Transmigrated to Game World with SSS Wife-Chapter 65: The Key of Avarice
[Quest: Retrieve the Key of Avarice 0/1]
'Ah. Fetch Quests. Kinda boring, but hey. Should be a lot safer than the first dungeon.'
That's how the entire dungeon was so far—weirdly safe. In fact, it felt more like a town or event space than a dungeon.
Coupled with the ominous notification [Oblivion Rests], the true nature of this dungeon was evident to Nick. The calm before the storm.
Nick looked up at the mansion, which was actually desolate in a contrast with the vibrant city. Though it was old and gargantuan, it did not project the same ethereal sense a valedictorian mansion would.
The landscape surrounding this matched its near decrepit state. Dark gray clouds loomed overhead, casting a shadow on the already existing darkness.
Despite this, the ground suggested a clear lack of rain due to all the wilted grass. Even the ground beneath him was parched and gasping for water.
All in all, it was clearly a dying place awaiting its first storm in forever.
...
For some reason, Nick thought the mansion was going to be empty. If anything, he expected it would be filled with ghosts or vampires or some other monster found in dungeons.
Instead, he was met by a butler well away from the premises.
Outside of the mansion was around 50 acres of land maintained by hundreds of people. Despite all of their efforts, the land remained dead.
When their cultivators slid across the ground, the clacking against the petrified surface made it sound like the earth itself was crying.
Nick lost himself in the cacophony when the butler first appeared.
Walking forward like the only color in a black-and-white movie, he called out, saying, "Greetings, Progenitor."
'Progenitor?'
Nick turned to the butler, who was simply smiling. Despite his suspicious introduction, he looked like any old butler.
Black tuxedo, white undershirt, black tie, glasses with white temples, white towel. A chromatic individual in a colorless world.
Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.
Looking above him, Nick saw that the quest marker was right above his head.
Oblivious to Nick's silence, the butler turned and walked back to the mansion. Nick was obviously expected to follow.
...
Despite the dead and empty look of the mansion's exterior, inside it was bursting at the seams from color.
Incandescent chandlers lined the ceiling, servants of all races scurried through the vast expansive main hall as well as in the background labyrinth, and a delightful song was played in the corner.
("He is'a comin', oohhh he is'a comin'! I'm tellin errbody, oohhh he is'a comin!!!)
'This place is at least three times as big as Amelia's!!!'
Nick marveled at the vast expanse, knowing even that description wasn't doing the place its proper justice. Really, just the main hall was bigger than the goblin cave, which was able to hold that huge Basilisk.
If someone said that an entire country could be found within these walls, Nick would have to believe them.
It was THAT big.
Almost like it had absorbed the life from its surrounding fields in order to grow.
"Follow me!" The Butler's piercing voice combined with 2 hot girls offering wine and bread as they welcomed the Progenitor.
'This isn't exactly a welcome... more like a distraction.' Nick thought, convinced that there was something truly wrong about this place.
[Follow the butler]
His quest updated the marker, placing it above the butler's head. The butler turned his head expectantly.
"Follow me! Don't get lost!" He spoke, adopting the role of an NPC.
Then he began walking away, not bothering to look back and see if Nick was following.
Nick stood there for a few seconds and simply watched him leave.
Echoes reverberated throughout the hall when the butler stopped—as he was likely coded to do.
Each echo dimmed the surrounding sounds until they eventually slowed into a crawl and then even further into silence. For a second, everything was still.
The animations had run out of input telling them to continue. Unless Nick moved forward.
'I see,' Nick thought before preparing to step forward and follow.
Before he could, the NPC, who was just following a strict code, turned around, his eyes lifeless.
Just like that blonde from the tutorial or Ugyr's just recently. It was the eyes that they made when they glitched out.
The butler turned his head slightly to the right. Then he stared at Nick for what felt like hours. Not even a single blink broke his stare.
"Progenitor, I would rather you follow me."
Something else's voice called from the butler's body. Something familiar yet distant, new yet primal.
Without giving Nick a second to decide, the butler turned back around and walked toward his destination again. Everyone else remained completely still.
When the butler reached the steps for the second floor, Nick began making his own journey.
He walked past dark chandeliers, frozen servants, and silent musicians. Not even the air dared to breathe as Nick joined the butler.
Pausing at the base of the steps to look behind him, Nick studied the lifeless scene.
Desolate.
A small shudder formed from the small of the back as he looked at these civilians from a different point of view— their leaders.
None of them even had skin anymore. Each and every one of them were simply.... The Fallen.
...
Nick followed the butler up the winding staircases and to the second floor. At the top of the stairs was a small circular landing that overlooked the mansion and its crowd.
Even from there, Nick's earlier sight hadn't changed. None of them looked alive in the slightest.
[Follow the butler]
The marker beckoned Nick as well, placing itself directly on a door right behind him.
He took a small breath before opening the door. Although he was completely looking through the doorway, he saw nothing but endless darkness.
Whatever was awaiting him behind there, he wouldn't be able to see it unless he had already walked through.
Taking a deep breath, Nick whispered, "Just no freaky shet, ok."
Then he walked through the door which slammed itself shut behind him. Seconds later, the room was lively again.
("He is'a comin', oohhh he is'a comin'! Better start runnin' cuzz, oohhh he is'a comin!!!)
