The Dungeon Struggle of an Earth Dragon!

EX2. A Prime Minister's Depression

Bolhelic kingdom.

Located south of the Fawud continent, it is a large country with the largest production of demonic stones on the continent, the Erdo mine.

The demonic stones produced in this country were not only treasured throughout the continent, but also from foreign countries across the sea, in terms of their purity and ease of processing, and were one of the valuable economic resources supporting the Bolhelic Kingdom.

"That's what the hell this is all about!?

He craves a chair elbow in frustration.

Ecleus van Lebenhertz.

He is the prime minister of this country and the chief executive officer in the Demon Stone business.

On his desk like that is a pile of paperwork that just fills his body.

It was noted that all the materials that used precious paper at all costs related to the Demon Stone, an important resource.

Yes, such a precious resource, the Demon Stone, was now also the seed of his greatest concern

"After all, the purity of the demonic stones that can undoubtedly be taken from the Erdo mine has declined this past year. It's also accelerating with each passing month,.

It is the young woman who stands aside.

A woman dressed in black edged glasses and a black toned uniform, exactly as if she had embodied a secretary.

"I know that. I'm guessing you have your head because you know it, don't you?

Damn it, he groans abominably.

"Any reports from the investigation team?

"Same. Still unknown cause. Dear Ecclesius, as it is, the finances of this country…"

"I know. There is nothing more familiar with the finances of this country than me.

High purity demonic stone produced from the Erdo mine.

For some reason, the demonic stones produced here recently have extremely little magic to enclose.

In the first place, a demonic stone is just a stone that is degenerate by siphoning in magic for a long time.

If it was meant to be, there's no way it could be pompous and unearthed.

But the Erdo mine had an extremely short degenerative cycle of its demonic stones.

For example, if you unearth a hundred grams of Demon Stone from a certain location, the more you can take the same amount in a few months.

The Kingdom of Bolhelic thus became the largest producer of demonic stones on the continent.

That is why the economy of this country, which has relied on the export of demonic stones, is now about to become exactly a fire truck.

Though there is some stock of demon stones, if we continue to export at the current pace, we will definitely be bottom in less than a few months.

That would be seriously bad.

Soon the economy of this country will collapse.

Should export volumes be restricted?

No, the rebellion from foreign countries is visible and, above all, it will not be a fundamental solution.

Whatever the reason, as long as we know the cause, we can take quite a bit of action.

Reports from investigative teams and magicians are always the same even though we have to figure out the cause as soon as possible.

"Unknown cause"

That's all.

To be honest, this doesn't reveal any.

As far as the dossier is concerned, the demon concentration in the Erdo mine has not changed at all.

Nevertheless, the purity of the demonic stone that can be taken, that is, the amount of magic power to be enclosed, is decreasing.

"The amount of magic vegetables in the Erdo mine hasn't changed at all...... So, from the outside? No, if there was any kind of sabotage, it would immediately catch on to the court magician's junction... so the magic vegetation, no. Is magic flowing somewhere...?

Bumps and eccleus squeak.

Only haste spreads.

No, that shouldn't happen.

It's times like this that you have to calm down.

I am the Prime Minister of this country.

If you're not calm, who the hell is going to support this country?

Ecleus takes a deep breath.

"Pardy, I'm sorry, but I need some tea. With as thick eyes as you can."

"... Yes, sir."

The woman with the black edge glasses bows her head respectfully and leaves the office behind.

"Well, let's have another look at the material until the tea arrives."

Having regained some calm, he glances at the material with machine-like accuracy and speed.

And stopped at one point where those eyes were.

"... What's this?

What was written there was not about the Erdo mine, but about the Erdo wilderness present next to the Erdo mine.

"About demon sightings about the Erdo wilderness"

Eldo Wilderness.

It is the largest wilderness in the Bolhelic kingdom, existing beyond the Erdo mine.

And even on the Fawud continent, it's a monstrous land of fingerprints.

