“There really was one, an unexplored underground ruin.”

“For such a ruin to be located in a bas.e.m.e.nt of Baulburg"s suburbs, how surprising.”

◆◇◆◇◆

Several days after returning from the entertainment trip, we went on an underground ruin exploration guided by Arnest.
He, who had been confined to a room deep inside my mansion, untiringly worked on the particulars of the underground ruins located in the Baumeister Earldom while we were gone.

『Although it"s just a rough outline; how come that you know their exact locations?』 (Wendelin)

『Maps of the Ancient Magic Civilization"s era are handed down in the demon country.』 (Arnest)

『Isn"t that military information then? Are those maps available to civilian scholars?』 (Wendelin)

『Maps, which were picked up by our ancestors who went on investigations when the Ancient Magic Civilization collapsed more than 10,000 years ago, do exist. However, the maps also have parts that can not be read anymore due to the gradual fading of the printing. As aftereffect of the civilization"s collapse, geographic landmarks and such had also vanished, therefore the particulars are limited to a rough estimation of the underground ruins" locations. Additionally, even if an underground ruin is discovered, there is no guarantee that we will find things in there that will please you, Earl Baumeister.』 (Arnest)

According to Arnest, it really sounds as if the Ancient Magic Civilization had collapsed and vanished in an instant.
I wonder, just what did those people do?

『It is always the same old story with those who are arrogant. A vast amount of mana that had been gathered in one place exploded. Although it was for the sake of technological progress, they paid a hefty price for it.』 (Arnest)

And I guess that"s why even the demons lost any interest in the Lingaia Continent, which had many things blown away, for more than 10,000 years?
Though I don"t know how it"ll be from now on.

『That means the underground structures that escaped the destruction are the underground ruins.』

『That is how it is. Most of those in the Baumeister Earldom are unexplored. I suppose that is only natural, though.』 (Arnest)

◆◇◆◇◆

After having heard of those circ.u.mstances, we went out to search for underground ruins that should be located in Baulburg"s suburbs today and immediately found one.
Descending into the underground with 『Light』 and starting the search for treasures apparently makes Ina and Luise excited due to it being a work which is the very definition of adventuring.
They enter the underground ruin while acting as vanguards, but…

“Wend, it looks like it"s a miss.” (Luise)

“True. The 『Preservation』 is completely dead, and the dust and mold here is terrible.” (Ina)

Luise and Ina reported to me while covering their mouths and noses with a handkerchief.

“Wend, isn"t this somehow far too old?” (Erwin)

“Correct answer, Erwin. This place is a historic ruin dating back several thousand years before the Ancient Magic Civilization came into existence. It looks like this place had been once excavated during the era of the Ancient Magic Civilization.” (Arnest)

Arnest begins to explain while examining the stones used for the walls and floor.
This is probably another trait of a scholar, but there was not a single one among us who was interested.
It gives me the feeling of listening to a boring lesson at school.

“Oooh! This design was used in underground temples of the heretic 『Bulst Faith』 which perished around 17,000 years ago!” (Arnest)

The patterns carved into the walls and floor had started to disappear due to their very old age, but it seems a specialist like Arnest can still make them out.
Though it"s a story where I ask myself just what"s gained by knowing about it…

“Wendelin-san, what"s so delightful about designs carved into walls and floors?” (Katharina)

“Who knows?” (Wendelin)

I mean, neither Katharina nor I are archaeologists, and thus we don"t have any interest in an underground ruin that has no treasures and is only full of dust and mold.

“If you look closely, it resembles the designs used in reliefs by the church.” (Elise)

“The Bulst Faith being called heretic is because they were defeated in a dispute with the current Catholic church. But then again, seeing that they originate from the same belief, it is only natural for them to have parts that resemble each other.” (Arnest)

“(Even though it"s an incredibly boring topic, ain"t Elise really a saint to go along with it?)” (Erwin)

Certainly, as Erw says, hearing about something like the history of religion, yeah…
Or rather, is it really okay for Elise, a priestess, to listen to stories about the church rising in power by brus.h.i.+ng aside other faiths?
I worried that I might get scolded by Cardinal Hohenheim.

