My body feels heavy... I definitely went to sleep yesterday, but my head isn't clear at all.
I can't move... Is this that? The famous "sleep paralysis"?
There's a definite pressure on my chest; it's hard to breathe. I look around and see the sun is already up.
Sleep paralysis at this hour? I think, managed to wiggle my hand enough to peel back the duvet, and there...
"...Zzz... zzz..."
Labyris was sleeping right on top of me.
Ah, I remember now. I'm in another world. And I'm running a dungeon. I was sleeping in an inn I just summoned.
For a second, I really thought I was being visited by some weird paranormal phenomenon at a travel destination.
"Nn... zzz..."
Careful not to wake her, I gently moved her off my chest.
I see... So this is what having a zashiki-warashi feels like. If I saw this at night, it'd be a horror movie, but right now, it just feels kind of... warm and comforting.
Now, for breakfast... let's take the easy way out. I'll just quickly generate something with DP.
First, I need to give them a proper explanation and get them to start thinking about future plans.
* * *
"Hey, Mobu, wake up. I can't serve breakfast like this."
"...Nn? Oh, it's morning already?"
"Just how long were you guys partying?"
Mobu finally started to wake up after I gave him a kick. Raiya and Kurse were already up and had tidied away their futons.
"Man, morning tea is delicious."
"Indeed. Once you get used to green tea, it's a drink that truly puts the mind at ease."
They were lounging by the window, leisurely sipping tea.
"So, where's breakfast?"
"Tidy your futon first. I have to call the ladies, too."
"Yeah, yeah. By the way, are you still not letting them see the Princess?"
"The explanation is still insufficient. It'll cause chaos. Milly might even try to kill her."
Yes, I haven't told the girls that Elju is alive yet.
I gave them a surface-level explanation, but I believe I should only talk about Elju once I can fully trust them... Especially to Milly, who comes from the same town as Mobu's group; knowing the truth might make Elju look like an arch-enemy.
"Fair enough. I won't butt in on that. Let's clean up, then."
He began folding the futon.
I should go wake the ladies... but first, I should wake the three children. Leaving them alone too long doesn't feel right.
* * *
"...You finally showed up. You've got some nerve showing your face after abandoning us."
You have some nerve showing your face after abandoning us.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
As expected, Labyris was glaring at me from atop the futon. Aslin and Filia were rubbing their eyes, still half-asleep.
"Alright, listen up. I'm going to teach you about the luxury of an inn. First, let's go wake the other ladies."
I scooped up Aslin and Filia and left the room with Labyris. They were heavy, but they're cute, so I'll allow it. Is this what it feels like to be a parent?
"Save it for next time. I don't have three arms."
"...Fine... it's a promise."
"What's with that disappointed face? Fine, fine—hop on my shoulders. Keep your own balance, though."
Since Labyris looked so lonely, I offered her a shoulder ride. I wouldn't offer this to Aslin or Filia since they look like they'd fall off.
"...Thank you."
She hopped onto my shoulders and rested her hands on my head. Incidentally, two "melons" also rested on my head, but I ignored them. With that, we reached the room next door.
"Heeey, you awake? Open up—"
"Yes, yes, Onii-san~ We're up."
Ratz opened the door for us, but...
"...Ehh~ Are you in the middle of childcare?"
"I won't deny it."
"You won't deny it? Well, sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. Is it breakfast time?"
"Yeah, but before that, I thought I'd let you taste a luxury unique to inns."
"Heh~ even in our current state, we feel like this is more than enough luxury. I want to ask if there's even anything more luxurious than this."
As I talked with Ratz, Eris and Milly noticed and came over.
"Another strange luxury?"
"I can't believe I've already gotten used to luxury in just half a day... I'm actually looking forward to what comes next."
Eris looked resigned, while Milly looked like she had already given up on common sense.
"Hehehe... Take everyone to the open-air bath!! That is the greatest luxury this facility has to offer!!"
Yes — an inn with an open-air bath. The greatest luxury is being able to take a bath anytime!! In the morning, in the afternoon, at night!!
"Think of it as a wake-up call. Put your clothes in the basket like yesterday. Clean ones are already in the baskets."
"...How should I put this? The luxury of being able to bathe anytime, and using it as a morning wake-up... And we're even changing clothes again. Onii-san, what exactly are you trying to do by spoiling us like this~?"
"Look, like I said yesterday, this is normal as long as you're here. And if you want to maintain this lifestyle, you'll have to run the dungeon properly. If you all work hard, you can keep living like this. So for today, think of it as refreshing yourselves and switching gears."
"...I have a lot I want to say, but I'll obediently follow Onii-san. This kind of luxury might only happen once in a lifetime."
