Chapter 92

I apologize for the delay in updating...

If the damage from the dungeon rampage had reached the neighboring town.

That would have been a situation I didn't even want to think about.

Unlike the Dungeon City, the neighboring town doesn't have the military strength to deal with a dungeon rampage.

I've heard that the neighboring town has walls and a knight's order, but I don't think they would be enough to protect it from a dungeon rampage.

...It would be a matter of a day or so, at that level.

It's because we were certain of this that we couldn't hide our shock at Laila's words.

If Laila's words were true, the neighboring town would now be a scene of hell.

However, the reason we hadn't been worried about the neighboring town wasn't because we had forgotten about it.

"...I think it's hard to imagine the damage reaching the neighboring town, Laila. I don't think those adventurers could reach the neighboring town."

Zig questioned Laila.

Yes, those words were the reason we judged that the damage wouldn't reach the neighboring town.

Regardless of his personality, the Great Sword of War is indeed an excellent adventurer.

It's undeniable that the hundreds of adventurers led by the Great Sword of War are a powerful force.

Even so, it seemed impossible to me that they could reach the neighboring town in this situation.

Recalling the lich that had attempted to cast a tactical-level spell, I felt even more strongly about this.

Zig, who was there at the time, felt the same way.

"The ogres I fought were as powerful as super-hard monsters. No matter how many there were, I don't think a haphazard plan to escape to the neighboring town would succeed."

Laila thought for a moment after Zig's serious statement.

However, the worried look on her face didn't disappear.

"I've only fought hobgoblins among the monsters from the dungeon rampage. So, my opinion might be off. Still, consider this."

After that preface, Laila opened her mouth with a serious expression.

"...Even if the Great Sword of War had planned to use hundreds of adventurers as decoys, do you think that's possible?"

"Decoys!?"

"Even the adventurers of the Dungeon City wouldn't do such a thing..."

Zig and Armia exclaimed in disbelief.

That was a natural reaction.

On our side, the adventurers who fled were allies of the Great Sword of War.

No matter how hard the situation, it would be unthinkable for them to use hundreds of allies as decoys.

...But I knew that it wouldn't be strange for the Great Sword of War to consider such a thing.

In contrast to Zig and the others, the heat drained from my face.

I must have looked pale.

Despite understanding this, I couldn't hide my expression.

The moment the Great Sword of War fled the Dungeon City, there was no turning back.

If he had made that choice, it wouldn't be strange for him to use hundreds of people as decoys to save himself.

And if the hundreds of adventurers could distract the monsters and buy time, the Great Sword of War could reach near the neighboring town.

...If that happened, it wouldn't be strange for the monsters, after killing the Great Sword of War, to surge into the nearby neighboring town.

Realizing this, I opened my mouth with a bitter expression.

"...I think Laila's concerns are valid. The Great Sword of War, as a leader, could calmly use his allies as decoys."

"Wh-what!?"

"...!"

Narseena, who didn't hide her anger, agreed with my words.

"I think you're right, big brother. Even if they were knocked out by me, if they could abandon their comrades without hesitation, using them as decoys isn't out of the question..."

"...Now that you mention it, those were the companions of the warrior and healer."

Narseena's words made Zig mutter with a tense face.

Zig, who had heard my story, might have realized something about the Great Sword of War's character.

Armia, on the other hand, couldn't hide her shock, but now wasn't the time to explain the Great Sword of War's cruelty in detail.

What was important now was to check the situation in the neighboring town.

It was then that the master spoke with an awkward expression.

"...I'm sorry to interrupt your heated discussion, but it's impossible for adventurers to reach the neighboring town."

Those words from the master should have been a relief.

However, the regretful look on the master's face didn't match the situation he was describing.

"First, I must tell you that you must not speak of what I'm about to say outside. I intended to tell you from the beginning, but if it spreads, we won't be able to control not only the adventurers but also the citizens."

We nodded silently at the master's serious tone.

At that moment, I noticed that Ronaldo's usually calm expression seemed slightly tense.

That was the best proof that the words the master was about to say were serious.

"The only entrance to the neighboring town, Nelburg, from the Dungeon City, the city wall, has been sealed by a barrier. – In short, the Dungeon City has been isolated."

"......What?"

Even though I had anticipated this, I couldn't hide my shock.

The isolation of the Dungeon City implied that there would be no aid from the country in the event of a dungeon rampage.

In other words, it meant that we had to overcome the dungeon rampage with the current reduced number of adventurers.

This was a very difficult situation for the current Dungeon City.

Laila, with a stern look, asked the master.

