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

Volume 02 Chapter 01: Don’t Dismiss Waste as Waste

Side: Elju Lau Rocheur

While we’re relaxing in the dungeon, a report comes from the scouting slimes about intruders. A woman is being chased by knights, so I peek at the surveillance screen to see who they are…

It’s none other than Lulua-sama, the Saintess of Litea!

On the screen, Lulua-sama is desperately trying to escape into the dungeon. A strange signboard near the entrance distracts her, and she’s hit by the pursuers’ arrows.

All because Yuki-san put up that ridiculous signboard…

“Lulua-sama!? …Yuki-san, why did you mess around with that stupid sign!? Because of you, Lulua-sama’s hurt!!”

I raise my voice in reproach at Yuki-san.

Come to think of it, when Rocheur’s Royal Guard came, he put up a sign saying, [Only six may enter from here], playing around like that too.

“…Haa.”

Yuki-san sighs at my reaction.

“How can you be so calm!? We need to rescue Lulua-sama now!!”

I plead.

“…Elju-sama, you really don’t think things through, do you? Yuki wouldn’t do something pointless.”

A cute voice comes from the side. I turn to see Labiris, who’s been acting like an older sister to Asrin and Filia, staring at me with exasperation.

“I see, Elju-sama’s awfully straightforward, huh? No wonder you got caught up in political schemes and used. What does your fellow servant think?”

Ratsu tosses the question to Oriel, who glances at me before stepping forward and addressing Yuki.

“You deliberately slowed Lulua-sama down to get her injured, didn’t you?”

“What!?”

Oriel’s words fuel my anger toward Yuki-san.

Why would he do such a thing?

“Nah, it just turned out that way. Look, Elju won’t buy any roundabout excuses, so I’ll keep it short.”

Yuki-san locks eyes with me.

For a moment, I feel overwhelming pressure but stare back defiantly.

I haven’t said anything wrong.

“Elju, your anger right now is exactly what the signboard was meant to cause.”

“What do you mean!? Making your allies angry—what’s that supposed to achieve!?”

“No one said the goal was to screw over allies. The signboard’s purpose is to slow down whoever sees it. Look, it’s dulled your judgment. Instead of arguing with me or demanding reasons, shouldn’t you be rushing to save Lulua?”

“!”

I can’t argue with Yuki-san’s words.

He’s right. Instead of questioning his guilt, I should be saving Lulua-sama.

I can’t waste time bickering here.

I try to cut the conversation and bolt from the room, but Oriel grabs me.

“Calm down! You’ll get in Yuki’s way!!”

Oriel, unusually stern, tries to stop me. Unable to stand our exchange, Ratsu speaks up.

“…Onii-san, Elju-sama’s too straightforward. Just tell her everything, okay?”

“Nah, she was ready to storm out, so I’m not sure she’s got the patience to listen…”

Yuki-san shrugs.

Meanwhile, on the screen we’re all watching, Lulua-sama stumbles into the dungeon, bleeding from her back with heavy steps.

“We don’t have time to chat!! Look, the pursuers are already at the dungeon entrance!!”

Lulua-sama hasn’t made it far inside yet.

A trail of painful blood stains marks the dungeon entrance.

“What’s with this signboard?”

“Shows the second princess Selaria’s level, doesn’t it!!”

“Lulua fled deeper, but there’s a blood trail. We’ll catch her easily.”

“What do we do? How many stay outside the dungeon?”

“Selaria’s declaration said the dungeon’s monsters and traps are disabled. But the map inside hasn’t been revealed.”

“Hmm, if Lulua stops the bleeding and escapes into the maze, it’ll be a pain.”

The pursuers continue their conversation.

“Hurry, we have to save Lulua-sama!!”

“…Idiot. Their actions are completely predictable now. And thanks to Lulua-sama’s injury…”

Labiris says, glancing at the screen.

“If she doesn’t get far, we should kill her quickly. Two of you stay outside on alert. You and you. The rest, full speed to take out Lulua!!”

“Yes, sir!!”

The pursuers, led by what seems to be their captain, charge into the dungeon.

“Elju-sama, see? Onii-san deliberately let Lulua-sama get injured to lure most of their forces into the dungeon. Judging by their reaction to the signboard, they’re not thinking deeply.

It’s a tactic in business too—provoking or acting foolishly to gauge someone’s personality or judgment. That signboard played its part in riling them up. Honestly, only someone like Onii-san would put up such a ridiculous sign in a dungeon.”

