It’s Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

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– 1 –

My insides felt like they were on fire.

“Senpai, senpai…?”

“Kk… euh… ugh!”

To face the first loss of my dungeon’s personnel at such an utterly unpredictable moment, without any meaning behind it, was genuinely infuriating.

“Senpai… please. Don’t go like this. Okay? I don’t want to lose anyone else…!”

“Hah… ha. That’s… heartwarming to hear…”

“Right…? So, please…! Get up…!”

Sonia’s final plea fell on deaf ears to the current Leonis.

His hearing had already been utterly lost.

The reason his hearing, which should have been the last to go in death, was the first to break down, was simply because I was stubbornly keeping alive the ‘sight’ and ‘touch’ he needed the most right now.

What I was saying was just ‘pleasant words’ I predicted from Sonia’s desperation.

“Hah… ugh.”

“Master. Please save Senpai. Please…?”

“Sonia. Please… be happy…”

His upper body had already been half-crushed from the initial attack from behind, and the excessive use of magic in that state had ruined his insides.

It was already too late to save Leonis entirely.

Right now, he likely didn’t even know what he was talking about.

‘Unless a saint comes, there’s no way to revive him.’

With my magical abilities, I could only delay death; I couldn’t fully heal his condition.

“Sonia.”

“Please, please… I don’t want to lose anyone else…”

“Sonia… the one you’re asking for is a necromancer and a Dungeon Lord. Do you understand that?”

“… master…”

“Even if I intervene, his fate must be decided by him.”

Despite Sonia’s pleading, I was tormented.

If Leonis had died shortly after we met, I would have recycled him without hesitation.

At that time, he was just an enemy, and I was lacking in summons.

‘But not now.’

While Leonis may not have respected me, the leader, he diligently fulfilled the duties entrusted to him, and those efforts had become a great foundation for the dungeon I was creating now.

The Elder Gremlins refurbishing my dungeon praised his magically constructed traps as “excellently crafted, so much so that ordinary humans or demon clan mages would find them hard to decipher.”

So.

‘He has done enough to deserve my respect.’

I would allow the one I respect to choose his own end, and I would uphold that choice.

That is one of the philosophies I have established as a human who has become a monster.

Even if the subject is someone I love.

‘I have never experienced this, so I cannot be sure how I would act when the time comes…’

Even though I have become a monster, there is no reason to abandon the philosophies I had when I was human.

Except for extremely idealistic notions like, ‘I will not kill even if it means my loved ones and I will all die,’ I don’t see a need to radically change my previous philosophies.

While I don’t intend to treat it as an unyielding belief I must maintain, I plan to keep them as much as possible.

– Leonis.

“Ye…?”

Considering his already damaged hearing, I spoke directly to his soul, and he finally directed his gaze towards me after scanning the surroundings.

The delay from the magical effects was reaching its limit, and therefore his vision was gradually fading as well.

– You have three choices.

“Wh… what?”

As Leonis expressed confusion, I painted the choices in his mind.

– Will you give up being ‘human’?

The first option is to be reborn as a monster.

It means being reborn with the most ‘suitable’ power and form, depending on the Demon Lord’s strength.

Though he would lose almost all of his human traits, and his personality or nature might change somewhat based on the new race.

But he would be alive, and he would retain his memories.

And while alive, there is much one can do.

– Or will you pray for the slim chance of your future self to reclaim what you have lost?

The second option is to rise again as an Undead.

You would lose many aspects of your former life, but at least you would retain your ‘humanity’—if I exert my powers.

You would lose a significant part of your memories and much of your strength, but in terms of ‘continuity of existence,’ this option could be considered the most moderate.

– Or will you simply fade away here?

The last is eternal darkness.

And somewhere in a sunlit place, his grave stands, with Sonia at its front, offering flowers with a faint smile.

“…”

After hearing my words and confirming the imagined scenario, Leonis’s gaze immediately turned to Sonia.

Even though black spots would likely be spreading across his vision, still.

“I…”

His choice didn’t come out in clear words, but I understood its meaning through our contract.

– Your wish will be granted.

His choice was death.

Simultaneously, it meant using his legacy ‘meaningfully.’

That wish would be fulfilled.

– 2 –

As soon as Leonis died, I froze his body through necromancy.

I couldn’t immediately comply with his decision, no matter which choice it was. For now, returning to the dungeon and starting immediate measures was the best course of action.

Fortunately, there were people to help move his body.

“Sonia.”

“… Master. Thank you.”

In response to Sonia’s words, I merely shook my head.

It was only significant that Leonis’s choice mattered; it did not pose any difficulty for me.

Rather.

“You two should return first.”

