041-060 · 045-ch39

Chapter 39: Investigation

"See? Bingo."

Descending a cliff-like mountain toward an ice-covered city spreading at the foot of steep peaks.

>>Whooooaaaa!?

>>Eeeeeeh!?

>>How did you know!? And that ice is insane!?

>>More fantasy incoming!!! This is exactly why I watch John's streams!

>>That's incredible... but why's it in the mountains?

>>Why's it there if it's not even snowing?

>>This is definitive proof people were here.

"That's the thing. In the real world, places with frozen stuff are usually cold areas where it snows, right? But in this world with magic and magic power... it wouldn't be strange to find something like that in the middle of a scorching desert or a tropical jungle. That's what makes exploring so worthwhile."

Actually, even within the areas I'd checked before, while nothing was frozen solid like this, I had found a settlement in the center of an area as cold as a frigid zone right next to a desert.

Something they worshipped in that settlement seemed to be the source of the cold.

Because magic power and magic exist alongside physical laws, ignoring them, unbelievable things happen and exist here that would be unthinkable on the surface.

That's why exploring here is even more rewarding than walking through surface nature.

Though someday I'd like to visit the mountainous regions of Everest or the Tibetan Plateau on the surface too.

Anyway.

As Robo and I descended, the chill we felt grew stronger.

That said, it wasn't enough to freeze us to the core—at most around freezing temperature.

Which meant this wasn't just a town that happened to be cold and got covered in ice. Perhaps it was covered in ice because it was meant to be covered in ice.

Or rather, Icicles forming, frost settling, water freezing—those I could understand.

But the town itself, all its buildings completely covered under ice? What did that even mean?

Clack.

Making that sound, Robo and I reached the mountain's foot, our feet touching the massive ice plateau covering the city.

"...Yeah, it's not just cold. The ice is covering the city like it's protecting it."

I'd confirmed this even from afar, but it wasn't like there was ice on top of the ground—the city itself seemed trapped inside a block of ice, covered up to the height of the building roofs in one solid mass.

It's a bit different, but imagine a snow globe with something trapped inside—might be easier to picture that way.

>>What do you mean?

>>So it's not icicles and frost, the whole town is inside the ice.

>>Ah, yeah, why though?

>>"Covered in ice" was literal, huh.

>>So it's not just cold and snow piling up at all.

>>What even is that place... this fantasy is too much, the world beyond the dungeon.

I'm fully aware of all that.

Magic exists, magic power exists, and these special energies lay down laws alongside physical laws.

In a world like this, common sense doesn't apply—things that defy it exist by the mountainful.

This is a world where islands can float in the sky, after all.

A town covered in ice... well, I was surprised, or rather shocked by how unknown this phenomenon was.

"Gonna look around for a bit."

First and foremost, investigation.

Looking around to see what situation we're in, if there's anything causing this condition, how far this ice extends.

Can't start talking until we investigate all that.

>>Film from different angles.

>>We want to analyze as much as we can, so please do.

>>The footage value alone is insane.

>>Researchers must be drooling, right?

>>This is paradise for people who love the unknown.

>>I wonder how many years ago it got covered in ice.

True, I've heard you can measure time from ice layers.

They say bacteria from thousands of years ago still sleep in Antarctic ice.

"Yeah, tell me everything you want me to investigate. I might miss things on my own."

>>Got it, leave it to us.

>>Later's fine, but I really want you to break the ice.

>>Just the edge is fine, I want to see if it even melts when heated.

>>Yeah, in fantasy, ice used for sealing usually doesn't melt.

>>Can it even be broken to begin with?

"All that destructive stuff comes way later. Taking samples and experimenting—I want to record the whole thing as much as possible first."

If other people had come to this dungeon world, investigating here wouldn't have been my exclusive domain.

Perhaps a large group of explorers and researchers would have recorded extensively before stepping foot here.

Thinking about it, investigating this city alone—where one change could be irreversible—

makes me feel like I'm doing something inexcusable.

Like this is a place where a large group should conduct thorough surveys before entering.

But unfortunately, I'm a bundle of curiosity.

