How to Exploit Greed

The inside of the Infinite Labyrinth was truly a demonic realm. Monsters commonly seen and monsters thought to be extinct existed, and with only a wall between them, a huge number of monsters were poised, baring their teeth to pounce on intruders of the labyrinth.

The problem isn’t just the monsters. In various parts of the labyrinth, there were places with peculiar terrain or where the space itself was distorted, and monsters would suddenly appear from seemingly nowhere, aiming for your back.

The darkness and endlessly continuing labyrinth completely paralyzed the intruders’ sense of direction in a short amount of time. Screams and sounds of explosions and tearing echoed endlessly through the walls of the labyrinth.

Of course, we had no problems. We charged our Guardian Golem forward like a tank, breaking through, trampling, tearing, and blasting everything that stood in our way, moving endlessly.

The places we passed were splattered with blood, flesh, and all sorts of monster fluids. A few quick-witted ones realized that our momentum was unusual and started following us from a distance, keeping a certain space between us.

But before long, lava erupted from the floor we had passed, monsters kept popping out endlessly, and breathing became impossible due to the splattering monster blood. Eventually, they realized that following us was suicidal and disappeared elsewhere.

Thanks to Conrad and Ellie’s magic, we weren’t affected by the smell of guts and monster blood. Thanks to the magic surrounding us, we could breathe fresh oxygen, and we could ignore arrows or weak magic that came out of nowhere.

“Kuaaaak―!”

What stood in our way with a huge roar was an ogre wearing monster skin. He even had a monster’s hard spine as a weapon in his hand. The ogre, who was about to swing it like a whip, had his body cut in half by the Imperial Guardian Golem’s sharply swung sword, which charged straight ahead without slowing down.

Chwaaaak-!

The golem, using the falling body as a shield to clear the way, continued to run without stopping. It had been strengthened more than other golems through improvements, but the fact that it could show such strong power was thanks to the Golden King sitting on the golem’s shoulder, assisting with magic.

Thanks to running through the labyrinth without slowing down, we were about to meet the first condition of moving 10km in 1 hour. One minute left. If we had kept up the speed, we could have headed straight to the second floor, but according to Raellan’s opinion, we decided to take a break for the first time since entering the labyrinth.

The reason was that there was no reason to rush to the second floor. Most of the fighting was done by the golem, so we didn’t really need a break, but considering the endless battles waiting on the second floor, it was good to rest even for a moment now.

Everyone gathered near the adventure bonfire except for the Golden King, who couldn’t stand the boredom and fell asleep leaning on the golem’s shoulder. Thanks to Ellie spreading the alarm magic as far as possible, everyone could relax and rest.

Raellan, perhaps thinking of checking the plans for the second floor instead of resting, came to my side and asked.

“Is there a possibility that we will be attacked as soon as we move to the second floor?”

“…There is a possibility, but it won’t be a big problem. They’re just fodder placed for reconnaissance purposes.”

The condition for breaking through the second floor of the labyrinth was a simple defense of killing endlessly swarming monsters. The problem is that there is a condition that you have to kill ten thousand monsters to move to the third floor.

It’s not like a game where the enemies killed by party members are shared. Even if you came in together, you had to fulfill your own conditions yourself.

If someone fulfills the condition ahead of others, that person moves to the third floor alone, and the others remain on the second floor and have to block the enemies that swarm in, aiming for the person who left for the third floor first.

If you acted alone like Roel, you just had to kill ten thousand monsters, but we all had to kill ten thousand monsters at a similar pace without much difference.

While Raellan, who had checked everything down to the smallest detail, was lost in thought, Ellie, who had approached my side, handed me a cup of warm coffee.

“Ross-ssi is working hard even during break time?”

“It’s not really hard work. I didn’t even swing my spear once on the first floor.”

“…Now that I hear it, that’s true. Can I have the coffee back?”

I subtly moved the cup of coffee to the opposite hand, away from Ellie.

Compared to Ellie and Conrad, who helped us with various magic spells, it wasn’t really hard work. Thanks to the Guardian Golem, assisted by the Golden King, performing so well, I just ran.

I drank the coffee, feeling the screams of the adventurers echoing through the walls of the labyrinth. It’s so bitter it wakes me up. I wonder if Ellie doesn’t put sugar in it. I smelled the sweet strawberry scent like a miser and gulped down the bitter coffee.

Since there was no air flow at all, the flames of the adventure bonfire burned without shaking at all. Ellie, who was staring blankly at the fire with me, murmured as if sighing.

