Labyrinth: Chapter 53/54

Chapter 53: You, Dwarf King Gazel, Can't Even Face It?

"The Dwarf King, Gazel Dwargo!"

A cool, commanding voice rang out, instantly silencing the entire plaza.

Three new presences suddenly appeared, and the voice came from one of them.

"Dryads?!"

The court mage cried out in shock.

Chishiya turned his head and saw that it was Treyni. Her sisters stood beside her.

Treyni smiled at Chishiya, then turned a sharp gaze toward the Dwarf King and his group.

"You've shown great disrespect to the leader of our forest, Dwarf King."

"You barged into our territory with swords drawn. Are you prepared to become enemies of the forest's residents?!"

Now the dwarves were truly rattled.

Even the dryads—

The guardians of the Jura Forest—had shown up!

What kind of terrifying town is this place?!

"The highest-tier beings of the forest… even the dryads are here…"

"Our intel was totally insufficient…"

The dwarves began whispering among themselves.

The Dwarf King lowered his gaze and looked toward Rimuru.

"The leader of the Jura Forest…"

Eh? Why are you looking at me?! Rimuru panicked.

"W-Wait, I've been trying to say this from the start…"

"You're misunderstanding something…"

"I'm not the person you're looking for, am I?"

Gazel: "Misunderstanding?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Rimuru. Isn't this your territory?"

"Who else but you could command so many monsters?"

Upon hearing this, Benimaru and the others glared coldly at the Dwarf King.

"HUH?!"

Rimuru broke into a cold sweat.

This is so embarrassing!

Saying something like that right in front of my boss…

Chishiya might not care, but to monsters, territorial hierarchy is serious business!

This is basically public treason!

Rimuru waved his hands in a panic. "Y-You're wrong! You've got it all wrong!"

"This isn't my territory!"

"I'm currently living under someone else's roof!"

The Dwarf King froze. "What?!"

That slime… is renting from someone else?!

Could I have completely misjudged the situation?

What is even happening…

"Oi, oi, Dwarf King," came a voice dripping with menace.

Shion cracked her knuckles and stepped forward, a dangerous aura leaking out.

"That's right. We will not forgive anyone who disrespects Chishiya-sama!"

Shuna's aura flared up too, her voice cold and sharp.

"Chishiya…?"

Gazel blinked.

Who the heck is that?

Then a terrible thought hit him.

He slowly turned toward the black-haired boy standing beside Milim.

Don't tell me…

At that moment—

Treyni's voice echoed again.

"That's right, Dwarf King!"

"This is the true leader of the Jura Forest."

"Chishiya-sama."

As she spoke,

Everyone's eyes turned to Chishiya.

Chishiya casually patted Milim's head, then straightened up and smiled politely.

"Nice to meet you, Dwarf King Gazel Dwargo."

"I might be the one you've been looking for."

"I'm the owner of this monster town. Chishiya Shuntaro."

"As you can see, I'm human."

The air went dead quiet.

Then—

"NANI—?!!!"

The one pulling the strings behind the Orc Lord's defeat…

The one commanding an army of 100,000 orcs…

Was actually a human boy who looked under twenty?!

The Pegasus Knights felt like they were on an emotional roller coaster.

They thought nothing else could shock them today.

And then this happened.

A slime controlling 100,000 monsters was already absurd enough.

But reality went and made it worse!

The Dwarf King stood frozen, unsure what kind of face to make.

Goosebumps ran down his arms.

How… how is this possible?!

"The terrifying figure our scouts kept speculating about… was just a human kid?!"

"This is insane… Who could possibly believe this?"

"A human child… giving names to 100,000 monsters?!"

"Commanding multiple high-ranking demons… and friendly with Demon Lord Milim?!"

If all of that is true…

There's only one possibility.

The Dwarf King lowered his eyes and looked at Chishiya.

His strength… is probably on par with a Demon Lord…

Across from him,

Chishiya just smiled.

"Dwarf King, Gazel-san, since you've come all this way, let's sit and talk."

——————————

That evening.

The town square glowed with warm lights.

Over a dozen tables had been set around the central fountain.

A banquet was in full swing.

The long center table was filled with delicious food.

Laughter and toasts echoed through the square.

"Ah~, so good!"

