Side: Yuki
"Well then, Now that everyone's seated again. Where do you think we should start?"
"Um, Elder Brother. May I?"
"What is it?"
"I understand that you and your group are also Dungeon Masters, but what exactly is it that you want to ask us?"
"What, you ask... Honestly, I want to know everything," I replied.
I have many plans moving forward, and I want information by any means necessary. I want to prevent nuisances and troubles before they happen as much as possible. And if there's a convenient or clever way to use a dungeon, I definitely want to hear it.
"I see. Then, Elder Brother, what do you intend to do with your dungeons?"
"...Ah, come to think of it, that's a fair point."
They know we are Dungeon Masters, but they have no idea how we utilize our dungeons—or rather, what we are doing with them.
In this situation, they can't really give me any meaningful answers. However, explaining it is tricky; even a simple explanation sounds almost ridiculous when put into words.
"It is simple, Raie. Yuki is trying to use the dungeons to eliminate war. Feel free to lend him a hand," Derieu interjected casually.
"Huh?"
Good grief, Derieu just blurted it out.
Raie-kun looks absolutely stunned. It's a natural reaction; given the common perception of dungeons, how could anyone arrive at that conclusion?
"Wait... how can you use a dungeon to settle wars? Don't tell me you plan to gather a dungeon's military force to topple other nations!? I can't agree to that! We just want to live here in peace. That would make you exactly the 'natural disaster' the legends speak of!"
Raie-kun rejected the idea immediately, as if it were something monstrous.
"Fool, think carefully. If Yuki truly intended to rule the world through force, you would not be breathing right now, Raie. You saw it, did you not? The efficiency with which he suppressed this dungeon."
"Well, yes..."
"Setting aside Derieu's high praise... Raie-kun, do you know about Gates and Teleport Traps?" I asked.
"Yes, they are methods to connect one location to another. I use them to make travel between the dungeon and the town easier for Lily, Anna, and specific individuals."
"Right. We are utilizing those to—"
I spent the next hour giving a simplified explanation.
I told them about connecting each dungeon via Gates, letting various nations use them, and establishing mutual surveillance to suppress war. Of course, I mentioned the various steps required to make it happen.
"—And that's the gist of it."
"Haa... that's an incredible story. But it doesn't seem impossible. It's wonderful."
Raie-kun, Anna-san, and Lily all look surprised, but impressed.
"That's the situation. Right now, we're moving things forward by building dungeons in various countries, centered around the dungeon in Rosheul, with Seraria and Rurua helping us."
"And the problem there is that the dungeons become the property of someone other than you, Elder Brother."
"Exactly. If a Dungeon Master is friendly like you, we can help each other. But if they're hostile..."
"Then you must seize control, detain, or eliminate them by any means necessary."
Precisely. A fellow Dungeon Master is the most troublesome kind of enemy. The only people who can interfere with us are others in the same business, Heroes, Demon Kings, or gods.
"That's how it is. I assume that as Derieu's brother, you have no intention of opposing me?"
"Correct. We have no reason to fight you, Elder Brother."
"That's a relief. That said, since we're operating within a national framework, I'll eventually prepare some documents for you to sign to make it official."
"That is only natural. I have no objections."
No objections at all, huh.
He really was raised as royalty. Despite my casual explanation, he understood the importance and gave a considered answer. Still, there are many details to iron out.
"That's the primary objective. But while war suppression is the goal, things won't always go smoothly."
"Naturally. If it were that easy to end war, it would have vanished long ago."
"That's why I'd like your cooperation. If you really want to live quietly here, I won't force you. But I'd at least like to borrow your wisdom."
"...I see. I understand what you're saying, Elder Brother. Could you give me some time to think it over?"
Raie-kun is clearly aware of his responsibility to protect Anna-san and Lily.
He isn't a fool who decides things without listening to those around him, so he avoided making a definitive statement then and there. He's thinking it through.
"What's the matter, Raie? Is there some problem?"
"No, Elder Sister. I cannot decide this on my own. Cooperating with you and Brother means we will inevitably be caught up in trouble, doesn't it?"
"Well, that is true, but..."
Yes—cooperating with us means being dragged into future conflicts. Though, since we've already met, they probably can't avoid the fallout anyway.
"If I were to give a simple answer now, it would make you doubt my caliber. Elder Brother, could you give me a little time? I want time to see things for myself."
"Of course. Take your time. Actually, I'll show you the dungeon we've built."
"Yes, please. No matter what I hear, or what my sister says, I need to see it with my own eyes."
"Yeah, that's important."
I'll need to arrange a tour of our dungeon for Raie-kun and his group soon. Still, this trip has been incredibly productive. I thought this dungeon was just a place to grind for DP, but it turned out to be a jackpot.
"I'll arrange a tour once the preparations are finished. I could connect them right now... well, they are connected, but you probably can't just leave this second, right?"
"Yes, that is a bit too sudden."
"Raie, you aren't coming?" Derieu asked.
"Elder Sister, this is all very sudden. Even if I go there, I have to find a proxy for this dungeon first. This is all a first for me."
Wait. Something felt a bit off just now.
"Hey, Raie-kun. Something about what you just said caught my attention. You said this is all a first... including finding a proxy for the dungeon?"
"Yes. This would be the first time I've ever left this dungeon."
"Really?"
"Yes. Anna and Lily have strictly told me to prioritize my own safety. I don't know which of you is the 'real' Dungeon Master, but we couldn't afford to take such a risk."
Wait a minute. Does he not realize we're using Doppelganger bodies?
Ah, right—I was using jamming. But if he's never left this place...
"Sorry to ask, but are you aware that Gartz has the largest number of dungeons among the Four Great Major Powers?"
"Yes. I figured other Dungeon Masters besides me must have arrived."
"Arrived?"
“Yes. It’s been about 200 years since I became a Dungeon Master. Back then, there were no reports of dungeons. Wait... maybe there was one?”
"Yes, there was only one when our kingdom still existed," Anna-san clarified. "But from about 150 years ago, the number of dungeons suddenly began to increase."
Anna-san added that explanation.
"So that means there is at least one other Dungeon Master out there..."
"It would seem so. We only have this one dungeon. Did you not know, Elder Brother?"
"No, we didn't."
Hmm. Should I be disappointed, or should I be glad there was more info than expected? I had hoped Raie-kun was managing all the dungeons in this area, but things aren't that simple.
"Do you have any info on the other dungeons?"
"Hmm, Lily has traveled to other dungeons for work a few times."
"Yes." Lily added. "I didn't notice anything strange in particular. They were just ordinary dungeons, weren't they?"
Yeah, I have no idea what a "normal" dungeon is supposed to be.
I'll have to ask Rurua, Tori, or Riel about that later. We have the support of the Adventurer's Guild, so we should be able to get most of the basic info.
"For now, it seems neither side has their thoughts fully organized. Let's take a break. We're still in the middle of negotiations with Gartz anyway. We'll have a proper talk once that's settled."
"Yes, that sounds best. Um, will you be returning control of the dungeon to us?"
"That's the thing. Just in case, lend us one floor. We'll connect it to our dungeon. We'll place Derieu as the mediator. That way no one can come and go without Derieu's permission. Is that okay, Derieu?"
"Umu. Leave it to me."
"Yes. That would be very helpful."
And so, the dungeon raid ended with unexpected gains.
It was quite a lot of information for one day. However, he's been a Master for 200 years and only has this one place? I probably shouldn't expect much in terms of technical innovation.
Alright, next step—let's go hear Gartz's answer.
