When I leave the dungeon exit I'm standing in the middle of what looks like a community hall except that everything is demolished. Seems like the monsters had to relieve pent-up stress in some way with all of their toys already gone.

Maria goes on a quick scouting trip. Maybe I should've sent Elly instead to look from above... well, she can go after that.

Now that I take a look outside it looks like it is still in the middle of the day. So I need to find protection against both regular monsters and the biggest monster of them all: the sun. Being in here only guards me against the latter.

"Milord, it seems there are no monsters to be found within this village itself, only further away from it."

"Good, Maria, you can take a rest. Elly, it is your turn now."

I switch my two summons around.

"For what exactly, Jared?"

"You can fly. You should be able to see more of the surrounding area."

"Huh? Oh, right, valkyrie. I actually forget I had those wings. Let me get to it."

(Would it be appropriate to give my report now?)

(Sure, Maria, what have you got?)

(So, it was just what you would expect of a deserted and ruined village, no people to be found and none of the buildings seem to offer any safety against monster assaults. Though there was a watchtower that still seemed operable. We could hole up in there as a start, most monsters can't climb ladders. Maybe we could even remove or destroy the ladders once we're up there.)

(As much damage as monsters have done to the village what makes you think that they can't bring a watchtower down?)

(I don't have a guarantee but it looked relatively stable with its fortified wooden walls and at least it should be safer than out here in the open.)

(Good, we'll give it a try.)

Maria guides me to the aforementioned watchtower. When she first mentioned it I expected just a flimsy construct on four wooden legs but it has solid walls instead. Inside there's indeed a ladder going up, no stairs. And the ladder seems loose enough that we can pull it up. The top is covered by a roof so I should be safe against the sun as well.

I take the opportunity to have a look around myself. Now, why does this place look so familiar?

Huh? Oh, right, shit. I forgot about the demon lord title thing...

Can I abort this, please? I don't want it anymore... yeah, didn't think so.

That's what I get for agreeing to something I only understand by half at best, and under duress at that...

Weird, I do not feel unproductive, and nothing else seems to have changed, all my other titles and classes are still there.

So what should this title tell me? That 'demons' are not a specific race or empire or whatever, but just anyone that holds this title? And that it is relatively easy to obtain?

I guess this lends credence to the idea that the devas have just played me. If anyone can become a 'demon' just like that, this is a bad criterion to define the 'enemy' in their alleged war between good and evil. Maybe once I find the 'demon' civilization I can just join them? At least by title, I am now already a member, potentially soon a leader of theirs. This whole scenario is so weird...

While mulling over this turn of events, Elly returns to my side, "ah, there you are. What's going on, Jared? You don't look too well."

"I just got a friendly reminder that I took the 'Demon Lord Candidate' title. It seems like you first need a regular demon title which is seemingly not even hard to get. Just pass a rite of passage and that's it... well, I don't know the details, I just got handed it forcefully because of the candidate thing."

"Huh, well, we can't abort the process at this point anymore. You just have to behave so as to not qualify for the rest of the package, right? Unless you want to still go all in. But anyway, I saw only a few monsters in the distance. Doesn't seem like we'll be in danger any time soon."

"Good to hear. Any clue where we even are right now?"

"I think this is the village where we were in the beginning and you had... you know, your little misunderstanding with the three kids."

"Way to go, life! Just keep kicking me while I'm already down. I didn't need that reminder yet again! *sigh* So, that means we know the way to the fortress?"

"Pretty much. Just... follow that road over there and at the road split after a day or so turn to the right. Though by carriage it was still a two-day trip. Technically we could run there faster but the monsters would slow us down if not completely stop us once we get to the fully crowded part near the fortress."

"Yeah, and I can't spend too long in the scorching sun while we're at it... I have gotten quite a few levels since then which makes the sun deal much more damage to me than even back then, and my sun protection gear can absorb only so much sunlight damage at a time. I think I would already take some sun damage now even while the Sun Guard Ring hasn't reached its threshold yet because it caps at 30 damage per second and [Undead] should make me take 45 damage, minus some [Daywalker] resistance. Wait, does the cloak say how much it can take at most? I never checked."

"Nope, just two hours flat. Still not enough to feel safe."

"So, with your increased level, the ring doesn't even last a full hour anymore. Well, it's only a difference of ten minutes to before our training montage, so that isn't saying much."

"More like two minutes, I'm over the 30 damage threshold now, by quite a margin even."

"Oh, right, maybe you should work a bit more on the title levels in the future to aid a bit via [Daywalker]?"

"Don't think that matters, even if, that is a problem for the future. For now, we have to worry about how to get to a safer place."

Elly fidgets around a bit, "Jared, this time I have a dumb idea."

