第１７２３堀：よくありすぎる定番の始まり (Part1)
**Chapter 1723: A Far Too Common Cliche Beginning**
**Side: Vilia**
“Start the recording! Holy, Vilia, stay calm!”
Kagura-oneesama’s voice was uncharacteristically sharp. Beside her, Nina-oneesama and Enola-oneesama wore similar expressions, their gazes fixed intently upon us.
I didn't quite understand why they were telling us to stay calm—until I noticed the glow emanating from beneath us.
Ah, so this is how it feels. You really don’t notice your own feet glowing until it’s already happening.
As that idle thought crossed my mind, the light surged upward, veiling my vision in an instant.
“Holy-san, are you alright? Can you hear me?”
“Yes, I hear you. You’re surprisingly composed.”
“Well, this was expected, and I don’t feel anything wrong with my body.”
“I suppose that’s true. Still, my vision is nothing but white. How about yours?”
“The same. Pure white.”
I couldn't tell if the world had actually turned white or if it was just the intensity of the light, but enough time had passed for us to carry on a full conversation in this state. Does a summoning usually take this long?
It felt like nearly a minute had passed when, suddenly, my sight returned.
“Eh? A woman and a child?”
A bewildered voice reached my ears. I turned toward the sound and saw a woman standing there, dressed in a magnificent gown. No, looking closer, I could see soldiers clad in armor as well.
Ah, so this is the so-called "summoning." It’s exactly like the "classic tropes" Big Brother explained to us.
Squinting, I realized we were in a room enclosed by four stone walls, illuminated by candlelight. Actually, there was a floating orb of light next to the woman in the dress, so it was likely a Light spell. There was enough light to see, but it felt dim—certainly weaker than an electric fluorescent bulb.
“And they’re humans... No different from the last ones...”
I narrowed my eyes at those words.
*The last ones?* "No different from before"?
Given what we were here to do, the thought of the missing persons immediately crossed my mind. Now, how should we handle the negotiations?
Honestly, to summon people without their consent and then act disappointed is beyond rude—it makes me want to kill... no, it is simply extremely disrespectful.
Just as my irritation began to flare, a wonderful voice resonated in my ears.
『Vilia, Holy, can you hear me? We’re receiving the video feed from your end. The picture is clear. How’s the audio? I heard the girl over there, but can you hear us?』
It was Big Brother. My beloved Big Brother’s voice.
That’s right. We were equipped with earphones that doubled as miniature cameras. Everything we saw and heard was being transmitted back to headquarters in real-time, so Big Brother and the others knew exactly what was happening.
If I lost my temper here, our original plan would go up in smoke.
Stay calm, stay calm...
“Yes. We hear you loud and clear. Holy-san, is everything alright on your end? Can you hear Big Brother?”
“...Eh? Oh, yes. Now that you mention it, I can hear him. This is incredible. It’s helped me clear my head a bit. Shall I handle the talking?”
『Right. Vilia, you provide backup if things go south. Use your Intimidation Armament and let's start the discussion.』
“Understood.”
“Roger that.”
The people across from us seemed bewildered, watching us talk to what appeared to be thin air. They didn't make a move to speak, so I decided to take the initiative.
*Thump...*
The ground shook with the weight of my movement.
“Um, if I may ask a quick question—is this room above ground?”
“Eh?”
The woman in the dress looked startled by my question. Looking at her again, I realized she was an Elf. But more importantly, I needed an answer.
“I am carrying an extremely heavy weapon. If there is a hollow space beneath this floor, there is a chance it might collapse.”
“She’s right. Shall I give you a demonstration? Perhaps that wall over there that doesn't seem to have anything behind it?”
“What? Wait, what?”
Ignoring the confusion of the Elf woman and her soldiers, Holy-san walked over to a wall that appeared to be free of any magic circles. She deftly hoisted her mace, careful not to hit the ceiling.
*CRACK-BOOM!*
She slammed it into the wall, causing the masonry to crumble instantly.
As I thought, simple stone walls aren't enough to stop us. It’s much safer to use solid steel plating or, better yet, composite armor like a tank.
Holy-san pulled her mace out of the ruined wall and turned back to them.
“Now then, who should we be talking to? Or would you prefer we just go on a rampage?”
“A-Ah... M-Me! This way, please!”
It seemed she had finally regained her senses enough to move the conversation forward. Still, I wondered if breaking the wall was okay.
“Big Brother, was that alright?”
『No one died and no magic circles were destroyed, so it’s fine.』
“Understood. By the way, have our coordinates or location been identified?”
『We’re still investigating, but the coordinates we’re getting aren't on any of the known continents.』
A new location. How troublesome. Well, we had anticipated this from the start.
『For now, prioritize information gathering. Your lives come first, though.』
“Understood. Holy-san, are you ready?”
“Yes. Besides, she said something very interesting about us being 'no different from before.'”
Exactly. If those words are true, there’s a high probability that the kidnapped victims are here. To find a lead, we need to play along and listen to what they have to say for now.
As I pondered this, we were led into a proper room. It wasn't a throne room with a distant seat of power, but rather a conference room with a long table. The Elf woman who had guided us sat at the far end and looked at us.
“Please, have a seat. Also, regarding your weapons...”
“Right. We’ll let the soldiers there hold onto them. It’s not like we’re looking for a fight. Right, Vilia?”
“Yes.”
With that, the two of us handed our weapons to the soldiers standing by the door. Well, we tried to.
“Ugh!”
“Gah—!”
*SLAM!*
The moment we let go, the soldiers were unable to support the weight. They dropped them instantly. Fortunately, they didn't land on their feet, so there were no injuries, but the heavy weapons punched holes straight through the wooden floor.
“Wh-wh-wha...!”
The Elf woman stared in shock, looking like she was about to lose her ability to speak again.
“We’ve been making it obvious how heavy these are from the start. No one was hurt. Now, instead of staring, why don't you start by explaining where you’ve brought us?”
Holy-san’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and final.