“…How many will die?”

“Many will die… It’s the first time, so people flocked to it.”

They are those who have not experienced what the labyrinth is like. Most of them are probably those who simply participated in the hope of making a fortune. Such people will not be able to survive even on the first floor, which is the easiest difficulty in the labyrinth.

Out of the 890,000 who entered the labyrinth, probably half will not survive today, and the number of people who can go to the second floor will be even smaller.

“But since there will be opportunities to escape the labyrinth from the second floor, everyone will give up and go back.”

From the second floor of the labyrinth, there were escape locations everywhere where you could escape from the labyrinth at any time. Valleys where you can’t see the bottom, wells filled with blood instead of water, and doors placed in the middle of the road were escape locations.

It was a chance to save one’s only life, and it was a curse that instilled weakness in the challenger of the labyrinth. Being able to escape from the hellish labyrinth without any conditions had the effect of shaking people’s resolve.

“If the people who escaped from the labyrinth talk about how dangerous the labyrinth is… there won’t be as many people flocking to enter the labyrinth like this time.”

When Ellie was nodding her head slightly at my words, Raellan, who had been lost in thought, suddenly opened his mouth.

“The number of people trying to enter the labyrinth will increase.”

“Yes?”

Ellie was startled and turned her head to look at Raellan. At that time, when the screams of an adventurer echoed through the walls of the labyrinth, Ellie said with a look as if asking if he was serious.

“…Knowing that so many people have died in the labyrinth?”

Ellie, who said that, frowned and added.

“Don’t tell me you think Bella is going to cover up the deaths?”

Perhaps because she still doesn’t have a good relationship with Bella, Ellie suspected Bella. But it wasn’t a far-fetched suspicion, it was a reasonable suspicion that Bella would somehow do that.

“No, she won’t bother hiding the deaths.”

At Raellan’s answer, Ellie and I looked at Raellan with puzzled faces.

“Then why do you think the number of people trying to enter the labyrinth will increase?”

Instead of answering, Raellan turned his gaze to Lamine, who was sitting next to Conrad and drinking coffee. Lamine, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, put the cup down on the floor with a flustered face.

“Um… why me?”

“You’re Bella’s closest aide. Don’t you know why I said that?”

At Raellan’s question, Lamine scratched her head. Conrad, who was next to her, also looked at Lamine with eyes full of interest. After thinking for a while, Lamine groaned softly.

“…Before the labyrinth was opened, His Majesty moved most of the treasures in the Imperial Vault to the labyrinth.”

“…What?”

I couldn’t hide my absurdity at what I was hearing. I realized Bella’s intention in moving the Imperial treasures to the labyrinth.

“Not only the treasures that originally existed on the first floor of the labyrinth, but also the treasures owned by the Imperial family are scattered enormously.”

Ellie continued Conrad’s words with a dumbfounded face.

“If you see a valuable treasure in the hands of someone who escaped from the labyrinth, enough to live on for the rest of your life without working… you won’t notice the people who died in the labyrinth.”

When I sent a look asking if he knew, Raellan answered gruffly.

“Bella is someone who would do anything for Roel. Roel is more important to her than the treasures that fill the Imperial Vault. Of course, I thought that the smart Bella would act that way. Just by releasing the gold that was sleeping in the vault, she can sit on the throne and get what she wants.”

“…If you knew, you should have stopped it in advance. Many people will die.”

When I said that as if blaming him, Raellan chuckled.

“Keu keu, the more people who enter the labyrinth, the more likely it is to help us, who are aiming for the 10th floor. We can use them as helpers or use them as bait. Stop it for the sake of the stupid bastards who crawled into the labyrinth without knowing their place, blinded by greed, when it will help us? You might as well force me to commit suicide.”

“…”

When I frowned silently at his sarcastic tone, Raellan didn’t miss the opportunity and continued.

“The skilled people who were watching the labyrinth will also be eager for the treasures in the hands of the returnees. The heavy-assed tower masters of each magic tower will also try to enter the labyrinth with their eyes on fire. On top of that, there’s even a chance to get the Imperial treasures scattered on the first floor… A useful strategist doesn’t change the situation, but uses the situation.”

“…”

“I’m even the best strategist you don’t deserve.”

Saying that, Raellan lightly shook the crown made of gold and jewels, which I don’t know when he picked up, so I turned my head and looked at Ellie silently.

“…He’s annoying.”

I nodded my head satisfactorily at Ellie’s words. As expected, Ellie is quick-witted.