Chapter 14

“Hey, could you speak to the Demon King on my behalf? Tell him that Pilkaya really wants to be useful and ask if there’s any job he could give me.”

“Oh… so that’s what this is about.”

“It’s important, you know. After all, I worked so hard to rise to the rank of one of the Four Heavenly Kings, but if I screw up like that, everything I’ve done will be for nothing. I have to show the Demon King that I’m still useful.”

…This way of thinking feels oddly familiar. It makes me feel a strange sense of kinship.

Yeah, I get it. I also worked hard to prove the usefulness of my Dungeon Master skills, struggling to serve Lady Fiona as her dependable tool. Even now, I’d be in trouble if I were abandoned.

“You don’t need to worry about that, though.”

“Huh? Got some kind of plan?”

“Not really. It’s just that Lady Fiona went out of her way to use a revival potion on you, so it seems like she prioritized reviving you because she had some task in mind for you.”

“Seriously!? Yes! I haven’t been discarded yet! …Wait, but since you’re the one who made the revival potion, doesn’t that mean the Demon King’s army can be resurrected as much as they want?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say I ‘made’ it exactly…”

I gave Pilkaya a brief explanation about the treasure chest.

Pilkaya listened in silence, but her eyes gradually widened until she burst out laughing.

“Pfft! The Demon King seriously did that?! No wonder Primilla-san was so mad!”

“I-I know! But it was necessary!”

“Hahaha! Well then, since I was revived with such a precious potion, I’ll make sure to live up to the expectations placed on me.”

“Yes, I’m counting on you. For now, I’d like you to help identify spots where a small dungeon entrance could appear without seeming unnatural or causing too much of a commotion.”

“Ohh… I see. That does seem like something I’m suited for. All right, I’ll get to work on it right away.”

Following Lady Fiona’s instructions, Pilkaya began making preparations immediately.

As expected of the Demon King and one of the Four Heavenly Kings—they communicate exceptionally well.

“Pilkaya is a fire spirit. She can create duplicates by sending fragments of her consciousness into fire.”

“So… she can gather information from almost anywhere?”

“Essentially. After all, fire is everywhere. Even this dungeon is lit with torches in its rooms and corridors. If Pilkaya can use those, she’ll have a huge advantage in reconnaissance.”

“Of course, key locations in the kingdom are protected with barriers and anti-magic measures. But since we’re only looking for safe dungeon entrances, those kinds of places aren’t what we want anyway. It’s actually convenient for us to avoid them.”

That makes sense. The entire kingdom’s information wouldn’t be fully accessible, but Lady Fiona’s decision to revive Pilkaya is easy to understand—he possesses precisely the abilities we need right now.

“How many duplicates can Pilkaya make?”

“If I push myself, over a thousand. But dividing my consciousness that much weakens each duplicate. Also, the more I divide myself, the smaller their operational range becomes, so I avoid creating too many even for reconnaissance.”

Even with limitations, the ability remains incredibly powerful. Pilkaya knows best how to balance its usage.

She appears deeply focused on information gathering now, hardly reacting to anything around her.

It might be worth creating a secure room for Pilkaya to work in during intelligence operations, given her vulnerability during such moments.

After some time, Pilkaya’s awareness returned, catching me off guard with her sudden movement.

“I’ve checked out a few potential locations!”

“Impressive as always. You’re a great help.”

“Well, I am amazing. Hey, do you have a map of the Underworld from before it collapsed?”

“Here you go, Pilkaya-sama.”

“Wow, Primilla-san, you’re always on top of things!”

Accepting the map, Pilkaya scanned it with a gleeful grin. The dungeon was already impressive now, but seeing its former scale made it clear just how vast and intricate it once was.

After some deliberation, Pilkaya pointed to several spots on the map.

“These areas seem ideal. Small villages or towns nearby, and not much foot traffic, so discovery will be delayed.”

“That’s helpful, but if no one goes near them, we might have trouble drawing in enough intruders to build up dungeon magic.”

“Don’t worry about that. Once it’s discovered, adventurers will flock to it. Start small, and as the danger increases, larger exploration parties will show up.”

I see. That makes sense. With Pilkaya’s choices, there’s no reason to worry about soldiers being dispatched right away.

“Lady Fiona, should we start preparing the dungeons now that your magic has recovered?”

“Wait a moment!”

Just as I sought Lady Fiona’s approval, Pilkaya interjected.

“Creating dungeons is fine and all, but I found something else interesting.”

“Something interesting?”

It seems Pilkaya wasn’t done with her report yet.

“The Great Reincarnation has already started.”

“The Great Reincarnation… That makes sense. Rey is a reincarnated soul as well, so it must be that time.”

“Wait, you’re a reincarnate, Rey? Wow, that’s rare for a demon.”

“Yeah… the goddess kind of made the decision for me.”

“Ahaha, goddesses are selfish like that. Tough luck, Rey.”

Tell me about it. At least I’m doing better now under Lady Fiona’s protection.

“What exactly is the Great Reincarnation?”

I had an idea based on the conversation but decided to confirm.

“During the Great Reincarnation, numerous souls from another world are sent here. You’re likely one of them.”

“So… people from my world are arriving here… likely to defeat the Demon King?”

“Exactly.”

I’d tried not to dwell on it, but it was always at the back of my mind. Crafting monsters and traps to repel invaders doesn’t just drive them away—it often means killing them to harvest dungeon magic.

Being a demon, I was nearly killed by the first person I met here. That’s the reality of this world for me. I’d accepted that, giving up on trying to reason with non-demons.

But if these invaders are from my world… perhaps we could at least talk.

“Rey, do you want to kill me too?”

“N-No! As long as I can stay by your side, Lady Fiona, that’s all I want…”

That’s right. I just want to stay safe. And being near the strongest boss—the Demon King—is the safest place for a demon like me.

…I hate how cowardly that sounds.

“If that’s the case, let me warn you. Even if they’re from your world, reasoning with them will be difficult. Those who recklessly come to kill me will not listen. Please, remember that.”

Lady Fiona’s expression as she said this was tinged with sorrow.