377. Great Alban Mine

The Great Alban Mine contains a number of caves that look like tunnels or monster burrows.
There’s even a large mountain of soil inside the mine that’s bigger than me.
There are bridges that connect from the entrance of the mine to the tunnels, as well as stairs made by carving out the surface of the ground, but they look really old, and even the scaffolding looks damaged in multiple places.

I am currently performing an ecological checkup on the Great Alban Mine, which is my temporary base here in Ardezia.
I’m checking this place out to see if it’s safe enough for someone like Treant to remain alone here while we’re away and for when I get back with low MP from using〖Human Transformation〗too long.
That’s why I’m looking around to find what kind of monsters are residing here and to confirm their danger levels.

I have other reasons too.

【“Food! Food!”】

…… I’m more or less looking for something to sate Partner’s hangry tantrums while my jaw heals from the uppercut she hit me using my own body.
In fact, that’s the biggest reason.

But seriously though, Partner, this is a mine.
I don’t think we’ll find anything appetizing in this dark gloomy place.

【“Say that when you actually find us somethin”】

Lilyxila said that dangerous monsters lurk here.
I don’t really know how dangerous they are, but seeing as they’ve shunned themselves in this mine, even though it’s so close to a human settlement, probably means they’re not that strong……

【“Then there’s bound to be a delishous one here”】

Hearing Partner’s thoughts, I inadvertently stopped from my tracks.
No, no, Partner, dangerous monsters don’t just automatically mean they’re delicious.
You must be the only one I know who would gladly dive towards danger if it means getting to eat tasty food.

After walking around with Alo and the others in the mine, we stumble upon a crack on the ground.
I shove my face in the crack to see what’s inside.
Beyond the crevice is a wide space that’s big enough for me to move around and still have room for more.
My〖Presence Sense〗is detecting something pass this crack.
I can’t see it from here, but since there are shadows from rocks past here, that means there must be a light source down there.
If I could just get down from here……

Even if it’s not a delicacy, as long as it’s edible, I’m fine with it.
Come on, great labyrinth, don’t fail me now.

The passage down is a fairly angled slope, but still passable enough for me.
It’s not that steep.
I can feel my horns touching the ceiling, so I lower my head down.
The width is wide enough for two Ouroboros to pass through.

Alo and the others are right behind me, but I descend further down before them.
Finally arriving down, I immediately discovered what the source of the light was.
There’s a crystallized mineral here that’s oozing out magic and emitting a faint glow.

So this lump of luminescent crystal is what’s giving off light, huh.
My eyes are able to fairly see in the dark, but it’s better to have a light on, just in case.
Still, this is quite pretty to look at.
Let’s see more info about it.

【〖Dragones Magic Crystal: ValueＢ-〗】
【A magical crystal formed from the heat of the magic flames spewed by a high-rank dragon.】
【The magic power contained within the magical crystal will continue to leak out for decades, emitting a blue light that illuminates the deepest parts of caves.】
【In addition to being fire-resistant, it is often traded at a high price for its alluring glow.】

ValueＢ-…… hm.
I thought everything in the shallow parts of the mine had already been excavated, but there’s still some of value like this one left.
Or maybe it just recently formed?
Wait a minute, if I take this with me to the royal capital, I won’t have to worry about money.
Since I’ll be looking to gather info, it wouldn’t hurt to have some incentive to bribe people into talking.

As I stared at the Dragones Magic Crystal, Partner digs her fangs into the crystal’s base, trying to take it out.
Then, she faces up and attempts to chew the crystal as it slides in her mouth.
Not even three seconds later, she spits it out.

【“Taste bad……”】

…… What even made you think a form of rock would taste good?
And just when we had a huge chunk of crystal, your biting chipped it to pieces……
We could’ve sold it and used the money to buy delicious food, you know.

【“If it’s you who’s eatin yummy food in town, Im not happy”】

Partner must’ve been looking forward to eating cooked food, especially with how I described it back then, and now she won’t even look me in the eye.
She’s sulking…… I thought she wasn’t that angry since she healed me with〖High Rest〗after that uppercut, but I see she’s still hung up on that……
Look, I’m really sorry about that, Partner. I’ll tell you all about my experience in the big city when we get back.

【“If I cant even eat their food, whats the point”】

I-I’ll buy you food then.

“Shi~ii! Shi~ii!”

Nightmare cries out in protest against me.
That cheeky spider……!
She can’t even hear my conversation with Partner, but she automatically sides with Partner every time she sees us arguing.

