Side: Yuki
So, here I am at the beach with my wives.
Well, technically, it's an artificial ocean. But it's completely different from one of those wave pools.
This special section is only three kilometers on each side, which is considerably smaller than the other dungeon floors.
Well, this was originally a place where I experimented with all sorts of things, like Minecraft. Can I build a floating castle in the sky? What's the maximum firepower of magic? Summoning super giant monsters, and so on... Though my main goal all along was actually to build this ocean and a snowy mountain.
While this special layer wasn't particularly wide, its vertical space was much larger than standard floors. Standard floors were built to match residential areas and tree heights, reaching about 20 meters upward and 5 meters downward at most. However, this special layer had 50 meters above and 20 meters below, using up nearly 10% of the total 1-kilometer depth limit I originally bought for underground modifications on this single floor.
Ah, by the way, the dungeon itself has 8 floors.
Surface: Outer Town.
Underground Floor 1: Grassland Area.
Underground Floor 2: Military Area and Training Grounds.
Underground Floor 3: Residential Area, including fake versions of my house and my wives' houses.
Underground Floor 4: Industrial and Agricultural Area.
Underground Floor 5: Entertainment Area, Adventurer Area, and Dungeon Area.
Underground Floor 6: Trade Port Area.
Underground Floor ?: My real house and my wives' house.
Underground Floor ?: Experimental and Special Zone
As you can see, the setup was designed to handle attacks whether an enemy army came from above or from the trade port below.
If they attack from above, they'd have to squeeze through a narrow entrance into the grassland area, march one kilometer, and then somehow break through the military forces stationed on the second floor, where we've established a defensive line equipped with modern weapons.
(By the way, projectile-type skills and magic are disabled in the military training grounds, so the environment there is basically the same as on Earth. Unless someone can use magic internally to strengthen their body to an extraordinary degree, they won't survive.)
The trade area below is enormous. If someone manages to get that far, they'd have to contend with the huge forces of adventurers and dungeon monsters stationed there.
And, of course, if they invaded through the trade area, Weed's allied countries would come rushing in from that very same area and attack them from behind. So, compared to the past, our defenses have become even more ridiculously impregnable. At this point, any country that picks a direct fight with Weed is beyond saving. In fact, the world would probably be better off if they just disappeared.
As for those "?" floors, they're not actually located directly underneath the others. Due to various circumstances, they have to be isolated and are located elsewhere. Well, naturally, my house and my wives' house are there because the dungeon core is located there.
If someone really wanted to shut down this dungeon, they'd have to collect all 35 dungeon cores scattered throughout the place. I've set things up so that the dungeon core in my house serves as the main system. But just in case it gets stolen or destroyed, control of the main system is automatically transferred according to the remaining cores' defensive capabilities. I'm not stupid enough to make the entire dungeon shut down just because a single core gets destroyed. That would be way too risky.
And finally, there's the special floor: 'The Experimental and Special Zone'. This was where I'd been doing all sorts of things that I couldn't show outsiders. I'd also been steadily working on recreating a realistic ocean. Well, creating it was as simple as fiddling with a monitor.
Now then, that preamble ran pretty long, but what made this artificial sea different from a wave pool?
The answer is that 'an ecosystem has actually developed inside it'.
Well, technically, I'm controlling the population of each species using my dungeon skills... Even controlling the populations is surprisingly difficult. If the balance is even slightly off, fish and shellfish that are weaker within the ecosystem get eaten by the stronger species in no time.
Since I wanted this place to resemble a natural environment as much as possible, I didn't want to force things too much, even though I could control the population with my skills. So every single day, I repeatedly monitored the increase and decrease of numbers and made micro-adjustments.
Man, it really made me appreciate how incredible nature is.
In a closed environment, everything eventually dies off except for specific dominant species. Because of that, I had to give up on other species and keep only those that could adapt to this dungeon's sea.
Well, at least I managed to keep most of the major seafood species I wanted.
As you can tell from this explanation, this was truly a full-fledged artificial ocean.
Dangerous sharks didn't exist here. Neither did stingrays or Portuguese man o' war. I got rid of all that dangerous stuff and instead stationed a large number of aquatic monsters as a maritime rescue team.
Oh, here's a somewhat interesting story:
Even among monsters, there were those split between freshwater and saltwater types.
...Because when I tossed some freshwater ones into the sea, they floated up dead a few minutes later... I felt pretty bad about that.
Cause of death: Excessive salt intake.
Well, technically, it had something to do with the rate at which its body could expel salt, but that's a pain to explain, so I'll skip it. I knew monsters weren't all-powerful, but I assumed fish-type monsters would be fine. That was the result.
Overconfidence: never again.
Anyway, as for the surviving monsters that became the Coast Guard...
"Kyaa—a giant octopus-san nodesu!!"
"Oya? That looks like it'll make quite a meal. I see. 'Artificial ocean' is certainly an appropriate name. Onii-san is already planning other uses for this place, isn't he?"
