Tenkomori: The Homecoming Club Conquers Another World
Chapter 172

Chapter 172. Pressing Miscellaneous Tasks

About a month had passed since the collapse at the Torpus Rock Salt Mine.

Previously, steam had risen from the salt refinery, and the commercial district had been bustling with merchants, guards, and miners heading to taverns. But after the slave revolt and the public revelation of Zoptom, the lively atmosphere had vanished as if snuffed out.

Still, of course, not all the miners had fled.

I had no way of knowing what discussions had taken place, but the slaves entered the mine, piled rocks and debris in one corner of the interior, and another group carried them outside the walls of Rasmano Fort.

I had observed this scene from afar a few days ago, but now I was holed up in a basement.

The location was a hilly area overlooking the Torpus Rock Salt Mine, and the goal was to recover Zoptom.

I'd been too busy to deal with it until now, but I could finally take action.

That said, removing all of it would take too much time, so I planned to focus on recovering the deposits near the tunnels.

Light streamed in through a small vent, illuminating the passage Melock had dug for Zoptom retrieval.

I'd only created the basement—the rest was left to Melock.

For one thing, even [Appraisal] struggled to identify Zoptom, and if I'd dug a passage large enough for me, I'd have run out of both time and mana. In that regard, the low-tier Melock consumed little and had no limits on how far they could use spirit magic. Plus, Melock could distinguish Zoptom, making them ideal for retrieval.

Sitting in the underground darkness, I waited for reports to come in.

My instructions to Melock were to locate and transport Zoptom, and to report any contact with humans or other creatures, or if they sensed anything unusual. At first, they'd proudly brought me earthworms, which was a hassle, but after refining my instructions, the unnecessary reports stopped.

Incidentally, maintaining spirit summons didn't require concentration, so the more efficient Melock became, the more free time I had. Since mana was spent on sustaining the summons, I couldn't practice magic, and I hadn't brought any research materials. To pass the time, I exercised and pondered things, feeling Melock's movements in the distance as my thoughts wandered.

After Quaid and the others joined us, the village kindly gifted us various supplies.

I felt bad having nothing to offer in return, but thanks to them, we now had plenty of daily essentials. Knives, in particular, had been loaned out whenever needed, so it was a huge relief when everyone got their own tools.

Then there was Garneless.

Improving relations with them was essential for Jisero's revival. At Quaid's request, I accompanied him to deliver the village's decision.

Garneless truly seemed to have little emotional fluctuation. No matter what was said, their queen showed no major reaction and only tersely conveyed her agreement to the proposed alliance.

That said, it wasn't as if they lacked emotions entirely.

When we explained the exchange of goblin corpses and magic stones, they suddenly mobilized soldiers and laborers, shoving dozens of magic stones at me. At first, I thought it was prepayment, but it turned out to be the queen's way of expressing gratitude.

Since we needed some for trades with the village, I accepted a few cheaper stones as a gesture and returned the rest.

As for the origin of these stones, they'd apparently been gathered from the lakebed.

Even Garneless didn't eat magic stones, instead discarding them into the lake along with other waste.

As I continued to lose myself in aimless thoughts, I sensed movement outside.

Leaning close to the vent, I called out:

"Is it the scheduled day?"

"Yes."

Sahars' muffled voice echoed through the basement.

Had three days already passed? Time blurred when underground.

I ordered all Melock except those transporting Zoptom to return to the spirit realm. After waiting for the last of them to finish, I washed my dusty body with [Pure Water] and [Operate Water].

Then, using [Operate Soil], I opened the entrance to find Phil, Sahars, and Quaid waiting.

"I'll clean up the basement. Give me a moment."

Using the stone wall as a catalyst, I activated [Operate Soil] to fill in the basement, then finished by moving turf to disguise the surface. The holes dug by Melock could be left alone—they were no different from mole holes and would collapse soon without reinforcement. Even if traces remained, the chances of anyone tracking us here were virtually zero.

