Alice POV

Another week of hell passed without anything to exciting happening. I met with a city planner and as I expected the plans for my city centered entirely on defense. My city would be created for the sole purpose of withstanding a siege. And to be honest, it would always be under attack by monsters, so the plan made sense. The walls would be expanded to accommodate the increased size of the military and agricultural focused infrastructure. It was also decided unlike most cities in Asura to focus on building upward instead of downward. This was due to the threat of monsters burrowing underground posed. Instead, the underground would be used as training grounds for the garrison and my future retainers. We ended the planning there since just expanding the walls and building the basic infrastructure would take months, and a barrier would need to be setup before internal construction let alone populating my city could happen. Why did my city have to turn into such a shit show?

On a better note, my dungeon is going to open up capital in a few days I just have to meet with the Association Master with King today. But what makes this day off from training even better is today's the day I get to meet minions! Technically their retainers but calling them, minions sounds so much cooler. I met King in the throne room, and we hopped in a carriage that would take us to the Associations Headquarters. "King, why are we meeting the Association Master couldn't he come to the castle instead?"

King looked like he recovered over the past two weeks, the bags under his eyes were gone, and the aura of authority he had when I first met him was back. "It's a courtesy since you murdered someone under his roof and forced me to keep everyone out of the plaza for a week."

"You kept everyone away for a week?"

King rubbed his temples and said, "Yes some of the guilds wanted to assemble forces and subjugate your dungeon. The only way to prevent them was to deny them entry to plaza under threat of execution."

Which one of those shits wanted to kill me!? "Can I have a list of the guilds who want me dead?"

King sighed and said, "I don't need you to start a war with the Association so no."

"It'll just be a couple of guilds come on."

King glared at me and said "No Alice."

"Fine you stingy old man." I'll find out myself.

King looked like he snapped and shouted "I may be old, but I'm certainly not stingy! I'm building you a city in the middle of a fucking hell hole! You know I got a report that an S-rank monster was spotted outside your city last week! I had to send Haliae and three other royal guards to keep it in check! Not to mention the cost of bringing building materials and the quests I put out!"

I cut King off and said, "Ok ok I'm sorry your not stingy."

King snapped out of it and said "Sorry about that it's just that your city has become expensive. The yearly budget is starting to buckle under the pressure, and dungeons cores are the only thing that can keep us afloat."

I expected as much "How bad is it?"

The king looked like he was about to cry and said: "The projected cost has already tripled and it's still rising. The war isn't helping either we need to open your dungeon soon, or we'll have to raise taxes again."

"Again?"

"The kingdom is always under threat of attack from other countries, so we established a wartime taxation system. It's been around for hundreds of years, so no complains but if we raise them further it'll cause problems."

"Can my cores help that much?"

"Yes. I'm sure you noticed, but our society is built on the use of mana and enchantments. As of now, we reached the limit of what we can do with our current enchantments. Monster cores could help us reach the next level of enchantments."

Curious I asked, "You've had other children of gods come to this world some of them must have shown you how worlds like mine work."

King laughed and said "Yes but everything we've developed from them pales in comparison to what the system provides. We use mana instead electricity and fossil fuels; things like airplanes are nothing compared to wyverns and dragons. A few high-level craftsmen could outproduce the factories from other worlds. Only the concepts are of use to us like the idea of power grids. The Ablana Republic has put an enormous amount of time and resources into integrating the technology, but I think it's a waste of time."

It was my turn to laugh when I said "My world integrated technology and mana to the extent where we had a floating city that held the entirety of humanity. Well until I made fall out of the sky, but that's beside the point. You'd be wise to put more research into that field of study. *Sigh* Talking about this make me miss guns."

King was thinking about my words for a few minutes then dropped a bombshell without even noticing "If you want guns we have them."

I jumped up and grabbed King by the collar "Where are they! If you had them why the hell haven't I seen them! Please don't tell me their single shot muskets or crap like that!"

Shocked by outburst shouted, "Calm down and let go!"

I let go of him and said "Sorry."

After we both regained our composure, King answered me "Now to answer your questions any blacksmith can make them but their expensive. They aren't single shot muskets you're a few hundred years late for those to be relevant. And lastly, no one uses them because they're useless."

Shocked I asked, "How can a piece of led traveling faster then the speed of sound be useless!?"

