It’s been a couple of rough work days now that we’re at peace and work swing back into motion, I’m just sitting here with Heather and Rushka, not doing anything fun in the slightest, just going over a literal mountain of documents I’ve been neglecting for the past ‘since I turned into a town lord’, like, the amount of things I’ve neglected have turned into a snowball of destruction, the only fun ones are the few nobility that sent me stuff trying to get to the good side of the new town lord, I like gifts, I don’t even remember who sent what, so their pn failed, incredibly so, there’s some wild things that were sent, and I mean literally, I’ve been sent even exotic pets, I’m guessing after the auction purge, the remaining ones are scared I might just end them, as, I asked the deliverer to release them back into the wild where they were taken from, after the third or forth pet, they stop sending them, although the tiger that had silver fur was rad as hell, who in their right minds is gonna keep that around, it’s a liability to the people of the pace.

  “Budgets, how are they looking?”

  “Not great, the new social program left us in the red”

  “I don’t want to go over the tax collection incomes again! What can we cut?”

  “Everything seem pretty important Marisa, I don’t think anything can be cut”

  “I know, let’s dismantle the military! This was my pn anyways, I was only avoiding it if we could manage to scrape by somehow”

  “Are you crazy Marisa, that’s suicide!”

  “It’s not, we’re at peace and I’m in town, that’s all that matters”

  Rushka and Heather look dumbfounded at me, thinking that it’s a terrible idea, I think it’s fine, plus I have the st say on the matter, if peace is meant to st you have to lead by example and all that, nah not really, but I’m sure that Celestial and I could go scorched earth on a country if need be.

  “W-well, we can start by cutting budgets from them, I agree it’s not as needed now”

  “Sounds good, hopefully that alleviates the problem”

  “And what about the troops we’re gonna fire?”

  “Well, working hands are always welcome, we can relocate them to other projects”

  And like that, I started dismantling the military force, despite the compints of everyone, slowly but surely, my town doesn’t need that big of an army, just enough to say we have one I guess, and if a militar problem arises, I can simply solve it by me beating senseless whoever it’s stupid enough to attack me.

  “Marisa, why are you picking up the orphanages?”

  Rushka asked, digging through the documents.

  “Because I made a promise, someone lent me a hand to win the war, and that was the condition, I don’t break my promises, so now we have more people to look after”

  Heather and Rushka just chuckled at my remarks, they seem to think it’s just an excuse of mine trying to be coy about helping others, but it’s the objective truth.

  “And this benefactor? What is he doing?”

  “She, I did put her to work, right now she’s going around surveying orphanages, kinda like a representative, you can see the replies and the application forms on that pile over there”

  Lassie has been busy overseeing the orphanages, so I put her in charge of social programs starting with this one. She's now an important figure, go her.

  After heading to the pile, Rushka gnced over a few and looked shocked for a second.

  “Wow, these are quite detailed”

  “Yep, she helped me writing them, for now it’s a first approach, I have the official contract to the orphanages as organization in here, we need to get them to sign the terms and conditions”

  Man paperwork is boring as hell! I want to be over this!

  “Agricultural report?”

  “That is sent from some nobles as a prediction based on the selling prices of produce”

  “Hmm, well it says we’re gonna have a bountiful harvest this year”

  “That is great news, hope it can stay like that”

  What’s next, oh look, the neighboring town of refugees it’s doing fine, they can finally sustain themselves it seems, I still don’t charge them any taxes, when did I say I was gonna start? I’ll ask Heather ter, she should know, hopefully.

  “I’m so done with thiiiiiiiiiis!~”

  I said, pouting and ying on top of the desk, if I have to read yet another report I’m gonna catch a body. How did the piggy do this, did he just outsource everything? I bet he just neglected it and that’s why it got so bad! I’ll just continue to groan displeased.

  “M-maybe we can take a rest”

  “Rushka, don’t pamper her, the work pile is not getting any smaller”

  “It kinda is though”

  “Hmm... well I think it’s fine to get a rest, actually, didn’t we need to head towards the guild to pay the adventurers and the guild?”

  “Oh yeah, that”

  “Why don’t you go Marisa, and then rest after that”

  “Sounds like a pn, and you girls?”

