* * *
It's already been a week since the war with the three barons.
In this war, I succeeded in obtaining the dungeon cores of Melzeros and Zarkra.
While I shouldn't carelessly decide how to use them, they are materials that certainly shouldn't be kept for long.
'The dungeon core and the Lord are one.'
While a Lord left in the dungeon without a core goes berserk due to all sorts of emotions and uncontrolled power, the reverse is also true.
A kind of meltdown phenomenon where it consumes itself, summoning and releasing an uncontrollable massive quantity of monsters.
That was the outline of the dungeon core meltdown phenomenon.
'Though I'm stabilizing them for now...'
I can't keep carrying the dungeon cores around forever, and I need to find owners for them quickly all the same.
And I had five candidates who could be made into Dungeon Lords...
"It's these two after all."
Just now, the ones who would become Lords first among those candidates were decided.
"That's how it turned out."
"Huhu. It's just as you expected, right?"
Deciding to give Zarkra's to Harpy Queen Kamaya, and Melzeros' to Alraune Queen Nirvana.
Kamaya is the queen who contacted me first, and Nirvana is the most senior queen among the five.
Also, Nirvana has a base in a good position to spread to the northeast, while Kamaya is in a good position to encompass the southwest across the mountain range.
To establish this grand strategy, Kamaya even moved her horde's nest to a better position for expansion.
It's treatment for the pioneer and the elder, and at the same time, a personnel selection that supports my current grand strategy.
"You probably guessed, but even though I decided to give the cores to you two, that's not the end of it."
A dungeon core is a massive accumulation of power that can grow.
As such, granting 'qualification' to those who possess it is a sensitive matter in the demon realm.
It wasn't something to be handled by my personal discretion alone.
If I'm not careful, I could be attacked as 'one who insulted the Demon King and the position of the Demon King's successor'.
"Yes. We're aware."
"Please tell us what we need to do, Master."
The two affirmed with serious attitudes.
Kamaya was someone who intentionally kept a serious attitude usually, but this time even Nirvana was serious.
Although she didn't bother hiding her desires even after serving me as her lord, she never forgot to respect me anytime, anywhere.
It was the experience of a monster who had gone through the turmoil of at least 100 years ago.
"Good. Then... from now on, greet the person who will help you with that process."
To them, I introduced one person entering the room.
Someone who would become a senior to them in various ways.
"Come here, Serica."
"Okay."
The person coming in had an innocent-looking smile on her lips, but noble dignity emanated from her small body.
The Elder Vampire who was operating secretly in the mountains near Copzerin, superior Dungeon Lord Serica.
She came here as soon as she arrived at my dungeon.
Tak. Tak.
A much more elegant and neat gait than I had seen before.
A straight, unwavering waist and shoulders, and a head held high so stiffly it looked noble.
Serica's change was remarkable.
Even though I had seen her a couple of times in between, I'm surprised every time I see her. Like when Jagyeong saw Jamyeong.
However, that atmosphere disappeared as she approached me and pulled up her smile deeply.
"I missed you, Rita."
She approached my side, releasing the elegant atmosphere that had been rising with each step, and hugged me carelessly as if her previous appearance had been a lie. Sitting on the armrest, she put both arms around my shoulders, smiled broadly, and kissed my cheek.
"I missed you too."
"Feels like it was just me... even though you said you'd visit often."
"I remember saying I'd visit a few times. And I kept that promise."
"I'm not fooled."
From her pouting lips emanated the coquetry I had seen before and an indescribable allure.
It was surprising that she could change her face like that, but it was also surprising and pleasing that her attitude towards me hadn't changed.
"You've become very skilled."
"Of course. I practiced a lot."
Nodding her head a couple of times, she smiled with a face that couldn't hide her joy at the praise, then buried her face in my shoulder once.
I stroked her head while praising her for her hard work during that time.
"You really worked hard."
"I had a really tough time..."
"I know."
She too had been through a lot in the past couple of months.
She had been doing various things to prove herself to the nobles of her family constantly.
To maintain the status that could become the successor of a marquis family, and to return as a Dungeon Lord on the ground as someone who had once lost her core.
And she finally succeeded in that task and was able to return to the ground like this.
To my side.
Perhaps because of this, an undeniable mental strength emanated from her, who still wore an innocent smile.
The toughness unique to someone who has properly gone through adversity.
Thanks to this, the time for comfort and praise wasn't very long.
"Are these kids going to be your new 'maids'?"
Serica, who had risen from her seat, began to exude an elegant atmosphere over her red dress and stood beside me.
Her speech was still comfortable, but at the same time, it was an attitude of maintaining the proper formality.
"Yes. That's right."
"Hmm..."
Serica examined the two by circling around them with a gaze that clearly revealed her evaluating mind.
It wasn't a long process.
"You're really excellent for natural monsters."
She said this as soon as she completed just one circle.
"Thank you, Lady Serica."
"...Thank you."
Nirvana smoothly went along with it, but Kamaya briefly looked at her with a gaze meaning 'who is this person to evaluate me?'
Since it's in front of me now and it's something I instructed for the future too, she probably won't have complaints.
Still, it seems necessary to add some authority.
Even if she has returned to the level of a superior Dungeon Lord, the difference in power between the current Serica and them probably isn't that great.
"She is second in line to succeed a marquis family in the demon realm, and is also my close friend. At the same time, she will help you adapt to the power of the dungeon core in the future, so make sure there are no shortcomings in how you treat her."
""Yes, Master.""
