第５３掘：暴虐の魔王とスライム (Part1)
**Dungeon Excavation 53: The Tyrannical Demon Lord and the Slime**
May 16, 2014
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**The Tyrannical Demon Lord and the Slime**
**Side: Yuki (Real Name: Kazuya Torino)**
Currently, Rurua and the others have reached the designated village and are just waiting for the Saintess to arrive.
Cars are truly convenient things.
As for me, I’ve been spending my days in meetings with everyone, working to improve the issues that were brought to light thanks to the Fairy tribe.
Heh heh heh… I’m starting to feel like I’m actually working a job in modern Japan.
Today’s schedule is the fourth phase: a tour of the dungeon facilities and a look at the workplaces.
However, perhaps because the group was small, the workplace tour was finished yesterday. They even did some practical work.
As expected, Narjia-san—despite having no prior experience—seemed to grasp the basics of the smithy through my verbal instructions and the textbooks I provided. She managed to finish nearly twenty iron swords for me.
I’ve set up an Infinite Box so that materials can be retrieved as needed.
She didn't dare touch the tamahagane or the alloys, likely because she didn't know how to handle them, but after I joined them and showed off some katanas and modern knives, her eyes completely changed.
I told her the manufacturing methods exactly as I’d seen them on the internet, adding the disclaimer that they weren't guaranteed, but it seemed my verbal explanation was enough to convince her. She said she would try putting it into practice today.
There is, however, one other issue.
During the meeting yesterday, Firia fell asleep.
That in itself isn't a problem. After all, with that small body of hers, she swung that incredibly heavy hammer and finished a sword.
The center of gravity and the balance were a mess, but for a first attempt, it was more than enough.
So, it’s only natural that she’d be tired and fall asleep.
But when Firia woke up this morning, she was crying her eyes out.
She was crying in a way that was truly rare to see.
"Brother, I'm so sorry!! I wanted to give you a shoulder massage!!"
Ah, the trio of kind children always gives me shoulder massages at night.
It makes me very happy, but Firia was exhausted. It couldn't be helped.
I tried to comfort her, but…
"I couldn't lick-lick you!!"
Lick-lick? Did she want to eat ice cream?
While I was pondering that, Labyris and Aslin helped me soothe Firia.
I swore to myself that I would wake her up properly today and give her some ice cream.
Let’s do our best today, too.
The daily schedule for the training grounds is basically: wake up at 8:00 AM, breakfast, then various explanations and work starting at 9:00 AM.
It’s currently 8:30 AM. Everyone should be gathered in Training Room A, so I need to get moving.
As I was heading there, a problem occurred.
*Intruder Alert.*
Tch, what a pain.
I immediately gathered everyone to start a discussion.
"Um, Ratz-san told me about this. An intruder alert? In this dungeon?"
Narjia-san still seemed unaware of the situation, tilting her head.
Meanwhile, Milly and Tori were in Training Room A, conducting class as usual.
"Yes. To be precise, a biological entity—well, I don't know if it's an enemy, but a humanoid creature has been detected approaching. It hasn't entered the dungeon yet. So, what’s the report from the animals you all have under your control?"
I asked for everyone's input.
For the past few days, we haven't just been building the dungeon town; I’ve been distributing the monsters I had tamed to everyone else, transferring control so they could practice combat training and reconnaissance methods.
They haven't been able to focus entirely on it, so they aren't used to it yet, though.
"I have a report from a bird in the sky. It’s heading straight for this dungeon."
"I got information from a squirrel that it’s heading straight here, too."
"…Mine is definitely heading this way as well."
"…*hic*, *hic*."
Wait, is Aslin crying? Why?
"Yuki, the tanuki that Aslin had under her control was killed. I got a report from my own familiar."
Ah, damn. Aslin was really fond of that tanuki.
Did they turn it into a meal?
"Ah, Brother!! T-this!?"
As I was thinking that, Firia turned her call screen toward me.
On it was a woman who was too mature to be called a girl, yet too young to be called an adult.
*"Ah, ah. Can you hear me, Dungeon Master? I wondered why beasts had been watching me from afar for a while now, but I see. This magical power… these are your servants, aren't they? You can see me, can't you? Still, I heard rumors that a new dungeon had been built, but if you're only using beasts like these, it’s not much to speak of. Well, I’m bored anyway, so do your best to struggle, won't you? I’ll see you in your dungeon."*
The screen cut out abruptly.
She probably killed it.
"…Firia’s familiar was killed."
Firia looked pained, but she wasn't crying.
I’ll have to comfort her properly later.
"Now, does anyone know who she is? It’s not like you can just identify a tamed animal out of nowhere…"
When I threw the question to everyone, Elju muttered with a pale face.
"…The Princess of Fresh Blood."
"Elju-sama, t-that’s impossible!"
Oriel reacted excessively to Elju’s words.
What is this "Princess of Fresh Blood"?
Everyone else, hearing Elju’s words, stared intently at the call screen. What does this mean?
"…I don't want to believe it, but… Brother, I agree with Elju-sama’s opinion. I don't think we should underestimate her."
"I-I think she’s the Princess of Fresh Blood too, I do!! B-because she’s wearing a black dress!!"
A black dress? Is that like her trademark?
"…To capture a tamed animal that easily, I think she’s the Princess of Fresh Blood, too."
Even Ratz, Riel, and Kaya agreed with Elju.
"Hey, what is this 'Princess of Fresh Blood'? Is it some kind of title?"
"Ah, it’s natural that you wouldn't know, Brother. But we don't have time to lounge around explaining it. First, let’s tell the Fairy tribe gathered in the training room that we’re having an evacuation drill and move them to the escape route."
"Is she really that dangerous of an opponent?"
"Yes. I trust in your strength, Brother, but honestly, the name 'Princess of Fresh Blood' is terrifying precisely because I don't have a real sense of what she can do."
We talked about this while moving.
There was no need to debate the evacuation; it was unanimous.
As soon as we reached the training room, I told Milly and Tori the situation, and both of them turned pale and began the evacuation drill.
"Eris, you should have the most knowledge about these things. Can you tell me what you know?"
I said, relying on the knowledge of the Elf tribe.
"Only a little, but… Yuki-san, there are two people on this continent known as Demon Lords. One of them is that Princess of Fresh Blood."
Whoa, hold on. The large-scale events we’ve had are only the ones with Mauve and his group, the Roschur soldiers, and the knights of Litea, right?
Isn't jumping straight to a "Demon Lord" event skipping a few steps?
Oh, wait, there were those self-proclaimed Four Heavenly Kings. Were they the cause?
"No, the self-proclaimed Four Heavenly Kings have nothing to do with it. The Princess of Fresh Blood basically wanders the continent as she pleases, destroying towns, villages, or even countries on a whim. Her name as a Demon Lord is the 'Tyrannical Demon Lord.' And the origin of 'Princess of Fresh Blood'… well, blood turns black over time, doesn't it? It is said that her dress was originally white, but…"