Arc-7 Ch-43

Bang! Bang!

Baaang!

“Ugh, seriously! How many does that make now!?”

“Was that the twelfth one?”

『Correction requested. Leon Fou Bartfort has just defeated the thirteenth.』

“How can you two stay so calm about this!?”

“Quit complaining and reload already while I’m holding these ones off.”

“Shut up!”

“Try to keep it down a bit, Ariel. Getting worked up just wastes stamina.”

While listening to the twins behind him with one ear, he issued instructions, his gaze never leaving the darkness straight ahead.

He had no idea how much time had passed since they’d plunged into the underground ruins of the dungeon.

At times, it felt like only a few hours had gone by since they split up with Angie and the others, yet at other times, it felt like they’d been trudging through the pitch-black ruins, relying on faint lights, for days on end.

Human senses seemed precise, but were actually surprisingly crude, so relying on them too heavily could easily cost you your life.

For now, he observed the corpse of what appeared to be the thirteenth monster that had ambushed them from the darkness, confirmed there was no sign of it drawing breath again, and let out a quiet sigh.

It was the same as exterminating dungeon monsters, but he’d never once experienced a fight where knowing the rough weaknesses alone was enough to get by—at least, not in his case.

A mighty hero, poisoned with a tiny dose, writhing in agony as he coughed up blood and died. A soldier who had excelled in training, struck by a stray bullet, dead without being able to do a thing.

His personal belief was that life could be lost so absurdly easily if you weren’t careful.

The people who evaluated him as a battle-hardened veteran, or mistakenly assumed that the Saintess and the Hero’s party were invincible, were the ones who least understood the terror of the battlefield.

To avoid dying, thorough preparation and the utmost caution were necessary and to win a fight required even more: knowledge and sharp intuition.

The reason he’d survived the battlefield long enough to see this day was because he was as timid as a mouse cowering from a cat.

“Sphere, what’s the situation around us?”

『No biological reactions other than you three have been detected within visible range. I’m attempting to access the ruins’ system, but wide-area searching is proving difficult.』

“For the time being, it looks like we’re safe for a while. You two, check your supplies right now while you can.”

“Understood.”

“Yeees~”

While calling out to the twins, he kept a close eye on their condition. There were no visible injuries so far, but signs of fatigue were already beginning to show.

That was only natural. This was their first real battle, after all. Exploring dungeons and ruins drained the mind just as much as it did the body.

In his own case, back when he’d belonged to the kingdom’s army, he had first grown accustomed to hunting sky pirates before being thrown onto the battlefield. Even so, he’d still been able to make use of both his combat experience and the tension of real fighting when facing the Fanoss Principality.

Well, it was hard to say which was the lesser peril—exploring ruins where you couldn’t see what lay ahead and monsters lurked in the dark, or a battlefield where the roar of cannon fire never ceased.

For now, he reached into the pocket of his backpack and took out a small tin. From inside it, he retrieved a small round ball.

It was a medicinal candy he’d made by mixing various medicinal herbs into barley syrup. The sweetness helped calm the mind while also softening the herbs’ distinctive bitterness, so whenever he couldn’t secure time for a proper meal, he’d often suck on one of these.

Dried rations commonly used in the field would suck the moisture right out of your mouth if eaten as-is. He wanted to conserve the water they carried as much as possible, but forcing them to endure too much thirst could lead to dehydration.

“Suck on this. Don’t bite it—just lick it slowly so it lasts longer and helps ease your thirst.”

“Is it okay if we don’t drink from our canteens?”

“We can’t see what’s ahead, so we’re conserving water for now. Just take a single sip and make it last as long as possible in your mouth to quench your thirst.”

“Understood.”

“Check your ammunition consumption too. Out here, ammo is our lifeline.”

At his words, the two of them began checking their supplies. Even as they did so, he kept his hand on his gun, remaining alert to their surroundings.

One of the skills he’d mastered on the battlefield was the ability to split his focus.

While keeping his senses sharpened enough to stay alert to his surroundings, he deliberately relaxed the rest of his body, consciously trying to recover from his fatigue.

Once you could do this, even a brief rest would significantly ease your exhaustion. Of course, now that he was nearing his mid-thirties and living as a noble, it was gradually becoming harder to manage.

