Day 381-390/Day 382

Day 382
Yesterday I gathered information while sightseeing all day, so I found out many things. This place is only a trade city state, and many hard to come by products from other places are available here.
Of course, it is interesting to see markets where different items such as, daily necessities, weapons, magic items, rich varieties of ingredients, some ethnic traditional crafts, and livestock are sold every day.
You would be told that if there is any item you want, you can go there.
However, it seems there is also a nature that attracts attention from those in search of personal interests and profits.
Though it was learned by using information gathering from various taverns laddered together as distribution factories, going back further than the present, about ten years ago, the lord who governed and developed the trade city state «Mushuram · Gianna» lived here with his family.
Originally «Mushuram · Gianna» was a small common village, but Mushuram, who was a former chief from a few generations as well as a hero of the ocean, was sharp due to trading by water transport and other ocean vessels, the disaster that was rampaging at the time made a big impact on their history, and his descendants became the lords for generations.
Whether it was due to the ancestor Mushuram's power, the current lord had something more lordly to his ability.
He seemed to have a strong physical power, strong magical powers, the ability to manipulate sea water freely, and had a reasonable battle capability.
In addition, the lord's family seemed to have managed cities to the extent that it is rude to other nobles and corrupt, born into long-lasting organizations large and small, to bring riches without failing.
But now it is different.
However, it is unknown since when it has become different, there are five influences in the forefront of «Mushuram · Gianna » society, and five organizations that work behind the light of society - such as the mafia, yakuza, or dark guild - It is said that they signed an agreement and killed nearly all of the other lords.
While being a child of concubines, one young girl who was particularly strong with [Kagosho Higashi], and a direct descendant boy who was just a newborn baby at the time were killed, everything from children to old people, and even babies of faraway relatives, the descendant lords of the lord who were greatly respected seems to have been burnt down.
It seems that it was considerably thorough at that time, even until now it has been talked about for about ten years while leaving people awestruck.
Currently the situation is calm since one of the five organizations at the table holds the real power as a guardian of a descendant of the lord, deciding to take advantage of it as they dare to decorate themselves.
There are countless small organizations besides the great five, and since there are new inflows of wealth from the outside, there are small conflicts behind-the-scenes, so it seems to have its stable and unstable parts, as was also obvious.
In that case, let's briefly summarize the five organizations that seem to be important at first, though there seems to be a gap in the neighborhood of strength.
First of all, about the growing direct descendant men decorating the current «Mushuram · Gianna» as lord ruling and reigning as the [King of the Desert].
Here, it can be said that all aspects such as power, financial strength, and fighting power are gathered at a high level, with heads of grey hair on their brown skin, red twinning like blood as the chief priests, and dark high elves using the sword sword strength as their right to reign.
Consider that you can freely move up in the martial forces table, up to the urban forces that govern the security and defense of «Mushuram · Gianna» , that is one of the five organizations.
It seems that the other four organizations interfere if the power gets too concentrated on one side, but it seems that since the beginning this is the way that lets the five organizations have a chance to establish an agreement in the first place.
For that reason, it seems to be that, in this position, they gather the profits and disadvantages collectively as intermediaries between each organization as a collective role.
The strength of the [Desert King] is under investigation now, but the powerful one is the head chief and the dark high elf called "Sand Dungeon" etc. and his wife [Kamochi] leaves the blood of the lord's family steaming as a deeply beautiful woman who grew up in 【Sand and Woman】, an assassination unit called "Kaishin" that deals in difficult-to-treat poisons, wear a red-black costume, and chiefly have make a pet of the [Blood Sediment Dragon] and [Blood Sacrifice Big Scorpion], a monster army chiefly trained in a desert area.
Originally, from an outside view, it seems to be an organization with a shallow history compared to others, but in the present situation I think that it might be a fighting force comparable to [Yuen].
The second organization is around the [Blue Cloth Lady] who dominates customs and information.
It is the masterpiece of all prostitutes, male and female, in «Mushuram · Gianna» , taking in information or skulking around outside, dominating the downtown areas at night.
Members of other organizations are often taken care of, and it seems that their business, such as buying and selling information, is obtained by deriving the truth from stories leaked out during pillow talk, those stories are one of their projects.
The chiefs are called the "Zinnia's Shaking Basket", a male twin with a beautiful presence of absurd proportions and a woman's who take pride in captivating others with their superior figures.
