The Young Master in the Shadows

Chapter 534: Chaos in the Monster’s belly

“Where are we?” Tulip asked, grabbing the short skirt of her maid uniform to keep it down as she followed behind Vic throughout strange underground tunnels.

Her instinct was telling her that she should stay next to him. Those walls were covered with strange, throbbing tentacles that seemed to be aware of her existence as they followed behind, waiting for a chance to attack!

They were the strangest things she had ever seen. It was as if every tentacle was a thick tree branch made of rotten flesh; it had strange thorns and even leaf-shaped feelers that strung every once in a while. It even had bizarre flower-shaped mouths that were dripping a clear, pungent liquid.

If Vic were not here with her, she was sure that those things would have long pounced on her. Still, it seemed like his control over this thing was just enough to keep them at bay for now!

“We are inside the monster’s belly… Technically, those tunnels were built by the von Rosen family as a part of their CELESTIAL MAZE to train their heirs, but they have long become part of it!” he sighed as he looked around. Entering this place was not a pretty experience… He was technically swallowed whole, but thankfully, he had a system map to guide him around!

“Oh…” Tulip nodded. She did notice the signs of concrete and some cabling every once in a while, but she had to ask. “Then that entire mountain...” she asked, her bare thighs shivering a bit.

“Yup, all of it has already become a part of Astran… Everyone who went there is already dead!” he sighed. He knew this the moment he bound Astran, but at that time, he was in another world and couldn’t command it to stop!

“Hssssssss….” She gasped. How the fuck was this considered an A ranking dungeon!  Wasn’t such a place supposed to be an S or SS-ranked?

“It is an A rank because undoing the summoning is not impossible… Just find the ‘Summoning Anchor’ and destroy it, and this thing would just be sent away!” as if reading her mind, he said.

“Then, we need to find it?” she quickly said. With Vic’s power, this was really possible!

“... Already did, destroying it will be our last resort if everything else fails…” he sighed.

“Everything else? You… Your highness is still planning to tame it?” she asked.

“Yup… wouldn’t giving it a nickname go to waste if this seat didn’t?” he asked as if this was what really mattered. “Although the normal method proved useless, hope is not all lost… This emperor knows of a way…“ he sighed. Astran, who barely followed his command, was useless in his current state, but thankfully, he got Ruby here just in case. “It is going to be troublesome,” he said mysteriously.

“Oh…” Tulip squinted her eyes, wondering what he was planning to do. Still, being with him here, she was no longer as nervous as she was before. At least her life was no longer in danger. “Then my friends?” she asked. She didnʼt want her team to be implicated in this bastard’s plans!

“This seat always keeps its promises… Look! ”  he said as they reached a strange room similar to the one Tulip was in. The pungent smell was a bit strong as the walls were composed of strange, thin tentacles that seemed to surround a few mummified people.

“This one is alive!” Vic said, patting one of the tentacles.  A moment later, a screech sounded, and the tentacles withdrew to reveal the naked body of a delicate girl whom Tulip hurried to grab before Vic’s filthy hands could reach her.

“One of yours?” he asked with a frown as if he didn’t know.

“Yeah, her name is Rea…” Tulip said as she grabbed a pill from Vic’s hand and pushed it in her mouth.

A moment later, Rea’s eyelid fluttered, then she opened them wide and looked around, gasping for air.

“ahhhhh…..What…” she screamed and began to look around fearfully.

“It’s me…” Tulip said, calming her down as she activated a magical lamp that Victor threw at her. They didn’t need it earlier, but Rea didn’t have night vision skills. 

“Oh! Miss Tulip…. You.. .We…” she finally calmed down as she noticed the familiar face.

“You are safe!” Tulip said as she glared at Vic.

He chuckled and threw another skimpy maid outfit toward them. Poor Tulip couldn’t locate her storage ring after all. Astran should have already barfed it with all the indigestible materials outside. It had long learnt that people can use those things to harm it!

