Chapter 104: Your Intention Doesn’t Matter

Following the direction Paynel indicated, a long spiral staircase appeared.

“Where does this lead to when we go up?”

“It should still be the lake district.”

“We only have 6 water-walking accessories.”

“Ah..”

At Raphael’s words, I alternately looked at the swordsman Roy and Helena who had entered the Apostle’s body.

There were no accessories for those two people.

“It can’t be helped. Those without accessories will have to be carried or held by others.”

“You there. Roy, was it?”

“That’s right.”

“You carry Porter.”

“Understood.”

At the Saint’s order, Roy immediately nodded.

It’s certainly better for me to be carried than to carry someone.

From the start, among the people gathered here, I have the smallest build, so it makes sense for me to be carried.

“Next is you.”

“Is there someone for me to ride? Or someone to carry me?”

“Hmm.”

The inquisitors seemed uncomfortable with the idea of carrying Helena.

Even if the soul had changed, it was still the Apostle’s body.

“Everyone seems uncomfortable. Then I’ll just use water-walking magic.”

“You, you were a magician?”

“Yes. Quite a famous one.”

Helena gave a bitter smile at the Saint’s question.

If her identity is revealed, it would probably cause an uproar.

“Then let’s go up.”

The inquisitors and the Saint put on accessories engraved with water-walking magic, and I gave Roy the water-walking bracelet I had and got on his back.

Helena decided to cast water-walking magic on her own legs separately.

“This staircase is disgustingly long.”

“Indeed. There’s no end in sight…”

Raphael, who was walking in the lead, grumbled that he couldn’t see the end of the spiral staircase.

Paramel frowned, wiping away sweat.

The stairs really seemed endless.

It’s fortunate that we just have to walk since we’ve already dealt with all the heretics in this area. Otherwise, climbing the stairs would have been even harder.

“The torch is about to go out.”

“Why don’t we just use Holy Light? This place is empty now anyway.”

“Yes, Saint.”

Thanks to all the heretics being dead, we openly used Holy Light to illuminate our surroundings as we went up.

Even the demons that should have come out of the flooded area had already been dealt with by the heretics long ago, so there was no inconvenience in our movement.

‘But why has luck been on our side since earlier?’

I felt uneasy because things were working out strangely well.

The labyrinth should be full of mindless bad luck 24 hours a day, so why is it so calm?

Could it be preparing for one big hit?

“The end of the stairs is finally in sight.”

After climbing the stairs non-stop for 2 hours, we were finally able to come up above the floor division again.

“I never thought I’d be glad to see this space.”

“Haah. This is better than below, at least.”

Although the humidity was still high, it felt much less stuffy than below, probably because it was open on all sides.

“Let’s go to the central district and rest.”

“That sounds good.”

After casting the blessing of insect repellent, we headed towards the central district.

“Demons!”

“Multiple mermaids!”

The effect of the Elixir had already worn off, so the mermaids had started to become active.

Those released from the unconscious state were extremely angry, and as soon as they spotted us, they threw bone harpoons like madmen.

“Roy! Shield!”

“Yes!!!”

THUD-!!

I quickly handed the shield to Roy, and he skillfully deflected the harpoons.

“Damn rotten fish heads..!”

“They’re swarming. Let’s move!”

The Saint quickly rushed forward and poured exorcism techniques towards the merfolk attacking us from the water, and Helena quietly froze the bottom of the lake, instantly killing the merfolk.

However, the efforts of these two people weren’t enough to block everything.

More merfolk were gathering here. They seemed very hungry, and perhaps due to the effect of the Elixir, they were in a state of having lost all fear.

“Run!”

We ran for our lives. We didn’t come here to hunt demons in the first place. There was no reason to struggle fighting the merfolk here.

‘We could just release the Elixir again, but…’

The Elixir is no longer my possession. I handed it over to the order in exchange for obtaining the Spirit Tree Heart, so using the Elixir would require the Saint’s permission, but the Saint didn’t seem to want to use it now.

Above all, I didn’t want to pollute the lake district anymore.

‘It’s a water resource.’

When I conceived the underground city development project, this was the most important district.

Being able to stably supply water from the labyrinth gives a tremendous advantage.

It’s dirty water with lots of parasites, not suitable for drinking right away, but if it can be properly purified, it could be used for food.

‘There’s no need to purify it for farming.’

Magic herbs grow well in the mana-filled labyrinth.

If I send Raphanel to the garden district to set up an alchemy workshop, and use water from the lake district to promote plant growth…

‘I can set up a potion factory inside the labyrinth.’

The Alchemy Guild’s potions are expensive.

But Raphanel’s potions are cheap. Moreover, if I set up research facilities and workshops in the labyrinth, Raphanel would likely provide me with free medicine.

