“Brrrrring, Brrrrring, Brrrrring…”
I got up and stopped the alarm clock. Even while awakening from my slumber, I was greatly pleased and once again impressed by the assortment of items that I could conjure up with either my mana or gold via the dungeon management system. And since I could add over 300 mana to the dungeon every hour, I could afford just about everything that was currently unlocked.
While I was investigating the various functions and options I had discovered both the amenities tab and the ‘Early 21st Century Earth’ keyword. Surprisingly, there were items available that I had not known existed back on Earth, although these goods were further classified as ‘Secret and Suppressed.’
Furthermore, I was absolutely delighted in the discovery of an Edit Summonables function, whereby I could freely design contraptions and minions. I stuck with the provided guidance for the most part though, since to actually function properly, anything summoned had to conform to some standard of laws. By combining and editing Modern Earth’s technology and Hwantasy’s magic items together, I had already been able to vivify my large room. I was excited at the prospect of being able to do more as I learned more.
Currently though, I stood basking in the rays of peeking sunshine and breathing in the fresh morning mountain air through the large arched Holo-windows I had installed on the side of my room adjoining the bed, and through these windows I could see the sun slowly rising above the misty peaks of the Grand Hwasten Mountain Range. It truly was a marvelous sight to behold.
The Holo-windows could simulate being an aperture to anywhere in the world that I had actually been or seen. Heck, I could even make the windows show me the scenery of my neighborhood as seen from my old place. It was possible to conjure up a scene purely from my imagination, but it didn’t feel anywhere near as real to the senses.
In any case, simply just playing around with the edit function had been enough to raise my Dungeon Manager tier to Rare E from Common F- and my status as Dark Lord rose a little bit as well to grade F+ from F. Accordingly, my stat limits also rose as well although that doesn’t really matter much to me. What did matter more was that more items were unlocked and available to me.
The good news didn’t stop there as I realized that by successfully utilizing the Mirror of Truth and Judgement, I was able to add whatever I had analyzed into my dungeon database. I mean, I was now able to summon Elfoid-Demons at Peasant and Commoner ranks as well as Demonkin Maid Servants at Recruit rank.
This was a whole new world to me, as it appeared to be a process involving creating a living breathing being out of thin air. I was hesitant to actually go through with summoning a fully sentient person at this point, but from what I did play around with, I could actually create an entire life story alongside personality traits and aptitudes. Needless to say, Gajie was just flabbergasted when I asked her about this functionality, replying that she had never even heard of anything like this before. Ah My Goddess, just what kind of plans do you have for me?
As I stepped into the shower, located in a small bathroom I had connected to my own room, I recounted one of the previous conversations I had engaged in with Gajie.
“…Such was the religious situation on Earth. Now tell me about the religion in this world, Gajie,” I asked.
“As you wish, my Lord,” Gajie responded, refusing unto the end my request for her to address me in a more colloquial manner.
“In our world, unlike your own, it is common knowledge that gods exist. Gods regularly bless people and choose representatives as well as cursing and striking down those who raise their ire enough. There are also different levels in the various pantheons, with some gods being more powerful than others.
The similarity of our religions to yours is that the situation is that of a smorgasbord of beliefs all mixed in together. There are sects that claim to worship the one true god, followers of certain faiths bearing enmity towards other particular faiths, cults considered destructive or evil, and then there are also kingdoms where peace and calm reigns even with the populace following a multitude of different religious beliefs,” Gajie reported methodically.
“What religion do you follow Gajie?” I asked.
Gajie’s face darkened a little as she replied, “I believe in no god my Lord. I know that they exist, but I do not place my trust and faith in any particular deity.”
“I understand,” I replied while prolonging the opening of my eyelids closed from blinking.
“Lord Reprobate, you also strike me as a person unbelieving in any particular faith,” Gajie ventured.
“You are correct, Gajie. In my old world, I was more of an agnostic when it came to religious matters. Although I sought the truth, it was extremely hard to discover something tangible. It also didn’t help that I was a doubting Thomas who needed a reason for everything.
With my recent life events of being reincarnated into another world, as well as meeting face to face with a goddess, I’ve had to reconsider some essential parts of my foundational assumptions. In particular, I yearn to know more about the goddess whom I had a personal encounter with, but far be it from me to say that I worship her,” I said.
“I see,” Gajie replied and our eyes met as we gazed at each other.
Having finished my shower, I ceased my recollection.
Really, I didn’t need to shower, but I liked to stand underneath the jets of warm water while secluding myself in my own thoughts. It used to be a sort of reprieve from the frigid world I found myself in my past life. I would douse myself in cold water at the end of my showers, shocking myself back into the icy harsh reality. But actually, I did it because the cold water at the end felt good.
