Chapter 10 - 10 Conquering the Dungeon
Three days after Klaus's family departed.
Finally, just as everyone was starting to recover from their fatigue. At the hot spring inn's infirmary, I was able to hire several massage therapists to succeed me.
"The slave traders from Margrave Kruger's territory should be arriving soon..."
The number of people captured was about 90. Of those, 10 had been taken into the mountains to serve as bait for catching Silver Wolves and had died. Of the remaining 80, 30 were recruited as my spies and retainers.
"We were being forced to work because Baron Darda, the younger brother of Count Hermann, took our families hostage! If it's possible, we want to recover our families and have them allowed to live in this territory!"
Father accepted this request, and the 30 people cooperated to recover their families and returned today, but they brought a shocking report.
"The reason we were able to recover our families is that Darda led a military force to attack Klaus's family carriage..."
"You've got to be kidding...?"
Upon hearing that news, everyone doubted their ears.
Naturally, the question "Are they safe?" arose.
Apparently, one of the 30 had gone to check on the situation and would be returning soon.
"I have a report!"
One of them, looking exhausted, returned to deliver the report.
"His Excellency Klaus, and Minister of Military Affairs Windam, fought back with magic. It seems some of the guards died, but they managed to shake them off and appear to be heading toward the Imperial Capital!"
Viscount Gran came over himself.
"This is serious, Butler-dono. Has Count Hermann lost his mind? I heard he attacked His Excellency Klaus!"
"Is it true after all...? What judgment will the Senate make?"
"It depends on whether this news has reached them yet..."
The Senate is run by ten Elders, with Klaus at the head. It is the most authoritative highest institution in this country. It consisted of ten nobles who had achieved great feats in the Great War thirteen years ago.
"Most likely, there will be an order issued to the surrounding nobles to raise a subjugation army."
Viscount Gran informed me that they were already preparing to march at the territory's border.
"Thank you very much for taking the trouble to tell me, Excellency Gran!"
"Are we not on good terms, Butler-dono? Don't be so cold!"
We aren't quite as close as he says, but our relationship has rapidly approached over the past year, and there is no doubt that we have a good relationship after abolishing mutual tariffs.
"For now, we should also fortify our borders... However, this will reduce the guests coming from the west. It's painful, but it can't be helped..."
The Next Day
The slave traders arrived from Margrave Kruger's territory and entered negotiations with Gale.
"How about 500,000 G for 50 people?"
"Sorry, but if that's all you've got, don't bother coming back! Slave traders from the Imperial Capital will be coming too."
Hearing that, the trader's face turned panicked, and he immediately offered double: 1,000,000 G.
"Listen, kid. Haven't you been told your business skills are terrible? If you do business here by trickling it out like that, it won't work. Go home!"
Gale, sensing that if he couldn't take even one person back, Margrave Kruger would never contact him again, instead took advantage of the situation. The slave trader was completely read and finally gave in.
"How much would you sell them for?"
"At least 5,000,000. Anything less is impossible."
"T-That's way too expensive, no matter how you look at it!"
"Is it? They're in their 20s and don't have a single injury. There are plenty of slave traders who would want to buy them, you know?"
When told that, the trader stared intently, but Kruger had previously said, "If you like, I'll buy them for 100,000 G per person."
At this rate, I won't even break even... I won't even cover my travel expenses... What should I do...
Then, one idea occurred to him.
"Please. For 4,500,000 G... however, I will include the 'Collar of Subjugation' and 'Collar of Taming' as a set... Can we please make a deal with this?"
The Collar of Subjugation is something worn by humans, and the Collar of Taming is for commanding captured monsters. If they are wearing them when going to other territories, it is recognized.
"Hmm... how many will you give me?"
"I have 24 Collars of Subjugation, but only 2 Collars of Taming. Please, make it work with this!"
Finally, the deal was struck, and 50 people were handed over.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
There was a huge commotion in Count Hermann's territory.
"Darda... how could you do such a thing! I only wanted to pay my respects to His Excellency Klaus!"
Though he was expressing his rage, Darda refused to listen.
"What's wrong with it, Big Brother! I moved the army with the intent to kill. It failed in the end, but I have no regrets. How long are you going to be a noble who constantly worries about what others think? Let's just go to a southern island and start our own kingdom, you and I!"
Hermann, the older brother, felt murderous intent toward his foolish younger brother who was saying carefree things like "Let's be pirates." He threw Darda into a cell and told him to "cool his head."
At this rate, no surrounding nobles will deal with me. For now, I must take the moves available to me!
He sent dozens of letters to neighboring nobles, powerful officials, the Senate, and influential nobles, saying things like:
[Regarding this matter, my brother Darda acted on his own, and I am uninvolved. In fact, I am a victim in this matter as well.]
