Chapter 213. To the Dungeon of the Doppelganger (1)
There was no time for Caron and Amy to share a heartfelt reunion. They immediately set off toward the area where the problem had occurred.
"Give me a status report, Amy," Caron said.
From the reason why the Imperial Guards were here to the sword called Rigor—he needed to know everything.
Amy nodded and continued her explanation. "Are you aware that the Imperial Guards conduct regular patrols in the northern regions?"
"Yes, I know that much," Caron answered.
"Three days ago, during a routine patrol, we received an order from higher up. The directive was to secure Rigor, which had appeared near Riard," Amy explained.
The Imperial Guards served the royal family. So, if the order had come from higher up, it had to be from the royal family itself.
How did the royal family acquire that information? Caron wondered.
The answer was simple.
"We were the ones who passed that information to the royal family," someone said.
The voice came not from Amy, but from Lord Kandle, the impeccably dressed noble standing nearby.
"However," Lord Kandle added. "What we requested from the royal family was a research team from the Magic Tower, not the Imperial Guards. We couldn't be certain whether the sword was truly the legendary Rigor or not."
"But instead of sending the Magic Tower, the royal family dispatched the Imperial Guards?" Caron asked, narrowing his eyes.
Lord Kandle nodded grimly.
Caron's expression hardened as he moved steadily through the underground passage. He wondered, Did the royal family already know about Rigor?
Even the Ducal Family of Leston hadn't fully identified the sword—an ancient relic that existed only in legend.
Sending the Imperial Guards to secure such a relic, without even verifying its authenticity, wasn't a decision to be made lightly.
Still, that wasn't the most pressing issue. What mattered now was the chaos that the sword had unleashed upon the city.
"How many Imperial Guards were dispatched to Riard?" Caron asked.
"Two squads. That's twenty-four men in total," Amy answered.
Caron's expression darkened. He said, "I encountered doppelgangers disguised as Imperial Guards at the inn earlier."
"Yes..." Amy's voice dropped as she nodded. "Those were the ones who fell victim to the doppelgangers during the dungeon exploration."
"So the operation failed. The dungeon was a doppelganger's dungeon, wasn't it?" Caron asked.
"Exactly," Amy answered.
Doppelgangers were minions of the Demon King of Havoc. Their appearance here meant that the influence of Havoc had spread to this region.
"The doppelgangers have already infiltrated the city," Lord Kandle said, his tone grave. "That's why we had no choice but to seal the lord's manor."
"Do the citizens know what's going on?" Caron asked.
"Even if they did, it would only incite panic and chaos," Lord Kandle answered.
"How irresponsible," Caron replied. His tone was laced with irritation as he threw a sharp glare at Lord Kandle.
Then, he began to organize the situation in his mind. This was no longer a simple dungeon subjugation. The royal family's involvement alone suggested multiple layers of conspiracy.
"What about the casualties among the Imperial Guards?" Caron asked.
"Including myself, only seven of us made it out of the dungeon. The other six are gravely injured and recuperating in the manor," Amy answered.
"Then, are the stragglers inside the dungeon?" Caron asked.
"Yes, and Sir Luke is also still inside," Amy replied.
Caron's expression grew colder. Two full squads had been deployed. The fact that even a vice commander had been dispatched meant that securing Rigor was a top priority for the royal family.
It also bothers me that they didn't bring the Magic Tower's investigation team, he thought.
That suggested the royal family had even deliberately tried to keep it from the Magic Tower.
Caron's gaze shifted to Amy, his expression icy. He asked, "Amy, do you really not know anything?"
He had always treated Amy with care and respect. But now, a dangerous chill seeped into his voice.
Leo, sensing the sudden shift in Caron's demeanor, quickly stepped in to defuse the situation. "Caron, Amy was only following orders as a knight. You know that better than anyone."
"I know," Caron muttered, his voice strained. "I'm just annoyed at the situation."
All the evidence pointed to the royal family's involvement in this incident.
The only variable was...
The damn doppelgangers, Caron thought.
The objective of the doppelgangers was still unclear.
