Volume 2 Chapter 20 (2/2)

Perhaps it was because I was being too generous but their proposals had been rapidly becoming more and more demanding. I wondered: are they under the misguided thought that they were the rulers of this city?

By my guess, the trading companies would eventually tell the country about the particulars of this city and assist on the city's requisition. They would then collaborate with a large amount of soldiers and adventurers and try to drive me and my monsters out of the city to claim it for their own.

Well, if at least that much did happen, they would soon realize the cost of their folly.

I figured it would take the country at least a half of a year to determine they would indeed attack my city, collect the necessary funds, recruit and train the soldiers for their cause, formulate a stratagem, and then finally mobilize. If so, then I had more than enough time to build my fighting force and have a plan of my own.

”I guess I have to subtly warn them. Geez, if only they observed what is right and proper, all would be happy.”

Oh well, even if it did happen, it won't be anytime soon.

Thus, I put an X on the documents.

”Ah, Oto-san, I feel magic power from that letter!”

Among the bunch of documents, it was another letter addressed to me.

Recently, petitions from the city Eclaba and those surrounding it had arrived. These petitions requested the exportation of the apple seeds and the dwarf-made weapons. In addition to these petitions, many were also asking to buy the golems.

Of course, I had turned all these requests down politely.

Since there were many merchants looking to directly buy our products in large bulks, I implemented a policy that, for items like the swords, we would sell only one of such per person.

The smart Mythological Foxes had good memory so they knew whom to not sell the swords again. Even resale merchants would find it hard to procure many swords at once since they had to buy each sword from a different person, thus forcing them to stay in this city which was beneficial to me.

”It seems to be from a Demon Lord from the same generation as I am in.”

I found it quite amusing that to send a letter, a Demon Lord would make use of the same communication networks used by the humans.

I read the letter and it said that the other party wanted to meet face to face and that if I was interested in the said meeting, I should go to a certain café in Eclaba on the specified date.

It was tedious but such couldn't be helped. After all, us new Demon Lords had a rule that forbade us from harming one another other than when both parties were at [War]. As an exception to this rule, if a Demon Lord were to somehow creep himself into one's dungeon, the dungeon owner was allowed to one-sidedly attack the intruder as a form of self-defense.

So in short, if Demon Lords wanted to have a peaceful conversation, somewhere outside of both of their dungeons was preferable.

”Oto-san, what will you do?”

”I'll go.”

”But it's dangerous. That Demon Lord might declare war on you.”

Once a declaration of [War] was made, [War] couldn't be refused.

There was also rule that stated both Demon Lords had to be facing each other when declaring [War] so if one were to lock himself within his own dungeon, extremely speaking, he could kill his would-be-[War]-opponent Demon Lord assuming that Demon Lord came into the dungeon.

Furthermore, even if the declaration of [War] was successfully made, by killing the enemy Demon Lord before he left the dungeon, it would be considered a victory even before the [War] has officially started.

”It's alright. Even if it turns out to be like that, I don't think it's such a bad thing. After all, I am required to be in a [War] within a year's time. So I should not pass up the chance to be safely in one.”

I was sure I was invited for something like that.

The other Demon Lord had most probably done his own preparations for a [War] but I didn't fear losing for I believed in my subordinates.

Besides, I was sure I had the best DP income among the new Demon Lords. So long as it was through standard means, I seriously doubted newly made dungeons could make as much in this short amount of time.

”Alright but if they do intend to fight, I have a good finishing move thought up!”

The mention of finishing move got me worried but Kuina was always serious when fighting so it should be fine.

”Now then, I wonder just what the heck kind of talk this will turn out to be.”

As I continued to go through the paperwork for the administration of the city, my thoughts unconsciously wandered toward my meeting with the other Demon Lord.