Chapter 231

“This is it. This is where we exited the forest. So we’ll enter from here and go straight—that will lead us to the abandoned village. Let’s aim for that first.”

“Silent… or rather, should I call you Shizuma? Can you display a map inside?”

“Silent is fine. Yeah, I can display the map. But it’s so vast that the whole display is just forest tiles—it’s hardly useful as a reference.”

“That vast, huh… looks like we need to brace ourselves for a long trek.”

“This forest is incredibly dense… and there are traces and presences of monsters everywhere. We probably can’t feel completely safe at night either.”

“Seems like it… We can use wards for protection, but if something equivalent to that ‘Boundary Breaker’ monster shows up, it might even break through the wards.”

“The likelihood is high. That thing… it was truly comparable to the skeletal dragon we fought in the previous dungeon. When I passed through here last time, every night I had to find a tall tree and spend the night on top of it.”

We step into the restricted dungeon, Exhaust.

It’s not just any forest—it’s likely the evolved form of a “natural mega-dungeon” of the sort we’ve experienced before.

When I came here previously, I was only focused on escaping quickly and returning to Melt, so I didn’t pay much attention to anything else.

But now I understand—this forest is abnormal.

The forest grows thickly and densely. Unlike the forests around the recent village, it doesn’t have trees growing in a wildly unnatural way—it’s just “a deep forest” in general terms.

Yet the density of the trees and the thick green aroma in the air is overwhelming. Overwhelmingly so.

It’s like holding a fistful of crushed grass and leaves close to your face—the heavy, pungent scent of green, the steam likely rising from the surrounding plants, clinging to your body.

And what’s most unsettling—as Melt said—is the presence everywhere.

There are no monsters in sight, yet it feels as if the jaws of a massive creature are right next to you at this very moment. A palpable sense of danger, a premonition of death.

It’s too abnormal. The very presence of fear and alertness might be a feature of this dungeon itself.

Yet I understand why. This is not a trick or gimmick—it’s simply the overwhelmingly vast domain of non-human creatures, and my body instinctively senses it, which is why I feel this presence.

“Maybe countering it with a certain degree of human ego and force is the right move. Sheele, this way. Straight in this direction lies the abandoned village. I’m going to swing my sword full force and use ‘Gale Break’ to cut down every tree in our path. Melt, keep watch around us for monsters taking advantage of the commotion. Sheele, do the same as me—strike straight along this line. Push forward, removing obstacles. And intimidate the surroundings while we’re at it.”

“…I see. You’re talking about when I used a technique to break through the gimmick in the forest of Heart-Piercing Eternal Sorrow? Even I thought it was a brilliant idea at the time.” 

“Both of you, do your best! I’ll handle monsters if they appear! You two destroy the forest!”

“…When you put it like that, it feels a bit complicated.”

“From now on, we’ll be cutting the forest every day!”

“Don’t say weird things. Ei!”

“Ouch. Sorry, was that internet meme unwelcome?… I probably shouldn’t ask if you dislike trends, or I’d get scolded again.”

“Gale Break! Whew… there were quite a few hiding, weren’t there, monsters?”

“Yes. For efficiency, I should check the trajectory of Gale Break and snipe any monsters that escape.”

“My job’s gone now, huh? Oh, there’s one. Ei!”

As we literally cut our way through the forest, the process became efficient.

I use a technique with a 20-meter range to cut trees in our path. Monsters that survived or detected the disturbance rush at us.

Sheele snipes them with her bow, and Melt handles any that approach from behind.

Normally, we’d have to proceed cautiously, bypassing dense trees, but we ignore all that and push straight ahead.

Mana for the techniques? Plentiful recovery potions fix that. Pure brute-force progression.

Thanks to this forced march, by the end of the first day, the map finally displays a trace of the path leading to the village.

“Alright… Melt’s magic is ridiculous in a forest so full of natural life.”

“It really is amazing… as long as I have mana, I think we can keep advancing like this.”

“That’s impossible—I’d get bloated from all the potions.” 

Melt said.

Before evening, we paused to secure a safe resting place for the night.

Melt used her nature magic to weave thick vines atop tall trees, creating a sturdy base.

We set up a tent there. Sheele’s techniques created wards around it, and Melt grew branches around the tent for camouflage—a makeshift treehouse, ready in no time.

“This way, we don’t have to fear monster attacks at night. It’s spacious enough.”

“Silent, shouldn’t you shrink down while sleeping? Even if it’s spacious.”

“Yes! I’ll request Rent-chan’s form! Watching Koyoham-chan reminded me of Rent-chan!”

“Haha… poor Silent, it seems like everyone’s calling you ‘too big and annoying,’ but yes, it’s better to rest comfortably and recover. Alright… here.”

Bathed in light, her height shrinks by nearly half.

Indeed, inside the tent suddenly feels much more spacious.

And… visually, it’s far better than having a giant and two girls sleeping together.

Before sleeping, I decide to check in with the inner council—must follow up with Silent.

“Goodnight! Rent is in the middle. Hug!”

