“The heroes are indeed a threat. I, too, do not favor internal conflict. But you never disclosed from the beginning that you were a demon king. We perceived you as an unknown enemy in a mysterious dungeon. How could we trust the words of such an ambiguous entity? Moreover, you killed some of my subordinates who came here earlier.”

  Demon King Mari tilted her head slightly, then spoke to Rafaena nearby.

  “The two were sent back alive, correct?”

  “Yes, though they were injured, they survived. I assure you of that,” Rafaena confirmed.

  “In that case, it seems there’s been a misunderstanding. I did not kill your subordinates. If any of them died, it was likely from their own exhaustion on their way back. This was merely self-defense on my part. Do you handle intruders to your domain any differently, especially those who attack you?” Mari asked.

  Obaron fell silent.

  Demon King Mari descended the steps and approached Obaron. The difference in their stature became increasingly apparent as they drew closer, akin to the contrast between a mere stone and a massive boulder in a volcanic region. Though somewhat intimidated by Oberon’s imposing presence, Mari stood firm before him.

  “None of this is our fault, is it?”

  Mari's gaze, looking up from below, had a commanding presence that could intimidate even those of higher rank.

  “Hmm…”

  “Then let’s consider this matter resolved. How about we have a meal together now? Since we’ve met as fellow Demon Lords, I’d like to chat with you more. What do you think?”

  “Indeed, I would also like to take the time to talk with a new Demon Lord.”

  “Perfect. Let’s proceed then.”

  Demon Lord Mari led Obaron and his subordinates to a grand dining hall within the castle.

  Accompanied by her guards—Harumena, a succubus, and Altrius, a dragonkin—Mari walked down the hallway, while eight women walked behind Oberon and his entourage. Despite the seemingly amicable intent, there was palpable tension and vigilance. This, however, was not a direct command from Mari but rather a reflection of her guards' concern for her safety.

  After the tense walk, they arrived at the dining hall.

  The room was lavishly decorated, with a rectangular table set in the center and seats arranged across from each other. This was the place for dining with distinguished guests.

  As they entered, a maid stood near the table.

  “Lord Obaron Libel Era Jilphanis, please have a seat here.”

  The maid guided Oberon to his seat.

  Once Demon Lord Obaron Libel Era Jilphanis and Demon Lord Mari were seated facing each other, their respective subordinates stood behind them in attendance.

  Mari glanced at Obaron’s subordinates, frowning slightly.

  “Your subordinates seem quite injured. It’s not a pleasant sight.”

  At that moment, a tree fairy appeared before Mari.

  “Did you call for me, Lady Mari?”

  “Could you heal those individuals’ wounds?”

  The tree fairy glanced briefly at Obaron’s subordinates before returning her gaze to Mari.

  “With all due respect, aren’t they enemies?”

  “They were, but not anymore. As fellow Demon Lords, I wish for a friendly relationship. They’re unlikely to pose any threat to us in the future. So, please, help them.”

  Despite her visible reluctance, the tree fairy went to heal the injured.

  She approached them and swiftly healed their wounds.

  “This is Mary, one of my treasured allies who excels in healing magic. Her abilities are so advanced that no wound remains once she works her magic.”

  The decayed body of Orclius was restored to its original form in the blink of an eye, thanks to Mari’s magic.

  “Demon Lord Mari, can this magic bring the dead back to life?”

  Mari shook her head.

  “Unfortunately, it seems that resurrecting the dead is beyond the capabilities of this magic. I’m not well-versed in the magic of this world, but I know it’s not within Mari’s powers.”

  “I see…”

  “Do you have someone you wish to revive?”

  “No, there’s no one like that. I was just curious.”

  Understanding Obaron’s silent plea to avoid further probing, Mari complied.

  “Shall we bring out the meal now?”

  Mari whispered to a nearby maid, who promptly left the room. Soon after, a cart carrying food was wheeled into the dining hall.

  The maid began to arrange the dishes on the table.

