"Earlier, you mentioned something about a teleportation device."
"Yes. There is a teleportation device that allows instant movement between floors. It can be configured through the control board."
"In that case, couldn't we use it to evacuate those who are gravely injured during a battle? That way, they wouldn't have to die."
"Well, it's not that simple. While the teleportation device is indeed convenient, it also has its drawbacks."
"What do you mean?"
"For example, if a subordinate were to teleport here using the device, what do you think the intruders would do? If a gravely injured enemy escaped through the teleportation device, they would likely pursue them to finish the job. This would inadvertently lead them straight to the heart of the dungeon. Therefore, it's not wise to carelessly install a teleportation device that enables instant movement between floors. However, it is possible to set up the device for simpler movements across a maximum of 10 floors. That might be a safer option."
"Even so, that doesn't fully address their safety. If there's a better method, I'd like to hear it."
"Instead of relying on the teleportation device, you could equip your subordinates with an item created within the dungeon. This item would allow the wearer to teleport freely within a floor under certain conditions or at their own will."
If such an item exists, you should have mentioned it before the teleportation device.
"There is an item called the Ring of Teleportation. It only works within the dungeon, and once outside, it becomes nothing more than a piece of jewelry. You can equip your subordinates with this ring by selecting them from the 'Characters' section on the control board. Once selected, the equipment option appears, and you can choose the item to equip."
I tried operating the board, and indeed, I was able to configure equipment. Among the available items was the [Ring of Teleportation], which I decided to equip all my subordinates with.
As I tapped the ring to equip it, a new screen appeared.
Set Teleportation Conditions:
The settings field was blank, resembling the detailed character configuration screen. By entering text in the blank space, the conditions would be embedded in the ring, activating its effect. I wrote, "When the wearer is near death, they will be forcibly teleported to the Sanctuary on the 101st floor," and equipped it on all my subordinates.
The Sanctuary on the 101st floor refers to the medical room in this castle. I hadn't configured it in detail yet, so I'll have to do that later. Once the ring was equipped on their status screen, it appeared on their actual fingers.
When they saw the beautiful ring adorned with a red gemstone on their fingers, they looked pleased, gazing at it with joyful expressions.
I should probably set up the sanctuary as soon as possible. After all, if there's no treatment available at the teleportation destination, it would render the ring useless. To ensure that those who are injured can be properly treated, I'll need to assign a healer as well.
I decided to create a new subordinate through the 'Characters' section.
Healer: Mary Suzy (Dryad, a tree spirit)
She is a subordinate specialized in magic, with a focus on healing magic. Although she's not suited for combat, in the event of a battle, she can be teleported to the side of someone more adept at fighting, where she will provide support from the rear.
I think that should be sufficient for now.
"Is there anything else that needs to be decided now?"
"Let's see. What about the settings for the dungeon's monsters? If you're satisfied with the current settings, there's no need to change anything, but if you want to place stronger monsters, you can configure that as well."
Monster settings, huh? I'll pass for now. It sounds a bit tedious.
I've already set up five subordinates, so I'm quite exhausted.
"I'll handle that later. I think these subordinates should be enough for most situations. But, to be honest, I don't really understand how powerful they are in this world. If there's some kind of indicator, it would be really helpful. All I could configure was their appearance, attack methods, and backstories. As for their stats, is that what they're called? I didn't touch any of that, so I'm not sure how strong they actually are. I also don't know much about this world, so I'd appreciate any advice on how they can hold their own against potential adversaries."
I know I sound very reliant on others, but if this dungeon were to be conquered, my subordinates and I would all disappear. I need them to be strong enough to repel invaders. But that doesn't mean I can leave everything to my subordinates. I need to learn how to fight too and become capable enough to take down at least one or two heroes.
"In that case, I have a suggestion."
It was Cornelia who raised her hand.
As the dungeon master, there was a simple way for me to gauge their strength. Although there's no game-like method to display their stats, Cornelia proposed a way to physically assess their abilities.
I used the control board to expand the dungeon by adding a 102nd floor, where I built a massive arena.
Unlike a typical coliseum with circular stands, the arena was a large space with crystal walls and a crystal ceiling, giving it a cavernous feel. I then created a monster. When creating monsters, their strength could be set, with ranks ranging from D to S. According to Elrodea, the hero's companions are equivalent to Rank S, meaning that if my subordinates couldn't defeat Rank S monsters, we would lose if the hero attacked. So, I decided to test how they would fare against a Rank S monster.
Just to note, the hero is apparently strong enough to defeat a Rank S monster with one hand.
With the monsters prepared, we headed to the newly established arena to assess their strength.