After flying on top of the Griffon, we finally arrived at Marcho’s dungeon.
I managed to stop myself from immediately laying down a [Transfer] magical array. Doing so at another’s dungeon was like looking for a backdoor one could enter anytime and thus, it was considered impolite to do so, to say the least, without first obtaining the other Demon Lord’s permission.
As soon as we entered the dungeon, the Succubus we were familiar with greeted us and used her own [Transfer] to transport us to where Marcho was.
◇
And the place we were transported to was Marcho’s crystal room. Sitting in a throne in that room was the brown-skinned bewitching beauty with a wolf’s ears and tail.
She was dressed riskier than usual but it didn’t feel strange or indecent to me due to the grace she held.
“Welcome back, Procell. From the look on your face, I take it your inspection went well.”
Marcho looked a little bit lonely as she spoke. Was she perhaps reluctant to see me go?
“Yes, it did. That place has satisfied all the necessary conditions to build the city.”
Marcho smiled and giggled at that.
“The first time I heard your dream…… I will build not a dungeon that will prey on the humans’ desire and despair but a city that will house many of them and then provide me their happiness as my meal, the first time I heard it, I thought you were kidding or something but I didn’t think you were really going through with it. You never do fail to amaze me.”
“It wasn’t a joke. I’ll make it into the best city, no matter what.”
“I have no doubt you will. You are, after all, the kind of man that does what he says he’ll do. And now, I’ve seen you do so. You’ve become a really fine man.”
The mood then turned gloomy and such a mood wasn’t for us. As I thought that, Marcho then cleared her throat, probably an effort to change the flow of the conversation.
“That one behind you, I’ve seen that one if I’m not mistaken. Is it Dantalian’s?”
“He gave it to me. A monster that could use Transfer is helpful so I accepted.”
“I’m sure you’re already aware but that one’s watching you. I’m surprised he’d go this far against a newly born Demon Lord. You should be proud.”
She didn’t say that just out of flattery. The [Time] Demon Lord was such a powerful Demon Lord, merely catching his attention in itself was an achievement.
“Yes, I aware that this monster’s keeping tabs on me but I have no problems with being watched so why not make use of it in the meanwhile?”
“Yes, what a good determination you have. Well then, if you are indeed going to make use of that monster, you may as well go and place a Transfer magical array within my dungeon. That way, it’ll be a little bit easier for you to come and visit me, right? Are you going to move out today?”
“That’s the plan. I’ve already built my city and I can’t be away from it for too long.”
To be away from one’s own dungeon was generally not a good idea.
Also, Kuina was eagerly waiting for our return.
“Is that so? I’ll miss you, you know…… I’d like to give you a gift but unfortunately, we, the parents, are forbidden to give you new Demon Lords anything aside from your starting DP and 3 original medals. I hope you can forgive me for that.”
“There is nothing to forgive. You have already given me a lot; I’m truly thankful. In fact, I should be the one to give you a gift.”
I used [Creation] and produced a diamond necklace. Without it being overlarge, it was an elegant and finely decorated necklace.
The shaping of the diamonds themselves into these faceted gems—otherwise known as diamond cutting which was done in order to bring out the diamonds’ true appeal—could not be replicated by anyone else using this world’s technology. It was a present that only one person in the world could give: me.
I approached Marcho and put the diamond necklace on her neck.
“These gems will continue to emit their radiance without any change even when a hundred or a thousand years has pa.s.sed. Just like how our friendship will not change even when I move out and become independent. I will never forget the favors and kindness you’ve given me. Let this present be a testament to all that.”
Who I was at the moment was all thanks to her. She went above and beyond than what was expected of her as my parent.
“…Oh, Procell. How can I not cry after telling me such pleasant things? And I haven’t cried in the past century, you know.”
She smiled as tears flowed down her face.
“I might be forbidden to give you anything tangible but I’ll still give you a little something.”
Marcho stood, approached me, and then leaned on the left side of my body. Her voluminous b.r.e.a.s.t.s changed their shapes as she did so. Her fragrant scent was the kind that would drive men into madness.
And then, I felt her soft lips on my cheek.
“How is it, Procell? Did you like my gift?”
I was stupefied for a moment. My head felt so hot, I thought it was going to melt.
“Thanks, Marcho. It’s the best.”
“I’m glad you liked it. Do you now regret not accepting my invitation the other day?”
Truth be told, I had always wanted to say yes to her and this time wasn’t an exception. In the end though, I chose not to.
“A little but I have to go soon. Thanks for everything.”
“I should be the one saying that. It’s been fun. I’ve forgotten about my loneliness while you were here. Come visit me anytime, Procell.”
“Yes, I intend to do so. I’ll invite you as soon as I’ve grown my city enough to receive you. I’m going to give you the grandest welcome that I can give.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it, then. I’m sure you can make me happy to the utmost.”
I then turned around and felt her gaze on me.
“But in the end, I wanted to say one little complain. Giving me who will soon vanish something that will forever remain radiant, isn’t that a little cruel?”
I didn’t turned around and Marcho didn’t expect me to either. They were those kind of words.
I looked at my palm as I walked.
I thought about the bonus I received during the side show I partic.i.p.ated in together with Stolas.
Originally, it was a power that could only be used twice for saving my monsters or for strengthening them. However, it might also be possible to use it to extend Marcho’s life.
…but that would contradict logic. That might be why Marcho had warned me that it was dangerous ability.
◇
After my conversation with Marcho, I went to the residential area we were using.
In there, Wight and the Dwarf Smiths were busy working.
“My lord, you’ve returned.”
“Yes, I came to get you guys. I have, without incident, built my dungeon… rather, my city.”
“That’s splendid. I will do by best for the new city.”
