第１７６掘：魔剣の秘密 終章？
**Dungeon Log 176: The Secret of the Magic Swords, Final Chapter?**
**Side: Riel**
After reviewing Yuki-san’s notes and the provided materials, I understood that the magic swords were crafted using dungeon cores, but I still couldn't grasp the true purpose behind them.
I’d sparred with Mist, and my magic was more than enough to offset her attacks. Large-scale spells had too much lag to be useful in a chaotic melee, and they simply didn't work against high-level individuals like us. As a weapon, they were mediocre at best. The only real benefit seemed to be their massive mana storage capacity, since they didn't convert mana into DP.
Wait... something about that felt off.
"Hey, Yuki-san. Why is there mana stored in a dungeon core that isn't even placed in a dungeon?"
The question slipped out before I could think about it, born from simple curiosity.
"Good catch. That was exactly what I found strange, so we tried making one ourselves."
Yuki-san pulled out a sword with a dungeon core embedded in it. "This is a replica of the magic swords, made by Narjia-san over the past week."
"Calling it a 'replica' is insulting. Please don't lump it together with those defective products. That said, the concept was interesting. Using a dungeon core as a mana-collection tool to store energy and reduce the burden on the user—it was a complete blind spot. I wouldn't have understood it if I hadn't been developing magic tools for general use. Ria-san’s gear is designed to supply mana from the user’s own reserves, so the underlying philosophy is entirely different."
Narjia-san explained it with great confidence, though I only understood about half of it. The gist seemed to be that it was convenient because it could hold a lot of mana.
"To put it simply: it’s amazing because you can store a ton of mana in a dungeon core."
"Ah, please don't summarize it like that."
"My apologies. We’re currently discussing the magic swords, so let’s save the details of Narjia-san’s sword for later."
"Hmph, very well." Narjia-san grumbled, but she trotted back to her seat.
"We got sidetracked. To answer your question about how it stores mana: if you cut an enemy, it absorbs a portion of their mana. If you kill them, it siphons a massive chunk. It’s not as efficient as a full-scale dungeon, but as a weapon, it’s not a bad idea. It means you can keep charging it even out in the field."
"I see. But why were they made in the first place? And why were so many of them produced?"
"That, I don't know. Maybe they thought to repurpose cores during a long war, or perhaps the Dungeon Master is still alive and active... Come to think of it, how are dungeon cores treated on this continent?"
"I’ve never heard of them being used for weapons," Seraria replied. "We knew they had high mana capacity, so they were used in the royal castle as components for barriers to suppress magic. They were used for defense, not offense."
"Ah, so the general perception is that they’re just a super-powered version of the magic stones monsters drop. In that case, it wouldn't have been strange to use them for weapons. It’s a wonder they were only ever used for defensive tools."
"That’s because dungeon cores are rare. If you turned one into a weapon and it got stolen, that would be a disaster. Besides, you wouldn't risk using a rare core when you weren't even sure it would work."
"So that’s the connection. But the other continent is using them for weapons. Actually, aren't they even rarer over there?"
"That’s true. It seems the dungeons there are already referred to as ruins."
"I see..."
Yuki-san seemed to realize something after talking with Seraria.
"Hey, Luna. Get over here." Yuki-san summoned Luna via Call. Why did he have to call that useless goddess?
"What? I was at a good part in my show," Luna said, appearing in a tracksuit with a bag of potato chips in one hand. Ugh, even a peerless beauty looks pathetic like that. I have to make sure I never end up like her.
"I have a question. Was there only one Dungeon Master on that continent back then?"
"Hmm? Didn't I tell you? There was only one, and he died a long time ago. The others died even before that."
"Did he have any apprentices or subordinates?"
"Who knows? I don't know the details, but the DP exchange requests stopped coming, so I went to check and found him dead."
"How did he die?"
"Stabbed through the back. He wasn't living in a dungeon like Yuki, and he didn't have such robust defenses, so I just assumed he was taken out normally. I don't know if it was betrayal or not."
"I see. Before he died, did he order a large quantity of dungeon cores through the DP exchange?"
"Oh, yeah. Since he was managing that whole continent by himself, he ordered quite a few cores every time to build dungeons everywhere. He was a real breadwinner, that one."
*Ah, could that be it?* Usually, expanding your territory like Yuki-san is more efficient; there’s no reason to order that many cores otherwise.
"…Well, I’ve figured out the general cause."
"By the way, why are you asking all this?"
"…You really are careless, aren't you?"
"Hey, if I worried about every little detail, I couldn't look after other worlds, could I? It’s the same everywhere, right? The higher your position, the less you can afford to get involved in trivial matters."
"That’s a fair point, but you should at least change out of that sloppy outfit before saying it."
"What are you talking about? You’re the one who called me during my break."
I understood what Luna was saying, but I didn't want to accept it.
"We don't know the circumstances behind the creation of the magic swords, but it seems there was no shortage of materials," Seraria said, ignoring Luna.
"But the mana depletion started before that, didn't it? So I don't think the magic swords are the cause," I added.
"Riel is right. Yuki-san, what do you think?" Eris agreed with me. Wait, was this the first time Eris spoke during the meeting? Didn't she say her morning sickness was bad today? Is she alright?
"There might not be a direct link, but if we investigate the circumstances of the swords' creation, we might get closer to the cause of the depletion."
"…I see. So we are to investigate the purpose for which the Dungeon Master of that time created the magic swords?"
"Exactly. Now we finally have a clear goal. We’ll trace the footsteps of the Dungeon Master who was on this continent and find out how many magic swords exist. The answers should reveal themselves."
"That’s good to hear. However, the movements of the Zilba Empire and our relationship with the demi-humans are… *urgh*."
"E-Eris!? What’s wrong!? A doctor! Someone get a doctor!"
*Ah, she was pushing herself.* Everyone gathered around Eris.
"Yes, yes, Yuki-san, you’re going to be a father soon, so please calm down," Lilishe-sama appeared suddenly to check on Eris. "It’s morning sickness. There’s nothing to be done about it, so you’ll just have to endure it."
"…Yes, I understand. It is proof that I am carrying a child… *urgh*…"
"Alright, let’s get you lying down."
The meeting ended there, waiting for Eris to recover. For now, our goals are the dungeons and the magic swords.
The path forward is set. Standing in our way are the Zilba Empire, which seems destined to become a hostile force, and the uncooperative demi-humans. But for Yuki, the biggest problem is his wife’s health. He wants to stay by her side, but she keeps kicking him out, telling him to go do his job, leaving him with teary eyes.