“.…Then why are you so confident proceeding forward?”
The answer to Orion’s question is simple.
“I’m using exploration magic.”
“……A-are you really a baby?”
“Yes. Master is amazing.”
“H-he’s your master!?”
As we descended to the lower levels, the temperature grew hotter and hotter. Eventually, we reached a level where scorching lava flows.
“No wonder it’s so hot, there’s a floor like this!”
“This lava field…… C-could this be the 『Scorching cave』!?”
“Oniichan, do you know this place?”
“……It’s a huge volcano in the southeast of the Empire. The dungeon’s entrance is in the middle of it. As you can see here, there are floors where lava flows from the lower levels, and it is known as an ultra-difficult dungeon that cannot even be challenged unless you take some kind of special measures. The only party that has captured this place in the past is the party of the legendary hero, Leon……”
Orion shook his head.
“This task impossible…… Even the hero Leon is said to have had a hard time in this dungeon. So, to say that you’ll conquer this dungeon at first try…… Moreover, we do not even have a way to protect ourselves against high temperature!”
“Okay. Here, Heat-resistant magic!”
“Huh!? W-what happened? My body…. Suddenly, I now feel cool?”
“With this, I think you’ll be protected from the heat.”
But if it’s Meltera, she can use magic to completely nullify fire and heat. Well, this can’t be helped.
“I can’t believe you can even use magic like this…… Who are you really……?”
“I’m just a baby though.”
“There’s no way that’s true!”
Ignoring Orion, who seemed curious to know who I really am, I continued through the lava field.
I couldn’t afford to take it easy after all.
And that’s when it happened.
“Oaaaaa!”
An ear-splitting roar echoed out. Almost at the same time, something huge jumped out of the magma pond where magma had accumulated.
“Watch out! I’ve heard that red dragons live in this dungeon!”
Orion exclaimed.
Immediately after he said so, a dragon with bright red scales appeared.
“But isn’t it a little too big!?”
“Hmm, it’s a lot bigger than the one we fought last time.”
Previously, the promotion exam to A-rank adventurer was held at the lower level of the dungeon of Vegaltia. The Red Dragon we fought at that time was also a special individual strengthened with magic stones.
But this guy is much bigger than that.
No, that’s not all.
““““Oaaaaaa””””
“I-impossible! It has multiple heads!? Two, three, four……seven, eight……uh!! E-eight-headed red dragon!?”
Eight heads grew out of its huge body.
“……Orion-oniichan, have you heard that there is such a red dragon living in this dungeon?”
“There’s no way I’ve heard of that!”
“Well, I guess so.”
Red dragons don’t become like this in normal evolution. In other words, it was forcibly evolved in an unusual way.
『Is it the black magic stone? 』
(Probably. That’s the only thing I can think of too. Oh well, there are so many taboo items being used, so it’s not surprising.)
Just as the trent evolved into Ancient Trent, the Black Magic Stone has the power to force monsters to evolve into higher species, but it can also cause unusual evolution like this one.
““““Oaaaa!””””
“Oh uh……. Breath is coming!”
The eight heads flexed their necks at the same time and then exhaled a fierce breath of fire in unison.
Of course, there was no place for us to escape the widespread, tsunami-like flame breath.
“But we don’t have to run away.”
I put up a barrier to prevent it from harming us.
“W-what a powerful barrier…… I can’t believe it can withstand such powerful breaths…… Still, how are we going to fight such monster!?”
“We don’t need to deal with this guy in the first place. Okay, let’s move on.”
“Eh?”
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
“Okay, today’s request is complete. I would like you to report back to me in four days when you finish your work that day.”
“Yes, I understand.”
After returning from the cherry blossom viewing venue, we went through the necessary completion procedure. It seems that we need to report every day, and the request fee is paid each time.
When we are about to leave after receiving today’s commission fee, I was approached by the elf receptionist.
“Ah, Shun-san, the Guild Master wants to meet you.”
“Don’t worry about us. You guys can go ahead.”
I talked to the others who came with us. I also asked the swordsman-oneesan to let the innkeeper know that we would be late going back to the inn.
Then I faced the elf receptionist.
“I’m sorry for that. Yes, I understand. Please lead the way.”
“No worries. Please follow me.”
Speaking of which, she did mention that the Guild Master is coming back today. We head to the back of the guild and we are guided to a private room. Before I could think about who the guild master was, there was a knock on the door and the guild master entered.
Eh?
He is someone I remember seeing recently.
“Uhm, the Guild Master is….?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“It’s been a while.”
“““Eh!?”””
Not only me, but Shiro, Ao, and Sue were also surprised. When the door was opened, a dog beast man and a rabbit beast man appeared.
Yes, they were the adventurer couple who we are together with from the Viscount’s domain to the border village of the Eastern Margravate. He had a swordsmanship that was far from the adventurer rank, but then again, it would be understandable since he is the Guild Master.
“Hahaha, I guess I got you.”
“Fufu, we indeed had a job in that village where we parted ways.”
Apparently, they have known us since we got in the carriage together.
He decided to introduce themselves again.
“My name is Visard. I’m the Guild Master of this town.”
“Again, I’m Liliana. I’m the Assistant Guild Master.”
“By the way, that elf is the submaster and she also works as the head receptionist.”
“I see. We were surprised. Once again, Nice to meet you. We’ll be in your care.”
““Nice to meet you, we look forward working with you.””
“Okay, okay.”
Then the discussion began. The guild master spoke first.
“First of all, as the Guild Master, I would like to express my thanks to you guys. Thank you for repelling those idiots from the church.”
“Thank you for protecting everyone at the reception.”
“No, no. It’s related to our request after all. Even so, I can’t believe they are clergymen. This is just between you and me, but I sense a bad presence.”
“I feel the same way. They give off a bad stench.”
It seems that the guild master is also suspicious of the people involved in that church. The look in his eyes became even more grim.
“And the fact that people from the church only show up when you guys are not here must have been a plot.”
