It’s Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

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– 1 –

The place where queens gather for a summit.

It was a secret location built halfway up a mountain, and from the outside, it looked entirely unassuming, with no hint of the spacious interior.

Inside, there was a round table and six chairs.

“This is a rather fitting place, isn’t it?”

“Kamaya and Orea collaborated on this. To be precise, Orea provided the strength, and Kamaya offered the aesthetics.”

As I looked at Kamaya, apparently surprised by Echidna’s words, she turned her head, trying to hide her embarrassment.

Considering the cave her tribe used as a home, it would be reasonable to think she had an eye for such styles.

That cave, shaped by sunlight and shade, was quite enchanting and beautiful.

“Whose empty chair is that?”

“One of those two is yours, Libertus. Originally, it belonged to another chief who lived in this region, but I heard that you killed one of them.”

“Seems that spider had a right to be here after all.”

At Nirvana’s words, I thought of Tigris.

Given that level of power and influence, it wasn’t surprising that she could occupy a seat here shortly after arriving.

Had she just lain low and launched a sudden assault, she might have succeeded in attacking Orea.

Despite that strength and standing, she was utterly defeated by Xue and Evangeline during a full-scale war against the Clever Tribe of ant-humans.

“Well. The other one died shortly after this place was constructed, caught up in human warfare.”

“What sort of individual was it?”

“Strong enough to be among us, but a bit… arrogant.”

“He was a Lizardman.”

At Orea and Echidna’s words, I momentarily glanced at the Lizardman chief standing beside her.

He had been politely averting his gaze, but briefly raised his head and met my eyes, offering a nod before looking down again.

Noticing my gaze, Echidna confirmed, “You’re right. I am the Lizardman chief. After our power was halved due to that incident, I gathered the remaining survivors.”

“I see.”

Standing next to Echidna were a Lamia sage, just like her, and the Lizardman chief, and upon hearing the background, it was clear why the Lizardman had become her aide.

It was Echidna’s consideration to maintain the status of the Lizardman tribe in the area.

‘He’s a loyal individual, but he’s not someone I can covet.’

I decided to give up on any ambitions toward the Lizardman himself.

After all, if I were to acquire Echidna, I would naturally get him as well.

‘It seems others are bringing in such talent one by one too.’

Orea brought her younger sibling and prime minister, Etna, along with an Ant general, and one of the two Arachne I had entrusted to her.

Kamaya entered with only Serha but had sent three Harpies on perimeter duty before coming in.

Nirvana, the only queen who found movement difficult, sent in an Ent who had previously come as a messenger for me, a seemingly fairy-like young woman, and that red Alraune I had seen before.

Naturally, Lan, Eve, and Xue were with me, and lastly, Fortuna was also present.

To make her the leader of the remaining spiders, I had to make an impression on the other queens first.

– Libertus’s speed in mobilization is impressive.

“Is it?”

The shape of Nirvana, conversing with us, was a communication illusion cast by a fairy.

Currently, she was half-submerged in that swamp, projecting her half-exposed body through a visual display.

I wondered if this was a typical sentiment among monsters, glancing around to see only the Ant Queen sisters with flushed faces.

Apparently, it wasn’t entirely normal.

The others seemed either bold or accustomed to it.

– I’ve heard from those who have never actively participated that just the travel time alone exceeds two weeks. Yet, you managed to gather us all here in less than a month.

“We are the weaker ones in the human world. The weak must work hard.”

“I can relate to that. In that light, allow me to advocate for the purpose of this summit.”

Kamaya, nodding heavily in agreement with my words, stood up and addressed the other queens.

“We’ve been cooped up for far too long, so now that we’ve started to move, we must do so faster than anyone else in this world.”

– Wasn’t it the Harpies and Muirmikians who were only cooped up? We’ve been engaging with the human world quite sufficiently.

“I can hardly agree with that sentiment. We Lamias have been diligently accumulating strength as well.”

Her words seemed to express a fierce objection, but Nirvana and Echidna wore smiles, showing no signs of hostility.

Kamaya, too, remained serious but did not respond with hostility.