“So, what"s so valuable about this underground ruin?” (Luise)

“Ancient ruins that are this old are very rare even in the demon country.” (Arnest)

“But, there are no treasures to be found here, right?” (Luise)

“These designs, which were carved into the walls, ceiling and floor, are precious, cultural legacies.” (Arnest)

In the eyes of Luise, an adventurer, an underground ruin with no treasures has no value, but for Arnest, an archaeologist, there is value in investigating this underground ruin.
The values of both of them are completely biting each other, or rather, everyone besides Arnest had the same opinion as Luise.

“At the time when demons still lived on this continent, there were many people believing in the Bulst Faith. Fearing religious oppression, they left this continent. However, the current demons do not like religion overly much.” (Arnest)

The number of people depending on religion might have decreased, because the demons are leading a modern life nowadays.
As there were many secular people on Earth as well, it"s probably the same in this case.

“I see…I guess the demons don"t believe in G.o.d…” (Elise)

Probably there are many among the demons who don"t believe in G.o.d.
For Elise this seems to be a sad truth, even if it"s about another faith.
As a matter of fact, I"m also almost completely atheistic, though.

“It is not all of them. The number of people believing in new religions owed to the stress in their daily lives is increasing as well.” (Arnest)

“Really?” (Elise)

Elise is happy, but I wouldn"t be surprised if some shady new religions are mixed in there…

“Wend-sama, nothing here.” (Wilma)

“Yeah, it looks like this underground ruin having been excavated in the era of the Ancient Magic Civilization is true. That"s why there"s nothing here.” (Wendelin)

Ina and Wilma, who continued the exploration since there"s no monster presence to be found here either, returned, but it seems the underground ruin is completely empty.

“If it"s a religious facility, it wouldn"t be strange for at least altars and religious tools to have been left behind.”

“Probably those were already taken out.”

“Most likely.”

Katharina also had disappointment over this ruin being a miss written all over her face.

“It is a valuable, cultural legacy! It is a precious evidence of an era where humans and demons believed in the same religion and lived together!” (Arnest)

“I see. In that case you can investigate it as much as you want, afterwards.” (Wendelin)

However, while we are not here. I have absolutely no interest in this.

“Wend, let"s move to another underground ruin.”

Seeing as there are no treasures here, this place has no value to us.
We decide to quickly move to another ruin.
Sometimes things like this can happen after all.

“Arnest, we are going to the next place.” (Wendelin)

“Uh huuuuh. If I compare this pattern with the ones so far…” (Arnest)

“Come on, we are heading out.” (Wendelin)

“Earl Baumeister, you are too impatient.” (Arnest)

I dragged Arnest, who was confirming a weathered pattern that"s carved into the floor with intense concentration, along and had him guide us to the next underground ruin.

◆◇◆◇◆

“Wend, it"s yet another miss.” (Ina)

“Wend-sama, nothing here.” (Wilma)

“This is a normal bas.e.m.e.nt, isn"t it?” (Wendelin)

Ina and Wilma talked to me with voices that lacked any kind of motivation.
As long as time allowed, we had Arnest guide us to places that might be underground ruins.
Although you might call them underground ruins, many were nothing more than very old bas.e.m.e.nts.
Sometimes there will be some winners with treasures, but there will be a lot more misses with nothing of value.
It was only natural that the tension took a nosedive for everyone except Arnest, who was the only one to be in high spirits that we found valuable, cultural legacies, when we drew several misses in a row.

“I really don"t get archaeologists.”

Actually, as one of the conditions for sheltering Arnest, it was decided that we will report locations of other, unexplored underground ruins in the Kingdom to His Majesty.
It"s not clear whether there are treasures to be found in those underground ruins unless you actually excavate them, but that"s still overwhelmingly less effort than searching for unexplored underground ruins from the scratch.
Some time ago I was contacted through the MHCD by a big shot of the academy, which is in charge of the investigation when new, unexplored ruins are safely discovered, because of the information I had reported.

