The Way to Absolute Dungeon Administration – There Is No Reason To Meet With the Opponent!

Volume 01 Chapter 18: My Strategy Succeeds

Side: Lulua

I’m waiting in the capital for their arrival.

This will be our first meeting here.

And she’ll arrive… carrying someone’s body.

“Selaria-sama!!”

“!! Lulua!! Thank goodness!! Hurry, check on Elju!!”

As planned, Selaria-sama tries to hand over the fake Princess Elju.

“Selaria-sama, wait!! She’s the Saintess from Litea Holy Nation, the root of this incident!! Don’t approach her carelessly…!!”

“She’s a friend to me and Elju!! And we can’t do anything more for Elju!!”

“…!!”

Qual-san glares at me, frustration clear. It’s a natural reaction, even I think so.

Then… with a face like he’s bitten a bitter bug, he desperately bows.

“…Please, please!! Save Elju-sama!!”

His voice is strained. But I can’t meet that expectation.

Princess Elju must die publicly.

Still, I won’t do nothing. Letting Elju-sama die like this might cost me my head.

“…I’ll go all out!! [Extra Heal]!!”

A healing light spreads around the blood-soaked Princess Elju.

“What power!! Is this the strength of Litea’s Saintess!?”

Qual-san’s voice rises in shock. Of course—I’m deliberately expanding the [Heal]’s range as much as possible, meaning…

“Ohhh!! My pain’s fading!!”

“Ahh!! My child’s fever’s gone!!”

“My bad back doesn’t hurt anymore!!”

Not just the army, but the capital’s townsfolk are caught in the [Heal]’s range.

“Lulua!? Restrain your power!! You’re in danger!!”

Pretending to notice the situation, Selaria-sama tries to stop me.

“N-No!! Elju-sama is… like a little sister to me!! I won’t… abandon her!!”

Squeezing out every bit of strength, I pour all my magic into a wide-ranging [Heal]…

“Ah.”

My consciousness fades.

Side: Rocheur VI

To think I’d see my daughter’s body as a corpse, even a fake one…

No need to act tears here. My face is already a mess from crying.

“King!! As Loire himself admitted, this is Litea Holy Nation’s doing!! Elju-sama was sacrificed for their national agenda!!”

“Exactly!! We should inform Gartz Kingdom and together crush—no, defeat Litea!!”

“Don’t be foolish!! Gartz will seize the chance, ally with Litea, and invade us!! Don’t speak so recklessly!!”

“Justice is ours!! What crime did Elju-sama commit!? She only saved the people!! We can’t stay silent when she’s made a sacrifice for their agenda!!”

“Calm down!! That solves nothing!! At worst, it’ll harm our kingdom… the people Elju-sama wanted to save, for years!! Don’t you understand!?”

“Then what do we do!! Pretend we don’t know about Litea Holy Nation!?”

I act dazed before the heated council.

Of course—it’s chaos. The ministers learned Litea Holy Nation was behind this.

How we handle this could escalate the war.

Litea Holy Nation chose assassination to avoid war, meaning they can’t afford one either. If we don’t act, they’ll likely stay quiet.

Honestly, since Elju’s safe, I want to settle this peacefully. But most ministers, thinking Elju’s dead, demand we attack Litea Holy Nation.

Silencing them with my authority risks internal collapse, like this time.

We need one more move. A decisive one.

“Father, sorry to interrupt the meeting.”

The final move appears.

“Selaria-sama…”

“Princess Selaria…”

The ministers’ voices quiet. Naturally—who grieves Elju’s death most? The whole kingdom would say Selaria.

And Selaria, face unhidden with tear-swollen eyes, appears in this meeting.

“Will you hear her out?”

Behind her, Litea’s Saintess steps forward.

“You! How dare you show your face here!!”

“Selaria-sama, why!! Bringing the enemy responsible for Elju-sama’s death!!”

“Everyone, calm down. This Saintess of Litea, Lulua-dono, was close to Elju. This time, despite her own danger, she used immense magic to save Elju and heal those around her. I have no reason to doubt her now.”

The ministers slump at my words. They were in the range of Lulua-dono’s wide [Heal].

“She came knowing the situation, so it must be serious. Please, hear Lulua-dono out?”

“If the King says so…”

“…Understood.”

I signal Lulua-dono.

What a farce. But without it, the damage would spread.

Litea Holy Nation’s to blame, but I can’t say they caused this conflict outright.

So what do we do? The Dungeon Master said:

“Push the blame where it’s convenient, like the Demon King.”

“…This conflict was orchestrated by the Demon King.”

“What!? You think that ridiculous excuse will fly!!”

“Exactly!! Shameless, scraping for words!!”

Curses fly at Lulua-dono, but a savior steps in.

“Stop!! If, as the ministers say, this is Litea Holy Nation’s plot, why is Lulua, a Saintess, here alone!!”

“W-Well…”

“Lulua was coming incognito to teach Elju a new technique!! If Litea Holy Nation was scheming, they wouldn’t send a Saintess here!!”

“True… Lulua-dono being here offers no advantage…”

“Father, as you heard. Without Lulua, Litea, Rocheur, and Gartz would’ve started an endless war of attrition. I trust the Saintess of Litea here… no, my friend, Lulua!!”

Selaria stares at me with steady eyes.

…A bit more crying would’ve been better; your valor’s too strong.

“Are you sure? Lulua-dono might not be truthful, perhaps lying to get by.”

“Lulua grieved Elju’s death with tears. If she’s deceiving me with an act, I’ll take her head myself.”

A painful silence fills the room.

“…Hm, I’ll trust Selaria and Lulua-dono. For the late Elju and to save many people…”

“I have no objections.”

One minister agrees, then others follow, and all eventually consent.

The plan’s nearly complete.

“Now, about relations with Gartz Kingdom.”

“Even if the Demon King orchestrated this, Loire’s attack on Gartz caused it. So…”

The discussion shifts to a ceasefire and reparations with Gartz.