The Castle in the middle of nowhere.

The arrival to Everlight turned out to be one hell of a special operation. We couldn't simply materialise from thin air. I wanted to keep the Teleportation Spell secret as long as possible. Explaining to every single person that could potentially see us that I'm the Dungeon Core and thus I can freely move between all my Vassals was an excellent way to instigate an enormous wave of panic. Until everyone pledged their loyalty to me, they must believe I was a Human. So we had to use a trick. Fortunately, Dauntless and his escort ships were nearby, and I asked Janet to help us. It turned out that they were hiding in the middle of the primal forest on the east of Tuvarin, hunting down the last remaining Bernan soldiers and slavers. Anyway, Janet could approach Everlight undetected and then pretend she was on the long trip from Avalon. When she entered the airspace over the city, we simply teleported using our Dungeon Move power onboard. The rest was a simple matter of pretending how exciting the trip was.

Elisabeth wanted me to give a speech and briefly explained why. I wasn't surprised to find out that some people supported her only because they hoped to obtain noble titles and lands. Looking back to my knowledge from Earth, it was a pretty standard course of action to ensure the loyalty of old nobles. Since I needed the nobility like a fish needed a bike, I was happy to quench any hopes these people had. Besides, the title of Arcadian noble was far different from their expectations. It wasn't an easy life full of people bowing to them or making their wishes come true. My nobles were directly working for me with a very long list of duties and burdens. It was better to find out anyone potentially harbouring a grudge over that early on than allow them to contact our enemies. Thankfully, most people took the news fine, with only slight disappointment, and only a few granted themselves a Slime Spy shadowing them.

After the main ceremony, which went quickly, it was time to meet with a few people I really wanted to see. We were sitting in the spacious living room, drinking tea. While I was observing Count Nova, his wife, and Viscount Terion, my wives indulged in the idle chat with them, as did Elisabeth, Raphael, and Pyonta. Interestingly enough, the younger Rabbitkin was always close to the Viscount Terion, and I couldn't guess a reason. My work theory on the matter was that Pyonta simply liked the man or decided to make him awkward and uncomfortable. It was hard to guess because she spent too much time with Jester. While Count Nova and his spouse were calm and simply happy, the Viscount was panicked and sweating profusely. It wasn't long before Amber, in her mercy, noticed the distressed man who tried so hard and so unsuccessfully to blend into the background.

"Viscount Terion!" She beamed a smile capable of melting even a rock. "I was informed that your family was famous for building the best airships and ships before Berna came and pretty much destroyed everything dear to you."

That friendly remark seemed to electrify the man. His fear was replaced by anger almost in an instant. He put down the teacup, which rang on its plate, showing how strong the emotions were that Amber awakened.

"You are correct, my Queen." He bowed slightly and took a deep breath to calm himself. "The shipyards of my family were always proud to build the most luxurious and versatile vessels you can imagine..." His face twisted in barely contained anger. "However, I'm afraid that is a thing of the past. All skilled shipwrights have already died, and they couldn't pass their skills. Since Dolrus Inaris conquered all of Berna, he forbade us from building any non-military ships..."

"That's a shame indeed..." Amber gave him a sympathetic look, and then she smiled even wider, making the Viscount blush as I rolled my eyes. "However, I believe you will regain the lost capabilities, Viscount Terion."

His facial features quickly switched between happiness, surprise, and suspicion before he slowly settled on hope. "Does that mean that Your Majesties will allow us to build airships again?"

"Yes and no, Viscount." I smiled reassuringly. "It's going to be complicated... You won't be allowed to build military spec vessels outside the Royal Navy. You also would be forbidden to build big ships for the civilian market and use military magitech in civilian ships..." I saw his enthusiasm fade, so I decided to wrap that up. "But besides that, you will be free to build the airships your shipyards were once famous for."

"We build big ships as well..." His voice was reserved but also had some shades of hope in it.

"For now, let's just say that big in my dictionary might be different from yours." I chuckled and waved my hand towards the window where the gargantuan shapes of Dauntless were clearly visible. "For sure, you can build anything this big."

"Ah... Hahaha..." He laughed nervously and nodded with an eager smile. "That's true. I reason that I will receive the specifics of the ships I will be allowed to build?"

"Along with the order for more auxiliary and construction ships." I nodded and instantly intrigued him. "Auxiliary ships for the Navy will be a bit fancier passenger cruisers used solely for the non-combat troop transport... However..." I smiled, leaving him on a cliffhanger, with him already totally invested in the case.

