Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties

Chapter 248: Greed’s Parting Gift

Vale weakly blinked open his eyes.

’My bed?’

He lay neatly tucked beneath the covers, glancing around. He vaguely remembered excruciating pain, yet now he felt more vigorous than ever. While he’d love to relish in the feeling of supreme strength and vitality.

’Salome! Where’s Salome?’

Vale sat up, spotting Salome asleep in her canopied bed.

’Phew.’

But...

Vale turned to his left, facing the peculiar woman seated beside the bed upon an elegant, almost pretentious golden throne.

"Were you that worried about me?"

"Not at all, I merely wanted to see you one last time before I left to get fair compensation."

"Fair compensation?"

"The little green one cried and cried for us to heal the Demon. You know how tender my heart is, I couldn’t help but allow it. So, you needn’t worry about her, she’ll be alright. She actually woke up long before you and healed herself."

’Tender... Does she not know what that word means?’

Vale shook his head as he looked back at the sleeping Salome. A soft, genuine smile tugged at his lips.

’Thank the gods.’

Or maybe he shouldn’t thank them, considering what he learned about Origin.

Either way, one of his Champions had once again escaped the clutch of death. Though Vale doubted death’s bony fingers would be so forgiving a fourth time. Therefore...

’I won’t allow such a situation to arise.’

With how strong he felt, he might finally make good on that promise. Then again...

He thought back to his promise to Larry.

’Nothing is scarier than receiving a promise from me.’

And now he was making a promise to himself!

Aside from that...

"Before you leave, huh? Was I—"

Greed chuckled.

"Yes, you were out for a couple of days. Screaming, crying, all the like. I only knew to come because you’d quieted down."

’Screaming and crying?’

Vale didn’t particularly remember doing that, but for some reason, he didn’t doubt he had.

Vale’s gaze swept the room until he spotted the items dropped from the [Nexus of Beginnings] — everything but the sword: gauntlets, glasses, bike, cube, pickaxe.

Greed continued:

"Speaking of that, I even stayed an extra day to check up on you."

’I’m sure it was to check up on me.’

All of his items except...

"Where’s the [Shard of Truth]?"

"Damn perceptive asshole."

"Hey! Were you going to steal that?"

"Heavens, no! I’m no thief. How many times do I have to tell you: If I want something, it’s already mine. How can I steal something I own?"

Vale rolled his eyes at the audacious woman.

"Seriously, something’s wrong with the way you see the world."

"Really? I’d wager to say there’s something wrong with everyone else."

"So you acknowledge everyone else is different from you? Therefore, you’re the outlier."

"Better to be an outlier and unique than stuck as a boring pedestrian caught in the web of societal constructs."

Vale sighed, glancing around.

’Where are the others?’

Salome was there, but he didn’t even sense Ximena.

Greed looked at Vale’s curious expression, then paid it no heed. She seemed in somewhat of a hurry to leave.

"Back on topic... I will say in hindsight, being able to read the descriptions of your Traits firsthand was truly something worth staying here for."

Vale, despite losing memories from his transformation, remembered everything the system had said before the pain worsened to an unbearable degree.

’[World Without Witness] and [Fatal Attraction].’

Two new Traits he hadn’t even examined. But, having witnessed the one firsthand, he could understand Greed’s perspective.

"Is that so? Well then, does that cover whatever extra expenses you wanted?"

"No, but I can tell you what will. I want you to answer a few questions of mine. Don’t worry, they are tame. If you judge them to be worth too much, you don’t have to answer."

’Uh, what’s the catch?’

Vale spoke slowly.

"Alright. Sounds easy enough. Ask away."

But before Greed spoke any further, she revealed the [Shard of Truth] and activated it.

’Oh?’

Greed smiled.

"So then. Is there anything you’re hiding from me?"

Vale doubled over laughing, nearly smacking his head against the headboard.

"That’s what you wanted to ask? Seriously? ’Is grass green?’ Of course."

"Well, you never know. If you said you weren’t, then it would be impossible for you to bluff later on. So, long shot, but worth it."

"I see. Well then, carry on the interrogation."

Greed crossed her legs, then leaned back.

"Am I more beautiful than Salome? Physically speaking, of course."

’Not even allowing interpretive lying! Cheat.’

Vale looked over at the sleeping Salome, then his eyes snapped back to the crystal.

’...’

"What is with your questions, Greed?"

"Oh, ho? Dodging?"

Vale sighed, then shrugged.

"You, by a small margin."

Greed laughed as she saw the tormented look on his face, then called out.

"You hear that, succubus! Ha! Take that!"

’What?!’

Suddenly, Salome shot upright, fury on her face. And...

’Her wing’s back on?’

But...

"Seriously, Vale?! You sleaze!"

’Don’t call the Master of Lust sleazy! Once again, grass is green!’

Despite the angry expression on Salome’s face, Vale couldn’t help but let off a warm, relieved smile.

"I’m glad you’re alright, Salome."

The succubus clicked her tongue as she sat on Awilix’s bed.

"Tch. You’re making it hard to be angry."

Greed smiled.

"We had a bet on who you’d pick! I won!"

Greed tossed the crystal back to Vale and continued:

"That’s all I wanted."

Vale’s eyes narrowed on her slender form.

"Really? I said I’d answer any of your questions, and that is all you wanted to know?"

Greed stood up and dismissed her throne.

"I decided I wanted to get back at you for making me wait an extra day. While I couldn’t do anything to undermine your authority or cause internal strife."

Greed looked at the angered Salome.

"I could make you do it to yourself. Well, I’m off! Toodle-oo!"

And just like that, Greed was gone from the Dungeon of Lust.

It would be a long time before the two met again outside the Council of Vice.