…… Meanwhile, Partner isn’t even looking at Nightmare.
While Nightmare is busy skree-ing at me, Partner’s attention is elsewhere, sniffing at the air as if she noticed something.
Could Partner’s senses be stronger than my〖Presence Sense〗? No, no, I bet it’s just her sixth sense at finding food at work.

【“Grrr, stinks like rust”】

…… Nevermind, so it wasn’t food. I knew looking for food in this mine was a bust.
So, uh, Partner, when I get to the capital, I’ll buy enough food that’ll satisfy our stomachs, so you just brace yourself if we end up not finding anything in this mine, ok?

【“Ah! I smell human!”】

Eh?
When Partner said that, I desperately try to sniff around too.
If there are still humans mining here, my plan of making this place our temporary base will be ruined.
I sniff around for ten seconds, even squeezing my nose, but I only smell earth and soil. I don’t even smell rust.

【“………… What’re ya doin”】

Partner asked with a dumbfounded expression and shakes her head.
W-Why are the two heads so functionally different not just in skills but also in senses?!

I became desperate enough to the point that I even stuck my nose to the ground.
I only get dirt stuck on my snout. Besides, what do humans even smell like in the first place? I never bothered to know.
Is it just because we’re too completely different heads, with one relying on instinct?

This time, I tried to sniff in a different direction, but when I turned around, I saw Alo with her palm over her mouth, giggling at me.
When Alo saw me looking at her, she quickly stood upright and tried to wipe the grin on her face.
I saw that!
Did I really look that silly trying to smell at empty air?!

Alo, still trying her best to hide her grin, points at Treant beside her.

“U-Uhm…… T-Treant was laughing too……”

I turn to look at Treant.
Treant, after being mercilessly pointed by Alo’s finger, just turns his body around, hiding the front part of his body, which includes his face, entirely.

…… That’s it, I’ll just leave Partner to handle the sensing.
Let’s not try to do something we’re not even used to……
Hm? My〖Presence Sense〗has detected a monster.
Partner notices too and keeps her guard up.

Sliding down the angled slope where we entered, something approaches us from the passageway.
It looks like a grayish-silver puddle, about the same size as a human.
Inside the silver puddle, something like an artificial organ made of steel is constantly beating.

T-That is clearly not something edible just by looks alone!
Is it even a living thing?! Could it be a weapon from an ancient civilization?!

【〖Magiatite Heart: Rank B- monster〗】
【A〖Magiatite〗that has developed a will of its own over many years of intaking magic.】
【A normal〖Magiatite〗is already difficult to dig up because they are commonly found within the magical veins deep underground, but there are rare cases when a〖Magiatite Heart〗is found instead.】
【Using their own magic to heat up their〖Magiatite〗body and controlling the melting point, they are able to move their body however they want.】
【They are extremely expensive, and with their ability to fire themselves at ultra-high speeds by emitting the heat in their body as a propeller, there is no end to the reports of adventurers hunting them down to get back at them.】

O-Ohh…… that’s quite a description.
It’s apparently a rare monster.
Since it’s a Rank B-, I can see how normal adventurers can’t stand a chance against it.
I’m sure a Hero or a Saint won’t have a problem with this though.
But, if the monsters here are around the same rank as this one, then I may need to reconsider leaving Treant alone here……

By the way, what’s a Magiatite?

【〖Magiatite: Value Ａ〗】
【A magical metal formed within the magical veins deep underground.】
【It is often used to forge legendary weapons.】
【Because it contains enormous magic power, alchemists have suggested that it can be used as a power source for magic tools and golems, but it hasn’t been confirmed due to how rare it is.】

Oohhh!
Its Value is Ａ!
Let’s hunt it!
Then once we sell it, we can gain enough money that’ll last us for days! Weeks even!
Oh man, I’m starting to get excited.

【According to a legend, there was a sickly king from a small ancient country who was cured of his illness after putting a〖Magiatite〗in his mouth, which was suggested by a clown, and lived for as long as 120 years.】

A-Amazing!
That just means this is worth more of a fortune than I thought!

【There have been five people in the past who believed in the legend and died from the pain of shoving a〖Magiatite〗whole in their mouth.】

Ah…… I see.
I’ll just forget about those last two parts then…… but, the fact that its value remains unchanged means I can still sell it for a large sum of wealth.

Meanwhile, Partner is just looking at the Magiatite Heart with dead eyes.

【“Looks gross……”】