Although the twin's direct combat capability itself is low, it can not be mistaken that they can manipulate one of the three major desires of others to some extent with only their body odor and gaze, faithful soldiers who turned, in their head, into a sexual beast [I'm a love beast] and [Tam's beautiful animal] etc. may be their way of trying to set up a self-destructive tactic.
Love and lust will sometimes go wrong, so you may get burned if you try to take them into your hands as well.
The third is the [Pirates · Death Parade] which dominates the shipping, shipbuilding, and marine escort business etc. mainly.
The economy of «Muscleam · Gianna» is supported mainly by land transport by carriage cars, water transport by rivers extending inland, wide and deep maritime affairs to other continents and distant islands, but the biggest part is shipping and it's water transportation.
There are huge armed vessels in the port despite having a small number, and countless small and medium-sized merchant ships are spread around.
If you look towards the harbor for a while, you will find a scene where products are being loaded and unloaded all day.
They have a lot of craft workers who make important ships for the transportation of food, occupying the majority of industry share here. Although it is inconspicuous, it has an influence which can not be underestimated.
Also, in order to deal with not only shipbuilding but also the risk of raids by marine monsters, members hire on a lot of fishes and mermaids here, under the table, to do escort business in the sea, etc. Piracy acts are also done against their commercial enemies behind the scenes. It seems that it contributes to satisfying the demand and safety of their vessels, supporting the economy from the front and back.
The chief of this place is the big man of a shark-type fish who is called [The Big Shark of the Albachum Sea]. The truth or falsehood of rumors that say that somehow as a child he inherited the blood of the sea king somehow or other is unknown, but he boasts a high fighting ability it seems, and his head appears to be quite good.
The fighting power includes a violent fishman and a pirate group composed of mermaids [Barade · Byte], etc. Their land force is slightly inferior to others, but they seems to boast an unrivaled strength in the sea.
The fourth is about the death merchant Grandes that dominates the manufacture of various dangerous illegal magic drugs and the purchase and sale of magic items used when taking them.
Grandes, the chief of this place, is an old man who is said to have been resurrected by becoming a "Dead Skull of the Sand Belt" which is a type of undead raised by using a certain secret skill.
Trumely unknown rumors are constant, such as being active for around several hundred years, preferring to eat living hearts, or breaking slaves using new illegal magic drug experiments.
It wore a luxurious outer dress decorated with gold and silver jewels, the whole body is wrapped in a bandage, the only exposed part is its bare head, a white skull, Grandes is involved in more than half of the weapons circulating in «Mushuram · Gianna» .
Private soldiers are also armed with good weapons, and they are the most numerous soldiers. There seems to be some high-ranking adventurers who are drowning themselves in debt, and seem to possess both the strength and quantity of double their number.
Also, if necessary, disposable death troops [Rendes · Cartel] that broke with reason using illegal magic drugs seem to be dispatched without hesitation, probably flying most among the five organizations.
The fifth one is about the closest to us, the 【Kamiyo Dungeon】 which is also the closest to the 【Arms Sector of the Guardian】 that is most deeply linked.
There is a robust base around the [Temple of the Sand Castle] built by 【Guardian arm sect】 that are struggling to capture the 【God's Dungeon】 - 【God of the Sand Castle】 on a daily basis .
Although it seems that ordinary people can also challenge the 【Temple of the Sand Castle】, it seems that it takes a confident adventurer to collect half of the drop items, so it is not a little thing to challenge in the present situation.
Simply put, it is because it does not get worse if you take a life or capture someone alive, the results are the same.
For that reason, the quality of the members of the [Arm of the Guardian] who trained in the [Temple of the Sand Castle] almost monopolized the important area on a daily basis, and the funds obtained by the dropped items which can only be obtained here.
There are also many kinds of spices among the drop items, and it seems that there is also a good deal of influence in the food goods relation.
Although there is another [God's Age Dungeon] in a place farther away, there are many dangerous things along the road, it is also an inferior [God] class dungeon, and there are many troublesome dungeon monsters, so 【Sect of Arms of the Guardian】 can not be shaken from their superior status.
It is a personal impression, but a woman with a petite lion beast called "god owner" who is the pride of high fighting power seems a little weak.
Is it because the direction is different, or is it possible she reminds me about the first Queen somehow?
