I’m Telling You, I’m Not the Boss Monster!

After returning to the dungeon via the trade portal with Estizel and Hellboki, the Insects resting on the 10th floor swarmed toward me like moths to a flame.

“Kirik! The Chief is back!”
“The Chief is here, chirp!”

They’d never seemed so excited to see me before. It seemed even grotesque, oversized bugs could grow on you over time.

“Kirik! The tribe has grown!”
“There’s livestock, chirp! Is the human food, chirp?”

“Haha…”

Estizel didn’t seem particularly disgusted, likely because she’d already gotten used to seeing Valutak. I’d half-expected her to shriek like she’d seen a swarm of cockroaches, but instead, she seemed unfazed. For some reason, I felt oddly let down.

Meanwhile, off to the side, a pair of Insects were enacting a bizarre romance drama.

“Kirik. Buraltak. My mate.”
“Kirilirik…”
“Buraltak is my tree, chirp. Always waiting for me, shading me, chirp.”

There they go again—Buraltak.

At this point, I was too tired to even comment. Whether it was Kelotak or Buraltak, they could call each other whatever they wanted.

“Boss, look at the workers,” Charlotte said, catching my attention.

The Insects’ appearance had indeed changed slightly. Their forelimbs now had a reinforced chitinous texture, seemingly evolved for mining like kobolds. It was an improvement worth celebrating, but I didn’t have the energy to be enthusiastic.

I’m so exhausted.

Even as an undead, mental fatigue piled up all the same. Without physical exhaustion to offset it, the mental toll felt twice as heavy.

Today’s meeting had been one grueling ordeal after another. I could handle Gergoer’s tasks and the banquet events, but the round table meeting had been nerve-wracking to the extreme. Who could have predicted that Roxanne, not Kalandas, would be the one to act out?

Still, I’d managed to navigate it somehow. As a reward for my efforts, I deserved to hole up in the boss’s room and rest for a while.

Glancing at Charlotte, I noticed she too looked fatigued. No wonder—being surrounded by monsters and enduring Roxanne’s death threats must have taken a toll on her.

“Get some rest and recover. When you have time, start teaching Estizel magic. Estizel, for now, stay in the lieutenant’s room.”

Since they were both human, there shouldn’t be any discomfort living together. Charlotte’s expression remained stoic, as usual, but I could tell. Having known her for so long, I could see the faint signs that she approved of Estizel.

The two shared a bond as former outcasts—Charlotte a witch, and Estizel a half-human, half-demon. With time, they’d grow closer, especially as teacher and student.

“Yes, I’ll do my best. Estizel, follow me,” Charlotte said.
“Y-Yes?”
“In this place, you are not the 72nd-ranked Lord. You are a member of the Shrine of Faith within the Seventh Abyss. As your senior, I may speak informally. I ask for your understanding.”
“N-No problem at all! Speak to me however you like!”

“As a member of the Seventh Abyss, you and I both have much to learn. Let’s grow together as we serve the Boss.”

Estizel nodded vigorously, clenching her fist in what I assumed was meant to be a determined expression. She still looked like a kid, though.

“Boss, may I ask you something?” Charlotte’s question broke my train of thought.

I nodded.

“Does the hellhound have a name?”
“A name?”

Now that she mentioned it, I realized I hadn’t told them Hellboki’s name. Nobody had asked, and I wasn’t one to volunteer information unnecessarily. Maintaining the stoic boss image was part of the act.

But that expressionless face…

Something about it reminded me of when she named Skeleton Horse. She might suggest a name herself if I didn’t answer. No way was I letting that happen—Hellboki already had a perfectly respectable name.

“If it doesn’t, how about Hellboki?”

“...”

“Hells for ‘hellhound,’ and Boki because it’s always smiling happily. The name Hellboki came to mind right away.”

The suggestion shocked me.

Did she just match my naming sense? The same person who named Skeleton Horse Golgol?

-Huff, huff.

As if responding to its name, Hellboki trotted over to Charlotte, rubbing against her. Maintaining her stoic expression, Charlotte began petting the hellhound, which promptly rolled onto its back, exposing its belly and basking in the attention.

It seemed to like her even more than me. Seriously?

“…Hellboki it is.”

I’d never admit it aloud, but it seemed Charlotte and I had similar naming instincts. The thought was deeply unsettling.