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I smirked a little while being reminded of the one item that this bathroom lacked: a toilet. Initially, I had pondered over whether or not I should have a toilet installed. If not needing to defecate was a standard for Godhood, then a God I was. Perhaps I will install a toilet one day, if I ever feel that I want to urinate and defecate, just because I miss the joys of feeling the relief as I relieved myself from various bodily functions.
As I stepped back into my room, I was glad that I was wearing my underwear. There were five maids present in the room. As soon as they felt my presence they bowed while greeting me. One maid brought in a trolley with a covered silver platter and was arranging a table for breakfast. Two other maids came forward and started dressing me.
Yeah, it seems like being pampered is the norm for nobility and royalty, and I have no intentions of desisting in being treated as such. After all, acting contrary to the ingrained value systems of the populace would garner disdain. For instance, a Lord helping out with common fieldwork would not be respected or admired but looked down upon even by most of his own subjects. Someone straight from Earth would usually want to help however they could even if they became a noble.
On that account, though I could magically garb myself with gear in my inventory, I let the attendants continue with their ministrations. Even so, I couldn’t help but be somewhat flustered and embarrassed inside.
When I was fully dressed, I was clothed in an all-black casual formal suit except for a silver necktie. I also wore a men’s lightweight black moto-styled jacket. My style was completed with a sheathed sword in a black scabbard with silver embroidery hanging at my side. The weapon was a common grade summons of which I had altered the decorations. I smiled as I looked at myself in the mirror; I looked good and I liked it.
Breakfast consisted of Cream of Chicanery plant soup, bread, cheese, two fruits with milk and juice to drink. The meal was on the simple side but it was hearty and tasted alright.
As an aside, I was bleeding gold because I had no source of income and my dungeon lacked self-sufficiency and trade. The saving grace was that Kikesta’s basic services did not cost much. From the dark lords, the firm should make most of their money from the Items and Minions sold as well as gold-lending and joint ventures. Fortunately, I had no need of their dearer services at this time.
Gajie had advised me to steer clear of borrowing gold from the firm, as a fair number of the deceased and inactive dark lords had been brought to ruin via this route. If a dark lord was powerful, he usually wouldn’t need to borrow gold. And the various firms had a myriad of methods to deal with middling to lower tier dark lords who either reneged on their contracts or turned outright hostile.
I had to agree with Gajie on that point. I viewed it in this way: I am currently a cub of the apex predator. Fully matured, nothing would be able to stand in my way, but being young and weak, anything could stop me from my manifest destiny.
By this time, I had made it to my office. Yes, I had an office now, and no it isn’t all that ornate or stately at present. I’ll get to it though, eventually. Or so I tell myself. Home and office décor were not especially a part of my interests at the moment.
“Good morning, my Lord,” Gajie greeted me. She was waiting in front of my office while holding a folder. She was as prim and proper as ever in her attire. She had also brought an entourage of maids along.
“Ah, Gajie, Good morning!” I nodded my head to her before continuing, “Is there anything to be briefed on before I start the summoning?”
“Yes, there are items requiring your attention,” Gajie said while following me inside before continuing, “We successfully installed a communications system for the dungeon and have received several salutations.”
“Oh?” I inquired.
“Several from individual Dark Lords as well as those representing Dark Lord factions in the vicinity make known their welcome. The Kingdoms of Ente and Hwasten-Low have sent notice alerting us that the dungeon has been added as a destination for the adventurer’s guild. Various members of the local nobility send their greetings,” Gajie answered.
“Here are the actual letters my Lord,” Gajie said while placing the folder she was holding onto my desk.
I read through a couple of the letters before asking, “Was there anything noteworthy about any of the letters?”
“No, they all adhered to protocol although they were all standard and generic,” Gajie replied.
“Basically, they’re all taking a wait and see approach to me I see,” I said.
“That is to be expected, Lord. However, Lemarin and Ducaz have not sent official salutations but simply alerted us that they have dispatched official envoys,” Gajie said.
“Well now, that makes things more interesting. Send back replies to everyone else who greeted us, adhere to protocol and make sure our replies are as dull and meaningless as theirs. In the meantime, we had better make sure that our dungeon is hospitable for our forthcoming guests, invited and otherwise,” I said.
“Yes, my Lord,” Gajie affirmed with a bow before relaying instructions to various maids.
I pondered as to what the countries of Lemarin and Ducaz could want with me while waiting for Gajie so that we could finally summon some minions for the dungeon.