"To think you'd suddenly unleash your Unique Magic… I suppose it was my mistake to expect a civilized negotiation from a mere demon…"
Weaknesses are certainly useful bargaining chips in a negotiation.
But sometimes, the board can be flipped over just like this.
"I must ask you first—have you forgotten that you yourself are also a demon?"
Batory, who had been sticking close by my side, was also swept up by the Queen's magic.
"Hrmm. Well, demons are demons in their own ways. But succubi… tch. They lack the resilience of weeds; they just snap without resistance. Honestly, they should learn from me or Lady Batory."
"…For all your words, your tongue does wag easily."
She sighed, and her head turned quickly, observing.
"Still, what a curious place. A row of buildings as large as academy dormitories… I've never seen such a thing."
In the middle of a cityscape utterly alien to a fantasy world—apartments, skyscrapers.
Naturally, for Batory, this first sight of a modern metropolis drew such a reaction.
"My, even so solid. Am I dreaming?"
"…You're exactly right. Because this is a dream."
The Status Window, which had only just stopped blaring its alarm, confirmed it.
[Warning]
[Dungeon Manifestation]
[Dream Labyrinth]
[Though succubi are considered a minor race among demons, the Succubus Queen possesses powers rivaling any king.]
[Dreams are her domain. One mistake, and you may find yourself trapped forever in this labyrinth shaped from your own subconscious.]
[Resist temptation with firm conviction, overcome the trials, and hunt down the hidden Queen.]
I remembered this exact message from the original game.
It was the dungeon you entered upon confronting the Queen during the Holy Land Saleranto overthrow arc.
The problem was… even I, who had practically mastered the original, was unsettled.
'The situation is completely different from canon.'
The backdrop itself was wrong.
On that mountain—Namsan Tower, proudly piercing the sky.
And among skyscrapers, the 63 Building flaunting its height.
…I had a good guess why this place felt so familiar to me.
[Related search posts: Succubus Queen]
[153 threads]
A flood of threads on that little forum only meant one thing.
[Is the Succubus Queen dungeon guide useless or what?]
[I followed the recommended party setup, but suddenly the map turned into a desert and I got wiped; garbage game… might quit.]
[Nah, you just suck!]
└ [🤬]
[Check your companions again. The map changes depending on allies.]
└ [What kind of BS gimmick is that… whatever, thanks.]
If the protagonist brought the Crown Prince, the setting was the central capital.
With Lucra, it was the southern jungles.
And so on.
Naturally, since the Queen's magic was directed at me, the gimmick applied based on my subconscious.
'So it recreated Seoul as the dungeon map…'
A dungeon with no walkthrough, not even in the original.
My head throbbed just thinking about it.
"Dream or not, fascinating indeed."
"…Let's cut the awe short. We're in the enemy's trap, nothing less."
"Hrmm, I let my curiosity carry me. You're right."
Batory regained her sharpness at my scolding.
"Succubi magic may be troublesome, but there's only one countermeasure."
"And that is?"
"What else? You already know it—you did it earlier."
It took me a moment to catch on.
What had I done to the Queen before?
At most, I had kicked her to stop her Evil Eye, and slapped her across the face.
"…Kill her?"
"That is one way. All that matters is closing her eyes by any means. As when you slapped her and averted the bewitchment."
"…Heh, that is interesting indeed."
So in the end, the point was to defeat the boss.
That much hadn't changed from the original.
"But we'd need to find her before we can shut her eyes."
"…True. In such a vast place, the Succubus Queen won't just reveal herself—unless she's a fool."
The Queen wasn't a typical boss.
No grand clash of blades with life-or-death on the line.
That wasn't her style.
Instead, this dungeon was dangerous in another way.
Elite-grade monsters, summoned as illusions, appearing endlessly.
If the stage was the East, martial sects.
The West, escaped convicts.
The South, elves and beastkin.
The North, demons.
The Center, city guards and garrisons.
And here—in one of the safest cities in the world—
"There they are!"
"Arrest Hans Byron and his partner, Batory Erzebet!"
"Seize them!"
Screeching sirens, police cars blocking us.
Officers pointing guns straight at us.
[Phantasmal Construct (Police) A]
[Phantasmal Construct (Police) B]
[…]
Such was the Queen's dungeon—
Illusions of elite forces, dangerous through sheer numbers.
