Chapter 47 : First Labyrinth Exploration (6)

My head felt like it was going to explode from the pain.

I wanted to complain about it, but I couldn’t bring myself to, having received a blessing that others could only dream of.

“But it really does hurt, though.”

On top of that, the back of my head tingled, as if someone had struck me from behind while I slept.

Surely the gods wouldn’t have hit me on the head to force me to sleep faster… would they?
“…I do have my doubts.”

As soon as I woke from the dream, I bolted upright in bed.

Placing a hand on my forehead, I felt a feverish heat, likely caused by the headache.

“Ugh, my head…”

When the pain made it feel like my head would split open, I resented it. But as I examined the newfound knowledge filling my mind, all my resentment melted away.

Last time, the gods had granted me knowledge of treatment methods for the temple clinic.
This time, they imparted methods for priests to contribute more effectively within the labyrinth.

“Thank you.”

The knowledge, likely intended for battle priests, caught me off guard at first.

Still, it was exactly what I needed now. I always felt awkward waiting idly during battles, but with this, I could take pride in playing an active role.

“You’re up early, Priest.”

“Yes, good morning. Did you sleep well?”

My habit of waking early for morning prayers carried over even in the labyrinth.

Especially today, my mind was too preoccupied with the knowledge I’d received to focus on sleeping.

I thought it would be good to organize my thoughts through prayer and maybe even vent my concerns to the Sun God.

“Are you going to pray?”

“Yes.”

While it was impossible to wash properly in the labyrinth, I made do by wiping my face and limbs with a damp cloth. At least I could brush my teeth thoroughly before setting up a makeshift prayer room.

If I were praying alone, I would have simply clasped my hands together and been done with it. However, I prepared the room for any Sun God followers who might join.

“Only the most devout believers would pray regularly; for most, it’s just ‘if it’s there, I’ll do it, if not, whatever.’”

So, I deliberately set up the prayer room in a visible location.

As I said, they’ll pray if it’s there.

Forcing faith on others wasn’t my style. I preferred encouraging people to incorporate faith naturally into their lives.

As the saying goes, it’s not the strong wind but the hot sun that gets you to take off your coat.

“Priest, may I join you in prayer?”

“You’re always welcome. Please, come.”

Gradually, others joined me in prayer.

Those who woke early prayed with me, while those who rose later quietly used the prayer room on their own.

“See? Creating a natural environment is always the best approach.”

Smiling with satisfaction, I finished my meal and headed to meet Princess Rasiel.

The princess welcomed my visit and greeted me warmly.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

“Yes, and you, Your Highness?”

“I didn’t sleep as well as I hoped. But it’s something I’ll have to adapt to, so there’s no helping it.”

For someone raised in comfort, it would’ve been impossible to adapt to an uncomfortable bed so quickly.

Yet, Princess Lasiell didn’t hide her discomfort and showed determination to grow accustomed to it.

“You didn’t step forward on the first day. Why was that?”

“It’s hard to find people I can trust. I wasn’t confident they’d fight well. I couldn’t risk my team being reduced to a bunch of strong but dumb muscleheads.”

Her words implied that if she had stepped in, the fight would’ve been over without needing to coordinate.

She had deliberately held back.

“I received knowledge last night that could be helpful in battle.”

“…You received a revelation?”

It’s a widely known fact that gods deliver prophecies to priests through dreams.

“It wasn’t a prophecy. It was knowledge that would assist in battles within the labyrinth.”

Receiving such a gift from the gods could be seen as a sign of their support for our party’s future. Otherwise…

‘It might also mean our party’s future is so perilous that this was given as compensation.’

However, I chose not to voice such negative thoughts. Years of working as a priest had taught me that sharing bad news with people brought no benefit.

People sought the temple because they wanted to hear positive things.

‘Everyone already knows how hard life is. They come to the temple seeking solace because there’s no immediate way to escape their struggles.’

Imagine how disheartened they’d feel if they came to the temple for hope only to hear more bad news?

It’s better to offer comfort and send them off with a sense of relief, even if it means glossing over reality a little.

I believed that was the right approach for the faithful.

Similarly, Princess Lasiell wouldn’t appreciate being told outright that the chances of saving Princess Kanabi were slim.

“It feels great to know the gods are watching over us.”

“And I’ll be able to contribute more to battles from now on, so that’s fortunate as well.”

“With this momentum, we might wake my sister sooner than expected.”

Princess Lasiell’s eyes sparkled.

