Chapter 95
Dungeon Raid, Day 1.
Led by Count Wolfhaufen, the party entered the dungeon.
The party consisted of a PTSD Knight, a noble killer, a black mage, a half-ogre, and the count.
It was absolutely not a common combination.
People who could never gather in one place together had gathered, making the sight almost bizarre.
"Did everyone memorize the guidebook?"
"Of course."
The party shared a common goal: mana stones.
Count Wolfhaufen wanted to save his daughter.
The PTSD Knight wanted to live the rest of his life in peace.
The black mage wanted absolute power.
The noble killer wanted his crimes pardoned.
The half-ogre wanted to become human.
They did not reveal their names to one another.
They shared only their motives.
Perhaps from the outside they looked like a party that would start off stumbling from the very beginning, but in the end what mattered to them was skill, not human warmth.
They had no trust in one another.
A noble too busy padding his own pockets, a criminal who had murdered that noble, a discharged soldier who suffered periodic fits, a black mage who sacrificed human lives, and a monster.
It was the kind of lineup that made you worry first about whether they could even divide the mana stones fairly after everything was over.
But.
"Let's go."
From the moment they entered the dungeon prepared to die, their desire for the mana stones was real.
At the very least, as long as they had a shared objective, they could trust one another.
What lay ahead could not be cleared alone.
As many people as possible had to work together.
Everyone knew that.
Then there shouldn't be a big problem.
The party arrived in front of the entrance elevator.
Before they began the raid in earnest, they talked through each area.
Maze, school, mansion, ???, village.
Based on the information in the guidebook, they discussed the action plan for each area.
"Count."
The black mage, who had been looking over the guidebook, spoke up.
"What is it?"
"The guidebook clearly says we need to make a loud noise in Area 5. Why are you insisting that we should stay quiet instead?"
The black mage said.
By discarding objects, one can distinguish truth from falsehood.
I understood that part.
But.
The sound-related part in Area 5 did not say anything about truth or falsehood.
And yet, the count had told the party that "silence" was the answer.
The count replied.
"Intuition."
"Huh?"
Contrary to expectations, it was a simple and straightforward reason.
Since he didn't add anything else.
The black mage looked thoroughly bewildered.
"Hmm."
Well, what is written in the guidebook isn't necessarily 100 percent correct.
The sound-related record is in a different handwriting than the recorder's.
That was definitive proof that the information about the anomaly had been recorded correctly, but later tampered with by the dungeon's minions.
Therefore, the line that says you have to make a loud noise in order not to die is definitely information related to Area 5, but it could still be false.
The black mage thought.
According to the journal's circumstances, nine knights entered the village.
And they all died.
There were only two scraps of information brought back.
Compared to the seventh raid, in which Dragred had once been sacrificed, it was a pitiful result.
In Area 5, there is a powerful anomaly.
And that anomaly is related to "sound."
That much was certain.
Dreamland couldn't possibly tamper with every record.
"You have to make a loud noise. I definitely think this part is a little strange, though..."
'Don't make any sound' feels a little more natural, doesn't it.
Since it doesn't clearly say when, where, or at what timing a loud noise should be made.
It felt obviously different from the other strategies.
In fact, the black mage also thought that part was vague.
Even if they couldn't make a sound, they could still relay information through communication magic.
Besides, that Lorensia had accompanied the count as a raiding member.
He himself should have been able to remember what he had thought, too.
Rather, at the very beginning, when there were no clues about "sound" at all.
If they had all blabbered cluelessly, everyone would have been wiped out.
That kind of hypothesis might fit as well.
"I don't really like this kind of baseless gamble, but well, this time I'll trust your intuition."
In any case, the odds are fifty-fifty.
Die or live.
Even if he had lost his memory, the count was the only one here with prior experience in Dreamland raids.
If we go to Area 5, it'll be confirmed.
"Where will we be teleported to?"
"I'd rather it not be Area 4, where there's no information at all."
"Anyway, to get to the core room, we have to pass through every area."
"Of course, if we can even get there."
.
.
.
.
.
The count stepped into the elevator.
This was probably the first time he had ever ridden this contraption.
Up to now, he must have recorded information in the safe zone with the mages.
Creak, creak.
Creak, creak.
A sinister sound drifted over.
His heartbeat quickened.
He closed his eyes.
Were the knights feeling this too?
Dragred must have felt the same.
He trembled.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't trembling.
The way ahead was filled with death.
"Just wait a little longer, Ae."
And yet he had to move forward.
He pressed the button.
.
.
.
.
.
Teleportation happened in an instant.
It was a strange sensation.
It was like waking from a dream and facing the ceiling.
The count blinked.
The cramped elevator scenery was gone.
