第１２８２堀：大森林調査隊再集結 (Part1)
**Chapter 1282: The Great Forest Survey Team Reassembles**
**Side: Yuki**
With Hivia’s inclusion in the survey team finalized, we immediately headed to the Lancer Academy of Magic, where the others were waiting.
The objective now was for the survey team to refine the operational plan. To be fair, Comet and Agil had already drafted the core structure—including the proposed routes—based on the data collected thus far. Our task was simply to have the entire team review it for any oversights and make the necessary fine-tuning.
That said, I had no idea how much time it would take to reach a consensus with a room full of research fanatics.
While pondering such trivialities, I opened the door to the monitor room. As always, the footage of the Great Forest, projected onto the massive screen for surveillance purposes, immediately filled my vision. Come to think of it, since the monitoring duties were primarily handled by goblins, I should probably consider increasing the staff here as well.
But, setting that aside…
"Oh. You're here."
"Noriko-san? Why are you here?"
Hivia looked surprised to be greeted by Noriko in such a place. I realized then that I had forgotten to mention that Noriko had been brought on board to act as Hivia’s support.
For the record, Noriko still had her work as a manga artist to attend to, so she had brought her tools along. Thankfully, since she worked on a tablet, it was manageable. If she had been working with traditional paper, the sheer volume of pens and supplies would have been a nightmare to transport, even with an Item Box; setting up a workspace in the middle of the Great Forest would have been impossible.
"Why am I here? Why, for your sake, Hivia. I’m here to tell you, 'I’ve got your back.' Nothing’s more reassuring than that, right?"
"Ahaha, I suppose you're right."
Hivia accepted Noriko’s reasoning with a smile. It made sense, really. Since Noriko was a genuine, bona fide vengeful spirit, she was the most qualified senior for the job. Though, considering this was a role forced upon her by Luna, I wasn't entirely sure how much help she’d actually be…
However, Hivia’s eyes drifted past Noriko, and upon noticing the two figures standing further back, she turned toward me with a sound like grinding gears.
"And why are Sota-san and Mizu-san in the back?" she asked, trembling as she pointed at them.
"Why? Because they declared that if anything happens, they’ll handle it with full force."
Exactly. Noriko wasn't the only support Hivia had. For the sake of safety, we needed layers of insurance.
"Ahaha. Please, don't be so afraid. We’ve primarily brought along 'sealing-type' tools."
"Indeed. Extermination is the final resort. Besides, putting Sota aside, my power is more than enough to restrain Hivia should the need arise."
"Hivia, think of this 'mental pressure' as a way to keep your reason from flying off the handle. Do your best."
"…I understand."
Hivia, who had been brimming with excitement about embarking on a "blood-pumping, heart-racing adventure," let her head hang low at the appearance of her overseers.
*Ahaha.* Don't think the world is going to let you have it easy. When faced with risk, "trusting in individual grit" is the first thing to go out the window. Preparing every possible safety measure is only natural.
Though, as we all know, trouble has a way of happening regardless of how much you prepare.
"Well, either way, the task remains the same. Let’s start by listening to Comet and Agil’s explanation."
"Yeah. You're right. Both of you, please."
"Right. Hivia, glad to have you. Now, regarding the survey of the Great Forest… Agil?"
"Understood. Look at the monitor."
As instructed, we turned our eyes to the large screen, where a map of the Great Forest was displayed. The next moment, a red line appeared, tracing the outer perimeter of the forest. I had a rough idea of what was coming, but we waited for the explanation.
"This is the route we took during the previous perimeter survey. It took us about five days to complete. I’m sure you’re aware that we were moving at a fairly high pace."
Indeed. Running through the outer reaches of that vast Great Forest in just five days was beyond abnormal. For context, the large-scale survey team that had been organized for the expedition that cost Hivia her life had planned for a month just to cover one sector. In reality, records show they suffered near-total annihilation shortly after leaving the academy.
That just goes to show how difficult surveying the Great Forest truly is. Considering that, circling the perimeter was a monumental feat. Popuri could have flown over it, of course, but she knew that bringing that up would only lead to trouble with Comet, so she hadn't been very keen on the idea. Besides, it was known as a danger zone, and more importantly, there was little point in doing it if we didn't travel by land. We had already accomplished that in the previous survey.
"And, whenever we took a break along this route, we set up measurement huts to collect data continuously."
As Agil spoke, about ten yellow dots appeared along the red line.
"These huts measure the magic concentration within a 10-meter radius of their location and record footage via surveillance cameras. And, as for the results…"
Numbers and photographs of monsters appeared on the screen.
"Basically, the magic concentration in the air along this line is about the same as the typical values in the Rogari Continent, Haiden, or the Zrable region. In other words, it’s much higher than the standard values for the If Continent, and this level is sufficient for the spontaneous generation of monsters. As proof, not only are there multiple instances of goblins, orcs, and kobolds—which are rare in other regions—but we’ve occasionally confirmed the presence of higher-tier species. Furthermore, the uneven distribution of species suggests a 'territorial map'—areas primarily dominated by specific types."
I see. The regions occupied by goblins and orcs did indeed look distinct. Wait, wasn't this something Wasfi and Hivia had noticed and pointed out? I was just about to ask when…
"By the way, it was Wasfi and Hivia who first noticed this point. As expected of those who have studied the monsters of the Great Forest."
Oh, she was making sure to give credit where it was due. Hivia and the others, feeling the gaze of everyone in the room, looked a bit bashful.
*Good.* It seems they were being considerate, which was a relief.
"Now that we’ve established their competence, let’s summarize the current situation based on what we know. Basically, no particularly strong monsters appear in the outer reaches of the Great Forest. Or rather, it’s better to think of it as them being unable to appear. One reason for this is likely that once you step outside the forest into the mountainous regions, the magic concentration in the air drops sharply to the If Continent’s standard levels. We suspect that powerful monsters can sense this, which is why they don't emerge. Conversely, lower-ranked monsters—if I may apologize to Steve and John—are likely fleeing from the outer reaches to the mountains to ensure their own safety."
That sounded about right.