“The information that we are absent is known only to our guild officials and a few lords. It’s not something that we inform the adventurers at all.”
“That leaves four possibilities then. The first is that a guild staff member leaked it. The second is that someone connected to the Margrave leaked it. The third is that there’s an eavesdropping device in the guild. The fourth is that there’s an eavesdropping device placed in the Margrave’s mansion. A combination of possibilities is also possible.”
“Hmmm, that’s a good point. I thought of the same thing. There were no bugging devices in the guild, so there is one less option.”
As expected of a guild master. He had already searched the guild huh. In that case, the possibilities are narrowed down.
Then his wife brought some additional information.
“There’s no set number of people from the guild who report our business trips to the Lord’s mansion. So I think there’s no leak of information from the guild to the Lord’s mansion.”
“Hmm, in that case, I guess we’ll have to consider visiting the churches individually and have a talk with someone. That would expand the scope of our investigation.”
There weren’t any problems from what I could confirm, so I guess I’ll just have to eliminate them little by little.
“But you guys are interesting. The guild master of the Southern Margravate wrote a letter saying that you are an interesting person, but you guys are far more interesting than I had imagined.”
“Uhm-, I’m very worried about what was in that letter……”
I don’t think the guild master of the Southern Margravate is going to write anything funny, but I can’t help but feel very uneasy when the guild master of the Eastern Margravate in front of me is laughing as he talked about it.
And here, the person laughing in front of me threw more bombs.
“Anyway, since it’s that guild master, he must have a letter addressed to the Margrave as well. I already talked to the Margrave lightly about the alleged leak of information, he said that he wanted to see you immediately. So, we are going to the Lord’s mansion right now.”
“Eh!?”
“It’s better to settle this matter quickly, and I’ll go with you.”
So, in no time at all, a meeting with the lord was decided. Or rather, it was set up without permission. Not only me, but Sue was also surprised.
“Shun-oniichan, what kind of food will be served this time?”
It was Shiro.
I’m sorry to get your hopes up, but going to the Margrave’s mansion doesn’t mean we’ll get a meal….
After all, we are going there for work.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Rion(14 years old, Male) Level: 11 Skill『Alarm』: ➥ 【Wake Up】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Wakes up a sleeping person refreshed. ➥ 【Unseal】 ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Cancel any type of sleep. [+] Appraisal ⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Seals can be identified. Skill『Sun’s Divine Protection』 ➥ 【White Flame】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Recovery. The blessing of the sun also exorcises curses. ➥ 【Golden Flame】⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅⋅Improves physical ability. Further effects for a limited time.
The additional ability is under Unseal.
“Appraisal?”
I only saw if for a moment because Gideon is already approaching in front of me.
Glancing at the blue crystal short sword and the crystal part, the words “Wind Spirit: Sylph” flashed before me.
Oh, I see. It’s appraisal.
It is certainly better to know what kind of things are sealed.
This is convenient and handy but……
Now’s not the right time for this, isn’t it?
What’s the point of using “appraisal” now?
“Here I come!”
Gideon leaps at me with his new sword.
Thanks to the Golden Flame, I can counter his movement. I rolled to dodge it.
“Haha! What’s wrong now!?”
I can only try to keep my distance from him.
“Oi, oi, where are you going?”
With his new momentum, I desperately attempt to keep my distance as I looked around while still using the new skill.
I noticed faint lights here and there. Pebbles and stone clubs appear to be glowing faintly. The light glows in the same way as the crystal on the short sword.
(Can I find something that can be unsealed even from this distance?)
Suddenly, I realized something.
(Appraisal even from a distance…. then, can it be used for detection?!)
It’s essentially a search tool to find sealed items then!
(Right! This way!)
Looking around, I run away, making Gideon chase after me. I wanted to find “that” before I was noticed.
(There it is!)
From my experience diving into dungeons, I was certain that it would be there. I held my hand towards the floor and used my skill.
Skill, 『Alarm』was used. Executing 【 Unseal】.
It wasn’t the spirits or Solana who I woke up.
―It was the dungeon itself.
“Trap!?”
Gideon fell forward.
He put his hands out in front of him as if swimming, but he only grabbed air. I woke up a trap that was on the dungeon exploration floor ―the very same trap where an adventurer had fallen in before.
“Riioooon!”
Glaring at me with a ferocious expression, Gideon is sucked into the pit.
“You bastaaaaaaaard!!”
Zudoon!
There was a tremendous thud. Underneath is the combat layer. A few beats later, Gideon’s sword was thrown and rolled to the dungeon floor with a clatter.
『He fell.……』
(Un, he fell.)
As I talk to Solana, I look down at the large hole in the floor.
As I listened, I heard monsters’ furious growl. I believe that those monsters at least have a dagger, but I’d better not go out to help.
Then the other adventurers caught up.
Mia-san, who was in the lead, raised her eyebrows when she saw the big hole.
“Hey, he’s out of the ring. This is Rion’s win!”
Mia-san silenced the roaring crowd by clapping her hands.
“The battle area is the first floor. Once you leave the area, you lose—that’s according to the agreement. No one is gonna complain, right?”
The adventurers look at us, stunned. They knew Gideon’s strength and wealth and they all became his lackey.
When we tried to leave, they quickly opened the way as if they were afraid of us. It made me feel a little sad that the friendly Eastern Dungeon from Father’s time no longer exist.
Some of them rushed downstairs to help Gideon.
“Let’s get out, Rion.”
The two of us left the dungeon. Guild staff members are also crowded at the entrance. Some of them seemed to be worried, and some were in tears.
“I’m okay.”
When I scratched my cheeks and laughed, the receptionist, whose face had become familiar, looked stunned.
“R-Rion-san…… You seem to have grown a lot.”
“Really?”
“Yes— and by the way, I have some news to tell you first.”
She said that some time after Gideon entered the dungeon, the people of the Temple of Odis also came to the guild. She didn’t seem to know that the Raven Warriors are already inside. Apparently, they declared that the dungeon should be closed for the day.
