落とし穴外伝：幽霊は星空の向こうを夢見る
**Dungeon Pit Side Story: The Ghost Dreams of What Lies Beyond the Starry Sky**
**Side: Yuki**
*Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...*
This time of year has arrived once again. The cicadas are deafening, the sunlight stings with a searing heat, and the earth is scorched into a shimmering haze. In short, summer is here.
"Ah, it’s so hot..."
Nina returned to the office, muttering those words. Lately, she has been recognized as a permanent resident of this room. Well, she is a Sword-addict who has been operating in the shadows of the If Continent for ages, so it’s only natural.
"Hey, that look of yours—you’re mocking me, aren't you?"
As if reading my mind, Nina glares at me.
"I’m not mocking you. I was just thinking that you’ve certainly earned the right to complain after all that roadwork you’ve put in."
"Hmph. You were out in the field too, you know. Anyway, here."
Nina holds out an ice cream bar she picked up. It’s the standard milk flavor.
"Thanks. And judging by this ice cream, it’s officially summer, then?"
"Summer, indeed. You’ve been walking to work, haven't you?"
"Yeah. Though, I suppose I feel the need to confirm the season with my colleagues, too."
"I understand. One feels the urge to verify the heat with staff members other than Yayui or Hobis."
Orelia and Fiora join our conversation. It’s true; for those entrusted with diplomacy, the seasons are a matter of great importance. It’s a common topic of conversation during transitions, and it often brings up practical issues—like water shortages when summer hits. Fiora, in particular, is sensitive to such things.
We chat as we peel back the wrappers, everyone tucking into their ice cream.
"Ah, cold. Sweet. Delicious."
"Indeed. That’s the only thing one can say."
Even the usually stern Prof is melting, her face softening as she takes a bite. Summer is truly powerful. It was a peaceful moment in the office, but then...
*Thump, thump, thump...*
Footsteps echoed from the hallway.
"..."
We all hurriedly finished our ice cream. We assumed someone was coming to us because there was a problem. We wanted to savor it, but that’s the nature of this job.
And, as expected—
*Bang!*
The door flew open.
"Yuki-oniisan, are you in here?"
The person who burst in was, surprisingly, Havia. She’s not the type to come here often, and more importantly...
"Don't go walking around in the middle of the day, Havia. You're a ghost, aren't you?"
I pulled the popsicle stick from my mouth as I spoke. Havia just laughed.
"Ahaha, what are you saying now? I’ve been active from the morning every day, eating lunch in the Weed shopping district, and I even conducted surveys in the Great Tree Sea."
She’s right. Havia is a ghost who once attended the Lancer Magic Academy. She died as a student some two hundred years ago, and after scouting her and granting her a physical form, she’s been researching monsters—a real eccentric. Though, I suppose Noriko, the manga-artist ghost, is just as peculiar. But that one is from Earth, so I ignore her.
"So, did you find anything in the Great Tree Sea?"
Havia’s current workplace is the Great Tree Sea, a monster-infested nest near the Lancer Magic Academy. Well, "workplace" might be a bit of a stretch; it’s her research site. She’s been investigating the monsters there. It’s a rare region where many powerful monsters, seldom seen in the low-mana-density If Continent, roam freely. I’ve been hoping that by studying it, we might find a solution to the mana-depletion phenomenon the useless goddess saddled me with. Unfortunately, we haven't found a hint yet, but these things are all about accumulation.
Wait, no. Maybe she *did* find a hint. Havia is standing right in front of me, smiling, her eyes full of a vitality that defies her death.
"Nope. Nothing unusual besides my own skull. Besides, you said I couldn't investigate the center until things outside settled down, right? Am I allowed to now?"
"No."
The survey of the Great Tree Sea has been stagnant due to the volatile environment surrounding Weed lately. We know the Dark Guild is skulking about, and we don't have the manpower to spare on other things. We never know what might happen, and there’s a high probability that the enemy has a Dungeon Master just like me. There’s no need to poke the Great Tree Sea and create more work when we don't know what’s lurking there.
