Dungeon of Lust: Managing Otherworldly Beauties

Chapter 270: Meeting the Legion

Vale let the cohort study the smooth stone walls of the dungeon and murmur amongst themselves.

As they did, Vale turned to Grady and Sandra. He started giving them a few preliminary words of advice...

About Ximena, Awilix’s "personality issues," and that the workers and warriors would populate the area alongside them.

Naturally, he hid information about Mias and Salome and the specifics of Ximena’s abilities.

Sandra nodded along, diligently taking mental notes. As Grady listened, his focus remained on inspecting the diorama.

’What exactly is he seeing when he looks at it?’

Had Vale presented himself as too much of a threat?

Only time would reveal that answer.

Grady eventually called his force back, and Vale led them to the entrance.

Once there, the cohort left Vale behind and met up with the group outside. After a couple of minutes, Vale was assaulted by a cacophony of messages.

[A challenger has...]

[A challenger has...]

...

[A challenger has...]

By the time the fifty-first message rang in his ears, the first soldiers, led by Sandra, reached the bottom.

All but Sandra were helmed, but their irreverent looks peeking through their visors were palpable. Not a single one was below the Emergent rank — three of them seemed higher.

Paying the disrespect no heed, Vale, standing a little inside Ximena’s radius, smiled mischievously and looked down on the force.

"Welcome, guests of Akkuron. I am Vale, Master of Lust."

Vale’s eyes scanned over the heavily armed knights. A few carried hidden pistols in their armor’s chinks or in a satchel attached to the fauld. Plus...

’They’re highly trained.’

Despite their disgusted stares at him, none bickered or mocked, even to their neighbors.

The only one to respond in any form was Sandra, as she dipped her head slightly and took a few measured steps toward Vale.

Looking down on the red-headed knight, Vale smiled and said:

"I believe the first order of business is getting to know one another. Come, while you wait for Sir Grady to establish the supply chain, meet some of my forces."

A few of the knights shifted awkwardly, put off by Vale’s odd level of grace. It was clear, with his strength, that all respected Grady to a vast degree. So if Vale wanted to receive even a morsel of respect from them, he had to show respect to ’Sir’ Grady.

Waving Sandra to follow, Vale turned again.

As he did, his shoulders twitched. He wanted to summon his armor, but forced that thought down and washed it away.

Sandra turned to her knights and ordered with a stern tone,

"Follow from 10 paces and dare not make any threatening motions. Scald, Woden, Morris, Kain, Alfred, stay behind and keep watch outside. Relay critical messages."

After that, Sandra impassively looked back at Vale and stepped to his side, her honey-colored eyes swiveling up and finding his. Eyes that looked placid, but within them was a threat — a threat saying that Vale should make no motion either.

Vale led an awkward trek through the dungeon and to the Grand Hub.

Once there, a massive wall of pink, black, and red greeted them.

Vale’s Legion. Lined up shoulder to shoulder.

At the spearhead of the force, Sivian ’stood’ with a ferocious glare, bearing her fangs.

The knights went rigid upon the sight. It was a force they had no chance of defeating without Grady.

Even Sandra seemed shaken, the faint click of a swallow echoing from her throat.

With each passing second, the tension only grew. But, as they were known to, the imps could never read a situation. There was one particular repeated offender of that notion...

A small imp waded through the mass and stepped out in front of Sivian.

"badu?"

Dickless Jr. fluttered his wings and glided toward the knights, stopping when he hovered in front of Sandra.

The knights began to shift. Sandra’s feet stayed motionless, but her hand gripped tightly the pommel of her blade as Dickless Jr. curiously began to touch Sandra’s hair, even lifting up a clump.

As his claws slithered through the red strands, his beady eyes went wide.

"badu!"

Vale scratched his cheek.

"I think he likes your hair."

The stoic knight’s eyes narrowed.

"I see."

Following Dickless Jr.’s act of bravery, a few more curious imps began stepping forward and inspecting the knights, Ember being the first to approach a knight other than Sandra.

It seemed she was enamored with the armor’s craftsmanship.

Vale studied the stoic knights.

’I’m impressed.’

The knights had grown a little restless; yet they still honored Sandra’s order, even as the tide of red and pink intermingled with them.

Eventually, a few eccentric knights began looking at the little imps not in total disgust, but with odd curiosity, seeing a quiet charm in their innocent actions.

The imps weren’t entirely cute like a puppy, but they sure as hell acted like one.

After chuckling, Vale ordered:

"I know you’re all curious, but give them some space."

Then, Vale turned in full and faced the knight brigade. Throwing his hands to the side, Vale said:

"Once again, welcome to the Dungeon of Lust; a dungeon where we exist in differing forms, but not lesser in mind. I encourage you to throw out any preconceived notions of a Vice, and treat my Legion as you would a human. And, I promise, that same humanitarian respect shall be returned in full."

Vale’s words, despite not being imbued with [Charm], caused an odd ripple of sanctity and understanding to spread through the knights.

Though the ripple was merely a budding idea of trust, most still had zero trust in Lust and knew damn well the dangers trusting him posed.

Looking over at Sandra, Vale asked:

"Now, as for you... we should discuss the formation of lodgings and facilities. And I also would like to have a private conversation with you. Would you be willing to follow me?"

And just like that, Vale’s earnest pleas were disregarded.

A knight stepped out of line.

"The Master of Lust trying to take a woman and talk with her alone... You’d be absurd thinking we’ll allow such a thing."

Sandra glared at the knight.

"I told you, 10 paces."

Then Sandra looked at Vale and added:

"Very well."

The knight stepped forward again, his defiance lighting a fuse in the other soldiers, which caused the imps to scamper away.

A warm smile spread across Vale’s face.

"I mean no harm. I’d be a fool to do so when you have Sir Grady at your side. So, if one or two of you wish to come, I’ll allow it."