第１３０掘：作戦説明 (Part1)
### Dungeon 130: Operation Briefing
**Operation Briefing**
**Side: Yuki**
All eyes were fixed on me.
"Alright, I’m going to explain the operation. Let me know if you see any issues."
I gathered everyone around the map and activated the monitor I always use. Every conference room is equipped with this setup—though, physically and operationally, only we can use it.
"This is no different from the map on the table. Well, you can zoom in and out, at least."
I zoomed in on Weed until the rows of houses in the outer villages were clearly visible. Liliana-san’s face went pale as she watched. I suppose for a ruler or a politician, having their internal affairs exposed so easily is both a threat and a terror. In the modern world on Earth, we’re under constant satellite surveillance, but being on the receiving end of that one-sided gaze is never pleasant.
"Now, here is my plan."
I used a pointer to trace the route on the monitor: from Roschur to Last, then to the Demon King’s castle. I followed the shortest path I’d been told about.
"As we discussed earlier, this is the military’s planned march route. You all understand the problems that would arise if we tried to pioneer a new path, right?"
Everyone nodded.
"However, that isn't the real issue. By exercising my authority as a Dungeon Master, I could create a straight road from Weed to Last. I have enough DP to cover it, no problem."
"Oh!" Everyone’s eyes widened, as if they’d just heard a brilliant idea.
"But we can't use that strategy. While it would reduce military casualties, taking the castle without a fight would be bad for our reputation. Even if we imposed a gag order, word of this operation would inevitably leak. If that happens, Weed would be viewed as a dangerous entity for being able to create roads so easily."
"Um, what do you mean by that?"
Riel tilted her head, asking her question. As always, she’s a good girl who isn't afraid to ask when she doesn't understand something.
"It means that while defeating the Demon King is fine, afterward, every country will whisper, 'Weed uses its dungeon powers to mercilessly crush any nation it considers an enemy.'"
"And why is that a problem?"
"It leads to backlash later on. Right now, there are enough benefits to allying with Weed that they overlook the risks. But if we blatantly show off the dungeon's power—even if it’s just against soldiers—it breeds fear. They’ll start thinking, 'Weed must be defeated.' Or rather, 'Let's take them out before they turn on us.'"
Silence fell over the room.
"I see. It’s important to show strength, but if we go around acting like we can manipulate other nations' territories at will, someone is bound to push back," Seraria said, quick to grasp the point.
Cheats are convenient, yes. But to those who don't have them, they are nothing but a threat. Balance is everything.
"So, sending the army directly to the Demon King’s castle is impossible?" Tori asked, her wolf ears drooping.
"Exactly. The underground route is the same. Actually, that might be even worse—it would look like we were invading them without them even realizing it."
"I agree with Yuki-san. I participated in the gate installation meetings for Gartz, and we argued for a long time over where to put the underground passages."
Indeed, even the gates we negotiated were decided only after intense debate. If they found out we could just pop them into existence whenever we wanted, the other nations wouldn't be happy. The three kingdoms know we can do it, but to everyone else, we maintain the stance that we were "asked" to build the dungeons.
"There’s another reason. For demons to hold hands with other races in the future, we need the Allied Forces to fight alongside them this time. If we defeat the Demon King on our own, we won't need the army, and the soldiers who were eager to fight will be left frustrated. Furthermore, it would deprive them of the chance to learn what the demons are actually like, making the path to peace much harder."
"Ah, I get it. If they fight together, they can become friends, right? Even if they don't like each other, if they struggle through something together, they can drink and party afterward."
Just as Riel said. Fighting together creates a bond—a connection between comrades-in-arms who have survived the jaws of death. And if the elites of each country are involved, the influence on the rest of the world will be immeasurable.
"Is that why you asked for the elites?" Rurua asked, confirming my intent.
"Exactly. If the elites vouch for the demons, saying they’re good people, it will reach the citizens far more effectively than any royal declaration."
I looked at Liliana-san to confirm.
"Even if I have everyone help me liberate the Demon King’s castle and welcome the army... that’s not good enough, is it?"
"Liberating it with just us would cause too many problems. And frankly, we don't have the luxury of trusting a strategy from someone who was chased off her own throne because her subordinates turned on her."
That was the crux of the issue: if Liliana-san had kept her subordinates in check, none of this would have happened. I had originally planned to secretly connect to Last and trade through two of the Four Heavenly Kings. Liliana-san might want peace, but her credibility is already shattered. To put it simply: it’s like someone who failed at their first business venture asking for a loan to start another. It’s incredibly brazen.
"…I understand. So, what is the plan? Everything so far has just been identifying the problems, right?"
"Yes, exactly. We have to conquer the Demon King’s castle while clearing these obstacles."
"Hmm, based on what you said earlier…"
Ratz walked up to the whiteboard and started writing:
* Minimize damage to the Allied Forces marching by land.
* The obstacles are wild monsters on the route and the checkpoints.
* How to orchestrate a joint struggle with the demons.
* How to conquer the Demon King’s castle.
* The time limit: we must finish before Rumel destroys or routs the Demon King’s army.
"Ratz wrote it down, but this is..."
"An impossible task," Eris and Milly said, looking at the board in disbelief.
"For now, let’s go over the solutions one by one."
I gathered everyone’s attention.
"First, the premise is that we secure the land and gather intelligence. Once we control the area, we’ll know exactly what is where."
Information is everything. I’ve left the Rumel situation alone for now; it’s too early to intervene, and extra information would just cause confusion. Weed isn't settled yet, so this is a delicate balance. If Tanaka is pulling strings behind the scenes, I’d understand, but he’s currently stuck on the front lines of Rumel, so that’s unlikely. They’ll probably pretend not to know about me until things settle down, and I’ll do the same.
"Next, regarding the wild monsters on the route: we’ll use two platoons of slimes and goblins to thin their numbers. If we annihilate them completely, it’ll look suspicious, or they might mistake it for a trap and slow down the march. I’ll leave the command to Surakichi-san, so there’s no chance of them being defeated by monsters. We’ll be providing intel from our side, too."
"That is true. Even I still can't beat them in the dungeon," Surakichi-san added.
Wait, he’s still losing?
"As for the checkpoints, we’ll use Liliana-san to incite internal betrayal and rebellion. If they send a message to the Allied Forces saying, 'No reinforcements needed, save your strength. We will handle the checkpoints. Please, look after the demons,' what do you think will happen?"
"That’s ruthless. If they say that, it’ll have the opposite effect on those who have already decided to help the demons based on my declaration. They’ll be even more desperate to save the demons at the checkpoints."
Exactly. The lines don't have to be exact, as long as they inspire the Allied Forces to charge forward.