‘If I can also dominate the leaders of the native species in each district through the soul chain…’

Domesticate the dogs in the plaza district. Enslave the hop goblin groups in the ruins district and use them as workers.

‘The underground city will fall into human hands.’

Of course, a lot of trial and error will be needed.

But if successful, there will no longer be a need to fear the underground 5th floor.

“Let’s all take a break for a moment.”

Upon arriving at the central district, we all had to sit down or lie down.

Everyone was panting and sweating profusely from how hard they had run.

“Drink some water and chew on some jerky.”

I provided water and light food to my companions.

Everyone looked like they needed rest.

---

While my companions were resting, I was checking the vine beans planted in front of the central district’s gate. That’s when Rosie quietly approached me.

“The vine beans have grown quite a lot.”

“Indeed.”

As Rosie said, the vine beans had grown quite a bit.

We had planted one at each gate entrance. Before we knew it, they were extending their stems to cover the gates.

“Raphanel really made something extraordinary.”

“Indeed.”

Helena, who had also approached us, couldn’t help but marvel at the grown vine beans.

No one expected them to grow this much in such a short time.

It was a kind of miracle that they had grown unbelievably in just 12 hours, covering half of the gates.

‘It means the mana concentration has become that thick.’

The vine bean planted at the gate connected to the garden district had grown the fastest.

It seemed to be growing faster and stronger due to the mana emitted by the giant. Should I possess Paynel into that one? Or it might be good to wait for the vine beans to connect with each other and then possess Paynel.

“Here, I’ve set up a makeshift shower. Let’s wash in order.”

“Me first!”

Paramel and Sasaro had made a makeshift shower using a tent, basin, and a bucket with holes in the bottom.

We needed to wash as we were soaked in sweat and blood, and since I had an enormous amount of clean water, it was possible for all of us to shower.

“Porter, do you have soap too?”

“I brought some. Here you go.”

“Huhu. You’re very well-prepared.”

The Saint seemed pleased as she took the soap and entered the makeshift shower.

Since I had brought plenty of towels and spare clothes, it didn’t matter if we threw away the blood-soaked clothes.

‘Damn. The Saint.. wears a T-back?’

As I was clearing away the Saint’s clothes in the basket, I inadvertently saw her underwear.

Surprisingly, it seemed the Saint wore pure white T-back panties. Is it for comfort?

‘Even her panties are soaked in blood.’

After piling up mountains of corpses, even her panties were dyed red.

This won’t come off even if washed. We’ll have to throw it away.

“Excuse me, Porter-ssi.”

As I was busy throwing my companions’ laundry into my inventory, Rosie approached.

Wasn’t it Rosie’s turn after Paramel?

It’s my turn to wash after Rosie. Since I’m in charge of preparing towels and clothes for my companions, I decided to wash last.

“What is it, Rosie?”

“Um.. Could you possibly wash my back?”

“What? Me?”

“Yes. You’re the only one I can ask.”

“Ah, no. If you ask the Saint..”

“I wouldn’t dare ask the Saint. All the others are men.”

“But I’m a man too.”

“Still, you have a fiancée outside.. You’re the only one I can ask.”

“Huh..”

How am I supposed to take this?

Why is Rosie suddenly acting like this towards me?

“Well, um, alright.”

“Thank you.”

My head became a mess, extremely complicated.

At that moment, Helena, who had finished showering in the Apostle’s body and was even drinking a bottle of milk, casually approached me.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. But I ended up overhearing this unintentionally.”

“No, what exactly were you eavesdropping on!”

“I said it was unintentional. Ahem. Anyway. That young lady was just asking you to wash her back. What did you do to her?”

“Huh? I didn’t do anything?”

“You didn’t do anything, yet a child of the Antler Tribe asks such a favor?”

“Antler Tribe? What nonsense is that?”

“Hm? You didn’t know? That child is a barbarian.”

“….What?”

“Whether she intentionally hid her origins or is mixed-blood. She couldn’t hide her terrifying compressed muscles.”

“Compressed muscles? No, barbarian? What is this..”

“Not all barbarians are as terrifyingly built as that young man Raphael. The term ‘barbarian’ itself is a blanket term for all northern minority tribes. If you go into details, there are several tribes. Raphael is just the most common type of barbarian.”

So that savage body is the standard for barbarians, and there are types like Rosie who don’t show it outwardly.

No wonder she was strangely strong.

The common characteristic of barbarians is their ridiculous strength, and Rosie has always shown incredible strength that shouldn’t be possible with her build.

That must have been the power of the compressed muscles that only the Antler Tribe has.

“There’s a high chance she’s mixed-blood. Her speech isn’t awkward like Raphael’s. Probably one of her parents is from that tribe. But judging from her knowledge of their culture, I think her mother might have been from the tribe.”

