It's Dangerous Outside the Dungeon, Master

* * *

“Shuruhu… Your Majesty, the Dungeon Queen.”

“Nice to meet you.”

I raised one eyebrow as per my recently acquired habit.

It was to express the puzzlement I was feeling without hesitation.

‘A completely different species came out.’

I currently had two questions, and this was the first one.

I thought the queen herself wouldn’t be waiting at the lake, but I didn’t expect there to be a completely different species from the queen.

‘I could understand an Ent coming.’

After all, Alraunes are ultimately integrated with plants, so it’s not easy for them to move beyond a certain range.

That’s why it wasn’t strange that an Ent, a tree spirit that’s cautious and free despite being slow-moving, came as an envoy.

A red Alraune came out to greet us at a point closer to where the queen was…

And Kamaya did invite me by sending a harpy of her own kind from the beginning.

‘But to send a completely different species.’

Lizardman.

It’s immediately clear without much thought that they are not of the same species as the queen.

These semi-aquatic monsters have a system where a chief leads the group, and judging by the fine armor the Lizardman in front of me is wearing, he must be that chief.

Whether he’s looking down on me, being cautious, or trusting the monster in front of him that much.

Anyway, I can’t help but be puzzled as I can’t guess the reason.

And…

‘He’s using human etiquette.’

And the second question arose because of the title ‘Your Majesty’ that this one uttered with his mouth.

The current ‘Lizardman’ naturally used the term ‘Your Majesty’.

As if he uses it regularly.

Even the Ent and Alraunes sent by the Alraune, who supposedly interacted frequently with humans, didn’t attach such words to the title for the queen.

‘Is he trying to give me a prejudice?’

Is he showing off that she has good intelligence to know human information, or is he trying to exaggerate her vanity?

If it’s a title he uses habitually, it might mean nothing, but even in that case, it’s strange.

Why use a title that humans use?

…I’ll know when I meet her.

“So you’re the guide.”

“That’s right, Your Majesty.”

…Apart from that, it’s a bit cringeworthy.

I feel somewhat the same about the ‘Queen’ used by other monsters.

I wonder if this is something I need to get used to as well.

“I serve as the chief of the tribe occupying this lake area.”

“You look like a fine warrior.”

“Thank you. Then, please come this way.”

His pronunciation is slipping so it might sound a bit funny, but he was a man with a heavy attitude that could cover that.

Should I say there’s a sense of responsibility as a head of household that’s apparent at a glance?

From speaking without using a single rhetoric, to actions that simply handle the business.

Is this solemnity created by etiquette, or is it his original personality?

My curiosity about the opposing queen gradually grew.

Having such a subordinate, I developed expectations that the other party would have at least minimal competence.

“This is the place.”

“I see. It certainly looks that way.”

Following the Lizardman chief, I saw a rock unnaturally standing at the corner of the lake.

A long rock leaning towards the lake vertically, yet not completely falling over and maintaining balance.

‘How strange.’

Upon closer inspection, I could deduce that the lower part of the rock was much longer and was standing while dug into the ground.

A moment later, I could also see that the lake-facing surface of the rock was neatly hollowed out.

The Lizardman chief stopped at what seemed to be the entrance to this strange space.

“Your Majesty. I have brought the Dungeon Queen, Her Majesty.”

“Tell her to enter.”

After hearing the answer from inside, the chief took a step back, then bowed deeply to me and asked for understanding.

His attitude was still polite and heavy.

“This is as far as I can guide you. The Queen is alone inside. Her Majesty wishes to have a private audience with the Dungeon Queen.”

“I see. Everyone stay here.”

To comply with her request, I brought out all the soldiers waiting in the shadows and had them stand by outside.

Rather than arrogance, it was sincerity as someone who came to talk about friendship.

‘Even if the other side attacks, I just need to buy some time.’

There was also confidence that I wouldn’t suffer fatal damage here.

There was almost no magical presence felt around, and even if she’s strong, she wouldn’t be able to overwhelm me.

‘If that wasn’t the case, there wouldn’t be two queens in this vicinity.’

This place is not far from the peak of the mountain range where the harpies are.

If one of Kamaya and this queen was strong enough to overwhelm the other, that side would have become the head of the united or integrated forces long ago.

However, judging by Kamaya’s demeanor, the two forces seemed to still be on terms of mutual understanding.

The fact that these two forces coexist nearby was virtually guaranteeing my safety to some extent.

Although my power might be lacking compared to their years, it’s enough to catch up quickly.

“So. I finally get to see you, Dungeon Queen.”

The third queen I met like this was indeed someone who rivaled Kamaya’s aura.

Starting from her appearance.

* * *

Inside, there was a table set with all kinds of refreshments along with two large chairs, and she was sitting on one of the two chairs made of black marble.

A white woman who had extended her long body part under the table, with the end dipped in the lake.

“Welcome, Dungeon Queen. I am the queen ruling this lake and the surrounding forest area. They call me Echidna.”

Snake human, Lamia.

And the queen of such Lamias, Echidna.

She greeted me with a friendlier attitude than expected.

As if emphasizing that she came to this place only to have a conversation.