Once the cleanup was done, I stood and handed Quaid a leather bag.

"Take care of this."

Quaid accepted it nervously.

Inside was a fist-sized amount of Zoptom. Even this much was the result of meticulously scouring and collecting near the tunnels. It would be a while before any mixed with the rock salt again.

"The bag is double-layered, so it won't spill unless you swing it around. Once you're back at the labyrinth, give it to May."

"Understood."

Holding the bag as if keeping it at arm's length, Quaid nodded.

Once it reached the labyrinth, May would handle the rest. Even if the Zoptom expanded due to her mana, its true form wasn't there. It was the perfect storage place.

After watching Quaid store the bag, I turned my gaze to Phil.

"So, Quaid won't be able to fight. Protect him on the way back."

Phil wagged his tail but seemed slightly displeased.

He probably didn't agree with my decision. Sahars and I were about to head out—a small expedition into imperial territory, though not for combat.

I'd asked him to guard the labyrinth and relay messages, but Phil had been circling me, perhaps looking for an excuse to come along.

However, he didn't have much time to insist.

Once Quaid confirmed the Zoptom was securely stored, he announced they were returning. Phil shot me a resentful look before resigning himself and walking off.

Watching his retreating back with a wry smile, I asked Sahars:

"Any changes at the labyrinth?"

"Nothing notable. No signals from Lady May either."

"I see."

Summer was approaching, and temperatures were rising.

Right now, I was the only one who could communicate with May. As long as she stayed in the labyrinth, there was no problem, but I absolutely couldn't risk her resting place losing cooling during a prolonged absence.

After some deliberation, I decided to prop a stick in the passage connecting the deepest chamber to the hall.

If the temperature rose or something abnormal occurred, May could knock the stick over. A simple solution, but it would prevent the resting place from overheating unnoticed. Eventually, I'd need to create an [Ice Frost] magical tool so anyone could cool it.

"Now, let's confirm the itinerary."

As I spoke, Sahars straightened his expression.

This trip's purpose was to spread false information about Sahars. Honestly, given how much time had passed, I doubted its effectiveness, but it was better than nothing.

The story was that Sahars had escaped during the cave-in, hid in the forests north of Sylveck, then headed west toward the Mez Ries region or the area north of the imperial capital, eventually being spotted near the highway connecting Selen and the capital.

The backstory was quietly complicated.

Excluding the beastfolk village, the most likely escape route was the Mez Ries region.

However, Viscount Fasden's patron was Marquis Filsatch.

A major noble with vast territories west of Selen, he was also the lord of Kerill Village, where we'd fought the poisonous squirrel Soprick. His lands stretched along the straight-line distance between the Torpus Rock Salt Mine and Mez Ries, meaning any ordinary traveler would have to pass through.

There was no way Marquis Filsatch wouldn't know about the incidents in his vassal's domain—the mine revolt and the beastfolk's escape. Patrols and security had surely increased.

It wouldn't be bad to let them think Sahars had slipped through their territory under their noses, but the empire's westernmost point was the Duchy of Semgat. A one-way trip would take over a month, and it'd be odd for sightings to stop midway. In that case, wouldn't it be better to avoid Filsatch's lands entirely?

After discussing it face-to-face with Hymes and Sahars, we settled on fleeing north-northwest.

It made sense to bypass heavily guarded areas, and heading north-northwest would also suggest a possible escape toward the empire's northern reaches.

One might worry those areas were also under watch, but according to Hymes, it was unlikely other nobles would be asked for help.

Viscount Fasden aside, most nobles chose factions based on profit. If word got out that a former B-rank criminal slave had escaped, it could become a vulnerability or at least fodder for ridicule. Without personal grudges against Sahars, most nobles would prioritize self-preservation and appearances.

Moreover, if Sahars were captured by another noble, it'd spell trouble.

Rumors about Zoptom were still just that—rumors. But if witnesses came forward, what then?

