Base (Dungeon)

After putting our camping equipment away using [Storage] when wed reached a spot away from the town, we ran up the mountain trail almost empty-handed.

Even though Ichika wasnt being assisted by a clothes golem, she was after all a former C-rank adventurer and was able to properly keep up.

Although I ignored Ichikas good advice when she said we should prepare camp since it was going to be night soon, we kept our sight by using light magic tools prepared beforehand.

We arrived at the [Ordinary Cave] when the sun had set completely.

Meat, time!?

Eh, the time it took!? L-lets see six hours, thirty-two minutes!

Meat answered after looking at the clock golem she took out of her pocket She replied like the boke as usual. Rather, she was keeping track of the time properly huh, amazing. [1]

Its a pain that our speed halved after dark huh. With a bike, we could no, that wouldnt work with a mountain path huh? Hmm? It doesnt really need to be a bike, maybe another vehicle would work?

Go~shu~jiiin-sa~ma~. I am huuungry, pre~pare~ camp?

Oops, shouldve gone inside first huh. Rather, I havent told Ichika our destination yet have I?

We arent going to set up camp. Weve arrived.

This is Goshujin-samas base? I was sure it would be a village or something

I thought about it while bringing her here, but I wonder how I should explain? This is home!or something?

This is home.

Its just a cave.

Thats right. Its appearance hasnt changed since the bandits were here after all.

If its going to become an inn in the future, a lot of changes need to happen huh. Wonder how I should make the dungeon a crowd puller?

Eh its fine, lets hurry up and go in.

While using the light magic tool, I lead Meat and Ichika into the cave. Stone floorboards paved the passage, and multiples of [Torch for Dungeon Lighting (50 DP)] illuminated the inside.

(Still, the [Torch for Dungeon Lighting] is an amazing kind of torch that keeps burning if it isnt moved from where its installed. I guess it uses mana as fuel.)

Wai!? This is a dungeon!

I know its a dungeon?

Hows this yer base!?

This is my base though?

Its a dungeon!

Yeah, its a dungeon Ah, be careful since theres a pitfall there.

Uoh seriously, thiss dangerous!?

When I opened up the map to check it out, Ichika was being treated as an intruder.

Huh? Thats strange. Despite Ichika also being my slave ah, I treated Meat as a hug pillow (item) huh.

Meat and I both have gotten used to it recently, so I dont really feel guilty over it despite sleeping with her as my hug pillow.

People arent suitable for being hug pillows there was a time I thought that too. There was a problem at first when I was inexperienced and that accident happened, but shes been a very comfortable hug pillow since then Might be hot in the summer though.

Its still pretty cool out right now, but itll warm up eventually. Wonder what I should do

Haah, but for me who used to be a scout to not notice pitfall traps like these rather, bein able to move so fast around these, as expected of Meat-senpai.

All of the pitfalls in this dungeon, I know them all. Fufun.

She was bragging. Well, she did make the pitfalls after all.

All of them Huh? Isnt this the [Ordinary Cave]? But the guild said nothin was here?

Thats, well the guilds information is outdated. Thats how it was a month ago.

Heeh, so then now it turned into this. Guess it was a transformation period.

A transformation period was the rapid growth a dungeon went through that was explained in the [Introduction to the Study of Dungeon].

According to Haku-sans addition, she only said it to hide the effects of a dungeon battle.

Youre pretty knowledgeable.

Its important stuff to know. I heard it from a guy studying dungeons a while back.

Ill be counting on you in the future, seriously.

Leave it to me! Wait, come to think of it, Goshujin-sama? I was bought as a chore slave yeah? By chores was it for bein a dungeon conquerin meat shield?

Thats not it. I want Ichika to work at the inn so you dont have to help with adventurers ah, dont touch those spears sticking out there.

Uohwait up, Goshujin-sama! Kulooks like this really is his base youd have to know of everything to advance that well.

Goshujin-sama doesnt lie.

Meat was walking smoothly in front of Ichika, shed perfectly memorized the traps positions.

I just realized. Couldnt I have went in from the separated goblin room if I used dungeon core castling?

Or rather, couldnt I be retrieved to the core room if I asked Rokuko?

Hmm, my head is hurting.

Oooi, Rokuko. Can you hear me~? If you can, retrieve me~

Rokuko? Is that Goshujin-samas comrade? Where?

My vision was filling with white light as Ichika asked. I felt a sensation of floating, my field of view blurred, and I was suddenly in a right room.

Right, it was the master room. Looks like Rokuko was able to retrieve me.

Of course, Meat and Ichika also here Ichika was still being shown as an intruder on my map, though.

Welcome home, Kehma!

Turning towards the voice, I saw the blond-haired little girl-type dungeon core, Rokuko. She was smiling with her arms linked in an imposing stance.

Im back. Feels like its been a while since Ive seen your face, Rokuko

Really? Hasnt it just been one or two days?

A simple answer.

Since Rokuko was a dungeon core, her longevity was also long. Her sense of time was probably different from a human like me. Haku-san said she was alive around a hundred years.

So, Kehma. Thats the new slave?

Yeah. Her names Ichika. Well, please get along well with her.

Alri~ght, pleased to meet you. Im the dungeon core, Rokuko.

Wai-wait up, my head isnt keepin up dungeon core? This cute Ojou-sama isnt human?

Ichika was holding her temples.

A human-type boss monster core combination? Ive heard of it no?

Though she was trying to figure it out somehow with her common sense, it couldnt be helped since the information her common sense was giving her was wrong to begin with.

Unable to hold back any longer, I called her.

Hey, Ichika.

Hey! Is Goshujin-sama perhaps the demon king!?

Whyd I turn into something like that?