Monster gacha — I mean, monster creation — has been going at a steady pace.
Whether because of that, my stats got bumped up again.
Izumi Rei — Mana: 10 / Strength: 5 / Technique: 7 / Fortitude: 7 / Agility: 6
It must be from spending my own mana to modify the dungeon.
Mana going up faster than the other stats probably reflects the fact that mana is all I ever spend.
Well — mana is the stat I need most right now, so I’m glad it keeps rising.
“Speaking of which — how are things going on your end, Lady Fiona?”
Lady Fiona, who had been pouring mana into the treasure chest without pause, answered my question with something almost like a puff of pride.
“I finished just now. Around ninety percent of my maximum mana has already been channeled into this chest.”
“The chest does look even more elaborate than before.”
The same kind of chest that produced the resurrection elixir last time.
With this, reviving more of Lady Fiona’s subordinates — and gradually restoring the Demon Lord’s Army — is starting to feel like a real possibility.
“Then I’ll open it.”
“Please. Neither I nor Primila can manage that.”
With her permission, I opened the chest.
Inside, a small bottle of that rainbow-shimmering liquid… isn’t here.
What’s inside is an hourglass. Elaborate-looking, somehow conveying a sense of quality that matches the ornate exterior of the chest itself.
“Lady Fiona. It doesn’t look like a resurrection elixir.”
“…Something like this exists as well.”
While I was mildly disappointed, Lady Fiona and Primila both looked genuinely surprised.
Going by their reactions, this hourglass must be something significant too.
“This is a Sands of Time. An implement that rewinds the user’s personal timeline by a few seconds — rarer than a resurrection elixir.”
As expected, a ridiculous item.
Rewinding time — even if you die, you could just redo it.
“Rei. Please keep it. Consider it insurance for when things go wrong.”
That’s appreciated, but… my mind has already jumped to another use.
“Couldn’t we use this to restore Lady Fiona’s mana in an instant?”
“…I see — rather than channeling bit by bit as I have been, I channel to full capacity, then use the Sands of Time. That way the mana would be recovered as well.”
“In that case, please hold onto it yourself. I’ll have another treasure chest ready.”
I’d like my own safety net eventually, but for now restoring the Demon Lord’s Army has to come first.
If humanity and the beast-kin come back at full strength, we’re not equipped to handle it.
Three of us holding the line isn’t a situation we should allow to happen.
“Demon Lord. In that case, please return to your throne and focus on recovering your mana.”
“…Well, that is part of why I revived you, so I suppose there’s no choice. Primila — while I’m away, guard Rei.”
“Understood.”
Whether the throne room aids recovery or she simply prefers it, Lady Fiona headed off looking rather reluctant about the whole thing.
“…”
“…”
Primila stands quietly at my side.
Like a secretary — but she’s one of the Four Heavenly Kings. One of the uppermost in the Demon Lord’s Army.
Even under Lady Fiona’s orders, I hope she isn’t silently furious about being assigned to someone like me.
“Is something on your mind?”
“No, just thinking…”
For now I suppose all I can do is prove myself useful to her too.
Keep modifying the dungeon steadily. Let that speak for itself.
Which brings me to something I’ve been wanting to try — a menu option that appeared alongside the chest and monster creation.
Create Trap: Mana Cost 5
Given the name, this is probably another option for repelling intruders.
A trap set into the dungeon itself, separate from the monsters.
“Primila — could you come with me to the entrance?”
“Primila is fine. Of course. I will guard Rei-sama with my life if necessary.”
She really is loyal to her duties…
I sincerely hope it doesn’t come to that.
◇
We came to the room closest to the dungeon’s entrance.
With the monsters stationed here now, a room that had felt spacious now feels considerably smaller.
Dungeon Crawler — Mana: 10 / Strength: 23 / Technique: 7 / Fortitude: 30 / Agility: 19
Kobold Lord — Mana: 7 / Strength: 26 / Technique: 30 / Fortitude: 28 / Agility: 35
Goblin Mage — Mana: 32 / Strength: 10 / Technique: 27 / Fortitude: 25 / Agility: 24
Toxic Slime — Mana: 12 / Strength: 4 / Technique: 9 / Fortitude: 41 / Agility: 28
There’s a somewhat natural balance here — front line and back line.