"However?" He asked quietly as if not to ruin something.

"You must visit Avalon and speak with Ian, oh, pardon me... Marquis Ian Southcross."

That granted him jealous gazes of others in the room. Even Elisabeth and Raphael smiled with affection. However, I noticed that Viscount Terion fairly skilfully masked his nervousness with happiness. It wasn't easy to tell, and I couldn't say if my Truth Seeker wasn't helping me, but I was sure that this man would prove to be a valuable ally or a skilled coward. I decided to put that to a quick test.

"I see that you have some doubts, Viscount."

He gave me an inquisitive look, but I masked my amusement with my Poker Face. After a few quick moments, he sighed and smiled, defeated.

"Nothing can hide from you, my Lord..." I saw that he was uncomfortable with anything that occupied his mind. "I will be blunt, my King, and I hope you understand my reservations... You told us that you are the Righteous Dungeon. What do you mean by that?"

"Ah..." I nodded with understanding and smiled to myself as it turned out that Terion was a brilliant young man who wasn't easy to deceive. "I mean exactly what I said. As you are aware, the Champions or Heroes are reincarnated people from another world. The same goes for me; I was brought to this world by Eriar, who chose me as his champion."

That was remotely true, and I wouldn't tell the entire story from the beginning right now. I also decided to skip the part about an Angel because that would only confuse everyone.

"But a Dungeon?" Terion delved further into the rabbit hole, driven by his curiosity.

"Why not?" I smiled in return. "Show me a more powerful being able to protect the entire world."

He looked at Count Nova, who also furrowed his brows but looked as if he had given up. His wife, however, smiled.

"Maybe a God?"

"Hahaha..." Hestia started laughing uncontrollably. "I can assure you that we Gods are certainly not that powerful."

That statement was met with an awkward silence where Nova and Terion looked at themselves in growing panic. Ellen Nova was undeterred and just tilted her head.

"You are a Goddess, my Queen?"

"Indeed." Hestia smiled, and for a brief moment, she unleashed her divine presence. Both the former Bernan nobles and Ellen were forced to their knees. Their eyes widened in shock, but Hestia just laughed. "I'm sorry, but a long time ago, I discovered this to be the fastest way to convince the people of who I am."

"I'm sorry..." Ellen trembled in fear, but Hestia just waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it. The Gods you had here previously were a fairly incompetent bunch..."

"Hey!" With a swirl of the air, Ertu appeared in the room, additionally startling the people. Even Pyonta and Elisabeth jerked in surprise.

"Well..." Hestia opened her hands in a powerless gesture. "You haven't helped your case..."

He snorted and took an empty chair before Ellen and Pyonta, who paled.

"I'm so sorry... I can't ask for your forgiveness because I allowed horrible things to happen to you. And I mean all of you, Rabbitkins... Queen Hestia is right. I turn out to be an incompetent god... I wouldn't excuse myself by telling you I was trying to protect you because we all know how much I failed you. I just wanted to tell you that I tried as much as I could to grant you my blessings."

"So it was the truth?" Pyonta gave the sorry-looking Eternal a harsh look. "You once were our God?"

"Yes..." Ertu lowered his head and closed his eyes. "I know you hate me..."

"That would explain so many odd things that never matched up. So many unbelievable stories of others saved by my husband..." Ellen put her hand on Pyonta's shoulder just in time to stop the younger woman from exploding with fury. "It was you who helped me meet my husband?"

"Yes..." Ertu nodded, but he still looked to the ground, unable to look into the eyes of the women who once were his people.

"Why?" Pyonta managed to restrain her emotions.

"I was deceived by Jukk'nala. He promised safety and prosperity for you all, but instead, he took you all as hostages..." Ertu raised his hand and looked hard at them for the first time. "The fact I tried to protect you changes nothing. I failed you and drove the entire race to slavery. Jukk'nala and Hur'zhun tried to sway me to fully support them and forsake you entirely..."

"But you never surrendered," Ellen finished.

"I'm pathetic... Even when I suspected that Jukk'nala was killed, I feared Hur'zhun. When he was captured, the uncertainty of Jukk'nala's fate was enough to paralyse me. Only the arrival of Lady Elisabeth and the forces of Arcadia, along with Goddess Verka, finally made me do something..." Ertu started crying, but Ellen smiled.

"It looks like we all can start a new..." She grabbed the hand of her husband, who smiled warmly. "For starters, I think you should change your name or something..."