S-Class Dungeon’s Mistress - Chapter 216

Chapter 216

The scene was so peaceful that it was hard to believe a war was imminent. Adelaide quietly gazed at the landscape, biting her lip.

'Is this really okay?'

It was a question she had already asked herself countless times today.

Her resolve to not let Lisianthus die was firm. However, the remaining dungeon members continued to weigh on her mind.

When war breaks out, someone will definitely be seriously injured, and someone will die. Perhaps everyone might even perish.

She had similar worries before confronting Sol and Los Halde. But this time, the scale was different. Her opponents were the strongest demons in the demon realm and their king.

Dying herself was acceptable. Of course, she didn't want to die, but if she could save Lisianthus, her life was worth sacrificing. However, her dungeon members dying was a different matter entirely.

'Am I putting them in danger because of my own selfish desires?'

Seeing Bell cheerfully running around made her heart even heavier. Adelaide let out a deep sigh and bit her lip again.

At that moment, someone roughly messed up her hair.

"W-what? Rupin?"

Startled, Adelaide looked up at the culprit. Lupinus seemed more flustered than her, apparently unaware that hair could tangle so easily. He had simply tried to mimic her gesture of touching hair, but failed to control his strength.

"It's fine."

He awkwardly withdrew his hand, speaking in a low voice.

"You didn't force anyone to stay here. Those who remained did so by their own choice. Don't try to take responsibility for that. It's not kindness—it's arrogance."

Though his tone was somewhat cold, the sincerity within was soft and warm. Adelaide smiled gratefully, appreciating how he had intuitively understood her thoughts and offered comfort.

Before she could respond, the Skeletons suddenly interrupted.

"That's right! Saving Lisianthus is my desire, and the responsibility for that decision is entirely mine. Adelaide might be the master of Greenville, but that doesn't mean she can be the master of my will!"

"Exactly! So don't be too troubled. We'll handle our share of worries!"

The Skeleton Captain thumped his chest area confidently. Though he was off-balance from having his shinbone stolen by Bell, he still looked impressive in Adelaide's eyes.

"Okay... thank you, everyone."

"Mong!"

As she smiled shyly and expressed her gratitude, Bell, who had been far away, ran and leaped into her arms. Somehow, his mouth was now completely empty, having left his shinbone somewhere.

"Where did you leave my bone again!"

The Skeleton Captain's desperate cry echoed, marking the end of a chaotic day.

---

The next evening, Lisianthus was delivered to Adelaide, tightly bound with ropes.

"Phew, we barely caught him after all his struggling!"

'Didn't I do well?' Caladium tilted his head with a playful smile, looking like he was expecting praise. Even though she had never actually ordered him to bring Lisianthus tied up.

"Why the ropes...?"

"Huh? Isn't tying up a prisoner standard procedure?"

A grim gaze was directed at Caladium. When he heard Adelaide had ordered it, he had obediently let Caladium tie him up, but that wasn't the case at all.

Lisianthus gnashed his teeth, glaring at Caladium. Simultaneously, a dense energy flowed from him, and the sturdy ropes instantly turned to dust.

"Lisian, did you have a good day yesterday?"

'Your face looks much worse after just one day.'

Adelaide observed him with a worried expression. She had provided meals and snacks, even assigned Caladium to keep him company, so why did he look so haggard? She was unaware that Caladium himself was the reason and drooped her eyebrows.

"...Adel. During my confinement, I've reconsidered some things."

After casting an annoyed glance at Caladium, he brushed off his hands. At his words about changing his mind, Adelaide's face instantly brightened.

"Really? How did you change your mind?"

"I still agree about being handed over to the Demon King's castle."

"Well, in that case, Caladium, take him back."

"But I don't intend to die!"

As Caladium's hand reached out, Lisianthus quickly continued speaking. She gestured for him to continue.

"I'll use my power to fake my death and escape. Since I'll be conspicuous, I won't return to Greenville for a while, but eventually, after much time has passed, we could be together again."

"Hmm..."

"So please stop the war. Adel, this rebellion is different from the wars with Sol or Los Halde. Many demons will lose their lives meaninglessly, and those you love will be no exception."

Adelaide sat on the sofa in a domineering posture, staring intently at Lisianthus. Soon, a smile formed at the corner of her mouth, and she clapped her hands.

"Wow, that's actually a great method."