There were stories of martial arts masters who could perceive an enemy’s attack even while fast asleep and instantly counter it, but he wasn’t skilled—or superhuman—enough to pull off something like that.

Everything he was capable of was nothing more than an extension of abilities any ordinary person could develop through training.

“Something about this really doesn’t feel right to me.”

“What doesn’t?”

“This ruin, obviously. No matter how you look at it, the pathways feel like they’re guiding us forward. On top of that, monsters are set up here like some kind of nuisance. And yet, the way they attack feels oddly half-hearted. It’s unclear whether this place is trying to keep us out or lure us in.”

“It’s just that we’re too strong, so they can’t keep up.”

“Don’t get cocky just because it’s your first real fight, rookie. Plenty of arrogant idiots end up on the casualty list after getting taken out by a stray shot without defeating a single enemy.”

“Don’t underestimate me, Dad. I’ve already taken down three of them.”

“Oh, is that so? Then here’s another candy as your reward.”

“Eeeh~ I want something more motivating than that.”

He tossed another candy ball to Ariel, who puffed out her chest with pride, then returned to his thoughts.

Ever since they’d entered this place, most of the metal doors lining the passages they’d walked through had been firmly sealed shut.

On top of that, whenever they tried to force one open using Sphere’s power, monsters would attack as if they’d been waiting for that exact moment.

After going through the same situation several times, they eventually grew tired of forcing doors open and decided to follow only the passages that weren’t sealed.

If they’d had unlimited time, they would’ve avoided combat as much as possible, but right now, wasting any more time was far more dangerous than the burden of fighting.

Even so, he couldn’t completely shake off his unease.

How many more battles were waiting for them ahead? Would they still have enough ammunition and food by the time they reached their destination? Would Lionel and Ariel make it through safely? And even if they did make it to the end, would they be able to restore Angie to normal?

The more he thought about it, the more worries surfaced, wearing down his mind far more than his body ever could.

Still, that was the harsh reality of being both a commander and a father—you had to keep moving forward no matter what.

“Lionel, have you noticed anything?”

“Nothing in particular.”

“Don’t hold back—say it. Right now, even the smallest detail could help.”

Unlike Ariel, who had always been talkative and never held back, Lionel was a boy of very few words.

It wasn’t that he was blankly thinking of nothing or that his intuition was dull—he was simply being mindful of how others viewed him and trying to avoid causing any disputes because of his own actions.

He had noticed that the reason they had managed to fight so many monsters in these ruins so far without sustaining any injuries was partly due to Lionel providing precise support.

Lionel accurately grasped the surrounding situation, constantly predicted his allies’ offense and defense to cover their blind spots, and took over attacks whenever ammunition needed replenishing. He had already noticed that Lionel was handling these tasks skillfully.

On the battlefield, having even a single comrade who could fulfill such a supporting role was incredibly reassuring.

In the first place, only complete amateurs who knew nothing of real combat believed that gathering people skilled solely at attacking would guarantee victory.

Scouts who accurately grasped the terrain and enemy movements, staff officers who devised strategies based on gathered intelligence, rear support that ensured smooth resupply and long-range attacks, and frontline attackers who clashed directly with the enemy—victory in battle only came when there were pieces capable of performing these different roles and movements, just like in a board game.

Even so, what concerned him was Lionel’s excessively reserved personality.

If they were to use a board game as an analogy, Lionel would eventually need to become the piece representing the king—the commander.

What a commander needed was the ability to choose what he believed was right among countless possible strategies, to constantly inspire the troops so their morale wouldn’t drop, and to show the will to keep fighting while looking straight ahead, even if it meant being disliked by his subordinates.

Lionel somehow lacked the spirit required to command others.

Of course, a military commander had no need to fight on the front lines, nor did he need to be the strongest in the army.

However, cowardly or overly cautious superiors inevitably lost the respect of their subordinates. On a battlefield where lives could be lost at any moment, no one wanted a superior who would use his men as shields or a greedy one who might flee out of self-preservation.

Tactical retreats that prioritized saving the commander were common, but anyone who made his subordinates think “I really don’t want to let this guy escape” would eventually be looked down upon and lose his life.

