Chapter 410 - Chapter 2: Exploration of the Silver Mine (4)
We descend to the third layer riding on the bowl. When we land on the barrier, as expected, there are giant slugs.
“Somehow, they’re always near the barrier.”
It was as Beatrix said. There are slugs almost without fail in the area just beyond the monster-repelling barrier.
“Is there some reason for it?”
When Eleanor-sama looked at Alex, he tilted his head, saying he didn't know.
“Perhaps they are replenishing magic power?”
Suddenly, Will spoke up. Usually, she just listened attentively to topics like magic or magic power.
“That might be it.”
Alex agreed.
“The light coming from the barrier is magic power itself. Magic doesn't work on slugs. As expected, they can't enter inside the exorcism magic circle, but by being close like that, they might be absorbing the magic power leaking from the magic circle.”
“Once the slug ranch is completed, please try experimenting. If it doesn't have to be here, a ranch might be possible in the Royal Capital as well. I request the development of a breeding method.”
Another quest for truth begins, then.
After leaving the slugs to Alex’s brothers, we resume the exploration.
When I search with Sense Living, they are all over the place. Basically, they are solitary or in pairs, but there was one spot where several monsters were gathered.
“It’s probably Orcs. The only ones that form groups here are rats and Orcs. There might be Ogres, too.”
They might be powerful Orcs or Ogres. By Eleanor-sama’s proposal, it was made the primary objective.
Relying on the monster location map made together with Bonnie, we predicted the tunnels and immediately set out to exterminate them.
We go close and have Robinson-san control them. Since he could control them successfully, they aren't C-rank. When a Goblin was sent out as a scout, it came back with a dark expression. Apparently, there were ghost rats, and in a place that was a dead end, they were swarming over an Orc corpse. There were also several rat carcasses. It must have carelessly acted alone and been attacked by a swarm of rats.
It was a sudden dining scene, but it couldn't be helped since we found them. Taking advantage of the fact that they weren't moving due to Subordination, we had the scouts and the vanguard defeat them. The result was five rats. We performed a proper funeral rite. Alex said to leave the rat and Orc carcasses alone, so although it was pitiful, we decided to do so. Apparently, letting the currently living monsters handle them is the way of this place.
The next thing detected was a snake. I could predict it because a long image was detected. This one has become equivalent to C-rank, so it can't be controlled. Without sending out the Goblin, it became a battle while illuminating with Light.
As expected, since the original is large, it hasn't become giant. Instead, something else must have been strengthened. The snake was in a mining site that was a dead end. It’s inside a narrow tunnel. The snake’s movements are also limited. After illuminating it with Light and cornering it, Beatrix stopped its movement by freezing its head with four consecutive Ice Cubes. To be precise, it didn't freeze with the first shot, so Lyudmila soaked it with a barrage of Water, and then it froze with three consecutive shots. We had Lewis-san look and confirm the location of the heart, then finished it off by driving in four Holy Lances.
“It really is strong. Normally I’d freeze a snake with one shot, but it took four.”
“How about trying to use only ice magic this time? If the opponent is C-rank equivalent, you might learn new magic.”
“I understand. I’ll do that.”
From the third one onward, there is distance. The monsters seem to keep a certain distance from each other, perhaps having appropriate ranges as territories. We hit them in order of proximity and defeated them one by one. They were all C-rank equivalent, and unfortunately, they couldn't be controlled with Subordination. The monsters seemed to have made their dens in former mining sites that were dead ends, so we were able to defeat them safely by cornering them with Light, attacking with magic and silver arrows, and having the vanguard deliver the finishing blow.
However, they are indeed C-rank equivalent. We struggled with the excessively hard scorpion. Because it’s hard and has that specific shape, silver arrowheads and blades have a hard time passing through. In the end, Roberts-sama ended up defeating it as a specialist.
We also encountered a strengthened Orc. However, since the original was E-rank, we defeated it with a preemptive attack while it was controlled, so in the end, we never found out what had become powerful. There were three together, but we defeated them all at once. If we didn't, we would end up torturing them to death after all. Henry-sama said that very rarely there are Orcs stronger than others, and they usually receive fine weapons and armor and act as unit commanders. Come to think of it, among those we’ve fought until now, there was one wearing a helmet and acting important. Even among the same humans, there are monsters like Roberts-sama. It might be that kind of difference.
