed quiet.
“And I don’t like how you run the harem. Or should I say how you don’t run it at all. You ignore the consorts completely and when you do interact with them, you pick favourites which causes conflicts. Did you know there was a fight between Lady Octavia and Lady Erzilla during the farewell party for the guards?”
“Who the hell is Lady Erzilla?” he asked, confused.
“Exactly my point, my lord,” she nodded.
“I don’t recall being informed that there was a fight in the first place.”
“Indeed, because everyone knows you don’t care. And I also don’t like how–”
“Let’s stop with the criticisms. That’s enough for the day.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” she said with concern in her voice. “I was trying to be honest, as you had commanded me to be.”
“No offence taken. I’ll take your criticism to heart and try to be better. Thank you, Isoldea.”
She nodded with a grin.
She didn’t hold back. Then again, it was Jack who told her to be honest with him.
He gave a fake yawn, “Well, I guess it's time to sleep.”
Jack didn’t want to talk any further. Isoldea gave him a lot to think about.
They decided that it was better to sleep in one tent just in case something happened, they’d be able to react quickly together.
The biggest tent in the campsite was the one used by Leofric. Jack and Isoldea shared the big tent.
It wasn’t as awkward as he’d expected. Isoldea had a straight face and didn’t react much to sleeping next to Jack. Though they had a pillow between them to provide some privacy.
…
…
The next morning, Jack and Isoldea woke up refreshed.
Jack suspected that Isoldea never really went to sleep. He didn’t ask her about it though.
They decided to walk to the cave instead of flying over using the dragon. The snow was deep so this slowed them down a bit.
Jack and Isoldea would come across two Frost Giants. They prepared to fight the monsters, but the giants ran away.
This happened two more times as they ventured to the cave. The Frost Giants they encountered had no appetite to fight the two and would run away shit-scared.
Eventually, Jack and Isoldea arrived at the cave without a fight.
Maybe the giants were a lesser threat than he had first assumed. It wouldn’t make sense killing them off if these monsters had no intention of fighting them.
Meaning, the demons could begin to extract the stone and wood from this island immediately.
For now, Jack focused on finding Leofric and the rest of the expedition force.
They entered the cave. It was rather dark inside.
They saw a tunnel that led deeper underground.
Isoldea knelt down and picked out something on the ground. It was a single strand of hair.
She sniffed at it.
“This is Leofric,” she said solemnly.
“He must’ve passed here,” Jack concluded. Isoldea nodded in agreement.
The only path available to them was that tunnel. So they walked into it.
The tunnel had glowing blue gems that illuminated their path. But no monsters.
[WARNING! You’re Entering A Dungeon? Continue?]
A dungeon? Would Leofric enter one even though he had a mission to complete?
“Why would Leofric enter a dungeon?” he asked Isoldea.
“Maybe he got distracted, my lord. Dungeons usually have loot after all.”
“Hmm…” Jack wasn’t too sure.
They carried on walking.
[Level One Dungeon]
A notification appeared as they entered a large chamber. Jack couldn’t detect any monsters around.
There were only glowing gems and mushrooms around.
They walked deeper into the cave system.
Level Two.
Level Three.
Level Four.
…
…
They walked all the way to Level Ten. And still found no monsters or any signs of the guards and Leofric.
“This is pointless, we should go back,” Jack told Isoldea.
She was about to respond when a voice echoed across the final cave chamber.
“Hehehe, what do we have here?” an eerie voice pierced the cave. Where was it coming from?
“Who's there?” Jack shouted.
“I ask the questions here, Little Demon!” the disembodied voice chuckled. It felt like the whole cave was chuckling at the two
“[Gate]!” Jack tried teleporting out of the cave.
[Invalid Action]!
“Hehehe! You’re trapped!”
Tubes poked out of the cave wall. Fumes of gas poured out of them. The tunnel out of this chamber closed up.
“You two look delicious. The immense energy stored in your bodies will sustain me through the winter,” the voice cackled.
Isoldea ran to Jack. “My lord, these fumes are dangerous. You should stop breathing now.”
“I’d die!”
Jack had to find another way. Think. Think. Think.
Then it hit him.
Jack went to his [Inventory]. He pulled out the silver bracelet and put it on his wrist.
The bracelet glowed red.
Jack’s lungs felt they were on fire due to the fumes that poured into the chamber. His theory better work out.
“[Gate]!”
Jack found himself outside of the cave. He breathed in the fresh air.
But he realised he only teleported himself outside. He had to go back for Isoldea.
“[Gate]!”
Jack found himself back in the cave. There was yellow smoke everywhere. His eyes burned. And he could barely see.
“Isoldea, grab my hand!” he shouted.
After shouting out to Isoldea, Jack realised his mistake. Smoke filled his lungs. He fell to his knees as the strength in his body melted away.
“YOU FOOL! WHY WOULD YOU RETURN?!” the voice mocked him.
Jack then felt two arms. He could feel the cold undead hands of Isoldea.
“[Gate]!”
Nothing happened. Jack was so weak his thoughts felt foggy.
“Do you trust me, my lord?” Isoldea leaned in close and asked into his ear.
Jack managed a nod.
Then he felt two fangs sink into his neck.