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Volume 3 Behind the Scenes 1.2

Translator: Kureha
Editor: Weasalopes

2. People of the continent awakens.

Deep under the torrid desert, in the furthest section of the mines, outsiders have stepped in after 3000 years of complete isolation. In the strictly secluded area, which the visitors have stepped their foot in, a group of fewer than 100 people have awakened.

「…. finally, the time has come….」

A figure who resembles a badger mole commented as he looked at others who were slowly waking up. He was one of the first to wake up and was responsible for the group of people gathered here. Although the group mostly consisted of mole people, among them were humans, elves and even dwarves. The only specie in this group which seemed incapable of living on the surface was the mole people. The rest were mostly species which could survive up on the surface.

「How much time has passed?」

「It seems that 3000 years have passed since we have fallen into slumber.」

「3000 years…」

As they questioned others who were waking up, they tried to take in the fact that 3000 years have passed.

「So after all, nobody came back…」

The sleeping system which they made was designed to wake them up once an outsider has stepped into the mines. The outsider also included their people who have gone off to look for the fallen God and his priestesses. So, the fact that they have been asleep for 3000 years prove that nobody has come back from the search.

「I wonder if our friends who made it to the surface managed to find a place to live there?」

「Now that so many years have passed, we can only pray that they have managed to do so.」

Their people made the difficult decision of leaving their home for a large-scale task of investigating the God of the underworld. Not a single one of them coming back meant that not a single one of them were able to find the God of the underworld. So, the most they could do was to wish that wherever their friends have ended up in search of the God of the underworld, they found a way to live happily at their destination.

The only reason why they managed to survive for 3000 years was because they used cold sleep. So, before they changed the topic, they took a moment to pray for their friends and family whom they will never get to see again.

「So, who were the visitors from the outside?」

「7 human types, 2 males and 5 females. They are currently wandering around the first level of the mine.」

「I see, then let’s observe their behaviour through the monitor.」

「The monitors are all good to go. If it seems that they can make it through the second layer, we would need to prepare some kind of reward.」

The moles fell silent after hearing the word “reward”. Since they are forcing these people to go through booby trap-based attraction, it would be wrong for them to not prepare any award for these visitors. The problem is, they didn’t have anything which they could gift to the visitors as an award.

「… Gems, we don’t have enough stocks.」

「We have enough stocks for smoked sand oyster and coffee. Would that be enough?」

「This time around, we have no other option.」

Pyroxene, gems and other minerals which would be very valuable up on surface were mostly used up when they built this underground system. So, it was difficult for them to prepare a decent reward and their food stocks weren’t the best either. However, there was a sustainable amount of fresh food as it has been stored in a shed with prevent rot enchanted on it. For sand oysters and coffee, the farm has been operating properly for the past 3000 years and it was in good condition. So, their hospitality would not send them to poverty.

「Now, we just have to observe how well these visitors go through the obstacles.」

「I hope the visitors are good people.」

As they chatted on like that, the people of the continent continued to observe the visitors who were making their way to the teleportation point.

==

Their start was very plain.

「These people are not falling for any of our traps.」

「From what they are saying, it seems that they have some level of knowledge about the origin of this mine.」

「Perhaps they are the visitors from the unknown continent.」

They started mentioning different possibilities as they observed the visitors who have not shown any actions that stand out.

For context, the reason why the people of the continent could understand what the visitors were saying was simple. A translation enchantment was placed on every mic which is set up around the mine. As they had no idea how long it will take until someone steps into the mines, they wanted an easy way to communicate with the visitors. This mine was a highly planned out system which was designed to overcome any potential issues they might face once waking up.

However, the real reason why they invented a translation enchantment was to understand the debris which got teleported over to this universe from the unknown continent.

「… it seems that they are going to split.」

「I wonder if they will show a little more reaction from here on?」

「We will find out.」

Their hope was not wasted. The first reaction was seen by the group which split off to investigate the library.

『Ouch!』

The clumsy-looking male tried to push in the book which clearly didn’t fit into space. This made a book on a different shelf fly out and hit a good-looking male in the face. It was a system where if you push in a book in one space, it pushes out a book on a different shelf. However, as it was a trap which was easy to determine the trigger, a woman with tanned skin warned everyone and that was the end of that trap.

「Well, it is difficult to put them through a challenge with a trap like that.」

「That’s why that handsome guy’s reaction was good.」

While they were rating the visitors’ reactions, the other group whose investigation was going smoothly fell for a trap which people of the continent were looking forward for.

「That timing, it’s beautiful!」

「Taking the hit three times in a row even knowing when to avoid it, it’s perfect!」

Instead of the female who accidentally pulled the rope, the people of the continent were most pleased with the attack that the smallest female among the group got. The humiliated expression on the girl’s face was pleasing to the people of the continent.

After that, the group responded to the props which they have prepared next, they continue to be entertained by the visitors’ struggle.

「That small one, she has cracked down all the traps which we have set up.」

「Interesting, is she part of the group?」

「That girl with large breast, she has a neat face but she seems to be really into same-sex novels. 」

「That, my friend, is called a closet pervert.」

As the visitors try to get over the obstacles with all their strength, the people of the continent continued to watch the screen as if they were watching a game show on TV.

「It looks like they are finally getting to the next level. 」

「It seems so. They did not fall for the dismantling trap and the explosion trap. 」

「Are those two traps safe?」

「It looks bad on the surface but it won’t harm the person who gets caught by the trap. Its what people call cold firework. The explosion trap would only fry up the person’s hair and cover their face with soot.」

「If that is the case, it should fine. It seems that those visitors are having lunch so we should probably grab something to eat as well.」

As the visitors decided to have lunch before heading off to the basement, the people of the continent also decided to have their first meal after waking up from a very long slumber.