『If we investigate this valuable underground ruin from the time before the Ancient Magic Civilization now that you have found it, the mysteries of our ancestors will…』

Be it humans or demons, it seems that archaeologists are the same everywhere.
Although it"s not like we discovered treasures, the voice over the MHCD seemed very overjoyed.
From our standpoint, understanding what"s so delightful about this is difficult though.

“Although there are differences between races, the romanticism of archeology is the same for both sides.” (Arnest)

Being of the same kind, Arnest was very happy, too.

“I am really looking forward to the detailed report. Reading the reports of others is one of an archaeologist"s guilty pleasures.” (Arnest)

Yep, I truly don"t understand what so exciting about this.

“Leaving that aside, find an underground ruin that will turn into a bit of money.”

Given that we are searching the nearby underground ruins in order, I don"t think that Arnest is deliberately guiding us to underground ruins that have no value.
Because it often happens that a ruin has no treasure after finally finding it, it"s not like we are extremely unlucky, but the Earl Baumeister household is sheltering Arnest while bearing the risks for doing so.

“Find a ruin that will bring us some profit, based on the ruins around here.” (Wendelin)

“Since there are this many candidates, it is only a matter of time.” (Arnest)

A great number of symbols is noted on the old map owned by Arnest, and many of those seem to be unexplored ruins.

“Can"t you narrow it down to an underground ruin that looks like it could have treasures from all these?” (Luise)

“It is possible to go with the specifics of the location, but unless we investigate, we will not know what is buried there.” (Arnest)

Arnest rejected Luise"s unreasonable demand.

“This does not mean that the possibility does not exist, but there are many cases where excavations and investigations take a lot of time and manpower.” (Arnest)

The majority of the plausible, unexplored underground ruins are located in monster domains. Among them there were even some at the bottom of the sea and high in the mountains.
Those are no places where we can somehow manage with just ourselves.

“Earl Baumeister, your support is indispensable. Excavations cost money.” (Arnest)

A large-scaled excavation costs money. A patron is necessary. That"s the reason why Arnest cooperated with Duke Nürnberg.

“It seems like you often and generously handed various excavated items to Duke Nürnberg, but you are saying that there"s nothing for us because Wendelin-san"s support is lacking?” (Katharina)

Even though he provided a large amount of items to the rebel Duke Nürnberg, it"s been only dusty and smelly bas.e.m.e.nts for us so far.
Katharina apparently wondered whether Arnest is taking us lightly.
She lived as solo adventurer in order to restore her household before she met us.
So far people probably underestimated and despised her because she"s a woman.
For this reason she got angry at Arnest"s words and deeds up until now.
She thought that being treated with contempt by the likes of a scholar, even if he"s a demon, would stain the good name of herself and her husband as n.o.bility.

“Milady, that is a misunderstanding. This me has only been guiding you to unexplored underground ruins close to Baulburg.” (Arnest)

As expected of Arnest, seeing Katharina"s att.i.tude, he tried to seriously dispel her misgivings.

“Is that the truth?” (Katharina)

“As for Duke Nürnberg: the underground ruin, where we found the big amount of magic tools and that jamming device, was just by chance located in the Kleim Mountain Range close to the mansion. Until we discovered that one, I investigated several miss underground ruins as I was told to do by Duke Nürnberg.” (Arnest)

Now that he mentions it, this guy was several years in Duke Nürnberg"s care, wasn"t he?

“That Kleim Mountain Range gave the impression that it might be a very huge underground ruin, but hadn"t there been any other people who tried to excavate it before Duke Nürnberg?” (Wendelin)

“I heard from the deceased Duke Nürnberg that a quite distant family head of the Duke Nürnberg household carried out a small-scale excavation. After that he apparently coined the family rule 『Do not investigate the Kleim Mountain Range"s underground! If you do, it will spell the Duke Nürnberg household"s doom!』.” (Arnest)

Well, makes sense with that many weapons. The former Duke Nürnberg, who left behind that family rule, probably prohibited any excavation after this, fearing that his descendants might go on a rampage after obtaining all that weaponry.

