Reincarnated With A Glitched System: Why Is My MP Not Running Out?

Chapter 2171: Entering Lolth’s Castle

-----

My father closed the heavy gate behind us and sealed it tightly with the help of grandpa. The massive stone doors locked into place with a deep, echoing thud that rolled through the cavern.

”We cannot afford to let anything inside of this dungeon escape,” my father said in a serious tone. ”Everyone here has a teleportation item ready. So once real danger comes, if a certain someone dares to betray us, or if a certain evil god brings another Dimenion, we escape immediately, regroup outside, and fight together again.”

I nodded firmly. Everyone else was ready as well. After what had been pulled with Dimenion last time, we were never going to allow something like that to happen again, no matter what.

As we walked deeper into the massive caverns, we saw clusters of glowing purple crystals lining the walls and ceiling. Then we heard the cluttering of countless tiny legs scraping against stone.

We stood in complete silence and prepared for battle as a large number of creatures began racing directly toward us.

They all resembled different kinds of insectoids and arachnids. Some were oversized and monstrous spiders. Others were long centipedes. A few looked like giant ant-like soldiers. Every single one of them wore dark purple armor, and glowing crystals jutted from their bodies like natural weapons.

I summoned Scarlet at once and channeled her power. Yggdra stood right behind us and expanded her aura, preparing to create an area-wide healing spell along with a domain expansion of her divine authority.

”She’s betrayed us! She’s sending her army. It was a trap after all!” my father said through clenched teeth. ”I knew it. We should have never trusted—”

But then the entire army suddenly stopped moving forward. They halted right in front of us.

The insects slowly moved aside and made a clear path for us to pass through.

And then, to our complete surprise, they spoke our language.

”Queen Lolth awaits her guests in the Throne Room,” said one of them in a calm voice.

”She says that there is nothing to worry about. We will not betray you,” said a second. Their minds seemed somewhat connected to one another.

”If you still hold that fear, she says you’re free to eliminate us,” a third added.

”She will forgive that and still allow you to enter her throne room either way,” a fourth spoke, its many eyes staring directly at me.

The insects spoke with varied voices. Some sounded like men, others like women, and a few even like children. We were all left speechless, standing in complete silence as we tried to process what we were experiencing right now.

”So you’re saying she’s allowing us to eliminate you all if we wish?” I asked carefully.

”Yes,” the creature answered without hesitation.

I fell silent for a moment and then asked him something else. ”And you don’t find that very bad?”

At my question, the creature suddenly showed a clear conscience of its own. It muttered weakly, ”It... is...”

I crossed my arms, beginning to understand what was going on here. ”Then why are you still obeying her?”

”Because Queen Lolth is our ruler. But she said... that you were good people...” the monster spoke, seemingly relying entirely on our kindness.

I hate it when bad guys do this. They mistake kindness for weakness and think they can manipulate us in these ways.

I’m going to show her she’s completely wrong about us.

”...”

We looked at one another in silence for a few long seconds. Then my grandfather nodded and began walking forward.

”Let’s go,” he said calmly. ”Regardless of anything, sneak attacks are ineffective against me.”

We all nodded and followed him, walking past the giant insect monsters. They seemed slightly relieved... even though they had been ready to throw their lives away if we demanded it.

”Just what’s going on with her?” Ruby wondered quietly. ”She gave me back my father after threatening me, and now she’s... telling her own insect monsters we’re good guys so we won’t hurt them? What is her end game?”

”I don’t know. I have many thoughts,” I sighed. ”But I think it’s worth finding her and speaking to her directly about this.”

My friend nodded in agreement and fell silent as we continued walking.

Our footsteps echoed loudly across the black stone floor. The sound was unnerving in the vast emptiness of the caverns.

But eventually we reached the entrance to the throne room.

What we had expected to be a massive and dangerous dungeon ended up turning into a relatively short trip toward the center.

As we approached, the rough stone floor changed into polished tiles of purple and dark pink. Tall pillars of pure obsidian rose high into the ceiling above us.

The walls were carefully paved, and there were even decorations everywhere — portraits, statues, and pieces of furniture that seemed to have been made by Lolth herself.

Interestingly, none of the art depicted monsters or creatures. Every portrait and statue showed a human woman.

It was always the same human woman with pale skin, long black hair, and striking purple eyes. In some she was naked. In others she wore a simple white dress.

This made me wonder if Lolth was obsessed with someone from her past. I really had no idea who this woman could be.

But she was truly beautiful... breathtakingly so.

We were greeted by a group of heavily armored humanoid arachnid soldiers. Each one of them exuded the powerful aura of a Rank 9 or Rank 10 monster.

Nothing we couldn’t handle if it came to a fight.

They clearly felt our pressures and auras. We did not hold anything back. The soldiers became incredibly nervous and began trembling, yet they still held their ground. They were clad in dark purple and black armor, and every one of their many arms held large, sharp weapons.

”Her Majesty is waiting for you in the throne room. Please follow me,” said a smaller arachnid monster with a humanoid torso. He was dressed like a formal butler and led us carefully toward her.

As we stepped up the wide stairs, walking higher and higher, we finally found her palace and the true throne room. It was seamlessly vast, with a gigantic throne at the far end where a massive being sat waiting.

The divine power she exuded, which permeated the entire area, had already been partially sealed by my grandfather. Because of that, she could not do much even if she tried to attack us.

Nonetheless, her form was quite monstrous and at the same time mildly humanoid, similar to the many avatars she had taken in the past.

-----