Now, if you'll excuse me.

　When Mr. Fellows came into the living room, he encountered Mira.

''Reme-san, I believe this person is........''

'This is Mr. Ferro, the host of the tag team tournament I was in before. This is Mila, my ... friend.

　Since I can't divulge the information that Mila-san is the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King's Castle from me, it's a vague introduction.

''Oh, you are Carmilla-dono? It seems that my daughter has been a great help to you, thank you.

　Me and Mila are surprised.
　He looked at us and smiled.

'I do know about my daughter's workplace,' he said. I'm a parent, after all.

　It's no wonder, if you think about it, that she can still get information about the Demon King's Castle.
　The demons in the Demon King's Castle respect the current Demon King-sama, but not all of them were found by her.
　For example, the giant shark sub-beast, [Sea Monster] Forneus-san, for example, belongs to her master's generation.

　Naturally, there is something called Fero-san's time as a Demon King, and some of them will feel indebted to him.
　Even if they can't cooperate with the goal of eliminating dungeon capture, it's not surprising that they can at least.......talk to him.

　Of course, it's also possible that there is no inside informant or anything like that, and that Mr. Ferro obtained the information through his own connections.
　If you say he's a dungeon demon, he's an employee of the company. It's a matter of record. It's not something that can be easily exposed, but the one who can be exposed even if it's difficult is a witch named Mr. Fellow.

''Didn't.......didn't the Demon Lord forbid you to enter the facilities related to the Demon King's Castle?''

　Mira gave him a stern look.

''Haha ... that's right. I contacted my daughter about talking to the staff, but she ignored me, and when I went to the Demon King's Castle to talk to her directly, my registration card was invalidated and no one would intercede for me.''

'Isn't it obvious that not only have they abandoned dungeons, but they're trying to get rid of dungeon exploitation?

This is a tough one. But since this is not the time for discussion, let's continue. With the sadness of not being able to see my daughter, I had a lot of thoughts. That's how I found a dormitory that could be used by humans (normal) and finally explored Reme-dono's magical reactions in this building.

　.........hmmm?

　Even though it's called a magical reaction, it's not something that can identify an individual so easily.
　There was a time when Fenix identified my lodge before, but that was a story that still made sense to me since we were childhood friends for ten years. No, it's still not normal enough.

　Or.........can he sense the magic power of my horns?
　If that's the case, it's your father's magic. There's no way you can be wrong.
　The ability to sense magic power varies greatly from person to person, but the mage must have been generally excellent.

''Nah........even I still have difficulty recognizing Reme-san's magic power......!

　Mira said somewhat regretfully.
　You could say that distinguishing between large and small and identifying an individual are two different technologies. It's as different as sight and smell. Maybe.

　And since I have a suppressed magical response, it would be more difficult to distinguish between them.
　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

''Um ... we have to start preparing for our trip, so let's get down to business.''

　I asked her to sit in a chair in the living room and I sat down face to face with her.
　Mila seemed reluctant, but she said she'd prepare some tea and headed to the kitchen.

'First of all, Reme, how much do you know about the original dungeon?'

It's a dungeon that can be created when natural magic power reservoirs and fickle spirits are present, and its structure is not stable, and since it doesn't have a core, it naturally disappears after a certain amount of time. Likewise, since it has no core, the internal magic power and the items that are generated can be taken out, and sometimes the spirits will give special benefits to those who stepped in.

'That's a great answer. There are examples of demons appearing, but these are not living creatures but imposters created by spirits, magical bodies (avatars) that don't have a main body, so to speak.

Yes, sir.

　It's a simple explanation, and I'm sure Mr. Ferro knows it, but in reality, it's the opposite.
　It is said that the magic body (avatar) technology began as an imitation of a spirit's technique of using magic power to imitate living things.

The original dungeons, by their very nature, are not targets for attack by a party of heroes today. To be precise, they are not a pastime for humanity.

　There are many reasons for this, but first of all, it's not safe. The structure of the dungeons is not stable, and you don't know when they will disappear. In the case of an underground labyrinth, the worst thing that could happen is that the dungeon could disappear and you'd be in the ground... There are no cameras or microphones, and there is no "cocoon", a device that transfers the spirit to the magical body (avatar).
　Therefore, it's not a challenge for the heroic party, but an organization that can ensure safety will conduct the investigation.

''It's done by the state, right? My parents texted me that people came and sealed off the area.

　So I want to head over as soon as possible to reassure my parents, and I want to finish my preparations.

''To be precise, there is no organization in this country to capture the original dungeon. So there are too few examples of outbreaks to put a professional organization in place. Most of them are outsourced to organizations affiliated with the union. This is because adventurers can use it. There are times when the Order works, but it's extremely rare.

Well I don't know if you're wondering...

Yes, what is it?

　Mr. Fellows laughs.

'Is that affiliated organization ... or is it Mr. Fellows'?