***

Though I resolved to rest, the cursed nature of my skeletal body meant I couldn’t actually sleep—a torment I would never escape.

-Huff, huff.

The only comfort I had was Hellboki, who seemed to enjoy my touch and constantly nuzzled up to me. Ah, this is healing. To think I’d only get to experience the joy of having a dog after becoming a death knight.

I threw a bone, and Hellboki dashed after it, retrieving it promptly.

By the way, that "toy" bone was one of my ribs. It had been creaking for a while and wasn’t of much use anymore, so I repurposed it for Hellboki.

Knock, knock.

The sound of knocking interrupted my moment of peace with Hellboki.

There was only one person I expected to enter—Charlotte.

“Come in.”

As I expected, Charlotte stepped through the open door.

-Woof!

“…?”

Charlotte glanced between me and Hellboki, then lowered her head in what looked like humble apology. Her eyes brimmed with uncertainty—it seemed she hadn’t realized I kept Hellboki as a pet.

She must have thought Hellboki was just another dungeon defense monster. Considering my stoic boss persona, her reaction was understandable.

Still, I didn’t feel the need to explain myself. Why should the boss care about his subordinates’ opinions? In fact, the rebellious part of me only made me pet Hellboki even more enthusiastically.

“Apologies for disturbing your leisure.”
“What is it?”
“Well, it may be my misjudgment, but you seem... bored as of late.”

That caught me off guard. Was Charlotte especially perceptive, or had I been more obvious than I realized?

“If that is the case, may I ask for a moment of your time? I’ve prepared something for you.”
“And that is?”
“Are you familiar with chess?”

Chess, out of the blue?

Well, in a medieval fantasy world, entertainment options were pretty limited. Gambling with dice or chess were the usual suspects.

I know a little bit of Go, but chess…

As a kid, I was once called a Go prodigy. Unfortunately, Go wasn’t exactly a thing in this medieval fantasy setting.

I’d played chess before, though never professionally. My experience amounted to casual matches on phone apps against amateur opponents.

Still, my Go experience should carry over.

I figured I could at least manage to stay competitive in chess. I’d watched a few online tutorials and picked up a decent amount, even achieving over a 70% win rate in mobile chess.

“I know chess. Let’s play.”

With nothing else to do, I figured why not? Medieval chess wouldn’t compare to modern strategies, and crushing an opponent sounded mildly entertaining.

What if she turns out to be really good?

Charlotte was a mage—an intelligence-based character. Plus, her refined demeanor made her seem like someone who’d excel at both academics and combat. Beneath that polished surface, though, lurked a psychopathic killer.

Since she was the one who suggested chess, she was likely skilled. Then again, skilled opponents made for more engaging matches.

On the 10th floor, a chessboard was already set up, with Valutak and Estizel playing. Judging by their clumsy movements, Charlotte must have only recently taught them the rules.@@novelbin@@

“Kirik. I won, chirp!”
“That’s your first win.”
“See? Estizel is no match for me, chirp! I’ve adapted and evolved, chirp!”
“Excuse me? I’ve won ten matches to your one!”
“That doesn’t matter, chirp! I won the last one. Final victories are all that count!”
“Let’s play again!”
“Kirik. Your skill level isn’t worth my time. Go practice and come back, chirp!”
“That’s nonsense! Let’s play again!”
“Nope. You’re awful, chirp.”

I sighed and averted my gaze.

Charlotte had prepared a proper table and chairs for us. Meanwhile, Valutak and Estizel were stuck playing on the floor—a clear difference in treatment.

“Please, my Lord, take a seat.”

Charlotte pulled out a chair for me and gestured courteously. I sat down, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the formalities.

I decided to let Charlotte go first, partly because I had no strong reason to claim the first move, and partly because black seemed fitting for a death knight.

“Make your move.”
“Very well.”

Charlotte opened with a textbook knight move, her lips pressed into a tight line of concentration. Seeing her seriousness, I resolved to approach the game earnestly as well.

Charlotte focused heavily on her knights, while I moved my queen boldly.

About 30 minutes in, the game was evenly matched, with both of us losing pieces at a similar rate.

She’s holding her own.

The match kept me on edge—not that an undead can sweat, but it felt like it.

Another 30 minutes passed, and the game reached its climax. Charlotte’s king was cornered by my knight and queen.

“I’ve lost.”

