Side: Seraria
"Phew, today is finally the dungeon's evaluation day."
I scan the last of the documents and press my seal upon them. Seals are quite convenient, aren't they? If I had to sign dozens of pages by hand, my wrist would surely give out. I then sort the papers into the authorized bin.
"Now then, we're eating lunch and then gathering at the Adventurer's Guild, right?"
"Yes, that is correct."
Qual is working diligently here as my subordinate. Even now, she assists me in overseeing the military and acting as a proxy representative for the dungeon's public affairs.
"Say, Qual."
"Yes, milady?"
"In your eyes, how is our unit doing? Do you think they've acclimated to this dungeon? It's been nearly two months now. I suspect that no matter how much training they do, some dissatisfaction might be brewing."
It has been a month since that major defense battle. We arrived a month before that fight, and this past month has been a whirlwind of processing refugees and immigrants from Rithea for the military and police. Fools are everywhere.
"...Well. May I speak frankly?"
"Of course. Give it to me straight. The last thing I need is a force that can't move when it counts."
My policy is to swap out any dissatisfied personnel with the remainder of my troops back in Roshure. I'm well aware that I've pushed them quite hard. Especially during the defense battle—even if we had raised their levels excessively, I made them fight an enemy nearly ten times their size. There were certainly serious injuries.
...Though, miraculously, there were no fatalities in my unit. A grand achievement. But no matter how brave they are, they are still human. Even I find my heart growing weary if I don't see my husband or Elju. If I go a single day without seeing the faces of Aslin or Filia, I'm consumed by worry. Well, I do act as the liaison to the home country, too.
This whole business with Rithea... it was a rogue decision by Yuki and me. Had things gone poorly, we would have faced immense pressure from Roshure. After I sent word via letter, my father replied immediately, stating he would arrange a summit shortly. I imagine they were quite panicked. Fufufu... but that's a story for another time.
Qual pauses for a moment, looking at me with a serious gaze.
"It is not just a few of them, but almost the entire unit..."
"...The entire unit?"
"They are requesting that the technological level outside the dungeon be raised to match the inside."
I slammed my head onto the desk.
"Huh!? What does that even mean?"
"Currently, our unit is working together with the dungeon's police to defend the outside of the dungeon—that is, the village... or rather, the town at the main entrance of the dungeon, correct?"
"Right. Without at least some decent facilities outside, no one would approach this dungeon."
"Yes, the entire unit understands that. We rotate squads for one-week shifts to handle that exterior security duty."
"Yes, I'm aware of the rotation."
"To put it simply, life inside the dungeon is so convenient that they're complaining about how inconvenient it is to live outside."
"...Tell them to go back to basic training."
"But, the exterior lacks a constant supply of hot baths. It's the usual standard of drawing water from a well, just like any other village or town."
"So, from a hygienic standpoint, it's an undesirable situation?"
"Precisely. Therefore, they wish to remove the distinction between inside and outside. They want dungeon-style facilities established outdoors, even on a small scale. In my personal opinion, it would serve as excellent advertisement. If we tell people there are even more incredible facilities inside, they'll be more than happy to enter."
"...Hmm. Let's consider it positively. Though, I can't alter the dungeon layout without permission from all the representatives."
"I am grateful you heard my suggestion. I work inside the dungeon by your side, Seraria-sama, but the glares I get from the patrol units are starting to sting."
"Oh? You're welcome to take a turn on exterior guard duty, you know."
"I respectfully decline. Using candles or mana lights just to see is incredibly bothersome. Perhaps you should try the exterior rounds, Seraria-sama? Yuki-sama certainly wouldn't object. He knows your temperament well; if you say you're doing it, he'll just nod along."
"Absolutely. Not."
As if I'd go back to that. Even returning to Roshure briefly reminded me how inconvenient the world can be.
"And, there is one more opinion."
"Another one?"
"Well, this is one I cannot judge on my own."
"What is it?"
"A portion... about a quarter of the soldiers... wish to have their families move here."
"Ah—I see."
The defense capabilities of this dungeon, the laws—or rather, the rules—within it, and the level of technology... it's all of a quality unseen elsewhere on this continent. If you know the details, it makes perfect sense to want to bring your family here.
"I'll discuss that with everyone as well."
"Thank you very much."
As we talk, the clock passes 12:30.
"It's already this late. Let's finish eating quickly and head to the Adventurer's Guild."
"Indeed. Today is finally the day our dungeon opens to general adventurers."
"Hold on, this is still just the testing phase. We're sending in specific adventurers we've called to get their feedback. We need to compare it to the Guild's difficulty ratings to see if there are any discrepancies. Only then can we officially decide the dungeon's difficulty level."
"My apologies. Creating a dungeon ourselves is a first-time experience. To think the entire unit brainstormed the concepts for just those four floors... I suppose I'm just feeling a bit emotional."
"I can't say I don't understand that."
As we leave the office, we happen to run into Derieu heading our way.
"Oh, Seraria, you're still here? Perfect timing. Why don't we grab lunch together? Naturally, Qual is invited as well."
"Thank you. However, Derieu-sama, have you decided what to eat today?"
"Ah, no. I haven't quite decided yet."
Derieu is currently treated as "Special Affairs" for the military and police. Being a Demon King, it's only natural. This role allows her to move freely between the military and police, and she is authorized to engage in combat based on her own judgment, provided she doesn't deviate from the rules.
Well, the same goes for all the representatives. Derieu isn't a representative, yet she holds that special position. Naturally, anyone who complained about it would taste the power of a Demon King and end up in prison.
"By the way, Seraria. Where are Yuki and Labyris? Weren't you supposed to be together?"
"Both are away on business. We're meeting up at the Adventurer's Guild."
"Business?"
"Yuki is with Narjia regarding blacksmithing, and Labyris is at the administrative building for some verifications."
"...They are both so busy."
"You're welcome to help, Derieu."
"Umu. I would like to help Yuki as much as possible, but his work is mostly the kind that requires using one's head."
"And he uses his head in ways that are completely off the charts, doesn't he?"
"Anyway, back to lunch. I heard a 'conveyor belt sushi' place opened recently. How about that?"
"Heh, so the sushi Yuki made for us is in a shop now."
"Sounds delicious, doesn't it?"
"Yes, let's go there."
With that, Derieu and I set off.
"Um... what is 'sushi'?"
Ah, Qual hasn't eaten it yet? I'm looking forward to her reaction.
"You'll understand if you come along. It's surely a taste you've never experienced. Look forward to it."
After this, Qual became a frequent regular at the sushi shop, and I was quite surprised to see her pestering Yuki to make hand-pressed sushi for her.
