第三十八話 行き止まり
「なんつー回り諄い道だ......ギルドは何考えてやがるんだよ」
ケルトが地図を睨んで舌を鳴らす。
今回の目的は〈
そのためにわざわざ班で分かれて動いている。
念入りなのは、何か不審な点がないか虱潰しに探すためと、魔物の間引きのためだろう。
だが、内部の魔物の数が増えすぎていた場合、一部がそのまま外に出てきて近辺を荒らし始めるのだ。
この〈嘆きの墓所〉は
間引きせずに〈夢の主〉を討伐すれば、後々厄介なことになりかねない。
「......にしても、妙な道筋だな」
俺はケルトの背から、地図を覗いた。
妙に特定の箇所の付近をぐるぐるしているかと思えば、他の場所はあっさりと越えていたりする。
地図を渡されたときは調査目的と冒険者のスタミナを考慮した結果だろうと考えていたのだが、実際探索した感想としては、基準が今一つわからない。
おまけに地図もあまり正確ではなかったようだ。
のために急いで作らせたもののようなので、仕方なくはあるのだが。
ケルトが地図に大量に書き込みを行って修正している。
乱暴な性格に見えて、案外マメなのかもしれない。
〉で、不正確な地図を頼りに行ったり来たりしろとはギルドも無茶を言いやがる。こんな動き方してたら、遭難や魔物の挟み撃ちに遭うリスクが跳ね上がるんだぞ」
ケルトがぶつくさと文句を続ける。
ケルトの言いたいことはわかる。
「厄介な魔物にぶつかっても面白くない。おい、ルートを無視して最短で合流地点に向かうぞ。魔物狩りなら、合流地点の近辺でやった方が安全だ」
ケルトが俺達を振り返った。
「......ケルト、依頼内容を無視するのか? それでは調査も間引きも果たせない」
〉の中で、決闘でも挑もうというのか。
ケルトはメアベルを引き込めず、場の主導権も握れなかったことに苛立ちを覚えているようだった。
「クク、冗談に決まってんだろ。つまらない脅しにビビりやがって。所詮ガキはガキだな。ただよ、あんまり生意気だと、その限りじゃなくなるかもしれねぇな」
さすがに本気ではなかったようだが、強引に主導権を取り戻しに来た。
必要以上に不機嫌に見えたのも、自分の意見を通すための演技だろう。
本当にやりにくい。
「......ギルドに義理立てしたい気持ちはわかるけど、ある程度は折れてあげるしかないんよ」
メアベルが声を潜めて俺に耳打ちした。
ケルトも一流冒険者として立ち回って来た自負があるので、歳下の新人相手に出し抜かれている気がして面白くなかったのだろう。
付け上がらせるのも厄介だが、確かにメアベルの言うようにある程度ガス抜きはしておいた方がいいのかもしれない。
〉の地図に不正確な点が多かったのは事実なのだ。
魔物の挟み撃ちのリスクを避けるために一部ルートを変更したというのは、確かに筋の通った話でもある。
......本音は、少しでも安全に楽に利益を得たいというだけなのだろうが。
「わかった、ケルト。ルートの選定は任せる。ただ、あまり大幅に近道するような真似は止めてくれよ」
「最初から素直にそう言ってりゃいいんだよ。なに、少しばかり、複雑で面倒そうな道を避けるだけだ」
ケルトが底意地悪い笑みを浮かべ、地図を睨んでから通路の先へと視線を移す。
「よし、そっちを真っ直ぐだ。重騎士、勿論、お前が先を行け」
文句を言っても仕方がない。
俺は溜め息を吐き、ケルトの指示通りに先へと進むことにした。
確かに多少道筋が変わっても、それで厄介なことになるとは思っていなかったのだが......すぐに、おかしなことが起きた。
「......重騎士、今度はそっちを左だ」
ケルトの不機嫌そうな声が、俺の背に投げかけられる。
「おかしくないか? さっきは右だと言っただろう。遠回りが嫌だったんじゃないのか?」
右へ左へ、じぐざぐとふらふらしている。
最短ルートで行きたいと言っていたのはなんだったのか。
「俺のミスじゃねえ! 示されてたルート以外の道筋の間違いが酷いんだよ! 重騎士、とにかく、そっちを左だ!」
「......ケルト、一度担当ルートの道筋に戻った方がいいんじゃないのか? 集合場所は決まっているのに、こんなところで迷いでもしたら、他の冒険者にも迷惑が掛かる」
「俺が方向音痴だと言いたいのかお前は! とにかく、そっちの通路を左だ! 向きが合ってるんだから、大きなズレにはなってねぇよ!」
ケルトは俺に怒鳴ってから、頭をガシガシと掻いて地図を睨みつけていた。
「ギルドめ、雑な地図掴ませやがって。こんなことなら、不確かなところは最初から空白にしておけよ。報告したのはどこのどいつだ」
ケルトの指示に従い、左の通路へと四人で進む。
俺は奥の壁に手を触れる。
壁には人の頭蓋骨が、びっしりと等間隔に埋め込んで納骨されていた。
ゲーム時代でも〈嘆きの墓所〉の有名な光景であった。
別にこれが謎の異変と関わっているわけではないだろう。
ルーチェが気弱にそう口にする横で、メアベルは興味深げに骨の壁を観察していた。
やはりメアベルの逞しさは筋金入りのようだ。
「俺は骨の壁より、先輩冒険者の言う通りに動いたら行き止まりに入り込んだことの方が怖いんだがな。魔物が来る前に引き返して抜けた方がいい」
俺はケルトを睨みながらそう口にした。
当のケルトは、気まずさからか無言のまま、眉間に皺を寄せて地図にメモ書きを書き殴っている。
......まぁ、これはケルトが悪いというより、さすがにギルド側の不手際だ。
どこかに雑な仕事をした人間がいたらしい。
冒険者の証言の組み合わせなので多少の誤りは仕方ないが、どうにも今回はそのミスが目立つ。
ルートが複雑なのが気に掛かっていたが、信用ならない冒険者からの報告の部分を避けた結果だったのかもしれない。
Volume 2 - Ch 38
"What a damnably convoluted maze is this.... What the hell is the Guild thinking?"
