#642 Circulation of the One Hundred Famous Mountains

My name is Jenepkauf.

I was a proud soldier in the Demon King’s Army.

But I already retired twenty years ago.

In those days, I was young and full of vigor...! 

Every day was spent in the throes of war, tearing apart the enemy hordes of the human army and hurling them away with all my might.

Though death was always lurking nearby, those were the days that genuinely made me feel alive.

But with age came the realization of my physical limitations, and I retired from the battlefield. I retreated to my inherited land and took up the mantle of lordship, devoting my life to serving my people.

Even as a feudal lord, I could still take care of the occasional bandit or monster that threatened our lands. The days of battle were not yet behind me.

But all things must come to an end. 

As I aged, my body began to fail me, and even my position as feudal lord became too much to bear. 

I retired completely, becoming nothing more than a recluse in my old age.

When you’ve got nothing to do, time seems to crawl by, slow as a snail. 

In my chamber, it feels as though time itself has ground to a halt.

In my youth, my life was consumed by work, so now that I’m retired and have nothing to occupy myself with, I’m at a loss for what to do. 

The fear of rapidly aging has crept up on me like a shadow, and I’m left with a vague sense of unease.

But it was amidst this uncertainty that I chanced upon a book.

* * *

“What’s this?”

My son, who succeeded me as feudal lord, brought something peculiar to me.

Is this a book?

Well, if it contains new strategies for battle, it might be worth a read.

“It’s a book that’s all the rage among the masses. There are thousands of copies of it in circulation...!”

“Thousands? That many?!”

The sheer number of manuscripts produced and the number of scribes mobilized for the task must have been considerable. The cost of the parchment alone would’ve been exorbitant too.

Yet, this book was deemed significant enough to warrant such an investment.

Surely, there must be something of great significance recorded within its pages...!

“I heard it was written by an adventurer from the Human Kingdom.”

“What?!”

From the Human Kingdom?!

That means they’re from the human race!

Shaaa! How deplorable!

Don’t let that filth in this house!!!

“Father, let’s not be so naïve. The war is over. The human race is no longer our enemy.”

“Quiet, you! They are my sworn enemy for life! Do you know how many decades I’ve been fighting them?!”

Once the war ends, it’s not like we can all just suddenly become buddies!

And as for adventurers, those ill-mannered folks will soon be invading our territory without a care in the world!

“I don’t know anything about these system reforms, but I won’t let humans set foot in our territory! If they come, we’ll push them back with our spears, got it?”

“I understand your concern, but you know the post-war military downsizing is happening, right? Even the Demon King’s Army that used to ‘clean up’ our dungeon will stop soon. We’ll have no choice but to rely on adventurers to protect our territory.”

“Why don’t you lead our private army and beat the monsters in the dungeons like I used to when I was in the military?”

“Please spare me. I’m a civil servant, you know...”

Hmph!

On the battlefield, my son was once hailed as a beast unleashed, striking fear into the hearts of our enemies. How did he grow into such a weak-willed man?!

“Anyway, just take a look at it. Reading this book by a human adventurer might change your perspective on them.”

“I’m not a flip-flopper who changes his mind that easily!” 

“Don’t say that. This guidebook introduces the top hundred mountain dungeons selected by the best adventurer who has traveled worldwide.”

What?

Mountain dungeons?

“And among them is the mountain dungeon Mt. Onigumo in our territory!”

“Whaaaaaaaaaat?!”

Our territory’s pride and joy, the four-star dungeon Mt. Onigumo?!

How dare a lowly human evaluate my territory’s pride! That’s audacious!

“They better not have written down nonsense! If they unfairly slandered our landmark, I will find the author and slay them myself!”

“Come on, just give it a read, and you’ll understand. See? This is the page.”

My son opens a particular page and hands it to me!

Let’s see...

