Of course, Ludwig thought, after all, relatively the whole city was far too easy to clear. Though his master had done most of the work, it just felt too easy. Too simple.
The dungeon’s difficulty was after all ten skulls, that’s enough to make anyone completely give up. But it didn’t feel that hard anyway. Simply because the Gluttonous Death didn’t want to kill them off.
“So tell me, what are your plans?” the Gluttonous Death asked. “Are you going to keep looking for the werewolf?” he then turned to Ludwig, “And you, are you still planning on hunting us Seven Deaths?”
“Of course,” Van Dijk said.
“Same here, I’ll keep hunting,” Ludwig replied though the notifications kept urging him not to agitate the Gluttonous Death he did the opposite.
“For the vampire, I care little less than nothing, but for you, undead, you’re basically threatening me, what would stop me from snuffing your very life right now, and spare myself the headache?” the Gluttonous Death said in a wide toothy smile, which was like a shark smile that spread all the way to his ears.
“Because you need to fatten a pig first before eating it, I’m nothing more than bones now, killing me will give you little to no satisfaction,” Ludwig said, “Aren’t you the Gluttonous Death?” Ludwig said.
This was the first time Ludwig mentioned the Gluttonous Death’s name, and Van Dijk immediately picked up on it.
“Indeed I am, and you are right, it would be a waste to consume something like you right now, you’re too scrawny,” it smiled once again. “Then fine, let us fight to our heart’s content the next time we meet. For now, I’ll grant you safe passage out of the bog. Though I can’t promise that I’ll spare you the next time you’re here,” he said.
Ludwig inwardly sighed a sigh of relief, after all this just meant that they won’t be killed off right now.
“As for you, though I don’t know where Alcide is, I’m sure he mentioned something about a Sultan. The Kingdom of the Sand… he was planning something there, but I can’t interfere, my sister is ruling that place. So go and have fun, but remember, she’s not as merciful as I am…” he snorted.
Van Dijk nodded, he now had a new lead.
“Remember vampire, you’re not strong enough, not yet at least, and if you fall in my sister’s hands, not even the gods can save you… as for you,” he said as he turned to Ludwig, “You owe me for the souls you stole back then,” he said.
“I didn’t steal from you anything,” Ludwig said.
“You killed a sheikh that had come and implored me for a way to seek immortality, have you not?” he asked.
“I did kill the sheikh, but what souls have I stolen from you?”
“You see, I had been enjoying the rituals he was sharing, it’s quite sad that one of my sources of steady souls was cutoff,” The gluttonous Death said.
Ludwig’s hesitated for a second, then said, “I wouldn’t call it theft, the sheikh was unworthy of such power so I took him down. I also never took any of the souls from the ritual, it was the sheikh’s failure to meet your standards that wasted them.”
“You do strike a decent argument, indeed, if he was more adequate, he wouldn’t have died. I am fair after all, though gluttonous, I shouldn’t blame you for someone else inadequacy. Fine,” he said as he turned and stepped back to his throne.
“This, is my kingdom he said, you have overstayed your welcome, please leave as soon as possible,” he said.
Immediately after that, the wall behind them transformed once again, this time it opened up onto the same portal that they came through to the bog the first time.
“Go on now, and do tell the world if they ask of the terrors that await those who are gluttonous for wealth. For I am not merciful, but extremely reasonable, those who wish to seek me for power shall pay an equivalent price, and those that come to seek me for vengeance shall find nothing but hunger that would drive them to madness.”
“Master,”
“I know Ludwig, let’s leave,” Van Dijk said as he stepped out of the palace. Ludwig followed him and heard something for his ears only.
“Servant of the Death God, sometimes, it’s good to question… for not all things are what they seem to be, and not all that glitter is gold…” the moment his words echoed in Ludwig’s ears he turned to find the pathway to the palace completely gone.
They were no longer in the cathedral but back at the first outpost of Tibari.
[Congratulation on completing the Sudden Quest Survive The Gluttonous Death!]
[Your abilities are unsealed. You may use them as you wish]
[You have obtained 100 souls]
Ludwig frowned, quite the measly reward for surviving one of the deaths, but it’s fine. This at least makes it so he isn’t on the verge of death again, Also Thomas’ soul is still safe inside the lantern.
“Hmm…” Van Dijk frowned, “Something isn’t right,” he said, waking Ludwig from his musings.
“What is it?” Ludwig asked as he looked around.
“This moss… it wasn’t this big the last time we were here,” Van Dijk said.
Ludwig couldn’t even tell the difference as he remembers the scene almost exactly the same.
“It seems to have grown by a couple centimeters…” he then grabbed his crystal and connected it.
“Silva?” he asked.
“Master Van Dijk! You’re alive! Finally!” he said.
“What’s going on?” Van Dijk asked.
“You’ve been gone for a couple weeks now, we were preparing to send a full force of mages after you…”
“A couple weeks?” Van Dijk asked, “It hasn’t been even a full day since I left…”
“Temporal interference… I see, you must return at haste, there is a problem back at the academy…”
“What sort of problem?” Van Dijk asked.
“The Holy Order is here…”