Defending the Dungeon! #2
And so, the daily routine flowed on.
With Buril and Imsoong, I now had two platoon leaders capable of command, which allowed for a division of labor and a subsequent expansion of the Demon King’s forces. Previously, Buril had to lead the goblins out for hunting while simultaneously kidnapping monsters to serve as subordinates. It was inefficient, but now that Imsoong could be deployed on hunting operations, the tasks were perfectly split.
I had doubled my workload capacity with the influx of new personnel. Naturally, the situation could only improve. On top of that, the Pixies—who were well-versed in the local terrain and possessed flight capabilities—had been added to the operations. With these competent, living reconnaissance drones on our side, hunting and kidnapping had become significantly easier.
As a result, the goblin unit had grown to 20, and the Imps and Kobolds had each increased to 15.
"Damn, it’s getting crowded in here."
The number of monsters alone was 50. It was nearly a two-platoon-sized force. Every time I saw them resting in their respective barracks, my heart swelled with pride. With the addition of the Pixies, the number of barracks had reached a total of four.
"Now it finally feels like a real company."
While I was thrilled about the unit's growth, it naturally meant there was more for me, the Demon King, to worry about. First, there was the issue of injecting Mana into the kids, and the fact that my mana reserves were being drained dry because of it. Even if I recovered mana through sex, there was almost nothing left after fueling my subordinates. In truth, I could skip a few sessions, but this was essentially their "salary." The monsters loved the mana injections. Since I couldn't make them work for free, it was a mandatory procedure.
And then there was the food. As the population increased, so did the consumption of rations. Still, it was manageable thanks to the Pixies. They possessed knowledge of animal husbandry and knew how to raise the small animals that grazed on the abundant grass in this jungle. We had even built simple stables. In short, there was a lot to do.
"Alright, Gyuil! Let's do our best today! Just make sure everyone rests properly under your supervision while you carry out the work!"
"Gyu-sat-sat."
Gyuil seemed to be having a rough time lately, but he now had 14 subordinates under his command. Perhaps that was why his face looked a bit brighter.
However, there was one thing I felt sorry about. I had tried to carve the Mark of Domination into Gyuil, just like I had with Buril and Imsoong, but it hadn't gone as planned. Surprisingly, I had failed twice already. I probably needed to grow stronger myself to engrave it... well, that would resolve itself in time.
"Keruk! Demon King! We’re off!"
"Demon King! We’re going and coming back!"
Buril and Imsoong, now heading out for their operation, saluted me. I’d have to give them a combat rest day tomorrow.
"Yeah! Go and come back safely! And be careful! Pixies! Always keep an eye out for any dangers in the area!"
"Got it! Just leave it to me!"
"Don't worry!"
—Whoosh.
The Pixies immediately latched onto Buril and Imsoong. After seeing off the deployment team, I began my daily routine.
"Sharan. Lumika. And Sister Reika. All of you, come here."
"Sha-sha."
"Sword training again today."
This morning's routine was sword training. Reika approached with a sour look on her face.
"Grab your sword."
"Yes, Sister."
"..."
—Step, step.
I stood behind Sharan and Lumika, who were also training, and took my stance. As always, Reika looked displeased. She glared at me and spoke.
"Fix your stance. Are you playing around?"
"Am I not doing it right?"
"Shut up."
"Then come over and fix it for me."
"..."
Reika approached without a word and corrected my posture herself.
"Sha. It tickles, Reika."
"I wasn't tickling you..."
Not just me, but Sharan and Lumika as well. Anyway.
—Whoosh.
Following Reika's instructions, I stepped and swung my sword. Honestly, after learning for a few days, I could tell. The feeling of the swing itself was different. Look at this now. I no longer felt like I was going to hit with the flat of the blade. It was because I had been practicing cutting precisely with the edge.
"Sister Reika! Didn't I cut that pretty well!"
I asked, thinking I had done a decent job, but Reika sneered.
"It’s just fucking terrible."
"Oh, come on... I thought I did pretty well."
"...Ugh."
Well, I suppose a few days of training wouldn't make a huge difference. Reika glared at me and stepped closer, her tone sharp.
