CH 19

“You did it, Kurokiri-chan! It’s your cue!”

“You idiot, stop it!” “That’s not acceptable!” “Gah!”

After a skit that even I myself couldn’t understand, the operation had been initiated.

The first step was to let Ryo and Ichiko out. At that point, I made it look as if Ryo had escaped from the front door, thus I smeared her body with mud and gave her the tools Ichiko used as a memento of her escape. Then, since Ichiko was assumed to be dead, she snuck out at night.

At this point, the distribution of Ichiko’s experience was reset.

Me: Ichiko = 1:1 → Me: Ichiko: Ryo = 2:1:1, but since this was a convenient opportunity, I changed it to the following,

Me: Ichiko = 1:1 → Me: Ichiko: Ryo: Disarray Dragonfly = 5:2:2:1.

Hmm? What about our promise, you ask? Let me ask you in reverse. Since when did you guys erroneously assume that I would honor my word? I am a Demon King, you know. Breaking a promise is something I am perfectly willing to violate. Furthermore, they will be utterly unaware of it at this degree.

The next step was to connect the basement of Ryo’s house to my labyrinth, which Ryo had requested me to do right before departing. After expanding the area that can be deemed a dungeon by expending DP, I created a link from the duct that I set up above the labyrinth, which was the center of the second level. The reason for connecting through the duct instead of the labyrinth is to avoid being discovered by those who enter the labyrinth since the relationship between Ryo and me is basically a confidential subject.

However, I have left a small room in the part that connected to Ryo’s house with a set of Iron Shackles of the Sealing Art Ⅰ. For what reason? Hahaha. Even without me stating it, you get it, right? Hahaha.

Buuuuuuuuuuuu!

Apparently, intruders have arrived. Up to this stage, it has been about five hours since Ryo went outside, and their conduct of entering my labyrinth is attributed to Ryo’s successful return from my dungeon as she managed to acquire some information about it. Although it was also conceivable that they were anticipating someone else that have been abducted, or that it was a mixture of arrogance and vanity that they had grown proficient in their skills and dared to venture into my labyrinth.

At any rate, I have instructed all the demons in the dungeon not to show up for an hour after entry and to apply up the pressure by patrolling the perimeter if they approach the area. Then, after an hour has passed, I would order them to be merciless. With this, if they are proceeding in the swamp, they will be on a guaranteed death path. And if they are moving through the trees… well, I would simply let my demons do their thing in the usual way. As an additional precaution, I’ll relocate some Mist Mosquitoes from the second level to the first level.

・Mist Mosquito

This insect-like mosquito demon is about 50 cm long.

Its wings emit a shrill buzzing sound as it flies around its surroundings. When its prey leaves an opening, it will approach and jab them with its needle-like mouth while passing by, causing the mosquito to absorb their blood (HP). Following the absorption of blood, it separates only the water from the blood and sprays it around the prey, deterring it from counterattacking.

Summoning cost: 100 HP and 100 SP each per unit.

However, the noise of their wings is so irritating… those guys.

Yeah, I figured it was a no-go. Those guys went through the swamp.

Did they obtain the proper information from Ryo? If they had intelligence, they would at least know that advancing through the swamp is definitely out of the question, and in the end, they lost another 3 groups of 18 people. Well, it is a scrumptious meal for my side, though.

Anyway, it is the usual cleanup.

It has been five days since Ichiko left my labyrinth. I have finally gotten in touch with her. Incidentally, no new intruders have emerged during this time, so I am still earning experience by abducting people. Are the military units up to something?

“Hmm. Is that the situation on your side? I mean, the Demon King of ‘Demon’s Fortress’ is even worse than I expected.”

That was the first thought that sprang to my mind after hearing the report. Yeah. Whatever the circumstances may be, that Demon King is too much of a hot-blooded idiot.

“I have no doubt that a Demon King should possess minimum stats of over 30, so that’s a vivid reminder that intelligence does not equal wisdom.”

“Well, intelligence is a measure of how efficiently you can put your magic skills to use, and it doesn’t play that much of a role in decision-making and strategy planning, so I suppose you could say it’s not so strange. After all, 30 stats for a Demon King originally corresponds to 6.”

Ichiko’s words involuntarily draw a peal of slight laughter from me. To be honest, I would like to see for myself what this Demon King of Dominating Herculean Strength is like after being told to this extent.

“I know such things. That’s how much of a hot-blooded idiot he turned out to be.”

“Oh well. I’m working on a series of things over here. You’ll have to stick to your part for a while longer. Oh, and don’t forget the promise we made at the beginning, okay? It would be a folly for the Kirijin to be exposed now,” I reply, pondering the growth of the Dragonfly and the current situation of Ryo.

“(Tsk) I understand.”

Oi, I can hear your tongue clicking.

“Well, Ichiko. In two or three weeks, if they don’t take the Demon King’s last breath, you can expect nothing will matter regardless of what you do.”

“?”

“By that time, both the Demon King and the dungeon there will be of no use to us. Since we don’t have a clue what will become of the dungeon after the Demon King loses his life, I intend to confirm that. Oh, and once the dungeon has been destroyed, come back. We’ll have a briefing session with Ryo. So, don’t do anything rash.”

And after making an estimation in my head of the increase in force and experience gained, with that conclusion in mind, I disconnect the communication. Still, this communication with my kin is so effortless.

Two more days have passed afterwards. To be frank, I have a lot of spare time on my hands. By the way, it appears that a curfew has been imposed on the residents in the neighborhood. I suppose I don’t have to break it to you why. It is my fault.

At this moment, I realize that I haven’t communicated with Ryo yet, so I make an effort to do so now.

“Huh? Why is there no Demon King who would consider joining hands with humans…?”

So that’s your opening statement? Oh, I suppose you haven’t noticed that the communication is on. Then, let’s address it immediately.

“That’s because the Demon King’s compensation ensures that they cannot beg for their lives. If they thoughtlessly show up at the negotiating table, they’ll end up in a full-fledged mess.’”

“!?”

Ah, you’re astounded. Speaking of which, the story about the Demon King’s compensation is true.

“I’m free, so I’ve been running some tests on the communication. The signal sensitivity seems to be fine. I’m hanging up now.”

Thus, I cut off the communication as I could tell that she was startled.

Tattara↑ Tattara↓ Tattara↑!

“Hmm? It’s like the evolutionary BGM of a Pokemon… could this be!”

After disconnecting the communication, the background music suddenly begins to play, and I hastily open the screen of ≪Monster Creation≫. There I found…