The Origin of the Dungeon Zone
The dungeons of the Minoris Dungeon Zone are considered precious resources to this world, even though they spawn monsters. If I were to compare it to my previous life, they hold a position similar to petroleum or natural gas. This is true despite the fact that the monsters are artificially created. The only dungeon I had experienced before was a crude one slapped together by the Clown just to kill me, nothing more than a vast empty space. But I’ve heard that real dungeons are remarkably similar to the ones I knew from games and stories.
They allow for semi-permanent harvesting of minerals and medicinal herbs. They endlessly produce monsters whose materials are useful for crafting magic tools. And if you meet certain conditions, they even grant rewards. That’s why dungeons are called natural treasures, and owning one is practically synonymous with sitting on a gold mine.
The Minoris Dungeon Zone is a place that might contain hundreds—no, perhaps thousands—of such dungeons. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Adventurer Alliance. This alliance was formed through the combined power of nine massive adventurer clans and the giant mercenary guild known as Tactica Company. They insist they merely manage the zone rather than rule it, claiming they are not a nation unto themselves.
Their official stance and propaganda went like this:
— If any single nation were to claim ownership of a dungeon within Minoris, conflict would inevitably arise!
— Dungeons belong to the ‘adventurers’ who discover and explore them!
— The Adventurer Alliance shall stand in the most neutral position possible to systematically distribute and manage the resources that emerge from these dungeons.
— Anyone can become an adventurer, and anyone can own a dungeon!
— Those confident in their abilities, come to us! The Adventurer Alliance wants you!
To be honest, it was all smoke and mirrors. In reality, their management was no different from outright domination. Adventurers were divided into two categories: those affiliated with a clan and those who weren’t. For example, suppose someone discovered a dungeon. If the discoverer belonged to a clan, ownership of that dungeon would transfer to the clan. The discoverer would only receive a portion of the profits as royalties. If they were unaffiliated, they could become the full owner, but managing it alone was nearly impossible.
The revenue from owning a dungeon came from two sources: byproducts harvested from inside it, and the fees paid by others who purchased entry rights. A lone individual couldn’t stop other adventurers from sneaking in to gather byproducts, and there was a limit to how much one person could harvest alone. In the end, most dungeon owners ended up selling their rights to a clan. On top of that, when selling the byproducts, the alliance took a commission that was essentially a tax.
It might seem absurd and tyrannical, but surprisingly few people complained. The original purpose of founding the Adventurer Alliance had been to prevent the Savior Empire—which was in the middle of a war of conquest at the time—from securing additional war funds. On top of that, most people who wanted to become adventurers weren’t the type to get hung up on such minor grievances.
The majority of adventurers were simply looking to make a quick fortune. They were satisfied with diving into dungeons, slaughtering monsters, overcoming traps, and selling the loot they obtained. And if they happened to discover a dungeon, they would quickly sell the rights, pocket a huge sum, and leave Minoris immediately. Since that was my goal as well, I didn’t have any major complaints.
But if there was one thing I was curious about, it was how the dungeon zone had come to exist in the first place.
“By the way, how did Minoris become a dungeon zone? Skadi, do you know anything about it?”
Creating monsters that could form dungeons didn’t seem easy. So what was the cause behind the birth of hundreds or even thousands of them? Was this yet another achievement of the Hero?
“Ugh… Master, are you perhaps trying to subtly mock me for my age by asking such questions?”
“What kind of mockery is that…? Wait, does it actually bother you?”
Was she sulking because I only ever asked about events from the distant past?
“No? Not at all? Among dark elves, someone around four hundred years old is still basically a child. In fact, I’m practically the same age as you, Master.”
She was definitely bothered. Sorry about that. But why do you look so happy when you call it age play? You’re confusing me.
“So, do you know or not?”
“Yes. Well… the device that Eric created to purify the magi spreading across Minoris ended up manifesting in the form of dungeons.”
“Who’s Eric?”
“The Hero of Alchemy.”
So the Alchemy Hero’s name was Eric. That was my first time hearing it. Last time when she revealed they had been party members, she had been so formal and kept calling him the Hero of Alchemy. Why was she using his name so casually now?
“Because it’s annoying to keep saying the full title?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Your face just now said, ‘Last time you kept calling him the Hero of Alchemy, so why are you calling him Eric now?’”
How on earth could she read my expressions better than the people from Entat Parish who had known me longer? It was practically mind-reading at this point. Don’t tell me she’s been watching my face twenty-four hours a day or some—
“Skadi, why are you looking away? You’re even breaking into a cold sweat.”
