𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝟎: 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧! 𝐍𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝!

“Leif, please serve the tea.”

“. . .Um, where is the tea?”

ㅤ

🔹𝐀𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.𝐜𝐨𝐦 ― 𝐈𝐧d𝐮𝐥𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 “𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬” 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐯a𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫s🔹

. . .

I silently used the DP to prepare two milk teas and placed them before the Automata and the Demon Lord.

ㅤ

“Please, enjoy.”

“Oh! You’re so thoughtful!”

ㅤ

The Demon Lord, without the slightest hesitation for possible poison, gulped down her milk tea and declared, “Delicious!” I’m glad she enjoyed it.

Following suit, the Automata moved its mask aside to drink the milk tea.

Of course, the Automata doesn’t have a digestive function, so the moment it enters its mouth, the milk tea is gone.

It’s a waste, but it would be rude to let only one party drink.

Probably.

ㅤ

“However, this dungeon is quite enjoyable, as is its master.

It may look like just a cave, but why have you set it up like this?”

“It’s to deter intruders. I have enough income.”

“Oh, is that so.”

ㅤ

I felt as if the Demon Lord’s eyes gleamed.

The fact that I don’t rely on intruders for income either means that the location is excellent and there is a high absorption rate from the ley lines, or that the dungeon master has an appropriate amount of MP.

The Demon Lord seems to have interpreted it as the latter.

She’s right, but. . .

Did I answer incorrectly?

The Demon Lord may be a battle tribe who finds joy in battling strong foes.

This is bad.

I’m breaking out in a cold sweat.

Of course, the Automata remains completely still.

ㅤ

By the way, I ignored Leif, who was shocked at the mention of a dungeon but quieted down with a slave mark.

ㅤ

“So, is that half-elf one of your pawns?”

“In a way. But he’s too weak, so I don’t plan to use him in battle.”

“Hmm. The idea of using humans as pawns is interesting. I think I’ll try it myself next time.”

ㅤ

Has the Demon Lord never used humans as pawns before?

It seems like an effective strategy that anyone would come up with. Is she just a muscle-head?

ㅤ

“Well, now that I’ve asked what was on my mind, let’s get to the main topic.

There are two things to discuss.

It was originally just one, but it has increased to two just now.”

ㅤ

The Demon Lord, holding up two fingers in a peace sign, said this.

I can only hope that these two topics aren’t directly related to my life and death.

What does she mean by “just now”?

Did she somehow realize that I thought she was a muscle-head?

ㅤ

“First, the main purpose.

I have a question: did a goblin named Guilan come here?

He said he was going to attack a human country from the side and left, so I came to see how it’s going.”

ㅤ

Guilan.

That’s the name of the Goblin Lord.

. . .I can’t tell her.

I can’t say, “I killed him,” even if it costs me my life.

ㅤ

“He was here until just recently, but he was killed by a subjugation squad.”

“Ah. . .is that so? That fool. Despite my advice to keep a low profile until everything was ready.”

ㅤ

The Demon Lord said this, looking exasperated and holding her head.

. . .Yes.

What I said wasn’t a lie.

Sure, I delivered the finishing blow, but it was the subjugation squad that weakened him to the point where I could easily do so.

It’s not my fault.

It’s all the subjugation squad’s fault.

ㅤ

Besides, the Demon Lord didn’t seem to be overly saddened or angry.

If anything, she seemed to be lamenting the incompetence of her subordinate.

Surprisingly, the Demon Lord might not have much of a sense of camaraderie.

That would be a relief.

ㅤ

“Well, what’s done is done. There’s no use mourning the dead.

Besides, Guilan was a lowly creature that looked at me with lustful eyes.

I’m not particularly saddened by his death.”

ㅤ

. . .So, it’s not that she lacks a sense of camaraderie, but rather, the Goblin Lord was despised.

I understand the feeling. I hated him too.

But it’s not just the Goblin Lord I hated, it’s all goblins in general.

ㅤ

“That matter aside, let’s move on to the second topic.

I’ll be straightforward.

Would you consider joining the Demon Lord’s army?

I could welcome you as an executive to fill the void left by Guilan.”

ㅤ

“. . .So it has come to this.

I want to refuse.

I strongly want to refuse.

What I desire is a peaceful hermit life, not a bloody life of carnage.

However, it’s not good to upset the Demon Lord by refusing.

ㅤ

“With all due respect, I think I might not be powerful enough.”

ㅤ

For now, I tried to say that I want to refuse indirectly, with modesty.

ㅤ

“There’s no such thing. You have enough power to build that body without any strain, so I expect your main body is considerably strong.

In addition, unlike the others, you are smart.

The others, every single one of them, only think about eating, sleeping, and rampaging. They are all muscle-brains.

I was seeking a talent like you.”

ㅤ

It’s no use.

I couldn’t refuse.

ㅤ

“Unlike the others who attacked me as soon as they saw me, you are a wise person who understands the difference in our strengths and chooses to talk.

Therefore, I don’t want to do useless things like when I made the others my subordinates.

Do you understand what I mean?”

ㅤ

I get it!

This is a threat, isn’t it?!

It means that if I refuse, you’ll beat me into submission by force, right?!

I’m cornered!

As soon as physical force was brought up, I had no more moves to make!

ㅤ

“. . .With deep respect, I accept.”

“Good!”

ㅤ

The Demon Lord, with a shining smile of utmost satisfaction, said so.

Conversely, my mood is sinking limitlessly, like into a bottomless swamp.

ㅤ

From now on, I must be nervously careful not to upset the Demon Lord, and face those who can fight directly against such a super-creature.

It’s beyond feeling blue.

I’m slightly in despair.

But it was still better that I wasn’t killed on the spot.

I’ll take that as the only consolation.

ㅤ

“Well then, my new comrade. Let me hear your name.”

“My name?”

“Yes, I always give a name to those who join my executives.

I named Guilan.

But if you already have a name, that’s a different story.”

ㅤ

I don’t really understand, but it seems like a quirk of the Demon Lord.

Like giving a name to a pet.

Well, I don’t mind telling my name.

ㅤ

“My name is Mamori.”

“Hmm. Then, I’m counting on you from now on.

Demon Lord’s executive, dungeon master Mamori!”

ㅤ

The Demon Lord laughed cheerfully and said so.

In this way, much against my will, I joined the Demon Lord’s army.

---