"...What do you mean?"

"As I said, a barrier has been deployed to reinforce the city wall. It happened right after we left. It's impossible for the people of the Dungeon City to break through that wall, and it's also impossible for people from the neighboring town to enter the Dungeon City."

"...!"

Laila fell silent at the master's words.

However, the master continued.

"Moreover, the barrier not only blocks magic and magical attacks in the vicinity but is also a highly advanced one that even I don't know about. It can withstand attacks from highly mutated super-hard monsters."

...The words that it could repel attacks from highly mutated super-hard monsters left everyone speechless except for Ronaldo.

Magical barriers are usually quite fragile.

After all, barriers that consume magic power over time are inefficient.

It's impossible to maintain a barrier's strength while keeping it active.

Therefore, primitive walls are more powerful, which is why the neighboring town is protected by such walls.

Thus, a barrier that could withstand attacks from super-hard monsters was nothing short of abnormal.

If it were a joke from the master, how wonderful it would have been.

"Using the adventurers Ronaldo let escape as decoys was also part of the plan, considering that barrier."

However, it was clear from the master's words that this was not the case.

Ronaldo, trying to defend himself, claimed it was a mistake, but the master ignored him and continued.

"...I tried to buy some time until the barrier was deployed, but it was impossible."

The regretful look on the master's face when he said this implied that he had tried his best to delay the deployment of the barrier.

Understanding this, I couldn't hide my question.

As a top-tier adventurer, the master and Ronaldo had not only fame but also certain authority.

It felt unnatural that they were ignored and things were forced to proceed.

"Compared to the Dungeon City, the master's name isn't well-known in the neighboring town?"

"No, that's impossible. The authority of top-tier adventurers is guaranteed by the guild, and it's unthinkable that Larma's authority wouldn't be recognized in Nelburg alone."

"Narseena is right. In places with a guild, the authority of adventurers is guaranteed. It's unthinkable that the authority of top-tier adventurers wouldn't be recognized in Nelburg, which has a guild."

"Is that so?"

At Narseena and Zig's explanations, I placed my hand on my chin and thought.

Unlike me, who had rarely left the Dungeon City, they knew about the guild's authority.

It was unlikely that they were wrong.

If so, there was only one possibility.

"...Master, someone with authority greater than that of top-tier adventurers must have ordered the barrier to be built."

The authority of top-tier adventurers is quite strong.

Considering this, could it have been Mist, the branch manager of the Dungeon City guild?

No, Mist's authority is limited to the Dungeon City.

Even if it were the neighboring town, it was hard to imagine that Mist's authority would surpass the master's.

Therefore, someone who surpassed even Mist must have built the barrier.

It was then that the master spoke.

"Most likely, the barrier was built by someone in the center of the country. No one else could have built such a barrier."

"Couldn't build a barrier?"

To Narseena's echo, the master replied with a bitter expression.

"I've never seen such a powerful barrier. If I had to say one thing, it requires a hundred or more mages to build. It would take a month to construct this barrier."

With a look of disgust, the master spat out these words.

Given the master's character,

he must have held a grudge for being overruled.

I felt the same way about being isolated without consent.

However, if the master's words were true, there was nothing we could do about the barrier.

Faced with this reality, I muttered bitterly.

"A hundred mages, huh. With a month, it's true as the master says... a month?"

...I noticed a discrepancy at that moment.

Noticing my sudden change, Narseena asked worriedly.

"Big brother?"

"...Narseena, do you know why there's a barrier around the neighboring town?"

"Huh? To protect the neighboring town from the dungeon rampage...!"

Narseena's words trailed off mid-sentence.

From her reaction, I realized that she had come to the same conclusion as me.

Yes, it would be impossible to prepare a barrier that requires a month in advance for a dungeon rampage.

– Unless the dungeon rampage had been known a month in advance.

"...You mean, the people in the capital had foreseen the dungeon rampage?"

Laila, who had been listening to our conversation, opened her mouth with a trembling voice.

The one who answered was not us.

"No, it's impossible for people in the capital to foresee a dungeon rampage. If anyone could foresee it, it would be the people inside the Dungeon City."

The master stated this matter-of-factly.

His calm demeanor showed no sign of shock at our hypothesis, proving that he had already reached the same conclusion.

No, he had probably thought even further.

Understanding this, the master spoke in the silence that had spread in the room.

"And the only person who could be the capital's agent in the Dungeon City is the elf with lost technology, Mist."

At that moment, all the master's excessive hostility towards Mist and his previous actions connected in my mind...