It's Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

* * *

"Is there such a thing?"

The in-game wars between dungeons that I knew and experienced in 'MilDun 1' were only all-out battles.

Leading the forces you've built and raised, a clash of power against power with all your might.

But according to my close aides, it seems that's not the case in this world.

"Yes. That's right."

"Hah... a great warrior duel?"

According to Evangeline's explanation, in this world 200 years later, 'wars' between dungeons are conducted in three stages.

A preliminary battle of great warriors, selecting individuals advantageous for individual combat.

Small-scale group battles selecting elite individuals of less than company size.

And finally, an all-out battle where all individuals gather to fight, in three rounds.

"It's like a game or a test."

-Game! Test?

"There are indeed aspects that have taken on a different form from human wars."

As I stroked the head of the crow Mary while thinking, I felt it could be so.

The first impression isn't everything, and looking further, I could see it was a more desperate battle than expected.

'For humans, death is the end of everything, but not for summons.'

Even in MilDun 1, summons that were treated as dead in the previous round just had their durability critically worn down, but they could still function in the next round.

If durability is fully consumed, they need to go through a re-summoning process at the cost of massive materials and time, but before that, recovery is possible.

Being a world that succeeded the game, it means there's also a system for resurrection after death.

After all, this game wasn't something like a roguelike, but strictly a bonsai game.

"Come to think of it, it would be a more fatal fight for the monsters of the dungeon."

"That's right."

As such, this three-round war was indeed a war where Dungeon Lords bet everything, unlike its first impression.

Although general summons only go out in the all-out battle, key summons are likely to participate in all battles.

'The losing side in the previous battle, if not extremely lucky, will likely get irreversible results in the next battle.'

Summons or mercenaries consumed in the previous battle will have difficulty exerting more power in the next battle.

They might soon face 'real' death.

Experiencing full consumption of durability.

A dungeon that loses its main force of summons naturally loses its growth engine.

'Even if it's just high rank, temporarily losing the main force at this time is literally no different from the end.'

Even if the destruction of the dungeon core or the Lord themselves doesn't occur due to the opponent's mercy, it's ultimately the same as facing death.

The moment growth falls behind, it becomes a situation where you might be devoured by surrounding Dungeon Lords at any time.

And if humans discover that location in the meantime, it really is the end.

"They have leeway, but we need to win somehow."

In other words, this battle could be called an all-out war for me facing them alone, but for them, it's a war of attrition aimed at depleting growth engines.

"Of course, we will win, Master."

"Yes. Isn't that obvious?"

-We'll win!

Realizing that this process was a quite desperate battle, unlike what it appears on the surface.

That was the reason for deciding on the conversation with Quirisia, one of the enemies.

'The best strategy is to fight after winning.'

Of course, the bigger reason is to exploit the enemy's weaknesses.

* * *

Clack.

"You seem quite relaxed."

Seeing the image as soon as the communication screen turned on, the woman spoke roughly, baring her teeth.

The sight of the other side enjoying tea and reading in a sunlit library didn't look like someone facing an impending war, no matter how you looked at it.

-I'm relieved to see you're safe, Lady Quirisia.

She was even extending greetings to her 'enemy'.

"Are we on such friendly terms? Lady Libertas. What did you write in your letter?"

Quirisia, the Dungeon Lord leading the werebeasts.

She was a weredragon with the characteristics of a 'sea serpent', having a human appearance with a tail adorned with scales and fins, and small magical wings on her back that looked cute compared to her body size.

A beautiful appearance even by normal standards.

However, now she was distorting that expression and openly revealing a fierce aura.

-It seems you read my letter impressively.

"Ha. If you tried to seduce me with nonsensical words, you'd better think again. Young Dungeon Lord."

Quirisia sneered and glared at Libertas as intensely as possible, but that 'young Dungeon Lord' didn't miss it.

The subtle trembling of those eyes and corners of the mouth.

She leaned back comfortably in her chair, took a sip of tea, and then spoke with a smile, still in a gentle tone.

-But you came to talk with me like this. Doesn't that mean you have doubts too?

"That's..."

Quirisia lost her words for a moment at Libertas's words.

She tried to think of a rebuttal, but Libertas spoke first.

-If you continue like this, you'll die, Quirisia.

Quirisia openly made an incredulous expression.

Because no matter how she thought about it, it felt like nothing but simple deception.

It was a bluff desperately made by someone facing a crisis situation of an attack by three Dungeon Lords of the same rank, trying to avoid the situation.

Naturally, a disappointed expression appeared on her face.

"I thought you'd be someone with decent skills since you made a request through a dungeon merchant... What did you just say?"

-I said you'll die.

However, Libertas's expression was incredibly calm as she repeated her previous words.

"On what grounds..."

-Of course, because you chose the wrong alliance.

"..."

The extremely calm and matter-of-fact attitude, not caring at all about her rough expressions or words.