Caron wondered if Rigor was truly their target, as surely they would have secured the sword by now. And yet, the fact that they continued to linger around the dungeon bothered him.
He exhaled quietly, shaking off his doubts. Don't overthink it.
When things got complicated, the best solution was often the simplest one.
All he had to do was storm the dungeon and slaughter every last doppelganger.
While Caron was absorbing the information Amy provided, the seemingly endless underground passage finally came to an end.
"Lord Kandle, the city's underground passages are quite impressive," Caron said, glancing around. "One might think you were preparing for a rebellion."
"Riard has always had to prepare for Monster Waves," Lord Kandle replied with a weary sigh. "In the event the city was overrun, we needed a way to evacuate the citizens. There's no other reason."
"Hmm." Caron nodded slightly, then added with a wry smile, "Well, Lord Kandle, I suggest you brace yourself once this is over."
"What do you mean by that?" Lord Kandle asked.
"You shared information with the royal family first. That means you're trying to align yourself with them." Caron's tone was sharp. "Where you stand is your choice, but the head of the Ducal Family of Leston won't be pleased."
Even in the middle of a crisis, he didn't miss the opportunity to give Lord Kandle a hard time.
"Lord Kandle! I'll open the gate now!" one of the lord's men called out.
"Go ahead," Lord Kandle replied.
Creeeeak.
As the massive iron gate at the end of the passage groaned open, a gust of icy wind rushed in. Beyond the gate, a snowy mountain range stretched out before them.
The passage led to a small, snow-covered mountain behind Riard.
Caron patted Kavana lightly as he stepped forward. Thanks to the elevated position, he had a clear view of the surrounding landscape.
"Hah," he sighed. Only now did he fully grasp the severity of the situation in Riard.
There was a cluster of black circles not too far from the city. The moment he zoomed in on them through Pluto, Caron was able to realize that those circles were actually groups of monsters.
"Maybe we should have just passed through this town," he grumbled.
"You came here to buy vodka, remember?" Leo said dryly.
"Exactly. My mouth got us into this mess," Caron replied.
Doppelgangers, followed by a Monster Wave...
Caron glanced sideways at Lord Kandle and asked, "Was the Monster Wave part of the package deal?"
"It's that damn dungeon where Rigor is sealed," Lord Kandle replied with a grim expression. "I'm not sure if the doppelgangers are summoning them, or if Rigor is."
"Does Rigor have the ability to attract monsters?" Caron asked.
At that, Lord Kandle nodded slowly and answered, "According to legend, the master of Rigor could control monsters."
"That sounds like a damn cursed sword," Caron muttered, knocking his knuckles against Guillotine's hilt.
"You lost," he added quietly for Guillotine to hear.
Guillotine immediately protested, clearly indignant, "You don't know who's stronger until there's an actual fight."
Their next move was obvious.
Caron turned to Lord Kandle and said softly, "Lead the way to that dungeon."
There was no time to lose.
***
Lord Kandle led Caron and his group to the entrance of the dungeon. A violet stone gate stood between the layers of snow, emanating an undeniable aura of dark mana.
Caron examined the gate and shrugged. "Only three of us are going in—me, Leo, and Amy."
At Caron's words, Lord Kandle frowned deeply and said, "Even the Imperial Guards failed to clear it. If you three fail... A dungeon break will occur. Wouldn't it be wiser to send my soldiers in with you?"
A dungeon break was a catastrophic phenomenon in which a dungeon went berserk, unleashing all the monsters trapped inside. However, considering that doppelgangers had already spread into the city, the dungeon break was likely well underway.
"No," Caron said firmly. "If it were any other dungeon, maybe. But this is a doppelganger's dungeon. We need a small elite force to get through. Bringing in a bunch of random soldiers will just increase casualties."
Caron's blunt words made the lord's soldiers visibly bristle with displeasure.
But Caron didn't care. He continued without hesitation, "Let's be honest. Even 6-Sar knights were taken down there. What do you think would happen to regular soldiers? Don't waste lives needlessly. Lord Kandle, return to the castle and focus on defending it."
