Chapter 96: Farewell, Misty Forest
ㅤAlthough what we heard from Lewis and Cretias was serious, it wasn’t something we could do anything about.
ㅤSherry-san will report to this country, and I will report to the Adventurer’s Guild, and we will have them take measures.
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ㅤCretias’s custody will first be handed over to Mistradia Tree Country by Sherry-san.
ㅤAfter that, a discussion will be held between the Tree Country, the Guild, and the Zamzaria Kingdom, and they will ultimately decide how to dispose of Cretias.
ㅤ
ㅤI had other problems to solve as well.
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ㅤ”What should I do?”
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ㅤThe one who said that was, of course, Bearnov.
ㅤHe was suddenly summoned here for our convenience, and there’s no way for him to return.
ㅤOf course, he could walk on the ground back to the Loft dungeon, but it would be too conspicuous for Bearnov to be walking along the highway.
ㅤEven if he could reach the dungeon, there’s an adventurer’s base in front of it, so it seems difficult for him to enter without being noticed.
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ㅤ”It would be nice if I could send him back.”
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ㅤSince I was able to summon him, it wouldn’t be strange if I could send him back by somehow switching the arrival and departure.
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ㅤ”It would be nice if there was something like a gate.”
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ㅤ”A gate?”
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ㅤ”Well, like, if you pass through a door, the other side is connected to the dungeon over there.”
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ㅤSaying that much, I realized something.
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ㅤ”Ah, this might be possible. Dream Weaver-san, I need your cooperation for a bit.”
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ㅤ――You’ve thought of something again, haven’t you?……Alright, I have nothing else to do, so I’ll help you……
ㅤ
ㅤThen, in a few minutes, a magnificent door was created in front of me.
ㅤIt was a double-leaf door like the ones found in dungeon boss rooms.
ㅤIt could have been a little smaller, but according to Dream Weaver, this was the smallest door he could create as a Dungeon Master.
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ㅤ”I will summon the 『space』 of that dungeon to this door.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Space?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yeah, near Popolack-san and the others’ settlement would be good. If I summon that space to this door while keeping it connected to its surroundings, we should be able to go there from this door. It’s like a door that leads anywhere.”
ㅤ
ㅤI can’t say what gave me the idea for this method.
ㅤIt’s due to adult circumstances.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Is that possible?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I won’t know until I try.”
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ㅤ”Is it dangerous?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”The scale of the phenomenon that can be triggered is proportional to the scale of the Ether poured in, so even if it fails, it shouldn’t be worse than the amount of Ether poured in. I’ll have Lewis put up a barrier just in case.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I’m not sure if my barrier can completely prevent Minato’s magic from going haywire.”
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ㅤLewis, whom I brought along during the work, said.
ㅤBy the way, Lewis and I have become a little closer, and we’ve decided not to use “-san” with each other.
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ㅤ”I’ll put up a barrier too, so it’ll be fine. Mine is just a side job, so Lewis’s barrier is the main one.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”This barrier magic was a secret of my family……but it was stolen in no time.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahaha……Well then, let’s try it right away.”
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ㅤThat said, it’s visually underwhelming.
ㅤI just carefully overlay my image onto the door prepared by Dream Weaver.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Okay, it’s done. Let’s open it.”
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ㅤWhen I pushed open the heavy door, I saw a dungeon beyond.
ㅤSince this place is also a dungeon, it’s hard to tell if it worked.
ㅤAfter taking a step inside and looking at the minimap, the map switched, and it turned out that our current location was the 16th floor of the Loft dungeon.
ㅤ
ㅤ”It seems to be a success. I think this was near Popolack-san and the others’ place.”
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ㅤAfter cautiously passing through the door with Bearnov, we turned a corner in the dungeon and walked a little further, and we saw the Gnome Village.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Who’s there!? Oh, it’s Bearnov! There’s been a big commotion because you suddenly disappeared!”
ㅤ
ㅤThe gnome who was at the entrance of the village shouted.
