Chapter 49
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Queen of Fire
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-Whirrr...
The total of ten [Robot Vacuums] purchased from the [Shop]. My points were already running low after registering Desmond as an [Employee], and now they were completely depleted. I knew I could earn more while cleaning, but that didn't stop my stomach from hurting.
Honestly, if I had my way, I'd buy thirty of them and attach them not just to the Iron Golem's core, but to the Stone Golems' cores as well... but that was way too expensive.
-Whirrr...
"Yeah. Stay here."
Instead of attaching all the purchased [Robot Vacuums] to the golems, I released them inside the ruins for now. From my previous test with one, leaving them alone resulted in automatic cleaning and a pretty decent influx of points.
When combat was needed, I'd slot the [Robot Vacuums] into the golems' cores, but otherwise, I'd let them fulfill their original purpose as cleaning devices. The location... maybe near the entrance where people pass through the most.
"Hmm. And..."
I looked at the [Employee Management] section and pondered for a moment. More precisely, at the empty [Employee] slot in the [Employee] system.
'Should I... register someone?'
The [Employee Slot +1] reward I'd gotten when contamination reached 80 percent. I'd originally planned to use it to register Desmond as an [Employee], but one of Desmond's [Talents], [Forced Contract], meant he didn't take up an employee slot even after registration.
Thanks to that, one slot remained empty...
"Should I register a Red Demon Tribe member anyway?"
Erzsebet's kin could receive buffs through [Meals] thanks to her [Blood Kin] talent and, per the system description, equip cleaning tools. But the Red Demon Tribe members I'd recently admitted to the ruins were different.
They couldn't receive buffs from [Meals] or equip cleaning tools.
"Tch. I can't water them every time myself, so maybe pick one at random, register them as an [Employee], hand them a [High-Pressure Cleaner], and have them use it for farming..."
Thinking about the benefits of registering a Red Demon Tribe member as an [Employee] was tilting me toward just doing it with one. Leaving a hard-earned employee slot empty felt off, too.
The downsides would be lacking slots if I wanted to register another being later, and increased point consumption from 'wages'...
Ha, damn. Tough call. Maybe when the dungeon merchant shows up next, I could just register him on the spot... Hmm?
You can promote Employee 'Rio's' rank!
"Hmm? Already?"
A system message blocked my view while I was deep in thought. It was notifying me once again that I could promote Rio's rank.
Last time, promoting Rio to 2-star had made sense. If burning the Treants counted as 'cleaning,' she'd earned enough rank-up experience, and in the original game, reaching 2-star was quick anyway.
But from 3-star onward was different. Promoting a 2-star employee to 3-star normally took twice as long as 2-star, yet this was too fast... Ah.
"Come to think of it, one of Dry's talents..."
*[Growth Acceleration]: Accelerates other employees' rank growth speed.
My third employee, Dry's [Talent]. I'd forgotten about [Growth Acceleration] amid his other unique effects.
Back then, with Erzsebet already at 5-star and Rio the only other promotable employee, it hadn't mattered much...
'This... is the amplification rate way higher than I thought?'
With only Rio as a sample, it was hard to tell, but her reaching 3-star so soon was probably thanks to this talent. Plus, one of Rio's [Traits] was [Hardworking], which sped up rank growth.
Whatever...
"Rio. Come here for a sec?"
"Yes!"
Rio happened to be passing nearby, so I called her over. I sat her down close and manipulated the system.
This employee's rank is 2-star (★★). Promoting to 3-star (★★★) will cost 300p.
'Cheap as expected.'
Hiring a regular 3-star employee cost at least a thousand points, so 300p was nothing. Tch... I had some points set aside for [Meals] just in case...
But with the employee experience bar full and the [Rank Up] button flashing right in front of me, how could I resist?
'Accept.'
Employee's rank has risen to 3-star (★★★)!
I ignored the familiar messages about using higher-level cleaning tools. Instead, I focused on Rio, who was beaming happily.
-Tzzzz...
"...Rio. You..."
"What's wrong, Master?"
I watched anxiously, wondering if she'd burst into flames or writhe in pain like before. Then, tiny sparks flickered in Rio's eyes as she smiled.
She didn't seem to be in pain, thankfully... but what change had occurred?
[Queen of Fire] talent has been created.
