Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: The Bureaucrat Painted on a Picture
The train running through the fourth floor of the dungeon had derailed in an accident, but it was finally going to be restored.
The dungeon had already become an important mine and factory supporting the metropolitan area.
It seemed that without railways, the operational efficiency would drop considerably.
Unlike some adventurers who dive into the depths for their own glory, many are involved with the dungeon purely as a business.
When their livelihood is at stake, it is natural that they would make many requests.
When actual construction begins, many construction workers will dive into the dungeon, so a number of guards will be needed.
I also asked Sana and Iroha.
Monsters can spawn in large numbers during work, after all.
If it were just four people like during the investigation, we could easily guard them, but as the number of people increases, the probability of accidents will also rise.
Since human lives are involved, I want to be cautious.
While I was in the room, I received a call from Onoda-san.
"Oh? You're here. Princess, it seems the locomotive and rails are ready, so I'm heading to Haneda."
"I understand."
She isn't coming along today.
Well, I know it's 100% work, and she has to come back quickly.
"Please be ready to dive."
"Understood."
Just as I was about to leave, the phone rang from the front desk.
It seemed a guest had arrived.
Waiting, the door was knocked on.
"Yeees!"
Opening the door revealed a massive figure reaching the ceiling.
"I'm here!"
What came in was Iroha wearing a black robe.
"Good morning~"
"Is Sana with you?"
"Yes."
Sana peeked out from behind the black mountain.
"I thought we'd make this our meeting spot. They serve food here too! Hahaha!"
"Hey!"
Princess's retort came involuntarily.
Well, waiting here was indeed the most reliable option.
"Koeda-chan isn't here today, is she?"
"The orcs and hobgoblins on the 4th floor are easy even without buffs."
If you let your guard down, you'll lose your legs -- no, that won't happen.
"Sorry for the boring enemies. Since it's government work, we'll pay you properly."
"That's fine. I owe Darling a big favor, so use me as much as you want."
"It's a relief to hear you say that."
"More than that --"
"What is it?"
She opened her robe.
There was a body equipped with black armor and toned muscles.
Her lower breasts and lower abdomen were slightly exposed.
It seems that by equipping the micro-bikini that restores stamina, which I got before, and matching it with the armor, this design was achieved.
"I see -- you aimed for the limit where hiding the micro-bikini any further would negate its effect."
"That's right. Verifying the effect was quite a hassle."
"There is a danger of having holes in defense, but infinite stamina recovery is hard to give up."
"Exactly. And look! There are the lower breasts Darling loves!"
She emphasized her white swellings.
"Hmm, wonderful."
"That's not your chest, it's muscles!"
Princess's retort came again, but Iroha's toned body remains beautiful.
"No, no, doesn't she look like a super heroine? Too cool."
"Ehehe... Is that so?"
Unusually, Iroha was blushing.
No, she really is a super heroine.
Moreover, not a made-up story like entertainment, but a genuine physical type and combat expert.
Making her the heroine and talking about movies might be possible -- but according to her, no such offers have come.
The movie industry has rotten eyes.
No, should I make it myself?
She has a lot of money.
Shouldn't I put it to good use?
I once thought about making an anime I conceived, but a movie with Iroha as the heroine would be fine too.
Thinking about dreams whose timing is unknown while gazing at Iroha's abs --
"Lower breasts are like this!"
Sana, coming from behind, showed off her Breast-Curtain Dress.
Two large, round things.
She was ready to dive into the dungeon, so her equipment was complete.
"Now, now, don't show that outside the dungeon."
"Darling, look at my butt too then."
Iroha spun around and showed her back.
The back was hidden, but the area around the butt was open.
If it wasn't this kind of design, the item's effect would disappear, I suppose.
It's just like the reverse bunny suits that were popular in the past.
"I see -- hmm, not an ordinary person."
It was a butt with such presence that it looked like it could snap not just chopsticks, but even timber with its pressure.
"That's me too!"
"You two, cut it out! Are you perverts?!"
Just as Sana was about to show her butt, Princess's retort flew out.
"That's right! It's work! Sorry! -- I'm going to Haneda to get the locomotive and such."
"Right! Then I'll wait here!"
"Um, can I go too?"
"It's just going to Haneda and coming back immediately, you know?"
"Yes."
"If that woman is going, I'm going too!"
Princess stood up.
"Wait, wait, Princess -- Sana is fully prepared, but you aren't yet, are you?"
"Ugh..."
She was still in her pajamas.
I would depart for the dungeon immediately after returning from Haneda.
If that were the case, Princess wouldn't make it in time.
