Raising the Tech Level #2
In the end, we spent the day fostering a sense of solidarity by singing military songs at the top of our lungs. Even the little ones who couldn't speak yet were shouting along to the rhythm, making it a genuinely enjoyable time for everyone.
As expected, you shouldn't underestimate the power of music. Simply learning these songs not only strengthened the bond among the members of the Demon King's dungeon, but it also improved the linguistic abilities of the goblins.
Besides, isn't it fun to do your daily chores while singing together? This is what I call a fun event.
"The wounded old pine tree forgot how to speak...!"
"Kuh-heuk! Those wicked humans!"
"We must kill them all!"
The sensitive pixies chattered away, ruminating on the lyrics of the song. The theme was about how evil humans had wounded an innocent old pine tree.
"Ke-ruk! Comrades! My family! Ke-ruk! I will! Protect them!"
"Ke-reu-reu-ruk!"
"Ke-ruk! Buril-nim! Are you protecting us?"
"Of course, ke-ruk!"
Even though the daily routine was over, the goblins were still happily singing the military songs, going ke-ruk-ke-ruk. Of course, the imps and kobolds were no different, memorizing the tunes while going keu-reu-reu-reu-reu and gyu-sat-gyu-sat.
My female elite guards and the lamias also memorized the songs I taught them well. The elite guards weren't exactly thrilled, but they sang well enough when I told them to.
Well, there isn't much to do for fun around here. When a new cultural phenomenon like military songs arrives, everyone has no choice but to give it their all.
"Liliel-nim, you sang quite well too."
"I, I've sung military songs plenty of times before!"
As I stroked Liliel's hair, she reacted with an attitude that was definitely different from before.
"It's a simple task!"
"Hehehe, I'm proud of you, Liliel-nim."
"Kuh!"
She's so shy. I was just patting her butt and sexually harassing her when Reika called out to me.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"You... you're really good at those kinds of songs. Did you learn them in the Demon World? Huh?"
"No. How did you know?"
They were all songs I actually learned from the Demon King's army.
"The lyrics sound exactly like the Demon World style."
"Hehehe, that's true. But Reika-nim, you sang them quite well too."
"I only sang them because you told me to, it's not like I wanted to..."
Reika blushed, seemingly pleased by my praise. It's great that we have things to talk about like this.
"To be honest."
Then Vanessa spoke up.
"There were some decent military songs. It's embarrassing to say this, but... I quite liked them. Ahem."
"Wow! You even recognized that! As expected of Vanessa-nim!"
"..."
Maybe it's because she's a knight. It seems military songs are more to her taste.
However, the one who sang the best among them was definitely Lumika. After all, she is a Rusalka, a being who lives in lakes and lures people to their deaths with her singing.
"Lumika, why are you so good at singing? Huh? You're a singer. A total singer."
"That... I guess it's instinct, I don't really know. Fufufu."
She's just too cute.
"Demon King-nim. Today was fun. Let's sing and play together next time too."
"Hehehe, sure. Let's do that. Should we even dance?"
"Shaa! Sharan will dance really hard!"
It was a fun day.
Now, let's start the development in earnest. We have enough troops, but now is the time to focus on maintaining them. We can't rely on hunting for supplies forever.
If we don't create farmland starting now, we will definitely see blood. The strength of an army comes from stable supply lines. If a soldier misses a meal for even a day, they just become a punching bag.
"Let's go, Sharan!"
"Shaa! Leave it all to Sharan!"
Today, I need Sharan's power a lot.
Finding good land and good plants is Sharan's specialty.
Actually, I've already discussed with Sharan where it would be good to create farmland while wandering around the dungeon. Now, it's time to create the real farmland there. I've already thought about what I want to cultivate there too.
"Lumika, help us out too."
"I'll try my best."
Water is the most important thing for farming, no matter what.
"Departure!"
With that, I led my subordinates to the land I had scouted.
"Everything is going smoothly."
Once we create farmland, the risk of being exposed to humans naturally increases. Unlike a dungeon, farmland cannot be hidden. It's like advertising that someone lives here.
But for now, there are no threats. The humans have returned, thinking the series of disappearances were the work of orcs.
Then, I must use this empty time to grow my power. I can't live huddled away forever.
"Over there, over there, can we sing military songs while we walk! I want to sing!"
Naturally, Serineu was included in the group. Pixies have lived by doing simple farming anyway... anyway. Serineu asked to sing military songs with a truly innocent expression.
"Sure. Let's all sing while we walk. But before we do, let's scout the surroundings. Let's see what's out there, and if it looks safe, we'll sing. Okay?"
"Got it! Then I'll go scout!"
—Vroom!
