WorldCrafter - Building My Underground Kingdom
Chapter 243 - 243: Velmora

Sephiria didn't hide anything, giving out every detail she could. Based on her information, living in the new zone was far more prosperous. Slavery still existed, but it was deemed inefficient for labor. Most slaves were instead used for entertainment, like fighting in the arena as gladiators.

The rules there were also more fair, even a Nephirid could be turned into a slave. Although, their treatment was far more decent compared to Velmora and other species.

Slaves were still considered property, but they were somewhat protected, at least outside the arena.

Then came the topic of monsters guarding the border.

The moment Ben asked about it, Sephiria's expression shifted to pure horror.

"Those monsters… they're abominations. I've never seen anything like them."

She began sketching the images, making Ben frown. 'Is her drawing that bad… or do they really look like this?'

The designs reminded Ben of hardcore nightmare games where players died over and over again.

A giant floating eye with four thick arms.

A knight, with a sword embedded in its hand, its body hunched, one arm grotesquely larger than the other.

Sephiria pointed at the knight sketch.

"This one is the worst. It killed all of my people… no survivors."

As Sephiria described the overwhelming power of the knight, Ben's gaze narrowed.

'If I look past its abomination form… this actually resembles a Nephirid. Did the Fire Temple run experiments?'

The thought made sense. Even in religious nations, research never truly stopped. It just became monopolized by religious organizations, used for their purposes, while banning others from doing the same.

'If the Ashking was preparing for another war, then research would've been inevitable. That means… the Special Zone also served as a lab. But then what happened?'

Based on Elvira's memories, there were no monsters like these.

'Does this mean the experiment failed… or did something else happen?'

Ben started to consider the possibility, could the results of the experiment be preoccupied with the daemon instead?

He then asked another question. "What about the Velmora Kingdom? Do they trade with outsiders?"

Sephiria shook her head. "Trade is flourishing between the ancient kingdoms. But with the outside? Nothing. After learning the truth, I did hear rumors, some people smuggle slaves from this zone, but I don't know how they manage it."

"That's good enough," Ben replied calmly. "You should rest and prepare yourself. I'll probably need your help soon."

"What help?" Sephiria's voice turned bitter. "There's nothing I can do."

"You've lost your confidence," Ben said. "But have you forgotten how your fellow Velmora live here? In my city mansion alone, I have over a dozen Velmorian slaves."

His words struck a nerve. Sephiria's eyes narrowed with anger, but she didn't lash out. She knew better. There's no way she could beat Ben.

"Don't worry," Ben added. "They're treated with respect. To me, they're no different from any other worker. What I need from you… is your charisma, your presence as the Velmorian princess."

Sephiria froze for a moment.

"What's your plan?" she finally asked.

"Prepare your story," Ben said. "I'll handle the rest. All I need from you is to speak. Do what you want, but let them remember who you are."

Ben's focus had already moved beyond Gravenhold. To him, defeating them was no longer a question of if, only when.

Ever since planting Krell ants throughout the city, a flood of information had poured in, strategies, patterns, secrets. All that remained was time.

But now, his eyes were on the next step: sparking rebellion. There were many ways to begin, but he'd found his spark in Sephiria.

The Velmora were weak, like ordinary humans. They had no unique strength or magic, only beauty, which led others to look down on them. Dismissing them as harmless. A mistake.

Ben knew better. They worked in noble homes. They cleaned, cooked, served, entertained.

They were invisible, but they saw everything. With Krell ants as a communications network, they could pass information back to him. High-value targets. Schedules. Weak points.

'Give it a year,' Ben thought, 'and I'll know everything that happen on this kingdom.'

The only challenge now was how to get the ants into place, and keep them alive that far from the Hive. That, he'd discuss with Elvira later.

For now, he shared the outline of his plan with Sephiria and Taleth.

Taleth frowned. "Master… are you sure this will work? The collars we Velmora wear, it's not just these." He pointed to the bracelet on Sephiria's wrist. "It's inside our hearts."

