We had one day of time to prepare before a horde of bone-boys would come to knock down our doors and steal our loot—not that we had much of that at the moment—but I suspected they would at least demand my gun.

It was not the best situation I had ever been in.

It was not the worst either.

Because—I had resources to use. A forbidden technique scroll tucked into my pocket, my trusty pistol which still had a decent bit of ammo, as well as a Maid who I suspected to be rather capable.

But I also had something new. room for more hires.

[Elite Cats: 0/1]

[Mob Cats: 10/25]

[Floors: 1/2]

[Dungeon Points: 52]

So, as the Margery was teaching Fluffles the ways of proper café arrangements and such, I was inside the tunnel that served as our floor one, contemplating our choices.

Our catgirl limit was sadly full, but it was the Elite cat that had my attention drawn. There was currently only one option for elite cats in my dungeon shop, a spell for [Summon Big Cat], but I had a feeling it would be a winner.

So, without any more hesitation, I bought it.

[You have unlocked Big Cats for 10 dungeon points!]

However, looking around our humble first floor, I saw only a drab and dark hallway with scuttling bone kittens hiding in little nooks and tunnels. They had the creepy sort of cuteness to them, but I suspected we might need more specialized clientele before offering them up at the café.

Still, this first floor was absolutely no good. It was no place for an elite cat.

It was time to begin forming the second floor.

[Add new floor to dungeon?]

“Please, if you would,” I said, hoping the system had forgotten the time I threatened it with a gun.

Maybe it had, because my senses promptly expanded quite a bit further down from the point where I was standing.

(Fluffles, is there anything special I need to do for this part?) I thought at the cat.

(No. Just start digging away, and you should find it easier than normal until enough space is cleared.)

Huh, really now?

Experimentally, I activated [Shape Stone] and began carving out a stairway down, only to find that the spell was working much faster than it had before, as if there was an unseen tension pushing it forward.

Feeling cooped up, are we? Well, I shall oblige.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

As I carved, I worried over our circumstances. It still felt odd to me that the dark elf had suddenly reversed her stance on me, and I had a working theory as to why. They had wanted to buy my firearm, but given up on negotiations rather easily, as if they had not seen that much value in it.

A curious reaction.

They have to have an outworlder of their own, and perhaps even… firearms of their own. If they told their own earther about the gun I had, that person might have told them that getting hold of my firearm was a bigger priority than they had thought.

Which would mean their own firearms, assuming they had any, were inferior.

Or they just wanted more. More is always better.

I shook my head. No point worrying too much about it, if every one of those skeletons has a tommy gun or something, we’ll be pretty boned no matter what. Have to just wait and see. I continued on with my work.

It was only an hours work to dig out a simple 10 meter by 5 meter space where I could just about stand, and the spell still had a lot of excess energy to it, however I chose to pause.

I would need to see what kind of space our elite cat would need next.

Well… here goes nothing. [Summon Big Cat].

A dazzling summoning circle once more appeared in front of me, and I turned away from it for a moment to stop myself from being blinded—then saw I had an audience. The little cats, both natural ones and bone ones. They were crowded by the staircase, peering inside with the curiosity inherent to their kin.

I quirked an eyebrow. “What are you waiting around there for? Come on in, darlings.”

The group rushed into the room, bouncing off each other in a fighting tide until they reached my feet, where they huddled behind me for cover.

“Scared of your new boss, are you? Well—we’ll see.”

Turning my eyes back to the summoning circle, I saw that a shape was materializing inside. A big shape. Quite a bit larger than me.

Wary, I took a step back as the circle finally roared out in a bright flash of light and vanished—leaving behind green eyes which gleamed in the dim lighting.

And then I realized the roar was coming from the majestic beast I had just summoned. The little cats cowered behind me as the mighty tiger arched its back, looked around, shook its body and showed off its grand stripes, opened its maw wider and wider revealing a fearsome array of teeth, and—

It yawned.

The mighty tiger curled up on the spot, and gave me a disappointed look.

“Mrgh,” It said, however, I thought I understood its meaning. Is this supposed to be my home?

I sihged. “Look—it’s a bit work in progress, but I promise I’ll get you all nice and settled into a little jungle zone or something of the sort… Do you want to help me design it?”

“Hrmr,” it said, then lowered its neck and head down atop its paws and closed its eyes.

I got the message. Just get on with it.

Well, our new hire wasn’t giving me quite the proper respect yet—but that was only yet. They all learned eventually. I stepped closer and stroked its back, feeling the powerful muscles lurking under that thick fur, ready to pounce at any moment. It would do fine for a guard.

And perhaps…

I looked back, at the little cats that were still cowering behind me. “Are you really scared? Look—he, no she’s just a cat like you all!”

I stroked the tiger under its chin and it nuzzled into my hand, giving me a playful bite.

[You have received 1 piercing damage!]

[Hp: 0/1]

I hid my grimace under my best fake smile and carefully extracted my bleeding hand from the tiger’s maw, and hid it behind my back. “S-see? Absolutely nothing scary here!”

Convinced by my performance, the little cats rushed to the big one, who opened up from her curl just enough to let all of them nuzzle against her body.

“You’re on babysitting duty now,” I said to it, then edged away, wincing at the pain in my hand. I quickly opened my shop menu.

[You have bought 1 First aid Kit for 3 dungeon points!]

[You have bought 1 healing potion for 5 dungeon points!]

I didn’t need the potion for something this small, but I did realize now that it might be handy to have one at hand. I quickly wrapped up my hand after disinfecting the wound, then turned back to look at a tiger happily sleeping with a group of kittens.

I need more HP for this job…

But I still had work to do. I looked over the rest of the room. Just a bare stone surface, lit with the dim light that came from the torches upstairs.

What sort of hunting ground should I make for our tiger?

Dungeon Points: 34

I pulled back my sleeves and got back to work.