"Ratz, save the commentary and let's finish it off quickly. If it's this big, we can make tons of takoyaki."
"...I agree with Milly. We should turn it into takoyaki ingredients."
Hearing those voices, I looked toward the cove where my wives were playing.
There was a giant octopus about three meters tall in the shallow water.
Normally, a ridiculously huge aquatic monster like that would require thorough preparation to defeat, but since my wives were already absurdly powerful, it looked like nothing more than a giant meal to them.
Filia, Ratz, Milly, and Kaya immediately took up battle stances.
The rest of the wives casually watched on.
By the way, my wives probably didn't know this, but overly giant octopuses contain high amounts of ammonia, making them taste pretty bland—or sometimes practically inedible.
...Wait, no, no, NO! Now's not the time to be thinking like this!!
That guy is a member of the Coast Guard!! Don't eat it!!
Look!! It isn't even attacking you!! It's backing away!!
"Hm? Ah! Everyone, stop!! That octopus-san is a friendly monster!!"
"""Eh?"""
Before I could stop them, Aslin noticed what was going on and stopped everyone.
Yep, as expected of the princess of our household's monsters.
The giant octopus immediately goes behind Aslin.
At this point, I think it's basically domesticated.
"That's right. Aslin is correct. It's part of the ocean's security and maritime rescue team. Actually, all the monsters in this ocean are."
I included them as lifeguards and watchers too.
Monitoring life underwater was also meant to protect people playing in the sea.
This was truly a genuine Coast Guard.
"...Okay. Then I won't eat it."
"Wait a second. Didn't you say octopus tentacles grow back?"
"...Then can we eat it?"
"Hold it, hold it. You—Go catch an octopus and bring it back. If you don't want to be eaten yourself."
The giant octopus monster immediately nodded and fled back into the deep sea.
""Tch.""
You two, please don't eat it; it probably tastes bad anyway.
Still, in a sense, telling him to offer up his own relatives as a sacrifice is pretty harsh...
Did that traumatize him? I should have Aslin give him some counseling later.
"Hey, Dear. If that giant octopus is one of our monsters, does that mean there are dolphin-like ones too?"
"Hmm? Ah, yeah, there are."
When I answered Seraria's question, my wives gathered around.
"I-Is that true, Anii-sama!? I-I want to try riding a dolphin!!" (Filia)
"I want to ride one too! I've always wanted to try swimming with dolphins like I saw on TV!" (Riel)
"Can I join too?! Are there orcas!?" (Ria)
"Calm down, Ria. Now then, I would also like to ride a dolphin..." (Jessica)
And just like that, dolphins were wildly popular, while orcas whales were out of luck.
Well, it's a kind of dream, right? Riding on a dolphin's back and going across the sea.
So, to prevent them from getting eaten, I decided to introduce the aquatic monsters to everyone first.
Yes, not just for playing, but as a proper self-introduction to protect the lives of our Coast Guard members.
...When we eventually open this to the public, I'll definitely need to make sure the Coast Guard's "faces" are well known to avoid accidents.
"Kyah~! Dolphins! They're dolphins, Killue!"
"P-Please calm down. They do have lovely eyes, but please do not lose your composure!"
Yep, alongside Sheila, Killue was visibly delighted too.
Incidentally, predicting there would be high demand, I had prepared multiple dolphins.
"...Which ones are we allowed to eat?"
"...That fish looks delicious."
"Calm down, you two. This is just an introduction. These monsters aren't food. The ones we can eat are being caught by that octopus from earlier."
It seemed Kaya and Milly were completely ruled by their appetites.
Intuiting that these two were dangerous, the monsters refused to make eye contact with them.
"Danna-sama, is this squishy transparent creature... a jellyfish?"
"Umu. It is likely a jellyfish monster."
"Cleana-san hasn't seen one before, has she? Um, I've only seen them when I was little, but... are they like slimes that live in the ocean?"
Rurua, Derieu, Cleana, and Samantha seemed intrigued by the transparent spherical creatures.
"Yeah, those are jellyfish monsters. They have proper self-awareness and obey orders. Rather than swimming together like dolphins, though, they're more like floating little islands you can sit on to relax. If you ask them, they can catch fish with their tentacles or help with rescues. They're actually quite convenient."
That's right.
These were jellyfish monsters, and they were incredibly useful creatures.
They enjoyed drifting leisurely across the surface of the water, could dive underwater, and were soft enough to ride on. Their tentacles could also be used to provide assistance, making them, in some ways, even more useful than dolphins.
"Yuki-san. So there are frogs in the ocean too?"
"We ate frogs quite often in the elf village too."
"Ah, in my village, we ate frogs a lot as well."
"I was indebted to them quite a bit too. They were the only source of fresh meat during marches."
Tori's comment was fine. However, hearing Eris, Ria, and Jessica's comments made the Sea Frog tremble in fear.
...Yeah, people really do look at frogs as food, don't they?
