I quickly realized that Cornelia's confidence was well-founded. As we descended to the lower levels of the dungeon, the strength of the monsters became immediately apparent. Not only were they large, but their speed and agility were also astonishing. I could only advance with Cornelia's protection, and though I was occasionally caught off guard and had to fend off attacks, Cornelia was always quick to praise me for my efforts.
By the time we reached the final level, I had acquired a variety of skills. Despite these skills being typically beyond reach for most, I had mastered them one after another. Was this because I was a demon lord, or perhaps a result of the blessing that Saraila had mentioned?
The final level was surprisingly open and expansive. It felt almost artificial, making it hard to believe we were still in a dungeon.
Cornelia mentioned that there should be a boss-like entity in the dungeon, so I braced myself, expecting an encounter. However, to my surprise, there was no boss present. We proceeded through the expansive chamber without encountering any threats.
As Cornelia muttered about the unusual absence of a boss, I continued forward until I came across a stone monument at the far end of the chamber.
What could this be?
The monument was inscribed with unfamiliar characters, which I initially thought I couldn't read. However, thanks to my language comprehension skills, I was able to decipher them effortlessly.
"To the one who holds everything, you shall reign over all and become the eternal ruler of time."
Underneath the inscription was a square protrusion. Unlike the monument, this piece was made of a material that was distinctly different— black as obsidian and with a glossy surface.
Without hesitation, I touched the shiny surface, feeling its smoothness under my fingers.
"Demon Lord!"
Cornelia rushed up behind me in a panic.
At the same moment, the protrusion began to glow, and in an instant, the place where I stood changed completely.
Instead of the artificial chamber, I now found myself in a vast green meadow. Looking up, the sky was not a mere illusion but a genuine expanse stretching to the horizon.
Is this outside?
"No, this is still within the dungeon."
The voice, a clear and dignified female tone, seemed to come from the very space around me.
"Those who complete the dungeon are automatically transported here."
"Transported?" I wondered aloud. "Why is that?"
"To transfer ownership of the dungeon."
"Transfer?"
"Yes."
I asked, "Who are you? Can I see you?"
"Indeed. It might be easier if you could see my form."
As the voice spoke, light began to gather in front of me, gradually taking on a humanoid shape. When the silhouette became clearer, I was struck speechless.
The figure resembled a butler in appearance.
Dressed in a jet-black tailcoat with silver hair cascading to the shoulders and with striking blue eyes and a refined nose, the figure exuded a beauty that was mesmerizing even to another woman. She was a type of beauty different from Saraila.
"Is this acceptable?" she asked.
"Y-Yes."
"Then may I proceed with the explanation?"
I nodded.
"I am Elrodea, the assistant to the dungeon's manager."
Elrodea placed her right hand over her chest and bowed deeply. Her demeanor was indeed that of a perfect butler.
As an assistant, her role was to support the dungeon manager, so the comparison to a butler seemed quite fitting.
"Until now, this dungeon has had no manager. As a result, there were no guardians for the various levels or even for the lowest level."
It seemed that a boss-like entity had indeed been expected at the lowest level. Cornelia's concerns had been valid.
"And now, finally, someone has appeared who can reach the dungeon's lowest level and touch the manager's contract plate."
"So, that means it's me?"
"That's correct. You are now the designated manager of this dungeon."
"What exactly does managing entail? I'm still new to this world, so I'm not familiar with the basics or the common practices here. Is that going to be a problem?"
Elrodea smiled warmly. "There's no problem. Managing the dungeon is quite straightforward. There are no fixed rules. It is entirely up to you, as the manager, to establish the guidelines from now on."
"Hmm, I still don't fully understand."
"In that case, let's try out what you can do."
Elrodea conjured a translucent board in the air, similar to a tablet, and used her pale fingers to scroll through its surface, stopping at a specific point before handing it to me. The board floated smoothly in front of me.
On it was listed the name of the dungeon's manager.
Akagi Mari
Why is my name written here?
Elrodea immediately answers the question that pops into my mind.
"This is called the Management Board, a tool for overseeing the entire dungeon. With this board, you can create or remove anything within the dungeon and even alter the dungeon's layout. Essentially, you can manage various aspects of the dungeon using this board."
"Does it really allow you to do everything?"
"Almost anything you can imagine is possible."
That's incredible.
This could be quite interesting.
I could change the dungeon's shape to something I like, and if I can create anything, I could even build a house, making it a comfortable living space.
But, since I won't be staying here forever, building a house might not be very useful.
At that moment, I noticed Elrodea's lips curl into a slight smile behind the semi-transparent board.
"Now, please scroll down the screen."
Following her instructions, I swipe down on the board's screen, similar to how you would on a smartphone.
The screen then reveals a list of items similar to a to-do list:
••Dungeon Management••
•Add or remove floors
•Change floors ▼
•Characters
•Add or remove monsters.
•Add or remove structures
•Special equipment ▼
Elrodea, peering over the side of the screen, adds an explanation.
"From here, you can perform detailed operations on the dungeon. By touching each item, you can start managing that specific aspect. Since it's your first time, let's begin by creating a relaxing space. Please select the 'Add Floors' option."
I touch the specified item, and the screen changes to a list of floors from Floor 1 to Floor 100.
"When adding a new floor, it will be inserted after the selected floor.
To remove a floor, select it and then tap the 'Remove' option in the top right corner."
Wow, this dungeon has up to 100 floors.
Operating the management board is quite straightforward, similar to using a smartphone or tablet.
"Adding a new floor is fine, but where should I add it?"
"I don't have a specific recommendation, but generally, a manager would oversee a place with more than 100 floors."
I see.
I selected Floor 100 and tapped 'Add.'
Immediately, Floor 101 appeared below Floor 100 in the list.
"Once you've added the floor, return to the main screen and select 'Change Floors.' You'll see a similar screen as before. Choose the floor you want to modify, and then decide how you want to change it in the detailed settings."
Selecting the floor brought up options for configuring its layout. It seemed like I could set it up step-by-step, like a game designer.
The choices were diverse, including options like caves, grassland, forests, and more.
I chose grassland.
There wasn't a specific reason, but since it's supposed to be a relaxing space, grassland seemed fitting.
Next, I was presented with options for the floor's size.
The choices were quite broad: large, medium, and small.
"The smallest size will be equivalent to Floor 100. For large, imagine the space we're currently in."
The current space seemed endless.
Since I had already chosen grassland and a smaller size wouldn't work, I opted for large.
Up to this point, the settings were quite basic, but now it got into detailed configurations.
Floors seemed to allow almost anything, with physical laws being largely ignored. For example, there was an option for a canopy, allowing me to cover the floor with blue ores like those seen on the way here or to leave it open and form a sky.
After completing the settings, Elrodea instructed me to configure the structures.
Since it was meant to be a relaxing space, I built a log cabin in the grassland.
"With the settings complete, let's move to the new location."
Elrodea gracefully snapped her fingers while bending slightly. In an instant, the scenery changed, and I found myself on Floor 101, just as I had set it up.
Before me stood the log cabin.
Elrodea, moving lightly, opened the cabin's door.
"Please, go ahead."