Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties

Chapter 267: Tecnologia

Putting aside the origins of the Scar and her last comment...

’It doesn’t make sense.’

Greed’s actions. They were simply the opposite of greed.

Or were they.

Vale’s eyes sparkled.

He looked down at Quill, who was awkwardly rubbing her hands together and avoiding Vale’s gaze.

"When were the Heroes of Virtue discovered?"

"Hm? Oh, uh... If I remember correctly, it was around the same time as the Vice."

His gray eyes widened.

"I have a theory. Please tell me if my thought process is misguided. But I believe Greed had not faced Celestia alone out of selflessness, but out of arrogance and cupidity."

Vale ran his hand through his hair, which was getting quite long; his bangs now often swayed in front of his eyes.

He added:

"Greed was probably confident he could claim victory over Celestia on his own and didn’t want to split the spoils in any capacity. So, he separated the war so Akkuron could claim no part. However, what he hadn’t expected was a being who could counter the Vice existed..."

Vale looked at Quill’s confused gaze and added one more factoid.

"When I was summoned, no knowledge of the Virtues was made known to me. I’d only learned about them and their powers through the other Vice. Meaning, the Vice progenitors who had no prior knowledge had to learn first-hand."

Her eyes widened.

"That... that makes a little too much sense. At that point in time, information traveled quite slowly. Plus, Celestia—if they possessed a Hero as you surmised—that would explain how they defeated Gluttony; and they’d probably have wanted to keep it secret, knowing our king was rumored to be Greed. Additionally, that would explain their confidence in declaring war on us."

Quill brought her hand to her cheek and began rubbing the contours of her jaw.

Vale asked another question, one spawned from this new idea.

If the Greed in Quill’s tale was anything like Sylvia, then there was a reason he wanted control of Akkuron. His marriage, or whatever it was, to the queen at the time was not born of love.

It couldn’t have been.

Nor did Vale surmise it was an equal partnership.

"Tell me, were there any directives the king was known for?"

Quill, who looked to be rethinking the entire history of her nation, looked back at Vale and spoke slowly.

"Uh... yes, actually. He established something he coined the Heartbeat of Steam."

"Which is...?"

"It was a strategy focused on improving technology and pooling together brilliant, innovative minds. It was under his directives that the steamboat, factory production, and radio were invented."

Vale’s legs unlocked, and he nearly flung himself forward onto Quill.

’Radio?!’

He had assessed the world’s technological capabilities based on Liora, but perhaps using a poor cultist village as a synecdoche to explain the technological state of the world was his fault.

’Perhaps I should fear Midnight after all...’

With a cough, Vale settled himself and began trying to sort his thoughts.

"I see."

The Greed of old did not differ from Sylvia at all, did he?

From what Vale had learned, their actions under an unfiltered light mirrored each other. Greed bloodlessly took control of Akkuron. Sylvia was bloodlessly seizing Windshire.

Vale’s eyes widened as he realized Sylvia’s true goal in why she wanted Windshire.

’Technological advancement...’

Just like Vale, Sylvia and the old Greed knew the relative functions, capabilities, and properties of modern technology, but not how to create it.

’So, old Greed, and now Sylvia, are taking over nations, hoping to find people who can turn the knowledge they know into a reality.’

"Quill, this radio and steamboat... about how many nations around the world have access to this technology?"

She spoke slowly, as if still sorting through her own internal revelations.

"The secrets are well-guarded. So, as far as I am aware, Akkuron and Hearth are the only places where coal-powered factories exist."

Vale crossed his arms and began tapping his fingers on his elbow.

"Tell me, Quill. Do you know what a gun is?"

"A gun? Why, yes, all our weaker soldiers are fitted with rifles... Oh... Oh my."

It seemed Quill had now reached the same conclusion as Vale, using the information he provided her earlier.

The Vice, people from different worlds, were spreading their technology.

When Greed controlled Akkuron, it was never symbiotic or fair. It was dominion and control.

While Vale didn’t want to assume anything...

’Pride established a nation for this reason as well, didn’t he?’

That was the much grander reason than funneling resources. It also justified risking the anger of the world.

Clenching his jaw, Vale asked:

"If you possess guns, then why do none of you here possess one?"

"Uh, well..." She looked over at Sandra, Grady, and the two other knights. "The stronger a person gets, guns cannot keep up with their power, so swords or other melee weapons are preferred. But the weaker soldiers..."

Quill slid her hand to her back. After the sound of a little clink, she drew out...

"A pistol?!"

’She had that this whole time?!’

Despite Vale being able to tell what it was, it was unlike any pistol he’d ever seen. It seemed more advanced, but also somewhat impractical.

Putting together what Sylvia had mentioned—

’So... this is technology based on Earth.’

The place where technology was so advanced a normal man could end the world with a thought.

’Should we really be bringing such technology to Pandora?!’

Then again, such a thing might be necessary in fighting back the Corrupted.

Vale took a deep breath

’After this damned war between Akkuron and Celestia...’

It might be time for the nation of Lust to rise, else he’d get left behind.

Quill nodded, not caring to question how he knew, answered.

"Yes."

Vale’s mouth slightly hanging open as he cradled his head in his hand.

’I had been worried about bows before...’

But now he had to worry about guns?!

Vale cast a glance at Grady.

’Yet another reason to get stronger.’

Strong enough that guns became mere playthings.