Chapter 49

Late at night.

Dianeia was having a late dinner with Anne, talking as they ate.

"Really, that you're the Dragon King... I thought my heart would leap out of my chest."

"I'm sorry, Lady Dianeia. I intended to go about it more gracefully, but I couldn't control myself."

They had been talking since she returned from Daiti, which is why dinner ended up being so late.

From what she heard, it seemed that even the governor of the Armed City didn't know she was the Dragon King. Apparently, she had ended up in this position purely by chance.

Well, since she was actually contributing to the development of the Armed City and making it a safer place, Dianeia decided to leave her be.

After all, she was undoubtedly working for the people.

...Besides, as far as she was concerned, as long as the capital was safely protected, there was no problem.

That's why she was talking and exchanging information with Anne.

"That black doll you sent out really surprised me."

"I should have told you beforehand. That doll was a scout."

"Scout?"

"Yes, I knew that Lord Daiti, the Dragon of the Dragon Vein, was strong. To avoid being killed if I approached carelessly, I sent out the doll to go ahead. Moreover, I had to investigate the forest as well."

Come to think of it, the doll did indeed chase after them, but it often acted ahead of them.

"Was it exploring the Enchanted Forest?"

"Yes. In the end, Lord Daiti turned out to be incredibly strong and kind, so it was almost a waste of effort."

Dianeia scratched her cheek and smiled wryly. She could understand why Anne had been initially scared of Daiti. Sending the black doll to explore the Enchanted Forest made sense.

"But, Anne."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Why... did you have it attack me?"

"It's a hobby."

She said it with a straight face.

"Ah... well, that's true."

One shouldn't judge someone's preferences.

"Haa... haa... The doll's method of attack could have been a bit more pleasurable. It could have been made with a bit more sticky mud... No, but, was it really more pleasurable than the vortex of magic power from Lord Daiti?"

Besides, she didn't want to pursue this any further.

Anne, who had entered her own world, had a slightly inappropriate look on her face.

"Anyway, Anne. What are the results of the Enchanted Forest investigation?"

"Sorry, you're right. As I mentioned earlier, the situation is not good. The phenomena I described earlier were indeed occurring."

Dianeia had heard the reason why Anne came to the capital when she asked about it.

One reason was to meet the Dragon King Hestia. This was the biggest reason, but there was also a reason why she had to come here as the deputy governor of the Armed City. That reason was,

"The land's magic power between the Enchanted Forest and the capital has become rich. This has led to the expansion of the dungeon in the Armed City, right?"

"Yes. While exploring a wide area with the doll, we confirmed that there is indeed a connection to the dungeon in the Armed City. If this continues, monsters from the dungeon will start appearing in the Enchanted Forest."

Thanks to that magic power spot, this area has become quite fertile.

However, the rich magic power in the land has stimulated the dungeon under the Armed City, causing it to expand.

"Dungeons are like creatures that feed on magic power. It's inevitable that they would extend their reach to this rich area."

"Ah, just when I thought the threat of dragons was gone, now it's a threat from the ground..."

Apparently, connection holes to the dungeon have already been recognized around the capital. Monsters from the dungeon will emerge through these holes, Anne explained.

Dianeia knew the basic knowledge about dungeons, as she had studied it when she became a mage.

However, she was not familiar with such a situation.

That's why she was asking Anne, who had extensive knowledge about dungeons as the deputy governor of the Armed City.

"Do you know when they will start appearing?"

"The cycle of monster appearances is somewhat fixed, but the exact date and time are unknown. However, if the dungeonification is progressing, they will likely start appearing within a few days."

"What can we do to minimize the damage?"

"It's simple. Defeat the monsters and wipe them out. That's the best way."

If the monsters are defeated before they can reproduce, their numbers will decrease.

Moreover, there is a limit to the number of monsters that can be born in a dungeon at once, so the more they are reduced, the less likely it is that widespread damage will occur.

"Currently, there are already a considerable number of monsters in the dungeon of the Armed City. They will seek new feeding grounds and come to this area."

"I see... I understand that."

"If I use my full power to cast a barrier spell, I can cover the city... but if it turns into a prolonged battle, the situation will be unfavorable. I don't know if my magic power will last until all the monsters are wiped out."

"It's fortunate, in a sense, that we don't have to worry about the Enchanted Forest."

"Lord Daiti won't even let the dungeon monsters get close. Yes, I think it's really great that my sister is there."

Even if a dungeon appears in the Enchanted Forest, it would be fine as long as he is there. The problem is the city's defense,

"We are providing information and advancing contracts with adventurers to bolster our forces, but this has become a truly difficult situation."

"If you have any questions about the dungeon, please let me know. I'm quite satisfied with my sister, but it's sad that the places where we can go on dates will decrease."

"I'll do my best. Dragon King of the Armed City."

Sighing, Dianeia continued to eat her dinner. She had to stay up all night to think of countermeasures, her mind racing.