“Maybe they are trying to capture Gideon?”
“I don’t think that is the case Rion-san…… The Warburg family is a great nobleman who has been given the East Dungeon by the royal family. However, I hope this will bring to light what happened in the East Dungeon.…”
She doesn’t seem to have high expectations either. In the royal capital, the power of the nobility is strong. Except for extraordinary circumstances, any acts of tyranny would go unchallenged. Even challenging someone to a duel was a privilege only available to the nobles.
“The Raven Warriors I met are said to be a group who rarely appear to the public. To be honest, this is the first time I’ve come into contact with them… I’ve heard that they were hit hard by the Bloody Sunset.”
After she said that, the big man behind her cleared his throat. The receptionist oneechan hurriedly straightens her back.
“Anyway, the dungeon will be closed today! All adventurers are requested to wait at home.”
The guild seemed to be really busy.
We had nothing to do, but we also felt bad about going to exchange the magic stones we had obtained for cash. At times like these, it would be best for adventurers who fight monsters to stay nearby.
『You are off duty today, I guess. 』
(Yeah)
『In that case, I think we should go and see how your sister is doing. 』
That’s right.
There’s the matter of the giants we found underground, but most importantly, it’s about Lu. I’ll have to go see how she is now doing.
“Mia-san—”
“I heard it. I agree with Solana.”
Mia-san cut me off. As we walk through the city, Mia-san added,
“I’ll sleep somewhere close to the East Dungeon tonight. After finding that space, the East Dungeon is bound to be exciting…”
Then Mia-san suddenly stopped in her tracks.
“Damn…! I wish we had explored that cave more thoroughly! It’s a hidden room after all, so there must be a treasure chest with rare items in it…!”
Mia-san is sulking which is an expression I had never seen on her before. I couldn’t help but chuckle. It’s amazing that Mia-san isn’t overwhelmed after seeing such a space.
“We’ll have another chance.”
Maybe it’s because the battle was over, but I feel like I’m getting a bit cocky too. Mia walks in front of me, her red hair is swaying with the wind.
“Yeah. In any case, isn’t this a break from the guild?”
By this time, the streets had become sparsely populated as we are now away from the guild.
“You mean Gideon?”
“Yeah. He’s lost his reputation today. That’s a tough one for an adventurer.”
We stop in our tracks and look back towards the Adventurer’s Guild. The high walls of the Royal Capital between the dungeons were bathed in the sun.
“He won’t be able to do anything reckless like he did before in the guild again. The guild mentioned that if he did not play his cards right, the Odis Temple might have a problem with his dungeon management.”
I looked into Mia’s eyes and nodded.
It’s a sure victory.
But a gloomy feeling still remains in my heart.
“But Gideon is still a noble…. He is rich, and he hate us.”
Win and it’s over. Everything will be solved. I hope it is really as simple as that, but the reality is a bit more complicated.
Plus, I have a foreboding feeling. The hollow laughter that Gideon let out in the dungeon is still ringing in my ears.
“That’s true. It’s like, since we are adventurers, we can opt for a kill—some people will think so. Some are really kind, but there are some who are really bad.”
“Right……”
Still, if the conditions for the duel were real, it would resolve all my money worries in one fell swoop. It would also weaken Gideon’s handle on us, making it a big step forward.
Mia-san winks at me.
“Besides, Rion, you defeated the dungeon boss, right? That’s a big deal you know.”
“Oh! I understand.”
“Keep the magic stone. It’s the proof of your rank up.”
Once again, today’s achievements slowly seeped into my heart.
『Congratulations, Rion. You are even better than usual today. 』
My heart warmed as Solana congratulated me.
Today, Mia and I were able to walk together in the same direction for a long time. Now that I don’t have to hide anything about Solana, my heart feels lighter, but the pouch full of magic stones is heavy.
I told Mia-san about my promise to my mother.
“Mia-san, since you’re going to stay here anyway, would you like to stop by my house?”
“Your house?”
“Yes. It’s almost noon…… I want to introduce Mia-san to my mom and Lu.”
“Ueee? N-no, I, I’m good….. That sort of thing is….…”
“Is it no good?”, I asked with my eyes.
We stared at each other for a while and in the end, Mia-san gave in.
“……Are you sure it’s okay?”
“Yes. I can’t put out something that luxurious though.”
“Haha, if the food is warm, that’s a feast. Alright, I’ll take your word for it.”
The two of us—no, the three of us, headed home.
The dungeon boss and Gideon’s matter. I’ll deliver these two victories to Mom and Lu.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
When I looked at the newspaper, I saw that the stock I bought for 300,000 crown coins had become 15 million crown coins. It wasn’t just a ten-bagger, where the stock price had risen ten-fold, it had risen fifty-fold!
“Sales have increased, and we have reopened the stores that we had closed. We are also moving forward with plans to open three branches overseas.”
As word spread that they had been able to raise funds from the Royal Bank, the share price apparently soared.
If I sell my shares, I’ll have funds to build the railways through the tunnel!
I’ll go to Polymer stock exchange tomorrow and sell my stock certificates.
“What’s the matter, Cedie? You’re grinning happily.”
“Something good has happened. Hehe.”
“Then we must celebrate even more. Cedie-kun, why don’t you bring over some Château Gandalcia first?”
“I’ll have it brought here right away. Mary, please get Masciolini-san and Paul-oniisan some wine.”
Everyone would be amazed if a railway is built. Once Earl Simpson saw the real train, he would realize how convenient it would be. If that happens, he may allow the extension of the line to Lebon. In some cases, he may even give me money to extend the route.
Oh, I’m getting fevered with excitement……
Just when I had those thoughts, my happiness level is 100%!
“Sit down, Cedie. Let’s have a meal together.”
“Sorry, brother. I have an urgent work to do. I’m really sorry but I can’t join you today.”
“Hey, hey. We are here to celebrate you becoming a Baron you know.”
