Chapter 0 – Preface: Welcome to the Man-Eating Dungeon
CONTENT WARNING
This series is rated MATURE, please make sure you are of age in your jurisdiction before reading.
This series contains EXPLICIT SEXUAL scenes.
You have been warned.
What comes to your mind when you hear the words “Ruler of a Dungeon”?
A Demon King shutting himself inside a labyrinth, summoning monsters from hell and releasing them upon the world?
A treacherous evil mage, researching hard on nothing but traps?
These expectations, well, they’re half right, and half wrong.
The reason why I can give that answer was because I, the one talking to you right now, is actually a Ruler of a Dungeon.
Of course, I’m not some ally of justice, but even though the Church and Lords treat me like some Demon King, unfortunately, only half the blood that runs in me is demon blood, I was raised in this world so I don’t know of the rules of Hell.
As for evil deeds… well, one part of it I can’t deny, but if you say that I did it gleefully, then I’d have to object.
If I had the choice, I wouldn’t use anything like half-rotten zombies.
But they don’t cost much, so they’re very easy on my finances… skeletons are the same.
Golems are also inexpensive, and I do use some of them, but they can’t be made quickly.
As it is, it needs some initial investment.
I do have a strict but skillful trainer. I am now in the middle of learning “The Ins and Outs of Demon Life.”
The common man would think that if you chant some strange spell, magic would gush out and balls of fire would come flying.
But of course, it doesn’t work that way. It takes time and money and mana, not something that you could bring out endlessly.
It’s a lot of trouble, really….
“Maste–r! The mining village sector has been breached!”
“Hey, what are you going to do!? I know they’re Knights Templar in name only, but aren’t they quite strong!?”
……You probably met the two that flew into my room just now yesterday. They’re my maids.
Because they were both former adventurers, they seem to be able to grasp how strong the attacking group are.
You’re curious about them being “former adventurers”?
….. “Even though they’re demons” you say?
These two were originally adventurers who came to break into my lair about half a year ago.
So they don’t have a maid’s training, and they were originally on bad terms…. eh, that’s not what you’re asking?
Oh, “how did they become demons?”, is it? Well, that’s simple, it’s because I made them demons.
Yeah, well… I’m sure you’ve expected this, but when I captured them I gave them my seed and did a little ritual.
The Church teaches that Demons are “Corrupted Human Beings”, right?
I learned that from this village’s church when I was small you know?
Not only me, but it looks there are also quite capable, strong demons out there.
Of course, I’m not so strong as to make them turn into demons against their will…
I can’t do it unless I make them mentally submit and pour my seed into them.
“Master was so hot back then…”
“I, idiot! What are you talking about in a time like this!”
Shut up, I’m talking to this person right now. Hey don’t start dropping your pants!
Eh, ah, Knights Templar, huh. Yeah, normal methods won’t work, annihilating them will be troubling.
If you ask me why…., ah, can you bring me the water basin?
Thanks. Now can you see them too?
I originally lived among humans but thanks to my blood, I have the ability to use a little magic naturally.
It was only a little bit, but I can grant magic power… not as much as an Enchanter, though.
Since my parents died, I’ve made my living imbuing tools and weapons with magic power and sell them to soldiers and mountaineers and merchants.
I wasn’t born here, but I was raised in this mining village.
Right now it’s a dangerous place where living corpses and monsters roam, but the one who first made it this way wasn’t me…. Well, it’s true that I made use of the situation in the end. (f)reewe(b)novel
……..wait, I’m digressing again.
This is one of my magic tools, Water Basin of Far Sight.
It’s a tool that reflects the scene as seen from an “eye” placed some distance away, though not very far, onto the water basin.
With my current abilities, at best I can only get reports from the mining village’s entrance, about a 10 minute walk away.
Other than times like this, it was only useful to see the visitors’ faces from my own room.
Oh? Your expression changed… yeah, I saw you when you were exploring the mansion as well.
It was all good up to the point where you brought the introduction letter from my old mercenary friends, but what happened after wasn’t good, huh.
They all knew very well that I am capable of doing this and there’s no way they wouldn’t tell you that.
That is, if you were someone they trusted. ……. Honestly, I think it’s a well-made fake.
‘Travelling merchant who also deals in shady trade’, is definitely not a lie, but your real profession is something else, right?
…… you’re thinking your body movements are bad, but don’t worry about that.
Unlike ordinary medicine or poison, motion dulling drugs take some time to start working.
As a product, though, they’re hard to store for distribution….
Being something unknown like that, they’re useful against kids who might have poison resistance like you.
Don’t you think so, Ojou-san from the Assassins’ Guild?
It’s also a strong diuretic, so you might leak yourself… but well, since you’re a guest you’ll be forgiven for that.
…… ah, there they are.
The Knights Templar and their soldiers seem to have just broken through the tunnel entrance just now.
Boo hoo hoo, even though the stone golems took so much to make….
Uh huh, I think you understand this too, the soldiers that came just now were not very well organized.
They are a mixed bunch of talented mercenaries and clearly untrained militia, you can easily see that by their disorganized weapons.
They came after being provoked by the lords and nobles and without enough military power, huh. Really, it’s like they’re just sacrificial pawns.
But coming this far with so little casualties, their commander must be quite capable.
They were going at this pace to take care to avoid casualties, but if that girl is willing to sacrifice her soldiers she would be quite a scary opponent.
Ah, you noticed?
That’s right, that’s the reason we had you tied up.
That commander girl is someone I know.
But she probably doesn’t know I’m here and became the boss of a bunch of monsters.
You guys are… probably employed by antagonistic powerful nobles, and sent here to kill off that girl, right?
Even though your side should have lots of people who know that there is a “dungeon master who you can deal with” in here…
Looks like I’ve become a tool for political assassinations…. Being famous has its troubles.
Well, I don’t want to be killed either so I’m driving them away.
You guys would be troubled if that girl stays alive.
But I have other things in mind and want that girl for myself.
We have our objectives slightly different there, so sad, right, little miss from the Assassins’ Guild?
Ah, don’t shiver like that. No need to feel down just because you made a blunder.
Because before you go back to the guild to get yelled at, you’re going to be killed here… or maybe fall.
Oh, why are you so afraid?
You haven’t heard anything about this dungeon before you came here?
The reason these two came here is not only to give me reports.
They came to help me prepare for your degeneration.
“Guest-sama, let’s become master’s property together!”
“You made a blunder too, huh. Even a genius like me got caught, so give up.”
Well, it’s probably going to take some time until you become ‘obedient’, so I’ll probably tell you some stories until then.
Maybe stories of when that girl lived in this village, or how these two senpais of yours fell….
There’s no need to cry, only your lifestyle is going to change a little.
Even I would have never thought that I’ll become like this a year ago.
Life is full of its ups and downs, no one knows what the future holds.
……. Come, my pitiful victim.
I welcome you to the Man-Eating Dungeon!
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