Chapter 118: Labyrinth and Trust

The labyrinth management is going smoothly.

The hearts of the visitorsAdventurers are captivated due to the initial lavish hospitality.

With this, they will challenge the Dungeon and try to conquer it many times just like ants attracted to sugar.

Even though the reward after every tenth floor is one of the attractions, it's nothing but a ruse to attract customers in the beginning. The things obtained inside the labyrinth are more important.

From the11th to 20th floor, the monsters will begin to work together.

It becomes impossible to conquer the Dungeon with just brute force. And on each floor the amount of fiendish traps that block their way will increase.

From there on is the real deal.

Rumors that the boss of the 10th floor drops rare class equipment spreads among the Adventurers in the blink of an eye.

Originally rare class items were excellent arms made from Demon Steel that weathered many long months and years before gaining an ability as the Demon Steel evolves.

The Demon Steel that Tempest produced was an ore undergoing change because it was exposed to the thick aura Veldora had release, and it contained an overwhelmingly high purity of magic power.

For that reason, there's a peculiarity of the Demon Steel and the alloy that make the user get used to the arms more quickly than a regular arms. The arms that were made from this high-quality material have a special class performance with just that alone.

Even a trial product has the performance of rare class when it is Kurobee's work.

But, one fact came to light here.

Even if the arms are of the same class, there is a difference in the performance.

There is a great difference in the quality between the rare class equipment made by Kurobee's apprentices and his own works.

This is a detail that only a person with『Appraisal[1]』can see.

It's possible for me to copy Kurobee's works and the finished product would naturally be of the same class.

However, as I said before, the performance can be said to be inferior to that of the original.

This can be considered a phenomenon caused due to my blacksmith skill being inferior against Kurobee's blacksmith skill.

It can be said that there was also a level in judging arms.

An amateur cannot tell the difference, an ordinary arms dealer can't do it either, but an Adventurer who entrusts his life to the weapon, he will understand the difference clearly.

Perhaps, the weapon also grows whenever it's used.

And then, even if the arms were just being made by Kurobee, they might have already possessed some growth.

If you seek to appraise the arms, you might see the level of the weapon.

As for the rare class equipment that the boss of the 10th floor drops, it is the greatest masterpieces of Kurobee's apprentices' works.

There is a difference in the skill between each apprentice, but there's not a large difference between the performances. I hope they polish their skill and I will expect the creation of various kinds of equipment in the future.

So it was a different situation.

The arms that are dropped by the boss of the 10th floor may be great equipment for normal people, but for us it's only a place for Kurobee's apprentices to improve by competing to produce a success product.

It doesn't mean it hurt our pockets very much. Rather, what more surprised is that the level was rare class.

It doesn't mean it will drop every time.

The percentage to get the rare class equipment from the treasure chest that the boss protects is set to be around 2%.

Assuming you need one hour to defeat the boss once, it's not possible to open the treasure chest 24 times in one day. So, they should be able to get one rare class item on the second day.

I think it's the perfect drop rate to incite people with a passion for gambling.

I think it's human nature to collect a series items and if they get the same item, it will be exchanged or sold.

As a result, I'm able to make more and more rational reasons for people to dive into the labyrinth.

And about the Inn inside the labyrinth.

At the side of the stairs to the next floor, an unnaturally made door with the word "Inn" on it was created.

First of all, one silver coin is necessary to open the door. This is equal to the admission price to enter the labyrinth.

However, there is a reason why the Adventurers can't avoid but to use this Inn.

The reason is the change of the labyrinth.

At first, I considered changing the labyrinth every three days, but Masayuki insisted that the difficulty to capture the Dungeon was too high.

And so, right now on the seventh day, the labyrinth changes once a week.

That guy because he has a strong luck, doesn't hesitate to charge through the labyrinth but he would still take three days to capture the 10th floor.

There are few Adventurers that will explore the vast map without hesitation. The spirits' guidance also has a limit when showing the shortest route. When it comes to this, there is no other choice but to camp inside the labyrinth.

After securing a room with treasure chests, if they sleep there, a lookout is even necessary on the inside.

Also, the equipments obtained from the labyrinth were too good to be thrown away. But there was a need to prepare foodstuffs, so there was a limit in the quantity that could be transported.

If the reserved food runs out, they need to withdraw immediately.

There is also no reason to worry about hunger as they can use the emergency escape function of the "Bracelet of Revival", with this they can reduce the amount of food they bring for more empty space.

So, it was a natural matter that they want to use an Inn if possible.

As long as they can find the stairs before starving, they can take the minimum amount of food.