Ratsu, the rabbitman woman, explains, and Labiris picks up the thread.

“…Knowing Yuki, he could’ve handled fewer intruders anyway, right?”

“Who knows? Honestly, that’d just add steps and hassle. So, Elju, that ‘childish’ sign you called pointless pulled all this information out. Calling something a waste is your call, but it’s smarter to find ways to make use of what seems wasteful.”

But capturing the enemy would’ve been enough. Making Lulua-sama get hurt…

“Sorry, but I won’t take actions that put this dungeon at a disadvantage just to save Lulua, who’s being chased by Litea. Honestly, if Lulua died here, I wouldn’t care. If she did, Litea would be thrilled, and the pursuers would leave. But they might use her death as leverage in negotiations later, so I leaned toward saving her. Doesn’t matter to me either way.”

As if reading my thoughts, he spits out cold, almost cruel words.

Lulua-sama’s fate doesn’t matter to him!?

“You…!!”

“Shut up!! You useless Saintess!! All you’ve done is complain!! Yuki-san… someone who cares about us!! You’re just mouthing off without even considering he might have to abandon her!!”

Milly’s furious shout echoes through the room.

“…Honestly, it’s painful to listen to. Elju-sama, who do you think you are? Oh, right, a Saintess? Keep yapping, and I’ll shut that noisy mouth myself.”

“…Exactly. Yuki never planned to let Lulua-sama die. When the pursuers shot their arrows, their force was oddly weak. Yuki must’ve done something.”

Ratsu and Labiris glare at me with contempt.

Oriel steps forward to shield me…

“Their anger’s justified. But Lulua-sama is like a sister to Elju-sama, just like Selaria-sama or Aria-sama. Can you let this slide for my sake?”

She bows deeply.

“…Haa. I get your situation, but think before you speak. Honestly, Onii-san matters more to us than you or Lulua-sama.”

“…Don’t take your frustrations out on Yuki.”

“…Lulua-sama’s being chased because of you, right, Saintess?”

Ratsu, Labiris, and finally Milly’s words hit me like a slap to the face.

…She’s right. Lulua-sama was stripped of her Saintess title because I took it. I didn’t need to call myself a Saintess to heal people… Thinking that, something churns in my stomach.

“…Ugh.”

Liquid spills from my mouth, staining the grassy floor.

“Well, Lulua’s here. She can barely walk without goblin support and doesn’t have the strength to cast healing magic. What now, Elju? Leave it to me and do nothing, or heal her yourself?”

I look up to see Lulua-sama’s pale face staring at me.

“…Elju-sama… It’s not your fault… I failed to control Litea… This is the natural consequence…”

“Lulua-sama!!”

“…!? Elju-sama… What you tried to do… was never wrong…”

Lulua-sama’s face contorts, and her words cut off.

“If you don’t heal her in five seconds, move. Stop listening to last words and do it.”

“!! I don’t need you to tell me, Yuki-san!! Lilishu-sama, grant me healing power!! [Extra Heal]!!”

I pull the arrows from Lulua-sama’s back and cast my best healing magic.

Color returns to her face.

“…Elju-sama. Thank you. Your skills have grown. I’m proud of you. So please, don’t let that face cloud over. What you did was never wrong. You’ve truly saved my life.”

Lulua-sama’s words feel like salvation, and tears spill from my eyes.

Her pure gratitude fills me with joy.

“Sorry to interrupt the touching moment, but what about the pursuers?”

“What happened!? Are they still coming!?”

Lulua-sama snaps back to reality, looking at Yuki-san.

“The eight who entered went bye-bye in a pitfall trap. The two waiting at the entrance were distracted by Slimes 02 and 03, then ambushed by 04 and 05, same as with Mauve’s group. Respiratory blockage, then captured. Current enemy forces: zero. We’re on alert, and the slimes are transporting the captured soldiers.”

“…Yuki, what about the trap I designed?”

“They didn’t reach it. Too bad, maybe next time.”

“…What a shame.”

Yuki-san pats Labiris’s head to console her.

In the end, it worked out perfectly for us.

“Oh, that’s rough.”

“Yeah, slimes don’t normally coordinate like that. Only a few go for the head…”

“We got caught off guard too, with them latching onto our heads…”

Mauve-san and the others mutter, recalling their own dungeon invasion.

Indeed, they were neutralized just as easily this time.

“Eight are dead…?”

“…Got something to say? I’m listening.”