That’s why the current job for Havia and Wazfi is limited to monitoring the areas we’ve already surveyed. Even that isn't easy, as they have to observe the movement and distribution of monsters every single day.
But if that’s the case, why did she come here?
"So, if there’s no change in the Great Tree Sea, why are you here?"
I asked for the reason again, and Havia’s eyes sparkled even brighter.
"I want to try something else in my spare time. I came to ask for your permission. You’re my boss, aren't you, Yuki-oniisan?"
"Ah, I see."
If she were just bored, I’d tell her to get back to work, but it’s our own circumstances that are stalling the progress in the Great Tree Sea. In that sense, the fact that she found something she wants to do and came to ask for permission is proof of her diligence.
"So, what do you want to do?"
I didn't have any particular reason to refuse, so I asked.
"I want to go to space!"
"..."
At those words, everyone in the office froze, their gazes fixed on Havia in stunned silence. Well, the reasons for our silence varied. Orelia, Hobis, and Yayui probably don't have much basic knowledge about space, so they were just bewildered. But for me, Nina, Fiora, and Prof, the silence came from a realization of the sheer difficulty of such a task.
Havia continued, unfazed by our lack of response.
"But listen, it’s not like I’m going to build a spaceship and blast off tomorrow. I want to start with measurements. It’s not like it’s the same as Earth, right? I need to identify the constellations, the stratosphere, and all that basic stuff. It’s impossible without that foundation, isn't it?"
She’s thought about it more than I expected. Of course, I wouldn't just order a spaceship. It would be a guaranteed failure.
"And there’s no guarantee that there aren't monster territories in the sky. I have to investigate that properly, too."
Yeah, she understands the concerns I have. Still...
"I understand what you’re saying. But that’s a project we’ve already abandoned, you know? We’re short on manpower, and the funding is... questionable."
Space development requires an astronomical amount of people and money. We lack the foundational knowledge and the organization. We’d have to build it from scratch. It’s essentially starting from zero. Havia couldn't possibly be unaware of that; she’s struggled with research budgets for a long time.
"I know that. I’ve thought about a lot of things, but can you at least give me permission to prepare for the organization, or the development? It’s hard to get people to move when you’ve officially said 'no,' Yuki-oniisan."
It’s true. I am one of the highest authorities in Weed. And when it comes to Earth-style technological development, I’m even more influential than Seraria. If I’m officially against it, it’s hard for anyone to get on board with Havia’s plans.
"Understood. Give it a try. But if there are any delays or issues with the Great Tree Sea, I’m shutting it down, alright?"
That’s the rule of society. If it were a department I created, that would be one thing, but this is something Havia wants to do. The prerequisite is that she finishes her assigned work first.
"Yep, that’s fine. I’m going to go talk to Wazfi and the others."
Wazfi is a monster specialist, right? Ah, because he’s involved in the Great Tree Sea survey. She’ll do her job fine, but I should tell her not to get distracted by the new project.
As I thought about that, I suddenly noticed what Havia was holding. It looked like a book, though I hadn't paid it any mind before. As she waved and ran off, I noticed the cover was strangely luxurious. And the title...
*Space Sisters.*
Ah. Well, that would make anyone want to aim for the stars. It remains to be seen how long that passion will last.
"It’s invisible, isn't it?"
"What is?" Fiora tilted her head at my words.
"The space that lies beyond the sky."
"Oh..."
Still looking confused, she followed my gaze toward the sky. The blue expanse stretched out, piercing through the dungeon, beyond the clouds, toward the adventure that lay further out.
"Well, I suppose I should go complain to Noriko for introducing her to that manga."
With that, I decided to call her up. After all, if you watch those kinds of manga, anime, and movies, wouldn't you want to go there too?