* * *
"How are you these days, Grace?"
"Thanks to Lady's consideration... I'm li-living comfortably..."
Grace Aibano, the priest who came to the city at the request of Amelia, now the lord of Solemio.
"Really?"
"Yes... My body is comfortable, so..."
"You're honest. Such a good girl."
"Ah..."
Conversing with her was a daily routine that I had not missed a single day since bringing her to my dungeon.
It was partly to make her cooperate with me 'voluntarily', but...
I could now see that there were benefits beyond what I had thought.
'Gray...'
The soul of Grace Aibano visible to my eyes was tinged with gray.
It's a color I perceive differently from its original color that I saw when piercing through the spirit world with magic power.
'I thought it would be at least light gray. It's different from what I expected.'
Through the 「Veil Keeper」, I categorized the 'souls' I could see into five lights based on which world or nature they were deeply connected to.
The black of the 'demon realm'.
The white of 'heaven'.
The red of the 'outer world'.
The blue of 'ghosts'.
The green of 'spirits'.
These are the five colors.
Just as I set the power of priests as white and my power as black.
I had assumed that she wouldn't be likely to be tainted by the influence of the demon realm, but...
'Is it because she was in the dungeon?'
She seemed to be already sufficiently tainted, or just before it.
Because gray, white, and black were swirling inside her soul.
It's difficult to be certain with only one sample, but...
Anyway.
"Hmm... The power of heaven still seems intact, Grace."
"My... my faith is unwavering...?"
Still, I gained a highly probable hypothesis from this.
That gods, or their minions, are either stupid or macroscopic.
Whether they lack sensitivity, or are simply not 'absolute good', I don't know.
At least, it seems certain that they are not beings who can absolutely protect their values.
Well, if that wasn't the case, the battle between heaven and the demon realm wouldn't have existed, and fallen priests or...
『Defensive Coward - Innate characteristic. Endurance and resistance increase, but health and magic power decrease by twice the amount of increase.』
『Love of Gold - Innate/acquired personality that likes gold coins. The more gold coins possessed, the more health and magic power increase.』
Beings like her wouldn't have appeared.
'It's been a while since I've seen this.'
Her characteristics were ones I had often seen in MilDun 1.
Defensive Coward for tanks, Love of Gold for dealers. Good characteristics for common summons or mercenaries.
Since it's a game without sacrifice enhancement, it's a characteristic recommended to regular non-paying users to keep that individual if it comes out in gacha.
I relied on them a lot before I became a serious fan.
'A god who entrusts faith in its absoluteness to believers...'
Anyway, this is the reality where even someone with such qualities can become a priest.
In this aspect, it doesn't seem much different from the powerless god of Earth.
"You're lying. I can see doubt about yourself in your eyes. If that wasn't the case, you wouldn't be so obsessed with gold coins."
"Ugh..."
"Take it."
While stroking her head, I dropped a gold coin into her bosom.
This was also one of the actions I took every time I met her...
"Ah, ah."
The gold coin happened to land on her chest, and Grace carefully and naturally put it into her gold coin pouch.
'She seems to have gotten quite used to it now.'
Even if it's a bad deed, it becomes easier to rationalize oneself when receiving a reward that suits one's taste.
Especially for someone like her who prioritizes material value.
"So today... wh-what are you going to talk about? Sister..."
"Today, instead of conversation, I'm going to conduct an experiment."
"An experiment...?"
As if to prove this, the corners of Grace's eyes watching me warily had lowered a lot compared to the first day she woke up here.
"A-Another strange thing...!"
"Well."
But there's much more force in them than yesterday.
Probably because of what I did to her on the first day I saw her.
'It was indeed something that could be perceived as practically attempting to violate her.'
A bitter smile involuntarily formed on my lips.
Originally sacred objects were dangling here and there on her clothing.
White cloth and gold-plated accessories that had completely lost their power as sacred objects, even though it had been a while since I returned them to her.
This was the result of experimenting by stripping them all off to try to taint her with evil on the first day I met her.
"Don't worry. It won't hurt."
"Wait a moment. You said that on the first day too...!"
Tok.
After knocking her out by tapping her forehead and turning around.