“I’m really grateful for that, but I really have to do it now and I can’t postpone it. I’ll tell you why later. This isn’t a bad deal for you brother.”
I want to make the best wine possible, using the best grapes, in the best possible condition.
“Well, if Cedie says that, there must be a good reason. Okay, we’ll be having fun here so you can go.”
“Sorry for this!”
I said goodbye to brother and Masciolini-san and hurried to the winery.
There are two things that need to be done today. The first is the preparation of wine. If I use sparkling grapes when my happiness level is at 100%, I’m sure I can make an incredible wine.
This is a rare opportunity, so it’s now or never.
After that, I’d like to start working in the fields. In this state, I will definitely be able to produce a sparkling crop. I’ll cultivate the vineyard and then sow seeds on the vacant farmland.
Hmm.… melon soft-serve ice cream made with sparkling melon…..
I wonder how delicious it would be! If Char eat something like that, she would be overjoyed for sure. I’ll have to tell Eugenie about it too.
In the afternoon, we worked at the winery to prepare the wine, and in the evening, I tended to the vineyards.
I am really excited to know what kind of wine can I make this time.
I’ve worked a lot today, so I’m exhausted. I decided to go to bed early, following the saying that good things come to those who wait.
“Father, Char can’t sleep because I’m looking forward to the sparkling melon soft-serve ice cream!”
“Right…… Me too…… I’m looking forward……”
I soon fell asleep next too the super excited Char.
✲✲✲
The next day, I went out to Polymer early in the morning and sold shares at the stock exchange.
Of course, I wasn’t alone. Char and Mio-san accompanied me as my bodyguards. There is a guest staying at the Auberge, so we came here without telling Upa. If I informed him, he would surely want to come with me.
We just can’t leave our customers alone, right? I want to run a business where trust is the most important thing.
Mio has her sword at her waist and is keeping an eye on the left and right with alertness.
“I-, I’m nervous. I can’t believe we have thirty 500,000 crown coins in the purse……”
“Char is here so don’t worry. If the bad guys come, I’ll fight them off with punches!”
“Don’t overdo it. If Char gets serious, the opponent will fly off beyond the horizon.”
The anxiety of having a large amount of money combined with my desire to build a railway as soon as possible naturally made me go fast.
The bandits didn’t show up, and we made our way back to Gandalcia safely.
“Thank you for your hard work, Mio-san.”
“Ha~, it’s been a long time since I’ve been so nervous.”
Mio-san has a look on her face that says she has finally been able to unload a heavy luggage.
“Fifteen million crown coins made me nervous too. It’s stressful to hold a lot of money so let’s go and build the railways right away.”
“Char also want to see the railways!”
“Can I come along?”
Earl Simpson gave me permission to build a station, so I decided to build the railway station at once. At the planned location in front of the auberge, I opened my status screen. However, I noticed that some conditions were not released.
There are a number of conditions for the railway to pass through. The undersea tunnel is restored, the island level 3 is higher, and one driver is secured.
We have secured funds and points, but I don’t have a designated driver yet. I thought I could do it, but it doesn’t seem to work, and magic doesn’t work either.
“This is difficult……”
“What’s wrong?”
“For me to be able to build the railway, I need a driver.”
“What is a driver?”
“It’s like a coachman. In other words, it is the person who pilots the train.”
Mio-san’s face lit up.
“Then leave it to me. I’m good at handling carriages.”
“Hmm….. I’ll give you a salary of course, but you’ll have to work full-time. Is that okay with you?”
“I’d be delighted if I could be of any help to you, Cedie-san!”
It’s completely different from a horse-drawn carriage, but it’s not that difficult to pilot a magic train. I’m sure Mio-san can do it.
“Okay, I’ll leave it you.”
Railways and Subway Construction
All conditions for the construction of railways and subways had been unlocked! Condition: Restoration of the undersea tunnel, Island Level 3 or higher, Securing one driver. Description: Allows you to operate the train from Gandalcia Island to the mainland. Points Required: 40 Funds Needed: 20,000,000 crown coins
Alright, let’s spend points and build the way!
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Now that our stomach is full, we start the work in the afternoon.
When I tried to check the usability of the main first aid station and the lost child center, I was called by an unexpected person.
“Well, An-chan, your cooking skill is really amazing. Would you like to cooperate with product development for a while?”
“Uhm, I still need to check on the first aid station……”
“Even if An-chan isn’t there, there are three of them, so it’ll be fine. Besides, you are also a goblin hunter, so your skills are proven.”
And so, I headed with Ao to the management facility next door. Anyway, Shiro and Sue are nearby, so I decided to have them call me if anything happened.
“Hmm, I’m thinking of something sweet. There are a lot of drunks at the cherry blossom viewing festival, but there are also a lot of women after all.”
“What kind of ingredients do you have?”
“Here’s what we have for now, well, there’s some jam and dried fruits as well.”
Hmm. I don’t know why there’s baking powder in another world, but with this, I can make a kind of pancake mix. There is no egg but there’s goat’s milk so I think it will be fine.
“First, I’m going to make some kind of pancake mix. Let’s mix goat’s milk and butter to the baking powder. As we do that, we can put the griddle on the magic stove and put a thin layer of oil in it.”
On the side where I am doing it, Ao is watching with interest.
This is a good opportunity, so I thought of letting Ao try it.
“When the griddle is hot enough, drop the mixture in it so that it can form small circles. Yes, that’s it.”
Ao dexterously uses her tentacles to drop the pancake mixture from the bowl onto the griddle and bakes them.
“When the surface starts to become bumpy, flip it over with a spatula. That’s it. Mm, it looks good.”
Ao uses her tentacles to flip the pancake with a spatula.
Oh?
For some reason, the chairman of the executive committee and other executive committee members have gathered to watch.
It’s just right, so let’s have them taste it.
“When the pancake is cooked, take them off the griddle, spread some jam on it, yes that’s it. Then add some fruit on it and then sandwich it with another cooked pancake mixture. Well, it’s better to add cream, but this should be delicious too. Oh, by the way, we can make some buttercream instead too.”
