"AH HAH HAH HAH! Seriously. I was so surprised when I heard that boy Elliot had become a dungeon master you know!"
"Don't laugh, Gramps Gustav. It's not like I want to be one or anything"
More hearty laughter.
It was about half a year after the mining village became a hell overflowing with the dead and I became the dungeon master.
I feel like I haven't heard laughter for a long time, but this old man laughs after just drinking every time he comes.
Of course, it's not like I didn't like that disposition, I didn't dislike this man.
Besides, there were things I need.
The man sits facing me on the first floor of my home slash inn that had already stopped business. He was an acquaintance from when mother was still alive.
Mercenary Commander Gustav.
It's hard to say if he's a good or bad person, but mother said: "he at least keeps to contract and honor".
He's going to be an old man soon being his age, but his forged body can't compare to your everyday soldier.
Also, Gustav's number one strong point wasn't his strength, but his insight in collecting information and seeing through the situation.
One month was enough for what happened in the village to become a rumor.
At first, curious merchants and travelers, thieves looking for valuable things among the leftovers, and adventurers looking to test their strength came staggering in and had a horrible time.
I don't chase down those who ran away, and at least if they noticed this place I would help them.
However, there weren't few greedy ones who raided and ended up joining the ranks of the zombies.
It was a bother, but zombies decrease when they're killed. I was only recycling dead bodies into new zombies.
In fact, for a short time, I'd give them props that so many uninvited guests would come this far.
For now, Gustav seemed to have come here because he was worried about me.
With a small number of mercenaries, he came to the inn, armed, and when I came out to see them what he said was
"….. what? Why are you looking so lively?"
I thought about hiding the truth but he knew of my position in the village.
I don't feel like lying to this old man, to begin with.
To add to that, if I could gain the cooperation of Gustav, who knew well about people related to the underworld business in this area.
I could gain information on the cities surrounding this mining village.
Information. That is the thing that I, holding myself in this dungeon, could not obtain.
Therefore, this is what happened after I honestly told him everything (besides the part about being the king of the Demon World and stuff).
"Anyway, it's about time the Church notices this place you know. It would be some time before they make a move but I think you'd better get ready to run"
"But wouldn't the fact that you've been using this place as a stopover be found out?"
"I can't deny the possibility but there's no way that this place doesn't become the hot topic in the Church"
The door behind me opened, and Astarte in a nun outfit and Dahlia in maid clothes appeared.
Dahlia was carrying more booze and snacks.
"As I said, I'm opposed to offering this place as an escape route for common criminals"
Seems like Astarte was still dissatisfied with that decision.
What Gustav proposed after listening to the story was whether or not I could make this mining village overflowing with zombies where nobody would come — or more accurately, whether I could use this inn that could offer a safe route without zombies and several days of lodging — too hurried merchants and criminals at large as a stopping point.
Even though this was a frontier mining village, there were roads just a few days to other towns through the forest out of the village.
There's a fisherman's hut half a day's walk away from that only locals know about that became a stopping place where itinerant merchants and mercenaries would rest their caravans.
If one could cross the mountains, it's not impossible to go over the border and smuggle oneself to the next country.
Therefore, for fugitives being chased from society, and merchants and adventurers wanting to secretly cross the border, the existence of a base camp that they can lodge in was a very convenient thing.
In particular, since normal people won't come because of monsters and the local dungeon master could accommodate safe passage, it was very effective … or so Gustav argued.
After the incident, there was no need for me to flee right away, but living as a Demon aside, I didn't have the strength and finances to live in an unknown land with just the three of us.
Because I was half human, the amount of magic power I could accumulate was low, only enough that if I holed up somewhere and saved up power I could finally maintain a few things.
Still, it seemed to be a little more than human magicians, but I still didn't have enough power, assets, and forces to set up shop at some unknown place somewhere. Vacating out the dungeon and moving was still a lot of pain.
In order to raise my magic power, I need to sleep with women or do it like most Demons, rule some land with lots of magic power and supply mine from there.
I digress but this is the reason why the Lords of the Demon World would fight over land with lots of magic power¹
As for assets, I need to earn money somehow, so traveling would be difficult since I don't have a source of income.
¹ «TN: just like ours and oil»
Force is where I'm weakest at. I need to raise my magic power to strengthen myself, summon or create monsters as a fighting force, or use my assets to hire adventurers or mercenaries.
Which is why I thought I should first go on board with Gustav's proposal and gather a little bit of money.
Skipping straight to the conclusion, within the initial month of taking only those with Gustav's introduction as guests, I greatly overtook the entire previous year's total income.
Most of it was income from smuggling merchants. Looking at the amount, the number of times Astarte complained decreased.
It was entirely possible that the previous year's income was too low, but nevertheless, by selling magic tools I could gain a typical farmer's income. And there's also this.
.... There's no end to people who would dye their hands in crime. If I allow the risks, the gains are enormous.
That said, I was able to accomplish this only because Gustav's judgment was there to act as my guardian.
Also, Astarte covered for me for small acts of violence.
It wasn't the kind of place I wanted, but there's a limit to how lucky I could be with my position … I was fully aware of the fact.
After all, I couldn't do all that much on my own.
"Well, that is that. First, here's gramps' share"
Saying that I took out a bag full of silver coins and handed them to Gustav.
With that much, a farm family of four could live a year without starving.
"Ooh, a third of the earnings. I confirm that I have received. By the way, did you increase your ability to summon monsters since then?"
"Listen to this Gustav. Total magic power aside, Master Elliott is definitely reliable with the technique!"
Astarte joined the conversation about my growth in high spirits as if it were about herself.
After the incident, I began dungeon building using the mines that had gone abandoned.
It was preparation for when push comes to shove and testing grounds for dangerous experiments.
I understood well why magicians of old hid in dungeons.
Because if they were outside, there would be some damage if some mistake occurred.