Mur and Ran, who were there to help with my experiment, were both giving strange looks.
Mur was looking at me with eyes that clearly showed her admiration, while Ran was glaring at Grace with burning eyes.
"With the priest on the first day...?"
"My lord. Could it be..."
"No. It's a misunderstanding."
They both nodded, but.
While Ran thought I wouldn't lie to her, Mur didn't seem to believe my words at all.
...This has become troublesome.
* * *
Whatever the two of them think about me.
The experiment I conducted afterwards showed some results.
Sssssss...!
The prism distortion experiment, defining the color of souls as a 'spectrum'.
As a result, more black light was added to Grace's soul, and eventually Grace demonstrated a 'blessing' rooted in the power of the demon realm.
Although it was only once.
"To think that I used the power of the demon realm...! No..."
It's unavoidable that this isn't an absolutely successful result for Grace herself.
I retrieved the power before she woke up again and made her think of what happened before as a nightmare, but...
"She fainted."
'Similar experiments will be difficult from now on.'
It seems that Grace's view of me as 'a scary but not dangerous being' won't be maintained after this.
If I say I want to experiment again, she might have a fit and even the fainting magic might not work.
It's a regrettable thing.
"The shock must be great. Wouldn't we have a similar shock if we were to use holy power?"
"We won't know unless we try."
As something suddenly came to mind at her words, I stared at Mur while saying that, and she was flustered for a moment before speaking quickly.
"Um... I'm stronger than Lady Libertas, so the experiment won't work on me."
"Why would I experiment on you? You're a guest."
"Ah, th-that's right...?"
Although it was a misunderstanding I intended as a joke, it seems her impression of me is quite like a fallen emperor.
No matter how curious I am about the experimental results, I wouldn't conduct such an uncertain experiment on a noble of the demon realm.
"Take Grace to her room."
-Tak!
After having a skeleton carry Grace, who had become unable to continue the experiment, and sending her back.
I led Mur and Ran back to my private room.
"Now, all the tasks I asked of you have been completed."
"Oh... it ended too quickly. I thought it would take at least a week."
Mur arrived at this dungeon on the 19th.
Now it's the 22nd, so it's been four days since she came here. Actually, learning started on the 20th, so the time spent learning is three days.
It was a satisfactory result for me, but it was understandable to be confused if she had assumed that much time.
"You can receive the promised compensation and return now. Of course, if you have other intentions, you're welcome to stay longer."
"Is it alright for an outsider like me to stay like this...?"
To her cautious question, I smiled.
Although I don't have greed for her yet, the image of her I've seen so far was quite likable.
At the very least, she's someone my person Xue thinks can be trusted. It wouldn't hurt to know her.
Of course, I didn't forget to put some implications in my words.
"If the Archduke you serve personally inquires, it would be a different matter, but otherwise, you wouldn't carelessly disclose my affairs. You have that much discernment."
"Huhu. That's kind of you to say."
She just answered like that.
Even though she could understand that my words were both an expression of trust and a warning, she didn't show any signs of being offended.
Considering that one usually gains insight into that part when emotions arise, it's an aspect that shows her goodwill towards me is quite large.
"Yes. If you're going to stay longer, it would be good to change rooms once."
"I like the current room though...?"
"Shouldn't there be a distinction between ordinary guests and house guests?"
All the guest rooms in my dungeon are located on the second floor, but among them, rooms for those who should be called house guests are prepared relatively close to my room.
It's to increase the efficiency of rooms managed by more skilled maids.
Although we haven't made a contract, isn't it a room for trusted guests who might work for my dungeon?
It was natural to use better management personnel.
'Come to think of it, she's my first house guest.'
Then I should pay more attention to hospitality.
To get good house guests in the future, it's only natural to treat the first house guest well.
"If that's the case... I won't refuse."
"I'm glad. I hope we can have better conversations in the future."
"I should prepare textbooks. The student's level is so high, I feel like I'll be overtaken soon."
"That student is diligent too, so it's right to be wary."
We exchanged smiling glances.
I had succeeded in recruiting 'Baron of the Requiem', Mur Felix, as my first house guest and my teacher.