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ㅤ”Hey, long time no see. Is Popolack-san around?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”And you are――M-Minato-dono!? I apologize for my rudeness!”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahaha, it’s fine. I borrowed Bearnov due to some complicated circumstances. I’ll explain it to you.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Y-Yes, sir!”
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ㅤHe shouted at attention and ran off.
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ㅤAfterward, I explained the whole story while having tea at Popolack-san’s place.
ㅤPopolack-san urged me to “at least stay the night,” but I was worried about how long the gate would stay open, so I excused myself early.
ㅤ
ㅤAfter returning Bearnov to the village, I went back to the Mist Forest dungeon through the “（※Self-Censored） Door” I had just passed through.
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ㅤ”Farewell then. If anything happens, call me, Minato.”
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ㅤBearnov, who came to see me off, said.
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ㅤ”Ahaha, it would be best if such a situation doesn’t arise.”
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ㅤ”An outstanding person like Minato will eventually appear in the public eye, no matter how much you try to hide.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well, I’m not happy about that at all……”
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ㅤSaying that, I waved to Bearnov.
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ㅤAs soon as I returned to the Mist Forest dungeon, Dream Weaver spoke to me.
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ㅤ――I never thought such a thing would be possible……
ㅤ
ㅤ”It just happened to work when I tried it.”
ㅤ
ㅤ――Then, would you listen to my wish as well?
ㅤ
ㅤ”Well, it depends.”
ㅤ
ㅤ――You don’t need to be so wary……It’s about the Undines……
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ah, the story about how this dungeon won’t last long.”
ㅤ
ㅤ――Indeed……But I’ve given up on looking for a new Dungeon Master……It would be the same tactic as the Demon……
ㅤ
ㅤ”That’s right.”
ㅤ
ㅤOnly by taking in someone possessed by a strong obsession as a Dungeon Master can a dungeon become a true dungeon.
ㅤIf we try to find the next Dungeon Master, we have no choice but to invite such a dangerous person. This would be the same as what Imsoda did.
ㅤ
ㅤ――But if this dungeon ceases to function after I’m gone, this place will revert to its original barren state――the Undines’ habitat will be lost……Before that happens, I want to find a new habitat for the Undines and somehow help them migrate……
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ah, you mean that the warp gate we just used could be used for that migration.”
ㅤ
ㅤ――Indeed……Minato……It doesn’t have to be a detour on your journey……Please look for a comfortable place for the Undines to live, a place with abundant water, far from human settlements, a place that is tranquil and pure……
ㅤ
ㅤ”Like a lake in the mountains, or a deserted island with a beautiful beach?”
ㅤ
ㅤ――Sacred water sources that are considered forbidden areas would also be good……There might also be clear streams with gentle currents, or underground lakes where no one enters……
ㅤ
ㅤ”Got it. That much I can do.”
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ㅤThe Undines helped me during Cretias’s first attack.
ㅤIf it’s just something I can do on the side, it’s not a burden.
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ㅤI left the dungeon with Sherry-san, Lewis, Heinlein-san, the arrested Cretias and his knights.
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ㅤFor a day and a half, we walked through the still dense fog, tied together with a rope so as not to get separated.
ㅤWe finally reached the outer edge of the Mist Forest.
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ㅤOutside the Mist Forest, it was a sparse grassland, like what would be called a steppe on Earth.
ㅤIt is said that the entire Mist Forest area was once barren.
ㅤThe Mist Forest is rich in moisture thanks to the dungeon ruins underground, but the air is surprisingly dry once you step out of the forest.
ㅤThe trees rapidly thinned out as we moved away from the forest, changing from a green area with shrubs to a grassland, from a grassland to a cracked wasteland, and when we looked near the horizon, it was half desert.
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ㅤ”Phew. Well then, this is where we part ways, Sherry-san.”
