Side: Yuki
At long last, some new recruits have entered the dungeon.
Things have been hectic lately, so I'm finally able to start properly managing the dungeon.
To those of you who think we're already in the mid-game, or that this is some "impossible game without a tutorial"—sorry to disappoint. I've finally gathered enough data to prepare for the grand opening.
To me, this whole "dungeon management" gig sounds like this: "We're opening a convenience store in a war zone. Send me the estimate!"
So yeah, I gathered information.
By sheer luck, I got acquainted with royalty and some highly skilled adventurers, and somehow managed to secure operational approval from the kingdom.
Anyway, back on topic.
The "newcomers" are the slaves I asked Mobu and his crew to purchase. They are mostly—actually, they're only—young women. I gave those instructions myself. Is there a bit of "Harem, wohooo!" intent behind it? Maybe a little. But more importantly, I need reliable subordinates I can trust.
There are various reasons, but honestly, it's "Boobs!! Boobs!!" ...No, calm down. No matter how beautiful they are, princesses, drill-haired noble ladies, or some nation's official Saintess? Absolutely not. Given the stress they bring, I can't even enjoy the fantasy anymore.
Anyway, enough of my delusions. It's time to make Mobu and the others pay the price.
"Well then, Mobu and the others have purchased the slaves. From here on, I will examine and criticize Mobu's taste in women."
"Oi, wait!! You literally said 'criticize', didn't you!? Don't decide that on your own!"
"Now, now. Just consider it the petty resentment of a man who can't leave this dungeon. Don't worry about it."
"I will worry about it!"
"Well, let's move this along. Mobu, introduce the first batch."
I'll mess with them as I please and cut them off when I want. They'll probably complain, but please bear with it considering my circumstances.
"Fine, fine. I'll give you the general overview first. As you can see, we bought nine girls. Sorry, but we couldn't get every single race. Some were way too expensive, and others are just plain rare."
"Yeah, figures. So, roughly three girls per guy?"
"Yeah. I figured I shouldn't pick them all myself since you said you'd judge my taste."
"Tch... I should have timed that better. Speaking of which, there are no issues with the slave contracts, right?"
"Yeah, it doesn't really matter since we'll put them under 'Designated Protection' anyway. For now, they're officially registered as the property of us three."
"I see. And just to check—do any of you three want to keep one for yourselves?"
"Nah. The three of us have a good balance as an adventuring party. Bringing an amateur into the mix would just mess up the synergy."
"Fair enough. Alright, let's start the introductions."
When I stood before the nine female slaves, they all flinched slightly.
Yeah... they definitely haven't been treated well.
"Alright. I don't know how much Mobu told you, but my name is Yuki. That makes me your employer."
At that, a long-eared girl—an elf, I assume—speaks up.
When I said that, the long-eared girl reacted and asked a question... An elf, I suppose?
Her figure completely ignores the standard proportions. She's a total bombshell—curvy in all the right places.
"...Excuse me, but aren't you going to treat us as slaves? To 'employ' us... what do you mean by that?"
"Ah, I'm not going to treat you like slaves. I have something I want to do here, and I'd like your help with it."
"...Help? Wouldn't it be more convenient for you to simply treat us as slaves?"
"Heh heh heh... well, there's no use hiding it. Your days ahead might actually be harder than being a regular slave."
When I said that, their faces all stiffened.
"Hey, hey, don't scare them like that. That's cruel."
"Calm down, Mobu-san. That's just Yuki's way of being considerate. These girls will have to manage and protect this place from now on."
"When Kurse says it, it really hits... especially since he ran away once."
"That stings..."
Kurse tried to support me, but Raiya hit a sore spot, making him wince.
"Manage this place? What does that mean?"
The Elf girl tilts her head.
"It's simple, really. This dungeon... well, the late Elju-sama apparently succeeded in controlling the Dungeon Core. There's a plan to build a village or a town inside here. The current ownership belongs to her sister, Seraria-sama."
"...So we were brought here as experimental subjects?"
She's a sharp one. With the right education, she could really grow.
"No, safety is guaranteed. What I want to do here is something else."
"Something else?"