* * *
'Damn it...'
Rix, the Hobgoblin Dungeon Lord who received the name Baron of Insult from his lord, couldn't hide his trembling body as he entered the room.
Because the news he brought today was that devastating.
-Are you saying those idiots died?!
As expected.
As soon as he heard the matter, his lord exploded with anger, spewing green steam from all the holes in his head.
"Yes, Your Excellency...!"
Rix barely managed to answer while shrinking his body.
Because the blade of the longsword that the 'Marquis' had stuck upside down on the floor seemed like it would fall on his neck at any moment.
-How is that possible! I said this job would be easy! You failed at dealing with just one superior Dungeon Lord, even with two plus one extra!!
"Th-That...!"
Rix felt his breathing becoming difficult.
Usually, he was an evil and cunning strategist who made humans around the demon realm tremble in fear, but before the Marquis's power, he was just a retainer fearing the anger that would fall upon him.
The Marquis's anger was unbearable even for a superior Dungeon Lord like him, and.
Since that anger could take his life if he wasn't careful, even more so.
He had to quickly divert that anger elsewhere.
"The opposing Dungeon Lord was abnormally strong...! As if receiving support from somewhere...!"
-What!
The Marquis, who let out one last burst of anger, gradually calmed down.
The Marquis was an old monster with a long history both as a general and as a Dungeon Lord.
This meant that his emotional state shouldn't be judged solely by the visible anger.
This could be seen from the interest that immediately filled his eyes.
-It was said that they were receiving support from the Baritra Marquis family, right? But that should be in the form of support given to ordinary promising individuals. But that young one was that strong, you say?
"Yes. It wasn't the level of an ordinary superior Dungeon Lord...!"
-Hohohohohohoho. Interesting. How interesting.
The Marquis, who smiled by pulling up his fleshless mouth from side to side, fell into contemplation while striking his sword down a few times.
"..."
Rix held his breath.
He knew well that if he interrupted at this moment, a thunderous command would fall.
-Alright. Insult! Go out and bring that human thief.
"You mean the human female? But Your Excellency, that woman is...!"
-Shut up! Since when were you allowed to talk back to me! When I say bring her, bring her!
"Y-Yes!"
As soon as Rix went out the door, the Marquis who remained in place pulled up the smile he had been wearing even wider.
Even though it was clearly a body with only black bones left, that expression was so natural.
-Who could be providing support, I wonder. Support.
However, that was a story he had never heard.
If so, it was certain that it was a story that couldn't be heard in the demon realm.
All six great Archdukes of the surface had certain information networks and connections in the demon realm, and a Marquis under an Archduke could be said to be in the closest position to access that information network.
-Then, I just need to use something that's not a demon.
Anyway, he, as a Marquis of a demon realm, couldn't move directly. If it was impossible for him, it would be even more useless to speak to the Archduke.
Then he needed personnel who could move freely on the continent.
And suitable for that was the 'criminal' of the continent that he had caught before.
If he implanted a contract to control that capable but insane criminal.
He would be able to clearly confirm where the substance of that Dungeon Lord was connected.
Especially since she was using power whose principle was difficult for him to understand.
I'm looking forward to it. Whether it's a promising junior for once. Or if some hidden fellow is using tricks! If it's a junior, I'll praise them, if it's tricks, I won't let it slide!!
The Marquis laughed loudly, 'Kahat!'
The Demi-Lich 'Khimaris'.
Excited, he raised his sword and swung it vertically once.
Bang-!!!
Shuak!!
A bombardment that didn't care about his room being half-destroyed.
However, its restoration occurred as quickly as it was destroyed.
Because the dungeon, which was the center of the demon realm led by the Marquis, was almost inseparable from him.
The power to move the entire demon realm like a living thing, as if borrowing part of a god's authority.
That was the power of a Dungeon Lord who had reached the level of a 'monarch'.
-Anomalies are... enjoyable.
The Marquis had great expectations.
The Archduke certainly wouldn't like it, but he needed stimulation, having already given up on the path of being a candidate and settled in the position of Marquis.
-Please survive until I see you... please.
And for him, a 'great junior' was one of those stimulations.