As I was cooking, Ketty came back, a little flustered.

'What's up?'
'The hole is starting to get bigger and bigger, Nya. It's going to be bad if we don't get Mr. Dolan or Mr. Grand to reinforce it.
Is anyone hurt?
He's not here.
　Even at night, this town is reasonably bright with a pseudo-moon and pseudo-stars.
　It seems that it's dusk now, and if the hole continues to spread at night, there's a danger of monsters flooding the area all at once, so it was just a precaution.
Then we have to secure the magic stone, so I'll go too.

I hope you don't fall off this time.
I'll do my best.
　Ketty spoke to him afterwards, and Doran decided to go, and we came to the central square.

'It sure is getting big. Dolan, is the Dwarven Kingdom close to here?　
About an hour.
Do you think this hole is connected to the Dwarven kingdom?
How so?
"...if that's the case, why don't you have this place rebuilt as a staircase so we can attack it from here? That way, we can disperse the demons heading towards the dwarven kingdom and the demons coming towards us.
I see. But I don't have a clear picture of what's underneath.
　Well, that's usually the case.
　Apologizing for saying what came to mind, I told him that I was going to try to light it up once.

'Ketty, take care of the demon,' I'll shine the light on them so they don't fall out, and if there are too many of them, Dolan can bury them completely once.
Okay.
I can't let this Rockford demon get away with it. I approached the hole with my light and my holy dragon spear and shone the light.

　The demons that emerged from the hole suddenly became active, and rightfully so, as a swarm rushed in, I thrust out my spear and Ketty jumped up and down and started attacking to prevent the ants from getting out of the hole.
'Dolan!'
　The den shrank as Dolan touched the ground, but stopped just before it was completely closed.
'Dolan, it's better not to close it completely. It's better to know where it's coming from so there's no confusion.
　He felt like he couldn't get through this time without thinking about why the ant demons were so active.
　This was because I hadn't heard of any invasion by the demons since Lord Leinster had built this town.

　The earthquake alone couldn't explain it.
　I didn't have that feeling.


''If this is the case, you should have brought Paula with you and asked her to fix the ground.
You want me to go get him?
Ketty is with me, killing ants. And Dolan won't be allowed to move in case he gets caught.
Hmm, who's going to send for that?
''Well it's going to stay that way until Kefin comes back, isn't it? Even the researchers in this town don't just watch with their fingers in their mouths, do they?
Yes. But I can't find someone to lead them.
Dolan, you don't look so good, do you? Could it be that there is a difference between digging up dirt and plugging a hole?
If you hadn't stopped me earlier, I would have been depleted of magic.
You might want to let me know that first.

'Ketty, where's Lionel?'
I think I can do it, but I'm not going to.
Huh. So you'll give me some advice when I do it?
Of course.
That is, if it's going to be a defensive battle. For that matter, do demons eat demon corpses?
I'm not sure. But there's a chance.
I've heard of demons fighting for territory, too.
'We'll just have to beat the demons so they don't drop down. It won't be funny if it eats a corpse and levels up.
　As I recall, the ants were omnivores, so it's not good to be a quicksilver since they could conceivably eat anything.
　We decided to focus on defeating them until Kefin came back.

　There were at most three of them coming out of the den at the same time, so we didn't have that much trouble defeating the first one, but when we shined the light on it, the ants were gathered together in the den as a bunch of ants stuck to the hole.
　I tried to purify them with cleansing magic once, but it didn't work, so can I continue to cut them off? Or should I just bury it? I was lost about it.
　Just as I was lost, a visitor appeared.

''Luciel-sama, I'm sorry to keep you waiting.
　Kefin had returned with two dwarves.

'Back, so?'
'Ha! These are Glaios and Aresley, the dwarf king's aides. They insisted on taking them with us, and I couldn't refuse, but it seems that the two of them will tell you their business.
Okay. Kefin, take over. Ketty, hold your ground a little longer. Dolan will sit with me.
"Ha.

　The two dwarves' faces changed at that moment.
　I don't know if it was because I was in charge, or because I called Dolan out, or because Dolan obeyed me so quietly.
　Well, their reactions didn't matter to me now.