Because of the demonic properties that inhabit it, the eye of surveillance is always laid on the border with the mine.

Especially though I wouldn't turn it into a boulder to imitate foolishness like entering the wilderness just for surveillance.

This material is a report from that surveillance team.

I wouldn't come up to a position like him if I were supposed to.

However, he had looked through a huge amount of paperwork, almost all of it, which was turned daily to find out the cause of the Erdo mine.

"This is..."

The dossier contained information about demons appearing here in the recent Erdo wilderness.

There are extremely few demons living in the Erdo wilderness.

The reason for this is really simple.

Because the demons that reign at the top are too strong.

White Feilong (White Wyburn) and Acleto Crowe.

These two kinds of demons reign at the top of the Eld Wilderness.

Its strength can be said to draw a line with normal demons.

But the two kinds of nature are quite the opposite.

White Feilong is a relatively adult and harmless demon. The diet also takes a similar form to that of a plant called photosynthesis, so it rarely attacks people or other species of demons.

For this reason, it is not considered very dangerous for its overwhelming strength.

But the problem is another one.

Acleto Crowe.

This demon is an extremely dangerous demon designated as a first-degree crusader because of its fierceness and flourishing appetite.

A small number of mine workers are sacrificed in search of food with carnivores, going beyond the sparsely preyed Erdo wilderness, and also occasionally revealed in the Erdo mine right next to it.

The same goes for knights who are on defense.

Acleto Crowe is strong anyway.

Even a dozen defensive knights are enough to finally defeat them.

It's not about knocking it down, either, at best enough to push it back.

Because of such a demonic nest, the Erdo wilderness is considered a demonic realm of death in which people and demons do not lean.

But it is.

"In addition to these two species, there has been an increase in killer ant sightings this past year...?

Killer Ant.

An insect-shaped demon with about 1 meld body length and a tough jaw.

The hell is not so strong. A commonplace demon that can be defeated as long as even ordinary people have weapons if they are not alarmed.

But a troublesome demon who has the habit of attacking in a group and is said to have ten if he finds one.

Nevertheless, it is a common demon that is not uncommon.

The dossier notes that the increase in sightings is also probably due to the creation of a killer ant nest in the Erdo wilderness.

Well, I think Ecclaus would too.

But it caught him oddly.

"If a demon is as common as Killer Ant, then you should instinctively understand the horrors of Acleto Crowe. Yet why...?

Why did you go out of your way to risk building a nest?

This point caught Ecclesius.

Coincidence, or what?

"... on purpose or something?

So what's the reason?

Think.

Killer Ants build nests to protect themselves from external enemies.

But Erdo, there is no reason to build a nest in the wilderness.

Good bait for Acleto Crowe.

There are as many safer and better conditioned places to build a nest.

So why?

Why did you bother building a nest in the Erdo wilderness?

"Protect yourself from external enemies, no, there are subjects to protect... from?

But the idea would be unlikely.

Stupid. Ecclesius instantly, trumps the idea.

Indeed, Killer Ant is one of the few “symbiotic” demons among demons.

That said, it's only symbiosis to the extent that you get honey and meat in exchange for drawing honey worms and kobu pigs into your nest that are even weaker than killer ants and protecting them from external enemies.

And there are no demons in the Eldo Wilderness that Killer Ants are likely to symbiote with.

Even nesting in the ground and deceiving the eyes of Acleto Crowe and Bai Fei Long will be hunted by intermediate earthworms in the lowest class, Killer Ant.

"So how did you know the danger and build a nest?

Why?

"... Hmm"

Ecclesius often silences himself.

It's not supposed to have anything to do with the Eld Wilderness, it's just a report.

I wouldn't mind ignoring it at all.

Yet somehow Ecclaus was hooked on this report.

If you say so, it's just a “check.”

No theory, no less, it's just vague emotional theory.

Just then, Pardee, a woman with black edged glasses, came back with tea.

Good timing.

Receive a cup of tea, take a bite of it, include it in your mouth.