"If it's not an experiment, you're wondering why you were called? It's simple. It's Elju-sama's wish. She wanted a place where people who lost their homes and families in the war could live in peace."
"Elju-sama...?"
"The plan is to gather slaves here, liberate them, and create a sanctuary. For that, we first need manpower. I want your cooperation in this. That said, I can't just put some random person in charge. The wish is for former slaves to be the main force in building this place."
Gotta love the "Elju-sama" brand. Thanks to her name, I can keep my existence a total secret.
The safest thing in the world is being unknown. That way, nobody keeps tabs on you. I can just quietly relax as a Dungeon Master.
"But I... no, none of us here have experience building a town..."
She looks at the other girls, who all shake their heads in agreement.
"Don't worry about that. Mobu and the others are here to support you. What I want from you first is to tell me what's needed to build a village, and to explain the cultural differences between your races. We plan to gather many different races here, so I want to iron out the potential problems early. I'm asking for your help."
"...If we can't provide results or cooperate, will we be kicked out?"
"No. But since you'll be seeing and hearing things related to the management of this place, I'll have to swear you to secrecy regarding certain details."
"That's only natural. Understood. I wish to cooperate with you—and with Elju-sama's legacy. If this place can become a vessel for those met with tragedy."
As she speaks, the others all nod. Well, that went smoother than expected.
"Alright then. If you're willing to help, please introduce yourselves. It'll be inconvenient if I don't know what to call you."
"A-Ah, yes. My apologies. Then, we'll start with the three of us who were chosen by Mobu-sama..."
"Mobu... OUT!!"
"What the hell is 'Out' for!?"
I can't let that slide. "Chosen by Mobu-sama"? That's more than enough material to tease him with.
"Tch. If I tease him here the conversation won't progress... Let's finish the self-introductions first."
"H-Huh? U-Understood. Then, starting with me..."
* * *
"I am Eris. As you can see, I am an elf. I can use some magic, though I have no combat experience. I can handle basic arithmetic. I look forward to working with you."
Eris, huh? There's no point in looking at her detailed stats right now, so I'll keep it simple. Level 10. Is that high? I don't really know the average level for a civilian, though I saw an 18-year-old Level 5 was the average.
My impression is that since she spoke for the group, she has leadership potential. She's rational, too. I have high hopes for her.
As for her looks—like I said, she's about 160cm, curvy, and a blonde beauty with long hair.
"U-Um, I'm Tori!! I'm a Wolf-kin!! I-I can't use magic, but I'm pretty confident in my physical abilities!! Nice to meet you!!"
Tori-chan. Her level is even higher at 21. Is she from a warrior tribe!?
Ignoring the jokes for a second, she's an ear-kin girl. Honestly, I'm just grateful that "Beast-kin" in this world aren't just covered in fur.
White hair, short and a bit spiky. Maybe it's naturally curly?
"I'm Aslin. I'm human... I'm not good at studying, magic, or physical work... I can only do things like cooking and housework."
Aslin-chan. Her voice trailed off at the end. Yeah, that's a tough self-intro.
Let me put a footnote here: she is clearly the youngest of the nine. I never told anyone to go pick out a "loli".
Chestnut hair in a short bob. It suits her well.
"Thanks for the introductions. Eris, appreciate you speaking up earlier. Tori, you're full of energy—good to have you. Aslin, don't worry about it. Cooking and housework are essential skills. And you can always learn more."
"No... thank you for explaining things to a slave like me."
"Yes!! Nice to meet you!!"
"...Am I not a bother?"
Only Aslin looks anxious. I have no choice but to pat her head to calm her down. This is the best way to handle kids.
Hey, I hated the brats in my neighborhood back home, but my relatives' kids always liked this!
"Now then. I'm passing judgment on Mobu."
"What do you mean, judgment!?"
"Mobu, you l*lic*on!! You're definitely OUT!!"
She's too young!! No matter how you look at it!! She might have reminded you of your own kid, but think about it!! Now I'm the one who has to take care of her for a while!!
Well, I'm curious to see how much a kid like her can grow if I give her a "gifted" education, but I won't force it on her if she hates it...
Now then, I wonder what the remaining six are like.
