Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties

Chapter 187: Tour de Lust

Vale handed the chair back.

Greed said:

"Now, let’s start the tour."

Greed dismissed the chair, let off a few pattering claps, then motioned for Vale to march forward.

As Salome was freed, she looked at Vale in embarrassment and gave a light bow.

Vale cast Salome a warm look, then carried his gaze to Greed.

’Welp, I have no other choice.’

"Follow me... and, Toy, could you stay to watch the entrance?"

The goblin nodded and jumped back while Awilix, Mias, Salome, and Vale turned and began to lead Greed throughout the dungeon.

As they walked through the two long hallways and entered the maze, Greed made only a single comment.

"How drab."

Vale gave a low, dry laugh and remarked:

"Our dungeon is quite the practical existence, not much aesthetic when every day has been a fight."

Greed smiled as she walked shoulder to shoulder with Vale, nearly taller than him.

"Survival would definitely be a priority. But don’t you think life is only livable with at least some color?"

As Vale guided Greed through the maze carefully.

"Well, you can only appreciate decor and vibrance if you’re alive."

Greed gave Vale a wicked smile, and said:

"Who sold you that lie?"

Vale looked over at Greed quizically, and said:

"Common sense."

Mias quickly interjected, adding:

"I wouldn’t be so quick to use the common sense you once knew."

’Fair point.’

Greed looked back at Mias with a glint of cupidity in her eye.

"Are you sure you’re not willing to part with him?"

Vale nodded as he led Greed through the last corner of the maze and into the room with the stone throne.

"I’m sure."

Greed paused when she spotted the stone chair with a torn purple banner draped over it.

"That’s... an attempt."

Vale stopped next to the chair and said:

"Our artisans here in the Dungeon of Lust value abstract meaning rather than aesthetic. Take this simple design, for example. It’s a seat that rises from the very ground we tread, yet it holds the color of a king; it represents how rulership does not sit above the world, but grows from it."

Awilix, having slightly eased her fear, cut Vale off and said:

"Vale, aren’t you the one who put that there? And didn’t you say it was because the stone was hurting your ass?"

Vale stared at Awilix.

After three seconds of silence, Vale sighed and said:

"Moving on."

Greed stifled a laugh as she looked at Awilix.

The cat shivered and jumped away, sensing the coveted nature of that gaze.

Vale led the group into the first room.

"This used to be the first Core room."

Vale pointed to each direction, and continued:

"That room used to be a bedroom, now it’s being used as extra storage. That one is now used as a secondary training room. It used to... Actually, don’t ask about that room’s past; take our namesake as a hint. And that exit leads further in."

Vale pointed straight ahead and began to walk.

Greed looked around the place with amusement.

There wasn’t anything particularly special about the room, but perhaps Greed saw something he didn’t.

Vale led her into the next room, the secondary old core room, then led her down the long, 30-meter hallway.

Which was now quite large, considering it had to be expanded to transport Ximena.

They had only stopped to check out the forge room.

When Vale reached the end, he stepped to the side and gestured forward.

"And this room is the Grand Hub that links to everything."

Greed’s curious eyes danced around the place as she slowly approached the diorama of the Scar.

"I’m impressed you managed all this in your first four months... and crafting this has truly impressed me. Perhaps your artisans are as amazing as you say."

Vale smiled.

"Thank you for the praise. I will admit our head artisan, Larry, is supremely dedicated to his craft and has quite the knack for detail."

Awilix grew a little confused as she looked at Mias.

"Didn’t the smoky dumbass make that?"

Vale stared silently at Awilix for a few moments, then said:

"Awilix... go stand guard in the maze."

"Huh? Why?"

Vale looked away from the cat.

"Just go..."

Awilix turned, then walked off, shrugging.

"Whatever."

Greed watched the cat walk away, then let off an amused grin.

"Quite the crowd you’ve amassed."

Vale took a deep breath, then said:

"Quite the crowd indeed."

