Sōzoku Shita Sofu no Ie no Urayama ni Danjon ga Dekimashita - Chapter 126

Chapter : Discovering the Sand Castle

After storing away the full set of equipment, I turned to the spirits.
“Is there still something else here?”

They all nodded in unison.

I approached the branch manager. “It looks like there’s more. Would it be alright if we go explore?”

“I see… in that case, take us with you,” he replied at once.

He folded his arms and gave a weary sigh. “Normally, I’d have to listen to your report, then verify it, conduct an investigation, write up a formal report… it’s a huge waste of time. If I see it myself, it’s much faster. Besides, today we’ve brought along staff who specialize in investigations. If there’s more to be found, we’ll come too.”

I glanced at Misuzu, who met my eyes.

“That’s fine, isn’t it? Right, Takaya-san?” she said brightly.

If Misuzu was fine with it, then there was no problem.

“Alright. Let’s go together,” I agreed.

“Much obliged. You have my thanks,” said the branch manager, and the staff all bowed their heads.

“Then let’s move out!” At my signal, everyone stirred into action.

Misuzu climbed onto Kuromitsu’s back, followed by the branch manager and the staff.

“Kuromitsu-chan, take care of us!” Misuzu called. The black bee spread her wings and rose smoothly into the air.

I followed behind, riding the wind with Anemone’s magic as we pursued the trail of the spirits.

After some time, the view ahead grew hazy with sand, obscuring everything.

Anemone invoked her wind magic, and a hole opened in the storm. It was like a tunnel carved straight through the sandstorm.

We flew into it, passing through the swirling wall of sand.

The storm had formed a barrier that not only concealed what lay within but also rejected intruders.

Looking down, I saw countless pit traps like giant antlions, each one yawning wide.

And beyond them—stood a castle.

So the antlion pits were serving as a defensive moat?

“Look! Antlion pits, everywhere!”

“Over there—there’s a castle!”

The staff were in an uproar, their excitement bubbling over.

We crossed the outer wall and descended into the courtyard.

“Are the recordings clear?” the branch manager asked a staff member operating a drone.

“I think so… probably fine,” came the reply.

From there, we continued on foot.

We passed through the garden and arrived at the castle entrance—only to find it guarded by a mid-rank fire spirit.

…So it really was that.

I halted just before the gates.

“What is it, Takaya?” the branch manager asked.

“There’s a fire spirit guarding the entrance,” I explained.

“That, huh?” the branch manager muttered.

“Yup, that’s it,” Misuzu chimed in.

“What’s ‘that’ supposed to mean?” one of the staff asked, utterly lost.

“My guess is that the fire spirit defeated the monsters that originally occupied this castle and then took it over,” I said.

“Why would it take over a castle?”

“To protect the fire fairies. Fairies evolve into spirits, so the spirits need a safe place to shelter them. That’s why they drove out the monsters and claimed the castle.”

The branch manager turned to his team. “Listen, do not act on your own. We can’t see fairies or spirits. If we provoke them, we won’t stand a chance.”

“Yes, understood!” the staff replied quickly.

With that settled, I stepped forward and addressed the fire spirit at the gate.

“We’d like to enter. Is that alright?”

The spirit shook its head.

So, no.

As I stood there, disappointed, Anemone and Amber flew over to the fire spirit. The three of them seemed to be having some kind of discussion.

After a while, the fire spirit gave a firm nod.

Then Anemone slipped through the gate and disappeared inside.

“What’s happening, Takaya?” the branch manager asked.

“Anemone, the wind spirit, went to get permission. Please wait until she returns.”

We waited by the gate until Anemone reappeared, accompanied by a lesser fire spirit.

The little one spoke with the mid-rank guardian, who then turned to me and nodded.

Permission granted.

“The spirits have given us entry. But remember—don’t do anything reckless.”

I pushed open the doors and stepped inside, following behind the lesser fire spirit.

Misuzu, the branch manager, and the others trailed after me.

We walked down a long corridor until we reached a massive set of doors.

Anemone conjured a gust of wind, and the doors creaked open.

Inside was a vast chamber.

Suspended in the air was a glowing red orb.

…That must be the fire fairy.

At the far end, a dais rose one step higher, upon which sat a throne—and seated upon it was a high-rank fire spirit.

Along the walls, piles of magic stones glittered in heaps.

And before the throne, there was a single treasure chest.

Yep. Same old pattern.

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