Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle - Chapter 216-3

216 – The All-Heaven Festival Games (Part 3)

My dad was on TV.

「Look, Fran, dad and everyone are on TV. Man, they’ve gotten old…」

After the party disbanded, they still kept in touch, and they’d even show up in the house now and then.

But seeing them all gathered together as a party… They’ve aged.

「You look happy, Wraith.」

Said my childhood friend, Fran.

To me, the Water Hero Wraith, she is one of my most reliable allies.

The coolest and prettiest girl who is a Destroyer born with a grotesque right arm.

「O’course I am. I gotta thank the old guy. He’s the one who talked my dad and everyone else into it.」

Right now, we’re in a certain town, in a certain individual’s house.

「Sir Fellow.」

「Right, him. I owe a lot to him. Following the Raid Battle, he even gave me an opportunity like this. It’s perfect for a party reveal…don’t you think so too, Melania?」

「…! Urgh…I…do…」

We are currently in a house that is huge in its overall size.

Even though Normals have the largest population, we live in an age of harmony.

A village prising of only Normals isn’t unmon, but when it es to the city, there are facilities that are built to suit various races. This house is one of them.

A residence for a large Demi-Human.

She’s a member of my party. She’s a Cyclops, but she’s short for a Cyclops due to being a half-Cyclops. By Normal standards, she’s pretty large.

Hidden behind verdant green hair, like that of a forest, is a single eye that is characteristic of her race.

「…We’re…taking part…right…?」

「Of course we are. Let’s win together.」

「…! …I…yes…I’ll…do my best…」

Melania has a reserved personality and isn’t very self-confident, but her abilities are true.

Above all else, she applied for our member recruitment drive all on her own.

「I’m counting on you, too…Josh.」

A tall young man with white hair, a White Sorcerer, appeared in the living room with a steaming hot mug.

「I promise to do all I can. That aside, are you really going to ask that person to be our final member?」

「You bet I am. At the very least, even if it’s only temporary, I think he’ll say yes. Our fifth member…Lem.」

Josh smiled broadly when he heard me say that.

「I hope he does.」

「Ah, now that I think about it, you fought alongside him, right? Lucky.」

「Ahaha, it really was a great experience.」

「…You’re doing it again.」

Fran pulls on my arm.

I don’t know why, but recently, she would puff up her cheeks whenever I talk about Lem.

I return my attention to the TV and catch the current Demon King Army making their appearance on stage.

◇

「We’re going too, right?」

「Of course. All those who wish to participate will have a chance to participate in the preliminary round. Seems that some of the stand-out legendary people are being treated as so-called Bosses.」

In a room of an inn, on a TV that every room has.

I, of the Nicola party, and the rest are currently gathered in the room of the Diamond Hero Philip, my brother.

「Heheh, ni~ce! I love this kind of festival feeling.」

Said the Thief Leila, happily.

「Won’t the Iron Wall Hero make an appearance? Weren’t you a fan of his, Phil?」

Said the Fairy Ruri, playfully swinging her little legs while sitting on my brother’s shoulder.

「…I heard the same thing. That he admired him.」

Said the Holy Paladin Mark.

「That’s right, but the important bit of info is the part about how the festival will remain until the Boss is defeated. The closer we get to the final fight, the more the public will get excited. You can aim for a huge rank-up based on our actions in the following year.」

All of us smiled bitterly. That truly is something my brother would say.

Only Ruri went「That’s what I like about you.」and smiled.

「But yeah, you’re right. We’ll just win, win, and keep on winning. Simple.」

And, if possible, Lem…I guess it should be Lemegeton…

I want to fight with you again…I want to see who is stronger.

◇

「This will be utilizing our Dungeon, yes, Pig Master?」

Said my childhood friend in a maid outfit, while watching the TV in the main office.

Rather than a live broadcast, it was a video summary of what happened via the news.

「Yeah, as per the contract allowing him to borrow our Magical Energy spaces. If it isn’t enough, it seems that they will prepare an extra-large Magic Stone whenever that happens. Also, please stop calling me Pig Master…」

「I guess so, considering that the contract stipulates the amount of Magic Energy they are allowed to use. Of course, I remember, since I was the one who verified it. I am sure you overlooked it. After all, you are the man who almost had the Dungeon stolen from him.」

「Grk…please don’t mention that…」

Once, I was worrying over my unprofitable business operation and immediately signed a contract with Fellow, who would lend me money, without doubting him once and almost lost this Dungeon that I inherited from my grandmother.

It was the Demon King Castle folks that saved me from that predicament. Especially the Chief of Staff and Lady Furcus.

「Participants will basically take part as a party… Similar to the Tag Tournament, the party can be formed regardless of race… Seems like a plan that man would e up with. Oh, but in that case, then the current Demon King Army…」

「Yeah, if you were to include her Highness as the leader, then forming a party with the Big Four and the Chief of Staff would result in an extra member.」

Participating as a party would mean that the five-person restriction still exists.

Preserving its entertainment roots, it isn’t a good idea to do away with the five-man party system that came from numerous trial and error.

「Hm, well, there are many other Floor Bosses and powerful Monsters he could party with, or he could even choose to take part as an Adventurer… But more importantly.」

「Hm?」

「We should take part as well.」

「Huh…?! B-but…I thought with so many people flocking to the town, I thought it would be a great time to make a profit as an All Level Dungeon.」

「We can just close the Dungeon on the day that we’re participating. At any rate, you, as the Floor Boss, and I work in the deepest parts of the Dungeon, right? It wouldn’t be hard to adjust our schedule.」

Certainly, the first stratum would get sudden reservations, but in the deepest stratum, it is easy to arrange the schedule because you can see the Adventurers who are clearing the prior strata.

「I-I see…」

「Are you not mortified? The number of challengers ing to this Dungeon has increased even more ever since the Raid Battle, but that is all thanks to Lord Lem summoning us. I am certain he didn’t exactly have that oute in mind, but our debt of gratitude towards him grows ever larger.」

「!」

She’s exactly right.

I participated in the Raid Battle because I wanted to help him, and I don’t think that I was useless.

I, along with everyone, did our very best.

But…I did not think that that would repay our debt to him.

I change my mind and look at my childhood friend.

「You’re right. We have to win our battles on our own, attract more customers, and make the viewers think “Wow, it’s amazing how Lemegeton formed Contracts with such strong people!”」

Kei gave a satisfied chuckle.

「Please don’t stare at me, you’re creeping me out.」

「Oh, e on…!」

But, y’know, I know my childhood friend is just being dishonest with her feelings and hiding her embarrassment. I know this because I’ve known her for so long.

…That is what she’s doing…right?

◇

「Ooh, they thought up something fun.」

I was submerged in a lovely bath, looking at the TV set up in the bathroom.

Ever since taking part in the Raid Battle, more and more people started paying attention to our party.

There was some drivel about me lending Monsters a hand even though we’re Adventurers…but I choose to ignore such noise.

The Raid Battle was fun.

I got to meet an interesting man called Len…Lemegeton.

This looks like fun as well.

The more stages I can shine on, the better.

「When next we meet, will we be friend…or foe?」

This festival is still riddled with many mysteries, so anything could happen.

I pray that I can experience both.

I’m sure it will be more fun that way.