"I won't be fooled anymore. I'll kill you, and then I'll kill myself!"

On the monitor, Gapildeo drove his sword home. It was the final, violent eruption of all the suspicion and obsession that had festered within him. His stress level had long since surpassed 100. First Philip, now Rone. For a man whose mind had completely shattered, it was perhaps the only logical conclusion.

"This is what you get for abandoning everyone and running away together while we were fighting for our lives. Regret it, even in death."

The turning point had been when Philip and Rone fled during the battle with Balak's soldiers.

Gapildeo collapsed to the ground and slit his own throat.

"It's over," Taehyun said flatly.

"It is over, yes," Kinjo echoed.

With the raid leader's suicide, the raid was officially thwarted. Taehyun's soldiers were already closing in on the few remaining survivors. They fought to the bitter end, but one by one, they were cut down.

[You have thwarted the C-rank raid party's attack.]

[Raid Thwart Rank: C]

[You have acquired 12,000 Zen as a C-rank raid thwart bonus.]

[Balak soldiers' experience increases by 240.]

[The wild dogs' combat experience has slightly increased.]

[The goblins' combat experience has slightly increased.]

[The orcs' combat experience has slightly increased.]

[Balak soldiers' loyalty increases by 1.]

[Balak soldiers' obedience increases by 1.]

[You have acquired 1 C-rank raider corpse.]

[You have acquired 19 D-rank raider corpses.]

[You have acquired 17,000 Zen from the corpses of the Gapildeo raid party.]

[You have obtained all equipment and items from the corpses of the Gapildeo raid party.]

The Gapildeo raid party was annihilated. The entire scenario had been a stage, constructed from the very beginning for his amusement. Taehyun accepted the outcome with cold detachment.

"Amazing, yes," Kinjo gushed. "To achieve such a result without even using Grai, let alone most of the soldiers! You manipulated the raiders' minds from the start and finished them off with their own stress. Muahaha."

"I merely put the actors on a stage that was already set," Taehyun replied. "If Gapildeo and Philip hadn't already been at odds, this method wouldn't have worked."

The animosity between Gapildeo and Philip, Philip's harassment of Gapildeo's lover, Rone's failure to firmly reject him—every detail had been factored into Taehyun's calculations.

The stage he had built upon that foundation was simple:

One: Deploy soldiers the moment Rone and Philip were ensnared by the vines.

Two: Intentionally surround the main party, allowing only the two of them to escape.

Three: Block their escape route, forcing them deeper into the dungeon.

Four: Exploit Gapildeo's growing desperation to make him waste all of his party's specialized items.

Five: Maintain a sliver of false hope by having the soldiers periodically retreat.

The entire plan had been born the moment he noticed the discrepancy in Gapildeo and Rone's relationship statuses. If Gapildeo hadn't already been suspicious of her, none of this would have been possible. For Taehyun, it had been both a test of his new dungeon and a delightful piece of entertainment.

"I never knew you were such a ruthless Dungeon Master, Master Taehyun," Kinjo said, his voice filled with awe. "This Kinjo is moved once again, yes."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"A compliment, of course!"

'A ruthless Dungeon Master.' Riel had been the first to call him that. Taehyun smiled bitterly and rose from his seat.

'The moment I started enjoying toying with them, I suppose that's what I became.'

He was no longer the same man who had hesitated to invade Dallas Village. He had changed, starting with the extermination of Sebastian's raid party. The excuse that he was only doing what was necessary to survive, to escape this world, now rang hollow. He had fully adapted, becoming a Dungeon Master more demonic than the demons themselves.

---

The test run with Gapildeo's party had proven that the new Balak was vastly superior to the original. Its traps, installations, and adaptable environment were all perfectly suited to his needs. If he hadn't been deliberately dragging out the show, he could have annihilated the raiders in a fraction of the time.

"You're the one who designed all of this, aren't you?" Taehyun asked Kinjo.

"You've guessed correctly," the goblin preened. "It is the result of my hard work, making up for that useless former Master, yes. Muahaha."

Kinjo had clearly given up on Hyuntae, now spewing nothing but curses and regret for ever having supported him. Taehyun nodded and crumpled the handwritten letter from Gelix in his hand.

With Gapildeo's party wiped out, Gelix would surely send more raiders to confirm what had happened. Taehyun decided to leave Grai and the ambush squad in the second Balak for now and returned to his original dungeon.

"Oh, you're back early," Riel greeted him.

"Ah, I came to see someone."

"Who?"

"Viscount Lawrence."

---

The sound of footsteps echoed down the stone stairs. It was the first sound he had heard in nearly a month. Lawrence, bound in heavy chains, lifted his head to see a familiar figure: the black-haired demon from the battle.

"How are you holding up?" Taehyun asked casually. "I've been sending meals down regularly."

It was Taehyun, the Dungeon Master of Balak. Lawrence let out a dry, rasping laugh and lowered his head.

"You must want something from me. Unfortunately, I have nothing to give. Get lost."

"What are you talking about? I just came to share some good news."

"There has been no good news for me since my son died. Fine. What is it?"

Despite weeks of imprisonment, Lawrence's defiant spirit remained unbroken. The burning grudge over his son's death was all that sustained him. But that was of no concern to Taehyun. In fact, he found it amusing.

"The moment you invaded Balak, you gave up your territory, correct?"

"One could see it that way," Lawrence conceded. "The neighboring hyenas are likely fighting over the scraps as we speak."

"What a shame, then. It seems I'm going to claim that territory before any of those hyenas get the chance."

The chains clanked as Lawrence's leisurely posture vanished, his expression turning fierce. Even if he had abandoned his lands, he was a lord who had dedicated his life to his people. The thought of a demon seizing control of his home was enough to make his sanity fray.

