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I decided to make an approach toward the black wolf.

It appeared to be awake, but it stayed lying down, doing nothing except lazily wagging its black tail. Pat, pat.

Depending on how you looked at it, it almost seemed like it was guarding the Dungeon Core. How strange. If it would actually just guard it for real, that would be ideal.

So I sent a Messenger Golem over to it.

It wasn't impossible to deploy one directly from the Dummy Core, but I didn't want to carelessly provoke the thing.

I positioned myself even further outside the Boss Room, holding the String Telephone Golem in my hand.

… If the wolf came at me, the plan was for Rokuko to pull me back to safety immediately.

Ideally I wouldn't be doing this myself, but it couldn't be helped if I wanted to respond flexibly and as quickly as possible.

"All set. Start whenever you're ready."

That was Rokuko's voice. Within the dungeon, we could communicate through the menu's functions without needing the String Telephone Golem.

Though only dungeon-affiliated personnel could use it. I really wished I could do something about reaching Niku and Ichika too… but now wasn't the time for that.

"Alright, here goes."

While keeping an eye on the Core Room through the monitor, I moved the clay haniwa golem.

When the golem cautiously peeked into the Core Room, the black wolf rose to its feet in one fluid motion.

… I gave up on sending the clay haniwa golem any further into the room and decided to speak to it from there.

"… What are you?"

The wolf's ears twitched… If it could talk, there might be a response. But who knows.

"Grrrrr… Strange, golem. You, what, are you?"

Ooh! It spoke! This wolf can speak human language! I went ahead and introduced myself.

"I am this place's master, Kehma. What are you? If you have a name, give it."

"A name, I have! I, am Rin! This, is your, home? Hand it over, quietly. Do that, and I'll spare, your life."

So its name is Rin. What a halting way of speaking. But that told me a bit about what it wants. Handing over my home means it wants a dwelling… or rather, a base?

Could it be that it came because there happened to be a cave perfect for hibernating in?

"Hey, Kehma, what has it been saying this whole time?"

"Hm?"

A transmission came from Rokuko… What do you mean, what? Can't she hear it? She should be able to hear it through the monitoring function too…

Ah, no, wait. It's the translation function doing its thing. Whether it's wolf language or slime language, it's translating it perfectly for me. That's seriously impressive.

"Anyway, we're able to negotiate properly."

"… Got it. Rin, was it? I'll pull you out if the wolf attacks."

I briefly explained the situation to Rokuko and returned to negotiating with the wolf.

"What will, you do? Want to be, eaten? Kehma."

"Give me a moment to think."

"Hurry up, before, I get, hungry. Ku, ku, ku."

It didn't seem great at laughing, or maybe it just came out flat? Probably because it's a wolf.

"… Are you hungry? What do you… what does Rin eat?"

"Anything, I eat. Even golems!"

It gaped its pitch-black maw wide toward the Messenger Golem, baring its dark-colored fangs in a display of intimidation.

… Ah, wait. Does it think I am the golem?

Well, whatever. If it's a creature that gets hungry, maybe I can win it over with food.

"You eat golems? How many do you want to eat per day? I'll feed you."

"… You would sell out, your comrades?"

Rin said in a low voice, heavy with dark emotion.

Well, technically yes, but when you put it like that it certainly sounds bad.

"You could say that, but those are just things that move around on their own. Eat them if you want."

"Is that, so? You, Kehma? You're a golem, right? Aren't you, the master, of this cave?"

I see, it thinks I'm a golem. So in its eyes, I'm the type who'd sell out subordinates of the same race. How rude. I'm suuuper nice to my allies, you know.

I started to correct it, then stopped. I wanted to avoid revealing that I'm a Dungeon Master. Haku-san told me to keep that secret, and it absolutely has to stay secret until the wolf becomes one of us.

If this thing had a human owner and that owner came to take it back, the secret could leak from there.

That said, I should at least clarify that I'm not a golem. Judging from its earlier reaction, it seems to despise "the type who'd sell out their own kind," and being seen that way would hinder negotiations.

So I decided to just say I'm not a golem without going into further detail.

"Don't misunderstand. I am not a golem."

"Not, a golem…? … … True, you do look, strange. Things that look, like you, were strong, in that room, and the one, before it. Were those, your, parents?"

Even after I said I'm not a golem, the conversation still wasn't quite connecting. Also, a Haniwa Golem family? That's a new one.

"No, I made them."

"?! You, were the, parent!"

Correcting this is getting tiresome. Since the fact that I created them isn't technically wrong, I don't even know how to explain it anymore… Yeah, forget it!

"Anyway, I'm just saying I can feed you as many golems as you want. How about it?"

"… I don't really, like golems, that much. They're not, tasty."

"O-oh, is that so? Well, is there something else you want to eat?"

"You!"

This conversation makes absolutely no sense!

Damn it, I have no clue what this thing is thinking! This goes way beyond cross-cultural miscommunication!

"… Talked, too much. Getting, hungry. Kehma, I'll eat!"

"W-wait. Eating me is one thing, but why did you come here in the first place? I want to know that."

"To eat, yooou! Itadakimasu!"

Chomp. The Messenger Golem was swallowed whole by the wolf.

At the same time, I was pulled back to the Master Room. Rokuko must have yanked me in the moment the golem got eaten.

Through the monitor, I could see the String Telephone Golem being slurped up like noodles. Good job cleaning your plate, very responsible of you.

"The golem got eaten, huh. How did it go, Kehma? Did you manage any useful conversation?"

"… Hmm, I'm not sure whether we connected or not…"

For now, let me try again. After giving it a bit of time.