Chapter 569 - Chapter 11: The Crater of the Extinct Volcano
After returning to the Ice Island and proceeding with the exploration, three days later, a message came from Miana saying it was finished. The members to actually enter the crater and explore were selected. The three delinquent old men, Wilson-san, Harrison-san, and me merged with the Wetlands Priestess. We had measured and reported our body sizes as instructed.
Gwyn-sama, Eowyn-sama, Will, and Bonnie wanted to go, but this formation was chosen because it would be difficult for the medium-sized saucer to pass through the narrow crater. Besides, if something happened to the exploration team, there would be a need for a search party and people to protect the base. For that, representatives from each nation were necessary. Gwyn-sama and Eowyn-sama, in particular, were persuaded by Price-sama, who was also staying behind, and they agreed.
Since final adjustments were needed, Price-sama, the three delinquent old men, and I went to pick them up and try them on. At the farm were Sianya, Keira, Alex, and Matilda. Matilda apparently helped make the anti-gas suits this time.
Keira was totally freaked out by the appearance of the Medioland Great Cathedral Vice-Archbishop, but I reassured her by saying he was an old friend of Violet's.
「I have heard stories about you. I hear you protected the Black Stone for a long time.」
「Hm? Well, yeah. The Priestess took care of me.」
「I hear you're living with Jeanne and the others now.」
「Yeah. My room is over here, but we often stay over at each other's places.」
「You have met some good friends.」
「Yeah! That's really true!」
「Please give my regards to Violet as well.」
「Yeah. Got it. I'll tell her.」
On the other hand, Harold-sama knelt on one knee and gave a knight's salute.
「I am called Harold. I hope we shall become acquainted.」
「Eh? Eh? What? What? What should I do?」
Keira was panicking at the unexpected event.
「Place your right hand on the hand he's holding out. Yes. Then state your name just like that.」
Miana gave advice from the side. This is where she shows her qualities as a princess.
When Harold-sama gave a light kiss on her hand, Keira almost let out a scream for a moment.
Still, after she managed to get through it safely, she lunged at Miana.
「W-Was that okay?」
「It was fine. You did well.」
Seeing that, Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama's eyes softened.
Now, as for the important anti-gas suits, they seem to have been named Anti-Gas Suits.
Alex apparently consulted Matilda, who has been apprenticed to him from the start. Matilda makes prosthetic limbs and is the technical lead at the Royal Capital Medical Research Institute. She's much more knowledgeable than me, the vice-director. Matilda also gave the explanation.
Looking at the actual thing, it was as expected, but it's pitch black. Since it's for the whole body, of course, you'll be dressed in black from head to toe when you wear it. It should be good for acting in the dark.
When spread out, it's a one-piece suit with hands, feet, and a head attached. The back is wide open; first you put in your legs, then your hands, then you pull on the head.
It would be a disaster if it tore, so it's worn over undergarments, and clothes are worn over the anti-gas suit. Leather gloves are worn on the hands, and long-sleeved clothes are worn. Even girls have to wear trousers. Since mobility would be poor, leather armor was recommended at most. Shoes are put on after the suit is donned. The leather gloves specially made have five fingers, so you can use tools while wearing them. The head part is like a wooden bowl with a visor the size of a face, and when you put it on, it covers everything including the face, yet you can see forward quite well. The field of vision is sufficiently wide.
On the part corresponding to the mouth, there is a long, flexibly moving tube in the center, and short tubes on its left and right. The long one is connected to a pipe filled with air, and the short ones apparently release exhaled breath. Structurally, it seems several short tubes were lined up vertically and wrapped in bat wings. Since air is sent through, they mustn't collapse. At the same time, they mustn't be heavy. The tubes are apparently made of silver. The pipe that sends air is carried on the back. This is also made of silver. It's shorter than the ones used on the Amphisbaena. (T/N: Referring to the ship.) If filled using Wind Barrier, it supposedly lasts for nearly two hours. The structure is the same as the ones on the Amphisbaena, so the amount of air sent can be adjusted. Though it's impossible to do it yourself since it's on your back. The slit on the back is finished by applying Elf Adhesive.
The air sent from the pipe goes through the tube to the face part and then out through the shorter tubes. Since air is constantly flowing, in principle, there's no backflow. However, just in case, it seems two silver discs with many holes were placed inside, with linen packed between them.
When taking it off, the adhesive apparently comes off if you get into sufficiently warmed soapy water and scrub with a sponge.
The task of putting it on and taking it off naturally requires an assistant. Of course, while wearing it, you can't talk, so Thought Communication is used.
「How is it? It's a masterpiece my brothers and I made after consulting with our top apprentice, Matilda.」
"Cut it out," Matilda said, her face turning red as she slapped Alex's back. It wasn't a light thwack, but a thud that sounded painful. Alex, his back arching, was choking and coughing. It's fine to be shy, but isn't that a bit much?