"Yes, so please―"

"Why didn't you suggest such a good method yesterday? Our smart Lisian."

His neatly tucked shirt suddenly trembled slightly. Though the movement was barely noticeable, she didn't miss it.

"My manager is quite mischievous. Were you trying to deceive me and die? Why would you think I'd forget Lisian after a decade? That our promise to be together would naturally fade from memory?"

Adelaide's lips quivered slightly. She had suspected he might lie, but hearing it directly made her fury rise.

If she had believed his words and let him go, she would have spent her entire life waiting for Lisianthus. Waiting for that nebulous 'someday', longing for countless days. And on the day she realized he was truly dead, she would have been crushed by endless despair.

'Lisian doesn't know me at all.'

She twisted her eyebrows, thinking. Her heart wanted to confront him immediately, to ask how he could do such a thing, but she restrained herself. She knew well that doing so wouldn't change his mind.

Adelaide spoke in an even more tender voice.

"Lisian, as you said, I cannot stand by and watch the demons I love die. That's why I decided to rebel. No matter what you say, my mind won't change."

Since her conversation with the Skeletons yesterday, her resolve had only grown stronger. It wasn't that she wasn't afraid, but she no longer wanted to waste time on meaningless worries.

"So give up and join us obediently. Lisian, don't we have a better chance of survival if we have your brain?"

"Indeed. Even tomorrow, you'd regret sending me away like this. Wouldn't it be wiser to spend every moment more fully and happily? Together with the demons you love?"

Pia, who had been listening quietly, added her thoughts. Then she leaned her head into Raham's embrace. Raham gently held her, nodding in agreement. As she said, facing an impending war, nothing was more crucial than being with those you loved.

"Alright, instead of babbling, let's go eat."

"Caladium and I will prepare it together!"

"Together? You mean I'll spend twice the time stopping you from eating the meat as it cooks."

Caladium grumbled, looking at Bell. Yet, true to his weakness for cute things, his gaze toward the child remained affectionate.

"Great, let's go eat!"

At Adelaide's words, her dungeon members excitedly rushed to the dining hall. The Skeletons grabbed the bewildered Lisianthus and ran along.

The dining hall was soon bustling with demons. Though many had departed, most demons from the 1st and 2nd residential areas remained.

Adelaide sat at the head of the table, looking around contentedly. Everyone was present except Lupinus, who was on guard duty. Lisianthus, who had been forced to sit, was also there.

The long table was filled with delectable dishes. Thanks to Caladium's cooking skills, which rivaled professional chefs, everyone enjoyed the feast with satisfied expressions.

The meal proceeded like any other party, lively and cheerful. Bell, now transformed back into a puppy, devoured meat non-stop, while the Skeletons, unable to eat, enthusiastically poured drinks down their nonexistent throats.

Cereza and Cerezo elegantly sliced the blood pudding that Caladium had carefully prepared, and the Durahan were shoulder to shoulder, singing a song that seemed vaguely familiar. Peter sometimes hummed this song while bathing.

'I wish Julliard were here.'

Adelaide sipped her juice, feeling a brief moment of regret. Perhaps because they had fought together in the war against Los Halde, she had grown particularly fond of him. However, she couldn't stop him when he announced his departure with an apologetic face. She had simply packed him an unusually large amount of money.

"There are no signs of imminent attack."

A few hours later, Lupinus, who had finished his guard duty, naturally pulled up a chair and sat beside her, immediately grabbing the remaining ribs. He seemed hungry.

"...Did someone put sleeping pills in the food?"

But after confirming the swollen faces of sleeping dungeon members, he put down the meat with a suspicious expression. Adelaide slowly shook her head in response.

"No. Everyone played hard, shared old stories... and somehow we all ended up crying together. We thanked and apologized to each other. After that, they ate more and eventually fell asleep from exhaustion."

"Why not go to their rooms to sleep?"

"Indeed."

She answered this way, but she knew the reason. Today might be their last chance to sleep together like this. No one knew who would die or disappear in the coming war.

The thought was bitter, and she couldn't confidently deny that such a possibility existed, which made her heart ache even more. That's why, despite being full, she couldn't bring herself to leave.

Adelaide slowly turned her head to confirm the survivors of the gathering. Ironically, the only survivors were her three lovers.

She lowered her voice and carefully suggested:

"Want to come to my room? We shouldn't wake the kids."

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