Being attentive to small details and devoting himself to supporting capable comrades was certainly an effective way to contribute, but if done poorly, it could also make him look like a coward who curried favor with others while trying to stay as far away from danger as possible.

After marrying Angie, he had learned that whether among nobles or soldiers, once someone was recognized as incompetent or weak-willed, they would continue to be looked down upon indefinitely.

To a certain extent, you had to take the initiative and act proactively yourself, or when things got truly dangerous, no one would help you—and in the end, you would be the one who suffered.

He himself had a gloomy disposition and preferred tinkering with the soil in the fields over socializing, so he could somewhat understand how Lionel felt.

Angie had been giving him stern, repeated advice about how to handle the children and their education policy, but because of his busy work, he had kept putting it off. Now it seemed the bill for that negligence had come due.

Trouble always had a way of creeping up on you precisely when you least wanted it.

“I believe the ones sending the monsters after us are either the elves or the ruins themselves. The half-hearted attacks are probably because their objectives differ.”

“I see. Come to think of it, the ruins that spoke with Angie and me addressed us in a much friendlier manner than Sphere does. On the other hand, the elves tried to kill us with a surprise attack. So the difference in their attitudes toward us is resulting in these lukewarm assaults, huh?”

“The ruins turned Mother into a child’s form, yet they still let her escape. It’s possible they deemed her not worth killing, or perhaps they intended to keep her alive as a mere test subject. There’s also the possibility they released her so the elves wouldn’t find her.”

『The possibility that Angelica Fou Bartfort would be considered an optimal biological sample for the new humans is indeed thought to be quite high. In terms of both intellect and physical ability, she is an extremely high-specimen individual among the women residing in the Holfort Kingdom. As a sample, she is a truly fascinating subject.』

“Don’t talk about my wife like she’s some kind of lab animal.”

『It is merely a statement of fact. Since this ruin’s artificial intelligence was reactivated, the intelligent lifeforms it has interacted with have primarily been elves. It most likely only observed new humans to the extent of watching adventurers who explored the upper levels of the dungeon.』

“Then shouldn’t we just try making contact with them?”

“Remember why we came to this place in the first place. Too many people have gone missing after visiting the dungeon on this floating island.”

『It is presumed that those adventurers were most likely silenced by the elves. The exact point in time when the ruin’s artificial intelligence was reactivated remains unknown, but it was probably not active during the period when Olivia and the others captured the radical elves. Whether that was due to the site being turned into a tourist attraction or the return of the elves who had previously been using the ruins remains unclear.』

“Then if we avoid the elves and negotiate directly with the ruins instead, wouldn’t we be able to accomplish our objective?”

Lionel’s idea was, at its core, an attempt to resolve the situation without resorting to conflict.

For a brief moment, he found himself taken aback by the suggestion—not out of disappointment, but because he genuinely hadn’t expected Lionel to seriously propose solving the issue through dialogue with a Lost Item.

It must have been around ten years ago now. His first encounter with Sphere could only be described as the absolute worst.

He had destroyed the mechanical dolls controlled by Sphere within the ruins, and Sphere had attempted to kill him by sending those same mechanical dolls after him.

Since then, they had maintained a strange cooperative relationship for their mutual benefit all the way up to the present, but deep down, neither side fully trusted the other.

To Sphere, he was ultimately nothing more than a descendant of those it had once stood against, and it was only cooperating with him for the sake of gathering information. As for him, he was simply making use of Sphere’s power to ensure his family’s safety and to deal with troublesome situations.

They both recognized each other’s capabilities, but if they were ever to become enemies again, they would immediately begin trying to kill one another. That was the kind of bloodstained partnership they shared.

They could negotiate over matters of interest, but the genuine will to stop fighting had always been absent.

And yet, Lionel was thinking of avoiding the elves altogether and negotiating with the will of these ruins to resolve everything.

His eyes were far too serious for Leon to dismiss it as the naïve rambling of a child who didn’t understand the terror of Lost Items. A firm, unwavering resolve dwelled within those pupils.

If this had been a passive proposal for negotiation born out of fear, he would’ve rejected it without hesitation. 

However, if this is the result of our eldest son—who is usually so quiet—thinking it through seriously, then it feels wrong to simply brush it aside.