  “I’m gonna, umm, check on some stuff”

  Oh right, Rushka it’s working on heather prosthesis, this is a secret of course, knowing Heather she wouldn’t take them, I’m gonna force her to take them as a gift, for now Rushka it’s officially my wife, the town lord’s wife rather, ah same thing, and now in charge of our brand new technology department! Right now it’s just her doing heather prosthesis, the department it’s just an excuse so Heather doesn’t raise an eyebrow, but I pn on having an actual technology department, so Rushka it’s gonna get subordinates eventually, although U think she needs to rest as well, even if she enjoys her tinkering.

  “Take a rest as well, don’t push yourself too much”

  “Of course honey”

  He~, she blushed the moment she said that. Sometimes Rushka forgets that Heather is around, I do wonder how she feels about all of this, I really need to have a more intimate time and talk with her sooner rather than ter.

  “And you Heather?”

  “Me? I’m gonna go talk with the knights regarding their rest, and then probably head out with Ellie”

  Oh right, the pace knights, they’re finally getting their vacation rotation, and as for Ellie, Heather has been going with her checking different colleges to enroll her, much to Ellie’s dismay, she doesn’t like being away from her sister but, Heather and I agree that she needs to make more friends outside of us, preferably around her age, even if Heather said the same to me immediately after, I’m over four thousand, she’s the kid in my eyes. And speaking of schooling, I need to start seeing with Lassie about putting basic education programs in the orphanages, as it seems they were completely up to the caretakers, that won’t exactly work if I want them to get better eventually.

  “Well, I’m off then”

  ““Bye, take care Marisa””

  And so I headed outside, still with work on my mind, I really need to stop that and, wait a minute and Celestial? I sensed around until I found her, she’s still in the basement, I better not bother her, she’s been going over a myriad of old looking books, all trying to get information out of the piggy it seems, honestly I stopped caring about him, but Celestial is locked in finding out something, of what I’m not sure, I would help her but it seems to be flying way over my head the ‘spell’ that’s in piggy’s memories, something about a seal for confidentiality, I would brute force it but Celestial said it’s gonna blow piggy’s head into smithereens if we do it without care, so that’s why she’s trying so hard and delicately at the same time, all I can do is wish her good luck.

  That just leaves me! I’m going to the town guild to see about the whole adventurer fiasco, there were a lot of compints from the adventurers it seems, I’m going there to give a little extra as compensation to the participants as well...

  On that note, adventurer me hasn’t picked up her reward from it as well, I would subtract it from the amount but, I’ll let the guild take care of amounts, better safe than sorry after all, plus they did ask for me personally to confirm my participation in the request and stuff, honestly it sounds like more paperwork, and I don’t want it.

  “Oh! Hi Delia!”

  “Marisa, hello, thank you for your time!”

  Delia acts way different now that she knows I’m the town lord it seems. Repent for your sins of treating me like a child! Jokes aside I miss it a bit, now she’s all stiff and formal.

  “It’s nothing, I received the letter from the guild master, and about the-”

  “Yes, please come with me to the master’s office please”

  She stopped me midway, probably doesn’t want me to give her the money here in public of all pces, it is quite a ton, a literal sack of money, and to people wondering, I carry it with my backpack, so it’s less conspicuous.

  “Marisa, or should I call you Lady Marisa?”

  “Hey old man, I came as requested”

  “That’s great to hear, I need to have a chat with you”

  “What is it?”

  Meh, boring talk about what happened in the desert is boring, still, I gave her the whole story.

  “Well it matches with our reports”

  “Then why ask me old man!”

  “I just wanted a confirmation, is all”

  “Well it is what it is, I never intended for the guild members to actually fight”

  “I can see that now, I feel like you used us but, well there’s peace in town, so I don’t mind at all, still you could have given us more information at the very least”

  “There were empire spies in our ranks, it was a secret for everyone, even my troops”

  “Wow, well, no point in crying over spilt milk”

  “Indeed, here’s the money old man”

  I said, lifting my backpack and pulling the amount requested plus a little extra, they looked dumbfounded at my backpack, but they can continue to ponder about it, even I don’t understand fully how it works, Celestial uses something simir with her spatial magic, but it seems that is attached to her person rather than an object.

  “This certainly seems to be the money agreed upon, we will distribute it appropriately”

  “Good, if that is all, then I will take my leave”

  “Wait, Marisa”

  “Yes? What now?”

  “Who are you?”