Ratz led everyone out of the room.
I tried to hand the three children over to Ratz, but...
"...I'm going to the men's bath too."
"I want to stay together."
"Me too!!"
Aslin and Filia clung to me; they seemed to have woken up fully. As for Labyris, she was clinging to my head so tightly the "melons" were squished to fit.
"...Onii-san, I'm sorry, but it seems I'd have to be your wife to take care of those kids for you."
"Sigh. Fine. Once you're out of the bath, gather where we ate dinner. I'll explain everything after breakfast."
"Roger that~"
With that, I parted ways with Ratz and the others and entered the men's bath.
"Alright, do you remember how to do it from yesterday?"
"I-I'm okay."
"Umm... I don't really remember."
"...It's heavy, so help me again."
One aside, it's no surprise. This was all new to them. They could learn slowly. Honestly, was Labyris doing it on purpose? Should I see it as her trying to get close to me?
I felt I had taken another step toward enlightenment. Holding two melons and doing nothing required incredible mental strength.
* * *
After that, breakfast went off without a hitch, and it was time to explain their specific positions and the nature of the dungeon.
"First, everyone has tea, right?"
Drinks are essential for long sessions. Everyone was sitting on cushions at a long table, facing me. Incidentally, of the three kids, one was on my lap and the other two were on either side of me. I am definitely a parent now.
"Now, I want to explain dungeon management... but since Ratz and the others had some questions yesterday, let's settle those before I start my explanation."
"Right~ It'll be easier to listen if we have fewer doubts about you. So, regarding yesterday... you mentioned having a birthplace, right, Onii-san?"
"Hm. Explaining that might solve some of your questions. Listen to how I became a Dungeon Master."
"Understood~ We're all ears."
So, I gave them a "modified" version of the truth—the same one I gave the Princess.
* I woke up one day and was suddenly a Dungeon Master.
* My homeland is a different place from this continent. (Using "place" is the key—it's not a lie even if it's a different world).
* I ran the dungeon for self-defense.
* Meeting Mobu and the others and being able to talk to them helped me decide on a course of action, which led to you all being brought here.
* I want to earn DP and build a village or town inside the dungeon. (Currently here)
By the time I finished, the ones following were the educated Ratz, Eris, and Milly. Tori was barely hanging on, and surprisingly, Labyris seemed to understand. Aslin was listening as best she could, but Filia, Riel, and Kaya had literal smoke coming out of their ears.
"How should I put it... you've had it rough too, Onii-san. Suddenly waking up as one..."
Ratz seemed to be struggling to find the right words. In reality, it was more like a kidnapping by that crappy Goddess.
"I see. If you can control a dungeon at will, there's no more convenient stronghold. And if you can build a village or town there, that would be truly incredible."
Eris was impressed. Being able to think that far ahead just from my minor display of skills—she's sharp.
"Sigh... I wonder if previous Dungeon Masters were like Yuki-san? Usually, as soon as a dungeon appears, it's subjugated immediately..."
"...I don't even want to think about it," Ratz added. "Someone suddenly brought here like Onii-san, and then immediately attacked. If that were me, I'd fortify the dungeon and invade the outside world instead. For my own safety. I wouldn't think of having a conversation in a place where my common sense doesn't apply."
Milly was imagining dark things about past dungeons based on my story. Ratz, too, likely concluded that my path is an outlier; killing everyone is the standard theory for dungeon survival.
"Well, I was lucky to meet Mobu and the guys. I'm hoping to gain DP through ways other than killing and maybe find a way home. In the process, I want to make good use of this dungeon."
"Ah, speaking of which, that 'Dungeon Point' thing? How do you get that? I thought I heard some... unsettling words from you earlier."
"There are unsettling ways, but there are other ways too. Listen up."
I briefly explained how to get DP:
* DP is added when creatures born outside the dungeon die inside, or stay inside for a period of time.
* DP amount: Death = HP + MP. Staying = 1/100th of total MP per hour (if less than 1, add 1 DP). Note: Spells cast by outsiders also convert to DP, but the efficiency is poor.
* Crucial: Creatures under Designated Protection do not have their DP absorbed.
"I see, I see. So if I die, it's about 800 DP? Incidentally, Onii-san, it's hard to judge the value of 1 DP. How much did this inn cost?"
I started writing costs on a sheet of paper. They were shocked by the quality of the paper, but I ignored it.