Knight Commander Dorf gulped down a sparkling wine and smacked his lips, his expression blissful.

He slammed the glass on the table and looked around like a man reborn.

"Chishiya-sama, where did you get this wine?!"

"This is amazing! I haven't tasted anything this good in years!"

It was high-end sparkling wine from the Konosuba world.

Even Aqua got drunk off it, so of course the dwarves were loving it.

Chishiya gave a casual smile. "If Commander Dorf likes it, feel free to take some back with you."

"Consider it a parting gift."

"Hahaha! Much appreciated!"

Dorf stood up with a hearty laugh and went to toast his fellow knights.

Meanwhile, beside Chishiya—

Gazel lifted a glass.

"I never imagined you were the benefactor of Master Hakurou."

"Please, allow me to offer a toast."

Hakurou stroked his beard with a chuckle. "Well, I was surprised too."

"It's been, what, 300 years since we last met?"

"I never thought the kid from back then would grow into the Hero King."

Gazel nodded slowly. "I didn't expect to see you here again either."

Hakurou's smile faded slightly.

"Though it's been a long time…"

"I won't easily forgive how you treated my benefactor just now."

Gazel turned toward Chishiya and bowed deeply.

"Chishiya, as Gazel Dwargo, I offer you my sincere apology."

Chishiya waved his hand with a light smile.

"Dwarf King, no need to stand on ceremony."

Gazel shook his head.

"No!"

He straightened up.

"Chishiya… if you'll allow it, call me Gazel in private."

"This is the least I can do to express my thanks!"

They'd originally gathered to assess the nature of the monster forces that had defeated the Orc Lord.

Were they friend or foe?

But then Treyni had arrived. Then Hakurou. And then the misunderstanding cleared itself up.

At that point, there was no need to continue.

Instead of negotiations, it turned into a dinner party.

The Monster Federation's food, hospitality, and environment won them over instantly.

And it turned out—

These monsters were nothing like the rumors.

Especially after interacting with Chishiya—

Everyone instinctively trusted him.

…Well, Chishiya had been perfectly polite from start to finish.

But of course… he had his own thoughts.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 54: Establishing Diplomatic Relations with the Armed Kingdom

While the banquet was in full swing, the Dwarf King suddenly turned to Chishiya with a serious expression.

"Chishiya, I have something to ask you."

Here it comes... Chishiya smiled.

"Go ahead."

The Dwarf King spoke with full formality. "Would you be willing to form an alliance with me?"

He had arrived with his sword drawn and attitude cold, and yet the other side had shown only hospitality.

That alone made him feel guilty.

Plus, with the dryads and his old mentor present, it was clear this wasn't some evil organization.

The Dwarf King continued.

"This isn't a personal request. I speak as the king of my country."

"If you take control of this forest, your financial power will soon surpass ours."

"And your town is beautifully built, with advanced and rational construction methods—especially the passageways through the forest."

"It's not finished yet, but it will no doubt become a major trading hub someday."

"It's a rare opportunity. When that day comes, it'll be beneficial to have a kingdom as your ally."

Chishiya couldn't help but grin.

Been waiting for you to say that.

Having the backing of Dwargon, a heavily armed powerhouse, was beyond valuable.

In this world, negotiating with small states was a headache.

But a formal alliance with a recognized superpower? That was a geopolitical stamp of legitimacy.

Once that deal was inked, the floodgates would open. Other nations would follow.

This was the beginning of his trade empire.

"Well then, I look forward to our cooperation."

Chishiya shook his hand, smile calm and professional.

The signed treaty between both parties consisted of four main points:

1. Non-aggression pact


2. Mutual assistance during national crises


3. Construction of a road to Dwargon


4. Technology exchange



The first two were obvious.

But it was the last two that Chishiya had his eye on.

Especially Dwargon's tech.

With access to that, he could recruit even more dwarf artisans and stop outsourcing the manufacture of magical tools.

Having in-house production was like building his own factory. Full control, fewer expenses.

And the roads?

Economics begin with roads. Every thriving empire in history was built on them.

——————————

The dwarves had an excellent time that night, and the signing ceremony was set for the following morning.

The Dwarf King chatted away with Hakurou, nostalgia thick in the air.

Chishiya quietly slipped away from the table.

"Chishiya-sama, where are you going?"

