Otoko Nara Ikkokuichijou no Aruji o Mezasa Nakya, ne? Chapter 268

In any case, you can say we've succeeded with our objective this time of rescuing the leader of {Black.Topaz}, Reddo.Anderson.

They've recovered quite a bit thanks to the healing spells of the {Slaughterers} as well. Of course it's close the bare minimum and there's probably still quite a bit of pain remaining.
However, if you exclude that then you could say it's reached the level where there's no obstructions to their ability to walk.

"Now then..First, I offer my condolences for the members who pa.s.sed away. I'm sorry we didn't arrive in time for their rescue. It's really unfortunate for everyone. But, please don't let it get you down."

Certainly I think it was unfortunate. It's not like they were people I didn't know at all after all. But, in the end they're just people from another party. Even more so when they're employees of a different place that are jeopardizing the business region we pioneered. Even then social courtesies are necessary.

"However, whatever the case I'm relieved that you were still alive, Anderson-san. By the way we'll be taking the ogre magic stones from here."

"Of course. It's the results of your battle."

I replied by shrugging my shoulders and grinning and ordered everyone gather the magic stones.

Miduchi and Kamu were on standby on both of my sides. Kamu seemed like she wanted to say something, but what she wants to say, I already understand those feelings. I lightly raised my left hand stopped Kamu. No matter what I won't accept that.

We entered the dungeon this time after taking a job from the {Verdure.Brotherhood} but it's only obvious that it's not a job where you can precisely promise it's been accomplished. 15,000,000 advance payment, and 30,000,000 when we've met the condition for accomplis.h.i.+ng it, that's all there is to it. It's a considerable fee but even when you get lost in the mountains of j.a.pan and people go looking for you you'll end up being charged a considerable amount from the Hunting Friends a.s.sociation or the local group of young men.

It's possible that {Black.Topaz} themselves will offer a new job to "please save us" but this is something we shouldn't accept. Something like "if you don't want to die pay up" is something you shouldn't say if you really don't intend to kill them. It'll end up as double-charging after all.

Even in regards to Kamu and the others, I promised them 5% of the fee as compensation this time, it's only obvious to put in effort to increase the amount but the only ones who bend the truth to do that are trash adventurers and yakuza. Although, honestly speaking it's not amusing having the 7th floor invaded either. In regards to earning money there's no floor greater than this after all. Though there's no altars so you can't find any treasure. Oh~ it might just be that I don't know and I can't deny the possibility you can find some huh? We've never tried mining or anything after all.

She must have known that it's not something that can really be praised even from the common sense on Orth. Kamu obediently gave up as well.

"Could I ask you to remain on standby for a bit until we finish collecting the magic stones? Also, is anyone hungry? It's just a bit but we have preserved food. Ah, of course, I'll be charging for it. Just one ogre magic stone is fine. How about it?"

After all it seems their food conditions must have deteriorated quite a bit. I could hear the sound of the throats gulping from {Black.Topaz} members behind Anderson. I'm sure~ unless you were quite literally at the very limit you wouldn't want to eat the flesh of a humanoid monster or your allies.

I'm sorry for saying it a number of times but I don't want you to misunderstand there's no culture on Orth for cannibalism or eating humanoids. Rather it's avoided. They would at least tan the hides but never eat them. Even if they were a culture that eats them, no matter how used to Orth I get as long as there's other food I would never eat ogres, orks, or goblins, those sorts of humanoid monsters and completely reject them.

In the first place when farmers of the world grow things based around grains such as wheat I can't help but think someone who would think a monkey or humanoid monster is crazy. Putting aside an emergency situation, it would be quite the reversion back to the hunters of the primeval ages.

I took out that s.h.i.+tty disgusting preserved food from Miduchi, Kamu, and my survival kits. Additionally, I filled a flask with boiling water before putting dried meat in and making soup.

"I think you can already imagine but we came to save you all after directly receiving a job from the {Verdure.Brotherhood}."

"I thought that might be the case...Please bring us to the teleport crystal to the 6th floor. Also, this"

Anderson sighed before taking out one magic stone from the bag on her hip. I check the status to confirm it's one from an ogre. Since I'm receiving money I'll properly do my job.

"I understand. Please leave it to us."

I handed them the preserved food and soup while saying. Starting with Kamu who was next to me, Ginger, Misu, and Jeru the members of the {Butchers} who had been watching over things as they gather magic stones seemed satisfied as well. Selling 9 meals of preserved food for an 800,000 Z ogre magic stone is a huge profit after all. The same sort of reason why Mt Fuji's cola is expensive.