The village had appeared.
"……."
This quiet village was located between two forests.
It was a place where fog pooled and could not escape.
The houses scattered here and there gave off a lonely feeling.
The sun was up in the sky.
Even so, this place was dark.
It was hazy, as though viewing the world through a frost-covered window.
Beyond there was a road that led into the forest.
An old wooden sign stood there, leaning as if it might collapse at any moment.
The letters were almost erased, making it hard to tell whether it was a signpost or a warning notice.
All the houses looked similar.
Low walls, closed windows, and red roofs.
The count looked at the very faint light leaking through the curtains.
For a moment, he almost thought about going into that house, but held himself back.
'Here.
The count used detection magic.
Then he confirmed that he was standing in Area 5.
The others were the same.
The entire party had been transferred here.
Before getting on the elevator, the party had each decided on their own course of action.
In the case of Area 5, if "the spawned raider's location is random" is true.
Then let's gather around the place where the count is located.
And let's act as if silence is the correct answer.
Seeing that no one had died yet.
It should be fine to think that this is the right answer.
Fortunately.
"……."
It's annoying that they can't use communication magic.
Still, the party was gathering in the village, so for now he could just do a quick investigation and wait.
The count walked through the village.
The more he walked, the more strange things stood out.
There was a well in the middle of the village.
The water was far too black; it didn't look drinkable.
Round things shaped like bird eggs were floating on the surface.
Their size was considerable, enough to fill the well's opening completely.
Step, step.
Step, step.
While the count was looking at the well.
Footsteps came from somewhere.
He felt a gaze.
Right behind him.
The count knew.
The party members were currently separated from him.
It would take time for them to arrive.
If that's the case.
This being is highly likely to be one of the dungeon's minions.
He swallowed hard.
When he turned his head.
There was.
A person.
.
.
.
.
.
He was a common human, the sort that could be found anywhere.
In fact, he really did have that kind of appearance.
His appearance resembled someone existing in his memories.
I feel like I've seen this face somewhere before. Who is it?
The count bit his lip.
He hadn't expected to run into an anomaly already.
There's no way it's a person.
There was no way a normal person could live in a dungeon.
The names of those who had died in Dreamland flashed through his mind.
He himself could be just like that at any moment.
Think.
Think of a way to survive.
Running away is the worst choice.
Fighting is the same.
He had to figure out a way to break through it.
Until it brought up what it had come for.
The count stayed still.
「Welcome to the Silent Village.」
He initiated a written conversation.
Whether the count reacted or not, he kept moving his pen.
「Our village is located in a remote area, so there aren't many people, and the fog makes it look gloomy, but it's actually a pretty decent place.」
「Take your time deciding whether to stay. Time is infinite, after all.」
He bowed his head.
Then he started on his way again.
"?"
The count was taken aback.
Was nothing happening?
For the moment, he was relieved.
His head was still attached.
.
.
.
.
.
The count sent the anomaly on its way.
He stared at its back with a blank expression.
Since it was written communication rather than conversation, hmm.
The count's intuition was still only a hunch, but it was getting closer to the answer.
As long as he kept his mouth shut, nothing happened.
It was embarrassing to call it a clue, but the name was Silent Village, after all.
"……."
The count turned his head.
His gaze headed east.
Vwoom─
A dull sound reached his ears.
Its source was the eastern forest.
In the eastern forest was the PTSD Knight.
What happened?
A bad feeling crept up on him.
Vwoooom─
What he had just heard was only the prelude.
The count winced at the noisy alarm, hearing it for the first time in his life.
The sound's pitch began to rise.
It was stretched long and sharp toward the sky.
A sharp cry that drilled into his ears.
A siren was sounding from the eastern forest.
.
.
.
.
.
The count used detection magic.
Instantly, the PTSD Knight's mana reaction vanished.
That meant he had died.
"……."
There were now four people left.
What had the PTSD Knight died from?
Was it because of the loud noise he had just heard?
For now it's definitely because of the anomaly, but not knowing the exact reason is frustrating.
Communication magic was still connected.
He wanted to open his mouth and figure out the situation, but.
The count was conscious of "sound," so that was impossible.
Dreamland is a place where you have to doubt everything.
It was a dungeon that could kill you over an absurd mistake.
At least in Area 5.
He had to keep his mouth shut.
If he kept to that.
Then nothing would happen like this.
.
.
.
.
.
According to the agreement at the entrance elevator.
People began gathering one by one around the count.
Count, Black Mage, Noble Killer, Half-Ogre.
They looked at one another.
One person had died.
They had no way of knowing who the next victim would be.
「Let's carry out all future conversations like this.」
Everyone took out paper and pens.
And began a written conversation.
.