Ever since he was young, Lionel has been different from Ariel and Lia. He dislikes simplistic, brute-force solutions. Instead, he always listens to what others have to say first, and then chooses a peaceful way to resolve things.

That habit began because Angie repeatedly taught him, as the heir, to listen carefully to others before making any judgment.

After using Sphere's power to forcibly suppress the elves, he might insist on honoring the promise with the ruins by urging it to restore Angie to normal. It could also show reluctance toward my plan of leaving any troublesome matters that follow to the people in the royal capital.

"…So, what's the actual situation, Sphere? If you're the one bringing it up, wouldn't the ruins agree to it?"

『I am forced to judge that proposal as extremely difficult.』

"Why? Even if you've never met, you're on the same side, right? I know you hate the New Humanity, but since you're also a Lost Item from the Old Humanity, I thought they'd at least be willing to hear you out."

Well, if Sphere and the ruins end up getting along and decide to move straight toward humanity's eradication, that would be a problem for us as well.

It's true that I promised to introduce Sphere to the ruins in exchange for freeing Angie.

But that promise only extends to bringing them together. If any troublesome issues arise after that, I'll deal with them appropriately.

Just in case, I had several high-performance bombs hidden in my backpack. They probably wouldn't have enough power to destroy Sphere's main body, but they should be capable of stopping the ruins' core.

Still, if the worst-case scenario happens, it would be difficult to get Lionel and Ariel to safety. I don't mind going down together with Sphere or the ruins, but dragging my own children into it is something I truly hesitate to do.

『I have attempted to access this ruin multiple times in order to open the door, but every attempt ended with no response whatsoever. However, each time I came to the very brink of unlocking it through hacking, the password would be changed, causing the attempt to fail.』

"Ac-cess…? Hack-ing…? Pass-word…?"

『To explain it simply: every time I replicate the key to open the door, the lock is changed. Even when I call out to it, a strict protection is in place and it gives no reply at all. It is clear that this ruin possesses some form of intent and is actively rejecting me.』

"Isn't this the elves' doing? If they're the ones using this ruin to create monsters, then they should be capable of something like that, right?"

『Impossible.』

"You're awfully quick to shut that down."

『Our information-processing capabilities far exceed those of organic lifeforms. From the moment we arrived on this floating island, I began conducting my own independent investigation into the elves. Even if the elves possess superior physical abilities compared to the New Humanity, there are still limits to a biological being's reactive responses. Those limits are by no means beyond my own.』

"What if the ruins and the elves share the same objective and are working together?"

『It is true that I am in a cooperative relationship with Leon Fou Bartfort, but our joint actions are nothing more than the result of our interests aligning. Even if we assume the ruins and the elves have formed a similar cooperative relationship, the fact that it gives absolutely no response to my calls is something I simply cannot help but find incomprehensible.』

Sphere casually tosses out a remark that almost sounds like a jab aimed at me. As expected, this thing really isn't something you can afford to underestimate.

At the same time, the relationship between the elves and the ruins continues to bother me. I recall what the ruins said earlier.

『I want to know the current state of the outside world and the Old Humanity.』

『If the partner I've been dealing with ever since I woke up is someone steeped in prejudice and discrimination, then it's only natural that I'd want a proper person by my side, right?』

『I have not been granted the authority to fully demonstrate my functions unless there is someone to handle me.』

『They want to make use of my technology, but they only use it one-sidedly. They simply want to monopolize it without providing me with the information I require.』

The ruins can't display their full power without the elves. And yet, they aren't truly obedient to the elves from the bottom of their heart.

Even so, they continue to maintain complete silence and refuse to respond to the calls of their fellow Lost Item, Sphere.

Are they observing Angie and me, testing us to decide whether they should join hands with us?

Or perhaps the elves had already discovered that we'd freed Angie, and the situation had grown more complicated because of it.

Or maybe the ruins were operating under completely different intentions than Sphere's?

Either way, one thing was now unmistakably clear—the ruins weren't an opponent that could be easily reasoned with.

"In any case, the only thing we can do right now is keep moving forward. Once we get there, just focus on making the ruins restore Angie to normal somehow."

"If we don't have a solid plan, I don't think we'll be able to react properly when the time comes."

