Inside the single-story log house, the space was surprisingly spacious, and it was equipped with everything necessary for daily living.
Just inside the entrance, there was a table, and we took our seats facing each other.
"Now that you are the dungeon manager," Elrodea began, "let me explain your role. As I mentioned earlier, your duty is to manage this dungeon. Improve it as you see fit, just as you created this 101st floor. You will also be responsible for dealing with intruders."
"Dealing with intruders?" I asked, slightly confused.
"Yes," Elrodea replied. "This dungeon currently has 100 floors. Each milestone floor used to have a gatekeeper to repel intruders. However, since this dungeon lacked a manager, it never had the means to handle such situations."
"But no one has ever conquered this dungeon before, right? So, do we really need gatekeepers?"
Elrodea shook her head.
"As you said, this dungeon has never been conquered. But that is because it was newly created."
"Newly created? What do you mean by that?"
"Dungeons don't just appear easily. And when it comes to high-class dungeons like this one, with an assistant like me, it's almost unheard of."
"But it did appear, right?"
"Indeed. When significant changes occur in the world, unusual events start happening everywhere. This dungeon was born due to such a world-changing event."
"A change? What happened?"
"There are two major events."
"Two?"
"The first is that one of the seven Demon Lords in this world was killed by a hero. This caused a shift in the world's power balance."
"What!? A Demon Lord was killed."
"The Demon Lord known as the 'King of the Abyss Dragons' was slain. It wasn't done by a single hero; the hero brought a considerable force with them."
The name "King of the Abyss Dragons" sounded incredibly formidable. If such a powerful being was defeated, heroes must be incredibly strong, right?
And since I'm also a demon lord, doesn't that mean I'll eventually have to face such heroes? I have a feeling I might not stand a chance.
"And what's the second event?"
"The second event is the emergence of a new demon lord in this world."
"Wait, is that me?"
"With the arrival of the new Demon Lord, the previously shifted world's power balance has been further disrupted. This has caused unprecedented anomalies across the world."
If my arrival in this world caused the creation of this dungeon, then it must be a very new addition.
But if the death of a demon lord is a factor, then the dungeon likely came into existence because of that event.
"What happens if the dungeon is conquered?"
I asked, concerned.
"The manager's disappearance," Elrodea replied without a hint of change in her expression.
That sounded ominous.
"What does it mean for the manager to disappear? If I'm the manager, does it mean I lose control over this dungeon?"
"Do you know what constitutes a dungeon's conquest?"
Elrodea's question caught me off guard.
"No, I don't."
"A dungeon is not considered conquered simply by the death of the manager. Even if the manager is defeated by intruders, it doesn't mean the dungeon is conquered at that moment. A dungeon is conquered when the intruders touch the contract stone tablet in the deepest part of the dungeon. Conversely, if the contract tablet is touched, it means defeat, regardless of whether the manager or floor guardians are still alive. At that point, the manager's and their subordinates' lives will cease to exist. By 'cease to exist,' we mean literal disappearance, which means death."
"What!? Being a dungeon manager carries such a heavy risk."
"Is it possible to decline being the manager? I really don't want to take on such a risk."
"Unfortunately, once you become a manager, it's not possible to resign midway."
"No..."
So, it means I need to reinforce the dungeon's defenses. This also means I won't be able to leave the dungeon for anything significant. Am I stuck as a guard in this underground lair after being reincarnated into another world?
I was excited about becoming a game creator, but this feels like a severe letdown.
Just as I was despairing, the door of the log house was knocked heavily.
Thud! Thud!
Turning my gaze toward the door, I heard a familiar voice through it.
"My Lord! Are you there?"
The voice was unmistakable.
The door opened to reveal Cornelia, a dark elf with brown skin.
"Cornelia!"
"My Lord! Are you alright? I was very worried when you suddenly disappeared."
"I'm sorry. I was teleported somewhere when I touched the tablet."
Cornelia, out of breath from searching desperately, was invited to sit beside me.
