Chapter 110
Good morning.
Un. Feels like it’s been a while since I’ve said that line.
But I’m snoozing here in this vessel golem body, how does that work?
Right now, I’ve transferred only my consciousness to this golem, so maybe even that can make me feel mentally tired?
Well, I can’t say I fully understand…
Even though I’m the one who made it, it was Elibel who assembled the magic circuits and blueprints.
I should ask her about it later.
『Hnghh… But what’s this? This refreshing feeling?』
Thanks to the nap I took with Pururu, I’m feeling on top of the world.
She’s so cuddly.
Healing on another level.
Pururu is still asleep.
The sight of her sleeping, gently breathing in and out, is lovely.
I debated whether to wake her, but I decided to let her keep sleeping.
It’s not because I wanted to enjoy her sleeping face a bit more, definitely not.
Really, it’s not.
Squish…
Squish, squish, squish…
「Puuu… Suu… Suu…」
『Fuaaaaaa….』
She’s so soft…
Healing on another level.
Such a perfect texture.
For a while, I indulge in the softness of Pururu while watching her sleeping face.
Thanks for the treat.
『Now, what should I do next?』
There’s not much I can do in this body.
I can’t use magic, and my strength is weak.
『Hmm, I guess I’ll kill some time by heading to the surveillance room.』
I want to check on the entrance area and the surface dungeon.
When I’m free, I usually just watch the dungeon from the surveillance room.
Hm?
Feels like what I usually do is not changing…
Yeah, it’s just my imagination, my imagination.
Well, off to the surveillance room then.
I gently move Pururu aside, careful not to wake her, and I head off to the surveillance room.
Oh, I should leave a note.
I must leave a proper memo so that Pururu doesn’t get anxious when she wakes up.
Here we are, in the dungeon surveillance room.
There are more monitors than before.
They’re for displaying the situations in the dungeons of Fafnir and Elibel after the dungeon merger.
But for now, as usual, I start by checking the entrance and the surface.
『Well, let’s see how my beloved home is doing…』
The brilliantly colored sphere projects numerous images of the situation near the entrance and inside the surface dungeon.
The entrance area is bustling as usual.
Not just merchants and adventurers, but people dressed like priests and individuals who look like nobles are present.
Are they using it for commuting?
Looking at the outside images, it seems like checkpoints and guardhouses have been built.
There were people who looked like soldiers hanging around.
It’s safe to say that the three countries have officially intervened in this dungeon.
This is a good trend.
Ideally, the logistics would be impossible without this dungeon, but that might be too ambitious.
It might be just right if it’s convenient to have.
『Well, if they don’t make good use of it, it would be troublesome for us. What’s happening with the surface dungeon?』
Looking at it, humans who look like adventurers were fighting drawing mannequin golems in each floor.
From the looks of it, the investigation of the surface dungeon hasn’t progressed much.
According to Gijie, the current maximum level reached by the human side is the 15th floor, which Wald and Beldi reached before.
No one has reached beyond that yet.
『Well, there are a lot of treasure chests, so maybe there aren’t that many who are eager to delve deeper?』
I don’t think about it much, but the items obtained from the surface dungeon――magic stones and weapons made by Gijie――are apparently traded at quite a high price.
If their pockets are being lined, then the adventurers might not be so eager to conquer the dungeon.
Thinking these thoughts, I continue to watch the footage, and it seems like there’s more to it than just that.
The adventurers seem to be struggling surprisingly against the Drawing Mannequin Golems.
It’s a party of three men and one woman.
Let’s pick up on their conversation.
Click.
『―――Damn! What’s up with these things!? Have they gotten stronger since the last time we fought them!?』
『Exactly! It’s like they’ve learned from our moves!』
『C’mon, you’ve got to be kidding me. They’re just lower-class golems, right!?』
『Argh! This isn’t good, I got hit! Gaaaaaa!?』
『Crap! Fall back for now! Here, we―――』
Hmm, they are having a hard time.
Indeed, from my point of view, the golems’ movements are far more sophisticated than before.
Well, the Drawing Mannequin Golems are feedbacking all the information of the adventurers they fought once to all other golems through Gijie.
It’s shared experience.
The golems’ experience must have accumulated quite a bit.
New golems are born with the experience they have inherited, so it’s only natural they become stronger.
The basic specs of the drawing mannequin type are low, but it’s being covered by the support from shared experience.
This is something that Gijie created, applying the network of Ann’s antlings.
Well, there’s also a drawback that it can only establish a network between golems of the same type.
It’s different from the experience sharing we had with Elibel and Ann when we fought Fáfnir.
However, this experience is also shared with the drawing mannequin types that are in the middle floors of the dungeon.
This means that the golems in the middle floors become stronger and stronger without having to do anything.
Networks are convenient.
『Oh, they’ve killed one.』
The male adventurer with an axe collapses on the spot.
Seeing this, the other adventurers seem to realize their lack of power and start to retreat.
The fallen man is left behind.