"Your stance is the problem, you fucker. Why can't you get this right?"
"Well, it's only been a few days, so of course I can't."
"Bullshit, stop making excuses. You're not a child, why can't you do this? What kind of life have you lived to be such a fucking idiot?"
"Huh? My life? Why are you asking about that all of a sudden?"
Asking about my life out of nowhere? When I asked back, Reika frowned.
"I was just wondering what you had to do to grow up into such a moron. Didn't you say you came from the Demon World? A demon who came to invade, and you can't even handle a sword? Were you a loser back there? Huh?"
Damn, she was sharp! She hit the nail on the head!
"Heh heh, well, what do you think?"
"Don't try to act like you're not. In my eyes, you were definitely a loser. The way you talk, the way you act—it's all amateurish. You're such a pathetic idiot that I can't even imagine you're a demon who came to invade. Doesn't that give you the answer?"
Is this the power of a nun? She was adept at reading people's psychology.
"What? Did I hit a nerve and now you're upset?"
As I stayed silent, having been hit right in the bullseye, the corners of Reika's mouth twisted upward...!
"Haha! Good! You pathetic bastard, haaaah♥ That feels good there, aaah♥"
So, I immediately shoved my hand into her panties, and her expression melted as a moan burst out.
"That’s mean! How could you say such harsh things?"
"Kuh... fufufu! This bastard, he must be stung! You fucking loser! Look at you. You have no comeback, so you just harass my pussy... nuuun♥ Ungaaah♥ Stop it, you fucking bastardaaah♥"
Anyway, it wasn't something I needed to hide. After teasing her for a bit, I pulled my hand out.
"Well, you're right. As you said, Sister Reika, I wasn't treated very well back in the Demon World."
"Kuh... you bastard..."
Regardless, Reika was a woman who would become my loyal subordinate. No, she already was. If she had horns and a Demon Brand, she was a subordinate. In that case, there was no problem with telling her about my past.
"Since you guessed right, I'll answer you. I was going to tell you everything eventually anyway."
"..."
So, I briefly explained my past to Reika. I told her that because I was born so weak in the Demon World, I couldn't fit into any group, and after living alone as an outcast, I was dispatched to the Middle World. I added some details to the story.
"Well, that's how it is. It's true that I was a loser. You hit the nail right on the head... Hm? Sister Reika?"
But after I told her the story...
"..."
Reika was covering her mouth with her hand, turning her gaze away as if she were lost in thought.
"Sister Reika?"
"..."
She didn't react, as if she were deep in thought.
"Why are you covering your mouth? Reika?"
"...Huh?"
When I poked her side, she finally reacted.
"Ah, damn it."
"Sister?"
"I, just... that fucking."
Her face was getting redder and redder.
"I covered it because I felt like throwing up! You idiot!"
"Pardon?"
"It’s exactly that! You’ve never been loved even once in your life! You dog-like bastard!"
Reika shouted, clearly agitated.
"That’s about right. That’s why I’m craving it like this. Your love, Reika."
"Get lost!"
As I tried to cling to her, Reika spun around and strode toward the dungeon.
"Hey! Sister Reika! We have to do more sword training!"
"Fuck off! Not today!"
What? Why?
"Sha? Demon King? Why is Reika acting like that?"
"I don't know either."
"It doesn't seem like a bad reaction... Demon King. Don't worry about it. It doesn't seem like she harbors any ill will."
"Really?"
Then that was fine.
***
Since the sword training session had ended, I took a quick look around the Demon King's castle to check for any issues before diving into my personal Black Magic practice. It was a bit easier than last time since my mana pool had grown significantly. Still, I couldn't do too much. I had to save some for the mana injections for the kids.
"Hmm... wait a minute?"
Right now, Sharan, Lumika, Reika, and even the Pixies all had my mana filling their bodies. If that was the case, couldn't these women also learn Black Magic?
"I'll have to test that next time."
While I was practicing, it became mealtime, and we all ate together.
"Ah, Serineu. How is work today?"
"Yeah. I think I can start producing fabric now. But to do that, I think I'll need to collect a lot more leaves."