Helena expounds her thoughts while stroking her chin.

This woman has become strangely talkative after getting a living body.

“I understand that she’s a barbarian, but what does asking me to wash her back mean?”

“It means she’s interested in you. More precisely, it means she wants to entrust her back to you, and also wants to know if you’re truly manly.”

“There was such a deep meaning?”

“Yes. I believe that tribe is a matriarchal society. Women choose men. You’ve been chosen. You’ve been given the chance to wash her back.”

“Oh god, damn it. This is ridiculous. Look, I have a fiancée. I have someone I’m flirting with. I have a partner too.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

“….I didn’t see you that way. Looking so innocent, yet you’ve been swinging your dick around freely.”

“No, it’s not like I wanted to swing it around. I just got entangled somehow. In a way, I’m a victim too.”

“Huh. Rosie.. To think she’d choose such a guy.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I didn’t even do anything special for her…”

“Didn’t you show unconscious favor? From what I hear, you took quite good care of her.”

“No, that’s because she’s the youngest among our companions. And since she’s my guard, I just took a bit more care of her.”

“You fool! You can’t be so carelessly nice to women!”

“What?”

“You. Do you act like this outside too? Being strangely kind and such.”

“No, I’m just showing basic courtesy and doing what’s right?”

Isn’t that common sense?

“Being from the East, your way of thinking is a bit different.”

“That’s…”

It’s not because I’m from the East, it’s just modern Earth behavior.

“If you carelessly show kindness, the other person will misunderstand. That one slice of apple jam pie you gave without thinking has set fire to that innocent girl’s heart.”

“Oh god, damn it. It’s just a slice of pie?”

“You see, people’s hearts are like that. They get moved by such small things. Especially in this crazy labyrinth where there’s nothing to eat except demon corpses. A man who talks to her all the time with that cute face that makes you want to protect him, and even gives her sweet snacks whenever possible? This is basically a confession. Saying ‘Let’s get married.’ Put yourself in her shoes. If your guard subject was a beautiful girl.. You get the picture, right?”

No, I just gave her snacks because I was worried her blood sugar might drop? Is that being interpreted so broadly? No, this is like… It’s like that old bachelor office worker who misunderstands that the kind female employee who’s nice to everyone likes him…

“No, putting all that aside, why do you keep saying my face is cute!? I don’t understand that in the first place!”

“Don’t you look in the mirror?”

Why do all the women who see me say I’m cute?

I don’t understand. I look quite manly. This isn’t some gender-reversed world to begin with.

It’s just that the women in this world are big and strong.

Do Earth humans look cute to their eyes?

“Anyway, by asking you to wash her back, she’s indirectly saying she wants to entrust everything to you. Of course, Rosie knew you wouldn’t understand. Knowing it wouldn’t lead anywhere, she just confessed, knowing there wouldn’t be an answer. It was probably for her personal satisfaction.”

After saying all this, Helena finally burst out laughing, which she had been holding back.

“But since I’ve pointed out to you the true meaning behind her words, you’ve essentially received a public confession from Rosie.”

“You crazy old woman…! No, why are you making someone else’s love life more complicated..!”

“Isn’t it interesting? It’s youth. Ah. I’m envious. I wasted all my youth in the labyrinth. Seeing such young kids enjoying their youth right before my eyes. As an old person, I couldn’t help but meddle, or I’d be so restless I wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

Helena was dying of joy.

She was even trembling with happiness.

It was like the feeling of watching a youth romance drama while reminiscing about past school days.

“You.. I think I understand a bit why you were the Saint’s enemy.”

“Yes, that bitch kept acting up, so I gave her some proper education, and meddled in everything. So what?”

“…”

Helena, grinning through the Apostle’s body, was extremely annoying.

This woman is more mischievous than I thought. Her serious appearance must be a mask, and this teasing behavior is probably her true self.

‘As expected, she wasn’t normal.’

She’s gradually revealing her true colors.s can’t be judged by appearances alone.

Similarly, people can’t grasp everything about a person from first impressions.

Just as Yuria, who seemed like a tomboy, was actually a pure romantic.

Just as Lady Lea, who seemed fragile, was actually a strong-willed noble.

Just as the Guild Master, who always seemed blunt, was an Easterner fetishist.

Furthermore, just as Raphanel, the solemn High Elf, was actually an eccentric researcher longing to be a man.

Just as Mabel, the Tower Master with the most excellent magic skills, was actually a bundle of inferiority complexes.

Helena too had her true self hidden.

“This is driving me crazy.”

I checked the shower room where Rosie had entered.

Rosie, asking me to wash her back.

I guess I have to do what I have to do. Let’s just wash her back.