The Way to Absolute Dungeon Administration – There Is No Reason To Meet With the Opponent! - Volume 01 Chapter 11: “Managing” and “Protecting” Are Not the Same

Volume 01 Chapter 11: “Managing” and “Protecting” Are Not the Same

“Whoa, look at ‘em all. With this many, I can’t even count how many there are.”

I’m monitoring the dungeon through a screen.

Right now, nearly 1,000 armored soldiers are pouring into my dungeon.

“U-Um, Yuki-san? What are we going to do? Those are elite soldiers, mostly royal guards from our kingdom… I hate to say it, but…”

Elju speaks hesitantly from behind, sounding apologetic.

“Do you even get how serious this is!? If this keeps up, you’ll get killed!! So will I and Elju!!”

Selaria’s furious, clearly unhappy with my reaction. So this is Elju’s sister, huh? Talk about a character.

A drill on one side of her head… no, what’s it called? Curls? Nah, not that flimsy. Drill works.

The only thing they have in common is their silver hair, I guess?

“Are you listening!? Even if we were followed, this is hopeless!!”

Yeah, the Rocheur Kingdom soldiers came here because these two escaped to my dungeon.

Talk about a cliché—being tailed.

Plus, they’re saying “Elju is a Dungeon Master in disguise.”

Completely framed.

“Yeah, if they keep advancing, we’ll have to fight back. No choice. How about a surrender demand from the Dungeon Master?”

“Huh? What are you talking about!? You’re the Dungeon Master, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, to those in the know. But me showing up would just cause chaos. For a truce, wouldn’t it be better if Elju went out and said, ‘Selaria’s fine’?”

“Eh!? You’re going to pin it on me as the Dungeon Master!?”

Side: Selaria Nau Rocheur

“You’re not seriously… planning to use Elju as a scapegoat Dungeon Master, are you?”

Elju said she trusts this guy, but something’s fishy. He’s probably a real Dungeon Master, but still fishy.

“Chii-neesama!?”

“Quiet, Elju. If you’re thinking what I suspect, we’ll respond accordingly.”

“Oh? How so? Selaria, with my [Designated Protection] skill, you can’t attack me or even poison me.”

“If Elju dies, I’ll go straight to the other side and say, ‘The dungeon core’s still active.’”

I point to the dungeon core on the throne’s pedestal.

From what Elju told me, the core’s linked to him, and if it’s destroyed, he can’t live.

“…The guy leading them is that minister who framed you. The moment you step out, you might get killed.”

“Doesn’t matter. If Elju’s gone, this world’s meaningless. I’ll make sure you and Loire die.”

Silence falls… but it’s broken by his laughter.

“Pfft… Hahaha!! …Sorry, my bad. Yeah, that’s right. That’s how I explained it to Elju. That was a lie.”

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

As I stand confused, he pulls two familiar objects from his pocket… dungeon cores.

“Well, not entirely a lie. The dungeon can’t function without a core. But I never said I didn’t have spares, or that I couldn’t escape the dungeon. Actually, I’ve already got an escape route ready.”

“HAAA!?”

“EHH!?”

He says something unprecedented… a Dungeon Master abandoning their dungeon.

“Not that I’ve decided to flee yet.”

Side: Qual Estia, Captain of the Rocheur Army’s Selaria Direct Command Unit

We’re here under His Majesty’s orders to rescue Selaria-sama and defeat the Dungeon Master posing as Elju-sama.

The fake Elju-sama infiltrated the castle to poison Selaria-sama, reportedly spiking her tea.

What a hassle. But the higher-ups decided, “The Dungeon Master is still gathering strength and using underhanded tactics to take over the kingdom.”

Since the fake fled to this dungeon with Selaria-sama, that’s their judgment.

Honestly, I’m not convinced. Selaria-sama tasked me with investigating “unsettling shadows within the kingdom.”

It started with Elju-sama supposedly ordering a village’s suppression.

I’ve spoken with Elju-sama through Selaria-sama a few times, and she’s a kind, compassionate person worthy of the Saintess title. I found the order suspicious.