I used goat’s milk and butter with sugar to make a simple buttercream. This should accentuate the taste.
Then, the executive committee members gathered in front of the finished pancake sandwich and tasted the finished sweets.
“This way, your hands won’t get dirty, and you won’t have to buy any special ingredients either.”
“Hoh~. Indeed. If we use this cream, we can differentiate the price, and we can change the jam and what we put in the filling.”
“Since a slime baked it, let’s call it “slime-baked” food. As for the price, I think I should charge around….”
“We might as well use a spare food stall, what do you think?”
Well, things are already moving forward under the assumption that Ao will run the stall. As for Ao, she is also practicing, as she continues to bake and make pancake sandwich.
“Mmm, what do you think about this?”
“Whoa, it’s amazing! Let’s make it Ao’s stall!”
Sue is also called in to make a signboard and a price list. Thus, the slime-baking stall was completed.
How did it come to this……
“I’m going to make a stall for Nii-chan’s yakisoba too.”
“Uhm, we are on the medical team..…”
“Hahaha, I’m sure this year will be a success.”
And for some reason, my yakisoba stall was even made.
Just how on earth did we end up to this……
By the way, since it is next to the management facility, it seems that it will be treated as belonging to the executive committee for the time being.
“I was wondering how this year would turn out, but it turned out to be better than I expected. The festival will continue for two weeks starting four days after the rest day. You guys will be working consecutively for a while, so please bear with us.”
“““Yes!”””
There were a lot of things that I wondered about, but for now the preparations are complete.
We were to meet again in four days, so we split up for the time being.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
“As a hero, I want to fight to protect the people of this city!”
“Really? Okay, you can come with me then.”
“For real?”
『That’s unusual of you, Master. You will really allow a man to accompany you? I thought for sure that you’d refuse him. 』
On the other hand, it seems that Meltera intends to remain on the ground.
“I would like to stay on the ground and do my best to defeat the monsters showing up here and evacuate the residents to a safe area as soon as possible.”
Then she spoke to me telepathically.
『And…… This is the first time that they have used taboo items on such a large scale. I’m sure we’ll be able to find a clue to the culprit this time.』
『I see. Alright, I’ll leave it to you.』
Goritia also wants to remain on the ground.
“I’d like to accompany you guys, but I think I’ll have to give up for now.”
“That’s a good idea! You just came back from the brink of death!”
Uh-, I won’t let him accompany me anyway, you know?
“So, how do we get to the lower levels? You said that this city is connected to the dungeon, right?”
“Yes. Actually, I have an idea, follow me.”
I head to the route which I suspect that leads to the dungeon underground.
Orion and the others followed after me.
“By the way, I know this is too late of me to ask but…… why is a baby talking and running around like this!?”
“That’s really too late to ask……”
“This is…… Sewer?”
“Yes, that’s right. It looks like it leads to the lower level from here.”
I took the three of them to the sewer system that runs beneath the city.
“……It stinks.”
“It’s a sewer, so it can’t be helped. But what a really terrible stench……”
Fana and Anje frowned hard. In addition to the strong stench of sewage, there are rats running around and insects are flying everywhere too.
“Huh? There are monsters too!”
“Slime?”
“It’s a shit slime, they eat filth. Oh and, they spit out filthy water.”
“That’s the last thing I want to fight!”
As we walked further through the sewer, we eventually discovered a large hole in the middle of an artificial underground tunnel. When I look into the hole, I saw a rugged rock surface.
“This seems to be the junction. Let’s hurry up.”
Without hesitation, I jump into the hole and heads for the deepest part of the dungeon. The others also followed behind.
“By the way, the original dungeon should have been expanded and connected to this city…… Is there a dungeon like that nearby?”
“There are several dungeons around here. However, the closest one is probably several dozen kilometers away. To expand it to this extent….”
“Hmmm. I’m sure they’ve been planning this for a long time now.”
I voiced my opinion on Orion, who shuddered by the thought of it.
“I’ve heard about it from Meltera-san, but I honestly can’t believe that the mysterious vortex and all this are the work of someone. For what purpose does the city have to do with it…”
I was the one who developed it in my previous life.I’m not sure what their purpose is myself.
According to Meltera, she has encountered many incidents in the past where a taboo item has been used, but this is the first time that more than one has been used simultaneously.
I don’t know what they’re aiming for, but it may be that the culprit has finally made a real move.
“But I don’t think the other party expected the vortex to be destroyed so quickly.”
Once we entered a cave-like path, it was almost a straight route. This is probably due to the fact that the dungeon was expanded in the shortest possible distance and connected to the city.
As we continued to run in a straight line, we eventually came to a large space.
“We finally reached the original dungeon.”
“……It’s kind of hot.”
It certainly feels like the temperature has risen suddenly.
From here, it’s a normal dungeon strategy. I don’t have time to take any detours, so I have no choice but to find the stairs in the shortest possible time and go down to the lower floors.
“Next is this way. Then this way. Okay, now we’ll go straight from here and then the next one will be on the left.”
“W-wait a second. How do you know that? Have you ever been to this dungeon?”
“Nope. This is my first time here.”
“.…T-then why are you so confident proceeding forward!?”
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Seeing the tunnel leading to the island of Gandalcia, Earl Simpson was greatly surprised.
“I had no idea something like this existed.”
“According to Nowald-sensei, the tunnel was built thousands of years ago.”
Earl Simpson shrugs as he peers into the tunnel.
“Won’t the ceiling collapse?”
“They’ve also checked on that and as for their findings, there is no risk of it collapsing. It has also been reinforced with Char’s earth magic for added safety.”
We walked through the tunnel from Simpson territory to Gandalcia.
“I see. This place will make your shipments easier, and in this way, it will be more convenient to get from Lebon to your island.”
“The tunnel is connected to Simpson’s territory, so my brother can’t get his hands on it.”