“It was impossible for that Duke Nürnberg to obey such a family rule.” (Wilma)

As Wilma says, Duke Nürnberg didn"t follow the rule and ended up destroying the household.

“Prohibitions and rules from the past often have a proper reason to them.” (Elise)

“Be that as it may, milady, if we do not push onwards at such points, neither the humans nor the demons will make any progress.” (Arnest)

Elise highly evaluated the family head of the old Duke Nürnberg household who left behind a will for his descendants to not excavate the big amount of ancient weapons.
However, Arnest believes that although there had been many victims due to the weapons once they were excavated, they also connect to a long-term growth as the technology will advance if these magic tools are researched after being published in the world.
On this point it"s nothing more than a difference in opinion between religionists and scholars.

“Katharina, I"m grateful for you worrying about me, but it"s still the first day of the exploration. Although it"s been only misses so far, discovering this many unexplored underground ruins in one day is unusual. I"m sure an amazing one will appear among them, sooner or later.” (Wendelin)

I explained to Katharina to make her calm down a bit.

“Well, if you say so, Wendelin-san…” (Katharina)

Besides, there"s one more aspect.
There"s no place left for Arnest to go to.
If he escapes to the Empire from here, he will fall under Peter"s rule. Peter likely won"t hesitate to execute Arnest after extracting only the locations of unexplored underground ruins out of him.
If he executes Arnest, explaining to everyone that Arnest was Duke Nürnberg"s accomplice, his approval rating will go up as well.
Even in regards to the Kingdom; the unexplored underground ruins have already been reported.
If he runs away, the Kingdom won"t hesitate to order Arnest"s elimination by several advanced magicians.
That means Arnest won"t survive if he"s not of any benefit to the Earl Baumeister household.
There"s no way that a man as bright as him hasn"t realized that. I think he understands very well that he won"t be able to continue with his beloved underground ruin excavations and investigations if it doesn"t bring any profit to us or if he runs away.

“Having said that, I sure would like information about an underground ruin that might be of benefit to us.” (Ina)

Ina sent a strict look in Arnest direction, telling him with her eyes, “Just so you know, sheltering you isn"t for free.”
Actually because Arnest was told by Roderich, who has worked out how to pay his sheltering, that he"d like to have some kind of results in the early stages, if possible, Arnest accepted Ina"s demand.

“You do have a point in that, milady. Even in the world of excavators, sponsors are important. Well then, this me shall inform you of an underground ruin that ought to be capable of satiating mine desires and Earl Baumeister"s wish for profit.” (Arnest)

Once Arnest said so, he spread out the old map on the ground and started to try specifying a underground ruin that looks like it might contain treasures from among the many recorded underground ruin locations.

“Hmmmm. The traits of underground ruins in the Baumeister Earldom and other areas, including the Empire…has a remarkable difference in cultural style, thus, while also using the traits of the ruins, which had been discovered so far, as reference…” (Arnest)

Arnest examines the old map while mumbling to himself.

“Anyway, I wonder, is such overly convenient underground ruin going to pop up?” (Luise)

“Who knows?” (Wendelin)

“Something like the treasures found in the Demon Forest are the result of Wend"s bad luck after all.” (Ina)

“Ina, isn"t calling it bad luck too cruel?” (Wendelin)

“Be it good or bad, too many things happen around you, Wend.” (Ina)

“I can"t deny that, I fear…” (Wendelin)

“Inchan, that"s why the probability for a treasure to appear is high, isn"t it?” (Luise)

Luise probably imagines that we will excavate an underground ruin, finding lots of golden and silver coins and jewels, but such riches don"t show up so readily.
I wonder what Arnest is thinking about that matter?

“If it is this one, Roderich-dono will be pleased, too.” (Arnest)

Arnest stared intently at the old map with its many symbols for a while, but finally he showed us a certain place with an X-mark.

“At the foot of the Greater League Mountain Range?”