"Why am I surprised, you are based on me after all. Speak, what is it?"

"We take the way along the forest edge. When monsters get too close I'll help you climb up a tree to safety since I can fly."

"I don't see how this is dumb. As long as we don't lose sight of the road we should be fine."

"Well, but first I need to rest. Flying around has drained most of my limited SP already."

"Do that, Elly."

(If the need arises, you can also sacrifice me as bait, my liege.)

(I... don't like that option but I'll keep that in mind. I know you would be back within a week but 'human' sacrifices are not something I want on my conscience nor do I want to unnecessarily hurt a friend.)

(I appreciate your concern for my well-being.)

After a few hours, once the sun starts to set down, I climb down the watchtower and start running towards the forest.

Soon I arrive at the trees and have a quick glance at the weird trees. Their strange spiral patterns still are very unsettling to me, just like on the first day here. As a quick test, I try to climb one of them but their bark is too smooth to really get any grip.

(I hope you can carry me up there, Elly. Climbing those trees by myself seems out.)

(Then we better check now before we get struck by an emergency.)

(Yeah, let's.)

I bring Elly out again. I try to climb the tree and she supports me, with that, I manage to reach the top.

"Ok, that wasn't too bad, Jared. Maybe a bit of an SP hog but otherwise doable."

"Good to hear. Now go back to recover SP. I don't want to find you 2 SP short when we have to do that for real."

"Yeah, 'see' you later." - (Not that this stops me from thinking at you.)

(So, anything else I should be aware of or can I go down again now?)

(Give me ten minutes, then I should have enough SP for the worst case.)

(Fine by me.)

(Can we then get to playing cards, Elly?)

(You have cards in there?)

(That was supposed to be a secret, Maria!)

(Oh, sorry, my bad.)

(...you are pulling my leg, aren't you?)

(...maayybe?)

billiard noises

(Right...)

After a few minutes, I climb down again and start running along the edge of the forest, always keeping an eye on the road to the side and every so often stopping to look around for monsters but none seem to care about me. [Stealth] coming in clutch again.

After over a day of running, I can finally see the fortress in the distance. And the figurative flood of monsters surrounding it. It is currently in the middle of the day, so now what?

(Making a break for the gate itself is out. There's an endless amount of monsters in the way, and even if I got through, this would also raise awkward questions about how I was outside.)

(I can't see it from here, but the second gate should have the same issue. Though at least the ungated sides of the fortress have only a few monsters in the way, maybe you can climb up there?)

(Well, I did buy a rope. You would have to fly up and fasten one end of it to the battlements, then assist me while I climb up. I'm not sure I want to test how I interact with the water in the moat, I don't have a swimming skill and as game-like as some aspects are, this might mean instant drowning... How long would we even have for that operation? How long can you fly, Elly?)

(So, about two minutes. Should suffice.)

(Yeah, we can start once I have regenerated my SP to full.)

(I'd rather wait for nighttime. Might help with [Stealth]. At least there would be less people inside to accidentally see me.)

(Sounds like a plan.)

(Anything I can do to help?)

(I don't think so, Maria.)

(I thought as much. Though feel free to use me as a distraction if you should catch the attention of some monsters.)

(Yeah, we can do that. But you don't need to fight to your death then.)

We wait for nighttime. I technically have enough MP to cast two rain spells now, I haven't done that in a long time, and I'd 'lose' the 1000 MP anyway when I summon Elly later but... I don't feel like giving myself away now is a good idea. If it doesn't draw aggro from the monsters, it would at least tip off Darius that I'll be back.

Honestly, I would have rather gone anywhere else, Darius and Therese are too dangerous to my future. But that village watchtower isn't defensible for me and I don't know any other settlement in the vicinity where I could go to.

Funny, how the 'safest' place right now would be within reach of who should be by all rights my worst nightmare.

Once night falls, I sneak towards the moat at the ungated sidewall. I summon Elly, take out the rope and hand one end to her while holding onto the other, "You know the plan, now go."

"Gotcha."

As she flies up I begin to sense a problem, the rope is too short.

The rope tightens, I expect Elly to notice that and come back... but instead, she drags me just in the air as if my weight was nothing to her.

"Umm, I didn't know you were that strong, Elly."

"What? Huh? I thought this rope would be longer. Umm, if you're that light I can just carry you normally."

She pulls me up and grabs me from behind. If this were an anime I might have had a nice feeling on my back, but alas, armor.

I put the rope away while she carries me up and lets me down on the wall.

"Say, Jared, do you eat properly? You weight very little."

"That is not something you should ask a vampire, especially not in the middle of a crowd. He might take that as an invitation to a buffet."

Both of us have a quick chuckle.

We look around but it seems like no one noticed our little infiltration.

