Acceptance Preparations

For now, since this feels like something beyond my ability to handle, let's at least report it to Haku-san.

I don't think even our neighbor (Ontentoo) could deal with her.

I had Rokuko write a letter saying [Some dangerous-looking person named Leona showed up].

Then I teleported to [White Beach], the dungeon I made during the previous Dungeon Battle, carrying the letter.

… Next to this dungeon is a contact-purpose [White Labyrinth] derived dungeon called [White Secret] (named by Haku-san). It's essentially a dungeon that exists solely as a hotline directly to Haku-san.

After the Dungeon Battle, Haku-san casually built a cabin here — that's all the dungeon is. Frankly, it's just one of Haku-san's vacation homes with dungeon functions.

A Silky lives here as its caretaker.

Rather than maintaining the cabin, the caretaker is simply on standby for any contact from Rokuko. It's an extravagant use of resources, but that's what someone like Haku-san can afford.

Having a way to quickly and easily contact Haku-san like this is both something to be grateful for and something terrifying.

I entrusted the letter to the taciturn girl in green maid clothes and returned.

By the way, the one waiting for letters on our side is the Dungeon Boss Tentacle Slime, Ten-san. Squish.

When letters are dropped into our mailbox, they reach Ten-san. When a letter arrives, Ten-san contacts me. That's the system.

With the report sent, a reply should come soon. It's Haku-san we're talking about — tomorrow at the latest.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

For now, let's build a dormitory for the Succubi to stay in… As for the location, I guess the Meadow Area would work? That is, the rest stop I've been leaving untouched next to the Warehouse Area.

I think I made part of it a Safe Zone? Since there will be Succubi there, I should remove the Safe Zone designation.

… Which means, it's time for Narikin Mask for the first time in a while!

"Hey, Kehma? Is that necessary? No one's even come this deep into the dungeon yet."

"It's a matter of mood. Also, I'm Narikin right now."

"If it's about the mood, then I guess there's no helping it… So, are you going to build it instantly again this time too?"

… No, that's just because I take out stuff I've prepared in advance, you know?

"This time I'll actually have to create the modules from Wood Golems. So first, please prepare a large amount of wood for me."

"Okay okay, I'll take it out of the stockpile."

Rokuko dumped a huge pile of logs and branches from a corner of the Master Room into the Meadow Area. Some of them broke or cracked, but it's fine since I'll be joining them together with [Create Golem] anyway.

"Alright, here I go… [Create Golem]."

I poured my magical power into the mountain of wood, permeating it and taking control. Then I reshaped it as if kneading clay—

First, I organized and processed the wood. Finished with pre-cut planks, pillars, and other lumber needed to build a house.

I set aside the bark separately for other uses.

"Kehma, couldn't you make a living just off that skill alone at this point?"

"Don't call it a skill. Besides, we have the inn, so making a living isn't an issue at all. Also, I'm wearing the mask right now, so I'm Narikin."

Just processing wood into lumber alone would be enough to make a decent living, but honestly, working is too much of a hassle and I don't want to do it.

"Now then, I'll bring out some regular Golems to assemble everything, and use [Create Golem] to bond the pieces together."

"No nails needed, huh."

"I'll use some for camouflage though."

With help from the large Stone Golems I'd made to work like heavy machinery, I bonded everything together.

I completed all twelve room modules rather quickly. The extra one is so it's an even number.

This time I made each room as an individual container house, and the toilet and bath will be shared, so it's mostly complete.

As for furniture, I just put a futon and an empty box for storage in each room for now. Perfect.

"So now I just need to add a front entrance and a roof to make it look proper, and it's done… Oh right, I still need to make the toilet and bath too."

Six containers lined up facing another six — twelve in total.

It has a bit of a village feel to it. If these were shops, it'd be more like a shopping district.

I installed a water source nearby, and since the dungeon functions can handle waste disposal, I just made something simple… ah, wait, do Succubi even need toilets? Whatever. I'll make a bath too.

The hot spring water pipe I use for the inn passes near here. I'll just extend it a bit and make a bathing area here as well. Completely open-air style.

"There, finished."

"One hour and forty minutes!"

So you were glancing at the clock to time me.

"… Awake Kehma is suuuper capable."

"Cut it out. I won't do any more work even if you praise me."

"But you took less than two hours… I heard that normally it takes multiple carpenters several days to build a house, you know?"

"Well, if I don't work fast, I can't secure my sleeping hours."

Still, [Create Golem] can do anything. What a useful skill.

With this, the environment for bringing the Succubi over is ready.

"… So while I've set up an environment where we can observe them as much as possible, in exchange we're inviting them into the dungeon. Once we bring them in, let's move the core over to the inn side."

"Right. We should especially be careful of that Leona girl, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah."

I'll have Rokuko and the others handle the surveillance. I'm going to sleep.

… Calling the Succubi over can wait until tomorrow.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

The next day, a reply letter came from Haku-san.

"What does it say?"

"… Well, how should I put this?"

Haku-san's letter said: [Absolutely kill Leona if you have the chance. As for being killed yourself… that probably won't happen, but don't push yourself. Also, make sure Rokuko-chan isn't seen by Leona. She'll be tainted.]

"What, Haku-neesama knows Leona? And it sounds like she has a grudge against her."

"… So it seems. Who is she, seriously?"

A powerful person who's lived a long time. Whether Haku-san marked her or she marked Haku-san, I don't know, but… at any rate, getting Haku-san's stamp of approval saying [You won't be killed] is huge. Though it's a bit vague since she only said "probably."

Since Haku-san isn't panicking, it's probably not an imminent life-threatening crisis at least.

For now, I can relax… I can sleep!

… Also, Haku-san's letter said [Don't talk about dungeon matters with her], which puts me in an extremely awkward position.

Crap… this is really bad. If I honestly tell her that I hired the Succubi along with Leona for the dungeon, my life might be in danger from Haku-san instead…

Alright, I'll keep quiet about that.

"Well, at least we have some idea of the situation before letting them into the dungeon. Now then, shall I go call the Succubi over as Uuma?"

"By the way, how are we going to get the Succubi into the dungeon? They'll obviously be noticed if they come through the entrance, right?"

"… I forgot about that."

I'll have to dig a side entrance into the dungeon.

Should I close it up after they're inside, or leave it as a back door?

Calling the Succubi over got postponed a bit longer.