Chapter 18: Miracle of Abundance

At the same moment Albus was facing the saintess

A bustling race was underway on the newly opened fourth floor of the labyrinth tower.

Whoosh!

With a white flash, a group of armored humans appeared.

“…First the desert and caves, now the jungle.”

Muttered Schmidt, the leader of the empire’s strongest guild, Royal Knights, as he touched his slick hair.

A tower, unnaturally massive against the jungle backdrop, could be seen ahead.

It appeared to be the focal point of the main quest on this floor.

So, they had to reach that tower first.

Seeing the densely packed tropical trees spread out before him, he thought their journey ahead wouldn’t be easy.

“But we can’t fail this time”

He resolved.

They had already tried hard to conquer the second and third floors, yet they hadn’t gained ownership of either world.

They had only managed to collect some monster drop items and experience points.

Considering they had deployed the empire’s top players, their achievements were meagre.

“His Majesty the Emperor trusts us. No matter what, we must bring new territory to the Emperor!”

They couldn’t disappoint the Emperor any longer.

Given the trust and support they had received from His Majesty, he felt it wasn’t enough even if he gave his all.

He vowed to bring a gift to His Majesty from the fourth floor of the labyrinth tower!

With strong determination, they hunted monsters in the jungle and pushed straight toward the tower for half a day.

“Huff… huff…”

When would this end?

Why did it seem endless?

Even though he had surpassed the master’s wall and entered the realm of superhumans, just moving forward in this jungle was draining his energy.

But he couldn’t stop.

They had to achieve results…!

“Your Excellency! It might be better to rest a bit! The entire knight order is exhausted!”

Despite his desperate effort to move forward, his lieutenant called out to him from behind.

When Schmidt turned around, he saw the knights of his guild, the Royal Knights, sprawled on the ground.

Even though he had reached the level of a sword master, other knights couldn’t possibly endure this arduous advance.

“…Is that so? There’s no choice. Speed is important, but preserving combat power is crucial.”

Schmidt reluctantly ordered a rest.

“Ah! We’re saved!”

“His Excellency is the best!”

The knights cheered and lay down on the ground.

“…Good grief. How am I supposed to spread the empire’s glory with these weaklings.”

Schmidt chuckled.

“Your Excellency, that’s too harsh. You managed because you’re a master; it’s impossible for us.”

“That’s right, Your Excellency!”

“Well, then you need to train more to make up for your lack.”

Schmidt joked easily with his knights, showing how casually he interacted with them.

Trickle, trickle.

“…?”

At that moment, Schmidt’s keen senses picked up a refreshing sound.

“Wait a moment. This sound…,”

“Your Excellency? Where are you going?”

The lieutenant called out as Schmidt headed further into the jungle.

Pushing through more trees, he discovered a small spring.

“Yes! This is it!”

He couldn’t resist and stripped off his armour, diving straight into the spring.

Splash!

A big splash and Schmidt emerged with a refreshed look on his face.

“This is it!”

The spring water washed away the sweat covering his body from the oppressive humidity.

“Ah!”

Schmidt, bare-chested, slowly walked out of the spring.

He was met by his lieutenant, who had rushed to follow him.

“Your Excellency? You suddenly ran off! I thought something happened!”

“Oh, sorry. I couldn’t resist when I heard the sound of this spring.”

Schmidt replied sheepishly, trying to touch his head again.

“…Huh? Your Excellency!”

At that moment, the lieutenant’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Hmm? What is it?”

Schmidt’s hand reached his head, and rustle.

An impossible yet nostalgic sensation tickled his hand.

“This can’t be…”

“Your Excellency’s hair!”

Schmidt hurriedly turned around and reflected his head on the surface of the spring.

Rustle, rustle.

He could see it.

The beautiful fullness he had only briefly experienced in dreams.

“Could this spring water be…?”

“Your Excellency, this might be…”

“No, we can’t be sure.”

While the elixir in Rudera can affect reality, it’s not absolute.

This dreamlike fullness might not carry over to reality.

“Lieutenant.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“Please take care of the knights for a moment. I need to check this in reality.”

Leaving the scene during a race that’s a matter of imperial pride.

A normal lieutenant would have to stop him, but he couldn’t.

Serving Count Schmidt for decades, he knew this situation was more critical to the Count than any other wish.

The lieutenant could only nod, tears welling up in his eyes as Schmidt logged out.

Holding his wildly beating heart, Schmidt raised a hand to his head.

And then, Rustle.

He could witness a miracle.

“Ha… how did this happen?”

***

In the most secret place in the palace, accessible only to the Emperor.

Inside, the Emperor felt a throbbing headache as he clutched his balding head.

The strongest man in imperial history, who had surpassed mortal limits with his human body, the first Emperor Ahenobarbus.

When he returned to the continent, his heart beat with respect for him.

Meeting her 20 years ago was too brief, and this time he planned to properly seek his teachings.

“Hehehe… food today…?”

The strongest Emperor lay with a Rudera connection device on his head, wearing a stupid expression.

“This is our first Emperor?”

He had crossed countless dimensions in a human body and even defeated gods from other dimensions.

His achievements were so great that no mythic human could compare, yet he looked like a regressed old fool.

Though his physical appearance seemed to be in his twenties, younger-looking than the bald Emperor.

“Ugh… Aheno wants candy…”

It was still unbearable.

“What on earth are you doing inside, Ancestor?”

The Emperor closed his eyes tightly.

He, too, had experienced Rudera.

A paradise-like space where neither death nor loss exists.

A place as sweet as the devil’s temptation, offering vast resources and power.

Many strong individuals were said to be unable to escape Rudera…

“This is too much…”

Beep, beep, beep.

At that moment, the Emperor’s emergency alarm magic activated.

“Schmidt?”

A special guild selected by imperial decree from the strongest players in the empire’s guilds.

Thus, it was the guild the Emperor trusted most at present.

Though the second and third floors of the Labyrinth Tower were occupied by the Demihuman King and the madman claiming to be the first Emperor respectively, Schmidt’s Royal Knights were the guild most likely to capture the fourth floor for the empire.

“…It couldn’t be that madman, could it?”

Surely, that madman who occupied the third floor of the Labyrinth Tower wasn’t doing such things after driving everyone out.

The Emperor doubted it but trusted Schmidt enough to set up a direct contact hotline magic with him.

When he activated the magic, Schmidt’s holographic face appeared before the Emperor.

“I greet the absolute supreme of the Empire.”

“Yes, it’s me. What’s the matter?”

The Emperor received the call, hiding the first Emperor behind him.

..?

“Your hair…?”

“You’ve noticed, Your Majesty!”

The Emperor cherished Schmidt not only for his skills.

His thinning hair had been a growing concern.

Even great mages of the Magic Tower and cardinals of the Holy Kingdom had no solution, saying even the gods couldn’t cure baldness.

This worst worry made Schmidt’s similar condition more endearing to the Emperor.

However, through the communication magic, Schmidt’s head did not shine as expected.

“Your Majesty! I found it! There’s a miracle here!”

The Emperor’s halted heart began to race again.