Chapter 44
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Accepted
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"Master. The kin have returned."
"Oh. They're later than I expected."
During the three days waiting for the kin, I'd cleaned up around the field for farming. Just in case, I'd even left the [High-Pressure Cleaner] running all day to collect extra water. And right in the middle of all that, Erzsebet finally brought the good news I'd been hoping for.
As the saying goes, their absence made the gap feel even bigger. Without the kin around, I'd had to haul those chopped log stumps myself and dig the reservoirs, so their empty spots hit me hard.
"You bought plenty of food, right? Anything else?"
"Um. Well..."
Since I'd been eating only from the [Shop] function nonstop, I had a bit of curiosity about fantasy world food. So I asked with some anticipation, but Erzsebet's face turned strange the moment I did.
"Erzsebet? What's wrong? Did they buy something weird?"
I hadn't specified any items, and I knew nothing about this world's goods anyway, so I'd just told the kin to handle it themselves. But had they gone and grabbed something odd?
What could it be that has her this flustered...
"...They brought a person."
Yeah, no wonder she's flustered.
Erzsebet could communicate with the approaching kin via telepathy, and when she heard their report, she panicked. Meanwhile, I figured they'd gone into the city and bought a slave or something.
Apparently, humans sometimes sold captured demons as slaves after hunting them.
Thankfully, these kin hadn't gone that far off the rails.
"Red Demon Tribe?"
"Yes."
The kin had left the demon they'd brought standing outside separately and come into the ruins alone to explain. Apparently, as they were heading back to the ruins with all the supplies, this one had blocked their path and begged to be taken to the dungeon with them.
"So they found out you're demons? Didn't other humans notice too?"
"No. It was just a few traits only another demon would spot... The humans didn't catch on."
They apologized for the delay, saying they'd taken a roundabout route to check for pursuit. I waved them off and sank into thought.
Honestly, out of everyone who's ever shown up at these ruins so far—except for that one person—they've all tried to kill me. Demon or human, it doesn't matter anymore. Just the fact that someone new has come here pisses me off. Deep down, no matter their reason, I wish they'd all just leave.
Even if they begged the kin on their knees. But...
'Of all things, Red Demon Tribe...'
I glanced at Rio, who'd been fidgeting and watching me anxiously ever since the kin started talking. The one person who'd come here and not tried to kill me.
Her race was the Red Demon Tribe.
"Rio. Do you know them?"
The kin had already described their appearances and names, so I asked if she recognized them.
"Y-Yeah..."
Rio nodded while peeking at my face, clearly worried. Even though these were people she knew, she was checking my mood first—afraid her opinion might be a burden.
"Hoo..."
If she'd thrown a fit saying, 'They're people I know—let me see them!' it wouldn't have bothered me this much... Looks like they're from the village where Rio lived. Guess I should at least hear why they came.
"M-More, O Dungeon Master..."
With that, I approached the fully armed—well, cleaning tools, but armed nonetheless—Red Demon Tribe members waiting outside. Contrary to my worries, they flattened themselves to the ground and bowed the instant they saw me.
I wonder if Desmond would have praised them for their manners... No.
"Dungeon Master?"
"Y-Yes! We've heard of your greatness!"
Everyone I'd met so far had fixated on the half-blood thing right away. Seeing these guys go straight to groveling felt kinda novel. Not bad... They call me Dungeon Master too.
"Dungeon Master... First, allow us to offer our thanks. We heard you drove off the wicked hero who massacred our village. Thank you for avenging our kin."
"No need."
Denying it now—'This isn't a dungeon' or whatever—wouldn't convince anyone. So I'd decided to just lean into the Dungeon Master act. I'd already taken down several heroes, and rumors were spreading that the 'half-blood' was the Dungeon Master. No point kicking and screaming otherwise.
Instead, I adopted a slightly dignified tone to sell it. Modeled after Desmond.
"Did you come just to give thanks?"