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ㅤWhen I said that,
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ㅤ”Are you sure? You have made a great contribution to this incident, Minato. You will receive a reward large enough to live comfortably for the rest of your life, and there will be talk of welcoming you to the Tree Country’s Royal Mage Corps.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I’m not interested in that kind of thing.”
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ㅤ”I want to work with Minato!”
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ㅤ”Sis, it’s not good to hold her back too much. Minato has her own ideas.”
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ㅤLewis soothed Sherry-san.
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ㅤ”Actually, I think the Tree Country is too small for someone as talented as Minato. I don’t think people like me, who lack talent, would welcome a newcomer like Minato. It’s a rather closed country, protected by the Mist Forest.”
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ㅤLewis said, sounding like he had come to terms with it.
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ㅤSherry-san and Lewis apparently had a heart-to-heart talk about the future and the past.
ㅤThey are a couple that makes you anxious, as if they might become romantically involved but might not, but it seems that by sharing their hidden feelings and worries with each other, they were able to clear up any lingering issues.
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ㅤBy the way, I gave Sherry-san the Fire Dragon Sword, Lewis a decent staff that I had kept as a drop item, and Heinlein-san a fairly good bow, though not as good as the Wind Feather Bow.
ㅤ
ㅤ”D-Decent……?”
ㅤ”What exactly does ‘fairly good’ mean……?”
ㅤ
ㅤLewis and Heinlein-san seemed satisfied, so it’s all good.
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ㅤSherry-san said she would make it a family heirloom.
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ㅤOnly Bearnov refused, saying he didn’t need anything! But I gave him an Indestructible Teacup drop item as a souvenir for Popolack-san and the others.
ㅤAt the bottom of the teacup box, I secretly slipped in a Flame Wolf Hair Comb, an item perfect for Bearnov, that prevents hair and fur from burning when combed.
ㅤEven if he notices and tries to return it, the gate connecting the dungeons will already be gone.
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ㅤEveryone’s hardship doubled because of Cretias targeting me, so I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t do this much.
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ㅤAs for me, I guess my gain was that I became able to use the Wand of Regret more freely thanks to Dream Weaver’s guidance.
ㅤThe Ghost Sword I used in the final battle was also Dream Weaver’s idea.
ㅤ
ㅤThe Wand of Regret has also absorbed the remnants of the defeated Imsoda, further enhancing its ominous aura……but according to Dream Weaver, it’s not cursed or anything.
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ㅤSherry-san said,
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ㅤ”By the way, what are you going to do now, Minato? Are you going to pursue the scheming Demons……?”
ㅤ
ㅤ”No, I think that’s the job of the country and the Guild.
ㅤFor now, I’m going to aim for a place with clean water that could be a new home for the Undines.”
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ㅤAt my answer, Sherry-san slumped one shoulder.
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ㅤ”What, I thought you were going to secretly move to prevent the Demon King’s descent……”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Ahaha……This time was a pretty close call, and I can’t possibly deal with the Demon King.
ㅤNow that I’ve captured Cretias and have no more worries, I think I’ll go on a leisurely sightseeing tour of some scenic places.”
ㅤ
ㅤCome to think of it, even though I’ve come to another world, at first I was just diving into dungeons and spending all my time leveling up, and this time it was a forest shrouded in fog and the dungeon ruins beneath it.
ㅤI want to go to a place where I can feel the vastness of the sky and the sea, a place with a sense of spaciousness. If this were an RPG, it would be about time to get a ship or an airship.
ㅤ
ㅤ”Heh, that might be more like you, Minato.
ㅤMinato, I’m indebted to you again and again. If there’s anything I can do for you, come visit the royal capital of Mistradia anytime.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”Yeah, thank you.
ㅤTake care, Sherry-san, Lewis, and Heinlein-san.”
ㅤ
ㅤ”I’m relieved you haven’t forgotten about me, lass.”
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ㅤWhile laughing with everyone at Heinlein-san’s playful remark, Sherry-san and I waved goodbye and parted ways.