Serineu immediately led the pixies out to scout. This habit of scouting will save us one day.
"We're back!"
Serineu returned shortly after. The report was nothing special. No anomalies. Then it should be fine to sing military songs.
"During the march! We will! Perform military songs! The song is! Monster Comrade!"
"Monster Comrade!"
"Start the song! One! Two! Three! Four!"
We marched through the jungle path while singing the military song.
Doing this, I feel like I'm going on a picnic. The goblins are also marching while singing the military song excitedly. Although the hobgoblins following behind were quiet.
Anyway.
As we kept moving forward.
"Shaa. Demon King-nim. It's around here."
"Oh. We're here already?"
"If you go that way, it appears."
"Good! Let's go!"
With Sharan leading the way, we walked forward and the meadow I had seen before appeared. The surroundings are jungle, but this part is relatively flat. There's a small stream flowing nearby, so if we're going to farm, this place is perfect.
"The soil here is good. Small plants grow well."
"But why aren't big trees growing here?"
That's a bit of a mystery. If it's a jungle, shouldn't plants be growing densely without a place to step? But looking at the terrain around here, that wasn't the case.
Flat areas like this appear from time to time.
"Sharan doesn't know either."
"If you don't know, it can't be helped. Then Sharan, you have things to plant, right? Take those out."
"Yes, Demon King-nim."
Sharan immediately took the plants out of her bag. They were things we had picked out together. They were roughly like primitive corn and beans.
You could say they were pretty standard.
"Now we're going to clear everything here and plant these. What will grow well?"
"They all grow well."
"But we have to plant all of this here. Will they grow well even then?"
"Don't we not have that much yet?"
"We have to increase it gradually. Anyway, Sharan. What did you say grows the fastest among these?"
"These are beans. You can eat both the seeds inside and the skin on the outside, and they grow well. They grow well even if you plant a lot."
"Good! Then let's test it with this!"
Just as I was about to give the order.
"Wait a second."
Serineu said.
"Oh. Why, Serineu?"
"To plant those, you have to plow everything growing here, deal with the bugs, and block the wild monsters too. You know that, right?"
"Of course I have to do all that."
Only a fool wouldn't know that.
"I'm planning to station hobgoblin garrison troops here for now."
I'm going to kidnap more hobgoblins and divide them into those who work in the dungeon and those who are garrison troops.
"Garrison troops?"
"It means I'm leaving the management to the hobgoblins."
"Then that's good!"
Serineu, the master of passing the buck.
"Now, hobgoblins! And you, Hook-nose, listen well! We are going to farm here now! We plan to clear this place and grow high-value plants! In simple terms, think of it as growing plants here!"
"Geurak? That's a difficult word."
These blockheads!
"You just have to do as you're told. All hobgoblins! I'll draw a line for you. Pull out all the weeds there."
—Sseuk-sseuk.
I immediately drew a line.
"Execute!"
"Geurak, geurak."
"Geurak-rak."
Since the hobgoblins were already workers accustomed to the tasks assigned to them, they started pulling weeds without a word as soon as I gave the order.
"Oh, right. Buril. Distribute all the shovels you brought."
"Ke-ruk! Understood!"
"Goblins, help out a bit too."
"Ke-ruk!"
Thus, the full-scale clearing work began. With the hobgoblins and goblins sticking to it, it was quite heated.
—Pak-pak!
—Puck!
I really like their energetic shoveling.
"We're going to need more farming tools for this."
Not only professional farming tools, but we'll eventually need livestock too. Fortunately, it's small-scale for now, so we don't really need them. The soil feels soft and easy to dig.
"Demon King-nim! Where should we collect the weeds!"
"Collect them over there!"
"Ke-ruk!"
Everything is going smoothly.
Seeing my subordinates working hard in the fields warms my heart. Now, let's plow the land, plant some crops, and experiment. Everything requires trial and error.
Stationing the hobgoblins... and also. Putting up a fence. There's so much to do.
"Oh, Sharan. You can put up a fence here, right?"
"I can't build it too wide."
"That's fine. It's good if you just put up a few."
I immediately looked around with Sharan for places to put up the fence.
"Sharan. But the fence shouldn't suck the energy out of the crops."
"Shaa... that's difficult."
"I guess that can't be helped."
As we were discussing that.
"Demon King-nim! This area is clean!"
"Oh!"
A plot of land the size of a vegetable garden was already clean.
The weeds were all pulled out.
"Then go ahead and level it out! Let's test it! Sharan! Now we're going to plant the things we brought there! Help me out so we can do it well."
"Yes, Demon King-nim. Sharan is a grass expert, so leave it to me."
"Okay!"
I have a feeling this is going to work out really well!