The black leather-bound book was a journal.

<

...... Well, it seems that this was, as Shinobi San-san said earlier, the last stronghold.

It is, isn't it? ...... So you were secretly ordered by the Kingdom of Dinar to build the last stronghold of mankind in this place, the furthest from the battlefield?

That's right. According to this journal, it was never completed.

Before it was completed, the Aether Stampede occurred, ending the war.

At the same time, the concentration of free ether in the area dropped so low that the work could no longer continue.

If the workers were mages too, they must have died.

That's what I'm thinking.

That's why this fortress was left unfinished.

But it seems that some of the mages were still able to work even with the lowered concentration of free ether.

Yes, they did. Cleaning golems, air conditioning...

Either they're very good or they don't need much free energy.

It's a good thing this place is kept so neat and tidy.

[......] Whoever wrote this memoir must have been a sloppy writer.

It's not very detailed.

Yes, unfortunately, the details of this facility were not described in the memoir.

I'm sure the people who found this place read it, too.

I'm sure of it.

The members of the Shinobi Unit imagined that this room was used as a strategy meeting room.

There were some signs that it had been used.

It is easy to imagine that the people who must be from the or .

I found a floor plan of the facility at .......

Oh, I see.

But there are some differences between the floor plans and the actual layout.

This is probably due to the fact that it's incomplete.

I'm sure it is. Be that as it may, take a look at this.

Yeah?

Here, there's a large vault-like storage facility for important items.

I see. What's really going on here?

<

It was a large vault located at the end of the back room, with a hatch covering the entire wall.

Moreover, it was made of all metal.

It's not ...... adamantite. Alloy steel.

Looks like it. Adamantite would've been a priority.

Maybe.

There's something written here: ......

"One of royal blood"?

You mean the unique magic patterns of those of royal blood?

<

At this point, the old man joined the conversation over the comms.

<, who has been acting relatively quietly, would plot to kidnap Ms. Mertze, but now I understand it.

The royal families of each country...... Shoro is an imperial family, but its lineage can be traced back to the royal family of Dinar.

It is natural to assume that they would not kidnap a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Celuloa, their base of operations, and that Mertze, who happened to have information in the Shoro Kingdom, would be the best candidate for the job.

<<

The old man used his <> to check the inside of the big safe, but was unable to ...... find out what was inside.

<>, though weak, is still in place.

uses free ether waves, which means magic waves, so it is impossible to see inside the <>.

Then all you have to do is open it.

If it's the royal blood, then we have the Magi Emulator.

After the incident with Mertze, we already know the magic patterns peculiar to the Shoro Imperial Family.

Judging that there was little danger, the old man sent Rand101 with the Magi Emulator to the location of the Shinobi Forces.

* * * * * *

"Thank you for your service.

The sent RAND101 first verbally greeted his predecessor, the <>, with a greeting.

In response, Shinobi Unit 1 responded with a built-in manacam.

Please open this door immediately.

Understood.

Land 101, replying with his built-in manacam, activated the "Magi Emulator" in his hand.

What?

The door's opening!

Inside the large vault, there is a sound of the lock being released, and the door slowly opens.

The door creaks as it slowly opens, probably because no one has opened it in 700 years.

What was inside the large vault? .......

...... nothing?

The vault was empty.

It's an unfinished facility, so they didn't put it in yet?

That's a possibility. ......

No, then it's strange that the magic barrier was working, and that it was deliberately locked.

There was a flurry of opinions,

No, look at that!

What?

<

Did it escape?　Or was it stolen?

We'll find out when we check the hole.

So, Rand 101 is asked to keep an eye on the surroundings, and all the Shinobi Unit members investigate the inside of the vault.

...... This hole was made from the outside, wasn't it?

Yes, that's a strong possibility.

It's alloy steel, so it's possible.

If it were all adamantite, it might have been difficult, but it's steel alloy, after all.

Then we'd have to investigate both the thief and the stolen object.

Judging by the size of the hole, it doesn't appear that the item stolen was very large.

The size of the hole is just enough for one person to fit through, so we can guess the size of the stolen object.

Well, I don't know about the length.

It could be as thick as a man and as long as a very long snake," said Shinobu Shichi.

Where does the hole lead to?

Looks like the next room.

Let's check there.

That's what happened.