And there it was—a [Talent] creation message. Like the previous [Seed of Fire], the name sounded ominous.
*[Queen of Fire]: Register Red Demon Tribe members of lower rank than the talent holder as subordinate employees to assist in cleaning tasks. Allows equipping low-level cleaning tools on subordinate Red Demon Tribe members.
"This is...!"
The moment I saw Rio's new [Talent], I was stunned. It was incredibly similar to Erzsebet's [Blood Kin]... This might solve the dilemma I'd been agonizing over.
For a quick check, I grabbed Rio's hand and headed to where the Red Demon Tribe members were farming.
"Master. Have you come?"
Upon arriving at the field, Lina, who was directing the goblins in farming, bowed politely to me.
Hmm. But... how did this [Queen of Fire] talent work? Erzsebet had expanded her kin by feeding blood to the demons back then...
"Did Rio perhaps cause you some trouble, Master...?"
Seeing Rio stuck right by my side, Lina glanced nervously at her, then her gaze toward Rio began trembling intensely.
"...Uh, huh?"
"Sis? What's wrong?"
As Rio noticed Lina's shaking stare and approached, Lina suddenly dropped to her knees before her.
"Wh-what is this...?"
"Sis?"
Rio reached out in confusion to help Lina up, and from that outstretched hand, clear blue flames erupted... Wait, what?
-Roarrr!!!
'What the...?'
What was this? The two had seemed really close before—was that not the case? There was no way Rio was suddenly trying to burn Lina... What was going on?
"R-Rio. This is...?"
Fortunately, the flames from Rio's hand didn't burn Lina but swirled around her. Then, as they burrowed into the area over Lina's heart, the fire was absorbed into her.
Registering 2-star (★★) Red Demon Tribe member as subordinate employee of Employee 'Rio'.
'So that's how it works?'
Just like with Erzsebet's kin, Lina was naturally subordinated to Rio—as if it were the most natural thing. By the way, Lina was 2-star, huh.
"Hnggg..."
"Rio?!"
And Rio, who had caused the scene, let out a deflating sound and collapsed limply.
"My strength... isn't coming..."
With an utterly exhausted expression, Rio wriggled a bit before falling asleep. I hurriedly checked the [Employee Management] section, but Rio's status showed as normal, thankfully.
"This is... no way..!"
As I caught the sleeping Rio, Lina—whose hair had turned slightly redder after absorbing the flames—widened her eyes as if realizing something.
"No way... Rio has the [Seed of Fire]?"
"What did you just say?"
And from Lina's mouth came mention of Rio's talent, [Seed of Fire]. What was that? It wasn't just a system label?
I'd thought the name sounded ominous...
"What's the [Seed of Fire]? Explain in detail."
I pressed Lina urgently, and after confirming Rio was fine in my arms, she sighed in relief and spoke.
"We Red Demon Tribe have one legend."
The Red Demon Tribe are born with fire manipulation, but its power is terribly weak. However, they weren't always like that.
In ancient times, when the progenitors created directly by the gods still lived and acted, they possessed strength overwhelming other races. And the reason they could wield such power was their king.
"The king of the Red Demon Tribe... our ancestors are said to have possessed power comparable to the first demons created by the Demon God. And the source of that power was the [Seed of Fire] bestowed directly by the Demon God."
Exactly what abilities the [Seed of Fire] granted wasn't passed down. But with a king who bore it reigning over them, the Red Demon Tribe who received power from that king boasted overwhelming might.
But eventually, that day came.
The God-Demon Great War. The war of the mythic era between the Demon God and Eukrasia, which ended in the Demon God's defeat.
During that war, their king bearing the [Seed of Fire] perished, and without him, the Red Demon Tribe's power waned day by day. Scattered across the continent, hiding in various places, they clung to one legend, awaiting the day the Red Demon Tribe would rise again.
"The prophecy that a new king bearing the [Seed of Fire] would be born to lead us Red Demon Tribe."
"A king, huh..."
Now, with 'dungeon' power surpassing racial might, the concept of kings had become nominal for demon tribes, so even among Red Demon Tribe, the legend wasn't treated with much mysticism.
'Rio as king?'
I looked at Rio's face, sleeping soundly in my arms. The child who had gained the [Seed of Fire] talent, and now even developed [Queen of Fire].
'Her?'