The Reward for the World's Strongest Explorer's Perfect Dungeon Conquest is apparently Marriage to me, who is known as an S-rank Fraud - Chapter 22

“Um… well… uh, today, we are holding a joint press conference with three individuals. First, we have Shia Kusakabe, also known as The War Goddess Valkyrie, who successfully conquered the second dungeon. Accompanying her is Kuma Hayama, formerly known as The Undying Nosferatu, now referred to as The Green-Flame Immortal Monster, Grim Goblin. Lastly, we have Belgrim, a named goblin with an official title.”

Araki’s lack of enthusiasm was evident in his voice as he delivered the introduction, marking the beginning of the joint press conference between me, Shia, and Belgrim.

“To ensure ample time for the Q&A session, we will forego an in-depth explanation of the events leading up to this moment. Instead, we will proceed directly to questions. Through this, we hope to provide sincere answers to concerns that the public may have. Thank you for your cooperation.”

That was a clever move. If we started with a full explanation, the press would have more material to dissect and probe further. By jumping straight into questions, we could keep the discussion to the bare minimum.

“Isn’t this dangerous?! Why is a goblin sitting here unrestrained?!”

Right off the bat, one of the reporters raised his voice in outrage. Clearly, this was part of the script.

“Please remain calm. First, let me clarify the safety concerns. This goblin is fully capable of communicating in Japanese. Over the past day, we have conducted thorough intelligence, psychological, and mental evaluations. The results indicate that he possesses intelligence on par with—or even surpassing—humans, with no signs of violent tendencies. In other words, while he may look like a goblin, internally, he is no different from us. Therefore, there is no reason to restrain him.”

“No different from us?! How can you make such a claim after just a day or two of testing?! We are ordinary citizens! He is a monster! This lack of caution is unacceptable!”

Impressive. His performance was so convincing, with bloodshot eyes and foam forming at the corners of his mouth, that he seemed genuinely furious.

“Heh. Calm down, human. I have no intention of devouring you,” Belgrim interjected as he leaned into the microphone and switched it on.

Thus, history was made—the world’s first press conference featuring a goblin. The reporters murmured amongst themselves in disbelief, stunned that the goblin had spoken.

“Did it really talk? That goblin actually spoke?!” “Is it a recording?” “A talking monster?!”

“You can say whatever you want! But why was this goblin brought above ground?! Named goblins are said to be formidable opponents, requiring S-Rank explorers to defeat! Don’t tell me… this is the same 150th-floor boss from the urgent press conference the other day!”

The same reporter continued his relentless questioning, his acting so flawless that he could have won an Academy Award. I silently applauded his performance.

“…You are correct. This goblin’s name is Belgrim, and he was, in fact, the boss of the 150th floor.”

A wave of murmurs spread through the press. Though the reporters trembled upon hearing this revelation, I doubted any of them truly understood just how powerful a 150th-floor boss was.

“Please remain calm. Listen carefully—Belgrim holds the key to uncovering the mysteries of the dungeon. His cooperation could prove invaluable to humanity. These two explorers judged that he could be an asset and formed an alliance before returning to the surface. The government acknowledges and supports this decision.”

Araki delivered his response with an unwavering, composed tone—just as scripted.

“A 150th-floor boss is nothing but a threat! If he truly has valuable information, he should be restrained and interrogated! An alliance?! This could very well be the first step toward an invasion of the surface! This is recklessness of the highest order! The government is naïve! Do you even realize how many explorers have been killed by monsters?! This is a betrayal of all explorers, their families, and every citizen who supports them!”

Hmm? This rhetoric is more aggressive than expected. Is he going off-script? Saying things like “restrain and interrogate him” on live television is bound to spark controversy.

Despite my concerns, Araki remained composed and responded calmly.

“Exactly. That is why we must question the very nature of dungeons. It has been over fifty years since they suddenly appeared, yet humanity still doesn’t know why they exist or what purpose they serve. Even the so-called ‘Doomsday Timer,’ believed to herald the end of the world, remains an enigma—no one truly knows what will happen when it reaches zero. We are sending explorers into these dungeons blindly, without even a shred of understanding. Isn’t that the real anomaly here?”

“That may be true, but that makes caution even more important! Restrain that goblin immediately, or we will not continue this press conference!”

Was that part of the script? The entire room seemed to be shifting toward mob mentality, as more reporters started chanting for Belgrim’s restraint. The tension in the room escalated into near panic.

“Gh…”

Araki’s face stiffened slightly. Was this off-script? I glanced toward Eri to gauge her reaction.

“Ah… ahhh…”

Ah, that confirms it—this is unexpected. Eri was visibly panicking, her expression giving everything away. These reporters were still ordinary humans who had likely never encountered a real goblin before. Their reaction was understandable. However, if we attempted to restrain Belgrim now, he might actually resist. That would turn this into an absolute disaster.

“Enough,” Shia spoke coldly, her irritation evident. “Araki, if you’re going to restrain Grigri, then restrain all these reporters first.”

That was the worst possible thing she could have said right now.

“See?! She plans to restrain us and feed us to the goblin! The War Goddess Valkyrie has already been brainwashed by the goblin!”

Panic spread like wildfire. Some reporters jumped from their seats, frantically looking for an escape route. Among them, female reporters shrieked in terror.

“Kuma,” Belgrim muttered, his expression darkening as he watched the chaos unfold. “This is what filthy humans are truly like. Unable to conquer their own fear, they lash out at others, convinced that their own righteousness is absolute… How revolting.”