There was also a spider. A Goblin found this one, which had made a cylindrical nest to fit the tunnel. When Lyudmila floated a Fire Ball and burned the nest, the parts touched by the flames vanished as if melting. As she continued burning it, it came out from the back, perhaps angry. When we attacked all at once with Beatrix’s Ice Cube plus silver arrows from Lewis-san and Bonnie, it retreated. While illuminating with Light, we kept burning our way in, and finished off the one curled up in the back by freezing its legs with a barrage of Ice Cubes, with the vanguard delivering the final blow.
We also raided a rat’s nest. A female ghost rat had dug a hollow and made a nest, but the young were quite small, about the size of kittens. They seemed to be about the same size as the young resulting from the rat experiment Eleanor-sama brought back from Engrio. As expected, they are originally normal monsters, and because the magic power is dense, they seem to grow large or strong during the growth process.
Along the way, there was one vertical shaft open, and a ladder was placed so we could go down to the floor below. Looking down, I can see the monster-repelling barrier.
“It’s the floor below. The further down you go, the magic power becomes just a tiny bit denser and the monsters stronger. Don't go down today. Get your bodies used to it here and find a way to fight the monsters here.”
Alex said this without a smile, so we all obediently followed.
And then, we finally encountered a worm.
The detection result was long, so I thought it was a snake, but I was wrong. It was a D-rank, not-so-large one, yet its length was five long strides, and its thickness was about the size of my arm. We had Robinson-san release Subordination, and while detecting with Sense Living and waiting while illuminating our feet with a lantern, it came from the back of the tunnel. I wonder where it was headed; it crawled along sluggishly, passing us as we watched it. I had heard it wasn't directly harmful to humans, and that was exactly the case; even though we were watching right beside it, it didn't launch any attacks. It was just crawling as if expanding and contracting back and forth.
Lyudmila said she wanted to observe it, so as we followed slowly behind it, it reached the rat’s nest we had raided. It started eating the soil around the corpses. Since it was the part where blood had flowed and where many droppings had fallen, it might serve as food. Once it had eaten a certain amount, it started crawling around the vicinity of the carcasses as if circling them.
“It’s satisfied. It intends to stay here for a while. Watch closely.”
Flora explained for us.
It must live where there is food. As we watched further, it emitted a yellowish-green glowing mucus from various parts of its body. The mucus was rubbed against the ground by its crawling body, becoming almost like a barrier. It then curled up leisurely inside the circular barrier.
“It protects itself from external enemies with this. It has no effect on humans or spirits, but it seems effective against magical beasts.”
Suddenly, Eleanor-sama showed interest.
“Would it be possible to breed these worms and obtain that glowing mucus? I would very much like to use it as a barrier against magical beasts.”
Eleanor’s armor and helmet once more, so to speak. If it goes well, something like the Headmistress’s simple barrier might be made.
“Then, try poking it a bit.”
When Eleanor-sama, as told, poked it with the tip of her foot, it emitted mucus while twitching as if it disliked it.
“This will work. Let’s definitely take this worm back.”
Lyudmila had a complicated expression.
“Let’s definitely take back many eggs as well.”
Eleanor-sama said that to soothe her.
Just where did the worm come from?
We decided to search immediately. If things go well, we might get something. After having Alex move the worm, we decided to explore the direction it came from. Fortunately, it seems Flora can detect the soil where the worm crawled by touching the ground. Returning to the place where we encountered it, as we continued detecting, we came to a place where there were many clumps of soil like balls in a dug-out hollow.
“It’s worm dung. This makes good fertilizer. There might be eggs somewhere.”
At Flora’s words, Lyudmila gave a cheer, ran over, and picked some up.
As she rolled several of the ball-like clumps of soil, something like a thin, dark brown onion came out. Apparently, it’s a worm egg.
“This is it. If you have one, several will be born. With this size, it’s definitely a monster worm.”
“Yes! Could all of these be that?”
“Hmm. Usually, they only lay one at a time. But if we search around here, there might be children that were born.”
Apparently, worms lay eggs by slipping off the ring they wear near their heads. I can't imagine it at all, but I’ll try to see it if there’s a chance.
When we all searched immediately, we found about three. Their length was already longer than a normal adult earthworm, and they were about the thickness of a finger. No matter how you think about it, they are monsters.
“I think they’re the children of the worm from earlier. If there’s food, it might lay a few more eggs.”
Flora said it had found something to eat here and spent some time. Apparently, the surrounding soil is mixed with things that serve as food for worms. Hearing that, Lyudmila took out a waterproof bag made of bat wings from her item bag and packed the worm eggs, babies, and dung along with the surrounding soil.
“Then, let’s leave that one worm to Lyudmila. If you give it food, it will surely lay eggs again.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yes. In exchange, please help find another worm.”
“Okay! Thank you!”
