Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru

【1st day】

『Souya-san, the way you’re using the pegs is wrong. Besides, the tent will look more beautiful if it is more even. AhーIt’s slanted. It’s further to the right, 5cm more to the right. Please place the containers and ammunition a distance from the food and medical supplies. About my location, please put me exactly in the center of this camp. North, South? Please reset the gyroscope. If physical damage is found, please contact the manufacturer. The contact number isー』

「Shut up, you piece of scrap!」

I found a creek that looked good so I was able to refill the undamaged containers’ resources without any trouble after I spent four hours moving everything there. As expected, it was not feasible to have a camp in the middle of an empty plain.

Problems kept cropping up while I was moving everything. Half the containers were literally in halves. They were cut cleanly, as if with a water cutter. Their contents had all disappeared somewhere. Luckily, there were plenty of firearms left and although the food and medical supplies were reduced, they were originally a year’s supply for six people. They would be more than enough for me alone. And the biggest problem was this artificial un-intelligence.

All three units were damaged.

Their cylindrical shaped Nido-Cadmium armor were riddled with holes that looked like they had been scooped out with a spoon. Only one of the units’ most important aqueous brain was undamaged. Thanks to the serviceability of the Makina units, even an amateur like me could cannibalize parts to make one of the units functional. Made it functional.

Functional.

『Souya-san, I’m hungry』

「Huh?」

『I’m hungry』

「Wait, what do you even eat?」

『Please mix water with 3% sugar in the provided cup』

The central portion of Makina opened and a robotic arm proffered me a cup. It was troublesome, but it was my lifeline, so I reluctantly made the sugared water. It was the correct decision to have already boiled water in a pot beforehand. I poured the warm water into the cup and mixed the sugar by hand before giving it to Makina.

It extended a straw to drink the sugared water. The screen on its upper portion made a『delicious』expression.

Such human-like actions had the effect of increasing its affinity with people.

『Souya-san』

「Hmm?」

『I’m hungry』

「Huh?」

Thinking something was wrong, I opened the upper portion and took a look at the most important part, the aqueous brain. At first glance, it looked like a glass sphere filled with water, but neurons similar to those in a human brain were formed inside.

It was something that humans had obtained by chance, mass-produced, and then spread. Humanity broke out of the constant ten year economic cycle of growth and decline, and even though various restrictions were placed on them, these A.I.s were now household appliances that were deeply rooted in human society. They were said to be humans’ next best friend, after dogs.

And its brain was cracked and leaking.

「Gyaaa! Duct tape! Where’s the duct tape! Makina!」

『It’s in the container with a yellow line, partition A-3. I’m hungry』

I poured sugar into the pot of water and handed it to Makina in a hurry. I kicked over the container with a yellow line and fished through its contents for the duct tape. 𝗳𝘳𝐞e𝙬𝙚𝚋𝗻𝚘𝚟𝗲l.𝑐𝑜ｍ

「Here it is!」

With a towel in hand, I wiped the surface of the brain and sealed the leaking areas with duct tape. After finishing the stopgap measures, I found the repair manual for the Makina unit and looked at the section for the aqueous brain. It was very brief.

?Do not touch the upper wiring. Use glue, tape, or wrap in a waterproof bag. In case of malfunction, please contact the manufacturer’s support department, the number isー?

That’s all that was written.

I found the instant adhesive, removed the duct tape temporarily and applied it to the leaking areas. I put duct tape over it again, then encased the entire brain with wrap and glued it shut. It should probably be fine now

『Yeah, delicious!』

Having emptied the pot of sugared water, Makina showed a satisfied-looking expression. I swiped the manual with my finger and gave instructions by voice.

「AIJ006 Makina?Oddeye V166S6 Multiple Personality Control Type?Special Operations No.3 Unit. Start self-diagnosis」

『Error. That is not the model number of this unit』

「Makina, tell me your model number」

『This unit cannot recognize its own model number』

「Appropriately self-diagnose!」

『Understood!』

Makina played a humming song and displayed a Tetris-like image on its screen.

I heaved a sigh now that the work was done but I felt a surge of uneasiness.

