#1154 Summit Inhabitants

My name is Alexander.

I’m just your average, everyday dragon.
I live quietly in a corner of what humans call the Human Kingdom, deep within my personal dungeon.

The name of my dungeon is the Mountain of the Sacred White Maiden.
Most dragons make their homes in mountain dungeons like this one. Naturally, dungeons attract humans: hunters, adventurers, thrill-seekers.

Some enter to cull the dangers before they spill out into the world. Some gather resources to make a living. Some simply crave adventure...

For all sorts of reasons, people throw themselves into dungeons, dangers be damned.

Most dragons don’t take kindly to these intrusions.
Perhaps they see it as a violation of their territory. They drive out intruders with everything they’ve got, sometimes even going so far as to attack human lands in retaliation.

I find that attitude a bit narrow-minded, to be honest.
Dragons, who so arrogantly claim to be the strongest creatures in the world, should have the grace to let humans do as they please.

And really, watching humans is quite entertaining.
Though small and fragile, they live with all their might. Sometimes, their sheer determination leads to miracles beyond belief.

They may be the weakest beings in this world, but they also hold the greatest potential.

I, for one, enjoy watching them. That makes me an oddball among dragons.

My father certainly thought so. He called me soft, spineless, and unworthy. In the end, he stripped me of my title as heir.
Not that I cared.

Since I was freed from the burden of becoming an Emperor Dragon, I decided to live as I pleased, immersing myself in the world of man.

So, I opened my dungeon, the Mountain of the Sacred White Maiden, to adventurers.

Instead of driving them away, I made it my goal to create a fun, challenging dungeon, a place worth conquering.

And thanks to my efforts, my dungeon has gained quite the reputation among humans.
That makes me happy.

Life continued peacefully, me coexisting with humans as I always had, until one day...

***

“Hmm…”
"What troubles you, Lord Alexander?”

We’re at the peak of my dungeon.
For adventurers, this is the ultimate goal, the very end of their journey.

For me, it’s simply the best spot to lounge around, but...

Today, however, no adventurers have made it this far. The dungeon is unusually quiet.

Well, that’s fine and all, but…

“Something feels off lately.”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“I feel like… fewer adventurers have been coming to my dungeon.”

Yes, my dungeon is one of the largest in the world. On top of that, as its guardian, I personally strive every day to refine and improve it, aiming to create the most rewarding challenge possible.

Because of this, even the Adventurers’ Guild, experts in dungeon exploration, holds my dungeon in high regard. It’s something I take great pride in!

…No, wait, I mustn’t get ahead of myself.
Dragons do have a bad habit of letting arrogance get the best of them.

Still, my dungeon has always been bustling with adventurers. At times, it’s as lively as a capital city or a port town.
Hustle and bustle is a good thing.

But lately… That liveliness seems to be fading.

No, it’s not an obvious decline.
Even now, peering through my far-seeing artifact, I can see plenty of adventurers at the mountain’s base. Merchants, too, are bustling about, eager to profit off the dungeon-goers.

Yet… the crowds seem thinner than before...
Or am I imagining it…?

The way something looks can change depending on your mood at the time, after all.

“…No, your instincts are correct, sir.”

What?!

The one who just spoke was my loyal retainer, a Lifeless King.

Once a human adventurer, he used a forbidden ritual to achieve immortality just so he could serve me.

A testament to the extremes humans will go to for their convictions.

But more importantly...is it true that fewer people are coming to my dungeon?!

"Please take a look at this. I've compiled a summary of the visitor trends over the past few months."

With those words, the butler places a document before me.
Oh?!
It’s a bar graph clearly displaying the number of dungeon visitors each month. This makes it incredibly easy to understand!!!

…Hmm. Looking at this, it seems like the peak was a few months ago, and there's been a slight decline since then…
The drop isn't drastic, but it's definitely there.
Why is this happening?

“Worry not, Lord Alexander. We have already identified the cause.”

What?
As expected of my butler, he’s always efficient.

“Lately, the world has been shifting in a major way. Most notably, a new nation has emerged, disrupting the long-standing balance between the three great kingdoms—Human, Demon, and Mermaid.”

What’s that? A new nation?

“Yes. A country founded and led by the Saint. That man has already shaped the world in countless ways. Now, even your dungeon is feeling his influence.”

Hmmm. So, you’re saying adventurers are going there instead of coming here?
But why?

“The most direct reason is manpower redistribution. The new nation is still in its infancy, and its lands are untamed wilderness. To build their country, they’ve recruited workers from all over the world.”

Ah. I see.
So, many adventurers have been drawn away to work as pioneers, leading to fewer dungeon-comers?!

“Exactly, Lord Alexander. As expected, your insight is sharp.”

Hmm… that makes sense.
I should really pay more attention to the outside world.

But now that I know the reason, there's nothing to worry about.
As long as we understand the cause, there's no reason to be afraid. And it's not even something bad to begin with, so all I have to do is watch and wait.

After all, with the Saint involved, there's no way this will take a turn for the worse.
He's a thoughtful, good-hearted person who always acts with others in mind.

I’ll simply observe from atop my mountain and see how things unfold.

“Too naive! Das way too naive!!!”

Who goes there?
A sudden intruder? Oh, it’s just Songokufon, the angel.

At some point, she took up residence in my dungeon.
Well, I let her stay because she adds an interesting challenge for adventurers, but…

What’s she shouting about?
Has she clocked herself out for the day?

“Alex, yer way too slow on the uptake! That’s sugar-coated optimism, as sweet as mochi drowned in black syrup!!!”

‘Alex?’

“You stupid angel! Show some respect when addressing Lord Alexander!!!”
“Listen! The entertainment world moves fast! New content is constantly appearing, n' anything outdated gets left behind. If ya just sit around doing nuffin, yer dungeon will be forgotten! Can’t ya see that?!”

Ngh!
Now that she mentions it…!

“A small dip in numbers might not seem like a big deal now, but if ya ignore it, the damage could spiral out of control! A true leader doesn’t wait for disaster, they act before it’s too late!”

She’s right.
There’s no denying that fewer people are challenging my dungeon these days. And since I want adventurers to keep coming indefinitely, I need to take this drop in visitors more seriously.

A little carelessness in dungeon management can easily lead to total ruin!

“W-Well... We do have reports of a baby boom last year, so future adventurer numbers should increase…”
“Nuh-uh, that’s wishful thinking! The best leaders are always on the offensive! If ya stop pushing forward, ya start sinkin’!”

I got complacent. I let myself believe that because my dungeon was the biggest, it would always thrive.

But I, too, am a challenger.
If I want my dungeon to flourish, I must take action!!!

“…Ahh, Lord Alexander! Your resolute expression is so dignified…!”
“Yippee! This is gonna be fun! I was getting bored with the lack of events lately!”

Very well! If I want people to come to my dungeon...
I need a plan!