From the outside, Nazarick occupies a fairly large area, surrounded by majestic columns, massive tombstones, and various statues. All of this surrounds a huge, majestic crypt, which is the entrance to the dungeon. Nearby, there are four small mausoleums filled with a pile of treasure to lure dungeon seekers like doves are attracted by bread crumbs. A slight hyperinflation at the end of the game allowed Momonga and I to fill these crypts not with simple trinkets, but with treasures valuable by human standards. Humans, but not dragons. After all, a good surprise should be made inside a dangerous dungeon, and not in its vicinity.
— The poison gas sprayers in the columns showed low efficiency considering the use of chimeras with average intelligence. Before that, individuals with zero and low intelligence were unable to reach the foot of the crypt. Too big a difference — failure, more data is required — he was surprised to meet an employee of his laboratory twenty meters from the entrance to Nazarick, walking around the columns and making certain notes in his dossier. — The poison ivy should be transplanted further. The aggressive individuals did not have time to get stupefied, I will increase the distance by twenty meters — thoughtfully tapping a strange pen-shaped object on the clipboard that the presenters use to hold paper, the subordinate tried to write down everything he said out loud. That's how I designed the Umbra Hands, but to do it in an open space... You can also give out the plan to the enemies if someone breaks through the shields of Nazarick.
"Good evening," I decided to greet him in a friendly manner, approaching from behind a short laboratory employee who had a helmet on his head; a cross between a circle and a triangle.
- Mr. Bondrewd! - He was literally overjoyed when he saw his boss. - We have a severe shortage of materials. And instead of searching for them, we were severely distanced from valuable research to strengthen the security of Nazarick by order of the floor guard general, Albedo, - a slight pause followed the rather restrained report, signifying slight troubles. - We were also asked to create something that would make you capable of... Pay attention to your general as a girl. Well, you understand the general meaning associated with blatant lust. In general, Gueira refused her, so they decided to take it out on us. Please sort this out, because progress does not wait! - my precious researcher Rabbiak just ratted out my closest subordinate, hiding behind the shield of science.
Amazing.
"Safety, both internal and external, is paramount. Think about it, if dangerous samples from the Anthill escape, chaos will break out. Or our research might be hindered. First, strengthen Nazarick's defenses, and then focus on research. Speaking of which, what are you producing now?" While I was wondering about the affairs of the Umbra Hands like a layman wondering about tomorrow's weather, I caught a glimpse of Aura sprawled on the table at the entrance to the crypt. The elf had her head buried in the table, and her other hand was holding a cocktail.
- Of course, Omega-slime! - the researcher said as if something obvious. - The flying winged creatures found suitable testing grounds. Unfortunately, the resulting specimen is unstable, and we thought of using a group of people as a springboard for developing its intelligence. Field tests will begin immediately after that, - shrugging his shoulders, Rabbiak briefly reported and made a couple of edits to his report.
- Great, if you need anything, contact me. For now, the entire lab depends on Gueira's decisions, listen to him as you would to me - later we need to figure out what kind of testing ground they found and how exactly they want to conduct the tests.
"Certainly," bowing, the subordinate went towards the golems, most likely wanting to give a couple of orders for construction.
Lately I have been plagued by doubts that if I close my eyes, then when I open them the Legions of Terror will destroy the world without me. There are too many dangerous, crazy and aggressive individuals around me. I am no better, but at least I can evaluate my actions if I am alone and have time to think. Now, climbing the steps to the entrance to the main crypt, I waved my hand in a welcoming gesture.
- How did you sleep? - It was clear that the girl had simply fallen asleep. But she held the cocktail confidently, I couldn't even tell from a distance, since she was sitting in a kind of summer gazebo, scaled down for one person.
- Oh, - waking up, she quickly got to her feet, almost spilling the drink. - Mister Bondrewd, I apologize for sleeping on duty! The Demiurge asked me to guard the ring he gave me until he returned, but I had to work a lot on traps the last few days, and I... - my hand, falling on her head, did not let the girl finish. Gently and understandingly, she ruffled the dark elf's golden hair.