Celt clicked his tongue while glaring at the map.
Our objective this time is investigating the Dungeon.
That's the reason we even split into groups.
The reason why we need to meticulously walk through every path is to search for anything out of place for one, and to cut down the number of monsters for another.
However, when their numbers increase beyond a certain limit, some of them can escape outside and start laying waste to the surrounding area.
A Monster Pool already happened in this Graveyard of Sorrows and quite a number of monsters overflowed already.
If we don't cull the monsters before we defeat the Dream Lord, it might become a serious headache later.
".....even so, this is some weird as hell route."
I took a peek at the map over Celt's shoulder.
It circled some place multiple times and just simply passed by others.
When we got the map I thought it was the result of wanting to make best use of the adventurers' stamina in the investigation, but now that I'm actually experiencing it, I can't really pinpoint what their aim really was with this.
In addition to that, it seemed the map itself wasn't that accurate either.
It was made in a hurry for this Raid Quest, so perhaps it's something that cannot be helped.
Celt drew a bunch of corrections on it already.
He seems like a reckless person in general, but maybe he's more meticulous than I thought.
"Tsk, what the hell is the Guild thinking, telling us to explore a high level Dungeon with a Monster Pool happening with an inaccurate map like this? If we went by this route we would be in severe risk of getting stranded or pincered by monsters."
Celt kept complaining while muttering under his nose.
I understand his point of view.
"It wouldn't be funny if we came across a troublesome monster. Oi, we are ignoring the map and heading for the rendezvous point by the shortest route. It will be safer to hunt monsters around that area."
Celt turned back towards us.
"....Celt, do you intend to ignore the mission objectives? We won't be able to investigate or cut down the monsters' numbers either."
Is he implying that we should have a duel while within a Dungeon?
It seems Celt was irritated about failing to seize the leadership of the party and pulling Mabel to his side.
"Heheh, I'm just joking, obviously. Don't be intimidated by a half-assed threat like that. It seems a brat is just a brat. However, don't try to be too cheeky, or it might not stay that way."
