Earth Dungeon 157

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Chapter 157. Niigata

The rain started slowly but soon intensified. The sound of raindrops hitting the helicopter's body could be faintly heard, and the sky visible through the window seemed like it might turn into a storm.

[It's ironic to have a storm during the rainy season. Quite ominous? Exciting, though.]

[Is it just me, or does something seem off about the wording, Shizuku-san?]

Tracing the mask on her head with her hand, Shizuku sent her thoughts. In response, the ethereal Sakimori-san floating in front of her smirked cynically.

[Indeed, it is exciting. Combat is my raison d'être.]

[I prefer things easy. I'd rather not die in battle due to terrain gimmicks.]

The chair rattled as it shook. Leaning against the iron wall, Shizuku chuckled lightly at Sakimori-san's words and glanced at the small sword at her waist. It was the Black Mist's dagger. She had received it from Serika-chan as a temporary replacement before making a new weapon.

It's fragile, so she needed to be careful. Serika-chan only made weapons with low durability, so Shizuku hoped she'd make plenty of them.

Currently, Shizuku was onboard a large military transport helicopter. The bare metal chairs were far from comfortable, and Shizuku with other soldiers, was being transported like cargo.

Among the soldiers was Konoha, wearing a cute dress with white frills here and there. She was a close aide, and also a maid. Looking out the window, Shizuku saw the military's ten large transport helicopters and twenty-two combat helicopters escorting them through the rain.

Bringing such a force indicated the inner town was serious. Judging from the total mana amount, soldiers from skill levels four to two were onboard each helicopter when she last checked.

They seemed highly motivated for this dungeon raid. Konoha wore a magical, pure white dress. Shizuku sensed the dress got imbued with holy attributes from mana detection. Its name was Saint's Dress. When touched by an undead, it purged them with holy power without burning them. It was perfect for this operation. It was likely a display of determination from the Heike clan. Aside from its holy attributes, the dress was ordinary, it was rare.

Shizuku, wearing a mask and a black robe, was less conspicuous. She might still look combat-ready, but the pure white dress made it seem like she was heading to a party. The gazes of the seated soldiers must have been uncomfortable.

Well, there were soldiers dressed in spears, swords, and Western armor too.

The fantasy appearance in reality was absurd. Shizuku chuckled lightly, leaning against the wall, feeling it resembled cosplay more than anything.

"Rei-sama, are you tired? How about some candy?"

A maid in a Type 26 combat suit approached me, showing concern. Though the outfit looked bulky, wearing combat maid outfits at such times seemed like a norm, but the reality was harsh. That was just how things were. There was no real point to combat maid outfits. It was just a waste of money.

"Thank you, I'll take one."

I accepted the candy offered and rolled it in my mouth. It was grape-flavored and delicious. Konoha pouted, indicating she wanted some, but the maid and I had already eaten ours without offering her any.

Watching this, I admired the maid's loyalty. She seemed to be the only one dedicated to someone like her, who had the [Jester] skill and got often mocked.

Konoha seemed to think the maid was teasing her, but that wasn't the case. The maid handed out shortcakes and candy to Shizuku suspiciously. She didn't offer anything to her mistress.

It wasn't teasing; it was a test of trust. Would Konoha eat food that might be poisoned? Normally, she didn't eat such things. Shizuku suspected poison due to her position.

If Konoha ate without hesitation, Shizuku would trust her at least to a minimal extent. Refusal to eat would be suspicious.

Of course, there was a chance Shizuku would get angry, but since Konoha was angry, it would get taken as the maid's decision. There was a risk of being killed.

This maid risked her life to test me every time. And I noticed that, and she knew I did.

She smiled back at me, showing remarkable courage. Shizuku judged that this maid was someone she could kill without hesitation. But Sakimori-san might dislike it due to future strategies, so she refrained.

I chuckled inwardly, thinking I'm not your typical heroine who refrains from killing just because she might be hated. Maybe it's because my administrator privileges were changed, or maybe Bōjin-san hadn't restricted my thoughts, but Shizuku had fully regained her original temperament.

She had shed the thin veil that covered her, akin to a chrysalis breaking open, returning to her true self.

As a person with talent in combat, Shizuku found her purpose in battle, and she wouldn't hesitate to kill those targeting her life. Such testing methods were part of it. If a strong opponent attacked without murderous intent, intending to test her abilities before stopping just short of harm, Shizuku would kill them. She had to respond to attacks that could kill, even if they were meant for testing. That was Shizuku's way.

