Chapter 434 - Third Episode: Vertical Shaft Exploration
The Ogre rehabilitation plan became an official national policy after Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama talked to the King and the bigwigs. Of course, it won't be made public. It's said that it will be told internally only to Finis, Northern Gram, and Medioland.
"Regarding the Ogre rehabilitation plan, do you intend to implement it across the entire island in the future?"
Gladys-sama is asking Eleanor-sama.
It was decided to explore the vertical shaft that Violet discovered, which serves as the back entrance to the Demon Lord's cave. After all, it's a place that Alex and the other dwarves are wary of. Since we don't know what's there, a suitable formation was deemed necessary. Henry-sama and the others summarized the talk, and it was implemented in November. It was positioned as an initial exploration, and the exploration period was set for three days. Roberts-sama and Harrison-san were called, and it was chosen as the first battle for Gladys-sama's return from maternity leave. There are two former heroes, three current heroes, plus Wilson-san, the presumed strongest mage on the island, and Violet, who is presumed to be dragon-class. It's quite a fighting force. From the Class of 175, Beatrix, Will, Bonnie, and Mary participate along with me. Twelve people in total.
The talk about the Ogre regeneration plan came up when everyone gathered at the Kingdom Army Western Plains Garrison, finished the preliminary meeting, and were having a chat while having drinks.
"I don't know. It depends on whether other countries can become active in coexistence and co-prosperity with monsters. They'll probably say it's faster to subjugate them than to rehabilitate them."
It's probably as Eleanor-sama says. The world is energized by subjugation advocates following the Demon Realm conquest in Morandine. It's the same in Nakanohara.
"According to my brother, even within the Medioland Royal Capital Grand Church, they are split. It seems a debate was fought between the coexistence and co-prosperity faction centered on Price-sama and the subjugation faction."
Gladys-sama apparently went to Medioland with Roberts-sama in October, after the heat had left, to show the princess. At that time, the talk apparently came up in a place limited to royalty.
"Coexistence and co-prosperity is the core of the Goddess's teaching, but Demon Lord subjugation is also a major policy of the Church. Among the Demon Lord's army, Ogres are loathed by people, so it's no wonder."
"Does that mean the time is not yet ripe?"
"That's right. However, when we were active, coexistence and co-prosperity with monsters or Demon Race was completely unthinkable. Catherine, who performed funeral prayers after subjugating monsters, was even treated as a heretic. Yes, was the coexistence and co-prosperity with Goblins in northern Nakanohara, which Adolf acted on his own discretion, the trigger?"
It's about the time we met Robinson-san. At that time, I also thought Goblins were monsters. It was six years ago.
"It will be completely impossible in my generation, so please set a prospect in your or Jeanne's generation. If you do that, it might be achieved in the next or even the generation after that."
"Yes..."
It seems like it will take more than a hundred years. Shall I have the immortal Wilson-san do his best?
The hundred-year plan aside, it's the exploration of the huge vertical shaft.
By the beginning of November, the autumn colors are in full bloom, and the gradation from yellow to orange is something I just end up staring at. Occasionally there's a red one that's startlingly bright, and we pointed them out to each other.
"Only that area is green."
The area Violet points to is true green. If I recall, it's the area where there's a huge pinecone tree that's a clone of Serena, and if seen from the southern plains, it's obvious. You could say that pinecone was the trigger for getting to know Flora and Serena.
"Then, is Serena's forest near there?"
"It doesn't seem so. I don't really know."
"Well, if it were easily understood, there'd be no point in hiding it."
"But it seems only humans are misled by the mist."
"Only humans cut down trees."
Hmm. It's quite serious.
The number of humans increases, and food cannot be secured without fields. To make fields, trees must be cut down. If too many trees are cut down, the forest disappears, and if the forest disappears, many living things die. If humans don't cut down trees, the balance of nature is maintained...
Somehow, it seems humans are much more of a villain than monsters.
We arrived above the vertical shaft, and it began with a re-confirmation of the area around the horizontal hole Violet found. As a result of Violet scouting as if leaning out of the medium-sized bowl, it was found that there were several horizontal holes besides the one found the other day.
Bonnie made a map of the shaft wall, and it was decided to conquer them in order.
The first to be explored is the hole Violet found first. Since it looks like just a grove, Beatrix cut down several trees with Wind Cutter.
"Look. It was there."
As Violet says, a cave is gaping open. Its size is quite something, enough for a whole small house to fit in.
"You found it well."
