Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Well, what do we do now…?”
”If we just go in there, we’re in trouble”
Alvin, hearing Shinji’s mutterings, also pondered. Of course, Renka and Milis also thought about it, but they couldn’t come up with a good idea right away.
As Shinji’s thoughts still wandered, he had Freri and Flair keep an eye on the nest to make sure the ants didn’t come pouring out.
(If they’ve been living deep in the underground, then the smoking method to lure them out probably won’t work, huh…? Explosions are no good either. The mine could be damaged, and if it collapses, we’re all in danger. However, if left unattended, the mine could merge with another mine somewhere else…)
As there was too much of a difference in numbers to lure them out and kill them, Shinji guessed that a smoking strategy might fail. Moreover, there is also lack of quantity of materials to do so.
Explosions also not something that amateurs should be allowed to do on their own. Because this mine was owned by the Este town, so it was not allowed to be destroyed beyond what was necessary.
All four of them become completely silent. As the silence continued, Alvin couldn’t help but become impatient and says a word.
”I can’t come up with a good idea. But we can’t just stand here like this. …Let’s try fight them first…?”
”Yes…. That’s the only way, I suppose…?”
Renka could not disagree with Alvin’s words.
Because they think it’s better to reduce their number, even if it means taking some risks.
”I think it’s dangerous to attack… If we’re going to attack, I think it’s better to join up with everyone who came with us”
Milis, on the other hand, suggested a cautious course of action.
It’s a shame not to use the advantage of having five parties visiting.
”I think I agree with Milis’ words. So, let’s go back and meet up with the rest of the party first. I’ll have Flair and Freri keep an eye on the nest. …The two of them can handle any danger”
As spirits, they are able to teleport. So, even if the ants attacked in large numbers, they could easily escape.
And after all the opinions, Alvin closed his eyes and decided….
”Let’s go back first…”
”Yes!”
As Alvin decides to withdraw, Milis smiles happily, and Shinji breathes a sigh of relief.
◇ ◇ ◇
Once they were out of the mine, Alvin and the others also defeating the monsters around the perimeter and met up with the party that had been standing guard. The party that had finished defeating the monsters which had been roaming around inside the mine also joined them, and all five parties were now together.
Alvin was impressed by the strength of the party he had been working with, and told them about the nest he had found in the back.
”I didn’t know there was such a thing under the mine…”
The beastman adventurers could not hide their astonishment.
”So, we’ll have to take it down somehow…”
”We can’t just go in there, okay? We can’t fight in the dark too…”
The discussion goes on as Alvin takes the lead in the conversation. But even with so many people in the room, no effective solution came to mind.
It was understandable.
If it was just a nest of a few dozen kobolds, it would be fine. However, nobody had any experience in destroying a nest with countless monsters.
* * *
While they were discussing this and that, Shinji suddenly noticed the corpse of an ant monster that had been killed by the party outside.
It seemed that the corpse had been killed by a wizard.
Because there are traces of burning, but not only that, the area around the burnt outer shell has lost its luster.
(…Other corpses are still shiny. Why only that one?)
Shinji approached the monster’s corpse with a question. He compared the shiny outer shell with this lusterless outer shell.
The difference was clear: the lusterless outer shell was much harder. It was very dry and had lost its freshness.
(It’s like when someone was burned….)
Shinji had touched the skin of a badly burned person before, and he felt the same kind of vibe intuitively.
Shinji then moved on to the corpse of the monster that had been cut in half. At this point, Alvin noticed that Shinji was going through the corpses of the monster.
”Shinji? What’s going on?”
”No, I’m just wondering about something…”
While replying vaguely to Alvin’s curious question, Shinji heated the outer shell with weak fire magic. Then, after a while, the outer shell began to lose its luster, and not only that, the heat was transmitted under the outer shell, and the meat inside began to harden.
(They are sensitive to heat. So that’s why they’ve been living underground? …I don’t know why, but I can use this)
When Shinji saw this obvious weakness, he had an idea: he would need Flair’s help, and although he was not sure if it would work, he thought it was worth a try.
”Alvin, I’ve got an idea I’d like to try…”
The smile on Shinji’s face was like that of a child planning a prank.
__________________
A temporary retreat. It shouldn’t be a wild boar, right?