Chapter 24

“Okay,” I said and thought, “Everyone outside, enter. He’s my servant.” I stared at Munjan. “Just so you understand, that you’re like ... a monster girl now. For me. I can’t bring you back to life if you die, and if I die...”

“Oh,” Munjan said.

“My monster girls are entering the dungeon now,” I said. “If you notice on your screen they appear as guests. They’re not here to hurt you. It’s just easier to get them back to my territory. Now, let’s get to your Vault and reshape your dungeon. You can keep all your traps and labyrinths, we’re just going to shift your entrance to put it next to my embassy.”

“Usiku, make sure the square’s clear,” I said. “Munjan’s signed up with us. He’ll be adding his dungeon exit beside the embassy.”

“Awesome,” she sent back. “We’re going to have an orgy, right?”

“Yes, yes,” I said, shaking my head and smiling. “Okay, space will be clear. Let’s move your entrance. Then you can start buying food from the halflings. Or, well, I’ll have it sent. And, of course, you’ll be free to have dinner with me or Siwang if you want. You’ll like him.”

“Sure, sure,” Munjan said, he looked dazed.

I clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed him. “We have a lot in common. You were struck by lightning, right? Before being sent here.”

“Yeah.” He glanced at me. “Wait, was Lightning your first.”

I grinned. “It was. Though I didn’t get a catgirl.”

“I’m a nekomata,” said Macka.

“That’s a monster from Japan,” Hagane said. “It’s a yokai. A, er, a folk tale monster. The two tails should have clued me in. That’s what separates a nekomata from a bakeneko. That and different stories.”

“Good to know,” Macka said, rolling her eyes. Oh, yeah, she was probably a popular mean girl back in the old world.

Munjan led us back into his living area where more will o’ wisps had been waiting. Had he planned on falling back in here and fighting me in these tighter quarters? He had seven will o’ wisps. Seeing them all moving around us made me feel nostalgic.

He opened the door at the end onto the Vault. His Soul wasn’t motherly like mine or Siwang’s. His was ... young and peppy. She jumped to her feet, her round boobies jiggling, and squealed in delight. She was like ... a cheerleader.

I glanced at Macka. I bet she’d been a cheerleader, too.

“Okay,” I said. “You want to send your dungeon...” I glanced at Hagane.

“East by southeast,” she said. “You’re looking for the city and our embassy. I’ll talk you through it.”

“Uh...” Munjan looked embarrassed. “I thought I couldn’t reshape my dungeon with others in here. Soulanna told me that.”

“That’s true,” Soulanna said.

“I’m your lord,” I said. “Trust me, it’ll work. I’m not hostile. You can even teleport me around inside your dungeon, and I can do the same when you’re in mine. Oh, and once we’ve done this, there was a dickhead named Sulanga. He had a dungeon somewhere in this area with at least three other mana veins. You probably took one of his, but there should be more that you can find to get you more power.”

“Oh, thanks,” said Munjan, blinking. “You want me stronger.”

“Yep.” I sighed. “I’m going to need your strength. We are in a war against this world, and not everyone will be as reasonable as you.”

Munjan concentrated for a while. Hagane talked him through it until we were pretty sure that he had found it. I had him thrust an exit up to the surface. Usiku was able to confirm its existence in the square. So we had found it.

“Okay,” I said. “Just build a strong building around it. A place your will o’ wisps or other monster girls can guard.”

“Right,” he said, concentrating. “Okay.”

“Now, just move your dungeon beneath Sharithin, but leave an extension out here to keep in contact with the mana vein. It should be easy.”

“Yep, done.” He smiled. “I just moved us. Didn’t feel a thing.”

“No, I did not,” I said. “Well, let’s go get you those glyphs and introduce you to some of my allies. Uh, well, I have to spend some time with my monster girls. I don’t come out to Sharithin enough, and when you have as many as me ... They really don’t get all that much attention.”

“Attention?” asked Munjan.

“Yeah, I haven’t made love with my ambassador Usiku or the pixies I have stationed to guard my embassy in a bit,” I said. “They’re feeling frisky.”

“You have sex with your monster girls!” Munjan gasped and glanced at Zvaigzde. “Not just...”

“You’ve only made love to Macka?” I put a hand on his shoulders. “Trust me, your will o’ wisps will love it. As will your other monster girls. And you’ll gain new companions with your new glyphs. So, trust me, you’re going to have a good time.”

He looked a little bemused then glanced at Macka.

“That sounds fun,” she said. “Mmm, if that’s what you want.”

“Damn,” Munjan said. “Damn.”

I smiled.

We walked out of the dungeon and out into the square. The halflings were gawking at the new building. Usiku was talking to the elders. I knew them. They all nodded to me, looking relieved. They now had a full-time dungeon builder to defend the city.

“I want you to get to know Sharithin,” I told Munjan. “As you gain in power, I want you to invest in protecting the city. Perhaps, when you have the power, to replace the city walls with your own dungeon. Use your monster girls to guard the gate. It’s very effective. My embassy is here to give backup, and I can always send reinforces quickly.”

“Yeah,” Munjan said, looking around. “They’re really halflings. Like from Lord of the Rings.”