I, who had possessed a dungeon core since coming to this world and had never experienced its loss, found it difficult to provide the help they needed. The same was true for Ran.
So I asked Serica to take care of them.
Just recognizing this fact would help her authority.
"You didn't have to say that."
"How could I not? You accepted my request."
Though she said that, her eyes were filled with joy. Perhaps joy at the fact that I cared about her.
"But there's not much I can help with."
"Why?"
"Because I had difficulty qualifying due to having failed once, but these kids aren't like that."
There was not a trace of hurt in Serica's eyes as she talked about her own failure and past loss.
A truly nonchalant attitude.
It must be one of two things. Either she has healed sufficiently, or she has grown enough to cover her past wounds.
'Which one it is, I'll find out as we talk.'
If it's the former, that's very good, and even if it's the latter, that's fine too.
But if it's the latter, there will be a need for more conversation. When it comes to loss, I would be the senior.
Right now, it's about the core rather than that.
"I see. Then... who do you think we should talk to?"
"First, if we request from the guild, they'll help with most of the paperwork process. I'll bring the clerk who reports to the Demon King about new Dungeon Lords. It's not something that can be handled remotely."
"I see... Can I ask you to do this?"
"Of course! You can ask me to do anything for Rita!"
Serica's appearance as she spoke with her hands on her hips looked very confident and self-assured.
She didn't seem to care at all that she herself would be quite busy trying to return as a Dungeon Lord on the continent.
Well, now she's not alone.
At least I'm here.
"But... when the work is done, you have to praise me again. Got it?"
"Isn't that obvious? I should be thanking you."
"Not thanks, but praise. Praise."
"...?"
Her careful request was completely incomprehensible. But it wasn't difficult, so there was no reason to shake my head unnecessarily.
"Alright. I understand."
"You promised."
Serica, smiling broadly, hugged me deeply once more and then crossed through the gate.
It was probably to bring the clerk she had mentioned earlier.
"... Strong... rival..."
"What are you ...ing about, Kamaya. She's our senior..."
"Don't pretend... know."
The small voices of the queens were whispering brushed my ears.
However, when their eyes met mine, they just smiled their respective smiles.
Although there were some concerns, I didn't have any bad feelings, so I just encouraged them to do well and left the place.
According to Serica, there will be a 'review' period, so we'll have to wait a bit after sending the report.
* * *
"Master. I have returned after carrying out your instructions."
"You moved quite busily, Eve."
-Moved busily!
"I wanted to finish quickly and see you, Master."
Seeing Evangeline smiling slyly as soon as she saw me, a smile naturally arose.
Even if moving through Tribres connected to the dungeon via the trap mansion, it would have taken up to a week just for the round trip by ordinary carriage.
She returned just six days after leaving on the mission to 'dispose' of Alexis.
It seems she used ghost horses and moved while tightly managing her time.
"What are those?"
Moreover, her arms were full of something.
Things that seemed to have limited uses no matter how you looked at them.
Most were snacks and ingredients, but occasionally flowers and accessories seemed to be mixed in.
"They're gifts for you, Master. I spent all the remaining travel expenses to buy them."
Eve says she thought of me whenever she saw this and that outside.
Usually, if there's a need to go out, we go together or eat something on the spot, but it seems she properly activated her spending habits when she was able to move around freely on her own.
"You really..."
'I don't mind, but...'
A Dungeon Lord's body may grow, but it doesn't change.
All nutrients gained are dissolved and turned into magic power, and from that magic power, the body's activity and maintenance power are obtained.
This means that the appearance at birth is consistently maintained until death.
Some Dungeon Lords grow as their magic power increases, but...
'I haven't increased in height or weight so far.'
Even if I eat as much as I want in the future, there will never be obesity.
There's a consciousness of being full, but not even indigestion or overeating phenomena.
'Still, I wish I could grow a bit taller.'
It's possible to temporarily increase body size. But that's mimicry or transformation, not growth.
Thinking about a wish that would probably be impossible after all, I put the chocolate that Evangeline opened first and handed to me in my mouth.
"Here you go."
Tok.
Although medieval chocolate doesn't have much sweetness, I was grateful even for this. We can't expect sweetness like modern Earth has in this environment.
Still, recently I was able to taste some things close to that flavor...
That was all thanks to the efforts of Evangeline, Xue, and Ran.
"Please wait a bit. I'll melt it and make a new one for you."
They, who properly know my taste, often made the main dishes or desserts for my table by hand.
It was somehow embarrassing.
People who know my taste even though I never told them.
"You don't have to do that. Aren't you busy enough with other things? Your bodies are important."
"Don't worry. We don't need to sleep. But our beautiful master needs to sleep."
Even if I try to stop them with words like this, when all three of them smile brightly while saying that, I can't stop them more strongly.
"What are you saying?"
-What are you saying!
"You rascal. You're distorting my way of speaking these days."
"Ah. I forgot for a moment because it's been a while since I saw you, Master. Look at this, Master."
While I scratched Mary's head once and she showed the appearance of rubbing her cheek against my finger.
Evangeline took something out and showed it to me.
"What do you mean it's been a while? It's only been a few days. So what's this item?"
"I found it in Alexis' quarters, but."
She, who had slightly hardened her expression, showed it while refreshing the somewhat comfortable atmosphere. It was a card with a golden hand picture drawn on the back of the hand with gray eyes.
"It's the emblem of the Black Merchant Guild Midas."
"What?"
An organization I had briefly touched upon before regarding Hailey's matter, and from which I still occasionally receive information.
It was a report that Alexis was connected to that Black Merchant Guild.