Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties

Chapter 268: Radiohead

’This has been a most odd development.’

Vale sighed as he flung his head back, then asked his next question.

"Quill, what about Celestia? If you have radio, I’m almost certain you have battleships, artillery, and planes — or at least a crude version of them. So then... why hold a defensive line at all? Should you not be able to obliterate them with ease?"

Quill ran her hand through her hair.

"Celestia holds its own advantages as well."

Vale’s eyes narrowed.

"And they would be?"

"They hold the power of the gods."

’The... gods?’

Vale tilted his head and scratched his cheek.

He knew gods existed, and maybe even theorized they could influence the mortal realm, evident by his own situation...

’But there’s people like me? Receiving power from a god?’

Did they possess free will? Or were they puppets as well?

Quill continued:

"We are not entirely sure of the methodology, but they have thirteen people called Apostles who are a sort of avatars of a god’s power. If we act rashly, those thirteen would punish us for that fault. We are especially wary about the head Apostle, Apostle of Celestia."

Vale stared blankly into Quill’s hazel eyes.

’Yeah, I’m not following...’

He got the gist of it — these thirteen were strong — but were they strong enough to hold back a technologically advanced nation?

Let alone... what did it mean to hold the power of a god?

"Is there anything more you can tell me about Celestia? Mainly these Apostles?"

"Uh. We don’t really know much about the Apostles, but Celestia also has the Order of the Seal."

After a slight cough, Quill added:

"The Order of the Seal is composed of Sigil Masters who study ancient Enchantments and invoke them without a conduit."

Vale sighed.

"Okay... let’s take a step back here. Can you explain it so someone who’s lived in a cave could understand?"

"Oh." Quill, despite the serious nature of her situation, chuckled a bit. "You understand what Enchantments are, correct?"

Vale shook his head slowly.

’Not a clue!’

All he knew was that they gave an ability or extra function to items.

Quill smiled, then said:

"Enchantments are properties inscribed using sigils. These sigils usually need a conduit to attach themselves to... like that orb." Quill pointed at the [Dawn’s Eye] behind Vale. "That orb is a physical conduit for the sigil of light. The process of inscription is called Enchanting. Then, once Enchanted, filling that sigil with Aether allows anyone to activate the effect — assuming it’s not coded to respond only to a particular person."

Quill folded her legs over one another, then added:

"But Sigil Masters can use the properties without a conduit by drawing the sigil with Aether in the air. Sadly, we haven’t exactly grasped how they do it or the limits of their capabilities, but what we do know is that these Sigil Masters are deadly. Deadly enough to warrant this caution."

Vale nodded slowly.

’In essence...’

It was a battle between magic and metal. While both sides had potential access to the other’s strength, they found more success playing to their own.

"Alright, I think I can understand why Akkuron would be wary. But what about your battle plan?"

Quill bit her lip slightly and looked away.

"As much as I want to trust you, Mister Vale, spilling such a thing could get me executed."

Vale sighed.

"Well, you don’t have to tell me everything, of course. But what’s Akkuron’s plan on this front? What’s their plan for me, now that I’m not going to be chained and bound? Hopefully not."

Quill uncrossed her legs and began kicking them.

"I don’t exactly know... but what I do know is that we don’t intend to mount an invasion from this front soon. Our primary goal is to build roads, establish communication lines, and get supply convoys moving."

Vale nodded along while drawing his own headcanon conclusions.

While Quill said they had radio, Vale had no idea if their version was wired or not. From what he’d seen, he assumed it was not.

Also...

’How would Aether affect wireless transmission?’

If it did at all.

Was that a question a cave dweller had the right to ponder?

As much as he wanted to ask a question like that, asking it would be the same as giving away that wireless transmission was possible.

So, in case they hadn’t figured that one out, Vale held his tongue. He could pioneer that invention later.

’In that regard, beyond just radio, I should probably be a little careful about what I ask.’

Each possibility he presented would only make brilliant minds more fervent in their innovative pursuits.

He’d already made a few mistakes in that regard, mentioning battleships and planes, but at least he didn’t mention carriers or bombers.

’Perhaps I’ve gone from overestimating them... to underestimating them...’ — to the other side of the coin.

Vale needed to see for himself to assess their technological level correctly.

To that end, he should stop making assumptions and prying. As if things went Grady’s way, which seemed inevitable, Vale would get to witness their tech firsthand.

At least their military tech.

"Thank you for your help, Quill. Sorry for scaring you like this, my options in this situation are... limited."

Quill gently smiled.

"No worries. I got to learn things nobody ever has before. Actually, when things calm down, I’d love to talk again."

"Will we get the chance to?"

"Of course! I’m the communications expert who will be stationed in your Dungeon."

’Already assigning stations before you even got here...’

Vale glanced at Grady.

’I wish I could claim that was arrogance.’

Vale hopped off the table, then said:

"Go back to standing where you were before. In a couple of moments, the world will go back to normal."

"R-right."

Quill picked herself up off the chair, then retrieved her sword, sheathed it, and put her helmet back on.

Vale slid the chair back to where it was, then tried to mirror the position he was in when he activated [World Without Witness].

Sure, he’d be snapped back to that point automatically, but he couldn’t go around showcasing all the intricacies of his ability.