Chapter 386: Chapter 386

TLN: Hey guys, Reigokai here!

Just here to tell you guys that my uploads might be a bit messy for a while. I will still try to upload daily though.

A lot of stuff is happening IRL.

A declaration of war does not mean immediate battle. If that were the case, the side declaring war would have far too much of an advantage.

In other words, a declaration of war is nothing more than a warning of “we will attack in XX days.”

Of course, this still left Lendia at an advantage, since they already had troops and equipment waiting outside their cities.

But this time was different. With the declaration of war, Shilent would be sent, and with that alone, a nation would fall.

Normally, it would be nothing but a cowardly tactic that should be spat upon. But because this was a situation that should never exist, Lendia could make as many excuses as they liked.

After all, anyone in Lindblum knew that Shilent had been spending time there until just recently. No one would ever imagine something like a teleport into a dungeon.

Of course, if Golda openly admitted that “Shilent has already conquered one of our dungeons,” that excuse would no longer hold.

But Golda would never say such a thing, not even if their mouth were torn open. The only ones who knew were the innermost core of the nation.

Which is why they could not publicly call for caution regarding the Dreamhill Great Forest.

The Adventurer Guild in Golda’s royal capital was not empty, but it had lost its liveliness.

The people already began to sense the nation’s decline.

The first to notice such things were merchants, and the next most sensitive were the adventurers who traveled from land to land.

Prices naturally rose with fewer merchants. Poverty and lack of resources then drained the nation of vigor.

With fewer adventurers, the ability to solve problems fell, and public order worsened.

And adventurers, losing faith in such a country, began to leave one by one.

A single blunder pushed the nation into a chain of decline.

The gamble of using otherworld summoning to rebuild a nation whose people were steadily leaving…this was the result: the present misery of Golda.

Yet even now, the king would not admit it. He believed without doubt that it was all the fault of the incompetent Heroes, the traitorous Heroes, and the collaborators who deceived him with sweet words.

And in this sinking ship known as Golda, at the Adventurer Guild, a messenger appeared before one of the few peculiar employees who still worked there.

“Welcome to the Adventurer Guild. What business brings you here today?”

The receptionist at the counter was the very same woman who had once overseen Seimu’s adventurer recruitment test.

Only the guildmaster and this woman remained in this hollowed-out guild.

All other staff had already been dismissed.

“…You really greet me like that even though you know?”

“My apologies. We are not accepting new requests at present…”

“I can tell at a glance. The adventurers that remain are all bracing themselves for something. Surely, they’re prepared to be conscripted.”

“Um… What exactly are you talking about?”

The visitor hid herself beneath a robe, but it was Lemia.

With her unique powers of movement, she managed to reach Golda in just three days, coming to the guild to deliver her message.

“I’ll come back once your work is done.” (Lemia)

“I’m sorry, but contacting clients outside work hours is against regulations…”

“Then I’ll leave you be. See you later.” (Lemia)

Lemia delivered her words unilaterally and left the guild.

The receptionist, left behind, only continued her duties with a pensive expression.

Work hours eventually ended. With the sharp decline in adventurers and staff, the guild, which was supposed to be open 24 hours, closed its doors. Adventurers returned to their own bases, and silence spread through the guild.

The only ones left were the guildmaster and the female staff member.

“Guildmaster. Today, a former colleague of mine came to visit. She’ll probably be arriving here soon.”

“R-Really!? T-Then that means… I’m finally…unnecessary, isn’t it…?”

The guildmaster responded nervously to her meaningful words.

It didn’t seem like the relationship between a guildmaster and subordinate at all… Something about it felt unnatural.

“That’s right. Thank you for serving as guildmaster all this time.”

“No, I should be the one thanking you. You gave a washed-up merchant like me a job where I could still be of use.”

It was as if he were saying he was never meant to be guildmaster at all, and that she was his true superior.

“If… When everything ends, and this guild is revived someday, I hope to work with you again.”

“…Yes. If such a day comes…”

“This country will likely be engulfed in war. Depending on how things go, you may have to evacuate. When you return home, I suggest preparing your belongings.”

“I see… You’re staying here to the end? Will you be alright?”

“No problem. I’m actually pretty strong, you know. If I get serious.”

She brushed off the ex-guildmaster’s concern with a laugh.

She then saw him off, leaving her as the only one in the guild.

That was nothing less than the end of Golda’s Adventurer Guild.

“…It was pretty comfortable here, though.”

Muttering to herself in the empty reception hall, she thought back.

Busy, but not too busy. Days that let her clearly feel the slow decline, but where she still liked the closeness between people.

It wasn’t the city, but it was still a bustling town. Yet now that town was suffering, people were leaving one after another, and it was falling into ruin. That pained her heart.

But at the same time…

“Then are you sinking along with the nation?”

A voice echoed in the hall where no one should have been.

The owner of the voice suddenly appeared, sitting in a chair at the reception desk where no one had been.