Wight declared so with a motivated voice as he did his usual elegant bow.
“Has the work I asked you to do advanced smoothly?”
“It has. While my lord has been away, the Dwarf Smiths and the Golems have carried out the mining with all their might.”
The reason why I didn’t bring Wight along was because I had entrusted him to supervise all the work that involved the monsters that remained.
The minerals that could be gotten from a [Mine] was relative to Demon Lord’s level and Marcho was a first-cla.s.s Demon Lord so the minerals from her [Mine] were first-cla.s.s too. These minerals included Mithril, Orihalc.u.m, and Adamantium.
I wanted to get the best possible materials as much as possible since the best ones that could be gotten from my [Mine] at my current level was mithril.
On top of being able to continue mining without sleeping, the Golems were strong. Meanwhile, the Dwarf Smiths were able to pinpoint the best mining spots. For these reasons, they were able to mine with great efficiency.
“How about the other one?”
“It too went well. If you’ll follow me this way.”
I did as he said and followed him.
The place he guided me to was a building that we were using as a storehouse.
In there, the Skeletons silently worked. Since they were able to do detailed work because of Wight, I tasked them to build explosives. They mixed some chemicals I made using [Creation] with the minerals processed by the Dwarf Smiths.
The recipe itself was made by Elder Dwarf and was simplified as much as it could be so that even the Skeletons could make them. That way, the bombs would be lighter and in greater numbers than if made via [Creation]. A larger number of bombs meant it could be used not only for defense but also for offense.
I built my city in order to make use of the humans’ happiness but the ones that would live in my city wouldn’t be able to fight so I understood that a great deal of money, power, and blood were needed in order to achieve peace.
“You did well, Wight. I can do my best thanks to your efforts.”
He didn’t stand out but he was helpful in a lot of places.
He was the leader of the bottom half of my monsters. They, not just the Undead monsters, looked up to him. He effortlessly managed to coordinate them while I was away.
“I am undeserving of such praise. I simply obey your commands, no matter what it might be.”
“Are you sure you should be saying that? I might order you to do something absurd, you know.”
“That’s not possible. If it’s my wise lord’s order, it surely could be done. Should I fail at carrying it out, I have nothing to blame but my own incompetence. And so, I hope to live up to your expectations.”
Really now, after saying such things like that, he put a lot of pressure on me, didn’t he? That pressure though, was something I didn’t mind having.
After the crow monster finished drawing the Transfer magical array, the array glowed which meant that we could now use it to instantly transfer to the array back at my city.
“Wight, that crow monster is my new… ally, in a certain meaning.”
“Yes, I get what you’re trying to say. We shouldn’t let our guards down around that one.”
“You understood what I meant?”
“Yes, I have spent time with a lot of Undead monsters so reading the subtleties of anyone’s emotions is a specialty of mine.”
“I see. It’s certainly true we shouldn’t let our guards down around the crow monster but it has a convenient ability so let’s make use of it.”
Wight was truly excellent. So excellent in fact, that I sometimes have feelings of regret. He was a commander of my forces but his own fighting capabilities weren’t so great: he was a static-leveled B rank monster and could therefore not grow any further than that. I had thought more than once on whether I should have made like Kuina and the others.
…And now, I had the power to do just that within my hands.
“My lord, forgive me but I there’s something I wish to say to you. I like the way I currently am. It might be conceited of me but I trust that I could live up to your expectations. And, besides, there are things I could do that your girls couldn’t so even if this body is weak, I shall not lament over it.”
“……You can read not just the monster’s minds but mine as well?”
“It’s because I am trying really hard to understand my lord whom I adore and respect.”
My heart grew a little lighter and I wanted to ask him all the more.
“But what if it could all be redone? I can only do it twice but I can re-do a monster’s [Synthesis] with their memories intact. It’s a power I got from the Creator. If you want, I can remake you into a strong monster just like Kuina and the others.”
It was the power I got from the Creator as a special bonus.
It allowed me to transform a target, after gaining their consent, into a medal. Furthermore, if this medal was used in Synthesis, the target’s memories prior to turning into a medal could be pa.s.sed on.
Should a monster suffer a fatal wound, I could revive it by temporarily turning it into a medal.
Of course, it was possible to not only to save the one that suffered a fatal wound but to also remake and strengthen them.
However, I could only do so twice.
I thought that it was alright to use one of those two times on Wight.
“That will be unnecessary. I’m repeating myself but I like the way I currently am. And that’s why, my lord, please do not use that power for me.”
“But…”
“It’s alright. However, if in case you were put in harm’s way and pa.s.s away due to my inability to protect you, please do use that power. I would not be able to go on living knowing that I’ve failed you, my lord.”
They were such powerful words conveying his loyalty to me.
“Fuu. Sometimes I’m not really sure which of us is the Demon Lord. I’ll be relying on you, Staff officer.”
I stated his exact role rather than referring to him as the leader of the bottom half of my forces.
Even though he wouldn’t be one of my [Monsters of the Covenant], I wanted to show him that I regarded him highly.
I didn’t know whether my sentiments got across to him but his eyes that should have been devoid of anything, especially of emotions, had a fire burning within them.
“I am honored to be a.s.signed such an important role.”
“I’m expecting a lot from you, Wight. And as such, I am issuing you an order right away. Let’s start moving out. a.s.semble everyone.”
“Yes, my lord!”
And just like that, we transferred as much monsters as the magic array allowed. Those that couldn’t make it waited in a queue. The crow monster was only able to travel back and forth arrays for a total of four times a day. Additionally, a total of only five Golems could be transferred all at once so it was impossible for us to finish our move in a single day but slow and steady was the way.
And so, we had begun to earnestly move out of Marcho’s dungeon.