However, since talent in combat involves strategy and tactics, the option of easily killing important figures is ultimately not viable. Outside of combat, my Pixie instincts always seek mischief and fun. Thanks to these instincts. Shizuku can smile sweetly and cover up her battle-crazed nature. It's likely if she only relied on combat talent, she would have turned into a berserker. The carefree and mischievous nature of Pixies restrains Shizuku. She admires her own ability to stay calm and considers herself quite capable.

Nevertheless, a calm and ruthless combat fairy is not kind. There are no emotions like forgiving enemies with a generous heart; her rational mind shows no mercy to those she deems worthy of killing.

"Do you think we've entered Niigata Prefecture yet?"

Looking outside the window towards the ground, all that Shizuku can see are mountains and forests with no signs of human presence. Occasionally, one might spot large beasts that don't exist on Earth, peeking out of trees and walking. The villages that were once at the foot of the mountains seem to have disappeared entirely, swallowed by the encroaching forest, leaving no trace of human structures.

After a few hours on the helicopter, it should be about time to arrive at our destination at this speed.

"Yes, I believe so. We should be arriving soon. Once we do, we'll head to the assigned dungeon and begin our conquest! We'll be the first to clear it!" 

Konoha leans forward excitedly, breathing heavily.

Watching her, I take out a beautiful lacquered mirror with butterfly patterns from my pocket and wipe the mirror surface with my hand as I inquire, not with intimidation or emotion but mechanically and calmly, which ironically seems to induce intimidation. I glance around before speaking softly. The soldiers here should know this except for me.

"It's a secret, you know? Do you know about the Core Store? Putting a special core there expands the lineup to include heavy oil and such."

"The Core Store?"

It's the first I've heard of this, and I express my surprise by placing both hands on my cheeks. I even jump up a little.

[Are you overacting a bit, Shizuku-san?]

[Konoha seems satisfied, so it's fine.]

Though Sakimori-san gives me a skeptical look, Konoha is in good spirits, puffing out her chest. My act is perfect. Even if the maids are slightly suspicious, their expressions show they already know this information, so there's no issue. The talent for combat allows one to pick up on subtle reactions. Pixies can read emotions to tease others. In other words, I can use simple psychometry.

"It's not surprising. This information came from Narashino. Have you noticed that rice seeds recently got added to the Core Store lineup? Apparently, it's thanks to the scientists' efforts."

"Ah, I see. So the scientists have finally managed to analyze and utilize the Core Store?"

That's amazing. I'm truly impressed. So impressed that I have to be careful not to burst into laughter. Are they trying to improve my resistance to laughter?

"They were investigating core differences based on dungeon environments. By conquering a rare dungeon with a paddy field terrain and inserting its boss's core into the Core Store, rice seeds were added to the lineup. I even watched the experimental video!"

[Oh, I didn't notice. Sales have been good lately, so I haven't been checking much. There are even 11 rare D cores included.]

Konoha continues excitedly. Hearing her, Tobito checks the equivalent exchange store and grins mischievously. He must be thinking of something sneaky. That's the smile I love.

[A paddy field... The dungeon with terrains like paddy fields spawns scarecrows, sparrows, and poison frogs. It's a D-rank dungeon. Watch out for the Bullet Sparrow's [Blitz Charge] and the Scarecrow's [Scissor Hands]' and be wary of Poison Frog's attacks. Despite its rarity, it's quite an easy dungeon because of its paddy field terrain.]

[I see, I see. That's good. Lower-ranked dungeons might spawn similar terrains, but attaching significance to terrain and incorporating it into the Core Store is a good idea.]

Sakimori-san seems pleased with the scientists' work. They've misunderstood their achievements as their own, thinking it was luck that added rice to the lineup.

"I understand now. The oil field dungeon is dangerous as firearms are unusable there. Were you planning to acquire the boss's core from that dungeon and add heavy oil to the lineup?"

"Exactly! I planned to obtain the boss core before others and add heavy oil to the lineup, spreading my name far and wide!"

"It makes sense now why Konoha was chosen for this task. Dangerous and achievement-based, yet lacking practical benefits. It's a perfect fit for Konoha, who desires fame the most."

"I'll say what's hard to say plainly, Rei. That's exactly it. We need to boost the Jester's Knight Order's reputation."

Konoha answers confidently without remorse, placing her hand on her chest. Her intellect might not be top-notch, but she has the qualities of a leader.

"That's why we rely on Rei... By the way, what's that hand mirror?"

Konoha asks about the mirror I hold, and I answer with a gentle smile.

"I received this as a gift recently. I must properly thank the giver."

Shizuku's eyes hold a fierce light smile softly. This journey promises to be interesting in many ways. First, I must return the favor promptly. The recipient will surely be moved to tears.