Chapter 220 - Chapter Twenty-Four: Great Cave Exploration
=== CHAPTER 220 ===
When we reached the vicinity of the cave entrance the Dryad had told us about, Eleanor-sama explained the operation.
"We will go by the inchworm method. The first squad will create a relay base roughly two hours after moving, and the second squad will move there. The second squad will similarly create a relay base at their destination, and the first squad will move there. In that way, we will advance the exploration by connecting them. If there is a branch point that seems likely to take time to explore, create a base there and wait for the followers to arrive. However, we have confirmed the safety up to the first base. Let us all go together."
When Eleanor-sama looked at Marcelo-san, he took out four large pieces of folded cowhide from the hemp bag he was carrying. When spread out, magic circles were drawn on them. One piece was the size of a whole cow. You could call it a stationary medium-sized magic circle. They were apparently for connecting the relay bases and for the emergency retreat of each squad.
"Please use these for Teleport. You can connect the relay bases to each other. You can only carry three people at a time, but it is quick and easy. We will draw a full-scale magic circle in one or two places to connect to the retreat base, but since it takes time to draw... Also, I think this will be fine for normal communication."
There was even a small one for exchanging letters drawn on a board. It seemed to be coated with waterproof wax or something, as it was shining glossily.
"A Teleport magic circle in the bowl. On top of that, Sense Living, Subordination, spirits, and ghosts. It's truly comprehensive. The world has become convenient."
Harris-sama, who had kept his eyes closed the whole time we were flying, was pale and marveled. Apparently, he has a fear of heights. When he landed on the ground, he knelt and offered prayers to the Goddess, thanking her for his safety.
"With this, if there were support, it would be perfect."
Thinking about it, we are, so to speak, isolated and without help.
Will it be okay?
"There are those who are on the premise of commuting, and since there are three old-timers with not much time left, let's conquer it slowly with day trips."
It was just as Eleanor-sama said. Setting aside Marcelo-san and Angelica-san, who would return home, we would also stay in the Western Plains at night. The Dwarves said they would come to play too, so I'm looking forward to it.
"Why does no one retort! It was an easy-to-understand self-deprecation!"
I don't really understand, but Eleanor-sama got angry.
At any rate, we depart.
The hole could be called a great cave. A large vertical hole leading underground, covered by tree branches with lush green leaves, opened its huge mouth in the ground in the interstice between the forest and the mountain. Trees even grew on the walls, and trees grew there as if a forest had been cut out. When we descended that hole riding in the bowl, there was a horizontal hole on the north side. The entrance to the horizontal hole was so large that its height and width easily exceeded the Royal Capital Cathedral, and no one would doubt it if they were told a Demon Lord or a dragon dwelt in its depths.
First, we all go in Wilson-san's large bowl.
Once we descend the vertical hole and enter the horizontal hole, it suddenly becomes a pond where water has collected.
Eleanor-sama strikes the pond with lightning, but there is no particular change. It seems there are no monsters.
We fly over the pond and advance. According to Flora, it's not that deep.
At the front of the bowl, beside Eleanor-sama, I am positioned as the lighting person, along with Matilda, who holds a Lindwurm scale shield and a white silver mace, and Fiona is floating overhead. Beatrix and Mary, who are in charge of mapping, are the second-in-command, and behind them are Beowulf, with a white silver sword at her waist and a Lindwurm shield, Priest Williams, and Robinson-san.
The rest of the members, except for Harris-sama, who is closing his eyes and offering prayers, are sitting leisurely and looking around the cave as if they are carefree, pointing at various places illuminated by the four amplified Fireflies and rejoicing. They look like tourists.
I feel like a different time is flowing, but I want to believe that's composure.
The inside of the cave feels like a truly natural great cave, and the rugged rock surfaces show no signs of human hands. Bat guano has collected on the bottom, but since normal ones are clinging to the walls, there shouldn't be any bats around here.
It must be gradually narrowing, but after all, the original was large. I can't tell at all.
It's become chilly. No, it's cold.
Even though it's May, I never thought it would be this cold inside a cave.
"Matilda. Are you not cold?"
She's just wearing Eleanor's armor over her bare skin. The Headmistress and Jennifer-sensei are already wearing cloaks, and the others are wearing Black-Purple.
"This much is just right. Well, I'm the type who wears short sleeves even in the middle of winter."
She's only worn the autumn/winter gear and the mountain boar gear once. Despite that, she was the most particular about adding tails and cloth to cover the face, and she did the embroidery for everyone's portion.
In the popularity ranking of who will get married first, which is secretly held in the Class of 175, she is in a solid second place. By the way, first place is Mary, and the last place is me, the priest.
"There is a monster reaction. It's above. There are quite a lot of them."
In less than half an hour, Priest Williams caught it.
"House centipedes. There are quite a lot. About fifty?"