He tried to gather even a little sympathy. However... sympathy was virtually non-existent.
As a result, two months later, Hermann was summoned to the Imperial Capital to undergo interrogation.
"I... I really knew nothing... Please believe me!"
"To try and escape by pushing all the blame onto your brother... you coward!"
Darda was captured and executed on the same day.
And six months later.
Hermann was stripped of his title of Count and placed under the care of the Kruger family. It was decided that Hermann would spend the rest of his life as a Captain of the Border Guard on the mountains of the border. His former Count territory was confiscated as land under the direct control of the Emperor.
One month after Klaus left, it became Imperial Year 250.
I turned 12. In form alone, I reached my coming-of-age ceremony and was treated as an adult. It just meant that instead of being called "boy," people increasingly called me "young man" or "Young Master"...
Then one day. A family meeting was called.
"Er... the residents of this territory have exceeded 1,500, and we now have two towns and five villages. Shivans has become an adult, and Leen is pregnant with her third!"
Gale spoke while looking at my Mother, who was blushing after a moment of silence.
"General. Are you saying that back when His Excellency Klaus was here, you left everything to the boy and spent your time working hard with your wife?"
When he pressed him with a reproachful tone, Father stammered, "No... I think it was even before that..."
"More importantly, Gale. How long do you intend to call me 'boy'? I've become an adult, you know?"
"Boy. Don't make fun of adults! A boy is a boy forever. Even if you turn 70, I have no intention of changing that name!"
"Me, 70? Gale, how long do you plan on living?"
"Shut up! I've decided I'm living to 100!"
"Even if I become Shivans's concubine, I won't be nursing you, Gale, you know?"
"Emilia is starting to act like the boy..."
Ben tried to bring the derailed conversation back on track.
"Business is thriving around this hot spring inn, and many people are gathering. The previous town is bustling as a district for adventurers and artisans!"
Many crops harvested within the territory gather at this hot spring inn, and an auction is held every morning. We created a system where not only merchants but also tourists can participate. Seventy percent of the winning bid goes to the farmers who made it, twenty percent comes to us, and ten percent goes to the staff.
"Thinking about it now, it's like a dream!"
This system brought hope to the farmers. Instead of working reluctantly, they could see what sold at the auction and how to produce things at high prices, so a sense of competition began to sprout.
"Also, regarding the intel from the traveling merchant Marc..."
Apparently, the neighboring country was showing unsettling movements regarding the succession to the throne. To divert dissatisfaction, the King was making them show hostility toward us. It seemed they were aiming to direct domestic dissatisfaction toward Altmea.
"Marc said that while it doesn't seem imminent, there might be movement in two or three years. Regarding the three families with the Knight Title in the eastern neighbor, it seems each of them is taking a breather by borrowing money from us. All three families actually seem to be hoping for war, though."
Gale laughed upon hearing Ben's report.
"The Knight Title in the north apparently found an iron vein. In the middle, I heard they are maintaining roads at the transportation hub that connects us, the north, the south, and the Margrave. In the south, they are trying to clear a road to the sea, but who knows when that will happen. All three families have little flat land, so they can't grow crops. That's probably why they finally thought of a different way. Thanks to someone!"
When lending money, I had given each of them hints so they could survive.
"That's good, isn't it? I heard all three families have many children?"
"That's it, boy! Apparently, all three families have more than 10 children. They are the definition of being poor and having many kids. And every single one of them is supposedly ugly. Good for you, boy. You should thank Mama!"
"Is that an indirect way of saying that you are ugly, Father, Gale?"
"That's low, boy! That's not what I meant, General! Honestly! Use your brain for something else!"
After the commotion, Butler spoke to me.
"Shivans. In those three families, it seems there are children the same age as you. Setting that aside, once you turn 12, I want you to become an adventurer and travel. I've always thought so, but you have no companions. Therefore, if it's limited to within the territory, you may have Emilia as a companion for your activities. Emilia's parents also reluctantly agreed. So, Shivans. You must protect her!"
"I understand, Father. I will protect her properly!"
As for Emilia's parents, her mother was pregnant and apparently complained to her own parents, "Do you have any idea how many years apart we are! I absolutely hate the idea of my next child and my current child being the same age! It's embarrassing!"
"It can't be helped... it happened. Since we've finally become commoners, it's fine, isn't it!"
He said my father had just given up on the matter.
If I become an adventurer... there will be no doctor in this territory. Since my Mother, Leen, can use Aqua Heal, Leen will act as the doctor for the time being. In the meantime, the apothecary candidates will research and develop the medicines I create.
A few days later, Emilia and I headed to the Adventurer Guild.
