Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

127 – Be the Spirit

Let’s go back in time after the interviews.

「Hah hah hah! To think that you would hire Adventurers! Is there a curse upon you? That you must forever surprise people? 」

Her Highness and I were walking side by side in the Dungeon.

More specifically, we were using the staff-only pathways to go to her Highness’s office.

She looked like she was in a good mood, more cheerful than surprised.

Her appearance is that of a little girl. Hair and eyes, a deep crimson. A pair of horns growing from the sides of her head, both a deep black. Her hair is long and full, and today she has tied it in two. It was tied high, but still long enough that it would normally touch the ground.

However, by some mysterious power, it manages to be so fluffy. Maybe it’s Wind Magic.

「I don’t believe I’ve been…」

By the way, there’s no one else with us presently, but a staff member could pass by at any time in this corridor so I still talk in my Chief of Staff tone.

「If that is your decision, it matters not. However, just because they are cooperating with us does not change the fact that they are Adventurers. You cannot let them access anywhere, yes?」

She’s saying that they cannot be allowed to transfer to or use every and all facilities in the Dungeon.

「Understood.」

I’m sure Ellie and co. won’t mind. On the contrary, she might get angry if I told her she was free to do as she pleased. In other words, I don’t think I need to be vigilant with them.

Someday challenging the Demon King Castle is the goal of an Adventurer.

It would be humiliating to be considered a non-threat to the Monsters there.

「I shall leave how much information to disclose at your discretion, but still, that’s bold. Gaining the trust of your enemy.」

「For this Raid Clear, they are allies.」

「But then return to being enemies. They are able to witness the activities of the tenth stratum up close. Is it not valuable information to be giving a short-term part-timer?」

「…」

I understand what her Highness is saying.

Does Ellie’s cooperation balance out her being able to attain information by being here?

For example, if you knew that there was a spy but you chose not to deal with it. That decision was made because it’s thought that a greater benefit can be gained by letting the spy go free.

This is a different situation, but I believe that’s what she’s trying to say.

Can we ignore the benefits that an Adventurer working on the inside would gain?

「Indeed, I cannot deny that my personal feelings were mixed in.」

Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers. Four out of the five people in that party are filled with those unfortunate Jobs.

I have hopes that their efforts and rapid progress can change the Adventuring world.

Through Lily’s efforts, Elf Adventurers are accepted little by little and are actually increasing in number.

If Black Sorcerers and White Sorcerers are thought of as useful rather than plain, etc, and are included in parties more often, then that would be great.

But…

「But, there is no problem.」

「Is that so? May I ask why?」

Even if I were to exclude the fact that Ellie’s character is such that she wouldn’t be sneaking around behind the scenes to gather information, I can say that there is no problem.

「My tenth stratum isn’t naive enough to allow a rat to sniff around.」

The inner workings of the tenth stratum itself will become clear during the Raid Battle.

The only other things that Ellie and co. can know about are things like staff member’s dispositions. Their personality or tendencies. Their likes or dislikes. In short, only private information.

I’m not saying those are useless, but we won’t lose a battle just because she knows that stuff.

Other than that, concerning the problem with access rights, she can’t transfer anywhere in the first place. Not to other strata and so on.

「Hmph. Fine. But if a problem ever arises-」

「Yes. I, Lemegeton, will take responsibility and deal with it.」

「That is all I wished to hear. I will say no more, do as you wish.」

Her Highness smiled wryly with one side of her mouth.

「Yes, Your Highness.」

Sometime during that conversation, we arrived at her Highness’s office.

The Recording Stone used to transfer to the Dungeon Core can only be here.

Just before we enter the room, I sense someone looking at us and turn to look at the corner of the corridor.

Standing there was a Majin in a tailcoat, the Time Demon Agares.

…He was most likely told by her Highness to not follow her.

He looked at me with great frustration.

「…Your Highness.」

「Ignore him.」

「But…」

Her Highness let out a sigh.

「…For goodness sake. Agares. I wish to eat that. That special pudding from Honey and Bear. By the time you get back, our conversation should be ov-and he’s already gone.」

I believe Honey and Bear is the name of the cafe that’s opposite the Demon King Castle. Some products, such as puddings and cakes, are available for take-out.

In order to fulfill the wishes of his beloved Demon King, Agares disappeared in a flash.

「That one worries too much. Asking for a temporary change in guardian can be…difficult.」

Agares isn’t a dangerous person, and I’m sure he’s worried about the Demon King Lucy, who is striving to manage a Dungeon with a different goal than her father.

Her Highness’s mouth appeared depressed, but her expression was calm.

「Now then, let’s go.」

So we entered her Highness’s office, went into the small room hidden by a bookshelf where a Recording Stone is set, and touched it, which transferred us.

「This is…」

It was a vast space. The walls, floor, and even ceiling were made of some black, lustrous material.

There, in the center of the room, the main object was enshrined majestically.

It was an octahedron that gave off a faint glow. It was as transparent as glass and large.

This object, large enough that you have to look up at it, is the Dungeon Core.

If I look closely, I can see that the core is entangled in what looks like countless tubes.

「This is the Dungeon Core.」

I remove my mask and stare at the Core. It’s so big that my neck hurt when I looked up and was finally able to see the edge of it.

「This is your first time seeing it, yes?」

「Yes, it’s amazing…stunning, even.」

It isn’t releasing it, but I can tell that there is Magical Energy within it.