A mere criminal slave was one thing, but the former B-rank title carried weight. The Torpus Rock Salt Mine would undoubtedly suffer further blows.

Also, a former B-rank was a significant combat asset. If one could be obtained for free or in exchange for a substantial reward, it wouldn't be surprising if a fervent search ensued.

Thus, if Sahars was going to escape, it'd be best if he made it all the way.

At least until the Zoptom was dealt with.

So, the only noble we could seek help from was Marquis Filsatch, but here, Sahars realized something.

Viscount Fasden would want Sahars recaptured or silenced.

Even if he gave up on other territories, what about the beastfolk village?

Realizing it could become a target, Sahars suggested returning to the mine—but Hymes flatly refused.

Sooner or later, the beastfolk village would have been targeted anyway.

Due to May's presence, Viscount Fasden's profits from Deepforest materials and the adventurers who brought them had declined. That was why he'd focused on the Torpus Rock Salt Mine, but buying slaves was costly.

The beastfolk village, however, was convenient.

He could enslave all its residents or indirectly control them to ensure a steady supply of slaves or Deepforest materials.

For Viscount Fasden, it was an ideal hunting ground. It was only a matter of time before he set his sights on it.

"First, we'll head northwest through the forest, aiming for Selen's outskirts. The north leads to the highway connecting to the capital. There'll be plenty of eyes there."

"Then there's the monsters. Ideally, we'd run into them at the right moment."

"That part's up to luck."

A beastfolk avoiding attention while moving would draw talk if they effortlessly crushed monsters.

Ideally, he'd instantly kill a few orcs, but that depended on local conditions. If no monsters appeared, he'd just have to show himself a few times before withdrawing.

"Also, here's what you requested."

I took a small leather pouch from Sahars.

Inside were three orc magic stones and four goblin magic stones. Once our goal was achieved, we'd exchange them for cash in some town. I especially wanted Actini fruits for fatigue recovery and small vials for potions.

Perhaps due to Deepforest's climate, Actini fruits were scarce. Fatigue recovery was always useful, so I wanted a steady supply.

The vials were a precaution.

Skilled craftsmen could glean all sorts of information from products. If a traveling beastfolk sold vials of unknown origin, what would they think? If the craftsmen were from Sylveck or Fasden, they might suspect the beastfolk village.

To avoid that, I wanted to use empire-made vials for potions sold there.

Tucking the pouch away, I turned toward the forest.

"Let's get going."

◇◇◇◇

Hiding in hills and thickets, we headed north across the grasslands, crossed the highway, and re-entered the grasslands.

Without encountering any monsters or humans, we reached the northern forest.

This forest stretched across the empire's central southeastern region, but sandwiched between grasslands to the north and south, its monsters weren't particularly strong despite its size. Areas like Leknord Forest—connected to Deepforest or bordering the empire's periphery—were far more dangerous.

Of course, compared to Selen's vicinity, the variety and number of monsters here were richer, making it no place for novices or low-rank adventurers. But neither Sahars nor I fell into those categories.

Proceeding cautiously northwest through the forest, Sahars kept up effortlessly even as I gradually increased our pace, thanks to his former B-rank status.

Two days later, late at night, we emerged from the forest and entered Selen's territory.

After briefly observing Selen's lights illuminating the sky, I changed course north.

Up to this point, our route matched the one I'd taken to obtain Esald's documents. From here, it was the forest I'd traversed during the conflict between Volber and Taklaz.

We ran through the snowless woods, took a short nap, and set out at dawn.

Soon after, the town of Rapzel came into view.

Carts and people moved about, working toward reconstruction.

It felt like ages ago, but only three months had passed since Taklaz soldiers and mercenaries had ravaged it.

"So that's Rapzel."

Sahars had heard how Hymes had been enslaved.

We gazed at the town with mixed feelings before veering northwest to avoid it.