Other members, such as Martyrs Menak, which are few in number but highest in quality, are also comparable to to the maids around the First Queen.
Although there is still some things to investigate but, for the time being, it will be a troublesome thing.
At present, the only way to get into the dungeon is [Sect of Arms of the Guardian].
Of course, it seems that it will become an obstacle to securing a [Demon Gate] in the New World, but I can not miss having a lot of spices as the drop items.
I also feel like I can meet delicious unknown ingredients.
However, if you take that away, the balance between organizations would collapse and public order may deteriorate significantly.
Since it would be better for security to be kept at a certain level, I think that my principle goal will be to proceed with secretly taking over.
There is also a calculation that a person will benefit somehow with many secret dealings. It is better that you do not have an outsider interfering, such as with intercontinental movements using [Demon Gate], so [Sector of the Guardian] can be left to handle as good gatekeepers.
So at the moment there are no plans to handle the other organizations, but if they get in the way, I can eat them at that time.
Rather, it is convenient for me, so I'd like to get that out of the way.
I think that I am relaxing with just sightseeing today. This area is rich in different kinds of spices to preserve foodstuffs for a long time. There are dozens to hundreds of items sold in bottles in the market as well.
There are dishes like spicy curry made with the rich spices, and cuisine dishes that are too effective in discharging the toxins from the body.
I tried eating in the luxury shops, but everything was delicious, and I liked it so much that I ordered the chef to let me do research on cooking using spices.
Now that we are splitting into groups headed to various places and gathering information, we are eating delicious food and only spending our time slowly. Spicy Curry is the best.
----
RAWS
　“三百八十二日目”
　昨日は一日観光しながら情報を集めた事で、分かった事は多い。
　ここは交易都市国家、と言うだけあって、各地から他では手に入り難い多くの商品が流れて来る。
　日用品はもちろん、武具やマジックアイテム、種類の豊富な食材や一部の民族の伝統工芸品や家畜など、日々違う商品が売られている市場は見ていて面白い。