"First off we haven't discovered any skill that can increase the power of the rounds, and if we use stronger metals like mithril, it would be too expensive. Not to mention any half decent armor would block any unenchanted rounds and enchanting rounds requires monster cores, so that's out of the question. You have to accept that this worlds level of strength is much higher than your old one."

"You said that enchanting the bullets requires monster cores why is that?"

"Well ordinary enchantments work by pouring your mana into the enchantment to activate it. So you would need to be in contact with said enchantment to use it. You could, of course, use a mana crystal to store your mana then have it release your mana slowly into the enchantment keeping it active for an extended period of time. But you'd have to put mana crystals in every single bullet which would make it ludicrously expensive. That finally brings us to the use of monster cores. A monster core by nature is a one use item. They are solid mana, so if you use it to enchantment something it wouldn't need to be charged by anyone, it will sustain itself off the mana provided by the core. Well, of course, that is until the enchantment runs out mana in which case you need to recharge it with another monster core. But I diverge in the case of using monster cores the real benefit comes from the number of bullets you could enchant with a single core. A lesser core, for example, could be used to enchant over a thousand rounds, making it much practical than using mana crystals. Do you understand now?"

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"Yeah, old people really like to ramble."

Kings eyes narrowed as he said "Not funny."

I rolled my eyes and said "Don't you know how to take a joke. But yeah I get but let's say I shoot someone with an unenchanted round how much damage would it do?"

"You'll kill an E-rank, a D-rank in decent armor would be able to brush it off if you don't hit them in the head or heart. But even then there's a good chance they'd live if a healer were nearby. C-rank and up you'd just be annoying them."

"And if I enchant the bullet?"

"Depends on the strength of the enchantment and core. The more bullets you enchant with a single core, the weaker the overall strength of the enchantment. But a lesser core with the right enchantments would get a bullet to the level of being lethal to a mid C-rank if you're lucky."

"And if I use a better core?"

King shrugged and said "I honestly don't know. No one would waste a medium let alone high-grade core on a bullet. But your dungeon might change all that who knows we might be able to equip entire regiments with guns."

I thought for a second then asked King "I take it you know what artillery is?"

The King raised an eyebrow and said: "Yes the military uses it to clear out low-level combatants from the battlefield why?."

I smiled wickedly and said "Perfect let's say I wanted to put them on top of the walls in my city. How long would it take build and install them?"

"A few half decent blacksmiths could build one in a week at most two. A few good ones could put one together in a week or less. But how would..." The same evil grin spread across Kings' face as he realized what I was suggesting.

"How long would take someone to enchant the shells?"

"A few hours at most."

"How fast can you send the materials and personnel to my city?"

"A week at most."

"That should speed up construction right?"

King laughed and said "It most certainly will. I may just use your idea for the capital's walls."

I continued to grin and asked, "I can trust you to have a pistol made for me and by any chance can you build me silencer?"

"I do, I'll have my personal smith make it for you when we get back. I presume you'll be providing the core?"

"You can take a high-grade core from my dungeon. High-grade would be preferable, but I'll settle for a mid-grade if none of my monsters have one."

"I'll have someone get it then."

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Alice POV

2 Hours Later

King and I spent the rest of the ride to the Association hammering out the details of our plan. I even told him about my auto enchantment rifle I used against UMRD. At that point, he was sold, and I managed to convince him to help me build an R&D facility in my city. All he would need to do is find the researchers, and I would put up the money. By the time we got to the Association had given me the names of a few people who specialize in the study and application of monster cores.

When stopped in front of the Association the driver opened the door for us. Several royal guards appeared out of nowhere and escorted us inside. The adventurers inside all stood up and bowed. The king nodded, and that was the signal for everyone to relax. Kinda funny how everyone was already drinking so early in the morning but hey the being an adventurer is stressful. Some of the guy sitting there kept staring at me as we walked up to the receptionist. I think they were there when I killed whats his face and they seemed pretty nervous. I did come to the Association during the parade maybe there whats his faces friends. Don't worry I won't cut you guys in half like your friend.

I smiled and waved at them, and they immediately got up left. Anyway, King didn't need to say anything to the receptionist who just brought into the back of the guild. She took us to the top floor where the Association Masters office was. She knocked on the door and announced that we were here to see him. I didn't hear a response, but the receptionist nodded held the door for us. King and I walked in leaving the guards and receptionist outside.

