Chapter 54

54 – An Official Order from Lord Demon King

「So you’ve arrived, Lemegeton.」

It’s the meeting room where I met with Her Highness for the first time.

It’s dimly lit, but visibility is clear, and even though the room is spacious, the only things in it are a long table and chairs made out of stone. Before this room is merely a narrow room that houses the Recording Stone that is equipped with a teleportation function.

Including Her Highness and the Big Four, there are five chairs. However, there has been a new addition.

Being the Chief of Staff, you’d think that a spot next to Her Highness would be reserved, but my seat is across the table and facing her.

Today, Luci’s crimson hair is styled in a twin-tail with an immense volume on each side.

She might look like someone who is just a little bit older than Cashew, but she is genuinely my boss.

「No matter when, I shall answer your call.」

At my response, she gave a proud chuckle.

「You have done well.」

「Thank you very much.」

「That matter with the Fenix party was superb. They were all annihilated, so they had to regenerate their Avatars here. Especially since two of them are Heroes, we managed to get a lot of money.」

Her Highness gave a satisfied nod.

Technology that can recreate one’s whole body using Magical Energy is used for Avatar creation.

It’s very expensive to use, so Adventurers try as best as they can to not have their Avatars broken.

Replicating superior Magical Energy organs, special skills like Lily’s Godspeed, and any Magic Tools in possession will further increase the price. Money is requested in exchange for the labor of replicating them.

A shop that’s under the Adventurer Union will charge a fixed price, but there is a system in place where regeneration and repairs that are done right after a Dungeon Clear, in the same Dungeon, are subject to a discount.

Since Fenix and co. all requested for Avatar regeneration then and there, the Demon King Castle profited.

「The Flame Hero also included the repair cost of the tenth stratum in the payment. Is your bosom buddy rich?」

The destruction of not just the cameras, but the entire stratum was billed to Fenix.

This is a rule of Dungeon Clearing, so he agreed to it.

「We only split the earnings from the broadcasts between us evenly, any money earned individually will belong to that person. That’s how we did things.」

「Ah, I see. Unlike the sought after Flame Hero in TV, magazine interviews, and events, the Black Sorcerer didn’t get many jobs like that, did you?」

「Yeah…Despite being from the same village, the same age and even the same party, the difference between our incomes is incomparable…」

I mean, yeah…I was earning a whole lot more than the average Adventurer, but I didn’t have any of the additional income that the other famous Adventurers had.

People like Fenix get asked for various TV commercials, and I think Lily was asked to do shampoo commercials. Alba did commercials for easy-to-move-in shoes, and Lark did commercials for a company that handles armors.

I got nothing!

Zilch! Nada!

Even when they interview the entire party, I’m just there as an added bonus, and more than once during these things, I wasn’t asked a single question.

The other four during their break…that is to say, on the days that we aren’t Clearing a Dungeon, they get job offer after job offer while I have nothing to do.

Although it’s thanks to that free time that I was able to devote all of my attention to my training…

No wait, there was one time where a smalltime magazine was putting together a special feature. Something like「The Hope of the Black Sorcering World!」. I remember walking out of the interview part-way through when they asked me just how to butter up a famous person.

It wasn’t an interview about Black Sorcerers at all. When they asked me「Just how did you butter up the Flame Hero to keep you in the party?」I was profoundly sad.

That’s how badly the world treats Black Sorcerers.

「R-right. Apologies. I did not mean to dishearten you. Come, come, would you like me to pat you on the head?」

「No, please don’t worry about it.」

「Oh? When I do that to Agares, he seems to get motivated enough to work for a month without sleep or rest.」

Agares…dude…

Well, I suppose if a pat on the head is enough to satisfy him, then there shouldn’t be a problem.

I think. Right? I’m not sure.

「I’m fine, but you have my thanks.」

「Hm. I suppose you do have Cashew and Carmilla, so you have no need for other sources of comfort.」

Her Highness held her chin and seemed to understand, so she returned to the topic at hand.

「At any rate, I did think it took a frightful amount of work to create your Avatar but to think you inherited his horn.」

「Ahaha…」

「Fear not, Lemegeton. Rather, you have my respect. I thought the pain would be too much for a Human to bear.」

「Well, Master somehow managed to keep me from dying.」

「Grandfather is a genius but he was not good at handling delicate matters. He made it compatible with you, but I don’t believe he was able to perform the feat without diverting the pain.」

「Uhm, yes, it hurt a lot… but it was something I wished for.」

「For Grandfather to give his horn to a Human simply because he wished for it…Lemegeton, did you blackmail him?」

「As if Master even has a weakness!」

I blurt that out while Her Highness roars with laughter.

「I truly can’t think of one. Oops, there’s more I want to talk about but we should get back to the topic at hand.」

Everything up to now was just small talk. I know the reason I was summoned was for something else.

「Yes.」

「You personally know two Demon Kings, yes? Grandfather and myself.」

「…That’s right.」

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There’s no point in denying that or deceiving her anymore.

To tell the truth, I have fought others with the title of Demon King before, but I only personally know two of them.

