#539 The Fight at the Dragon Emperor's Castle: Recap

Thus ended a very successful dungeon conquering competition.

...Huh?

The single unlimited match between Queen Glasya and Pink Tonton wasn’t the main event?

Well, no one said that, right?

Today’s focus was unveiling the new Dragon Emperor’s Castle and the competition to conquer it!

There was no exciting, unexpected event in the middle of the story that would have outshone the main plot. Oh, no, no.

That’s how it’s supposed to be to preserve the sanity of three people who worked the hardest.

Got it?

Anyway, after the closing event, the audience was teleported back to their homes, and a small closing party was held for those involved.

In addition to the Heavenly Four, S-class adventurers, and the Six Witches, there are also the dungeon creators—dragons and Lifeless Kings alike.

Special guests such as the Demon King and Arowana are also present, and everyone is treated to a pleasant buffet party.

“This is thanks to all of you who fought to the bitter end. Have some of my homemade (undiluted) gonkotsu ramen!”

Veil took this opportunity to serve her trademark ramen.

Once the competition was over, everyone forgot about which side they were in and mingled with each other equally.

I hope this will become the standard for the three races from now on.

“Ardheg.”

“Hm?”

I approach Ardheg, the owner of the new Dragon Emperor’s Castle, once again.

“Thank you very much for lending us your dungeon.”

“Oh, please don’t mention it. I could ask for nothing better than playing a major part in the reconciliation of humanity.”

He must have a lot on his plate as the new Dragon Emperor, but to think that he would put his heart and soul into humanity amidst such a situation...

I’m truly glad that he’s the new Geyser Dragon.

Just the thought of an irresponsible and unruly dragon as emperor makes me shudder.

“Hey, Seidour! You should take this opportunity to eat forty or fifty bowls of gongkotsu ramen too!”

“No, thank you! In the first place, the dragon extract you used came from me! Why would I do something depressing as ingesting something that came from myself?!”

Seriously...

I ignored the dragonesses’ argument and immersed myself in a different conversation.

The Demon King is talking about something with the S-class adventurer, Silver Wolf.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime lineup you have, sir. Are you plotting something?”

“No, I assure you we don’t have any sinister tricks planned...!”

The atmosphere of their talk is clearly confidential, and even if that’s not a bad thing, I could tell that it’s complicated and politically related.

“The event went as planned. Likewise, we want to use this momentum to move forward with our original project.”

“Your original project?”

What was it again?

“Lord Saint...?”

“No, no, no, I know what it is! I haven’t forgotten!”

Let’s see... Ah, right.

You’re talking about opening up the dungeons in the Demon Kingdom to adventurers, aren’t you?

The Adventurers’ Guild, a private organization that manages dungeons, exists only in the former Human Kingdom.

In contrast, the Demon King’s Army has been managing dungeons for a long time in the Demon Kingdom, but due to disarmament, they can no longer keep it up for long.

Thus, the idea of outsourcing the task to adventurers to compensate for the lack of workforce was born!

“This event has probably cleared up the ill feelings between the human and demon races, so there should be little opposition to welcoming adventurers to the Demon Kingdom. We intend to begin full-fledged outsourcing from now on.”

“I was just about to discuss the same issue with you, Demon King,” says Silver Wolf. “The Adventurers’ Guild is also facing problems post-war. Mercenaries, knights, and others who had lost their livelihood switched jobs to adventurers searching for new opportunities.”

“I see. They can make use of their previous experience in such a profession, after all.”

“The number of job seekers has increased so rapidly that the existing dungeons are overflowing with adventurers. The demand from your side couldn’t have come at a more impeccable time, as we thought the only thing left for us to do was to permit them all at once in search of undiscovered dungeons.”

In short, their supply and demand have met.

“As the head of the army that led a fierce battle with us in the past made us hesitant to send people over. But this event has brought a ray of hope.”

They, who had fought the fiercest battles, are now toasting for reconciliation as if to say there’s only one perfect thing in this world—fellowship!

Yes, I’m talking about two of today’s main highlights, Queen Glasya and Pink Tonton.

