Chapter 119: You’ll Have No Choice But to Help, Right?

What exactly are these things we call the Three Villainesses?

“They are ancient beings called Loa.”

At Helena’s words, Raphanel, who had knowledge about Loa, muttered.

“Loa. Aren’t they like ancient spirit gods?”

She recognized Loa as spirit gods.

“They are spirit gods. And also something evil. The gods of folk beliefs that ignorant people blindly believed in before established religions like the Goddess Church took root are what we call Loa.”

Incomprehensible beings. A kind of natural phenomenon.

Divine beings that sometimes eat humans, and sometimes play with them. However, they are far from absolute gods. They were such small divine beings in folk beliefs, not omnipotent gods.

“There are very few Loa with personalities. It’s believed they disappeared along with the mystery of this land.”

“Is that the true identity of the Three Villainesses?”

“That’s right. It’s not known when they were born or what their stories are. However, their power is immense. More accurately, it was immense. In the past when they were still worshipped as faith. Now, to be honest, they’ve become nothing more than superstition.”

To current people, the Three Villainesses are recognized as something like evil spirits or mischievous fairies.

To begin with, ordinary people can’t even feel or see them.

As far as I know, I’m the only one with the spirit eye who can see and feel the Three Villainesses, and communicate with them directly.

That’s why the Three Villainesses clung to me so desperately. Even placing a contract on me that’s close to curse immunity.

“Now, their power dwells in this child’s body. More precisely, it can be seen as being bound. It’s an intense binding spell. A powerful chain is tied to this child’s heart, so strong that no other curse would dare approach.”

“What does that mean?”

In response to Moira’s question, Raphanel answered instead of Helena.

She had consulted with me about my relationship with the Loa before.

“I heard he made some kind of contract. A contract to go down… to the depths of the labyrinth.”

“Raphanel, you knew about this too.”

“We talked about it two weeks ago. At that time, I promised to go down to the depths with him.”

At Raphanel’s words, Moira sighed.

She seemed to have a headache at the fact that we had to go down to the depths.

“I get the gist of it. So the villainesses are trying to send Sion to the depths?”

“It seems they were trying to use Sion for their liberation.”

“Liberation, huh. Are the Three Villainesses bound to the labyrinth?”

“Something like that. I think the clue might be on the 8th floor.”

Helena claimed there might be clues about the Loa on the 8th floor.

It wasn’t accurate information, but it was a deduction with sufficiently valid grounds.

“What exactly is the 8th floor? What kind of place is it?”

“From what I’ve roughly figured out… the 8th floor is the graveyard of the Loa.”

Below the ideal world.

Below that was a deep, deep abyss.

“The ideal world has grown so large it could be called another world. It’s extremely difficult to explore. Because it’s like a world of its own. However, even the 7th floor is small compared to the 8th floor. The 8th floor had no discernible end.”

Helena shuddered slightly.

What state was the abyss she saw in? What did she see that would terrify the strongest magician?

It must not have been ordinary. The 8th floor was an unimaginable place.

“Are the Loa that disappeared in the past buried there.. So to break the binding spell on Sion, we absolutely have to go down to the 8th floor at least.”

“That’s right.”

At Helena’s words, Raphanel bit her lower lip and asked.

“If there’s a way to use them, we might be able to borrow the power of the Loa.”

Moira frowned at Raphanel’s question. She was assuming the Loa were hostile beings.

“What if the Loa are the root of all evil? They could be the culprits behind everything.”

Moira’s words were reasonable. They are unidentified ancient beings, and in every legend passed down, they are monsters that only eat humans.

It was natural to be suspicious and hostile.

“It doesn’t seem like all Loa are like that to make such an assumption. Some Loa seemed to wish for their own extinction.”

“What?”

“Below the 8th floor. There’s something even further below. Something trying to expand the labyrinth… using the Loa as a power source.”

At Helena’s words, Moira rubbed her forehead and muttered as if telling her not to lie.

“The Labyrinth Master? This is crazy. Is that legend real?”

The Labyrinth Master. Something with absolutely no information.

While there’s information even about the Loa, there’s nothing but rumors about the Labyrinth Master.

“Are you sure what’s on the 9th floor is really the Labyrinth Master?”

“No, I don’t know that far. I only saw the entrance to the 8th floor. I’m just speculating.”

“No, if the Labyrinth Master is on the 9th floor.. What’s on the 10th floor, which is considered the lowest level?”

“The nightmare must be there.”

“…I see.”

“To think we have to go down to the 10th floor and close the door. It’s insane.”

“If we don’t, we’ll all die.”

“Will it burst before we die?”

“It will definitely burst. Once it bursts, there will be no way to handle it. The liberated monsters will roam the whole world, killing humans, elves, and easterners indiscriminately. The goal is to kill it before it awakens.”

“…Shit. I can’t help but swear.”

“It’s truly regrettable, but we must accept it. And there. The materials written on the parchment are absolutely necessary, so it would be good if you could procure them.”

Let Raphanel into the labyrinth, and prepare the supplies written on the parchment.

After saying that much, Helena sent a thought to me.

-I’m reaching my limit.

‘Have you run out of strength?’

-That’s right. I’ve said enough for those two to understand the general situation. Let’s switch back now. It’s not right to borrow someone else’s body for too long.

Unless it’s completely pulling out the soul with a soul chain and putting it into an empty body.