North of Selen—the empire's central region—was mostly the territory of Count Haznick or Count Diolt, with other nobles typically being their vassals.

This was my first time coming this far north, but I had ties to the area.

Danil of the Anti-Evil Battle Axe had been born and raised in Ilkenek, a town along the highway. Doris, who'd helped during the conflict with Lushena, was Count Diolt's daughter.

I was curious about how they were doing. If Hymes hadn't joined me, I might've relied on Danil.

As we skirted the highway northward, we soon spotted a campsite.

Under the midday sun, faint smoke rose from it.

"Any travelers would've left by now."

"Ahead is a small village, then Ilkenek. There are campsites along the way, but the further north, the safer it gets."

"The ideal stage might be the first and last."

More adventurers and merchants would likely camp here, but the question was monsters.

Surveying the grasslands, I spotted a forest to the east. It seemed sizable enough to host something.

We headed there, and once we'd ventured a short way in, I told Sahars to wait.

Though reliable in combat, he wasn't a pure scout. I wanted the forest undisturbed until preparations were complete.

Searching for monsters alone, I found four orcs resting near a fallen tree by mid-afternoon.

They seemed to have made it their den, with signs of habitation scattered about. Perhaps they'd strayed from their pack or were remnants of a defeated group.

Four orcs weren't bad. Though slow, their durability was high, so dispatching them swiftly would require considerable skill.

Returning to Sahars, I perched on a thick branch and took turns resting.

Several parties of adventurers and merchants passed by, and as the day waned, travelers hurried on.

No one camped yet. The main event would be at night.

As dusk painted the sky, I left to hunt a few birds with [Penetrate Gale], aiming for their wings to minimize blood loss.

Tossing them into a boiled leather pouch lined with Ezetini leaves, I returned to my branch to monitor the highway.

Nightfall brought cooler air, but the campsite remained empty, and no one moved along the highway.

Sahars observed this and whispered:

"No one's coming to the campsite by midnight."

"True. If needed, we could try luring them during the day, but… it's hard to get spotted while moving."

This campsite was a half-day's journey north from Selen.

If no one was resting, it meant few were traveling north.

Those heading south would struggle to reach the campsite by dawn unless they left early, and even then, they'd lack time to rest. It was safer to rest properly and wait for Selen's gates to open at dawn.

Given that, midnight was likely the cutoff.

Time passed quietly under the starlit grasslands.

Only the chirping of insects, the night breeze, and distant howls of wolves and Nudroks reached my ears.

With no signs of people—or even monsters—deep night approached.

Just as I considered giving up, Sahars stirred.

"Something's there."

His glowing eyes fixed on the highway ahead.

Activating [Night Vision], I squinted and spotted movement.

Generating an improvised telescope, I aimed north and three adventurers came into view.

"Finally."

I muttered, but Sahars was fixated on the telescope.

Letting him peek, he gasped softly.

"They look slightly bigger. Is this a unique spell?"

"No, just regular [Operate Water]. I'm casting it with [Multi-Chant], but a skilled caster could do it solo."

Operate-type spells required continuous connection, so a single cast could be chained like beads. Elphimia could probably manage it.

That said, recreating a sniper scope would've allowed greater magnification… but I didn't know the structure. What I'd made was just a magnifying glass.

Might as well make it look the part.

Activating [Operate Soil], I encased the water lens in an earthen tube. The resemblance to a telescope grew, and blocking the light improved visibility.

Satisfied, I watched the adventurers. When the lead man pointed at the campsite and said something, the trio's pace quickened.

They'd likely stay.

Once they'd set down their packs, we leaped from the branch.

"Let's begin."

Sahars drew his dagger, and I activated [Stealth] as we dashed into the forest.

The plan was simple, but uncertainties remained.

The orcs might've left or already been full.

Adapting was the only option, but the den's orcs were hard to read.

They'd just finished eating a deer, and the scent of blood hung in the air.

Orcs couldn't have hunted a deer alone. They'd likely stolen it from another predator.

