Otoko Nara Ikkokuichijou no Aruji o Mezasa Nakya, ne? - Chapter 248

Chapter 178 - (Chapter 248): Beating the Bridge

Year 7446, Month 7, Day 8



Zulu and I, the two of us continue walking down the halls of the 2nd floor.

"Recently, there's been an increase in people like that right."
"Yeah, ever since we went to the 8th floor..Right~"
"They probably just want to get close to master for the fame but there's no need to deal with them all so politely."
"Hn..Well, I guess that's true."
"In the first place, that group from back there were just pretending to show interest in the armor like that.."
"Yeah, they were saying "young mistress" or whatever."
"Since their equipment was considerably good, I'm sure they have plenty of money. They were completely transparent."

Though that can be said, even though that sir Nokkufyuri received investiture as a true knight of one of the kingdom's knight groups, he was talking considerably politely towards someone with unknown background(it didn't seem like he realized I was the president of Greed Company Alan.Greed after all) like myself.

In some meanings it's only obvious for a noble child who was properly raised from infancy, received plenty of education, and is aware of common sense but it felt a bit unusual for what could be considered a commoner that managed to win their rank. Judging from identify and the conversation it seems he received investiture from either the third or fourth knight groups. He was too young for the first knight group and it's unlikely that he wouldn't know about me. He said something like even the second knight group would be difficult so it must have been either the third or fourth knight groups.

Since he's at the level where he's come to the dungeon he might be from the fourth knight group which has a large scale infantry and combat engineer squad. If it's there then it's not very strange for there to be a knight that retires at the age of 20. Ah, No, there are a lot of knights who originated as commoners in the fourth knight group but there's also a lot that originated as slaves as well. It might have actually been the third knight group which is almost like a territory's knight group made even larger scale, a lot of their duties involve in security and patrolling around in territories like police.

Whatever the case, he was a Duke Rombert's Knight. That title is something that only the knights in a knight group of a territory directly ruled by the King, Duke Rombert can receive. In other words, only the first to fourth knight groups with headquarters in the capital Rombertia or the knight group of Baldukk. Obviously the only knights of the Baldukk knight group(there's at most around 100 true knights) that don't know me would be newcomers so this is fine to exclude from the start.

The Royal territories are largely divided into the territory of Duke Rombert which surrounds the Capital, the territory of Duke Ronbarudo in the North, the territory of Duke Baguweru in the Southeast, the territory of Duke Rondoru in the Southwest, and then there's several other small ones. In essence the King owns of all of those noble Duke titles and while acting as the King just "loans" those titles of Duke to his children or close relatives of the royal family. Well, something like governors. He leaves the governing to those governors to govern(it's a weird way of putting it though).

And in each of the high ranking noble territories it's only obvious but they have their own knight group. Obviously, since they're only being "loaned" the territory and peerage so those knight groups belong to the King as well. The regional knight groups of Duke Rombert's territory are close to a portion of the third and fourth knight groups as well as close to the knight group of Baldukk and the remaining knight groups are closer to a formal permanent army. Putting it simply the territory knight groups are like the National Reserve of the American Army and the four armies of Land, Sea, and Air as well as marines(excluding coastal defense units) are basically the first, second, third, and fourth knight groups. Though there's nothing but a land army.

The following is digressing a bit but other than the Royalty there's about 5 Duke titles that exist. However, only 2 of those are "true Dukes" with a proper territory of their own and the rest are just nobles who have th qualifications and peerage but not territory, the so-called political nobles. My mother was a part of the branch family, the fourth daughter of the third son of Duke Sandak one of those political nobles.

Just even if I say they "don't have a territory" it's normal for them to at least have one village or town. The representatives of the Northeastern area of the Royal territory are the territories of Marquis Goruttsu and Marquis Berittsu(obviously these two Marquis rankings are both owned by the King as well and just the same he has various Count and Viscount territories all over the place as well) but around half of the villages and towns under their affiliation are said to have been loaned to political nobles and the political nobles send a governor out to manage their own small territory. They live on the salary paid based on their duties or an annuity from the King as well as the taxes they gain as income from these territories they rule.

There's even people among them who spend their entire lives without stepping foot even once in the territory they rule.

I guess I got a bit off track? Well, putting that aside, we quickly cleared through the 2nd floor and arrived at the teleport room on the 2nd floor.

I tried asking a party I was familiar with there if they had seen Miduchi and the others and it seems they just teleported into the 3rd floor a few minutes prior. According to them they weren't barely even taking any break before proceeding either. We've caught up quite a bit.

We took another bathroom break before Zulu and I had just a simple dinner then we teleported into the 3rd floor.

Since I'm normally such a good person it's only obvious but I have good teleport lucky so we were able to clear through the 3rd floor without taking much time. I'm sure we've already overtaken Miduchi and the others. We couldn't find them among the other adventurers camping in the teleport room on the 3rd floor.

The time is just past 9 pm and there's several parties resting. The {Butchers} and {Exterminators} were included among them. It seems they setup camp together and have occupied a corner of the room. However, it's not the best corner spot of the room but just a spot along the wall they've secured.

"Oh my, that's an amazing amount of luggage."

Kamu pointed to the stuffed rucksack's Zulu and I are carrying.

"Nn, I intend to finish up making the 8th floor into a base this time after all. After that including the investigation we plan to stay on the 8th floor for a short while so there's various things we needed."

I replied in a whisper so no one else in the surroundings could hear while having some soup Rubi handed to me and took a break. Well, even if I say it's a cramped room there's about 30 meters to each side so our conversation wouldn't be overheard that easily. Particularly because it's a place with a large number of people the various sounds of living are a good curtain.

