Touring [Cave of Desires] (3)

"Alright, this is the [Avarice Trap]."

Saying that, I showed the group the [Avarice Trap], also known as the magic sword test room. It's the highlight of our dungeon tour.

"So this is Rokuko's [Avarice Trap], huh."

"It's a fairly large room. I wonder if it's about the size of a middle sized house… ah, and that would be the magic sword pedestal?"

Haku-san immediately approached the magic sword pedestal and pulled out the magic sword meant for the trial, a blade golem magic sword.

Kachang!

The entrance filled up with thick iron needles, blocking the exit route. Like a beast's mouth had closed shut.

"It looks like you could kill someone by waiting for them to start to enter before pulling out the sword, doesn't it?"

"As expected of Ane-sama, you're harsh when it comes to companions. There have been accidents like that, though."

"This magic sword… hmm, it vibrates a little when you channel magic power through it. The sharpness improves, as well. Is that Kehma-san's preference?"

… I jolted somewhat when she took a closer look at it, worried that she might find out that the magic sword was actually a golem. It looked like it would be alright, though.

That said, the real work was just about to start.

"A vibrating magic sword… Haku-sama, could you lend me it for a minute? I'm wondering if it's a monster or an item type."

Yeah. Aidi was a magic sword-type core, after all. As for whether a true magic sword would be able to see through my self-made blade golem magic sword, well—

"It looks like a monster type, but it's giving me the feeling of an item type one."

"Hmm, really?"

Yes! Booyah!

By the way, magic swords were listed in the catalog under both monsters and items, so Aidi was likely talking about that. I'm guessing she can talk to the monster ones?

"Would that make you the monster type then, Aidi?"

"Exactly, Rokuko. To be exact, swords with their own will or the ability to react on their own are monster types. If it's a sword with special effects like magic and the like, it's an item type… I wonder if this village's blacksmith is able to make item type ones?"

"Hmm. Come to think of it, Haku-neesama, don't you have a collection of magic swords?"

"Oh, yes. I've just been collecting them without caring about that. I do make sure to properly take control of the monster types, though, to eliminate the possibility of spies."

Spy magic swords. So those exist?

… My beloved magic sword, Siesta, would be a monster type magic sword then? I wonder if I could get control over it if I put it on the dungeon's list. I'll have to ask later.

"Oh, right! You can keep this magic sword if you're able to take it out of this room. Right Kehma?"

"… Hoh?"

"… Really now?"

The two of them looked at me blatantly in response to Rokuko.

"The purpose of this room is to let adventurers experience what a magic sword is like as well as to encourage them to try for one at a deeper floor… As for them taking it out, I have measures to prevent that. Would you like to give it a go?"

"I see. Mind me giving it a shot then?"

Starting with the magic sword being inside the pedestal, Aidi pulled it out once again. The entrance also once again closed with iron needles. It opened when she put it back, etc, etc.

"… This is pretty fun."

"Stop playing around, we've still got more to go, you know?"

"Ah, woops."

Prompted on by Haku-san, Aidi pulled out the magic sword. She then walked over to the needle-blocked entrance and held up her own red magic sword.

"—[Crimson…"

"Hold it right there!"

I hurriedly stopped Aidi, interrupting her skill.

"Is something wrong, Village Chief?"

"What would you about to do just now?"

"I figured I'd use my offensive skill, [Crimson Road], and see if I could break through them with it. That's about it."

Please don't. That's a skill that had the power to make the iron ball and seawater straight up go poof back in the three-way Dungeon Battle. It was so strong that it even forced the explosive steam's momentum back out into the sea. In a straight line. Like… what.

Although they were enhanced by the effect of the dungeon's walls, it would still have easily dealt with the iron spikes. It probably would have wrecked the labyrinth area as well.

"I was going to hold back, you know. I figured the spikes are more fragile than Core Number 564."

"I get it, alright. Please don't destroy our dungeon."

"Really? Fufu, I got it, Rokuko."

"… Congratulations?"

Aidi merrily put the blade golem magic sword into her [Storage].

"I suppose I'm next? The magic sword is gone, but I suppose you can replenish it?"

"Yeah. It normally takes a while to, but this is a special occasion."

Saying that, I had the dungeon's function replenish the pedestal with a new magic sword.

"Fufu, this will be easy. I won't even have to break the entrance."

Then, as Haku-san pulled out the magic sword—

"… Trace my memories to connect a road to a distance place. Gallop through space, soar through time. This is here, here is there. Cross, overlap, connect—[Teleport]."

She suddenly disappeared.

A moment later, she appeared on the other side of the spikes that were sealing off the entrance.

… Right, [Teleport]. I didn't think about countering that.

I had the pedestal replenished with a new magic sword and unsealed the entrance. Haku-san was holding the blade golem magic sword with a smile on her face.

"It looks like the entrance doesn't open if you manage to take the magic sword out of the room?"

"Haku-neesama! You're so cool!"

"You did it, I suppose it's to be expected of a top ten ranker."

It was our complete defeat.

… The only countermeasure for that would be to have the magic sword self-destruct after a [Teleport]. I figure I could teach the golem about [Teleport], but… I mean, having it basically kill itself when it gets taken out of the room? That feels like slumlord level stuff.

"Good work. You can keep the magic sword."

"Fufufu. Well, it's of a low class among magic swords, but even that will work nicely as a souvenir."

In a good mood, Haku-san put the blade golem magic sword away into her [Storage].

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

With that, our famous [Avarice Trap] was oh so easily overcome by the two of them.

Since that was this dungeon's climax, it was all sort of be downhill from there.

Rather, all that was left was the [Avarice Lodge], the former site of the Puzzle Area. That would be the end of the tour.

It's a place where not many adventurers see, so I didn't have to explain it.

I don't want to show off too many of the weird golems strutting around the Warehouse Area after the spiral staircase area, either. Moreover, I really don't want to detour them into the grassland area to meet the succubi.

By the way, there were good few people using the [Avarice Lodge] just then. It still had rooms open… but what's with the rental library that popped up? Or the preserved foods vendor? Are they wanting to live here?

Eh, I get DP out of it, so I don't mind.

"There's a Warehouse Area in the back with some more of the magic swords you saw earlier, but everyday adventurers only make it to just before the spiral staircase area, so I figure we'll stop our tour here."

"Huh. I was hoping to see more though?"

"… Hmm. You've redecorated the place."

Haku was looking at the traces of what had caused her to have a breakdown. As well as at the spiral staircase area.

"… It looks like the construction is complete?"

"… Oh, yes."

"Aah…"

Rokuko seemed to realize the implication. On the other hand, not knowing what we were talking about, Aidi just tilted her head to the side.

"Still though, [Avarice Lodge], huh. I've never seen a dungeon facility like this."

"The details of it are confidential. I can only tell you what adventurers know, after all."

To be honest, the majority of it was handled manually behind the scenes, so there wasn't much to explain either way.

"Village Chief, do you get a magic sword if you can escape this [Avarice Lodge]?"

"No. Well, with a bit of luck, it is a facility where you can acquire a magic sword."

In the end, it was a waste of time for them to stay (rather, there was no benefit to us since neither Haku-san nor Aidi were worth any daily DP) so we headed back.

 

Needless to say, there were no battles on the way out and we managed to leave without anything happening.