A normal face is only up to the third time. That one time on the 5th floor. Removing the curse. The ogre mage room the other day. It's plenty to have done them great favors three times already. Ah, I guess I did have them help when I was taking in {Sun.Ray} huh? Also, in the past, I talked to her for a bit when we were in the teleport room on the 1st floor. Even then I'm in excess in number of favors and I doubt I'll be punished for them to pay at least this much.

After devouring down the food and drinks I guess they can finally catch their breath, Anderson's facial color had returned a bit as she started talking to me.

"There's no mistake that the teleport crystal everyone used was around 2 km ahead of here right?"

"That's right."

Anderson replied while biting into a hard baked biscuit.

"We'll escort you up to there. We've prepared Baldoggie in the teleport room on the 6th floor. It's fine if you eat them right away or it's also fine if you just return to the surface like that. However.."

"I know. The {Verdure.Brotherhood} has come as well right?"

"That's what I've heard."

Probably, even if they're proceeding considerably smoothly, they're only around the 4th floor right about now though. It's just my prediction but I think they're still on the 3rd floor.

"When did they enter?"

"The {Verdure.Brotherhood} should have entered last night."

"I see. You all..No, never mind. I'll just get depressed hearing I'm sure...Then I'll leave somebody behind in the teleport crystal room on the 5th floor."

.........................................

We've already finished gathering the magic stones and {Black.Topaz} said they'd pay 1,000,000 Z per person for helping carry the corpses as well. In regards to Gary and Marin's corpses I had Zulu and Giberuti carry theirs. In regards to Rotto who's started to decay just a bit Baru who had recovered quite a bit so he decided to carry his.

In order from those who's hands were open we finished up a light meal of preserved food and soup. Also acting as somewhat of a large break, we spent about 5 hours resting in this place because I determined that we probably wouldn't hold out much longer without it.

Another 2 km. For us who have a lot of members used to it then unless it's a place like the large gra.s.s growing in the surroundings we can walk quite easily so even if there's combat along the way we should arrive at the teleport crystal in about 1 hour. There's also the option of advancing without resting. However, for the time being we've accomplished our goal of securing {Black.Topaz} so I'm just taking into consideration the possibility that we let our guards down.

"I'll keep lookout first. I'm sure you're tired, you get some rest."

There was a grateful proposal from Miduchi but I want to play lookouts in at least two places. In other words, myself, and you who has enough composure remaining to suggest that. Endure it.

I sat down on a tree branch a bit of distance away and when I was holding one knee so I could be ready at any moment while scanning the surroundings, Kamu quietly approached me.

"Thanks for letting us profit."

You're welcome.

"We need to take what we can when we can right. Rather than that you should rest right now while you can though.."

"Nn"

Kamu half replied while leaning on the trunk of the tree I had my back against.

"Hey, Greed-kun."

"Yeah?"

This time, I thought it once again, but everyone from the {Slaughterers}, exactly how much stamina do they have?"

I wonder how I should reply to Kamu as she said that amazed. A second master of the general section company that is seriously training or so. As expected let alone the winter battle maniacs CWCT's "Unit R {Ranger}" I'm sure it wouldn't even reach the normal "R {Ranger} though. I haven't made them do advances while crawling or high port* running after all.

"It was my limit just keeping up...I ended up holding you back."

If you understand then there was plenty of meaning to it. If it was just us, No, just me then I'm sure it would have been much faster after all.

"This is simply my opinion but.."

I said that as the preface while looking down at the whorl in Kamu's hair.

"You know adventurers, it would be best if they can do various things all on their own. But, I think that fundamentally it's running. For as long as possible, continuing to make intense movements. How long they can continue ahead with very few breaks. Whether you can use the sword or spear, whether you're familiar with traps, or whether you can use spells somewhat if you were to compare it to those then it's not a significant problem."

"I've heard about that before.."

Since I've said it before after all. Whether they think it's loud or annoying I'll say it any number of times though.

"It's the same for magic as well. Of course~ it's important to have the technique to land hits with attack spells. But, how short you can make the time before it activates..no matter how skilled you are hitting the opponent if you can't fire it off when you need then there's no meaning. Even if you can't hit it's fine if you can just use it as a threat. Of course it's all the better to land the hit that time. Even Kamu it's not like you're always thinking about hitting with arrows right?"

"..I always shoot intending to land a hit.."

Ah, is that so...Though I think that's correct as a mindset.