"Elly, do you have enough SP left to fly me down to that building?"

"Yeah, I should have just enough and then I'm pooped."

"Ok, then do so, please."

Elly brings me down and then I unsummon her. Seems like I have entered the slums again. The people here are too apathetic to notice our little stunt just now, [Stealth] probably does its part as well. That works for me.

What a weird feeling.  To me, it has been over a year, but to reality, I was last here three or four days ago. I guess normal people won't get it even nearly as bad, don't have the food or lack of necessary sleep to last even a day in a dungeon.

I still have the map from Chloe in my inventory, I check with it what the shortest route to my destination is, Elly assists me with that.

I start walking towards the slum's exit. On the way, I see some suspicious figures entering an alley.

(I wonder what they are up to.)

(Do you really want to get involved with whatever is going on here, my liege? You may have become a bit stronger since you were last here, but you aren't even up to par with regular soldiers level-wise. I consider it ill-advised to try busting a thieves guild or whatever may be up ahead.)

(For now, I'm just curious, Maria. Neither of us may like associating with 'criminals', but as it stands, I'm not safe with the military, Darius saw to that. Taking the 'Lord's Mansion' is currently not an option either, even if wanted, I don't have any beer to fulfill the trade. And as we discussed earlier, I'm very limited on how long I can stay in the sun, I need a place to stay. So, if that means joining hands with a group of rogues for the time being, then this is something I have to consider.)

(Alright, but please, be careful.)

Just to be safe, I change my robe's design to be less conspicuous, hide the military insignia and change the blue color scheme to grey. That should avoid a bit of trouble, the people here don't take too well to the military.

I follow the figures but soon lose sight of them. I look around a bit and walk some more in the direction they were heading until I start hearing noises, chatting to be precise. I cautiously head towards it.

When I arrive at the source of the noise, I see what looks like another market. Would a black market really operate out in the open like that? If that really is the black market, I would have rather expected it to be hidden in someone's cellar or something, at least not blatantly out in the open like this.

I start to look around a bit.

Most of the stuff on sale is the same as in the regular market just for about a third of the price. I ask one of the merchants and he explains to me that none of the merchants here have a license, they couldn't even go back to 'civilization' since the automatic law enforcement considers them criminals. Most regular people don't dare go here and the military is bound by contracts to purchase from the regular merchants, so the illegal merchants can only offer dump prices if they want to make any sales.

I thank him by trading two of his decks of cards for some of the food I looted in the dungeon. That should help him more than some gold.

I have no idea how they get by, how they survive. None of the food supplies go to the slums, I overheard as much from some of the supply staff when I got my first charge of the disgusting monster blood vials. Maybe there are some destitute farms hidden somewhere in the slums? Well, knowing that wouldn't change anything.

One of the merchants actually has a 'Class Core' for sale but it is priced at 300 gold. Just for the heck of it, I tried to haggle the merchant down like the one merchant taught me ages ago. In terms of cash, he would go as low as 250 but I don't have that much with me. I tried to trade most of the food and materials I have with me instead, but that wasn't enough for him. Well, maybe next time. I have basically cleared the dungeon once, so why shouldn't I be able to repeat that next week?

I check some more merchants but they carry nothing else of value. Not even a simple beer for my dear friend. With that, I leave the slum market and head to my original destination.

(My liege, may I ask why don't you donate more of the food to those people?)

(I don't have enough to feed all of them for even a day, and I hate choosing who gets to live and who doesn't. I'm not a god of life and death.)

(So, you are okay with letting all of them starve?)

(No, but at a minimum, the food may come in as a bargaining chip if push comes to shove. In the long term that may save more people than feeding a couple for a day.)

(May I ask what your master plan with those cards is, Jared?)

(Plan? I just want them to pass time. I'm sick of reading the same books over and over, the library is unlikely to have anything new to read sometime soon, and the less I have to read from that presumptuous ass Jeff the better.)

(Who is 'Jeff'?)

(He is the cause of many of my headaches, Maria. If you ever meet him, feel free to sock him. He is one of the devas responsible for handling my reincarnation and sending me here. You would think he is on our side but I doubt that. There are several inconsistencies in what he has told me and the documents he gave me... have issues. Lots of issues. Several are just incomplete or broken, well, I can't fault Jeff for that, he didn't have enough time to finish the transfer. But some of the other documents... are useless. Like, to understand them they require knowledge I simply don't have, others seem flat out wrong - like, who'd ever say that defense is completely useless if you only have one chance at everything? And the remaining files... are password-protected, and he forgot to give me the password. Given the circumstances, I have no idea if he is really on our side and just utterly incompetent, or if he is in reality our enemy.)

(I'll... keep that in mind.)