“This is no time for wordplay, Alraune and Lamia queens. The strength we’ve accumulated was in pursuit of survival in isolation. But now, we are faced with the opportunity to stand proudly in the world.”

Though that might have been strong rhetoric that could bruise pride, Echidna and Nirvana reacted without a hint of discomfort.

Nirvana shrugged her shoulders playfully but showed no signs of dissent against Kamaya’s words.

“I trust it would require one condition to display the strength we’ve amassed and secure our freedom.”

“Are you referring to the core of the alliance?”

“Exactly.”

After Orea’s words, the queens’ gazes all turned toward me, and then they exchanged glances among themselves.

“Perhaps… it seems there are no dissenters.”

– You showed your will, and the corresponding strength was evident too. There’s no reason to oppose.

“Prudent, calm, and decisive. Truly a fitting representative.”

“Above all, you give us hope.”

They each offered a word, then turned their gazes back to me.

And I reciprocated.

“We must not settle for shallow ties like mere cooperation or alliances, Queens.”

To demand deeper connections.

I had now firmly set my objectives, and I had no intentions of halting my actions by merely keeping them on a cooperative basis.

If they found themselves in a position where exerting their power was difficult and chose to ignore my requests to withdraw into hiding, it would cause many complications.

– Libertus?

“What do you mean by that?”

“Simply put, with our ordinary cooperative relations, we wouldn’t just be unable to assert our power; survival would prove challenging.”

I had to become their master.

As much as I wanted to say, ‘Without seizing your leashes and swinging them around, wouldn’t you rampage freely in the world?’ I held back since it sounded like a challenge.

“Are you saying we should come under your rule?”

“Hmm.”

– …

“I’m not entirely sure what to think.”

Echidna seemed somewhat displeased, Kamaya showed no reaction, Nirvana wore a nonchalant expression, and Orea’s face evidently showed strong opposition.

While it wasn’t light or heavy depending on the order of initial support or opposition, in effect, a complete consensus was yet to be found.

“Not everyone is required to give immediate answers. Lan.”

“Yes, my lord.”

But I had one way to turn all this opposition into positive support.

At my signal, Lan approached and placed something on the table.

It was an object resembling an hourglass, but rather than sand, it contained a gelatinous substance.

“What is that?”

“According to the settings, it measures a predetermined amount of time. It is an object created through the Western Continent’s sorcery.”

“I understand roughly. The issue is the reason for showing this.”

As I faced the queens’ curious expressions, I wore my usual gentle smile.

With my finger tracing the wide surface of the hourglass.

“This clock is set for a maximum of two weeks. And before this liquid drains completely, I will bring back a result. We can discuss it then.”

– … Now I’m intrigued.

“Understood. Let’s do that. We shall reconvene in a week.”

With at least a cooperative relationship guaranteed with the queens, I was now prepared to spread my influence everywhere.

I intended to uproot the one single deep stake embedded in this region.

While it was possible to contend against me with the four who had been friends from the start, after that, it would become entirely impossible.

‘If that happens…’

This region would fall entirely under my control.

– 2 –

“What do you think he’ll do?”

After Libertus left, Orea was the first to speak.

Among the four queens, Orea, the queen of the Muirmikian, was particularly wary of Libertus.

Thank goodness it wasn’t outright hostility.

‘The Arachne King died without even fighting properly. Whatever trick he used, it’s essential to be cautious.’

The Arachne King was a powerful figure comparable to one of the queens.

Though Libertus had shown a more moderate stance than past Dungeon Lords and was in a position of grace, that didn’t change the fact that to Orea, he was still an unknown powerhouse.

Unlike the other queens, she hadn’t engaged in a proper exchange of dialogue with Libertus, which only amplified her wariness.

“Well. Whatever it is, it undoubtedly seems something we can’t even imagine right now.”

The Harpy queen, Kamaya, who had been the first to converse with Libertus and recognize his potential, merely crossed her arms, wearing a slightly satisfied smile.

Libertus had hinted to her about what he was planning to do next.