You're a good man, Leme. You're a quick thinker.

'No I thought it wouldn't be so difficult after everything that's happened so far.

"A dull man does not notice,

...So not dull, then.

He's a humble man.

　At that moment, a mushy-looking Mila-san brought me a cup of tea.
　Fellow-san smiles.

''Thank you.''

No.

"Huh.... I didn't know you were not only beautiful, but could even make a good cup of tea. Reme-dono has been blessed with a wonderful partner.

Well, now that you mention it like that...

　Mila, I'm grinning a bit.
　She sat down beside me, trying to mend her grumpiness.

'I heard your story. Please continue.

'As you've noticed, the state has commissioned a joint investigation with another Chamber of Commerce. As you may have noticed, the government has commissioned a joint investigation with another trade association, thanks to my father. As you may know, Lord Leme, he has a residence near that village.

　.........Oh, so Mr. Ferro had found his mentor.
　Maybe it wasn't so difficult when he realized the connection between me and my mentor.

''Master contacted you?''

'Yes. That's partly why we were able to appeal to the country so quickly. And you haven't heard anything from Lord Leme?

　Mmm. There was no communication from me. Or rather, I contacted them, but they didn't respond.

"Yeah, I haven't heard anything.

He didn't want to disturb you. The last time I visited you, you had a lot of letters from Lord Leme on your desk. Open, of course.

　Have you read it?

'And I've been watching the tournament.

　
　It was a simple thing, and that made me happy.

''I see. What did you hear from Master?

'A dungeon has arisen, clean it up'. Incidentally, all previous communications were ignored.

　Truly, it's very much like a master. It's so typical of him that I don't mind adding another word, "Truly.

If that's the case, then Master won't be there anymore.　

　If it was an exploration of the original dungeon, it would be on a good scale, and some of them would include talented people.
　With an existence as big as a master's, there might be some who would sense it even if they were hiding their magical reactions.

''Yes, he doesn't seem to be in that vicinity anymore. The house had also disappeared, and not only that, the land had become part of the forest.''

　It's not just that they didn't just tear down the house, but that they grew trees around it and erased any trace of it as if it had never happened in the first place. Master can do that much. He's so versatile that it's hard to know if there's an attribute he can't use.

''Um, I believe that your purpose is to let Reme-san help you with your investigation, is that not the case?''

　Miss Mila said impatiently.

'That's right, Miss Mila. But if so, why?　Let the question come to mind. Isn't there a team of investigators out there?

Can you explain that to me?

　Mira's tone was stinging.

'Apparently they don't like me. My daughter is loved by her men.'

''Of course. He's the greatest demon king.

I wish the world were as good as you think it is.

　Mr. Ferro wants to destroy the current value that demons are evil.
　As a quick fix, he wants to eliminate dungeon conquest.

　With the end of war, the era of humanity and those who were once called demons have come to live together in harmony.
　However, because of the entertainment and dungeon crawling based on the events of the war, the image of demons as evildoers has been left behind, even if it is a fiction.

　Also, the country has not relaxed its vigilance about sub-human strongmen even now.
　Ferro seemed to think that this was the reason why his master had disappeared from the public stage.
　He wanted to finish the dungeon attack right away because he surely wants the best Demon King.......Master to return.

''..............................I'm off topic. There were multiple reasons for inviting Reme-dono to join us. One, of course, is that he would want to solve the problems back home. One because ... it's a chance to show my country how useful I can be.

Okay..... yeah.

　I work at the Demon King's Castle as Remegeton, but I can't hide my identity from the country. As for the use of horns by the human Reme, there is a possibility of half or ancestral reversion, but when it comes to defeating Aerial-san following Fenix, that deception will not be understood.

　It's because pure blood, and that's because if you're not at the [Demon King] level, you're not an opponent that can win in a head-on collision.
　The fact that he had produced battle results that greatly exceeded the amount of magic power that a twenty-year-old hornbearer could prepare would also be a point of concern.
　Some of them must have realized that they could use their core magic power just like their master.　

''I'm not even trusted yet, so if you're the World's fourth-ranked Demon King's Army Chief of Staff, you'll be noticed.

Mr. Leme is not a dangerous man.

'I agree. But the reality is that not everyone feels the same way.

.....

　'Gili,' said Mira, gnashing her teeth.

'Would it change your mind if you brought back the achievements from the original dungeon?

Achievements are important. It makes a huge difference.

　I can agree with you about that.

'Mr. Fellows and I have different goals, don't we?　And yet it's okay for you to act like you're helping me?

'That's a nasty question. I'm sure you know that, Lord Leme. I'm on the side of all those who fight seriously. In the process of the dungeon conquest disappearing, I intend to provide new work opportunities for both adventurers and demons. At that time, though, they will all be equally called 'players'.

　Even if my end goal is different from mine, that's no reason not to help.
　The people in the "Elementary and Beginning Dungeon" must have been planning to reach out to me after they got ownership of the dungeon. They wanted the dungeon to survive, though, and they succeeded in doing so, so they didn't.

