第１３１２堀：魔物たちも大変 (Part2)
"That’s exactly the problem. Personally, it’s convenient for me to operate the monster army as a private force belonging to Aslin and myself."
"Being able to move them with a single word is a relief, isn't it?"
"You’d think so, but even I have to deal with the paperwork. Well, Ratz and Eris are polite enough to gently point out my mistakes and let me fix them on the spot, so it doesn't go beyond that."
"…If that’s how it is for the Boss, the rest of us would just get our papers tossed back in our faces."
The two of them are strict when it comes to that kind of documentation. Still, that’s exactly why we can feel at ease.
"Which means our momentum slows down even further."
"Organizations are such a hassle."
"I miss the early days of the dungeon. You guys hunting deer and butchering them is a fond memory."
"Oh, that takes me back. But looking back on it, wasn't that deer full of parasites?"
"It was crawling with them. That’s why I basically left it all to you guys and ate something else."
"That’s cold."
"Hey, you guys were wild children—goblins—back then. I figured you’d be fine."
"I mean, when you put it that way, I guess so, but..."
That’s the kind of information I’d rather have lived without. As we’re talking, Yuyu suddenly chimes in.
"U-um, Yuki-sama, when you say you’ve been together with Steve-san since, l-long ago..."
"Hm? Ah, you mean is this Steve the first guest—no, subordinate—to come to this dungeon?"
"Isn't it subordinate? But actually, there were five or six others called at the same time, so I’m not sure if I’m really the first. Britt might know, but he’d probably just keep it to himself."
"Ohhh," the Fiora sisters murmur, seemingly impressed. I find it strange that they’d be so surprised by that now.
"Back then, you couldn't even speak. It was a mystery how we could communicate at all."
"Ah, that was because the meaning got through to us. If it hadn't, we couldn't have defended the dungeon."
"Is that how it worked? I suppose that makes sense. It would be pointless if I couldn't issue orders."
"But the Boss was surprisingly flustered back then, too. Like when you gave us that little pep talk."
"I had to. I didn't know what was going to happen next. I needed you guys to be motivated, and more than anything, I didn't know the extent of your capabilities. I wanted to test that. Well, the result was that Steve and the others were able to do it."
"Calling it 'made' sounds a bit off, but it’s true that without the education, we wouldn't be who we are today. Who would have thought goblins would be doing paperwork or commanding armies?"
"I don't know about the paperwork, but higher-tier goblins often command packs. I figured you had the talent for it. Besides, I didn't have much DP back then, and if I could save by using education, that was the best way to go."
"That’s true."
Times were tight back then. We had no choice but to make the most of the forces we had and make them stronger.
"Speaking of education, how is the army expansion coming along?"
"Overall progress is at two-tenths. We’ve finished securing the monsters that spawn infinitely in the dungeon."
"You used those? Wouldn't it have been better to summon new ones with DP?"
"We don't have that kind of budget. We’re stretched thin. If I’m going to spend DP, I’d rather put it into skills and training to speed up the education process."
"Ah, so that’s the path you chose."
"What we need right now isn't numbers, but soldiers who can actually fight. Still, the proficiency is bound to be low..."
It’s a headache, truly.
"We’ll have to think about an educational system for the military, then."
"I’m considering reassigning active-duty soldiers to training roles, but..."
"That’s standard procedure. Or rather, it’s the only thing that comes to mind."
"But that means fewer people on the front lines."
"Sigh. Well, we can think about that later. Shall we head to the government building?"
"Sounds good."
There’s no answer to be found just by thinking about it now; I’ll have to read through some documents and see if I can find a hint. Ah, being at the top really isn't as easy as it looks. Steve and the others aren't having an easy time of it, either.
Truly, the world is a difficult place.
And, the 17th volume of *How to Operate a Winning Dungeon* was released on the 28th! Please consider picking up a copy.