第１８８４堀：未知の崖下 (Part1)
Chapter 1884: Beneath the Unknown Cliff
Side: Deryu
"...Hmm."
While monitoring Yuki’s meeting via audio alone, I keep my senses sharp, scanning our surroundings. Currently, we are conducting a southern survey led by Aslin and Firia.
"Well, as expected, no monsters. I thought there might be some under the cliff, at least."
"No, there were some, weren't there? Over by the river."
"True, but they can't head north, can they? They’re fish-types."
Indeed, as Wazfi and Agil say, there are no monsters on the land beneath the cliff; only a small number of aquatic creatures inhabit the river running through the center of the gorge. That said, the river isn't particularly deep, and the creatures are barely over a meter in length, so the threat level is low.
"Still, it’s surprising. The land above the cliff is a wasteland, yet down here, the greenery is lush."
Just as Wazfi notes, while the plateau above is a barren wilderness, the floor of the gorge is thick with vegetation. I suspect...
"I’d wager it’s thanks to that river. The wasteland has almost no water sources, so only plants resistant to drought can survive. Of course, there’s some vegetation near the riverbanks up there, and some of the flora is similar."
Indeed, I feel like I’ve seen some of those plants in the footage of the river.
"A river, huh? Water really is essential, isn't it?"
"It is. It nurtures life."
"Exactly. Without water, most living things couldn't survive. That’s why the water’s edge is teeming with life."
Agil is right—water is the cradle of life. For humans, animals, plants, and monsters alike.
"It’s narrow, though."
"Well, 'narrow' is relative. It’s six hundred meters at its widest. That’s an incredible expanse when you consider it’s just a crack in the earth."
"True. Six hundred meters is plenty of space to cultivate fields."
"Fields? You’re talking about living down here?"
"I’m saying it’s not impossible. Regardless of the fields, the vegetation is different from the plateau, so it’s worth investigating thoroughly. You’d want to do some monster-related research here, wouldn't you, Wazfi?"
"Well, it would be easier if there were a lab, but with walls looming on both sides like this... it feels like something might come crashing down."
"I understand that feeling."
As Wazfi says, we are beneath a cliff. Looking up, the sky feels distant, and the walls press in close. If this were a mountain, it wouldn't be so unsettling, but these are sheer, vertical cliffs. Moreover, they tower well over a hundred meters high. The fact that it’s an environment where you can’t easily climb up or down makes it easy to see why it feels like a high-altitude zone. And if a rock were to fall from that height, the damage would be catastrophic. In that sense, Wazfi’s fear for her life is only natural.
"Well, it’s a unique environment. Anyway, we’ve been walking along at a leisurely pace, but are you getting used to it yet?"
"Yeah... I suppose the scenery has stopped changing much."
"Well, the environment isn't going to shift that drastically, is it?"
We’ve been trekking through this gorge for about four hours now. At first, the novelty of the environment had Wazfi and Agil stopping for constant surveys, bringing our progress to a crawl. I had worried we wouldn't stick to the schedule, but since we’re leaving the detailed analysis for later and just collecting samples as we go, our speed has picked up as time passed.
"I can't tell, but judging by our progress, have you two found anything particularly eye-catching?"
"Hm? Well, I specialize in monsters, and there are only aquatic ones here. Though, I am learning a lot."
"I’m more of a magic tool specialist. Still, since coming to Weed, I’ve been learning a lot like Wazfi, and I dealt with medicinal herbs on the plateau, so while I’m no expert compared to them, I haven't seen anything truly startling yet."
"Exactly. Nothing to write home about. I’d love to study the fish that have turned into monsters, but that’s a different matter."
"I see. Well, it’s not as if we’d find something groundbreaking on the first day."
After all, it’s just a leisurely walk. We’ve even taken breaks in the container house; it’s more like a picnic than an expedition. It’s no surprise there haven't been any major discoveries.
"Come to think of it, Deryu, you were listening to the meeting, right? Is there anything you need to relay to us?"
"Agil had hers turned off."
"It ruins my concentration."
Yuki’s meeting was open for voluntary attendance. Of course, given the content, it was limited to our inner circle. I can sympathize with her; Yuki tends to try and do everything by himself. Not that I’m the type to handle those kinds of chores—I’m usually the one being served meals. The only thing I can really offer is my company at night.
"Oh, that’s right, you mentioned that. Was there anything significant?"
Wazfi is part of the inner circle, but not quite family, so she wasn't able to attend. It was left to us to decide what to share.
"Nothing of great consequence. Though, there is some unpleasant news."
"Unpleasant?"
"Yes. It turns out the reports of demi-humans being captured were true. The Giadana Kingdom had already caught wind of it, so I suppose we knew it wasn't just a rumor."
Agil seems to have grasped the implication, but Wazfi tilts her head at the phrasing.
"If they were captured, that means they were rescued, right? Why is that unpleasant..."
"Ah—Wazfi, you’ve never had to deal with bandits or the like, have you?"
Right, Wazfi is a lady, after all. She may have operated in monster-infested forests at the Lancer Magic Academy, but it’s possible she’s never had to deal with people.
"Oh... you mean that kind of thing?"
No, it seems Wazfi is aware of such things after all. Well, it would be strange if she weren't. Even in a world with better security than Earth, there are always villains who will stop at nothing.
"It’s like that, but worse. It’s not just hurting them; it’s the way they push them to the very brink of life and death."
"Ugh... is there even a point to doing that? Wait, they’re doing it because there *is* a point, aren't they?"
"Indeed. It seems the objective is the same as it was with the Haire religion: to harvest magic power."
"Magic power? Does that mean they found a Dungeon Core?"
"What!? Isn't that a huge problem?"
It seems both Agil and Wazfi understand that the enemy possessing a Dungeon Core is a grave threat. However...