第８５６堀：海の竜 (Part2)
Finally, the discussion concluded. But the real test was yet to come. Judging by Shi-chan's responses so far, it seemed unlikely she would suddenly rampage, but there was always a slim possibility.
"…I understand the situation."
"..."
Now, what would her answer be? Everyone focused their entire attention on Shi-chan's next words.
"This is not to say that Shera-chan is at fault. There are still many things I don't fully understand, but this isn't a matter of blaming Shera-chan. Rather, I'm surprised that someone would go to such lengths to clean up such a mess."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"The ones at fault are those who brought out and used that 'Magic Gear'."
She understood and accepted it surprisingly easily. Well, with normal judgment, blaming Shera-chan would be misguided.
"However, the land seems to have changed considerably. And a Dungeon Master, you say? To think such a thing exists."
"Ah, so you don't know about Dungeon Masters."
"Indeed. Dungeons do not exist at the bottom of this sea. My namer, fortunately, lived happily to the very end. The nuisances I've encountered were the barrier that disperses magic, and this recent incident, which barely qualifies as damage. Before the barrier was erected, it was perfectly normal to encounter and fight other monsters while swimming in the sea."
"Ah, I see."
That was a convincing answer. Even in the ocean, the struggle for survival within the ecosystem is constant. So, Shera-chan's kin attacking was just a normal part of that struggle for Shi-chan. This was a situation where one shouldn't think with human values and perspectives.
"The ocean world is tough, isn't it..."
"It is. No, perhaps it's simply natural for life in the wild to be tough. Well, I think we're good now. Shera-chan line open. No hostility is detected from Shi-chan."
Saying that, Yuki contacted Shi-chan. Was this his judgment that further caution was unnecessary? I thought it was fine too.
"Understood. Shi-chan. The Dungeon Master we just spoke about says he wants to talk directly. What do you say?"
"Hm? Ah, so you were muttering to yourself earlier because you were communicating telepathically. Even so, I didn't sense any magic flow at the time..."
"Of course, magical communication can be intercepted, so we take various countermeasures."
"Oh! So this uninteresting human male is what you call a 'Dungeon Master'?"
Wow, calling Yuki "uninteresting" so quickly, she just stepped on a huge landmine right off the bat.
"..."
The light had drained from the wives' eyes. Oh, they were angry, very angry. But Yuki, not minding it in the slightest...
"That's right. I am Yuki, the Dungeon Master. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Indeed. A pleasure. However, from what I've heard from Shera-chan, there doesn't seem to be anything I can particularly help you with."
"No, there is. Were there any other objects that fell besides the Magic Gear? I want to determine which ship sank based on that kind of information."
"Hm? Oh, you did mention that. Those troublesome things are all gathered at the back of the opposite passage, so feel free to look."
"I see. Shera-chan, please search that area."
"Understood. Shi-chan, if you'll excuse me."
"Ah, go ahead."
Saying that, Shera-chan left the spot, leaving only Yuki and Shi-chan. No, we were there too, but it was just the two of them doing the talking.
"Now, I believe you've heard from Shera-chan, but I'm grateful for your cooperation, Shi-chan. I'd like to offer you a reward. Is there anything you desire?"
"A reward, you say? As I mentioned earlier, I was merely disposing of trash. I'm almost grateful to you for taking care of those mysterious jewels. And it's been a long time since I've had someone to talk to like this. This current situation is, in a way, a reward in itself."
She was so selfless. No, perhaps the part about conversation being a reward was something to lament. Hearing that answer, Yuki made a suggestion.
"In that case, would you like to visit the Dungeon? Magic is abundant here, so you can function normally."
"If I could move so easily, perhaps. But that's impossible, isn't it?"
"That much is perfectly possible."
"See, it's impossible after all... wait?"
And so, Shi-chan was welcomed to Weed, and they began to hear her story in detail. Perhaps because she had lived for such a long time, she seemed to be experiencing a kind of culture shock, or rather, a sense of being left behind by the flow of time. Well, culture shock and the flow of time usually don't concern monsters...
If you talk, you can understand each other. But there are also those you can't talk to. That's just how the world is. It's not always pretty. But we shouldn't forget that we can also choose to avoid certain things. And so, Shi-chan became an ally.