Day 45 Nighttime, Mansion Omui's lord.
Finishing a meeting with the envoy from the capital I rush to the mansion and give out orders to the subordinates.
So the news finally reached the capital.
It was only a matter of time, but it was surprisingly quick.
I already notified the capital about the investigation into the death of the great dungeon, but I kept the precise details a secret, reasoning that the investigation was still in process. But the death of the great dungeon finally became public knowledge.
And the only thing they do is make demands, Present equipment of the dungeon master of the great labyrinth, orThe Magic stone of the dungeon master belongs to the royal family, or Hand over the person that defeated the dungeon master to become the retainer of the royal family
Since it finally got to my head, I bluntly told them If you wanted it, then why did you not subjugate the dungeon yourself? Why have you not done so?, and left, but they surely won't stop from just that.
But I can't afford any inconvenience to befall the benefactor of our family and the savior of our land. Repaying the favor with ingratitude is something I absolutely cannot do. I stake my pride that I will definitely protect him even if it will put my life at risk.
Yesterday, I heard the story of the Shimomui Village Miracle. Just like it was stated in the report from the guild master, this time, a village was saved. Apparently, every villager was crying, being so full of gratitude, they had to tell the story in tears.
And then, there is the matter with the small general store of this town. Its manager, a former adventurer, had to venture out to fight monsters to keep the supply, distributing goods to the poor at a small price, making only a meager profit. That was a small store, which supported the town that couldn't be fully supplied by peddlers and traveling merchants alone.
There is no telling just how much the town was saved by that. Many times I offered my support, yet every time they refused, and kept risking their life to procure the goods for the sake of the townsfolk, keeping this town a town. Everyone is grateful to that store. And that general store now grew bigger, raising almost to the status of its symbol.
With the citizens being greatly moved and delighted by the great assortment and previously unseen abundance of goods.
A symbol of the town's prosperity. That mountain of merchandise, shiny ornaments, plentiful food and flavorings, that is the symbol of prosperous livelihood. That's why the people flocked to it, moved to tears by the mere sight of it. Finally, the people of the frontier were allowed to dream. Everyone finally began dreaming of a happy life.
There is no way that a store, that even now sells food and medicine to those in need with little regard to money, can reap enough excess profits to grow that big. However, that giant building that now became the town's symbol is a declaration of the rebirth of the town. Fresh chapters posted on novel~fire~net
And I know even without asking anyone. It's so obvious that there is no need for that. That symbol was also created by that boy. Rather, I'd be surprised if there was anyone else besides him capable of such a feat!
In fact, just what did the royal family do for this town? What right did the nobles from the capital have to make demands?
No matter how much fuss they make, I have no reason to give anything to the royal family or nobles from the capital, who sent only a trivial amount of money, and even that, they were always was hesitant to give, decreasing the sum year after year, skimped on reinforcements, and didn't ever set a foot inside the Great Dungeon.
Not even to mention that it belongs not to me, but the boy who subdued the dungeon all alone. No one else has any rights on that.
In the first place, that boy doesn't even belong to this country. He is not a subject of this kingdom.
He received no help or rescue from the country.
Quite the contrary, by all rights, the kingdom, and all neighboring countries of this continent are indebted to him. That is the only way to look at it.
No one could beat the Great Dungeon. He subjugated the Great Dungeon, while no one could reach even the middle part of it before. He saved them. If this is not a debt, then what would that be?
Were the Great Dungeon to overflow, not only this kingdom but the whole continent would've been swallowed by it. Why can't they see that they were saved from such a cruel fate?
Instead of being endlessly thankful to their benefactor, they even want to rob him of what rightfully belongs to him, there is a limit to how insolent, how shameless one can be.
How dare they demand their benefactor to hand over the treasures? They should lower their heads in gratitude and make offerings to him, not speak down to him while trying to rob him like lowly thieves!
You absolutely must not let anyone know about the boy or his comrades. Bothering our benefactor will not be allowed, everything else doesn't matter.
Shameless inept and greedy bastards. Trash, that can't think of anything but plunder, without doing anything themselves. The lowly royal family which has nothing but royal authority to them. The spineless nobles of the central region are nothing but rabble even if they form a bunch. I won't allow them to interfere even if I have to mow them down.
Make the military preparations. We will protect the frontier. Be it monsters, or fools blinded by their greed, I will allow no one to trouble our benefactor.
We already made the necessary arrangements.
Even if they pressure us with military power, the frontier is not soft enough to let the royal troops or forces of nobles, who fought no monsters and neglected dungeons of the realm, having nothing but gaudiness to them, to do as they please.
Equipment of our forces is subpar, even the supply of medicine could hardly be called sufficient, as expected of troops of a poor domain, but they are elites, who fought day and night with monsters of the Great Forest and were continuously culling monsters in the Great Dungeon. And now, while still somewhat lacking, they had new gear arranged, weapons enhanced, and medicine and potions stocked.
A mere 10 or 50 to 1 difference in numbers will not be enough to make them falter.
And all that was also given by that boy. If we don't fight here, then what's the point of having all that gear, where are those this sword is supposed to protect, and what's the point of having such a lord?
Unable to protect the safety of the subjects, unable to lift them out of poverty, it would be only fair to call such a lord incompetent.
But I would let no one call me a coward who couldn't even protect the boy that brought my subjects wealth and removed the dangers threatening them. That alone I will not allow.
Most likely, we won't get to have negotiations. Put more people on the lookout. Don't allow dogs of the nobles to approach the boy or his comrades.
I already posted highly capable individuals at the gates.
I will stand firm against authority.
If they come in force, I will accept the challenge.
The real danger is spies.
To be honest, I'd like to see a spy capable of harming that boy. If such an agent exists, they should be busy fighting in dungeons instead of doing whatever this is. Well, there is no such person though.
On the contrary, the boy probably needs no protection and will be able to defeat the king's army on his own.
Compared to the stampede led by an orc king, a royal army would prove disappointing.
Doesn't the kingdom realize just how dreadful the boy capable of beating the great dungeon on his own is?
And in the first place, if they had the power to handle that boy, they surely would've been able to deal with the Great Dungeon.
How do they imagine an army incapable of defeating a dungeon master will be able to defeat the one who defeated the dungeon emperor?
Such utter incompetence.
Such boundless stupidity, that I even pity them.
Just what makes them believe it is a good idea to meddle with the boy who possesses more power than the kingdom itself?
What can possibly make them realize that they are the ones who will meet their destruction?
I cannot even fathom what makes them think that they can give orders to someone who wields a power greater than that of the kingdom.
Maybe they willingly seek their own downfall?
If so, then it all makes sense.
Surely it won't take long to have that desire granted.
They will perish before they even realize it.
Just like it happened to the Great Forest of Demons.
Or even the Great Dungeon.
The annihilation was complete by the time anyone noticed it.
Were that to happen, he might not even notice.
After all, he doesn't even remember what the kingdom is called anyway.
And he couldn't care less about the name of the King.
And so even the name of the nameless King of the nameless kingdom will perish without getting known by anyone.