Flora, who had emerged from her flower and become humanoid, looked up at the ceiling.
Although we've slowed down, we've been flying for nearly half an hour. The height and width have become about half of the entrance.
Large rocks are bulging up from the ground. The top is smooth, so it looks like about twenty people could sit there.
We came here once. We also confirmed the house centipedes.
The problem was ahead, where the wide cave branched into narrow caves on the left and right walls, forming a four-way intersection. No matter how you think about it, it's not natural.
"We will create a base here for now. Robinson, Catherine. Do something about the house centipedes on the ceiling."
"Oka—y," the Headmistress said as she stood up, so I had Fiona enter the crystal. Since there are many, they'll be exterminated with a single large move after gathering them in one place. They won't enter the barrier, but apparently, if there are many swarming nearby, the sensitivity of Sense Living becomes poor.
As Robinson-san held both hands toward the ceiling and slowly lowered them along the wall, the swarm of house centipedes came down the wall with a clicking sound.
"That's terrible. If I were told to fight something like that, I'd refuse even if I were paid."
The large ones are twice the height of a human. It seems my list of dislikes has increased beyond just rats.
"They have too many legs. I only have four including my hands and legs. That's cheating."
For some reason, she's angry. I wonder what she'll do if a centipede appears.
The house centipedes were easily exterminated, and the base building began.
Having Flora examine it, they found a place where a hole could be dug, and Angelica-san dug a hole under a large rock. Eleanor-sama turned the dug-up soil into blocks and used them as reinforcement for the walls of the hole. They placed two lanterns in the hole, and the Headmistress created a barrier with a magic circle. They blocked the entrance with Camouflage and applied Magic Reflection. Once it was finished, Marcelo-san and Angelica-san drew a large magic circle to connect it to the retreat base, and it was complete.
Since Priest Williams searched the depths and found no reaction, we decided to wait for the base building to finish while letting Fireflies drift overhead on the rock.
"Hey. Is it true that you invited Adolf-san?"
Beatrix, who had been waiting, asked Henry-sama. He is her lifesaver. She must be curious.
"That is correct. However, as you have already heard, he said he would fulfill his duty in the support unit as a Kingdom Army magic soldier. He did not join the subjugation."
"He didn't quit."
"He could have quit, but it was his own wish. I could not force him. However, in the war after that, he was active as the Corps Commander. It is rare to find someone with such talent as a military commander. After all, Eleanor even left the operational planning to him."
Indeed, I have heard rumors that he was an amazing person. After all, for ten years, he kept Engrio pinned down almost at the border and prevented them from approaching the town of Nakanohara. Since the person called the Eleanor of Tactics on the island left the planning to him, he must be quite something.
"Which is higher, Corps Commander or Nakanohara District Defense Commander?"
Beatrix tilted her head. The current Adolf-san is the Nakanohara District Defense Commander. Somehow, it seems like a demotion.
"That would be Corps Commander, but that was during the war with Engrio. It was, so to speak, an emergency. I had him stationed in Nakanohara as the Corps Commander, but I had him concurrently serve as the Mayor to have him take command of the guards and the self-defense forces as well. After that, the King changed and the Corps Commander also changed, but I've had him continue as the Mayor. In other words, in times of emergency, he is the Nakanohara District Defense Commander."
Now, if that strange country to the south attacks, Adolf-san will apparently take command until the Central Army arrives as reinforcements.
So, is that it?
The Mayor is not a civil official but a military official?
Will was also listening intently.
"Either is fine. In Adolf's case, he just happens to be able to do both, so he's serving concurrently; if he were bad at war, he'd just be a Mayor. However, since the south is a bit complicated, it's better for the Nakanohara Mayor to be proficient in both literary and military arts. That's right. For example, if the King were to retire early, it might be good to have him become the Nakanohara Mayor."
Eleanor-sama. Aren't you being a bit too free, no matter how you look at it?
While I was taken aback by Eleanor-sama's overly bold statement, the next instruction was given.
While the Marcelo couple drew a large magic circle in the depths of the hole, we would proceed with the exploration.
Basically, it seemed that Jennifer-sensei would form a rear support squad along with Marcelo-san and Angelica-san, who draw the Teleport magic circles. As guards, the members of the Class of 175, except for me as the lighting person and Fiona's base and Mary the advanced mage, would take turns staying behind in pairs. On the first day, Beatrix and Matilda were to stay behind. Additionally, Harris-sama, who was gasping for breath from his fear of the bowl, was also left behind.
"If we go straight north, it is still wide, but the holes to the east and west are narrow, so let's eliminate those first. We'll go in a small bowl, so there will be seven of us including Fiona. Flora, please stay here."
The one operating the bowl is Paul-san. In addition, Henry-sama, Wilson-san, Priest Williams, Robinson-san, and I were to go. Fiona was floating overhead.
