“Monster Surge… Huh…” Nicholas tapped his chin, his facial features scrunching up in thought. “Well, by my calculations, it should be about a week from now.”

“A week?” I cupped my chin, a habit I developed recently with all the thinking I kept on doing ever since this fiasco about their stupid civil war started. Plus, it felt good to rub my hairy chin, which made me calm in the heat of the matter. “I ask you this: how did the past Monster Surges play out?”

Nicholas perked up at my question, a sly grin forming on his face as he realized my intentions.

“Well, well, I didn’t think that you, of all things, would have a heart of gold.” I chuckled at his response. He’s not wrong, but heart of gold may be too far from the truth…

Scratch that, he was way, WAY, off…

“Heh, heart of gold or not, from what you expect of my actions in the future, I can guarantee you, we both benefit from the outcome.”

“Hah! Right, you are on that, Jionni.” Nicholas guffawed at my statement, shocking Alexa due to her father’s unexpected laughter. Once he stopped laughing, however, his serious face came back into full view. “Well then, moving onto the meaty bits, the past Monster Surges were just simple. Mindless monsters rush into towns, villages, and other settlements to do only one thing. Bring death.”

My eyes widen at his words. That… opens a whole new can of worms…

Mindless monsters… A stark difference between the monsters I have all met during my stay in this world. Does that even include…

“I know what you’re thinking, and no, monsters living inside a Dungeon are not affected by the strange, every decade occurrence.” My mind went into full gear. From what I gather, there could be two possibilities. One is that all monsters living inside a Dungeon really can not be influenced by the strange phenomenon, and two, is that only those generated by the Dungeon aren’t afflicted by said influence.

“That is… A reassuring thought…” I hummed. ‘I should probably move the Human area away from the Defender/Forest/City area for the time being. I do not want to see some casualties inside my Dungeon, much more if they are a stable source of DP income, as well as manpower.’

Nicholas had a confused expression on his face for a moment before I waved him off with my hand.

“Moving on, I’m guessing that you would like to take refuge inside my Dungeon for the time being?” I asked the question that was on everybody’s mind.

“Very much so.” Nicholas nodded, his feet shuffling towards his daughter silently, not that I didn’t notice.

“I see… In that case, I would like to extend to you the same offer I made to these demi-humans.” I gestured towards the group of demi-humans, who all but thought that I had forgotten about them during our short discussion.

“And what ‘offer’ may that be, Jionni?” A curious expression plastered itself on his face. That, and a hint of anxiety and fear. Probably for his daughter, I’m assuming.

“Manual labor in exchange for housing and security.” Nicholas’ face froze up. In fear, shock, or excitement, I do not know, but that face was somewhat hilarious.

“Manual… Labor… That’s all…?”

“Why, yes. Your help in building some buildings for the new up and coming town where every species, monsters, humans, and demi-humans, can live in peace.”

At my statement, everybody, sans myself and Domino, had their jaws dropped to the floor, metaphorically that is.

“Pu… Haha… HahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

Nicholas, after a few moments of utter quiet, broke the silence with his laughter, his volume ever increasing by the second. Every person not closely affiliated with the Dungeon (Merethyl doesn’t count since she isn’t part of the Dungeon, unlike Domino and Gong) looked at the man like he was mad and losing his sanity for laughing at the statement of the being that held their lives in their hands.

“Oh… Dear… Xyneas… I… I haven’t laughed like that in a long time…” Nicholas wiped a tear from his eye from too much laughter. “I’ll admit, that is a nice goal, but is it even possible? With us humans and demi-humans killing dozens of them daily due to how much of a threat they are to our society…?”

“Heh, you’d be surprised to know that even they have their own sense of culture and society.” This got Nicholas to shut up. “Also, they mostly revolve around survival of the fittest, so politics does squat for them and they also don’t have wars that could ravage entire lands due to differing beliefs. Well, most of them…” I remember that I lived in a fantasy world of swords and magic, with monsters such as goblins and orcs inhabiting the land. Who’s to say a dragon doesn’t exist in this world?

“… Touche…” Nicholas had no retort to my statement, causing me to grin at his silent form.

“That said, do you still accept my offer?” Nicholas snorted as he approached me, his entire body just enough to reach my head while I was on all fours.

“Like I have any other choice. Manual labor sounds better than pencil crunching and filing paperwork.” Nicholas muttered quietly, distaste and rage brimming off of him the moment he muttered the dreaded ‘paperwork.’

‘It seems, no matter what universe, paperwork is the most dreaded enemy of all sentient life form.’ I closed my eyes, some memories of filing paperwork as a student came back to haunt me.

Fuck. Those. Papers.

I held my hand out. Nicholas noticing my gesture, took my hand in his and shook it.

“Well then, welcome to my Dungeon, Nicholas Gallagher, and Alexa Gallagher.” Alexa, who was silent throughout the whole ordeal, like the demi-human group, Merethyl, Gong, and Domino, hesitantly bowed. “You must be tired, though, and the only place to stay I have currently is that small shack over there.”

I pointed at the shack housing the children of Bentley, the two mentally broken women, the other comatose woman, and Merethyl’s disabled twin sister…

I need a better fucking building to accommodate them…

“No worries, we’ll make ourselves at home.” Nicholas grinned and made his way back to his daughter. He said something to her, but my mind was wondering and I was focused on the demi-human group, who were looking at me intently.

“So, do you accept my offer?”

Krag approached me first, then Anduin piggybacking Alice, and finally Lara.

“Yes, we agree to your terms.” Krag said with a bow, prompting the others to follow suit.

“Well, allow me to say, welcome aboard.” A smile graced my lips.

At least, during these hectic two weeks, things were finally calming down a bit.

[][][][][][][][][][][][]

~ Third Person POV ~

“Are the preparations ready…?”

“Yes, m’lord. The preparations for the Games next week are done.”

“Excellent, it seems we have a fine batch this year. Don’t you agree, Uius?”

“I agree, m’lord. Especially that reincarnee.”

“Heh, not the first reincarnee, mind you. Though his species is somewhat fascinating, I’ll chalk it up to the uncaring Gods.”

“Maybe not the uncaring Gods, but maybe their spokesperson, m’lord.”

“Oho, maybe you’re right, Uius. Maybe you’re right…”