Chapter 137

Emergency

"... Huh?"

An unexpected 'saintess follower' declaration. My head blanked out for a moment. Rather, it can talk in human language? Oi.

Which reminds me, what did Rin say when it made me its follower?

I think it was something like: [You, give food, to me. Therefore, you're my, follower.]

Let's think back on what the saintess has done since coming here.

Once per day, she went into the dungeon... and was eaten by Rin.

Just how is that different from me being eaten by Rin while in the golems?

"... It's the same!? Shit! It's an emergency!"

Rather, it declared that the saintess tasted better. What to do... what to do!?

First off, I called Rokuko. I have a direct line of communication to the dummy core in Rokuko's room from the master room.

"Oi Rokuko, it's an emergency! Urgent meeting now!"

"Wai—Kehma!? Don't come in so suddenly!"

Rokuko was in the middle of changing her clothes. Yep, sorry.

"Well, that aside—"

"It's not something to set aside you know!? Wait, emergency? What happened?"

"Rin made the saintess its follower."

"OK I get it. Sounds bad."

As expected of the recent Rokuko, smart. She understood it immediately and quickly put on an outer garment, going into the master room. Meanwhile, just thirty seconds had passed.

"The saintess is a follower... so, what now?"

"I don't know, there's been no movement."

Then, the saintess appeared to have reactivated. Let's eavesdrop on their conversation.

[Your... follower?]

[Yeah, follower. Gave me, good food, so follower, right?]

... Wait, come to think of it, wouldn't that cause everything about me to be exposed to the saintess? I don't think it'd be much of a problem since I wouldn't be recognized as the golem though...

[What is, it? If there's, a problem, say it.]

[... Umm, right. Then, I want to ask... did you come from outside of this dungeon?]

[Called, by boss.]

[B-boss?]

[Yeah.]

Particular about that point, Rin didn't yield.

[... Y-your boss comes from outside of this dungeon?]

[Yeah. Because I, am strong. This, is mine.]

I've gotten used to holding conversations with Rin since I've been doing it so much, but it looks like she's having trouble with it after all. By the way, to put it simply, it's saying: [Yes. I came from outside of the dungeon. While on the subject, I am super strong so I control the dungeon and received this room.]

I have a knack for conversation? It's experience, experience.

[... You took over the dungeon...? Could something like that be...?]

[Kuwafu, if there's, nothing else, I'm eating.]

[P-please wait a moment! By eating, umm—you eat your followers?]

[? Is that, a problem? No matter, how many times, you are eaten, you return.]

[... Today is no good. After that, it's fine... I want to see the dungeon core, do you know where it is?]

[Dungeon core? What's that?]

Come to think of it, Rin doesn't know about dungeon cores huh. I didn't tell it about them when I asked it it wanted to be a subordinate to the dungeon. It refused anyway, though.

[... A shining orb, about this big?]

[... Hmm... well, there's one.]

[Please show me! Where is it!?]

[Ah, here. Follow.]

I doesn't know what a dungeon core is, but it does know about shining orbs... right, it did sleep in the core room at first huh.

And so, Rin slowly walked with the saintess following behind it.

Alright. It's a defensive fight. Everyone—other than Kinue-san—gathered in the master room as the dungeon's defensive fighting strength... Kinue-san will be dealing with the inn by herself.

"Goshujin-sama, the haniwa, ready any time."

"Wall golems're already in motion. Do you want 'em deployed to make them take a detour?"

As usual, Meat and Ichika felt like they were already used to these things.

"Many legged golem archers, ready to mobilize, master!"

"Gargoyle forces, ready to move out~! Filled to the brim with magic stones, so many~!"

"Ooh, new troops! Could you lend them to me too?"

"Yeah~, use them however you want~!"

Rei had the many legged golems, with Nerune and Rokuko moving the gargoyle force.

"Alright, let's start this defensive war... ah, let's evacuate the dungeon core first. Right now the real dungeon core is in the spot right below where Rin sleeps after all."

"Got it! Should I use castling with my room?"

"Yeah, please do."

After Rin left the core room, I put the dummy core back at the deepest area. I'm still making another route.

Most recently, I think I've been putting a bit too much effort into researching magic tools.

... Then, by moving the dungeon core towards the village, the defensive war will be carried out safely. Even if they come to the dungeon's interior where the dummy core was, there wouldn't be able problems if it was destroyed.

Even if Rin takes the saintess into the core room, it'll be alright. Man, security is wonderful.

"Ah..."

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Castling, unusable—for fifteen hours. Because it's sealed."

Rokuko spoke with a pale face.

Uh? Then...

"Perhaps, are you saying, we can't escape?"

"Correct, I am saying that we can't escape."

I felt sweat drip down my back.

"Hey, it's been a while since I've heard death's footsteps..."

... The master room filled with silence due to my mutter.

"... Kehma. What did you just..."

"Ah, sorry. I said something strange."

"That's super cool! I want to use that next time! Death's footsteps!"

"Stop, please. I'm sorry, super sorry!"

While I apologized earnestly to Rokuko, whose eyes were sparkling, we prepared our defenses.

At any rate, so long as we can kill the saintess one time, it'll be our victory. The saintess only has until today, after all.