Dungeon's Final Boss: Banished by My Boss, the Goddess, to Earth—So I'll Continue My Past Life - 72

Chapter 72: Negotiation

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 “I’m sorry, but I would like to speak with only that person.”

After Claire agreed to meet with King Peschel, King Peschel made that request right on the spot. Despite looking somewhat puzzled, Claire prepared a room and ushered the rest of us into it. A butler brought in tea and then quietly left the room.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, dungeon monster from another world.”

“Ah, so you figured it out as well?”

“As expected, you’ve seen through me as well.”

To prevent eavesdropping, I placed a barrier around the room. It was an isolation barrier that prevented anything to “escape” from this reality. Unless the one who cast the barrier lifted it—or was defeated—it would never disappear, and no sound would escape as well.

“This should do the trick.”

“I’m grateful for your consideration.”

Focusing further, I checked the room for surveillance equipment and, finding none, informed him about that. The king bowed his head and dispelled his transformation.

The Deep Sahagin Emperor.

A variant of the Sahagin, the highest-ranking of Deep Sahagin species. This monster was known as the Deep Sahagin Emperor. Unlike ordinary Sahagin, this king bore golden-colored scales. Smoke drifted from between his protruding fangs.

“Aren’t you going to revert your transformation as well?”

“This place is a bit too small for that.”

“…I see. Well, I suppose that’s to be expected.”

His attitude clearly indicated he recognized me as the superior being.

“Can I take it that you are the master of the dungeon on this island?”

“That’s correct. How did you gain your freedom?”

“Because my creator was a fool. I bear no dungeon I am bound to.”

“What?! Is such a thing even possible?”

“Perhaps it’s not something that normally happens. But it did.”

“Hence why such creator is a foolish one…” 

King Peschel added before letting out a low groan. 

“Then why are you all outside the dungeon?”

“Wrong. We’re not outside. This place too is part of our dungeon.”

“…I knew it. I had a hunch that was the case.”

The sense of discomfort that Rock had felt earlier at the morning market street… The moment I laid eyes on the king, everything became crystal clear to me. To my eyes, all the island’s inhabitants had transformed into dungeon monsters. Most were Sahagin types capable of surface activity, but there were other kinds mixed in as well.

“I may be exposing my ignorance, but in the dungeon I managed, there were no such abilities that allowed monsters to appear on the surface.”

With the exception of anomalies like overload, dungeon monsters were not supposed to be able to leave their dungeons.

“I know nothing of other dungeons. We have had this island as our entrance from the very beginning.”

“This island? Then, could it be…”

“Yes. This island itself is a part of the dungeon entrance, and a creation separate from this world.”

That was more than I had expected, and I found myself groaning. That meant… The Kingdom of Peschel had never existed on Earth in the first place and yet, no one seemed to harbor any serious doubts about that.

It meant that the unseen hand of a god from another world was even extending into the awareness of Earth’s people.

This was a peculiar case indeed. Ordinary dungeons deliberately made their presence known as something to be eliminated or exploited by the inhabitants of this world. Or maybe… This was a diversion? A smokescreen while something more grand unfolding deep in the shadows?

The mere thought of it was terrifying, but…

“That’s that, I suppose.”

“Come again?”

“There may be a plan hidden from the gods, or perhaps there isn’t. Either way, as created beings, it’s not our concern. Nor does it have anything to do with your visit here today. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, that’s exactly right.”

Dungeon monsters only needed to remain faithful to their roles as dungeon monsters. I had done the same myself. I’d never concerned myself with what would become of the world as a result of our faithful performance, nor did I think there was much I could do even if I had.

In the terms of this world, it would be like “making a robot act outside of its owner’s interests.”

Even if we seemed to possess free will, it was only free will born from the confinement of the world of dungeons.

“Then, what do you seek from me?”

“Would you bring this dungeon to an end?”

“And why would you ask me that?”

To me, it sounded like a strange request.

“You do realize it would mean the loss of the dungeon you were entrusted with?”

To wish for destruction was a choice the former me could never have imagined making.

“We are dungeon monsters. We cannot defy our creators. We have no choice but to wield our power in the dungeon where we were placed.”

“Yes.”

“It’s not that I’ve grown to hate the role itself. I’ve simply grown to hate the part I’ve been assigned to play.”

“The part you’ve been assigned?”

“Nothing complicated… I want to be simpler. I want to charge blindly at the enemy before me. I want to clash strength against strength. I want to exhaust myself in battle, to ravage and be ravaged.”

“You want to enjoy the thrill of combat?”

“Exactly.”

“You don’t want to play the part of a schemer using roundabout strategies?”

“Exactly! Precisely that!”

King Peschel clapped his hands joyfully and nodded.

“Well, I think I can understand that.”

A race’s nature inevitably influences their fighting style. When I was a Goblin, I had to rely on a cunning mind and strategy. As an Ogre, I wanted to solve everything with brute strength and never hesitated, even against powerful foes. Had I been a Psycho Ruler or Alraurus, I likely would have desired a role like the one King Peschel now played.

Even humans experience changes in mental state depending on their physical condition. For monsters, having their mindset shaped by their race was only natural.

But even so…

“You’re an Emperor, a member of the ruling class, and yet you wish to live like a warrior?”

“Hahaha! I don’t know why myself.”

King Peschel laughed with a touch of embarrassment.

“I’ve been like this since the day I was born as a monster. If anything, I might have been happier when I was a Goblin. I fought well, killed a lot, and was often killed myself.”

“Oh? You too started as a Goblin too?”

“Indeed. You too”

“I did.”

I had unexpectedly met a fellow monster of the same background. That being the case, perhaps King Peschel had also been reincarnated from some other world. Though from the way he spoke, it didn’t seem he had any memories of his past life.

That said, his violent ideals didn’t make me feel like we’d ever become close allies.

“If possible, I’d like to fight someone as strong as you.”

“If the opportunity presents itself.”

Right now, there was also Rock—the S-Class awakener—here. It wasn’t impossible that he would end up conquering this place.

“Hmm… I also came to tell you this.”

“Tell me what?”

“It seems the creator is contemplating something resembling an overload.”

“Something?”

“Yes. You should be on guard.”

“Hmm.”

Just what was about to happen? Still. My client had given up on the idea of conquering this dungeon. If I were to conquer this dungeon nonetheless, I would need to present them with a convincing justification. 

“…I wonder what I should do now?”

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