They immediately made registration cards for us. They are iron plates, but apparently, for D-Rank and below, it is these iron plates.
"C-Rank is a copper plate. B-Rank is a silver plate. A-Rank is a gold plate! Work hard and bring a gold plate back to your hometown! When that happens, big sister will give you a kiss!"
When the receptionist winked, the large woman next to me not only glared but was also stomping her feet.
"Emi-nee... that hurts... it hurts a lot..."
"Don't you go getting all lovesick!"
The explanation continued after that.
"Normally, since you two are H-Rank, you wouldn't be allowed in dungeons, but it is a well-known fact that you have been personally trained by the Lord. Therefore, you have received special permission! Train hard and go to the Imperial Capital to take the C-Rank exam as soon as possible!"
Apparently, the branch can only certify up to D-Rank.
What I want is a dungeon where I can level up. Depending on the opponent's level, there should be magic and skills I need to learn that won't take much time...
When I enter a dungeon and defeat things with Fire or Water, Emilia complains.
"Hey! My turn! If you seriously want to protect me, let me fight a little too! When you fight, not even a corpse is left! You can't make money with just Magic Stones, you know?"
True! As a party, we have to earn money!
"Understood. Emi-nee, you take the vanguard. I'll follow from the rear!"
"That's right! You should have said so from the start!"
I proceed to store the corpses that Emilia defeated.
"I'm counting on your sense of direction and your ability to detect enemies! Make sure to navigate properly from behind, okay?"
"Come to think of it, Emi-nee, you've really liked being behind lately..."
"Idiot! What are you talking about! Be serious!"
Answering with a "Hai," I say, "Three enemies near 7m ahead, diagonally up to the right. Immediately after that, there are five enemies near the bottom left," and she dispatches them quickly.
"As accurate as ever! I'm counting on you!"
"There's still a chance I might miss. Be careful!"
Nodding, we move forward.
At noon, we wash our hands with Water Magic and eat rice balls.
"You have such a convenient body... you..."
"Are you impressed? Or are you appalled?"
"Maybe both?"
Saying that, she begins to fidget.
Getting a hunch, I ask to confirm.
"Emi-nee... could it be, 'the' time?"
"Don't ask such things without delicacy! To a maiden!"
However, there's no way there are toilets inside a dungeon.
If we go too far away, there's a danger of being attacked by monsters.
"Listen! Cover your ears! And don't smell it either!"
As she rustles with the parchment toilet paper I made, I cast [Clean] on her with magic, and she says, "Must be nice... I wonder if I can use it too..."
"I'll try to research it someday!"
"You can do it!"
Saying that, we resume our exploration, but here, [Sound Barrier] and [Perception Block] echo in my head as being acquired.
If you're going to do that, please do it before I see or hear the sounds of excretion...
While I was spacing out, Emilia spoke to me.
"Hey? The enemies that come out here are weak, but isn't it incredibly wide?"
It was true; even after traveling until evening, we hadn't even reached halfway.
"I wonder if there's a floor boss on the first floor...?"
"What's that? I don't know! Come on! Let's head back soon!"
She suggested we stop by the Adventurer Guild before heading home, so we headed toward the receptionist.
"There are over 300 corpses, will it be okay?"
"Huh?"
The receptionist couldn't hide her surprise at Emilia's words, but in the end, we were taken to the corpse disposal facility in the back. The corpses taken out of the Inventory were stripped of their Magic Stones, butchered, and turned into fertilizer.
Mixed with excrement and animal waste, the monster corpses were allowed to ferment. We mixed in expired or failed potions and placed them in desert or volcanic ash lands.
A lot of time has passed since then, but nature really isn't easy.
Setting volcanic ash aside, the desert progress is quite slow.
While I was thinking about that, it seemed the settlement was finished.
"With 316 monster corpses and 384 Magic Stones, it's exactly 7,000 G! For the first day, I think you killed a lot and earned well, didn't you?"
Emilia was beaming with pride after being praised by the receptionist.
Then, I asked what had been on my mind.
"I heard there's something called a floor boss in dungeons, but has it already been defeated here?"
When I said that, the receptionist went to ask the Branch Chief in the back.
The Branch Chief who appeared greeted us with a smile.
"I am Branch Chief Luigi. You are Young Master Shivans, right? I don't know of any floor boss. Once people fight to a certain extent here, everyone heads to higher-level dungeons. As you know, this place is truly a labyrinth. Every year, someone gets lost, loses their way to the exit, and many deaths occur."
"Branch Chief Luigi. If we made a map, wouldn't that prevent deaths?"