  “Getting philosophical? Me I suppose, you’re probably asking the same thing everyone always point at me for I’m guessing, yeah my father was apparently the demon lord or something, I don’t know or care”

  “Well, would you look at that, it’s nothing, sorry for asking such a personal question”

  “It’s fine, everyone always gets weird about it, I’m gonna start carrying presentation cards~”

  “Please don’t, there are people who would react in weird ways about it”

  “Whatever, anything else?”

  “No,it’s all, and before you go, your pay for the request”

  Said the guild master, counting some of the money from the sack and giving it back to me.

  “Nice, I need every penny I can get”

  “Delia, please accompany her to the lounge, oh and put the notice that the participants can come in so I give them their rewards”

  “Will do!”

  And so I headed out with Delia next to me, something caught my interest though. So I’ll ask Delia about it.

  “Why does the guild master give the rewards himself, isn’t that your job?”

  “Normally yes, but the amount of money is too rge to risk it being on the counter, it will be safer when handled by the guild master himself, no one will ever try to attack him”

  “Cool, sounds logical but also, please treat me like always, it’ll raise suspicions if you’re all formal with me now”

  “But-“

  “No buts! I really enjoyed arguing with you and all”

  It’s not fun if she’s all formal like this, I know that’s how she usually treats other people I think, but I really enjoyed the word barter.

  “Sigh... why are you so weird?”

  “Ha! much better”

  I said with a jolly expression, despite Delia’s tired grimace.

  “Oh! If it isn’t the little demon from back in the border!”

  “Eh?”

  It’s a party of adventurers, and they intercepted me as soon as I hit the lounge.

  “You really saved us back then, we all thought we were done for when the empire army attacked!”

  “It’s no problem, they were all pushovers anyways”

  Well, except for the two other guys of course, but I doubt they work for the empire anyways.

  “Hey, I heard you adventure solo, would you like to join our party?”

  “A party? No thanks, I’m strong by myself!”

  “We can see that! Still, it was worth a shot! Wouldn’t you consider it? We could make a pretty penny!”

  “Nah, I’ll pass, but thanks for the offer”

  Plus, with how weak they are, I would end up doing all the work, and more work is something I don’t want to have to do.

  “You’re just like Adele Huh?”

  “Adele? Oh the girl from back then in the desert”

  “Yeah, she’s an adventurer, a 3 gold star adventurer nonetheless, she’s quite amazing but always working solo too”

  “Huh, is that so? I didn’t knew she was such a high rank, or that strong for that matter”

  “Yeah, she’s crazy strong, but she only takes dungeon exploration quests, really rarely does she join in fights like that, She was probably short on funds, she does different quests when her funds runs out”

  “What would you guys know? It’s rude to talk of someone else behind their back!”

  Oh speak of the devil! It’s the hooded girl! Adele on the flesh~

  “Sorry Adele, w-well, that’s it from us, we’ll take our leave!”

  And they ran away. Rather, a lot of people seem to be afraid of Adele to some extent, I can sense their fear. Adele, on the other hand, took the piece of paper in her hand and handed it to the little old receptionist.

  “Delia, this request please”

  “Of course! More dungeon crawling? With your rank there’s better paying quests you know”

  “I know whoever, dungeon quests are rare so I’ll take them any time they pop up”

  “Dungeon Huh? I’ve been pnning on checking a dungeon too”

  “Marisa? That doesn’t seem like your kind of thing”

  “Oh, are you interested in dungeons as well?”

  Is it me or did Adele’s mood skyrocketed just now with that question, well no harm no foul, I am in my well earned break after all, so no problem in some small talk.

  “Maybe, what are dungeons anyways, because I have an idea but they might not be exactly what I’m thinking of”

  I don’t want to sound stupid, more so here in the guild after the other test, so I’ll ask, because the idea of dungeons may come from popur media and not how it actually works.

  “Well a dungeon is, on the most basic principle, an abandoned ruins or caves, usually from civilizations of old, or sometimes abandoned towns and cities!”

  “I see, and there’s monsters in them?”

  “Sometimes, they become nests for monsters and animals, other times they’re completely empty, other times there’s bandits or criminal hideouts”

  Huh, so it’s not monster spawning? Sounds closer to extreme urban exploration...

  “Hmm, sounds rather dull the way you put it”

  “Dull!? It’s the most fun there is, having a chance of finding that which has been lost to time, more so since there’s a lot of ruins that are yet to be discovered!”

  “I mean, it’s old stuff, although I see the appeal of finding riches in them”

  “I guess you also don’t see the appeal of history, it’s a shame really, why were you interested in dungeons then?”