“Don’t you… Doesn’t your highness have any other clothes?” Tulip couldn’t help but ask as Rea finally noticed the other guy. Who was he?

“Why would this emperor keep womenʼs clothes on him?” he asked with a frown.

“Why would you keep those depraved maidsʼ clothes then!” Tulip spat.

“USE THE FUCKING RIGHT PRONOUN!” he scolded. “As for the maidsʼ dresses, they are naturally for my maids… This emperor has a dream to collect pretty maids from all over the world to warm my imperial bed… If you are interested in joining, just say the word, my imperial bed is always open for you!”

“Like hell that would happen!“ Tulip spat in a low voice, deciding to ignore him as she helped the nervous Rea, who couldn’t understand what the hell was going on here, get dressed. 

…

”Let me introduce him, this guy... His Highness is called Vic Volt; he uses the pronouns His Highness and his majesty.... And you may refer him as the Emperor...” Tulip said sarcastically, introducing Vic to Rea, who finally stood in that maidʼs uniform. ”Until we exit this dungeon, we should basically follow his commands!”

”Ah... Nice to meet you.... Your highness?” Rea quickly bashfully said, wondering who this guy really was. Could he be real royalty? She was a bit shy to ask, so she decided she would inquire about him from Tulip later!

“A quick learner... Not bad! Nice to meet you too. This emperor will be in your care until we exit this place!” Vic said as he checked her body. She was not very charming, but had a certing cute air to her. “You are really nice, too bad some other guy already has dibs on you…” He lamented, shaking his head before turning to leave.

“Wait, you… Your Highness knows something about who is the one behind the Binding on her?” Tulip quickly asked as she followed, pushing her maid uniform’s skirt down as she did. This damn thing was way too short. A proper lady shouldn’t show her knees in public!

“Of course, I could tell the moment I laid eyes on her!” Vic sighed as Rea looked around, then followed behind them curiously, “His aura is all over her body…”

“Who is it?” Tulip asked.

“The Nutcracker!” Vic hissed in an annoyed voice as he looked around nervously, making sure that mentioning that name didn’t summon something from the shadows. “An ancient Demon. According to the info this seat collected, it was locked away in a hidden level inside some dungeon, but recently managed to escape after some stupid person got too greedy! It had been collecting Edict shards like there is no tomorrow, and it just happened that your little girl is connected to one of them, making her become his property!” he explained.

“Oh… “Tulip nodded, remembering the Demon they met back then. This confirmed some of her guesses. “I am surprised your highness knows a lot about this, not even the Death lord knew about him!” she said, secretly testing him.

“That Legal Loli elf is not from this world originally, so she wouldn’t know!” Vic replied casually.

“Elf?...” Tulip was surprised. She didn’t expect him to know about Rain’s master? How deep was this guy’s knowledge?

“Yup… Legal Loli elf to be exact! The dream of every lolicon!” he sighed, shaking his head.  

“Oh…” Tulip rolled her eyes. She didn’t even dare to ask why he was sighing, so she decided to return to the main subject. “Can you free Rea?” she asked as Rea followed nervously behind them, peering around, looking at Vic while wondering who he was and how he knew all those things. And what was his relationship with Tulip anyway? The way they baked with each other was something that even Rain, who was one of the few who talked casually with Tulip, couldnʼt do!

“...” Vic paused after hearing Tulip’s question. “It is possible, but the cost would be very high! This emperor does not wish to be a target for the nutcracker’s revenge, so nope!” he flatly refused.

“I didn’t take you for a coward!” Tulip raised one eyebrow.

“Look, don’t even try to play the dignity card, it is useless on this shameless emperor… “ he sighed. “This seat can manage to court Death itself, but I would not dare to anger the Nutcracker… believe this seat, this is not something anyone should do!” he hesitated. “There might be a way, though…” he said after thinking about something.