‘He’s likely anticipating treatment as the first ally and, while doing so, needs supporters among these friends to hinder any dissent.’

Kamaya was prepared to fulfill that implied role.

She hoped Libertus would swiftly establish his position without prompting a conflict with him as much as possible.

This was for two reasons.

One was that as Libertus thrived, so too would her influence as the queen who recommended him.

The other was that she believed he would be the one to grant her wish.

‘To break free from seclusion and attain freedom.’

… That was her wish.

Should she have to confront the Dungeon Lord, she would undoubtedly rally the support of her more longstanding allies among the other queens…

But until that point, she was decidedly in favor of supporting Libertus.

For her own sake, too.

“As I said, we can’t stay cooped up here forever. If we let it slip by, won’t our descendants just be stuck in this backwater forever?”

Consequently, she forcefully expressed her beliefs grounded in that sentiment; however, that didn’t elicit much support.

– A backwater is merely a human standard. In this place, where I can obtain everything I desire and enjoy every pleasure, could it really be considered a backwater?

While favorable toward Libertus, Nirvana was a sufficiently composed queen to separate personal emotions from her duties.

However, Kamaya wasn’t particularly concerned with her near-opposing opinion.

She knew that Libertus would certainly bring results, and therefore, Nirvana would soon flip her stance in favor.

“Kamaya. I understand that you find this place oppressive. But change always brings risks along with it. As the leader of a group, I must take the welfare of my people into account.”

Thus, Echidna’s opinions were conservative.

She had witnessed the fall of the former Lizardman chief beside her, and her concern for her group’s safety had grown even stronger.

For Echidna, any attack against humans would invariably signal danger.

At the same time, Kamaya was well aware of the source of this sentiment.

“Don’t you feel the need for vengeance against his father and their former chief, Echidna?”

“That…”

Sensing a slight tremor next to her, Echidna briefly made a troubled expression before rearranging her thoughts.

The loyalty of the current Lizardman chief was beyond doubt.

But since that loyalty originated from the fall of the Lizardman tribe, as their queen, she also bore the duty to understand that sentiment.

“Well said. You’re right, Kamaya. But that is only to take place after Libertus brings us results.”

“I understand.”

Echidna had no intention of avoiding this issue, and Kamaya well knew that.

“But I believe. If anyone, it will be her who shows us something more astonishing than we’ve seen so far. When that time comes…”

“If it brings good results, this time I will also properly support her.”

– I feel the same way.

With that, the gazes of the three queens who had come to a consensus turned toward the still-responding Orea.

“I really should exchange a few words with her sometime… I don’t know her well enough. It’s hard to lean in support or opposition. For now, I can only say to be cautious…”

“Sister.”

“Huh? Ah.”

Lost in her deep thoughts, she was jolted back to awareness by the jab from her sister, Etna, and confirmed the gaze of the others upon her.

Fortunately, her younger sister was quite perceptive, so she managed to catch the conversation that had just taken place.

“Ahem. I also agree. I can see that the results she brings might be shocking.”

“In that case?”

“If the other queens stand in support of her, then I will naturally support her too. I’ve certainly seen her capabilities.”

“Excellent.”

Orea took another step back, but Kamaya decided to be satisfied with that.

Though the queen of the Muirmikians always took a cautious stance, when the situation was decided, she always proved herself to be the most loyal.

“Then, is there any other business?”

– There are imports from the humans, and I’ve been sending them one by one. I’ll be going soon, so please check them.

“Thank you, Nirvana. And I have no other matters.”

“Always appreciate it, Nirvana.”

“If there are no other matters, we shall adjourn.”

This summit was not a regular meeting but rather a decision-making assembly regarding their stance toward Libertus, thus, it concluded there.

However, shared among the queens’ minds was a common curiosity.

What indeed would Libertus show them next?

Just the kind of response she desired.

‘I hope to see you again soon, Libertus.’

‘Haha. What could he be planning to show us? I’m looking forward to it.’

‘Ah… I forgot to mention the massage.’

‘I don’t know. He’s a mysterious being.’

Only a hint of ‘likeness’ from which she had no full awareness was incorporated.