第１８０３堀： 魔物とはなんぞや？ (Part2)
This place serves as the gathering point for our fortress’s key figures to hold strategy meetings.
Ah, it’s also a place where one can simply relax.
That is precisely why we have these sorts of amenities on hand.
Naturally, I’ve also set up a platform so that I can write with ease.
"Now, while we call this a hypothesis, it’s a theory so mainstream among researchers that it’s practically considered a given. The reason monsters don’t appear within the town is that mana pools cannot form there."
"Why would that be? It’s said that mana pools form in nature. It wouldn’t be strange for them to appear inside a town, would it?"
"Mm. I don’t think that reasoning is wrong. You could say a town where people live is part of nature, too. But there is a difference. It’s the constant movement of people. Or perhaps, the fact that it’s a region where people live."
"A region where people live... is it?"
"Yes. It’s believed that mana pools take time to generate a monster. We’ve confirmed their formation through reconnaissance using Dungeon Master drones and familiars. However, reaching the site itself is impossible. I’ve tried to move in to measure those locations firsthand several times, but every attempt has failed. In other words..."
"You mean there is something about people that disperses these mana pools?"
"Likely. Well, the prevailing theory is that monsters actively hunt humans because humans possess mana. Of course, there are other reasons, like hunger, but if it were just about appetite, wouldn't it be more efficient to target other monsters? There are plenty of large monsters out there, after all."
"Indeed."
And yet, for some reason, monsters target humans.
No, there are certain species that begin to prey on other monsters and creatures once they survive for a certain period, but those known as 'mana-races'—who shouldn't require sustenance for their biological functions—still show a high tendency to target humans who possess mana.
They could just as easily target other mana-bearing monsters.
"Regarding the ability to manipulate that mana, my prediction is that it comes down to 'Level'."
"Level?"
"Yes. This is a slight digression, but the worlds Yuki, Taiki, and Taizo-san come from do not have levels."
"Ah, I have heard as much."
"And yet, we have levels here. What do you think is the reason for that difference?"
"Ah, that would be mana, wouldn't it? I’ve heard that by properly absorbing mana into one's body, one's level increases."
"I’ve heard that as well. It explains why even people born in town who have never stepped outside still see their levels rise—they are absorbing mana... Ah, is that what you mean?"
Seeing how far the conversation had gone, it seemed Fiora had managed to piece it together.
"Exactly. The mana within the town is constantly being absorbed by the people living there. And the reason why one's level rises so quickly when defeating monsters outside is likely due to the difference in that monopoly rate."
"I see. So, the monster's mana is absorbed directly by the person who defeats it. And in town, there are so many people that even if a mana pool were to form, it would be absorbed before a monster could manifest?"
"Yes, that’s what I suspect. I’d love to see the site for myself one day. But we never know where a mana pool might form, do we?"
"If we knew that, we could implement countermeasures, but..."
"I see. So the implication is that no one can approach a naturally occurring mana pool."
"Most likely. There are reports of multiple monsters erupting all at once, so when they vanish, it must happen in an instant. It’s not as if they gradually fade away."
"Certainly, based on your current hypothesis, a single monster born from such a pool could easily absorb the entire thing."
"Monsters are mysterious things. Some are born normally from parent monsters, while others manifest from these mana pools."
Honestly, monsters are truly baffling.
They were a rarity on the If Continent, but on other continents, they are generally a threat—a threat I can understand.
But how beings with such immense power come into existence remains a mystery.
Well, that’s partly because these aren't regions where people can easily tread.
That is precisely why what is happening here on this New Continent, in the south, will surely help us unravel the mystery of monsters.
Oh, and of course, we will also investigate the cause of their migration northward.
And so, we continued our discussion on the future operations of the fortress.
Monsters are truly a riddle, aren't they?
It wouldn't be strange at all to have monster specialists like Hivia or Wazfi on hand.
That said, if we start questioning the origins of life itself, we’d be here forever. So, let’s just say the world is full of mysteries.