第１５３９堀：作戦地域の状況 (Part2)
As Dressa had pointed out, the photograph depicted nothing more than a mundane cavern, its interior an impenetrable void. Far from being a place someone would try to hide, it looked like a purely natural formation. There wasn't a single trace of human handiwork to be seen.
"Steve, any signs of people or monsters coming and going?"
"None when I first scouted it, sir. I’ve had drones, familiars, and squads stationed there for constant surveillance since then, but we haven't seen a soul enter or leave."
It seemed the place was currently vacant. Of course, it had only been half a day, so it was too early to draw any definitive conclusions.
"Don't push inside yet. For now, focus on gathering information from the perimeter. Prioritize the search of the other locations."
"Understood, sir. As of right now, we’ve finished investigating half the list. Nine out of the eighteen candidate sites are cleared."
As Steve spoke, half of the icons on the map displayed on the monitor turned white.
"I can't say for certain, but what about those spots?"
"I’ve left drones and familiars to keep watch, sir. There’s always a chance the enemy might use them as bolt-holes."
"Right. Stay sharp on that front. For now, pull up the photos of the sites you've confirmed. Well, Canalia? Do any of these places look or sound familiar to you?"
Yuki turned his questioning to Canalia. Since she was the one who had brought the story of the secret treasure to them, it was only natural to seek her verification.
"No... none of these match the descriptions I’ve heard or the places I’ve seen."
So far, the locations they had uncovered didn't align with Canalia’s knowledge.
"I see. Sorry to keep pressing you, but there are specific characteristics to the place where this treasure is hidden, right?"
"Yes. According to the stories, the location must be somewhere visible from the Royal Capital. Furthermore, it should be engraved with the emblem of the Earth Dragon—the crest of Vinocia—and the site itself is said to be somewhat maintained and artificial."
It was an explanation they had heard many times before. However, thinking on it further, it was a strange set of conditions. If it were in a location visible from the capital, it would surely have caught someone's eye over the years. Even if it were some distance away, if the site had been "maintained," it was hard to believe it would remain undiscovered.
In other words, it remained blatantly suspicious. More importantly, if it had such a storied history, it was far too strange that Canalia didn't know the exact location. Was it possible this was a "lure" prepared in haste?
"Steve, Kirika—have you found any place that matches Canalia’s description? Or any leads?"
"I’ve got a 'maybe,' sir. Take a look at this."
Steve responded instantly, bringing up footage of a specific location. It was about ten kilometers away from the cave they had just identified as a dungeon—a distance that, in the grand scheme of things, was practically next door.
Kirika’s report followed immediately after.
"My intelligence units have infiltrated the old Vinocia capital to gather information. We’ve narrowed it down to a single likely location. It is the exact same spot Steve is currently displaying."
It appeared that the residents—or whatever remained of them—in the old capital were aware of this place as well.
"So it *is* known. And you left that for last?"
"Yes, sir. It was just too obvious. Besides, I wanted to wait for Kirika’s intel to come in. It looks like the 'jackpot' location, but do we have any more details?"
It made sense. Steve had held off because the site was suspiciously perfect. It practically screamed "trap," so prioritizing information gathering was the right call. As they waited for Kirika to elaborate, she spoke up again.
"The residents of the old capital refer to that place as the Royal Tomb. They say it wouldn't be strange at all for a secret treasure to be resting there. However, it is said to be infested with monsters and riddled with traps from the era when the Royal Family still managed it. The rumors say that no matter how many lives you have, they wouldn't be enough to survive the trip inside."
"Well, isn't that just blatant? And yet, we didn't hear a word of this from the Adventurer Guild."
Seraria frowned. If it were that famous a legend, the Guild should have had it on record.
With that thought hanging in the air, all eyes turned toward Kiyu. What would they learn next? The location had been found with surprising ease. Was it a trap, or was there another, true objective hidden behind it? Deciphering such riddles was as much a part of the battle as the fighting itself.