35
レオルドが水脈を発見した事に喜んでいた調査隊一行はゼアトへと戻ろうとしたが、レオルドに止められる。
「待て待て。まだ可能性があるというだけで確証はないんだ。
一先ずここを掘ってみようと思う。水が出てくればゼアトへ戻って報告だ」
レオルドの言葉に肩を落とす調査隊一行だったが、レオルドの言い分も正しいので気を取り直してレオルドの方へ顔を向ける。
「よし。とりあえず地面を掘るから土属性の者は手伝ってくれ」
『はい!』
レオルドを含めた土属性の使い手が地面を掘り進めて行く。こういうときに魔法は便利だ。本来なら手作業のはずなのに魔法で簡単に穴を掘り進める事が出来る。
ただ現代日本なら科学の力である重機などを用いて魔法よりも効率良く進められるが、今は考えても仕方がないだろう。
徐々に深さを増していく穴だが、一向に水の気配はない。本当にここは水脈があるのかと疑ってきてしまうくらいだ。
騎士達は不安に思いながらも穴を掘るレオルドへと期待の眼差しを向ける。
一方でレオルドは額に汗をかいており疲労が溜まっていた。地中深くを探査魔法で調べていた上に今は穴掘り作業と調査隊の中では一番魔力を消費している。
しかし、思わぬ事態が発生する。レオルドと一緒に土を掘っていた者達が魔力切れを起こしてしまい、その場に座り込んだのだ。
「も......申し訳......ありません......」
「すみません......これ以上は......」
「ハア......ハア......」
そもそも騎士は魔法の専門職ではない。だから、魔法を専門としている者達と比べたら雲泥の差がある。騎士が魔力100ならば魔法使いは1000はある。
土を掘る作業ならば魔力消費は多くないが長時間となると魔法を専門としていない騎士にとっては辛くなってくる。
「気にするな。少し休んでいろ」
一人になったレオルドは魔力を使い果たして座り込んでしまった騎士を一瞥すると、一人黙々と作業を続けた。
どれだけ掘ったかは正確に分からない為、判断は難しいがレオルドは他の者達に比べたら遥かに凄いだろう。たった一人で倍近い時間、掘り進めているのだから。
しかし、そんなレオルドにも限界が訪れる。大量の汗をかきながら、レオルドは片膝を地面に着けた。
「カハッ......ハアハア......」
バルバロトがレオルドへと駆け寄り、介抱している間に騎士達はレオルドたちが掘った穴の中を覗く。
あまりの深さに底が見えない為、適当な石を放り投げて見た。石が穴の底に当たった音はしたが、水の音は残念ながら聞えなかった。
がっかりする騎士達にレオルドは何も言えなかった。期待をさせておいて、この体たらくなのだからと落ち込む。
(くっそ~! 何の収穫もないってのは嫌だ!
水脈があるのは確かなんだ。ただ、どれだけ深い場所にあるかわからない......
よし。出し惜しみは無しだ)
バルバロトに介抱されていたレオルドは立ち上がると調査隊を見回す。
「俺のスキルを使って作業を再開する。
どうか力を貸してほしい」
レオルドが頭を下げるものだから騎士達も驚いた。しかし、いきなり力を貸してほしいと言われても、どうすればいいかわからない騎士達。
困惑している騎士達だったが、いの一番に賛同したのはバルバロトだ。
「レオルド様。私の力でよければ、いくらでもお使いください」
「ありがとう。早速だが俺の手を握ってくれ」
レオルドが差し伸べた手をバルバロトは手に取る。レオルドはバルバロトが手を握った事を確かめて魔力を流す。
レオルドが持つスキルの魔力共有はゲームであれば対象を選んで決定を押すだけの簡単な使い方だが、ここは現実である。ゲームとは違い魔力共有を行う対象と触れる事で使用が可能となる。
「レオルド様......これは?」
「俺のスキル、魔力共有だ。接触した相手に魔力を流す事で共有出来るんだ、これで、俺とお前にパスが繋がったから二人分の魔力を保有している状態だ。
勿論、魔力は共有しているから俺も使えるしお前も使う事が出来る。
さらに付け加えるなら普段は魔力が足りなくて使用する事の出来ない魔法も使えるようになるぞ」
「それは凄いですね。しかし、俺は身体強化くらいしか使いませんのでレオルド様がお使いください」
「助かる。これで作業を再開できる」
レオルドはバルバロトの手を離して作業を再開しようとしていたら、渋っていた騎士達が魔力共有をして欲しいとレオルドへと頼み込んだ。
「レオルド様。どうか我々の魔力もお使いください!」
「わかった。お前達の魔力貸してもらうぞ」
レオルドは頼み込んできた騎士達を一人ずつに魔力共有を施した。
これでレオルドが持つ魔力は桁違いに増えた。ただし、レオルド個人が持つ魔力の方が圧倒的に多いのだが、それは言わないのが花というものだ。
それでも、今はレオルドも魔力が枯渇しているので騎士達の魔力はとても貴重なのだ。
「さあ、もうひと踏ん張りだ」
レオルドは騎士達と共有した魔力を用いて穴掘り作業を再開した。水が出るかは分からないが、確かにレオルドは水脈を感じ取ったのだから信じる以外にない。
ならば、あとは根比べである。
Ch 35
The survey team, pleased with  Leoldo discovery of the water vein,  and  were about to return to Ze'at, but Leoldo stopped them.