His tone was as arrogant as ever. And yet, no one dared to challenge him. The deadly aura emanating from Caron silenced any objections before they could even form.
"We can discuss the details after I crush this dungeon," Caron said, his tone casual but laced with menace. "Oh, and one more thing, Lord Kandle."
"Yes, speak," Lord Kandle said.
"I don't work for free." Caron's lips curled into a sly smile. "And since you chose the royal family over the Ducal Family of Leston, I'm afraid there's a surcharge for this mission. I trust you understand?"
"We don't have much to offer," Lord Kandle muttered, his expression grim.
"Don't worry. Even a dry rag gives up water when wrung hard enough," Caron said.
His grin was ruthless. He never took a step without ensuring a reward.
Lord Kandle could only nod bitterly. He had no choice. And Caron knew that perfectly well.
"Let's meet again when this is over," Caron said with finality before turning to Amy. "Amy, how do we get inside?"
Amy, her expression tense, answered, "Place your hand on the stone gate."
"Alright. Let's go inside," Caron said.
Without hesitation, he pressed his hand against the stone gate.
In that instant...
Saaaaaaa!
A surge of dark mana burst forth from the gate, wrapping itself around Caron. His vision blurred as a violet mist clouded his eyes, and in the blink of an eye, the scenery before him shifted.
The snowy mountains had vanished. What replaced them was a massive fortress, engulfed in thick, pulsating dark energy.
Fwoosh!
As Caron took in the ominous sight, Amy and Leo appeared beside him.
Amy, having been here before, didn't seem particularly shaken. Leo, however, widened his eyes as he scanned his surroundings.
"This... is not what I imagined a dungeon to look like," Leo remarked.
"It's a trans-dimensional dungeon," Caron said, his voice low. "A rare type of dungeon."
It was a type of dungeon he had rarely experienced even in his previous life. During his days as Cain Latorre, he had put down countless rebellions, but he hadn't explored many dungeons.
Still, there was no need to be nervous. Clearing a dungeon was straightforward. All it took was defeating the boss of the dungeon and destroying the dungeon's core.
"Pluto," Caron called out.
Meow.
Caron gently stroked the creature's head and instructed, "Lead the way."
Meow.
With Pluto guiding them, they wouldn't get lost in that enormous fortress.
"Amy and Leo, you two take the lead," Caron said.
"What about you?" Leo asked.
"I'll just hang back and enjoy the show," Caron answered.
Ssshhhh.
Caron cloaked himself in Pluto's darkness and melted into Leo's shadow. Then, he murmured softly, "Alright, bait... let's get moving."
Doppelgangers were cunning creatures. As long as Caron was in plain sight, they wouldn't easily charge in. That was precisely why he intended to use Leo and Amy as bait.
Clearing the dungeon was important, but Caron's real objective was to rip every single doppelganger in this place to shreds.
With the bait cautiously advancing into the fortress, Caron watched silently from the shadows.
Time passed.
"Dame Amy! Dame Amy!"
From the distance, a group of Imperial Guards emerged, calling out for Amy. Their armor was battered, blood trickled down their faces, and they looked as though they had barely survived.
Amy's expression wavered for a moment, but only briefly. Drawing her sword without hesitation, she said, "I'll handle this."
But right then, Caron's voice echoed in her ears. "Try not to damage their faces too much."
"...Why?" Amy asked, her brows furrowing.
"Because the Magic Tower pays a fortune for doppelganger face skins," Caron explained.
His face emerged from the shadows with a wicked grin. He spoke softly, his voice dripping with eerie calm, "You have to peel the skins off while they're still alive for them to be worth anything. Remember that, Amy."
Caron had no intention of granting these monsters a peaceful death.
"Oh, and Amy," he added with a sly smile. "We'll split the profit nine to one. You know the rules. The one who watches your back gets the bigger share. And don't forget, I fed you the World Tree's dew last time. You owe me, right?"
Caron was a predator among predators.
The youngest of the Ducal Family of Leston had set foot inside the doppelgänger's fortress.
And before long, screams echoed throughout the halls.