"Besides, if Cherry Princess comes along, won't you encounter monsters?"
"Ah, hey."
I told her not to say it to her face.
"Ugh!"
Princess fell silent.
In fact, did she herself vaguely think "Maybe -- it might be so"?
"Sorry, but I'm in a hurry."
I jumped out of the room.
"Ah, Niwa-san!"
Sana followed along.
"There's nothing to 'follow along' about it?"
"It's fine!"
Leaving the hotel with the two of us, we took out bicycles from the Item Box outside.
Speaking of which -- a lot of construction workers are coming.
Materials and locomotives fit in my Item Box, but how about moving the personnel?
I hope Onoda-san has thought of something.
Taking out bicycles from the Item Box, we rode double to the pier.
We boarded the Poon-Poon boat directly.
The boat moved through the sea breeze that stuck to the skin.
"Alright, I'll prepare too."
I took out equipment from the Item Box and equipped it.
Men's gear is simple, right?
"Niwa-san, you defeated monsters at sea too, didn't you?"
"Yes, when I was with Princess, we were ambushed by a swarm."
"So, that person really does summon monsters, doesn't she?"
"I already told you not to say that to her face, right?"
"U... but, but..."
It seems she has a competitive spirit against Princess.
Her level might be higher too, so I guess it can't be helped.
She's young.
While talking with her, we arrived at Haneda.
It seems we crossed the sea safely today.
Since crossing the sea meant leaving the Special District, I took out the light truck.
"Um, the meeting place is..."
I marked it on my smartphone and got navigation.
It didn't seem to be that far.
Sana got into the passenger seat.
"Ehehe..."
"Why are you smiling?"
"Has Cherry Princess ever ridden in this car?"
"No, she hasn't."
"Yay!"
She thrust her fist out.
Driving the light truck, we arrived at the edge of the reclaimed land shown on the navigation.
Four large trailers and a microbus were parked, with many workers around.
Roughly 30 people.
When I found the target woman, I stopped the light truck.
"Onoda-san."
"Ah, Niwa-san!"
Stopping the light truck, I got out of the driver's seat.
"Sorry to keep you waiting?"
"No, it's fine."
While talking with her, a slightly chubby man with a frowning expression came over.
"This guy?"
"Yes."
"And this one?"
"This is Gojoji-san, temporarily dispatched for audit this time."
"Nice to meet you."
"Hmph, an adventurer like you..."
So this is the bureaucrat painted on a picture.
I hadn't met this type recently.
"Gojoji-san!"
"Haha, what a greeting."
"Anyway -- you're the one with the Item Box, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"If you have such power, shouldn't you provide it for free for the sake of Japan?"
"Hey hey, bringing up that topic again here?"
"I thought you had spoken directly with the Prime Minister and understood that."
"U... I'm not saying that!"
"Then what are you saying?"
"Gojoji-san! That's rude!"
"Shut up! I have no intention of being ordered by someone like you."
From this feeling, it seems he is superior to Onoda-san in rank.
"I have no intention of bringing up such a topic now, so shall we work?"
"Hey, the talk isn't over?!"
"Onoda-san, what is this guy?"
"You bastard!"
What a pain.
Should I throw him into the sea?
I'm sorry for this, but I contacted the Prime Minister.
He should be able to handle it somehow.
After all, he is the top of civil servants.
"Look, look, the workers look bored."
Hearing me say that, the man looked around and seemed to notice the white eyes of the workers.
"Grr."
"Come on, let's do this."
"I apologize."
"It's not like Onoda-san needs to apologize."
"What is with that guy!"
It wasn't me, but Sana who was furious.
"Well, he's a true bureaucrat."
Anyway, he probably can't help but try to take the high ground because bureaucrats are great.
On the contrary, it feels like he became a bureaucrat just to try to take the high ground.
Since they can't take the high ground against adventurers and those using supernatural powers, they're picking fights.
"Niwa-san, who is this person?"
"This is Sana. A mage and my guard. She is also a top ranker."
"Ehe."
She made a victory pose.
"Eh?! Is that so?"
"I haven't applied for a rank, so it probably isn't listed."
"Niwa-san is also an amazing person, but you aren't listed on the rank either?"
"I'm an old man, and I have no ambition for fame or anything like that."
"Daisuke-san, what is 'Koumyoushin'?"
It seems Sana didn't understand the meaning of the word.
"It means wanting to become famous or things like that."
"Oh, I don't have that either!"
She laughed.
The workers were also drawn to the girl's smile and laughed.
The additional bureaucrat was a terrible guy, but the workers seemed like good people.