"Is that so? I'll leave that to you."
Since I had installed all the facilities, silk fabric production was now possible. It was work done by those larvae.
"What about the ironworks?"
"I need to prepare a bit more. Dealing with spirits is difficult."
"Hmm... I see. Well, we should do it when everything is perfect. Let me know when that's possible too."
"Okay!"
Serineu answered energetically. But when would their horns grow? Were they not growing because they thought of me as a friend? Come to think of it, even when we had sex, it felt more like playing around than being overwhelmed by me.
After eating, it was afternoon, and by then, Buril and Imsoong returned one after another.
"Alright, work for today is over!"
Once everyone was back, it was break time. After dinner, we all went down to the dungeon's basement to wash up.
"Kuh!"
I had built one bath for now. It was a bath used by me and my women. We washed ourselves simply with water from a bucket before getting in together.
"Keruk!"
"Kkeureuk!"
"Gyu-sat-sat."
Once inside, I saw the kids playing happily by the flowing water. They didn't seem to need a bath, so I skipped them.
"Bathing with a human. It really is strange."
"Strange."
"Really strange."
Anyway, as I was bathing with the women, the Pixies took an interest in Reika. They approached and formed a "breast siege formation" around her.
"What are these tits saying?"
Since they couldn't speak Fairy, Reika expressed her confusion.
"They say you look strange, Reika. Sha."
"What? I look strange? You’re the strange ones, you titty-sucking bitches!"
"Eek! The human female is angry!"
"Grab her tight!"
—Splash!
Seeing naked women doing that just made me get an erection... but did you know? Lumika was a Rusalka, so she could dive whenever she wanted.
—Slurp, slurp.
She was giving me a underwater blowjob right now.
"Good."
After finishing the bath, we went back up to the surface. From now on, it was break time. Sleep or rest. It was time to do whatever we wanted.
"Alright, starting evening roll call."
"Keruk!"
"Why do we do roll call every day?"
"I don't know either. They say we have to do it every day."
"Kkeureuk! Pixies, be quiet! Roll call is important!"
"Imsoong. Why do you do roll call twice every day?"
"Kkeureureub! I don't know!"
"Ask the Demon King."
With more Pixies, there was never a quiet moment during roll call.
"Just be quiet for now. I don't have much to say. Let's just deploy the night watch and go to sleep."
"Keruk! Understood! Demon King!"
"Then let's see... the night watch starts with the Pixies today?"
"Ah, why! What! I hate night watch!"
"I'm tired!"
"I want to sleep!"
Complaints arose, but I dismissed them.
"No, you have to do it. If you refuse night watch, I won't have sex with you."
"What?! That's too much!"
"I'll do the night watch!"
Like sex-robbers, the Pixies were miserable if I just confiscated sex. Anyway, the night watch was in pairs. They just had to take turns every hour using the hourglass dropped by adventurers, inside the dungeon entrance.
"Alright, let's go in!"
After finishing roll call, I went into the master bedroom. Sharan, Lumika, and Reika followed behind me.
"Demon King. Now, have sex with Sharan♥"
"I held it in all day today♥"
My work was just beginning.
***
The next day, after granting my monster unit a combat holiday, I took my women and the Pixie unit out for terrain reconnaissance. I planned to get a more detailed grasp of the surroundings and define our area of operations. Since they said the human city was about a 5-day walk away, I had to be careful.
"Ah, Serineu. By the way, what about the Lizardmen? What do you think they're doing?"
"Hmm... I don't know. They don't really try to invade that much. The Satyrs were the problem, not the Lizardmen."
Lizardmen. They were smaller than me, but quite brave. It wouldn't be bad to have them under my command. Since they were bigger than goblins, I could use them as shock troops or strikers.
Now that my unit size had grown, it wouldn't be bad to invade a Lizardman village and expand my forces.
It was while I was scouting and chatting like that.
—Whoosh!
A Pixie who had gone that way flew back urgently and shouted.
"D-Demon King!!! Big trouble!"
"What is it?"
"It's humans! There are armed humans!"
"What...!"
What had to come, had come!