"You an the new arrivals?" When Luke spoke out from his seat, the rest of the occupants either plastered a frown or indifference on their faces, at least that's what I would think.
"Yes, if I'm not mistaken, your approximate numbers are 43, am I right?" I asked, and all of them nodded, with Bentley being the most fervent out of the group, due to his past occupation as a noble who governed over an entire town, small or not. "Then the addition of your entire population by more than half is enough to warrant a eting, correct?"
"It is as you say." Bentley nodded from his seat, the rest of the mbers remaining silent and giving him the stage due to his expertise. "A similar prospect of influx to the population would be refugees, and if what I'm guessing is correct, are what you would label these new residents."
"Indeed, I'm impressed that you were able to discern that kind of information from just a day of observation."
.
"Well, as a noble who has to control his region with utmost responsibility, you tend to notice these kinds of things from just a glance." Bentley looked dignified as he replied, making my respect towards the ex-noble increase. "Anyway, the best way to accommodate them would be to ease them in, instead of suddenly dropping a, in your terms, a bucketload of problems on their laps, which you seed to be handling fairly well. Not one of them has openly discussed their dissatisfaction, and if I wasn't able to notice them, then they're pretty good at what they do."
I looked at Bentley with confusion for a second, before I recalled that they were already inford about their departure from God Chythos.
"Ah, no, I wasn't the one to handle them. It was the God who governs the entire monster race, Chythos." I said honestly. I wasn't about to take credit for sothing that wasn't my doing. Plus, it was better to be honest than a lying bastard, which can blow up in my face with just a single human or demi-human spouting about the truth.
Bentley looked at for a mont, before shrugging and looking in the eye. "Then that is even better. A God easing them in is significantly better than a Dungeon Master who they have no idea about. By the way, and I speak for everyone present here, how did these other humans and demi-humans co about your Dungeon yesterday when we are stuck in a rift of space and ti?"
Everybody in the room nodded, and I breathed out a sigh. What I was about to say wasn't anything horrible or stomach churning. I just hate explaining how killing another Dungeon Master will award you with the entirety of their Dungeon and their current residents. Generated summons don't count.
"It's fairly simple. I killed a Dungeon Master during the Battle Royale. Two, in fact, and as a reward, I got their entire Dungeon to integrate with mine. Which caused the sudden influx of monsters, humans, and demi-humans, as you can see now." I explained, causing most of them to raise an eyebrow, but otherwise didn't voice out an opinion or angry reactions, except for Bentley, who had a furrowed brow after hearing my sentence.
"Then this poses a problem, Lord Jionni." Bentley said with finality in his voice. "You never know who has good relations with the Dungeon Master you killed. For all we know, one of them might be plotting a coup d'etat, which will ultimately result in failure, but the damage it would cause will be no laughing matter."
"… Remind to set you up as the Governor of both the Monster Town and Human Town." I deadpanned and rubbed my temples, utterly ashad of myself due to my nonexistent managing skills. Bentley's jaw dropped, while Luke nearby was holding a chuckle. Nicholas was already laughing and the rest just sat in shock at my decision. "And no, no one can refute my statent and order. Sorry Nicholas, but it seems your rank in the Monster Town will be demoted in the near future with the inauguration of the new Governor."
"h, that job wasn't fit for anyway." Nicholas shrugged as he picked his ear with his pinky, causing a frown to form on his daughter's face beside him. "I ran a guild full of responsible Hunters, not a mish-mash of monsters you could mistake for the common population in a common town."
"… I-If that's what you wish, Lord Jionni, then I will strive to be the best Governor I can be over these two towns, as repaynt for you saving and my family's lives." Bentley picked his jaw back up and gave an intense stare, which then converted into grateful glances. "I see it now. Your intervention with my incoming death opened my eyes to what was truly important. What use is a title, if your own family suffers because of it?"
Bentley bowed before , refusing to let his tears show, but I could feel them threatening to drip out. Besides him, Nicholas stood up and patted his shoulder on the noble's, comforting the nearly-crying noble as friends should do. Luke also decided to comfort his master. His arms were also grasping the shoulder of the bowing noble, which he copied and bowed before as well.