“What?” Tulip asked as Rea followed. Her curiosity about this guy kept getting deeper, especially with how confidently he was making his way through the maze-like tunnels as if he knew his way perfectly.

“To become a Noble existence… That way, not even The Nutcracker would dare to harm her!” he whispered. 

“A Noble Existance…” Tulip frowned; this was the first time hearing this.

“Hsssssss…. Don’t speak about it loudly, this seat can’t talk about it, no one can…” he said, looking around as if nervous someone would hear him. This was a part of his bigger plan after all. “Look, I canʼt promise a thing, but we might be able to help…. It will take some time, though, so you will have to wait… This emperor will send you the conditions when the time is right!” he said as he turned and hurried forward. 

“...” Tulip looked at Rea, then followed. Although this guy appeared to have some screws loose, knowing him from before at the Red Moon dungeon, she could tell he was not a bad guy at all. 

“...”

“By the way, I wanted to thank your highness for your help regarding my mother…” Tulip said as they walked, making Rea listen with curiosity. She had never seen Tulip talk like this with anyone ever before.

“Oh, no need, it was your payment for acting as my bedwarming maid back then! This seat is always generous with his entourage!” he said, making Rea almost gasp as she looked between Vic and Tulip. Bed warming maid? What the hell happened between those two?!

“...” Tulip blushed a bit as she cursed at him in her mind. She didn’t want her friends to know about her shameful ‘past’. “I just wanted to ask, how did your highness know about that thing hiding inside my mother?” she asked. Since she was already forced to act as his maid, she might as well take the opportunity to get some intel out of him!

“This seat knows a lot of things… Some of which are so disturbing that they would make even that master of yours shiver in fear!” he chuckled as if reading her mind.

“...” Tulip glared at him. Yeah, she should have already figured out that he knew about her master. “That reminded me, did you put some insignia on me the last time we met?” she asked as she remembered how her master told her that she had a strange, fleeting substance in her bloodstream.

“....” Vic swallowed. “No, it might be those demons in the dark moon dungeon .... “ he lied.   “The one who is behind your mother’s incident might also be the one… You know who this emperor is talking about, right?” He quickly changed the subject.

“No idea…” she replied, glaring at him.  She didn’t believe him one bit. “Might your highness enlighten me?

“It is your uncle, Aarak. That guy is a sneaky piece of shit,” he sighed.” Your mother should have already figured out that he was the one behind it!” he said, returning to the main subject.

“...” Tulip’s raised one eyebrow. “He is the prime suspect… but we don’t have proof,” she told the truth.

“He knows how to hide his tracks, butt even with proof, you wouldn’t be able to corner him, that guy is far more dangerous and scheming than you would expect!” Vic sighed. In the other timeline, if not for many circumstances being piled on each other, Aarack would never have been defeated by Lily’s father. “But don’t worry about him, someone should be able to get rid of him for you when it is his time!”

“Someone?” Tulip raised one eyebrow. Did this guy also have info about her familyʼs internal affairs?

“Yup, someone very close to you… That’s all this emperor can say, less that person got angry with this seat…” he shivered a bit, scratching his forearm. “When it all ends, your father should be able to become the Von Krone patriarch!” he smirked.

“...” Tulip didn’t know how to respond to that but to raise her eyebrows. She couldn’t imagine her stupid father as a family head. 

“...”

After that, they walked through the maze for another 15 minutes before reaching another room with a broken door. Vic walked right in and touched the flesh wall, making the tentacles withdraw partially to reveal the faces of the three living people inside.

“Rain!” Rea gasped as she reconfined one of them. The others were Klin and the other was a surviving girl from Tulip’s team called Tini.

“Ah….Hsssssss…..” Rain opened his eyes as he winced in pain. He quickly found himself tied upside down.  “Tulip, Rea… And…” he didn’t recognize this guy, but he seemed familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before. What happened? The last thing he remembered was losing consciousness when that thing trapped him. Wait… Why were Tulip and Rea in such sexy maid uniforms? Was he dead? Was this heaven? 