  “Please help yourselves before it gets cold. The dishes prepared by my people are exceptional, and I’m sure you’ll find them to your liking.”

  Obaron scrutinized the spread and then asked Mari,

  “Aren’t you going to eat?”

  “I’ve just had a meal myself, so I couldn’t possibly eat more. Rest assured, there is no poison in the food.”

  “Not that I was worried about that.”

  Reaching for the sumptuous food, Obaron took a hearty bite and was genuinely impressed. The meal was, without a doubt, the best he had ever tasted. Every dish was so delicious that it compelled him to eat more.

  What could this woman be planning?

  A meal shared between Demon Lords was unprecedented. Was she intending to set something significant in motion?

  As Obaron savored the exquisite dishes, his thoughts raced.

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying the food. Let’s talk while we dine.”

  With a smile that belied her status as the eighth Demon Lord, Mari beamed warmly.

  Chapter 22: The New Floor Guardian

  Once all the dishes were cleared away and the tablecloth spread out, I created a large monitor on the wall directly opposite me.

  Displayed on it was the scene of the 12th floor.

  I decided to monitor the entire battle from this dining hall, prepared for any unexpected events.

  Enema brought a wagon with enough tea for everyone.

  There were still some tasks that needed to be completed before the Demon King, Obaron Liber Era Jilphanis, arrived at my dungeon.

  Having had a hearty meal before the decisive battle, my stamina was fully recovered.

  Thanks to Enema’s cooking, my mana, which was nearly depleted, had also significantly returned.

  With my recovered mana, I needed to create the remaining floor guardians before the Demon King arrived. Once all the floor guardians were in place, their collective influence on the Demon King would be immense.

  I already know that my subordinates are incredibly strong. In fact, they might even be stronger than me, their demon king. The last thing I want is for them to turn on me in some kind of rebellion. That's why I must continue my own training as well.

  While I'm not entirely sure how well my subordinates will fare against the Demon King, I do believe they could at least give him a tough fight. If the Demon King thinks he’s about to defeat one of them, only to have several others of equal strength suddenly appear, that should put a quick end to any unnecessary conflict. It's a kind of deterrent. A pointless battle between Demon Kings is something best avoided.

  Currently, there are three floor guardians: Rafaena on the 12th floor, Harumena on the 80th floor, and Altrius on the 90th floor.

  Although I’ve placed the floor guardians in order of strength, there isn’t much of a difference between Harumena and Altrius. Their power is exceptional, though I don’t have many benchmarks for comparison at the moment.

  The remaining floors are the 20th, 28th, 36th, 42nd, 50th, 64th, and 70th—seven floors in total. In other words, I need to create seven more guardians.

  This is going to be an exhausting task.

  Well, I’ll start creating them one by one.

  I’ve imposed a rule on myself that no two floor guardians can be of the same species. This has made the creation process incredibly difficult. I’m not very familiar with the various species of other worlds, so I have to rely on the management board’s extensive list of species and Elrodea’s supplementary explanations to choose the right ones. This takes up a lot of time.

  Rafaena, who is specialized in magic, is a Shadow Doppelganger of Death. Next, I might want to place someone with a focus on defense. But what species would that be?

  “If you’re looking for a species that excels in defense, there’s one that stands out above the rest.”

  “Oh? Which one?”

  I asked while showing the management board to Elrodea.

  “Let’s see—”

  Elrodea touched the board and began searching through the numerous listed species to find the one she had in mind.

  “This species is here.”

  “The Simic Slime? Are you talking about that squishy slime?”

  Even I knew about slime. They were supposed to be weak monsters that appear early in games. However, it seemed that this concept was different from what I knew.

  “Yes. The Simic Slime is a species composed entirely of liquid, possessing an absolute defense that makes them immune to all physical attacks. They are also highly resistant to magical attacks and can only be harmed by specific types of magic.”

  “What? That’s incredible!”

  It was the exact opposite of the weakest creature.