Earl Simpson smiled wryly.
“If he dared to march into our territory, it would mean war. I don’t think the king and princes will stay silent.”
In that regard, previously, everyone turned a blind eye to his harassment on a small feudal lord, who is his younger brother…..
“In the future, I would like to build a railway through the tunnel.”
“Railway? Do you mean to build a road out of iron?”
There are no railways in this world yet, so it seems that I have to explain from the concept. I tried my best to get him to understand, but Earl Simpson didn’t seem to get the point. He seemed to understand the outline of public transportation in which vehicles equipped with magic motors run on rails, but he still doesn’t seem to realize the convenience of it.
I wish I could show him the real thing, but to run a railway, I need 30 million crown coins in addition to the 40 points. If I subtract the salaries of the islanders and the money for purchases, I only have about 15 million crown coins, which is only about half of the necessary funds.
If possible, I’d like to connect the tracks to Lebon. If I could do that, it would attract more customers to Gandalcia and make shipments easier.
It’s a long way off, but Earl Simpson has given me permission to build a station at the end of the tunnel, so I’ll be fine with that for now.
✲✲✲
Thanks to taking care of them in a state of 100% happiness, the grapes are sparkling as expected. We have been harvesting in the vineyard since early morning.
Medoc put a grape in his mouth and tasted it.
“Yes, these are the grapes we’ve been waiting for. Cedie-sama, now we can make another Château Gandalcia Special.”
“I’ve been getting orders from various places, so this is really helpful.”
“Let’s finish harvesting in the morning and start preparing in the afternoon.”
Medoc is excited about being able to make delicious wine. I’m very happy about this too, but there is one thing that bothers me.
If I were to brew sparkling grapes at a happiness level of 100%, what kind of wine would I get?
Unfortunately, my happiness level today is 95%. It’s hard to put it into practice.
It’s not a bad number, but it’s not perfect either. I don’t think my happiness level is going to go up anymore today.
“Cedie-sama, you have such a difficult face, is there anything that bothers you?”
“It’s nothing, Pino. I just thought it would be difficult to pursue my ideals.”
I felt a little disappointed, but I couldn’t do anything about it.
Anyways, if I continue to make wine at a leisurely pace, I will eventually get a chance.
All the grapes were harvested and brought to the winery.
“Hey, Lucio, don’t eat so many grapes!”
Lucio is munching on the grapes loaded into the wagon. I’m grateful that he’s pulling the wagon well, but it’s too much of a snack. Since it is a donkey that can tell the difference, Lucio must be losing control over the grapes that taste better than usual. But if he eats that much, the amount of wine we’ll end up with will be small.
“Look, Lucio has some sparkling grass, right? You can have those.”
I sowed it with 100% happiness, so the grass that grew were all sparkling. I turned it into hay, and I also took some to Paul-oniisan’s ranch. I secretly feed the horses on the ranch to surprise my brother.
“Cedie-sama, I’ve finished carrying all the grapes we’ve harvested.”
“Thank you, Pino. Since the preparation starts in the afternoon, both Medoc and Pino should take a lunch break first. Let’s meet up again after lunch.”
I also went back to the cottage to prepare lunch.
There’s a rockfish that Lulu brought, so I decided to make it into a butter sauté. For the garnish, brussels sprouts and potatoes would be fine. As for the dessert, we’ll just eat plenty of the freshly picked strawberries.
I am washing vegetables when Mary came.
“Young Master, Paul-sama is here.”
“Paul-oniisan? Did he come here to eat lunch?”
“He and a friend came to meet you. They are waiting for you at the restaurant.”
When I hurried to the restaurant, Paul-oniisan was in the middle of chatting with his friend, Masciolini-san.
“Welcome, brother. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you, Masciolini-san. How can I help you today?”
When asked, he and Masciolini-san smiled wryly.
“Of course, we came to celebrate!”
“Celebrate? Celebrate what?”
Huh?
The two of them had gone beyond a wry smile and were now looking at each other in astonishment…
“I heard that Cedie became a baron.”
“Oh~. Yes, I did.”
“Then you should at least let us know. Normally you’d announce it at a party or something.”
I haven’t thought of having an unveiling party though.…
“Even though it’s a title, it’s only a baron, so there’s no need to make it such a big deal.”
“You’re really……”
“Well, it’s fine, I guess. Cedie-kun is just being generous.”
Masciolini-san interceded.
“But I don’t think it’s right to not celebrate at all. I’ll treat everyone to lunch today.”
He added. Masciolini-san shows off his generous side.
“Of course. Paul took care of me when I was down, so you can order whatever you want today.”
Masciolini pounded his chest vigorously.
“Uhm, you seem to be living quite well now.”
I intended to compliment him, but Masciolini-san looked a little embarrassed.
“Actually, I have to apologize to you.”
“Eh? What’s wrong?”
“There’s a food on this island called hot dog, right?”
Hot dogs are sold at street stalls and are very popular with people who come to the hot springs and cherry blossom viewing.
“Yes. That’s made by sandwiching sausages from Paul-oniisan’s ranch.”
“I know. It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I copied it. I thought that customers who came to the casino could eat it while enjoying their games. Then the hot dog became more popular than I expected.”
Casino Wyal is said to be flooded with customers looking for hot dog.
“I’m sorry for imitating it without permission.”
“No, no. That’s fine.”
Hot dogs are not an original dish that I invented, it is just a recreation of a memory from my previous life. Besides, it is Masciolini-san’s skill to introduce new products, promote them, and achieve results in this way.
Wait a minute.
Does the influx of customers mean that Casino Wyal’s performance has been revived?
Maybe the stock price has returned?
“Well, Casino Wyal’s stock price is……”
“Of course, it’s soaring. Here look.”
Masciolini-san took a newspaper from his pocket. When I received it, I slowly flipped it over looking for the economic section.
Found it.
The stock I bought is……!
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
I received sausages from Paul-oniisan, who runs a ranch. Its a thank you gift.
