MMORPG: I was BUGGED-Chapter 234: The Lord of the Mansion

Xin chose to put Midnight Duchess behind him, considering the [Love Enduring Sacrifice] as the price he paid for her past sacrifices.

It saddened him, though. He had come to see her as a friend during their journey together.

However, he realized now that her true nature as a thief surpassed any friendship they had shared. Loyalty and friendship weren’t her priorities in the end.

Sighing once more, Xin accepted it as a valuable lesson for the future.

Feeling the need to protect his companions, Xin decided to share the truth about Midnight Duchess with Victor and the others.

He knew he couldn’t keep it a secret. Revealing her betrayal was essential to ensure their safety. He feared that if they encountered Midnight Duchess again in the future, they might lower their guard.

[Grey Smoke: I suspected as much! That deceitful, conniving thief won’t escape my wrath next time I see her!]

[Red Dragon: *sigh* I guess she’s not an infamous thief for nothing.]

[Hikari: No way . . . after all that we’ve been through . . .]

While the others were engrossed in their conversation, Xin was diligently searching for the entrance to the next level.

Every corner and crevice had been inspected, yet there was no sign of a door or portal leading to the final floor.

"That’s odd," Xin muttered to himself. There had been no notification indicating they had cleared the dungeon, so there had to be another level they needed to complete.

Or was he mistaken . . .

Considering the strength of players in top guilds, those on par with Midnight Duchess should have had no trouble defeating the Bloodcountess, given their vast resources and manpower.

But if that was the case . . .

Why was there no information about them reaching the last level?

Deep in thought, Xin pondered the situation, and then suddenly, something clicked in his mind.

There were only two possibilities that Xin could consider.

First, other players who had reached the last level might have kept it a secret, unable to complete the dungeon entirely.

Second, the entrance to the next level might be accessible only to those with the [Secret Prisoner] quest.

Xin decided to test the latter theory.

Gathering the two pieces of the scroll in the dungeons before it contained a spell that he said aloud:

"From iron gates and shackles break,

Awake, o prisoner, from your fate’s cruel stake,

Through time and space, we bridge the breach,

And grant you liberty, your destiny we reach.

Unveil the path, reveal the gate,

Open wide, this prisoner’s fate,

In the name of Lord Valerian Duskborne,

Grant me passage, and let blood gust."

Silence fell, and nothing happened.

After a few moments, Xin sighed. He felt foolish for uttering those words; fortunately, the others were no longer around to hear his attempt.

Looking at the scroll in his hands again, he murmured, "I thought for sure that it would work."

Then an idea struck him –– perhaps he needed to offer blood.

This dungeon seemed to demand a lot of blood offerings, so it was a possibility.

Xin cut his wrist, letting the blood drop onto the scroll.

Several seconds passed, but still, nothing happened.

He let out a heavy breath and looked up at the ceiling. That’s when he noticed a drop of his blood falling to the ground.

The floor beneath him glowed, revealing strange symbols and pentagrams, while the scroll in Xin’s hands shimmered in response.

"W-what . . . what on earth?" Xin stammered in astonishment.

The words on the parchment detached and floated above him before swirling into the pentagram on the floor.

A bright light engulfed Xin, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in front of a massive double door made entirely of gold.

There was only one keyhole on the door as Xin surveyed his surroundings. There was no escape in this frozen expanse; he was surrounded by thick blocks of ice, and the portal from before had vanished.

His only option now was to open the door and advance to the next room.

Retrieving the key he had acquired in the previous dungeon, Xin inserted it into the keyhole.

A sigh of relief escaped him when he heard a click, signaling that the door had unlocked.

It dawned on him that without either the scroll or the key, one couldn’t progress.

Could that be the reason why the others failed to clear this dungeon?

A feeling of anticipation surged within Xin as he pushed the door open. Beyond it lay what Xin believed to be the secret prisoner. He couldn’t explain why he felt that way, but when he entered, he found himself in a vast hall surrounded by ice.

In the center stood a large crystal of ice, within which a small humanoid figure lay, curled between its feet, eyes closed in peaceful slumber.

Kneeling beside the crystal was a man –– pale as death, with eyes as red as blood and long, silky black hair.

"Who are you?" the man inquired, his voice calm and soothing.

"Lord Schrödinger," Xin replied and asked back, "And who are you?"

The man’s eyelid twitched. "I am Valerian Duskborne, the lord of this mansion."

"I see," Xin said, unsure of what to expect at this point. Was he supposed to fight him? Wait . . . "Are you the secret prisoner of this fortress?"

At the mention of the secret prisoner, Valerian’s expression shifted. His features darkened, and his red eyes glowed ominously.

"I perceive that you, like countless others before you," he hissed, his fangs gleaming menacingly, "crave power without comprehending its consequences. The allure of such power blinds many to the truth –– it has the potential to shroud the world in eternal darkness.

"I am the sole sovereign who can harness this formidable might, destined to rule over this realm unchallenged! I refuse to allow a mere low-born interloper to infiltrate my domain and pilfer what rightfully belongs to me!"

His voice reverberated through the icy hall, carrying the weight of centuries of aristocratic authority and a chilling determination to protect his dominion. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

What is he even talking about? Xin thought while the vampire continued on his speech.

Lord Valerian’s fingers lightly brushed against the crystal, and his eyes seemed to reflect inner agony. "I will not hand you to anyone else. You are mine alone."

Then, he snapped at Xin, "Begone or face my wrath!"

[Lord Valerian Duskborne asked you to leave!]

[LEAVE]

[STAY]