It's Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

* * *

“X-Xue…?!”

Scarlet’s extremely flustered voice echoed through the space. Surely she couldn’t have known such a situation would occur either.

Somehow I feel like I heard the words ‘What an enviable thing to do!’, but that must be my imagination.

“I-I’m so sorry, Lady! Miss Xue! That’s rude…! Come down quickly! Quickly!”

“No. Smell. Good. A smell I haven’t smelled for a long time.”

As far as I know, my body barely has any scent, but it seems she can smell something.

By the way…

‘For a long time?’

Doesn’t that sound like a smell she’s smelled before?

I was inwardly tilting my head at the strange words, but my thoughts fled at the stimulation digging into my nape.

“Wait…”

“Sniff…”

Xue, who was completely relying her body on me, took a deep breath while burying her nose in my neck.

It’s like a cat’s reaction to smelling catnip. Though not as violently rolling around, it’s at the same level of losing control of her senses and sticking close.

Though it’s not difficult because a Dungeon Lord’s body is strong, it’s still a pretty burdensome action.

“Won’t you move away a little? We were in the middle of talking.”

“…Okay.”

“Good girl. Miss Lin.”

“Call me Xue.”

“Alright. Xue.”

“Mm.”

The silver wolf lady reluctantly moved away after much dawdling, only after I called her name.

Still, she didn’t move far away and was still sitting on my thigh all the same.

It was inconvenient for conversation as part of my view was blocked by someone much taller and larger in build and heart than me sitting like that, but I was somehow bothered by her eyes that kept welling up more and more intensely to try to move her away further here.

They were strangely watery from when I first saw her, but now she really looked like she was about to burst into tears.

“She’s not usually like this, right?”

Since I don’t have a hobby of slapping crying children’s cheeks, I focused my gaze on Scarlet, feeling like she might cry here if I stimulated her anymore.

Scarlet, who received my question, was also looking at Xue as if dumbfounded.

“…Yes. It seems she is someone who’s hard to control. I heard she usually doesn’t even try to get close to her employers, so her contract periods were really short… but it looks like we don’t have to worry about that here at least.”

“I guess she wasn’t originally under your direct command.”

Seeing her expression that seemed to say ‘Is it okay to say such things in front of her?’, Scarlet answered with an expression that said ‘She’s never had conflicts with us’ while also starting to answer my question.

…Somehow I feel strange that I’m starting to get along with her.

“Ah, yes. That’s right. She’s under the direct command of my junior, Mari. She’s a capable person appointed by Mari’s father, so she definitely won’t be a hindrance to the dungeon.”

“She does seem that way.”

“You can tell? As expected of Lady!”

“…”

『Attributes – Health 38 Technique 16 Durability 30 Magic Power 27 Resistance 32』

Ignoring Scarlet’s nonsensical words again, I checked her attributes that I had already seen once more.

Her current average ability score is close to 30.

This is quite a skilled level even among high ranks, higher than my current self or Eve.

Judging by the unusual colors of her characteristics, she’ll probably demonstrate abilities beyond that in battle.

Though her Technique is very low and only her Health is excessively high, with her Durability plus considerable levels of Magic Power and Resistance, one could expect a playstyle of crushing enemies with output and toughness.

Or she could kill enemies with a single strike without caring.

My dungeon currently relies on soldier concentration and formation for ‘tanking,’ so it wouldn’t be bad to be able to employ a vanguard that can deal with real strong enemies.

Moreover, she eliminated the contract fee at her own request, and even the maintenance cost is to be shared half and half with the guild, right?

These were conditions that would be foolish not to accept.

Of course.

“Let’s talk about the contract fee again.”

Whether I became a fool or not, these were conditions that shouldn’t be accepted.

Whether for reputation, or to prevent misunderstandings.

“What? It’s already free though?”

“Of course, I mean I want to pay money.”

“Ah…”

Scarlet made an expression that seemed to say ‘Is there really any need for that?’

For some reason, that appearance reminded me of someone whose business went bankrupt after saying ‘Free is good’ and then getting caught by that free thing.

‘Was that the beginning? No, it might have been even earlier…’

Let’s not think of unnecessary thoughts.

To return to the main point, it seems there’s no concept of ‘treatment’ for mercenaries in the demon realm.

Is it like ‘the cheaper, the better’ feeling?

Well, originally that’s how they’re treated in the continent, as kites with cut strings. What would happen if bad rumors spread about them in the demon realm too, like ‘coward’ or ‘villain’?

They would lose their place to stand and slowly die.

Unless they have tremendously good abilities or connections, it wouldn’t be strange to treat those who became mercenaries in the demon realm from being human as ‘manpower that’s good to use cheaply’.

“I don’t need it.”

“It would be good to feel the need. Xue. Evaluating one’s own abilities is something you create yourself.”

“I’m fine as long as I have Lady…”

“That’s a happy thing to hear. But hearing you say that makes me want you to take care of yourself even more.”

“…Okay. …”

I think she just said something quietly.

I didn’t hear it this time. If it’s important, well, she’ll probably tell me separately.

I turned my gaze back to Scarlet.

“With Xue’s level of ability, she would be sufficiently skilled even among high ranks. The industry average is…”

“Half price.”

But that gaze quickly returned to Xue again.

It was her who just interrupted.

“Xue?”

“Half price. Just record that on their side…”

“But…”

“I absolutely won’t… take any more than this.”