“Just kidding. I came here knowing it would sink. I may have some attachment, but it’s only the kind of attachment you have to a ‘toy boat with a hole in it.’”

She had affection, but no attachment. A dry sort of sentiment.

“That’s a relief. For a moment I thought you had sided with Golda.”

“Even if I did side with Golda, I have no intention of siding with the royal family… When did you leave?”

“Three days ago. I came to relay the Queen and Bark-sama’s intentions.”

“Fast… Your ability is absurdly convenient as always… ‘Shadow Run,’ wasn’t it? Teach me.”

“Impossible. This magic is exclusive to certain elf clans like mine.”

Lemia and the receptionist exchanged light banter.

Perhaps because they were old acquaintances, Lemia’s face was more expressive than usual.

“So… your being here means it’s confirmed. War.”

“Yes. Three days from now, on the morning of the 10th, we’ll deliver the declaration of war, signed by the Queen herself, to Golda’s king’s bedside.” (Lemia)

“Wow! That’s pretty provocative. We haven’t gotten a shred of information about that on this side… She must be really furious, huh?”

“She is. Which is why, Melissa, I need you to issue one last emergency request from this guild. You understand, don’t you?” (Lemia)

The receptionist’s name was revealed…Melissa.

“Order all remaining adventurers here to head for the border mountains.” (Lemia)

“…If I do that, won’t I be arrested for treason the moment the war is declared? I still have to wait for the adventurers who are away to return too, don’t I? I won’t be able to escape.” (Melissa)

“Yes. Which is why you’ll have to remain here until every single one has accepted the request.” (Lemia)

“You’re cruel… What about you, Lemia? After you deliver the declaration, you’re just going to return? Help me…or rather, protect me.” (Melissa)

The Adventurer Guild in Golda operated under the condition that “adventurers could be conscripted in emergencies.”

That was true not only in the capital, but in other cities across the country as well.

In other words, the guild was a convenient tool for Golda…handling domestic chores while also serving the nation in emergencies.

Why then did the guild not pull out of Golda earlier under such conditions?

It was purely “for the freedom of the people.”

The guild was not for nations, but for the people who lived in them.

…That was the pretense under which the Adventurer Guild operated.

“Don’t joke. With your strength, you could cut your way through however many soldiers this country throws at you. I’ll deliver the declaration and then hide… Yes, maybe in this very guild.” (Lemia)

“Hah? There aren’t enough supplies here to hole up for months, you know.” (Melissa)

“No need. Two days at most is enough. This war is predicted to end quickly.” (Lemia)

Lemia believed Shilent’s words. She was convinced the war would end swiftly.

Melissa also understood: normally, immediate attacks after a declaration of war should not be allowed.

Which was why she asked. Why would it end in just two days?

“You’re not planning to assassinate the king, are you?” (Melissa)

“That plan crossed my mind. But that wouldn’t look good to other countries. It would only brand our nation as cowards.” (Lemia)

“True. You’re probably the only one capable of such a thing. Then how? Don’t tell me you’ve already stationed the other Thirteen Knights inside the country?” (Melissa)

“No. I’m the only one here. The rest are waiting in Lindblum.” (Lemia)

“Ah, I see. A cover story. To insist you’ve done nothing underhanded. So…you’ve obtained a new hidden force, haven’t you? The Queen has.” (Melissa)

“Yes. With that power, we will end this war. Once the declaration is delivered, the war has already begun. That paper is only a notice of crossing the border in X days. If you don’t guard against other routes, you can’t claim to be fighting for your nation.” (Lemia)

It was sophistry, but also true.

War was nothing more than a killing contest without rules.

Only because foreign nations were watching did countries pretend to be noble.

Which also meant: “As long as you don’t get caught, anything goes.”

“…True enough. Golda isn’t stupid. Lately they’ve begun deploying troops toward the Dreamhill Great Forest, and some shady characters have been coming and going from the castle. They were probably preparing for war themselves. Maybe they were planning to issue the declaration first.” (Melissa)

“…Deploying troops into a dungeon? Why…?” (Lemia)

“Who knows. But entry into the Dreamhill Great Forest has been completely banned lately. And I’ve heard the Scorched Ravine Dungeon has entered dormancy. Didn’t your side already conquer it? Congratulations, I guess. That’s probably why they’re rushing preparations for war.” (Melissa)

“…Yes, the Scorched Ravine Core is already in our hands. It should be emerging from dormancy soon.” (Lemia)

“Then what’s going on with the forest, I wonder.” (Melissa)

Lemia considered. Perhaps the kingdom learned, before the guild, that the Great Forest had been breached.

Melissa clearly didn’t know. But if the military was deploying, then likely Golda too feared enemies would attack from that direction.

“No, it should be fine. No matter how many troops they deploy, it won’t matter.” (Lemia)

Even so, she was certain. Numbers meant nothing against Shilent.