  “Not really dungeons per se, it’s not that I’m pnning on going to any dungeon, rather I’m going to a particur one to retrieve something”

  “Oh! What that might be? What are you trying to retrieve?”

  Eh? I didn’t expect that kind of expression from Adele, she gets really excited with this stuff huh.

  “That’s a secret~ it’s some ruins in the eastern part of the kingdom, you probably never heard of it”

  “Oh, what a coincidence, I’m also going east, where is this dungeon of yours? Maybe we could go together there!”

  “Oh you too? I would tell you where it is, but I don’t remember the pce, I just remember the location of the map”

  Names always elude me, but I can point to it in the map, that much I remember after Celestial gave me the location.

  “Oh, here, there’s a map in the request notice, is it near here?”

  Said Adele, taking the paper back from Delia and handing it to me, only to realize that it is in fact, the exact same dungeon that Celestial mentioned.

  “Hold up, THIS is the dungeon I pnned on going to, what gives!?”

  “This dungeon? I never heard of it, it’s location was just put up by the guild”

  “Hmm, well I guess it is pretty old, what are the chances? Well I’ll be taking what’s in that dungeon, I don’t need adventurers to be poking their noses!”

  “Hey, that can’t be, I’m the one that’s gonna go check that dungeon!”

  “What a mess, who the fuck put up this request anyways!?”

  I asked angrily at Delia, worried about where information is leaking once again!

  “The quest giver decided to remain anonymous”

  “Then I’m taking the quest too!”

  “Sorry, I took it already!”

  “Delia!”

  “W-Wha... it’s true, we can’t let you take it since Adele picked it first... b-but it’s a dangerous dungeon maybe if you two went together!”

  “Well, if Marisa wants to I wouldn’t have any issues, but whatever we find there is mine!”

  “As if! You can keep all the money from the quest! But I NEED what’s in that dungeon!”

  “What do YOU need that's in there!? You didn’t even know the name of the pce the dungeon is in!”

  “Well, it’s not like you have any use for old shit anyways!”

  “Umm...”

  ““Yes!? What is it!?””

  We both said to Delia at the same time, I felt kinda bad yelling at her, Adele too, I could feel it.

  “I’m sorry but, the contents of the dungeon are for neither of you, the quest giver asked for the artifacts that were retrieved from there”

  ““Eh!?””

  Again, both of us in unison.

  “That won’t work! Is there a way to talk with the client!?”

  “You could do that!? I could just put a request for the dungeon then! Oh but I’m kinda short in funds”

  “Delia, I want to cancel the request!”

  “Eh? But...”

  “Ah! Quest Schmuest! I’ll just go there myself!”

  “Marisa! You can’t do that, you’ll be disregarding the guild's rules and terms!”

  “Pff, whatever, I’ll take my leave, thanks Delia, Adele!”

  “Ah, me too! Thanks as always Delia!”

  “W-wait, you two!...”

  And like that, I rushed to the pace to tell everyone of my sudden dungeon expedition, though I did hear Delia yelling ‘stop giving me troubles’ at us when we left, poor Delia.

  —————————————————————————————————————————

  ***The day before, at the pace***

  “Rushka?”

  “What!? C-celestial!”

  “Yes, that’s me”

  “I, umm...”

  “What’s wrong Rushka? You have been following me for a little while”

  “Ah! You’ve noticed!”

  “Why wouldn’t I? You’re not even trying to hide your presence, unlike the mute girl”

  “Ugh... truth be told, I was thinking about the whole conversation with Marisa and the rings and well...”

  “Yes, I’m listening”

  “Truth be told, I wanted to get the other hero ring!”

  “You? But you already have the one from your parents, why would you need another one?”

  “It’s not for me but...”

  “C’mon, spit it out, I won’t eat you dear”

  “I wanted to give it to Marisa! I heard she’s busy, so going there would be difficult but...”

  “Oh! So you wanted to give it as a gift to Marisa, is that it?”

  “Yes...”

  “You do know why she wants that ring right?”

  “I know she’s gonna propose to Heather properly”

  “Even so, you still want to help her get the ring?”

  “Yes, if it makes Marisa happy, then I’m happy too!”

  “You’re such a nice girl, I’m gd Marisa ended up with you and Heather”

  “Ah! T-thanks...”