Including the silver coin charged for reentry, there was no choice to be frugal.

However, it not only charges one silver coin for one use, the charges once inside were also more expensive.

A meal charges three times more. Though the room without a meal is like sleeping together in a place that is small like a capsule hotel, the price for it is set as three silver coins.

As one would expect, the building is divided between man and women.

However, even if the price is very high, there will still be people who will use it. Although it costs 5 silver coins to use the furnished large bath, unexpectedly the number of customers was quite high.

Since they fight all the time inside the labyrinth, they are covered with blood and sweat. Maybe they were glad since there even a service to clean their equipment, it was really popular.

Although the service content was inferior to that of inn-town[2], but if I have to say it, the profit ratio from the inside of labyrinth was tremendously high.

Although at the beginning I wanted to leave his place to the Trent, I decided to use it as a place to train new employees.

The people with unskilled cooking abilities or the people who were serving customers for the first time can do their practice in here.

Since the profit in here was beyond my expectation, I think it's possible to do it.

Also, there might be a lot of attraction due the usage of toilets. (Due to the ability to relieve oneself.)

There wasn't anything that could be called a toilet in labyrinth. Since they were dancing with death—well if push comes to shove, they have the resolution to just let it leak out.

There was no need to clean up after. The reason being that the monsters would clean it willfully.

The slime born in the labyrinth eats anything. They eat anything from excrement to the remains of the monsters' corpses.

They will immediately be born, even if they were defeated by adventurers, they repopulate quickly so the labyrinth is unexpectedly clean.

Nevertheless, there were situations that they can't handle without a toilet.

They will likely cry if they were attacked in such a defenseless situation by a monster. Although they say, "Time-out!" The monster will not listen.

Not only about the 'Big one', even to do the 'small one' lookout is needed. In the worst case they just let the urine leak out and cope with it, but I dislike that.

At that point they might want to go back, but if after they returned to the town and their peeing was seen, it would be an unthinkable shame play.

Then, what about letting until it dries a bit and leaves it as it is? I also dislike that.

Eventually, the conclusion is that a lookout is necessarily.

If there is a room, you could do it inside, but the fundamental problem doesn't change a bit.

For a man then this is fine, but for a woman this is a matter of life and death.

Mixed parties of men and women are not something rare, so considering the toilet situation, the utilization of the inn, naturally, would increase.

By the way, there seems to be some kind of magic called〈Physical Condition Control[3]〉.

It can decrease the frequency of excretion to some degree, so it is possible to endure it. Of course there is a limit; it can only last for 3 days.

Except for bold people who didn't mind leaking out in the middle of battle, this can be called an indispensable magic for an adventurer.

Because the effect has a limited use then that means it would encourage them to use the inn.

So, with such feelings, the management is going as smoothly as planned.

The immigration check to enter Tempest has become strict.

Unlike before, only some merchants and adventurers with verified identification and qualifications can enter the country

Well, the reason is to beware of spies, but there are also other reasons.

That is rating.

The inn in Tempest has became high class-oriented. There are many common inns, but it is difficult to accept all adventurers.

If we let uncivilized people with mostly with unknown background inside, it will be hard to deal with them properly.

Because of that, a fixed demarcation was needed so that the general public that wants to stay in the inn-town will stay in a separated section.

Anyway, although fighting inside the town is forbidden, it's difficult to prevent an idiot from chanting magic. Because there were important research facilities, a sorting is necessary by all means.

However, because I kind of want to market the city as a sightseeing spot. I decided that anyone that has conquered 10 floors would receive a permit to stay in the city.

Of course, if they caused trouble, the permit would be revoked.

Well, it somehow had an added value, since the high food quality somehow became well-known, this could be related to the motivational increase.

Well, there is also a chance to purchase armaments from the Monster Country, Tempest.

Because of rumors from the merchants that came to this country to trade, there was a rumor about the high class equipment in the weapons and armor shop in the city among the adventurers.

Naturally the one who spread the rumor was me.

Myormilles-kun did a good work.

The arms regularly made by Kurobee's apprentices were distributed to the merchants. Naturally they're high quality, and the reputation is great.

The unique equipment and the trial products are displayed but they're not on sale. It was decided they would be sold it to the consumer directly.

If a person goes over ten floors, that person is suitable to be labeled as stronger than B rank.

If they can defeat the "B+ rank" Ogre Lord, they may have the capabilities to own a strong weapon.

Or rather, for a B rank adventurer they might have a reasonable amount of money. Ellen and her party seem to be poor, but I think they are an exception.