Whether the similarity between the monsters is due to my low mana or just luck, that’s something I’ll want to look into.
“Excuse me, just passing through—”
The monsters were wary of me at first, but they seem to have accepted me as one of their own.
They feel like proper members of the Demon Lord’s Army now.
Considering how weak I am… I’m counting on all of you to protect this dungeon in my place.
“You’re going outside the room?”
“Yes — past here it’s a straight corridor all the way to the entrance. And — can you sense if any intruders are nearby?”
“One moment please… Mana, sound, presence — nothing in the vicinity. It’s safe for now, but please remain cautious.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Formal speech is unnecessary.”
I’ll consider relaxing that once I’m more comfortable…
Either way, it’s safe for now. Let me get this done quickly.
Create Trap: Mana Cost 5
I spend the mana and modify the straight corridor leading from the entrance.
At first glance nothing seems to have changed, but I can see a round boulder has been set into the ceiling.
That must be it. Same as with monsters — once a trap has been created, it gets added to the menu.
Rolling Boulder: Mana Cost 5
A refreshingly literal name.
Presumably it’ll roll automatically when it detects an intruder.
How effective it’ll be against anyone determined to challenge this place, I’m not sure — but if it manages to be an inconvenience, that’s enough.
I’d like to see it in action, but I’m not so reckless as to wait near the entrance for intruders.
Whether this trap does anything useful remains to be seen, but adding more traps in between monster creation sessions might not be a bad use of time.
“That should do it. Primir— Primila. Let’s head back to Lady Fiona.”
“You can even create traps… Yes. I’ll accompany you.”
◇
For now, rest while mana recovers.
We left the entrance to the monsters and traps and made our way back to Lady Fiona.
But Lady Fiona, who should have been at her throne, met us holding a treasure chest.
“Lady Fiona. Aren’t you supposed to be recovering?”
“Welcome back, Rei. My mana has already recovered.”
Really? That seems awfully fast — is the throne room actually that effective?
“My liege… did you use the throne room’s mana—”
“Primila. The throne room’s mana is reserved for emergencies. Correct?”
“Yes… I apologize. Forgive me for overstepping.”
“Forgiven. Now then — Rei, would you open the chest?”
From the flow of that exchange, Lady Fiona apparently drew on some reserve mana she had stored.
If it was meant for situations like this, it’s not my place to comment.
Let’s just open the chest.
“…A crystal? No — there’s a silver liquid inside?”
“Ah… another different one…”
Lady Fiona visibly deflated.
An item I’ve never seen before — which means it’s not the resurrection elixir she was hoping for.
“What kind of item is this?”
“…It’s a panacea. A medicine that cures any status ailment. You can have it, Rei…”
Still somewhat subdued from the disappointment.
“So — I would like to ask you to create another treasure chest.”
“My liege. Rei-sama just finished setting a trap in the dungeon. If he creates a treasure chest, there is a risk of mana exhaustion.”
“Oh, is that right… Then, when your mana is sufficiently recovered — would you make another chest then?”
“I mean, I could make one right now—”
“No.”
Firmly overruled.
Still… I’m a little worried about Lady Fiona. She seems to have developed a certain fixation on the items coming out of that chest — like someone who’s fallen into a gacha spiral.
I may need to keep an eye on this.
◇
There — the hole its prey escaped into. Still open.
Last time it was nearly there, only to be cut off by a wall and forced to turn back. When it returned with the pack, the hole was sealed completely.
The great lizard had not forgiven that.
To lose prey that had seemed so easy — and to be denied entry by this cave that sheltered it — the creature’s resentment had festered.
But now, for whatever reason, the entrance stood open.
And this time it led the pack.
Nothing could stop it from claiming its prey.
That thought driving it, the great lizard led the group into the cave.
One path, no branches. It pressed forward on all fours — and then a small, unfamiliar click sounded from somewhere above.
A small sound. Unremarkable.
It moved to continue forward, and that was where its life ended.
The falling boulder didn’t stop at crushing the great lizard at the front.
The spherical shape, the gently sloping ground angling toward the entrance — together, the trap sent the boulder rolling through the pack, flattening them one by one, before it finally struck the entrance wall and came to rest.
Their lives were converted into mana for the dungeon — though there was no one in the world to know it.