When I returned to the Ice Island with Matilda, who was acting as the final adjuster, we were hit by a rapid-fire Holy Lance from the priest acting as a sentry, who had been scared out of his wits. Since we were human, there was no problem, but an angry mad dog lunged at them, resulting in two minor injuries among the priests.
「Never mind the others, why do I, in plain clothes, have to be the first one targeted! That's just rude!」
They apologized profusely once they understood the situation, but Matilda, who had been called a monster and a demon and had been hit by five spells, was sulking. I think it's also quite rude to treat the Medioland Royal Capital Great Cathedral Vice-Archbishop, two royals, and a great noble from another country as "the others."
The two who were scared out of their wits apparently just fired into the middle in their surprise, and as a result, it concentrated on Matilda who was in the center; Price-sama happened to be looking away; Matilda was holding a wooden box containing two anti-gas suits, so they couldn't tell what she was wearing; the priests participating this time were wearing Green Marble and Matilda didn't realize the opponents were priests... well, in Matilda's case, she might have lunged even if she had realized... and above all, it was a hassle to take off the anti-gas suits so we were still wearing them; I want to believe it was an unfortunate accident resulting from these things overlapping. Even though we had sent a message in advance, appearing suddenly in anti-gas suits might have been bad.
Personally, though, I think the three delinquent old men who suggested returning while still wearing them to surprise everyone, even though Matilda could have just put it on after returning to the Ice Island, are the most to blame. However, those who didn't object are equally guilty, I suppose.
「Fumu. That was a good step-in. You even put in a proper feint before the first strike.」
「How about that, isn't she amazing?」
「She is Catherine's student, after all.」
As I thought, only these people are to blame.
The misunderstanding was safely resolved and we reconciled. After distributing Sianya's new work as souvenirs to everyone, we had a strategy meeting. Price-sama reported on the success of the base construction and the exploration results.
During these three days, the expansion of the base and the exploration of the island had continued. Under the policy of the leaders like Price-sama, four tasks were divided and carried out.
The first was the construction of the base, centered around Price-sama. Thanks to the efforts of the civil engineering team summoned by Teleport, the base protected by the barrier was housed within earthworks like the field camp in the Northeastern Forest once was, and anti-air ballistas were also installed. Stone walls were built around the outside of the earthworks Eleanor-sama had made.
The second was the monitoring of the crater of the extinct volcano where the Amphisbaena and the Priestess had captured a mysterious sensation. A monitoring team centered on Harold-sama, Gwyn-sama, and Eowyn-sama was placed nearby to monitor for the appearance of Amphisbaenas and any abnormalities day and night. At this point, no second one has been found, and it was discovered that a geyser erupts about once every two hours. Perhaps one that happened to get inside was blown up along with the geyser. However, there are other geysers, so it's hard to say. And there was apparently no change in the extinct volcano.
The third was the confirmation of the island's outer edge. Handled by Harrison-san and Sianya, two ships with them on board split east and west and set off to confirm the general coastline. A straight-line trip around was about a hundred stations, and it seems they could go around the island in three days by ship. Since the east wind is strong, it took time when heading east, but was extremely easy when heading west.
The last was the exploration of the island's interior, which the Henry Party, including me, undertook. Flying around in a small, high-speed saucer that hid its presence, we made a fairly detailed map. The Ice Island is a place with many mountains covered in perennial snow, or rather, perennial ice, and the relatively high mountains on the island are mostly pure white. The southeastern part, in particular, was generally covered in ice. There are many volcanoes on the island, and especially in the east, a fairly wide range of mountainous terrain is covered in a wasteland of cooled and hardened lava. A sunken, trench-like plain with a width of two to three stations runs diagonally from the northeast to the southwest of the island, and the surrounding area was a wasteland with rocks protruding between weeds. As if bounded by that depression, the western half of the island is covered in lush forests, while the opposite eastern half was a rugged terrain with many volcanoes. There are many large and small lakes and ponds throughout the island, from which several rivers flow. Sometimes they become high waterfalls, plunging toward the sea. In the volcanic regions, there were also many hot spring ponds.
The monsters that could be confirmed were bears and foxes in the forests, both with different fur colors from those on the White Island. Around the volcanoes, there were monsters similar to those in the Finis volcanoes where Fire Dragons live. Cerberus, Orthrus, Wyverns, Griffons, and Scorpions were among them. No humanoid monsters were seen at all. No Amphisbaenas were found either.
