In the Master Room

"Yes! Got the saintess!"

I couldn't help but pump my fist in the air.

I'm glad we beat her. If that hadn't worked, I would've had to drag things into a war of attrition with the fifty Fire Arm Gargoyles I had stockpiled.

After hiding the gargoyles all this time, it would've been embarrassing beyond belief if I'd failed to finish her off.

Rin has no reason to target the Dungeon Core, so defeating just the saintess means our complete victory.

"… Incredible power. Is that the gargoyle you've been researching, Kehma?"

"Yeah, the gargoyle-spec hidden arm."

Water Cutter. That was the true nature of the attack that pierced the saintess.

I packed about a hundred magic formations that create water inside the golem's left arm, using tiny bamboo shoot-like segments stacked inside to fit that many formations.

The experiments were extremely dangerous — arms kept exploding. Man, I'm glad I built a separate experiment room apart from the lab. In the end, I managed to make it work by filling the interior with water from the start, engraving the magic formations on material made from everyday plastic bottles, and constructing it with a three-layer structure sandwiching black steel.

A single magic formation can create enough water to fill a cup in an instant. When a hundred of those activate simultaneously in such a narrow space — though the Haniwa Golem's arm is quite large — the pressure becomes tremendous in that moment. To increase penetration, I mixed in one earth-attribute magic formation that produces sand. I originally wanted to add ruby powder, but the water pressure was so intense that even sand provided sufficient power. In testing, one shot pierced through 3 cm of black steel.

Also, the first shot sends the wire stopper flying at ultra-high speed… Yeah, even without the water cutter, that alone would be pretty deadly.

The cost to make each one is about 2,000 DP, mostly from black steel ingots and magic stones.

"However, activation consumes a fairly high-quality magic stone (500 DP) in an instant… I don't want to use it recklessly."

"Uwaaah… hey, wouldn't it have been better to summon a strong monster to beat Rin? Well, we couldn't because of the seal, but still."

Considering the research costs, that might have been better… w-well, we wouldn't have known if it could win, though.

I mean, after making two gargoyle-spec Iron Haniwas myself, plus the salt horse golems, I think I worked incredibly hard this time. I had a ton of trouble getting the armor to properly eject from the iron horses. The salt horse golems that obviously scream "salt!" at a glance actually get their strength from iron skeletons hidden under the salt coating.

As for the ceiling salt golem, that was simply harassment for Rin.

I worked hard～ I worked super hard. Can I sleep now?

"… Man, that was close though."

"Yeah."

"I only prepared 'Now then, let's do this' and 'There's more where that came from. Eat as much as you like' as the golem's recorded phrases…"

I was rushing, so that was about all I could manage with the hastily rigged recording golem.

I planned to make them recognize it as Uuma by having it talk, then use the second body for a surprise attack to finish her — but as expected of the saintess, she blocked the surprise attack.

"Eh, that's what you were worried about?"

"Yeah, that's it. Even if they'd broken through, beyond there is just the staircase to the 'New Puzzle Area.' Though it was still under construction."

… Hm? It's a boss room, sure, but I never said the Core Room was beyond it, right?

Man, I'm glad the misdirection worked.

Naturally, the Dungeon Core is in a different room from where I was leading them. I'd expanded the warehouse area while fixing the places Rin had destroyed, so Rin probably didn't know where it was either.

"Um, Goshujin-sama, how long should I keep chasing…?"

Niku asked while continuing to chase Rin with the salt horse golems. Her precise control skills herding Rin into corners were seriously impressive. What amazing talent.

"Oops. I'm going to go talk to Rin with a messenger golem, so keep chasing a bit longer and stop when I give the signal. Ah, Rokuko. Collect the salt that fell on the ground. We'll reuse it for Rin's training."

"Understood."

"Okay～"

Good responses. I prepared a messenger golem and headed to the boss room where Rin was still being chased by the salt horse golems.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

"Oi Rin, want me to stop them?"

"Wha— Kehma! Already, back to, normal!?"

When I spoke to Rin with the usual messenger golem, Rin looked at me in surprise — and because it looked away, it got rammed by a salt horse golem, experiencing salt with its entire body.

Since Rin could absorb things even without using its mouth, this must have been quite a heavy blow.

Since I'd already retrieved the two haniwas when I arrived, the only "Kehma" remaining is this one.

"Nuwa—?! S-s-stop it, Kehma! You're my, follower!"

"I'll stop if Rin becomes my follower though?"

"Gunu! That's, no good!"

It's saying Kehma instead of Uuma now, so I guess we're speaking in wolf language?

Thinking too hard about it is a pain. Either way's fine, I guess.

"Damn, I didn't, want to, but, no choice… —Oh dark hole that devours all—"

"Oi, wait, I get it. I'll stop, so quit it with that crackling stuff."

Rin began chanting a spell and black lightning started crackling around it, so I hurriedly signaled Niku to stop the salt horses. Seeing this, Rin stopped its incantation too. I mean… "dark hole that devours all"… is that a black hole? Such magic exists? That's dangerous.

I'd hoped to make it my follower this way if possible, but it seems Rin still has cards I don't know about…

"Hmph, if you'd done that, from the start, it would've been, good."

"Haah… oi, Rin. If you won't become my follower, get out of the dungeon… is what I'd like to say, but I'll let you stay if you remain in that room."

"Hmm? Acting big, aren't you, Kehma?"

"I won this time, after all."

"… Well, fine. I'll accept that."

Rin looked completely exhausted.

"Well, I'll feed you five golems a day, so guard against any intruders getting past this door, boss."

"Un, while I'm, here, I'll protect. Leave it, to me."

"No bringing people deeper just because they say they'll be your follower, alright? If you do, I'll feed you salt horses."

"… Got it, fine."

Rin nodded, apparently really hating those salt horses.

Pushing any further might backfire, so this much should be fine. If I make it agree to too many conditions, it might conveniently forget — "Did we make such a promise?"

Besides, Rin provides a base income of 950 DP per day, doubled since it's in a closed room. It's quite profitable just having it stay here. Though it comes with risks like this time.

Combined with its distinguished service of repelling the saintess until now, I'll forgive it this time.

… I-it's not like I'm forgiving it because I can't beat it or anything.

"… Come to think of it, how long will you be staying?"

"Hmm? Let's see… at the latest, when spring comes, I'll leave. Kehma, will you, come too?"

"No. I don't want to leave here."

"I see. I thought, if Kehma's with me, I wouldn't have, trouble with, food."

You're totally planning to eat me. Also, if you can eat golems, can't you just eat dirt directly?