  “About the ring, I don’t think it’s a good idea that you go there and try to get it”

  “I’m a dwarf! Caves and ruins are my forte!”

  “You say that, but what about the countrywide travel”

  “Ugh...”

  “And then expenses, and of course, you’ll be gone for a while”

  “Right! Marisa will worry! I can’t just disappear for days on end without telling her!”

  “Yeah, and if she knows of your intentions, then she’ll just accompany you to keep you safe”

  “That won’t do, it’s supposed to be a surprise!”

  “I can see why you’re in a bind”

  “Yes... I was wondering if you could help me”

  “Me?”

  “Un! The ring was originally from one of your friends right?”

  “Well yeah but, if I just leave for the ring now Marisa will get suspicious, more so than what she already suspects of me, plus I don’t want to leave her side for too long, plus I know that the ring is in there, but where exactly eludes me”

  “You’re right...”

  “Hmm... how about hiring adventurers to retrieve it?”

  “Oh! That might work! We’re pretty broke but, I think I can muster the request with my own pocket money!”

  “Go for it, I’m sure it would be safer that way”

  —————————————————————————————————————————

  ***And so, dear Rushka headed for the guild***

  “Hello, welcome to the guild”

  “Un, Umm, I’m here to make a request”

  “Of course! What can we help you with, young dy?”

  “I... I want someone to explore this ruins and bring me what’s inside of them”

  “Ruin exploration? I think I know just the adventurer but, this won’t be cheap, it’s on the other side of the country”

  “I know, even so I’m willing to pay, I have this much”

  “Hmm... that’s a hefty amount but... why don’t we go with the guild master to discuss this further”

  “Eh!? T-the guild master?”

  “Of course, he knows that pce better than me, so I’m sure he could suggest you on rank and prices”

  “O-ok!”

  ...

  ...

  “Hello, what can we help with? Oh, aren’t you the dwarf princess, what might we be of help for your presence”

  “Hi, umm, I’m here for a dungeon request”

  “Dungeon request? Of course, please give us the details”

  “I, I don’t know the specifics, but it’s a set of ruins here!”

  “Hmm, that’s really far away, still I can extend this to the guild branch over there, dungeon exploration can be expensive however, and more so since you’re unaware of the contents, I recommend a pay of 5000 nars, would be an appropriate price to expedite this”

  “I only have 3000...”

  “3000 huh? That’s cheap but it can work, however I doubt a lot of people would risk it for that pay”

  “That’s ok, It’s not an absolute priority, still, I need what’s inside that dungeon”

  “Ah so it’s retrieval, no problem, do you know what you’re looking for? It can help for the request”

  “Yes, it’s a ring, in fact it’s the pair of this one!”

  “Oh, jewelry, hmm, let’s do this, I’ll set the request to retrieve artifacts in it, that way the adventurer can’t just go, say they didn’t find anything and then pocket the ring”

  “Ok! Would the adventurers do that?”

  “I know of one that would... anyways, I’ll also distribute it everywhere, hopefully, someone takes it”

  “Speaking of, there’s someone I don’t want to know about this!”

  “Hmm, what do you mean?”

  “T-there’s an adventurer by the name of Marisa, I don’t want her finding out about this!”

  “Marisa, huh... I think I pieced things together, it’s ok, I’ll keep as much information as possible under the rug!”

  “Thank you so, so much! I’ll drop by occasionally to check if there’s anything!”

  “Of course, and in the case the quest was completed, I will keep the ring safe personally, you have nothing to worry about!”

  —————————————————————————————————————————

  ***Back to the present***

  “Girls! I’m leaving to the ruins!”

  “E-eh!?”

  “Marisa, sigh... fine, we catch up on some work, plus you have the face of ‘I’m going no matter what’ so I won’t stop you”

  “Thanks for understanding Heather!”

  “But why so abruptly?”

  “Well, I went to the guild, and some prick put a quest to get the things in that dungeon and now some adventurers are going to loot it, I can’t allow that”

  “Is it that important?”

  “Yep! I’ll be back in a jiffy! I-“

  “No, not like that you won’t!”

  “Eh?”

  “What about money, or food or anything! It’s on the other side of the kingdom you know!”

  “Ah, well, I’ll make do”

  “At least take your backpack!”

  ...

  ...

  “She left”

  “Yes... I’m going out too...”

  “Where are you going Rushka?”

  “To cancel a quest at the guild...”

  Joanne_carper