Chapter 138 - Volume 7 (1/2)

Volume 7, Chapter 18: The Demon’s Temptation, Part 2

[Oooooh! Princess, my deepest gratitude to you.]

“I-is that so? Well, that’s good……”

Is that really enough, Richard?

I could see that he was extremely pleased, hugging the “signature board” that I had handed him as if it were a treasure, visually adoring it.

Although I don’t know for sure, this [Elder Lich’s] magic power, from what I can see, is no lower than that of a [Greater Demon], but definitely less than that of an [Arch Demon]. He’s a pretty powerful magical creature, and I definitely can’t underestimate him, since he was formerly human.

At first, when I arrived in this boss room, I was worried about how I would make him surrender, but when I turned on my full pressure, Richard surprised me by suddenly falling to his knees.

[Ahem…… pardon me.]

It’s quite useless to try to keep your dignity while you still have that colorful signature board in your pocket, you know?

“…… By any chance, had you already heard of me beforehand?”

[Yes, of course.]

After affirming, Richard-kun’s eye cavities began to sparkle brightly within his silver skull. …… oh, oh my.

[I’ve been an immortal for hundreds of years…… having gained various pieces of knowledge, I learned that there were many worlds, but I knew that the Demon World had to be somewhere. I heard rumors of a Princess from the Greater Demon that I’d gotten acquainted with as a monster.]

“………Eh?”

What? Rumors of me have spread to the Demon World all the way from Tess?!

[Consigning one of the Pillars of the Demon World, the [Demon Lord] to the void with an amazing show of force, adding their name to the center of the [Twelve Pillars of Hell], and taming another of the Twelve Pillars, the [Dark Beast], called the “Unstoppable Beast of the Demon World” that was obsessed with violence, leading and taking an army of Demons headed by four [Arch Demons], devouring all comers in the Demon World, the diabolic, truly demonic Demon Princess.]

“Oi”

[Guwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!]

Silencing his hot-blooded speech with a small poke at his forehead, Richard screamed and was blown into the wall of the 50-tatami boss room.

…… I made a mistake in adjusting the power. I put in the same amount of magic power as I instinctively did when Tina invaded my personal space, but it seems that Richard got defeated by that and now couldn’t get up… before he came back crawling on all fours like an insect.

Well…… it’s disgusting.

[Thank you.]

“………………”

…………what?

Richard seems to be pretty energetic despite having cracked his skull and being defeated. Truly, an immortal. He’s also the healthiest amongst monsters that I’ve seen. I wonder if he’d like to drink my special green juice? It’s a health drink that I made all by myself out of 100% seaweed. …… Well, I don’t know.

[Because you didn’t hit my ribs……]

Oh yeah, he was a skeleton.

Still, what was with that “rumor”? It’s baseless to the extreme.

What Twelve Pillars of the Demon World? I don’t know where this large idol group came from, and now, before I knew it, I’ve gained such an embarrassing nickname……

Should I resume my singing lessons again?

“……Richard. It’s not good to listen to such rumors, you know?”

[I don’t see the problem…… Ah! I-I understand, stop! I’m going to die, I’m going to dieeeeeeee!!!]

When I grabbed Richard-kun’s skull in my hands and gripped it tightly, it gave off grinding noises and he replied me obediently with a desperate tone.

[……F-for now, leave the rest to your humble servant. The Dungeon Master association will announce the advent of the “Princess” of Monsters, and carry out Princess’ will.]

“Good, I’ll leave it to you, Richard.”

At Richard’s affirmation, I smiled at him thinly in my [Duke’s Daughter Mode].

The real reason for me to come here was to put the Dungeon Masters under my control.

Previously, in the Holy Kingdom, I had let the vampires infiltrate the underworld to gather information and clean up the garbage of society, so in this world, I’m using the Monsters.

Since they don’t look like “people”, it seems that they have had little effect on human society, and in this world the [Adventurer’s Guild] has a decent influence beyond the boundaries of nations.

For the general public, it would seem as if the dungeon masters and the adventurer’s guild would be at each other’s throats, but in fact they actually have a give-and-take relationship.

Without dungeons, the Adventurer’s Guild would not be able to secure a stable income nor material for adventurers, and if dungeon masters didn’t have adventurers, they wouldn’t be able to maintain stable [Food]sources.

In addition, the fact that the capture of dungeons could be left to adventurers meant that countries wouldn’t actively attack them with their armies.

It worked well, adventurers and monsters. Soon, though, both of them will begin moving according to my will, before they even know it.

Doesn’t it feel very Demon-like to do all this? It’s absolutely the kind of thing those muscle-headed idiot Demons who only have magic power would never say.

“……But, will the other dungeon masters really move at my command?”

I’m a little nervous about that. I didn’t think that there was a Dungeon Master’s union, but with my direct threats…… Would they cooperate without my direct involvement?

[Do not worry. Since we’re monsters, they have instincts to obey those who are strong. It will take time for the human masters, but since there are many of them who were betrayed by the human nations and the [Heroes], it’s only a matter of time.]

“I see……”

After all, they did all sorts of things, those Heroes.

I heard that one of the other human dungeon masters, had their lair “raided” by the Heroes the other day, even though they dutifully paid their taxes and residence fees to the countries.

The Heroes were steadily making enemies……

“Well then, it’s time for me to meet with Mr. Hero.”

[Certainly. Princess, would you like to wear this?]

Richard took out the [Magic Power Gemstone] that he had received from the Hero earlier from his robes.

Surely, the hero couldn’t have been the one generating the zombies…… I had my doubts, but I had thought that that “Kan-chan” would surely have been a proper hero.

However much she disliked [Other Maidens], no matter how vain, no.

“It’s fine for you to hold on to it, Richard.”

[Understood. Then, please take care. Although she looks that way, she’s considerably skilled. Although, I am acquainted with one of the Greater Demons, I want to enter Princess’ [Fan Club (Guards)], so I think I’ll go and interview, until then I’ll be in your care.]

“My [Black Company (Guards)]? Okay.”

There are some strange Demons, too.

…… Are they all masochists? Once they joined the company, they would start by drying the seaweed in the subspace.

[Also……]

“……What is it?”

Because we’re cooperating, I’m willing to listen to your requests, but what is it now?

[Could you sign this T-shirt for me too?]