Word reached me that there was a dungeon somewhere to the north of the forest. The High Elves were already all abuzz about it. I wondered if they were planning to dive in.
"What’s the actual benefit of going into a dungeon?" I asked.
"One can harvest pelts, meat, and bones from the monsters living inside," Ria replied.
"Is there no treasure or anything like that?"
"If the monsters residing there have a habit of hoarding gold and silver, perhaps... but that is quite rare."
"I see."
"While there are no grand benefits to entering a dungeon, there is a purpose. If a dungeon is left unmanaged, the monsters inside will eventually spill out and go on a rampage. One must thin them out periodically."
Come to think of it, I had heard something like that before. However, if there was a race managing the place—like the Southern Dungeon—the frequency of monsters venturing outside would supposedly decrease.
"Even in a managed dungeon, monsters might still emerge depending on the quality of the manager. Therefore, there is value in entering to investigate."
If the managing tribe was bellicose or ambitious, there was a high possibility they would send monsters out frequently. Either way, it seemed we couldn't just ignore it.
When I gave my half-hearted permission, the excitement of the Lizardmen and the High Ogre Race rose right along with the High Elves. Watching them from the side, Kuro's offspring were already holding a selection match to see who got to go. They were clearly intent on joining the expedition. Or perhaps they were planning to sneak ahead? If it was going to take over a year like last time, I really wanted them to come back periodically rather than overextending themselves.
The newly arrived daughters of the Demon Race seemed quite bewildered at first, but now they were working diligently at their various tasks. Their arrival made me stop and reconsider the race known as the Demon Race.
From what I could gather, there were two types of people referred to by that name.
The first were those who looked somewhat human but weren't. In this context, the word was used as a catch-all for demi-humans. Among the people I knew, the Vampires, the Angel Race, High Elves, the High Ogre Race, Lizardmen, the Beastman Race, Elder Dwarves, and the Lamias fell into this category. I could understand the label for Vampires, High Ogres, Lizardmen, and Lamias, but calling Angels, High Elves, Beastmen, or Elder Dwarves part of the "Demon Race" felt strange to me. If they just meant demi-humans, they should have just said demi-humans.
The second type consisted of those who looked almost exactly like humans but possessed magic power far beyond human limits. Frau and the newly arrived girls fell into this category. Since the only difference was their vast reserves of mana, I’d assumed they were just like mages, but that wasn't quite right.
Apparently, when a person possessed an immense amount of magic power, that mana could cause physical changes to their body. For instance, their skin might become as hard as rock, their limbs might become telescopic, they might gain telescopic vision, or their hearing might become preternaturally sharp.
Listening to the explanation, I was reminded of those "human marvels" segments on TV back in my previous world, and I quickly apologized in my head for such a rude comparison. In short, they seemed to be slightly unusual humans, but since the origin of the species was unknown, there was even the possibility that the Human Race was just a degraded version of the Demon Race.
I see. Frau and the girls who came to the village also had high magic power, yet I couldn't perceive any physical difference between them and the Human Race. I was told that physical mutations only occur when a person cannot fully control the magic power they possess. If they learn to handle it properly, those changes diminish or vanish entirely.
In that sense, the girls who came to this village were likely elites. In fact, they definitely were; most of them were daughters of high-ranking officials in the Demon Kingdom. It wasn't that they were elite because of their birth, but rather that one couldn't become a high-ranking official without being elite, so they were raised under strict training.
I wondered if it was really alright for such high-born ladies to be here.
"If they want to go home, should I make arrangements for their return?" I asked Frau, but it seemed no such requests had surfaced yet. Currently, they were staying at the Inn while their own houses were under construction. Since they were high-born, I worried they might struggle with village life, but I hoped they would stick it out.
"The food is so delicious..."
"Ahhh... the bath is heaven."
"There’s no cutthroat court infighting here. I can actually relax for once."
Yuri was currently being shown around the village by Frau.
"Do you understand now what you were trying to do?" Frau asked.
"Yes," Yuri replied. "To think I planned to lead an army here... I was in a precarious... no, I was on the verge of death, wasn't I?"
"If you had gathered soldiers, there would have been no room for excuses. Please act with more caution in the future."
"I understand. However, I was always taught that it is advantageous to mobilize troops quickly. Was that a mistake?"
"The principle itself isn't a mistake. The error was showing hostility toward an opponent you cannot possibly defeat."
"So merely gathering soldiers constitutes hostility?"
"If you ready a weapon in front of a dragon, you can't complain when you're incinerated by its breath. This is the village where that dragon lives, after all."
"I truly never imagined there would be a real dragon here. I was certain it was some sort of elaborate deception."
"I likely would have thought the same before I came to this village, so I won't blame you for that... but I believe the Demon King warned you not to involve yourself with this forest?"
"I know I was wrong to ignore my father's warning. But Fraurem, you are also to blame. Disappearing so suddenly like that..."
"I apologize for the worry I caused."
"I’ve accepted your reasons, so there's no need for apologies. More importantly, is this really alright?"
"Yes. Please, throw it without hesitation."
Prompted by Frau, Yuri threw the ball she was holding. Several of Kuro's offspring immediately chased after it. The winner who secured the ball trotted back to Yuri, looking up at her with a face that practically demanded praise.
"Y-You brought it back well. Magnificent."
Yuri managed to offer praise, but she couldn't quite bring herself to pet its head yet. Frau reached out instead, stroking the head of the wolf that had fetched the ball.
"They are Inferno Wolves—creatures that would cause a national disaster if even one entered a city—but they're quite charming once you get to know them."
"I suppose you're right, but it's still quite difficult for me."
"I understand. It took me a long time before I could pet them, too."
"Was there a particular turning point?"
"Let's see... I suppose it was the bond of competition after they crushed me at chess."
"Chess? That board game from the Inn? Are you saying an Inferno Wolf can play it?"
"The village's Chess Champion is Kuroyon... that Inferno Wolf lying down over by the tree. He’s incredibly strong. Even I have never managed to beat him."
"...I am constantly being surprised."
"As are we all. Now then, it's almost time for lunch. Shall we head back?"
"Yes. The food here is wonderful; I look forward to it every time."
"I'm glad you enjoy it... but if you get too used to it, you'll never be able to go home."
"...Must I go home?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Is there no way I could take the chef back with me? I am a Royal Princess, you know."
"I believe you’ve realized by now that this is a village where that logic carries no weight."
"Uugh..."
"Frau, do you have a moment?" Ria asked.
"Ria? What is it?"
"Why is she called a Royal Princess even though she’s the Demon King’s daughter? Why isn't she just a Princess?"
"Because the position of Demon King is appointed rather than hereditary. If she were called a Princess, it would cause all sorts of political headaches when a new Demon King is chosen, so it's customary to call them Royal Princesses instead."
"Huh. What about a Prince, then?"
"They're just called Princes. However, once a new Demon King is appointed, they lose the title."
"I see."
"Well, even though it's an appointed system, the candidate is almost always chosen from the current Demon King’s clan, so it functions nearly the same as a hereditary system anyway."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I’ve heard it’s because the Demon King’s clan is naturally superior in ability, but..."
"Or are they just dumping the troublesome work on the one clan willing to handle it?"
"I’m not sure if having so few ambitious people is a blessing or a curse... By the way, how long have you known Yuri was the Royal Princess?"
"Pretty much from the start. She wasn't exactly doing a good job of hiding it."
"Ugh... and the Village Head?"
"I don’t think he’s noticed at all."
"Please keep it a secret from him."
"We’re fine, but if you really want to keep it hidden, you should probably warn the girl herself. She brags about her father every chance she gets."
"I-I'll have a word with her."