13 Episode 12: First Human Encounter (2)

This is my first time traveling at night.

I'm not scared though. Probably because I'm all geared up and nothing can hurt me.

I'm heading south right now to request strings from someone to make beds and clothes.

I have plenty of clothing I gathered from my hunting but most of them are worn out and cannot be used. The inventory of the monsters is probably not the same as mine or mine is special. I have to ask those people back home about this. I also don't want them to be wearing the clothing of dead people especially the children.

This is the first time I met them so I have to make a great first impression.

I just hope they don't go to the basement. I have someone in there that might give those people a misunderstanding.

I also hope that they are eating and nobody is bothering them while I'm gone.

I didn't expect to see human beings coming to my territory. They said they are refugees and they have nowhere to go so I will probably just ask them about their situation once I get back.

There are all in rough shape. Especially those two.

My plan to travel in the overworld will be halted if those two worsen their condition. I can't have anyone dying inside my castle.

As I'm heading farther away from my territory and deeper in the south, I finally reach my destination.

The territory of Arachne. Queen of the giant spiders.

There are three places I really avoid in this forest. I managed to find these places since I can travel now long distances with a horse.

The Skeleton Fortress in the north, the zombie tunnels in the east and this place.

I discovered the Skeleton Fortress from a distance when I was walking around the north and decided to check on it. The gate was closed up with stones and I can't see any entrances that can get me inside so I just mined my way through. I was immediately showered with arrows and spears the moment I got inside. I fought for a while until I saw a really big skeleton about 12 blocks height. He is wielding a huge iron sword. He was probably the leader. He was speaking something to me but I just ignored him and run back home.

The zombie tunnels are just a series of tunnels connecting to each other like an ant hive. The tunnels go all the way down to bedrock and I just managed to stumble upon it while mining for diamonds. My mine shaft was suddenly flooded with zombies and it took me a while to get rid of the ones that managed to get inside. After killing all of them, I was planning on sealing off the tunnel but decided to see what is inside these tunnels. I murdered my way into these tunnels and managed to get to the center of it. There is a really big space and saw a really big zombie in it. He is about the size of the giant skeleton. I just run like what I did in the skeleton fortress and blocked off the tunnels.

There are just too many monsters in those places for me to handle. Especially, the north and south since both of their leaders have intelligence and can talk.

I slowly moved my horse forward then after a moment, I can hear something moving.

I can't see anything since it is so dark.

I put away my shield and sword and pulled a lantern in my inventory.

I light it up and was shocked to see that I'm surrounded.

There are so many giant spiders.

Lots of them are on the ground and they are even some on top of the trees.

After a while, I can hear really big footsteps.

It is coming towards me and it is getting closer.

"What this? Why is the 'lonely king living in a beautiful castle' doing here?" I heard a screeching voice and now can see who it is.

A really ginormous spider. Ten times bigger than a regular giant spider.

She looks the same as the regular giant spider but has distinguishable features. Her color is black and has red colored patterns in her body. If I have to say, she is a really well-drawn character if this is a game.

"I'm surprised to see you walking at night. I don't know why you are here but I believe I have already told you, lonely king, that any spiders that attack your castle are not my doing or any of my children." She said after seeing me equip a sword in my right hand while holding a lantern on my left.

We have a little bit of history.

We had a battle a day after giant spiders invaded my castle.

I was minding my own business looking for caves when suddenly I stumbled into this place and was attacked by a bunch of giant spiders for no reason even though it is still day time. It seems that spider here are vicious whether it is day or night time.

After killing a lot of them, she suddenly appeared and saw the carnage. She was really furious and attacked me.

We fought for a while until she asked me a question to what I am doing in here.

There was no clear winner since she can't scratch me with my unenchanted diamond armor and I can't kill her since she keeps on healing.

I was really surprised at that time and accidentally told her about the spider invasion incident in my castle.

She misunderstood me and thought that I came here for revenge and to kill them all.

She begged me to stop killing her children and swore that it wasn't her doing. Told me that it was probably rogue spiders.

We chatted for a moment and after telling her where I lived, she suddenly starts calling me 'the lonely king living in a beautiful castle'. Her children were actually observing me when I built my castle and told her about it.