"I just wanted to say it's important to be able to quickly get into the posture to shoot. There's no guarantee you'll always have the leeway to shoot from an advantageous position. I just think it's more important to be able to move quickly and quickly get ready."

"I see..I'll get a bit of rest as well."

After saying that Kamu returned to where everyone else was. Well, the details I was speaking of were more oriented towards soldiers than adventurers after all.

After that we entered combat with ogres twice up to the teleport crystal and we're able to see off {Black.Topaz} as they safely teleported to the 6th floor. We returned back down the path we originally came while gathering magic stones from the ogres corpses and taking periodic breaks, then used the teleport crystal in the center to return to the 6th floor. Of course we avoided combat by walking around the outer wall of the ogre mage room. It's not particularly that I didn't want to show Kamu and the others our combat but I was really tired and just didn't want to concentrate anymore than that to use spells.

The Baldoggie we had prepared on the 6th floor had properly disappeared. They said they would leave behind one person on the 5th floor and would wait for the {Verdure.Brotherhood} to arrive. We wanted to sleep on a proper bed rather than the dirt bed of this dungeon as well.

We can return to the surface without even taking 10 minutes so we decided to return without a break.

On the 5th floor Baru had run out of energy and was rolled up sleeping in a corner so we quietly chanted the teleport incantation so as to not wake him up. There were several uneaten Baldoggie by his side so it was just a bit amusing.

...................................

When we returned to the surface it wasn't just past midnight but a time when the sky was starting to get bright. We tried asking the Baldukk knight group person acting as guard of the tax official for the dungeon whether or not {Black.Topaz} safely returned and,

"It seems that everyone saved them. No, that's quite something."

And said that so realizing that we were able to safely accomplish our job everyone was able to smile.

It's because by this point it was decided that everyone other than the slaves would get 5% of 30,000,000 Z, 1,500,000 as special compensation. We ended up exhausted but 1,500,000 for less than one day is good right.

Also, in regards to the magic stones the total sale price should be close to 20,000,000 Z as well(it's long past the open hours of the "Magic Tool Shop Danhiru" that we always use). These end up being treated the same as the {Slaughterers} at 2% so it's around 400,000 Z. In total that means they were able to earn close to 2,000,000 Z in one night. In my case I'm pleased to have earned over 35,000,000 in one night as well.

In a corner of the entrance plaza starting with Angela, the combat slaves were waiting for our return. After running over right away they congratulated us on accomplis.h.i.+ng the job. Eh? What? You all were waiting since yesterday night? I see. Good work. But you know, Angela. You, I'm sure you just were acting like a senior and forced everyone through the night right? Aren't all four of them exhausted and looking tired? Though they're in front of me so they aren't showing displeased faces.

"I'm grateful for your feelings but from here on you don't need to worry and wait for us that long. Though it's different if I order you."

And I said that before inviting them to eat with us. The youngest of the slaves Jesu ran off to notify everyone about our return.

Without even changing we went to Murowa just like that and had plenty to eat and drink before leaving without spending too much time. It's because the fatigue is really at it's limits and we're tired. After returning to Boil Manor without doing anything else I tried to go o sleep but for some reason Miduchi started bothering me. Sleep already, really. I'm tired too.

"..It's good it was different from expected..but.."

An?

"Hey, let's do it."

It's already close to dawn. Just leave me be.

"Quietly, right?"

Eeeh?

....................................

Year 7446, Month 9, Day 11

After retrying from the morning running(unexpectedly all of the members from last night partic.i.p.ated in the running) and Kaku from {Black.Topaz} came to our inn as a messenger. He said that Anderson wants to meet me. It seems she wants to have dinner together.

The one who should be responsible  for our compensation is the {Verdure.Brotherhood}. And I'm sure they haven't returned yet. We were thanked we saved them so there's nothing that needs to be returned anymore. I already have no business with {Black.Topaz}. They shouldn't either. Thinking it was strange I tried asking and it was, "Even then she wants to properly thank you."

If they're saying that far then I can't turn it down. However, for that sis Anderson to be this well-mannered. Of course, even she's from a n.o.ble family and seems to have been educated by the knight group so I'm sure it's possible for her to act as well-mannered as she wants though. I guess that means she's just that grateful.

I've made all today completely off and there's no plans until the {Verdure.Brotherhood} returns from the dungeon and pays the compensation, so I have the time. I decided to have dinner together with her.

After finally being able to rest my exhausted body and taking a slightly late lunch, I invited Miduchi and Rodrick before we entered the dungeon again and while practicing spells did a simple consultation over things from here on out. Miduchi and Rodrick's ages were comparatively older before reincarnating so the things they think are often considerably normal and there's no particular ulterior motive.

