第１０３８堀：各地の状況確認 (Part1)
Chapter 1038: Checking the Situation in Various Regions
Side: Yuki
"Ugh, the snowy mountains are seriously cold. Yeah, well, that goes without saying."
The report from Labyris and her team, who are conducting surveys near the summit of the Great Mountain Range, began with that exact sentence. Apparently, they had stepped outside their container without their cold-protection magic active and had a painful—or rather, freezing—experience.
If you underestimate the mountains, you die.
"Wow, it looks like Aslin and the others are doing well. That’s a relief."
Shera smiled as she looked at the commemorative photo attached to the report, which featured a Rock Ice Golem. For this mission, Shera is staying behind to assist me rather than joining the expedition.
"Muu. Hiiro wanted to go along too."
"Be patient. We have to maintain the aircraft carrier."
Hiiro and Vilia are currently based at Aurelia Port, defending the surrounding waters. With the reconnaissance team led by Shi-chan out patrolling the port and the Zuraburu Great Empire, I can't afford to send those two off to explore the snowy mountains.
"That’s true. Though, I’ve been on standby for a while now... How about it, Yuki?"
The one asking is Dressa, the head of the Navy. She’s grown quite accustomed to operating the aircraft carrier and the military, and she’s developed a lot of composure lately. It’s incredibly reassuring.
"Unfortunately, we’re keeping things as they are at sea for a while. It’s not just about the Hein Empire; we need to remain vigilant and continue surveying for sea monsters. Speaking of which, the ocean surveys are progressing, right?"
"Well, yes. Whenever we find delicious-looking seafood, the carrier’s cooks get excited and make all sorts of things. We’ve also found ones that are poisonous, which has Comet, Narjia, and Agil absolutely thrilled. We really need to form a specialized biology team; with the Blue Hole investigations as well, we’re spread too thin. You aren't planning on making me double as a researcher, are you?"
"No. I’ll leave that to those who enjoy it. You can’t force someone to learn something they aren't interested in."
After all, research is the ultimate hobby.
Anyway, our Weed forces are currently dispersed across various regions. If I were the enemy, I’d take this opportunity to pick them off one by one, but... well, the Dungeon Master of this land and the Hein Empire are currently hostile toward the Zuraburu Great Empire.
For now, it’s best to remain vigilant while gathering information.
As I was thinking that, Dressa looked visibly relieved.
"Th-that’s a relief. That kind of thing is impossible for me."
As a former princess, Dressa truly shines when it comes to command. The fact that she’s operating this aircraft carrier so smoothly is proof enough of that. There’s no reason to force her into a research role. It’s a matter of putting the right person in the right place.
"So, I understand the snowy mountains are freezing, but has there been any progress? You’re looking for the Dungeon Master, right?"
"No, there hasn't been any progress regarding the Dungeon Master in the last four days. All we’ve gathered is information on the ecology of the monsters in the Great Mountain Range."
"Oh, monsters of the Great Mountain Range. Cleena-onee said there were only sighting reports from afar and no actual reports of them being defeated."
"And what kind of ecology do they have?"
"Well, we haven't reached the point of understanding their full ecology yet, just confirmed their habitats. First off..."
* **Rock Ice Golem**
Monsters that inhabit the snow-covered zones near the summit. Their absolute numbers are low. Aside from the one Aslin’s team first encountered, they walked for about a kilometer before finding another individual. The one they encountered wasn't aggressive, though that might be thanks to Aslin’s talent.
* **Salamander**
A reptilian monster, distinct from dragons. They are high-heat-source monsters, and a group of about ten was confirmed near the craters of the Great Mountain Range. Whether there are other groups is unknown. Are they living somewhere else in the snowy mountains?
* **Wyvern**
The pterosaur-type monsters we’re all familiar with. (People often tell me not to lump them in with dragons, since wyverns are manageable, while dragons are nearly impossible to deal with.) They seem to be somewhat resistant to the cold and have built nests here and there, mainly around the craters. Well, the question of what they eat remains, but since monsters can survive on magic power alone, maybe that’s the reason.
* **Hydra**
A multi-headed... is it a dragon? It’s famous for being a variation of the Yamata no Orochi, the prototype for King G-dra. For now, just like the one we confirmed in Weed, these ones live inside lava.
It feels a bit too much like an Edoite’s preference for hot baths. You might wonder how they can live in such an environment, but Weed’s research shows that Hydras are naturally resistant to fire, and their skin has special properties that prevent it from melting even in lava. That’s why they can live there normally. Well, they’re also known to be strong because they reinforce themselves with magic power.
"Wait, wasn't that last part just your personal opinion, Yuki?"
"Well, you’d want to retort to that, wouldn't you?"
"If we’re talking about that, I think Yuki is the one who’s 'anything goes,' don't you?"
"What I do is merely technology that anyone can replicate, built upon the tireless research, wisdom, and logical accumulation of countless great people throughout history. I’m not using some nonsensical ability that can’t be replicated by others, like the simple racial characteristics of a Hydra. Well, Narjia-san and the others are researching ways to replicate those 'racial characteristics,' though."
It’s not limited to Hydras. By researching living creatures, the Adventurer Guild and the members of the Blacksmith District are constantly looking for ways to utilize their traits. As they say, "Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles."
"Onii-chan, what kind of research is Narjia-onee doing with the Hydra?"
"Ah, that’s about the skin that can withstand lava. They think if they can research that, they might be able to soften the impact of the enemy’s fire-based attacks."
"Ah, I see. That certainly seems possible."
"But wouldn't dragon scales work for that too?"
"It’s not about whether something else can substitute for it. The goal is to investigate how those things can be used. Softening fire is just one of the ways to utilize it."
I gave a safe-sounding answer, but in reality, what Narjia and Comet are researching is the development of materials for a lava-exploration vessel. I know from my Earth knowledge that submarines exist to travel through water, so the idea is that there should be ships that can push through lava.
And the Hydra is the key to that possibility. After all, they live in lava to begin with. They’re investigating the connection between magic power and fire/heat resistance.
Well, that’s just a side project, though. Those two have plenty of other work to do. It’s just one of their hobbies.
"Yuki-san. From what we’ve heard, Aslin and the others seem safe. And we can consider the ocean side, where Dressa and the others are, to be without issues for now. Oh, by the way, is there any movement from Shi-chan?"
"Including the Blue Hole, there are no abnormalities for now. Recently, Shi-chan has been patrolling back and forth between the aircraft carrier Lilieshe and the Blue Hole. She says there’s no sign of any unusual monsters."