Bad news everyone, you probably noticed it already but I have not post any chapter last week. It is due to my country being in rainy season. Thunder storm is rampart and I don’t even plan on touching my desktop during a thunder storm. I already experienced having my desktop fried by a lightning.
I also don’t like it but expect some delays in the next few months.
Enjoy!
In the City of Ox,we created black cedar equipment series namely; "big shield of black cedar”, “armor of black cedar”, “black cedar wood sword”, “black cedar club” etc. With a lot of potion, we set foot in the old Margrave Lauren Territory with plenty of preparation.
When I heard a margrave, I imagined a small time lord of the countryside but I"m unexpectedly wrong.
The margrave territory is just far from the capital, and the territory is vast and also facing the enemy territory. An important territory that has both size and position.
In other words, a margrave is a front commander. It is originally a post where it can only be trusted to an aristocrat with a national leading figure.
One time,the land of the margrave territory falls into ruin with a monster outbreak. It was then divided into three by aristocrats and knights who were on the side of the current Kingdom government.
First of all, the upper half is facing the enemy country Transylvania Dukedom. A new count lives in the city of Lauren in the center of Lauren territory.
It’s said that that a territory is being ruled is a strong distinguished aristocrat family with a lot of knights for a follower, too.
Facing the lower half right side is the potential enemy country Germania Empire. It is now governed by Lauren"s knight order.
A new organization called Lauren"s Knight order was created in order to give the territory to a lot of knights. The territory cannot be divided finely so the organization governs it.
All the knights belonging here are given the appropriate position as general or baron, but only in name.
And we set foot on the lower half left side which is Viscount Oracle territory.
My Ambazak Barony is a neighbor of this territory. In fact, I feel that the greeting is behind schedule.
「Viscount Oracle territory. The name of its central is City of Spike.」
In general, the central city will take the name of the territory.
「You’re right. But our destination, the big labyrinth "Oracle"s Great Cave" is more famous so that has been the name of the territory.」
Oracle"s Great Cave.
It is a big dungeon created 300 years ago by the aide of the demon lord who reigned 240 years ago, Immortal King Oracle.
Oracle is "Necromancer" who controlled departed souls. I"m not sure if the Immortal King is a vampire lord but he was killed by Hero Renz with together with the demon lord.
However, the large labyrinth which bears his name remained.
It seems that Hero Renz is not interested in dungeon conquest since there was only a little damage from the subjugation.
I understand how he feels. I also think that it would be troublesome.
Then over a long period of 240 years, the great cave that has not yet been fully conquered. It has become a famouse existence as a stage of the Hero"s tale which pulls the adventurers who have memories in their arms.
「Before the dungeon capture, why don"t we go to the City of Spike and greet the viscount?」
The City of Spike, which was a base to attack the Oracle"s Great Cave, seems to have collapse stone walls in some places. The reconstruction of the city seems not progressing as I expected.
Though the castle has an splendid gate, the stop-gap measure seems to have been rushed.
I think the rapid recovery of the City of Ox is the one that is unusual.
The city seems to be returning lively because the refugees who were living in it returned. The city governance doesn"t seem to be bad.
When entering the castle, a young knight wearing a plate mail ran over from the other side.
「I wanted to greet you first. I am the territory Viscount, Ortholet Oracle Spinner!」
He is the viscount? His waist was too low so I thought he is a bodyguard knight.
***TN: Waist is low since he"s performing a bow***
Ortholet was originally from a knight family that doesn"t govern a territory and was the leader of the fourth corps.
He"s around 30 years old. He was a dashing niichan who seems to have been well-known in the area of warfare.
Gray hair(all back style) which gently sweeps behind, a well-trained and balanced body, and has a mental att.i.tude that does not forget armament even if in the castle.
Speaking of Viscount, it should have been a great success for him, but there is absolutely no aristocratic ugliness at all. I have a good impression of him.
「Oh, thank you, your excellency Viscount Spinner. I’m sorry I’m late for greeting though I"m your neighbor.」
「No, I"m struggling with the territory management since I am not yet accustomed. It is I who lacks courtesy because I originally don"t have a territory so I"m really sorry. Also, please call me Ortholet, hero-sama.」
Ah, so it is because I"m a hero that his waist is low.
Speaking of a viscount, a position should be higher than me who"s a baron.
***TN: King > Duke > Marquis/Margrave > Earl/Count > Viscount > Baron > Baronet > Knight/Chevalier.***
「Hero Takeru-dono has come to the suppression of the "Oracle"s Great Cave" which is in his excellency territory. Please raise your head.」
Lyle-sensei comes out and starts checking.
No sensei. This person doesn’t look like the politician type.
「Oh, that’s great. The revival of the adventurer guild doesn’t advance and we"ve been in trouble about the monster which wells up from a large cave. Your help, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know!」
The viscount kneeled(in one knee) and lowered his head.