'But it's important to be skeptical. In fact, I didn't bring the story to you with only good intentions.

What do you mean?

I can't have you disappear for a trivial reason. This is for my sake and my father's.

...Did you talk to Master about anything else?

　Mr. Fellows smiled smugly.

'It's a secret. It's a father-son story.'

　I mean, it would be nice to say that I did.
　If it's good for Mr. Fellows, then maybe--

'Did you promise that if you helped me, Master would do something?

Too sharp is not the idea. But rest assured. Let us swear that we are not making any kind of deal between father and son.

　No deal, but my guess is sharp...?
　If that's the case-- No, let's not do that now.

Is there yet another reason for you to talk to me?

''One of the reasons is that the current members of the team have been stagnating in the investigation, so they wanted to bring in a new wind and called on the excellent [Black Mage], Leme-dono. The other is that the person from the 'Other Chamber of Commerce' that was mentioned earlier recommended Reme-dono.

Recommendation?　Do I know you?

　The fact that he recommended [Black Mage] Leme means that he was either interested in watching the tag team tournament, or he knew her originally. But did he have any acquaintances in the big business association that was commissioned by the state to investigate dungeons?

I'll have to wait and see. Oh, I'm saving the carriage for tomorrow. If you like, I can drive you back to the village with him.

　To be honest, it helps not to have to make travel arrangements. It takes a lot of work just to make arrangements to get to my distant hometown.

''........Isn't there any danger?''

　At the sound of Mila's voice, Ferro nodded.

''We have prepared a 'cocoon', so you can challenge it with your magic body (avatar). The damage is guaranteed by us, of course, and you'll also receive a reward.

'No, it's a case of a spirit in the deepest part of the world.

'It's a pattern that if you get through the genie's ordeal, you'll get benefits. Spirits don't force humans to sign a contract. The choice of whether or not to challenge the ordeal is always on the human side. Even if Reme-dono reaches the deepest point, there will be no danger if he doesn't challenge it.

　In this case, there are some nasty penalties for failing the final trial.
　You'll have to go to the deepest part to find out about that.

''If Reme-san is going, I'll go too,''

''That's reassuring. If I can borrow the help of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King's Army, it will be a great help.

...and I'll tell my sorcerer that you're here.

Haha, there's no need for that. See--

"How dare you mess with my men--!

　The window glass shattered and something flew into the room.
　It was the Demon King.

'It's good to see your face after so long, Lou. Well, Dad had also found Roo coming to support Reme-dono and Fulkas-dono, so it hasn't been a long time since I've seen his face. Haha.

　The Demon Lord certainly came to support me in the tag team tournament.

''I'm not interested!　I told you the dorms are off-limits too!

'Then let's make a family rule against ignoring my dad's texts.

Yeah, shut up!　Don't mess with my pretty little men!

'Haha, you're worried Dad's going to pull you out again?　That's not going to happen with these two.

　When Mr. Fellows retired from the Demon King, the demons were pulled out of the game by the demons.
　Because of that, the floor bosses of the tenth level and so on were even left empty.

''There's no way I'm worried about that!　Carmilla and Remegaton are under my command!　I will not help your cause!

'I just want to carry on his will, just as Lou carried on the work of his predecessors by continuing to be the Demon King. I just want to create a world where everyone is free to compete at their best and is welcome to do so.

Lie!　If that's all there is to it, there's got to be another way.　It's obvious that you're just a twisted-up motherf*cker in a hurry!

　Well, the Demon King is probably right.
　He's in a hurry to change the status quo, to remove the cause of his master's disappearance and get him back in the industry.

''Roo should be that fond of Dad too, right?

"...phew.

　The Demon King laughed and readied his fist.

''Wait, Demon King-sama...!

　I jump out of the way in a hurry.

"Don't stop, Leme. Don't worry, I'll pay for everything later.

　I don't think that's the point.
　Mira and I continued to talk to her, trying to get her to calm down, and after spending quite a bit of time with her, we succeeded in doing so.

　However, Mr. Ferro, negotiating is not your forte, so why can't you show it against your daughter?
　No, is it because you're dealing with my daughter...?

　Mr. Fellow is just happy to be able to talk to his daughter and he is smiling.
　It's a communication that I can't recommend too much........
　When the Demon King-sama understood the situation, he looked very, very uncomfortable, but he agreed.

''If something happens to the two of you........''

What if it is?　Don't tell me you're going to kill me or anything scary.

I'm going to snap your horns.

　The Demon King-sama had a straight face.

''........I think it's too early for Lou.

"Fold.

"A-ha-ha--

"Fold.

　The smile disappeared from Mr. Fellows, as expected.

''Keep in mind, Demon King Lucifer.

　After that, the demon king gave me some conditions, and he allowed me to return home and accompany Mira-san.