BAM!

“You are still alive!” Tulip smacked his head as she quickly adjusted her skirt. She could easily read his filthy mind. “You are saved!” she said, turning toward Vic. “Can you…  Can your Highness free them?” she asked.

“Yes, butt…” Vic threw three parchments toward her. “Make them sign it!” he said.

“Those are…?” Rea asked.

“Contracts to make them his servants until we leave this place…” Tulip spat as she checked the contracts. They were similar to hers, with two extra little conditions that all their acquired Points other than Authority would go to Vic after the Dungeon was over, and that they should protect him in case of danger! 

“Oh…” Rea exclaimed.

“Sign those… Don’t worry, I was made to sign similar ones before; they should be harmless!” Tulip told Rain as mercilessly as she pushed the pen into his mouth, as Vic had done to her earlier.

”Mnnnnnn...Who is he...Mnnnnnmnnn....” Rain asked with the pen in his mouth, finally noticing Vic. Who the hell was this guy? He seemed famlier, but being upside down, he couldnʼt really tell.

”A friend, that is all you need to know!” Tulip shook her head. ”And we donʼt really have a choice, he is the only one who can save us!” she sighed.

“Mnnnnnnnnnn….” he mumbled again as he secretly stole a glance at Tulip’s thighs.

“Just do it!” she added, making Rain hesitate for a moment, then quickly sign. His eyes were so focused on Tulip’s thighs that he completely read the ‘conditions’, which was a mistake!

“You… Your highness… I didn’t sign such a contract!” Rea, who watched them sigh, suddenly turned and said nervously toward Vic.

“...” Vic was taken aback. What a good girl. “This Seat doesn’t dare to force you to become a maid…” he sighed. “Being that thing’s slave might not be as bad as you think!” he said.

“Oh…” Rea quickly realized that this had something to do with the Nutcracker.

“Your highness can let them go now… ” Tulip said as she finished making them sign.

“Sure…” he flicked his finger, making Astran screech loudly as it withdrew its tentacles, letting the three people fall naked to the floor.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh….” Rain and the others grimaced in pain as their bare butts hit the floor.

“Can I have some healing pills and some clothes for them?” Tulip asked as she watched Vic turn to leave.

“Sure!” he said as he threw her a bottle of pills and three nylon-wrapped new maid uniforms before leaving the room. “Make sure they are well dressed before following this Emperor… I don’t want people to start rumors about my sexual orientation!”

“....”

“...” 

“LIKE HELL I WOULD WEAR SOMETHING LIKE THAT!” Rain’s reverberated right after! Sadly, that contract he signed clearly states that until the Dungeon closes, he was going to be a Maid! And every maid needed a skimpy uniform.

***

Outside the dungeon, right beside the silent lake, the space rippled, and three masked girls in combat uniforms walked out of thin air!

“Didn’t you say we are going to climb a mountain? Why is there a lake and a dungeon gate here?” one tan-skinned one asked.

“... Something must have happened; it doesn’t matter,” the other girl said as she moved her hand in thin air as if checking some info. “Letʼs go in, it is only an A ranking summoning dungeon, so we should be able to clear it quickly!” she added before summoning a boat out of thin air and jumping into it. 

“Hopefully that Goblet thing you told us about will still be here!” the third girl sighed as she followed.

“It is!” the first said as the boat silently headed toward the shimmering gate at the center of the lake.

“HEY… THIS AREA IS RESTRICTED….” A guard who was sleepy there finally noticed them and began to shout, but the third girl just waved his hand, making his eyes roll back, then fall asleep with the five others who were hidden around. 

“I am really envious of how versatile your powers can be!” the first told the third as they walked toward the gate. “Epic ranking Classes are really something else!”

“I am also a bit surprised that Heroic Aura can be used like this!” the third sighed as she ignored the sleeping guards and stepped right in!