"Then all I ask is your service in return. Do that, and I can guarantee a fulfilling life with your family, and then so." I replied back, not used to these kinds of talk, with a gentle smile. Bentley and Luke raised their heads and sat back down on the seats. "Anyway, where was I again…? Ah, right, the possibility of a coup d'etat."
The majority of the mbers all tensed from the heavy topic, with those not invested in managent and politics in a town, such as the elves, and the demi-human group, silent the most, their ears listening in with rapt attention.
"In the Monster Town, we can rest assured that none of them will rebel. The ogres-" the elves and demi-humans flinched, with the Shaiydon group and Alexa doing the sa. Nicholas was indifferent, continuing to examine his earwax like it held the secrets to the universe.
Heh, human behavior. Don't worry, Nicholas, you're not the only who does that from ti to ti.
"-I've already contacted and they are absolutely loyal to ." At least, that's from what I have observed, but if what Bentley is true, I'll have to add so surveillance on their group. Welp, Chip, sorry, but looks like I'll have to give you so more jobs. "And since monsters like them tend to follow the rule of the strong, with the ogres submitting themselves to , then you can rest assured that there is no real chance of the Monster Town rebelling against ."
"The problem lies with the Human Town side of things, what with emotion being their guiding light." I said, and most of them nodded, my words hitting a mark close to the heart for so of them. "Right now, they don't pose a threat, but if their numbers continue to grow, then that would be a new set of problems."
"I agree with you there." Suddenly, Nicholas piped up from his seat, his earwax now flung to who knows where while his face sported the most serious expression I've seen since he arrived here. "I can tell you this, normal humans and demi-humans would be easy to deal with. Trust , I know."
He chuckled at his own inside joke, but with none of us knowing the source, except for Luke and Bentley, who was chuckling along with him, we didn't get it.
"But if you expand their numbers, they can be hell to deal with, even if you are stronger than them and can effectively deal with the resources on hand." Nicholas let out a long sigh, looking seemingly older than before. "Now that's just normal humans and demi-humans. How about you add experienced Hunters or Adventurers to the mix? Then you have a recipe for disaster."
I imagined my Dungeon carved and full of destruction, plus of fire and smoke rising ever higher, touching the ceiling of the unnatural cave. The corpses of monsters, humans, and demi-humans alike, as well as primates, litter the ground.
And the cause of them? Overpowered humans and demi-humans who thought I was so big bad that was making life miserable for his residents. The sickeningly sweet smile of that black demon graced my mind as he snickered to himself as he stood in front of holding the broken corpse of Domino, bleeding from her dismbered limbs.
I shook my head out of those depressing thoughts. Luckily, I was able to fortify my poker face, making sure that none of them spotted my obvious weakness at this ti. Looking at Nicholas for a brief mont, I opened my mouth to ask sothing that was on everybody's mind right now.
"What do you propose we do?"
"Well, for starters, we can offer them reasons to help you and us with your Dungeon, instead of outright resenting you, if they ever do." Bentley was the first to supply his opinion, with Nicholas pointing at his buddy, mouthing, 'What he said.'
"I see, then I suppose we can add so type of reward system for hard work." I said and scanned every face in the eting Hall. "I've been aning to do this, but with my tight budget on resources before, I wasn't able to, but now, with this influx of residents, I could begin with the project."
Murmurs of approval rounded the table as each and every mber nodded their head in agreent.
"Anyway, before we finish this discussion, I would like to add in one more point." I said, and all of them stopped their murmurings. "Due to so actions, my Dungeon has been connected with two other Dungeons. You can find visible proof next to the entrance of the Dungeon."
"You an those giant arches that lead into total darkness?" Krag spoke up from his seat, an excited and nervous grin on his face.
"Yes, those arches… Wait, arches?" I tilted my head with visible confusion. Krag also looked at with confusion. "You an to say that those swirly portals turned into giant arches that led to nothingness overnight?"
"… Yes…?"
"… Haaaaa… Looks like I'll need to have a little chat with the Dungeon Masters. Anyway, like I was saying, my Dungeon has been connected with new Dungeons, and has entered into an agreent for trade. Every other week, I will supply the Governor, and that ans you Bentley-" Bentley nodded, "-with products that we have agreed to trade. I take it you know what cos next."
"Yes, Lord Jionni."
"Then, without further ado, dismissed."
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