That was the location Arnest pointed at. Is there really something like an underground ruin even in such a place?

“Here we will find lots of jewels and coins?” (Luise)

“Milady, it is not that kind of treasure. If a statesman uses it wisely, it is going to have a value going beyond jewels and coins. It is a huge tunnel running through the former Carpchiras Mountain Range, combining the best public works techniques of the Ancient Magic Civilization"s era.” (Arnest)

A tunnel going through those mountains, huh?
Certainly for normal adventurers that"s likely beyond their capacities, but for the Earl Baumeister household it can be called a treasure exceeding money and jewels.
However, Luise had a questioning look, asking 『A tunnel as treasure? In what way?』

“Tunnel? Something like that exists? Carpchiras Mountain Range?”

We didn"t remember having heard the name Carpchiras Mountain Range.

“Carpchiras Mountain Range is how it was called during the Ancient Magic Civilization"s era. Now it is the Greater League Mountain Range. The first excavation project is this huge tunnel.” (Arnest)

According to Arnest"s suggestion, we decided the next task to be the excavation of the tunnel said to run through the Greater League Mountain Range, and its investigation.

◆◇◆◇◆

“Eh? There"s something like that close to our territory?” (Paul)

“Seems so.” (Wendelin)

“Seems so, he says…” (Paul)

Led by Arnest, who disguised himself to hide his ears, we immediately proceed towards the excavation of that huge tunnel.
The location was the base of the Greater League Mountain Range which is not that far away from Paul-niisan"s territory.
Once we showed up in Paul-niisan"s a.s.sociate Baron Baumeister territory, the development of the territory had advanced considerably, and the population had apparently grown as well.
Paul-niisan"s former colleagues from the guard unit were together with him, who came to greet us, after having become his retainers.

“Were there any traces of such a tunnel?” (Wendelin)

“Unfortunately not in my territory. It"s not like we thoroughly investigated it, so we might simply have not discovered them.” (Paul)

Ottmar-san, who had become the Junior Commander of the a.s.sociate Baron Baumeister household, and Sieghard, who is Paul-niisan"s sword instructor and captain of the guards, were also present to protect Paul-niisan.

“Even if you say that, it is close-by. If the tunnel can be used, it will be a chance for our a.s.sociate Baron Baumeister territory to make rapid progress.” (Rudi)

Rudi-san, who comes from a mercantile household, seems to take care of the financial affairs and also serves as butler.
Since this place is located in the countryside, he didn"t wear a butler attire like Sebastian though.

“Chance?” (Paul)

“Milord, if we can use that tunnel, it will take a bit more time than a magic airs.h.i.+p, but it will become possible to move people and goods at a cheap price. a.s.suming the entrance area is close to us…” (Rudi)

“We will gain profits by running rest and lodging facilities, right?” (Paul)

If they run drive-in-like facilities since they are close to the tunnel, it might yield them a profit.
After listening to the suggestions from Rudi-san, Paul-niisan seems to be expecting quite a bit.

“There is still the problem whether we can really find it and if it"s usable once found. Huh? What about Gotthard-san?” (Wendelin)

“That guy is currently leading the reclamation work.” (Paul)

“That"s an unexpected a.s.signment of personnel.” (Wendelin)

From my impression when I met him previously, he seemed to be the type who"s strong in martial arts. Given that his way of speaking is quite brusque, I felt like he"s not suited to command the fief"s residents.

“Although that guy looks like that, he"s the most intelligent among us.”

Given that he had been born into a Viscount family, he has received a sophisticated education.
His way of talking isn"t broad-minded, but the residents do their work with a good efficiency without being afraid of him for some reason.

“His way to handle people is surprisingly skillful, you know? Going by just what you see, it only looks like he"s lazily giving out the least amount of instructions, though.” (Paul)

“Rather than people who talk about this and that, the things needed to be done are easy to understand. Something like that?” (Wendelin)

“Maybe. Wend, go meet mother and father before that tunnel excavation.” (Paul)

“Okay.” (Wendelin)

————— End of Part 1 —————