Either way, that wouldn't have filled them up—

Pulling a bird from the pouch, I severed its head with a blade-enhanced knife.

Mixing the blood's scent, I fired [Wind Bolt] toward the den.

My worries proved unfounded.

The orcs rose, sniffing the air as they searched for the source.

When I snapped a branch underfoot, they noticed and roared.

At a leisurely pace, I lured them toward the grasslands.

To keep their attention, I occasionally dripped blood from the headless bird.

The tactic worked, and soon we neared the forest's edge.

Tossing the bird to Sahars, I used [Leaping Rabbit] to escape into the trees, then activated [Stealth] to vanish.

The orcs, oblivious to the switch, lumbered past below.

Sahars sprinted across the grassland, pursued by four roaring orcs.

When the adventurers noticed and stood, Sahars spun around, plunging into the orcs' midst as his dagger flashed.

Yeah, this'll be easy.

A few seconds into the assault, all four orcs lay dead.

Wiping his blade, Sahars casually scanned his surroundings.

Meeting the stunned adventurers' gazes, he feigned panic and bolted northwest.

They watched until he vanished, then cautiously approached the corpses.

"What the hell was that? He killed orcs in seconds."

"Not an adventurer?"

"Then he'd check for magic stones. Looked like he ran when he saw us…"

"Speaking of, his eyes glowed. That was a beastman."

Exchanging impressions, they soon dismantled the camp, likely wary of monsters attracted by the blood.

An ideal outcome. Overthinkers might exist, but the straightforward account should spread first.

After Sahars circled back, we headed east through the forest.

The first objective was complete. Next was Volber.

Current Status

(Compared to Chapter 170: Epilogue ~Ball~)

Name: Alter Les Reedwald

Race: Mutator

Level: 35 (↑2)

HP: 229/229 (↑28)

MP: 465/465 (↑40)

Strength: 15

Intelligence: 18 (↑1)

Dexterity: 18

Endurance: 17+2 (19) (↑1)

Agility: 21+2 (23) (46: Doubled)

Charisma: 16

-Skills-

Strong Strike, Double Strike, Wind Fang Dash Bite, Beast Transformation, Growth Boost, Stat Enhancement, Status Disguise, Language Proficiency, High-Speed Movement, Multi-Chant, Magical Tool Modification, Magical Tool Ascension, Fire Resistance 3, Freeze Resistance 2, Mental Resistance 10, Pain Resistance 5, Slash Resistance 1, Pierce Resistance 2, Poison Resistance 2, Appraisal 6, Alchemy 8, Blacksmithing 4, Magical Tool Crafting 6, Spirit Bonding 5, Tracking 6, Stealth 7, Presence Detection 7, Danger Sense 2, One-Handed Sword 9 (↑1), Two-Handed Sword 3, Curved Sword 5 (↑1), Dagger 5, Martial Arts 7, Archery 4, Fire Magic 7, Water Magic 6, Wind Magic 6, Earth Magic 7 (↑1), Neutral Magic 4, Ice Magic 3, Lightning Magic 2, Alteration Magic 6

-Magic-

Novice

Fire Bolt, Water Bolt, Wind Bolt, Earth Bolt, Magic Bolt, Ice Bolt, Shock Bolt, Flame Blow, Water Blow, Stone Blow, Ice Blow, Water Shield, Wind Shield, Magic Shield, Earth Shield, Operate Fire, Operate Water, Operate Air, Operate Soil, Operate Energy, Physical Up, Moving Up, Concentration Up, Force Field, Light, Torch, Night Vision, Create Solution, Ice Frost, Reference Point, Earth Spirit Summon: Melock, Fire Spirit Summon: Salker

Intermediate

Fireball, Fire Spread, Stalagmite, Penetrate Gale, Earth Wall

-Titles-

Reincarnated, Ace of the Going Home Club (Endurance +2, Agility +2), Second Son of House Reedwald