第一話 幻のダンジョン
〈嘆きの墓所〉での
では、俺達が存在進化によって生まれたスカルロードを討伐したため、大きな事件には至らなかった。
だが、冒険者の都ラコリナが何者かに狙われている......という事実には変わりない。
〉の異常......特に〈夢の主〉の存在進化は、〈哀哭するトラペゾヘドロン〉という、凶悪な誘発剤によって齎されたものだった。
通常、長く存続した〈
〈哀哭するトラペゾヘドロン〉は、魔物の怨念によって高純度高密度に引き上げられた、闇のマナの結晶である。
何者かが、〈
恐らくそれは〈嘆きの墓所〉だけではなく......俺とルーチェがデスアームドと衝突することになった、〈百足坑道〉でも行われていた。
俺はA級冒険者であるカロスや、ハウルロッド侯爵家の分家でもある、ギルドマスターのハレインに連絡を取って情報交換を行ったりはしてみたのだが、あまり有益そうな情報は得られないでいた。
俺やルーチェは、ただの一冒険者である。
立場もそう強くはないし、頼まれもしていないのに都市のためにずっと調査を行っていられるほど余裕があるわけでもない。
俺も貴族の端くれとして......そしてこの世界の裏側を知る者として、大きな事件が起きようとしているのならば、それを止めたいとは思う。
ただ、そのためにも、俺がもっと強くならなければ話にならないのだ。
〉でもないかと、ルーチェと二人、冒険者ギルドを訪れていた。
「平和なものだな。一歩間違えたらこの都市で大災害が発生しかねない事態だったのに......」
冒険者達の喧騒に、俺はそう溜め息を吐いた。
に参加していた冒険者も、スカルロードを直接目にしていない方には、あんまり危機感が伝わっていないみたいですからね......」
ルーチェが苦笑しながらそう返す。
冒険者ギルド内のスパイを使って〈
現状は水面下に隠れているが、自身らの存在が表に出ること自体は恐れていないようだ。
どうにも敵の正体が具体的に見えてこない。ちぐはぐなものを感じる。
「まぁ、今日の目的は〈
「よう、エルマにルーチェじゃねぇか」
弓を背負った、三十歳前後ほどの男が近づいてきた。
狩人クラスの冒険者、ケルトである。
「面白い話を耳に挟んだんだ。いい冒険者は逃げ足と情報が早いってな。ここじゃなんだから、別の場所で話さねぇか?」
「いい冒険者は、逃げ足と情報が早い......。なるほど確かにお前はいい冒険者だ」
俺の返した言葉に、ケルトは気まずげに咳払いをした。
で継ぎ接ぎの怪人パッチワークから逃げようとして、その数秒後に突然現れた二体目に殺されかけた一件を自虐的にネタにしたのかと思ったが、そういう意味ではなかったらしい。
ルーチェに目線で確認した後、ケルトを振り返って頷いた。
「わかった。ぜひ聞かせて欲しい」
「おいおいケルトの奴が、また新人騙して小銭稼ぎしようとしてやがるぜ。気を付けろよ、坊主」
......俺もルーチェもB級冒険者になったので、ちょっとは有名になって来たかと思ったんだがな。
ケルトは顔を赤くして大男を睨み返した後、早歩きで冒険者ギルドの入り口へと向かう。
「チッ! ほ、ほら、とっとと行くぞ、エルマ!」
「......さすがに俺達を引っ掛けるような真似はしないだろうが」
「なんというか......ケルトさんは、小悪党臭い行動が似合いますね......」
ルーチェが呆れ気味にそう零す。
その後、酒場でケルトから話を聞くことになった。
「それで......その儲け話に、俺達はいくら出せばいいんだ?」
「......あんまりからかうのはよしちゃくれねぇか。別にお前らにタカろうなんざ思ってねぇよ」
ケルトが気まずげに額を掻く。
「ハウルロッド侯爵家が、ちっと妙なことになってるらしい」
「ハウルロッド侯爵家が......?」
俺の言葉にケルトが頷く。
「ウチの王国の貴族じゃよくあることだが......ハウルロッド侯爵家は、血の濃さよりも実力を優先する。さすがに赤の他人が加わることはねぇが、末子でも次期当主候補になるし......場合によっちゃ、親戚筋のガキだって有力候補になる。そんせいで次代の家督争いで派閥が分かれて、結構裏でドンパチやってるらしい。現当主も、それは家のために必要なことだと考えてて、ある程度死者が出ることも許容してるって噂だ」
「話には聞いたことがあったが、そこまで酷いのか......」
俺も一応貴族であるため、その辺りの事情はある程度知っていた。
しかし、死者が出ることを織り込んでいるとは物騒な話だ。
「スノウ・ハウルロッド......現当主の第一子にして、天才剣士。腹黒く、冷酷で、滅多に口を開かない、不気味な女だそうだが......コイツが最近、強引に実績作って現当主や領民にアピールしたり、他貴族にコネ作ったりと、熱心に動いてるそうだ。うかうかしてれば他の当主候補に潰されちまうから必死なのはわかるが......大きい声じゃ言えねぇが、ちょっと怪しいんじゃないかと思ってる」
だが、ハウルロッド侯爵家全体としては、そんな余計な事件を起こして領地を危険に晒す意味はないのだ。
「暴走した次期当主候補の派閥が、世情をコントロールするために〈
本当にそうだとすれば、馬鹿げたことを......としか言いようがないが。
貴族の次期当主候補が、私欲で守るべき領民を危険に晒そうとしていたなどと。
「理解が早いな、エルマは。お前は例の件を気にしてるみてぇだったから、耳に入れておこうと思ってな。また、スノウは、レベル上げと実績作りのために周辺の〈
〉の中で貴族とは下手に出会いたくないものだ。
それが冷酷で、目的のために手段を選ばない人間だとすれば尚更だ。
貴族はいざというときには、領地のために命を懸けるという覚悟を背負っている。
そのためということもあり、特権意識の強い人間が非常に多い。
俺の父親アイザスもそのタイプだが、ハウルロッド侯爵家の現当主は、その極致に立っているような人物だという。
その第一子なのだから、どんな人物であるのかは想像に難くない。