Without such reservations, I want to uncover the secrets of this ice-covered city with my own hands.

My desire to unravel this fantasy is as strong as my desire to adventure through unknown nature.

For now, I walk to the city's edge—to the boundary of the ice-covered area.

The ice underfoot is definitely ice, and walking on it feels completely normal.

Well, I've never walked on ice before, but the sensation of walking on hard ground is the same as walking on stone.

If I had to say, the ice surface is just too clean.

No signs of something bumping and scraping against it, no marks of melting and refreezing into ripples.

"The ice might be pretty solid. These are fairly hard boots, but they can't scratch it or leave marks. Probably the same with Robo's footprints."

『Awooo?』

Ignoring Robo looking at me curiously, I check where our footprints should be.

These are Robo's footprints, with claws that can easily slice through even armor.

While he doesn't normally walk gouging the ground, not leaving scratch-like marks is unnatural—or should be.

Even for a hunting species like Robo, I know well that he doesn't completely leave no footprints normally.

"...Yeah, Robo's footprints aren't leaving marks either. This ice is weirdly hard. Normal ice wouldn't be like this. Hey, is there any way ice gets stronger when it freezes?"

>>Leaving aside John's footprints, it's definitely abnormal that even Robo's claw marks don't show.

>>So it's not normal ice.

>>For now, ice gets harder as temperature drops. At 0 degrees it's Mohs hardness 1.5, but at -70 degrees it goes up to around Mohs 6 apparently.

>>What's Mohs hardness?

>>A unit measuring material hardness.

>>Ice is still made of water particles, so crystal formation affects hardness, or rather how easily it scratches.

>> Like, ice that froze on a glacier scale has uniform crystals so it's apparently super hard.

>> Just skimmed a paper real quick.

I see, so it's about how the ice forms.

Certainly, the way this city-covering ice formed doesn't seem like any ordinary formation method.

It would be nice if I could investigate that from somewhere later, but without specialist knowledge, it's tough.

"Thanks everyone. That was helpful reference material. I'll continue investigating for now."

>>O-okay.

>>This is when the power of collective intelligence shines.

>>Even if lots of trash gathers, it's still just trash.

>>John casually thanking people is so unfair. Getting thanked with that face would make anyone blush.

>>He does have a genuinely handsome face.

They're talking about my appearance, but I'm not interested so I'll ignore it.

Well, if they're praising me, I'll gratefully accept the compliments.

For now, while keeping the information viewers gave me in the back of my mind, I reach the city's edge where the ice ends.

"So the city formed stuck in a valley between mountains, huh."

It's not exactly a valley, but a city formed surrounded by steep mountains on all sides.

At the city's edge, perhaps due to insufficient living space, buildings were packed densely right up to where the mountain slope became severe.

"This is the edge, huh. It's completely dug into the mountain. And the ice has a slope. Is the height based on surrounding roof levels?"

I moved to the edge building, constructed as if carving into the mountain slope.

While slightly separated from other houses, the structure itself looks like an ordinary house.

Probably they ran out of space to build houses and gradually expanded the city's area.

>>John's really observant.

>>So the ice does have a slope.

>>Maybe they couldn't cover low and high elevation buildings together?

>>Seems like they kept the ice area to a minimum.

"The ice is dug into the mountain. Not just the top, it's completely surrounding underneath too?"

I lightly dig at the mountain slope where the ice extends in.

Sure enough, the ice continues below ground, stopping after a certain depth.

Comparing it to the neighboring house, it probably completely covers the building's foundation.

"So it's not just covering from above. It really feels like the whole town is trapped inside the ice. And that ice is placed embedded into this mountain. It doesn't feel like ice was stretched over an existing mountain from the start."

Then I suddenly realize.

"This... has it been frozen long enough for the mountain to form and soil to accumulate?"

>>Ah, I see?

>>Could that actually be possible?

>>If it extends into the mountain, underground too, then rather than ice getting in, it's easier to understand that soil accumulated after the ice covered it.

The possibility that this city has a long history suddenly emerges.

While considering that possibility, I continue my investigation.