An Enemy Attack!!!

"...What?"

"Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what!!!"

"This is a major problem!"

Invaders meaning they are my enemies, right? Why did they think this was not an issue?

"U-um... May I ask for details in the throne room?"

"Certainly."

I did my best to mask my anxiety and headed to the throne room. My subordinates followed closely behind. The sight was impressive; each of them belonged to different races and had varying physiques, creating a somewhat bizarre spectacle. Yet, despite their diversity, they were all strikingly beautiful in their own ways a different kind of impressive.

Arriving in the throne room, I took my seat on the throne, and my subordinates kneeled before me, heads bowed.

"Now, let's hear the details."

"Yes! Two days ago, the intruders were a pair consisting of an ogre and a werewolf. Their strength was average. Based on their progress reaching the 12th floor with ease, I assessed their capabilities accordingly."

"Wait, they reached the 12th floor? Is Rafaena alright? Was she injured?"

The 12th floor was guarded by Rafaena, so if the intruders made it that far, she must have confronted them. This implied a battle took place, but Rafaena didn't seem injured when I last saw her. Her beautiful sister's outfit was spotless.

Could it be that she didn't fight?

"Thank you for your concern, Lady Mari. I ensured that the intruders were eliminated before they could cause further trouble, as it was my duty to act without bringing shame upon your subordinates."

As expected.

"What kind of people were they?"

"They claimed to be subordinates of Obaron Libel Era Jilphanis."

Some noble's soldiers, perhaps? I have no knowledge of this world, so the name doesn't ring any bells.

"Just to clarify, Obaron Libel Era Jilphanis is one of the eight Demon Lords existing in this world."

Elrodea provided the additional information.

So, we've ended up fighting one of our own kind?

That could be quite problematic.

"I need to ask, what happened to the intruders?"

"They were sent back outside the dungeon alive."

Good. It's better that they weren't killed. If we had killed them, it could spark a war among our kind, endangering my own safety. That's something I want to avoid at all costs.

"From now on, avoid conflict with our kind as much as possible. It's not worth fighting among ourselves, especially when a hero might strike at us while we're divided. Aim to minimize unnecessary battles. However, if our existence is threatened, we may need to be thorough in our response."

While I want to eliminate any threats to my safety, maintaining a peaceful existence is crucial. I aim to honor the goddess who reincarnated me into this world. I have no interest in conquering or destroying the world as a demon lord. My goal is simply to live peacefully within this dungeon.

"However, Lady Mari, those two will likely return here. They seemed quite unsettled."

"Did they say anything?"

"They said, 'Obaron-sama will not stay silent."

That sounds rather ominous and petty.

"Elrodea, is that Obaron Demon Lord powerful?"

"Unfortunately, I'm not well-versed in the specifics. My knowledge is limited to basic information and what pertains to the dungeon. I cannot provide detailed information about the outside world."

"I see. Then, we'll have to rely on Cornelia and the others for that kind of information."

From the invaders' remarks, it seems the Demon Lord himself might come to the dungeon next. How should we handle this? Since he's another Demon Lord, perhaps we should approach him cautiously and try not to provoke him?

"Lady Mari!"

A small demon, still bowing, spoke up.

"If it pleases you, may we go investigate this demon lord?"

"Really?"

The small demon, a fairy ogre with impressive horns, smiled confidently.

"Leave it to me! I'll bring back results!"

"Then, I assign Ray to investigate Demon Lord Obaron."

The loyal fairy ogre bowed deeply.

"As you wish!"

With that, she vanished from the throne room, off to investigate Demon Lord Obaron Libel Era Jilphanis. Despite her small stature, her fearsome combat prowess made her well-suited for the task. If anything goes wrong, she should be able to handle it effectively. Besides, with the new settings linked, we should manage.

So, I'm not worried about her.

"Lady Mari, I have a suggestion."

Elrodea spoke up.

"It concerns communication with your subordinates."

"Communication? What's that about?"

"It's a magic spell that allows you to talk to someone far away."

"There's such convenient magic?"

"It's called [Message]. Unlike other spells, this one doesn't require speaking its name. Instead, you activate it by focusing on the person you want to communicate with, allowing you to converse telepathically without speaking aloud. It works even if the other person doesn't know the spell. Since your subordinates will often need to travel outside the dungeon, I recommend using this."

I learned the spell from Elrodea, mastering it in an instant. I also taught it to all my subordinates present.

"If there's anything else, please let me know."

"Then, Lady Mari, I have a report to make."

The spokesperson, the cow demon Vacca Kaleido, had something to report.

"What's the report?"

She raised her head, revealing a deep valley that caught my eye.

"So big..."

"I found a city called Wiltina southwest of the dungeon. I spread word about this dungeon at lively taverns and adventurer guilds there, and I heard something worth reporting."

Her expression was serious.

"I heard that a hero who defeated a Demon Lord is now planning to defeat the next Demon Lord. Although they haven't entered our territory yet, adventurers at the guild said it's only a matter of time before they attack."

I can't help but wonder why the Demon Lords fight individually. Wouldn't it be better if powerful demon lords banded together? Is the hero somehow forcing them into one-on-one fights, or is it just a matter of pride, with each Demon Lord wanting to prove they can defeat a hero on their own?

It's probably the latter.

I wish they wouldn't make things so difficult. If they keep this up, it will be hard to win.

A hero... They must be incredibly strong, and while I'd rather avoid confronting them, it seems inevitable. It would be ideal to ally with other Demon Lords, but that might be challenging. We need to prevent heroes from getting close to this dungeon. Perhaps camouflaging the dungeon would be wise.

If the dungeon is discovered, we must be fully prepared.

"It might be risky, but we need to investigate the movements of the heroes. We'll decide on the details later, but for now, let's focus on connecting with other Demon Lords. Will everyone cooperate?"

All my subordinates, still bowing, pledged their loyalty.

"Before that... Isn't anyone hungry? I'm quite famished. Are we okay?"

"No problem," responded Harumena on behalf of everyone.

"Well then, since I'm hungry, let's have a meal! We have a chef ready, and Harumena and Artrius gathered ingredients, so we should make the most of it."

By the way, I wonder what happened with the competition between the two of them.

I'll find out later.

With that decided, I rose from the throne and, accompanied by my subordinates, headed to the dining hall.