「No information regarding the Vice-Demon Lord has been obtained at all. However, this was expected. Therefore, regarding this exploration of the crater's interior, please prioritize safety above all else without rushing.」
After Price-sama's words, we toasted with wine. The four former heroes each stated their words of oath. It was my first time hearing Harold-sama's. It was for the peace and tranquility of the island. I haven't heard everyone's, but among those I've heard so far, he is the only one wishing for the island's peace. I heard Harold-sama was a scout captain before becoming the Military Minister. Since he's a noble, he must have been the unit commander of a scout team mainly composed of commoners when he was young. It must have been a unit that received the least attention and had the highest non-return rate.
"We seek no glory"... I see. Harold-sama, who must have let many subordinates die in enemy territory where even recovering their bodies was impossible, was fighting for the peace of the island.
All participants donned their anti-gas suits. We set off, seen off by everyone.
We went partway in the medium-sized saucer and went to the shore of the lake. This is because the crater of the extinct volcano can be seen from there. In addition to Gwyn-sama, Eowyn-sama, Will, and Bonnie, who couldn't participate in this exploration, Matilda, one high-level holy mage, and saucer users dispatched as a result of a request to James-sama—nominally mercenaries, but clearly Medioland soldiers—two of them, will monitor us. They will also serve as a place to rest or in case something happens.
Matilda participated because, in addition to the suits for Will, Bonnie, and Matilda, she had made three spares as free-size ones that Beowulf could wear. This is to perform rescue activities in case the regular contact via the letter-sending magic circle is cut off. I had flatly refused when the talk came up, but Alex and Matilda wouldn't budge, saying they wouldn't hand over the anti-gas suits if that wasn't accepted.
「Don't forget the regular contact once an hour. If there's no contact for even half an hour, we'll charge in regardless of your circumstances.」
As usual, Matilda said something rough. She'll definitely do it, so I have to be careful.
「Got it. I'll make sure not to forget.」
「Yeah, then, don't overdo it.」
「Jeanne, be careful.」
「Jeanne, have a safe trip. Take care!」
「Thank you. I'm off.」
And so, we set out.
We went to the entrance of the crater and descended. After passing through a narrow, slightly slanted spot, it became pitch black. Since I've cast Thought Communication on everyone this time, the scenery the Priestess sees is transmitted to everyone. In exchange, I had the Priestess concentrate on looking.
「I don't smell sulfur.」
「Umu. It's well-made.」
It's a masterpiece that even the Henry couple was satisfied with.
To be honest, mobility becomes poor, but we're originally riding in a saucer. There shouldn't be much close-quarters combat, so it should be fine.
We arrived around where we had withdrawn before. So far, there's no change. The surrounding walls are covered in yellow and brown. Even looking down to the bottom, it's much the same. The bottom is only visible to some extent, and it's still not clear if that's really the bottom. We continued to descend slowly.
(Ah!)
The Priestess noticed. It was that sensation from before.
It seemed to have been transmitted to the others as well, and they slowly changed their postures. Henry-sama and Harold-sama shifted their quivers so they would be on their dominant hand side. Harrison-san gripped the staff in his left hand again and lightly spread his right palm so he could chant magic at any time. Wilson-san began a quiet incantation of Cocytus. I held the edge of the saucer with my right hand in preparation for any sudden movements of the saucer.
(It's this sensation, isn't it?)
(Yeah. As I thought, it wasn't just my imagination. But I don't know what it is.)
When Eleanor-sama heard the Priestess's answer, she ascended just a little bit once and then descended again. Nothing in particular. She descended just a little more and then ascended this time.
(Ah!)
There was a reaction.
(Wilson, did you understand?)
(It's likely an Alarm.)
Alarm is something like a barrier that combines a magic circle and magic. Of course, it's not of the holy magic system, nor is it of the light or dark systems. You could call it a state-change system. Since there was no description in the secret books we've investigated so far, I don't know the exact details. It's rare if you say it's rare, and within the range I know, Wilson-san and Jennifer-sensei can use it. It's the true identity of Jennifer's Wall, which was considered a mystery among the orphanage students. When I went to confirm it after becoming a super-high-level mage, I was able to confirm that it reacted to magic detection.
However, this one is a bit different. Wilson-san applied magic detection around where the sensation was, but there was no reaction.
(In other words, it's a ghost's technique.)
According to Eleanor-sama, if a magic user dies and becomes a ghost, they can use the same magic they did when alive as a technique. Of course, there are those like Fiona who learn them after becoming ghosts.
Regarding magic, there were several specialists both last time and this time. Despite that, only the Priestess got the sensation. It seems it can only be thought of as a ghost's technique.
(I don't know. Maybe it's Camouflage.)
(Camouflage? In other words, can high-level demons use ghost techniques?)
(I don't know that either. But high-level demons revive even if you defeat them, right? Probably, something like a soul remains. If so, they might be able to use techniques similar to ghost techniques.)
This has become a complicated story again. If Eleanor-sama and the Priestess don't know, isn't it hopeless?