　欲しい物があるならここに行け、と言われているだけはあるだろう。
ただそれだけに、利権やら利益やらを求めて魑魅魍魎が集まる、という性質もあるらしい。
情報収集も兼ねて梯子した複数の酒場や、分散させた分体を使って知ったのだが、現在よりも遡る事十年前、交易都市国家≪ムシュラム・ジャンナ≫を統治・発展させてきた領主一族が居た。
　そもそも≪ムシュラム・ジャンナ≫はありふれた小さな海村だったのだが、数代前の領主にして【海原の勇者】だったムシュラムが水運や海運による交易や、当時暴れていた海賊の討伐などによって急激に大きくしていったという歴史があり、その子孫が代々領主になっていた。
祖先ムシュラムの力によるものか、領主一族は代々何かしらの能力があった。
　力が強かったり、魔力が豊富だったり、あるいは海水を自在に操る力などがあるらしく、それなりの戦闘能力を持っていた。
　また領主一族は長く続いた組織には大小問わず生まれる不正や腐敗はあれど、破綻せず富をもたらす程度には都市を運営していたらしい。
しかし現在は違う。
　しかしいつそうなったのかは不明ながら、≪ムシュラム・ジャンナ≫の表社会でも大きな影響力があり、かつ裏社会を牛耳る五つの組織――マフィア、あるいはヤクザ、もしくは裏ギルドのような存在――は協定を結び、領主一族のほぼ全員を皆殺しにしたそうだ。
　妾の子ながら【加護持ち】で特に力の強かった一人の幼女と、当時まだ生まれたばかりの赤子だった直系男児以外は子供から老人、遠縁の庶子まで全て殺され、大きく立派だった領主の屋敷は焼け落ちたらしい。
　当時はかなり徹底的だったらしく、十年ほど経った今でも畏怖されながら語られている。
　現在はあえて生かして飾りにしている領主直系男子の後見人として実権を握る、五つの組織の内の一つが表に出て統治している事でそれなりの落ち着きがある。
　ただ五つの組織以外にも小さい組織は無数に存在し、また新しく外部から流入している事から、裏では小さな抗争があったり無かったりする為、安定しているように見えて不安定な部分も見受けられた。
　
　そこら辺に付け入る隙がありそうだなと思いつつ、一先ず重要そうな五つの組織について簡単に纏めておこう。
　まず一つ目は、成長した直系男子を飾りとし、現在の≪ムシュラム・ジャンナ≫を領主一族になり替わって統治している【】について。
　ここは褐色の肌に灰色の頭髪、血のように赤い双眸が特徴的な曲剣使いのダークハイエルフが首長として君臨する、権力や財力や戦闘力などあらゆる面が高い水準で纏まった組織と言えるだろう。
　表の戦力であり≪ムシュラム・ジャンナ≫の治安と防衛を司る都市軍まで自由に動かせる事も考えれば、五つの組織の中でも頭一つ飛び抜けている。
　ここまで勢力が大きくなると普通なら他の四つの組織が邪魔しそうなものだが、そもそも五つの組織が協定を結ぶ切っ掛けになったのは、ここが始まりだそうだ。
　その為か、組織間の仲介役や纏め役として利益と不利益を纏めて背負う事でこの立場にあるらしい。
　【砂漠の王】の戦力は今調べている所だが、有力なのは首長であり【砂塵皇】などと呼ばれるダークハイエルフと、その妻となっている【加護持ち】で領主一族の血を濃く残す美しく育った女性【砂海妃】、赤黒い装束を纏い治療困難な猛毒を扱う【】と呼ばれる暗殺部隊、そして首長のペットである【】や【】を筆頭とする調教された砂漠地帯のモンスター軍。
　元々は外からやって来たため他と比べて歴史の浅い組織らしいが、現状では【英勇】に匹敵する戦力ではないだろうか、と思っている。
　二つ目は、風俗や情報などを支配する【青布の情婦】について。
　≪ムシュラム・ジャンナ≫に存在する全ての娼婦や男娼の元締めであり、外部からやって来るそれ等を吸収、あるいは手酷く排除する事で夜の繁華街を支配している。
　他の組織の構成員も世話になっている場合も多いらしく、寝物語で漏れ出た話から真実を導き出したりして得た情報の売買なども事業の一つらしい。
　首長は【双性の揺り籠】と呼ばれる、絶世の美貌と極上の肢体で他者を虜にするとの双子。
　双子の直接的な戦闘能力自体は低いが、体臭や視線の動きだけでも他人の三大欲求の一つをある程度操作できるのは侮れないし、頭が蕩けて性獣と化した忠実なる私兵【イムの愛獣】や【タムの美獣】などが自爆戦術を仕掛けてくる事もあるらしい。
　色恋や情欲は時に理性を狂わせるので、下手に手を出すと火傷する事になるかもしれない。
　三つ目は、海運や造船事業や海洋護衛業などを主に支配する【パイレーツ・デスパレード】について。
　≪ムシュラム・ジャンナ≫の経済は馬車などによる陸運、内陸にまで伸びる河川による水運、別大陸や遠方まで関係の広く深い海運の主に三つで支えられているが、規模が大きいのは海運と水運だ。
　港には巨大な武装船舶は数が少ないながらも存在し、中小規模の商船は数え切れないほどとにかく多い。
　しばらく港を眺めていれば、日々引っ切り無しに商品の積み卸しが行われている光景はすぐ見つかるだろう。