‘It seems like an attitude boasting arrogance.’

However, her attitude exuded undisguisable arrogance.

The tone of speaking as if already treating me as half an inferior, and not thinking of getting up from the chair she was half-lying on.

Feeling both dislike and interest arising at her attitude, I examined her appearance.

‘And unique.’

The characteristic that could be understood at first glance was that she had a pure white body and an extremely luscious tail.

A pure white tail with a faint purple hue, showing a majestic appearance with its thickness and glossy shine without any particular pattern.

And scales and silver ornaments of the same color attached here and there on her exposed body.

That was making her mysteriousness stand out even more.

‘Not an albino.’

I could quickly tell that her appearance was just a characteristic, not a health issue.

From the color of her eyes.

Her two eyes looking at me were just black without any white.

The only thing distinguishing the parts that have the role of white and black in human eyes was just a white split crack existing in the very center.

The eye itself, shaped like the famous snake eye, was eerie, but its gaze was relaxed and gently curved.

With some wariness and arrogant composure.

“Nice to meet you, Echidna. I’m Libertas, the Dungeon Lord.”

“Nice to meet you too, Libertas.”

Her sleek hair was also pure white, and her lips and nails smiling with composure were dark purple.

Thus, except for the white parts, everywhere else had vibrant colors, giving the impression of a dangerous viper to the viewer.

It’s an appearance that seems like one should never easily get involved with.

‘It seems possible.’

However, as soon as I saw her, I felt some inspiration coming to mind.

To put that into practice… let’s start with small talk. About what seems to be her favorite thing, worn on her body.

“All of your accessories are equally beautiful and artistic. You seem to like silver?”

“It’s the most sensitive and pure, and close to my power, water. Of course, it’s my favorite metal.”

What was decorating her body were numerous silver accessories.

Several earrings adorning her pointed ears, rings on every finger, bracelets decorating her upper arms and wrists, a choker on her neck, a pendant hanging between her cleavage, and even three tail rings on her waist belt.

All of these were made of silver.

And especially among them.

“This… is a crown made of mithril. This tail ring too. And even with magical power.”

“It’s just simple protection and attack magic embedded. Nothing special.”

“It would be incredibly valuable in the human world. Of course, to demons too.”

The tiara worn on her head and one tail ring at the end of her tail were made of mithril, that is, strong silver, and were also artifacts at the same time.

Solid mithril, and artifacts.

These are treasures that would be priceless if brought to the human world.

“It’s natural that what adorns my body has the highest value, but what’s the point of valuing items I won’t sell?”

“That’s true.”

However, she seemed indifferent to such things.

An attitude as if her own authority was far more important than the value of such treasures.

“Both are exceptionally beautiful.”

“Although silver is my favorite metal, it’s still difficult to prove authority with just that. Seeing your reaction, I think it was good to have them made.”

“You must have special craftsmen?”

Mithril, strong silver, are metals that cannot be refined by ordinary means.

It was a natural inference that there would be some technicians in her forces.

She immediately affirmed this as well.

“I have dwarves obtained by raiding passing slave traders.”

“I see. Both the queen’s eye for quality and those craftsmen’s skills are good.”

“You flatter me.”

There are elves and dwarves in this world too.

However, elves mainly reside in the western continent and are not easily seen in the eastern continent, and dwarves live in various mountains and underground, but are equally not easily seen.

Well, isn’t it too obvious what humans who have suppressed dungeons and stabilized their power would want to dominate next?

Elves with special beauty. Dwarves with special skills.

They must be very tempting prey for humans.

‘When should I talk about it?’

But that’s a problem for other humans.

For me now, rather than such realistic things, something right in front of me looked very tempting.

Even in the process of cultivating mutual friendship before the main talk, my gaze kept going there.

Whether knowing or not of my state, Echidna spoke to me with a smile that had become comfortable by now.

“You have a smooth tongue.”

“Is that so?”

“It really is. At first I was wary… but somehow I’ve come to relax like this. I certainly understand Kamaya’s words that you are different from other Dungeon Lords.”

Words that can be immediately understood to contain a positive meaning.

“Those words?”

“I too have come to want to interact with you, Libertas.”

“That’s fortunate. That it ended with talk.”

When I smiled and asked, she simply affirmed.

My smile grew even bigger as this was really good news, already achieving the goal of coming here.

“Ah, but it’s not military cooperation yet. I just mean I want to watch.”

“One who leads a group must be cautious. It’s a good choice.”

“Fufu. Thank you.”

Of course, she didn’t give in so easily, but that rather looked better.

As a companion, caution is rather a virtue to be encouraged. Not if it’s excessive, though.

By the way, it seems okay now.

“It might sound strange at first meeting, and it might be rude, but I really want to ask this question first.”

“What is it? Speak. If it’s something I can listen to, I will.”

Feeling the time was ripe, I asked her one question.

That question I had been struggling to hold back for a while.

“Your tail. May I touch it?”

“What…?”

Echidna’s eyes widened greatly, filled with incomprehension.

An expression that clearly said ‘What are you talking about?’

Somehow I felt amused at seeing this expression, probably rarely shown to others, of this queen who had been maintaining composure in her gestures all along.