Ben nodded. "That's because your people haven't seen hope in a thousand years. Not even once. But now? Everything we need is already here."

Taleth glanced at Sephiria. Both of them looked uncertain, confused by what Ben meant.

Ben sighed, watching them. 'They still can't see it...'

He understood why.

Taleth had tried everything. Since his escape he have created resistance, recruiting those he can use. Trying to convince other Velmora, but in the end, he became just another gang leader with barely a handful of Velmora rescued. Not even ten.

All those sacrifices, all that effort… and it meant nothing. The Velmora that were saved doesn't even want to help him. They all just want to escape and stay away as afar as possible.

Their spirit have been broken, that for them resistance doesn't even pass their mind. Worse Taleth have even faced situation where the Velmora still sided with their captor.

As for Sephiria, she was once a princess who cared deeply for her people. She lived a life of privilege, spoiled perhaps, yes, but her heart was genuine. She believed in dignity, in duty. Her words could move courtiers, and her presence was one of quiet command. She probably got everything she wanted, raised in comfort and treated like royalty.

But now?

She was exiled, enslaved, humiliated. Her pride, her identity, her dignity, shattered piece by piece, over and over for months. No throne. No title. No voice. Just a girl stripped of everything that once made her whole. No one who lived through that could still believe in hope. Not truly.

It's easy for someone on the outside to say, "If I were in her place, I wouldn't break." They think defiance is simple. That resilience is a choice. But it isn't. Not when the system is built like a perfect machine, refined over centuries to extinguish rebellion before it sparks, to twist every act of resistance into futility. The deeper the despair, the stronger the chains.

But Ben had no intention of leaving things as they were. He would make them believe again.

"Now we have a Velmorian who can fight." He nodded at Taleth, his tone calm but certain.

Then he turned to Sephiria. "And we have a princess who knows the truth about the kingdom."

He tapped his chest. "And there's me. A Nephirid with my own city, my own power."

He inhaled slowly, his voice deepening with purpose. "I have the means and the strength to do what both of you could not achieve alone. With these three factors combined, rekindling hope is not just possible, it's inevitable."

He looked Taleth in the eye. "Think about it. How do you think the other Velmora will react when they learn their kingdom still lives?

That there's a place where they can walk freely, without chains, without fear? A utopia where they're not slaves, but citizens."

Then his gaze returned to Sephiria. "And you… You're still the Velmorian princess. That mark you bear? That blood in your veins?

There are still those out there who will recognize it, who will believe in it.

All we need to do is find them. Show them a future. Give them the strength to stand."

He paced slowly, each word deliberate. "It may start small, quiet murmurs in the dark, but once belief takes root, it will spread like wildfire.

You know how many Velmora live in this kingdom, right? Maybe not many by number… but they're everywhere.

In every noble house. In every elite estate. Working, serving, watching. Don't underestimate that."

His eyes narrowed, voice low and resolute. "Almost every noble has at least one Velmora in their shadow. That's access. That's power.

They can poison. They can leak secrets They can destroy them from inside.."

He stopped and turned fully toward them. "You should understand my ambition now, Sephiria. I'm not just fighting a kingdom. Think about what that means for your people."

Then he turned to Taleth, voice steady. "Take care of her. That's your mission for now. Help her rise again."

He then left both of them behind, giving them space to rest and rediscover their fire. There was no time for sentiment, Ben had too many pieces in motion, and each one demanded attention. As he walked down the dim corridor, his thoughts shifted to more pressing matters.

The golem market.He needed to ensure it was progressing as intended. The economic structure, the distribution channels, all had to be stabilized before the next phase. The plan couldn't afford delays. Every delay meant more chances for Gravenhold to respond.

Ben's gaze darkened as he reached the upper terrace overlooking the forge district.

'Looks like I'll have to accelerate the Gravenhold plan… I can't give Apophis more time to play her game.'