The time goes back to after the interview.

'Haha!　How dare you hire an adventurer!　Are you that thing?　Do you have a curse that requires you to surprise people on a regular basis?

　Me and the Demon King-sama are walking side by side in the dungeon.
　Even though it's a dungeon, it's a staff-only passage, and we were heading to the Demon King-sama's office.

　She looks happy rather than surprised and in a good mood.
　She looks like a little girl. Crimson hair and eyes. A pair of horns extending from the side of her head, deep black. Her long, top-heavy hair is tied in two today. It's tied up high, but it's still long enough that it would normally touch the ground.
　However, it was fluffy with a mysterious power. Could it be wind magic?

''No such thing...''

　By the way, it's the tone of the chief of staff in the corridor where you may pass by staff members, even if there are no other people around.

"If it's your decision, that's fine. But even if you are a collaborator, you are still an adventurer. You can't have access to all of them, can you?

　We're talking about the fact that we can't make it possible for them to transfer to and use all facilities.

'Yes, sir,'

　Ellie and her friends wouldn't complain about it either. On the contrary, they'd be more likely to be angry if I said they were free. That's like saying that they are not worthy of our vigilance.

　The adventurer's goal is to eventually take on the Demon King's Castle.
　It would be humiliating for the demons there to think that they are not a threat.

''I'll leave the disclosure of information to your discretion, but even so, you're very bold. "I don't like the idea of taking the enemy in your pocket.

I thought they were our allies in this raid.

"But back to the enemy. You'll be able to see the tenth layer in action up close and personal. Isn't that valuable information for a short-term job?

..........

　I know what the Demon King-sama is saying.

　Is the value of the information Ellie and the others get from this place and their cooperation balanced with the value of those things?
　For example, if you know they are spies and don't get rid of them. They come to that decision because they think they can gain a greater advantage by letting him/her swim.

　It's a different situation, but I guess that's what I'm trying to say.
　Is the benefit of letting the adventurers inside so much that they can meditate on the loss?

'Certainly, there's no denying that there's some personal feelings mixed in.

　【Black Mage】 and 【White Mage】. A party that fills four of the five in the unfortunate [Position (Job)].
　The hope is that the success of these women, the breakthrough, will change the adventurer industry.

　Just like Lily's success, the number of elven adventurers was slowly being recognized and actually increasing.
　If the [Black Mage] and [White Mage] also think of adopting them because they are useful, before the idea of being modest or not, that would be a very good thing.
　But.

''But there's no problem with that.''

'Right. May I ask why?

　Except for the trust that Ellie-san's character would not be sneaking around behind the scenes to gather information, it's not a problem.

''My tenth layer is not so naive as to fall to the extent that rats snoop around.

　What the tenth layer works itself will be revealed during the raids.

　The only other thing that Ellie and the others will be able to learn about is the personalities of the staff. Their personalities and tendencies. What you like and what you don't like, and so on. In short, it's private information.
　I'm not saying that it's useless, but it's not going to lose the battle.
　Everything else is a matter of access and can't be transferred in the first place. Other levels, for example.

"Huh. Okay. If there's a problem, then...

Yeah, I'll let Remegaton here take charge of the situation.

It's good enough for me. I'm not going to tell you what to do.

　Nicely, the Demon Lord lifted one side of his lips.

''Ha.''

　While we were talking about this, we arrived at the Demon King's office.
　This is the only place where there is a recording stone for transfer that leads to the dungeon core.
　Just before I entered the room, I felt my gaze and turned to the corner of the corridor.

　There was a demon in a swallow-tailed suit - 【Devil of Time】 Agares-san was there.
　........I'm sure he told me not to follow the Demon King-sama or something.
　She is looking at me with a very regretful look on her face.

''........Demon King-sama.

Ignore it.

But,

　The Demon King-sama sighed one sigh with a huff.

''....Totally. Agareth. I want to try that. That's the special pudding from Honey and Bear. We'll be done talking by the time you return.

　Honey and Bear' is the name of the coffee shop behind the Demon King's Castle, I believe. Some items such as puddings and cakes were available for takeout.
　Agares-san disappeared in an instant to fulfill the wishes of his beloved Demon King-sama.

''That was too much to worry about. Trying to take the place of my boss's guardian.......I'm in trouble.''

　Agares-san isn't a dangerous person, but rather she's probably worried about Demon King Lucy-san, who at a young age is working hard to run a dungeon with a different purpose than her father.
　The Demon King-sama also looks depressed with his mouth, but his expression is peaceful.

''Then, let's go.''

　Then we entered the Demon King's office, touched the recording stone set up in the small room behind the hidden door behind the bookcase, and transitioned.

''This is........''

　It is a vast space. The walls, floor and ceiling were constructed of something shiny and black.
　At the center of it all, the main figure sat proudly.

　An octahedron, emitting a faint glow. It was as clear as glass and large anyway.
　Huge enough to look up at, that was the Dungeon Core.

　If you look closely, you can see countless tube like things entwined in the core.

'This is the dungeon core.

　I take off my mask and stare at the core. I look up so much that my neck hurts and finally I can see the edges.

