第１５４０堀：秘宝の場所についてのこまかい話 (Part1)
Digging Hole 1540: A Detailed Discussion on the Treasure’s Location
Side: Kiyu
“The site is indeed whispered to be a royal tomb by the denizens of the Old Vinosia capital. It is said that it would be no surprise if a secret treasure slept within its depths. However, it has become a nest for monsters, and the traps laid back when the royalty still managed the grounds are so lethal that they say no number of lives would suffice to reach the end.”
“Well, that’s certainly blatant. Though, I never heard anything of the sort from the Adventurer Guild.”
As Brother spoke, the eyes of everyone in the room turned toward me. To be honest, the news was a bit of a shock to me as well.
“I’ll double-check with Milly-nee, but Kirika—don't you have a bit more information? For instance, if it was once a royal tomb, there must have been some kind of penalty for trespassing...”
“Yes, exactly as Kiyu says. When the Old Vinosia Kingdom was still in its prime, that entire region was designated as a mountain forest owned by the crown, and entry was strictly forbidden. However, it has been neglected for ages; even calling it a royal tomb refers to a history from over a century ago. Furthermore—though I cannot verify the veracity of this—there are rumors that it was a royal tomb belonging to the dynasty that existed even before Old Vinosia.”
“““Huh?”””
At that last bit of nonsensical information, almost everyone, Enola and the others included, let out a cry of confusion. But Brother, true to form, didn't seem particularly surprised as he spoke up.
“Ah, I see. I don’t know the exact circumstances of how Vinosia was founded, but it seems they inherited the remnants of a previous dynasty.”
“Yes. That is likely the case. It is impossible to manage every single acre of land. Razing such a place would require significant military force and funding. Above all, they likely didn't want to let go of a site that might contain a secret treasure.”
As Kirika spoke, the rest of the group began to wrap their heads around the concept of this treasure.
“Ah... I get it. They just took over a place that already existed. Well, that happens, doesn't it? Old legends and things of that nature.”
Surprisingly, the first one to nod in agreement was Lady Heiren.
“What’s this? Did you encounter things like that too, Heiren?”
“I did. Back when I was roaming the Heiden region with Souta and the others, many kingdoms fell. During the subsequent reconstruction, there were always debates about what to do with the old tombs. You can’t just leave them be, but no one has the resources to tear them down. Usually, they just declare it the property of the crown or a lord and forbid anyone from approaching. You could give the info to adventurers and have them clear it, but those places usually have nasty guardians or monsters. It just causes casualties. So, they leave it alone. Don’t you have stories like that here, Kiyu?”
“Yes, we do. From the Adventurer Guild’s perspective, we generally want to avoid sending adventurers to places that only result in pointless deaths. Would anyone want to join a branch known for doing nothing but producing corpses?”
“Hmm. Put that way, I certainly wouldn't want to register at such a place,” Deryu-nee mused.
“True. Adventurers know they might die, but they’re chasing the dream of striking it rich. If the death toll is too high, it starts to weigh on the mind,” Ria-nee added, nodding at my words.
Everyone dreams of being the adventurer who explores the unknown, carves out a path, finds treasure, and gains both fame and fortune. But the reality is that only a handful ever become the subjects of such heroic epics. Most stumble along the way—or more commonly, lose their lives.
Milly-nee and the others have told me that, in truth, the Adventurer Guild uses such places as bait to secure a labor force, and I tend to agree. While Lady Kagura and those in the Heiden region might not feel it as strongly, other continents and regions suffer constant monster damage. Adventurers who fill the gaps where a nation’s military cannot reach are prized less as 'adventurers' and more as 'exterminators.'
...I hate to say it, but since their pay is strictly performance-based, they’re much more 'convenient' to use than a formal knight order. The downside is the lack of discipline and the difficulty of management, but they are very easy to replace. Their level of training is another story entirely, though.
“Anyone can become an adventurer; that’s the selling point. Though, everyone knows a complete amateur isn't going to survive the attempt,” Brother said, cutting through my darker thoughts.
“Well, it’s the same for any world or any job. Only a tiny fraction ever truly succeeds,” Dressa-nee remarked.
“Just as Dressa says. I’ve never heard of a world where people worthy of being called 'professionals' are a dime a dozen,” Deryu-nee added.
It was exactly as Dressa-nee and Deryu-nee said—in any profession, only a few reach the top. It’s just that stories about adventurers tend to circulate more easily among the general public. After all, a place with elite adventurers is a place that can be called safe.
“To get back to the point—the area was intentionally sealed off.”
“Yes. Therefore, the locals did not approach. As for whether adventurers would hear the rumors and dare to break the taboo...”
“Given the reputation of the leaders who let the country collapse, I doubt it. Even if someone did find a secret treasure, they wouldn't just announce it. It would likely just be confiscated,” Brother noted.
“Indeed. Since they would have entered a forbidden zone, confiscation would be the natural consequence.”
I agreed with Kirika, and the others nodded as if they shared the sentiment.
“Right. It’s a breach of regulations. Now then, Canalia, does any of this sound familiar?”
That was the point. We were supposed to be asking how she perceived that location. We knew she had simply been told about it, but had she heard anything about it being an old royal tomb?
“...The part about it being a royal tomb is news to me. However, I have heard that there are things inherited from an ancient dynasty. I simply didn't know that those things were 'secret treasures.'”
I see. She didn't have the fine details, but she understood that there were items owned by the previous royalty. The 'secret treasure' label felt like something tacked on later; we could probably ignore that part.
“I see. So it rings a bell. Now, look at these photos. What do you think? Does it match what you have in mind, Canalia?”
Ah, that’s right. We had to confirm if the place we were discussing actually matched the location Canalia was talking about. Brother always does these things so casually. Thanks to him, everyone—myself included—regained their composure. We waited for Canalia’s response.
“To be honest, I do not know. I have never seen the physical location myself. However, I believe the conditions match what I was told. Are there no other similar locations?”
Canalia answered honestly that she didn't know. Her willingness to ask if there were other similar spots suggested she wasn't trying to lead us into a trap.