"I'm not denying your approach of trying to consider every possible outcome. But we should stop overthinking things to the point that we freeze up entirely."

"Is that really wrong?"

"It's hard to put into words, but for humans, agonizing over things comes easier."

"No, no, no. No matter how you look at it, that's not easier. It's way simpler to just pretend you forgot about the problem you were given and stumble your way through it."

"Ariel, you should learn from Lionel and try living like he does. That's exactly why Angie keeps chasing after you."

"Don't bring that up every single time."

"How should I put it… The thing about agonizing is, it has no end. 'What if something bad happens?' or 'If something unexpected occurs, what should I do?' No matter how much you think things through, there's always a limit to how much you can prepare for. And you already know that bad things and unexpected situations aren't exactly rare in this world, right?"

"Yes."

"When that happens, continuing to agonize and coming to a standstill feels easier. Even if later you think, 'I avoided extra damage because I carefully thought it through,' from the outside it just looks like you were standing still the whole time. Putting off decisions and running away from unpleasant things doesn't actually change anything. In some cases, the situation even gets worse with every passing moment."

"So you're saying we should just keep pushing forward?"

"I'm a cowardly and lazy man myself, so I get how you feel. But the only reason I've made it this far is because Angie was always there to kick me in the ass. When a wife like that is in danger, there's a huge difference between just making noise about it and actually struggling, even if it ends up being pointless."

I'm an uneducated man, only somewhat suited to being a soldier, and I've mostly just gotten by on luck.

The only thing I understand clearly is that if Angie hadn't become my wife, I wouldn't be alive here like this right now.

Maybe the correct decision would've been to not head for the ruins at all and just wait for the kingdom army to come rescue us instead.

But that would just be a life of drifting along the path of least resistance.

You can do everything within your power, still fall short, and end up with a result you regret. Or you can do nothing, pile up excuses and lies, leave your fate in someone else's hands, and still regret it in the end.

If I have to choose between those two, I'll pick the path where I take action myself. Maybe there's no other option but to keep moving forward.

"But if we keep going like this, can we really make it to the core of the ruins?"

"It'll be tough. If the elves decide to hunker down and turn it into a siege, we'll be overwhelmingly disadvantaged."

"A siege battle assumes reinforcements will arrive, right? If the people outside this ruin show up, things could get really bad."

『In addition, the total number of monsters remains unknown. Furthermore, assuming that the Holfort Kingdom army is not entirely on your side, there is also a time constraint, so I am forced to conclude that the probability of successfully completing the mission is extremely low.』

"You really don't hold back when pointing out harsh realities, do you?"

『If necessary, I propose activating my main body immediately. If the physical distance is reduced, my hacking speed will increase, and it should become easier for me to support you.』

"That sounds good. Let's do that, Dad."

"Rejected. Rejected. What if someone else finds it? And besides, can your forces even fight? You're the one who just said we don't know how many monsters there are."

『As a last resort, I will fire the main cannon mounted on this ship and blow away the upper-level dungeon. As long as the core of the ruins remains intact, there will be no issue with gathering information.』

"Stop it. Absolutely do not do that."

Even though it's made of metal, Sphere has far too much bloodlust, and that's a serious problem. This thing operates under the belief that as long as the enemy is eliminated, everything else will somehow fall into place, so it methods are always excessively crude and violent.

If something like that were to happen, it would definitely cause even greater chaos than the monster outbreak. In the worst-case scenario, we might even end up clashing with the kingdom army, and there's no telling how many people would lose their lives.

Even if it's a roundabout way of doing things, it's still far better to avoid casualties—whether they're enemies or people whose faces I've never even seen.

"On the contrary, it's precisely because the doors didn't open that we've managed to make it this far without too much trouble. Let's continue with this approach moving forward as well."

"What do you mean?"

"It means that because the passages are blocked off, the monsters can't rush us all at once. For those oversized monsters, these corridors are far too narrow for them to fight side by side, and there aren't any places for them to conceal their bodies, so our attacks are more likely to connect."

"I see. So it's not entirely a disadvantage for us."

"Now that you get it, our break is just about over. This ruin isn't endless, after all."