I asked while looking down on them as arrogantly as possible. I couldn't imagine Red Demon Tribe members, hiding in human cities, trekking all the way here for a simple thank-you.
Sensing my cold gaze, they flinched. Then their representative—the only woman—knelt before me and pleaded.
"Dungeon Master... Accept us into your dungeon!"
"...Hm."
And right on cue, the Red Demon Tribe got to their real point. They wanted in the dungeon.
It was within my expectations. Rio had drilled it into me how badly demons outside were treated. When I'd healed her with [Staff Management], she'd thought she officially belonged to the dungeon and been over the moon.
Everyone in her village had dreamed of joining a dungeon. And these were people from her village.
"...Dungeon Master. To be frank, our power is extremely meager."
The Red Demon woman—Lina, she'd introduced herself—shuddered at my icy tone and bowed even deeper, sounding apologetic. For demons who prized strength above all, and a dungeon that constantly fought intruders, power was the key value for joining.
"We... wish to serve as laborers."
"Laborers?"
So that's the conclusion Lina and the other Red Demons had reached: laborers.
A dungeon was still a living space for people. Even if strength was paramount, any gathering of people needed manpower.
And they hoped to join in that capacity, handling the odd jobs.
"Hmm..."
I listened in a haughty pose, but inside, other thoughts bubbled up.
'Jackpot.'
I'd cross-checked with Erzsebet and the kin. Their power was genuinely weak. Nothing that could threaten my life. Worlds apart from the dangerous types who'd shown up before.
So taking them in wouldn't be risky... And from what Rio had told me beforehand, their daily behavior and mindset seemed fine...
'Pure gold.'
I'd just been worrying about needing hands for farming, and here they were, volunteering.
"Ahem. What exactly can you do?"
The more I heard, the more I wanted to hire them on the spot. But I couldn't decide that lightly for outsiders. Suppressing my urge to say 'You're hired,' I asked about their skills.
"We make our living hunting, so we can bring back game from the forest... We can set basic traps and have some knowledge of plants and animals."
"Hm. Hm."
Hunting ability for meat to supplement farming: pass. Trap-setting... Maybe at the ruins entrance? Good. Plant and animal knowledge...
"Can you farm too?"
"Y-Yes! Everyone in the village handled farming together..."
And they had the most crucial skill. Perfect.
"Also, tanning hides, basic first aid, simple cooking, and..."
But as I kept a straight face, Lina's voice grew quieter, her confidence fading. The Red Demons behind her looked gloomy too.
And yeah, demons worship strength—my kin were subtly sneering at their skills. You idiots, they'd be way more useful than you.
If their claims checked out, bringing them in sounded great. But rather than decide right away, maybe take some time...
"A-And we can clean too!"
"Accepted."
"Pardon?"
"Sister Lina! Brother Jerome!"
"...Rio? Rio?!"
They never dreamed they'd be accepted after saying it themselves, but the Dungeon Master—who looked like the rumored half-blood—readily took them in.
He said someone inside would guide them, so they headed deeper in a daze. And there, waiting, was the last person they expected.
"I'm so glad you're safe..."
"Yeah..."
Reuniting with a young kin they'd assumed was surely dead, they embraced and shed tears for a while.
After catching up on recent events, Lina cautiously brought up the Dungeon Master.
"Rio. You being here means he really..."
"Yeah! Master accepted me into the dungeon!"
They hadn't imagined he'd take in not just weak Red Demons like them, but even a child... You'd expect a Dungeon Master to be some pitiless powerhouse, yet his actions were nothing like that. It left them a bit flustered.
"Master's super nice! He gave me clothes and shoes, and this amazing staff too..."
Was it joy at seeing familiar faces after so long? Rio chattered nonstop about her experiences. The more they heard, the more the Red Demons had to admit the dungeon's master wasn't what they'd feared.
"Oh, and um..."
Rio, who'd been rambling on about the master, suddenly lowered her voice like this was the most important part and whispered.
"...Master loves things clean!"
"...Huh?"