"Cwiiisp—Chishiya! Thish…this cake ish sho good!"

Milim and Megumin were sitting together, their cheeks puffed out like hamsters.

They couldn't even speak clearly.

Chishiya sighed and gently wiped the whipped cream from the corners of their mouths.

These two…

Sometimes, it really felt like he was running a daycare.

He smiled faintly. "Take your time. I'll be back soon."

Leaving the square,

Chishiya found a quiet place to sit.

He watched the festivities from afar.

There was a strange peace in being just a little removed from it all. That quiet detachment… was comforting.

So much has happened without me realizing it.

In his previous life, Chishiya had been used to solitude. He never expected this strange, warm feeling.

"Chishiya, you feel it too, huh?"

Darkness walked up and sat beside him, smiling as she looked at the crowd.

Chishiya turned to her.

"You're not about to say something weird, are you?"

"You!"

Darkness turned toward him, clearly offended. "Is that really the kind of person I am in your eyes?!"

"..."

Chishiya didn't respond, but his silence said everything.

"Ugh…"

Darkness bit her lip. "You really never go easy, huh?"

Chishiya said, "So what were you actually thinking about?"

Darkness lifted her chin slightly, gazing up at the sky.

"Just thinking… that monsters have a side I never knew about."

"I never imagined I'd actually become friends with them."

That… and you even bathed with them…

Chishiya suppressed the urge to speak and just pursed his lips.

Darkness turned toward him, her expression unexpectedly serious.

Their eyes met.

What's with that stare…? Don't tell me she can read minds now.

"Chishiya, did you know?"

"I've never had many friends before."

Chishiya nodded. "Yeah, I figured."

"You jerk—!!!"

Darkness lunged and started choking him. "Even I get angry sometimes, you know!"

Chishiya waved his arms.

He was well aware of her past, but sentimentality wasn't his thing.

"Fine, fine. Go on."

Darkness huffed and stood up.

"Forget it. I'm not saying anything anymore."

She stomped off a few steps, then stopped.

She turned back to look at him, her voice suddenly soft.

"Chishiya… now that I think about it, you've saved me so many times, but I've never properly thanked you."

"Thank you for saving me. And for making my life a little more vibrant."

"Really… thank you."

Under the moonlight, Darkness smiled—genuinely—and turned to leave.

Chishiya: "…"

That's it?

Come on. Introduce me to some noble clients or something.

Sigh… never mind.

Chishiya looked up at the sky with a deep breath.

Darkness' smile replayed in his mind.

For someone who's clearly a walking perversion, she's… surprisingly pretty.

——————————

Demon Lord's Castle

Inside a dark room.

Clayman slammed his palm onto the table, glaring furiously at the crystal ball's projected image.

"What the hell?!"

The screen showed a cheerful festival scene.

"That human not only survived, he even signed a treaty with the Dwarf King?!"

"Milim didn't kill him?!"

"She's actually interested in him?!"

A wine glass tipped over.

Red wine splashed across the floor.

Clayman stood frozen in disbelief.

Why?

What was so special about this human?

Could he be hiding something?

Clayman's anger slowly shifted into a sinister curiosity.

Interesting…

He'd failed to evolve the Orc Lord, but he might've found something better.

This human… was worth investigating.

He'd subdued a hundred thousand orcs and gave them all names for seemingly no reason.

He also controlled a horde of high-ranking demons…

How much magic power did he even have?

Clayman licked his lips.

If I could claim his soul… maybe I could awaken.

Just then, Laplace's voice came from the couch.

"Demon Lord Clayman, that human's not ordinary."

"The President has plans for him."

"Don't underestimate him. And don't act on your own, got it?"

Clayman smirked.

"Relax. I know my limits. I won't do anything reckless."

Laplace stood up, arms folded.

"Just don't let your thirst for awakening cloud your judgment. You might regret it."

"If you need help, ask."

Clayman nodded, still smiling.

"I know what I'm doing."

"Don't forget—manipulating others is my specialty."

Laplace scratched his head. "Fine…"

"Oh, right. This is for you."

He tossed out a necklace wrapped in black and purple energy.

"This Orb of Domination came straight from the Guild Master."

"It's said no one can resist its control. Not even a Demon Lord."

(To be continued.)