“It’s nothing.”
…Yeah, I figured.
“Pervert.”
So the stalker was right here.
“That’s not true. I absolutely did not think about rubbing my face against Master’s cheek for twenty-four hours straight.”
…Maybe I should just travel alone. At this rate, my chastity might actually be in danger. Even Cheska, who was obsessed with the smell of my scalp, wasn’t this bad.
“When you said a device that purifies magi… does that mean magi is spread throughout Minoris?”
“I don’t know the exact principles. What I do know is that the land now called Minoris was the site of the final battle four hundred years ago between the Demon King Mammon—whose seal had been broken—and the Hero of Alchemy, Eric.”
“All I know is that Eric built a device to purify the enormous amount of magi that poured out from Mammon’s corpse when he died.”
Whatever the case, it was definitely one of the Hero’s achievements.
“Then where is this purification device now?”
“Hmm… Probably deep underground? The battle back then was so fierce that craters dozens of meters deep were considered trivial.”
“It really shouldn’t be discovered, then.”
“Right. If it were, the unpurified magi might burst out.”
I had said it shouldn’t be discovered because the purification device was involved in dungeon creation, and I worried someone might find a way to control all the dungeons. But Skadi seemed to mean it in a completely different sense.
“Burst out? It’s been four hundred years. Hasn’t it been purified yet?”
“It came from a Demon King’s body, after all. If Eric hadn’t succeeded in creating the purification device back then, the magi would have spread across the entire continent.”
A Demon King wasn’t called a Demon King for nothing.
“Are there people who know about this?”
“They’re probably all dead by now. The records only say that Eric created a purification device. No one should know that the device is what’s generating all these dungeons.”
“That’s a relief. It means there’s no one who could abuse it.”
“Indeed.”
“Let’s get some sleep. Once we reach our destination tomorrow, things will get busy. Better to rest well while we can.”
I turned off the mana-stone lamp that had been prepared for our temporary lodging and lay down on the bed. Right after, Skadi snuggled up right beside me. Extremely close.
“…”
A bad feeling washed over me, so I turned my head to look at her. Skadi’s eyes were glittering with barely contained desire.
“Don’t.”
“Yes? What do you mean, Master?”
“Don’t rub your face on my cheek.”
“Ah! So Master can now read my thoughts just from my expression! This Skadi is incredibly delighted!”
Don’t come closer while looking so happy.
“Hehe… Hehihihi… I’ve waited so long for a day like today!”
That is not the face of someone who just wants to rub their cheek on mine?!
“G-get away from me?”
“Slurp… Don’t worry too much, Master. Since you’re still young, I’ll be satisfied with just rubbing my face on your cheek for now. Hoho.”
That’s even scarier! What are you planning to do once I get older?!
“I’ll use this to make up for all the rewards I’ve been holding back!”
“Kyaaaaa!!!!!”
Deep in the night, inside the clan master’s office of a certain adventurer clan.
The clan master, who had finished all his work and was quietly smoking a cigarette, received a visitor.
“Master, are you inside?”
The master recognized the voice immediately and allowed entry without even checking.
“Come in, Vice-master. What brings you here so late? You should stop working so much and go on a date or something.”
“Haha. That’s cold, Master. I just got rejected after confessing today, and you’re going to say something like that? Won’t you comfort me a little?”
The vice-master laughed heartily as he closed the door to the office. Then, the smile on his face vanished in an instant, and he spoke to the master in a completely different tone.
“I have an urgent report. Is anyone else listening?”
At the words ‘urgent report,’ the master stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and prepared to listen carefully.
“There’s no one in this building but the two of us. Speak freely.”
The moment he heard that no one else was present, the vice-master dropped to one knee and bowed respectfully to the master.
“I greet the Apostle.”
“Yes. The fact that you came to report at this hour must mean you’ve found it?”
“Yes. We have located the purification device created by the Hero of Alchemy.”
“Then… we will need a sacrifice.”
“Shall we recruit adventurers? If we announce the discovery of a new dungeon, they’ll swarm like bees.”
“That would be convenient… but far too noticeable.”
“Please instruct this foolish believer.”
“Disguise the believers as adventurers and have them excavate it. Then spread a rumor… We will use the moths drawn to that flame as our sacrifices.”
At the words of the Apostle of Chaos disguised as the clan master, the believer disguised as the vice-master pressed his forehead to the floor and accepted the command.
In accordance with the will of [Trap Master], Minoris will soon be swallowed by magi.