第１４６掘：ゆっくりさせる気がないこの駄女神 (Part2)
If we were to sweep across the continent with something like that, countless nations would be forced to submit to our military might, and we’d end up having to handle the actual governance of those countries.
I don't need any more work on my plate.
"Well, I'll think about the bonuses later. For now, tell me about this continent that’s on the verge of magical depletion."
"Sure, I understand."
Luna spreads out a map. No, it’s more like a photograph. It looks like something taken by a satellite...
"I took it from space, you know."
"Hey, you monster."
It seems this useless goddess is capable of breaking through and re-entering the atmosphere on her own. Or maybe she just warped.
"This is where your continent is. And this continent here, located across the sea to the west..."
Luna points to it. The continent is smaller than the one we’re on, but it’s still overwhelmingly larger than Japan.
"So, what’s the situation over there?"
"In short, it’s a state of warring states. Because magical depletion is progressing, there are extremely few people who can use magic. It’d be a stretch to say even one in a thousand can use offensive magic."
"Hey, hey, we aren't going to go over there and die from magical depletion, are we?"
"That won't be a problem. It’s not that magic disappears from within people; it’s that the continent’s ambient magic is depleted, so it takes twenty times the usual amount of mana to manifest magic. Well, as a result, the birth rate of creatures with high magical capacity has dropped significantly."
"Ah, that kind of depletion. Low fuel efficiency. And a vicious cycle, too."
"The continent is trying to absorb magic any way it can, which is why the environment has become like that. Because of that, there are extremely few monsters born from magic. Dragons are just legendary creatures over there. But beastmen and the like exist normally. Well, their birth rates are dropping too, though."
"Wait, so beastmen are born through the influence of magic?"
"That’s right. If they were born normally, it wouldn't be strange for them to exist on Earth, right? I mean, magic is likely what makes the contradiction of having animal traits on a human body possible."
"You say 'likely'..."
"I haven't done a genetic analysis, after all. But since the birth rate drops in regions where magic is depleted, it’s probably not entirely off the mark."
"Well, I can't deny that. But why is the magic depleted there, unlike here, even though there are so many living things? If we don't investigate the cause, there's no point."
"That’s what I don't know. Despite all the life there, the magic of the entire continent is on the verge of drying up. I suspect there’s a cause, and I want you to investigate that as well."
"Ah, so that’s why you told me so soon."
"Exactly. If you can do something about it, I want you to investigate immediately. If things go poorly, the magical depletion could accelerate."
Good grief, what a pain.
What about Weed and this continent... Well, I leave the management of Weed to the residents, and I leave the other countries to their own devices, so maybe it’ll work out?
"You can return to this dungeon and Weed immediately, so there won't be any issues with management."
"No, my workload is going to double. Regardless, I have to tell my wives and consult with them."
"I'll leave that part to you."
With what Luna has told me, I can't afford not to get involved. If the magical depletion on this new continent is something tangible, I can advance my own goals much faster.
"So, where is the dungeon our gate is connected to?"
"Ah, it’s right here."
She points to the very center of the new continent, the land of warring states.
Whoa, so I’m surrounded by enemies on all sides? It’s going to be a real headache just figuring out who’s an ally and who’s an enemy.
"And, who’s the master of that dungeon?"
"Oh, the magical depletion started, and since the dungeon maintenance costs went up twenty-fold, they died."
The costs went up twenty-fold there too?!
My wives are going to be furious. It’s going to be hard to use DP to brute-force our way through or provide support.
Ah, it’s a hassle, but I have no choice.
In the next chapter, Yuki will reveal his true objective to his wives. The true meaning behind saving the continent.