Reincarnated as a Dungeon Master, I Became Unstoppable by Doting on My Monsters—My Gorgeous Monsters Have Started to Conquer the World on Their Own! - Chapter 57: Rhapsody

“I believe this dark room is enchanted to show dreams to boys and girls. Everyone harbors hope in power beyond humans and then dies. A boy who wanted to resurrect the dead, a girl wishing for world peace. There was even a boy who wanted to create a goddess.”

As Anima and I entered the boss room, Jacqueline greeted me with these words.

She seemed lost in thought, gazing at the ceiling of the small core room, no larger than an apartment room.

“Ha. So, you carried out such attacks to present your profound philosophy?”

Perhaps due to the sudden shift from the burning room to this cool one, my parasympathetic nerves were urging my body to rest.

Moreover, the room resembled where I had secluded myself for ten years, making me feel as if I were dreaming or diving into my inner world.

Such carelessness had cost us dearly just a moment ago.

“Yes, not at all. My motive for inviting you here is… what you might call a settlement. For what I’ve done so far and for future relations. Isn’t it quite a common motive for an attack?”

Her demeanor was calm, and despite initiating the situation, she even showed a hint of sadness.

Such an emotional display suggested that this battle was as good as over for her, confident she was in complete control of the situation.

“…What kind of settlement are you talking about?”

“You know, don’t you? I’ve hunted numerous dungeon masters and can’t even count how many humans I’ve indirectly killed. With such a tainted history, I couldn’t join your dungeon without settling these accounts.”

While saying this, she firmly stood her ground as if saying, “You can blame me if you want.”

“I didn’t think you were so noble. You always prioritized efficiency and encouraged killing, didn’t you?”

Indeed, I knew about her past of hunting humans. But this was the first time she had openly acknowledged it. We had tacitly avoided the subject, and given our unique situation of being reborn as dungeon masters, it seemed permissible to ignore it.

“Yes, yes. I’m not bothered by it anymore. I’ve personally killed ten dungeon masters. What concerns me is something else, something like a giant destiny that controls people. I’ve been entrusted with wishes by everyone I’ve killed… recently by Lord Ryuujo, too. But all these wishes were too much for humans and a monster like me.”

I had never seen her angry or sad. But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t furious, grieving, or insane. Rather, it showed that she was a monster, unswayed by any situation.

“At first, I intended to take responsibility for everything. But I couldn’t. Do you know? People often casually say they’ll carry the regrets and feelings of the dead. But if you do, you’ll end up constantly haunted by the resentful faces of the dead… I couldn’t bear it.”

Her tone was relaxed even when sharing such heavy thoughts, like narrating a fairy tale.

“I decided to atone for everything once and for all… Please, have a seat.”

She touched the core and brought out two chairs. As I hesitated, Anima sighed, sat down gracefully, and crossed his legs.

Reluctantly, I, too, took a seat.

“My first kill was Trana Spoonbender.”

And thus began Jacqueline’s confession of all her sins.

　XXX

Let me start by telling you about a man named Ryuujo.

Ryuujo was born in a world known as Daraldo, a desolate and barren place. In this harsh environment, even when he turned 16, he was still cared for by Trana Spoonbender, a woman three years his senior.

Their humble shack was home to the two of them and three other orphaned children. They all lived together, helping and supporting one another, forming a bond akin to a family.

Yes, I’ve heard many stories from Ryuujo-sama about those days. When I close my eyes, I can vividly imagine the relationship between the two, as if they were siblings living under the same roof.

“Sorry, Trana. I’m always relying on you.”

“It’s fine! Ryuu does all the housework; without a young man around, these kids would be taken away in no time. Remember when you drove off those kidnappers once?”

“…Thank you. If you ever have any troubles, please tell me right away. I’m counting on you.”

And so, their relationship was like this.

However, no matter how tight-knit a community may seem, secrets often hide beneath the surface, and in this dilapidated shack, there was a particularly significant one.

Ryuujo had always harbored suspicions about what Trana did to earn a living. Her income seemed irregular, with fluctuations that didn’t match the usual pattern of earnings among orphans. Yet, she never spoke of her activities, keeping her daily experiences in mystery.

Ryuujo had long suspected her involvement in some illicit activities, wondering if she was using the money earned from them to support them all.