Preventing the influx of people who don't have money is one of the ways to prevent unnecessary trouble.

It can be said that using the labyrinth, the adventurers will be sorted by their personalities and strength.

Actually, because there is a possibility that Yuuki sent out a spy, I can't accept everyone.

Judging from appearances, there was no person with bugs clinging to them.

Perhaps it was related to the amount of control over the person.

Hinata had a bug. This was proof that she was strongly dominated.

Masayuki didn't have the bug. Even so, he seemed to be under the effect of Thought Guidance.

However, if the person doesn't have the bug, I believe I won't have to worry as I can easily release it with my『Demon Lord's Haki』.

I must gather information so that I won't be caught unprepared while limiting the entry to the country for now.

And so one month has passed.

Myormilles reports to me with a joyful look on his face.

「It's going well, Rimuru-sama. The profits increase because of the improvement.

Even if you deduct the cost for the drop products in the labyrinth from the profit, the profit covers it all.

Though the rate of profit and investment can be said to be at 10:11.

It's enough to pay the wages for citizen labor. It seems that the national profit will grow in the future.

If the number of the consumers increases, I think it might improve.

Also, merchants come frequently to visit and say that they want to do transactions.

Even in the Inn-town, because of the visiting merchants or workers who deal with monster parts, it has become like a small city.

Rather than just staying there, they're asking whether they can open a workshop or not.」

So I'm told.

Fumufumu. It's as I expected from beginning.

As I explained before, in the end it's not about making things and selling them at a high price only to make profit.

But, it's about the lack of jobs for the people that come in and out of this country.

It's my task as the king to give all of the citizens jobs, in other words to give them a raison d'être.

Although we created the labyrinth in jest, as a centerpiece to draw in people, it was a success.

Afterwards, the money that was acquired by the adventurers that try to conquer the labyrinth would be spent on our country's commodities.

About the commodities, it's not limited to inns or meal service, but it also extends weapons, armors and, lastly, perishable goods.

And eventually, the good quality of the equipment made in this country will be widely known.

That is spread from mouth to mouth, there's no need for us to advertise the commodity, and the customers will come by themselves.

And as a result, Tempest would be acknowledged by many adventures, and would become essential for them.

There would be a few people that will doubt the high performance armaments.

After all, there is a place nearby where the purchased armaments can be tried out.

And like that, trust for this country would be accumulated little by little.

The one thing more important than profit is trust.

As long as it doesn't go into red and the sum total is black, then I can say that the labyrinth management is a success.

Since the main purpose for making the labyrinth was to attract customers and make this country be recognized by others.

So if we receive profit from the labyrinth, then it can be called a Huge Success.

Receiving my intent, Myormilles also nodded.

「I think that's not a problem. The number of customers increases steadily.

The fact that this country is a monster country governed by a Demon Lord is well known.

In accordance to Rimuru-sama's prediction, I think they have begun to give their trust to us.」

Myormilles powerfully affirmed.

Moreover, us huh? Though he is a human, he seems to completely think about things from our point of view.

It's a pleasant thing.

A trust is not obtained instantly.

It is say that trust is "tough to obtain, and easy to lose". I think it's exactly as like that.

You could invite people by stimulating their greed, but it wouldn't be easy to gain their trust.

If the other party thinks that it could satisfy their own greed, then it could be said I have acquired their trust.

With such a condition, you should work steadily.

A relationship base solely on greed is dull, but it is a great opportunity to see a person's true nature.

I also nodded back to Myormilles, I was pleased with the present success.

And so, in the inn town.

There is a workshop for Kurobee's apprentices to repair equipment.

The craftsmen heard the rumor from adventurers settled down in the area and seemed to say that they wanted to open a workshop.

Such a request seems to come in frequently.

Eventually, I think the inn town will develop and give off the feeling of a satellite town[4].

I think it's great, it seems interesting.

I gave permission for the establishment of the workshop to Myormilles.

As a result, just like I expected, a town was established at the bottom of the mine that would develop into satellite town that surrounds the labyrinth.

[1] 鑑定解析 Kantei Kaiseki – Analysis and Judgment, let's shorten it as Appraisal.

[2] Inn-town/Post town宿場町 Shukubamachi. Shukuba were post stations during the Edo period in Japan, generally located on one of the Edo Five Routes or one of its sub-routes. It was places where travelers could rest on their journey

[3] 体調管理 Taichou Kanri

[4] A satellite town or satellite city is a concept in urban planning that refers essentially to smaller metropolitan areas which are located somewhat near to, but are mostly independent of larger metropolitan areas.