Then, Elju-sama’s carriage was attacked, and she went missing. Selaria-sama immediately ordered a search, but the attack happened in a remote area, 15 days’ walk from here.

The wreckage confirmed it was her carriage, but it wasn’t near a battlefield.

And now, Selaria-sama’s poisoning and kidnapping…

Wait. Something’s off.

“If they poisoned her, why bother taking her?”

Hold on. Why is this mission called “Selaria-sama’s rescue”?

If she was poisoned, shouldn’t we assume she’s dead?

“No, they were certain Selaria-sama’s alive… or they knew the ‘fake’ Elju-sama is real.”

Right. Elju-sama’s body was never found. Minister Loire saw the poisoning and claimed, “Elju-sama would never do that,” stirring things up.

Only his cronies were there… So, Loire’s the most suspicious.

But Elju-sama fleeing to a dungeon fuels the impostor claim… Or maybe he planned to handle it quietly and report after.

Now, Elju-sama’s labeled a disguised Dungeon Master. If I say anything reckless, I’ll be branded an enemy.

What to do… Should I take the lead and protect Selaria-sama and Elju-sama?

As I ponder, the dungeon lights up, and Elju-sama and Selaria-sama appear in the air.

Side: Elju Lau Rocheur

“U-Um, this is Elju Lau Rocheur.”

I’m nervous.

This “monitor” thing can send my voice and image to others.

I thought Yuki-san only used it to watch, but it does more.

No time for that. I need to clear the misunderstanding.

“Please listen. The poisoning of Selaria-neesama was a misunderstanding. As proof, Selaria-neesama is safe.”

“Well done, Elju. Everyone, I, Selaria Nau Rocheur, am fine, as you see. I guarantee this Elju is real. This incident is a vile plot to eliminate us!!”

The soldiers on the monitor stir… but.

“Don’t lie!! Don’t be fooled, Selaria-sama’s being controlled!! No reason to keep a poisoning target alive!! That impostor’s just scared and threatening us!!”

One soldier’s shout rallies the others.

“Right!! If you’re not fake, why not show yourself!? Why flee to a dungeon!?”

“Yeah!! If you’re innocent, there’s no need to run!! Cowardly impostor!!”

“That Selaria-sama’s probably fake too!! The bold Selaria-sama wouldn’t be captured quietly!!”

“She might already be…!?”

Chii-neesama’s veins bulge… scary.

“It’s true!! But for reasons, I can’t appear before the soldiers. Please, withdraw. If you advance further, we… won’t hold back.”

I hoped they’d retreat, but…

“There’s your true colors!! Hiding in the dungeon’s depths and saying you won’t hold back!? We haven’t even seen one monster!! That means you’re weak!!”

“We won’t fall for your words!! Prepare yourself!!”

Then, a man steps forward on the monitor, silencing the crowd.

“I acknowledge Elju-sama and Selaria-sama’s warning. However, I have no proof you’re the real princesses. Thus, per His Majesty’s orders, we’ll secure you and then decide.”

That man is Ares Lester, captain of Rocheur’s royal guard…

Level 122, a living legend.

Side: Oriel

Finally, about 1,000 soldiers, mainly royal guards, have begun invading the dungeon.

“Ugh, that guy’s so stubborn!!”

“Chii-neesama, calm down.”

“It can’t be helped in this situation. …So, what’s your plan? This dungeon’s only three floors, brand-new!! They’ll reach us in no time!! We need to escape!!”

Selaria-sama snaps at Yuki.

But Yuki ignores her, staring blankly at the MAP.

“Oriel!! Say something!! We’ll miss our chance to escape!! There’s no reason to stay!!”

“Well… Yuki, I understand your attachment to this dungeon, but we’ll lose the chance to escape. So…”

My words are cut off by Yuki’s hand.

“Look over there.”

The monitor he points to shows the invading soldiers.

“What’s…!?”

It displays about 200 soldiers falling into a bottomless pit where the path vanished.

As we gape, he says, disappointedly,

“Tch, I clearly wrote on the sign: ‘Please enter in groups of six from here.’”

And about 200 markers vanish from the MAP…