Volume 2 Chapter 3 (2/2)
“That’s right.”
I smiled at the answer. What I held was the one given to me on the [Evening Party]: a crystal.
“If I hold it tightly and then utter some words of power, a dungeon can be built.”
As I said so, the eyes of both Elder Dwarf and Ancient Elf sparkled as well.
“We can have a new home!”
“Master, I want the dungeon to have a mine please.”
“A fertile field for me too.”
My monsters conveyed each of their requests.
So far, their requests seemed achievable.
“Deciding the kind of dungeon ours is going to be might be important but since we can’t move it once it’s built, I wanted us to first have a look at the place then decide. So we’ll be doing some reconnaissance. If it looks like I can proceed with my plans, I’ll build it there.”
The outside appearance of a dungeon could be anything that the Demon Lord fancied and the rooms and floors inside were connected via different dimensions so the terrain, the vastness and such of the dungeon didn’t matter; the only thing that really mattered was where the dungeon would be located.
To be near a lot of humans was indispensable to my dungeon and so I decided on making use of an already popular dungeon. Popular dungeons were essential resources for humans; many of them would even go back and forth between such a dungeon and a large town. I thought that if I perhaps built my town in-between them, there would then be a demand for food and lodgings.
All the parts that could be accessed on the first floor of my dungeon shall be the town I’ll build.
I then talked to my monsters as I gathered my thoughts.
“In order for the dungeon to have farmlands, we first need to prepare fertile lands. With the help of Ancient Elf’s abilities, doing so will be easy and something like an abundant harvest could even be promised every year.”
“That makes me happy, master. We elves are creatures who are most comfortable when surrounded by trees and grass.”
My intention was to rent out the plots of land made fertile by Ancient Elf’s abilities to farmers who didn’t own their own land for almost no price at all.
If I did that, they would stay in my town for a long while and thus become my reliable source of DP.
Should that not entice them enough, building my town within reasonable distance of the first town probably would.
Besides them, I also planned to entice merchants aiming for the customers heading to the popular dungeon and, of course, inn managers.
“And then, Elder Dwarf, don’t worry, I’ll surely make a mine. It’s needed not only to attract more humans but also for the advancement of your research and the improvement of our forces.”
“That makes me happy as well, master. I’ll make a lot of strong and amazing weapons. Please look forward to it.”
“Strong weapons are great and all but please also consider making some weapons we can sell to the humans.”
“I’ll leave that task to the Dwarf Smiths. Those two are more than capable to handle that.”
The mines would attract a fair number of humans. And so too would the selling of the high-quality dwarven-made arms that no human could replicate. It would certainly be popular, especially so when sold near a popular dungeon.
Between the abilities of the two races—of the elves presiding over nature and of the dwarves ruling over smithing—the success of my new town was all but certain.
And those were just some examples; there were still many more methods I could employ in order to gather the humans.
A dungeon built by a novice Demon Lord with little DP would be unable to gather enough people and thus not earn much. And when looking from the human’s side of things, changing their hunting grounds from an already popular dungeon made no sense.
The methods I had thought of were probably the most efficient way I could gather a good amount of DP.
“Uuhh, El-chan and Elf-chan are too sly. Kuina also wants to have a job.”
“Don’t worry Kuina, for you will be the key to our defense. No matter how much of an amazing city we build or how much humans we can gather, it would all mean nothing if the crystal is broken so I will be relying on your abilities, Kuina.”
“Understood, Oto-san! Kuina will protect not just Oto-san but the town and everyone in it as well!”
The lower floors where the crystal would be enshrined would be a hellish dungeon with nothing but defense in mind. Just taking a single step in it would result in one’s immediate death.
Moreover, I intended to hide all the routes leading to the lowest floor as much as I could.
In the first place, the structure of the dungeon would completely change depending upon whether it was open for the public or at a state of war with another Demon Lord.
I couldn’t do a compromise between the two so I decided to abandon the thought of opening the dungeon to the public at the start.
That being said though, eventually, after we earned some DP and increased our fighting strength, the news of a dungeon found underneath the town shall be spread. And from being a mere stop-over, it would probably become a full-blown dungeon town and snatch away all of the popular dungeon’s visitors in the end.
“Oto-san’s thinking of a lot of difficult stuff.”
“It’s ‘cause I can’t let anything bad happen to you girls. This crystal, you see, if ever it breaks, everyone will be gone. In order to prevent that, I have to think up of various measures.”
The Creator reminded me of that when he gave me the crystal.
Even though another crystal would be resupplied to us upon our independence, all the monsters that had vanished would remain gone, never to return again.
It was then my duty to protect all the monsters I had created.
Whether they be Demon Lords waging a [War] against me or the humans, I won’t let anyone take my children away. To that end, I was willing to do anything.
“We believe in you, Oto-san. Ah! I could see it! It’s such a big town!”
“I’m surprised they made such a big town.”
Kuina and Elder Dwarf were surprised.
Their surprise was justified though.
The place we were going to, the town of Eclaba, was a wealthy town with over a hundred thousand citizens.
As I observed their surprise, I guided the Gryphon to a descent.
We finally reached the town. Although this will also be a reconnaissance mission, we will be enjoying ourselves to the fullest.