第１２９掘：ルート確認
Chapter 129: Route Confirmation
Side: Seraria
"Now then, what is the optimal route for the elite forces from Weed to reach the Demon Lord's castle?"
"That is... um. Do you have a map?"
I look to Liliana, followed by Leia and Zargis, seeking information.
Currently, it is just my husband and our inner circle deciding on the route.
"Here, a map."
At Liliana's request... my husband hands over a map he made himself.
He took the terrain he has mastered within the dungeon, fed it into his computer, and crafted it with precision.
It is a map that boasts an abnormal level of accuracy for this world.
"Eh?"
Liliana is speechless.
...When we speak of maps of our continent, it is usually enough if the relative positions, rivers, and forests are roughly marked.
One look at Liliana's face tells you just how much value this map holds for a ruler or a merchant.
This is a rule-breaker.
As expected of my husband from another world. He is my pride and joy.
"For now, everyone, I've created a map as precise as possible using the data we've gathered so far. I don't know the place names, so I'd like you to teach them to me while we decide on the route. Is that alright?"
Maps of the three countries' territories and the central Demon Mountain where the demons live are nearly complete.
...It seems this husband of mine has been quietly buying up land while we weren't looking.
It’s been a little over three months since the 10,000 people arrived in Weed.
No, since we started measuring after the population exceeded 10,000, there was DP from before that too, but it’s 10,000 DP per hour, 240,000 DP per day.
That’s been going on for three months. That is 90 days.
Even at a conservative estimate, that’s 21,600,000 DP.
Well, there are various savings and such, but the amount of usable DP is still astronomical.
It costs 100 DP per square kilometer, with a maintenance cost of 10 DP per square kilometer per year.
That is the DP required to place land under the dungeon's control.
Considering the maintenance costs, it’s a bit much, but he went around temporarily seizing land just to create this map.
His way of thinking is completely off the wall.
But looking at the results, there is no better way to use it.
Detailed maps are considered classified information on this continent.
Understanding the terrain, the location of resources, and the positions of one's own villages and towns—if all of this is grasped by the enemy, the damage from an attack would be catastrophic.
That is why having a map that records these details so precisely makes a territory very difficult to defend.
Terrain is also vital in battle; the value of a map for finding advantageous interception points or detour routes is immeasurable.
"Liliana, calm down. This is just a glimpse of the dungeon's—of Weed's—power."
"Th-this detailed map is just a glimpse...? A Dungeon Master truly is an existence that can be called a natural disaster."
That’s right. As Liliana says, if one can use the power of this dungeon well.
However, there are very few who can.
Rather, if one goes on a rampage, Luna comes to clean it up.
I heard about Deryu's younger brother; before calling my husband, Luna had been granting the power of a Dungeon Master to people who seemed talented, searching for a way to save the continent, but all of them failed.
I feel bad for Deryu's brother, but he was a failure too.
He had been holed up in a single dungeon for 200 years, after all.
Compared to that, my husband is wonderful.
In just about eight months, he has unified three countries and is on the verge of delivering the finishing blow to the Demon Lord.
For my husband's safety, I cannot say that he is a Dungeon Master, but I am still proud of him.
I’ll be extra gentle with him in bed tonight. Ah, I mean, on the futon.
"A-at any rate. I-is this Weed?"
"Yeah, and this is the royal capital of Roschur, this is Litea, and this is Gartz."
As my husband says this, he points his finger. Place names and city names are already written in the locations he knows.
Separately, the other wives are filling in the names of villages and towns that weren't on the other map.
We will correct it together later to make it even more accurate.
This is something we can never show the other nations.
"That means this castle is the Demon Lord's castle. No, we call it Raiaet Castle."
There is a large castle-like structure in a basin almost in the center of the Demon Mountain.
Around it, there are clusters of houses where demons likely live.
"So this really is the Demon Lord's castle. Then the route starts from here."
My husband points to the route closest to Weed.
"Y-you can even tell that much?"
"Well, the entrance to the route and the path to some extent seem to be camouflaged, but since the road continues, I can see it."
I see. If you look closely, the routes extending from the Demon Lord's castle to each country disappear halfway.