"I'm Luciel, the S-healer of the Church of St. Cyril. So, let's get right to the King of the Dwarven Kingdom's response.
...right here?
Sinner Do, "Say more than that, and you won't be willing to do justice to the dwarven kingdom or anything else, will you?
Lady Luciel.
'He has hired me to be his squire and head of his development laboratory, dedicated to my cause. It seems to me that you might want to keep that in mind before you speak, don't you?
　They looked at each other in amazement, whispered to each other, and then opened their mouths again.

'I beg your pardon. My name is Gryos. The dwarf king asked us to help with the casualties, but to see if we can afford the healer's fee for our dwarves.
"...Kefin, what was the dwarven kingdom like?
You're getting tired, sir. Not everything can be done in combat, and I think we have a few days at best.
'What? You're making a mockery of us dwarves!
''Well I honestly don't care, so please don't interrupt me. He is also a slave, but he is my follower. He's a very good person who can pass on information accurately. What I want to hear now is not an emotional argument.
　I busted off the man who called me alaios and cut off his statement.

'Anything else you think we might be missing, including food?
''Food seemed to be fine, but the armor was wearing out fast, and the rest still seemed to be necessary in regards to healing the injured. We also had to face numerous demons on our way to the Dwarven Kingdom.
"Huh. Kefin, go get everyone. Ask Mr. Grand and Mr. Toretto to go as well.
Ha!

　The two dwarves were surprised when the kefin disappeared.
　I'm sure I would be surprised as well, because it looks like a transition when people disappear.
　As I look at the two dwarves, I ask them.
As you can see, Rockford has also been attacked by demons due to today's earthquake. What we want now is information about the underground. For example, the ant demons are attacking us, but I wonder if there are any other demons, and what else is the master of the ants? Or is there more than one? Let me know what information you know. By the way, here's the fee schedule for a healer.
　I give him the guidelines and he continues to kill ants with Ketty.

'Are we going to help you, Nya?'
I don't know. I guess it depends on how we move. If there are a lot of people like Arrios, I'm not carrying Yenis on my back anymore, so I won't go all the way to the dangerous dwarven kingdom.
I wish I could have been as open-minded as I was with Janice.
'There were too many to carry in Yenis. It would have been a lot of work for Ketty and the others alone, though.
　I smack the ants with a bitter smile.

'Terrible nya. Aside from Doran and Paula, we'll just be quiet...
You didn't do it.
'Well, it's what they were up against, so Lionel and Ketty can't help but be part of it.
　I didn't look at the Dwarf King's entourage as I talked to them.

　I wanted to give them the pricing plan and see what they thought, and how their attitudes would change when Mr. Grand came to this place?
　I don't know what Dolan and Ms. Grand wrote in their letter.
　But I was determined to believe them, and.

　While we were defeating the demons, they did not approach us or speak to us.

　Then Grand-san and the others came in, but Grand-san ignored them and came towards us and bowed.
'I'm really sorry. But it's still home. I want you to help him.'
'Well, I was prepared for it. Now I was thinking of organizing to go here and to the Dwarven Kingdom.
　Doran, Paula, and Lythian, you're going to guard this place to the death. Just protect it, and don't ever head for the hole.
　I need everyone to work together to defend this town to the death.
　I don't mind using all the magic stones from the corpses of the demons lying around here.　
"Ha.
'I know this is an awkward time to be here, but I'm going to need Mr. Toretto's support.
　You're the only one who can run this place.
Fo--! That hot look in your eyes is copious. For once, I'll do my best for my two disciples.
　He went through Toretto-san's wink with a flourish and continued his instructions.

'Lionel will be defended by the large shield while Lionel will fight with his short spear.
　Keti and Kefin will be in charge of raiding and I will be in charge of recovery and support.
　And Mr. Grand will come with us.
　Mr. Grand will handle all negotiations with the Dwarf King.
Are you sure it's me?
'Yes. The only dwarves I trust in this world are currently Mr. Dolan, Paula, and Mr. Grand. And Mr. Grand are the only three dwarves I trust in this world.
"...Okay. Huh. A lot has changed over the years.
Maybe it's the fact that I've got such good friends on my side that makes me seem different.
　I laughed back at Grand-san's wry smile, but I was determined to do one thing.
　That in the worst case scenario, I would survive even if the Dwarven Kingdom collapsed.