Dungeon's Final Boss: Banished by My Boss, the Goddess, to Earth—So I'll Continue My Past Life - 61

Chapter 61: Peschel Kingdom

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When I contacted them and arranged the date and time, I headed to the airport, where a private jet had been prepared for us. Claire didn’t seem too pleased about Mio coming along, but I told her, “It’s not that weird for an independent Awakened to be accompanying a D-Tuber, right?” At the very least, it sounded more plausible than “being invited by a world-famous billionaire,” didn’t it?

“For appearances, that works fine. But that kind superficial thing doesn’t mean anything to the people operating that within the kingdom.”

“We’re being watched?”

“They probably already know exactly who’s using those robots… The Guardian.”

“Guardian… Is that the name of that robot?”

“That’s right.”

“I see.”

“What? What are you trying to say?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“You were going to say the name is too ordinary, weren’t you? Honestly, you Japanese people!”

“If you already know, then what’s the problem?”

“The name doesn’t determine the performance!”

“No, but it does have a psychological effect on those who see it.”

“You think ‘Guardian’ is that bad?”

“…It’s just ordinary.”

“Then what would you call it?”

“Well, I don’t really understand the ideology behind its actions.”

“It’s a Guardian! It protects all sorts of things!”

“Hmm…”

I pulled out my phone and did some research.

Guardian. Christianity. Angels. Guardian Angels.

“Seraphim.”

“Huh?”

“What do you think?”

“…What does that mean?”

“It’s the name of the highest rank of angels.”

“Why does a Japanese person know that!? Are you Christian?”

“No?”

“Then why!?”

“Isn’t it strange to assume that only believers should know such things?”

“Guh…”

“Rather than naming things so broadly, why not dig a little deeper into their origins?”

“Why am I getting a lecture here? Huh?”

“Ahahahaha…”

Claire directed the conversation toward Mio, who looked troubled.

“By the way, I haven’t told her the details of your request.”

“And you’re telling me this now!?”

“It’s better than her saying something careless before knowing, isn’t it?”

“Well, I guess…”

“Um, if it’s something I shouldn’t know, I won’t ask.”

“No, it’s fine. Go ahead and listen.”

Claire’s expression turned serious as she explained the situation in the Peschel Kingdom, the same way she had to me.

“Because of the orichalcum, an island nation with a population of only a thousand has been caught up in the schemes of major powers and corporations. I want to do something about that.”

“I think that’s a wonderful goal!”

“Thank you. You’ll help too, won’t you?”

“Of cou—”

Before Mio could answer impulsively, I covered her mouth.

“If you’re going to use her, make sure there’s a proper contract first.”

“You’re the one who brought her in!”

“As it stands, she’s just playing along with my cover story. But using her for your cause is a different matter entirely, isn’t it?”

“Are you her boyfriend?”

“Her guardian.”

“…I see.”

Claire glanced at Mio a few times before nodding.

“Well, fine. You just help out Mister Jiro. That’s alright with you, isn’t it?”

“Of course.”

“My goal is… To destroy the dungeon.”

“Huh? Is that okay? Isn’t it valuable?”

“If it’s causing conflict, then the simplest way to stop it is to eliminate the source.”

“Uh… I see…”

That’s basically the “cover it up and pretend it doesn’t exist” approach.

It was inevitable that it would sound like an extreme measure. Mio turned to me, seeking my opinion.

“It’ll eventually appear in another dungeon somewhere.”

This time, the Peschel Kingdom’s dungeon had simply been the first to produce it. But it was also true that this was the only dungeon in the country. Destroying it would mean the nation’s supply of magic stones would drop to zero. What would be the consequences of that?

It had been twenty years since dungeons first started appearing. The use of dungeon-derived materials was still evolving, but society was already becoming dependent on them. Especially magic stone energy production—there was no ignoring the importance of magic stones to a nation. 

“Don’t worry. I’ve thought it through.”

“I see…”

Claire nodded confidently. In contrast, Mio’s expression had clouded over with uncertainty. Her initial agreement now seemed almost like a lie.

We flew by private jet from Japan to a Nordic country, then traveled by ship from there. I had expected the region to be quite cold, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

“This might be more bearable than a Japanese winter.”

The wind while traveling by boat should have been harsh, but as long as she had a down coat on, Mio seemed fine. Maybe it was because she was an Awakened, but in any case, it was better than being immobilized by the cold.

“Use this.”

Claire handed me a translation device. A chip-like piece was attached behind the ear, automatically translating spoken words into Japanese and playing them back via machine audio. However…

“Welcome to the Peschel Kingdom.”

The voice from the man greeting us sounded strangely familiar—like the kind you’d often hear on YouTube.

“Marisa?”

Mio muttered, unable to hold back her reaction. Whether they had cut corners, run out of budget, or been pressed for time, it was hard to say.

Well, whatever.

With that thought, we set foot on the soil of the Peschel Kingdom.

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