From our side, it’s as if the road doesn't exist.
But if we have found them, that is not a problem.
"Still, looking at it like this, it's too troublesome."
My husband frowns as he looks at the map.
What is the problem?
Looking at the map, there are only four routes extending from the Demon Lord's castle to the four countries.
There are smaller paths, but those are likely for farmland or villages; they connect to building clusters and the roads don't extend beyond that.
"Hey, what's the problem?"
Riel tilts her head and asks my husband.
"Four roads. This means the routes the army can take are restricted. There will definitely be defensive forces on the march route from Weed—no, from Roschur. Actually, there will be defenses on every road. After all, there are only four places to protect."
"Ah, that's what it is. Yeah, even I understand that. They're limiting the roads to make them easier to defend, right, Liliana-san?"
"…Yes, as Yuki-san says. The route to Roschur has 10,000 monsters stationed at the barrier. That is just the number led by the army at the barrier. There are also countless wild monsters along the way."
"Wow, that's too troublesome. Or rather, isn't this bad? I don't think even the elite forces can hold out."
As Riel says, no matter how elite they are, it’s a tough situation.
If we had time, we could gather numbers, but if we don't suppress the Demon Lord's army before Rumel annihilates them, all the demons will be slaughtered.
Even if we occupy it ourselves, we won't be trusted, so we must get an army into the Demon Lord's castle.
"What are the mobilization numbers for this conquest from each country?"
I look at Rurua and Shera.
"Litea is on alert for the demon advance, so only about 5,000 came this time. There was also a civil war, and it seems things are still quite chaotic."
"Gartz is on alert for the demons, and with the Rankus incident, it's about 4,000. However, since Lowel-aneesama is leading the command, I don't think they'll fall behind. Oh, Higil-niisan is there too."
Poor Higil, being mentioned as an afterthought.
"Roschur's elite forces have dropped sharply because of Loire. It's about 3,000."
That Loire, even in death, he still drags us down.
As I furrow my brows, Tori gives the report for Weed.
"From Weed... I'm sorry. 300 monsters were taken for Rankus, and Seraria's direct unit will assist and command under Kiyu-kun. Therefore, we can only send about 200 monsters from Weed. We have to leave some for maintaining public order and defense in Weed, after all."
"And one-tenth of that number is the baggage train."
"That's right. We absolutely need a unit to transport food and supplies. We are being drained of manpower just to supply food for the total of 12,000 people gathered here in Weed, which exceeds Weed's own population."
"That's true. We need the elite forces to move out as soon as possible, or it will put pressure on the lives of the citizens of Weed."
Well, the government is paying them salaries, but other economic activities have stopped because of it.
Blacksmithing is shrinking, agricultural work is stagnating, and the stockpile of goods bought with DP is decreasing.
Well, even just this is causing various problems.
"Even so, if we march as is, we'll have to clash head-on with the waiting enemy... I suppose."
"It might be a small comfort, but the man who stole the Demon Lord's seat from me... Dekira, he shouldn't think that I could get reinforcements from people. The enemies who chased me were also captured by Weed."
He is letting his guard down.
But is there no way to defeat the defensive forces without them noticing...?
"...Hey, this is a bit off-topic, but how many days do you think it would take for an army to go by this route?"
"Let's see. When I escaped, I was alone, going through the forest where there were no roads... I'd say about 15 days."
"Thinking from that, we can assume it will take about double."
One month. I think we are cutting it close in terms of time.
If the Rumel invasion force turns back, it will take a month.
Even if Rumel pursues them or tries to take the Demon Lord's head, they need time to reorganize and gather supplies for the expedition.
"So, why did you ask that?"
"No, if it takes that much time, I have a good plan."
My husband's eyes were smiling.
I'm sure he's come up with another outrageous strategy.
I remembered the pitfall that once toyed with the elite of Roschur.
Yesterday, I couldn't think of the sentences, and I was in a rush, so there were many typos and grammatical errors.
I am grateful to those who pointed them out.
Perhaps it's not good to force myself to post.
Also, the Tanaka story will be left alone for a while due to the "Winning Dungeon" connection.
I apologize. But I intend to write it once things settle down here.