The other day, when I went to visit Paul-oniisan, a little thing happened. Land clearing was underway on my brother’s land, but a large stump was making a few people troubled. It was three times larger than a normal stump, and its roots were quite deep enough for them to dig it up.
“Char is going to pull it out!”
After hearing the story, Char volunteered to remove the stump. She simply grabbed the stump with her little hands and pulled it in a matter of seconds. Everyone was no doubt amazed that she had finished a job that was supposed to take six people several days in just a flash.
As a thank you, Paul-oniisan sent me a sausage.
Char is out to play and won’t be back until noon. I thought I’d take the opportunity to cook something delicious for her so I brought them to the auberge where Lynn is staying.
Lynn carefully examined the sausages and then put them in the refrigerator. It is Lynn’s style to pay close attention to ingredients.
“Sausages from Paul-san’s place are so delicious that my arms are shaking in excitement. So, what kind of dish do you want to make?”
When I was asked, the memory of my previous life suddenly came back.
I think it was a large furniture store somewhere… It reminded me of the snacks I had eaten at the rest stop there.
“I want to eat a hot dog for the first time in a long time.”
“What’s that?”
“Oh, I’m talking about a fluffy koppe bread with grilled sausages in between.”
“Another simple dish huh.”
“It’s not just sausages, there’s also butter-sautéed shredded cabbage and then mustard and tomato ketchup in it.”
“Tomato ketchup? I’ve never heard of that before, what is that?”
Lynn took out a pen and notepad. Lynn’s passion for cooking is immense. She is always excited to hear the name of a food she doesn’t know. There’s mustard in this world, but there’s no one equivalent to ketchup.
“It’s a kind of tomato sauce.”
“I often put tomato sauce on sausages, but what makes it different from regular tomato sauce?”
Hmmm, right, what was it again……?
I’m sure I’ve seen videos on how to make ketchup…. I think it was about three funny boys making their own ketchup and eating it with hot dogs. I also made my own ketchup after watching that video.
“Oh yes, ketchup has vinegar in it.”
“Vinegar? You mean that sour vinegar?”
“That’s right. It’s a sauce that makes use of sourness and sweetness. The ingredients are… tomatoes, onions, garlic, vinegar, spices, salt, and sugar, I think.”
“All the ingredients are in the kitchen except for the tomatoes.”
“Ripe tomatoes are waiting to be harvested in my field.”
In other words, the ingredients are all available.
“Nice. I’ve got to try making this ketchup thing!”
Lynn and I nodded to each other and started to prepare. I can’t remember the exact amount, but with Lynn here, I’m sure we’ll manage it.
After all the ingredients are gathered, Lynn and I put on our aprons and stood in the kitchen.
“First of all, let’s chop the tomatoes…… No, wait a minute.”
It would be nice to have a food processor. This is a good opportunity, so I’ll get one for 1 point.
“What’s this? I’ve never seen such a magic tool before!”
Lynn’s excitement is at its peak as the food processor moves powerfully with magical power.
“Isn’t it handy? Food processors have a wide range of applications, so I’m sure you’ll continue to put it to good use.”
The pureed tomatoes are transferred to a pot and simmered. Apart from that, we also made seasoning liquid with onions and other ingredients, and aromatic sauce as well. Finally, everything is combined and slowly boiled down, seasoned with salt, and the tomato ketchup is ready.
“Let’s taste it.”
Mmm, it’s fresher than the store-bought ones.
Still, it’s pretty close to the taste I’ve had in my previous life.
“Mm, so there is this kind of tomato sauce huh.”
“Yes. This is also delicious with french fries.”
“Sounds interesting, let’s make it.”
Lynn immediately began to wash the potatoes.
The menu for lunch that day was like this.
Hot dogs with homemade ketchup French fries Salad Lemonade
With ketchup around her mouth, Char swings her little feet in delight.
“Char likes the ketchup!”
“That’s good. I’ll make you an omelet rice and spaghetti Neapolitan next time.”
“What’s that!?”
Lynn reacts before Char.
Lynn’s passion and inquisitiveness for cooking is truly impressive.
“Well, Omelet rice—”
I waited for Lynn to take out a pen and notepad and then based on my memory, I explained the dishes I mentioned to her.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
My return home was delayed by a day due to an audience with His Majesty. The formalities for conferring a peerage were a lot of work, but now I can finally go home.
“Char wants to return to the island as soon as possible! Lucio says that the grass in the Capital tastes bad.”
“He~en”
I guess he wants to eat the grass from Gandalcia. I scratched the back of Lucio’s ear as he looked listless.
“It’ll be easier on the way back since we won’t have any luggage. You can eat lots of grass when we get back.”
Lucio smiled happily. A donkey’s smile is so cute.
We thanked Earl Simpson for his kindness once more and then we departed.
On the way, we passed by Deckles Square, and there is a long line at the donut stall we stopped by the other day. When I counted, there are about 20 people in line. Apart from the owner uncle, there are two more young girls who he may have hired for a part-time job. They are all busy working.
When the uncle saw us, he quickly ran towards me.
“Thank you very much for your time the other day, Young Master. I took your advice and made a new product. As you can see, it’s been very successful.”
He handed me a paper bag full of donuts. It contains a lot of cinnamon sugar donuts and jelly donuts.
“They all look delicious.”
“That is just a token of my appreciation. Please accept it. By the way, are you going out somewhere, Young Master?”
“I’m going back to my territory.”
“Eeh!?”
“So Young Master owns his own state huh. Is it okay if I ask for Young Master’s name?”
“Cedie Dantes….. I mean, I’m Baron Cedie Dantes.”
“Oh, it’s my great honor to meet you. Ah, right!”
I was surprised by the uncle who shouted so loudly.
“What’s wrong?”
“If Baron doesn’t mind, can I name my donuts, baron donuts? After all, this donut is Baron Dantes’ idea!”