When I looked at Scarlet with a troubled expression, she answered with a shrug that showed she couldn’t do anything either.

It seems she’s that stubborn.

And probably her abilities that can be demonstrated in actual combat are excellent too. Otherwise, there’s no way she could be so forceful in the contract.

“Still, Xue is being incredibly docile right now. As expected, recognizing Lady Libertas’s nobility…”

“You’re spouting nonsense at every opportunity.”

“But I’m serious…?”

Plus, she’s probably had a lot of conflicts with previous clients or Dungeon Lords.

Seeing Scarlet show trust in her abilities, it seems she hasn’t done any malicious things, even when being stubborn…

“Contract completed! Renewal is on a 6-month cycle. If you want to make it a permanent contract or terminate the contract, please contact us separately!”

“I said 3 years would be fine…”

“Didn’t I say that’s not possible?”

I couldn’t help but become more and more curious about why such a child was being stubborn in a positive direction towards me.

[ – Master.]

Clearly, when this child pounced on me, she said this.

* * *

After I personally sent out Xue, who was insisting ‘I’m now part of the dungeon so I only listen to Lady’ in response to Scarlet’s words that ‘It would be good if you could stay outside as we have important things to talk about just the two of us.’

“So. What other important things do you have to say?”

Scarlet, who remained in her seat, smiled at me.

A smile very different from the seductive one she usually wore on her lips. It seemed like a smile just put on out of habit, showing she wasn’t in the mood to smile at all.

“Well… this is something we’re embarrassed to ask of Lady.”

“What kind of request is it that you’re acting like this?”

“By any chance, do you have some sort of information network in the vicinity, Lady?”

A sharp question.

I was inwardly taken aback, but outwardly I didn’t show any emotion. There’s no way a characteristic that received ‘Legendary’ couldn’t hide my emotions.

Still, there was no need to say everything.

Things like ‘creating an information network using humans’ are thoughts that a young Dungeon Lord truly couldn’t come up with.

Let alone actually implementing it.

“Information network… I do feel the need for one. It’s just not feasible. Why are you asking that?”

However, since Scarlet probably thinks I’m clever, it would be foolish to completely feign ignorance here.

“Ah, I asked just in case you might have brought humans into the dungeon. We need information about this vicinity.”

“Information? Why? …No, do you really not have any information?”

But the answer that came back was really unexpected for me.

Mammon, who maintains neutrality solely out of loyalty to the Demon King while the other six Archdukes continue their power and political struggles in the demon realm.

Scarlet’s guild is directly operated by him, one of the seven Archdukes in the demon realm.

Because of this, it’s also the only organization among the Archdukes’ forces that can influence all Dungeon Lords on the ground, but to express a lack of information here where they can just rake in information from Dungeon Lords?

If you think about it a little, there’s only one reason.

“You don’t mean I’m really the only one?”

“…”

Hearing my question, Scarlet maintained silence without adding any words.

Seeing her like that, I felt my head throbbing and briefly held my forehead.

There was only one reason why the Mammon Guild, where information and goods were all gathered, couldn’t obtain information from the ground.

There would be ‘no Dungeon Lord who could provide information in that area.’ That fact also implies one more thing unfavorable to me.

The fact that if something happens around here and my existence is exposed to people, I would be pointed out as the culprit for all those incidents.

“Why are you telling me this now?”

“It’s not intentional. Actually, a Dungeon Lord who was operating well in this area recently became unable to perform their role…”

“Is that so?”

‘No way…’

Hearing Scarlet’s words, there was something that came to mind.

About that being that was recently scheduled to depart from ‘Solemio’. The ‘large Dungeon Lord of the South’.

“Failed in risk management, I see.”

“Well, we are in the demon realm after all. By the time we responded, the ‘core’ had already been stolen by humans.”

I probed just in case, and that story really came out. I can’t believe that among my neighbors, the only one worth communicating with was really just that established Dungeon Lord.

This was literally a situation where one unknown danger was resolved, but instead, an identifiable danger was gained.

In the end, if it’s a gain it can be called a gain, but it’s a headache-inducing gain.

“The Lord must have gone mad.”

“That’s right. So on our side, while looking for a way to compose a core for that person, we need a Lord who can temporarily compose an information network.”

“So you’re asking me?”

“Yes. It’s not that there are no other Lords…”

Scarlet briefly cut off her words and gave a bitter smile.

I could guess the reason for that bitterness.

Dungeon Lords wake up already aware of the fact that they are the ‘Successor of the Demon King’ from birth, and learn tyranny in the process.

In other words, most young Lords cannot be reasoned with.

“I guess there’s no one else you can communicate with to this extent.”

“Or they’re already being ‘farmed’.”

“…I see.”

Another case.

It seems some of the Dungeon Lords in this world are also farmed for humans’ ‘experience points’ or ‘hunting’. From what I’ve grasped, there are about two such Dungeon Lords even in this vicinity.

Dungeon Lords who have their ‘food’ strictly limited to a level where they can survive, and have fallen to the state of being sandbags for novice adventurers led by senior adventurers.

If the situation doesn’t change like this, in the future they will either become my subordinates, or end themselves…

Or they might even become my prey.

“So what you want from me is an information network and… if possible, to grasp the situation of that senior Lord.”

“You’re really clever as expected, Lady.”

While listening to Scarlet’s words, I fell into thought for a moment.

This was awareness of a new danger but at the same time…

“Alright.”

It was an opportunity.

An opportunity to greatly advance growth if lucky.