『Calculating based on the time Leon Fou Bartfort rescued Angelica Fou Bartfort, the total area of the ruins is estimated to be approximately equal to that of the upper-level dungeon. According to my calculations, the center of the ruins should not be far from here.』

"Got it. Then let's move."

"Yes."

It seemed the rest and the candy had done their job; both of their complexions had improved significantly. At this rate, we should be able to somehow reach the place where Angie had been held.

We continued advancing down the passage illuminated by Sphere, occasionally retracing our steps a little whenever we ran into a dead end.

Perhaps because we were getting closer to the core, we didn't encounter any monsters after the break. Maybe things would go surprisingly smoothly?

『Leon Fou Bartfort.』

"What is it?"

『There are biological reactions ahead. After cross-referencing the data, there is no doubt that they are the same monsters as before.』

"So they've finally shown themselves, huh? Where?"

『Just after turning right at the passage ahead.』

"How many are there?"

『Unknown.』

"What?"

『Please confirm with your own eyes.』

A bad feeling crept over me, so I pressed my body against the wall and carefully peeked around the corner. Lionel and Ariel followed suit.

"Dad."

"What?"

"You said earlier, 'It's precisely because the passages are blocked that the monsters can't swarm us all at once,' right?"

"I definitely said that."

"I actually felt a bit of respect for you when I heard that."

"That makes me happy."

"But right now, I'm honestly a little stunned instead."

"Please stop. When your daughter looks at you like that, it makes your father very sad."

"Then let me ask you this—what the hell is that supposed to be?"

Beyond the passage, we could see the monsters. And it wasn't just five or six of them.

It was a horde that exceeded the total number of monsters we had defeated up until now.

For a brief moment, the urge to run away flashed through my mind. But if I ran, what would happen to Lionel and Ariel?

Angie would definitely never be able to return to her original body.

Being a lord is tough, but being a father is just as tough. If we all make it back safely to our territory, I'm going to take a long, proper rest.

I'll slack off until my brain turns to mush and let Angie scold me for it.

For that to happen, I have to survive first.

『It is highly likely that they refrained from attacking us earlier because they were lying in wait for an ambush.』

"Thanks a lot for stating the obvious!"

"What are we going to do!?"

"We'll face them head-on right here! Both of you, get ready!"

"Ugh, seriously!? Is real combat and adventuring always like this!?"

"Stories and picture books are full of exaggeration! The work that actually supports the world is mostly dull, unnoticed labor!"

"What's the plan!?"

"Same as always! Stop the movements of anything that comes at us, then finish it off with overwhelming firepower!"

The hostility emanating from the abnormally large number of monsters bore down on us like the weight of a massive iron door.

It felt as though it was expressing the will of those lurking within this ruin: You will not be allowed to go any further beyond this point.

At the same time, somewhere deep in my heart, I felt a firm conviction—that if we could break through this situation, everything that followed would be easy. No matter how advanced the technology of this ruin might be, it shouldn't be capable of producing monsters without limit.

BOOOOOOM!!

Bullets infused with magic tore through the darkness, causing blossoms of blood to erupt. Being thrown into life-or-death situations was something I'd already grown accustomed to.

The moment my mind switched into combat mode and all five of my senses sharpened, I swung the muzzle of my gun toward the next target.

Gunfire rang out again and again through the passage—a place rarely ever set foot in by people.

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Authors Note  

┻━⁠━━━━⁠━━⁠━━━⁠┻  

This chapter is told from Leon’s perspective, with a focus on the conversations between parent and children.

The relationship between the ruins and the elves is portrayed in a form that differs from the original work.

It’s depicted as a completely separate entity from the state immediately following the restart in the original, as well as from Cleare.

The next chapter is planned to center around Ariel.

---

Postscript: At the request of the commissioner,

the illustrations were created by tooteki-sama, Oswani-sama, Gamgaji-sama, Takami-sama, and Helmet Nyan-sama.

I offer my heartfelt thanks.

tooteki-sama　Pixiv

オスワーニ-sama　Pixiv（Adult content warning）

감가지-sama　Pixiv

タカミ-sama　Pixiv

Helmet Nyan-sama　Pixiv

I’d be delighted to receive your thoughts and impressions, as they’ll serve as motivation for my future work.