“So these are the available selections:

From the Goblin category: Goblin Miner, Goblin Scout, Goblin Sentry, Goblin Warrior, and Goblin Shaman.

From the Slime category: Common Slime and Killer Slime; not too many variations or upgrades have been unlocked for the slimes.

From the beast category: Wolf-pup, Lion-cub, Tiger-cub, Bear-cub; different species but no enhancement along one line for the beasts for whatever reason.

The rest are Basic Wisp, Pixie and Basic Earth Golem.

That’s everything barring editing existing entries and summoning actual people,” I said.

“While there are more species choices as well as better ranked versions of the starting four species available when compared to before, do you have any idea on why the unlocks seem so random?” I asked Gajie.

“My apologies, Lord. I will be forthright and declare that I have no talent in anything concerning military matters be it battlefield tactics, war stratagems, or minion recruitment,” Gajie replied matter-of-factly without so much as changing her facial expression.

“That’s fine Gajie, you’re already plenty talented, one can’t have everything I suppose,” I remarked.

I then continued, “I have half a mind to summon some Goblin Miners and set them to work mining ore to earn some gold, your opinion on such a course of action?”

“That is one of the tried tested and true methods of starting out as a dark lord, my Lord,” Gajie responded.

“How does mining work in a dungeon anyhow, Gajie?” I asked.

“Lord Reprobate, you may remember that a dungeon is a special existence which bends the laws of space and time itself,”Gajie said.

“Yes, I understand that a dungeon is not restrained by its physical boundaries. Much like a space-enchanted house can look small from the outside, but contain an incredibly spacious area within that would normally be beyond the physical bounds dictated to it by the laws of nature. And that like such a house, I could have the dungeon be deeper than what the bedrock allows or have a floor larger than what the mountain allows for instance,” I said.

“Indeed. However, one can also manipulate the actual space within the dungeon if the Dungeon Manager enables this to be so,” Gajie said while looking at me.

“Oh, so if there are actual ore veins or deposits within a dungeon’s space, these can be mined, I see,” I said while nodding.

“Yes Lord, but there are other ways as well. Consider the case where a dungeon is not located anywhere near natural ores or exhausts the available supply,” Gajie continued.

“Interesting. Go on, Gajie,” I said while rubbing my chin.

“If a dungeon manager has the raw materials available within their summons-list, they can exchange mana for the ore. This method however, is very time and energy consuming. One will earn coin this way, but there are other more profitable tasks. As well, most dark lords find such repetitive and menial work to be beneath their stature,” Gajie commented.

“I can imagine. It is reminiscent of clicking on a vending machine for hours on end to earn some Zeny in a certain mmorpg,” I chuckled.

Although Gajie was unable to understand my reference, she continued, “The favored way is to take a small part of the ore that you want to mine, an ore seed, and plant this within a part of the dungeon. The dungeon manager then makes it so that the ore seed will grow. Normally this process takes decades, which is already exceedingly fast, but certain dark lords have been known to expedite the process to as short as a few days.”

“Thank you for the lesson, Gajie. Then as we have no immediate means to produce mineable ore, Goblin miners seem to be a waste to summon,” I stated.

“Not necessarily, my Lord. Goblin Miners have an instinctual feel for ore and will succeed in mining them if there are any naturally formed ones within the dungeon,” Gajie said.

“Understood. Then I will now summon some goblins,” I replied.

Over the past few days, I had learnt that although I could do things by interacting with the system menus directly, I could achieve the same results through will alone as well.

I decided to try out both methods on summoning the goblins.

First, I summoned a single goblin warrior using the system.

Instantly, in front of us there was a small green goblin holding a crude sword.

There were no special effects: visual or aural or otherwise.

“Masta!” The goblin screeched.

“Welcome! Be proud! You are the first ever being to be summoned by me for my dungeon.”

I acknowledged Gajie as she congratulated me on the successful summoning and commanded the goblin to settle down. Next, I attempted to will more goblins into existence.

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

I willed for seven goblin miners and two goblin sentries to come into existence. I’m not sure if the mental imagery I thought of aided in the process but I succeeded in the summoning.

There were now seven goblins with shoddy pickaxes and two goblins with makeshift spears.

“Masta! Masta!” They screeched disparately while jumping up and down without any rhyme or rhythm.

I appointed the goblin warrior as leader of the squad of goblins and sent them off to mine whatever ores that they could find.

Even though the actual time of interaction with the goblins had been quite short, I was able to utilize and learn more about some of the powers of being a dark lord.

For instance, I could read their minds and feel their emotions. The goblins were jubilant at being alive. I was also able to influence their mental and emotional state by imbuing a sense of calmness. I was also able to converse with them telepathically.

After that, I summoned ten golems and twenty pixies while assigning four pixies and two golems per group, and ordered them to patrol the dungeon after instructing them on a general battle strategy.

The golems would tank any attackers with their high defense and sturdy bodies while the pixies would unleash their wind magic at range from behind the golems.

I liked the pixies, they were curious and playful creatures that loved to flitter about around me.

I then decided to defer the summoning of more minions for the time being. I would require more study on the synergies as well as downsides of different combinations.

However, I didn’t plan on taking too long to build up a decent force.

I was content with adopting a passive approach for now. After all, I still didn’t know enough about this world.

But circumstances can change. And I do know that I have the capability to accomplish great deeds. Equally as important is the fact that I promised to Gajie that she shall have her revenge.

There was once a time, during my younger days, where if I had the power to do so, I would have killed people for smiling at me the wrong way. That is to say, I was a proud fellow confident in his superiority over others. I saw the world as a totally dark and corrupt place – a place beyond saving. I thought that perhaps Machiavelli had been on to something.

Then there was also the side of me that was full of idealism.

I had sought after the impossible. After all, anything could be said and everything could be thought – even that which is not possible.

Can I say that I am a wiser man now?

This one time, I found a picture on the internet which resonated with me.

A man was standing atop a few books, and in his vision was a world full of colorful flowers and flushing meadows.

The man a little older now was atop significantly more books, and he saw that what he had seen before had merely been a deception in the form of a photograph on a placard. Only that the placard had been huge; enough to cover his entire field of vision. However, he now stood over the top of this placard, and could see the world for how it truly was: a complete ruins with the scattered aftermath of devastation everywhere.

Finally, the man now old, stood atop incomparably more books to even the amount of his first two selves combined. He found himself above all the chaos and deception and saw the wondrous scene of the sun setting in the sky.

Now I don’t think simply reading as many books as you can will make you wise.

You need to understand and gain insight into the underlying experiences for that.

But in terms of knowledge: the more I knew, the more questions I would have.

It sounds cliché doesn’t it?

But I truly did believe that we could make the world a better place in which to live.

That we could begin to understand.

I had power enough to build a kingdom!

There would be plenty to eat for everyone.

People who were 'bad' in the sense that they were inferior to the 'good' would not necessarily be denied whilst people who were good and hard-working would definitely not be denied.

Not denied the opportunity for success: fame, wealth, power and respect.

There would be few laws.

It would be a society where all live together, even alongside the not so productive.

Even those men who do not work too hard or who are untalented would have no problems raising a family.

Well, it would not be all completely good.

Since I am a proud fellow, a man for his extreme insolence towards me could have his balls lopped off.

As a Dark Lord I require some element of a dark touch.

But hey, the man could work towards having his balls restored.

Another cliché came to mind and I thought it to be completely apt.

To take things one day at a time.