I don't know why everyone is calling the king or my lord. Probably because I lived in a castle.

"That is not the reason why I'm here Queen Arachne" I spoke after observing that no one is going to attack me.

I'm really cautious since it is night time and giant spiders in the game are really aggressive in the dark. I really hope it is not the same here.

"I would like to request some strings."

"Of course. Anything for the lonely king. How much do you want?" She quickly answered.

I'm really surprised at how compliant she is like anything I requested will be granted. I was about to say I'm going to give them some of my animals for the strings.

"Quite compliant of you," I said to her since I'm really curious to why she is behaving this way.

"I rather give it to you voluntarily than to let you kill all of my children and harvest the strings from their corpses."

I see. She thought I will start killing if I don't get what I want. I'm not that type of person though but I don't have time to correct her misunderstanding since there are people waiting for me and I'm not about to complain if there is someone who is giving free things for me.

"16 stacks should be enough," I told her after doing some calculation in my head.

I should have plenty of space in my inventory since I empty most of my items in the chest in the barn. I placed a new chest in the barn so I can transfer items and have enough space to store strings. Only my armor, tools and weapon are in the inventory.

After receiving the strings, I thanked them and quickly head back to my territory.

******* Arthur's POV *******

My people are now well fed and well hydrated.

We are now resting. I told everyone not to be complacent but they just ignored me. Some of them even sleep especially the injured and the children. They are probably really tired.

When we reached the second floor in the castle, we found lots and lots of food enough to feed us for an entire year.

My people are really happy that they are finally safe but I still have my suspicions.

I opened every chest in the storage room to see what is inside.

I saw a lot of things.

There is an enormous number of blocks. I was really surprised to see this amount. I never see this quantity in my entire life. With this amount, he can build an entire city. He said he lived alone. He can't possibly mine these many blocks all by himself. So, where did he get these?

There is also a tremendous amount of emeralds. He has enough wealth to buy an entire small kingdom. How can someone like him give access to a bunch of strangers to the place where he stores his money?

There is also a lot of iron here. He has enough iron to craft weapons and armors for an entire army. What is he going to do with all this iron and how did he also get these amount?

There still a lot of things here but what really caught my attention is the amount of clothing stored here. He said that he doesn't have enough clothes to provide me and my people but he has plenty of them here. Why did he say that and why did he leave?

I need to know what is really happening here.

As I'm about to head to the stairs, somebody suddenly blocked my way.

It is the village elder.

"Where are you going Arthur?" he asked with a worried expression in his face.

"There is a lot of strange things happening here," I answered him.

"His lord is a benevolent man. He gave us food, water, and shelter. I suggest you don't do something stupid." He warned me but I'm not listening.

There is no one in this world who is this kind and giving.

"Get out of my way," I said as I got passed him to run into the stairs.

"Arthur!"

He keeps shouting my name but I ignored him and I ran like all of our lives depending on it.

I need to find out what he is hiding in the basement. He said not to go there but I really need to know what is in there.

After reaching the first floor, I'm now standing in front of the stairs that lead towards the basement.

He specifically said not to go in there but that only triggered my suspicion more.

I walked slowly on the stairs until I reached the bottom.

I saw quite a lot of rooms here with irons doors on them.

I plan to check all of them one by one but I noticed a noise coming from one of the rooms.

I cautiously approach the door where the noise is coming from and tried to open it.

It is locked.

I grab the keys in my inventory and quickly tried one by one on the lock until it opened.

I slowly opened the door.

My heart is beating so fast since I don't know what I'm about to see.

After opening it wide, I was really shocked at what I am seeing.

It is a prison made out iron bars. This is my first time seeing someone use an iron like this. Iron in this world is really expensive but what really shocked me is that there is someone inside of it.

A zombie.

"Didn't I tell you not to go to the basement."

I was surprised to hear a voice behind me and quickly turn around to see who it is.

It is the man who gave us food, water, and shelter.

He is wearing his blue armor, sword, and shield.

How did he get here? The gate is still locked and the bridge is down.

Is there another way to get into this place?

I immediately equipped my iron spear and prepared to fight.

I don't know what is going on but I'm not letting anyone hurt my people.