　そんな運搬の足として重要な船舶を造る職人を多数抱え、業界シェアの大半を占めるここは、目立ち難いが侮れない影響力を持っている。
　また造船だけでなく、海洋モンスターによる襲撃の危険に対処する為、構成員に魚人や人魚の多いここは表では海中の護衛業などを行い、裏では商売敵に対して海賊行為を行う事で、表と裏から経済を支える船舶の需要と安全を満たすのに貢献しているようだ。
　ここの首長は【アルバシュム海の大鮫】と呼ばれる鮫系魚人の大男。どこぞの海王の血を受け継ぐ庶子とか何とか噂があるものの真偽は不明。しかし見た目通りの高い戦闘能力を誇り、頭も中々良いそうだ。
　戦力には凶暴な魚人や人魚で構成された海賊団【パレード・バイト】などがあり、陸地の戦力は他よりもやや劣るが、海では無類の強さを誇るらしい。
　四つ目は、服用すると色々危険な違法魔法薬の製造やマジックアイテムの売買などを支配する【死の商人グランデス】について。
　ここの首長であるグランデスは、とある秘技によって一度死に、アンデッドの一種である【】と成って復活したなんて言われている老人だ。
　既に百数十年ほど活動しているとか、生者の心臓を食べるのが好きだとか、新しい違法魔法薬の実験で奴隷を使い潰しているなど、真偽不明な噂は絶えない。
　金銀宝石で装飾された豪奢な外套を羽織り、全身を包帯で巻かれ、唯一剥き出しの頭部は白い髑髏であるグランデスは、≪ムシュラム・ジャンナ≫に流通する武具の半数以上に関与しているそうだ。
　私兵も良質な武具で武装され、その財力から兵数は最も多い。借金で飼い殺しにしている高位冒険者などもいるらしく、質と量、どちらも兼ねた戦力を保有しているようだ。
　また必要ならば違法魔法薬で理性を壊した使い捨ての死兵部隊【レンデス・カルテル】なども躊躇なく使うらしく、五つの組織の中で一番ぶっ飛んでいるだろう。
　五つ目は、近場に幾つかある中で、最も近い【神代ダンジョン】を実質的に支配する【守神の腕セクト】について。
　とある【神代ダンジョン】――【砂城の神】が造った【】の周囲に堅牢な拠点を構築した【守神の腕セクト】達は、日々命がけで攻略に励んでいる。
　一応一般人も【砂城の楼閣】に挑戦する事は出来るらしいが、堅信な信者であるかどうかを確認し、かつドロップアイテムの半分を徴収するようなので、挑戦するモノは殆ど居ないのが現状だ。
　単純に、命をかけて攻略しても成果を横取りされれば割に合わないからだ。
　その為、日々ほぼ独占している【砂城の楼閣】で鍛えられた【守神の腕セクト】の構成員の質は高く、ここでしか得られないドロップアイテムによって活動資金を得ている。
　ドロップアイテムには香辛料の類も多く、食料品関係でも影響力はあるらしい。
　少し離れた場所には別の【神代ダンジョン】はあるが、道中はそれなりに危険だったり、一段劣る【亜神】級だったり、厄介なダンジョンモンスターが多かったりするので、【守神の腕セクト】の地位を揺るがす事は出来ないらしい。
　個人的な感想になるが、高い戦闘力を誇る首長であり【神憑者】と呼ばれる小柄な獅子獣人の女性はちょっと苦手だ。
　方向性は違うが、どこか第一王妃を連想させられるからだろうか。
　数は少ないが質は最も高い【殉教者メナク】といった他の構成員も、第一王妃周りのメイドとかと似たような雰囲気がするのも理由としては考えられる。
　まだ調べる事はあるが、とりあえずはこんなものだろう。
　現状では、邪魔になるのは【守神の腕セクト】くらいだ。
　当然、新大陸で【鬼哭門】を確保するのに邪魔になりそうだからだが、ドロップアイテムに香辛料の類が多い事は見過ごせない。
　美味なる未知の食材と出会えそうな予感もする。
　しかし排除するとなると組織間のバランスが崩れて治安が大きく悪化するかもしれない。
　治安はある程度保たれていた方が良いので、基本的には密かに乗っ取る方向で進めようと思う。
　その方が何かと隠し事の多い俺達にとって利益になるだろう、という打算もある。【鬼哭門】を使った大陸間移動などは部外者がいない方がいいのだから、【守神の腕セクト】は体の良い門番扱いできそうだ。
　そんな訳で他の組織に手を出す予定は今のところないが、もし邪魔するならその時は喰えばいい。
　むしろそっちの方が都合がいいので、手を出して欲しいくらいだ。
　とか思いつつ、今日もゆったり観光である。
　こちらは食材を長期保存するためか、香辛料の類が豊富である。
　市場でも数十から百数十種類が瓶詰めで売られているほどだ。
　そしてその豊富な香辛料を使って作られるスパイシーなカレーのような料理や、体内の毒素が排出されるような効果的すぎる薬膳料理などがある。
　高級店を回って食べてみたがどれも美味しく、飯勇達には香辛料を使った料理の研究をするように命令するほど気に入ってしまった。
　分体を各地に飛ばし、情報収集をしている今は美味い飯でも食べて、ゆっくり過ごすに限るというものだ。
　辛いジャンカリーは、最高です。
----
----
Category:Novel
Category:Re:Monster ~ The Dark Continent ~ Vol. 1