"Youuuuuu!" he roared.

"Now that's a more fitting expression," Taehyun said with a smirk. "Our dear Viscount Lawrence. You've governed your territory as a neutral party for five years, haven't you? It would be quite a spectacle to watch my soldiers slaughter the people of such a well-managed land."

"No matter how I... no matter that I abandoned my territory... for a demon bastard to dare target that place... I will never allow it!"

If his lands fell to the Royal or Noble factions, they would at least be maintained. They might raise taxes or impose unfair laws, but they wouldn't harm the populace. But if a Dungeon Master took over, the fate of his people was terrifyingly clear.

"And what will you do if you don't allow it?" Taehyun taunted. "In a few days, my soldiers will invade all three of your territories. I've even acquired another dungeon, you see. Conquering a territory without knights will be child's play."

"Never... I will never forgive you! I will curse you for all eternity, you demon bastard!"

"But, to be honest, invading territories is a bit of a hassle," Taehyun continued, feigning boredom. "So, I'll make you an offer. Write me one letter, and I'll take over your lands without harming a single one of your people. How about it?"

"I don't trust the word of a demon!"

"Ah, but of course, I can take you near the territory to confirm it for yourself. Think about it carefully. Which is the better choice: the death of all your people, or their survival under my rule?"

"Aaarghhh! You bastard! I'll kill you!" Lawrence screamed, rattling his chains violently.

It was blatant blackmail. Even if he chose the latter option, his people would suffer. Taehyun was offering him a choice between a swift death and a lifetime of torment for his subjects.

"Well, think it over," Taehyun said, turning to leave. "The invasion is in five days. I'll be back to ask you every day until then. Be ready with an answer."

With that, he left the prison. Alone in the darkness, Lawrence howled, his voice raw with impotent rage.

"AAAGHH!"

---

After leaving the dungeon, Taehyun went straight to the Master's Room, where Riel was waiting with tea.

"Thank you."

"It's nothing, Master," she replied. "But... I happened to see your conversation on the monitor. Why did you lie to him? Balak isn't invading any territories, let alone nearby towns."

The invasion he had described to Viscount Lawrence was a complete bluff. Balak hadn't touched a single settlement, and with his current forces, conquering a territory was impossible.

The reason for the deception was simple.

"According to my information, Lawrence is a noble who cherished his territory and remained neutral for five years. His son's death must have driven him mad, but he likely abandoned his lands assuming another lord would take over management."

"Why would he think that?"

"Because he has no heir. His only blood relative, Riden, is dead, and he himself risked his life invading Balak. Without an heir or a ruling lord, ownership of the territory reverts to the royal family, who then appoints a new lord. The most likely candidates are the neighboring Lord Beldon or Lord Perna."

"In that case, even if you did acquire the territory, you would face intense pressure from both of them."

"Exactly," Taehyun agreed. "But what if, in that situation, I present a very much alive Lawrence? And what if I also present a letter, handwritten by him, recognizing me as his heir? What do you think?"

Riel tilted her head. "Even so, wouldn't you still be pressured by the two neighboring lords?"

"Of course. I plan to pull some strings with them before that happens. For now, I won't touch the territory. I just need to secure the letter in advance."

If his plan succeeded, he would achieve a bloodless conquest, and all three territories would automatically become his. No matter how powerful Lord Beldon and Lord Perna were, they couldn't directly interfere with a territory that had a legitimate heir. Furthermore, Taehyun planned to reveal himself as the heir while concealing his true identity as a Dungeon Master. This would eliminate any reason for the royal family to get involved.

"You'll have a lot to do until then," Riel noted.

"I'll have to manage two dungeons while cleaning up the surrounding areas," Taehyun said. "And, of course, fend off any raiders who come sniffing around."

And with that, he began the slow process of breaking Viscount Lawrence.

---

'Day One.'

"How about it? Have you changed your mind?"

"...I will never trust the word of a demon. Get lost."

"Hmm. I'll be back tomorrow."

His spirit was not yet broken. Lawrence's refusal was absolute.

'Day Two.'

"How about I have the corpses of your people piled up in this cell? That might be more to your liking. What do you think?"

"...Get lost."

"Well, I'll be back tomorrow."

Lawrence flinched at the threat but still sent him away.

'Day Three.'

"Only two days left. What's it going to be? Do you really want to watch my soldiers tear your people to pieces?"

"Mm..."

"Ah, another difficult day, I see. I'm leaving."

Lawrence had calmed somewhat and was now contemplating the offer, but he remained silent.

'Day Four.'

"Still thinking? There's only one day left—"

"Will you truly not kill my people?"

Finally, Lawrence took the bait. Taehyun's lips curved into a triumphant grin as he nodded.

---

[Viscount Lawrence's Handwritten Letter]

[Rank: ?]

[Restriction: ?]

[Description: A letter handwritten by Viscount Lawrence himself. The paper names 'Claim' as his heir.]

Claim was the alias he would use after taking control of the territory. To hide his identity as a demon, he would need to pose as a raider.

"With this, the letter is ready," Taehyun said, placing it in his inventory.

Opposite him, Lawrence, bound by soldiers, asked again, "You haven't touched the territory, have you?"

"Of course not. Look at the monitor. It's untouched. And now that I have this letter, I won't move on the territory just yet. I'll call for you when the time comes."

The three territories displayed on the monitor were peaceful and unharmed. Seeing this, Lawrence silently rose to his feet.

"Escort him back," Taehyun ordered.

The soldiers subdued him once more and dragged him back to the underground prison.

---

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