I’ve mostly understood the image when detecting a worm with Sense Living. First, we’ll detect a worm, and then exterminate the monsters in the process of going there.
I also found that there are differences in the detection results. There are those that don't move and those that do; the ones that don't move are those resting in their nests at the mining sites, and the ones moving are those that left their nests looking for food. As proof, the moving ones were mostly encountered right in the middle of the tunnels. The sense of time is also different from the surface. Since there’s no distinction between day and night, they sleep when they get sleepy and are active when they wake up. There are no rules there, and it was inconsistent for each individual or group.
Just as we were getting a grasp of the characteristics of the monsters in the tunnels like that, it became around noon.
“It will soon be three and a half hours.”
Eleanor-sama said, looking at the candle inside the lantern, and we decided to end the first day.
Going up to the second layer and going to Matilda’s place, she was receiving a lecture from two of Alex’s brothers.
“We’re going home soon.”
The mage, who knows no restraint, asks.
“O-oh, I see. You’re coming again tomorrow, right?”
“We’re coming, but are you going to listen to the lecture tomorrow, too?”
When Beatrix asked, Matilda looked at Alex’s two brothers. She probably wants to hear the rest.
“Even if you try to hear everything at once, it won't stick. Besides, a promised job is something you see through to the end. Just with the content we talked about today, try doing it first. Do what you can and make something. A chisel, a hammer, a sword, anything is fine. I’ll judge the result. However, it’s one month. If something is finished in one month, tell my brothers and have them bring you here. I’ll tell you the rest.”
“I-I see. I understand. I’ll do what I can. One month, then.”
“Yeah, one month. Also, bring a barrel of sake. You’re the only one I’m teaching.”
“Sorry, I’m in your debt. I’ll definitely bring the sake barrel. The strong stuff from Finis, right?”
It seems she was liked. She was able to become an apprentice to a dwarf. Though, I also received a lecture on Ancient Language, so I could be called Alex’s apprentice. Besides, one of the seven brothers is the Sertoria Kingdom’s official Ancient Language instructor.
“Matilda has no worldly desires, which is rare for a human. She’s striving to acquire the skill.”
Apparently, the worldly desires Alex mentioned refer to making money. Certainly, Matilda is bad at counting money and usually lives the most frugal life among the Class of 175. Recently, I’ve been allowed to indulge every time I go to Engrio, and I’ve been fed various delicious things at various royal palaces. On top of that, I’m always doing nothing but counting money. To Alex, I might have worldly desires. As a priestess who makes poverty a principle, that’s a problem.
“It’s not that. It’s the purpose. Whether it’s the other members of the Class of 175, or Henry-san and Eleanor-sama, they aren't doing it just for money-making, right? How should I put it, I can tell. It’s different.”
I don't understand what’s different at all.
Well, there are many things spirits say that I don't quite understand, so I’ll try not to think too deeply about it.
After Eleanor-sama summarized the stories of the slug ranch and worm ranch, we had Alex teleport us back to the Northeastern Forest.
Going outside, the sun is dazzling. I take a deep breath and inhale the fresh air. Unfortunately, today’s earnings are poor, but we obtained things that lead to the future.
“How was it?”
Renata asked.
“Yeah. The earnings were small, but there was a harvest. Matilda was able to apprentice to Alex’s brothers, and it seems the slug and worm ranches are possible.”
“Slugs and worms?”
I explain this and that. To the new theory that slugs might be absorbing the magic power leaking from the barrier, she showed understanding, saying, “I see.” Next, when I asked for her opinion on the method to make Ogres docile, she groaned and fell into thought.
“Is it too far-fetched?”
“Hmm, I’ve never done it. Assuming they became docile with that, wouldn't they return to normal once they eat various things and replenish their magic power?”
“Ah!”
I carelessly didn't notice. Come to think of it, that’s true. When I look at everyone, they are nodding. It seems I was the only one who didn't notice.
“But you know, if Jeanne thinks so, we could try it.”
Renata says that and smiles for me, but is that really okay?
“I can appreciate the feeling of trying to somehow achieve coexistence and co-prosperity with the atrocious Ogres rather than just annihilating them. Regardless of whether it’s actually possible or whether it succeeds, let’s do what we can. It’s something Jeanne thinks of. Even if it’s a bit hard for the Ogres, it probably won't turn into something like bullying them to death.”
The “a bit hard” Eleanor-sama mentioned seems like it would be quite hard.
However, since it’s beginner magic, there’s no falling into darkness. Also, they might faint from releasing too much magic, but I was made to experience that plenty of times. Surely, I wasn't being bullied.