Dungeon Defense (WN)

“I-Is that so? You’re working, are you? All right. Work is important, after all.”

I let out an ‘Oh, right!’ and awkwardly put my hand in my money purse.

“I will give you all an incentive for all the good work you have done so far. Now then, my workers who have labored earnestly, take as much gold as you can hold!”

I laughed gallantly as I scattered gold coins. I wasn’t squandering my money. I was gone for two months, so the workers probably didn’t know how to deal with me. I intended to change the mood by holding a small festival and make them able to approach me without reserve.

A clear sound rang out as gold coins poured onto the cavern floor. The goblins’ and dwarves’ necks practically snapped as they turned their heads to me the moment they heard the coins hit the ground. They raised their feet as if they intended to immediately rush over to me, but―.

“……Hm?”

They stood still. The workers carefully, very carefully turned to look at the same place with bloodshot eyes. The person who was at the end of their gazes was none other than Lapis Lazuli. The pink-haired succubus was standing there.

“It is fine if you raise the central ceiling on the first floor. You do not have to worry about the solidity.”

Lapis continued to give orders as if the gold coins didn’t matter to her at all.

“In consideration of the distant future, the first floor will have various shops catering to adventurers. A plaza might get created in the center. You have to consider this much as well. Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes. Understood, General Manager.”

The workers bowed to Lapis. They looked at the gold coins scattered on the ground out of the corners of their eyes and gulped, but they didn’t dare to take even a single step toward the gold. I came to a realization.

These guys……they are all being careful around Lapis!

Individuals that were practically known as representatives of the construction industry in the demon world were all gathered here. Most of them were either heads or substitutes for the heads of their agencies. Despite this, these individuals weren’t able to even budge an inch before a mere half-blood, low-tier succubus.

I was baffled. What exactly happened in the last two months to make these guys act like new recruits straight out of boot camp?

“Furthermore, Sir Dantalian.”

Lapis called out to me without even raising her gaze from the documents in her hands. In a very stern tone. I flinched.

“H-Huh?”

“I am grateful that you are trying to inspire their will to work, but work has yet to end for the day. There are three hours left until the end of the workday. Please distribute a bonus in one large batch at that point.”

“……Okay.”contemporary romance

I bent down and picked up the coins that had fallen on the ground. It felt like I had become a president who had needlessly showed up and spoiled the mood when everyone was busy as they were putting the finishing touches at the worksite. No, it wasn’t a comparison, that was what actually happened.

“Uhm, where is Laura?”

“I do not know. She might be in Your Highness’ chamber reading a lofty philosophy book.”

For an instant, Lapis’ gaze looked as if she were looking at a rotten piece of trash. Like the gaze of a fifty-year-old officer worker who had experienced all the bitterness and sourness of life staring at a brat who had just stepped foot into society.

It was terrifying.

“I-I’ll go to my room for now. Keep up the good work.”

I could tell instinctively that it would be best if I left this spot as soon as possible. I waved my right hand at Lapis as I backed away. Lapis’ impassive gaze returned as she responded flatly.

“Yes. We will. Although we have been this whole time.”

Lapis resumed giving orders. The cave had become colder ever since I arrived. Wasn’t her reaction a bit too much when we were meeting for the first time in a while……?

I felt like I had committed a crime, so I walked with dispirited steps.

However, a sound of surprise and awe would leak out with every step I took. My dungeon was completely different. The cave that used to curve randomly had been organized and there was now a wide, straight tunnel.

“Wow.”

Large walls blocked the sides of the tunnel without leaving any openings. Monster villages were going to be created behind those walls. I was incredibly fascinated to see the idea that I had only imagined all this time in my head become a reality as I walked around with my mouth agape like some sort of child who was invited to an amusement park.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

There were miners working somewhere in the tunnel. Pickaxes moved without rest as they carved away at the cavern walls. Plasterers were moving their hands earnestly while goblins who appeared to be mages were shaking their heads and muttering something angrily.

“Dang it, we can’t cast a strengthening spell like this. Start over from the beginning.”

“We don’t have a lot of adamantium left in the storage…….”

“The director! Call the director here!”

It was a large-scale construction. Everyone was moving and talking busily.

I had left the construction work to multiple agencies instead of one in order to reduce the construction fee. It did lower our expenses, but it also put a lot of burdens on the general manager. They had to give orders to dozens of agencies and also fine-tune all of their individual work.

“Uaaaah.”

It makes sense that Lapis would be in such a bad mood.

She probably has a lot of pent-up stress. It would naturally be annoying if the person who should’ve been the total supervisor casually comes back saying ‘I’m back. Are you glad to see me?’.

I walked for about 2 hours before I reached my Demon Lord room. The room had changed so much that I couldn’t recognize it.

There was now a cliff in front of the room. Actually, I’m not sure if I should call it a cliff or a moat. There was a narrow stone bridge placed on the moat. You had to cross that bridge to reach the door to the room.

The front door……the wooden door that was easily struck down by Riff’s hand ax was nowhere to be seen. The thing before me was more like a large sculpture than a door.

A sculpture with a grim face was opening its mouth menacingly. Its mouth was the door.

It quite literally gave off the impression of a Demon Lord’s dwelling. It was in incredibly poor taste. I’m not sure how they did it, but the eyes of the statue were ablaze.

