The place we arrived at, led by the little girl, was the shop we used when we were challenging the dungeon.
It was a shop run by a small but muscular man with a rough mouth, typical of a craftsman.
Perhaps because it was a shop that Arata and Yuka knew, they seemed to feel a slight sense of relief.
“Are you the same brats who have used my shop a few times before? You’re not customers now. Don’t expect a friendly dwarf like last time.”
“Friendly… but wasn’t it like that even when we were customers?”
I reflexively pointed out the dwarf’s words, and I was hit on the head.
It didn’t hurt. Maybe it was just a performance of scolding, or maybe it was because of my strength as a hero.
…It’s probably the former.
“Don’t get cocky. Also, use proper honorifics.”
Well, the dwarf’s point was valid.
We were going to work here from now on, so speaking casually to the shop manager was probably inappropriate.
“…Understood.”
“I hope you’re not talking to the Demon Lord… like that, are you?”
…That’s actually how I spoke.
Neither the Demon Lord nor the demon-like men around him ever pointed it out, so I kept speaking that way.
Now that I think about it, when I spoke the same way to human kings, people around me quickly pointed it out.
Maybe the difference was between humans and demons.
Or perhaps the Demon Lord and his followers were surprisingly tolerant?
…The latter seems more likely.
After all, it was they who discovered the power of a hero that neither the kingdom people nor I fully understood.
If it’s them, perhaps I can truly trust and serve them.
“Ha… I don’t mind that you’re fearless, but be careful from now on. Don’t cause trouble for me, too.”
“Got it.”
Even this muscular dwarf seems to be able to get people to obey him.
If we’re just talking appearance, it feels like I could easily defeat anyone who was present at that time.
But since this is a game world, strength can’t always be judged by looks.
…If we meet again, I should probably apologize for being rude.
“Well, whatever. It’s true we were short-handed. I appreciate you sending people so quickly.”
“Um… what should we do?”
Shin hesitantly asked, and despite his appearance, the dwarf explained the work surprisingly politely.
I see… managing products and sales. It’s like a part-time job, right?
It’s a bit of a letdown, honestly. But compared to the uncertainty of battling monsters when we were suddenly told to defeat the Demon Lord, this is much easier.
“I’ll be with you on the first day, but try to manage on your own from now on.”
“Does that mean we’re supposed to run the shop by ourselves eventually?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
He immediately answered Yuka’s question.
If that happens, what’s the dwarf planning to do?
Would he be sent to work somewhere else, and this shop would become ours?
“Originally, I was expected to work with stone processing. But now, since I’m busy with the shop, I can’t. If you two become capable, I can finally show my true skills as a dwarf.”
I see.
That’s definitely a job we can’t handle.
Then it makes sense to help out at the shop to reduce this guy’s burden.
Well, I’ll just do my best to work.
I hope the higher-ups will finally recognize our efforts properly.
◇
“They’re actually doing a pretty good job.”
“With this, Karl should be able to focus on his real work, huh?”
“Maybe Kazama and the others are friendlier and might actually be better as shop assistants. Did they do part-time jobs before?”
“Part-time?”
“Oh, never mind.”
Surprisingly, Kazama and the others were judged as suitable for the job by Karl on their first day.
Since then, Karl has been holed up in the room he made next to the shop, working hard to catch up on the mining and processing he couldn’t do before.
It seems his real job as a dwarf wasn’t making equipment but cutting and processing stones, so it was fortunate that we could capture him just when we needed someone like him.
“The dwarves’ dungeon is going well, too.”
“Yeah, Kazama and the others are handling the shop smoothly, and Kamal and the halflings are running the inn properly.”
“In the mining areas that intruders can’t access, the dwarves are collecting magic stones. It will eventually help with Lord Rei’s dungeon-building plans.”
“Now that Karl can process ores and gemstones, everything is finally running smoothly.”
The bustle near the entrance shows no signs of dying down.
I regularly send ores to the dungeon, while Primilla sends alcohol. By doing this, the dwarves will continue to open the dungeon to other races, maintaining this positive flow.
It’s almost like a new town has been formed, and there’s no reason to restrict entry for humans now.
“The beastmen’s dungeon is still as usual. Our inn and Tokito’s shop are getting a decent number of customers.”
“Honestly, the fact that we can reduce the number of enemies we need to defeat or capture has been great.”
Unlike before, we can now earn experience and magic power even without defeating invaders.
Now, what’s important is not defeating intruders but increasing repeat customers.
The beastmen’s dungeons and the human dungeons have both been made considerably safer, but they’re still rewarding enough that intruders continue to visit even after some time.
This is the result.
Izumi Reiko – Magic Power: 60 Strength: 22 Technique: 30 Endurance: 30 Agility: 21
Level-ups have definitely slowed down.
But at this point, I no longer even worry about my own magic power.
Dungeon Magic Power: 5926
I haven’t touched the dungeon magic power.
Since the heat conversion room was created, I’ve installed it in the three dungeons, and this is the accumulated magic power so far.
The Goblin Dungeon, where humans invade, has about twenty people.
The dungeon that beastkin challenge attracts about fifty people.
And the Trap Dungeon, which the dwarves are drawing large crowds into, has as many as five hundred people.
Roughly that many people provide magic power each day.
While reaching ten thousand in a single day is impossible, a little over five hundred magic power accumulates daily.
After about twenty days, I was finally able to draw from the treasure chest gacha once.
“Lady Fiona. I’ll also help with creating the resurrection potion.”
“! Oh, really? A joint effort between you and me, Rei! Together, we’ll revive everyone in the Demon Lord’s army!”
For some reason, I feel like I’ve been targeted by a desire sensor.
No, it’s just my imagination. It’s not like Lady Fiona would…
“Still, why are you so intent on targeting me and the resurrection potion?”
“Fufufu… It’s all part of my perfect plan.”
If you’re counting on my luck, then you’re moving this plan along a bit too quickly…
“By having the two of us revive the Demon Lord’s army, the army will belong not only to me but also to you, Rei.”
“That’s too much responsibility…”
“What!? You’re supposed to bear it together with me! Didn’t you say we’d always be together?”
“I meant I’d support you, not take on all of this…”
Please tell me they’re not going to prepare a position for me as some authority figure second only to the Demon Lord. I’m just a dungeon manager.
“Seriously, prioritize the Four Heavenly Kings instead of me. They’ve been serving Lady Fiona longer than I have and rank right below the Demon Lord.”
As soon as I said that, Rigma gestured at me to stop dragging him into this.
“It’s fine! Everyone’s kind and understands, and I’ll give you special treatment, Rei!”
Is that really okay for the Demon Lord’s army…?
I’m starting to worry that one day a newcomer will show up out of nowhere and take control of everything.
◆
Resurrection Potion
A secret elixir that revives the dead.
It doesn’t merely bring them back as the dead but completely resets their death as if it had never occurred—a feat akin to the workings of a god.
It’s almost identical to the blessings granted to heroes by the goddess, a power that far exceeds the boundaries permitted to those of the mortal realm.
This miraculous potion was carefully safeguarded by rulers of the time and used only in dire emergencies.
Commoners lived their lives without ever laying eyes on it, nor did they know if it truly existed.
Seeing this, the gods would surely laugh.
Even those rulers, in the eyes of the gods, are mere commoners. The gods find joy in their foolishness, for such folly defines the mortal realm.
