“Welcome~…”
“You’ve got some peculiar taste, old man. An inn in a place like this? Can it even turn a profit?”
“I heard there’s a new dungeon around here. I figured that beastfolk, unlike cowardly humans, would keep bravely challenging it.”
“No doubt about it! Old man, for a human, you sure get it!”
“That’s why you should use this place. If you’re staying long-term, I’ll even cut you a deal~.”
What an eccentric bunch of merchants, whether it was that woman or this human man.
Still, having both an inn and a shop here was incredibly helpful.
Although there were claims that this dungeon was being mapped out and cleared, recent developments suggested the information might be false.
Apparently, there was a beastfolk bragging about supposed progress, but inconsistencies between their claims and the actual dungeon suggested they were just pretending to have gone deeper.
What a pitiful sight, lying just to appear brave.
“It seems like it’ll be a while before this dungeon gets conquered. At least it’s convenient having everything we need here.”
“You can earn money by selling materials dropped by monsters, and if you’re lucky, you might find valuable items in treasure chests.”
The conversation among companions highlighted how they could now sustain themselves purely within the dungeon.
Granted, it was just a bare minimum lifestyle, but with lodging available, their time spent in the nearby village might shrink even more.
“Still, it’s a hassle that woman doesn’t buy stuff from us, huh?”
“Yeah, seems like she doesn’t have the connections for that. Guess we’ll have to make trips to town when we need cash. Annoying, but manageable.”
Well, maybe they’d just have to treat those trips as a way to refresh themselves.
They weren’t demons, after all; spending too much time in the dungeon might start to wear on them.
As they chatted, fatigue from the day’s exploration set in, and the men soon drifted off to sleep in the safety of the inn.
◇
“Looks like all the guests are asleep. Should we just kill them~?”
“Nah, nah, nah. If we do that, no one will use the inn. Besides, we need to maintain the balance of intruders. Rigma, just run the place like a normal innkeeper.”
“Roger that~. Man, you’ve got it tough, though. Can’t kill them, can’t let them live too freely. Sounds like a pain to figure out.”
“I’m not even a right-hand man, though.”
“Wrong! Rey is mine, and I want him by my side, so he’s my right-hand man!”
If Lady Fiona went and declared that, it was bound to cause complications later.
But I couldn’t bring myself to correct her when she said it with such a happy expression.
“Well, at least you two seem close~.”
That sounded exasperated, but no, it was just the usual lazy tone.
It seemed Rigma, having finished his work, had retired to a private room in the inn to sleep.
I hope he doesn’t relax too much and revert to his slime form… Well, he’s reliable enough not to mess up like that.
“The inn is doing well. Between Tokito’s shop and Rey-sama’s efforts, both experience points and funding are progressing smoothly.”
If Primilla, who managed the finances, said so, then the beastfolk must be spending a decent amount of money.
It’s hard to tell whether we’re running a comfortable business to make money or a deadly dungeon to gain experience.
Thankfully, the current setup balances a welcoming entrance with a ruthless interior. So far, it’s working out.
“So, do you think the Demon Lord plans to revive the Demon Lord’s army?”
“Of course! Just watch—I’ll definitely draw a huge supply of resurrection potions!”
“Draw…?”
Rigma, who hadn’t yet witnessed the gacha frenzy, looked puzzled.
For now, reviving the remaining Four Heavenly Kings should be the top priority.
If the heroes have revived and become stronger, we at least need all four of the Heavenly Kings, or else Lady Fiona will have to fight herself.
“Well, that’s fine and all. But if everyone’s going to live in the underground demon realm again, it’d be pretty convenient to have inns and shops for us.”
“That’s a great idea! Humans, beastfolk, and elves always mock us demons, saying the underground suits us or that we’ve been driven there! Let’s make them regret it by proving that our underground demon realm is the best!”
Setting aside the unusually passionate tone of Lady Fiona’s words, Rigma’s idea actually made sense.
Right now, the Demon Lord’s army only consisted of five people, but back in its prime, Lady Fiona surely commanded a large number of demons.
Lady Fiona’s well-known advocacy for fair working conditions could be paired with good benefits to boost morale and loyalty even more.
“Alright, then let’s start—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. It’s just us right now; there’s no one to manage an inn or a shop. Setting them up now would just be more work for us.”
“Oh, so you’re motivated, Rey. In that case, I might actually get off my lazy butt and help a little.”
Though his tone hardly sounded motivated, Rigma asked me to build an inn.
Well, my mana had fully recovered by now, and it would be good to use some of it to increase my proficiency.
If I stayed at full mana all the time, any excess recovery would just go to waste.
Inn Creation: Mana Cost – 15
For now, I built the inn near the throne room.
It was close to where battles against the Demon Lord would take place, but I had my reasons.
Lady Fiona tended to think, “Just a little further to go!” when the goal was right in front of her, so hiding it behind walls would make it less noticeable.
If, by chance, Lady Fiona found herself in trouble, reinforcements could reach her quickly. Though I’m powerless, Primilla or Pilkaya could help.
And above all, having other demons nearby would keep Lady Fiona company, so she wouldn’t feel lonely sitting alone on her throne.
“Whoa… This is impressive.”
“What are you going to do, Rigma? We don’t even have maids or butlers right now.”
“I’ll handle at least the bare minimum of management myself.”
“But the inn is so far from where you usually work, Rigma. If you’d told me, I could’ve built it closer.”
The inn was at the entrance, while Rigma usually worked at the farthest end. Just going back and forth seemed like a hassle.
As I pondered this, Rigma suddenly reverted to his slime form at his feet.
Wait, what? Are you tired?
I thought he might have lost the energy to maintain his humanoid form, but that wasn’t the case.
The liquid at his feet rose, forming a human figure identical to Rigma.
“For now, I’ll leave it to one of my clones.”
“Oh, so that’s how it works.”
Is it just a given that the Four Heavenly Kings can create clones, like Pilkaya and now Rigma?
No way—does that mean even Primilla can create clones?
“Is something the matter?”
Noticing my gaze, Primilla tilted her head and asked.
“No, I was just thinking how all the Four Heavenly Kings seem able to create clones.”
“Unfortunately, I cannot. If I could, I’d keep watch over the Demon Lord all day long…”
“Keep watch? I’m the Demon Lord, you know! I’m supposed to be important!”
While she sounded genuinely frustrated, her reasoning wasn’t what I’d expected.
Honestly, with more clone-capable Heavenly Kings, I wouldn’t need constant escorts.
But saying that might anger Primilla, and Lady Fiona might not appreciate being “watched,” either.
I decided it was best not to say anything strange.
At least now we had an inn for the demons.
It’s true—if we’re going to make something, it should be for the demons, not intruders.
As our ranks grow, I can use my Dungeon Master skills to create more spaces for their benefit.
…That said, what am I supposed to do with a menu like this?
Farm Creation: Mana Cost – 10
It seems there’s plenty of potential for making the underground demon realm more comfortable in the future.
