The Soul-Eroding Rust Sand Sea

The event-grown plants would be put to a taste-test competition. Since the event itself had no competitive element, everyone ended up taking part. Thinking I might as well give it a try, I asked Conrad, Anne, and Usuba whether they would come to the capital for the competition.

Conrad was eager to come, and Anne said she would absolutely love to participate. Apparently, Usuba was currently at odds with some organization and could not travel until he dealt with it somehow. He replied that he would like to participate if the matter was settled before the event ended.

Was there really an organization that Usuba and his companions could not settle with quickly? Apparently, there were terrifying groups even among the NPCs. Hmm, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to get involved or stay away. I had complicated feelings about it.

"My friend and Demon King Izaam, what is it you wish to ask?"

We could deal with the event once it began. For now, it was time to work on rebuilding the capital. As part of that effort, I decided to speak with the Dark Elf Kirilz to gather information about the purple desert beyond the 'Dark Forest of Temptation.' Since he had already moved to the capital, I visited his home. Kirilz welcomed Iris and me inside without hesitation.

"My question concerns the desert said to lie beyond the forest where you live. If you know how to get there or what kind of place it is, please tell me."

"My friend... are you out of your mind? Going there—to the 'Soul-Eroding Rust Sand Sea'—is tantamount to death. There is practically no chance of returning alive. Do you still wish to know?"

Kirilz's eyes widened at my question. Apparently, the field was called the 'Soul-Eroding Rust Sand Sea.' Even the name alone made it sound like an unimaginably dangerous place, but what was it actually like? Rather than making me hesitate, it only stimulated my curiosity even more!

"Yes. We are Players, beings who have no need to fear death. Even if you tell us to stay away, we will end up going. So tell us. It will make our exploration more efficient."

"Players truly are incorrigible! If you possess that much resolve, then I shall tell you everything I know."

For some time afterward, I succeeded in drawing out all the information Kirilz knew about the 'Soul-Eroding Rust Sand Sea.' After hearing it all, I had only one thought: if we went there without specialized preparations and tried to deal with everything as it came, we would certainly die.

The 'Soul-Eroding Rust Sand Sea' was undoubtedly a purple desert, just as we had observed from above. However, this was a desert in a game. Real deserts came in several types, such as sand deserts and gravel deserts, but this place was what one might call a rust desert—a place overflowing with fragments of rusted metal.

Walking there was like crossing a bed of needles, so any inadequate shoes would quickly fall apart. Furthermore, simply touching the metal fragments caused damage even through armor, so we would need several times our usual supply of healing items just to have any hope of returning.

The sandstorms raging everywhere picked up metal fragments, turning them into blenders. If we were caught in one, we would be minced in an instant no matter how high our defense was. It seemed to be an environment far more brutal than I had imagined.

"It sounds far worse than we anticipated. Yet you speak as though you had seen it yourself."

"Yes, my friend. I once went to the edge of the forest in a fit of youthful recklessness. Everything I told you was based on firsthand experience."

"I-I see. May I ask what kind of monsters were there? Judging from the way you spoke, it seems you were unable to explore very far..."

"I only observed them from a distance, so I do not know every monster there. But if that is acceptable, I shall tell you what I saw."

There were two types of monsters Kirilz had seen: a swarm of spherical, insect-like monsters with six jointed legs, and a lizard with several heads that attacked them. Apparently, the lizard used its cries to drive the insects into the deadly sandstorms, then fed on them after they had been caught and minced. Monsters intelligent enough to exploit the environment were extremely troublesome. We would have to be careful when fighting them.

More importantly, I was interested in the materials that could be harvested from monsters living in an environment where even inadequate armor made survival difficult. They would surely make excellent armor. No, if metal fragments stretched as far as the eye could see and we could carry them home, then the place was practically a plentiful mine. We absolutely had to investigate it in detail!

"Um, may I ask one question?"

"Ask anything you wish."

"I understand that the 'Soul-Eroding Rust Sand Sea' is a dangerous place. But what is the boundary between it and the 'Dark Forest of Temptation' like? Is it right next to the forest?"

"Yes, it is. However, the two regions are separated by a special tree that can grow in both environments: the Steel-Eating Tree. As you approach the boundary, metal fragments begin to mix into the ground beneath your feet, and most of the trees growing around there are Steel-Eating Trees."

"A Steel-Eating Tree?"

"It is a tree that grows by feeding on metal rather than soil. Its entire body has properties similar to metal. Its leaves can become arrowheads, and if you sharpen a broken branch, it can serve as either a sword or a spear. It is one of the materials the Dark Elves use for weapons."

"Of course, that is not all," Kirilz continued. So it was a material for weapons that grew naturally. Since it could not grow in ordinary soil, it probably could only grow at the boundary between the forest and the Rust Sand Sea. It was a completely fantastical plant.

Perhaps it had begun absorbing metal to survive after losing the struggle for survival in the forest. Could we create a similar plant by filling one of the event flowerpots with metal fragments and planting a seed in it?

"The forest is gradually expanding as that tree encroaches upon the Rust Sand Sea. In tens of thousands of years, the 'Soul-Eroding Rust Sand Sea' may no longer exist."

That was how Kirilz concluded his explanation. His story had made it clear that the 'Soul-Eroding Rust Sand Sea' was a dangerous place where charging in without a plan would only result in a pointless death. It was clearly not a field we could casually attempt to clear on the side while helping with the construction and conspiracy already underway.