We three Cornelia, Elrodea, and I sat together.
"It seems you already have a subordinate, which is excellent."
"Cornelia isn't really a subordinate," I corrected.
Cornelia immediately interjects my thoughts.
"How can you say that? I am a subordinate of the new Demon King! My allegiance is with His Majesty the Demon King!"
The title "Demon King" seems to completely overshadow any previous encounters or circumstances.
It appears that in this world, the Demon King holds significant reverence from the same side.
"Now that you understand what a dungeon manager does, how about creating some subordinates to protect yourself?"
"Creating subordinates? You mean creating living beings?"
"Yes."
The answer came quickly.
It seems that the [Characters] option on the management board allows for the creation of subordinates. The character creation section includes detailed options, allowing for settings like the race and abilities of the character. What's impressive is that you can even choose details like skin color, eye color, and hair color-right down to the most minute details. This is just like a game. I know this because I used to watch friends play such games at their houses.
Although you can customize characters in such detail, their strength is not directly adjustable; it's proportional to the "strength of the manager."
In other words, if I'm weak, my subordinates will also be weak.
That would be unfortunate.
However, as a Demon King, I should be strong enough to warrant Cornelia's praise.
If her praise was just polite flattery, I'm sorry. In that case, I'll have to become stronger. I'll do my best!
I started character creation with Cornelia's advice and Elrodea's explanations.
"You should start by deciding on your direct subordinates."
Direct subordinates, huh?
What kind should I choose?
"For direct subordinates, I recommend ones with either exceptional intelligence or great strength."
Well, since they're direct subordinates, Cornelia will be one. So, I'll need two more.
High stats are good, but appearance is important too!
Having handsome or beautiful subordinates would be impressive. But if the leader is someone like me, it might be a letdown.
But since we won't be interacting with others much, it's not really a problem.
If that's the case, I'll go with a lineup of beautiful figures. Next, I need to decide on their races.
There seem to be quite a few races listed on the board. As a fantasy novice, I'm unsure about the characteristics or names of these races, so I need some guidance.
I'll ask for advice.
"Could you tell me about races that are particularly wise or strong?"
"Of course, Your Majesty. I will explain."
"Really?"
"For wisdom, I would suggest vampires or succubus. Vampires, after entering into a blood contract, become immortal, with lifespans that have no limits."
"Immortal, you mean?"
"Exactly. However, due to these advanced traits, vampires have many physical limitations. For instance, they burn and turn to ash when exposed to sunlight, and they have a limited diet. They face various challenges in everyday life."
"So, they can only operate at night?"
"Yes, that's correct. As for succubus, they are also mostly active at night, but they have no physical restrictions. The only issue is that succubus are exclusively female."
Hmm. That's not really a problem.
So, which should I choose? Vampires have many limitations, which might restrict where they can go with me. In that case, succubus might be better. I think I'll make them elegant and mature.
"I'll choose succubus for my direct subordinates. As for the other one, what race would be suitable?"
"For strength, I would recommend the Draconic race, known as Dragonutes."
"Dragonutes? What kind of race is that?"
"They are a neutral race between dragons and humans. They have physical features like horns and tails due to their dragon blood, but their body structure is closer to that of humans. Their physical strength is unmatched by other races due to their dragon heritage."
That sounds impressive!
Dragons seem cool, so I'll go with that.
"Alright, my direct subordinates will be a succubus and a dragonute."
In the character creation section, there was a place to write the backstory for each character.
This seems to be the internal setting-a detailed account of their past lives, which can add more depth to the characters beyond what's indicated by the board.
I'm not very confident in creating such stories, but I'll come up with something suitable.
After that, I followed Elrodea's instructions, adjusting the settings on the board meticulously, and finally tapped [Generate]. Suddenly, two thick columns of light appeared in the log cabin. Gradually, the light columns dimmed, revealing the newly created beings.
"Are these... the succubus and the dragonute?"