After a large nod, he told us, "If only a map that was absolutely correct could be made. A labyrinth changes its shape. Just like a living creature. It has expanded even more since I came here. I had investigators dispatched from the Imperial Capital, but they are all at their wits' end."
Is that really true? Or is it just that it's so vast that people lose their sense of direction and eventually become lost like they don't know what's happening?
I made up my mind to try and make a map, and thinking I should also prepare landmarks or things for guidance, I left the Adventurer Guild.
After we left, the receptionist asked the Branch Chief.
"Those two... are you really sure it's okay for them to start at H-Rank? I saw them fighting the Captain before, and they were faster than I was when I was active!"
"Faster than you, who was called Lightning Reimi?"
When the Branch Chief asked while laughing, she shook her head.
"I was ultimately stuck at B-Rank. Do those two know? About their parents being S-Rank with Silver Plates, and Gale and Ben being A-Rank. Or that we were in the Captain's mercenary unit..."
"I don't think Butler-sama or Leen-sama would say such things. If that were the case, they wouldn't go out of their way to let them start from H-Rank. I think they already have enough strength for B-Rank, but it seems they'll keep them at D-Rank for a year. In any case, I'm just happy that promising talents have arrived!"
On the way home, while I was walking and thinking about what I had heard from the Branch Chief, Emilia asked if I was plotting something.
"People look down on it as a beginner's labyrinth, but I thought that, as a result, no one has ever conquered it. Also, I want to prevent people from getting lost and dying in that labyrinth. That's why I was thinking of making a map!"
Emilia agreed that it was a good idea, so every day, we would dive into the dungeon from the morning to create the map.
Just as I thought. It's just complicated, it's not actually growing! Just figuring this out is a big deal!
First, I completed the map, recording the locations of traps, points where monsters appear, how to deal with monsters that appear from certain locations, resting points, and rooms where treasure chests drop, and I was able to finish it in a month.
However... the crucial floor boss's room was quite hard to find. While searching, wondering if there was some condition, I discovered a hidden passage in the back of an empty room.
"The floor boss must be beyond this! Let's go, Emi-nee!"
"I wonder what will come out! How exciting!"
What lay beyond the door was not something a beginner could handle.
[Dinosaur Scorpion]
That's what it displayed when I used appraisal.
"Be careful, Emi-nee! That thing has a deadly poison! If it spits or if you get stung by the needle on its tail, you'll die!"
We somehow managed to cut off just the tail.
"Its movements are fast, and it's hard like armor... the sword won't go through!"
"Emi-nee! Close combat is dangerous! If you're going to aim, aim for the joints!"
She shouted that she understood, and when we aimed for the arm joints, it bled purple blood and let out a roar-like cry, appearing angry.
"It seems that worked!"
"But... fighting while avoiding poison is tough..."
When I tried attacking with magic, [Anti-Magic] was displayed, and it seemed magic attacks were being nullified. Then, I found that I could also use [Anti-Magic].
"Emi-nee, switch to your spear! I'll try aiming for the eyes, head, and neck with my crossbow!"
The eyes are small, and the head and neck are hard. Even when the arrows hit, they were deflected.
Damn it... what should I do...
Then, when we shot arrows into the places Emilia had wounded, it let out a "Guooo!" cry, its bleeding became heavy, and it gradually grew weaker.
"Good, Shivans! Keep it up!"
"Leave it to me, Emi-nee!"
Finally, it let out one last death rattle roar and fell.
"I'm impressed you defeated something like this... I'm impressed with myself!"
It was a massive body, at least 3 meters. With this, the map is complete and we can return in triumph!
We went to the Adventurer Guild and reported to the receptionist, Reimi, "We defeated the floor boss!" and when we showed her, she fell over in shock.
"Black..."
"You saw it! My..."
Just as she was about to say something, the Branch Chief appeared while complaining, "What's all this noise!"
"What is... this monster? I've never seen anything like it... Could this be the master of the dungeon?"
His way of speaking was old-fashioned, but when I told him so, he stared intently at it.
"It's a monster called a Dinosaur Scorpion. It has poison at a level that causes instant death, so it's better not to touch it."
"Phew. How on earth did you defeat such a thing..."
"It was quite a struggle."
"Well, let me say congratulations for now!"
Saying that, the Branch Chief shook hands with me and Emilia. Since this poison is rich in taurine when refined, I took all the poison.
In small amounts, it becomes a health drink, but if you add a bit more, it becomes a tonic. When we started selling it as a souvenir at the hot spring inn as 'Night Friend♡' for 10,000 G per bottle, it was incredibly effective and sold like crazy.
The dungeon was named 'Shivan-Emilia', and the map was sold at the Adventurer Guild. It was no longer a beginner's dungeon, and many adventurers began to visit.