It seemed tiring to possess a body with an owner for too long.

“Ahem. Um, I’m back.”

“You’re back?”

“Helena is inside your body. Since when? You didn’t see anything, did you?”

“No. I just happened to encounter Helena during this labyrinth expedition.”

“I see.. That’s a relief.”

Moira wiped away cold sweat, worried that Helena might have seen her sex scenes with me.

Noticing this, Raphanel probed further.

“What’s a relief? And why are you sweating? What shouldn’t be seen? Do you have something to hide?”

“Hide what? It’s nothing.”

“No, it’s suspicious. Earlier, you hugged this child and spun around as if you were lovers. I let it pass because the situation was serious, but… your reaction is somehow suspicious.”

“What are you saying, you old hag! What are you implying happened between me and Sion?”

“It’s just, suspicious, isn’t it?”

“You’re picking a fight over nothing. It’s nothing, so don’t worry about it. Above all, now is not the time to talk about such things.”

“That’s true.”

Moira quickly changed the subject. She didn’t want Raphanel to find out about her relationship with me.

There must be various reasons for that.

“First, we need to clear out the remaining heretics in the underground city and proceed with the work. Can you enter next week? I know it’s an unreasonable request.”

“I can enter. I ate the giant’s essence, so I should be fine physically.”

“The giant’s essence?”

“Yes. When I killed the giant and fed its blood to the bracelet, it gave me the essence.”

“Ah, that bracelet.”

Moira looked at the growth bracelet and nodded.

“Then let’s prepare for the next expedition. First, we need to resolve Raphanel’s issue.”

Moira said she would try to set up a meeting as soon as possible.

The meeting about Raphanel’s entry into the labyrinth will probably take place within this week. If permitted, we can immediately start the conquest of the garden district with Raphanel.

Since we’ve drastically reduced the number of dungeon trolls, if we can successfully summon the Three Villainesses, we should be able to set up an alchemy workshop in the underground city.

Helena said Raphanel and Tower Master Mabel’s help was crucial for summoning the Three Villainesses, so we absolutely had to make her labyrinth entry happen.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

“Alright. The situation isn’t good in many ways, but.. don’t give up.”

“Yes. Thanks for the encouragement, Moira.”

“It’s nothing. Come visit when you have time.”

“Yes.”

Raphanel and I left the Guild Master’s office.

Everyone had a mountain of work to do, so we couldn’t waste any more time.

“First, I need to find lodging. Could you keep my luggage for a while?”

“Yes. Please contact the guild when you need it.”

“Alright. You’ve worked hard. Thanks to you, I’ll be able to feel the labyrinth air again.”

“Please don’t cause any trouble.”

“You too! What do you take me for! I’m not a troublemaker! It was all done with good intentions. Geez. Tsk.”

Raphanel lamented that the world doesn’t understand her values. Is it really that the world doesn’t understand, or is she just a troublemaker?

“Haha.. Then I’ll be going too.”

“Alright. Are you going home?”

“No. I think I need to stop by the Magic Tower.”

“The Magic Tower, huh. Be careful. From what I hear, the Tower Master doesn’t seem to be in her right mind these days.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It seems a few of her experiments went wrong. Don’t unnecessarily upset her. That woman is quite vicious.”

“Oh. I see.”

Raphanel headed towards the northern part of the city. There are many quiet and secluded inns there.

‘Should I not go to the Magic Tower?’

What should I do? I need to discuss the ability-fixing bracelet at least.

And Helena said we’d need the Tower Master’s help when summoning the Three Villainesses. I absolutely have to persuade her.

“Hm…? What are you doing there..?”

“Oh? Rien?”

“It’s been a while.. Have you been well, Porter?”

While I was contemplating whether to go to the Magic Tower or not, I ran into Rien.

Where is the young lady party’s witch going now?

“Me..? On my way to the Magic Tower.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.. I’m taking classes these days.”

“Classes?”

“Yeah.. There’s a scroll master called Rod.. I’m learning how to draw scrolls from him.”

“But Rien, you already know how to draw scrolls.”

“The knowledge learned outside is a bit different.. The scrolls of the labyrinth city.. are more effective.”

“I see.”

“So, where are you going, Porter….? Rea went to Yuria’s house earlier.. Did you miss her.?”

“No. I’ve just come from seeing her. And now I’m… debating whether to go to the Magic Tower or not.”

“Hm? Why are you debating..? You can just go..”

“Well. I heard that the Tower Master is in a strange state. I need to see the Tower Master.”

“Is that so..? Mabel.. She hasn’t been in a good state lately…”

“Oh no.”

“But don’t worry too much.. She’s just locked herself in her room.. Maybe she’ll be happy if you go to see her.?”

“She’ll be happy if I go to see her?”

“Yeah.. Recently, two of the experimental subjects the Tower Master was managing… died. New experimental subjects are always precious..”

Oh shit, I was considered an experimental subject.

“Hehehe.. Let’s go together..”

“Aah! No! I don’t want to be an experimental subject!”

“Aren’t you already half an experimental subject…?”

“That’s…”

I headed to the Magic Tower with Rien, who had become strangely mischievous, perhaps because it had been a while since we met. More accurately, I was half-dragged there.

I’m very worried about the Tower Master’s condition, but I also didn’t have time to delay.

I need to talk to her anyway.

She wouldn’t really treat me as an experimental subject, right?