As a matter of fact previously, I was considering organizing a different unit centered around Gwine to advance the investigation of the areas around the Dirt Plains. After that under the simple thought, "There's no loss in gathering information" I was just about to actually organize that separate unit.

However, I've reconsidered my thinking after the matter with {Black.Topaz} this time. Even {Black.Topaz} which was that powerful couldn't stand a chance against the ogres on the 7th floor. Of course, we have an abundance of experience and it's difficult to imagine us falling behind ogres or ogre mages at this point as well. But, it's certainly true that if you just let your guard down a bit when you die it just takes one hit.

Digressing from the point a bit.
It's something that I was able to take into consideration thanks to the tremendously powerful magic sword Miduchi uses. Through the fact that the limbs or head are completely sliced off, occasionally when I have the chance to pay attention to those chopped off limbs I noticed it through using Identify. In the case of humanoid monsters, if we call the HP of the entire body 100% then if the head or limbs take roughly 10~20% damage they end up becoming unusable.

They end up worn-out and you can't move them and quite literally if you were to completely cut it off, it seems to deal roughly 10~20% damage for each limb. In regards to this it seems there's some differences even between the same race for individuals with different builds.

The trunk of the body ends up becoming unusable after roughly 40~50% damage. In other words, if you think you'll die there's almost no mistake. These things in regards to damage are nothing more than the result of my observations and just my guess. There's a lot of exceptions so I can't say anything. For example if you pierce someones heart in a single breath then in most cases their HP will reach minus the portion of their Endurance and they die.

In the case that you aren't aiming for that sort of weak point, it seems you can expect damage based on the ability of the weapon but that isn't fixed either. Rarely you can deal damage beyond the abilities of the weapon and there's often times where you deal damage nowhere close to the ability as well. Even if you think you've landed a clean hit sometimes it only deals a small amount of damage so I don't really get it. Somehow it feels like the larger the body they have the more difficult it is to deal damage as well but I also feel like it might just be my imagination. Also, if they're wearing armor then the abilities of that seems to be related as well.

Even if you change the arms and legs to HP, if you add in the body no matter how I think about it they often exceed the total amount of HP. Though just when I think that whether it's the crickets or the gra.s.shoppers they have exactly the amount of HP for their entire body and even when it comes to humanoids there's things like zombies and ghouls where it's suspicious if their limbs even have HP in the first place.

In any case, if you can hit a vital point then it's very possible to instant kill things as well. I can't think of any counter measure to it other than increasing the overall amount of HP in the body. I've discussed it with Miduchi as well but even if it was humanoid if there was a monster like a giant and it's HP is in the four or five digits then even if my sword directly hits it's neck we couldn't guess anything more than that it wouldn't die instantly. Even that if I use something like a {Cannon} type attack spell to properly pierce it's heart then I think it would be possible to kill it instantly.

Returning to the discussion.

I'm by no means satisfied with our forces as they are now. Ah, it's plenty as adventurers. Of course there's no problem with increasing by another one or two people but if possible I'd like for reincarnated people to take that position. I'm sure it's impossible excluding Kuro and Mary though.

Also, even when it comes to investigating the Dirt Plains I think it's fine to put off dispatching Gwine to make an accurate map. Certainly if you're asking I want a map but rather than that things like the condition of the territory, what kind governor is there, and what kind of local power families(n.o.bles) other than the governor live there, the condition of the various industries and their future prospects that sort of stuff is far more important and useful. In regards to these I was thinking of leaving a letter with the caravan to Bakuddo telling Kuro and Mary to take a bit of detour on their way over here to investigate those.

During that time, whether it be that one illegitimate child or the children of other n.o.bles I decided to adequately ward them off even if there's contact. It's troublesome but it can't be exchanged with everyone's lives. If I say it like this then it might seem I'm taking Kuro and Mary's lives lightly but I'm sure the dungeon is more dangerous and I didn't want to split up our forces on this side.

Furthermore, the reason Anderson call me out was really just to thank me and I never touched on her origins either.

After the {Verdure.Brotherhood} returns and we've finished taking the compensation we'll be entering the dungeon again but I was thinking of returning the organization of the {Butchers} and {Exterminators} back to normal and just having them support the {Slaughterers} within reasonable means and no overdoing it.

For the time being we'll focus on leveling up and producing a map of the 9th floor. Though I say that, in 2~3 months, and no matter how late we should be able to clear the 9th floor within half a year.