However, he never dared to ask.

The reason was simple: he loved Trana. He feared that if he were to inquire and she was to reveal the truth, it might shatter the illusions he had built, jeopardizing their current life and the future of the children they were caring for.

What if she had been stealing from other households? What if she had gone so far as to commit robbery and murder? Ryuujo couldn’t fathom the shock he would experience if he found out.

So, he chose to remain silent.

So, like the other orphans, Ryuujo continued to engage in physical labor but always avoided involvement in wrongdoing.

His earnings might not have matched those of Trana in her earlier years, but he found solace in the purity of his labor. He never dwelled on the meager income, feeling content with the clean work of his hands.

However, this peaceful existence, akin to a velvet coffin, wouldn’t last long.

One day, a group of criminals gathered near their ramshackle shack. It was a notorious organization of kidnappers known in the neighborhood. But something was amiss.

“Hey, is it true that the Black Mask lives here?”

They were talking about the Black Mask, a fearless advocate for oppressed orphans in the area, known for boldly infiltrating criminal hideouts and disrupting their operations. They had even driven some sizable organizations out of town in the past.

As the sudden mention of his name took aback Ryuujo, he found Trana standing beside him in their dimly lit bedroom, illuminated only by the starlight. She spoke, her voice filled with fear and despair.

“Ryuu, I’ve never told you this before, but I’m ‘Black Mask.’ I ended up here after defeating some lower-ranking members of that organization a while back. I always kept my face hidden, but somehow, they must have figured it out.”

She went on, tears welling up in her eyes.

“I didn’t tell anyone because I was afraid that revealing my identity would put everyone in danger.”

The search for the Black Mask on the second floor of their ramshackle home could be completed instantly. It wouldn’t be surprising if her heart gave in to the despair of impending doom. But that wasn’t the case.

“However, I’m sorry. I thought I could make more people happy by defeating those bad people, but in the end, I just caused trouble for everyone. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

She felt sorry for burdening the four children she lived with, and, driven by her remorse, she wept.

Indeed, she was a true hero! Despite being a malnourished orphaned woman, she stood alone against a criminal organization that committed heinous crimes. To achieve this and achieve victories along the way, she must be called a chosen true hero.

At this moment, Ryuujo realized, for the first time, that the woman he loved had always been pure at heart. He had harbored suspicions deep within himself, wondering what she was secretly involved in despite being cared for.

When he discovers that Trana is courageous in confronting villains and supporting the children, he suddenly feels ashamed. He had been silently doubting her, and this shame made him realize that he had looked down on her.

“Trana, it’s alright. I’m sorry. I’ve been taking the easy way out to protect my pride. So, I’ll fight in your place.”

Saying this, Ryuujo rushed out and succeeded in injuring or killing three lower-ranking members of the organization… but was shot and died shortly afterward. The lower-ranking members were still numerous. So, he thought, if I die, Trana, Fuk, Deena, Taoya, and everyone else will die too!

Well, nothing can be done if one isn’t a hero by nature. Children are usually no match for adult groups.

When he awoke as a Dungeon Master, he realized, “I won’t run away from anything dirty. I’ll explore all possible means and save her and many others.” He found his justice in embracing the dirt.

Or perhaps it was because Trana Spoonbender had been caring for Ryuujo since he was 11, so there may have been a self-punishing intention to make amends for the “dirt” he felt he had caused her for the past five years.

These thoughts have been passed down to me as well. Well, to be more precise, my entire existence comprises those thoughts. After all, his concept of “exploring all possible means” included “resurrecting Trana using monster settings.”

As I mentioned earlier, his writing of “My Setting” contains abundant information about Trana Spoonbender. Monster settings aren’t a versatile tool, so her personality ended up completely different. Her appearance didn’t resemble hers at all until she reached Rank A.

However, there were also some positive aspects. Thanks to the settings, I was born with a natural love for children, a sense of justice, and courage.

So, when Ryuujo-sama began to emulate Trana Spoonbender and engage in hunting detestable Dungeon Masters who killed people, I also embarked on dungeon pursuing with a pure heart and a sense of justice.

Until I saw the Dungeon Master, who looked just like me, playing with children with a pure heart.