Chapter 293 - Chapter 259: How's the Progress?
"Phew, it's still hard. Been at it for about an hour?"
Yes. Shall we take a little break?
"Roger. I think the basic shape is starting to emerge, don't you?"
Thanks to my high `Woodcraft Skill`, I didn't make mistakes when cutting, and being able to cut smoothly as intended was good, but it seemed intricate sculpting wasn't subject to time reduction.
I'll just hope it gets faster after making it once.
Basically, I just need to enlarge this to life-size, I think…
"Woof!"
Lupi's bark came from the direction of the `ruins`?
"Eh? Is she calling?"
Shou-kun, you should go!
"Ah, yeah!"
My weapons and armor are always on, so I'm fine.
I have the bare minimum of `Potions` stashed in a corner of my inventory.
I dashed into the path leading to the `ruins`.
"Woof."
Seeing me, Lupi barked and ran towards the `ruins` as if saying, "Follow me."
The first time I came here, a giant centipede appeared in the exit cave, but it should be fine now, right?
Inside the cave, Leda and Roy were waiting. Lupi also stopped there, so I naturally caught up.
"What happened?"
[I apologize for calling you.]
"Whoa, Nina?"
I was startled to hear Nina's voice when I got close to the `ruins` entrance.
If her voice can reach, maybe a little outside is fine.
Ah, she called Lupi because her voice couldn't reach, right?
"Oh, so that's it. You surprised me…"
"Woof~…"
"Sorry, sorry, I'm not angry. In fact, thank you."
I thoroughly praised Lupi and the others, and gave them good pats.
Then, I asked Nina the reason for calling me.
[A Dragon, individual name Argenta, has arrived at the Large Transfer Room. She appears to be waiting for Shou to notice.]
"Eh, seriously? Sorry, Mion. I'll cut the `Goddess Statue` crafting short and go meet her."
Yes!
Leaving the `Jade Goddess Statue` unfinished is a shame, but I can't afford to waste time going back.
"Lupi, let's go together. Leda and Roy, can you tell Sweee and the `Fairies` that we have a visitor?"
"Woof!"
""Bow!""
Leda and Roy dashed towards the back of the `church`, and Lupi and I ran towards the `Large Transfer Room`.
"Huh? Nina, didn't Argenta-san take the `Transfer Elevator`?"
[Yes. She appears to be examining documents in her hand in a spot slightly away from the `Transfer Magic Circle`.]
Argenta-san is so diligent…
She could have just taken the `Transfer Elevator`. Oh, right, she probably thinks the `Unlock Code` door is closed.
I usually close those doors when returning to the `mountain cabin`, but I guess I could just leave them open all the time.
Or rather, can't I move it to the passageway leading to the `Control Room` where Nina is?
The Dragons don't know about Nina, do they?
"Ah, that's right. Nina, you didn't talk to Argenta-san, did you?"
[Yes. I do not actively initiate communication from my side unless it pertains to the Administrator or a matter concerning a threat to life.
This time, I judged the Dragon's arrival to be of high potential importance, and to first obtain Shou's opinion, I notified the Managarm, individual name Lupi.]
I see. So because Argenta-san arrived, she happened to notify Lupi and the others, who were passing by.
Can she talk to Lupi-chan?
"Nina, can you converse with Lupi?"
[No. I judged that if I issued some form of notification, she would likely contact Shou.]
Hmm, so she can't converse with Lupi, as expected.
But it's clever of her to figure that notifying Lupi would lead to me being called.
Lupi-chan, you're amazing!
"Woof!"
I turned right at the `crossroads` and arrived at the `Transfer Elevator`.
Lupi and I hopped on, and I pressed the button.
Sweee isn't here, but… Nina said the `White Dragon Princess` isn't here, so it's fine.
"Argenta-san!"
"Ah, Shou-sama. You noticed. I apologize for intruding so suddenly."
She bowed deeply as I rushed over.
She's always so polite. To the point where I feel awkward…
"Uhm, I'm in the middle of some work right now, so is it okay if we talk over there?"
"Yes, thank you. May I explain on the way?"
"Yes, please."
………
……
…
"The `Dragonfolk` who went to the `Necropolis` infiltrated through the northern gate and first exterminated the `undead` in the sections near the gate.
Normally, they would have used that as a foothold to advance further, but at night, the `undead` surged in massive numbers and retook the sections…"
"I-I see…"
It's the same, then.
As Mion said, it's not just players; the `undead` are attacking NPCs too.
Well, if they didn't, players would complain it's unfair.
"The report states that the `Dragonfolk Priests` certainly cast `Purification`, but the number of `undead` did not decrease at all, and they temporarily retreated before it became a war of attrition."
"Priests? Do the `Dragonfolk` also worship a `Goddess`?"
"Yes. They are under our protection, but we do not forbid their `faith`. We `Dragonkin` do not worship `Goddesses`, but they are free to believe.
…No, there is one `Forbidden God` that we forbid worship of. We shall discuss that another time."
"I see…"
When we left the `ruins`,
"Woof?"
"Yeah. You can go to Leda and Roy. Sweee… I guess she'll be fine even if I don't call her."
"Woof!"
Watching Lupi run ahead, Argenta-san and I walked along the path leading to the back of the `church`.
Argenta-san seemed a bit curious about her surroundings, perhaps because this was her first time here.
"Is that the `church`?"
"Yes, this is the back. The main gate is tightly sealed with a `magic tool` door, and I don't plan to open it for now."
I haven't prepared any tea snacks today, as expected, but maybe I should take out some `Lycos` (tomatoes) I harvested yesterday from my inventory.
Thinking of chilled `Lycos` with salt, I passed through the path that looked like an approach to a shrine and came out to the back.
"Shou-sama, what is that?"
"Eh? Ah, that is…"
Argenta-san must have good eyesight, as she noticed the `Jade Goddess Statue` that I had left with a `holy domain` active. What should I do?
Shou-kun, you can explain it.
Mion's consideration was welcome.
Mentally thanking her, I began to explain about the `Jade Goddess Statue`—which was once the `Nameless Goddess`.