“I hug too. Small and cute, really.”

“Ugh…”

“No need for follow-up.”

Waking at the head of the council, I immediately hear Silent’s displeased voice beside me.

Looking, she does seem a bit sulky, while the others quietly try not to laugh.

Ah… Silent’s being teased.

“Haha… well, safety’s mostly secured, so you two suggested changing form, right? If it had been more dangerous, we would have stayed in Silent form as a combat precaution.”

“I said there’s no need for follow-up…”

“No, just reporting facts. Actually, we haven’t yet encountered any real threat in this dungeon. Still, I’d like Still’s opinion—he’s the one who actually explored this dungeon too.”

Right. Still went to the deep parts of this dungeon—not to escape, but to approach the mastermind and check on Fulerica’s fate.

I recall Stil unusually concerned about Fulerica at that time.

“It’s an honor to be asked my opinion by my lord. Well… in my view, it’s not that the entire forest is full of powerful monsters. The problem is likely ‘very strong individuals that patrol internally’. Fulerica went deep inside, and multiple groups came to eliminate her. Perhaps there are entities who can monitor these powerful patrol monsters to some extent.”

“I see. So the patrolling monsters… then ‘Boundary Breaker’ could be part of that system.”

“Exactly. That’s why I concluded this. That monster might have exited the dungeon to measure patrol timing from outside. If so… there may be some agreement or cooperation between the master of this huge restricted dungeon and the mastermind, or some authority. There was a mansion deep in the dungeon, which was used as a trap to eliminate Fulerica. I think whoever controls the dungeon has some human connection.”

Still spoke his views, based on what he had experienced, his instincts, and his reasoning and deductions.

Indeed, when I integrate all the information we’ve gathered so far, Still’s theory gains a lot of credibility…

No, perhaps—

“Still. What kind of place was the mansion built on? Was it somewhere humans could have carried materials to and constructed it? No… this dungeon isn’t even a place where craftsmen could transport materials, is it?”

“…I see. So this is like the story of when my lord was summoned inside another dungeon within the ‘Great Forest of Dreamhill… meaning that mansion could also have been created by the dungeon master.”

“That’s what I concluded. Perhaps… the dungeon master resides in that mansion as well. And if that mansion is also a dungeon, it may have been rebuilt entirely. For now, as our next objective, we’ll head toward the location where that mansion stood.”

“I’m glad I could be of help.”

As Still and I discussed our next steps, we noticed how unusually quiet the others had become.

Curious, I glanced around—

“…I’m surprised by how useful this discussion has been. I didn’t expect Still-san to be that kind of person, and I’m a bit taken aback.”

“Oh? Koyoham-san, what kind of person did you think I was?”

“Perhaps a mean-spirited priest who enjoys bullying little children? Fortunately, I haven’t been the target.”

“That’s most unfair. I was simply trying to get along with my dear senior, Second Character Rent-san.”

Apparently, the newcomer Koyoham found Still’s serious demeanor unusually striking.

And as for another newcomer, Chimegu—

“Hmm… I was curious, but your attire in your mental world… is that called a uniform? It appears industrially made, yet it’s remarkably well-finished.”

He had been quietly observing my uniform right beside me without me noticing.

“The lining is thoroughly stitched, and the threadwork is meticulous. You can sense the maker’s intention—that they wanted this garment to last a long time. It’s a fine piece of clothing.”

“Haha… yes, it was made assuming I’d wear it almost every day for three years.”

“I see… fascinating. When we return outside, I’d like to see it more closely and see if I can replicate it myself.”

He was completely in “craftsman mode,” focusing only on the clothes.

Such a calm, methodical person… the Round Table has become quite lively indeed.

“All right. Thanks to Still, we’ve decided our plan going forward, so let’s sleep for today.”

When I announced this, everyone returned greetings politely.

For some reason, that made me happy. Someday… I want to let everyone here see the outside world.

“…Mm, is it morning already?”

Perhaps sensing the light through my eyelids, or because my body felt unusually heavy, I naturally opened my eyes. Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a green hue over the tent.

Ah, right. We’re high up in the trees, surrounded by countless branches.

“Hey, you two—stop tangling your limbs together!”

“Mmm…”

“Uh-huh…”

I shook off their sleepy hold, stepped outside the tent, and assumed Silent’s form.

Pushing aside thick, overgrown branches, I looked around: a forest stretching endlessly in all directions.

Truly a sea of trees. The vastness of this dungeon is overwhelming, and it’s no wonder no one has ever fully traversed it.

“The abandoned village is over there… from there, we head toward the mountains near the border.”

I confirmed our course. If Stil’s theory is correct, and the mansion was prepared by the dungeon master, then at the very least, the dungeon master here is on par with the master of the Great Forest of Dreamhill.

Back then, we defeated him instantly thanks to a valuable item, but perhaps the dungeon master should have been a much stronger opponent—maybe even comparable to Felschuler, the master of the “Death Sea That Devours the Earth.”

Assuming the dungeon master here is a formidable foe might be the safest approach as we move forward.