After Vale said that, he noticed an odd surprise enter Greed’s eyes as she stared off at the far end of the room.

She stared at the ball the imps had left out in the open before having retreated down to stand guard.

"A soccer ball?"

Vale’s eyes narrowed as he followed Greed’s gaze to the ball of stitched-together hexagons.

"Huh? Oh, the football. You know what it is? I got that from the Mystery Box. It’s kind of useless, but my Workers like to play with it."

Greed stopped her walk and turned to face Vale with a terrible disappointment washing over her expression.

"Lust, what did you call it?"

"Uh, football. The Item’s called [Classic Football]."

Greed rested the back of her hand to her forehead and said.

"Their imperial presence has even reached other worlds?! Oh, imperialism truly is the bane of culture!"

Vale sauntered and stood next to Greed as she continued her tirade:

"Lust! That is a soccer ball, not a football. A football is brown, has laces, and an oblate shape."

Vale dipped into thought, then pulled the [Classic American Football] from the Nexus of beginnings he was going to gift to the imps once they finished the mining.

"This?"

Greed stepped forward and held out her hand. To which Vale awkwardly handed the ball over.

"While my nation had no nationally claimed sport, football was rooted very much in our culture. To be honest, I’m a little homesick seeing this. Not once before have I wished to return, but now I do miss cheering for my terrible team despite not even knowing a single player."

’Uhhh... okay.’

"You can keep it if you want it. I don’t even know the ball was intended to be used for sport."

Greed tossed Vale the ball who awkwardly caught it.

"Lust, as greedy as I am, and as much as I have my feelings about the nation I came from. There’s one patriotic part of me that remains. As an American, it is my duty to spread football wide and far. So, I cannot accept this gift. Instead..."

Greed looked over toward the exit that led to the core and spotted a little red head watching her.

"You said your Workers liked to play soccer? Or at least with the soccer ball. Then, let me introduce them to something much greater and more valiant! That is my greedy desire!"

Vale reeled back a little in confusion, then shrugged slightly.

"Sure. Feel free to teach them what you want."

Vale looked over toward where Larry had been peeking at them, then shouted,

"You can all stand down and resume your prior activities."

’After all, I’ve judged we can’t defend even if we wished to.’

The whole reason he’d left his Legion packed in the final hallway was to mount a desperate defense if Greed showed a desire to attack; however, after meeting her, Vale learned how futile the effort would be.

Greed, having already realized this, chuckled to herself as she watched the imps, warriors, and Sivian exit into the Grand Hub and resume their duties.

As the last one trickled out, Greed looked over at Vale and studied his face, then said:

"I was surprised when I learned you’d summoned a second Demon, but you also summoned an Anathema... where are they? Have they died? I’ll assume not. You did say Ms. Succubus wanted to kill one of your own, and she doesn’t look too angry at the snake."

Sivian slithered by them, sparing only a glance as she left to defend the long hallway.

Vale’s expression grew a little wistful as he looked off toward the core.

"Yeah... It’s an odd situation."

Vale started walking off and gestured for Greed to follow.

Salome, having stayed her tongue since going berserk, sneered and turned, entering the training room.

Mias and Greed followed Vale past the barracks, lounge, and bedroom.

As they walked, Greed commented about their attempts at decorating the place.

Finally, they ended up in the current room of the Dungeon Core. The room that held only the core, a throne, and the Crystal Prison.

Well, and Calumma’s bone crown, which had been moved into there and hung above the door.

Greed’s happy and mature expression vanished when she spotted the encapsulated owl girl.

"This is quite an odd situation..."

Greed chuckled as she put a hand on the crystal, then turned her head toward Vale.

"And I think I’ve sorted it out. Salome can save her, but won’t. Is that it?"

’So she was able to read her status...’

"Yes... and we have no means to heal her while freeing her."

Greed grew a sinister smile as she turned around and held her hands out to the side.

"Well, I can help. For the right price, of course."