「それで......もう一つというのは?」
「ああ......驚くなよ? ギルドは隠してるが......都市からちっと離れたところに、レアな〈
Volume 3 - Ch 1
A few days have gone by since the Raid Quest in the Graveyard of Sorrows.
Due to us taking down the Skull Lord, an Evolved Dream Lord, it didn't become as much of an incident as it could've.
However, there is still the fact that La Colina, the City of Adventurers, is being targeted by some kind of group.
The abnormalities of the Dungeon, especially the Evolution of the Dream Lord, was brought about by a vile material named the Mourning Trapezohedron.
Normally, the abnormalities would only start getting worse after magic stones from the monsters' bodies and the corpses of people start to add up in a long existing Dungeon, providing enough mana for the changes.
A Mourning Trapezohedron is a high density, high purity crystallization of dark mana created from the grudges of countless monsters.
Someone went as far as scattering a bunch of them inside a Dungeon with the objective of inducing abnormalities.
And most likely this happened not only in the Graveyard of Sorrows, but in the Centipede Pit too, where Luce and I ended up clashing with the Death Armed.
I tried to get into contact with and exchange some information with the A rank adventurer, Kalos, and Guild Master Hallein, who is also a branch member of the Howlod Family, but I couldn't get anything worthwhile.
Luce and I are just run-of-the-mill adventurers.
Our position is not that strong yet and we don't really have the time to keep investigating things for the city when we weren't even asked to do it.
As a former noble....and as someone who's aware of some of the underpinnings of this world, if there is a large incident incoming, then I would want to stop that somehow.
However, to do that, I will need to get much stronger first, or I won't be able to do anything.
With that in mind, Luce and I came to the adventurer's guild to see if there was a particularly lucrative Dungeon around.
"How peaceful. Even though if things happened even a bit differently, this city could've been ravaged by a great calamity....."
I let out a sigh, hearing the hustle and bustle of the adventurer crowd.
"Even among those that participated in the Raid Quest, those that didn't see the Skull Lord with their own eyes don't really appreciate the possible danger it could've posed....."
Luce said with a strained smile.
The way these enemies operate, like using a spy with the Guild to falsify the Dungeon map, can be called somewhat reckless.