  It wasn’t the kind of slime I was familiar with; it was a mimic slime. As the name suggests, it has the ability to mimic various things, meaning it can transform into anything, even a human form.

  So, the first guardian is decided. If it can mimic a human, there shouldn’t be any issues. Communication will be easier as well. It seems like a good choice.

  Now, what about... an automaton? The species caught my eye while I was browsing the list.

  An automaton... so that means it’s a machine, right?

  I didn’t expect that to be classified as a species. I’m really curious about what kind of species it is.

  “Automatons are a rare species, almost extinct in the world, and are considered relics of the past. Their lifespan is unknown and potentially eternal, but they are also at risk of sudden death, making them an unstable species. Automatons are incredibly skilled in combat, covered by an outer shell harder than the toughest ores in this world, and they attack using something akin to magic.”

  “What do you mean by ‘something akin to magic’?”

  “Unfortunately, my information database does not contain details about their means of attack.”

  They sound quite formidable.

  I selected the next guardian.

  “Having some unique species would be nice too.”

  “Unique species?”

  “Yes, everyone, could you help me create new companions? If you have any recommendations, I’d love to hear them.”

  “If you’re looking for rare species, how about a Devil Tamer or a Glacier Angel like Rionelia? Both are rare and highly unique species.”

  Harumena mentioned a name that was unfamiliar to me.

  "The demon tamer, Hunt Harben, might be a good choice. They are a rare species that can control countless demons, and their abilities are exceptional," Altrius agreed.

  "Alright, let’s go with that one!"

  "I think the Ice Queen Glacius would be a good pick; what do you think, Mari-sama?"

  "And what kind of species is that?"

  "They’re a race that lives in snow-covered mountains with absolute resistance to ice magic. Their attacks also utilize ice magic, though their specialization makes them vulnerable to certain elements," Elrodea explained.

  "How about the Stone Serpent Head Medusa?" Rorona proposed another species.

  With my subordinates suggesting various species one after another, it didn’t take long to finalize the list.

  While I was absorbed in configuring the management board, my subordinates were fixated on the screen displaying the 12th floor and the dungeon’s entrance.

  When the Demon King Obaron Libel Era Jilphanis' army finally appeared on the screen, I had finished configuring the seven missing floor guardians. I learned from my previous experience that creating life consumes a lot of magic. So, for now, I decided to stop working on anything else.

  It was time to summon my new allies.

  I summoned the newly configured floor guardians to the dining hall, and the sight that greeted me assured me that we could hold our own against the Demon King.

  20th Floor: Ciel Roecatov (Simic Slime)

  28th Floor: Mephinia Ilvareu (Ice Angel Rionelia)

  36th Floor: Orpheus de Alta (Automaton Doll)

  42nd Floor: Moltre (Demon Tamer Hunt Harben)

  50th Floor: Aurie Belerna (Stone Serpent Head Medusa)

  64th Floor: Zereshtia Mel Nezast (Headless Knight Dullahan)

  76th Floor: Salomeria (Ice Queen Glacius)

  As they stood in formation before me, the newly summoned guardians deeply bowed.

  "We are deeply grateful for bringing us into existence, and we pledge our absolute loyalty to you, Master. Please use us as you see fit," Salomeria, the beautiful Ice Queen Glacius, clad in the colors of a silver world, expressed with utmost formality.

  Not wanting to dampen the atmosphere, I responded in a more casual tone.

  "Thank you. I'm Mari, the administrator of this dungeon. This might be sudden, but I’d appreciate it if you could speak to me more casually, Salomeria."

  "As you wish. I’ll do my best to adjust."

  "And if you have any questions, please feel free to ask Harumena or Elrodea over here."

  "Understood."

  After seating them, I briefly explained the overall situation.

  Just as I finished my explanation, a message came from the fairy ogre, Rey.

  "Mari-sama, the Demon King’s army has arrived at the dungeon."

  I looked at the screen to see a large Demon King clad in rock-like armor, surrounded by a horde of grotesque creatures, each one exuding a menacing aura.