Despite the daunting prospect of wandering the labyrinth until we reached a different region beyond the snow-covered areas, she seemed confident that she could achieve her goal.

Day 3 in the Labyrinth

We killed a monster.
The priest gained new powers, and after receiving buffs, our companions became more excited and energetic.
Hopefully, their enthusiasm doesn’t lead to mistakes or serious injuries.

Day 7 in the Labyrinth

We encountered many monsters. We fought four battles in one day.
All ended in victory.

Day 12 in the Labyrinth

We’re exhausted but in good spirits.
We found a treasure chest.
Although it didn’t contain anything exceptional, seeing gold bars lifted everyone’s mood.
We’ve had several injuries (all recovering safely).

Day 19 in the Labyrinth

The overall atmosphere was excellent.

The team Princess Lasiell assembled turned out to be more capable than I’d anticipated.

It wouldn’t be truthful to say we’d never faced danger against the monsters, but there hadn’t been any crises severe enough to be fatal.

I didn’t want to overly credit myself by claiming it was all thanks to my buffs.
‘They’re just skilled.’

With this group, I genuinely believed we had a real chance of breaking Princess Kanavi’s curse.

While living together in close quarters, minor conflicts were inevitable.
Still, I considered such issues natural and something that would resolve themselves over time.

‘I don’t understand why they keep coming to me for mediation, though.’

It seemed to be because I was a priest.

Initially, I stepped in to mediate at their request. But as it happened repeatedly, it became an expectation that I would intervene whenever conflicts arose.

If it weren’t beneficial to me, I might have gotten annoyed and handled things half-heartedly. However, seeing their wariness toward me diminish over time, I couldn’t help but give it my all.

‘Honestly, now they like me so much that it’s starting to get overwhelming.’

Everywhere I went, people were calling out, “Priest, Priest,” with attitudes so different from before that it felt awkward.
‘If they like me that much, what can I do? I just have to accept it.’

Having influence here wasn’t a bad thing—it would make treatments easier and provide conveniences for daily life.

Thus, the 19th day passed uneventfully, and the 20th day in the labyrinth dawned.

Day 20 in the Labyrinth

We triggered a trap.
Four people went missing.

I thought the labyrinth was something to be wary of only because of monsters.
However, while the feared monsters caused us little harm, what truly struck us hard—so much that it felt like a blow to the gut—were the traps.

The first rule in the labyrinth is not to get lost.
The second rule is to be cautious of monsters.
But for us, it was the traps that dealt the greatest damage.

‘If someone gets caught in a trap and disappears, there’s nothing even I can do.’

What could we do if a person was transported somewhere else by a trap?
And even if it wasn’t a transport trap, what if they fell onto a floor embedded with massive spikes coated in deadly poison?

‘If someone’s body gets pierced through, how could I possibly save them?’

No matter what I tried, resurrecting someone who had died instantly was impossible. Especially when I was the only priest here.

“It seems we’ve taken the wrong path. This area is full of traps rather than monsters. I’m sorry,” our guide admitted belatedly.

But it was too late to undo the damage. Four people were already missing.

“We can’t just leave them. We have to go find them.”

“At the very least, shouldn’t we be able to find those who fell below?”

“This area is full of traps. Even if we find them later, they’ll already be dead!”

The group split into two factions: one insisting on searching for the missing and another claiming it was pointless since they were likely dead.

In the end, after much discussion, the leader and Princess Lasiell decided to search for the missing.

What surprised me was that both the leader and Princess Lasiell shared the same opinion.
‘They’re not completely without loyalty.’

Even those who had opposed the search didn’t seem upset by Princess Lasiell’s sense of responsibility.

Perhaps it was because everyone understood that they themselves could become the next victim.

Dead or alive, the decision to search was made, and everyone agreed to follow the upper command.

Thus, our party began scouring the trap-laden areas in search of a path downward.

Day 21 in the Labyrinth

We couldn’t find the missing people.
Spent the entire day in vain, dismantling traps.

Day 22 in the Labyrinth

We found one of the missing individuals.
They were dead.
We recovered the body and continued moving.
Discovered a path leading downward. The search will resume tomorrow.

Day 25 in the Labyrinth

We may need to make a decision soon. Continuing to push forward recklessly could endanger everyone. Suggested that we consider giving up.

Day 26 in the Labyrinth

People started agreeing with the idea of turning back.

It had been 26 days since we entered the labyrinth and six days since we started searching for the missing.
We reached our limits.

As we descended further, not only were the traps more dangerous, but the monsters were more threatening than we had anticipated.