It's just as Beatrix says. There are five or six stumps on the rock ledge. In a place where that many trees grew, it was covered with shrubs, weeds, and moreover, climbing leaves.
Bringing the bowl to that rock ledge, I scout with Sense Living. After confirming that there are several house centipede-like reactions near the entrance, we landed on the rock ledge.
The bowl changes into a plate. That's because it would be terrible if the rock ledge collapsed. It seems it was decided from the beginning, and the one in charge of the plate is Eleanor-sama. With this, Wilson-san can use magic freely.
The cave has soil flowing in, and grass and shrubs are growing there. Since the entrance is visible, you can tell it's a cave, but she really found it well.
When Wilson-san dug out the soil, a distance of five or six steps was buried, and after that, the cave seems to continue.
"Can you see anything?"
Eleanor-sama asks Wilson-san and Violet, whose night vision is effective.
"Several house centipedes near the entrance. The hole itself is basically straight. Since a wall is visible, it's either a fork in the road or a dead end. Because there are some irregularities, I can't see if there's a path that goes up or down."
"It's not an earthworm hole. Probably, someone dug it with Curve magic."
Curve means the rock was hollowed out. Compared to the holes dug by the sea spirits, it's rough, so it might be a human.
There should be no problem with strength, so after burning away the house centipedes with Flame and confirming there were no reactions, it was decided to enter the hole from the plate in order.
Since two people can advance side-by-side in the hole, we basically formed pairs.
The lead is Bonnie, the second is Roberts-sama and Gladys-sama, the third is the lighting person Harrison-san and I, the fourth is Mary and Beatrix, the fifth is Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama, the sixth is Will, and the seventh is Wilson-san and Violet.
This time, Will's role is in charge of the Magic Reflection scrolls, and she has the ones Beatrix and I made tucked into her waist. It's to protect Wilson-san and Violet from Holy magic.
By the way, Violet is wearing a custom-made Eleanor armor and helmet. It was given by Eleanor-sama, who specially ordered it from the dwarves following the Morandine incident. Being tall, she looks quite cool wearing it. Moreover, since she is fundamentally strong, she can move freely even with heavy infantry-level equipment.
There are two reasons why this armor is special.
The first is that the sides open so the legs on her flanks can also be extended. Since they would take damage from Holy magic if left out, they must usually be stored, but she said she could use them as a trump card in exchange. She doesn't usually wear it, but she wears it when she teams up with me.
The second is that her eyes won't be damaged even if she looks directly at my Light. As a result of experiments using mice, it was found that water neutralizes the power of Light and Holy. What was made based on that result is a light-shielding plate... a transparent plate called a visor. It's made of four layers of thin crystal plates, with several thin silver wires pasted vertically and horizontally to strengthen it. Between the four crystals is water produced by magic. In other words, three films of water protect the eyes. That is incorporated into the Eleanor helmet. To make use of the eye on her forehead, the face part of the helmet is open wider than usual, but instead, the visor covers the front of the face.
The experiment was conducted at the Flatlands farm. The participants were Henry-sama's group, Alex, Robinson-san, Violet, Keira, and I.
The results of the experiment using mice manipulated with Subordination were excellent, and they were fine even when showered with my Over Flow and Light of eight simultaneous shots as an advanced mage. Since Keira translated, there's no mistake. Of course, it's dazzling, but it didn't cause damage. As proof, the mice's eyesight recovered after a while.
Alex said the strength is decent, so be careful of blunt attacks to the face. And, when using it in actual combat, he said it's better to close one's eyes just in case if all-around Holy magic or Light is fired. Even so, Violet seemed happy, and after thanking Eleanor-sama and Alex many times, she wore it all day.
Wilson-san and Keira, who do not equip armor and helmets, decided to protect their faces with visors attached to hairbands fitted to Lindwurm hats. Keira seemed happy and, together with Violet, kept the visor on.
Incidentally, the mice that became the experimental subjects were mice raised by Eleanor-sama. After the experiment was over, they safely returned to their breeding place in the Royal Capital.
Giving a Firefly to the scout Bonnie, we enter the depths of the cave. Since it was completely hollowed out of rock, it was thought there would be no traps.
After advancing about thirty steps, it became a dead end, but there is a deep vertical shaft there, and one can go down. The hole is large enough for even a fat middle-aged man to fit in, so it's not that narrow, but instead, there are no footholds. When I dropped a Firefly, it reached the bottom immediately. It's probably about three stories high.
"Shall I go?"