  "I see them. That’s enough for now, Rei. Come back here."

  "Understood."

  The sight of that horde was unsettling. I suppose that’s what one would expect from the Demon King’s army. In contrast, my subordinates are the exact opposite. They are so beautiful, they could be mistaken for an angelic army. Yet beneath that beauty lies monstrous strength. They’re quite the paradoxical group, aren't they?

  While I was lost in thought, Rei returned to the dining hall.

  "Good work. Thank you, Rei."

  "The Demon Lord's invading army is surprisingly weak. Most of them seem like opponents we could easily defeat. However, there are some exceptions. That fiery monstrosity, Gespenst, stands out as an immensely powerful foe. There's no way we could win against it."

  Rey pointed to the screen displaying the Demon Lord's army, indicating a grotesque figure engulfed in flames.

  "Is it really that strong?"

  Worry began to gnaw at me, especially for Rafaena and Akagiri on the 12th floor. I should notify Mary, our healer, to be ready at any moment. As long as they don’t suffer a fatal blow, any of my subordinates on the brink of death will be automatically teleported to Mari. With her healing, their wounds will be instantly mended.

  "Among them, it’s probably the strongest, next to the Demon Lord."

  "In that case, we should avoid fighting it if possible. I can’t bear the thought of those children suffering. I just hope the Demon Lord is someone we can reason with."

  As soon as the Demon Lord Obaron entered the dungeon, the alarms blared. The creatures up to the 12th floor aren’t particularly strong, but even the first floor of an S-rank dungeon requires considerable strength to get through. Despite that, the Demon Lord's army is forcing its way through with sheer power.

  "Mari-sama, if you intend to meet with other Demon Lords, perhaps you should consider changing your attire."

  Now that she mentioned it, my outfit from the previous world isn’t exactly appropriate. I’ve been meaning to do something about it, but it completely slipped my mind.

  "Alright, can you pick something suitable for me?"

  "Of course. In that case, let's head to the wardrobe."

  "Got it."

  As I prepared to leave the dining hall with Elrodea, following her suggestion, a sudden hesitation gripped me.

  "I want to help choose too!"

  "If that’s the case, then I want to help too!"

  "Hold on, you two. As the overseer of the Guardians, I can’t be left out of this! I may have let you have your way with the seating arrangements, but I won’t back down this time."

  "Seriously? And you call yourself the overseer of the Guardians."

  Watching Altrius reprimand Harumena, who was the most enthusiastic about picking out my clothes, made me smile. Their banter is always amusing.

  "In that case, why don’t I let everyone help?"

  "Mari-sama, I’ll remain here and be on standby. If anything comes up, I’ll contact you immediately."

  "Understood. Thank you, Catela."

  Leaving Catela behind in the dining hall, we headed to the wardrobe. As we walked down the hallway, Salomeria, the Ice Fairy Queen, asked me a question.

  "I heard from Harumena earlier; is it true that you plan to build a city within this dungeon, Mari-sama?"

  "Yes, it’s true... Is that strange?"

  "No, not strange, but it’s rather unprecedented, so I was curious. May I ask the reason behind it?"

  When she’s close by, the air feels a bit chilly. The cold aura emanating from her body lowers the temperature around her by several degrees.

  "I can’t leave this dungeon. Living here constantly means we’ll eventually run into shortages. So, to prevent that, I thought if we built a city within the dungeon and traded with other nations, we could live comfortably even in a place like this. It’s not much of a reason, and it’s a bit embarrassing, but that’s my goal."

  "So, it’s about establishing a stable living environment... I see. However, that sounds incredibly challenging. Mari-sama, you’ve created us, a diverse group of beings—a rarity in itself. Typically, each species has its own natural enemies. But since we all serve you, we don’t harbor any special feelings towards those who would otherwise be our enemies. However, if you allow outsiders to start living in this dungeon, ensuring peaceful coexistence among various species could prove extremely difficult. How do you plan to address that?"

 

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