“I must say, your tackling power has increased since you became an adventurer, eh? I’m no longer a match for you after skipping out on my training!”

“Oh, what are you talking about? You’re the winner. The final counterattack really got the better of me. Is that what they call a mother’s strength?”

“You bet! Isn’t my girl a darling? You should get married and have kids too, they’re charming and life-changing!”

“There it is, a married person sharing their happy life smack right in your face!”

What a happy atmosphere.

“Well, if they managed to open up to each other like that, I’m sure the same sentiments would reach the other demon soldiers and human adventurers...I’m really glad we did this event.”

Ooh, Silver Wolf has a distant look in his eyes.

In the end, he was one of the three “Selfless Workaholics” who worked hard to conquer the dungeon and reach Ardheg.

The shock of having all the fruits of his hard work, which he struggled so hard to earn the title of a selfless workaholic, taken away from him, is still smoldering in his heart.

“I-It’s okay! I’m sure your group’s hard work has contributed to world peace!”

“I sure do hope so...!”

It’s all right.

I mean, this is you, Zoth Syra, and I think Mamoru, was it? that we’re talking about here.

All three races are involved, so it’s only natural that your efforts are connected to world peace one way or another!

The match between Queen Glasya and Pink Tonton only affects the demon and human races.

They’re no match for you guys, who even has a mermaid ally!

“And as proof... Take a look!”

Zoth Syra and Mamoru surround a certain person to give them an earful.

“Why do you feel like you’re living all alone? No man is an island, you know that?”

“At the end of the day, you still owe everything to the guild for making you an adventurer, right? The reward you get from them provides you with a roof to sleep in and food to eat. Similarly, the guild exists thanks to the mutual aid of all members.”

“Helping each other is a spirit of compassion. If you don’t have that in you, there’s no point in any of this.”

“If one person in the organization ignores compassion like you do, everyone’s compassion will be wasted, and the organization will collapse. Are you fine with that, huh? Answer us!”

The one who is being bombarded with relentless sermons is, I think, another S-class adventurer named Golden Bat.

It seems he had done something in the dungeon and has been lectured ever since he came out.

A first-class adventurer has his head down and refuses to look the others in the eye.

“He got what he asked for. I don’t feel any sympathy for him.”

“If you reprimand someone that harshly, it would leave a bad aftertaste, right? As someone from a different race, you get to tell them what you really want to say! This is the power of your bond!”

This is the Selfless Workaholics’ signature pinch-hitting sermon technique!

By admonishing the troublemakers in each other’s groups, you reduce the hardships among your peers!

“I see. Well then, I too will act as an agent for the hardships of my comrades...”

As I wondered where he was determinedly headed...

“Sir Belphgamilia. There is nothing wrong with you finding things troublesome. But it’s different when you’re forcing the troublesome things on others.”

Silver Wolf started to lecture Belphgamilia!

He is the leader of the Heavenly Four, but he grumbles and complains a lot, putting Mamoru, his colleague, through a lot of hardship.

The pinch-hitting sermon technique is already working wonders!

Oh, and while he was doing that, one of the two people who were lecturing Golden Bat—Mamoru of the Heavenly Four—left, and...

“Hey, an idea needs to be rooted before it can be implemented, you know? If you start suddenly, there will be a hiccup somewhere. If you truly are royalty, you should carefully consider that your words and actions will greatly impact the people below you.”

He started lecturing Platy?!

Golden Bat, an S-class adventurer.

Belphgamilia, a Heavenly One.

Platy, one of the Six Witches.

Each of them is scolding the troublemakers from different races!

“Even my wife was categorized as a troublemaker...”

Well, some aspects can’t be helped, but I would like to ask for you to go easy on her a little.

Stressing out a pregnant lady in her first trimester can be dangerous...!

But just seeing the three races united like this, I feel happy knowing peace is becoming more certain.

This event was a great success after all.

And then there are the troublemakers.

They all have their heads down and stubbornly refuse to look their lecturers in the eye.

The fact that they all behave in the same surprising manner...

Gives a different impression of unity.