He said, ", wait. It's still just a possibility, but there's no proof."
I'"m going to try digging here first. If any water comes out, we'll go back to Ze'at and report back."
The survey team's shoulders slumped at  his words, but Leolde had a valid point, so they pulled themselves together and turned their heads toward him.
"Good. For now, I'm going to dig up the ground, so those of you with earth attributes, please help me."
"Yes!"
The earth users, including Leorde, are digging into the ground. This is when magic comes in handy. It should be manual labor, but magic makes it easy to dig in .
However,  on earth ,  was  possible to  the power of science, such as heavy machinery, to dig more efficiently than with magic, but there is no point in thinking about it now.
The hole is getting deeper and deeper, but there is no sign of water. He is  beginning to wonder if there really is a vein of water here.
The knights were anxious, but they looked expectantly at Leolde  as he dug the hole.
On the other hand, Leolde's forehead was sweating and he was tired. He had been investigating deep into the earth with exploration magic, and now he was digging a hole, which consumed the most magic power among the team.
However, an unexpected situation arises. The people who were digging in the dirt with Leorde ran out of magic power and sat there.
"...... sorry ...... there is no ......
"Sorry ...... no more ......"
"Haa ...... haa ......."
In the first place, knights are not specialists in magic. So compared to those who specialize in magic, there is a huge difference. If a knight has 100 magic power, a wizard has 1000.
If you're digging in the dirt, you don't need to spend a lot of magic power, but if you're doing it for a long time, it's hard for knights who don't specialize in magic.
"Don't worry about it. Get some rest."
Leorde, now alone, took a glance at the knight who had run out of magic and sat down, and continued to work quietly by himself.
It's hard to judge exactly how much digging has been done, but Leolde is far more impressive than the rest of us. He had been digging for almost twice as long as the others.
However, there came a limit to how far Leoldo could go. Sweating profusely, Leoldo put one knee on the ground.
"Kahahaha......hahaha......"
While Barbaroto rushed to Leolde  and took care of him, the knights looked into the hole that Leoldo and the others had dug.
It was so deep that they couldn't see the bottom, so they threw some rocks at it.They heard the sound of the stones hitting the bottom of the hole, but unfortunately  thy could not hear the sound of water.
Leorde could not say anything to the disappointed knights.
(Damn it! I hate it when there's nothing to harvest!)
(I'm sure there is a vein of water. I just don't know how deep it goes. ......)
Okay. All right, let's get this out of the way.)
Leoldo, who was being cared for by BarbarotO, stood up and looked around at the survey team.
"I'll use my skills to resume work."
Please lend me your help."
The knights were surprised when Leolde bowed to them. However, the knights didn't know what to do even though they were suddenly asked to help him .
The knights were confused, but the first to agree was Barbaroto.
"Master Leorde. You can use my power as much as you want".
"Thank you. Now take my hand."
Barbaroth takes the hand that Leorde holds out to him. Leordo confirmed that Barbaroto had grasped his hand and let the magic flow.
If it were a game, sharing magic power would be a simple matter of selecting a target and pressing a button, but this is reality. Unlike in the game, it can be used by touching the target  to the magic sharing.
".  master Leolde  ......, what is this?"
"My skill, magic sharing. You can share your magic by channeling it to the person you come in contact with, and now that you and I are connected, we both have the same amount of magic.
"Of course, since the magic is shared, I can use it and you can use it."
"And to add to that, you'll be able to use magic that you normally wouldn't be able to use due to lack of magic power."
"That's great. But I can only use it to strengthen my body, so you can use it."
"Thank you. Now I  can resume our work.'
LeoLde was about to let go of Barbaroto's hand and resume  work when the reluctant knights asked Leorde to share  their magic with him .
"Master Leolde. Please use our magic power as well!"
"All right. We'll lend you our magic power."
Leordo gave each of the knights who asked him to share  their magic power with them.
With this, the magic power that Leolde possesses has increased by an order of magnitude. However, the amount of magic power that Leolde personally possesses is overwhelmingly greater, but it is best not to mention that.
Still, the magic power of the knights is very valuable now that Leorde is also depleted of magic power.
"It's time to move on."
Leode resumed digging the hole using the magic power he  get  from the knights.He I don't know if water will come out, but  he have no choice but to believe it, because  he certainly sensed a vein of water.
Then, it was just a matter of comparing roots.
Eroge Reincarnation, Struggle of a Golden Pig Aristocrat Against Fate
エロゲ転生　運命に抗う金豚貴族の奮闘記
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/eroge-reincarnation-struggle-of-a-golden-pig-aristocrat-against-fate/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Romance Shounen Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Age Progression Aristocracy Beautiful Female Lead Broken Engagement Butlers Character Growth Complex Family Relationships Cowardly Protagonist Crafting Dense Protagonist Domestic Affairs Doting Parents Elemental Magic Emotionally Weak Protagonist Empires Fallen Nobility Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fat Protagonist Fat to Fit Galge Handsome Male Lead Hard-Working Protagonist Harsh Training Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Late Romance Lost Civilizations Loyal Subordinates Magic Magic Formations Maids Male Protagonist Management Manipulative Characters Marriage Misunderstandings Modern Knowledge Monsters Naive Protagonist Nobles Reincarnated in a Game World Royalty Sadistic Characters Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Time Skip Transmigration Underestimated Protagonist Weak to Strong Wizards
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4214gk/
名無しの権兵衛