Even in Japan after the war, bullfrogs were imported in large quantities to survive food shortages.
As you might know, the bullfrogs in Japanese rice paddies today are an invasive species. They had high reproductive capacity and adaptability, making them lifesavers during food shortages, but modern Japan mostly views eating frogs with disgust. Those food-stock bullfrogs escaped and multiplied to the point of pushing out native species, turning bullfrogs into a global ecological issue.
Well, when cooked, they taste like chicken, so they aren't bad at all.
"...Anyway, don't eat them."
"We know."
"Don't worry."
"Yes, it's not like we're struggling for food right now."
I gave the three of them a warning just to be safe... I really did not want to discover that one of them had mysteriously vanished.
Incidentally, Tori hopped onto a frog's back alongside Riel and leaped out into the sea.
Before I knew it, most of my wives had mounted their favorite aquatic monsters and headed offshore.
"Kyah~!"
"Dolphins are amazing nodesu!"
Far out offshore, Aslin and Filia were flying over the waves on the backs of dolphins.
Once I get the report, maybe I'll head out there too.
Just as I was thinking that, Labyris, who remained on the beach, walked over and tugged on my swim trunks.
"Hey, Yuki. Something green? Blue? Person-like is walking this way from the inlet."
"Ara? It really is. What could it be?"
"...Is that a sahuagin?"
"...You're right. It looks like a sahuagin. But its body seems unusually clean."
"Yeah. Milly is right. It's a sahuagin. Its body is probably so clean because it doesn't live in a swamp or muddy waters."
The leader of the Coast Guard team was supposed to be a sea-dwelling race. Unfortunately, there were no merfolk available, so I summoned sahuagins instead.
Merfolk seem to be a separate race—not monsters—on this continent. Apparently, a merfolk kingdom existed on Weed's continent as well. I'd like to visit it someday.
As for what the sahuagin looks like, just imagine a lizardman with gills. Other minor details included webbed hands and a finned tail.
While I couldn't tell the difference between the clean and dirty ones Kaya had mentioned, maybe you could think of it as the difference between Steve and a wild goblin. Wild goblins are practically half-naked and never take baths, after all.
"Admiral. No problems on the sea side."
The sahuagin walked up in front of me, gave a crisp salute, and reported in.
By the way, he was acquainted with Steve and the others. In fact, the reason Steve's dining table had been loaded with seafood lately was thanks to this sahuagin.
"I see. Good work. My wives are out on the water right now, so keep an eye on them as well."
"Sir! Leave it to us! Also, Milly-sama, Kaya-sama, please wait just a bit longer for the seafood. We are currently gathering the best catches of the day."
"Got it... Wait a second."
"...From the way you phrased that, can you tell which things are edible?"
The two turned sharp, piercing gazes toward the sahuagin.
"I-I am aware of what's edible, yes..."
"Then lead the way."
"Waiting here is boring anyway. Catching what we want to eat ourselves sounds much more fun."
Their appetite was terrifying.
The sahuagin looked at me, desperately seeking help.
Unfortunately, I couldn't answer that plea.
"...I'm counting on you."
"U-Understood... If the Admiral says so... Ah, excuse me. I actually had one thing to discuss with you, Admiral."
Stopping in his tracks before guiding them, the Sahuagin quickly rushed back to my side.
"What is it?"
"Well, it's a personal matter, sir... but whenever General John gives us vegetables, he gives us cucumbers most of the time. It's not that we dislike them, but my subordinates have expressed a desire to try other vegetables too, so could you perhaps mention it to him casually?"
Immediately after saying that, the Sahuagin returned to guiding Milly and Kaya.
Having overheard the conversation, Seraria and Labyris spoke up with exasperated expressions.
"...John's obsession with cucumbers really is becoming a problem."
"Right? Do you think he assumes sahuagins will turn into Kappa if they eat cucumbers?"
"...No way, right?"
...I can't deny the possibility.
That guy went from a vegetarian Orc to adding "King" to his title later on, after all. Literally the King of Vegetables. It makes no sense for someone holding a general's rank.
His obsession with vegetables is terrifying. Or rather, his obsession with cucumbers.
"Now then, isn't it about time you escorted us?"
"Yeah. I feel like I'm about to dry up out here."
It seemed Seraria and Labyris had been waiting for me all along.
Labyris had already climbed up onto my back, while Seraria held her hand out toward me as if asking to be taken.
In that case...
"Kya!?"
"Fufu, wonderful, Yuki."
I pulled Seraria close all at once, scooped her up in a princess carry, and broke into a run toward the ocean.
There were still jellyfish available, so let's use them to join up with everyone out in the open water.
After all, our beach day was only just getting started!
* * *
Later, when I asked John about the cucumber matter, he cried after learning that sahuagin weren't kappa.
Apparently, he'd thought kappa were the ultimate connoisseurs of cucumbers and had been looking forward to having them evaluate the cucumbers he'd grown.
...Why, though?
