第１７４８堀：待機の間に起こっていること (Part1)
Chapter 1748: What Happens During the Wait
Side: Nina
"So, that’s the situation. We’re taking a short breather for now."
"I see. That’s a relief."
I replied after hearing Yuki’s report. It was a blessing that the demi-humans had suffered minimal damage. If Kaya had heard this, she would have been furious, and Claudia would have had a nightmare trying to hold her back.
"That’s all well and good, but what about us? We’ve been on standby ever since."
"Exactly. Tomorrow, Leila and her group are scheduled to arrive, along with Kate from the Adventurer’s Guild, right? We haven’t heard any investigation reports regarding that cave yet."
Just as Kishua and Sia pointed out, we had been ordered to stand by ever since we discovered that suspicious cave. We were, after all, nothing more than low-level adventurers; even if we found something belonging to the state, there was nothing we could do about it. To secure evidence, we needed someone like Kate, who was being dispatched from the Adventurer’s Guild headquarters. While Weed’s technology could handle it without issue, we had to maintain our cover as independent, skilled adventurers and keep our connection to Weed as invisible as possible.
"Yeah, that cave was definitely a discarded dungeon."
"I knew it."
The atmosphere there had been off. It was disguised as a natural cavern, but it felt wrong. Even though no one ever went near it, we had found the entrance with suspicious ease. It wasn't that the entrance was overgrown with grass; it was that the state of the place suggested something had been coming and going. It could have been monsters, but there was no sense of habitation. If it were monsters, they wouldn't have gone deep inside, and it wouldn't be unusual to find remains of prey—yet there were none. In short, the place was pristine.
"Steve’s goblin unit is currently exploring it. We’re considering taking out the dungeon core, but if there’s a Dungeon Master present, it’ll turn into a full-scale battle."
"...Right. The only testimony we had about it being a 'discarded' dungeon came from the state, didn't it?"
"Exactly. If it turns out they were actually operating it, the moment we deploy our own dungeon, our movements could be exposed. That’s why we’re taking our time with the exploration."
I see. That was a distinct possibility. The state claimed the dungeon was abandoned, but there was every chance it was still active. If that were the case, the nearby village would likely be caught in the crossfire, as it could escalate into a conflict between Yuki and that dungeon’s master.
"I understand the situation, but how far have you actually gotten with the exploration? Are we just going to sit here doing nothing until we meet up with Leila and the others?"
"Indeed. Is there no need for us to infiltrate the dungeon directly?"
"Regarding that..."
As Yuki started to speak, another voice cut in.
"I’ll take it from here. Besides, my husband is going to be busy from here on out, so I’ll be handling the command for the village and the dungeon. No objections, right?"
Seraria declared. It was a bit late for this, but considering how busy Yuki was, it made sense.
"I don't have any objections, but doesn't Seraria have meetings and all sorts of other things to attend to?"
Even so, Seraria wasn't exactly free. She was the queen of a nation, after all. She must have had a mountain of work to do.
"It’s true that I have plenty of work. But if I push everything onto my husband, the response time will inevitably suffer. Besides, this matter involving the village and the dungeon concerns the connection between the Ousano Kingdom and the Ahe Kingdom, so it’s smoother if Shera or I handle it."
"Ah, that makes sense."
"I agree. It would be a hassle for Yuki-san to have to go through Seraria-san every time."
"Exactly. Now, regarding the dungeon investigation, it seems it’s not exactly 'active' in the traditional sense."
"What do you mean? Is it active or not?"
I pressed her for a clearer answer. There was no point in knowing nothing.
"Ah, to put it simply: the dungeon isn't being powered by a core, but it is being operated artificially."
"..."
I didn't understand what she meant. It wasn't just me; Kishua and Sia were tilting their heads, so it wasn't just a lack of comprehension on my part.
"Ah, I’ll send you the footage to make it easier to understand. Can you see it now?"
"Yes, it’s fine."
As soon as I replied, the data was sent over. When I projected it...
"What is this? Candles?"
"And are those... magic lamps?"
"...I see. So someone is using the place."
"I’m glad you understand. Yes, it doesn't look like a core is being used. But as you’ll see, someone is using this discarded dungeon for something."
As Seraria said, candles and magic lamps are generally unnecessary in a dungeon. The dungeon is naturally lit by the mana from the core. Of course, some dungeons use darkness as a gimmick, but fundamentally, a dungeon is structured to earn DP by drawing people in and having them adventure inside. Therefore, being pitch-black from the start is equivalent to rejecting adventurers, making it a structural defect. The candles and magic lamps in the footage confirmed that the dungeon wasn't powered by a core; someone was manually lighting the way to conduct their activities.
"So, does that mean someone is deep inside right now?"
"Yes. The goblins are being cautious because nothing is guaranteed, but the traps aren't active, and there’s dust piled up everywhere in the dungeon. Yet, at the same time, there are footprints..."
"Without a doubt, that’s proof of someone coming and going. What about the deepest level?"
"Not yet. We can't just walk in carelessly because of the dust."
"I see."
That made perfect sense. Steve’s goblin unit had mastered optical camouflage—so-called invisibility magic—and was equipped with gimmicks to prevent mana leakage, suppress sound, eliminate odors, and keep airflow natural. However, it didn't actually erase their physical presence. If they stepped in the dust, they would leave footprints. They weren't incapable of flying, but when infiltrating a building, one had to wonder if there was a reason to bother flying...
"We’re currently debating whether we should fly through the air."
"Why not just fly?"
"Kishua, it’s not that simple. Flying consumes mana, and more importantly, maintaining flight in a confined space is incredibly difficult. If it were easy, everyone would be moving around by flying, wouldn't they?"
"Ah."
Kishua let out a dull sound upon being corrected. It was true; flight magic was actually extremely difficult to control. In fact, if you just wanted to stay in the air, it was easier to just create a foothold and stand on it.