"It was the first time I had ever met someone as beautiful as she was. From what I could tell, she was a young woman, perhaps even younger than I had initially thought. But then again, this was a different world, and appearances could be deceiving.
Her long, black hair was as dark as the night, and her eyes had a striking golden hue, almost like amber. Her fashion sense was impeccable, and her clothes looked expensive enough to belong to a wealthy corporation, or perhaps even a uniform of some sort.
Suddenly, a glowing frame appeared above the monster catalog, and her image was projected onto it. I couldn't help but feel surprised and amazed by her presence.
"Unit!" she exclaimed, her voice commanding and authoritative. Her words made my ears turn red, and the mysterious, goddess-like impression I had of her quickly transformed into that of an employee who had made a mistake in an instant."
"This is Ilmatar Järvenperä, the contact person in charge of the Monster Delivery Center," Ms. Järvenpäa introduced herself, attempting to speak in a serious tone, but her voice trembled betraying her nerves. She seemed to be physically trembling as well, and I began to feel a sense of sadness wash over me.
"I'm sorry," I stammered, "My name is Natsuo Miyama. I was suddenly made a dungeon master today and I'm not sure what to do. I was hoping you could offer me some guidance."
"Certainly," she replied warmly, "Supporting new Dungeon Masters is part of our duty. Please rest assured."
Although my face was still flushed with embarrassment, it seemed like I was no longer in hot water. Ms. Järvenperä took out some materials and began to spread them out, ready to assist me in any way possible.
"Excuse me, Dungeon Master-sama. Would it be alright if I address you by your last name, Miyama?"
"Yes, that's fine," I replied.
"Before I proceed with my questions, may I confirm how much you understand about the current situation?" she asked cautiously.
"I believe I have a good understanding," I replied confidently.
"I see. It's important to know what parts you already understand and what needs further explanation. We have a manual that covers all the necessary details," she explained.
For the next few minutes, we exchanged information in a sort of questionnaire format, with Ms. Järvenperä clarifying certain points and filling in any gaps in my knowledge. I discovered that the system would indicate if there were any discrepancies in our responses, and for the most part, my guesses had been correct. However, there were a few things I didn't know, which she was able to explain.
Becoming a Dungeon Master meant that the boulder was the core of the dungeon and if it was destroyed, everything associated with the dungeon, including myself, would perish. The core granted me power, enhancing my physical abilities and endowing me with the ability to communicate in the common language of magic, known as dragon language. This language was created for creatures such as dragons, who were unable to speak with their mouths and throats.
"From what you've told me, it appears that you have a good understanding of the basic information. Do you have any further questions?" Ms. Järvenperä asked.
"No, not at the moment," I replied, although in truth, I was curious as to why I had become a Dungeon Master and who had made me one. However, I didn't want to burden Ms. Järvenperä with my inquiries, as it seemed beyond the scope of her role in assisting me. I decided to hold off on asking until the time was more appropriate.
I grabbed the catalog from the table and presented it to Ms. Järvenperä, hoping to show her something. However, her smile quickly faded, and she apologized.
"I'm sorry, but that catalog is not related to our organization. Dangerous & Deluxe Engineering Company is another company that provides support to dungeons like ours."
"I see, no problem," I responded, realizing that Ms. Järvenperä was trying to avoid the issue.
Despite not mentioning it directly, it was clear that she was aware of the problems associated with Dangerous & Deluxe. Just the fact that she didn't defend it was enough. Nonetheless, I couldn't help but think that it was a terrible name for a company. If abbreviated with initials, it would be even worse. Then again, it was a name created in dragon language, not English, so maybe it sounded better in its native tongue.
"Well then, it's time to focus on our company's main objective - monsters. Do you happen to have any dungeon coins?"
"Is this it?"
After veering off topic, the speaker takes out a red coin from a small box.
"You'll use that coin to contract with any monster in our catalog. Once you've made the contract, it will be permanent, and no additional charges will be incurred. However, please note that maintenance costs will be incurred for food, bedding, and any other needs of the creatures. Some highly intelligent creatures may demand clothing and entertainment."
"...even if there are no additional charges, we still have to pay the monsters, right?"
"No, it goes without saying for those with low intelligence, and even those with high intelligence will not require payment. The coins you paid at the beginning are sufficient. However, at times, you may choose to give them pocket money to maintain and increase their motivation."
The speaker picks up a coin and lifts it up, asking, "...Is this coin worth a lot?"
"That's correct! These coins are unique to dungeons and contain a large amount of compressed magical power, which greatly aids the use of magic. They trade for an average of 100 gold coins per coin. By the way, our previous craftsman worked all day and received one gold coin."
The protagonist roughly calculates that one gold coin is worth 10,000 yen, and one dungeon coin is worth 1 million yen. "Thirty goblins per coin. About 30,000 yen for one goblin...30,000 yen for lifetime employment...Initially, I thought hiring 30 for one coin was a good deal, but after learning the actual price, I have the opposite impression."
"Now then, before introducing the specific monsters, may I ask about Miyama-sama's dungeon?"
