It's Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

* * *

Gardener.

A profession that manages gardens. Or a person with that profession.

But is a gardener who can’t do anything while the garden and the things growing in it wither away really a gardener?

‘Just fill it.’

With what?

‘With their lives.’

An excellent answer.

* * *

“We’re finally departing, I see.”

Two more days had passed since I became affiliated with the supply corps of the berserk dungeon subjugation army.

That was also the time it took for the formation of soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers, which seemed quite disorganized, to be reorganized into something resembling an army.

It was also the time it took for the supply corps people’s gazes towards me to become full of goodwill.

“If Miss Angelita hadn’t been here, it would have taken two more days.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course.”

It was understandable that they developed favorable feelings.

According to Knight Elias, who initially welcomed us, I alone had completed at least three people’s worth of work, saving two days of time.

This meant not only time but also a reduction in the consumption of food for the army and horses during that time, as well as potential problems that could be caused by soldiers whose command system wasn’t unified.

Of course, they could handle more work that needed to be done in Copzerin during that time, and advancing the subjugation of the dungeon also meant they could reduce even greater consumption.

“How on earth did you learn such fast calculation methods…”

“It’s just something that happened as I did it, so it’s difficult to explain.”

“Ah! I wasn’t asking you to teach me. I was just curious. I was wondering where someone like you had been hiding. Our lord will surely request to meet you after this.”

“It would be an honor for this humble merchant.”

If this weren’t a quasi-wartime situation, it wouldn’t be strange for the lord to call and commend me immediately for such an achievement. They’ll probably call after this is over.

Though I don’t know if I’ll still be here by then.

“Kieek-!!!”

“Prepare for area combat! We’ll hold them off while the main force advances!”

The subjugation army’s march wasn’t difficult, but it wasn’t very smooth either.

As they approached the mountain where the dungeon of the vampire, whom the Mammon Guild’s sales department head Grim called ‘Serica’, was located, various demons and wild monsters began to appear.

It was the aftermath of the dungeon’s rampage.

“Kyaaak!!”

“Damn it. Have these things gone mad! Mere goblins…”

“They’re strangely strong! Don’t let your guard down!”

All demons actively rushed towards humans.

Even goblins that would normally avoid large numbers of humans, and kobolds that would have waited more intelligently in the forest for the army to pass by.

With strength and speed more powerful than usual.

Intoxicated by the magic power of the berserk Dungeon Lord but unable to find a target to release it on, they started rampaging upon seeing humans.

Probably this unusual activity of demons also made the task of subjugating the dungeon more urgent.

“Still, there are fewer demons than on the mountaintop. The problem is where the other demons have gone.”

“Other villages might be in danger.”

“That might actually be fortunate. Since villages have some self-defense capability, if they hold out until we subjugate the Dungeon Lord, they’ll survive. Then our battle would become easier.”

“I see.”

It seems this era is indeed one where warfare hasn’t subsided. Even this knight who has consistently shown a kind appearance doesn’t care about the people who will die during the subjugation.

Well, I’m in no position to say anything, actively capturing and killing people myself.

“So we’re setting up another camp halfway up the mountain.”

“It’s necessary for smooth supply and handling of the injured. It will probably be smaller in scale than here. Miss Angelita, you should stay here with your escort.”

I nodded.

It would be better to go forward, but it would be strange to bring someone who is an outsider and merely a merchant representative to the front lines.

It would be strange to insist here, and anyway, there’s no need since I can move as I please even if I’m in the camp.

But doing this will gain more goodwill.

“The apprentice adventurers I brought seem to want to achieve some merit, could they do other work in the rear of the front line?”

“Ah, would that be alright? We’re actually short on manpower for such miscellaneous tasks…”

“It would be better for them later if they could gain even this kind of achievement.”

“You’re so considerate! Understood.”

I’ll be in the supply corps anyway, so having apprentice adventurers around won’t help, and by the time enemies appearing in the rear approach me, the apprentice adventurers won’t be of any help anyway.

Elias seemed to understand this well, so there was no particular fuss in transferring the contracts of the apprentice adventurers.

“Thank you, Miss!”

“We hope to see you again next time!”

It was natural for the apprentice adventurers, who already had deep affection for me as a superior, to express gratitude.

From their perspective, they probably felt like they had received a great reward despite hardly doing any real work and mostly just sleeping on the way here.

Them, who might even be a hindrance rather than helping the subjugation force.

“I hope everyone takes care. Let’s meet again with smiles next time.”

“Yes!!”

After shaking off all those annoying humans, only I, Xue with her hood pulled up, and Talhan, nominally my escort, remained in the supply camp set up in the clearing at the foot of the mountain.

“…It was boring.”

“You endured well until now. Xue. Good girl.”

“Mm… I’m good.”

“Perhaps it would have been better to send you to the front?”

“…Nnn. I like being by Lady’s side.”

“I see.”

The silver-haired beastkin who says she prefers to be by my side without much deliberation, even though she seems to want to go to the front and rampage for a while no matter how you look at it.

Pleased by her appearance, I patted her head once, and she leaned deeply against me again and started rubbing her head.

She was quite an affectionate lady despite her expressionless face.

-Clatter.

I feel jealousy from somewhere, but unfortunately, I can’t bring it out now.

“What should we do from now on? Miss.”

“For now, we need to wait a bit more. How we move will depend on the situation on the battlefield.”

“Understood. Then I’ll go around inside the tent, please rest.”

“Let me know immediately if there’s anything unusual.”

“Yes.”

After Talhan left with his hood pulled up, I fell into thought while stroking Xue’s head as she cuddled up to me.