Learning that much was already a success. I had heard that the conspiracy would soon be entering its final stages, which meant our departure was drawing near as well. It would be fun to do something villainous again after so long!

◆◇◆◇◆◇

Around twenty merchants had gathered at the commercial guild in Twentino. What they had in common was that they all owned ships used for maritime transport. Among them were Thomas of the 'Medil Trading Company,' Conrad of the 'Contra Trading Company,' and Leon of the 'Fenix Trading Company.'

Conrad was one thing, but there was a reason Thomas and Leon, who were mortal enemies, were sitting quietly together. The meeting was being conducted by an employee of the commercial guild, and it had been organized by multiple trading companies that included neither the 'Medil Trading Company' nor the 'Contra Trading Company.'

Furthermore, many of the organizers did business with Leon, so causing a disturbance here would be tantamount to making them lose face. Meetings like this also always had all the groundwork laid in advance, meaning that even if a debate took place, the conclusion had already been decided. Leon deeply regretted not taking action when he had first heard that the meeting would be held.

(Those damned old man and nephew. They must have created a situation where I cannot push back, but what are they planning to have decided?)

Although the organizers were different, Leon was convinced that the 'Medil Trading Company' had created the opportunity for this meeting. Suppressing his anger and maintaining a poker face, he tried to guess its purpose. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for the matter to reach him.

Could they be planning to accuse me? No, the people mediating the connection with the pirates belonged to the organization. There was not a shred of evidence, so he could simply dismiss it as a baseless accusation. If the 'Medil Trading Company' were foolish enough to try that, it would already have gone under. Then what was their true objective? He had no idea.

Before Leon could come up with an answer he found satisfactory, an employee of the commercial guild declared the meeting open. Once the organizers had finished their greetings, they introduced the main topic: a 'Plan to Exterminate the Pirates Appearing Between Luxresia and Flamar.' It was no wonder Leon's face froze.

"The damage caused by pirates appearing along the sea route between Luxresia and Flamar cannot be overlooked. This issue has often been raised for discussion in the past, but we now find ourselves in a situation that can no longer be ignored."

"You mean the pirates in question?"

"Exactly. New pirates have appeared—Player pirates, at that."

Leon desperately maintained his poker face while clenching one fist so tightly beneath the table, out of sight of those around him, that blood seeped from it. He was so furious that he felt he might go mad.

Leon had poured his heart and soul into a plan to effectively control the sea route through a secret agreement with the pirates, with the cooperation of the organization. He had maintained the plan through an exquisite sense of balance, but an outsider had come out of nowhere and rampaged so excessively that the entire plan had collapsed. How could he not be furious?

However, he could not afford to do nothing but rage. Once the matter had been placed on the agenda, it was practically decided, and Leon had already lost by waiting too long to act. He needed to devise the next-best plan to minimize the damage from his defeat.

That meant buying time to completely erase all evidence that he and the organization had been colluding with the pirates. He had never underestimated the power of the other merchants. If they pooled their funds, they could assemble enough forces to crush pirates who were only somewhat formidable. That was why he had made the pirates attack only at intervals too infrequent to be worth the trouble.

"The damage caused by the new pirates is immense, and we believe the pirates should be driven from these waters. To that end, we would like everyone to contribute funds jointly so that we can carry out their extermination without delay. Are there any questions?"

"I am Leon of the 'Fenix Trading Company.' Naturally, I agree that the pirates should be defeated, but I would like to ask what you think about the timing. I hear that these Player pirates are quite skilled. We would not be able to stand against them with an inadequate force."

Leon agreed with exterminating the pirates while implicitly arguing that they should take time to gather sufficient forces. His aim was to buy time to destroy the evidence. However, his statement was immediately rejected.

"No, that will not be a problem. Anticipating this, I contacted some highly skilled Players and have already summoned them here. I have submitted the estimated reward to the commercial guild, and they have confirmed that it is only somewhat higher than the going rate. I believe it is a reasonable amount for a swift response."

"It is certainly better than leaving the pirates to run rampant," Conrad concluded. Using his network as a Player, he had summoned several other Players. There was no longer any time Leon could use to do anything while manpower was being assembled.

"You are far too capable to be merely a Player, Conrad-dono! Now then, everyone who has gathered here, I would like to put this to a vote. Those who will jointly fund this plan, please stand. Those who will not, please remain seated."

The moment the heavyset merchant, one of the organizers, finished speaking, every merchant present immediately stood up. Every merchant gathered there had suffered from the pirates. It was difficult for a single person to issue a request to defeat them, but splitting the burden among several trading companies made it much lighter. There was almost no reason to refuse.

Conversely, anyone who refused would be branded 'a coward who uses a route made safe with money paid by other trading companies.' Even a merchant known for being stingy would quickly become the subject of rumors if they refused here, and the crews of their merchant ships would hear about it. Skilled sailors tended to be particularly devoted to those they served, so retaining their loyalty after they learned of this would be difficult.

Because he understood all of that, Leon stood up without hesitation. The anger had long since vanished from his mind, replaced by a sense of urgency. He had to contact Dios immediately and begin destroying the evidence.

Conrad watched Leon's crumbling poker face with his usual smile. Not a single person noticed the malice in that smile.