The mysterious device that supports a Dungeon. The ultimate in technological engineering that draws Magical Energy from the world to create Magical Energy spaces.

「Speaking of which, have you heard?」

「…? Heard about what?」

「That question that Humans often ask,『Don’t you think that the Dungeon Core would benefit the world?』」

Couldn’t the Magical Energy produced by the Dungeon Core be used in the consumption of people’s everyday life?

This is something that has been said since ancient times and has not been realized till today.

「It’s not possible, right?」

There’s no way that every smart person from the past till the present hasn’t thought the same thing that an ordinary person would think.

That if it’s still not implemented, then there must be a reason why it wasn’t.

There are far too many Dungeons to consider that it failed due to…strong opposition. For example, if someone took over a Dungeon and forcibly used the Core…we would have heard about it.

Assuming it could be used, but…

Her Highness nods satisfactorily at my answer.

「Exactly. Magical Energy from the Dungeon Core cannot be used for anything other than the Dungeon maintenance and development. To be more precise, Magical Energy drawn in by the Core will dissipate when it is brought outside the Dungeon.」

Take Magic Stones for example.

Without this useful Magical Energy-filled stone, watching TV and connecting to the Net wouldn’t be possible. In addition, Magic Stones are essential for the operation of products called Magic Devices such as refrigerators and vacuum cleaners.

They can absorb and store the Magical Energy from their surroundings, but it’s not so easy that you could just leave it in your living room and it would recharge until it’s full by itself.

It must be left in a region thick with Magical Energy for a long period of time.

Making the Dungeon Core release Magical Energy to charge a large amount of Magic Stones is an idea that anyone can come up with, but when you bring those stones outside of the Dungeon, the Magical Energy inside disappears.

That is definitely not a selling point. Within the Dungeon, the Core provides the necessary Magical Energy without the use of Magic Stones, so they aren’t needed.

…Maybe it’s a function to prevent the Core’s Magical Energy from being stolen in case we were defeated?

The Core was created during the era when Humans and Monsters were mutual enemies, so it’s possible.

I wonder who created such a thing…Well, they are the only ones who could have.

The same ones who created the Magic Tools, the now extinct, phantom race.

If it’s the same as Magic Tools, then that means that there isn’t anyone who could create a new Core. That’s probably why there isn’t a Core that doesn’t have the function that stops Magical Energy from being taken outside.

But why did her Highness decide to show it to me now…oh no.

「It seems you get the idea. I will have you absorb the Core’s Magical Energy!」

「…Please wait. I certainly have no objections to the amount of Magical Energy here. However, a Majin’s horn isn’t able to absorb Magical Energy from its surroundings. Isn’t that right?」

「Yes, you have the right of it. But did I not already tell you? That neither that man nor I was able to acquire this skill.」

My master was able to learn it, but neither his son nor his granddaughter could. No, Luci is still so young, so I don’t know what she will able to do in the future, but at the very least, it’s not a technique that can be learned just because one is a Demon King.

But…if my master was able to…

It is not impossible. It may be close to utterly impossible, but the chance isn’t zero.

If there’s a slight chance, even if it’s as small as a grain of sand, there’s still a chance.

「Fortunately, the Raid Battle is happening within the Demon King Castle. There’s no worry about losing the Magical Energy when you go outside, yes? What say you?」

The answer is obvious.

「I’ll do it.」

「Good answer.」

Her Highness nodded her head in satisfaction.

「…So, what should I do?」

「First off, an explanation. There are several entities that are able to draw Magical Energy from their surroundings. The Core is one such entity, while Fairies and Spirits are another famous examples.」

I have definitely thought about how nice it would be to be able to learn that ability of Fairies and Spirits. Anyone who is a magic-based Job would think about that at least once.

But even if you long to swim in the sea like a fish, it’s like how a Normal cannot simply learn how to breathe through gills.

It isn’t a technique, but a function that they are born with, so it cannot be reproduced.

「Ogres have the ability to convert food into regeneration or physical strength. Majins store Magical Energy in their horns, where it is purified and compacted into a high density. The ability to absorb and convert energy itself is not unusual.」

「R-right…」

「It is said that only Majins are able to master the Fairies’ and Spirits’ ability.」

「Is it because the horn has the function to draw in Magical Energy?」

Because I inherited my master’s horn, I am no longer purely Normal.

Perhaps, for this reason, I have a chance…?

「Correct. However, it is far easier said than done.」

That’s true. If it was easy, there would be way more people who mastered it. Only about three people in the world who have learned this ability is too little. Just how difficult is this path?

Pouring magic into a horn is like throwing a bucket into a well and pouring the drawn-out water into a different vessel.  There is nothing difficult about it. It’s just a matter of fatigue depending on the amount and frequency.

But how would you imagine taking Magical Energy from the surroundings?

I guess an example would be…

…like grabbing mist with your hands and trying to store it like water in a vessel.

Even so, I have to try.

「I’m sorry, but I cannot guide you in this process. Alternatively, I shall give you the authority to transfer to this room.」

She herself did not master this ability.

Lending me the most suitable place for training is more than enough, I’m grateful.

「Thank you very much.」

I approach the Core.

It’s just like my master’s training.

I’ll train until I’m able to do it.

I’ll find my own path through trial and error.

It’s the same as telling me to become a whole different lifeform. It is a steep path.

But if I need to do it in order to win, I’ll learn it!

She said that few people could do it. She wouldn’t lie about that.

And so, I reached my hand out towards the Core.