「This is the only heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Silesie, Princess Silhouette, your excellency viscount.」
Sensei pushes Princess Silhouette who"s wearing a white dress with her eyes covered deeply with a hood.
No, you don’t have to be so politically intimidating, sensei.
「Here is such a squalid ground. For the princess to go here, this Ortholet is deeply moved!」
The viscount’s head even fell in the ground just as it is.
「Until hero-sama finish subduing the great cave, I will depend on Ortholet for a while.」
「Hah, ha ha ha. I"ll protect the princess with my full strength even if I have to exchange the body or life of this Ortholet!」
The viscount shrinks his big body to the point that the plate mail bends in an occasion.
It’s to the extent that it’s slightly pitiful.
Coercion with the cover of a greeting ended that way and we were shown to the parlor.
The parlor of Viscount Ortholet can be called simple, or can be simple and st.u.r.dy? There are only hard wooden chair and desk.
I’m sorry to say but calling this a squalid place is not wrong.
I think that Ortholet is probably a good person who does not change due to aristocracy.
「Hey, you’re a viscount!」
Ortholet kneeled to the ground after recommending chairs to the princess and me.
Even if I"m grateful, this is an overkill.
「I"m satisfied here.」
「No no. If the Lord of the castle were to do such a thing, everyone would not be able to sit down.」
「I haven"t thought of it. Hero-sama, I"m sorry for my impoliteness!」
「No, it will be unpleasant so sit on a chair, Viscount Ortholet.」
I thought so, Lyle-sensei coerced too much.
Bad sensei.
「Ortholet-dono. If our opinion will differ from the government in the capital, to which will you adhere?」
Sensei who"s saying that line has an evil smile.
「Of course, I"ll vow my loyalty to Hero Takeru-sama for life!」
「No, no, Viscount. I’m a baron and a viscount is superior.」
When I was reserved indeed, the viscount made a wry smile while kneeling.
「Such n.o.ble rank is already irrelevant at this time. Hero Takeru-sama is already the regent of the country, I think that he will eventually become a king.」
I do not intend to become a king at all, but Ortholet ‘s words that n.o.ble cla.s.s does not matter is exhilarating.
Knights and aristocrats in the Kingdom of Silesie, amongst many are stolid and hard-headed people. The good viewpoint and flexibility of the viscount are promising.
Truly at the time of Gale’s turbulence, he take sides with the provisional government side faster than anyone. It could be said that it was worthwhile that I got to visit the viscount"s territory.
He did not even despise me who"s younger either. I should get along with this person.
「Viscount is one of those people who thinks for the country, let"s get along.」
「Ha ha ha, I will be happy to.」
I made the viscount sit down on a chair for now, and decided to talk slowly.
Tea has finally come.
However, a soldier brings the drink, is there no maid in this castle?
Even if it is a bit hard, I guess it’s overkill.
「As I looked at the city, it seems that the stone walls have not been repaired, and the city seems to be missing a lot.」
「It"s a shameful story. We suddenly received a big territory but the Spinner family doesn"t have savings for it.」
I see, this is a big business opportunity.
I think I probably have the same evil smile as Lyle-sensei.
「Well, we"ll support the things necessary for the rebuilding of the territory, including stone, timber and funds with my commercial firm.」
「Hero-sama, how can I ever thank you….?」
Oi, a great man don"t cry.
「It is not free, Ortholet. This is proper business. There will be a time when I want you to lend the territory in the future. I would like to set up a branch of my company, and I would like to make only our firm tax free when using highways and towns.」
「Please do whatever you want. If you like, I may give a territory to you just as it is.」
Hey hey, then the viscount will suffer a loss.
Trading does not last long if it does not become a mutual prosperity relation.
「Well, we"re neighbors so let"s get along well.」
「Ha ha, this Ortholet, even if my life change, will get along!」
Well it has changed a bit, is it okay?
Next to my own territory, I am sure that a friendly aristocrat is there.
—Scene Change—
So, this is the rumored "Oracle"s Great Cave".
It appeared like a small hill near the City of Spike.
There is a big cave there and it continues all the way to the depths.
It originally has an iron door but it blows off and there is no longer a trace of it.
A strong monster destroyed it when the territory falls to ruin.
The lower floors is the home of the lower monsters, such as the familiar orc and goblin. They occasionally drift to the city and engage combat with the soldiers in the city.
「Aren’t there adventurers who challenges the dungeon?」
「It seems that there were many in the past, but because of the big outbreak in the miasma hole of doom, there aren"t much now.」
They haven’t even rebuilt the Adventurers guild yet, so there are no adventurers who will go to the great cave to get rid of monsters.
It is more convenient that people who has the ability to capture the labyrinth is not here.
「Okay, then we’ll camp at the entrance and start to capture the Great Cave.」
In front of me are my Personal Guard Gun Corps, the 300 general gunman corps led by Louise, and Neneka"s spy troops who"ll check for traps.
