Future Plans

As we returned to the conference room in the castle, everyone took their designated seats. Behind me stood Catela, the head maid, with a poised posture.

Elrodea, my advisor, began the discussion.

"We still lack the necessary personnel for the dungeon, but let's move forward."

"Defense should be manageable for now by placing guardians on each floor. However, I must remind you that although you can enter and exit the dungeon, you must consider yourself unable to do so in practice."

"Well, that's true."

"If an intruder touches the contract board on the 100th floor, both my subordinates and I would be doomed. Given the imminent danger, it's impossible for the administrator to casually venture out. Nor would I want to."

"While I have a strong desire to leave the dungeon, if my life is at stake, I have no choice. The problem is that I won't be able to grasp the outside world's situation."

"I understand. However, in that case, we need someone to gather information from outside the dungeon on my behalf."

"Information is crucial. Your suggestion is quite reasonable."

"In that case, my Lord, may I volunteer for that task?"

Cornelia stepped forward, expressing her willingness. Despite some reservations, she is currently the only one adaptable enough for this role.

"Alright. I'll entrust the task of gathering information to Cornelia. However, I'd like someone to accompany her. It's dangerous to go alone, and gathering information will be challenging. Since we can't send a guardian outside, we will need to assign someone else."

"Understood."

"Rafaena."

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Um, this is something I'd like to address with everyone, but could you change how you address me? Calling me 'my Lord' feels a bit awkward. I'd prefer if you called me Mari."

Everyone immediately stood up from their seats and assumed a respectful stance.

"Yes, Mari-sama! We will address you as such from now on."

Though I'd prefer to omit the 'sama,' it seems that's not feasible.

"Rafaena, could you head to the 12th floor immediately?"

"Certainly. I will strive to perform admirably for Mari-sama. Excuse me."

With that, Rafaena disappeared in an instant, likely using the teleportation ring I provided to swiftly reach her designated floor.

"Shall we proceed to our respective duties as well?"

"Not necessary. It's unlikely anyone has reached the deeper levels yet, so you don't need to go."

"Understood."

Now, what should I do next?

For now, I'll leave the defense to my subordinates. Regarding the living conditions, while it's possible to build residences within the dungeon, acquiring clothing and food remains a challenge. As an administrator, I can't create such items. So the pressing issue is food. Given that I am accustomed to Japanese fashion, it stands out starkly in this world. Even with so few subordinates, my attire is already out of place. I need to change into local clothing as soon as possible.

"Is it permissible to do anything within this dungeon?"

I asked Elrodea for confirmation.

"Of course. Everything is up to you."

"In that case, how about constructing a town within the dungeon?"

The suggestion elicited puzzled looks from everyone.

"A town? That's quite an unusual proposal. It's not something typically done within a dungeon."

"However, if we are to stay here for an extended period, it's crucial to have proper provisions. Continuously sending someone outside for supplies would be cumbersome. Building a town within the dungeon could alleviate some of these difficulties.

"You make a valid point. Since supplies must be sourced from outside the dungeon, it would certainly be a challenge. Even administrators have limitations on what they can create, so we would need to address the deficiencies in this manner."

"Building a town will take time, so initially, we'll need to have someone gather supplies. Eventually, we can develop a large town to improve our quality of life within the dungeon."

"Would this town be built on a new floor?"

"No, I plan to build it on this floor. Since we already have a castle, I envision creating a town similar to a castle town."

Elrodea nodded thoughtfully.

"I see. In that case, our manpower is extremely limited. We currently have only ourselves in this dungeon, so we will need to increase our numbers."

Increasing the workforce as an administrator takes considerable time. I still need to create more subordinates and set up the defense system. It looks like I'll be quite busy for the foreseeable future.

"Building a town within the dungeon is a commendable idea. However, creating all the inhabitants by yourself would be quite a task. How about inviting people from outside to the dungeon? As a Demon Lord, they would likely pledge their loyalty and come willingly."

That could significantly reduce my workload. However, to have people move into the dungeon, we'd need to promote the dungeon and my presence in surrounding countries. This would require additional personnel. So, I must first create a minimum number of subordinates.

It will likely take two days. Creating each subordinate takes about an hour, and with the need for guardians, castle staff, and others to handle various tasks, I'll need around 20 people. Given the complexity, continuous work is impractical due to my concentration limits. Prioritizing tasks seems necessary.

For now, the most urgent roles are those for procuring supplies and publicity. I should create a few individuals for these roles and send them out first before focusing on other subordinates.

Each role must be suited to its function. For example, a procurement officer should excel in endurance and agility. While teleportation rings enable easy movement within the dungeon, they are ineffective outside. Therefore, individuals skilled in mobility are required.

With these considerations, I'll focus on recruiting additional personnel.

"By the way, is there any food available in this castle? I haven't eaten since arriving in this world, and I'm getting a bit hungry."

"Unfortunately, I can only create buildings, so there's nothing to eat."

"Then does that mean I'll have to gather food from the dungeon?"

"Yes. Fortunately, most creatures in the dungeon are edible, so basic meals should be sufficient. Any creatures created by you won't turn to black smoke upon defeat, so you're safe."

Indeed...

When I was exploring the dungeon, defeated monsters remained intact.

"In that case, Mari-sama! We will go gather food!"

Altrius stood up, offering to help.

"I'll go as well!"

Harumena also rose.

"Alright. I'll leave the food gathering to the two of you. We'll need some containers, right?"

"There's no need for that."

Elrodea interjected.

"Why not?"

"Subordinates created by the dungeon administrator can use spatial magic."

"Spatial magic?"

"Think of it as a convenient storage space where items can be freely stored and retrieved. The storage capacity is unlimited, so there's no need for additional containers."

That sounds incredibly convenient!

I wonder if I can use it too. I'll have to try it later.

"Got it. Then we're all set."

The two who had volunteered began discussing their plan and then turned to me with a bow before vanishing using their teleportation rings.

I wish everyone could speak so casually with me.

"Great! While they're gathering food, I'll focus on creating more subordinates."

"I'll assist you with that."

"I'll also help Mari-sama!"

With the support of Elrodea and Catela, I began creating new subordinates.