Still, is that guy really coming?
If there's a trap in the dungeon, I'll throw him in.
More importantly, it's work.
Going to where the larger-than-usual trailer was, a locomotive and passenger cars were loaded on top.
Behind that was -- the rails.
"Normal rails are about 20m long, but I had them cut to 10m."
"For a railway in the dungeon, speed won't be high, so it should be fine."
"Experts said the same thing."
The locomotive looked brand new, shining brightly.
Old boilers were probably made of iron, but this one is stainless steel and shines silver.
Below the cylindrical boiler are three large wheels hidden under covers.
There is a small chimney on top, but the boiler is heated by magic and uses no fuel.
It wouldn't be necessary originally.
The passenger cars and freight cars seem to be separated and stored in 10m lengths.
It's a bit rough in construction -- this must have been rushed.
"Onoda-san."
"Yes, yes."
"What about the broken passenger cars inside the dungeon? Has it been decided?"
"It was decided to recover the locomotive and discard the passenger cars."
"Well, if left in the dungeon, they will be decomposed and absorbed anyway."
"It seems so."
With the conversation ending there, we put the locomotive and such into the Item Box.
"Store."
"Oooooh!"
A murmur from the spectators is usual.
The bureaucrat who was criticizing my Item Box just now was receiving a call on his smartphone.
He seemed to be arguing about something.
Did he receive a warning from above because I contacted the Prime Minister?
He's not the type to change his mind just by that much.
The person in charge of the site is Onoda-san, and his role is audit.
I can ignore him.
Next, we stored the passenger cars, freight cars, rails, and the workers' tools.
There were many chains and winches.
This is the plan to move the locomotive -- after all, power cannot be used.
Next, the sleepers.
They are currently concrete sleepers, but these are wooden.
Probably, since paving stones can't be laid, they expected cushioning properties.
There were many large bolts and nuts, and wrenches and socket wrenches to turn them.
Truly, a collection of iron blocks.
Just these alone could be weapons to fight monsters.
"Oooooh!" "Moving empty-handed~" "This is convenient~"
"The tools are heavy, you know."
"That's right."
Inside the dungeon, power cannot be used, so all tools are manual.
Bolts and nuts must be turned by human power.
This is tough.
"Alright, shall we go?"
"Yes."
The workers seem to move by microbus.
Myself and Sana got into the light truck, but the destination was decided -- the pier.
That's the only entrance and exit to the Special District.
Arriving at the pier, we stored the light truck and boarded the boat along with the workers.
"Amazing, the Item Box! No need for a parking lot."
While receiving the sea breeze, I talked with Onoda-san.
"Haha, well. I brought this from my hometown."
"Eh?! Is that so?"
"Haha, but still, Onoda-san is bright today."
"Eh?! Is that so?"
"When we first met, you were like, 'I can do work, so what? (Serious face)'."
"N-no, that's not true."
Just then, that man from before cut in.
"You, aren't you using the Item Box to smuggle bad things?"
"No, no, I liked Onoda-san's 'I can do work super well, so what? (Super Serious Face)'."
"..."
She turned red at my words.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!"
That man has been annoying since before.
"What's wrong, you're noisy. To prevent my Item Box from being misused, the country has me under surveillance."
"Indeed, I heard that."
It seems Onoda-san knows too.
"Look, among the passengers riding on this boat together, the Self-Defense Forces' special forces and Public Security are also boarding."
"Ugh..."
"Anyway -- by the time I and the Prime Minister discussed it, that talk was over. There's no stage for a lowly bureaucrat like you."
There's no need to use polite language for such a rude guy.
"L-lowly... who do you think I am!"
"I don't know~ Haha. Sana, do you know this person?"
"Eh? I don't know."
"Hahaha."
"Ugh."
While doing such foolish things, we arrived at the Special District.
"Alright, I must contact the Princesses."
We are meeting in front of the dungeon.
"Niwa-san, how many guards are there now?"
"Um, five including me. All are high-level adventurers. Imagine how much it would cost to hire them properly."
"Really, could Niwa-san handle it alone?"
"No, I think it's impossible if attacked by a large group."
"There is a saying 'few against many'..."
I think it's easy enough just to defeat them, but I must protect the workers.
"No~ It's convenient because there are no heavy tools or materials."
The workers' steps were light.
"Was it manual labor when laying the rails for the first time?"
I spoke to an old man who seemed like a veteran.
"No, there were steam-powered heavy machinery, compressors, and air wrenches using them."
"Oh, I see -- it takes effort, but mechanization isn't impossible."
"Well, it's definitely a lot of trouble."