Supplies of ammunition and potions are sufficient, and there is also the support of the thief guild. There is nothing insufficient for the capture.
I brought a bronze cannon just in case, but this might not be easy to use in a dungeon.
「Takeru-dono, I think dividing into six team will be more efficient for dungeon capture.」
「Then, with that set up, we will continue to attack the great cave in 24hr system!」
Uoooo! Soldiers" battle cry went up and the slaughter(overkill) with the name called dungeon capture started on the low level.
I’m sorry for this pattern each time. The opponent is the great cave in front of us, I intend to launch a swift attack with a number of violence.
Vanguard’s soldiers plunge into a hole with arquebus in one hand, and fusillade the orcs and others which lived freely without a foreign enemy.
When the vanguard shoots a bullet, the halfback alternates this time and fire a volley.
When the back defenders changed with the halfbacks and fired a volley, the herd was annihilated.
It is a legendary three-step shooting tactic that the n.o.bunaga army did in the Battle of Nagashino.
Well, this is not a story where I only follow the theory and don"t look at it in our view. The tactic where we take turns(switch) so we can keep shooting continuously at the small location like the dungeon are quite effective.
To tell the truth, it seems to be more efficient to have someone shoot and another person loads the gun.
This time, it also doubles as a recruit education, so you have to shoot the bullets yourself.
「Even so, the wall is reinforced by stacking up blocks of a beautiful stone, isn"t it luxurious? It"s wonderful.」
「Because immortality king Oracle had infinite labor power called undead.」
I see, the king who doesn’t die has undying soldiers?
The result of the 300 years of undying power made a splendid large cave which did not crumble at all even if this much time pa.s.sed.
I touched a stone wall in the dungeon quietly and am impressed with its chilly feeling.
Ah, when you touch a structure that is impossible to find in the modern day, I realize that I really came to a fantasy world.
However, a human town becomes like ruins with the collapse of the stone walls.
It’s ironic that the old dungeon of monsters is so beautiful.
「Till when does this cave spread out?」
「Well, Takeru-dono, this is still the 2nd underground floor. The dungeon capture map only has information down to the 9th level but it seems to continue further.」
「Uwa, how big is it? Looks like an ant nest.」
I’m looking at the “Oracle"s Great Cave” Map I borrowed from sensei, and I can’t hide the surprise in that magnitude.
It is the broadness which the Shinjuku Dungeon lacks in.
***TN: Not sure if he"s talking about the game or if he"s saying that Shinjuku is like a dungeon.***
「Can"t we exterminate it if we use deluge magic from the top?」
I thought so cause it"s an ant nest.
I haven"t seen the figure at all but there is an advance magician who can use deluge magic.
What will happen to the dungeon if it is showered from the top?
「Takeru-dono still thinks flexibly. However, this is a cave that is impregnable for the last three hundred years. There are appropriate countermeasures, I will show you because we arrived at the square.」
If you think that the pa.s.sage of stone wall continued, there are plazas that spread out periodically.
A group of the monster is often there, but they are already dead bodies lined up by soldiers from the front line.
「Flow of raging water, gather in my former, push the enemy, water wave.」
Lyle-sensei casts chuuni-like spell as an example, uses a wand to the wall and produces a great deal of torrents.
「Uwa, the water does not come here?」
The torrent which flowed suddenly from the plaza does not come here though everyone pulled to the pa.s.sage unintentionally. The flood water which collected on the bottom is also receding directly.
「What’s going on, sensei? Is anything obstructed by the influence of magic?」
「There is NO magic that can maintain the surroundings for three hundred years. Please take a good look at the wall.」
There was a round hole on the wall, after which the water flowed out.
「Drainage?」
「Yes, because there are holes in the ground, rainwater will flow in and sometimes it will hit the underground water line. In this way, it is seems to have drained there at regular places in the aisle.」
「Hee, it is well considered.」
「I has all the measures we can think about. Not only the drainage but also the ventilation vents are created neatly, and it is difficult to suffocate the monster.」
Indeed, even though they are undead, he take measures to prevent living beings from dying.
Though he is said to be a subordinate of the demon king, Oracle was a good guy.
Even though he is called immortality king, it is natural that the subordinates are not only undeads, but also lots of living monsters.
「But, there are many undeads on the lower floor of the dungeon.」
「Is that so?」
「There are many orcs and kobolds in the lower level. The lower the hierarchy is, the more the sun’s light does not hit. For living things, it will be a tough environment.」
On that day, I went down to the third floor, decided to rest and set a base camp at the square.
As the front line just came out, we also have to transport supplies.
Human concentration will not last long, in order to prevent accidents such as getting caught in a trap, a frequent break is necessary.
Although I aimed for a swift attack, with ensuring safety as the first, we advances through the underground not to cause sacrifice if possible.
Next chapter preview: Wake helps out with the dungeon capture.