They are currently operating behind the scenes, but it seems they don't really care if they get exposed for some reason.
I just can't narrow down who exactly those enemies might be. There are too many inconsistencies for now.
"Well, our objective today is to choose a Dungeon to go to next. Let's forget about the incident for now."
"Hey, if it isn't Elma and Luce."
A man with a bow on his back who looked to be around 30 years old came closer.
It was Celt, an adventurer with a Hunter Class.
"I happened to hear something interesting. Good adventurers can run away fast and hear about things quickly. But this might not be the best place to talk about it, so how about we move somewhere else first?"
"Good adventurers can run away fast and hear about things quickly..... I see, then you are indeed a good adventurer."
Celt gave an embarrassed cough at my words.
I thought he was self-deprecatingly referring to the incident where he tried to run away from a Patchwork then a few moments later he was almost killed by a second one, but apparently it wasn't the case.
After checking with Luce with a glance, I turned to Celt and nodded.
"Got it. Let us hear what you wanted to say."
"Hey, hey, that Celt is trying to trick newbies out of their pocket poney again. Watch out for that one, kid."
....I thought since both Luce and I had already become B rank adventurers, people would recognize us more, but I guess not.
After glaring back at the large man, looking a bit embarrassed, he kept fast walking towards the entrance of the Guild.
"Tsk! G-get a move on already, Elma!"
"....I don't think he would try to trick us with something, would he?"
"How should I say....the actions of a petty villain fits Celt-san really well...."
Luce grumbled with exasperation.
After that, we listened to what Celt had to say at a tavern.
"Well then....how much would we have to pay to get in on that chance to make a lot of money?"
"....would you mind not messing with me like that? It's not like I intend to fleece you of your money."
Celt awkwardly rubbed his brows.
"Apparently, there are strange happenings with the Howlod Family."
"Strange happenings....?"
Celt nodded to my words.
"It's something that happens a lot with our kingdom's nobles.....rather than blood ties, the Howlod Family values ability much more. It's not like complete strangers would be able to participate too, but even the youngest child has the opportunity to become the next Head of the Family.....and depending on the situation, even kids of some relatives could become candidates to the heirship. And because of that inheritance dispute, the Family was divided into multiple factions and they are currently duking it out behind the scenes. The word is that the current Lord thinks that this would be for the greater good of the family, and is prepared for some possible deaths as well."
"I've heard about him before, but to think he's really that cold-hearted...."
As a former noble I'm aware of the circumstances surrounding something like this.
However, to factor in the possibility of people dying right from the outset is pretty disturbing.
"Snow Howlod....the first child of the current Lord and a genius swordswoman. Apparently she's a black hearted, cold, creepy woman, who rarely opens her mouth, but....it seems she is trying to desperately pile up some achievements to appeal to the current Lord and the general population while making connections with other noble families. I don't know if she is that desperate because she thinks she will be crushed by other candidates or what, but....just between you and me, that feels a bit fishy to me."
However, from the point of view of the entire Howlod Family, creating an unnecessary incident that could endanger the whole territory has no advantage at all.
"It's not impossible that an out of control candidate faction could've caused the Dungeon abnormalities to try to control the sentiments of the common people...."
If that's really the case, then....I can only call that a foolish plan.
To think that an heir candidate that should be protecting the people would put them in danger for their own gain instead....
"You catch on quick, Elma. You looked like you were interested in what happened, so I thought I would give you a heads up. They also say that Snow is currently laying waste to nearby Dungeons in an effort to level up and to claim them as achievements. It might get troublesome if you run into her."
I wouldn't want to run into a noble in a Dungeon.
If that someone is a cold person who does whatever it takes to reach their objective, then even more so.
Nobles are people that should be prepared to risk their lives for the people of their territory if it comes to it.
Partly because of that, there are many among them that think they deserve special privileges.
My father, Izas is also like that, but apparently the current Head of the Howlod Family is the epitome of this type.
She is the oldest child of that person, so it's not hard to imagine what she might be like.
"Then....what's the second thing you wanted to talk about?"
"Ah....don't be surprised, but even though the Guild is hiding it....it seems a rare Dungeon appeared near the city."
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/
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