The soup Rubi handed me was on the verge of getting cold but Zulu and I had already consumed the only sandwiches we had other than our emergency use preserved food so we were grateful for it. While we were sipping at the soup Miduchi and the other {Slaughterers} entered the teleport room of the 3rd floor.

"Ah, they're already here. We lost again huh~"
"Al-san, as expected. You're quick."
"Around what time did you enter?"

And they all started saying while coming over here.

"I think it was just past 12:00 pm."

Hearing Zulu's reply everyone said, "Oh what. Then it wasn't even one hour different from us." while putting down their bags. Including my own the clearing speed of the {Slaughterers} is already completely known among adventurers over a certain level.

Knowing that the members of the {Butchers}, {Exterminators}, and other veteran parties of Baldukk couldn't do anything but make a bitter smile but of the other parties with camps setup right near us there's one party called {Golden.Etowaru} that's recently entered the ranks of second-rate who all opened their eyes in surprise hearing it.

"Ah~ I'm hungry~ Larry, make something that can be eaten right away."

Gwine patted her small stomach while ordering Giberuti around on her whim.

"Yeah, wait just a moment..Rubi, I'll borrow this stove."

Giberuti quickly took the ingredients out from the ice(inside of a large box used for carrying by porters) he was carrying and started preparing the food. It seems to be a meat and vegetable stir-fry.

"Faruergaz-sama, Gekudo-sama. Should I make enough for everyone else as well?"

Giberuti was asking but this is more of just a courtesy. It's obvious that they've already eaten from the soup that was almost gone in the pot on their portable stove.

"Ah, we've already eaten dinner so all that's left is to just sleep."
"That's right. We're fine."

And they were saying that while watching Giberuti skillfully cook up some food. It's not unusual to take along an exclusive cook or a combat slave that takes care of the cooking in the party but the {Butchers} and {Exterminators} don't have an exclusive cook after all.

Of course Rodricks and my combat slaves take care of the cooking but it's not like they're all that skilled at cooking either. On the days they aren't entering the dungeon it seems they're learning from Giberuti but they still aren't all that skilled.

After finishing up our meals it seems the {Butchers} and {Exterminators} had already decided on the lookouts so we left it to them and all went to sleep right away.




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Year 7446, Month 7, Day 10



Yesterday we cleared from the 4th floor to the 6th floor, this morning was the 7th floor, and then right now, we've just finished beating down the Minotaur on the 8th floor with everyone. The value of the magic stone was the same 30,000 as usual and with this it should be fine to think that the value of the magic stone from the Minotaur here won't have any greater value than this. The weapon was just a normal battle axe. This one wasn't worth anything much either. It's close to brand new so I'm sure we can sell it for a decent price but they've completely dropped from the wazamono at the start.

Putting that aside, after putting quite a bit of working carrying the materials this far, I wonder if it's fine to say we've almost completed making the 8th floor into a base? We've installed a kitchen equipped with a stove and have prepared quite a few more buckets than the other floors. Of course, we've already made the benches and foot bath and just in case we decided on a place with beds for up to 14 people as well.

However, in regards to the toilet and shower room we're still currently using the simple versions. It's not a mistake to think in terms making it as comfortable as possible for a living space but thinking about the drainage and bad smell it's only obvious that it's better to have outside of the room.

Now then, from here on out it's a bit of a drawn out battle. Today is already close to 4 pm and we have some amount of fatigue remaining from clearing through the 7th and 8th floors. We should quickly take our showers and eat before properly setting up sentries and then go to sleep.

Ah, the loincloth I gave to Zulu has already been washed but there was still quite a bit of smell remaining to it so it was forcefully confiscated and is in the process of being pickled in a bucket of soap before being washed and dried in the sun right now. While we're here I intend to have it washed everyday. Once we return to the surface I'll buy some perfume or something so just bear with it for now.




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Year 7446, Month 7, Day 13



I had Basutoral return to the surface a bit ahead of us. We had plenty of time to discuss things about the factory so we exchanged ideas and in the end after giving him several orders I had him go to his beloved wife's side. I already told him that once we finish this investigation, I'll be going to Rombertia as well.

"I'll make preparations so we can definitely have some delicious "sausage" ready to be eaten by the time Al-san comes."

Basutoral cheerfully said that before teleporting out towards the surface.

Including the first one and the one we defeated just past noon today we've defeated a total of 5 Minotaur. After all the quality of equipment the Minotaur are using is gradually falling and has reached the point where it's not much different from the standard sold in stores. Also, the fact that all of those are weapons with a long handle hasn't changed either.




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Year 7446, Month 7, Day 15



I've started to understand most of it. The signs of revival will appear roughly 17 hours after we defeat the Minotaur. And then, for several minutes up to around 10 minutes the signs of revival that is the whirlpool of fog will continue.

And then, while we're inside of the teleport room as long as we don't take any concrete actions towards attacking it doesn't notice us. It's fine no matter how loud of a noise we make. Just, if we throw a bucket of water on it or throw rocks at it then it obviously notices. However, it still doesn't seem like it can see the passage into the teleport room from it's side or it just looks like a normal dirt wall, so even after it notices it ends up giving up and facing it's back to us again eventually.

If we all charge at it we can definitely manage a surprise attack on it from it's back. I've already reached almost full confidence of these things.

It's reasonable tough but since it was already not a big problem defeating it when fighting head on so there's almost no struggle when we can just ambush it. In the first place if soon after revives while it's still crouching down like the terminator you take a battle axe to it's neck with all your strength I'm sure even Giberuti could kill it.

Though I say that, it's necessary to spend another couple of days here and confirm if this hypothesis is really correct. Unfortunately in regards to exploring the 9th floor I've put it off until we can confirm that this area is really safe.

Well, we should be able to reach that stage during this month though.

Ah, No, there's all that trouble with the factory and transferring duties with the company so I wonder if this month is impossible?