We were greeted by a very angry looking Satyr who only said: "It's about fucking time you got here."

King smiled and said "Good to see you too. Alice let me introduce the Master of the Adventurer Association Tearox. Tearox this is Archduke Alice Styx the Pale Rider."

I just said, "Nice to meet you."

Tearox stared daggers into me and said: "So you're the little shit..."

Another prick "I am you fucking goat."

Tearox stood from his desk, but King interrupted "I know shes caused some problems, but we're here to do business."

Tearox sat back down nodded "Your lucky Halon if you were anyone else I would put her through a wall."

"From what I can tell your only High A-rank. Why don't we take this outside? I promise I'll stop after I break your legs."

King rubbed his temples and said, "If either of tries anything I'll take you both on."

After King finished speaking, he began staring us both down and released an aura that made both of us back down. "Fine but tell him to stop being a prick!"

Tearox opened his mouth, but King cut him off "He will, won't you?"

As King stared Tearox down, he said: "Fuck it fine, but I ain't taking shit from that one."

King smiled and said "Good now then let's get to it. I sent you the proposal for taxation of monster cores any complaints?"

Tearox said "No everything's good on our end the brats will be happy as long as they get paid. We're opening up the damn thing next week right?"

King nodded "Yes it should give you enough time to send words to all the guilds about the rules."

I hopped in and said, "Don't forget my golden rule anyone who goes into the maze on the last floor they die no exceptions got it?"

"I know about the fucking death trap you made I'll tell the guilds not to go there, but I guarantee that some idiots are going to try."

I shrugged and said, "If those idiots want to make my dungeon their tomb so be it."

King seemed satisfied with our agreement and brought the next topic "Now then about the rules of your city?"

Before I could I make my demands, Tearox said "Before you make any stupid ass rules lets get one thing straight the Association will have a branch in your city no exceptions. We will not accept excessive taxation on our members, and we will take a percentage of the taxes."

I rolled my eyes and said "I can honestly and wholeheartedly say I don't give a shit. And before you, before you complain none of my demands will go against your rules. Now then first I hold the right to deny entry to adventures who cause problems. The tax on cores is 20% you can have 1% of the money taken. A guild must get my permission before setting up in my city, and if they lose it they either leave, or I destroy them. If they set up without my permission, I destroy them. If I find out a guild or its members has taken action against me, I destroy them. Let me make myself perfectly clear what I mean when I say I will destroy them. I will brand the entire guild as criminals and put bounties on their heads, and I will send my men cut the throats of anyone who helps them. These should be acceptable terms right?"

Tearox thought about my words for a few minutes and finally said: "Your a vengeful little brat aren't you?"

If someone fucks with me, they die how is that vengeful? "Is that a problem?"

"No, what my son told me about was true."

"Son?"

"He was in charge of the adventures in your city his name is Fakan."

"Fakan? Wait do you mean arrogant goat boy?"

For the first time, Tearox laughed "Yes he's the one. No matter how hard I try to beat it out of him, he still acts like a brat. Anyway, the taxes are fucking excessive but the cores are profitable, so I'll agree to your terms if you don't tax any other items that are found in your dungeon."

I thought for a second and then agreed, "Done."

King smiled and said "I honestly thought you two would come to blows, but I'm glad I was wrong. If we're all done, we'll take our leave."

King and I got up to leave, but Tearox said: "I agreed to your terms, but if I find out you're using our agreement to attack the Association there will be hell to pay. One more thing I'm moving you rank up to S update your card out front and don't kill anyone this time."

Suprised I said, "And here I thought you were a complete asshole."

Tearox looked back down at his paperwork and said: "Fuck you too."

Once we walked out of his office, King said: "I should have warned you about his mouth. But even in the old days, he was like that. At least you got him to like you."

I raised an eyebrow and said, "He likes me?"

"He likes people who don't stand down and say whats on their mind. When I first joined his party, it took me a while to figure it out."

"You joined his party?"

King smiled nostalgia evident in his eyes "I joined his party when I first joined the Association. He taught me everything I needed to know about adventuring. But anyway now that that's done with let's go meet your troops."

I nodded and after I updated my card with my new info and rank which by the way caused an uproar. We left the Association and headed back to the castle.