“I’m fine…!”

“Are you asking me to trust that?”

“…”

Sonia and Maria originally intended to stay in the city and move to the auction house, but now that I had shown my presence in the city, that choice had vanished.

I couldn’t let either Sonia or Maria die, which was unavoidable, but I also couldn’t just leave them to face the threats that would come after.

They wouldn’t exactly be able to fight back either.

In the end, the two had no choice but to return as they were.

“I hope you will listen to me. I don’t want to lose both a cherished subordinate and my disciple.”

“… Master, was Senpai someone you cherished? Really?”

“Of course.”

At my words, Sonia maintained a brief silence as she looked at me with probing eyes.

However, I couldn’t hesitate on that point.

If I didn’t care for him, would there have been need to intentionally strengthen his abilities? The power Leonis had just before death was undoubtedly much stronger than when we first met.

It was just that the enemy was too strong.

“I cherished him, Sonia.”

“… I see…”

If asked whether I cherished him ‘as a person,’ I might delay my answer, but if asked if I ‘cared for him,’ I could immediately answer that I truly did.

As the one who owned him.

“Maria. Please take good care of Sonia.”

“I can’t promise not to worry, but I will do my best.”

“And…”

While I was worried Sonia might entertain foolish thoughts in my absence, at least she had a deep connection, even if not as strong as with Leonis, so she should be alright.

“You are the same, Maria.”

“Yes?”

“Be careful not to get hurt. Whether you believe it or not, I care for you too. Trust in that.”

“… Yes.”

Maria’s expression showed some mixed feelings upon my declaration of ‘trust,’ but she quickly gathered herself and politely bowed at the waist.

She had recently been genuinely contributing to the dungeon’s efforts. Thanks to that, Daniel had quickly made up for his loss of characteristics.

It wasn’t long before I began to think it would be fine to lift some of the restrictions that I placed on her.

I thought it was alright to grant some trust.

“Take care of the two of them well, Mire.”

– Clatter.

“Focus on moving safely.”

– Crack!

It took a week to return to the dungeon.

During that time, I attached Mire and some troops to the shadows of the two to protect them.

Of course, they wouldn’t necessarily have to follow the orders of either of the two, but they’d act on their own judgment to move whenever danger approached them.

It had been deemed too risky to separate my forces from the outside, which is why I had avoided doing so until now, but I had come to realize that unavoidable dangers could arise at any moment.

To be unaware may not be a sin, but to be negligent while knowing is. In that sense, my sin was mixed into this incident as well.

Thus, my revenge must also be properly exacted.

“…”

– …

Shoe and Eve still seemed dissatisfied with the idea of sacrificing my safety for the sake of my subordinates, but…

In the end, when I wouldn’t budge, they decided to follow along.

“Then. Depart first.”

“Master.”

“Yes?”

“… It’s nothing. Have a safe trip.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

As I patted Sonia on the head, who was now starting to grow taller than me, she took hold of my hand with both hands and cried once more.

Perhaps she was still unable to overcome the grief of losing Leonis.

“You’re going to do well, Sonia.”

Though it was an impulsive thing to say, I did not regret it.

In Sonia’s eyes, I saw something.

It was definitely hope.

Leonis may not have received his love in return, but the strength he infused within her would undoubtedly serve as good nourishment.

“Is that so? … And is it right to do so?”

“He wanted that too. You will surely be able to find happiness. I don’t know if you will trust what I say or if it’s right in your eyes.”

“… No. I believe it. I know that individual happiness should not be universally defined.”

“…”

What she said resonated deeply with me.

Individual happiness cannot be universally defined.

While it is true that a ‘harmonious family’ plays a part in general happiness, when I sought my individual happiness on earth, few people aside from some colleagues and friends were by my side.

Even without family beside me, I believe I could have lived happily until the day I died.

Most of the problems that occur in the world can generally be solved with money, and at that time, I had already earned enough money.

So I was particularly disheartened when I lost that. I considered that wealth as evidence of my happiness.

“Why…?”

“Nothing.”

As for now… well. I’m not sure.

But I may come to accept this.

It is clear that it occupies a significant share as a recipe for happiness, but it is not everything.

– Growl…

– Clatter!

Even amid this, seeing Shoe, who is so happy with my gentle touch, and Eve, who watches with jealousy…

“That’s a good point.”

“What?”

“That happiness cannot be universally defined. I sincerely hope your happiness comes to you soon, as your master.”

“… You too, Master.”

“Yes. Go see.”

So, I sent the two women back ‘home’ first.

“Let’s go.”

I had one more task to do here.

That was to resolve the ‘grudge.’

… In the end, the house that would become the base here should be acquired next.