Violet offered, but it wouldn't be training, according to Eleanor-sama. After confirming there were no reactions with Sense Living, Bonnie, riding a box-shaped Wind Barrier that fit perfectly in the hole and using Violet's thread as a lifeline, went down while illuminating the bottom with a Firefly.
Receiving the signal of no problem, we all went down in order.
At the very end of the cave, it extends in a different direction from the original vertical shaft, namely to the south.
"Basically, it's straight. It's about the same length as the passage above."
Receiving Wilson-san's words, when we proceed as is, there are stairs going down. When we go down there, there is an iron door. After turning off the Firefly and scouting with Sense Living, there was no reaction at all. However, if it's a wall of slugs, it can't be detected, so we can't be careless. Just in case, as a result of Bonnie and Violet checking, it was no problem.
When Violet pulled the handle, it opened easily.
And then, we came out into a room with a solid stone structure. The room is like the interior of a mountain hut, with shelves storing bowls and plates, a table, and several chairs lined up. On the opposite wall, there are two iron doors. It seems someone is living here. One unusual thing is that a crystal ball is placed on the table. It might be a mage's room.
"This is, what on earth..."
Gladys-sama is at a loss for words. No wonder. Who could imagine there's a place where people live in such a spot?
"Is it a Demon Race, or an undead? Violet, do you have any idea?"
When Eleanor-sama asked, she groaned with a "Uun".
"Monsters don't make such elaborate dwellings. It's either a Demon Race, a spirit, a human, or a former human, right?"
Wait? Hold on.
"Um, could it be the Earth Dragon Alex mentioned?"
"Earth Dragon? A dragon's?"
Beatrix makes a strange voice. Well, normally that would be the reaction.
"The Black Dragon Child transforms and becomes human-like, right? At that time, look, it's small. It might be small and living here."
"But isn't that because it's the Black Dragon Child?"
"That might be so, but that transformation isn't magic."
Maybe dragons can transform into human form. The only one I saw was the Black Dragon Child, but that doesn't mean other dragons can't do it.
"In the range of my knowledge, there is no such legend. Violet, what do you think?"
"Sorry, Jeanne. I've never heard of it."
I was flatly denied by Wilson-san and Violet, who had looked knowledgeable in the Ruined Town.
"Jeanne, you've noticed a good point."
It's Eleanor-sama. If she's the former strongest mage, she might know something.
"I haven't heard of an Earth Dragon transforming like the Black Dragon Child, but it's possible."
"Is it true?"
"Yes. For example, the Fire Dragon could use Teleport. Because the Salamander taught it."
I see! There was that possibility. As expected of Eleanor-sama.
"The Earth Dragon is, of course, earth-attribute. And speaking of earth-attribute spirits?"
"Gnome!"
The four... no, maybe five great spirits, but in any case, the pinnacle of spirits on par with Dune, Mel, and Salamander.
"This area is a place those dwarves have said must not be approached since ancient times. Only the Demon Lord or Demon Lord army-related like Demon Race executives, a dragon, or a Gnome can be considered. And a Gnome can change its form."
Now that she mentions it, that's true. Dune and Mel both transform. However, among the races Eleanor-sama listed, the possibility of a Gnome might be the lowest. Actually, the vertical shaft is the back entrance to the Demon Lord's cave. Deep inside, there was also an earthworm user. An Earth Dragon doesn't necessarily transform, and the Gnome should be in Regnentes.
"Who said the Gnome is in Regnentes?"
Um, after the hot spring town investigation is over, the next should be the exploration of the altar in the mining area of Regnentes. Could it be that it hasn't been found?
"The Salamander was originally born in the crater where the Fire Dragon lives. No one knows where the Gnome was born or where it spent its time."
That was certainly true. No one knew Dune lived in Nakanohara Lake either. The First King happened to meet her. Relying on the hand-holding song he left behind, we accidentally met her as a result of breaking through the mist barrier. That was also thanks to Kuroko.
"Then, is this the Earth Dragon's dwelling? If we enter without permission, it's bad."
It might be as Violet says. Until now, we had some connections. This time, we have none at all. It's certain we'll be treated as trespassers.
"We cut down the trees at the entrance, didn't we?"
Beatrix is turning pale. Not just Beatrix. Everyone fell silent.
"'I didn't know. I'm sorry. Eheh!' Won't that do?"
At Eleanor-sama's ultimate smile with her hands clasped in front of her chest and her head tilted, everyone, including Henry-sama, let out a great sigh.