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90. Golden Hole

「Geli can’t say for sure until we see it, but the dungeon is probably real. It’s also an extra-large one.」

「What makes you think that, Angelina?」

「First of all, surely that Kirmiji-san wouldn’t suggest anything too obvious.」

Angelina continued while easily passing through the pillar where Koe-san bumped her head due to the difference in height. Shizuku, who was following behind her, also passed through easily without having to bend down.

「You mean the suggestion effect would be revealed if the dungeon is a lie?」

「Azula-chan found the dungeon, so she went out to search for our village. If that in itself is a lie, then everything about her would be a made-up story. The events that followed after would make no sense.」

「Then, what is the second reason?」

「Intuition. Geli’s intention.」

「I see. There is nothing more frightening than a scholar’s intuition.」

The intuition of a person who doesn’t understand the logic of things is nothing more than a wish or a guess. Conversely, the intuition of a person who understands the principles of the world will be tied to the truth in some way. The intuition of a genius alchemist with a bold look is not to be taken lightly.

「This way.」

We proceeded through the mine shaft, led by Azula.

The mine shaft itself seemed to be old, and there were only a few dwarves to be seen. There were no humans.

For some reason, the dwarves’ attitude towards us was positive. I was prepared to walk through darkness, and be covered in mud, but the path was illuminated and the mud and stones were cleared.

They shouldn’t not have gotten the information that I was the king of the werewolf race. As I was thinking that there might be some other reason, Azula suddenly stopped.

「Here it is.」

「…Isn’t it just a dead end?」

Shizuku grumbled as she touched the wall around. Azura led us to a mere rock wall. From the discarded materials around, it was easy to guess that this place is where the ore vein ran out after being dug up.

Koe-san and Angelina also touched the wall and had almost the same reaction.

「Is it some kind of camouflage?」

「It isn’t. There are only rocks up to five feet forward.」

「What about your intuition, Angelina?」

「It was only an intuition, after all.」

That’s when everyone started to wonder if what Azura was seeing was the effect of the suggestion, after all.

The presence of people behind us increased. Several people come running towards us.

「My Lady!!」

「Chunaru.」

「Sorry for being late! We are glad to see you safe!」

「Marge-sama, let me introduce this person. He is my attendant, Chunaru.」

Chunaru. I remember that name and face.

The dwarves who were named the “Dwarf Loyalty Corps” by the Knights Order were suggested to attack me. This young man was among them. Although he didn’t say anything when I returned to heal his severed right arm.

「The situation at that time did not allow for pleasantries…」

「Attendant? Just who are you, Azula-chan?」

「The lady is a direct descendant of the dwarf, who is also called the progenitor, and she is, so to speak, a princess.」

「A dwarf…」

「Princess.」

「It is not that big of a deal.」

「…I see now.」

Azura looked at the sword on my waist and could tell at a glance that it was made by the progenitor. It is strange if you think about it. Is it possible that all the dwarves living in distress have knowledge of records from over hundreds of years ago? I’m sure there is a lot more information out there which is more important for surviving in the present.

However, this makes sense if that knowledge was inherited as a descendant of the progenitor.

「I thought the young lady would surely be able to come to the underground soon, so we have been preparing!」

「Then you know what to do next.」

「Yes, my lady!」

「Then we must not keep Marge-sama waiting.」

The dwarves all took out their pickaxes.

「We’ll start digging!」

No sooner than they said it, the dwarves slammed their pickaxes into the rock wall. They dug through it as if they were cutting into cheese. Although overwhelmed by their power, Angelina remained skeptical.

「No matter how much you dig, it’s still rock. Geli can tell from the power of [Mud Infant] that it’s only rock for at least five feet ahead.」

「For dwarves, a wall is at least ten feet thick.」

「……Oh?」

「We buried it 70 feets in to disguise it.」

「Seventy feet.」

Before Shizuku could point out that at that point it was a seal, not a disguise – light leaked from the end of the hole.

「It’s open!」

「……Gold color?」

It was completely different from the light emitted by Shizuku’s [Garou]. Not a golden color, but gold itself. Intense gold and red light overflowed from the other side of the hole.

「Golden… Land…」

A space filled with gold brilliance to the brim opened up.

Even “The Abyss Where Evil Comes From”, a similar high-class dungeon, was a dark and cold underground palace. “The Farthest Ends of Blue”’ was a mysterious cave with a vast view of nature.

This was completely different from either of those. In here, scorching flame and molten gold flowed like a river.

「Welcome to the dwarf’s dungeon, “Golden Land of Crimson Luxury”.」

Who would have imagined a clear stream of pure gold gushing forth? The dwarves stared intently at the gold river, unable to breathe due to the intense heat.

All of us were temporarily speechless before the sea of treasure that rivaled anything and everything else in this world.