It's the first time you've seen it, isn't it?

Yes, it's amazing ... it's kind of overwhelming.

　It's not released, but you can see that it has magic inside it.
　A mysterious device that supports the dungeon. A super-technology that draws magic power from the world and enables it to create a magical space.

''Speaking of which, haven't you heard of it?''

"?　What, sir?

'Don't you want to make the Dungeon Core useful to the world?' That's what people often call it.

　Can't we use the magic power generated by the dungeon core for this and that which people consume in their lives?
　This is something that has been said for a long time and has not been realized until today (today).

Isn't it possible?

　There is no reason why smart people who have probably been around for a long time and have been around for a lot of time now wouldn't think of something that even the average person could think of.
　If it still hasn't happened, then you have to assume that there is a reason it didn't happen.

　There are too many dungeons to consider that there was strong opposition and it failed........
　If they can use it, that is.

　At my answer, the Demon King nodded with satisfaction.

''That's right. The magic power of the dungeon core can't be used for anything other than maintaining and developing the dungeon. To be precise, the magic power pumped up by the core will dissipate if you take it out of the dungeon.

　For example, there is a stone called a magic stone.
　It is a convenient stone for storing magic power, and you can't watch the image board (TV) and connect to the internet without it. Other products called demon motive power, such as refrigerators and vacuum cleaners, require a demon stone to operate.

　This has a property of absorbing and accumulating the magic power of the surroundings, but it's not as easy as leaving it in the living room to fill up on its own.
　They need to be left for a long period of time in areas where the magic power is dense.

　Releasing the magic power in the dungeon core and building up magic power in a large amount of magic stones was something everyone could think of, but even if they did that, the magic power inside would disappear when they went outside?
　That would be very hard to sell. If it's inside the dungeon, things will work with the supply from the core even without passing through the magic stone, so you don't need the magic stone.

　........Even if they were defeated, it was a function to keep the core's magic power from being taken away, I guess.
　The core was created when man and demonkind were enemies, so it's quite possible that this is the case.

　I wonder who created this thing.... No, it's only them.
　The same tribe that created the magic tool, a phantom race that is now extinct.

　Then, just like the magic tool, there will be no one who can create a new core. That's the reason why a core without a function that can't be taken outside has not appeared.
　But why would the Demon Lord want me at this time.......no way.

I'm sure you've figured it out. You are going to absorb the magic power of the core.

''........Wait. The 'amount' of magic power is certainly perfect. But the horns of a demon is not made to be able to absorb outside magic power. Isn't that right?

Yeah, I'm sure you're aware of that. But we've already talked about that, haven't we?　I couldn't learn it and neither could the man.

　My master was able to do it, but neither his son nor his grandson was able to do it. No, Lucy-san is still too young, so I don't know what will happen in the future, but at least it's not a skill that she can learn because she's a [Demon King].

　However, if my master was able to do it.
　It doesn't mean it's impossible. It might be close to impossible, but zero and one are still different.
　If the possibility is even a fraction, even as small as a grain of sand, then there is indeed a possibility.

''Fortunately, the raid battle will take place in the Demon King's Castle. We won't have to worry about losing our magic power out there. What do we do now?

　The answer is obvious.

I'll do it.

Good answer.

　Mm," the Demon King-sama nodded.

''So ... what do I do now?''

'First of all, let me explain. There are several beings that can take in outside magic. The core is one, and fairies and spirits are well known.

　It's true that I have thought about it if I could learn the abilities of fairies and spirits. I'm sure all wizards have thought about this at least once.

　Even if you yearn for a fish swimming in the ocean, a human (normal) cannot learn gill breathing.
　It's not a skill, but a difference in natural functions, so it's impossible to recreate it.

Demons have the ability to convert food into regeneration and physical strength. Demons can accumulate magic power in their horns and purify and densify it. The absorption and conversion of energy itself is not an uncommon ability.

Yes.....

It is said that only demons are capable of acquiring the abilities of fairies and spirits.

Is it because the horns are capable of capturing magic?

　I am no longer a pure human (normal) after inheriting the Demon King's Horn.
　That's why I have a chance...?

Lefty. But that's a lot easier said than done.

　You're right. There would be many more, if it were that easy. Three people in the world is too few. How difficult the path is.

　This way, pouring magic power into a horn is like throwing a vat into a well and putting the water you've drawn into another vessel. Nothing difficult. It's only fatiguing depending on the amount and frequency.

　But what happens when it comes to magic power outside the body?
　If I were to liken it to........that.
　It's like grabbing the fog with your hand and trying to fill a vessel with water.

　Still, you have to do it.

I'm sorry, but I can't give you any guidance. I'm not here to replace you, but I'm giving you the authority to move into this room.

　She is not a master herself.
　Just lending me the perfect place to practice was more than enough.

''Thank you.''

　I'm going to get closer to the core.

　It's like training a master.
　I train until I get it right.
　Through trial and error, I find my way to the right path.

　We are told to be different, to be something else. The harder you go, the harder you go.
　But if it's necessary to win, I'll learn it.
　I've told many people that they can do it. I'm not going to lie about that.

　And I reached for the core.