#1013 A Mountain Everyone Can Climb  

A few days after the mountain climbing event...

I find myself back at Mt. Ta-Kao.

I’m here to check on how things are going.

“Everyone, please hold on tight! We’re taking off now!”

The enthusiastic shout comes from Champagne, the timid dragon.

With a basket full of people, he takes to the skies on his dragon wings.

“Our destination is halfway up Mt. Ta-Kao! Enjoy the mountain views from the sky during your ride.”

Off he goes.

He’s doing his job as a lift operator quite well.

A few days ago, someone suggested to Champagne, who had taken up residence on Mt. Ta-Kao:

— “Why not team up with the Adventurer’s Guild?”

The Adventurer’s Guild was planning to make mountain climbing at Ta-Kao a regular event.

By helping out, Champagne could earn the guild’s protection.

You might think, “Isn’t that backward?”

Normally, a dragon would be much stronger than a group of adventurers, and they would be the ones seeking the dragon’s protection.

But Champagne is incredibly timid and anxious. Without some kind of agreement, he might end up getting hunted down by humans.

So, by forming a mutual cooperation pact with the Adventurer’s Guild, Champagne ensured he wouldn’t be attacked by humans.

And if another dragon comes to attack?

...Well, sometimes you just have to brace yourself for the worst.

Anyway, Champagne’s new role with the guild was to operate a dragon lift service, flying climbers halfway up the mountain.

This way, even those who find it tough to reach the summit can enjoy the climb.

They even set up a station halfway up the mountain so people could hop off, take in the views, and enjoy a lookout point.

Furthermore, they added some tourist attractions, like a gift shop and a wildflower garden, making sure the mountain was an all-around fun experience for hikers.

In the gift shop, you’ll find pickled veggies and lightly dressed greens made from the wild plants harvested straight from the dungeon.

There’s also salt-grilled fish caught fresh from the river at the mountain’s base. And if that’s not enough, they’ve even got a version where the grilled fish has been soaked in sake.

Oh, and there’s also piping hot fried dango.

Besides food, they had the classic flashy sword keychains as souvenirs.

With these additions, Mt. Ta-Kao transformed from a challenging dungeon for adventurers to a gentle hiking destination for everyone!!!

“Looks like things are going well.”

“Oh, Lord Saint!!!”

Champagne spots me and flies over, wings flapping furiously.

The wind pressure is intense.

“Thank you! Thanks to you, I can live here peacefully! I’ve never felt so free before!!!”

“You did all the hard work.”

Sure, it was our orcs who built the viewing platform and gift shop...

And Veil who taught Champagne the finer points of flying with a basket of people...

Well, it’s not like our orcs’ love for construction is anything new. If there’s something to be built, those guys will show up, invited or not.

And then there’s Veil, who’s become quite the seasoned dragon when it comes to carrying people around. She’s gathered tons of useful tips over the years—like how to fly without making her passengers uncomfortable and how to land safely and smoothly... she’s mastered the ropes.

In short, they enjoy what they do, so there’s no need for such intense gratitude.

“Thanks to you, humans actually like me now! They don’t throw rocks at me anymore! I never imagined I could appear in front of humans without trembling in fear!!!”

Champagne is genuinely thankful, expressing his gratitude with his whole being.

In addition to running the dragon lift, Champagne also had the important role of approving the tourism development of Mt. Ta-Kao as the dungeon guardian.

Basically, he’s the landlord.

Only a dragon or a Lifeless King could claim to be a dungeon guardian, so it was a job only he could do.

“Ah, you’re here too, Lord Saint.”

“Silver Wolf.”

That’s Silver Wolf, the guild master.

Since the start of the permanent tourism project, he has frequently visited Mt. Ta-Kao.

I was worried about the added workload, but he seemed vibrant and energetic, likely because things were going well.

“Thanks to Champagne, everything is going smoothly. We in the Adventurer’s Guild are excited about this new venture.”

Apparently, the guild had been exploring the idea of making dungeons into tourist attractions for a while.

The primary goal of the Adventurers’ Guild is to keep dungeons in check.

If you leave a dungeon unattended, monsters start spilling out, causing all sorts of trouble for the locals. That’s where adventurers come in.

The bottom line is, as long as the monsters stay locked up and the townsfolk aren’t getting hurt, the guild couldn’t care less about how it’s done—everyone’s happy.

Now, turning Mt. Ta-Kao into a tourist hotspot is a fresh new approach to keeping dungeons harmless, and the guild’s all in on it.

This method of neutralizing dungeons by striking a deal with the dungeon guardian is already a well-established technique, thanks to Alexander.

The key is finding a dungeon guardian willing to cooperate, though.

Champagne’s timid nature made it easier to draw out this willingness, turning out to be a fortunate turn of events.

“In the case of Mt. Ta-Kao, the dungeon is small, making it easier for the guild to develop it as a tourist spot than at Lord Alexander’s place. Lord Champagne is also very cooperative, and everything is going smoothly!”

...Uh, you’re not taking advantage of Champagne’s timid nature to push things through, are you?

Just making sure.

“Of course, since it’s a dungeon, monsters still appear. But with Lord Champagne’s support, we efficiently eliminate them, ensuring the safety of tourists. Eventually, we plan to create a facility where visitors can observe harmless monsters as part of the attraction!”

Observe monsters?

Like...a zoo?

“We’re planning a Benitengu Monkey Park featuring monsters unique to Mt. Ta-Kao. What do you think, Lord Saint?”

...

W-Well, I guess that’s fine?

I mean, a monkey park is a common mountain attraction.

“But that’s not allllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!”

What the?!

Who’s yelling all of a sudden?

Veil?!

“We’re going to open a ramen shop at the foot of the mountain to serve climbers! This will let me use up a lot of my gonkotsu broth!!!”

So that’s why Veil has been helping Champagne and supporting the Adventurers’ Guild?!

She had ulterior motives!

“A famous restaurant near the mountain is a must! I’ll start here at Mt. Ta-Kao and build a ramen chain beloved around the world! Right now, I’m passing down the secret recipe to the adventurers!!!”

She plans to leave the shop to the adventurers?!

Well, Veil can’t handle running the shop alone anyway.

Do your best.

Aim for those five-star reviews on TabeL*g.

And so, Mt. Ta-Kao’s transformation into a tourist hotspot continues steadily.

It’s easily accessible from the city, has a reasonable altitude, and is supported by various facilities.

Even casual hikers can enjoy it safely. It’s bound to attract a lot of visitors.

But while expectations are high...

“Noooooooooooooooo! This is not the kind of mountain climbing I wanteeeeeeeeeed!!!”

One man is resisting the changes.

Golden Bat.

For some reason, he’s crying bitter tears.

“Mountain climbing should be about facing harsh conditions and pushing your limits! It should be stoic, lonely! Only by enduring such trials can one truly appreciate reaching the summit...!”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down. No need for passionate outbursts...!”

For hardcore climbers like Golden Bat, the commercialization is unbearable.

But think about it, hardcore climber.

By removing difficulties and making it accessible, more people can enjoy mountain climbing, which boosts the whole genre, right?

The size of the community matters.

Sure, hardcore mountains like Mt. Eternity are sacred for pros, but there’s value in beginner-friendly mountains like this one, too.

Anyway, whether you like it or not, Mt. Ta-Kao has started its journey as a light, family-friendly climbing spot.

Please accept it.

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seems i forgot to upload 1013 first. thank you, gnumon!

oh, and, TabeLog is probably the #1 food/restaurant blog/gourmet website in japan. if you're looking for hidden gems to dine in, that site is your best friend