"If anything happens, please contact us with this. If there is no contact for two hours, we will send followers."
Eleanor-sama handed us a parchment with ● and ○ drawn on it. It's for emergency contact. If the one with ○ drawn arrives, it's possible to move. ● is for emergencies.
We go to the four-way intersection in question. The rest of the members keep watch so the advance party isn't attacked from behind.
The Headmistress drew a circle on the ground to create a simple barrier and spread out the cowhide magic circle, lining up the lanterns.
Before I knew it, a wine barrel was prepared and bowls were lined up. As usual, they seemed to intend to have a drinking party.
I wondered which way we would go, east or west, setting aside the wide front, and Eleanor-sama rolled a die.
"First is east. Please."
I wonder if it'll really be okay.
When we climbed into the bowl floated by Paul-san, Wilson-san made a lid. With this, it's safe even if something falls from above. We apply Camouflage and finally depart.
Since Priest Williams is here, we won't be caught by a surprise attack. Since we're protected by the bowl, traps aren't scary either. While constantly illuminating with Light, we advanced rapidly.
"This hole was not dug with magic."
Wilson-san said while looking at the walls.
The horizontal hole is a slightly vertically long oval, without any large irregularities, and it extends to the east with the same size. While it meanders and winds, it doesn't turn sharply, and there are no side holes or traps. It's like a tunnel made for some purpose. Something might be at the end of the hole.
After about an hour, it drew a large arc to the right and now extended to the south. The appearance of the hole didn't change. While the monotonous journey continued, just as it was about to turn right again and extend to the west, the promised two hours arrived.
Once we got out of the bowl, Wilson-san dug a side hole and created a relay base. We spread out the cowhide magic circle, and when we sent ○, Eleanor-sama, who had lowered Flora's basket, and Beowulf came as replacements. In their stead, Priest Williams and Paul-san, who had been continuously activating magic, along with Henry-sama, returned.
From here on, there is no Sense Living, but there are three people whose night vision is effective. Since the lid of the bowl can also be maintained, it should be fine.
While I was being allowed to rest, Flora, who had emerged from her main body, investigated the hole.
"Did you find anything?"
"It's just a possibility, but it might be an earthworm."
When Eleanor-sama asked Flora, who had entered the base, an unexpected answer came back.
Earthworm? When you say earthworm, do you mean that earthworm?
If I recall, Robinson-san collects them at the Goblin's nest and uses them as bait for fishing.
Because they say they make good soil, Flora and Lyudmila consulted and are increasing the ones they got divided among them in the fields of the Flatlands. They should have started in Regnentes village too.
"Yes, that earthworm. Since they are weak, they rarely become monsters, but I saw one once in my old village. It was using Subordination to dig a hole. Earthworms harden the surface of the hole they dig with mucus. This hole resembles a hole made by an earthworm. However, there might not be any this large..."
When I illuminated the surface of the hole with a lantern as she said, something translucent was somehow stuck to it.
The old village would be the village that was near King Griffith's tomb, which is now destroyed.
Apparently, they can't dig as straight as a hole dug with magic, but unless something major happens, it supposedly never collapses. They are experts at digging holes.
However, it seems it would be a problem if they were too large; the one Flora saw was at most about the thickness of a human arm, and it was apparently kept to dig a hole to pass water from a pond built on a mountain slope. That kind of hole-digging cannot be done with magic, conversely.
"What do earthworms eat?"
Eleanor-sama bit.
"Rotten plants or animal droppings, I suppose. Therefore, there are no normal earthworms this deep underground."
"In other words, they are being controlled?"
"I do not know that. It might be that ones that were originally controlled were abandoned and became stray, or there might have been some other reason."
Eleanor-sama thought with a "hmmm."
"Is effective utilization of giant earthworms possible?"
"It's probably impossible. Once they start digging holes this large, the food would be a major undertaking too."
"In that case, shall we exterminate them as soon as we find them?"
Since there are three people whose night vision is effective, we decided to proceed without Light.
The one operating the bowl is Wilson-san, and Flora and Fiona are the scouts.
As we proceeded through the pitch darkness, it seemed Flora found something.
"I can see humanoid creatures. They might be the ones controlling the earthworms."
Fiona's reconnaissance result was that humanoid creatures with horns were digging holes using several earthworms as thick as a human torso.
"Demon Race, isn't it? I'd like to capture them, but if that's impossible, we'll fight."
Demon Race? We suddenly encountered some big shots.
"Um, is it okay not to call for reinforcements?"
When I asked, I was told that even the weakest of the Demon Race is C-rank. In other words, Robinson-san cannot control them.
"Since they are in a place like this, far from the Demon Lord, they are likely underlings even if they are of the Demon Race. If we stop their movement with super-advanced magic and cut off their heads with a white silver sword, we can defeat them."
She said it so nonchalantly.