==

「This has been a great reference.」

「So the adventurers respond to those traps like that.」

People of the continent gave their opinions as the visitors started to set up a camp. Unfortunately, the visitors did not fall for all of their traps like they did in the movies. The adventurers have done many things to neutralize the traps. However, people of the continent found their visitors’ struggles as an entertaining form of documentary. So, they ended up watching their visitor’s challenges to the end.

「I was thinking, for a group of humans that group seems a little complex.」

「That hopeless looking guy is strangely popular.」

「It is interesting how he’s popular yet he seems to be afraid of females.」

「However, if there was only one love interest, even if they were to get together, people would be fine with it.」

As they chatted on, one of the mole people brought up a trap based off Rolling Stone. It was a scene where they were all pushed into the evacuation area. The screen showed the girl with fair skin, large breast and blonde hair joyfully cling onto the hopeless looking guy. The same could be seen with a woman with blonder hair and tanned skin. Looking at this scene, if someone was to say he has no chance with a woman or to say get together already, either of those comments can be accepted at this point.

「Anyway, I’m surprised that there were sand oysters in that area.」

「I’m guessing they escaped from the plant but they are surprisingly hard to kill.」

The hopeless looking guy swiftly caught the sand oysters and cooked grilled oyster and fried oyster. The people of the continent discussed as they were surprised to see the sand oysters there. The area was quite a distance away from the enclosure. They have no idea how the sand oysters managed to make it to a place like that.

「Either way, we should probably get some sleep as well.」

「Tomorrow is the real deal, they should get to the O castle. We can’t miss that.」

「You’re right.」

Although they have just woken up from cold sleep, the people of the continent have decided to follow their sleeping schedule. Even though they are in an environment where they can’t tell day or night, it seems that they have been following a healthy routine.

However, as they have only woken up from a 3000-year long sleep, and they were too excited for the trap which they have set up ahead, none of them was able to get a good night sleep.

==

「Come on, increasing their own mass? That’s not fair.」

「Now the Strong Steel Golem can’t lift them up.」

「How about we give it enough strength so it can lift them up?」

「If we give it too much power, we might injure the visitors.」

The people of the continent were now losing. The problem was that magics and skills did not exist in the movies which they based the traps off of. With magics and skills, the adventurers could do things which would be impossible for ordinary people. So, they were more likely to fight against the traps which the people of the continent has set up.

However, magics did not affect them too much as it was possible to neutralise spells. The only exception was with self-amplifying skills, any skills that boost physical abilities and any other aiding magic; those could not be cancelled. So, those particular skills and magics were a problem for the people of the continent.

「Maintaining balance is really difficult…」

「If we make the traps too difficult than it’s not fun for the people participating in the obstacles. But if we make it too easy, it’s not fun for us. We want the traps to make the visitors struggle and show their clumsy side while making sure they get a sense of satisfaction to counteract the feeling of shame. We need to find a way to maintain that balance.」

As they discussed about balance, the screen showed the final attraction, the bridge. People of the continent decided to leave out any traps which were completely up to the participants’ luck. So, the trap in the movie where an individual had to crawl through the hole was not included in this mine. As there was no way for the participants to know which hole would lead to the end, people of the continent thought it would be unfair. They didn’t want the ending to these obstacles to depend on the individual’s luck when the participants have gotten through all the previous traps with their own ability. That kind of ending wouldn’t be fair for both the participants and the people of the continent, so they decided to leave that trap out.

「… It’s that hopeless looking guy again ….」

「… A heavy warrior type like him won’t be swayed by peashooter like that…」

The screen showed the last remaining challenger. The hopeless looking guy caught the gold ball safely and without being bothered by the attack from the black ball, he managed to slowly cross over the bridge.

「Hmm, this is kind of annoying.」

「But this is about if the person is made for the challenge or not. There were some challenges which he lost and struggled so let’s call it even.」

「If we were to set up traps that balance out each individuals strength and weaknesses, we’ll end up with a system that nobody can complete.」

「I know but it’s still annoying.」

「Should we make a different trap system for the professionals?」

The challenge ended and the result was obvious. But seeing the problem with the obstacles, the people of the continent chatted away about different ideas on traps. But then somebody mentioned one thing which made everyone freeze on the spot.

「Shouldn’t we organise the prize before we discuss the problem with the obstacles?」

While the people of the continent continued their discussion, the screen showed the adventurers who were celebrating their victory with their hands covered in sweat. To such sight, the youngest ground elf girl asked such a question.

「Indeed, I doubt coffees and sand oysters would show our appreciation for going through the obstacles.」

「Even though it was long, it seems that those adventurers are about to finish their break. It seems that now is not the time for us to be discussing the flaws in the obstacle course.」

「You’re right. For this round, we didn’t have a lot of time to prepare anything else so we have no other option but to serve what we can. The least we can do is to celebrate the end properly.」

Taking in his subordinate’s words, the elder mole person put on their army uniform and headed towards the final attraction. If the visitors seemed hostile, then there was no need for him to greet them. However, the people who have stepped into the mines this time, although they were very curious, they seemed friendly overall. So, the people of the continent must return the entertainment which they have received through proper hospitality.

「I wonder what they’re like in person?」

「Well, looking at how they acted throughout the whole thing, I don’t think they’re going to suddenly jump up and start attacking us.」

Looking at the elder walkout, the people of the continent restlessly looked over to the screen; waiting for the opportunity to talk to these adventurers in person. Although it was very one-sided, the people of the continent became found of these adventurers while observing their actions through the screen. At this time, none of them knew that this encounter will greatly influence their life.