「In that case, are you not curious? About what your master’s son, your boss’ father, the previous Demon King, is doing right now?」

Sooner or later, I was planning to indirectly ask her about that, but now the person herself is bringing up the topic.

「I am curious.」

「Good. I would be insulted if you weren’t.」

Her Highness gave a weak smile, and then wiped all expression from her face.

「My fath-…That man abandoned his post as the Demon King. I’m not saying that you should live your life only to work, but what he did was unforgivable.」

I sit up straight and listen intently.

「That man…that man said「All this Dungeon Clear business is outdated.」. He said「I shall create a new kind of business and put an end to Dungeon Clearing.」and left this Dungeon behind.」

「Th-that’s…」

「Of course, he has his beliefs and logic. Currently, viewers undoubtedly lean towards the Adventurer’s side. That much is evident from the fact that it is called a Dungeon「Clear」.」

The Adventurers are the ones broadcasting the videos so it’s only natural that people lean more on their side, but they aren’t called Defense Videos.

「That man said that he will change this disadvantageous arrangement that we Monsters find ourselves in. A splendid aspiration. Wonderful if it came true. But I ask you, Lemegeton. Is it not a shame to abolish Dungeon Clears from the world for that purpose?」

I agree with Her Highness.

Certainly, there are people who discriminate against Demi-Humans possibly because of the role they play as villains in Dungeon Clears. It is unfortunate.

However, that can’t all be blamed on Dungeons and there’s no guarantee that it will go away if you abolish Dungeon Clears.

It’s because of Dungeon Clears that I found my dream.

I can’t agree with the idea of getting rid of them.

Besides, we’re changing things from the inside.

We’re trying to prove that it’s OK for the Monsters to win as well.

It’s reckless to resolve to somehow get rid of it, cutting off that other path.

「It seems that man started advancing his plans after Grandfather’s disappearance. They were able to defend the Demon King Castle but nearly all of Grandfather’s subordinates changed occupations or followed that man.」

…So that’s why the Big Four and all the other Monsters are all young people.

Everyone’s strength is worthy of being called Demon King Castle Monsters but I did wonder about the large number of young people working here.

It’s not unusual for Monsters to be replaced, but I thought it was because her Highness is also young, so she preferred to hire young staff. It seems I was mistaken.

「I have been trying to figure out what that man has been up to…He’s going to make a big move soon. I’ve confirmed that he’s planning on buying-out a certain Dungeon as part of his plan.」

「Buy-out, huh…」

「It’s not easy managing a Dungeon. If you’re in the red, you have to think about selling the whole thing. I don’t know what that man plans to do after he buys it, but it’s clear he won’t let anyone「Clear or Defend」it ever again. I can’t allow that to happen.」

Her Highness truly seems angry. Although, I sense no hatred.

「I believe I understand the situation. However, I don’t think there’s much I can do…」

「Lemegeton, my faithful Chief of Staff. I want you to use your abilities to make the aforementioned Dungeon profitable. Turn it into a Dungeon that attracts Adventurers like moths to a flame that burns them all the same.」

「Eh? …wait, what…? Uhm, so you, want me to go on a business trip?」

Actually, I guess that isn’t unusual.

Dungeons are layered structures that don’t always have guests. Even if there were guests, they have to start from the first stratum.

There are days where there’s nothing to do. During those times, there are those who do other work that is appropriate to their Job and those who temporarily transfer to other Dungeons.

If I think about it, a business trip isn’t an unusual order.

My tenth stratum is still being rebuilt, so even if Adventurers come, they can only go up to the ninth stratum.

There are probably high-ranking parties who want to Clear the Demon King Castle one stratum after another like Fenix and co. did. Until the tenth stratum is newly built, all I can do is stand by and wait even if other Adventurers come and challenge it.

Conversely, only a few of the mid-ranked and below parties who still want to challenge the Demon King Castle were left after the shock of Fenix’s party losing.

Each and every person in the Demon King Castle is strong enough to handle those few who remain.

Even if they were to break through, they can’t go past the ninth stratum.

「If it’s you, it can be done. You are my Chief of Staff, after all. You are also the person who inherited Grandfather’s horn. You and that man have a connection.」

Originally, he was supposed to inherit the horn, but I did instead.

A piece of my master is within me.

Her Highness and her father, there is a connection. We are linked by fate. A strange fate, but linked all the same.

「I permit you to use the ring, but please consider their work schedules. Also, I’m sure you already know this, but do not use the horn. If you have to, keep it to just one horn.」

She’s referring to when I released the horn.

I’m prohibited from changing my right arm and growing wings.

If I just grow one horn on the right, people can accept it as simply an act.

「What say you? Until the tenth stratum is finished, will you accept this job?」

There are still things I wish to ask, but for the time being, my answer has already been decided.

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She is my boss, I am her subordinate. And this is work.

「…If Her Highness orders me to.」

「Indeed, then I shall.」

Her Highness ordered me happily.

「Crush that man’s ambition to dust, my faithful Chief of Staff.」