* Inn with Open-Air Bath: 2,000 DP (Annual Maintenance: 100 DP)
- Open-Air Bath: 500 DP (Auto-cleaning)
- Rooms: 300 DP (Including hall and toilets)
- Courtyard: 400 DP (Auto-maintenance)
- Kitchen: 300 DP (Includes food/fridge auto-restock)
- Equipment: 300 DP (Futons, desks, etc. — from an infinite equipment box)
- Cleaning: 200 DP (Laundry, trash cans that delete non-living matter)
* Separate Expenses: 560 DP
- Meals (Yesterday/Today): 300 DP (10 DP per person per meal)
- Yukata: 260 DP (10 DP each)
"Hmm. It's hard to say with just this. Onii-san, do you know the expenses for when you first made this dungeon?"
I wrote those out too.
* Initial Dungeon Setup: 1,380 DP
Land: 200 DP (2 sq km at 100 DP/each; Maintenance: 10 DP/yr)
Depth: 100 DP (1 km at 100 DP; Maintenance: 10 DP/yr)
Forming: 300 DP (100 DP per floor x 3)
Customizing: 150 DP (50 DP per floor; terrain changes)
Traps: 150 DP (Manufacturing only)
Trap Placement: 30 DP (10 DP per floor)
Monsters: 300 DP
Furniture: 150 DP (Mail-order system)
Total: 1,380 DP (Remainder: 120 DP; 90 DP after maintenance)
"...It seems the essential costs for running a dungeon are kept quite low."
"This is a bit of a tricky balance~ I see. For other Dungeon Masters, it's actually easier to just kill people rather than house them. It seems luxury items are where the real costs are. Also, Onii-san, I don't know how much DP you have to spare, but food and clothes being separate expenses is quite a lot."
Eris was deep in thought. Ratz had found the reason why other Dungeon Masters aren't friendly: connecting with people doesn't guarantee DP, so killing is more efficient. Building a village like I'm doing requires a lot of guts.
"But even Dungeon Masters have it rough with maintenance costs... By the way, Yuki-san, how much DP did you have at the start? And what did you summon for that 300 DP?"
"1,500 DP. For monsters, I could only call Goblins and Slimes."
When I answered Milly's question, Ratz turned pale.
"What a harsh start... Defending three floors with only goblins and slimes... Even I could break through, Onii-san. I'm amazed you survived."
"But I understand why the upper floors of dungeons have weak monsters... It's to lure people in. You can't earn DP otherwise."
"Exactly~ Now I know why dungeons with strong monsters don't invade the outside world. They're earning a stable income right where they are."
Ratz and Milly nodded, satisfied. Eris, having organized her thoughts, spoke up.
"I understand your story, Yuki-san. So, what specifically should we do? Should we think about the layout of buildings?"
"No. I'm thinking of granting everyone here a certain level of Dungeon Master authority and letting you remodel the place as you like."
Ratz practically lunged across the table.
"Wait a second!? You can share it!? The authority!?"
"Not completely. But if something happens to me, the dungeon can still run if there's a deputy."
"Ah, I see. It's insurance."
"Exactly. Also, don't forget to protect the Dungeon Core. If it's taken, the dungeon stops functioning."
"This is actually quite a hassle... killing everyone really is easier."
"Sorry. I've committed to the 'letting people live here' policy. Please, help me out."
I bowed my head to them. Thinking of the future, having people live here will definitely make things easier. I can't change that.
"...Sigh. If you put it that way, I can't say no. I can't turn my back on a guy who saved me from slavery and gives us this kind of treatment. I, Ratz, will cooperate. What about the rest of you?"
Ratz looked at the group.
"You don't have to participate in management if you don't want to. You can just be regular residents. I won't kick you out."
I made that clear. Forcing people to help only leads to problems later.
"I wish to help Yuki-san," Eris replied normally.
"I can't disregard such a friendly Dungeon Master," Milly added.
"We will follow Yuki-sama's lead!!"
"I'll help too!!"
"...I'll cooperate."
The beast-kin and the three kids all agreed.
"Hehe, looks like Onii-san's harem is coming along. By the way, it's been about a month since this dungeon was made, right?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
"Well, if we're going to build a village, was it really okay to spend 2,000 DP on this inn? Your starting funds were only 1,500. I'm worried you spent every single point you earned this month... and since we have Designated Protection, we can't provide you with DP..."
Ratz was worried about being a "useless mouth to feed." Well, she doesn't need to worry. Those idiot soldiers from the other day provided plenty of DP.
"Oh, the DP is fine. I still have about 490,000 left."
Silence fell over the room.
"WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT MUCH!? EXACTLY HOW MANY HUNDREDS!? NO, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DID YOU TAKE OUT!? IT'S ONLY BEEN A MONTH!! WHAT HAPPENED!? ANSWER ME!!"
Well, might as well explain everything and introduce Elju too...