That attitude was enough to raise anxiety in Quirisia again.

Because regardless of that behavior, what Libertas presented was a thought that she herself had once considered.

To her ears, those words gradually seeped in.

-You know too, don't you? That you're not a welcome existence to them either.

She's under the command of Archduke Astaroth of the deep sea, but the other two Dungeon Lords belong to Archduke Dantalion of the north.

And all ground archdukes weren't on good terms with each other.

To the extent that they would check each other at every opportunity.

-For you to cooperate with them means exposing your situation to them, you know.

In such a situation, a Dungeon Lord serving a different archduke appeared alone before the other two.

Quirisia herself knew well what she would do in such a situation.

That she would use any exploitable aspect, and if not, she would devise ways to devour them somehow.

For her, this attack was a hasty decision made with eyes covered by the pretext of 'loyalty'.

-They must have said. How about standing at the vanguard and claiming the first merit, saying they'd support with elites?

"How did you...? Ahem...!"

Quirisia revealed undisguisable confusion and then fell silent again upon hearing Libertas immediately guess what proposal they had made to her.

To her, Libertas whispered again.

-They will stab you in the back whether you win or lose.

-If you take victory from me, you'll die by their hands.

-Or you'll die defeated by me.

-Where is there such a meaningless death?

A quiet but clear voice, growing the doubts in her heart one by one.

Following the growing doubts, a voice flowing in even more subtly.

-Think about it. Alone in a dungeon you don't even know the name of yet...

"Stop, stop! That's just speculation after all!"

Quirisia, who had been listening to that voice, finally shouted convulsively to stop it.

Hearing this, Libertas nodded and readily agreed.

With an even deeper smile.

-Of course, it's just speculation. But think about it.

"About what...?"

-That what you're trying to do to me is fundamentally the same.

"Ugh..."

All Dungeon Lords on the ground are ultimately competitors and enemies to each other.

Competitors for the 'Demon King Candidate Selection' that has continued for 200 years already.

Enemies who must hinder and pull each other down while running towards a single goal from the moment they have memories.

As time passed, subordinate Dungeon Lords emerged trying to pick up scraps by serving those who became the most likely candidates, but fundamentally, it was like that.

So, it was only natural for the other two to try to pull Quirisia down.

"Then what do you want me to do! If I back out now, they'll rather declare war on me...!"

-You don't need to worry about that. Carry out the attack as planned.

"What...?"

Libertas, who had made her face expressionless while keeping the same tone, spoke to her as if giving instructions, but Quirisia just stared at her without even recognizing that.

Libertas manipulated the communication screen to bring her face closer to her and whispered one thing.

-There's only one thing you need to do.

"What... is it?"

To that question, Libertas, convinced that she had come over, gently folded the corners of her eyes and added the final words.

-That is...

* * *

"Will she really act like that?"

It was Sonia's question as she watched my conversation with Quirisia.

To that, I gestured towards her and opened my mouth.

"It doesn't matter whether she does or not."

"What? But..."

My first disciple sitting on the floor with her back to me.

At a glance, she seems to have become much more comfortable, but she still maintains a proper posture with her back straight and kneeling politely, not forgetting the minimum respect.

"Of course, if she obediently acts according to my words, things will become easier. But even if she doesn't, I, we won't lose, Sonia."

"But if you get hurt..."

"It's alright. Trust your teacher properly."

"...Yes."

At my words, she nodded, and I brought my hands to the left and right back of her head, manipulating magic power.

Then Sonia's hair naturally followed my magic power, moving on its own, starting to form a shape following the movement I imagined in my mind.

Amelia told me that using magic for such everyday things is excessive 'dignity waste'.

However, for me, using magic power for such trivial things itself was fun, so it didn't matter.

In fact, I'm also doubtful whether the concept of waste applies to magic power that refills when used.

"How is it?"

"...I like it. It's very pretty, Master."

"Good. Let's keep it like this for a while."

I gathered the hair led by magic power, made one strand on each side, then brought them together at the back and tied them once more.

It's a commonly known half-up hairstyle made with braided hair.

That hairstyle worn by the female protagonist of a famous Japanese animation.

"It looks difficult to maintain..."

"Come to me whenever it gets messy."

"Then... won't you find it bothersome?"

"How could effort for you be bothersome? Don't mind and come visit."

"...Yes!"

Sonia smiles more brightly than usual.

She, who has been spending more time in the same space with me lately, has accordingly grown in her expressions as well.

As I stroked the head of my disciple whose skinship has somehow become more frequent these days, I recalled what I had just said to Quirisia.

[If you think you'll lose, surrender.]

It's an incredibly easy yet difficult thing for a Dungeon Lord to do.

However, now in Quirisia's heart, the seed of that action was planted as good as done.

'This is to prevent my own danger.'

The seed of a vine that will help overcome the high wall of pride, called survival instinct.