Under a light snowfall, one party clad in camouflage cloaks trudged through the accumulating snow.
“Leader, we should probably make camp soon, or things will get bad,” a voice called out from the rearguard.
The leader turned, responding to the call from the back. “Do you think we have the luxury for that?”
Their hometown was no longer habitable due to the worsening public order. Hours had passed since some soldiers, anticipating this, had gone to seek rescue from the King. The lack of any change indicated their homeland had been abandoned. If they had waited there, they too… He would make the King, McGillis, pay for abandoning their homeland. They had gathered as much food as possible, cutting down people they didn’t want to, all for the sake of obtaining food. It was all McGillis’s fault, the King who hadn’t helped them!
*Buzzzz* *Buzzzz*
“We need a certain amount of space to camp. It would be better to find a Dungeon and rest inside; it would be better for our bodies and our food situation,” the leader said.
“Ughh…”
The leader silenced the rearguard member with irrefutable logic.
The party safely arrived inside an artificial Dungeon. They hunted monsters and prepared dinner on a magic stove. Their self-catering skills were excellent; a curry-like dish, ready to be simmered, was finished in five minutes.
“It smells good~~♪”
“It’s not boiling yet.”
“The ingredients’ flavor hasn’t come out yet.”
“Just a little longer♪”
The party composition: Leader, a Fighter acting as a tank. Sub-leader and mood-maker, an Herbalist. Attacker, a Greatsword user. Mascot character at the rearguard, an Archer. The dish was curry, a specialty from a region rich in spices. It was a far cry from real curry, but they ate about half of the curry-like dish and engaged in casual conversation.
“This Dungeon was made by humans, right?”
“Yes, I’m surprised too, as it’s my first time entering one. It’s just like a natural one.”
“Don’t wander too far, you’ll get lost.”
“Munch munch. If you’re going to roam, confirm the entrance.”
“Ehh, why me?”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Yay!” the two women cheered and went to check the entrance. The three men continued to munch on the remaining curry. They polished their weapons. Silence hung in the air, an awkward atmosphere, but they didn’t care as they checked for nicks on their blades.
“………”
*Scrub scrub* *Phew* *Sigh* *Squeak squeak*
The two women returned from their patrol.
“Whoa, the atmosphere is so bad~~”
“We’re back.”
“Ah, welcome back.”
When asked if anyone else was coming, they replied that the blizzard might be preventing them.
“I see.”
“Arghh!? My curry—!”
“You’re late.”
The Greatsword user was hit on the head by the Archer, looking bewildered.
“You were the one who asked us to patrol, weren’t you?!”
“Calm down. Making loud noises will attract monsters.”
“That’s right. We can just make more curry if we want,” the Leader said.
“Hmph, as noisy as ever,” the Archer grumbled.
“Ughh!” The Archer kicked the Greatsword user in retaliation, but her leg strength was insufficient, and the impact was so weak it seemed to make a “poof” sound.
Stuck by the blizzard, they could only tell time by their internal clocks within the Dungeon. Several days later, the leader began to grow impatient, wanting to hurry to King McGillis to settle things.
“Finally, the snow has lightened up.”
“It’s troublesome to walk through snow again.”
“We don’t know how far it is to the castle from here.”
“Camp along the way? If so, let’s hunt more monsters first~~”
Listening to the members’ anxieties, the leader suppressed their urgency and hunted monsters to secure meat.
“Alright, let’s go!”
“………”
“Ooh!”
*Crunch crunch* *Crunch crunch*
The snow that had fallen for days reached up to the waist of the Greatsword user, the largest member of the party. It was impossible to walk briskly. They repeatedly stomped their feet to prevent their body temperature from dropping. After advancing fifty meters, screams and the clang of swords echoed from somewhere.
“Get down!”
“………”
Their figures were hidden by the deep snow.
*Clang* *Clang*
The sounds grew closer. In the midst of this accumulated snow…
“Return. Let’s go back to the Dungeon.”
“Understood!”
They turned around, seeking refuge until the trouble passed. They wanted no part in it and retreated to the first floor of the Dungeon.
“How is it, can you see anything?”
“…Hmm, I can’t see anything. But the sounds seem to have passed.”
“I wonder what that was.”
“We can’t move today, can we? Sigh~”
The party wasted a day. However, they considered it a small victory to have avoided trouble.
“No sounds… Let’s go.”
“Ooh!”
“Okay.”
They camped twice and walked through the night once before they could see the Royal Castle. They encountered a humanoid monster they had never seen before once.
“We finally arrived.”
“It’s a miracle we survived.”
“You’re right.”
“I thought we were going to die!”
***
The magical soldiers were doing their jobs, but they couldn’t cover the entire country. Snow was accumulating, yet fools kept coming. That’s why I, a monster soldier, use imperfect mimicry and multiple imitations. I used the magical soldiers.
“From here, can you see that group of fools?”
Using binoculars, I could survey a wide area. Further enhancing my vision with strengthening magic. I approached in my Astral Body, possessed a muscular body, and planted suggestions in its soul. I possessed another man as well and planted suggestions in his soul.
“Stop it!”
I planted a suggestion to assault females on sight. It was perfectly two against two. Have sex in the snow. Freeze to death. With the problem of visibility resolved, I returned to my physical body in the castle to continue with state affairs. I’ll finish quickly and then have sex.
“Now, where are those fools…?”
I peered through my binoculars at the spot where the fools were yesterday. The fate of the two women was unknown. The two men were still having sex with the women. The moving bodies hadn’t frozen to death, but at this rate, they would die by the end of the day. While waiting for reports from the magical soldiers across the country, I ordered an investigation into the life within the artificial Dungeon.
“Our allied nation is moving against the neighboring country. Furthermore, they are rebelling against another nation.”
The residents must be anxious. Transportation networks were paralyzed by the snow. I’ll throw a grand banquet at the Royal Castle to make everyone forget their troubles. Then, I’ll possess the drunken attendees and allay their fears. It’s troublesome, but I can’t have rebellions against me either!
Rayos issued a decree to all citizens. Travel was difficult due to the snow. The roads were cleared using Possession Ability, and even luxury horse-drawn carriages equipped with heating magic tools were provided. The citizens gladly accepted Rayos’s invitation and gathered at the castle.
*La la la* *La la la*
Music and a lavish meal. It felt like a dream to the citizens who had been living meagerly due to the snow. Upon arrival, they swarmed the tables laden with food, chatted with friends, and drank. They got drunk, just as Rayos had intended. Female soldiers and elegantly dressed maids took them to separate rooms, where they were “treated” by Possession Ability.
“To King McGillis…”
“Do not rebel…”
“King McGillis’s governance is correct!”
“Ugh… Huh? Where is this…?”
It felt as if someone had whispered something in their minds. Those who woke up dismissed it as their imagination.
“We are alright now. Thank you.”
They said to the maids attending to them and returned to the venue. They didn’t realize they had been influenced by Rayos’s suggestion.