To be precise, it’s a memory from my previous life……
It’s not something I came up with originally. Somehow, I feel sorry for the people who launched donuts in my previous life. But there’s no point in explaining it every single time. In some cases, people might even think I’m crazy.
“I don’t mind……”
I agreed though I feel a little guilty.
But still, baron donuts huh…….
I was still embarrassed to call myself a baron, but when I saw the uncle happy, it made me think it might be okay.
Anyways, I got a lot of Baron donuts, so we wouldn’t have any trouble having snacks on our journey back.
✲✲✲
As we walked along the seaside road, I saw the island of Gandalcia on the horizon. The long journey from the Capital is almost over.
“I didn’t have a chance to show my skills, but peace is a good thing.”
Upa nods in satisfaction. I am relieved too. After all, there are 12 million crown coins worth of gold coins paid by the royal court in the luggage. No matter how powerful Char is or how skilled Upa is, I still can’t just go easy.
“Oh, I can see the checkpoint. Looks like there are no more soldiers around.”
The checkpoint at the entrance to the bridge is still there, but the soldiers are gone. When big brother learned that a tunnel had been built, he may have realized that it was useless to have the soldiers stay at the checkpoint. I hope that at this rate, there will be no more warships in blockade at the sea as well.
The inside of the tunnel is brighter with more lights than the day we left the island.
Nowald-sensei and Mio-san must have done their best.
“Cedie-sama!”
I met Pino, who had come to check out the wines in the hole.
“Welcome back! Oh, I’ll let everyone know!”
Pino, who is usually silent, makes a loud voice and runs out.
I’m back on the island and my happiness level is 100%. In Island Maker, if you work when your happiness level is at 100%, a lot of things will go well.
I’m a little tired, but I wanna work in the fields. I’ll tend on the grapes and sow some grass for Lucio too.
“We can do that tomorrow you know. Cedie is too serious.”
“It’s okay, Upa. It will be futile if I don’t do it today.”
“Char will help you too!”
Char and I headed straight for the vegetable garden and started preparing the land right away. If all went well, we might get some sparkling grapes and grass again.
Then, unexpectedly, a revelation from heaven came. I was so overwhelmed that my body is trembling.
What would happen if I used sparkling grapes and brewed wine at 100% happiness…?
Perhaps I can make a wine that surpasses the Château Gandalcia Special. That’s because, while happiness sometimes reaches 99%, it’s rare for it to reach 100%.
Anyway, for now I should focus on the grapes. And aim for the sparkling grapes. My happiness level may not be 100% on the day we make the wine, but it’s already proven that the results will surely be a delicious wine.
I am a little tired, but I started working, feeling happy to be back on the island.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
“Oh my God, you were such a nuisance! I almost got some milk, you know? What more, she had amazingly large breasts!”
『That’s very disgusting, Master. And I don’t think she would have given it to you anyway because it’s gross. 』
I’ve missed such beautiful chance to breastfeed. Lindwurm is really such a bitter one.
“But why was there a monster there? I should have killed all the monsters that came out of the vortex with my magic……”
I tilted my head as I wonder and looked down at the ground. Coincidentally, something is happening in a vacant lot surrounded by houses. Just as something appears to be emerging from the ground, a werewolf monster appeared.
“…Huh?”
『Monster…… A monster was born! 』
Both me and Lindwurm can’t believe our eyes.
“No, wait a minute. What does this mean? Monsters being born in the city? What more, if felt like the monster appearing in a dungeon……”
Having said that, I was stunned.
“Wait, a dungeon? Don’t tell me…… Linlin! To the sky!”
『Got it.』
I ordered Lindwurm to fly higher at once. But once we got to a certain point, we couldn’t gain any more altitude.
『Master, it seems that this is the limit. 』
“Seriously? Linlin, take a look. The entrance to this city is….”
There are seven gates in this city, located to the north, south, east and west part. In response to the sudden outbreak of monsters, people are rushing there right now.
『Even though the gates are supposed to be open, it looks like they can’t get out. Just what could this be? 』
I answered Lindwurm’s question.
“Dungeon. The city itself has been swallowed up by a dungeon.”
It’s likely that two dungeon-related technologies are behind this phenomenon.
One is dungeon control technology. As the word suggests, it is a technology that allows you to modify the dungeon to your liking.
The other is the technology to extend dungeons above ground.
Originally, dungeons exist in closed spaces such as underground and inside buildings, but this technology expands them to open spaces such as above ground.
Since the latter is a technology based on the premise of the former, if the city itself is now a dungeon, both technologies will inevitably be used.
“And dungeons can only be entered and exited from certain places.”
『Is that why they can’t get out of this city?』
“That’s exactly right.”
Incidentally, the two techniques related to this dungeon were also taboo.
The Monster Vortices and this must have something to do with the culprit of the stolen items from the Tower of Great Sage that Meltera is tracking down.
Alright. Let’s head back to the arena first.
★★★
I land on the top of the ring.
“Reus-sama”
“Oh, Meltera. You’re back as well huh.”
“I’m sure you already know.”
“Yeah, I know. Even if we eliminate all the vortices, there will still be monsters appearing up here.”
Apparently, Meltera is also aware of this phenomenon. And it seems that she has already explained it to everyone.
Thank goodness, things got done quickly. It’s very helpful as now, it’s easy to talk.
“It doesn’t make sense that the whole city will be swallowed up by a dungeon! What are we going to do!?”
“There’s only one way to solve this. Go to the bottom of the dungeon, find the dungeon core, and overwrite it.”
But until then, no one can escape from this city.
Well, of course, it’s possible to get out through the only entrance, but everyone still needs to go underground first. In other words, the people of this city will be in danger for a long time.
“Time is tight. I’m heading straight for the bottom level of the dungeon.”
“I’m going too.”
“Me too!”
Fana and Anje raised their hands.
“That’s fine. But I’m going to go all out, so if you fall behind, I’ll leave you. Is that clear?”
Then Orion opens his mouth.
“……Take me with you as well!”
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