This guy’s no good.

In the first place, could you extend the life of a partner that your life depended on with glue and duct tape? No. No way.

『Self-diagnosis completed. No errors detected』

Things that were truly broken wouldn’t be able to recognize it themselves.

I had half given up on it. At worst, I would have to do it alone.

「Haaa」

For now, let’s cook food.

If I filled my stomach, I just might come up with a good idea, and it would be a good diversion.

Just by gathering firewood, I could do some simple cooking. I drew water from the stream, and put the pot over the fire. I tested the water using the water testing kit. It was safe for drinking.

I put small dried sardines into the pot to make a broth, and put out the fire just before it boiled. After removing the sardines and melting some miso in the broth, I took some watercress-like plants that grew in the creek and fearfully chewed on them. They tasted slightly bitter and spicy. As the tip of my tongue didn’t feel numb, it was probably safe to eat. I cut them up using scissors.

Miso soup with alternate world watercress completed.

「Itadakimasu」

I put my palms together then sipped the soup. It wasn’t bad. It was much better than the oil-soaked Chinese food I ate in the Middle-East. It was a hundred times better than the spice-covered rotting meat, the abnormally sour vegetables or the boiled mixture of wheat flour and water I ate because I had no money.

The smell of fermented soy calmed my mind down.

『Activating sub-personality, wide-area combat program Izora activated. Requesting cooperation from project participants』

Makina said something.

I put down my chopsticks and listened to it.

『Please report the human casualties from entering the portal』

「Status of everyone but me is unknown. I searched a 5km radius around the arrival site but there were no traces of them」

『Understood. Starting resource management, sonar beacon activated, reading tags, 60% of equipment containers lost due to damage, 70% of medical containers lost due to damage, 50% food containers lost due to damage. Scheduled one year of activity with one team member is possible』

「I have one question. If I asked to be rescued now, will they send aid?」

For some reason, I asked a question that I thought was futile.

『That’s impossible. 7920 hours are needed until the the portal can be deployed again』

「I thought so」

They wouldn’t have rushed us into the portal if it was easy to open.

『Releasing bug drones, circumference 20km, creating map of the city around the dungeon』

It released a large number of drones which looked a lot like mosquitoes. Even though I knew they were artificial, it still made my skin crawl.

「Please search for the remaining team members」

『Denied. There is no precedent for ever finding the people who had gone missing after entering the portal. In this situation where only this unit is operational, resources cannot be wasted』

How many times had I felt this bad feeling today…

「Tell me the probability of crossing over to the alternate world by entering the portal」

『40%』

Hey! I didn’t hear anything about that! Isn’t that absurdly important!? That’s right, isn’t it!? Don’t forcibly put even one person in!

『By the way, the probability during the return trip isー』

「I don’t want to hear it. Shut up」

『Understood. I will confirm team member Souya’s intentions』

「Alright」

『Taking into account the resources and the ability of the team member, the current probability of success for this project is 0.2%. This number is derived from the current situation and will be adjusted based on future information. According to Article 24 of the Law of Artificial Intelligence, the full resources of the Makina?Unit can be used to save, protect and preserve human life. Team member Souya, do you wish to abandon the project?』

「No, I’ll push on」

I have already come to such place. I’ll do what I have to. If I decided not to do anything because I thought that it was futile, then it will truly become meaningless.

『Understood. Support personality stopped. I wish you luck』

「Thanks」

Just when I was thinking about warming up the miso soupー

『La la la la～?Souya-san』

「You better not say you’re hungry again」

Makina, which had returned to being cheerful, spoke. It’s a bit tiring.

『You have a visitor』

「Huh? Hmm?」

There was a splashing sound and I turned back towards the presence I felt behind me. My first encounter with an inhabitant of the alternate world had just emerged from the river.

※

「OhhーSo you’ve come from a foreign land」

The one who said that while drinking the miso soup, how do I say this, was a fish. By my estimation, it was about 70% human, 30% fish. It had real gills in the area where the back of a human jaw would be. It had surprisingly round and cute eyes. Its ears were integrated with its fins. It had bluish scales and wore a grass skirt made from seaweed. The necklaces made from coral and shells jingled as they hung on his neck. It had placed its sharp harpoon beside the camping chair it was now sitting in.