In the end, victory was mine. The match had been so intense that I’d inadvertently gotten fully absorbed, despite it starting as a mere diversion.

“That was a close one. I think I could win if we played again.”
“Shall we?”
“Yes.”

Her reply came instantly, almost as if she had been waiting for my offer.

Sorry, but you don’t stand a chance.

Though it had been close, I could see through her strategies by the end. Modern chess knowledge was simply unbeatable in this setting.

Feeling a swell of pride, I picked up my pieces for the next match.

***

Before starting the chess game, Charlotte found herself consumed by a whirlwind of worries.

What if he doesn’t like chess? What if he’s just humoring me and forcing himself to play?

However, a glance at the boss's face put all her concerns to rest.

He’s genuinely engrossed.

Contrary to her fears, it seemed chess had piqued his interest. His intense focus and deliberate movements showed his deep immersion in the game.

As with the first match, this game also ended after a fierce battle of wits.

“I’ve lost again…”

Charlotte let out a quiet sigh, covering her face with her hands as if wiping away invisible stress. Through the gaps between her fingers, she stole a glance at the boss.

Though it was difficult to read his undead expression, she had a hunch about his feelings.

He’s enjoying this.

Whenever he claimed victory, he gave a slight nod, as if satisfied.

Charlotte smoothed the pieces back to their starting positions, then asked, “Would you like to play another round?”
“Let’s.”

In playing chess, she once again glimpsed the human side of him. She had always known he was deeply altruistic, but now she saw a competitive spirit that was distinctly human.

Charlotte loathed and despised humanity more than anything in this world. Yet, paradoxically, her affection for him—who retained a human heart—only continued to grow.

...And he likes human women, too.

Undead were typically known for hating humans. But he didn’t just tolerate humans; he held affection for them—or more precisely, for human women.

It wasn’t as if he loved all of humanity, which would have disappointed her. Instead, his preference was clear, as demonstrated by the fact that he kept both Charlotte and Estizel as subordinates. When asked to choose between a lich and a vampire, he unhesitatingly opted for the vampire.

Understanding this had subtly nurtured a sense of closeness in Charlotte. Where she had once harbored self-loathing for being human, she now found herself thinking it was fortunate.

If she weren’t human, she wouldn’t have been by his side.

...And he wouldn’t see me as a woman.

“It’s your turn.”
“Yes.”

Charlotte decided to put up a good fight again this round but ultimately planned to lose. No matter how trivial the game, a lieutenant shouldn’t defeat their boss.

Initially, she intended to lose tactfully while making the game enjoyable for him.

However…

Stealing a glance at him, she noticed how intently he focused on the board.

Seeing how much he seemed to enjoy his small victories made her want to keep letting him win.

...Is this really the same person?

This was the same man who had slain two heroes and dominated the atmosphere of the round table. Now, he was engrossed in a simple game.

The disparity might have been disconcerting, but for Charlotte, it was the opposite.

She found his unseen, deeply human side utterly captivating.

Until now, she had seen him as an aloof, detached overlord who dominated with overwhelming strength.

Yet here he was, displaying thoughtfulness, warmth, and an earnest focus on a small game.

When he dispatched the heroes, he’d shown no reaction. But now, he seemed genuinely pleased with each minor victory.

While he stared intently at the chessboard, Charlotte couldn’t help but stare at him. His silent concentration was almost... adorable.

...What am I thinking?

Even admiring him felt like a betrayal of her place. She shouldn’t be entertaining such thoughts, much less finding him endearing.

“Checkmate.”

Charlotte blinked.

Her gaze met his, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words.

“Would you like to play again?”

Checkmate. And yet he delivered the line with such pride. Even as his lieutenant, she couldn’t deny it.

How can someone be this adorable?

No, get it together. She scolded herself internally, shaking her head to dispel her improper thoughts.

“You don’t want to play anymore?”
“...Pardon?”
“Let’s end here, then.”
“No, that’s not it. Not at all.”
“Then why were you shaking your head?”
“I was... looking around.”
“There’s no need to force yourself. If you feel like it later, we can play again.”

With three wins under his belt, he left the table without hesitation.

Charlotte, on the other hand, remained seated, watching his back as he walked away.

“...Play another round,” she whispered, barely audible.

Her lips parted and closed repeatedly, and a quiet sigh escaped.