As expected, he wasn't serious about that, instead he went for trying to regain the initiative.
His apparent bad mood itself must be an act to convey his point more thoroughly.
He's really a pain to deal with.
"....I understand wanting to do your duty to the Guild, but we have no choice but to bend on this somewhat."
Mabel lowered her voice and whispered into my ear.
Celt also has his pride as a first rate adventurer, so he must not have felt very amused about a younger newbie possibly getting one over him.
It would be bad if he got a big head from this, but like Mabel said, it would be best to diffuse the situation here.
There are many inaccuracies with the map of the Dungeon, and that's a fact.
Changing part of the route to decrease the risks of getting cornered by monsters is indeed a perfectly logical thing to do.
.....even if the truth is that he just wants to profit with the safest and easiest method available.
"Very well, Celt. We will let you decide our path. However, please refrain from using the most obvious shortcut."
"You should've just started with that. It's not that big of a deal, we'll just avoid the most convoluted and annoying parts."
Celt smiled a wicked smile, then shifted his gaze from glaring at the map towards further down the passageway.
"Okay, then it's straight there. Heavy Knight, you go forward, of course."
There would be no use complaining here.
I let out a sigh and walked forwards according to Celt's instructions.
I didn't think anything too bad would come from changing our route, but....something weird happened right away.
".....Heavy Knight, next is left."
Celt's irritated voice impacted my back.
"Isn't that weird? You said right just now. Didn't you want to avoid going the long way?"
Right, left, we were wandering aimlessly in a zig zag.
Didn't he say he wanted to go with the shortest route?
"It's not my fault! The map of the pathways aside from the indicated route is full of errors! Left on the next corner for now, Heavy Knight!"
".....Celt, shouldn't we get back to the route we are in charge of for now? If we got lost at this rate without reaching the rendezvous place, then it would be an inconvenience for the other adventurers as well."
"Do you want to say that I have no sense of direction, you bastard!? Just go left at the next corner! We are still heading in the correct direction, so it shouldn't be that much of a difference."
After shouting at me, Celt started roughly scratching his head as he kept glaring at the map.
"That damn Guild, giving us a sloppy map like this. Just leave the uncertain places blank, dammit. Who the hell reported this information?"
Heeding Celt's instruction, the four of us proceeded left at the next corner.
I placed my hand on the far wall.
A bunch of human skulls were entombed into the wall at regular intervals.
It was a famous sight in the Graveyard of Sorrows, even when it was just a game.
Although it has nothing to do with the oddities happening to the place.
While Luce said this timidly, Mabel was observing the wall of skulls with great interest next to her.
It seems Mabel was really this hardcore.
"I'm more scared of the fact that we ended up in a dead end when moving according to what our more experienced adventurer teammate said. We should turn back and slip out before a monster appears."
I said while glaring at Celt.
Perhaps due to the awkwardness, Celt himself kept silent as he kept jotting down notes on the map with a frown on his brow.
....well, this was most likely a mistake on the Guild's side, rather than Celt's.
It seems someone did a pretty sloppy job.
Some mistakes can be expected, since a map is made according to the reports of adventurers, but they are pretty conspicuous this time.
I was concerned about our route being pretty complicated, but perhaps it was made that way to avoid the parts that were reported by unreliable adventurers.
The Reincarnated Heavy Knight Who Was Exiled After A Supposed Big Miss Is Unparalleled With His Game Knowledge
大ハズレだと追放された転生重騎士はゲーム知識で無双する
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/the-reincarnated-heavy-knight-who-was-exiled-after-a-supposed-big-miss-is-unparalleled-with-his-game-knowledge/
Action Adventure Fantasy Romance Shounen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alchemy Arrogant Characters Artifacts Blacksmith Calm Protagonist Clever Protagonist Determined Protagonist Dungeons Fallen Nobility Fantasy World Game Elements Guilds Hot-blooded Protagonist Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Lucky Protagonist Male Protagonist Mystery Solving Naive Protagonist Nobles Poor to Rich Previous Life Talent Reincarnated in a Game World Romantic Subplot Skill Books Strategic Battles Strong Love Interests Strong to Stronger Sword Wielder Underestimated Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n8465gx/
猫子