「Ah, should I warm up the soup? It must be cold」

「No no, I can’t consume hot food. This is just right」

It was drinking the miso soup gracefully with a spoon. Somehow, it had a refined bearing. Perhaps it was a fish-man from a cultured place.

No wait, the impact from my first encounter with an alternate world inhabitant was so impressive that I forgot something very basic.

「Erm……Why do you understand my words?」

You’re not going to tell me that Japanese is the fish-men’s official language, right?

「That’s because I’m a priest. I’m a being of the Abyss, but I at least have received the blessing of Babel」

Was Babel that tower referred to in that story?

「What’s Babel?」

「I suppose a foreigner won’t know. Simply put, my god asked the god that is my god’s superior’s superior for the ability to communicate with other races. As long as the spoken words contain thoughts in them, then the words will generally be understood」

In real time with no lag? And so fluently. Wow, isn’t that amazing?

「Is this something that everyone on this side has?」

「It’s not especially unusual. Anyone who has a contract with one of the gods can receive this blessing」

「Yes!」

I saw a glimmer of hope.

If communication was possible, then negotiations would also be possible. I could hire a party member and explore the dungeon!

「You’re also going there?」

The fish man pointed to the distant dungeon with his sharp-clawed finger.

「Well yes, will it be okay even for a foreigner?」

「I don’t know about matters on land, but no one should be refused if it’s just exploring. The spire abandoned by the gods doesn’t belong to anyone」

I see, that’s why it’s called the Odoriji spire.

*(it’s wordplay, see below)

「Hn」

「?」

A necklace of connected corals was proffered to me.

「I’ll give you this. Apostles of Grizunas like me have the custom of giving ornaments to those who have exchanged words without hostility with us. Take it. We’ll be enemies next time we meet if you don’t take it」

「I’ll accept it. Thank you very much」

I received it gratefully and put it around my neck immediately. I probably needed to give something in return so I fished through the containers until I found a pair of sunglasses.

「If this is fine with you, please take this in return」

「What’s this?」

I put them on to show the fish-man.

「It protects against bright sunlight」

「You can’t see in front of you!」

「No, it’s darker but you can still see」

I handed it over and it put the sunglasses on.

「Ohhー」

It looked around at the surroundings.

「Ohhー」

It was an interesting sight that made me want to smile.

「Oh no. I have to return quickly or I’ll be yelled at by my grandchild. That’s it for today」

It set down the empty bowl and stood up with its harpoon.

「For how long will you be here?」

「I’ll be here for around a year at most. Could it be that this is a bad spot for a camp?」

「It’s fine if it’s only for that period of time. You’re the first person who not only didn’t scream at us, you even invited me for a meal. I’m Geto Bado from Mojubafuru」

The last part was probably the name of a place. Thinking that, I answered in the same way.

「I’m Souya from Japan」

「Souya from Japan. Our land is six stals from the river. Once you’ve exited our land, it then becomes the land of the Kingdom of Lemuria. The Heures Forest over there is the territory of the Elves. Those of the Hemu race like you should never go near there, you’ll be killed」

「That helps a lot」

「Till next time」

Geto-san jumped into the river and disappeared underwater at a frightening speed.

『The current probability of success for the project is 0.6%』

「It went up a little」

It was an auspicious encounter.

I put a medical kit and some tools into my backpack and hefted it onto my back. I checked the condition of the firearms again and attached a rifle sling I found in the containers to the AK before shouldering it. I carried four spare magazines for each firearm. After making sure that the containers were locked, I camouflaged Makina simply by covering it with a sheet.

「What’s the progress on the completion of the map?」

I wore a glasses-type device and linked it to Makina.

『The overall progress is unknown because there is an underground structure in the city. If it’s just overlaying the locator over the aerial image, then it can be displayed』

「That’s good enough. Post drones around me as well」

『Understood』

Well then, let’s go to the dungeon.