…They’re abandoning him?
Well, it’s the right decision.
After all, the surface Drawing Mannequin Golems have a completely defined range of attack, or rather, range of activity. There’s no chance of being pursued as long as they keep their distance.
They have no long-range attack methods except throwing stones or bows.
If they can calmly figure this out, they could even escape while carrying the wounded adventurer, but they don’t seem to be able to do that.
The others seem to be wounded too.
It seems like they’ve suffered some serious injuries, but they should be able to survive if they can get to the healers near the entrance.
The axe-wielding adventurer was twitching, but soon he stops moving.
He seems to have died.
…Hmm, I’ve really gotten used to seeing death.
I used to feel sick just looking at a dead body from afar, let alone fighting myself.
Now, I don’t feel anything special even when I see the corpses of adventurers or watch them being killed. My aversion has faded.
Is it the effect of the drug, or is it the instinct of a monster, or a dragon?
Well, either way, it doesn’t matter.
The remaining drawing mannequin types are high-fiving each other after seeing the adventurers run away.
Wait… these things are supposed to have no self-awareness, right?
Well, let’s not get caught up in the details.
After all, Gijie is properly controlling them.
Afterward, the golems toss the body of the adventurer into the teleportation gates in a bucket relay style.
The handling of the body is left to the monsters in the middle floor forest area.
If we send it there, the monsters will eat and dispose of it on their own.
It’s effective use of resources.
『But if they’re struggling this much on the surface, what will happen when they reach the middle and lower floors of the dungeon?』
I don’t know what level the current adventurers are at, but they’re definitely not E-Rank.
We prepared for battle in the middle dungeon to counter Wald and his group, but in the end, it didn’t happen.
As a result, we still haven’t been able to get any practical data from the middle dungeon.
It’s a good thing that there are no intruders, but honestly, I’d like to test how well it works at least once since we made it.
Well, I’d be fine if that dragon slayer never comes back.
Wald and his group had been diving into the surface dungeon for a while, but one day, they just stopped coming.
I don’t know what happened, but for me, it’s a godsend.
Honestly, I hope they never come back.
Ideally, I’d like them to die somewhere where they have nothing to do with me.
The sin of destroying my home is grave.
『Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. Peace is a good thing.』
In reality, I can’t do much in this body when it comes to fighting.
The combat power of the vessel golems is not that high.
I doubt I can exert even ten percent of my usual strength.
Elibel seems to be making improvements, but I also want to make some enhancements once my body is back.
『Hm…?』
And so, my gaze inadvertently falls upon the scene displayed by the Eld Desert’s underground forest.
There, a gigantic white wyvern, Gwyve, graces the screen.
『Was that… Gwyve I saw earlier?』
He’s hastily scanning the forest, an air of caution about him.
Moreover, a green-haired girl in a white dress, holding a parasol, is perched on Gwyve’s back.
Who is this girl?
She’s not… human, is she?
The magical power I felt from her was unmistakably that of a monster.
But why does Gwyve seem so wary, scanning the surroundings like that?
『Ah, I see.』
A realization strikes me.
『I suppose I hadn’t informed Gwyve about the forest and the large hole.』
The last time I saw him was before I started creating this dungeon.
I heard from Heleb that he had disappeared from the Eld Desert afterward.
Oh, right, that was true.
I had completely forgotten about it.
Of course,
If he returns to find a large hole and a forest all of a sudden, it’s only natural he’d be on edge.
Hm? He’s moving his mouth.
Should I pick up the sound?
Operating the brilliantly colored sphere, I turn up the volume of the footage.
『――――hear me?』
A voice comes through.
『Earth, if you can hear me, respond.』
That’s Gwyve’s voice.
『I have someone here who wishes to speak with you. It’s a bit of an imposition, but could you show yourself?』
Someone wants to talk to me?
Could it be the girl riding on his back?
『Earth, my dear! If you can hear my voice, please respond!』
The girl riding on his back also brings her hand to her mouth and shouts.
Hmm, her voice has a certain… ladylike quality.
There’s something about her I don’t quite like.
She seems haughty.
『My name is Elja. Elja Lude. I am the Guardian Dragon of the Holy Kingdom of Harshalud, a dragon of the ‘Holy Dragon’ species of the Dragon Kings. I have arrived here to be your mate, my beloved Earth! Where are you?』
The girl introduces herself to the empty void.
Oh, she’s from the Holy Kingdom of Harshalud.
I appreciate her making the journey from so far.
『……………….Hm?』
Wait, did she just say ‘Dragon King’ species?
And… mate?
A mate?
What in the…
In the spur of the moment, here’s exactly what happened!
『I was casually observing my dungeon when a female dragon appeared out of nowhere, claiming to be my mate.』
I know you may have no idea what I’m talking about, but believe me, I have no clue what she’s talking about either…
This isn’t just some surprise plot twist or accelerated storyline…
I’ve just experienced a hint of something far more terrifying… — by Earth.
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