- There is no need to worry. We are surrounded by powerful traps and spells, so it is difficult to get here unnoticed, and my subordinate with a couple of golems is active here. Besides, you were not assigned as a sentry, but as a guard of the ring. As long as it is with you, there are no problems, - having calmed the girl down, I myself used the teleportation ring to find myself on the fifth underground floor of Nazarick.
— Amazing, — the fifth floor also had an artificial sky, but unlike Mare and Aura's floor, here hundreds of snowflakes were falling from the sky. I hadn't seen snow, so to speak, in real life since my last life. Under artificial domes you can't enjoy the delights of winter, but here... here it is possible.
The weather on the fifth floor is not pleasant, it's terribly cold, just like in Antarctica. Snowdrifts spread out across the floor like a carpet, and a fast blizzard rushes in a circle. No doubt, there are quite a lot of effects, especially negative ones. As soon as an enemy appears in this place, a couple of minutes later a movement slowdown effect will be imposed on him in addition to a periodic dot on cold damage. In fact, the floor was created for one purpose: to weaken the opponents as much as possible before the next ones. Considering the level of power of the creatures I met in this world, traps and effects should be deactivated. In particular, those that cost gold from Yggdrasil.
Walking around the wondrous place, I wanted to visit Cocytus personally, walking through the frozen forest to his residence. It resembles an overturned aspen nest, guarded by Frost Maidens. The decoration itself is made entirely of ice, all the furniture, walls, ceilings and columns are also made of ice. Despite the shape, the ice house is quite ordinary to some extent and cozy. It's a pity, but I couldn't walk around. Each floor guard receives a magical notification if someone appears on their territory. So, less than ten seconds passed, as Cocytus appeared next to me.
He is much taller than me. He is the proud owner of the Parasite King race, which also gives him a natural exoskeleton, like a beetle. The armor is inlaid into it, so Cocytus is the only guardian who walks around naked.
"Master," the two-legged insect's frosty breath didn't stand out much due to the frost surrounding us. "I am glad to welcome you to the fifth underground floor of the Great Tomb of Nazarick," kneeling, he immediately expressed his respect for my visit. Perhaps I will get used to such addresses someday, but now it causes an instinctive rejection in me.
In my past life, "ruling the world" was a silly dream, just like in my future life. As far back as I can remember, I've always been drawn to research, and that's how I managed to master a profession working with the complex technologies of this world. Purely on sheer enthusiasm and persistence, and not because I had cheats in my head.
"Cocytus, glad to see you," raising my head, I wanted to enjoy not the sight of my subordinate, but the pile of falling snowflakes. So beautiful and wonderful that I wanted to grab onto everything at once.
"Your floor has a wonderful atmosphere," I decided to praise Cocytus's place of residence, stretching my hand upward. Let people call the space around me an icy hell, but to me it seemed like a beautiful paradise. Probably, the helmet that blocks negative effects allows one to enjoy all the charm of the floor while ignoring the frost.
"Pssssh," Cocytus' body trembled as he exhaled icy air, his wiggling claw-shaped tendrils twitching. "Your words fill me with joy. My creator is a noble warrior who left me to guard the glacier from the attacks of Nazarick's enemies. I am glad that you believe that this place is not just snowdrifts, but something more."
"A piece of bread in the eyes of a poor man is comparable to a mountain of precious stones in the eyes of a rich man," lowering my palm to chest level, I began to carefully examine the handful of snow that had collected in it.
Amazing, it's a shame that such snowfall will have to be limited in order to save money. There are few options for solving the problem. Perhaps it is worth instructing the Hands of Umbra to use an artifact called the Cursed Furnace of Midas. An insanely expensive donation item that converts organic matter into gold. In theory, with its help I will be able to observe the beauty around me more than once a year.
— There is great wisdom hidden in your words.
"You can get up, we have a short trip to the bar on the ninth floor of Nazarick ahead of us. You are one of the few who is not a connoisseur of absolute evil," as far as I know, his justice points are not marked "minus". Sebas is an inveterate moralist, and I need someone of a lower level. "I have something to talk about."
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