Seeing the demons that had gone mad after accepting the rampaging magic power starting to come down from the mountain, it seemed that the dungeon’s rampage itself had indeed been going on for quite some time.

If it hadn’t, people wouldn’t have made an issue of it. Since it was originally a hidden Dungeon Lord, if it was just boiling inside the dungeon, it couldn’t have been observed from the outside.

“It will probably come out soon.”

“That Lord…? Yeah… It will.”

If so, the dungeon must now be in a state just before extinction because the Dungeon Lord who has lost its reason will start retrieving the magic power used for the dungeon, leaving only the minimum necessary in order to step outside.

The things that were maintained by the Lord’s own magic power now that the core is gone.

The magic power retrieved like this will be injected into all demons, including the Dungeon Lord itself.

It won’t be able to permanently/semi-permanently improve specs, but it will exert power much stronger than usual during the immediate battle.

“I wonder how much power it can use?”

“At most a week…”

“That’s longer than I thought.”

“Vampires tend to be calm even when berserk…”

“Ah, I see. You mean it will use magic power moderately.”

“That’s right… As expected, Lady is smart…”

“Thank you, Xue. …Still, if we can create an urgent situation, we might be able to cause power consumption.”

This is only temporary power, so one might ask if we shouldn’t just leave it alone until that power runs out.

But the Kingdom of Heisen can’t do that.

The berserk Dungeon Lord will surely head towards nearby cities, and the closest one is Copzerin.

The destruction of Copzerin and the commercial highway directly leads to a blow to national projects.

If that rampage period is a week, it’s hard to imagine how many people will die or how much unsent goods will pile up and rot during that period.

Since national-scale logistics movement is blocked, massive losses will occur.

“It will probably be when the subjugation army approaches the dungeon at the earliest, or at the latest when they try to enter.”

Anyway, because of all these circumstances.

Whichever it is, the war will start before the subjugation army can properly form its ranks.

But I have no intention of informing the subjugation army about this. It’s difficult to inform them, and the current subjugation army is indeed stronger.

At first, they might be flustered by the aggressiveness of the demons that don’t spare their bodies, but with several elite-level individuals, dealing with the Dungeon Lord or elite demons of the dungeon won’t be difficult.

The subjugation army’s victory is certain, and it’s essentially just a matter of how much time, materials, and manpower they can save.

“How strong will it be?”

“Hm?”

“The vampire.”

“For the current me… even three together would be difficult…”

“Three? That’s amazing even by itself. Is that possible against a berserk high-rank Dungeon Lord?”

“Yeah… the compatibility is good.”

“Is that so?”

Despite my question, she just blinks her eyes slowly without giving any additional answer.

As if no further explanation is needed, or as if she’s not thinking much, she just burrows into my arms.

Her soft ears tickled my chin.

Come to think of it, I haven’t thought about checking detailed information until now.

『Name – Lin Xue』

『Occupation and Rank – Werewolf Berserker』

『Title/Individual Name – ‘Violent’ ‘Blood Frenzy Wolf’』

『Title – Violent: A title given to individuals with excellent Health, Durability, Resistance, and aggressive tendencies.』

『Title – Blood Frenzy Wolf: A werebeast-exclusive characteristic, a title given to wolf beastkin with the ‘Madness: Blood’ trait.』

Every time I compare her current attitude with her titles and occupation, I find myself looking at her face anew.

This girl who is expressionless and somewhat languid, and even quite affectionate usually, is a ‘berserker’ in battle…? And even possessing characteristics that suit it.

Of course, there was something more important than that now.

I looked down.

『Attributes – Health 38 Technique 16 Durability 33(30) Magic Power 27 Resistance 35(32)』

『Characteristics – Madness: Blood, Loyalty, Blood Blade, Member of Necropolis』

『Loyalty (Activated State) – When there is a subject to whom loyalty is pledged, Durability and Resistance additionally increase. At Heroic grade or above, can take on part of the damage received by the subject within 1 hour.』

Attributes showing perfect vanguard abilities, with Durability and Resistance further enhanced by the influence of ‘Loyalty’, which had been activated even before contracting with me.

And below that, brilliantly shining characteristics can be seen.

I examined the one with the most brilliant orange color among them.

『Madness: Blood』

“Hmm.”

Seeing this, I didn’t hide the smile that naturally rose to my lips.

“Why…?”

“No, I just think our Xue is really a bundle of fortune.”

“Hm? Bundle of fortune…?”

The wolf woman moves her tail even more actively at my praise. Her appearance, which was already cute, looked even more adorable.

This changes the strategy somewhat.

The characteristics she currently possesses were that excellent.

‘At this level, it seems we could somehow manage even if we intervene more actively on the battlefield when needed…?’

It was right at that moment.

-Kyaaaaaak-!!!

When multiple monstrous screams that shook the entire mountain were heard.

“An attack…? Don’t leave my side. Lady.”

“It will be alright.”

Xue quickly got up and stood in front of me, preparing for any possible attacks.

As I patted her shoulder and walked to the side to open the tent door, I could see a flash of explosion with a somewhat delayed boom from across.

Boom-!!

“What? What’s that sound…”

“It’s demons. Looks like fighting has already broken out up there!”

“What? They said it would take another day to arrive…”

“Look! Over there!”

Amidst the confused people like that, I imagined the appearance of someone who would be suffering over there.

-Aaaaah-!!!

The appearance of a ruler I haven’t met yet, falling and decaying while losing everything.

“It must be ugly.”

‘And pitiful too.’

It was also an appearance I never want to become.