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Otherworldly Famous Mountain No. 56

Mt. Onigumo

Form: Dungeon (4 stars)

Location: Demon Kingdom, Viscount Devadi’s domain, three days’ walk north from the feudal lord’s residence.

------------------------------------------

It’s really hereeeeeeeee!

By the gods, a name from our territory that not only poses the danger of monstrous creatures overflowing but also enriches our land with valuable materials and resources!

And now, that name is being featured in a boooooooooooooooooooooook!!!

“I wonder how to explain this...this joy I feel, seeing our territory being featured.”

Shut up, son!

Hmph, how can you tell if they’re praising us without reading the introduction?

This human scum may be using this book to slander our mountain dungeon and vent their frustration over their defeat!

Let’s keep reading.

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General Comment

Mt. Onigumo is a mountain dungeon where one can revel in its eeriness and chilliness. 

Of notable mention is the existence of a spider monster unique to this dungeon, the Courtesan Marionette Spider.

It dwells on the mountain’s trees, catching its prey by dangling threads of silk and pulling them up. 

Its cunning hunting technique is feared by many, yet its body is covered in fur of various hues such as red, white, and gold, creating a beautiful overlapping pattern that grants it the nickname of Lady Spider...

 (omitted)

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Uooooooooooooooh!

There is nothing but good things written about our dungeooooooon!

Truly, the prized monster of Mt. Onigumo, the Courtesan Marionette Spider!

Its body covered in beautiful fur can be processed into armor, and the Pandemonium Trading Company eagerly buys them, for they make quite an impressive sight!

Not only that, but they even know the monster’s nickname, Lady Spider...!

They’ve done their research well!

“Wow, even as a local, there are things written here that I didn’t know. They thoroughly did their research; I can hardly believe the author’s from another nation.”

“You should know these things, son! Aren’t you the feudal lord?!”

To think that our territory’s dungeon is praised so lavishly...! 

And to hear that this book has been published thousands of times and spread throughout the world... doesn’t that mean our dungeon has achieved a certain level of renown?!

“Next year, adventurers will probably come to conquer Mt. Onigumo and use this book as a reference. That means there will be a lot of them...!”

“And visitors also bring in money...! They’ll pay for lodging, food, and other stuff. Ohhhhhhh!!!”

I mustn’t be fooled.

The human race used to be our enemy! They are to be hated!

Indeed, there is a saying that in order to win, one must know their enemy.

I shall also read through the other pages and assess the extent of this fellow’s knowledge!

“...Oh? The Black Widow Mountain is also mentioned here! I knew they’d include that! Phantom Peak and Serpent Blade Crossing? These bring back memories. I climbed these mountains too when I was young...!”

“Really?”

“I’m a retired officer of the Demon King’s Army. I’ve been to various places to defeat monsters.”

As I read the book, it brings back memories of my past adventures. 

It is not just a mere stimulation of my recollection but the vivid portrayal of each mountain’s distinctive features through the author’s exquisite writing.

...How impudent of those humans...!

“...Hm? I don’t know any of the mountains starting from this page.”

“Oh, it’s the section introducing the mountains of the Human Kingdom... I’m particularly interested in this one called the Mountain of the Sacred White Maiden.” 

“What?! A six-star mountain dungeon?! I thought dungeon ratings were limited to five stars!”

Such a mountain exists in the Human Kingdom?!

It seems particularly hospitable to climbers, and even novices can easily climb it based on the description...!

I want to go there!

I want to climb it!

“How about touring the Human Kingdom since they will soon have their immigration laws in place?”

“That’s a good idea! Even though I may be old and weakened, I still have enough strength to walk around normally!”

I’m free anyway. I might as well set my sights on the mountains of the Human Kingdom and see for myself their grandeur and splendoooooooor!

No, if I am to embark on a journey beyond the borders of my land, then why limit myself to one destination? I’ll read this book over and over and check out other good mountains to visit, toooooooooo!!!

“Whew, now that Father’s willing to go out and travel, we can peacefully welcome the adventurers...!”