“Well then, I’ll leave the emergency requests to you, Melissa.” (Lemia)

“Yeah, yeah. Then I’ll just dust off my equipment and wait for the troops to come drag me off.” (Melissa)

“Fufu, do your best. I can’t show myself, after all.” (Lemia)

“Haah… Once this war is over, I might take a break from work. Maybe find a decent man somewhere.” (Melissa)

With that, the preparations before war were complete.

War would break out, and those meant to die would die.

The nation would fall, and a new order would spread.

There would surely be resistance. But a country unable to suppress even that had no business starting a war in the first place.

And so, Golda’s fate of ruin was sealed.

By the very existence they themselves had once summoned.

One morning, I let out a strange sound while spending a short rest before the war in Shilent’s form at home.

The section of the garden that was blocked by a sign reading “Entry Prohibited” and a tall wooden fence had been opened.

And before me was a shocking sight.

“W-What the hell is this!?” (Shizuma)

“I couldn’t turn the whole garden into a pond! So I had the forest ‘make room’ and expanded it!” (Melt)

I recently told Melt to tone down her pond-making. But the result was…a terraced pond, carved into the forest like rice paddies.

…Amazing. This was good enough to charge admission for. This was nature magic…!

“Damn, that’s amazing… But winter’s coming. Won’t the shrimp need to prepare to survive the cold?” (Shizuma)

“No problem. I dug a deeper section, and there are holes connecting all the tiers down to the bottom. Once it gets cold, they’ll all hide down there.” (Melt)

“…Flawless, huh. Well, I’ll be leaving soon, so I’ll teach you how to make fried shrimp before then.” (Shizuma)

“Got it! Fufu, I can’t wait. Once the breeding season comes, there’ll be tons of shrimp. We’ll eat them every day.” (Melt)

“You’re really back to your usual self. Don’t eat too much fried food or drink too much cola while I’m gone.” (Shizuma) Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍

“Don’t worry, I know… Yes, I’ll be fine. I’ll eat, work, play, and wait like always. So you come back safely, alright?” (Melt)

“Of course. Well then…let’s catch just enough for a meal.” (Shizuma)

Good. She seemed cheerful.

Alright… I guess I can cook fried shrimp even while in Shilent’s form, right?

I don’t look the part at all, but…it should be fine, right?

In the end, it was fine.

We snacked on fried shrimp together and spent the day peacefully.

Lemia-san should have arrived in Golda by now. Time for me to prepare as well.

Heading to the sunroom, I used the [Heart Core of Grimgram].

Options related to the dungeon appeared like before.

[Administrator information unknown. Temporary authority holder: Diedrich, authenticated.]

[Select management category.]

[Territory Enhancement]

[Temporary Base Construction]

[Function restricted]

[Function restricted]

“…Huh, a new option.” (Shizuma)

Two functions were still locked, but a new one, [Temporary Base Construction], had appeared.

That was curious…but first I needed to confirm the state of the forest and what was possible.

“Let’s start with Base Management…” (Shizuma)

Selecting the option brought up what looked like a full map of the Great Forest.

“Melt, come here a sec!” (Shizuma)

“What, what~?” (Melt)

When I called Melt who continued making fried shrimp at the neighboring room, she entered with an aromatic smell.

“What is it? Ah, here, have some fried shrimp made with a lot of herbs. Say ahh.” (Melt)

“Mm… That’s good…! No, wait, look at this map.” (Shizuma)

“Hmm? Oh, the forest. It’s gotten complicated as a dungeon, but from above it looks , huh.” (Melt)

“So this really is the Great Forest?” (Shizuma)

“Yup. Let’s see… Ah, here’s the Dungeon Master’s den.” (Melt)

“Right, where the mansion used to be. Though it’s gone now.” (Shizuma)

“And…my village is far from there. Right here.” (Shizuma)

On the map, [Village of the Silver Foxes] was marked.

Nearby were [Shrine of the Rumbling Sea] and [Mountain of Sea Crossing]…all named places near Melt’s hometown.

And a little ways from the village…[Shrine of the Wise Fox].

“Ah, that’s my house.” (Melt)

“Your house has a name!?” (Shizuma)

“Looks like it? I knew my grandma was called that though!” (Melt)

So her grandmother really was as wise as the stories said.

And yes…it is pretty far from the village. That explains why her house was spared from being sacrificed.

“Found it. There’s a [Region Lock] option. I’ll make sure no one can enter your home and village.” (Shizuma)

“Thanks. Though I might get locked out too.” (Melt)

“…Hmm. Can I set exceptions… Yes, [Natives] and [Administrators] can be exempted. So you and I will be fine. Once the war’s over, let’s visit.” (Shizuma)

“Yeah! There’s plenty of fruit wine left. Let’s go gather it up.” (Melt)

Yes. Let’s think about what to do after the war.

Even if painful decisions awaited, as long as we had something to look forward to beyond them, we could endure.

And so, confirming I could now teleport to the dungeon, I waited for the moment to begin the operation.