I carefully made my way forward while feeling pressured. There were words engraved above the door, in other words, between the upper lip and nose. A sentence written in the Ancient Imperial language said the following:

– Throw away all hope, those who have come to nirvana.

“Uuugh.”

They really went all out. It was genuinely Demon Lord-like. It felt like something you would see at the entrance of a boss room in an RPG.

Was this the type of image Lapis had of ‘Demon Lords’ in her head? Isn’t this a bit childish for someone who has lived for over 200 years!?

No, even Barbatos refers to her castle as <Sanctuary for everyone who has died>……. This sort of childish design might unexpectedly be universal for all Demon Lord castles. If so, then demons have an extremely bizarre artistic sense. Don’t some of them have pink suits and enjoy wearing them as outfits for balls?

I gave up partially as I dragged myself into my room. The inside of the room was surprisingly desolate. They must have not started working on the inside yet.

“Laura? I have returned. The Dantalian that you love has returned.”

My voice echoed throughout the room. Once it did, something peaked out from the bed on the other side of the room. Blonde hair. It was Laura de Farnese.

“Lord……is that really you?”

Laura looked at me with a wavering gaze. She looked incredibly exhausted for some reason. Even her blonde hair that used to be vibrant like the warm spring sun had lost its color and was now brittle.

“Or is this a hallucination spell meant to trick this young lady? Are you real?”

“A-A hallucination spell?”

I was shocked. What exactly happened while I was gone?

Laura was terrified. I smiled gently as if I were approaching a kitten.

“Laura, it’s me. I’m not some sort of hallucination. I’m the real Dantalian.”

“Is it really Your Lordship, the person who usually acts incredibly stern but breaks under even the slightest pressure and lets out a strained laugh that makes the people around him feel anxious?”

“……Yes, I am that Dantalian.”

Laura stuck only her head out from underneath the covers and continued in a nervous tone.

“The person who bluffs all the time saying he is the most sincere and earnest person in the world but lusts after this young lady’s body at every opportunity, so, in that regard, the person I acknowledge as the most sincere and earnest sex maniac in the world. Is it really Your Lordship, the person who does not consider women older than 17 as women?”

“……Laura, I now have a good understanding of your opinion of me.”

My lips twitched.

“I am not a sex maniac or a pedophile. I am Dantalian. I just happened to have relations with a girl who is slightly below the average age.”

“Aah, that shamelessly brazen face undoubtedly belongs to milord!”

Laura got up and rushed to me like a pet who was coming to welcome its owner who had been at war for several years.

“Lord! Lord! I missed you! This young lady sincerely missed you!”

She then jumped and hugged me with her entire body.

I muttered to myself sullenly.

“……What is this? This is definitely a heartwarming reunion, but a corner of my heart feels sad. What is this emotion?”

“Aah, to be able to see this petty and crafty face again!”

Laura was so moved that she was shedding tears.

“Your poorly curved back and narrow shoulders! Hair that has grown out haphazardly because you didn’t get a haircut for two to three months! Your mouth that has been twisted crudely because of the amount of dastardliness that had condensed around it! Ah, you are the real deal. You are certainly the real one!”

“……Ah, yeah. Is that so?”

“Your Lordship is undoubtedly the cheapest Demon Lord in the world, but this young lady likes you because you are cheap!”

Laura reached out and grabbed my head. She then gave me a strong kiss. One kiss must have not been enough, as she showered me with them. Of course, I didn’t feel anything in particular from my perspective.

“All right. This much welcome is enough.”

I pulled Laura off of me as I spoke.

“But what about you? What is with your appearance? You should take a look at yourself before throwing insults at me about my dirty appearance. Your hair is frilly and your skin has lost its luster……. I cannot believe that this is the appearance of a 17-year-old girl and someone who was once the esteemed daughter of a duke. Have you even bathed?”

“That’s, that’s because……hgh.”

Laura wiped away a tear. To be honest, this was probably the most unsightly Laura has ever been. I’m not just saying this because I’m upset after being insulted a bunch by her. It was an objective observation.

“Miss Lapis had…….”

“……’Miss’ Lapis?”

“N-No. What I meant to say is, Big Sis Lapis keeps giving this young lady difficult tasks!”

Laura hastily corrected herself.

Her choice of words was so shocking that it couldn’t be overlooked, but I kindly ignored it as a man with a gentle heart. I had a rough grasp of what happened as well.

“This young lady has no idea how religious precepts and common laws within villages work. Is it not good enough if I lead things down the most efficient path? And yet, Big Sis Lapis……. Furthermore, that man named Parsi is also doing the same…….”

“Clean your nose for now.”

I handed her a handkerchief. This 17-year-old girl may be radiant, but there was no way her snot could be radiant as well. Absolutely not.

Laura blew her nose.

“They are looking down on this young lady like some child who knows nothing of the world!”

“……Yeah. I understand. You do not have to explain any further. I have a good understanding of what happened.”

It seems Laura de Farnese, the individual who became the greatest strategist in the game and renowned as the Iron Chancellor, was despairing over the fact that she didn’t know how politics worked.

I let out a sigh. I had a bad feeling that the management of my Demon Lord castle and the surrounding region was going to be very difficult.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. This is compensation for uploading that last chapter a bit late. I’m sure a lot of you guys were probably looking forward to more Lapis and Laura stuff anyway. Uh, nothing much else to say? Have a good weekend!

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