Arriving in front of the dungeon, the Princesses were waiting.
Seeing us, a female mage wearing a robe ran over.
"Hmm? Somewhere..."
"Are you the railway construction people?"
"Yes, that's right."
Onoda-san handled it.
"I am the mage who will boil water for the locomotive today."
"Please take care of us."
"Oh! You're the mage we were with when we overturned!"
"Thank you for that time."
She bowed politely.
"If the locomotive doesn't run, you won't have work either."
"That's right..."
Even among adventurers, some are not good at fighting monsters.
Boiling water for the boiler might be a job where such people can earn money.
"Onoda-san, Oga-san is new, isn't she? She is also one of the top rankers."
"I'm Oga, nice to meet you."
"Hii!"
The huge Iroha approached, and Onoda-san was scared.
"Onoda-san, it's okay. Oga-san is a very nice person."
"Haha, leave it to me."
"Y-yes, nice to meet you."
Now -- I thought, that man was going to the Princess.
Did he target her from the beginning?
Well, I don't think there's anything to worry about, but I went to the Princess.
"To meet the daughter of the Yaegashi Group in such a shabby place."
"I have no relation to the group anymore."
What kind of nerves does he have to flatter the obviously displeased Princess?
"Truly, a single flower blooming in the trash heap called the Special District."
"What are you, so rude."
Princess's words were full of thorns.
"Oh, sorry, I am Gojoji."
"Gojoji?"
Her face became even more stern.
"Princess, do you know him?"
"Yes."
"If this were a normal world, you wouldn't be able to speak to adventurers like you!"
I don't quite understand, but is he from some noble family?
"Hmph!"
For some reason, the Princess extended her hand in front of the man.
It looked like a handshake pose from any angle.
"Thank you very much -- Gyaaaaaaah!"
As soon as the Princess grabbed the man's hand, a piercing scream rose up.
What happened was that the man's right hand, crouching down, was mushy.
"Oh, sorry. I miscalculated the force. I am just an adventurer like you."
"Uwa! Looks painful..."
Onoda-san, seeing that, was a bit taken aback.
"S-shake..."
The man sat on the ground, trembling.
"Shake?"
"Call the police! I, I... like this..."
"Listen..."
Since there was someone making a scene at the dungeon entrance, they became the object of sightseeing.
I crouched down too.
"Public power does not intervene in the Special District, and we only guard part of the dungeon entrance. A great official from a university should know that, right?"
"Gigigi..."
The man glared at me.
Even if glared at, it causes no damage.
"In place of the non-intervening public power, we adventurers bear the security of the Special District."
"Ugh..."
"Shouldn't you go back around here?"
"H-hush! I won't accept your orders!"
"Niwa-san, I'm sorry, but could you please treat him?"
Onoda-san came to me.
"Hmm, I'm not really in the mood, but if Onoda-san says so... I guess I have no choice."
"W-what do you intend to do!"
"What do you mean, treatment. You can't be treated by magic unless you're an adventurer like you said? Anyway, let's enter the dungeon."
"Hahaha! Then I'll take you, adventurer-like me."
Iroha grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck and hoisted him onto her head.
"Hii! S-stop! Who do you think I am..."
"I'm happy you're happy! Then I'll spin you as a service."
Iroha began spinning the man hoisted on her head around and around.
She's skillful.
"Haha, this is the one who spins more than usual~"
"A-ah! Niwa-san, stop there..."
Since Onoda-san seemed troubled, I told her to stop there.
Spun around and around, he seemed dizzy and became quiet and limp.
Just right.
"This man is out of the question, but the workers are well-behaved."
"No~ We work in the dungeon, so we are deeply aware of the terror of adventurers..."
"Oh, well, the people on the site are like that."
"Wahaha!"
Iroha, carrying the man, was laughing.
She looks happy.
She has the face of someone who got a good toy.
We all entered the entrance hall, but we had forgotten the important thing.
"Onoda-san!"
"What is it?"
"How will the workers move? With this many people, we can't use the rickshaw like before..."
"It's fine. Didn't you bring a full set of passenger cars from the locomotive?"
"Yes."
"Just ride that to the site."
Hearing her explanation, I understood -- I hadn't thought of that until then.
I often feel that becoming an old man makes my head rigid.
Even if levels go up in the dungeon, intelligence doesn't seem to go up.
In games, there are parameters like Intelligence, but does this world's dungeon not have such things?
"Iroha, have you heard that drop items made your head smarter?"
"Huh? No. If there were such things, I'd want them, haha!"
Anyway -- I'm not really in the mood, but I'll treat the man.