And then—
Bang!
"Hands up, no sudden moves! That was your warning shot—next one won't be!"
—A "Boss"-class illusion appearing among them.
Quantity and quality both overwhelming.
This dungeon gave no easy breaks—until the final boss herself.
"Shooting guns in broad daylight? You're scaring the civilians!"
"You bastard… how dare you, criminal scum!"
But we were hardly normal people.
One of us—an infamous swindler-demon, sneering even in crises.
The other—
"Oh? Curious weapon. A new kind of staff?"
—A real arch-mage-class vampire demoness.
"…Surely you're not thinking of stealing one?"
"Why not? In demon society, the victor claims the spoils. And I lack a staff—such fine timing."
Stopping her was impossible.
I could only sigh loud enough for her to hear.
"Escape comes first. If you must, grab one for later."
"Ah, very well. Fleeing takes priority."
She gave me a sidelong glance, oddly satisfied, as I dashed across asphalt.
"There! Suspects moving east—agh!"
We pierced the weak point in the cordon and slipped free.
The inspector screamed, hopping mad.
"Shoot them! No hesitation—they're dangerous criminals!"
"Please, I've never harmed anyone! What lies!"
"You're worse than a murderer, you fraudster! Ninety-nine convictions! Families ruined by you!"
"…."
"Batory, it's a misunderstanding."
"Of course it is. It's a dream. But… given your record, it does seem rather apt."
We dodged gunfire, ducking into alleys.
But with their numbers and cars, being caught was only a matter of time.
"What's your plan? Fly away?"
"No need to waste strength."
If they had cars, so could we.
"Hey, bastard! Blocking the road—want to get run over—ARGH!"
"Pardon. This car is mine now. I'll use it as I please."
I dragged the civilian driver out and hijacked the car.
Fleeing police in broad daylight…
It felt just like that legendary game, infamous with politicians yet beloved by players.
"Ahaha! If the world brands me a criminal, I may as well play the part! Let's ride, Batory!"
"…And you scolded me over stealing a staff, yet here you steal an entire carriage."
The thrill of reckless driving through the streets!
Naturally, the police—bound by law and public safety—fell behind.
"Still, where are we going? You've nowhere to hide."
I smirked at Batory's question.
"Oh, there's a place. Not gloomy alleys or foul dens, but somewhere far more comfortable."
If this dungeon truly mirrored Seoul, then there was one place more cozy than anywhere.
I typed it into the car's GPS.
[Seoul, XX District, XXX Road, XX]
My home address—known only to me.
"This place…?"
"Well, if I can steal a car, why not steal a house? Come in."
No need for Twoot.
I knew the door lock password by heart.
[XXXX]
My family's shared code. The door opened without resistance.
Inside—my old home, recreated in perfect detail.
'But only the space, it seems. Not my parents…'
They weren't there to greet me warmly.
Instead, only the TV news droned.
[Breaking news: Hans Byron and his partner, Batory Erzebet, remain at large. Their whereabouts are unknown. Citizens, stay vigilant…]
In reality, my father would be watching this.
And my mother would be in the kitchen, frying pancakes…
"Hans? Why that face all of a sudden?"
"…Ahaha, so it showed, did it? Truly, hiding my expression from you is impossible."
An odd unease gripped me—solidifying into tension, crawling down my spine.
Why was the TV on, when only I knew this place?
Why was a frying pan heating on the stove?
"Seems we've had guests ahead of us."
"Guests? Those ruffians with the strange weapons?"
"Perhaps… but unlikely."
No police could enter here.
This was linked to my past life, not Hans Byron's.
'And the door lock was untouched—no break-in.'
Only one possibility.
I bypassed the living room, my parents' bedroom, and what should have been mine.
Until only one room remained.
"Hans, there are life signs inside."
"I know. Two of them."
I seized the knob and flung it open.
"You insolent—! Before the Saint, bow your head at once—!"
The Holy Knight guarding the prison barked, but I ignored him.
My eyes fixed instead on the girl on the bed, clutching a doll.
"..."
Her gray eyes wide with shock—Saint Reisia.
"…Chicken."
That single word made the possessor flinch.
And seeing her here, far closer than I ever expected—my head throbbed painfully.