“Belgrim,” I whispered, keeping my voice low. “As someone with experience in getting canceled, let me give you some advice—never say that into a microphone. You’ll regret it.”

“Heh. Coming from you, that’s quite convincing.”

We exchanged quiet words out of the microphone’s range. The press conference hall had descended into utter chaos, so no one overheard us—thankfully.

“Araki, can I mention the extra-legal compensation?” I asked.

“Absolutely not.”

“…Tch. Stingy.”

Even in this disaster, Shia still prioritized her own interests. A true big shot.

That said, we couldn’t afford for this press conference to fail. The public’s perception of Belgrim—whether he was an ally or a threat—would largely be determined here and now.

So far, the verdict seemed clear: definitely a threat.

“Hahahaha!”

And then— the door burst open.

Just as I was struggling to figure out what to do, the doors to the press conference room suddenly swung open from the outside.

“What…?! The Prime Minister?!”

The figure who stepped inside was an elderly man with streaks of white in his hair. However, his posture and the way he carried himself exuded an almost overwhelming vitality. He was none other than the current Prime Minister of Japan, Keiichi Takamiya.

“Prime Minister! What is the meaning of this?! This entire situation—”

“Silence,” Takamiya interrupted. “Listening to you all, I have to ask—since when did you become so high and mighty that you think you can dictate to others?”

The room fell into a heavy silence.

His voice wasn’t particularly loud. He didn’t even sound angry. Yet, the sheer gravity in his tone left no room for argument.

“There was a debate among government officials regarding whether or not Belgrim should be detained. In the end, it was my decision to proceed with this press conference in this format. And I, personally, have a strong conviction—a sense of hope—that Belgrim may be the key to ending the twisted relationship between humanity and the dungeon. It is fate, intuition—something of that nature.”

“…Prime Minister, do you have any concrete reasoning to support that?” one of the reporters asked.

“I do not,” Takamiya admitted without hesitation. “Skepticism is natural. Minimizing risks and failures is always preferable. However, if we allow fear of the unknown to paralyze us, and that leads to a catastrophic consequence down the line—who will take responsibility? Will you?”

“Well… no, but the government’s role is to prevent such irreparable disasters—”

“And yet, time and time again, you obstruct us,” Takamiya cut in sharply. “Tell me—what if my intuition proves correct? What if Belgrim is a pivotal figure who could determine humanity’s future? And what if—because of the media’s fearmongering and relentless antagonism—our alliance with him is shattered? If that results in a loss of national interest, how is that any different from an act of treason?”

A murmur rippled through the room. Araki, who had thus far kept his composure, visibly paled.

“…Treason is quite a strong word, Prime Minister. Are you suggesting that you trust a goblin over the Japanese people?”

Takamiya sighed, shaking his head. “This is exactly what’s wrong with you people. You twist arguments and distort perspectives to fit your own narratives. I am not placing my trust in a goblin over the Japanese people—I am advocating for cooperation for the sake of Japan, and indeed, for all of humanity. I am simply asking the people to understand and support this endeavor. Tell me, am I saying something unreasonable?”

“…Yes, you are,” another reporter snapped. “If that goblin causes any harm, who will take responsibility—”

“I will.”

The room fell into stunned silence.

“If I am wrong, I will take full responsibility. If it comes to it, I will offer my head and accept any form of punishment.”

“…What…?”

The reporters stood frozen in disbelief.

Most politicians spent their entire careers clinging to power, carefully choosing their words to evade accountability. Yet, here was Prime Minister Takamiya, declaring—without hesitation—that he would take full responsibility.

“Hah,” Belgrim chuckled. “Kuma, there are some interesting humans outside the dungeon, after all.”

“Honestly, with that kind of presence, I wouldn’t be surprised if he were strong enough to be an explorer himself,” I muttered.

If we were to fight inside the dungeon, I would definitely be stronger. But here, on the surface, his commanding aura was overwhelming.

“Araki, I apologize for interrupting the press conference,” Takamiya said, folding his arms. “Please, continue. I will stay and observe.”

His piercing gaze swept across the room.

“…Understood,” Araki replied.

Even Araki was intimidated. The same Araki who prided himself on his imposing physique and presence… was actually shaken.

“Alright, Araki. Now can I bring up the extra-legal compensation?” Shia asked.

“…Fine,” Araki sighed, utterly defeated.

This was it—Shia’s big demand.

“As a reward for the second full dungeon conquest, I want Grigri to be granted Japanese citizenship.”

Silence.

The room that had been in a near riot just moments ago was now eerily quiet.

Had Takamiya’s words crushed the spirit of the reporters? Normally, they would be screaming in outrage at this kind of statement.

“…Prime Minister,” Araki said, deferring the decision.

Takamiya didn’t hesitate.

“The government will establish a special legislative measure to ensure the protection of Belgrim’s human rights. Furthermore, for not one, but two full dungeon conquests, I, as Prime Minister, and as an individual, extend my deepest gratitude and highest commendation.”

With that, Takamiya sealed the deal.

His words carried undeniable authority, leaving no room for argument. Even the reporters—who had been relentless—seemed to have given up on pushing back.

“…Very well. Then, a question for Mr. Hayama, whose title has recently changed.”

Oh? Finally, my turn.

“Go ahead,” I said.

“To put it plainly—why are you even here?”

“Pfft.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

That was blunt. If I were a more sensitive person, that might’ve been enough to make me quit school and refuse to show up ever again.